The Black Sword Trilogy: The Four Nations (16 page)

             
“What the hell happened to you?” Kenner asked her.

Her voice sounding like gravel and her eyes bloodshot, she answered painfully,
“I thought I could outdrink the boatswains mate.”

             
“And?” Kenner pressed.

             
“I was wrong.”

             
Standing on the deck next to the Captain at the wheel, Kenner saw two small islands close to the shore appear on the horizon.  Within an hour they were closer to where he could see houses and other structures built onto the islands and adjoining cliffs.  As the Crusty Crab drew closer, he heard music coming from them.  Dozens of people then came running out and yelling and cheering.  Kenner heard loud bangs and then fireworks, which he’d only seen once before shot into the sky.  As the ship passed between the two islands, the fireworks and happy music continued.  More people stood out and cheered and then several women and girls rushed out to where Kenner could see them and ripped off their tops, baring their breasts.  They were all screaming wildly and calling his name.

             
“What’s going on here?” Kenner asked the Captain.  “I thought you said only a few trusted people would know of my coming here.”

The Captain shrugged.

              “I’m thinking a tiny rumor might have gotten started.” Shorn apologized.

             
As the ship floated past the islands, Kenner saw the huge city of Korsh open up before him.  Shaped like a mighty crescent moon, it curved around the sea and stretched out several miles inland.  There were islands just off the mainland, all with houses and buildings, temples and some structures that looked like palaces.  Music from all over filled his ears and he could tell that it came from even miles ahead of him.  Fireworks filled the sky and every time the ship passed close enough for Kenner to see, he saw people waving at him, cheering, calling his name, baring their breasts and even some women’s undergarments being thrown at him.  Some women and girls even jumped naked into the sea, from cliffs and from houses on the edge of the water and swam up to the ship.  They swam close and waved frantically yelling out things like, “I love you Kenner!” “Marry me!” and “I want to have your baby!”  One girl even shouted, “I’ll share you with my sisters!”

             
Men even stood out on the same cliffs and islands raising cups and flagons as the ship passed by.  One man held a smiling and laughing young girl (bare breasted, of course) and shouted, “I’ll give you my fortune to marry my daughter!”

             
This continued as the ship sailed slowly for hours along the shores of the massive city.  The music played on and the fireworks preceded and followed until the ship came near a large island in the deepest curve of the crescent.  It was, at least five miles off the mainland and was shrouded in a thin mist until the ship came closer.  A huge palace stood on the island with tall walls and towers.  Banners waved in the wind along the battlements and a huge red flag with the emblem of the golden chalice rose from behind the walls.  As the ship came closer, a white banner unfolded across the large gate in the center of the walls that read, “Welcome Kenner” in letters that appeared to be written in gold paint. 

When the ship pulled into the dock, hundreds of men and wo
men came running all screaming wildly.  This sight disturbed Kenner and seemed to frighten even the mighty Shela who appeared to try and hide behind him.  Children bearing flowers flooded the docks, all cheering and calling Kenner’s name.

“I’d say they’re
happy to see you.” Terri said dryly.

The gangplank went down and Kenner and Terri followed the Captain and Darner down to the dock.  Dozens of children with their flowers approached and surrounded Kenner and Terri.  When Shela reached the bottom of the pla
nk, most of the children backed away, but one little girl with curly blonde hair approached the big cat and held out a single small flower.  Shela lowered her head to where her nose almost touched the child.  She sniffed at her and pushed her head gently against the little girl who giggled.

“That is disgustingly cute.” Terri said.

Coming from the palace, Kenner and Terri heard the sound of drums approaching.  They looked toward the sound and saw dozens of red banners on staffs held high and marching toward them.  As the banners drew closer, the dense crowd around them parted like waves and Kenner could see the drummers, mostly children and youth with soldiers in leather armor the same scarlet color as the banners.  Just behind them, barely visible, Kenner caught sight of the glint of gold and the hint of a blade.  The drumming grew to an almost deafening noise in perfect rhythm as the procession drew nearer.  Just before reaching Kenner and his company, the drummers and soldiers parted to set positions like a curtain drawing itself open.  Two men in bright red and smart uniforms came close enough to Kenner as if almost being able to touch him.  The bowed and then parted to opposite sides and then the drumming stopped.

Then stepping up to Kenner was a woman with fiery red hair under a three-cornered hat.  She had bright, blue eyes like jewels and despite being short had a confident stance like she was standing on top of a mountain and smiling like she owned the world.  K
enner looked to what she was holding in her right hand and his jaw dropped in awe.  It was a spear that looked to be made of pure gold.

“As a matter of fact, this is the Golden Spear.” She said in a confident, friendly voice.  “And it’s all mine.”

She stepped up to Kenner and threw her arms around him as if she’d known him all his life.

“Welcome to Sheyron!” She announced.

The crowd around her then erupted in cheers.

Chapter Twenty One

              The short woman with the red hair led the procession back toward the palace with Kenner and his company following.  The crowd continued to cheer and rain flowers on to Kenner, Terri and Shela.  It was almost like snow, but the air was warm and moist like a perfect spring day.  The high winds whistled over Kenner and pulled on his hair.  Marching behind the woman, they approached the palace whose large, oak doors opened wide to receive them.

             
Behind the walls was a large building like a great house of a rich and noble family.  It was mostly stone, like the outer walls, but the masonry was much more ornate and detailed.  There were images of faces, ships of all designs and sizes, depictions of scenes with ships and sea monsters all etched into the walls.  There were hundreds of large windows, both arched and square on the huge façade leading up to a piqued and sloping roof.  Statues of men and women in grand poses stood on a ledge and on top of the roof was the tall flagpole with the huge flag waving gracefully in the wind.

             
There were what appeared to be soldiers on both sides of a stone path leading to the doors of the inner palace.  Their uniforms consisted of scarlet frock coats with brass buttons on the lapels of both sides.  They wore white trousers and highly polished leather boots.  Some that Kenner assumed to be officers wore long, thin bladed swords with ornately designed hand guards and hilts (some appearing to be made of gold) and sheathed in equally highly polished leather on their sides.  At the large doors of the palace were two men, as large as the giants guarding the throne room in Kallesh who pulled the doors open as the procession approached and passed within.

             
Kenner and Terri were amazed by what they saw just inside the doors.  A long hallway with a polished marble floor was flanked by mirrors that ascended from the floor to the ceiling.  Above them, a glass ceiling allowed the bright sunshine to pour down from above, filling the room with light brighter than the outside.  The woman led them slowly down the hall where men and women lined both sides of the marble floor.  The men were wearing suits of coats, waistcoats, frills coming from the cuffs of the jackets and sticking out under the vests, buttons made of brass, silver and some seeming to be made of gold.  Some were wearing knee length white socks with shoes having large buckles.  Others were wearing the same polished boots as the soldiers outside.

             
The women were wearing brightly colored dresses that were tight around the chests and waists, but with billowing skirts that fell to the floor.  Neither Kenner nor Terri recognized the fabric, though.  It appeared thinner than cotton or wool and had a soft sheen to it.  They all wore jewelry of gold, silver and gems.  Some of the stones, such as emeralds and amethyst Kenner and Terri recognized.  But there were also stones of deep purple and bright blue that the sunlight seemed to dance off of.  And there were diamonds.  Kenner had only ever seen a diamond once in his life and knew them to be the rarest of stones.  But here, he seemed to be surrounded by them.  The men bowed and the women did a strange movement in which their whole body went down while their heads bowed, but their backs remained straight.

             
Terri felt as if she had entered a strange and frightening world that didn’t make any sense.  The men and women she saw around her looked like the humans she knew from the world she came from; but their dress and manner were so different, they seemed like strange new creatures she was seeing for the very first time.

             
Terri pinched Kenner on his butt.

             
“Ow!  What the hell was that for?”

             
“I wanted to make sure you weren’t dreaming.” She answered him.

             
Two more large men stood on either side of another large door; this one appearing to be covered in red velvet.  They opened the door and another room opened up before them.  It was a circular room with, what looked like the same velvet covering the floor as the door they had just passed through.  (Why cover the floor in velvet, Terri wondered?)  Surrounding the room were walls filled with books on shelves and large windows flooding the room with light.  There were plush chairs and couches all around the room, but all facing inward and toward one chair larger than the others.

             
Kenner looked around and saw that only a few men and women from the hallway had followed into the room.  A man dressed in a military style uniform motioned Kenner and Terri to two chairs near the largest one and they both began to sit, but then noticed that everyone else seemed to be standing at attention.  The woman with the red hair and Golden Spear looked around confidently as if surveying property and then sat grandly in her chair.  As all the others also sat, Kenner and Terri followed suit.  Shela passed by a couch with two very nervous looking women and a chair with a man wearing a disdainful, but still fearful expression.

             
“Madam,” He said to the woman holding the Spear, “Since when have we allowed wild animals inside the palace?”

Shela growled at him and he leaned back frightfully in his chair.  The woman who was now clearly in cha
rge (to Kenner and Terri) smiled.

             
“Relax Edum,” She said in a bright and energetic voice.  “She hasn’t bitten anyone’s leg off or pooped on their fancy dress; so I’d say she’s probably tamer than anyone in here.”

The men and women all laughed, sounding as
if they were obligated to.  The woman with the Spear then looked to Kenner.

             
“I’m assuming you are Kenner?” She said to him.

             
“I am.” He answered cautiously.

             
“Allow me to introduce myself.  I am Janna…Admiral Janna of the great nation of Sheyron.”

Kenner
bowed slightly.

             
“It’s a pleasure to meet you Janna…”

             
“It is customary to refer to the Admiral as Madam.”  Edum said rudely.  Shela growled at him again and then lay on the floor next to Kenner.

             
“Oh for goodness sake, Edum,” Janna reproached him.  “Do you not know who these people are?  The rather delicious looking young man there is Kenner, the bearer of the Black Sword and future King of the land Kingdoms.  And his very tasty looking companion over there, I’m assuming is Terri, the wielder of the Blackwood Bow.”

             
“Why thank you, Janna,” Terri said.  “You’re looking mighty tasty yourself.”

             
“How rude!” A woman seated close to Edum exclaimed.

             
“Lighten up, Tella.  Just because you don’t have any fun, doesn’t mean I can’t.”

Once again, the men and women in
rich clothing laughed as if obliged to.

             
Janna then turned to Kenner again.

             
“I think I know one thing that you’re thinking right now.” She said to him.

             
“This should be interesting.” He answered

             
“I bet you were expecting the Admiral of Sheyron to be a man, weren’t you?”