Wayfarer (Wanderlust 2)

Chapter Two

They spent the morning visiting the various merchants and traders Tanden had made contact with the day before. Some of them could speak bits and pieces of Teltish, and while Soren couldn't speak Morcean, he knew a few important words. They managed to communicate well enough that Soren knew he could handle the actual delivering and picking up goods in the evening.

Around noon, Tanden actually seemed to get hungry, and led Soren to a small tavern near the port. "I found it yesterday," he explained. "You should bring the men here tonight, the barkeeper speaks Deoran so Jerios will be fine."

"I don't understand how you keep all these languages straight in your head," Soren said. "Don't they ever get mixed up? How can you look at an object and know four different words for it?"

Tanden shrugged. "I don't know. It comes easily. But I do get a little mixed up sometimes, if I have to switch back and forth quickly. Not usually if I'm switching to Teltish, though. That takes no effort—" and as if to prove it, he abruptly switched to Deoran and talked to the barkeeper. They spoke for a moment, and Tanden turned back to Soren with a grin. "Let's sit down by the window. I ordered us something with eggs."

"Something with eggs?" Soren repeated, as they made their way to the windows.

"I don't know, mate. Not everything translates perfectly."

They settled down at a table. Soon enough, the barkeeper came out with their food. Something with eggs turned out to be a sort of soup with egg drizzled in it. It was pretty good, and they ate in companionable silence. When they finished eating, Tanden paid, and they wandered back outside. They walked down the street, back towards the port. When it was in sight, Tanden stopped.

"I'll see you tonight. Or tomorrow morning."

"Are you going to tell me what you're doing?" Soren asked.

"It isn't—" Tanden paused. He was so rarely at a loss for words. "It isn't something you won't like. You'll find out tomorrow, all right? Leave it alone for now, mate."

"All right," Soren agreed reluctantly. "But you'll be careful, won't you?"

Tanden smirked. "Come on, when am I not careful? I know I seem reckless and spontaneous, but I think things through."

"I know you do."

"So as I said, I'll see you tonight, or tomorrow morning," Tanden promised. He clapped Soren on the shoulder, then turned and strolled leisurely back down the street. Soren watching him for a while, until, with a sigh, he continued towards the port.

Soren didn't like handling the trading, but he'd become quite used to it. He went back to the ship to collect Ivern, and they spent the day talking to the various merchants. They sold their cargo to whoever offered the most money, and bought food and water for the Wanderlust from whoever was asking for the least amount of money. They also looked for goods to take for trading later, and ended up buying a few crates of woolen blankets.

After spending the day going to and fro in the port and markets, they returned to the ship to greet the men coming back from leave, and pay the men heading off on leave. Then, finally, when all the work was done and Soren had made notes in Tanden's various ledgers, he sought out his friends.

The three of them were sitting at the long table belowdecks, getting ready to eat with the rest of the crew. Soren slid onto the bench beside Roan. "Fancy getting drinks later, lads?"

Roan chuckled. "Fancy getting drinks later? Who d'you think you're talkin' to, mate?"

"None of us are off tonight," Ivern said. "We were off last night."