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Part 21: VAALHEST
When Maira awoke it was to bright sunlight streaming through the window.
She cracked open one eye and groaned – she ached all over, and it felt as though she’d barely slept. Slowly she sat up, getting her bearings, and an uncomfortable dread crept over her as she realised the very important information her eyes were registering.
‘This isn’t my ship,’ she said. The floor was warm stone covered with furs, and the windows were on the far side, tall and arched, with stained glass in hues of pink, orange, and blue. There was a desk next to the windows, someone sat there, absorbed in a book; they glanced up at Maira’s voice and hopped to their feet.
‘That’s correct,’ they said, and Maira sighed, relieved. She recognised that voice.
‘Cad,’ she acknowledged. ‘So then, we made it?’
‘You did,’ he replied, approaching. Out of the sun’s glare she could see him, older and more tired, but his eyes still sparkled and there was a jaunty air to his walk. Maira smiled up at him, but groaned and clutched her head as the sun played across her vision.
‘How long was I out?’ she asked. ‘Feels like I hit the ground.’
‘You might as well have,’ Cad said. ‘You’ve been out for three days – lack of sleep, your crash landing, plus the stress of going out on your own, have all taken their toll. I’m surprised you’re sitting up already.’ Maira scoffed.
‘There was nothing really wrong with me!’ she protested. ‘Maybe a couple of bruises, a little tiredness – but I’m fine, Cad!’
‘You were near dead from exhaustion,’ Cad admonished her, and Maira shrank back under his stern gaze. ‘The crew of the Wasteland Jaeger couldn’t get anything from you once you were unconscious, you’ve not been lucid for days.’
‘God’s Tears,’ Maira breathed. She sat on the edge of the bed, testing her footing tentatively; her legs still felt like jelly. ‘And Wilde?’ she asked.
‘Recovering. I performed the surgery myself; well done on getting her here so fast.’
‘Yeah, well we had some help. An old Cannibal, name of Cynan.’ Realisation dawned and her face fell. ‘Oh,’ she said. ‘He’s probably down in the dungeons by now, isn’t he?’
‘Last I heard,’ Cad agreed. ‘But that’s not important right now – you and your crew are welcome guests of House Bounder, but our favour here is on rocky foundations – once you and yours are fully recovered, we’ll be sending you on your way.’
Maira stood, looking around the room. At last she spotted her jacket, hanging on a hook by the door; she made to move for it, but Cad moved in front of her, holding her back.
‘We’ll take your belongings back to the ship,’ he said. ‘Vaalhest is several thousand feet above sea level – the air is thinner, and consequently colder. Your clothing isn’t suitable; fortunately, my dear cousin Marina is an excellent seamstress – I hope you don’t mind, but I took the liberty of giving her your measurements.’
‘You took…?’ Maira’s face flashed with annoyance, and Cad rolled his eyes.
‘Doctor, remember?’ He gestured to himself. ‘Never say I don’t know how to take the measure of a man.’ He moved to the closet and withdrew a package wrapped in cloth from the shelf above. ‘With the compliments of House Bounder,’ he added. ‘I’ll give you some privacy.’ And he withdrew from the room.
Maira opened up the package and spread the clothes out on the bed; they all looked far too rich for her tastes. Her captain’s jacket had been upgraded to one of thick white wool for the cold air, with a fur lining on the collar; there was a cable-knit sweater in dark blue and wide-flared trousers with an outer lining of hide which ended where the cotton met her boots. She glanced over at her old, care-worn jacket, and sighed. Pulling it off the hook, she rummaged around in the inner pockets and pulled out the pistol.
The bedroom led directly onto the family room of House Bounder, a large room with a stone fireplace, in which a fire was burning merrily, and scattered with chaises, furs, hides, and tables, all lit by those big stained-glass windows at the far side. Maira found herself immediately assaulted by bustle and noise when she stepped out, dressed in her new finery: children ran and played, pouncing on each other in mock combat, tumbling across the floor; folks were reading, or painting, or engaged in conversations, and Maira noted how equal the divisions were – where in human households the man was expected to be the breadwinner and intellectual, here women discussed philosophy, politics and strategy with men, and men took on child-rearing and houseworking as readily as the women.
One of the bundles of children bumped into Maira’s leg; she turned and recognised one of the laughing, rolling faces.
‘Lance?’
‘Captain!’ All thoughts of amusement immediately forgotten, Lance stood, collapsing the bundle, and saluted. Maira noted the improvement to his clothes too – a grey jumper and trousers in the navy cut.
‘It’s good to see you awake again, captain,’ Lance said. ‘Does this mean we’re going to be leaving soon?’ There was an edge of trepidation in his voice which made Maira smile.
‘Not for a couple of days, I think,’ she said. ‘And thank you. I needed that rest.’
‘What’s the plan now, captain?’ Lance asked, and Maira chuckled.
‘At ease, cadet,’ she said. ‘We’re going to rest a little before we think about plans – so go enjoy yourself.’ Lance nodded eagerly. He turned and pounced on the back of a nearby child, whirling him around and sending them both tumbling to the ground, and the ball of raucous energy re-formed and continued around the room.
Maira sighed, putting a hand on the wall to steady herself. A woman noticed and detached herself from her conversation to approach.
‘You must be the gallant captain,’ she said. ‘I’m Isabella, one of the Matriarchs of House Bounder – the good doctor is my dear brother.’ She smiled warmly, and Maira hoped she didn’t notice the way she blushed when Isabella called her gallant.
‘Lovely to meet you, Isabella,’ Maira said. ‘Look, I hate to ask, but I’m anxious to see the rest of my crew – do you know where I can find them?’
‘This way.’ Isabella took her arm and led her through a doorway. From this angle Maira noted the similarities in feature to Cad – the same pointed chin and regal nose, and the slight greying about the temples that hinted at her age.
Through the doorway was a dining room, which was presently empty, and Isabella propelled her through the doorway beyond, down some steps into the kitchen, where Maira found herself deposited in a chair. The kitchen was a much smaller room, with a larger fireplace in the wall in which a spit was currently turning, roasting the leg of some enormous beast. A large man with a mane of long, blonde hair was working at the counter next to it, absorbed in his task.
‘Maira!’ She turned; Ham was also at the table, a hunk of meat in front of him already, tearing into a bread roll. ‘Thank the stars you’re alive! I was worried I was gonna have to go back to Bolthead and give your ma more bad news!’
‘Ham!’ Maira’s face split into a grin and she leaned over to wrap her arm around him. ‘I’m glad to see you – how are you doing after all that work?’ Ham shrugged and wedged a chunk of bread into his mouth.
‘Doin’ fine,’ he said around morsels of food. ‘Mostly hungry – I was out for the better part of a day when we got here. Stayed up to make sure they got to fixin’ the ship, they’re doing a beauty of a job!’
‘The ship!’ Maira gasped. ‘How is it? Ugh, I should’ve supervised those repairs!’ Ham shook his head.
‘I’m her engineer, captain,’ he said. ‘That’s my duty, and it’s done. Now what’s this I hear about you not sleeping right for weeks?’ Maira hung her head and sighed; oh well. It was time to talk about it.
‘I thought I could handle it at first,’ she said. ‘I figured it was just nerves: first time on a new ship, first time being in charge… but the fear just never went away. I’d lie awake at night and only get to sleep in the small hours, waking up at sunrise to start my shift again.’ She stopped short, feeling the heat rising in her face, the tears threatening to burst forth; she didn’t know if she wanted to continue. Beside her, Ham nodded.
‘Yeah, that sounds rough,’ he said. ‘I didn’t meet Dorian until he was already a dab hand, he was flying in the navy long before the Fallen Star ever entered the picture. The navy does drills for a reason, it makes their captains decisive – but you haven’t had a navy upbringing and your father didn’t want that for you. So you’ve picked up captaining piecemeal, and you’re nervous as a result. But I’m behind you, Maira; and so’s Lance, and I’m sure any crew you choose will be behind you too. You’ve got the makings of a good captain – I can see it in the way you care, about the ship and about the folks you already have on board.’
‘Thanks Ham,’ Maira said, smiling wanly. But she felt distant, removed. And she was still exhausted! She sat back and sighed.
‘Also,’ Ham continued, ‘Cad gave me explicit instructions to make sure you eat plenty today, because you’re probably starving on account of being unconscious for three days.’
As if on cue, the cannibal chef placed a bowl in front of Maira. It contained a hearty stew of grains, root vegetables, and dumplings. He took a plate and cut a hunk of meat from the roasting leg, adding a large bread roll to the side and handing that down too.
‘Wow,’ Maira said. ‘I think that’s gonna fill me up.’
‘That is the starter,’ the cannibal said. ‘Let me know when you wish for your main course. Sancho Bounder,’ he added, by way of introduction. Maira nodded in greeting, startled at the intense stare of his piercing golden eyes. But then he turned back to his tasks, and Maira concentrated on the food.
Sancho was right; she was hungrier than she thought. Over the next hour she devoured several bowls of stew with hunks of bread, and had plenty of the meat – which she began to feel guilty about.
‘Surely this can’t all be for me,’ she mused, finishing her fourth bowl and collapsing back into the chair. ‘You didn’t put on this spread for the Fallen Star’s arrival, did you?’ Sancho shook his head, still absorbed in his cooking.
‘You’ve arrived in time for our family meal,’ Cad said from the doorway, and Maira gave a startled cry.
‘Thundering Stars, Cad!’ she snapped. ‘You gotta warn someone when you sneak up on them like that – I had no idea you were there.’
‘That was the idea,’ he said with a wry smile. ‘I wanted to check in on you – it’s good to see you’ve got your appetite back, at least.’
‘Well thanks,’ Maira said. ‘But I’m feeling alright now. I hope we’re not imposing on your family feast.’
‘Not at all.’ Cad stepped down into the kitchen, clapping a hand absently on Sancho’s shoulder as he took a seat opposite Maira. ‘Rather, I’d ask you to attend – this is going to be the last family meal for many of us.’
‘I’m so sorry.’ Maira’s face fell as she noted the wistful reminiscence on Cad’s face. ‘What’s happening? Are you dying?’
‘Not in the least,’ Cad replied. ‘In fact, I want to entertain an offer for you.’ Maira made a face, glancing at Ham.
‘Can we not talk business straight away?’ she asked. ‘I still feel like I’ve been hit by a stack of crates, I don’t know if I’m up to negotiations.’
‘I’m afraid it’s urgent,’ Cad insisted. ‘The political situation is unstable in Vaalhest – House Bounder has been unfairly maligned in some unsavoury manoeuvring.’
‘You mean you got caught plotting a coup,’ Maira deadpanned. ‘I like you, Cad, but your family has a reputation.’ Cad grinned, mollified.
‘Quite,’ he said. ‘Anyway, the long and short of it is: I need passage out of Vaalhest for myself and some of my family. And I happen to know you could use some crew…’ He let the question hang in the air. As Maira mulled it over, Ham stared between the two of them.
‘Well how many are we talking about?’ he demanded. ‘Are we about to have a hundred Cannibal children leaning over the railings as we fly?’
‘Easy, Ham,’ Maira cautioned. ‘Lemme guess,’ she said to Cad, ‘you and your inner circle will be signing on?’
‘Correct,’ Cad replied. ‘Current count is around a dozen. Maybe less.’
‘Only those implicated in the coup.’ Maira pinched the bridge of her nose. ‘I’ll say this for you, Cad: you’re a better doctor than a usurper.’
‘I’m the black sheep of my family,’ he admitted. ‘Can I make the announcement over dinner tonight?’
Maira stared at him. Then she turned to Ham; she saw his mouth tighten, his lips pale, but he nodded. She turned back to Cad, regarding him quietly for several moments.
‘I have two conditions,’ she said eventually. ‘First: I want to know who’s coming along. Give me a list, introduce me to them.’
‘As good as done!’ Cad clapped his hands together. ‘You’ve met Isabella already, and Sancho here is strong and capable.’ Maira glanced up; Sancho turned to regard her with those intense golden eyes, before returning to meal prep.
‘Give me a list,’ Maira reiterated. ‘You can introduce them over dinner. Condition two: I want to see Wilde first.’
‘Certainly.’ Cad rose, gesturing to her. ‘Will your engineer be okay in here for a while? She’s still resting, I don’t want too much excitement.’
‘I’ll be fine!’ Ham insisted, taking a large hunk of meat.
‘Lead the way,’ Maira said.