The light up ahead turned out to be an immense lighthouse, soaring to over a hundred feet tall, situated on the eastern point of an opulent walled city. Tad immediately knew they were in the city of Newport, on the far isle of the elves. Although he was pretty sure his tutors had mentioned the elves were gone and humans lived here now, his father definitely had told him of the lighthouse He had even seen it once when he was on a trading ship years ago learning the business, and had gone on and on about its magnificence. Tad could only judge it from the air, as they slowly glided past it, but it was indeed magnificent, if a bit run down. Perhaps with the elves gone, the humans didn't take the time to keep its appearance up?
The crew was situated along the edge of the ship, pointing down at the crowds that were evidently gathered to take in the sight of a flying ship. Tad and Flewin couldn't see anything from the cage, but the crew was as engrossed by the city and the people living there were in them. Of course, that didn't stop the crew from spitting down at the crowd; that was just in their nature.
What they could see, was the top of a tower in front of the ship, and growing steadily larger. They were obviously headed for it, and descending a bit as they sailed closer. Once they had dropped to the level of a balcony near the top of the tower, Tad could see several people there waiting for the ship to arrive. He had to assume these were the people who had hired Captain Lynch and the crew.
The ship came into the balcony as if it were a dock, the crew tossing ropes fore and aft to keep the ship stationary. There was quite the reception on the tower, at least twenty soldiers as well as an exceptionally large man that he took to be the ruler. Maybe he was the king? Only royalty could eat as much as this man evidently did, and his crown looked like a cap on his balding head.
There was quite a bit of talking between Captain Lynch and this king, but Tad was too far to hear the conversation in its entirety, only bits and pieces. He did see the captain pointing at him and Flewin in the cage, and the king shaking his head. That didn't bode well. There was also mention of slaves, though Tad didn't think it was them that they were discussing, and Vyscher, though who or what that was he couldn't tell.
The best part of the rendezvous was that there were sacks and boxes of supplies passed over to the ship, so there hopefully wouldn't be any need for more bait.
Captain Lynch shook hands with a smiling king, and the ropes were cast off. Once more the ship headed westward, this time over land. Tad could only hope there was a bright spot somewhere in their future. He felt Flewin grasp his hand and squeezed back.
"We have to keep hoping." He whispered to her. She nodded in agreement, tears in her eyes.
"I miss Serev." She choked.
Tad realized he missed her as well, she had always made him feel braver. Glumly, he could only nod in response. It was just he two of them now.
Lit only by a sliver of moonlight and a few guttering torches, Serev climbed up a ladder on the smallest wharf on the edge of the harbor in Newport. Shivering in the cool air, she noted the vessels tied up at the pier. Two smaller fishing vessels and what looked to be a pleasure craft of some sort. None of the deep watercraft were at this pier, but those that were would be well-guarded, and that was something she couldn't handle in her current weakened condition. Carefully, she slipped through the darkness and boarded the pleasure craft, finding it welcomingly empty. Below deck there were several small sleeping rooms and a makeshift galley. A barrel in the galley offered her some hard cheese and dried fruit, which she gulped down in a few quick bites, and the sleeping chambers offered her some large trousers and shirts that looked like tents on her. She was able to belt the trousers and tuck in the shirt, but still looked ridiculous. The only shoes she could find were a pair of slippers, which would do for the short term anyway. At least the clothing was dry, and combined with the food in her belly she was able to stop shivering. The best weapon she could find was an old cleaver and a paring knife, but they would have to do until she could find something better.
Slowly, she climbed back onto the deck and paused to see if anyone was about. This far end of the harbor still showed no sign of life, so she slipped back down the gang plank and then down the wharf towards the city. Nobody noticed her, or if they did, they never called out. She thanked her good fortune and then disappeared into a nearby alley.
It didn't take long for her to find a seedy waterfront tavern, with a smoky main room and a lot of heavily drinking sailors. She scanned the tavern, hoping to see what she wanted. In the far corner sat her prey, a wealthy merchantman and his guard. Sidling through the crowd in the main room, she slowly made her way over to the men, pausing only to splash some ale on herself from one of the drunk patrons. Some of the sailors had wandering hands, but she ignored most of the grasps. She did snap one wrist when it groped too personally, but she was acting a part and couldn't look too out of place.
The merchant in the corner had two women on his lap, both posturing whores with so much make up on that she had no idea what they truly looked like. He was drinking heavily, and the girls were keeping him entertained with kisses and groping hands that they no doubt hoped would lead to a short night and a large purse.
Serev hooked a stool and sat next to the guard, who was nursing an ale and looking bored. That changed when she sat down. He was a smaller man, but wiry, odds are he spent a lot of time aloft in the rigging judging by his build.
"What do you want?" he growled, obviously not impressed at her look. She could hardly blame him.
"Sorry, you just looked bored and I thought I'd say hi. My brother was a guard on a ship, and he always got the lousy assignments like this, and was always bored. I thought you might be in the same boat. He relaxed a fraction at that.
"Too right I'm bored. The big man here has been drinking all night and I keep hoping he'll just take these two upstairs to I can sleep, but he can't concentrate." He complained, hooking a thumb at the merchant.
"Well, why should he have all the fun?" she asked, running his hands over his shoulders.
"I like the way you think, but you're hardly available for hire, are you?" he asked in surprise.
"No, I most certainly am not!" she replied indignantly, "But is there something wrong with a good honest girl? I even had to steal my brother's clothes to sneak out tonight!" she hoped to account for her look.
"A good honest girl would be perfect." The guard agreed with a smile.
Serev leaned over the guard, carefully placing a hand on his thigh, and whispered to one of the ladies of the evening, "You should get him upstairs before he's too drunk to pay!"
The woman looked closer at the merchant and nodded. "My thanks!" Taking matters into her own hands, so to speak, she pulled the merchant up by his belt and started leading him up the stairs. Serev and the guard followed soon behind.
The next morning, Serev sported new armor, a new short sword and a new haircut. The haircut was courtesy of one of the women from the bar using a dagger as best she could. The rest was courtesy of the guard who would wake up with bound wrists and a bad headache from a knot on his temple. She felt bad about it, but she needed to catch that flying ship. The ladies said it headed west, and that the whole city was talking about it, so she needed to find a trade caravan headed west that might need a guard.
YOU ARE READING
Serev's Story
خيال (فانتازيا)This is an excerpt from the Vyscher Tales Part 1 and Part 2 that detail some of Serev's past, as well as that of the Cloud Dancer. If you're not in the mood to read both of those books prior to reading Cloud Dancer (The spin off for A Rock And A Hea...
