The Dragon's Breath

by James Boschert

  —Gregory Golden

  Chapter Fifteen

  Precious Stones

  Within minutes of boarding the Sea Eagle, the first warm gusts of wind from the jungle-covered mainland buffeted the town, and Talon could see dust swirling into the air above the distant quayside. On the harbor front buildings, the clothes hanging on lines outside windows were tossed into the air to flap loosely and then wrap themselves, like predatory flying mantas, about unsuspecting people fleeing the storm. The rigging of the ship began to sing with a low, taut hum, and the sea became choppy as the wind stirred up the waters of the harbor.

  Talon bid Hsü goodbye and went below, followed by Reza, to join the womenfolk. The windows were wide open to let the sea breeze come into the stuffy cabin, but as the shutters began to slam Salem moved to fasten them, and then the air in the cabin became even more stifling.

  Talon and Reza told the women of their unsuccessful efforts and now their concerns. Talon was very worried by this time.

  “I didn’t expect it to be so difficult to sell this kind of cargo. Boulos and Imaran were adamant that these goods would sell straight off the ship! Now look at us. We have nowhere to sell, except to that Sing man. The merchants all say their godowns are full, and there are no ships in sight. Furthermore, Hsü can’t get home. He could be stuck here for months!”

  “I feel sorry for him and his son. I am sure Lihua also misses her home in China,” Jannat commented.

  “By the way, what is that horrible smell you have brought with you from the island?” Jannat asked, wrinkling her nose.

  Both men covered their mouths with their hands. “Is it really that bad?” Reza asked her, looking guilty.

  “Terrible! You both smell as though you have rolled in something disgusting. What was it?” Rav’an demanded. “Unless you clean your mouths out with some cardamom and herbs, I for one, am not going to kiss you, husband of mine.”

  “We had to eat a thing called Durian. It is a local delicacy,” Talon muttered. “You two might even like it. Women like odd tasting things,” he said with a weak grin at Reza, who made a comical face. Jannat glared at them. Her scathing look should have turned both of them into blocks of salt.

  Rav’an looked equally offended. “I doubt it, my Talon,” she said sweetly. “I hope you didn’t bring any of it on board?” she enquired with a raised eyebrow. He could almost see her tapping her foot. “If so, then you and Reza will be sleeping on deck.”

  “Reza strictly forbade Hsü from even thinking about it,” Talon assured her.

  The first fat drops of warm tropical rain began to patter on deck, followed by more, and then lightning flashed, accompanied almost immediately by a loud roll of thunder. They all flinched as another flash lit up the cabin and the heavens above split with a tearing crash. A downpour drummed onto the deck above. They glanced apprehensively upwards, memories of the storm still fresh in their minds, but there were no leaks, and when Rostam peered out through the partially opened shutters he exclaimed, “Papa, Mama! I can’t see the other ships anymore!” they could still hear him over the noise from above.

  They laughed, partly at his excitement, partly with relief, and settled in for a long evening in the dry comfort of their living room.

  “Well, at least we have some hot tea and our own company,” Jannat stated, and settled closer to Reza despite his awful breath—a move not lost on either Rav’an or Talon. Salem lit one of the lamps and hung it from the ceiling, creating a warm glow within the cabin. Talon closed the shutters completely, as the driving rain was now coming through the opening. He was just about to sit down next to Rav’an with a sigh of contentment when a knock on the door was heard. Salem opened it to reveal Hsü standing there. He had to raise his voice over the din of the pounding rain to be heard. “May I come in?”

  Talon came to his feet. “Of course, Hsü, come in. You are welcome. Please join us.”

  Talon guessed that Hsü wanted to talk about having found some accommodation on shore, probably thankful that he no longer would have to endure the cramped conditions of the ship. Instead, Hsü thanked them, bowed to the ladies, who by now didn’t bother to cover their heads in his presence, and then he sat down between Talon and Reza.

  “I have been thinking,” he said by way of a start.

  He looked around and saw that everyone was attentive.

  “I have been thinking,” he said again, “that there might be another way forward.”

  “What do you have in mind, Hsü?” Reza asked him.

  “There is a way for me to go home tomorrow, and for you to sell your cargo,” Hsü stated carefully in Arabic.

  Rav’an was there first. “You mean... go to China? Take you to China?” she asked with a surprised look.

  Reza and Talon were still dealing with their own surprise when Hsü spoke again.

  “Yes, yes I do. It is unusual for there to be no Chinese ships here going home, but it is entirely possible that they have all left for the year, or that the storms have delayed them coming here. I am willing to pay you handsomely if you would consider it. Also, I can guarantee that you will sell your cargo for a very good price. I have some influence in Guangzhou and that will make a difference, I can assure you.”

  Reza looked at Talon and Rav’an. “We have a cargo already loaded. If we leave soon we will be among the first to China with goods from Africa,” he said slowly.

  Talon nodded, but he was reluctant to make a hurried decision. “We didn’t anticipate that we would be traveling to such a far country. We are already half way around the world,” he said to Hsü.

  “If you leave soon, you will be able to sell your goods for a premium. It is an uncertain business, predicting who will be ahead of you; but you are having trouble selling here, so why not try for China itself?” Hsü pressed. Reza nodded agreement.

  “How much further do we have to travel to reach this Guangzhou of yours, Hsü?” Talon asked.

  “About two more months, perhaps less, if the weather stays good and we have a fair wind. The winds are still going Eastward, in our direction Talon,” Hsü reminded him. “Also, the time of the Typhoon is over now, so we should not experience very bad weather.”

  Talon glanced around the group. He looked directly at Rav’an and asked her, “It is a long way, my Rav’an. Are you prepared for more time in these cramped conditions?”

  She gave him a meaningful look and replied in Farsi. “I am not eager to spend another day on this ship, even though it is ours, but the thought of losing our investment to these wretched people is galling. I can put up with this as long as I know we will do well at the other end. There is also the allure of seeing the fabled country of China. I hope Hsü owns a palace; I want a large room for us alone,” she added with a tight smile.

  Almost as though he had anticipated this reaction and understood what Rav’an had said, Hsü hurriedly yet respectfully added, “You will be my guests when we get to China, my honored guests, Talon. Please bear that in mind. I wish to show you my land, and as for your merchandise, you can look forward to at least double what the pirate here is offering,” he finished with great sincerity.

  “Now I must go and leave you to think about it,” he said, as he stood up and bowed to everyone.

  When Salem had closed the door on his departure, the rest of them discussed the extraordinary proposal.

  “We are in a tight place with this cargo. We simply must sell it, and it was on its way to China one way or the other, no matter what,” Reza pointed out.

  “I would like to see this country Hsü and Lihua talk about,” Jannat interjected with a nervous laugh. “But it is two more months away!” she groaned theatrically.

  “This isn’t a journey for pleasure, my friends, but it does seem that he has provided us with a way forward. It is our decision whether we take him up on it, and I am not sure yet,” Talon told them. “Another two months, and all we have is his guarantee!”

  “Do you trust this man?” Jannat asked.

&nb
sp; “It is a good question, Jannat,” Talon responded. “What do you think, Reza?”

  “I am not sure if I trust him, Talon. However he is offering us a solution to our dilemma,” Reza said thoughtfully. “There is one area where I do not trust him at all.”

  They all looked apprehensive. “What do you mean, Brother?” Talon asked the question for all of them.

  “We should watch his every move while we are in this harbor. He liked the Durian too much and will try to smuggle some aboard, I just know it!” Reza scowled.

  Jannat slapped his arm and Talon grinned ruefully. “I have to agree with you there, Reza,” he laughed. “He also said there were dragons in China. I would like to see one of those.”

  Rav’an spoke up.”Well, you yourself have said that there is no trade here, whereas if we are among the first to arrive for this trading season, we will have the market to ourselves. Besides, Hsü told us that he will reward us well for bringing him home. I believe he will, too. He certainly owes us. I hope he is a lord or prince or something like that.”

  He grinned reluctantly. “I can see that I am outvoted, but yes, I agree. We will sail for China, and God protect us along the way! Now I have to tell the captain. I am unsure what he will say, but I shall remind him that he too, has shares in this cargo.”

  “What is Durian, Papa?” Rostam asked.

  *****

  In the cabin that had been allocated to the Chinese men, Hsü and Lihua were alone. He had banished his son and Jiavi, while he spent some time with Lihua. If she objected to his breath she didn’t show it, and after they made love she stayed locked in his arms. He wanted to talk, so she listened and offered encouragement as he spoke his thoughts.

  “Do they treat you well?” he asked.

  “They provide me with everything I need and are very kind. I think Rav’an and Jannat are the wives of the two leaders, Talon and Reza. They might be considered pretty in their country, but not in ours.”

  “Why not?”

  “Their noses are too big, and their breasts are, too. The color of their eyes is strange and they stare at you when they talk to you. They do not seem to respect their men because they talk directly to them.”

  He smiled in the darkness and placed his hand over one of her petite but well-formed breasts. “Hmm, I see what you mean.” He stroked her absently, eliciting a tiny sigh of pleasure. “Everything has its beauty, but not everyone sees it,” he said softly.

  His mind shifted to Talon and Reza. “We must not underestimate either of those two. They are warriors, and ....” He paused.

  She lifted her head. “And what, my Lord?”

  “I cannot put my finger on it, but Talon and Reza are dangerous men.” Hsü was a perceptive man, and since his very first meeting with Reza and Talon he had sensed that they were hiding something about themselves. They had been the perfect hosts; he could find no fault with their hospitality under the circumstances; perhaps it was their watchfulness, the way they seemed to be assessing everyone and everything they encountered. They were certainly more than mere merchants.

  They reminded him of cats, big cats. However, in the short time they had been on the boat he had come to like them and the banter that flowed back and forth between the two, and the rapport they appeared to have with their women. He hoped against hope that they would agree to take him back to China. If they did, he would make sure they were very well rewarded.

  As though she was reading his mind, Lihua asked him nervously, “My Lord, are we going to be staying here for a long time?” She didn’t want to stay on this steam pot of an island any longer. The rain storm earlier had frightened her; memories of the desperate time on their sinking ship were still vivid in her mind. She had clutched at him, on the edge of tears as lightning and thunder played manic tunes over the island.

  “I left them with the seed of an idea,” he murmured into her hair.

  “What was that?” she asked big eyed. She dared not hope, but her faith in Hsü was absolute. He always seemed to be a step ahead. “I invited them to take us to China,” he informed her.

  She said nothing. She just clenched her fingers even tighter around his arm. Ahmida Buddha, she thought, please make it so.

  “How did you persuade him?” she asked him.

  “He has not said yes, as yet, but ....”

  “But what, my Lord?”

  “I think he believes in dragons and wants to see one.”

  Lihua snorted softly. “Do we have real dragons in China, my Lord?”

  “China is a very big place. There is always the possibility.”

  She giggled, but then gripped his arm again. “I am so sad you lost your ship,” she whispered.

  “Remember, we have not lost everything. I still have the stones,” he said, and she nodded. The blue sapphires alone were worth a fortune; along with the rubies from Ceylon, even the Emperor would be envious. She knew this, and would guard that long box with her life.

  “Talon and Reza had a taste of Durian today,” he told her.

  “Did they enjoy it?” she asked.

  “What do you think?”

  She laughed for the first time since their ship had foundered, and went to sleep smiling.

  *****

  Talon and Rav’an were alone in his cramped cabin, lying on his sleeping mat, making small talk as they listened to the patter of the rain on the deck above. The earlier thunder had moved on and the gurgle of water in the scuppers was soporific.

  Rostam was safely asleep with Salem in the women’s cabin. Reza and Jannat were tucked away in Reza’s cubbyhole. Under the tightlipped supervision of their women, both men had scrubbed their mouths and teeth vigorously with herbs before retiring for the night.

  “I am beginning to wonder what I have become,” Talon told Rav’an. There was a note of frustration in his voice. “I have always been a warrior. I understand that; but here I am haggling over some goods that a few years ago I would not have even glanced at! I am doing what caravan people, owners of camels do, and what the Jewish people do with more sophistication!”

  She sat up on the mat beside him. “You are still a warrior, my Talon. However, you are becoming something else, too. You are right about the Jewish people, they understand trade... and that is why they become rich.”

  “How is that, my Love?” he asked as he turned his head to look at her.

  “They take risks, but they use their heads. Men can become rich by plunder or by trade. You might not be a great sultan, but you are a great warrior, and not a man who plunders. You are learning to be a merchant, which means that you too will be rich, someday. How do you think my brother obtained all his wealth?” she demanded.

  “Hmmm,” he said by way of acknowledgement, and then smiled up at her. “His cunning is legend. I also had a taste of merchant work in Constantinople, but you are saying that I need to learn to haggle and trade, to become rich?”

  “Perhaps, but remember, with wealth comes power. More importantly, my noble Warrior, it brings security to those whom you wish to protect. Add that to your accomplishments, and you will soon become a Merchant Prince!” She laughed.

  “You are not so bad at it, you know,” she added. “Look what you have already.”

  “You are very persuasive, my Rav’an. Then which one would you want me to be tonight, my Princess? Warrior or Merchant?” He leered up at her.

  “Well now, that depends upon how you wish to negotiate, my Talon,” she purred with an impish grin as she came back into his arms. “I prefer the warrior’s spear at a time like this.”

  Head poking from a vermilion tower, all eight directions cramped;

  one dip of green wine and I go on for a hundred cups,

  washing away the humps and hills, cliffs and crags of my heart,

  cleansing myself so I can shape verses windy and free.

  —Lu Yu

  Chapter Sixteen

  Lun

  The wide city avenue was bordered with multistoried houses, their steeply cur
ved and pointed tile roofs giving the impression of waves in a choppy orange and red sea. People were leaning out of second story windows or standing on balconies, gazing at the crowded, tree-lined boulevard below. Some houses had their shutters closed against the heat of the sun reflected off the paved road below. The ground floors were sometimes lined with cool passageways, which opened onto the street side with arches.

  Almost end to end along the avenue, on either side were stalls displaying merchandise of every kind. There were hanging glazed dried ducks, brightly colored song birds in tiny cages, fruit stalls with bunches of hairy red rambutans and lychee, cheek by jowl with fish stalls, cloth stalls with rolls of bright silk on display, even fine pottery and polished copper pots.

  Adding to the cacophony of other sounds, the vendors shouted to passersby, trying to get their attention. It was in the middle of the hour of the Goat; the sun had lost some of the fierce glare of the hour of the Horse, but the humidity and the roiling black clouds in the distance warned of a storm. Despite the threat of rain, people were coming out to eat a late mid day meal.

  Making his way slowly along the crowded avenue towards the river, a small boy carrying a large canvas satchel paused from time to time to gaze at something or other that caught his attention, like a particularly bright robe that was hung out for viewing, or a puppet show that was taking place right in the middle of the street. He didn’t stop there for long, as he had watched the show a dozen times before; he made his way steadily towards a small book stall. It was one of his favorite places.

  The vendor of the booth, an old man with white hair bound back in a knot, and sporting a long, white, wispy beard and mustache, greeted him politely; not because the boy was anyone in particular, but because he had in the past asked for old poetry, which he would read avidly even if he rarely purchased anything, and a rapport had developed between them over the weeks. The boy asked questions to which the old man was glad to respond.

  Lun also liked the two colorful birds that lived in bamboo cages hanging off the rafter under the oiled cloth that warded off the weather. They were Hwamei or ‘Painted eyebrows’ because of the distinctive markings over and around their shiny round beady eyes. They were not singing just now, as the heat of the day subdued all creatures, but he had heard them in the mornings and their songs rivaled the birds which he kept at his father’s house.