Getting to sleep on the ship was no easy task. Not only was I turning over and over in my mind the past short while that had brought me into contact with a former slave and a law-abiding soldier, the waters were so choppy that I spent some time feeling a bit ill. But sleep did come, whether due to exhaustion or boredom, and the night passed over us without any surprises.
The surprise came at morning.
Trained to get up while darkness still clung to the morning sky, I awakened early enough to hear the soldiers muttering to each other about where precisely they were. In a few minutes, they decided- quite rightly- that we'd been sailing far too long to be simply going to Furthinghome, and that they ought to check whether the ship's captain had come upon some trouble that had made docking at Furthinghome impossible. Two out of four soldiers ascended to the deck, and in about four or five minutes, there was hollering and clashing of metal.
I kicked a confused and surprised Aleksei awake at once, and the two remaining soldiers were momentarily torn between seeing what was the matter and keeping their prisoners in check.
"Don't worry about us," I hollered. "This one follows the rules."
Placing more faith in Aleksei than perhaps anyone should place in any prisoner, the two guards nodded and ran up to the deck,weapons drawn. Seyashen and Silveredge awoke with the commotion, and the first thing Seyashen thought to do was to begin drawing a symbol on the wall next to the ladder. While he worked, two of the sailors came down the ladded to get at him. Aleksei floored one with a solid punch that sounded as though it would crack bone, and I planted a boot in the other's face. He staggered backward long enough for Aleksei to get knuckles on him too, and there wasn't any movement from them after that.
The deck was a riot; the glimpses that we caught while Seyashen worked were sad, but not surprising. It could be expected that, although the sailors were not weak men, they were not martially trained. Some sailors tried to get down to us just to get away from them, but met unfortunate ends. Just four soldiers sounded as though they were making slow but good progress against these fools. All the same, Aleksei rooted around until he could find his taloned kilij and went up the ladder to help. About that same time, Seyashen finished his art project and hustled us all away from the entrance. I was just going to ask him why when another sailor attempted to get down the ladder to what he thought was safety. Seyashen's symbol turned brilliant red, then black, and the sailor- eyes widened and arms suddenly flailing- collapsed, gasping for air.
The noise above us lasted for perhaps a little more than an hour, after which time a half-Elf soldier poked his head down and demanded Seyashen in roaring tones.
"He's not coming alone," I countered.
"I don't care if you all come with him, just- just come!"the soldier responded, his voice wavering between demanding and pleading.
I came up first, and was greeted with the sight of killed sailors being tossed overboard by the survivors. It looked as though more than half the crew had been killed, and a Human soldier was propped up against the main mast, bleeding from a gash in his side. Behind him, two of the soldiers hoisted the fourth over the side. In the distant afternoon, some port town's lighthouse was rather clearly visible- I couldn't help thinking that perhaps this bloody misunderstanding had simply been a few hours too soon.
"Do somethin'," a sailor told Seyashen. "The Dragonborn says ye can do more than raise undead, so that one fetched ye."
"And he would normally have been right to do so," Seyashen replied, having already knelt at the bleeding soldier's side. "But this is more serious than I am currently prepared to handle. Is there any chance of getting to an alchemist in a few hours?"
"No," the wounded soldier protested weakly. "Magic and potions- I won't have it."
"Well, I believe his mind is made," Seyashen sighed. "I won't do anything against his will. So at this point, one can only make his death swift."
"Yes- just- end it," the Human conceded, closing his eyes.
"I can't do that, Toryn," the half-Elf said strongly. "We're almost to the shoreline- just hang on, if you don't want any meager healing that the wizard can work without his potions."
"You are maybe not wanting to see this, but this is much blood," Aleksei said solemnly, shaking his head. "If this shore is more than an hour away, it is too far."
"Then it is too far," one of the nearby sailors smiled grimly. "Better toss him overboard with the others, let him fight the fishes."
"You talk like that again, I'll split you in two," the half-Elf snarled. The other soldier, a rather somber-faced Elf, restrained him calmly.
"We're not in a position to make threats- there are eight of them left and three of us- counting the Dragonborn that we are supposed to be escorting."
"Just finish it," the wounded Human begged. "It's the waiting- watching noonday sun turn dark."
"He is asking for honorable death,"Aleksei offered, looking to the half-Elf. I reached over and put out one of my daggers, hilt-first.
"No," the half-Elf spat, looking around at the gathering sailors. "You can't, he's-"
"Come on, now, we're only stallin' fate,"one of them said with a note of sympathy. "Do as he bids ye, an' we'll haul 'im over for ye."
"No, I said!" the half-Elf cried, staring out at us all as though we were animals. "Get back- get away from him!"
"Calm down, Liam, they're right," the Elven soldier said quietly. "We're not doing Toryn any favors watching him slowly bleed to death. Let him go."
Aleksei finally stepped past Seyashen, waving him away, and took my dagger. "You are not doing this, no?" he asked the soldiers.
"No, I don't think Liam wants to understand the situation. He and Toryn were close- like brothers," the Elf replied. "You're an honest creature, Dragonborn. Send the man off."
"No!" the half-Elf screamed, now nearly wild and kicking.
"Two for, one against- do it, Aleksei," I nodded. "The dying man's vote counts twice."
"Toryn is your name?" Aleksei asked, receiving a nod in response. He slowly knelt behind him, moving in closely enough to merely whisper to be heard. "Tell me, where is your family's house?"
"Findar," Toryn breathed, the sound labored and pitiable. "Spent- spent most my life there."
"Are you having family there still?"
"Don't do this!" the half-Elf hollered, restrained by the Elven soldier and two tolerant sailors.
"My mother, and two sisters," Toryn responded, closing his eyes.
"Think of them," Aleksei counseled in a low tone that I could hardly hear. Seyashen turned away, walking toward the side of the ship, and Silveredge drew close to me. Surprised at her presence, I accepted her chilly, trembling hand. "Think of your homeland, how it is when you are growing up. Walk again the streets, see again the people there. Look to your gods."
And quickly, my dagger pushed into the left side of Toryn's upper back, twisted, and then pulled out. Looking at Toryn's face, it seemed as though the pain had only been a pinch compared to his steadily bleeding wound, and after the first sharp gasp, his body relaxed peacefully. The half-Elf cried out loudly, nearly collapsing to the ground, as the sailors parted before Aleksei, who picked Toryn up and carried him to the other side of the boat. Silveredge turned her head into my shoulder as the Dragonborn lifted Toryn's body over the side and dropped him, and I- not really knowing what else to do- laid a hand on top of her tousled hair.
"It's no clear dock here, mate,"one of the sailors hollered over the half-Elf's mourning. "We'll 'ave to push on. Maybe reach Tezir by morrow's dawnin'."
It took me approximately thirty seconds to realize that they were now addressing the remaining soldier as though he were the new boss in charge. "What happened to the captain?" I asked Aleksei quietly as he returned from the other side of the boat.
"Look behind us," Aleksei shrugged. "Perhaps if he is not yet sinking, you will find him."
The Elf watched three sailors try to get wine and counsel into his half-Elf companion, then turned to the bow of the boat and sighed. "Where are the maps and charts, sir?"
"Stern, cap'ain's quar'ers," the sailor replied. "What're yours, if you want 'em. Code says, 'im what offs cap'ain, gets what's 'ís."
And the sailors, in agreement, shouted and stamped or banged various parts of the boat. It was amazing how much noise just eight men made, and after a few moments of this, the Elf raised his hand to quiet them.
"I little know how to captain a ship; I'm better suited to leading a squadron. I suggest you select from among you a well-seasoned seaman, and if you prefer to have me hang about to make your sword arms a little sturdier, then I'll stay."
"It's no good, mate, code's code. What, have ye fam'ly somewheres, what ye needs to get back to?" the first sailor asked, turning back to the wheel.
"Why don't you take the boat on, sir?" the Elf asked. "You're already at the wheel of the thing; it couldn't be that much of a jump."
"Nonsense, Cap'ain," the sailor tossed over his shoulder, smiling. "Them maps is in the cabin, so ye tells the first mate where 'e's goin', eh?"
With a sigh, the Elf turned and began walking toward the back of the boat. "Yes, I suppose I'd better do that. As for you," he said, turning to Aleksei, "get the ladies back below deck. If there are any wounded that will stand it, have the wizard take a look at them."
"Da, Sér," Aleksei replied in a tone I'd never heard from him before.
"Don't look so surprised," Seyashen nodded as he moved off to get a closer look at any wounded sailors. "You've never seen an old soldier take an order, I suppose?"
I went back below the deck with Silveredge as though in a dream. She, having not spoken a single word throughout the entire day, stared out of the portholes at the floating bodies behind us. I watched with her for awhile, but gave it up when I saw fish begin to nibble at the bloating carcasses. I wondered if Aleksei were meditating on however many men he'd fed to the carnivorous creatures in these waters.
In a few hours, Seyashen returned to us, quickly laying himself down and going to sleep. A few hours after that, Aleksei finally came down, bringing what meager tack and fresh water there was to be had. When Seyashen awoke, he got up and took his time taking his dangerous art project off the wall- and as soon as he'd gotten that down, sailors peeked in to check on us nearly hourly. The day was tense and silent, and I heard nothing about where we were going or when we could expect to get there. I passed time sharpening weapons- first mine, then Silveredge's, and Aleksei's. A sailor peeked down as I did this, and apparently told his friends, since I suddenly became responsible for sharpening the blade of every man on the boat.
By evening, we did dock, and as expected, were responsible for helping to haul all the cargo out of the ship's hold. The city- whatever city it was- was impressive even in the dark, with shadowed spires scraping the sky and various smudges of smoke coming from sturdy looking stone houses. At the pier stood an impatient looking female Dwarf, who eyed us all with the same glare of suspicion. When we'd finished, she crabbed about having to check through everything for proper documentation and charges.
"Men, we lodge at this inn here on the docks," the Elf said, apparently having become used to his position in the space of a half day. "It's not a polite place for women, however, so I charge you, Dragonborn, with escorting your party to an inn farther ashore. I'm told there is a good one, with warm clean beds, in the shadow of a white and gold temple."
And whomever had passed that information to him had been right. I left Aleksei at the half-empty bar almost as soon as we arrived, my ale only barely touched- although I devoured the tasteless meal set before me. Aleksei didn't mind finishing my ale, and Silveredge retired early as well, gingerly hopping up the steps behind me. The bed, with a well-stuffed mattress, was a welcome change to various tiles, wood floors, bare dirt and stone that I'd been used to sleeping on, and even though Silveredge insisted on curling up at my feet like a pet, I slept rather soundly until early the next morning. When I awoke, darkness, as usual, still painted the sky, and I felt free to creep down to the shore to have a look at what was going to be done with all that poison cargo. It struck me as strange that not a sound came from the docks, and for a moment, I thought I'd somehow come to the wrong place.
The bags were all gone.
So was the ship.
But at the edge of the pier, ebony legs crossed and silver hair spilling over his bare left shoulder to a pool on the ground, sat a most familiar Drow.
No comments:
Post a Comment