Calgaich the Swordsman (54 page)

“In oars!” Cunori commanded.

The oarsmen pulled in the heavy oars and stowed them fore and aft. Man after man collapsed on the deck and lay as though dead.

Cunori pointed aft. “Calgaich, they are tiring, too, but they must keep rowing to keep up with us. Pray to your gods that the breeze keeps up.”

Calgaich shrugged. “These are Roman sea gods around here, Dolphin, and I doubt if they can hear us.”

Lutorius had been appointed to dole out the food and water. When his duty was done, he came aft. “When is our landfall, Cunori?” he asked.

“We must pass between two great islands, Sardinia and Corsica, before we can set our course for the Pillars of Hercules. Why do you ask?”

Lutorius looked over his shoulder. “We’ve used up far too much water today. It couldn’t be helped because of the great heat and the exertion of the rowers.”

“How much is left, Lutorius?” Calgaich asked in a low voice.

“Perhaps enough for two days, on short rations.”

Cunori whistled softly. “Now I know why you asked about a landfall. We can’t land on either Sardinia or Corsica, not with the
Fortunata
dogging us.”

“And beyond the straits?” Calgaich asked.

“Nepos!” Cunori called out.

The Iberian came aft. “Yes, master?”

“What land is beyond the straits between Sardinia and Corsica?”

“The Balearic Islands. The nearest one is about two hundred and fifty miles or more.”

Cunori rubbed his jaw. “We can make about one hundred miles per day under sail. Providing we get a good wind.”

“You'll be against the currents all the way, master.” “Two and a half to three days to the Balearics, then,” Cunori murmured. “But we don't even know what kind of a reception well get when we land there.”

It was very quiet aboard the
Lydia.

“There is water closer than that,” Calgaich said quietly. “Where?” Lutorius asked.

Calgaich looked aft through the darkness. A faint light showed far behind the
Lydia
. “The
Fortunata
,” Calgaich replied.

“She has a crew of well over a hundred,” Cunori warned.

“Most of them are galley slaves, who are chained to their oars.”

“And an afterguard of marines,” Lutorius added. Calgaich nodded. “Who must sleep at night.”

Lutorius stared at Calgaich. “You mean? ..."

“Board her.”

“This is madness!” Cunori cried.

Calgaich looked at him. “We have no other choice. They will have plenty of water on board for their galley slaves. That's the
one
thing they can't deprive them of, mates.”

“They'll see us coming,” Nepos warned.

“There's no moon tonight. We can turn back. When near them we can lower our sails to keep from being sighted.” “It can't be done,” Cunori argued.

Lutorius shrugged. “How do you plan this madness, barbarian?”

“I'll need at least seven men besides myself. They must all be good swimmers. We turn back in the
Lydia.
Out of sighting distance, we lower the sails. Then the boarding party enters the sea, armed only with daggers. We wait there while the
Lydia
returns on her original course. When the
Fortunata
approaches we board her. Once we have control of her, we signal the
Lydia.
Cunori brings her back. We transfer the water and stores to the
Lydia.
Then we strip the Roman's sails from them for our own use, and take any other gear we may need.”

Lutorius grinned. ‘'And then we sink the
Fortunata?”

'"With those galley slaves chained to their oars?” Calgaich shook his head. “Of course we could always release the galley slaves and let them take over the
Fortunata
.”

“By the gods!” Lutorius cried. “Now you've said it!”

Cunori shook his head. “To what end? They'd be tracked down in time. There would be no escape from the Roman sea for them. You know what would happen to them if they were caught.”

Lutorius shrugged. “Well, it's a good thought all the same.”

The late night sky was a dark blanket of blue sprinkled with ice-chip stars. The sea was dark. It moved with slow and sinuous swells. The only light to be seen was on board the
Fortunata.

Cairenn came up on deck as the boarding party prepared themselves. Now and again her great emerald eyes would slant sideways to where Calgaich stood. He could not look at her. She meant so much to him, he could not bear the thought of parting from her.

They were ready now—Calgaich, Ottar, Lutorius, Chilo, Girich, Lexus, Niall and Eogabal.

Cunori brought the
Lydia
about smartly. The sails were lowered, but not furled. Oarsmen took their positions, three to a side at their muffled oars.

Calgaich walked aft to Cunori. “If we take her, we'll hoist three signal lamps in a vertical line, and lower them immediately. Get to us as quickly as you can. We may still need help.”

“And if you don't take her?”

Calgaich looked forward. He could just see the dim figure of Cairenn beside the mast.

“Calgaich?” Cunori asked.

“Then you must go on without us.” Calgaich placed a hand on the shoulder of the seaman. “Take Cairenn back to my country. The Novantae must be told that the child she bears is mine. If it is a boy and the gods are willing, he should be a chieftain of the Novantae someday.”

Cairenn could not restrain herself any longer. She came running aft to Calgaich with outstretched arms. “You can't leave me like this without a farewell." Calgaich drew her close. She rested her head against his broad chest. He stroked her long black hair. "I’ll be waiting for you. You
will
return I"' she insisted.

He looked down at her and smiled. “Who said I wouldn't?” he cried. He raised his head and looked into the knowing eyes of Cunori. They both knew the odds.

Cairenn looked up into Calgaich’s face and then turned her head toward Cunori. “You will return!” she said fiercely. Calgaich could feel the strength her spirit and will put into her arms. “You’ll crack my ribs, little hare,” he said softly. He
would
return for this woman who was to be his wife and the mother of his child. He kissed her gently and pushed her toward Cunori. “I’ll leave you now, Cairenn, but only for a little while. Guard her well, Cunori and you others. She bears my child within her. I will return.”

The boarding party came aft. One by one they let themselves down into the sea. Calgaich was the last into the water. His eyes met those of Cairenn for a moment, and then he was gone. The
Lydia
moved slowly away from them, then turned back to her westerly course again. Soon she vanished into the darkness.

The only sign of life on the darkened surface of the sea was the faint light of the
Fortunata
as she moved slowly and steadily toward the eight barbarians who were in the water and directly on her course.

Calgaich and his men could hear the steady grinding of the
Fortunata’s
oars as they swung back and forth in their oarlocks. Soon they could distinguish the dark shape of the large square sail looming up above the galley's long hull.

Calgaich looked at his comrades. “She has a ram at her prow. Eogabal, Chilo, Niall and Lexus will board her there —two to a side. Lutorius, Ottar, Girich and I will board her further aft. Lutorius and I on the starboard side, Ottar and Girich on the larboard side. We'll float under the lower bank of oars and try to board her at the last oars on the side. Niall, you'll lead the boarders at the ram. Once on deck, wait until you hear us aboard, then two of you work your way aft, leaving two on guard on the foredeck. You must get the guard's weapons. We've got to get control of the deck at once."

“What if some of us miss getting aboard?" Lexus asked.

“Then you'll have a long swim."

“And if those on deck don't get control of the ship?" Chilo asked.

“Then we either die on deck, or join those in the water. In that case, the
Lydia
will not come back for us."

The galley loomed high out of the darkness. The ram appeared, with a frothing of foam about it as it parted the water. Niall, Lexus, Chilo and Eogabal grabbed at it as it reached them. The galley seemed to shoot past the other four boarders.

“Now, Bottle Emptier!" Calgaich snapped.

They reached up and caught onto the last lower oar. Calgaich swung himself up on top of it, but Lutorius lost his grip. Calgaich gripped him by his hair and hauled him up. Calgaich worked his way up to the upper oar and rode back and forth on it. He made out the dim figure of the helmsman at the tiller.

Calgaich heaved himself over the railing and lay flat on the deck. A moment later Lutorius dropped on top of him.

A man came aft. He turned to look forward, as if he had heard something. Calgaich clamped his hand over the Roman's mouth and stabbed him in the back. He then lowered him to the deck. He withdrew the Roman’s sword from its sheath and handed it to Lutorius while Calgaich took his dagger. Lutorius eased the dead Roman over the rail.

They faced the side of the wooden fighting tower that was just forward of the afterdeck cabin. They crawled across the deck to avoid being seen by the helmsman. Calgaich flattened himself against the side of the tower and looked around the comer. A tall, dark figure moved quickly toward him.

Calgaich took a chance and softly identified himself. "Calgaich.”

It was Ottar, with Girich close behind him.

"Take the after door, Girich,” Calgaich whispered. "Lutorius, subdue the helmsman. Lash the helm to hold the galley on her course. Then back up Girich. Ottar, come with me.”

The fore door of the tower was closed. Calgaich tried to open it. It was bolted from within. Ottar pressed his hand against Calgaich’s chest and pushed him backward. The Saxon then lifted his foot and drove it at the place where the bolt should be. The door crashed open.

Calgaich was first inside the tower. The deck was crowded with marines who had been startled out of their sleep. Before they could reach for their weapons, Calgaich and Ottar were in amongst them, striking right and left with their daggers. Some of them bolted for the after door of the tower and opened it, but Girich met them face to face.

Calgaich and Ottar snatched up swords. There was hardly room within the tower for such a melee. Five marines were downed when the remaining five pushed their way through the forward door, fleeing in panic from the three madmen who had crashed in on them. The Romans started to run forward. Niall and Lexus met them head-on. The marines were caught in a vise. Two went down in death; two leaped over the side to escape. The last of them was lifted bodily from the deck by Lexus and tossed over the side.

The clashing of blades came from the afterdeck where Lutorius had taken over the helm. The Bottle Emptier had his hands full, fighting three swordsmen at once.

"Close that after hatch!” Lutorius shouted as he withdrew his sword from the body of a marine. "There’s many more of them down there!”

Lexus slammed the hatch down atop the head of a man who was rising up from below. The Gaul then stood on top of the hatch while he swung his sword at three Romans who had come up from another hatch. It was as if he were cutting grain. One man went down with his head half-severed from his body.

Ottar came up behind the two men Lexus was fighting. One hard, sure thrust disposed of one of the Romans. Ottar’s blade went into the back of the third man at the same time Lexus’s blade pierced his chest.

They slammed shut the door of the after cabin. The decks were slippery with blood.

Calgaich grinned. "An easy victory, comrades!”

Niall shook his head. "Chilo was struck by the ram and went down under the galley. We couldn’t save him.”

"Where’s Eogabal?”

Niall jerked his head. "Up forward, standing guard.”

"Find me two lamps!” Calgaich snapped.

Calgaich carried the two lamps forward.. He stumbled over something on the foredeck beside the ship’s altar. He looked down into the face of Eogabal. A pool of blood had formed beside him.

Niall came up behind Calgaich. "There was no one here when we boarded the galley.”

Calgaich silently pointed to a small open hatch. He placed his two lamps on the deck and jerked his head at Niall. Together they walked silently forward and looked over the bow railing. Just below them was a white terrified face. The Roman was balancing precariously on the slippery ram.

Calgaich turned back to the lamps. "He’s all yours, Niall.”

Calgaich strung the two lamps below the lamp that hung from a foreshroud. He waited a moment and then lowered them. He wiped the sweat from his face and leaned against the mast.

The
Lydia
came ghosting through the darkness. As the boat pulled alongside, Calgaich could see Cairenn at the railing, her face white and drawn. Finally, she saw him and raised her hand in a gesture of homecoming.

Lines shot over from the
Lydia
and the
Fortunata
was made fast alongside. Most of the crew of the
Lydia
came swarming aboard.

They emptied the galley of most of her water and food stores and stripped her of her sails.

Calgaich went down into the stinking hold. The
hortator
had been bound to the mast where it protruded through the two decks. His dark eyes followed Calgaich as he walked between the rows of galley slaves. Most of them lay asleep beneath their oars. Some of them looked dead from exhaustion.

“If you release them, master,” the
hortator
warned quietly, “they'll kill everyone aboard. This is a Roman sea. There can be no escape for them.”

Calgaich nodded and drew his knife to cut some of the bonds that held the Roman to the mast. It would be some time before he could work himself loose and by that time the
Lydia
would be gone into the enveloping darkness.

“Calgaich!” Lutorius shouted down the after hatchway. “There is a light astern! It might be another naval ship!”

Calgaich climbed back on deck. His men had returned to the
Lydia.
Calgaich leaped aboard her.

“Cast off!” Cunori commanded. “Fend off! Out oars! Give way together! Hoist the main and foresail!”