Two Blades for Hire

[Envin]

Aragorn cursed silently to himself when he read the note, his whole being suddenly flamed into wrath. And yet he was torn, for here he was upon a mission of great import to the entire of Middle-Earth, one that could not wait, yet his beloved bride had been injured severely and was near death's door. He called the bird back just ere it left, and speaking softly to it bade it have the physicians anoint the wound with hot, steamed water of athelas every hour until his return. He knew Arwen would understand, that as much as he loved her, there were millions of lives at stake. The bird flew off, and Thorongil returned to the tossing with a renewed strength.

"Look ye at that ship hard by," he gestured to a nearby dock as he muttered to Ash. "A sour look it has, does it not? We must mark them." And then when the guards came near them he took the leader of them by the shoulder and muttered that "this woman is well known among the circles of ship crews for being the twin of that slippery criminal Idrial, but it is not she. And if our captain hears that though hast been disturbing our work, then we will disturb thy captain. So make thee off, and tell the pubmistress that Thorongil sent thee. She shall recall the name."

The guard grunted apprehensively and moved off, followed by his fellow, and Thorongil without a word bent down and heaved over the last of the sacks save those by the woman; to these he bent down, and with one finger flipped them over so that they rested on her feet. He grinned, and he and the mysterious Elf strode aboard.

[Idrial]

Idrial's eyes were wide with surprise as Thorongil spoke to the guard and sent him away. No one had ever done that for her. No one had ever done anything for her. The maiden removed her feet from 'neath the sack and rushed on board behind them. "Now wait!" She cried, slipping out in front of them. "Why did you do that for me?" She placed her hands on her hips and watched Thorongil curiously.

[Faron]

"Whatever the reason for my friends action, you're free now from your pursuers, and free to go about with any other acts of smiling that you need to," Ashuron said, "And now we're free to get on with the things we need to do."

[Envin]

"Aye," quoth Thorongil as they strode onto the boat and took a place in the prow where they might see. The loading done, the captain was having men hoist the anchor, and Thorongil turned to Ashuron. He motioned unobtrusively to the boat he had mentioned afore. "If we are to earn our keep, we'd best be about it, lest we greet the sea-floor ere the havens of Umbar. Thou hast the keen sight of thy kindred, friend; what do thy Elf-eyes see yonder?"

[Faron]

Ashuron looked to the left and said, "Water." Then he looked to the right and said, "Water. And on the boat opposite us, pirates and certain doom. This ought to be more exciting than a normal boat trip I'll wager."

[Envin]

"Water? Confound the luck!" Aragorn spat dryly. "I was hoping to sail this thing on land. But the pirates, that's a bit more interesting. I haven't had a good scrap these many days, and thou? But we are few, and like as not they are many. We shall be hard beset, but let us devise strategems. Keep as many hands below the decks as we may when they board, and have spread the deck with oil. Nay, nay - a torch will help us but naught in a ship of wood. I suppose there's always the old your champion against ours, but chances they will agree to that are slim. Perhaps during the fight thou and I may swim far around and take their captain captive?"

[Faron]

"Perhaps it would be best that if an all-out-brawl begins, I could fire several burning arrows into their sails in the hopes of burning it down and causing them to go off-course. Then when our boat speeds away from their drifting one, we can pick off the leftover pirates still on our boat." Ash brought forth his quiver and began to go through it, checking it contents. Several normal arrows, a few specially made to be lit with fire, and two arrows with cresent shaped arrowheads used to cut ropes from a range.

[Envin]

"Aye, a better plan, I would say," Aragorn mused thoughtfully as the ship got underway. "They'd best make sail swiftly, ere they lose us. Indeed, once they near, we should have any with arrows follow suit, and perhaps even use what ropes and pulleys we have to fling flames at them. Then when they board the true grapple can begin." He loosened Anduril in his sheath and smiled. He and Ash went to the captain, telling him of their suspicions, and the poor man paled to hear them. The ship began to depart the docks, and soon two score sets of pulleys and ropes were staged on the gunwhales, with piles of pots and aught else that would hold flaming oil were laid hard by. Luckily, the captain had several hands who were moderately skilled with the bow, and these were placed under the guidance of Ashuron, while Aragorn would direct the makeshift catapults and lead the main defense once the ship was boarded.

[Faron]

Ashuron inspected his bow and blade, making sure that they were in the best condition possible. He hoped that it was only one ship they were dealing with, not a full pirate fleet. As he awaited the battle that was sure to come, he muttered to himself about the oncoming storm that was combat.

[Envin]

Aragorn walked among the frightened sailors detailed to man the ropes and pulleys, encouraging with soft words so that they gazed at him with a newfound respect. Pots and barrels were filled with oil and ready to have the match put to them, and Aragorn removed his cloak, standing upon the decks with the wind in his hair and cutting a sharp figure in his sable mail. The ship fell silent save for the creaking of the wood upon the toiling waves, and men held their breath.

[Marcus]

Upon seeing the trading vessel cast off and head for sea, the Leviathan's crew heaved anchor and set sail, keeping well behind, but no so far as to lose sight of the ship. Keeping up with the smaller merchant ship was no problem for the Leviathan, not overtaking it was however and the crew had to let down the mainsail, making use of only the sails on the forward mast as not to gain too much speed and come along side them. Marcus took hold of a line and swung from his perch atop the crow's nest down to the deck below. After several hours of leaving the sight of land and other ships behind, Marcus walked to the bow of the ship where a large canvas lay, covering some hidden device. "Aye, cap'n, she'll be dead in the water soon enough, she will" He grinned as he snatched the canvas away, revealing the swiveling balista that was mounted on the deck. "Load 'er up boys! Marcus hissed and two crew member lifted a heavy bolt into the device and cranked back the winch, bringing enough tension to the thick arms of the balista to send the bolt sailing through the air at least the three hundred yards that seperated the Leviathan from its prey. Marcus laughed as he sat on the back of the balista and began to aim, "I thinks I'll give 'em a warnin shot.... right in rudder!" Marcus went about honing in cross hairs, setting the 300 yard range pin dead on the exposed bit of their rudder before pulling the release lever. Marcus watched as the bolt flew towards the ship ahead of them, a wide grin on his face.

[Envin]

The little merchant ship had little enough of a chance ere the ballista reared its ugly head, but after it was revealed the crew paled. Aragorn bade them hold fast as he saw Marcus readying the device, and running like the wind he stripped off his shirt and mail, grabbed two lengths of line and dashed onto the poop deck. Quickly making loops in both, he knotted the other end of the one about a pin hard by, and the other he held ready. The loud clang of the ballista told him the bolt was loosed, and judging his timing with unerring accuracy he leapt full and clean from the decks just as the bolt neared. Casting the loop he held about it in its flight, he pulled it tight in one swift tug, and his weight carried them both to the waves. He plunged beneath the surface and as quickly came out, and clambered aboard by the rope tied to the pin. He then laughed aloud, and the whole crew joined him; he stood at the very edge of the ship's rear, and turned his back to distant Marcus, and dropped his drawers at the pirates. Quickly he shot up again and dared them to return for a second helping.

[Marcus]

"Argh! 'ell not do 'at again!" A drunk crew member yelled out: "Aye, Marcus, she'll burn fer 'at" as he loaded an oil soaked bolt into the balista. On the front of the device was an arm that held a small torch. This time Marcus aimed dead for the center of their mast and let loose. The bolt flew, catching ablaze its whole length as it passed over the torch. Even as the flaming bolt flew at merchant's ship Marcus' crew had reloaded and he sent another bolt flying, this time aimed at the hull just beneath the water line.

[Envin]

"Arrrrghh!" Aragorn yelled back, taken with the moment. He spun around to the front of the poop deck where stood the water barrel, and jumping onto a railing he let fly the barrel just ere the bolt passed him, dousing with a hiss. It still thudded into the mast, and the little ship quivered, but did not catch fire. However, the second bolt saw no defense and smashed clean into the hull, severing several limbs inside in its passage. Howls came from below decks as Aragorn stood and surveyed the ship. It began to list ever so slightly to the one side, and at that moment Ash let loose his archers, a score of them with his bow added, each arrow aflame. And Aragorn dashed down to the main decks, where the makeshift defense was assembled. He let fly his ropes and pulleys, and twenty pots of flaming oil flew at the main decks of the Leviathan, while the arrows from the archers, ablaze in speed, made clean for the sails.

[Marcus]

"Arggh, arrows lose, Cap'n!! Cut 'er starboard!" Marcus peered out a bit confused, "Argh, thar be....pots flyin to!...aye, pots..." Marcus watched the pots' odd flight and laughed as the flamming oil spilt to the ocean as the pots spun through the air, leaving bits of burning oil spread across the ocean's surface. One pot landed on the deck at Marcus' feet and he looked at a crewman near him. "Stop those arrows ya scallywag!" The crew man looked at him questionably, "an how ya wan me ta do 'at?" Marcus laughed, "Like this!" and he swung the pot against the crewman's head, sending him stumbling forward where a burning arrow lodged in his chest before he fell over board with a groan. A few blazing arrows hit their mark of the sails. In a flash Marcus drew his sword and cut the lines, letting the sails flap violently in the wind, putting out the blazes before they could do much damage. The arrows that hit the deck men cast buckets of water upon, leaving behind only charred circles...more battle scars for the Leviathan.

Marcus peered out and saw the merchant ship begining to list and he laughed. "Aye, e'll not have much fight in 'em when 'at ship goes under."