The Canard (Prequel to One Flame)

So after the first few blows were traded and it became clear that Boots knew what she was doing, Penley called out "come on, you dogs, take down the stowaways!"

But nobody moved. Nobody had to pretend not to be stowaways anymore, so nobody felt pressured to jump in. The Captain scowled and set his jaw, but Alifa saw that he was starting to second-guess himself. She pointed at him and let an icicle grow from her fingertips. She couldn't launch it at him, but he didn't have to know that.

"Why don't you put the sword down, Mister Penley."

Outnumbered and with no way to really hurt the foe in between him and the jinxer, Penley dropped his sword. Boots kicked it to the side rather than pick it up herself.

"Let's see how you like that brig, Penley," she sneered.

The Princesses had more-or-less commandeered the ship. No one really wanted to fight them and once they assured the crew they still had the same heading, everyone agreed to just bring the ship into dock.

It became quickly evident that the Captain's managing had been very helpful in keeping them on-course, however, and Alifa spent a lot of time with the maps trying to figure out the navigation equipment to keep them on course.

Whether successful or not, the Canard's crew were awakened halfway through the second week of their voyage with a loud bell. Clambering to the sides, the Princesses stared in awe at the vessel coming toward them. Three times the size of their merchant ship, brimming with objects Zaria informed them were "cannons," high and varied sails, with paint and a figurehead like a flaming bird, like the tales of the burning Raven from their childhood.

"It's a warship," Zaria whispered. "A warship from Batillus Unus."