Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Lazybones" data-source="post: 7532669" data-attributes="member: 143">Chapter 229Galendra Sond was not content as she sipped her tea and studied the clouds swirling through her window.The tea was hot, and spiced just the way she liked it.  The room was comfortable and well-furnished.  It was twice the size of her cabin on the Gull, with fancier decorations including a pair of gilded lamp-stands and a large brass-bound chest.  A fire burned in the hearth, keeping the chill at bay.  Even without looking outside she could tell that a good blow was coming.  She could feel it.  If she was on the Gull she’d be ordering the crew to secure the ship, even in harbor.That was it, she supposed.  She missed her ship.  It was less than a mile away, as the crow flew, but she still missed it.  She’d already visited half a dozen times over the last week.  Any further visits would send the message that she lacked confidence in Corgan’s crew at the drydock.  She might have dropped in again despite that, but there was also the possibility that Corgan might ask questions about her debts, and the outstanding lien on the Gull.A knock on the door shook her from those thoughts.  She put the teacup down and took a deep breath to steady herself.  “Enter.”The door opened and Trev came in.  Her second loomed over her like a giant, but then again, most folks did.  Galendra stood barely three feet tall even in her boots.  That was average for a halfling, but she was the only ship captain in Li Syval of that race.  She was proud of the fact that her diminutive size had never been an issue with any of her crews, at least not after they could see what she could do.Trev knuckled his forehead in salute.  “They’re here,” he said.“How do they look?” Galendra asked.“Suspicious, I’d say.  They have a half-orc and a dwarf that both look like they’ve knocked a few heads in their time, along with a couple of soldiers pretending to be hired men.”“And the merchant?”“He has the look, and says the right things, but if he’s not a spy I’ll eat my hat.”“Of course he’s a spy.  But a fat purse is a fat purse, and doesn’t care what country the coins in it come from.”“The Ruling Council might not see things that way.”“The Council doesn’t need to stick its nose into every bit of business that comes before a licensed ship and its crew.  We pay our taxes, and our documents are current.  Or was there something more that gave you pause?”“I just… Are you sure this is a good idea, Captain?”“”It’s not like we have a lot of choices right now, Trev.  I can’t even afford to get the Gull out of drydock, let alone pay off our creditors.”“There are plenty of local contracts…”“You know as well as I do that any short-term bids I could pull down would only leave us in the same position again once our debts came due.  Then we’d be right back where we are now, only with fewer options.”Trev looked chagrined.  There were times when she almost forgot how young he was, Galendra thought.  “I’m sorry, Trev.  I didn’t mean to take it out on you.  It’s nobody’s fault… just ill luck.  Laesil’s been having her fun with us, this last year.”Trev reflexively made the gesture that warded away the baleful gaze of Ilia Fortuna.  If only it was so easy, Galendra thought.“Show our potential customers in,” she said.Her first impressions confirmed Trev’s evaluation.  The half-orc was impressive, especially clad in a suit of heavy mail, but there was something about him that didn’t quite square with the martial impression he presented.  The same could be said about the dwarf; he certainly had the look of a brawler, but at the same time there was a quiet calm to him that was unique among the various dwarves she had encountered in her travels.  The soldiers were as her second had pegged them, easily marked as what they were.  The merchant might have been convincing, but she doubted that most had those old callouses on their sword-hands.There weren’t enough chairs at the table for all of them and she didn’t bother to offer any of them to her guests.  If the merchant was put off by the cool welcome he didn’t let it show.  “Captain Sond, a pleasure to finally meet you,” he said, offering a polite bow.  “Dalser Pon had nothing but good things to say about you and your crew.”“Dalser Pon would praise his worst rival if there was a coin in it,” Galendra said.  “On the other hand, I know nothing about you, Master Silas.  Your name is not known in Li Syval.”“I have not had the pleasure of being able to visit the islands thus far in my humble career,” Silas said.“From what I understand, your first visit will be brief,” Galendra said.“Sadly, yes.  Urgent business compels me to seek passage immediately.  We require a vessel that can manage the Weltarin Crossing.”Galendra had been prepared, but she still had to carefully school her expression to keep from revealing a reaction to the name of the distant continent.  Trev, however, betrayed a more immediate reaction.  “The Crossing is no casual journey, especially for foreigners.  What exactly is that business?” he asked.Silas kept his attention on Galendra, who waved a hand in acknowledgment.  “It is a valid question,” she said.Silas did not appear to be concerned.  “Syvalian captains have a reputation for discretion,” he said.  “I understand that my request is… significant, and that such a request commands a premium rate.”“You ask us to place our ship at considerable risk,” Trev said.  “The Crossing is dangerous, even for a veteran crew.”Galendra made a subtle nod in his direction.  “It is my second’s job to look out for the safety of my crew,” she said.“And the captain’s job to look out for their business interest,” Silas said without hesitation.  “I understand your concerns.  These are difficult times, right now, what with the recent downturn in the commodities markets.  There is so much uncertainty in the long-distance trade sector at the moment… challenging times for the owner of a free galley.”“We Syvalians have a saying,” Galendra said.  “Uncertain times make for business opportunities.”“We have a similar saying where I am from,” Silas said.“Where is that, if you don’t mind me asking?” Trev asked.Silas didn’t bother acknowledging the question; he just held Galendra’s eyes with his.  “What’s the cargo?” she finally asked.“Nine passengers, with luggage.”Trev looked like he was about to ask a question, but he saw Galendra’s face and held his tongue.“How long?” she asked.“A few months,” Silas said.“That would take us up to the edge of storm season,” Galendra said.  “I don’t want to be stuck at Fort Promise all winter.”“We can afford to be somewhat flexible,” Silas said.Galendra’s eyes flicked over to the left.  One of Silas’s men had come further into the room and was examining the map that hung from the wall opposite the window.  It was a quality map, expensive, and while it focused on Voralis it did include the eastern edge of Weltarin as well.  Large parts of the latter portion were blank, especially the inland areas, but at least what was there was accurate, with none of the illustrations of dragons and sea monsters that the general public enjoyed.For some reason, the young man studying the map drew her attention.  She’d almost missed him earlier, standing in the back of the small company, but there was something about him that alerted her more than any of the others.  He wore an almost comically large sword slung across his back, but she guessed him to be younger even than Trev by a good five or six years.At the lull in the conversation the young swordsman reached up and pointed to a portion of the map that showed Weltarin.  “What is this place?” he asked.Galendra’s eyes were sharp; she didn’t need to look closer to see what he was indicating.  There was little more on the map than the squiggle of the coastline; the interior beyond was all blank.  “That is the Black Coast,” she said.  “Not much there except for rocky shores and dense jungle.  The whole continent is unfriendly, but the Black Coast is deadly.  You won’t find any Syvalian captains willing to journey there.”“One did,” the young man said quietly.Galendra frowned at that, but Silas quickly stepped in to bring the conversation back to the main point.  “Let’s just focus on getting to Fort Promise, shall we?  You are now familiar with our needs, Captain Sond.  Can the Golden Gull accommodate them?”Galendra glanced over at Trev; his feelings on the matter were obvious.  She regarded Silas again, but she already knew that she wasn’t going to get anything more out of him.  No doubt he had a list of other captains to meet with.  Most would probably share her reluctance, but then again, most would have more options than she did.  A fact that Silas, or whoever he was, no doubt knew quite well.“Twenty-five thousand,” she said.  “Twenty percent in advance.”She had to stifle a grin at Trev’s audible gasp.  Silas and his people betrayed their own reactions, though the merchant himself merely nodded.“We could almost buy our own ship for that,” the dwarf said.“Yes,” Galendra said.  “But you would still need a crew.  No doubt you already know that the number of crews that have made the Crossing is small and shrinking.  The Gull is one of only a handful of vessels now in Li Syval that has made the journey.”  Once, she thought, but she left that unsaid.  The memories were still fresh, even five years old as they were.  On her return she’d sworn an oath and made an offering at the Temple of the Lady, but the priests of Ilia Fortuna were always happy to accept a second donation if and when one’s circumstances changed.  Business was business, after all, and it wasn’t as though her luck could get much worse.Silas pretended to consider, but she could see the truth in his eyes.  Still, he said, “Five thousand is a lot for an advance.”“I’ll need to hire on more crew,” Galendra said.  “And stock in a full store of provisions.  The Crossing is a five-week journey if we’re lucky, up to twice that if we’re not.  This is the quiet season, but the Deep is fickle even in summer.”“You won’t find a ship faster than the Gull with Captain Sond at the helm,” Trev said, reasserting his loyalty.“Indeed,” Silas said.  He produced a small, tightly wound scroll from a pocket of his coat, and handed it over to Trev.  “That should cover the advance,” he said.  “The rest will be transferred to your accounts upon our return.”“Agreed,” Galendra said.  There would be more paperwork before their departure, documents that had to be prepared, bribes that had to be recorded, but the hard part was over.  She had saved her ship, but instead of relief all she felt was a vague sense of unease.“How long until you are ready to sail?” Silas asked.“We’re finishing up a few minor repairs in dry dock,” Galendra said.  “Between that and the other preparations I mentioned, four days.  Will that work for you?”“It will,” Silas said.  He kissed his fingertips and extended the hand toward her, and after a moment Galendra repeated the gesture, shaking his hand.  “I look forward to a safe and swift crossing,” he said.It took a minute for the merchant and his company to file out.  When the door was shut and the sounds of them making their way down the steps had faded, Trev turned to her with a look of amazement on his face.  “Twenty-five thousand!  They must really be desperate!”“Yes.  And desperate people can be counted on to do almost anything, Trev.”  Like I just did, she thought.  “Remember that.”“Still,” he said.  “That will cover all our debts, and then some.”“Yes, and all we have to do is sail the Crossing, one more time.”“I wasn’t with you the last time, but I heard about it from a few of the old hands.”The ones that made it, she thought.  “They aren’t exaggerating.”“Well, as you said, we don’t exactly have a lot of options right now.”“It’s a risk,” she acknowledged.  “You were right about the Ruling Council, earlier.  We will have to be very careful when we file our itinerary, and generous with the filing fee.  But even so, there are no guarantees.  Tobias in particular would be quite happy to see any deal fall through, if it meant he could collect on our lien.”“We could take the five thousand and sail,” Trev said.There was a long pause.  Finally, Galendra said, “I will pretend that I did not hear that.”“Yes, ma’am.  I’m sorry.”She got up from her chair, dropping lightly onto her feet from the comparatively high perch.  Another reason to miss her cabin; the furniture here was always too big for her to be comfortable.  “We’ve got a lot to do,” she said.  “I’ll go cash the writ, and make sure that Corgan gets his payment in full.”  She held out her hand, taking the scroll from Trev.  “You take what’s left of the petty cash and begin looking for new crew.  You know what we need.  We’re not likely to find a lot of Crossing vets these days, but make sure they know what they’re in for.  I don’t want any mutinies on this voyage.”“Yes, ma’am.  I’ll see it done.”“I know you will, Trev.”She went to get her coat while he left.  She glanced out the window again.  The clouds had thickened and darkened noticeably; it would likely rain before morning.  She paused and considered the scroll in her hand.  It was only a down payment, and it wouldn’t help at all if the Gull ended up shipwrecked on some distant shore or lost within under the vastness of the Blue Deep.  But it represented a future for her and her crew, a future that had seemed nearly impossible scant minutes before.Yet she couldn’t escape the sudden feeling of dread.  Her eyes traveled up to the map, to the vague lines where the young warrior’s finger had rested a few minutes before.Breaking an oath to herself, weighed against the loss of her ship.  There was only one decision she could make.Shaking her head, she tucked the scroll into an inner pocket of her coat and headed downstairs.</blockquote>

Verification