Realm of Ash Series: Soul Bond (Book 1)

CHAPTER 5 - ULRIC

Violent rains hammered the Jade Lake Harbour.

"Great! Rain and thunder, jus' what we need, I thought the sun was goin' to stay out today!" Raff grumbled.
"No surprise ya father left you in charge again, eh young Ulric, have too many drinks again, did he?" Retch teased.
Ulric slammed the heavy barrel onto the back of a cart as a sign of disproval tied with exhaustion.
"He'll show, and until he comes back, like he said, I am in charge, so enough sceptics and back to work. Raff, finish unloading this boat onto the cart".
Having worked all of the day before when his father was out on the lake, Ulric was hoping to finish his shift as dawn broke and when Travon had returned to shore. But it had been hours since he saw his father frantically leave the Stormy Giant, even still, he noticed his father was not in there long enough to get drunk. A pitiful fact he was certain of and ashamed to know about his father.

"Something strange has happened", Ulric thought to himself looking up to the final harbour step he saw his father last. It was hard to tell what the time was, the weather had summoned thick clouds above, dark enough to mistaken morning for evening, yet the morning sun had barely left the horizon. Tired and overworked, Ulric was in no mood for slacking amongst the other fishermen. Aware of Ulric's irritability, Retch grabbed a crate and began assisting him with the crate supported onto his shoulder.

"I assumed my father would return from the tavern after he indulged in his usual drinking habits, so I could get some rest, or at least an explanation to my sudden change in responsibility. But he told me to wait, so I will wait, and if I have time to wait, I have time to work. Blackwall won't wait and they need this shipment, so keep unloading".

An aura of delegation surrounded the young lad and absorbed by the crew, but only stemmed from his irritability, Ulric found he too was like his father. Despite his disliking to the feeling, he found his orders were being listened to.

"He's bin'ere all night 'asn't he?" Raff whispered to Retch as they both bent to lift a large crate. Retch nodded.
"Been workin' since the boss left shore yesterday eve, an' 'specially in this storm, poor kid".
"Talk about a freak storm", Raff observed.
They both paused to look at each other, then glanced up at the Stormy Giant frontage shaped by the Longmourne salvaged from a similar freak storm. Surrounded by an air of ill omen, they both felt it might not be wise working on the lake today.
"Bad omen that place", Raff admitted.
Following their previous synchronous train of thought on the storm, Retch nodded, continuing to unload the docked vessel. Still unknown of his whereabouts, Ulric was nervous for what his father had planned.

What was he up to? He thought to himself.

The morning sun, now but a memory behind the thick blanket of clouds, rain hammered the docks heavily and relentlessly.
Being fishermen out in the elements like this, it was no bother to Ulric and the other men. Like his friend Roland, they shared a hard-working ethic and tended to drown their personal distractions with work. Ulric looked around the harbour, out to the distant lake, then up the wooden, weather-worn stairs alongside the cliff face, searching for his father.

Ulric hesitated before accepting the situation and went to unload another crate.

Just before he did, he heard a shout from Raff.

"Well! G'morning sir! We're almost finished unloading sir!"

The fast approaching Travon ignored Raff's comment and remained silent. Ulric placed the box down onto the dock turning to see his father emerging from behind one of the larger ships in the dock. He was in a slightly smaller, one-man rowboat drifting closer to the dock.

"Where have you been sir?" Retch queried, but the question was yet again, ignored. Ulric felt more nervous watching his father approach the dock in some form of captivated state. The thunder boomed and the rain continued to slap on the puddles around them. The whip-flapping sound of sails made it difficult to hear each other. Travon had moored close but did not tie himself to the dock, he remained way too spooked.