The Exile Son: The Wavebreaker

The sea breeze brushed over the rolling waves and cooled Thame as he watched the tattered, purple sails of the Mistshade catch the wind bringing the ship forward. The cry of seagulls cut through the air. It’s been three years aboard the Mistshade. I’ve learned much under Kharune, how to sail, captain a ship and her crew, I even fight better. Yet it seems that he prefers to gallivant around, rather than work towards becoming king of Muldah.

“Hiding yourself in ya thoughts again, Thame?” Albesh said.

Thame turned to find Albesh grinning behind him. “Always, Besh. Not like my mind is needed elsewhere at the moment.” Thame shrugged.

Albesh leaned against the nearby railing, “And just what were ya thinking about?”

Thame drew a slow, measured breath, then released it. “It’s been three years since I joined your father’s crew.”

“And it’s served ya well. You’re no longer the insufferable brat ya were when ya came on this ship. It looks like you even have a few callouses on your hands.”

“I am grateful for it. I am.” Thame stared out into the ocean. “But he doesn’t seem concerned with the deal we’ve made. Just sailing, fighting, and whoring.”

Albesh shrugged. “That is my father. Never was a time in my life I didn’t hear him talking about taking the throne, but he’s never really tried for it. Perhaps he made that deal with you to start a fire under his own ass.”

“Perhaps that is why I did and perhaps it wasn’t,” Kharune said, catching the pair off guard.

“Father I-”

Kharune raised a hand to silence his son. “Do not fret Albesh, honesty between friends cannot be faulted.”

Kharune turned to Thame. “Do ya believe I tricked you?”

“No,” Thame said.

“Do you feel as if I have I not done right by ya?”

“You’ve treated me as if I were a son.”

Kharune placed his large hands on Thame’s shoulders. “I made a promise to you, and I will keep it. But despite the Mistshade being a fine ship it will not bring us into Muldah.”

“Then what will?” Thame asked.

“When I was cast out of Muldah, my brother told me that if I wished to return, I must bring with me a mighty ship to replace the ships I had lost at sea.”

Thame cocked his head. “You were exiled for losing ships?”

“In Muldah a poor captain is no captain at all. Those vessels were important to the city and the crews I lost were citizens of Muldah. It is up to me to repay these debts to the city and her people.”

“So what ship is enough to replace those you lost?”

“Tis a great vessel. The ship is able to survive even the mightiest of storms. This ship is known as the Wavebreaker. It is the pride of the Nelian fleet.”

A pit grew in Thame’s stomach. “Nelia? But they’re helping my people. They’re supposed to help me take back my home! I can’t risk that alliance.”

“Don’t fear, little man. We only need the ship to get into the city. There’s nothing telling us we can’t return it after we’ve made our use of it.”

“But what about using it to replace the ships ya lost?” Albesh said.

Kharune flashed a grin. “I’ll be using it to make good on my deal with Thame. What good is a king who doesn’t uphold his word?”

“So once, you’ve been crowned, you’re just going to give it back to Nelia?”

Kharune nodded.

“We’ll need to capture the ship first,” Thame said. “So, when do we go ship hunting?”

“Sooner than you would think, little man. After all it has been Nelian shipping lanes we’ve been raiding these past three years. The Mistshade is well known to them now and there is only one hunter capable of rivaling her.”

“The Wavebreaker.” Albesh grinned.

“Indeed. The prize will bring itself to us. As I’ve heard from what friends I still have, the Nelians have sent out the mighty Wavebreaker to put down their menace.”

“But how do we know it will find us? The sea is vast.” Thame motioned to the water.

Kharune chuckled. “If they have a brain between their ears, they’ll be able to pick up our pattern.” Kharune looked out to the ocean. “We keep to our pattern, and they will gift the Wavebreaker to us.”

***

Thame waited for the cry of a spotted ship from the crow’s nest. It had been this way for five weeks. On the second week they had come upon a ship. To Thame’s disappointment it had only been a trading vessel that the crew happily plundered. Thame had decided early in the second week to practice his swordsmanship with Albesh to occupy his mind. At the start of the sixth week, they had spotted a ship just as the sun began to set. Unlike the other’s it did not change course to avoid the Mistshade, it sailed directly towards it. “Prepare for battle!” Kharune cried as he stared through his spyglass. “Our prey has come!”

The men cheered as they readied themselves. Thame examined those around him and Albesh. They all jeered and laughed like madmen. The deck shook with their excited as if the even the Mistshade had been anticipating this moment. He leaned over to Albesh. “They seem to be in high spirits.”

“Of course, they have the chance to win a fine prize today along with the glory of being able to say they took the pride of Nelia for their own.” Albesh flashed a smiled. “I can hardly blame them.”

Thame grinned as he felt the crew’s enthusiasm infect him. His gut swelled with eagerness. If we pull this off. I’m closer to home.

As the two ships closed in on one another Kharune barked a new order. “Hard to Starboard.” The ship jerked hard to the right sending Thame and many others to the deck.

“Captain, what’s the matter?” one of the men asked.

Kharune held his gaze through the spyglass. “This will not be a battle where will win through brute force my friends.”

“So, we run?” Thame asked.

“Yes. We will run. They chase, and we will have them where we want them.”

“Why would they chase us?”

Kharune chuckled. “Because, little man, they came out for us. They want to be rid of us. If we appear to corner ourselves, they cannot resist taking the bait,” Kharune pointed towards the coast. “The Wavebreaker is a large and mighty vessel, but if it is brought to shallow waters, then I doubt it can break through the ground beneath it.”

“Where will we go?” Albesh asked.

“Deep into the bay of course. We shall come upon them by dinghy once night falls. But we will have to sail out of sight so that they do not see us coming”

“That will be a long distance to row, father.”

“Then each man best be ready with strong arms and hearty spirits, we’ve a ship to catch!” Kharune raised his sword in the air, the sunlight glimmered brightly off its silvery blade.

Every crew member standing on the Mistshade cried out in unision. “Aye-aye!”

They sailed inland with the Wavebreaker in pursuit. Though it was a much larger vessel, it held true to its name and broke through the waves before it as the ship moved with an unnatural speed. Thame looked back to the Wavebreaker. It was gaining. He could see several men waiting at the front of the ship with bows in hand. “Captain. They’re catching up to us,” Thame said.

“That they are, little man. It is good that they close the distance,” Kharune said, “better that they focus on the kill, rather than their surroundings.” He pointed to the water.

Thame’s eyes followed Kharune’s finger. He could see the ground beneath the waters coming closer to them. “Don’t we run the risk of grounding as well?”

“There is always risk,” Kharune said, “but our pursuer will run aground far sooner than we will.”

An arrow flew by Thame’s head, slicing his cheek. Blood flowed freely down his cheek. “Bastards!” Thame’s hand shot to his wound.

“How does my arrow’s kiss feel, boy?” The lead bowman shouted from the Wavebreaker.

“You’d best find cover, little man. Else I won’t be able to repay my debt.”

“No.” Thame retracted his hand, his cheek was slick with blood. Thame examined his bloodstained hand and scowled. “I want to watch them fall into our trap.”

Kharune smiled. “Then come here and watch, they have already brought themselves into it.”

Thame watched closely. The bowman knocked another arrow and drew the string back. As he centered his aim on Thame, the Wavebreaker groaned as it came to a sudden halt. The arrow was loosed into the water. The bowman fell to the deck. A smile drew across Thame’s bloody face. He began to laugh.

Kharune called out to their pursuers. “It would seem you have run aground my friends. Perhaps next time you will think twice about crossing the Mistshade,” Kharune bowed and then turned to Thame. “You’d best get that attended to if you are to join us in taking the Wavebreaker.”

“I’ll be waiting for your call.” Thame hurried below deck to find Surgeon.

***

Thame watched the glittering stars in the night sky as he poked at the stitches in his cheek, though it hurt to do so. Surrounded by smooth, swollen flesh, they felt strange. Surgeon’s words echoed in his head. “If you keep playing with them, you’ll only make it worse and really scar that royal face of yours.” Thame retracted his hand. His mind turned to the night of the wreck. If only that night had been this peaceful. What trials would I be facing in Nelia had I made it to the city? Thame thought about the crimson skull in the clouds and shivered. A strong hand gripped his shoulder.

“It’s time," Albesh said.

Kharune directed the pair to sit in seperate dinghies. When everyone was seated, Kharune addressed the men. “We will be slipping onto the ship while they sleep. There should be few that are alert, and we should be able to slip on quickly and unnoticed. If a fight does break out, we will want to take the captain and his officers. With them we can settle down any situation with ease. Should anyone draw a weapon, their life will be forfeit. Now, let’s row.”

The crew lowered the boats into the water and began their long trek towards the Wavebreaker. It was three hours past the middle of the night by the time their target came into sight. Thame rowed with Surgeon while Albesh and Kharune had their own boats. Kharune motioned for the rowers to slow their efforts. Thame held his breath as they came closer to the ship. There were only two men patrolling the length of the ship. Thame’s boat glided to its destination at the side of the ship. Impatience gripped him. He scrambled up the side of the Wavebreaker. "Thame, wait for the others!" Surgeon warned.

It was too late. Thame was the first to set foot on the deck. He drew his blade and moved behind the closest patrolman. An arrow flew between his legs and into the deck in front of him with a crisp thunk. The man whirled around to face Thame as a familiar voice called out, “Next time I will aim higher to shoot those big balls of yours.”

Thame’s heart pounded. He tightened his grip on his blade as the sailor in front of him drew his own. Others from the Mistshade were still pulling themselves up onto the deck. Albesh appeared behind the sailor in front of Thame.

The bowman drew a second arrow back. “Put that sword down, boy. It’s not worth getting yourself clipped. And tell your friends to put down their weapons.”

“You will not be clipping the boy tonight,” Kharune said resting his blade on the bowman’s shoulder, “I’m glad ya excitement got the better of you Thame.”

“I’m sorry I let my guard down.”

“Fret not, little man. It seems to have worked out for the better. Come up here.”

As Thame turned to join Kharune, Albesh grabbed the sailor and cut his throat with a small blade. Thame stood opposite to Kharune with the bowman between them. He took the opportunity to get a good look of the bowman. He was much older than Thame and Albesh but appeared younger than Kharune. Age had not even given him a wrinkle or added any grey to his greasy tar colored hair. The bowman’s brown eyes were unusually bright as he stared at Thame. Kharune began questioning the man, “Where is your captain?”

The man scoffed. “You’re looking at him.”

“Bullshit. I knew Gethinias when he was a captain sailing the Wavebreaker as a privateer under Muldah’s flag. His hair would be silver by now.” Kharune eyed the the man. “Turn yourself around.”

The bowman smiled. It left Thame’s stomach uneasy. He watched the bowman turn. Kharune face turned pale as if he had seen a ghost. “Satisfied, Kharune?”

Kharune lowered his blade. “How in all the brine-soaked hells?”

“I must thank you, old friend, for bringing me such a gift,” Gethinias said.

“And just what gift is that?”

“Thame.” Gethinias moved with unnatural speed and slammed into Kharune, sending the man hurtling over the railing. A series of guttural howls and shrieks sounded from below deck. Thame's blood turned to ice at the sound. The doors and hatches flew open as pale, gaunt creatures vaguely reminiscent of men tore onto the deck on all fours. They pounced onto the nearest trespassers from the Mistshade, gnashing and clawing at what warm flesh they could find.

Thame swung his blade at Gethinias. Gethinias darted left and dropped his bow. “Who the hell are you and how do you know my name? Who sent you?” Thame asked, taking a step back.

Gethinias drew his own blade and faced Thame. He still wore that unnerving smile. “Let’s play a game, boy. How many times can I cut you before you yield?” Gethinias swung. His blade found Thame’s shoulder.

Thame recoiled from the blade's bite and cursed.

Gethinias licked the blood from his blade. The color of his eyes were now lit with a deep crimson glow. “Royalty is quite succulent.”

Thame's heart pounded in his chest. He slashed at Gethinias and missed. The insurrectionists couldn’t have someone like this among their ranks, could they? Their leader is an enigma. They had never made themselves known during the war.

Gethinias struck again. Thame managed to block the blow by a hair. The force of Gethinias’ attack was enough to send Thame sprawling on the deck. One of the creatures from below deck fell upon Thame. It bared it’s yellow, battered teeth and screeched. Thame froze as he stared into its crimson eyes.

Gethinias beheaded the creature. “This one is valuable, mongrel.” Gethinias reached for Thame who fumbled for his sword. “Stop trying to fight Thame. There’s someone who wishes to meet yo-” A blade pierced Gethinias from behind. Gethinias let out a twisted, bestial shriek. He crumbled away into a cloud of dust. His sword fell and clattered on the deck. With the death of their master, Gethinias’ pets howled and melted away into puddles of foul-smelling, grey sludge.

As the dust cleared Thame could see that it was Albesh who saved him. Thame stared as he saw the deep slash marks across Albesh’s body and one across his right eye. Thame managed to choke several words. “A-Albesh, you’re hurt.”

“Please, get Surgeon.” Albesh collapsed onto the deck.