Kingdom Born

Chapter 7: A Typical Coveport Welcome

I had a bad night at sea and now I was ready to die. My stomach was roiling in my gut and what was leaving my body from one end was coming out the other. I rolled to the side of the bed and hung my head over the bucket Karl had procured somewhere.

"How are you feeling?" He tapped my back lightly.

If my body had any strength to get up out of our bed I would have wiped Karl's cheery expression off his face. Instead I just lie there and moaned.

"Too bad. The chef had a real good meal planned for us tonight."

I reached for my bucket and ducked my head inside. I was down to dry heaves. I was getting better. "I hate boats."

"Ship. This is a ship." He corrected cheerfully

"I hate anything that requires me to get inside it and float around on the water." I slumped back down onto the bed. If the Goddess wanted to call me to her right now I wouldn't have fought her.

"Poor baby.' Karl took my bucket away, handed me a clean one, then laid a cool hand on my hot forehead. "Well, I could let you suffer a bit longer but you look so bad."

"If you came here to tease me, get out."

"You're not in the Garrison now, so don't try ordering me around, Captain." He returned with a mischievous grin.

"Karl!" I groaned out, draping my arm across my eyes.

"Sunny!" The bed creaked as he sat on it, " Delmarta said that if the wind keeps up, we'll be in Coveport by midday."

"Thank the Goddess."

"You do look like hell. I've bought some water from Delmarta. I'm going to give you a bath before we dock."

"I can bathe myself." I muttered back, not enjoying his ministering attention, as he rolled me onto my stomach and jerked my tunic off my body..

He pressed a cool sponge to my shoulders, "Sure you can. In case you didn't know, my love, you reek. Sit up."

"Love you too." He had to pull me forward. The water felt refreshing. I closed my eyes and let him wash me.

"You'd better. I don't rinse out sick buckets for just anybody."

I looked up and focused my eyes on his smiling concerned face, "Thank you."

He smacked a sloppy kiss on my forehead and went back to cleaning me up. I felt like a newborn unable to hold her own head up. He drapped a warm fluffy towel around me then crossed the cabin from side to side with the gracefulness that made me hate him. To add to my agony he began to sing a raunchy barracks song that had made it to the taverns. I pulled the pillow over my head but I could still hear his loud voice. There was a knock at our door.

"Enter." His voice was singsong.

"Your woman still doesn't like the sea, eh?"

"Not everybody can be sailors."

"So true...however if you get lonely..."

I twisted around and reached for the hilt of my throwing dagger. "Get out!" I barked as the hilt fell into my palm. The sailor saw my blade and almost fell over her feet as she tried to get back through the door.

"Phara!" Karl jumped in front of the fleeing sailor. A foolish move if I intended to actually throw my dagger.

Slowly and with more trouble than I expected, I sheathed the blade, "Don't step in front of my aim again."

"By the Goddess, she was just joking."

I lowered my arm, amazed that I could even raise it to begin with. "You don't joke around with married men. You never know if their wives are Daughters of the Blade."

"You've been flat on your back all day. What would you have done if she challenged you?"

"Nothing happened." I mumbled back. Karl voice was ringing inside my head.

"And what if something did! If that woman was a Daughter, even a novice, you could have been killed." Karl grabbed me and jerked my face into his chest. His arms squeezed around me tightly. "I'm not going to lose you now."

I wasn't about to tell him that if I had intended to throw my dagger it would have gone exactly were I wanted regardless of how weak I felt. It wasn't something he wanted to hear. "It's only seasickness. No matter how bad I want to die, I won't"
Karl let me go and straightened up with a smile, "It's no wonder why you haven't been sick in the past ten years. You had to make sure that I couldn't run away. You're a horrible patient."

"I just want firm ground underneath my feet, even if it has to be in Coveport." I forced myself out of bed, staggered over to the porcelain bath sink that Karl filled and splashed cool water on my face. By the Goddess it felt good. Karl slapped at my rear, tossed a cake of soap into the basin with a back splash, then danced his way back over to the bed and landed flat on his back. "Since you're strong enough to start a knife fight, wash yourself." He tossed his arms out and stretched like a cat who had just lapped up cream and gotten away with it.

"Coveport, never been there. Is it as big as they say?" He rested his head on his palm and watched as I scrubbed at myself. The ripe stench of the invalid clung to me heavily. It was a wonder Karl would even come close.

"Fars-haven is bigger. You could fit about four cities the size of Coveport into it. Sandshore could fit into Coveport about eight times. It must be a nightmare to defend." Karl bit back a groan as I washed.

"What?" I hung onto the side of the basin to keep my balance.

"Even in your sickbed, you're too damned tempting."

"Even looking like hell?" I flipped my long braid out of the way and artfully displayed my body for him, making sure that my grip didn't slip on the stand and send me crashing to the floor. I had to bite back a grin as he laid a forearm across his eyes.

"I'll clean up around here so we can get off the ship as soon as we dock. I'll set something out for you."

I grunted something and kept washing. I felt relieved to get the caked on stink of invalid off me. He had left out my best set of clothes, black leathers and a deep sea green tunic he had given me for mid-winter festival last year. He said that the colour matched my eyes, but my eyes weren't as rich as this tunic. Still it was a heart gift and I would cherish it until the day I died. By the time I finished lacing up my boots, I was ready to lie down and go to sleep again.

Karl suddenly popped up at my side and pulled me back into a sitting position. "I want to sleep."

"In a minute, I want to re-braid your hair."

Yawning, I closed my eyes and let the tiredness wash over me. "Can't you do it while I'm laying down?"

"Probably."

"Can we try?" I flopped back down and rolled on my stomach. Karl settled his weight across my hips and began fiddling with my hair. If I wasn't so tired I would have rolled over and made something of his stance. Instead, the gentle fingers combing and pulling at my scalp sent me back into a faint sleep.

I woke up to loud shouts of anger and the thud of a body hitting the deck above our bed. Karl grunted as I elbowed my way off him. Grabbing my sword belt from the bedpost, I buckled it on and started toward the door. The dreaded rolling of the ship was gone so I assumed that we had reached port.

Karl wiped the sleep from his eyes, "What's going on?"

I felt much better but was still far from feeling like myself. "Don't know. Something's happening on deck. We're in Coveport...How do I look?" I didn't want to have the sign of weakness on me. In Coveport, weakness, or sickness was a signal for the wolves to close in.

Karl squinted at me, "You looked fine...what are you doing?"

"I'll be right back." I jerked the door open and disappeared as Karl voiced his concerns.
The sun burnt in to my eyes with enough intensity to blind me for a few moments. My nose and ears only re-enforced what my stomach had told me - ratty scenery and the overpowering stench of rot. We were in Coveport. The sailors and Captain Delmarta stood at the top of the gangplank, hands ready near their daggers and swords.

"Captain Delmarta, the last time you were in dock we allowed you to get out of paying the new duties, mainly because you had not heard of the new change of ownership." An unseen voice floated up from the wharf.

Delmarta leaned over the railing and shouted down at the speaker, "Ownership! This is exhortation. The contract I signed with the last dock master stated that I had paid my docking dues for the full year - regardless of change of ownership."

I pushed my way to the side of ship and stared down at the noisy party. Seven hired swords, one leader and then there was a speaker for the group. She was a small pointy faced woman with pock marks on her skin but she was dressed in rich and tailored silks. "That contract is now invalid. We had a meeting with the Grand Council and they nullified any and all of the old contract. If you do not pay the docking fees your ship and all cargo will be confiscated in the name of the Guild."

"I can't believe this bullshit!. I'm taking this to the Constables." Delmarta gave her a shove off gesture and turned back to her crew. She spied me standing beside her but dismissed my presense.

"Not from this dock you're not." The pointy woman returned with a threat. The guards around her tensed and reached for their weapons.

Delmarta rose to the bait, "Who's going to stop me, little girl?"

Delmarta started toward the gangplank when a large blonde leader stepped forward, brushed aside the spokeswoman and crossed her arms across her chest in an easy stance at the bottom of the plank. Her hands rested near the rows of throwing knifes on her bandoliers. "I will." Her voice was full of confidence. I squinted in the bright light at her. The blonde stood with bravado clear on her features but there was something else; confidence and anticipation. This one knew how to kill and enjoyed it.

I pushed after Delmarta and caught up to her as she stood at the head of the gangplank, "And who in the blackest night of hells are you?"just as she insulted the blonde.

"Kayla, Second Daughter of the Blade." The large blonde shifted her hand down to caress the hilt of her sword like it was a substitute lover. I took stock. She was the same size as me, maybe even larger and stockier around the shoulders which gave her more power to her swings, making her much more dangerous, if she was the Daughter she claimed to be.

"Don't threaten me, girl. I've been sailing this sea longer than you've been whelped from the bitch that raised you." Delmarta was taking the stranger as pure braggadocio. I caught her shoulder. Delmarta shook me off and started down the plank with a seaman's arrogant swagger. Kayla cleared the sword from her scabbard and settled into attack stance easily. Her boast as Daughter was nothing to be laughed at. Delmarta wouldn't even make it to the dock.

I caught Delmarta's shoulder and squeezed hard, "Captain...I think that this is where my speciality comes in." She ignored the warning in my eyes.

"Captain Longsword, I do appreciate your offer, but..." Delmarta waved in her hand in dismissal and continued forward. Kayla would carve her up.

My features were schooled into a confident mask. I hoped that Karl hadn't lied about me looking normal; otherwise Kayla would call my bluff and I would be hard pressed to defend the ship. Loudly I issued a challenge, "Daughter Kayla, I wonder how you would fare against a First Daughter of the Blade?"

The blonde woman looked stared at me with vicious eyes, "So you have yourself a champion. We shall see who will make an example of who."

Delmarta halted in her tracks as blood drained out of her face. Realization had finally hit. "Captain, I suggest you get back on board." I stepped aside as she returned back up the plank. Now, it was up to me. The sailors fell back as I freed my blade. Kayla's blue eyes narrowed down into mere slits. She looked like a cruel and tricky fighter. She took a step onto the plank.

"Hold!" The pointy faced woman dropped her hand on Kayla's forearm. "No blood will be split here."

Kayla tried to shake herself free but the smaller woman hung on as she were a small little dog defending a huge meaty bone. She hissed something at the Daughter and grabbed for her sword arm again. The sword point slowly lowered and Kayla reluctantly sheathed it.
Her eyes promised a rematch, "Watch your step here, Red. Our paths will cross again."
"I look forward to it." The sailors began murmuring behind me gathering false courage now that they thought the conflict was over. Delmarta stood at my side, still pale and beginning to shake with the thought of being so close to death. "You saved my life."

I re-sheathed my sword slowly. My arms were aching with the weight of it from this short time I actually held it. "Who were those people?"

"Wharf scum. They try and exhort dues from ships that really don't know the authorities. I'd been warned about them before and we had a run in the last time the Red Raven came to port." Delmarta turned and looked after the disappearing gang. I've never seen scum as this bold before."

"I advise you to report this incident to the proper authorities immediately. There is no telling how many people they may make an example out of." I clapped my hand to Delmarta's shoulder and turned around

"Macy, get the dock master here now!" Delmarta began bellowing and flailing her arms around at the still gathered soldiers. "What are you doing milling around like a herd of sheep? I don't pay you just to look good. Get the winch rigged. Come on, we've got perishable cargo. What do you expect it to do? Jump out onto the dock for inspection?"
The sailors suddenly found something better to do and Delmarta and I were alone in a small enclave of silence. "You saved my life."

"It was my job."

"You resigned as Captain of the Guard. The Council was stupid to accept it. If you still want to, we'll be heading back to Sandshore after we pick up a load of silk in Fars-haven. We can pick up your husband and take him with us if you want. No funny business. I'll treat him as if he were a son." I glanced over her sun darkened and weather lined face. There was nothing there but a willingness to help and true gratitude.

"No longer necessary. Karl will be staying with me." I offered my palm in friendship.
She clasped it firmly.

"Well, if you change your mind, we'll be back this way in about two weeks..." I started to turn away, really beginning to feel the after effects of this illness, but Delmarta caught my shoulder, "A woman gets tired of the same man after a while. If you want some excitement you should try the Golden Palace." Her arm pointed to the highest hill and the glittering building atop it, well away from the scent of the harbour and the rot of the markets. "It'll cost you a gold coin a visit but it's well worth the ride, if you know what I mean."

It took almost all my effort to smile pleasantly at her, instead of rattling her head off her neck for the mere suggestion of indulging in a brothelman. My stomach clenched in disgust. "Thank you for the advice. We'll leave you now, find a place to stay and then come back for our cargo in the hold."

"We'll be in port for three days. Take your time."

I nodded, turned on my heel and headed back to our quarters. Karl stood in the middle of room with a mixed look of fear and worry on his face. "You won't do that again." I groaned inwardly. He had seen the confrontation. I crossed over to the bed and slumped back on it enjoying the comfortable feel of the soft down mattress. "You're not Captain of the Guard now. You don't have to risk your life for total strangers."

Slowly I sat up, "The woman was a Daughter. Would you rather have had the Captains' blood split when I could have stopped it?" Karl's concern was touching but unnecessary. Nothing had happened.

"No, I wouldn't have wanted Delmarta dead." Karl dropped his anger and spanned the distance to my side in three steps. "You've been sick for the last two days, so sick you couldn't even get out of bed. Right now, you're so pale you could pass for a ghost." His hands reached out and brushed the hair from my face.

I caught his hand and kissed it. "If Kayla was going to back up her threat, she would have gone after Delmarta as soon as she started down the plank. That little woman wouldn't have been able to stop her. The threat was all for show."

"Really?" Karl's voice held the desire to believe me.

"Really." My words were tinged with falseness but Karl didn't need to know just how close it had been. If Kayla had started up the plank the only thing I could think of was to engage her first blow then drag her into the sea with me. Few city dwellers learned how to swim. "Well, we're here in Coveport. We might as well get off this Goddess damned ship and take a room."

Karl shouldered two small bags, then started for the door eager to see the city. I grunted and sat up. I followed him up onto the busy deck. He stood at the top of the stairs and looked around him with the awe of a child. I gestured to the wide expanse of the city before us. There were buildings as far as the eye could see. Buildings painted garish colours crowded together side by side on the slowly upward sloping hill to showcase a golden building at it's pinnacle. "I wonder what that building is up there?" I followed Karl's pointing arm to the Golden Palace.

"I don't know." I lied easily turning away from it, "Welcome to our new home, Grey Eyes."

His face broke into a wide smile and he almost ran for the gangway. I followed after him a lot more slowly. It felt good to have solid unmoving ground underneath me. I called out to him,

"Follow me, we have a long climb ahead of us."

We made our way down past the wharf markets further into the rising heart of the town. The times that I had come here with my mother then as Captain on buying missions had familiarized me with the city somewhat. I knew of an inn that was well kept and quiet which was worth the price of silver they charged on the better side of the Perfumed River. An elderly couple ran it and their only rule was to respect their inn as you would your own home. If you didn't, their granddaughters were burly enough to make sure that you left quickly, sometimes in even in one piece. I ushered Karl through the crowds.
"I can't believe the size of this place... this is bigger than what I can remember of the Stronghold." I was surprised that Karl's head didn't twist off as he looked around. "I read an ancient book once that said that there used to be cities that held millions of people."

"What's a million?"

"As many as the stars in the sky."

I had to scoff at that. "How could you get so many people living together? There would be rats, disease, spoilt water and probably plagues from all that filth. Where would you get enough food to feed as many as the stars?"

Karl looked over at me, "Do you always have to be so logical?" His words were tempered with a wide smile.

"Well, you just can't get that many people living together - millions, ha.!" I returned gentling my disbelief with a quick kiss.