Chapter 8: Isliya

"Mom, mom, there's a ship," the girl shouted.

"How many times I tell you, Shagri," Isliya ran up to her daughter, "you can't run away from home!"

The ship, which looked like a big boat was approaching, and she saw someone, a familiar dwarf, waving at her. It was the king of the tonnebeards.

Tarrick got out of the boat and tried to pull it out onto land, Tulvarick jumped into the water, but because he was drunk he did not feel the coldness of the water and went to Isliya.

"Distrustful isters woman, I'm so glad that you are alive!" said the drunken king.

Henriker was helping Tarrick pull the boat ashore. A young larmarian woman appeared on the other side of the boat.

Tarrick smiled at Shagri.

"Girl, how are you doing?" the king asked Shagri.

"We doing well, dwarf deshaar!" answered Shagri, "there are no more dwarfs with beards and other dead people," and Shagri pointed to the cleared coast of corpses.

And then the king saw that Isliya, contrary to her own desire to live with the dead, which in her opinion frightened away the living, had decided to remove the bodies after all.

"Did you burn the Larmarians according to our customs?" Tarrick asked suddenly.

"I'm sorry, but no," she answered, "the fire would be visible from afar, maybe dragons or something else would fly at it."

"Well," Tarrick said sadly, "so much suffering so many of us have endured, the dead won't blame us."

"Tell me, how do you live here?" the king asked Isliya.

"Fine, Your Majesty," Isliya said politely, "thanks for the supplies."

"What a pleasant surprise! The king is being treated like a king!" Tulvarick suddenly almost fell on her and decided to say," I'm going to bed soon. It's kind of warm tonight, Isliya."

"It's rather chilly, Your Majesty. My daughter and I want to leave this town and go to the south, we don't heat our house, well, I mean this tavern, though there is a fireplace, we fear that we will be found. I only stayed here because of Shagri. I saw dragons flying towards the Larmar Islands, flying over us both to the north and south, and the east, but they did not burn this place. And the cities in Kaushmanashtoon are too open and populated, I just fear for Shagri."

"You're a mother and I do understand your concern!" said Tulvarick. "Do you want to lie down with me?" the king asked suddenly.

Isliya smiled.

"Not today, Your Majesty," she replied.

"Fine," the king said displeasedly and went towards the tavern.

"He insisted that we sail here instead of sailing north straight away to head for Forsholden," Tarrick said, "and though I only agreed with him because of the shorter sail to this fishing town, I am glad we are here. I hope you'll come north with us after all," and he turned to the mage, "Henriker, find some winter clothes, which we take for Uldra, we will pick up something for Isliya and... "

"Shagri, that's my daughter's name, thank you," she said with a smile.

"Yes, you just mentioned her name when you spoke to the king, I'm sorry. And do not consider it an insult, but you seem to have been replaced," Tarrick said.

"I didn't know who you were until you sailed away. Now I understand that in front of me are not just three killers."

Henriker gave Isliya a set of clothes and apologized that there was nothing for the child. A larmarian walking along the shore approached them.

"This is Uldra Farniss," Tarrick introduced her.

"Nice to meet you," Uldra said.

"I'm Isliya –"

"And I'm Shagri," the girl finished for her mother.

"Beautiful names," Uldra smiled, and then said to Tarrick, "I'll go then and sleep with Tulvarick."

He nodded and she went to the tavern.

"She and the king?" Isliya was surprised.

"You misunderstood, she can't sleep alone, she wants either me, or Tulvarick, or Henriker to be with her, and preferably all three. All the time! A misfortune happened to her, she... her..." he hesitated, "well, she needs to feel safe."

"I understand," Isliya said apologetically.

"You don't mind the king and Uldra staying at your house, do you?" Tarrick asked.

"No," Isliya replied.

"Henriker and I will occupy the building near the tavern."

Henriker looked at Shagri, smiling slightly at the girl, and then cast a small fireworks spell, and sparks burst out in front of the girl, a dozen scattering balls of shimmering lights. Shagri was happy and clapped her hands.

"Don't spoil her, dear mage, she quickly gets used to good things, and then she gets sad for a long time if nothing good happens, and we may have very hard times ahead of us," Isliya said.

"That's why any moment of joy should be highly appreciated," Henriker told her.

"We'll spend the night here, and tomorrow, or the day after tomorrow at the most, if we don't get the king sober tomorrow, we'll move to Forsholden, will you come with us?" asked Tarrick.

They took everything and moved towards the tavern.

"I think we'll go with you," she said after a little thought. "Though clearly, I don't want to go north, Shagri might be hard. But you were able to survive at sea and come back! By the way, how is it on the islands?"

"Everyone is dead," Tarrick replied, "at least we didn't find anyone except Uldra."

Henriker looked at him, Isliya noticed that.

"Well, at least Uldra was saved," Isliya said.

"Yes," said Tarrick.

"Mom, I'm hungry," Shagri said.

"We'll eat soon," Isliya said, and she walked forward with her daughter.

"We'll be in the next building for now," Tarrick called to her.

"Alright," she said and returned to the tavern to cook.