“We believe it is,” said Adaeze.
“Is there no way to convince you otherwise,” Esther asked fervently. Adaeze shook her head and Esther smiled. “Then I accept.”
“Thank you, Esther,” Adaeze said.
“One other thing,” said Amadi, “I have received a request from two of my crew who would like to be released from their contracts and join you in your journey.” Smiling, he turned and gestured to where Oluchi and Nkiru stood, dressed in travel clothes with bags and, in Oluchi’s case, a spear in hand.
Stunned, Esther just stood there, unable to talk. Nkiru’s face broke into a huge smile. Esther ran over and wrapped her arms around the younger girl.
Joel stepped forward, a hesitant look on his face. “Uh, that is very kind of them to want to join us,” he said, “but we’re hoping to pass Esther’s knowledge about the assassination attempt to the nearest Hadiqan official, hopefully in Deyr, and then find passage back to Ardmorr. I’m afraid that our journey may not take them in the direction they think it will. They would be happier staying onboard the Ngozi than just following us home.”
“I told them much the same thing,” said Amadi, “but they insisted that this is what they wished to do. I could hold them to their contracts and keep them onboard the Ngozi, but I would not do that.”
Joel shrugged and shook his head, but didn’t say anything further. The ship suddenly shifted lightly under their feet and Esther could feel their speed diminish.
“It seems we have arrived at Deyr,” said Amadi. “The propeller’s will attempt to keep us on station while the anchoring chains are lowered. We’d better get you loaded up on the platform.”
Adaeze walked over to Esther, her eyes tearing up. She had a cloth covered object in her hand. She handed it to Esther and pulled off the cloth. It was a sextant. “So that you may always find your way home.”
“Thank you, Adaeze,” said Esther, giving her a hug, “I will always remember your kindness and generosity.”
Esther turned to step onto the platform, but Captain Amadi intercepted her first. “Esther,” he said, “just so you know. It’s not that I don’t believe that you heard something about an assassination attempt. The Madrausan’s are always attempting to assassinate the Hadiqan King. Where you and I differ is that I don’t think their threats can be taken seriously. The Hadiqan King is very well protected and an attempt has never even gotten close. They are very good at protecting him. I cannot throw away all of my responsibilities because you believe differently. I just wanted you to understand that.”
“I understand, Onya-Ugbo Amadi,” she said with a sad smile, “but you know as well as I that an external assassination attempt is very different from one orchestrated internally. This Madrausan was a High Priest. He had all of the markings of a high ranking official, and though he seemed crazy at times, he was very lucid in his attempt to depress and discourage me with the information he provided. I understand your perspective and what you risk losing, but in this case, you are wrong.”
Captain Amadi stood there a moment, looking into her eyes and Esther’s heart began to lift as she thought that maybe she had convinced him.
“Well, let’s hope that I am not,” he replied finally.
Esther nodded—her hopes dashed again—then turned and stepped onto the platform next to Oluchi, Nkiru, and her Ardmorran companions on one side, and Chidi and a couple of other Easterners on the other. Chidi and the other Easterners were being sent down to acquire supplies for the Ngozi. Amadi gave the signal and the platform began its descent towards Deyr.
CHAPTER 20
Deyr
My time on the Ngozi was bitter sweet. I met some wonderful people. Oluchi, Nkiru, Chidi and Adaeze…even Amadi—but my experiences onboard will always be overshadowed by what happened there. It feels really good to get away from that ship, and Deyr is an interesting place. Though my mother won’t say it, I feel that Hadiq must be the place of her ancestry. In a way, it feels a little like coming home…
The heat was the first thing that Esther noticed about Deyr. She suspected that if they hadn’t been near the ocean, it would have been dry, but here on the coast, it was a cloying, humid heat which instantly drew beads of sweat that soaked into her dress. The second was the sand. The town itself seemed to be built on a rocky outcropping, jutting out towards the sea from the sand dunes to the south. Some measure of fertile soil must be available, however, as Esther could see sparse foliage, olive trees, and even a garden or two. Everything else was either red and orange rock, or sand. The third thing she noticed was the smell of fish that seemed to permeate everything. Deyr was a fishing village, Chidi had said, and its population relied heavily on the fruits of the sea in order to sustain itself. Never having lived on the coast, Esther’s experience with seafood was extremely limited—but she wasn’t particularly fond of the smell.
As Captain Amadi had promised, the Ngozi hadn’t stayed long. After depositing them just east of the town where a crowd of excited people had come to gawk at the enormous airship, Chidi had purchased barrels of fresh water, food, and a few other items, and then departed hastily. She knew that Amadi was trying to make up the time he had lost diverting to Deyr, but to Esther, it almost seemed like he was trying to get away from her as fast as he could.
They had been greeted by the Mayor of Deyr—or Satrap as the locals called him—who had assisted the local merchants in the negotiation of supplies for the Ngozi. He had invited them to dine with him tonight. He seemed to be a pleasant enough older fellow of average height with a round belly, long black and gray peppered beard, light brown skin consistent with most Hadiqan’s, and a turban propped on top of his head. Esther had gleaned that this little town didn’t usually see such large ships, but the townspeople had taken it in stride and had sought to take advantage of the opportunities for trade. Unfortunately for them, Captain Amadi’s haste limited trade to strictly the items that Chidi had requested, instead of open trading with the crew as the townsfolk had hoped. Esther had been able to sell the trunk full of nkwu oil, adding some additional coin to her lockbox. She could have gotten a much better price for it in a larger city, but lugging the trunk around wasn’t practical.
Though her mother wouldn’t have approved, Esther pulled up her sleeves to let her skin breath as they walked through the town under the rays of the late afternoon sun. The heat was oppressive and her thick dress was simply too hot to do otherwise. She was also going to remove her leggings as soon as she could. It wasn’t like she was going to be going up in the rigging, so she didn’t need them, and they clung to her legs in the heat.
She had been watching the Satrap since landing in Deyr, trying to catch any hints that he might be receptive to their message regarding the assassination plot, but she hadn’t been able to pick up any hints one way or the other.
“So that’s the Hadiqan official we’ve got to try and persuade?” asked Geoffrey, stepping up next to her.
Esther turned her head and nodded. “The question is, will he believe me?”
“Well, I guess we’ll find out soon enough.” Geoffrey lifted his chin, gesturing at something up ahead. Esther looked up. They were approaching the Satrap’s residence. It stood on a small hill southwest of the town, its white mud daubed stucco walls contrasting with the orange of the sand dunes and the green and brown of what Esther recognized as two palm trees standing next to a small pond near the entrance to a courtyard. It was obvious the residence had been built here to take advantage of the small natural oasis. It wasn’t a very large structure, but Deyr was just a small fishing town, she reminded herself. She couldn’t expect its Mayor to be an extravagantly wealthy man.
The Satrap led them through the arched entrance into the small courtyard, then opened the front door and stepped inside. Esther followed her companions into a wide room with large windows with rounded tops along both side walls. A massive rug covered the floor and some sort of shrine dominated the center of the far wall. Two archways on either side of the shr
ine revealed hallways leading further into the residence. A small table with a few chairs stood to their right and several other chairs sat around the edges of the room. Two large vases sat next to the door they had just entered through. The furnishings were relatively humble, but everything appeared well maintained and clean. An elderly man and woman stood just inside the entryway as they entered. Oluchi and Baird set her remaining trunk down on the floor.
“Normally,” said the Satrap, adjusting the sash around his ample belly, “I’d take you all down to the tavern after dinner where there are a few rooms to rent, however, the tavern isn’t any place for ladies,” he said, bowing slightly to Esther and Nkiru, “Therefore, I offer them my humble home to stay in. It’s not much, but I do have a small guest bedroom that they can share—and of course, they’re welcome to have a chaperone stay as well. I’m afraid whomever they choose will need to be satisfied with some pillows and cushions on the floor, however.”
“That—” “Thanks—” Esther and Joel both started to say, simultaneously.
Esther ducked her head, feeling a little foolish for answering for the group, and nodded for Joel to continue. He smiled back at her and turned to the Satrap.
“I think what Miss Esther and I were going to say is, ‘thank you’. Your hospitality is greatly appreciated. Mr. Oluchi here,” said Joel, holding his arm out toward the young warrior, “will stay with Miss Esther and his sister, Miss Nkiru. My other companions and I will retire to the tavern after dinner.”
“Excellent,” said the Satrap, “I’m afraid that given the unexpected nature of your visit, dinner will take a bit to prepare. Mr. Hahn and his wife Sariah,” the Satrap pointed to the elderly man and woman, “will be preparing the meal. Mrs. Hahn is an especially good cook.” The older woman curtsied at the compliment. “I own a fishing vessel that brings in the best the sea has to offer, and as fresh as you can possibly get it. They serve in my employ and live in the third room in the house. If you need anything while you are here, please don’t hesitate to ask any of us.”
“Now,” continued the Satrap, “I don’t believe we’ve all been introduced, so I will start. I, as you know, am the Satrap of Deyr. My name is Behrouz Amir, but most people simply call me Deyr. My family have been Satrap’s here for five generations and fishermen for even longer.” The Satrap, stepped over to Joel and placing a hand on his shoulder, “If I remember correctly, your name was Mr. Mowbray?”
“That’s right—Joel Mowbray. I was Bosun on board the HMS Nautilus before the bastards destroyed her. This is Mackay Jefferies,” said Joel, pointing to Mac standing to his right, “steward to Captain Josef Karlsson, also of the HMS Nautilus. Next in line is Airman first class Baird Fendrel.” The Satrap stepped along, shaking each of their hands as they were introduced. “This is Miss Esther Kelley,” continued Joel, “from Tewksbury in southern Ardmorr.”
The Satrap raised an eyebrow as he shook her hand. “From southern Ardmorr, you say?” the Satrap asked.
“That’s right,” Esther replied.
“Curious—I would have placed you as Hadiqan.”
“My birth parents were not from Ardmorr,” replied Esther, “My widowed mother arrived there shortly before I was born. I’ve lived there all my life with my mother, my stepfather, and my half brothers and sisters.”
“Until now, that is,” joked the Satrap.
“Yes,” Esther said with a smile, “until now.”
“And these two,” said the Satrap, stepping to Esther’s right to stand in front of Nkiru and Oluchi, “must be Easterner’s given their wardrobe and dark complexions. I’m afraid I don’t speak any Easterner. Do you speak Hadiqan?” The Satrap’s boisterous voice and close proximity must have frightened Nkiru a little because she reflexively grabbed Esther’s hand. Esther squeezed it reassuringly.
Oluchi nodded and said, “I speak a little. My sister does not know much. My name Oluchi. My sister name Nkiru.”
“Well I’m sure she will pick it up quickly. That’s one of the advantages of the young. I would love to hear your story of how you came to be here. How you all came to be here,” he said as he made a sweeping gesture to them all, “We’ll talk over dinner, but now, if you’ll excuse us, Mr. and Mrs. Hahn and I will retire to the kitchen to begin meal preparations. I must also see to a few items of business, and then I will rejoin you. You may rest in here, or out in the courtyard, if you wish. I will have Mrs. Hahn bring out a pitcher of water and some cups as well.”
“Thank you, Satrap, that would be most welcome,” replied Joel.
The Satrap and the Hans turned and walked through the leftmost archway at the back of the room. Mac and Geoffrey sat down at the table and started chatting while Nkiru and Oluchi walked a few feet away and began talking with each other in their native tongue. Esther wanted to apologize to Joel for stepping on his toes earlier as ranking member of their group. He’d seemed uncomfortable around her ever since the Nautilus went down and she wanted to make sure everything was all right between them. He and Baird had just put down their bags and were walking outside into the courtyard. Esther took a deep, anxious breath and followed them out.
“Joel,” Esther said. He turned to look at her. “Do you have a second to talk?”
“Sure.” He looked around to find someplace to sit and gestured to a small table in the corner of the courtyard. They walked over and he pulled her chair out for her, and they sat.
“I…uh…I just wanted to apologize, Joel.” A puzzled look crossed his face and Esther forced herself to continue. “I felt like I stepped out of place when I took it upon myself to answer the Satrap for the group. My mother always used to get upset with me because I often don’t think about proper roles and things like that. I have a hard time wrapping my mind around such concepts because the first thought that comes to my mind is what I think is the most efficient way to do something. Politics and propriety are often very inefficient, so it is sometimes difficult for me to understand them.”
“Ah, don’t worry lass, it twasn’t nothin’,” he replied with a dismissive wave of his hand.
Still feeling there was something unresolved between them, Esther sat, wringing her hands. “I…just wanted to make sure that I wasn’t a problem for you,” said Esther, “It just seems like I make you uncomfortable. Back on the Nautilus you were always so…forceful and confident. You always seemed to have orders on the tip of your tongue, ready to give them. But when I’m around…” She trailed off.
“You don’t make me uncomfortable, Esther—at least, not in the negative way that you’re imagining.” He paused for a moment, choosing his words carefully. “The fact is, you’re smart and see things that most people don’t. Everything you do is done gracefully. I’ve never had to lead someone so…intelligent before,” Joel chuckled, “I’m used to dealing with your everyday crew and a few riff raff thrown in as well. To tell you the truth, I find you a bit intimidating.”
Surprised, Esther sat up straight, shocked at what she had just heard him say. “Me, intimidating? You’re the one who is intimidating, Joel. It took all of my courage just to come talk to you. You have this ability to lead and get men to do what you want them to do so naturally, that they end up thinking it was their idea to do it!” Joel laughed. “I’m about as intimidating as a church mouse,” she stated matter-of-factly.
“Don’t discount yourself, lass. You’ve been given many strengths and talents. You just need to learn to utilize them to help strengthen your weaknesses. You’ve already made great strides in that regard by taking lessons from Oluchi. You keep at it, you hear?”
Esther nodded, relieved.
“And in turn, I will try to act more naturally around you. Picturing you as a church mouse might help,” he said, smiling, and Esther couldn’t help but laugh as well.
- - -
Dinner was served inside the Residence’s Great Room—the same as the one they had first entered. The table from the courtyard had been brought in and set together with the tables in the Great Roo
m to make a dining area that would fit them all. Esther had been skeptical when a plate with a large fish had been placed in front of her, but any remaining reservations about seafood were dispelled immediately after she took the first bite and the delicious flavors burst inside her mouth. She had no idea what seasonings the Satrap and the Hahn’s had used, but in her opinion, they complemented the taste of the fish perfectly. There had also been some noodles on the side with some sort of sauce that was also very delicious. When Esther had asked about them, Mrs. Hahn had said they were just plain egg noodles in a sweet oyster sauce.
The Satrap and the Hahn’s had a much more congenial relationship than Esther would have expected between servants and employers and the Hahn’s had joined them all for dinner. It made Esther think more highly of the Satrap if he was the kind of man who took meals with his servants.
At first, everyone was too busy enjoying the delicious meal to talk much, but as the dinner wore on, conversation picked up and the Satrap and the Hahn’s asked them about their backgrounds and where they had come from and they each shared a little about themselves and their families.
“What about you, Satrap,” Joel asked, “Do you have any family? You mentioned that your ancestors have been Satrap’s and fishermen here for five generations?”
“Yes, that’s right, though we’ve been fishermen for much longer. It’s just me now, however. My two younger brothers were not satisfied with a fisherman’s life and hated Deyr. They moved away a long time ago. I have one sister who married a man from Harappa and lives there with her husband and children. I lost my wife and children to the sea about five years ago during a freak storm. I was away traveling by caravan. When I’m gone, someone else will inherit my home and my fishing business,” he said, looking around the room. “Perhaps one of my cousins who live in our capital of Al Farnaka will choose to move here and take on the life of a fisherman.”
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