Trask said, “We can’t leave for a few weeks yet. Even if the blockade was lifted, my ship’s in desperate need of refitting. And if we left now, we’d have to sail about until the weather in the straits breaks. With Jessup’s fleet at sea ambush, that would be risky. I’d rather hide here awhile, then a quick run west, through the straits, and up the Far Coast with no delay.”
Hull slapped him on the shoulder. “Good, that will give us time. I’ve heard of your ship; the boys tell me it’s little better than a barge. We’ll find you another. I’ll send word to your men when the time is right. Radburn’ll most likely leave your crew alone, hoping you’ll turn up. We’ll slip them aboard the new ship a few at a time at night and replace them with my own boys, so Radburn’s men won’t notice anything unusual aboard.”
He turned to Arutha. “You’ll be safe enough here, Highness. This building is one of many owned by the Mockers, and none will get close without our having ample warning When the time is right, we’ll get you all free of the city. Now we’ll take you to your room, so you may rest.”
Arutha, Martin, and Amos were shown to a room down the hall from the one where they had met Anita, while the Princess returned to her own quarters. The room they entered was a simple affair, but clean. All three men were tired Martin fell heavily on one pallet and was quickly asleep. Amos lowered himself slowly, and Arutha watched him for a moment. With a slight smile he said, “When you first came to Crydee, I thought you a pirate.”
Struggling to remove a boot, Amos said, “In truth, I tried to leave that behind me, Highness.” He laughed “Perhaps it was the gods working their revenge upon me, but you know, for fifteen years, man and boy, I was a corsair and a captain, then when I try my hand at honest trading for the first time, my ship is captured and burned, my crew slaughtered, and I find myself beached as far from the heart of the Kingdom as you can get and still be in it.”
Arutha lay down upon his pallet. “You’ve been a good counselor, Amos Trask, and a brave companion. Your help over the years has earned you a good deal of forgiveness for past wrongdoings, but”—he shook his head—“Trenchard the Pirate! Gods, man, there’s so much to forgive.”
Amos yawned and stretched. “When we return to Crydee, you can hang me, Arutha, but for now please have the good grace to keep silent and put out the light. I am getting too old for this foolishness. I need some sleep.”
Arutha reached over and covered the wick of the lamp with a snuff. He lay back in the darkness, images and thoughts crowding his mind. He thought of his father and what he would do were he here, then wondered how his brother and sister were. Thoughts of Carline caused him to think of Roland, and to speculate how the fortifications of Jonril were progressing. He forced aside the buzzing thoughts and let his mind drift. Then before sleep took him, he remembered Anita, as she rose up on tiptoes to kiss his cheek, and felt again a not entirely comfortable churning within. A faint smile crossed his lips as he fell asleep.
Anita clapped appreciatively as Arutha turned aside the point of Jimmy’s sword. The boy thief blushed at his awkwardness, but Arutha said, “That was better.”
He and Jimmy were practicing basic swordwork, Jimmy using a rapier purchased with some of the gold Arutha had given him. For a month they had passed the time this way, and Anita had taken to watching. Whenever the Princess was around, the usually brash Jimmy the Hand became subdued, and he blushed furiously whenever she spoke to him. Arutha was now certain the boy thief was afflicted by the worst sort of infatuation for the Princess, only three years older than himself. Arutha appreciated Jimmy’s distress, for he also found the girl’s presence a distraction. Still in the first years of womanhood, she nevertheless carried herself with court-bred grace, had wit and education and showed the promise of mature beauty. Arutha found it easier to turn his thoughts to other topics than the Princess.
The basement where they worked on their swordplay was damp and poorly ventilated, so it soon became close and humid. Arutha said, “That’s enough for today, Jimmy. You’re still impatient to close, and that can be fatal. You’ve plenty of speed, and it’s good you learn young, but you lack arm strength to bash about as many older men do; with the rapier, that can also prove fatal. Remember, the edge is for cutting—”
“—and the point is for killing,” finished Jimmy, with a self-conscious grin. “I can see how you’d have to be cautious against a man with a broadsword. He could break your blade if you tried to block instead of parry, but what do you do if one of those alien warriors comes at you with that greatsword you described?”
Arutha laughed “You find out who can run faster.” Anita’s laughter joined with Arutha’s and Jimmy’s. Arutha said, “Seriously, you must stay to the off-hand side. With the big swords, your opponent gets one swing, then you’ve got an opening—”
The door opened, and Amos walked in with Martin and Trevor Hull. Amos said, “The worse damn luck—begging the Princess’s pardon. Arutha, the worst has occurred.”