by M. J. Sewall
“Do you have your pin and oil? Is the machine still on the ship?”
Gordon managed, “N…No. They're in my pouch. On my belt. I don't know if the sea water… I'm… shaking… blood too high…”
“I'll do it.” Ellice threw off her blankets and found the pouch on his belt. Peeling back the blanket revealed Gordon's long knife.
Loyce hissed, “That blade, boy, give that to me!”
“Not now, we need to help him,” shouted Aline.
“Now! I will have that knife!” Loyce said and grabbed for it. Ellice grabbed his wrist.
Her strength was heightened by concern for her son. That surprised the Sea Lord enough to give him pause and for Ellice to say, “We will submit. But I will help my son first. He has the sweetblood illness.”
Loyce pulled his hand back. He stared as Ellice pulled out the small metal box, glass jars, and pins. Luckily no sea water had leaked into the machine. She stuck Gordon's finger and a drop of blood appeared which was sucked into the machine as she put his finger to it. She watched the numbers tick up, three numbers rolling until they reached 469.
Loyce watched, as comprehension dawned, “Sweetblood? By the gods of the sea, is this Gordon, one of the kings of the Thirteeners?”
Ellice didn't look at Loyce, instead she plunged the pin with the glass tube into the bottle of clear liquid, piercing the leather cap. She drew back the metal plunger and the glass tube filled with liquid. She rubbed Gordon's arm. When she plunged the pin in her son's arm, the crew around them gasped at the strange sight.
Aline shook her head. “You are bloodthirsty Sea Lords and you're afraid of a pin prick?”
Gordon put his finger over the small drop of blood that came out of his arm, “The machine still works after being in the sea. Loren will be happy.” Gordon realized that everyone was staring at him.
After a moment, Loyce said, “Feeling better, King Gordon?” not unkindly.
Gordon wasn't shivering as much, “I'll be fine. Thank you for at least rescuing us from the water.”
“Of course,” answered Loyce.
“But if you ever hit my mother again,” Gordon continued, “I'll kill you.”
Loyce exploded with laughter, along with his crew, “Fair enough, boy, fair enough.”
When the laughter died down, the Sea Lord said, “Queen Ellice, time to tell me everything.”
Aline scowled, Gordon stopped shivering, and Ellice spoke, “I am Ellice, this is my son Gordon, and that lovely and deadly warrior is named Aline.”
“Aline? Where have I heard that name? Wait, what is your mother's name?”
Aline looked to Ellice, who nodded that it was okay to speak. “Sandrell,” she said.
Loyce's face could not hide his awe, “Jon, give her another cup of spiced wine. No, two. And cut her loose. My apologies, Aline, blood of Sandrell. Will you promise not to kill any more of my crew if we loose your hands?”
She looked around, “For now,” she said, glad her wrists were free, taking the wine.
Ellice continued, “There was an attack on our other King. Two agents from the Outlands. That's where Harlow was taking us.”
“Then you're in luck. We're headed that direction. We arrive near there tomorrow. You understand that we must take your weapons. We can't have you murdering us in the night. My crew is seventy strong, but with Sandrell's daughter onboard… Well, I can't be too sure.”
Aline almost smiled as she took a sip of wine, her eyes still on Loyce.
The Sea Lord continued, “And I will give you a separate place to sleep, safe from my crew. They, safe from you. Feeling better Gordon?”
“Yes, thank you.”
Loyce asked, “Why did you refuse the wine? I still don't understand.”
Gordon hesitated a moment. He did not like to tell people about his illness. People either pitied him or treated him like he was made of glass, but he explained, “The sweet in my blood must stay in balance. Most people's bodies do that for them, but mine doesn't. Wine comes from grapes; all fruits have sweetness in them. Loren's oil counter balances the sweet. The pin gets it into my blood. Too much sweet in my blood is bad, too little is worse. Bad things can happen.”
“Like what?” asked Loyce.
“Death,” answered Gordon.
Loyce did not respond to that, looking instead to Ellice. She hid her concern well, but Loyce was sure he could spot it in her eyes. Loyce spoke to one of his crew, who nodded and left for some task.
“You must all be hungry. Dine with me., and Gordon, you can tell me how you got that longknife.”
They all went to the Sea Lord's large, elegant room, which was already set up for a meal. They reluctantly handed over their weapons. The crew even found the small knife Aline strapped to her ankle. The crew took all the weapons with them, except for Gordon's longknife, which Loyce kept. The room was surprisingly warm. They all sat to dine. Just Loyce, and his three guests.
There was plenty of food on the table; the only other object between them was Gordon's curved longknife. They all watched as Loyce carefully polished Gordon's knife, all the while asking lots of questions. Gordon looked to his mother, who seemed to think it was all right to talk. He told his story of being chosen king, being forced to flee his own kingdom and finding out that the Firstcouncilor Trunculin really ran the kingdom. He spoke of airships, fighting monsters and being stolen and taken to Extatumm, meeting the leader called the father. He skipped over the fortress underground, and ended with the airship battle of Thure, and of Trunculin's later demise. It felt strange to tell the story to a complete stranger, but it felt good too, in a way.
The sea lord asked more detailed questions about the important bits and the island people called the Copway, and how he had been given the curved longknife to battle a monster.
Loyce sat in stunned silence when it was done, “And you're just thirteen, right, boy? I mean, Gordon?”
“I'll be fourteen soon.”
“Amazing! I thought I had some good stories to tell. Did you know this longknife has a name?”
Gordon shook his head, “No, I haven't named it yet.”
“It had a name, oh, hundreds of years before we were born. This…” he ran his hand down the length of it, “…this is Atmoss.”
Aline shook her head, “It's impossible.”
“That's ridiculous,” said Ellice quickly.
Gordon looked at the knife with new wonder, “But it can't be… I mean, I knew it looked kind of like it. But it's a replica, right?”
“Ahh, you know your Dardian history, then?” said Loyce. “I suppose only sea folk know the truly old tales. And those that know ancient history. This knife was said to be made by the sea god's son. Of course, that's just a tale. We think it was made in the old kingdom of Dard. They were great makers of blades once. The word Atmoss in Dardian means, to 'split in half.' The man that had this knife used to say he once split a ships mast in two with this blade. Of course, that's ridiculous. All Sea Lords lie. I killed him for it anyway.”
“You killed a fellow Sea Lord?” asked Aline.
“Yes. I killed him, took his ship, and searched everywhere for this blade. I figured it fell into the sea with him.”
Ellice yawned. “Pardon me. It must have washed ashore where the island people found it.”
“Funny that you found it on an island. We'll be going to an island at the entrance to the Outlands.”
Aline yawned as well, “I thought you said you were taking us directly to the Outlands.” Her eyes got wide, and Aline shot out of her chair, but collapsed onto the table before she could reach the blade.
Gordon slumped in his chair, the weak poison put in the food to make them sleep was working just as Loyce had planned. “Funny that you all didn't notice I wasn't eating anything.”
Ellice yawned again, but managed, “Why?” before the effects overcame her.
“I told you, my dear. All Sea Lords lie. It's what Sea Lords do. You will know why soon enough.”
> They all slumped, Loyce helped Aline's limp body back into her chair, “You are all much too valuable to let go. Especially you, little girl.”
Chapter 21: Firstman to the Rescue
“Could you read it again, please?” asked Asa, walking with bare feet back and forth across the floor and using his fighting staff to help him avoid the furniture.
“That's all it says.” His brother Vance read the small message from the bird's leg for the third time, “Attack. Sea Lords.”
Mantuan and Tolan came in, “You summoned us back, my king? Is it more urgent than the council problem?”
Asa nodded, “Yes. I may have sent Gordon and the others to their deaths.”
Vance handed him the note, “Sea Lords.”
Mantuan read the note and said, “We must send a rescue party. I will leave right away.”
“No,” said King Asa, “I need you here to deal with this council whatever it is.”
“I will go, my king,” said Tolan.
Asa's brother agreed, “Good. Me and Devver can continue to be your personal guard, Mantuan can fix this council business. It makes sense for Tolan to go.”
“You're Firstman, you should stand by the king,” Mantuan said.
“I've been in the guard for five years, secondman for half a year. No offence, Mantuan, but the men know me better. I have been training hard. I want to do this, for the Kings, and for Brenddel.”
Asa nodded. “Tolan, please find them. Forget the mission to the Outlands. When you find Gordon and the rest, bring them home.”
Mantuan said, “Yes. Better to get them back here first. Then we can launch another mission with someone more reliable than Harlow. He probably sold them to the Sea Lords.”
“Tolan,” Asa said worriedly, “Please leave right away, and bring them back safe.”
“I will. I'll take three ships, fully provisioned and fully armed. My ship will have the new weapon. We'll stop every ship we see if we have to. I will find them, my king.” Tolan left.
Mantuan sat. “How are the eyes, my king?”
The brothers looked anxious. Asa said, “The same. What have you found out about these Council people?”
“Not much yet. The fires were harmless, nothing was damaged. The worrying thing is that none of the people would talk to me. The fires were set in the middle of markets, in plain sight. They were burning fake name boards. It was a message.”
“Are the people turning against us?” asked Asa.
Mantuan avoided the question, “The people are angry. They don't see things changing fast enough.”
“What more can we do? Trunculin's gone, we've exposed corruption in the councils. The people have more freedom than ever,” said Asa, rubbing his eyes. Loren said it wouldn't help, but he had to do something. Asa felt more helpless than ever.
Devver said, “We still haven't begun the choosing of new councilors from among the people. They might be angry about that.”
Mantuan added, “The people must be patient. We will do all that was promised. We'll have open, honest choosing ceremonies, every man or woman free to speak their minds without disappearing to Trunculin's secret prisons.”
Vance asked, “What's your next step?”
“I have sent a message, inviting them to meet,” said Mantuan.
“Is that a good idea? What if they take you prisoner?” asked Vance.
“It's a risk,” said Mantuan. “But it shows good faith that I will listen, without guards to protect me. If they try and take me that will tell us something about them too.”
A window along the hallway that led to the room of the king's chair exploded inward. A guard ran to the large broken windows. Asa's brothers and Mantuan leapt to their feet and ran from the room, knives out. They went past the new doors to the room. In the hallway, the guards were running down the hall to give chase outside.
The guard picked something up from among the shattered glass and handed it to Mantuan. It was a large rock with a note attached by string. Mantuan looked out the window into the courtyard. A young man was running away. He doubted if the guards would ever catch him.
Mantuan cut the string off of the rock, careful not to cut the attached note and read it. “We have our answer. Very dramatic, this council. We are to meet tomorrow. Just me and one from this council.”
“Where?” asked Devver.
“A drinks house in Borenn's Village. It's not too far. I know the spot.”
Chapter 22: Quanna
The monster hissed, showing its giant teeth, then closed its mouth and dove back under the water. Kett and Lyrra had their knives out, while trying to stay afloat. They had no idea how deep the canal was, but from what they'd heard, very large ships passed through these waters. The beast could strike from anywhere. These thoughts all flashed through their heads while they tried to get to safety.
Lyrra had almost made it to the muddy bank when Kett rose out of the water, like he suddenly knew how to fly. A startled sound escaped him as he tried to keep his balance, realizing he was atop the beast's head. The beast slithered up, almost like it was balancing the man on his head like a plaything. The wormy arms slithered excitedly. The beast stopped rising and opened its jaw.
Kett held firm to both his knives as the beast flipped its head upward and Kett went flying. The thing opened its jaws wider and pivoted its head to catch the delicious treat. Kett twisted in midair. The beast had its jaws wide, and Kett was head down now, aimed to have the beast swallow him whole.
He let out a yell, and the beast hissed again. Water sprayed from the beast's mouth and hit his face as he swung his longknife at one of the beast's giant yellow fangs. The metal blade rang off the fang, the shock of the metal on tooth shaking Kett's arm. Nearly dropping his longknife, he twisted his body again. The beast roared. The fang did not give way, but Kett thought he may have taken a chip out. The beast can be hurt, at least.
He tumbled to the side of the beast, where a squirming worm-like arm grabbed him in midair. It tightened its grip around his chest and Kett grunted with pain. Lyrra had no way to help him. She was barely able to stand on the steep muddy bank. They were just too far away.
Kett held fast to his knives, trying to cut at the wormy arm around his chest. Then the beast collapsed straight down into the water, taking Kett with him.
“No!” Lyrra screamed, but the beast did not come back up. What seemed like hours passed, but it was only a moment before Lyrra saw bubbles rise a few feet from her. She threw her shortknife onto the bank and put both hands on the hilt of her longknife. She saw the top of the beast's head rising from the water.
She leapt from the bank, her knife over her head. She swung down hard as the beast rose straight up. The beast turned and Lyrra's knife came down on one of the wormy arms. She sliced through it and kept the arc of her swing until the arm flew off.
Inky black blood gushed over her as she went into the water, the arm still wiggling as it sunk with her. She didn't realize she had been screaming until the inky blood filled her mouth and mixed with the salty water of the canal. Lyrra splashed and went under. She moved her feet and legs and finally came back to the surface. The beast was coming down as she breached the surface, and it screamed like no other creature she'd ever heard.
It released Kett, and he went back into the water. Then the beast was just gone. An inky black slick of blood clung to the top of the water. Lyrra swam to Kett, who floated on the surface. He wasn't breathing. She dragged him to the bank, barely able to manage him onto the muddy shore.
She put his mouth to the side and pressed his stomach hard. Sea water flowed out of him, and his eyes shot open. He sputtered and coughed more sea water out and looked around wildly for the beast. They clung to the narrow bank, Kett coughing and Lyrra trying to catch her breath. Lyrra was amazed to see that Kett still held his knives in his hands, knuckles white from holding on so hard.
From a distance they heard yelling. They both turned and could just see the second gate of the canal in the dista
nce. Men dressed in orange and black lined the gate. They jumped up and down, and they were not happy.
Lyrra realized they were not cheering for them.
When Kett could stand, they made their way along the slippery bank. Many times they almost fell back into the water, but they managed. Some of the guards came part way out to meet them, helping them both climb the steps up to the wooden platforms just next to the second gate. They did not speak but looks furious.
A large man came to them. His mouth was lined with sharpened teeth, so it was hard to tell whether he was actually angry, or if this was just his way. She wondered if they had not left one monster for another.
They noticed all the guards had sharpened teeth.
“Welcome to Artoth, she that wounds Quanna, the great beast of our canal.”
“Th…Thank you,” Lyrra said.
“I suppose the swine of the blue king did not warn you the beast was active these last three days?”
Kett coughed, “No, no they didn't mention that.”
“Quanna has killed ten men in the last week, taken two ships to the deep bottom of the canal.”
“So that's why they didn't ask for a fee.”
The large guard said, “Our king worships the beast. Long ago, it killed one of the blue kings. They have been trying to kill it ever since. You are the first to wound it in a very long time. She should have swallowed you whole.”
“She almost did.” said Kett. “We were fighting for our lives.”
Lyrra, cold and still dripping wet, said, “I wish the honor had gone to someone else, believe me.”
The man snarled, “Silence! Our king will issue swift justice. Take them.” His men took them both and they made their way to the Kings of Artoth.
Chapter 23: Dangerous Friends
Cayne studied the map as three women walked around the large map table. The map was of Aspora and the Kingdom of the Thirteen. There were large wooden figures, some shaped like Asporan helmets and some shaped like waterships.
Three were shaped like airships.
“You're sure this will work?” asked Cayne. “I should spend more time solidifying my power here in Aspora. There are still areas I do not control.”