Dragon Clan #4: Gray's Story

CHAPTER NINETEEN

“I really don’t know what charts I’ll find in the Captain’s stacks, but they’ll be better than what I’d get when going to a bookstore. From the appearances of the outsides and the ages of some, I’ll wager the Captain has been collecting charts for years.”

“Since he was my age,” the messenger said from the cabin door. “He asked me to store them until we reach port, they are very valuable.”

Gray said, “Tell the Captain that maps and charts have become one of my interests. I’d like them to stay where they are, and I’ll pay for any damage.”

The young man paused, then said, “Nobody has ever asked before. I usually put them away before passengers come aboard, but I’ll ask him. Please do not examine them until you have permission.”

The boy raced off. Gray shrugged, “I guess I’ll wait before looking at them.”

“I’m going to take a nap,” Anna declared. “We were up late last night.”

“And we slept in this morning,” Gray said, trying to flash the same sort of irritating smile she used as a weapon.

Anna rolled her eyes before turning and climbing into bed, pulling the covers up to her chin. Her eyes shifted to the connecting door between the cabins.

She’s telling me to leave. Gray stood and went into the other cabin, closing the door behind him. He went to the chair behind the desk and pulled it to a spot near the windows. He contemplated the wake, as a seagull landed on the window sill. He watched it while the bird watched him. A knock sounded on the door and the seagull squawked in protest as it flew away.

Gray went to the door and found the Captain standing in the hallway. His eyes flicked to the unrolled chart on the desk, then to the chair that was near the windows. “May I come in?”

“Of course,” Gray sputtered.

“I’ve come about the charts. Yours is an unusual request. I see you have one open.”

“That was before the messenger was here to collect them. I haven’t looked at it since.”

The Captain nodded once as if that satisfied his curiosity on that subject. “Why, if I might ask, are you interested in the depths of the bay around Fleming?”

Gray said, “I’m not. That is, I’m interested in a general way, but that was the first chart I pulled out.”

“I see. How long did you examine it?”

“Well, part of the morning. I’m not sure what you’re asking.”

“Sir, if I was to sail around the bay instead of proceeding directly to the docks, what navigation hazards would I encounter if I did not have that chart?”

Gray realized that the Captain was testing him, but didn’t know the purpose. Tell him the truth. “Well sir, you have at least three places where it looks like rocks or reefs are just under the surface, and the whole south side of the bay is too shallow for a ship of this size.”

“Which is it, rocks or reefs?”

Remembering the designations, he said, “I believe one is rocks, and two are reefs.”

“The other way around, but no matter. Any of them will rip the bottom out a ship. I’m impressed. And again, I ask myself why a land lobster would study a chart so carefully.”

Gray met his steady gaze without flinching. He didn’t know the answer himself.

The Captain said, “Well? Have you a response?”

“I’ve seen a similar chart in Fleming at a bookstore. It didn’t have half the depths that are on your chart, and it didn’t show the rocks or reefs, or they were not in red ink to draw my attention. That makes me think the chart I saw there was not very good.”

“Or inaccurate enough to sink a ship is a better way of putting it. To me, the charts are part of my business. What are they to you?”

Good question. Gray glanced at the table and said, “Yours is almost as pretty as a painting. I would like to know about the Marlstone Islands before we arrive, and of other places. I know something about Castle Warrington, but not a lot. A chart, a good one, will tell me more than talking to people for days.”

“Well, I believe that is something of an exaggeration. However, I am satisfied for now. The charts are there for you to use, but promise me one thing.”

“I know, take very good care of them. I will.”

“Of course, you will, but that is not what I demand. I want you to bring any questions that the charts raise in your mind to me. Nobody else. I have my reasons, but you may approach me anytime that I am on deck with your questions.”

The Captain spun and strode from the cabin, heels pounding on the wooden deck. I must have passed his test. Gray went to the desktop and carefully rolled the chart and placed it in an empty bin. He selected another and used the weights to hold it while he unrolled the chart.

It was larger in size but covered a smaller area of the coastline south of Fleming. Fanciful fish swam in the blue-tinted water, and equally fanciful birds flew above. There were red warnings near the shoreline, but little else in deeper water.

At the bottom of the chart, a finger of land jutted into the sea. A double row of mountains lined the peninsula, one of the pointed peaks detailed a trail of smoke curling into the sky. He’d been there. The warm slopes were where the green dragons roosted, if not nested.

His finger traced the path they’d taken from that spot to the road, and along the road until it reached the bottom of the chart. Shrewsbury lay further south, but the chart was not large enough to display it. Still, the chart held additional details about the dragon roost.

The Bear Mountain roost was also on ground warmed by a smoking volcano. Were others? Or most? It was a question to ask his family.

He carefully rolled the chart and reached for another. The title indicated a city and area he’d never heard of. Still, he didn’t know what he’d find or where to best search. Each of the charts and maps would be carefully studied during the voyage. Any of them might contain critical information.

Fleming lay four days away, two more days in port, and another six to ten days’ sail to the islands. Of course, he expected to spend considerable time in Fleming shopping for food, wine, and supplies. Then he realized that was no longer true. Since passing the gold coin to the Captain, all those requirements were being taken care of.

He studied the chart until his eyes squinted, and then he went to the small deck above and settled into the chair, the wind blowing his hair and the taste of salt upon his tongue. A crewman cleaned the deck below with a bucket and brush. Another, no a pair of them scurried among the sails and spars like squirrels.

More than one crewman flashed him a smile or waved. Maybe being a sailor is a good occupation. They seem happy and well-fed. Gray watched the horizon and found he enjoyed the ocean, which was odd for a dweller of the drylands. Seagulls circled and squawked. A large fish surfaced and then dived again.

He went back to his cabin refreshed. He selected and unrolled another chart at random. Then another. And another. He was determined to pace himself and inspect each, so he didn’t miss important information. However, the individual charts all told a story of its own. One clearly indicated places to catch fish. Another had routes between ports; the winds indicated by old men blowing lines across the sea as clearly drawn as roads on any map.

A single small scroll was rolled inside another. The small map was old and stiff. The ink had faded over time, and instead of black it had turned a reddish-rust color, almost like dried blood. The lines were faint.

He bent to read the subject of the map printed at the top edge. The letters were different, and two unknown characters further complicated his task. While different, he decided the two unknown letters were similar to N and T. Using those letters inserted into the title formed a word. It said, ANTERRA, in all large capital letters. He did not recognize the smaller words that followed, so he let his eyes drift down to the chart itself. Not a chart as the earlier ones because it did not display water depths, but it did display a coastline. A small distinction between a map and a chart, but Shailer had been insistent each was different.

All of the maps and charts he’d examined so far displayed the land on his left, the Endless Sea on his right. This map was reversed, land on the right. He rotated it, but that made the words upside down, so he placed it in the original position.

The coastline was completely unfamiliar. Part of the way down the page a huge bay made a half-circle, and then the jagged coastline continued down to the bottom of the page. There were towns and cities indicated, some written in larger block letters that he took to mean bigger towns or cities.

None sounded familiar. The odd letters he didn’t recognize further confused him. He scanned the entire map searching for a clue to what he was looking at. While studying the names on the land, his left palm rested on the map keeping it unrolled. He shifted positions and there, under where his palm had been placed, was his answer.

In the lower left center of the Endless Sea were other words indicating the names of a dozen islands. The printing near the largest island said, MARLLSTON, with small curlicues scrolling from the M. Marlstone. It had to be. The islands that were his destination. The coastline of land drawn on the map had to be Breslau.

Excited, he turned his attention to the land again, searching for any misspelling of Breslau. As the cabin darkened at the end of the day, he was still looking at the map. A candle did little to help. Holding the candle over the chart might drip wax, or even burn it. The Captain would have his hide and forbid him to examine the others. He’d have to wait until morning.

Gray calmed his shaking hands and slowed his breathing, but his heart continued beating like a pounding drum. The connecting door to the cabins was open. He walked to it, smelling hot food as his stomach suddenly demanded food. The dinner was spread on a small table. Anna sat at another small table near the wall, eating. She smiled before he caught sight of Kelby sitting across from her.

“Kelby,” he called, turning from the food to face her.

She managed a weak smile in return.

“You’re sitting up. How are you feeling?”

“Slow.”

Her voice held a husky quality he didn’t remember. Her eyes were slow to track, but her cheeks had a touch of pink that had not been there earlier. He turned to Anna, “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I went to the door and called your name. Whatever you were looking at, prevented you from hearing me, so we started eating. I knew you’d be along when you smelled food.”

The mention of food had his stomach growling again. He scooped a bowl of thick soup, identifying pieces of fish and onions floating in broth. A fistful of bread lay on a platter. Since only two chairs occupied the room, he sat on the edge of a bed and devoured the meal. Pears and apples filled a bowl. He hadn’t eaten a pear since last winter when the last of the hard pears were all eaten.

His eyes went back to Anna. “How long has she been awake?”

“Not long. I think she’ll be better in the morning. I told her we are taking her home.”

“I found an old map. It might have Breslau on it, but I’ll have to wait until morning when I can see it better.”

Anna sat silent for a short while. Her eyes sparkled. “Factual knowledge might be the most important thing you and I can take home to the family.”

“It seems to be in another language, but enough is familiar that I’m pretty sure.”

“You’re excited. I can tell.”

“Yes. I should go right to bed so I can get up early, but I’m too excited to sleep.”

Kelby hadn’t taken another bite of her food, and she sat in the same position, her eyes staring off into the distance of the cabin wall. Still, they had escaped Shrewsbury, the Captain and crew were helpful, and they would arrive in Fleming in three or four days, healthy and possibly wiser. Gray wished them a good night. Despite his excitement, he went right to sleep.

When he woke in the morning, the first thing that crossed his mind was the map. Brilliant sunlight streamed into the cabin through the open windows. He stood and stretched, his eyes focused on the desk with the map. The desktop was empty.