The surviving pirates are shipped off and the camp begins to look settled. Late afternoon, Simbran and Eriana speak to the released captives, bringing them all up to date and offering options for their futures. The condition of the sick men still worries Ursula.

The Voyage of the Visund

A tale of Anmar by Penny Lane

84 - The Leaders Speak

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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Ursula was awakened from her afternoon nap by the motion of the barge. She sat up and looked around but nobody else seemed bothered.

"What's happening?"

Banest was seated at the cabin table and put down the needle she had been using. "Oh, Mistress, they are moving the barge. His Grace asked Her Highness if it would be possible for his men to make use of their ship, as it would be easier to move the pirates out in that than taking many journeys in their cutters."

There was a rocking motion and Ursula could hear voices on deck. "Oh, I see. Thank you, Banest. Yes, the Visund is so much bigger they can transport more people at once." She had a thought. "It is just as well we unloaded the Visund in Vormarin, it will make their job so much easier."

"That is almost the same words Her Highness used, Mistress. Being used to barges I thought the Visund very crude and uncomfortable-looking when first I saw it at Bakhrad but it has many uses, does it not? The men tell me it has sailed the wide sea, something I am beginning to desire to see one day, it can be used for carrying men, goods and of course for war also. And it is so shallow it can go places no barge dare attempt."

There was a bump and more voices, calls to secure ropes, and then everything became still again. Tyra appeared, skipping down the companionway. By this time Ursula had sat up on her bunk.

"Our pardon, Mistress," Tyra said, "we were moving the barge -"

"Yes, Banest has explained. Where are we tied up now?"

"The Zebrin galley has moved across and beached between the stranded ones and the Visund, Mistress. We are tied behind it for now, that they may move the longship."

Ursula worked through the implications. "So we will have to climb onto Zebrin's Tusk, walk from one end to the other, then climb down from their bow."

"As you say, Mistress, but it will be less trouble than walking the length of the Visund. They have a ramp like that of His Grace's barge to reach the ground. And our women will still have a certain amount of privacy."

"That's good to hear. I know that almost no-one apart from the pirates would be likely to try anything but there are a lot of men out there who have not seen any woman except us for some time now, some of them for many months. I would not want to unfairly tempt them."

"Indeed, Mistress. Do you rise? Kedian brews pel, as if you need to be told."

"A good idea, but first I need another trip to the latrines. All that pel has to come out eventually."

On deck they were intercepted by Karan.

"Good morning, Mistress."

"Good morning, Karan. You look as though you need something."

"I do, Mistress, by your leave. Admiral Lars and some of the Norse are helping those of Faral to move some of the pirates to Bibek today."

"So I was told. They intend to use the Visund to take them out to the Zebrin ferry, I believe."

"As you say, Mistress. As you know, some of the pirates were injured during the battle and Admiral Lars asks if I would accompany them out to the ferry. His Grace the Margrave desires that none should accuse his men of behaving little better than the pirates did, Mistress."

Ursula frowned. "Do they want you to go all the way to Bibek with the pirates?"

"No, Mistress. That Zebrin healer... or surgeon... will go with them on the ferry to Bibek. He is already on the ferry making preparations, so I was told."

"Very well. Do you think you will be comfortable doing that? You are a Yodan, after all."

"A Yodan no longer, Mistress, but I understand your concern. It is a small enough task, I deem, but one which should tell me how much I may venture."

"Then by all means help Lars today. There will be a big camp meeting just before sunset, make sure you are back for that."

"Of course, Mistress."

A visit to the now-clean latrine area and refreshed with a brew, Ursula and Tyra headed for the sick bay, skirting the piles of materials which the Farals were busy converting into canvas accommodation. Inside the area reserved for the sick prisoners they were greeted by the two Faral healers.

"Greetings, Mistress," Netheran said to Ursula. "I have to report little obvious change in our two patients but the man D'Nandis does appear somewhat more comfortable, his forehead seems cooler." He shrugged. "That might be because we could get more into him, Mistress. He has always been a little stronger than the other one."

Ursula nodded. "That sounds about what I would expect, Netheran, thank you."

"If I may ask, Mistress, when might we attempt another dose? This evening?"

"It is difficult. We are doing something that is known about but there are no instructions nor has anyone any idea if there are other side effects or dangers doing this. However, these two would likely die if we did nothing, so I think we should try again this evening and then perhaps just morning and night. What do you think?"

"I think you are right, Mistress. We need to see that the potion makes a change in their condition and then we might be able to consider other, more traditional treatments." He looked at the alarm in Ursula's eyes. "Mistress?"

"Where I come from," she replied cautiously, "there are treatments which are considered traditional but some of them do little and others are actively dangerous. Some herbs may appear to work but can be toxic and there are other... treatments... that were used in the past which did nothing but harm, like the letting of blood. I assume that you do not do anything like that?"

"Toxic? Letting of blood? Mistress, we are not savages! Do you tell me your people did such barbaric acts on their patients?"

"A long time ago, gentlemen, I am speaking of a hundred years or more. In those days people did not really know how the body worked and there were strange theories that suggested treatments we would not use today."

"Ah, as you say. It was the same here, Mistress. If I may ask -"

Their discussion was interrupted by shouts from outside. A squad of Zebrin troops escorted ten pirates from the middle cage, past the one they were in, and then along to the Visund. The pirates had their hands tied behind and were linked together with a long rope looped between their necks. At the longship some of the Norse helped the pirates to climb up into the hull where they were seated around the mast.

A discussion was held and then a Zebrin under-officer hurried back, beckoning to men near the cage. Shortly a second line of men was led out to join their fellows in the longship. Some Farals helped the Norse push the Visund out into the water and then all climbed aboard. Oars were deployed at each end and the longship disappeared through the channel.

Netheran breathed a sigh of relief. "Mistress, I am glad to see those black-hearted monsters go. We have all suffered their reign of terror here for too long, most for much longer than our own party, of course."

"Yes. I think we will all breathe more easily when they have all been shipped out."

One of the other men in the sick bay asked, "Mistress, what will happen to us now?"

"That depends on each of you, to an extent," she replied. "I am reluctant to let anyone in this camp leave unless we -" she gestured at herself and the other healers, "- are satisfied that you are at least fit enough to make the journey. After that, well, that depends on each of you. Do you have families? Families that might want to see you again, that is?"

The man, who had been laid up with a twisted ankle, gave a grimace. "Ah, Mistress, you have a point. I have worked the barges all my life, there is nowhere I would name home nor have I any family. There are some in the two cages who do desire to return to their families but there are many who have none, like me, or do not wish to return... for various reasons, you understand.

"What can we do? Until my ankle heals I can do little heavy work, though I could probably make my way on a barge if the captain was desperate enough. We are in Faralmark, I assume? When I was captured we were held below and I knew not where we were taken. I did notice the Zebrins when you brought them through the forest but these healers said that we were not in Zebrin. Who rules this land?"

"We are in a land that is now called Faral," she told him. "It seems that the Margrave held some talks with his neighbor in Upper Faral - about whom I know nothing - and decided to re-unite their two lands. For now he retains the title of Margrave. It is possible that Faral may join with Upper Fanir as well. There were discussions going on when we were in Faralan before we came upriver."

"Do you tell me? News, indeed, Mistress." The others in the Sick Bay looked impressed. "They have joined together in the manner of Palarand, then? But they do not have the Palar valley, I deem."

One of the others said, "Presk, if it is Upper Faral the Mistress speaks of then of course they now have all of that valley, almost all the way to Jestik."

"Mayhap, but who knows if any ores lie below those hills? That was not my question, Barsak. I was wondering whether His Grace could offer work for the likes of us. I have lived my life on the Sirrel but I am not so sure I desire to return to barging again after this, I am not the same man I was before."

"I might be able to answer that," Ursula told him, turning around to include the other men. "You see this uniform? I belong to a new organization which, around here, will be called the River Patrol. It is so new we have few staff, no premises and almost no rules and regulations - yet." She gave them all a smile. "That means that we can, to a certain extent, make up our own.

"The bulk of the work will be undertaken by men like those you see outside, the Farals and Zebrins and others of each land the river passes by, but above them will be a unified command covering the whole river. His Grace has given us this place, Hamalbek, to build a base where men can be trained in all the tactics and processes the River Patrol will need. We would be willing to consider any of the men in this camp if they were interested, and not just as marines - water soldiers, if you would. We will need men and women to fill all the support jobs as well."

Barsak said, "Mistress, that idea sounds interesting. Where can we learn more?"

"After the evening meal His Grace wants to gather everyone still left in the camp together and explain the situation as he sees it. I was at a meeting this morning where we spoke of this but I do not know what he will say tonight. With him will be First Director Eriana, who is the head of the Federation Navy. I imagine she will tell you all you need to know."

Presk asked, "Mistress, you used a strange word there, Navy. What does it mean?"

"The Navy will be all the waterborne forces of the Sirrel Federation, to which Faral is a founding member, along with many of the lands below Yod, including Joth and Palarand. As well as the River Patrol there will be other branches, one of which will cover the open ocean beyond Palarand. One task that Ocean Command will have will be to travel as far as possible in every direction, mapping the lands and making friends with the people that we find."

Presk was startled. "Maker! Do you intend to map the whole of Anmar, Mistress?"

She nodded. "In time, yes, we do. It will take many years and I have no doubt the work will be interesting for those that choose to go to sea."

There was silence as her listeners digested this news.

Barsak asked, "Mistress, you have bars upon your shoulders, are they your rank? If so, I do not know it. Are they the mark of a healer where you came from?"

"For reasons I do not recall I was made head of a department of the Federation Navy. My title is Director of Welfare, which is why I am currently in charge of this camp. My rank is indicated by a wide bar and two stars. The First Director has four stars."

The others, including the two healers, looked at Ursula with shock.

Netheran asked, "Mistress... Director? Do you tell me you are high in this new organization, the Navy, you named it? Yet you labor as a healer in this camp?"

"That is so, Netheran. As I said, the Navy is sufficiently new that those who already belong wear many different hats according to occasion." She had a thought, adding, "It is likely that this may become a tradition in the Navy, that many of its members will be able to do more than one thing."

Presk agreed, "Mistress, those who live on the barges are much the same. There are few of us on any vessel and many tasks to be done. Joining the Navy will not be so different for those who live their lives on the water, I deem."

The stranger - Bineer? - began moving around, uncomfortable. Ursula gave a brief wave to the others before the three healers converged on the feverish man.

Sarrik remarked, "See, he sweats again. This is not good, uh, Mistress? How should we address you?"

"Mistress is good enough when I am doing this. Let us not complicate matters."

"As you desire, Mistress."

Ursula grimaced. The canvas already erected kept the Sick Bay out of the direct sunlight but it prevented any cooling wind from circulating freely.

"Tyra, go and see if you can find something to make a fan out of. We need to get some air moving in here."

"Of course, Mistress. If I may ask those outside, they may have some suitable materials."

"Yes, go."

Ursula took a rough cloth square and dipped it in the bucket of water which was at the foot of the bed. She wiped his forehead and face and then moved down to his neck, shoulders and lower arms, all she could reach without disturbing his tattered tunic. His legs came next followed by his feet. She placed a hand briefly on his forehead.

"Hot. Much hotter than I would be happy with," she reported. "Perhaps we can try and give him some more water?"

Her patient began groaning and moving around, twisting and turning on the crude mattress. His lips began to form words, but there was no sound.

"Quick! While he is like this it may be possible to get some of the water into him."

She pushed her arm under his shoulders to lift him up and almost regretted it, he was so hot. Sarrik was there immediately with a 'pillow', a salvaged canvas bag loosely stuffed with rags. It was pushed behind her arm, thus supporting the patient and allowing her in turn to remove her arm.

Netheran came with a mug part filled with a faintly milky liquid. "Here, Mistress, this is what is left of what we tried to give him before."

Once liquid touched the lips their patient sucked greedily at the mug. She held it up so that most of the contents went inside. There was a final sigh and the body relaxed. Ursula dipped her cloth and sponged him again.

"At least his body knows that it needs water. What about the other one? The man from the Six Cities?"

"Mistress? Oh, do you mean K'kjand? For now he sleeps peacefully, Mistress."

"Hmm. Let me check his temperature as well."

The other feverish patient did, indeed, feel hot. Ursula gave him a gentle shake.

"Hallo? Hallo. It is very hot in here. You need to drink some more."

The eyes part-opened and the head moved in an uncontrolled manner. He began to take in his surroundings and started to mumble, but the words were indistinct. After a short while Ursula realized that he was actually trying to ask her something but in his own tongue. The shock came when she discovered that she could understand him.

How many languages are tucked away in this head of mine? Perhaps a question for another time.

Now, do I reply in the same language, showing everybody else that I know it? Is that going to be useful or a problem? I have already had trouble with Toshi.

It felt natural to reply to him so that is what she did.

«You are in the pirate camp. Like your friend, all the prisoners have been freed and the pirates taken off to be judged.»

«Uh.» He licked his lips. «Did you mention water?»

«Yes, of course. You need to drink as much as you can in this heat, it will help your body fight the illness.»

She turned. "Some plain water, please, for this patient."

Netheran stared at her, but still handed her a mug of water. "I did not know that you spoke his tongue, Mistress!"

Not wishing to confuse everyone she merely replied, "It is a long and complicated story, Netheran. Thank you."

She took the water and fed it to the man. At first he did not want too much but his thirst increased as he drank and he drained the mug.

«More?»

He licked his lips. «I have had enough for now, Mistress. What has happened to me?»

«We think you and your friends have caught a common childhood illness when you arrived over here. Because you came from far away you did not have the resistance to it that the local people have.»

«Uh. I thought it might be something like that. There were children... I don't remember where. One of them was sick. Am I getting better?»

«If you can string three words together then I think that you probably are.»

His eyes opened and their gaze became sharp. «You are a strange healer, Mistress.»

«So I have been told.»

«Thank you, Mistress.» His voice became a mumble. «I think I need to sleep now.»

His eyes closed and he relaxed. Ursula turned to the healers.

"It is as we thought. It looks like he and his friends caught the disease from those children at the hostel."

Sarrik asked, "What of his condition, Mistress? Does he improve now?"

"If he can speak to me like that then he probably does, Sarrik. Two or three more days and he should be well enough to get out of bed, but of course it will take him much longer to recover completely."

Tyra returned bearing a strange device consisting of a triangular piece of canvas nailed to a frame made from wood offcuts.

"One of the Farals suggested this, Mistress. They have several they use themselves in this heat."

"Good, Tyra, thank you." Ursula took the crude fan and looked around. "I did not think this idea through, did I? Someone needs to be here to wave the fan over these two."

Sarrik offered, "Mistress? I can do it."

"For a short while, perhaps, but you have other duties, as have myself and Tyra."

"Mistress?" One of the other men held up a hand. "We are here, we can do little else, one of us can surely do as you require."

Ursula looked at the man, then at the two Farals. "What do you think? Some of these would not be able to do it but the others can, if they are moved near enough."

Netheran nodded. "It is as you say, Mistress. Sivlik there had a crossbow bolt through his thigh, it heals properly but he cannot yet walk. Sivlik, if we move you near these two men, would you do it?"

"Surely, Master. Anything would be better than lying or sitting here idle watching those two succumb to the fever."

There were grunts of agreement from several of the others.

Sarrik asked him, "You do not fear the disease? You might catch it if you come too close."

"Not me, Master. My family all had it when I was a child of six winters or so. I account myself relatively safe, as matters go."

"Done. We'll move you over to begin with. You others, who is willing to spell Sivlik? He surely cannot wave that fan the rest of this hot day."

Several hands were raised and a short rota established.

Ursula looked at Tyra. "The Sick Bay has been dealt with and I think we have business elsewhere."

"As you say, Mistress. The, er, First Director asked where you might be."

"Then we had better not keep her waiting. Gentlemen? If you would excuse us."

* * *

"There, Mistress."

Tyra stood back and surveyed her handiwork. Eriana had requested that Ursula, Tyra and Zakaros dress once more in the green outfits they had used two nights previously when they led the Zebrin force through the forest. This included the gaiters and repositioned utility knives while Tyra also wore a belted sword.

"What for, Eriana?" Ursula had asked. "Those were adequate for night operations but, as we discovered yesterday, they will be somewhat warm during the day."

"I seek to make a point, Ursula," had been the reply. "If we are to attract new people, the new Navy must needs present itself as a professional body with some kind of structure and discipline already present. Lars has seen you three operate attired thus and approves. I believe he desires that his marines should wear a like uniform when the weather becomes cooler, but of course you three are the only ones who presently have that attire. Do not concern yourselves over the heat, our gathering will be after the evening meal with the sun already low in the sky."

"Thank you, Tyra. Do you think I need to take my basket with me?"

"Mistress, we are to be paraded in front of the men, I doubt that your potions will be required this evening." Tyra shrugged. "If they are, they will be only a few steps away, after all."

"As you say."

The other women were gathered around them in their cabin, watching and in some cases assisting the two get ready.

Banest said, "I do like that arrangement, Mistress. Sometimes, I deem, it could be more practical. Do women customarily wear... trousers... where you came from?"

"We do, Banest, quite often, though where I grew up it was considerably colder than it is around here. You have snow here?"

"Aye, Mistress, of course."

"Where I came from the snow could come up to your waist if it were not constantly cleared away. Of course we were used to it and we adapted."

"Up to your waist, Mistress? Is there so much snow in the world?"

Ursula smiled. "There is indeed, Banest, in some places there is so much snow every winter the people have to make tunnels to get from place to place. Or ride in or on special vehicles on top of the snow. When you live..." careful now, they probably don't know much about equators or poles, "...much further south, the sun does not rise so high during the day so it does not give as much warmth. In winter, it gives hardly any and the days are much shorter too."

"But we do not venture so far south, Mistress. Is it only there that such garments are worn?"

"Not at all, Banest. Let me think, perhaps when we get back to Joth you can have a word with someone who can design something more comfortable than these for you, and probably more feminine."

"Are those of Joth that good, Mistress?"

"They are... they made most of the men's uniforms and most of our ship dresses, the ones you did not make yourselves. Oh, I can hear Her Highness's voice, we had better go. Tyra?"

"Of course, Mistress."

On deck the sun had westered and the air was indeed cooler, just as Eriana had promised. She was waiting on one of the sterns of Zebrin's Tusk, talking to Lars. He turned and nodded approvingly as the two joined them.

«I told Princess that I liked that uniform,» he said to Ursula as the two climbed aboard. «You tell me if there is anything that needs to change?»

«Of course, Lars. It is much like what I wore on Earth, after all. You saw that when you found me.»

«But you had the body of a man there.»

She shrugged. «Doesn't make much difference, Lars. This is comfortable, that is all.»

«All right, you two,» Eriana interrupted. «Here is Zakaros, we must go. The others are waiting for us.»

Since the space between the three cages and the three pirate buildings was where the tents were being erected, the meeting was positioned in the wide space between the cages and the western edge of the forest. When Eriana led the way around the end cage Ursula could see that everyone who had previously been in the cages were now gathered near the forest edge out of the sunlight.

Most of the men were sitting on the bare ground, still separated into their three groups, a few of the less able ones were on stretchers apparently provided by the Farals. Ursula noted that of those who had been in the Sick Bay all were present except the two Faral healers and the two men with fever.

Facing the men and the forest the Farals had used some of their timber to construct a wide but low temporary platform. There were three benches at the rear which might have been borrowed from the proposed field kitchen. Behind the bench nearest to Ursula were five Zebrins in what looked like parade uniform while five more sat on the bench, one an under-officer. There were five Norse in tee-shirt, shorts and boaters behind the center bench, while Bennet and Semma sat on it beside Hashim and Toshi, who must have been wearing a borrowed tee shirt. The final bench had five smartly turned-out Farals behind and five seated.

Suddenly Ursula understood the request to kit herself and Tyra out.

In front was another bench which presently held Simbran and Zoran, who were having a quiet conference. They stood as Eriana approached, leading the others, and the men behind stood and came to attention. She curtseyed to Simbran and gave Zoran a nod, both men replying with respectful nods.

"Please join us, Your Highness, Mistress, friends."

Ursula, Tyra and Zakaros were seated at one end of the front bench while Simbran and Zoran moved along to the other, making space for Eriana in the middle. Lars walked over to sit beside Toshi. With a muttered word, everyone sat down except Simbran. The audience in front fell silent as he turned to them.

"Some of you know me," he began. "A few of you have met me, most of you have heard of me. The soil you sit on is the soil of my own land, Faral, and I am Margrave Simbran the ruler of Faral. By my side," he gestured one way, "is Signar Zoran, a cousin of Graf Nuel, the ruler of our neighbor Zebrin. On my other side," another gesture at Eriana, "is Princess Eriana of Palarand. She is here because she leads an unusual military force which is the one that freed you all. I expect Her Highness will explain who the others are and why they are here."

He held up a hand. "Much has happened in the world since many of you were captured by the pirates. I hear some of you asking, What is Faral? If I may explain. Many years ago, centuries, this land was part of a much larger empire that failed, most of you know this. It is why we all speak the same tongue, share many customs. The upper Faral valley was one of the edges of that empire and that is why the lord of that domain was called Margrave.

"In later years, still centuries ago, the upper regions of the Faral valley became difficult to administer and eventually separated into what you may know as Upper Faral, with the rest now named Faralmark. I have conversed with Magel Gorgay and we recently decided to reunite our lands using the old name of Faral. He retains his own name, titles and lands, we have joined in a like manner to that of Palarand and Brikant, if any of you should have ventured so far downstream. For now our separate laws and customs remain as they were before.

"As to the present. The pirates who brought you here have all been taken away for trial and judgment as the law of Faral requires. Those of you who remain have nothing to fear from any person still in this camp. Her Highness will explain all but I want first to make sure that you understand this: you will all depart this place in time with no stain on your character. There will be no warrant for your arrest, no demand to repay anything that you no longer possess."

There was a murmur at that from some of the crowd but they quietened quickly.

"You may all remain in Faral at your choice if it would be unwise of you to travel elsewhere, though I would remind you that the laws of Faral would apply to you as they do to every other man - and woman - including myself. If you desire to return to friends, family or holdings elsewhere then Faral will be prepared to pay reasonable costs for you to do so."

His finger swung to indicate the small group to his right. "To your left sit the few who remain alive of the crew from the second galley. These men are of course all of Yod and my promise to you extends to them also, for one good reason: the war between Yod and many of the other lands of the Sirrel is ended, in fact it ended perhaps two weeks before Spring Dawning - and Harvest Festival is but a week away.

"Her Highness and her crew passed through Yod on their way here and she will tell you that land is presently in a turmoil, with occupation troops from many lands attempting to prevent those of Yod making war one faction with another. The Ascendancy, that some there named the Overlords, is no more and all who once belonged to that organization are now hunted throughout that land.

"That means that most of the men to your left are become outcasts, exiles who might never be able to return home. I say to them, should you choose to remain in Faral your past will not be held against you. You may find work here or choose to travel to some other land which might tolerate you. Providing that you follow the laws of whatever land you choose I cannot see that anyone would have cause to declare you criminal or ask you to depart.

"I ask the rest of you to consider this: those men, the crew of the second galley, paid no part in whatever happened to the rest of you. Indeed, while you others at least held the hope of freedom, it was the avowed intention of he who named himself the Pirate King to execute every man of both Yodan crews. Those you see are all that remain alive of more than sixty men. They are not your enemy, they are as much victims of the pirates as the rest of you are.

"But I speak overlong, I deem. Tomorrow morning I will depart for Bibek to judge the pirates who have caused you so much pain and distress. This camp belongs to Her Highness, with my own troops and those of Zebrin here to support her. She has words for you, words which may offer you a future none of you might have suspected, work entirely suited to those would live and work upon Anmar's waters."

Simbran turned, gestured at Eriana, bowed and sat down. She in turn stood and faced the audience with her hands on her hips, surveying the men, many of whom began muttering to each other. Eriana saw and understood the sentiment and decided to make a point.

"You see before you a Princess and wonder what manner of woman could possibly be the leader of those in this camp. Many of you have never before seen a woman in command of anything at all. If I may remind you how you came to be seated in front of me thus, well-fed and safe from the attentions of the pirates.

"Two forces attacked this place from different directions and a woman led each of those forces. These are not the first battles we have fought, either together or separately, you shall not find us without experience. If I may ask you all, aye, even you once of Yod, how many of you have seen or passed the fortress of Boldan's Rock? If you have, then raise an arm."

Hesitantly at first arm after arm went up until about two thirds were raised.

"Thank you. You may rest your arms, gentlemen. You have seen the fortress, you all know the tale about how it could not be taken by an enemy, it is so strong. Recently, during the war, Yod managed to capture the fortress from those of Forguland without anyone across the river noticing. Since very few survived from that force we have few details of how it was done but we suspect the use of guile. However, the capture was eventually noticed from Forguland itself and it was considered impossible to retake the fortress without a strong force and great loss of life.

She favored them with a grin. "I and my people come from a distant land, such that it took a week to sail the ocean from my former homeland around the Palumaks to Palarand. The arts of war we were taught there are different than those that are practised in the valley of the Sirrel and it was suggested that we might be able to use those particular arts to recapture the fortress.

"And so it proved. I led that force, gentlemen, with two female warrior companions and seventeen of my countrymen. We cleared the fortress and then attacked the Yodans who had built wharves in the littoral below. Those of Forguland and Ferenis came to our assistance when they saw what was happening. It is believed that the battle below the fortress turned the war against those of Yod, at least on the downstream side.

"Enough. I did not come here to boast of my abilities, that was merely to make a point. At Spring Dawning this year a number of the Sirrel rulers gathered in Palarand to witness the marriage of Crown Prince Keren and his betrothed Lady Garia, Baroness Blackstone. Margrave Simbran," she gestured, "was one of those rulers, I was also a guest. Naturally the war was discussed and as a result, a treaty was made which gathered most of the Sirrel lands together in a mutual Federation.

"Among other resolutions that treaty made provision for a new force combining all the water-borne forces under one organization to be named the Federation Navy. There will be divisions for river forces, for those who will one day range the open ocean and in time perhaps others. The River Patrol has performed its first action by ridding the Sirrel of this nest of pirates and freeing all of you. One day it is expected that we will have patrols on all the rivers of Alaesia."

That drew an intake of breath from many of her listeners.

"That is the future. Today we merely begin the creation of an organization which will one day do those things. We require experienced sailors, bargemen and warriors to crew our vessels, many of which will be of new designs that require neither oars nor sail to propel them along. These men and craft will require others who will build, supply and maintain them ready for service.

"We will also seek to establish shore bases of which Hamalbek will be the first. These will serve as training areas, storage places and centers of administration. Another will be at Sheldane, near the mouth of the Sirrel, which is where I will make my headquarters, by the gracious permission of King Robanar. For all these establishments we will require people, perhaps those unable or unsuited to work upon the water itself. If you desire to consider something different when you leave this place, it is likely that we will have work for you."

There was a buzz among the audience as Eriana's words sank in. She let them talk amongst themselves for a short while before holding up a hand to continue.

"If any of you wish to know more, you may speak with myself, with Director Ursula to my left or to Force-Admiral Lars, who is seated behind me." Eriana turned. "Lars, if you would stand so that these men may know you."

Lars stood and that provoked more conversation. Eventually that died down and the audience gave Eriana their attention again.

"To my left," she told them, "is Director of Welfare Ursula, who runs this camp for me. With her are her personal assistant Tyra and her administrative assistant Zakaros. You should know that Zakaros was once of Yod and until recently he was a member of the Ascendancy." That statement woke up the Yodans sitting to her right. "He has offered me his sword and I have accepted it. This shows that whatever your background, a place may be waiting for you in the organization of the Navy.

"I have spoken enough, I deem. I will ask Director Ursula to tell you what will happen to you in the coming days."

Eriana sat down and Ursula stood.

"I will keep this brief," she said, "but you need to know what is planned for the next few days. Tonight should be the last night that you will have to sleep in those cages. As you might have noticed, the men of Zebrin have donated an entire field encampment to accommodate us all from tomorrow on. There will be ten twenty-man tents ready for you tomorrow, together with a complete field kitchen and a bathing block.

"You will all be expected to bathe tomorrow, after which you will be issued fresh clean clothing donated by those of Faral. It will not be military attire but a selection of the normal items you might find in any market. Once that has been done you can move to the new tents to sleep. We expect that, to begin with, we ask you to remain together in your present groups.

"The field kitchen can probably serve no more than forty to fifty at any time so there will be shifts for meals. I would ask you all to eat as much as you can in future and to make sure that you choose a balanced selection of foods to help you recover. No healer, including myself, will permit you to depart from this camp until you are deemed fit enough to travel.

"Regrettably there will be no beer and little wine but we will make sure that the water is safe enough. In your weakened state wine and beer would have a much greater effect on your bodies than it may have done before you were captured and we already have enough problems to worry about.

"Finally, I would add that this camp has a limited lifetime. The rainy season is about to arrive and you must all have been passed fit enough to travel before then. The Zebrins want to completely dismantle the camp and remove it before the weather changes, since we anticipate the whole area will become flooded. I expect that most of you will have been taken from here to Bibek before that happens.

"When you arrive there you will be asked questions about where you came from, what you were doing when you were captured and what your future plans might be. That will allow us to build a complete picture of what happened here after the first Yodans arrived. Are there any questions?"

A man in the middle raised his arm. "Director? Is that right?"

"For now, yes. If we meet about the camp you may address me as Mistress. Your question?"

"What about those barges over there? Some of them might belong to some of us."

"A good question. The pirates used them to store food which they hoped would last them - and you - for the entire rainy season. I have doubts that would have worked. That will not happen now, of course. There are nine barges of which six could be sailed away if they had suitable crews. The other three will have to be towed. We intend to lighten the load by using some of the food to feed the camp, but we will test it all carefully to make sure it is safe to use. I am not sure what will happen to anything we do not eat.

"By custom and law any water craft captured during a war or at other times should be returned to its rightful owner as soon as can be arranged afterwards. It is likely that some of those owners will have been killed when their barges were captured. Since we are in Faral, His Grace will decide what to do with those. Your problem is that, if any of you are the owners, or have inherited a barge from a owner who died, you have to find some way of proving it. There will probably be a special court set up in Bibek to consider the matter."

Simbran nodded agreement. "As the Director says. We want to get those barges back into trade so, in most cases, there should be no difficulty."

There was some small talk and then another arm went up.

"Director, what about those dranakh who came with you? Are they yours?"

Ursula looked at Simbran and received a nod. They had discussed this in the earlier meeting.

"Those dranakh have no owners. The big one belonged to a farmer nearby who died some years ago. His dranakh roamed the forest on his own and has lived comfortably that way ever since. The smaller one is a grand-daughter who belonged to someone in the original village of Hamalbek. When the first Yodans arrived they murdered all the villagers and shot one of the village dranakhs when those tried to defend their people."

There was a gasp from the audience, since this was the first that many had heard about what happened at the beginning.

"The big dranakh persuaded the younger one to run away from the Yodans and live with him. They have lived together in the forest since then, mostly avoiding people. I... have a very crude way of speaking to dranakhs and they came to me when we arrived at Jenbek to plan the assault on this place. As some of you saw, they led my group through the forest to arrive in time to help Her Highness when her group arrived.

"For their help, His Grace has decreed that those two dranakh shall be left to roam the forest freely and that no-one should be permitted to call themselves their owner. Personally, I doubt that either would accept a new owner. It is possible that they might offer assistance to someone in the camp, but remember that if that happens, it will be their idea, not yours."

Someone else called, "But, Director, there were more than two that night."

"That is so and I have no idea where the others came from or where they went afterwards. My guess is that they belonged to one or more people in nearby villages and the big one called them over to help." At looks of incredulity she added, "Yes, they can communicate with one another over some distance. They can and do also read the minds of people, though the results are not perfect. They do not understand spoken words but they see pictures in your minds of whatever you are thinking. They think that we communicate the same way they do but need to make noises as well, which is why they make noises to us."

The audience stared at Ursula with amazement and scepticism.

"That is all I have to say tonight, gentlemen. Tomorrow, when you get up, we will begin the process of cleaning you up, issuing you with fresh clothes and settling you into the tents. Dismissed."

There was a small surprise waiting when they emerged from the far end of Zebrin's Tusk to climb aboard the Green Ptuvil, since another barge had been tied each side of their own. She recognized the owner of one, who in Vormarin had permitted his craft to be used to store the belongings of the Norse. Ursula assumed he had brought everything over to be reloaded onto the Visund. The other vessel was a larger barge and had been hard-used. The deck and superstructure were battered and smeared with soil.

"What's that?" Tyra asked. "Where did it come from?"

Zakaros replied, "It is the barge they used to block the channel. The reason it is so dirty is because it was covered with buckets, half barrels and much besides, all filled with shrubs and trees. Admiral Lars explained it to me while I was waiting for you and Mistress Ursula to appear this evening."

"Oh. Thank you, Zakaros. Do you know what will happen to it?"

"Master Hashim recognized it. It belongs to the trader in Bibek he worked for before... the Yodans... captured him. I assume that it will be returned to him once it is cleaned up."

Ursula eyed it briefly, but the sun had almost set and details were becoming indistinct. "That might have suited us better than the Green Ptuvil, since it has bigger holds. I wonder where it was made? We'll soon need some river craft of our own and that looks well-constructed, to withstand the abuse it has taken so far."

"Perhaps we may ask Master Hashim tomorrow," Tyra suggested as they reached their companionway. "Shall you descend first, Mistress?"

"As you wish, Tyra. Good night, Zakaros."

"Good night, Mistress."