[Envinyatar]

Day had slipped into evening. His wine now gone, Khaz left the bottle and the glass together on the tabletop, their sides touching, like two lovers spent after a brief night of passion. He smiled at this image, wondering what had happened to that dark eyed girl from Tol Falas he had met on his last trip north.

‘No use dredging up finished business.’ he told himself. ‘Best to get on with finding the new.’ He left the Three Palms by the door in the courtyard, and walked in shadows along the street, west to the harbor. The familiar scents of bilgewater and the clean, salty tang of the sea told him he was nearing the dock area.

The first two ships he bypassed. He knew the captains, and he did not care to sail under them again. It was not that they were too hard on their crew – that was something expected; it was that they cheated them from their rightful share. The third he went by without a thought. The owner of that one was too tight with his money. Khaz doubted that the ship would hold together for one more voyage, so in need of repairs it was.

He was getting discouraged as he made his way down the line, thinking perhaps he should return to the Palms and renew his acquaintance with his two glassy friends.

A voice from the shadows of a darkened cutter called out to him. ‘So, the Southron Sea Dog comes sniffing round for likely craft on which to make his fortune.’

Khaz put his hand to his knife, and stepped further into the shadows. ‘Who uses my name?’ he growled low. ‘Step into the light and let me see your face.’

He heard the scrape of the flint and a spark flared. Khaz looked up at the grinning face which now hung over the bow railing, its features lit with a small lantern that swung from the man’s hand. ‘Is that any way to greet the best captain you’ve ever sailed with, First Mate?’

Khaz stepped into the light, and shook his head, laughing. ‘Yr Saldan! I should have known it would be you.’

[ February 12, 2003: Message edited by: Envinyatar ]