On the Black Wind to Baldairn Motte

Part 18.

When twilight approached, Terryll ordered his crew to drop sail and lay anchor in a crook near the western bank of the river where the current was slow moving. By his estimation, they had sailed eight leagues inland over land. The offshore breeze had held most of the day and they had made good time—better than Terryll could have hoped—but the wind had shifted and now dark clouds came upon them from the north, threatening more rain and unpredictable winds.

Once they were anchored and the sails battened down, Terryll sent word to the Earl that his soldiers could come on deck. Terryll watched from the stern castle as the whole lot of them came up from the cargo hold to stretch and piss over the rails. The Earl came up to piss and then joined Terryll at the stern castle with Basilides. There was no sign of Lyrie nor Lord Klaye, however. Everild came on deck, but only for a moment before going back into the hold. Terryll watched him, but said nothing. He had considered telling the Earl he knew Lyrie and suspected she had been stolen away, but he didn't figure the Earl would care one way or the other, and so kept silent with the hope Lyrie would be left onboard when the Earl disembarked.

"How do we fare for the morrow?" the Earl asked after some time.

Terryll eyed the darkening sky. "Depends on the weather, my lord. This storm is coming from the north and that means we'll be heading straight into it. If there's enough wind and it holds steady it'll be a day of beating to windward and we should make good time; if not, we paddle. We've about four leagues to go still to reach your Gildan's Sprite. If we have to paddle we might make it by this time tomorrow."

"That will be good enough, Captain, as long as I'm there before the morning after tomorrow."

"We'll make it, my lord, but you may have some weary soldiers if we're forced to row."

"They're stout men, they'll survive."

The first raindrops began falling on them, and Basilides stepped toward the Earl. "We should get you below deck now, my lord."

"Indeed. I fear we'll all become soaked enough on our march to come. Good day, Captain."

Terryll nodded and watched the Earl go. The Earl's men seemed not to mind the rain and loitered about on deck, but Terryll still saw no sign of Lyrie or Lord Klaye. He gritted his teeth in frustration. He was not one to sit idly by and let things happen, but he didn't see anything that could be done but wait, and it infuriated him. Lord Klaye was not likely to harm Lyrie while onboard with all the Earl's men nearby, but Terryll couldn't be sure. He decided he could at least post a watch on deck throughout the night to keep an eye on things, and went to find Alwyn to make it happen.

***

A dozen different snores echoed through the cargo hold. Lyrie watched Lord Klaye toss and turn and finally sit up after an hour or more of fidgeting in his sleep. Neither of them had gone up on deck to relieve themselves since boarding and Lyrie felt near to bursting. She had resisted asking Everild, knowing he would keep a tighter reign on her, and was determined to hold out until Lord Klaye himself had to go up on deck.

"Are you going up to piss?" Lyrie whispered.

"What's it to you?"

"I have to go too."

Everild was suddenly awake, sitting up beside them. "I'll go, my lord."

Lord Klaye waved his hand at him. "Go back to sleep. I'll take her...him."

Everild said nothing, but Lyrie could see his eyes in the dark and knew that he thought better of letting her go alone with Lord Klaye. She didn't wait for him to protest further. She hopped up and stepped between the sleeping soldiers to the ladder and up onto the deck, leaving Lord Klaye to follow.