Wandering Spark - Part 6
"Are you crazy?" Varan shouted at him. "You're on duty, aren’t you?"
"And why the hell did you arrive today? You were here yesterday! Didn’t you tell Goha, that you will arrive the day after tomorrow? And except you, we did not expect anyone else..."
"And yet, I am here," Varan corrected the glasses that had come down, took a deep breath, and looked back at the passenger. "We have ... no, you have guests. Noble Gorni with a mission from the Emperor. Straight to the lord. Here," and he waved his hand towards the pale, strangely quiet Gorni.
The pier board trembled as if breathing underfoot. Below laid distant clouds - like a sea. Only the real sea is gray and smooth, and the clouds, if viewed from above, seem like a fairy-tale garden, a white shadow of the imperial palace.
The pier board was a tiny straw on the edge of a large port. Overhead were located wide piers; everywhere fussed people, like fry in the sea depths. They were preparing for an opening of the season.
Two weeks later ships with colored sails will arrive at berths that have been empty all winter. The upper galleries will be opened for the riders on the wings and fire-colored painted balloons from far countries, and anyone else who is willing to pay with the imperial rainbow money...
Varan’s passenger clumsily climbed over the edge of the basket. Involuntarily he sat down, feeling the unreliability of the pier board. Without looking back, he walked to the rock, to the entrance to the port cave; he walked like a true high born, without looking at his feet and on the abyss below him. And not wearing, by the way, glasses, with a bare face walking in the sun, and a clear black shadow, lingering on a yellow tree, slipped into the abyss, to the clouds.
"What have you brought?" Lusik asked grumpily. "Let's count right away, otherwise I know that someone can cheat... "
Varan swallowed the insulting hint. Is this the first offense for him for today? He crossed his arms, stood and waited when the Lusic will finish messing around:
"Barrels with water, four. Full, huh? I hope they are... Fish, three bags by measure... I'll check them on my scales, be sure! Mail, it's good... What is this?"
Lusic pointed to the trunk of Gorni.
"Gorni’s baggage"
"He’s a rich one," Lusic scratched a rare, uneven beard. "Well, take it and carry."
"Father gave greetings and ordered to check how you will write everything into the book."
"I will write down all correctly, do not be afraid..."
Varan wasn’t able to walk, like a Gorni. He stepped the narrow berth, inwardly dying, and swaying in an unaccustomed wind - at least they put the railing here, or something ... The sun was burning a warm jacket and blinding eyes through the smoky glasses. Varan wanted to go home, down.
Gorni waited at the entrance. Under the sun, his shoulders straightened, his hair dried. He stood, exposing one leg forward and lifting his chin as if a portrait of a noble lord. He waited until Lusic came closer. Gorni swung forward and without a word, struck the pier watcher in the jaw. Lusic gasped and sat down on the stone floor two steps from the abyss’s edge.
"Are you on watch?" asked Gorni, again taking a pose from the Imperial portrait, and even snot under the swollen nose could not detract his greatness.
"I’m..." mumbled Lusic, who immediately realized who was in charge here.
"You will answer," he promised with a dry voice. He turned away and went deep into the rocks as if he had been here before, as if he knew exactly where to go.
Lusic, moaning, got up. He smeared blood on his chin; went up to Varan, measured him with a cold, sticky look and, with a frown, punched him in a face. Varan did not have time to dodge. Sparks flared up, like raindrops, illuminated by the sun. Varan found himself sitting on the floor, same as before Lusic, and the floor swings like an overloaded boat.
"You will answer," the pier watcher said ominously above his very head. "I write off one barrel from you, as a refund... of losses. And I don’t want to see you again here, fool!"
And, picking up the trunk, he hurried after Gorni, shouting:
"My lord, to the right! I kindly suggest you food, new clothes, bath, because dregs - they are dregs..."
Varan raised his glasses from the ground. He wiped the blood from his chin. "Nothing," he thought. "You will beg my forgiveness, once the season starts!"
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
