Sons of the Tide (mlm)

Chapter 3: Battle Stations

Joseph

It was only two days after they took Hawkes prisoner when one of his ships appeared on the horizon. Joseph shouted orders, knowing it would turn into cannon fire and blood.

To his dismay, the ship wasn't the Red Wave. It was a smaller vessel with white sails instead of red and the name Siren painted onto the side. He slammed his spy glass shut and shoved it into his pocket, gritting his teeth. "It isn't the Red Wave."

Cecelia grumbled under her breath. "Are we going to engage them?"

"They've already got their cannons sticking out, we're going to have to. Have two of the crew below deck guarding Caleb." He moved towards the wheel and put his hands on two of the pegs. "Get ready for a fight."

She nodded and moved past him, shouting orders to the crew as she walked down the steps. Joseph spun the wheel to steer the ship towards the Siren. He had to turn his ship where they could easily fire their cannons.

When the Siren was finally in range, Joseph's crew fired the first cannon balls. All hell broke loose when the Siren fired back and guns started going off.

Joseph drew his sword as some of the other ships crew swung aboard the Tide using ropes. He cut two men down before he even made it off the steering platform. Shouting and gunfire ran through his ears, but he remained calm as he blocked other mens swords and avoided gunfire. He'd been in similar situations before.

Cecelia was at his side again, swinging he sword with force that still surprised him. What she lacked in height, she made up for in strength and speed. That was why she'd been allowed on his ship in the first place.

She blocked a strike aimed at Joseph and he stabbed the enemy pirate while his sword was caught against Cecelia's. "They just keep coming."

He grunted and yanked his sword out of the man, then shoved him over the rail of the ship. "They're ship in bigger than ours."

Cecelia yelped when a sword hit her cheek, then pulled her firearm out so fast he almost missed it and shot someone. She bared her teeth and slammed her face into another pirate before looking back to Joseph. "Plan?"

"Don't fucking die." He moved away from her to stab a pirate in the back before he could kill one of Joseph's crew.

His ship rattled with the force of a cannon barreling through its side, but he kept going. If he could get aboard the Siren, maybe he could kill the captain and force them to stand down. One of his men had a similar idea, apparently, because he spotted him swinging onto the mast of the enemy ship amidst the fighting. He crawled carefully down to the deck and killed one of the pirates manning and cannon.

He lost track of the man for a few minutes thanks to having to defend himself, but when a shot rang out loud and clear, he turned his head in time to watch his crew mates body falling off the edge of the ship.

"Dammit." Joseph drew his gun and aimed toward the Siren, where the captain was standing with his own gun drawn. "Kill one of mine, I kill you."

He was about to fire his shot when he heard Cecelia shout from the other end of the ship. He turned his head, swearing internally. His men were surrounded, held at gunpoint. The captain of the Siren smiled, aiming his gun at Joseph.

Joseph raised his hands, dropping his gun. His men stood down, ignoring the few bodies littering the deck. He'd seen this going a lot smoother, but the Siren had more men than he anticipated. They'd been unprepared to take on a bigger ship, especially one under the command and training of the famous Captain Hawke.

The enemy captain boarded the Tide's Voyage with his gun still drawn, using a wooden ramp to get to its deck. He stood before Joseph, smiling triumphantly. "Where is our property?"

Joseph spat on his boots, which earn and pistol striking against his brow. His head whipped to the side, but he kept his mouth shut. The other captain rolled his eyes and shouted, "Find the prisoner!"

A few of the Sirens crew fanned out, two of which went below deck and returned with Joseph's men and Caleb at gunpoint. Caleb met eyes with Joseph, not an ounce of fear on his face.

Joseph moved his eyes to the enemy captain, ignoring the blood trickling down the side of his face. "Why do you want him?"

The captain used his gun to tilt Joseph's chin up, his face twisted into a snarl. "You're that city brat who we killed a few years ago."

Joseph smiled sarcastically. "I got better."

The captain scoffed, then turned his back and grabbed Caleb's chains. "Back to the ship! They aren't worth killing."

His men filed off their ship one by one, leading Caleb away as he did so. By the looks of it, they were going to let them leave. Cecelia scooped up her sword and shoved it into her belt. "Fucking assholes."

Joseph watched Caleb get pulled to the mast of the ship. "Steer us away. Before they change their minds."

She slinked off to the wheel and spun the away. Joseph could see Caleb talking to the captain, a scowl clear on his face. Maybe he'd do them all a favor and kill him.

He didn't know how, but Joseph had a feeling he'd be able to do it. There was something about him, something powerful. Maybe it was the intensity of his eyes or his sheer size, but Joseph knew he could kill easily if he wanted to—very easily.

He turned away from the ship and took in the damages to the Tide. Bullet holes and blood were littered over the deck, and two dead crew mates were being hauled overboard. Sadly, they couldn't keep rotting bodies on the ship until they got to land. Letting them return to the sea was the best anyone could offer them.

Besides that, some of the rail separating the deck from the side of the ship was blown off, and when he dared venture below deck he saw multiple cannon holes torn through the wood. They'd have to make port to repair the ship before they got into another fight.

He turned around, hands in his hood and jaw tight. The cell which Caleb had been held in was now empty, left open by the Sirens crew. He let out a frustrated yell and slammed his fist into a wooden pillar, hardly registering the pain in his knuckles.

Yet again, he'd lost to Captain Hawke. It was only a matter of time before his crew realized they were fighting a hopeless battle and decided not to back him up anymore.

One day, he thought, he'd realize it too. That day hadn't come yet, though, and he still had some fight left in him. He just hoped his ship did, too.