Port Min-Khashiib | The Silver Alps: II

Noaki groans. He thought by now he was done with all these sordid events. No doubt James would turn up sooner or later.

He lay on his bed, the pillow smelling faintly of flowers. Moritz had gone off somewhere and still hadn't returned. Not that he minded being alone, sometimes it was better that way. When others were around one had to behave a particular way, Noaki didn't mind so much, but being in a state of agitation on of that would exhaust him.

The original excitement of the city had died down, having almost no time to himself in isolation with someone always just around the corner. He wrote these thoughts in a journal Roderick had gifted him, along with an assortment of writing instruments and ink.

Five days have passed since they were instructed to lay low. Though it didn't seem they'd be getting out anytime soon. Not a single ship, regardless of the crystaires he or Roderick would push on them, would agree to their voyage westward.

Noaki set aside the journal and attempted to sleep. He didn't get much last night or the night prior..

His eyes are shut, slowly he tries to slip off to sleep when Moritz enters the room.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I can leave if you want."

Noaki shakes his head. "It's alright, I'm not getting any sleep even if I wanted to."

"You're telling me, I've been having nightmares lately." His friend plops down on his bed. "I went to the port with Orion, we almost bumped into him again."

"Any luck?" Noaki asks, knowing the answer already.

"Nah," Moritz turns over onto his back. "The place is big, it will take us a few more days to get through everyone."

Comforted by the idea, Noaki covers the Ayshek lantern glowing on his nightstand. He murmurs, "good luck."

Moritz had mishears, responding, "goodnight."

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Moritz squints his eyes to take in the view. The sun was particularly bright today. He didn't even know where to begin. Ships were always entering and leaving the harbor. The eighth pier he attempts is congested with a bunch of cargo, sailors, and merchants. One in particular sounded promising. Advice he'd gotten from a kid in the street.

"Excuse me?" He calls out to a passing sailor in dark tan uniform with green trim.

"Can I help you lad?" He looks Moritz over. "Looking for work? Captain Sahiib is always looking for new recruits."

"Er, well it's not that I wouldn't mind work." Moritz stammers. "I'm looking for another ship, I thought you might know where I could find the Arktik Trading Co.?"

The sailor scratches his chin. "Never heard of it, but I know 'Co.' Won' be the name of their vessel." He points to a boy on the verge of his adolescence. "That's the captain's younger brother. Sanmaar is his name, he might help you. Got a big brain on his head."

Moritz nods, bows, and thanks the sailor. After the sailor leaves with a nod, Moritz approaches Sanmaar.

The kid wore a Bedouin with a head covering that seemed useful to a desert climate, his round spectacles were covered in dust, leaving Moritz to wonder how he could see.

Suddenly aware of Moritz, Sanmaar confronts him. "Can I help you with something?"

"I don't know, but I was told you might." Moritz shrugs, "I'm looking for a ship, it's got something to do with Arktik Trading Co."

Sanmaar considers this for a moment, Moritz thought he'd break a lightbulb when he finally nods. "I've heard of them, although they're not widely known, but we had a run in with them once. My brother got them out of a bind sometime back, I was a lot younger then, so the memory is vague."

Moritz nods.

"Their ship was named after a bird, I forget."

Moritz's shoulders sink in defeat.

Sanmaar continues. "Their office is here in the city, it shouldn't be too far off. They're a bit of a small crew, but reliable. I can show you if you'd like."

"I'd appreciate it, thank you!" Moritz wants to shout with glee, only to remember it wasn't always a guarantee.

"I'm Sanmaar." He leads the way.

Moritz introduces himself. "Are you from the desert?"

Sanmaar nods. "I don't know if you'd heard of it though. You don't seem like one who's been outside his farm." He chuckles nervously, "I don't mean any offense."

Moritz shrugs. "From what I know, which isn't much, this is the furthest I've been from home."

Sanmaar looks him over with amazement. "Well, it's not like you can take the leviahtran into the next country. Especially if you're from this region."

"What's a leviahtran?"

"You don't know?"

They reach the end of the pier and exit onto the road. "I've heard Orion mention it, but I didn't think to ask him at the time."

"I can answer it, but it's a bit of a mouthful." They shift directions and onto a wide street.

"I've got the ears for it," Moritz wiggles his ears.

Sanmaar laughs, "if you travel far enough to see one, you'd immediately recognize it." They turn another corner. "It's sort of like a carriage, attached to more carriages, in a line. Only they move really fast and on a very specific path, like a road but only leviahtran's can use."

Moritz tries to imagine this. "It sounds neat, how fast does it go?"

Sanmaar pauses for a second. "I don't really know, the conductor might know the mechanics better than I. I've seen it go quite fast. Ever seen a bird dive low? It's a lot faster than that." Sanmaar points down another street. "A conductor operates the machines that make the leviahtran move."

"So, people travel in this?"

"Yes, it's quite convenient. A lot faster than sailing." Sanmaar stops outside a dusty shop with large bow windows painted with what Moritz presumed read; 'Arktik Trading Co.' in gold. "This is the place."

The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

Moritz thanks Sanmaar. "Now if only I knew how to get back." He chuckles.

"Don't worry, there's a canal right around the corner." He points down the street. "Just ask around or follow it. They all empty into the sea, if you know the direction to go."

"Again, thank you." Moritz waves the kid off and enters the dusty shop. The place smells of old paper. The desk on the opposite end of the room is piled with paperwork. The walls are decorated with paintings of the ocean. A display case had been arranged beneath a painting of a ship, inside it sits a smaller complicated looking vessel.

"Good afternoon sir."

Moritz jumps when a bespectacled man enters from one of the back doors. "What can I do for you?"

"My friends and I, we're looking for a ship for hire." Moritz points to the vessel in the case.

"If it's a ship you want for voyage, I think you'll be needin' a bigger one." The man grins. "Our services aren't often requested, we've got a small crew, how much is your party?"

"Four," Moritz answers promptly.

The man nods. "Something we can easily work with. Your cargo? If you've got it."

"We don't."

"Now this one is a bit tricky, where will you be wanting to voyage?"

Moritz's heart skips a beat. This is where he'd been turned down. "Atmedanyeh." The silence that follows unnerves him.

"You've been turned down before haven't you?"

Moritz nods.

"Then I suppose you know why. It's a bit off season to be traveling out west from here lad. Maybe a few months down the line." The man turns around.

"Please! Wait!"

He stops.

"What if you take us somewhere else? My friends and I need to leave this place." The words spill from his mouth. "We're in some trouble, I don't know what the whole details are because everyone's vague or doesn't really have an answer, but we can't stay here."

"The name's captain Egor." He approaches Moritz. "At your service."

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Moritz bursts into their room, startling Noaki. "I got us a ship and a crew."

"That's fantastic!" Noaki jumps from bed and clasps his shoulders. "When can we leave?"

The smile on Moritz's face wanes. "Well there's a bit of a catch."

"What's the catch?"

Moritz indicates to the damask. "You know we can't stay here."

They take a seat.

"Right"

"Then why don't we go somewhere else for the time being? Just to get away from this place, then we can wait it out until we can travel west."

"That's not a bad idea." Noaki nods. "Let's ask the others what they think."

Moritz relieves a sigh. They'd be out of danger soon enough. The two wait until Gavin checks on them, then they explain their plan.

"Aye that sounds good. I'm weary of the indoors." Before he leaves he instructs them to have their belongings ready.

Noaki and Moritz are about ready when Orion bursts into their room, the patterns of his flesh shining brilliantly white. "Gavin just told me of your plans. I think it's wise, are you ready?" He speaks fervently. "Let's be off then."

Moritz and Noaki meet Gavin in the Commons area. His expression in the dim light of the Ayshek lantern is grave.

"You lads are ready then? Orion shouldn't be long now."

"D'you know what happened to him?" Asks Moritz.

Gavin nods. "Was confronted by the celestial. The lad was just out of his league, he'll be out of it for now, but not long." His attention shifts to Moritz. "You had the vessel and ship arranged?"

Moritz nods. "Captain Egor said he could voyage anytime we needed. All we have to do is say when."

"D'you know the right ship, lad?"

Moritz wants to thwack his head. "I know his shop, said he lived there."

"Suppose he'll have a rude awakening." Gavin chuckles.

Moritz laughs to calm his nerves. "That he will."

Orion appears a few minutes later, in a fervent conversation with Sir Roderick.

"Shame I won't be seeing you off then." Sir Roderick nods to them. "It has been brief but a pleasurable time having you all in my company." He pats Noaki on the shoulder. "Keep journaling, I'm sure you'll have use for it someday." He turns to Moritz. "You're an amusing lad, I had Tully pack in those sweets you're fond of." Finally he nods to Gavin. "Keep an eye on 'em, honor having you Mr. Whitehawk."

Gavin bows his head.

Sir Roderick returns to Orion. "Selinoff," he grins and the two embrace.

It was a strange experience for Moritz overall. He'd hardly known Sir Roderick for more than a few days.

They wave very briefly, exit the portico, and off to the nearest canal.

It was a little late into the evening but a canal driver was always prepared for passengers it seemed.

Gratefully their journey to the Arktik Trading Co. went without event. Moritz knocks rapidly on the door, hoping it would be enough to rouse the captain. A few moments later Captain Egor, in a thick trench coat and leather boots opens the door.

He grins. "As soon as I heard the commotion earlier I thought it soon be time to sail. The ship is ready."

Moritz thanks the captain who leads the party down back alleys. "I didn't think you'd be traveling with a dalkarian." The captain nods respectfully to Orion. "Or the legend of the man himself."

Moritz couldn't see his face in the dimly lit alley, but he could almost imagine Gavin's face redden.

"We're nearly there now." They exit the alley and there in front of a shabby shack sways a decent looking ship imprinted with the glistening words that the captain translated as; The Tern.

"Oi, Veynir!" The captain calls.

A burly figure leans against the bulwark. "Is that you captain? I thought you'd gone back to sleep and gave us a ruckus for your own amusement." He laughs, the only sound in the silence. "Alright then, we're all ready to sail."

Captain Egor leads the way on deck. "Easy now, don't want any of you falling in." He cautions as they cross the gangplank.

Moritz makes it across first, followed by Noaki, Orion, and finally Gavin.

"I'll be introducing you to the crew later. For now," Captain Egor shouts "Moir!"

"Aye captain!" A voice responds from the crows nest, from where a figure leaps down with a soft landing.

Moir was a bald man with a long wispy beard. He wears light breathable clothes that remind Moritz of clouds. Not a second to spare, Moir shifts his feet one way and the next, in a sequential dance.

The windy shore stills and the sails are released. Moritz realizes then that Moir is directing the wind, like a conductor.

The ship rocks forward, steadily climbing speed, her captain at the helm.

"That's incredible," Moritz observes the billowing sails. "How does he do it?" Moritz shifts to Orion, then immediately forgets the question.

The dalkarian’s patterns are dim, too dim and his crimson-like flesh pale. He faints face forward.

Gavin turns him over onto his back, elevating his head with his coat.

"This is not good," he whispers. "Afraid I can't do much in the way of medicine this far off land."

"What's happened to him?" Noaki crouches down.

Gavin shares a look with Noaki. Moritz watches this play out until captain Egor arrives on the scene.

"Your friend seems to have gotten himself into a bad scuffle." the captain's eyes scour the deck. "Veynir!"

"Yes captain?" The burly man appears from the cabin, the expression on his face relaxing when he notices Orion. "Seasickness?"

"A dalkarian seasick? No, especially not this one. Come here and help Gavin carry him down for Reyna."

Moritz stands idly by as the two lift Orion up like furniture. They carry him below deck and into a room devoted to medicinal practices. Though Moritz could only just make out a few instruments. Gavin appears in the doorway and instructs them not to enter.

Moritz and Noaki bear somber expressions. Neither speak for a time. In any event, the silence seemed appropriate.