Predators from the East (eBook)

A Cape pirate adventure, Book 18

Gerrie Radlof, Pieter Haasbroek (Autoren)

Pieter Haasbroek (Herausgeber)

eBook Download: EPUB

2025 | 1. Auflage
83 Seiten
Pieter Haasbroek (Verlag)
978-0-00-072750-3 (ISBN)

Infos

When predators from the East strike, a reformed pirate must become the monster he swore to bury...

Plunge into the Golden Age of Piracy (1690-1720), where the treacherous waters of the Cape of Good Hope are just the beginning of a worldwide adventure.

On the unforgiving coast of South Africa, former sea pirate Captain Oloff van Wagenaar has traded his cutlass for peace. But that fragile life shatters when the ruthless Prince Malik of Zanzibar arrives with a fleet of swift warships, kidnapping women and children for the brutal slave markets of the East.

Driven by vengeance, Oloff launches a daring high-seas pursuit across treacherous waters. But the hunt is more than a battle of swords and cannons. It is a deadly game of naval strategy against an enemy who always seems one step ahead. To make matters worse, a vengeful governor seeks to sabotage Oloff's mission, tightening the noose around his crew.

As tides of war and betrayal rise, Oloff faces an impossible choice. Cling to the peace he craves, or embrace the darkness of his pirate past. Amidst bloodshed and chaos, a forbidden spark of love threatens to consume him, and may cost them all their freedom.

A gripping blend of swashbuckling pirate adventure, historical fiction, and high-stakes thriller. Perfect for fans of Bernard Cornwell, Patrick O'Brian, and nautical epics filled with action, betrayal, and romance on the high seas.

Step aboard and discover the eighteenth book in the unforgettable Oloff the Sea Pirate saga today. Adventure awaits.

Textauszug

Chapter 2

Shortly after noon on the third day, the watch at the top of the middle mast shouts excitedly. Malik steps out from under the sail and Ramath hurries closer with binoculars.

“Fertile land, Your Highness,” he remarks.

Malik places the instrument before his right eye. Alongside a broad river mouth lies a neat village against the slope of a hill. The riverbanks are rugged, but on either side of it, fields and orchards stretch, and high on the crest, he can see a large herd of cattle.

“What place is it, Ramath?”

“It must be the Kars River, Your Highness,” replies the admiral. “I don’t know the settlement itself. A year ago, when I passed by here, it was not there yet.”

“A new establishment, therefore,” remarks Malik, like one who is judging a champion bull. “And the lot are diligent. They have accomplished much in such a short time.”

“Diligent, strong slaves,” says Mesud.

“Yes, they probably worked like slaves to build their village,” adds Orkkan.

“How glad they will be that we are relieving them of the effort,” smiles Malik.

“How sad,” Aydin lets him hear.

“Aren’t you tired of your own babbling yet?” Orkkan snaps at him.

“I’m just pointing out the other side of the picture,” says Aydin dryly.

“I want to go ashore myself to get to know the people, Ramath,” commands Malik.

The admiral bows and departs. Through the broad hatch, Malik goes to his spacious cabin, and an hour later he takes his place in the ship’s boat with his friends. There are about thirty men and women on the beach, and they help to pull the boat high onto the sand so that Malik and Mesud can disembark on dry land.

The tall, lithe man, with a friendly face that still looks young but with wrinkles of deep experience around his eyes, steps forward. Ramath goes to meet him.

“Welcome to Wagenaarsrust,” greets the tall man. “I am Captain Henning Roux.”

“Admiral Ramath,” and Ramath bows slightly. “May I introduce you to Prince Mahara Jaman Malik, son of the Sultan of Zanzibar.” He also introduces Mesud and the others, and then Malik exclaims heartily.

“How pleasant to feel solid ground under my feet again.” With a wave towards the river and the hills, he continues. “And in such a pleasant environment.”

“It is peaceful here,” admits Captain Roux. “May I invite you to come and enjoy a refreshment at my house?”

“Most certainly. I am on a journey to Europe for certain negotiations. We intended to hate the Cape, but our water has run out.”

“We have plenty of that, Prince,” laughs the captain. “The Kars River is full and fresh. I will immediately make arrangements for a team of my men to assist your people as soon as they bring the barrels.”

“Thank you. The matter should be completed by tonight. You will surely not mind if we just stay overnight in the still waters of the bay?”

“Of course not,” Captain Roux looks at the six ships that are swaying gently on the swells. “An original style,” he remarks. “Built mainly for speed, or what?”

“My own design,” replies Malik proudly. “The fastest on the sea.”

“I believe you, Prince.”

They walk up the sandy street. Most of the houses are spacious and comfortable and solidly built of wood. There is also a church with a stone tower, but what somewhat upsets Malik is several batteries of two cannons each along the main street against the slope of the hill.

“My admiral informs me,” he says after a while, “that this settlement was not here a year ago.”

“That is so,” replies the captain. “It is possible that you have already heard of Oloff the Pirate, Prince?”

“Oloff the Pirate!” With genuine surprise, Malik stops to look at the others before they walk on again. “Who is there who hasn’t heard of him?”

“This settlement was founded by him. The inhabitants are the crews of his ships, one of which I was captain of.”

“Then it is an honour to meet you, Captain Roux,” Malik assures him in his flawless Dutch. But now he feels more restless than before. The world knows of the daring exploits of the formidable Oloff the Pirate. Here, therefore, he will not be dealing with a bunch of innocent settlers. Everyone is an experienced fighter. Yet, and he shakes the thoughts from him, it doesn’t seem to him as if there are too many of them. In any case, men of their calibre will fetch unheard-of prices on the market. “I have heard,” he continues now, “that it later turned out that you were not really pirates, but were known as such to be better able to deal with your affairs?”

“Our innocence has been proven,” confirms Captain Roux.

“I would like to meet Captain Oloff.”

“Unfortunately, he is not at home. A few months ago, pirates from the Caribbean Sea attacked us here. They had come to take revenge as a result of a defeat we had inflicted on them a while before. Great damage was done to our village. Captain Oloff, however, chased after the ruffians,” he assures Malik with a half-apologetic smile. “And dealt them the coup de grâce. He only returned a week or so ago and almost immediately left with his ship, the Seewraak, to the Cape to fetch supplies and building materials. We expect him back by tomorrow evening or the day after tomorrow morning.”

“That is a pity,” says Malik. “But,” he continues eagerly, “I may decide to stay. He is the man of whom I have already heard so much that I would very much like to make his acquaintance. I understand that it will be difficult to find a better seafarer. I am particularly interested in such matters as I want to expand my father’s fleet.”

“It does not seem to me as if you need much help, Prince,” remarks the captain in his hospitable, easy manner, and he indicates the six ships in the bay.

“There is still much that I can learn,” replies Malik modestly.

An hour later, after a drink or two of delicious, cool Cape wine, they return to the ship. To keep up appearances and to reassure the inhabitants of Wagenaarsrust, Malik asked Ramath to send water barrels ashore. On the beach, amidst the activity, he takes a hearty farewell of Captain Roux. Once again, he informs him that he will decide during the night whether he will stay to wait for Captain Oloff’s arrival. He declines Captain Roux’s invitation to sleep ashore.

“The loot here surpasses anything we have encountered so far,” he says seriously when he and his friends have gathered with Ramath and a few of the officers under the sail. “However, it will be more difficult to get it into our hands. We can only hope that they are not suspicious of heart and do not place a whole lot of guards along the beach.”

“Are you planning an open attack, in the dark, of course?” inquires Ramath.

“Only a third of our plans. Ramath, you have surely already noticed the isthmus to the left of the bay.” When the admiral nods, he continues. “With a third of the soldiers and sailors, you will go around that way and descend on the village over the ridge. Mesud, you and Orkkan, will lead the rest. You will go ashore to the right of the river, cross it as soon as you find a reef and tackle them from that side. I and Aydin will dash straight onto the beach.”

“But the batteries, Prince,” Ramath objects.

“I will not be reckless,” Malik assures him with a smile about the others’ concern. “In any case, I have the cautious, sensible Aydin with me.”

Mesud and Orkkan snort. The admiral forces a laugh for safety’s sake. He bows and departs with the captains of the various ships.

When Malik climbs into the boat an hour or so after dusk, he stands still for a moment and stares at the lights of the village a little ahead of him. In a couple of nights, the moon will rise so early that they will have to change their tactics.

The two other parties had already left half an hour earlier. In the complete darkness, no one could have seen them from the shore, and the breaking and splashing of the breakers would have muffled all sounds.

Then he gives a muffled command and about twenty boats glide through the water towards the beach. Malik can see the white foam crests of the breakers and the rowers are already resting on their oars, to wait for a suitable moment to shoot onto the beach together with a breaker, when the bang of a cannon shot tears through the silence of the night.

“Is your visit friendly?” comes a voice through a megaphone over the breakers, and Malik recognises it as that of Captain Roux.

For just a moment, he hesitates. That they saw the boats so quickly is surprising enough, but apparently they were ready for something like that. So, he has slightly misjudged him.

“Of course!” he shouts back. “Is that Captain Roux?”

“Yes. You must not hold it against me, Prince, but after years of a pirate existence and the experience of a few months ago, we are just careful. May I request that you first come ashore alone?”

“Most certainly.” Muffled, Malik orders the crew of the boat to get ready for the attack. His command is called from boat to boat.

When the boat hangs against the front of the breaker and is pushed rapidly towards the beach, it thunders simultaneously from all batteries. The first bullet has passed high above their heads, but now it is ploughing through the sand in the shallow water around them. A few loud cries and the cracking of splintering wood indicate a direct hit.

Then they storm through the rushing water and over the beach. Between the nearest buildings,...

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 27.8.2025
• Übersetzer: Pieter Haasbroek, Ai
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Literatur ► Fantasy / Science Fiction ► Fantasy
• Themenwelt: Literatur ► Romane / Erzählungen
• ISBN-10: 0-00-072750-4 / 0000727504
• ISBN-13: 978-0-00-072750-3 / 9780000727503