Ursula realizes some consequences of their situation and asks Simbran for changes. The clearing begins to evolve into a fully-fledged military camp. Then the two captive healers ask her for help with two patients with a seemingly common childhood ailment that have not responded to treatment.

The Voyage of the Visund

A tale of Anmar by Penny Lane

83 - Tents and Diseases

Disclaimer: The original characters and plot of this story are the property of the author. No infringement of pre-existing copyright is intended. This story is copyright (c) 2023 Penny Lane. All rights reserved.

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The sounds of voices above and the smell of cooking zurin woke Ursula. When she rolled over in her bunk she saw that most of the other women were just about awake but still in their own bunks. Tyra and Bennet had disappeared, though. From the light coming in through the clerestory-style windows it was early morning. She propped herself up on one elbow, yawning.

"Good morning, Mistress... if that is the proper title for you now?"

Ursula groaned, sat up and stretched. "Mistress will do, Banest, for now. I did not ask for anything more. Good morning to you all. What is happening?"

"Mistress," Larys answered, "Kedian makes breakfast, we found some zurin in the local market yesterday morning and knew that it would make your day seem better when next we met."

Ursula could think of any number of complications to that. "And what if we had not met for some days?"

"The zurin would not go to waste, Mistress," Larys replied with a straight face, "and I am sure that more could be obtained when we reached Bibek."

She chuckled. "You'd eat it all yourselves, you mean."

"Aye, Mistress." Larys lowered her gaze. "It is somewhat tasty."

There was a groan from behind Ursula's shoulder. "Gods, it is morning again! How many more armies will appear today?"

Ursula twisted. "None, I hope, Highness. Good morning to you."

"Ah, good morning, Ursula. Is that zurin I can smell?"

"It is, Highness, but it is not zurin that occupies my attention right now. I have need of a facility that this barge lacks before I will be able to eat."

"Aye! I am in like need, I deem. Is there no remedy, Ursula? Some magic device from the mother world which will be a boon to every woman here?"

"No magic, Highness, but good solid engineering which will come in time." Ursula hoisted herself out of her bunk and stood stretching. "I doubt I can wait that long, however."

It took only a moment for her to strip off her nightgown and pull on the ship dress she had worn the previous day. Some of the others made similar exchanges and Eriana led the way onto the Green Ptuvil's deck. The first thing Ursula noticed was that the four Faral cutters had gone though Spirit of Bibek remained, as did Zebrin's Tusk.

"That solves one problem," she remarked as they climbed into the Visund to reach the shore.

"It is not so, Ursula," Eriana responded. "Here comes one, nay, two, through the channel now."

The group briefly turned to observe the activity but bladders wait for no-one, so they continued clambering over the longship's benches until they reached the bow and climbed down onto solid ground.

"They are bringing materials in," Ursula said as they made their way past the buildings, Zebrin sentries saluting as they did so. "Does that mean that ferry has arrived, do you think?"

"Probably, Ursula, though Simbran may also have sent for supplies from Bibek. Let us do our business and break our fast, then we shall learn what transpires this day."

On their way back from the latrine, freshly dug by Zebrin troops, they were intercepted by Simbran and Vikzas, who came from the direction of the cooking area.

"Good freshness, First Director, Director," Simbran greeted them. "Have you all recovered after your recent night adventures?"

Eriana bobbed. "Good morrow, Your Grace, I mean good morning. Good freshness? Even the greetings are different as we travel! Aye, for myself I feel refreshed, though I would offer a better answer once we have eaten breakfast. Ursula? What of your night? Did you sleep well?"

"I did, First Director, though I might fade later this afternoon. Good morning, Your Grace. I assume there has been no trouble in the camp?"

"None that has been reported to me, Director."

"I noticed some of your cutters bringing goods in, are they from that ferry?"

"Indeed, Director. As we thought, the channel is not wide enough to admit the ferry, nor is it likely deep enough. I put two of the cutters to work ferrying materials in to save time, the other two are away carrying messages to Bibek and Farso. Presently we are building some medium-sized tents to store the food and other materials in against a sudden downpour. We have just inspected the local cooking facilities and intend to supplement with a proper field kitchen and mess tent, that all may eat their meals in comfort.

"Further tents will be provided to accommodate those men who presently have no shelter apart from the hull of the stripped galley. I have no doubt they will feel more comfortable there for the few days needed until they are well enough to travel. If I may ask, would the crew of the Visund also benefit from such tents? It does not seem to me that one could be comfortable in so open a vessel when it rains. I am sure we have brought enough to accommodate all who may need them."

"Eriana?"

"A kind thought, Your Grace, and one which will be appreciated by our men. We do have use of the further galley, it is true, and the Visund even carries awnings we could erect, but aye, if you have brought tents, then why not make use of them?"

"As you wish, First Director. You are about to have breakfast?" Eriana nodded. "The fare provided by the cooks is somewhat plain, I fear."

"The Green Ptuvil has a small kitchen, a stocked pantry and a good cook who will provide for all aboard, Your Grace. There is a zurin roll and a mug of pel awaiting my attention, I deem."

Simbran's brow wrinkled. "I had a strange message a while ago concerning zurin, do you know any more, Vikzas?"

"Aye, Your Grace, it is something I discovered being eaten by these folk in Faralan. When wrapped in a freshly baked roll it is most satisfying for breakfast, I find. Doubtless my desires will change once the weather turns but for now it makes a filling way to begin my day."

"Do you tell me? And where does this new custom come from, then? Was it brought by our friends from Palarand?"

"I believe so, Your Grace."

"Your Grace," Eriana said, "while both zurin and bread rolls are common enough along the lands of the Sirrel I believe that it was Ursula who suggested putting the two together."

"Ah?" Simbran spun to Ursula, one eyebrow raised.

"Your Grace," she replied, "it is a common breakfast item among my people also. Once I found out what zurin was, I introduced the crew to this way of eating it."

"Ah, I see. Your people? You are not from the Great Valley yourself, I deem."

Ursula and Eriana exchanged a glance. The latter cautiously explained, "Your Grace, Ursula comes from a land... not far from that where Tenant Maralin was born, whom you met in Palarand."

Enlightenment came and Ursula said quickly, "Your Grace, my origins were explained to Marshal Vikzas when we met in Faralan, perhaps he can tell you at a suitably private moment."

"That knowledge is not generally known," Eriana added the caution. "She suffers the same danger that Garia and Maralin do. If I may ask you to ward your words carefully, Your Grace."

Simbran stared before nodding. "Upon my oath, Eriana."

"Heard and witnessed, Your Grace."

"Shall I learn more once your ship reaches Bibek, Eriana?"

The Princess rolled her eyes. "That was my intention, Your Grace, but actually reaching Bibek seems to be proving somewhat difficult of late."

"I will make sure that we can do what we may to hasten your dealings here, Eriana. Bibek has been waiting to greet you and your men for some time now."

"As you say, Your Grace." They had been walking towards the Visund while they talked and had now reached the ladder someone had propped against the bow. "By your leave, Your Grace, we go to take breakfast now."

Simbran nodded. "And afterwards we shall continue that meeting we began yester eve, agreed?"

"Agreed."

When they returned to the cabin, all the other women were seated around their table, which held rapidly diminishing plates of bread rolls and sizzling zurin.

* * *

"We have discovered a lack most important to we women, I deem," Eriana began when they had settled into their seats aboard the Spirit of Bibek. "This place has no bath-house at all. Being only men here when the pirates ruled they saw no need for one. Unfortunately there are women here now and there may be women here in the future."

Simbran nodded. "As you say. But building a bath-house here raises a question I asked myself late last night, which was, what is to become of this place? There is nobody local left alive to restore what was once here so it reverts to my own domain, I believe. I could plant a new village, a town, even, given the clearance we see about the buildings, but then I had a new thought: First Director, do you want this place?

"My thinking was this. Bibek is a large and busy port but that is almost its problem, at times it is too busy. I concede that the Faral contingent of the River Patrol must needs operate from there, with smaller establishments along our banks as required, but you may have need of a point of administration this side of Yod and, possibly, a base for storage of supplies or for construction of vessels. It occurred to me that Hamalbek may present such an opportunity to you."

Zoran raised a finger. "Your Grace, if I may add, the new River Patrol will be active along both banks of the Sirrel between our lands, it does not make sense to duplicate bases on both sides when each may share what the other already has."

Simbran inclined his head in acknowledgment. "I had overlooked that point, Signar, and I thank you for reminding me. Aye, it will be of help to both our lands, I deem. But my original question remains. The land is here and presently vacant, should the Federation Navy, then, have an establishment of its own in this place?"

"Your Grace," Eriana replied, "we - the Federation Navy - thank you for your offer and will require some time to consider it. For myself, I do not see that we have a great need for such an establishment that could not be satisfied at Bibek or, indeed, in Zebrin City, but my view is not the only one which matters. Ursula?"

"Your Grace, as a base for water craft I do not think that it would be more useful than the ports already established - but it occurs to me that Hamalbek could be a useful place for training, particularly our marines. The forest around us is unfamiliar to most of our troops and it was unfamiliar to the Yodans also. A center for common training, perhaps even for new recruits, could work well here, away from the distractions we have seen at other ports."

"A training base!" Simbran responded, surprised. "I had not considered that aspect. Aye, I agree. But such a base will take time to plan, I deem. It would not be ready this year so neither would your bath-house."

"While we might need a bath-house, Your Grace, we do not need anything so elaborate. After all, we are only going to be here a few days. A tent for privacy with a large half-barrel in it would be enough, provided sufficient water could be heated."

"As you say, Director." Simbran considered, then nodded. "I will see what may be arranged, but it might not happen today."

"Thank you, Your Grace. I would point out that, should you provide a bath-house, even a temporary one, all the former captives will want to use it as well. And, if they do so, they will want to have fresh clothes to wear, since what they now have on is what they were captured wearing."

Simbran pursed his lips. "It is always surprising to me how any tiny problem may sprout and multiply like some maddened weed in a field, I deem. Director, your words are wise, we must needs find fresh attire for these poor men, they have suffered for far too long." He waved an arm. "Do not concern yourself, I am sure that between our own supplies and those of Zebrin," a nod to Zoran, who returned it, "we may satisfy all who desire fresh attire to clothe themselves before they depart this place."

"Thank you, Your Grace." Ursula hesitated before adding, "Your Grace, there is another related matter I thought about late last night. I now believe that the pirates ought to be removed as soon as possible and tried elsewhere."

"Oh? Director, I would consider it expedient to try them here and execute them as soon as possible, I deem."

"That was what I thought at first, Your Grace, but consider what happens afterwards. We are left with one hundred eighteen bodies to burn and we are already short of firewood."

"One hundred eighteen? I thought you said there were only forty-four!"

Eriana explained, "Your Grace, we already have seventy-one pirate bodies laid out near the forest edge awaiting disposal, together with three captives and a Zebrin. The Zebrin they will want to return to his family but the others remain. Ursula's point is a good one. Removing the pirates will reduce pressure on our food, water and fuel supplies and also remove any element of risk from the camp."

Simbran sighed. "As you desire, First Director, the point is well made. You people are very good at this! I would never have considered the bodies, anywhere else in Faral and they would be of no consequence."

Zoran muttered agreement. "Your Grace, the same would be true in Zebrin. At Hamalbek the rules must needs be different, I deem. By all means take them to Bibek, or at your preference, Zebrin can offer to take some or all. They have preyed on vessels passing our banks as well as yours."

"Done, Zoran, but I would ask that they all be tried together. To condemn half in Faral and half in Zebrin will raise concerns that our ideas of justice may be different."

Zoran thought. "If I may ask to speak privately with you about this matter, Your Grace. In general the laws that govern those who use the Sirrel are customary but there can be some differences according to each land it flows through or past. If we are to join the River Patrol, it follows that the customary law must be made into a legal and consistent one, that all may know their rights and responsibilities when traveling the river."

"Hm? You think that the Federation needs a treaty to govern the river? Aye, we shall have words once we are finished here, Zoran. If we do not then we will only make work for regiments of lawyers for decades to come."

"My thoughts exactly, Your Grace."

"Very well. Let us continue. Who has something to add?"

Ursula cleared her throat. "Your Grace, there may be a bigger problem. There are already many victims buried on the cleared land around the camp and nobody knows how many. What happens when the water level rises?"

There was shock on the faces of the Faral and Zebrin members.

Simbran answered, "We cannot know, Director. The Sirrel does whatever it desires, we may not prevent anything it does to our lands - which is why Hamalbek is now only connected by that channel. Sometimes the water scours, sometimes it will leave deposits, sometimes it apparently does little except disturb the shoals in the channel but we may not predict or prevent anything.

"If it scours the area which is now cleared, the bodies could be swept into the main river and downstream - or they could be washed back and scattered into the forest. If it deposits more soil then no-one will know where the bodies may be until the next time someone digs a foundation or a well." He grimaced. "Even if the well does not find a body the water would become tainted, I deem. Do you know how many bodies may be involved? I do not ask for an exact figure."

"I cannot even give you an estimate, Your Grace," Ursula replied. "The original Yodans may have buried some of the villagers when they arrived but no-one from that first galley remains alive to tell us. The pirates certainly buried many but there are no markers for the graves and no-one was keeping a count. I would guess anywhere between perhaps thirty and a hundred or so, some of which could be women. But that is only a guess, Your Grace."

Simbran threw up his hands, muttering something which was not intended for female hearing.

"There may be people in Bibek who can discover these bodies, but it is late in the season and the bodies must needs be found and removed before the Rains begin. Very well, Director, I will instruct those necessary to come here and begin the search. We must move on. What is next?"

* * *

Ursula climbed down the ramp from the Spirit of Bibek and tried to stretch the kinks out of her legs. While there was enough room in the cabin to sit and the seating was comfortable enough, she had not moved for two bells and had gotten stiff. On the ground waiting for her and Eriana, who was having a few final words with Simbran, were Bennet, Semma and Tyra. All were wearing their training gear of tunic top tucked into box-pleat skirt, straw hat and the three wore swords on their belts.

"Mistress? You had a long meeting on that boat."

"Yes, Tyra, it was a meeting we probably should have had in more comfort at the Margrave's palace, or wherever he lives. Most of what we discussed was about here, though. Ladies, it looks like we - the River Patrol, that is - now owns Hamalbek, possibly to build a training base on. Nothing will happen until after the Rains, though, and likely not until next year. More importantly, the surviving pirates will be taken away as soon as possible and transported to Bibek for trial and execution. We'll be getting more tents to put everyone who is left into and even an extra one for us to bathe in."

"That sounds like an excellent idea, Mistress," Bennet agreed. "I know that when traveling we must needs bathe whenever we can but this place is filthy. Ah, a bathing tent, does that mean we will be staying here some time, Mistress?"

"No more than a week, I hope," Ursula replied. "Just long enough to get all the captives fit enough to be taken somewhere else. We have business elsewhere and so do they." Ursula paused, then added, "Most of them, anyway."

"That's good," Bennet said. "This has been a good exercise but I have become used to traveling between towns and cities on the river. Oh," she remembered, "those two healers from the Trusties cage wanted to speak to you, Mistress. Tyra, do you remember what they said?"

"I do not, Bennet, but I saw them returning to their cage. Something about a fever? Mistress, will you go there to see them or have you other needs?"

"I need a drink, Tyra, but that is all. If the healers want me it could be important. Bennet, what are you and Semma doing this morning?"

The tall guardswoman pointed at the State Barge. "We await Her Highness, Mistress. I will tell her where you have gone."

"Very well. Come on, Tyra."

Ursula had visited the cage briefly the previous day when she had made her census but not ventured further inside. Now she asked at the entrance where the sick people were and was directed to a screened area at one end, shaded by a length of tattered tarpaulin from the sun which beat down between the bars of the cage. Inside she found the two healers and sixteen crude pallets of which twelve were occupied.

Two at the far end were separated from the rest by empty pallets, upon one of which the two healers had been sitting. When Ursula and Tyra arrived they stood and hurried forward to greet her.

"Mistress, welcome to the House of the Sick, such as it is. We are concerned with the two at the far end, as you see. While the others around you have simple injuries of one kind or another those two have a persistent fever and it worries us. The Zebrin surgeon told us that you had more knowledge than he and suggested that we ask you for advice."

"That is possibly true," she replied. "I'm sorry, I remember your names but not which is which."

The speaker pointed to himself. "Mistress, I am Sarrik and he is Netheran. We are both accounted healers by the association in Bibek. We are used to treating injuries and ministering to the usual mild fevers which every child and young adult may catch but these two resist our efforts. If you could assist us?"

She led the way towards the two pallets but stopped at a safe distance. "What seems to be the problem here?"

"Mistress, it appears to us that these two have caught nothing more than a simple childhood illness called middrin which, in an otherwise healthy child, lasts a week to ten days or so. Middrin usually gives the child a mild rash and a sore throat. There is a fever, it is true, but it happens at the beginning and lasts only one day, perhaps two. These two have been feverish for two weeks now and it does not relent."

"Do adults normally catch this illness?"

"No, Mistress, since most will have already caught it while children."

She considered the faces of the two patients. "These two do not look like locals, their skin is too dark."

"As you say, Mistress. That one," Sarrik pointed, "comes from K'kjand and the other, we know not where, but certainly nowhere local to the river."

K'kjand? Oh, that was what Eriana told me some folk call travelers who come from a region called the Six Cities over on the west coast.

"I remember now. When I came yesterday to find out everyone's details you had to carefully spell out their names for me."

"As you say, Mistress. When they were first brought here both were already ill but could just manage to speak and tell us their names. Now I think on it, there was another from K'kjand who had the fever! But he recovered quickly and was moved next door."

Ursula nodded. "I remember him as well. Look, I'll need to go and get my basket of potions and so on but, before I come back here to examine these two properly, I will go and find the other one and ask him some questions. It might help if he knows what is going on."

"Ah, as you say, Mistress. Of course, even if we had thought of doing that, we could not approach the other prison for fear of being strung up on the frame."

Ursula winced. "Well, that will no longer happen. We'll be back shortly."

Ursula and Tyra had taken a certain amount of dressings and salves for the assault but most had been left aboard the Green Ptuvil. Once the barge had arrived at Hamalbek the materials had been returned to their usual places in basket and bag. The two therefore returned to the barge, taking the opportunity to have a drink and refill the bottles everyone now carried.

"What happened to Kaldar? I have not seen him today."

Kedian smiled. "Mistress, this morning he helped me make breakfast since there are now so many to provide for. Now, I deem, he is below with the rescued women, probably making more attire for us all."

"Oh, I see."

I didn't give him any potions this morning. If I give them to him now it could be dangerous, too close to tomorrow's dose. I'll talk to him over lunch.

"Thank you, Kedian. Those rolls were very good. I didn't think you could bake anything like that on a tiny barge stove."

He grinned. "Mistress, it is always a surprise what we can do with so small a kitchen. It is enough for us waterfolk, I deem."

"So I have discovered. If you will excuse us, we have some patients to attend to."

"Of course, Mistress."

Most of the Captives were still inside the stripped galley because of the hot sun. Ursula climbed down and discovered Benakar at the foot of the companionway.

"Mistress, good morning. If I may be of assistance."

"You can, Benakar, since I do not think I can pronounce his name. I need that man from... where did you say it was? Somewhere over at the west coast, it sounded like."

"Ah, do you mean Kapis or Terry? Both are yonder." He pointed along the length of the hull.

"Which ones? Those two? Not the Kittrin, I want to speak to the other one. Wait, call them both over, please."

"Kapis! Terry! The Mistress wants you."

The two men scrambled along the ribs of the hull, carefully avoiding the others who were lying between the structural members. They arrived at the small platform at the base of the companionway and looked at Ursula with interest. She decided to deal with the Kittrin first. He looked a little older than Toshi, but that could partly be because of the poor diet.

«I apologize, I do not remember your name.»

He was startled. «You speak my tongue!» He looked more closely at Ursula's face in the light which came down the companionway. «You are not a Kittrin but... Are you descended from some of my people?»

«Not exactly. It is a long story. Your name?»

He looked embarrassed and then bowed low. «Mistress, I am Kapashu Atakami Teratsu, a Kittrin as you can see but no longer of the Empire. Most in this strange land struggle with my name and name me Terry. What is it you want of me?»

«We have a Kittrin who has recently joined our crew. My thought was that, as you are now free but presumably have no ties to anyone here, you may consider joining him. Sometimes it is good to have someone you can speak with in your own tongue.»

He looked interested. «It is a thought, Mistress. I have wondered what would become of any of us now we are free. Can I ask his name?»

«His name is Dithereen Matsuk Hakatoshi. We call him Toshi. His island was taken by another faction and he is now in exile.»

«Dithereen? His island was taken?»

«That is what he told us, yes.»

«Matsukuo... He is of that clan? A leader, then, not like me, I am just a wandering warrior.»

«His island was invaded by superior forces and he barely escaped with his sister and a retainer. His sister died later at sea. He thinks he may be the only one of his family still alive, so at present he is just like you.»

«Ah. May I be permitted to meet him and discuss matters?»

«Yes, but I will warn you that he is sworn to our leader and she does not tolerate disagreements.»

Terry bowed. «Mistress, it sounds as if we have much in common and little to disagree about. Can you arrange it?»

«Yes, but later, I think, when the sun is not so hot. Maybe after our evening meal.»

«I will wait, Mistress, and thank you for the knowledge. There might be meaning to my life after all.»

She switched back to the local tongue. "Thank you, Terry. Now I have to ask your friend here some questions."

The Kittrin took the hint and returned back along the hull. Ursula turned to the tall, dark-skinned and straight-haired man in front of her with a smile.

"I know that you have a long and impressive name but what does everyone here call you?"

"Kapis, Mistress, that is all. I have heard that you are a healer but you do not behave like any healer I have known before."

She smiled again. "That is because of my unusual background, Kapis. Know that I am a healer, also a field surgeon and I have a number of other talents as well. Tell me, did you arrive here with the other man from the Six Cities, the one who is in the House of the Sick?"

He nodded. "Aye, Mistress, I did, and there was another with us, a strange man we encountered along our long journey. Tell me, are they well? Because we were kept separate once I recovered I have had no word of their condition."

"Both those men still have the fever, unfortunately. That was the reason I came to find you, to see if you could tell me more about where you might all have caught it. The two healers who were captives have tended them but of course they had no access to the kind of herbs I normally carry."

"You seek to know what it is that we caught, then? Let me think... We two from the Six Cities Confederation had traveled east together looking for casual work, as is the manner of our people from time to time. In Benmond, upriver from Zebrin, we met the other man who calls himself Bineer Ketko. Mistress, we know little about him, almost nothing he told us made any sense. I begin to wonder if the sickness had already gotten inside of him by then and addled his mind. When we met, however, he seemed well enough.

"The owner of a fast barge was looking for some extra hands to help out as he took a load of timber downriver to a customer there. We three were hired and the barge followed the river down to Bibek where some extra provisions were taken on. When we departed Bibek I began feeling unwell, a sore throat and a rash, but not enough to prevent me doing what was required of me.

"Then the pirates struck. We were totally unprepared when they came alongside and boarded. We were all taken prisoner and the barge confiscated. At first we were sent to the center prison but it was obvious by then that we three were becoming ill, so they moved us to the end one to prevent anyone else catching whatever it was. I had two tough days but then recovered quickly, so they moved me back to the center prison. Is that what you wanted to know?"

"Your explanation sounds as if you think your mystery friend gave you whatever it was."

"Aye, Mistress, that is what I believe. What else can I tell you?"

"Where were you living in Benmond? Was it in a traveler's hostel or was it some place where children were around?"

"Mistress, we were not in the city of Benmond itself but in their port, a place named Benmouth. We were in the waterman's hostel but there were, indeed, several barge families with children also staying there when we were. Do you think we caught the sickness from those children, Mistress?"

"It sounds likely, yes." Ursula pondered. "I don't think you can tell me any more, thank you for your time."

He bowed with a smile. "Mistress, if there is anything I presently have it is too much time."

She hesitated. "Tell me, are you a warrior? We are looking for men who can fight, also men who are familiar with using the river. If you had no particular destination in mind then we might be able to offer you work - permanent work if you want it. I have heard good things about the men of the Six Cities."

"It is worth a thought, Mistress. Who must I ask for more information? Surely you do not do that as well!"

"The situation is... unusual. The person who would be able to answer you best is our leader, Princess Eriana of Palarand. She also holds a number of other titles, as do I."

"A Princess? She leads your force? How strange! Is this customary among the peoples of the east?"

"Not really, but she comes from somewhere else entirely. A long story, I'm afraid. Now, if you'll excuse me, I must go and examine your countryman."

"As you wish, Mistress. Will you return and tell me how he fares?"

"Yes, of course."

Kapis bowed and made his way back along the galley. Benakar looked at Ursula with interest.

"Mistress, when you first came to us you hinted that your group may be looking for others to join. I and several others here," he waved a hand to indicate the men in the galley, "no longer have a job or, in most cases, anyone who we might name our master. For myself I might be interested in what you have to offer and others here may as well."

"That was one of my thoughts when we discovered there were prisoners here, yes. Look, Kapis is a special case because of his origins and I know that Eriana... First Director Eriana will want to personally speak with him, but you are right. I will ask her to come here and talk to all of you as soon as she can find some free time."

Benakar bowed. "That is all we ask, Mistress. Thank you, I know you also are busy."

Ursula and Tyra took their leave and exited the galley.

"Do you know of this disease the two healers spoke of?" Ursula asked Tyra as they walked across to the cage.

"I do, Mistress, almost everyone I knew in Joth has had middrin. Indeed, since it does not appear to affect children much at all, but can cause problems for adults, our mothers customarily try to make sure that if one catches it, all the other children would be brought to try and get it at the same time."

Ursula nodded. "It sounds like some childhood diseases where I came from. But I still do not know what this one looks like or how to treat it."

"Mistress, I do not know of any herb that is used. Just to keep the body from becoming too hot."

"That isn't good news, Tyra, not in this heat."

"As you say, Mistress."

As they reached the cage Ursula's mind began turning over the options in her basket. Most would be useless, but she remembered something the Old Woman in the Woods had told her about certain side effects of some of them.

It would be unorthodox but it might do the trick here.

"Mistress! Did you learn anything of use?"

"Maybe. Those three men met in a port called Benmouth, do you know of it?"

"Aye, Mistress, it is some two hundred marks or so upriver in Benmond, the port for their capital."

"They stayed in a traveler's hostel in Benmouth where there were several families with children. I think that Kapis must have caught the disease first from those children, since he recovered first. The three joined a barge carrying timber downstream as deckhands. It called at Bibek for supplies and then was caught by the pirates somewhere -" she waved an arm in the direction of the river, "around there. By the time they ended up here all three had it and were moved into this cage."

"But, Mistress, it is a disease of children! Why should it affect them so badly?"

I have to phrase this very carefully.

"It is something that is known about where I come from, which is not Alaesia but somewhere much more distant. Look: there are thousands of marks between here and the west coast, is that so?"

They looked mystified. "Aye, Mistress, but..."

"So some diseases will have trouble getting from populations on one side to populations on the other side, since anyone who gets ill will have recovered before they have traveled very far. Therefore, each side will end up with slight variations of each disease as the people adapt to them. Once so many people have had the disease, a certain immunity builds up so that each new generation will find the disease less severe, and so it goes on until it becomes safe enough to actually encourage children to have it, to prevent problems when they get older."

"As you say, Mistress, but that doesn't explain those three men."

"It does, because although the disease cannot travel, the men can and did so before they caught the version of the disease which exists here in the east. They have no immunity to this form of the disease so it has hit them harder. How do I know this? When my people explored other lands they accidentally took certain diseases with them, sufficient that they completely wiped out whole populations many thousands of marks away."

The two healers looked at her with suspicion.

"Mistress," Sarrik said, "just how far away are your people? Anmar can surely not be that large!"

"I do not know, gentlemen, but a wise man once told us that to go completely around Anmar would be something like forty thousand marks. That sounds like a lot but I could not begin to argue against him."

Netheran commented, "That explains much, Sarrik. She speaks our tongue fluently but there is a slight accent I cannot place and sometimes she uses words in a strange way. The shape of her face... I do not know of anyone with like features. Mistress, you have traveled a long way, I deem."

"I have, and for most of that journey I was ill as well so I have no idea which direction my home land might be. But we have patients to treat, gentlemen. The rest is merely tales for idle time, and who of us has any idle time these days?"

She went first to the Six Cities man. "What do you call this one?"

"I cannot say his full name, Mistress, but his friend said to call him D'Nandis. A strange name, indeed!"

"As you say." She looked down at the sleeping figure. "Have you managed to get anything into him? I mean, food or drink?"

"Sometimes he is conscious enough to speak, Mistress, though very weak, and he does take water and a little of the thin porridge. I doubt it will be enough, though."

She nodded. "I agree. Now, I have something here which might help bring down the fever, make him more comfortable, but it is not intended to be used this way. A wise woman told me of this useful side-effect."

She rooted in her basket and came out with a pottery jar containing a thick red cream.

"Anthelis!" The two looked at each other. "Why did we not think of that? Aye, Mistress, a little in his next drink should indeed be beneficial."

Netheran remarked, "Of course we could not obtain such herbs ourselves, Sarrik. Even if we had considered it we could do nothing."

"As you say. Mistress, will you leave the jar with us?"

"I am reluctant to, since it may become hot enough in here to affect some of my potions including that one. But we can give him some now and I will return to check progress when, just before lunch time, perhaps?"

"Ah, of course, Mistress, as you say. We have been in this heat for so long we forget the effects it might have."

"Have you attempted to clean him up at all?"

"As much as we were permitted to, Mistress. After all, he still produces body wastes as any patient does."

She nodded. "Good. Do you wipe his face and head with water to try and cool him down?"

"We did not have free access to water, Mistress, but we did whatever we could."

"Very well. I will arrange to have some more sent over." She turned. "What of the other one?"

"We know little of him at all, Mistress, apart from his name. The K'kjand men said they knew not where he came from, they have never seen his like either. If he comes from afar, is it possible that you -"

Ursula shook her head. "No, he is a mystery to me as well. Still, Anmar is a large place."

She looked down at the sleeping figure. The most striking thing about him was the color, which looked as if he had been dipped in sun-tan lotion or something like. The face was definitely male but could not have been mistaken for any human type she had ever met, Earth or Anmar. She could not see the eyes but the lids showed a similar fold to her own. The hair was unkempt, wavy, black but showing a faint blue tinge and had suffered from being in the sun. There was some facial hair but not very much, wispy and also unkempt from lack of care.

I wonder where he came from? It just shows how much of Anmar the Navy has to explore. What color is that skin? Not orange, not copper, not gold, nor sallow like Chinese or Japanese, either... Bronze, perhaps. Freshly cast bronze, not like a statue that has been sitting in a park for years. Polished bronze of a like I have never seen before.

"Have you managed to get any water or food into him? He looks worse than the other one."

"Water only, Mistress. Most of the time he is very feverish and mumbles or cries out. Some of the other men in here know he means no ill to them but would rather he let them sleep in peace at night."

"So he would be better off elsewhere. It may be possible. Do you see all that stuff piled up out there? We are going to have tents, some for sleeping, some for cooking and even a bathing tent. We might be able to use one for your House of the Sick."

"That will be a relief, Mistress."

The strange patient moved and began shifting about, distressed, though his eyes remained closed. Suddenly he licked his cracked lips and the cry came out, "Zanthu! Zanthu! Ayieee! Ptuvil! Ptuvil!"

Sarrik remarked, "Mistress, we have no idea what he is saying. Obviously it is in his own tongue, but we do recognize that one word: Ptuvil."