Legends of Marithia: Book 3 - Talonsphere

by Peter Koevari

  “Oh really?” he said, giving chase.

  “Yes really! Come now, don’t tire your old arse out trying to catch me.”

  He burst through the tree line, grinning as he caught sight of her white dress flapping in the wind.

  They ran through shadows and bright slivers of light, avoiding the island’s deadly hidden traps that were placed to dispatch any unwanted visitors. All of the island’s inhabitants were shown where they were, but accidents happened, and the odd bone still poked out from the foliage. He was always so careful in these parts. If he was going to die, he was sure it would be at the blade of an enemy, or the grip of the icy cold sea, but never from his own stupidity.

  He followed her giggles as he turned a corner. He came face to face with Captain Silvertongue, bumping into the stocky pirate’s chest. Raehar’s smile was wiped from his face as he stood stiff. The captain narrowed his eyes as he barked an order through gold teeth. “What ye doing? Yer supposed to be getting ready to set sail! Get yerself on deck before sundown!”

  “Aye, captain. I won’t let ye down,” he said, jogging along the dirt path toward the centre of town.

  “Ye sure won’t! Or I’ll make ye scrub Lucia’s deck whistle clean, ye hear?”

  He sustained a straight face, but wanted to laugh. He had heard that threat hundreds of times.

  “Aye captain, I hear!” Raehar said, continuing down the path and searching for Adela.

  He raised his arm to block out the sun and see better into the shadows. “Where’d she go?”

  Drooping his shoulders, he stumbled toward town.

  He almost fell over as she leapt onto his back, laughing and wrapping her arms around him. “Come on, great pirate, give me a ride into town! I’m getting hungry. That would just be, well, unacceptable!”

  She was getting far better at sneaking around and evading him. He took a few steps, grinned and raised his voice. “Sure Sis, I’ll take ye into town. Hold on tight.”

  He grabbed her arms ran toward the town.

  “You’re really taking me? Well, I’m honoured.”

  Looking back to make sure she was distracted, he turned and headed through the trees. Her giggles stopped as she squirmed and tried to drop off from his back. He held her slender weight with ease as he charged down the bank, along a rickety wooden bridge.

  He paused and cocked his head. “You know, I can’t believe that I can manage to do this in me old age!”

  He hoisted himself up the side of the bridge and ignored her playful cries as he dropped into the cool waters below. The sounds of the world muffled under the surface.

  He burst upward and stood with her dripping body on the back of his. Her high pitched yelling brought on laughter as he stepped out of the stream.

  “Now look what you’ve done. We’re soaking wet!”

  Adela looked down and her cheeks flushed. She wrapped her arms around her chest. He grimaced as he thought about her growing up. She wasn’t just his younger sister anymore.

  “Here. Wrap me jacket around yer body,” he said, holding the dripping leather toward her.

  She snatched it from him and put it on. “Very funny. Now tell me how we’re going to get dry before breakfast?”

  He smiled as he turned toward town. “Come on, it’s bright daylight and the middle of summer! We’ll be dry in no time. Now let’s see if ye can catch yer terribly older brother!”

  She giggled as she gave chase, and they were soon running through the town centre. It bustled with morning activity. He looked back to see her gaining ground on him and leapt over a fruit stall, rolling through the dirt and returning to his feet.

  The stall holder’s stern voice bellowed, “Watch where you’re going!”

  Adela complained while diverting around the stalls. “That ain’t fair!”

  He continued past the baker’s stall and untied his pocket, retrieving a polished gold coin and flicking it to the baker’s boy as he snatched two large spicy bread rolls. “Keep the change!”

  He enjoyed the sweet aroma of freshly picked peaches from a nearby fruit stall. The smell of fruit always brought him back to his childhood, when his life was not on the salty seas. One grows tired of eating dried meat and stale bread.

  Adela followed him through the town and called for him to stop and share the food with her. He finally gave in and watched as her chest heaved and running slowed. Just when he was about to give up, he realised they had arrived near the opposite side of the island. The town centre was close to the narrowest section of the island, where the ocean connected into a large mouth, and a seemingly endless line of ships were anchored there. A maze of wooden bridges ran around the port and connected to all of the ships.

  Adela puffed as she took in the sight of their fleet. “I forget... just how beautiful... it is here. My word! We’re drying out already.”

  Raehar took her by the hand and led her down into the busy port, waving to many familiar faces nearby. “I know, and it’s rare we get time together like this while I’m on land. Come on then, ye always complain about wanting to see me ship. Today’s yer lucky day.”

  Her eyes widened as she spluttered her words. “Lucia? You’re taking me to see Captain Silvertongue’s ship? But I’m not allowed down here! I’m not a sailor like you. I could be severely punished.”

  “Worry not, and trust me, aye?”

  Leading her toward the pirate port, their bare feet found sand. He always loved the feeling of soft grains between his toes. Memories of them running along Grenlees’ shores in their childhood were treasured ones. Reaching the edge of the bridges, they climbed the wooden steps. Everyone was far too busy to notice them amongst the crowds of pirates lugging supplies and making their way to the many ships.

  So far, it had been easy.

  He nodded with growing enthusiasm as they approached the largest vessel of them all. “This is our ship. We call her Lucia, and she’s never lost a battle.”

  Three guards in silk clothing approached and drew curved swords. The largest of the trio spoke up. “Raehar, whatchya doing lad? Ye know ye can’t have your sister here, eh?”

  So much for an easy visit, he thought.

  He knew the men well. Guarding the ships was as boring as watching grass grow, and they drew straws whenever they returned home. They had to stay with the ships the whole time, including sleeping on the ships, which meant missing out on the joys that land provided.

  He threw him a loaf of spiced bread and grinned. “Here, enjoy yer breakfast on me. Look, we sail soon and I just wanna moment to show her our Lucia, and then me sis’ll be on her way. I swear it.”

  The guards looked at each other and returned to their posts. “If the cap’n sees ye, we didn’t know ye were there, aight? We ain’t getting whipped for ye.”

  Tugging at her hand, he led her toward the bow of the ship, running his hands along its surface. “Ye know that Lucia’s known for her speed and always returning with all sailors on-board. The ships are all guarded, but none as much as Lucia.”

  “What makes her so special?”

  “Only certain ships, like this one, are a shade of dark green, and larger than the rest. These special ships all belong to the best captains.”

  Adela reached out and touched the ship, pulling her hand back and staring at its surface. “That’s strange. It feels softer than I expected. So, why all the secrecy with never letting anyone come close to the ships, aye? I don’t see anything so scary here.”

  Adela bumped into Raehar as he stared up at the giant figurehead. It was a carving of a fierce woman with scaled skin and large bare breasts. Her face had striking features with flowing hair, and she held a shining silver long-sword in her hands. Lucia’s eyes twinkled in the light. He turned to see his sister’s face paling and jaw dropping.

  “Wow! This sculpture is amazing and so life like. It’s almost as if she was real.”

  Raehar passed Adela a piece of bread and said, “My sister, Adela, please greet Lucia.”

  Adela
looked at him as if he was a mad man, but indulged him. She bowed and said, “A pleasure to meet you, Lucia.”

  “Whatever is so odd about my appearance, young Adela? Do I frighten you?”

  Adela near jumped out of her skin as she stumbled back and was caught by Raehar’s strong arms. “Bu, bu, but...”

  Lucia smiled at Raehar as if they were old friends.

  “Raehar, you never bring me visitors. Is this one a bit thick in the head?” Lucia said, cocking her large face as she stared at the girl before her.

  Adela’s voice heightened. “I beg your pardon!”

  Raehar roared with laughter as he steadied his sister and barely managed to form words before composing himself. “No, not at all. She has just never met anyone like ye before.”

  His sister approached and stared at Lucia’s eyes. “You’re alive?”

  He had rarely seen Adela shocked by something, and it brought Raehar great pleasure to see her like this. She always acted like she knew everything, and sometimes he wondered where she got her knowledge from, especially her sudden interest in history. She kept telling him she studied books taken from ships. Raehar had no interest in studying, so he just took her word for it.

  What good does a book do for a pirate? he thought.

  A loud banging came from her deck. Lucia snapped around and snarled. “Watch it! You brutes don’t know how to treat a lady. Keep that up and I’ll roll you fools into waves. That’ll teach you some manners.”

  Lucia turned back around and tapped the sword’s blade on her shoulder. “Alive is an interesting word, and it is one which young Raehar takes great pleasure in discussing with me. I don’t really know. What I do know is that I am the ship and the ship is I.”

  “This is amazing! I can’t wait to tell,” she said, before Raehar placed his fingers over her lips.

  “No, ye cannot speak a word of this to anyone in Grenlees, d’ye understand?”

  She nodded slowly, returning her face to Lucia. “But this is extraordinary. I’ve seen nothing like her.”

  “I am anchored right here you know. I can hear everything you’re saying.”

  “My word! How many ships are like her?” Adela said.

  “Most of the largest of our ships have been turned, but it is not a simple thing to create a ship like Lucia. Here, come with me.”

  Raehar led her away from the ship and passed her some more bread. She had very little life experience, even if she was mature and educated for her age. He told himself that she didn’t know what she was doing. How could she? Bloodships were not written into any books, and sailors were sworn to uphold their secrets.

  Adela called out to Lucia as she was led away. “Pleasure to meet you!”

  “And you,” Lucia said, before barking at her deck hands dropping another box. “I said be careful, damn it!”

  Raehar brought his sister close to him and whispered in her ear as they walked away from the docks. “Lucia can never learn who she was before she was quickened, or the spell will be undone.”

  “Undone? And what does that mean exactly?”

  “Sis, ye already know too much. It’s too dangerous to Lucia for anyone to know how to undo her. Ye must be more careful.”

  She frowned and stopped walking. “Then why are you telling me and showing me everything then? It makes no sense.”

  He kept walking, but she grabbed his arm and spun him around. “Why take such a risk to show me the ship? What’s going on?”

  This is what I was afraid of.

  Raehar knew the concern in her eyes. He ran his fingers through his hair and puffed out air. “It’s nothing, I just wanted ye to be happy. Aren’t ye?”

  She squinted as she stared deep into his eyes. “Raehar, you make a terrible liar.”

  He knew she was right. Ever since they were children, she could always knew when he made up stories, or told any lies. He took her to the edge of the forest and sat her down.

  “All right, so ye got me.”

  “Spit it out! What’s happening?” she said, rubbing his arm.

  “Captain said we can’t talk about it, so ye better not blabber to anyone.”

  Adela scowled. “Brother, I’m not ten years old anymore. I’m nearly eighteen. Out with it.”

  “Little sister, why must ye need to grow up so fast? All right then. We know that the world’s changing, and it’s not natural for clouds to rain blood. There are strange things happening that nobody can explain.”

  He pointed to the faint outline of Trahoterra on the horizon. “That island lays waste to our ships when we sail due south-east. Fire comes from nowhere. Captain often wonders what awaits us on the other side, and even worse, what horrors may be coming our way.”

  “Aye, I’m sure he does. But what does it all mean then?”

  “We don’t know, but Silvertongue is intent on finding out. He’s too bold and I fear he may be putting all of us in danger. There are things out there that’d scare ye half to death. The things I’ve seen, not to mention the things I’ve done.”

  Her eyes widened. “Really? Like what?”

  He knew he couldn’t tell her everything. If he did, she would never look at him the same way again. A pirate’s life was not glamorous and he had to resist the temptation to lift some weight off his shoulders.

  “We’ve sailed in almost all directions and found some amazing things. When the captain first took me on-board, when I was just a young boy, we found a small island and heard the most beautiful voices. It was like honey to be devoured by our ears. When our ships approached, we found them.”

  “Found who?”

  “Half woman, half fish. Captain called them mermaids, and they were fierce fighters. So fierce in fact, that when a captured sorcerer told Captain that he could turn the ships by sacrificing mermaids into them, we lost many good sailors to catch them alive.”

  Adela looked to Lucia’s large form floating on the water. “Raehar... what have you done? Lucia is trapped inside the ship?”

  He shook his head. “No, sis. She is the ship. Ye need worry not about Lucia as she remembers nothing. She’s happy with what she is. May the gods help us if she discovers what she went through to become one with the ship. I witnessed the horror with my own eyes. But there are no ships like ours, and we rule the seas. That comes at a heavy price.”

  He sunk his head, realising the truth in his words. Speaking them allowed him to alleviate some of the guilt, for but a moment. He didn’t sleep well at night with what they had done, and he hoped this would help him heal.

  “Is that what was going on?”

  “Not quite. We have a mermaid held captive in another ship, and a new bloodship will be created again. We need to travel where the island can’t touch us, and it’s a long trip through the fog and around to the large mountain, where magic is strongest.”

  Adela scrunched her brow. “Why do you need to go there?”

  “Because that’s the only place where bloodships can be made. But with the changes in the far land of Marithia, I just don’t know if we’ll return alive this time.”

  There, I said it.

  Tears formed in his eyes and he looked away from her. “I fear I may be truly gone this time, and I won’t see you again.”

  Adela turned his head back with her hand and frowned. “Stop being ridiculous. I’m sure you’ll be fine. Did you ever see the vampire sorceress I told you about?”

  He knew she had changed the subject, but in a way, he was glad she did.

  Raehar shook his head. “No, me eyes have never seen her. How did ye know about her anyway?”

  “People talk, and when I work the tavern, I hear so many stories.”

  He shook the dirt off his pants and gave her a warm hug before staring seriously into her eyes. “Worry not. Nobody would ever come near Grenlees. We live on an island of pirates, and that’s not where most people want to go. Any ships that have come near us have all been sunk. Here, I want ye to look after this for me. If anything happens to us, we may
never be able to open our treasure room.”

  Raehar pulled a silver chain over his neck and handed her the shiny key. “Guard it with yer life, and make sure ye keep it hidden.”

  Adela’s eyes widened for a moment, then she wiped the smile from her face, nodded and kissed his cheek as she put it down her underwear. “Nobody would dare look for it there.”

  He stared at her and laughed. “Ye sure are my sister to do something like that. Strange, but clever. I have to go now to Lucia and get ready. I love ye.”

  “Me too,” she said, waving him goodbye.

  Adela adjusted her underwear as she made her way past the town centre and back through the forest, constantly checking behind her to make sure she wasn’t being followed. The crashing of waves made her smile as she rushed from the forest edge and made her way toward the giant skull cavern. She worked her way down the cliff edge, and climbed down into the same eye socket that Raehar was resting on earlier.

  That was too easy, she thought.

  A tinge of guilt tugged at her, but knew that everything she was doing was for a greater purpose. It may be a selfish purpose, but she cared not. These pirates kept women on the shores, never letting them see the world. It wasn’t fair, and she wasn’t about to just sit by and let it continue; at least not for her.

  She took a moment to admire her brother’s favourite view before waiting for the next wave to crash in. Breathing deep, she leapt into the cool water and swam into the cavern. The reflection from the water lit up the cavern’s ceiling.

  She soon reached a section that had a large, flat section of rock, and climbed out. Taking a moment to wring out her clothing, she observed the giant belly of the cave.

  A loud voice echoed around her, “Looking for me?”

  Adela smiled as she said, “Of course. Why else would I be here?”

  The sound of heavy footsteps reverberated around the cavern as the ground shook beneath her.

  “Well I am glad to see you, Adela. Are you sure you weren’t followed?”

  Adela took one cautionary look behind her, then spoke with confidence. “Of course, and before you ask, he hasn’t seen her yet.”