hooting sound, like an owl, with cupped hands. A similar sound answered back and a few moments later a dark shadow emerged. Another man.
‘We must follow him, Sarel. You must trust me now and do exactly as I say.’
They approached the man.
‘Who is he?’ Sarel whispered.
‘No friend, that’s for sure, but he can be trusted so long as I still owe him a purse.’
‘Are we safe?’
‘As we can be, hush now,’ Hela cautioned. They arrived before him.
‘I am Hela,’ she said.
He did not so much as flinch. ‘The money?’ His voice was gravelly. Sarel could read no expression on his face.
‘Half now, as agreed,’ Hela said firmly, digging into her pocket and producing a purse which she held out. The man took it.
‘Follow,’ he said, and led them down the side of a hill, not caring if they stumbled. He knew the terrain well and strode ahead, the women trailing at a tentative pace.
‘It would be easier without the veils,’ Sarel said, hating to state the obvious.
‘Until I feel it’s safe, I can’t reveal you.’ She was surprised to hear Sarel laugh.
‘Hela. The Cipreans hardly know who I am anyway. My last trip to the capital was two years ago when I was a child, and you saw to it that no one witnessed my arrival this time.’
‘All true. But I am taking precautions,’ Hela said in a tone which forbade further discussion.
The man of no name or conversation led them to a horse and cart and with no further ceremony, not even a helping hand to climb aboard, he wordlessly took the Queen of Cipres and her brave maidservant to the docks, carefully avoiding the city’s centre. If he knew of the wild scenes unfolding therein, he did not share his knowledge. Hela was just glad to know the palace was far enough away that their most dangerous moments had passed. Now it was simply a matter of putting as much distance between Cipres and themselves as possible. She hoped Sarel had a strong constitution—a voyage during this season was destined to be rough.
‘Wait,’ the man said, leaving them standing on a deserted wharf. Nearby a small galleon creaked as it rocked gently at its moorings. They could see the ship’s name, The Raven , painted in gold on her side.
‘Time to dispense with the veils now, Sarel. Soon we must become women of Tallinor.’ She watched the Queen dutifully obey as she did the same, then bundled up the black veils and pushed them behind some crates.
‘There now,’ she said, brightly, wondering yet again where and towards what she was taking this precious young woman.
The man had returned. ‘Follow.’
They stepped cautiously behind him up the steep gangplank, trying to steady one another. A few men stared at them as they arrived and Hela was pleased to see Sarel hold her head high, her expression blank. Her haughtiness was gone; a Queen fleeing her own city had nothing to be arrogant about. They needed these men to help them now and attitude was all important. Hela chanced a brief smile towards one of them but he looked away immediately. Pirates…they knew how to keep secrets, not make relationships with anyone unnecessary to their needs. Good, this suited the pair. They would travel in the obscurity she desired.
The man knocked on a door, opened it and gestured for them to go in. He did not join them. Hela nodded at Sarel and they stepped inside. What they saw surprised them. Whatever both had anticipated for a pirate captain’s chambers, this was not it. A man stepped out from behind a satin screen, water dripping from his beard. Sarel recoiled slightly at the sight of his destroyed eye.
‘Ah, do forgive me ladies.’ He pulled a patch down over the offending wound but stepped no closer. ‘I was just neatening myself for your arrival.’ He smiled and warmth immediately flooded a battle-scarred face.
Now he did take a few steps towards them. ‘Allow me to welcome you aboard The Raven . I am her captain and your host, Janus Quist.’ He bowed carefully.
‘You
‘We must follow him, Sarel. You must trust me now and do exactly as I say.’
They approached the man.
‘Who is he?’ Sarel whispered.
‘No friend, that’s for sure, but he can be trusted so long as I still owe him a purse.’
‘Are we safe?’
‘As we can be, hush now,’ Hela cautioned. They arrived before him.
‘I am Hela,’ she said.
He did not so much as flinch. ‘The money?’ His voice was gravelly. Sarel could read no expression on his face.
‘Half now, as agreed,’ Hela said firmly, digging into her pocket and producing a purse which she held out. The man took it.
‘Follow,’ he said, and led them down the side of a hill, not caring if they stumbled. He knew the terrain well and strode ahead, the women trailing at a tentative pace.
‘It would be easier without the veils,’ Sarel said, hating to state the obvious.
‘Until I feel it’s safe, I can’t reveal you.’ She was surprised to hear Sarel laugh.
‘Hela. The Cipreans hardly know who I am anyway. My last trip to the capital was two years ago when I was a child, and you saw to it that no one witnessed my arrival this time.’
‘All true. But I am taking precautions,’ Hela said in a tone which forbade further discussion.
The man of no name or conversation led them to a horse and cart and with no further ceremony, not even a helping hand to climb aboard, he wordlessly took the Queen of Cipres and her brave maidservant to the docks, carefully avoiding the city’s centre. If he knew of the wild scenes unfolding therein, he did not share his knowledge. Hela was just glad to know the palace was far enough away that their most dangerous moments had passed. Now it was simply a matter of putting as much distance between Cipres and themselves as possible. She hoped Sarel had a strong constitution—a voyage during this season was destined to be rough.
‘Wait,’ the man said, leaving them standing on a deserted wharf. Nearby a small galleon creaked as it rocked gently at its moorings. They could see the ship’s name, The Raven , painted in gold on her side.
‘Time to dispense with the veils now, Sarel. Soon we must become women of Tallinor.’ She watched the Queen dutifully obey as she did the same, then bundled up the black veils and pushed them behind some crates.
‘There now,’ she said, brightly, wondering yet again where and towards what she was taking this precious young woman.
The man had returned. ‘Follow.’
They stepped cautiously behind him up the steep gangplank, trying to steady one another. A few men stared at them as they arrived and Hela was pleased to see Sarel hold her head high, her expression blank. Her haughtiness was gone; a Queen fleeing her own city had nothing to be arrogant about. They needed these men to help them now and attitude was all important. Hela chanced a brief smile towards one of them but he looked away immediately. Pirates…they knew how to keep secrets, not make relationships with anyone unnecessary to their needs. Good, this suited the pair. They would travel in the obscurity she desired.
The man knocked on a door, opened it and gestured for them to go in. He did not join them. Hela nodded at Sarel and they stepped inside. What they saw surprised them. Whatever both had anticipated for a pirate captain’s chambers, this was not it. A man stepped out from behind a satin screen, water dripping from his beard. Sarel recoiled slightly at the sight of his destroyed eye.
‘Ah, do forgive me ladies.’ He pulled a patch down over the offending wound but stepped no closer. ‘I was just neatening myself for your arrival.’ He smiled and warmth immediately flooded a battle-scarred face.
Now he did take a few steps towards them. ‘Allow me to welcome you aboard The Raven . I am her captain and your host, Janus Quist.’ He bowed carefully.
‘You
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