by JD Franx
Kael sighed, but had no other options. “That sounds fair. We are agreed.”
Seifer held up a hand as his horse pawed at the ground and stepped sideways, sensing his rider’s nervousness. “I... would also ask that you both surrender your weapons until after the search,” he asked, his other hand eased onto the staff secured to the saddle.
Kael glanced over at Kyah, surprised to see her shaking her head in a persistent manner. She spoke before Kael could decide what to say. “You understand our concern. You are the last city to maintain a slave market,” she pointed out.
“I do, Mistress Kyah, but I give you my word as an official member of the Eye and as one of Inara’s chosen that the slave market is the furthest thing from our minds right now.”
Kyah bowed. “Very well, Inari, but I promise you, there is very good reason you cannot sense my husband’s power, and once unleashed, you will pay a heavy price for treachery.”
“I don’t take kindly to threats, young lady,” Seifer warned, as the men with him reached for their weapons.
Kael smiled, raising his voice. “If your intentions are noble, then her words are not a threat, merely a friendly warning. In which case neither of us has to worry, am I right?”
The Master Wizard agreed, nodding. “Very well. Surrender your weapons and follow us. Our little city seems to be getting more interesting by the day,” he chuckled, as he led the way back to Dasal.
After handing their weapons to the guards that accompanied Seifer, they all turned their mounts and headed towards the city. Kyah’s new clothes from the ship no longer allowed for her to hide her kinrai chains, so they were forced to surrender them as well. As they followed the six riders, Kael glanced at Kyah and mumbled, so only she could hear.
“We need to find you something to go around your belly so those chains can be kept hidden next time, yeah?”
“I agree. You better hope he tells the truth. Most people would betray us for the amount of gold my kinrai chains would bring, let alone your blades and our flesh-weight to a slave market,” she said, her tone worried. Kael nodded as they arrived at the city. The portcullis gate was already rising.
Walking their horses under the heavy gate, both were immediately surrounded by soldiers with bladed pikes. Kyah’s cry of warning was seconds too late.
Kael looked at Seifer and smiled, doing his best to appear calm and in control. “I warned you about this,” he said to the Master Wizard, as he tried to decide how to best push the pike-men backwards with his magic.
“Please,” Locke said, “do nothing foolish. It is merely a precaution, I promise you. If you will dismount and follow me, I assure you, all of your property will be returned when we are finished, including your weapons and the four horses.”
Kael glared at the Master Wizard, trying to decide if his words were true or if they should fight their way back out of the city. Again, with no other feasible options—they were severely outnumbered and no longer had their weapons—Kael smiled at Kyah, then bowed to Seifer before dismounting and following the Master Wizard on foot.
Seifer led them away from the gate, heading right and into the building used by the gate’s watchmen. As he walked, he explained how twenty guards patrolled the area in and around the heavy iron gate during all hours of the day and night. Still in the barracks, they passed through the mess area where three dozen men had gathered to break the night’s fast, served by men and women dressed in grey from clay bowls heaped with spiced, scrambled eggs and fried root mash. Kael’s stomach did a back flip at the smell of real food, growling loud enough for Seifer to hear.
The Master Wizard smiled, almost laughing. “Fallen on hard times for some while, young man?”
“Yeah, stale bread and dried meat gets old pretty fast,” Kael replied. Kyah’s stomach rumbled at his words as if to agree.
“I understand all too well. Once we’re done, if everything goes well, we’ll see about getting you both some decent food.”
“Our thanks,” Kyah said, as Seifer led them into his private office. The Master Wizard worked side by side with the guard captain when it came to the city’s defences, and both of the large offices were located at the barrack’s far end. The five guards that followed them through the building entered the office, closed the door and spread out behind Kael and Kyah. With hands wrapped around their sword handles, all were ready for trouble.
Seifer stared at Kael uneasily and raised his hands. “I do apologize for the search of your belongings and that of your person, but we are looking for something very distinct. If you could both please remove your clothes, we can begin. If you are wearing underclothes, you do not have to remove them.”
“I’ll go first,” Kael offered, in the hopes his scarred and adorned skin would take some of the prying eyes from Kyah. As he was still shirtless, the moment he removed his Orotaq cloak, Seifer and the five guards with him gasped at the myriad of healed scar tissue and the tattoo-like ornate vines and wicked thorns that had magically grown across Kael’s skin in the past months. Not hesitating and with little sense of pride remaining after his tenure in Arkum Zul’s prison, he quickly removed his leather pants as well and covered his privates as best he could, seeing as his underwear had also fallen apart long ago.
“Heavens of Paradise, you have seen some battles, young man and where did you have that tattooing done?” Seifer asked, as he moved closer for a better look. The death-flower over his heart hadn’t changed since it appeared so many months ago, but the twisting black vines and cruel-looking thorns continued to spread out over his body. “I thought only people far to the south, in Salzara, had such intricate work like that. It’s amazing. If I were to touch your skin, I’d almost expect to feel the vines underneath your flesh,” he added, clearly impressed.
“You’d never believe me if I told you,” Kael stated.
Seifer stared into his eyes. “Somehow, I believe you.”
“Do you see what you’re looking for?” Kael asked, shaking his head.
“No, and your wife doesn’t have to remove her clothes. Neither of you are pirates, that’s quite clear. We were looking for the Suns of Blood pirate tattoo. I apologize again for having to be sure,” he said, as Kael finished dressing.
“Please, both of you have a seat, and I’ll explain our predicament.” He chuckled, as he used the term Kael had used earlier when explaining where he and Kyah came from. “We’ve been under threat of a pirate attack for three days now. The Suns of Blood have demanded entry to our city so they can look for people whom they have an interest in, but we don’t allow known pirates within the city walls. If we haven’t granted them permission to enter the city and search for those they’re looking for by dusk this day, they say they’ll enter the city using force,” Seifer explained.
“Do you think they will actually attack if the deadline passes?” Kael enquired.
“I fully expect the attack to come by noon today. Their captain has a reputation, and he’ll try to surprise us, I’m sure.”
Kael stopped to think for a minute, giving Kyah the chance to speak. “Master Seifer, do you know the name of this captain and his reputation?”
“Yes, Mistress, as far as we know, Captain BlackSpawn isn’t here. It’s his second, Captain Dominique Havarrow. He’s a Salzaran-based pirate, and most say even more savage than Blackspawn. Rumour has it, he’s a Northman, but he doesn’t have the patience of one.”
“Since when do pirate ships have two captains?” Kael interrupted, confused and naive as always.
Seifer stared at Kael as if he’d spent all twenty years of his life on one of the moons. “The Suns of Blood are a pirate armada. They have at least thirty ships, probably more, a lot more. Bauro BlackSpawn united most of the pirate factions in both kingdoms under his flag many years ago. Every ship has its own captain, but they all follow and do as he says, making him an admiral, though he’s yet to claim that title.”
Rolling his eyes and shaking his head, Kael struggled to understand how any crimin
al would ever be allowed to gain such power, in any world. The he remembered the mess Sam’s Bay was in when he and Ember had first arrived so many years ago. Biker gangs topped the criminal tier with several mafia families controlling the middle of the ladder, but it was the street gangs who ruled every day life in Sam’s Bay. Until Max’s Sheriff’s Department with help from a cross-state multi-agency task force brought it all down—bikers, mafia, and street gangs.
Kael shook his head a second time, returning to reality. “How many ships and men are in your harbour now?” he asked.
“He thinks to fool us, I believe, because there are only two ships in the harbour, but five more are only ten minutes north, hidden in a small cove.”
“Is there any chance he would talk with me, do you think?” Kael asked, a plan starting to grow in his mind.
Seifer shrugged. “He has a rowboat waiting for a city representative to be brought out with an answer. If you have any ideas, there is still time for us to speak with the city leaders; they may let you go in their man’s stead.”
Kael nodded at the information, his idea growing further. “Master Locke, I’ll make you an offer. My wife and I will talk to this pirate and see exactly what he wants, if you allow my wife and I some time with your local tailor and a hot bath at the inn. Even a greasy pirate would take us for beggars right now.” Kael chuckled even as he wondered if getting involved in a city siege was perhaps not the smartest thing to do.
“Why would you risk your life for us like that? What would you hope to gain?” he asked.
Kyah was the one to answer. “We are here now, Master Seifer. You allowed us entry when most would have not. We are sore and tired, and you cannot begin to imagine the road we have travelled. If we can help, we would only ask to be allowed to stay in Dasal while we recover from our journey, along with that hot bath and a change of clothes.” She smiled, making Seifer smile in return. She added, “A city under siege is not a good place to rest, so let us help prevent it.”
“It’s worth a try. I’ll send my apprentice to the tailor and then on to the inn. I would recommend seeing the tailor first, in case he needs to alter what you purchase. All the charges will be forwarded to myself for now. We can settle up after we know how things turn out. Worst case scenario, I can always use a new horse,” he added still smiling. “Should we all not die under a pirate’s blade that is.”
True to his word, Seifer had the guards return Kael and Kyah’s weapons before he took them to their horses and offered the use of the city guard stables. They left their mounts in good hands and headed for the local tailor. The sun had just risen when they arrived, but the seamstress and several apprentices were already hard at work. The tailor himself arrived right after, having been held up at home by Seifer’s apprentice.
Kyah bought a second outfit, a woollen shirt with a hood and a pair of light brown, soft leather pants that would be warmer than what she currently wore. A pair of knee-length boots finished her purchases. Kael managed to find a pair of black, soft leather pants that the seamstress altered while they waited. He added a full-length cloth shirt, as well as a heavier one made from wool that was similar to the one Kyah chose.
The tailor offered to have the Orotaq cloaks cleaned, a part of his business that his teenage daughters took care of.
Knowing they’d be heading into the mountains before long, Kael nodded at the tailor. “Could you add a heavy, lined hood to each of the cloaks?” he asked.
“Yes, master,” the tailor agreed. “I will also repair the lengths of leather that I assume you’ve been using for masks?”
“Yes, thank you,” Kael said, and smiled at the older man. His personality was a refreshing change from psychotic witches and arrogant wizards. The tailor promised the repairs and alterations would be done later in the day, so Kyah asked for them to be sent to the inn. The old man nodded as they left, already busy giving orders to several apprentices to make the changes before handing the cloaks off to the seamstress and her helpers.
Kael and Kyah arrived at the two-storey inn to find that a room had been set aside for them already, thanks to Master Locke’s young apprentice. They were shown to their room on the second floor by a young girl no older than twelve.
“You may call me, Sani, Master, Mistress. Should you need anything during your stay, please ask for me, the hour is not important.”
“Sani?” Kyah said, with a strange look on her face. “You are a slave then?”
“Yes, mistress. You are correct.” Kael glanced at Kyah, unsure of how she knew.
“Sani is an old Dwarven word for slave. I have never heard it used before.”
“It is used here often, Mistress,” the young girl offered, bowing. “I hope it does not offend. If so, you may call me whatever...”
Kyah shook her head. “No, dear, it is fine. Do not worry. I promise you, no trouble will come from us, especially for you.”
The young girl bowed again. “Thank you, Mistress. Please, let me show you the room that was reserved for you.” Kyah smiled and gestured for her to lead the way, but her eyes bored into Kael’s. He hoped the city’s policy on slavery wouldn’t get them into trouble. Kyah’s temper towards slavers had become worse of late, something he contributed to her own first tastes of freedom.
Their room was one of the three largest suites in what was clearly the city’s most prestigious inn. Their room, situated along the inn’s front-facing side, also had a balcony large enough to hold a round table and two chairs. The view of the harbour was incredible. Since the sun had been up for less than an hour, an abundance of rays and colours glistened off the rippling waters of Fang Bay, even though the glare blinded them to the rest of the shore and docks.
After the long, cool night, entering the room with a large stone fireplace blazing, Kael almost succumbed to the warmth and the sight of a real queen sized bed that sat to the left of the door. The balcony doors beyond the bed allowed for the spectacular view of the harbour down the hill and beyond the city even when laying in the bed. The bath however, quickly caught his eye and overruled the need for sleep. A permanent part of the room, it was built into the wall on his right. Made from stone tiles the size of his hand, it was three feet deep and close to six feet in length. Over four feet wide, one could stretch out easily and relax, and there would still be room for another in the bath. Kael noticed a single lever on the tub’s ledge, but could see no taps or spout to fill the large tub.
Noticing his confusion, the young slave approached and turned the handle. “The water comes from a deep well of hot springs, Master, far below the surface. All you do is let it fill,” she said, bending over and placing a heavy yellow sponge in the drain hole at the tub’s far end. Kael smiled with awe as air gurgled from inside six small holes spaced along the tub’s outer edge on the wall opposite of where he stood. After a few seconds, water poured from the holes and began to fill the tub with water.
“It’s warm.” Running his fingers through the steaming water, he laughed. “God in heaven. It’s almost hot. Hot running water.” He sighed as steam rose from the bath.
“Yes, Master,” the girl said. “We try to offer only the best to travellers here.” It only took fifteen minutes to have the bath nearly full. Sani showed them where the towels were stored—in a cupboard to the left of the tub, and then showed them how to operate the dumb-waiter chute used to bring firewood up to their suite without actually having to leave the room. Once finished, the young girl stood by the door and waited. Kael rummaged through his travel pack until he found the small pouch of coins and gems from Jasala’s tower.
Removing a small nugget of raw gold, he handed it to Sani. “You may go, if we need anything we’ll let you know. Thank you, Sani, for everything.” The girl beamed a bright smile, turned and dashed from the room, excitement overruling proper etiquette.
Chuckling, Kael closed the door and turned back into the room. “You can have the bath first, if you like.”
Kyah declined. “Go ahead. I want to brush
out my hair. Seifer’s apprentice made sure we have a brush and a comb. A straight razor is on the nightstand as well. We should both clean up in case the city wants us to try speaking with the pirates anchored in the bay.”
It was a good thing. He had not shaved since arriving in Talohna, and though his hair was more manageable since Kyah rolled and braided it, it still hung past his shoulders, much longer than he had ever worn it back home. Kael debated shaving and cutting his hair but shook his head and headed for the bath. Five months without a real bath was just too long.
Once undressed, the cloying stench of his own body nearly knocked him over. Gagging, he coughed. “Ah, damn, I can’t believe I smell that bad. It’s only been a week or so since the hot spring,” he said, more to himself than to Kyah. She smiled in the mirror as she brushed out her hair, which was now well past the length of her own shoulders.
“You are always complaining about how bad you smell,” she chuckled. “You act like people bathed every day where you come from.”
“Yeah, that’s because we do, or did... You know what I mean,” he replied, shaking his head again before throwing his clothes as far away as he could get them. Kyah laughed harder and returned to brushing her hair, though he noticed her eyes never left his reflection in the mirror.
It was something Kael still found hard to deal with, the first few weeks inside the cells as a prisoner of the Dead Sisters, the stench nearly drove him insane on its own. Over the months that changed, until his senses were deadened by the overpowering odours from the cells, but free again, his nose was slowly returning to normal.
“I think you mentioned before that people bathe daily where you are from, but I still find it hard to believe,” she added, combing through her hair.
Kael finally climbed into the hot water, the first real bath he had been able to have in over five gruelling long months—it was like sliding through the front doors of heaven, ambrosia for his body.
“I didn’t think anything could feel this good,” he mumbled and closed his eyes, asleep before he could take a full breath. A splash and movement woke him and he opened his eyes to find a naked, smiling woman sitting comfortably in his lap.