Motherheart Dragon Priest

Chapter 8c - Tall Ships and Dragon Riding

The ships upon which we travelled were in all reality floating towns and for many days we travelled out of sight of land on a southerly heading being guided on this course by the floating needle.

When finally we came upon land and it was mountainous and thickly forested, pirates quickly found us but though their small galleys and dhows raced around and between us, any that came too close received volley upon volley of heavy metal shafted arrows that went through man and vessel as if they were of the same material.

It did not take much to put them to flight and afterwards we hove to and tended to their wounded and dying, retrieving arrows and claiming whatever else was deemed of value. Word of this spread down the coast before us and at every port we then visited we were treated with the greatest of respect.

We could have terminated our voyage there and then and returned with our holds full of spices, exotic cloth and crafts as well as treasure of all forms but the captains agreed that the Qhan’s orders to reach the ports of the Katithans would be respected.

After we left these Spice Islands, as the Jomon called them, pirates again tried their luck. These galleys had metal plating and shingles of thick leather fitted to give cover against us and after the first arrows were deflected our captain actually laughed, saying that the locals had learned fast. At this, the fire fruit eruptors were uncovered and after various powders, fire fruit and stone balls were packed into them they were lit when a galley or dhow came close and attempted to board us.

Great explosions issued from the cylinders and when I could bring myself to uncover my ears and gaze through the smoke at the outcome, great holes had appeared in the galleys as if punched by a massive fist. Again what remained of the pirates fled and we boarded the disabled vessels that could not make their escape. In this way we again garnered equipment and treasure, as well as captives.

These I am glad to say were not treated as the Monqhul often treat their prisoners, with summary execution, but were fed and put to work to earn their keep. Most quickly realised how much their lives had improved and became trusted crew while those that thought to subvert and connive were laughed at and put ashore.

Some, I’m afraid to report, did find themselves at the end of an Ainu sword, for the Ainu have little tolerance of mutinous actions and the world is a better place without the nefarious dealings of such wicked servants of Shaittan.

Upon finally leaving these Spice Island pirates far behind us, we continued south and were told by our Jomon navigator that we would soon reach the arrival port of the Katithans, which is upon a great island to the north of the shores of their mainland.

It lies some miles from the main Katithan harbour and here all vessels must make report and seek permission for any other Katithan destination. The Jomon and Soong speak of this practice with great respect and honour it in its entirety.

The bureaucracy of the Han and the Monqhul apparently had much to learn from the Katithans, and the Jomon prepared us thoroughly for everything was to be recorded and assessed by the Katithan port officials.

Everything was to be inspected and all who would go ashore spoken to. They said that they would see into your heart and refuse you permission if your heart did not know the Law.

We were first intercepted by a fast twin hulled vessel which brought aboard a pilot and a priest whose duty it was to grant us entry or to send us on our way. The priest that came aboard our vessel was of medium stature, dark skinned but with a Jomon face and reddish curly hair. He spoke fluently with the Jomon and the Ainu and so also with me.

He looked amusingly at me, asking of my homeland and of my family. When he learned that my family was my Church, he nodded knowingly and said he too was so arranged. He said that he looked forward to travelling with me to the Great Temple which the Jomon navigator had told me acts as their capital city.

Solemn Cloud (as his name translated) stayed with us till we docked and I watched with some regret as this priest left our vessel for in him I recognised that which I could strive to become. Honest yet humble, religious yet without pretence. Cloud escorted ashore some of the pirates that had proved troublesome and untrustworthy and which our captain was anxious to be free of.

The Ainu mercenaries laughed amongst themselves saying that the pirates had better learn quickly or they would become dragon food before they understood what was happening to them. One pirate seemed to hear what was said and he turned on the priest, attempting to injure him and so escape. The priest dodged the attack easily and laughingly dispatched the pirate over the edge of the wharf with a twirling movement that also appeared to break the pirate’s neck.

He was dead instantly, which was lucky for him as some giant reptile appeared from the depths beneath our vessel and grabbed the body in its great jaws before it hit the water. I broke out in a cold sweat. I had seen the crocodiles in the rivers as we had journeyed through the Soong lands, but they were as toys to this monster.

“Is this one of the dragons that you have been speaking of”, I asked the nearest Ainu mercenary.

“That is as a hatchling to what we will encounter as we travel inland, nay that was an ocean crocodile, large but predictable. Pray to that Mother of yours that we do not meet with any wild dragons on our journey!”

I was dumbfounded, the confidence I had so far gained on this journey evaporated like the morning mist and all of my doubts came crashing around me. I started to weep as I felt all of my fears overwhelm me.

The warrior priest on the wharf must have heard my cries for he called to me, “Christian, is your faith so weak?” There he stood, legs akimbo, hands on his hips, his baggy trousers and jacket flapping in the sea breeze while the other pirates just stared at him.

“Don’t believe a word of that Ainu”, he laughed pointing at them, “you will be travelling with me and I have ridden Dragons!”

All of the Ainu went silent and as one they gave a formal bow to the warrior priest. I did not know what to make of all of this. Suddenly the whole troop of Ainu mercenaries had dropped their air of careless superiority and displayed the utmost respect to one man, this did not go unnoticed by pirate or crew.

The priest, laughing, opened his jacket and there across his chest lay a pattern of scars. He closed his jacket and turned and ushered the now completely cowed pirates along the wharf and up toward the Temple complex on the low hill overlooking the harbour. I heard the Ainu talking about him as they watched him leave.

Apparently each dragon that is ridden leaves scars on the rider no matter how good their riding jackets. The more complex the pattern the more dragons ridden and hence the more skilled the priest.

This affair drew a silence over the crew for the rest of the day and evening. It was not till well after the evening meal that the music began. Not with bawdy songs of wymin and festivals but long ballads of warriors’ deeds and tales of lone survivors returning home to the joyous arms of their loved ones.