Ment
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It was the 26th, Wednesday. The weather was clear, the storms had subsided, and everything seemed to be going too well. The only thing the "landlubbers" still had trouble getting used to was the rocking, which disrupted their coordination and occasionally caused nausea.
Despite this, Ayko, as befitting a Ratkin Plague, tried to maintain her composure. She stood on the deck, surveying the calm sea, and was ready at any moment to spot a pirate or revolutionary flag on the horizon: their absence in neutral waters and the waters of Zimia seemed too fortunate. On the surface of the bright, sun-drenched ocean, no one noticed the small, semi-transparent bump until the sailors and lookouts became agitated – it was already too late: their huge Lightning ship couldn't change course too quickly.
A screech against the hull: unfortunately, there was a breach. The ship wasn't heavily laden, so it was sinking slowly but steadily and inevitably. The sailors and the captain refused to get into the lifeboat – for reasons that were clear to Ayko, but still... Of course, Carneol's mission to rescue them came first. Of course, overloading the lifeboat would be risky. Of course, the sailors would be useless on land. Of course, it was the captain's honor to go down with the ship.
And yet... their lives were worth saving. Their skills would certainly be useful to Carneol on the return journey, which was now completely unclear how to organize. There were a great many "buts," and Ayko would have preferred to persuade at least some of the sailors or the captain to join Carneol in their chance at life. But alas, these people's resolve was unwavering.
"On behalf of myself and Her Highness Naria, I thank you for your service, Captain Hector, sailors, all those who helped us get to this point," the dwarf said with tears in her eyes, standing at the edge of the lifeboat and saluting the ship that had recently sailed the oceans and now only a small part of it rose above the water. Perhaps some of the sailors would still decide to save themselves on the wreckage or on an iceberg, and they would meet again. Perhaps this would not happen. In any case, their mission awaited them, and it awaited them urgently, so the landlubber warriors rowed with all their might.
"Suspicious objects can take many forms and catch up with us with equal success," Ayko thought finally.
The path was already near, but the dwarf was quite frightened: now that they were so vulnerable, it would be easy for enemies to sink their miserable little boat with a single cannon volley, for a kraken to drag them all to the bottom before anyone could say "cod," and even an ordinary storm could be a serious test of strength and endurance.
It was the 28th. None of the worst-case scenarios had happened, and they had arrived safely – but what now?
"As you can see, we could not avoid difficulties, but the mission is not a failure – and that is the main thing. I am still grieving for the dead; as much as I had time to get to know them, they were all good people, however... We are alive, and those of us who have passed through the water must now pass through snow and blizzard. The most difficult thing is that we will no longer be able to return to the hospitable Lightning after completing our mission, and this lifeboat, although it saved us and brought us from the iceberg, is not suitable for sailing to Margel – it would be suicide. Therefore, we will need to acquire another ship in one way or another. For now, it is not quite clear how, but most likely the local military and political situation will force us to engage in 'expropriation of private property,' as our revolutionary opponents would say. Well, in the end, is it shameful to act with their methods against them? " the dwarf said with a wry smile. "However, this makes the task much more difficult. Be mentally prepared, friends."
Ple-Sen