Chapter 22

 

 

Stathford was exactly as Rachel suggested, a smaller version of Marshland Crossing, but without the Library. They attracted a much smaller crowd than in Kolmo, as the inhabitants were busy putting in crops. The only official they could find was the local Guard sergeant, who informed them that three ships had been spotted around lunchtime the day before.

“Don’t usually see three at a time,” he said in a slow drawl. “That’s what seemed so peculiar.”

William pressed him for more information, somewhat impatiently. “Are there any ships here that Major Bentsen can commandeer?”

The sergeant shook his head. “Only town I know of that has its own ships is Marshland. Well, it used to, I guess. Next town with any boats of its own is Faywater Port, I reckon.”

His heart sank. The further away from Marshland they got, the longer the Guard contingent march would take, even if they did find ships eventually. “How about lodgings for Major Bentsen and his men? How many men could sleep in your barracks?”

“Well, we don’t really have a barracks to speak of, my lord. There’s only me and five other guys, and we all sleep at home. A few of Bentsen’s men could sleep in the jail house if they wanted, but it’s mighty cramped there—they don’t build them for comfort, after all.”

William grumbled a bit before continuing. “What about food? Please tell me you’ve at least got rations to spare for your colleagues.”

“Don’t be nasty to him, Will,” said Melissa. “There’s no need to be rude.”

William glared at her without responding, then turned back to the sergeant. “Well?”

The sergeant shrugged at William. “Not much to be had this time of year. Crops are just going in, and the winter stores are almost gone.”

“What about your emergency stores?” asked Charlie. “Every Guard post is required to stock supplies.”

The sergeant nodded slowly. “Required, yes…but when’s the last time Headquarters sent us anything? Our emergency supplies spoiled a long time ago, and haven’t been replaced yet, even though I’ve sent three letters.”

The next three towns were no better—no boats, little or no room for the incoming guards to rest, and no food to eat. The only good news they received was that they were gaining on the rebel ships, if the sighting reports were accurate. “Do you think we’ll have time to catch them before they reach the Port?” asked William at their fourth stop.

Maya gazed into the distance as she calculated. “Barely,” she said. “If we don’t stop for too long, or too often.”

“We won’t gain anything by stopping,” said Jack. “At least not for Major Bentsen. I hate to suggest it, but maybe we should just keep flying.”

“How about it, Adonis?” asked William. “Can you and your brothers fly until sundown?”

“Longer, if needed,” answered the dragon. “We should feed before morning, though.”

William cringed as he realized he hadn’t even considered that need. Clyde could root up plants and dirt easily enough, but the drones didn’t have that option, nor could they simply help themselves to livestock or farmers would riot. He glanced at Oz, who was looking marginally better than he had when they started. “Any regrets Oz? Are you wishing you were back home?”

Oz looked back at him, pale-faced and dull-eyed, but determined. “I’ll be fine, my lord. Could we have a few minutes before we leave, though? I think I might throw up again.”

William grinned a little. “If you could aim at another earl’s shoes, that would be great.”

“I’m surprised you have anything left inside you,” said Maya. “Come with me, Oz. Let me give you a checkup.”

Melissa approached him as Maya and Oz went behind a cluster of trees. “What is wrong with you? You were rude to Oz just now, you were short with me earlier, not to mention dismissive of Earl Forrester. What is your problem?” Her eyes smoldered, and probably had been for hours now.

Which was fine as far as William was concerned. “My problem is that I’m chasing three ships full of rebels. I have to catch them before they reach the harbor, or they’ll escape, which means my tax deferral is canceled, which I can’t afford to have happen. And even though I’m short on both time and money, you picked that moment to go on a shopping trip.”

Melissa backed away, a cold smile of amused disbelief slowly replacing her initial shock. “Is that what you think happened? Well, for your information, Lord William, I did you a favor.”

William snorted. “A favor? By spending money I don’t have on things I don’t need?”

“I’m not sure why you assume I don’t have money of my own,” she said through clenched teeth. “But even if I didn’t, it still wouldn’t have cost you a copper. Earl Forrester is so bent on having you as a customer that he paid for the items himself, as well as the cost of shipping them to OUR home, which is sorely in need of decoration other than a picture I painted, the sword the dragons gave you, and your father’s shield. But none of that matters, because my sole purpose was to get the earl out of your hair, so you could do what you needed to do.”

William stared in disbelief. “Earl Forrester wants me as a customer?” he asked after a moment’s hesitation.

“Oh, for crying out loud, Will,” she grumbled in exasperation. “Out of everything I said, that’s what you thought was important? Yes, he desperately wants you as a customer.”

“Really? But why?”

“Because you’re famous, you nitwit. He can advertise that the great William Whitehall boasts two dozen items from Kolmo in his manor, and every customer who comes through his town will want the same.”

William turned away and shook his head in denial. “Get serious, Melissa. I’m not that famous.”

Rachel burst out laughing behind him. “King’s crown, Will, are you really so clueless? Aside from the king himself, you’re the most famous person on Esper. Even I’ve read those books. Whoever wrote them is a genius, because they sure made you a hero.”

Jack chimed in. “Brilliant salesmanship too, if you ask me. I bet the author is rolling in money.”

“What?” William stared at Rachel, and then at Melissa, then at the others. “But what about you guys? Why aren’t you famous? You were there too.”

“You were the mission leader,” said Jack. “But more than that, you were captured by the rebels while saving our tails, and then tortured. To top it all, you’re the dragon queen’s brother. How can we compete with that? Besides, the books are about you—we’re just side characters.”

“Face it, buddy,” said Maya as she and Oz rejoined the group. “You’re a celebrity.”

“And a hero to every guard,” said Charlie.

Even Oz weighed in, looking better after whatever Maya gave him. “The kids don’t play guards and bandits anymore. It’s always William and Rebels.”

He stared back, unable to respond. How could he have been so oblivious? It must have appeared to his friends that he’d taken it for granted—that he’d dismissed their own efforts as meaningless in his silent acceptance of his fame. “I don’t know what to say—I’m really sorry, guys.”

Melissa swore under her breath. “I can’t believe I married an idiot.”

William whirled around. “What?” he asked, his voice sharp.

“Never mind,” she said. “Get on your dragon and lead us to the next great adventure, my lord.” She climbed onto her own mount and refused to look at him again. “Come on, Clyde. You can fly with us—William is being a jerk.”

Adonis turned his giant head to William. “You’re lucky. When we displease our queen, she blasts fire at us.”

“How often does that happen?” asked William as he threw his leg over the beast’s neck.

“Not more than once.”

The next town was two hours away, but when William saw the size of it, he gestured to the others that he wanted to keep going. They all signaled their agreement, except for Oz, who wasn’t sure if he should answer, and Melissa, who refused. William sighed in relief. Another hour or two in the air might cool her anger, and then they could return to normal.

The sun was just starting its descent when William noticed two spires of smoke in the distance. He tapped Adonis’s ridges, then pointed to the smoke. Adonis nodded and began a gentle descent.

A few minutes later the source of the smoke became obvious. Three ships—two on the north side of the river, one on the south—lay beached and burning. By signaled agreement, they landed on the north side. “What do you think?” asked William as Rachel approached.

“It was deliberate, obviously,” she answered.

“I figured that. But why?” he asked. “And why here?”

“Think about it, Will. They’ll assume someone sent a pigeon warning the Guard and the harbormaster about the stolen ships. If Bird can send pigeons, so can somebody else. So, they had to ditch the ships. And here, because there’s no one around for miles—not a farm or a house in sight.”

William peered into the dense woods surrounding them. “But where did they go? And why beach their boats on both sides of the river? Wouldn’t they be separated?”

“I’m not sure yet,” she said as she gazed intensely at the scene. “Let me look around. I want to look at the footprints before everyone tramples all over them.” She walked toward the smoldering wrecks while the others huddled together a distance away.

Melissa still wouldn’t look at him, and for a moment he let her fume by herself. But maintaining a feud was ridiculous, especially as newlyweds. He touched her arm and leaned toward her. “Walk with me,” he said gently.

She followed silently as he picked his way over rocks and gullies until they found a quiet place. “Are you okay?” he asked.

Her eyes widened at the question. “Am I okay? Are you seriously asking me?”

“Yes,” he said. “Assume for the moment that I really am the idiot you claimed I am. Tell me what’s wrong.”

She shook her head at him. “I can’t believe I have to explain this to you. First, I extricated you from Earl Forrester’s clutches so you could do what you needed to do. I even had him clear the crowd away. Then I skillfully negotiated free delivery of art work—exquisite things, by the way—at no cost to either of us. And after you accused me of wasting time and throwing away money, you didn’t even apologize to me. Instead, you apologized to your friends for being famous.”

He stared at his feet, knowing anything he said would be inadequate. But not saying anything would be worse. “Okay, I get it. I guess I really am an idiot.”

“You did it to me in front of your friends, Will. Our friends. That’s embarrassing.”

“I know. And I’m sorry. I didn’t understand what you were doing, and Earl Forrester had me flustered.”

“But if you didn’t understand, why didn’t you assume the best of me instead of the worst?”

William’s mouth hung open as he struggled for the words to explain himself. The truth was, he didn’t know.

Melissa continued, her voice gentler but her eyes no less intense. “Will, I came with you because I could help you. I proved myself at the first opportunity, but you didn’t even notice. You should think better of me. Otherwise, why did you marry me?” She turned and walked away, leaving him to ponder her question. Unable to find the answer, he followed her back.

“William being jerk?” Clyde asked as he returned.

“Apparently so,” he answered. “A big one.”

Rachel joined them shortly after, her inspection of the boats and the surrounding area complete. “They transferred to rowboats,” she said. “At least six, probably eight.”

“Why would they switch to smaller boats?” asked William. “They had three perfectly good ships they could have stayed in.”

“Because that’s what authorities would be looking for,” said Charlie.

“Exactly,” said Rachel. “And by burning the ships, they destroyed any evidence tying them to the crime. The rowboats were hidden in those bushes for weeks and dragged out today—maybe hours ago.”

“So now we have no idea what—or who—we’re looking for?” asked Jack. “We can’t stop every rowboat between here and Faywater Port, even if we had enough time.”

“We still have a chance,” said Maya. “Rowboats can’t handle the open sea. If they want to leave Faywater Bay, they’ll need another ship. Which means they can still be caught at the choke points.”

“Only if they know to watch for them,” said William. “Which means we need to reach the harbormaster fast. Rachel, any idea how long ago they left?”

Rachel pondered for a moment. “Judging by the fires, I’d say four to six hours.”

William turned to Maya. “You’re the numbers whiz. Can we reach the harbormaster in time?”

Maya nodded. “We can if we head straight there. We’ve already gone about two thirds of the way with several stops. But we should head straight for the Port Authority. Luckily, there’s an open square beside the office where we can land.”

“Excellent,” said William. “Is everyone ready? Oz, how are you feeling?”

“Better than before, sir. I think whatever Maya gave me is working.”

“Clyde, what about you? You’ve never flown this much before. Are you doing okay?”

“Flying fun!” said Clyde.

William wrapped his cloak around him and fastened it closed. “Good, let’s go.”

“I’m doing fine too,” said Melissa. “Thanks for asking.”

William stared at her, hoping to see a sarcastic smile. When she simply glared back at him, he turned back to Adonis. “Let’s go.”

The usual thrill of lifting off was lost in anger. Why was she being so difficult? Was she punishing him for his earlier gaffe, or should he really have asked her if she was ready to fly? He’d only asked Clyde and Oz because he knew they would be reluctant to speak up, but he suspected Melissa knew that. Why couldn’t she just forgive him?

The view soon distracted him. As they soared over the lowlands, the river widened and snaked around a multitude of islands. Rowboats dotted the water below them, and William realized the truth of Jack’s words—it would have been impossible to search every vessel between here and the port. The rebels had done well to switch, as stolen ships would have stood out against the backdrop of all these tiny boats—although what good would it have done them to spot one, with no way to land on or near them?

The descending sun turned the water below them into a ribbon of fire, and William shielded his eyes from the glare. Long shadows of trees and hills stood out against the brightly lit ground, turning the landscape into an eerie spectacle. It reminded him of his first flight to the dragon hive, when the rising sun lit the sky from behind the mountain. Only this time, something much larger than a mountain loomed before him.

The sea. He caught only a distant glimpse of it, but it hinted at a vastness maps alone couldn’t convey. Glowing in reflected orange and red, it reached out past the river and the city that straddled it and went on for what seemed like forever. He knew from the maps that Faywater Port was the closest city to Ibyca—in fact, no more than four hundred miles separated the two continents at their closest points—but from his vantage point, it seemed like the largest open space in the world.

The wilderness below him gave way to farmland again, only this time it didn’t stop. Village after village dotted the landscape, surrounded and separated by fenced fields and managed woodland. Docks, too, became more plentiful, choked with all manner of boats. If Bentsen wanted a ship to commandeer, this would be the place.

Then came the city. Its sheer size was impressive enough, but what amazed him more was the stonework: miles of cobbled roads; shops and houses built with huge stone blocks; long sections of waterfront lined with massive wharfs. As the river spread into a delta, gleaming white masonry along the banks contrasted against the dark water.

The sun had set by the time they reached the heart of the city, leaving traces of purple and blue on the clouds. Stars sparkled in the darkness, and it took William several minutes to realize the lights below him were not reflections on the river, but well-lit windows of homes and shops that stretched for miles. He could recite the population from memory—over half a million people lived in Faywater Port and its outer reaches—but that couldn’t prepare him for its immensity. At once, he realized how untraveled he was.

Maya guided them to their destination, leading her drone with hand signals along the river’s twisting channels. A large island appeared before them, and they descended to land in an open spot between two large buildings.

“Welcome to Faywater Port,” said Maya as she leaped off her drone and stretched her sore muscles. “What do you think?”

“It’s enormous,” was all William could say.

“And busy,” said Oz. “So many people walking around, even after dark.”

“Speaking of busy, we’re about to be swarmed,” said Jack. He nodded toward a group of people, many of whom pointed excitedly as they approached. More followed, and they were soon surrounded by curious people.

“Please keep your distance,” William told them. “And don’t touch the dragons.”

“Who are you to tell us what to do, eh?” said one gap-toothed man.

Oz addressed the man before William could stop him. “This is Lord William Whitehall, and if he tells you to step back, you’d better step back.”

“Thank you, Oz,” said William. “But that’s not necessary. We just need to—”

“Did someone say William Whitehall?” asked someone in the crowd. His name was repeated several times, and soon the news was being shouted across the canals to other islets.

“Uh oh,” said Rachel. “This is going to get ugly.”

“Clyde, stay behind me,” said William. “Adonis, tell your brothers no fire breathing. The last thing we need right now is to hurt someone.” Already he was being jostled by people eager to shake his hand, touch his sleeve, or ask for his autograph.

“You have my word,” said Adonis. “We drones can withstand this press, but perhaps you would prefer to fly elsewhere.”

“We can’t,” said Maya. “The harbormaster’s office is on this island, and we need to get there as soon as possible. Charlie, can you push your way through?”

Charlie grunted as he pushed people back. “Not without hurting someone,” he said, shouting over the noisy crowd. He turned to William with a questioning look.

“No one gets hurt if we can help it,” said William. The throng continued to grow, until it became clear they were stuck. He did his best to speak with the well-wishers who greeted him, shaking hands with several, but he soon found himself wedged between two drones with nowhere to move.

“We can’t stay here all night, Will,” said Jack, crouching under Adonis. “What’s the plan?”

William shook his head. “No idea,” he said.

Melissa shouted from behind him. “Maya, where’s the harbormaster’s office?”

Maya pointed at the building across the square. “The one with the anchor painted on the door.”

“Thanks,” said Melissa. “Charlie, can you step in front of Will?”

Charlie squeezed his way through the throng, pushing where necessary, but never hitting. Soon, he shoved himself between William and two adoring fans pulling at his cape. Melissa grabbed William’s hand. “Let’s go,” she said.

“Where?” he asked. “How?”

“Duck under this drone. Stay there a moment.”

She slipped to the other side and began shouting and pointing away from the harbormaster’s office. “William Whitehall ran over there!” William grinned as a gap opened in the crowd, legs and feet scurrying away in response to Melissa’s ruse. She grabbed his hand again and pulled him up. “Let’s run.”

William followed her, surprised at both her speed and decisiveness, and reached the door just after she did. She pulled it open and ushered him inside.

“What on Esper is that racket out there?” asked a dark-skinned woman. “Do you have anything to do with that?”

“I’m afraid so,” said William. “We’ve just flown here on our dragons, and a crowd started coming—”

“Excuse me,” interrupted the woman. “Did you say dragons?”

“Yes,” said William. “And when people saw them, they started—”

Hand on her hip, she stared at him like a teacher scolding a student. “Do I look like a fool?” she demanded. “You come in here, dressed for the dead of winter on the warmest day of spring, with a rowdy bunch of drunks outside, and expect me to take you seriously? Dragons, he says. What’s your name? I need to know who to have arrested when the guards get here.”

“I’m William Whitehall,” he answered.

The woman laughed at him. “Okay, mister. You’ve had your fun, and I’ve had it with those bars filling you folks with booze and dumping you on the street to harass busy people like me. Now get lost before I call the Guard.”

Melissa stepped between them and assumed the same manner she had with Earl Forrester. “Excuse me—Harbormaster Ungless, I presume?”

The woman stepped back and gave Melissa a puzzled look, disarmed by her formal politeness. “I’m Keri Ungless. What’s it to you?”

Melissa maintained her demure attitude. “We’ve come a long way to see you on an urgent matter.”

“Then what’s all this about dragons and William Whitehall? Why didn’t you simply say you needed to speak to me?”

“Because—and I know this is hard to believe, but it’s the truth—we really did fly here on dragons, and he really is William Whitehall. I’m his wife, Melissa.”

Ungless looked back and forth between them, looking for traces of smiles that might indicate a joke, but found none. “I suppose I’ll find out the truth soon enough, so for the moment I’ll let it pass. What’s your urgent matter?”

William jumped in. “Rebels seized Marshland Crossing and stole the spring taxes, along with three royal ships. We found the ships burned about a hundred miles upriver, and we believe the rebels continued downstream in rowboats. We expect them to transfer onto seagoing ships and escape to Ibyca.”

Ungless looked incredulous. “Why didn’t the Marshland Guard stop these rebels?”

“Because that’s who the rebels were,” said William. “Aside from a few loyal guards and their captain. Major Bentsen finally arrived with three hundred Faywater guards, but the rebels had already fled.”

Ungless nodded in sudden understanding. “So that’s why so few guards have been patrolling our streets. It’s a good thing Bentsen didn’t announce it, or the thieves would have a holiday. Unfortunately, it also means that rabble outside won’t be cleared any time soon.”

“Sorry about that,” said William. “But can you help us? We need to stop the rebels from escaping to sea.”

“It’s not my job to go searching for rebels, Lord William, if you really are him. That’s the Guard’s job, and if the bulk of our contingent is in Marshland, you’re out of luck.”

Melissa broke in. “We aren’t asking you to search for them, Harbormaster. Only to blockade them.”

“Blockade? You mean at the choke points?”

“Exactly,” said William. “I have to plead ignorance, as I’ve never been to Faywater Port, let alone to sea, so I’m not sure what these choke points look like. How easy is it to set up a blockade?”

“Easy enough,” said Ungless. “If I could spare the ships, which I can’t, because they’re all busy searching for smugglers, which is what they’re supposed to be doing. Blockading is a simple matter of anchoring a ship on either side, so vessels can only pass through one at a time. But without knowing what we’re looking for, what’s the point? We can’t stop all sea traffic on your say so, even if you are who you say you are. And suppose we did stop them? I don’t have enough people to arrest these rebels, and I wouldn’t relish the idea of risking their lives if I did. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have work to do, otherwise I’d be at home having supper with my family.”

Melissa sighed as they left the building. “I’m sorry, Will—I tried.”

“I know you did,” said William. “So, what do we do now? The crowd hasn’t thinned any. In fact, it looks bigger.”

“We should find help,” said Melissa.

William gasped and pointed toward the other side of the island. “I think help is on its way.”