by Blink, Bob
Rigo nodded.
“I thought as much. My daughter said you had been going that way frequently. It’ll be dark in another hour or so. I thought you should be aware that ill deeds have visited that area. Three men were found dead this morning, clearly the result of criminal intent. You should think carefully about being there alone after the sun sets.”
Three men. That was too much of a coincidence. Rigo felt momentarily sick that he might have killed all of them. They were no loss to the world, but even so that he might have killed them unintentionally didn’t sit well.
“What happened to them?” he asked trying to keep his voice neutral.
“One washed up on the tide this morning. The other two were known to be brigands, and were found on the pier with their throats cut.”
So he hadn’t been the cause of all the deaths. At least not directly. He couldn’t kid himself that he was entirely absolved of responsibility. He had left them there unconscious and vulnerable to whomever had finished them off.
“Does anyone know what happened?”
“Unlikely it will ever be known. Men like these kill themselves off all the time. But the fact the action is recent suggests extra precaution should be taken. That’s especially true for an outsider such as yourself. Is there any reason your business cannot wait until the morrow and daylight?”
“I wished to inquire about passage on one of the ships down the coast,” Rigo told him. “I was led to believe one should speak with the captains at one of the taverns after the day’s work was complete.”
The innkeeper was shaking his head. “That might be the case for a voyage across the Great Sea, but the ships that sail along the coast are more regulated. There is an office not far from here where you can book passage. There is no need to venture down by the waterfront.” He explained to Rigo where he should go.
“I appreciate your concern,” Rigo said. “I will go where you have suggested and see what I can learn.”
Walking back after a successful visit to the maritime office of the coastal shipping company the innkeeper had pointed him to, Rigo considered where he wanted to eat tonight. Then he decided he would take advantage of the free meal at the inn. The food wasn’t that bad, and he shouldn’t start thinking himself wealthy. The fare for the three-day voyage, in the lowest class with two meals per day and a hammock in a common room, had run just short of a full Royale. While that had not significantly depleted his funds, he couldn’t expect to always be so flush and should continue to conserve what he had. He would have to negotiate another night at the inn as it was, since the ship he was booked on wouldn’t leave until the day after tomorrow. He would have to be at the docks just after sun up, but would require a room for another night. Decision made, he picked up his pace. There was little point being out after dark even here. It wasn’t that far from the docks after all.
Chapter 6
Rigo stood on the passenger observation deck of the ship as the crew carefully maneuvered her from the dock. It looked to be a tricky task, yet the men who swarmed across the main deck hauling on ropes and shouting indecipherable commands were clearly used to it. Slowly the gap between the ship and the pier grew and then an unheard command must have been given because sails were suddenly being raised on the central mast. This ship carried three masts, and Rigo assumed all would be filled with the snapping white sails before long. Now, however, even with only the central mast partially filled with sail, he could see the forward motion as the ship moved away from the pier. They were under way!
He continued to watch the activity below as well as the shoreline as the ship began to pull away and gain speed. It was novel and instructive to see the city of Garth from this unique perspective. At first he was able to pick out a few landmarks he was familiar with, including the ocean facing side of the Rusty Anchor. Then the jumble of buildings and streets became unfamiliar and soon the city itself was fading into the distance. Still he remained, although the other passengers who had come up had now mostly departed. The feel of the salty ocean air on his face was a new experience, as was the motion of the ship under his feet.
The scratched and corroded brass plaque mounted along the forward barrier of the passenger viewing area indicated the ship had been constructed twenty-two years earlier. That made it older than himself, which gave him an odd feeling. Men had been sailing on this vessel, making this identical trip, several years before he was even conceived. While the ship seemed sound enough, at least to Rigo’s untrained eyes, it did show the marks of years. The bronze fittings were shiny and cared for, but worn and rounded from years of use and polish. The wood was dented and scarred, and the common cabin where his hammock was strung bore the marks of literally thousands of previous passengers.
Now there were only a couple of passengers left on the observation deck. All of those remaining were like himself, passengers of the lowest rank, third class. He had seen each of them in the large common room when he had first come aboard. Unlike the higher paying passengers they didn’t have private quarters to retire to. Going back to the cabin would mean lying in the hammock, which didn’t appeal while there was this adventure to experience. It was too early to visit the dining area since only a late breakfast, starting tomorrow, and dinner would be served. They had been told they could use the room for other activities during the day, so Rigo thought he would check it out later and see what it was like to watch the sea from the tables there.
The ship that had appeared so large from the docks, now felt considerably smaller. As the land receded and water stretched away in every direction he could sense how insignificant they really were. He wondered what it would be like to travel so far that all sign of land would be lost. He’d been told that they would follow the coast and the land would be visible for the entire trip. He wasn’t sure why, but was glad that was the case. One step at a time.
He turned and headed for the aft stairway. That one was reserved for passengers in his class and the class immediately above his own. The narrow stairs were awkward with his staff, but he managed, bypassing the first deck where the doorway was secured, and continuing down until he reached the second level. The stairs continued downward to the crew level and whatever other mysteries existed below. He stepped out into the central hallway and hesitated until he got his bearings. To the right side, starboard he’d been told, was the single large community cabin where he would spend his nights. On the port side was a series of small cabins for those traveling second class. Only about forty percent of the length of the vessel was used for passenger accommodations. Both forward and aft were areas that were inaccessible from their part of the ship where cargo and officer crew were located. Cargo was the real money maker for these voyages and the previous day the crew had been scurrying over the vessel as load after load of goods were placed aboard. Rigo had watched from the docks.
Forward, along the bulkhead that separated the passengers from the restricted areas was the large dining room that stretched across the width of the ship. He’d been told that the first class deck above them had a similar layout with considerably larger private cabins along either side. Supposedly there were six of the large staterooms on that deck, but he didn’t know how many were occupied this trip. As near as Rigo could discern, the vessel was carrying less than half what it was able in the two classes he could interact with.
For the first few hours, Rigo was fascinated. The land that drifted past was varied in character. There were small villages, some appearing almost deserted and others bustling with activity. There were green fields that came almost to the water, and areas where impressive hills and steep cliffs made access to the ocean difficult. Slowly, however, a combination of familiarity and the fact the ship was slowly moving farther from land making it difficult to ascertain details, took the newness from the experience. While Rigo could sense how quickly they were moving and how long it would have taken him to progress this far on land, he understood that this kind of travel could become boring. At least he had detected no sign
of the motion sickness that Captain Narthum had warned him about.
Late afternoon found him back outside. He liked the breeze and found sitting inside less appealing. He had left his staff in his hammock. He wasn’t worried that something might happen to it. It appeared no more than an old stick to the casual observer, and he knew he could toss it overboard and when he returned to his quarters later it would be there waiting for him.
“Is this your first voyage?” asked a seductive voice behind him.
Rigo turned to look who it might be. A young woman, perhaps a year or two younger than himself was coming up behind him and reaching for the railing to steady herself. The first thing he noticed, of course, were her startling features. Immediately afterwards his eyes scanned her quickly from head to foot, something he couldn’t help, which he was sure she had detected by the wry smile on her lips. Her hair, which fell to mid waist wasn’t blond, nor red. The color was something in between, and was being teased and tossed by the breeze. She wore a skirt which nominally hung far enough to cover her shoes, but which was frequent blown by the wind affording him a glimpse of shapely legs. While her cream blouse was buttoned to the neck, the breeze pressed it snuggly against her revealing beyond any question that she was indeed a fully developed woman. The sleeves were short, and like her legs, her arms were firm and shapely.
“Is it that obvious?” Rigo asked, looking into the light green eyes. It was immediately clear that this young woman was one of the upper class passengers. Since there was only the one passenger deck, this was the one common area where passengers of all classes might encounter one another. The upper class had their own stairway, which bypassed the lower deck entirely.
The young woman smiled. “There is something about the intentness with which you try and see everything that suggests this might all be new to you.”
“Well, in fact it is. The first time I even saw the ocean was a few short days ago. I was raised inland far from the sea. How about you? You appear completely at home here. My name is Rigo, by the way.”
“I’m Inge. My mother and I travel this way several times a year,” she said, indicating an older woman who bore a marked resemblance to her watching closely from not too far way. Rigo was certain he could sense a certain displeasure with her daughter’s forward approach. He also could see how Inge might look when she was older. If she were like her mother, she would age very well.
“It is far faster and less tiring than making the journey by land,” Inge said. “However, I find that I become dizzy when confined to the cabin. I do better when I can get some of the breeze. We live in Nulwar, but most of our family still resides in Garth. Mother likes to visit since father often travels with his business.”
They talked briefly exchanging histories. Rigo made no attempt to portray himself other than he was. He was a simple country boy who was following a dream nurtured by his father. She called him brave to venture so far from home on his own. She was the only daughter, with two brothers. Unlike them, who had a chance to participate in their father’s business, she was limited to special tutors and waiting for a suitable suitor. Rigo could sense she wasn’t at all pleased with the restrictions placed upon her.
“Do you think there will be war?” Inge asked him abruptly.
He was caught completely off guard. He had no idea what she might be talking about. She took his reaction to be a condemnation of her question.
“Oh, there I go again. That isn’t a proper topic for a young lady.”
“No, no,” he hurried to reassure her. “I simply have no idea what you are referring to. War? With whom?”
“It’s all the talk in the capital,” Inge said. “We spent a few days there before coming on this voyage. Lopal has apparently been making raids against Kellmore over the past year and a half. The King of Kellmore fears that Lopal has its eyes on the vast agricultural flatlands along their common border.”
“I am embarrassed to admit I’ve heard nothing of it,” Rigo confessed.
Inge looked put out. “I hoped you might have a unique perspective that I could present to my friends. You come from the north you said. I’ve heard that Lopal has shown indications they want to annex the northern province around the Burn River. It’s said they want the old port there which would give them direct access to the sea, something they haven’t ever had. I’d have thought people from your area would know all about that.” She looked at him defiantly.
“I guess my village is more isolated than I realized. Nothing has been said about such things. Even the traveling merchants have brought no news like this.”
“Hummph,” Inge groused. “Well, it’s true. The King of Branid is even looking to fortifying ties with Kellmore so we have a firm ally against any aggression by Lopal. It is said he is attempting to arrange a marriage between his daughter Mydra and the eldest son of Kellmore’s King.”
Inge swayed with a far away look. “How lucky she is. I’ve seen the heir to Kellmore’s throne. He is handsome and strong. I wish I was a princess with a chance to marry one such as him.”
“I thought the heir to Kellmore’s throne was older,” Rigo said to demonstrate he wasn’t entirely ignorant of the affairs of the world.
“He is,” admitted Inge. “He’s thirty-five, but never married. The King of Kellmore has no daughters, so any arrangement would have to be with one of the sons.”
“I thought there were other sons. Wouldn’t one of them be of a more appropriate age. It seems odd that the eldest son has never married.”
“Pooh. The middle son isn’t at all handsome. Why would the princess want him? The youngest is a mere child. No, Prince Awll is a fabulous catch. He must be worldly and masterful. He probably hasn’t found a woman suitable is all.”
Rigo wasn’t certain what to make of Inge’s comments and didn’t like the image of her with a much older man. Their conversation was brought to an abrupt halt as her mother informed her that it was time to return to the cabin to prepare for the evening meal. Rigo was hungry himself, but there would be no sharing of supper with Inge and her mother. Besides the fact the parent obviously was uncomfortable with her daughter being so sociable with one of the lower classes, they ate in separate dining areas. Rigo suspected the fare they were served would be far superior to what he was likely to see.
With a flash of perfect white teeth, Inge smiled and waved goodbye. Rigo watched them go, then headed aft to the stairs that would take him below.
Rigo was surprised at the vividness of the dream he was having. Inge and he were on the beach, their clothes randomly scattered on the shore some distance away and Rigo was about to demonstrate once again just how desirable he found the young woman. It had to be a dream. He had only just met her, and was very much aware that he wasn’t at all in her league. Still, his senses told him otherwise, and he was in no mood to wake up and prove his visions wrong. He wished to extend the embrace for however long possible, but having become aware that he was probably dreaming had already destroyed the ambiance and he could feel the sense of reality fading away as he became aware of the slow swing of the hammock. The ropes that held it to the supports were creaking softly, and as he reluctantly opened his eyes and looked around the dim interior of the open room, he could see several other passengers asleep, their own hammocks moving in unison with his own. The ship must be encountering some weather, as the movement was significantly greater than Rigo had experienced before.
The two small portholes at opposite ends of the room to allow circulation showed that it was getting light outside, so he must have slept better than he thought. The last remnants of the delightful dream were now lost, and Rigo reluctantly let go of any thoughts of trying to fall back asleep to resurrect the fantasy. He hadn’t had something like that happen since the first time he’d spent an evening with Sarlee back in Daro, and they had exchanged kisses and tentative caresses. If anything, his dream about Inge was even more vivid and arousing.
Curious what the world outside would look like, Rigo carefully c
limbed out of the swaying hammock. He found the thing tricky and didn’t want to fall on his face in the process of getting free. Once he was standing on the deck, he felt the increased motion that was causing the sway he had detected. He briefly monitored his own reaction to the motion, concerned that he might begin to experience the motion sickness he’d been told about, but could sense nothing. Satisfied, he placed his staff into the hammock, then quietly made his way aft and up onto the deck.
The sun had cleared the horizon almost an hour earlier although the skies were still gray. Numerous clouds crowded the horizon, and the sun was playing hide and seek with them. To the west the sky was clearer, suggesting once the sun was higher in the sky the day might yet be bright and cheerful, although the sea was choppier than the day before with whitecaps being whipped up by the wind and deeper rolling waves than he’d seen before. The larger waves slapped at the hull as the ship plowed heedlessly into the troughs and then bobbed skyward. Clouds of spray were thrown up each time the bow crashed into the oncoming waves, and the taste of salt was especially noticeable this morning. Rigo found it invigorating, and stood with the wind in his face for long moments.
When he heard the bell sound, he realized how hungry he was. Pushing away from the railing, he looked around. Only one other passenger, an older man who from his dress was one of the upper class passengers, was on the deck this morning. Smiling at the man, Rigo matched his gait to the motion of the ship and headed aft with the intent of going to the dining room.
Several hours later the sun had indeed broken free of the clouds and the sea was brightly lit by the sun. The wind was still brisk, however, so it was with some surprise that Rigo saw Inge and her mother making their way up the forward stairs and onto the passenger deck. The mother clutched at her coat and looked unhappy to be here, but Inge smiled upon seeing him and made her way over to the railing. Rigo couldn’t bring himself to believe she had actively sought him out, but given how few were on deck this morning, the explanation had a certain plausibility.
