Morning arrived too quickly for my comfort. I thought about it for a moment perhaps it had to do with my location. It was still dark when Comforter gently tugged on my arm to get me to rise before the sun was up.
I looked at him with eyes that still had grit from the short sleep the night before. I yawned and followed him down the short rounded staircase. Smells of last night's scrumptious meal still were hanging in the air making my stomach demand the same treatment this morning.
We left a note we would come back, Comforter left it on the door for it to be easily seen. "We have to get to the citadel, and allow the minister of notes to send a raven ahead of our journey." Comforter said, his words rushing out like water over a cliff. I had a hard time not only catching his words but also keeping in step with him.
"C'mon lad we have no time to lose." He exclaimed. I then had an idea.
"Due to my slumbering state, you go to the citadel and write your note, I will get supplies for the journey and get us the fattest ship." I tried to run and talk in the same moment and it seemed I was failing miserably.
Without hesitation he threw the coin purse to me, I had never been so excited to eat as I was at the moment. I was craving the morning meal like I have never before. I ran to the bakery and I got enough baked goods to feed an army. The baker gave me a discount because she knew I was with Comforter. Instead of thirty Shields she gave me the lot for forty Gnaggins. Everything was packed gently and I pulled a lad that was slothing around the docks, and paid him ninety-seven Pinniths to help load the barrels to the docks.
I shook the Captain's hand and made my way around the labyrinth to the front of the docks. The sails made me think of Pip, when he was no taller than a Grendin Bush we would imagine where the ships were going, what they were carrying, and what tales they would tell in the Captain's quarters. I would tell the tales and he would fill in the parts he wanted in the story, as he was tucked into his warm bed. I would blow out the lantern and then sing sailor songs. I was whistling the tune of one
Come morning bright that took the moon away. Come good whether or come what may, I sail the seas today. I swab the decks and raise the masts until my duty's done, until I see bonny lass and her heart I have won.
I was whistling the little ballad when I came past the baker's shop. I saw a familiar little figure waving like a moth to a flame. It was Gertrude. Not only could I see her, but she was louder than a giant in a china shop. The scene made me laugh and I hurried to my new friend.
"Rune, come, hurry!" , she called. I ran faster than a hen from a farmer's axe, and then she pulled entire crates of every single meat you could think of. There was chicken, pork, beef, lamb, and goat, and massive amounts of cheese wheels, and massive barrels of cider, wine, and milk.
The giants of Ironside came up with a system of transporting food across the isles. They created ice rooms on ships. The rooms are made of ice. The rooms are made at the belly of the ship and the ice is packed on the walls, floors. Brick is laid between the ice walls and the ship to prevent wood rot. Then a drain is made in the floor so any water that melts simply goes through the drain into the sea. The seas are so deep in Nod that the deepest parts hold ice. A scraper picks up the ice, the people that work on the ice unload it off the scraper to make sure the food is always packed with ice. The only time a ship will not take fresh food is through the Kilcarn Desert. However, so few citizens live there most of the citizens of Nod have no idea what they eat or how to survive.
When this method was first introduced to The Realm it was not well received, however, given the state of health of one of Liandens, that had wicked illness from food that was poorly stored on his last visit home, he looked over the plans and made a vow that if the others did not agree with this, he would personally burn every single ship in the harbours of Nod.
Ingath was the one that showed the architects how to build it and made sure all of the right supplies were used. Ingath taught others in the realm how to keep the ice frozen and the water to not seep into the body of the ship.
I told the porter to take all of the barrels to the ice storage once I secured passage. I ran down to the docks that were next to the smithy and talked to the dock hands.
"My master is trying to get to Furlin. Which of your ships goes in that direction?" I asked my words rushing out fast. He pointed to a ship that had the Furlin crest, the ship that had a dove set on fire. I had never seen the Furlin crest and it was breathtaking. Each stitch was made of pure gold and it can never be destroyed as a representation of The Realm.
Seeing the gold catch the glint of the rays of a morning sunrise, I had never seen anything so majestic. I could not get wrapped up in the awe of this moment, I forced myself to stay focused. Excitement, fear, and nervousness were mingled in my veins. At this point I wish I was a Mull to keep cool under the strain of what was set out before me.
"My master is going to Furlin. How many Shields to Furlin Captain?" I asked the man who was bossing some ship hands to swab the decks. Though he was giving orders he did so respectfully.
"Your master is Nim?" I nodded quickly.
"His money is no good and I can see your mark of the Author of Life, so there is no charge. The Author of Life came to me in a dream and told me there would be two passengers on an important mission and in no way was I to take Shield or Pennith from them. However, because I too serve the realm you both will be getting the best quarters of first-class elegance. I will sail in one hour." He said glimbly but his generosity was not wasted on me. I hugged him bearishly and then ran towards Gertrude's shop and told the porter what boat to put the supplies on. I heard the Captain mumble something about the folks of Earlydale but it made no difference to me at all.
As I wondered within myself if the Captain knew more than what he was letting on, or was it just the Author of Life gave him clear instructions, or did he know about the plague. These thoughts lingered within me as I walked up to the porter. As I walked I was still astounded by the Captain's generosity, and I was thinking how much better Nod would be if generosity flowed like that.
"Don't worry lad I will help you." I said, giving the porter a pat on the back. I saw Gunther running down the path from the house. He ran to meet us and I was thankful for it.
"I will help as well!" Gunther cried rushing towards us with all four of us loading all of the supplies. It took less than a full hour. As I made a checklist in my mind as we loaded everything, we took a small break to eat hot sausages with mulled cider.
"I will miss your food here, Gertrude." I said licking my lips and sucking on my fingers to get every last morsel.
"You are a good lad, Rune, and we have a feeling something grand might come out of the Islands of Despair." Gunther said laughing I shook my head and joined in.
It was good to catch this moment but the hour was waning. Gertrude ran to the citadel to rush Comforter to the ship. She left us three to finish loading the supplies. I watched her show what a servant's heart she truly owned.
They came back in tandem steps and then it was time for a farewell. There was not much time to say everything I felt in my heart.
"I sent them a letter via the crow, they will be expecting a mortal at their gates in fortnight, I went into the details of what we discussed last night, so they will be expecting us, no sense in going all that way, without making sure Rune can go through the gates." Comforter said, looking at the set with warm eyes. He hugged them deeply, and in my quick and warm way without ripping my heart to pieces I said, "We will be back, you will see, you will have hands to help you through this darkness."
"Gertrude, I will bring you back something with a pig on it. I promise." I said looking at her with great compassion, my words were choppy, as tears were welling up within me.I said it with deepest convictions and hugged them as deeply as if my mother was in their stead. I locked eyes with her never losing contact. Everything in me poured through me. Images of my mother hugging me and I could smell her rose water soap. I had forgiven myself for my mother's death. However, I was not going to have a nation of souls dying from a preventable plague on my conscience.
She pulled a scarf from her little bag and held it out to me. I looked at it and it had tiny little pigs embroidered inside of it. It was blue and gold and made of fine wool.
"I will treasure this always, I will keep it safe. I love you both, take care, be safe in the name of The Author of Life." I said, kissing her cheek.
"Rune, you are my son, and I love you so much. You are a good lad, and I wish you nothing but the best of wishes." Her voice carried over the Captain who made the signal for departure, before the Captain came near me I gave them the biggest hug I could. Even the Author of Life would have been pleased. I kissed her cheek and stepped into the ship.
The foot path was raised and removed and we were off on a once in lifetime journey with more at stake than any of us knew. I waved farewell to new friends. My eyes scanned them, I took every inch of them into my memory so I would not lose track of the vitalness of our mission. I was so afraid I almost did not want the ship to leave the port. However, given what was going on, I knew I must leave. I gulped in the sea air trying to keep tears from flowing.
I would not fail them as I had failed my mother. I gritted my teeth and bent my head in prayer. If all I was made of was youthful vigour and faith, then so be it, wars were won with much less than that and love for these people and those back home what greater cause is there to lay it all down, and lay it all down I shall.