by Alan Black
Tuller called out in Eastern, “I haven’t seen any living creature dressed like these since the sun rose this morning.”
The old man nodded at Tanden and Tuller. Followers of the red way did not approve of lies. Tanden wondered how the old man would respond to his answers. Calling the old man “good father” and being called “my cousin” were not lies. They were terms of honor and respect among the people of many eastern cultures and not always indicative of a true blood relationship. Tanden believed the soldier who spoke Eastern was not as well versed in the language as he pretended.
The fisherman turned to the soldiers, “As you heard, no one says they have seen your men. We must get back to our nets. How else can we help you?”
The soldier pointed at Tuba, who was hanging from the rail of the Wave Master, “What’s this?”
Tanden answered, “He woke up this morning feeling very ill, as you can see. Have you heard any news about a sickness with head pains, aching joints, and a stomach that can’t hold breakfast? This man is weak and his head whirls about with dizziness. Do you know a cure for this disease?”
When the soldier translated the symptoms to his leader, the man frowned and unconsciously stepped back. Without further words, the soldiers turned and continued along the wharf, leaving the group to breathe a sigh of relief.
Tanden heard whispers of metal on leather. He looked around and saw men from both boats sliding knives back into their sheaths. Each of the easterner’s sons had slipped their knives free, yet kept the action hidden. Tuller raised his eyebrows and withdrew a short sword from where he held it out of sight, under the sail.
The old man looked at Tanden and said, “I’m Bramme.”
“I’m Tanden from Harkelle on the Uube River. You’re named for the first wizard of the red?”
Bramme smiled, “You know the history and truth of the red order as well as our language. Indeed, we’re well met. I wish I was named after the great wizard, Bramme. It’s my misfortune to be named after my mother’s brother, a foolish man. Trust me, Tanden. I’m not as foolish as my uncle. We saw your men kill the soldiers just before they stepped onto the dock. But,” he smiled slyly, “no one can say we saw them on this dock. And no one can say your men saw them after the sun came up. You carefully avoided lying, my friend. Take care your tongue doesn’t slip away with you.”
“I thank you, Bramme. You and your sons are brave men. You’d have fought the soldiers with us?”
“Followers of the filthy blue order.” Bramme shrugged as if those words were sufficient to answer Tanden’s question. Then in rapid fire Eastern, he ordered his sons back to their nets.
Tanden jerked Tuba back to the deck and sat next to him.
Tuba moaned and rolled his eyes to look up at Tanden. He wiped his face clean of bile with the back of his hand. He turned his head to look at Tuller, then at Gadon and I-Sheera who watched him from the shade of the sail. He grimaced and looked as if he was going to retch again when he saw the look on Seenger’s face.
Tuba said to Tanden, “Are you going to kill me now?”
Tanden shook his head, “Not yet. I may let Seenger have you to play with later, or I may give you to Gadon, or I may let you live. What happens to you will depend on you. Do you understand?”
Tuba said, “I understand you should be dead. All of you.”
Tanden replied, “We aren’t dead. Some have died because of you. You may yet join them.”
Tuba said, “I won’t beg, but I don’t want to die. I can’t deny what I did, you know it full well. Tell me what you want? I’ll do it if I can.”
Tanden said, “Answer my questions. That’s all. If I believe you’re lying to me, I’ll give you to Seenger, Gadon, and Tuller. If you answer me honestly, I’ll let you live, unharmed by any of us on this boat.”
Seenger growled and Gadon started to protest, but Tanden waved them quiet.
Tuba said, “Do you promise, Captain? I’ll tell you the truth if you give me your promise no one on this boat will hurt me.”
Tanden nodded, “Everyone on this boat will leave you whole and healthy, we won’t touch you except to restrain you from escaping until we leave this city. You have my word.”
Tuba struggled to sit upright, putting his back against the deck rail. Placing his head in his hands, he moaned, “I accept your promise, Captain. But, right now I almost wish I could die. Oh, my head.”
Tanden was unsympathetic to the man and said, “Any one of us is more than willing to fulfill your wish to die. Make no mistake, Tuba. Even this woman will slit your throat at the slightest cause. I only have a few questions. Is Heraclius still the captain of the White Wind?”
Tuba shook his head slowly, “No, Captain. Gregin paced the deck the whole way back to Stantinstadt. He was unhappy with the course and speed set by Heraclius.”
“Who is the captain now?”
Tuba said, “I don’t know.” His already pale face blanched, “Honest, I don’t. I heard the city’s blue wizard was giving him a captain who recently sailed from Tunston and a crew of the new captain’s choosing. Captain? Where’s Obert? I know he isn’t much, but he is my friend.”
Tanden replied, “I ask the questions, Tuba. I saw blue soldiers kill Obert last night. They took his body away in a cart. Gregin will do the same to you if I send you back to him. He won’t leave witnesses alive to testify to his theft and kidnapping. Now, Tuba, are the new captain and crew aboard the White Wind?
Tuba shook his head. “I think only Greeta and Heraclius stayed on the ship. They wanted to sail on to Tunston. Gregin let them stay aboard to watch the cargo. Gregin stays at the blue wizard’s palace. Last I knew, the new captain and crew wouldn’t board until later, today or tomorrow maybe. No. I really don’t know.”
Tanden said, “One last question for now, does Gregin plan to sell the cargo here or take it to Tunston?” Tuba shook his head and shrugged. Tanden turned to Gadon, “Tie him up and put him in the fish hold in the stern. And Gadon, remember my promise not to hurt him.”
Tuba said, “Thank you, Captain. You have every right to cut my throat. I’m thankful you’ve given me a second chance. I won’t fail you again.”
Tanden leaned forward, Tuba’s his face inches from his nose, “Make no mistake, you mutinous son of a diseased harlot. I’ll never trust you again. You’re alive by the barest mercy of the six gods.”
The six gods were rocky, lifeless moons without merciful hearts. Calling on their mercy was a warning to Tuba of how little leeway he had in the walk between this life and the next. Even Tuba understood he was living on a razor’s edge.
“Gadon, gag this pus bag if he so much as belches without permission.”
Tanden sat deep in thought until Gadon returned. Then, he explained his plan, setting each person’s role, and admonishing them to take extreme care.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
The sun was two hours into the sky when the two blue magic soldiers rang the bell over the gate at the convent. Due to the time of day, they had to wait until a blue priest came to open the gate. It was the same priest who had worked through the night. He looked more than a bit blurry eyed and rushed like he was iching to go to bed with no further delays.
The blue priest waved the soldiers through the gate, across an open courtyard, and along an open air corridor without much more than a passing glance at their uniforms. The bright blue circle prominently displayed their allegiance. He shuffled past the two soldiers, leading them deeper into the convent. The tall soldier noticed his startled expression at seeing the fire in the eyes of his smaller comrade. The priest looked away and quickly swirled his hands gathering a bit of magic through the movement of the clouds above.
The priest cleared his throat and spoke in a low voice to the tall soldier. “I’ve been assigned to this convent long enough to see many a man with hate in his eyes.” Flicking his eyes in the direction of the smaller man, he continued. “It always means a rough time for someone. I don’t understand it, but for some re
ason some men take that anger out on women. I’ve cast a small protection spell for the girl servicing your friend.”
The tall man smiled at the priest’s concern, knowing the priest would not be entrusted with the gatekeeper position at the convent if his magic was not strong enough to repair any damage short of death that might be inflicted upon those in his charge. Even the blue magicians and wizards did not have the power to repair death. He patted the priest on the shoulder as he passed. The priest looked up to see the man smiling down at him. The tall soldier said, “Been a long night, priest?”
The priest nodded, “Very long, indeed. Offerings to the Tunston blue order were slow. That always makes the night drag on too long.”
The soldier chuckled, “True, very true. It was a slow night on the town. We had night watch and thought we would drop by to relieve our boredom before going to sleep.”
The little priest said, “Don’t forget, it’s Saturday.”
“Saturday? Already?”
“Yes, Saturday. You boys don’t forget to go to your cleansing before this week’s ending gathering tomorrow morning.”
“Of course, good priest. How could we forget? Going to a gathering tainted with red or green magic residue is unthinkable.”
The priest shied away from the little soldier and said to the tall man, “I don’t think I’ve seen you two boys here before, have I?”
“No, priest. We haven’t been in Stantinstadt long and the officers have kept us pretty busy until now. You know how that is.”
The priest nodded.
The tall soldier said, “Say, priest. My friend and I were wondering if you had something a little different for us? Perhaps a dark woman or maybe an eastern woman?”
The priest nodded, “We have the best in town. We have two black women from Thopie in the southern continent. We have a yellowish woman with thin slanted eyes. They say she’s all the way from east of the East. We do have one eastern woman, but I think you boys might be happier with a couple of Geldonite girls we have. Why don’t I have some of the girls line up so you could take your pick?”
The soldier put his arm around the priest and said, “I like you. You’re just about the nicest man we’ve met since we came to Stantinstadt. We came here from duty in Rath, in Geldon, and well, you know how it is with us poor soldiers. We’re looking for something a little different. Do you suppose you could point out your eastern woman to us?”
“But,” the priest hesitated, “both of you? I mean…”
The small soldier turned his back on the priest to stare at a crude painting of a naked woman on the wall.
“The blue grant you magic, priest,” the tall soldier chuckled. “We don’t mind sharing a bit if we can save a coin or two.”
The priest leaned close to the soldier and said, “Is your friend all right? I mean, he won’t hurt the girl or anything will he? The city’s wizard doesn’t like that kind of thing. It’s bad for donations, you know?”
The soldier nodded and whispered so only the priest would hear, “He does get a bit rough every now and then. If we share a woman, I can keep an eye on him. You know, priest, you look sleepy.”
The priest led them down a hallway and said, “Well, my son, I am tired. I’ll be able to go to bed after you two boys finish up.”
“If you’ll pardon my saying so, I hate to rush a thing like this. Why don’t you go off to bed now. We can let ourselves out when we’re done.”
“You wouldn’t mind if I went off to bed? Priest Arcton will be here in a little while. He can show you out.”
“We’re all in the service of the same blue order, right?” The soldier pulled a jumble of coins from his pocket and pressed them into the hands of the blue priest.
“Oh, this is too much. The wizard grants a lower dispensation for his soldiers.”
Rolling his eyes to heaven, the soldier said, “Blue grant the good wizard power. Priest, you’re welcome to the extra for your trouble and for having to stay up late for us.” He reached over and jiggled the priest’s hands. A brief flash of light glinted off the coins, distracting the tired gatekeeper. He voiced no further objections to leaving the soldiers unsupervised in the convent.
The trio stopped at a large door with a heavy lock. The priest took a key ring from a little table and unlocked the door. After the two soldiers stepped into the room, the priest shut the door firmly behind them. The soldiers heard him toss the key ring onto the table. They listened to him walk down the hallway.
Looking around the room, they saw nothing more than a bed and one shuttered window. Chained to the bed was a woman laying with her back to the door.
Tanden knew he was Lady Yasthera il-Aldigg. He looked at I-Sheera and gestured for her to go to the woman. I-Sheera took off her hat and shook loose her long black hair. She quickly ran to the bed and reached out to touch the woman’s shoulder. Yasthera shrank from the touch, but nothing more.
I-Sheera moved to the other side of the bed, sat down and looked into the captive’s face. She gently put her hand under the woman’s chin and lifted her face up to see her.
Recognition dawned immediately. She sobbed and she reached out to hug I-Sheera.
I-Sheera patted her, making small comforting shushing noises. She looked over the woman’s head at Tanden, pointing to the chain on Yasthera’s wrist.
Tanden nodded. He saw no keys in the room, but he doubted the blue priests would have taken them very far. Quietly opening the door a crack, he peeked down the hallway. Verifying it was empty, he grabbing the keys off the table, retreated back into the room and shut the door behind him.
He was correct, there were two keys on the ring. He slipped around the bed behind I-Sheera. When Yasthera saw the uniform, she stiffened up, clinging to her former maid.
I-Sheera said, “It’s all right. It’s Captain Tanden. Shush now. It’s all right. We’ve come to take you out of this place.”
Tanden reached over I-Sheera and tried the small key in the lock on Yasthera’s wrist. It popped open with a well-used click. I-Sheera took the woman’s wrist in her hands and rubbed gently, talking quietly to soothe her. This verified to Tanden that he had made the correct decision to bring I-Sheera into this danger. She was the best and only person to get a calm response from Yasthera.
Swiftly placing the keys back on the hallway table, Tanden re-entered the room. Picking through a small bundle of clothes in the corner, he found a long flowing robe with a hood attached. He handed it to I-Sheera, who looked helplessly to Tanden. Yasthera was crying uncontrollably in I-Sheera’s lap.
Tanden said, “I know she’s had a bad time, but so have we, with more to come. There’ll be time to cry later.”
I-Sheera said, “Tanden, please. I don’t know what to do.”
Tanden sat down next to I-Sheera and grabbed a handful of Yasthera’s hair. He slowly raised her head until they were staring at each other’s face. The woman’s face was streaked with tears. His heart went out to her, but they did not have much time to delay. Jerking her hair caused her to gasp.
“Look at me,” he commanded. “Look at me. Who am I?”
Yasthera sobbed. “I thought you were dead.”
“Who am I?” he hissed.
“Captain Tanden of the White Wind,” she said, choking back a sob.
“That’s correct. You’re Lady Yasthera il-Aldigg. The niece of Warwall, the Red Wizard of Drohnbad and Conqueror of Stantinstadt.” She looked toward I-Sheera.
“Look at me. Who are you?”
Yasthera closed her eyes. I-Sheera leaned close to the woman’s ear and said, “It’ll be all right. You must do as Captain Tanden says. Please, Lady. Answer him for all our sakes.”
Tanden pointed at the robe and said, “I-Sheera, get her dressed. Now.”
Tanden yanked Yasthera to her feet so I-Sheera could wrap the robe around her. He repeated, “You are Lady Yasthera il-Aldigg, the niece to Warwall, the Red Wizard of Drohnbad and Conqueror of Stantinstadt. Now, who are you?”
Ya
sthera looked into Tanden’s eyes and said, “I am Yasthera il-Aldigg.”
Tanden said, “That’s correct. You’re of a royal household, act like it.”
Yasthera sobbed, “But, you don’t know—”
Tanden interrupted, speaking slowly and distinctly, emphasizing each word, “I don’t know everything, but I know enough and I don’t care. At this moment, you’re Yasthera, a common whore for common sailors. Nothing more. If you want to regain your life, control yourself or you’ll die here.”
He jerked her hair again for added emphasis.
“Now!” Tanden hissed, “Who are you?”
Yasthera spit back at him, finally roused to anger, “I’m Lady Yasthera il-Aldigg, the niece of Warwall, the Red Wizard of Drohnbad, betrothed to Tarran, the youngest son of King Krebbem of the Holden Empire. They’ll kill the pigs who did this to me.”
Tanden nodded, “Good. However, Lady il-Aldigg, I believe it would not be in your best interests to ever tell your uncle or your new husband about any of this.”
Yasthera looked at I-Sheera as she tied the final bows on the robe and pulled the hood up over her head. I-Sheera nodded in agreement. She tied the hood tight around Yasthera’s head and said, “They may not understand, Lady.”
Yasthera said, “But how? Certainly they’ll find out.”
Tanden said, “They won’t find out from me or my crew. They’ll only know if you tell them. Treat Tarran as any good, loving wife should and he’ll believe everything you say. Trust me. Now we must go.”
Yasthera nodded, “Yes, Captain Tanden. I thank you. But one thing—”
I-Sheera implored, “Please, Lady. Quickly?”
Yasthera said, “The men who did this to me…?”
I-Sheera grabbed Yasthera by the hood on the robe, grabbing her hair as Tanden had. Jerking her head around, she hissed into the woman’s ear. “To you? Listen carefully, you spoiled little brat. These men mutinied against Tanden. They stole his ship and cargo. They tossed us into the sea to drown. They killed and caused good men to die. You wail because you had to take a man between your legs. Woman, you were made for that.”