"It's crazy. The villages, they..."
"Having trouble with the locals?"
Bo hesitated before replying, remembering his talks with Chiros.
I should not complain, it admits a weakness in my own ability to manage the task.
"There are some cultural differences, but on the whole, it’s coming along."
"So, he's left you to it? Completely?"
"The day to day stuff, but... Chiros, he has a way of looking at things. Problems, you know?"
"We all know him lad. Smartest man in Talon, probably. He'll give you enough rope to keep you in the deep, but he won't let you drown."
"Making some coin yet?"
"Starting to. When the next shipments get sent I’ll have some room to breathe."
"Good. Don’t let him forget mind, he’s a tight bastard." Gomes said.
“Too right.” Added Ranon. “All that gold and never buys a round. Not that he’s ever out anymore.”
"What's he doing then, now you're handling his textile businesses?"
Bo was about to answer, before quickly stopping himself again.
"Erm, he told me not to say anything."
"You can tell us lad." Phondock said, keen to hear gossip.
"No, Phondock.” Gomes spoke up. “Chiros told him to keep quiet. We should respect that."
"Aye, I suppose." He said reluctantly. "We ain't going to say nothing though are we?"
"Chiros is worried about the Naru." Bo cut in, changing the subject.
"We all are lad."
"Really? You never said."
"We don’t know anything, that's why. But all of us foreigners are, I mean."
"Why? What could happen."
"Talon and Narubez were close allies before the war. Talon soldiers fought with the Legions."
"Against us?"
"Aye."
"I never knew."
"Carridean historians have tried to put all the blame for that war on the Naru. Most accounts hold that Talon was an unwilling ally, forced to contribute men and resources."
"I did hear that. Is it true?"
"They certainly fielded soldiers against the republic. Whether they were forced or not is a different matter."
"I know they weren’t." Ranon said.
"We don't know. They don’t talk about it. It's too long ago."
"What happened after the Naru lost? After they lost?"
"It happened before that. The old king, this one's grandad saw which way the wind was blowing and swapped sides. The Naru were finished anyway, but that betrayal and more at home made surrender inevitable."
"And Carrid forgave Talon?"
"Aye, they became close trading partners. Then more of us started showing up."
"So, what's the worry? The Taleese seem to like us."
"They do, but..."
"Narubez is very close." Gomes interjected. "Carrid is very far away. And between us and home, if the rumours are true, there's a giant death cult in the desert."
"Chiros said the same, making it hard to ship through the Quoroubi."
"There you go then. Galtus seems to be doing everything in his power to rebuild the Empire, half their men have been recruited into the Legions.”
“I’m not sure that’s conclusive Ranon. The Naru had been out of work for cycles. Giving young Naru men something to do is one of the reasons he’s so popular.” Gomes added with a thoughtful expression.
“Doesn’t matter why. He’s got it now and as you say, they need something to do now the roads and bridges have been fixed. If… No. When war breaks out, we could be trapped in a hostile kingdom." Ranon said.
"War?” Bo asked slightly panicked. “You don't think that could happen again do you? There's been peace for so long." Looking at the faces of his friends to gauge their own level of worry.
"Exactly. Too long. Peace was maintained by Carrid's strength. Narubez was a broken state, crippled by corruption and sanctions. Carrid dominated everything on land and sea." Ranon replied.
"And has monks." Phondock added.
"Aye."
"And now?" Bo asked.
"You left Carrid a lot later than us Bo, think the Assembly is ready for a fight?" Phondock asked.
"Erm... I don't know, never thought about it."
"When I was your age Bo, Carrid was so wealthy it didn’t know what to do with the money. Libraries, statues, bridges... Everywhere you looked people were building stuff. The tower was covered in cranes and scaffold. Everyone had coin, horses and homes. Except for me of course. Is it like that now?"
"No. The economy is stagnant. The streets are filled with homeless people."
"As I have also heard.” Phondock stated. “Many desert folk?"
"A lot. But I think there will be more now. When I travelled down, the road was filled with families escaping the war in the desert."
"See, Carrid's hold on power is cracking. Has been for cycles. The Assembly is beyond corrupt. You know why they have open arms for the Quoroubi people?"
"They need our help? Because of the war with the tribes?"
The three older men laughed again, but this time with little joviality.
"No Bo. They want cheap labour."
“It's not just that Ranon.” Gomes said. “The republic is crippled with debt. The banks have run out of people to lend money too."
"Really?"
"He speaks the truth Bo." Phondock added grimly. "Carrideans have been living easy for generations, while gold leaks away to other states. They've caught up now. Just look around, Talon wasn't like this thirty cycles ago."
"I..."
"Ponder this Bo. Cycles ago, our fathers worked and brought home enough income to support a family. Now, both father and mother work and together they struggle to survive."
"Prices have gone up?
"No Bo, the value of labour has gone down."
"Something's happened in Carrid. Forces, I’m not sure what have been destroying the very thing that made Carrid... Carrid. People aren't marrying and having little ones. Values have changed."
"I don't understand."
"We don't either. Talk to Chiros, he can explain it better. I'm surprised he hasn't already. The republic's slow collapse is his favourite topic of conversation."
"When he's had a few."
"Aye.” Ranon agreed. “I left Carrid to get away from that shit. The point is Bo, Carrid ain't Carrid anymore. Galtus knows it. We're weak."
"But the army? The navy? They still outnumber the Naru, right?"
"Who knows. Adderock smashed the tribes by the sound of it. But then who couldn't." Gomes said.
"Well they obviously couldn't finish the job, if the Shaa is still there." Suggested Ranon.
"They weren't fighting the Shaa."
"They should have been."
"Regardless, Bo. Galtus has had time. And he's smart. Troubles coming, we all know it."
Bo looked at the three men, dark expressions staring back at him.
"If it happens, what should we do?"
"We run, Bo."
"Oh..."
Ranon changed the subject again and the three old men returned to their favourite past time, verbally abusing one another. Bo, who had only just started to feel settled in the city, felt the familiar hole of anxiety growing again in his gut.
After a few more drinks Ranon, as he had a habit of doing, fell asleep in his chair. Gomes and Phondock said their goodbyes to the young man and departed, both wobbling towards the door and down the stairs. Bo drained his own glass and quietly stood, throwing a blanket over Ranon who had started snoring. He made his way up the stairs thinking about what they had been discussing. Halfway up he stopped.
I'm not ready to sleep yet.
Creeping back down, he passed Ranon and made his way out of the guest house into the still night. Winter had set in and the city was surprisingly cold. The street was empty, the only sign of the chaos that daybreak would bring was the mess left from the previous one blowing over the road occa
sionally as it caught the light breeze. He kept walking.
Shit, they all better be exaggerating, I’ve only just arrived.
He took a right turn down an alley, towards a hidden bar that stayed open after hours. Reaching the blue shutters, he knocked. After no reply came, he knocked again and then put his ear next to the wood to listen for any activity.
Closed.
Annoyed, Bo retraced his steps back to the guest house. A dog suddenly appeared from a narrow alley in front of the boy and began barking loudly. Bo edged around the animal, but it wouldn't let him pass, running to the middle of the road baring teeth and barking louder.
"Easy there, dog." He said softly, while crouching down to the animal’s eye level. It growled again, suddenly jumping forward to snap at Bo.
"Shit." Bo turned and walked the other way fast trying not to look back, loud barks following him up the street. More dogs, hearing the disturbance had entered the alley, blocking off his exit.
Fuck. Four of them. No five.
Bo was surrounded, and the barks grew louder. He put his back to the wall and slowly tried to make his way past, each time one of the five would dart forward biting at his ankles before retreating to its snarling friends.
Fuck.
Bo tried a different tactic, growling back at them. A mistake. The largest dog sprung from the right. He jumped out of the way and only by accident, in an effort to defend himself did the back of his hand connect with the dog’s nose, which yelped and withdrew warily.
A rock landed by his feet, then another struck the dog in front of him making it whimper and retreat. More stones, smaller this time hit the cobbles, the sound echoing off the alley walls. The dogs bolted.
"You're safe now." A soft voice called from above in accented Carridean. Looking upwards Bo could just about make out a young woman leaning over a curved balcony.
"Thank you." He shouted up. "I..."
"Wait there" she called back before disappearing. Moments later the door to the house opposite opened and a girl, perhaps two or three cycles younger than him, dressed in a white silk nightgown and slippers approached.
She's...
"You're from Carrid, right?"
Beautiful.
"I... erm. Yes, that's right. I'm Bo. Thank you for... er... that."
"It's fine, I’m Aiona. Don’t you have dogs in Carrid?"
"We have them as pets, but not wild ones in the street."
"Don’t act so scared, they can smell it and think you're up to no good."
"I wasn't scared." Bo said quickly, flushing with embarrassment.
"If you say so." she giggled. "You should keep pebbles in your pocket anyway."
"I will do that, thanks for the advice."
"You're very welcome Bo. I'm sure you can repay the favour."
"Huh?!"
"Coffee."
"What? Oh...." Flushing again.
"You've gone red."
"I..."
She giggled, and Bo noticed her eyes reflecting the orange street lamps.
Beautiful. He thought again.
"What are you doing here anyway? It's late."
"I thought the bar here might be open. I wanted a drink."
"Closed on Sunday."
"I see."
"Pa will get mad if he catches me out here talking to strangers. Especially your sort."
"My sort?"
"Handsome foreigners."
Bo laughed at that and smiled back, slowly regaining his wits. "I'll leave you to it then. Thank you again for your help, Aiona."
"Thank me tomorrow"
"Tomorrow?"
"Over coffee." She giggled again, raising her brow expectantly.
"Oh… Okay." He managed to say before she turned away and walked back to the house. "How will I find you?"
"I'll come to Ranon’s." She said.
"How do..."
"We all know who you are."
"What!?" He said with no small amount of panic.
The door closed before being opened again and a head peaked out. Long dark hair falling off the girl’s shoulder.
"Don't worry, I won't tell anyone I had to save you from the dogs." She said playfully before disappearing behind the door that clicked shut once more.
Bo stood there for a moment unsure what had just happened. Sighing, he made his way back to Ranon's, all thoughts of war and dogs forgotten.
Aiona...
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Isle of Echovia
The lighthouse could have been mistaken for an obelisk, straight edged white plastered sides rising from a square stone foundation that tapered just below the high catwalk. Small vents opened between the bricks at the base, arranged in rings around the structure that used to suck air up through pipes in the towers walls to keep the oil flames burning bright. The fire had long since been extinguished, but despite their plugs, the holes howled in the wind driving the bored men on top half mad.
The once proud keepers had been ordered to leave cycles ago after the island had been occupied. Pirates had no use for such things, the safe routes ashore were already well known. The men still freezing cold despite thick woollen cloaks, glaring out to the stormy dark seas in shifts everyday had a far more important job. Keeping watch. A single dim lantern hung from the wall on a hook, it's light hidden from view outside by a curved holder shielding the night from its flicker. It provided no warmth. At a moment’s notice the men assigned to the tower could ignite the large pan filled with oil in the centre of the room, standing above an octagonal base, brass pipes connected to each side. Immense light would once more flare from the paned windows in warning. A warning not for any ships pilot, but instead a call to arms.
A few evenings before, Kirim had climbed down the cliffs and crossed the slimy rocks to get a closer look. He was back tonight dressed in black, sitting between two boulders watching four men at the foot of the lighthouse. Waiting for the changing of the guard he knew would happen as soon as they finished their conversation.
As the officer had said, the Sotto did indeed set sail with the fleet the day after the Captain's disappearance. He had still not been found and never would be, for his lodgings, not by coincidence according to the generally unanimous consensus, had burned to the ground leaving nothing but smoking ruins. Perhaps had someone picked through the rubble they would have found a charred bone or two, but then... No one did. No one really cared.
Booty to spend.
Kirim had been on board as ordered and after a few failed attempts to exit discretely, was finally able to jump overboard into the icy swells.
That's an understatement.
The ships would never be coming back, and none would be the wiser. He'd left most of his gear ashore, but the swim tested the assassin, fully dressed except for boots which were tied around his waist, crossing several leagues of stormy seas. He had hidden fresh clothes, camping equipment, weapons and a horse to wait out the rest of the week in a more remote part of the island. Kirim had played the role of the drunk a little too well and his face would most likely be recognised if he showed up anywhere near town again. Soon it would not matter.
The guards he had been watching finished talking amongst themselves and finally parted, two walking back down the coastal road towards town leaving the newcomers to settle in for the night. He stalked closer, moving from cover to cover before resting his back behind the last rock between him and the lighthouse. Withdrawing a stolen ancient iron crossbow Kirim carefully, silently, winched it taught. He wasn't a fan of the weapon, deadly as it was, far too loud and hopelessly slow to reload.
It would have to do.
Defying his now dead arms master, he placed the loaded weapon on the ground, readied a throwing axe and mentally prepared the next few movements he would need to take. The assassin rose placing his right foot on a small rock taking his weight, ready to leap over the boulder. He lifted the crossbow towards the larger of the two leaning with his left forearm on the stone. Neither had breastplates and he a
imed directly for the centre of mass. With a loud thwack, the quarrel was loosed striking the man an instant later in his chest, slamming his body into the wall behind. Far more powerful than any bow, the stubby bolt lifted the man off his feet dying instantly as it ripped through the tissue just below his heart. The second guard looked first towards the noise, then across to the fallen man beside him. Just as he was about to call out an axe span from the darkness and struck him in the shoulder, biting deep nearly severing the arm.
Missed, fuck.
Kirim pulled two more short blades from his side and ran directly towards the guard throwing one after the other. The first blade caught him in the gut making him double over while the second struck the wall, where his head had been a moment ago. The guard looked up at the dark spector running towards him. All wind had been driven from his lungs, blood bubbled from his mouth. He simply gasped, eyes pleading as Kirim arrived to finish the job, smashing his head against the bricks.
With a tug, the axe came free and he collected the other two knives, stepping over the bodies to quietly open the lighthouse door and ascend the spiral steps. There would be no warning for the town. And Kirim wasn't even close to being finished.
Long night, tonight.
Five galleys escorting Dokra’s transports broke from the main fleet towards the beaches on the islands eastern coast, while Admiral Letimus took the rest of the ships to blockade the deep-water harbour below the town on the other side of the island. A smaller squadron sailed north to capture the smaller jetties used mainly for whaling ship moorings, though easily convertible as an escape route. Fast ships patrolled the gaps with orders not to allow anything to leave the island. Not a boat, nor a bird.
"Looks good." Ruger, the commander of the fourteenth legion said.
"Aye." Dokra said to the officer standing with him on the prow.
"Rawlin's men have done well."
"Mmm." He grumbled. "let's see shall we. It will take a few bells to disembark the men. They could be waiting for us in the hills, if they know we're coming. Spies are cheap, we could be as riddled as they are. This could be messy."
"For us?"
"Aye" He grunted. Dokra was an old-fashioned soldier and something about espionage didn't sit well with him.
The Ravens of Carrid Tower Page 9