2 Pravus Honor Guard arrives, following Sebastian.

Ian has joined the A Stormward Fleet ship.

Alrec has joined the Bullsharks a Pravus ship.

Wash has joined the A Stormward Fleet ship.

Aethan has joined the A Stormward Fleet ship.

Sebastian has joined the Bullsharks a Pravus ship.

Turo has joined the Leatherback, a Navegant longship.

Skapti has joined the Leatherback, a Navegant longship.

Stefano, an inconspicuous Lycene bodyguard, Carmela, a gleaming dusken-feathered crow arrive, following Mirella.

Renault, the fluffiest Velenosan cat, Athenais, a dreamy apprentice Whisper, Mirella arrive, following Selene.

Selene has joined the The Boardwalk.

Mirella has joined the The Boardwalk.

Wash wields Intricately forged ancient steel cutlass.

Selene has left the The Boardwalk.

Mirella has left the The Boardwalk.

Stefano, an inconspicuous Lycene bodyguard, Carmela, a gleaming dusken-feathered crow leave, following Mirella.

Renault, the fluffiest Velenosan cat, Athenais, a dreamy apprentice Whisper, Mirella leave, following Selene.

Setarco, the Silken City, the Jewel of Lyceum...how glad the Thrax are to be away! The Kennex managed to sneak out first, perhaps probably because they refused to party the night before. But their sails had been off the horizon by the time that the other two ships had left the bay. The first few days proved to be much easier than the crossing, as provisions were plentiful, weather was good, in fact it looked as if it was going to be an easy trip. That was until the 3rd morning dawned for each and there off to the side was spotted ships, two for each flying the banners of the Isles Canines and closing fast.

As if Sebastian -- as if any Lycene -- would refuse a party, particularly such a spectactularly lavish one as held in the Silken City. There are certainly no regrets on the Pravosi's part, not the least of which because of the excellent company, food and wine that will no doubt be a distant memory once they're back on their ships, ready to face whatever the Isles Canines intends to throw at them next. Having made sure there's sufficient rum supplies, Sebastian has settled in at the stern to watch Setarco recede as they pull away from the Drowned Bay, looking morose.

Wash is on lookout. He's not a captain, just an officer for this jaunt. He might not be the first to spot them coming but he is quick to fetch the semaphore flags and stands by to signal any message that Aethan might want to send.

Ian has his hand on the mast, using it for balance and to feel the motion of the ship under him. He's not the first to notice the ships coming, but when he does (or they're pointed out to him by someone watching more carefully) he frowns. "I hope they don't think they're going to board us. I'm not wearing a wooden sword this time." Then he makes his way over to Zoey, to talk her into staying below. There's probably a bit of an argument there.

Aethan also isn't the first to spot them, but it doesn't take long for the call to go up that they're on the horizon. He shouts back to the rest of the crew, before looking up to where Wash is. "Make sure the others have seen them!" he calls -- presumably the other racers.

Alrec joins Sebastian at the stern, frowning at the sight of the boats coming their way, "Suppose we see what they want." He says to the lord, walking away to take the helm, turning the boat to meet with the Isles Canine.

Turo is captaining this ship as ever, and when the call of sails is given, he passes along the orders his crew barely needs to stand ready. Of course, that doesn't mean they should stop what they're doing, just pay attention.

Skapti, long used to captaining his own ship, at least is able to slide smoothly back into that First Mate role for now, working in concert with the Count, to keep the ship running as smoothly as possible, eyes peeled.

"If they're coming to steal our rum -- or our provisions, they're in for a fight, sisters or no sisters," Sebastian says to Alrec with enough gusto to make it seem like a blandly true statement. He'll join the Admiral near the helm, watching, leaning against the side as they slow.

Maybe it's because those with family members of the Lady Pravus may not beleive that she would actually attack them, maybe its simply that Lord Aethan know some levels of mischeif that happens inside that mind that even Sebastian is not fully aware of. But it seems that the Kennex are the ones to first realize the full danger of what those ships mean. For indeed as the sails grow closer and the yells and calls are sounding across the water, it becomes clear that Isles Canines' Captians are indeed intending to board the various house ships.

Wash rallies the inactive crew members, raising boarding nets, and rallying boarding hooks to keep the Canines at bay. "The first man to put a Canine in the drink get's a double tot of rum for the rest of the trip!" He

As the danger becomes more apparent, Ian finally manages to talk Zoey into going below and barring the door. His brow is still furrowed, the combination of flashes of an irritated expression with those dead calm electric blue eyes. He might be hanging onto things at all times to keep from being knocked off his feet by the motion of the ship under him, but that's a dangerous look, all the same.

Alrec turns the helm to meet the Isle Canines head-on, forcing them into a game of chicken, "You can swim, my lord?" He asks Sebastian, "Let us test them."

Very slowly, Sebastian turns his head to look at Alrec when he realizes what the Admiral intends. His mouth opens, and then closes, and then a tight smile appears. "I'm Setarcan born. Of course I can swim." Despite his sisters -- probably both of them -- being on said ships, he doesn't bother offering any warnings to take it easy. He trusts the Admiral -- although he does step towards one of the masts and grab a length of rope, wrapping it around his waist -- just in case.

Aethan has left the A Stormward Fleet ship.

Turo has little interest in the fight coming to his ship. No. Instead, the Navegant ship prepares to board the incoming Isle Canines ship, his crew readying for boarding action. With a terribly dark smile, the Count says to Skapti, "If the fight goes sideways, we do like we did to the Gloomrider."

There's a barked laugh from Skapti there, "Well, it'll certainly be an interesting day then..." A brief smirk, and "Hopefully Galen being aboard slows 'em down a touch, in any case," he rasps.

Alrec glances over to Sebastian, chuckling. The laugh is short-lived as the second boat appears and Alrec takes advantage that the voice is secured, pulling a J turn that has the boat slamming against one of the Isle Canines, "Attack!"

It's probably a good thing Sebastian's lashed himself to one of the masts given the abrupt stop that happens when their ship scrapes alongside the Isles Canines' one and comes to a halt. It means it takes him a moment longer to free himself -- and despite the fact that he's wearing only silks, not a shred of armor, he's quick to leap across to the other ship and draw his sword, seeking to fight their way to the wheel. "Hi, Donnie. Sorry about this, Brett," he's calling out as they start fighting.

Aethan doesn't choose to ram the approaching ships. He doesn't choose to flee from them, either. Instead, they bring in the sweeps and move more slowly, under only the power of their sails, letting the ships catch up to them. Ian starts to draw his sword as the first ship draws near, but Aethan shakes his head and turns his axe around, so that he'll be swinging the non-sharp end first. "They're just doing their jobs, Ian. Cut them some slack." Ian looks almost petulant, just for a moment every inch the younger brother. "But --" But the look his older brother shoots him makes him close his mouth.

Wash waits until he hears the first splash to engage in the melee. The boarding nets are primitive and not as useful when the ships are similar in size. Instead he waits in the shrouds to see where the enemy intend to board, with a command he gets the boathooks to push on that end of the vessel to create separation, while closing on the other. The result is that Thrax sailors face little resistance in board. "Belaying pins and fists boys! Show them salt beats steel!" Then he leaps from the ratlines of his vessel to the ratline of the other. He loops a line through Canine sailor's belt and pulls him off the lines. They might be using the flats of their blades, but he'd rather not deal with those at all. He puts a hairpin between his teeth and climbs.

Ian has an even more bizarre fighting style on a ship than off of one. Unable to feel the deck beneath his feet, he lurches unpredictably, always just on the edge of losing balance. But he also knows this ship very well, knows where every line is and what it's for. And so, holding one of said lines with one hand, he cracks some poor soul on the head with the metal basket hilt of his sword, and then swats him off the ship with the flat of his blade.

Aethan doesn't join the fight -- someone has to continue being captain. But when one man gets on deck and sprints towards him, he hefts his ax, and he smiles. The Isles Canine sellsail makes a lunge at Aethan that the captain easily dodges, and his return strike drives the man back, but doesn't put him down. What DOES put him down is the youngest Kennex, who wraps his arm around the man's neck and hauls him to the deck. Ian puts a knee to the man's chest and his knife to his throat and looks him dead in the eye. "Be still." He smacks someone in the shins with a belaying pin with his free hand, and holds his hostages while Wash leads the Kennex sailors to repel the boarders.

As one of each of the pair of Isles Canine's ships engage with the various house ships, the other it seems is hanging back. If one took the time to look, men line the rails watching the battles and as sailors hit the water, there are calls ringing out, and small dingies in the water start scooping people safely out.. though they are not returned to their ships.

Alrec jumps over to Sebastian's side, slashing at the line that held the Voice secured during the maneuver. He looks over to the man with a grin and gestures him to follow him, "Follow me." Freeing his hatchet from his belt to do so. He bolts on over the boat using the commotion to bash his way through and way a path for his friend Sebastian.

Wash scales the ratlines to the top of the ship and once there, he gets a cruel idea to cut the flag off from the ship's mast, assuming that such insolence doesn't tempt the defenders to just stab him.

"Easy, my friend," Sebastian calls over to Alrec as they advance, "Don't go too hard," he says, undoubtedly remembering the last couple of times they were in battle together. Despite his lack of bulk, he has a speed that lets him strike quickly where needed, moving around Alrec and layout out the hilt of his sword or flat of his blade where appropriate as they fight their way to the helm.

Easy. Alrec held the head of the sailor underwater in a barrel, pulling him out to kick in the gut before turning to the closest sailor swinging the hatchet to bludgeon the nearest assailant as he shouts, "You think you can board Admiral Alrec Magaldi?!"

Wash cuts the opposing longboat's flag free while fending off a Canines soldier who will not take such ignominy laying down. The point of his poignard tells Wash he's playing for keeps and he fends him off with a hairpin while unlashing the flag's pulley. As soon as the flag is free, he uses the line to descend to the deck, landing amid his own men rather than in a knot of mercenaries. That takes more expertise actually. He comes down harder than he'd like though, and has to get up from his knees afterward.

Turo is not first across to the other ship, but he's not wasting time. The Count is wielding his spear with the butt end of it doing the majority of the fighting, instead of the pointy end - it's just polite. Still, Turo's not really holding back in terms of effort, and no few of the other ship's fighters will be laid up with headaches after this affair is completed. He makes for the captain, signalling to Skapti that they'll take the other captain hostage as quickly as possible.

Ian fixes his hostage with his focused, serene gaze. "Do you yield?" The poor man, with a knife still to his throat and someone with the eyes of someone who's capable of literally anything holding him down, just nods. Ian rolls off of him, and uses the mast to haul himself to his feet, leaving the sellsail in Aethan's, er, care. And not a moment too soon, because the crew are starting to buckle over the push to board. He heads in that direction, lurching with the movement of the ship under him, catches himself by putting a hand on the shoulder of one of his comrades, and promptly turns into what can only be described as a one man wrecking crew. This. This is why Ian was, before his injury, on his way to becoming a legend. He seems to know where people are and what they're doing or about to do without looking. At one point, he's in the middle of beating someone back with the flat of his blade and casually, on the backstroke, smacks someone else who was practically behind him with the basket hilt.

As it becomes clear that the Kennex sailors are being reinforced by one man, one crippled man who seems like he's always right on the edge of losing his balance and going into the drink himself, he becomes a target, but it's not enough, and by the time Wash gets back with his trophy and Aethan gives the order to pull away, Ian's armor shows no signs that anyone managed to land a single blow.

Skapti, it seems, -is- one of the first to cross to the other ship, and he seems to make decent headway before getting slowed down a bit at the middle. Trying to not injure the other crew too badly of course, especially as he knows several of them, but well... The D-guard on that cutlass seems to get a lot of use, taking the fight of the crew, really, as the 'battle' starts.

The fights across the ships rage, the water boiling with sailors that are knocked over and fished out. In the Kennex battle the fight was taken to the Isles Canines, the sailors figuring out Wash's intent perhaps a little to late so that the man has the flag and is back on the deck with sailors above him raging. Pravus battle there is a bit more mayhem. The Isles Captain captian wondering why he got stuck with the crazy Admiral and yelling at his men to stop him as Alrec rages. Some even be getting between the crazed axe weilding man and the Voice of Pravus...making sure that there isn't a wild swing that ends up hurting the Lady Pravus' brother. In Navegant there is a toe to toe battle going on.. surging back and forth across the deck as until the Turtle backs start to push into the fight, the Isles Canine's captian shouting at his men to hold the line as they start to fall back in front of the Thrax.

Turo has left the Leatherback, a Navegant longship.

Adam, A Young Apprentice have been dismissed.

4 Navegant Marines have been dismissed.

Those that get between Sebastian and Alrec are in for a surprise -- they might be there to protect him, but Sebastian reads their intent as otherwise, with a quick shove to unbalance them, or more often than not, a sharp jab of his hilt to some sensitive part, he pushes up to stay up alongside the Admiral. Despite his reputation the Pravus Voice seems to trust the other man without any hesitation.

As it goes on, Skapti's skill with the blade--and the ability to clobber people on the riposte with that guard, really--starts to shine through, and he roars in encouragement to his fellows as he, well, bludgeons more than carves a path a through to their officer core, and eventually subdues the ship, taking it for their own. At least for now, anyhow.

The Kennex vessel pulls away, with Wash probably waving the flag around because holy shit why wouldn't you? Ian sheathes his sword and takes the time to check up on the men. There are some injuries, but nobody seems to expect anything out of the captain other than 'have a drink and walk it off', which is pretty much what they get unless they're spurting blood, which none of them are. As Aethan gives orders, Ian has a frank exchange with the man they captured about his orders, should things go wrong with one of the other ships. "You were given specific orders, if a ship sinks, to save everyone?" The poor man has to answer this question in different forms several times before the Kennexes seem to decide that they can move on without worrying that they're leaving someone in trouble behind them. They'll turn the sellsail over to Wash, the guy who's capable of being friendly, to take him below for a friendly drink.

Swinging around Alrec is caught between a mob but he brings his arms up, charging through them to get to the captain to take over the boat. His hatchet finds the blunt part of it coming against the backs of legs and across faces in order for him to make the point that attacking Alrec, games or not, was going to hurt.

As the Leatherback's crew takes the Canines' ship's captain, they pull away to a chorus of hoots and hollers, the victory helping to cope with the bruises, and sore muscles for now, certainly. Skapti lets them enjoy the moment, but quickly has them back at the task at hand. They still have a race to win, after all.

As for Sebastian? That crazy artist is actually laughing, like he's enjoying himself. Sure, he's bleeding a little (somehow? a slip of someone else's sword? Or his?) but his movements in battle seem almost effortless despite the numbers they face. Once Alrec has laid claim to the Captain, Bas lays his sword at the helmsman's throat, beaming. "We won't scuttle the ship... only because you're friends," he says, with an effortless smile. "All right. This ship is ours, Admiral. Time to get moving." He lays a hand on Alrec's shoulder, ushering the Admiral away from the battle and back to the task at hand: reaching Arx's docks first.

Juliana watched it all from the deck of the Isles Canine's Flagship, when the last of the house ships is again on their way and the Isles' ships are again pulling away to leave them to their race she hands the spy glass to the captian of her ship. "Well we better get going if we are going to beat them back. Weather holding, it should be smooth sailing from here."

Juliana is overheard praising Skapti: 2

Juliana is overheard praising Ian.

Skapti has left the Leatherback, a Navegant longship.

Juliana is overheard praising Wash.

Ian is overheard praising Wash: We're getting that flag framed.

Juliana is overheard praising Alrec.

Wash is overheard praising Juliana: A careful decorous lady of Pravus. Yes, all those words belong in the same sentence.

Ian is overheard praising Aethan: Still the best at what he does. Not sure about all that mercy, though.

Juliana is overheard praising Aethan.

Juliana is overheard praising Turo.

Ian is overheard praising Juliana: Pretty sure no one died, so that's good.

Sebastian has left the Bullsharks a Pravus ship.

2 Pravus Honor Guard leaves, following Sebastian.

Alrec has left the Bullsharks a Pravus ship.

Ian has left the A Stormward Fleet ship.