King's Exile: Book 1Teaser Preview

Chapter 2 - Clams for Supper

Chapter 2

The midday sun warmed the mudflats that skirted the rocky slopes of Adok along the west edge of Stone Harbor. Tal Menwenn took off his wide-brimmed hat and wiped sweat from his head again. Although the morning had been cool, the mudflats steamed in the midday sun, and the humidity was cloying. He'd shed his heavy coat some time ago but kept it slung over his shoulder to keep it out of the mud. He rolled his well muscled shoulders and shifted the coat to the other side before his shoulder got too hot. 

He had dug a little more than half a bag of clams, but he needed only a few more so his ma could make a pot of chowder that would last his family three days. Tal scanned the area for a tell tale pockmark which might mark a clam's underground hiding spot. He saw one several feet to the left and stomped his foot near the spot. He saw an answering spurt of water and plunged his digging fork into the mud. With a quick twist, he pried up another hammer clam. They were good eating, but, unlike most clams, you could not just steam hammer clams to get at their meat. As their name implied, getting inside the shell was a challenge.

Tal wiped as much of the mud off as he could before he thrust it into the bag. He would give them a good wash on his way home. He smiled as he thought of his younger brother who had the job of getting the meat out. Budge always complained that Tal brought home too many hammer clams and not enough of the bland but easier to open banded clams.

Off to the west Tal noticed a figure in a large, floppy hat walking along the shore towards him. He counted that as a good enough excuse for a break. With a chunk, Tal stuck his digger into the soft mud and leaned his arm on it. As the stranger came closer, he saw it was a slightly built youth who appeared a few years younger than himself. Tal waved a casual greeting, and the youth turned slightly to approach him. The youth's piercing eyes startled Tal. It felt almost as if the boy could see right into the deepest recesses of his heart.

Tal spoke first. "Out for a hike?"

The stranger unshipped a pack from his back and replied. "It's a little farther than I thought." He took off his hat and wiped his hand through his dark hair.

Tal smiled. "All the way around?"

The boy winced. "Not yet." He looked back at the mass of Adok behind him. "Actually, I was headed towards the harbor." He looked down and gestured at Tal's sack. "What do you have there?"

Tal shook the sack so the shells rattled together. "Supper tonight and tomorrow."

"Can I see?"

"Sure. They're just clams." He pulled out two and showed the boy the clam's ridged, brown shells.

"You got all these this morning? That's pretty good work."

Tal shrugged and asked, "Where you headed?"

The boy held up a bundle of bright red cloth. "I need to find some place I can sell this coat." He shook it out and showed Tal the most gorgeous looking coat Tal had ever seen. The color was bright and even. Fancy stitching in the same color added a subtle but intricate pattern on the left chest and over the shoulder to the back.

"Wow. Where did you get that? Did you steal it?"

The stranger shrugged noncommittally. "It's mine."

"Sure," Tal snorted. "I'll bet you could get as much as five silvers for something like that at Peddler's Square. They have lots of places there that sell clothes and stuff. Some even have things that fancy."

"How do I get to Peddler's Square?"

Tal raised his eyebrows in surprise that the youth didn't know where Peddler's Square was, but he screwed up his face to think how to tell him to find it. "Well, it's around the north side of Old Town just outside the wall. You could follow the shore on around to the fishing docks. From there it's kind of in and out unless you stick to the main streets...but that would take you quite a ways out of your road."

"It would probably take me the rest of the day to find the place. You seem to know quite a bit about it."

"Been there a few times with my ma to get this and that," Tal replied. "That's where I got this coat in fact." He jerked a thumb at the heavy canvas overcoat slung on his shoulder.

The boy looked at him speculatively. "I really want to get rid of this coat and be on my way. Would you trade me your coat for this one? You could sell it and buy yourself a new one."

The offer was tempting, but Tal was suspicious. He knew Poshy Flossy at Peddler's Square would probably buy the fancy coat for a fair price. He had been to her stall with his ma just last month when Ma had sold Flossy her old chapel coat to buy a new one that fit. But what was this boy doing with a fancy coat? "Naw," he finally said. "That wouldn't be fair. You could get a lot of money for that."

The boy sighed. "I really don't have time to sell it myself, and I need a coat like yours. You would be doing me a big favor if you'd just trade me. Keep the extra money."

For a time Tal just stared while he thought. Now he knew the boy was up to no good, but what? His friend, Jackum, had told about criminals that tried to trade their stolen goods for coin, but an old coat? On the other hand, he had almost enough clams in his bag. He would have plenty of time to drop the clams off to his mother, sell the coat, and still be home for supper.

"Well, that's too good a deal to pass up," Tal finally said. "So, how soon will they come looking for this coat?"

The boy smiled, "They won't be looking for the coat. I told you, it's mine." The boy paused. "But you know, it might be best if you kept it out of sight when you go through town."

"So I just found the coat?" It was a shady deal for sure, but Tal knew enough to keep the coat out of sight until he sold it. He wouldn't even let his mother know.

"That would be the best thing for you to say," the boy said.

Tal smiled. "Sure, but probably better to say nothing at all." He took the clean cloth he carried to wipe the mud from his shoes when he had finished and wrapped it around the gaudy coat instead. The weedy grass at the edge of the flats would work well enough for the mud today.

The boy smiled and said, "Thanks, friend. You've helped me a lot. Tell me your name so I'll know who to thank." After Tal told him, the youth clapped him on his shoulder just like a man would. "Luck to you, Tal Menwen. May the Goddess smile on you." He hitched up his pack on his narrow shoulders and headed off down the flats towards the harbor.

Tal watched him go. "Well," he told himself, "that was strange." A larcenous thought intruded—"Strange, but profitable." He pulled his digging fork up out of the mud. Maybe another three clams, if they were good sized, and he could go make some money.