Wolven Kindred

by James Tallett

  Tarranau walked over and sat, turning the chair so it faced the clerk. He was sure that the school had issued orders that an apprentice was not to be allowed passage off the island. What else could explain the unheard-of rudeness to a member of the school. He began to twist and writhe his hands together, a small habit that signified his outward nervousness. Time seemed to eke forward, barely moving at all, and Tarranau began staring out of the window, trying to catch a glimpse of the sun and see just how long he had been waiting.

  Presently he had had enough of the waiting, and stood up, walking over to the desk of the clerk and staring down at him. “What is it I am waiting for?”

  The clerk looked up and shook his head. “Do they teach you nothing about the harbour or the merchants? The harbourmaster is out, checking on the morning’s new arrivals and the departures. He does this with every tide. Now that I’ve completed your education, you can sit back down and wait for him to appear. And don’t think about walking out to see him, he hates being interrupted.”

  “Oh… right, thanks.” Tarranau sat back down in the same chair, this time not staring quite so continuously at the clerk. Instead, his eyes roved over the office, hoping to make the time pass a little faster. He tried to think of a game he could play while waiting for the harbourmaster to show, or at least some way that he could pass the time besides being nervous and sitting in a chair. Soon he was engaged in counting of the number of planks of wood in the desk, and then in how many seconds it took the clerk to finish a single line of writing. Those completed, Tarranau moved on to the pieces of wood in each wall of the building, and was well down the south wall when the clerk looked up from his work.

  “This man here has been waiting for you.”

  The newcomer turned to examine Tarranau where he sat against the wall, eyes running up and down the apprentice, taking in the robes and the youthful face perched atop. A mage, but a fresh one, perhaps even an apprentice. Not one who I have to treat with too much caution, just enough that I don’t overstep my bounds. All this played across the harbourmaster’s face, but Tarranau did not see it there, young enough that there were many things he missed.

  “I see you’re from the mage’s guild. Or the school. What is it you want?”

  Tarranau struggled to his feet, tired already of having the man stand over him and look down. His muscles ached from their time in the rough-hewn chair.

  “I am looking for a ship that would take me to Arnich. Preferably one that has a guild mage on board. I was informed by your… most helpful assistant that you would have this information for me when you returned.”

  The harbourmaster eyed the standing Tarranau. The eighteen year old apprentice was still young, but tall enough that he overtopped the shorter merchant. The harbourmaster did not care for that.

  “Sit back down. There are things I need to do before I forget the numbers. You have waited a little, you can wait a little more. The ship won’t leave before you can get there.”

  So saying, he strode past the clerk, who smirked at Tarranau, and into the back, sitting down at the desk in his own office. Shortly there came the sound of a pen scratching against paper, tables that would be perused by the tax-collectors to ensure they had the correct amount of money.

  Tarranau seethed as he sat back against the wall, forced once again to wait on someone else in order to complete his own desires. His fingers drummed on his thigh, pinkie to the index finger each coming down in succession on the blue robes in which he was swathed. He could sweeten the man, but that would get him to the schooner only slightly faster, and unseemly haste was not a desirous trait at this last, crucial moment. And so he sat, fingers drumming, and waited, returning once again to the counting of the boards.

  Presently the harbourmaster strode out to see the apprentice once again, this time with a little more grace spread across his face. He had had his bit of fun at the expense of the high and mighty guild member, and could afford to treat with him more equitably without wounding his own pride.

  “So, you are going to Arnich? Anyone else or just yourself?”

  Tarranau was terse. “Myself.”

  “Come with me then.” The older man walked to the door of the office, turning first to the left and then to the right, the direction away from Tarranau’s goods, still in storage at the old warehouse. “Down there, past the four-masted barque. The next ship along is the one that you’re looking for. Called the Fregyion. Captain is a fellow by the name of Mesvigne. They leave tonight, so you’ll need to be fast about it to get on board before they no longer take passengers. Enjoy your journey, and convey my best wishes to the Guild. Oh, and do tell the captain I sent you.” The man grinned for a moment before going back inside. Tarranau knew the harbourmaster would get a percent of the fee for any passengers or cargo he directed towards a ship.

  Tarranau stepped out the door and stopped, vision coursing to the left, fixating for a moment on the location of his goods. Retrieve them? Better to wait until he had a berth. Tarranau walked to the right, north along the docks, the cliffs that comprised the arms of the crescent glittering in the sun that had passed the mid-mark of the day. His was a heady mix, sadness at the parting from a city and family he knew and loved well, anticipation at what would come next, anger at those who had framed him. Shaking his head to clear it, he walked on. Tarranau would have many days aboard a ship that he could mope, philosophise, and contemplate the various paths and turns in the labyrinth of life that had lead him to this location, but for now, that was a distant mirror. The practical reasserted itself, and his eyes were clear and dry when he walked to the end of the quay. Tarranau hailed the sailors who were loading cargo into the bay under the watchful eye of a mate.

  “I look for Captain Mesvigne!”

  One of the mates made a gesture to hold, and turned and barked down into the ship behind him. Tarranau stood, arms at his side, as he waited for the man to appear. The captain strode up to the edge of the ship, paused for a moment to issue instructions to the mate and to yell at the crew lifting the cargo, and then disembarked down the gangplank, the wood flexing slightly under his weight.

  Standing before Tarranau, he was an older man, hair going grey about the temples but still there, although it was pulled back stiff and encrusted with the spray of the sea.

  “I have no need of a ship’s mage. The guild has already provided me with a satisfactory one.”

  “Passenger, not mage, Captain Mesvigne. I am looking for transport for myself and some belongings to Arnich.”

  The captain made a show of looking behind Tarranau.

  “You travel light then, for I see no belongings here. Perhaps you wish to acquire them from me and my crew during the journey to the far shore?”

  “I do not cart my chests willy-nilly looking for a ship. Instead, I prefer to leave them in a safe place until passage has been agreed upon. Now, how much does it cost for passage to Arnich?”

  “Fifteen. For you, seeing you wear the clothes of the school and guild, thirteen.”

  “Thirteen of which coin?”

  The merchant sailor reached into his pocket and revealed two of the largest coins in circulation, a full half of the money that Tarranau had upon him that day.

  “What? Five it shall be.”

  “Do I look like I wish to become a pauper? The food you eat on the journey alone costs over five. Eleven.”

  “I could return that upon you. Perhaps I should see the other ship that was travelling to Arnich. There is no mage, but the harbour master said it was safe enough all the same.”

  Tarranau gathered himself and turned away, walking at a slow and steady pace off of the quay. He wanted to make his point clear, but not so fast as to miss any response.

  “Ten, then.”

  “Eight, and I’ll help your ship’s mage out with any tasks that he feels are needed.”

  “Accepted. Should have mentioned that before, might have made me go even lower.” Mesvigne looked up at the sky, shielding his eyes with his hand
.

  “Go and get your things, and have them stowed away soon. There’s about two hours before we push off from the dock. We’ll have dinner on board, so don’t worry about eating beforehand. Just make sure you’re here if you want to make it across.”

  Tarranau nodded. “I will. I’ll return with my things shortly.”

  He set off along the docks, his pace quickening as he stepped onto the dry land of the shore. It was done. Negotiations for the berth were completed, and he was to be a passenger on a ship to Arnich. All that remained was moving his belongings onto the ship. Once the Fregyion pushed away from the shore and passed the mouth of the harbour, it would all be behind him. A new beginning, in a land he had never been to. Somehow he doubted it would be as fanciful as the bards made it out to be. The women and coin that poured over those in songs were unlikely to trouble him for some time. Still, it was a nice image to hold while he walked down the docks. Perhaps he could be the one for whom those stories were true. Tarranau laughed. It was a good feeling. A decision had been made, and a weight lifted. He opened the door to the warehouse and pulled out the sacks of goods. They were heavy, but over the short distance to the docks he could carry them all. Tarranau the pack mule, off on an adventure. He shut the door of the warehouse behind him, the tracks and flurries of dust the only sign that he had been inside. It screeched as it closed, a low and mournful sound of parting.

  Tarranau turned himself northward, and began the slow march back towards the Fregyion. It was the first step.

  Thank you for reading this free sample of Tarranau by James Tallett. We here at Deepwood Publishing hope you’ve enjoyed it. If you would like to continue the story of the errant watermage, just search for “Tarranau” or “Deepwood Publishing” in the book store of your choice. Both print and electronic copies are available.

  Tarranau is the first book in a six book storyline, with the second book titled Chloddio and the third Læccan Waters. In addition to the six books of the main story line, Unfolding a New Continent is an anthology of shorter tales that surround and support the main storyline.

  Chloddio is slated for release in the summer of 2013, followed by Læccan Waters.

  Deepwood Publishing can be reached at contactus@deepwoodpublishing.com

  James Tallett is available through his website

  or via jamestallett@thefourpartland.com

  About the Author

  James Tallett is the author of a seven book series of fantasy novels set in The Four Part Land, the first of which was published in 2011 by Deepwood Publishing. In addition to his novel writing, he keeps up a steady stream of short stories and flash fiction, much of which is published online. Aside from writing, he can be found on ski slopes across the world.