Beside the Rock and Cloud

by Pete Draper

  The captain peered at the massive Rocklander. “Storr-el-Stark?” The two of them embraced. It was like two bears both trying to hug each other tighter than the other. “Vapenbroder.” Both men tapped their chest twice with a closed fist.

  “Vapenbroder.” Murta nodded, his face had a smile from ear to ear. “Your deeds in Coraltin were legendary. I wouldn’t wanna be a fly on the wall when yous’re swingin’ that axe.”

  “Great to see you again Murta, so you’re a trader now?” Karoson asked. He looked over the rest of the crew with a little less suspicion than before.

  “Yep, headin’ to Argosa with this lot.”

  “Well, knowing they’ve got you on board, I trust them a bit more. I’ll let you be on your way then.”

  Murta held out a hand for Karoson to shake, the clap was louder than thunder as Karoson took it, they gripped firmly.

  “It’s good luck to have a Rocklander aboard.” Murta grinned after Karoson disembarked.

  Cassi let out a long, tense exhale with her tongue behind her teeth. The air whistled out like a boiling kettle.

  “There’s no such thing as luck, only probability and how risk-averse you are,” Taylan said. “This is the work of our complex ancestors. They work in mysterious ways, take the prime numbers for example…”

  “Please not again,” Cassi groaned.

  Rough Seas

  It was like staring into the sun. Vibrant lights gleamed from each plant. The rapeseed fields were the liveliest yellow. Ream after ream of the plants spread for miles, each field separated by rows of trees.

  “Behold, the Rockland mainland.” Carilyo thrust out an arm like a dance move, pointing starboard. He placed a hand on one hip in Cassi’s pose.

  Cassi glared at Taylan out of the corner of her eye, expecting him to recite another passage from the Complex Book, but he was tight-lipped.

  “I always forget what a pretty sight it is on the way to Sholtorn. Too bad it’s so cold, even when the sun is shining,” Cassi said. A sharp chill blew in, just on cue, causing a shiver across her back.

  “Not to mention the storms, they can come out of nowhere. The Green Sea is not as forgiving as the Arrizean.” Carilyo watched the skies cautiously.

  His eyes shifted, he’d seen something he didn’t like.

  “Clear the deck,” he said.

  Taylan took a slow step forwards, but nobody else moved.

  “I said clear the deck!”

  After glancing at one another, Barolos and Taylan leapt into action, racing down the steps.

  “Clear de deck!” Barolos shouted to the crew. “Den get down below!”

  Taylan and Zellsee snatched up the barrel filled with spears, lowering it into the cargo hold, Murta and Barolos grabbed the chairs, hurrying across deck with them.

  The winds began to whip, the sky darkened. The Howling Dragon’s gold head bobbed up and down.

  “Get to your quarters Cassi!” Carilyo snapped. “Only the command crew on deck!”

  “But I’m the captain.”

  “We don’t have long. Just go, I couldn’t live with myself if anything happened to you.”

  Cassi stamped her foot. Turning for her chambers, she slammed the door so hard a crack formed in the wooden frame.

  She sat on the bed, feeling like a child relegated to her bedroom.

  The winds came. The ship began to rock, a couple of softer shakes first, then they turned violent. Cassi let out a squeak when the ship tipped almost ninety degrees. The chest of drawers and wardrobe slid across the room, tipping half their contents out. The scarda jewellery stand was strewn across the floor, lucky for her, she was wearing all of it.

  At least when she was little, she’d have Carilyo for company. He used to cuddle her when she got scared.

  She shivered, hugging her pillow, thinking about her papa and the night he was washed away. It turned so dark. With several clicks, the ship tipped agonisingly high on one side. The water washed over the stained glass windows. She gripped the pillow tighter, hearing a wave crash on deck, splashing, flowing across it. Closing her eyes, she dreaded to think how much water had leaked into that crater on deck.

  When the floor was level again, Cassi knelt next to the bed, looking beneath for Harold; her toy bear Gianlo got her in Levac. She’d kept him all these years because he was a gift from her papa, but she hid Harold under the bed in case anyone saw him.

  She grabbed him by the paw, dragging him out. Together, they were tossed along the floor. Her eyes widened when the ship tipped again, dragging the bed towards her. She laid as flat as possible until she was under it. The wardrobe screeched across the floor to the wall. It collided with such a crash, she was lucky it didn’t smash through. Her clothes came flying out, floating through the air.

  Her heart pounded in terror.

  Cassi closed her eyes tight, gripping the dusty bear. She felt so pathetic that Carilyo was out there and she was hidden away under her bed. At the same time, she was too scared to open her eyes. She took a deep breath, smelling her papa’s scent on Harold, it comforted her a little.

  “I hope you’re alright out there Carilyo.”

  The lightning cracked down; she saw the bright flash through the door. Thunder roared in anger, making Cassi shiver once again.

  The ship rocked the other way, sliding the bed back where it started. It tipped so far she was sure the ship would capsize. Cassi shot across the room, landed on the wooden side of her bed, smacked her arm on it. The ship righted, slamming her on the floor. Her breath was taken by the impact.

  The wardrobe tilted forwards with a loud groan, it was about to topple over.

  After a few breaths, Cassi rolled under the bed. The oak wardrobe crashed down, shooting dust into the air.

  She breathed a sigh of relief, wrapping her arms tighter around Harold.

  The waves kept bashing the ship around but felt like they were slowing. A little more light crept in through the ports.

  Another mighty crack of lightning lit up the room, followed by another low rumble. Cassi’s heartbeat juddered. She closed her eyes again, wishing it would end soon. The pounding heartbeats were all she tried to focus on, they were interrupted by the bash of waves over the next few minutes.

  After a little longer, the door screeched open.

  “It’s alright to come back out now,” Carilyo called through the gap.

  Cassi took a nervous breath, rolling out from under the bed and stepping over the fallen furniture.

  She walked out onto the quarterdeck to blinding sunlight, shielding her eyes.

  “Those things sure come out of nowhere round here; everything alright?” Carilyo asked.

  “Yes, my furniture needs putting back in place though.”

  Carilyo’s eyes did a double-take, looking at Harold tucked under her arm. She’d forgotten to leave him behind.

  “You still play with your bear? Are you a baby?” Carilyo slapped his thigh in thorough amusement, then nearly pissed himself laughing. Taylan joined him with his high, screeching chuckle.

  “Fuck off Carilyo!” Cassi’s face twisted. She stomped back to her room.

  The Colour Parade

  The crowds were emphatic. Like bees buzzing around the hive. The three flat rooftops rested at different heights; the grooved marble columns were twice as tall as the ship’s mast. The steps up to Sholtorn’s senate were a dull grey. The lighthouse stood high on the hills to the south, watching the city through the overcast sky.

  Murta stood beside Cassi as they arrived in the capital city of Rockland. The shipwright Dexos had given Cassi a list of everything he needed for repairs. They weren’t cheap.

  “We need to split the costs for repairs,” Cassi told Carilyo.

  Her brother looked away nervously.

  “You’ve spent your share from the last job already? Haven’t you?” Cassi let out a sharp exhale to go with her fuming scowl. “Fucking typical.”

  For an awkward moment, all that could be heard was the southern wind
and the bustling of the streets.

  “We should buy some lager here; we can make a good profit in Levac,” Carilyo said, looking completely exhausted. “Those Levacians won’t even drink their own ale.”

  Cassi looked away, grinding her teeth. He had nothing to pay towards the repairs, now he was giving out instructions on how to spend Cassi’s money. It would be a good investment though; she knew that much.

  “Fine,” Cassi spat. “Provided you don’t drink it all before we get there. And since you’re not contributing towards it, I’ll be taking more of the profits.” She splashed her best perfume onto her neck and wrists. “You’re drinking too much Carilyo. We were nearly fucked back there, twice, thanks to you.”

  “Hey! I didn’t see you helping much.” Carilyo wiped something green and crusty from around his eye, then flicked it on the mutilated boards of the deck. “I might as well have sent Sofiya to flirt with them. She would have done a better job.”

  “Pah.” Cassi spat overboard. Her voice accelerated again, “The man was immune to flirting. Besides if you hadn’t taken this job I wouldn’t have had to try in the first place.”

  “Murta was the one who saved us,” Carilyo bowed his head to the giant Rocklander. “Thank you Murta.”

  “No problem Cap’in. But don’t be too hard on your sister, the wee lass tried her best.” Murta smiled, lifting those weathered cheeks towards Cassi.

  “Where the fuck do you think you’re going?” Cassi demanded.

  “I’m getting a drink; the Shipyard Tavern is one of the best in the Merged Seas.” Carilyo backed away down the ramp, pointing at the pub behind with his thumb. It was painted white in Levacian on a black background. “By the way, could you-”

  “Not this fucking time.”

  Carilyo stamped a foot, but headed for the pub anyway, “Fine. I shall see you whenever you’re ready Cassi.” He clicked his fingers as though he’d forgotten something. “Get Mjoed if you can, if not, then Oel will do.”

  “Don’t you dink you’ve had enough already?” Barolos asked, the creases in his forehead drooped to a concerned look. “Besides, you know all the contacts here.”

  “Cassi can deal with them,” Carilyo called from the dock. “I’ve had a stressful couple of days. I need a drink. The lager here is the best in the whole world.”

  “How are you going to pay?” Barolos asked.

  “I’ll find a way. I can be quite charming when I want to, you know.”

  “Let him go,” Taylan said, leaning suspiciously towards Cassi when her brother was out of earshot. “We could offload him here,” Taylan whispered, but his deep voice carried throughout the ship. “The slaves too. We could leave him his share of the money for the ship, I would make a much better Co-Captain, you know it Cassi.”

  Cassi considered it; her heart was heavy as a rock at the thought. After everything he’s done, he’s still my brother.

  “You’ve said you wanted to leave him somewhere. You saved him in Corov, now he’s somewhere safe.” Taylan leaned towards her, his hand wrapped around her side, holding her waist. “We can use the ship much better without him, we will be much richer.” His fingertip stroked the bangle on her wrist. “We could have a fleet, each ship filled with the shiniest of golden jewels.”

  “What are we discussing?” Barolos came over, Murta was close by too.

  Taylan’s eye flickered, his hand slid away from Cassi’s body, she wasn’t sure why she hadn’t knocked it away already. Cassi looked up at Barolos nervously.

  “You’re planning to leave him here?” Barolos’ furrowed brow lowered. “I will not allow it, he is my Captain, as much as you.”

  “Shut up Barolos,” Taylan snapped. “How many times has he screwed us over? How many times have we come close to passing into the Complex Plane? How many times have you wanted to throw him overboard yourself?”

  “But he’s still our Captain, as much as Gianlo was. Would you talk like dis about him?”

  “Carilyo is a shadow of the man Gianlo was.” Darkness surrounded Taylan’s forlorn eye. He looked at the Captain’s chair with a grim smile as though Gianlo was still sat in it, before adjusting his eyepatch.

  Cassi could picture Gianlo playing the guitar, singing Sail with Me. She was sitting on his knee, looking up in his deep blue eyes with awe. He had the sweetest, deepest voice.

  “Time is a finite quantity, as we saw with Gianlo,” Taylan’s deep voice cut through the memory. “I fear with all his drinking, Carilyo is converging towards his own end.”

  Barolos stepped towards Taylan, looked like they might come to blows soon.

  “Calm down everyone,” Cassi said. “He may be a halfwit, but he’s my brother.” She shot a stare at Taylan’s eye, blunting the sharpness of it. “And Gianlo’s son.” She turned to speak to everyone, “And your Captain. We aren’t leaving him behind.”

  “What about the slaves, we could offload them and not tell him,” Taylan tried to compromise. His gold tooth sparkled.

  “No. They stay.”

  “Barolos, stay here with Taylan while the ship is repaired, I’m going shopping.”

  “I’ll come with yous,” Murta offered. “I know the city well; it’ll be a good chance to spend some time with you before I go.”

  Murta grabbed his huge green moleskin jacket, guiding it over his back. His sausage fingers slipped the buttons through. “Better dress warm Cap’in. Have yous got a warm coat?”

  “Thank you Murta.” Cassi went to her chambers and grabbed her favourite coat from the wardrobe. She felt its warmth, stroking her fingers down the beautifully clean white furs before slipping her arms into it. It was her prettiest item of clothing. She had barely worn it, to keep it as nice as possible.

  She admired herself in the mirror for a moment. The coat was white as snow, it brought out her tanned skin and dark hair.

  “Don’t go picking up any more strays.” Taylan gave Murta a dirty look.

  “Hey, who’s the captain?” Cassi said. “I’ll do whatever the fuck I want. Trakian prick.”

  The warmth of the coat shielded her from the bitter wind. She admired the fluffy furs of her coat as she and Murta headed down the ramp. Sholtorn was busy, crowds of people gathered in the street, it looked like there were parties. Green bunting littered the rooftops of the grey buildings. The streets were an explosion of colour; usually everyone wore green or grey.

  “What’s going on here? I’ve never seen anything like this on the Rockland mainland.” Cassi looked around in confusion. “Normally this place looks like it has been painted by a depressed artist.”

  Murta pointed at the sign outside the Senate. “Election day.”

  “We need to find the brewery.”

  Purple dust splashed into Cassi’s eyes. Her clothes were covered in orange. A child threw the powder in her face again; she flushed with anger looking at the ruined tips of her coat. The beautiful white was stained in several colours.

  “I’m going to beat the crap out of you.” Cassi chased the little boy, who giggled.

  “What’re yous doing?” Murta grabbed her shoulder, looking at her with bewilderment. “Haven’t yous ever biyn tay a colour parade before? It’s just powder, it’ll wash out.”

  “No, I have not heard of a colour parade,” she said the last two words like they were the most idiotic she’d ever heard. Cassi brushed the powder from her coat, it didn’t look like it would come out. She judged the locals like they were all morons. “What is this? It’s stupid.” When the powder was wiped from her eye, Cassi craned her neck to look at Murta; her makeup was probably ruined.

  “Yous might enjoy it.” He picked some red powder from a pile on a table, tossing it into a crowd. It exploded onto them. “Try it. It’s a Rockland tradition.”

  Her face was unamused, “So is swimming in the Green Sea on Merging day, but I don’t see you rolling up your sleeves to take a dive.” Cassi stared at the table, she wasn’t in the mood to get her hands and nails dirty. “This is stupid.”
>
  “Just try it.” He held out his hand, in the centre of it was a mountain-shaped pile of blue powder; more grains of it had fallen from the pile and looked like rivers where they had seeped into the cracks in his hands. Cassi eyed it suspiciously, her gaze flicked from Murta’s eyes back to the powder.

  Reluctantly she took a handful, hurling it at a man’s back. It stuck to his shirt, splashing deep into the hairs of his neck. Cassi smiled, immediately grabbing some more. She hit the side of someone’s head, then pointed at someone else when her target looked over.

  “Told yous you’d enjoy it.” Murta’s smile faded into a grimace of anticipation as white powder smacked into his face, it flushed down his creased forehead like an avalanche.

  Cassi laughed heartily, the hardest she’d laughed in forever.

  “I’m getting yous back for that one.” Murta chased after her. She rushed through the crowd, picking up different colours, launching them at everyone she could.

  She turned an elderly man’s white beard pink, covered another’s suit orange and splashed a buxom woman’s cleavage red with pinpoint accuracy.

  Cassi continued through the street, smirking with every target hit. Then she saw the child. The one who’d hit her first.

  “I’m going to hit him so hard with this one,” Cassi’s face grinned mischievously. She hid behind a crowd, waiting for the right moment to pounce.

  He’d not seen her yet. Cassi grabbed a bunch of powder in each hand.

  She watched the boy chuckle to himself, hitting a man right between the eyes. The kid turned. His little eyes darkened in terror as they caught Cassi’s wicked smile bearing down on him.

  Cassi launched hers, smacking the kid in the cheek. It hit him so hard he nearly fell over. She grabbed more powder, hitting him so quick he didn’t have time to cover his face from the bombardment of colour.

  “Cassee!”

  She turned around.

  The pink dust splattered all over her forehead, she felt the specks of it cover her face.

  “I said I’d get yous back.” Murta’s face wore a shit-eating grin. He burst out laughing at the pink strands in her black hair.