The Eternal Darkness (13 page)

“I have not agreed to do this fool thing yet, Nelan,” Norai stated.  “Let me first see little Hanen and give your wife a hug, then I will hear these two out.”  Releasing Hailyn, he followed her father into the house.

“He is not really my uncle, Jake,” Hailyn told him as they followed.  “He is from Cratoa, one of the city-states below Morisan.  It runs along the sea and is a hub of fishing and trading activity.  Almost all of the men of Cratoa are raised to work on a ship.”

“As my father said, they have been friends since before I was born, so I have always called him uncle.  They met when my father was just starting out in business and Norai was the operator of a small fishing vessel.  Over the years, he went from his fishing boats to a large trading ship, sailing up and down the coast in search of riches.  I can remember as a girl, he would take my sister and I out on his ship, sailing out to sea for the day.”

“So, do you think he will take us?” Jake asked.

“I think if the price is right, he will,” she said with a smile.  “Uncle Norai is a businessman first.  I have heard my father say that, if there was a profit in it, Norai would sail to the Southern Wilds in a rowboat.”

They found Norai in the kitchen, listening patiently as Hanen, brimming with excitement, told him about what she had been doing since he last saw her.  When she finally finished, Norai pulled a small golden locket from a bag on his belt.  “I found this on a deserted beach, far to the south,” he said dramatically.  With Hanen’s attention on the locket, she did not see the wink he gave to Nelan.  “I am not sure of its origin, but it is likely from an ancient land.  I want you to have it, dear Hanen, to remember your Uncle Norai when I am away.”

Hanen positively glowed when he handed her the locket.  She threw her arms around his neck.  “Thank you!  I will keep it safe for you, Uncle.”

“That’s a good girl,” he said as he stood.  He looked over at Hailyn and Jake, then back to Nelan.

“Let’s go out back and talk,” Hailyn’s father suggested.  “We can use the table under the tree.”

Once they had gone outside and sat down at the round wooden table, Norai got straight to business.  “Nelan has told me of your need,” he said.  “I have sailed most places over the years, so the ocean holds no fear for me.  It is what is on the ocean that concerns me.  The raiders live to the west and patrol their waters when they are not actively seeking plunder.  Do you even have a heading other than west?”

“No, Uncle,” Hailyn said.  “We only know that what we seek lies to the west.”

Before Norai could respond, they heard the dogs start barking out front.  Nelan, a frown on his face, stood and said, “Continue to talk, I will go see what the ruckus is about.”

“Do you have any estimation of the distance you need to travel?” Norai asked as Nelan disappeared around the side of the house.  “We would have to carry enough water and food to last us for the duration of the voyage.  Without a clear understanding of what lies before us, we would have to assume that we would not have any opportunities to forage and resupply.”

“We cannot tell you how many days, Uncle,” Hailyn replied.  “I need to know if you are willing to carry us.”

Norai seemed offended by that.  “I would not allow anyone else to do so,” he stated brusquely.  “I think of you as my own flesh and blood.  If you are going to insist on doing this, I will be the one to take you.”

“Thank you, Uncle,” she said, reaching out to grasp his hand.  “I feel better knowing that you will be our captain and I know that my parents will be relieved.”

“I do this out of love for you and your family, Hailyn,” he told her.  He almost looked guilty when he added, “However, I have to feed my crew and compensate them for the danger.  That will take gold, I’m afraid, more than your father has, so how will we resolve that?”

“We have gold, Uncle, enough to pay your crew,” she assured him.  “If you give us a price, we will pay it.”

“And that amount again if you bring us safely home,” a familiar voice sounded behind them.

Jake spun around and was stunned to see Dominic and Jonas following behind Hailyn’s father.  They were both travel-stained, but Jonas had an easy smile on his face as he approached the table, staff in hand.  “The Temple will compensate you for any additional expenses, Captain,” he said.

“What are you doing here?” Jake blurted out, still in shock.

“Are you not happy to see us, boy?” Dominic replied with an amused look.  “Usually, friends are greeted with more warmth than that.”

“I’m glad to see you,” Jake said truthfully, feeling a sudden relief.  He had thought that he would never see either man again.  “I’m just surprised that you are really here.”

“As to your question, Jake,” Jonas said, “I received a letter from Tomaris explaining what you were doing.  He suggested that you might need some help.”

…

Early the next morning, with the sun still below the horizon and a light fog all around them, Jake, Hailyn, Jonas and Dominic followed Nelan into town.  It was strangely quiet as the fog dampened the ground and seemed to swallow up all of the sounds the party made as they rode.  No one appeared in a mood to talk.

The day had started off somberly.  Once they were all up, Jake went with Dominic and saddled the horses.  Dominic left the armor off of Shadow, leaving it stored neatly in the barn.  Once they were finished, they ate a quiet meal that Joslyn had prepared for them.  As they prepared to leave, Hailyn said goodbye to her family.  Her mother clung to her, not wanting to let go, until Nelan had gently pried his wife’s arms away.  Jake could not help but feel choked up as he saw the tears and heard the sobs.  The pain on Joslyn’s face as she watch her daughter leave, perhaps to never return, made him think of his mother and her loss
.
Knowing what she was going through, he had ridden close to Hailyn when they left her home, whispering assurances that she would see her family again.

Norai had left soon after Jonas and Dominic’s arrival the day before, off to rouse his crew and buy supplies for their voyage.  “Be at the docks by first light, so we can sail on the morning tide,” he had told them.  “You will need to leave the horses behind.  They cannot come on the ship; it is not designed to transport large animals.  Even if we could make space, they and their fodder will take up room that I would rather see filled with fresh water and food.”

As they rode into town, the dirt road transitioning to cobblestone, the fog gave it an eerie feel.  Over the sound of their horses, Jake heard people getting up for the day, the sound of doors opening and closing, muffled voices, and the occasional ring of metal on stone, but the fog obscured everything.  Jake noticed as he passed the buildings that they were made of wood and stone, most with tile roofs.

As they drew nearer to the docks, the smell of brackish water and fish permeated the fog, surrounding them.  Watch fires were burning in tall metal braziers that lined the road, giving the fog a flickering orange glow.  Directly ahead, Jake could hear the sound of waves gently lapping against wooden hulls, the creaking of wood and rope as the ships moved.

Without warning, the street gave way to the wooden planks of the dock itself.  The hollow sound of the horses’ hooves striking the dock seemed to echo loudly after the relatively quiet ride.  They continued on until Nelan signaled them to stop.  They dismounted and led the horses forward.

Standing in the middle of the dock was Norai and another man.  The other man was tall and lean, with the hard look of a man who tolerated little nonsense, his face seemingly locked in a perpetual frown.  He was dress in a leather vest and pants, a coarse linen shirt and sandals.  He had a long dagger on his belt.

“Greetings, friends,” Norai said quietly.  He gestured towards the other man.  “This is my first mate, Batrei.”  The man gave them a curt nod.  “We have just finished loading the supplies onboard, so we will be ready to sail at first light.”

He looked to Nelan, sympathy on his face.  “Now you must say farewell, my friend.  On my honor, I will watch over Hailyn with my life.  If it can be done, I will bring her home safe.”

Jake took Hailyn’s bags while she went to say goodbye to her father.  There were fresh tears, but Nelan kept it brief, holding her close and kissing her forehead.  As Hailyn came back over to Jake, Nelan took the reins of the horses from them.  Wiping his eyes, he looked at the small party.  “I will make sure that your horses are cared for and your equipment stored until your return,” he told them.  “May the One protect you on this voyage.”

“May He watch over you and your family as well, friend Nelan,” Jonas said quietly.  “We will all look out for one another; you have my word on that.”

“Thank you, Brother,” he replied.  With a final grieving look at Hailyn, he slowly turned and walked back down the dock, the fog taking him and the horses.

“My ship is at the end of the dock,” Norai said.  “Let us get onboard and prepare to sail.”

Norai’s ship was over one hundred feet long, with two tall masts, rigged with rope and canvas.  It had a sharp bow that tapered to wide hull, with an elevated bridge at the back.  As they got closer, Jake saw men hustling about the deck and climbing on the ropes attached to the masts.  They followed Norai and Batrei up the wooden ramp and onto the ship.

“I have had cabins prepared for you,” he said as he led them to a small door under the bridge.  “Room is at a premium on the ship, so I have one for Hailyn and one for Brother Jonas, but Jake and Dominic will have to double bunk.  All are small, but clean.  For meals, you will dine with me in my cabin.”

He showed them their cabins, allowing them to store their bags.  Jake and Dominic continued to wear their armor and weapons, and Jake kept the sword strapped to his back.  Once they were settled, they went back up to the deck, Jake figuring out how to navigate the tight hall and stairs with the sword.  They joined Norai on the bridge as his men released the ropes that secured the ship to the dock.

“We have enough supplies to provide us two months of travel,” Norai said.  “If we have not found what you seek within a month, we will return to port.  Provided that a storm or the raiders haven’t killed us by then,” he finished, looking at them with a tight grin.  He turned forward, surveying his ship.

“Batrei, get the men moving!” he called out.  “I want to be out of the harbor and sails set by the time the sun rises.”

At the sound of Batrai’s shouted commands, the ship slipped away from the dock and headed towards the harbor mouth and the open sea.

…

Far to the north, as the sun rose towards mid-morning, Captain Hessel pulled his cloak tighter against the damp, cool air as he inspected the fort.  He had been ordered out of the city with Sir Alleon before the fighting, and then was assigned to assist Alleon as he oversaw the holdings of Lord Marcellas. 
Lord Marcus’ now
, he thought.

He was reviewing the performance of Marcus’ men-at-arms who were sent to augment the fort’s soldiers.  Alleon saw it as a way to test the loyalties of the men while keeping them under the control of the queen’s soldiers.  Everything he had seen indicated that they were hard working and loyal.  The reports of the commander of the fort agreed.

The commander, Lieutenant Runo, was walking with him as he made his rounds.  Hessel regarded him as a competent soldier.  Runo was a large man, dark-haired with a neatly trimmed beard.  He had fought against the Inland Sea raiders before, so he was regarded as the perfect man to run this fort.

The fort was a stone and wooden structure, square shaped with a small wood and metal gate facing the sea and a larger one on the east side of the fort.  It was situated at the top of a rise, giving it an unobstructed view of the sea and the surrounding area.  There were coarse sand beaches to the north and south of the fort, but the terrain beyond the beach was rugged and naturally funneled any enemy towards the fort.  With strong walls and a compliment of fine archers, it was the place that they could hold any enemy attack until reinforcements arrived.  Behind the fort rose the tree covered hills that led towards the main holding of Lord Marcus.

Hessel climbed up the wooden staircase to the top of the wall, Runo right behind him.  He stopped over the gate, leaned against the stone wall and looked out towards the sea.  The fog, ever-present in the mornings, stirred a little in the slight breeze.  He could hear the sound of the surf as it crashed against the beaches.  He began to move away when one of the archers called out, fear in his voice, “What is that?”

Hessel stopped and looked back towards the sea.  What he saw chilled him to the bone.

“Runo, get me ink and paper and have riders ready to go!” he said tightly.  The man spun and ran down the stairs, calling out orders.

Horns began blowing, calling the men to their positions as Hessel turned back, still not believing what he was seeing.  The fog had lifted enough to reveal hundreds of ships, their masts rising over the water like a forest of barren trees.

…

Private Nan rode as fast as he could to the east, terror gripping his heart, his horse following the twisted trail into the hills.  His breathing seemed to match his horse’s, as if he was running alongside.

He had only been in the army for six months, joining to find adventure and a purpose.  He was small in stature and good on horses, so he was assigned as a messenger.  He had not been happy to be deployed to this remote fort, but at least he had got to leave from time to time to take messages to wherever the commander directed.

At the top of the ridge, he halted his horse and looked back.  He saw smoke rising from the fort and hundreds of raiders swarming around it, cutting off any escape for those still inside.  He had only just got out, arrows flying past his head as he rode away.  He could make out the faint screams and cries of men fighting and dying.

Choking back a sob as he thought of his friends trapped inside, he turned around and rode away, the leather tube with the message inside clutched tightly against his midsection. 
I will get this to Sir Alleon
, he told himself as he recalled the dread in Captain Hessel’s eyes when he had handed it to him.