Sailing Ether Tides

Sailing Ether Tides

Ch: 34 Afternoon Delight

“I suppose the carriages will be here when we return…” Duchess Emma sighed, as the houses and coaches dwindled behind the departing riders.

“I wouldn’t worry about that…” Sir Rolf called merrily to the lady of Shiraz. “We will no doubt find them awaiting us when we rejoin the main road.” The handsome blonde lord smiled radiantly from atop his unicorn mount, with his still sleepy wife in his lap, wrapped in a cozy blanket.

“We live in a freaking world of magic and wonders.” He declared, obviously imitating some person. He put on a vaguely singsong and lyric accent as he said the oft repeated line, still grinning like a complete jackass.

Watching the young Adventurers grind their way up the mountain, spinning their gears among and between the more conventionally mounted party gave Elaine and Bethaney a little more appreciation for their patient, plodding horsies. The long, steady ascent took most of the day, swaying atop the hairy, sweaty beasts.

Trees and brush closed in, once they crossed the first mountain pass and dipped down among the sheltering peaks. Dense pine and hemlock surrounded the group, towering over them to create a dreamlike realm of moss and foliage. Birdsong and small life returned, now that they were far from the bug battle that no doubt continued in the other narrow valley.

Cut brush piled beside the trail and recently filled ruts and holes showed the kids’ work from the previous day, clearing the way for the rest of them to pass with ease. Their road curved out onto a steep, grassy hillside, then vanished downward at the next curve.

All of the Ragamuffins were sweating and exhausted when they finally looked down a steep descent into a wide meadow, where the crumbling mining trail met the main road.

“Go on Rio… You got this… Just send it, bro.” Amy whispered, when her team formed up on the edge.

Wilf nodded in agreement and pointed at the slope.

Rio looked down that slowly curving, rutted and stoney mining track; where it spilled onto the granite slab and that dropoff.

“Pick your line, stay loose and just commit.” Wilf whispered in his brother’s ear.

“And keep your ass off the wheel!” He shouted, once his older brother was hurtling down the trail. The big, blonde Adventurer lad smiled at the gathered company, dipped his front wheel over the edge and vanished in a soft, clicking whirr of machinery.

One by one, the bike mounted Adventurers disappeared down the slope, only to whip back into view and vanish farther down below. A few breathless minutes later the boy re-appeared; down where the road crumbled away onto that long, steep, rubble strewn slab.

Rio squatted on his pedals, clinging to his bars with his bottom dangling over that spinning buzzsaw as he flashed down the trail. His bike lurched, swayed, bucked and surged below his backside, while he seemed to fly over the uneven track at speeds that were terrifying to the onlookers.

He blasted onto that slick granite outcropping, picking up even more speed, before launching into the meadow as if shot from a catapult.

“Wilf! I hate yooooou!” The green armored figure wailed, as he flew an improbable distance; before touching down in a billowing spray of turf, churned soil and dust.

A shaved second later, the young man shot out of the tall grass; arrow swift but still mounted on his machine and apparently in control. He carved a long, half moon furrow in the soil, as he ground to a stop, just in time for the others to duplicate his improbable feat.

“The kids cut a trail suitable for horses, down at the landslip. We shan’t be breaking our mount’s legs today.” Sir Rolf announced to the mystified party of horse riders, with his amused and giggling wife in his lap, atop his fine, prancing steed of silvery white… She was looking very comfy...

“I bet her ass doesn’t hurt…” Bethany murmured a little jealousy in her voice.

“I doubt lady Angie will be willing to give you a turn on her husband’s lap.” Hermione giggled quietly to her comrade, with a saucy wink.

Music began drifting up from that distant clearing, as the party began their far less adventurous descent to the wide meadow.

#

“Even Adventurers have uneventful days…” Amy sighed blissfully, as she eased into the bath with the empress, the ladies of the party and the three imperial captains. An early halt for the night enlivened everyone’s spirits, cheering the whole crew, horsies included.

They were all clean, rested, stuffed with braised monster jackalope and feeling fine… mostly.

“So, that was monster meat? Really?” Gabbie asked with a wide smile on her dark, beautifully angular features.

“I so enjoyed the meals on my last visit…” She murmured softly.

“Yeah, we grew up eating the critters we hunt; never even thought about it.” Amy shrugged at the small gathering of ladies in the steamy private pool. “It was a real surprise when we started traveling with auntie Ranza… I think it’s weird that most of you normies refuse to try it.” She glanced over at the captains and grinned.

“You ladies seemed to enjoy it without reservation.”

Hermione nodded and dipped a slight bow. “We three were taken for slaves when we were very young… Until we were liberated by your aunt Becky… when she was Amy the pirate princess.”

A small giggle escaped her lips, as the steam and bubbling hot spring dissolved a little more of her reserve. When the empress invites one into her bath, some informalities can be forgiven.

“She swept down like a summer storm at dawn, with that flashing sword… We all assumed it was just another battle between pirates and slavers, until she and her comrades began striking off our chains.” The veteran had a dreamy look in her eyes, as remembrance carried her away.

“She was blindingly beautiful in the sunshine; that was when I decided to study the blade.” Elaine whispered. “Her radiance’s orphanage took us in and even kept us together… I never would have made it without my sisters.” She bumped Bethany and Hermione with a friendly nudge of her smooth, olive skinned shoulders.

“When her radiance proposed this scheme to us, we thought the idea too strange and mad to be true.” Bethany murmured softly, with a deep, grateful bow to Gabbie; Who was lounging by the waterfall, pretending she wasn’t listening. “We see the wisdom of her radiance’s ploy now.”

Amy smirked at the three captains and giggled with pure, wicked delight. “It wasn’t mad and strange enough to deter you, it seems.” She gave a huge stretch and yawn to her new friends, kissed the empress’ cheek and climbed out of the bath; drawing a brilliantly colored floral silk robe around herself from nowhere.

“We should be back on the main road tomorrow afternoon. Rest up, we’ll be making up time tomorrow.”

#

At dawn, an outrageously blue sky erupted with birdsong, drawing even the sleepiest of travelers from their beds. Most eyes were drawn to the rugged, snow capped mountains, expansive forests and the huge, glittering lake of Foresthome, the seat of county Kinnis.

The ‘city’ was still invisible to the unaided eye, lost in the distance… not that it was a small town, among tall mountains… certainly not.

The long, off white ribbon of the ancient road led down the mountain in numerous sweeping turns, following the terrain in an undulating, gentle slope. The road vanished and re-emerged often before vanishing among the tall trees of the valley floor, still peeking out occasionally on its journey to the city.

Three familiar coaches sat on the roadside, when the noble folk emerged with their guardians and staff… spurring many questions among the retainers. Those questions were met with silent, smug smiles from the kids, who refused to discuss how the feat had been managed.

“Stay with the group and maintain your spacing as we head out.” Sir Rolf called to the company, as they variously climbed into coaches or mounted saddles. “Stay together, don’t bunch up.”

While the humans made noise and acted like they knew what they were doing, Ester was busy reviewing her little herd and preparing them for the day’s labor.

“Mind your footing and keep an even gait. We don’t want any runaways… I’m fond of some of these humans.” She told her team.

“The coachmen honestly think they know what’s best and we don’t want to hurt their feelings; so let me know if any of them get silly.” She nickered and snuffled gently to her coach teams.

“If you get in trouble, break your traces… the coaches have something called ‘Emergency brakes’ and will stop themselves if we come uncoupled.” She whinnied. “Safety first!”

#

At the edge of the meadow, the kids of Team Ragamuffin were lined up on the road, embroiled in some complication.

“So much downhill…” Wilf gasped hungrily. “I’m feeling it…” The big lad was visibly shaking on his saddle, as he furiously pedaled in reverse while holding his trackstand.

“Uh oh! Not good… Check him please.” Amy whispered loudly to Frank, who was already off his bike and peering at the young craftsman’s eyes, through his goggles of monster spider eye.

“It’s bad, Ames… worst case I’ve seen.” The lanky alchemist announced to the concerned grownups, listening from the coaches.

“He’s over stoked…” Frankie declared. “We gotta let him send this. That’s my medical opinion…”

“Uh huh…” Lady Angie asked coldly, from her warm seat in Rolf’s arms. “Is that so? I’ve never heard of this condition before…” She had a twinkle in her eye, as she scolded the lad, giving him exactly what his silly ‘diagnosis’ called for; a bit of the business.

“Are you questioning my super serious, totally real diagnosis, Duchess Emma?” Rio deadpanned, wrestling his eager smile down with a masterful effort. “As his team’s medic, I’ll have to follow directly after… of course.”

“Yes… and naturally we will accompany both of you on this vital, medically necessary downhill run.” Amy mused, stroking her chin the way Shai did, when she was winding someone up in a negotiation. The rest of the team was already in their saddles, awaiting the forgone conclusion.

Dannyl wheeled his machine out and leaned it against a tree, while he fiddled with the rectangular case slung on his back. “Oh! Wilf’s overstoked, I see.” He announced with a radiant smile, as his living whip of enchanted bronze chain links writhed and squirmed on the road, tying itself into a complicated tangle.

The man fitted his bizarre, tangled weapon into the empty space in his machine, twisting the mass of bronze links in with a solid sounding metallic clang.

He smiled even more widely as a low, throaty rumble sounded from the machine he was straddling. His bronze weapon churned and whirled inside its place, roaring with animal eagerness, as though a living beast crouched there, wild, dangerous and desperate to run.

“We’ll have to ride that out of him… unless you want his adrenal gland to explode… The full Gallagher.”

The handsome explorer mimed the lad’s skull exploding like a melon struck with a hammer.

“Messy business.”

Emma giggled behind her palm and sat back in her seat, unable to maintain her part in the farce, so the high priestess had to step in, lest Wilf really explode… the boy was looking volatile.

“Go on, you idiots.” Becky sighed from the leading carriage. “They’re your backsides. See you at the bottom.”

“So… you aren’t riding?” Kermal asked his very comfortable wife, who was balancing a cup of tea on her lap, in a plush coach.

“No, husband, I shan’t be rattled to bits on this road today. I’ve been riding for two days now… and my own backside is quite pleased to take a break.” She smiled indulgently at him and nodded. “Go play with your little friends.”

That high and mighty pronouncement was still lingering in the carriage, when her husband appeared among the kids, straddling his own silent, motorless machine.

Kermal barely joined the formation, before Wilf shouted: “Dropping in!” and vanished down the slope in a soft whirr of gears.

#

Tawny and Liam cornered Gary in his workshop, while his hands were greasy and full of tiny, precisely machined bronze parts. She had no clue what he was doing, but anyone could tell he was trapped for at least a while.

“Gary, we’ve known each other a long time and aside from my goddess’ mysterious… antipathy to you, we’ve always been frank with each other… as friends should.” She declared firmly, while looking him right in the eye.

“Don’t blame me…” He grumbled unhappily. “Your goddess is the one who is making this happen. You wouldn’t even be able to ask if we weren’t in my house, where she’s unwelcome and can’t see in.” With deft and practiced skill, he quickly reassembled his inscrutable device and slipped it into a drawer.

“I did wonder why that was so easy…” She fumed in beautiful, golden discontent.

“I have a complicated relationship with the pantheon… I would rather they just left me alone, but a few of the gods and goddesses have a problem with me.” He grumbled while wiping his hands on a rag that vanished into a cloud of mist and shadow, once he was clean.

“Dana is the biggest problem, but a few others are all booty bothered as well.”

“About that… Many scholars and theologians in the cult of Healer have been pondering the mystery of why the lady of light, love and healing is angry with you… something that she should be incapable of, according to scripture.” The golden priestess murmured.

“I’m a very special boy…” He sighed tiredly at his two friends. “Where I came from, the guild of healers had the same problem. They decided that they were done with me, once I no longer had anything they wanted.” He shrugged and began cleaning his workbench.

“I’m unsurprised that the same thing holds true here. The big difference is; back home, the healer’s guild wanted to squeeze every coin they could from me, then tossed what was left aside.”

“Healer and her cult have no desire for your money, Gary.” Tawny answered coldly

He leaned back on his stool and smiled bitterly.

“I don’t have any money, nor do I need anything from her, she’s just doing this for revenge.”

“Dana the lightbringer, goddess of healing does not engage in ‘revenge’... Certainly not on a mortal!” The priestess huffed in outrage at his heresy.

“Ok… sure.” He agreed in the glib, false way he always did, usually, right before doing something mad. “Ask her tonight… ask her why she cursed me. I’m under her geas so I can’t tell you about it.” He grumbled.

“Stupid rules… divine strictures and curses have a whole thing going on.”

“You’ve always been so good with curses…” Liam whispered. “Can’t you and Becky…?” He waved his hands around, indicating ‘mumbo jumbo’, as he finished his unspoken question.

“Oh, yeah, I could totally break her curse; she sucks at this… But the rest of the pantheon went along with it, as well as a few immortals from outside.” He sighed and shook his head in helpless fury, glaring up at the beams above them and beyond into the gulf. “I did something that pissed off the gods… I enraged them… And I’d do it again in a second, if need be.”

“What, Gary? What could you possibly have done to cause the goddess of healing to curse you so terribly?” She demanded, her voice sharp and ringing like a brass bell.

“I’m not allowed to say.” He grunted at her, displaying a hint of the boiling anger hidden inside him. “I can tell you that she’s had a problem with me since I got here, because she has no control over me; she can’t touch me directly and that pisses her off.”

“What does that even mean, Gary?” She demanded, her voice heated by steadily growing frustration.

“Control is what gods live for, it’s why they exist. I’m a living mortal, but I’m also outside her sphere of influence. He grumbled.

“Healers on my world also loved their ability to make demands and command people, relishing the power they held over the people. Power, influence, the ability to command others and make them dance… that’s a potent draw for many people… and gods.”

“That’s interesting, coming from you; the man of my acquaintance who is most likely to ‘make people dance’ without warning.” Liam said with a smile for his wife and the musician.

“I can’t do that anymore… and my arts and gifts couldn’t force anyone to do anything or cause any harm to the living.” The madman grumbled at his friend.

“Don’t lump me in with the gods… They’re too frightened of me to try anything directly, but too angry to just let me be… So we get this.” He waved his hands angrily up and down himself as he snarled his words.

“I’m all gimped up inside, unable to use more than a trickle of my own power, while the world just moves on without me… just like on my world.” He snarled in sudden fury. “Your precious goddess and her friends can fuck right off.”

“Well, I doubt we will make any more progress today.” The priestess sniffed, as she rose to depart.

“I’m not mad at you, Tawny… just your goddess.” He grumbled at her stiff back, as she climbed the stairs, back into the sunlit world above.

#

Wilf and Dannyl were waiting a quarter mile before the first real climb of the morning, two miles of well graded road posed no real problems, but saving their energy for the downhills made more sense… Or so they all agreed, through wide, dusty smiles and bug speckled goggles.

The long, smooth road dipped and rose as it descended, sweeping around the valley’s lush, rounded flanks and folds, assaulting the riders with breathtaking views and dramatic scenery.

They rode mostly in silence, only excited, joyous whoops of delight, the rattle and chime of their bikes and whirring tires on the hard baked clay warned the local wildlife of what was coming their way.

For the steep climbs, the Wards and Frankie tossed tow lines to their comrades without the mysterious ‘motors’ installed in their machines. The kids quickly coupled themselves together and climbed in silence, pedaling along as occult forces hauled the team up each rise.

Unlike the kids’ bikes, which only whirred, ticked and chimed softly as they rode; Dannyl’s chain whip took the place of their motors, moving inside its own knotted form in eye watering and disturbing ways as it drove his bike on. The nightmarish weapon tapped its bond to his very soul, using that energy to roar and hurl him up the inclines. It fell silent for the descents, as he followed the fast flying kids down the mountain.

They pulled up in an abandoned, stone walled field that hadn’t felt a plow’s bite in untold generations and began their afternoon preparations. The horses and coaches would be four hours making that descent, more or less… so the kids started getting comfy.

Dannyl joined in their rowdy performance of the theme from ‘The A Team’... Which seemed strangely fitting, even though none of them had a clue where the triumphant, over exuberant song came from.

Once their home was established, taking over the field entirely; Dannyl mounted his bike again and grinned at the dusty, smiling kids’ His little brothers and sisters were sprawled all over the lawn, while they struggled to work up enough energy to bathe.

“I’m going to buzz to the city, I’ll probably be back before they get here; if not, make my excuses, please.” He tipped his helmet at the kids and roared away on his machine, vanishing into the trees, rather than taking the road.

“Aww!” Wilf whined pitifully, staring at the narrow track, after the older man. “Downhill is fun, but that goat trail…”

“Later, buddy… we’ll make sure to get some dirt track under you, I promise.” Amy assured him gently. “Come on, let’s get cleaned up, then we’ll patrol the area… for security reasons.”

She took the giant by the collar and ‘dragged’ her grinning, filthy boy off to the baths. He stumbled along behind her, as though the tiny girl were really overpowering her massive brother. The others were already soaking, when Wilf and Amy joined the pool, releasing a collective sigh of bliss a few seconds later.

“No grownups…” Maya whispered happily, from her usual spot, beside Frankie. “Feels free.” One of her rare, radiant smiles escaped, enlivening the small, close knit family.

“Let’s enjoy it, then… who’s up to explore the area while we wait?” Rio asked languidly. “These woods are hardly traveled, even so close to town and right off the road.”

“Could be something fun out there.” Wilf agreed eagerly. “Two teams of three; one team rides a circuit around the area, the other explores inside the perimeter and stays close.” The big craftsman spoke firmly, his voice seeming to be that of a much older man; authoritative, confident and calm.

“Amy and Benny, you’re riding with me: Rio, Maya and Frank, explore and forage. Stay in contact, no shenanigans.” He addressed that last directly to Amy, who pretended to pout and sulk under his stern, unflinching regard.

“Anything weird or dangerous appears, we regroup here. No questions or delays.”

“Sounds good.” Benny rumbled placidly. “Snack’s first, right?”

“What kind of operation do you think we’re running here?” Wilf demanded with a big, eager grin on his face.

#

Maya’s low, haunting flute accompanied the two foragers, as they wandered the woods. Their chosen prey was unlikely to flee the soft, eerie tones of her warding spell.

Any beast or monster that fell within the radius of her song would feel the close presence of a large and dangerous predator and be encouraged to flee. A creature able to resist the full brunt of her spell would bounce back a subtle wave, returning a small measure of her magic as a warning.

The two young men and their watchful, musical guardian strolled the woods, touching the local flora, fungus and minerals of the region, gathering information through their individual gifts.

Rio’s Interface gift gave him some information about objects that he touched directly, but any hint of a living animus would confound his power. Fungus, minerals and especially plants gave him tantalizing hints at a simple touch, allowing him to positively identify previously known substances and herbs. New samples required sniffing, examining, tasting and eventually ingesting samples before he could gain any meaningful information.

The plant life in Foresthome was almost entirely similar to the wetter climes of Wheatford and the lower valley, with a few new things and some surprising additions.

In the shady embrace of the old growth forest, signs of former habitation appeared with regularity. Tumbled stone foundations, overgrown with lush, velvety moss cropped up frequently as they rambled down long, surprisingly straight game trails... the overgrown remnants of what were once wide country lanes.

Orchards left to run wild for untold generations yielded a bounty of fruits, herbs, fungus and berries, scattered among the grandchildren of the once orderly plantings.

One particularly well preserved structure caught their eyes as they roamed around the ruin of an agricultural community long abandoned by man.

At the foot of a shady little hillside, among the tall redwoods and hemlocks a simple, primitive spring house composed of river stones and a flourishing garden of the local ground cover still stood. Roofless, save for the canopy of willow boughs that stood above the low walls, it was a charming little oddity in the vacant woodlands.

Rio approached and touched a patch of the growth, to satisfy his curiosity.

Dewmoss: simple plant, marginally edible, low magic, astringent, mildly acidic.

Over the centuries, whatever mortar, mud or chinking had been between the stones was no longer there, replaced by a dense, partially petrified network of clinging mossy growth. The structure remained almost intact… crouching over a cold, bubbling spring in the dim shady forest.

Dappled sunshine danced over the tiny, pearly white flowerlets scattered over the mossy structure, granting it a dreamlike grace and dignity it had lacked in its previous existence, as a long departed farmer’s buttery and pantry.

Building a snug little hut over a cold spring could help preserve foodstuffs and provisions, when magical preservation methods were out of reach. This was once a fine, if homespun example of the craft, seeming to be held together by pure chance and springy plant life.

Rio carefully peeked into the long empty doorway and gasped with delight. “Maya, Frank… we have company!”

#

Lady Willow, immortal and divine dryad of the willow grove glared up at Rio from the small willow tree she was busily climbing out from under. “Young man, It’s polite to knock… before entering a lady’s boudoir.” Her scolding tone softened, once she was on her tiny, perfect wooden feet and fully present in the mortal world.

She strode forward across the tumbled, moss slick stones of the half ruined spring house as if it were a polished dance floor and kissed the startled young man on the cheek.

“Now where is my godson? I can almost taste his presence.” She demanded archly.

#