Dragon Clan #6: Anna's Story

CHAPTER NINE

Anna had spent a good part of their final evening in the castle slitting open the seams on her old backpack and removing coins before sewing them into the new one. She placed a few into Thief’s pack for safe keeping because it was never wise to keep all of anything in one location.

Anna continued walking beside Raymer to the port town of Warrington, as she remembered the last two days like they were so fresh in her mind that she hadn’t had time to absorb all of it. She speculated about the political intrigue with Quint threatening to usurp the King, the explanations of the Breslau invasion and why, how, and what to do about it. She realized that she had never really planned an operation. Not like Quint and Raymer did. They took the know information and speculated on the unknown; then they determined each possible outcome. She refused to play chess with either.

Sitting on that terrace had taught her that she knew far less than she thought. Anna’s experience tended to look at an objective and head directly for it, bullying her way to the end. What little planning was usually afterward, to be used the next time.

For instance, if it was left to Anna, they would walk the entire distance to Racine, which would probably take twenty days or more. Quint suggested they sail. As the son of the Earl, he was the commander of the army and navy of the Northwoods province, but he believed a military ship with them on board would make them too conspicuous. So he contacted the master of a small trading vessel.

The Master, or Captain as he preferred to be called, had retired from the Northwoods Navy a few years earlier, where he’d been under Quint’s direct command. “Captain Braise, a man who served my father and me well,” Quint introduced the smallish man with the long, thin beard.

Quint had told the Captain, “Their mission is not for your ears or anyone else’s. While I trust you completely, I also know that you cannot tell what you do not know, and I consider this mission so important I will ask that you forgive me.”

Captain Braise said, “Sir, not a problem. I understand. What are your orders?”

“You will take these three on as crew until they choose to leave your boat. You will then sail directly back here with any information they provide. No stops along the way. While you are the master and Captain, Anna will give you direction.”

“Not Raymer?” The captain avoided making eye contact with her until he confirmed who the leader was.

“He is not in charge, but I think you’ll find the girl more than capable,” Quint nodded in her direction, and he also avoided the confusion in the Captain’s eyes, but certainly for other reasons. “They will stow their gear and will need to dress as fishermen. You will present yourself and your boat as searching for more profitable fishing grounds. Because there may be danger, your compensation will be substantial.”

“No need for that, sir. Just payment for the lost catches I suffer is sufficient,” Captain Braise said, his tone more stuffy than earlier.

“Come now. You are no longer an officer in my navy. Your boat must earn a profit, and this trip will prevent you from fishing for more than a month. I insist the pay exceed what you may have earned on a good catch.”

“Very well,” but the Captain didn’t look convinced. “Have them at the docks around midday tomorrow. My boat is painted white with red trim. The name is Asia. Ask anyone where to find it.”

“Asia?”

“The smallest daughter of the goddess Amanda.”

Quint broke out in a grin that told Anna she’d missed something key to the conversation. She asked, “Why is that significant?”

Quint turned to Captain Braise and said, “See what I mean about her?” Then he looked at Anna, “The good Captain used to command the warship, Amanda, so it is fitting that now he commands a small boat named after her smallest daughter.”

“Asia, I like it,” Anna said, appreciating the connection in the names.

While remembering all that had happened, and talking to Raymer to clarify details, they drew closer to the seaport that had only been seen in the distance from the terrace of the castle. She hadn’t realized the distance to the water was so great, but it was still well before midday when she smelled the strong salt air. Not long after she knew it was a fishing port because the tang of salt air turned to the stench of dead fish.

They followed a small, winding road to the cluster of clapboard houses nestled along the shoreline. Beyond, spread the open bay and docks with fishing boats tied up to them. Overlooking the boats ran a row of ten or twelve eateries, bakeries, taverns, and bars, all with outside service overlooking the boats. All were doing a brisk business for such a small village.

As Anna watched, more boats arrived with their catches. There were buyers bidding, cleaning stations for the catches, nets drying, fishermen scrubbing decks or repairing sails, and a hundred other tasks. The people eating on the wooden decks watched it all as if it was the only entertainment in town.

“We’re early,” Raymer said.

“Can we grab something from the bakery and a drink before finding the boat?” Anna asked.

Raymer cast her an odd look, then said, “Well, I don‘t know. Let me talk to the boss and ask her.”

Anna stiffened and lifted her chin. “I should have said, we will stop and eat.”

“Then, it is my duty to obey,” Raymer snorted, before laughing out loud. He pointed to the bakery, “I’d suggest we go there. I’m a fool for sweets.”

They purchased their food and went to the nearest deck to find an empty table. No sooner had they sat than a young man wearing an apron slipped to their side and asked what they would like to drink. Anna ordered three cups of watered wines, red wine if he had it. A crudely made plate between them held an assortment of bread, rolls, and sweet cakes.

Anna reached for a sweet cake that she saw Raymer eyeing, then relented and allowed him to have it. Thief avoided the sweets, but tentatively reached for a small loaf of heavy bread with slivers of nuts covering the top.

As Anna selected a roll that appeared to have berries baked into it, she heard a familiar voice. Her eyes went past Raymer to a table beyond. There sat James, the traveler/gambler they had avoided on the beginning of the trip.

Raymer caught the change in her posture and asked softly, “What is it?”

She quickly filled him in, but he never once turned to look at James. Instead, he listened and waited. James laughed several times and once called out to somebody on a boat below in his friendly, jolly voice. He drew no more attention than anyone else because there was a considerable amount of shouting, yelling, and loud talk. The men working the fishing boats added to the din. She was surprised he was not ‘gambling’ and taking someone’s hard earned money.

Anna turned away and said, “Thief, look at my feet.”

Raymer raised his eyebrows at the order.

“He is standing up,” she said. “I don’t want him to recognize us.”

Only Raymer watched James as he made his way between the tables and to the side of a building where several outhouses were built beside each other. Raymer was already on his feet, following him. Anna watched as Raymer entered the same outhouse, after a slight pause to grab the door solidly and yank it open.

Anna expected to hear the sounds of a fight, see the wall of the outhouse break apart as Raymer threw James into it, or anything else violent. Instead, nothing happened, but she watched and waited.

After only a brief time Raymer opened the door again and casually walked out as if nothing had happened. He took the time to tuck in his shirttail and look out over the boats bobbing at the docks. James remained inside as Raymer returned and took his seat. He said, “You have good instincts, Anna. But in this case, you were wrong.”

“In what way?”

He kept his voice normal, but spoke a cryptic message only to her in case nearby ears listened from other tables. “James thought you might be part of his family, from another branch. He was right.”

“Huh?”

Raymer moved closer and spoke softer. “I saw his back.”

“What?” Anna said, still not understanding. Then she did. “Oh, now I see. I feel so stupid.”

“He was trying to watch over you, in case you were related, but that just made it seem like he was following you. Which he was.”

“Which family?” she asked.

“Glenn Oaks. Ever hear of it?”

“No.”

“Me neither, but I assure you he is who he says.”

“Why is he here?” she asked.

Raymer said, “His family sent him. He is planning on booking passage to a land across the sea.”

Anna found that taking another bite of a muffin made it stick in her throat. She couldn’t swallow. Even the wine didn’t help.

And then she started to really understand. The part of her family living at Glenn Oaks, wherever that might be, was also sending out someone to gather more information of Breslau. After all, they’d heard from the messengers who went there. It only made sense. There were probably others from other branches of the Dragon Clan, as well, from other places where the Dragon Clan hid that she didn’t know of. They all wanted the same thing.

When James returned to the tables, she expected him to pause and talk, but he ignored her as if they’d never met. If anyone was watching either of them, they wouldn’t be connected. Yes, James was smart.

Thief said, “There.”

He was pointing to a white boat tied near the end of a dock. It was trimmed in red, and another boat had just pulled away so Thief could see the name printed in red on the stern. Asia. Anna said, “Can you read?”

“Some letters. I know A, and white with red paint.”

Raymer said, “A new record for his length of speech. Thief, have I mentioned how much fun it is going to be travelling with you?”

“No.”

“Well, it is. I love to hear myself talking more than anyone else. I’ll get to talk all I want, and I’m sure both of you will have a most pleasant trip.” Raymer sat back and waited for their responses.

Thief said, “No, I will talk more.”

Anna and Raymer burst into laughter, drawing a little attention as they stood and gathered their backpacks. They made their way to the Asia, a standard fishing boat with a small cabin mounted high above the main deck and a large reel on the rear deck holding a fishing net wound around it.

Captain Braise welcomed them on board. A short stairway, or ladder, inside, took them to the bow, where they found a cramped space for sleeping, large enough for three close friends. There were also three pairs of trousers sewn from sailcloth, and three pullover shirts, the same as almost all fishermen wore. They worked barefoot.

The Captain said, “Stow your personals under the vee-bunk and change clothes. I usually have two crew, but three is not unheard of. I’ll teach you what you need to know later.”

While changing, the motion of the boat changed. It bobbed and twisted in the water, and then it leaned and all sense of bobbing changed to a slight fore and aft movement, with a little back and forth. Climbing the ladder, Anna found the docks already far behind.

“Where to?” Captain Braise asked her.

“South. Fleming, Shrewsbury, and then Racine. We may stop at any or none.” She kept her voice steady despite her excitement.

Captain Braise said, “Yes ma'am, right down the coast. Any need for you to see it?”

“What difference does that make?”

“We’ll be sailing in water unfamiliar. Closer to shore means more reefs, rocks, and shallows to rip our belly out. Deeper water far away from land is always safer.”

“I like safer.”

“Can you swim?” he asked.

“Why?”

“Got no business out here if you can’t.”

She said, “I can. I know Raymer can, too. Let me check with Thief.”

She ducked her head back into the sleeping cabin and found out he could, but before she could tell the Captain, Raymer said, “You didn’t ask me. What if I drown?”

“You can swim. I know the story of you and Quint floating down that river after you escaped the dungeon at the Summer Palace.”

“Right you are,” he said. “You know it’s still hard to think of you as an adult, right?”

“Then I’m doing my job,” she snapped, climbing back to the tiny wheelhouse. “We can all swim.”

“Good. Now I have a job for you.”

“Name it. I might need teaching, but I learn fast,” she said.

“I want you to go back to the stern and watch that boat behind us. Fishing boats tend to leave before sunup and return midday with their catch to sell. That one back there left right after us. When I was headed south, close to shore it stayed behind. When I turned east to deeper water, it did too.”