After some complications with the name of the barge the injured and unwell are loaded into the hold ready to travel to Bibek. An unmentioned talent reveals that Ursula is much more than just a healer. Tyra's talents are put to good use when they set sail - including her martial arts!

The Voyage of the Visund

A tale of Anmar by Penny Lane

91 - The Dasher Sets Sail

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) 2024 Penny Lane. All rights reserved.

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"Oh, no!"

Ursula had climbed out of the women's cabin on the Green Ptuvil the following morning and immediately facing her was a blunder by the painting crew. Instead of the name of the other barge, the Dhow-nwind Dasher, being picked out cleanly for all to identify it, the painters had just done what they were told and named it the Downwind Dasher. She turned quickly, afraid there might have been other mistakes, but the Green Ptuvil was picked out cleanly in green and red on the side of the barge she was on.

I do not suppose you can get much wrong with 'Green Ptuvil', she thought. That mess over there can always be repainted when we reach Bibek.

"Mistress?" Tyra had followed her up the companionway. "Oh."

"I think you had to already know the joke to understand why Master Yussuf named his barges that way," Ursula observed. "Obviously the painters did not."

"And the original names were too worn to read," added Tyra. "Oh! I wonder if they also had a look at the Visund."

"Ouch. Those nameplates are in runes, but I think our men would prevent them doing anything stupid with those. Is anyone else coming?"

"I do not think so, Mistress. Her Highness, Bennet and Semma have already gone ashore, the others are still mostly in their bunks."

"It is early, but I have a need for the latrines. Coming?"

"Of course, Mistress."

Necessary functions attended to, they made their way to the mess tent to find Eriana, Bennet and Semma occupying a table. A waved arm brought fresh pel and a plate of hot zurin rolls.

"Are you ready for today's adventure?" Eriana asked Ursula.

"I hope it is not an adventure," Ursula replied after swallowing a bite. "I just want a quiet voyage so that I can bring our sick and injured safely to somewhere civilized. We are not going far, are we?"

"Indeed not, Ursula. It should be a voyage of four bells, maybe five. You have done part of it already, when we went to Jenbek."

"But the river is lower now. All I need to do is to find some mudbank which wasn't there before -"

"- Which is why Hashim guides the Dhow-nwind Dasher today, in waters he knows well."

"I trust you, Eriana, I trust Hashim, I do not trust the river," Ursula said. "Oh, by the way, have you seen the new name signs they have painted on the Dasher? The ones on the Green Ptuvil are fine, but -"

Ursula went on to describe the blunder. Eriana flicked a hand dismissively.

"There is no time to have that made right now, Ursula. If there is any problem when we reach Bibek, then I'm sure that Margrave Simbran or Minister of Trade Yussuf will come to our aid. You do know they are preparing a big ceremony for when we arrive?"

"I had heard something, but I have had other things to worry about. Is the naming going to be a problem?"

"As I said, Margrave or Minister should be there to smooth over any difficulties. What are your other concerns? I thought all was arranged."

"It is, but it involves some careful timing," Ursula explained. "The hold is ready to receive those who are going to travel in it but until everyone is in place the Zebrins cannot complete the awning. That will be a temporary arrangement so there may have to be adjustments made - with everyone on board and waiting."

"The Zebrins seem to me to be efficient at what they do," Eriana observed, "so that I cannot imagine the awning will present them any great challenge. Still, the Gods do like a joke or two so I trust that any delay would not prevent us departing today. Are there any other concerns?"

"Just a general unease about what faces us when we arrive, Eriana. I know His Grace will do his best but Bibek suddenly has to absorb around three hundred new arrivals, many of whom are unfit. And there is the downstream journey to consider. Do you really think we have time to travel all that way back as far as Palarand before these months of rain arrive?"

Eriana nodded. "Travel, aye. But it will first be necessary for us to provision the Visund for the journey, making the assumption that we would only be staying briefly overnight wherever we happen to stop, and taking cold lunches as we use the current to hurry downstream. I have made several long voyages at sea in the past, of similar duration, but traveling the Sirrel in that way presents new challenges to myself and the crew."

"I can imagine. What would you do if we cannot reach Palarand? Stop at the nearest port when the rains begin?"

"If we have to, Ursula, then we will do whatever is necessary. I do not desire to put anyone aboard at risk, especially when none of us has experience of such extreme weather. A friendly port, they will likely have others sheltering until the better weather comes onces more..." the Princess pulled a face. "If that port happens to be in Virgulend then I might just take a risk and push onwards. I do not desire to spend two months in the company of Jarwin!"

"Agreed!"

"But, to my point, we will not be able to use the sail as we venture downstream again. Therefore I am minded to erect our own awning to protect us both from the sun and from any advance rain and that means we will be using the oars when necessary. Our crew and cargo must needs be distributed around the ship differently, I deem, when we are under the awning."

"We cannot use the sail? At all?"

Eriana shrugged. "There will be small stretches where it could be used, I agree, but most of the time we will be heading into the teeth of the wind - and, remember, the water level is still low so it would not be easy to tack. At another time of year I might attempt to sail downstream, learn how the barges do it, but with low water and the weather about to change it would be folly. We are used to rowing, we shall row when required and let the river carry us the rest of the way."

"Oh, I see." From where Ursula was sitting, she could just see a portion of the last remaining pirate building. She pointed at it. "Changing the subject, what is supposed to happen to that last building? I thought that it was going to be burned."

Eriana replied, "That may still be its fate but several of the senior Fanirs have suggested to me that we leave it and see what the rain and rising waters do to it. As it will be the only thing left in Hamalbek when all depart, there should be no unexpected consequences. Why?"

"No reason that concerns me, Eriana. I just wondered why it had not yet been pulled down - or left to Lars for his amusement."

"It was there, it had other uses once the contents were cleared out. We were in no hurry to be rid of it."

"Oh! What happened to those wine barrels? Are they still in there?"

Eriana shook her head. "No, they have been removed, indeed, the two which still held wine presently sit behind the kitchen tent. The others, still deemed serviceable, will be taken back to Bibek to be cleaned out and used again."

"The wine in them was drinkable, then? I was not sure it would be."

"Aye, it has been served the last few nights at table. One of the barrels was of red, the other white. Did you not know?"

"I have been busy trying to understand patients who have traveled a long distance to be here, Eriana." Ursula stared at the magically empty plate. "Are there any more rolls?"

* * *

Stine grinned at Ursula. «I didn't think I'd be traveling with you, Mistress!»

«We have plenty of room and your leg definitely qualifies you as someone who should be here, Stine. Here, let me help you out of that sling.»

With Ursula's help Stine limped free of the simple Bosun's Chair used to lower most of the injured into the hold. Ursula looked up, saw that she was being observed, and waved her arm in a circle to let the hoist operator know that it was safe for him to raise the chair for someone else.

Stine looked with interest at the surroundings.

«What is this flooring? It looks familiar.»

«It is some of the walkway that the Zebrins installed between the tents,» Ursula explained. «It works perfectly in here. Do you want a bed to lie on or would you prefer a chair? I apologize that the view isn't very interesting.»

«Yah. Like being in pit. On the Visund I could see in every direction even when lying down.» Stine considered, then added, «Ah, when lying on cargo, that is. If I was, ah, recovering from party then I'd be down between the benches, but I wouldn't be interested in the view by then. Are all river craft like this?»

«Only if you are cargo, Stine. This is the hold, remember. Though you would not see much more if you were rowing one of those Yodan galleys, nor that Zebrin monster.»

«Of course, Mistress. I should be able to manage with a chair, I think.»

She turned. "A chair for Stine, please."

Karan picked a folding chair from a stack in one corner and brought it to Ursula and Stine.

«You'll have to find somewhere else to sit,» she warned, «since this is where we are receiving new occupants.»

«Yah, Mistress. Over there, I think.»

«How is your leg now? I'm sorry, the other patients have taken my time and it has been several days since I last looked at it.»

«Your own quick work saved my leg that day, Mistress. If I had still been in Jotlheim I would probably have needed a crutch or stick to move around by now but I can walk, with just a limp, thanks to you. Can I be of some help? I can walk, move about, just not so fast or steady.»

«We have four healers down here so we don't need help of that kind, but thank you for the thought, Stine. Our passengers might need help with drinks and such, though, as the voyage progresses.»

Hashim looked down through the unfinished gap in the awning. "Director? If you could join me on deck for a moment, please?"

"Of course, Captain." She rolled her eyes. "Come on, Tyra. We will be the only two women on the Dasher today and we should not become separated."

Ursula nodded to Stine and Karan, then moved to the hull and began to climb the iron rungs hammered into one of the ribs of the barge. Willing hands helped her and Tyra over the lip and onto the deck just in front of the cabin. Hashim was waiting for Ursula, resplendent in correctly-colored tee shirt and cargo shorts with four bars on each shoulder.

"I have two questions, Director. I wanted to ask how many more you could accommodate down there," he explained. "The Commodore says they can take the rest but it will make Zebrin's Tusk much harder to handle. If you can take even a few more it will ease his situation."

"Yes, that thing wasn't designed as a transport, was it?" She thought, looking down into the hold. "We could take maybe eight walking, ten if we have to," she decided. "I would not want too many more than that for a first voyage, Hashim. All we need is a wave to rock us and there could be beds and chairs sliding everywhere down there."

"With the river so low I doubt we will find many waves, Director, but you are of course correct. All we need is a thunderstorm while traveling that short distance... I assume that normally, like our ferries, everything would be fixed to the deck?"

"Yes, or be tied down some other way."

"As you say, Director. By your leave."

Hashim turned and held up his hands with the thumbs folded onto his palms, showing eight fingers. Somebody on the ground shouted, "Thank you, Captain!" and marched off. Ursula noticed Semma come to the boarding gangway and begin to climb. When she reached the top she climbed onto the deck and approached Ursula and Hashim.

"Director," she began, "while I was repacking my chests for the voyage I discovered this wedged into one of my boots. I am not certain how it came there but I do remember one or two occasions when we have had to depart in haste and our things may have become mixed together. Might it belong to you?"

This was a small wooden cylinder with a lanyard at one end which Ursula recognized immediately.

"Yes, it is! Thank you, Semma, for finding it again. It is a farb I was gifted by one of the artisans of Joth. I did think about it once or twice but we have been so busy that it has been mostly out of my mind."

Semma handed over the cylinder, asking, "Do you play that, Director? I did not know that you had learned such arts."

Ursula put the cylinder into her left cargo pocket, the end sticking out. "I did learn such arts when I was young, Semma, and this is similar to an instrument from my homeland. I was given it as a gift before we left Joth but have had no chance to do more than try a few scales."

Semma frowned at the odd word choice but said nothing more. They were all busy preparing to depart and if Ursula wanted to tell them more it could wait for a quieter moment.

"The First Director asks, if she may know how close you are to sailing, Director."

Ursula turned to Hashim who replied, "We await some eight or so more passengers, Guardswoman, and then we will be ready to move out at the First Director's command." He hesitated then added, "If you may tell her that the new sail and boom which has been provided is not rigged the way the original would have been. This may make us slow to get under way until the lads and myself have understood how to best make use of it."

Semma came to attention. "I will inform her, Captain." She thumped her chest, turned and went swiftly down the gangway.

"A problem with the rigging, Captain?"

Hashim waved a dismissive hand. "That was the other thing I wanted to ask you, Director. Just as most barges are but variations of the same design, so the sail arrangement may vary. This boom, sail and rigging has probably been lying in a boatyard in Bibek for some time until someone had the need of it. It is not rigged the way Master Yussuf's sails would be, but the differences appear to be minor and we should soon learn them."

He frowned. "Director, I was not present when the boom was attached and raised. I have some doubts about the arrangement at the masthead, which as you can readily see supports the entire boom and sail. Do you see those blocks just below, the two lines of them?"

Ursula looked up, shading her eyes. A single massive pulley, secured to the masthead, had a heavy rope reaching down to the deck. This was obviously the means by which the whole boom was lifted and lowered. The other end of this rope was split in two with a smaller pulley at each end. From there, ropes over each pulley supported two more pulleys, which in turn led more ropes down to various points along the boom. "Oh, yes, I can see them."

"One of them is very stiff, Director. If I may borrow Tyra once we get out onto the river to go up and inspect it. It may be nothing, perhaps just a poor splice in a line causing a blockage, but it may be something she can ease without us having to lower the whole boom to fix at deck level, which would of course mean anchoring and delay."

"I suppose so, Captain. She is used to this way of life, but she may not be so familiar with the rigging of these barges."

"Your caution is noted, Director. I would not expose so valuable a member of our company to any danger if I could possibly do otherwise, you may be sure that she and I will consider the best way to investigate the problem."

"I'm sure that she'll - Look, here come the rest of our passengers."

Eight men filed slowly up the gangway, the first being Benekar, to stand in line in front of Ursula.

"Greetings, Mistress," he said with a smile. "Or should I be naming you Director now?"

"With all these troops from Faral and Zebrin around I have had to accept my title, Benekar, so Director it is. I still get called any number of other things by people who forget."

"I am relieved I do not have your problem, Director. Where do you want us?"

Ursula pointed at the gap in the awning. "Down in the hold, please. As you can see, there is no room for many people to stand up on deck."

"What's this for?" He pointed to the canvas-and-lath construction, which overhung the hold on all four sides.

"Many of those below are our injured or otherwise unable to walk," she explained. "This was thought to be the best way of transporting them, but we have to keep the sun off while letting the air circulate. There is plenty of room down there and we have some of the Zebrins' folding chairs for you all to sit on."

"Right. We climb down those rungs?"

"Yes, unless any of you think you could not manage to go down that way. We can use the hoist instead."

Benekar looked doubtful. "I think I might be able to climb down, Director, but I'm not so sure about climbing up again." He turned, indicating the men behind him. "We are much improved since you found us, Director, but most of us are still very weak." He turned to face the other men. "We have to go down into the hold, lads. They will use the hoist to get us down there."

There was a muttering from the men but that was all. Ursula turned to the crewman who was running the hoist.

"Lower these down, please, and that should be all. Once they are down the Zebrins can come and finish off the awning."

"As you command, Director."

Ursula and Tyra moved out of the way while the men were lowered down into the hold. After that the hoist was stowed and four Zebrins came and laced down the last corner of the awning. It was still possible to climb down using the rungs, but it would require some wriggling at deck level.

Ursula looked at Hashim. "I suppose you want us out of the way while you get going."

Hashim was apologetic. "If you please, Director. With the awning restricting the deck space it will be hard enough getting under way without extra bodies on deck. If you may wait below, I will call when I would want Tyra's services."

"I'll leave you to it. There are probably things I need to look at with some of our passengers anyway."

Tyra led the way below and Ursula took stock of the situation as she descended. The 'patients' had been placed at the rear of the hold, away from the area where the hoist had operated. Their beds used about half the available floor space. The remaining passengers, including some walking wounded like Stine, were scattered over the forward end of the hold. Some crates and barrels had been placed right at the front and some of the newcomers were examining these.

"Leave those alone, please," she called out as she walked over. "They are water and some lunch food for the journey today. I don't want you to start eating and drinking what is intended for everyone, particularly as it will probably get very hot later on and you'll need the water."

"As you say, Director." Benekar turned to the others. "Come on, lads, settle down. It's going to be a long pull and we don't have to do any of it. Pity we can't see out but one part of the Sirrel looks much like another, don't it? Bring those chairs over here, we'll make a circle and talk."

Stine was of course in Norse uniform and this was noticed as he brought his chair to join the circle.

"You're one of Her Highness's men, aren't you?" Benekar asked. "How is it you are down here, then?"

"Yah. Took crossbow bolt in leg, see?"

"And you're still able to walk? Maker! I suppose the Director fixed you up?"

"Is true. Excuse, I understand you but words not so easy to say."

"We get that, don't we, lads? Crossbow bolt, eh? Was that fighting the pirates? I know they used crossbows."

"No. Got this in Faralan, was uprising we stopped."

"Faralan! Uprising? Who was fighting who over there? I thought they was all happy now the Yodans had gone home."

Stine looked at Ursula, who nodded back. "If you think you can tell them, Stine, then carry on. If you run out of words then ask me or Karan to help, we were both there."

Stine began telling them the tale, from his perspective, from the time the Visund and the Green Ptuvil had docked in Faralan. During this recital, with a little help from Ursula and Karan, she felt the barge move and then heard unmistakeable signs that they were being eased through the channel and out into the river. Soon Hashim's head poked through the gap between awning and hold side.

"Director! If you and your assistant could join us on deck."

Ursula and Tyra excused themselves and climbed out of the hold, using the rungs nearest to where Hashim had been. They saw as they squirmed onto the deck that the Downwind Dasher was under way, with the Visund visible behind and the Green Ptuvil presumably somewhere behind the longship. Facing them was Toshi, freshly attired in Marine green tee shirt and cargo pants and with three bars on his epaulets. He wore a boater and had a normal-looking sword clipped to his belt.

"Toshi! I didn't expect to see you here, especially dressed like that."

The Kittrin rapped his left breast with his right fist. "As you say, Director. Admiral Lars says, if I am to be part of his company then I should wear the uniform - which, if I may add, I find most comfortable. I am on board because the First Director wanted you and your assistant to have the best protection available."

She raised an eyebrow. "And the three bars?"

"Are necessary to show troops that I have ability as an instructor," was the reply. "I know that I have much to learn from the red-hairs but I will offer all I know in return."

Ursula nodded. "I have no doubt that you will do so, Toshi." Her eyes moved to Hashim, standing behind Toshi. "Captain?"

"Director. If I may explain to Tyra what will be needed above."

"Of course. Tyra?"

Tyra moved around the others and Hashim spent some time giving her instructions as to what he thought had happened and what could be done about it.

"Do you think you can do that for me?" he finished. "Toshi says that if you feel that you would rather not, he would attempt it instead, but he has never had to deal with any rig that looks like these that the Sirrel barges prefer."

Tyra shaded her eyes, looking at the profusion of lines and blocks above the boom and which supported it from the top of the mast.

"Captain, I have climbed the rigging of the Visund with no trouble but as I told you before this arrangement is new to me. However, what you ask sounds simple enough. You mentioned a reliever rope?"

"Aye, I did."

Hashim moved across to the narrow space between the back lip of the hold and the front of the cabin, where the remnants of coils of rope that had been used to create the rigging had been placed. He measured off a double arms-width and then the same again, making about four strides. He cut this off with his knife and handed the length to Tyra. She doubled the rope and wound it around her waist before tucking the ends in to secure them. In moments she was pulling herself up the stays to the top of the mast.

Toshi whistled with appreciation. "She is good at this, isn't she?"

Ursula explained her background as Tyra worked her way over to the main block.

"Ah." He sounded disappointed. "So it would not be easy for her to teach me what she does."

"Maybe not, since most of it must be childhood instinct. But Lars told me that you did much the same with the lookout post by the channel."

"True, Director, but my methods were taught me by our family Master of such arts." He looked thoughtful. "Mmm. Maybe I have a conversation with Lars. There are useful things each of us can learn here."

"You have my approval to do so, Toshi."

Tyra examined the topmost block and then used her whistle to indicate that she could find little wrong with it. After an acknowledging whistle from Hashim she moved to the next row and investigated those. The first seemed fine but there was obviously a problem with the second one. Tyra whistled down and Hashim called the crew to haul certain lines; this had the effect of slackening off the one Tyra was interested in.

She unwound the rope she had taken up and made a knot at the slack side of the pulley, securing the rest above. Another whistle allowed the other side of the pulley rope to slacken, whereby Tyra secured that line with the other end of her rope. She then appeared to wrestle with the loop going over the pulley before giving up and whistling down to Hashim. He called her down to the deck.

Because of where she was Tyra decided it would be safer to descend using the stays on the other side of the mast, which would keep her away from the canvas of the huge sail. She reached the deck and started sternwards, just as a crew member walked forwards along the same side of the barge.

"What's that fool doing?" muttered Hashim. "He knows there is no room to pass!"

Tyra noticed this when she was about a quarter of the way along the deck on that side. Seeing the man come towards her she began to back up to reach the area around the base of the mast, where the two could safely pass. The crewman appeared to walk faster, possibly to shorten the time Tyra would have to wait, but as he reached the mast area it became obvious that he had other ideas.

Several of the masthead ropes were secured at the base of the mast and the man reached out for one, his arm not by chance blocking Tyra's route. She glanced around, looking for alternatives, but one side was limited by the overhang of the awning and the lip of the forward hold made the other side too awkward to squeeze past unless she -

She looked up at the tangle of lines and prepared to jump but his free hand grabbed her arm. Tyra immediately ducked under his arm and turned, twisting herself out of his grip. As the two turned Ursula, Toshi and Hashim could see the smile on the man's face.

"Fool!" Hashim muttered. "He'll be for it when we reach Bibek!"

"If he gets that far," Ursula responded. Hashim turned to her, eyebrows raised. She explained, "She knows a trick or two. Just watch, Captain."

The man let go of the rope and turned to face her fully, his arms reaching out. He said something but it was lost to the watchers in the sigh of the wind and the wash of the bow wave. Tyra stepped inside his arms, grasped his tunic with both hands, turned and bent. The man went flying with a sudden shriek - straight over the side and into the Sirrel.

Whistles immediately sounded from both the Dasher and the Visund, where the bow lookouts had seen the man go flying. They altered course slightly and as he came past the hull Bennet leaned over, grabbed one flailing arm and pulled the man bodily from the waters, dumping him unceremoniously into the hull.

Hashim shouted, "Ease the sheets!" to the remaining crewmen and, as the canvas began to slacken the Dasher lost speed and allowed the Visund to come up on her quarter. Eriana climbed onto the hull, steadying herself with a hand around a stay.

"What happened?" she called. "Do you want him back?"

Hashim called over, "He made a pass at Tyra, Director. You can keep him - and don't let him vanish when we get to Bibek."

She scowled. "As you wish, Captain. He has questions to answer there, I deem. What was Tyra doing up the top of the mast?"

"Bad rigging. We have basically a frozen block and no spares. We will do what we can. If we may proceed?"

"Aye, Captain. Talk again at Bibek."

Hashim turned and called to the crew, "Tighten those lines! I have heard enough."

As the barge regained its former speed Ursula asked, "I thought you knew all your crew."

Hashim's face showed frustration. "I wish it were so, Director. We are all new to this barge and to each other, expecting only to sail this one leg to Bibek together. I only met most this morning at breakfast. Two are Zebrins and appear to know what they are doing, three are Farals and told me they were experienced barge men. We also have Ormund on the tiller, Toshi here as extra muscle when needed, he does not know how to sail such a barge as this - oh, and Adin in the galley. At least I can depend on our own men."

"So, who was he, Zebrin or Faral?"

"That man was one of the Farals. The Zebrins are from the Tusk so are professional crew, but they both have previous barge experience. The Farals - I know little about them, not even where they came from."

Tyra had by now made her way along the side and joined Hashim, Ursula and Toshi. She curtseyed to Hashim.

"Captain, I must apologise for what I did. I had to fend him off but did not intend him to go over the side."

"No need to curtsey to me, Tyra. I am no noble, merely a barge captain. We all saw what happened, I have no doubt the man had never seen a young woman as crew on a barge before and thought to have some fun. What you did was well wrought and should have given the other crew members some pause."

Tyra blushed. "Thank you, Captain."

"Now to important matters. You found the problem?"

"Aye, Captain. The pulley is the wrong size for that block."

"Wrong size?" Hashim squinted up. "It looks about right from here."

"It is too narrow, Captain. The rope has slid down one side of it and become solidly jammed. Even if you lower the boom to the deck you might not be able to clear it."

Hashim smiled at Tyra. "How would you like to become a member of my crew? You have made more progress on that pulley than the rest of them have since it was installed!"

"By your leave, Captain, I doubt my Mistress would accept your offer. My father may be familiar with the waters of the Sirrel but I know little about the handling of such a barge as this."

"Just showing my appreciation, Tyra." Hashim's face screwed up as he contemplated sailing with a jammed block. "Thank you for your attempt at clearing the block, I doubt any of the men could have done it so easily. Now I have to decide how to work around it."

Ursula asked, "What is the problem, Captain? In simple terms."

"Those blocks are used to adjust the sideways position of the boom," Hashim explained. "Depending on the wind direction and how the cargo is stowed it can make a big difference to the handling. Fortunately we are lightly loaded so I should be able to compensate for having the boom fixed where it is. Look - by your leave, the river trends to the right now, so the sail needs to be moved around a little more."

He called out some commands to the crew and the boom was rotated on the mast so that it was nearly for-and-aft. Ursula saw that this made the sail scoop the wind and funnel it out the left side, sternwards, moving the Dasher smartly along despite the fact that the wind was now from their right beam.

"Excuse me, Director, I had better go and tell Ormund about the change of course."

Hashim rapped his chest with his right fist and walked off around the cabin to the stern.

Ursula looked at Tyra. "Feeling all right?"

"Yes, Mistress, thank you. I have already had to put up with amorous hands at the Duke's Mansion in Joth so I am always aware that something like that could happen. Of course, I now have the skills to deal more effectively with such unwanted advances."

"And I am pleased that you could, Tyra. Let's go below, get out of everybody's way."

"Except the passengers, Mistress."

"As you say. We'll deal with anything like that when it happens."

The two climbed down the rungs and were met by an anxious-looking Karan and Netheran.

"Something has happened, Director," Netheran said. "We heard the shouting."

"Yes," Ursula replied. "Captain Hashim asked Tyra to perform a special task for him that only she could do. It involved climbing to the top of the mast and inspecting the rigging. When she came down, she was cornered by one of the temporary crew we have and it looked like he wanted to do something... personal and perhaps amorous. She threw him in the Sirrel."

There was dead silence in the hold as everyone listened to this blunt retelling.

"Maker! Did he get picked up, Director?"

"He did, by the Visund which is just behind us. Both the First Director and Captain Hashim are very angry with his conduct, which will be dealt with when we reach Bibek. Just because Tyra is female is no reason to treat her any different than any other member of the crew. Do I make myself understood?"

There were many mutterings of, "Aye, Director."

Netheran asked, "What is that you have sticking out of your pocket, Director? Is it one of those seeing devices?"

Puzzled as to what Netheran was referring to, Ursula patted herself down, discovering the tube with the farb in it which she had already forgotten. She pulled it out.

"Oh, this? It seems that some of our belongings had gotten mixed up. This is a farb I was given as a gift when we left Joth."

"A farb! Director, do you play it?"

"I learned to play several instruments when I was a child, before I decided to become a healer. This is similar to one of those but not exactly the same." She opened the tube and pulled out the instrument. "I may be able to play it but it will take me some time to become familiar with it."

"We have some bells before we reach Bibek," the Faral healer said. "If you would consent to try your farb now, Director."

"It is something that I would prefer to do in private before I would think of giving a public performance," Ursula said. She looked at the eager faces around her and relented. "Maybe, then. I will warn you, it may not sound much like music to begin with."

Somebody pulled out chairs for her and Tyra. She sat down and examined the farb closely. She arranged her fingers, put the mouthpiece into her mouth and blew. To avoid being distracted by the onlookers she closed her eyes, lifting one finger after the other to discover what kind of scale the instrument could deliver.

To her surprise it was straightforward, producing a pure tone that varied in a regular way. The fingering was slightly different, one hole being covered by a left finger instead of a right. One or two of the tones sounded slightly flat, as much as she could determine over the various sounds the timbers, rigging and sails of the barge made.

Still, it is better than I could have hoped for. Now all I have to do is to remember some tunes...

A simple rendition of a folk tune reminded her forcibly of her improved memory. She tried something different and was amazed to discover just how much she had remembered. Whole sheets of music floated into view from somewhere deep in her brain, visual images she could not remember having on Earth.

It may be that consorting with dranakhs has improved the visual side of my memory. I wonder what other surprises are lurking inside my head?

The odd fingering confused her muscle memory for a short while but that was soon adapted to as she tried one tune after another. Realizing that she could, actually, play this alien instrument she -

Wait! Perhaps this is not the best time or place to be experimenting? I have a whole hold full of men who need to be taken to -

She opened her eyes, to find that everyone was staring at her with amazement, some with jaws well and truly dropped.

"I must apologize. I was only handed this instrument today and have never played it before. It has been many years since I last played any instrument, there is a certain amount of practise and experimentation I must do before I would even consider playing it before others."

Sarrik's eyebrows shot up. "Director, you have never played it before? How is this possible?"

She considered her reply carefully. "One of my patients in Joth was a turner who makes these things. I was interested and he let me try some of his creations. Just before we departed Joth, he gifted this to me," she waved the farb, "but it got packed into our chests and somewhere along the river it went astray. Today is the first day I have seen it again since the maker handed it to me."

There was a muttering among the men. Someone said, "Respect, Director, if you can take a strange instrument and play it like that!" There were mutterings of agreement.

She stood up and held up her free hand. "All right, settle down. We have been on the river now for maybe a bell or so. Sarrik, if you would go on deck and find out if pel and any snacks are available."

"Of course, Director."

Ursula put the farb into its case and handed it to Tyra.

"Where are our chests? On the Visund?"

"They are in the large cabin behind us, Director. If you wish me to put this into your chest it would mean -"

Ursula sighed. "That we would both have to go. I had forgotten that. Just find somewhere safe to put it, please. It would easily fall out of these cargo pockets, I am lucky it has not already done so while we were climbing in and out of the hold."

"I'll put it in the bandage bag, Director."

"Thank you, Tyra." Her eyes surveyed the men in the hold, most of whom were still watching her with unexpected expressions. "I think I had better go and speak to Ketko. We have barely said a word since he was loaded and I doubt he will have experienced anything like this before."

Ketko had been one of the first to be moved from the 'Tent of the Sick' to the barge so had ended up in one corner of the hold. Ursula made her way over to him and then realized there was nowhere for her to sit. Being practical, she simply made herself comfortable on the floor. Tyra joined her moments later, standing out of the way against the boards at the rear of the hold.

"Honored Mother! You should not sit on the floor like that! It is unbecoming."

She waved a hand. "If I had realized I would have brought a chair with me. It does not matter, I am comfortable enough down here. How are you feeling? This must be unusual for you."

He snorted. "Honored Mother, everything in this world is unusual for me! But I have been in the hold of a barge before, when we came from Benmouth to Bibek. Some of the cargo shifted and we had to go into the hold and use more ropes to stop it moving. Why did we leave that place? Where are we going?"

"Back to Bibek, for the time being. Hamalbek, where we started from, is being completely cleared out before the season of rain arrives, which will be in two weeks or so. I am told that the Margrave has arranged a whole hostel for those of you who are sick and for some of the others who were prisoners of the pirates. I still need to know how you are feeling. Sometimes, on the water, not being able to see outside can make you feel - queasy."

This last word was translated into a short phrase that involved nausea and vomiting.

"I thought it was the breakfast I ate before they moved us, but I can understand what you mean now."

"Oh. Do you need me to bring you something to be sick into?"

"Oh, no, Honored Mother, the feeling is very slight. I have no desire to see my breakfast again today." Ketko considered. "As for the rest, I tried some warm pel this morning, and, as you can see, I have not yet been poisoned. What a strange thing! Thinking about why we of the Great Plain thought that hot water might be poisonous, I wonder now if it was something told long ago about one hot spring and the story got changed until all hot springs became deadly and then changed again so that all hot water became poisonous. What do you think?"

Ursula nodded. "That is very good reasoning, Ketko, and probably correct. It is easy enough for a story to get changed as it moves from place to place until it becomes unrecognizable."

"Reasoning is my job, Honored Mother," he replied simply. "Although I was said to be very good at what I did, you can see that I am too young to have much experience. Of course, on this new world I doubt that I can do what I did before so I must seek to find a different way to provide for myself. Work on the barges was interesting but," he managed a weak shrug, "I am sure that I can do better, if only I knew where to begin."

"What exactly did you do before? I am not sure I understood what you said in the tent, you were still very ill then."

"I was a Thinker, someone who reasons out how the world works and how to make use of the rules we discover. Is it not so in this place?"

"A Thinker. It is possible that you might be something like a scientist, or maybe what the people of Palarand name a Questor. Yes, they have them here, and you might find a place in the local community of them. What did you think about? What was your specialty?"

"Oh, I was instructed to investigate the various surfaces and shapes of our world..." His voice tailed off, pensive. "Do they have the same here? Of course, Honored Mother, you cannot answer that question since you have never been to the Great Plain. Where was I? Oh, yes, shapes, like triangles, circles, squares, cubes, spheres and so on."

"Oh! You are speaking of Geometry. Yes, we know that here - although, of course, I have been here about the same length of time that you have so I do not know how far their knowledge reaches. You can tell by the water craft you have seen and the buildings in the cities and towns that they know how to use much of that knowledge, but what they know formally I could not tell you."

"Interesting. It sounds as if I can make myself useful in this new world, then."

"Hah. If you are like me or the other travelers from other worlds, you may make yourself very useful and, perhaps, in ways that you could not have imagined. The other traveler I told you about was a good cook on Earth but here on Anmar he has completely changed the way his country fights wars."

"I have wondered about that, Honored Mother. But what is a 'country'? I have heard the word used several times before but do not understand what it is."

"Let me think about this. On the Great Plain you told me there are seven Hordes, is that right?"

"Yes, Honored Mother. Each has settled the land either side of one of the seven rivers."

"So what happens when the lands of, say, your Horde approach the lands of the Horde to either side?"

"Our lands touch in only a few places, Honored Mother, since much of what lies between the rivers is barren. Where our lands do touch then the Great Mothers of each Horde come and agree a line which divides where we may call our own. People from either side may cross but no land on the other side may be taken and planted."

"I see. So a country here would be about the same as the land one of your Hordes occupies. The borders are agreed between the rulers of each side, just as your Great Mothers do, but very often part of the border is the Sirrel. I do not know the exact rules, perhaps someone like Lord Kalmenar would be better be able to tell you."

"Lord... Kalmenar?"

"He is an assistant to Her Highness and advises her on legal matters. If there are special rules for borders then he would probably know them."

Ketko nodded thoughtfully. "I understand, Honored Mother."

The Downwind Dasher bucked suddenly, the motion being accompanied by shouts from above. The chairs and beds did slide, but because the boarding had been laid on flattened sacks of grain, it was not entirely uniform and the imperfections stopped anything sliding too far.

Ursula stood rapidly. "It looks like we might have to go on deck," she told Ketko. "Do you need anything at the moment?"

"Not to sink, Honored Mother, that is all."

She gave him a small smile. "I'll see what I can arrange." She turned to Tyra. "Looks like they might need us - or more likely you - above. Coming?"

"Of course, Director."

The two emerged from a corner of the hold nearest the mast. Above them, the red triangular sail bellied out in the wind, but at the base of the mast two men hauled on a rope. They noticed Tyra and one looked distinctly concerned but the other, identifiable as a Zebrin despite his civilian attire, spoke to him and calmed the man. Ursula carefully walked the short distance to them.

"What just happened? Do you need any assistance?"

"The wash from another barge going downstream, Director. There is no harm but we must needs alter course a little," the Zebrin replied. His eyes flicked between Ursula and Tyra. "There is no help you could give either of us, Director," he gave another heave on the rope and the boom and sail shifted round slightly, "but you had best ask the Captain what help you might give."

Ursula sighed internally. He doesn't think we can be any use here. He probably thinks Tyra and I should be in the galley making pel for everyone! Women's jobs, again. It is going to take some time to change attitudes.

Hashim was waiting at his usual position just in front of the right side of the cabin.

"Director, we travel in busy waters, it seems. Everyone desires to complete their voyage before Harvest Festival and the Rains that follow. If I may ask to borrow Tyra as a lookout, I know that she has done such on the Visund, though the boom above is a different matter."

Ursula looked at Tyra. They exchanged glances and then both looked up at the boom, now further around than it had been moments before.

"What do you think? You could be up there a while."

"It looks both easier and more difficult," Tyra replied. "Easier because this mast is more sturdy and easier to hold and the boom is also wide enough to stand on. The difficulty is the slope of the boom. That might become tiring after a while, especially if the boom keeps moving position." Her gaze narrowed. "Oh! Look at the top of the mast! I could rig..."

Her gaze dropped to meet Hashim's. "Captain, if I may borrow a length of rope, as I did before, I could rig a seat for myself above the boom. Would this be acceptable?"

His eyes widened. "Of course you may! Why did I not think of such an idea myself? How much shall you need? And will you want a plank to make your seat more comfortable?"

"A... plank?"

"Aye! We have such two planks, ready with a hole in each corner, for use when we must needs go over the side to scrape or paint, also used when we attend the mast. I saw two when I checked the equipment the Zebrins put in the foaksul. We used one such earlier today to lower the patients down into the hold."

"I am a fisherman's daughter, Captain. I have seen such seats being used on larger craft but I do not know of such arts. If you will show me how such a plank is rigged, I would like to take one aloft."

"Done! By your leave, Director?"

"Yes, of course. She has been up there before, she is the best person to do it."

A plank was found and rope knotted in the appropriate way. It would be more difficult for Tyra to climb the rigging encumbered not only by the rope and plank but also because she carried a telescope to aid her observations.

"Standard ship signals, Captain?"

"Of course, Tyra. Thank you for doing this, I will find some way to reward you when we arrive."

Tyra made as much of a salute as she could and then headed for the stays. As she did Adin came out of the cabin accompanied by Sarrik.

"Captain, Director. I have begun brewing pel for our guests below," the little cook began. "The question I have is, how do we get it down to them?"