The Towers

Copyright (C) 1997 by Charles Tryon


6: Rough Sailing

Sucaba did not return to the ship until early the next morning. Berakus had begun to threaten to leave without him -- not that it would have bothered the mage any since Horton would be able to catch up with them even after leaving port -- when the two of them glided in to land near the forward mast. They both looked immensely pleased with themselves, and the mage sported a fine new robe which GreyEagle had not seen before. Horton was heavily loaded down with a number large sacks slung over his back, and though it was difficult to guess what they might contain, GreyEagle thought she saw what might be the outlines of books.
"Good morning all," Sucaba called out as he leapt from Horton's back to the deck. "What a great city this has been. We will have to come back soon!"
Horton had the look on his face of the cat who swallowed a canary and licked the cream. He snarled at a curious sailor who dared approach to look at the sacks, but then quickly returned to his jovial state.
"Did you bring me any snacks?" he asked Trouble.
"Snacks? Why, no," Trouble quickly replied, looking around nervously. "I didn't get anything for you in the city. Actually, I am hungry myself."
Sucaba looked curiously back and forth between Trouble and the dragon, but when neither said any more, he shrugged and turned his attention back to getting his things below deck. He was still busy when the others went to breakfast, and did not show up again until some time after they were finished. He stepped in to speak with Berakus, and when they were finished, he had a smug look on his face. He quickly returned to the cabin where the mages had been staying and began to move his things to a lower deck, into a small room off of the forward hold. Recuahc offered to help, but the mage waved him off with a scowl.
They sailed on before a brisk wind and entered the Sea of Fallen Stars before noon. The captain warned them that they were now entering wilder territory, and that it was here that they were likely to encounter pirates. They set up round the clock watches
Even with watch duty, they still had a fair amount of time on their hands. Recuahc suggested that they spend the time in practice. Ormec and Conrad gladly joined in, but Coyle quietly shook his head, preferring to watch instead.
GreyEagle's heart has heavy as she watched him standing a short distance away from the others. The fire had gone out from his eyes, and while he seemed to carry on with his duties normally, she could tell that all was not right. She wanted to comfort him, but she was almost afraid of him now. Her talk with Marianne had given her some insights, but it had not made her decision any easier. She tried to think back to her last night with Schimray, but now the memory was almost painful. Were the stories about Schimray true? Were his words to her all an elaborate mask? It had all seemed so clear to her at the time, but now all shrouded in a thick fog.
"Do you wish to join us?" Recuahc's question startled her back to the present.
"Oh, yes, I guess." She pushed back from the rail where she had been leaning and tried to focus her thoughts. She had become a fighter and learned the skills of the sword and shield because they seemed so cut and dried, black and white, but things were turning out to be considerably more complex and shaded in grey. In any event, it had been some time since she had fought a real battle, and she had to keep her skills honed. She brushed aside her concerns about Coyle and Schimray for the time and turned her attention to Recuahc who was standing before her with a silly grin on his face, his sword drawn and ready. She picked up one of the sets of protective padding which he had brought and securely strapped to her arms and legs.
"You really think I might hit you?" Recuahc teased.
"No, but it doesn't hurt to be prepared."
The practice helped to pass the time, but still, the day seemed to drag on. Sucaba did not show up for lunch, though GreyEagle did catch sight of him scurrying out of the galley with a heaping plate of food. He looked strained and his hair was even more unkempt than normal. He said nothing as he carried his heavy burden of food below deck.
The silent mage was nowhere to be seen that afternoon, and GreyEagle supposed that he might be with Sucaba. Ariel on the other hand, was out and about. As before, the raven was always to be seen where ever there was any activity, but it seemed to enjoy Recuahc's company the most, lending its own scratchy voice to the young man's songs and fluttering dizzily around him as Recuahc climbed in the rigging. Occasionally, the raven would fly off ahead of the ship, high into the sky, returning later to report in what it had seen.
Later in the afternoon, after he had finished his turn at watch, Trouble approached GreyEagle. "Since you now have the `Eyes of Eagles'," he suggested, "you might want to try climbing up to the lookout to see what you can see from there."
The suggestion seemed reasonable enough, so GreyEagle checked to see that she had the small ornate pouch still attached to her belt, and swung up into the rigging just as she had seen Recuahc do. It was easier than she had imagined, and she was almost half of the way up to the first lookout before she made the mistake of looking down. She saw the deck far below her and felt the motion of the ship, greatly magnified by her position high in the rigging, and she suddenly froze, unable to go either forward or back.
"Hey, are you okay up there?" Recuahc called out. GreyEagle had closed her eyes tight shut, and she could not even reply. "I can come up if you would like." She nodded her head violently, still not daring to open her eyes. Recuahc has next to her in a moment, climbing as freely as a spider might cross its own web. GreyEagle didn't see him, but she could feel his approach as the rigging bounced slightly under his weight, and she clutched even more tightly at the ropes.
"It's all right now," he whispered softly in her ear, lightly touching her knotted shoulders, "you can come down now." She slowly forced her eyes open and looked to see his smiling face just inches away from hers. Slowly, she forced herself to relax her grip, all the time keeping her gaze fixed on his smiling face. He continued to speak softly to her as he held on to her arm and the two of them slowly inched their way back down again.
When they finally reached the deck, GreyEagle could see some of the others snickering at her, but she paid them no attention. Her legs were still shaking and her arms ached from the strain as she sat down on the deck. "I think I had better stick to watching from the deck, thank you," she told Trouble with a weak grin.
"Do you want me to take the `Eyes' up to the top of the mast and look for you?" Recuahc offered. "It's really not so bad climbing up there. Perhaps I can teach you some time."
GreyEagle took the hand which he offered and weakly stood to her feet. "Thank you, kind Recuahc," she said with a smile. "I think though that I will try them again from here on deck."
She carefully put in the magical lenses and scanned the horizon. Here and there she could still see signs of the shore line, but other than that, there was nothing to be seen other than waves and sky.
The next day passed much like the one before. Early in the morning, Horton flew off to hunt on the mainland which was still just within sight. He returned a few hours later and immediately went below. Sucaba kept to himself down in his room, emerging only occasionally to get food from the galley and bring it back with him. Each time he emerged he looked more haggard than before. Whatever he was occupying himself with below, it was taking a great deal of strength from him. GreyEagle attempted to stop him once to as him how he was doing, but he angrily brushed her off and stomped off to his cabin without so much as a word.
Ormec was miserable. While the weather was kinder to them than it had been their first night out, the dwarf still felt cooped up and bored. "I almost hope to see pirates," he complained that afternoon. "At least that would take my mind of this infernal boat ride." He found some amusement in his practice with Conrad and Recuahc. He was clearly the best fighter of the three, and enjoyed giving pointers to the others to help them hone their skills. Sometimes Recuahc would loose patience with him though and throw up his hands. At other times, he would start to playfully poke fun at the older dwarf. Ormec was not always quick enough to catch on to the jokes right away, and when he did, he would usually end up smacking the insolent joker with the flat of his sword, whereupon Recuahc would howl in feigned agony and roll around on the deck as if he were about to die. GreyEagle was not sure how much the young man was learning of swordplay, but it certainly served to pass the time.
In the evening, as the sun began to dip towards the western horizon and the air began to cool, Horton once again emerged to hunt. The dragon looked as fresh and full of energy as Sucaba looked bedraggled. He returned a short while later and spent some time speaking with those on guard shift, discussing what he had seen ahead. Then, with a great stretch and a lazy flap of his wings, he ducked below deck again to rejoin Sucaba.
Coyle and Marianne came out to watch the sunset and GreyEagle wandered over to join them. When he was with Marianne, Coyle seemed to throw off the pale which hung over him during the day. He chatted with Marianne as they stood there, but though he acknowledged GreyEagle's presence as she approached, he avoided her eyes, and acted uncomfortable. It tore at her heart to see Coyle so distressed, and she did not stay long. She returned to her cabin and went to bed early, but passed the night in fitful sleep, hounded by visions of Schimray and Coyle locked in combat.
Morning seemed to come far too quickly, and GreyEagle dragged herself out of bed. After dressing, she climbed up on deck to find Horton gleefully splashing around in the water a short distance off the beam. As she watched him play, she laughed in spite of her half opened eyes. After a while, he flew back to the ship and stretched out in the sun to dry while GreyEagle and the others went to eat breakfast.
They almost ran into Sucaba as the hurried out of the galley, burdened with an immense plate heaped high with food. He looked down and pushed through without so much as a grunt of recognition.
"Well, at least it keeps him from boring us with those old fishing stories," Trouble muttered as they sat down at the table to eat.
"I for one don't like it," Ormec grumbled as he reached for the food. "That dragon didn't eat that much a week ago."
Trouble laughed. "It's not like the dragon is eating any more than you are."
"It's a wonder sometimes that I can eat anything here on this infernal ship," Ormec grumbled.
"You haven't sailed enough," Recuahc explained. "You just need to develop your sea legs."
"His legs must just be too short," Trouble snickered.
Ormec reddened. "You would be wise to control your wagging tongue." With that, Trouble stuck out his tongue and wagged it at the dwarf. Ormec started to rise, but Recuahc's hand on his shoulder calmed him, and he sat back down and returned his attention to his food.
GreyEagle was silent while they ate. There had been something different about the mage as he has pushed past, something more than just the haggard look and the silence, but she could not place what it was. She shrugged. It would come to her sooner or later.
After breakfast, Horton was nowhere to be seen, and GreyEagle presumed that he had returned to Sucaba below deck. She was about to return to the cabin when Ormec approached her. "GreyEagle," he whispered, "have you been noticing Sucaba and Horton's strange behavior?" The dwarf looked worried.
"Yes," she answered, "it seems that Sucaba and Horton picked up an awful lot of stuff from somewhere when we were in Westgate, what with books and a fancy robe and all. Whatever it is, the other mages sure seem interested in it too. I do not know where it all came from, but somehow I cannot imagine him picking up all those things in the local marketplace."
"Yes, and he brings the dragon more food every day." Ormec pulled at his beard. "When the dragon was first made a member of the party, I was concerned. Things seemed to go okay at first, but now what is happening? Is the dragon's appetite going to grow and grow?
GreyEagle shrugged. "I do not know, but we would be well advised to watch them closely."
"What if we run out of food? Will we then become the food?"
"I'm not too concerned about food, yet," GreyEagle said. "Horton showed his ability to fend for himself back when we were returning from the first tower. We are not so far from land that he can't fly off and fill his belly from the surrounding country. No, I am more concerned with Sucaba than the dragon right now."
"Well, that is true I guess," Ormec said thoughtfully. "I was starting to wonder how to defend oneself against a dragon looking for a midnight snack. Let me know right away if you see anything else that seems curious about those two."
GreyEagle sighed. "Yes. I am waiting for something to happen. I do not know what, but I can feel it." The dwarf stood there a moment longer, as if trying to decide what to do, and then with a shake of his head, he disappeared through the hatch to the deck below, muttering again about how he hated boats.
GreyEagle looked after him and wondered what she might do next. It was clear that Sucaba was not going to tell them what he was doing, so she would likely have to find out for herself. She wondered if she could sneak down to the room and get some information about what was going on there. She had no idea of what she might discover, or what she would do with any information she might gather, but she could not bear standing idly by as Sucaba carried on whatever activities he wanted to. She did not understand much about the mage, but she suspected that he was up to no good.
She carefully slipped down to the deck where Sucaba and Horton had taken up residence. The room was on a lower deck, and shrouded in shadow. Piles of crates and supplies filled the large hold, and only a thin shaft of light filtered down through the dusty air from the hatch above. The air was heavy and stale as she carefully edged her way along a narrow corridor in the center of the stacks. The moan of the ship's timbers as it slowly rose and fell in the swells drowned out the loud beating of her heart.
She finally reached the bow of the ship and Sucaba's cabin. A plain bulkhead with a single door in it spanned the width of the ship. Seeing a small barred window set high in the wall, GreyEagle guessed that this room was normally used as a brig. She froze when she saw the dragon, sleeping coiled in front of the door, his breathing steady and slow, and she wondered if he would become angry with her intruding on Sucaba's privacy. She pressed her body back against the crates and listened to see if she could catch anything of what was going on inside. She could hear occasional snatches of Sucaba's voice, followed by long periods of silence, but nothing that she could make sense of. She considered if Horton would alert Sucaba if she disturbed him. At last, her curiosity overcame her fear, and she called out softly.
"Horton, is Sucaba okay in there? Something seems wrong."
The dragon slowly raised his head and regarded GreyEagle for a moment. "Sucaba," his voice rumbled low, "I believe you have a visitor." He held his position in front of the door as he watched her. GreyEagle was tempted to bolt back to the hatch, but she steadied herself. "Sucaba has been busy in the service of our master," the dragon continued when he saw that GreyEagle was not going to run away. "He is working on gathering more information. This requires a great deal of effort and leaves him weary." The dragon smiled slowly. "As you may have noticed however, he is feeling much better of late, and I am sure the visit of a pretty girl will greatly improve his state of being. It does wonders for mine." GreyEagle wasn't certain, but she thought she could detect a faint rumble, and it struck her that it sounded like an immense cat purring. The dragon just smiled. "Perhaps if Sucaba is not inclined to have visitors," he said softly, "you could stay and visit a little with me." The dragon put on a hurt look and sighed deeply. "I get so lonely here at times, and would love to hear some of your wonderful stories."
Just then, the door opened. Sucaba stood in the doorway looking out, blocking GreyEagle's view of the room behind him. "Thank you for calling me Horton." He looked at GreyEagle curiously.
"You have been gone so much, I was wondering what might be keeping you so busy."
"I am quite well, thank you, though I appreciate your concern. I have been doing much studying the last few days, so much so that I have forgotten my manners."
GreyEagle felt greatly relieved that Sucaba had not reacted to her interruption with hostility. "I'm glad to see you are still well. What could possibly be so interesting that it would keep you from your fishing?" she asked with a silly smile.
"The art is a very complex thing," he said with a smile. "The fish will wait."
GreyEagle was scrambling for a way to pry some sort of information out of the mage without arousing his or the dragon's suspicion. "That is a very nice ring you have on," she said hurriedly, "and you do look nice in your new robe."
"Yes, thank you," he said abruptly, suddenly looking nervous, "but I believe I need to continue with my very delicate work." He bowed slightly and hastily retreated back into his room, closing and bolting the door behind him.
GreyEagle frowned at her failure. She had clearly touched on a sensitive area -- either the ring or the robe -- and she guessed that she was not about to find out anything about them in the near future. She turned to Horton. "Sucaba appears to be busy," she said with a shrug. "Would you mind if I stay a little while to talk with you?"
"I would welcome your company little one. Come, sit beside me and tell me a story," the dragon purred. "You are more experienced than the others. Tell me about what you have done, where you have been and what you have seen."
"Oh, I do not have that much to tell," she said with a sigh. She sat down and leaned against one of the crates a short distance from Horton's head. He looked at her intently, and his green eyes glowed faintly in the dim light of the hold.
"Ah, but I have seen you fight," the dragon said with a broad smile. "You do not learn to handle a sword like that simply by taking friendly pokes at your companions. You hide behind a mask of humility."
"I suppose I could say that I have been through a couple of battles, enough to know that, if there's another way, I'd rather avoid a fight. I'm not in this for the glory of slaying hoards of enemies."
The dragon chuckled -- a sound that reminded GreyEagle of distant thunder. "What is glory?" Horton asked. "One man's glory is another man's foolishness. I'll take the treasure and let the others keep their foolish glory."
GreyEagle sat quietly for a while. "It is not at all as I expected when first I began to study the sword. I remember my father telling me it would be so, but I had too many fairy tales floating around in my head. It was all a game until I found myself in my first real fight. Something happened to me that night. Something deep within me broke which will never again be whole."
The dragon chuckled. "You have not fought enough. It comes easier with time."
"I am not sure I want it to come easier."
"Why not?
"I do not ever wish to kill easily."
"Yet you continue?"
GreyEagle sighed. "I must."
"You must what?"
"Continue to fight evil."
"Really?" the dragon asked. "Do you believe you can overcome evil?"
"I have to wherever I can."
"And if you cannot?"
"Then I guess I will die in the attempt."
The dragon sighed. "Such a pity. Of evil you will never reach an end. It is a weed the taproot of which reaches to the center of the earth." He looked at her again and his eyes glowed yellow. "But enough of that. You said you would tell me stories. What wonders have you collected in your travels? Surely you have something to show for your valiant efforts."
GreyEagle reached down and pulled the dagger from her boot. "Durran gave this to me shortly before I left home. He was fascinated by it ever since we found it, but somehow he thought it belonged to me." She massaged her shoulder as the memory of the fight on that night brought back the pain there. "I have never mastered its use, but I carry it with me always."
Horton looked at the dagger as she held it. "It is of interesting workmanship," he said casually. "However, your sword is much more beautiful. It flies with great speed, and with it I see you often catch your opponent off guard."
GreyEagle carefully replaced the dagger in her boot. "Yes, it is a light and quick blade."
"It is more than just quick." The yellow light in the dragon's eyes flashed almost red. "Do you control it, or does it control you?"
GreyEagle gave the dragon a surprised look. "What do you mean?"
"If you do not understand my question, then you have answered it."
GreyEagle felt suddenly uncomfortable. "So tell me, where do you come from, and how is it that you travel with the mage?"
Horton chuckled. "A witty girl, to be sure, and quick to flatter." He thought for a moment. "How interesting can a dragon's life be? I was orphaned shortly after birth. A group of treasure hunters came into the den where my parents were and slew them. I was small and confused, and they captured and sold me to an old alchemist. He performed all manner of terrible experiments on me, and almost killed me, but all the time I was growing stronger. One day I was finally able to break free. In my determination to destroy to old man's laboratory, I somehow released a terrible spell which transformed me into the shape of a man. I fled into the streets in horror."
"I wandered for many days, faint from hunger and cold. The townspeople chased me, and I feared that they would hunt me down and kill me. I hid during the day and only came out at night to try to find food. I was almost dead when Sucaba found me. I believe he knew my true form, even though I wore the body of an ordinary man. While he fed me and helped me regain my strength, he studied his powerful magics, and after a time, he was finally able to break the spell which masked my true form. I decided then to travel with the mage, at least for a time."
GreyEagle looked at the dragon and wondered which of the two was stronger at this point. She had no doubt of Sucaba's ability, and certainly not of his blind ambition to gain more power, but she knew that the dragon would also grow powerful. It was strange to be sitting so close to such a terrible beast, exchanging stories as if it were any other person met along the road. She was glad to have the dragon fighting for rather than against her.
"Do you know fear?" Horton asked.
The question surprised her. "I once faced a great demon in battle, though my part in the matter was small." The memory of the battle still chilled her and she did not wish to dwell on the memory. "I was almost killed by a great snake once," she laughed. "I should have known better and let it pass, but I was afraid it would try to attack. I have fought beside elves and dwarves and men, over the mountains and under them, though I believe you are the first dragon I have had the honor of standing beside in combat."
"The honor is all mine," the dragon said with a sly smile, "but have you ever looked fear in the eye?"
"But why do you speak of fear?"
He chuckled again and GreyEagle shivered at the sound. "I have met those who say they have no fear. I laugh at them."
"Surely, fear does not make one great, does it?"
"Perhaps you have not known it well enough."
GreyEagle thought back over the battles she had been in. Had she ever really thought about what was happening? "I have faced foes great and small," she protested.
"The fierceness of the foe has nothing to do with it." GreyEagle started to protest, but the dragon raised a single black claw. "It comes from what is within you. You will know it when you see it. When finally you meet it, remember that it is the enemy."
GreyEagle was not sure she understood the dragon's riddles, but she shrugged. "Tell me of your travels and adventures since you have been with Sucaba."
"Oh, there is nothing to speak of. My time here has been short. Sucaba is the one who should tell the stories."
"Now who is hiding behind a mask of humility," GreyEagle laughed.
Horton just smiled. "It will come with time. Visit with me in another hundred years and then I will have stories to tell you."
GreyEagle could get no more out of him. She remained there for a while longer, speaking of other battles she had fought and places she had seen. All the while, Horton listened with great interest, never taking his eyes off of her. At first, his gaze made her uncomfortable, but after a while, she became so involved in her own story telling that she hardly noticed it.
She was surprised when she realized that the hold, already dark during the day, had become even blacker. She was not sure how many hours she had spent there, but she became worried that the others might wonder where she was.
"I'm sorry, but I had no idea how late it was. I do hope that I have not been boring you."
"Do not worry, little one," the dragon replied. "I have enjoyed this time with you. I grow weary at times of this dark hold, and the difficulty in getting a proper meal, but you have filled my head with brightly swirling images which will make the time pass more quickly."
"Well, I must be getting back," GreyEagle said as the struggled to move her legs which had become stiff from sitting so long.
"Do come back again soon, please," the dragon purred.
Without thinking, GreyEagle reached out to scratch the dragon's nose, much as she might do with a favorite horse. Her heart skipped a beat when she suddenly realized what she was doing, but by that time Horton's eyes were closed and a deep purring sound was rumbling in the back of his throat. She gave him one last scratch behind where she thought his ears might be, and then carefully backed away. The dragon slowly opened one of his huge green eyes watched her. She backed through the crates and sacks in the hold and climbed the ladder to the main deck, all the while, feeling that eye on her.
The next day dawned clear and bright, as if trying to scrub away the dark pawl which had settled over the group. GreyEagle was surprised to see Sucaba joining them for breakfast. He had finally bathed and put on clean clothes, and while he still looked tired, his appearance was much better than it had been the previous few days.
"Good morning silent one!" Sucaba proclaimed loudly. "May I sit here?" The silent mage looked up and sniffed the air cautiously. Apparently satisfied with Sucaba's cleanliness, he shrugged and moved over to give him room. Sucaba took the seat and immediately started into a string of chatter, as if attempting to make up for three days of lost conversation.
"Every day our goals become clearer, do they not?" he said, snatching up as much food as he could reach.
"What exactly do you mean by that?" GreyEagle asked sharply.
"Oh nothing," Sucaba replied, waving his hand in dismissal. "Just nonsense I suppose. Would anyone like to do some fishing once we are done here?" GreyEagle started to repeat her question, but the mage did not appear to be in the mood to give any kind of meaningful answers. He continued to joke as they ate, and when no-one else found him particularly humorous, he would laugh loudly at his own jokes.
"I am glad to see that you are feeling, looking and smelling better than you were," Recuahc said with a hearty laugh. "You need to take care of yourself. We will need you if there is any trouble, and you had been looking very tired."
"Not so tired as yourself after a few rounds with the ladies, I think!" Sucaba replied with a loud guffaw.
"How is Horton doing?" Recuahc asked, letting Sucaba's comment slide. "He has not been his usual social and outgoing self lately."
"Being my compatriot is hard work! He needs his rest too!" Sucaba replied with another loud laugh.
As GreyEagle listened, she could not fathom Sucaba and his moods, and she cringed at his laughter. However, while he continued for some time to chuckle under his breath, his dinner manners were otherwise exemplary, in stark contrast to his behavior of the previous week.
Conrad went to take a drink from his mug of ale when it suddenly spilled over the front of his tunic. He jumped to his feet, sputtering with rage, and stared furiously at the three mages around him. A number of the soldiers seated near by broke out in peals of laughter.
Recuahc vaulted over the table and grabbed Conrad's mug. "Ha! Let me help you with that." He appeared to struggle desperately with the mug for a moment before he finally put it down with a bang. He straightened up and brushed away some drops of ale which had splashed out on his sleeve. "All is well," he announced proudly, "I have defeated it. Once again, peace and safety have been restored!" His voice was dead serious, but the twinkle in his eyes gave away his teasing. It was not clear if Conrad appreciated the joke though, and he scowled at the young man. "If only you had such problems while sparring," Recuahc said with a hearty slap on Conrad's back, "then perhaps you would not continue to thrash me so soundly."
"You may expect a sound thrashing today, I suspect," the gnome muttered, "though I doubt you are the one who really needs it." Recuahc smiled and returned to his seat.
By the time they were finished eating, GreyEagle was glad to be free of Sucaba's wearisome chatter, and she returned to the deck. She preferred the open skies above her head to the cramped space of the cabin. Horton was there, amusing himself by splashing around in the waves. He had a new game where he would fly up to a great height, and then, folding his wings tightly against his sides, he would plummet into the waves with a tremendous splash. The first time she saw him do this, GreyEagle's heart almost stopped, thinking that he would surely injure himself, but after what seemed like an eternity, the dragon's head popped to the surface of the waves. He gave her a foolish grin. After a while, Sucaba appeared once more with another heaping platter of food. He gave Horton a scowl as he disappeared below deck. Horton dutifully climbed back onto the ship. He shook the water from his back like a tremendous dog, soaking all those within close range, and followed the mage below.
That evening, Coyle and Marianne were walking out on the deck together. His dark mood had lifted some as he and Marianne talked and laughed together. GreyEagle wished that she could join them and share in their laughter, but she held back, not wanting to spoil Coyle's mood.
As the two of them strolled past a small knot of sailors, one of them made a lewd suggestion to Marianne and a low snicker rippled through the group. Coyle's reaction was immediate and fierce. He spun around and grabbed the man by the front of his tunic and lifted his feet from the deck.
"You had best learn to curb your tongue man, or you may find it suddenly missing some day." The sailor sputtered and made no reply. The others, however, approached Coyle threateningly, and more than one knife blade flashed into view. Recuahc was standing near by, and when he saw what was going on, he quietly moved in behind Coyle to back him up. Coyle did not let go of the man and stood there staring at him fiercely.
"Coyle," Marianne said with her hand on his arm, "let it pass. He meant no harm." Her voice was touched with fear. Coyle's anger slowly subsided, and he let go of the sailor, who quickly ducked out of range of Coyle's grasp. The fire in Coyle's eyes remained however, and his hand rested on the hilt of his sword. Abruptly, he turned and escorted Marianne back to her cabin. As the two of them disappeared, GreyEagle could still feel the tension in the air.
"What is going on with this ship?"
GreyEagle jumped. She hadn't noticed Recuahc standing next to her. She shook her head silently. "I do not know."
"Our group is falling apart here," Recuahc said softly. His arms were folded across his chest and he wore a deep scowl. "Do you know anything that I don't?"
"No," she said. "I am as deeply surrounded by this fog as you are." She looked at the young man standing next to her and was struck by his seriousness. She wondered what he would do when it came time to bare swords and fight creatures with real teeth and claws. "I am glad you are here though, Recuahc," she said suddenly. "You are the only one in our group that I feel I can talk to."
Recuahc laughed. "It is difficult sometimes to find people to talk things over with. I have spent enough time out there by myself that I know what it's like to not have a friend around."
"Thank you for helping me when I was up in the rigging the other day," GreyEagle said, blushing. "I guess I just panicked up there. I am terrified by heights."
"It was nothing," Recuahc laughed. "It took a lot of courage for you to try. We all have things that we do better than others. Perhaps I can help you learn sometime during the trip."
"I don't know. I do not look forward to the Rift. If we do not wish to travel along the floor of the canyon, we may have to descend the cliffs."
"There will be others there to help, and Sucaba may be able to help us with Horton."
"Flying?" GreyEagle asked with wide eyes. "I think I might prefer the cliffs."
Recuahc laughed. "Why? All you have to do is close your eyes and hang on." Then he became serious once again. "Right now though, I am worried about the state of the group. Something is going on, and everyone else seems to have a better idea of what it is than me." He looked intently at GreyEagle and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Why are you avoiding Coyle?"
"Avoiding Coyle? Why do you say that?"
Recuahc raised an eyebrow. "Remember, you said you could talk to me. Do not put on your happy mask now -- you do not hide your emotions well enough. You and he were great friends a few days ago, but I have not seen you two speak in a couple of days."
GreyEagle hesitated, not wanting to sound foolish. "When we returned from the tavern the other night, the same night the girl was killed there, Coyle asked me if I was involved with anyone else. I didn't know what to tell him." She looked up into Recuahc's face. There was no use now holding back what she said to him. "While we were in Arabel, I was seeing Schimray, and I thought I loved him, but now I am afraid that Coyle is in love with me too." She frowned and looked away, still angry at herself. "I wasn't thinking and said some things that I should not have, and now he is upset with me."
Recuahc let out a laugh. "This sort of trouble I can deal with. I suppose I should have seen this all along. Oh, I am sorry," he quickly added when he saw GreyEagle's hurt look. "I should not make light of your troubles." He thought a moment. "It seems to me though that it should not be such a bitter pill that you have two men who care deeply for you. The only question now is whether the caring is between people who are friends or between people who are in love."
"I am afraid that if I become involved with Coyle, I will never see him again once we leave the caravan," she said, throwing her hands in the air. "I've been trying to sort out my feelings the last few days, and I am afraid I haven't gotten very far."
"I do not know how deep your ties to Schimray are, nor do I know what has grown between you and Coyle, but I sense that your feelings for Coyle are deep." He gently pulled GreyEagle around to look him in the eye. "You must tell him just what you have told me. I have been near to death on more than one occasion, and my advice for you is to live to be happy today. If you are always trying to be happy for tomorrow, you will never happy now. Search your feelings, decide what you want, and take it. Then, be satisfied with your choices and try to make them work. There is little else that I can tell you. The answers are inside of you." Recuahc smiled at GreyEagle again. "Well, at least I am glad that Coyle has not done something to anger you."
"Oh no, he wouldn't do that, though there were a couple times along the way when I thought I might knock him right off his high horse," she added with a grin.
Recuahc chuckled. "To be honest though, if there is anyone I think we need to watch, it is our `never-present' leader, Sucaba."
GreyEagle rolled her eyes. "I do not know what he dragged home that morning when we left Westgate, but all the other mages are in a buzz over it. He seems to be interested in nothing else these last few days."
"Indeed," Recuahc replied. "I wish I knew what he was up to."
Suddenly, GreyEagle looked Recuahc in the eye. "Recuahc, do you love Marianne?"
For a moment, Recuahc stared at her blankly, but then he flushed and looked away. There was a long pause before he looked up at her again. "No," he began hesitantly, and GreyEagle's heart skipped a beat. "Well, possibly," he started again, and his face screwed up with concentration. "I guess I'm not very sure," he finally said with a laugh. "I have never really thought about it, to be honest. I have not spent enough time with her to really know what she is like, other than when I was sick. She was very nice then, but I assumed that this was just how she always cared for her patients. I have been trying to concentrate on our mission. I am just happy to have so many new friends to get to know." The paused for a moment, and a puzzled look came across his face. After some time, he turned back to GreyEagle. "Perhaps though," he said with a smile, "great ideas can start from seeds accidently sown. I shall have to give this some thought." He looked carefully at GreyEagle and hesitated, "Do you think she would actually have an interest in someone like me."
GreyEagle put her hand over her mouth and giggled. "I guess you will just have to find out."
Recuahc burst into laughter. "I suppose I just might," he said, scratching his head, "somehow or another." He paused and looked like he was deep in thought, but then he shrugged.
GreyEagle knew that she had to face Coyle again, though it would not be easy. She was still troubled by what Marianne had said. She didn't want to believe anything bad about Schimray, but she could think of no reason why Marianne would have told her those things if the had thought them no more than idle rumors. Too, Coyle had been kind to her, and really had not done anything wrong the other night. His question had been innocent enough, but she had been on edge from the events of the day, and he had caught her off guard. There was no reason why they could not be close friends and enjoy each other's company. He was, after all, a skilled fighter and could still teach her many things.
She suddenly realized that Recuahc was still talking to her and that she had been ignoring him. "Please excuse me," she said, blushing, "I have something I need to take care of, before it's too late."
Recuahc smiled back. "A good night to you then, and may the stars smile down on you and your mission," he said with a bow.
GreyEagle was not sure where she might find Coyle, but she had often seen him standing by the railing at the bow of the ship, his eyes slowly scanning the horizon. The sun had already set, but the moon was up, and the waves glistened in its pale light. She quietly walked along the rail in the moonlight towards the bow. As she had expected, she saw his silhouette there against the light reflecting from the waves. She approached softly, afraid that the sound of her beating heart would give her away.
"Coyle, may I speak to you," she whispered when she was within earshot.
Coyle started at the sound of her voice and turned to see who it was speaking. He stiffened when he saw GreyEagle. "Yes," he said hesitantly, "What is on your mind?"
GreyEagle avoided his eyes at first, but then she took a deep breath and looked straight at him. "Coyle, I am sorry for what I said to you the other night. You are a dear friend to me, and I never wish to lose that. I was upset over the fight in the tavern and the death of the girl. That is why I spoke so rudely to you."
"You have no need to apologize to me." He reached out his hand in to her. "Forgive me if I upset you."
GreyEagle shied away from his hand and looked out over the water again. "Sometimes I feel like a scrap of bark tossed in the waves, never knowing where I will land, or if, some day, I will simply sink from sight, and no one will ever notice." She looked up into his eyes. "Please hold me," she whispered.
Coyle drew her into his arms. He was silent for a long time and GreyEagle wondered what might be going through his mind. For now though, she was content just to feel his arms around her. Finally, he gently stepped back to look in her face.
"I am sorry I surprised you the other night. When I saw the girl die that night, it suddenly occurred to me that the same fate could strike any one of us down in an instant. I thought to grab at happiness, but I should have been more sensitive to your feelings." Coyle sighed and looked away. "When I first met you, I ignored you, thinking you were no different than most women -- weak and needing a man to protect you. But as I came to know you, I realized you could truly take care of yourself. Suddenly, I wanted to protect you and take care of you. Ever since the day I met Dove, I have searched for a woman to compete with her memory, but I have come to understand that no living woman will ever be able to live up to that perfect, imaginary standard, for it exists in the imagination."
GreyEagle looked down. How could she compete with a memory? She was flesh and blood, with failings and flaws.
"Marianne is one of the few women to have ever earned my respect," Coyle said softly. He paused to draw GreyEagle close to himself again. "You are another."
His voice suddenly became urgent again. "Let us please be friends if we cannot be more. It is enough for me to know that you have some feelings for me." Coyle pulled away from GreyEagle again and gazed deeply into her eyes. "I do ask one thing from you though. Once you have seen Schimray again and spent some time with him, come see me either in Arabel or at Marianne's father's farm. I wish to be able to compete fairly for your affections. Perhaps, if you decide you no longer care to travel with this odd group of yours, you could travel with us."
GreyEagle could see that his face was lined with concern as he turned to gaze out over the waters. "I wish I could go with you when you leave us, but I have an obligation to the others I cannot break. I do not believe you will be able to count on some of your companions if your way becomes difficult. I have done my best to train Recuahc, but he is so young." He closed his eyes and drew GreyEagle close again. "I shudder to think of you with them. Be careful that you do not trust them too much."
GreyEagle shivered again as the cold fear touched her heart again at the thought of what might wait for them in the towers ahead. "I will come to you again," she said softly, "if I come back. The path ahead of me is dark," she whispered, "and I fear to go that way, but I have a duty to fulfill, and I cannot turn aside from it." She was not sure how much Coyle knew, or had guessed about their mission, but though she wanted to talk to him about it and to ask his counsel, the vow of secrecy which they had made to Schimray weighed heavily on her. She contented herself for the moment with feeling the security of his arms around her.
The next morning, as GreyEagle sat in her cabin, she was quiet and her mind was far away. She had spent the morning with Coyle, holding his hand and leaning her head in his shoulder. He treated her with great tenderness, and she felt warm and safe with his arm around her. Still, her feelings were not clear, and she had so little time now to sort them out as the days slipped quickly by.
Her thoughts were interrupted as Marianne entered the small cabin. "I saw you with Coyle this morning," Marianne teased, but then she became thoughtful. "Some time, I would like to spend more time alone with Recuahc, if he were interested."
GreyEagle's eyes opened wide. "You mean, in here? Oh. Well, just let me know when you want some time alone."
Marianne looked shocked for a moment, but then she put her hand over her mouth and started to giggle. Finally, unable to contain her mirth she collapsed on the bed, laughing. "No, I didn't mean like that, silly," she said when she was finally able to regain control of herself. "Wouldn't that start some tongues wagging though. I meant like the time you and Coyle spend together, just talking and holding hands." She sighed and looked away. "I want to believe that when you return from whatever it is that you are doing, Recuahc will come looking for me in Arabel. Yet, he has given me no clue that he has any special feelings towards me. Oh, he shows his appreciation to me for saving his life, but never more than that. If he is going to say something, he will have to move quickly, for the time is short."
"Yes, the days slip quickly away," GreyEagle replied quietly. "I do not wish to leave Coyle either." She looked at Marianne with a silly grin. "Perhaps we should just trade places -- I'll stay with Coyle and you can go with Recuahc. Oh, I know that wouldn't work, but sometimes I wish it would."
"I wish Recuahc would stay here and Coyle would go with you to look after you," Marianne replied. "I know you are quite capable," she added hastily, "but I have been watching you practice, and Recuahc does not have the skill or experience that Coyle and you have." Marianne fidgeted with her locket. "I worry about him sometimes, and you too. The best solution would be for both of you to stay here with us, but I know you can't." She stood up and walked over to the small porthole which looked out over the sea. "I know not what errand Schimray has you on, but I sense that it is a very real possibility that one or both of you will not come back. I want to run to Recuahc and beg him to stay." She turned back to look at GreyEagle. "Perhaps I should give some serious thought to what you suggested, being alone with Recuahc here. It is impossible to live in the past, and I refuse to live in fear of the future. Perhaps I should just give in to my feelings and enjoy what I can, and the devil with what others would think. I don't think Coyle would condemn me, and I care nothing what the others think! Oh, I'm just dreaming again!"
"Perhaps you should talk to Recuahc," GreyEagle said. She blushed and looked away. "I dropped a hint the other day that you might be interested. It may be that he just needs another nudge."
"But I just can't seem to get any words out when I'm with him," Marianne said with a note of hopelessness. "He is always so full of chatter and songs that when I try to think of things to say, everything that comes to mind seems too stupid, so of course I end up not saying anything and looking stupid anyway," she said with a weak laugh. "He's young now. Perhaps in a few years he will tire of wandering and want to settle down." Suddenly she threw up her hands. "I can't believe this is so hard. Men -- you spend hours agonizing over them for only a few precious moments. Sometimes I wonder why we bother."
"I'm afraid that I will miss you Marianne," GreyEagle said with a laugh. "I've never had someone who I thought listened to me and understood me, not since my brother. I wonder sometimes where he might be."
Marianne sat down next to GreyEagle and put an arm around her shoulder. "Have you ever considered going home to find your brother?" she asked quietly. "I know it wouldn't be easy, but if you ever wanted to go, perhaps Coyle and I could go with you."
She had never before considered the possibility of going back home, not since she had fled from there years ago, and the thought now filled her with a strange dread. What would she find there? "I don't know," she said finally. "I have too many other things to keep me busy now." She knew her objection was an excuse, but she was not yet ready to face her home that she had abandoned long ago.
That evening, as GreyEagle was preparing to get into her bunk, Marianne pulled a finely carved ivory scroll tube from her sea chest. She opened it carefully, almost tenderly, and slowly withdrew two sheets from it which she then handed to GreyEagle. They were two pictures, and as GreyEagle unrolled them, the figures painted there seemed almost to leap out at her. The first picture was of a couple. GreyEagle instantly recognized the woman as Marianne, though she was much younger in the picture, but while she did not know the man standing next to her, he bore a striking resemblance to Coyle. GreyEagle guessed that the man must have been Jeryl -- Coyle's brother and Marianne's husband -- and she smiled as she looked at them. Even in the picture she could tell that they were very much in love. The second was a family portrait which GreyEagle guessed was of Marianne, Jeryl, their two boys and Coyle. The boys took after their father with his handsome looks.
"These were presents to me from Jeryl, shortly before he was killed," Marianne said as she looked over GreyEagle's shoulder. "I take them with me whereever I go. When I am lonely or hurting, I pull them out to be with them. It was a long time before I could look at these without crying. I still miss the boys, and by the end of a voyage like this I can hardly wait to be with them. Each time I come home, I tell myself that this time I will stay, but after a few weeks my parents and I are at each others throats. They want me to settle down with some local man, one who is good and solid and will make a decent home for the boys, but when I think about Jeryl and the love we shared, I can't bear the thought of spending the rest of my life with a man I don't love."
"I dream of earning enough on these trips some day to provide my boys with the kind of opportunity that I never had. When I was younger, I wanted to be a healer, but my parents were not wealthy and could not send me to the school. Besides, my father thought that it would be a waste, since he assumed that sooner or later, I would just find a husband, settle down and start producing babies. Now he has told me that he will be passing our farm on to my oldest, but I want them to be able to chose whether they will stay and be farmers or seek their fortunes elsewhere. I still dream that someday I will be able to go to the school in Arabel."
She took the pictures as GreyEagle handed them back to her, and carefully replaced them in the scroll tube. "I wanted you to see these before you left."
Next...

7 April, 1998