The Bok of Syr Folk

by Russ L. Howard

  “Bnimin, when was the last time you were in Ur Ford.”

  Bnimin shook back his peyos. “A little over a week ago we made a delivery of whale oil and ivory. Why do you inquire?”

  “Did you see your cousin, Machbah by chance?”

  “You mean, ‘Loud Mouth.’”

  “Why do you say that?”

  “Yes, I’ve seen her and I call her ‘Loud Mouth’ because she’s telling everyone she’s going to marry you as soon as you return and that she is going to be your faery-queen. Is that true?”

  “The marriage part is correct, but I have not chosen who should be my faery-queen.”

  “Precisely, that’s why I call her ‘Loud Mouth’.”

  Ary thought for a moment about who he would chose to be his first wife only to draw the same blank he always drew. Shaking off the fog of confusion, he grinned at the boy. “So you have had your dream come true, you are being trained as a sailor and I hear that next, you will be trained for a sea fyrd.”

  “And I’m lovin it.” Bnimin exclaimed with pride, “It’s like I’m in my own element when I go out to sea or handle a weapon. It’s just all so adventuresome. Does it do that for you, Prince Ary?”

  “Well, I did not start as young as you and Shark-Moon...”Ary was interrupted by Tyrchild who exclaimed, “Gee, Ary, your tent is a total mess.”

  “You try living with Xelph, who collected half the flowers, seeds, and fruits from Godeselle to here, and Long Swan, who tears up half the papers he writes, and see how clean your tent would look.”

  “I get it,” Tyrchild smiled.

  Bnimin took a deep breath, “As I was saying before the little squirt interrupted...”

  “I’m the same age as you.”

  “Yes, but a head shorter. Anyway as I was saying, everything at sea speaks to me, the brine, the water, the wind, the sound of sails, and the bitching of the crews. It just all fits like a glove.”

  “And your father is alright with your joining a sea fyrd, like your brother?”

  “He wanted me to attend my rabbinical studies, but every time I opened the Holy Books, my mind would go blank and I would hear the sea calling out to me. While the others quoted Mishna, Torah, and Talmud, I stared out the windows at the sea and heard the gulls, the terns, and the pelicans calling to me. Father says that I hear a different spirit than he does and gave me his blessing to go to sea with Turtle Duck, who has become my father and mother away from home.”

  Ary gave out a hearty laugh, “Somehow I got this comical picture of Turtle Duck dressed in one of your mother’s dresses.”

  Bnimin’s hand went over his mouth as he stifled a snort.

  * * *

  Turtle Duck asked question after question of Ary and Khem about their journey, while they brought gifts ashore for the Chartreuseans, and loaded Xelph’s plant pots and speciments onto the Overo. Xelph and his crew soon arrived. The camp bustled with frenetic energy as Xelph and his crew converged with Turtle Duck’s crew. They hailed each other and were very glad to be joined again with their compatriots, slapping backs and looking each other over for changes.

  Yorel spotted Long Swan and Ysys first and with a cry, both brothers ran to their sister. Long Swan held his arm around her for comfort.

  “We got her back. Your father was right. Ashim had kidnapped her and attempted to force himself upon her. Please, she wishes to stay with me for a while. Go tell your parents I will bring her back when she is ready.”

  Yorel reached out to Ysys and took her hand, “Are you alright, sister? You look awful.”

  Ysys attempted a smile. “I am distraught. I need to be with Long Swan for now. I cannot bear facing the village gossips and all their chatter again. Especially since Xelph killed Ashim.”

  Both boys appeared shocked. “Killed,” Siwell exclaimed. “How does somebody kill another person?”

  Long Swan drew Ysys close to him. “This is not the time for questions. Ysys needs time to recover from what has just happened to her. The best way you can help her is to assure Perle-Ka she is alright and needs some time alone. She’ll understand.”

  “We go.” Yorel said. The two walked rapidly off towards the village of Arym Gael. Meanwhile, Ary followed Long Swan into the red pfalz tent.

  * * *

  Long Swan had intended to take her to the pfalz tent, but now that it was filled with strangers and a host of activities, he decided to take her to another tent. He drew Ysys to one side of the tent and scanned the throng for the Apache healer, Red Fox. The shaman was nowhere to be found. Long Swan brought Ysys into Red Fox’s tent anyway. He tried to comfort her, but the violence and sadness she had experienced over the last night and day were too much for him to comfort. She shivered in his arms. Long Swan worried that when she came to her senses she may never love or trust him again. The killing of Ashim may have forever sealed her heart from Long Swan. He kept all his fears bottled inside him. I must worry for Ysys now, not for myself. Where is Red Fox? She needs him desperately.

  As soon as Red Fox entered his tent led by Arundel, Long Swan called the shaman over. “Ysys has been traumatized by her kidnapping.”

  The shaman quickly attended them. As he looked at her he declared, “I am Red Fox, a medicine man. May I assist you?”

  Ysys nodded her head. She was in a state of near catatonic ponderance.

  “Perhaps I can help restore her spirit,” Red Fox said.

  Ary said, “That would be most helpful.” He turned to Ysys. “Red Fox is a great healer. He can help you to regain your spirit. Would you like that?”

  She searched the shaman’s face before asking. “Can you drive out the awful pictures that keep filling my mind?”

  “It has been done. But you must labor as well.”

  “I’ll do anything not to remember.”

  “You will still remember, but you will be fortified against the memory.”

  “Sit and let Long Swan comfort you while I prepare.”

  Long Swan guided her to one of the folding chairs, then pulled up another next to her and sat.

  He lit a combination of sage and elf wort packed in a tight bundle. He then drew a fox skin over his head as he gave her reassurance and spoke calming words. “Try to relax and realize that nothing bad will happen to you.”

  Long Swan said, “Trust in the shaman, my dear. He can heal where no one else can heal.”

  Red Fox purged the tent with the smoking bundle and put an eagle feather over the door to bar anyone from entering or disturbing them. He grabbed a gourd and began rhythmically shaking it as he chanted, calling down the healing spirits upon her.

  Long Swan closed his eyes, allowing the spiritual energies to flow over him as well. Now the chant grew louder as Red Fox summoned her real spirit so as to drive out the shadow spirit that plagued her and kept her trapped in the horror of her experience. She stiffened. The tormenting spirit twisted her face with profound anguish. As Red Fox continued chanting, Ysys gradually ceased to be in the grips of horrible shock and began to be connected to the present again. Long Swan too felt a sense of relief and peace as though healing angels were surrounding the tent and filling it with soul-soothing warmth. Ysys began to weep, her tears no longer driven by anguish, but with relief.

  The chanting ceased. Red Fox touched her shoulder, before smiling at Long Swan. “The shadow spirit has left, her true spirit has come back into her now. She is once again whole.”

  She turned to Long Swan and clung, pressing her face into his chest.

  Red Fox said, “She should sleep now to restore the balance that was robbed from her body. I know you have much business to attend to, so I will watch over her until you can return.”

  When Long Swan emerged from Red Fox’s tent he saw that the pfalz tent was empty and that everyone was gathered on he banks of the river. They were looking at a smoke signal rising on the opposite river bank.

  “By the nine glory twigs, that must be Mendaka signaling us right on time!” Turtle Duck exclaimed. “Hard to tel
l how long they’ve been signaling us and we’re all just yammering away in the pfalz tent.

  “For Aegir’s sake,” Xelph commanded, “Quick Khem, signal back that we’re sending the Overo over to pick them up.”

  * * *

  It was the end of the Haelige Moonth. Soon the sea gyrs would churn the deep and make the training of novices more difficult. So Raven’s Tongue took to conducting two training sessions a day. The new trainees from Ur Ford had just finished practicing the trimming of the sails and were resting while the crew sailed the belly ship, the Raven, just off Troll Landing. Pyrsyrus’ triremes assigned to the blockade were conducting their routine patrolling of the coast. Raven’s Tongue was signing off on the knots for the trainees when El Yid called out. “Three unknown vessels approaching on the starboard bow, Captain.” He slid down the rope from the crow’s nest and struck the deck with a thud. “Probably some Mexus merchants coming out of Charly’s Harbor. That would be my guess.”

  Raven’s Tongue threw down some ropes and said. “What flag do they fly?”

  El Yid said, “I’ve not seen the likes of it before. It’s a black bull on a white background and there also appears to be a man holding a red cape. You know, like a bullfighter. I can’t tell if it is a banner or a sail.”

  “Damn it!” Raven’s Tongue walked to the rail to look for himself. Immediately, he knew it was the distinctive vessel that had run his blockade before. He shouted an order to the flaggers to signal the triremes to block them. Oarsmen, man your oars and full speed ahead.” The seasoned sailors dashed for the signal flags and arms swished through the air to be answered by the triremes that they would shape it so.

  “Who are they, Raven?” Shug asked.

  “Can’t say for sure, but I have an idea it may be that damned lightning fast Mexus pirate, ‘the Borreguero,’ other seamen say his name is ‘Sajones’.”

  “Will you look at how fast his ship is moving along.” El Yid said holding his hand on his rapier. “Those triremes will never get in place in time.”

  “Row your guts out, you sorry sons of Aegir, row!” Raven’s Tongue yelled. “Get on them boys, bring them down.”

  He turned to the trainees. “You young bloods, show me how much you have learned. Get those sails up fast.”

  Raven’s Tongue ran to the prow and watched as the two ships just clipped around his trireme blockade as easily as a dancer swings under her partner’s arm and made for the open seas to the south. Only the slow moving belly ship was blocked as it vainly attempted to follow.”

  “What kind of ships were they?” El Yid shouted. “No sooner had I caught sight of their white wings than they were upon us. The two ships in front had three or more masts and a square rig and seemed more narrow in width than anything I’ve ever seen.”

  “Shit, shit, shit! Whoever they were they out foxed us and that’s only happened once before,” Raven’s Tongue said, then paused to consider. “Hah yeah! They’ve left their fat brother behind for our taking. Maybe we can get some answers from them. Pull up along side Gordito there. Young bloods, draw your rapiers and prepare to board this fat fish. Gut it if they show any resistence!”

  Raven’s Tongue, El Yid, and Shug brought their Sea Stallion dragoons up alongside the slow moving vessel. When they were within a few feet they swung aboard the belly ship, rapiers slicing air. It was apparent the men were nothing more than poor Mexus fishermen who could offer no resistance.

  Raven’s Tongue put his rapier to the barefoot, threadbare skipper’s throat and commanded, “Identify yourself and those vessels that ran our blockade lest I impale you on the end of this blade.”

  “No need for impaling. I am Andre Garcia del Fuego. We are just fishermen from Rosarita and we come north for the good fish.” The chubby fishermen turned his hands up and in broken English said, “Senor, we no mean ju no harm.”

  “Why did your companion vessels run the blockade then and who were they?” Raven’s Tongue demanded.

  “We no know them. They pay us bery good to sheep with them. Then we come here and they all run away. They no wait for us. They leave us like lizard leave its tail. No know who they be for. Only know he be the great bull fighter of Rosarita. He always been good to us. He name Juan Carlos de Bavar de Gavilla de Sajones.”

  * * *

  An hour had passed since leaving the pfalz tent. As soon as the signal fire had been spotted Turtle Duck returned to the Overo and prepared to set sail once again. Some of the young bloods had finished packing Xelph’s specimens into the crates Turtle Duck had brought to shore for that purpose. Others were preparing the midday meal. Once Long Swan finished his log entry, he stowed it along with his writing materials in his pouch before returning to Red Fox’s tent. As soon as he entered, he saw the change in Ysys’ countenance. In fact, she was laughing at something Red Fox had said. As soon as she saw him, her face lit up and a weight was lifted from his heart. He perceived a look of adoring love in her eyes that had been dulled by her tribulation.

  “Red Fox was just telling me about the first time he met you in Witan Jewell and stepped on your robe causing you to fall flat on your face in front of the Herewardi chiefs. He knew you were a holy man, but that didn’t stop you from cursing like a man sitting on a yellow jacket’s nest.”

  Long Swan felt his face go red. That was a lapse of control he had chosen to forget. He motioned for Turtle Duck to attend him so as to introduce him to Eyf.

  Ysys was getting tired and asked to be taken home. She figured enough time had passed that the gossipers would be in their homes. But when they reached the village, nearly all of the Chartreuseans of Arym Gael were still gathered at the Mushroom Hall in a chaotic mob. There was weeping, wailing, keening, and all manner of confusion. People lay in the dust throwing it over their heads and yelling “Woe is unto us. We are undone.”

  Ysys squeezed his arm tightly and her skin turned pale.

  Long Swan offered, “I think your father is in the hall. Would you like to go home now or go with me to the hall?”

  “I want to stay with you.” Leaving the lamenters behind with his arm firmly wrapped around her shoulders for support, they made for the Mushroom Hall to speak with the chief. As soon as they entered the hall the conversation between the Arym Gaelean sages and sisters ceased. Surprisingly, the Ele-Anorean Ambassador, Mack-Ka was also in attendance. Mack smiled at Long Swan. However, none of the sages or sisters were willing to even make eye contact with him.

  Ysys ran and embraced her father, who hugged her close, tears welling up in his eyes. “What has that wretch done to my beautiful daughter?”

  Long Swan walked carefully up to him and said, “Peace, Chief Eyf, to you and your people. Why is there still so much fear on the faces of your people and on everyone we met. We Syr Folk intend you no hostility or violence.”

  As he scanned their faces, he noted how many of the sages and sisters stole fearful glances at Turtle Duck. Dressed in his redman’s regalia of feathers and hair-bone choker, he was an unfamiliar sight to them. He had to admit it was as if Turtle Duck was an eagle in human form. The Arym Gaeleans must have felt like ducklings, as they were swiftly moving away from him, giving him an unusually wide berth, though they could not refrain from their gawking. He was now glad Xelph had agreed to stay behind in the camp, he having been the hand of death in the case of Ashim.

  Chief Eyf, with lips pursed and his hands shaking, held tight to his daughter. “Your people blow hot and cold air out of the same mouth.” The words exploded from him. “We do not understand your violence, it has never been known amongst us to kill a man like one kills a swine. You killed Ashim and Yhcstein the way we slaughter pigs.” He took a quick breath. “My God, how inhuman can you get? No Chartreusean has ever killed a man here. If there be gods, how will they judge you?”

  Before Long Swan could reply, Ysys said, “Father, do not be so quick to judgement. Ashim kidnapped me and with the most brutal of violence I’ve ever known, sought to force himself upon me against my will
.”

  “But could such an act warrant slaughtering a human, daughter?”

  Ysys was silent as Eyf turned his attention back to Long Swan. “I have been told your name denotes a beautiful heavenly bird of land, water, and air, but that, as Xelph told me, this same bird has been known to drown a man before. I believe it says all in that you are both a heavenly and bloodthirsty lot of men like this swan bird whose name you bear. Speaking for my people, your actions have made us very fearful of you. It will be difficult for us to ever bear your presence again. And I hope, at least for now, that you go far away from us for we do not know how to deal with such unpredictable creatures as you. We cannot suffer another man to be killed by you.”

  Long Swan shook his head, “Ashim was a weed in your garden, a foreign root. You have to cull weeds so the garden can prosper. Had he been tolerated, he would have poisoned many of your children. The Ele-Anoreans know this. That is why they will not tolerate him or his kind in their land.”

  Mack-Ka nodded his agreement. “We have warned you long, Chief Eyf that something needed to be done about this Ashim and you have merely taken a policy of tolerance when at the least he should have been banished to the lands beyond the great wall and not allowed to come into contact with any village.”

  Eyf showed a quirk of the lip, that might have been a sign his heart was changing, but Long Swan’s hopes were dashed when he eventually declared. “I fear having you dwell amongst us is like bringing a tiger into one’s home. It is not safe, we do not possess the witchcraft to control such a beast as you and we do not know when you may turn on us, though I must say until this point, we very much enjoyed you and your people. But one day you may sup at our table and the next day you may once again slit one of our throats. Killing seems to be a common practice among your people, but it is of unestimable horror to us.”

  “Chief Eyf,” Mack-Ka said, “that is so, but it certainly presents itself as a new remedy to the profane and evil likes of Ashim and his coven. Once dead he can no longer work his evil. The Goddess Salixia has admonished us to purify the land of Ashim and his ilk and methinks she has orchestrated this purging.”