Tanith of Gold 05

It was already mid-morning by the time Rowan arrived at the harbour with his guards. He located the ship he sought very quickly as it was quite conspicuous, being an old-fashioned galley with two large lateen sails. Its rakish lines made it look much like a corsair's ship which were built for speed. Unusually there was high quarterdeck with several cabins. The entire ship was glistening black and there was a hive of activity about it as men scrubbed, cleaned and polished. There was something studied about the activity and Rowan noticed that as soon as he appeared on the quayside with his men, a man high up on the mast began to whistle a merry tune. Every man on the boat continued to work but Rowan realised that he was being scrutinised. He stopped within a polite distance and instructed his men to stand easy and wait for him, calling out loudly in Arabic, “Captain, a port inspection if you please.” Two sailors smoothly slid a gangway down to the quayside and motioned him to board.

Rowan hesitated. There was no need to fear anything here but he felt a sense of premonition. The morning sun beat on his exposed neck, the smell of new pitch on the planks was sharp and he could hear the gulls screaming above with awful clarity. The moment past swiftly and he stepped confidently onto the deck. The man guiding him made a sharp noise and indicated that he should remove his shoes. Rowan was accustomed to many different rituals and customs but the necessity to be barefoot on a ship was new to him. He excused himself and complied. The black deck was very hot under his feet so he followed his guide with alacrity towards the main cabin. The door opened as they arrived up the stairs and was filled by a towering figure. Rowan found himself gazing up at a vast expanse of chest clothed in plain linen. Peering down at him was a glittering pair of brown eyes and a swarthy face almost hidden in a black beard. The vast man retreated into the cabin and beckoned him inside.