Legends of Marithia: Book 3 - Talonsphere (9 page)

“They did. They were also the ones who wrote the Talonsphere prophecy. But it has been such a long time and I do not know what welcome to expect or if they have forgiven us.”

“Have you not done enough for their forgiveness? I don’t see the ancients here, defending Marithia. I see us. Without the dragons to assist, Marithia would have already fallen.” Vartan said.

The prince looked around to see that the group was in agreement, nodding toward the dragon king.

Karven breathed deep before speaking. “I suppose there is only one way to find out. They are already reaching out to us and it is time that we try to overcome our differences, ancient or not. I will take Vartan with me to Mount Wayrin, and will protect him with my life. What will be will be. Who will come with us?”

“He’s not going anywhere without me,” Anakari said, stepping forward and crossing her arms.

“I’m a born demon hunter,” Yuski said. “I will protect all of you.”

Vartan smiled at the women. “You bravely continue to lay down your lives for me, and for all of Marithia. I commend you.”

Dryden stepped forward. “Count me in! I was born for battle.”

Vartan brought a fist to his opposing shoulder. “Live by the sword. Die by the sword.”

Dryden pursed his lips and mirrored his gesture. “And a clean death we deserve.”

Helenia was about to step forward, and Vartan’s throat tightened when he thought of her being hurt. They had been trying already, and only the gods knew if she was already with child. He raised a hand for her to stop.

“My love. You are needed here. We need to rule our lands and our Queen cannot be in two cities at once.”

Andrielle smiled at him and mouthed ‘thank you’.

Finn stepped forward. “I will come with you. After all, you need more dragons to ride.”

Vartan clenched his jaw, looking each of them in the eyes. “To Mount Wayrin it is. We leave tomorrow, so you had best prepare yourselves for the journey. I thank you all for your loyalty. I will never forget it or take any of you for granted.”

Vartan searched their faces and thought he saw nervousness beneath their surfaces, but his heart thumped.

What is it I should fear?

Chapter 6 : Bloodships

“Time is the only commodity with which even the poorest are born. Our hourglasses have limits, but nobody knows when the sand will stop running.

When you are immortal or live the life of a dragon, then what is the value of time?

If you have been tortured by it, would you still treasure time or use it to feed your hunger?”

(Shindar - Lord of the Underworld)

T
he horizon wavered in the morning heat. Caressing winds warmed the west end of the island of Grenlees, and the many palm trees swayed as if they danced a ritual.

Raehar watched the world return to vibrancy once again.

Ocean waves crashed into the island, and a spray of whitewash burst into the mouth of a gigantic skull, the opening to a cavern. Further crashes echoed deep within the island’s belly. The skull’s hollow eye sockets dripped from condensation. Nobody that Raehar knew of would ever venture inside it, and this suited him beautifully. He could go there to get away from it all and never worry about being disturbed.

The seas are tranquil when we’re not in battle
, he thought.

Raehar first swam into the mouth of the cave when he lost at the island’s popular card game, Wild Kings. He soon discovered that there was nothing to be afraid of. He was sure that the cave must have been dug out by pirate captains in order to frighten anyone who anchored near its shallow shores. As far as he knew, it was an effective measure, even if he had never seen anyone foolish enough to try.

Raehar lay on his back with his arms crossed behind his head. His leather boots were bound tight and rested on the moist rocky socket. He had experienced a growth spurt and was tall for a young man of his age, but his clothes were now too small for him, clinging to his body.

“I s’pose I better make me way back,” he said, watching a seagull staring at him from the other eye socket.

Another wave crashed into the cavern walls and he enjoyed the cool spray on his tanned skin. He stood and took a longing glance at the endless sight of sparkling waters. He stretched out, rubbing his cramped muscles. He had been here far longer than he should have. His captain awaited him. Raehar turned back to the cave’s darkness, and in his best impersonation, howled like a wolf. The howl echoed back.

He laughed, always enjoying this game. Sometimes, he would think he heard a growl or footsteps from within. With an active imagination, it’s hard to know what his mind created, or what was real.

A girl’s voice called out from above. “So, anything worth seeing out there? Or are you just wasting time, lazing about.”

Raehar knew he should have left a while ago, but did his best to appear surprised. He grinned as he placed his hands on his hips. “Adela, how’d ye know I’d be here?”

“Where else would you be? I know you too well. If you’re not on deck, you’re usually near the water. I sometimes wonder why you weren’t born in the sea. After all, you often act like your head’s full of water.”

He leapt to the right, and sprung off the rocky eye socket’s wall. He misjudged the distance and his hands landed hard on a flat section of rock, on the skull’s head. He struggled to pull his body weight by his arms alone. Swinging his right leg around, he caught Adela’s hand as she hoisted him up.

“Good think he came when he did!” Raehar said.

He panted as he looked her over and wiped water from his brow. She was always a thin girl, but had an air of cheekiness about her that gave her a larger than life presence.

“You’re getting tired in your old age, Raehar! Even
I
could beat you down right now, and then I could tell the whole island that you got beat by a girl!” she said, running toward a thick line of trees.

“Oh really?” he said, giving chase.

“Yes really! Come now, don’t tire your old arse out trying to catch me.”

He burst through the tree line, grinning as he caught sight of her white dress flapping in the wind.

They ran through shadows and bright slivers of light, avoiding the island’s deadly hidden traps that were placed to dispatch any unwanted visitors. All of the island’s inhabitants were shown where they were, but accidents happened, and the odd bone still poked out from the foliage. He was always so careful in these parts. If he was going to die, he was sure it would be at the blade of an enemy, or the grip of the icy cold sea, but never from his own stupidity.

He followed her giggles as he turned a corner. He came face to face with Captain Silvertongue, bumping into the stocky pirate’s chest. Raehar’s smile was wiped from his face as he stood stiff. The captain narrowed his eyes as he barked an order through gold teeth. “What ye doing? Yer supposed to be getting ready to set sail! Get yerself on deck before sundown!”

“Aye, captain. I won’t let ye down,” he said, jogging along the dirt path toward the centre of town.

“Ye sure won’t! Or I’ll make ye scrub Lucia’s deck whistle clean, ye hear?”

He sustained a straight face, but wanted to laugh. He had heard that threat hundreds of times.

“Aye captain, I hear!” Raehar said, continuing down the path and searching for Adela.

He raised his arm to block out the sun and see better into the shadows. “Where’d she go?”

Drooping his shoulders, he stumbled toward town.

He almost fell over as she leapt onto his back, laughing and wrapping her arms around him. “Come on, great pirate, give me a ride into town! I’m getting hungry. That would just be, well, unacceptable!”

She was getting far better at sneaking around and evading him. He took a few steps, grinned and raised his voice. “Sure Sis, I’ll take ye into town. Hold on tight.”

He grabbed her arms ran toward the town.

“You’re really taking me? Well, I’m honoured.”

Looking back to make sure she was distracted, he turned and headed through the trees. Her giggles stopped as she squirmed and tried to drop off from his back. He held her slender weight with ease as he charged down the bank, along a rickety wooden bridge.

He paused and cocked his head. “You know, I can’t believe that I can manage to do this in me old age!”

He hoisted himself up the side of the bridge and ignored her playful cries as he dropped into the cool waters below. The sounds of the world muffled under the surface.

He burst upward and stood with her dripping body on the back of his. Her high pitched yelling brought on laughter as he stepped out of the stream.

“Now look what you’ve done. We’re soaking wet!”

Adela looked down and her cheeks flushed. She wrapped her arms around her chest. He grimaced as he thought about her growing up. She wasn’t just his younger sister anymore.

“Here. Wrap me jacket around yer body,” he said, holding the dripping leather toward her.

She snatched it from him and put it on. “Very funny. Now tell me how we’re going to get dry before breakfast?”

He smiled as he turned toward town. “Come on, it’s bright daylight and the middle of summer! We’ll be dry in no time. Now let’s see if ye can catch yer terribly older brother!”

She giggled as she gave chase, and they were soon running through the town centre. It bustled with morning activity. He looked back to see her gaining ground on him and leapt over a fruit stall, rolling through the dirt and returning to his feet.

The stall holder’s stern voice bellowed, “Watch where you’re going!”

Adela complained while diverting around the stalls. “That ain’t fair!”

He continued past the baker’s stall and untied his pocket, retrieving a polished gold coin and flicking it to the baker’s boy as he snatched two large spicy bread rolls. “Keep the change!”

He enjoyed the sweet aroma of freshly picked peaches from a nearby fruit stall. The smell of fruit always brought him back to his childhood, when his life was not on the salty seas. One grows tired of eating dried meat and stale bread.

Adela followed him through the town and called for him to stop and share the food with her. He finally gave in and watched as her chest heaved and running slowed. Just when he was about to give up, he realised they had arrived near the opposite side of the island. The town centre was close to the narrowest section of the island, where the ocean connected into a large mouth, and a seemingly endless line of ships were anchored there. A maze of wooden bridges ran around the port and connected to all of the ships.

Adela puffed as she took in the sight of their fleet. “I forget... just how beautiful... it is here. My word! We’re drying out already.”

Raehar took her by the hand and led her down into the busy port, waving to many familiar faces nearby. “I know, and it’s rare we get time together like this while I’m on land. Come on then, ye always complain about wanting to see me ship. Today’s yer lucky day.”

Her eyes widened as she spluttered her words. “Lucia? You’re taking me to see Captain Silvertongue’s ship? But I’m not allowed down here! I’m not a sailor like you. I could be severely punished.”

“Worry not, and trust me, aye?”

Leading her toward the pirate port, their bare feet found sand. He always loved the feeling of soft grains between his toes. Memories of them running along Grenlees’ shores in their childhood were treasured ones. Reaching the edge of the bridges, they climbed the wooden steps. Everyone was far too busy to notice them amongst the crowds of pirates lugging supplies and making their way to the many ships.

So far, it had been easy.

He nodded with growing enthusiasm as they approached the largest vessel of them all. “This is our ship. We call her Lucia, and she’s never lost a battle.”

Three guards in silk clothing approached and drew curved swords. The largest of the trio spoke up. “Raehar, whatchya doing lad? Ye know ye can’t have your sister here, eh?”

So much for an easy visit
, he thought.

He knew the men well. Guarding the ships was as boring as watching grass grow, and they drew straws whenever they returned home. They had to stay with the ships the whole time, including sleeping on the ships, which meant missing out on the joys that land provided.

He threw him a loaf of spiced bread and grinned. “Here, enjoy yer breakfast on me. Look, we sail soon and I just wanna moment to show her our Lucia, and then me sis’ll be on her way. I swear it.”

The guards looked at each other and returned to their posts. “If the cap’n sees ye, we didn’t know ye were there, aight? We ain’t getting whipped for ye.”

Tugging at her hand, he led her toward the bow of the ship, running his hands along its surface. “Ye know that Lucia’s known for her speed and always returning with all sailors on-board. The ships are all guarded, but none as much as Lucia.”

“What makes her so special?”

“Only certain ships, like this one, are a shade of dark green, and larger than the rest. These special ships all belong to the best captains.”