Waterborne (Wanderlust 3)

Chapter Eight

Tanden seemed more himself the next day, after getting over the annoyance of being tricked. Soren thought of it less like a trick and more like gentle encouragement to fall asleep. But he took Tanden's grumbling in stride, cheerfully helping him through their normal morning routine before making him sit on the quarter deck and distracting him with the sea chest.

They were getting close to their destination. That morning, the Gold and Silver Islands were visible as a hazy blot on the horizon, broken off from the mainland. Soren spent most of the day at the helm, watching the islands get closer and listening in as Tanden moved on from the chest and continued his Alvarian lessons. Despite not understanding the language, he understood Tanden's tone. He sounded more alert and more enthusiastic than he had in days. He wasn't entirely himself—his ankle was still keeping him stationary—but he was definitely feeling better with the fire's anniversary out of the way.

Soren wasn't in the habit of keeping track of the days, so the anniversary had surprised him. Two years since the port fire meant nearly three years since they had met. Soren knew that, but he never really thought about it. Three years of Tanden and the Wanderlust somehow simultaneously felt like way too long, and not enough time. They had seen and been through so much.

But Soren tried not to think of the past, because ahead of them was something brand new and exciting. Alvara wasn't as mysterious as Tallen Tiya had been, but it was further away from home. And Soren had no idea what to expect, because Tanden didn't have a plan. It was equally nerve wracking and thrilling.

It wasn't until the next day that they get close enough to see Xaoto clearly. Tanden, ankle snugly wrapped for support, insisted on standing at the helm as they approached. Since it didn't require too much moving, Soren agreed, but he stood nearby, staring ahead at the islands in awe.

The Gold and Silver Islands—it suddenly occurred to Soren that he didn't know their Alvarian names—were huge and mountainous. The mountains were pockmarked with the mines that had given the islands their names, easily visible even at a distance.

But mountains and cliffs were nothing new. What was truly awe inspiring was the port city of Xaoto, from its appearance to its very location.

It spanned the distance between the two islands. Clusters of buildings on each side which may have started off as separate towns. Now, docks and piers stretched toward each other like fingers itching to clasp together. Three or four bridges crossed the channel. As they watched, one of the bridges was lifted like a drawbridge, allowing the largest Alvarian tallship Soren had ever seen to pass by before being lowered again.

Far above the city, stone watchtowers were built into the sheer mountainside. Above even those, the cliffs reached towards each other, almost mirroring the docks below. It looked as if the islands had once been joined by an enormous arch. Soren found himself hoping the arch had fallen long before Xaoto's construction.

As the huge Alvarian tallship passed by, Soren's practiced eye noted differences in the rigging, sails and hull. The other ship's hull sat higher in the water, making her deck taller than the Wanderlust's. But her masts weren't quite as long. Even though there was no reason for it, Soren felt a flash of pride in their beautiful Wanderlust, for still being the largest ship around.

Soren didn't realize Ivern had joined them on the quarter deck until he spoke. "We don't see Alvarian ships that big in Zianna."

"That's because they're scared of us," Tanden said.

Soren saw a puzzled look flash across Ivern's face, and knew he had made a similar expression. "Why?"

"Why? Because we came from across the ocean, somewhere no one's been back to in four hundred years, and we destroyed Zianna," Tanden said. "We aren't taught to think about our history like that, of course, but that is what happened. Deorun and Navire rallied and held us back and thank every deity in existence that they did, or we would have destroyed their temples and language and culture as well."