Colin Tabor - The Fall of Ossard

I said, “We’re going to look at the ship, Maria.”

“Why, Mama?”

“Because I haven’t seen one so big before. Come along now.”

Kurt stayed with the coach while we walked forward.

I held Maria’s hand tightly as if some part of me expected the Lae Velsanans to turn from their duties and charge. Despite their apparent ignorance of our approach, I just couldn’t forget that these exotic foreigners had tried to destroy my people.

We stopped half a ship-length from the gangplank.

Intricate rigging webbed over the magnificent vessel, all of it artfully reinforcing the ship’s picturesque lines and curves. It may have been built for war, but I felt it could also manage a great speed out on open water. Festooned with brightly coloured flags and tattooed with intricate carvings, it was as much a ship of art as of war. It was amazing.

Behind us, I could hear the banter of a more refined tongue than that of fast-flowing Heletian or rugged and blunt Fletlander. I turned to see three uniformed Lae Velsanans walking towards their ship. They looked to be officers with bands of copper at their shoulders, it clamped over leather armour and sea-green tunics. Nervous, I watched them as they passed.

They all stood lean and tall, taller than men, or the common or middlings that they called us, and moved with powerful grace. One of them even smiled at me.

My nerves faded.

We watched them board their beautiful ship while the air sang full of their noble tongue. I wondered at my fear; they seemed so civilised. Finally, I said to Sef, “It’s fantastic.”

He nodded, but it was a stranger’s voice that answered, “Thank you.”

We both turned to see a silver-banded Lae Velsanan. His sea-green uniform, light armour, and helmet spoke of his heritage, but his strong face, blonde hair, and blue eyes, startlingly, were those of a Flet. Unlike the others, he stood thickly muscled with a broad chest, and barely reached my own height. He seemed at ease, but still radiated quite a presence.

He reached up with one of his muscular arms and removed his helmet to reveal the small pointed tips of his ears. In a moment, the resemblance to a Fletman was gone. “I didn’t mean to startle you.” He spoke in Quorin, Dormetia’s common language.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t hear your approach,” I answered.

“I was just heading back to my ship when I heard your kind words.”

I smiled, he seemed friendly enough.

He continued, “We’ve just resupplied and are about to leave.”

And then, from across the city, we heard the Cathedral’s bells toll.

Dong…

The deep ring rolled out, seeing everybody stop and wait.

Dong…

And so we counted.

Dong…

Maria looked up to me. I bent down and picked her up.

Dong…

The Lae Velsanan officer watched us intently. About us, the people of the port tensed.

And then it came.

Dong…

Sef shifted, relaxing. I could feel my own demeanour change, a great weight lifted.

Thank Schoperde, Maria would be safe!

To temper the thought, the sound of sobbing arose in the distance.

Slowly, mournfully, people went back to work.

The Lae Velsanan asked, “Excuse me, but why does the bell toll?”

For a moment, with my relief making me giddy, I had to fight to maintain my composure. “There’ve been some kidnappings.”

He nodded, looking to Maria. “We have heard as much. We were warned of this place. I can see pain in your eyes, the kidnappings have already touched you. Take comfort; those responsible are being hunted by more than your own kind.”

For the first time in seasons, I heard the voices rise within me to whisper their support.

They liked him.

His words seemed simple, but they gave me hope. It was then that I realised it’d been a long time since I’d tasted such a thing.

I had to stop myself, suddenly taken by the urge to embrace this Lae Velsanan and thank him for his soothing words. Perhaps I was no longer alone in holding some of the truth and guilt.

Perhaps there was hope.

He gave a little bow and gestured to the ship. “I must go, it has been a pleasure.”

I nodded, and even Sef wore a smile.

The officer had indicated another Lae Velsanan waiting for him on the ship’s deck, his senior.

He stood there watching us, stark and handsome like a crisp winter day. Tall and lean, with a powerful frame, and all of it topped with cropped black hair and cold eyes of grey.

Within me the voices’ whispered chorus fell from warmth to an empty silence. There was no doubt, the officer was beautiful, but it was a beauty of a chilling kind.

The strongest voice within me hissed, “Soul Eater!” And for a moment I felt overcome. I still held Maria, but pushed her towards Sef. He grabbed her, surprised but ready. I put my other hand on his shoulder to try and steady myself.

I was going to faint.

“Juvela!”

And the Lae Velsanan we’d been talking to stepped forward and reached out with strong hands.

I wanted to refuse him, to say that I was fine, but the next moment my legs buckled. I’d barely begun my fall when the officer caught me.

Maria cried out.

The Lae Velsanan said, “Careful now.”

Sef tried to comfort Maria as he said, “Please Sir, I have my hands full, could you help her to our coach.”

“Of course.”

I protested, “I’ll… I’ll be alright, I just need a moment…”

Sef said, “Lady Juvela, you’re unwell!”

The Lae Velsanan nodded. “Please, my lady, I’m used to much heavier burdens. You will be no trouble.” And with a quick nod to Sef he moved to lift me.

Kurt had seen me faint and already had the coach coming forward. In moments, I was no longer under the sun or being held by the officer, but being fussed over by Sef while my poor daughter watched. With a barely managed goodbye to my rescuer and a thank you Sef swears he gave, we were on our way.

Strangely, as we left the docks, my colour returned along with my strength. I wondered at that, but it wasn’t easy to explain. All I could say for sure was that I’d left something behind us, something at the docks – and it was hungry.

Soul Eater…

The name rang out in my mind, again whispered by the voices that seemed to be rising stronger with each visit.

Sef was staring at me. “Juvela, are you alright?”

“I…” My thoughts were confused.

“Yes?” he prompted.

“I don’t know. I mean, I feel much better, but before I felt…”

“Yes?”

“I don’t know how to describe it.”

“Try,” he said, and there was something about the way he asked that made me realise that he thought it important.

“There was something back there…”

He interrupted, “Where?”

“Back at the docks.”

“Yes?”

“Something scared me, it made me feel weak.”

He frowned, but it wasn’t because he didn’t understand – it was because he did. It encouraged me to go on, “Well, it was not so much that it scared me, but that I could feel it threaten me. It felt like it was somehow feeding off me, stealing, sapping my strength…”

“Go on.”

I shook my head. “I don’t know what to say, it sounds crazy.”

“No, it’s not.”

“Well, anyway, now it’s gone.”

He nodded and leaned forward, giving a sidewards glance to Maria who’d calmed and was now lost in the view of the passing street. “And where did that feeling come from, what was so hungry?”

“I don’t know.”

“I think you do.”

I shook my head. “Whatever do you mean?”

“The Lae Velsanan?” he asked.

“No, he was nice! How could it be him?”

“Their ship?”

All this was only adding to my confusion. A moment ago I’d thought that I knew what I was talking about, but only for an instant. Now I was lost again. With my uncertainty came defensiveness and a guess that sprang from the anxiety that nurtured it. “The Soul Eater.”