A Country Falls (Greatest Thief 3)

Bonus - All Able Sailors

During Part One

All able sailors asked to join the war effort – visit the West Draulin navy office to enlist

The sign was pinned on the door of a fishmonger's shop. Kovin put down the basket he was holding and stared at it. He wasn't a quick reader, but he could do it when he had to. His parents had insisted he learn at a young age.

Then the sign disappeared as the door swung open. "Kovin, lad! What're you doin', then? Got good fish fo' me t'day?"

"Aye, Voray." Kovin picked up the basket and followed the fishmonger into the shop. "Just readin' your sign 'bout the navy."

Voray scoffed. "Not my sign, lad. Navy came 'round 'nd nailed them up. Didn't ask first o' nothin'." He turned sideways to squeeze his ample stomach through the narrow opening that led behind his worktable. "So. What's the catch t'day?"

Kovin hoisted his basket onto the table. "Grounders, mostly. And two—"

"Slashtail!" Voray lifted one of the striped fish out of the basket. "Nicely caught, lad." He cast a quick glance over the basket. "The rest are all grounders, aye? Good, so... I'll give you fifty siyas for the lot."

Kovin crossed his arms. "Can't fool me, Voray. How long we've been doin' this, then?"

Voray chuckled as he put down the slashtail and wiped his hands on his tunic. "How's a hundred sound? I know, tad low, it is. I'd give you more if I had it."

"I need to pay the harbourmaster for the week," Kovin said. "I need more than that."

"Need to pay taxes," Voray pointed out. "All those ref'gees comin' outta Eas' Draulin, navy men been comin' 'round askin' for more money t' support them."

Kovin's hands dropped to his sides. He knew all about the refugees, of course. Anyone working on the port would have seen them. Some had shown up on navy ships, but plenty had sailed across the straits in their own small fishing ships. All of which needed space to moor on the docks, which in turn meant costs had gone up.

"What'm I supposed t' do, then?" Kovin asked. If he couldn't pay the harbourmaster, he could keep his little boat docked. If he couldn't keep her docked, he couldn't fish. And if he couldn't fish, he couldn't provide for himself or his mother. "I need that money, mate."

Voray ducked behind his table and reappeared with a battered metal box in his hands. He cracked it open and eyed the money inside. "What're you payin' the 'arbourmaster?"

"One hundred a week," Kovin said. "But if you give that t' me'n I give it t' him, I can't get food for my ma today."

Voray chewed on his bottom lip as his eyes darted from his money box to the basket of fish. After a moment, he said, "Reckon I can give you one hundred siyas'n you can take one o' the grounders back. Best I can offer." He looked up. "How long we've been doin' this, lad? Know I wouldn't cheat you if I didn't have t'."

As dismayed as he was, Kovin did trust that Voray was offering the best he could. "Hundred and the grounder," he agreed. "Thanks, mate."

Voray counted out the money and dropped it into Kovin's hand, then got to work wrapping up a grounder for him. It was one of the larger ones, Kovin noticed gratefully. "T'morrow," Voray said as he worked. "Try t' bring me more slashtails. Them's popular with the Eas' Draulin sailors, I heard." He held out the fish.

Kovin accepted the damp package. "See what I can do, mate. G'night."

"G'night, lad."

A week later, the sign had changed.

"All able sailors," Kovin read out loud, slowly. "Join the war effort today, earn a navy salary."