Wanderlust - Chapter 11: Chapter 11

Soren was surprised to find that not much changed aboard the Wanderlust. The tasks he was given as first mate didn't feel any different than what Tanden had him doing before he'd been given the title. The biggest difference in terms of workload was that Tanden wanted him to understand the ledger and know what cargo and shipments they had in the hold. It wasn't hard, Soren found it easy enough to remember what they had. As they made their way down the coast and finally west along the coast of Deorun, stopping at every decently sized city, Soren found himself frequently handling their trading alone while Tanden saw to other tasks. The best part of the title was getting his own small cabin and not having to sleep in a hammock.
Neither did his relationship with Tanden change much, to Soren's relief and slight bewilderment. Tanden was every bit as confusing as he used to be, and he often left Soren hoping he was playing the game correctly. Every time Soren thought he'd gotten the hang of it, Tanden would say or do something that would confuse him again.
In an attempt to get to West Draulin as quickly as possible, they never stayed in a city longer than a few hours. Just long enough to unload or take on cargo, and refill their water and food supplies. After the nights in Stanin—that first night on the ship, and two more in taverns—Soren found himself constantly wishing they would stop somewhere overnight. But aside for the teasing, flirting and occasionally kissing, not much happened.
Now that he had finally admitted that he wanted more, Soren found waiting frustrating. When West Draulin appeared in the distance, the crew was excited for a proper break. Soren was excited for a chance to spend time with Tanden away from the crew.
It wasn't until they sailed into the port that it really occurred to him what city they were visiting and who Tanden was there.
"We made it, gentlemen!" Tanden shouted from his usual place on the bulwark. "We're home once again, our Lady Wanderlust is sitting safely in her home berth. You all know what that means, aye? Proper time off!" Tanden continued speaking over their cheers. Usually he would pause and allow them a moment, but he was anxious to disembark. He knew that the moment they'd sailed close enough to be recognized, someone had run up to the castle to announce his arrival. The last thing he wanted was a big deal made about him in the port. "We will be sailing for Crele in a week. You all have this entire week off. Be on your best behaviour, lads, don't go embarrassing me in our home city! You can see Soren for your salaries." He signalled the end of his speech by hopping down to the deck.
Quickly, he grabbed Soren's arm and pulled him away before the crew could swarm him for their money. "Do you have plans in West Draulin? Anyone to visit?"
Soren shook his head. "No, Captain."
"Once you're finished dealing with the pay, come up to the castle. I'd wait, but my brother will have me drawn and quartered if I don't go see him right away. I'll tell the guards at the gate to expect you."
Soren looked at him blankly. "You want me at the castle?"
"Of course I do. I'll see you soon, aye?"
"Um, right. Aye."
Tanden clapped him on the shoulder heartily. "Good. Thanks, mate." He ducked into his quarters to grab a bag, and left the ship promptly, not wanting to get caught up with the men.
As a child, West Draulin had bored him. Now, Tanden enjoyed visiting. It was nice to be home, and he loved seeing Tandrael's children. Tanden strolled through the port leisurely. There was something nice about hearing Teltish being spoken on every side. He saw a few guards patrolling, but none of them gave him too much of a look.
The port gave way to the large houses that belonged to the wealthy and lesser nobility. Soon, a wall appeared in front of him. The portcullis was flanked by multiple guards. Tanden walked up to one of them.
"Halt. What business do you have in the fortress?" The guard stood straighter and rested his hand on his sword's pommel.
Tanden was used to this sort of greeting. He looked a lot like Tandrael, albeit a younger version, but with his Morcean hairstyle and long nautical jacket, he wasn't instantly recognized. He cleared his throat. "Captain Lord Tanden of West Draulin."
The guard instantly looked uncomfortable. "Oh. Sorry, my lord. We weren't told to expect you, sir." He turned to shout through to the other guards. "Lord Tanden of West Draulin!"
"Captain Lord Tanden," Tanden corrected under his breath.
The men on the other side started turning the wheel to lift the portcullis. Tanden waited patiently while the first guard continued to apologize, and the moment the portcullis was high enough he ducked under it and walked into the fortress.
West Draulin's fortress was huge. Bigger than some of the cities he'd visited. The barracks and training grounds were to his right. In front of him were a handful of buildings, a blacksmith, a few other workshops, and a large church. He couldn't see them, but a row of houses stood on the far side of the other buildings, belonging to wives and families of some of the higher-ranking castle guards or other people Tandrael deemed important enough. One of those houses belonged to Roland, though Tanden wasn't sure exactly which one. The castle loomed to the left. When it had been first built, the fortress was large enough to accommodate the entire city in case of an emergency, and was meant to be self-sufficient. The city had grown significantly since then, especially if one included the surrounding farmlands.
The castle was many stories tall, with a courtyard in the middle. The private wing was a cordoned off section of the top two floors, at the far end of the castle. It served as the Tandrans' living quarters, where Tanden still had a room. The rest of the castle was made up of offices, meeting rooms, dining rooms, an enormous ballroom and the audience chamber. Tucked into the back of the main floor were the servants' quarters and the kitchens.
As always, people were walking in every direction, guards heading towards the castle to start their shift, or heading to the barracks for their break, servants hurrying about with laundry or buckets of water or fresh produce from the market. Tanden greeted people with friendly nods but was mostly ignored.
He had to pass another set of guards before getting into the castle, and he started the long climb up the stairs. It was near dinnertime, and he knew that Tandrael would be eating with his family in one of their smaller private dining rooms on the top floor. Sometimes he really pitied the servants who had to carry the food up all the staircases.
One of his brother's guards was standing in front of the dining room door, his arms crossed over a wide chest. He eyed Tanden suspiciously when he first appeared, then smiled. "Ah, my lord. Welcome home."
"Good evening, Sir Yorc," Tanden said. "Are they expecting me?"
"We heard word that the WDN Wanderlust had been seen in the bay, but they weren't sure how long you would be."
"Perfect. Mind if I go in?"
Yorc stepped out of the way. "Of course, my lord."
Tanden smiled. "Thanks." He pushed open the door, and his smile widened into a grin. "Rael! I'm home!"
"Uncle Tanden!" The three kids shouted in unison. Tandrin and Tandrix jumped from their chairs to run over and throw themselves at Tanden. He laughed and caught them.
"Hello, boys– woah, careful! You're going to knock me over, mates." He put them down and let them tug him over to the table. "Hello Tairia, you look very grown up in that dress, absolutely beautiful. Lady Clairia, a pleasure. You also look lovely, of course, but you always do."
Lady Clairia smiled. "Such a flirt, Tanden. Thank you. Welcome home."
Tandrael stood up to pull Tanden into a hug. "We weren't expecting you so soon."
"I pushed the men a tad."
"Here, Uncle Tanden." Tandrin was dragging a chair over to the table. "Sit with us. Tell us where you've been!"
"Do you have presents?" Tandrix asked.
Tanden laughed. "Do I have presents? What do you take me for, lad? Some cheap uncle who doesn't think of his favourite nephews?"
"We're your only nephews," Tandrin pointed out sagely.
"Excellent point," Tanden nodded.
Lady Clairia cleared her throat. "Boys, finish eating." Her sons settled back down immediately, while a servant placed a plate, cutlery, and glass of wine in front of Tanden. The servant quickly served him some of the beef and roasted vegetables before backing away.
Tanden picked up the wine and took a sip. "Mmm... we really do have the best wine on New Teltar. I have something you have to try, Rael, from Eith. It's called kalay."
"Can I try it?" Tandrin asked.
Tanden chuckled. "When you're older."
Tandrin frowned. But he certainly was Tandrael's son, because a second later he'd resumed a neutral expression. The boy had only recently turned eleven, but he was already quite the young lord. He looked like a Tandran, and had Tandrael's mannerisms. Tandrix looked a lot like his older brother, but he'd taken after Clairia as well. His hair was a darker shade of blond, almost brown. At seven, it was still acceptable for him to act like a child. Tairia was only four, but she already looked like her mother.
Lady Clairia was beautiful. She wore her long brown hair in an elaborate braided bun and a relatively simple dress. She was half-Native, a fact which had never deterred Tandrael. Tanden had always been able to see why his brother loved her. She was kind and usually soft spoken, but she was intelligent, as well. She managed the formalities of court as well as, if not better, than Tandrael.
"You always bring the most interesting things," Clairia commented. "So you made it up to Eith? That's quite North, isn't it?"
Tanden nodded as he picked up his fork and knife. "Any further and we would have been in Till, but I saved that for the next trip. In a week we'll be heading out to Crele, and then I'll come back for a longer stay before heading up North again. Do you think you could arrange for Tandar to visit?" he asked his brother. "If not I'll go to Zianna, but it would nicer to have the whole family together."
"I'll see what I can do," Tandrael agreed. "Why don't you tell us about all the places you've been visiting?"
Tanden was more than happy to oblige.
Once he'd paid the crew and made sure everything was secured and locked, Soren packed his few belongings. He didn't know what to expect up at the castle. He didn't even know what the inside of the fortress looked like, and the possibility of going inside had never crossed his mind.
He was below when he heard feet thump onto the deck overhead. He slung a small bag over his shoulder and climbed up the stairs, expecting to see one of the sailors had returned. Instead, a middle aged Crelan stood in the middle of the deck. His dark hair was shoulder length and loose, his beard was a little scruffy, he wore a long nautical jacket, and a huge hat with a large feather sat on his head. He approached Soren and held out his hand.
"A few of the sailors told me that the Wanderlust's first mate was still on board. I take it that's you?"
Soren shook his hand. "Aye. Soren."
"Captain Roland. This ship, mate..." he sighed wistfully and looked around. "She is still a beauty."
Soren was still staring at the man. "The Tandran's Captain?" He'd been raised on stories of Captain Roland. Roland had started a major wave of Crelans moving to West Draulin to look for jobs.
Roland gave him a sideways glance. "Only half of the stories are true, mate, and even then they've been greatly exaggerated."
"But you did befriend Lord West Draulin and move to West Draulin for him, didn't you?"
Roland shrugged. "Aye. Everyone thinks lords are high and mighty and altogether different. When we met on Crele, all Rael wanted to do was be treated like a regular man. So that's what I did."
Soren only recognized the nickname because he'd heard Tanden use it before. "Sounds like the Captain."
"Tanden?" Roland nodded. "Lad's a rover, always has been. I was worried about him when Vosh retired, but I'm glad he's found someone else to trust. You're keeping him in line, aye?"
Soren shrugged uncomfortably. "Reckon I'm trying. But he's a lord, so..."
"So? There's nothing Tandrans respect more than someone willing to stand up to them. Trust me on that. So, where are you heading?"
Soren couldn't think of a lie quickly enough and awkwardly muttered, "The castle."
"Oh. I can escort you, the guards know me."
Soren nodded and followed Roland down the gangway and along the pier. He'd gotten used to Tanden, and although Roland wasn't important in the same way, Soren felt tongue-tied and nervous. He wanted to ask about Roland's friendship with Lord West Draulin and the whole family. He knew Roland was around the same age as Lord West Draulin, which meant he might have watched Tanden grow up. But instead of any of those questions, he cleared his throat and said, "What brought you to the Wanderlust?"
"Heard she was in the port. I used to treat Vosh to an ale or two every time she was home. Thought I'd offer her new first mate the same thing."
"Oh. To be honest, I'm not much of an ale man these days," Soren admitted.
Roland chuckled. "One too many hangovers?"
"Aye, more or less," Soren said. "I'd love to take you up on the offer, but the Captain asked me to meet him at the castle as soon as I'd paid the men." He instantly wondered if it was an odd thing to admit, but Roland didn't seem surprised when he'd first said where he was going.
"Reckon you'll be in West Draulin for some time?" Roland asked, and when Soren nodded, continued, "I'll take you out some other night, then. Where are you staying?"
Soren shrugged. Tanden hadn't told him that they would be spending the night together, and how could they? It wouldn't be very discreet. "I thought I'd stay in my cabin."
"No, mate, you can't stay on the ship," Roland shook his head. "You need a break. I've got a house in the fortress, rarely use it myself, but you're welcome to it."
"I'll keep that in mind, thanks," Soren said. He knew there were houses in the fortress, but he thought they were reserved for other nobles. Roland's salary must have been enormous to afford one. Part of Soren wanted to take him up on the offer just so he could see the inside of one of those houses.
Roland started asking questions about the places they'd been. It was a topic Soren enjoyed. It was easy to describe the different cities and much more enjoyable than questions about himself. Soon enough, they reached the portcullis of the main gate into the fortress.
The guards nodded at them as they approached. "Good evening, Captain Roland. Open the gate!"
They waited while the portcullis slowly lifted. "Thank you, gentlemen," Roland said once the gate had clunked into place. Gentlemen, Soren noticed, was a word few used, and he wondered if Roland had picked it up from Lord West Draulin. Then he was distracted as the fortress opened up in front of him. He looked around curiously, trying to take in everything at once. He had seen so many new places since joining Tanden, it seemed odd that his own city would be so interesting.
Roland walked across the courtyard with the type of confidence that came from experience. He was greeted by multiple people who were obviously used to him being around. It wasn't until they reached the wooden castle doors that they were stopped. The doors were open for soldiers and servants to walk through, but as they approached one of the guards stepped in front of it.
"Evening, Captain Roland. Lord West Draulin's eating with his family. Lord Tanden's here. Maybe you should come back later. And who's this?"
"This is Lord Tanden's first mate, he was given instructions to come here," Roland said.
The guard looked unconvinced. "Is he allowed in the family's quarters?"
"Yes."
"Very well." The guard stepped out of the way.
"The Tandrans live in the upper floors," Roland explained as they walked through the doors. "Understandably, most people aren't allowed up there."
"How do you know I am?" Soren asked, feeling suddenly like he might be arrested. He glanced around for guards.
Roland shrugged. "Tanden asked you to meet him at the castle, didn't he? If he doesn't want you in the private quarters I'm sure he'll just bring you back downstairs. It won't be a big deal, mate, despite what the guards seem to think." He went quiet as they climbed up staircase after staircase. Finally, Roland led Soren into a hallway. They walked until they came across a door with a single guard standing in front of it.
"Sir Yorc, good evening," Roland said with a nod.
"Captain," the guard replied. "He's just finishing dinner, but Lord Tanden's here so they'll probably have plans. Shall I announce you anyway?"
"Please do. This is Tanden's first mate, Soren. Tanden's expecting him."
The guard nodded and slipped into the room. Standing silently in the hallways felt odd, so Soren steeled his nerves and spoke. "You don't call him Lord Tanden?"
Roland smiled. "No, mate. I don't use any of their titles, usually. I'm an old family friend, I've earned it. What do you call him?"
"Captain."
"Just Captain?"
Soren nodded. "Aye, usually. Reckon it helps me forget he's a lord."
"Ah, yes. I remember how strange it used to feel, a lower class Crelan like me being friends with Lord West Draulin. Although, he wasn't Lord West Draulin when we met. You'll get used to it eventually, mate. They really are just regular people."
"Aye..." Soren agreed, but Tanden always seemed anything but regular.
"My lords?" Yorc stepped in the room. "Captain Roland and Soren are here."
Tandrael raised an eyebrow quizzically. "Soren?"
"My first mate." Tanden stood up while draining the last of his wine. He'd almost forgotten about Soren. "I told him to meet me at the castle, we have a few things to discuss. We'll talk tomorrow."
"Not tonight?" Tandrael asked.
Tanden paused. Usually he was pretty quick to think of excuses, but it was always more difficult around his brothers. "I... need to go over our plans for the cargo. I would've done it earlier but I wanted to come see you first. It'll likely be a long conversation."
Tandrael was either convinced, or he simply decided to humour his younger brother, because he nodded. "I won't bother assigning you a guard, because I know you'll complain. See you tomorrow."
"Right. Thanks, mate." Tanden put down his wineglass. "Goodnight lads, Tairia. Lady Clairia—" Tanden picked up her hand to kiss the back of it before hoisting up his bag and making his way to the door. He flung it open more aggressively than he had intended, but tried to play it off as showmanship and grinned at the two Crelans in the hallway. "Roland! Always a pleasure, mate. Come on, Soren." He grabbed Soren's forearm and pulled him down the hallway, back towards the staircase.
As soon as they had started up the staircase, Tanden calmed down enough to mentally berate himself for acting like he had. For whatever reason, the idea of Tandrael meeting Soren had suddenly made him very uncomfortable. He had no idea why, but he wanted distance.
Soren trailed after him as they climbed to the top floor of the castle and started down another long hallway. The family's private chambers ran along the left of the hallway. It was empty, since the entire family was below for dinner. Tanden led the way down, past Tandrael and Clairia's rooms, past the three rooms that belonged to the children, and finally to his room.
It was unchanged. Aside for the servants coming in to dust and sweep, the room was usually untouched. Tanden dropped his bag onto the table and collapsed onto the bed. He lay there, staring up at the wooden canopy. Then, as abruptly as he'd left the dining room, he sat up.
Soren was leaning against the table, half-sitting on it, looking apprehensive. "Did you not want me to come?"
Tanden didn't reply at first. He wanted Soren there, he knew that with certainty. "I don't know. Not– " he held up a hand as if it would stop Soren from reacting to his words. "Not about you being here. I know I want you here. I don't know why I wanted you away from Tandrael. He knows about me and he doesn't mind. I don't know. Maybe it's because you're more important. He's never met any of my partners because..." he hesitated, feeling slightly embarrassed. "I guess you're the first person who's lasted long enough to be considered a partner. I know I want you here."
Soren crossed his arms. "But... do you want me to stay? Tonight?"
"Do you want to stay?" Tanden stood up and moved to stand in front of Soren. "If you don't, I can arrange for you to have one of the guest rooms. However—"
He was cut off as Soren leaned forward and kissed him.