A visible shock ran through the small crowd of onlookers. They conspirators lowered their contraption over the prow by way of hoist and held or looped ropes through cleats. Slowly they lowered the thing into the water letting out slack as needed. The weights on the bottom pulled it deeper and the slack on ropes allowed it to sink. As they neared 35 foot depth the ropes started going taunt, at 45 foot they were struggling to hold back the ropes. Against their pulling the ship eased forward in the water. They were moving again. They adjusted the depth and rope tautness until satisfied and then lashed off the ropes. Thomas turned back and beamed at the crowd. A tiny breeze ruffled Springer's hair as he stood at the wheel. He turned to Dirk saying, "Well I'll be dipped in pig slop, we are moving." He chuffed Dirk on the shoulder and the man's blue eyes sparkled back at him. He said, "Well I'll be damned. It's only about 3 or 4 knots but I'll take it."
An amazed cheer went through the onlookers and others had run up on deck as they felt the ship moving. Arya who had returned to her poop deck perch to watch all this transpire grinned from ear to ear. Springer and Dirk fiddled with the wheel moving from side to side in the 'current' to find the sweet spot. At last they pronounced 5 knots and holding. Their heading was on course and in a dead calm wind they were still sailing. Arya walked down to where Thomas was being buffeted by well wishers. He and Gendry were the heroes of the hour and they were soaking in the adulation. Arya pulled Thomas aside and said, "How did what I said make you do this?" He grinned at her, "That blow to the head stunned me, I saw stars and then an image in Samwell's copying notes. And you said pull and it clicked in my head what that image was of." She looked closely at him, "You know Samwell....Samwell Tarly?" He said, "Yes. We met at the wall where the maesters sent me. They wanted rid of me so they sent me to help with designing a gantry along the wall. I knew Sam had been at the Library before me but we didn't meet there." She said, "Notes? What notes?" He walked her back towards the stairwell saying, "Sam was tasked with copying old scrolls, he truly is a genius. When faced with the " ""Mad" Maester's scrolls, which were so old and faint no one could read them, he used a glass table with a lit lantern underneath to read the words. He made accurate notes and corrections and then used them to scribe three new copies of the scrolls. He had kept his notes recognizing their worth. Sam and I hit it off because we were similar and had like interests. At one point Sam said, "Wait here." He ran off and then came back carrying three piles of notes saying, "You will probably be able to make better use of these than I ever will." Thomas added, "Come on I'll show them to you. They are where I steal my best ideas." They went below decks to Thomas's quarters off of Gendry's forge. He pulled the notes out in a leather binder where he had ordered and secured them. She flipped through the pages that were filled with crazy ramblings and images of all kinds. She found the image of the 'water sail' and looked for descriptions or notes about it. There were none. She turned her eyes to Thomas, "But there is nothing written here about that 'water sail' just a drawing, and yet you were able to see it completed and used to move us forward." He nodded, recognition of her understanding in his eyes. Arya kissed him full on the mouth and then bolted out of the room. She said as she was leaving, "My brother really understood your value to send you with me. I will have to thank him later."