//------------------------------//
// Chapter 7. The Shipwright of Casco 
// Story: A Ship-of-the-Line 
// by KonceptKarma 
//------------------------------//

	As they paddled towards the docks of Casco's harbor, Carronade couldn't help but wonder if this was a bad idea. It wasn't like an Equestrian ship-of-the-line was inconspicuous while anchored in a busy port. The Ciervans probably had informants everywhere in the city, and every merc on a payroll. If he asked someone about anything to do with Ardid or the Ciervan Empire, they'd probably report it back to them, and he'd be found out. 
"Hey, Carronade," His thoughts were interrupted as the orange pegasus prompted him, "you alright? You look like you're gonna be sick."
"I'm fine Stark. I'm just a little nervous is all." Carronade examined the busy harbor as he answered.
"That's a good thing you know." Stark huffed as he paddled the longboat towards the docks.
"How so?" The unicorn cocked a brow in confusion.
"Cause it means you're not stupid," Stark stated matter-of-factually, "we're in a perilous spot here Carronade. The Ciervan Empire wants war with Equestria, our government, and our armed forces know nothing of this, and we're deep within uncontrolled territory, hundreds of miles away from the mainland. If you aren't nervous right now, you'd have to be pretty damn deluded."
"Yeah, I suppose you're right." Carronade wondered to himself as the longboat drew closer to the docks.
"And one more thing..." The pegasus started.
"What?" Carronade asked.
"Why am I paddling when you're got magic?" Stark let go of the oars as he spoke. Carronade sighed and grasped them with his magic, and finished the journey to the docks. As the two ponies pulled themselves from the longboat, they looked around at the buildings, looking for any signs indicating the location of the shipwright. He spotted a small shop sporting a sign that said shipwright in Ciervan across the front. 
"I'll go talk to the shipwright," Carronade leaned in towards Stark to drown out the noise of the city, "you head to the tavern and see if you can find any information on Ardid." 
"Aye, we'll meet back at the longboat in an hour." Stark nodded as they made their plan. With that, Carronade trotted into the shipwright's small shop. Inside, a blue unicorn stood behind the counter. She was dusting off what appeared to be antiques from an old ship. 
"Hello my good sir, what can I help you with today?" She called out in a cheerful voice.
"Um, well yes," Carronade hesitated for a second, his doubts came to the surface of his mind, "this is where the local shipwright works, isn't it?"
The unicorn eyed him curiously, her cheerfulness vanished, "Aye, it is? Are you here to extort from me too?"
"Extort from you," Carronade blurted out, "of course not. I'm here to hire you."
Her eyes narrowed, "So you aren't navy then?"
"Why does that matter?" Carronade was thrown off by the question.
"Because," She hesitated to answer for a moment, but irritation forced her to continue, "it's those damned Ciervans. They come here and threaten me about taking contracts. I've lost nearly all of my business due to them scaring off local the local privateers and merchants."
"Why would they do that?" The unicorn was genuinely surprised by this. 
"Because, I refused to swear fealty to them. I'm not going to bind myself to one client. They also wanted a majority of the revenue I received from jobs in return for what they called 'protection.' The Ciervans want all the local sailors to go to shipwrights who are in their pockets. Because I refused, they threatened myself, and all of my clientele."
"I'm sorry to hear that ma'am." Carronade consoled. 
Her dwelling on the past was suddenly interrupted be her mind snapping back to the present, "You still haven't answered my question. Are you navy?" 
"Aye, I am." Carronade was about to explain, but a look of shock suddenly spread across the mare's face. Before he could say a word, she leapt over the counter, galloped toward him, grabbed him by the hoof and threw him over her shoulder. Her strength was frankly incredible. Carronade tumbled across the floor, and slammed the back of his head into the counter, blurring his vision. As it began to return, he heard the familiar click of a pistol loading. When his vision cleared, he could see the mare standing over him, with a pistol pointed directly at his forehead. She was shaking vigorously. 
"I can't believe I said all that stuff to you. The Ciervans have killed ponies for less." Her voice quivered as she spoke.
"Wait, you don't understand," Carronade tried his best to stay calm, "I am navy, yes. But I am not Ciervan."
"Who are you then?" Her shaking slowed, clearly his explanation was working.
"I am with the Equestrian Royal Navy," Carronade continued, "look out the window there, you see that man o' war docked in the harbor? That is the ship I'm stationed on. The Ciervans tried twice to sink her, they killed many of my friends, and our captain. We desperately need to get back to the mainland and warn our leader of the Ciervan's treachery. You are the only one who can repair her and help us get home. I can't promise you gold, or safety, but I'm desperate. Please, can you help us?"
The unicorn pondered not trusting him for a moment, but slowly, she lowered the pistol and sighed, "I'll help you on one condition."
"Name it." Carronade's hesitation was gone.
"Take me with you to Equestria," She could see the surprised look on Carronade's face as she named her condition, "I have nothing left here. I have no family, no friends, and my livelihood has been shattered by the Ciervans. My only condition is that you take me with you. In turn, I'll repair the ship to a state finer than she's ever been in. Do we have a deal?" As she finished, she held a hoof out to Carronade, who she still had pinned to the ground.
He didn't see any other way to answer, "Aye, we do," he extended his own hoof to hers, "I still can't promise your safety, or pay for the job in fact." 
"That's fine, I just want out of here," She sighed in relief as she pulled him up, "I never got your name sailor?"
"Carronade, yours?" He answered.
"Keel," She placed a hoof on her chest in self identification, "Keel D'Elegance." As the two trotted out of the shop and towards the longboat, Stark galloped up towards them.
"Carronade, we have a problem!" He yelled.
"What, Stark what happened." Carronade noticed his coat was roughed up, and as he stopped, he clutched his right shoulder in pain.
The pegasus looked at the ground in shame, then began to explain.