An Improvised Sail

Just then the mate stepped forward again. "I think that you have talked for long enough," he said. He turned to his colleague. "Take Lord Fred back below."

When they had left, the mate said: "Princess, since you were so unkind as to incinerate our mainsail, we propose to use the material of your balloon, plus your spare that we found in the gondola, to replace it. That will give us less area to catch the wind than before, but it is still far better than the only alternative of abandoning ship. Will you let my men climb the mast, to install replacement rigging and then to hoist the improvised sail?"

"Very well," Astra said, seeing nothing to be gained by refusing. At least if the ship could make way again, there was some hope that she and her companions would come safely to shore eventually, whereas otherwise there seemed to be none.

She was feeling very tired now, but feared that if she allowed herself to fall asleep she might never wake up again. As she and Fred had concluded, unless the pirates' mage could somehow restore her humanity she would be too big a threat to them to be allowed to live. So she didn't believe the mate's story of ransoming her. If they decided to ransom anyone, it would surely be Fred, even if he might not be worth quite as much as she was.

She was surprised that these pirates seemed to know something of Aqualaria. The ocean was wide, and few if any of those on its western shore knew anything of the eastern lands. But clearly either the pirates had crossed it at some time or they had talked to those who had.

1. The mate has more to say to her.
2. She has an idea.
3. In spite of her effort to stay awake, Astra falls asleep. When she awakes - relieved to find that she has awoken - she discovers...
4. Meanwhile Solbert...

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