Sea Queen

by Michael James Ploof

  When he reached the shadow of the coliseum, Talon turned and screamed, “Come on!”

  The crowd cheered in response as Samson charged.

  Talon sped forth to meet him and leapt, launching ten feet into the air.

  The Agoran was forced to look into the light and swing blindly as he followed the tiny Skomm’s flight.

  Talon landed four feet from him as the hammer was getting ready to come around again, but the strikes all seemed slow. He quickly charged and stabbed with both blades, taking the man in the thighs.

  Samson gave a frustrated cry as Talon twirled out of reach.

  The tone of the crowd had already begun to change, and Talon’s name now echoed throughout the coliseum.

  He came in fast again, dove into a roll, and came up stabbing Samson in the neck, ending the match instantly.

  The sound of the crowd came rushing back, and Talon tossed his weapons aside. He spotted McGillus and Grimald in their booth and received a nod from the captain.

  Raising his arms in victory, he turned a full circle for the chanting of the crowd. The cry of “Talon,” filled the coliseum.

  Roses rained down as everyone got to their feet, and the stomping of boots shook the ground like an earthquake.

  Chapter 20

  News of Akkeri

  If I am asked by the council what truly forced my hand, I would remind them of our own people. How we were forced from our homes by our brethren, hunted, killed, and nearly wiped out. If there had been a people who might have helped, shouldn’t they have? Is it not our responsibility as enlightened, thinking beings to intervene in the face of injustice? Many would argue that would make us their rulers, but I disagree. – Azzeal of Elladrindellia, Keeper of the Windwalker Archive, 4997

  Rekkr opened the gate and offered Talon a nod of approval as he made his way into the tunnel.

  Grimald and McGillus were waiting for him.

  “You did well,” said the captain.

  Talon bowed his head and thanked him, and then headed off toward the changing area.

  Up ahead he saw Argath and hurried to catch him.

  When they arrived in the staging area, Argath whispered, “Listen, this girl of yours, Akkeri.”

  “You know something about her?” Talon’s heart was racing.

  Argath straightened as the captain suddenly approached. “I’ve seen her,” he whispered quickly.

  “Listen up, you Skomm bastards!” said McGillus.

  All the gladiators in the room stopped what they were doing and waited on their captain. When he had their full attention, he let them wait a moment longer.

  “House McGillus lost three men today! Three godsdamned men!” He held up his hand and counted off the dead gladiators. “Ormir, Vidir, and Whitewing—all lost tonight…and to these Fendale scum. House Gallious defeated not one, but two of our fighters.”

  “But Cap’n, we had fifteen wins, and three of ‘em were against House Gallious,” said one of the warriors.

  The captain turned slowly to regard the man, and though the Skomm gladiator was much larger, he withered under the glare.

  “Come,” said the captain.

  The gladiator glanced around and, with head down, walked to stand before his captain. McGillus let the tension build. So long did he stare at the man—hunched before him like a shameful Draugr—that Talon began to wonder if he might kill him.

  “Do you not mourn your brothers, Eaglewind?”

  “Of course I do, Cap’n,” he nodded quickly, still looking at his boots.

  “Do you know what a loss means in the arena?”

  “Yes, Cap’n, it means you’re dead.”

  “Dead.” McGillus looked around. “When this house loses one gladiator, the entire event is a loss. When one of your brothers from the Sea Queen loses, you all lose.

  “Because I have been too soft on you, Ormir’s wife and children in Joansburg are going to starve. Who’s going to give them money for food, clothing, and shelter?” He looked around the room at the shamed men. “You?” He pointed at one, and then another. “You? How about you, Styggr? Will any of you cough up your hard earned gold to help them?”

  No one said a word.

  Talon glanced around the room and saw the effect the captain had on his men—gladiators, one and all, but still Skomm at heart. They had been bred to follow, to bow their heads to authority.

  “Godsdamnit, men!” McGillus suddenly bellowed, slapping a helm off the nearest bench as he did. It banged against the far wall and clattered to the floor. “You’ve all got a chance to win your freedom like Rekkr here—a chance to finally prove yourself to the world. Vidir was one match away from buying his freedom, and he gets himself killed. But alas! I have been too easy on you all. For your own sakes, I will not make that mistake again.”

  With a flourish of his cloak he turned in disgust and left the room, Grimald following closely behind.

  Argath turned to Talon and shook his head. “That man is full of dragon shyte! Vidir was one fight away from buying his freedom—just like all those before him. Likely, Demoore gave him somethin’ slow him down out there, on the captain’s orders. Then McGillus, he goes out and bets all the man’s savings against him. He gets all their money and then some. Feikin bikkja.”

  “Demoore wouldn’t do that…would he?” Talon asked. He liked the old healer, gruff as he may be.

  Argath turned to regard him. “You been here nigh on two weeks, Talon. I been here for years. Trust me, that old son of a kerling ain’t nothing but dirty, through and through.”

  One of the Skomm gladiators walked up to Talon and said, “That was one of the most impressive feats I’ve ever seen—where do you get your speed?”

  Talon shrugged. “The Gods.”

  The man tossed back his head and laughed. “The Gods…I don’t doubt it,” he replied, and walked away chuckling.

  Many of the others offered him their nods of approval as well.

  “You keep gaining the respect of these men and this will all go much faster,” said Argath. “After seeing what you do in the arena, how you kill men twice your size, they know who you are—the Skomm who defied the gods and the Chiefson of Timber Wolf Tribe alike, who escaped from Volnoss. That should give them the added confidence we need.”

  “You sound like your father,” said Talon.

  “Aye, and my fathers never wrong, just ask him,” said Argath with a chuckle. Seeing that they were alone again, he quietly said, “The girl—like I told you, I saw her. A few weeks back. We found her in a cave by a shipwrecked keipr.”

  The hair on Talon’s back stood up.

  “Cap’n kept her down below for a time, in one of the cells separate from the hold. Said she was special, like. Didn’t want her ‘fruit getting bruised,’ is how he put it. We landed in Barton to sell the last batch we picked up on Volnoss—my father among them—and damned if the Shierdon Royals weren’t there to pick from the stock. McGillus must’ve known they’d be there ‘cause he dressed her up in the prettiest dress a Skomm lass ever wore. When the boats came back to the slaver, she wasn’t on any of ‘em.”

  Talon’s mind raced as they walked back to the cave harbor. “You think he sold her to the royals?”

  “Seems so,” said Argath. “Sorry, but at least you know where she might be now.”

  Talon offered him a dubious look. “Where?”

  “Well, if it was the royals that bought her up, she’d be there at Castle Belldon, I imagine—near the Uthen-Arden border, on an island in the center of Lake Eardon.

  The new information about Akkeri filled Talon with a hope he hadn’t known since glimpsing the murals with Tyson. He realized he had the information he wanted, and now only needed to somehow get Chief back.

  Chapter 21

  A Night of Black Waters

  He sees his people shunned by one master, and kiss the feet of another. Years he spent among Vald, never he feel at home. One season with Skomm he feels he has a people, a tribe. His head bow in sha
me when he see his people low. Them look for next master sooner than freedom. What’s it scares men ‘bout freedom? –Gretzen Spiritbone, 4997.

  When they returned to the ship Talon was led by Grimald to his quarters, away from the others. The door locked with a click, and he was left in the dark with his thoughts. He found his way easily enough to his hammock and climbed in.

  Argath’s story had given him hope again, and thoughts of Akkeri helped him to once again forget his ills. He fell asleep soundly to the gentle lull of the ocean.

  When he woke again the ship was calm, the storm had settled. The door had flown open to bang against the wall. Talon glanced at the doorway with bleary eyes and saw the outline of a hooded Grimald.

  “McGillus has ordered all on deck. Move.”

  He followed the bodyguard up the stairs and found the gladiators gathered there. The sails had been raised and secured to ride out the storm, and the ship bobbed aimlessly on black seas. All eyes were on the quarter deck, where some of the Agoran crew stood glaring down. Talon found a place beside Argath and Torrance. His eyes followed theirs, and when he saw Forrest tied to the rail above, he felt sick.

  Grimald watched him closely and then turned to walk up the stairs and stand behind Forrest. It seemed as though everyone was waiting on the captain.

  The ship looked like it had been through battle. Though most had been raised, many of the sails were torn or frayed at the edges. Rigging was scattered everywhere, and rope hung about unchecked. Why had the crew not tended to these problems? McGillus drove his men hard every day, even making up jobs for them to do when there were none.

  McGillus came out of his quarters and stood before his crewmen beside a beaten and bloody Forrest. The captain regarded the slave and then turned a slow, suspicious eye on the gladiators.

  “Look around you. Do you see your beautiful ship? See her in tatters? Raped by the god of the ocean, left to flounder about. This is a ship without a captain. And a ship without a captain is no ship at all. Without my say so, nothing gets done. You lot of filthy bastards would drink yourselves silly if not for me. You gladiators…where would you be without all I have given you? Taking out some noblemen’s morning shyte? I give you a life you never would have known, and what is my reward—how am I thanked? Conspiracy, treachery…god’s damned mutiny!”

  He began to pace back and forth behind Forrest.

  The folkhagi looked upon Argath with swollen eyes.

  McGillus raised a hand, and one of the Agoran crewmen behind Forrest pulled back a whip. The captain made a fist and then brought his hand down.

  Forrest gave a grunt as the whip cracked.

  Again the captain raised his fist and let it drop. He turned to observe the gladiators as he did so, and settled on Argath.

  Finally, the captain grinned and addressed the Skomm calmly.

  “It seems this wretched slave was formulating a little rebellion below deck. And with the help of some of my gladiators as well, I’m told.”

  “If you remain loyal to me, walk up these steps proudly and with your heads high. If you are a traitor—if you are part of this pathetic rebellion—then have the feikin guts to stay where you are and let it be known.”

  Rekkr was the first to walk up the steps. He took his place with the Agoran crewmen and turned a cold glare at Argath. Talon’s heart broke as he watched other gladiators follow.

  Torrance was among them.

  Talon stood his ground beside Argath. He was sick of hiding, tired of pretending. His hope had died with the captain’s proclamation. They had been found out and the revolution was over.

  As men shuffled by, giving them a wide berth, Argath looked to him with tear filled eyes.

  “Avenge me,” he whispered before shoving Talon hard.

  Talon scrambled to his feet and turned back to Argath.

  “Go on you feikin traitor,” he told Talon, “go on back to your master. Everybody knows you’re his godsdamned pet!”

  Talon’s heart sunk and he fought the tears swelling in his eyes—Argath was trying to save him. Talon glanced at the captain, who regarded him with watchful eyes.

  “All of you traitors!” Argath bellowed, spittle flying from his mouth, tears streaming. “One day you will know the wrath of the Skomm! One day, we shall rise up!”

  Talon played his part. Trying to hide his tears in the crowd, he followed the herd up the stairs to stand over Argath and what few remained of his most loyal men—there were six in all.

  More than a dozen Agoran crewmen stepped forward with crossbows trained on the rebels. Talon watched McGillus closely, and didn’t miss when he turned to Grimald and mouthed, “Take Argath alive.”

  The hooded man nodded and looked toward Talon, who quickly hid his face in the crowd.

  Argath and his six men stood weaponless.

  Behind them, in the slave hold, Talon did not doubt many ears were pressed against the hatch, trying to hear what might be happening to their folkhagi. On both sides of the ship, standing on the twin staircases leading to the quarterdeck, men with crossbows awaited the order.

  McGillus leaned against the rail, his victorious grin aimed at Argath. He unsheathed his sword, turned and stabbed Forrest through the chest.

  Argath let out a guttural scream which tore at Talon’s insides, and bolted up the stairs two at a time.

  Talon was pressed against the rail by the crowd as the first bolt took Argath in the arm, the next in the chest.

  When the gladiator reached the first crossbowmen, he snapped his neck, pulled the bolt from his chest, and stabbed another in the eye. A third bolt hit him in the leg, but he proceeded to lift one of the Agorans over his head and throw him overboard.

  He had nearly reached the Quarter deck.

  Another Agoran tripped as he tried to reload, and Argath lifted him high—even as another short arrow took him in the arm—and dumped him on his fellows.

  A flutter caught Talon’s attention, and Grimald descended from an impossibly high leap to land behind Argath.

  The gladiator lunged at him with a pointed bolt, but Grimald proved impossibly fast, grabbing and throwing him to the deck below.

  Argath landed there among his dead brothers, riddled with short arrows.

  Grimald jumped off the stairs and punched him into submission, then lifted his face to look at his dead father.

  McGillus scowled down on him.

  “Take him below!” he ordered Grimald. Turning to the others, he pointed to the ship. “Get this feikin mess cleaned up.”

  The deck was tended to and repairs made, and the rebels’ bodies were thrown overboard. The work lasted all day, and by nightfall Talon wanted nothing more than to be alone. When Grimald led him to his quarters, he was grateful.

  That night he got no sleep, knowing Argath was below deck likely being tortured.

  Avenge me.

  The words came to him over and over again. He tossed and turned fitfully in his hammock, unable to stop his mind from seeing Forrest’s dying eyes.

  It all seemed so pointless.

  How could the Skomm ever be free of such treatment if they refused to even fight for themselves?

  Chapter 22

  Revenge

  Dreams come to me in these strange lands, far away years play on the mist. The man in black, the dark elf beauty, stubborn dwarf lass. What are these dreams? I see mine eyes and heart leaps. How can this be? Elf lands offer strange sights. Some nights I can take it no more! Elf Azzeal brings old Gretzen to forest. Lush and green, its wonders abound. Here I know peace, away from elf eyes, them always asking with their mind. Elf show me wonderful things. Feel old mind come clear like young lass, fog of years lifts. I see terrible battles, the dark elf lord, and the savior. Will I live such dreams? Krellr whisper. – Gretzen Spiritebone. 4997

  The next morning Talon was roused by Grimald once more. He hadn’t been sleeping, but sitting cross-legged before the door, waiting for it to open.

  Grimald regarded him strangely. “Come,�
�� he said with a jerk of his head.

  Talon followed Grimald to the deck where the other Skomm gladiators were loading into the rowboats. They had docked near Hithero sometime during the night. The city wasn’t nearly as big as Fendale, but it too had a coliseum.

  When they arrived, Talon suited up and inspected his new daggers, and then went out to wait in the tunnel with the others.

  McGillus soon walked up with a smug grin.

  “Good to see you know to pick the winning side,” he said to Talon, and then turned to the others. “Let’s show ‘em what House McGillus is made of!”

  Talon watched the other matches, his fury building by the minute. He saw everyone around him as the enemy then, not only the traitorous gladiators, but the bloodthirsty Agorans cheering for murder. By the time his name was called, Talon was ready to explode.

  The gates were opened and Talon wasted no time. He ran forth and engaged his opponent immediately. The crowd screamed in anticipation, but he stole their fun. As Kyrr filled him with strength, his movements became like a blur. No sooner had the Agoran gladiator brought back his axes than did Talon leap onto his chest and bring him to the ground. After stabbing him a dozen times with lightning speed, he rose from the corpse, covered in blood.

  The crowd had fallen silent.

  As Talon walked back to the gate calmly. The crier tried to break the tension with fake enthusiasm. “It seems as though House McGillus is full of surprises!” he said nervously.

  Suddenly, when Talon had neared the gate, the crowd erupted into a thunderous applause. He stepped inside and was greeted by the other gladiators.

  McGillus took a long time to arrive. When finally he and Grimald could be seen coming up the hall, Rekkr glanced sidelong at the men beside him and then quickly at Talon, who, after a moment of confusion realized what was happening.

  When the captain reached them he shook his head and regarded Talon with a wide smile. “My boy, you’ve outdone yourself,” he said. “But please, next time a bit more of a show, if you don’t mind.”