Servant of the Axe
Chapter 30
Toxic
The natives insisted on applying leeches to me; I insisted on eating them. If I ever needed to fight something twenty feet or taller, I knew I'd regret not evolving like a leech. That said, there were nice things in there to stop blood-borne pathogens and diseases, and I flagged those as priority evolutions.
"If you need me to eat your leeches also, just let me know."
"Husband, shut up. This is all your fault."
"How so?"
"If I hadn't thought of how easy it would be to poison you, I'd not have touched those berries."
"Sorry, ever since my first experience with a poisonous mushroom, I've been pretty diligent with flagging anything that adds to my resistances to poisons, venoms, or toxins. Incidentally, there's a winged bug that actually gains nutrition from those berries."
"Wait, so…"
"Poison is actually about as difficult a way of killing me as by bludgeoning."
"Well, poop! Tell me now, why don't you?"
"More to the point, you acted out against me. There will be punishment when we get back to civilization."
"Will there be punishment? Pain? Why not now? I want to laugh at what you consider punishment now."
"Because I doubt the natives have leather whips."
"Oh, I know you mean flogs. They have those aboard the ship."
"No, I mean whips. I'm told they hurt more."
She sniffed. "They're harder to use."
"You seem to offer me no lack of incentive. Twenty-eight health points lost, I figure that's worth twenty-eight lashes."
"Puny boy. You have no clue what you're signing up for. The whip isn't a novice's tool of choice. I'll bet you a silver you pop your own eye out by the time you finish with your lashes."
"I suppose we'll just have to see."
"You aren't as intimidating as you think you are, and what you think is nowhere near what it should be."
"I'm still growing, yet."
"Nowhere near as quickly as you should be."
"Oh? Should I be considering kraken-spawn dishes, versus those I could make from a dragon?"
"Hrm. Possibly not by yourself, but you should have more heroic companions who were capable of assisting you."
"Well, it's not like I can make them out of nothing." I said.
"Oh, are you ready for your first lessons in Lifeshaping?"
I sighed. "It doesn't look like either of us is going anywhere soon."
"And whose fault is THAT?"
"I seem to recall you were the one trying to poison me."
"And you were the one unable to perform a mid-level Blood Magic. I mean, I know every master has times when they miss an incantation, but that was a true novice blunder."
I chuckled, but it turned into coughing, and I had to roll over away from her, just in case I was going to cough up blood again. I didn't, but just that bout of coughing took up too much of my energy.
"Oh, look at you, husband. Feigning weakness again. I've felt what those hands can do, when you really want to use them! Do you remember…"
#
"Ask me what the good news is!" Gamilla said, bursting into the hut, thrusting aside the blanket that served as a door, the cursed light entering ahead of her.
"Have we sold all the blankets?" I asked.
"I, Gamilla the Treacherous, have sold ALL THE BLANKETS!"
"For a profit?" Madonna asked.
"Go bite your tongue in hell!"
"It's a thought. Care to go first and show me how it's done?"
"Old age before beauty, elder."
"You see what she did there, husband? Don't I deserve such nicely crafted insults?"
I forced myself to a sitting position. "How much profit, Gamilla?"
"Not as much as when we return here with basic livestock."
I was… confused. "Livestock, not weapons?"
"Livestock." Gamilla said.
"Won't the Makura just eat them?"
"Better than eating their children, I suppose." Madonna said.
"What tax do the Makura want?" I asked.
"Do you want to ask them?" Gamilla asked.
"I should ask." I said. I discovered someone had tied my chest to the hammock with a hempen rope. I hung there, rope under my armpits. "I have discovered a new question I want to ask."
"Who else but Kismet?" Madonna asked. "You look so helpless, like a wolf cub or kitten being carried by its mother."
"I suspect your doctor." Gamilla said.
"Can you see the knot?"
"Not until you give up this foolhardy idea of walking up to the shallows of a Makura colony."
I sighed. I had actually been considering swimming right up to a Makura, and speaking with their … did Makura have chieftains?
"Did someone forget that he was wounded?" My wife asked.
"I often forget when I am wounded." I said.
"Pain helps the rest of us know that." Gamilla said.
"I am too often in pain, and have stopped minding it."
"That's terrible! You should treasure your pain, as I do."
"Would one of you please help me back into my hammock?" I asked.
"I like seeing you helpless."
"I have time. Move your feet to here." It was a simple flip.
"Thank you, Gamilla."
Madonna sniffed. "You could have commanded me to do that."
"Do you truly desire to be used for such mundane tasks?"
"Not really. But it's better than being ignored."
"Gamilla, your progress with the trade goods exceeds expectations. Flag yourself for a reward, but it is clear I need to spend time with my wife."
"I do wish you luck in those negotiations, ambassador."
And we spoke much of that day, regarding her expectations and my failure to meet them. Nothing she revealed that day should have surprised me, but properly it doesn't belong here.
"Hey, boss, ship's sending a flag message. Want to know if we're ready for early pickup."
"Yes, Narces. Please untie me, and let's get underway."
"Uh, why are you tied to the hammock?"
"Because he's an idiot."
"Thank you for your confidence, Madonna."
#
The Makura were more restless as the longboat rowed us out.
<Hey, are you Aware?> one of them sent.
<We are Aware, and I have the mind speech.>
<Those are our waters, and you owe us food for crossing them.>
<How much food do we owe for each crossing? We can certainly bring food next time.>
<You owe us food now! Perhaps we will claim it.>
<TAINT> <At your own risk. We are offering pure, untainted food. We need no more of you waters than to cross to the humans, and for no longer than it takes us to cross and back.>
They discussed among themselves.
[Through training, you have unlocked the Psionic class Telepath at level 1. You have 100/300 XP toward the next level.]
[Psyche Statistic unlocked at rating 1. You have 1/15 psi points.]
[New ability unlocked, Mind Speech.] It looked like… something I already did without the ability. I'd need to look at it later.
[Mind Speech cultivation method already unlocked as Thought Speech, level 2. 32/60 XP to next level.] Similar for Empathy, and Mind Pictures… I'd been working on this since before I knew what classes were!
[Meditation cultivation unlocked. Parapsychology cultivation unlocked. Crystal Lore cultivation unlocked…] There were others, of course, but I'll get to them when they enter the story.
<When will you return?>
"Gamilla, the Makura want to know when we'll return."
<At or around the next full moon.> I told them.
They gave me an impossible amount of food.
<Ships don't carry that much livestock. For this many livestock of passage, we offer this many.>
Negotiations were breaking down until I realized something.
<Do you have pearls? What about these types of sea plants?>
<We are Makura. Hunters. We do not gather.>
<What if we gathered from your seabed, in exchange for food?>
<This is not the way!> one screamed.
<This will feed our children?>
<You may not have all of them. You will leave enough that it will grow back.>
<If you will agree not to eat our divers, we can assist you in growing those resources.>
<At what cost?>
"Gamilla? I need your assistance."
"Why, with what?"
I informed her how things were going with the Makura.
"And I thought you were just suffering from constipation." Madonna said.
[Your psi points are at 0/15. Pulling energy from designated alternate source, fatigue meter.]
We got back to the ship well after dusk. Makura get hungry and cranky as the sun sets.
To anyone even vaguely sensitive to emotions, Gamilla was a source of radiance.
"That, ambassador, was a good day's work."
"Maybe we can establish a colony here." Kismet said.
"Are you wanting a war with the jaguar-folk?" I asked.
"There are other islands." She muttered.
#
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Servant of the Axe
Chapter 31
Trading Season
Over the next weeks, we traded with the villagers and Makura of Makura bay. It turned out that sting-berry juice, when diluted in ammonia, were a valuable dye.
We took to displaying our flag on the bottom of our longboats, as the Makura complained of other boats that did not pay them proper tithes. Then those boat owners took us to court, claiming we had paid the Makura to attack their longboats.
They feigned outrage at the idea that they needed to pay the Makura for passage.
"Is that a dock, those workers are building?" I asked.
"It does appear so." Gamilla said.
"Human greed." Madonna said, "Even for so little profit."
"Rhishi, they're gonna steal our trade, and ruin our prices." Kismet complained.
"Gamilla, do we have enough profit for our next venture?"
"The cursed temple?" she asked. "Meaning no disrespect, but we really need an expert for that."
"Have we had any luck contacting Miss Turner?"
"The Explorer's Society won't tell me where she is." Kismet said. "Only that she's not expected back before the winter storm season."
"Gamilla, any leads on our next trade opportunity?"
"I didn't have leads on this one. I thought this was just going to be a bust."
"So, back to visiting new tribes?" I asked.
"I don't understand why we're just giving up, here." Madonna said.
"As you pointed out, it's not really enough profit to be worth fighting over."
"But we're doing our trade this time?" Gamilla asked.
"Of course."
"Boss, have you noticed the Makura getting more twitchy?"
"I imagine they weren't expecting as much traffic as they're getting."
"I just got a bad feeling, is all."
"All the more reason to call it a trading season for this port."
"Yeah, it might be just nothing."
It wasn't nothing. The Makura were furious, claiming we hadn't paid in over a week.
<We haven't been here in over a week.> I sent.
<You are always here, and not always paying!>
I sent them an image of our flag. <This is us, who has not been paying you?>
They sent back a blank flag, and another. And one with a vague black-on-white image. Oh. The Makura were colorblind.
<How can we mark our vessels so that they are visible to you?>
"Yeah, we're going to need to remake our flags with pigments the Makura provide."
"Must we? I thought we were abandoning the port?" Madonna asked.
"We may return, next trade season." I said. "Or perhaps later."
"What about heading to Angra-nur?"
"I don't recall hearing about it."
"It's an old Itzuni settlement."
"Kismet, what can you tell me about Itzuni?"
"Huh? Not much. Blood cult, sacrificed themselves into extinction. Liked making obsidian into weapons. Nasty piece of work."
"But definitely extinct?"
"Nobody claims their blood lineage, at least not that I know of."
"Well, I guess we'll hire a vessel that has a marine squad aboard when we get back to the Girdle, then."
#
"But those tend to be military vessels, so we were directed both here and the Guild of Mercenaries and Sundry Employees." I explained to Lord Kellough.
"The Explorer's Guild is not for single outings. It exists to support map-makers and archaeologists, anthropologists and naturalists. It is for those dedicated to the scientific, methodical exploration of Athal. Certainly not for tomb-robbers and relic raiders."
"Does that make them enemies?" Madonna asked. "May I eat him now?"
She'd learned enough to use Goblin, which few among the islanders spoke.
"Not yet. He's just not helping."
"And I shall not help, nor shall the Guild of Explorers. Eating people, really!" Few among the islanders, but apparently Lord Kellough did.
"So NOW are they enemies?" Madonna asked, once we were back on the streets.
"Still not enemies." I said.
Lady Martine of the Guild was also not helpful. "Without a valid explorer's permit, I'm afraid your right to despoil document isn't enough."
"Of course, we'll cover hazard pay and feeding of the troops."
"The Guild simply cannot afford to expose ourselves or our members to that manner of legal reprisal."
Madonna stopped stirring her coffee. "I notice the word afford in that sentence, Lady Martine."
"Indeed." She produced a wooden placard, with different rates upon it.
I didn't stop a gasp. "This is – a matter that we'll have to discuss with others of our company."
"Gamilla's not going to be happy." Madonna sounded like she was.
"You don't need to be HAPPY with the rates for what you're asking." Lady Martine said. "But if you want our members to work under such conditions, you must pay enough to compensate us appropriately."
We thanked her for her time, and the coffee. "The coffee wasn't that great." She said.
Dejected, I returned to the inn. "Where is Narces?" I asked. "It's time for his plan."
Kismet smiled around half of a candied apple. "He knew. Left shortly after you did."
Gamilla asked, "What were the Guild rates?" And then, "For that much money, maybe we should consider Kismet's idea. Adventurers for hire."
"Somehow, I don't think we'd get the same rates." I said.
"Even my … improper complexion … isn't as alien to them as any of the rest of you are." Madonna added.
"How does it feel to be the token human?" Kismet asked.
"Am I going to have to take my lunch to another table while you ladies duel with words?"
"We aren't the ones who require that, ambassador."
"It is cowardly of you, husband."
I rubbed the heels of my hands into my eyes, and ordered when the barwench came around. "Two ales, today, Dania."
"Ale and a refill." She cheerily said back to me.
"No, dear, the second ale is for me." Madonna said. "I don't understand. I know she heard me, why do you get words, and I only merit a wink?"
"Have you ever tipped the poor woman?"
"Wasted money? Never."
"T-I-P-S. To insure proper service." Kismet told her.
"No, surely you are joking."
I sighed. "Human. Greed."
"Human greed." Gamilla confirmed.
#
Toward mid-evening, two scruffy looking lowlives hauled a very drunken Narces through the inn door.
Gamilla waved at them. "That's one of ours, we'll take him off your hands."
"Damn it." Madonna said. "Now we won't learn anything until tomorrow, and less if he remembers nothing."
But I put him across my shoulders and hauled him upstairs to his bed. His boots stank as though he'd been storing fish in them, as did his feet. Maybe it was time for another spa day?
"Is there a bath-house?" I asked when back downstairs. "A place one could go just to bathe?"
"What's wrong with here?" Gamilla asked. "Four bathtubs, somewhat private, what's not to like?"
"We weren't going to say anything, but you are getting rather musty, Rhishi."
"I was just thinking of something between normal bathing and a full spa day."
Madonna stretched. "It is about time for another spa day."
"I thought it was a waste of resources?" Gamilla asked.
"If it's wasting his resources instead of mine, why not just enjoy it? Oh, on the topic of resources, they are selling pet monkeys in the marketplace."
"And are you ready to tell us why you need a monkey?" I asked.
"You COULD just say no."
"Or, I could decide, rationally, based on why you need a monkey."
"No, I don't think so. Not yet, at least."
I shrugged, spreading my hands helplessly. If I were a hellion, what would I want with a monkey? But I'd wasted enough time on that speculation, and my brain refused to chase the idea without food.
We made small talk for the few hours until dinner. Well, small talk being what we knew about Mendez island, claimed by the Neonen, and the local people, and the Itzuni temple at Angra-nur.
Trade values were down for obsidian goods, and there was no local market for Itzuni artifacts, even if we found an unlooted room of the temple.
"What are you hoping to find, there?" I asked Madonna.
"Something of no value to the Neonen or local people."
Gamilla coughed. "Little Madonna, when I told you a woman needs to keep her secrets, that is not what I intended."
"A knife, Rhishi. She wants some old stone knife." Kismet said.
"An old ritual knife. For purposes of my personal task."
"And does the island have anything of interest to us?"
"The natives mine and fashion jewelry with a blue stone, lapis lazuli." Gamilla said.
"Hrm. And the Neonen allow foreign traders to just purchase them?"
"Of course not, we'll need to get a permit in Neo Esteban."
"I recall that being in the southwest portion of the Isles."
"Yup." Kismet said. "Just south of the dragonwyr. We might even see him, if we're lucky."
"Or if we're unlucky." Madonna said. "Fire and wooden ships mix too well."
"Says the hellion who breathes fire?" Gamilla asked.
"Dania, refill!" I called.
#
Shout out to: xueren, Daoist_1000pine, and Yam_Yam, our top three power stone donators.
To those attempting to game the power stone system, only stones I recieve are counted, not just the email notification that you've donated.
Bonus thresholds:
3 chapters owed for late delivery of 11 bonus chapters
122/120 subscribers: 12 bonus chapters
46/50 power stones: 9 bonus chapters
11/24 bonus chapters delivered.
All bonus chapters owed NLT Saturday.
Only for those with spare money, you can support me at:
ko-fi.com/rhishisikk
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