The Silent Blade Read online

  Plus, even there at court, if a man wanted such things from a woman, any of them, he had to take the initiative. They might flirt a bit, and let him know that such a thing could, potentially be possible, but it was required of the man to bring it into being. He thought. That seemed to be the case, at least. So far Anders had made a point to be polite to such ladies, and suggest that he was interested, but also mention that he’d been instructed, by the King, to be careful in that way.

  Which was literally true.

  The man might not have spent hours each day instructing him, but in the three occasions they’d spoken, over the last four months, that topic had come up twice. It was, mainly, about making certain that Anders wasn’t going around leaving children all over the place. He hadn’t been, but the King kept assuming that there would be a time when that sort of thing would be tempting.

  A thing that Anders, and even Farad, both could understand. The needs of the body did press at them, after all. It was just that Farad mainly buried that kind of thing in work and the old fellow was actually good at that kind of thing.

  They rode in silence, for a while. Then, because there had been a request for him to entertain, once in Modroc, he picked Brenner’s mind for what kinds of illusions would be interesting to the Sulat and his people. They were familiar with that sort of thing, it being the one type of standard magic people practiced openly. The rest, it seemed, was the product of the Devica. It meant that, six hours later, when they reached the Southern docks of Istlan, he had the bones of three productions ready to be fleshed out. He truly needed to do more with the music for each, and to make the productions more interactive for the audience.

  He’d worked out how to make things look, feel and even smell more real, but if the audience weren’t close enough to the magic, half of that would be wasted. Of interest, while Brenner had spoken of being interested in stories being told that way, most of their common illusion practices were really about simply showing objects, animals and people, which moved about and looked interesting. It sounded rather grand, the way that it was spoken about, if different than what Anders had been doing, in the main, by a good score.

  Meaning he’d need to do both, and have more things ready, in case people found his efforts lacking, doing things the way he wanted. He set that aside for the moment, as the wagons stopped, the carriages already letting their people out, to stretch their legs. He could see the docks, and had, with a bit of help from Master Tolan, learned which of them was the one chartered to take them on their trip. It was a large thing, and actually designed to carry passengers, instead of being a cargo vessel that had a few empty crew rooms.

  Not that they didn’t have that sort of thing to load into the hold as well. The plan wasn’t to leave for a week, but it had been felt that getting there early was the wiser course of action, since they could leave as soon as the ship was ready, that way. Not that the vessel wouldn’t have waited on them, if it were required. They had royalty going on the trip after all.

  Still, it had been Princess Sweyn who had suggested getting there early, so the idea had been taken seriously. It was, Anders felt, probably more to do with her desire to get out from under Queen Maura’s attention than anything else. The older woman clearly meant well, however. She was actually kind and not hard to deal with, at least in Anders’ experience.

  That didn’t mean Sweyn wanted to lie in a bed all day, for the next four months. A thing that he couldn’t blame her for at all. It was in the books he’d read, and memorized, on the topic. A woman who was with child wasn’t ill and treating her as such could weaken her body and spirit, if done to a great level.

  Women, at least if food was plentiful, benefited from regular activity and even from practicing magic, while in that state, it turned out. Anders had made a point to bring some sweet treats with them, as well as supplies for making a variety of dishes. It was the custom on a ship to mainly eat borgu, after all. The thin oat potage was, he’d been assured, not Sweyn’s favorite thing in the world. She could eat it, but it wasn’t what she enjoyed.

  Which meant that he had enough food for fifty people with them. They didn’t have that many traveling, but making special fare for themselves and not the crew was unkind. This time though, he didn’t have enough for everyone, for the entire trip. The ship was simply too large for that.

  He also had some gifts, even if that wasn’t the tradition when visiting in either of the lands he was going to. It was the Istlan custom and things could come up, such as festival days and all that. Having some items from his home would, he hoped, go over well that way. Plus, he’d gotten some extra candies and dried fruit in, for that purpose. Most people liked things like that and sharing it about would be seen as kind, without being too aggressive about it. At least he hoped that was the case.

  At the dock, which he had to walk down the line to reach, with Depak and Hoatha following behind him, being curious people, just like he was, he saw the fine men, each in a nice blue uniform, coming down the gangplank.

  They were men with dusky skin, each having dark hair and the one of the five in front, the Captain most likely, having piercing brown eyes and a strong nose that lent his lean and wrinkled face an air of command.

  “I am Captain Fornath, of the Sea Otter. Are you those we are slated to carry to the southern lands?”

  Interestingly, the man was speaking decently good, if slightly accented, Istlan. Anders moved forward and bowed, using first courtly.

  “I’m Anders Brolly. I do believe we’re the people you’re looking for. We understand that your vessel won’t be ready to leave for some days? We have things to load, at your pleasure, Captain Fornath. Some food, and other goods. Things that should keep for the voyage. Now, I should step out of the way and allow the people who are in charge to actually speak!” He smiled then, several of the men behind the Captain doing that back.

  One of them spoke, in Modroc.

  “I can’t understand a word that boy just said. That’s the middle Princess, Sweyn, back there. I saw her, a few years ago, in a parade. She’s over by Clarisse Sett! I can’t believe that. I didn’t know that we’d have anyone like that on this run!” Those words caused some murmuring among the men. It was pretty excited seeming.

  Anders, grinning still, barked at them in their own language.

  “Don’t get too excited, now. She’s traveling, not here to entertain you. For that you’ll have to put up with my simple juggling and poor attempts at music.”

  The Captain, rather coolly, nodded at him.

  Then spoke in Modroc.

  “Too right, Anders Brolly. You’re in charge of the loading for your people?”

  No one had mentioned that, but Depak nodded, standing behind him still.

  “That’s correct, Captain. Anders Sona is responsible for most of the wagons, so it seems fair to have him aid with the rest of the luggage as well. My apprentice, in magic. I’m Depak Eta. This man is Hoatha Eta.”

  The Captain went wide eyed and his face tightened.

  “Of Barquea? You... rather killed my nephew then.” The man seemed upset by that idea.

  Which meant that several other people suddenly started to gather, as the sailors, somewhat covertly, started to go for weapons. A thing that they wouldn’t survive, if they moved too quickly. Not because of Anders, either.

  So he nodded.

  “Yes. That war was unfortunate. To smooth things, as well as possible, your Sulat has seen to an alliance marriage. Eltha Tennet, the Great One of the Modroc, your High Mage, is to marry a man of Barquea. One of her own choosing, of course! Hoatha Sona is in the running for that. Also Prince Naveed, the heir to Barquea, so this is no small thing in the offing. She’s with us, here.” He turned, as both Duma Sett and Eltha strode over.

  The men stared, but interestingly that was mainly at the Duma. Even if they were both in fine gowns. Real ones, not illusion covering plainer clothing, though both could do that as well. Anders was in plain black. Like a workman in his best clot
hing. It had been what he’d traveled in. That meant he looked fairly plain, compared to almost everyone else. Even the Modroc men with them were in fine brown vests of leather, for the trip.

  When the ladies arrived, not bowing at all, the Captain made a hard face.

  “I was unaware that we had a Great One of our own. You did little enough to protect my family in this last war.”

  He’d selected the correct woman to accuse at least, glaring at poor Eltha over the whole thing. Clarisse spoke, her gaze a bit harsh seeming, given the Captain wasn’t being evil, merely showing he was in pain over the loss he’d suffered, as anyone might. He hadn’t even called Depak any names, as of yet, or refused to take them on the vessel over what had happened, even if it would be his right, as one in grief.

  “Eltha was only named as our Great One in the past days. She has been under my tutelage, but also that of the Great One of Istlan, for some months, to learn. She is, perhaps, not ready for that title, but we have no one else to take that mantel, so she must serve as required. You might keep all that in mind, before blaming her for wars she had no way of fighting?”

  The Captain sighed and then faked a smile.

  “Of course. Forgive me, everyone. I was rude just then. War is hard for us all. Now, why don’t you all find a place to settle for some days? There are inns here, that are known to myself and my men. Perhaps a recommendation?” He looked back over his shoulder, at his own people. The one excited to see Duma Sett smiled then.

  “The Prancing Pony has the best rooms and decent ale. The food is best at the Big Fish. That isn’t far, for either of them. With this many, you’ll need to stay at both, most like. We’ll be three, maybe four days, going back and forth to the goods warehouse, outside of town. Unless some of you would like to help with that?” It was clear that the fellow was jesting with them, on the last piece of things.

  Depak gave a gentle bow in that direction.

  “Again, Anders will see to that for us? To ease the burden on your men, Captain?”

  That, oddly, got the man to smile. He clearly didn’t mean it, but he had stopped glaring at Depak.

  “Good then. Brolly, is it? You can see to things. Let me summon the men for loading?”

  That was done by one of the men in the back, blowing on a piercing whistle.

  Then, slowly, everyone else walked off into the town, to find something to do while they waited on the ship.

  Chapter four

  The next days were interesting enough for Anders, really. A combination of daily work, loading wagons and then offloading them, which took some physical effort as well as organizing skills, since things had to be placed in the correct portion of the ship, along with evenings spent practicing magic.

  Starting on the second day, most of the Modroc men joined him, in aiding in the loading. Which meant that, in a bit less than three days, the Sea Otter was ready to move out. The men had been baffled when the passengers actually did part of the work needed, and were even more shocked that the ladies, some of them, had been put to work as well.

  Especially Eltha.

  She got the idea, once explained. Princess Salina tried to whine about the work, a bit, but Lissa, the smallest one there, had just nodded at the effort needed. Accepting it when Anders finally explained himself, after the work was finished and they were underway.

  Sitting on the deck of the rather nice ship, the sails filling with air, in the correct direction, for the time being.

  “As Great Ones, you all need to know how a ship like this works. Military vessels as well. Probably pirate craft, as well. So, when not practicing magic, or memorizing texts, you should all stand ready to learn about things like this. What is required of different workmen, how hard their tasks are and the special problems that might arise. We should see if the Captain will assign a man to teach us how to navigate.” He meant that one, even though only Lissa nodded.

  Eltha scowled at him, though it was clear to him, from the sense coming off of her, that she didn’t mean it.

  “Modroc doesn’t have a Great One. This fiction is... A bit much, don’t you think, Anders?”

  He snorted and Princess Salina shook her head at Eltha.

  “That isn’t true now, is it? They have you. No one asked you if it was what you wanted, but I hear that’s how this kind of thing always works. Even with Grandfather Depak, it was such. Prince Anders makes a jest about you being the next Great One, then you’re thrown into work, without having a choice at all. At least he hasn’t insisted that I get married to anyone, yet.”

  Lissa, being helpful as she was, simply nodded at the words, as if that was how it really did work.

  “So it seems. On the good side, he hasn’t taken to beating us with his new stick, yet. I was afraid of that, for a few days, let me assure you! Why else have such a thing?”

  Everyone looked at him then, as if they didn’t get the idea. To him it was painfully obvious.

  “People can shut off magic now. In small areas, but they can do it. Salina taught me a lesson the other day, about that. All of us can do that, at very close range, and if ten people know a skill, we have to assume that hundreds will have that down shortly enough. So, we all need to be armed, at least well enough to stop an attack while we get away. So, I carry a stick now.”

  Everyone looked at him strangely, but no one asked for a stick of their own. Even Lissa didn’t have hers with her, at the moment. It was a mistake, but the kind of thing one had to learn on their own, most likely. Still, he looked at Salina and shrugged.

  She wrinkled her nose and seemed ready to argue some point or another.

  He didn’t let her.

  “You’ve been at war.” He didn’t add anything, or say it with any other meaning or even inflection. It was just a comment. A truth, without weight, or any kind of order being behind it.

  That meant she stiffened, but then, after a moment, nodded.

  “I have. I’ll see if I can find a weapon, then. It wasn’t a problem, at the front, but as you said, people can turn magic off. Princess Sweyn is the best at it so far, as well, so we have to imagine she’ll set up a force of people that can do that, for her own people. Are you doing that for Barquea, Prince Anders?”

  He shook his head.

  “That would be up to their Great One, I’d have to think. I’m just some Prince. I need to see to...” He stopped then, and grinned, trying to be playful about the whole thing. “What does that sort do, anyway? Study and help the people?” It was close to what he’d seen from that kind of person, so far.

  That had been Naveed and Nedros. They were both in the top ten as for being in line for the throne.

  Salina smirked.

  “Not if you’re going to do it correctly. You should be off bedding women and eating sweets. Perhaps doing some light hunting, which is normally an excuse for a pleasure trip, not an actual effort to get food in for anyone.”

  The words got a nod, from Princess Lissa and a half-hidden smile from Eltha.

  Anders wrinkled his nose. Hopefully in a cute way.

  “That sounds... Boring. Anyway, we should probably find a swab and see to cleaning the deck here, if we aren’t going to be practicing magic. Though, we could do it that way, if you’d all prefer?”

  That was the plan, once mentioned. They used sea water for it, but had to create spells to scrub the deck, and then dry it. Anders insisted that they keep it dry, except in the small areas they were cleaning. It took hours, and he did his own portion of the work, even if all the women were stronger in magic than he was. After a while, one of the men in a fine blue uniform walked up, and watched them work, for a while.

  Modroc might have been light on magic users, but they didn’t have the fear of that sort of thing that those of Istlan traditionally held to, it seemed. After a few minutes, the man gave a nod.

  “Can you see to the interior passageways, as well? You’ll have to carry the water in and take it away. We have buckets for that?” It was funny, the way the man spoke
the words.

  Which didn’t keep Eltha from glaring and crossing her arms, and Salina actually stiffening and clenching her fist, ready to throw a fit over the mild suggestion. As if that wasn’t what they’d been going to do next anyway.

  Princess Lissa just nodded, then spoke in the language of Modroc.

  “As soon as we finish here, sir?”

  The man gave her a firm nod.

  “Exactly so, miss. Finish the task at hand first. Are you four just doing cleaning for the trip? They’d mentioned having servants along, but...”

  He waved, at the four-foot section of the deck frothing and bubbling, in a tight swirling fashion that worked well to get things clean. Not that it was dirty at all. That wasn’t the point.

  Anders nodded.

  “Whatever work you have need of. We should also learn to navigate and control the ship. That and produce winds in the direction of travel. Everyone here can do that. Some others as well, but we’ll have to take turns. I’m...” He looked at the man and shook his head a bit. “The Captain might not want that? He seemed very sad, about his poor nephew who died in the war.” He looked down and tried to seem upset over it.

  He didn’t feel it, but Salina seemed to. Then, she’d seen a lot of death, first hand.

  She also wasn’t a monster.

  The other man nodded, but waved at the deck again.

  “I’ll ask after such things?” The man looked at Eltha then, and winked. “Clarisse Sett is on the boat... It would be wrong to beg for a performance, wouldn’t it? This man here mentioned some juggling and music?”

  Eltha winked back.

  “Oh, you couldn’t afford a performance from her. Not at all. Even my efforts would be too pricy for entertainment here. We might be able to have Anders here do something small for us, though? Say, in three days? I’m sure it won’t be that noteworthy, but we don’t have to pay him, so it might be worth attending?”