Voyage of the Owl Read online

The band switched tunes and played a slow lilting melody. A young fishermaid sang a hauntingly beautiful song to welcome the coming of the Moon Goddess. Bands of young children carried baskets of fragrant wildflowers down to the sea and tossed them on the crashing waves.

  ‘Bless our fleet, oh bountiful Moonmother,’ prayed one of the village elders, his eyes closed and his arms raised to the east. ‘Share with us the harvest of the sea and the blooming of the earth. Thank you for the gift of precious and beautiful life. Let us never take it for granted.’

  The moon rose majestically from the eastern horizon, lighting a rippling golden path across the inky sea.

  ‘Look how beautiful it is,’ whispered Lily. ‘I have never before seen the moon rise from the sea like a great golden disk.’

  ‘The full moon again,’ added Ethan. ‘That means it is a full month since the vernal equinox, a full month since the Sedah invaded Tiregian.’

  Everyone was silent. It seemed a lifetime ago, that fateful dawn, when the Sedahs killed King Radnor in the forest clearing and took over the land. Then they had been innocent children. Now they seemed so much stronger, older and wiser.

  Roana felt the amethyst locket hidden inside her shirt. It held a plaited braid of black, gold and white hair, a lock from each member of her family. She blinked back tears at the thought of her father murdered in a treacherous ambush, her mother imprisoned in the dungeons of Tira and her younger brother kidnapped. The hope of her family, of her country, rested with her now. It seemed a very heavy burden.

  The music changed again, the band swinging enthusiastically into a lively dance tune.

  ‘Come on,’ shrieked a fishermaid, about Roana’s age. ‘Why so mournful? Tonight we dance around the bonfires. Tomorrow is soon enough for long faces!’

  She grabbed Ethan by one hand and Saxon by the other, and dragged them into the dancing, laughing crowd. Lily and Roana shrugged and giggled, following closely behind. They didn’t know the exact steps but improvised, copying the fisherfolk stamping their feet and clapping their hands. No-one minded.

  The rhythm of the music pounded in their blood, making their feet dance and their bodies sway, almost despite themselves.

  Aisha watched them patiently, flopped under a table licking up scraps of food as they fell from above. Charcoal played under a tree, beside the abandoned packs, leaping at shadows and chasing her tail.

  At last the children gave up dancing and fell down, laughing and tired, into the soft sand. Their friend, the old fisherwife, came over with a large plate of steaming hot fish and salty fried potato.

  ‘Eat up. No sign of Fox yet, but he’ll be here soon,’ she smiled. The children grinned their thanks and devoured the food gratefully.

  The fire jugglers threw their torches higher and higher into the air. The torches twisted and turned, flaming through the dark sky, and were deftly caught before spinning up into the air again.

  A gypsy touched a flaring torch to his mouth, and breathed out, a blazing, roaring fire demon dancing from his lips. The acrobats tumbled on the soft sand, spinning cartwheels and backflips with breathtaking speed.

  The music grew faster and faster as the dancers whirled wildly. People laughed and talked and chattered. The flames flickered and leapt. It was beautiful.

  A loud shout shattered the darkness.

  ‘Stop,’ shouted Sniffer. ‘Don’t anybody move!’

  The music ceased suddenly. Everyone froze. There was no sound except the lapping of waves. Then there were screams, chaos, yells and fleeing bodies. Ethan grabbed his bow and quiver, then clutched Lily by the hand.

  ‘Come on,’ he whispered furiously. ‘It’s Sniffer!’

  Ethan dived into the shadows under the food tables and crawled as fast as he could. Lily, Roana, Saxon and Aisha followed. Ethan did not know where he was leading them. Just away. Away from the screams. Away from the fleeing bodies. Away from the terrifying shadows of the black Sedah guards. Away from the memory of that terrible snuffling voice.

  The Sedah guards rampaged through the festival, knocking over a few tables of lovingly prepared food, kicking out fires and tipping over barrels of carefully hoarded ale.

  And over everything could be heard Sniffer’s voice screaming, ‘Find those children. Find that dog!’

  Ethan looked back for just a moment and noticed something surprising. The fisherfolk were running, screaming and yelling. But they weren’t running away. They were running back and forth. Running into Sedah guards. Knocking things flying. Knocking out lanterns. Causing chaos and confusion. Causing a diversion.

  The fisherfolk were making it very difficult for Sniffer and his guards to find Ethan and Lily, Roana and Saxon. They were putting themselves in danger to help the children escape.

  Sniffer stooped as if to pick something up. Their new friend, the fishwife, tipped a large platter of marinated octopus over Sniffer’s head. Red sauce dripped down his face. Slimy octopus clung to his hair, his eyebrows, his shoulders. Sniffer bellowed with rage. He spun around to abuse his attacker, but she was gone.

  Ethan reached the cold dark shadow of the beach beyond the bonfires and started to run. He glanced over his shoulder again to make sure everyone was following him.

  He ran and ran, his bow and quiver bumping on his back. Behind him the others ran blindly in the darkness, struggling in the soft sand. Their hearts hammered.

  A long arm grabbed Ethan from the dark. He grunted in shock. A strong body gripped him tightly and a huge hand covered his mouth with a suffocating oily rag. Ethan tried to scream. Aisha growled, low and menacing, her whole body rigid with threat.

  Lily stopped running and reached for her bow. Roana crashed into her back, sending her flying. Saxon skidded to a stop. They all stared in terror at the tall dark shadow who held Ethan captive.

  ‘Don’t scream,’ growled the shadow. ‘Don’t make a sound. I am Fox. I am told you seek me.’

  He released Ethan, who fell back, nearly gagging from the strong smell of the rag that had covered his mouth. Aisha relaxed, sniffing Fox uncertainly.

  Saxon took a deep breath.

  ‘Hello, Fox,’ he said nervously. ‘I am Saxon of Kenley, son of Rodney the tailor. We have been told that you might be able to help us. There is something belonging to my friend here that we would like to retrieve from the Sedahs.’

  ‘You are all rather young, are you not, to have the might of the Sedah army on your tails?’ barked Fox. ‘Do you have gold? I don’t risk my hide for anybody unless they have good hard crescents in their pockets!’

  Roana nodded weakly, a bit overawed by this tall stranger speaking from the shadows.

  ‘I hope you have plenty,’ Fox added. ‘I believe you already owe me for a wrecked rowboat, several daggers, a number of my cloaks and some silk shirts.’

  The four started, looking guilty. They were too shocked to speak.

  ‘Well, I don’t owe Emperor Raef any favours, so you may as well come along,’ Fox snapped. ‘We can work out the terms and conditions on the Owl.’

  Ethan and Lily glanced at each other, rolling their eyes slightly. But obediently they followed the dark shadow in front of them along the black shoreline. Away from the bonfires their eyes quickly adjusted to the paler light thrown by the marbled full moon, which was now silvery white and high in the sky.

  ‘Ethan,’ whispered Lily in a quavery voice, ‘I’ve lost Charcoal. I took her out of my pocket when we were dancing and left her sleeping on our packs. Our packs are lost back in Ainsley too.’

  Ethan squeezed Lily’s arm in sympathy.

  ‘I’m sorry, Lily,’ he whispered. ‘You know we can’t go back for her, or for the packs. She could be anywhere by now, frightened by all the noise and shouting. Someone will find her and look after her. We can find her when the Sedahs are gone, and it’s safe.’

  Lily blinked away sudden tears. She loved her little kitten. She had rescued Charcoal from the ruins of a burned-out village the Sedahs had destroyed. Her playful games and sweet nat
ure had cheered them up many a time when things had seemed tough.

  Fox led them along the beach. There was something odd about his dark shadow, as though he were misshapen or hunchbacked. Roana felt a clutch of fear around her heart, to be following this mysterious stranger to wherever he was taking them.

  At last Fox stopped. Drawn up high on the sand was a black rowboat, very similar to the one they had ‘borrowed’ near Goldcoin Cove.

  ‘Help me drag it down to the water,’ ordered Fox. ‘I hope you kids are handy with an oar. It’s a long row.’

  ‘Where are we going?’ asked Ethan curiously.

  Fox laughed and threw his arm out towards the horizon.

  ‘To the Owl. To the Owl, with a wily wild Fox!’ he vowed theatrically.

  The children looked puzzled.

  ‘Soft and silent she slips through the night, swooping after her prey. Dark and silent as a shadow. Mistress of the night!’ Fox ended with a flourish, like an owl diving after its prey.

  The children looked at each other in alarm. Could Fox be completely insane? Was he dangerous?

  ‘To my ship,’ explained Fox impatiently. ‘My ship, the Owl.’

  Out on the horizon, the children could just make out a darker shadow, a black hole against the star-spangled sky.

  There seemed to be nothing else they could do. It was either follow the half-crazy Fox to the Owl, or stay on the beach and risk being found by Sniffer and the Sedahs. Everyone bent their backs and started dragging the rowboat down towards the surf.

  The boat was ankle deep in water when a soft thud of a horse’s hooves made them pause. They pushed harder, thrusting the boat out towards safety.

  ‘Fox. Fox,’ called a soft voice. Fox gestured to the children to pause.

  The horse trotted closer. In the dim moonlight, they could just make out a familiar figure. It was the large shape of Master Drummond, riding Lily’s own Nutmeg.

  Nutmeg was a beautiful chestnut hunter, about seventeen hands high, with three white socks and a white blaze down her nose. Her fine breeding showed in her high-stepping gait, her strong, lean body and her intelligent eyes.

  Lily gave a cry of delight and ran to her beloved horse. Aisha bounded around in excitement, wagging her tail furiously and licking Nutmeg on the nose. Nutmeg whickered in welcome.

  Lily buried her face in Nutmeg’s neck, breathing in her sweet familiar scent, stroking her strong, steady body. Ethan also ran to stroke the horse, weaving his fingers in Nutmeg’s chestnut mane.

  Master Drummond stooped down.

  ‘We don’t have much time,’ he warned sternly. ‘Cookie told me that the Sedahs were after you again. You must have been careless. I rode to Ainsley and arrived just moments before the Sedahs. I tried to reach you through the crowd to warn you, but I was too late. All I could do was enlist the help of the villagers to create a diversion so you could escape.’

  Master Drummond smiled. ‘I spread a few rumours about why half the Sedah army was chasing four grubby urchins. Anyway, I thought you might need these.’

  Master Drummond handed down four shabby, travel-stained packs.

  ‘Did you find my kitten?’ asked Lily.

  ‘No,’ answered Master Drummond regretfully. ‘I will ask the fisherfolk to look out for her. Now you had better go. The villagers can’t hold the Sedahs off forever.’

  Lily clutched his arm.

  ‘How are our horses, Master Drummond?’ she asked anxiously.

  Master Drummond smiled at her.

  ‘Your other horses are all well too and happily guzzling on my very best oats,’ he laughed. ‘Now go.’

  ‘May the Moonmother bless you,’ smiled Lily in relief. ‘Please look after them for us. We will be back for them soon.’

  ‘Don’t you worry, little miss,’ assured Master Drummond. ‘Your horses will be fat and feisty when you return, ready for more adventures. Now you look after yourselves and make sure you do indeed return.’

  Ethan grinned. ‘We will, sire, don’t you worry. And thank you again for your help. We really do appreciate it.’

  Master Drummond looked down at Roana, standing on the beach. He bowed low from the waist.

  ‘And you, little master,’ he said softly. ‘May the Sun Lord keep you safe on your journey and return you to us very soon.’

  Roana blushed and nodded gravely. Fox glanced at Roana curiously, his keen eyes assessing her swiftly.

  Lily and Ethan gave Nutmeg one last caress, then threw their packs into the boat. Ethan encouraged Aisha to scramble into the bow. Fox leapt aboard, followed by Lily and Roana. Saxon and Ethan shoved the boat hard, to propel it out past the surf.

  Master Drummond waved farewell, then turned and galloped off up the beach, sand flying up from Nutmeg’s hooves. The boys had just leapt into the boat and grasped hold of the oars when a shout from the shore caught their attention yet again. It was Master Drummond.

  ‘Wait,’ he called softly. ‘We have something for you.’

  From the shadows a stout figure struggled up the beach. When it came nearer they could see it was the fishwife from Ainsley. She held something in her hands.

  ‘I found your kitten,’ she called proudly. ‘She were nearly speared by that Sniffer. But I tipped a tray of my best octopus over his head. Terrible waste of good food! But it stopped him. I followed as fast as I could.’

  Lily tumbled out of the boat to snatch little Charcoal into her arms. She gave the fishwife a huge, sodden hug.

  ‘Thank you. Thank you,’ Lily cried, kissing Charcoal on the nose.

  ‘We saw you clobber old Sniffer over the head with octopus,’ Ethan laughed. ‘It was one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen. I didn’t know you were doing it to save Lily’s kitten!’

  ‘’Twas my pleasure,’ the fishwife answered gravely. ‘I’d rather die than let a bunch of Sedah bullies get the better of a band of Tiregian rebels, even if they are children. Especially when one is, well, you know …’

  She glanced at Roana, then dropped her eyes shyly, bobbing a deep curtsey.

  Ethan and Saxon rowed strongly. The dark shadow on the water grew in size, until they could see the shape of the boat. On either side of the bow were painted two large round eyes, which glimmered eerily in the moonlight as if watching their arrival.

  ‘The Owl,’ announced Fox proudly, as the rowboat pulled alongside.

  At the stern was a rope ladder so they could clamber up easily. Fox led the way aboard the Owl, after firmly tying the rowboat to the stern. Aisha was hauled up by Lily and Ethan.

  The Owl was a two-masted schooner, about twenty-five metres long. It was fast and manoeuvrable, and could be handled by a small crew, making it an ideal smuggling boat. The Owl could outrun most ships on the ocean. It could slip into small hidden coves, collect its booty and slip away without being seen.

  Fox led the way down some steep stairs into a narrow passageway. To the left was a door to a small cabin, while to the right were two berths, one above the other. The passageway led forward to the main saloon cabin, with low head room. Here Fox lit a couple of lanterns, which cast a flickering orange glow in the small space.

  ‘Take a seat, me laddies and lassie,’ welcomed Fox, gesturing to the polished oak table and benches. ‘Let us discuss your business proposal.’

  In the warm lantern light they could see their host clearly for the first time. He was a tall man with bright red hair, swept back into a ponytail like a fox’s brush. He had a closely cropped red beard and a gold hoop earring in his left ear. His face was tanned from the sun and deeply wrinkled around his pale blue eyes.

  Fox wore black breeches and a thin black silk shirt, similar to the ones they had borrowed at Goldcoin Cove. Saira had said these silk shirts were worn by the smugglers as camouflage, and also to help protect against arrow wounds.

  His hands were strong and capable, with thickly calloused palms. He wore a sheathed cutlass at his waist, a dirk in an ornately carved scabbard in his belt and a dagger in his boot. De
spite his jokes and poetry, he was a formidable character.

  The most unusual thing about Fox was a small creature sitting on his shoulder, cuddling into his neck. It was this that had given Fox his misshapen silhouette on the beach. The creature was small and brown, with a wrinkled, wise face and two bright, inquisitive eyes peering at them. The children all stared at the creature in amazement.

  ‘This is Mia,’ laughed Fox, noticing their gaze. ‘Mia is my monkey, and the love of my life, after the Owl, that is. Careful, she bites, and she hates strangers.’

  The four children sat around the table, eyes agog, with Aisha staring anxiously at the strange creature. Haltingly, Saxon told the story of the Sea Dragon, the ship that should be sailing tomorrow for Sedah and the Nine Isles. He was not sure how much to tell Fox, and how much to withhold.

  ‘There is something on board that ship, which belongs to my friend Roan … Rowan,’ Saxon explained. ‘And we need to get it back. We were told you might be able to help us.’

  ‘Something on board that ship?’ asked Fox disbelievingly. ‘And you want me to get it back for you? I am a smuggler, not a pirate. It would be madness to attack a fully armed Sedah warship, laden with the stolen treasures of Tiregian. We would be blown to smithereens. Have you seen the cannon on that ship?’

  Saxon nodded hopelessly.

  ‘What about taking it by surprise?’ asked Ethan. ‘At night? In the middle of the ocean? They would never see us coming.’

  ‘We have gold,’ added Roana. ‘Gold to pay for your trouble now, and for the boat we lost.’

  Fox hesitated at the mention of gold. Mia the monkey patted him gently on the head.

  ‘As you said, the Sea Dragon is laden with treasure,’ Lily said, pressing the advantage. ‘There would be plenty for you and your men.’

  ‘Plus it would be a patriotic duty to stop those thieving Sedah invaders from stealing our Tiregian treasure,’ pronounced Roana passionately.

  ‘Why should I care about patriotic duty?’ swore Fox angrily. ‘What did King Radnor ever do for me? Fox and Owl and Mia just look after themselves.’

  Mia chattered angrily at the children who had dared upset her beloved master.