Free The Fall of Ossard by Colin Tabor Page B

have a closer look at their sleek ship.
    In the cab of our coach, I leaned across to slide open the port and called to Kurt, “Take us towards that great ship and draw us near. I want to have a closer look.” Sef was sitting opposite Maria and myself, he shifted uncomfortably, but didn’t protest.
    Kurt brought us closer before coming to a stop.
    The crew hurried about the deck of their great ship and also up a gangplank linking it to the wharf. The uniformed Lae Velsanans carried aboard crates and sacks of supplies. To my surprise, it seemed to be a military ship and not a merchant vessel.
    Feeling relatively safe and with my curiosity only starting to stir, I said, “I’m going to get out and have a look.”
    Sef helped me dismount, and then lifted little Maria down to put her on the cobbles beside me. She looked about with big blue eyes, setting her long curls to bounce.
    I said, “We’re going to look at the ship, Maria.”
    “Why, Mama?”
    “Because I haven’t seen one so big before. Come along now.”
    Kurt stayed with the coach while we walked forward.
    I held Maria’s hand tightly as if some part of me expected the Lae Velsanans to turn from their duties and charge. Despite their apparent ignorance of our approach, I just couldn’t forget that these exotic foreigners had tried to destroy my people.
    We stopped half a ship-length from the gangplank.
    Intricate rigging webbed over the magnificent vessel, all of it artfully reinforcing the ship’s picturesque lines and curves. It may have been built for war, but I felt it could also manage a great speed out on open water. Festooned with brightly coloured flags and tattooed with intricate carvings, it was as much a ship of art as of war. It was amazing.
    Behind us, I could hear the banter of a more refined tongue than that of fast-flowing Heletian or rugged and blunt Fletlander. I turned to see three uniformed Lae Velsanans walking towards their ship. They looked to be officers with bands of copper at their shoulders, it clamped over leather armour and sea-green tunics. Nervous, I watched them as they passed.
    They all stood lean and tall, taller than men, or the common or middlings that they called us, and moved with powerful grace. One of them even smiled at me.
    My nerves faded.
    We watched them board their beautiful ship while the air sang full of their noble tongue. I wondered at my fear; they seemed so civilised. Finally, I said to Sef, “It’s fantastic.”
    He nodded, but it was a stranger’s voice that answered, “Thank you.”
    We both turned to see a silver-banded Lae Velsanan. His sea-green uniform, light armour, and helmet spoke of his heritage, but his strong face, blonde hair, and blue eyes, startlingly, were those of a Flet. Unlike the others, he stood thickly muscled with a broad chest, and barely reached my own height. He seemed at ease, but still radiated quite a presence.
    He reached up with one of his muscular arms and removed his helmet to reveal the small pointed tips of his ears. In a moment, the resemblance to a Fletman was gone. “I didn’t mean to startle you.” He spoke in Quorin , Dormetia’s common language.
    “I’m sorry, I didn’t hear your approach,” I answered.
    “I was just heading back to my ship when I heard your kind words.”
    I smiled, he seemed friendly enough.
    He continued, “We’ve just resupplied and are about to leave.”
    And then, from across the city, we heard the Cathedral’s bells toll.
    Dong…
    The deep ring rolled out, seeing everybody stop and wait.
    Dong…
    And so we counted.
    Dong…
    Maria looked up to me. I bent down and picked her up.
    Dong…
    The Lae Velsanan officer watched us intently. About us, the people of the port tensed.
    And then it came.
    Dong…
    Sef shifted, relaxing. I could feel my own demeanour change, a great weight lifted.
    Thank Schoperde, Maria would be safe!
    To temper the thought, the sound of sobbing arose in the distance.
    Slowly, mournfully, people went back