Araya swarmed up the quarter deck past a surprised Portsmith at the wheel still shouting orders. She hit the stairs to the poop deck and spotted Bronn placidly standing at the back rail. "You aren't helping Bronn, those are the men after you aren't they?" He responded "Yes, but their too late aren't they....." The words caught in his mouth as they both watched the leader of the men run to nearby dock where a small merchant vessel was unloading. An animated discussion followed between the dandy and the merchant. Ending in the dandy throwing a large bag of coins and a necklace at the merchant. One could tell he was ordering his 'new' crew to drop what they were doing and get the smaller ship chasing the Sovereign. He pointed in their direction and his crew members jumped into action. "Is there a problem?" Porthsmith asked having come up to the deck.
"You're not helping Bronn!" Arya accused louder again. "I don't want a battle on my hands before we even leave the dock." "If someone dies I will have your head!" Brienne said "I can solve this issue quickly by throwing him overboard Arya." She and a man at arms had just rushed up to the deck. Jack was his name. "Miss I manned a catapult on the walls of the city when the dragons attacked." "Just say the word and I will sink here where she floats." "I'm a crack shot and I can't miss from this distance." He swung the larger port side catapult towards the smaller ship and called for an iron bolt.
Captain Portsmith interjected. "Hold on let's see if she can catch us." Portsmith shouted orders at the sail crews. "We have pursuit, trim her fast when we hit the west winds boys!" He ducked down the stairs and retook the wheel. He was looking over his shoulder at the smaller vessel. Jack was cranking on the on the catapult and a crew member open a deck hatch to pull a large iron bolt out. "Watch the shoals ahead lads, call out the soundings!" Captain Dirk understood the predicament ahead. As they cleared land the crew trimmed the sails perfectly to catch the strong west wind and the Sovereign lurched ahead. The smaller vessel was just clearing the dock having quickly navigated the turn to catch the wind, her sails unfurled and she jumped forward. Captain Dirk had joined them on the poop deck. He mopped his brow with a rag and whistled. "She's well captained" he said "it maybe close." Jack swung the catapult around to face the aft muttering about still having the shot.
The Sovereign swung wide of land and entered the clear channel between the shallow shoals. "Damn." Dirk swore. As the smaller vessel cleared the spit of land she turned sharply. "That captain is going to run the shoals to cut us off." "Her draft is shallow so she can risk it." "She's going to catch us." Jack shouted. "Shall I take the shot miss?" Arya turned to Dirk. "If we hole her below the water line over the shoals that ship won't be lost?" Dirk nodded and Arya told Jack to wait until she was over the shoals and take the shot. "Don't damage her too badly Jack, just a hole below the water line." "Two holes." Jack laughed back at her. He lined up the shot again and as the smaller vessel came atop the shoals. Dirk said now Jack. A loud thunk sounded and a hole on the front of the pursuit ship appeared. The iron bolt bounced through to the shore and the ship slowed obviously taking on water. The dandy could be seen waving an angry fist from the fore castle and one of his men wasted an arrow shooting at Bronn. Across the spit of land Arya noticed Sansa's red hair waving at the very end of the far dock. She waved one last time and doubled over in laughter turning to inform Bran of the outcome.