Light in the Barren Lands: Travail of The Dark Mage Book One (2 page)

Jira was the first through the door. “Mother!” she exclaimed. “The boat’s here and we get to…” Her excitement died fast when her eye caught sight of a bundle wrapped in brown paper and tied with twine sitting on the table.

“Oh, you’re back,” her mother said, looking up from where she worked at applying a coat of varnish to her bow with a cloth.

“Yes,” replied Jiron as he followed Jira into the room. Then his eyes caught sight of the package as well. “Buy something did we?”

Setting the cloth aside, she propped her bow against the wall so that it could dry then came to her feet. “We were in luck,” she said. “The seamstress had a dress on hand that had been commissioned but never claimed.” Moving to the table she began undoing the twine that held the package closed. She looked to her daughter and said, “You are going to love it.”

Jiron knew the truth of that but kept it to himself. Closing the door behind him, he took a seat at the table. Jira still stood in the same spot she’d initially stopped in after seeing the package. The expression on her face was one of extreme unhappiness as only a child could possess.

“I think it may have to be taken in a bit,” continued her mother. Pulling back the wrapping, she exposed cloth of the brightest pink.

Jira’s face fell even further.

As her mother fully removed the brown paper, Jira’s eyes widened, and not in a good way.

Aleya took hold of the dress and lifted it off the table, unfolding it in all its glory. Pink ruffles and bows abounded. The area around the hips ballooned out a bit and the shoulders were poofy. There were also two matching ribbons for her hair, both a bright pink. “What do you think?”

The look on Jira’s face could only be construed as one of complete and abject horror. She turned a pleading look toward her father but found no help forthcoming from that quarter.

“Well?” her mother asked again.

Jira shook her head. “I don’t like it.”

“Well, I’m sure you would only have to wear it on special occasions.” Feeling pity for his daughter, Jiron threw her a lifeline. Glancing to his wife, he added, “We wouldn’t want such an exquisite dress to be sullied by day to day wear.”

“Of course not,” she replied, prompting Jira to relax with a sigh. For one so young in age, she at times seemed so much older. “I thought it would be perfect for Kenny’s birthday.”

Fear sprung anew in Jira’s eyes. For that was why they were in Cardri and had been awaiting the arrival of
The Water Sprite
. The day after tomorrow was Kenny’s birthday, which meant she had very little time before she had to…before her hair would be up in… “Dog spit!” she exclaimed. Suddenly realizing what she had said, and in front of her mother no less, her face paled. True, it wasn’t one of a long list of swear words that produced immediate repercussions from her parents; still it was one of which her mother disapproved.

Jiron glanced from Jira to his wife and could see her annoyance at their daughter displayed quite clearly upon her face. Catching her eye, he shrugged and gave her a grin. “Maybe the dress maker would have another in a larger size so you two could match?”

“She
doesn’t
,” came the reply.

Her eyes flashed in promised retribution before returning to her daughter. “Now let’s try this on and see where it needs adjusting.”

Knowing full well she could not escape such an ignoble fate, Jira cast a final hopeful look to her father, just in case. Her shoulders visibly sagged when realization came that she was doomed to wearing the dress. Dragging her feet the entire way, she accompanied her mother into the other room.

Jiron waited for the door to close before allowing his grin full reign.

The following morning promised a day of much sun, though it still held onto the previous night’s chill. Jiron and family arrived at the gangplank of
The Water Sprite
where Jiron hollered up to the deck for permission to board.

Toby appeared at the rail and waved them aboard. He took Aleya’s bag from her as she came on deck. “Good to see you again ma’am,” he said with a friendly grin.

“You too, Tobias,” she replied.

“We shall be underway shortly,” he informed them. “You can make yourselves comfortable in the Captain’s cabin if you wish.”

Seeing how his daughter ran to the forward rail, Jiron said, “I doubt if that will be necessary.”

“Well, it is available to you should you desire,” he replied.

Already, Jira was half over the rail as she sought out elusive sea creatures in the water below. “Be careful,” cautioned her mother.

“I will,” she replied. Eyes scanning the murky depths, she saw something swim by and squealed in excitement. “A fish!”

“Yes,” said Jiron with a grin. “The sea is known to have one or two swimming about.”

They didn’t have long to wait before Captain Smythe emerged from making his final checks of the cargo down in the hold. He spied them at the rail and waved. “Mr. Tobias!” he shouted. “Let’s away!”

“Aye sir,” the sailor replied.

Lines were cast off and sails deployed. As the expanding canvas caught the morning breeze,
The Water Sprite
began pulling away from the dock.

“We’re moving!” exclaimed Jira.

Jiron and Aleya came to stand on either side of their daughter to watch the boat make its way through the harbor. Many ships were moored at the docks. Some were rather small, while others were larger, seagoing merchant vessels that plied their trade all along the coast and to neighboring kingdoms.

One vessel caught Jiron’s eye. Atop its mast flew the flag of the Empire. He still held deep resentment where the Empire was concerned. Too many times had its people done him wrong. And not only him, but those close to him as well.

Tinok had never been the same since they rescued him. What had once been a fun-loving, amiable young man was now a moody, darker individual. Oh, he was all right for the most part, but when the darker moods hit, he kept to himself, and those around him knew better than to disturb him before the mood departed. As often as not, he would find his way to the Pits when the mood was upon him.

Those who faced his knives during those times rarely survived. Should an opponent happen to bear a resemblance to those of the Empire, Tinok would shred him into a bloody pulp. He seemed to revel in the death and destruction the Pits allowed. And the new proprietors of the Pits were more than happy to oblige him.

Not long after the expulsion of the Empire from Madoc, The Pits had been rebuilt, or rather, made to function. The original Boss of the Pits had never returned, so Scar and Potbelly took over, and now the Pits had become even more popular than before. The fact that the two new Bosses were close comrades to the one who was instrumental in throwing off the yolk of the Empire played no small role in its newfound prosperity. Where before the Pits was underground and considered to be criminal, now it was borderline legitimate.

But with legitimacy came a price. No longer were fights to the death, though those still happened on occasion. Instead it was more about the fight, than the kill. Many of those who had frequented the Pits before the Empire invaded thought it was but a shadow of its former glory. But, the new Bosses could arrange a clandestine fight like the old days, if the price was right. And for those who were in the know, knew that there was the Pits, and then there was the
Pits!
As often as not, Tinok would fight in the latter.

Jiron worried for his friend, but knew there was little he could do. When asked if he wished to accompany them on this trip, Tinok had declined.

“Look!” Jira cried excitedly.

Brought out of his reverie, Jiron followed his daughter’s little arm to where it pointed in time to see a fish splash back into the water. He glanced to his wife and grinned. Their daughter’s excitement was infectious.

The Water Sprite
emerged from the harbor and set a course to round the southern end of the narrow island, due west of Cardri. The water was smooth, the air salty, and a little girl was in heaven.

Not long after entering open water, the Captain came forward to join them. “Good to see you again Captain,” greeted Jiron.

From her vantage overlooking the prow, Jira glanced back to give the Captain a warm smile. Though as affable as Tobias, there was a greater sense of propriety when dealing with Captain Smythe. There would be no jumping into his arms as she had done with Toby.

“You too Jiron,” replied Captain Smythe before giving Aleya a brief bow of respect. To Jira he asked, “Any dolphins yet?”

Turning back to scan the water’s surface, she replied, “Not yet Captain.”

“Keep looking,” he replied. “They usually appear before we round the horn.”

Glancing back to him, she gave him another grin and said in her best imitation of sailor speak, “Aye, aye Captain!”

The adults laughed as she turned back to hunt for the elusive dolphins.

“She has grown quite a bit since last you sailed with us,” commented the Captain.

“Yes,” agreed Aleya. “She’s becoming quite the handful.”

Jiron laughed. It was all too true. “So Captain, do you think we will reach the island by nightfall?”

The captain nodded. “Wind’s out of the west which will slow us, but at least the water’s calm. We’ll make it.”

“Father!” exclaimed Jira. “Dolphins!”

Glancing over the rail, they spied three riding the waves created by
The Water Sprite’s
passage. “Right on time,” commented Captain Smythe. For up ahead, the island’s horn was drawing near.

Once around the horn, the helmsman turned them southwest as the sailors unfurled the remainder of the sails. With the sails fully extended,
The Water Sprite
fairly flew across the water.

“Sail ho!” cried the lookout high above in the rigging.

“Where away?” hollered the captain.

“Ten degrees off the starboard,” replied the sailor.

Moving to the starboard rail, the captain sought the vessel.

“She’s turning toward us Captain!” the lookout cried.

Coming up behind the captain, Jiron asked, “Trouble?”

Ignoring the question, the Captain closely examined the boat. He couldn’t quite make out if it was flying colors or not. “Whose is she?” he hollered up to the lookout.

A moment’s silence, then, “She’s not flying colors Captain.”

“Pirate then,” he replied to Jiron and his family. “Mister Tobias!”

“Yes, Captain?” said the sailor.

“Run up the flag,” he replied.

“Aye, sir.” Hurrying to the captain’s cabin, he re-emerged a moment later carrying a folded, white flag. In short order he was attaching it to the color’s line and running it aloft. When the wind hit it and the flag billowed out, all could see the black tower insignia adorning it.

“What’s that, father?” asked Jira.

“It tells everyone who sees it that this ship is under the protection of your Uncle,” he explained.

“Oh,” she replied.

“Once in a while you get a new captain who’s gone rogue who isn’t familiar with its significance,” explained the captain. “Though we haven’t had a problem with pirates for two years now. Word has spread.”

Jiron nodded. He well remembered the never ending parade of people drawn to James after his exploits in the Empire. Being relatively good natured, James endured it far longer than Jiron would have. Had it been him, he would have knifed a few as an example long before it grew so bad.

James didn’t have a moment’s peace. Trendle was being inundated with people from all over looking to curry his favor and ask for help in all sorts of endeavors, none of which was of interest to James. And along with those searching him out, came the riffraff. Crime in Trendle skyrocketed.

He finally came to the decision to move so those he cared about could have their lives back. But where to move? He needed a place located where a person could not just show up unannounced and one that people did not want to venture to in the first place. He finally came up with the Captain’s Archipelago, a group of islands some distance off the coast of Cardri

On the face of it, it was perfect. Only way to get to it was across a large expanse of water, which would preclude all but the truly desperate from even making the attempt. It also had a notorious reputation as being a lair for pirates and other ne’er-do-wells. The threat of pirates would have scared off another man, but after what James had already gone through, pirates were of little consequence.

So off he went with Meliana, who at the time was pregnant with Kenny, and settled on the Archipelago’s southernmost island. Jiron, Aleya with baby Jira, and others came to help them build their home and get settled.

Lord Pytherian convinced the Madoc Council to spring for a master carpenter and a master builder. Illan provided an elderly couple from southern Madoc whose family had been lost in the war to help maintain the residence and see to the basic needs such as cooking, grounds work, etc.

The manor house went up in record time and all seemed to be going well. Then the trouble started. It was about a month after those who had helped him get established on the island returned to the mainland that a pirate raiding party came calling one night. Morning’s light found two score dead pirates. James had wiped them all out.

Their ship was still anchored off the beach on the southwestward side of the island. Determined for there to be no further attacks, he loaded the dead pirates on the ship, returned to shore, and waited. It wasn’t long before another pirate ship appeared, perhaps seeking to discover why the dead pirates failed to return, or intent on pillage of their own. Whichever the case, James was going to put a stop to it once and for all. As the ship came alongside the one now crewed with the dead, he summoned the magic.

Jiron still grins whenever he thinks about how James made the dead pirates appear to rise, how spectral shapes from some hellish vision emerged from the water and swarmed toward the newly arrived pirate ship. Needless to say, that was the last time a pirate sailed within sight of James’ island.