but…” His voice trailed off. “That’s odd,” he said a moment later.
Trundle peered down at the approaching skyboat. “What is?”
“They weren’t armed and armored last time I was here,” mused Jack. “Hmm. I wonder what’s up.”
There was no more time to speculate before the ornate skyboat came alongside the Thief in the Night . Trundle saw that the crew was clad in metal breastplates and wore ridged iron helmets. They looked stern and a little frightened, and they all carried long spears.
A fresh-faced young otter in golden livery stepped forward. “I am Grand Junior Warden of the Great Eastern Spice Dock,” he announced. “What is your business here?”
Esmeralda joined them at the bows. “Hello there,” she chirruped merrily. “We’re just passing through, you know. We need food and water, that’s all, then we’ll be on our way.”
The Grand Junior Warden eyed her distrustfully. “Is that so?” he said. “Do you not know that the United Mercantile Principality of Swallowhaven is on a war footing, and that anyone approaching our city without express permission of the merchant princes is liable to be thrown into jail without trial or hearing?”
“Lawks!” exclaimed Jack. “No, we didn’t know that.”
The Grand Junior Warden raised an eyebrow. “Well, you do now.” He lifted an ebony baton. “In the name of the Grand Master President of the United Alliance of Merchant Princes, I commandeer this vessel and demand that all who sail in her be secured and held incommunicado under the articles of war!”
“Here, hold on!” said Esmeralda as the crewmen bristled menacingly at the Grand Junior Warden’s back. “We’re innocent travelers. There’s no need to take us prisoner!”
“Don’t take it personally,” said the Grand Junior Warden. “If you can convince the tribunal that you’re not in league with the pirates, you’ll probably be set free as soon as the battle is over.” He chewed his lower lip anxiously for a moment. “Providing we win the battle, of course. If we lose it…” His shoulders slumped in a way Trundle found disturbing. “Well, it really won’t matter, will it? We’ll probably be captured and sold into slavery—those of us who aren’t slaughtered, executed, maimed, crushed, mangled or tossed off the edge of the island.”
“Um, excuse me a moment,” said Esmeralda. “Did you say pirates? You don’t by any chance mean a particular pirate captain who goes by the name of Grizzletusk, do you?”
The Grand Junior Warden’s eyes narrowed. “Aha! Then you do know him!”
“Well, we know of him,” Trundle added quickly. “It’s not like he’s our chum or anything.”
“Quite the reverse, in fact,” said Jack. “Truth to tell, he’s been chasing us for some time now.” He nodded fervently. “We’re sworn and bitter enemies, you know. Ask anyone.”
“I’m very glad to hear it,” said the Grand Junior Warden.
“So what’s old Grizzletusk up to?” asked Esmeralda. “No good, I’ll be bound.”
“Word has reached us that he has assembled a fleet of twenty-five windships,” said the Grand Junior Warden. “They’re heading this way right now, apparently, intent on plunder…and worse.”
“Lummee!” said Jack. “Twenty-five, you say?”
The Grand Junior Warden nodded glumly.
“Er, what’s going on down there?” askedEsmeralda. Trundle and the others followed her gaze.
From all points along the margins of the city, windships and skyboats were rising in their hundreds into the sky, darting this way and that and skimming off into the distance like swarms of disturbed insects.
“That will be the last of the civilians heading off to safety before the battle gets going,” said the Grand Junior Warden. “Just to be on the safe side, the old people and children and all of our most valuable treasures will be hidden away in Mousehole Reach, a little island half a day’s sailing from here.” He nodded thoughtfully.
Trundle peered down at the approaching skyboat. “What is?”
“They weren’t armed and armored last time I was here,” mused Jack. “Hmm. I wonder what’s up.”
There was no more time to speculate before the ornate skyboat came alongside the Thief in the Night . Trundle saw that the crew was clad in metal breastplates and wore ridged iron helmets. They looked stern and a little frightened, and they all carried long spears.
A fresh-faced young otter in golden livery stepped forward. “I am Grand Junior Warden of the Great Eastern Spice Dock,” he announced. “What is your business here?”
Esmeralda joined them at the bows. “Hello there,” she chirruped merrily. “We’re just passing through, you know. We need food and water, that’s all, then we’ll be on our way.”
The Grand Junior Warden eyed her distrustfully. “Is that so?” he said. “Do you not know that the United Mercantile Principality of Swallowhaven is on a war footing, and that anyone approaching our city without express permission of the merchant princes is liable to be thrown into jail without trial or hearing?”
“Lawks!” exclaimed Jack. “No, we didn’t know that.”
The Grand Junior Warden raised an eyebrow. “Well, you do now.” He lifted an ebony baton. “In the name of the Grand Master President of the United Alliance of Merchant Princes, I commandeer this vessel and demand that all who sail in her be secured and held incommunicado under the articles of war!”
“Here, hold on!” said Esmeralda as the crewmen bristled menacingly at the Grand Junior Warden’s back. “We’re innocent travelers. There’s no need to take us prisoner!”
“Don’t take it personally,” said the Grand Junior Warden. “If you can convince the tribunal that you’re not in league with the pirates, you’ll probably be set free as soon as the battle is over.” He chewed his lower lip anxiously for a moment. “Providing we win the battle, of course. If we lose it…” His shoulders slumped in a way Trundle found disturbing. “Well, it really won’t matter, will it? We’ll probably be captured and sold into slavery—those of us who aren’t slaughtered, executed, maimed, crushed, mangled or tossed off the edge of the island.”
“Um, excuse me a moment,” said Esmeralda. “Did you say pirates? You don’t by any chance mean a particular pirate captain who goes by the name of Grizzletusk, do you?”
The Grand Junior Warden’s eyes narrowed. “Aha! Then you do know him!”
“Well, we know of him,” Trundle added quickly. “It’s not like he’s our chum or anything.”
“Quite the reverse, in fact,” said Jack. “Truth to tell, he’s been chasing us for some time now.” He nodded fervently. “We’re sworn and bitter enemies, you know. Ask anyone.”
“I’m very glad to hear it,” said the Grand Junior Warden.
“So what’s old Grizzletusk up to?” asked Esmeralda. “No good, I’ll be bound.”
“Word has reached us that he has assembled a fleet of twenty-five windships,” said the Grand Junior Warden. “They’re heading this way right now, apparently, intent on plunder…and worse.”
“Lummee!” said Jack. “Twenty-five, you say?”
The Grand Junior Warden nodded glumly.
“Er, what’s going on down there?” askedEsmeralda. Trundle and the others followed her gaze.
From all points along the margins of the city, windships and skyboats were rising in their hundreds into the sky, darting this way and that and skimming off into the distance like swarms of disturbed insects.
“That will be the last of the civilians heading off to safety before the battle gets going,” said the Grand Junior Warden. “Just to be on the safe side, the old people and children and all of our most valuable treasures will be hidden away in Mousehole Reach, a little island half a day’s sailing from here.” He nodded thoughtfully.
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