by Don P. Bick
Chapter 11
Camran stood on a hill overlooking the trading settlement of Val. The morning air was cool and there was a light rain shower passing though. Drops of water trickled down the back of his neck. He didn't mind. It was refreshing after the long walk they had completed that morning.
Smoke hung over the valley as the people in the village stoked up their fireplaces to ward off the cool morning air. Through the haze Camran could barely make out the Talmus River passing through the valley on its way out to sea. They were still quite some distance from the village, although the wooden binoculars made it seem much closer.
Camran was standing near the edge of a cliff so high it towered above the massive trees that filled the valley below. It was a breathtaking view. He felt like he was on top of the world looking down into a fairy tale land. At times he still had trouble remembering this was all really happening to him and not just a dream.
It had been two long days of walking with little rest since they left the camp at the lake. They still had several hours of travel yet before they would reach Val. Fortunately they hadn't encountered any more trouble during the past two days. No further trace of the enemy had been seen.
Other than the close encounter with the animal in the woods a couple of days earlier the trip proved to be a very productive one for Camran. He was learning a lot about the land and its inhabitants, not to mention being able to see the beautiful scenery as they traveled. Each day Bran would spend some time instructing him on how to use his sword. The sword was at least starting to feel comfortable in his hand, although it wasn't a natural feeling like he suspected Bran had when he held one. He also no longer noticed the weight of it hanging at his side. He was the first to admit he was less than good with it, although he was learning and with each passing day getting better.
Twil also instructed him daily on the use of the crossbow, along with a regular bow and arrow. He showed a much greater aptitude for these weapons. Each day his aim was becoming more accurate while his speed at reloading and firing steadily improved.
The party of four began working their way down from the highland area into the valley and the settlement of Val. They decided it wasn't a good idea to all be seen together in the village, even though it was doubtful word could have gotten there ahead of them. Even if it had, all that could really be known was that there were four of them now. As far as they knew no one had seen them yet. It would have been pretty difficult, if not impossible, to get a ship out of Echo Creek to OceanBay and then to Val faster than they were able to walk the way they had come.
The village of Val was a trading center for this section of the interior. All nationalities were among those living and working there. The group would blend in easily in such a place. The foursome wasn't so much concerned they would stick out among the other people; but felt the extra precaution was necessary to preserve their anonymity. By splitting up in town no one would have the advantage of looking for a foursome, so it would make it nearly impossible for anyone to recognize them individually. They weren't about to make it any easier for the enemy. There was already enough danger in all they did and everywhere they traveled, without creating any unnecessary risk.
Their plan called for Twil to purchase or rent a small boat large enough to carry the four of them down river, while Camran and Gena would renew their supplies. Bran would stay near Camran and Gena but far enough away that he wouldn't appear to be with them. In that way he would be able to protect them in the event of any unexpected trouble.
Around midmorning they reached the outskirts of the village. Twil left them there and took off in the direction of the waterfront. The others agreed to meet him along the docks in a couple of hours. Camran and Gena walked into the village as though they had just returned from a foraging trip into the woods. Bran wasn't far behind.
A walk around the market and trading area indicated this area was not one for the timid and shy. The market was full of rugged type individuals, such as the type usually thought of in the Wild West days of America. The wilderness was rough and a difficult place to work and make a living, apparently that applied no matter what land or planet a person was on. There were always many dangers for the unsuspecting. Villages like Val consisted of the high spirited and adventuresome people who were not satisfied with a simple normal way of living; at least not the kind of living the majority felt was right and comfortable. These people thrived by living on the edge of danger. This was a rough life and those that ventured here had to be tough to make it in this wilderness.
In the marketplace there was the usual array of goods that could be purchased, such as food, clothing, cooking and camping equipment, as well as a wide variety of herbs and tree leaves used for medicinal and other purposes. There was also a large selection of brightly colored rocks and gems of various sizes, shapes and types for sale. Some of these stones and gems were used to make tools, while others were used for jewelry or other ornaments. Some were highly polished and used as decorations in homes or on ships. But, as in the other markets he had seen, Camran noticed a lack of metal goods.
He didn't feel at all comfortable walking around among all the people in the marketplace. He felt he was on display, out in the open, an easy target for anyone who happened to know his true identity. It was a shame, too. He would have really enjoyed looking at all this market had to offer if he had been able and didn't have to worry about the danger posed to him and the others. It was a strange land and the markets had items he had never seen before, and things he had no idea for what purpose they had been created. He took Gena by the arm and steered her toward a shop that appeared to have the supplies they needed. Trying not to talk much or appear out of place they casually made their way through the gallery of people and into the open shop door. The burden of danger weighed heavy on their thoughts.
The shop had a strong odor of spice and tea. Gena quickly began to gather what they needed. She apparently was also uncomfortable and wanted to leave as quickly as possible. Gena deposited a large pile of goods on the counter for the elderly shop keeper to tally. Camran paid the woman for the provisions and the two left, noticing Bran standing near the front entrance. Although they guessed it had only been a little over an hour since they had separated from Twil, they decided to head down toward the waterfront anyway. There they intended to find a place to get a good meal before looking for Twil and heading down the river. Of course they were assuming Twil would be successful at acquiring a boat right away, not even thinking of the possibility that he may not.
The waterfront was a bustle of activity. The docks were crowded with small ships and boats of every description. For a relatively small place, Val was exceedingly active. Supplies were being unloaded to supply the town while goods were being loaded for exporting to other areas. Camran wished he could talk to someone about all this activity. He was intrigued with this small spot along the river and hadn't noticed any specific goods in the market place that would warrant such activity. He had overheard two men talking about mining while they walked around the market. Apparently mining was of much interest in this area. Since little metal of any kind was available, except on Serpent Isle, many people were engaged in attempting to locate metal ore in the surrounding hills near Val. The main mountain range on the Isle was much too dangerous for the majority of people, which was largely why those mountains were basically unexplored. Few would even consider venturing into the foothills that far inland. And that included even those hearty souls who claimed they feared nothing.
Gena spotted Twil a ways down the dock talking to another Mercurian man. She gestured to Camran who had just started toward a place he had seen where they could get a bite to eat. Camran turned and they walked past Twil a short distance looking at the activity and feigning interest in the ships. When they were sure Twil had seen them they turned around and headed back toward the cafe to eat. Just before going into the cafe a large crate being loaded onto a nearby ship gave way and came crashing down onto the dock. A worker narrowl
y missed being crushed. It turned out the crate was full of white rock headed for OceanBay. And they were sure it was just an accident and not anything planned or aimed at hurting any of them. The fortunate thing was that no one was injured and soon work resumed at loading the ship.
Camran and Gena sat near a window and ordered some fish and vegetables, cooked in a casserole, covered with a deep brown pie crust, and some wine to drink. The food was delicious and a pleasant change from the food they had been eating while traveling. The wine was sweet and went well with the spices in the casserole. Camran didn't understand what it was about the food in this world, it always tasted so good and delightfully different to him. It was one of the more pleasant aspects of his experience in this world thus far.
Bran was sitting a couple of tables behind them sipping on a beer and eating a sandwich. A few minutes later Twil came in, sat at the counter, and also ordered a beer and sandwich. They didn't seem to be attracting attention, not with all the hustle and bustle going on inside the small cafe.
While they waited for Twil to finish eating, Gena reminded Camran about the incident involving the fish at the lake. The one Bran had tried to catch, or visa-versa. Camran couldn't help but laugh again at how comical Bran looked when saying "he got away." They sat and laughed over that and other incidents of the past few days. Gena was always in such a cheerful mood and kept the rest of their spirits up. She was an easy person to talk with and all three men thought a great deal of her, especially Bran. It hadn't been an easy trip for her with three men as companions, traveling in a land none of them knew much about. She certainly wasn't one to complain and that earned her even more respect from the men.
As Twil was finishing the last of his sandwich, Camran and Gena gathered their supplies, paid their bill, then left. They strolled a short ways down the waterfront occasionally glancing back toward the cafe, watching for Twil. When he finally emerged they followed him, staying a safe distance behind. They continued to follow him down the river and into the woods at the far end of the waterfront and settlement area.
Twil was waiting for them out of sight about a half mile down river, away from any buildings. Bran arrived a minute later. Twil said he was able to get a boat that wasn't in very good repair, but it didn't leak. It was all he could do to locate one on such short notice. He left them saying he would return to where the boat was tied up at the dock and float down the river to pick them up.
The trio continued hiking down the river looking for a good place for Twil to stop along the bank, while the small man hurried back to get the boat. Perhaps they were overdoing the secrecy stuff a bit or maybe they were being a little too paranoid, but all three were anxious to get away from the crowded streets and on down the river to Statmer. Mainly they were anxious to be out alone in the wilderness and away from the insecurity they had experienced in town.
It wasn't long before the threesome saw a boat came around the bend up river. It was moving slowly, a few feet from shore. They stayed out of sight until they were sure it was Twil. It was a larger boat than the three had expected. As Twil had said, it didn't look very good but the main thing was it didn't leak.
The boat was covered except for the bow and stern. The cover was curved and looked like a small Quonset hut set in the middle of the boat. Twil explained that sometimes the raindrops were so large the drops would be like a bucket of water hitting you all at once, instead of just being poured on you. At times, it could be strong enough to knock you down. Out on the water there was no shelter like under the trees in the woods, so some protection in the open was considered almost essential in this part of the country.
Inside was also a small stone fire box to cook or to warm up the interior. They figured the trip to Statmer would take approximately two days, so the added convenience of having the fire box was a nice surprise.
After loading the supplies the three hopped on board. Bran helped Gena so she wouldn't get wet. Once aboard, Twil poled off the bank and they headed down the slow moving river.
The river ran at a fast enough pace to keep them moving steadily down river, without the need to paddle. All they had to do was keep the till manned. Twil sat down to take the first turn at steering. They wanted to stay as far away from the most traveled portion of the river and as near to the bank as possible, while remaining safe. Camran marveled at how the seamen rowed those large ships up rivers like this. Although the river was not that fast, it was moving in opposition to the direction of travel up river to Val, and the rowers of those ships had to fight against the constant push of the current.
The four took turns manning the till throughout the rest of the day. When it became too dark to safely see they steered over to shore and tied up. They decided to sleep on the boat at night but to make a fire and eat on shore.
Bran went about cooking dinner. He not only enjoyed it but he was also a fairly good cook. It was Camran's turn to clean up the dishes. They ate and retired early. The four had easily settled into a routine with each doing their share of the chores whenever they stopped for the night.
The next morning it was raining. It started out light during the night but steadily increased in intensity as morning dawned. As they pulled away from the bank it had grown into a steady downpour, harder than Camran had yet seen it rain since his arrival. Although the drops were not as large as Twil had described them the day before, they were large enough to be a nuisance. It only took a few seconds out from under the shelter to become completely soaked. Along with the rain, the temperature dropped significantly. Gena had to start a small fire in the fire box to keep warm.
Bran manned the small hand pump to empty the boat of water while Twil manned the till. Camran tried to cover as much of the bow and stern as possible to keep the rain from getting in the boat in the first place. His efforts weren't very successful. It was raining too hard.
If Camran thought it had been raining hard before, all of a sudden the skies opened up and all there was in the air was water. Camran was knocked into the bottom of the boat by the sheer force of the cascade that descended upon him. Bran was instantly sitting in a pool of water. Fortunately, Twil had the sense and quickness to recognize what was happening and to turn the till toward the bank before he also was knocked into the bottom of the boat. It was also extremely fortunate they were only a few feet from shore. This was the rain Twil had warned them about. None of them had ever seen anything like it!
At that spot along the river there was a long sandy stretch of beach. The boat bottomed out on the sand before it could actually sink. It completely filled with water, but fortunately was out of danger from total loss, at least for the moment. The three men outside of the shelter couldn't get to their feet due to the pressure of the falling water. Gena, although sitting in waist deep water under the covered area of the boat, couldn't come outside to help. None of them could run to the cover of the trees. Slowly, the three men forced and fought their way through the wall of water and into the covered, enclosed space. Gena had already retrieved their provisions from the bottom of the boat, keeping them out of the water. Fortunately, most of the provisions were packed for bad weather and the harsh environment, so very little would be lost in the event the packs did get soaked.
There was nothing they could do but sit and wait out the storm. Camran was fast becoming a true believer in things that were large in this world. They sat huddled together in the cramped space, waist deep in water. At least they were out from under the pressure of the falling sheets of liquid. Camran hoped the covering above them would hold until the rain lessened. The noise of the falling water on the covering above them sounded like a huge waterfall landing on a tin roof. It was deafening and every few seconds one or the other of them would turn their head toward the roof and look to see if it was still intact.
Although it had only been a half hour or so since they were knocked down by the rain, it seemed like several hours passed before it lessened enough to get out of the shelter. As soon as they thought it safe enough they gra
bbed their packs and ran to the nearest cover, a tree some fifty yards away. No sooner had they gotten under its canopy when the skies opened up again, keeping them pinned down under the umbrella of the leaves above. At least they were out of the falling rain and no longer in danger of the boat being washed down river and sunk with them in it. They were all wrinkled from being in the water as long as they had been.
They spent a miserable next three hours cold and wet, huddled together under that tree. There wasn't anything handy to start a fire. So much rain had fallen; the ground was covered with water up to a foot deep before it had time to run off into the river. All they could do was wait it out.
The quiet was immediate when the rain stopped. They were so used to the crashing sound of water that it took a few moments to comprehend the change. It was the first time since the rain had started they were able to talk to one another. Twil told them many unsuspecting or unprepared travelers on the water died in these storms, from what he had heard. Without a doubt they all believed him. They were all thankful that Twil had seen to it they were not among them.
The first thing they needed to do was to secure the boat so it was out of danger of washing down river in the raging torrent bound to follow the rainstorm. With Bran's strength they were able to rock the boat enough to empty some of the water. When enough of the water had been emptied the boat began to float once again. Although, still over half filled with water they were able to drag it more onto the beach. The rest of the water they bailed and pumped until the boat was emptied. Then they dragged the boat farther up on shore and tied it to a large, strong looking bush. It took tremendous effort but working together they were able to succeed and get the job done.
As they finished tying up the boat, they heard the familiar crackle of tearing air as the Plutonians went about their work. Looking out over the river, three dark cloaked figures were gathering up bodies from on top of the fast moving water. A shiver went through Camran's body as he thought of how close they had come to being those unfortunate people now being collected out on the river.
When all was secure they changed into some drier clothes, thanks to Gena's quick response in keeping their packs from getting water logged. Twil scrounged around until he found enough dry wood in the hollow of a tree to start a fire. They decided to rest awhile and warm up before continuing. The skies were still laden with moisture and felt threatening. They thought it better to be sure the storm had passed before continuing down the river. The next time they might not be so lucky. They settled in the hollow around the fire. Soon they warmed up and began to dose from exhaustion. It had been a very challenging day for all of them.