by Callie Kanno
Adesina marveled that one so young could seem so comfortable doing an adult’s work on a transoceanic vessel. The deep waters of the ocean were fraught with peril. If the temperamental weather and violent tides weren’t enough to deter passage, there were also the tales of enormous sea monsters that could attack a ship at any moment. Only recent generations had begun to brave the dangers found beyond the coasts, and it was still considered a fool’s dream to be a sailor.
What had driven a teenage girl to live such a life?
“There is the captain,” commented Kendan, nodding towards a burly man in the latter end of his middle years. He had skin the color of rich earth, and the length of material around his waist was bright red.
Adesina watched him as he issued orders in a firm but elegant tone. He did not shout unnecessarily or curse his workers. He willingly lent a hand where it was needed, as if they were all equals. When the Zephyr was safely docked, the captain ordered the gangplank lowered, and he walked down to be greeted by the Dock Keeper.
Together the man and woman walked towards the hut that overlooked the harbor, conversing amicably as they went. Kendan, Adesina and Ravi watched them go, but made no movement to follow. They knew that the captain would be too busy with the business of trade to worry about potential passengers at the moment.
Adesina turned her eyes back to the vessel, and she saw that the blonde girl was watching her. At first the girl looked embarrassed to be caught staring, but then she gave a jaunty grin and returned to her work.
A man began walking down the gangplank, and he fixed his gaze on them. Adesina had never seen a man so small before. He was shorter than Ravi when standing. He had tanned, weathered skin and wild brown hair. His eyes were also brown, and they were filled with the wisdom of experience and the dignity that came with authority.
He nodded to them in a friendly manner, looking up at their faces with no hint of self-consciousness. “Traders?”
“Pardon?”
“Are you traders?” clarified the little man.
“No,” admitted Kendan, “but we are looking for passage.”
The man grunted thoughtfully. “Passage is not cheap. Captain Zulimar does not like taking passengers.”
“Do you have any idea how much it would be?” asked Adesina. She was concerned that they wouldn’t have enough coin, as their funds were running low.
“How many people in your party?”
“Seven, counting the Rashad,” gestured the young woman.
The little man barely blinked as he appraised the enormous feline. “I would estimate no less than a gold coin apiece.”
Adesina felt her chest tighten, and she looked at Kendan in panic. They did not have enough currency to pay for all of them to sail to Zonne.
Kendan didn’t seem surprised. “May we speak to a crew member authorized to conduct trade?”
“I thought you said you were not traders.”
“We are not, but we may have something of value in exchange for passage.”
The man shrugged. “Well, you may speak to me of your proposal. I am Satosh, first mate of the Zephyr.”
“Three of our party are magic-users and one is an apothecary. We would be quite willing to offer our services as payment.”
Satosh was clearly interested. He folded his arms and pursed his lips as he considered the offer. “What would be included in your services?”
Kendan looked to Adesina for a reply. She carefully reviewed L’avan laws in her mind, deciding what would be most ethical.
“We could do some repairs and any healing that the crew might need. We can keep your supplies fresh during the journey. We can help you to avoid storms or other forms of danger. We can also provide some entertainment for the crew.”
Satosh gave a broad grin, quite pleased with the arrangement. “Done. But be warned: the captain will get every ounce of value from this deal that he can.”
Adesina smiled in return. “We will keep that in mind.”
The little man started off, returning to his tasks. “We set sail in two days,” he called over his shoulder.
They turned and walked up to the street from the dock. Adesina felt her heart lighten considerably. They would be on their way in two days. With any luck, Fair Tides had been delayed enough so they would be only a handful of days behind Basha and L’iam.
Kendan studied the expression on her face and it was evident that he envied her for feeling so much hope for the future. Adesina knew that his own future looked bleak at best. After all, there was nowhere he could go that the vengeance of the Shimat couldn’t follow.
“What will you do to pass your last two days in Emerald Harbor?” he asked her.
“I will continue to visit my friends from the High City,” she replied. “I have not seen them in quite some time, and I have missed them.”
“It will be difficult to leave them behind, knowing the lives they are forced to live here,” he observed, without appearing to give it much thought.
The satisfaction drained from Adesina’s face as she considered his words. “Yes, it will.”
Kendan’s face was immediately filled with regret at his hasty words. “I am sorry, Adesina. I did not mean to bring up a painful subject.”
She didn’t reply, lost in her thoughts.
What would they do when she left? Would they simply continue slaving away in order to survive? Would they go on starving themselves in order to feed their children? Would they resort to taking the jobs that no one else wanted, because they were too dangerous or too degrading?
She didn’t want that life for her friends.
Hass was a talented carpenter. He deserved to be able to work with wood and create beautiful things. He deserved to be able to support his family. After all, his lost leg would not be a problem in that line of trade.
Deasa was too young to have such burdens on her shoulders. She should be dreaming of babies and tending to her home, as she had always wanted. Instead, she was working as a washwoman because Nordin’s pay from the quarry was not enough to support them and Deasa’s younger siblings.
Adesina felt that she had to do something, but she wasn’t sure what that was. Her friends wouldn’t accept money from her, and even if they would, she didn’t have much to give. Once she was gone from Emerald Harbor, she wouldn’t even be able to help in the little ways they had allowed.
Something had to be done, and she would spend her last couple of days in the city figuring that out.
She would not abandon them again.
Chapter Fifteen: Two Journeys Begin
“So, you leave in the morning.”
Adesina looked up as Jahan Lirit sat down next to her at the table in the common room of The Black Cat.
“Yes,” she replied casually.
“I am glad that you do not have to wait any longer, but I will be sad to see you go. I have enjoyed our conversations together, and I would have liked to learn more about your people.”
The young woman smiled. “I sometimes feel that you know more about the L’avan than I do.”
He chuckled. “I doubt that. I do ask a lot of questions, though, and there is always something new to learn. Perhaps it will be a relief to Than’os and Mar’sal to be free of my pestering.”
“We have taken great pleasure in talking to you,” Adesina said with sincerity.
The old man was grateful to hear her say so. “I might follow your example and move on from Emerald Harbor. I have been in this city much longer than I planned.”
She leaned forward with interest. “Where will you go?”
He shrugged. “Oh, the world is a large place. There are many lands I have not yet seen.”
“It sometimes sounds as though you have seen everything,” she laughed.
He joined her, “Ha! Yes, I suppose that my stories make it seem that way.” Jahan became more serious. “I am still looking for a place that can keep my interest. I do tire of wandering, and I would like to find a home.”
“Why
not return to the village where you grew up?”
Jahan shook his head immediately. “Oh, no. I could never go back. It is nothing more than a bunch of farmers with no desire for music or art. It is far too practical a place for a man like me. I thought so when I was fourteen, and I still think so today. Besides, I have no family there—my parents died in an epidemic when I was young—so I would be among strangers.”
“You are among strangers whenever you travel,” Adesina reminded him. “It is easy for you to make friends.”
“Yes,” he admitted, “but at least when I travel I know that my skills will be appreciated. I want to find a place where I will be valued, and I can value those around me.”
“You do not value farmers?” she teased him.
Jahan laughed again. “No, I value them. My parents had a farm, and I never saw anyone work so hard. However, I do feel that there needs to be more to life than simply surviving. It is good to work hard during the day, but there needs to be enjoyment in the evening.”
Adesina gave the old man a fond look. “You are probably right.”
“I know I am.”
“So, where will you go?”
He studied her carefully, keeping his voice casual. “I have not spent much time in this land, other than here in Emerald Harbor. Perhaps it would be good for me to see more of Sehar.”
She nodded. “That sounds reasonable. There are many beautiful places.”
“I would want to find a community that appreciates music and storytelling, but one that also is a culture that I can take interest in observing.”
Adesina had an idea of where he was going with his hints, and she decided to open up the conversation. “Like the L’avan settlement?”
Jahan grinned. “Like the L’avan settlement.”
It was certainly an interesting idea. They had never had a non-L’avan actually live with them, but she didn’t think there would be any objections. Jahan was a friendly and amusing man, and he would provide a bridge between the settlement and the outside world.
“They would welcome you with open arms,” she assured him, “and I think you would be happy there.”
The old man was vastly pleased. “Good. All I need is a few directions, and I will easily find my way.”
An idea entered Adesina’s mind, and she considered it carefully. It was something that she had never thought about before, and now she could not believe she had overlooked such a simple solution.
The excitement in her chest grew, and after a moment she turned to her friend and said, “Would you excuse me? I have some very important business that needs my attention.”
Jahan Lirit waved a wrinkled hand. “Of course, of course. I will speak to you later about the details of my journey, yes?”
She nodded as she rushed out of the inn.
Adesina hurried through the streets of Emerald Harbor towards the section of the city where the destitute lived. She was never more aware of the dilapidated buildings or the shabby inhabitants, but now she felt a sense of hope at the sight. It was no longer the prison that held her friends from the High City.
She had found a way to set them free.
Deasa was sitting in the sunlight outside the main building, washing the clothes of a stranger. Her youngest sibling, Belen—a boy of six years—was helping her by wringing out the excess water.
“Deasa, where is Hass?”
Her friend smiled in greeting and gestured to one of the smaller buildings to the side of the complex. “He is repairing a chair for Master Quinlan.”
The L’avan gave a returning smile and hurried onward. It was good that Hass and Quinlan were together. If she could convince both of them to agree to her plan, then the rest of the community would follow.
The two men were chatting amicably, one repairing the chair and the other repairing a harness. Quinlan was fortunate in the fact that his skills as a blacksmith were valuable to Emerald Harbor. He was not given any of the high-paying work that the native blacksmiths received, but he was able to do the menial tasks that they were too busy to accept.
Hass saw her and greeted her warmly. “Adrie, come in, my dear.”
Quinlan also welcomed her and asked his petite wife, a woman he had met after leaving the High City’s ruins, to bring their guest a glass of water.
“I am glad to find the two of you together,” began Adesina. “I have something important that I want to discuss with both of you.”
That piqued their interest immediately, and they waited patiently for her to continue.
“I know that my time in the High City was based off of a lie, but the affection that I developed for all of you was genuine. I am so glad to have found all of you again and renewed our friendship.”
The sincerity in Hass’s eyes told Adesina that he felt the same. Even Quinlan had overcome his original doubt and nodded his agreement.
“I cannot express my sorrow at the fate of the High City, and I wish I had been there to help in any way that I could.”
Hass took her hand and patted it gently. “The past in gone, child. There is nothing that can be done about it.”
“But there is something I can do now,” she asserted. “It pains me to see you reduced to such circumstances—to be treated like outcasts because of something out of your control.”
“What did you have in mind?” asked Quinlan.
She took a deep breath. “I want you to come and live with the L’avan.”
The shock on their faces was almost comical. The stunned silence stretched out for several moments before Quinlan found his voice again.
“We cannot do that.”
Adesina stared at him. “Why not?”
“We do not belong among magic-users.”
She shook her head. “We are trying to build a diverse community. If we wanted to isolate our race, we would not have left our homeland. The purpose of our new settlement is to create a city where L’avan and Seharans can live in peace.”
“There is still a great amount of prejudice against magic-users. The others would never agree.”
“If the two of you support this idea, then it will be considered,” insisted the young woman.
Quinlan continued to shake his head, and Adesina turned to her foster father.
“Hass, you could be a carpenter again. All of you would be accepted, and you would be able to rebuild your lives as they were before the High City was destroyed.”
There was a glimmer of hope in his eyes, but it disappeared almost immediately. “How can you know that we would even be welcome among your people, Adrie? What if your leaders turn us away? We will have given up our lives here, and we would be homeless again. We wandered for almost a year before we found a home here, and I do not want to put my family through that again.”
Adesina had avoided telling them about her new position as queen of the L’avan. It was not something she that made her ashamed, but she didn’t want them to treat her any differently.
“I…have some influence among the L’avan. I could write a letter for you to take to the regent. Even without that, I know that they would accept you. We are all eager to build friendships with the people of Sehar.”
“We are a proud people,” admitted Hass. “I do not think that the others would be enthusiastic about accepting the charity of magic-users.”
“It would not be charity,” Adesina said quickly. “There is a lot of work to be done, and we need able hands to do it. The High City was filled with skilled artisans, and we would appreciate your talents and dedication to make our new city all that it can be.”
There was a pause as the two men considered her proposal.
“It would be nice to make something beautiful again,” mused Hass. “Something that fills me with pride and satisfaction.”
It was clear that Quinlan agreed, but he kept silent as he weighed the possibilities. His wife was sitting next to him quietly, and she gave a hopeful smile.
“I, for one, would love to meet these magic-users. And I would
love to see what my husband is really capable of making with his skilled hands.”
Her simple statement was enough to make up Quinlan’s mind. He looked at her with love in his eyes and nodded. “You have stood by me through many hardships, and you have braved the scorn of others to be my wife. I would like for us to have some happy, productive years to recall in our old age.”
Hass was nodding as well. “I want to support my family again. I want Fia to return to school instead of hauling water for the quarry workers.”
Adesina gave his hand a squeeze. “The L’avan have a fine school, and Fia would excel as a student.”
“We will speak to the others,” he said in a decisive tone. “Not all of them will wish to come, but I will strive to convince all that I can.”
She gave him an impulsive hug and he chuckled with affection.
“I will write the letter for the regent, and I will draw you a map to the settlement. There is a bard at the inn where we are staying, and he has decided to go to the settlement as well. He is an experienced traveler, and he will help you on your way.”
This news appeared to set their minds at ease. Adesina knew that neither of the men felt comfortable traveling.
“The ship that is taking us to Zonne leaves tomorrow morning, but I will see you again in a few months when I return home with my husband.”
Tears glimmered in Hass’s eyes, but he swallowed them with effort. “Go and prepare the papers. I will speak to everyone, and tonight we shall have a special dinner in your honor. Bring your friends, and we will celebrate your departure.”
***
Later that night, Adesina and Ravi walked back to The Black Cat slowly. The celebratory dinner had been modest, to say the least, but she had been deeply touched by the gesture. Jahan, Mar’sal, and Than’os had all been present, and the bard had been pleased to entertain such an avid audience.
Now the queen and her guardian were alone, and her mind was filled with fears and doubts. Only half of the refugees had decided to go to the L’avan settlement. The others were unable to overcome their prejudices about magic-users, and preferred to stay in Emerald Harbor.
