CHAPTER THREE:

  THE CAPTAIN’S CONNECTION

  41

  Jerking his head up fast upon feeling a soft touch on his shoulder, Garrick quickly blinked his eyes and looked into the somber face of Deelah. After brushing away her other hand, that had kept him from instinctively pulling his sword, the mercenary slowly breathed in and sat up.

  “Captain Lestada would like to see you, my friend,” spoke Deelah quietly. Then she looked down at Elias.

  “What about?” inquired Garrick, rubbing his eyes. When Deelah shrugged her shoulders, the mercenary took a deep breath, and continued, “How long was I out?”

  “Not long,” replied the thief. “With the dwarf’s snoring added to my worry over Elias, I felt I needed to get some fresh air. I talked to my sister and Cerelene for a while and, of course, as you saw…” Deelah smiled and then continued, “I had to make sure my skills did not waste away.”

  When Garrick stood, Deelah took his seat. “It is just so odd looking at him. It is as if Elias is only asleep,” spoke the thief, quietly. “As if nothing has happened. But even more odd, my sister not only does not know how she raised him from the dead, she does not even remember doing it.”

  After petting Onyx for a few seconds, Garrick looked over at Elias. The memory of what he and Ondibar had seen after the Knight of Providence had taken a full blast of fire from the sovereign dragon returned to him, but he held his emotions in check.

  Garrick touched Deelah’s shoulder as she took Elias’ hand. “I am sorry, Deelah. I know now how much you truly cared…care for him. If you are still mad over me keeping you away from him after his sacrifice…I understand, but please do not be mad at Maldrin. He kept you back only because I told him to.”

  With her right hand still holding the knight’s almost lifeless fingers, Deelah moved her left hand to the mercenary’s, resting on her shoulder. She clasped it firmly, though her gaze remained on the knight.

  “I am not mad. What you and that old wizard did was because you cared. And I know now, no matter how long it takes, Elias will return to us.” Then Deelah looked up at Garrick with faith and assurance in her eyes. “That I am sure of.”

  When Garrick walked onto the deck of The Wet Wanderer, he saw the sun falling behind The Cloud Shroud Mountain and smelled The Living River. However, what really caught his attention was loud voices, combined with the clanging of weapons. Looking over to his right, the mercenary saw Maldrin slowly swinging his staff at Anya, while the cleric slowly parried his attack with hers.

  “Teaching her to use that thing for more than just healing, I see,” said Garrick to Maldrin, after he walked over to them.

  “Yes, my boy. But it was not my idea,” replied the old wizard. Then Maldrin nodded at Anya with a smile.

  “I will never be as skilled as you all are in battle. I am a healer. But it is clear to me now, after all we have been through, that I should at least know the basics. And who better to teach me than another who carries a staff,” smiled Anya.

  “And you will find no one I trust more to teach you, Anya. Maldrin only swings his staff in battle when he has to. But when he does, he swings it well,” assured Garrick, drawing his sword only to have it knocked back by his old friend.

  “If Master Zendres could see me now,” chuckled Maldrin, petting Tal, who had emerged from his pocket and climbed back onto his shoulder. “Instructing a cleric of Elion in the way that he instructed me!” exclaimed the wizard with an enormous grin on his face.

  “I am sure he would not mind,” replied Garrick. Then he looked at Anya and smiled. “Nor would the high priest.”

  Seeing Cerelene walking toward him from the front of the ship, Garrick met her halfway. Though she tried to hide it, the mercenary could see that the elf maiden was tired as well.

  “I am going below to get something to eat. Do you want anything?” asked Cerelene, pulling loose strands of red hair behind her pointy ears.

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  “No,” replied the mercenary. “Captain Lestada wants to see me. I will get something later.”

  “Should I come with you?” asked Cerelene, her eyes widening a little, wondering what the meeting might be about.

  “No. Cerelene, get something to eat. Get some rest,” spoke Garrick firmly. “If I need you I will not hesitate.” Then Garrick grabbed the elf maiden’s arm after she nodded and began to walk away. “When Ondibar wakes up, make sure he eats something as well. The dwarf hit the ale hard. We all need our wits about us. Who knows what will happen next?”

  Upon reaching Captain Lestada’s quarters, located a little higher above the deck, Garrick looked out and saw Azure gliding on the wind between the ship and the river bank. She then slowly drifted down toward the more serene part of the water, where she grasped a small fish between her talons.

  “That falcon is a better fisherman than any of us, I bet,” came a voice at the window next to the door.

  Taking his eyes off of Azure and the beauty of The Living River, Garrick stepped to the open door and looked in.

  “Please come in, mercenary,” said Captain Lestada, as he surveyed the waters ahead.

  After closing the door, Garrick watched the wiry, bearded, middle-aged man grab a mug of ale and sit down behind a table filled with documents and maps. Then Garrick watched as the captain of The Wet Wanderer looked out again at the view of the river in front of the ship. The waves were beginning to rush faster as the crew went about their business.

  “I am glad you were near us after we descended the mountain,” spoke Garrick, breaking the silence. “When I saw that figurehead of a woman in a half-shirt and long skirt draped around her waist coming down the river toward us, I had to laugh. I did not tell you when we first came aboard, but I had seen your ship at the beginning of my journey outside of Crispen and Jewelhaven.”

  Then Garrick looked back out at the river and shook his head in disbelief. “Now that very ship is not just aiding me, but the group I never thought I would be leading.”

  “Elion works in mysterious ways, mercenary,” replied Captain Lestada wryly. “However, I am just glad that you had some gold from the mountain with you, after you survived not just the dragon but the collapse of his lair,” returned the captain with a smile. “Believe me, I would have loved to give you free passage on my ship. Firebaugh has always been a concern when we are close to the mountain, both for the traveling guests and the merchants who trust me with their cargo. You and your friends have alleviated that concern now, but I still have to pay my men.”

  Then the Captain motioned for Garrick to sit down across from him. After the mercenary took a seat, Captain Lestada placed a mug of ale in front of him.

  “We will be coming up on Fawndale by nightfall. It is the end of the line. After that The Living River becomes too narrow and shallow for us,” stated Captain Lestada plainly. “What will you do when we reach Fawndale? Your friend is still not recovered, I assume?”

  “He is not,” answered Garrick sadly. “Fawndale is little more than a day or two away from The Crossroads. If we can not revive him in Fawndale, The Crossroads is opposite of the direction we are going, but I guess we will have to try there.”

  Seeing Captain Lestada rise from his chair and walk to the window that faced the front of the ship, Garrick stood as well and followed him.

  “Do you see those large wooden boxes out there?” asked Captain Lestada, as he pointed with one hand and pulled his coat closer around his shoulders with the other to keep warm. Following the captain’s finger, Garrick looked out at Lestada’s crew, counting and loading boxes into the cargo hold. When the mercenary nodded, the captain continued, “Those are mining tools and supplies for the Baron Michael. Do you know him?”

  “I have heard of him, of course,” replied Garrick, interested. “I have been to Fawndale many times, but I have never met him. His operation is in the hills that border the south side of the city.” Then the mercenary folded his arms. “The locals say he is interesting, to say the least. That he rarely comes into town. But then again, why would he with the mansion he lives in?”

  “It is quite spectacular. Inside and out,” replied Captain Lestada. Noticing the surprise on Garrick’s face, the captain patted the mercenary on the shoulder, assuredly. “Yes, I have been there. I have known Baron Michael for a while. At his core, he is a good man. Let us just say, the baron is not as polished as most nobles.

  After taking a sip of ale, the captain continued. “Before becoming a baron, he always had his hands in more than just his mines. Because of that he knows a wide variety of people. I will just say that,” announced Captain Lestada, with a wink and nod.

  “What does any of that have to do with me and my friends?” Garrick wondered aloud.

  “Well Garrick, like your friend Elias, Baron Michael’s older brother was a Knight of Providence. Sadly, he died many years ago, in the first siege of Fortress Destros,” spoke the captain, walking back to his chair.

  When the mercenary turned around, the hard-nosed captain of The Wet Wanderer continued. “As a thank you for what you did for us at The Cloud Shroud Mountain, I will send a man ahead when we reach Fawndale to alert the baron that he will have guests arriving. When he hears of your friend’s sacrifice and tragic circumstance, he will undoubtedly receive not only him, but all of you without hesitation. Then you can decide what to do next.”

  After looking down at the floor in thought, Garrick scratched his bearded chin and looked up. “You are sure of this?”

  “I am. Do not worry,” assured Captain Lestada as he gazed out the window next to the door of his room.

  Garrick had more questions, but then kept quiet when he saw Lestada suddenly get to his feet and walk quickly again to the window. Within seconds of squinting at the swirling water, Captain Lestada’s eyes gradually widened in alarm. When the captain opened his mouth to yell, Garrick was suddenly knocked to the floor by an unseen force hitting the ship.

  Captain Lestada, hanging onto the open window, looked across the room and seconds later was launched to the floor next to the mercenary. Then from the mast above them, they both heard a horrified, screaming voice say only one word.

  “LEVIATHAN!!”