The Otohime's Revenge
Prologue
He was in his cabin when the cry went up above, and was opening the door by the time Dan had scrambled over to knock on it and fetch him out. "What is it?" he asked, as he swept past.
Dan flattened himself against the wall to let him pass. "Shipwreck, sir," he said, scrambling after him. "A few hours old, by the looks of things."
"Hm. Run up the colors." He strode up to the main deck, and found his first mate leaning on the railing with a spyglass. "Well?"
Shishido straightened up and collapsed the spyglass. "Not another ship in sight, sir." His mouth quirked. "Saving the obvious."
"Bring us in." He braced himself on the foredeck as the shouts went up and their heading came around, bringing them closer to the sad affair floating low in the water. Most of the fires had gone out and all that was left was the debris of a hold spilled open and the last of a prow sliding under the water.
Another shout went up from his lookout, and Sengoku came tumbling down the rigging, scampering along the masts and dropping onto the deck with a grin. "Someone in the water, sir! There!" He pointed.
"Poor bastard," Shishido muttered, under his breath.
"Dunno, looks like luck might be with him today," Sengoku returned, cheerful.
"Back to your post, Sengoku."
"Yes sir, captain sir!" Sengoku went scrambling back up into the rigging.
He studied the speck in the water, slowly growing larger—a piece of spar, by the looks of it, with the hapless sailor clinging to it. "Shishido."
"Captain?"
"Put down the longboat, and see what salvage you can find." He frowned, stroking his chin. "And if he hasn't drowned yet, bring him in."
Shishido nodded. "Yes, sir." He loped off, yelling orders to the crew, and Yuuta settled his forearms on the rail, waiting to see what the sea had brought him today.
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