The chill in the air woke me well before dawn. Anna had managed to snuggle next to me, stealing any warmth I might have. In the dark, I found my wadded up, damp shirt. It helped a little when I put it on, but the night was getting colder.
By morning, we all huddled together, teeth chattering, and the two younger ones whimpered and complained. We had no fire-starters, few weapons, and no blankets. Kondor was a place of contrasts. During the day hats and long sleeves protected against the sun. At night heavy blankets and warm fires were needed.
I said, “Tomorrow we will buy the clothing we need.”
“With what?” Kendra asked. “You had the gold and silver when you were captured. Do you still have it?”
“And where will you spend your imaginary money?” Flier added.
I patted my waist where the small purse containing both gold and silver should be and knew the Slave-Master had bested me again. I almost laughed. While I had gambled a few small coins for my freedom, he had already taken my entire purse when I was captured. In effect, I’d been playing against him with my own money—and then forfeited it to him at the end of the game of blocks. He was probably smiling at this moment.
I did too.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Princess Elizabeth
As a princess of Dire, when looking back at my life, I felt I’d been a failure so far. With four siblings ahead of me to wear the crown, I hoped that day would never arrive, and the chances it ever did were miniscule. The birth of each niece or nephew, the chances moved me down the royal succession list. I’d spent my life, short as it was, carrying messages, planning balls and determining who would be invited, tracking down rumors in the castle, learning to walk properly, eat, sit a horse, and speak to those of my class. All duties and chores of a princess, and all as important as an evaporating fog on a spring morning.
For the first time, my father, the king, had given me a task worthy of a royal. I was to travel to Dagger, the capital of the Kondor Kingdom, and meet with their king. If he were not ruling Dagger, I’d meet with his successor or Royal Regent. If Kondor had no king, I would seek out the ruling body and present myself as the official representative of Dire with the offer of a treaty that would benefit both kingdoms.
All that was worthy of my talents and skills, and there was more. I would also spy on the mages and return with information that might mean the continued existence of Dire. Yet, I couldn’t even sail past a storm to attempt to meet my objectives. To this point, I was a failure as a royal emissary.
That would change.
The information about the Blue Lady the visitor to my cabin refused to leave my mind. It also made me more determined to defeat the mages who prevented the Gallant from sailing south to Vin and Dagger. The small portholes in my cabin were open to allow a modicum of fresh air inside, and a few small steps carried me to the nearest. I looked down at the water racing past the hull.
The captain had ordered all sails set. A bos’n kept men aloft to adjust them, so we sailed at maximum speed. I couldn’t imagine cargo ships with mages keeping up with us. We would reach the extent of their artificial storm and turn south. It was a good plan.
Then, as if a branch in a tree over my head broke and stuck me, a revelation came. The Gallant was built for speed, but the cargo ships carrying the mages could easily keep up with us—if the mages used their magic to speed their ships along. They could increase the wind, make the hulls slide more easily through the water, or a dozen other things to give them an advantage.
My fist clenched. I wanted to strike something, break or hurt it. Even princesses cry when frustrated or defeated. After a good cry, I wiped my eyes and went in search of Will. He would know what to do.
The wind was brisk outside, first slamming the door closed behind me, then it blew my hair into my face so that I couldn’t see. I reached up and took most of it in my fist and held it away. There were few passengers outside in the bright sunshine. The damn storm still sat off to our right, a dark line of clouds broken only by flashes of lightning. Looking at the sea in front of it, I imagined the white waves curling and breaking, turning back any ship that attempted to pass.
The mages wanted to prevent all interaction with the kingdoms up north while they secured leadership of Kondor, the kingdom that separated the upper kingdoms from the lower. An accident of geography, it controlled both the Brownlands and the narrow sea that was the chokepoint that prevented the Gallant from using the great width of the sea to sail around.
Worse, it prevented me from accomplishing the tasks that my king and the people of Dire needed. A slow form of anger grew inside while my eyes searched for Will. Instead of him, I found the purser rushing in my direction.
“The captain sends me. May I have a word, Princess?”
“You may.”
“It appears we cannot outrun the storm. He suggests we again return to Trager and any who wish to continue to Kondor seek other transportation while the Gallant returns to Dire. A number of passengers have made the request.”
My instinct was to object. My intelligence told me differently. Defying the mages by trying to sail past the storm was silly at this point. A land journey, while difficult and it would take far longer, was an option. Returning to Dire without meeting with those officials in Kondor was not.
I gave him a curt nod.
He spun and rushed off. Will appeared at my side, as always, standing almost out of sight at the corner of the upper deck. He didn’t speak or look my way. If I wanted, he was there to serve. I motioned and called, “Come closer.”
He did, keeping his gaze at the boiling clouds, still in pretense we didn’t know each other.
I said, “The Gallant cannot sail to Dagger.”
“We don’t seem to be outrunning it,” he agreed.
“I believe the mages are making the wind increase to sail their ships as fast as this one.”
His head spun to look directly at me. The surprise on his face was easy to see. He turned away again, probably thinking about my revelation and what the possibilities were. Obviously, he had not thought of it himself, but in fairness, few, if any on the ship had.
After giving him time to digest it all, I continued, “We will return to Trager. Hopefully, the damage to the city from that dragon and the fires are contained, as well as the population. Once there, you will go ashore and find the means for a trip overland. Do not hesitate because of my position. I will sit a horse, walk, ride a wagon, or whatever.”
“Your delegation?”
“Most are not adept to perform the task. They are competent in their own rights, but plan for you, me, and two of my guards. That list may change. Consider the quickest route, plan to hire the best guide, and you may wish to hire fighters willing to rent their swords.”
He turned to face me again. “May I have the rest of the day to think and plan? We can meet here again in the morning, and you can decide if my plans meet your needs.”
“Of course,” I told him and watched him move easily away and into a doorway I hadn’t noticed. I made a full turn and found only a single sailor watching me from aloft. He gave a cheery wave at being caught, but there seemed nothing nefarious in his actions. How often do common sailors have the opportunity to watch a young princess? I returned his wave before going in search of my staff.