Blood Of The Righteous

by J. E. Sandoval

* * * * * *

  Minutes later, they rounded the corner. However, the inn that stood where The Hunting Lodge had stood had been renamed. “The Happy Basset?” Gabriel remarked. “That logo looks like Father’s scent hound, Jake!”

  Eleenia, still trying to compose herself, looked up. “Yes, it does.”

  They rode their horses over to the water-filled trough and Gabriel tied them to the post. He helped Eleenia down. They walked into the tavern, taking a few seconds to allow their eyes to adjust to the relative darkness.

  A gasp met their ears, followed by a crash as a tray full of empty mugs fell to the floor. “Me poppins! ME POPPINS!!!” They were suddenly both enveloped by a hug from an older woman.

  “Nana Jolina!” Gabriel cried out. “Praise be to God you survived!”

  Jolina reluctantly released them. “Drake!” she shouted turning around, “Get your behind out here! It’s Gabriel and Eleenia! They’ve come back!!!”

  A short-legged hound dog came over to them, sniffed them, and started to whimper, tail flailing back and forth.

  “Jake!” Gabriel said, bending down and scratching the hound, who immediately rolled onto his back in both submission and to get a belly scratch. “At least now we know who has been maintaining the crypt!” The dogs left rear leg started to rotate wildly as Gabriel found his tickle spot. “Oh Jake, the adventures we used to have together.”

  Drake dashed out from the back. Various stains dotted his off-white apron, which he quickly flung off. “Bless my soul! You two are a sight for very tired eyes!” Tears began to well up in the eyes of Lord Ki Kalendeen’s most faithful and honored servant. “Let me get us all some stew and ale… and sweet wine for my sweet Eleenia.”

  * * * * * *

  Eleenia had finally composed herself and she began eating the venison stew. Drake had become quite the cook over the last four years. The other three had eaten as Gabriel told them of the events in the crypt over dinner. After a few bites, Eleenia decided she wasn’t hungry. A smile cracked her lips as the hound sat wagging its tail, staring at her with his head cocked expectantly to the side.

  “Drake, I apologize, but I’m not that hungry. Would it be alright if I gave my stew to Jake?”

  “Ah, go ahead. That dog is already spoiled rotten, and it will save me from having to chop up some more meat for him.”

  Eleenia sat the bowl on the ground, which Jake began to eat ever so daintily. Obviously, Eleenia thought, this dog has never had to wonder where its next meal was coming from.

  “So,” Gabriel said, “it looks as though you two have done quite well for yourselves.”

  Jolina and Drake exchanged nervous glances. “Gabriel,” Jolina said, “I want to apologize, but after the attack, Drake and I were the first ones back to the castle. We took all of the valuables we could find in order to protect them from looters, but we sold a few in order to buy the tavern and get started.”

  Gabriel smiled. “Nana, after the wonderful surprise of seeing the family crypt maintained, you’ve earned more than that.”

  Drake and Jolina sighed with relief. “Oh, Gabriel, thank you,” his former nanny said. “I’ve always loved your family as if they were my own, and I wanted to hold the valuables until the house of Ki Kalendeen was restored as the rightful lords of Lystra.”

  Eleenia glanced over and put her hand on Gabriel’s arm. “Nana, I don’t think there will be another lord of Lystra from the house of Ki Kalendeen. I saw David’s grave in the tomb.”

  Jolina motioned for them to come closer. “Poppin, we buried a body in that grave, but it wasn’t David.”

  Eleenia’s mouth fell open with disbelief. “What?!?”

  Gabriel beamed. “I knew it. That is why we are here. We are heading down to New Portsmouth to retrieve him.”

  “Wait, wait, wait! How did you know it wasn’t David?”

  Jolina smiled. “The body’s face was charred beyond recognition, but when we undressed the body, the scar that Liam gave him, the one you stitched so skillfully, wasn’t there.”

  “But why didn’t he contact us? Where is he?”

  Jolina put her hand on Eleenia’s. “Poppin, he has his reasons, and we must respect them. He’ll let us know in his own good time when he is ready to come back.” She leaned back. “Going to get him, are you? Maybe seeing his family will cause him to come out of hiding. Oh, Gabriel. It is hard to believe the man I see before me is the little boy whose smalls I changed for four years.”

  Gabriel blushed as Eleenia laughed. “Four years? Really, brother?”

  Jolina shook her finger at Eleenia. “Don’t you be getting too full of yourself, miss ‘I didn’t talk until I was five.’ Your mother was ready to call in an exorcist!”

  Gabriel snickered. “What were her first words?”

  Jolina smiled. “’Nana, how can I read?’ Now come here, I have something to show you.”

  Gabriel downed the rest of his ale and the four got up. Jake, having finished the stew, stepped in place right behind Gabriel.

  Eleenia frowned. “Oh, I feed you and you follow him. I see how it is.”

  The group made their way through the common area, in through the kitchen, to a room next to the larder. Drake pulled out a ring of keys, quickly sorted through them, and inserted a large iron key into the lock. After a loud click, he grabbed a nearby torch and opened the sturdy oak door.

  The first thing that Gabriel and Eleenia saw was the large painting of their entire family, which their father had commissioned the summer before Gabriel had been sent to the university.

  “Oh, Nana,” Eleenia said, “I can’t believe you saved it! Thank you so much!” She brought her hands up to her face and tried to choke down tears. Throughout the rest of the room were piles of gold candle holders, suits of armor from their father’s courtroom, various objects of art, sterling silver cutlery, Lady Ki Kalendeen’s collection of antique plates, finely crafted weapons, and almost everything else of real value that their family had around the castle, even Eleenia’s elaborate dollhouse that had been passed down through three generations.

  “You say you sold some of it? By the looks of this room, you didn’t sell much,” said Gabriel.

  Drake put his hand on Gabriel’s shoulder. “It was just a few gold and diamond candelabras. We swore we would eventually buy back replacements.”

  Gabriel smiled. “I, as eldest of the house Ki Kalendeen, release you from that vow. In fact, if you find yourself in need or want, feel free to sell more. Just please keep the doll house and the family portrait.”

  Jolina and Drake smiled at one another.

  “I’ve always loved your family, Gabriel, as if they were my own.”

  “Nana, as far as I’m concerned, you and Drake are family.” They all hugged once again as the shadows from the setting sun moved across the room.

  * * * * * *

  David had taken up his usual nighttime spot at the bow of the ship. As he grew older, he no longer sat out on the jib. Leaning against the rail was enough. Most of the crew were turning in, and the sound of the gentle waves hitting the hull of the Waverunner and the occasional flap of the sail were the only things he could hear. Whoever the carpenters were that Karinga had hired were good. The ship no longer creaked as it raised and lowered cutting through the water. Then again, it might just be the fact that they were so loaded down. He decided to purchase a book on shipbuilding when they arrived at Port Cirril so he would have something to occupy his mind while they hid in Bor De Le Maer.

  Again and again he had rolled the scenario of the disappearance of two crewman the other night in his head. He kept coming up empty. Everyone was a suspect. He realized that other than one of the higher ranking non-officer members of the crew who had grown wealthy enough to retire, that was the first time they
had lost a crew member since the night of his first meeting with Lady Malceour.

  He closed his eyes, leaned against the rail, and let his thoughts wander. For a second he thought he heard some voices shouting in the distance. Wrinkling his brow, he turned his right ear to the sea and struggled to listen.

  Yes, there it was a again! Quenton had the best hearing by far of the officers, so David ran down to the forecastle and pounded on his door. “Quenton, wake up! I need you.”

  The door cracked open slightly. “Davey, are you alright? Did you hurt yourself?”

  “No, I need your ears. I thought I heard some shouting out at sea.”

  Quenton opened his door, stepped out, and closed it behind him. “Up by the jib, I would guess?”

  “Yes. It sounded like people shouting, possibly for help.”

  The two men made their way up the ladder to the foredeck. Quenton strolled to the edge of the bow and leaned his head over the jib. “Now quiet, Tanner.”

  David stood quietly, scarcely breathing.

  Quenton’s eyes went wide. “Captain Karinga!” he shouted at the top of his lungs. “Captain!”

  Karinga and other members of the crew strode out of their quarters. “What is it, Quenton?”

  “Shipwreck, about ten to twenty degrees off of the port bow. Not sure how far.”

  Karinga nodded. “Helm! 15 degrees to port,” he shouted.

  “15 degrees port, aye aye, Captain!”

  The officers waited by the jib, listening. Slowly the sounds grew louder until they could make out audible cries for help.

  “5 degrees starboard, helm!”

  “5 degrees, aye”

  “Dunkirk, stand by at the anchor. I don’t want to run into them.”

  The voices got louder until they changed from cries of help to shouts of joy.

  “I guess they see us,” said Fyke.

  “Aye, Corwyn, that they have. Dunkirk! Two minutes, then reef the sails and drop anchor.”

  Two minutes later they were able to see a crew of about 35 to 40 men in the water clinging to driftwood. The Waverunner dropped their rope ladders as the overjoyed men began to climb up.

  David was midship on the port side, helping the stranded sailors onto the ship. He reached down and a black hand grasped his. A feeling of dread came over him as he pulled the Moor up to the deck. “Oh no, Cassim! What happened to the Crimson Moon?”

  The soaked Moore wrung out his clothes as they stepped away from the ladder. “It was Commodore Donegal with the GS Intrepid. They attacked this morning. They ordered us to surrender, which Captain Armstrong did. When they got on board, they captured the captain, took our cargo, and scuttled the ship. They left us here to die. It is a fortunate thing that you came along when you did.”

  “I’m sorry, my friend. Let’s get the rest of your crew on board and we’ll get you lads something to eat. You must be starving.”

  “Thank you, David Tanner. You are a true friend, and I owe you a blood debt.”

  “Well, let’s not get ahead of ourselves there.” David slapped him on the back and they both fell into laughter.

  * * * * * *

  Gabriel had risen before sunrise, removed the bits of shattered skeleton, sanctified the crypt, and readied their horses. It didn’t come as a surprise that Drake had completely restocked their traveling food and water. He even put a small cask of ale in Gabriel’s pack and a cask of sweet wine for Eleenia. Jake had slept with Gabriel the night before, and as he always had done, he hogged the bed, pushing Gabriel to the very edge. The hound sat watching him pack, his tail wagging.

  “I’m sorry, boy, I can’t take you with me. Drake and Jolina are your masters now.”

  The dog launched into a heart-string tugging whimper.

  When he went back into the tavern, Jolina was setting four places at the large table. The other guests weren’t awake yet. The plates were packed with eggs, bacon, steaming sweet rolls, and sausages.

  “Thank you, Nana. Your hospitality has been very refreshing since we arrived in Aragil.”

  Jolina didn’t meet his gaze. “Poppin, things have changed. I’m sure you know that the Defenders have been pushed out of Aragil. The town watch has been disbanded and their duties have been taken over by the Aragil army. It has gotten so bad that most churches have gone underground. Two years ago, one of the priests who had been critical of the monarchy had his mass trampled upon by the king’s men. The priest and half of the parishioners were slaughtered, and the others were marched off to Ironshield and haven’t been heard from since. You had best avoid Lystra and take a riverboat straight down to New Portsmouth. You can be there tomorrow afternoon.”

  “What happened to the family castle?”

  “It is still there, abandoned. The king put one of his lackeys in as the Lord of Kheog. Lord Quinn rules Lystra through the captain of the legion stationed there. The captain is brutal, but as long as the citizens produce their quota of steel goods, he generally leaves us alone.” Jolina looked up as Eleenia groggily walked down the stairs. “How did you sleep, dear?”

  “Like a baby. I woke up screaming every two hours. It is still difficult from me to rationalize those skeletons that attacked us yesterday,” Eleenia said, wiping the sleep from her eyes. She sat down, and Jake took up his place next to her.

  “Maybe you shouldn’t try to rationalize it, sister.”

  Eleenia nodded and took a drink of the apple juice that Jolina had set out.

  An hour later, they were saying their goodbyes at the door.

  “When you find him, please bring David by to see us.”

  “We will, Nana,” Gabriel said, giving his former nanny a hug.

  * * * * * *

  David made his way across the damp deck, picking his way through the sleeping bodies that crowded the deck. With their hold full of ingots, there was no other place for the extra men to sleep. Some of the Waverunner crew had given up their beds to the men who were a little worse off, and more had volunteered to, but most of the Crimson Moon’s crew had refused. David had allowed Cassim to share his cabin, but when he woke up, the Moor had gone. The note he left read “You are very flatulent in your sleep, my friend. I shall sleep with my crew.”

  The morning was unseasonably cold for late Summerlight, and there was a deep fog over the ocean. David took his usual place at the jib rail. The fog was so thick, he could only see about 30 legs ahead of them. No matter, he thought. The sun will be up in a few minutes and it would burn it away.

  He was a bit upset that Karinga had decided to bypass Port Cirril and head right to Bor De La Maer. The iron and copper would fetch far fewer coins there. But he understood Karinga’s reasoning. With the guild getting more ballsy, outright attacking independent ships, it was best to lay low as soon as possible.

  Donegal was the guild’s main enforcer and Gaeceric’s right hand man. He was a vicious captain, and his ship carried 130 able-bodied men and officers. Guild sailors were the lowest of the low, willing to do anything for a handful of silvers. With them in the area, Karinga had good reason to be cautious.

  For a brief second, David caught a glimpse of the top of a main-mast flying guild colors. Time to wake the captain, he thought.

  Quietly, David made his way through the sleeping men to Karinga’s cabin. He gave three quick knocks on the door. “Captain, are you awake?”

  Karinga stood up from his desk and opened the door. “David, please by all means, come in.”

  “Captain, there’s no time. We have a guild ship dead ahead of us. I’m thinking it may be the Intrepid.”

  The color drained from Karinga’s face. “Tell the helmsman to do a 180 and fetch the officers. This fog won’t hide us for long. Get Cassim in here and keep the crews quiet!”

  David ran up and relayed the captain’s orders to the helmsman, the
n spent the next few minutes gathering the officers and Cassim. The seven of them stood before Karinga’s desk in the captain’s quarters.

  “Gentleman,” Karinga said, “We have a problem. It would seem that a guild ship in the area. So far, it hasn’t spotted us, thanks to the fog, but I don’t want to depend on random chance for our lives. Yeoman Tanner believes it to be the Intrepid. If Donegal gets us, we are as good as dead. Cassim, please tell us about the Intrepid.”

  “Large, three mast frigate, crew of about 130,” replied the Moore.

  “The way I look at it men, we have two options. We are faster than the Intrepid, but with our hull full of ingots, it could easily run us down. We could dump the cargo and outrun it, or if it catches us, fight. I want your opinions.” Karinga looked expectantly at his men.

  “Dump the cargo and run,” said Fyke. “With our crew of 45, they’ll outnumber us over three to one.”

  “I agree with Corwyn,” replied Dunkirk. “Dump the cargo and run.”

  Edge nodded. “I hate to say it, but yes, dump the cargo and run.”

  “I say dump the cargo and run,” said Quenton.

  “Dump the cargo and run,” replied Doc.

  “Cassim? Your fate is in the balance too, so I want your advice,” Karinga said.

  “I’ve seen what those pig-waste bastards will do to you. Throw the cargo overboard and run.”

  “And Yeoman Tanner.” Karinga looked at David, expecting the same reply.

  “I say we turn around, hunt them down, and fight.”

  Seven pairs of shocked eyes fell on the Yeoman. Karinga stood up, a bit caught off guard. “I would very much like to hear your reasoning, David.”

  “Captain, they have 130 men. Sure we have a crew of 45, but we also have the 39 men we rescued. Put swords in their hands and their odds are cut more than in half! Plus, the Crimson Moon was carrying whiskey! You know the type the guild hires. They would have heavily partaken in celebration last night. This early in the morning, they’ll still be drunk!”

  “I don’t have enough medical supplies aboard to treat all the injuries,” protested Quenton.

  “Cassim, did Armstrong buy the aloe like I suggested?”