Part 17
Island of Estesar
After a good rest, the girl recovered quickly. Sworder, however, remained absent for several days and even then only appeared when the girl asked for him.
“How long will it take to reach Calta?” Uncle Ben asked while Ranin and Namic looked on. The girl also stood close by, listening to them wrapped in a large coat as the steady breeze blew over the ship.
“Hard to say,” the Captain said. “Especially with these head winds, I would say we are less then a fortnight travel but our route will hit two islands along the way; so closer to three weeks, I think.”
The girl sank deeper into her coat as the breeze picked up. She turned and left the upper deck, retreating to her room. It was quiet beneath, or as quiet as a seafaring ship could be. There was the constant sound of creaking, the sound of the waves against the side of the ship, and the hollow wailing of the wind.
“Sworder,” she said, when she returned to her room.
Sworder was beside her in a moment, coming from behind. He said nothing and neither did she.
“She does not want to be alone,” Ranin said.
“He has yet to fully recover,” Namic said. “He pushed way beyond his limits.”
“Then why does she call him to her side?” Ranin asked. “He can not recover as quickly.”
“Yet he shows no complaint.”
In absolute silence the two sat. The ship slowly moved on around them and slowly the girl fell asleep, falling against Sworder’s shoulder.
“You once asked if our old friend would bring this girl ill luck,” Ranin said. “What do you think now?”
“There is much to be seen,” Namic said. “Calta is not a place of rest.”
In silent noise the day passed by before the girl awoke. She was lying by herself on the bench. Slowly she stood and stretched. Ranin lazily watched her move through the lower decks of the ship. It was dark and the moon was in full bloom. There were a few sailors about on deck.
“Yur out quite late, aren’t ya,” a sailor said startling the girl, who jumped back clutching at her chest.
“Sorry,” she said after a moment.
“Na, the fault of mine,” the sailor said. “I shouldn’t-a frightened you so.” The sailor looked the girl up and down. “If you’re headin’ to Calta as they say, then you might need something to protect ya.” The sailor detached a scabbard knife from his belt and handed it to the girl before continuing, “It’s hardly more then a rope cutting knife but it should serve you well in a pinch.”
“No…” the girl said, not taking the offered weapon. “I have someone to protect me.”
I’ve heard as much,” the sailor said. “But I dare say you put a lot of strain on him by being unable to protect yourself.”
The girl looked at the knife silently for a second.
“She is probably thinking of how she was captured,” Namic said, starting Ranin. “And of how our friend reacted.”
“I don’t know how to handle it,” she said, taking the blade.
“Then you’ll need something to teach ya,” the sailor said drawing a much larger blade from his belt.
“I am surprised he is not beside her,” Ranin said, as they watched the sailor instructed her.
“He is near,” Namic said. “If there was a need he would come.”
“I guess,” Ranin said, “nothing is really happening.”
“It may be this way for some time,” Namic said.
And so it was, as the days passed on. As the ship continued its sail, dark clouds loomed in its path. Undaunted the Captain continued sailing into the storm. The ship thrashed about as Ranin and Namic watched the group huddled under deck.
The Captain entered the cabin in which they were held up. Water dripped from his cloak, pooling at his feet. “We should arrive at our first stop soon,” the Captain said. “The island should be in sight sometime tomorrow.”
“Thank you, Captain,” Uncle Ben said.
The Captain eyed them sternly. “I will warn you, Estesar is under Selia’s control so I suggest you kept a low profile.”
The ship lurched underneath them and the girl grabbed a post to hold steady. “Yes. Sir,” was all she managed.
The storm abated before the end of the day, and on the next day the call of land rang through the ship. The girl ran to the deck and peered out over the ocean, but saw nothing.
“I don’t get it,” the girl said. “Where’s the land.”
“What’s that missy?” a sailor said.
“I don’t see anything,” she said gesturing.
“Aye,” the sailor agreed. “But the sharpest eyed of us is on look out up there.”
The girl looked up at the crow’s nest the sailor pointed at and made out a figure looking around the ship.
“Watch and you may see it,” the sailor said.
The girl stood watch, but no land came into sight. She was about to give up when she thought she saw something in the distance. It took a few more moments before the island came into full view in front of the ship. Before long, the ship was docked and the girl was eager to stretch her legs.
“Sworder will be with me,” the girl said to her Uncle.
“I know,” he said. “But be careful, and keep an eye on her.”
The girl ran up to the ship deck and began to disembark. The moment her feet touched the solid ground she felt unsteady. It took a few moments for the ground to stop moving. The sailors nearby laughed as they watched her.
“Don’t worry missy,” one said. “That’s common for most first timers on the sea.”
“Thank you, sir,” she curtseyed and moved off.
“It is dangerous to walk alone,” Sworder said, as she moved through the streets.
“But I am not alone,” she said. “And I need to stretch my legs.”
“Do you think this is a good idea?” Ranin asked.
“Normally, there would be no complaint,” Namic said. “But I am unsure.”
“Why do I feel like another adventure is on its way?” Ranin asked.
“This way,” the girl said, moving off.
The girl moved through the crowds, slipping between people. It was a busy market place of an island port town.
The Bazaar was full of strange merchandise, but the girl had no money, so she just browsed through the stalls. As she walked voices arguing began to ring out over the crowd.
“Are you just going to leave her?” A distraught woman shouted at the guard.
“There’s nothing I can do, madam,” the guard said. “The forest is closed until we get reinforcements from Elsele. We are expecting them the day after tomorrow.”
“The day after tomorrow?” the women said distress. “We have to save her.”
“I am sorry madam, but my hands are tied,” the guard said. “Until further notice I can not allow anyone into the forest.”
The girl pushed her way towards the voices, and when she emerged from the crowd of people she saw a woman detach from the guard she was speaking with and move away dejected.
“We should help her,” the girl said, making her way towards the woman.
“She has quite a knack for finding trouble,” Ranin said.
“We shall see,” Namic replied.
“Madam,” the girl said, coming up next to the women, “is something wrong?”
“Wha-,” the woman said turning confused.
“Something troubles you?” the girl said.
“Don’t worry about it,” the woman said, sadly, “It seems there’s nothing anyone can do.”
“Then it would not hurt talk about it then? Would it?” the girl said.
The woman sat and put her hands on her head. The girl sat next to her starting to play with her hair. They sat in silence surrounded by the constant din of the bazaar, and then the woman started to talk.
“She’s in the forest,” she began. “And that thing…that thing is with her. The guards are sealing it off and I can’t get in. That thing’s going to get her and no one’s going to do anything about my daughter.”
“What thing?” the girl asked.
“There’s something in the forest,” the woman said. “People have gone missing and the few they find, there’s not much left of them.”
When she finished she burst into tears throwing her face into her hands.
“I’ll see what I can do,” the girl said, hopping up.
The woman looked up, “What do you mean?” she asked.
Sworder came up from behind the girl, looking hard at the woman, “I need you to describe your daughter.”
“Straight to the point,” Ranin noted, as the woman gave Sworder the information he demanded.
“I don’t know if showing himself was wise,” Namic noted.
“You can’t go in there,” the woman said, “And you can’t bring your younger brother there either.”
The girl smiled. “He’s older then he looks,” she said before disappearing into the crowd.
“What do you plan to do?” Sworder asked.
“I’ll leave the planning to you,” the girl said.
“Are you sure about this?” Sworder said. “There is no telling what we are walking into.”
“All the more reason we should hurry,” the girl said. “I want to find her daughter. Do you have any ideas?”
“We will have to get into the forest then,” Sworder said. Then grabbing her hand he continued, “This way.”
“Where are they going?” Ranin said.
Sworder led the girl through the crowd. Going through alleyways, he headed towards the city walls. Like most cities in Selia, Eslesar had a wall surrounding it to protect it. This wall, though, was not a tall wall.
“Why are they not going through one of the gates?” Ranin asked curiously. “And why has she not said anything about it?”
“I believe he does not want to be seen by the guards or deal with questions about their intentions,” Namic said. “As for the second question, I think it is because the plan has been left for our old friend.”
Sworder stopped next to one of the buildings erected near to the wall. Taking a step away from the girl he began shining and after a moment the Vassal of Wind stepped out. “Convenient,” he said to himself, and then turning to the girl he continued. “Are you ready?”
The girl nodded.
The Vassal scooped her in his arms and leapt into the air. The girl closed her eyes, as the Vassal jumped towards the wall. Bounding off it he landed lightly on top of the building and readjusted his grip.
The girl opened her eyes.
“That was flashy,” Ranin said.
Running, the Vassal leapt towards the wall. The Vassal sailed through the air and the breeze picked up as if carrying them. The Vassal cleared the wall but grabbed the stone work bringing himself to a sudden stop, hanging off the opposite side of the city’s wall. The girl had grabbed onto the Vassal of Wind when he released one of his hands prior to grabbing the wall.
Releasing the top of the wall he slid down it several feet before disengaging himself and landing softly on the ground.
The girl released her hold of the Vassal once they were on the ground. “I think you can put me down,” she said, her face flush.
Complying, he set her on her feet. “Hurry, we make for the forest,” the Vassal said, taking her hand and leading on.
“He certainly seems quite willing to enter danger with her,” Ranin said.
“He has learned that when her mind is set there is little he can do to change it,” Namic said.
“Still you would think he would hesitate more when they were promised a deadly foe,” Ranin said.
“If he resists too much she might revoke the freedom she has afforded him,” Namic said. “But something is wrong with that forest and I think he has not yet noticed it.”
“What? Wrong?! How?” Ranin said confused.
“I just hope I am wrong,” was all Ranin got from Namic.
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