01 - Death's Messenger

by Sandy Mitchell - (ebook by Undead)

  As he took his own plate Hanna smiled at him, and asked how he’d been getting on.

  “Fine,” he said. “How about you?”

  “It’s been interesting,” she said guardedly. “Cooking on a boat’s a bit of a challenge.”

  “You’ve done all right.” A short, florid man he assumed was the cook nodded an acknowledgement as she spoke. Then he returned his attention to a bubbling pot behind him. “Go and sit down with the others.” Despite his attempt at politeness he seemed positively relieved when Hanna picked up her plate and went to sit next to Rudi.

  “This smells great.” Rudi’s mouth watered as the steam rose in front of him, and he suddenly remembered he hadn’t eaten anything since breakfast. He picked up his spoon and was about to dig in when the captain tapped the table and the cabin fell silent. Everyone except Rudi and Hanna bowed their heads while Shenk recited a few words of grace in the name of Mannan, the patron deity of mariners.

  Caught out by this Rudi hesitated for a moment. But as soon as he realised that everyone else was now devouring the food with every sign of appreciation, he took up his spoon again.

  “This is excellent, my dear.” Captain Shenk smiled at Hanna from across the table. “I don’t know what you’ve done to improve things, but you’ll be welcome aboard for as long as you want to stay.”

  “You can say that again, skip.” Ansbach grinned at her over an empty plate. “Good looking and a great cook. Where have you been all my life?”

  “Socialising with humans,” Hanna said, raising a general laugh at his expense. Ansbach flushed crimson then joined in the laughter, with something of an effort.

  “Good sense of humour too. I like that in a girl.”

  “I’m sure you do,” Hanna said sweetly. “It must help enormously in getting a date.” Ansbach looked faintly baffled, sure she’d scored some kind of point but wasn’t quite clear how.

  “All I did was put a few herbs in,” Hanna explained later as she and Rudi leaned on the rail together, watching the faint turbulence in the water which marked the wake of their passage. “You’d think none of them had ever tasted seasoning before.”

  “Not like that, I’ll wager.” Rudi yawned, enjoying the moment of tranquillity, and the pleasure of her company. “You’re too modest about your own talents sometimes.”

  “Look who’s talking,” she responded, without heat. The breeze across the water was cool and refreshing. It rippled her hair, which glimmered faintly in the darkness. Mannslieb was a thick crescent in the sky now, casting a faint silver sheen, which all but obliterated the diseased glow of its sister moon and complemented the faint blue radiance of the stars. Though far from strong the moonlight was bright enough to reveal the outline of her face, and a faint smile at the compliment she would never have allowed to surface in daylight. Rudi felt a sudden surge of affection, which took him completely by surprise. Feeling awkward and embarrassed he cleared his throat, unsure what to say next.

  “I’d better get back to the galley,” Hanna said, before he could speak. She stepped away from the rail. “We need to get everything stowed away ready for the morning.”

  “I could help,” Rudi offered, but she shook her head.

  “Have you seen how small it is? There’s barely room for me and the cook as it is.” She hesitated on the threshold, and turned back for a moment before disappearing. “But thanks anyway.”

  Left alone, Rudi paced the deck. Somehow he felt physically exhausted and wide-awake at the same time. He yawned widely, and turned back towards the hatch leading down to the hold and his hammock, then hesitated. Hanna would be turning in too, as soon as she’d finished her duties in the galley, and if he waited a little while longer he could meet her as she came out and they might continue their conversation…

  And say what? he asked himself, circling the cabin. This was ridiculous. He should just go to bed and get some sleep. It looked as though he was going to have a hard day’s work ahead of him tomorrow as well.

  “So what do you make of our stowaways?” a voice asked out of the darkness ahead of him. About to round the corner of the cabin, Rudi froze. The speaker was Shenk, and he wasn’t at all surprised to hear Busch reply.

  “They’re definitely hiding something,” the mate said. “If their money was stolen like they say, why did they run away? Why not wait for the road wardens to sort it out? If you ask me that’s who they were afraid of, not old Krause and his pot boys.”

  “You could be right.” Shenk paused thoughtfully. “And if you are, there might be a reward out for them.”

  “I’ll ask around tomorrow when we put in to Hauptmann’s Landing,” Busch said.

  “Good idea. They get all the news from along the road.” Shenk paused again. “I’ll find something for the kids to do, to keep them distracted. If they’re worth anything, bring a couple of the local watch back with you and we’ll turn them in before they even know what’s happening.”

  Rudi felt the words strike him like a bucket of ice water, sending a shiver of panic down his spine. The captain’s treachery had taken him completely by surprise, and there was nothing he could see that they could do about it. Far from being a refuge, the Reikmaiden had turned out to be an even bigger trap than the cellar of the Jolly Friar.

  His heart thudded in his chest as he backed away as quietly as he could. He had to find Hanna and warn her. Maybe between them they could work something out…

  He hurried back to the galley, where the clash of pots and pans told him the job of tidying up was not yet complete. He hesitated outside the narrow door for a moment, breathing deeply, and trying to make himself seem calm. He peered round the door. Hanna was stacking dishes in a small cupboard, watched anxiously by the cook. She didn’t see him at first, but the cook did. He glanced up as Rudi appeared in the doorway.

  “Can I help you?” he asked. Taken by surprise, Rudi floundered for a moment.

  “No thanks. Er, that is, I just wanted a quick word with Hanna.”

  “Can’t it wait?” Hanna asked, looking up at the sound of his voice. “I’m a bit busy at the moment.”

  “Don’t worry about it.” The cook seemed positively pleased at the interruption. “You go ahead. I’ll finish up. It’s practically done now anyway.”

  “Well, if you’re sure…” Hanna stepped out on to the deck with Rudi. She took in his alarmed expression in an instant. “Rudi, what’s wrong?”

  “We’re in trouble,” Rudi explained, and he filled her in on the conversation he’d overheard in a few crisp words. The faint frown on Hanna’s face deepened as he spoke. “We have to get out of here!”

  “Easier said than done.” She looked around, taking in the shadowy deck around her. “It’s a long way to the bank. Can you swim?”

  “A bit,” Rudi admitted, a little dubiously. The forest pools hadn’t been all that deep, or all that wide. Hanna nodded. “Me too. That’s something, I suppose.”

  “Maybe we won’t have to.” He led her towards the stern, where the faint shape of the tillerman could be seen keeping his vigil in the darkness. A line was hitched to the rail there that trailed off into the night, terminating on a small rowing boat which followed the Reikmaiden like a cygnet after a swan. Pieter had pointed it out to him earlier in the day, explaining that it was used to run errands when it wasn’t worth the effort or risk of taking the vessel inshore. “If we could haul that little boat in…”

  “There’s only one problem,” Hanna pointed out. “Him.” The tiller creaked, and the man leaning on it pulled it over. As he did so, his face came into the full light of the moons. It was Ansbach; he glanced in their direction and nodded a greeting. “He’d see you the minute you started pulling on the line.”

  “Not if you distract him,” Rudi said. Hanna glared at him.

  “What are you suggesting?”

  “He likes you. Get into conversation with him or something.”

  “It’s the ‘or something’ that worries me.” She paused for a moment, and
then sighed. “But it’s not like we have much of a choice, is it?”

  “I suppose not.” Rudi yawned, and stretched theatrically. He raised his voice a little so Ansbach could hear it. “I’m going to turn in. Coming?”

  “In a while,” Hanna said, with elaborate casualness. “It’s such a nice night I’d like to make the most of it.” She waited until Rudi had moved towards the hold where they were quartered, before walking towards Ansbach. “Hello.”

  “Hello there,” Ansbach grinned. She leaned on the rail. “Enjoying the moonlight?”

  Rudi watched for a moment longer, until he was sure Ansbach’s attention was fully diverted. Then he hurried back to the hold for their possessions. He scooped up their packs, and the bow and the quiver, and clambered back on deck.

  “Hello, young Rudi.” Shenk was standing close to the hatch cover, a pipe in his hand, the bowl glowing cherry red in the darkness. “Leaving us so soon?” He seemed vaguely surprised, but with all their worldly goods in his hands Rudi supposed there was no other conclusion he could come to.

  “Hauptmann’s Landing might be a little too exciting for a couple of country kids,” he replied. Shenk nodded.

  “Ah. You heard our conversation.” He shrugged. “Believe it or not, I’m sorry I turned out to be right about you.” A faint flicker of his eyes past Rudi’s shoulder gave the young messenger a fraction of a second’s warning, and he ducked just in time to avoid a blow to the back of his head. He turned, dropping the bundle of possessions as a heavy belaying pin rapped against the top of his shoulder.

  Searing pain lanced down his left arm and he punched out with his right. A jolt indicated that the blow had connected. Busch staggered back, his nose spurting, the blood looking black in the moonlight.

  “You little snotling-fondler!” He charged forwards again, his head lowered. Rudi felt a starburst of pain erupt between his eyes as the mate’s skull smashed into his own. He staggered back, feeling the rail behind him hemming him in.

  “Find the girl!” Shenk shouted. He was answered almost immediately by Ansbach’s “Over here, skip!” Rudi blinked his eyes clear, just in time to feel a hard punch against his jaw as Busch swung his fist with clinical precision. This wasn’t like the fight he’d had with the Katzenjammers, he realised, this was real and earnest, and his opponent wouldn’t back off until one of them was incapacitated.

  A surge of energy rose within him, and he blocked the next punch with his injured arm. Ignoring the sudden burst of pain, his right fist drove low into Busch’s midriff, and the mate doubled over. For a moment Rudi thought the fight was finished, but some instinct told him the man was rallying, so he kicked out, bracing himself against the rail, hoping to take his opponent in the throat. A small part of him was appalled that he was capable of such brutality, but the feeling was drowned out by a raging bloodlust that had somehow taken him over.

  “Oh no you don’t!” Shenk stepped in to defend his friend. He grabbed Rudi’s foot in mid air, and twisted it. Caught off-balance Rudi staggered back towards the rail again, and found himself toppling over. He flailed his arms, trying to recover his balance.

  “Hanna!” he yelled. Whether it was an appeal for aid, or to reassure himself that she was all right, he couldn’t tell. As his head turned he could see she was grappling with Ansbach, who had abandoned his station at the tiller to restrain her. For a moment he feared she’d be overwhelmed, but she brought her knee up in a sharp, short motion, and the deckhand staggered back howling in agony. As he fell he crashed against the tiller bar, knocking it hard over, and the Reikmaiden lurched, wallowing in the water as she abruptly lost way.

  The sudden movement was enough to ruin any chance Rudi might have had of recovering his balance. The rail rolled out from beneath his back and he found himself falling, plunging into darkness. Then he hit the water, and the cold embrace of the Reik closed itself over his head.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

  Rudi surfaced, panting for air. The water was cold, bone-numbingly so, far more than the forest pools he was used to bathing in on summer afternoons. The sudden shock of it seemed to have frozen his lungs. He snatched at the air in brief, painful gasps, relieved to find that each breath seemed a little larger than the previous one, until after a moment or two he was taking in as much oxygen as usual.

  “Get off me!” Hanna’s voice echoed across the water and he turned his head, picking out the dark bulk of the Reikmaiden drifting a few yards away. Her sails were flapping, empty of wind, and she seemed to be turning slowly under the influence of the unattended tiller, which was still hard over. Lamps shone through the gaps around the cabin doors, sketching eerie golden lines on her silhouette. Only this and her running lights marked her out from the darkness.

  Hanna was clearly visible on the aft deck, where he’d left her, backed against the rail as a group of crewmen closed in. Quite how many there were he couldn’t tell, as their outlines blurred together in the surrounding gloom, but there were clearly too many for her to fight off alone. She’d evidently come to the same conclusion, because she swung a leg over the rail and jumped before he even had time to scream out a warning.

  The splash of her landing echoed across the water. Rudi struck out for it, guided by the sound. A confused babble of voices provided a background to the splashing of his progress and the flailing of the girl ahead of him.

  “Yullis! Get on the tiller. The rest of you get the sails sorted out!” Shenk was barking orders, apparently more concerned for the welfare of his vessel than the fate of the fugitives who’d gone overboard. The boat was drifting sluggishly now, moving further away with every second that passed. Rudi dismissed it from his mind. Even if the Reikmaiden’s master could be bothered turning back to look for them, by the time the boat was back under control they would have vanished completely in the gloom.

  That, come to think of it, was something of a mixed blessing. Disorientated, he had only the vaguest idea of where the shore was. A loud splash off to his right grabbed his attention. One problem at a time was enough to deal with.

  “Hanna?” he called.

  “Rudi!” Her voice held an unmistakable tone of relief. “Over here!” Guided by intermittent shouts and the splashing of the other’s progress they came together at last. Together they trod water and glanced round for some clue as to the location of the shore.

  “Over there,” Hanna insisted, pointing. “I saw a light, I’m sure of it.”

  “It could just have been a reflection in the water,” Rudi said. Hanna made the familiar sound of exasperation in the back of her throat.

  “Or it could have been a campfire. Look.” Rudi turned his head in the direction she indicated catching a glimpse of flickering orange for a moment. Then it vanished.

  “Why would it disappear like that?”

  “We’re still moving with the current. Maybe a tree or something got in the way.” Hanna was becoming quite waspish. “Do you want to keep discussing it until we drown, or head for the shore?”

  “If that is the shore,” Rudi murmured. But he had no better suggestion to offer, so they struck out again in the direction she indicated.

  The swim was a long and exhausting one. Several times he thought she’d been mistaken and that they were heading for the far bank, or that they were swimming along with the river itself. He kept such anxieties to himself, and concentrated on the steady rhythm of swimming. No doubt the same thoughts had occurred to Hanna too, but verbalising them would only sap both their confidences.

  Time stretched agonisingly, the freezing water leeching the strength from his muscles and bones. He’d never swum so far, never dreamed it was even possible, far less that he’d ever need to do so. His clothes were sodden, a heavy burden which encumbered every kick, and threatened to drag him down. The gods alone knew how Hanna was able to manage wrapped in a skirt.

  Eventually he felt something yielding under his hands as he reached down to plough through the water. Then a weed clung briefly to his fingers as they m
ade another stroke. With a sense of exquisite relief he let his feet drift down until they touched bottom, sinking into the mud of the river bed. Cautiously he allowed them to take his weight and found he was standing upright, water cascading down his torso. The mighty Reik, largest body of water in the Empire, came no higher than his waist.

  “Hanna. Hanna, we’ve made it.” Bemused by exhaustion, she ploughed on for another couple of strokes, then the meaning of his words finally penetrated. She stopped moving and forced herself upright. “You were right.”

  “I’m always right,” she said, an unmistakable tone of relief in her voice robbing the remark of the arrogance he would once have been able to detect there. She swayed on her feet, exhausted, and Rudi put an arm around her waist to support her. He expected some protest or rebuke, but she accepted his help without complaint, and draped her own arm across his shoulders.

  They waded ashore a few moments later, scrambling up a grassy bank with the last of their strength. Exhausted, they collapsed on an area of greensward.

  Rudi lay on his stomach, shivering, every muscle in his body screaming in protest. He shuddered as though he had the ague, his wet clothes sucking the warmth from his body, but he was past caring. He drifted on the verge of sleep, more utterly exhausted than he’d ever been in his life.

  “Wake up!” Hanna shook him, rolling him over onto his back. He stared up at her, his vision bleary. “If you lie here you’ll freeze to death. We have to get a fire going!”

  “Fire. Right.” Rudi staggered to his feet, trying to focus on their surroundings. There was a small thicket of trees a few score paces away. He walked towards it, reeling like a drunkard. There would be wood there, and shelter from the wind.

  Hanna stumbled beside him, keeping an eye out for suitable sticks. Mercifully their eyes had adjusted to the night by now, and the moonlight was sufficient to pick out what they needed, so they soon accumulated a decent sized bundle.