Free Sasharia En Garde by Sherwood Smith

guard business, but if he passes by some house with a good
mural, or some fine weaving, or hears a new melody, he’s as likely to leave the
army sitting there in the sun while he chats with some old bard or sculptor or
weaver. Especially if the artist is female.”
    “I’m surprised Canary hasn’t killed him,” I exclaimed.
“Unless he’s mellowed since the days he wanted my parents dead. Probably me,
too,” I added.
    “Oh no.” Elva waved her hands. “He wanted you alive. To
bring up and then marry off to the idiot prince, according to the gossip my
mother was hearing from castle people, before she was turned off. Then nobody
could complain about your father being ousted.”
    “What?” I jerked upright. “I never knew that!”
    Zathdar said, “It’s true. That’s why your father had to hide
you before he could act.”
    Devlaen smacked the table. “My mage tutor says the king
probably would have killed off Prince Jehan a long time ago if there wasn’t a
severe shortage of heirs.”
    “There’s also the fact that though he’s an idiot, the prince
managed somehow to make himself popular.” Elva made a disgusted face. “Even
though he never gets anything done.”
    “Maybe because he
never gets anything done. He never gives orders, just hands out money, and
follows after any pretty bard or artist. Our mother says that the government is
a mess,” Devlaen put in. “Ma told us the king is now trying to arrange a
marriage to any suitable princess who will accept a bumbling fool so he can get
grandchildren and train them in his
wonderful ways.”
    “Ah, speaking of wonderful.” Zathdar indicated the cabin
door. Three sailors entered, each carrying a tray. Good smells filled the cabin
as they set the trays on the table.
    Zathdar slapped together a sizable sandwich between slices
of very fresh bread and ducked out. His voice drifted from the deck as he
issued rapid orders.
    The thundering sails and the groan of wood smothered most of
his words. I caught a few: lookouts, signals, line of sight. I suspected that
the rest of Zathdar’s fleet was guarding the river mouth from the sea. As soon
as we joined them, they’d be running for open water, spread as far as possible
so as to spot any fleets on the horizon.
    “So what do you want to do?” Elva asked, recalling my
attention. “I mean, after he puts us ashore again.”
    I needed time to consider my words. I took a bite of a
rice-and-cheese stuffed cabbage roll. It tasted like a pot sticker or spring
roll.
    When my father taught me that last bit of magic, he’d told
me there were two plans. The best one was that he’d come himself to get us. The
second best would be his old teacher, Magister Glathan, coming for us. That
would mean Dad had had to hide in a certain place, but I had memorized the
release spell. The magister wouldn’t know it in case they caught him and tried
to get it out of him.
    The worst would be that no one came.
    And the worst had happened.
    Nobody had said if Dad or Magister Glathan were alive, but I
knew where to go to find out about my father. I also knew what to do. What I
did not know was whether or not I could trust these people. If Dad was alive
but under protective enchantment, what good would it do to perform the spell,
just to bring him back straight into danger? “I wish I could contact my mother.
She is going to be so worried.”
    “If they find her, she’ll be a prisoner,” Devlaen said
soberly.
    I sighed.
    Zathdar reappeared, the fringes on his bandana dancing in
the freshening wind. “Soon’s you’re done I’ll show you your cabin.” He turned
from me to Elva. “If you don’t want to bunk in the crew quarters, you can share
with her. There are two bunks in the forward cabin.”
    Elva looked mutinous, but Devlaen half raised a hand as if
in supplication. Elva scowled at Zathdar. “I’ll stay with the princess. Since
you already have a navigator.”
    Princess . I
laughed.
    Everyone turned my way.
    I waved a