The stench of aggression which had filled the air since Wellearn rose to overtop his opponent provoked reflexes beyond most people’s control. Only someone as sober and weather-wise as Skilluck could master his response to it.
Strongrip said gruffly, “He speaks this foreign noise. I admit he knows things I can’t.”
“Well said, but is he adult, worthy to be our comrade?”
The answer was grumpy and belated, but it came: “I guess so!”
“Then lock claws!”
And evening breeze carried the combat-stink away.
“Captain!” Wellearn whispered as the general council of the Hearthomers reassembled.
“Yes?”
“Did you know I was going to be driven to challenge—?”
“Silence, or I’ll call you ‘boy’ again!” But Skilluck was curling with amusement even as he uttered the harsh words. “You haven’t finished growing up, you know!”
“I’m doing my best!”
“I noticed. That’s why I didn’t let Strongrip shred your mantle. He could have, creshmarks or no! So you just bear in mind your talent is for reasoning, not fighting. Leave that sort of thing to us seafarers, because at pith you’re a landlubber, aren’t you?”
“I—I suppose I am,” Wellearn confessed.
“Very well, then. We understand each other. Now translate this. It’s exactly what Burney most wants to hear. Begin: ‘We can’t of course speak for all the briq-captains of the Wego, but we will promote with maximum goodwill the advantages of the agreement you suggest, provided that at the end of summer we may take home with us tokens of what benefits may accrue therefrom, such as creshban, better cleanlickers, useful food-seeds, spyglasses and so on. Next spring we’ll return with our captains’ joint verdict. In the event that it’s favorable’—don’t look so smug or I’ll pray the stars to curse you for being smarter than I thought but not half as smart as you think you are!—’we shall appoint Wellearn to reside here as our agent and spokesman. Thank you!'”
V
At every summer’s end the Wego captains came together for a bragmeet where the wise’uns too old to put to sea might judge whose briq had ventured furthest, who fetched the finest load of fish ashore, who brought the rarest newest goods traded with chance-met strangers. It was the high point not only of their year, but the chaplains’ also. For generations the latter’s influence had been shrinking, particularly since too many stars fell from the sky for most people to look forward to inhabiting one after death. But when it came to matters of ancient tradition, naturally they were called on to preside.
This meet, though, was different. Now there was no boasting, only mourning. On land things had been bad enough, what with crop-failure, floods and landslips, but at sea they were infinitely worse. Braverrant had not returned albeit her master was Boldare, wily in weather-ways. No more had Governature with Gallantrue and Drymantle, nor—next most envied after Tempestamer—Stormock, whose commander had been Cleverule, sole among them to make two-score voyages.
Nor Wavictor, nor Knowater, nor Billowise … and even Tempestamer herself had not reported back.
Yet weather-sense warned them: the summer was done. The customary congress must convene.
Frost on every tree, snow on the beach above the tide-line, even icefloes—but it was too soon! As Tempestamer closed the last day’s gap between her and the waters where she had been broken, uncertainly as though aware something was amiss, Wellearn gazed in horror at the shoreline through drifting mist.
“Captain!” he cried. “Have you ever seen so much ice at this season, or so much fog?”
“Never,” answered Skilluck sternly. “Maybe what your friends at Hearthome spoke of is coming true.”
“I thought—our friends…?”
“Those who have knowledge sometimes batten on it to gain power,” Skilluck said.
“They spoke of partnership, not mastery!”
“What difference, when we are weak and they are strong? Count me the briqs you see at Ushere wharf and argue then!”
Indeed, the fleet numbered half its usual total, and the houses were white with rime and some were tilted owing to landslips, and the sky was dense and gray and the wind bit chill into the inmost tubules of those who lately had enjoyed the warmth of Hearthome.
“What’s more, there’s nobody to welcome us!” Skilluck blasted, having surveyed the city with his spyglass. “They must have called the bragmeet, giving us up for lost!”