Avandor's Gift

“I need you to take me back to Envladane,” I said as soon I had crossed the threshold of his house.

“We should carry this conversation somewhere more private.” he said softly as when I turned around we were facing around ten children of varying ages, the eldest being around thirteen.

“Captain, who is your friend?” asked a little girl of around four in Leánese who came right up to him. He took her up in his arms. The little girl continued to stare at me curiously over his shoulder.

“This is my friend Cargo.” he replied in Leánese.

“Cargo? Like in the story?” asked an older lad of around seven.

“I don’t know that story.” I raised a brow and looked at the captain questioningly. He shifted slightly looking slightly bemused.

“The one about the blind man who was kidnapped by a changeling and then jumped into the sea, never to be seen again. You know, that story.” he said continuing to look between me and the captain expectantly.

I looked at the captain who seemed to be rubbing the back of his neck looking a bit guilty. I couldn’t help but to laugh. “Oh that story, I have heard it once but maybe sometime you could tell me again. Well I cannot be that Cargo, as he was never to be seen again and I am obviously standing here.” I said as I ruffled the hair of the lad making him giggle. Cargo is my nickname.”

“So what is your real name then,” said a dark-skinned lad with unruly black hair.

I looked at the captain who seemed equally interested. “My real name is Evander, “I supplied.

“Evander, that is a funny name too.” The little girl giggled.

“That it is,” said Captain as he seemed to give me a second look over.

“I like Cargo better.” smiled the girl.

“Then you can call me Cargo then princess.” she smiled and blushed as it seemed flattery worked on all ages of females.

“Bethan, come and take Elisa to bed. In fact all of you should be going to sleep now, the hour is late.”

“But Captain,” the children started to whine.

“I have business to discuss with Cargo here and you all need to get some sleep now.” he said more sternly and the whining stopped immediately.

He set down Elisa and an older girl of twelve came forward took the little girl and led her up the stairs, all the other children following behind.

“Quite a brood you have here. I didn’t see your wife in the mix?”

“I am not married and they all have different mothers.” he said shaking off his coat and hitching it up on the rack. I did the same.

“I see,” I thought about what he’d said when we first met about him going a-whoring in Muirland.

“They aren’t my children either, well they are, but not in the sense that you’re thinking.” he said walking into a comfortable looking parlour closing the door behind him and then sat down in a plush leather chair.

“And what way would I be thinking?” I said sitting in another across from him.

“They aren’t my bastards. In fact, I didn’t breed one of them. I found all of them homeless on the street and decided to give them somewhere safer to stay.”

“Just like what was given to you.”

“Aye.”

I considered what this piece of information said about this captain’s character. “Well forgive me for thinking that they were products of your debauchery in Muirland.” he laughed loudly erasing years from his wrinkled face and giving a sudden light to his deep green eyes.

“I have my own tales to blame for that I think. Most people usually think them as that—tales.”

“But there is always some truth in it.” I said studying the man more carefully. My sixth sense itched as I picked up on something different about him. I would hold my thoughts in for now. Tet I think knew, but I am not sure if Lishpa was aware of it.

The laughing died down and there was a moment of silence as we studied each other.

“You have eyes now.” he said in an as-of-matter-of-factly tone.

“Yes, I also have hands and feet.”

“And probably magic too.” he said as he sank further down into the chair and taking up a pipe in which he stuffed some cardus weed and started smoking it. “Something to do with the changeling that was with you I suppose.”

“I suppose.” I said not denying anything as something told me that honesty was the only way to get anywhere with this man.

“I cannot take you back to Envladane, Your Highness, Evander king of Gé Addar isn’t it?” he raised an eyebrow as if challenging me to deny it.

“So you know who I am, that also means that you know that I can compensate you greatly if you make this journey with me.”

“It is not a question of compensation, but I will not be placing myself in any risk of being accused of kidnapping of the most powerful monarch on this continent.”

“Kidnapping, that would be ridiculous. I am going of my own volition and if any one accuses you I can tell them that.”

“Not if you don’t make it back.” he said in a clipped tone. “And from your attire I hardly think you let on to anyone in your court where you were truly headed.” I didn’t answer and I saw that he took my silence as assent.

“Gé Addar is a different place than it was two years ago, thanks to your intervention, and so is Envladane, maybe of your doing as well.” he said finally taking his eye off his pipe and looked at me. The look was more knowing than accusatory and I couldn’t help to wonder how far this man’s knowledge stretched.

“You have already gone back there.” I said with certainty.

He drew in another drag from the pipe and then released the smoke through his nostrils. “Something stirred within me when I hit the waters up north. It was a bad omen I told myself that was why I refused to bring you and the changeling to shore. For months that journey kept pestering my mind and sleep eluded me all that time. That and because I had to be constantly watching my back for Asher’s minion that had hired me, I didn’t get the name.”

“Gareth,” I said. The weight of my twin’s name left a metallic taste on my tongue.

”Gareth, didn’t seem like he was going to be a problem after a while, so I convinced myself that it was only one thing bothering me. So I finally decided that I would go back.”

“And when you did, you too changed. You are a chuman aren’t you?”

He smiled wryly. “My mother never did say who my father was, but it was no secret in my village that there were others like me. They said that the changelings found it hard to breed amongst themselves so they would occasionally take on human mates. However as soon as the children were born they would leave, never to be seen by their jilted mate or offspring ever again. It was like we meant nothing more to them than tests of their virility. Even when our villages were being wiped out by Ulgana they never lifted a finger to help. They allowed us to be killed and eaten, even their own children by the savages while they watched safely locked away behind their magic protected cities.”

“Your father came back though.”

“A very rare exception to the rule. I didn’t know why his song had affected me that way, this strange changeling. I had always wondered why me. Why had he taken only me? It only occurred to me recently of his possible connection to me. He took me from Envladane and carried me here, where it was safer.”

“But why won’t you go back?”

“It is not safe. Magic is wild there and strange things are taking place by stepping on that shoreline you cannot tell if you will make it off again. I saw...” he stopped and closed his eyes tightly as if trying to push the memory aside.

“What did you see?”

“It doesn’t matter, but it was enough to make me not want to set foot back on that continent ever again. If you want to go back so badly you should ask the changeling that followed you there the first time.”

“I can’t,”

“Why, she left?”

“No, she didn’t leave,” I said more sharply than necessary. I reined in my emotions and continued more steadily “She was taken and I need to find her.”

“She will not be found if she doesn’t want to be. It is their way.”

“It might be their way, but it is not so between Tetyana and me.” I said fiercely. Which caused the captain to swallow whatever he was about to say next.

“It is never wise to be in love with a changeling Your Highness.” he said after a moment.

“It is never wise to fall in love period, but what has been done is done. She gave herself to save me and now I need to save her before it is too late. I understand your reservations for not wanting to journey with me to Envladane and I will respect them. But I will find some other means to go even if I must swim the entire way.” I said getting up.

I grabbed my coat from the rack and was half way through the door when he spoke again. “If you are going to be so difficult then, fine. I will bring you. But you should know that it will cost you.” he said getting up as well.

“Name your price.” I said turning to face him.

“Anything?”

“Anything.” I said and he smiled. As the words left my mouth I knew that I might end up regretting this.