The Grand Duke's Soulmate
Chapter 98: The Aftermath Of The Attack

Chapter 98: The Aftermath Of The Attack

The ship’s large square sail strained against the fierce winds, and the crew worked tirelessly to keep it on course despite the damage on the top mast.

Their faces were etched with exhaustion and determination. A bolt of lightning illuminated the sky every now and then, casting an eerie glow over the choppy waters.

The storm lasted nearly an hour, its fury whipping the sea into a frenzy. After what felt like forever, the rain began to ease off, and the wind gradually calmed. The sky slowly brightened, and the clouds parted to reveal a glimmer of sunlight.

Once tumultuous and dangerous, the sea slowly soothed until it was as smooth as glass.

In the aftermath of the attack, the crews struggled to tend to the wounded and repair the damage to the vessel. Three seamen had lost their lives in the brutal attack, and two more were severely injured. The rest of the crews suffered from varying degrees of injuries, from moderate to minor.

Once the storm had cleared, the knights and other crew members set to work cleaning away the debris and clearing the deck under the shipmaster’s order.

The crews solemnly gathered the lifeless bodies of their fallen comrades, carefully shrouding them in cloth and placing them aside, waiting for a proper burial. It was a grim task, made all the more difficult by the emotional toll of the recent battle.

Despite the damage done to the topmast, the experienced seamen on board quickly set to work, using a spare timber to replace the damaged section.

With deft skill and precision, they hoisted the replacement into position using rigging to support the mast. Though it was only a temporary repair, it was well done, ensuring the ship could continue its journey towards Port Braska.

Kyren took charge of the living pirates, who had been left behind by their gang, and coordinated their detention. They were quickly tied up, gagged, and temporarily detained in the stable, where they could be monitored closely.

Though the pirates were once a threat to Kyren and the people on board, their injuries were still treated as they deserved according to Cassian detention law — prisoners were entitled to receive medical care until their executions.

Thus, Rafe became the busiest person on board. Not only did he have to tend to Ayden, but he also had to attend to the wounded crew members of the cog ship and the pirates.

Ayden, who passed out during the attack, had barely opened his eyes after the storm subsided and couldn’t give a helping hand. Luckily, the knights only suffered minor injuries from the battle and were able to assist him.

Despite the overwhelming workload, the healer remained focused and calm, his skilled hands working tirelessly to provide his patients with the care and attention required.

When the sun fell, Rafe finally slumped in exhaustion on the chair while the knights silently sat around as they gathered in his cabin.

Eli looked at the healer with concern etched on his face.

"Are you feeling all right, Mr Amares? You look worn out," he asked attentively.

Rafe looked up at the knight with droopy eyes and a worn expression.

"I’m fine, Sir Henderson. I just need some rest," he replied.

"You’ve been working tirelessly all day. You need to take a break. We’ll go and get something for you and Mr Norman to eat," the young blonde knight offered, knowing that the healer hadn’t had any proper dinner.

Rafe didn’t resist as his stomach had already growled hungrily. He gave a light nod, gladly accepting the offer. Eli and Damon stood up and left, returning shortly with two canteens of food, drinks, bread, and apples for the knights.

The healer quickly shovelled the food into his mouth, barely acknowledging the others as he focused on the canteen with a hungry expression.

After taking a few bites and gulping the drink, he wiped his messy lips with his sleeve and asked the knights, "Why are you only eating bread and apples?"

"The galley crews didn’t prepare much food today," Eli said sorrowfully. "It seems that the cook master was among the dead victims."

Rafe paused his eating, feeling guilty for still having an appetite despite the tragedy that had befallen them.

"Finish your meal, Rafael," Eric urged, taking a bite of his apple. "You need to regain your energy. As the only healer on board, we need you to be fully functional," he advised the healer.

Ayden, lying on the bed, slowly spoke up. "Forgive me, Mr Amares. I couldn’t help you."

"Don’t talk," the healer turned and warned his assistant. "Your lips are busted. It will only make it worse."

"Is the food not to your liking, Mr Norman? Would you want something else? I can go and cook some broth for you," asked Luke, noticing that the assistant healer didn’t even touch his meal.

Ayden shook his head in response to the offer of food. His stomach was churning, but he simply couldn’t bring himself to eat after the traumatic experience of being punched by the burly pirate. So, he told them that he would eat later.

The assistant healer had never suffered such a predicament before. Therefore, the mental and emotional shock left him feeling numb and disoriented.

The physical injuries he sustained from the assault were extensive, with dark bruises and swelling covering his eyes, lips, and cheeks, not to mention his body.

"God, I wish I could smash the captives’ heads to pieces!" Damon grunted in frustration at Kyren’s decision to keep the remaining pirates alive.

"Be patient! The commander has his own plan on this," said Eric confidently.

"What is the plan, Sir Navin?" asked Eli with interest.

"He will interrogate them thoroughly to gather as much information as possible about their gang’s operations and hideouts in order to prevent any future attacks," said the second-in-command knight with a disparaging smile. "After that, he will track them down and ensure that there are no survivors. The pirates have sealed their fate by crossing swords with him."

Eric was familiar with Kyren’s battle strategies, having served under him for a long time. He knew that there was always a reason behind every action that the commander took, and when Kyren offered himself up as a hostage instead of his men, Eric knew that there was more to the plan than met the eye.

However, the ingenious play orchestrated by Anna and Rafe was something way beyond his imagination.

"By the way, Rafael..." the brunette knight turned to the healer and said, "That was an outstanding performance! When did you plan the play with the lady?" he asked, eager to know about it.

The healer placed the empty canteen on the table beside him and clasped his fingers together, putting them on his thigh as he began to explain.

"I didn’t plan it," he simply said. "I just knew it the moment she mentioned her green eyes to the pirates. She learned about the emerald eyes’ legend from the old seaman and took advantage of it. So, I was only supporting her," he added modestly.

"Huh! That old freak still got the guts to tell her after I warned him over and over again!" Eric scoffed with an irritated expression.

"Be thankful for that. If not for the lady’s smart thinking from knowing about the legend, we would’ve suffered even worse," replied the healer.

"Mr Amares, we have the capability to fight and defeat the pirates! The Knighthood of Gerhard is strong enough to take down any enemies," boasted Damon with confidence.

Eli, who sat next to him, agreed wholeheartedly.

"Fighting against the enemy is not just about the power of brawn, but also the power of the brain," Eric said, offering a thoughtful perspective. "The lady may seem weak but has a strong, calculative mind. She knew what she was doing."

"But it was a huge risk fooling the pirates like that! She could’ve failed and gotten hurt if she was found out lying!" countered Eli.

Eric shook his head confidently.

"She already anticipated how superstitious the seafarers were during the mistaken title incident on the first day of the voyage, and she was also aware of the incoming storm timing. So, she knew it would work. The fact that she could think about the play in a short amount of time was remarkable," he explained.

Damon looked thoughtful, considering Eric’s words. "But why would she put herself in so much danger?" he asked, trying to understand Anna’s motivations.

Eric’s expression grew serious as he answered, "Because she knew that we were fighting against a large number of enemies."

"All of you are strong knights. There’s no doubt about it," Rafe interjected. "But if Lady Raychard’s plan hadn’t been successful, the consequences could have been devastating for everyone on board. Not everyone can fight like you, and being outnumbered by the enemy would have drained your energy in a prolonged battle. The fight could have lasted longer, and more crews could have been hurt or died."

Rafe’s words rang true for Damon and Eli, who had quickly raised an opinion without considering the effect on the rest of the crew. They both pursed their lips and momentarily bowed, realising their mistake.

The knights felt the gravity of the situation and knew they had been lucky to have Anna’s strategic mind on their side. Luke spoke up, admiring the commander’s wife’s compassion and intelligence.

"The lady is an amazing person," he said. "Whenever we face a crisis, she offers solutions beyond our knowledge. I am truly amazed by her."

Damon and Eli nodded in agreement, feeling proud of Anna’s quick thinking and bravery. Ayden, who had been listening to their conversation, felt a lump in his throat. He knew he owed his life to Anna and vowed to repay her kindness in any way he could.

"I hope Lady Raychard is all right," Eli finally said, voicing his concern. "She hasn’t come out of her cabin since the attack."

"She’s fine," Eric replied reassuringly. "Otherwise, the commander would have made a fuss by now. He probably wouldn’t allow her to come out after what happened."

Rafe chimed in with a wry comment. "That’s to be expected. His obsession with his wife can be exasperating sometimes," he said with a hint of amusement in his voice.

Realising that they had been chatting for too long, Eric suggested that they leave the healer and his assistant to rest.

"Let’s end the conversation now. We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow," he reminded them.

The knights all agreed, and soon, they were on their way out of the room, leaving Rafe and Ayden to rest.

***

The next day dawned bright and clear, but the good weather couldn’t dispel the sombre atmosphere on the deck as the crew gathered for a funeral service for the fallen.

The bodies of the deceased could not be preserved and brought back to land, so the only option was to give them a sea burial.

Despite the sadness that hung over the ship, the crew remained solemn and respectful, honouring their deceased comrades with dignity and grace.

On the other hand, the bodies of the dead pirates were unceremoniously thrown overboard without any respect or mercy.

As expected, Anna remained in her cabin at Kyren’s order, not daring to disobey her husband after the previous day’s events.

Time passed slowly as they sailed across the vast ocean, the crews remaining vigilant and watchful, scanning the horizon for any signs of danger.

Then, one day, a shout from the watcher in the Crow’s Nest broke the monotony.

"Land ho!" he cried, pointing towards a distant shore. The shipmaster quickly raised his spyglass to confirm the sighting.

"We’re approaching the port!" he announced to the passengers and crews, his voice filled with excitement.

The news was met with a collective sigh of relief and a buzz of anticipation. Finally, the entourage had arrived at their long-awaited destination — Port Braska.

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