When The Throne Bleeds

16. Blossoms Of A Storm

The stern of the Galerio was shaking violently with the waves.

"Stow the bloody sails!" Johan, the second-in-command shrieked.

Raindrops had already started clattering on the deck and the sky seemed darker than usual.

Men hurried around, changing the riggings and putting away the sails.

The winds were getting stronger and stronger and waves were towering. Shae and Remi had managed to warn the others in time but it was all useless if the storm was too deadly for them to handle. Remi was standing on the deck, pulling the rigging with the rest of the crew.

"Secure the masts, fuckers! NOW!" Johan screamed. A few men sprinted towards the mainmast and the mizzenmast, tying each of them with thick strong ropes to a large iron pole protruding in between them.

Suddenly, a huge wave washed over the deck, covering the crew with the rage of the sea. Remi lost his hold on the rigging and went flying off, hitting the iron pole with a big thud. Blood spurted from his head.

He clutched his wound, swaying from side to side with the ship. He was losing blood, the rain was pouring on them and then, Galerio abruptly leaned to her side. Remi lost his footing and went sprawling over to the edge, about to fall into the angry sea when a hand gripped his shirt and pulled him back.

Remi turned around to see Gasim.

"What the fuck, you thick-headed idiot!" Gasim shouted over the storm.

"A storm, Gasim. It's going to kill us." He heard himself say.

"You need to fight, you fucker!" Gasim shouted, his hands grabbing the collar of Remi's vest.

Remi blinked hard as Shae came running over to them, pulling Remi away from the edge.

Another wave washed over the deck. The water was now almost knee deep, and crew members were throwing the water back into the sea with buckets tirelessly.

Anyone would tirelessly if it meant saving their own life.

Shae slammed Remi against the foremast, where Qural and Merlin, the ship's captain, stood maneuvering the ship around the waves. Qural seemed to be chanting something, his lips did not stop moving. Remi was growing out of his daze, he was able to see much clearer, he was able to see Shae tying him to the foremast.

"What the hell are you doing, Shae?!" He barked at her.

One more wave swept through the deck and Shae pressed herself on him, bracing the impact. She leaned back, her body still against him.

"I'm saving your life you asshole. You were about to fall overboard!" She shouted at his face.

The captain, Merlin, tilted the Galerio a bit to the side again, so she wouldn't go directly against the storm. Remi looked around, a few of the crew members had tied themselves up with whatever they could find, no one wanted to get tossed into the water.

The winds were screeching so loudly that Remi thought he would go deaf. The thunder sounded as if it was right above the ship, about to rip it apart with the sound itself. Occasionally, the lightning would shred the sky, and Remi would see dark, rolling waves for miles ahead. Like a dark sea monster who took the form of waves, was coming to devour them, every wave seemed to have a face and only one thing was written on all those faces. Death.

The lightning would provide sight for a moment and then everything would turn pitch black again. Remi looked at Shae with desperation.

"Shae, I-"

An enormous wave hit the side of the ship, splintering some of the wood. Remi shook with the mast, losing his balance. Shae fell back and hit the edge of the railing. Hard.