Legend of Ecta Mastrino Box Set

by B J Hanlon

  Over the next week of so, they sailed. Arianne had begun taking trips to the deck with Edin. At night, when most of the crew was asleep, he practiced the Oret Nakosu teaching Arianne and sometimes Flack.

  Occasionally, Edin and Arianne would lie on their backs together and stare up at the stars. She held his hand as she pointed out some of the constellations, Nelput, a great beast of a man riding a boar that was supposedly the size of a village. There was Estoolin, a deep-thinking elder god who was quiet, but always scheming. The mythical hero Gorto, a young man who’d sacrificed his life for that of the world when he slayed a giant dragon whose only goal was its total destruction. Some say Gorto was Yio Volor… before the god of the underworld became the god of the underworld. Most people knew them as separate gods.

  It was this time, Edin felt at peace and almost happy.

  The nightmares continued though, waking him almost nightly in a cold sweat and all he wanted was a deep drink of whiskey. Luckily, Ashica and the cook both continued to share their stash.

  Edin was feeling stronger in body again from exercising. His mind though was tired from the lack of sleep.

  Arianne cuddled up next to him on the forward deck, it was a cool night but their itchy wool blanket kept them warm. Arianne leaned her head against his shoulder. Her wound was now healed completely with the exception of the small bones floating in her shoulder.

  Arianne claimed she couldn’t feel anything, but he’d seen her grimace when pulling her arm into her cloak.

  “I almost wish we could stay like this forever…” Edin whispered in her ear.

  A moment later, a shadow in the form of an elongated man crossed their bodies. He glanced over and saw Le Fie. Over the last weeks he’d seen the man staring from a far. It caused goosebumps and shivers like a freezing rain in the middle of the spring.

  “Edin,” he said quietly as he moved toward the bow, “we arrive tomorrow at the isle and I wish to speak with you,” Le Fie said, his tone was calm. “Alone.”

  “She can hear whatever it is you have to say.”

  “It’s okay Edin,” Arianne said standing. “I’m tired, I’ll see you in the cabin.” She kissed him and disappeared down the stairs.

  “I want you to trust me and I hope I can trust you.” Said the spy.

  “I barely know you,” Edin said then paused. “You saved our lives but...”

  “We are strangers. That is true and I have not been very visible… this however is a necessity of my position. I have many responsibilities, many secrets.”

  “I will not betray your secrets.”

  “It isn’t my secret you need to worry about. It’s yours.” The man paused and gazed out to the sea.

  “I don’t…”

  Le Fie cut him off with a hand. “You remember what Flack told you about the Praesidium and the First Among Equals?”

  Edin nodded.

  “Pharont is powerful and power hungry. If the FAE finds out about you, he will either try and recruit you… or kill you.”

  In the slim light of a half moon, he couldn’t see Le Fie’s eyes but his jaw was set. “He doesn’t like strong rivals. Not even the entirety of the Praesidium can save you should he set his sight on you. Be wary.”

  “So I’ll be a target?” Edin said moving his eyes back out toward the ocean.

  “If he finds out. You’re strong like Rihkar. He hated Rihkar… many did. And, unless I am mistaken you have three talents. How I am unsure, but no one in history has held that many. That is something he cannot allow. Not with the foretelling...”

  “Foretelling of what?”

  “One who will rise… not all interpretations are good. Some are evil and destructive therefore I will not tell you much. Only that a man raised far away will return to his people to save them… or destroy them. It is based on an old prophecy… supposedly of the Ecta Mastrino.”

  “Is that all?”

  “Well the prophecy has been lost.” He paused. “And I’m not sure if it pertains to you, probably not… it’s a legend but that and the fact that you are Rihkar’s son makes you dangerous to anyone in power, this side of the ocean or that.”

  “I see.” He paused. “Why do people hate Rihkar? I have my reasons but…”

  “Some believe he abandoned the isles. I know different…” He gazed up to the sky. Edin followed the look and saw a flash of light somewhere far in the distance.

  “Lightning,” Le Fie snorted, “The burning sword of heaven.”

  “Huh?”

  “Nothing. Remember what I said. You’ll not be safe if someone finds out… nor will your girl.” Le Fie disappeared behind him like a puddle in the dry desert sun.

  3

  The Isle of Mists

  The ship was passing through a fog that seemed to part only a few feet before him like an adoring crowd and then circle back behind in the same way. It was quiet in what he thought was around midday.

  The fog seemed wet, as if it had joined with a soft mist to create this barrier. It was deep and thick. The ship didn’t even feel like it was moving, but Edin still steadied himself with the handrails as he climbed the stair to the helm.

  At the top he had to take six hesitant steps before he saw Ashica at the wheel, his eyes seemingly glazed over with a milky white film.

  Edin was about to open his mouth when Le Fie appeared as if an apparition at Ashica’s side. The spy put a finger to his lips and nodded toward the front of the boat.

  Looking in that direction, he began to see shapes forming in the white cloud. Ghostly and eerie and he had a sense of some great monster approaching.

  It was the masts first, then men standing at the railings looking ahead into nothingness.

  A gull squawked sending shivers up his spine. It came from somewhere outside of his vision. He took a breath and with it, he smelled the first sweet hint of fauna in weeks.

  Slowly, he began to see more as sunlight began to push back the world of white. He saw long wooden docks, one that looked so near the port side of the ship he thought they’d ram it.

  They didn’t. The docks were bathed in sunlight. The bow, then the foremast passed through as if a great barrier separated the two worlds. The barrier moved forward ominously. Edin watched the line move slowly against the deck toward him. It leapt the stairs, the planks until it was inches from his feet.

  He took an instinctive step back and felt a hand on his back. The sunlight met his toes and began to crawl up his body with a warming sensation.

  Edin took a sip of whiskey from a flask Ashica had given him.

  When they passed through, it was as if a hood had been lifted from his head and he saw everything. A bright sunny day with not a cloud in the sky. A gentle breeze cut across the ship cooling him just enough.

  A large port spread out before him like a ladies’ fan. Row upon row, dock upon dock of vessels. Sailing vessels, fishing vessels, some with two, three and even five sails.

  The city gradually rose up toward a looming mountain to the northwest. The original volcano, Edin assumed. Far to the right the beach disappeared into sheer cliffs as if a god shoveled out a section of the island.

  Men yelled, the words were either too quick or in some sort of shorthand that could only be understood by their fellows. Large ropes were heaved to the dock and men began to pull them in.

  “I should find Arianne,” Edin said.

  “She’s there,” Le Fie said pointing toward the bow.

  Her golden hair was shining in the light. She’d disappeared a hour earlier to clean and wash her clothes. She’d offered to do the same for Edin, though he declined.

  His mother had told him, prior to meeting the Baron of Aldenheim, ‘to exude your station, dress like you should be there and act like you have been before.’

  Though what Le Fie said the night before, in his foreboding tone… it made Edin rethink the place and he wanted to be as nondescript as possible. He wasn’t that Ecta whatever, that was certain, but if Le Fie had that thought, others might
too if they found out about his talents...

  So Edin decided to stay in his ship clothes, the same he’d been wearing for weeks. They said his station was below the FAE and he wasn’t threatening.

  For the first time in weeks, he strapped his sword belt to his waist and rested a hand on its hilt. Edin took another drink from the flask and watched as Arianne turned around with a large smile.

  They locked eyes and she pointed up toward something. He tried to follow her arm, but couldn’t exactly follow it. Edin saw in the distance, beneath the gigantic mountain was a large stone castle. It was gray as a dull blade that hung over the rest of the city that spread out from the mountain like a flower with half its pedals torn off.

  Wooden wheels began to clack on the dock as men appeared with carts, dollies, and wheelbarrows. Some stood at the edge of the pier grabbing things and loading them. Crew men were pulling hard on a rope lowered into the grated hatch that led to the cargo hold.

  “Ahoy captain.” A man called as he walked up the gangplank. He was dressed in a colorful robe of light blue. He had salt and pepper hair with a thin beard jutting directly from his chin to his chest with a golden band tied an inch before the bottom.

  Edin glanced at the captain and saw the film was gone from his eyes.

  Ashica looked toward the man. “Oler.”

  “Did you get the leathers I was requesting?” Oler was climbing the stairs then stopped an arm’s length from Edin.

  “I did. They’ll be delivered to the shop when they’re brought up.”

  The man slapped his hands together and grinned. “Excellent. Le Fie.” Oler said nodding at the spy and then turned to Edin. “And who are you, young sir?”

  “Edin.”

  “He’s a foundling… or more precisely a runner.”

  “I didn’t know we were expecting any newcomers.”

  “They are never expected, are they?”

  Oler chuckled. “Correct you are, sir. Well anyways welcome to Delrot.” He looked Edin up and down for a moment and pursed his lips. “It takes a while for commoners to incorporate into the city but I’m sure you’ll fit right in.”

  “Edin de Yaulton. A nobleman from northern Resholt,” Le Fie said.

  “Doesn’t dress like one, does he?”

  “And he’s the son of Rihkar Harlscot.”

  The man looked at Le Fie and then back at Edin with a more appraising gaze. “I can see it… Hmm. Well, you’ll certainly need a bit of help with your appearance before you meet the FAE. My wife will help you out, she runs a salon in the merchant quarter, a twenty-minute walk.”

  “A salon?” Edin asked.

  “A nobleman and he doesn’t know a salon? It’s where a man or woman can go to be made up.”

  Edin didn’t know that term. It must’ve shown on his face.

  “Made to look nice.” Ashica chuckled. “I wouldn’t be caught dead in a place like that.”

  A moment later Flack appeared on the deck and Arianne ascended the steps. “These are the other two newcomers. Arianne and my son Flack.”

  “Flack,” Oler said. “Any son of Ashica’s is a son of mine.”

  “That won’t get you a better deal on the leather,” Ashica said.

  Oler looked aghast in an almost comical way. He dropped his jaw and shot a hand to his heart. “I would never assume for you to drop your prices.”

  “Good. Then hand me the gold and I’ll deliver your order.”

  “I must inspect it first.”

  Ashica waived his hand and Oler left down the steps. “He’s friendly when he wants something… and one thing he always wants more of is information.” Ashica said.

  Edin turned toward Le Fie, “you told him who my father is.”

  Le Fie shrugged, “We are not hiding who you are… are we? Your lineage will get to the Praesidium eventually, I just fast tracked it. Now, let’s get you three off this ship and take you to the salon.”

  “They have a salon? Why didn’t you say so?” Arianne almost shouted her glee. “I haven’t had a real pampering for a thousand years.”

  Ashica and Le Fie both raised their eyebrows. Flack was staring at the deckhands who worked like they’d been trained to do their jobs by a wicked sergeant-at-arms.

  Edin carried their shared pack. He’d been surprised to find it aboard the Castilander when he woke. Apparently, one of the Raven’s men broke into their room at the inn and brought it to the ship.

  Arianne took his hand as they followed Le Fie.

  Edin wondered why the spy, assassin or whatever was playing guide. Edin assumed he’d have to report to his masters?

  They wound their way between fish mongers, merchants, deck hands, and shiny robed folk who went about their day.

  He gaped at the stone buildings, thin and tall and all painted in more colors than he could imagine. Thick wooden timbers held up wide porches. Residents were sunbathing, gabbing, reading, or just watching. The street was a colorful with precisely laid flagstone. Every seam was expertly fitted.

  Despite the beating sunshine, it felt perfect. Not warm enough to sweat or cold enough to cover. Children ran around without shirts and with trousers cut at the knee.

  “How many people live here?” Flack asked.

  Edin thought he heard Le Fie answer thirty thousand. Maybe forty. Flack kept asking questions, ‘where was this thing or that, can everyone use the beach? Where’s the university?’

  Edin hadn’t seen a beach, but it sounded intriguing.

  After a bit, he began ignoring them as the sea of humanity grew tighter. Edin caught people looking him over. A pretty red headed woman raised a thin eyebrow at them and Arianne squeezed his hand. She pulled him through a narrow group of magi and pursed her lips when he took a sip from the flask.

  A man appeared in front of them looking off toward a distant group. He wore a metal helm and a golden tabard with a fist on it. Looking at his face in profile, Edin could almost see Foristol.

  Another drink.

  A little less than half an hour later, they reached the salon. It was a small bright pink shop set between taller buildings. Like the rest of the street, the front windows were large and overlooked painted planters with petunias, roses, lilies and other flowers he didn’t know. As they entered, the room was awash with overwhelming perfumes and oils.

  Chairs sat before mirrors, almost all were filled with women as were the people cutting hair. The workers and clients were chattering in every seat.

  “Good day Le Fie… don’t expect you’re here for a trim?” Said a woman with light skin and reddish, nearly purple, hair.

  He snorted a bit. “Of course not Nilisaand, just these three.”

  She turned toward Arianne and smiled, then Flack, and the smile faltered. As she looked at Edin it disappeared. “Well, we’ve got some work to do. They have coin?”

  “Here.” Le Fie said tossing a small purse to her. A moment later he turned toward the door but didn’t leave. “Flack here is Ashica’s kid, treat him well.”

  Nilisaand nodded.

  “And this is Rihkar’s boy.”

  “Rihkar?” She looked at Le Fie, then at Edin giving him an almost calculating stare. “Well that won’t do at all. Come with me.” She gripped Edin’s wrist and began dragging him away. “First thing’s first, you need a bath and a good soap. I assume you know how to wash yourself?”

  “Umm… yes.”

  “Doesn’t look like it.” She took him to a door at the back and pushed him into a steamy room with the sounds of flowing water all around. There were three inground tubs where steam rose and water bubbled. “Soap is there, towels, wash cloths and… well from the smell of your breath, I’d say you don’t need the wine. I’ll be back in thirty minutes.”

  Edin bathed, drank the whiskey until the flask was empty, and washed. The water was comfortable, a little hot maybe. His red skin said that at least.

  The bubbles rose from small openings. They caressed him before floating to the surface and exploding with a p
op.

  He scrubbed himself till he was even redder, peeling away the grime before finally leaving the bath in a white robe that Nilisaand had provided.

  She was fussing over Flack’s hair; the kid didn’t want it trimmed short like his father’s. At least that was what Edin got from the conversation.

  Edin found a chair next to Arianne. He could only tell because of her long blond hair. Her face was covered in some green paste.

  “That looks like bile,” Edin said.

  Arianne turned toward him, dunked her hand in some tub of the stuff and slapped it on Edin’s face.

  “Your face needs to exfoliate.” She didn’t smile but there was laughter in her tone.

  “Hello, young sir,” a woman said walking up behind him, he could see in the mirror, she was pretty, a bit older than he, though there was some odd claylike substance on her face.

  “Hi, are you my groomer?”

  Arianne snorted, green gunk splattered the mirror in front of her.

  “Groomers work on horses and dogs…” The woman said. “Though seeing the state of you when you entered, I can see why you’d get confused.”

  Arianne let go and laughed heartily next to him.

  They began working on his nails, trimming and scrapping at them until his digits hurt. They left his hair alone, it was barely a half inch now, but they gave him another shave.

  A short while later, Nilisaand appeared with three large garment bags like the one’s Sandon’s tailor had brought.

  He was ushered into a small changing room. Opening them, he found the entire outfit was black. Boots, trousers, tunic, and jerkin. Though the jerkin had a symbol on the right side of the chest. A large gloved fist with rings on each finger, red, green, white, and two shades of blue.

  He stared at the pattern for a moment wondering why it looked familiar.

  Flack appeared in the same outfit. “Black? I’m already black. With all of the colors I’ve seen in this place, why do they need to make the clothes so dull?”

  “Feels like a uniform.”

  Flack sighed. “I suppose. So what now?”

  “I’m not sure.”

  “You’re to meet the FAE in an hour.” A voice came from the doorway. Le Fie was standing there, arms crossed and looking them up and down. He moved toward Flack, grabbed a loose piece of cloth on his shoulders and tugged it straight. He wiped a brown spot on the kid’s knee and then looked again. He nodded and turned to Edin.