Out of Nowhere (Ele Io'Lani)

[Avari]

Season of Fall, Day 15, 511 AV

The shadows of the day were growing longer and the sky above was darkening into the somber violet-blue of dusk as Avari prowled about the edges of Zeltiva's docks, her eyes fixed on the ships moored at the long piers. An evening fog was gathering about the harbor, shrouding the first stars of twilight from view and rendering the outlines of ships, buildings, and people misty and indistinct. The last light of the setting sun shone on the waters of Mathews Bay as they lapped gently at the ships' sides, providing a murmurous, musical undertone beneath the soft susurrus of the last few stevedores' and sailors' voices. Only a few ships had come in today on the evening tide, and their cargo had already been offloaded into waiting wagons. Now that darkness was falling, the last few laborers were heading home and the sailors swaggered into the city, looking for a bit of a sport, a willing woman, or a tankard of kelp beer.

Veiled in swirling coils of fog, Avari squinted through the grey murk to see the names and shapes of each new ship docked in the harbor. By now, she haunted the docks of Zeltiva so regularly that she was learning to tell apart different ships and even noticing familiar vessels that regularly made a stop at the city harbor. She had learned another thing about these ships too: at night, they were lightly guarded, if at all, and the sailors who stayed aboard were generally a drunken, snoring lot. While by day, they might be a capable and cohesive crew, by night these sailors were nothing that a sufficiently stealthy, sensible sneak thief like Avari should fear. It ought to be a simple matter for her to sneak inside and help herself to whatever riches lay in the ship's hold or safe-room.

The only question was, which ships were likely to carry such riches? Avari was not about to sneak into a fat-belled merchant vessel, only to find that its plunder consisted of wine casks or some other heavy, burdensome goods that would be impossible to conceal. Nor was she interested in the personal vessels like the fishing boats or Svefra crafts, which were more likely to contain shovels and baskets than gold or treasure. Her eyes were only for the great sailing ships, especially the sea-worn ones that looked as if they had returned to Zeltiva on the last leg of a long, profitable trading route.

Suddenly, her eyes widened in surprise and then narrowed in calculating cunning when she recognized a lean, green-painted merchant's sloop of distinctively Zeltivan make. Avari was sure that she had seen the ship before. She was equally sure that it was important somehow, from the way it tugged insistently at her memory. But why? She strained to remember.

With a start that stirred the rising fog around her, Avari abruptly recalled seeing the green sloop docking at the harbor a season ago. The sailors coming to shore had boasted that they had just come from Konti Isle and they were sure to make a fortune off the beautiful art and crafts in their hold. They had boasted of other things as well, like romancing the pale women or hearing their glorious fortunes told, that had made Avari wince. No wonder she remembered this particular ship so well.

Well, it seemed that this green-painted ship was back at Zeltiva and her hold no doubt bulged with the profits of those lovely Konti products. A faint smile curved the ends of Avari's lips as she stared at the ship's empty, unattended gangplank speculatively. No doubt their captain had been able to demand outrageous prices for his goods in foreign lands, particularly those where few Konti could be found. No Konti was ever going to see the massive profits that their hard work and consummate craftsmanship had brought in, let alone enjoy them as they deserved.

No Konti, Avari thought mischievously, except me.

The veils of fog parted around her as she tiptoed quietly across the long wooden pier toward the green merchant's sloop. Cautiously, Avari climbed up the gangplank, listening carefully for sounds from within the ship. It seemed everything was quiet inside. She peered around herself, impatiently waving away tendrils of damp fog. Few people lingered along the docks, from what little she could see, and even the sea itself seemed quiet and still.

If she'd dared, Avari would have rubbed her hands together gleefully and laughed aloud. This was going to be so easy.