Hugh Cook - The Walrus and the Warwolf

'Goodbye, most glorious princess of the thousand bearskins,' said Drake.

The lovers kissed. Then parted. Miphon took all those who were to remain in hiding into the red bottle. Then rematerialized. And the small band of heroes advanced upon Chastity Bay.After half a league, Drake said:

'Look! See where that toweris?That'sTunnel Mouth, or was. There, steps descend to caves below. Big caves, aye, some half sea, half air. Ships entire shelter within some of those caves. But that tower – that worries me. There was none such when I was here last.'

'Were you last here before the Swarms?' said Blackwood.'Oh, long before,' said Drake.

'Then that explains the tower,' said Blackwood. 'Those living here have been forced to fortify their door against the Swarms. The Neversh can fly to the Greater Teeth from the mainland, surely, with little trouble.'

'Then we've been walking in danger for more than three days!' said Drake.

'Whatever danger we've lived through,' said Miphon, 'we've survived. So let's worry no more about it, but advance.'

And so they did.

They were met short of the tunnel by a dog. Now the dog is the favourite animal of pirates, for it will tear the throats of human beings, and will fight its own kind to win bets for brutal masters, and will roll in dung, and will eat its own vomit, and has other habits equally amusing. Drake loved dogs. But this one attacked him, thereby losing his favour.

After the dog had been put down, the five ventured to the tower. It was made of enormous stones, as if it had been built to last ten thousand years.

'Where did pirates find the skill to build such as this?' said Blackwood.'Slaves manage such,' said Drake, vaguely.

He had never had anything much to do with the slaves of the Greater Teeth, but knew they handled most of the skilled work which was done in the Greaters.

'Hoy! You farts there!' roared a big black pirate, stepping from the door of the tower.'Run?' said Miphon.

'Go on,' said Drake, though his heart was hammering. T know the man. It's Bucks Cat. He's okay.' 'Ahoy there!' yelled Drake. 'Ahoy yourself,' shouted Cat.

Then said nothing further as Drake and his companions closed the distance. When they were almost at the door to the tower, a lean, pale man stepped forth to join Bucks Cat. It was Ish Ulpin!Drake's heart beat the faster.

'Why, hello darling,' said Ish Ulpin. 'How came you here? And who are your friends?'

'Stout men with good steel,' said Drake. 'There'll be no trouble here, I trust. We're old shipmates, aren't we?''Perhaps we are,' said Bucks Cat, grinning.

He whistled. Forth from the shadows stepped Ika Thole and Simp Fiche. Then another man: a rough-bearded brute with a scarred bald patch the size of a man's palm on the top of his head.'Andranovory!' cried Drake in astonishment.

'The same,' said Atsimo Andranovory. 'Alive and kicking. No thanks to you! You betrayed me in Selzirk. I was seized from Jone, held within dungeons, beaten, tortured, questioned for month upon month. I was lucky to escape with my life.'

'Man,' said Drake, T never betrayed you. In Selzirk I came face to face with a wizard who read minds, aye. He picked your whereabouts from my brain. Precious little I could do about that! Anyway, here you are as large as life. So what matter past sufferings?'

Miphon and Blackwood, at the sight of Andranovory, had sunk back as best they could behind the soldiers Scouse and Lurghen. But Andranovory had recognized them at first glance, and now he named them:

'Look, boys, at those two skulking there! You know who they are? They're Miphon and Blackwood, aye. Companions of the questing hero, Morgan Hearst. They've lately ruled in Estar as kings. They'll buy a rich ransom, I'll warrant.'

'Peace!' said Drake, hastily, as hands dropped to sword-hilts. 'Let's have no fighting before a hearing.'

'I've no time for listening to lies,' said Ish Ulpin. And drew his blade. But nobody drew with him. For, after all, the odds were even – five versus five. 'All right then,' said Ish Ulpin, seeing how things stood. 'Tell your story. But get it over with quick.'

'It's simple enough,' said Drake. 'Things came to war between Morgan Hearst and the good lords Blackwood and Miphon. Hearst won for the moment, for he has the Rovac with him. Hence we fled. Me and these other two, we're mercenaries sworn to the service of Blackwood here. Our hope now is to venture to Ling to gain a pearl-fortune to finance an army to win back Estar from Hearst.'

'And where will you find such an army for sale?' said Ish Ulpin.'Why, on Stokos, of course,' said Drake.

'Doubt it!' said Ika Thole. 'All men in arms under the rule of Watashi are kept busy in battles against the Swarms.''Watashi?' said Drake.

'Watashi, ruler of Stokos,' said Thole. 'You've not heard of Watashi? He's son of Farfalla of the Harvest Plains.'

'He's heard of Watashi!' said Andranovory. 'Why, he's had open disputes with the man. I heard of such while rotting in the dungeons of Selzirk. Seems Drake thieved a bard from the prince – a thing frightful precious, whatever it be.'

T never stole it!' said Drake. 'That was my bard from the start! I found it in a tower near Ling, aye, won its magic at great cost to myself. And Watashi stole it from me!'

'No need to plead innocent!' said Ish Ulpin. 'We're no court of law, not us. All we care for is value. You've value to Watashi by way of revenge. If we can't get ransom for this Miphon and Blackwood, we'll win payment for you from Watashi.'

Drake heard distant singing from someone coming up the stairs to the tower. Miphon and Blackwood heard the singing as well, as did the soldiers Scouse and Lurghen.'Let's run for it,' said Blackwood.'No,' said Drake.

They could not escape Anvil without help from the pirates. If they ran, they would be hunted down and caught. Then one of the soldiers would surely seek to win favour from the pirates by giving up the secret of the red bottle and the death-stone. Then there would be no hope for Zanya.

'Boys,' said Drake, 'let's do a heal. We five can run, aye, and you'd be days hunting us. Or you can swear yourselves to a bargain. I'll surrender myself to be handed over to this Watashi. In turn, you'll let my comrades have liberty. They'll swear themselves to continue our quest south to Ling, and you'll help them gather together such pirates as wish to sail with them on the venture.'

Drake looked from face to face. Sweating. Would anyone swear to the bargain? Surely all would.

Bucks Cat, Ish Ulpin and the others would gain, as they would not have to hunt Drake over Anvil, but would take him prisoner immediately. Watashi would pay well for Drake. Unfortunately, during the year Drake ruled the Gates of Chenameg, Watashi had come that way – and Drake had given Watashi rather a hard time before letting him proceed. Watashi would doubtless hold a grudge.

Miphon and Blackwood would swear, surely. Neither wished to pledge themselves to a quest south to Ling. But they had very little choice. For, if they did not, Drake could easily reveal the secret of the red bottle, whereupon pirates would kill them for the wealth and power those artefacts represented. And the soldiers? They had sworn oaths of loyalty to Blackwood and Miphon. Such oaths would probably compel them. Furthermore, the pirates of the Greaters had an evil reputation, and the soldiers would welcome an arrangement which would guarantee their safety.

Only Drake would lose from such a bargain. But this was the only way he could now get Zanya to Ling. He would have to take his chances with Watashi.T swear,' said Andranovory, T swear – with this!'

He drew, and struck at Drake with his sword. As Drake leaped back, Ika Thole knocked down An'vory's arm.'Not so hasty,' said Thole.'Who hasty?' said a voice.

The voice belonged to a head, which belonged to a body, which, with some difficulty, squeezed its way out of the great door of the tower. It was Whale Mike!