The Grey Pearl (Of Caladuin: Volume Two)

4

The Aerlinn sped across the silver foam of the Bay of Balar towards the southernmost reaches of the Falas. She approached a glistening, green rock that looked like the humped back of some great sea creature. A pair of cormorants crouched in the white light of the sea lantern that marked its position. The birds turned their heads and watched as the ship swept past. Caladuin turned towards the dim lights of the town.

The crew was preparing for arrival, taking the sails down, manning the oars. As the Aerlinn neared the harbour the captain shouted orders at the pilot as the oarsmen took their places. The ship drifted past the breakwaters and a watchman waved down at them from the top of the white tower on the port side.

Ethirost was not like the other ports of the Falas. Her buildings were square and squat, flat-roofed and whitewashed. There was little of the grandeur of Eglarest but then this was a quiet little outpost, a town of timber merchants and fishers. The houses and shops and warehouses spread away from the water, up and around two low conical hills.

After three erielin of earth-bread and dried fish, Caladuin was looking forward to hot soup and cool ale. As the crew manoeuvred the ship towards the quayside he stood at the prow and searched for any lights or signs that might indicate a tavern.

"Ai! Green-leaf!" Caladuin turned and saw the captain waving from the bridge. "Stay here while we dock." It was the second time he'd spoken to him since leaving Eglarest.

"I will. Be assured," he answered, smiling.

The Aerlinn was a merchantman and the captain had asked his extra cargo to stay below deck as much as possible during the voyage. It was well known in Eglarest that Caladuin was no lover of the sea and he supposed the captain saw him more as an inconvenience than a passenger. Caladuin knew he would have merely been in the way so he'd spent three erielin  throwing up out of a porthole.

As the ship inched towards the key, a couple of crewmen cast ropes to the dockers. The crew heaved on the ropes and brought the ship tight against the quayside. Elves leapt to and from the deck, exchanging curt greetings.

Caladuin walked aft, leaning against the gunwale. He waved at the captain, who had come down from the bridge to meet the harbour master.

"Thank you kindly, captain. For your hospitality."

"No need. Lord Círdan has paid me well to ship you to Ethirost. If you want a good tankard of ale you would do worse than the Blue Dolphin along the quayside yonder."

"The best fish stew south of Narthambar," the harbour master added.

Caladuin clenched his teeth and forced a smile. He slapped a few shoulders as he jumped off the ship then shouldered his pack and bow and walked along the quayside. It was way past star-rise – Helluin shone high above, through a thin veil of cloud – but the waterfront was almost deserted. He leaned against the nearest lamppost and waited for his escort. There was a chill in the air and he pulled his cloak around him. The dockers took up a song as they off-loaded the Aerlinn and the crew walked along the quayside in small groups towards the taverns.

As he glanced around, he noticed a Dark-elf, sitting on a white bench along the quayside. He hadn't been there when Caladuin arrived and now he was staring at him. The Dark-elf stood and started tentatively towards him. He was almost a head shorter than Caladuin and even under his brown and black tunic he seemed lithe and wiry. His straight, black hair was pulled back tight from his forehead and tied almost at the crown. He seemed unarmed.

"Well met," the Dark-elf said. He glanced up and down the quayside. His eyes were impenetrably black. Caladuin nodded.

"Master Condir sent me to meet you. I am Gaeruil."

"Caladuin."

"I am to take you to the Governor's Halls."

"The voyage was long, Gaeruil. I would dearly like to have a tankard and a plate first."

"The Governor instructed me to escort you directly to him." Again, his eyes darted. "Food will be provided."

Caladuin glanced at the lights of the Blue Dolphin then sighed and followed Gaeruil.