The Lost Star's Sea

by C. Litka

  02

  The following round the dragons and I drifted down from the camp to the woods below, the dragons to hunt and me to enjoy some peace and quiet. Hissi was already back from hunting, and was dozing alongside me on the rock I'd perched myself on. It took about five minutes for her to lose interest in hunting, but Siss was still in the darkness under the pines.

  'Wilitang,' said Py as he gingerly settled on the other side of Hissi. He had his right arm bound in a sling - mostly to remind him not to move it before the pain did.

  'How are you feeling?' I asked.

  'Sore. The shoulder hurts a bit.'

  'Two holes in you will do that.'

  'Yes. Still, nothing to be concerned about. I'll heal soon enough.'

  'I'm sure you will. Natta will make sure of that.'

  He sighed. 'She's been very kind and considerate. Truth is, I had to get away from her for a while. She's always fluttering about, asking how I am, and looking at me like I'm on the edge of death.'

  I glanced his way. He was watching me as well. "Litang," I said to myself, "steer a careful course." 'Ah yes, she's naturally concerned. You're one of us - the four companions.' The Four Companions - the Four Shipmates?

  'But I tell her I'm doing just fine and she still fusses over me. You'd think she was my mother.'

  'It's your boyish charm. Must bring out the maternal instinct in Sub-captain Trin.'

  'But I'm not a boy.'

  'Yes, I know that.'

  'And yet, back at the Dere Clan camp, you felt the need to take charge? Sorry. I didn't mean to say that like an accusation. I was merely pointing out that people often, well, seem to treat me as if I was a slightly silly boy.'

  'My action at the Dere camp was pure selfishness, Py. I didn't care to risk getting a couple of holes in me. They had springers, you know. As for the others, people simply take you at face value. Your unfailing good nature and willingness to both please and enjoy simple pleasures is refreshing, especially to us, more cynical people. As one of Magistrate LinPy's lieutenants, I know that you're older, and far wiser than you seem at first blush. I see you as a young Tey Pot, in your own unique way. Don't lose the boyhood you've held on to. Though it may be inconvenient at times, it will serve you well. You'll have many friends, few enemies, and you'll lead many to the Way during a long and useful life because of it.' I paused, and then added, 'I apologize for that sermon. You're right. Here I am, someone who knows you pretty well, falling into the trap of talking to you like a boy. What I meant to say was simply that I like you as you are. Don't change.'

  'You can say what you want to me, Wilitang. I always listen and learn.'

  'I'm often seen as being old when I'm not. Not really. But like your youth, though it can be embarrassing at times, I'm alive today because I have the cautiousness of age, rather than the recklessness of youth.'

  He smiled. 'You're not that old, Wilitang. Not real old,' he added with a rare dart of sarcasm.

  'How old are you, anyway?'

  'I can remember the Nileana tree blossoming three times,' he replied. 'I'm not a boy, though Natta seems to treat me like one.'

  I gave him a glance. He had circled back to that mild complaint again. 'If you can remember three Nileana festivals, you can't really think that her concern is that of a mother, can you?'

  He said nothing.

  'Py?'

  'Yes, maybe I can think of other reasons. But that's silly?'

  'Why? Come now, Magistrate Py. You have an almost instinctive understanding of people and their motives. You can see through Natta's concern.'

  He may've blushed. However deep his well of wisdom was, in this matter, he was the boy he appeared to be.

  'Maybe.'

  'And you?'

  'And me, what?'

  'Are you also, concerned, with Natta.'

  He looked off.

  'Hissi, does Py love Natta?' Lying between us, she kept an eye on both of us, and though the curve of her jaw always made her look to be smiling, I'd a feeling she was enjoying this conversation. Asked to join it, she reared up with a loud barking laugh, and then gave Py's nose a flick of her long tongue. 'So he does, does he?'

  She barked a laugh again.

  'Yes, I like her,' he said, wiping his nose. 'But it isn't that simple. My whole life - all my plans seem to have been blown away like leaves in a serrata. I don't know what I want to do, only what I don't want to do. And I don't know how I might do what I think I might like to do. How can I even consider one more factor - a factor like that?'

  'Did you follow that, Hissi? My head is spinning?'

  She barked another laugh.

  'I guess I didn't either,' laughed Py. 'And that is the problem in a nutshell.'

  'Hopefully we'll have a better idea of what can be done, once we reach Marsh Waters. I'm convinced that there is some sort of communication between these islands and the Saraime, but it need not be frequent. Once or twice in a lifetime would likely be enough to keep the Orders as similar as they are. If that is the case, then we'll all be in the same boat, and unless you or Naylea have a great desire to settle down within a Windvera community?'

  'Which I don't..."

  'Then we can choose to do as we please - as shipmates - as a team. I don't know what we could do - I suppose we could always help make Daffa brandy? But we'll cross that sky when we get to it. You might want to reach some sort of understanding with Natta before then. It would make things easier for all of us.'

  'What sort of understanding. And how would I do it? I don't know anything about such matters. I never thought I'd have any reason to even consider them.'

  'Follow you heart.'

  'Easier said than done. I don't know my heart that well, and it doesn't know the way any better than my head. What should I do, Wilitang?'

  'Well, I've one piece of advice. Don't ask advice from a fellow who fell in love with a girl who, on their first date arranged to have him killed in a duel by her make-believe husband. And when that plan failed, tried to slip a knife into his heart, failing only because he managed to impale her knife hand on the tip of his sword. Ask her and she'll show you the scars.'

  'Ah, but you see, Wilitang, look where you are now. You must know how to deal with matters of the heart!' he laughed. 'I know nothing of them - save when they've gone wrong and they appear before me in court.'

  'Trust me, I know little more than you. I was a spaceer all my life. I lived in one small ship - a dozen shipmates, most who served with me throughout my career. I only got ashore for a round or two, and then it was mostly on ship's business. I had no time for love back then. You see, back in my home islands, in the Unity, I could expect to see 20 Nileana festivals or more, so there was not only no time, but no hurry to fall in love. I fell in love with the only girl who fell in love with me, even as she was charged with killing me. So if Natta is in love with you - and Naylea has believed that from the start - then if you were to blindly follow my lead, you'd be in love with her as well. But there is more to love than being loved, so you must sort things out for yourself.'

  'I have too many things to sort out? without considering love. And say what you want, you still know these things. Tell me what should I do.'

  'Right. Let's keep it simple and safe. Just talk to her - as a friend, but tell her about all your hopes and dreams, your confusion and uncertainties. And ask her about hers as well. Get to know her. She's every bit as shy as you are, so I suspect that nothing need be said of love just yet. But don't ignore her feelings. Back at the palace we waited for you, and I think, only you, LinPy. She wouldn't leave without you. And if she flutters about you now, its because she's doesn't want to lose you. You didn't seduce her, so she's taking a chance by loving you. I know you to be kindhearted to a fault, so I know you'll treat her kindly. Take her into your confidence, let her see you, and show you who she is. However it turns out, that would be the kindest thing to do. And I don't think it would be all that hard to do, do you?'

  He shook his head. '
She is easy to talk to. The first thing I will tell her is that I'm neither as young nor as foolish as I may appear. And that it will take more than two holes in my shoulder to kill me.'

  'Kindly, though.'

  'Yes, kindly,' he said with a grin.

 

  03

  We stood outside the cave watching the Rider dragons with their riders disappear down the mountainside. All but two of the band were heading for the rendezvous with the treasure wagons. Since the coins were in both silver and gold there were many more than ten thousand in number. Indeed, DrisDae had ordered an extra 2,000 gold coins to be added to be sent along to Kandivar for safe keeping - apparently you never know when some court accountants may arrive unannounced. In any event, they needed every dragon and saddle bag to carry all of them back here, and then on to Kandivar.

  Tey Pot turned to Py. 'Are you fit to travel?'

  'Yes, it's only my arm.'

  'Good,' and turning to us, he said, 'Time to be going. Wake up those lazy dragons, and gather all we can carry to eat and drink. We'll need to stay clear of roads and inns for a couple of rounds.'

  'Now?' asked Py. 'They are our hosts? Isn't that?' He trailed off, looking at Kroc and Zori who were standing next to us.

  'Impolite?' laughed Tey Pot. 'Have you forgotten our invitation? The Kandivarians are, on the whole, fairly honest and fairly honorable, but also fairly ruthless. Life in the shadow steppes requires a streak of ruthlessness. I have heard some talk of taking us back to Kandivar - where your weapons could be very useful in fulfilling our hosts' vast ambitions. Not, perhaps, forever, but for a while. Since you are in a hurry to reach Marsh Waters, I don't think you'd care to make a thousand round detour into the Shadow Lands for a range war. I know I'm not in the mood to, so we need to go now while we can - without having to use your magic on our hosts when they return,' he added.

  Kroc and Zori exchanged glances. 'What about us?' asked Kroc.

  'Oh, I can have Wilitang here render you unconscious if you like. That might help you avoid the wrath of young TreyMor when he returns to find us gone. He can do it with his magic, or I can do it the non-magical way with a bit of iron-vine to the head. Or you can just let us go. After all, we outnumber you. Whatever you choose.'

  'We have time to decide?'

  'Take all the time you want. So what do you say, friends?'

  'Say no more,' I said, looking around at my companions, who nodded their approval. We hurried off to gather supplies, leaving our poor guards to decide their fate.

  When we had collected all we could comfortably carry outside the cave, Tey Pot turned to Kroc and Zori. 'You realize that you can't stop us, though you're welcome to try. A few bangs and bruises - or maybe some dragon teeth marks - (the dragons growled on cue) may smooth over any, ah, shall we say, disappointment, your Chieftain may have when he finds we've flown this nest. Or Wilitang here can put you to sleep with his magic weapons.'

  'You'll wake up with a headache - I've been darted enough times to know that. But you'll be fine after it goes away - and who can blame you for our hasty departure?'

  They walked us to the edge of camp, still undecided.

  'Well, we're off,' said Tey Pot. 'If you want to object, now's the time. Draw your swords and either I or Wilitang will put you to sleep.'

  They didn't, and were still discussing their options when we, with Tey Pot in the lead, waved goodbye and started loping down the steep hillside for the towering pine trees below. The last we saw of them, they were still discussing the matter.