Chapter 8
1672 Words
CHAPTER EIGHT
His words brought forth memories of my illuminating arrival, and the crystalline waters I had seen so far below me. “Is there a big castle near there? That one castle Father Collins mentioned?”
Ros’ good humor faded as he stared ahead. “Caligo Castle. That’s the home of King Corvinus, leader of the Black Dragons.”
I lifted an eyebrow. “So, are you like him?”
Ros jerked to a stop and spun around so quickly that I started back. His calm eyes were now coals of fury and he ground his teeth together, so his words came out in a hiss. “Never!”
I shrank back from his harsh reply. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean anything by it.”
At my reaction, he closed his eyes and let out a long, deep breath before he shook his head. “No, I’m the one who should be apologizing.” He opened his eyes and sighed. “You’re right to think we might have similarities, but those don’t go beyond the fact that we’re both dragons. We’re not even the same type of dragon.”
I blinked at him. “What type is a Black Dragon?”
He pursed his lips. “The worst kind, but that’s a history too long and complicated to explain out on the streets. Father Collins would be a better teacher about those things, anyway. He’s lived here his whole life.”
“So how do you know his brother?” I wondered as I recalled the conversation near the nave. “You said you were looking for him.”
A slight smile touched his lips. “Brother Collins came to my home city several years ago, and we became fast friends.” A dark shadow settled on his brow as he lifted his eyes in the direction we pointed. “He was here on some business for me when the king’s men accused him of being a spy, so they threw him into prison.”
My eyes widened. “Is he?”
Ros laughed. “As flattered as he would be by the comparison, he was only doing some research for me. He has a better mind for prying into history than the shadowy domain of politics.”
I wrinkled my nose. “But why would the king of this city care what a friend of yours was doing in a bunch of old books?”
Ros coughed into his fist. “Yes, well, that’s another story for another time. Right now, let’s get to the bay and inhale some of that fresh sea air.” He made to continue onward but paused and looked down at me. “Oh, and try not to mention my being a dragon in public.”
I tilted my head to one side. “Why?”
“It draws unwanted attention,” he warned me as he cast his eyes over the area around us. A few people had wandered past but ignored us. “And I don’t think either of us wants the attention of the castle guards.”
I shuddered as I remembered those heavy boots in the hall outside my door. “Agreed.”
We ventured deeper into the maze of humanity, but everywhere we went I was careful to avoid touching any of the people. Ros helped by putting himself between me and the other pedestrians. Their numbers began to grow, and I had a taste of the variety the city offered. Most women wore dresses, but what a myriad of fashion! Hooped skirts, bustles out the back, and even the tight fit of a baroque-like style were the favored attire, but others wore simpler dresses that matched in tune with the material I wore.
Men had their top hats and buttoned vests with overlaid coats, though many copied their womenfolk in a simple fashion. They moved to and fro from a parked cart to a storefront with bags and barrels over their stout shoulders. Shouts came from windows, children raced along the street chasing each other, and birds sang overhead.
I caught Ros’ eyes and jerked my head in the direction of the idyllic scenes. “This doesn’t seem so bad.”
Ros pursed his lips as he swept his eyes over the streets. “The people are no worse nor better than anywhere else. The conduct of their leaders, however, leaves much to be desired.”
I made sure to lower my voice to a whisper. “Like the ones who ordered your friend arrested?”
He nodded. “Yes, but that’s a topic for another time. We’re nearly at the bay.”
As though to emphasize his point, a soft breeze came from somewhere ahead and blew past us. The tangy smell of seawater tickled my nose, and the wind also brought along the shouts of many men and the cry of the seagull. Ros quickened our steps as the road, lumpy but mostly flat, began to descend at a gentle slope. We crested a slight hill and the street opened to a full view of the port.
The bay sat below us, perfectly calm except for the bustle of boats and the swimming of children. Dozens of docks of all shapes and lengths crowded the shore and stretched out into the waters, and many more boats weighed anchor at the support posts that rose out of the water. Half-dressed men with thick muscles carried their weight in goods out of and into the small away-boats while the main ships parked out in the deeper mouth of the bay.
The view was marred by the castle at the far end of the bay. A narrow, winding road to the far left led out of the cramped city and meandered like a serpent through the waters. The road was elevated some twenty feet above the bay and was less a thoroughfare than a dike made of dirt with a huge foundation of black rocks.
Warehouses along the shore had flung their huge doors wide open to welcome the new goods and send away those gathered from the countryside and beyond. Large wooden ramps led from the docks into the workhouses, and carts and wagons moved in and out at a dizzying speed.
The bustle of commerce was interrupted by the occasional stroller who took in the sights with a mixture of fascination and glee. I was one of them.
My gawking was interrupted by Ros’ arm as it came into my view, and I looked up to find him smiling at me. “Shall we?”
I grinned and accepted his arm. “Let’s.”
We strolled down the gentle incline and into the midst of the controlled chaos. People pushed past us, and I couldn’t help but squeeze against Ros’ side as the scurrying became a bit rowdier when the sides of two carts moving in opposite directions crashed together. Wood splintered, and one of the crates crashed to the ground. The contents spilled out and revealed themselves to be some sort of strange banana. The shape was right, though one tip had a small ball on the end, but they were a brilliant hue of red.
The man who had been hauling the unusual bananas scowled at his adversary as he stabbed a finger at the downed fruit. “Pick those up!”
The other fellow sneered. “Why should I? You’re the one who ran into me!”
“Cuff off with your lies and pick them up!”
“Shut your mouth and start fixing my cart!”
The other man threw a punch, and the argument broke into a brawl that quickly escalated into a riot as people joined in on one side of the battle or the other. The whole port came alive as people rushed to join in or watch the spectacle.
I kept my gloved hands tucked tightly under my armpits as I was jostled about by the crowd. Ros looped his arm around my waist and drew me tight against his side. I looked up to find him grinning down at me. “Having fun yet?”
A hefty, sweat-covered man leaned against me and lifted his hairy arms to cheer on the spectacle. “Tons.”
Shouts came from the rear and the sound of heavy boots on the sidewalk boards interrupted the tussle. Men wearing the breastplate like the one I’d seen on the bird man pushed their way through the crowd and stepped into the arena. They each bore a spear in their hands, and at their hips was a long sword and a dagger.
One of the men stood a half head taller than the others and had a chest broader than the side of a galleon. “Break it up!”
His booming voice cut through the noise and the people scrambled apart. Many were bruised and muddied, and some had pieces of the red fruit on their faces.
The leader of the guards strode over to the broken carts and kicked at what remained of one of the produce. “What happened here?”
One of the cart drivers, the one in charge of the fruit, pointed at the other. “He hit me!”
The other man scowled back at him. “I did not! You hit me!”
Their squabbling would have continued, but the guard slammed the end of his spear against the boards beneath his feet. The wood shattered into splinters and quelled the burly dock workers. “Enough!” He stabbed the tip of his spear at the mess. “Clean this up and have the remaining fruit delivered to the castle immediately! Both of you!”
The men bowed their heads and backed up until they crashed into the remains of their own carts. “Yes, sir! Right away!”
Ros leaned close to me and lowered his voice to a whisper. “We should get out of here.”
I nodded. The faster the better.
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