Jin turned towards her as she did the same. There was a trace of colour in his cheeks from when she’d had to get his help with some of the unfamiliar lacings. He’d been the one to insist he turn away, had wedged himself as far into the one corner of their room as he could get while she finished changing.
He eyed her. “You look like the women I saw in the Nalbian papers.”
“I imagine you’ll fit in just as well.” Her gaze ran over his black suit, something appropriate for dinner with the captain. At least, she hoped it was. She’d skimmed through some of the papers and books Jin had brought with him about Nalbin but still didn’t quite grasp when to wear what. Pocale had a much simpler clothing culture.
“Our escort should arrive soon.”
Azara didn’t snort at the obvious statement, though she badly wanted to. If they were to keep their façade up, she had to improve their relationship in private. Continued awkwardness in a married couple would be suspicious. Though if it came to that, she could always fake a pregnancy as the reason for it.
They had time to kill, so there was no sense in wasting it. “Quick, what kind of inn are we looking for?”
“Roughly equidistance from the docks and our chosen market, or markets, clean, older, and farther from the drinking dens. Preferably in a quiet area and one frequented by other foreign merchants.” Jin grimaced as he finished his spiel. “Is it necessary to drill me?”
Azara raised her eyebrows. “I need to be sure you know what you’re doing. I’m going to be limited in what I can do in public, which is going to mean more work for you. It’s work you’re not familiar with. I’m going to continue to drill you until I’m satisfied.” She didn’t say that the thought of being forced to rely on someone else, especially a virtual stranger, was making her itch like she’d been rolling in blister ivy. She knew it would have been harder if she’d tried to do this alone, but the thought didn’t make acceptance any easier. Nor did Jin’s habit of questioning her.
“Will you ever be satisfied?”
She was saved from having to answer by the knock at their door. Azara took a step forward, before she remembered herself. She made a face but stepped back and waved a hand in Jin’s direction.
He offered her a half bow—she couldn’t tell if was mocking or not—before he went to the door. Opening it revealed a boy younger than Decha, his curly mop of black hair sticking out in every direction. He gave them an awkward bow that looked like it should have toppled him over. “The captain requests the honour of your presences, sir, ma’am.”
“We will accompany you.” Jin turned towards her and offered his arm.
Azara walked slowly forward, trying to be graceful and more like a lady as well as to avoid stepping on the longer hem of this dress. She took Jin’s arm, letting him pull her closer as he led the way out of their room. She was forced to drop it almost immediately as they entered the narrow hallway. He paused only long enough to lock the door before following the boy.
They walked in silence, only the creak of the ship, the splash of the waves and the shouts of the men up on deck there for noise. Azara’s nose twitched as they went one by one up the stairs with her in the middle. The sudden fresh sea air was wonderful after the faint damp scent that filled the area around their room.
Glass and metal lanterns hung from a few spots on deck, pools of orange light amidst the dark of the night, the stars overhead brilliant where they could be seen between the sails, rigging and masts. When Jin reached the top of the stairs, he reclaimed her hand, following her gaze upwards. He offered a faint smile. “They are brighter here, aren’t they?”
She met his eyes and nodded. Let him think she had been staring at the stars and not studying the masts and the men up there. It would be a simple task for her to take out all four, then it would be a matter of stuffing up either the smokestack or the boiler below to stop the ship. A few holes in the bottom for good measure would complete the scuttling. It was always good to have a plan in case of danger. Slaves were rarely transported on ships using steam, but maverick slavers were out there, especially those who dealt in the higher-end slaves.
Only a few people were on deck, and those men were focused on their tasks, so Azara decided to gamble a little. “Have you been on this ship long?” she asked the boy they followed. She ignored the way Jin tensed.
“Eight months, ma’am.” The boy bobbed his head in her direction without meeting her gaze.
“And you are...?”
“Timmin, ma’am. I’m the captain’s cabin boy.”
She smiled, filing the information away for later. “You must be terribly far from home.”
“No, ma’am. I’m from Lound. Captain does this run regular-like, so I see my home plenty.”
“That’s lovely. You’re so young and yet already so responsible. I’m sure your family is very proud of you.”
Now Jin was giving her a sidelong look that was as good as a shout for asking her what she was doing. He ought to give her the benefit of the doubt. She had far more experience than he did, after all.
Timmin pinked and glanced away, muttering something, though Azara didn’t miss the faint swell to his chest. Good. The more she could charm the boy, the more information she could get out of him if the chance arose. A cabin boy was low enough that most ignored him, and as the captain’s, he was in a unique position to overhear more than he realized.
But Timmin was slowing them down as they reached a door at the front of the ship. The boy knocked, standing straighter than he had been before. “I’ve brought your guests, Captain.”
“Bring them in,” came the muffled reply.
Opening the door, Timmin gave them another of his stilted, over-the-top bows, gesturing inside. Azara’s fingers on Jin flexed momentarily before she followed his lead in. A row of arched windows took up the back of the room that was well lit by brass-and-glass lanterns, the light shining off the polished wood of the floors and walls. A long table set for four ran down the centre of the room, while a variety of decorative swords, maps and paintings covered the walls.
Standing in front of the table was the man Azara presumed was the captain, his navy pea coat with its bright brass buttons and gold stripes made him look far more smartly dressed than the other sailors she’d seen. His full brown beard was wilder than the well-combed hair on his head that had a few shots of grey through it.
But what surprised Azara was the woman standing beside him. Dressed similarly to herself, though in purple and black, the stranger had dark blond hair and faint lines around her eyes that were more pronounced when she smiled a welcome at them.
The captain stepped forward and offered them a short bow. “Welcome to my ship, I’m Captain Havelock and this is my wife, Merise. Thank you for accepting my invitation to dinner. It’s not often we are able to dine with another couple.”
Jin bowed in return. “I am Verryl and this is my wife, Azara. You honour us greatly.”
Azara offered a little curtsey then dug her fingers into Jin’s arm in a way that he had to feel. When he glanced at her, she only smiled, while she traced the letters Empire on his arm. He was already slipping into speech patterns that would betray him as being from there.
This was their first test, and she’d be damned if she let them fail it. Aware of how much ship captains talked, Azara knew failure would likely make their next steps much harder if not impossible.
* * *
Keeping the flare of pain off his face when Azara dug her fingers into his arm, Jin flicked his gaze towards her. She only smiled in a way that was both brilliant and false. It was the sharp look in her eyes that brought him back to himself and where they were. His last words echoed in his ears, and he winced inwardly. Azara wasn’t wrong to warn him. Showing too close of ties to the Empire could be a problem. While their story featured that component, too much of it and people would be s
uspicious, especially for people as multicultural as most merchants were.
Still, he wasn’t about to forget her recklessness with the boy from earlier. She was acting too forward, and in such a closed environment, any odd behaviour would be known to the whole ship within hours. They both needed to watch what they were doing.
The captain chuckled. “You’re the ones doing us an honour. It’s most often myself, Merise, and my first mate, Bahari. When we do have merchant guests, they’re very rarely accompanied by their wives. I’m afraid Merise is fair starved for female companionship.”
His wife glanced up at him, one eyebrow a bit higher than the other. “I’m not quite so bad as all that, dearest. But I do appreciate the company.”
The smile she turned on Azara was gentle and welcoming, two expressions he’d never seen on his own “wife’s” face, who had on a pleasant look. “As I appreciate the opportunity to learn more about Nalbin and yourselves. This will be my first visit.”
“I’m happy to tell you what I know. We often port out of Lound.”
The captain swung his gaze off the women to Jin, jerking his head towards the small wooden sideboard. “Can I tempt you before dinner?”
While he would ordinarily make his excuses, this was hardly the place to do so. “I would very much appreciate it.”
Havelock clapped him on the back. “No need to be so formal with me, you’re a guest, not one of my people. We only get merchants and their goods a few times a year. The rest of the time, it’s the same old routes for the same old goods. I was impressed that you’re in the tea business. That’s not an easy market, especially in the Empire. You must have quite the connections.”
Jin smiled as the captain pulled out two glasses and uncorked a bottle. “My mother’s family are longstanding traders of the Empire, which made it easier for my father to break into that market.”
“Ah, you do have that look, so I’d wondered.” He handed Jin a drink of what smelled like brandy. “Well, with luck you should have success. Nalbin as a whole, but especially Lound, are always hungry for the Empire’s teas. We pick up as much as we can get before we head there. It’s only a pity the Empire doesn’t have as much interest in the Nalbinian goods. It would make for shorter and more frequent hauls for us.”
The captain took a sip of his drink before he put it down and pulled out another two glasses. From a different bottle he poured a small splash of a dark red liquor in each, the fruity smell of it making Jin wish he could swap out what he had. After adding an equal bit of water to each, Havelock ferried the glasses over to the women. “Since it’s a special occasion, I thought you both might want a little nip before dinner.”
Jin grabbed the other man’s glass and followed close behind. Both the women accepted the drinks with a smile, Merise’s genuine, his “wife’s” the same falsely bright one from before. Havelock turned around and grinned his thanks when Jin handed it to him.
Merise turned her blue eyes on him. “Azara has been telling me that you are something of an expert on teas. Do you have any recommendations for someone used to what can be bought in Lound?”
“It depends on the type of tea.” Jin was glad he was actually very familiar with teas, having long preferred them to alcohol. A drunk magus was in far more danger than a drunk mage. “Except for black teas and the like, it’s best to have more unbroken leaves. Also, any tea you buy should be fragrant. If there’s no smell, I would be most suspect about it. The best teas have aromas distinct to their type and subtype. Do you have a preference?”
“I prefer greens while Havelock has a soft spot for the blacks.”
“For greens, the scent should be light and fresh, almost soothing, perhaps with floral or nut hints, depending on the subtype. For blacks, you’ll find it a stronger smell, one that is often sweet and floral. Again, these are dependent on subtype. Once you have a favourite, you’ll find it easier to judge by scent and look. There’s a certain amount of trial and error in drinking to discover your own taste.”
All three of them stared at him, before the captain let out some of the loudest laughter Jin had ever heard. Not that he was surprised, everything the man did was loud. “You certainly do know your teas, don’t you? I’d expect nothing less!”
Azara’s expression was almost a mirror of what Merise had worn earlier. “Verryl lives for his work. I sometimes think tea runs in his veins.”
Havelock grinned. “That’s no bad thing, not for a tea merchant.”
Jin nodded. “I simply do my best.”
“Then a toast to doing our best, in whatever we do!”
The other three joined the captain in a raise of their glasses before sipping. The brandy was sweet but fiery on his tongue. No one else showed anything except enjoyment so he kept his expression pleasant. He had a feeling this was going to be a long evening.
* * *
“...and that’s how we got around those pirates. Have you had much dealings with that kind of scum-sucking sows?” The captain leaned in towards Jin, his dessert plate long since cleared by Timmin.
Merise gave him a hard stare, one hand resting on the table. “Dearest! Dinner language.”
“Ah, my apologies, ladies. I spend so long at sea I sometimes forget how to speak in polite company.”
His wife gave him a nod while Azara offered a smile. Jin used the time to think of an appropriate response. “No, we’ve not had many dealings with pirates. Bandits, upon occasion when we’ve followed the route to Pocale.” He thought that should be right, bandits were everywhere, even his celestial majesty hadn’t been able to stamp them all out.
Pressure on his foot made him stiffen slightly, though he didn’t look in Azara’s direction. At least this time it hadn’t been a kick. He turned to Havelock, who was rubbing his chin. “I’ve heard those are some of the safest land routes.”
“They are, but there are always those who will test the responsiveness of the local garrisons.”
“That’s true enough. Pirates are much the same. Land or sea, there will always be those who will try to take what doesn’t belong to them. But we’re lucky that the passage from the Empire to Lound is the safest. The Imperial navy patrols regularly, and not to be outdone, so does the Nalbinian. They’ve been increasing patrols of late.”
Jin could feel his gaze sharpening but did his best to keep his face calm. “Have there been more pirates to have them more visible?”
Havelock shook his head. “No, not that I’ve heard. But sometimes those types will band together to go after a bigger target. That might be what has the navy on edge.”
Azara leaned forward. “Nalbin must have many powerful people to protect its borders.”
“Oh, they do. There are rumours they’re developing new weapons, but nothing anyone’s seen. Still, they’ll have to come up with something pretty impressive to knock the Empire off the top spot, navy-wise.”
“We’re safe and that’s what’s important.” Merise beamed at her husband.
The captain laughed. “That’s true enough.”
Jin’s fingers itched to write a report, but there was no point until they reached a port. They had one last stop within the Empire before they reached Nalbinian waters, so he’d have the opportunity to get his preliminary findings off to the emperor. If Nalbin was developing new weapons, that was something his celestial majesty needed to know as soon as possible.
A light kick drew his attention back to his companion. She held his gaze for a moment before letting it dart over to the captain then to him. He wasn’t sure exactly what she wanted him to say, and he was getting tired of her little nudges and kicks, but he’d do his best to steer the conversation towards something that would make her happy. It would save his poor feet. “Had any unusual cargo of late? I’ve heard of more than one merchant expanding their businesses.”
“Not much on our ship. He
ard there have been a couple more slave ships calling into Lound, but with the civil war in Tartess, slaves will be flooding in. If their king gets things under control sooner, there may be a brief surge before it goes back to normal again.”
Beside him, Azara leaned forward, gaze on Havelock. Jin did his best to ignore her. “I’m surprised we haven’t had too many more slave ships come into the capital.” A kick told him what she thought of that line of questioning.
“Ah well, there’s been something of an extra interest in slaves in Lound of late. We’re never there long enough for me to get more than a general idea of what’s happening. I prefer to port south for the winter seasons. I can’t stand ice and snow.”
“But it can be so beautiful.” Merise offered her husband a smile.
Azara nodded. “I spent many winters skating on the nearby pond. A warm fire afterwards makes it all the better.”
Merise sighed. “That is something I’ve always wished to learn, but sadly, we’re never anywhere cold enough.”
“It’s a pity, I’d love to teach you. But I haven’t skated in years.”
Jin gave them both an apologetic smile. “Unfortunately, the only ice seen in the Empire is in the mountains, and we tend to spend winters in the capital. Like you, we find more possible trading available if we stay where it’s warmer.”
“You’re a man after my own heart.” The captain grinned at him. “We’ll have to keep in touch. We port in Lound regularly.”
“Well, I’m hoping we can establish a presence there, but we’ll go where the trade is.”
“As any true merchant does.”
“I’m hoping we can remain near Lound. Especially since you’ve been telling me about their theatres and shops.” Azara angled herself towards Merise.
“Oh, you must take in one of their shows. It’s nearly impossible to get tickets for an opening night, but most performances run for long enough that you can see them. They’re so lovely and you can make a wonderful evening of it.”
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