Chapitre 216: Podglorica
Will, Holo, Lawrence boarded the Intrepid, a carrack, across the Birmingham Sea. Carracks primarily served as trade ships that voyaged across oceans. Its masts stretched up high, and it sped across the sea to Podglorica. The ship was propelled forward by three thick, white sails that hung on masts to catch the wind. On the flag pole hung both an envoy and Fermion's flag.
As the carrack said across the sea, Holo and Lawrence looked out, over the ship's rail, to sea. In the water, they saw fish, stingrays, and whales. Off in the distance, they could just make out Terra.
Will was stuck in the cabin. In the past, Will loved boating. Now, he felt uneasy. He did feel seasick. The further Will traveled out to sea, the more uneasy he felt. Will felt his uneasiness had to do with the lack of nearby land. The earth felt distant from him. Even worse, the only spell he could conjure was [Gate].
Will looked at the map, Podglorica Archipelago.
"It seems like you and boats just don't mesh," Lawrence said entering the cabin with Holo.
"Are you like this every time you're at sea? You probably feel better when we reach the port and touch land," Holo said.
"This is my first time on the water. I was surprised myself… it seems water is my weakness," Will said.
Will had left Bubba and Elliot behind in Lezhe to secure the castle, in case the Baron tried to return.
"We should arrive at Podglorica Archipelago sometime today. Try to hang on until then," yelled Captain Pequod from the deck above. The old captain had a small white beard and hair. His blue eyes matched the clear blue seawater. He was missing a leg.
To hear the captain tell it, he lost it on a fishing expedition. He fell overboard and lost his foot to the fish. To walk, he used a prosthetic leg made out of whalebone.
Upon leaving from Lezhe, the ship had made a western circuit, stopping at a few ports for supplies, and it was now in the final stretch. Podglorica was a few nautical miles away. If all went well, the ship would arrive at some point during the day. Problem was, that it was impossible to predict the whims of the sea. If the ship got caught in a storm, a safe arrival wasn't guaranteed for anyone.
"Well, you know where I'll be. Let me know when you see Podglorica, "Will muttered.
"Understood. We'll be outside," Holo said
worrying about Will.
But this was her first time seeing the sea. She enjoyed the waves, the smell of salt in the air, and watching the sea creatures.
"I think I'll use [Gate] on the return trip" Will groaned as Holo and Lawrence slipped out of the cabin.
"How fares the viscount?" Captain Pequod asked.
"Better, but he'll need to rest," Holo said.
"Hmm. It's probably best that we arrive in Podglorica quickly, then. Unfortunately, he cannot enjoy this view," Captain Pequod.
Although Holo was the one to volunteer to act as an intermediary, Will was the official envoy.
Everything came down to human-beastmen connection. That was why Will was visiting in person. This was too important to by mail. With Holo acting as his liaison, it would only make the deal easier.
"—Land ho!" a lookout boy shouted from the bird's nest halfway up the mainmast.
"It seems we've finally arrived," Holo yelled down to Will.
Captain Pequod shook his head at her, "Not yet. This is only the entrance to the Podglorica Archipelago."
"The entrance?" Holo asked.
"Right. Podglorica is a cluster of bigger and smaller islands. Each island is ruled by a different Orca Tribe, but the Orca Clan stronghold is inland. The Orca Clan controls the southern coast of the Tribal Lands. The mainland is beyond the big island in front of us," Captain Pequod said.
"So, this is only the entrance, then?" Will asked.
"Will," Lawrence said hurrying over to Will.
Will's complexion was dull, and he staggered forward.
"Is it all right for you to be up?" Holo asked.
"I'm managing," Will assured her.
"Anyway, I heard we can see the island?" Will said feeling better seeing land.
"Yes. But only the one that acts as the door to Podglorica. Our destination is farther ahead," Lawrence said.
"Oh…" Will leaned over the ship's rail, looking deflated.
"Hee-hee. To think the Will sprits have been dashed by a simple boat ride," Holo laughed.
Will tried to straighten his posture hearing Holo's jest.
The ship sailed toward the island. It continued forward, tracing the island's outline into Podglorica's coastal waters.
"…Strange," Will murmured under his breath. "What's the matter?" Lawrence asked.
"I don't see signs of any other ships. Aren't the Orca Clan sea traders? Shouldn't we be surrounded with ships heading out or coming," Will said.
"The lord is right, it does seem strange that there aren't many ships near an island trading post," Captain Pequod said
Will looked out. It was as if they'd been heard. A single ship slipped into view on the western side of the island. It was a carrack just like theirs. Spoke too soon, Will thought. The ship raised several emblemed flags up the masts.
The crew began to stir, "Hey, that flag is ordering us to stop."
"Who does the ship belong to?" asked another crewman.
"I've never seen that emblem before," said another crewman.
"Don't they see our signal flag? We're carrying an envoy," Captain Pequod said.
"It's the Orca Clan patrol," said an older seaman.
"Patrol? Why are they here?" Holo asked.
The crew member in the bird's nest called down to them, "The vessel it's speeding toward us!"
"They're not responding to our flag signal? Damn! I knew it. Why are they chasing us like criminals!" Captain Pequod exclaimed.
"All hands to your stations! We'll make a run inland!" Captain Pequod shouted.
Maritime battles meant striking the enemy ship with the naval ram attached to the fore or climbing over grappling hooks onto a nearby boat to engage in hand-to-hand combat. On their ship built for commercial trade, however, there was no naval ram, and the crew had no real battle experience. Meaning that if these were indeed patrolmen, there was no chance of winning a fight.
Holo seemed racked with nerves, questioning the ship's crew, "shall we be able to get away?"
"Starboard! Another unknown ship detected!" shrieked the lookout in the bird's nest.
They all turned to the right, the direction of the island. Between, the patrol vessel following them, and the other guard vessel blocked their path.
Captain Pequod jerked the steer to the port side to avoid colliding with the guard ship, only to crash on nearby rocks. The crash violently rocked the ship, a punched a hole in the front of the ship.
"Abandon ship!" Captain Pequod yelled.
Stomach-churning, Will gripped the side of the ship. Holo's body was thrown toward the sea.
"Holo!" Lawrence didn't hesitate for a second. He reached out, gripping her and spinning around until they switched places. Nothing was supporting him now.
"Lawrence!" Holo shrieked as he plunged into the ocean. Everything changed in an instant. No air. His nose and ears filled with seawater. He struggled to the surface, where he witnessed Holo leap off the boat to rescue him.
Both patrol ships approached the wreckage. The carrack and galley pulled right next to them and begging boarding their carrack.
Aboard, the Orca guards pointed their blade tips at Will's crew.
"My name is Viscount vont Ballard. I am King Roland Godwin Fermion III's emissary. I'm here to pay my respects to the Sea Witch," Will said trying to diplomatically smooth over any misconceptions.
"I am Captain Zarif, your crew is being reprimanded into custody, pending your information checks out," the captain said.
"Let me guess, you're going to imprison us?" Will said. He'd gotten used to the way beastmen greet guests.
"You are very perceptive! Mr. Ballard," Captain Zarif said.
"Yeah, I guess I expected this." Will raised his hands not resisting.
"Why are you with these humans?" the captain asked Holo.
"My name is Holo, both these humans are a part of the Wolf Clan. I suggest you release them!" Holo shouted.
"Someone has some guts, eh? Looks like you're their slave, eh?" Captain Zarif joked.
When I meet with your matriarch. I'll demand your head for such an insult," Holo snarled.
"We are under orders to patrol these waters. Recently, there's been a rash of counterfeit bronze coins flooding out the market. We need to expect your cargo hold. If there is no counterfeit currency on board, we'll take you to the mainland for holding," Captain Zarif explained.
"Inspection?" Will said in shock. The ship was empty. He did the inventory and manifest himself.
After the ship was searched, no counterfeit currency was found onboard.
"Looks like you all were not the criminals we were after. Take them in for holding, until we can collaborate their story," Captain Zarif said.
Will, Holo, Lawrence, and the crew were loaded aboard the galley. The boat launched forward to the mainline, where Will and Lawrence were thrown in a subterranean prison.
"This reminds me of the first time, Holo and I took you to Rijilir," Lawrence laughed.
"It was quite the shock back then. I've grown use to it now," Will said.
Will looked around the cell, rooting through it for something useful. Sure enough, he found nothing. Well, it is a jail cell. Will reached out to touch the bars covering his window. They could spell the salty sea air. It didn't seem like he'd be able to remove them on his own. Beyond the window, the ocean seemed to stretch out forever.
As they waited to be released, Will thought about what Zarif said and counterfeit bronze.
Will remembered that the Beast Tribes' currency is based on bronze, copper, and silver. Silver is the largest denomination. That means counterfeit bronze could destabilize the Orca Clan economy because merchants won't accept bronze coins, since they can't tell the real from the fake.
This reminded Will of the Copper Panic of 1789 in the United States. He learned about when as a young economic college student. The copper panic that caused a lack of confidence in copper coins.
George Washington's new government had only been in place a few months, when it faced its first financial crisis. The new government under the constitution had been elected, the treasury department hadn't formed yet, but the country was dealing with the collapse in the value of colonial and confederation-era coinage.
Colonial currency had always been problematic. Among the citizen of United States, the penny was the most used of all of the currencies. The same was true for bronze coins at beastmen.
At the root of the copper panic there was an issue of counterfeiting. The problem was that copper was too easy to counterfeit. As more counterfeiters began production and caused minters to have to debase their coins to remain in business, the value of copper began to fall.
Some states even banned copper coins as legal tender.
Will knew how The United States solved the problem. But he wondered how the Orca Clan planned to solve this crisis.
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