Percepliquis Part 23

"Tenkin?" Mauvin asked.

Wyatt nodded. "And that's Bernie in the cabin, right?"

"Pretty sure," Hadrian replied.

"Then that means this isn't just some underground salt lake."

"What do you mean?"

"This boat sailed here from the Palace of the Four Winds. This must open out to the Goblin Sea-some cove the Ba Ran Ghazel discovered that goes underground and is navigable all the way under Alburn to here."

"That's how the Ghazel have been getting in and managing to send scouting parties around Amberton Lee," Hadrian said.

"As nice as all that is," Alric began, "how are we going to get this ship into the water?"

"We aren't," Wyatt told him. "It will do that all by itself, in about six hours."

"Huh?"

"This ship is just going to jump in the water in six hours?" Mauvin asked incredulously.

"He's talking about the tide," Arista said.

"It's low tide right now, or near it. I'm guessing at high tide the watermark will be up to the cliff's edge. There won't even be a beach here. Of course, the ship may still be touching bottom. We'll set sail and hope the wind can pull us. If not, we'll have to kedge off."

"Kedge off?" Mauvin asked, and glanced at Arista, who this time shrugged.

"You take the ship's anchor, put it on a launch, paddle it out, drop it in the water, and then with the capstan you crank and pull the ship toward the anchor. It's not a fun drill. Sometimes the anchor doesn't catch, and sometimes it catches too well. Either way, turning the capstan is never pleasant. All I can say is thank Maribor we have Elden.

"Of course, a ship this size doesn't have a launch, so we'll need to make something to float the anchor out with. Since we have six hours to kill, we might as well do that. I'll need Royce, Hadrian, and Elden to help me set the ship in order, so could His Majesty grab a few of the remaining people and make a raft?"

"Consider it done, Captain," Alric told him.

"We should also dispose of old Bernie, I'm afraid," Wyatt said. "While it is tempting to just dump him in the sea, we probably should bury him."

"Don't look at me," Gaunt said. "I didn't even know the man."

"I'll do it," Myron told them. "Can someone help me get him to the beach?"

"Good, then we're all squared away," Wyatt said. "We'll set sail in six hours-hopefully."

CHAPTER 13.

THE VOYAGE OF THE HARBINGER.

The tide had come in and Arista noticed most of the sh.o.r.e was gone. Waves slammed against the cliff edge, hammering the wall. Seawater sluiced in and out of the shaft they had come down, making a vague sucking sound with each roll out. The ship sat upright, the deck flat, and the whole thing rocked with each new set of waves, which lifted the stern.

Myron stood on the deck of the Harbinger, casting his eyes upward at the sails as Royce flew about on ropes, tying off the braces. Soaked to the bone, the monk created a puddle where he stood. His frock stuck to his skin, a bit of glowing seaweed was on his shoulder, and he had black sand in his hair and on his cheeks.

"All done, then?" Hadrian asked, tying the end of one of the lines Royce had dropped to him.

Myron nodded. "Well, mostly, but I thought..." He looked up once more. "I thought Royce might be willing to say a few words, since he knew him best."

"Royce is a bit busy," Hadrian replied.

Myron's shoulders slumped.

"How about if I come? I knew him too."

"Can I come?" Arista asked. She had been on deck coiling ropes and generally clearing the clutter. No one had asked her to. No one had asked her to do anything. Women were unexpected on board a ship and she did not think Wyatt knew what to do with her. She had tried helping Alric with building the raft for the anchor, but that had gone badly. Her brother noticeably winced each time she suggested something to Mauvin, Degan, or Magnus. After only an hour, she excused herself, saying she was not feeling well, and returned to the ship. She hoped Wyatt would have some use for her, but he only smiled and nodded politely as he pa.s.sed.

"Of course," Myron said eagerly, a smile brightening his face.

Arista jumped to her feet, feeling oddly relieved. Somehow she had expected Myron would exclude her as well. She regretted volunteering, as getting off the ship required wading in chest-deep water. It was very cold and took her breath away. Her robe billowed around her as she struggled to find traction in the ground below.

A strong wave struck her from behind and she started to fall face forward. Hadrian caught her by the elbow and held her up.

"Thank you. I thought I was going for a swim there," she told him.

"Bad form on the wave's part, sneaking up and attacking you from the back like that."

"Not very chivalrous, was it?"

"Not at all-I'd complain."

Myron moved ahead of them, splashing his way to a high point where the water was only a few inches deep. "He's under here-at least, he used to be." Myron looked about, concerned.

"I'm sure he still is," Hadrian said.

"We'd best get started before he slips away," Arista said as a wave's retreat sucked her feet into the sand. "You start us off, Myron."

"Dear Maribor, our eternal father, we are gathered here to say farewell to our brother Bernie. That's his name, right?" Myron whispered.

Hadrian nodded.

"We ask that you remember him and see that he crosses the river to the land of the dawn." He looked to Hadrian, motioning with his hand for him to speak.

"Ah..." Hadrian thought a moment. "Bernie wasn't a good man, exactly. He was a thief, and a grave robber, and he tried to knife Royce once-"

Seeing Myron's expression, Arista nudged Hadrian.

"But, um... he didn't actually ever try to kill any of us. He was just doing his job, I guess. I suppose he was pretty good at it." Hadrian stopped there, looking awkward.

"Would you like to say something?" Myron asked Arista.

"I didn't know him."

"At this point I don't think he'd mind," Myron said.

"Okay. I suppose." She thought a second, then said, "Although none of us knew him well, I am certain Mr. Bernie had virtues as well as shortcomings, like any of us. He likely helped people, or showed courage in the face of adversity when others might not. He must have had some good in him; otherwise Maribor would not have sent one of his most compa.s.sionate and thoughtful servants here to ensure he had a proper pa.s.sing."

"Wow, that was much better than mine," Hadrian whispered.

"Shh," Arista said.

"And so, Lord," Myron concluded with a bowed head, "we say farewell to Bernie. May the light of a new dawn rise upon his soul." Then in a light voice Myron sang: Unto Maribor, I beseech thee Into the hands of G.o.d, I send thee Grant him peace, I beg thee Give him rest, I ask thee May the G.o.d of men watch over your journey.

"Is that it?" Hadrian asked.

"That's it," Myron replied. "Thank you both for coming and standing in the cold water."

"Let's get back. My feet are going numb," Arista said, hopping through the surf.

"Your Highness?" Myron asked, chasing her. "I can't help but ask. Who is the servant of Maribor you were speaking of?"

She looked at him, surprised. "You, of course."

"Oh."

When they got back, Alric and the rest were tying up their makeshift raft to the side of the Harbinger. Arista was impressed. The raft was eight feet square, lashed tight and caulked with pitch.

On board, Wyatt and Elden were pushing everything that could be moved from the bow to the stern. The back of the ship began to rock in earnest, making it hard to stand.

Once everyone was on board, Wyatt looked up as if to the heavens and shouted, "Loose the tops'l!"

She gasped as Royce pulled a line, then without hesitation ran across the yard to the far side and pulled another. The topsail fell open and Royce dropped to the masthead and, running along the top of the mainsail yard, tied off the sheets.

"Loose the mains'l!" Wyatt shouted, and Royce released the big sail. "Hands to the sheets!"

Hadrian and Elden, on opposite sides of the ship, pulled ropes connected to the lower corners of the sail, stretching it out taut.

"Hands to the braces! Back all sails!"

Elden and Hadrian grabbed hold of ropes attached to the ends of the yards and pulled, twisting them around so that they caught the wind on an angle, pushing the ship backward toward the sea. They looked to Wyatt, who waved them over until they had the right angle; then they tied off the braces.

"Everyone to the stern!" Wyatt called, and each of them moved to the back of the ship. The wind and the waves rocked them, and at times it seemed they were lifting, but the ship failed to move.

"The keel's dug in," Wyatt said, then sighed. "We'll need to kedge off. Elden and Hadrian, hoist the anchor to the raft and lash it tight. Alric-forgive me, Your Majesty, but I need to use you like a deckhand and will be dispensing with formalities. I hope you understand. Please take Mauvin and launch the raft as soon as the anchor is on it. Now this is what you must remember: paddle out directly behind the ship. Any angle will reduce our traction. We want to pull the ship in perfect line with the keel. When you are out so far that the chain is fully extended, drop the anchor, then return to the ship as fast as you can."

Alric nodded, and with Mauvin following, they climbed over the side of the ship. Using the pulleys attached to the main yard, Hadrian and Elden hoisted the anchor out over the raft, which bobbed and bucked in the surf. Alric and Mauvin straddled it, tying the anchor fast to the deck; both were sprayed and soaked by crashing waves. Hadrian handed paddles down, and with one on each side, the two worked to push the weighted craft out over the swells.

The chain played out through Wyatt's own hands as he stood at the stern, carefully watching their progress. Alric and Mauvin appeared like two rats on a barrel lid when the chain went taut. Arista saw the flash of Mauvin's blade, and the anchor went into the water, nearly flipping the raft.

"Hands to the capstan!" Wyatt called. "That's everyone-except, of course, you, Your Highness."

Arista sighed but was just as happy to stand at the stern rail and watch Alric and Mauvin, who were paddling back. They were moving much faster now that they had the swells pushing them.

In the center of the ship, poles were pa.s.sed through the holes in the big wheel and everyone put their weight into pushing the capstan around. Arista could hear the rapid clank, clank, clank of the pawls as they took up the slack. Then the sound grew slower, the time between the clanks longer.

Everyone aside from her, including Wyatt, heaved on the capstan. Each pole had two people on it except for Elden's. The giant commanded his own pole and his face was turning red from the strain. Arista heard a fearful creaking as the anchor and the ship fought each other.

"Show us the waves, Arista!" Wyatt called to her. "Put your arms up and drop them just before a wave is about to hit the ship!"

She nodded and looked out to sea. Alric and Mauvin were already coming alongside. She looked at the swells. They were in a lull, but she could see three humps in the distance rolling toward them like the slithering backs of serpents.

"It will be a minute," she shouted back.

"Everyone rest," Wyatt told them. "When you see her drop her arms, really put your back into it."

Mauvin and Alric scrambled over the side, soaked and exhausted. They flung themselves down on the deck.

"No time to rest!" Wyatt shouted at them. "Find a spot on the poles."

The swells were nearing and Arista raised her arms. "Get ready!"

They all braced themselves and took deep breaths.

The first swell rushed in and Arista dropped her arms, but she did so too late.

They heaved. There was a grinding sensation; then it stopped and the men fell, exhausted, hanging from the poles.

"I timed it wrong," Arista shouted. "I was too late. Here comes another." She raised her arms and they all braced again, with Mauvin and Alric finding places at the poles.

Arista watched the swell rushing at her. This time she lowered her arms while the wave was still a few feet away. By the time the men heaved, the rear of the ship was rising. There were a noticeable lurch and more grinding. This time she heard the sound of wood sc.r.a.ping and felt movement.

"One more!" she shouted, raising her arms and then dropping them almost as soon as they were up.

Once more the men pushed, the chain tightened, and the boat rose. This time a gust of wind managed to catch the topsail and the ship lurched dramatically. The bottom sc.r.a.ped and broke out of the sludge. They rocked smooth and free, drifting backward.

A cheer rose and everyone was grinning. Wyatt ran back to the stern beside Arista and grabbed hold of the wheel. "That was lucky," he said, sweat dripping from his forehead. "Great job, by the way."

"Thanks."

"Keep cranking! Let's see if we can save the anchor."

The men pushed the capstan around easily now. They quickly covered the distance Alric and Mauvin had paddled and pa.s.sed it. Arista watched the cable swing down beneath them. There was a sudden lurch that staggered her; then she heard the rapid clanking of the pawls as the anchor came in.

"Man the braces!" Wyatt shouted. "Stand by to come about!"

Wyatt looked out at the swells and gave the wheel a hard spin. The ship turned. "Swing round the yards-starboard tack!"