by Brian Keller
The First Mate actually came below decks while Cooper was preparing lunch. When he saw Cooper working in the galley he shrugged and turned to go back up on deck. Kolrem called out, “You two set up the board. I can try taking over in the kitchen now. Cooper’s only cooking because of me.” Cooper couldn’t deny that he would be happy to pass off the ladle and spatula, but he wasn’t convinced Kolrem was at full capacity yet. Cooper put some bread and a wedge of cheese on a plate and placed it on the table and told Kolrem, “When I see you eat something and keep it down, then I’ll know you’re well enough to prepare a meal.” Kolrem shook his head, “Then take away the cheese. Give me a little of that broth to go with the bread. I think I can eat that.” Cooper continued getting lunch ready while Kolrem ate. When he was chewing on the last bit of bread, he gave Cooper a nod and the First Mate was shaking his head at the two boys while Cooper went to fetch the little table.
Cooper lost four games in the first thirty minutes but the fifth game had taken so long they had to call it a draw so they could put it away and set the galley up for lunch. As the crew members were lining up and picking up their bowls, the First Mate observed, “Now that you’ve seen most of the tricks, and been on the losing end of them, you’re already looking ahead and seeing my plans as I’m trying to form ‘em up… Keep this up and soon enough you’ll be bored with me and be looking to challenge the Captain.” The Captain’s voice could be heard from the hatch as he descended, “Challenge the Captain? What’s this about?” The First Mate blurted quickly, “Nine Stones, sir. I been teachin’ the boy.” The Captain raised an eyebrow, “Really? And is he any good?” The First Mate chuckled, “Well, sir. I think it’s too soon to tell. We only really started playing just over an hour ago.” The Captain nodded and the First Mate quickly added, “But I think he shows some promise, sir. I expect by tomorrow I’ll not have much more I can teach him. If we have a few hours this evening, mind you.” The captain smiled, “Well, with such a worthy ambition, how can I not afford you an evening of leisure?” The First Mate went silent. He appeared both hopeful and apprehensive. He finally spoke, “You know, sir, that my first duty and thoughts are always to the ship. I was not asking for any time off.” The captain leaned in closer, a movement that did not appear to ease the First Mate’s nervousness. Then the captain spoke, “I was actually, mostly serious… mostly.” He looked appraisingly at Cooper, “I suspect the boy might become a good player.” He then turned his attention back to the First Mate, “And I know that you could use more practice! We shall see what the evening has in store for us.”
They were able to play a few games that evening. Cooper lost the first two games. He’d been struggling to find a way to ask the First Mate about the pirate attack years ago and hadn’t really been concentrating. As they were placing pieces for their third game, Cooper simply asked, “Sir, what can you tell me about the pirate attack that the captain mentioned? The one where he got burned? You were part of the crew then, weren’t you?” The old man had been reaching to place a stone. He paused, “I try not to think about that, lad. That was a terrible day.” The sadness in the old man’s voice convinced Cooper that he shouldn’t press further. Cooper won the next two games. After that last game the First Mate announced, “I’ll need to be makin’ my rounds. Perhaps we can get in a few games in the morning. After that I might need to present you to the Captain.” Cooper helped the old man collect the stones and place them in the pouch. Cooper had been seeking details about the attack, but came away with something he hadn’t expected… insight. Cooper decided that what the First Mate hadn’t said was more useful to him than anything he could’ve said.
Meal preparations went faster with two cooks, but it still took the same time to do the actual cooking. The boys played a game of Nine Stones as they waited for the meals to cook, each boy taking turns stirring, sampling and adding herbs while the other boy decided his next move. The next game he played with the First Mate was following breakfast. Cooper won soundly. The First Mate slapped the table with enthusiasm, “I b’lieve yer ready for the Captain. Not much else yer gonna learn from me!”
That game was arranged for after lunch that day. In fact, there was enough interest that several crew members stood by to watch. The Captain won within fifteen minutes. Cooper hadn’t even seen it coming. He didn’t even feel disappointed. Instead he felt intrigued. The rules were so simple… He asked the Captain, “Sir, could you show me that again? The Captain studied him a moment and replied, “Well, we might not be able to set up the board exactly, but I think we can get pretty close. Close enough to help you see what you missed.” They did, and Cooper saw it. He had made a critical mistake and it had nothing to do with how he played, or how well he knew the rules. Cooper understood that it had more to do with perspective. It wasn’t like sparring. It wasn’t strike, block, and counter. It wasn’t even about the stones, though it was through the stones that everything happened. It was about control of the board. There were certain key and critical positions, and you didn’t need to control all of them, you just needed to have your pieces in position to take advantage of enough of them. Removing opponent pieces quickly was still of value, but it was secondary to getting pieces into proper positions. Once you controlled the board, you would win. It was just a race to see who could control the board first. Cooper looked up from the board and stared at the Captain. The man smiled back at him, “You see it now, don’t you?” Cooper replied quietly, “I think so, sir. So simple, but completely elegant.” At this the captain leaned back so far he nearly upset the table. He brought a hand down and slapped his thigh as he let loose a boisterous laugh, “We have a young poet amongst us!” He continued to laugh as he picked up a black and white stone, concealing which one was in which hand, “Pick one.” The captain won the next game as well, but the game lasted for more than an hour. Cooper had gained a new perspective on the concept of ‘power’.
That night, as Cooper laid on his bunk his thoughts began to wander. In the game of nine stones to win the game, you had to control the board. That was power. The Guild accepted money for killing, but there was more to it than that. The Guild in Paleros had to have itself insulated somehow. It couldn’t operate openly as the one in Kalistos City did. The Guild in Paleros had been in operation for longer than anyone could recall. How did it guarantee its survival? Coin? Coin could buy a lot of things, but it wasn’t power. Cooper was learning that you can’t buy power, you could only rent it. So then, how? And who had wanted Merton Haneli dead? Who stood to gain? Understanding a client’s motives. That was valuable information. Then his wandering thoughts coalesced. Information was power! Was that how the Guild survived all this time?
In the few days that remained before their arrival to Paleros, Cooper and Captain Rigel played three more games. They had moved the table above deck, near the helm, to enjoy the sun and the breeze. Cooper had plied the Captain about the pirate attack as well, but different from how he had asked the First Mate, Cooper confided in the Captain that he was creating the persona of Salder Varen. The Captain not only described the battle, he also described many of the sellswords that he had known over the years. Their personalities and attitudes were as varied as any could be expected. Some did the job because they loved the glory of battle, the coin was simply a way to keep their belly filled. Others did it only for the money, and if someone came along who would pay them more, they would change allegiances immediately. Over the next two days they played one game each day. The Captain managed to win both times, but they were not easy victories. On the third day, Cooper won the game. As he took away a stone, leaving the man with only two remaining, the Captain leaned back with a chuckle. An opponent with only two stones could no longer attack. It marked the end of the game. Cooper gave the Captain a suspicious glare, “You let me win.” The Captain was grinning and shook his head, “Not really. No. You took control of the battlefield. I simply did not resist as hard as I might have. Even if I had, I think you would have won, but we would still be playi
ng. We had to finish the game. Look.” He pointed off to the southwest. Cooper had to stand to see where the man was pointing, and at first he still didn’t see it. Something seemed familiar about the land mass. Then it was immediately apparent, he was looking at the east side of the Serpent Tooth islands! He hadn’t recognized them right away because he’d never seen them from this side before! Cooper leapt away from the table yelling, “Kolrem-!” He skidded to a halt and turned back to face Captain Rigel and held out his hand. Captain Rigel clasped Cooper’s outstretched hand as Cooper said, “Sir, it’s been a pleasure. Thank you so much. For everything.” The Captain almost looked embarrassed as he nodded his head to the boy. Cooper turned and sped toward the hatch again shouting, “Kolrem! Get up here!” By the time he’d finished shouting those words he was kneeling at the hatch and sticking his head down inside, “Kolrem! We’re home! Get up here and look!”
The boys ran to the bow of the ship and Cooper alternated between looking at the city as the Sundancer glided through the gap between the Serpent’s Teeth, and glancing back to watch the Captain navigate and issue instructions to the First Mate. Cooper looked like his head never stopped moving for the next fifteen minutes, there was so much to see. The First Mate barking orders, crew members scurrying about the ship, pulling in sail, untying lines only to tie them somewhere else. Then watching the activity on the pier and from other boats that seemed to be permanently moored as part of the wharf city. It seemed like everyone in the Waterfront was intent on waving at the ship coming in. As the ship drew nearer to the dock, a few of the deck hands were rushing to the fore and stern to prepare the anchor lines and the boys had a bird’s eye view from the rail of how the dock workers got the ship settled in for loading and unloading as well as oriented for departure. Once the ship’s positioning was in the capable hands of the dock workers, Captain Rigel released the helm and gave the First Mate a nod. The Captain stepped below decks and returned a few minutes later with a ledger and a couple hefty pouches. The ship had been pulled alongside a pier and the dock workers secured it so that the aft was pointed inland. Once the ship was tied off, two crewmen extended the gang plank over the side and let the far end drop to rest on the dock. The Captain walked to the rail and handed one of the hefty pouches to a dock worker who had clamored up the ramp. He spoke with the man briefly and every second or two the dock worker would give a nod to show he understood. He soon turned back and shouted towards the men that had been working with him to secure the ship, “All the crates on the center deck. Then we’ll sit on ‘em til the cart gets here, and load ‘em on the cart. That’s it. We’ll eat well tonight, lads!” As he spoke that last sentence he held the pouch aloft. At least a dozen men cheered in response. The Captain then pointed at a boy who was starting to climb the stern line, “You! Off that line! Come around here! I have a task for you!” At first the boy looked as if he intended to flee, until he saw Captain Rigel flicking a silver coin in the air and catching it. The boy fairly flew up the gangway to the rail. Captain Rigel rolled up a loose page from the ledger and handed it to the boy, “Take this note to the Scrivener’s shop, then ride back with the cart they send. If that cart gets here before dinner time, and they bring that cart right up to the boat, I’ll give you another coin just like that one. Now go!” The boy was much too young to have Manifested, but he surely was fast. The scarred Captain then turned to face the boys, “I’ll miss having my cooks aboard. I suppose now the crew will do nothing but complain until I find them someone else to cook meals. Although many of those complaints will stop, once I tell them that the cook must be paid from a percentage of their shares.” The three of them shared a quick laugh at that. The crew were all busy securing lines, bundling the sails and lashing the booms. Once the First Mate was satisfied the boat had been secured, he leaned over the side of the boat, looking aft then turned to look at the Captain, “Are we dropping anchor, Cap’n?” The scarred man shook his head and called back, “No. Sandy bottom. Nothing for it unless we were further out.” First Mate nodded, then pointed and called out, “Sir! Harbormaster’s comin’!” The captain’s gaze followed where the First Mate was pointing. He nodded then turned to face the boys and shook hands with each of them, “The dock workers are a decent sort, and they’ve been paid. Stay near the cargo and ride back with it, unless you just can’t wait and need to get back to the Guild.” He then turned to Cooper, “And about what we discussed earlier, if Salder Varen needs either a reference, employment, or transport a few years from now, you can count on the crew of the Sundancer.” He stepped over the rail then turned again, “You boys come down to the docks and sit on a couple of these crates, then pull back your cloaks for a minute while I speak with the Harbormaster. Once I’m done with him, climb back aboard and retrieve your gear.”
As they descended the ramp Kolrem was muttering, “I wonder what this is all about?” Cooper shrugged, “Not sure, but maybe he thinks the harbormaster will be giving him some trouble.” As they plunked themselves down on crates and pushed their cloaks back to show their blades, Kolrem asked, “Are we supposed to look mean or something?” Cooper scoffed, “I’m probably not even twelve years old yet and you’re just a couple years older. How intimidating do you think we look?” Kolrem wasn’t laughing, “You underestimate yourself, Cooper.”
An hour later, the boys had their packs and were sitting on crates again, but this time the crates were loaded on a cart that was headed south across the Whitefoam River. They’d missed lunch but the cart would be unloaded and they’d be unpacked and settled well before dinner time.
Chapter 31
Kolrem was glad that he didn’t have to look around to find a bed. Cooper missed Osrim being there, but he supposed there was little that could be done about that. They’d had to leave almost immediately after they’d arrived a month ago, so they didn’t know much of what had happened within the last nine months they’d been away. They agreed that their first stop should be the Copyist’s Room. Most of the hallways were empty, everyone was attending their classes. As they opened the door to Master Worthan’s classroom, the old instructor noticed them immediately. He held up a hand to stop them and then held up one finger as he got up and opened the door between his room and the storefront. The boys let their gaze sweep across the room. So many young boys and girls scribbling away as they copied their own textbooks. Master Worthan called for a scribe to watch over the classroom, and the old man crossed the room to join them in the hall. His eyes were twinkling as he greeted the boys, “Welcome back. I received word from Eryn that all went splendid and you young gentlemen were brilliant. She also sent a letter to your Etiquette instructors stating that she nearly missed Mister Haneli’s eardrum because Cooper’s actions were so genuine she thought he might actually require assistance… or it was words to that effect, at any rate.” He paused to beam proudly at the boys, then spoke again, “And boarding the ship proved to be no challenge? We have the shipment here now, if I’m not mistaken?” The boys both nodded and Kolrem confirmed, “We watched it get unloaded, sir. May we know what the cargo is yet, sir?” Master Worthan clasped his hands in front of his chest, “Perhaps not yet, boys. Suffice to say that the cargo contains educational materials of a hands-on variety.” Master Worthan turned to re-enter the classroom, “Perhaps you could ask Master Loril. He might tell you more. Much of the cargo is his, after all.” Before the door closed, Cooper blurted, “Our schedules, sir?” Master Worthan looked at them through the gap as he was closing the door. Before it had closed all the way he replied, “See me after dinner.”
As they made their way down the hall to the Quartermaster and Smithy, Cooper was muttering, “Why does it feel like every time I’m seeking information, it becomes a scavenger hunt?” Kolrem’s eyebrows were pulled together, “Huh?” Cooper shook his head, “Nothing. Just thinking out loud.”
When they walked into the Smithy, Master Loril already had the lid and one of the sides ripped off of a crate. He was pulling straw out by the handful and tossing it t
o the side. As the boys entered, Master Loril pulled himself up to his full height, “Hello, boys! I heard that you’d barely had time to unpack before you’d been sent out on an errand. Thanks for escorting my goods here safely.” The big man grinned as Cooper rolled his eyes, “Is that what we were doing, sir? I felt more like a passenger than an escort.” Kolrem muttered, “More like a cook, you mean.” Master Loril raised an eyebrow at them, “Passenger, is it? Well then, you should be well rested. Come help me uncrate these ingots and get them stacked.” Cooper exclaimed, “Ingots? But those crates weren’t heavy enough to be filled with ingots!” Master Loril reached into the crate and grabbed one of the metal bricks, hefted it effortlessly and tossed it to Cooper. Cooper braced to catch it, but the ingot couldn’t have weighed more than two regular clay bricks. He felt confused. The ingot was metal, how could it be so light? But still, if the whole crate was filled with these ingots, it would still be too heavy for two men to carry. Cooper circled around to look into the crate. There were only two stacks of ingots, with each layer being twenty or so ingots. The rest of the crate was filled with a dozen or so short bows, twice as many quivers filled with arrows, and straw. Lots and lots of straw. Kolrem started gathering up the straw from the floor. Master Loril asked, “What are you doing with that?” Kolrem had a double armload of straw but still shrugged, “Throwing it in the fire, sir.” Master Loril stepped to block him, “No, no, no. We’ll want that straw. We’ll use it to stuff the targets.” Cooper asked, “Targets, sir?” Master Loril gave him an exasperated expression, “Of course, targets! Do you think we’ll be shooting these arrows at each other?!” Now both boys were confused. Cooper spoke first, “Since when have we practiced archery here?” Master Loril chuckled as he pulled out more straw from the crate, “Not for a very long time. But things are always changing. There’ll be several changes in the next month or two. You boys have come back at a good time… or a very bad one.” Cooper was trying not to lose patience, “Sir, can you stop being cryptic and tell us what’s going on?! We’ve only just returned and aren’t caught up on recent events.” Master Loril took a deep breath, “You already know that Miss Camilla had been breaking down a poison that was being used against us.” Cooper interjected, “Sir, just tell us, please. And please don’t send us to go ask Miss Camilla to learn the next bit.” Kolrem blurted, “Ha! That’s the ‘scavenger hunt’ you were muttering about earlier! Ha!” Cooper was becoming increasingly impatient, he seemed to bristle slightly as he turned to Kolrem, “Yeah. You’re brilliant. Shut up.” Then he turned back to Master Loril, “You were saying, sir?” Master Loril was grinning as he held his palms towards Cooper, “Alright, alright. I’ll tell you what I can. But I can talk while we stack ingots. Come on, back to work.” True to his word, he explained, “In the last month, we’ve lost another eight Adepts, Thief Adepts mostly, but a couple Enforcers. And the few we’ve found had all been poisoned with some kind of arrow or crossbow bolt.” He paused while he collected another armload of ingots, then continued, “Now, I ordered these materials months ago. I wish these had gotten here right away. We might not have lost so many. The curriculum is going to see some significant changes very soon, but once things get straightened out, they’ll eventually get put back to normal. I probably wouldn’t have even told you half that much, except that Cooper was already up to his armpits in helping solve the poisoning questions. Is that enough for you boys to chew on for a while?” The boys nodded. Cooper waited until Master Loril was stacking ingots and Kolrem was beside him at the crate before he said, “Now we’ll go talk with Miss Camilla.” Master Loril called out as he stacked the last of his load, “I heard that.” The boys exchanged curious glances. Master Loril spoke again, “Help me get the bows and quivers separated, then we’ll pile the straw back into the crate. After that you boys can drop off the bows and arrows to Mister Skran in the Training Room on your way to see Miss Camilla. I have more crates to bring in.” As the boys slung quivers over their shoulders and gathered the bows Cooper asked, “All the crates are like this one, sir?” Master Loril nodded, “Maybe not the same, but similar. It’s no secret, but there’s no reason for revealing too much before it’s necessary.”