The Brotherband's Sister

The Girl At Sea

Hal smiled as he steered the little ship, the heron, out of the Toscan harbour. It felt good to be on the sea again, instead of in boring meetings with the Toscan council all day every day! Stig, his best friend and first mate sauntered up to him happily, Lydia beside him.
" You know how good this feels?" Stig inquired, more of statement than a question.
" Yes, it feels amazing to be on the water gain, listen to the ship, she's singing!" Hal cried over the rushing wind, a maniacal grin on his face.
It was good, so good.

After sailing for a few hours Stefan gave a shout from the lookout position.
" Ship! Wrecked ship to port!" He yelled.
Hal squinted, turning his eyes to port and noticing that the wrecked remnants of a mast were floating in the water.
" Looks like its been there for a few days, the mast would have sunk after a week considering how weighed down it is," Mumbled Edvin as he approached, as ever being the voice of logic and knowledge.
" Very true, I hope that the crew got out," Lydia murmured solemnly, everyone knew that it was unlikely that the crew had survived. It looked like it had been a small trading ship, probably from Toscanna. There had been a storm six days ago, it had made setting off impossible and they'd had to delay their leave.
" Well, I'm even more eager to get home now," Thorn said gruffly, trying to be even more upbeat.

A girl lay limply on a small slab of wood. Her feet and hands were hanging in the water and were icy cold, even in the warm water. Blood seeped from many wounds along her body inflicted by vicious dagger attacks. Her forehead was slick with blood from a cut to the head that had been received while tumbling in to the water, barely managing to get a hold on the wooden plank she'd barely manged to stay alive. Slipping in and out of consciousness she'd started to be more conscious now but she was exhausted, stomach crying out in hunger and the small amount of water that she had managed to bring with her had been drunken the day before. Now she was most likely going to die out here. Here by herself and she didn't even know much about how she had gotten there! All she knew was her name and that she couldn't go home, for only danger lay in wait for her there.

Hal had taken the chance to nap, glad that Stig had taken over for the night. Since it was calm seas and perfect weather he hadn't had any qualms about letting his friend steer the ship. He was deeply asleep, knowing easily how to sleep on a rocking boat by now. Invar, his faithful friend snored softly a few metres away, the giant of a boy also slept rather soundly but Hal didn't notice the sound, he was too far in to his sleep cycle.
Thorn was awake, keeping Stig company by the helm, yawning in pleasure. He gazed out to sea, not expecting to see anything, sometimes when someone isn't planning on seeing anything he sees more. In years to come he still wouldn't know what had alerted him to the sight of the floating wooden plank, he just saw it! A dark shape in the water to starboard.
" Stig, there's something floating in the water over there, steer over will you," he murmured, pointing in to the dark.
Stig had no idea what Thorn was thinking but he shrugged and steered in the direction indicated.
As they drew up beside it, Thorn peered over the side closely and reeled back in shock. A girl lay on her back in the wood, limbs dangling in the water, blood all down her face and on her body. Her black dress was covered in small rips that showed the white petticoats below. A silver necklace gleamed on her neck. She was remarkably beautiful, but something else had caught his eye. A double scabbard was strapped to her back, two swords lay sheathed in the scabbard, a woman didn't use swords! He thought at first that she was dead and was about to say something when the girl groaned.
" Help me," she croaked, her eyes opening pleadingly.
" Stig, wake the others, get Edvin to get the medical supplies, there's a wounded girl here!" Thorn ordered crisply.