The star of Morcyth ms-5 Page 17

Meliana gets a hurt look on her face and her father’s demeanor turns dark.

  “Thanks,” James says to him as he takes his hand and makes it over the rail.

  Dave tries to say something else but Meliana rushes past him and gives James a hug. Burying her face in his shoulder, she lets out the pent up fear and frustration she’s felt ever since learning of his fate.

  He pats her on the back and says, “Here now, I’m okay, there’s no reason to fret.”

  “I was just so scared for you,” she cries.

  James looks at the others slightly embarrassed at this display of emotion in front of everyone, though he does rather enjoy it. Dave is giving him an odd look and it doesn’t look like a pleased one.

  “What happened?” asks Jiron.

  “That’s a long story,” he replies. “Best if we talk about it later.”

  The two rescued crewmen climb aboard and begin talking to the captain. Meliana’s father goes and joins in the conversation. After a few words are exchanged, her father says, “Captain?”

  “Yes sir,” the captain of the ship replies.

  He glances at his daughter and as if the words are painful to say, points to James and says, “Place this man under arrest.”

  “Father!” she cries.

  “What?” Illan asks as he rounds on her father in disbelief.

  Nodding to the rescued crewmen, he says, “He killed the Ambassador and everyone on board except these two sailors. We must take him to the nearest port in the Empire and hand him over to the authorities.”

  “But they’ll kill him!” Meliana exclaims. “We can’t!”

  “We must!” he shouts at her. He sees the pain in her eyes, the look of betrayal but he has no choice. “We are loyal citizens of the Empire.”

  James looks at him and then at his friends. He sighs and says, “I understand.” To his friends he says, “I don’t want any trouble from you while we’re on this ship.” Locking eyes briefly with each of them, he says, “Alright?”

  Each in turn gives him a nod. Miko looks outraged and about ready to protest when Illan lays a hand on his shoulder. Giving in to his wishes, he gives James a nod.

  “This way,” Mr. Bessin says.

  Disengaging from the crying and on the point of hysteria Meliana, he follows Mr. Bessin to one of the cabins and goes inside. The door shuts and he hears a key turn in the lock. At least this is better than where he had just been.

  When James is locked away, they gather around her father. “You can’t just hand him over to the Empire’s men,” Dave says. “They’ll kill him.”

  “Young man,” her father says, “shut up and get out of my face before I have you thrown overboard.”

  “But…” he begins when Fifer comes and escorts him away.

  Illan starts to say something, when her father cuts him off and says, “I can’t ruin my house over this. When we arrive at a port in the Empire, I must hand him over. I’m sorry.” He then turns and walks away.

  “What are we going to do?” Miko asks him.

  “I don’t know,” Illan replies. “We’ll have to wait until he’s off the ship, then we’ll see.”

  Meliana’s father keeps James locked up in the cabin with only brief respites out to answer the call of nature and to get some fresh air. It was during one such time when Meliana comes to him with something in her hands. As she draws close, he realizes it’s the ceramic dolphin figurine he had shipped to her during their brief stopover at Maradan when they left Corillian.

  He smiles at her and says, “I see you got it.”

  “Yes,” she replies with a smile. “You can’t imagine how surprised I was when Miriam came over and gave it to me. How did you know I liked these?”

  “I didn’t,” he admits. “I just liked them too, and I wanted you to have something to remember me by.”

  She comes close to him and he slips his arm around her. They stand by the rail watching the waves roll by. “What’s going to happen?” she asks him.

  “What do you mean?” he replies.

  “My father meant what he said,” she tells him. “At the next port we visit in the Empire, he will hand you over to the authorities.”

  “I know,” he says. “I harbor him no ill will, he’s just trying to protect his house…and you.”

  She lays her head on his shoulder as they stand there in silence, simply enjoying each other’s company.

  “James,” an annoying voice interrupts this peaceful scene.

  Turning, he sees Dave standing there. “What?” he asks.

  “Can I talk to you?”

  Sighing, he says, “Sure.” Then to Meliana, he asks, “Will you excuse me for a moment?”

  “Of course,” she says though in her heart she wanted to say no.

  He and Dave move a little ways from her, the two sailors who are set to watch him follow. Like her father said, the guards are more for show. If James wanted to kill them all there’s little any of them could do about it.

  “What?” he asks when they reach a spot of relative privacy.

  “Let’s get out of here,” he says. “I know you can do it, they’ve told me enough tales about you.”

  “I can’t,” James tells him.

  “Why?” he asks. Pointing to Meliana he says, “Is it because of her?”

  “Partly,” he admits.

  “You and me go way back,” Dave says. “We’ve been friends a long time.”

  Holding up his hand to forestall any further comments, he says, “I know, Dave. Your friendship has always meant the most to me. But no matter what, I have to do what I feel is right. You know that.”

  True, throughout his friendship with James, he’s always known him for doing what he felt was right. No matter what the consequences were. “Yeah, I know,” he says. “But this could be your life we’re talking about. Not to mention mine. You’re all I have in this crazy world.” He looks into James’ eyes a moment and then says quietly, “I just want to go home.”

  “I know you do,” he says. “So do I. But right now we can’t and are simply going to have to do the best we can.”

  One of the sailors comes up and says, “It’s time to return to the cabin.”

  “Everything will be alright,” he assures his friend.

  “I hope so,” he replies.

  Meliana comes and walks with him back to the cabin and gives him a quick kiss on the cheek before they put him in and lock the door. Once the door is closed, she turns around and sees her father there looking at her. She gives him a look of betrayal and then turns around and goes the opposite direction.

  Later that afternoon, they make a course change and land begins to appear on the horizon. Shortly after that, a major port city comes into view ahead of them.

  Illan is standing next to Kendrick, Meliana’s father. “So,” he says, “you still plan to hand him over when we dock?”

  “Here?” he asks. Shaking his head, he says, “Not here. That’s Westerlyn, a port city still within the borders of Cardri. If I were to take him ashore here and he got away, I wouldn’t very well be able to take him on into the Empire, now would I?”

  Illan’s eyes move to his and they lock for a moment before he says, “No, you wouldn’t.”

  “There’s some trading we will be doing here before returning to the Empire,” he tells him. “Probably won’t be staying more than the night. Should have our business concluded by then.” He then turns and heads to the other side of the ship to confer with Mr. Bessin.

  Illan watches him go and then he turns back to watch Westerlyn approach.

  Chapter Fourteen

  In the late afternoon, the ship comes to rest at the dock and Kendrick’s sailors begin transferring cargo. By the time night falls, the cargo for Westerlyn has been transferred off and the cargo they are acquiring brought aboard. Their next stop being far into the Empire, Kendrick allows most of the crew to go ashore, keeping only two on board to watch James. He and his daughter leave for the evening to find an inn and have a goo
d dinner, perhaps listen to a bard.

  While the ship was unloading, Illan and the others took Paul and the girls to find a way back to Cardri. They eventually came across a caravan going in that direction and arranged passage for them. Fortunately one of the wagons was only half full and the merchant was more than willing to have them use that space, for a price.

  Miko and Paul exchange goodbyes, Daria giving him a hug and a kiss. “Some adventure,” Paul says as they get loaded onto the caravan.

  “Yeah,” Miko replies. “At least it all worked out well.”

  “You coming back to Cardri?” he asks him.

  “Maybe,” Miko tells him. “If I do, I’ll be sure to look you up.”

  “You do that,” he says as he takes his place in the back of the wagon.

  The caravan master calls for the wagons to begin moving and their wagon starts rolling down the road. Miko watches for a while as they move away, Paul and the girls waving goodbye to him. He waves back until they’ve rolled out of sight.

  All afternoon, Illan has been contemplating the words Kendrick said to him. Not just the words but the tone of voice. That, along with the fact he sent most of his crew away on shore leave, seems to indicate he wants them to get James off his ship.

  He mentions his observations to Jiron and he readily agrees. “He doesn’t want the Empire against him, he lives there. But at the same time he wishes to please his daughter so is creating a situation for us to get him off without seeming to. He won’t be considered at fault and James will be free.”

  “That’s how I see it too,” he adds.

  They have Fifer take Dave into town to keep him out of the way while they wait nearby on the docks for everything to become quiet. The two sailors who survived the destruction of the Ambassador’s ship have gone into town with Kendrick’s crew and aren’t expected back until late or maybe not until the following morning.

  Illan, Miko, Jiron and Qyrll wait in the deepening shadows of the dock as the crew from a neighboring ship disembarks. Once they’ve passed from the dock area, it grows quiet.

  “Now?” Miko asks.

  Illan nods his head and they make their way through the dark and to the gangplank leading up to the ship’s deck. The two guards posted outside James’ door sees them come aboard, one of them breaks into a grin. “Can we help you?” he asks.

  “You know why we’re here,” Jiron states as he draws one of his knives.

  The two guards step aside. As Illan moves to open the door, the other guard says, “You better rough us up. Gotta make this look convincing.”

  Jiron nods understanding before lashing out, catching one in the stomach. As the man doubles over, he cracks him in the head with the butt of his knife, dropping him to the floor.

  Miko turns to the other guard who says, “You better cut me.” Pulling out his knife, the other guard exposes his side for Miko as he strikes out. A red line forms in the sailor’s side from where Miko’s knife opens a four inch long wound. Then Jiron strikes him in the back of the head and he falls to the deck.

  By this time Illan has the door open and James walks out. Upon seeing the guards lying on the deck, his expression darkens.

  “We had to,” Jiron assures him. “We didn’t want anyone to believe Meliana’s father allowed you to be taken off his ship. This way, it looks like we came and rescued you.”

  “He still may get into trouble,” Illan tells him, “but hopefully not nearly as bad.”

  James looks down at the guard who isn’t unconscious and sees him nod agreement to what Jiron had just said.

  “Alright,” he says. “Let’s get out of here.”

  They move off the ship and cross through the docks. “Just where are we?” he asks.

  “A port city called Westerlyn,” Illan explains. “It’s somewhere south of the city of Cardri, but still north of the Empire.”

  As they make their way along the avenue through the warehouses bordering the docks, a shadow disengages itself from the darkness. James comes to a stop before he realizes it’s Mr. Bessin.

  “Hope you didn’t kill the men standing guard,” he says.

  Shaking his head, James replies, “Only roughed them up a little. Had to make it look convincing.”

  “Indeed,” he says. He pulls a small sack out of his shirt and hands it to James.

  “What’s this?” he asks as he takes the money.

  “Something from a friend to help on your journey,” he explains. “Also, this friend said for you to find the horse trader, Ellias. That you should tell him ‘your ship left without you’.”

  “Tell this friend we appreciate all he’s done for us,” says James.

  Nodding, Mr. Bessin abruptly moves into the avenue and walks back to the ship.

  James lightly shakes the sack and hears the coins within clinking together. “That was nice,” he says to Illan.

  “Probably doesn’t want us captured anywhere near where he is,” Jiron says.

  “Probably,” he agrees.

  To Jiron, Illan says, “Go find Fifer and Dave and meet us at this horse trader Ellias’ place.”

  “Will do,” he says. Moving away down the street, he is soon out of sight in the darkness.

  They move further into town and after asking directions, find themselves at the eastern edge of town. Ellias’ place is one of the largest horse trading establishments James has yet encountered. Dozens of horses stand in the open corral outside the office building. A light shines from within and they enter through the front door.

  A short man is there and looks up from where he’s jotting down notations on a piece of parchment. “Yes?” he asks.

  James steps forward and says, “Our ship left without us.”

  “Did it indeed?” he says. Resting his quill in the inkwell, he gets up and gestures for them to follow him through the back door.

  Seven horses are saddled and ready for them. “Which one of you is James?” Ellias asks.

  “I am,” James replies.

  He pulls out a rolled letter and hands it to him.

  Taking the letter, he says, “Thanks.”

  “You’re welcome,” Ellias tells him. “These are yours and already paid for.” Turning around, he leaves them there and returns to within the office.

  Having a wait before Jiron returns with the others, he unrolls the letter and moves over to take advantage of light coming through one of the office’s windows to read it.

  James,

  At first I was so mad at my father that he would hand you over. It wasn’t until we left the ship that he explained to me what was going to happen. I so much wanted to be with you, but understand why that cannot be right now.

  I will return home with my father and hope one day to see you again. We will have other voyages to Cardri in the spring, this is to be the last one before the winter storms set in.

  I wish you safe journeys and will always hold the memory of you precious. Thank you again for the figurine, it is special to me.

  I love you,

  Meliana

  “I love you too,” he whispers to himself after reading the last word. He didn’t actually think he felt that way until he read this letter.

  “Good news?” Miko asks him when he sees he’s finished.

  Nodding, James rolls the letter back up and puts it inside his shirt for safe keeping.

  Just then, they hear voices coming from the office and soon the back door opens as Jiron and the others join them.

  “We got horses,” Miko tells Jiron.

  “I see that,” he says.

  Mounting, Illan says, “We better get out of here. When it’s discovered we’re gone, a search may develop.”

  “I doubt it,” argues James as he gets in the saddle. “By the time the authorities here could be contacted and convinced a search should be implemented, we’ll be gone. They’ll know that. Plus I doubt if any of Kendrick’s crew is likely to go against him. He may not have publicly stated that he supported my release, but I’m sure they
know. Woe to any of them who speaks out against me to his daughter.”

  At that several of them laugh. Dave gives him a grin.

  “What about you my Parvati friend?” Jiron asks Qyrll. “Are you going to return home?”

  Shaking his head, he says, “I must stay with you until my debt is repaid.”

  Moving away from the horse trader’s establishment, they head through town and take the road to the northwest along the coast.

  “Where are we going?” Fifer asks from the rear.

  “Home,” James said. “I presented myself as requested and the court did what it had to do. Now I just want to go home.”

  Illan reaches into his tunic and pulls out the sealed letter Ellinwyrd had given him when he went to see him about helping James. Handing it over to James, he says, “In all the excitement, I forgot about this.”

  Taking it, James sees the wax seal bearing Ellinwyrd’s symbol. “Where did you get this?”

  Illan proceeds to relate to him the events leading up to his meeting with the Archive Custodian. “He said it had something to do with your last meeting,” he explains.

  His orb suddenly blossoms to life as he breaks the seal and unrolls the letter.

  “What does it say?” Dave asks as he pulls up next to him.

  “It only has one word,” he says.

  “What?” Illan asks.

  “Ironhold,” he tells them.

  “Ironhold?” Illan asks.

  James glances to him and asks, “Ever heard of it?”

  Shaking his head Illan turns back to the others and raises his voice, “Any of you heard of a place called Ironhold?” When he gets nothing but negative responses, he turns his attention again to James.

  “I told Ellinwyrd of what happened in Saragon and of the cryptic message that I discovered there,” he explains. Holding the letter up, he adds, “This must in some way have to do with that. Just have to figure out what.”

  Shortly after leaving town, they come to a crossroads. They can either continue along the coast or head due north, James chooses to go north. “The coast road would lead us back to Cardri, and after all that’s been done there, I think it wise to avoid the place for awhile.”

  “Plus this road should lead more directly home too,” adds Miko.