by Jamie Davis
“Will do, Captain.” As Helen went off to her work, Cari continued to scan the shoreline, trying to figure out how long they had until they reached the place they were looking for. She knew the naval vessels were closing in. It was only a matter of time until they reached the shoreline, too.
All they needed was a little more time.
It ended up taking the better part of an entire day for them to find the cove leading up to the mine. She recognized it right away as the place where they’d sheltered with the Vengeance while Cari led a party ashore to track down the source of Tandon’s poisoned water supply.
It all seemed so long ago. Francesca and Helen had been there with her. It was where the bosun had lost her eye. Cari observed as the one-eyed sailor, despite her handicap, deftly handled the ship into the sheltered anchorage of the cove.
“Well done, Francesca.”
“Not a problem, ma’am. Actually, it’s kind of nice to be back. Maybe I’ll find my eye,” she said with a grin, tapping her eyepatch.
“I’m sorry we never managed to get you to a proper healing mage or priest to get that looked at. They might have been able to regenerate your eye and you’d be able to see with both eyes again.”
“Don’t worry about it, ma’am. I kind of like the way it gives me a fierce look. It also helps to keep unwanted attention from men away from me. I don’t mind it so much anymore.”
Cari smiled. Francesca always had a good attitude. “Drop anchor,” Cari called out to the crew. “We’re all putting ashore here.”
Some of the crew raced about, lowering the anchor into the sandy bottom of the cove’s waters as the Sailfish slowed to a halt. Several others lowered the longboat until it was alongside the schooner. Percy had brought Jaycee up on to deck and even equipped the girl with a small backpack he’d scrounged from the ship’s the stores. The little girl was dressed a lot like Cari. She wore trousers, little knee-high boots, and a white cotton blouse. She had a leather vest cut down to size just for her to wear over the blouse and there was even a small knife shoved in her belt. Cari smiled. The girl had a sort of fierceness about her that she liked. Jaycee smiled up at Cari as she approached.
“Percy gave me this knife, Cari. He said he thought I was old enough to start taking care of myself a little. What do you think?”
“I think it suits you, just be careful with it and don’t cut yourself. Are you ready to go ashore? This is the first step toward taking you to your great-grandmother.”
“I’m ready. It will be nice to be back with her.” The girl paused for a second, looking away beyond the cliffs ahead of them before returning her eyes to Cari. “When I get to great-grandma, you aren’t going to leave me, are you?”
“I might have to, Jaycee. There will be people looking for me. Don’t worry, though, there will be plenty of people around who will protect you once you reach the Crystal City,” Cari said.
She hoped she wasn’t lying to the little girl. Dangerous things were waiting for her as well in the Crystal City. She didn’t think it was worth worrying the little girl about it though. They’d cross that bridge when they got to it.
“Everyone over the side,” Cari called out. “Bring everything you can carry. We’ll make two trips to get everyone to shore along with all the supplies we’ll need.”
“We are not coming back?” A crewman named David asked.
“No, we are not. There’s a chance you and Sylvie and the rest of the crew will be able to get back on the Sailfish and get away. But that’s only if the naval vessels sail by without investigating this cove. But, I fear that chance is small.”
David gave her a grim smile and nodded.
Cari knew it wasn’t the best of news. They’d all become fugitives the minute they left the Cairn Islands and that wasn’t going to change now that they were ashore. “Don’t worry, I’ve left plenty of supplies to bring out to the shore. There are some cabins up on the cliff overlooking the cove. You’ll be able to find plenty of things to do while you wait. And you’ll have plenty of time to get away inland if the navy stops to investigate this Cove. Either way, you’ll be set.”
David and the other crewman nodded and went about the tasks of loading the supplies into the little boat.
Once the first load was down and stowed, Jaycee was carefully helped over the side and down the ladder to the longboat. Helen and Francesca were already down there to help her. Percy followed Jaycee down next. Cari climbed down followed by David and another crewman. The two crewmen settled in at the oars while Cari took the tiller. They rowed towards the sandy beach at the base of the cliff.
Once they pulled the boat out onto the beach far enough to unload, Cari sent Helen and Francesca up the path that wound up the side of the cliff. “Make sure you check the buildings. I want to be sure no one else is nearby. Once you’ve scouted around, set Francesca to watch from the cliffs for any ships. Then you can come down and help us bring the rest of the stuff up from the beach.”
“Will do,” Helen replied. She and Francesca started up the winding path. Cari, Percy, and Jaycee sat with the unloaded supplies and weapons while the two crewmen headed back to the Sailfish to unload the rest of the supplies and the remaining crew members.
It didn’t take that long. Soon the rest of the crew stood beside a small pile of supplies next to the longboat.
“We’ve got enough stores here to last several months, especially if we are able to do some hunting up there,” Sylvie said.
“That’s true,” Cari said. “Hopefully you won’t have to wait that long, though. Once the Naval vessels sail by, I’m hoping you all can return it to the Sailfish and take her back to the city. You may be able to make it to Tandon. If you do, I want you to take a message to Duke Korran in the palace there.”
“Anything you want, ma’am. Even if they do find us in the cove, me and the others can certainly head cross country towards Tandon. I’ll make sure your message gets delivered either way.”
“Good woman, Sylvie. I knew I could count on you.”
It wasn’t long before Helen came back down the path. “There’s no sign of anyone in any of the buildings or signs of any of the naval vessels from the cliffs. So far, I think we’ve gotten away.”
“Good. Let’s get the supplies hauled up to the top of the cliff. We’ll store them in one of the buildings up there. Once we do that, we can figure out what we’re going to do next.”
Helen nodded and began giving tasks and orders for the crew to start loading up and carrying supplies up to the top of the cliff. Meanwhile, Cari, Percy, and Jaycee started up the winding path towards the top. It was time to see what sort of place the mine had become since she and the others had liberated it from those who sought to poison the city of Tandon. She hoped everything was alright up there.
A lot can change in six months.
* * *
Quest completed — Land at the secret cove
15,000 experience awarded
Chapter 6
It was a few hours later, as Cari prepared a meal with Francesca over a camp stove, that shouts of alarm drew her attention. It came from off to the side, near the tree line. As she got up to see what it was, she realized it was David and another crewman pointing at the tree line as they rushed back from where they’d been gathering firewood to grab weapons from a pile by one of the cabins.
“What is it?” Cari asked
“I think I saw a troll skulking at the edge of the woods, ma’am. I’ve heard there were trolls in these mountains, but I figured they’d been run off years ago.”
“A troll? Are you sure?”
“That’s got to be what it was, ma’am. It had to be nearly eight feet tall and was kind of gray and green, with scruffy black hair on his head.”
Cari nodded. That was, indeed, a troll. The good news was, it was probably a troll belonging to Chrrrak’s tribe. She made friends with the troll chieftain on her last visit here. It gave her a sudden idea of how she might be able to get Jaycee away from the coas
t safely. “Leave the weapons here, David. I’ve made acquaintance with the trolls in these parts. I think we may be able to get some assistance from them.”
“Friends with trolls, ma’am?” David asked skeptically.
“Don’t be a hater, David. Trolls are people too. They want the same things you and I want. A home, a safe place to raise a family, and food to eat.”
“If you say so, ma’am.”
Cari shifted her sword baldric in place at her hip but didn’t draw her weapons. She kept her hands open, palm outward and plainly visible as she walked toward the trees. While she couldn’t pronounce the troll chief’s actual name, she gave it the best approximation her mouth could form using a character from an old animated movie watched once with her father when she was younger. “Chrrrak,” she shouted. “Are you there?”
She waited about twenty yards from the tree line. A few seconds later, a large, shambling figure emerged from the trees. It wasn’t her friend. The troll chief was even larger than the troll standing before her. She thought he was friendly, though. He wasn’t carrying any weapons in his hands either, though there was a knife in his belt.
“Chrrrak?” Cari pointed to the trees behind the troll
“Chrrrak not here.” The troll’s English was nearly unintelligible. Cari did manage to make out enough to understand. She pointed at the tree line, “Get Chrrrak.”
“Yes.” The troll nodded once and disappeared into the trees once again.
“That was amazing, ma’am.”
Cari turned around to see David and several other crew members standing a dozen yards behind her. All hefted weapons. She resisted the urge to yell at them for bringing weapons along when she told them not to. She knew they were just trying to protect her.
“I told you. I have made friends with the trolls in these parts. Now put your weapons down. We don’t want to offend them when they return with their chieftain. Let’s finish putting together a bit of a feast so we can share food with them. That’s the best way I know to make sure everyone knows we’re all friends.”
The crew set about cooking up a significant portion of their food and having it ready for when the trolls returned. It didn’t take long.
Once again, a shout alerted Cari to the trolls’ presence. She turned away from where she was tending the fire and saw a group of six trolls emerge from the wood line. She crossed over to where several of her crew members stood with their hands at their belts, ready to draw their weapons.
“Stand down. I won’t tell you again. Remember, these are our friends. See, they’re not acting aggressively, and they don’t have any weapons drawn either.”
The crew relaxed as Cari walked past them. Cari saw Chrrrak immediately. The chieftain was a good twelve inches taller than any of the other trolls. He opened his mouth and a big toothy grin revealed a row of blackened teeth inside his gaping maw. Cari held her hands out to her side, palms facing forward and smiled back at him.
“Greetings, Chrrrak. It has been a long time.”
“Agreed. I not think see you again. Everything all right?”
Cari shook her head. “No, everything not all right. We are being chased and I need to get a friend of mine to safety. I am hoping you can help me find a way through these mountains towards the east.”
Chrrrak scratched his head, his fingers digging at the shaggy mop of black hair growing there. “Not easy travel mountains to east. Better go west along coast to large human city.”
“Some of us will go that way. But a small group of us must travel eastward. Can you get us through the mountains?”
Chrrrak paused before continuing. “There is way. It not easy. Is dangerous.”
Cari shrugged. Staying here was dangerous, too, she knew. They had to take a chance because she feared there were naval forces and soldiers of the Duke of Charon both at sea and somewhere in the vicinity of Tandon, maybe close to these very woods. She couldn’t risk having Jaycee fall into the Duke’s hands. “We will take our chances, Chrrrak. If you show us the way, I trust we will be well.”
“I show you,” the troll chieftain said.
“Thank you. Please, come and share a meal with us while we talk about what lies ahead of us.”
The trolls came forward and sat with the people of Cari’s crew. Everything was a bit tense at first. Cari noticed how the trolls stayed well away from the burning logs of their campfire. It made sense. Trolls possessed the ability to regenerate from injuries; however, they were very susceptible to fire. Burning would not only prevent their injuries from regenerating, but it would also kill them very quickly if they were not careful.
Despite not liking fire, they enjoyed the concept of hot food very much. Cari realized that they must have a love-hate relationship with fire because they had to cook food, but they also had to keep away from getting burned. She longed to ask questions about it but feared it was a taboo subject.
They were just finishing up their meal when Francesca, who’s turn it was to stand lookout on the cliff, came running back towards the camp. “There’s a navy ship pulling into the cove now. They’ve definitely spotted the Sailfish. We need to get out of here, ma’am.”
“Damn, I’d hoped they would sail past without investigating. Never mind that now. Everybody, start gathering what you can carry. Make sure everyone has at least a pistol or a musket, along with a cutlass.”
“What do you want us to do?” Helen asked.
“We’re going to split into two groups. Sylvie and the other crewman we picked up in the Cairn Islands will head west along the coast and make for Tandon. She can carry a message for us to the Duke.”
“And the rest of us?” Helen asked.
“The rest of us follow Chrrrak and the rest of the trolls. He’s going to lead us to a trail that will take us through the mountains to the east. It’s time we started on our path to the Crystal City.
Helen looked to the east at the imposing cliffs. “Those mountains are considered wild lands ma’am. Trolls might be the least of our worries as we travel across them.”
“We don’t have a choice, Helen. Heading west is going in the wrong direction and I fear there are soldiers loyal to the Duke in that direction watching for us to try to get into Tandon. Our safest option is to head east. We’ll have Chrrrak and his trolls to watch over us for at least a portion of the journey. It’ll be alright.”
Helen nodded and set about gathering up the packs and weapons she and the others would need. She and Cari both shoved two pistols in their belts. Francesca did the same as well as grabbing a musket, too. Percy had a pistol and a cutlass as well as his backpack. He looked like he was carrying quite the load for his age, but Cari didn’t say anything.
Once Cari had gathered the two pistols for herself and shouldered a leather pack filled with food and some spare blankets, Cari turned to Chrrrak and said, “Men come. They hunt us. We need to get away. Now.”
Chrrrak stood from where he crouched beside his food. He gave a sharp gesture with one hand and two of the trolls raced off into the forest, leaving the others with their chieftain. “I send for help. If those who follow come our lands, we defend. Come, you follow. They not find you.”
Cari nodded. She turned to the other half of the crew. They were all set to march west. “Sylvie, I want you to take a message to the Duke of Tandon. Give it directly to him in private.”
“I understand, what is it?”
“Tell him we are setting off towards the Crystal City with the princess. We will get to Hyroth and wait for our other companions there. He’ll know who I mean. If he could send them along in that direction, I would appreciate it.”
“Got it, ma’am. I’ll make sure he gets the message.”
Cari watched as Sylvie and the others set out to the west. Once they disappeared into the tree line, Cari turned and nodded at Chrrrak. It was time to disappear into the trolls’ forest.
* * *
Quest accepted – Find a path through the mountains
Chapter 7
/>
Mona sat up from where she had been hunched over the workbench and raised her arms over her head. She stretched and stood up from the work area the blade smith, Heath Fletcher, had built for her beside his forge. She pulled a colorful kerchief from the pocket of her leather vest and dabbed at the sweat on her brow.
“Finally decided to take a break?” Heath asked from where he stood next to his anvil a few yards away.
“I am so close to figuring the last piece needed to get this portal device to work. It’s our only way to get back home with the way magic has changed in Fantasma. I wouldn’t be this close if it weren’t for you and everything you’ve done to help me.”
“I have to say, Mona, you’ve taught me so much I think I should thank you. In just the few months you’ve been here I’ve learned more about crafting and metal work than I could ever have thought existed. The new alloys I can now make will be worth a fortune to my family and me.”
“You earned it, Heath. I could never have built the fine spring and clockwork mechanism at the center of this transporter if it hadn’t been for your excellent casting skills at the forge. The cogs for the clockwork mechanism alone would have stymied me.”
Heath pointed up at the sun, settling towards the western horizon. “It’s nearly the end of the day. Why don’t we head back to the house? Sterling and Maisy can watch over the shop until closing. Hal is probably waiting for us anyway. He’s getting tired of being cooped up in the house with Becca all the time.”
Mona laughed. “That’s all right, I know she has him doing housework. It’s good for him.”
Heath laughed with her. He knew his wife wouldn’t let idle hands rest for long in her house. Even if those hands belonged to the legendary Prince Hal.
Together, Heath and Mona put away their tools and shut down the forge for the night. When finished, they headed for the small shop that stood in front of the forge yard.
As they entered Sterling Fletcher and the shop girl Macy, stood up suddenly and stepped away from each other. Mona smiled. She knew the two were a couple now and had likely been clutched in an embrace while they had a moment alone between customers. They were both nice kids and she was happy to see them build a relationship together. It was a flash of normalcy despite the fact their town was now occupied by the Duke of Charon’s soldiers.