Bravura

by Sara Kingsley

  The deckhands help me get a bucket of seawater, and I dump my old clothes into it. I sit on a box in the shade, skirt hitched up, my foot swishing the clothes around in the water. The whole time I watch Nadir, not getting any farther away. I have no idea why I’m torturing myself like this.

  I hang the clothes up in the sun, then wander around looking for Leif. I find him with some sailors, heads all huddled down working on splicing line. They must be teaching him how to do it; he’s engrossed in the work. I stand back, watching from a distance. My heart bursts with pride when I see him hold up a neatly finished splice. The sailors congratulate him, clap him on the back.

  I return to my box on the aft deck to watch the land some more.

  I don’t get Leif to myself until after supper that evening. As is our custom, we go up on deck to watch the moonrise. It emerges from behind the mountains of Nadir, still visible in the distance. The sky fills with its silver light, so bright the stars dim. The wind has picked up a bit, and the ship leaves a smooth quicksilver wake through the small building waves.

  Something else catches my eye.

  I grab Leif’s arm. “Do you see that?” I point toward the shoreline where a smear of blackness is rising up into the sky. It reaches the moon, and the clouds seem to hang in silhouette. Clouds of smoke.

  We lean over the rail, as if we could get a closer look, or change perspective. But it’s true and, if it’s what we think it is, not good at all.

  When Tui told me about Araroa burning villages full of Treasoners, I believed him. It was when I learned he’d been making it up that I doubted him.

  And now I am certain, as I sail away, that if I can see the smoke this clearly from this distance, something terrible is happening in Nadir.

  I’m not surprised at all. Imogen was right. King Araroa would never hold up his end of a deal, not if it cost him.

  “We’ve got to go back.” The words tumble from my mouth before I can hold them in. “I’ve got to stop him.”

  Leif doesn’t answer at first. From the corner of my eye, I see his mouth twitch, trying to suppress a smile. He takes my elbow. “Shall we go consult Captain Stone?”

  I nod, spinning around. I practically drag Leif down, back to the dining room.

  We find Mrs. Stone serving the last plates to the deckhands who had to wait for their meal. She directs us to her cabin, where Captain Stone has retired for the night.

  Down the hallway, I knock on the door at the end. “It’s me—Raven. I need to speak to you urgently.”

  Captain Stone bids us to enter, and I rush in. Leif closes the door behind us. Stone is sitting on a plush chair, feet up on a small ottoman. A tiny wood burner is lit before him, and he puffs on an ornate pipe.

  I hate to disturb his relaxation, but this cannot wait. “Captain Stone, I have terrible news. There is smoke on the horizon, behind us, in Nadir.”

  He silently puffs on his pipe for a moment before he replies. “And what would you like me to do about it, m’lady?”

  I sit down in the chair opposite him. “I need to go back. I’m sorry—I know it’s highly inconvenient. But something is going on back there. Something bad.”

  It hits me then that I don’t need to wait around for Catriona’s letter—this was what she was trying to tell me. With me gone, Araroa is wasting no time in taking revenge. Probably what he’s planned the entire time.

  Stone shifts in his chair slightly, blows a smoke ring toward the ceiling. The ship slowly rolls to starboard, then to port. Each second, farther away.

  “The wind has finally found us. We’re on track, right for Nuimana. Perfect summer conditions, don’t you think?”

  I nod. “Yes, but we need to turn around. I need … I need to get back to Nadir. You can leave without me again, right away.” I pause, the words still getting caught up in my throat. “I won’t be returning to Nuimana. Not yet. The people of Nadir need my help.”

  Leif is standing behind me. I feel his hands on my shoulders. I reach my right arm up to grasp his left hand. Solid. There is no trembling. Not this time. For once, I am positive of what I must do.

  “I understand, I do, m’lady,” the captain continues. “But the wind is blowing us offshore. It’s simply impossible to sail into it. We couldn’t turn around if Mrs. Stone herself ordered me to.” He winks at me, chuckles at his own joke.

  But this is no joke. “Then we’ll wait. Can you lower sail and halt the ship?”

  He considers this. “Yes. That we could do. But we can’t delay any longer than two days. We’ve only got enough food and water aboard for two, three, weeks at the very most. Any longer until we reach Nuimana, and there’ll be mutiny aboard. A very hungry and thirsty crew.” He takes another puff from his pipe, blows a few rings. They slowly float upward. “But I have to warn you, summer winds will blow like this for days. It’s only should a storm come through that they change. It could be weeks before that happens. The weather is quite settled currently.”

  “I’ll take the chance. Two days, then we sail on to Nuimana as planned if we can’t get in.” I hold out my hand, and the captain takes it. We shake. At least this is a man who will keep his end of our deal.

  And he does: Captain Stone reluctantly leaves his warm cabin for the upper deck. Although it’s high summer, the night air is cool, dew already settling on the sails. He orders the crew to douse and furl the sails, and they comply. Our forward motion stops, and the ship lies on the sea, bobbing gently with the swell.

  Leif and I sleep in. Eventually, the cabin grows so warm we are forced to peel our bodies apart and go out on deck for fresh air. There’s only a light breeze blowing from shore, and the sea swell is hardly noticeable. The sun beams down, the deck so hot I must scamper over it with my bare feet.

  Leif hands me a cup of coffee and a scone he grabbed from the galley on his way up. We sit in the shade of the mainmast where I can still see the black smoke rising in the air. Worse, another plume has appeared farther down the coast.

  “Do you think the wind will change?” I ask him.

  He takes a sip of coffee before answering. “I don’t know. Hope so.” Another slow sip. “What are we going to do when we get back?”

  I look over at Leif. Always the optimist. “I don’t know either.” If we’ll get back, and what I’m going to do if we do. I don’t speak either of these thoughts.

  The crew seems to accept our stationary position this first day. They don’t mind having the opportunity to putter about, checking the sails and rigging, sleeping in the shade during the long, hot afternoon.

  Our second day of waiting is much less pleasant. The wind has picked up, still from the shore, and the ship lurches without her sails working to steady her. I can tell the sailors are disgruntled about so much wind being put to waste.

  I watch the smoke; there appears to be less of it, but it’s definitely still visible. I try not to think about the fact that this is the smoke I can see. What of all the villages that I can’t? The ones farther inland?

  On the third day, I join Captain Stone in the dining room for breakfast.

  “I hate to bear bad news this early in the day, m’lady, but the wind still has not changed. If anything, it’s picked up from shore. We must set the sails and continue on.” But he doesn’t really look sorry; I know he’s glad, like the other sailors must be, to get the ship moving again.

  With everyone fed, the captain orders all crew on deck to raise sail. Leif gives them a hand, and I go to the aft rail for one last look at Nadir.

  I wish I could have done something. But I can’t.

  We sail through the day and into the night. Tonight when Leif and I watch the moon, it rises right out of the sea. The land of Nadir is no longer visible, not even the smoke.

  As we lie in bed, Leif tries to cheer me up. He tells me I can come back to Nadir, one day. Araroa won’t live forever, and I can forge an alliance with Prince Dominic. Besides, the people of Nuimana will be so happy to have me home.

  I listen to al
l this, but my heart is heavy and I can’t shake the feeling that I’ve failed. My family in Baldachin is still in dire danger. The Treasoners are still locked up in Araroa’s prison camp, or on the run, or dead, or living in fear that one of those three things will happen. They had so much hope that I would stay and help them. And I didn’t. Even little Rosie is surely still looking for her family.

  I sleep terribly. The waves have built, and the ship rocks back and forth. My dreams are vivid and frightening, but I don’t remember any of them when I wake sometime in the early morning. My body is crushing Leif against the wall on the inside of our bunk. The ship is heeling hard over. The wind must have changed.

  The wind has changed! I jump out of our bunk and throw my clothes on. Leif calls after me, but I’m already scrambling down the hallway, looking for Captain Stone. I pop my head out of the open hatch, and am immediately greeted by a spray of seawater. I wipe the salt from my eyes and find the captain forward, in his pulpit near the mast. The sea and sky are matching shades of gray.

  “Captain Stone! What’s happening?” I yell out. He turns around, clinging to the handrail.

  “Oh, hello, Raven! Only a summer squall. Nothing to be concerned about.” He turns to bark further orders to the sailors working forward of him.

  I look up; the sails have been adjusted to accommodate the shifting wind, more from the south now, which explains the ship’s heel to starboard.

  “Captain Stone!”

  He turns again to regard me, looking slightly annoyed now. “Yes, dear, what is it?”

  I pull myself from the hatch. Hanging on tightly to the rigging, I join the captain next to the mainmast. “Would it be possible to turn around?”

  His jaw drops. It takes him a moment to gain composure. He closes his mouth and shakes his head. “No—we’re not turning around. Not now.”

  “How far are we offshore? We could see the shoreline only yesterday.”

  He purses his lips. But the man cannot lie. “We could be back to the dock in a day with this wind.”

  “Then do it.”

  He’s shaking his head. “Raven, m’lady, I do not think that would be—”

  “I don’t care. As the Woman King of Nuimana, I order you to turn this ship around and return to the port of Nadir. I must return.”

  His eyes flash with anger. My heart pounds, knowing I’ve played all my cards; if he doesn’t do what I ask, I’ve got nothing left to gamble with.

  He takes a deep breath. His face softens. “Very well. But you must depart the ship immediately when we arrive. We’ve got to keep on our schedule.”

  “Thank you. Thank you very much.” He allows a small smile, then turns to order the sailors to ready about.

  The ship groans in protest, then the sails fill in on the opposite side. We lean to port, and the miles begin ticking away, back to Nadir.

  I’m soaking wet now. I’ve been doused regularly with seawater while speaking with the captain. I return to our cabin to find Leif getting dressed. He grins as I enter.

  “So, this was your doing, eh?”

  I smile at him, nodding. “I am a Woman King, after all.”

  Leif steps over, pulls me into his arms, kisses the top of my damp hair. “That you truly are. And a sopping wet one too.” He leans back, still grinning. “I’ll make a fire so you can dry off. Get you something to eat.”

  I peel off my sodden clothing and drape it over a chair. Leif fiddles with our wood burner, encouraging the kindling to light. Making sure his back is turned, I whip my underthings off, pulling the nightgown over my head. As I crawl back into bed, I catch him smiling in the glass before the growing flame.

  It’s not an easy run back to Nadir. The squally winds continue, tossing the ship throughout the day. I peek out the deck hatch, ducking spray, looking for any sign of land. But the only things within sight are low, steely clouds, all around us. Sailors bustle on deck, adjusting sails, checking lines. Leif assists. I feel a little guilty retiring back to my warm cabin … a little.

  That night at dinner, I ask Captain Stone how he knows how to find his way. “Go look outside while Mrs. Stone is getting dessert ready,” he replies.

  I scramble down the hallway, climbing the ladder once again to look out. This time, I’m greeted by a stunning show of stars. The clouds are gone, a light wind pushing us toward the shoreline ahead. I take a deep breath of the salty air, grown warm again.

  When I awake the next morning, the ship is still, and it’s quiet, except for voices outside. I look out the porthole, and sure enough, we’re tied to the dock. I jump as my cabin door opens, but it’s only Leif, bearing a tray of breakfast food. He sets it down on the table, handing me a cup of coffee.

  “I wouldn’t get used to having room service, if I were you,” he says with a wink.

  “No, this is probably the best accommodation I’m going to have for some time,” I say, returning his wink. I drink the coffee, eat the eggs and bread. I get dressed, strapping my belt with Fortissima on, the first time I’ve done so in days. I grab my bag, and we head outside.

  I find the captain and his wife both on deck, ordering crew to refill empty water barrels and gather fresh provisions.

  They see Leif and me and come over to say goodbye. “Thank you both—sincerely,” I say, and I mean it. “I know this was a mighty inconvenience, to come back this way. I just think—I know I need to stay here. There are things … I haven’t done.”

  Mrs. Stone is smiling warmly. “Good luck to you, Raven Araroa. We’ll send word to Sufa that you are well.” She raises her brows questioningly.

  “Please do. Can you give him this as well?” I hand her a folded and sealed letter I wrote the night before. She takes it, tucking it into her bosom.

  “I’ll deliver it to him promptly.”

  Captain Stone offers me his hand. I take it, and he claps his other hand over mine. “Be well, Raven.”

  “Thank you again, Captain,” I tell him warmly.

  “And, Leif,” he says, letting my hand go and taking Leif’s, “you are welcome as crew anytime. You have a lot of potential to be a sailor.”

  Leif is grinning broadly. “I’ll be wherever Raven is—and I doubt she’s up for a life at sea—but thank you. I appreciate all you and your crew have taught me.”

  The captain and his wife laugh. “That’s what Mrs. Stone said to me, once, and now look at her. The poor lass is hardly ever on land!”

  We finally make our way off the ship, waving at the crew as we do. Our boots clomp softly on the wooden boards of the dock, then we step back onto the hard earth.

  I look over at Leif. “Now what?”

  But he doesn’t get the chance to answer. The pubkeep has seen us and is waving us over from the front door of his establishment.

  Leif and I hurry over to him, trying to keep unnoticed. But a crowd has already gathered in the doorway.

  “It’s a good thing you’re back,” the pubkeep says. “I wasn’t sure what to do with your lovely horse, Pearl.”

  I’m trying to register what he’s saying. It was all such a blur when I left … But then I remember.

  “What happened to Imogen? I told her to take the horse.”

  “That’s right. After you’d left, Imogen said she would be back in the morning, that she had to see about something in the Bastion. But she never returned.”

  “When was that?”

  “Four days ago.”

  Four days ago. I count backward. That was the night I saw the smoke. When Araroa set the fires burning.

  “But don’t worry,” he continues. “We’ve been taking good care of your horse; she’s—”

  But I don’t hear the rest of what he’s saying. I’m already running around to the stables at the rear of the inn, to find Pearl. I need to get back to the Bastion as fast as I can.

  I find Pearl in the stable and start to saddle her up. But I’m frantic, my hands are shaking, and I fumble with the leather buckles and straps. I know Imogen would have come for her,
if she could have. And what about Tui and Catriona? They sent Imogen to find me as I’d asked, but were they able to get away too?

  The only way to find out answers to any of this is to ride back into the wolf’s den, back to the Bastion.

  “Here, let me help.” Leif takes the strap from my hands that I’ve tried, unsuccessfully, to thread three times. He threads it easily, pulls it snug against Pearl’s stomach. He looks up at me, standing and watching him. “Are you sure you want to do this? Imogen’s got a lot in common with my father. It’s likely she’s simply gotten held up somehow.” He stands, patting Pearl’s hindquarter. “But I’m with you, either way.”

  “I don’t know what I’m doing—just that I’ve got to do something. I need to find out what the smoke was all about, at the very least. And I need to get there before word reaches Araroa that the Olympia is back. I’m sure he’ll quickly guess why.”

  I lead Pearl from the stable and climb up on her back.

  Leif places his hand on my thigh and squeezes it. He’s grinning up at me. “Sounds like as good a plan as any.” He swings himself up behind me, and as soon as we’re out into the open, I kick Pearl into a gallop.

  “Go into the trees, take the footpath. A horse can go that way. Just not a cart.” His breath is warm in my ear. He points into the trees to the right, his other arm wrapped tightly around my waist. I do as he says, and we duck into the cover of the trees, out of sight of the road.

  The last time I was on this path was on foot, with Tui. My Queen mother was in the dungeon, awaiting her execution. And I was determined to get her out. I could have too, if I hadn’t been too late.

  I hope to the gods I’m not too late this time. To make sure Imogen, Tui, Catriona, my family—everyone—are safe. To make sure Araroa kept his end of the deal. Once again, the vision of smoke plumes fills my memory, and I’m certain he hasn’t.