A Shore Too Far - By Kevin Manus-Pennings Page 0,13
yet strong enough to withstand the swells, but obviously we overcame that difficulty some time ago.”
Eric watched Eglanna as he spoke, though to Eric’s credit he studied the man’s eyes.
“And what mercy would you ask of us that requires so many soldiers?” Eric asked. “Rarely have I seen such a well-armed plea.”
It was Eglanna’s turn to take Eric’s measure, but Eric’s strength, as I have said, is to shield himself from unwanted scrutiny. Watching his gracious but stony face, I felt inadequate to speak for Avandi and all its provinces.
“We are an expeditionary force, Your Highness, and carry much of value. Our hope was to start a colony on the unpopulated mountainous shores to the north, but we know that the Haru to the north make broad claims on those lands. We thought it best to come defended. Likewise, our course took us near where Northmen raiders were rumored, though I understand they are more likely to attack ships of your flag.”
“Brutes, by all accounts, no matter whose flag they attack,” the old woman Esmir quipped.
“Esmir,” Eglanna said, both warning and warmth in his voice.
“Strange you should be so fearful of a Haru attack and be so ready to attack other ships when it suits you, Captain,” Eric said casually.
Eglanna was clearly taken aback, though whether at the accusation or our knowledge, I could not tell.
“Your Highness,” Kannafen interjected with a deep velvety voice, “we are strangers to this part of the world and therefore subject to all manner of false rumor and accusation.”
Eric did not look at Kannafen but instead held Eglanna’s eye, pressing the younger man as I would a weakness in the lines of an enemy.
“Highness, I assure you, we are peaceful colonists. Surely the law of the sea is not so different here as in our land. We have attacked no one. In fact, we have encountered no other ships, hostile or otherwise,” Eglanna said.
“Indeed?” Eric began. “No Dolbiri merchants? No fisherfolk of my own country?”
“No, Highness,” Eglanna insisted, “not a ship since we left sight of our last port.”
“How, then, would you explain the two witnesses who saw these attacks? The people of these lands are hardly more prone to mirages than your own,” countered Eric.
“Highness, we have conducted ourselves honorably. I do not know what these people saw, but it was not any wrongdoing of this fleet.”
“I see,” Eric said dangerously. “Then why head this far east at all, Captain? If you can cross the Hard Water, surely you can navigate the boundaries of the Gaping Sea.”
“Our colony site was occupied, Majesty. Before we could even drop anchor we could see the smoke of a Haru settlement on the very land we had hoped to start our new lives. We were unwilling to start those lives with a war.”
Eric swirled his wine in his glass and set it again on the table. “And how did that circumstance bring you here?”
“It wasn’t by choice,” the older brother, Eldrazz, said, an edge in his voice. Eldrazz glared defiantly at Eric.
Captain Eglanna put a hand on his brother’s arm. “We were forced to seek a new area to settle, Highness, but we were low on supplies since we had planned to be offloaded already. We sailed south to Kulkerra to resupply. We planned to return to the northern coast to find a suitable settlement, but that was when the sickness came.”
“Sickness?” Eric queried, though we had clearly seen them unloading the infirmed last night.
“The captain speaks truthfully,” Kannafen vouched. “We are a sailing people and long used to the ailments aboard ship. But what started with a few dozen sick became a few hundred. We had left Kulkerra but needed to find shore, to seek aid for our people and begin scrubbing the boats before we went further.”
“We meant no offense in landing here, Highness,” Eglanna insisted.
Kulkerra was the nearest port of any of our neighbors and just short of our own lands. There was nothing inherently implausible in the story, but Eric did not put away his stern visage.
“How long will it take you to cleanse the ships and be on your way?” Eric asked Captain Eglanna.
“Less than a week, Highness. That I promise you.”
Eric studied Eglanna silently across the table. His eyes searched the dark man’s eyes and mouth, the fold of his hands. As I watched Eglanna under my brother’s scrutiny, I realized that I was missing something vital.
Eric stood and we all rose promptly.
“You have four days, but your conduct will be monitored.