22nd of Ymiden, 702
Planning was not her domain. It was her mothers, her sisters, her brothers. But her and her father? They went with wherever the waves designed to take them, be it to a rocky shore or a smooth sandy one. To Korva it was all the same, each beat of world turning and she rolled with it much like how when her father told her to steer while he ran after the mast as the rain beat down on them with the impeding storm.
In the distance the waters and shores were illuminated in stark, shattering, shuddering bursts of light. The waves hit with the force of punches, as if U’frek himself were beating on the little ship, determined to tear it to pieces with the force of his blows. Korva fancied he was fighting or throwing a temper tantrum. Who he was fighting she wasn’t sure but he was likely doing better than her father who struggled with the sails, trying to pull them down before the storm winds wretched them away from his wriggling fingers forever.
“Go U’frek! Get ‘em!”
“What in the seven are ya screamin’ ‘bout?!”
“He’s gonna win, da!”
“How do ya know the sails a boy, girl?” Her da called back over the roar, indulging her as the she struggle with the wheel. Her whole shoulder was wedged into it now. Using all the strength her small body possessed to keep the ship as steady as possible. She was sure she could see a glow of pride as he watched, finally beginning to wrap tie the sails down. It make her laugh with delight, choking off when salt caught in her throat and the wheel slipped a little farther down her back.
“Ain’t the sails da! U’frek! ‘Es punching ‘em real good! Even hit us by accident!”
“Accident huh? Stranger things I’m supposin’ now hold it tight so I can get it.”
“Wacha think I’m doing? Singing?”
“If ya can talk ya can hold it longer.” The threat was empty because they both knew the minute the steering was taken hold by the seas they’d have have a hell of time getting it back.
“Ain’t gonna let it go, da! Imma even hold it longer than ya did!”
“Little liar!”
“Nu-uh, already been holding it all day!”
“Ya have not!”
“Have too!”
The bickering was a welcome distraction from the way the wheel wedged Korva down enough to veer sharply away from the land they’d been fleeing too when they first spotted the storm. A bright halo around the sun showing them just how wet the air was getting, the birds Korva spotted fleeing had been the final indicator. Her da told her not to forget those signs, and to check before sailing next time or ma would fillet them both. They’d be lucky if she didn’t anyway.
And it seemed even the ship wanted a piece of them, the boom swinging as her father struggled to check the knots, catching him as it swung. It wouldn't be the first time nor the last it caught him, it'd managed to catch Korva on several occasions and she still had a knot from the last encounter she'd had with it. Didn't stop her from giggling at it happening to someone else as the whole ship went to and fro it until it sent young Biqaj face first into the deck.
“Fek!”
“Watch yer mouth!”
“Fek ya, da!” She shrieked back as the wheel nearly clocked her in the head when she scrambled out from under. Her da was struggling to his knees, crawling under the still free swinging boom towards her.
“Girl, yer gonna get yer ass tossed overboard!”
“Ha! U’freks gonna beat ya to it!” But there was an undercurrent of fear to her voice, her eyes bright beacons of silver in the darkening sky as he made his way to her. Blooming, bruises already forming on his face and chest that would likely match the one on her back where the wheel had dug in strong enough to feel like it’d fused to her spine. But even if it was painful she pressed into her da’s comforting hand running soothing circles on her back. Holding her tight to him like she was still knee high as the slipped around deck on their knees. The wood bit in with ferocity that she cried out with in return, small pinpricks of pink staining the slippery deck as her da hauled her to her feet. It was only her arms wrapped around his waist and his hand gripping the sides that kept them from tumbling over.
“Got too choices, girl, we jump an’ swim or ya help with the wheel. Which ya wanna do?”
“I dunno! Can was carry me—ow, fek!—shore?”
“Yer swimming on yer own, girl!”
“Then wheel!” Korva yelled back as her chest smashed painfully into the side, nearly knocking the air out of her lungs when her da released her to wretch the wheel in the proper direction. When she could just catch her breath again she threw herself against the wheel, wedging her shoulder under to help hold as the waves fought to steer them in hapless circles. It was all happening to quickly to process, repetition an the trust in her captain was what kept Korva from fumbling too much, but she wasn't afraid either. That was not in the young Biqajs nature, but she was tired and sore, ready to pass out from the exhaustion of what was meant to be a simple sailing lesson, as these thoughts world she slipped down slightly, the bite of the wheel growing sharper.
“Hold it!”
“‘Course I am! Holding it better than ya, da!”
It was almost silent as the few seconds in between until she could finally see the shoreline looming towards them as the lightening struck. The closer the got the less the pain in her shoulder mattered and the more the lack of docks and approaching shores mattered.
“Da! That ain’t a dock!”
“We’re gonna run ‘her aground!”
“What?!”
"Do as I said!"
"Oh aye! Nows the best time to be thinking ‘bout murder when U’freks doing a damned good job!”
“Ya listen—“
“I’m listening to ya being crazy!”
“Just do it, Kor!” Her da never used their names, always liking to act like he couldn’t tell kid from kid so it jolted her and told her exactly how serious it was. Trusting that he new what he was doing Korva scaled the main mast in preparation to let loose the sail her da had painstakingly put up as he forced the boom back into place, locking it tight. It still struggled precariously, ready to smack the unsuspecting at a moments notice, just as ornery as the seas were being and twice as dangerous. It was a strange sight to see the ship in such chaotic waters unattended but neither of them maned the wheel. It was not till the minute he finished tying them to the mast that her da stole over to the wheel, his arms bulging, face red, eyes looking ready to pop, Korva was shocked he was able to right the ship, the sails smacking in her face violently as the filled with air to add speed to the churning bumps, “When I tell ya, let it out, ya hear?”
Her hair whipped in her face, blocking more of her view of her da but she nodded not bothering to speak while she tried to spit hair out of her mouth. Her hands were wrapped around the sail rigging, the only thing keep them from billowing out and tearing though they’d probably tear after this anyway, leaving nothing but shreds.
The rocking of the steering, the roiling of the waves, rain now pelting into her face until she almost slid down the mast. Stubbornly she dug her toes in the mast, arms tightening enough to feel nothing of the wood anymore as she cursed so loud it almost drown out the ringing of her da’s voice.Clenched as tightly as she was, it was almost impossible to release at first, but a second shout somehow louder than first gave her the boost she needed. Though if only because of the desperation she heard in it.
“Drop ‘em!”
Both Korva and the sails slide down the mast catching in the wind roughly. The way the ship jolted sent her flying across the deck, her da slamming straight into the wheel but it slowed them, if just barely, trying to push the boat in the wrong direction. Flopping around the deck like a beached fish, Korva didn’t get to see them actually reach shore but as her head cracked into the deck she was sure whatever her da had planned work. Her last thoughts as her vision darkened was she would never use such a stupid docking technique unless she was just as desperate as today.
Planning was not her domain. It was her mothers, her sisters, her brothers. But her and her father? They went with wherever the waves designed to take them, be it to a rocky shore or a smooth sandy one. To Korva it was all the same, each beat of world turning and she rolled with it much like how when her father told her to steer while he ran after the mast as the rain beat down on them with the impeding storm.
In the distance the waters and shores were illuminated in stark, shattering, shuddering bursts of light. The waves hit with the force of punches, as if U’frek himself were beating on the little ship, determined to tear it to pieces with the force of his blows. Korva fancied he was fighting or throwing a temper tantrum. Who he was fighting she wasn’t sure but he was likely doing better than her father who struggled with the sails, trying to pull them down before the storm winds wretched them away from his wriggling fingers forever.
“Go U’frek! Get ‘em!”
“What in the seven are ya screamin’ ‘bout?!”
“He’s gonna win, da!”
“How do ya know the sails a boy, girl?” Her da called back over the roar, indulging her as the she struggle with the wheel. Her whole shoulder was wedged into it now. Using all the strength her small body possessed to keep the ship as steady as possible. She was sure she could see a glow of pride as he watched, finally beginning to wrap tie the sails down. It make her laugh with delight, choking off when salt caught in her throat and the wheel slipped a little farther down her back.
“Ain’t the sails da! U’frek! ‘Es punching ‘em real good! Even hit us by accident!”
“Accident huh? Stranger things I’m supposin’ now hold it tight so I can get it.”
“Wacha think I’m doing? Singing?”
“If ya can talk ya can hold it longer.” The threat was empty because they both knew the minute the steering was taken hold by the seas they’d have have a hell of time getting it back.
“Ain’t gonna let it go, da! Imma even hold it longer than ya did!”
“Little liar!”
“Nu-uh, already been holding it all day!”
“Ya have not!”
“Have too!”
The bickering was a welcome distraction from the way the wheel wedged Korva down enough to veer sharply away from the land they’d been fleeing too when they first spotted the storm. A bright halo around the sun showing them just how wet the air was getting, the birds Korva spotted fleeing had been the final indicator. Her da told her not to forget those signs, and to check before sailing next time or ma would fillet them both. They’d be lucky if she didn’t anyway.
And it seemed even the ship wanted a piece of them, the boom swinging as her father struggled to check the knots, catching him as it swung. It wouldn't be the first time nor the last it caught him, it'd managed to catch Korva on several occasions and she still had a knot from the last encounter she'd had with it. Didn't stop her from giggling at it happening to someone else as the whole ship went to and fro it until it sent young Biqaj face first into the deck.
“Fek!”
“Watch yer mouth!”
“Fek ya, da!” She shrieked back as the wheel nearly clocked her in the head when she scrambled out from under. Her da was struggling to his knees, crawling under the still free swinging boom towards her.
“Girl, yer gonna get yer ass tossed overboard!”
“Ha! U’freks gonna beat ya to it!” But there was an undercurrent of fear to her voice, her eyes bright beacons of silver in the darkening sky as he made his way to her. Blooming, bruises already forming on his face and chest that would likely match the one on her back where the wheel had dug in strong enough to feel like it’d fused to her spine. But even if it was painful she pressed into her da’s comforting hand running soothing circles on her back. Holding her tight to him like she was still knee high as the slipped around deck on their knees. The wood bit in with ferocity that she cried out with in return, small pinpricks of pink staining the slippery deck as her da hauled her to her feet. It was only her arms wrapped around his waist and his hand gripping the sides that kept them from tumbling over.
“Got too choices, girl, we jump an’ swim or ya help with the wheel. Which ya wanna do?”
“I dunno! Can was carry me—ow, fek!—shore?”
“Yer swimming on yer own, girl!”
“Then wheel!” Korva yelled back as her chest smashed painfully into the side, nearly knocking the air out of her lungs when her da released her to wretch the wheel in the proper direction. When she could just catch her breath again she threw herself against the wheel, wedging her shoulder under to help hold as the waves fought to steer them in hapless circles. It was all happening to quickly to process, repetition an the trust in her captain was what kept Korva from fumbling too much, but she wasn't afraid either. That was not in the young Biqajs nature, but she was tired and sore, ready to pass out from the exhaustion of what was meant to be a simple sailing lesson, as these thoughts world she slipped down slightly, the bite of the wheel growing sharper.
“Hold it!”
“‘Course I am! Holding it better than ya, da!”
It was almost silent as the few seconds in between until she could finally see the shoreline looming towards them as the lightening struck. The closer the got the less the pain in her shoulder mattered and the more the lack of docks and approaching shores mattered.
“Da! That ain’t a dock!”
“We’re gonna run ‘her aground!”
“What?!”
"Do as I said!"
"Oh aye! Nows the best time to be thinking ‘bout murder when U’freks doing a damned good job!”
“Ya listen—“
“I’m listening to ya being crazy!”
“Just do it, Kor!” Her da never used their names, always liking to act like he couldn’t tell kid from kid so it jolted her and told her exactly how serious it was. Trusting that he new what he was doing Korva scaled the main mast in preparation to let loose the sail her da had painstakingly put up as he forced the boom back into place, locking it tight. It still struggled precariously, ready to smack the unsuspecting at a moments notice, just as ornery as the seas were being and twice as dangerous. It was a strange sight to see the ship in such chaotic waters unattended but neither of them maned the wheel. It was not till the minute he finished tying them to the mast that her da stole over to the wheel, his arms bulging, face red, eyes looking ready to pop, Korva was shocked he was able to right the ship, the sails smacking in her face violently as the filled with air to add speed to the churning bumps, “When I tell ya, let it out, ya hear?”
Her hair whipped in her face, blocking more of her view of her da but she nodded not bothering to speak while she tried to spit hair out of her mouth. Her hands were wrapped around the sail rigging, the only thing keep them from billowing out and tearing though they’d probably tear after this anyway, leaving nothing but shreds.
The rocking of the steering, the roiling of the waves, rain now pelting into her face until she almost slid down the mast. Stubbornly she dug her toes in the mast, arms tightening enough to feel nothing of the wood anymore as she cursed so loud it almost drown out the ringing of her da’s voice.Clenched as tightly as she was, it was almost impossible to release at first, but a second shout somehow louder than first gave her the boost she needed. Though if only because of the desperation she heard in it.
“Drop ‘em!”
Both Korva and the sails slide down the mast catching in the wind roughly. The way the ship jolted sent her flying across the deck, her da slamming straight into the wheel but it slowed them, if just barely, trying to push the boat in the wrong direction. Flopping around the deck like a beached fish, Korva didn’t get to see them actually reach shore but as her head cracked into the deck she was sure whatever her da had planned work. Her last thoughts as her vision darkened was she would never use such a stupid docking technique unless she was just as desperate as today.
