The Blue Moon - 10. Chapter 10

"After the port town of Witth Bja, we have been staring at an empty road. Here in Darkuria, the wasteland is swept by a dusty wind and the fields are covered with thistles or jagged rocks. There are no forests, only sparse thickets that smell of danger.

Whenever we stop, we are met with hostile glances from the locals. Ikarr Knobnose calls them asswipes, and I do not disagree. We do not approach the Darkurians; we just keep going. None of us seven like this place, but then again, we are not on a merry little excursion.

As we sat around the campfire, Anden mentioned his argument with Zal Fizol. They had disagreed about the purpose of our journey. Anden also dared to say that Zal had lost his grip on reality and was once again raving about those traitors. Mocvann, Eistaf, Lufudon, Cors, Bendac and Chab - I could remember them in my sleep, so many times Anden has chanted their names and the importance of revenge.

I had to remind him that we are here in this cursed land to look for evidence of the reawakening of the dreaders, not to settle an old score with those six.

Anden did not like my remark. I think he is the one who has lost touch with reality, not Zal. Is it because of his rumoured feelings for Eistaf Negos? I do not know and I do not care to know.

I truly miss my beloved grassy plains."

- Trebomir Galna's travel journal, 17th of Snowdrift month 1562

* * *

Josel

The sun had set some time ago. Its rays had flickered on the river during the day, but now the water was ominously black.

A chilly night wind blew across the deck of Princess. Josel sat in his favourite spot on a coil of rope, wishing he had worn something thicker than a short-sleeved shirt when he left the cabin. Despite a slight nip in the air, he was reluctant to go inside just yet.

The smell of tar-coated planks was strong. The gentle rocking of the ship at anchor, the hooting of an owl in a distant coastal forest and the twinkling of the stars in the sky provided a pleasant sense of calm. It was as if there was a special magic in this moment. Josel did not want it to end too soon. Every sound, smell and sight shrouded in darkness tempted him to postpone bedtime and linger a little longer in the ambience of the night.

Perhaps the late evening on the deck felt so captivating because it was something to share with another person. Had he been alone, Josel might not have stayed outside in the cool of the night for so long, but this time he had company. Zdain Monteilon was sitting still as a mouse next to him on the same pile of ropes.

The governor's son had been somewhat spiritless since he had been relieved of his guard duty, but Josel was not about to pry into things that probably did not concern him. A thoughtful Zdain was much better than a grumpy one.

Josel wondered if Zdain had also sensed the magic of the night. Maybe he too thought it was wrong to break the spell and return to the cabin. At least the boy did not make a sound or move in any disturbing way. Perhaps Zdain really did grasp the unique beauty of the moment in the same way as Josel himself. They did not always understand each other, but the black river and the starlit sky bound them together. For Josel, the idea felt strangely good.

He was about to say something appropriate to the situation, when a door to their left opened with a bang and footsteps hit the deck. Josel turned his head and, despite the darkness, recognised two figures walking a few feet away from them, then pausing to look out into the night. Ragart and Zal.

Josel quickly pointed a finger to signal Zdain to be quiet. He nodded in agreement. As the men began to speak, the wind carried their voices to the boys' ears. Neither man seemed to notice the eavesdroppers hidden in the darkness, for which Josel was grateful. If they would be discovered, the result might well be the whipping Zal had threatened earlier. Even at the risk of punishment, it was tempting to stay and listen to what the men had to say to each other.

Ragart spoke first: "What are you thinking?"

"Faceless," Zal replied, his voice hoarse.

"Like you always do."

"Always... until I kill the last one," the old man said coldly.

Josel bit his lip, trying to banish the memories of Marta's cellar from his mind.

The men stood there in silence, staring into the night, until Ragart spoke again. "Do you really think that what Izaskar said is relevant in any way?"

"I don't know. Maybe it is, maybe it isn't, but the mere mention of Lufudon is enough for me to investigate it thoroughly," Zal replied.

"It doesn't bode well, Zal. The name 'Lufudon' never bodes well."

"No. I wouldn't have wanted to hear it in these times. The Shadow Cross, Argat's Faceless, the dreader and now Lufudon."

"All of them together are a bit too much even for you," Ragart pointed out.

"Too much for us, you mean?"

"Yes, too much for us. I haven't forgotten my promise to follow you."

Before Josel could consider what they had said, Zal went on. "I hadn't counted on Izaskar's help in the first place... but now without it... it's even more important for us to make sure that the Blue Moon understands to do the right thing. I have my ways of forcing people to my side. And if the Blue Moon still doesn't get it right, I'll seek aid elsewhere."

"Just like before," Ragart said.

The men were silent for a while. Then Josel saw Ragart hand something oblong to Zal.

"Yes, the telescope," the old man said, looking through it without hesitation.

"Do you remember the location of the red-tailed star?" the merchant asked.

"Between the constellations of the Dog's Head and the Spider. That's what Izaskar's papers said."

"These names mean nothing to me. I've had enough of stargazing in the Camps. When I got out, I decided to forget every single constellation. In the open-pit mines of the North, the sky was always too close. When you wake up every morning with coal dust in your throat and swing a pickaxe late into the night, you don't make friends with the stars," Ragart said with a hollow laugh.

Zal did not react. He seemed to be observing intently at the sky. Josel and Zdain craned their necks as well, but saw nothing out of the ordinary in the starry sky.

"Absolutely nothing. It must still be too far away," Zal concluded.

"Or Timos' telescope is simply in poor condition," Ragart corrected.

"Possibly. I just wish I'd had something to show the Blue Moon to prove it."

"We still don't know if the comet matters."

"You're right. But I'll keep it in my mind. Because of Lufudon..."

Zal's speech was interrupted by the sound of wings beating in the air. A large black bird flew over the ship and landed on his shoulder with a short caw.

"Well, Krahh. What brings you here?" Zal exclaimed, sounding delighted.

But the bird quickly spread its wings and flew directly over Josel and Zdain. It circled above them, making a loud squawking noise.

"What the heck?" Zal said, pointing his telescope directly at Josel and Zdain.

"Ah, we have guests," he said, putting the telescope down. The bird seemed to realise that Zal had spotted what he was supposed to, and flew off into the night sky with a raspy cry.

"Who gave you permission to be here at this hour?" Ragart asked as he faced the boys.

"No one said no!" Josel snapped.

"Zal...?" the paunchy merchant began.

The old man glared menacingly at the boys from behind his glasses. Josel instinctively jerked his head back.

"Back to your cabin! I'll deal with you two later," Zal finally announced.

Josel and Zdain sprang up at about the speed of a kite and dashed inside. Behind them, they heard Ragart Zapp's booming laughter.

* * *

"Why do you hate Zal and Ragart so much?" Josel asked Plinkinenkak while on guard duty at the cargo hold the next day.

"Quite the opposite, in fact!" the woman shouted. "They hate me. And with good reason! I tried to kill them the last time we met."

Josel half believed it. He needed more justification.

The expression on Plinkinenkak's face brightened and darkened at the same time. "Let's start with Ragart. You don't know anything about him, do you?"

Unsure what to say, Josel shrugged his shoulders.

Plinkinenkak looked at Josel with her dark eyes and then began to speak: "Ragart Zappenderf, about forty-five years old, from the town of Leigotz in Malkania, the eldest son of Count Zappenderf, a well-known child murderer!"

"Child murderer!" Josel gasped. Then he remembered: "Last time you called him a rapist. If you think I believe that..."

Plinkinenkak interrupted him. "The records of the trial are in the Imperial Archives of Dimalos. Yes, Councillor Nemendov's daughters were only thirteen and fourteen years old, but that didn't stop your merchant friend from raping and killing them. Idai and Nonai were the apple of their parents' eye, pretty little flowers, just the right victims for a monster like Ragart Zappenderf. Do you still wonder why I hate that pot-bellied pig?"

Josel was disgusted. He wanted to know more details and at the same time he didn't. "If that's true, why isn't he in jail?"

"Oh, things will work out if you have connections," Plinkinenkak explained. "Ragart's father used his position to prevent his son's hanging, and he was only sentenced to forced labour in the mines of the North. Ragart would still be shovelling coal rubble there if Zaltarim Fizol hadn't shown up. He took pity on the cruel murderer and conspired to free him from the prison camp. Now Ragart follows his liberator like a dog its master."

"How do I know you're telling the truth?"

"You saw how Ragart blew up at me, when I revealed his true nature. You've also seen the blind loyalty of Zal's henchmen to him. It's easy to obey an old man to whom you know you owe your life..."

"What have the others done then? Melgy, Marl, Timos?" Josel said. Thinking about it made him wonder, had he unwittingly found himself in the midst of hardened criminals.

"I don't know, but what kind of person helps a rapist and murderer? Maybe Zal is one himself too." Plinkinenkak suggested.

Josel pondered his thoughts but did not reply for a long time. Ragart's words on deck last night about toiling in a coal mine had suddenly made more sense. He feared the dwarf was telling the truth - at least a hint of it.

Still, he said in a suspicious tone: "You can be right, or you can be wrong. I have no way of knowing the truth..."

"You can always ask Ragart," Plinkinenkak interjected with a wry smile. She was missing a lower tooth due to a blow from the merchant.

Josel continued, ignoring the woman's interruption: "I can't find out the truth, but I'm sure my father can. When we meet him in Five Hills, you will tell him what you know. Andreuz Sandkan is a fair man and will listen to you for sure."

Plinkinenkak furrowed her brow, as if displeased with Josel's words. Eventually, however, she nodded and mumbled an affirmative reply to Josel.

For the rest of the watch, Josel thought about what Plinkinenkak had said. Was Ragart a child rapist and murderer? The more the woman told him about Zal and his companions, the more disgusted Josel became.

* * *

Zdain

The next day, as Zdain descended into the cargo hold, he wished he were anywhere else but spending two hours with Plinkinenkak Tikienkuu.

There was no choice but to get through the watch. It would have been pointless to make excuses for abandoning guard duty. Zal would have rebuffed Zdain's every attempt and would have sent him to the hold by force to do his job. Even worse, Zdain's reluctance to spend time with Plinkinenkak might make Josel suspicious. That would be the worst of all. Josel will never know, never!

The sailor on watch muttered something to encourage Zdain before leaving him alone with the captive.

"Hiya, Zdain," Plinkinenkak said, looking up. "Another amusing day in my company. I'd like to offer you some tea, but you understand that my hands are literally tied, hehe."

"Shut your mouth, midget," Zdain growled, trying to force himself to be calm.

"I don't need a bumboy like you to remind me of my small size," the small woman replied, managing to make Zdain's cheeks flush half with anger, half with shame.

Plinkinenkak laughed and snorted at that, too. "Have you thought about my offer? Well, it wasn't really an offer, it was more of an ultimatum. Will you agree to help me, or will Josel hear all your obscenities?"

"Why are you doing this to me? Why do you hate me so much?" Zdain said, feeling a rough lump in his throat.

"I told you," Plinkinenkak said. "I have the means to blackmail you to achieve my goal. That's enough for me. But on the other hand, maybe I hate you a little. You're a cute little fairy, but you're also a Monteilon. I have no mercy for your family. Not after you sent Ade away without a coin in his purse. Before that, your noble father's henchmen had beaten him badly. So I have a very good reason to hate the Monteilon family."

"I didn't want that! I loved him," Zdain said, feeling the corners of his eyes getting wet. Anger shone from Plinkinenkak's dark face. "Bah, what is the love of Monteilon? You betrayed Ade and after you were caught, you claimed that he forced you into everything. I despise that!"

Zdain stared at the woman tied up in front of him. Where had Plinkinenkak gotten that idea? Zdain had never claimed to have been with Ade except by choice.

When he denied Plinkinenkak's accusation, she just laughed derisively. "I don't believe you, and even if you were telling the truth, you did nothing to help him."

"How could I? I was only fifteen at the time."

"Boo-hoo! I'm not interested in your explanation. Your age is no excuse for abandoning a friend and lying to save your own skin."

"I told you I didn't betray Ade! Does he really believe that?" Zdain knew he could not hide the panic in his voice.

"What Ade thinks of you doesn't matter anymore. Eeneetak eoo, linkai tookee."

"I won't forget, and I'm not stupid!" Zdain barked.

Plinkinenkak let out a sneer and said: "Let's get back to the matter at hand. Are you willing to help me?"

"Why don't you ask Josel for help?"

"That's because I can't blackmail him. The boy doesn't have the same skeletons in his closet as you do. Except maybe Jolanda Vargan, but I suppose Zal has already figured that out?"

After seeing the look on Zdain's face, Plinkinenkak continued: "I knew it! Besides, Josel would not agree to free me, as he intends to hand me over to his father. Our Goldilocks would not betray his daddy, but you have no reason not to betray yours. I heard everything from Ade - the way Dareis Monteilon treats you. He doesn't love you."

"Yes he does!"

"Linkai tookee, poor you, one day you'll see the truth."

Zdain was silent and looked away. The dwarf's words had hit a nerve. His parents - especially his father - were Zdain's sore spots. Especially after the nasty disgrace, also known as the situation when Governor Monteilon had found out about his son's relationship with his own bodyguard, the handsome Adenolei.

Why, of all people, had it been Father who had caught Zdain in the act with Ade? They should have been more careful, then everything could be different and Ade would still be by Zdain's side. But no, infatuation and sheer desire had made Zdain care little for the risks, and they had screwed almost anywhere.

On that one occasion, they had ended up fucking like rabbits in Zdain's parents' bathroom, and Dareis Monteilon had walked in just in time to witness his younger son screaming with pleasure as he took a big Southlandern cock up his ass.

Zdain did not care to recall the events that followed. He had been immediately removed from the Portwell School for private tutoring, his bodyguards had been replaced by the ugliest men in the City Guard, and Dareis Monteilon had his 'contaminated' bathroom demolished and rebuilt. Governor Monteilon had not beaten his son, but he had made Zdain aware in every other way that he was on the same level as a sewer rat.

Since then, the Monteilon family had had one good son and one defective son. The latter deserved nothing from his parents, no hugs, no gifts, not even kind words - or, as Zdain feared, no love.

Plinkinenkak measured Zdain with her searching, all-seeing eyes.

Zdain braced himself for a barrage of new taunts, knowing that in this state of mind he would have been unable to defend himself.

"Do you agree?" Plinkinenkak asked instead, a barely readable expression on her bruised face.

"I agree," Zdain whispered between his teeth, even though he wanted to curse the dwarf into the deepest recesses of the eternal sleep.

"Good," said Plinkinenkak. "I am not completely ungrateful. I know where Ade is, and I will tell you his whereabouts once you have freed me. If you betray me, you know what to expect."

Zdain nodded resignedly and sat down on the pile of cloth he was using as a stool. Though he had hoped otherwise, Plinkinenkak had not yet decided to remain silent. "I'm not heartless either, even if I sound like it. I can give you advice on how to win Josel's love."

"I don't want the advice of a blackmailer!" Zdain hissed, deciding not to say another word to the woman during his watch.

"That's your loss." Plinkinenkak grimaced and burst into a raucous laugh that echoed in Zdain's head for a long, disturbing time.

When he returned to his cabin later, Josel's innocent question about how his shift went brought a flush of anger and embarrassment to Zdain's face. What he had discussed with Plinkinenkak during his watch, Josel would never know. Or if he did, Zdain's life would be even more miserable than it already was.

* * *