The Wolf, the Butterfly, and the Kraken

Chapter 27

Kane
I had not been to Bacille in ages. It had grown larger, and didn't take long for the city guard to find us. Most likely a concerned citizen reported a Lycant in the area. However, they knew we were coming. We were escorted to a fort, and well received by everyone.
"The flight patrol has been waiting for you for almost a week. They were about to start a search party. What stalled you, Captain Ristora?"
I eyed Oshie in his father's arms. "My grandson fell ill with a horrid growth spurt. He doubled in size in one week. It was really hard on him."
The Lieutenant nodded, "Yes, travelling with women and children is difficult."
"So, where are we stopping between here and there?" I had never taken a flight anywhere, but knew it was a long way to Centris. I wanted to be somewhere that Vam and Oshie would be safe.
The Lieutenant answered, "I only know that the Aircasters are very tight lipped snobs." He didn't seem to like the flight crew. They often had reputations as cold or stuck up. However, everyone knew how hard an aircaster had to train to master flight. They had to be very disciplined to do that, even for themselves. To carry a carriage of sorts with people in it called a lifter, with other men, well that was the hardest thing I could comprehend a windcaster ever doing. It was rare to see lifters in the sky in the country.
"I have never flown before Lieutenant, have you?" I asked the man before me.
He nodded, "If you fear heights don't look down. Use the latrine before leaving, and don't eat or drink too much. You might also take a bucket in case you vomit from the motion."
I saw a man with small metal wings pinned on a flight suit. This would be the leader of the flight crew. He betrayed no emotion outwardly, but pointed to a flight pad where a lifter sat with men inspecting straps. "We will be departing as soon as you are ready."
I nodded, and told Vam and Joann what I knew. Joann quickly changed Oshie, and used the latrine. Vam and I did the same. Soon we were getting into the lifter. There were two benches, one at the front, and another at the back, similar to a carriage. There were some differences though. The front bench had less head room above it as the ceiling was slanted there, and the bench also offered no backing, but more knee room. Vam would never, ever fit on the front bench. Heck, I might not.
The Captain watched us. He pointed to Joann, "You take the front bench. Put your bags in the front. Captain Ristora, you take the rear bench. No, stay as centered as possible for now, don't scoot to one side. Then you will sit on the floor." You being Vam. Vam squeezed into the lifter. The doors weren't very big to begin with. He sat, and placed Oshie in his lap.
Our quarters were too close to call comfortable. They were downright inconvenient, but before I could ask if there was any way I could move the door closed. The door being a leather piece that was swiftly secured around a metal frame.
I watched out the window. It seemed to take the 6 men a monumental effort to get us off the ground. The higher we went the more nervous and tense we all got. Oshies eyes darted from his mother to his father, and finally to me. He looked ready to cry, which is about how I think we all felt.
But I had practice hiding emotions from watercasters. I smiled, and reached out, grabbing his big toe and wiggling it. "This little piggy went to market. This little piggy stayed home. This little piggy ate pie. This little piggy had none." I grabbed his smallest toe, "And this little piggy went wee wee wee all the way home." And I tickled him.
This had the desired effect. He laughed. We all relaxed a little. The lifter hadn't fallen from the sky. We were okay. Soon we were taking turns entertaining Oshie with various games.
The sun was set when we landed on a very well lit landing pad. It had been several hours. No one asked if we were there yet because it was obvious we had landed in a remote fort, not a city. All of us were stiff and it was hard to move and climb out.
The Captain approached me, "We've been fortunate this evening. Good flying conditions have put us within just a few hours flight to the capital. I am sending for some reinforcements. The lifter was a bit heavier than we anticipated. We should be able to depart by 9 or 10 in the morning, and arrive around noon or one. Once we arrive your family will be taking a covered carriage to the home of Lord Eureces, located on the ridge."
Centris had two sides to it. The Western side of the river was where most people lived. The closer you got to the river the more it stank of fish and tanneries. The higher you rose up the hill the better the air was, and the nicer the homes. The East side had the barracks, and merchant vessels and warehouses by the river. There was a hill that led up to a cliff, and then a huge mesa that stretched above that. The cliff held the homes of the most affluent and powerful people in Venera, the lords and ladies. Only the home of the King was located on the mesa itself, the palace, which was located next to many government buildings, and the ultimate destination of my family, Centris Academy.
But the Captain was speaking to me again. "You will receive your orders upon arrival. Do you have any questions?"
Questions he could answer? "Uhm, just one, for now. Do you know how to get to Centris Academy?"
He smiled, "As a matter of fact, yes, I do."