OOC: I do not own Warhammer or the Games Workshop products and am not gaining any financial benefits from writing this story.
My apologies for the late update everyone, but I am getting there slowly. I have made some minor changes to the preceding chapters, including adding dimensions for the ships. If you would like to know these I am afraid you will have to re-read the original chapters.
I was not sure how to write this chapter, but I gave it my best shot and I hope it does not disappoint.
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Two days previously, one hour after the fight.
When Joseph finally regained consciousness the first thing that hit him was the splitting pain in the back of his head. It seemed to originate from the top of his crown and spread down from there to jolt his forehead and the base of the neck.
Oh gods what the hell was I drinking last night?
He tried to reach back to touch the centre of the pain, pausing when his hand came into contact with solid wood.
What the..?
The elf eased his eyes open, only to find that this did nothing to help, it just meant that instead of seeing only blackness he saw only a slightly paler blackness. The experience was unnerving but Joseph was not the sort to panic easily. Breathing deeply he forced himself to focus and was relieved to see the faintest trace of light creeping through the gaps between the planks.
But how did I get down here? Let's see now, there was the galley. I was down below decks and…what then?
When he put his mind to it the last thing he could recall was going to investigate the screams coming from the stern cabin, after that it was complete blank. What had happened? How long had he been out for? And why was he here? Who put him here? The smell was terrible, a foul rankness that reminded him of the stench of a three day old corpse-something he had encountered many times over. And now that he reached out to his left he was surprised to feel the rough shapes of rocks and stones.
What in the..?
Was he still on the ship? Yes, that was certain-there was no mistaking the gentle rocking motion of a ship at sea or the pounding roar of the surf. But this time the roar was deeper than he had heard before, seemingly coming from all around and even above him at the times. Something wasn't right here, and he was not going to get any answers where he was.
Only one thing to do I suppose.
Tentatively at first he placed both hands against one of the planks, relieved to find that it was loose.
There was a blur of movement and something encased his right wrist in a steel strong grip, instantly forcing both arms down over his chest. Simultaneously something cold and hard clamped over his mouth, forcing his head to turn to the right. Startled he froze, seeking the assailant. In the dim light he could discern the shape of a pale-skinned humanoid with red eyes and a look so emaciated that could have been a corpse before him.
"Hsst!" the creature hissed.
The elf paused momentarily, before beginning to inch his free hand in the direction of his dagger. Instantly the creature increased the pressure on his wrist, pain flaring under its grip until Joseph was sure the bones would snap. A gasp of pain issued from his lip's, muffled by the creature's hand.
"I know what you are doing, it will avail you not against me," the thing spoke in a deep harsh voice, its putrid breath making Joseph want to gag. "Now lower your arms or I'll snap your neck like a twig."
Joseph hesitated, his gaze holding steady against that of the creature. Slowly, and with some reluctance, he ceased his struggles and after a moment the creature relaxed its grip.
"Listen carefully elf, I intend you no harm but if you make a sound it will surely doom us both and I will not allow this to happen. Our survival depends and silence, do you understand?"
Slowly Joseph nodded.
"Then have a care elf."
The hand was removed from his face and Joseph sucked in a deep breath of air, trying to ignore the foul stench that hung in the air. He focused upon his heartbeat, trying to calm the rapid staccato that it was currently beating out upon his ribs. Years of training and self-discipline took charge and he forced himself to look the creature squarely in the eye. It took all his willpower to resist the hypnotic gaze the thing turned upon him in response.
"What are you?"
"I am nothing to be trifled with, that is all you ever need know of me."
"Why are we here?"
"Hiding."
"From whom."
"Pirates, corsairs to be exact. Probably from Sartossa if that is still its name."
"Sartossa? Then what…?" Joseph rubbed his head, wincing as his fingers grazed over the lump at the back, "what the hell happened to me?" A new thought flashed through his mind and he checked his neck and shoulders.
The creature watched him with amusement.
"Do not worry elf, it gains me nothing to harm you…for the moment anyway."
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"It means exactly that elf. I fear that I cannot stay here much longer before I am discovered and I shall require some help when the time comes to take action."
"Take action?"
"Yes, before we reach the port I must find a way to take control of this ship, and I believe I will require your help in subduing the crew."
For a moment Joseph was too surprised to reply, but he recovered quickly.
"If that is your aim then why not simply summon a fog down upon us. That trick seems to have served you well aboard the Marienburg."
The creature gave him a cruel smile. "So you know of the little games I played with that crew. It was quite amusing playing cat and mouse with that pathetic group of fools, watching them run around like chickens when the fox breaks into the cage." The creature made a series of harsh gurgles that sounded faintly similar to chuckles, "I confess that it would amuse me play the pack master with these wretches, but no. I fear that I simply do not have the time for that. I have been able to follow the ship's motions since your battle and I can tell you that we are now sailing south west. I feel sure that this ship will reach Sartossa within the next few days and I do not wish to be taken there."
Joseph was puzzled, "why not? I would have thought that a port where so many people congregate would be exactly where your kind would flourish, and there are not witch hunter cults in the city that I know of. I would have thought you would be eager to get to such a place."
"My reasons are none of your concern. Suffice to say that it is imperative that I am not taken into that port and so I must make sure that this ship does not reach it."
"Then why do you need my help," another thought suddenly crossed the elf's mind "why not simply call a fog down upon us? I remember reading in the Marienburg's log about strange fog that descended without warning, and I think I would be correct in guessing was due to you." The creature was silent. "Surely that would prevent the corsairs reaching their destination and you could then pick them off at your leisure?"
"I am afraid there is no time for such games. The pirates will assuredly know this coastline and could probably find a way to reach harbor even in dense fog. In any case I do not believe that I can maintain such a fog and deal with such a large crew-it would simply require too much focus on my part to allow me to deal with the corsairs in time".
Joseph was not fooled, "you mean you are weaker than you were back then. You lack the strength to invoke such magic and cannot be sure of overcoming the crew without my help."
The creature hissed sharply, anger flaring in its eyes and for a moment the elf feared that he had gone too far.
But slowly the anger receded and was replaced with a look of annoyance, "Believe what you will elf, suffice to say that I require your assistance in the task at hand. Are you prepared to give it?"
"And if I don't?"
"Then I will snap your neck and drain you dry."
"Hmmm," Joseph gave a humorless smile, "you make an irresistible offer, but what make you so sure I can be trusted. How do you know that I will not simply turn on you once we begin our attack?"
"Your so called comrades tried to kill you. Once we begin the attack they will certainly try to do so again and you will have little choice but to fight beside me. And even if you did then believe me when I say that I have more than enough power to kill you, and I will do so as soon as I perceive you to be a threat."
"I suppose that seems reasonable, but in the unlikely event that we prove to be successful what will become of me? You need me right now but once my usefulness has ended what is to stop you killing me vampire?"
The vampire gave another rasping chuckle, "you think of everything don't you elf. Well to answer your question there will be nothing to prevent me from killing you, but I will make you an offer. I do not wish to land at Sartossa, but I think that it is time to end my long voyage and return to the land. I cannot do this alone, nor do I think the crew of this ship would be kindly disposed towards me if they are freed. If you will help me dispose of the crew of the corsairs on this ship we will then make our move against the galleys that attacked you. Once the ship is ours I will return to my position here, all I require from you is your silence on my presence until we reach our original port of destination."
"You expect me to help smuggle you into a crowded seaport and leave you free to wreak havoc on the populace?" Joseph's tone was amused, not outraged.
"Yes. I know that you are a mercenary and I seriously doubt the safety of those people in the port really matters to you. Look at it this way, I am simply offering you a new contract, aid me and I will help you to free your travelling companions and reach your destination safely. The payment will be your life and freedom, unless of course you would like to try your chances with me or else end up in a slave galley."
Joseph turned his head to gaze at the pale slants of light seeping in through the floorboards. Finally he spoke, "how do I know that I can trust you?"
The vampire brought its haggard face closer to his, its eyes narrowed, "you don't. But you have no choice."
"Well when you put it like that."
"Then we are in agreement. I have your word?"
"One condition first, if we happen to free any of this ship's crew they are not to be harmed."
"They are important to you elf?"
"They are nothing to me, but when I signed on I gave my word that I would endeavor to protect them for the duration of the voyage. That contract has not yet ended. And I believe that I would be mistaken in guessing that you had something to do with the seamen and marines we lost during the storm. You wouldn't know anything about why that happened would you?"
"No," the voice was tinged with irritation.
Joseph did not believe him but he saw no point in pressing the matter, "If you break our bargain I will know about it."
The vampire gave a derisive snort in reply but Joseph pressed on, "those are my conditions vampire, take them or leave them."
The vampire flexed its claws in irritation, "as you wish elf, then we have an accord?"
"We do," the two shook hands and Joseph winced as the thing nearly crushed his fingers, "but our agreement is void if you harm the crew."
"Hmph, I shall bear that in mind."
The two lapsed into silence, each becoming wrapped in their own thoughts. Finally Joseph turned his head and broke the silence.
"What should I call you?"
"My name is of no importance to you elf".
"I need to have something to address you by."
The creature shrugged, "then I suppose you may call me Druo."
"Druo?"
"It was someone I once knew. It will be…amusing to use his name."
"As you wish," Joseph leaned his head back, his hand moving up to push away some heavy stones that formed part of the ship's ballast*. "So this is where you have been hiding all this time," he rolled his eyes, "wonder why I never thought of that?"
"Lack of imagination I suppose elf".
"Maybe, I must be losing my touch."
"As amusing as your attempts at conversation are proving elf, I think that our time would be better spent planning our next move."
"As you wish," Joseph shifted his slender frame in an effort to make himself more comfortable, "I don't suppose you have come up with any plans whilst I was asleep."
"Nothing specific, although we must be sure to time our attack carefully, if the entire crew comes down on our heads then I have doubts about our ability to hold them off. But whatever we do we must make our move soon."
Joseph threw him a puzzled look, "why do you say that?"
"Let us just say that I can…sense our distance from that port, and I have been able to overhear snatches of conversation from our uninvited guests. Based on the available facts I would guess that we are three or four days distant from Sartossa."
"Good, at least that will give us some time to plan our attack. We had better wait till nightfall though, that should make it easier for me to avoid detection." And of course you won't be able to leave the hold until then.
"Agreed, but the corsairs will have noticed your absence by now. When they don't find you they may post guards in the corridors."
"Can you do something about that?"
"We cannot risk killing any of them elf, not until the time is right."
"That is not what I meant. I have read that you kind is said to have hypnotic abilities. Could you not mesmerize them, give me a chance to slip past?"
"Hmph, I suppose that would not be too difficult. Humans are very easily deceived and controlled; unlike your race they lack strong willpower. Yes elf I believe I can give you your chance."
"Good, then this is what I suggest…"
A-A-A
TBC.
OOC: * Ballast refers to the stones and rocks that were placed in the very bottom of a ship. They were placed in a sealed section that lay between the keel and the very bottom deck/storage space and which ran the entire length and width of the ship. Its purpose was to help keep the ship upright.
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