Daughter of Hauk (The Raven Chronicles Book 1) (19 page)

Chapter Twenty-Six

            
 
K
icking the sole of his boot, Arwenna nudged Barek awake. “It’s almost dawn,” she told him, not caring if he was awake yet. “Taro’s already unbarred the door. Time to move.”  With that, she turned away from him and went back to loading up some packs onto one of the spare horses. It took her less than ten minutes to finish up and get on her own horse. She watched impatiently as Barek slowly rose. At least Y’Dürkie was almost ready.

              She could feel Y’Dürkie watching her with puzzlement and concern, though she never spoke a word. If she asked, numb and angry would be Arwenna’s only answers. She did her best to avoid looking at the cairn she’d built over Joss’ body the night before, in a section where Taro had said a temple once stood. The silver bracelet he had given her felt cold against her skin this morning. There was a small latch on one link, letting it open up. It was empty when he gave the bracelet to her. Now it contained a lock of his raven hair that she had cut from his head before she buried him.

              Her impatience to be off transferred to her horse as it pranced around the courtyard. Glancing at Barek with annoyance, she got her horse to calm down.

              “I’m leaving in five minutes with or without you, Barek.”  Her tone gave him no doubt as to her seriousness.

              Y’Dürkie also heard her. Judging from how swiftly she mounted, she was making sure she wasn’t left behind as well.

              “I’m almost ready, Arwenna. I’m the one that got the directions anyhow, remember?”  Barek’s voice had a hint of irritation in it.

              “So do I, Barek. This morning. I want to know where we’re going.”  Arwenna struggled to keep her impatience at bay as Barek finally hauled his large frame onto his horse.

              Without another word, she turned her horse and headed out the massive front gate of the monastery. She could hear Barek and Y’Dürkie following.

              Arwenna rode on in silence, trying to keep her eyes focused for any potential hazards as they traveled. Y’Dürkie and Barek both made attempts at conversation with her, but she kept her responses short and to the point. Her sharp ears did pick up what they said to each other, however.

              Y’Dürkie tried to keep her voice low, but the sound still carried to Arwenna. “Barek, did you get any clues as to vhat happened vith Irini vhen you vere burying her last night?  She had never acted like she vas anythink but totally devoted to Arvenna until…” her voice trailed off.

              Arwenna picked up the sound of Barek’s saddle creaking as he shifted. “I think so. Just past her ear, where Bohrs had hit her during the fight, were some of the lines we saw last night. My guess is that those spiked gauntlets were cursed and it got into her system that way.”  He spoke louder than Y’Dürkie. Arwenna could feel his eyes boring into her back but she refused to acknowledge what he had said.

              “But, should not she have died then?”  Y’Dürkie didn’t say Joss’ name, but the implication was there.

              “I had a healer go back in the tent with them and stabilize her. It probably kept her from dying, but she was very weak from whatever she was doing with Arwenna up on that hill. I doubt she had enough strength left to fight whatever the curse did to her.”  There was regret in his voice.

              Arwenna guided her horse around a particularly large rock in the path. Her mind refused to let her believe that killing Irini was wrong in any way. If blame needed to be placed on someone, it was with Senyan. Better to focus on the task at hand than to start thinking of what might have been.

              She refused to stop and eat, preferring to eat as they rode. “Sal told me it was possible to reach this little port by nightfall if we kept at it. We keep going.”  She didn’t look back at them. The sound of their horses’ hooves on the rocky ground let her know they followed her.

              The small harbor town came into view just as twilight began to fall. Arwenna glanced around, her sharp eyes making out a newer building that had all the earmarks of being a temple or church of some kind. As she guided her horse aimlessly through the makeshift streets, she realized it was a temple dedicated to Hauk. She led her horse to the front and dismounted. A brief glance back showed Y’Dürkie and Barek doing the same.

              The simple wooden structure was solidly built and was fairly recent to the town from the looks of it. The subtle aroma of freshly cut pine was present as she approached the door. She entered without hesitation.

              The interior was simple. A few wooden benches were scattered here and there, a small altar towards the east.  A young girl of about fifteen polished some of the silver candlesticks at the altar. She looked up as Arwenna and her friends entered, dropping to a curtsey.

              “Welcome to the Temple of Hauk. How may I be of assistance?”  The tone in the girls’ voice made it clear she wasn’t expecting visitors.

              “We’re looking for passage up the coast towards Almair. Do you think you could help us find a captain willing to take us?” Arwenna’s tone had a note of command to it.

              The girl blinked for a moment, but recovered quickly enough. “I think I can find one. Please, find a comfortable chair. I’ll be back shortly.”  She hiked up her skirt and scurried out as if glad to leave.

              “That vas a bit harsh vas it not?” Y’Dürkie spoke up. “You are not usually that curt vith people, Arvenna.”  There was enough concern in her voice that Arwenna couldn’t miss it.

              “Better she learn now that she’s not in charge than later. I’m not here to make friends, Y’Dürkie. Just to get us up the coast.”  Arwenna began to examine some of the items laid out on the altar.

              Barek cleared his throat, trying to get Arwenna’s attention. She ignored the attempt. With a sigh, he started speaking. “Arwenna, I know it’s been a rough few months, but you’re not like...”

              Arwenna turned around quickly on her heels, her face full of more things than Barek would be able to put a finger to. “Rough?  You could call it that. And I’m tired of trying to be nice to everyone and getting nothing for it. You volunteered to come, Barek. If you don’t like how it’s going, there’s the door.”  She pointed a finger towards the exit of the church.

              Barek looked away before tossing over a pew in irritation. “I’m not going anywhere, Arwenna, and you know it.”  A tense silence filled the room as they waited for the acolyte’s return.

              Within a half hour, the young girl returned followed by an older man with a weather-beaten face. Arwenna rose expectantly as they entered.

“You be the ones wantin’ to head up towards Almair?”  The man’s voice was rough.

              “Yes. Just the three of us and our horses. How much is the fare and when can you sail?”  Arwenna’s abrupt tone visibly caught the man off guard.

              “I got the room for you all and your horses right enough. Tide’s about to go out, so we can leave within an hour if that’s what you’re wanting to do. Gonna cost you, though. There’s rumors of a war goin’ on not far from these parts. Running up the coast at night’s gonna be tricky.”  He gave Arwenna a stare as if certain she’d back down.

              “Name the price, captain.”  Arwenna met his stare with one of her own.

              “Five gold for the three of you, plus another three for the horses.”  His eyes narrowed, expecting her to back down.

              Arwenna nodded. “Fine. You’ll get half now, half when we reach Almair safely. We tend to sleep with our eyes open, Captain. I think you’ll want to let your crew know that.”  The implication in her voice was emphasized by a nod towards Y’Dürkie’s great sword.

              The captain grunted an acknowledgement and motioned for them to follow him. In short order, the horses were loaded onto the boat and the three of them settled into a secluded area on the deck.

              The boat was more of a barge than a ship, which suited Arwenna. She sat silently, watching the coastline move along in the distance. She knew Barek and Y’Dürkie weren’t far away, both watching her but giving her the space she desperately needed. Her anger over Joss’ death and Irini’s betrayal festered within her. Closing her eyes, she swallowed away the grief she felt building inside her again.
I can’t
give in to that yet
, she chided herself. The pain was still too fresh for her to function if she gave in to it. Her anger was the only thing keeping her from giving up and walking away. Wrapping the anger around her like a cloak, she slowly drifted off to sleep as the barge silently slipped along the shoreline.

              The sound of metal on metal woke her the next morning. Sitting up, she spied Barek and Y’Dürkie sparring with each other at one end of the barge. She stifled a yawn as she watched them. Barek gave Y’Dürkie some tips, as well as showing off some tricks on how to disarm someone.               Y’Dürkie lost her sword several times before she managed to not only hold on to her weapon but disarm Barek.

              A board creaked under Arwenna’s step, alerting Y’Dürkie and Barek to her movement. Barek glanced her way, his face unreadable, and then turned to locate a towel to mop the sweat off his face. She could tell Y’Dürkie was trying to read her face, but kept it impassive.

              “About time you voke up, Arvenna. Vas thinkink you vere goink to sleep all mornink.”  She grabbed her own towel and sat on a crate near the rail. “The captain thinks ve vill be in Almair about dusk. Ve can find an inn near the vharf for the night, then book passage tomorrow mornink.”

              Arwenna nodded. Barek silently offered her some bread, but she waved it away. The emptiness she’d felt for the last two days wasn’t going to go away if she ate.

              “If ve are going to be on a ship for a vhile, Arvenna, ve need to get you some sea legs. Come and spar vith me. You need the practice anyway.”  Y’Dürkie’s voice left no room for argument.

              Grabbing a dagger from her belt, she walked towards the area Y’Dürkie and Barek had been using. Before she could get into any set position, Y’Dürkie came charging at her.

They kept at it for over an hour without rest. Y’Dürkie pressed her harder and harder, yelling at her to correct how she stood or held her blade.               Finally, Arwenna dove at Y’Dürkie in a flurry of attacks. By the time she was done, Y’Dürkie was on her back. Arwenna sat on top of her; the dagger stopped less than an inch from her throat.

              Y’Dürkie looked up at her without any fear. “Feelink better yet, Sis?” she asked in a low voice.

              Breathing heavily, Arwenna moved the dagger away and got up. Without so much as a word, she walked over to the rail and watched the shoreline again.

              About an hour before sunset, the city of Almair came into sight. The whitewashed stone wall could be seen surrounding most of the city. Armed guards made their rounds along the top of the wall. Arwenna and her friends started gearing up the horses in preparation.

              A small but efficient looking person waited for them on the dock as the barge was tied up. There was a quick exchange between the captain and the man, explaining that he planned to set sail again once his passengers were offloaded. Arwenna waited until they were safely on the dock with the horses, and then handed the rest of their fare over to the captain. With barely a nod of thanks, he untied the barge and headed back down the coast.

              “Well now, welcome to Almair. How long will you all be staying, and what’s your business here?”  The harbormaster looked them over carefully, making note of the weaponry worn by Barek and Y’Dürkie.

              “Just tonight. It’s our intention to find passage on a ship and leave with the next possible sailing. Only business we will have is with an innkeeper and the captain of whatever ship we find.”  Arwenna’s tone was slightly less harsh, but the tone of command was still there. She was in no mood to stand on the dock all night while this man questioned them.

              “I’ll give you these passes, then,” his hands searched for a few pieces of paper and handed them to the group. “It’ll let you have the freedom of the docks and a few blocks inland, but that’s it. There are several inns just off the main docks. I’d recommend The Sail and Jib. The rooms aren’t that bad, and the captains that frequent the tap room are the ones most open to accommodating passengers and horses.” He tipped his cap in farewell and walked off towards another new arrival on the pier.

              Arwenna began to lead her horse down the pier and toward the rows of shops. The aromas coming from various kitchens didn’t mix well with the smells from the boats and docks, making her feel queasy. Sleeping in a bed that didn’t move would be nice tonight.

              The Sail and Jib sat back two streets from the harbor itself, taking up the better part of an entire block. The common room appeared clean and well taken care of, with a bardic stage off to the right of the giant fireplace. About a dozen or so tables and chairs were scattered about the room. Most stood empty, but a few seats were occupied. A memory of Joss posing as a bard drifted into her mind. She could almost see him standing up on the stage.