PART 1: INNOCENCE
Chapter 1 AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS JUNE 2, 1675
By gaging the sun, an observer would say it was nearing midday.
It was very warm for this far north, even though summer was just around the corner.
The temperature was a nice and toasty 75 degrees, a heat wave for the Netherlands.
The summer was shaping up to be long and hot which didn't bode well for farmers.
But inland duties were the last thing on people's minds at the moment, at least in Amsterdam they were.
Today was the beginning of a new era for the Dutch Navy as the first of a new class of warship was being launched.
While not a first rate ship of the line by any means, the new Lang Schadow-class had close to 20 guns, a reasonable number, some of them up to 36 pounds, the heaviest of the day.
They had three masts and were rigged for speed. They also were scheduled to have a pair of bow mounted triple chase guns that would make them a formidable weapon against any fleeing opponent.
The leader of the class, the Lang Schadow herself, was scheduled to be launched within the hour.
The warship shifted on her keel. She was annoyed, and it wasn't the first time, at the discomfort the drydock presented.
The place was confining, it was restrictive, and just plain awkward.
She was a ship, meant to sail the open seas, not be confined to some silly dock.
"Ah, don't worry," said a man. "You'll be out and about soon enough."
The warship's green eyes brightened considerably. "Vandecker!" She exclaimed happily.
Captain Mario de Silo de Vandecker was a 20 year veteran of the Dutch Navy.
He'd served aboard every ship, from the small frigates to the great first rate ships of the line.
Born of a poor family, he'd been brought up on a lowly farm in the English countryside.
His mother was a weaver and made a little money off of her works but that was squandered by his alcoholic father.
At 16, Vandecker ran away from home and enlisted in the British Navy.
He served 5 years aboard HMS Inconstant before being honorably discharged at the end of the last war.
With no job and no money, he searched the harbors for work, and eventually found it here in Amsterdam.
He worked as a bookkeeper for several years until a lucky break found him back in the service. He hadn't looked back since.
His current command was a 380 foot long, 25 foot wide third rate ship of the line.
Lang Schadow was nearly 4 decades in the making. It had taken the navy forever to get around to building her and rumor had it that she had a sister ship being built in Rotterdam.
She had been freshly painted for this occasion.
Her golden hull gleam in the sunlight, giving it an almost sparkly hue and her red stripe shone. Her colours waved proudly in the wind.
She held her head proudly, today was the day she joined the fleet.
As people began to fill the stands, soon to be Captain Vandecker took his place amongst them.
An Admiral came up to the podium. "How nice it is to see so many people here today to witness the launch of what is the finest ship in the Dutch Navy."
Lang Schadow dipped her head modestly, the praise embarrassing her.
She heard Captain Vandecker give a slight chuckle at her blush, which only made her turn even more read.
She sent him a glare and he shut up.
"At least he still has some sense." She thought to herself.
The Admiral continued talking for another 3 quarters of an hour before the signal, a cannon shot from another ship, the battleship Eendracht, sounded the start of the ceremony.
A young lady, who had yet to be married, approached Lang Schadow.
"In the name of King William III, I name you Lang Schadow." She cried and swung the wine bottle.
It broke and Schadow felt the liquid run down her bow. She licked her lips appreciatively at the taste of the alcohol.
The signal was given and down she went, sideways into the water.
Water splashed up along her sides and for a few seconds she feared she'd be too heavy and capsize but with some effort, she managed to shake the water off and right herself.
She heard cheers from the crowd as she settled upright on the water, standing tall and proud.
Captain Vandecker couldn't have been more pleased as he climbed aboard to take command. "
"Well done Lang Schadow!" He exclaimed.
The sailing ship smiled. "Thank you captain." She replied.
She had made into the water, now for her maiden voyage.
Her orders were to travel down to the Cape of Storms to retrieve supplies such as provisions and small arms and return.
It was a dangerous voyage all the way around. The Atlantic was treacherous and the strong currents surrounding the tip of Africa were even more so.
The weather could change for the worst in an instant and the seas were always rough.
Only the most experienced ships dared tackle such a place but the navy seemed to thing she could handle it and Vandecker did too.
So, she set sail for the port now known as Cape Town, South Africa.
It would be many years before she saw her homeland again.
The voyage down to the Cape was fast and the winds were favorable most of the way.
Lang Schadow had the chance to really stretch her wings and fly and she impressed everyone when she achieved a mind boggling 12 knots.
"Any faster and you'll take off from the water and fly my dear." Vandecker said.
Lang Schadow laughed. "I'd rather keep my keel in the water." She replied. "But I know what you mean. It's incredible. I never thought I could sail this fast."
"Well you can, you're doing it now." Vandecker replied.
"13 knots!" A man called. "Whoo." Vandecker muttered to himself.
Lang Schadow was enjoying all the attention she was getting and decided it wouldn't hurt to race into port a little early.
She could imagine just how surprised they would be to find her there so soon.
Grinning, she lowered her head and charged on, gaining speed.
"18 knots!" exclaimed the man. Vandecker looked like he was about to faint.
"Should I slow down captain?" She asked, amused. Vandecker was about to answer when the lookout cried "storm dead ahead!"
Lang Schadow swore to herself. "Of all the miserable luck." She thought crossly.
"Well this is the Cape of Storms. What'd you expect?" A small voice in her head retorted.
"Shut up." She told it and silence greeted her.
Dark, ominous clouds loomed ahead.
"I don't like this. I don't like this one bit." Vandecker muttered.
"Somehow you read my mind captain." Lang Schadow grumbled.
"I'm your captain, we have a connection, that's how." He replied simply. She sighed and ignored him.
Her crew hauled in most of the sails, leaving only the fore and forestay sails up for maneuverability.
Lang Schadow braced herself for one of nature's most deadly onslaughts but there was really little she could do against the force that was the storms of the Cape.
The wind and rain buffeted her as she plodded along. She wasn't even sure if she was going in the right direction anymore.
"Right direction be damned." She thought. "I'll be lucky just to get out of this in one piece."
Unfortunately, she wouldn't be that lucky.
Up ahead, she saw a distortion in the water. She could feel a change in the current as it pulled her closer.
Then she could see what it was. "Maelstrom!" She cried fearfully.
Her captain and crew rushed to their stations, prepared to do anything to avoid the deadly phenomenon.
Sails were launched and set, her helm was turned hard over as she tried hard to catch the wind but instead of helping her, it only made it worse.
The wind had changed direction and now it was slowly, but surely, pulling the helpless sailing ship into the whirlpool.
Schadow knew she was going down but that didn't mean her crew had to go with her. "Launch the lifeboats!" She cried.
At Vandecker's agreement they did so, though they knew that the chances of them surviving this storm were small.
Lang Schadow turned to the last remaining man on deck. "Vandecker, you too!" She growled.
He shook his head, his hands running gently along the spokes of her wheel.
"A captain goes down with his ship." He said.
"I don't have time for you silly ideals. Go now!" She growled and leaned sharply to port, tossing him overboard.
She knew he could swim so it was no worry. "I'm sorry Vandecker, it's because I love you." She whispered.
The Maelstrom had her in its grasp now and around and around she went. Her stern sank into the dark hole of the abyss and her bow rose up high in the air.
She heard and felt a loud crack and cried out as her ribs gave.
Her eyes flickered over to where she knew her crew had gathered in the lifeboats but her eyes were for only one.
Vandecker met her gaze evenly, sorrow etched on every line of his weathered face.
To Lang Schadow, all that mattered was that he was safe.
Her last glimpse of him was seeing him standing in the prow of a lifeboat.
She smiled, then her mainmast snapped and her world became that of rushing water and eventually, darkness as she sank to the cold abyss.