Dragon Clan #5: Tanner's Story

CHAPTER TEN

The three of them entered the inn and found a table. A young girl with a soft smile warm enough to melt butter asked what they wanted to drink. Carrion said, “Your best ale for me and two watered wines for my young friends.”

Tanner scowled, but remained quiet lest others hear him. But they’d discuss it later. He was in charge of the expedition and Carrion needed to be reminded of it. He fumed, then realized why the family council had put the two together. It was true that Carrion had been often absent, but there was no reflection on how serious he took his job.

The question became, why had they appointed Tanner in charge. The answer drew his attention as he figured it out. The appointment made him feel superior and in charge of an important mission. Carrion didn’t need that sort of coddling. Yet they made mutual decisions more often than not.

Would he ever have the wisdom they did? He doubted it. A glance around the room found four tables with men at them. All men. Most wore indications that they were seamen and high ranking ones. All were nearer Carrion’s age than his.

A black cauldron hung over a low fire on a swing-arm. A cupboard held fresh bread loaves the size of his fist. His stomach twisted. The girl returned with the ale and wine in stoneware goblets. Tanner said, “We have a room here. Can we go fill a bowl?”

“Then what would they need me for?” she laughed. “Three bowls of stew?”

“Yes. And bread. Do you have anything else?” Tanner said.

“Well, that’s all we have for your meal,” her eyes twinkled, “unless you’re asking about the berry pies we made.”

Tanner glanced at Devlin, who looked almost ill at the mention of the food. “Stew first, but save three slices of pie, please.”

“Lots of bread,” Carrion added.

She hurried off with a wiggle of her backside. Tanner tasted the wine reluctantly. If it was watered at all, it was very little. It held a sweetness on his tongue that he hadn’t ever found in the wines he’d had. Most were bitter and left a sour taste in his mouth. This one was totally different. He gulped more.

“Better take it easy on that,” Carrion warned him.

Three bowls of heavy, dark stew with chunks of meat, barley, turnips, carrots, and onions appeared on the table. The girl raced off to fill a platter with the small loaves of bread, butter, and soft fruit preserves to spread on them. Each bowl held a wood spoon, and it became clear Devlin didn’t know how to use one.

Tanner nudged him under the table and scooped stew into the spoon and softly blew on it to cool. Then he slowly placed the spoon in his mouth. Devlin mimicked his actions until the stew touched his tongue. His eyes came alive. His hand darted to the bowl and scoop more so fast it splashed onto the table. Tanner placed a restraining hand on his wrist and shook his head.

Devlin slowed down. Tanner tore a loaf of bread in half and buttered one side. He splashed some jam on it.

Devlin copied Tanner’s every move. Devlin then had to decide to eat more bread or stew.

Tanner said to him, “The food comes with the room. As much as we want. Eat slow and you can fit more inside you.”

Carrion said, “Ever have pie, Devlin?”

“I don’t know what that is,” Devlin said between mouthfuls.

“Then I suggest you slow down and save some room,” Carrion said, a smile twitching the corners of his mouth.

The conversation in the room was generally soft but broken now and then with laughter. Tanner allowed his ears to pick out distinctive voices and snatches of conversation. He heard a funny story of a cow and hen, funny but hardly believable. A robust man with a voice to match told of an unlikely storm his ship barely survived. Another talked about his family in another port that he missed. But nothing of Breslau, Anterra, or the Marlstones.

Devlin finished off another bowl of stew and more bread. When the serving girl whisked by again, Carrion asked for three slices of pie.

Tanner still listened to conversations at other tables but kept an eye on Devlin. When the pie arrived, the boy waited before taking a bite. He was watching Carrion for guidance. That small act told of his intelligence, and again, Tanner wondered about his future.

Devlin tasted the pie. He looked at both before swallowing. Then he pushed the pie away from himself, an unexpected action that drew their attention more than if he had stuffed the entire slice into his mouth.

Tanner said, “Don’t like it?”

Devlin shook his head.

“Are sweets an acquired taste?” Carrion asked, then turned his attention back to Devlin. “If you don’t like it you don’t have to eat any.”

“I don’t like it. The other was the best food I’ve ever had.”

“You haven’t touched your wine,” Tanner said.

“I’ve seen what wine does to people.”

Tanner shrugged and reached for his mug. “This is mostly water. It won’t do that to you, but the wine keeps you from having stomach problems.”

“What are those?” Devlin asked. After Tanner had explained, Devlin said, “I have to go behind the building.”

“To pee? Tanner asked. “If so, you use the privy out back.”

“I’m not allowed. There’s a public trough for the likes of me by the waterfront.”

Carrion said, “Enough of this. You’re with us and if we’re allowed to do something, so are you.”

“Come with me,” Tanner ordered Devlin. As they left the inn, Tanner called, “We’ll be back by dinner.” Like Carrion, he’d seen and heard enough. The boy was treated as if he was invisible. People gave him less attention than a dog unless he tried to be like them. The attitudes the people held, even though Devlin was cleaner and wore better clothing, spilled over to Carrion and himself. It could influence their goals.

Tanner had noticed the nearby shops and stores when they walked past earlier. He went directly to the bathhouse. Devlin hesitated at the door, but Tanner took him by the upper arm and forced him inside. A counter stood in front of a wall lined with doors, and a pretty young woman sat in a chair behind the counter. She leaped to her feet, her eyes locked on Devlin, her face twisting in anger that he would enter.

Before she could spit a word of protest, Tanner opened his fist and allowed two large copper coins to rattle onto the counter. “He needs a bath, hair, and beard trimmed, and nails cleaned and cut. I’ll speak to the owner if I must.”

The girl eyed the coins. “Are you offering two full coppers?”

“If the job is done to my satisfaction and with the courtesy a good customer deserves.”

Her eyes flashed at Devlin, back at the coins and then she smiled. “Of course. Can you tell me how you’d like his hair and beard?”

Two fingers held apart told her. Tanner glanced at Devlin, who was looking at the toes of his new shoes.

She seemed relieved as she nodded vigorously. She waved an arm at one of the doors. “Ready yourself for the bath as the water will be delivered shortly.”

Inside the room stood a wooden tub, on a wooden floor where the boards were intentionally spaced to allow water to run through. Pegs on the wall were for clothing. Another door opened to the rear where buckets of coal stood beside a fire pit. Iron swing arms held buckets of water while heating.

Devlin hadn’t spoken. He acted as skittish as a mistreated puppy. Tanner said, “We are going to talk. First, shuck your clothes and sit in the tub. Here’s how this is will happen. You’ll get washed. Everywhere. Your hair will be cut and your beard trimmed. Your nails probably hurt where they’re split so the girl will trim them.”

“Everywhere?”

“Washing in the river only got off some of the grime. Behind your ears is almost black, and so is your neck. People see that and judge who you are. We have to change your appearance because as it is, you’re putting us in danger.”

Another girl entered the room with a bucket of hot water. She went to the tub while Devlin twisted and turned to shield himself from her sight as he removed his pants.

Tanner held up a bar of soap and indicated how to use it. If not for the Dragon Clan image on his back, he’d be in another tub. Several buckets later, the first girl entered, a scrub brush on a long handle in one hand and scissors in the other.

She scrubbed, scraped, and cut. She made a few friendly comments after eyeing Tanner, first. They were intended to appease him, but Tanner accepted her effort. She used a scented oil on his hair and poured a few drops into the water. She offered a few drops to Tanner, and he gratefully accepted and ran his fingers through his hair.

Her eyes went to the tattoos on Devlin’s arms, but she said nothing.

When she finished, she looked at Tanner for approval. He looked at Devlin, sitting embarrassed in the tub with his hands in his lap. He said, “I think I owe you another copper.”

She beamed at him before leaving to man the front desk. One of the girls from the back brought a stack of rags to dry himself. Dressed again, Tanner kept looking at Devlin, who appeared a new man.

Devlin kept looking at Tanner, obviously wondering if the change had been acceptable. Tanner reached into his purse and pulled another small copper coin. At the counter in the front of the bathhouse, he asked, “Do you have a mirror?”

She reached under into a cupboard. Tanner checked himself out, finding he looked far better than expected. He handed it to Devlin and watched the change in his expression with a smile. That alone was worth the extra copper he placed on the counter.

They stepped outside, blinking in the afternoon sunlight. Tanner said, “What do you think?”

Devlin hesitated. He gave it deep consideration, then said, “A few copper coins are the difference in barely being alive and being respected.”

It was nothing like the answer Tanner expected, but the truth rang in each word. A pair of pretty girls walked past arm in arm. One whispered to the other as their eyes devoured Tanner and Devlin, then they giggled. As they departed, Tanner watched them swing their hips in unison.

Devlin said, “I have lived here my whole life. I’ve watched hundreds of girls pass by me as if I was somewhere else, or a post to tie a horse to.”

Tanner said, “You were right when you said a few coins makes all the difference.”

“How can pieces of metal change the way people think?”

“You’re getting way ahead of me. For now, just accept what’s happening.”

Devlin fixed him with a stern expression. “For now, but what of later? What happens when you leave Racine?”

“We can’t stand here all day. How about we walk down to where those fast ships are tied up and watch them?”

They started walking. Devlin said, “You didn’t answer my question. And what are we going to watch for?”

A girl walked towards them while holding hands with a young man. As she came closer, her eyes went to Devlin and hung there until she passed by. Tanner said, “You are getting more attention than I ever have. When we get there we’re just gathering any stray information we might be able to use. Anything. Keep your eyes and ears open but don’t make it obvious.”

“And my other question?”

“We won’t leave you to your old life, I promise. What we will do is not clear yet. We don’t even know what we’re going to be doing. As you’ve no doubt figured out, we’re working. Our job is secret, but it involves ships and people who are enemies.”

“Then they are also enemies of mine.”

Tanner nodded hello to another pair of young women, a little older and more attractive. Devlin had said they were also his enemies, but what he didn’t know was that they also wore dragon tattoos on their arms. They were his people.

He needed to talk with Carrion about Devlin in private. What were they going to do with him? Why had they even allowed him to join with them? He brought the danger of a different sort. Was it worth jeopardizing their mission for the boy? He had another hundred questions but allowed them to slip into the back of his mind as a young woman lounging outside a tavern asked if they wanted to enjoy themselves.

Devlin started to answer.

Tanner kept him moving, telling him, “If you make friends with that one you won’t have any coins to use for your food or drink.”

Devlin glanced back and took a good look at her. “She’s never spoken to me before. I’ve walked right by her twenty times.”

“She never thought you had enough coin to be her friend.”

“No. It wasn’t that. She never even saw me when I walked right by her. I was invisible.”