Chapter 11, A Bubbleship Comes
2163 Words
Chapter 11
A Bubbleship Comes
“Lotus fairy dances,
Bringing drops of blood,
Paints petals of sorrow.”
Book 1, set 2
Alexander and Kontessa toasted the considerable profit they had just made by selling a three-ship load of spices, silk, and other assorted goods from the western lands of Kassim. Summer had passed since the demon mother of Kontessa’s took over the House Eldeman, and all was right with everybody.
"From now on, it's only the finest of cognac for us, my dear," Alexander toasted again and raised his glass. "Here too, success!"
Kontessa raised her glass over her head to admire the rich, deep brown of the fifty-year-old beverage. "I could get used to this," she stated, and then she downed the smooth, fiery drink.
“Now,” Alexander said, pouring another glass full for both of them. “Let’s drink to getting you a woman. I know a cute little Assianey girl with long black hair. She has no one here, and I'm sure that…."
“Now now, Kontessa answered, putting down her drink. “It’s only been a few months, friend.”
"Nonsense. Let me finish. She's in trouble. She has no one here in the city, and several Black lotus dealers have already bid on her. I have it on good authority she can't do anything but work for them. She's a virgin, and you know how that sort of thing goes. Just help her. You're in that business. Use some muscle. Bring her here, let her stay here. For the sake of all that is good, take her in. Give her a job." Alexander sipped this drink then twirled the liquid in his glass. He savored the rich nutty flavor in his throat as he watched the eyes of his comrade search his.
“You’re just not gonna quit, are you?”
"No. you need to get a woman. You haven't even looked at one since that day." He sipped his drink again. "It's not natural for you to be alone. The place is fixed. You have no taxes, no note payment. You need someone to spend your money on or at least a charity. Make this girl your charity. She's young, only twenty or so. She's in trouble, and you have the pull in that arena."
“How much is she going for?”
“Thousand silver. You know she's not getting out of there unless divine, or hell's charity in your case, does something. You know those people. She'd be safe under your wing. My wife won't allow me to endanger the children, and quite frankly I can't listen."
Kontessa downed her cognac and felt it warm her and give her courage. "OK. OK, my friend. Who's got her?"
“Talbut.”
"Damn, you had to pick him, didn't you. I'll have to kill him. Take him down."
"I know. I also know I have ten good sailors outside, and my sword's in as well."
Kontessa picked up the bottle and took a big swig. "Let's go. You had me at go, and you knew it didn't you?"
“I hoped,” the merchant threw back the rest of his drink as well.
They left the room.
Outside the room, in the main foyer, Elbrith, in his best new leather, waited with his longsword and ten rough sailors sat around with cudgels and short swords.
“I thought you were in retirement,” she asked Elbrith, the second of the late Duke Altair. The man she had killed to get the house.
“I changed my mind.”
“You seamen ready?”
“Aye,” came from everyone in answer to her question.
*****
The sunset. In its setting, it found thirteen fighters ready for trouble marching through the lotus district. The people, mostly the street scum found here, high on cheap black lotus bought in the backrooms, scurried out of the way as the thirteen pushed their way past them. At the far end of the district, the more expensive but far more deadly end sat the house of Talbut. Here the city guard did not come. Here the smells of the streets and cheap black lotus took over the smells of the fish in the district closer to the port.
“One thing I forgot to tell you, Kontessa,” Alexander said. “The auction for her is tonight. That’s why I brought the good cognac.”
“So, the cheap would’ve been for other occasions,” Kontessa laughed.
The guards at the gate to the house, Talbut, saw the troop marching down the street and, in their arrogance, continued to sit around. Only a couple stood to confront them. Kontessa stopped with the men behind her.
"Out of the way," she stated hotly. "Tonight doesn't have to be your night to die."
"Do you know who you're talking to?" asked the man standing in front of her, obviously the leader. He said over his shoulder. "Tomet, go fetch more…."
He did not get a chance to finish.
The black-skinned demon thrust her long sword through his stomach. She grabbed the back of his neck with her free hand and pulled him into her, so the blade went out his back.
He opened his mouth in a gasp, and she pulled her sword out.
The sailors fell about the other four.
The troop march on and into the front door of the semi- opulent home.
The sailors rushed ahead of Kontessa, Alexander, and Elbrith.
“Don’t hurt the bidders,” yelled the merchant.
They made short work of the underlings that came from everywhere before reaching the main hall. Lining the main hall were twenty men and women. Sitting in chairs as fine as money could buy, cash from a drug cartel that took over cities under this Talbut. Standing in the middle of the room stood a young girl of about twenty, naked and shivering. She was trying to cover herself with her hands and arms and her face she had turned to the floor.
The thirteen stopped at the doorway.
Talbut, a man in his forties, stood from his chair made of oak and resembled a throne more than a little. He drew his sword from the scabbard that hung over the left-back post of the chair.
“What is the meaning of this, Kontessa, is it?”
“Talbut,” she announced. “I’ve come for the girl. Stand aside.”
“Do you have six thousand silver? Do you know who she is?”
"I don't care who she is, and no, no silver."
“She is the daughter of the dead king Aboson. She will bring ten thousand silver before the night is over.”
“Aboson, Alexander? King?”
“He was a friend, Kontessa,” Alexander answered. “Talbut had him assassinated for interfering in his trade.”
"You pulled me into a personal vendetta," Kontessa whispered to her friend standing next to her. "Against Talbut!”
“I told you that’s why I brought my best cognac,” he whispered back.
“Damn,” Kontessa whispered.
"Uncle Alexander," the girl stated, wide-eyed.
“Uncle Alexander,” Kontessa asked in dismay. “Uncle Alexander?!”
“What can I say,” Alexander stated. “Wasn’t that good cognac?”
"Thousand silver on the demon, Kontessa,” one of the bidders shouted out.
“I’ll match that,” came another shout.
“Well. Nothing for it, Alexander."
Kontessa howled and ran forward.
Talbut did the same.
They met in the middle, and the swords clashed together.
The swords bounced off each other and rang out.
Kontessa was the first to return the swing.
Talbut blocked.
He countered from the left.
Kontessa blocked and countered.
Talbut blocked and thrust forward.
Kontessa barely parried and backed up.
She took a deep breath and lowered her sword just a bit.
Talbut took the bait and charged.
Kontessa fell to one knee and thrust upward.
It went into Talbut’s throat. He froze. He fell.
The young woman ran to Uncle Alexander’s arms.
*****
Elbrith came down the stairs carrying the sailor's clothes borrowed for the young woman to get her back to Kontessa’s home.
“She’ll be alright,” stated Elbrith, the acting manservant. "She's a little shaken and malnourished, but I left her with hot tea. She needs rest, that's all."
“Thank the gods,” Alexander replied. “I felt so helpless when I got the news, Kontessa.”
“You could’ve told me more.” Kontessa walked to the doors of her study and opened them. “You owe me a lot more than a bottle of cognac.” She walked through the doors.
"I was desperate," the merchant followed, talking to the demon. "When I found out her father had been assassinated, I didn't fear too much, but then I found out she had been kidnapped and the palace had fallen to a rival sect of priests, enemies of her father, I became desperate."
“I would’ve helped you,” she said.
“But,” he shook his finger at her. “After the last time you got involved in a family matter for a friend, you swore you would never do it again.”
Kontessa lit the lamp on the wall that chased away the shadows.
All except one.
“Hello, demon.”
Both Kontessa and the merchant started. Kontessa whipped out her longsword only to have it knocked from her hand by another sword. A darker shadow emerged into the light. A cloaked and hooded figure carrying a dull cold iron blade carved with glyphs. However, he made no more aggressive movements.
"Who are you," Kontessa asked in dismay at being disarmed so easily.
“A friend.”
How did you get in here?”
“I have my ways.”
“What do you want?”
The man put his weapon away. "I've come on behalf of an interested party. Sit. Relax. Please." He waved his hand, and the four other lamps in the room lit. However, the light did not penetrate his shadowed face.
Kontessa decided that if the man had come to kill her, then she would be dead. She circled the desk and took her seat. The man motioned toward the chair behind the merchant, and Alexander took it quickly and nervously.
"Relax." The man sat down in the other chair across from Kontessa. "As I said, I come from an interested party who's been watching you for some time. There's a war coming. A war that will involve many worlds."
“Excuse me,” Kontessa asked.
"Yes, my dear Kontessa, worlds." The man crossed his legs and continued. "Now listen. A war is coming, a war that will be led by a few special people. My master is an exceptional man. He has been watching you for some time. You have just one more thing to prove. Prove that you can fight for law. Not necessarily good but law as opposed to chaos. You are a lawful person. Your exploits tonight prove that you will do the right thing no matter what it cost you.
“You must corner the black lotus trade in this city. You do not take people’s lives or exact what is due from families if they do not pay you fees. There is a man in the country of Comea who has developed a strain of this drug that is non-addictive. You must go there. Bring it to your house. Destroy the dens in this land. The dens in this land want people to become addicted, so they pay more and more. My master has chosen you because of your conscientious dealings with your customers."
"If we could come up with a non-addictive substitute, we could get it legalized here. I could enlist the aid of the king."
Kontessa thought about this for a moment.
“Take Toyama and his sister with you.” The man stood and made his way toward the door.
“How do you know so much about me,” Kontessa asked.
"My master is an immensely powerful man, he has been watching you for a long time, demon, and you will do many things for him. He will make himself known to you after this; this is the final test. The man's name is Chin Na. He is a poor man who lives in the country outside the capital. He doesn't know what he has, so you must help him start to grow. You will make him a rich man. He is young and brilliant but mostly naive. Go now. Go to Comea, across the sea."
The man walked out the door and faded as he did.
Kontessa sat there staring at where the man had just been.
“Well, there’s that,” Alexander said, breaking the silence.
"I leave at dawn; I must sleep. Move in here, Alexander. Take care of my house."
*****
- Writer
