SFL 3 - Defiant Heart - Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Launch came less than half an hour later. There was the clatter of the ramp being pulled up before shouts to ‘make ready’ were called back and forth over the deck, and Casey was sure their departure was imminent.

Clattering feet ran back and forth, and the boards underneath him began to vibrate.

Magnus huffed in annoyance, his head coming up as the loud noises woke him from a nap. The elk glared around him for a long moment before snorting and laying his head back down once more, though he continued to make grumbling noises in his throat.

“It’ll even out once we are in the air, Magnus,” Vibeke called, emerging from her own bunk-cubby, walking bent over until she was clear of the deck. She was without her spear for once. “Come on, Casey. This is your first time aboard one of these in flight, right? You wouldn’t want to miss takeoff.”

Without a reason to argue or deny the idea, Casey shrugged and followed after Vibeke while Maude chuckled in the back of his mind. He’d flown before, but he imagined being on a flying boat rather than inside an airplane made for a much different trip.

One day, my partner. One day you will own one of these yourself, Maude murmured into his mind. Imagine the freedom that will come with that while you watch the world slip away today.

Emerging under the deck, Casey glanced around and realized that the majority of the folk were ignoring the liftoff. Only those currently on duty were up on the deck, along with a small handful of the aspirants or those with winged spirit beast companions.

Deciding that it would be best to just follow Vibeke right now, since the young woman had done this before, Casey patted Magnus on the side as he went past.

“Behave. I’ll be right back.” Magnus gave him such a dirty look at that statement that Casey amended it. “Don’t do anything that gets us kicked off this ship, okay?”

This time, Magnus huffed and rolled his eyes. The elk managed to convey with those two gestures that he fully expected Casey to be the one to do something foolish, before getting comfortable and pretending to drift right back off to sleep.

“Git,” Casey snickered before hurrying up onto the deck with Vibeke.

Since the flying longship operated on qi, unlike a traditional ship did, there were far fewer gadgets needed to get it up in the air. Only half a dozen men and women jogged about on the deck, while two more stood ready at the large handle in the back that would have attached to the rudder if this was a seafaring ship.

“Make ready!” called one of the rudder-men, and Casey recognized the voice as belonging to Harald, one of the survivors of the ambush.

Vibeke hurried to the front of the ship, where a collection of benches was attached to the deck in a rough V-shape that sheltered behind the upraised keel. Sliding onto one of the benches, she gestured for Casey to do the same as the deck lurched beneath his feet.

“This is where those who want to talk will gather, if it’s anything like the other ship I was on,” Vibeke explained, leaning against the vibrating hull at her back. “It’s also the best place to stay out of the way and still watch!”

She didn’t get a chance to explain more. The ship gave a jerk under their feet, and Casey felt his stomach fall away for a brief moment before it snapped back into place once more. Glancing over the side, Casey saw the grassy plain abruptly falling away from the ship like they’d been launched from a catapult.

Just as the ship’s upwards momentum began to fade, there came a wordless shout from the rear of the ship and two wing-sails unfolded from each side of the larger airship. Trailing canvas, those wing-sails billowed and tightened a moment later as they caught the air and then angled to carry them higher into the sky before the ship tilted gently to one side so it could wheel in a large circle.

Behind them, Casey saw the other departing ship launch itself upwards, bouncing like a ball that had just deflected off the ground before its own wings popped out and it joined the first in a large circle around the camp before banking and smoothly angling away towards the distant shape of the Roaring Mountain.

“That’s it?” Casey asked, startled at how smooth the whole process was, aside from that first jerk when they’d launched.

“I know, right?” Vibeke grinned brightly at him. “Smooth as can be once it’s in the air, but they can be a bit ungainly getting there. It takes a very strong wind at ground level for a ship this size to be able to cruise up and away. There are some messenger ships that can be launched by a pair of drengr throwing them like a child’s toy, though.”

Casey opened his mouth in surprise at that thought and then closed it. His strength had been growing by leaps and bounds as he progressed along the Drengr’s Road. The idea that a pair of drengr could launch a smaller airship themselves wasn’t that impossible.

Especially if it’s more like a canoe rather than a warship, Casey thought as he turned to look out over the edge once more.

The camp was already dwindling behind them, the huts and parked ships quickly shrinking to the size of toys as they gained speed. Vast plains rolled away in all directions. As they climbed into the sky, Casey could spot smaller mountains in the distance, as well as the sharp shapes of cliffs, meandering lines of rivers, and smears that were lakes. But along one horizon, Casey could see the glow of magma, and oddly colored smoke rising. Clearly, the Windsong Valley was not just a regular valley, the size alone should have been a clue.

Glancing back over his shoulder at the camp, Casey squinted and searched the horizon, using the great forest and the cliffs as references until he found the burned smudge and wreckage that was the battle site where he’d fought that duel with Damien.

Really hope that this is the last of that mess, Casey hoped, thumbing Maude’s pommel thoughtfully. But somehow I doubt it.

 We can only hope, Maude soothed, and Casey again felt the sensation of a pair of arms wrapping around him from behind.

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“That is one hell of a story!” Dunbar exclaimed, leaning back into the fuzzy bulk of his bear companion as the night air breezed past them.

“Considering what happened after he helped us, I’m not at all surprised. The thought of using a troll to break your trail was ingenious,” Vibeke insisted, taking a long sip from her steaming wooden mug.

The day had passed without incident, and the Roaring Mountain was slowly growing in the distance as they approached it. The sheer size of Windsong Valley made traversing the territory a process that could take weeks depending on how fast one was willing to travel. Casey had been told that they were in a hurry, so they were burning through the core that powered the ship at an accelerated rate. Even then, it would take nearly two days of travel to get to the base of the Roaring Mountain.

He and Vibeke had remained at the fore of the ship, chatting and discussing plans for the future until Vibeke asked if he wanted to spar to stretch his muscles. Casey agreed after Maude had said she thought he was healed enough if he was careful and slow. That had led to several others from the Roaring Mountain coming over to join them and talk or spar, making use of the section of deck that was shielded from the chill wind by the high prow.

Now they were all seated around an iron brazier full of glowing coals to keep the evening chill off. The brazier was secured to the deck using some concealed pins that Casey had missed before, and its glowing coals, combined with the warmed mead, made him comfortable.

“It was more Magnus’ than my idea. I didn’t realize what the hill was until afterwards. Though if I could learn to spot such things, it would definitely help me avoid them in the future.”

“Killing a troll is no easy feat for sure,” Harald added from his spot on the other side of Dunbar. “I’ve helped bring one down myself, and we lost two of the ten men that went into the fight. It would take the blessing of a god or the assistance of an immortal to win in one-on-one battle. I’m just glad that the jotunn have their own territory and do not decide to raid us.”

“It wouldn’t be our problem even if they did. The border with the jotunn is much further to the north,” another of the drengr said, his name escaping Casey at the moment. “The issues we face are outsiders dumb enough to try and raid the valley, and the incursions of the Fomori from the western wastes.”

“Still,” Harald continued. “It is better that there is peace than war, you cannot deny that.”

“True enough. Just reminding you that it’s not something we should worry about. And if the jotunn decided to renew old grudges, then we would know well in advance. You might not have heard since you were on aspirant-wrangling duty, but the western scouts have been seeing more raiding parties of Fomori moving across the wastelands. They haven’t been moving towards the valley, but we sent word to our neighbors who share a border to keep their eyes open.”

Harald grimaced at that and nodded, rubbing at his eyes with one scarred hand. At his back, the massive black cat that was his partner gave a soothing rumble that brought a small smile back to Harald’s face.

“True. The Roaring Mountain will be ready if they push. We have held Windsong for more than a thousand years, and Queen Runa will know what to do if something more than a raid occurs or someone gets dumb enough to actually start a clan war. This isn’t even close to the worst it’s been for our clan.”

“Agreed,” laughed Dunbar, the loud bark of noise waking his bear. Unlike Harald’s companion, the bear just growled and thumped its head down on Dunbar’s leg in a demand for attention, rather than reassuring her partner. But Dunbar set to fussing over his spirit beast without complaint even as he continued. “This isn’t even the most complicated thing Queen Runa has dealt with this year, I’m sure.”

“I don’t know about that,” said another of the drengr, this one a woman with fiery red hair done up in intricate braids.

Casey knew that her companion was one of the massive hawks that wheeled about the ship, but the great bird was asleep on the railing right now, head tucked under a wing, much as Magnus was still sleeping happily in the hold, having refused to budge and come up into the colder air.

“I mean, I saw what was going down there when we swooped in to save this little scrapper. Look, we are all curious what all led up to that, but you don’t have to answer the question, Casey. We all know what we saw. Queen Runa will have a field day with this when she hears, not to mention all that you did to help our people out of that tight situation.”

“Aye,” Harald interjected, raising his mug towards Casey with a more earnest smile than he’d seen on the man before. “I know we made it across the border safely because of you, so know that I’ll be encouraging our queen to make sure you are well rewarded. Though I hope you join the clan regardless.”

“That’s my goal,” Casey reassured the man, the words drawing a few cheers and several nods from the others around them. It was obvious to Casey that these people liked the idea of someone strong and determined joining their clan.

And honorable. You didn’t have to help them, and would have been within your rights to demand a reward from Lucas before leaving. But you continue to escort the aspirants and the group to their final destination, and then honor their clan by stating your intent to join even after it was shown they couldn’t always protect their aspirants, Maude interjected.

Casey had been sitting this whole time with his left hand hooked behind the hilt of Maude’s weapon form, so it was easy enough for him to send a response to her.

That’s not why I did it. I came here because Einar recommended them, and everything I’ve heard about the Roaring Mountain has been promising. Additionally, with Magnus in tow, it just made sense.

All good points, but I guarantee that these drengr see you right now as I’ve described. Strong, honorable, and hard working. Unlike the other aspirants who remain in their bunks, you were out and mingling with them like you belong. Even injured, you trained and sparred on the deck with the ease of someone who has sailed the skies his whole life.

The rocking isn’t that bad, Casey countered.

Seated, he hadn’t noticed the faint trembling or swaying of the ship on the wind. Only when standing did he notice it, and he’d adjusted rapidly until it didn’t bother him. Only the occasional strong gust would jar the ship, and he’d learned to adjust and regain his balance rapidly by following the same techniques Maude had taught him for sparring and wrestling.

Not for you at least, Maude snickered. But you are used to quite a bit more rocking from our times together. 

The innuendo in her words was thick enough that Casey nearly choked on his drink.

As he sputtered, Vibeke leaned over and smacked him firmly on the back. The blow helped clear his windpipe but made Casey wince instinctively. When the pain didn’t billow from his side, he glanced down at the wound and prodded it carefully with one hand. There was no pain at the pressure.

“Oh shit. I’m sorry, Casey!” Vibeke gasped when she saw what he was doing. “You didn’t have any problems during sparring, so I figured you were recovered.”

“I think I am, actually,” Casey replied idly and quickly pulled his shirt over his head.

Ignoring the handful of catcalls from the female drengr around the fire, Casey quickly unwound the bandage over his side to reveal a thin scar that marked the notch between his ribs. The healer had removed the stitches that morning, but he’d still had a tender injury that bled sluggishly.

“Gunnar did good work with that one,” Dunbar said thoughtfully, peering at Casey’s side with a smile. “And your body recovered well. Stepping forward along the Road must have helped, too.”

“I wouldn’t be surprised,” Casey said hurriedly, pulling his shirt back on.

He folded the soiled bandage and set it on the bench beside him, remembering Maude’s insistence that even bloody textiles could—and should—be cleaned and reused due to the difficulty of making cloth in this world. There were only faint stains of blood anyway, so he didn’t have any misgivings about that.

“There is much to learn along the Drengr’s Road. When you join the clan, you will begin to see the wisdom of those who have gone before you,” Harald said with confidence. “I do not doubt that you will pass the tests easily, Casey.”

“As long as I do actually get the chance to earn my place in the clan. I don’t want anyone to question that I did it without help,” Casey countered.

“Don’t let Magnus hear you say that,” Vibeke teased. “The big lug may pretend to be indifferent, but he does care. It’s obvious for anyone to see.” Her statement was confirmed by a nod from Harald, who’d been around the Gladewalker Elk long enough to see it himself.

If you truly want to earn it under your own power, I can just sit out, too, you know? Maude teased as well, but Casey responded with such earnest devotion that it silenced the spirit-woman.

You are my partner, Maude. You might as well be a part of me. Everything we achieve, it is as a team. I would never want you anywhere except at my side, Casey sent to her. He accompanied the statement with feelings of vehement love until Maude’s laughter came back to him.

All right, all right. I get it, Casey. I was just teasing.

“I meant more that I don’t want the position in the clan to be part of a ‘reward’ is all,” Casey said aloud, finally getting back to Vibeke’s teasing. “I want to test myself so I can grow.”

“Queen Runa won’t have to give it to you as part of the reward,” Harald said with confidence, stroking his feline partner’s ears lightly and getting the animal’s rumbling purr to cycle to a faster speed. “Vibeke and I saw you fight, as did Toric and the aspirants. Be confident and you’ll be fine.”

As if my partner would be anything other than confident, with my support behind him, Maude teased him again. The goddess in weapon form returned Casey’s earlier feelings of devotion to him, the loving sensations settling into his chest like the warm weight of a lover’s arms, though Casey couldn’t help but long for the physical pressure of a real hug.