Bron slowly moved across the deck of the Islander warship. Right after their meeting Thugard had turned the ship around in the dark. All lights and fires were extinguished and the crew was ordered to silence. Communication was by touch only. As Thugard had expected, they were able to catch the warship in a matter of hours. Moiril, using watercraft magery had muffled the sounds of the ship and raised a light fog that hid their approach.
They lowered themselves into the boats and allowed them to drift behind the vessel until they closed in on the warship. Bron went up first, no armor, just a blade. He made quick and silent work of the bow watch. That was the moment when detection was greatest so Jerrill and Cadeyrn stood ready with mage fire trembling to be born in their hands. No need. Bron had accomplished what was needed. Slowly but steadily the entire Sessailaine crew had boarded the warship. Jerrill, Cadeyrn and Moiril stayed on board the trader with Cha'rai at the helm. A tug on the lines and Moiril redirected her magic to allow the trader to drift away to port.
The deck was soon clear. The warship, perhaps in anticipation of a busy day ahead or perhaps from an arrogance born from dominance was lightly crewed for the night watch. They had cleared the deck in anticipation of the coming action but otherwise it seemed they had followed their usual routines. Thugard signalled his men to lock down the hatches and set a few men to watch them. Bron carefully turned the latch on the door leading to the stern. He opened it a crack and looked in. He couldn't see anyone so pulled it wide and stepped through, followed by Thugard and the rest of the men. Thugard signalled his men to either side of the hallway where stairs led below.
He looked at Bron and nodded. They flung open the doors to the officers staterooms and charged in. A single guard, half asleep, looked terrified as he vainly tried to pull his sword free before Bron ran him through. His cry for help strangled in his throat as Bron's blade pierced his heart. Bron pulled his sword free as Thugard's blade cut through another guard who had been sleeping against the bulkhead. The noise they made was enough to wake the dead so neither was taken off guard when stateroom doors opened and the small hallway began to fill with half dressed officers wielding swords. Bron cut down a young officer who looked at him with shock and disbelief. Thugard, standing back to back with Bron, kicked the kneecap of one man who had let his guard down and, as his leg buckled, found Thugard's sword buried in his neck.
The noise from the fight had wakened the crew who were desperately trying to get past the men Thugard had stationed at the gangways. Bron and Thugard ignored them, too busy with the officers to mind. The floor under Bron was becoming slippery with blood and fighting was becoming awkward as the dead at his feet made both attack and defense tricky. Wordlessly, Bron stepped over the two who were already dead and pressed his attack on the remaining officer on his side. This man was older, a fighter who was clearly more experienced than the younger two Bron had already killed. He managed to get past Bron's guard once and Bron felt his own blood wetting his chest. He didn't look down. No time. His opponent, seeing that Bron's chest was bleeding made a mistake that many had made with Bron before. He assumed that the wound would slow Bron down so he opted for an aggressive but reckless attack.
Bron wiped his blade on the dead man's shirt and turned to see if Thugard needed help. Thugard was standing, his blade pressed to the throat of an older man whose arm evidenced why he could no longer hold his sword. "Why did you chase us?" Thugard demanded. The older man, in defiance, spat at Thugard. Thugard smiled. "Well done. I wouldn't have spoken either." Then Thugard pushed his blade forward, ending the man's life with dignity. Turning to Bron, Thugard noted the blood soaking his shirt and pants. He raised his eyebrows as a question and Bron just shrugged.
"Looks worse than it is." Bron said simply.
The noises from the crew had died down so Thugard checked his men. Two dead, three with serious wounds but Cadeyrn could help them. Of the crew of the warship, only seven were still alive. They had not asked for quarter and the Sessailaine had given none. Those still alive were wounded and no longer able to fight but still defiant and hostile. Thugard sighed. He hated to do this but he had no choice if they were to survive this voyage. Looking at his men standing guard over the enemy wounded he ran his finger along his throat. Within seconds the remainder of the warships crew was dead.
"Scuttle her. I would be tempted to take her but when we reach our destination I don't this a warship will be the best way to present ourselves." Thugard said.
"Agreed," said Bron. "We will need to maintain our illusion as traders as long as we can." Bron winced as he held his side.
"You need to get that looked at. Signal the trader to come alongside. Before we scuttle this ship, lets transfer what we can, including a couple of those smaller catapults." Thugard pointed at the men who had been guarding the hatches. "Get below and make sure no one is hiding. Check the stores and if there is anything helpful, bring it up. You and you," he pointed at two more of his men, "bring me every paper inside the Captain's cabin. Move!"
As soon as the crew had manoeuvred the warship alongside the trader and they tied lines, Thugard helped Bron across and signalled Cadeyrn for aid. Cadeyrn and Jerrill grabbed Bron and guided him below where they could apply some healing magic to his wound. A bustle of activity overseen by Thugard's first mate soon came to an end as everything valuable or useful was cleared across and stored in the trader. The extra catapults were covered with tarps to hide them and the rest of the crew's wounds were soon being attended to by Cadeyrn and, to a lesser degree, by Jerrill and Moiril.
The two men Thugard had sent below reported back that none were alive on the ship. Thugard ordered the crew to scuttle the warship. A number of men went below and cut holes in the ship until seawater was flowing freely into it. They cast off from the warship and returned to their original course, watching as the dying ship slowly sank, then tipped over and was swallowed by the sea.
"So, will you tell me about that battle now? I think I get what you did, but I would love to hear the story!" Cha'rai stood with her hands on the rails watching the last evidence of the warship as the bubbles rose from the ocean where she sank.
