The Mercenaries - Ed Greenwood [15]
"Oh belt up, nimble tongue of the Olnblades," Sharessa said affectionately, patting the dwarf's tanned bald head. She knew he hated that.
Rings gave her a glare. "You sound to me like a lass too sleepy to have any o' this fine soup, hey?"
"Give," Sharessa told him grimly, "or youll be wearing that ladle in a shorter time than you'd think-the handle in your gullet and the bowl out your backside."
Grinning, Rings passed over a steaming skillet. As Anvil had before her, Sharessa stirred and looked at it curiously.
"'Sgood," Anvil assured her, licking the last errant drops from his thumbs. "First time I've ever really liked sea turtle."
Sharessa raised her own hot spoon, sniffed, and sipped. It was good, with a strange taste, like lemons, under the stronger briny tastes of the seafood. She dug in.
"Anyone hazard who gifted us with fire arrows and skeletons?" Brindra asked idly. "I'd like to know who we're running from-so I can accidentally run into them in Tharkar-port some night, with my sword unfortunately drawn."
The ghost of Blackfingers, furious that we've taken ship with someone else?" Rings teased.
That's not funny," Sharessa told him. "I liked Ralingor," she added, almost in a whisper, after a moment- and then wondered why she'd admitted that aloud. She never wanted anyone to know about the nights she'd crept into his cabin, so late that even Destra and his other wenches were snoring.
Angrily she banished those memories, and the tears she knew they'd bring. Gods, why was she thinking this way?
"I never wanted to go to sea," Belgin told them, his voice low. "I just ran out of cities that my neck was safe in."
"Who doesn't?" Rings grunted, "what with the Five Kingdoms the way they are-all double-dealing merchants, and nasty feuds wherever idiots aren't hurling armies!"
"Or fleets," Anvil grunted. "Which reminds me: unless Master Belmer knows some back way into wherever we're to search for this lady of his, we'll be turning south soon-into the very teeth of the Doegan Dogs."
The Doegan Dogs were pirates-freebooters sponsored and chartered by the self-styled Emperor of Doegan to hunt down the ships of Ulgarth, Parsanic, Konigheim, and anyone else who came within reach… while the Emperor's Imperial Fleet kept busy in the south, fighting the pirates of the fabled Golden Lands (and, some said, other lands for Doegan to conquer). The Dogs made sailing dangerous anywhere south of the Free Cities, but then, they kept all the kingdoms from rising in enough strength to wipe out the folk of Tharkar and other "honest" pirates, too.
"Kurthe swore some Dogs burned his ship," Belgin told them.
"What, in Port Halovar? Likely enough," Anvil grunted. "What made you think of that?"
Belgin frowned. "Your mention of the Dogs, of course," he said slowly. "I didn't mean to let it slip out, though."
Sharessa matched his frown. Why were they all spilling old secrets?
"So why are the Five Kingdoms 'the way they are,' as you put it?" Ingrar asked Rings. "I've always wondered."
Anvil laughed cynically, but the dwarf held up a hand for silence, scratched his chin, and said solemnly, "It's a secret."
"What?" Ingrar asked, eyes shining in eagerness. "Tell me!"
"Ah, lad," the dwarf said, a sudden answering twinkle in his eyes, "if I knew just why the gods make everyone who climbs on a throne crazy, I'd be Emperor of the Five Kingdoms, and not trading words on the deck of this hulk now, with ye!"
"That was well said," Belgin said grudgingly.
"Well put, indeed," Anvil agreed.
"Hmm," Rings pondered thoughtfully, emptying his pan, "I wonder if good Master Belmer has put a little something extra into this soup?"
"Of course I have," a calm voice spoke out of the rigging overhead, stunning them all into gaping silence. "Not to learn your secrets, but to keep you awake. Anyone still yawning?"
The Sharkers looked at him, blinked, thought about it, and said in ragged unison, "No."
The dwarf squinted up at the dark bulk that shouldn't have been able to get to where it was, so close above them, without at least one of them