The Coral Kingdom - Douglas Niles [62]
At last the longship touched the wharf, very gently. Ropes made fast her stern and prow, and the crew quickly began loading aboard the crates of food and barrels of drinking water to provision a possibly long voyage.
Hanrald and Brigit carefully crossed the gangplank, each carrying a bundle containing polished armor. The two knights stowed their packages beside the mast.
Some distance down the dock, Alicia saw another northman she recognized-gigantic Wultha, a hulking, well-muscled specimen of a warrior. He stood with several of his crew-mates, and for a moment the princess thought, oddly, that they were fishing. Then the big man waved to his prince and Brandon walked over to them. Alicia saw them talking seriously, saw Brandon's brows suddenly tighten into a scowl.
Concerned, Alicia started toward them, joined by Robyn and Keane. The Prince of Gnarhelm met them halfway, Alicia's disquiet mirrored in his own frown.
"They found the body of one of my men in the harbor," Brand announced grimly.
"Was he hurt? Murdered?" wondered the princess, deeply disturbed by the news.
"I don't know. Something's not right, though."
"Who was it?" inquired Keane.
"A fellow named Roloff. He's a notorious drinker, but he holds it better than anyone I know. It's not likely he'd fall in on his own."
"Was he attacked or injured?" Alicia pressed.
"Not as far as we can tell. At least, his body had no wounds. He appears to have drowned."
" 'Appears?' " Robyn heard the suspicion in the northman's voice. "You're not convinced?"
"No. Roloff was too sensible a sailor-and too good a swimmer-to suffer that fate. And then there's the expression on his face."
"What was it?" Alicia felt a dull sense of menace. This seemed like a bad omen for the start of a dangerous voyage.
"His eyes were wide open and staring, fixed that way when he died-as if something scared the stuffing out of him, and he never recovered even after he fell in the water."
"When was he last seen beforehand?" inquired Keane.
"His best friend, Luge, drank with him last night-apparently quite a bit, since he doesn't remember much past midnight. From the look of him this morning, I'd say Luge's memory won't be of much use to us."
"Does he remember where they were?" pressed the mage. "Perhaps someone else saw something there."
"No good," said Brandon with a shrug. "Luge doesn't even remember where they went."
"Ill luck for the start of a voyage," observed Tavish, with a shake of her head. "Let's hope that means this is the worst of it!"
The others found it hard to shake a sense of unease, but Brandon reminded them that the tide turned even as they talked. They carried their small bundles of personal baggage aboard, then returned to the docks. There the Earl of Corwell and Princess Deirdre stood to see them off.
"With luck, we'll return with your father," Robyn said to her younger daughter. "If the worst happens, you will be the next queen of the Ffolk."
Deirdre looked at her mother closely, her expression unreadable. Abruptly she reached out and embraced the queen, a hug that Robyn returned with full strength and held for long moments. When the two women stood apart again, their eyes were red with unshed tears.
"I still protest!" grumbled Randolph as the queen gave him a farewell embrace. "You'll need me!"
"I know," replied Robyn truthfully. "But Corwell needs a lord, and until our return, that's a job that's too important to entrust to anyone else."
Lord Randolph, as Earl of Corwell, would resume his normal duties. Deirdre would return to Callidyrr to oversee that large and populous realm.
The others filed across the boarding plank while the queen waved to the Ffolk who had lined the dock to cheer and wish them success. Alicia carried her changestaff and wore her sword. Her armor, like Brigit's and Hanrald's, was wrapped in oilskin and carefully stowed.
"Until our return!" pledged Robyn boldly,