The Scarlet King by Charles Kaluza

the waves but rather moved in fits and starts. He was
now instantly awake. He could detect no change in their position
but the anchor rode would catch for but a brief moment and then
release. There was no doubt but they were dragging anchor.
    As Larby sat monitoring the anchor rode,
trying to wish the anchor to grab and hold, he heard movement and
soon was joined by Jason. Jason said only, "The change awoke
me."
    Larby responded, "The anchor may yet
hold."
    "If not?"
    "The shore is rocky but if we can ground the
ship at the stern there may be hope to save her."
    Jason pondered the consequences of the
decision he had made and trembled at the responsibility he bore. To
be stranded in unknown waters now appeared to be a far worse option
than having faced the storm. Larby sensed his anguish and said,
"Your decision was valid, for our ship was wounded and she may not
have survived the storm."
    Jason squeezed the Listener's shoulder in
appreciation and said simply, "I will awaken the others and have
them prepare." Larby continued his vigil as the winds continued to
howl. Their harbor protected them from the crashing seas, but the
winds found their way over the cliffs, becoming much disorganized.
The gust would blow first one direction and then another almost
like the whirling storms. The anchor would grab hold and Larby's
hopes would rise only to have the wind change and the anchor break
free again. Even in the howling wind Larby could hear the surf
breaking against the rocks, but the darkness kept hidden the
danger.
    As the others were assembling on the deck
Larby noticed a lightness to the side. By staring intently he was
able to make out the luminescence of the surf line. They were
approaching broadside. Larby ran to the helm as fast as his peg leg
would allow. The ship slowly responded to his frantic efforts on
the helm and the bow turned away ever so slightly from the surf
line. The dragging anchor provided just enough resistance for the
rudder to respond to the waves.
    Their wait was not long until the first
scraping sounds were heard. The waves though small carried forth
the energy of the storm that had been raging outside. With each
wave the ship would rise and move further on to the rocks before
settling down ever harder. Those on board had to hang on to avoid
being thrown about, as the crashing became ever more violent and
the sound of breaking timbers echoed throughout.
    When it seemed as if their ship was about to
be smashed completely apart, and those aboard cast into the rocks,
something changed. A wave much larger than the others picked their
ship up and pushed it to the very top of the surf line. Now only
the largest of the waves could lift their ship and only produced a
violent rocking without the crashing and breaking of timbers. The
near silence was enough to bring a cheer of joy from those aboard.
Now they needed to wait for daylight.
    Jason had Jeremy take one of the lamps and go
below to inspect the ship's hull. He soon returned, reporting, "The
bilge is flooded and water is over the floorboards but seems not to
be increasing."
    Their wait for the dawn was not long, and as
the sky lightened to the east they began to make out features of
the shoreline. They had landed on a moderately steep slope with
large boulders leading to a small cliff face. Large trees were
evident above, but they resembled not the trees of the Forest.
Their trunks were covered by dried leaves which draped down, making
them appear fur covered. They grew straight up without branches
ending in a canopy of fronds. There was little vegetation other
than the trees. While Jason was trying to make sense of the forest
before him, Jeremy was busy planning a way to get ashore. The waves
though small were enough to throw anyone attempting to swim to
shore against the rocks. The water seemed too shallow for their
small boat and without an adequate place to land.
    The boat was now healed over about thirty
degrees towards the shore and Jeremy was