Outlander Ch. 09

Jack was amazed at how complex an operation it was to bring a ship the size of the Arabella safely into port. Ithos stood next to Garek and waved the flags at each command the Captain gave. A watcher on the main deck shouted the commands below, which were in turn relayed to the oar master and then to the oarsmen.

With the skill born of years of experience, Garek brought the ship in, following the pilot vessel through the maze of ships and boats cluttering the harbor. Soon the pilot vessel signaled that they had arrived and veered off. Garek ordered the oars reversed on one side, swinging the prow around before the crew dropped anchor some forty yards from the quayside.

"Prepare to warp in," Ithos shouted, and the crew scurried into action. Two dinghies were lowered on the dock side of the ship. Stout ropes were unspooled from the fore and aft capstans and lowered into the dinghies. The small boats were then rowed to the dock where crewmen secured the ropes to the bollards before quickly rowing back to the ship.

The dinghies were brought up and several long poles were inserted into the sockets on the capstans until they stuck out like spokes on a wagon wheel. The capstans were manned by the strongest men, including Aiden. The anchor was raised and with the command given, the men threw themselves against the bars. They grunted with effort and their muscles corded with strain as the capstans slowly turned, winding the ropes attached to the bollards back in like a giant thread on a spool. The slack pulled taut and the Arabella slowly moved sideways toward the dock.

Within minutes, the Arabella eased up to the quayside as the sailors, sweating and gasping, ceased their struggle. The ship was made secure and a gangway lowered. Another port official and his assistant waited on the dock and were given permission to come aboard. Interested, Jack joined the Captain as he spoke to the official while the rest of the crew buzzed around excitedly, making final preparations for liberty.

The port official's name was Tapic. A skinny man with a giant Adam's apple and a shock of white hair, he made a show of inspecting the cargo hold and the damage caused by the Kraken from inside the wardroom. He and the Captain haggled for a few moments on the value of the ship and its contents before a few coins exchanged hands. They waited while Tapic's assistant filled in the particulars on two copies of a document, which both men then signed.

The document stipulated that the Antyor port authority would provide dock security while the Arabella's sea dogs had to maintain onboard security. The port authority would assume responsibility for 75 percent of any loss or damage caused by piracy, weather, fire, or any other unforeseen event that was not caused by the crew while the Arabella remained docked at her berth. Jack chuckled. Apparently the insurance racket was as prevalent on this world as it was on his own.

After Tapic and his assistant departed, Ithos assembled a work party to begin repairs. A guard rotation was assigned for the ship, and the cargo officer left to secure a payload for the trip to Panaar.

"Well, Jack. Are you ready to see the city?" Garek asked.

"Ready as I'll ever be," Jack replied.

Just then, Emma led a small procession past them. The Sorceress wore her finest blue wool dress. A circlet of silver sat on her brow, with a thumbnail-sized stone of blue glass that rested at the center of her forehead. Ava followed her in a green cotton dress that accentuated her curves in a way that heated Jack's blood. She wore a similar coronet on her head, except the glass gem on her forehead was a pale orange color.

Viviane and Aiden followed behind them. Dressed in a simple but elegant dress of white silk, Viviane held her husband's hand as they walked past. The large man was dressed in black boots, black trousers, and a fine blue coat with silver piping on the lapels.

Jack was free to watch Ava as she passed, as she was careful to avoid eye contact with him. Two sea dogs standing nearby with Kairn and Grelik broke off and fell in with them as they descended the gangway and strolled across the docks that led into the city.

"What's with the stones on their foreheads?" Jack asked as he and Garek descended the gangway themselves.

"It's called a diadem," Garek answered. "It signifies their formal rank within the Covenant; orange for an Adept and blue for a Sorceress of the second rank. Emma hates wearing it, says it gives her a headache, but they are reporting in at the Covenant chapter house here and are required to wear them."

"I see," Jack said. He noticed Kairn and Grelik move up to flank them a discreet distance away. "Guards?" he asked, irritated that Garek didn't trust him to keep his word not to run away.

Garek shook his head. "Protection," he said. "We should be all right but your safety is of the utmost importance. Now, let's go see about selling your diamonds."

Mollified by the explanation, Jack turned his attention to the people that moved purposely along, leaving and entering the storefronts that faced the docks. It seemed all manner of fish, rope, sails, whale oil, and a myriad other things could be procured at the right price. Raucous music and shouts of merriment came from the many taverns interspersed among the storefronts.

None of them noticed the hooded man that stepped out of a narrow alley to follow them down the street. The man moved quietly, blending in so well that no one gave him a second look. An additional ten men followed the first man at an even more discreet distance.

**********

Monch waited patiently until the officers and most of the crew had left the ship before gathering his meager belongings and stuffing them in his sea bag. He was afraid that if anyone found out he was abandoning his duties they might throw him in the brig.

"Where are you going with that bag?" One of the sea dogs guarding the gangway asked as Monch came up to him.

"Got things to sell and trade," Monch said. "If it's any of your business," he added.

"Fine, but if anything turns up missing you'll answer to the Captain," the sea dog said coldly.

"They're my things. You got no call to accuse me of thievery," Monch whined defensively and stomped down the gangway. He turned and scurried down the dock, feeling the eyes of the seadogs on his back. He didn't relax until he was sure he was far enough away that they could no longer see him.

He headed south down the docks toward the Middens. The Middens were what the locals called the area of the city where it touched the most southern part of the harbor. The Middens were dangerous and dirty, known for murders, whores, cutpurses, and cutthroats. Monch knew of a tavern there, The Broken Pot, which no one from the Arabella was likely to visit.

It was only a matter of time before the officers figured out he had deserted and he had no interest in being found. Taverns near the port were the most likely place they would look for him, and much as he wanted to avoid them, these taverns were also the most likely place to find a job on an outbound ship. He would have to risk it, and The Broken Pot offered him his best chance.

Monch spit on the cobbled road as he thought of the Outlander, the cause of all his troubles. Monch had been a valued and respected member of the crew until that son of a whore came along. He was convinced the Outlander would be the doom of them all and he needed to get as far away from him as possible. Captain Liaman and the rest of the crew were enamored with the man but Monch was no fool. Jack Forester was a deadly poison and Monch intended to survive.

When he reached The Broken Pot, he found a table in the corner, stowed his bag beneath his chair, then ordered a cup of ale from a serving wench that looked as though she may have been comely once, before hard living had taken its toll. If all went well, he would find a job and still have time to rent a room and a whore for the night.

An hour later, a gruff man strode in and announced he needed three crewmen for a whaling expedition. Whaling was hard and dangerous work so Monch decided to pass. He settled in and ordered another drink.

**********

Jack's eyes darted everywhere as he, Garek, and the two sea dogs moved through the throngs of people crowding the market district. It wasn't all that much different from downtown Boston on a busy day. People bustled by on business of their own, never giving Jack a second glance.

A commotion caught their attention and the crowd opened up as people scuttled out of the way of five men dressed in black but for silver scaled breastplates, cuisses, and half-greaves polished to a mirrored finish. Garek quickly steered Jack out of their path. The men strode by with hands on their sword hilts, their heads swiveling as their haughty gazes scanned the crowd as though looking for some wrongdoing.

"Police?" Jack asked after the armed men had passed and the crowd had closed behind them.

"Snake bellies," Kairn snapped then spat on the ground.

"Those are Swords of Aramon," Garek explained, "Religious fanatics and best avoided." They moved on down the street. Twice more they had to move aside for small squads of the men clad in silver and black.

Before long, they walked into an open square where a crowd had gathered. "They killed him," a woman wailed over and over from the center of the crowd.

Garek led the way as they pushed through the onlookers. At the center, next to an overturned tomato stand, a woman knelt, weeping over the body of a man. A thick rivulet of blood seeped from beneath the man and ran into a bunch of tomatoes that had been knocked off of the stand.

"What happened here?" Garek asked a man who stood nearby watching the scene.

"Snake belly patrol came through," the bystander said angrily. "Barten threw a tomato at them. Snake bellies said he was a heretic and ran him through. Poor fool."

Jack stared at the dead man, horrified that he had been killed for throwing a tomato.

"What is the city watch doing while the Swords of Aramon kill citizens in the street?" Garek asked.

"Not a damned thing," the man spat on the cobblestones. "Retreated right into the Governor's compound as the snake bellies moved in."

"Come, Jack," Garek said. "There's nothing we can do here." He took Jack's arm and led him away. The men were quiet for several minutes as they absorbed the implications of what they'd seen.

"Captain," Grelik finally broke their tense silence. "That's four snake belly patrols since we left the ship and they're killing citizens in the street. Something's very wrong here."

"I know. Stay close and keep a sharp eye," Garek said. "Let's move." They turned at the next street and went up two blocks before stopping in front of a large warehouse that had a storefront built onto it.

Jack couldn't read the sign over the storefront entrance. English was spoken in Aramoor but the written language was made up of lines and characters that made no sense to him.

"Wait here and watch for trouble," Garek said to Kairn and Grelik. He motioned for Jack to follow and went inside.

"Welcome to Farthen's." A short, stocky man with a crown of iron gray hair around the bald top of his head greeted them as he came from behind a long mahogany counter. "We are the finest clothier in Aramoor. My name is Mikel. What can I do for you today?"

"We're here to see Farthen," Garek said.

"Do you have an appointment?" Mikel asked.

"Just tell him that Garek Liaman is here to see him."

Mikel pursed his lips as though he wished to protest further but finally nodded. He disappeared through a door in the rear of the store, but not before whispering instructions to the two burly men who guarded the entrance to the warehouse. Garek ignored the suspicious looks the guards gave them as they crossed their arms and planted their feet as though daring anyone to pass.

Jack followed Garek's example and pretended not to notice the hostile inspection. He used the time to examine the store. There were aisles flanked by wooden shelves stacked with folded trousers, shirts, and tunics. There were bins filled with socks and underclothes as well as a rack in the rear of the store from which hung coats of all sizes and colors. One wall had shoes and boots stacked so high that a wheeled ladder on rails was required to reach the higher shelves. The store's wares ranged in quality from simple canvas and wool to shirts of silk and coats brocaded with intricate designs.

"Jack," Garek said quietly so the watching tuffs wouldn't hear. "I want you to let me do the talking with Farthen. You've told me the things you need and I will try to get you the best deal possible for your diamonds."

"You don't think he'll buy the Acal cover story?"

"He might, but Farthen is smart. The less he knows about you the better. We don't want him drawing dangerous conclusions."

"I thought you trusted him?" Jack asked.

"I do. I trust him to do what's best for him, and that may not be what's best for us," Garek explained.

"Then why come to him?"

"Farthen maintains the facade of a simple clothier but in fact has business interests in everything from weapons to lamp oil and everything in between. He will either have or be able to get everything you need very quickly," Garek explained. "Coupled with his passion for rarities, he is ideal for our purposes."

"One-stop shopping," Jack mused.

At that moment Mikel reappeared. "Farthen will see you now, gentlemen. Please follow me."

**********

Emma swished her skirt in irritation as their small party strode through the bustling streets that led toward the Covenant chapter house. They had not traveled far before a desperate citizen stopped them to ask for help.

"Why haven't you gone to the Covenant chapter house for healing?" she asked a young woman with a rasping cough.

"Begging your pardon, m'lady, but they don't heal the sick there anymore," the young woman said.

"What?" Emma said, shocked.

"The guards turn people away at the gate. They say the witches are too busy for the likes of us," the young woman added.

Twice more along their journey, they were stopped by citizens who had loved ones who were desperately ill. By now, Emma's initial displeasure had turned into concern. "It's not like Biora to turn the needy away," she said to Ava as they wound their way through the crowded street.

"I'm sure Grand Sorceress Biora must have a good reason," Ava replied.

"I certainly hope so," Emma said, a worried frown on her face.

When they arrived at the gates of the Covenant chapter house, Ava gasped in astonishment. "Aramon on the rock, look at them," she said.

There were at least a hundred people crowded around the gate leading onto the grounds of the Covenant chapter house. Four armed guards kept the space immediately around the gate clear with shoves, shouts, and hands on sword hilts. The crowd cried piteously at the guards, begging for help for the sick and injured.

Emma's brow furrowed in anger at the spectacle. "This could turn ugly at any moment," she said.

A man leaning on a makeshift crutch at the back of the crowd turned at that moment and saw them standing there, with Emma's and Ava's diadems clearly marking them as Witches of the Covenant. "Witches!" he shouted and hobbled toward them.

The crowd, hearing his cry, turned and surged toward them. They were surrounded within seconds. The two sea dogs tried in vain to keep the crowd back but were overwhelmed. One went down under the onslaught.

Emma tried to shout for calm but she couldn't be heard over the clamor.

"Please, Mistress, my boy."

"Help me."

"I'm sick, Sorceress."

Hands reached for her, grasped at her, implored her. She lost sight of Ava, then heard Viviane scream. She felt a moment of panic then opened herself to Lord Aramon's Gift. The power flooded her and calmness returned. Time seemed to slow as she formed a wall of air around herself and pushed outward. As the desperate people were forced away from her, she saw that Ava had formed a similar wall around herself and Viviane.

Then she saw Aiden weeping loudly while he shielded the fallen sea dog with his body. She quickly moved toward them, pushing the crowd away as she went. The other sea dog was there as well, helping Aiden pull the downed man into her circle of protection.

When they were all back together, Viviane took her husband into her arms and comforted him until his wails tapered off to whimpers. Emma wanted to go to her son as well but had to deal with the matter at hand first. "Are you all right?" she asked the young sea dog who had been knocked to the ground.

"I'm fine," he said. "Just got the wind knocked out of me."

She looked at her daughter and received a nod that she was all right as well before turning to the crowd. "Good people," she shouted, using her power to amplify her voice. Silence fell except for the whimpers of the injured. "Good people, someone will be with you shortly to attend to your needs. Now, please let us pass."

"Not a one of them inside will help us," someone shouted. A rumble of agreement came from the crowd.

"Listen to me," Emma shouted and they grew quiet again. "I give you my word that someone will come to help you shortly. If those inside won't help you, we will return and help you ourselves, but right now we have urgent business inside, so please let us pass."

The crowd parted for them and they made their way to the gate. Cries of "Oh, thank you, Sorceress" and "Bless you, Sorceress" followed them.

"Sorceress," the gate guard nodded respectfully to her as he opened the gate to let them through.

Once inside, Emma took a moment to hug her son until he was calm again before turning to their sea dog escort. "Please wait here with the gate guards until we are ready to return to the ship. Thank you, both of you. You did a good job getting us here safely."

The Covenant chapter house and grounds were surrounded by a 15-foot stone wall separating the rolling greens, fountains, and landscaped gardens from the bustle of mud-filled streets. The Manse itself was several stories tall and made of alabaster stone, with stone columns rising to either side of the slate steps leading to an ornate set of mahogany double doors.

Emma marched them up the cobbled walkway toward the house until she saw a group of young women lounging on wicker chairs and sipping tea in the shade of a large tree next to the house. She changed direction mid-stride, and stalked up to the lounging women.

One of the young women, an acolyte by the yellow stone in her diadem, was the first to notice a Sorceress of the Second Rank approaching. She quickly lurched to her feet. "Sorceress," she said and dropped a quick curtsy. The three other acolytes and two Adepts quickly followed her example.

The lone Sorceress of the Second Rank among them started to stand then caught herself as though just realizing she also wore a blue-stoned diadem and was of equal rank to the woman who had interrupted their lovely visit. She settled back into her chair but caught the Sorceress's eye, only then realizing that she knew her.

"Weren't you one of my students when you were an acolyte?" Emma asked her.

"Yes Sorcere- uh, Emma," she stammered. They were the same rank, damn it. "I'm Elva."

"Ah yes, Elva. I remember now."

Emma turned her attention back to the standing acolytes and Adepts. "As for you young ladies," she said. "I am going to teach you a less-"

"But, Sorceress, we were just —" an acolyte interrupted. She saw Emma's eyes flash with anger then screamed as a switch made of air slashed across her ass cheeks. She jumped in the air then grabbed her behind with both hands, feeling the welts already beginning to rise. She rubbed her burning cheeks vigorously and fought back the tears that threatened to spill out of her eyes.