chapter 106 part 2
"Aye! Prepare for battle!"
"To battle! To battle! To battle!"
The men responded in unison, faithfully carrying out their captain's command.
The wind and waves were still immense; one careless step could send a man overboard. No one attempted to swing across on the ropes. They all waited in silence for the ships to grind together.
*CRUNCH!*
The surging waves intensified the force of the collision. In an instant, people on deck were thrown about, staggering back and forth.
Many were tossed directly into the churning waves, beyond any hope of rescue.
*CRUNCH!*
A moment later, the ship slammed into the other pirate vessel.
Everyone gripped whatever ropes they could find to steady themselves.
Reik roared, "Draw swords!"
Holding a small round shield in one hand and a shortsword in the other, Reik pushed through the crowd to the very front.
The pirates were faring no better. Many were silently cursing their captains, wondering if they had gone mad.
They couldn't understand the fury of a pirate captain being challenged by his "prey."
Glyn, too, was a bit surprised by the pirates' frenzy. For a moment, he thought the ship beneath his feet was about to break apart.
He made a mental note: from now on, maneuvering the ship should be left to the captain.
Today was certainly not suitable weather for a boarding action.
…
The pirates roared, brandishing their weapons as they swarmed aboard from both sides. Both crews immediately descended into a chaotic melee, a storm of flying flesh and steel.
Although the narrow confines of the deck made it difficult to leverage their superior numbers, the pirates' two-pronged attack put Glyn's men at a disadvantage from the start.
Glyn drew his bow, nocked an arrow, and began to lock onto his targets.
*Thwack!*
Every time Glyn loosed an arrow, Marwell Beck, standing beside him, could hear the chilling sound of it tearing through the air.
Whichever pirate was shouting the loudest, that was Glyn's target.
*Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!*
Glyn reaped one life after another. Every arrow he shot precisely claimed a pirate.
His powerful physique allowed him to empty a quiver in a short time.
Glyn held out his hand, and Marwell, who was laden with quivers, immediately handed him a new one.
…
Reik, relying on years of experience at sea, expertly wielded his shortsword on the constantly swaying deck.
He had just cut down his third pirate when he drew the attention of the others, who began to converge on him.
Reik gripped his small shield tightly, thinking, this was a fight that could have been completely avoided.
This was a battle he could not afford to lose, because his lord was on board.
The ferocity of these pirates surpassed Reik's expectations. His greatest regret now was not advising Lord Glyn against this.
He, who was always so steady, didn't know what had come over him today to make him so hot-blooded.
Now… regret was useless.
It had come to this. There was only the fight. For honor, he would never lose.
Reik's fighting spirit soared. He was about to charge forward when he suddenly froze.
*Thud! Thud! Thud!*
Before the pirates could get close to him, they collapsed one by one onto the deck. Some were even nailed to the ship's mast by arrows.
Reik's pupils contracted. He glanced back in disbelief in the direction the arrows had come from.
Just then, Glyn took another quiver from Marwell.
He drew his bow, nocked an arrow, and with a *thwack*, the sound of splitting air rang out once more as Glyn's reaping began anew.
Reik couldn't help but roar, "Long live my lord!"
"Long live the Mermaid!"
"For Clegane!"
"Long live the Whispering Castle!"
Under Glyn's "covering fire," the sailors' morale soared.
…
…
Pentos, in the manse of Illyrio Mopatis.
Though Illyrio Mopatis was corpulent, his steps were surprisingly light and graceful.
With each step, his fat jiggled beneath his loose, flame-colored silk robes.
Viserys Targaryen, lounging on a long couch, glanced at Illyrio. "My future Master of Coin, Illyrio Mopatis. Do you have good news for me?"
Viserys already knew that Illyrio was in contact with the Dothraki khalasars.
But the slow pace of progress left him deeply dissatisfied. Viserys wished he could lead an army to Westeros tomorrow and reclaim his Iron Throne.
Illyrio seemed not to notice the displeasure on Viserys's face. He spoke respectfully, "Your Grace, may you receive the blessings of the Lord of Light."
Viserys sneered. "Illyrio, I don't need blessings. I need an army large enough to take back the Iron Throne."
"My prince, you will receive good news soon. The wedding gift will be ten thousand mounted warriors."
"Oh?" Viserys sat up straight, asking eagerly, "How much longer?"
Illyrio said respectfully, "Your Grace, the Dothraki have their own customs. You must have a little patience. For the Iron Throne, it is worth it."
A broad smile spread across Viserys's face. "Of course. Naturally, I will be patient."
Illyrio bowed his head in praise. "You are a born king."
Viserys's excitement was short-lived. He admonished, "Illyrio, don't make me wait too long!"
The smile on Illyrio's face stiffened for a fraction of a second, which the arrogant Viserys, of course, did not notice.
"Your Grace, please believe in my loyalty. I am also in a great hurry. You have only one princess, and I must negotiate well with the Dothraki before I can rest easy."
Viserys suddenly spoke. "Daenerys is far too skinny. Are you sure they like such small women?"
"Princess Daenerys possesses the ancient blood of Old Valyria, and her lineage is noble. She is the daughter of the old king and the sister of the new king. Now, under your careful grooming, she carries herself with considerable royal dignity."
Illyrio bared a mouthful of yellow teeth and continued, "You will surely be able to trade her for ten thousand Dothraki screamers."
Illyrio's words temporarily assuaged Viserys's deep-seated suspicions.
Viserys then said, "Then why have you sought me out? My armies are my only concern now."
"I have just received intelligence from King's Landing. The Usurper Robert has once again assigned someone to hunt for Targaryens."
Viserys shot to his feet, panic in his eyes, his voice trembling slightly. "Those dogs! I will personally execute them myself one day!"
Illyrio bowed his head slightly. "Your Grace, you are perfectly safe here. They are merely delusional."
Viserys seemed to sense his own loss of composure. He smoothed his hair and said grimly, "Illyrio, I trust you. I do not want to see any assassins. I want you to throw them all into the sea."
Illyrio maintained his faint smile. "My prince, if you knew who was in charge of this task, perhaps the usurper's foolishness would brighten your mood."
(end of chapter)