Chapter Two

Voyaging

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Cass stood proudly at the prow of a cargo ship. The wind from the ship's movement whipped her hair around her shoulders, and her too-slender shoulders were thrown back. She was enjoying the feeling of being free. The Ship-Man whose detail it was to watch her didn't like the look in her eyes.

Her thoughts roamed, leaving her body motionless at the railing. What a strange position for me to be in, Cass thought humorlessly, looking over the wide expanse of the Inland Sea. Me who's never been a mile past my homeland in over eight years, gone down the river and into new land in just three weeks.

She thought back farther, remembering the panic that had gripped her after she left the pawnshop. The girl had ran to the nearest port, right in the middle of the city for easy access by the market-goers. She had stolen on board the cargo ship, hiding in the galley. The ship set sail, unaware of its small and hunted stowaway.

They had discovered her three days out from port, when the ship was already in the Sea and too far away from land to stop and put her off. In any case, the captain had guessed (rightly) that if she was forced to disembark, she would be taking half the possessions along with her.

So she had paid him what little coin she had, and he told her to stay in her room most of the time, lest she make the paying customers uneasy. And, the captain added, if anything went missing, she'd be overboard faster than a thought. The captain assigned the Ship-Man to follow her anywhere she went, and to stay outside her room when she was in it.

Apparently, that very same Ship-Man thought she had been at the railing for long enough, and, eyeing the elderly lady approaching the prow of the ship, he grabbed roughly at her shoulder and said, "Time for you to be inside, girl." Cass turned her head and stared fiercely at him, disliking his proximity to her. The Ship-Man let go of her arm and backed away, but his hand flew to his dagger-hilt, and his eyes were hard.

Cass sighed imperceptibly. Ship-Men or Street-Men, they were all the same — thinking only of the possibility of attack. She pushed back from the rail and went inside to her cabin.

Once the door was shut, she was alone in the near darkness of a room with only one window. The smell assaulted her nostrils — she must be somewhere close to the ship's head — and she closed her eyes.

Pictures flew to cover the darkness of her eyelids. Her mother and father, Brin, even Morit she remembered as she laid in a room filled with twilight. The woman who sold meat-pies to her for a copper less than the normal price, the man with the silk shop that always laughed when she sold him the scarves she nicked . . . people came and went from her memories.

The pleasant memories ended abruptly as if they were cut with a knife, and ironically, that was what she thought of next: the results of one sweep of a blade. New pictures floated in her mind: her parents, their death-white faces contrasting the blood on the floor; Brin, his sweet face marred by the expression of death; Morit, who had never liked her in the first place.

Consciously, Cass raised her hand to her neck and fumbled with her shirt, drawing out the deep blue tear that she kept hidden. As she had done countless times before, she lifted it over her head and studied it, frowning.

It looked the same as always. As long as her fifth finger to the first knuckle, the jewel didn't reflect any light, but seemed to glow from within. The color was such a deep blue it looked almost black, but when she held it in front of the small window, the light shone through it and it was visibly blue. The chain she had bought for two silvers and a lady's finely woven scarf threaded through a small hole at the top of the blue drop.

Shaking her head, Cass separated the two chain strands and lifted the gem over her head again, hiding it under her shirt. She curled up in the pile of ratty blankets, closed her eyes, and let the ship's movements lull her to sleep, while a hummed lullaby echoed between her ears.

***

"You! Girl!"

Cass woke, her hands flying to her armpit and boot-top. Her fists closed on empty air; the captain had taken her daggers.

"Outside! Now!" She was shaken roughly, the disturbance chasing sleep from her befuddled brain.

Squinting, she looked at the figure that shook her. It was the Ship-Man. Cass growled and slapped his arm away, but he was not to be so easily distracted. He grabbed her tunic-front and hauled her to her feet.

"I said now, girly." Cass glared fiercely at him, but he ignored her. He shoved her ahead of him and out the door.

On deck, it was night. The coolness that came with the sun's descent was enough to make Cass shiver, dressed as she was in a light tunic. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she saw that the ship had put to port. Her heart beat a little quicker in her chest. The Ship-Man had been dragging her while her thoughts wandered, and when released her, she fell at the feet of the captain because of the sudden loss of support.

The captain jerked his thumb over his shoulder. "We're here, girl. It's time for you to leave – I don't want you leaving with the paying customers. And if you tell anyone that I let you stay, you won't wake up the following morning!"

Cass sneered elegantly at him. Picking herself up, she walked down the board and onto the dock, continuing onto the land – and onto Tortallan soil.

She paused, closing her eyes and deeply breathing in the crisp night air. She was free! There was no way they could find her here. Absolutely no way.

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Yay! Another chapter done, and with school started and all! Kudos go to my (sadly depleted) reviewers, you all rock! Now, as for the rest of you . . . well, review this chapter and all will be forgiven. :) and check out my other stories too . . . they're all worthwhile reads, even if two of them are fluffy. But fluff is good!