"Haul in the line! What do ye think y'are, flatfooted landwalkers? Haul, boys, haul!" Oros bellowed his crew as we departed the harbor. It wasn't long before we had sailed out of sight of it, with nothing but the sea surrounding us on all sides. Soon one sailor burst out into song from atop the mast, and several more voices joined in, their clear voices ringing out in the salty sea air:
What will we do with a drunken sailor?
What will we do with a drunken sailor?
What will we do with a drunken sailor?
Early in the morning
Way hay and up she rises
Way hay and up she rises
Way hay and up she rises
Early in the morning
Shave his belly with a rusty razor
Shave his belly with a rusty razor
Shave his belly with a rusty razor!
Early in the morning
Way hay and up she rises
Way hay and up she rises
Way hay and up she rises
Early in the morning
Put him in the longboat until he's sober
Put him in the longboat until he's sober
Put him in the longboat until he's sober!
Early in the morning
Way hay and up she rises
Way hay and up she rises
Way hay and up she rises
Early in the morning
Throw 'im to the orcs, that'll make him sober
Throw 'im to the orcs, that'll make him sober
Throw 'im to the orcs, that'll make him sober!
Early in the morning
Despite the silliness of the song itself, the tune fit the mood of the day, and that mood was adventure. Even I was able to escape my thoughts of war and think only of being a pirate, sailing the seas without a care in the world. Perhaps life would have been better that way... But I would never know. It was the curse of being royalty to never lead a common life.
I noticed that Hadar had joined in the song, along with some of his men. They all seemed at home on a ship, and I guessed that most of them must've been corsairs themselves some time in the past. Nadow's knights seemed almost comically uncomfortable, looking around awkwardly and frowning at the sailors' antics. Pallando was sitting near the rear of the ship, reading a book and seeming to altogether ignore his surroundings. Caledorn was perched atop one of the masts, talking with the sailor who occupied the crow's nest and keeping his keen eyes ahead.
Taryi must've been belowdecks with the rest of the men, for I did not see her on deck. I had been down there myself earlier, and I had left because it was so crowded. It was clear that even a ship of this size wasn't meant to carry as many men as it was now.
"So then, princeling, are ye liking the accommodations?" Oros said as he leaned on the rail next to me.
I turned to look at him. "I must say, you have quite a boat here."
Oros let out a sound that was something between a growl and a laugh. "A boat??? A blinkin' boat? This is no boat!! It's a ship! And the best one in the Sorrowing Seas at that!"
"Indeed..." I said, smirking. "Well it's a fine ship then, master dwarf."
"Five sails, bearing upon us from the west!" Caledorn shouted from the mast.
Oros peered into the distance, attempting to see them. "Ye must be goin' barmy matey! There aren't any ships out there!"
"Trust me, if Caledorn says there are, there are," I said, looking toward the horizon myself.
YOU ARE READING
The Sands of Rhun: A Middle Earth Story(Book 2)
FanfictionEasterlings are trained from a young age in the art of war, and most know nothing but battle. Such is the case with one young Easterling named Rukil, who has done nothing but fight since he was a child. Nobody has ever shown him kindness, and he has...
