Nicholas hurried along the soldiers’ marshaling yard, where an afternoon drill was under way. He was looking for Harry.
The young Squire was where Nicholas expected to find him, watching the team from Krondor getting ready for a football match with the visiting team from Ylith. The sport, played by Prince of Krondor rules – codified some twenty years earlier by Arutha – had become the national sport in the Western Realm, and now city champions challenged one another regularly. Years before, an enterprising merchant had erected a field and stands near the palace. Over the years he had improved it and expanded it, until it was now a stadium that could easily accommodate forty thousand spectators. It was expected to be full next Sixthday when the match was played. The visiting Ylithmen, the North Precinct Golds, were playing Krondor’s champions, the Millers and Bakers Association Stonemen.
Nicholas arrived to see an attack drill, in which five Stonemen descended upon the goalkeeper and three defenders and, with three deft passes, scored a goal. Harry turned and said, ‘I hate to miss the match.’
Nicholas said, ‘Me too, but think of it: a sea voyage!’
Harry regarded his friend and saw an excitement in Nicholas he had never seen before. ‘You really want to go, don’t you?’
‘Don’t you?’
Harry shrugged. ‘I don’t know. Crydee sounds like a pretty sleepy place. I wonder what the girls are like.’ He grinned at the last and Nicholas grimaced in return. Nicholas was as shy of girls as Harry was shameless. Still, he enjoyed being around Harry when he flirted with the younger girls in the court and the servants’ daughters, because he thought he might learn something – as long as the Squire wasn’t bullying them, as he had the day before. At times Harry could be charming, but at other times he got too rough for Nicholas’s taste.
Nicholas said, ‘You may miss getting put in your place by the local girls, but I feel like I’m getting out of a cage.’
Harry’s usual bantering manner vanished. ‘It’s not that bad?’
Turning away from the practice, Nicholas walked back toward the palace, Harry falling in at his side. ‘I have always been the youngest, the weakest, the … cripple.’
Harry’s eyebrows went up. ‘Some cripple. I’ve got more bruises and cuts from sword practice with you than everyone else combined, and I don’t think I’ve touched you more than twice in a year.’
Nicholas’s crooked smile made him look like his father as he said, ‘You’ve scored a point or two.’
Harry shrugged. ‘See. I’m not bad, but you’re exceptional. How could you be considered a cripple?’
‘Do you have the Festival of Presentation in Ludland?’
Harry said, ‘No, it’s only for the royal family, right?’
Nicholas shook his head. ‘No. It used to be that every noble child was presented to the people thirty days after birth, so that all could see the child was born without flaw.
‘It fell out of practice in the Eastern Realm a long time ago, but it was practiced widely in the West. My brothers were presented, as was my sister – all the children of the royal family, until me.’
Harry nodded. ‘All right, so your father didn’t wish to show you off to the people. What about it?’
Nicholas shrugged. ‘It’s not what you are, sometimes; it’s how people treat you. I’ve always been treated as if there was something wrong with me. It makes it hard.’
‘And you think things will be different in Crydee?’ said Harry as they left the precinct of the stadium and reached the gate to the palace.
Two guards saluted the Prince as he passed, and Nicholas said, ‘I don’t know my uncle Martin well, but I like him. I think I may have a different life in Crydee.’
Harry sighed as they entered the palace. ‘I hope it’s not too different,’ he observed as a particularly pretty maid hurried past. He watched her until she vanished through a side door. ‘There are so many possibilities here, Nicky.’
Nicholas shook his head in resignation.
The rowers pulled and the longboat backed away, as heavy lines ran out to the stern of the ship. Upon the docks Arutha, Anita, and a host of court functionaries stood, bidding Prince Nicholas good-bye. Anita had a glimmer in her eyes, yet she held back her tears. Nicholas was her baby, but she had seen three other children leave home before, and that kept her in balance. Still, she kept a tight hold on her husband’s arm. Something in his manner made her uneasy.
Nicholas and Harry stood near the bow, waving to those upon the docks. Amos stood behind them, his eyes fixed upon his beloved Alicia. Nicholas looked from his grandmother to Amos and said, ‘Well, should I begin to call you “Grandfather”?’
Amos gave Nicholas a baleful look. ‘You do and you’ll swim to Crydee. And when we clear the harbor, you’ll call me “Captain”. As I told your father over twenty years ago, Prince or not, upon a ship none is master save the captain. Here I’m high priest and king, and don’t you forget it.’
Nicholas grinned at Harry, not quite ready to believe that Amos could turn into some sort of raging tyrant once they were at sea.
The harbor crew continued to tow the large ship clear of the royal quay, then cast off. Amos shot a glance at the harbor pilot and shouted, ‘Take the wheel, master pilot!’ To the crew he shouted, ‘Set all topsails! Make ready mainsails and topgallants!’
When the first three sails were deployed, the ship seemed to come to life. Nicholas and Harry felt the movement beneath their feet. The ship heeled slightly to the right as the pilot brought it about. Amos left the boys to their own devices and made his way to the stern.
Slowly the ship moved through the harbor, majestically passing dozens of lesser craft. Nicholas watched every detail as the crew sprang to answer the pilot’s commands. Two smaller coastal cutters were entering the harbor mouth as they approached. Seeing the ensign of the royal house of Krondor atop the mainmast, they dipped their own Kingdom flag in salute. Nicholas waved to them.
Harry said, ‘Not very dignified, Your Highness.’
Nicholas threw an elbow into Harry’s ribs, laughing. ‘Who cares?’
The ship turned into the wind near the harbor mouth, bringing it to a virtual halt. A small rowboat came alongside and the pilot and his assistant hurried down into it, turning command of the ship over to Amos.
Once the pilot’s boat was clear, Amos turned to his first mate, a man named Rhodes, and shouted, ‘Trim topsails. Set mainsails and topgallants!’
Nicholas involuntarily gripped the rail, for the ship seemed to leap forward as the wind filled the sails. In the brisk morning breeze the ship sped through the water. The sun began to burn through the early morning haze and the sky turned a vivid blue. Above, sea gulls flew after the ship, waiting for the day’s garbage to be tossed over the side.
Nicholas pointed down at the bow wake, and Harry looked over to see dolphins racing the ship. Both boys laughed at the sight.
Amos watched the landmarks of the harbor fall away behind, then he consulted the position of the sun above the harbor. Turning to the first mate, he said, ‘Due west, Mr Rhodes. We make for Sorcerer’s Isle.’
For six days they tacked against the prevailing westerly winds, until the lookout called, ‘Land ho!’
‘Where away?’ shouted Amos.
‘Two points off the starboard bow, Captain! An island!’
Amos nodded. ‘Look for the headlands, Mr Rhodes. There’s a cove to the southwest that we can lie in. Pass word that we’ll only be laying over for a day or so. No one is to leave the ship without permission.’
Rhodes, a laconic man, said, ‘No one’s going to wish to set foot on Sorcerer’s Isle without a direct order, Captain.’
Amos nodded. He knew who lived there now, but old superstitions died hard. For years the abode of Macros the Black, the island was reputed to be the home of demons and other dark spirits. Pug, a magician related to Arutha by adoption whom Amos had met on a number of occasions, had come to live on this island almost nine years before, and for
his own reasons made few welcome there. Without thought, Amos said, ‘Pass the word to be alert.’
Looking around, Amos realized that there was no need. Every man on the ship had his eyes fixed upon the spot of land that was growing larger with every passing minute. Amos felt a little stirring of anticipation, for while he knew Pug had requested no visitors, he doubted he would attack a ship flying the Krondorian royal ensign.
Nakor and Ghuda had come up on deck, and the little man rushed to the bow, where Nicholas and Harry were already stationed. Nicholas grinned at the strange little man. He had taken a liking to Nakor, who had proved an entertaining companion on an otherwise dull voyage.
‘Now you’ll see some things,’ said Nakor.
Ghuda said, ‘Look, a castle.’
Upon a promontory, the outlines of a castle could be seen as they drew closer. As they neared, they began to discern details. It was built of black stones, and set upon a rocky finger of land that was separated from the rest of the island by a narrow fissure through which the surf pounded. Across the gap a drawbridge extended, but even with it down, there was little about the place that looked hospitable. A single window, high up in a tower, flashed an ominous blue light.
The ship swung to the south of the rocks that lined the cliff base below the castle, and soon they approached a small inlet. The boys, Ghuda, and Nakor heard Amos call out, ‘Reef all sails! Drop anchor.’
Within minutes the ship had stopped, and Amos came forward. ‘Well, who’s going ashore besides these two?’ he asked, indicating Nakor and Ghuda.
Nicholas said, ‘I’m not sure what you’re asking, Amos – er, Captain.’
Amos seemed to squint with one eye at the boy as he said, ‘Well, then it seems your father was even less forthcoming with you than with me. All he said was I was to heave to at Sorcerer’s Isle for a bit, so you could visit your cousin Pug. I thought you’d know all about this.’
Nicholas shrugged. ‘I’ve not seen him since I was very young; I hardly know the man.’
Nakor said, ‘You come.’ He pointed at Harry. ‘You too.’ To Amos he said, ‘You I don’t know about. I think you come also, but I’m not sure. Ghuda comes with me.’
Amos stroked his beard. ‘Arutha said to do as you asked, Nakor, so I’ll tag along.’
‘Good,’ said the little man with a grin. ‘Let’s go. Pug is waiting.’
Harry said, ‘He knows we’re here?’
Ghuda shook his head. ‘No, he’s fast asleep and hasn’t noticed this great ship approaching for the last half day.’
Harry had the decency to blush as Nicholas laughed. Amos turned to his crew, many of whom hung in the rigging, watching the flashing lights of the distant castle, and shouted, ‘Lower a boat!’
The boat ground into the sand and two sailors jumped out and pulled it ashore. Nicholas and Harry climbed out and waded through the ankle-deep water as Nakor, Ghuda, and Amos followed.
Nakor immediately headed for a path that led up to a ridge overlooking the cove. Amos called, ‘Where are you going?’
Nakor kept walking as he turned and said, ‘That way,’ pointing up to the top of the path.
Ghuda looked at the others, shrugged, and began to follow. The boys hesitated an instant, then also started walking up the path.
Amos shook his head and turned to the sailors. ‘Return to the ship. Tell Mr Rhodes to keep a sharp eye out; we’ll signal from here when we want the boat to pick us up.’
The two sailors saluted and pushed the boat back, while the two who were still sitting in it unshipped a pair of oars and started pulling against the breakers. The two at the bow leaped into the boat and soon there were four sailors pulling hard to get back to the relative safety of their ship.
Amos trudged after the other four to find them waiting at the top of the path. Another path diverted from the one that led to the castle, and Nakor started walking down that one.
Amos said, ‘The castle’s over that way, Keshian.’
‘Isalani,’ answered Nakor. ‘Keshians are tall, dark people who run around without most of their clothing. And Pug is this way.’
Ghuda said, ‘Best not to argue with him, Admiral,’ as he followed. The others fell into step and followed Nakor down into a small defile, then upward to another ridge. From the top of the second ridge they could see down into a small vale. It was overgrown with brush and thick with ancient trees. The path seemed to vanish at the edge of the woods at the base of the hill.
Ghuda said, ‘Where are you taking us?’
Nakor almost skipped as he walked, tapping his walking stick on the path. ‘This way. It’s not far.’
The boys hurried along, almost running, and soon were beside the Isalani. ‘Nakor,’ said Nicholas, ‘how do you know Pug is here?’
Nakor shrugged. ‘It’s a trick.’
As they reached the edge of the forest, they encountered daunting-looking undergrowth and trees set so close together that passage seemed impossible. ‘Where now?’ asked Harry.
Nakor grinned. ‘Look.’ He pointed at the path with his staff. ‘Look here. Don’t look up.’
He started walking slowly, turning around so he was moving backward, dragging the point of his staff upon the ground. The boys followed after, keeping their eyes fixed upon the tip of the staff as it stirred dust in the pathway. They moved slowly, and after a moment Nicholas realized that they should now be stuck in heavy undergrowth but in fact the pathway was still clear. ‘Don’t look up,’ said Nakor.
Gloom surrounded them, but they could clearly see the path where the staff touched it. Then suddenly there was light, and Nakor said, ‘You can look now.’
Instead of a heavy forest, they stood before a large rambling estate, with a few well-tended fruit trees around the edges. On the other side of the estate, sheep grazed, and a half-dozen horses ambled across a large meadow. Nicholas looked back and saw Amos and Ghuda glancing about as if lost. Nakor said, ‘They were too slow. I’ll go get them.’
From behind, a voice said, ‘There’s no need.’
Nicholas turned and saw a man in a black robe, slightly shorter than himself, looking at the three with a quizzical expression. The Prince’s eyes widened, for the man could not possibly have been there a moment before. The man moved his hand, and suddenly Amos and Ghuda were staring with eyes wide. ‘I’ve removed the illusion,’ said the man.
Nakor said, ‘I told you: it was a trick.’
The man looked over the two boys and Nakor, then studied Amos and Ghuda as they approached. After a moment his bearded face relaxed and years seem to fall away as he said, ‘Captain Trask! I had no idea.’
Amos strode up to him and stuck out his hand. ‘Pug, it’s good to see you once more.’ As they shook, Amos remarked, ‘You look no different than you did after the Battle of Sethanon!’
There was some humor in Pug’s voice as he said, ‘I’ve been told that. Who are your companions?’
Amos motioned for Nicholas to step forward. ‘I have the pleasure of presenting your cousin Prince Nicholas.’
Pug smiled warmly at the boy and said, ‘Nicky, I haven’t seen you since you were little more than a baby.’
Amos continued, ‘This is Harry of Ludland, his Squire, and these two are Ghuda Bulé and—’
Before he could finish, Nakor said, ‘I am Nakor, the Blue Rider.’
Unexpectedly, Pug laughed aloud. ‘You! I have heard of you.’ With genuine amusement he said, ‘You are all welcome to Villa Beata.’
He motioned for them to follow as he led them toward the strangely designed home. A large central building, white, with a red-tile roof, was surrounded by a low white stone wall, which sheltered a garden of fruit trees and flowers. In the center of the garden, a fountain fashioned of marble in the form of three dolphins sent up a cheerful spray. Off in the distance, they could see outbuildings.
Stepping forward so he walked at Pug’s side, Nicholas said, ‘What is Villa Beata?’
‘This place. In the language of th
ose who built it, it means “blessed home,” or so I was told. And so I have found.’
Amos turned to Nakor and asked him, ‘How did you know not to go to the castle?’
The little man grinned and shrugged. ‘It’s what I would do.’
Pug said over his shoulder, ‘If you had gone to the castle, you would have found it deserted, save for some lively traps in the tallest tower. I find it preserves my privacy to keep alive the legend of the Black Sorcerer. Wards I’ve set there would have alerted me to your trespass, so I would have come to see who called, but you’ve been saved a half day of wasted time.’ Looking at Nakor, he said, ‘We should talk before you leave.’
Nakor nodded vigorously. ‘I like your house. It makes sense.’
Pug nodded in turn.
Reaching the gate through the low wall, he held open the gate for the others, letting them all pass through before he followed after. ‘Be warned, not all my servants are human, and some may startle you. But none here will do you harm.’
As if illustrating this point, a tall creature appeared at the main entrance of the house. Ghuda’s sword was half out of his scabbard before he remembered himself and put it away. The creature appeared to be a goblin, though taller than any Ghuda had ever seen. Goblins were usually smaller than men, but not by much. This creature’s blue-green-tinged skin was smooth, and his eyes were huge and round, with black irises on yellow. He also possessed a finer cast of features than any goblin Ghuda had fought, though he did have the heavy brow ridge and comically large nose common to goblin kind. But his clothing was of fine weave and cut and he carried himself with an air that could only be called dignified. He smiled, showing long teeth that came close to being fangs. He executed a courtly bow and said, ‘Master Pug, refreshments are ready.’
Pug said, ‘This is Gathis, who acts as seneschal of my house. He will provide for your comforts.’ Looking skyward, he said, ‘I think our guests will dine and spend the night. Make rooms ready.’ Turning to the five visitors, he said, ‘We have ample room, and I think a relaxed evening would be appropriate.’ He added to Nicholas, ‘Highness, you do resemble your father at your age.’
Prince of the Blood, the King's Buccaneer Page 45
