Cat tapped on the wall near the open door of the cabin. She smiled as she watched the odd little man scurry about fiddling with this and doodling at that and mumbling things like, "Boddle," and, "Why didn't some idiot think of that before?"
"Scurry," called Cat. The little man kept on with his work like she had never spoken. "Scurry," she called louder.
"Just a moment, I have to finish this."
While he worked Cat looked around the mess he called his cabin. There was a hammock in the far corner. There was also a table and some chairs hidden somewhere under some of the piles of tomes and scrolls. The main space of the room was taken up with a long work table covered in bottles full of bubbling liquids and trays that held everything from small squirming things to bits of twigs, scales and small gem stones. Cat started to call his name again but before her mouth opened, he held up one hand to quiet her for just a few moments longer.
He poured a red liquid into a flask half full of a green one. The result was the formation of white crystals. The odd little man carefully picked out one of the crystals and tossed it out the window of his cabin. As the crystal touched the water outside the ship, an explosion rocked the ship and sent a splash of water twenty feet into the air.
"Oh boddle," said Scurry. He plopped down with his chin resting on his hand and he turned to face his captain and friend.
"That's quite a splash you created," she said.
He looked out the window with a disgusted look on his face. "It wasn't supposed to make a splash. It was supposed to be silent and make all the force go down. I need to add some ebon essence. And if I cut back on the jade scale just a bit that might just do it." He was turning back to his work space and had already forgotten she was there when she called his name again.
"Scurry, I know how much you detest being interrupted but I need something done. And I need it done now."
He looked up and stared at her for a moment as if he were trying to make a transfer from one mindset to another. She smiled and waited. She knew by that look that he was cataloging all his thoughts and ideas so that when he spoke again, his attention would be all hers.
She watched her friend as he prepared himself for conversation. At five feet tall, he was actually taller than he seemed. But he spent so much time bent over his creations that you would think he was a tiny little man. By all his coloring and body build most folk, at first glance, mistakenly assumed he was an elf; for Scurry had neat silvery white hair and brilliant indigo colored eyes. But his ears showed no telltale point.
He was actually quite nice looking except for the disks of thick polished glass that he had fixed in a framework of wire and wore in front of his eyes. He called them glasses and claimed they helped him see better. They may have, but they certainly didn't make him look better. More often than not, even here in the shadoworld, children laughed and teased when he walked by.
Cat could see a different look enter the creases of his face and she knew that her brilliant companion was about to speak. She gathered her thoughts and readied her request. Once Scurry spoke, he would be ready to do what ever she needed. But if she dawdled, he might jump ahead of her thoughts and start finishing her sentences again and she hated when he did that.
"Cat, did you need something?" he asked it as if she had just walked in the door.
"Yes. You know that viewer that you put in Gothra's cabin? I want another one made." She had closed the door behind her as she started to speak. Scurry picked up on her closing the door. Actually he never missed anything. He just was sort of selective on what he gave enough importance to acknowledge at any given time. He looked intently at her eyes and tried to discern her thoughts.
"Who don't you trust?" he asked.
She realized he was doing it again and she turned her eyes away. "You know I hate it when you do that. And don't worry it isn't who you think. There was a neatow on that ship we took last night. I can't explain why, but I have a feeling we have met before."
"Could you have?" he asked.
"Before last night, I had never met a neatow face to face. So either I saw him in the company of someone else, or he was not a neatow when I knew him."
"So what cabin do you want me to fix up for him?" asked Scurry.
"He's getting Gothra's cabin. Clean up that inside room that the head troll used. And put a viewer into it before he moves in. Oh also, don't forget to put the sensory block around the new room. I don't want that gith knowing anything that I don't choose to tell him."
"What do I do with the troll?"
"The neatow did it last night. In fact, thanks to that neatow and his servants, there are several open quarters on this ship. I suspect that some of the crewmen from the freighter will choose to join the crew rather than face the alternative. Funny how many would rather join us than face charges back in their home ports."
"How soon do you want to tell Gothra he's been demoted?" asked Scurry.
"Oh he already knows. The neatow took care of that last night as well. I've sent Gothra to run some errands for me. By the time he gets back, I want the neatow in his cabin and his things dumped into the new room."
"Dumped?"
"He made a big enough fool of himself last night that he needs to be certain just how not pleased with him I am."
"Ok, dumped it shall be. I'll have a couple of trolls do the moving. That should take care of it. I sense there is something else about this neatow that you have not told me."
"I don't know what to think, Scurry old friend. My heart almost skipped a beat last night when he told me his name."
"What's his name?"
"Lex. An old friend back home used to call my husband that. For a split second it was as if it was he walking beside me." She looked down for a moment and then back at her wizard friend. "He claimed that he and his companions just happened to be on that ship. He said he holds no allegiance to Dalvar. I've got to know if he's telling the truth or if one of them is a spy."
"I'll set up the room for Gothra and have Lex's cabin made up nice. If he is a servant of Dalvar's, we'd better make a good impression."
"Oh, while you're setting up his quarters, make space for his two companions. One is a giant and the other is a tiny elf. From what I can tell, the three of them are inseparable."
"A giant? How am I supposed to make room for a giant in Gothra's old space?" asked Scurry.
"The cabin next to his is now empty as well. Knock out an opening in the wall and connect the two with a door," said Cat.
"You are placing his servants above Gothra as well?" asked Scurry.
"The elf is a formidable wizard and the giant fought like he alone was ten men. They both conducted themselves as I would want my first hands to act. And for all I know, one of them may be the real spy. These three are smart and they are fearless. I've not seen three move more as one since I left the Land East." Something tells me, we'll all be better off if we can keep an eye on all of them at once."
"Oh Gothra is going to be mad," observed the wizard. "He's liable to try something stupid."
"Why do you think I've always insisted on a viewer in his room? He always tries something stupid. Just keep an eye on him and keep me informed."The ship lurched a bit and they could tell that they had just docked into port. "That's my cue. Cat the pirate has to make her appearance. How long will it take you to get the cabin ready?"
"By the time you have given them the tour of the island, all will be ready here. How long is Gothra going to be gone?"
"My errand shouldn't take more than a couple of hours. So, he'll probably be back in about four. I'm sure he'll stop off somewhere and get into trouble."
"You know you depend too greatly on Gothra's weaknesses," said Scurry.
"Oh I'm not depending on Gothra for anything," she said. "I just realize that his ambition keeps him on just a tight enough leash for me to keep track of." She opened the door and started to leave. Then she turned back and added an afterthought."I want Lex's viewer hooked into my quarters only. I want to know firsthand whatever he is up to."
"Yes ma'am." Scurry gathered up some mechanical looking things and started to work on the viewer. He was already deep in concentration by the time she left to go up on deck.The crew did their jobs so well that all she had to do was watch as the two ships were brought up to the dock and lashed into place. Just as the last rope was secured a large head popped up out of the water off the port bow of the freighter.
"She's all set, captain," called the fog giant. "The freighter's not going anywhere until you want her to."
"Thank you, Tramua," called Cat. "I'm coming over." She climbed down the plank and started onto the towed freighter. Lex was just coming topside when she arrived on board.
"My lady," he greeted her. "Since I am apparently your captive, I will ask what you intend to do with me?"
She thought to herself that this creature was far too smooth to be the kind of creature she had heard the common neatow was. She greeted Lex and invited him to join her for a tour of her island. Stark put Rand up on his shoulder and the two of them followed Lex as they departed the ship. As they walked, the same two body guards joined them. This time, Rand could tell more about the pair.
He had learned the battle dwarf's name was Stinger. He had followed the captain to the shadoworld from the Land East. Stinger was all of about three and a half feet tall and just heavy enough to make obviously his healthy appetite.He had black hair and black eyes and wore what seemed to Rand to be too much clothing for the warmth of the day. His broadcloth breeches were tucked tightly into tall sturdy looking boots. A long sleeved shirt was belted at the waist and tucked into long gloves that he was never without.
From the talk the trolls had had last night over the flasked ale, it was made known that what Stinger lacked in wisdom and intelligence, he made up for in loyalty. In their former homeland, he had fought along-side the good lady and to this day would strike down any being who spoke ill of her. Rand suspected that hidden deep within him was a love for the fair captain that he would never willingly reveal.
While Lex was making ready to greet the captain, Rand had mentioned what he had learned of Stinger to him. Lex thought back to Greenhope's hills and recalled the little warrior that had lived two farms over. It pleased him to know that the dwarf had been a good enough friend to protect Cat even here in the shadoworld.
The other bodyguard who followed Cat was almost as different from Stinger as Stark was from Rand. His name was Rage. And though he wasn't quite as tall as Stark, at eight feet tall he still qualified as a giant. He weighed every bit of three hundred fifty pounds and made an imposing sight following Cat around. When he was in the grips of battle, he kept hold of another battle dwarf like it was a weapon or shield.
It had become a practice of the largest giants in the crew to pick up heavily armed battle dwarves and throw them at opposing forces. The one who usually fought with Rage wore spiked armor that made him serve well as a projectile when thrown with enough force. The practice won many battles. But it wasn't very good for the dwarves. Battle dwarves had a tendency to be a little weak on the intelligence side. But like Stinger, they never let a comrade down in a battle or need.
Cat acted the hostess as they walked about the island. She explained that Lex and his companions were not looked on as prisoners but rather as guests. Her island was relatively small as islands go. A normal sized man could walk all the way around its shoreline in little more than two hours. It was mostly round with small hills rising up toward the center. So walking across the island could take longer than walking around it.
The soil of the island was a sandy base rich with humus. Several small palm trees dotted just in from the shoreline. And Cat found that any herbs, flowers, and other plants that were introduced to the island flourished. There was a lush garden growing at the uppermost point of the island. And that garden was kept as the private refuge of the captain. It was well known that anyone who stepped into that garden without her express permission was subject to extreme punishment.
Where the island met the water, the bottom sloped gradually and then dropped off to an immeasurable depth just about twenty feet off shore. Along the north end of the island there were some long coral reefs. The reefs at the south end also had one great boulder that was about fifty feet across. Rumor had it that the area of the rock, as it was called, was bewitched and haunted; because all who had ever swam out near it, never returned.
Because of the strait drop-off, both the east and west sides of the island are perfectly suited as ports. When Cat first set up the island as her port, she used floats to support decking from ship to shore. Once Scurry joined her, he devised a suspension system that, with anchors to what bottom existed before the drop-off, supported decking strong enough to put permanent buildings on.
Through the years that Cat had kept her headquarters on that island, dozens of kin and kind had made their homes there. A floating deck had eventually been erected to hold housing and extra kitchens. That floating community was attached by bridges to decking set up at the north end of the island. Paths had been smoothed out over the hills to connect the community to the two ports of the island and the garden in its center. An arena was set up at the base of the hills on the east side. During the course of her travels, many artisans had decided to add their talents to the Death Knight's entourage.
Cat felt letting them set up shops along the paths would be good for everyone. So those who called Cat's island home could have the best of many things without ever having to leave home. There was no wildlife, save it be birds that flew in and out and what animals ships brought in to be raised on the island for meat. Fishing was best off the bridges at the north end of the island. No fish were ever caught off the south end.
Cat invited Lex to join her crew and offered him a place among her most trusted associates. He was handed keys to the cabin being prepared for him. And Lex was assured that his two companions would be treated as champions among her crew.It was clear to everyone they passed, that this neatow was going to be the new and powerful second to the captain. By touring the island with him, Cat let everyone know that Lex was her personal hand and a being to be feared and respected. By the time they returned to the Death Knight, only Scurry was privy to the fact that all might not be as it appeared with Lex and his companions.
Cat had a ship's boy show the three new crew members to their quarters. Rand cast a spell of detection as they entered the rooms to check for magic and alignments. He read that the rooms had been cleansed of all traces of its former tenant. But as to magic, there was a faint glow in one corner of Lex's room that he would need to investigate further at a later time.
The rooms were elegant enough to almost be called opulent. Rich wood trimmed upholstered walls done all in warm hues of blues and purple. Curtains draped across the windows that were printed in delicate views of clouds and the sea. A spread covering the bed matched its print to the curtains exactly. And plush carpeting that covered the floor picked up on the blues of the walls.
The bed itself was sort of a mix between a hammock and a large brass bed. It had a firm mattress that sat on an ornate brass frame hanging from the ceiling. As the ship rocked, the bed would remain still and allow its occupant to rest soundly. Along the top of the bed was a pile of pillows that gave the impression of being as soft as if you would be sleeping on air itself.
Nearest the outer wall of the room sat a table and four chairs. Each chair was covered in a fabric like that which covered the bed and windows. And inset into the table top was a lamp and places for four goblets to sit. A locking cabinet with glass doors sat against the wall that divided Lex's quarters from Rand and Stark's. It held racks of fine china and crystal goblets. When the lower doors were opened, they revealed a variety of fine wines and exotic dried fruits from around Thordon.
The whole of the place struck Lex as a room prepared for royalty. He knew that such a great effort was made on their behalf in the chance that one or all of them might be of Dalvar's elect. He decided that for the while, he would enjoy his wife's hospitality, regardless of why she was being hospitable.
He was just settling the last of his things into his cabin when the latch at the door started to jiggle. Stark opened the door and glared down at the face of the gith who had been humiliated just the night before. Gothra looked at his belt and then raised his eyes to meet the gaze of the servant of his enemy.
"What are you doing in my cabin?" demanded Gothra. Lex asked who was at the door and Stark simply stepped to one side. Gothra saw the changes to the cabin before he saw whose room it now was. "What have you done to my cabin?" He started to walk into the room and Stark put one of his massive hands on his chest to stop him.
"My lord did not invite you in," said the giant.
"Invite me in? This is my cabin. Who invited you in?" demanded the gith.
Just then a diabolus walked up behind Gothra and spoke. "Is there a problem my lord?"
"Yes, this creature has insulted me for the last time. If everything else wasn't bad enough, now he has moved into my cabin," said Gothra.
The diabolus didn't respond. He just stood looking into the room still waiting for an answer.
"Do you think you could find some cabin boy to show this pittance of a sailor to whatever dust bin it is that he is supposed to sleep in," said Lex.
"Yes, my Lord Lex. I will do it myself. Is there anything else you have need of sir?" asked the creature.
"No, Ethos. Once the garbage has been taken out, I'm certain that this cabin will be just fine," answered Lex.
"Garbage? What do you mean, your Lord Lex? I command you to get this thing out of my cabin!" demanded Gothra.
Ethos smiled at how smoothly Lex had battered Gothra. He would enjoy every moment of the trip dragging Gothra down to the lower deck where he would now be quartered. The gith had always been his least favorite member of the whole of the crew.Rand had a feeling that Ethos wasn't the only crewman who was enjoying Gothra's social face slapping. Perhaps, Lex might just be the means of getting them in tight with the crew all by himself. At the rate he was going, even if the gith did try to take back his rank and status, his own men might defend Lex against him.
When Ethos reached the lowest level of cabins he all but threw Gothra into the hallway. He shoved the gith down the hall until they reached the inner room he would have to call his own from now on.
"I will have your heart for this," swore Gothra. "You'll never forget the wrath you have earned this day."
"I will warn you only this one time," said Ethos. "Never again speak to me or any other superior unless you are given permission to do so." He opened the door of a room and said, "Take your place, and do not forget it."
"My place, among the trolls? Not even Cat would dare go this far," said Gothra.
Ethos struck Gothra across his head and spoke harshly. "I warned you not to forget your place. If you speak of your captain, call her by her title. Only those of the inner circle are allowed to speak her name of choice. If you dare do this thing again, I will give you to the trolls as a practice target."
He shoved Gothra into the room and slammed the door. It was all he could do to hold back his laughter until he reached the next higher deck. Ethos was certain that he, along with at least a good many of his crewmates, were going to really enjoy watching that gith suffer for the next few days. He was almost looking forward to Gothra slipping up and calling the captain by her chosen name again.
Back in his little room, Gothra sat and thought of what he should do. He had a very real knowledge that his treatment of hirelings had not made him many friends. Now that they all outranked him, he would have to really watch himself. If he didn't do something quick, he could end up as little more than fodder for the sharks.
"I wonder if Dalvar does know Lord Lex," he said to himself. "With my luck, if this guy isn't one of his elect, Dalvar would probably want him to be." He thought some more and reasoned with himself, "Maybe if Lord Lex is a bit too cocky, Dalvar will come to hate him as much as I do. Then it wouldn't matter what Captain Cat wants. Lord Dalvar will see my good service and I will be the captain who makes that half goat creature a practice target for trolls."
Meanwhile, back up on the higher deck, Lex had decided to tour the ship name after him. The Death Knight was a large and truly impressive vessel. Stem to stern, she was a good one hundred eighty feet in length and she was all of fifty feet at her widest point. As Lex walked about the ship he decided that Cat must have designed it herself. Every bit of space was used to its utmost potential. The belly of the ship held rooms set up for storage and booty taken is battle. Along the very center of the lowest deck was a strip of small dark rooms. Since some creatures of the shadoworld didn't care for light, these rooms were most often the quarters for trolls and orcs and such. Those beings are the lowest ranking that live on the ship. Their duties are often guarding things that no one wants or cleaning the parts of the ship that no one else wants to clean.
Above those storage rooms and cabins was a deck primarily filled with cabins for the next level rank. Each of these cabins were placed around the outer edges of the ship so that all of them small windows. They had bunks for four and places for a few personal effects. Since pirates were usually not the trusting kind, it didn't surprise Lex that most kept that which they held most dear on their persons. A hall way led all the way around that deck with two halls cutting through from one side to the other. Centered on those two hallways were stairways that led down to the lower deck and up to the next level.
The section between the sets of stairs was an armory. It had to be the best organized room that Lex had ever seen. Doors centered on opposite walls allowed entry from both ends of the room.When you walked in two crewmen were there to assist in finding whatever you needed in an instant.
Shelves down one side of the room held bins full of knives, daggers, and swords that were organized by size and magical properties. Another set of shelves held racks of throwing axes, war hammers, and battleaxes. Each of those was also set by size and strength needed to wield them. Along the other wall stood racks of various armors. Plate mail, chain mail, ring mail, and magical armors all hung clean and neat waiting for someone to need them. On a shelf just in from that wall held bucklers, shields, and helms of all varieties. Down the center of the room between the two sections, was a rack holding all manner of bows and crossbows.
At each end of that center rack and each set of shelves throughout the room, a dozen quivers hung neatly on pegs. Each quiver was well stocked with either quarrels for the crossbows or flight arrows for the long bows. Lex could see by the look of this room that if the Death Knight were ever attacked, hundreds of crewmen could be equipped with weapons and armor in a remarkably short time.
As he continued his tour, he found that opposite the doors to the armory were well stocked kitchens and storage rooms. With two working kitchens, meal times were as organized as everything else. One of the kitchens made breakfast and did all the baking for the ship. The other kitchen cooked vegetables and roasted meats all day so that lunches and dinners were always ready on time.The front door of each kitchen opened into a serving area. Crewmen of low status came in and after getting their food in a serving line, would sit at long tables and eat right there in the kitchens.
Manners were surprisingly good for most of the crew. It seems that if a crewman ate badly enough that others could not enjoy their meals, that crewman was barred from the kitchen for the next meal.
The rear of each kitchen had two doors. One was for servants to carry trays of food to their respective masters. The other was for dirty trays and dishes being brought back in. The captain and inner circle were always served first. While the ship was docked at the island, the captain's and inner circle's meals were prepared by Cat's favorite chefs on the island.
The next level up was almost all cabins. Around the outside were suites for the captain's inner circle. Each had furnishing much like the ones in Lex's cabin. Like his own room, most of the suites were about ten feet from door to outer wall and about twenty feet across. Five foot wide hallways separated the inner circle from the cabins where their individual first hands lived. Each man was close enough to hear if he were called or if there was trouble at his master's door.
The area between the stairways on this deck had rooms set up for baths and water storage. Off to the sides of those rooms and behind the stairs were doors that opened into rooms stocked with towels, linens, and cleaning supplies. Only the first hands were allowed in to clean the rooms of the inner circle.
Lex suspected that this was a privilege that was earned and therefore cherished. Each of those called upon to be firsts for the inner circle were regarded much like their masters. No one was allowed to speak to them without their permission. Any command they gave, was obeyed without question. And any disobedience to their orders was dealt with extremely harshly.
Up from that level was the main deck of the ship. Between the stairs on this uppermost level were the private quarters of the captain. All in all her quarters were about twenty by twenty five feet. Cat enjoyed glass windows on every wall of her cabin. They were set in tracks so that when the temperature was hot, she could raise portions of the glass and let breezes through to cool herself. She also had velvet draped from the ceiling that she could lower over those windows and have all the privacy of a solid wall.
Lex could see through the windows and inside the captain's quarters. Her bed was almost identical to the one that hung in his cabin. Her room was done in burgundy. Pillows of rich greens and pink roses accented the room. It struck Lex how firmly she held control of her ship while her private quarters showed such femininity and grace.
Her table was set with a pitcher and goblets. A bowl of grapes and other small fruits and nuts sat centered on it. The wall of her room nearest the table had a curtain of fabric that matched her linens draped across it. Lex supposed that behind those drapes, Cat kept those things that all women held secret and delicate. It pleased Lex to see these traces of the old Cat still evident. One thing that made him smile was the glimpse of a toy wooden horse that sat on a stand near her bed. He had carved that horse the day she had told him he was going to be a father.
After seeing the room that his wife had created for herself, Lex didn't feel much like looking at the rest of the ship. He would have rather just stayed there and basked in the view so classic to Cat's style. Voices off to his left caught his attention. When he headed that way, he found that just in back of the captain's quarters was a map room.The room was as well organized as the armory had been below decks. One wall held racks of maps of the Land West all neatly rolled and labeled. From the care and detail given to those maps, Lex surmised that The Death Knight might have other interests than just piracy.
The opposite wall was a mirror image of the first. The bins were labeled with the names of Land East kingdoms.Between the walls of maps were two tables centered in the small room. Each table was slightly slanted and had a frame of wood around it. Large maps were set on the tables and the frames held them in place so that they didn't move or blow in the sea breezes. Beside the door Lex was looking through sat another smaller table with a map of Thordon fastened in place on its top.
At one side of the back wall was one door that opened onto the passage between this room and the captain's quarters. Beside that door was a rack full of map rolls like the other two walls. The labels that Lex could see revealed that they covered water depths, coastlines, shipping lanes, and known hazard areas. One small bin was marked ‘UNCONFIRMED MAGIC'. Another bin was labeled `WRONG'. Lex laughed when he saw that and caught the attention of a wererat who appeared to be in charge.
"What do you want?" he called to Lex.
He seemed threatened or angry. Lex couldn't tell which. He smiled again and turned to finish his tour of the deck. That was not the response the wererat expected to get from a stranger new to the crew. He would have to make an example of this disrespectful creature.
"I asked you a question. And I didn't give you permission to leave." declared the wererat.
Lex didn't even turn around to face him when he answered. He just called back over his shoulder, "I don't need your permission."
Lex walked up toward the front of the ship to see what was in the room on the other end of Cat's quarters. The wererat couldn't believe that anyone could be so insubordinate. He followed after Lex and confronted him again. Only this time he did so with a weapon in his hand.
Cat had heard the commotion and had come out to see what was going on. She listened to the heated words that were being exchanged and she wondered how long it would take this neatow to alienate all of her inner circle. When the weapon was drawn, she watched to see how the neatow would react. Would he fight and disrupt the order on ship? Or would he surprise them all?
"I don't know who you think you are but I am one of the inner circle and what you just did gets those outside the circle killed."
Lex wasn't certain if the statement was meant as a threat or as a warning. Judging by the look of this seething creature, it was meant as a challenge. Lex saw Cat standing behind the challenger, so he decided to stay in character and take it as a warning.
"Thank you for clarifying that for me," replied Lex casually.Lex wasn't sure, but he thought Cat smiled. She was quick to bring her hand to cover her mouth. And when the wererat huffed in frustration, she had to turn away to hide her surprise and amusement. When he cried out ready to attack Lex, Cat called out his name and he stopped mid scream.
"Hormon, I wouldn't do that if I were you," she said. He turned to look at her. "Lex," she started the introductions, "I'd like you to meet Hormon, maps and navigation. And a member of the inner circle as he has already told you I'm sure."
"Yes," said Lex, "I do think I recall it being mentioned."
"Hormon," she turned to face the seething wererat. "I'd like you to meet Lex, first warrior of the Death Knight. He is also a member of my inner circle or didn't you know that?"
When Hormon heard the title of first warrior his face showed shock first and then fear. He lowered the weapon and sheathed it quickly. He realized that he had been asked a question by the captain. With all the fuss he had just made about Lex not answering his question, he knew she would not wait long for an answer from him.
"No Captain. I don't believe we had been introduced before today," he said.
"Well since he only moved into his quarters at noon, that would make perfect sense," said the captain. She was as gracious a diplomat as she had always been. "Hormon, did you need anything else?"
He looked at her somewhat shocked. He was being dismissed in the presence of the neatow. The creature had been put above him in rank. And he had apparently been put above him in the regard of the captain as well.
"No ma'am," he humbly answered.
Cat smiled and then turned toward Lex and took his arm. "Tomorrow morning I will hold a tournament in my arena. It is sort of a contest to see who among the kin and kind on the island are worthy to join us on the ship and become members of my crew. Before the challenges begin, I'll introduce each of the inner circle. That way, you can know who on board is your equal."
Lex walked with his wife and had to think hard to not reveal himself to her. When she said equal, it brought Lex an opportunity to say a truth that would fit the image he was portraying. Without the slightest malice or untruth he simply stated his position.
"No man on this vessel is my equal. You, dear lady, are the captain and it is your vessel. But I have yet to see another who could challenge me."
Cat started to respond and scold him for pride and bragging. But as she thought of how to phrase the words, she realized that what he had said was more than true. It was obvious.
"When I say equal, I mean in rank." When she said the words, Lex knew he would be accepted fully into Cat's confidences. "Some of the crew," she continued. "Like Gothra for instance, are unimportant and no one likes. But if my ship is to run smoothly, it would be help a great deal if my inner circle could get along and even become friends."
"I didn't realize at the time, just how insecure and upset Hormon would become. I will try to do better."
Lex looked down at her as he said it and had to again catch himself from getting entranced by her beauty. He was very glad that she carried herself so well. He feared that if she had acted as if she would respond to advances, he might not have been able to resist the feelings that walking with his wife gave him. Then as Lex raised his head back up to look forward again he realized that it was her steadfastness to her marriage vows that was so lovely.
Cat showed Lex the remainder of the ship and then escorted him back to his cabin. He thanked her for the tour and promised again to be more pleasant to crewmen. He stepped into his cabin and started to close the door. But he opened it and watched her as she walked back up the hallway and turned toward the stairs.
Lex sat at the table in Stark and Rand's cabin and watched as Stark settled into the new quarters. Rand had made himself invisible so he could go into Lex's room and look around. He headed over to the corner of the room where he had detected a magical force before.
He found the viewer but he wasn't quite sure what it was.One thing he did know for certain; there was a wizard somewhere on board whose powers exceeded his own. He did a good search of his own room before turning back into solid form. He sat down near Lex at the table and whispered in his ear that he was probably being observed whenever he was in his own room. A smile crossed Lex's face and he spoke in a quiet tone.
"No wonder she's able to maintain such control. She can weed out disloyals before they even can act against her." He signaled for Stark to join them at the table. "If she wants to know what we are really about, then let's show her. We can let her know we are on her side and no one will have to know we are anything more than just the image we have given them so far."
"But Lex," said Rand, "What if Cat isn't the one watching?"
"Oh I'm sure it's Cat. And if it isn't they'll be reporting to her whatever they see in here." He rested his snout onto his curled talons and thought a while. "I've got to figure out how to send a message that only she would understand. I don't want to reveal too much. She just needs to know that we are three she could truly trust."
"Maybe Stinger can help," suggested Rand. He's from your home town, right?" Lex nodded. "Well maybe, no that won't work. I don't think he's bright enough to pass a message back to her without botching it up."
"Well," said Lex as he stretched and yawned. "Whatever we do, it'll wait until morning. I’m tired and I'm going to bed." He stood and headed toward his room. "Since I know she's watching me, it'll almost be like we were back home in Greenhope," he said as he walked back into his own room.
In the captain's cabin, Cat's ears perked up when she thought she heard the name of her old homeland spoken of. She watched the viewer as Lex removed his boots, cloak and tunic and crawled into bed. It struck her as funny how much this strange creature reminded her of the love she had so long searched for. She shook off the idea and as she heard him drift off to quiet snores, she turned away from the viewer, covered it, and went to bed herself.She dreamt of feelings she hadn't enjoyed in some time. She fought with the idea that such a creature could awaken feelings long buried. A few tosses and turns and her dreams faded and real sleep filtered in.
Lex thought of her watching as he drifted off. But instead of dreaming of her, his dreams took him back to the Land East and to the travels of two giants and a halfelf.The air was cooler than it had been in his dream of the night before. The terrain was showing low rolling hills and a rich wood filling the south west.
Lex could see by the color of the sky that morning was just breaking over the horizon. At least one day had passed since his last dream. And as he watched, the three travelers slowed their pace to a walk, and a village of small houses and tiny beings opened up on the road before them. Bruce stopped and removed his boots. The other two got off their horses and led them the rest of the way into town.
"This looks like a nice little place to be from," said Adia as she walked into the shire with Bruce and Stephan.
"Had I not known that I really belonged somewhere else, I probably would have never left this place," said Bruce. He looked ahead and smiled as he spotted a halfling familiar to his eye.
"Bruce, is that my little Bruce?" called the woman.
"Soemee," answered the giant as he scooped the tiny figure up in his arms. "I have missed you so much."
Lex noted that seeing Bruce like this was like watching a younger in any homeland. He watched the trio through a good part of their day and his heart smiled. It appeared that Bruce's impression of being needed at home had been a false alarm. Then just as the evening meal was being set out in the courtyard, two halflings that were strangers to Bruce asked him to walk with them. Stephan saw the pair and followed them.
"Adia," he called.
She looked over at him and saw Bruce walking with the two strangers off toward the woods. She excused herself from the folk she was visiting with and disappeared into the woods where Bruce was headed. She and Stephan hadn't come all the way here just to let some strangers take off with Bruce and not do anything about it.
"Master Bruce, we are the ones who called you here," said one of the halflings as they reached a spot in the wood where others in the village would no longer see them. Stephan watched from the shadow of the trees as the two halflings looked around. When they didn't see anyone, they both suddenly changed shape and became giants who resembled Bruce.
As Lex slept, he could see Adia with her bow ready. Stephan stood ready with his bow as well. Lex felt as if he were right there in the shire with them. He could tell that if either of those two so much as sneezed aggressively, they would be under fire from two who would give their lives for this friend and hero. Lex's attention turned back to Bruce and the firbolgs who stood before him.
"Master, we are from your true homeland. We have searched these many years for you and now that we have found you, we can take you home," said the second man.
"Why do you keep calling me Master?" asked Bruce.
The first giant spoke again, "Master, you are the prince of our people. You carry the DEFENDER OF THE TRUTH. It has always been the symbol of our royalty."
"We hoped that we would find you before you reached your full maturity. There are things you can only learn in your own homeland among your own people." The two giants seemed to be pressing Bruce.
"It is imperative that you come home with us now. There are forces that would that you never reach home."
Bruce thought a moment and looked at the pair. "I have promised that I would meet some kin and kind in three days on a journey north. After I have finished my obligation to them, then I will come to you."
"No," said the second giant. "You need to come now."
Lex could see the tenseness in all three of the party from Castletown. Bruce raised his head and could see both of his companions with weapons ready. He smiled slightly and drew the very sword that the two giants claimed was a proof of his royalty.
"This is the symbol of royalty and I am a prince?" he asked.
"Yes Master and you are needed at home." answered one of the men.
"Where is home?" asked Bruce.
The two men glanced at each other and stammered a bit. "The way is difficult to explain. We really need to take you there ourselves."
"Umm. That's what I thought," said Bruce. "Well, if I am your prince then who and where is my father?"
"Your father was killed on the day you were born. A band of elves took you away from us. They murdered your mother and left you here in this forsaken place to die or grow up twisted with ideas and imaginings of equality for all races."
The other giant joined in, "All the other races of Thordon knew that you were the only true ruler of the Land East. If you don't return to the house of your father's kin before your thirtieth year begins, then the kingdom can't be passed on as it must be."
Bruce listened as the two told their tale. He waited until they were finished and then he made clear his intent. "I have promised that I would join others on a journey to the north. The Ancient of Ages has called me and I will sit at his feet and partake of his wisdom. Once that obligation is fulfilled, I will seek out the truth of what you say. Then and only then, I will come to the house of my father's kin."
The two giants both drew weapons. It was clear to all that their efforts to trick Bruce into going with them were not going to succeed. "You must not delay. If you do not come with us, you will never go anywhere with someone else."
As they both raised their blades at Bruce, he prepared to defend himself. But before the giants could strike, each one was hit in the side by a flight arrow. From the other direction, twelve long arrows flew with the swiftness of the wind and found their homes deep in the hearts of Bruce's would be attackers.
In his dream, Lex watched as Adia and Stephan both came from their hiding places and joined Bruce in the clearing. The three of them looked down at the bodies of the two firbolg giants.
"If you ask me, we should check their pockets. There's got to be something that would tell you who these guys really were," said Stephan.
"Who they were, were the first of my own kind I have ever seen," said Bruce sadly. "They are also the first assassins I have even known who had me as a target."
"Do you think what they said about you being a prince was the truth?" asked Adia.
"It was almost the only truth those two spoke to you my son." The voice was Soemee's. She walked up to where the three stood and reached up for Bruce's hand. Bruce and the others walked with her a little ways off and the four of them sat on the cool green grass.
Soemee tried to find the words that would best answer the many questions she knew would be racing through Bruce's mind about this time. For the sake of Adia and Stephan, she rehearsed all that she and her kin had done to help raise Bruce from infancy. After they had talked and laughed and sat for a long while. Bruce asked the questions and Soemee was ready to answer them.
"Elves did not murder your mother. They were trying to help her escape. When your father was murdered on his throne, she left your homeland in order to save your life. The laws of your people were based on the society always having a strong leader. If a king died, his son would only rule if he lived to reach maturity. If the son was killed before his thirtieth birthday, then the elder of the land would rule."
"I suppose the elder was supposed to rule because of the wisdom that age brings. Whatever the reason behind it that was the law. When you were just a day onto this world; a firbolg named Zorton, who was the first son of the elder, struck down your father as he rested upon his throne. Zorton felt certain that your death would be easy. He didn't realize how beloved your mother was by all the races of Thordon. When he hunted down your mother and killed her, the elves took you and hid you here in the one place he would never think to look."
"Only my dear and I knew all of who you truly were. We had been among the lucky folk who knew your mother while she yet lived. Since we knew what had really happened to your father's house, we were chosen to safeguard you and do the best we could to raise you as she would have done." The old halfling woman patted the giant's hand as if he were a younger of her own size. She paused to see how he was taking all the news. The look of wonder and interest on his face told her that she could go on with her tale.
"I never knew exactly where your homeland was. I knew that your mother traveled far to visit with us here and she always came from the north. But after her death, the only thing we had to help you find your way home was the symbol of your royal birth. That sword was all we had to prove who you were and through which house you could claim the kingdom.”
“When you set out on your own, we hoped that if others of your kind saw the sword, they would protect you and help you understand how you could take your place in the house of your father's kin. It never dawned on us that the first kin you saw would have been ones who sought you out to end your life."
"If they found me here, then none of you are safe as long as I am here," said the gentle giant.
"Once you return to your homeland as a mature prince, then no one would dare come against us," said Soemee. I don't know if the elder ever knew that his own son was the one who brought down the house of your father. I don't think he does. From how your mother spoke of him, I think if he did know he would have tried even his own son and caused him to pay the debts he owed your family."
"Some thought that Zorton intended to rule the kingdom himself. You see, if the son of the king does not return in his thirtieth year, then the crown is passed down the elder's kinship as if he had been the king. If you do not return to claim your right, Zorton will be the next in line for your throne." She had finished. She didn't know what else to say. So she prepared herself for the onslaught of questions she was sure Bruce would pour out upon her. But no onslaught occurred. Bruce asked but two questions.
"When does my thirtieth year begin? And can I return home and make my claim at any time during that year?"
"I subtracted a hundred years from my age and traded birthdays with you so we could pretend you had been with us for the wrong amount of time to be the prince. It was silly really. Anyone who saw you would know when your birth occurred. Anyone but you that is."
"The day that your thirtieth year begins is in five days. And yes, you have one year from that day to return and make your claim." She looked down at the grass and watched a teardrop fall from her cheek. "I'm sorry, my son. I failed to tell you the truth so many years ago. I hope you can forgive an old woman."
Bruce sat for a moment and then looked over at the only mother he had ever known. A smile of gratitude and love softened the corners of his mouth and he brought the tiny figure up close to his chest. She all but disappeared as he held her close and hugged her. As she and the giant pulled back from their embrace she faked a laugh and rubbed his face.
"You need a shave. I thought for a minute there that I wouldn't have any skin left when you were through squeezing me."
"Now Miss Soemee," said Adia, "You know good and well that grown firbolgs don't usually shave."
"Oh I know that. It is just that he has such a nice face. I like for him to let it be seen now and again."
"Well I do shave more often than not," said the massive man. "But I promise that whenever I'm around you, I'll be smooth as silk."
Soemee tried to imagine the boy she had raised sitting as a king on a fine throne and she laughed. "We'd better get up and get to that supper. It's all laid out and you know how halflings can eat. If we don't get to it, there won't be any left." All of them arose and Bruce lifted Soemee up onto his shoulder.
"Oh my, it is a ways up here isn't it?" she said.
"If you are frightened, I can put you down," offered Bruce.
"Now don't you dare put me down, at least not until everyone gets to see me riding up here." She waved to her kinfolk as they came from the wood and reentered the clearing. "Bruce, I heard you say that you were going to see the Ancient of Ages. He knows every part of this land. If anyone could show you the way to get home it would be him. You all eat and rest tonight. Bright and early tomorrow, you and your delightful friends get on with your trip so you can finish and get on home where you should be."
Lex watched as Bruce lowered the tiny halfling to a chair waiting at the table for her. He could smell the foods and warm breads as if he were there beside them. Just as he thought he could resist the food not a moment longer he awoke to find Stark standing beside his bed.
"Boy you have got to be the soundest sleeper I have ever seen. All the commotion that cabin boy made bringing in your breakfast and you sleep right through it all. I swear if the food didn't smell so good, you'd have probably never woke up at all."
Lex rubbed his face and realized it had been since the day they had left Castletown when he had last shaved. He stretched and yawned and looked around Stark to the table set with hot foods and fresh breads.
"It does smell good," he mumbled through another yawn.
"It's alive," called Rand Matrix from the other room. He toddled in with a roll in one hand and a piece of fruit in the other. "Try the rolls. I haven't had any as good since I ate at a halfling's kitchen." Lex stared at the little elf and wondered for a moment about how much of his dreams were really dreams at all.
