by Allan Joyal
"You," Yveney said firmly. "The most important thing you can bring back is just to come back. Knowing more people are out there will be a big help for everyone."
I was puzzled, but Ushcail laughed. "We'll do our best. We'll do our best."
Ushcail put a hand on my shoulder and gently pushed me away from Ron and Yveney. They turned and started a whispered conversation as we made our way over to the others to join in the feast.
Chapter 29: Starting the Return Voyage
Ron's friends provided a very hearty meal. It was wonderful to eat hot food for only the second time in many days. The meat was very well seasoned. The woman who was doing the cooking kept her head down, just quietly shaking her head as Culax tried to entice her over.
Ushcail and Jessop ate quickly and then forced Culax to return to the ship. I sat with Panalope as she watched the younger members of Ron's band tease each other as they finished their meal. They ran about seemingly randomly, but when Ron shouted something, they immediately ran over to a raft we had not noticed pulled up on the riverbank.
The raft was covered in barrels and bundles of wooden planks. The children immediately began working together to lift the barrels and carry them over to the dock. Panalope and I tried to join in only to be pushed away by Lenoir.
"They want to do it," the woman told us. "They don't get many opportunities to be helpful like this. Not in the past year at least."
"Hey! You can speak to us," Panalope said.
"Only for a short time. Shaylin says the spell will fade before the sun sets today," Lenoir said with a sigh. "But I thought it might help. That's if I'm going with you."
"Ushcail did not say you couldn't," I said. "But are you comfortable with sailing with us for thirty days or more? We hope we reach the islands in ten days, and then it might be twenty or more before we return to the harbor."
"The orcs we were watching have gone north this spring," Lenoir said. "There are no threats to Daytona this year. I don't have a lot to do and I hate farming."
"And your husband won't complain?" Panalope asked.
"Krysbain wishes he had thought about it first. Although he admits I'm probably a better ambassador for Daytona," Lenoir said.
"What?" Panalope asked.
"Sorry, it’s a word Ron used. He said that my job was to represent Daytona and convince others that we are truly interested in entering trade agreements and such. He said that his people called someone with that duty an ambassador," Lenoir said with a giggle.
"Well, let's go then," Panalope said.
We headed over to Gypsy. Ushcail had the rest of the crew standing at the railing, accepting the barrels as they were brought over. Jessop was supervising the placement of each barrel.
"We need to make sure the weight is balanced and that we can get at what we need," Jessop called out.
"How are we set up for food?" I asked.
"Enough for all eight of us to sail for fifty days if it keeps," Jessop said. "But that doesn’t always happen. And remember we plan on bringing additional people back."
"How many can we carry? Especially if we have trade cargo?" I asked worriedly.
"People will be sleeping rough," Jessop said. "But we can probably carry eight more without trouble and twelve if we try. I wouldn't want more than twenty total though. The hold can hold that much food."
"We'll fish," Lucis said. "And perhaps Nereid and Syrina can help."
"Undine is the more daring of my daughters," Ushcail said. "If you want someone to bring back food from the sea floor she's the one to ask."
"What can you get from the sea floor?" Lenoir asked.
"There are fish that live there. Strange fish that are almost flat," Ushcail said. "There are also creatures with a hard shell, but tasty insides. Undine is very good at bringing those, they can be hard to catch, but are quite tasty."
"Who are these ladies?" Lenoir asked.
"Ladies? They are not related to a Sere," Panalope said firmly.
"Ron likes to say that all women are ladies. His attitude has filtered through some of the people in Daytona," Lenoir said. "I guess I'm one of them."
"I like that idea," Panalope said.
"You would," Hadlor called back playfully.
Lenoir smiled and shook her head. "It's going to take time to get used to a new group of people. At least you all get along pretty well."
"Gypsy isn't that big of a boat," Ushcail replied. "If we didn't get along there would be problems."
"Captain," Jessop called out. "I think we just loaded the last of the cargo."
I looked up. Ron's people had walked back up the dock and were standing on the shore. Several young men and women were waving to us.
"Jessop are we ready to cast off?" Ushcail called out.
"I'll get the bow line," I said. I started to walk up the dock.
"Kaven!" Ushcail shouted. "They have people ready to untie us. Just get on the boat and pull in the line once they free us."
"Aye Captain," I called out as I turned back to run to the ship. "That I can do."
I leapt onto the ship and moved towards the bow. The rope was still taut, so I stood by as I looked out at the shore.
"When you are ready!" Jessop called out.
"Lucis, Culax, you're on the sails. We'll want the foresail up immediately and the mainsail up after that," Ushcail called out.
"Why not the mainsail first?" Culax complained.
"Because I gave you an order to raise the foresail!" Ushcail bellowed. "Now get to the lines and start unfurling the sail. We'll need it when its time to turn to the north."
"We're ready to set off," Jessop said. "And I have Hadlor with me. We'll get the main sail up."
"What about the girls?" Culax asked. His tone was hostile and nasty.
"Panalope has the tiller and Lenoir will handle bringing in the stern rope," Jessop said firmly.
"I'll probably have to go help her," Culax said with scorn.
"And we'll have to bandage you up if you try!" Lenoir called out. "I'll have my rope in before your scrawny kid up front has his pulled in."
"I'm insulted," I playfully called back. "But I'll prove you wrong."
"Call to shore, Lenoir," Ushcail called out. "We're ready to cast off."
Lenoir shouted out once again in the language none of us understood. It was clear the men on the shore did because the massive man standing near the tree the bow line was tied to hauled the line towards the tree and used the slack to allow the knot he had tied earlier to unwind.
The instant I could see the knot undone I started pulling on the line. I was working to coil it at my feet as I dragged it back onto the boat. The people on the shore just backed away and watched as I worked.
"No fair!" I heard Panalope shout. "You're getting help from your friends."
I refused to turn and look. Gypsy was now moving and the end of the line floated in the water as we rapidly started moving towards the ocean. I fought to bring the rope in before it sank or caught on something.
The last few feet of the rope were sliding over the railing when Lenore ran up. "I wanted to help," she complained.
"Let's see if they need us on the sails," I said as I finished putting the rope into a neat coil. "Did you coil the other rope up?"
Lenoir looked down at her feet. She said nothing as I looked at her.
"Pan! Did the stern rope get coiled neatly?" I asked.
"I handled it," Panalope said. "I think you should be worried about the next time we turn. We're almost to the mouth of the river."
I looked up and realized that Gypsy was moving quickly. Panalope was exaggerating a bit, but it was clear that Ushcail would be calling for the ship to turn in the near future. I looked at where the wind was and moved over to the port side of the ship.
"What?" Lenore asked.
"The wind is pretty much out of the west right now. It shifted while we ate. The sails are tied off with the ropes on this side of the ship. When we turn we'll have to adjust some of the line
s, but we'll be staying on this side of the ship."
"Do we change them often?" Lenoir asked.
"Only if we have to turn often," Jessop said as he walked over to join us. "Some captains will insist on constant adjustments saying you can make a ship move faster. You can, but the extra effort isn't worth it in my opinion. You don't gain enough speed to justify tiring out the crew."
"Does the captain agree?" Lenoir asked as we leaned on the railing and looked up at the sails.
"I wouldn't serve with him if he didn't," Jessop said. "But Ushcail also never needs to squeeze out more speed. Between his knowledge of the ocean currents in the islands, and his reputation, he's never been in danger of arriving late."
"Oh, its happened," Ushcail said from near the mast. "Usually its due to some less than honest Sere who tells me that everything is prepared to be picked up and then I discover that I'll have to wait for days while the shipment is prepared."
"What do you do when that happens?" I asked.
"I make the shipment and then refuse to work for the Sere the next few times he gets in contact with me," Ushcail said.
"Aren't there other captains?" Lenoir asked.
Everyone turned to stare at Lenoir. She seemed to shrink as the crew just looked at her without speaking. "What?" she asked.
"Ushcail is regarded as the best captain in the Islands," Jessop said quietly. "The other captains might mock him if they are in a tavern and he's not there, but no one questions his ability or integrity. He always gets the cargo to the destination. So if he's known to be refusing shipments from a Sere or merchant. No one will talk to that Sere."
"Oh," Lenoir said. "I guess there is a lot to learn. Sadly, the spell allowing me to talk to you will fade."
"How much can you recognize?" I asked.
"What?" Lenoir asked me.
"Of the words we say. Do you recognize any of it? I mean, I know the spell allows you to understand, but can you tell what we are saying or does it make you hear in the language you usually use?" I asked.
"Oh, it's a bit of both," Lenoir said. "For some reason we use Ron's language in Daytona. Well that of Ron and the others who arrived with him. Shaylin believes it’s a side effect of the magic that brought him and his friends here. Over time anyone who was around them began to speak their language."
"Magic is that powerful?" I asked.
"I don't understand it," Lenoir said. "Shaylin is really our only wizard, and she would not have received any training had she not joined Ron and his friends. The only reason she has any training has been thanks to some books given to her when we stumbled on the ruins of a magic school while on our trip. She has spent a lot of time studying those books."
"Ron?" Jessop asked. "You talk about the library on the islands. Would they have any books of magic that might be valuable? That would be a great way to ensure that Ron and his friends want to trade."
Lenoir laughed. "We already want to trade."
"Hard to port!" Ushcail called out. "Let's head north with the current."
"Port?" Lenoir said. "He wants us to head back to the dock?"
"No, port in this case means we're turning left," Jessop said. "You might want to run to the bow. This will take a moment."
"Bow?" Lenoir asked.
"The front of the ship," I called out as I started to untie the ropes holding the sail in place. I could already see that we'd need to adjust the sail to better catch the west wind once the turn was complete.
"Come about," Ushcail shouted.
The ship tilted to starboard as we turned. Jessop cursed as the sail caught a gust and tried to throw us both into the water. I lunged with my right hand to grab the railing. It groaned alarmingly, but held.
The turn subsided and the ship began to right itself. I scrambled to get the sail tied off in case another gust came.
Once the sail was properly secured and billowing out as it filled with the midday breeze, Jessop came over and slapped me on the back.
"And I remember asking Ushcail if we could abandon you and that doxy of yours on Isla Magestica. You just kept me out of the ocean, and probably saved my life," Jessop said.
I pretended that I had not heard his comments. Instead, I looked out at the shoreline as the combination of wind and current had Gypsy speeding forward.
"Now what do we do?" Lenoir asked me as I leaned on the railing.
"If the wind holds, we won't have to turn until close to sunset," I replied. "Hadlor and Lucis will probably try to fish."
"How do you eat the fish?" Lenoir asked. "I have seen no sign that you cook anything."
"Ushcail is against fire on a ship. He and Jessop have said that there are ways to keep a fire on a ship safely, but Gypsy doesn't have anything. We will probably either eat the fish raw, or set up some way to dry it while we eat the other foods we have stored," I said.
"Wow," Lenoir said. "I never thought about that, but it makes sense. I'd think the captain would want a way to cook though."
"I've seen too many ships sink because someone was careless with fire," Jessop said.
"What else can we do then?" Lenoir asked.
"Watch for other ships," Jessop said.
"There were no other humans on this side of the Elfwall river," Lenoir said. "Not even in the northern areas where you would not enter their forests if you crossed. Once we crossed that river the only human we saw was a spirit at the magical academy we visited."
"We didn't see much of the coast, but what we saw was wilderness. Especially south of the harbor," I said.
"The swamp?" Lenoir said. "Ron heard about that place from Krysbain. He practically ordered Krysbain and I to take him to the ruins so he could see the swamp. Once he looked at it, he said we should never enter it."
"Why not?" Jessop asked.
"I asked the same thing. Ron actually had good reasons," Lenoir said. "First, he pointed out some marks on the trees that indicated a large creature lived in the water. He suggested that it might find humans to be quite tasty. Krysbain argued, but Hencktor told of another swamp the group entered. One of their members fell into the water and was chased back onto the path they were following."
"Did the member die?" I asked.
"No," Lenoir said. She then frowned. "He's not with the group and they don't exactly explain what happened to him, but he survived that encounter."
"So they do keep secrets?" Culax accused Lenoir.
"Everyone does," Lenoir said. "I don't expect that you have told me everything."
"Near enough," Culax complained. "I notice you haven't tried to get any of us interested in you."
Lenoir laughed. "I have a husband. I even left my son back with the others. That's why I haven't shown any interest. My husband agreed to allow me to come on this trip, but I'm supposed to remain faithful to him."
"He trusts you that much?" I asked.
"Why wouldn't he?" Lenoir said. "You have to realize everyone living in Daytona was part of our journey across the continent. The last group of people joined just as we crossed the Elfwall river. They were with us when we first found the valley and when Ron and Verval nearly fought over what to build first. They were with us when a massive band of Orcs tried to wipe us out only to be stopped by the wall Ron insisted was the highest priority for us to build. Krysbain saved my life and I saved his. He knows that I wouldn't betray him."
"Strong words," Jessop said. "And yet, you trust us?"
Lenoir laughed again. "I'm good with a knife. And as I tried to say before, the fact that you had Panalope with you impressed all of us. It was clear she wasn't being mistreated."
"No, she gets the easy job," Culax complained. "I have to haul the sails, but she just stands at the tiller."
"Culax," Ushcail snapped. "If she wasn't here, what would you be doing?"
"Hauling sails," Culax muttered. He sounded so like a scolded child that I had to turn and look over the railing in order not to laugh.
"I can say that Jessop is correct. We shouldn't have to change
the sails unless the wind shifts to come out of the north. Not until we turn to the east to head home. And if I remember rightly, that should occur just before sundown."
"Might be a bit sooner this time," Jessop said. "I believe we are going a bit faster. Last time the wind was coming from the northwest. We could sail into it thanks to the angle and the current, but this wind is from just south of true west. We can run with this wind."
"What about running into something?" Lenoir asked.
"We sailed this just a few days ago," Jessop said absently. "And while we don't have all of the materials required to make a chart. I am trying to keep track of what I see. Hopefully we'll find some of what I need to make charts when we return to the Isles."
“You know how to make charts?” Lenoir asked. “Can you make maps as well?”
“I’ve never had to make a map, but I can probably show you some techniques that would help. Why?” Jessop asked.
“We don’t have maps,” Lenoir said. “At least nothing accurate. What would you need to make one?”
“Mostly parchment, pens and ink,” Jessop said. “We do use some rope to help make measurements, but the charts I make are more to track currents and shoals. No one wants to find that the current is going to take them into some rocks.”
“Oh,” Lenoir said with a frown.
“You can probably take the basic techniques and develop something,” I said. “It sounds like you already have something in mind.”
“I do,” Lenoir said. “But I’ll have to think on it. Now why don’t you walk me through the duties of a sailor on this ship. I need to learn as much as I can before the spell Shaylin cast fades.”
Jessop led Lenoir away from me. He called over Lucis and Hadlor and the trio began trying to show Lenoir how to be a good sailor. I took advantage of their absence to wander back to the stern. Panalope said nothing when I approached, but she did reach out to put her left hand on my shoulder when I turned to look over the railing.
Chapter 30: Viewing the Lava Lands.
Seven days of sometimes rough sailing found me back at the stern looking out over the port railing. The combination of a rather steady wind out of the west and the current sped Gypsy across the ocean and we could see smoke rising in the distance.