Lorik (The Lorik Trilogy) (9 page)

Stone needed a place to stay for the night, but didn’t have any desire to be around the rowdy crowds in the waterfront inns. He decided instead to go back to the small inn where he’d had dinner with the Riders the night before. He tied his horse to the post outside and went into the large common room. There were several groups sitting in small clusters, eating and drinking. The innkeeper rose from his seat at one of the tables and hurried forward.

“I need a room for the night,” Stone said. “And a place to keep my horse.”

“I have rooms, but no stable,” Chancy said.

“He can keep his horse in my barn,” Lorik said, walking up behind Chancy. “I was just getting ready to walk home anyway. You can pick your animal up in the morning, if you’re still coming by.”

“I am,” Stone said.

“Good, I’ll see you then.”

Lorik went out, and the innkeeper hurried to the kitchen to bring Stone something to eat. Stone wasn’t interested in having a long conversation, even though he could see that the innkeeper was about to burst with curiosity.

“I heard you are wanting to partner with Lorik,” Chancy said. “I’m Chancy, by the way. And this is Yulver.”

“Nice to meet you both,” Stone said around a mouthful of food.

“That’s an interesting get-up on your belt,” said Yulver. “I’ve never seen anyone carry weapons like that.”

“It’s custom-made,” Stone explained.

“You’re a leathersmith then?” Chancy probed.

“No, not really. I just needed something I couldn’t find and had a leather worker make it for me.”

“That’s fascinating. So what is your interest in becoming a teamster?”

“You ask a lot of questions,” Stone said.

“Oh, forgive me, forgive me,” said Chancy. “I’m just naturally nosy. And after last night I took you for a new Rider. It’s not often you see outlaws seeking legitimate work.”

“What makes you think I’m an outlaw?” Stone said, ignoring his food.

“Oh, I meant no offense. We don’t judge in the Point, do we Yulver? I just assumed that because you were with Marsdyn and riding a horse that you were part of their...” he searched for the appropriate word. He didn’t want to say “gang,” but “group” seemed too pedestrian. “...bunch.”

“No,” said Stone, taking another bite of his supper.

“Well, forgive my mistake. I, for one, am glad to hear that you’ll be helping Lorik. He’s a good friend of ours. I hate to think of something happening to him all alone in the marsh.”

“I worry more about bandits in the north,” said Yulver. “I guess you’ve heard that the King is marching his army east?”

“I have,” said Stone.

“If what I’ve heard about your fighting skills is correct, you’ll be a useful addition to Lorik’s business.”

“From what I saw last night, he does pretty well on his own,” Stone said.

“He doesn’t take anything lying down,” Chancy said.

“But he’ll need help if he’s attacked by a group of outlaws,” Yulver added.

They continued to talk about Lorik, the King, and what the future might hold. Stone ate his meal and finished his mead, then asked for his room. Chancy led him to a small room in the back. It had a narrow bed, a small table with two chairs, and a large basin for washing. There was a lamp, which Chancy lit, and an open window. In the dark Stone couldn’t see what was outside.

“What’s out there?” he asked.

“Not much,” Chancy admitted. “There’s a pretty large bog and then the path that leads to Lorik’s property.”

Stone closed and latched the window. He knew the room would be stuffy, but he would sleep better knowing that no one could get into the room without him knowing it.

“Is there anything else you need?” Chancy asked.

“No,” Stone replied.

“Well, then, I’ll see you in the morning. Breakfast is free to all my guests.”

He left the room, and Stone locked the door behind him. It was a simple metal bolt, small but effective. He knew that no one could get into the room without him knowing. He pulled off his boots and took off his belt, then stretched out on the small bed. It was clean and soft, which was a pleasant change. He was used to sleeping outdoors, or in barns and sometimes abandoned homes. When he did stay at an inn, they were usually filthy, vermin-infested, and noisy. Chancy’s Inn was clean and quiet, and he felt safer than he had in years.

He blew out the lamp and lay back on the soft bed, wondering if he would ever lie down to sleep without worrying that someone would try to rob or kill him in his sleep. He didn’t dream that night. It seemed as if he just closed his eyes for a moment, and when he opened them sunlight was streaking the sky with pink and gold.

He sat up slowly, stretching and rolling his head on his shoulders. Then he washed his face in the basin and pulled on his boots. Once he had his belt on and his sheaths tied in place around his thighs, he left the room. Chancy was waiting with freshly baked bread in the common room. Despite the fact that he had obviously been up late in the night and had risen well before dawn to start baking bread, Chancy didn’t seem tired at all.

“And how was your night? Restful I hope,” said Chancy.

“It was,” Stone said. “I’d like to stay here, if things work out with Lorik. I know I’ll be gone a lot, but I’ll need a place to stay until I find a house of my own.”

“Splendid,” said Chancy. “I’ll hold a room for you.”

Stone paid with a gold coin, which wasn’t rare in Hassell Point, since many of the pirates and outlaws had stolen gold in their purses. Chancy rarely had gold, though, as most of his patrons were locals who came to the inn only for food. Chancy’s wife was a good cook, and he usually charged only a few coppers for a meal and mead.

“This will cover your room and board for a month of stays,” said Chancy.

“Good, I won’t need a full breakfast. Just a loaf of bread will do.”

He got directions to Lorik’s property from the innkeeper and set out soon after. He munched the bread as he walked. It felt good to stretch his legs, and he enjoyed the thought that he was going to do something positive and productive. Much of his life had been spent in an effort to right the wrongs he had experienced in his childhood. Although he often thought of his deeds as beneficial, they were rarely positive. Now that was changing. He was looking forward to doing work he could feel good about.

Lorik’s property was on a slight hill. There was a road that led from the town proper to Lorik’s property. Mud bogs lined the road, and it was obvious that Lorik had to work to maintain the road, which was just wide enough for his large wagons to stay out of the mud. The house was not large, but it was bigger than a cottage. The barn behind the home was much bigger, and there were horses in the small corral. Lorik was sitting in a chair on the home’s small porch, drinking a steaming cup of tea.

“Good morning,” Stone said.

“And well met,” said Lorik. “How was your stay at Chancy’s?”

“I slept well,” Stone said.

“Good, let’s get started then.”

They walked out to the barn. It was well built with a large hayloft, stalls for a dozen animals, and room for three large wagons, as well as a work area for repairs. Stone saw that his own horse was occupying one of the stalls. From the looks of her, she’d had a nice rubdown and was currently enjoying a small feed bag of oats.

“My father built this place,” Lorik said. “His father started delivering the rice tax, and the Earl of Yorick Shire gave him his first wagon. Before that, most of the farmers hauled their rice taxes out in hand carts.”

“Through the marshes?” Stone asked.

“Yes, in the winter months. The trip would usually take a month, and they often lost as much rice as they delivered. Now there are several good paths through the marshes, depending on the weather and where you need to go. If things work out you’ll learn all of them and how to tell what the marshes are doing.”

“What do you mean?”

“Most people don’t realize that the marshes migrate. There’s a lot of water under the ground, and when that water shifts or moves, so do the marshes above them. You’ll have to learn the difference between a bog, sucking mud, and quicksand. We’ve got it all in the marshes, along with some venomous snakes and toads. There’s also mud dragons—I suppose you’ve heard of them?”

“Yes, I even saw a few on my way to Hassell Point.”

“Well,” said Lorik as they approached the first wagon, “they generally don’t bother us. They’re territorial, though, and they will attack if they feel threatened. They’re fast, and their bite is so powerful it can take off your hand if you get too close.”

“You make it seem so glamorous,” Stone said sarcastically.

“It can be, once you know your business. But it isn’t easy work. I know a lot of people who think I just drive a wagon around. That’s only a small part of what I do. I load and unload cargo, care for the horses, keep up the maintenance on the wagons, and probably most importantly, I protect the goods I haul. I know the lay of the land beyond the marshes up to Yorick Shire pretty well, and the Earl does a good job of keeping outlaws at bay, but there are dangers to cargo besides thieves. Especially if your load is rice. Moisture can ruin rice, from rain to a little water splashed on the grain sacks as you cross a stream.”

“Well, I’m a fast learner,” Stone said. “And I’m not afraid of hard work.”

“Good, let’s get started. I’ve got two types of wagons. The first is called a marsh schooner. Have you ever heard of it?”

“No, I haven’t,” Stone said as he slowly circled the wagon.

“These two are marsh schooners. See how they angle up in the front and the back, just like a boat? In the marsh, you never know when the path might plunge your wagon into the water or into soft mud. With this design, we protect the cargo. It’s watertight and sealed on the inside, with space between the bottom of the wagon and the floor where the cargo is carried so that it can float. It also has these steel pins along the axle, so that if worse comes to worst, you can actually pull the pins and float the wagon off the chassis just like a boat.”

“Who made these?” Stone asked.

“My father designed them, and the Earl of Yorick Shire had them built. They work great though the marshes although they take a long time to build. The other kind of wagon is called a Mascogee wagon.”

Lorik walked over to the other wagon. “It’s built for long hauls. I keep one here and one hidden on the far side of the marshlands so that if I have a long trip, I can swap the cargo over and make better time on the open road. In the driest summer months I sometimes take this wagon through the marshes. It has wooden axles, and the wheels are made of wood, too. If it’s really wet the axles can warp and have to be replaced, but the difference in weight is worth the risk sometimes. The Mascogee holds just as much cargo, but is much lighter than the marsh schooner.”

“And that’s just a farm wagon,” Stone said, pointing to the small wagon in the back of the barn.”

“That’s right. Let’s take a look at the horses.”

They went out to the corral were there were six very large horses. Most of them were reaching through the wooden fence to nibble the grass that was growing on the other side.

“Can you identify them?” Lorik asked, leaning on the fence.

“They’re Shire horses,” Stone said. “Five mares and one stallion.”

“Good, you do know your horses. The older two are broodmares now. I usually only take two horses out at a time. I have a boy in town who comes out to feed them when I’m away.”

“What kind of harness do you use?”

“Come on, I’ll show you.”

They went back in the barn and looked at the harness and braces. Stone took his time looking at the tack, since he was less familiar with it than anything else.

“So how do you see our partnership working?” Lorik asked.

“I need to learn as much as possible, so I was thinking I would just ride with you. I’ll be your apprentice. I have a little gold set aside. I can buy my own horses when I’m ready for that.”

“What about pay?” Lorik said. “I can always use the help, but the folks around here can’t afford for me to increase my rates. I was thinking you should keep your gold and when my mares give birth, you keep the horses. I’ll even help you train them. I’ve got an extra room in the house, too, where you could stay until you find a place of your own. Once you start running your own loads we’ll split the commission. How’s that sound?”

“Do you think there’s enough business to keep us both busy once I’m ready to go out on my own?”

“Sure, there’s always a need, whether it’s goods going out or goods coming in. The main crop in the marshland is rice. We can grow other things, but rice is our specialty. There are very few places in Ortis where it can grow. Most farmers get in two crops a year, and half has to be sent to Yorik Shire as taxes. Most teamsters merely haul cargo, but I usually sell the surplus rice at some of the smaller markets and trade for goods we don’t have. Timber is hard to come by in the marshlands. We have trees, but they’re usually short and crooked making them hard to mill.”

“So you haul out rice, pay the tax, and sell the rest. Then buy goods for your clients and haul them back.”

“Yes, and quite often I work on commission. I’ll take a percentage of their profits as my pay, rather than require money up front. Sometimes I work for trade, but not often. In the fall I usually make a haul or two just to bring back hay and oats for the horses. And sometimes I haul out trade goods from the craftsmen in town. It’s easier for them to let me haul it, since they don’t have enough to pay for freight on a ship.”