Brotherband Chronicles: Lydia's Past

Chapter 1: Negotiations went as well as I said

Hal ran towards the Heron. Well, this probably means the talking bit is over, he thought to himself while shaking his head. Stig and Jesper, the best runners from the Herons, had already reached the Heron and quickly started untying the ropes that kept the ship on his spot at the small harbour.

Lydia and Ingvar, who had been assigned to guard the ship, were trying to get their shipmates to tell them what had happened, but the boys refused to speak and doubled their speed to get the Heron ready to leave this place as soon as possible.

Hal thought back at the events that had taken place only an hour ago. The screams, the death threats on his and his crewmates addresses and the not so subtle reply of Thorn that had even worsened the situation more than it already was. Hal shook his head once more as he finally reached his ship. The rest of his crew who were not yet aboard following him close behind.

Hal jumped aboard and made his way to the stern. He untied the helm stock and stared at his weathervane to determine their course.

'I guess negotiations went as well as I said they would?' Lydia came up beside him.

Hal grunted inwardly. Why, by Gorlog's beard, do people always have to say the obvious? 'Not now Lydia,' he said a bit harsher than he initially had intended, 'have your atlatl ready. We are getting company.'

She nodded once, already taking an arrow out of her quiver and placing it on her atlatl. Hal focused his attention once more on his ship. The crew seemed to be as good as ready. His gaze fell on their chasers.

'Ulf, Wulf,' the twins looked up from their positions near the sails, 'be ready. We are going to sail in the wind.' The brothers nodded, their faces grim. Hal turned his gaze over the deck until he found his First Mate.

'Stig, is everything ready?' He asked.

Stig nodded once, his face as grim as that of the twins. 'Clear to go, Skirl.'

Hal saw their chasers arriving at the pier. Time to go, Hal said to himself.

'Hold on everyone,' He said aloud. 'We are getting out of here.' Hal muttered to himself.

*

The Heron creaked a bit as it obeyed to her Skirl and turned to sail against the wind. She turned away from the almost empty harbour it was not the ideal place to pull out such a manoeuvre; however, it also was not the worst place. With nearly no ships in plain sight, the Heron made her move. The twins trimmed the sails as fast as they could, while Hal set course for open sea. Just as the Heron was about to leave the dreadful place behind her, four men jumped on Hal's deck.

Hal was already opening his mouth to give orders when Lydia's arrow had found its mark. The unfortunate man, who had not seen the arrow coming, fell overboard with a gasp. She did not have the time to aim again, for Thorn, Ingvar and Jesper already ran towards their not so bright chasers.

Jesper, being the fastest Heron, arrived first and slammed the second chaser overboard with his shield. Clever, Hal thought, but kept the words to himself as he focused his attention back on the task at hand. They had to get out of here. Still, he found his eyes drawn back to Thorn, who arrived second. However, the moment chaser number three saw the Skandian warrior; he turned his back to him and jumped overboard himself. Thorn, who had not expected this situation to occur, stood still on the spot. A perplexed expression crossing his face. It was not that this had not happened to him in his earlier career as a sailor, but he was slightly disappointed to put it in nice words.