by Duncan Lay
The Kottermanis gave her space and she drew herself up.
“Take me to Prince Kemal,” she ordered.
Gokmen’s eyes glittered angrily but he merely nodded and led the way up to the stern of the ship.
The Kottermanis looked well fed to her eyes and it was only seeing them that made her realize how thin her own people were.
Kemal was pacing the deck when she arrived and he turned swiftly at her approach, snapping out orders in Kottermani. “Weapons?” he then asked her.
Bridgit shook her head wearily, making her shoulders slump as if she had not even the energy to answer. The knife was back on board with Nola.
But Kemal clicked his fingers and Gokmen grabbed her arm, patting her down to make sure there was nothing hidden. She was aware that her clothes were hanging loose on her now.
“She has nothing,” Gokmen said, then gave her a push.
She turned that into a tired stumble and Kemal snapped out new orders she could not understand.
Gokmen said something back in Kottermani but Kemal was insistent and Bridgit could see, out of the corner of her eye, Gokmen and the other guards all leaving, so she was alone with the Prince. For a moment she thought it was a trap, then she rejoiced anyway. They thought her weak and helpless. Perfect. She would let him get close and then go for the jeweled dagger in his belt. Once that was at his throat, they were hers.
“Bridgit, I am here to help you get home to Gaelland, not to bring you back to Kotterman,” Kemal said softly, urgently.
She glanced up in surprise, her plan of attack vanishing in her shock. She stared at his face and saw the lines of worry, the bags under his eyes that had not been there the last time they spoke.
“What?” she gasped.
“You obviously need food, and you have become lost as well. We shall send food over and then guide you to Berry,” he said.
Bridgit looked at him. Was the hunger making her imagine things? “I am sorry, but I thought you said you were going to help us get home, and feed us?” she said. “Did you mean to say something different in our language?”
“No!” he hissed. “I am here to help you. I helped you escape from Adana, sent away the guards so you could escape. Now I will help you get the rest of the way home.”
Bridgit blinked twice, then pinched herself. When nothing had changed, she decided it could not be a dream. “Why?”
Kemal glanced over her shoulder but everyone else was obviously sufficiently far away that he felt he could talk.
“I have met your husband Fallon,” he said flatly. “He has my wife and children. We shall exchange you and your people for my family. You have to reach Berry safely or my wife and boys will die.”
Bridgit felt a surge of triumph, so strong it made her head feel light. Then, instinctively, she questioned it. “How do I know this is not some strange trap?” she demanded. “Fallon would not hurt a woman or child.”
Kemal’s eyes widened and his calm demeanor cracked. “He captured me first and tortured me, then he grabbed my wife and boys and held a blade at my youngest son’s eyes,” he snarled at her. “The thought of what he might have done to them haunts me every night. And as for a trap, why would I need that? You are half-starved and at my mercy. If I so chose, I could shoot you down like dogs or simply sink your vessel and all aboard.”
Bridgit had to admit he had a point and the ragged emotion in his voice gave it the ring of truth. She also enjoyed the thought that Kemal had been in fear for his family held in a strange country. Perhaps he would have a better understanding of what he had put them through. And, if not, well, that served him right anyway.
“Well then, we need medical help. Many of my people have wounds and sores that are not healing. And we need food. Plenty of it,” she instructed.
“You shall get it. We shall also escort you into Berry. You are heading in the wrong direction, not by much but enough to make you miss your homeland.”
“Why not give us a map and directions?” she challenged and saw a shadow pass across his face.
“I have risked much to find you, and have other ships out searching. If one of them was to find you without me there, a mistake could be made that could not be undone. And I cannot risk you not arriving.”
She nodded thoughtfully but her mind was racing ahead. “And what happens when you get your family back?” she asked.
“We are both happy,” he said quickly, a shade too quickly for her liking. “I shall stay on in Gaelland for winter and to discuss a new deal with your King.”
Bridgit smiled. “That will be a day we are both looking forward to,” she said. “How was Fallon?”
Again she saw a shadow flash behind his eyes. “Well enough to lead me into a trap and then torture me and my family.”
Bridgit smiled sympathetically but she could see problems ahead. Kemal was not the sort of man to forget a grudge and it was plain as day that he wanted revenge on Fallon. She wanted to know why Fallon had not chosen to sail after her but instead done this. She would have preferred him to have arrived about a quarter moon ago, with plenty of food, but this was better than nothing. It was also interesting to hear that Kemal had aided their escape from Adana. Not enough to save the life of poor Ahearn, and the others who had been wounded and died on the way. But, as the old Gaelish saying went, better late than never.
“I will have to tell my people what is going on, otherwise they might do something foolish,” she warned.
“Agreed. My people do not need to know, nor will they ask. They just obey.”
Bridgit nodded again, having already seen that first-hand and used it to her advantage. Then something struck her. “How did you know we were going to escape?” she demanded.
Kemal smiled thinly. “Ely came and told me, as I told her to. You should be glad I did so, for without my help you would have failed, and died.”
Bridgit was torn between fury at the betrayal and relief that they had been able to get away at all. “Why?” she asked through gritted teeth.
Kemal shrugged. “I have her mother and younger sister. She knew that she had to obey my orders or they would be handed over to my guards.”
Bridgit felt a pang for what Ely had been put through, as well as a renewed pulse of satisfaction that Kemal had been made to suffer. “Well, lucky for both of us then,” she said coolly.
He inclined his head. “When we have transferred the food, we shall fasten ropes from our stern to your bow, so there is no possibility of you being lost. I would hate to see you disappear in a storm.”
Bridgit pasted a smile on her face. She did not trust Kemal but he just had to get her back to Berry, and Fallon and Kerrin. Anything else could be worried about then. But, she reflected, this was bloody typical. Even when Fallon was trying to help her, he left a mess for her to clean up.
*
The Gaelish did not worry about listening to explanations. They were just delighted to see the sacks of flour and barrels of salted meat and fish come across. With them came more barrels of water and small casks of honey, as well as sacks of oranges. They were even happy to see their ship loosely tied to the Kottermani flagship and to follow it towards Berry, altering their course so it was more east than north.
Bridgit made sure all were drinking honey in water and not devouring the oranges too fast, but she could not help wonder why there was so much food on board the Kottermani ship. After all, there was a large company of soldiers on board and still days of sailing before they reached Berry. But her aching stomach consumed her thoughts even faster than her people consumed the food. The oranges tasted like heaven and she also ate a piece of salted fish, luxuriating in the feeling of something solid in her stomach.
“Why are they doing this?” Nola asked.
“It is Fallon and the others,” Bridgit said loudly.
The others stopped eating to listen.
“They captured Kemal and are holding his family. They will only give them back when we are home safe,” Bridgit said, then st
opped as her people from Baltimore cheered and clapped.
The others knew of her history and her promises, of course, but they looked more curious than delighted.
“He reckons he helped us escape, ordered some of the guards away to give us a chance. And it means they will escort us into Berry. We are safe. We will be home in another few days,” she added.
Now they all cheered, friends and families embracing. Some children even stopped eating to join in.
“No, this is your doing, Bridgit,” Dermot told her, stepping out of the crowd to grab her hand and kiss it. “You have kept your word to us and got us out of there.”
She smiled but inside she was thinking of the vows she had broken, the wounded men who had died, the elderly couple who had jumped overboard and Blaine, Carrick and Keegan, thrown overboard.
“We are going home. At last!” Riona said softly, breaking her thoughts.
“Aye. But maybe we won’t be going home right away. If Fallon is in Berry, working for Cavan, then we will be going there.”
“Well, you will be,” Nola said.
“The others are with him. He would not have left them behind, nor would they have stayed,” Bridgit said. “But we are going to have problems with Prince Kemal. He told me Fallon tortured him and threatened his son with a knife to make him give us back.”
“I’m begorrah glad Fallon did! That bogger deserves everything he gets!” Riona said indignantly.
“But torture? Threaten a child? Would Fallon do that? And Brendan would never stand by and let that happen!” Nola cried.
“Who knows what has happened since we were taken? It may be that things have changed without us.”
“But that much?”
Bridgit smiled. “Well, look at us. We have changed as well. I would say for the better, but are we surprised that our men have done something stupid without us to keep an eye on them?”
“Well, put it like that and it makes sense,” Nola admitted. “But hurting a child? Whist! What has been going on there?”
“Until we find out, we cannot judge them. Yet we have to assume Kemal is telling the truth, and that we could be sailing into more trouble,” Bridgit sighed. “Fallon will exchange Kemal’s family for us and then what will happen? The Kottermani will want revenge. Can Prince Cavan protect him? And does Fallon have any plan for after we get back?”
“Surely he has,” Nola said.
“I wouldn’t bet our lives on it. Because that is what we are doing. Our adventures may not be over yet,” Bridgit said grimly. “But that is just between us three, understand?”
“Aye. How did Kemal know we were escaping?” Riona asked.
“Ely,” Bridgit replied.
“That little traitor! If I ever see her again …” Nola said with a shake of her head.
“You will, if I have anything to do with it. Kemal had her mother and sister and threatened to hand them over to his guards unless she did what he ordered, the ruthless bastard. Who of us would have done things differently to save loved ones? And I think she was trying to tell me. She was definitely fond of the kids,” Bridgit said.
“Still, she betrayed us. We could all have died!” Nola said indignantly.
“But, if he was right, she actually helped us. And I reckon her mother is Gaelish, even if her father was not. So that makes her one of us and I swore not to leave one of us in slavery over there.”
“How are you going to get her back?” Riona asked.
“I have no idea. But that won’t stop me trying, once we are safely home,” Bridgit vowed.
*
Bridgit was amazed how quickly her people recovered from their enforced starvation. A few days of careful rationing but full meals three times a day saw them regain weight, color and energy. But the sight of the Gaelish coast did the most good and the Kottermanis on the other ship flocked to their stern rail to watch the Gaelish sing and dance with joy.
Bridgit did not join in the dancing. She had spent the last four days trying to think of a way out of the mess Fallon had probably put them in. The only way around this that she could see was somehow slipping Kemal’s leash and sailing into Berry by themselves. That way, they could also keep Kemal’s family. Only with them in their keeping could they hold back the Kottermani’s vengeance.
She waved Fitz over and the young man instantly stopped dancing and hurried to her side. Since she had spared his life he had been acting as if she had saved it, following her around and always eager to help, like some sort of puppy.
“Bring them over, quietly,” she ordered and he nodded and raced to obey.
After the first two days, when the people had recovered enough to take more of an interest in what was going on around them, she had the men watch the Kottermanis and how they handled the sails, to see where they were going wrong.
“Can you sail this ship as fast as they can now?” she asked.
They looked doubtful. “We can go faster than before. But they still know more than we do and will catch us,” one said.
She nodded. “Then we can only slip away at the last moment. By the time they realize it, we have to be safely inside Berry, where they can’t touch us. So practice at night, for they cannot see us trying anything. They have to think we are docile and helpless. Then, when they take in sails to enter the harbor, we put up all the canvas we have, cut the ropes and go past them.”
They nodded agreement and she shooed them away. “Now dance around as if you have not a care in the world.”
“What if the King’s men are not ready for us to do this? What if the Kottermanis catch us?” Nola asked softly.
“Fallon had better bloody well be ready, or else,” Bridgit said.
CHAPTER 49
Fallon was trying to stay awake, Caley snoozing at his feet, while a succession of Guild masters droned on with their litany of complaints. He had a couple of scribes taking notes but if parchment had not been so valuable, he would have burned them afterwards. This was the part he hated the most. Pretending to like Guild bastards was even harder than having to make decisions that could doom everyone. Then Gallagher burst into the room, his eyes wild.
“Fallon! Kottermani sails sighted on the horizon, sailing right for Berry!” he cried breathlessly.
Fallon came awake instantly and surged to his feet, Caley jumping up with him and giving a bark of warning.
“This meeting is over,” he announced, striding out of the room past the outraged Guildsmen without a second glance.
“Do you think it is Kemal, back with the families?” he asked the moment the door shut behind him.
“Who else could it be?”
“We all head down to the harbor. And make sure we have plenty of men there.”
“What about Feray and the boys?” Gallagher asked.
“I’ll go and get them. We need to bring them too but make sure we have a full company around them. Kemal will want to see them before we get anyone back. But if he tries anything, we have to be ready. This could be a trap, a plan to rescue them.”
“He’s waited a bloody long time for it in that case,” Gallagher said.
“Even so. We don’t take chances. Tell them to be ready. If all goes to plan, they will be reunited with Kemal by day’s end.”
“You are really going to give them back?”
“I gave my word. More than that, I swore on Kerrin’s life. Aroaril knows what will happen if I go back on that. Besides, we are the ones ruling Gaelland now. We can use them to make a deal with Kemal.”
Gallagher looked skeptical but did not press it. “And the Guildsmen?” he asked.
“Send two men to escort them out. They were boring me to sleep anyway,” Fallon said dismissively. “They love to complain but what are they going to do? Their wealth is all tied up in Berry, and they will never do anything that loses them money.”
Gallagher looked, if anything, even less happy but Fallon ignored him. Bridgit could be on the ship, could be just a turn or two of the hourglass away!
*
Kerrin took the pass from Asil and kicked the ball at Orhan, who caught it spectacularly and made them all stop and clap, including Feray.
“Did you see that, Ana?” Orhan asked.
“Let’s go again,” Kerrin invited. His new friends could speak Gaelish well but often threw in strange Kottermani words. Their word for mother was “ana”. How silly was that? “Mam” was so much better sounding. “Come on!” He did not know whether it was the exercises he had been doing with dad and the recruits, all the crossbow practice or the running and playing with the two Kottermani boys but he felt like he could run all day. In fact, he often did.
He waved impatiently at Orhan, who was standing there with the ball in his hands.
“What are you waiting for?” Kerrin asked.
By way of answer, Orhan pointed. Kerrin turned to see his dad racing towards them, a big grin on his face and a joyful Caley capering at his heels.
“What is it?” Feray stood and walked over to join the boys.
“Kottermani sails sighted coming into the harbor. I hope, and pray, that it is our families and we shall all be reunited soon with our loved ones,” dad said.
Kerrin felt his heart leap and then began to pound. “Mam's back?” he managed to say.
“I think so. I hope so and I pray so,” Dad said, his voice also cracking a little. “Who else could it be?”
Kerrin ran over and grabbed Dad around the waist, burying his face in his chest until he got control of himself and his friends did not see his tears. Dad’s arms tightened around him and he felt Caley’s nose at his side as well. But, when he had calmed down and turned around, it was to see Feray embracing her own sons.
“Come, get your things and we’ll escort you down to the docks, where we can meet them,” Dad invited.
“I don’t have a gift or anything for Mam's return,” Kerrin said, feeling a touch of panic at the thought.
“I think seeing you will be all the gift she needs,” Dad said with a smile, and Kerrin had to hold down the joy that leaped up inside him.
