Theros Ironfield

Chapter 29

“She’s not pretty, but she’ll do.” Theros said.

“Aye, that she will,” said Koromer, regarding their work with pride.

They looked out over the pier at the last of the evacuation ships. Her elven name was Spiriniltan’thimis. Koromer, who had difficulty with the language, did not even try to pronounce it. He just called it “Spirit.”

Theros stood with the shipwright and their two ever-present elf bodyguards. They had spent the last eleven months producing the ships for the evacuation of Qualinesti. This one would join her sisters, now sailing the run between Quivernost, on the shores of the Qualinesti Nation, and Qualimori, on the southern end of Southern Ergoth. A crew of elves were busy aloft, finishing the rigging of the ship.

“She’ll make her first run in three days. She’s a fine ship. But I’ve got to admit you’re right, Theros. She sure isn’t pretty.” Koromer had designed the ship to be long and flat, with only two main sail masts, the same as the three previous ships. “But she’ll do the job.”

The run to Qualimori took only three days across open ocean. The ship was not designed to stay at sea for months or even weeks. This design permitted the maximum load capacity. She could carry eight hundred elves, with minimal provisions, or five hundred with a full cargo load.

Hirinthas could not share in the compliments. The squat, rolling vessel obviously offended his sensibilities. He said something to his fellow elf in their native tongue. Theros understood, although he pretended he didn’t. He’d managed to pick up quite a bit of the elven language during his stay among them, but he was careful not to flaunt his knowledge. He couldn’t ever learn to pronounce the words the way the elves did, and they always winced when they heard him butcher their beautiful language.

“Like the others, it is obviously a human-designed ship,” Hirinthas said.

Had this been an elven ship, it would have been as sleek as a flying fish and just as useless. This was one of the reasons, Theros guessed, that Gilthanas had hired humans to build the ships. They did not have time to manufacture beautiful ships-just functional ships.

Theros had set up his forge in a building near the pier. He made all of the nails, pulleys, chains and metal braces. Koromer specified each piece with a diagram, and the two discussed the size and feel and weight of the piece. Theros then built one for testing. Once Koromer approved, Theros began to produce them in the quantities needed.

Eventually, they had built a fleet of four ships. Gilthanas calculated that it would take four of these ships, each running day and night, to evacuate the main population of the Qualinesti Nation in time. Already, fifteen thousand elves had made the crossing to Qualimori. They had started as soon as the first ship was operational and kept going. Now, with three ships in operation, they were ferrying over two thousand elves across every week. With this fourth ship, they could take nearly three thousand.

The first ship had been the hardest to build. They worked from a preliminary design that Koromer had developed. Changes were made daily to the working design as they found problems or ideas that just didn’t work. Theros and Koromer almost came to blows over a rudder fitting that Koromer had Theros build, then rebuild, then build again, all because of changes in design. The final version worked, and they settled their differences. Now, after four successful launches, they counted on each other as friends.

And one morning, Theros woke up and realized that, for the first time in his life, he was happy. After years of living in a stinking, crowded city, he enjoyed being back near the sea again, hearing the endless song of the waves and the cries of the birds, breathing in the clean, fresh sea air. He worked hard during the day and spent his nights eating and drinking and talking with Koromer.

Now, seeing the final ship nearly launched, Theros went aboard to inspect her. He found her to be seaworthy and left the finishing of the work and the cleaning up to the elven crew. He turned his thoughts and steps toward a well-earned dinner. The sun had already started to set by the time he arrived at the meeting hall.

A cheer went up as Theros entered. Koromer was already seated at a table, holding a large mug. Theros smiled, bowed to the crowd of elves, and headed straight for Koromer.

“Hey! Where did you get that?” Theros demanded, staring into Koromer’s mug. If his eyes didn’t deceive him, Koromer was drinking ale! It had been many months since Theros had tasted ale.

Koromer pointed to a small keg sitting on the floor beside him. He took a spare mug from the table and filled it with dark, foaming ale. Theros’s mouth began to water.

“Gilthanas brought us a present! He says it’s from a place in Solace known as the Inn of the Last Home. Here, try it. It’s beyond compare!”

Theros lifted the mug and drained it in a swallow. The ale was woodsy and bitter and cut through the salt tang that always seemed to be in his mouth. He had never in his life tasted anything so delicious. Putting down the mug, he wiped his eyes, unable to speak for a short time.

Koromer, laughing, filled the mug again.

“This is really good. Did you say Gilthanas is here?”

“Yes, he’s over in the corner, talking to Hirinthas,” Koromer said.

“I’m going to talk to him. Want to come?”

Koromer shook his head emphatically. “I’m not leaving this keg until it’s empty!”

Theros laughed. Taking his foaming mug, he headed over to the corner Koromer had indicated.

Gilthanas actually did him the honor of rising to greet him. “Theros Ironfeld. It is good to see you. We owe you much, not only for your work, but for your loyalty and your patience. I know that living among our people cannot have been easy for you.”

He spoke in Qualinesti elven, obviously expecting that Theros would understand him. Theros glanced at Hirinthas. The elf was more observant than Theros had realized.

Theros made a suitable reply, also in Qualinesti, doing his best to pronounce the slippery words. As he did, he studied Gilthanas. The elf looked much thinner than when Theros had seen him last. He was haggard, gaunt and seemed tired to the point of exhaustion. Still, he held himself straight, demonstrating his royal lineage.

“Thank you,” said Theros. “It was good to work on a project that will truly benefit people. The Spiriniltan’thimis”-he stumbled over the name-“is the best of the four ships. We were able to trim the sails differently on this one so that it is more efficient in the water. She’ll do several knots faster than the others. So, tell me about the war against this Verminaard.”

Gilthanas was grim. “I cannot say it is going well. Still, we fight on. Verminaard has pushed into the southern portion of the forest, and we cannot rout him. It has been nearly a month since we were able to mount a raid on Pax Tharkas. I don’t think we can afford the manpower to do that again. He is growing stronger and we are growing weaker. Still, the evacuation is ahead of schedule, thanks to you and Koromer. The Nation of Qualinesti and I owe you a great debt.”

Theros smiled. “I did what needed doing. I’m just glad it’s working out.”

Gilthanas nodded. “Your work here is finished, Theros Ironfeld. Now that the fourth ship is ready for sailing, I am here to fulfill my promises to you. In the morning, I will give you your well-earned steel, plus a little extra-a gift from my father, the Speaker of the Suns, to show our thanks for staying until all four ships were completed. You did not have to do that. Hirinthas and Vermala will escort you to Solace, assuming that is where you still want to go.”

Theros drank from his mug. “Truth be told, I haven’t really thought about where I’ll go next. I’ve been too busy getting these ships ready to sail. I don’t have any plans.”

It was on the tip of his tongue to offer to stay here, but he abandoned that. The elves were grateful for his services, they liked him well enough and probably trusted him by now. But they didn’t want him living among them. They didn’t want any humans living among them.

“Sure,” he said offhandedly, “I think I would like to set up shop in Solace. I hear it’s a good place to do business. People from all over go through there. I can make a fine business in weapons and armor. And if there’s an inn there that sells ale like this-well, I think I might spend the rest of my life there!”

He returned to Koromer and they held their own private party, which lasted well into the evening. He went back to his quarters late, long after Solinari had set.

Two hours after sunrise, however, he was in his smithy. Hirinthas and Vermala came searching for him.

“We didn’t expect to find you here,” Vermala said. “You’re all packed, I see. Are you ready to go?”

Theros nodded. It was hard leaving this place. He had truly enjoyed working here. “Is Koromer coming with us? Has he decided yet?”

“He has accepted our offer to stay on for a while, to conduct repairs, if any are necessary. And he has agreed to come with us to Qualimori when we go.” Hirinthas paused, then said, “We would like to issue you an invitation to visit us in Qualimori, Theros Ironfeld. Or perhaps live with us, if you do not find Solace to your liking.”

Theros stared in astonishment. He had never expected anything like this. He was pleased beyond his ability to express his feelings-in either Common or Qualinesti.

Hirinthas smiled. “Gilthanas wanted to meet with you before we left. He will be here shortly.”

Theros didn’t have to wait long, before Gilthanas entered the smithy. He carried a small velvet bag hand-embroidered in golden thread. Gilthanas handed the bag to Theros.

“Add this to the other treasures on your belt.”

Theros took the bag, spent a moment admiring the delicate workmanship.

“My sister did the embroidery,” Gilthanas said proudly.

“That makes it all the more valuable,” Theros said. “I would like a chance to meet your sister someday.”

Gilthanas said something meaningless and polite. Obviously, such a thing would never happen-a smith being introduced to an elf princess!

Theros looked inside the bag. Four diamonds caught the sunlight, sparkled with dazzling radiance. Each gem was the size of a walnut. Theros looked up in amazement. The gems were easily worth ten times what he was owed.

“I can’t take this. You could give me just one and still overpay me.” He started to return the gift.

Gilthanas stopped him. “You have ensured that the Qualinesti Nation will live. These four jewels are the least that we owe you. We can never repay our true debt.”

Theros added the pouch to the other three pouches in which he kept all of his treasures. He carried nearly five thousand steel worth of gems and coins, not counting the diamonds.

Gilthanas then did something remarkable. Reaching out, he grasped Theros by the hand. Not only did he shake hands warmly, but he also retained Theros’s large hand in his small one, pressed it tightly.

“Listen, my friend, you will be in great danger-even in Solace-if anyone finds out that you were aiding us here in the Qualinesti Nation. Be careful. Speak no word to any man. Trust no one. Hirinthas and Vermala will guide you safely to the northern corner of the forest. From there, you will be on your own, just as any other traveler. I wish you the best of luck.”

Gilthanas shook the big man’s hand again.

For a moment, Theros couldn’t speak. The elf had called him “friend.”

“On to Solace, then,” Theros said, when he found his voice.