laneys.info Beware of Yankees, drunks, and loose women.

Seagulls cried and announced a new day which the clouds were nearly cleaned from the blue sky, no trace of the tumult that the crew had to endure the day before. Breagan stood on the sandy beach, eating a strip of boar meat that one of the crew had killed that morning, as he studied the Kandia and tried to organize his remaining forty men with all of the duties that had to be done at the same time. Brown eyes, narrowed by the sun, watched as Leron and the helmsman, David approached.

Leron shook his head. "The keel's cracked. There's nothing we can do without the proper tools and time needed." Placing hands on hips, he sighed as David grinned.

"She must've heard you yesterday, captain," the younger sailor reminded.

Breagan's eyes closed, "Damn." How was he going to rectify this situation? Seventeen of the crew couldn't move from their beds yet, Brother Ennis stated that all except for eight needed a week at the least. Too many problems all at the same time. He looked up to Leron, "Pick twenty of your finest sailors and fighters, leave the rest here to defend the camp and salvage whatever they can from the Kandia: planks, sailcloth, rope."

"What's on your mind, sir?" Leron asked hesitantly.

"Porcuna's not that far away," he grinned.

* * *

William sat on a nearby boulder as Anita rose and sat beside him. "Good evening, love. You're up early," she softly whispered in his ear while carressing his hair and shoulders.

"Breagan informed me earlier that the ship is a loss and he's taking a group of men to Porcuna to steal another one." Steel blue eyes turned to her, "I thought that while they're doing that, we could investigate the mage not far from town, in case our men get into trouble."

She nodded. "Alright. It's been a while since we've had any fun anyway."

He chuckled as he backed. "Really?"

Grinning, she kissed him. "You know I'm playing," she stood as Cesar watched as eight men lifted their caskets onto their shoulders and walked them back to camp to be ready once the new vessel arrived.

"We'll await your return, sire," Cesar began, his dimly glowing eyes picked out eerily in the dark cave. "I would prefer that I be allowed to go with you though."

William stood as he held Anita's hand. "I know, friend. Your services are best rendered keeping everyone left here in line and ready when Breagan returns. He may be chased here by others if things go wrong, so be prepared."

"I eagerly await the chance for another fight, milord."

They watched as the black paladin and the procession disappeared within the treeline below the cave entrance, then morphed into bats and rose into the night sky. Flying over rolling hills picked out in the dim moonlight from both moons, they soon glided towards the area to begin their search. Opening himself to any slight permutations from the presence of magic items or ambient usage recently, his mind piqued as they passed over a small glen. As one mentally, both bats lowered as they circled the area and noticed the presence of ten men and three women within the glen working at building an altar and setting up a ring of candles around it. He quietly led Anita into the woods nearby and morphed back into his human form as they both crouched on a large limb. Focusing his eyes and ears, he realized that they were preparing a ritual of some type and the young girl to the distant left was the object of the excercise.
As he touched her drugged mind, he could sense her apprehension even still. Stepping off the limb, he glided silently to the ground as Anita followed suit and strode towards the girl who by studying her form in the night, picked out in reds of various hues, he could tell that she was in her early twenties.

"Bring the sacrifice," an elderly male voice directed from the clearing. "He won't be kept waiting long, time is drawing nigh."

Two men moved to intercept them to the girl laying on the ground. William and Anita both appeared in front of the shocked servants in red and black robes who stopped, mouths agape. Punching them in the same instant, both flew backwards into the grass and knocked over three of the tall, thickly made candles now lit by another robed female.

"Grab her," William stated as he stepped up to the treeline as Anita turned and headed quickly to the tied woman. "I'll take care of these."

The priest of Sater stepped up, ornate golden dagger now in hand. "What's the meaning of this? You dare strike his children."

"I know what you're up to and I can't allow you to kill her for nothing," William said as he noticed four other men charge him, swords in hand as their black robes waved in the humid breeze. He concentrated on the first one and mentally fired a blast that suddenly enveloped the attacker in bluish lightning and dropped him. Counter-charging, William moved to the rightmost assailant and punched him, stopping the man cold as he doubled over with a sickening crunch of bone and cartilege. Anita killed the second two with equal brutality as they then attacked the priest and remaining servants as they called for divine assistance from the Dark One.
William stood over the priest, mouth bloodied and right arm broken who glared back at the vampire.

"You spit in the face of the one that gave you life and protects you from the others who train their blind slaves to hunt and kill us. He will avenge this night, mark me."

"I've seen the extent of his compassion and you're the one who's blind." A final blow to the nose finished the evil cleric. A strong hand then dropped the corpse on the ground as he turned to Anita. "Is she alright?"

"She will be," the raven haired beauty nodded. "What did you want to do with her?"

"Take her with us for now until she's well enough to move on her own. This island is too dangerous for her now, I seriously doubt that this group was only the ones here."

Walking to the sleeping victim who lay in a white dress, they both picked her up, concentrated on the campsite and teleported back to their awaiting crew. Within the candlelight, he noticed the attractive brunette that they had just rescued.

"She's beautiful," Anita commented as she sat beside the cot and carefully moved a long strand of hair from the girls face.

"Much too beautiful for Him." William agreed, then looked up to see Brother Ennis approach.

"What have we here?"

"She was going to be the subject of the Malung festival. We saved her from that end." Anita rose as she realized who she was talking to as the priest's eyes went wide.

"How could you do this? You have no idea..."

"Watch your tone," William warned. "I'll not have you speak to my wife that way, understood?"

Ennis bowed, "My lord, no one, especially your kind, would ever think about depriving our great Father of his daughters. She's been carefully chosen for this honor, His wrath will be more violent than offending Archantael."

"Let me worry about that," William moved around the head of the cot and faced the evil cleric directly. "How are my men doing?"

Ennis backed away. "They're recovering well, sire. A few more days of rest should be enough."

"Then see to them and let us take care of her."

He bowed, hands nervously coupled at his abdomen, then turned and headed back to his patients.

"Ship ahoy," one of the crewmen yelled which prompted everyone to turn to the sea and notice the dimly lit sails that slowly approached the cove.

"Cesar," William called as they moved to the foot of the cot that sat alongside the line of remaining wounded.

"My lord," the undead paladin turned and approached.

"See to this girl until we return. We'll meet you on the vessel once any other ships chasing them are sinking."

A raspy, deep sigh seeped from the grey skinned knight. "As you wish, sire."

Again the bats rose into the air and soon noticed the trailing vessel that tacked to catch the escaping ship, now under a new captain and crew. Dipping their wings, they sped downward towards the deck and attacked the crews of the heavy arbilest on the forecastle. Morphing into their human form, the vampires made quick work of the men who screamed which sent a shockwave throughout the morale onboard. Leaping over the wooden merlons, they dropped onto the deck and faced those who didn't jump overboard and attacked. In a whirlwind of action, they soon cleared the deck as William moved to one of the two lamps hanging on the supporting beam of the sterncastle and threw it onto the deck. The explosion of burning oil coupled with the other lanterns and soon naptha quickly consumed the drifting vessel as the bats flew away from the scene of the crime.

Within a few hours, the newly acquired ship was ready for departure as William and Anita joined Breagan on the deck.

"Great job, captain," he greeted the bowing veteran.

"Thank you, milord. That was fun actually, it's been some time since my pirating days."

"Do you miss it?" Anita asked.

"No, milady. A candle that burns twice as brightly burns half as long. I learned that at a young age." His brown eyes gazed towards the sterncastle. "I don't doubt your wisdom but, is it wise to bring a stranger aboard?"

William grinned. "I understand your hesitation but, I don't think that she will be a threat. Once she's revived, we'll ask her where she wishes to go and take her there. Once we arrive, she won't remember a thing."

"Of course."

As they headed down into the cargo area, they noticed a muffled scream from beyond the doorway. Hurrying, they noticed Cesar removing his blade from Ennis who was kneeling over the girl, dagger in his hand.

"What happened," William asked as they both moved around their dark guardian to see the cleric drop to the floor as the dagger clanged onto the planks from his hand.

"He tried to finish the ceremony," Cesar informed. "I was told to protect her until your return and did so." Without thought, the black paladin reached down, grabbed his victim by the back of his robes and dragged him back up to the deck to dispose of the body.

"What an idiot," Anita said as she knelt beside the still sleeping girl and scanned her body for wounds to find none.