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When Grant approaches, Anora is in the middle of giving orders in a loud, stern voice to the rest of the crew. Despite her diminutive size and girlish looks, the few remaining haggard men know better than to underestimate her authority.

Men scurried about to the deck, pulling on various ropes and unfastening hooks, and securing items brought topside while docked. A dwarf with deep creases and leathery skin climbed high above the deck. Standing on the foot line, he pulled mightily on buntlings, unfurling the main top sail.
His partner, a lizard on the deck secured the clewline. They worked together until all three main sails were stretched and secure. It was hard work for such a small crew, and before long tempers were running high.

Anora looked at Grant wondering what his true experience with sailing was. "Foremast," she said. "Work the braces. Yardarms to the bow."

By the command and under the watchful eyes of Anora, the ship leaves dock and under full sail makes for the mainland.

Captain John Carpathia sat at his desk looking idley around the bare room. The ship creaked as it rolled and pushed its was through the waves. Every now and then he could hear the familiar voice of the dwarf Anora shout orders over the squeeks and groans of ropes and pullys, pulled tight under the weight of the sails.

Piracy was not a business John had ever imagined him self to be in. He had been a captain of a small fishing boat, with a crew of five. He had worked his way up from casting the nets to ships captain in a remarkably short space of time. His natrual ability to comand men, compassionate nature and shrewd mind were all to his advantage.

One night after good days fishing, he had been drinking in a tavern close to the dock. He had got into an argument with a few of the locals and had left, taking to the dimly lit cobbled streets back to his ship.
From out of an allyway came a figure then a blinding light. The next thing John knew, he was in the hold of a ship. A large greasy faced, fat bellyed man halled him up onto his feet and took him up on deck. He had been press ganged onto a pirate ship.

As the years followed he grew fond of the life. Under the command of Captain Houk the plunder had been good and life not as harsh as the tales had told. The captain had befriended John, his loyalty and hard work coupled with his natural flare for crew life had meant that he had risen through the ranks swiftly. After a bitter-sweet raid in which the bounty had been that of a pricess wage, but at the cost of the well-respected Captain Houks life. John Carpathia, after a dule with another man by the name Croktooth. Had been accepted by the crew to lead them, to be in all menings of the word thier captain.

John rubbed again at his ruined eye then streached at his desk. Standing he took out his hip flask and swiged from it as he made his way up on deck. Captain Carpathia took place beside Anora.
'As you are Anora,' he spoke before the Dwarfess has time to react to his presance. He stood silently, well balanced with hands on hips, making no effort to take comand.
He trusted Anora as best a pirate captain could do, and was confident despite her small size and remarakbly femanin appearance for a dwarf, of her abilitys to handle her slef and the crew.

"Hold that yardarm, Partridge!" Anora called just as the Captain came to stand beside her on the Quarter deck. She pointed to a lithe sea elf, and gestered him to move around the fore-mast. A strong gust of wind filled the sail and ripped the braces from Grant's hand. The yardarm wheeled around, whacking the elf across the back.

"You damn landman," the blue-tinted elf scowled as he recovered from the blow. As Grant scrambled for the braces again, the sea elf marched over and landed a hard blow across Grant's jaw. The elf stepped close and growled in a low voice, "Do it again and I'll throw you over." His fishy breath alone could have knocked anyone down, but it was the cool contempt in his green eyes that chilled Grant.

"Enough Boneless," Anora called to the elf after a sufficient amount of intimidation. "Get on to da cathead." She sent several of the men to repairing ropes, one to the crow's nest, one to cook the day's meal, and Grant to scrubbing the deck.

Soon enough the crew had everything in order and they were sailing smoothly away from the slowly diminishing Island. She looked up to Carpathia and lowered her voice. "We got enough men to pay a visit with the Rollf Mercentile if we come across it? Heard they were hauling quite a load, a few hundred caged pixies and some enchanted items among."

Anora's eyes glittered, wondering what the Captain planned for this trip. She was born on a pirate ship, the darling daughter of Red Rackham. She had known no other life and didn't care to. Happiest when getting a head-shearing swing of the axe or picking trinkets from the bouty that caught her eye before making the tally for the Captain, she was as blood-thirsty and greedy as the best.

Grant got used to scrubbing the decks. He didn't mind the work or the elf that seemed to try and intimidate him everytime he was near Grant.

"Its all worth it..." Grant muttered to himself.

John Carpathia looked at Anora, his eye brow raised with a thin smile.
'I would very much like to meet with the Rollf Mercentile, I always wanted a pixie and the gods but know we are as rich as damn beggers,' he looked out over the ship at the men then back to Anora. 'The thing is, after the last failed raid,' he clenched his fist, the only indication he let on of his anger. 'I do not think the men have the confidence, they have the fear in them and I do not blame them. If we meet with the Rollf Mercentile and they have a full..or even half crew, the men will freeze or fight with fear and break.'

Captain Carpathia looked out over the ship, the sails at full mast and filled with puff. After a moment of thought he put a hand on the Dwarfess's shoulder. 'Set a course for the Mercentile, I will talk to the men over dinner.'
With that he strolled back down to his cabbin.

Grant's sore knees and even more sore hands were killing him... After he was done with his job he eased the pain with some magic, it did not completely get rid of the pain, it did dull the pain though. He noticed that the lizard he had earlier wanted to meet had saw him cast the magic and was now looking at him, Grant thought it was definetly the best time to introduce himself now, the lizard seemed to be done with his job.

"Hello there, my name is Grant Heri..." Grant realized if the pirates recognized his name, they would definetely want a bounty for taking a prince to the mainland, Grant could only dream of the amounts they would ask for... "Herius, Grant Herius. And you are?"

"My name iss Grissel Lungass, pleassed to meet you Grant..."

The sun sunk into the ocean, leaving the ship surrounded by inky waters. Anora stood on the first rung of the railing on the port side and peered straight down. The water licked at the side of the boat like a lover. In fact, that is exactly how the dwarf regarded the sea - like a lover. One that may push you to your limits, scorn you at times in a fury, and, as many men have found, draw you into your death.

The stars winked above and Anora smiled in self-contentment. The gentle wind carressed her skin and moved long, red locks of hair away from her face. She raised her eyes to the sky, quickly finding the constellation of the Grower. Their direction and speed were perfect she surmised after a few minutes of silent calculation. They would intercept the Merchentile ship tomorrow just after midnight, if the Captain so wished.

She turned from the railing. Several torches were burning on the main deck and the men were gathering for the evening meal of dried meat, potatoes and hard rolls. Of course, there was a good supply of cheap ale and that usually kept the seafarers satisfied. She glanced up again to the map of stars, confirming the course was accurate and made her way over to the gathering.

She climbed up and settled herself on a barrel with her mug of ale and looked over the dismally reduced crew. Perhaps they could "acquire" a few hands from the merchantile she thought as she brought the mug to her lips. She noted that the new man and the lizard were speaking quietly by the fire and wondered at it absently. She looked around for the Captain just as he stepped up onto the deck.

"Sso Grant, why did you want to join this crew?" Grissel asked.

"I need to get to the mainland, my family needs me there. Why are you on this crew?" Grant asked.

"I have been on this crew for many many months. I was here when we tried our first raid and failed... Many of us died trying it... I hope we never have to do it again..." Grissel finishes solemly.

"Hm, what weapon do you prefer in a fight?"

"Well, I don't like fighting period, but when I am forced to fight, I use my spear." Grissel said, then pointed to the large spear next to his bunk, it had blood stains on it. "What do you like?"

"Well, I either us my magic, or my sword. I am used to fighting, on the island we left earlier today I fought many battles." Grant said.

The two continued talking, about nothing and everything at the same time. A friendship began growing through them. They talked up until dinner when the captain had something to say to them...

Banging his empty tankerd onto the table three times, the banter and bustle of eating stoped, all eyes turning to the Captain.
'Now listen up you bunch of salty scally wags and listen up good. For the choise I am about to let you make amoungst your selves, the gods forbid you buch of imbeciles have to make many such desisions,' he spoke with a warm smile. 'Will make us or sink us,' he looked around the table at the faces, some still chewing, some blank and one, Anora, with a grin. He looked at her briefly giving her a wink with his one good eye before addressing the crew again.

'We are un-route to intercept a ship by the name of the Mercentile, the Rollf Mercentile to be exact. As you know, we are but of less than a skeleton crew and if the Mercentile has even as much as a half crew will be..how to put it, feed to the sharks. The thing is, what she holds in her bows will make us as rich a princes!' He looked at Anora with a sly grin, 'and princesses of course. So eat your food and talk, think if it doesnt hurt your noggin to much, then when you finnished your meal, I will ask for a raise of hands, for and against.' John filled his tankerd from a pitcher on the table, then gestured with his hand for the meal and banter to continue. It did.

"Can you believe that!" A human sailor sitting near Grant says.

"I lost meh appetite! How am I supposed to get sleep now?" A sea dwarf sitting accross from Grant and next to the human sailor says.

"Are you two a little afraid?" The sea elf that hit Grant said to the dwarf and human.

"Nno we aren't afraid..." The human sailor said meekly while the sea dwarf took a drink of ale.

"What about you Grant? Are you afraid of this?" The sea elf said trying his best to intimidate Grant.

"Not at all, infact I have probably faced much worse odds then this before." Grant said confidently.

"Oh, I bet you have, perhaps you will be brave enough to hit back in this upcoming battle." The sea elf laughed.

"Go away Luethien, we don't want you around." Grissel spoke up.

Luethien turned his head to Grissel who sat next to Grant. "Well now lizard, Grissel, what do you think of this raid, will you fight?"

"I think I have proven mysself before Luethien..." Grissel hissed.

"Oh yes, you have proven yourself many times in battle, shown your bravery many times... Of course, you have also shown your cowardice even more times." Luethien laughed and left the table heading to his bunk.

Grissel hissed angrily, "I hate that elf, one day he will get hiss upcomingss..."

The sea dwarf began, "So, the new sailor of ours in named Grant eh?"

Grant nodded.

"Well now, if we are to be fighting together we might as well get to know each other. I am Brodie Hardrock and meh human friend's name is Luke Hoff." Brodie said and Luke nodded in greetings.
"Pleased to meet both of you." Grant said.

"The other two crewmen you haven't met are Peter and Chris, they're brothers and normally don't have to fight with swords. You see they man the cannon while Captain Carpathia tells them where to aim and shoot. They're good men and hopefully after this raid you will be able to meet them, but right now they are busy counting how many metals arrows we have. They do that before every raid, they don't like taking chances." Luke said.
"So, what weapons do the rest of the crew use in battle?" Grant asked.

"Well, I see meh axe. Luke uses his finely crafted two-handed sword. Anora uses many weapons. Luethien uses two long swords." Brodie said.

"Hm, well, I believe we must get some rest before the raid." Grant said, finished his drink in 1 gulp, nodded and left the table to go to his bunk.

The bearded dwarf, the lizard and the clean shaven sailor sat together late into the night talking about what riches they hoped to find and what they would buy with the gold.

John listend to the banter of the men as he finnished his meal and drained his tankerd. He tunred to Anora,
'Well I take it by the talk of the men, they are game for it,' he smiled warmly at her, the lifting of his face making his scar all the more dominant. He turned to the table,
'Ay Partridge, with me on deck.' He stood and gestured for Grant to follow him to the deck. 'Anora, in your own time, put the brothers on night watch, Grant wil be joining them also, then your time is your own for the eve. The rest of you get some sleep changing of shift will be in say....8 hours.'

With that he left the room for the deck. Once there he took out a crude looking sextant and gazed at the darker half of the evening sky, the other was still blue with the the last memory of the fading sun.

Hearing what the captain told him to do Grant turned away from his bunk and began walking up the stairs behind Carpathia.

"What is it you wish to speak of me Captain?" Grant asked.

John turned and stood well balanced, he looked a hansom man in his shirt of royal red and black trews save for the sacr and eye patch. He looked at the snowy haired man, for a moment his eyes almosty looking into and through Grant's own.
'I dont know what kind of a man you are Partrige, if indeed you are a man at all. But as you know, tomorrow we will be raiding a ship. I am not a cut throat I will have you know, tho there are some of us here that have a tendancy to... enjoy that sort of thing.' He pasued for a moment gageing Grants reaction to his words, then continued. 'The shipmates maybe talking to you but dont let that fool you. To them you are nothing, you are untrust worthey and have much to proove. Tomorrow, if you fight like a 2 coin whore after a 10 coin client, you may win their respect and maybe, just maybe even their trust.' He grined for a moment then it faded to a seriouse look. 'If you run like a yellow belley I will personaly see to it that you will not run far.'He stared at the man, his eyes set with stone on the truth of the words he had just spoken. 'Now be off with you and help the brothers, you will be on night duty with them, you can turn in when relived of your dutys only.'

Captain Carpathia turned his back on the man and went back to looking through his sextant at the ever darkening sky.

Grant stood listening to the Captain's speech then nodded and ran off to where the brothers would be counting how many metals arrows they had that could be fired by the cannon.

"Hello there." Grant said.

"Hi" and "Hey" were the responses.

"You must be the new sailor huh?" One of the brothers asked.

Grant nodded, "Yes, I am Grant."

"Ok then, I am Chris and this man is Peter. I guess the captain wants you to help us count arrows and stand guard?" Chris asked.

Grant nodded.

"Don't talk much do ya?" Peter asked.

"I guess not..." Grant said, he felt uncomfortable around these people, if what Carpathia had said was true then these two were looking at him as if he was a thief or a spy.

"Well, thats good I guess, you don't have to talk, you see me and Chris like to sing while we count, and you being a chatter mouth would ruin our songs." Peter said.

'Great' thought Grant.

"Well, here, say, have you ever seen one of these before?" Chris asked handing Grant a box full of 2 foot long iron arrows.

"No, I haven't, how do you use them?" Grant asked.

Peter sighed and talked in an annoyed tone, "Well, look at this cannon, it looks a lot of like a crossbow right? Only larger right? Well, we use this cannon like a crossbow. We place 1 arrow done into this cannon, pull these ropes real tight, take aim, then pull these lever. The lever lets the ropes go and the arrow is flung to where we aimed. Granted it is not the most accurate cannon we got, I mean, there are a lot better types, but it gets the job done."

"How long does it take to do all of that?" Grant asked curiously.

"Well, the best cannoneers can fire once every 40 seconds, we can do it in 34." Peter said confidently.

Chris winked at Grant then began counted arrows. Peter started counting as well and so did Grant. Then the singing began, Grant had heard many singers in his time at his castle, some very good and some very bad. Peter and Chris were definetly not in the best he had heard...

"In the Black Ball Line I serv'd my time
Hurrah for the Black Ball Line!
In the Black Ball Line I serv'd my time
Hurrah for the Black Ball Line!

The Black Ball ships are good and true,
Hurrah for the Black Ball Line!
They are the ships for me and you.
Hurrah for the Black Ball Line!..." They began.

Anora had walked up to the end of the ship where the brothers and Grant were settled counting arrows just as the singing began. She rocked on her heels and laughed boisterously.

"Quite good, me boys! Now, see ye being taking turns in the crows nest and scouting the sides. Don't want any sea serpants slithering up the sides of me...er...the Cap'n's ship tonight!" Anora seemed in a very jovial mood, particularly for a dwarf.

"Ye boys make sure ya give our Partridge here plenty o' work - show 'm how t' mend da ropes and circle da deck."

Still smiling, her eyes pierced Grant, studying him. "Why ya be goin' 'cross the sea, Partridge. What be waitin' for ya on the other side?" she asked him, her voice lilting in suspicion. The brothers continued their counting and singing, not wanting that particular gaze of the dwarfess to fall upon them.

"On the other side..." Grant said trying to think of an answer quick before it sounded like he was lieing, he was almost certain his attempts were useless. "On the other side is my famil..." Grant trailed off remembering his fathers and brothers death and his mother in prison. His voice trembled with pain and anger, "My family is on the other side, on the mainland, in the grand Kingdom of Herion..." His mouth grew dry and it was hard for him to swallow his saliva. "They need me there, my father has gotten sick." Grant looked at the deck and saw his hands shaking, he put on a fake smile "Well, I guess I'll go up in the crows next." Grant began walkings away to the ladder leading to the crows nest and he saw the shadow of Anora behind him....

Anora watched Grant turn his back and make his way over to the mast. Her smile slid off her face and she turned to the brothers, "I expect a full report in the morning of any and all doings this eve." She caught their eyes, looked to Grant, and then looking back at the brothers. They nodded, understanding her meaning.

She then went below deck to check the holding areas. Plenty of room would be needed, and mayhaps special accomidations for their more winged booty off the Merchantile.

Carpathia sat in his bare cabbin, his feet crossed and rested on the corner of his desk. The single lantern swayed smoothley with the slight rocking of the ship, the shaddow of its base casing a false horison around the room. Bathed in its orange glow John, his eye patch removed and rested on his lap drunk heartily from a pitcher.

Truth be told he cared not for the deaths of the men in the failed raid. They we all cut throats and thieves of the like. The old saying rang true, birds of a feather stick together. The world would be a better place for their loss. The thing that had gauled him was the fact they had been his men and that the information on the course and cargo of the ship sold to him was from a trusted man by the name of Ventran. It had been a trap.

John looked at the chart acorss his desk and took back another hearty swig of stale ale. His mind and face now flushed with alchahole drifed back to the memory of raid.

They had approached the ship all was quiet, save for a few crew. Drawing along side the merchant vestle Carpathia gave the order to board. Across his men jumped swang and scrabled. It was then the deck hatches and doors burts open, time slowed down and adrenalin surged, you could almost taste it on the air as armed men run out and swarmed the pirates out numbering them by many. The fight had begun. Bloody and violent, it was clear it was not about defending their ship, but simply to kill.
Carpathia watching from his own ship gave the order to the wheelman to steer the ship away from the merchat vestle. He shouted out to the remaning few of his men still alive, to run and make a jump for it.
It was then he saw Anora, her axe cleaving through the shoulder of her agressor. She tunred and made haste ducking the swooping slash of another. She slipped and tripped on the blood and corpse coverd deck but made it to the side of the ship.
The gap now between the vestles was widening fast, the oppersite of the armed men and Anroa.
'Jump' John shouted. Thw words now echoing in his mind.
Anora didnt need telling twice she turned showing a gesture of her annoyance at the killers behind her, then jumped for the ship.
Her jump was to short, her hand raising for the mercy of the gods as her expression fell to the serpants of the sea. She slammed into the hull of the ship but fell no further. Carpaitha, his hand griped tight around her forarm hauled her up the side on onto the deck.

A thunk brought John back into his cabbin with a twitch. He looked around him, the pitcher now spilt across the foor.
‘Just like your blood will be Ventran,’ he mumerd as his head lolled to the side and the snoring began.

The brothers were singing "Blow the man down" as Grant sat up in the crows nest. He had been up there for nearly two hours, just looking out at the sea, at the stars and the moon. The water looked black, and huge. Grant thought what the chances of surviving out in the sea if you had no compass and no sign of land. He tried to keep his mind away from his father and brother's death, but he couldn't stop himself. All he thought of was his old father and older brother being burned and tortured and then after hours of pain finally dieing.
A tear ran down Grant's cheek, he quickly wiped it away and forced himself to stop crying. He was Grant Herion, warrior, slayer of beasts and waring orc. He was Grant Herion, prince to the Herion Kingdom. He was Grant Herion, and he was going to get his revenge in this life or the next... He would get his revenge...

"I will avenge you father and brother, I will avenge you..." Grant swore quietly.

Grant's watch in the crow's nest passed without worry, when Chris called up to relieve him.

Back down on the deck, Peter showed him his technique for mending ropes, "Keeps the fingers limber!" he exclaimed. After a time of kneeling and sitting on the deck, knees become stiff and lids begin falling.

"Time for a walk about," Peter called out suddenly. The two began slowly walking around the railing. "Be sure to take a peek straight down. It's been know for some landmen to miss a johnny boat nestled against the hull completely because his eyes are scouring the horizon.

Grant took starboard side and began his round. Closer to the stern, he spotted something in the water, a shadow in the black waters.

Grant looked at the dark shadow, the sun was slowly rising, and it was still dark in the water. Grant squinted at the shape, he was long and seemed to go under the ship.
The shape darted down into the depths of the sea, it went so deep Grant lost sight of it. Grant waited a few minutes for it to return, but it didn't. He just about turned around and began to walk around the side when he heard a large splash and a thud on the deck.
The boat began to tilt to the other side of where Grant was. He ran to go see what it was...

"Sea serpent!" Chris yelled. "Sea serpent!!." He yelled and fear ran through him. The sea serpent was a huge water snake. It was nearly 45 feet long. It's razor sharp fangs were as long as swords. It's poison was so potent a grown human would die after 3 hours of infection. Chris had only heared of them in stories, he never thought they were real.

"Get away from there!" Grant yelled to Chris. The sea serpent had leaped from the water onto the boat, it had coiled itself up into a defensive position and waited for a foolish sailor to get close so it could have its meal.
Chris froze in fear, he had no weapon save for the small dagger at his side, he needed to wheel the cannon over here to kill the monster. But try as he might he couldn't move his feet. Grant saw this and took action. He chanted a few words and made a small explosion next to the sea serpents head, it distracted the monster for just a few seconds, but that was long enough for Grant to act. He grabbed Chris and pulled him to a safe distance.
"Peter!" Chris yelled.
"I got help!" Peter said, he had gotten the rest of the crew up on deck, they were ready for battle. Peter even got Grant's sword.
They all got ready for battle and awaited the captain's orders...

Grant came to 10 minutes after he had gone unconcious...

"Is that damned monster gone?" Grant asked to Anora who was mending his bruises.

"Aye it be dead, got it in the eye Peter and Chris did along with the guidance of the Cap'n." Anora said.

Grant rubbed his head, it was throbbing, "Do we know when we are intercepting the Mercentile? I guess that serpent was a nice warmup..."

[
Grant closed his eyes and remembered something, "What of Grissel? He is ok? I saw him go overboard..."

"He was recovered while you were out scrub, and it fine to."

Grant slept most of that day, and rested. He awoke in the afternoon, roughly near 3. He was in his bunk and was alone, Grissel wasn't in his bunk. 'He must not have been that badly off.' Grant thought.
Grant rubbed some sleep out of his eyes and laid back down, he was feeling a lazy mood and he knew he should get up. But he lacked the willpower at the moment. Then he felt something slither over his leg and for just a moment he was scared.
But then he remembered the red snake that had gotten into his pocket just a few days ago. He reached under the covers and pulled the snake out, it was small, only a foot long or so, but Drey had told him it was very poisonous.
The snake stuck out its tounge and smelled the air around it and it yawned showing its fangs. Grant took out a peice of ham from his pack and feed it to the snake, then put the snake into his bag.
He got up and went up to the deck to find the captain...

"I see yer up finally Partridge!" Anora smiled broadly. "Just at dusk, we be hitting the Merchantile. You ready Partridge?? I'll be holding a meeting on deck in a moment, so when you're done pesterin' the Cap'tin, best be getting on out here!"

The dwarfess strolled away humming an old tune about a "grazing mace" her Papa taught her.

Carpathia sat on the wall of the deck, his fingers toying with a large fang binded to a braded cord around his neck. The other hand sported a small hip flask. He rubbed at his eye through the patch as he gazed out over the ocean.
'Good to see you are walking partridge,' he spoke not turning to see the approaching Grant. 'What brings you now to me.'
Finnishing his words he brough the flask up to bear on his lips and swiged from it.

As the Grant spoke to the captain, Anora was busy making preparations for the raid on the Mercantile. The "Dahud" would intercept the merchant ship just after sun down. In the burning heat of afternoon, the men were taking down the white masts in exchange for the black Masts of Cloaking.

Before long everything was ready and just as the sun fell below the horizon the twinkling lights of the Mercantile could be seen in the distance.

"Captain, what is our contingency plan if this raid fails?" Grant asks.

The cloaked ship slowly approached the Merchantile, her black sails flapping soundlessly in the wind. Nearly invisable, Anora stood on the railings, looking thru her monocular. "I estimate roughly a crew of 35," she breathed.

She nodded her head imperceptively and two lizardmen slipped over the sides of the ship. A few moments later they could be seen climbing the hull of the merchantile, a heavy sack over the shoulder of one.

Seeing the confused look of some of the shiphands, Anora held up her hand as if to say.."Just wait and watch." Several moments passed as the ship floated ever so close to the Merchantile.

The crew of the "Dahud" could now see the faces of the Mercantile's crew clearly. The were going about thier duties. One swarthy seaman peered over the railing right at pirates. He squinted his eyes and twisted his mouth up and stared at the grey outline of the cloaked ship. A loud bellowing voice emmitted from his mouth, "Captain! Pirates!"

Several things happened in the same moment. The two lizardmen darted on to the deck and dove off. An earsplitting explosion sent several men and splitted wood flying into the air, drowning out the tattletale. A bolt from Anora's crossbow shut the man up permanantly as plowed through his forehead.

"Let 'em loose!" Anora called. Bowstring and crossbow triggers popped and cracked and the canon was being worked by the brothers. The men knew after several rounds of ranged fire, they would storm the ship. "No prisioners!" the dwarfess called, full of fury and bloodlust.