Anna put her hands on her hips and said accusingly, “You’re doing that on purpose, aren’t you?”
“Doing what?”
“You know what I mean. You’re trying to get to know all of these sailors.”
He and Anna had been leaning against the rail, watching a small school of fish leaping out of the water at the bow of the boat. Dax turned and looked at her seriously. “My father taught me names have power. He knew all the names of the . . . well, the people he worked with.”
She looked at him and nodded. “Your father was a wise man. I hadn’t thought about names that way before, but it makes a difference, doesn’t it?”
Dax nodded. Yes, his father had been a wise man who had ruled West Landly, and his people had depended on him for the king’s justice. Dax had depended on him for love as well. He felt a pang of loss. Anna was looking at him, waiting for an answer, and finally he mumbled, “Yes, very wise.”
#
When it was time for lunch, Dax had not seen Trimble all morning. He went to Trimble’s cabin and knocked. There was no reply, so he knocked again. Finally he heard, “Yeah. Yeah, just a bit.”
It was more like three bits before Trimble opened the door. His hair was mussed and his face puffy from sleep. But it was his eyes that caught Dax’s attention. Trimble was blinking away sleep, but the whites of his eyes were tinted a watery pink. Dark circles underlined both of them. “What?” Trimble asked. He blinked and looked away.
“Sorry. I didn’t know you were still sleeping. It’s just that it is almost time for lunch, and I hadn’t seen you.”
Trimble ran a hand over his face, then went back and rubbed his eyes. “Yeah, yeah.” He sighed. “I guess I could eat something.” His eyes took on a faraway look. “Must have stayed up too late last night, I guess.”
When Trimble did not say anything more, Dax said, “All right then. I’ll see you later.”
At the passengers’ mess, Dax sat down beside Anna. “Where’s Miss Innes?”
She made a face. “Still sleeping. She said she didn’t feel well and she would get something from the cook later.”
“Lukas was still asleep too. I thought I heard him come in late last night. I wonder what they were doing?”
She gave him a half smile that was almost a smirk. “Well, I can guess.” She fluttered her eyes.
“Yeah, I know what you think about that, but remember they were with Fars.”
“Maybe he left.”
“Maybe, but I think I heard Fars help Lukas get into his cabin in the middle of the night.”
Anna speared a bite of the meat pudding on her plate and chewed it thoughtfully. “Either they were really naughty, or they were doing something else.”
“Lukas’s eyes looked funny when I saw him.”
“Funny. You mean like bloodshot from too much wine?”
He thought for a moment. “Not exactly. They were sort of pink all over.”
“Sort of like that?” Anna nodded to the doorway. Trimble stood there looking a little better. He had combed his hair and put on a fresh tunic anyway. Neither Dax nor Anna said anything, and they watched as Trimble got a plate with a slice of pudding and sat down beside them.
“How are you feeling?” Dax ventured.
Trimble took a bite and chewed slowly. “Better.” He took another bite. “I guess.”
When he did not say anything else, Dax asked, “Did you stay up late talking to Miss Innes and Fars?”
Trimble looked at him, then shrugged. “Yeah. Fars had some wine and was telling stories. Other stuff . . . I guess.” He took another bite of the pudding and grimaced. “What did the cook put in this, sheep guts? This is terrible.” He pushed his plate away. “I’m going back to my cabin. It’s too noisy in here.”
Dax did not say a word until Trimble was gone. Worried, he turned to Anna. “Something is going on. Lukas usually eats like a wolf. The pudding isn’t great, but it’s not that bad.”
Anna looked concerned as well. “I’m going back to look in on Miss Innes.”
Dax nodded. “I don’t trust that man Fars. He’s lying about his name, and something is going on in his cabin.”
#
After lunch, Dax found Fars sitting in one corner of the passengers’ deck, talking with Kembel. When Dax approached, both men fell silent. Kembel looked at him coldly, but Fars turned to him with a smile. “And how are you this afternoon, young lady?”
“I’m feeling fine, but Lukas isn’t. What were you doing last night?”
“Well now, isn’t this a fine thing that you are looking after your guardian? I’m afraid Mr. Trimble had a wee bit more of the Tharan wine than he should have. We were having such a grand conversation with Miss Innes, I sort of lost track of how much he had drunk. It’s entirely my fault for not warning him that Tharan grape is a good bit stouter in the cup than we are used to in the North.”
There was more here than what Fars said. Dax did not feel any obvious lies from the man, but the whole explanation did not feel right. Fars placed his hand on Dax’s shoulder. Dax almost flinched from the unwelcome touch, but he continued to look at the man.
“Now tell you what, little lady. Why don’t you go find your little playmate? Mr. Kembel and I are conducting some business.” Then with a gentle push from his hand, he turned Dax away.
When he found Anna, she told him that Miss Innes had been out of sorts, but she had eaten some of the food Anna had brought her from the mess. “She looked better than Lukas anyway.” Anna looked at Dax. “Did you ask Fars about it?”
“He said they had drunk too much Tharan wine last night. Then he patted me on my little head and told me to go play.”
“I just hate it when adults treat us like babes in nappies.”
“So what do we do?”
“What can we do?” She sighed. “I guess this trip isn’t that long. They are both adults.” She frowned. “At least they’re supposed to be.” She looked at Dax and sighed again. “They will just have to look out for themselves.”
“Okay, but aren’t they the ones who are supposed to be looking out for us?”
Anna had no answer for that, and neither did Dax.
#
The third day was cloudy and cooler. From time to time, spritzes of rain chased across the waves. Dax ventured on deck for a time that morning. His old coat would have been warmer, but it was stashed in his pack. Besides, it would not have looked terribly ladylike. The cloak in Lady Leith’s wardrobe was long enough to protect his dress, but it did not do much to discourage the occasional puff of cool ocean air from swirling up his bare legs.
He found a corner of the deck at the stern and sat leaning against the rail with his arms around his knees. The ship rode through the waves with a soothing motion. By now the rhythm of the boat was a natural part of life. The moaning and groaning of the ship’s timbers sounded muttered protests to the regular rise and fall. The water, which the day before had been blue and glistening with sparkling highlights, today was dark and gray like the sky. The weather matched Dax’s mood. Captain Lauter had announced that they would make port in Butterock Haven tomorrow. Tomorrow Anna would leave the ship.
Anna was amazingly merry, and when they were together, she buoyed him up and carried him right along with her. She had moved all her things over to his cabin yesterday, and they were together most of the time. They had spent last night exploring each other’s naked body. Dax was more than ready to try a few of the things he had heard some of the stable boys and guardsmen joking about, but Anna kept it at the level of curiosity—for the most part. They had both experimented a little with the places that felt really good.
One time while they lay there talking in the dim candlelight, Anna had traced patterns on Dax’s buttocks. “What’s this?” she had asked, outlining an irregular red patch on his left hip.
Dax reached around and stuck his finger in the middle of the spot. “It’s a birthmark. My father once told me it was where the Goddess had reached down to touc
h me and help my mother give birth. Course he also told me it was where the Goddess had spanked me for being naughty.” He smiled at her. “My father liked to make up things to tease me.”
“Just like you like to tease me,” she said.
He shrugged.
“It feels just like the rest of your skin. Does it feel any different to you?”
“It’s just a spot. Just like the mole you’ve got way down on your lower back.”
“Where?” She twisted around to look, and Dax showed her. “That’s not a mole,” she said haughtily. “It’s a beauty mark.”
“So I’m supposed to think you’ve got a beautiful butt just because you’ve got a mole?”
Anna laughed and rolled over. She snatched a pillow up and thumped him on the side of the head with it. He took it away from her and returned the favor, and they had tussled with the pillows for several more minutes.
#
Dax gathered the damp cloak around him. The thoughts of last night created another pang, this time in anticipation of loneliness to come once Anna was gone. Maybe he should leave the ship at Butterock. Could Anna get her cousins to take him in? Could he find some other way to stay near her?
No, that was impossible. She talked about her Aunt Thella and Uncle Dom. Their family name was Arendrag, and Anna’s aunt had royal blood through East Landly. Anna’s father and his sister, Thella, Arendrag’s wife, were from a family that had started a livery business in Frohliem City. The livery had grown into a profitable coach-making business. The Arendrag family had some money, too, but they were not one of the major houses of West Landly. Although the Arendrags were well-liked in Butterock, if word ever got out that Dax was on Butterock, they would not be powerful enough to protect him from Mathilde. And if word never got out, how could a homeless street waif ever be a friend to a highborn lady like Anna?
No, the better idea was to stick with his original plan—Iron Moor. That meant more travel and more hazards. It also meant he could not stay with Anna no matter how much he wanted to. His thoughts kept coming back to that hard, unassailable reality.
If he was to get to Iron Moor, he would have to have help from Trimble. Trimble was the one in charge of their expedition. Although Dax had kept his old pack and gear for emergencies, Trimble had most of their money along with Dax’s extra clothes and equipment. Before they had left Tazzelton, Dax had looked forward to spending time with Trimble. The man had an endless supply of stories about the guard. Although Trimble could be a little patronizing, he was always willing to help Dax learn something new about swords, spears, or wrestling.
Now, however, Dax hardly seemed to know Trimble at all. He had not seen the man for more than a few minutes at a time these last days. Trimble spent almost all his time with Fars and Miss Innes. He was never up and about before midday. When Dax had seen him, his eyes were redder and more sunken each time. It was almost like Trimble was growing old before his eyes.
Maybe Trimble would return to his old self once Fars left the ship. Fars was only going to Butterock—wasn’t he? Dax thought, but he could not remember ever hearing the man say where he was bound.
He was halfway through another cycle of the same thoughts when Anna found him. “There you are. Why are you up here sulking?”
He started to protest he was not sulking when he realized it was not the truth. “I don’t know. Am I sulking? I guess I just wanted to think about . . .” He paused, afraid to share his feeling too openly.
“You’re worried about tomorrow, aren’t you?”
Disconcerted by her insight, he shrugged. “I guess.”
“I wish you could come with me. We could have such a good time on Butterock.”
He looked at her. “You really think so?”
She lowered herself thoughtfully down beside him and sighed. “You’re right. Whatever you do, you won’t be able to keep up your disguise forever. Plus, if you are still in danger, Butterock wouldn’t be safe enough, would it?”
“I’ve thought about it, and I just can’t think of a way to stay with you.”
“You’re also worried about Lukas, aren’t you?”
Dax nodded. “I don’t think Fars is a good person to take up with.”
She picked at a small splinter on the wooden rail. “I’m worried about Miss Innes too.”
“Well, at least she will be off the ship tomorrow.” There was more he wanted to say, but for a long time, they just sat together on the deck and watched the wind and the waves.
#
Trimble did not appear at all for lunch, and Dax decided it was time for them to have a talk. He knocked on Trimble’s cabin door three times before he finally got a muffled reply. The cabin was dark and musty inside. Dax stuck his head in and asked, “Can I talk to you a minute?”
Trimble did not reply, but he sat up in bed and swung his legs out over the floor. He looked at Dax blankly for a time, then said, “What,” in a flat tone that implied he did not really want to hear.
“We need to talk about what happens after Butterock.” Although that was not his major concern, his father had taught him that in a confrontation, it was often best to have some conversation about a neutral topic to start with.
“Yeah, Butterock,” Trimble mumbled. He looked up at Dax for the first time. “Hey, why don’t you just stay there with your little roommate?” He gave Dax a suggestive leer. “That way Hemma and I could have our fun too.”
Unshaven since they had boarded the ship, Trimble looked even worse today than he had yesterday. Inside, the cabin smelled of an unemptied chamber pot and like someone had had a sick-up. Dax was appalled. “Lukas, we can’t stay in Butterock. We talked about this. I have to go on to Iron Moor.”
“Iron Moor,” Trimble sniffed. “Big deal. I’ve fought three swordsmen who trained at Iron Moor, and they weren’t so tough.” He rubbed at his eyes and yawned. “Yeah, maybe you should just go on up to Iron Moor and let them kick you around. Be a step up from Mathilde.” He snorted in amusement, then yawned again. “Course if Mathilde wanted me, that would be a different story . . .”
“Look, Lukas . . . ,” Dax started, but Trimble pushed him back toward the door.
“Nah, can’t talk now.” He yawned again and turned back toward the bed. When Dax did not leave, Trimble turned back and pushed him out the door. “Go play or something.” He made little shooing motions with his hand. “I’ve got to sleep.” He closed the door in Dax’s face.
Anna soon joined Dax back in the cabin and reported that Miss Innes had said about the same thing. “Looks like it’s just you and me,” she said.
“Yeah,” he replied, “but what do I do if Lukas won’t help me?”
Anna didn’t have an answer for that, but she gave Dax a hug. It did not solve his problem, but it made him feel better.
#
The process of leaving port had been exciting in its novelty. Now that Dax had some feel for the way the ship was handled, he tried to visualize maneuvering it up to a dock. Everything he imagined frightened him. They sailed briskly toward Butterock Haven’s harbor, and he could not see how Captain Lauter could bring them in unscathed. The wind blew freshly across the harbor, and the ship powered by a narrow spit of land with a small light tower at the harbor’s entrance. They were flying toward shore. Dax pictured himself standing helplessly at the wheel while the ship thundered through the water toward the docks.
Captain Lauter, however, stood calmly on the deck, watching as they sailed through the harbor. They were close to land when he finally ordered the lower sails struck. As the crew pulled them up onto the yards, the ship’s speed slowed noticeably. On just two topsails alone, they eased toward the main pier, parallel to it, but a good ten yards away to windward.
Once the bow came even with the end of the dock, the captain shouted, “Heave to!” and the crew reversed the sail on the foremast. Now one sail pushed ahead while the other caught the wind from the opposite side. The Wings of Wind slowed to a crawl.
The ship ghosted
on a little farther before the captain ordered, “Let go the fore and aft anchors!”
The anchors hit the water with a splash, and the ship swayed to a stop as they caught the bottom. Now with two persons on each capstan, the crew slacked the anchor lines. As the lines payed out, the wind walked the ship sideways to the dock in a tidy fashion. Dax smiled in admiration. Clever, and well executed.
Dax stood quietly out of the way behind the captain as the crew readied the mooring lines. Anna had watched the arrival with him, but she caught sight of her uncle among the cluster of people assembled on the pier. She dashed down toward the bow on the main deck, waving and shouting. Once Wings of Wind was alongside the pier, the crew cast lines to people waiting on shore. They also put over several thick mats of rope to protect the sides of the ship while she lay at the pier. Once the ship was secured, workers on shore ran a gangway up to the side of the ship.
Anna stood at the head of the gangway, determined to be the first on shore, but three officials waiting on the pier shooed her back up onto the ship as they came aboard. Dax could not hear the conversation, but Anna was not happy. The officials were from Butterock Haven’s tax and customs office, and they were not about to let anyone or anything off the ship until they had checked their papers. Anna stomped her foot and headed back up to Dax.
“Can you imagine that?” she said in exasperation when she rejoined him. “They won’t let me off the ship until they’ve gone through their paperwork.”
The captain turned to her and smiled. “Now missy, just be a bit patient with the gentlemen from the government. My mate is down there right now to go over the manifests with them. Shouldn’t be more than a few minutes until the passengers can disembark.”
Dax was glad to have Anna back beside him, even if it was only for a few more minutes. “Did your uncle see you?”
King's Exile: Chronicles of the Dragon-Bound: Book 1 Page 21