by Ben Hale
“Look at the city!” Liri said excitedly by his side.
Taryn abruptly realized that Keese was probably the city she had departed from on her voyage to Sri Rosen, and that she would be just as anxious to arrive as he was. A twinge of sadness streaked through him as he wondered what it would feel like coming home. If he ever found his parents’ home, would it feel the same? Frowning, he shook his head to clear the gloomy thought. He wasn’t about to let anything mar such a day.
Looking at the approaching waterfront revealed that in just those few moments the city had come into view enough for them to see structures and buildings. Long docks stretched out over the water for several miles to the north and south of where they were approaching. Almost out of sight to the north, the outlet of the Blue River emptied into the ocean, only visible from their high viewpoint. Even though Taryn had never set foot on this land, he still knew about the Blue Lake and Blue River.
Blue Lake was a massive, sprawling lake hundreds of miles across that some said was big enough for all the dragons in the world to take a swim and never see each other. On the southeastern tip of the lake a large river was the only major outlet. The Blue River was so wide that Hunrin had said seagoing vessels traveled up and down from the lake and that fishing was just as large a trade in the lake as on the ocean. To the east and south of the lake were the two human kingdoms, while west of the lake the elves lived in their forests. Dwarves, in their mountain sanctuaries, lived to the northwest. Directly north of the giant lake a barren land devoid of trees and other vegetation stretched. Only trolls or gnomes made the bleak wasteland their homes.
Taryn laughed to himself that he was able to remember so much about the geography of a land he had never seen, but then again it was an area he was sure to traverse in his effort to find his heritage. Daiki had taught quite a bit about the different kingdoms in the few lessons when Taryn was young, and he had tried to absorb as much as possible.
The glorious half hour flew by faster than he thought possible, and before Taryn knew it, they were slipping into a dock. Ropes were tossed back and forth by experienced sailors and dockhands and the ship was quickly tied down. Just as Taryn dropped to the deck to help Hunrin lower the gangplank, the sound of several booted feet striking the wooden pier in unison caught his attention.
Leaning over the rail he spotted a handful of burly uniformed men marching in their direction. The guard in the lead, a large beefy man who looked like he knew how to use a sword, strode towards them, his eyes fixed on the Sea Dancer like it was an enemy.
“This isn't a social call,” Trin murmured beside him.
Taryn agreed, puzzled at what might be going on, and studied the lead guard, trying to get an idea of what was happening. The guard had dark hair cut short to frame a square face and dark eyes bearing a grim expression. If Taryn didn’t know any better, he would have thought they were there for Raize and Braglair, but even as he thought it he knew that couldn’t be it. They would have had no way of knowing about the sea battle, but as he watched them approach, he got the feeling that something odd was going on, and it didn’t sit right.
The guards walked brusquely up to their ship and arrived just as the plank clattered onto the docks. Before anyone could say a word, the guard in the lead spoke in a firm voice. “I am Dumont, captain of the guard for the City of Keese. We have had reports that there are three pirates on this ship. We are here to take them into custody immediately.”
“Three?” several people said at the same time, including Taryn and Erix.
“We do have two pirates in the hold, but not three,” the captain responded to the guard’s remark.
“We have been informed that their names are Raize, Braglair, and Thacker. If they are on your vessel, please bring them to us for prosecution,” the guard replied with an edge to his tone. “If necessary your ship will be seized and searched.”
Erix walked down the gangplank and pulled the guard captain to the side. Although their conversation was quiet enough that Taryn couldn’t hear it, he could tell that Erix was explaining the nature of the pirate attack. By the unyielding look on Dumont’s face and the several times he shook his head, it didn’t bode well. After several minutes of conversation, Erix returned to the ship with a frustrated expression on his weathered face.
“They won’t take no for an answer; they want all three of them,” he said in exasperation. Raising his hand to cut off several objections he added, “I don’t think we have a choice, but I have an idea. I have a friend at the council’s office, and we should go see him right away. I’m sure he will help us get to the bottom of this.”
In another testament to the crew’s faith in their captain, not a single crewman argued with him, although it looked like Trin and Mae weren’t too happy. The more Taryn thought about it, the more he had to admit he wasn’t too pleased either. Now they had to figure out how to keep Thacker out of jail and free his son.
Erix cut into his swirling thoughts with some quick instructions. “Frey, you have the ship, assign a few men to stay here while I go sort this out. Hun, go get the scum and explain things to Thacker. Make sure he understands we won’t rest until he’s out. Then take the rest of the men to the Salty Dog for a few drinks. Keep them ready though; I don’t know if we will need to leave quickly or not, but be prepared. Taryn and Liri, if you wouldn’t mind, I would like it if you joined me. Trin and Mae, please stay with Thacker’s family for the moment. If their father can’t be with them, someone reliable should be.” He looked at each of them until they all nodded before he continued. “Good. Something tells me this isn’t going to be a relaxing stay in port, so take what rest you can get. We may see fighting before the day is out.” From the steel in his eyes, it was clear he was determined to do whatever it took to get Thacker and his son freed, and it wouldn’t go well for anyone in his way.
Mae snagged Taryn’s arm as he was turning to go below.
“Hang on,” she said in a hushed voice, and he stopped to listen. Trin and Liri were quick to join them.
“Why is everyone so nervous?” She nodded her head in the direction of the guards, and then pointedly looked at several other groups of men on the docks.
Long experience had taught him to listen when Mae spoke—and she didn’t disappoint him this time. Scanning the behavior of the dockhands and guards, he did notice something odd. Nearly every person in view appeared to be extremely wary. Dumont’s eyes in particular were constantly roving, as if he were expecting danger at any moment.
Under normal circumstances that could have been passed it off as good soldiers being prepared, but the other dockhands had the same nervous expression. But it wasn’t just wariness . . . it was something more. Dockhands moved too stiffly and without banter or conversation. The guards stood ramrod straight with hands twitching towards their swords. It was so subtle he almost didn’t believe it for a second, but without exception every individual seemed . . . terrified.
“Bad seafood?” Trin asked with a dry smile.
“No,” Liri mused, “that’s not it. Something has them spooked, but I can't imagine what it is.”
Noticing that Dumont was beginning to shift, Taryn agreed. “Something isn’t right here, but we don’t have time to do anything without risking a fight with Dumont’s men. Let’s go with the captain’s plan for now—but keep your eyes peeled. Let’s not be caught off guard if something does happen. This could get out of hand far too easily for my liking.”
Like a spark to oil, he couldn’t help thinking.
“That’s easy for you to say,” Trin grumbled. “At least you guys get to go ashore.”
Mae just stared at him until he put on a false expression of happiness. “Yippee!” he said. “I get to babysit.”
Taryn just shook his head and followed Liri as she turned to go below, and they all ended up helping explain to Thacker—who wasn’t happy—why he was about to be arrested. After some tight-lipped conversation, it was Mae who finally calmed him down with only a few wo
rds.
“We will get you out by tomorrow—legally or not.” Her soft voice carried an unusually intense tone that silenced Thacker’s objections. Nodding, he began comforting his family while gathering his things.
Taryn’s eyes snapped to her in mild surprise. It was unlike her to suggest breaking someone out of jail. When she caught his questioning look she said in an undertone, “Good families should be together.”
Her words carried a bite to them that surprised him, and not for the first time he wished he knew what her life had been like before Sri Rosen. As far as he knew, she had never shared that time of her life with anyone, yet it seemed obvious that something bad had happened to her. She was the only one he had ever heard of to arrive early at the island.
But her past still didn’t explain her willingness to go against guards. As long as he had known her, she’d demonstrated a rigid adherence to rules and laws. Noticing Trin’s amused expression, he realized that Mae probably didn’t see it as doing something against the law, but as correcting something that was morally wrong.
Five minutes later everyone had completed their assigned tasks and Taryn stood watching the two pirates and Thacker being led away by the guards. Every few steps the fisherman kept looking back with worried glances.
“We will figure this out, Taryn,” Liri whispered to him. Taryn nodded in return, realizing his stomach was clenched tight. Forcing himself to relax, he followed Liri as they set out after Erix.
The captain strolled down the long dock with the two of them close behind. Once they stepped onto the wide street that ran along the waterfront, Erix broke the silence. Probably in an effort to lighten the mood as well as show the city, he began a running commentary to the two newcomers at his side.
“That’s the Crusty Keel. It’s a good place to get some grub but don’t go drinking the beer, it’s as rancid as week-dead rat in a barrel of water. Over there is the best docking spot on the pier.” He pointed towards a wooden pier that looked new—at least compared to some of the others. A lean ship that looked fast berthed there with a few sailors lounging on its deck.
“Aye, and over there is a good shipping company that my brother used to work for. He’s not a very good sailor you know.” He leaned in and added, “He gets seasick.”
Liri started to laugh but several dockhands threw her suspicious looks so she changed it to a cough. Shaking his head at the men’s behavior, Erix continued without waiting for any further response. Taryn only paid enough attention to catch the important parts while he spent the bulk of the time looking over his surroundings. This was the first place he had been to, outside of Sri Rosen, and he gazed at the sights of the unfamiliar town in wonder.
Warehouses interspersed with taverns and pubs lined the street on their right as they strolled along the waterfront to the north. Sailors and dock workers shouted to each other while moving crates of fish or other goods to and from ships. Noise flowed through the air like water over his ears, rising and falling in pitch as someone yelled at a sailor for dropping something, or two individuals in front of an office argued about price. Boats of all shapes and sizes bobbed on the water to their left, with some just arriving or leaving. Due to its proximity to the Blue River’s outlet, Keese’s location made it valuable for commerce.
Despite the noise, Mae’s words still echoed in Taryn’s thoughts, and he began noticing other things that made him consider again what might be affecting so many people. Each boat had several guards, all armed and eyeing anyone that came close, and the workers, although shouting to each other, seemed to be communicating as little as possible, only enough to get the message across. The entire atmosphere felt subdued, with a strong undercurrent of tension flowing around them.
Just then Erix turned off the waterfront and led them east through the city. Warehouses and businesses gave way to residences and homes. The area they were passing looked to be well off with some of the homes nice enough to boast small gardens or a porch. Even the clothes of the people in the streets told of prosperity and wealth. The further they got away from the sea the quieter the streets became, and Taryn found that he was glad for the lack of sound. Solitude and peace had dominated his life for so long that the city’s constant sound had beat on his ears—even though they had only been on the waterfront for a short time.
Liri suddenly stopped in front of him, forcing him to jump to the side to avoid a collision. In chagrin, he realized that he’d completely stopped paying attention to Erix and it looked like they had already arrived at their destination. Erix was in the process of explaining something about his friend as he leaned forward to ring the small bell that hung by the front door.
“. . . is a city council member of Keese and has been for a while. He’s well respected and has an excellent reputation. He also used to sail with me for a while before he got into politics . . .” He trailed off as footsteps sounded behind the door. An instant later a short round woman with long brown hair pulled back into a modest ponytail opened the door. At the sight of Erix, a smile blossomed across her features, revealing clean teeth and dimples.
“Erix!” she exclaimed broadly, ushering everyone inside. “It’s good to have you back. Will you be staying for dinner?” She whirled and eyed him shrewdly. “Don’t expect to stay for drinks though, last time you went through two bottles of our best brandy. By Skorn, the songs you sang would have woken the dead they were so dreadful.”
Erix grinned broadly and leaned in to give her a hug and a kiss on the forehead. “I missed you too, Molly, but this isn’t a social call. We need Rez’s help. Is he in?”
At the mention of “we,” the woman glanced at Liri and Taryn. Her eyes appraised the two of them for a moment and Taryn caught the trace of fear spark in her eyes. “Yes, of course. Just got home a few minutes ago in fact. You can find him in his study.” She kept staring at the two of them until Liri leaned in and smiled prettily. “It’s nice to meet you, Ma’am. My name is Liriana, but my friends call me Liri.”
A sharp nudge from Liri’s elbow and Taryn spoke up as well. “—Er, yeah, my name is Taryn. Nice to meet you too.”
She nodded without responding, still frowning at them in a wary manner that was becoming uncomfortably familiar, but then she shook herself and smiled. “Any friends of Erix are friends of ours. Go ahead on up, I have some cleaning to finish.” She indicated the wet rag in her hand and brusquely turned away down the hall, calling to someone in the back of the house as she went, “You’d better clean under the rugs or I’ll scorch your hide!”
She quickly disappeared and Taryn got his first moment to look at the house. To his left a door led to what looked to be a sitting room and in front of him a hallway trailed straight back towards the door through which Molly had just exited. On the side of the hall a straight staircase led up to the second floor, and he turned to follow the weathered sea captain upward.
When they got to the top, Erix paused and leaned close to them. “Molly is an interesting sort. She doesn’t believe in having servants do everything, so she personally helps them cook and clean—and they love her for it. All the other high society types look down on her, though. She’s also handy with a dagger if you ever cross her, so watch yourselves."
He chuckled to himself at some memory before turning down the hallway to the last door on the left. Without knocking he opened it and stepped right in. Following him, Liri and Taryn entered a very tidy office inhabited by a short round man who looked remarkably like his wife except for the facial features. Dark blue eyes that were common among humans looked out from under bushy eyebrows and a balding head. What he lacked in physical charm he certainly made up for in personality. Within half a second the chubby man bounded from behind his desk and embraced the thinner Erix.
“Oh, you old sea dog! I haven’t seen you in ages.” Releasing him just as quickly, he stepped back and waved them in. “Come, come, have a seat, your friends too.” He indicated a few chairs, but instead of returning to his own chair he sat on the front of his
desk. “How was your trip? You will stay for dinner won’t you?” His tone dropped and his gaze flickered to towards the door. “I have a couple more bottles of our favorite brandy stored away. . .” He indicated the liquor case on the far wall.
Erix cut in with a shake of his head, “Unfortunately not this time Rez. We need your help in a matter of urgency.”
Rezko laughed a deep belly laugh that shook his whole frame. “Straight to business as always, my friend. What’s the problem?”
As the sea captain introduced Liri and Taryn and then told him their tale, Rezko’s eyes darkened and the grin faded. When Erix finished, Rezko sat there for a second with a furrowed brow before returning slowly to his seat. “We have a right difficult problem then. Dumont is a tough man, strict, straight as a rod and just as unbending when it comes to the laws set by the council. If Dumont thinks Thacker’s a pirate, he won’t let him out of custody until he has done a full investigation—which could take weeks or even months.”
Taryn cut through that train of thought. “That’s not an option. We have to get him out of there tonight.”
Something in his tone brought Rezko up short, and he looked at Taryn with a raised eyebrow. “What if it means you have to break into prison to get him?” he asked, his expression calculating.
Realizing that Rezko was taking a measure of him, Taryn replied, in a tone that left no doubt, “Without hesitation.”
After a moment, Rezko nodded and the smile returned. “Good, it’s been too long since I broke someone out . . . wouldn’t you say, my friend?” He looked at Erix with a knowing grin plastered on his face.
The sea captain grinned right back. “This time it won’t be so easy. I doubt the guards will be so drunk.”
“Um, please don’t mind me asking, but isn’t breaking someone out of jail going to be bad for your, er, position?” Liri spoke for the first time.
