It took a couple of weeks for the ship to sail around the edge of Alyseka. At night, they would sit on the aftercastle with Alexi or Josef at the helm, as Damir never took the night shift. Rosa would entice the dolphins and other sea animals to play, showing her family who’d never been on the seas the majesty of the oceans. When they finally retired to their cabin, the family tried to be mindful of others, keeping the noise down as best they could.
The crew was reverent of Doc and prayed to Luck every day. Rosa asked Mother for smooth sailing, and as they finally approached their destination, Damir even commented on the best two weeks of sailing he’d ever had.
~*~*~
It was morning when Damir called them to the deck. They knew they’d be reaching their destination, so they’d been ready for the summons. Walking out onto the quarterdeck, Doc was puzzled, as the captain was facing the rail away from Alyseka.
“Captain?” Doc asked, going to his side.
“A tribe is asking for your aid,” Damir said, motioning to the single-masted boat that rocked in the ocean. “They hailed us and asked for the Voice.”
Doc looked down into the boat where four men stood. “Greetings. You asked for me?” Doc called down in Elvish.
“If you are Luck’s Voice, we did,” the speaker of the group replied. “The island is in famine and we require aid, Voice. The elder sent us, having been told you were coming by Caretaker Sequoia.”
“Doc, I can go. Together with my sister, we can help them,” Rosa said. “Once we reach landfall and plants, that is.”
“Go home. Tell your elder that Ponderosa and Sequoia will help the tribes of the island,” Doc told them. “It will take her time to make it to your tribe, but she is sure she can help.”
“Thank you, Voice,” the speaker called back.
Damir coughed when he noticed the elves making ready to sail away. “Good or bad?”
“Bad; their island is experiencing famine. The good news is that Rosa can help once we get to land.”
“I’ll have us turned toward the island in a moment.”
“No. Take us toward the coast. She’ll use Mother to step from the mainland to the island.”
“I forgot they can do that… We’ll be switching to the engine shortly to make maneuvering closer to the delta easier. I’ll be looping the ship to put the riverboat on the correct side.”
“Thank you, Captain.”
“It’s been our pleasure to assist the Voice of Luck,” Damir grinned. “If she’ll just smile on us during the trip back to the Motherland, I’ll be happy beyond words.”
“It might not be as peaceful, but it will not be bad, either,” Rosa smiled.
“Our thanks to Mother.” Damir bowed his head. “You have an hour or two, and then we’ll lower the riverboat.”
“We’ll make sure our trunks are packed and can be moved over before it’s lowered,” Ayla said. “What of the rest of the goods?”
“Once you’re all on board the riverboat, we’ll use the winch to lower cargo over to you. You might need to stack some on your deck, as it is,” Damir said. “You bought a lot.”
“We’ll be offloading some as soon as we land,” Lia said. “The coastal tribes will be waiting for us. It’s not exactly a pau-wau, but it will be a greeting, at least.”
“Because we don’t have time before winter sets in,” Doc nodded. “We’ll be ready in a moment, Captain.”
~*~*~
Getting down to the riverboat was interesting, as it involved a rope ladder. Lia went first, with Ayla going second. When Sophia had to go, she had to take her time, as her feet weren’t designed for a ladder. She made it down, then hugged Ayla tightly, her fear ebbing now that she was in a loved one’s arms. Doc looked at Rosa, who smiled before gracefully descending. Doc thanked Damir and his crew one last time before he finally went down the ladder.
Once they were all down, Doc went to find their cabin with his wives while the cargo was being loaded. The captain’s cabin here was identical in size to the cabin they’d just been in. The biggest difference was the single large bed instead of two smaller ones.
Doc hugged Sophia, praising her for her bravery as he held her. She clutched him, soaking in his strength and love. When he kissed her at the end, she smiled, then she was handed to Lia who did the same, making her giggle. She went around everyone in the group before ending back in Doc’s arms.
“I’m fine now,” Sophia whispered. “Thank you. The ladder was just… uncomfortable. I kept waiting to slip and fall to the deck.”
“Understandable,” Doc murmured. “I haven’t heard a big thump in a bit, so I’m going to check with Sal.”
“We’ll stay here until we get to the river,” Ayla said. “The rocking is more intense in the small boat.”
“I’m glad he fixed my seasickness, or else I’d be miserable right now,” Sophia said, going to sit with Ayla on the bed.
“I’ll stay with them, husband,” Lia said. “Rosa, you should be able to guide them the best.”
“Yes, mistress,” Rosa beamed.
It wasn’t far to the stairs that Doc had requested over a ladder. The stairs came up in the pilot house, giving them some safety from ever flooding from a big wave. Sal was at the wheel; the engine was on, but the paddle was not yet moving.
“Sal? Everything okay?” Doc asked.
“Everything’s fine, sir. Matthew is securing the last of it right now, and we’ll be underway in a moment. Captain Damir has kept the Anastacia alongside us to give us some buffer from the waves, which I’m glad for. That and the calmness of the sea makes this possible. I’d hate to think of what this could’ve been like.”
“It’s a good thing we have Luck on our side.”
“Agreed. I’ve been in a blow in a small boat… ‘awful’ doesn’t begin to do it justice.”
Matthew trudged to the pilot house. “All tied down. I’m going below until we make the river.”
“Thank you,” Doc said.
The orca bestial nodded as he walked down the stairs.
“Take us inland, Captain,” Doc said.
“I’m the captain?” Sal asked with raised eyebrows.
“I just need you to take us in and bring us out. After that, you’ll be the one to own and operate her.”
“Captain of the Lucky River…” Sal murmured, tasting the title. “Very well, sir. I accept.”
“Just know that you’ll be the one who’s hauling all of the goods out of Pale River down here for us. Eventually, I’m building a railroad between Pale River and Anchor Bay to make that even easier, but you’ll always have the boat as yours, and you’ll be paid for hauling for us.”
“I’ll sign off on anything you need.”
“Ayla and Sophia will work with you,” Doc said, “and Matthew, too. Take us into the river delta. Rosa will guide us to where we need to go.”
“Aye aye, sir,” Sal grinned. Engaging the paddle wheel, he got Lucky River moving toward the widest mouth of the delta. “How long is the trip going to be?”
“At least a month, probably longer with the stops we’ll be making. Rosa will arrange the locations for us to anchor at night, as a tribe or tribes will be at each for me to talk to.”
“She does all of this without trouble?” Sal asked.
“Doc is my life. Mother has decreed that all of her children aid Doc as he needs,” Rosa smiled. “We are actually to aid all the Voices as needed, but Doc is the first among them.”
When they made it to the mouth of the delta, Doc had Sal slow down so he and Rosa could make sure the river would be deep enough for the boat. That slowed them to a crawl as they started upriver, but it would make navigation much easier.
They weren’t going particularly fast, maybe five miles an hour against the river, but they were progressing. Two hours in and Rosa pointed to the northwestern bank ahead of them. Sal saw what she was pointing at— twelve canoes were tied up out of the water. Near them were a series of regular mounds that looked out of place.
“Rosa, what’s with the mounds?” Doc asked.
“Those are ulas, their homes. They live in pit houses. The roofs are sod over timber or whalebone frames. When the winds whip, they survive, unlike anything that is aboveground.”
When they got closer, a tall woman with reddish-brown skin and red hair suddenly appeared beside a tree. Waving, she laughed, clapping her hands like a teenage girl about to meet her favorite band. Doc chuckled as he watched her exuberant greeting. Behind her, people began to emerge from the homes.
“Sequoia is very happy to know you are here,” Rosa giggled. “I will talk with her when we go help the tribes of the island. This way, she doesn’t make you uncomfortable, Voice.”
“Uncomfortable?”
“Yes. She wants to… show her affection for you.”
“Ah, yeah… thanks,” Doc said. “Rather not have an amazon mauling me in front of the tribe.”
Sal’s eyebrow went up, but he didn’t comment as he guided the riverboat toward the tribe.
“I will greet her and them while the boat comes closer,” Rosa said. She left the pilot house, then dove into the river.
“What? There are no trees in the river; how’s she going to do that?” Sal asked.
“There’s greenery,” Doc said, then he pointed to where Rosa appeared beside Sequoia. “It doesn’t have to be a tree. She’ll make the first part easier, so just be polite and we should be fine. We might end up staying for the night.” Doc looked at the midday sun. “Probably for the best if we plan on it, actually.”
“Can you tell Matthew, please? I’ll need him to drop the anchor and, if we can tie off to a tree, too, that would help.”
“Sure,” Doc said as he watched Sequoia’s face fall, then saw her accepting nod. He felt a little bad for the giant woman, but he would do as he always had before. Just because someone wanted him didn’t matter— his wives would have to approve, and it had to be for a good reason. At least being a dryad, I wouldn’t get her pregnant, Doc thought as he went down the stairs.
~*~*~
By the time Sal had them settled, the whole tribe was waiting. Matthew waded to shore to tie them up; there was a gangplank that would get them to shore at least mostly dry once it was attached. Doc was the first one off the boat out of his group. Lia was directly behind him, followed by Ayla, then Sophia.
“Voice, we welcome you,” the oldest of the tribe said. “I am Bending River, elder of our small tribe.”
“Greetings,” Doc replied. “I thank you for the welcome. My wives: Lia, Ayla, and Sophia.”
“It is good to see one of our cousins in your family,” Bending River said, smiling as he nodded to Lia.
“It is good to see the tribes of the north live free,” Lia replied. “Why is the tribe so small?”
“I took a few families with me from another tribe to start this village. They called it Alakanuk, but it seems we are the first to greet you.”
Doc chuckled at the Elvish word; Alakanuk meant “wrong way.” “It might’ve been the wrong way for them, but if it works for your tribe, then it’s not wrong. I’m glad that Sequoia was able to tell you we were coming. She and Rosa will need to go for the rest of today, though, as a tribe on the nearby island needs assistance.”
“Their land has grown unfertile,” Bending River nodded. “Two Caretakers should easily be able to assist them. Come, let me introduce you to the other elders who are here to meet you. While we are not having a pau-wau, we are having a welcoming.”
“We’ll be glad to meet with all the tribes,” Doc smiled.