Thompson - The Place of Three Tombs

The Place of ThreeTombs

Part 2 of the First NarentanTumult

by SherryThompson

SmashwordsEdition

Copyright 2009 by SherryThompson

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Books by SherryThompson:

Seabird-An Invitation: PartOne of the First Narentan Tumult

The Place of Three Tombs:Part Two of the First Narentan Tumult

Earthbow-Volume 1: Part Oneof the Second Narentan Tumult

The Place of ThreeTombs

Part 2 of the First NarentanTumult

1. S towaway

Cara handed over thehorses reins and started up the long gangplank. With three masts,this ship was much larger than the one that brought them to theIsle. Sailors were untying the sails amidst shouts, creaks, and theshoosh and solid thud of huge sheets of canvas dropping intoplace.

Movement just ahead drewher attention back to the deck where a Peralike woman, perhaps inher late thirties, stood before her with her hands crossed on herchest. Her formal bearing marked her as military even without theuniform-like long silver-gray tunic and white trousers, and theemblem on her shoulder. Cara smiled and returned thegreeting.

Captain Forissalutations, my lady. I am Master-Seaman Adreyia. Please come withme. She turned and strode away.

Beside Adreyia, but a halfpace behind, walked a seaman bearing Caras saddlebags andprovisions. They headed toward a doorway and probably the staircaseleading to the cabins, with Cara following like one caughthelplessly in the undertow of the tide. She glanced about the deck,promising herself to come back up as soon as her escort left her.In the meantime, it wouldnt hurt to check in with Halprin for thelatest news.

Cara turned her attentionback to the ones before her as they strode through the doorway andpassed rapidly from bright sun to golden lamplight. Both seamen hadshort swords. Aside from the Young Ones, did anyone in this worldgo about unarmed? Cara caught a glimpse of a second weapon strappedto the officers belt as they started down the steps. Glinting lamplight on swaying metal revealed tiny grappling hooks on longchains, bound to a long leather-covered handle. Wicked-lookingthing.

Her escort stopped abruptlybeside an open door on their left, and turned about to faceher.

Thank you. Can you tell mewhich cabin belongs to Lord Halprin?

Adreyias steady gazeforward refocused on Cara. She answered in a voice slightly lessformal than earlier, We await him, my lady. I believe he hastenshere even now. Would you like to be informed of hisarrival?

Cara smiled and shook herhead. No. No biggie. She reached over and took her belongingsfrom the seamans arms. His eyes flickered but otherwise heremained at attention. Thanks again! Catch you later.

She took a step toward herdoor, noting at the last minute that the sill was raised abovefloor-level. Stepping carefully across, Cara entered. Her parentshad been on a cruise once when she was a kid and she had seen thepictures of their stateroom. This wasnt it.

A wooden partition dividedthe space within into two parts. Heavy with molding and gleamingwith polish, the half wall began just inside the door and joineditself to the outside hull. Thick drapes hung from the ceilingabove it by bronze rings. The drapes swayed slightly to the rhythmof the surf on the hull.

Cara started around theleft side of the division and then stopped abruptly.

Shared cabins evidently,and this part was already occupied. A gray-caped gray-haired womanwas sitting cross-legged, almost in the Buddha meditation position,on her bunk against the far wall. Her eyes were open and fixed onthe flame of a small bronze lamp as it rocked with the tide on thelow table before her. An enchanter. Cara drew breath, as thefamiliar sense of awe swept over her.

Nicerelaxing kind of traveling companion. Carapivoted about silently and tiptoed past the partition into theright-hand compartment.

It was tiny like the otherone. She dumped her belongings on the bunk and glanced around, notthat there was much to see. A lit lamp swayed on a hook near thedoorway. A smaller, unlit lamp was on the table. Two narrow shelveswere built into the inside wall. The slightly concave outside wallhad no porthole. Wasnt there always a porthole? Cara shook herhead, reluctantly dismissing images of Earth staterooms and deckswith pools. No glass. No portholes.

She saw no point in stayingbelow deck, so she went back into the corridor and searched for thesteps. After a couple of detours leading successively to a downstaircase and to an empty barracks-like room, she found the flightup. Hathel was clattering down the steps with no escort or burdens.He gave her a quick nod as he started past but Cara stoppedhim.

Hi! Greeting!

He paused on a step nearthe landing to answer, Greeting. Kataro told about the deaths ofyour friends. My condolences.

Swept with a new pang ofsorrow, Cara nodded. Thanks. Looks like youve been here for awhile. Has Halprin gotten here yet?

Hes just coming on boardnow. I waited until I spotted him on the quay before I came backdown. Convey greetings for me? Ill be in my cabin.

Because its so excitingdown there, Cara quipped.

The physician chuckled.Conceded, my lady. However, this is a customary time for us tomeditate. See you at dinner? He reached up to touch her wrist withhis fingertips, Cara, if theres anything I can do to help--if youwould like to talk later--Ill be glad to listen.

Thanks.

As she continued up thesteps and through the doorway, Cara wondered to herself how oftenenchanters meditated. At least, it explained the activity of hercabin-mate.

They must be about to castoff. Seamen still swarmed everywhere, directed by commands comingfrom several officers but most had climbed down from the rigging.Pairs worked together cranking winches.

Halprin had just led hishorse onto the deck. The enchanter paused and whispered in thestallions flicking ear then took away the cloth covering thehorses eyes. Calyx shied and tossed his head but Halprin had astrong grip on the reins. He continued whispering to the stallionas he led him down the length of the ship. Cara hurried to catch upwith them.

Greeting! she called out,as soon as she was close enough.

Halprin glanced back andnodded a quick greeting. He looked tiredhardly a surprisebut shethought his expression grim.

Calyx doesnt like water?Maybe hes part Shadow-horse.

The enchanter managed atrace of a smile. Just the sea for some reason. I heard aboutHythe and Cona. My condolences, Cara.

Something felt wrong butCara couldnt think of a polite way to find out what it was. Withnothing else offhand to say, she remembered her brief conversationwith Hathel. Oh, Hathel says to say, greetings. Hell be in hiscabin meditating, he said. Guess you will too. Cara could seeMaster-Seaman Adreyia waiting patiently for the two to finishspeaking. She gave up for the moment. See you atdinner?