Their plans avoided vast cities, large towns, and even most villages. Vespa was an exception. As a seaport, it had a regular influx of visitors arriving or leaving. There were sixty-three people in Gareth’s family, far too many to not be noticed in most places. But in Vespa, they might succeed. Long ago Gareth had purchased houses, farms, and an inn. Over the years, he had added to the holdings and now controlled enough for all the family. Each part of the family could take their place in Vespa with nobody in the town knowing they were related to the others.
Of course, people of the small city would come to realize some of them were related, but that was little different than others who moved there. The plan was simple, able to adjust to the needs of the time, and only the members of the Brotherhood wandering the streets in their green robes need be avoided.
Standing at the rail as the ship cast off, Gareth clutched Tad so hard the boy grunted in pain. Will I ever see this island, my wife, and my family, again?
He tried to keep a dry eye as the island grew smaller while the ship sailed away and he continued waving to people he could no longer see. Tad was fascinated by the sailors shouting orders, climbing the rigging, and setting sails. His head was turned upward so often that he almost looked deformed. Probably have a neck-ache later. Long after the island was gone from sight, Gareth turned and located the first mate.
“Can you show us to our cabin?”
“Yes, sir. I didn’t want to interrupt you back there.”
Gareth nodded gratefully and placed a hand on Tad’s shoulder. I never expected it to be this hard, and we’ve just begun.
The small cabin drew Tad’s complete attention. Gareth sat on the single bunk and watched the almost seven-year-old inspect, discover, touch, and inquire about everything in the tiny cabin while ignoring the increasing pitching and yawing of the ship as it sailed into the unprotected waters.
“Why are there drawers under the bed?”
“To keep our things from shifting when the ship is in a storm, and to use all the space.”
Glancing around the cabin recalled the memory of one of his first sea voyages. Blackie had been a kitten and shared the cabin with him, although the captain rightfully charged twice the normal fare because of the dragon’s immense appetite, even at his small size.
“Grampa, why is the window round?”
“Because . . . Well, because.”
“It stinks on this ship. Why does it smell so bad?” Tad asked.
“Ships sometimes smell bad, but you’ll get used to it. You’re smelling tar, salt, dried fish, smoke, and only the gods who dance know what else.”
“Can I play outside?”
Gareth shook his head in wonder, and in answer to the question. The boy would ask another hundred questions before the mid-day meal, and he’d require answers for all of them. Gareth might supply half. “Come sit beside me and we’ll talk.”
Tad hiked up his trousers and climbed onto the raised bed beside Gareth. His eyes still wandered, but he was as attentive as Gareth was going to get him for a while. Instead of speaking out loud, he touched the young mind. “Tad, we have to have a man-to-man talk.”
“About what?”
Gareth found it difficult to explain without words, so he spoke normally. “You have a gift. Your mind allows you and me to speak without words, but this is very important. You cannot let anyone else know about it. Only your family on Bitters Island, and you will not see them for days and days.”
“Okay.”
“There is more. We are going on a dangerous mission. Just you and me. Bad men are waiting for us, but we are going to hide and try to find a friend of mine to help us.”
“Mommy said I have to do what you say.”
“She is right, but you are also going to help me.”
Tad’s smile came quickly and his solemn face transformed to one of pure joy. “How?”
I need to test him some more and find his limits and abilities. Gareth sent the image of a mosquito landing on the boy’s neck. No words, just the image. Tad slapped his neck and examined his fingers for evidence of a dead insect. While the boy was distracted, Gareth said with his mind, “You and I are going to pretend to be other people. Even on this ship.”
“Who?” The question came via his mind. Tad hadn’t spoken, and if Gareth was right, he didn’t realize it.
Gareth used his voice. “Is there a name you’d like to be called?”
“Tad.”
“Any other? I’m thinking of something more common, like a farmer names his son.”
“Tad. I want to use my real name.” His arms crossed over his chest in finality.
Gareth settled back and reconsidered. The demand had justification. Nobody knew of Tad or his name. Only the name Gareth carried the stain of instant recognition. “Okay, we’ll do it your way. Can you call me Dad or Daddy? Never Grandpa Gareth?”
“Yes, Dad.”
Gareth smiled at the boy. Dad would do fine. Gareth might change his name to meet the circumstances, but if Tad always called him Dad it wouldn’t matter. “We’re going above decks to stretch our legs, which means we are going outside for a few minutes. I have some thinking to do so don’t ask a thousand questions. You’ll have to stay right beside me.”
Tad bounded down and raced the two steps to the door. Gareth leaped right behind him, making it a race. Outside, the day had turned gray, and a few drops of heavy rain splattered on the deck. They walked near the rail, Tad watching the ocean as he’d never seen it. Staying out of their way, Gareth touched the mind of each sailor they passed and as always, he fuzzed their memory of him. Just a slight image shift, making him taller and thinner. He also placed a question in their minds, asking where had the ship ported and if it had taken on passengers.
By the time they reached port, none of the crew would remember much of either of him and Tad and what they did would be confused and conflicting with other crewmen. If questioned, they might not even remember any passengers this trip. But he would change their minds a sliver at a time, like whittling a stick.
The small, round-bottomed cargo ship would take them to the port of St. Michelle on the island of Indore, and from there they’d catch another ship, a larger commercial vessel that would carry them to Freeport on the mainland. Leaning against the rail, Tad caught sight of a whale in the distance and cried out in pure joy.
The same rail supported Gareth as the ship rolled in the choppy water. He used his insight to touch minds with Blackie again. The dragon was in the air peering down at the ground searching for a meal. It passed up a moose. They were not his favorite. He’d eat one if nothing else were around, but moose and bear were usually passed on. Blackie did like the taste of bear, but unlike most animals, bear fought back. Blackie would win the battle easily, but not without some pain. When a deer emerged from under a small tree Gareth left a warm mental touch for Blackie to swoop down and enjoy his meal.
Tad spotted an island far off to the port side of the ship, just at the edge of the horizon, one of the hundreds, perhaps thousands, of mountainous islands in the shallow seas. “What’s that?” was the first question, followed by “What’s its name?” and much more.
Gareth wiped the hair from the boy’s forehead and answered a dozen questions before a steward carried a tray and paused long enough to tell them he was carrying their dinner and would place the tray in their cabin. Gareth glanced at the boy and met his smile. “Hungry?”
“Yes, Dad,” Tad said with a sly smile.
“The weather looks like a storm may make it too wet for us outside, anyway. Maybe we can nap after we eat.”