On the Black Wind to Baldairn Motte

Part 4.

The harbor of Gaulang was a mess of ships, as it had been since the Earl barred outgoing voyages five days earlier. There were some two-hundred vessels—the most Terryll had ever seen in one place in all his years and travels—and with the berths wholly occupied by the ships belonging to the Earl and his bannermen, the captains of the merchant vessels had been left with nothing to do but moor their ships together in the middle of the harbor, leaving only narrow water lanes between them.

Terryll sat in a skiff, listening to the harbor boy paddle along, admiring his own ship, Black Zefferus, where she floated at the end of a line, dwarfed by the larger carracks around her. She was a caravel, built in the south islands with a highly rare and expensive black teak wood. Unlike the carracks, she had little freeboard and only a single stern castle. Her cargo capacity was minimal, but she had four masts and could outrun and outmaneuver any ship in the harbor, which was a good bargaining point with many of Terryll's less scrupulous clients. When he finally reached her, Terryll gave the harbor boy a copper bit and climbed his way onto deck. His first mate, , stood waiting for him.

"We've received our orders," Alwyn said, handing Terryll a folded piece of parchment sealed with the Earl's sigil. Terryll broke the wax seal and read over the document. "We sail in the morning, men."

"With what as cargo?" Alwyn asked.

"Flour and beans."

Alwyn snorted with distaste.

"It's better than what Lord Verk's chancellor wanted us to carry," Terryll said. "The daft cunny would have sunk us to our rails carrying spears and iron shod for the cavalry." He regarded his crew that was gathering around him on deck. "Still, we'll be sitting low in the water; we best offboard anything we don't need. Rig the main masts for the square sails and stow only enough water for seven days."

"That'll be cutting it close," Alwyn remarked.

Terryll shrugged. "Either lose the extra water or lose the ale kegs."

"The water," Alwyn agreed and the crew voiced theirassent.