# Fight on the Silver Tide



## AraCelebEarwen (Dec 24, 2006)

I've spent more then a few hours squinting at a too bright screen after a long day at work picking at what can be found here. I knew I wanted to make something from the little scrap that another writer and I had just picked to play with. It felt like it had something more to it then so many other things. I was going to take it from the RP form it was written in, clean it up and give it to the co-writer as something of a Christmas gift. He didn't know I was working on it and I don't know if he even remembers it all that well. I tried to send it to him this morning. It wouldn't go through. So, in the half wounded hope that he may yet see it, I'll post it here as well another place and let everyone that will enjoy the piece of art that he started. 

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The larger ship was faster, there was nothing they could do. It was only a matter of time before they were caught by the Banshee, a famous easterner ship that terrorized these waters. Daranavo leaned over the railing and yelled out, "Secure the rigging and prepare for battle!" Immediately everyone on deck of the Silver Tide was moving twice as fast as they had been. Silently Daranavo had pride in his men. The best crew a man could want, but today he felt he may lose many of them. He caught sight of Ara running toward the port-side and yelled out to her. "Ara! They'll be coming up along starboard! Be ready for them!"

She ran across the deck, her dark braid flying behind her. Just behind them, the pirate ship was so close now that she could see their faces all too clearly. Only moments left. "Daranavo! They..." Her words silenced as the first claw and rope landed and dug it's way into the railing. 

Bringing her sword down, she cut through the line as others flew through the air, too many for her to mind on her own. "Come on! Fight them off!" As her order sounded, the crew already had their swords drawn and were cutting away at the lines and slashing at the pirates as they started to pour onto their ship. 

One hard faced man had made it across and ran at the young woman, his sword held high, a look of twisted triumph on his face. She had just time to dodge away as he brought the blow towards her head. The clash of steal was drowned out and lost in the sounds of battle now everywhere on deck. Swiftly she jumped away for another slash and plunged her knife into the side of his neck.

The easterners fought like rabid dogs; not particularly skilled with a blade, but in larger numbers. He stood upon the deck and watched as his men fought for their ship and for there lives. He saw two easterners push their way through the fight. One he knew by sight. That long black beard could only belong to one man; the captain of the Banshee. He and his first mate Daranavo thought. 

Standing with one foot up on the railing, he called down to them. "Sallock, your days of terror on these waters are at an end! Surrender your vessel or die to a man!" Sallock looked at his first officer and laughed uproariously before looking back at Daranavo. He licked his thumb and tested it upon his battle ax; his face gnarled with hatred. "We be the ones who take ye from tha water here boy!" He looked down at Ara fighting for her life and sneered evilly before looking back at him. "I'll eat your heart an ave ye sister serve it to me on a silver platter!" The two scrambled around and ran up the steps to the bridge. Daranavo moved back and waited for them patiently. 

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Ara but did not dare look at her as she ran to the steps behind them. He drew his silver rapier and set himself in his best stance, his offhand in the air for balance. "Then come and take her, dog!" The two screamed in a rage and rushed him. 

Daranavo simply rolled forward between them then snapped back up and faced them once again. They looked at each other and rushed him again. He side stepped the officer, but Sallock was not fooled. He brought down his ax and Daranavo had to parry or be cut in half from the shoulder down. Sallock’s strength was far greater then his own and so as their weapons were locked, Sallock brought Daranavo to a knee by brute force.

Sallock had not seen Ara yet. Using the advantage, her sword flashed past his face, leaving a long cut and pulling his attention away from Dar. Stepping back, her mind racing, she readied herself for what had to be next. Sallock roared with hate. His eyes locked on the woman, he forgot all else for a moment. As Daranavo saw that he had time to get to his feet, Ara stepped back slowly, a tight spring ready to leap. 

Around them, the crew looked to be fighting a loosing battle. The deck ran red with blood and the bodies of the crew and their enemies being trodden upon as the living still fought. The shouts and screams of the men reached her ears but she refused to lose her focus even though her heart cried out for the voices of the men she knew. 

Ara's pulse began to race as she dodged the flash of Sallock's ax, the force hard enough that it buried itself into the rail, causing the wood to split. She had moved so fast that her side slammed against the hard wood of another rail. Flinching was not an option, the others had seen her now. Ducking under another swing, she crossed the deck to stand by Daranavo's side. "How will we do this, brother? Shall I keep that thing's attention for you?" Her head nodded towards the first mate.

He looked at her and smiled. "Well..." He had to pause as he parried the Captain's battle ax and fell back against the railing. The Captain held him down but his rapier held the battle ax securely. He looked at his sister and snapped, "No frills Ara! Just kill the man will you?! Our friends are being butchered!."

"geerrr... Fine!" She growled and sprang at the hulk of a man, bringing her sword across his arm. He hissed as it left a long slash. Lifting his other hand, he tried to punch the woman. Another flash of movement and Ara had sliced across the first mate's broad chest, bringing him to his knees. She didn't take the time to look up for her brother, all her attention on keeping herself alive and getting rid of this beast of a man. As soon as he had fallen, her blade curved around from the last slash and found its target in his thick neck.

Sallock heaved and lifted Dar to his feet, then backhanded him hard and sent him rolling across the deck. He got up quickly and spit blood from his mouth. Hopping onto the rail, he again assumed an offensive posture at the ready, out of reach only for a moment. Instinctively he knew that the large jib boom was there, very near were Ara stood. As the Captain chuckled at the sight of blood running down his face, Daranavo made eye contact with Ara. He gestured to her with his blade toward the hook on the jib boom as the angry beast of a man charged in at him.

She only had time to push the heavy piece, sending it flying as hard as she could before turning to find a blade pointed at her. The toothy grin and dry laugh belonged to another of the raiders. Trying to move away, she felt a sharp pain dig into her side. Moaning through clenched teeth, she brought her sword up to hit his away. A clash of steel and a strangled yell were heard just before the limp form of the pirate crashed to the floor. Her head spun slightly as she pulled her hand from where it had been pressed against her side. The sight of blood never had bothered her, but as her eyes took in the red liquid covering her fingers she couldn't deny the sick, lightheaded feeling.

As the jib boom swung toward him, the Captain came down with his ax. Daranavo stepped to the side, jumped up and caught the swinging jib boom hook. As the Captain attempted to remove his ax from the rail, he swung around and kicked him in the back with both feet. The force of the blow lurched the Captain forward and he eviscerated himself upon his own ax blade. Daranavo let go of the rope and hit the deck running. 

"Fire! Fire!" He heard from below. He stopped in his tracks and leaned over the rail to look. Indeed, the ship had caught fire and was burning wildly. The wounded screamed in agony as they were engulfed in the flames. "I'm..I'm losing her...” he said half to himself and half out loud. He turned to his sister to see how she fared.

The color of her face had faded some but she did not want to let anyone see that she was wounded. The alarm had been heard as she ducked under the flying fist of a scrawny man with plenty of scars and far too few teeth. He had just come up and tried to catch her from behind but one of the crew had seen and yelled for her to look out. As she bent, the gash in her side stung badly; pain causing her to stumble. She hissed through locked teeth and tried to stand back to her feet.

Dar saw his sister was in trouble and bleeding badly. Without thinking he aimed and threw his rapier. End over end it pierced the air and found its mark in the man's belly. He fell back and tumbled down the steps. Daranavo arrived at his sister's side and saw that blood raced from her wound. She fought to stand but he gestured for her to settle. He kneeled, lifted her up and cradled her in his arms. The color quickly running from her face. He rocked her gently as the ship burned around them and began to list as it took on water. One hand reached up as she tried to wipe some of the blood from his mouth. Her eyes blinked slowly, a weak smile attempting to hint at something that was just between the two of them. She tried to speak but he shushed her and stroked her hair. "Do not try to argue. You know the Captain must go down with his ship."



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## HLGStrider (Jan 10, 2007)

Impressive.


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## AraCelebEarwen (Feb 13, 2007)

Thank you my lady.


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