Traveler of the Blue Road
Part 3 - Chagum and the Hawk
Chapter 3 - Stars in a Strange Sky
The sailors on the deck above Chagum made a lot of noise as the ship entered the harbor. He heard many people calling out to one another and talking in low voices. The door to the cabin and the board over his porthole were both closed and locked so that no one would discover him, making his cabin unbearably hot.
The ship was probably taking on cargo. He heard footsteps outside his door and the sounds of heavy objects hitting the hull. Sea birds flew above the ship; he could hear their cries clearly.
After the din above Chagum’s head quieted somewhat, Senna knocked on his door.
“It must be so hot,” she said. She pulled the door open, but she didn’t come in. She stood on the steps above his door; he could see nothing of her except her bare feet.
Chagum took a deep breath. In addition to the usual smell of salt in the air, he identified something sweet, like perfume. The ship rocked gently back and forth.
Senna’s feet moved suddenly, drawing his gaze. A tiny white mouse scurried around her ankles. The mouse began climbing up her right shin. When she twitched her right knee, the mouse leaped over to her left leg, then shimmied down her shin to the floor. When the mouse climbed up her right shin again, Senna repeated her movements. The mouse jumped playfully across the gap between her legs as if it was playing some kind of game.
“That’s a well-trained mouse,” Chagum said.
Senna laughed. “Poi, go say hi.”
The mouse rushed down the stairs and paused outside Chagum’s door. The mouse approached slowly, maintaining a slight distance. The mouse bowed its head to Chagum, then turned around and went back to Senna.
Chagum smiled without realizing it. He watched Senna feed the mouse something from her hand. Seeing her like this, it was hard to think of Senna as the captain of a pirate ship.
“What is a Tsuara Kashina, exactly?” he asked in Sangalese. “You seem awfully young to be the captain of a ship.”
Senna opened the door to his room fully and poked her head in. “Since when do you speak Sangalese?”
Chagum smiled. “Well, I guess I can speak it a little. I learned it a long time ago.” He chose to speak simply and informally.
Senna looked a little more at ease as she said, “Tsuara Kashina are born on the island of Amarai. I’m not sure if there’s a reason for that, but it’s always been that way.”
Senna licked her dry lips and continued, “When a woman from Amarai is with child, she is watchful for sudden fortunate events--bringing in a huge catch of fish, say, or acquiring a vast hoard of treasure. Such signs of good fortune are credited to the child, who is called the Yaltash Ku Ra, the blessed child of the sea. Such children cannot be raised on the islands, or their blessings will never benefit anyone. Tsuara Kashina bring their ships good fortune whenever they set sail. I’ve been on board one ship or another ever since I was old enough to walk. When I got old enough to give commands during raids, I was made the captain of this ship.”
Chagum looked at Senna with genuine interest. “So you’re lucky or blessed in some way? People believe that you bring them good luck?”
“They don’t just believe it,” Senna said nonchalantly, “they know it. It’s true.” Her voice was firm. “Yaltash Ku Ra truly are blessed by the sea. No matter what misfortune may befall, the blessing I’ve received will act against it. I was born to help keep my friends and allies safe from all the dangers of the sea.”
Chagum tilted his head a little. “That sounds...incredibly difficult.”
Senna’s eyebrows rose. “Difficult? Why?”
Chagum frowned. “Isn’t it hard, having everyone depend on you like that?”
Senna blinked. “Well, there are some parts of it that I don’t like. My home is currently occupied by the Talsh empire. My ancestors were all pirates, but piracy is illegal in Talsh. After a while, they caught me. They probably would have killed me if I wasn’t so lucky.” She frowned. “And it’s not just the ship that depends on me. My home island does, too. I can’t say that’s not a little troublesome from time to time.”
Senna’s frown vanished. Her eyes sparkled. “But whenever my friends and I narrowly escape danger and I see the relief on everyone’s faces, I’m proud. Even now, whenever I feel lonely or troubled, I remember how much money we’ll be getting at the end of this job. It eases my mind. Even the younger men on board will be able to get married if they want to.”
Chagum was shocked that she would reveal so much in such a casual tone. Was it really appropriate to talk about how much she would be paid for abducting him to his face?
“Are you ever worried that someone else’s bad luck will outweigh your good luck?” he asked.
Senna frowned at him. She looked surprised.
“Wasn’t your home taken over by the Talsh? You’ve become their tool, used to get information--and hostages. I know they pay you for it, but doesn’t this situation strike you as unfortunate? Do you feel nothing about the hostages you take or the lives you destroy to do this work?”
Senna shook her head. “Nope.” She paused. “Sorry, but in this world, you either eat or get eaten. Should I feel sorry for the fish I stab with my harpoon before I eat them?”
“People aren’t fish, you inconsiderate moron!” Chagum shouted, suddenly enraged.
“How are they different?” Senna shouted back. “They’re both living things. A person run through with a harpoon will die the same as any fish. Unless they get away and escape, they’re caught.”
“And what about your people? Haven’t they been caught by the Talsh empire?” Chagum glared at Senna, letting his rage show plainly on his face.
She laughed at him. “I guess so. Talsh is huge, so they swallowed us up. It was inevitable.”
“I see,” Chagum said. “So because the Talsh beat you fair and square, you do whatever they say without question?”
Senna stood up straight and shook her head emphatically. “I know I said I’m working for them now, but that’s not something I usually do. And I don’t obey all their orders. You’re wrong.”
Chagum felt vaguely nauseated. “I doubt I’m wrong. You’ve got a Talsh spy ordering you around.”
Senna’s face turned bright red. “So what? We’re just making money here. We don’t like or take orders from the Talsh.”
“Yes, you do. Money’s just your excuse.”
“It’s not an excuse!”
Chagum stared straight at Senna and said quietly, “So if I promise to pay you more money than Hugo’s offering you, you’ll let me escape?”
Senna’s face went slack with shock. “Aside from money, there are three things my people value: courage, repaying debts, and keeping promises.” Her expression hardened into something cold and forbidding. “I made a promise to Hugo, and I won’t break it.” She turned her back to Chagum and left the cabin, slamming the door shut behind her.
Even with Senna gone, Chagum’s anger lingered. It must be nice to live by such a simple and idiotic code, he thought. Yelling at Senna hadn’t made him feel any better, though. When his rage dissipated, he felt strangely empty. Venting his frustrations on Senna wouldn’t do anything to help him escape. She’d never understand his point of view now that he’d yelled at her.
Chagum shook his head. Her way of thinking may be simplistic, but I highly doubt she’s stupid.
Sitting alone in his dark, stuffy cabin, Chagum thought about what he could do to improve his situation. He should use the time until his injury healed to healed to create an escape plan.
Even if he managed to escape this ship successfully, he had no idea where he was. He saw Hugo’s sharp, determined eyes clearly in his imagination. Hugo was utterly strange to him. He didn’t understand his motives at all, but he also didn’t think he was evil. He’d schemed and plotted to take Chagum, but he’d also been unexpectedly honest about all of his actions and decisions. He said he was a Talsh spy, but Chagum got the impression that he wasn’t the sort of person to shut up and follow orders. He hadn’t even gloated about the success of his plan so far--on the contrary, he’d been excessively courteous, considering the circumstances.
Hugo was Yogoese, but he displayed none of the nervousness that Chagum was used to seeing when common people addressed members of the Mikado’s family. He wasn’t afraid to look Chagum in the eyes. He didn’t seem like a noble or a courtier, though. He claimed to be a soldier as well as a spy, but he didn’t seem proud of that fact. Aside from Senna, Hugo was the only person he’d talked to on this long voyage; Hugo seemed to be the only person who was actively guarding him.
Chagum didn’t know if there were any other Talsh soldiers on the ship, but he’d seen and heard no sign of them. He guessed that Hugo was the only one on board. If he assumed there were no other Talsh soldiers here, then there must be a reason. Why did Hugo think it was safer to confine him and keep his existence secret rather than having a ship full of soldiers watch over him?
This is getting me nowhere. I don’t understand what Hugo’s trying to do.
Hugo had told him that he only had one option to save New Yogo from being destroyed by the Talsh, but he didn’t understand what that meant, either.
Chagum sat and sweated and worried for hours, but he didn’t find any answers, just more questions. What was expected of him here? More importantly, what could he do?
When the ship left the harbor, the sun was about to go down. They weren’t even staying for a day, which was a very short rest for the crew, but the day had felt long to Chagum. The pirates complained loudly about not being able to remain in the harbor overnight.
Hugo seemed afraid of Chagum’s existence being leaked to the people in the harbor town. He pacified the grumbling sailors by paying them each a bit of extra money. Since Hugo was a spy of the Talsh empire, their ship wasn’t inspected when they docked, but Hugo’s status might not protect the ship as it moved further south. Any harbor they stopped at after this would probably be swarming with Talsh soldiers.
The sailors had dinner as soon as the ship pushed out to sea. It seemed like it would be another ordinary night. Everyone went to bed after dinner aside from the sailors on duty.
When the ship was silent above him, Chagum stood up. He stumbled a little from light-headedness and leaned against the wall. His left shoulder still hurt when he moved it, but after his initial disorientation passed, he felt relatively steady on his feet. He pushed himself off the wall, opened his door and left the cabin.
Chagum climbed the narrow steps that led up to the deck with great care. His legs shook and wobbled as he ascended. He was mortified at his obvious weakness. He paused in the middle of the stairs, breathing heavily.
When he finally reached the deck, he was so dizzy that the stars in the night sky looked like they were dancing. He crouched down to catch his breath. He heard nothing except the wind and waves. The cool evening air felt wonderfully refreshing.
Chagum saw a light like a spark out of the corner of his eye. He rubbed his eyes and squinted at the other side of the deck. There was someone standing there. Chagum saw the brief flash of light again: it lit up Hugo’s face for a split second in the darkness. He used his hands to push himself upright and started walking across the deck. He felt like he was about to fall with every step. Hugo turned to face him, looking a little surprised.
Chagum walked right up to Hugo and put his back against the side of the ship for support. Hugo stared at him in silence until he caught his breath. Hugo hadn’t realized how tall Chagum actually was until now. He was only a few inches taller than Chagum, and he was considered tall among the Yogoese. Chagum would probably be taller than him in a year or two.
Chagum avoided Hugo’s gaze and stared up at the sky. “I’ve never seen some of these stars before. The sky looks completely different.”
Hugo looked up. “For me and the others on this ship, all these stars are familiar. We’re getting closer to home.”
Hugo set his choru pipe aside. “Do you smoke?” he asked.
Chagum shook his head. “I hate cholu.”
“You call it cholu in New Yogo? We call it choru.” Hugo smiled, then dropped his gaze to the dark sea.
Chagum didn’t fully understand why he’d decided to talk to Hugo. He definitely wanted to understand him more. “I wonder what Kainan Nanai was thinking when he decided to cross this ocean. Even the stars are different on the other side. Yet he decided to go, and he brought a lot of people with him, too.”
Chagum glanced sidelong at Hugo. The strangeness of talking to Hugo in this way affected him deeply. He almost felt like Hugo was a long-lost relative from a different place and time.
He was so far away from home now. Kainan Nanai must have looked up and read something in these stars that made him decide to cross the Yaltash ocean. “Is Yogo very different from New Yogo?” Chagum asked.
Hugo kept looking out at the sea as he answered, “Some things are the same; some things are different. Food and architecture and the language are pretty much the same.” Hugo exhaled smoke slowly. “The biggest difference is that New Yogo has never been at war. Yogo was always waging war against its neighbors. When I found out that New Yogo had never gone to war with Rota, Sangal or Kanbal, I was shocked.”
Chagum frowned. “I imagine it would be easy to crush a country that has no experience of war.”
Hugo turned to face Chagum. “Not...exactly.” He blinked. “You probably won’t believe me, but I hate war more than anything.” His voice was barely louder than a whisper.
Chagum never expected to hear such a thing from Hugo. Wasn’t he a soldier and a spy?
“Then why do you work for the Talsh empire?” Chagum asked.
Hugo opened his mouth to say something, then closed it. He looked down at the deck. “That’s a long, long story,” he said. “I wouldn’t even know where to begin.” He scratched his nose, then asked, “If you were swallowed up by monster, what would you do? You’ve been devoured, remember. The only thing you can do after that is watch the monster consume others.”
Chagum’s eyebrows drew together. “You could try to cut its stomach open from the inside.”
Hugo chuckled. “It’s a good thought, but the monster’s too big. You could cut at it for a lifetime and not harm it at all.” Hugo faced the sea again. “So I do what I can. I think you understand me up to a point, right?”
Chagum felt as if he were a stone that had just been dropped into a pool of still water. The ripples spreading out connected him and Hugo. “I still don’t understand why you kidnapped me,” he said.
“I did it because it’s significant,” Hugo said. He looked Chagum in the eyes. “In the eyes of the Talsh empire, it’s an incredible achievement. Heroic, even.”
He paused, then said, “The Talsh princes aren’t like the Yogoese nobility. If there’s any way for them to avoid the pointless cost of resources and lives in war, they’ll take it. If you go home and force your father to abdicate in your favor, New Yogo won’t be destroyed.”
A chill went through Chagum’s entire body. He didn’t know what to say.
Hugo seemed irritated by his passivity. “The wind’s picked up," he said. "I’m going to bed."
Chagum remained rooted to the spot, silent and still. Some time later, he pushed off the side of the boat and took slow, careful steps across the deck, back toward the stairs and his cabin. He gritted his teeth against the pain that jolted his shoulder as he descended the stairs. He understood why Hugo wanted to make him New Yogo’s next Mikado now.
He collapsed on the bedding in his room and covered his face with his hands. He didn’t cry or make a single sound. His racing thoughts kept him up all night.
The shrill call of a bird startled Chagum awake. His cabin was still pitch dark, but the horizon was purple-orange; it was almost sunrise. He could hear footsteps on the deck above him. Some of the sailors were speaking to each other, but it was hard to make out their words over the cries of the sea birds.
Chagum was curious about what was happening, so he got up silently and tiptoed over to his door. He pushed it open a little and hid underneath the stairs so that he could hear better.
The people speaking were using Yogoese, not Sangalese. He recognized one of the voices as Hugo’s. The other speaker’s voice was familiar, too, but he couldn’t quite place it.
“Yeah, seems so. Seems like they’re pressing their luck, I mean. It’s obvious that the Talsh are jealous of their freedoms.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. They’ve been conquered far more thoroughly than Yogo,” Hugo said. “We have a long history with them; it’s important to respect that. We should send back an answer as soon as possible.”
“Fine, fine. There’s no reason to kick up such a fuss.”
Chagum heard footsteps approaching and quickly slipped back into his cabin. He stretched out on his bed and pretended to be asleep. The approaching footsteps stopped outside his door, then kept echoing past it toward the room next door. The door of the room next to his opened and slammed shut.
What were they talking about? He hadn’t really understood the conversation, but Hugo’s tone troubled him.
Chagum heard the cry of a hawk echo across the ocean. He saw it flying away from the ship through his porthole. Was it carrying a message? Maybe it was carrying a reply to one of the nations that Talsh had conquered. Chagum didn’t think it was headed for Yogo; it was probably going to one of the many other nations that Talsh had taken over.
They’ve been conquered far more thoroughly than Yogo. Hugo’s words echoed in Chagum’s ears. Were a country’s government, laws and culture all assimilated into the existing Talsh system when it was conquered? Why would a country like that send a message to this ship in the first place?
Chagum suddenly realized that he knew next to nothing about the southern continent. He didn’t understand their politics or their policies at all. He didn’t even know what they were.
Still, it seems like Talsh isn’t a monolith. There are differences between the nations they conquer.
Chagum didn’t understand how the Talsh empire functioned at all. Didn’t the Talsh just go around conquering and destroying indiscriminately? Wouldn’t that cause hatred and resentment among the people they conquered? Why didn’t people fight back?
So many nations had been swallowed up by the monster. Maybe there were a lot of people who held a grudge lurking in the belly of the beast.
How different, culturally speaking, are the Old Yogoese and the Talsh people? Are their countries siblings in the way France and England (as two western nations) would be considered siblings or is the cultural gap more like the one between Japan and Egypt?
ReplyDeleteYogo and the Talsh have only one thing in common: warfare. Yogo was the weaker beast and got swallowed up by the Talsh. If you're curious about Yogo's culture, read "Manipulator, Manipulated" from Traveler of the Void; it goes through the class structure and attitudes toward religion and magic in some detail. As for the Talsh, their territory is so large that it's hard to say that they have an amalgamated culture at all, though you'll be seeing their capital city (and the old capital of Yogo) in just a few chapters.
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