DragonKnight - Donita K. Paul [71]
“Ahoy!” The call came from the crow’s nest. “Dragon, due east.”
“No cause for alarm.” Bardon raised his voice for all to hear. “He is Greer, a friend.”
Yes, I know where we shall go ashore. Annonshan…You aren’t surprised? Why would I think you would be? You are always two steps ahead of me…And just how did you know about Granny Kye’s acquisition of all these children?
Bardon gasped and scanned the waters. A sea serpent? Since when are you friendly with sea serpents?…No! I’m not implying that your distant relatives are an inferior breed…Could you, for once, answer a question without all this falderal?…Of course, there was a question!… Bardon chuckled. No, I guess I don’t remember it either. But yes, we are going to Annonshan, and from there we go to Dormenae. Sir Dar will have a solution to our sudden overpopulation in the questing party…Yes, I also wish to acquire dragons for the rest of our journey. I am tired of the clumsy conveyances on the ground.
He grinned. I concede, you bothersome beast. I am all kinds of a fool for leaving you behind. You are a far superior mode of transportation.
You have a message for Sir Dar and Paladin as well?…From the sea serpent?…What were you doing talking to this overgrown snake? I thought you couldn’t abide snakes of any kind…Sea serpents are one of the reasons you find snakes disgusting? How is that?…Unsavory relatives are a part of life, Greer. Most people do have branches of their family who are less palatable than others…Hmm? I’ve never thought of it that way, but I suppose being abandoned at The Hall does have the advantage of having no distasteful relatives.
Getting back to the subject, Greer, I also suppose this message from the exceptionally well-mannered sea serpent is about the quiss…Yes, Greer, I figured that out all by myself. I do have a head on my shoulders and occasionally use it… My head had nothing to do with acquiring a herd of children! Granny Kye collected the children…I am in charge of the expedition, Greer. I have a perfectly good plan for getting rid of the children…No! Your eating them would not solve the problem, and you don’t eat children. Although I might tell them you do, if they get out of hand…Ha! You haven’t got a reputation to spoil.
24
DANGER FROM THE DEEP
Clouds rolled in from the open sea, the wind picked up, and the Tobit Grander rocked between billowing waves. The inclement weather added a day to their journey, having pushed them away from the coast. Bardon had experienced rough seas before when sailing with Sir Dar, and the rolling deck beneath his feet did absolutely nothing to his stomach. Granny Kye, N’Rae, and Holt hung over the rail, though, losing their dinners overboard, and then took to their beds.
Bromptotterpindosset stepped in to help. The practical tumanhofer brewed tea and served it to those who lay groaning on their pallets or, in Holt’s case, a bunk. Most of the children hopped, skipped, and jumped around the hold. The swaying of the ship provided more fun. Bromptotterpindosset ordered them to sit, and they acknowledged the man’s sharp tone by scrambling to their own spots to wait for his next command.
Pulling a deck of cards from a huge pocket in his cowled, knee-length jacket, he sat down in the nook that also housed the nanny goat. He pointed to one child and then another until he had a group of youngsters gathered around him. Shuffling the cards with a flourish, he instructed them on the rules of a lively game.
When this group became engrossed in the card playing, he stood and called the others to follow him to the more open area. He charged the older ones to keep the youngest ones out of trouble, and then he produced a dozen balls out of his voluminous coat.
Bardon tilted his head at the tumanhofer. “A mapmaker keeps balls in his pockets?”
“Orbs,” he answered gruffly. “Technically, they’re orbs.”
A green orb