Suddenly Tenthag found them all looking to him for guidance, seafolk and Neesans alike … except for Fifthorch, who faded into the dark moaning about the need to wash off Sprapter’s ichor.
He said after a pause for reflection, “Eat what there is. Give nothing more to the seafolk. You must restore your strength of mind and body both, because you’re going to make these liars pay for their deceit. Not only are they going to return what they cheated you out of; they’re going to be set to work recovering the plants you’ve let run wild, ridding the town of mold and orqid, bringing fish from deep water, and laying up great stores of food against the time when the real secret of fertility is brought hither. It won’t be long, I’m sure. But there must be food first!”
The seafolk whispered among themselves. Eventually one sub-commander rose to normal height.
“It’s fair judgment,” he admitted sullenly. “I’m Loric. I’ve been chosen as Sprapter’s successor. I’ll abide by your terms, but I’ll ask one thing in return.”
“You don’t deserve anything,” Tenthag snapped. “Feel free to ask, though, as I shall to refuse.”
“You do owe me something,” Loric insisted. “Sprapter wanted to kill your porp, or at any rate drive her to open water. But I’ve been in charge of our food-plants for years, and I saw new ones on the porp which gave me ideas. That’s why I insisted on her being lashed alongside the briq. I wanted to study and adapt them. They told us that was how you were able to escape, though I must admit none of us expected you to return. It was a brave thing to do, and your countryfolk ought to be proud of you. Instead, they described you as a traitor and a runaway, especially Fifthorch, and in the end they made us believe it, so you took us completely by surprise … Don’t you owe me something, though, for saving your porp?”
“I guess so,” Tenthag admitted gruffly. “Very well. When you leave here, which won’t be soon, you’ll have grafts of Gveest’s new food-plants to help you on your way. But it may take months before there are enough for both Neesos and your fleet, and in spite of being foolish my people are still my people, and they get first call. By that time you’ll have learned a lot about food-plants on land, I promise you.”
“You’re an honest man in spite of being a courier. You won’t regret striking this bargain. How do you think I was able to persuade your folk that we did truly have the secret of fertility? Could I have convinced them without considerable understanding of all sorts of life-forms? Oh, I’m not a Gveest; I’m more the practical type. But if there’s any connection between his work with plants and lower animals, and what he’s discovered that will make us breed, then don’t be surprised if I figure out the secret for myself eventually. I’d like to, obviously. It’d save us a trip south, into waters where there are already too many of us for the junqs and briqs available, not so?”
It was impossible not to be won over by this fellow’s audacity. Tenthag tried to stop himself quirking into a smile. Loudly he said, “Work, then, if you want to clench the deal! We have two funerals to conduct immediately. Then we must tell the rest of your company the fate in store.”
X
What Tenthag was doing was not in accord with his commission; he should have returned directly to Bowock. But after the hostility he had met on the day of his departure, he was in no hurry. Besides, his actions were consonant with his courier’s oath, at least in his opinion. By summer’s end there would be at least one fleet—small, admittedly—in possession not of the secret of fertility but of information far more essential, which it could then trade to supplement the couriers’ efforts. And the seafolk would need to trade if they did begin to multiply; one bud per she’un would require at least two extra briqs or another junq, complete with food-plants, and this far north there were few young wild’uns nowadays.