Tangled webs - Elaine Cunningham [144]
"Wulhof of Ruathym," he said shortly. "My ship put in to home port this morn, after a trip to Caer Callidyrr. Word on the island of Alaron is that a fleet ofWaterdhavian ships is headed to the northern Moonshaes. Someone tipped 'em off with news that the Captains' Alliance plans to sweep the smaller islands with a big raid come the new moon. And if that was about to happen," he said with a significant glance at Aumark, "we would know about it."
"What Wulhof says is true," agreed the First Axe. "Ruathym and Luskan have an alliance by that name, but we have made no such plans." Aumark's blue eyes narrowed and turned cold as they studied Caladorn. "Perhaps this is a ruse by your city, an excuse to attack our merchant ships!"
"Did it not occur to you that the ships now guarding the Moonshaes must have been taken from their normal routes? These are the ships that patrol the northern seas!" Caladorn persisted.
Wulhof let out a bark of humorless laughter. "Don't i know it! A pair of ships flying Waterdeep's colors chased us halfway to the Whalebones/ And us not taking so much as a bolt of linen or a keg of honey by piracy!"
"Not this time, leastwise," offered a broadly grinning Northman.
A burst of raucous laughter greeted this jest. When the mirth had faded, Liriel spoke again. "Try to follow what this man is saying: if there is no raid, then why have the eyes of the great sea powers been fixed on the Moonshaes' outlying islands? isn't it possible the rumors of impending raids are no more than a diversion?"
"i say there is a raid," offered ibn, taking the pipe from his mouth and fixing a venomous glare upon the drow. "it'd be just like Luskan to have a party and not invite us."
The assembled Ruathen responded with mutters of agreement.
"That is not hard to believe," Aumark said with a tight smile. "But if it is so, what are we to do?"
"What good Northman waits for an invite?" roared Wulhof. "i say we set sail for the Moonshaes' Korinn islands straightaway and join the Luskan raiders. And let our danmed 'partners' worry ifthere's plunder enough left over to make up their share!"
"it could mean battle with Waterdeep," the First Axe pointed out, hoping to deter the rising tide of battle-iust. "Or, more likely, it could mean war with Luskan," Liriel said, brandishing the ring of the High Captain of Luskanthe ring taken from the hand of the man who had commanded the attack on the Elfmaid.
But her warning was lost in the excited roar that followed Aumark's words. The Northmen, who had been denied the glory of combat for too long, hurried off to hone the edges of their swords and axes in preparation for the coming raid-and the possibility of a coming war.
"Stupid, stubborn… men!" sputtered Liriel as she paced the floor of Fyodor's room. "idiots who think only with their swords-long or short! Even drow males are capable of better. At least they have the sense to watch their backs for the hidden blade. These orc-brained imbeciles are preparing to rush out to sea, leaving their homeland undefended, when it should be plain as moonlight that they are the target of a conspiracy! And rather than listen to someone who understands such things-who was weaned on treachery and intrigue-they pay heed to battlerandy sailors. It's beyond belief!"
Fyodor, seated on his narrow cot in Ruathym's warrior barracks, observed the angry drow with an expression of resignation and waited for the storm to pass. Yet he could not deny that there was much wisdom hidden among the ranting words.
"You are sure of this ring? And the sea elf who gave it to you?"
Liriel lifted her pendant of Lloth. "With this i have looked into his mind. Xzorsh is like you-he speaks only truth. I don't think the noble-minded idiot knows how to lie, and he's as ridiculously slow as these Northmen to accept the possibility that one of his own might somehow have gotten the knack of it!"
Her exasperated declaration brought several questions to Fyodor's mind,