Chapter Sixteen: Chase

 The sea is a volatile lover. She will reward you with her caress and gently sway you one moment, and then she'll unleash her anger at you when she's wronged. She may bathe you in the warm sunlight as a gift of a caring lover, or she may take sailors' lives as a jealous storm. 

 The battle fought by the Great Reef didn't sit well with the sea goddess, as she sent her war brigade in the form of strong gales, impossible surf, and utter darkness. Man is helpless to fight the whims of a Goddess.

 The crew of the Elysium had been chasing Prince Tugce and his Father's fleet, but now they were sailing to survive. King Ohdakota's fleet and their enemies would all be facing the same struggles. War was the furthest thing from anyone's mind now. 

 Valen was helping Olafur and Rovan push seawater out on the Gun Deck, but she kept getting seasick in the process. 

 "An Anahitiian girl with no sea legs." Rovan mocked her.

 "I'd ask her more about herself, but the only thing that ever comes out of her mouth is her lunch." Olafur joked.

 "I guess we can't tease her too much," Rovan said innocuously.

 "Because of the trauma she endured?" Olafur questioned.

 "That, and the fact that everyone gets sick. My child…" Rovan stopped himself from finishing.

 Olafur knew Rovan was about to talk about his kids and could see the raw pain in his Master's eyes. They had been talking about Valen as if she wasn't standing next to them, which she was. The fact that she didn't speak made them often forget to include her.

 "You think it's bad luck running into all these storms?" Olafur said, distracting Rovan.

 "It's just the time of year. We should expect to run into a lot of bad weather. If you go a week without even something small, then we can talk about luck. There's nothing unusual. Sailors can be superstitious. That's all."

 "They're always angry, like a wife." Olafur joked without thinking. Realizing he brought up Rovan's family again, he tried to correct his error quickly.

 "Do you think we can fight the rest of the war with these mops? I'm starting to get a great technique with all this pushing water." Olafur said, looking for Rovan's reaction.

 Rovan didn't say anything but looked contemplative for a long while. 

 "I think you can handle pushing this water with Valen. I'm going to go into my quarters and try and sleep." Rovan said.

 "In this storm?" Olafur said incredulously. He was about to say more but thought better of it.

 "I guess it's just you and me," Olafur said to Valen, but like always, she didn't say anything back. "Sorry to bring you into all this. We drag you into a battle, and now you're stuck in the middle of the ocean in a violent storm. Seems like life just wants to keep kicking us all in the pants right now." 

 Valen was looking at Olafur and seemed to be interested in what he was saying. That was at least a start as he wasn't always sure that she paid him any attention. 

 "First time in a storm?" Olafur prodded.

 Valen shook her head yes.

 "How about on a ship sailing across open water?" 

 She shook her head no.

 "That's right. They took you from Asta Island. They would have had to sail with you to reach Gyoa. I hope our ship is a better experience." 

Valen didn't gesture at first but then shook her head yes. She even managed a little smile.

 "Is that a smile? I don't know if I've seen you do it. It looks good on you. You should smile more often." 

 Valen gave him a curious look and then pushed some more seawater off the deck. Olafur thought about how he really didn't know much about females. He had mostly been on ships with men. His mother had been killed, and he didn't have any siblings. Olafur didn't know how to relate to Valen at all, but he was trying.

 "I'd like to get to know you better, but you don't feel comfortable yet. Maybe if I told you some of my story, you'd feel like sharing yours." Olafur said to Valen. Valen didn't respond.

 "I lost my parents when I was young," Olafur began. Sultan Naro'gi, Graeo'gi's Father, was corrupt. My parents spoke out against him and his many viziers. Anytime, you criticize powerful people; you make powerful enemies. So many wanted to see my parents dead. My Uncle, Vizier Loean, had money and power as well. For a time, my parents were shielded." Olafur stopped to see if Valen was paying attention. "Then a dinosaur." He said loudly. Valen's head turned to look at him. "Good, you are listening." 

 "Long story short, I believe Sultan Naro'gi killed my parents. They disappeared and have never been found. So I was raised by my Uncle." Olafur concluded. 

Valen didn't open up at first. She kept pushing seawater off the Gun Deck. Kind of out of nowhere, and in a small voice, she said, "I lost my family too." 

 Olafur's brain almost didn't register that she had spoken, for it was so out of the blue.

 "I'm sorry to hear it. How?" Olafur asked delicately. He didn't want to say the wrong thing and have her recoil back into her shell.

 "On Asta, we had a Vizier, but he wasn't like your family. He was corrupt." Valen started. It was the most words she had ever spoken to him. Sometimes, when it rains, a deluge follows.

Valen continued, "The corruption on our island led to worse things. I grew up on a farm with my family. We grew root vegetables and fruits like pineapples. But groups started to spread on our island, who started to bully farmers. We'd complain, but the Vizier ignored us. It only made these groups bolder. They started to kill farmers and steal their lands. Then that wasn't good enough, because they wanted wives. So they started to kill all the men, and take all the women as wives, but they were really their slaves. Then the older women were too much of a problem so they started to kill all the women over eighteen. The ages kept getting younger, and the killings got worse. Fear and terror spread throughout the island. My parents tried to get us off the island, but we were caught." Valen looked cautious again. 

 "They killed your whole family. You were the only survivor?" Olafur asked.

 Valen shook her head yes.

 "My Father, my mother, and my younger brother. My sister and I were taken. My sister was killed shortly after because she fought back. I was a coward." Valen said, looking shamed.

 "You did no wrong. Don't blame yourself. They were the ones who did all the wrong. Now I feel even less bad for killing them. I wish I could have killed more of this group." Olafur had to admit. "How long a go was that?"

 "I was twelve." 

 "Four years! You endured that for four years?" Olafur couldn't believe the horror she went through.

 "I was being readied to be the leader's wife."

 "Is that who I found you with, in the barn?"

 "Yes." 

 "How did you end up on Gyoa?" 

 "They didn't know anything about farming. So we left to go on murder raids. They'd take supplies from other islands, and kill along the way. If you looked into that farmhouse you found me in the barn of, you would have found a dead family. What he was doing to me was in celebration of that killing." 

 "Now you're on the Elysium. I'll make sure nothing like that ever happens to you again." Olafur assured.

 "I know."

——-

 Two days later, the storm fully subsided. King Ohdakota's fleet had lost three ships in the storm. They did not know how many Prince Tugce lost because they didn't see any of his ships when the clouds rose, and the sun beamed down on them. 

 Every crewman in the fleet was overstretched and weary. They had to break off pursuit, and resupplying became a priority. Sickness had spread on some of the ships in the fleet, King Ohdakota banned interactions between ships. The quarantine would lift when all the doctors gave their blessings.

 So far the Elysium was sparred the outbreak. That doesn't mean the storm didn't cause problems. Rovan was not looking well, but it was a different kind of disease that plagued him. 

The fleet was still committed to taking on Sultan Graeo'gi, but had sail to the North and Vidir Island for supplies. The hope was that Prince Tugce took his fleet back to Gaffar to refit the ships. Thus buying some time for the King's fleet to form another blockade.

 Only certain crew were allowed to go ashore. They didn't want to bring sickness to the island. They also wanted to let the crew have some recovery, so they eventually expanded who could get shore leave.

 While they were anchored off the Vidir coast, Rovan had come out of his cabin once more. He had red-crazed eyes. Olafur's Master was also mumbling to himself nonsensical things. 

 Olafur could only make sense of the occasional words: family, ghosts, and blood. He shoved his Master back in his cabin because he didn't want the rest of the crew to see him like this.

 "Valen!" Olafur called. She came to the entryway, "Get me some water, and bring the doctor." Olafur ordered and didn't wait for her reply.

 He found a chair and sat his Master so that he was looking out the terrace and the open sea. The wind was blowing fresh air into the cabin. 

 Valen saw the Doctor in and gave Rovan the water. The Doctor examined Rovan and determined that he didn't have any sickness that could be detected. The Doctor said it looked as if Rovan hadn't gotten any proper sleep and recommended some rest. 

 "Master, we managed to find a safe town to resupply. Can I get you anything while we're here?" Olafur offered. Rovan looked at him distantly and didn't respond.

 Olafur left strict instructions to leave Rovan undisturbed in his room and went ashore with Valen.

 "You're coming with me. We're going to buy you some proper clothes. Whatever you want." Olafur offered.

 "It's fine; you don't need to," Valen said humbly.

 "It's a gift. Of course, I don't have to do it. I will buy them anyways, so you might as well pick them out." Olafur insisted.

 The fleet caused a big stir amongst the local islanders. Eighteen warships pulling in for supplies meant a lot of money for the locals, but it also looked like an invasion. Once the locals were pacified that they were only there for supplies that they'd pay for and not take, things smoothed over.

 The fleet couldn't linger. Word would spread fast of their whereabouts. Being deep into the belly of your enemies without supplies would be worse, so the risk had to be taken.

 Olafur and Valen found one of the small merchant stands loaded with fabrics. 

 "We have a tailor on the ship who can help make these into whatever you like. He works out of the carpenter's cabin. Pick some fabrics you like. " Olafur guided Valen. 

 She combed over many of the patterns and felt the textures. She was hesitant to pick a couple but Olafur reassured her that it was ok to pick out many. It wasn't like they'd be making a lot of stops to go shopping. This was her only opportunity.

 After she had picked a dozen or so, Valen looked at Olafur with gratitude.

 "Thank you." 

 "Technically, I used my Uncle Loean's money, so thank him. What you do with your life and what you wear is up to you now. If you want, you can stay here. You're not wanted by the Sultan. Vidir seems like a pleasant island. We are going to war and possibly to our deaths. You don't have to come with." Olafur said.

 "I want to come with. I want to go wherever you go." Valen said.

 "You won't always be able to go with me. 

———

Almost immediately after they had left Vidir Island and set course for Gaffar, they were told they had a message from the King. The Kane and the Elysium anchored across from each other, and a rope was tied between them. A canister containing the message was slid down the rope.

 Captain Dantes read the message quietly to himself.

 "King Ohdakota is very ill. They think the locals may have contaminated some of the supplies on purpose, so they are warning us. Many of the crew have broken out with similar symptoms. Our course has not changed; we still sail for Gaffar and war," Dantes informed everyone.

 The crew was understandably shaken to learn of the King's illness and worried that they might get sick. The ship's Doctor was overwhelmed with patients, but most of them were just paranoid. 

 The next morning, a squadron of Anahitiian ships popped up behind them. They were now the mouse and no longer the cats in this game. The wind gauge still favored the Southeast. With the opponents ships smaller and faster, they had to try a less direct course to shake off their aggressors. 

 The Elysium was leading the way for the King's seventeen ships. They hugged the western coast of Vidir until they could make a direct southeast line and course for the North coast of Pora Island. Pora was smaller, and the larger island of Helda was just to its South. 

 Once they sailed past the Western edge of Pora, they turned sharply to the North so they could run the channel between Pora and Helda. This course would lead directly to Da'grun Island. They would have to choose North or South; either way, they'd crash into the middle of Da'grun Island. They'd wait until the last minute to choose their course.

 The crazy course was in an attempt to lose their persuers but also to be unpredictable. It would be hard for a trap to be made of them. It also allows them to counter some of the wind gauge advantages. 

 Once they decided to chart a course around the north side of Da'grun, they used the wind gauge to shoot them between Da'grun and Asta Island. This would allow them to sail to the southern coast of Gaffar and to the capital of Lalji, where the Sultan's fleet would be.

 It was all for not because Prince Tugce and the Sultan's fleet were waiting for them in the channel between Da'grun and Asta. They fell into the trap either way. The ships they chased into the storm were all there, forming a blockade for them. 

 The shoe was on the other foot. Only this time, the Sultan didn't just bring his fleet. On Asta Island, an infantry with catapults and archers aligned the shore. They wouldn't be able to use the shore for cover like Prince Tugce had used the Great Reef.

 This would have to be a battle on two fronts, or they'd have to retreat, abandoning their mission altogether. To retreat, they'd have to smash through the squadron that had been chasing them.

 They needed to communicate with the King, and they received a message from King Ohdakota's ship, the Kane.

 "King Ohdakota is dead. He and many others have succumbed to sickness. The fleet's leadership has been deferred to the Elysium. The fleet requests their orders," Captain Dantes read out. Dantes turned to Olafur, "This must mean that some of the remaining chains of command are also sick. You are in charge, Olafur. What are your orders?" Dantes requested.

 "I shouldn't be. Get Master Rovan here at once." Olafur commanded.

 "But Sir, is he well?" Dantes questioned.

 "My Master may not be at his best right now, but I know he won't let us down. He has never before."

 Rovan emerged from his cabin with his armor on, and the danger of the situation seemed to have snapped him out of his fog. Rovan took a moment to assess the situation and turned to Olafur.

 "Olafur and Dantes, you will remain on the ship and lead an assault on the trailing squadron behind us. Sink those bastards. Once you do, you will fake a retreat to try to lure the remaining fleet out. This will help break up their blockade. You will spin around, as the wind gauge will favor us. We will try to catch some of their ships in the open water." Rovan ordered.

 "And what are you doing?" Olafur quizzed.

 "I'm taking as many of the men as I can, and I'm going to shore. We need to take out the archers and catapults. When you come back through, you will make a speed run through the shallows. Hopefully, the inertia will keep you from getting stuck."

 "Hopefully?" Olafur said sarcastically. "That's comforting."

 "How are you getting back on board if we have to run?" Dantes asked.

 "It will come to me," Rovan said.

 "You mean, you don't know?" Dantes asked incredulously.

 "No," Rovan admitted.

 "If I didn't trust you so much, I'd be worried," Olafur said.

 "Worry for the Sultan's men. I offer them the Devil's kiss," Rovan said ominously.

 "What do you mean?" Olafur quizzed.

 "My apprentice, I have taught you many things. I have told you certain things to be weary of, for you can lose yourself to the darkness. Do not do any of the things you see me do today. Do not look to my example. Stay the good man you've become. Be an example of good in this world. I have nothing left in this world. They took from me, everything. I will take everything from them today. The one gift they gave me is that I no longer have anything to fear. I want to die. They can't kill me. My soul is already gone. I am a monster. I shall devour them in a raging torrent."

 "Master, I don't know your intentions, but don't do it. I still need you. You're a good man. We can defeat them without you losing yourself to the darkness."

 "It is too late for me." Rovan looked down in remorse. "I warn you now. Don't come back for me. You may not like what you find."