When she returned to consciousness, black silhouettes loomed over her. She
could still hear sobbing. It was very irritating. She opened her eyes and
frowned. Feeling suspiciously refreshed, she located familiar faces. Karm,
Gelfan, the Second-Singer and the rest of the crew were there. Delighted,
they hugged her one after the other but she was too weak to return the
hugs. Voices and shouts of relief filled the enclosed space she was laying
in. Karm's gentle voice joined them.
"Everyone! Give her some space! We don't know how long she was underwater. She needs to clear her lungs. So can everyone leave except the Second-Singer, Yerwan and myself. Please!"
The voices obeyed. The silence frightened her although she was grateful to Karm for getting rid of the noise. She focused her sight at Karm's face and listened.
"Rue. Rue, what happened?" Rue signed her response: 'I was about to ask you the same question.'
Yerwan exploded with exhausted worry and agitation. "I'll tell you what happened! Rue, you almost died! You jumped off the rail and into the sea and you just went under. I saw you, rushed over and I couldn't see you! You were under for ages, bubbles rising and.and figures moving around and.I was so scared, Rue!" He leapt on her, hugging her fiercely with a strength she didn't even know he had. Startled but relieved, she hugged him back and realised they were both crying unashamedly.
"Oh, Rue! I'm sorry, I really am! I'm sorry I was so horrible to you! You didn't deserve it, you were always nice to me! And I.I.I wanted all the attention and you were always with the Second Singer. I thought I was the really intelligent one! But I've behaved so badly.you were always the clever one really. Just because I could read Singer-script. I got all jealous and hid away.I'm really sorry!"
Rue signed desperately that she forgave him and she understood for her friend was swiftly suffocating her with fierce hugs. Karm gently prised him away.
Although Rue was very breathless, she was touched by the extraordinary outburst of emotions from her friend and utterly relieved. After Yerwan had calmed down, Karm explained everything to her.
"Well, from what we saw on deck, you just rushed from the cabin and flung yourself overboard - with quite an impressive jump, I might add." She smiled comfortingly." Yerwan came out because we were deliberately depriving him of breakfast so he came and got his own." Yerwan glanced down ashamedly, painfully remembering the memory. "And he screamed you were overboard. Some went and got ropes but Yerwan leapt after you, straight into the water, and went under to try and find you. He kept coming up but he couldn't find you. Eventually, you came up on your own. You just floated and everyone thought you were dead, just floating there. Then your eyes opened and then we knew you were dead. But Yerwan pulled you up a rope onto the deck. Then you fainted." She leaned in and stared at Rue's face. "What happened down there?"
Rue explained; about the voices, the green people, the female clinging to her ankle, the huge, emotional eyes, how she could communicate through her mind, how they let her go.everything. It was difficult with hand signals but she managed. Yerwan, with wet, tousled hair and a thick towel wrapped around him, watched from a corner. When Rue had finished, he whispered one word:
"Merlee."
"It does seem so, doesn't it?" Seeing that Rue didn't understand, Karm expalined about the merlee.
"The merlee are half-creatures, some call them mer-people. They are a combination of a human torso and head with the tail of a fish. There are several gifted Singers and some orderlies who can communicate with them, like myself and you. Unfamiliar to it, you were taunted underwater by their voices. They have that strange quality. These are the creatures that will help us find the underwater caves and the Khiz-spells of Vengeance. I'm sure the Second-Singer has told you of this.
"I shall also confess a secret that only few know: the Second-Singer is my brother. He never had the gift, even a mild one when he is young, but he had the intelligence to help me with my gift. So now I have mastered it. If you were wondering, I can also communicate with centaurs, but not quetzals. Their species is solitary and secretive. They wouldn't talk to anyone even if they could." She glowered at the air over Rue's head. "I didn't know you had the gift."
'Neither did I,' mimed Rue. "But I thought Singers didn't know their relations, or weren't supposed to."
She ignored the question. "I shall teach you to use your gift because it can be dangerous, as you have just experienced. If you are feeling alright, then I shall start now. The sooner you reach understanding of the merlee the better."
Yerwan shifted uncomfortably in his seat, looking sheepish. Karm glanced at him. "You can stay, Yerwan. A little background education wouldn't hurt."
Karm began to relate everything she knew about half-creatures to her two attentive pupils, her eyes shining. Rue and Yerwan had not heard of this information before because it was the bits they hadn't learnt in the Echorium, the bits they weren't allowed to learn. So they absorbed it like dry sponges and in those few sunsteps, Rue learnt more than she had in an entire year at the Echorium. She was grateful for it.
In this time, Karm slapped a hot, gooey balm on Rue's brow and waited for it to seep in. Then, she asked the cook for some refreshments and they sat there. Rue detected a particularly bitter seasoning in her portion but decided not to complain. It was probably something medicinal.
Karm left them alone to talk after the refreshments, knowing that they probably wanted to talk. At first, they were both shy. Eventually, Yerwan squeaked, "Was it scary, down there? With the merlee?"
Rue tried to explain the wonderful but awful emotions she felt when she was with the merlee but it didn't work with her hands. There was another silence. And then Yerwan began to apologise again.
"I'm really sorry, Rue. I was so horrible to you. You are the kindest person I've ever met and all I cared about was getting the Second Singer's respect."
'But you did care for me when I stupidly jumped off the ship!' signed Rue.
"That wasn't the same. You might've died. You were under for so long I thought you had died. I was a coward. I didn't want to go any deeper than the surface. I hadn't swum before."
'It takes great courage to leap into a mass of really deep sea when you haven't swum before, Yerwan, even after your best friend. We are still friends, aren't we?'
"Yes! Please. If you aren't too mad at me."
'How long was I under, by the way?"
"About an eighth of a sunstep?"
'WHAT? I couldn't have been under that long.'
"You were, Rue! We thought you were dead!"
'But it couldn't have been that long. Honestly! I was under for a few minutes, at the most.'
"No, you weren't! I swear by the echoes, Rue, I'm not lying! Ask anyone on the ship! Anyone!"
They were interrupted by a huge roar from the deck which could only be Gelfan. "DRAWIN' INTO PORT, CREW! EVERYONE TO DECK!"
They scurried outside, Rue clutching some peculiar pastilles to chew to keep sickness away. Karm had given them to her. As soon as she stepped outside, a crowd of orderlies almost squashed her to death, asking frantically whether she would be alright. She signed several times that she was fine and there were relieved cheers and warm hugs from everyone. She didn't realise what she meant to the crew.
After the young mute had been thoroughly hugged, the two friends marched ceremoniously down into the port from the ship with the rest of the crew. Looking around, all they saw were local people and some merchants, all dressed in orderly fashion. Rue glanced at Yerwan and saw the dramatic contrast between the people and her friend. The people were tall and loud, with a rough and crude appearance and a good copper tan. Yerwan was small, pathetic and pale in his blue Echorium robes and sandals. By one glance you could tell he was an educated foreigner.
Some of the orderlies skipped off into the vast crowds to visit friends in the buildings lining the port and soon it was just Rue, Yerwan, Karm and the Second Singer left. Now Rue knew they were related she could see a vague similarity between them. It was very odd.
The Second Singer instructed them to stay close to him while Karm asked for directions. Yerwan obeyed hurriedly but Rue was desperate to explore that store over in the corner with exotic fruits with names branded on signs that she had never even heard of and that one over there with funny dolls crafted from timber with straw for hair and the one on the left with a broad man wearing barely anything yelling about some sort of sport.
"Where are we going, Singer?"
"We have contacts, Yerwan. We just need to know where they live. They are going to support us during the quest for they are some who feel the strongest resentment towards the Isle of Slaves. Some have lost family to those barbaric quetzals and they want to help."
"But what could they do though, Singer? They're only mainlanders," persisted Yerwan, with noticeable pride. The Second Singer frowned.
"In this part of the world, Yerwan, mainlanders are much more powerful than us."
Not understanding this statement, he began to ask more questions while Rue looked eagerly around, not paying any attention. She craved to investigate the port and all the colourful stalls. It was so interesting, so vivid, so exciting. She could feel the current of mainlanders bashing against her like a tide and she saw a merchant produce an amethyst necklace from behind his stall and exchange it for some sparkling coins. There were two large circles, one inside the other, chalked on the gritty cobbled street a small distance away from her. There were dozens of mainlanders crowded round, shouting and cheering. Forgetting the Second Singer's warning, she loped over to the rings and crawled between the many tanned thighs until she had a good view of what was happening. Squatting in the dust, she watched.
There were two large, brawny farmers brawling in the circles. One had a bright red ribbon tied around each wrist the other blue ribbons. Wearing barely anything but a cloth around their broad waists, they flailed their feet and curled their hands into fearsome fists and punched and kicked at their opponent. The red man was losing the competition although both were gasping and bleeding. Exhausted, the red man eventually succumbed to the blue and collapsed. The blue supporters in the crowd whooped and whistled piercingly and their man was carried away on their shoulders. The red man was left sprawled on the ground and any red supporters slipped away sulking.
Only one woman stayed to pick up the remains of her husband and scorn him for losing. The man looked miserable, bloodied and very tired. Despite her shock at the cruel, pointless display of violence, Rue pitied the man. He was significantly smaller than the blue man was, she could see it now. The woman was struggling to tip the contents of a gourd between her man's lips. Rue crawled forward and gently angled the man's head forward so the water was directed down his throat. The liquid dribbled down his chin with trails of perspiration.
"Silly man. You knew he had the advantage! Why can't you let him be? Him and his kin are no good, I tell you. If you had listened to the thousand times I've said you were no match for that man, then."
"I can beat him!" spluttered the poor man but his wife wouldn't listen.
"Kristar might be our neighbour, but he is no friend! You are so selfish! Showing our family up like that. Each time you lose, the more undeserved respect goes towards that ass and his cursed wife.thankyou, my child. I wouldn't help such a stranger, if I were you though! An idiot has not been seen yet in this world like my man!" She peered at her face. "Is something wrong? Why do you stay silent?"
Reluctant to release any information about herself, Rue hurriedly shook her head and ran over to the Second Singer. He had watched her throughout the fighting.
"What do you think you were doing?" he growled. "Mainlanders can be treacherous, difficult, and especially sly. That common woman could have snatched you away to some place where we would never find you! And you are valuable, Rue. Valuable to us. I would have brought you back if it weren't for my identity. They would see you were someone special then." After a long harsh lecture, Rue joined Yerwan and trailed after their elders to each merchant, asking for directions to a foreign place. It took most of the morning to completely scour the port for information and return to the ship unsuccessful and weary. The Second Singer was hissing darkly and snapped at anything that was said. Karm just looked tired.
As they were about to clamber aboard the Wavesong, the wife of the red man approached them.
"Excuse me, Singer. But I have heard you were looking for the Counticus Jeremia. I know where he has his place. I could show you for we are travelling there tonight to avoid the bandits." She winked at Rue. "I could take you there, just yourself and the little maid, if you would heal my husband with your magical Songs of Power. He has been fighting again and he is in a bad way."
The Second Singer seemed reluctant to agree with the terms. "Well, madam. There are several reasons that your offer might not be appropriate. The first is that it requires five trained Singers for therapy and the use of a Pentangle. The second is that I intend to bring my crew to the Counticus so simply showing me is a waste of my valuable time. The third is that I do not trust strangers, especially with my safety. And fourthly, I do not go anywhere without a guard, in fear of my skills being exploited, and no girl can be a strong, reliable guard." He marched up the plank, blue curls swaying in the light sea breeze. Yerwan followed him, trying to match his walk and poise. Karm scowled at the receding figure of her brother.
"Forgive him, madam. He is in a bad way himself and has been for a long time." Rue smiled. "I don't think I can be much help if it is Song you are seeking but I know some common healing techniques that might work. Not magical but natural. If you are willing to take me to the Counticus instead of that stubborn excuse for a Singer, then I shall indeed be glad to help. I am a trained healer." Rue was astonished at Karm's defiance of the Second Singer but glad that she did not have to spend one more day on the Wavesong than necessary. When Karm asked her if she wanted to come, all she could do was nod to show how grateful she was.
*
"Everyone! Give her some space! We don't know how long she was underwater. She needs to clear her lungs. So can everyone leave except the Second-Singer, Yerwan and myself. Please!"
The voices obeyed. The silence frightened her although she was grateful to Karm for getting rid of the noise. She focused her sight at Karm's face and listened.
"Rue. Rue, what happened?" Rue signed her response: 'I was about to ask you the same question.'
Yerwan exploded with exhausted worry and agitation. "I'll tell you what happened! Rue, you almost died! You jumped off the rail and into the sea and you just went under. I saw you, rushed over and I couldn't see you! You were under for ages, bubbles rising and.and figures moving around and.I was so scared, Rue!" He leapt on her, hugging her fiercely with a strength she didn't even know he had. Startled but relieved, she hugged him back and realised they were both crying unashamedly.
"Oh, Rue! I'm sorry, I really am! I'm sorry I was so horrible to you! You didn't deserve it, you were always nice to me! And I.I.I wanted all the attention and you were always with the Second Singer. I thought I was the really intelligent one! But I've behaved so badly.you were always the clever one really. Just because I could read Singer-script. I got all jealous and hid away.I'm really sorry!"
Rue signed desperately that she forgave him and she understood for her friend was swiftly suffocating her with fierce hugs. Karm gently prised him away.
Although Rue was very breathless, she was touched by the extraordinary outburst of emotions from her friend and utterly relieved. After Yerwan had calmed down, Karm explained everything to her.
"Well, from what we saw on deck, you just rushed from the cabin and flung yourself overboard - with quite an impressive jump, I might add." She smiled comfortingly." Yerwan came out because we were deliberately depriving him of breakfast so he came and got his own." Yerwan glanced down ashamedly, painfully remembering the memory. "And he screamed you were overboard. Some went and got ropes but Yerwan leapt after you, straight into the water, and went under to try and find you. He kept coming up but he couldn't find you. Eventually, you came up on your own. You just floated and everyone thought you were dead, just floating there. Then your eyes opened and then we knew you were dead. But Yerwan pulled you up a rope onto the deck. Then you fainted." She leaned in and stared at Rue's face. "What happened down there?"
Rue explained; about the voices, the green people, the female clinging to her ankle, the huge, emotional eyes, how she could communicate through her mind, how they let her go.everything. It was difficult with hand signals but she managed. Yerwan, with wet, tousled hair and a thick towel wrapped around him, watched from a corner. When Rue had finished, he whispered one word:
"Merlee."
"It does seem so, doesn't it?" Seeing that Rue didn't understand, Karm expalined about the merlee.
"The merlee are half-creatures, some call them mer-people. They are a combination of a human torso and head with the tail of a fish. There are several gifted Singers and some orderlies who can communicate with them, like myself and you. Unfamiliar to it, you were taunted underwater by their voices. They have that strange quality. These are the creatures that will help us find the underwater caves and the Khiz-spells of Vengeance. I'm sure the Second-Singer has told you of this.
"I shall also confess a secret that only few know: the Second-Singer is my brother. He never had the gift, even a mild one when he is young, but he had the intelligence to help me with my gift. So now I have mastered it. If you were wondering, I can also communicate with centaurs, but not quetzals. Their species is solitary and secretive. They wouldn't talk to anyone even if they could." She glowered at the air over Rue's head. "I didn't know you had the gift."
'Neither did I,' mimed Rue. "But I thought Singers didn't know their relations, or weren't supposed to."
She ignored the question. "I shall teach you to use your gift because it can be dangerous, as you have just experienced. If you are feeling alright, then I shall start now. The sooner you reach understanding of the merlee the better."
Yerwan shifted uncomfortably in his seat, looking sheepish. Karm glanced at him. "You can stay, Yerwan. A little background education wouldn't hurt."
Karm began to relate everything she knew about half-creatures to her two attentive pupils, her eyes shining. Rue and Yerwan had not heard of this information before because it was the bits they hadn't learnt in the Echorium, the bits they weren't allowed to learn. So they absorbed it like dry sponges and in those few sunsteps, Rue learnt more than she had in an entire year at the Echorium. She was grateful for it.
In this time, Karm slapped a hot, gooey balm on Rue's brow and waited for it to seep in. Then, she asked the cook for some refreshments and they sat there. Rue detected a particularly bitter seasoning in her portion but decided not to complain. It was probably something medicinal.
Karm left them alone to talk after the refreshments, knowing that they probably wanted to talk. At first, they were both shy. Eventually, Yerwan squeaked, "Was it scary, down there? With the merlee?"
Rue tried to explain the wonderful but awful emotions she felt when she was with the merlee but it didn't work with her hands. There was another silence. And then Yerwan began to apologise again.
"I'm really sorry, Rue. I was so horrible to you. You are the kindest person I've ever met and all I cared about was getting the Second Singer's respect."
'But you did care for me when I stupidly jumped off the ship!' signed Rue.
"That wasn't the same. You might've died. You were under for so long I thought you had died. I was a coward. I didn't want to go any deeper than the surface. I hadn't swum before."
'It takes great courage to leap into a mass of really deep sea when you haven't swum before, Yerwan, even after your best friend. We are still friends, aren't we?'
"Yes! Please. If you aren't too mad at me."
'How long was I under, by the way?"
"About an eighth of a sunstep?"
'WHAT? I couldn't have been under that long.'
"You were, Rue! We thought you were dead!"
'But it couldn't have been that long. Honestly! I was under for a few minutes, at the most.'
"No, you weren't! I swear by the echoes, Rue, I'm not lying! Ask anyone on the ship! Anyone!"
They were interrupted by a huge roar from the deck which could only be Gelfan. "DRAWIN' INTO PORT, CREW! EVERYONE TO DECK!"
They scurried outside, Rue clutching some peculiar pastilles to chew to keep sickness away. Karm had given them to her. As soon as she stepped outside, a crowd of orderlies almost squashed her to death, asking frantically whether she would be alright. She signed several times that she was fine and there were relieved cheers and warm hugs from everyone. She didn't realise what she meant to the crew.
After the young mute had been thoroughly hugged, the two friends marched ceremoniously down into the port from the ship with the rest of the crew. Looking around, all they saw were local people and some merchants, all dressed in orderly fashion. Rue glanced at Yerwan and saw the dramatic contrast between the people and her friend. The people were tall and loud, with a rough and crude appearance and a good copper tan. Yerwan was small, pathetic and pale in his blue Echorium robes and sandals. By one glance you could tell he was an educated foreigner.
Some of the orderlies skipped off into the vast crowds to visit friends in the buildings lining the port and soon it was just Rue, Yerwan, Karm and the Second Singer left. Now Rue knew they were related she could see a vague similarity between them. It was very odd.
The Second Singer instructed them to stay close to him while Karm asked for directions. Yerwan obeyed hurriedly but Rue was desperate to explore that store over in the corner with exotic fruits with names branded on signs that she had never even heard of and that one over there with funny dolls crafted from timber with straw for hair and the one on the left with a broad man wearing barely anything yelling about some sort of sport.
"Where are we going, Singer?"
"We have contacts, Yerwan. We just need to know where they live. They are going to support us during the quest for they are some who feel the strongest resentment towards the Isle of Slaves. Some have lost family to those barbaric quetzals and they want to help."
"But what could they do though, Singer? They're only mainlanders," persisted Yerwan, with noticeable pride. The Second Singer frowned.
"In this part of the world, Yerwan, mainlanders are much more powerful than us."
Not understanding this statement, he began to ask more questions while Rue looked eagerly around, not paying any attention. She craved to investigate the port and all the colourful stalls. It was so interesting, so vivid, so exciting. She could feel the current of mainlanders bashing against her like a tide and she saw a merchant produce an amethyst necklace from behind his stall and exchange it for some sparkling coins. There were two large circles, one inside the other, chalked on the gritty cobbled street a small distance away from her. There were dozens of mainlanders crowded round, shouting and cheering. Forgetting the Second Singer's warning, she loped over to the rings and crawled between the many tanned thighs until she had a good view of what was happening. Squatting in the dust, she watched.
There were two large, brawny farmers brawling in the circles. One had a bright red ribbon tied around each wrist the other blue ribbons. Wearing barely anything but a cloth around their broad waists, they flailed their feet and curled their hands into fearsome fists and punched and kicked at their opponent. The red man was losing the competition although both were gasping and bleeding. Exhausted, the red man eventually succumbed to the blue and collapsed. The blue supporters in the crowd whooped and whistled piercingly and their man was carried away on their shoulders. The red man was left sprawled on the ground and any red supporters slipped away sulking.
Only one woman stayed to pick up the remains of her husband and scorn him for losing. The man looked miserable, bloodied and very tired. Despite her shock at the cruel, pointless display of violence, Rue pitied the man. He was significantly smaller than the blue man was, she could see it now. The woman was struggling to tip the contents of a gourd between her man's lips. Rue crawled forward and gently angled the man's head forward so the water was directed down his throat. The liquid dribbled down his chin with trails of perspiration.
"Silly man. You knew he had the advantage! Why can't you let him be? Him and his kin are no good, I tell you. If you had listened to the thousand times I've said you were no match for that man, then."
"I can beat him!" spluttered the poor man but his wife wouldn't listen.
"Kristar might be our neighbour, but he is no friend! You are so selfish! Showing our family up like that. Each time you lose, the more undeserved respect goes towards that ass and his cursed wife.thankyou, my child. I wouldn't help such a stranger, if I were you though! An idiot has not been seen yet in this world like my man!" She peered at her face. "Is something wrong? Why do you stay silent?"
Reluctant to release any information about herself, Rue hurriedly shook her head and ran over to the Second Singer. He had watched her throughout the fighting.
"What do you think you were doing?" he growled. "Mainlanders can be treacherous, difficult, and especially sly. That common woman could have snatched you away to some place where we would never find you! And you are valuable, Rue. Valuable to us. I would have brought you back if it weren't for my identity. They would see you were someone special then." After a long harsh lecture, Rue joined Yerwan and trailed after their elders to each merchant, asking for directions to a foreign place. It took most of the morning to completely scour the port for information and return to the ship unsuccessful and weary. The Second Singer was hissing darkly and snapped at anything that was said. Karm just looked tired.
As they were about to clamber aboard the Wavesong, the wife of the red man approached them.
"Excuse me, Singer. But I have heard you were looking for the Counticus Jeremia. I know where he has his place. I could show you for we are travelling there tonight to avoid the bandits." She winked at Rue. "I could take you there, just yourself and the little maid, if you would heal my husband with your magical Songs of Power. He has been fighting again and he is in a bad way."
The Second Singer seemed reluctant to agree with the terms. "Well, madam. There are several reasons that your offer might not be appropriate. The first is that it requires five trained Singers for therapy and the use of a Pentangle. The second is that I intend to bring my crew to the Counticus so simply showing me is a waste of my valuable time. The third is that I do not trust strangers, especially with my safety. And fourthly, I do not go anywhere without a guard, in fear of my skills being exploited, and no girl can be a strong, reliable guard." He marched up the plank, blue curls swaying in the light sea breeze. Yerwan followed him, trying to match his walk and poise. Karm scowled at the receding figure of her brother.
"Forgive him, madam. He is in a bad way himself and has been for a long time." Rue smiled. "I don't think I can be much help if it is Song you are seeking but I know some common healing techniques that might work. Not magical but natural. If you are willing to take me to the Counticus instead of that stubborn excuse for a Singer, then I shall indeed be glad to help. I am a trained healer." Rue was astonished at Karm's defiance of the Second Singer but glad that she did not have to spend one more day on the Wavesong than necessary. When Karm asked her if she wanted to come, all she could do was nod to show how grateful she was.
*