Ben's NaNoWriMo Log

Chapter 35 added Sep 23, 2005
The last of the supplies were being loaded onto the newly renamed Just Reward. In addition to food, water, pitch, and other essentials, they were also loading arrows and ammunition for the catapult and ballistae. Mordial ticked off the last item on the list. "That's all of it, Captain." Once she had disabused him of his notions of female inferiority, Sarah found her first mate to be a genuinely useful man. "Excellent. Tell the men to prepare to shove off." As Mordial ran up the gangplank to relay her order, Sarah turned to see the bearded pirate in green and yellow approaching her along the dock. He grinned and tipped his hat to her. "I see ye found yourself a ship after all." "Indeed I did, and a lovely one at that." "So it is, so it is." He shook his head. "I understand ye have decided to attempt the impossible with her. I wish ye the best of luck, for ye'll need it all. Farewell, crazy woman." Sarah watched him walk away, unsure whether she had been insulted or not. She mounted the gangplank and made her way on board. She pointed the man out to Mordial. "Who is that?" He needed only a brief glance to see who she was referring to. "Ah, that's Randall Grayson, captain of the Burning Eye. Mad Randall, they call him. Utterly unpredictable, but a successful pirate, without a doubt." She nodded, watching Randall disappear amid the morning traffic on the wharf. "He called me crazy." Mordial smirked. "Well, I suppose he'd be the one to know, eh?" As soon as the supplies were safely secured in the Reward's hold, they made their way out of the cove and to the open sea. Sarah set a course south along the coast. As they sailed out across the wide mouth of the Gulf of Herniz, Sarah studied the charts and maps Mordial had collected over the years. She had never had the chance to see exactly how far she had traveled since leaving her home so long ago. She traced a great circle around nearly the whole of southern Ahandria, easily covering over a thousand miles. The circle was closing now. She was done running from her fate; on the contrary, she was now charging headlong toward it. A knock on the door broke Sarah out of her contemplation. "Enter," she called. Mordial came through the door, closing it behind him. He came up beside her, looking down at the chart she had been studying. "We'll be in sight of Istaro in three hours. What's our course, Captain?" Sarah traced her finger south along the coast, stopping just north of the point labeled "Stormwatch". "Drop anchor here. I'll take the boat on to Stormwatch." Mordial's eyebrows went up. "That's a dangerous place, a breeding ground for wizards who delight in turning pirate vessels into driftwood." "I know. That's why I want you to keep the Reward well out of sight. I shouldn't be there long, one way or the other. If I'm not back in three days, she'll be yours again." "I never thought I'd hear myself say it, but I hope it won't come to that." Sarah smiled. "I appreciate that, Mr. Mordial." The trip down the coast was uneventful enough, with only a few minor squalls to mar the beautiful Spring weather. As planned, they anchored the Just Reward along the coast just north of the Kufriti border. Sarah went south in one of the ship's boats, with only Molly, Alec, and Lars joining her. She didn't want to put any of her crew in danger if things should go awry. It was early morning when Sarah saw the Firebird of Stormwatch for the second time. They tied the boat up at one of the smaller piers on the north end of the small harbor. Most of the other ships floating nearby bore the colors of the Royal Navy, which was somewhat disconcerting. They told the harbor master that they were there to deliver a message, which was close enough to the truth. Sarah kept silent, allowing Alec to do the group's talking. It was doubtful that anyone would remember her here after her brief visit so long ago, but she felt safer taking no chances. She went with Molly and Lars to a dockside tavern to wait as Alec went into the streets of Stormwatch. A few hours later, Alec reappeared at the tavern with a slight, dark haired man in tow. Sarah rose and went to speak with him outside. "You are the wizard Carathix?" she asked. He was clearly a wizard, judging by the gray and yellow robes he wore, but finding a wizard was no great feat in a place like Stormwatch. The man eyed Sarah and her companions with some suspicion. There was no fear in his expression, despite their array of weapons. "I am Master Carathix. I am curious as to what sort of message I must be delivered to, rather than the other way around." "I apologize for the mystery," said Sarah. She smiled. "I am pleased to see that your career has advanced of late. Few are granted the rank of Master at your age." Carathix's eyes narrowed further. Sarah couldn't help but notice that he was fingering a gold ring on his hand, set with a large hemisphere of amber. "I'm afraid you have me at a disadvantage. You seem to know much about me, yet I know nothing of you. If we have met in the past, I must admit I have forgotten it." Sarah's smile faded somewhat. "No, we haven't met, but I have heard stories about you." She reached into her pouch, producing a bundle of shimmering, gauzy material. She unwrapped the bundle, revealing a silver ring set with a riven sapphire. "I once knew a friend of yours." The wizard's eyes widened as he saw the ring. He reached out slowly to take it from her hand. He shook his head as he examined it. "This cannot be his. A wizard's focus is indestructible. No force can harm it, except..." He looked up at Sarah. "What happened?" There was nothing to be gained by concealing the truth. Sarah told Carathix the whole of her story, from that fateful morning in Crown Bay to her flight into the woods outside Luni. Carathix shook his head in disbelief, but the proof in his hand was hard to deny. He was still not entirely convinced, however, for he posed another question: "How do I know that you truly knew Syphar? I find your story hard to believe; perhaps you found this in a pawn shop somewhere." "I wish it were not true, Master Carathix, but it is. I saw Lawrence Easting give his life that I might keep mine." Carathix nodded slowly. "I never knew what became of him after he disappeared. If the Masters knew, they weren't talking. Even after I joined their ranks none would say what happened. Perhaps they truly didn't know." He handed the ring back to Sarah, who wrapped it in the faerie scarf again. "I thank you for putting my mind at ease. I can't imagine that you came here just to tell me of my friend's passing, though." "That's true enough." Sarah put the ring back in her pouch. "When I first told my tale to Syphar, he said that he wouldn't serve a traitor, whether he wore the crown or not. Do you share his convictions?" "I admit it is a distasteful proposition." The wizard shrugged. "What option do I have, though? Exiling myself in Ahandria will change nothing." "There is another option, if you share your friend's courage as well as his morals. I plan to strike a blow against the king, but I need the skills of a Stormwatch wizard to have a chance of success." She briefly explained about the shipment of weapons to Moril and her crew of eager pirates. The wizard rubbed his chin. "It's a very risky thing you propose. Risky, however, is not the same as impossible. I will need two days to make preparations and determine the feasibility of your plan. Tell me where your ship is anchored, and I will meet you there." He smiled at Sarah's worried expression. "If I wanted to betray you, you would be dead already. You have nothing to fear from me."
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