The base of operations of the pirates must be found and that will mean that Eriana's scratch force must work together with those of Zebrin. The banks of the Sirrel must be searched for any sign of activity and then a plan devised to defeat them, but the Norse make other, more interesting finds as they move along.

The Voyage of the Visund

A tale of Anmar by Penny Lane

78 - Flotsam and Jetsam

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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It took some time before the Visund and the heavily-laden Nokan's Pride could work their way across the Sirrel to reach the other vessels, now all moored to the small sandbank the Green Ptuvil had found. Tyra's abilities at the top of the Visund's mast had been key, finding a safe route through the shoals and shifting channels for the barge. Now the two craft approached from the Zebrin side, where the water was a little deeper. Zebrin sailors with boathooks were waiting to haul them closer to Zebrin's Tusk to moor.

Once the two had been made secure, Ursula made arrangements for the injured to be lifted onto the larger vessel and then followed, leaving only Brodgar as watchman on the barge. Stepping through the door from the exposed stern she found herself in a long, thin compartment that ran the entire length of the left hull. She did not have time to examine the compartment further as a Zebrin sailor ushered her up some stairs to the deck above, emerging at one side of the block of cabins at the rear of the main deck.

On the main deck the Zebrins had already begun erecting awnings, using poles which slotted into the ship's sides and bridged with laths running the whole length and width of the deck. Over this, at the far end, others were already unrolling canvas to keep the heat of the midday sun away from the crews. The deck was crowded with men from all the vessels, with the officers collected in front of the cabins.

"Ursula! Join us, if you would." Eriana beckoned. "There is much to discuss. How are your wounded?"

"Admiral, by your leave, there are two wounds which must have immediate attention. Once I can get them in the shade of these awnings I want to open their dressings and see what I can do."

Merion asked, "Mistress, if I may ask, what manner of wounds do those men have?"

"A gut wound, two cuts to arms and a leg cut, all from swords, and a chest wound from a crossbow, I would think."

A Zebrin strode forward with a superior look on his face. "By your leave, Mistress, I am a surgeon, I may be more able to handle a battle wound than a healer might."

Ursula could hear the unsaid mere in his voice. Before she could even open her mouth Eriana intervened.

"By your leave, Master, Ursula is an accomplished surgeon, well able to take care of battlefield injuries. She has done so not a week since."

He looked surprised and offended but bowed deference to higher authority. "As you desire, Admiral."

The injured were lying in stretchers on the deck, partially shaded by the 'holds' but that would not last long as the sun moved. The awnings would soon solve that problem, though.

Ursula turned to Anthar. "Captain, can I lift these men on top of the lockers? It will be easier to treat them there."

"As you wish, Mistress. Is there anything we may provide for you?"

"Let me think. A bowl of some water that has been boiled, please, but is no longer hot. And a reed like those used for writing."

"A reed, Mistress? Do you also need ink and parchment?"

"Just the reed, please."

Four sailors lifted Jard onto the waist-high hatch cover just as others were unrolling the canvas above them to provide shade. Ursula and Karan unwrapped the bandages and made their patient comfortable. Shortly a man who Ursula immediately categorized as 'cook' brought them a metal bowl full of tepid water. The two medics cleaned the skin around the wound and Ursula smeared some numbing salve around it to lessen the inevitable discomfort.

Anthar returned with a length of reed from the map cabin and handed it over, remaining nearby to see what she did with it. Ursula cut a short length of the reed, put one end in her mouth, the other end in the bowl and sucked. Keeping the water in the reed, she moved over to her patient and blew the water directly into the wound, flushing it out.

She repeated this and then turned to Karan. "Can I have the tool roll out of the satchel, please."

"Mistress? I thought that Tyra had the satchel."

Tyra immediately said, "But I thought... No matter, Mistress, I will fetch it."

She turned, took a step and then leapt onto the top of the handrail, balancing herself by the poles the men had erected, before launching herself into space. One outstretched arm caught the rigging of the Visund, swinging her round, then the other arm found a different rope and she stabilized. Sliding swiftly down to the deck accompanied by applause from the Norse still on board, she moved forward to find the satchel.

Ursula glanced at the crowd on deck. Most of the officers had their mouths open with amazement while many of the men instead showed admiration and a certain amount of calculation.

Merion coughed. "Ah, does she often behave like this, Mistress?"

"She comes from a family of fisher folk in Joth," Ursula explained. "Where they live the housing is cramped and there are balconies and many lines of washing across the street. All the children play there, climbing along the ropes and swinging about. It terrifies me but apparently their parents see no problem. I have never seen her do that particular action before but it does not surprise me."

"Do your men behave in a like manner?"

Ursula turned. "Admiral?"

"She is young, she is flexible, she may do things few of my men could attempt, certainly," Eriana replied. "Tyra does not come from the same land as me or my men, her childhood was very different. If you ask, should such training be part of your men's duties, then I would reply, why not? Not all could do it, but the younger and lighter of weight may find that it could be of benefit to you. For example, when you must board another ship in combat, your men must likely do so by similar means."

"I had not considered that, Admiral, but you are of course right. Captain Anthar, Palarand offers new ideas which may improve our duties."

"As you say, Sir. This voyage to Bibek would appear to be more interesting than I had believed."

Merion nodded. "And we may learn more from each other, I deem."

Tyra reappeared with the satchel, barely out of breath, having returned the orthodox way. She handed it to Ursula.

"Did you take a chance, Tyra?"

"Not really, Mistress. I saw the mast there and thought, I can take a short cut."

"Well, by doing so you have impressed every single person on this ship, Tyra. Thank you."

She blushed and stared at the deck. "Mistress."

Ursula lifted out her tool roll, placed it on the hatch cover and unrolled it, pointing.

"I have two retractors here, Karan, a wide one and a narrow one. For sword wounds, unless it is a cut, we can only use the narrow one. What I want to do is for you to keep the wound open, like this," she demonstrated, "while I blow some more water inside. Once it is cleared I can try and take a look inside to see if anything serious has been cut."

"Yes, Mistress. Like this?"

"That's right. Now, if you press down, gently, here, it should stay by itself."

"Ah, I understand. A clever tool, Mistress."

Ursula flushed out the wound and, with the aid of the bright sunlight that seeped through the awnings, she could see that although the wound was deep the blade had managed to slide past the gut.

"Take a look, quickly, before the blood comes back."

"Mistress."

She explained, "While the blade has cut through tissue it looks like it will heal clean. The gut itself seems to be intact, otherwise we would have to do an immediate operation to cut the patient open and sew up the hole in the gut. It is that hole which makes most gut wounds fatal, since what is inside can fester when let out into the body cavity."

"As you say, Mistress," Karan responded, his gaze down the open wound. "It begins to fill with blood again."

"We have to be careful what we put in the wound," she added. "No herbs because once they are used up they will begin to rot. I'm going to pour a little alcohol in there to sterilize the area before we sew it up again. While I'm doing that, can you fetch out the needles and thread? I would like them to be boiled before we use them."

With the needles and thread in his hand, Karan asked, "Mistress? Should I take these to the cook?"

"Please. Use as little water as possible, we need to sew up this wound quickly and then attend to the others."

She flushed the wound again as Karan departed and then gently poured a few drops of spirit into it. Jarl twitched sharply.

"Ow! Mistress, that stings."

"I am sorry, I have flushed away most of the numbing salve. What I have put in your wound will kill off anything that might have been on the sword blade. You should be fine once it is sewn up and you have rested."

"You have my grateful thanks, Mistress. I was sure that I was going to die." He paused. "Would you really have cut me open?"

"Yes, and I have already saved another man's life by doing just that. Fortunately for you, I do know what I am doing."

The Zebrin surgeon came closer. "Mistress, you use tools and ideas unknown to me. If I may attend."

"I have no objection... will you give me your name?"

He flushed. "Of course, Mistress. I am named Zerron, and I have a rank equivalent to Galley-Captain, though I am not in the normal tree of command."

"Very well, Captain Zerron, I am Ursula, perhaps you could help while my assistant is away."

When they had finished attending the injured men, she rinsed her hands in the remains of the water that had sterilized the sewing kit and Zerron copied her.

Merion said, "A most impressive display, Mistress. Is this what healing is like in Palarand?"

"Regrettably no, Captain. I learned my trade elsewhere and it took many years of tuition and experience to be able to do what I did today."

"Elsewhere, Mistress? Would I know of it?"

Eriana intervened. "The land of Ursula's birth is somewhere else entirely, Captain. That discussion is not important today, I deem. Ursula, have you now finished what you needed to do?"

"Yes, Admiral. If there is anything else then Karan can do it, or if necessary he can come and find me."

"Then, by your leave, you should join us in the Captain's cabin where we must needs discuss what we do next."

"Of course, Admiral."

* * *

This time the Visund towed the as-yet-unnamed fire-damaged barge, as it was empty and thus lighter, while Zebrin's Tusk, with its greater manpower, towed the heavily-laden Nokan's Pride. The Green Ptuvil followed slowly in their wake. Discussion had made them realize that the two attacked barges would be liabilities and were best left at a nearby port, which happened to be Paktrin, just a short distance downstream on the Zebrin side. There, the bodies could be given a respectful funeral and the injured tended in greater comfort while the port authorities looked after the vessels.

Paktrin was essentially a fishing village but, because it was situated on the inside edge of a bend, the Sirrel at this time of year was almost a mark and a half away from the village. The pontoons were crude logs with the upper surface roughly chopped flat with an adze, set parallel with the current shoreline and secured in an obscure fashion without the usual poles. Once space had been found for the four vessels to berth, a procession of rowing boats was used to ferry everything and everyone between the pontoons and dry land.

"I must admit that I find myself interested," Eriana told Merion. "I understand that such a small place would not have arrangements such as we have found everywhere else, but what keeps those pontoons in place?"

"It is, indeed, a curious arrangement," Merion agreed. "At the lowest of waters, then, I understand that large rocks were transported far out into the river and dropped with chains running from them all the way to the land, secured as high as possible at the bank end. The ends of the pontoons are attached to the chains by means of short sections which reach the river bed. As the river level rises and lowers, so the chains are lifted, the attachment points are moved and the pontoons are shifted in and out as required."

"Curious, and only possible at such small places as this, I deem. Having to row everything and everyone in and out would not work anywhere larger."

"As you say, Admiral."

"We cannot begin our search today," she added. "Do you know if there are hostels here for travelers desiring to overnight?"

"Of course, Admiral, though I do not know if they will have sufficient accommodation for all your men."

"We will find some compromise, I am sure. But what of your own men?"

Merion smiled. "That is one of the benefits of our design, Admiral. All may sleep aboard, although some will be more comfortable than others."

"Ah, I had forgotten that. And if your men sleep aboard, then it follows that you could depart swiftly should the need arise?"

"That is the idea, Admiral. I would add that normally we would all prefer to sleep in a barracks should one be available."

"Agreed. We have slept on the Visund, at sea and even during terrible storms. It is not an experience I desire to repeat but if duty requires it..." Eriana shrugged. "By your leave, let us go and discover this accommodation you mention."

~o~O~o~

Map courtesy of Julia Phillips

Early the following morning the two ships departed in different directions, the Tusk intending to travel slowly up the Zebrin side while the Visund had elected to take the Faralmark side. It was thought that firstly, it was the more likely side for the pirates to be, secondly, the unusual-looking craft would raise less suspicions among watchers than an obviously official craft and, lastly that Faralmark was a member of the Federation and thus Eriana in theory had authority there, which the Zebrins did not.

The Green Ptuvil had returned to the sandbank as a reserve base of operations should any problems occur, intending to continue upstream to Vormarin later that afternoon.

Flotilla-Captain Merion had joined the Visund, as had six of the Tusk's crew to balance out the numbers. Merion wanted to experience the river on a craft unlike any he had ever seen before and the men were there to lend a hand at the oars. Eriana had to join them as she would be the one with legal authority should they discover anything on that bank.

There had been a discussion that morning about uniforms. Lars had pointed out that the very noticeable yellow-and-black colors of the Zebrins would be immediately spotted by anyone on the banks, thus raising suspicion and alarm. Spare tee shirts had been borrowed from some of the Norse but nobody was willing to part with shorts, for obvious personal reasons. It was considered that the pale yellow tights the Zebrins still wore would not raise too many questions by onlookers, particularly if they remained seated.

Flotilla-Captain Merion received an accidental sideways promotion to an equivalent rank: his borrowed tee shirt had epaulettes and Eriana's old Commodore slides were available so they were fitted to his attire. After some discussion it was decided that he preferred the new rank to his old one, so everybody addressed him as 'Commodore Merion' from then on.

The Visund drifted gently downstream along the Zebrin bank of the river until the point where the current crossed sides, just before the bend where the River Pak joined the Sirrel. With everyone on the oars and the sail furled, it was possible to cross to the other side, avoiding considerable downstream traffic, to begin their search.

This leg was deliberately intended to be a slow affair, to give those on board an opportunity to spot anything untoward along the bank, most of which was hidden in a tangle of the mangrove-like forest. They passed a small creek that led to Farso, skipping it as being too close to the traffic area around the River Pak entrance.

The next village, Tuvalek, was along a wider, muddy creek and everyone was on the highest alert as they entered. The landing stages around the village were soon found little more than half a mark from the main river. The Visund was immediately spotted by some fishermen, who launched two small boats to discover what the large ship was doing there.

"Ho, the strange craft! What are you? Do you need anything from us?"

Hashim, standing on the thwart and holding onto a stay, answered. "This is the ship Visund and its crew, who come from a far distant land. They are on an exploration of the Sirrel. I am Hashim, a local pilot, though I have not traveled this reach for some time. We learned of pirate trouble at our last port, do you know any more?"

"Pirates?" The man in the first fishing boat spat into the water. "Aye, it is known they prey on craft along this reach of the Sirrel ever since those of Yod were defeated. They do not interfere with us fisherfolk, though. I guess they know our life is hard enough as it is."

"Have you seen them? What manner of craft do they use? We have seen pirates along the Lower Fanir reach, that was a galley we were fortunate to escape from."

"Do you tell me? Aye, I remember seeing a galley earlier this year that was not of Faralmark or Zebrin but only at a distance. I have seen it several times in the past. The river is now too low for such a large vessel to be useful for good or ill, I deem. Oso? You mentioned something you saw but two days hence."

The other man sculled closer to the longship, taking in its details with interest. "Oh, aye! That was just as that thunderstorm began, the big one. It looked like a barge had been hit by lightning and another barge came to rescue it, but the newcomer did not stay for very long. I was not surprised, it was bad weather to be out in." He, too, spat into the water. "I did not see more, I was too busy trying not to be drowned myself, but something did not look right in the way it happened. I wonder, Fasin, you just said the water was too shallow for galleys, do you think they might be using barges instead?"

The first man thought and then nodded. "Aye, it would make sense, Oso. If they kept some barges they took, they could use them as the river lowered, though it will soon be too low for barges in many places. Master, that fancy ship of yours looks as though it sits atop the water. How does it do that?"

Hashim replied, "Where I am standing our ship is very wide though it comes down to a point at both ends. It draws about half a stride loaded as we are, which means we can go almost anywhere."

"Clever." Oso made a sweeping gesture at the crew with his free arm. "Where do those fine folk come from, then, to build a ship like that? I have never seen the like before. Somewhere beyond Yod, I deem."

Hashim laughed. "Oh, aye, and the rest of the Sirrel as well. They sailed a week on the open sea to even reach the mouth of the river."

Oso's jaw dropped. "Do you tell me? You would not make a jest to a poor fisherman, would you?"

"No indeed, my good man. This crew is so foreign that most do not even speak the Valley tongue, which is why I am here. If you could tell us, how far along the bank would the next village be? I'm thinking we will probably want somewhere to stop for lunch but this jungle," he in turn swept an arm around at the scenery, "does not look inviting."

"Downstream is Farso, barely a bell that way, Master. Upstream," Oso shrugged, "the river moved some years ago and several villages we used to visit are deep in the tanglewood now. The next one I know of on this bank that still survives may be Hamalbek, but that is a long way away. Hard to find, too."

"Ah?"

"Aye, Master, the river shifted south and cut Hamalbek, Jenbek and a slice of the old course off. They dug channels to reach the new river course but most of the new land has been covered by the tanglewood since then. We do talk to some of the fishermen from the Zebrin side and they reckoned that Hamalbek has been swallowed up by the forest. Leastways, nobody seems to fish from there any more. Jenbek, that is a long way beyond where Hamalbek was, but I have met one or two fishermen from there so they still survive, they might be able to tell you more."

"Oh. That is disappointing. Well, friends, I thank you for your news. We had better leave you and your village in peace and go back to the main river now, see if we can find a sandbank to moor at for lunch."

"Master, you and yours could lunch here, by your leave."

Hashim shook his head. "Goodman, we thank you for the offer but we are too many for you and we have a long way to travel today. We have food and drink enough to feed ourselves but do not care to strain your village. Good fishing to you."

"Our thanks to you for considering our small village, Master. A safe journey to you and your ship."

Back on the Sirrel with the oars out once more, Eriana, Tor, Ursula, Hashim and Merion clustered around the charts.

Merion tapped with a finger. "I remember it now. During one Rains, seven or eight years ago now, the river ate part of Zebrin and spat it out on the Faralmark side, leaving the old course as a thin ribbon lake. We do not begrudge the Sirrel, it is Mistress of the Great Valley and goes where it wills. Some villages on the Faralmark side which were on the river became landlocked and no longer able to use the river for access. Hamalbek and Jenbek cut channels to be able to get their vessels out to the river but I do not know if they still can.

"Of course, on our side some of the forest was washed away, as were three... no, four villages. Nobalo and Vormarin suddenly discovered that they were now on the banks of the river and some of the survivors of those others have moved there to resume fishing. On the other side of Zebrin, further upstream, we gained some land. There is some kind of balance, I deem, but it does make the drawing of charts a tedious business."

Hashim nodded. "Aye, Commodore, I can only agree." He looked up. "Admiral, your orders?"

Eriana studied the chart. "Hamalbek, if it still exists, is a long way away upstream from here. I propose that we examine the banks along this part for any signs, then cross the river to take lunch with the Green Ptuvil, since we know where that is moored. We can exchange news and anything else that is needful. Then we can return across and continue our search upstream after lunch."

Merion asked, "Do you expect to find anything in this part of the reach, Admiral?"

"It is less likely, Commodore, but it will give us good practice for later. Ursula? Have you any thoughts?"

"Admiral, what should we do if we do see anything?"

"A good point, Ursula. We do not desire to be discovered looking for pirates but it is certain that, wherever they are, they will be keeping a lookout along the edge of the forest overlooking the river, as they did at Bakhrad. Therefore, we must needs be seen to be searching for something else."

"Salvage, Admiral," Merion suggested. "There is any amount of material washed down the river both from craft taken by pirates and from other accidents and incidents. Much becomes tangled in the many forest roots along the river's edge and some of it is still valuable when found. There are a small number of craft who make a living just looking for such salvage."

"An interesting idea, Commodore. If we are to use such a ruse then my crew will need to know what to do."

"And we would carefully ignore anything else we might accidentally observe."

Eriana smiled at Merion. "As you say, Commodore. Let me explain it to them in our own tongue lest there be any mistakes."

She climbed onto the stern deck, turned and called for silence, then told her men the plan in Norse. There were some comments along the lines of "teaching them their business" but all understood the point, not to alert the pirates to a possible attack. With the oars once more in use, they moved slowly along the matted tangle of roots and branches that formed the margin of the forest, though at this low level of the water some mud and silt now showed.

«There, look! Is that a barrel? Over there, there are more!»

A bell had passed with the crew sighting little but odd planks and scraps of sailcloth. Trapped in the roots and now raised above the water line at least three barrels, heavily weathered, were now visible.

«Get the praam out,» Eriana decided. «Two of you go and see if you can reach those barrels.»

Two were reachable, the third would have required considerable hacking of the undergrowth to recover. The two were towed back to the Visund and laboriously lifted aboard.

"If I am not mistaken," Merion judged, "these two are wine barrels from a good producer in the Faral Valley. See here, Admiral," he rolled the barrel over to reveal a vineyard brand, "this is his mark. The contents could be a good quality red wine, should it be intact."

"And why would it not be, Commodore?"

He shook his head. "Admiral, we have no idea how long those barrels have lain there in the water, beaten by the sun and knocked around by the water. If there is any damage they might hold naught but river water. Even if they are intact the poor handling may have made the wines undrinkable."

"Ah, of course. We will take them to the meeting place and leave them with Baros, I deem. Let us continue searching, I find this scouring of the banks an intriguing sport."

"As you say, Admiral."

Further along another, smaller barrel was sighted, this one on the mud and looking as if it had only been recently lost. It was brought aboard and, after a rudimentary cleaning, the markings examined.

"This is a prime grade oil, I deem," Merion offered. "Master Hashim, do you know any more?"

"By your leave, Commodore, it has been some while since I have had much to do with commerce such as this." Hashim had explained to the Zebrin about his capture by Yod, his time on their galleys and then being left destitute in Forguland. "I do not recognize the mark but it is definitely oil of a kind that may be used for preparing food rather than just filling lamps or lubrication."

Eriana said, "Do you tell me? Merion, is this likely to be damaged as those wine barrels may be?"

"Unlikely, Admiral, it does not look as if it has been in the river for very long. It may even have fallen from one of those barges we rescued."

"Then we may keep it, I deem. Adin?"

The little cook scrambled over to join them. "Admiral?"

"This appears to be a barrel of good quality food oil, it may be of use to you for our meals. It will need to be tested, of course, but you may put it with our other foodstuffs."

"With pleasure, Admiral."

* * *

"Ho!" Baros called as the Visund approached the Green Ptuvil. "Forget something, Admiral?"

"Not this time, Baros," Eriana replied, "this is just a convenient place and time for us to take lunch. Have you had any trouble here?"

"Nothing at all, Admiral," he replied as the two craft came together and were secured by lines. "We have had three barges approach and ask us if we needed help but we told them we were waiting for friends to arrive."

Eriana sprang from ship to barge to receive a salute from Baros. "And now we have arrived, I deem."

"I'll ask Kedian to start water boiling for pel, by your leave."

She grinned. "You know me too well, Baros. If you would look, just behind the mast," she pointed, "there are two barrels we found along the other bank which Merion says contains wine, though nobody knows if the contents are any good."

Baros shaded his eyes, looked and then nodded. "We used to find odds and ends occasionally, Admiral. If they were large, as those barrels are, and we were in no hurry, then we would try to take them aboard or tow them to somewhere safe to be examined or disposed of. You can appreciate that any large object floating in the water can damage any craft if they do not have sufficient lookout."

"Or be able to get out of the way," Eriana added. "I am surprised at the amount of cargo and other debris that floats past us."

Baros shrugged. "It is a hazard of travel by the river, Admiral, that cargo may be lost overboard at times. Do you want us to take the barrels aboard? As they are, on your deck, as it were, they will certainly be in the way should you need to take any action. We can open them at leisure and discover if the contents are, indeed, drinkable."

"If you would, Baros. Me and my men prefer other drinks than wine as you know. Who knows? If it is good enough it may even be sold and gain us some coin."

He grinned. "Admiral, if we can open it I can guarantee that most will be drunk before we reached Bibek - which, if I may remind you, is likely the place those barrels came from originally. I doubt they will desire to see their wine again." He added, "By your leave, Admiral, you may also consider retrieving some of the lumber and other wood which floats past your ship. Once dried out it provides a valuable source of free firewood for stoves - or fires, in your case."

"Do you tell me? I did not consider that. Of course, I am used to the open sea where such floating refuse is rare to find. The beaches, though, are often littered with wreckage from storms and we do often gather such for our fires." She nodded thoughtfully. "Aye, I will think more carefully about the different opportunities the river may provide us."

"Was that all you found, Admiral?"

"Oh! There was a small barrel of oil, which Merion considers good enough to cook with or use on our food."

Baros pursed his lips. "Do you tell me? Admiral, if I may examine the barrel, oil of quality may prove to be much more valuable than your barrels of wine."

Eriana gestured. "As you wish. I gave it to Adin to stow with the rest of our food."

Kaldar emerged from the middle companionway and turned to call down, "The Admiral has returned!"

"Kaldar," Eriana acknowledged him with a nod. "Have they kept you busy?"

"Aye, Highness, we have been making tee shirts from the green cloth. I know the numbers better than the women do, I have been measuring and keeping tally."

Nethra emerged from behind Kaldar, followed by Banest. "Admiral, greetings. Young Kaldar has been of great help to us this morn which means we have been able to concentrate on our cutting and sewing. Indeed, we have finished five and are halfway through the next five. Of course," she added apologetically, "they are but simple garments, but even simple garments require care and there are many secure stitches to make for each. If I may ask how your own search has progressed?"

"Nethra, greetings, and to you also, Banest. We have scoured yonder bank and forest downstream from here and have discovered nought but two barrels which may still contain wine. We did call at a village... Tuvalek, that is right, and learned that pirates do indeed infest this reach of the Sirrel. We have yet to find any trace, however."

Nethra nodded. "I know this reach, Admiral, and this is but the lower third of it. It is likely that you will find your quarry somewhere in the rest, I deem. Has anyone told you of the river movement? It was my first voyage this far downstream in the Green Ptuvil and none of Padaran's charts made any sense. We were forced to return to Bibek and discover that land had been lost to Zebrin and gained on the Faralmark side, upsetting many fishing villages and making the river dangerous to all."

"Aye, Nethra, Merion has explained it to me. As to why we are here, it seemed a safer place to moor while we took lunch." She turned. "Baros, if I may ask if you have changed your plans for later?"

"Admiral, there is nothing new. We will remain here for our naps and then mayhap for another bell or two. If there is no further need of us, we will head for Vormarin to meet up with you and the Zebrins this evening. I have visited Vormarin in the past, Admiral, since those days when the river moved, and found it convenient for an overnight stop. Anthar says that there is now enough space for all our craft to moor out of the current and that the accommodation, while basic, should be sufficient for all of our crews."

Merion had now joined the others on the Green Ptuvil. He bowed to the women aboard and then said to Eriana, "Aye, Admiral, we are a long way from Zebrin City and His Grace thought to provide places along the river where craft such as ours could be safely stationed for a time. As Captain Baros has said, the facilities are as yet basic but should be sufficient for our purposes."

Eriana nodded. "Then we will certainly go to Vormarin, Commodore. Now, I deem, it is time to prepare for lunch. When we are seated I can tell you what little we have been able to learn so far."

* * *

"...so those of Tuvalek have confirmed that the pirates roam this reach but also say they leave the fishermen alone," Eriana concluded. "It puzzles me that they can hide as they do. We have all seen that there are many who fish along the river, day and night, and many must have seen the pirates when they attack. Some must surely know where they lair?"

Merion lowered his mug of pel. "Admiral, I am guessing that there is a certain amount of fear involved. The pirates may have... agents, perhaps... in many of the local villages who will report should anyone seek to tell what they have seen. Alternatively there are likely fishermen who act as lookouts and informers if any valuable cargo should be known to pass nearby."

"I am not so certain that any fisherman could warn them of a juicy target, Commodore. There are, what, forty to fifty marks between Zebrin and Bibek? Most cargoes would be moving through that reach in maybe six or seven bells, no time for a fisherman in a tiny boat to contact the pirates before the prey has gone beyond their reach."

He nodded. "It is as you say, Admiral. I had not considered the distances and speeds involved. They will have lookouts but near enough to their camp that they may prepare and sally forth before their prey is too far away."

"As you say." Eriana frowned. She could not mention subjects such as telescopes or semaphores which would widen the reach of the pirates, but conversely that meant the reach of the pirates was limited. "That situation... may change in the future, Commodore, but for now you are correct. So we are looking for watchers along the shore but mayhap up to a mark away from wherever they lair. I am sure a runner could make that distance in a short enough time to be useful."

"Through that forest? Of course, if they have a lookout post then they will have cut a path through the trees to get to it."

"Agreed. So, this afternoon we will go back to the Faralmark shore... bank, and continue as we did this morning. We can probably get as far as Jenbek before we have to cross back to reach Vormarin."

Baros tapped the chart. "Admiral, the forest stops about halfway between Jenbek and the next village, Analis. Those of Faralmark have cleared some of it for farming but it naturally tails away around that point anyway. The same is true on the Zebrin side."

"So there will be little to do tomorrow, then, before we arrive at Bibek."

Baros gave Eriana a look. "You will not reach Bibek tomorrow, Admiral. You will have discovered the pirates lair by then and will be making plans for conquest."

"You are so sure? Aye, if they exist then we must needs find their lair. After lunch we will continue, but for now I think I must needs go below to refresh myself." She rose. "If you gentlemen would excuse me?"

"Of course, Admiral."