OUTLANDER

                                                      Chapter 26

                                            Homecoming

After the port of Delahl had disappeared from the horizon behind them, Captain Gaben Slogin called for all the passengers to come up on the upper deck. When they were all there, he told them all where they were bound and why it was always kept a secret until the ship was well on her way. He also told them that the voyage would take between two and three moons, depending on the winds, calms and storms they encountered. But he said not to despair as he and his crew had made this voyage several times. After a flurry of questions, all returned to the voyage routine.

During the following two and a half-moons, they had been unusually blessed with fair winds and only one short becalming, during which every man on board took their turns at the oars. They had rejoiced at the few short and cooling rains that came and went without serious incidents.

Yesterday morning shore birds had been seen flying around the Phoenix, and the crew had told the passengers of their significance. At mid-day the crow’s nest watch had shouted down the much anticipated call of land and just before the dusk it could be seen by everyone standing along the rails of the upper deck. Husbands and wives hugged one another, men jostled to slap their fellow passengers on their backs and children started asking when they would get there quite regularly. There was little restful sleep that evening due to the building expectations.

At just after dawn the Phoenix had rounded the reef and had slowed to the creeping pace as she floated to her berth at the docks and was tied to the pier. The docks were full of the Sovladen citizens waving welcome to the ship and her passengers. Finally the gang plank was lowered and tied down securely.

Captain Slogin was the first one to walk down the plank and shake hands with Commodore Cavidar and Commander Dax.

“Your ship looks as if you were more successful than we anticipated, Captain?”

“Yes, Commodore, we did quite well. We bring seventy-eight new immigrants seeking to join us on Borland. There are twenty-four families, nine single men and three single women. Thirty-two horses, seven head of cattle, thirty-one sheep, twenty-three goats, fifteen crates of chickens, three crates of ducks, one crate of rabbits, five dogs and four cats. They have also brought several wagons and carts, plus much personal property and tools. There is still some of our stores remaining on board, and we did acquire some material for the town and people.”

“That is excellent, Captain. Let’s stroll up the docks and allow everyone to disembark from the ship. Commander Dax can speak to them all once they are off the docks.”

The three men and some of the citizens started to walk that way, even though they were still trying to shake hands and give welcomes to the new comers. Finally the now burgeoning crowd gathered in the towns square and Dax made a formal welcome to all the passengers. Then he told them that several of the citizens would help them find their new lodgings as soon as they were checked in at the Government House by Melody and Gayla, so they could each be taken to the best houses for each family based on the number in each one. The same would occur for the single men and women. He also let them know that they would have plenty of help in getting their possessions, wagons, livestock to their new homes, but that might take a couple of days and not to worry. He also said that there was a feast being prepared for that evening as a real welcoming of them to Sovladen.

Now the crowd started to make its way to Government House, where the check-in began. It was late afternoon by the time everyone had been registered and found their new homes. The first treks to the ship with unloading of possessions and treks back to the homes stretched to just before dusk. Then everyone took a few moments to refresh themselves before the feast in the Town Hall. Food and refreshments were plentiful and the mood was jubilant and lasted well into the evening.

Over the next two days the people of Sovladen helped their new neighbors move belongings, helped unpack them with helping hands and happy chatter, herd animals to fenced yards, pastures or where ever was the most convenient for now. The three new farmers, one new dairyman and the new sheep herder would be living in houses in town for now as their new homes and bairns would get priority in new construction by the masons, quarrymen and carpenters. For now their cattle, sheep and other livestock were sharing pastures with; Ofid, Djan, Zahal, Mayl and Rawl.

Ruthor had heard one newcomer named Milam Hersh, who was a finish carpenter, comment that the house he was moving into was far better than the one he and left behind; just before his wife Dena hugged him quickly and answered him saying this was the best choice they had ever made. Hersh wondered how long he would have to work before such a house was paid for. Ruthor excused himself for overhearing the conversation, but interjected that there was no repayment required here on Borland. This house was already registered in their name as they were registered on the day they arrived. Hersh and his wife were dumb founded and had a hard time expressing their gratitude. Ruthor later told Dax what he had heard.

“That is the best thing we could hear, my friend. Be sure that some of the others hear this; such things will make everyone here feel pride in what they are doing.” Dax said this with a warm smile to his longtime friend and second under his command.

Later that day Dax, Ruthor, Cran, Ofid and their families were having their evening meal with Eron, Commodore Cavidar and his Captains, Delpha and Mesan, and Mage Wiles. They were all in the Town Hall sitting at tables close to the fireplace. A few other families and most of the new arrivals were sitting at other tables having their meals as well. Melody looked around and noticed that many of the citizens asked to join sitting with the newer families and make pleasant conversation. After children finished eating and got permission from their parents, children did what children do, they all played together as if they had known each other for a long time.

“There is the proof that what we are doing will work.” As she said this she gestured towards some of them playing together.

Dax noticed that Ginger and Iben Dom were among one of those groups. Ginger was all smiles and laughter. Her father then answered his wife, whom he loved beyond all things. “Yes, my love, there is the proof.”

It was Cavidar who spoke next, but in a slightly more hushed tone as only for these few seated together. “It may be that I should not say what I found myself thinking about of late.”

“We are all the closest of friends here, Ernst. You may say anything that is on your mind and none of us will give it anything but the highest consideration and regard.” Dax replied before he could continue.

“Thank you, I feel the same for all of you as well. I will start by saying that all of you already know that I went to sea at a young age in the Marden Navy. After many winters I had finally risen to the rank of Captain. My first loyalty is and has always been to our realm and Thane. But of late new things have been building inside me. I have begun to wonder what I would do if there was a conflict between my increasing loyalty to Borland and my loyalty to Marden itself.”

“I, for one, am glad you have said this, Commodore. Gaben and I had a similar talk when he returned from his last voyage.” Bien Pendil interjected this in a tone of relief and yet trepidation.

“It sounds to me as if this thought has been creeping into many, if not all of us seated here tonight. Melody and I have recently wondered how long the council in Marden will be as lenient in their not interfering in how we establish our new home here. As yet they do not fully know of how large our island truly is, or how many resources we are blessed with. Except for new people to move here, we have a new, almost idyllic existence possible. With the great distance and hazard to anyone attempting to come here and interfere, we do have some natural barriers they would have to overcome. But if they did think they had such a reason, how would we all decide to react?”

Almost every head nodded in agreement without hesitation. Only Cavidar, hesitated for just a fraction of a moment before speaking again. “Then I am glad I said what has been on my mind. We are still loyal to Thane Erik and Marden. But if he becomes swayed by others, it sounds as if we all agree that we have another more fervent loyalty to this land and life we are building here. One of our own making and making in close consort with how we truly want life to be.”

Dax looked around the table to all of his close friends and comrades before speaking. “Then as we build this new life, we should start planning for such a possibility. We need not act until and unless provoked into such action. We will continue to give Marden all that it deserves, without her we would not have been able to come, find, conquer and continue building this better world of our own making.”

To this everyone agreed instantly and with heartfelt sincerity. Dax knew in his heart of hearts that this had been an unexpected but important turning point in everything they would do from now on. As he thought this briefly, Melody placed a gentle hand on his leg closest to her and gave a slight and yet firm squeeze to his thigh. Dax smiled at the gesture.

It was young Wiles who spoke next. “Commander, could you and the Commodore meet with me tomorrow morning? There is something that Mesan has been helping me experiment with that I think might be of import here if we can get it to work as I think it could.”

Mesan leaned forward and spoke before either man could answer. “Dax, I think he is right. I have no idea just how he started on this experiment, as he calls it. But if we can get any input from either of you or your top men here, and it proves out, this could be decisive in many ways for us all.”

Dax looked at Cavidar first then turned to Ruthor and the others before answering. “Yes, we can all meet you, Syngyn. I think you have piqued all our interest. Tomorrow morning it is.”

With this everyone started to stand, stretch and talk about heading to their homes. But first they would meander around the Hall and chat with some of the other in the Hall. Dax and Melody stopped by the table where Teman Dessa and his family had been eating. Seated beside Dessa was Rowena Tuvea and across from them were Arell, Thom and Shemaise Danin.

“Hello, everyone are you enjoying evening?”

“Good evening to you, Commander and you, Melody. I would like to thank you Lady Melody for all your help with my eldest. I think he is on his way and I am very proud of him.”

“Father. Commander, I would like to ask you a question, if I may?”

“Of course you can, Dessa. What is it?”

“Rowena and I have talked to my parents and they have given their approval, and Rowen has talked to Lady Delpha and she has also agreed, but we would like your approval for Rowena and me to become man and wife?”

“That’s great news, Dessa, I had no idea. Of course I approve whole heartedly.” Dax turned to Melody. “Isn’t this great news, My Love?”

“Yes it is, Dax. I’m just glad he put his priorities in order. Congratulations you two.”

Dax looked at Melody with a quizzical look and then she continued. “I thought he might be too concerned with getting his own skiff to ask Rowena before he had the boat to support them.”

“We did have that very conversation, Lady Melody. Just as soon as he told me he had talked to you about the skiff. I told him I was glad he had enough to get one, but that in no way meant we should wait to get married.”

Teman and Naoma both started laughing as Teman said. “He has chosen well, don’t you think, Dax?” and then he and his wife laughed some more which made everyone join them.

As Dax could start to cease in his own laughter he answered. ”Yes. Teman, I would think so.” Dessa could only put his arms around Rowena and kiss her forehead as his smile widened.

Dax turned to Arell and asked. “How are the stables, my friend?”

“They could not be better, Dax. Especially since Gaben found me a partner anyone would feel thankful of.”

“The thanks are mine, Commander Dax. Shemaise and I dreamed of something like this for so long, we thought it would never be possible. If it weren’t for Captain Slogin coming to our village and us meeting him, it probably wouldn’t. We already love it here. Please accept our profound thanks.”

“No thanks are necessary, Thom, but I accept them as you wish. All of us here came from somewhere else and we all welcome you and Shemaise into our family with gleeful hearts.” Dax’s tone was one bordering almost on reverence. “Now I am afraid Melody and I must go, I think Ginger is almost ready to fall asleep holding on to my leg. We will see you again soon.”

Dax, now carrying Ginger in his arms and holding Melody’s hand, walked out of the hall and towards their home.

The next morning, after everyone had eaten their morning meal, all of them who had been seated with Dax and his family that night were standing around the blacksmith shop as Syngyn Wiles and Mesan started to show them Syngyn’s experiment and explain what they wanted everyone to see.

“Commander, did you ever see an old story teller when you were young?”

“Yes, I suppose we all have. There not many of them around anymore.”

“At some point in his story telling, that point when he got to a scary or high suspense point did he make the fire blow up a quick plume of smoke that scared all the children?”

“Yes, I have seen that done, why?”

At that very moment Syngyn did exactly that. After some of them calmed down, a few uttering a humorous sigh. “Like this one I suppose?”

“Yes, what is it you want to show us, Syngyn. I hope it was not these story teller’s tricks?”

“It was not, I promise you. But it was this trick I remembered as a child that made me think. Not lately, but while I was learning from Neven Salas, so I asked him how it was done. He explained it to me and then showed me how they made it happen. After I was here on Borland a while, I started experimenting with the powder they used. It’s really quite common, you can find it around any farm or where cows, horses or especially chickens and ducks are raised. You just have to scrape it off their old dried feces or where they urinate a lot, once it dries. The powder from old urination is best for some reason. That powder causes the flames to make the plume of smoke. I thought that if it could do that, then maybe it could do something more useful.”

“Useful in what way?”

“In one way, like how we use Dragon’s Breath for weapons. I finally found that if I mixed the white residue with Sulfur and Charcoal, rather than a plume of smoke I could get a little explosion. I will show you in this pot that Mesan made for me.”

Syngyn kneeled down, took a firebrand from the coals Mesan had going in his brazier and then touched it to the inside of the pot. As soon as sparks were close enough there was a loud pop and smoke from the pot which startled everyone except Syngyn and Mesan, who were expecting the noise.

“That was a small one.”

“That is rather amazing, how does it do that?”

‘It seems that the white powder is an igniter if you can find the right fuel. Sulfur and Charcoal, I have found to be a compatible fuel. But I have found that the more urine powder I use in the mixture the more volatile the explosion. If you all will follow us out behind the blacksmith shop we will show you.”

Everyone followed the two men out the back of the shop and to a small clearing. There was a larger iron pot this time in the clearing’s center. It was larger at the base and narrowed to its short top and it had a small hole close to its base with what looked like a lantern wick protruding out of the hole.

“Please stand back close to the edge of the clearing.” When they all backed up a pace or two Syngyn put the same firebrand to the wick, which started spewing sparks until the sparks disappeared into the hole. Almost immediately there was a louder explosion and a small boulder was propelled from the open top of the pot. It shot up in the air about the height of two men and then fell to the ground a few feet away from the pot. Everyone except Syngyn and Mesan stood in awe for several moments.

“Gads Bones, Syngyn, what did we just see?” Ruthor was the first to speak.

“Syngyn, you just shot a rock out of the top of that iron pot.” Dax said loudly with excitement. “How did you do that?”

“That is what we wanted you all to see, Commander. I haven’t got it perfected yet, but I think we can use this to our advantage in many ways. What do you all think?”

“What do you mean, not perfected?”

“I think, we can get the mixture of the powders to be more stable and achieve better results. And Mesan thinks he can build a better type of container, one where we can get better control of where a projectile goes.”

“Do you two have any idea, how important a discovery like this could actually be?”

“I think we have an idea, Commander Dax. That is why we wanted to show you all what we have found out so far. Without Mesan I would not have gotten this far. If we could have more men with special knowledge that neither of us have, we think we could progress faster. Also, I am almost out of the urine powder and unfortunately it makes up the most of the mixture so far seems to work the best.”

“Commodore, maybe your best armorers could help with ideas about the configuration of the container and how to use it? Ruthor, what do you think about having men start to gather this white urine powder, have them come and get their instructions from Syngyn. Can you think of anything else that we can help with?”

“Not for now, Commander, I am just glad you all can see in this what we hoped you would.”

“Syngyn, you and Mesan have made the most important discovery I have ever heard of. Only fools could not be indebted to both of you.”

“Thank you, Dax” was all Mesan could think of to say in gratitude.

                                                             *****

Lord Daka had tried to talk Captain Moule from retiring, but being unable to do that he graciously acquiesced. He had also agreed that Moule’s First Mate would be promoted to Captain, especially since he was already well acquainted with the ship’s most recent primary function in traveling the course to Borland and back. He was also aware of the need for secrecy in all that entailed.

Captain Moule very quietly retired to Skalm. Half a moon later Braden Moule had struck a deal with a merchant Captain of his acquaintance in Skalm. He had heard that the merchant seaman was ready to retire himself and was seeking a home in Skalm. After a few meetings and some negotiation Moule was the new owner of a merchant Cog which he now gladly lived on. Some of Moule’s old seadog friends had even signed on as his crew. Like him they were all either single or widowed and all had at some point retired and found life on land not what they were actually suited to.

They and Moule were in the process of refurbishing the ship to Moule’s design. Moule had talked with each man and told them of his plans for the eventual voyage he wished to make, although not telling any of them exactly where it was he planned on sailing to. In the end it had not much mattered to any of them, as long as they would be leaving port and sailing somewhere.

Moule’s changes to the Cog had a few to ask him questions though about why some of the changes were necessary. The quarters for him and the other officers were slight, but showed an attempt at the permanency of men living on the ship. Even the general crew’s quarters were slightly enhanced to be somewhat less cramped than was normal.

Every piece of wood that made up the ship’s construction was inspected, any piece not appearing to be in near perfect condition was replaced. The same was true of every metal component, rope, sail, and piece of chain, absolutely nothing was left unchecked.  The galley was cleaned to almost new condition, the forge on the half deck was completely rebuilt and all new barrels were purchased. They totally reconfigured the entire main, mid and orlop decks and how supplies and stores would be made ready for the voyage. The upper decks were given this same preparations, all were sanded and refinished. Life boats were refurbished, even the storage pens for livestock were rebuilt.

It took a full moon before Moule was satisfied that this now new ship was ready. Then and only then did he start to purchase new equipment, and stores of non-perishable items, and see to their proper installation and or storage on board. He and all of the crew were by now living on board the ship completely. They christened the Cog the Sea Dog since they all felt the name befitted them all.

Moule’s First Mate asked him where they would sail to first. Moule’s answer had been that first they would make a shake-down cruise to Ard and then Hapwell on the northeast point of Vlandess. He said to tell the rest of the crew that they would set sail in two days. Tomorrow they would bring fresh water, mead, ale and proper food supplies on board for that voyage. His First Mate complied eagerly.

The second dawn later the Sea Dog left the port of Skalm with the coming of dawn. No man on board left any belonging, accounts or wives and children behind. They had no intention of ever returning to that port.

During the three days sail to Ard the Sea Dog preformed even better than Moule and his crew had expected. This part of the Sea of Storms was almost never calm and this trip was no different. But every blow and white cap onslaught was endured and repelled by the hull and sails without incidence. Once they were tied to the docks in Ard, all but the watch gathered in the Wench and Shark ale house for celebration. Mister Divens, the First Mate, disappeared with a woman upstairs before mid-evening and was not seen until the next morning. Boatswain Garl Diggs was not seen by midnight. Moule himself was back on board shortly thereafter.

The next day Moule and Divens spent buying jerked meat, dried spices and salted fish. Walder Kisch, the cook brought large qualities of salt, flour, tea and sugar which were stored in the new barrels, wrapped in soft canvas that lined the barrels. Other members of the crew found and purchased other stores as they had been assigned to find.

The following dawn found the Sea Dog out of port and making its way north, up the Vlandess eastern coast, bound for Hapwell. It would take four days to reach its port.

After the Sea Dog was tied to the docks in Hapwell, Moule gave each man his orders on what he wanted procured in the port and loaded on the mid and orlop decks. When all this was accomplished the entire crew would have another shore leave day in the port.

Mister Divens was slightly confused and waited to talk to Captain Moule in private.

“What can I help you with, Mister Divens?”

“Captain, I think I know the reason, but may I ask why you told Kisch to be sure and purchase unripe fruits and find vegetables from the farmers themselves. So they could harvest ones a day or so early?”

“Of Course, I know it sounds somewhat odd. The voyage we are embarking on will be long and arduous to say the very least. We will have ripe stores for the early part, but I want ones also that will ripen as we go, that way we will have ripe supplies of fruit and vegetables longer. Once they are gone, we will be on other fare to balance what we will be eating.”

“That is what I thought, but I wanted to make sure. I also suppose we will know our final destination, just before we shove off?”

“That also is true . We will leave port right after I have informed everyone of that destination. That way if any man does not wish to accompany us, he may disembark right then, but we will be on our way right after that regardless. Do you think you will be changing your mind, Mister Divens?”

“Not I Captain, I don’t care where we are bound. I wish to be at sea even if it is to become my final voyage. I know you Braden, if you please and I trust you. Where ever it is you are going I will be standing there as your second, even if we are headed to face our Maker eye to eye.”

“I doubt that we will facing our Maker, but we both know that one can never promise that when you are headed out to that fickle mistress we both love so dearly.”

“Aye to that Captain, a right charmer she has always been, but how we love her so.”

“That be so, and we always will. Let’s get our day’s tasks done and I’ll see you back here this afternoon.”

“Aye, Captain.”

The following dawn, just before full light broke over the eastern horizon, Moule and his crew were assembled on the main upper deck.

“Men, we are ready to shove off from this our last port for quite some time. We have made the Sea Dog a fine vessel and you are a fine crew. Now I am going to tell you our destination, it is east to the horizon and continues to the east as far as east goes.” Moule waited a few moments for that to fully sink in, then continued. “We all know the histories and tales of those who have tried this before us. Many have heard the repeated tales of ones who barely made it back. We all know that for every crew that barely made it back there have been just as many, maybe even more, who were never heard from again. Not even flotsam from them was ever found. So I understand if there are those here who do not wish to go on such a voyage. You will be thought none the less of for it. You can get your belongings and disembark with our thanks for being with us this far. Those who stay know this, I shall not stop or change course until I set my feet on solid ground somewhere east of here, or lie at the depths of our mistress the sea as far to the east as I make the Sea Dog go.”

There was no sound from any man there; no cheers, no questions, no insinuations, not one man even moved. Finally it was Mister Divens who spoke.

“Alright you heard the Captain, let’s get moving. Cast off all lines, helmsman make ready for a heading of due east. We won’t get there standing around on this deck like a group of sea gulls waiting to beg a morsel of grub.”

Now every man turned to his duties. Sails were made ready, the ship was pushed off from the pier and sails started to catch the breeze as they were unfurled and lashed into place. Captain Moule strode up the upper aft deck above his cabin and watched as they pulled out onto the open sea, he turned around only once to see the port of Hapwell disappearing behind them.

Now he started to hear men singing an old sea dog’s dirge that every one of them had sang for more winters than they wished to count.

For half a moon they sailed toward the morning sun before the first real squall showed its ugly features crawling over the waves and headed straight for the Sea Dog in an angry black mood. As she approached men set about battening down every hatch, tying down every canvas cover and laying out the guide lines that were necessary for men to use as they went about what ever task occurred during such storms at sea.

Captain Moule had all sails brought down and tied in place prior to the harrowing winds catching them and ripping them to shreds or worse, using them as leverage in breaking a mast or spar beyond repair. He, Divens and the Second Mate kept watch and gave directions to the helmsman and those of the crew on deck to arrest any damage hopefully before it could become dire.

Within moments men were soaked, oil skinned cloaks could only keep such a torrent at bay for only so long. Eventually you had to merely ignore the wet and cold, you could only focus on what was there in front of you to preform and survive.

The Sea Dog rode up waves taller than her full height and then crashed down like a fat man doing a belly flop in the pool at the bottom of a waterfall. She tossed from starboard to port side like the wagging of a happy dog’s tail during a romp with a small lad in a field. Everything creaked and screamed, but almost could not be heard above the screams of the winds and howling of the angry sheets of rain pelting everything in its path.

It took sheer fortitude for men to cling along the guide ropes trying to hurry from one small catastrophe to the next before they could become cataclysmic. Not one man slept for a day and a half, then finally the storm shifted and ever so slowly started to slightly abate. It was two more days before the Sea Dog emerged from the dark and the storm left them behind, in search for easier prey.

As the sea stared to eventually calm, men started cheering and dancing around the deck. When their reverie was over, they turned to cleaning up small debris, and checking for any damage to be repaired. You could not wait at sea, repair it now and quickly, there was no telling when the next obstacle would arise and make you wish you were again in the last one, as it was calmer.

By the time the moon had completed a full cycle since they had left Hapwell, they had bested another squall and a mere rainstorm after that. The freshest of the fruits and vegetables were gone, but those they had acquired not ripe at the time would soon be gone as well, luckily none had gone to spoil and waste as yet. The rains had replenished fresh water stores, so as yet that was not a problem.

Moule was standing on the forecastle upper deck looking to the east and wondering just when he would have to use the one thing he had not told his crew yet. He was still saving that one bit of information until it would be needed, before a breaking point in morale. The view to the east was still unchanged with the endless line of sea almost disappearing along the far horizon where it merged with the sky.

This angry sea was never truly calm. Waves were always slapping at the sides of the ship and the winds shifted from one direction to another causing men to alter the sails for the best filling of sails. It was several days later when the crow’s nest watch called down with the hail of another storm approaching on the horizon. By the middle of the night all semblance of normalcy had vanished into a torrent of sideways pelting rain. The crew had finished battening down everything on the ship in preparation for the oncoming storm. But they had never experienced one of this magnitude.

Swells were so tall that if the Sea Dog was caught in the cavernous space between two swells at the wrong angle, she would be devoured in the next swell. Moule had to stand right at the side of the helmsman to issue orders of direction changes at any given moment, attempting to ride out these fast changing swells. Men were constantly pulling themselves along guide lines to make adjustments at constantly changing points about the ship before some spar, mast or other piece of her broke and caused even more devastation. It was at one of these moments when Moule heard the anguished cry of “Man overboard”, he had no time to even attempt to adjust his course or slow the ships speed to help the unfortunate soul. He had barely heard the cry itself above the roar of the sheets of hard driven rain assaulting the Sea Dog, over the din of the winds propelling the ship in an ever vacillating slaps from port to starboard like a man’s face being punched with alternating right crosses and left jabs during an Ale House brawl.

Moule and the Helmsman did not leave their positions for hours and no man of the crew could slow down his attention to the constantly changing volatile movements from side to side while the deck pitched and rolled aft to starboard; as they attempted to constantly repair any crack found from the creaking that was constantly being hard to ascertain under the howling and din of the storm itself.

It was the second day before the severity of the storm started to calm to just a driving rain pushed along by only severe wind velocity and two more days before the storm started to move off toward the south, leaving only the normal pitch and roll of the Angry Sea with her less hazardous winds.

Moule could tell the mood of his crew was starting to become more somber and men were heard to almost quarrel over normal daily tasks. It was Mister Diggs who approached Captain Moule a few days later asking to talk in private. Once in the Captain’s Cabin, Moule asked what he wanted.

“Captain some of the crew are beginning to get more worried after the death of the man during the last storm. They are beginning to feel as if we will all die before we reach any land. If you have anything that could calm them down, I would think this might be a good time to use it, if not then I just wanted to be sure you were aware.”

“I have begun to sense the same thing. Please let Mister Divens know we spoke and that I will be addressing everyone on the upper main deck just before the evening meal today.”

“Thank you, Captain.”

Just before dusk was settling on the western horizon the First and Second Mates mustered all the crew on the Main Deck. Captain Moule stepped out onto his Deck outside his cabin and looked down at his crew.

“Men we have weathered another storm, unfortunately this time we lost one of our brethren in doing so. I could not be any prouder of a crew, than I am of all of you. I have waited to tell you that which I am about to for reasons of my own. When you all joined me on this voyage I only promised you it would be somewhere you had not been before. Then when we left the port of Hapwell, all I said was our destination was east and would continue east to its end. Now at this point after surviving three major storms, several rains and being farther east than any man has ever returned from I will again tell you another fact of this voyage. I have already been where we are bound. It is a place known only to those living there and only my old naval crew as Borland. No one else from any realm in our world knows of its existence other than the high three men on the Marden Council. I have been there three times over the past three sets of seasons. However I have always traveled there from Jav going west across the Windless Sea. So this land is not a dream or a myth, it actually exists and I have been there myself three times before this trip. My goal is to make the trip there this time by going east out of Hapwell. I do not know how much longer it will take us. But I know we will finally arrive there. I hope this fact brings you some added comfort in our quest. We on this ship will be the first to get there by going east instead of west.”

There was a few moments of silence. Then Mister Divens started a cheer from the main deck.

“Hoo Rah, Hoo Rah, Hoo Rah. First at last.” Followed by a round of yells and applause.

Then Mister Divens told them all it was time to have their evening meal. After which there was the exodus below decks in compliance.

A half-moon later while Moule was standing on the main deck talking with Mister Kisch about the stores that were beginning to get low enough to think about the start of rationing, the crow’s nest watch made the shout down that Captain Braden Moule had waited for since they left the port of Hapwell.

“Land ho, Captain. You should see it on the horizon shortly.”

It was a short while before the stretch of land first appeared from standing on the main deck and somewhat longer before the horizon was now broken between the sea and sky all along the horizon. Mister Kisch was still there, watching this happen, as was all the crew by now.

“It looks like we can forget about any rationing, Mister Kisch. Instead let us plan a celebration this evening. I think all of us deserve it.”

“Aye, Captain.”