Maquesta Kar-Thon

Chapter 9

"For as long as I can remember, I have been fashioning boats from leaves, small pieces of wood and now, of course, solid lumber," Koraf told Maquesta. His resonant voice was soft, perhaps so no one else would overhear him.

"Because of that, when I was still very young, my family secured an apprenticeship for me with Efroth, the best shipbuilder in Nethosak. I do not come from a noble or well-connected family, so it was a very good apprenticeship, one of which I was very proud. Efroth had a thriving business, and four of us started with him at the same time-me, Diro, Thuu, and Phao. We studied and worked under him for many years, learning not only shipbuilding and design, but sailing as well. He taught us about the currents, weather patterns, how to spot an approaching storm by looking at the clouds and feeling the air upon our skin.

"I am not a braggart, and I have never considered myself arrogant, but I was his best student. The others recognized it and turned to me for help at times, all of them except for Diro. He was jealous, and he did nothing to hide his feelings. He began to try to shame me in front of Efroth by doing things that made my work look inferior, when my work clearly was not. Still, I knew I was good, and so did Efroth, so Diro's attempts to shame me did nothing except shame him.

"For a dozen years I learned and worked, worked and learned. That is not such a long time, Maquesta. You spent more than that many years at your father's side learning. It was a happy time in my life, and perhaps I was the happiest I have ever been when I was working with him. I owed him a great deal.

"Finally, it came time for us apprentices to set off on our own, and for Efroth to take in a new group. The next group would be his last, he claimed, for he was getting old and wanted time to himself. We each had to pass a final test in order to be certified as qualified shipbuilders. The test was to design and construct a sailing vessel, then sail it alone through a special course Efroth had set up off the coast. He would accompany each of us so he could observe and grade us.

"I put a lot of time into my small sailing ship, for I intended to sell it after the course and give the money to my family-my thanks to them for setting up the apprenticeship. Then I had plans to travel from port to port, building ships for cities and the nobility, grand designs the like of which the Blood Seas had never seen.

"I should have suspected, but I did not for I was foolishly naive then, that Diro would attempt to thwart me in this final competition. The night before the test, he entered the shipyard where our vessels were stored and weakened my ship's hull.

"The next morning, we gathered at the shipyard dock next to our vessels. One by one, Efroth sailed out with us, taking each of us through the course, judging the performance of the ship, how it was rigged, and measuring the skill of its captain. My turn was last. I'd like to think he took me last to ensure that none of the others felt inadequate.

"Diro had done well. He had honestly tried hard on his own merits, and I was pleased for him. But when my turn came I knew that I would do better.

"Everything began favorably. The winds were gusty, but I trimmed my sails correctly, and my ship was crafted to take the best advantage of the wind. Then, when we were about a mile offshore, I noticed water entering the ship. Before my eyes, the leak turned into a geyser and then, with a terrible noise, my ship split in two. I grabbed a piece of the wreckage and survived. Efroth was not so lucky. He was already old when we started with him as apprentices. And when the ship split, the mast fell and struck him on the head. He sank to the bottom and drowned before I could reach him.

"No one blamed me directly for his death. They just shook their heads at my unwarranted confidence in my skills. Even my parents seemed ashamed. I was in shock. I didn't know how I could have been so wrong about my abilities.

"That night I wandered around the waterfront, not knowing what I was doing. At one point, I entered an inn to ask for a drink of water. As I waited, I saw that a little ways down the bar stood Diro, Thuu, and Phao. I could tell by his loud talk that Diro, who had his back to me, was very drunk. Joining them was the last thing I wanted to do, but I couldn't help overhearing what Diro was talking about. He was bragging about his cleverness and was showing the others a small pry bar he had used to weaken my ship's hull.

"Phao and Thuu, seeing me, tried to silence him, but could not. I succeeded in silencing him forever. Gripped by a white-hot fury, I walked over and strangled him. I made no attempt to escape. I was immediately arrested and sentenced to fight in the circus until I died."

Maquesta looked up into his tear-filled eyes. "But surely what Diro had done to you, and the fact that he caused Efroth's death, should have changed your sentence?" Maq asked.

"Our law absolutely forbids one minotaur killing another outside the circus-which are our organized combat games. Diro was already dead. He could not be sentenced."

"Then what were you doing at Attat's?" Maq probed.

"Sometimes, fighters in the circus are assigned 'keepers/ minotaurs responsible for maintaining us between bouts. In return, they receive a portion of every wager placed on our events. Attat is my keeper. I have been with the circus four years. I am undefeated, and as such, he draws good coin from my appearances."

"If Attat is your keeper, then why don't you just leave after helping us capture the morkoth? I'll tell Attat you escaped during the night, Kof. I'll drop you off in another port. You don't have to go back to him," Maq urged. "He's despicable."

Koraf sadly shook his head. "Two minotaurs are dead because of my actions-or my failure to take action. It is the law. And I honor the law. Also, allowing me to leave would be reason enough for Attat to throw you back into his dungeon. He is not someone to be trifled with."

Thinking of what Attat had done to her father, Maq could only agree. She nodded and gripped the king's spoke tighter.