The voyage of Bravery
Sleep was overrated when at sea. One would wake up with a shaky body and a frail head, or such was the excuse Vingor had for his foul mood. Night elves were nocturnal, but he had outgrown the habit of longing for the stars and the moon on the sky when traveling. For the day was not without its moments of beauty either. The sunrise was as beautiful as when it would set and give way to Elune's light. Albeit, in its own way. His hands gripped the windowsill and he watched as the scarlet shade filled the heavens above the plane of water that went as far as any eye could see. While not quite as serene as the light of Elune and the flickering stars, it helped his mood just a little. The dull sound of footsteps sometimes caught his attention from above. He hated the sound as it had a steady rhythm just like a heart's song of life and Vingor remembered the face of the young elf from the day before. The dryness in his throat was soon washed away with a swig of moonberry juice. It was a rich taste, fruity and sweet, almost sickeningly so.
Getting to his feet was easy enough but following the movement of the wooden planks that formed the floor beneath his feet was something else entirely. A hand against the woodwork at the entry made it all the easier for the druid to make his way out of the quarters and onto the deck in the early morning. The breeze was quite firm and constant, it would not let go of his weight and made it just a tad harder to walk steadily on deck. A eerie crimson glow embraced the woodwork of the ship, drawing his gaze more than he expected a human's craftsmanship would.
"You look a tad worn-out, Master Druid. Is the sea rough on you?" A gentle voice poked at his attention, a hint of sarcasm in the way she addressed him, or rather: light humor at his expense. The young human stood there with a smile on her lips. Displaying her white teeth briefly as he turned to face her. The child in front of him looked to be a crew member, but she seemed too free at heart to be working under anyone's command.
"I am merely enjoying the view, Miss." So was the excuse Vingor Stormcrow devised without a moments hesitation. His long form straightening up in front of the girl, with his head tilting forward to observe her. Vingor was quite tall, even for an elf. The girl was not affected by the elf's posture or attitude, she only smiled and gave Vingor a pat on the upper arm before walking away. He could not help but feel confused and turned to face the sea again. Sparkles covered the water's surface as long as the eyes could see. To think that such calm waters could make his stomach complain was rather embarrassing for a grown elf. Partly enchanted and partly bored Vingor continued to admire the sparkling water as it parted by the bow and skid across the ship's flank. Much like a sword through flesh. Suddenly it became a little less beautiful to him.
Leaving the deck, he set each foot steadily down upon the ladder leading onto the captain's floor. He expected an elf, or a male to stand at the wheel. His shock was somewhat apparent as the same human girl beamed at him before flicking her fingertip out from her forehead in a mock salute. "Hey, Master Druid, to what do I owe this pleasure?" Her crimson lips pursed into a growing grin as she read the shock on Vingors face in a way only a woman could.
Vingor did not speak. He allowed the human girl to introduce herself properly. "It seems you mistook me for something else than a captain of this ship. Too busy daydreaming on the deck to notice the obvious?" She turned the wheel gently to change the course by a fraction, for what reason he did not know. The girl smirked as she looked at the elf for a moment to check his response, when none was given she shrugged and held the wheel firmly in place with relative ease. "I'm Angelina Soluna, captain of the Bravery. Nice to meet you, even if you're a weird one."
Vingor did not feel very tactful. Every sailor on deck greeted her with respect. Angelina Soluna was no mere woman, she demanded the respect of her crew and Vingor Stormcrow was the fool that had treated her like a child. "Likewise, captain." The girl tilted her head slightly, closing her eyes as if to bask in the broken pride of an old elf admitting to wrongdoings for the first time.
"Can the formalities. I couldn't care less for titles. I've got more important things on my mind, like how to navigate past the Maelstrom. We'll reach it by nightfall. If you don't like these waves I think you should spend the night in your quarters, with an empty bucket." Her words seemed to hold a tingling of a hope that he would feel worse once night came. She was no fool.
As the darkness grew heavy and the waves became nothing more than a blur of froth which could not be measured accurately, Vingor felt more uneasy than he did before. It was as if the ship itself drifted off course with more and more force. He felt how the wooden structure was swiped in one direction constantly, as if the ship was forced to follow the current and not the wind. Then it changed too, the wind, it began to howl from the port side into the great sails of the Bravery. One of the sails began to rip, a wide crack forming and tearing the sail apart in the middle. Even if it was dark it was possible to see with his eyes, being nocturnal by nature, but the sound was more than illustrative for the humans nearby.
"Take it down, this instant. You hear me?" A woman bellowed in the dark. No doubt the captain. Groans of effort could be heard as the crew strove against the never-ending current. Water sprayed onto the deck where Vingor stood and his left foot slipped before he clung to a nearby mast. The power of the sea was fierce. The water struck again. Harsh and cold. A bitter salty taste filled his maw as he clung onto the mast still. Vingor began to feel like a scared youngling. Perhaps he should have heeded the woman's advice? But before he could do anything about his situation the ship tilted heavily towards the starboard side. Horror gripped the elf as he could feel the roar of the sea tower up like a wall of water behind him. The angle of the ship was dangerously close to making the entire craft topple over, at which point they were all doomed. Humans and elves alike.
Even if he exerted himself beyond his breaking point the grip began to give way. The old elf's nails clawed desperately into the mast but the woodwork was as slippery as an eel. His hands slipped and before he could muster a call for aid Vingor slid down the slick deck. The railing crashed into his ribs and the air in his lungs was knocked out of him. Below the sea churned and growled. Crushing into the hull of the ship. The old elf's head was swimming after the impact. Even he could tell that the current below would drag him under. No trick of his could save him from the pull of the Maelstrom. A woman's hand could. Captain Soluna yanked Vingor Stormcrow by the neckline and hoisted him up. Wood creaking as the elf's weight came off the railing.
"It seems you should have followed my advice, Druid." She grinned at him. Her first mate was busy with the wheel, slowly guiding the heavy craft properly through the increasing currents in her stead as the ship regained its balance despite the currents. Vingor dug his hand into the side of stomach and forced himself across the lower deck with the help of the human. They almost tumbled down the stairs. The girl forced to carry most of his weight over to a nearby bench.
"So it would seem." He muttered, his side aching badly every time he inhaled. Speaking was more of an effort than expected.
Her smile widened, the human girl leaned over the elf to listen to his breathing. Her eyes closed while she ascertained the injury. Sure enough, his breath was shallow and strained. Her gaze dropped to his side, the Captain noticed the signs. Her hand graced his ribcage, only to have the elf wince in pain beneath her. A groan so feral it threatened to split her ears apart when she applied just a little pressure with her palm. Cracked ribs, or worse, dislocated ribs was very likely. She gave the elf a reassuring smile before stepping out onto the lower deck and motioned for a crewman to aid her.
"We need to bring him to my quarters. Fetch me a bucket of fresh water and a piece of cloth. Make sure the first mate knows that I will not return to the wheel yet and tell him to guide her as steadily as possible at the edge of the current. It will slow us down a little, but we have to." She spoke with authority before aiding her crew mate with the weight of the elf. Gently and slowly they shouldered him up the stairs and into her own quarters. A single nod towards the crew man was enough to imply that they would place him on the bed. Carefully placing the elf down they still saw how the creature winced and clenched his teeth. Once the male elf was resting on the sheets the crewman hurried out on the deck, relaying captain Soluna's orders to the first mate. Angelina Soluna sighed, through the window she noticed how the ship slowly entered calmer currents. Only a few minutes passed before the crewman returned with a bucket of freshwater which he placed by the bed.
"Leave us and return to your mast."