He secured the lines to the mains and squinted, peering into the distance through the drizzle of cold rain. He could just make out the jagged black line of the coast.
He'd heard it secondhand from the cook's assistant, who had heard it from the vice commander's cabin boy, that the officers were confident of their victory. Gondor should be in chaos from the Eastern armies before they even reached them.
The rain suddenly beat harder against the deck and he shivered inside his oilskins. He couldn't comprehend their confidence. His years had taught him to never underestimate an enemy.