Lorcan: Dragonquest

Chapter 18

Author's note: Lorcan and Cokelli have acquired a unicorn hair each as a result of an interaction with a witch. These have given them a bottomless supply of wishes but, as they are about to discover, life is never as simple as that.

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In the morning, after a leisurely breakfast, Lorcan and Cokelli saddled their horses, loaded them, and made their way down to the city gate. Outside, a group of men and wagons were waiting in line, a knot of them gathered around the front. Lorcan and Cokelli went to join them and found Beso, Heshbon, and Henorm in discussion with some armed men garbed in a variety of clothes that suggested foreign origins. Well, more foreign than they were accustomed to. 

After a while, Beso gave the signal, and they moved forward, skirting the city walls, and made their way down to the harbor. Beso got off the wagon to speak to the captain of a two-masted cargo ship who walked over to greet him. Shortly afterwards he gave the signal and the travelers embarked.

While Cokelli settled the horses and found a spot for them to berth, Lorcan stayed on deck to watch the sailors load the ship. Soon they were on their way, the triangular striped sails filled with the wind as the tide pulled them out to sea.

The wind was with them and the sailors were merry, jabbering away in Antican so quickly that Lorcan could barely catch the words. He sat down and leaned back against the bulwark near the stern where he was out of their way, watching the wind do its work while the sailors trimmed the sails.

Cokelli came up on deck to join him. "I left the gnomes to roam down below."

"Have you ever been further away from home than this, Cokelli?"

"I didn't really have a home till your father captured me and brought me to Dun Daingen. But to answer your question, yes. I have been to Telgawa, the city at the Gates of the East. All the caravans for Onchin, Gotan, and Bhimaa go from there. It's a huge city, bigger than Gitesco. I have seen sights you'd never believe. The buildings are astonishing. Some of them have... they're like upturned bowls on top instead of the tiled roofs we're used to seeing in Galwalas and Antica. The roofs are usually flat because they do not get as much rain as we do, and it's really hot."

"Hotter than Antica?"

"Much hotter. The air itself burns, you can see it shimmer.

Lorcan turned to face him. "I suppose the people rest during the heat of the day as the Anticans do."

Cokelli nodded. "Yes, they do. The insides of the houses I have been in are beautiful. You've never seen anything like it. And the food... it really is amazing. Very different to what you get in Antica."

"What do they eat?"

"Mostly roasted meat and chopped raw vegetables, bread, and something called 'Pilaf' or 'Pir-inch' with nuts and beans, and some of the strangest vegetables I have ever seen."

As the two men sat chatting, Heshbon came up. When he spotted them, he took a step backwards.

"Heshbon," Lorcan called, "come and join us."

Heshbon remained where he was for a moment, then took a deep breath as if to steady his resolve, and came over.

Lorcan patted the deck beside him. "Sit down with us. There's plenty of room."

Heshbon grinned sardonically as he approached, then sat down awkwardly.

"You seem uncomfortable, Heshbon," said Cokelli. "What's wrong?"

The clerk looked incredulously at him, then faced forwards in silence.

"Heshbon, what is wrong?" asked Lorcan.