My skirts were in danger, and as I avoided the rising waters I saw Cyprien was more concerned with something else. The ocean liner was capsizing on the distant side, where our airship had crashed, first. Our airship was caught firmly in the deck of the ocean liner but also still hooked and anchored to the pirate airships by their harpoons and tethers. Those pirate ships were still airborn, but dragging behind. Since our airship was the major weight causing the ocean liner to capsize, all of this sinking was causing the pirate airships to be pulled by their tethers down into the waters as well. If they were dragged under, all of those sailors would surely drown!
Cyprien grabbed a wayward cutlass as it slid past. The airships were pulled closer and closer towards the waves. He ran forward. The blob followed. Cyprien, then, most majestically, and in a very manly fashion, slashed at the ropes that were entrapping those hopeless pirate ships! He thrashed through the water like one born to it! At each snap of the cord, a ship sailed away into the air with cheers from its airdeck.
I wrested my skirts over my knees. I could love such a man, I thought at that moment. What a different view from the thief who once tossed me on my seat during a pursuit!
Then our own airship sank entirely below the waves, snapping the ocean liner in two. As the airship was swept up under the waves, a portion rose out of the water. I saw the lifeboat from earlier— the one still hanging on by that one cord the blob didn ' t dissolve! It was quickly passing over my head. I grabbed ahold of a portion of broken rope and held on for dear life, trying to prevent our only means of escape from being pulled under. I have no idea why I thought my strength could equal that of an airship embedded in an ocean liner sinking into the sea. Brunhilde wrapped her arms around me to hold me onto the deck. Cyprien swung from his last pirate rescue and landed on the upper portion of the lifeboat, slashing at its remaining rope, dropping it safely to the deck onto the blob, neatly slicing one piece the size of a largish child from the rest. But the lifeboat started to slide down the deck. " Jump!" I commanded, and together, Brunhilde and I leapt into the sliding lifeboat. Cyprien followed. And therefore, too, did the blob, lunging forward and waving its stubby arms at the hat.
" Oh dear," Brunhilde said, gasping at the sight. " Is that my blob?"
Date Missing
It is very awkward to do one ' s memoir-keeping while in a lifeboat with several other persons and a very large blob. It has the hat now. It is wearing it at quite the rakish angle, I might add. I did not think it would fit, but it suits him.
I have picked up an oar to keep the beast at bay in case he grows hungry. A true monster hunter makes her own weapons from whatever she finds around her; one cannot count on always possessing the required weapon to suit every kind of beast and creature. It is not actually necessary to always carry a weapon. Though it is usually advised to carry something.
At least, there has been no further loss of life... unless one counts the other section of the blob lost to the sea.
I write these notes in the back of a copy of " Moonlight.” It seems this dreadful novel is the only thing that has survived the sinking of the airship. Mrs. Bamfield clapped her hands as it floated by, exclaiming, " Oh, excellent! One needs only a good book to make waiting for a rescue less tedious. How far did you manage to read, Miss Dashwood?"
Mrs. Bamfield did not appear to care about the change of itinerary... so long as she was reunited with her book. I opened the book once more, and I rejoined my chiffon-clad swooner and her metaphorically-glimmering vampire. I still hoped the swoon was a ploy.