Fourteen #2
I woke up when Bennoit came back into the pilot house, and I heard the calls to cast off and the next call to take up the slack.
I felt the gentle tug when we started being pulled out into the channel.
Bennoit and the helmsman were busy from that point on, so we stayed out of the way.
When we got out of the channel, I heard calls to bring in the tow line, then they had to raise the sails and get underway.
The ship wasn't a fast one, but given how narrow it was, I wasn't all that surprised.
The strange design was necessary to fit through the gateways that were the norm here, but it had to be long if they wanted to bring large amounts of cargo.
We finally sailed through the portal, and it was about twenty minutes before a ship showed up. This one was another jet-powered hydrofoil, like before, but it was considerably larger, as it had to take the ship we were on aboard. It was easily four times as long.
I watched as, once again, a voice called out "Heave to!" and the hydrofoil made a half circle while decelerating, sinking down off of its skies and onto the main hull as it carefully came up alongside with barely any wake at all.
Bennoit went out onto the deck as one of the crew caught the line the man aboard the other ship threw to them and fastened it to the cleats on the front of the boat.
"Let's go aboard," Geordi said, as the crew was already going up the ladder to the larger ship. Suzona and I went up last, and the two of us got a looking over as Bennoit and Geordi stood to the side, and the rest of their crew went into the large cabin.
"Hello, I'm William, and this is Suzona," I said before Bennoit opened his mouth. "I see that Halius finally moved up to a larger ship?"
"I'm Laodamas. You know Halius?"
"Well, I only met him once, when I came through here almost twenty years ago with another group. We were on a quest back then to find a special medicine."
"Ah, I think I remember my brother talking about that once. What brings you here this time?"
I glanced over at Bennoit and Geordi. "That would be some personal business," I said in a softer voice.
Laodamas noticed the glance and nodded. Turning to the other two, he said, "Bennoit, Geordi, I'm sure you're both in need of refreshments. Why don't you go inside?" He then turned back to Suzona and me. "Could I offer you a tour of my humble boat?"
I smiled. "I'd appreciate that a great deal. Your brother's boat was truly impressive back then. From the size of this one, and how well she handles, I'm betting I'll be impressed once more!"
Laodamas laughed. "Come, let me see to securing the other boat first."
Bennoit shrugged and left, Geordi had already gone inside.
Suzona and I watched as the line was drawn up, as the ship had moved in front of the boat we'd arrived on as we talked.
The ship did not have a transom, the same as Halius'.
The boat was quickly drawn up onto the sloped deck and made secure by the machinery back there.
"So what brings you back, William?"
"At our dinner with your king, I was offered a duel, and once I won it, I was offered the companionship of several lovely women, apparently in the hopes that I would leave them with child."
Laodamas nodded. "I'm familiar with the tradition."
"Well, I would like to check up on my children, if indeed I fathered any."
Laodamas looked at me, surprised. "Why would you wish to do that? I thought barbarians didn't do such things?"
"There is a bit more to William than most realize," Suzona said, coming to my rescue. "When we were asked to go to Ithaca to help with a sensitive issue, he was happy to do so, as that finally gave him the opportunity to visit."
"I dare say the king will find this interesting, though I cannot speak for how their mothers may feel."
"They'll probably be mad that I left them to raise my kids on their own," I replied with a wry grin. "I know my offspring can be a handful."
"Oh, I doubt they raised them alone. There's no shame in marrying a woman who has given birth to the child of a hero or champion."
"I hope so. Now, please, do show us around. Did you build this ship yourself?"
Laodamas smiled. "Yes, I started when my older brother received word that Ithaca had undergone a change in fortunes, and the new rulers were looking to begin trading once more."
I noticed Suzona looked suitably impressed. "Who's piloting the ship?" she asked noticing we were underway once more.
"He is," I said, motioning to Laodamas.
"But I didn't even feel us starting up!"
"That's because he's good," I said with a smile, which I could see pleased Laodamas.
"Obviously," Suzona agreed and let the matter drop.
The boat was lovely, and we ended up in a different cabin than the rest of the crew, where we made small talk with Laodamas over snacks for the remainder of the trip.
When we made port at Scherie, Laodamas held us back until Bennoit and his people had been dealt with. That done, he led Suzona and me up to the two people waiting there, one of whom I recognized.
"Greetings, Awie, it is nice to see you again," I said, shaking hands with him. "Allow me to introduce Suzona, one of my wives."
Suzona shook hands with Awie next, then stood a lot closer to me with her hand on my back.
"I recognize you now that you're here in my port," Awie said with a smile. "When Laodamas messaged me, I'll admit, it took me a while to recall your party. That was a while ago."
I nodded.
"Did you ever find the medicine your party leader was looking for? Stephanie, I believe her name was?"
"Yes, we did, though it wasn't at all easy. There were some severe hardships along the way."
"I am not surprised. I have notified the king's office of your arrival and the reason for it. Elsabeth here will be your guide and aid while you're here. She will be able to answer your questions and help you with anything you need."
"Thank you," I said with a slight bow. "Oh, how has trade been going with Ithaca? I must say, the place looks far better than when I was last there."
"It has been going well. How would you rate the new Ithacans?"
"Highly, I would rate them highly. We met with the high priest and high priestess of the gods who rule the city now, and they were both gracious and pleasant."
"That is good to know. Sadly, we cannot journey through the portals, so we can only judge them by how their people act when visiting."
"Well, thank you again," I said, smiling, and he handed us off to Elsabeth.
"Come with me, please. We have already set up a place for you to stay."
"I'm surprised we're getting this much attention," Suzona said, moving closer, so I put my arm around her and gave her a hug. Elsabeth led us to a limousine, where the driver was holding the rear door open.
"Will was a welcome guest the last time he was here, and due to our customs, he did end up fathering a child on one of the princesses. So that also entitles him to our hospitality."
"Who knew trying to visit your kids could be so involved?" I said with a chuckle as we got in and the driver closed the door.
"It is not a common occurrence, truth be known. There will be some who will ask what you are looking to gain from being here."
"I just want to make sure my kids are alright and see if they need anything from me. I also want to apologize for not being a part of their lives. I really can't stay that long; there's a lot we both need to get back to."
"Oh?"
"Do you know what a champion is? A god's champion?" Suzona asked.
Elsabeth shook her head. "No."
"I would suggest you ask your superior, then. That's why we can't stay long. There are always other things we must be about."
"I take it that is important, then?" she asked as the car pulled away from the curb.
"Only when we're working," I said with a smile at Elsabeth, who was sitting across from us. "Right now, I guess, this would count as a vacation."
The building we ended up at was the same one we'd stayed in before, a small, old-looking hotel across from the palace grounds. We were on the second floor again, but this time in a much smaller suite, with only two bedrooms off of it. One was for Suzona and me, and the other was for Elsabeth.
Once we got settled in the room, we unpacked the clothes we'd brought from Sandy, some of which weren't bad.
"Elsabeth, would these fit in here?" I asked, showing her two sets of clothing I had left. "Or should we just buy something nicer?"
"Umm, why do you have those outfits?"
"Because just like this place isn't like Ithaca, a lot of other places we've gone to aren't like Ithaca.
If we should get something nicer, how about we do that?
We've still got a fair amount of gold and gems on us that we could barter or get changed," I said, pulling out one of the necklaces I still had and showing it to her.
Elsabeth blinked. "Something nicer would be a good idea. Perhaps a couple of outfits."
"Great, so when can we go?" Suzona asked.
"I'll call for a couple of tailors. I didn't know you had any money," she said slowly.
"Go, call," Suzona said with a wave of her hand. "Remember what I told you about champions, and make sure they understand that, as well. While William has no desire to be rude, understand that I'm quite fine with being so, if people continue to misjudge who we are and what we represent."
"I'll… do that now."
With that, she went over to the phone and dialed a number.
"Sir? They'd like to buy some more fitting attire.
Yes, buy, they have money. No. Could you please send over a money changer and a couple of tailors?
What? Gems, and I think gold. Oh, and one of them said they're both champions, gods' champions.
No, I don't know what that means. Yes? No.
I don't think they're here for anything more than they claim. "
I watched as she was quiet for a minute. I could hear a conversation on the other end of the line, but not well enough to understand it.