Tina Daniell - Maquesta Kar-Thon

"And after that?"

"This is a fine ship. I've learned you make an excellent captain, and you have an able crew. But if you keep traveling waters like these, you're going to need someone with a little magic." She winked at Maq. "Maybe I'll stay. For a while anyway."

"I think the crew would like that," Maq replied, still not sure if she would like the presence of the sea elf on board.

"I should catch some fish for the morkoth," Tailonna added. "My people said the beast eats only live animals, and I trust you want the morkoth returned healthy to Lord Attat. So with your permission…" The sea elf pointed over the railing.

Maquesta nodded, not accustomed to having Tailonna ask permission to do anything. Then Maq turned and walked toward the port side of the ship. Behind her, she heard a splash, signaling that the sea elf was overboard. Maquesta hoped Tailonna managed to catch plenty of fish. She and the crew could use some fresh food for dinner.

Maq passed by Kof, who was obviously enjoying his time at the wheel. She wondered what he was thinking. They were returning to Lacynos, where he would be the property of Lord Attat again. She would talk to him about this later, as she had been mulling over the idea of purchasing his services from Attat on a permanent basis. Waving to him, she sped her pace. The minotaur nodded a greeting in return.

Her leg had recovered, thanks to the sea elf's magical balm and Lendle's herbs, though it was still a little stiff. She vowed to walk as much as possible today to help it limber up-the gnome's orders. For a moment she thought about going belowdecks and looking for Fritzen. She enjoyed his company, and she would like to hear again the story about the morkoth's capture and the twisting tunnels of its lair. But then she changed her mind. The half-ogre was with several of the other crewmembers, resting-hopefully sleeping. They would take over when night fell. With the cage slowing them more than she had anticipated, the Perechon had to continue moving, no matter the threats of traveling on the Blood Sea at night. There would be no more stops, and Ilyatha would use the flute of wind dancing each evening as long as its magic held out.

She spied Lendle leaning over the railing near the morkoth cage and decided to chat with him for a few moments. She wanted to thank the gnome for his help in mending her leg. She hadn't thanked him earlier-she was concerned about her ship, worried about the morkoth. In short, she thought to herself, she was taking the gnome for granted. That was a situation that would end now, she decided.

"Youaremostcertainlytheugliestcreaturelhaveseen," Lendle chattered at the morkoth. The gnome was leaning as far over the railing as his short stature allowed, ogling the beast and rapidly and loudly speaking to it. It was apparent Lendle wanted his voice to be heard above the sound of the wind and waves. Though the creature remained submerged, its head was just below the water, and it was looking back with interest at the gnome. Lendle watched its beak open and close and its red-flecked eyes narrow. The gnome tried to imitate the morkoth, then gave up and waggled his fingers in a childlike manner.

"Youbenicetome," Lendle sputtered. "Ikeptyoualivewithmyherbs."

"Slow down, please." Maq reached his side and affectionately scratched the top of his head. "I can barely understand you, which means it's doubtful the morkoth has picked up on a word."

"Thinkso?"

"Yes, I think so."

"Hmm." Lendle rubbed the end of his ample nose and smiled. He made an effort to talk more slowly for Maq. "I wasn't really talking to him anyway. He's ugly, huh?"

"Yes."

"And he looks like a couple of creatures put together. Part octopus. Part barracuda. A little bit of squid thrown in. Maybe a sea snake or an eel, too. He'd make good bait for a really big fish. Too bad we have to get rid of him."

"Uh-huh."

"You know, Maquesta Kar-Thon, I could create a device resembling his tentacles, but straight. And I'd make them much wider and flatter, of course, like oars. Made out of steel or hard wood-that would be best. You wouldn't want them to wiggle the way his tentacles do. They'd need to be sturdy, and water-resistant, too. I'd spread them even, like the legs of a starfish, like spokes on a wheel, then I'd attach them to a barrel. See, just like the straight part of his body there. If I could affix it to a winch, something to make the tentacles turn, I bet I could hook the whole thing up to the back of the Perechon . I'd crank it up, wind it up like a child's toy, and it would help power us through the water. We'd go much faster."

Maquesta offered Lendle a weak smile. "It has potential," she laughed. "But how about you getting belowdecks and working on your oar engine? That device is already put together; it just needs to work properly. Because of the morkoth's cage we're not covering much distance. And we can't carry the creature any other way, because I suspect if we took him out of the water, he'd die."

"My oar engine!" The gnome beamed. "You most certainly could go faster, Maquesta Kar-Thon, if I got my engine to work!"

"Exactly."

"Til get right to it."

"Wonderful idea."

"And I'll fix dinner at the same time." The gnome pushed away from the railing and headed toward the stairs. Then he stopped, scratched his head, and turned back to Maquesta. "What do I fix for the morkoth? Do you think it would eat my brown-bean soup? How about cornmeal muffins? Dried kipper?"

"Don't worry about the morkoth, Lendle. Tailonna is out catching some fish for it. She claims morkoths eat only living things. And I'd be careful not to get to close to its cage. Those tentacles are long, and I'd hate to tell the crew the cook has been eaten."

The gnome whirled on his tiny feet and resumed his course.

"Oh, Lendle?"

He stopped again and looked over his shoulder.

"Thanks for fixing my leg. And my arm. And for seeing to the rest of the injured crew. Without you, we'd all be in the infirmary."

The gnome smiled and waved his hand, dismissing her words. "It was nothing," he jabbered. "Besides, Tailonna and Ilyatha helped." Then he dashed belowdecks.

Maquesta stared through the water at the morkoth. It placidly hung floating inside the cage, glancing up at her occasionally. She reached over the side to touch the top of the cage and saw the red flecks in the morkoth's eyes grow more intense and brighter, and its tentacles began to undulate faster. When she withdrew her hand, the beast again seemed docile. Maq doubted the thing was subdued. She suspected it was just biding its time, waiting for someone to lean too close. She decided to instruct her crew to give it a wide berth. She couldn't afford to lose any more sailors-or the morkoth.

It fell to Tailonna to feed the morkoth every day. She would catch fish, then carry them to its cage and push them through the bars, careful not to bring her fingers too close to the creature's beak. It seemed to be growing stronger, and though the bars on the cage were solid, and the latch strong and out of the morkoth's reach, the beast's presence worried her.

"Do you think we'll have any trouble getting the morkoth to Lord Attat's?" the elf asked as Maquesta and Fritzen wandered over to watch a feeding session.

"No trouble at all," Maq replied. "I intend to make the minotaur lord come get it."

The three laughed for several long minutes, before Maquesta strolled toward the aft deck. Fritzen followed her.

"When we pull into Lacynos-" Fritzen started.

"If we make it on time," Maq interrupted. "The cage is slowing us, despite the magic of the flute. I'm troubled over it; the cage's drag was something I had not anticipated."

"We'll make it," he said. "And when we make it, what will you do, Maquesta?"