The view went dark when the lighting rumbling the clouds above became silent for a moment, but the sound of low whispers with preparation about attacking seared her ears. No way, no how. This wasn’t happening! Two Scots, even the finest knights, against a fleet of trained Northmen would be a slaughter. Could they go back? Grab onto…wait, what was that?
The tiny hairs on her neck began rising; oh shite, it was the same as the time moments ago when lightning had hit the mast! Here comes another…FLASH!CRACK! The blinding light struck from the heavens like Mother Nature’s finger, but the finger split into a hand. Time took a peculiar slow quality. One finger struck the mast they had just left behind them, shattering the splintered wood. The other finger touched down on the farthest corner belonging to the lower deck. An otherworldly sight appeared when the water looked the same as white ice on a loch after the whole deck took the power from the strike and spread it across the entire water’s layer in streams of blinding light. Ugh!
Aonghus made a strange guttural groan then shuddered under her as if he took the hardest hit from the strike. What an odd vibration, all the way into her bones. The Northmen shook as if the devil had loaded them onto a cart and they bounced, headed for hell. Their bodies jerked in an eerie sort of dance, hair on end, before they all collapsed before her. Sir Braydengave a low grunt before he and Aonghus both collapsed onto the deck, unaware as the Northmen. Aonghus’s weight crushed her arm, trapping her as he fell to his side.
The strike. She scanned the surroundings at the trickling light from the tiny fire glowing upon the deck where the bolt had hit.Diiinnnggggg. The ringing echoed in her ears as if she stood within a bell tower once more while she shook her head.
All lay silent. Some oarsmen’s lifeless bodies were snatched overboard when another wave swept over…“Aonghus?” Her voice broke when he didn’t move. “Aonghus? You hear me, my knight?”
Squirming around his torso, pain seared up her arm where he had landed on her. She gave a whimper. He still wasn’t moving.Help him!She pushed harder, wiggling again.
Cradle his skull. Her trapped arm became a makeshift pillow.There you are, my knight. Her other arm remained draped over his wounded shoulder. Her wrists were still bound. There was no use in trying to free them quickly; he had tied the strands to ensure the knot held. Pale. His face wassoooopale.
Her throat clenched; she croaked the word, “A…Aonghus?”
His soaked hair stuck onto his brow; she leaned closer while trying to swallow the sear from bile rising in her throat alongside panic. Her eyes narrowed more. Did…did he still draw breath? Tucking her cheek, damp from saltwater alongside her tears, under his nose, she waited.Warm breath, where are you? Come on, where are you?
He wasn’t breathing! “Nae!”
“Aonghus!” she screamed, then began pulling on his lifeless body.
The fates werenotcast.
Theycouldn’tbe.
Theywouldn’tbe.
Reverse, fate, take note, reverse directly.
This will not be his end!
She raised her face to the sky, the rain pelting her face like tiny slaps. “Reverse!” she yelled into the drowning droplets. “Hear me now! REVERSE!!”
Only the rumble from thunder filled her ears, and bellows from oarsmen upon Håkonsson’s chaotic deck, which was somehow tethered to the bark ship, along with rain sounding the same as nails on wood. Nothing. Nothing else.
No!
She fell against her collapsed knight to give a low groan when pain seared behind her eyes.
There. There it is, aye!
Blinking her swollen eyes, she re-opened them to hear…“Cluaran, you stay strapped unto me,” he ordered.
She was back in the moment right before they had set his feet onto the deck! “Keirah, I felt your weight grow stronger; are you well?” His question was etched with worry over his shoulder.
Warn. Warn him directly!
Leaning forward, the soaked raven hair tickled her nose as she whispered fervently, “Aonghus, ’twas a shadow-glance! When your feet hit the deck, charge right for the sterncastle’s highest deck. Drag Sir Brayden. A strike will land onto the main deck and our mast bridge, crushing the ranks of oarsmen present. You both will perish.”
The muscles on his back clenched under her a moment. “Hold tight as you are able, my lady.” Aye.
Her muscles tensed, gripping him. Tighter! Her legs wove around his sides to hook her ankles together above his loins. Hell, she was riding a bull when he hit the deck, spun, grabbed Sir Brayden’s wrist, ripped the thick knight behind them, and charged for the stairs leading to the highest deck.
Would the separate higher deck be enough to stall the force given off from the bolt? The hairs stood upon her neck. Here it comes! Aonghus threw Sir Brayden the last stretch before them over the top step before he leaped the air over the fleet of stairs the same moment that…CRACK!
Aonghus landed on the top deck, then spun. The three watched the Northmen ranks fall under Mother Nature’s vengeance of a different kind. The bodies swirled about before vanishing overboard. That…that could have been them.
Through the ringing when the flash finally stalled, she heard in ease from desperation those who argued aboard King Håkonsson’s ship.
