On the Throne of Rygia: Chapter 12

As afternoon rolled into evening, Natty strolled across the deck of the Estrella, a long, coiled rope in hand. The little ship pitched in the waves, but her stride never faltered. Reaching the water barrel that was lashed to the mast, she removed the worn rope and tied the new rope tightly around it.

She lifted the lid and peered inside. The water was low, but so what? The ship wasn’t going anywhere.

Lemuel came down from the aft deck. “Better fill that.”

“Whatever for?”

“One never knows.”

“What about the barrel below deck? Ain’t it full?”

“I’ll check.” Lemuel began climbing down through the hatch. He nodded toward a tangle of rope that had come uncoiled amid the rolling of the ship. “Fix that, girl. Can’t have an untidy ship.” Then his head disappeared below deck.

As Natty began laying the rope out in a neat circle, she heard an odd sound against the outer hull, near the anchor cable. The cable ran past her feet and out the hawsehole. She crouched low and kept her eye on the hawsehole.

The anchor cable shifted slightly. She watched a hand grasp it. A foot appeared in the hawsehole. A hand gripped the rail. The hand became two hands, then an arm, a leg, and finally the drenched body of a young Rygian crawled onto the rail.

Natty gave him no chance to gain his feet. Grabbing one of his arms, she yanked him over the side and threw him onto the deck. He landed on his side, letting out an “Oof!”

Both daggers were in her hands in a flash. “Whatcha think yer doing?”

The Rygian squinted at her under soggy golden bangs.

“Looking to steal something?” she said, twirling her daggers.

“I’m no thief. I’m looking for Captain Lemuel.” He shook his head, spraying water all around. Puddles from his dripping clothes ran across the deck as the ship listed again.

“Why not climb the ladder, then?”

“I didn’t want the Caledronians to see me.”

“Oh.” She lowered her daggers.

The man seemed sincere. Anyone who didn’t like Caledronians couldn’t be all bad. He was a good-looking young man, short but muscular. He wore brown pants, a cream-colored linen shirt, and a black vest that hung open. A very interesting dagger hung from his belt, and a red cord was around his neck. She couldn’t see what the cord held, as it was under his shirt.

“Whatcha want Lemuel for?” she asked.

“None of your business. Who are you, anyway?”

“Where have you been? she asked, wondering who in Archella wouldn’t know her.

He stood and eyed her daggers. “Look, I don’t have a lot of time. I need to talk to Lemuel. Where is he?”

A wave hit the Estrella, tilting the ship and sending him tumbling into her. Her daggers clattered across the deck. Natty jumped to her feet and watched him roll across the deck. She laughed. “You sure don’t have no sea legs.”

He grabbed the rail and pulled himself up. “Shut up! Girls, sheesh!”

“What’s the matter with girls?”

“I hate ‘em.” Holding the rail, he managed to keep his feet through another tossing of the ship.

“Yeah? Well I hate boys!”

“You gonna tell me where Lemuel is or do I have to find him myself?”

She picked up her daggers and stuffed them in her belt, then came to stand toe to toe with him. “What you got against girls?”

He sneered. “They’re useless.”

Her cheeks grew hot. She drew back and landed a fist square across his jaw. He went sprawling onto the deck a second time, hitting the wood hard. She kept her fists clenched, ready for another go.

He sat up, rubbing his chin. A look of admiration came across him. “Hey, that was pretty good.” He flexed his jaw. “That was really good. What’s your name?”

“Natty. What’s yours?”

“Fox.”

She ran her eyes up and down his small frame. “You’re not the Fox.”

He picked himself up. “That’s a girl for ya.”

She swung a fist at him. He ducked. The Estrella pitched again. Her swing put her off balance. She fell into his arms. Both hit the deck hard.

“Get off me!” He shoved her away. “Now who doesn’t have sea legs?”

She jumped to her feet. “Yeah, well, who asked you?”

Her father’s voice called from the hatch. “What’s going on up there? Who’s that? You all right, Natty?”

“I’m fine, Father. This man claims to be the Fox.”

Lemuel’s eyes grew wide. He scrambled onto the deck and trotted toward them. “Could it be? By all the stars in the sky, it is you!” He threw his arms around the wet knight then held him at arm’s length. “Look at you! All grown up! But that’s the same face, there’s no doubt.”

“Good to see you, Captain.” Fox cast a self-satisfied smirk to Natty.

She stood with her mouth wide open. “Are you really the Fox?”

“Course this is the Fox, girl!” Lemuel said. “After all the stories you heard, you ought to recognize him when you see him.”

“I thought he’d be taller.”

Fox rolled his eyes.

Lemuel said, “What you doing in Rygia, boy? You didn’t come all this way after seven years just for a social call, I’m sure.”

“Is it safe to talk here?” he asked.

“Safe as anywhere. This here wind’s making plenty of noise. Won’t carry our voices neither. What is it?”

“It’s time,” he said. “Corden and the Temanite army are going to drive Caledron out and put Prince Malchus on the throne.”

“To be sure? When? How?”

“Soon. We need to get Godfrey in on this. That’s what I came to tell you. You need to bring him the message.”

“Can do. Gimmie the details.”

“The target date for hitting the castle is June nineteenth.”

Lemuel stroked his pointy golden beard. “That’s just ten days from now. It’s a tall order. Don’t know if I can do it so fast.”

“Godfrey’s ready, ain’t he?”

“Oh, to be sure. He’s ready. Anxious even. But getting there is the problem.”

“You can’t just sail there?”

“Not without permission. I head out, and those dromonds will follow and shoot me to bits.”

Fox shook his head. “There won’t be any dromonds left when I’m through here.”

Natty’s mouth again dropped open. “What are you going to do?”

“When night falls, I’m going to destroy them.”

“What!”

“They won’t give you a second thought,” Fox said. “But the night will be moonless. Can you find your way all right?”

“Course I can!” Lemuel said. “I know these waters like the back of my hand. But you. Do you know what you’re doing?”

“I can handle it. You just get that message to Gregor. We’ll need him.”

“I’ll get there, don’t you worry.”

“One other thing, Captain,” Fox said.

“What’s that?”

“I’d prefer no one knows the Fox is back. Last time the Fox was in Rygia, there was a price on his head. I’d prefer you call me by my given name.”

Natty said, “What is your given name?”

“Paulus.”

She smiled.

Lemuel said, “Natty, go get the men. Just Milo, Benny, Louie, and Robert. They don’t got no families to worry about.”

“What happened to Milo’s wife?” Fox asked.

“Caledronian plague.”

Natty said, “How much do you want me to tell the men?”

“Nothing. I’ll explain it when they’re on board. Just tell them it’s important.”

“Yes, Father.” She headed for the rope ladder and skiff.

“And Natty!” Lemuel called after her. “Tell your mother to take the girls out of the city. Don’t want Alton coming after them once I’ve gone. And you go with ‘em.”

“But, Father…”

“Don’t argue. I don’t want to see you back here. This ain’t no job for a girl.”

“You got that right,” Fox said.

Natty tossed a glare toward him before leaving.

* * *

 

A little skiff bearing five Rygian sailors pulled toward the Estrella under the cover of night. One of them was Natty. She hadn’t bothered to tell the men she wasn’t invited on this trip.

With no moon, the sky and water were pitch black. A few lanterns on the dromonds were all they had to judge the distance and direction. Natty sat at the bow, whispering instructions to Milo, who manned the oars.

Between her and Milo sat a young sailor named Robert. Each time Natty turned to whisper to Milo, she caught a clumsy grin on his face. One time he said, “Hey, Natty, you weren’t at King Alton’s birthday dance last week.”

“Shut it, Robert. Supposed to be quiet.”

“I missed you there.”

“And yer gonna keep on missing me.”

“But you promised me a dance.”

“I did no such thing. I don’t dance.”

“I said I would teach you.”

“Shut yer yap,” she said angrily but quietly. She wished she could see his face right now because she’d slap it.

As she turned again to look forward over the bow, she felt him lean in close behind her. “I know you want me. I seen you looking at me. You like being near me.”

“If you don’t shut up, you’ll soon be near my daggers. I promise it won’t be comfortable.”

Robert quieted, but she could feel him watching her. Nothing she ever said could dissaude him. He’d been after her for nearly a year now, and it had worn her thin.

She knew he had asked her father for her hand. Fortunately for her, Captain Lemuel said it was all right with him only if it was all right with her. Unfortunately for her, Robert took that as a definite yes.

No matter what she did, he never picked up on the notion that she hated him. Clay-brain. Thinks I’m just testing his staying power.

And he had tremendous staying power. Unfortunately for her.

Finally the skiff bumped against the Estrella. Natty grabbed the rope ladder and climbed up. Even by the dim light cast on them by distant lanterns, she could see the anger on her father’s face.

“What must I do to get you to obey me, girl?”

She whispered coarsely, “You didn’t really think I’d stay behind. I—”

She stopped abruptly when she caught sight of Fox. She could barely see him, standing on the opposite end of the ship, silhouetted against the lanterns of the nearest dromond. He reached inside his shirt and pulled something out, but he still just stood there.

“What’s he doing?” she asked.

“Preparing himself for what he must do,” Lemuel said.

Natty felt a tightness in her heart. “Does he really have to do it? It’s a suicide mission.”

“I know. And so does he.”

She took a step toward Fox, but at that moment he gathered himself together and dove over the side. She ran to the rail where he had just been standing and peered over. All she could see were the spreading ripples of the black water as they caught the reflection of the lantern.

Fox was gone.