The Battle of The Black Isles

The Fall of The S.S Anderson

The ship shook, back and forth violently on the sea. A storm was nearing the boat, it was approximately 3 hours until it met the ship for battle on the coast of Forland. The boat was named the S.S Anderson. It was the imperial ship which carried the members of the Gnomen council on excursions out of the island of Morina. It was a long Gnomen ship with paddles and 2 catapults on both ends of the ship for defense against attackers. Below decks was where the members of the high council stayed. They had mattresses made of dragon petals of the dragon flower,the pillows were stuffed with snap cotton of the Clarick Fields, and the headboards and frame of the bed were crafted out of the swamp wood of Swampland. To be guest on this ship was a huge privilege.
On this ship, there was a ship hand named Benedict of Elina. He was assigned to the cleaning of the Gnomen councils rooms. He got to see first hand what it was like to be a councilor. Benedict was a poor Gnome who had little money, so when he could he would search for gold the councilors brought with them in hope that he could take some. If it was a long day and the councilors were out and about he would find the time to sneak a nap on one of the councilors mattresses.
They were traveling past Forland on the way to Lüttor, but for a peaceful trip around Forland they had to raise the flag of NPU (Northern PenTorra Union) without the flag the Forlandian armada would siege the ship.
Benedict was on break at this hour and went up to the crows nest to have a chat with his good friend David of Reg, and maybe sneak up something to drink.
"Oi! David! Mind if ya drop down the ladder!?" Benedict screamed to the top of the crows nest.
"Who is asking?"David replied with his thick accent.
"Ben!" Yelled Benedict, he then whispered, "I have some cider."
"What kind of cider?" David asked back beginning to annoy Benedict.
"Pear Cider." whispered Benedict.
"Ugh, I don't like pear cid-" David said but was cut off by Benedict.
"Oh shut up! You are a blooming idiot let the ladder down." After Benedict had said that he heard a huff from the crows nest then the ladder dropped barely missing Benedict's head.
Benedict climbed the ladder all the way to the top, then lifted himself over the rail to the crows nest. He saw David nod to him as he sat against the mast. Benedict lifted up to glasses and a bottle of cider out of his satchel.
"Why pear cider of all the ciders?" Asked David his voice sounding more annoyed, but Benedict didn't answer he just started pouring the cider.
"We'll be crossing into Forland territory soon." Said Benedict quietly taking a sip of the light amber liquid in his glass. David followed taking a sip only for immediately spitting it out and tossing the glass off the mast into the ocean below. The splash of glass and water calmed David down from his high stress job.
"Help! Help! Help!" Screeched a voice from below, "I cannot find the NPU flag it has disappeared!"
Benedict and David shot up from their sitting position. The Flag Master, Matt was screaming and running back and forth on the deck as the rowers of the ship got up and went below decks in search of the flag. They were sitting ducks, they had already crossed into Forland and they had lost the NPU flag.
David stared towards Forland in terror. He could see the Forlandian armada approaching. All the defenders and rowers were below deck and the armada was advancing with great speed. There was no time to load the catapults and no time to cross out of Forland.
The Forlandian ships were much larger and more heavily armed. One catapult launch from a Forlandian catapult would shatter a Gnomen ship in half. The ladder started rattling against the rails, somebody was climbing up.
"Oi! You two come help find the flag!" Demanded Matt. As he peered over the railing.
"There is no time Matt. We are going to die." said David still looking at the armada.
"You might want to take a look." Said Benedict his blue eyes staring into Matt's very soul.
Matt climbed over the railing and looked out towards Forland. The armada struck Matt with an intense fear, ten Forlandian ships were coming in closer and closer every second.
The rowers started dashing above decks taking their positions and rowing in the direction out of Forland. They had only just crossed the territorial line they can't be far from it now.
The border was marked with floating wood bouys anchored to the sea floor. Benedict could see one in the distance and the armada was still a little ways away they had chance of making it out. With every passing second they got closer to the buoy they were about to enter public waters.
The rowers were powering the oars like a machine. They had only a couple feet to go before they left Forland. Suddenly Matt looked up and saw twenty large rocks soaring above them. Matt looked towards Benedict and David and simply said. "Hold on."
They had just crossed the border.
The rocks rocketed straight threw the ship. The lower deck started filling with water. The ship was sinking to the bottom of the sea. Another round of rocks came darting towards the ship. One hit the mast, and it started plummeting.
"Aaaaaah!" They all screamed as they saw the ocean getting closer and closer to them. They held on to the railing. Matt's hand slipped and he fell out of the crows nest and landed somewhere in the ocean. Screaming they hit the water with a loud slap. That marked the end of the historical event known as The Fall of the S.S Anderson.