King's Exile: Chronicles of the Dragon-Bound: Book 1

by William Culbertson

  She smiled. “Oh, yes. My two cousins are there with him too. I really would like you to meet them.”

  “We talked about this last night. I don’t think I should get off the ship at Butterock.”

  “I know, it’s just so . . .”

  Dax could see she was getting upset, so he took her hand and held it. She squeezed back hard. He could not say anything else without breaking down himself. Last night they had both agreed they did not want to let anyone else know how close—could he allow himself to think, how much in love?—they had become.

  #

  Last night Dax had helped Anna pack her things. It had kept them both busy for a while, but after they had gone to bed, they had cried together about having to say good-bye. They had clung to each other for some time, unable to speak. Finally Anna had said, “Promise me you will try to find me? You know, after you’ve become a knight or a general or something?”

  Dax could not swallow the lump in his throat, but he managed to choke out, “Of course.” He had another thought. He let go of Anna and rolled to the side of the bed where he could reach into the cubby. When he returned to face Anna, he held a bundle of cloth. “Here,” he said. “Would you take her for me?”

  “You want me to take Mrs. Pibb? But your mother made her for you.”

  It was more than a minute before Dax could speak, and then he could only whisper, because his throat was thick with emotion. “Yes, but where I’m going, I don’t think she would fit in very well. It would be . . .” He could not find the words, but he pictured life in the barracks at Iron Moor the way Herne had described it to him. There would be room for some of his personal possessions, but a toy rabbit? No matter how much the stuffed toy meant to him now, he did not think it would work out well.

  His eyes welled with tears, but he finally found the words. “Look. I want you to protect her for me. I know she will be safer with you than she will be with me. You could look at her and remember me.” He hesitated again. “And it would mean I’d have to come and get her back, you know.”

  Anna blinked back tears, but she smiled at that. “Yes, you would.” She sighed, and her smile faded. “I will take care of her,” she promised sadly.

  She hugged the tattered animal to her chest, then held it up to her face. “Now, Mrs. Pibb, would you like to come visit me? It would only be for a while, because Leith will come for you someday.” There was only the light of their single candle, and his own vision was blurred, but he could see the tears on her face.

  #

  Dax did get to meet Anna’s uncle and cousins. The Arendrags came trooping up onto the ship when the customs officials finally opened the gangway. Anna’s uncle Dom was a big, hearty man who gave Dax a hug and thanked him for keeping Anna company. Her cousins, one about Anna’s age, the other younger than Dax, were both shy and said little. They had not seen Anna for several years, and Dax was a complete stranger.

  In short order they had gathered up all Anna’s things and went to get Miss Innes. She was in her cabin with her things packed, but sound asleep. Dax had not seen Trimble that morning but assumed he was still asleep in his cabin. The only thing he did during the day anymore was sleep.

  Dax followed the family to the rail and gave everyone another hug. Anna was last, and she whispered, “Please take care. I do so want to see you again.”

  He could say nothing in return. After a final squeeze, she was gone. Down the gangway on the dock, she turned and waved as the group made its way toward a waiting carriage. Twice more Anna waved. The last time was as the carriage jerked into motion and turned to head off the pier and into the city.

  Alone, Dax stood at the rail and watched until the carriage was out of sight. The weight of his decision to go on with his journey was unbearably heavy. During the time he had spent with Herne and Moryn, then the time on board the ship with Anna, he had been able to ignore his feelings of helplessness. Now he faced a world that was not just indifferent to him, but in some quarters hostile. He turned from the rail to go back to his cabin.

  Chapter 14

  Vindal “Joy” Qaalen served the warm sweet roll to the sailor and wiped her hands on the apron that covered her ample stomach. She sat back down with a sigh. She had spent many years working the pier for whatever she could earn when the ships came in. When she was young and pretty, sailors were more than happy to spend some time—and money—on her when they came ashore.

  She sighed again. Well, that was then. Now she worked for Nardle the baker. Every morning, bright and early, she went to his shop. She helped Nardle, who had been baking since well before sunup, take the loaves of bread, crullers, tarts, and sweet cakes out of his ovens and arrange them for sale. Once the shop was ready to open, she gathered up a tray of fresh confections and toted them down to the pier. The harbormaster allowed her to keep a stand for the tray and a stool in the storage shed by his office.

  Most days there was reasonably lively business on the docks. Ships headed out of Stone Harbor and Tazzelton bound for the North almost always put in at Butterock Haven, the large island at the southern tip of the archipelago stretching south from the end of Deadman’s Finger. The Finger’s long peninsula and the islands separated Great Haven Bay from the turmoil and storms out on the Western Ocean. Outbound ships liked to give Deadman’s Finger a wide berth as they headed north, and Butterock was a good starting point.

  Today the Wings of Wind was in. She was a particular favorite of Joy’s, and not in small part because of her master, Bale Lauter. The good captain always had a kind word or two for Joy when he bought a pastry. She remembered him from his younger days when he had given her a tumble or two when he had been in port as a crewman on other ships. Joy would have guessed it was Lauter’s ship even if she had not been familiar with its lines. His vessel was always in meticulously good shape, and the easy, practiced docking this morning was another giveaway.

  She watched dockworkers carry cargo on and off the ship. Master Dom Arendrag was there with his wife, Thella, and their children to meet a young girl who had come in on the ship. Arendrag was another man she respected. Although he did not come to the dock often, she knew he was an important and wealthy citizen. Unlike many of the other moneyed people in the city, however, Arendrag never seemed to notice either his wealth or his importance.

  He and his family were well, if plainly, dressed, and the carriage they had come in was simple but solid. They had arrived before the ship put in, and while they waited, Master Arendrag had bought pastries for his family. Although it had been some time since she had last seen him, Arendrag called her by name and made small talk while she readied his purchase. His youngest girl had fumbled with her pastry, and Arendrag had carried it for her. Once they had found a place to sit, he had broken off a piece of manageable size for the girl. Watching Arendrag and his family lifted Joy’s spirits. Few other upper nobs around the island made her feel that way.

  As the ship came in to the dock, she saw at once which person the Arendrags were there to meet. When the ship neared the pier, a young blond girl waved and shouted from the deck. The Arendrags waved back, and as soon as they could, they all marched up the gangway to see her.

  A customer wanting two sweet rolls and a custard pastry interrupted. Joy got busy as a crowd gathered around the newly arrived ship. About a half hour later, she noticed the Arendrags back at the head of gangway. This time they escorted the young blond girl off the ship along with her baggage. Joy smiled to herself. Well, that girl would certainly have a happy visit. She also noticed another, not-so-happy young girl standing on deck, watching the Arendrags depart. She had long dark hair and looked a little younger than the blond girl, but the two had obviously been friends. They embraced before they separated, and now the younger girl leaned on the railing, her dark eyes following the family’s carriage.

  #

  As the day went on, activity around the Wings of Wind diminished, as did Joy’s sales. She was about to pack up her remaining pastries and move to a busier location whe
n she saw two more men come down the gangway.

  One was a well-built young man with a drawn and haggard face. His head was down as if he had trouble seeing in the sunlight. The man beside him, however, came down the gangway with a confident strut. Joy knew him immediately—Farkas Zodas. He had shaved his big black beard and had dressed in fancy clothes, but there was no mistaking that swaggering walk.

  She shivered from the memory. The man had stolen her and her sister, Meena, when they were children. Joy had managed to escape when Zodas’s ship had put in at Butterock. She and her sister both had slipped off the ship that night, but in a wild chase through the back alleys of the city, she had heard her sister scream as the men caught her again. Joy, terrified the men would catch her too, had not looked back and had kept running.

  For years, she had wondered what had happened to her sister. Zodas had no doubt sold her, but to whom? What sort of life was she forced to live? Not that Joy’s life had been easy, but at least it had been her own to live. She never knew what had become of Meena, but she knew she hated Zodas from the bottom of her heart for taking her sister away.

  She watched with helpless exasperation. She could do nothing. Her job with Nardle had given her a good life, but it had made her fat. Her good looks had deserted her, otherwise she might have been able to catch the eye of the vile man. She sighed with frustration and thought how she would love to explore the inside of his belly with the point of a knife. If she had a knife. If she could have gotten close enough to the man to stick it into his belly.

  Unable to act, she stared with all the venom she could muster. She wished she had asked old Vera to teach her how to cast the evil eye. The old crone had a reputation as someone who could curdle milk with a glance. Joy had been afraid of her, but now she wished she had befriended the aged woman.

  Zodas guided his partner off the pier toward the bars of Tipple Alley. She felt sorry for the unfortunate man. Zodas no doubt meant to get him drunk and rob him. Not like Zodas would have had any trouble with the poor soul in the condition he appeared to be in. She watched until they were out of sight, then heaved herself to her feet. The harbormaster had gone for the day, and no constables were nearby—not that they would have listened to her about the evil man.

  Seeing Zodas had ended her ambition for the day. She would take the six remaining sweet rolls back to Nardle and let him dock her commission. Working quickly, she gathered up the remnants of her day’s work and put the stand and the stool back. She sighed and set off for Nardle’s with her usual rolling gait. She kept a sharp watch out for anyone in authority to whom she could report Zodas. She was sure he must be wanted for something on Butterock. If she could not do something herself, she would do her best to see someone else take action against the villain in their midst.

  Chapter 15

  Dax awoke in the dark and lay there wondering what had awakened him. He had been dreaming he was with Anna, but the bunk was empty. She was off with her family. As he began to feel lonely, he realized what had roused him. The ship was in motion. Captain Lauter had said they would not sail until late in the afternoon of the next day. Had he slept a whole day? Even so, he was still tired. He rolled over and tried to go back to sleep. He thought about the past day.

  #

  After the Arendrags’ family carriage had left the pier, Dax had gone back to his cabin. Anna had left one of her books for him to read, on the promise that he would bring it back to her. For a while he immersed himself in the adventures of Thom Tholley, but he soon grew restless.

  Back on deck, the earlier activity had died away into late-afternoon lethargy. The Wings of Wind’s cargo for Butterock had been unloaded, and most of the new merchandise going on to Bington had been loaded aboard and stored. He found Captain Lauter studying a manifest near the gangway. The man looked up. “Ah, Miss Leith. Sorry to see your little friend Anna leave our ship. She was a cracker, that one was.”

  Dax smiled. “Yes, I’ll really miss her, but her family was glad to see her.”

  The captain put his hand on Dax’s shoulder and looked at him sympathetically. “You could have gone ashore with them for a while. We’ll be in port until late tomorrow afternoon.”

  “No, I really need to stay on the ship.”

  The captain raised his eyebrows doubtfully, but he shrugged. “All right then. Most of the crew will be off the ship tonight. They look forward to a night on the town in Butterock—some of the best pubs around, you know.” Dax did not know, but he kept silent. “I’m leaving shortly as well.” The captain nodded and smiled happily. “Butterock Haven is my home, and my wife likes to see me whenever we are in port. Not that I don’t like to see her as well,” he laughed. “Anyway,” he continued, “if you be needin’ anything, Lolly and Dingomit will still be aboard to look after the ship. I’ll tell them to check on you and see that you get something from the mess tonight.”

  Feeling lonely, Dax was almost grateful to see Fars when he appeared on deck later. He reconsidered when he saw that Trimble was with him. Trimble looked terrible. His head was down, and he would not look up at Dax. Fars guided him solicitously along toward the gangway.

  Concerned about Trimble, Dax approached the two. Fars greeted him with his usual good-humored courtesy. “Ah, Miss Leith. Lukas and I are just going into Butterock for a time. Last night Lukas lost at cards and promised to buy me a drink at the nearest pub this evening. Isn’t that right, Lukas?”

  It was a lie. Almost everything Fars had said was untrue.

  Trimble looked up and looked at Dax for the first time. “Right,” he mumbled.

  The fact that Trimble confirmed Fars’s lie made Dax catch his breath in fear. He reached for Trimble’s arm. “Wait, Lukas. We need to talk.”

  Trimble looked at Dax and smiled vacantly. His eyes were horribly bloodshot. “Maybe later, Majes—” He stumbled in time to avoid uttering the complete honorific, but Dax cringed at the near error. Trimble did not notice and mumbled on. “We’ve got plenty of time. Besides”—he smiled a knowing little smile at the man holding on to his arm—“Fars has something he wants to show me now.” He nodded to Fars. “Right?”

  “Quite right, my boy. Now come along. She won’t wait forever, you know.” They giggled together.

  Fars had told another lie. Dax started to protest, but the two brushed past him on down the gangway. He stood there, speechless as they walked along the pier toward the town. Trimble walked heavily, not with his usual athletic stride. Dax frowned in consternation. What was Fars up to? The fact that Fars had lied did not tell Dax in what direction the actual truth lay. He had the urge to follow them, but there were still people coming and going in the streets of the city. He did not want to be seen, but he was worried about Trimble.

  He watched them walk off along the dock and realized he had in fact made a decision by letting them go. He tried to convince himself there was nothing he could have done. Trimble was a trained guardsman, and he was supposed to be Dax’s protector. Trimble obviously was not himself, but Dax was in no position to help him. He was confused. He knew a real king would not have been confused. Feeling powerless, he shrugged and headed back to his cabin.

  #

  By evening the ship and the docks had gone quiet. After the steady bustle of the vessel while they were at sea, it made Dax feel even more alone. Trimble had not returned after going off with Fars. Dax went back on deck and spent some time at the stern, staring at the city and the island’s hills behind. Butterock was entirely new to him—a place he had never seen. Anna, the only person besides Trimble he knew in this part of the world, was somewhere out there. The ache of loneliness threatened to overwhelm him.

  No, he told himself, I will be strong. I will be brave. My father was brave, and I can be brave too.

  He sighed. Thinking it was easier than doing it. He needed to do something to keep from fretting about Anna, but the girl Leith could not just pitch in to help the crew coil lines or other shipboard jobs. Lolly came for him sometime later and offered t
o share some food. Neither Lolly nor Dingomit were any kind of a cook, but they had some bread and cheese, which Lolly cut up. They also shared the fresh apple dumplings the captain’s wife had sent aboard.

  Back in his cabin that evening, Dax tried to get interested in the book again, but even the adventure story set in the Faymarsh Crags failed to hold his attention. He finally laid it aside. Trimble had not come back. Dax lay back on his bunk and put his hands behind his head. He had tried to think about the trip to Bington. Those had thoughts drifted off to thoughts of his father, then to thoughts of Anna, and . . .

  #

  The ship rolled. Dax sat up and blinked the sleep from his eyes. He had fallen asleep again. It was dark outside the porthole, but now he had his wits about him. While he had been asleep, the boat had put to sea. He knew he had not slept the day away. His little candle had not burned down, and surely the bustle of the crew would have awakened him when they had left Butterock.

  He was about to get up from the bed when Fars bulled through the door of his cabin, carrying a lantern. “Ah, there ya be. Now isn’t this a fine thing—us having royalty on board, and nobody knew it.” He set the lantern down on a stand by the door and made a mocking half bow with an exaggerated sweep of his cap.

  Dax felt a cold flush of fear. “What are you talking about?”

  “Well, when I saw I was about to make a trip with three fair lasses aboard, I knew it was going to be a profitable venture. With just a little fiddlin’, I figured to get you two young ones off to Silverdale.” Fars leered. “An acquaintance of mine has a most-fine establishment where they are always needin’ fresh young faces. On the way there, I was looking forward to doing a little breaking you in myself, I was.