Putting On A Show

“Jibbom guy?”

“Neh, fore topmast stay.”

“The martingale boom?”

“Fine, but fore royal and turnbuckle look worn.”

There were two loud voices in Noah’s head, speaking gibberish. His eyelids fluttered as awareness slowly broke through, but a shaft of sunlight flashed on his face and he moved an arm to try to block the glare.

That just made the thing on his chest mad, and tiny claws dug into his flesh.

The room rocked and the sound of the river rushing by became apparent, deep clangs and distant shouts.

“Ugh,” Noah said. His mouth was dry, and his head still ached, but things were making sense again. He looked down at the annoyed kitten as it walked down his body to find a better spot to nap. “Go catch some mice,” he mumbled, but the kitten had no use for a human who wasn’t going to lay perfectly still and hopped off the cot without a glance.

The sunlight moved across the room as the Nawyet turned. Noah lay on back, staring at the ceiling. It felt like late afternoon, and he knew he should get up.

Instead, he closed his eyes. His head still hurt, almost like a tension headache. He suspected it would recede, but it was a reminder of his exertions of the previous night. It felt like days ago, already, the hours spent pushing his gift with language to translate the bronze slabs.

It had been difficult and draining. And now that it was complete, Noah still didn’t know if he had done the right thing.

'I could not wait 20 years, no matter what,’ he told himself. ‘And, it would have taken me forever to learn what the builders did and how they were able to move through time and space, if I even could.’

The thought of spending years of his life as a hermit in the Empty City, translating stone carvings, trying to teach himself high level pseudo-math as understood by an ancient civilization and hope it somehow taught him magic too, made Noah chuckle ruefully.

As he stood the steward checked himself over. He was sore, but considering he fell down a dark hole in a ruined building he knew some cuts and bruises were a small price to pay. The cut on his cheek was longer and deeper than he had realized, the Ubyr’s wicked sword had been so sharp he hadn’t even realized he had been bleeding at first, but it did not hurt very badly. His knee was scraped badly, but his ankle was actually the most painful.

Dressing, he looked around the steward’s cabin. He felt strange now, to be back. He had enjoyed his trip (how could he not?), but something about the previous day had him off balance. The stress of the night, the deal he struck with the Horologist, was certainly a lot of it, but Noah knew himself well enough to realize that a small part of him had imagined stumbling over the solution to all his problems. That he would wander through the city and find exactly what he needed and be able to return home immediately.

That sort of magical thinking was a big reason he had made so many mistakes over the years. Just… drifting through life with his good fortune and privilege, confident most people would enjoy his company. Sure of his place in the universe, and that things would continue to turn out pretty damn well for him. As it always had, until it didn’t.

Whatever. It was done, and he had plenty to think about and work on while he waited for the map to be created. And he was back on the Nawyet, which a crew he truly liked and respected. It was far more than he deserved.

Walking onto the deck, Noah smiled at the happy cries that greeted him. A few of the women at the sails called out to him, and Lisa walked by carrying two large coils of rope, her arms bulging. “Sleep through most of the day, but awake in time for supper,” she teased.

“Yup, I’m a shirker after all,” he said, blushing.

“Well, the crew will put you to work, hard, soon enough,” she laughed, but then she peered at him closer and frowned. “Or else, mayhap not. The others said you had a tumble. You cut yourself, somehow? If you’re hurt, take all the time you need, I was just japing about the crew working ya immediately.”

“No no, I just fell down some steps in the dark. Scrapes and bruises, I’ll be right as rain in no time.” Guiltily, Noah touched the cut on his cheek with his hand, then pulled it away. “Although, I’m pretty dirty from crawling through all that dust, I need to have a bath and some food.”

“Aye, well, I am sure Fatima will have something to eat set aside for you.”

Noah took his leave and walked toward the bow. Most of the crew approached, and he had to give the same explanation for his cuts and slight limp several times, but everyone was clearly so happy to see him he couldn’t be too upset by it. Still, he was grateful to finally escape to the galley, where Fatima did indeed have a hearty snack for him even with supper only a few hours away. Naturally, she gruffly questioned him about his time in the Empty City, but other than frowning at his story about falling in the dark she was happy he was back.

The Nawyet possessed two anchors - the main sea anchor at the stern and a smaller kedge anchor at the fore of the boat. A metal bow roller let the chain fall without banging the wooden planks of the hull and a hand winch was built into the deck next to the port rail. A barrel of fresh water next to it combined with a chest full of tools and spare line meant it was as close to private as a spot could be on deck, except perhaps the very rear of the boat where the wheel was located behind the split level of the cabins.

After the Captain had tended his scrapes and cuts, Noah had washed up before falling asleep at dawn, but he was still rather in need of a bath. The crew often used the spot to bathe or wash clothing instead of hauling water to the tub near their quarters, so Noah went there with a change of clothes and his personal kit bag.

He was not exactly hidden, but it was private enough. Especially considering most of the crew had seen him naked. Sitting on the stool, Noah splashed some cold river water over his head and then grabbed the thick bar of tallow soap.

“Oh, ah, sorry Noah, thought you were someone else,” Alexandra had walked up to the rail from the nearby hatch but stopped and held a hand up.

“It’s fine, I was just extra dirty, so I needed a full bath,” Noah said with a smile. He had a small cloth on his groin as he sat on the low stool, his hair covered in suds.

The woman paused, then looked back at him. She had a slight blush, but she casually made eye contact with only a slight, almost involuntary, glance down at the steward’s bare chest and legs. And maybe a quick peek at the hand-sized square of fabric maintaining a modicum of modesty.

“I’m used to Lisa and Hannah bathing here at the railing, thought you might be Lisa,” she said, “but sorry to interrupt, everyone is very happy you’re back with us.”

His head still didn’t feel quite right, but Noah **** a smile and replied, “And I’m glad to be back. The Empty City was incredibly impressive and fascinating, but it was also bleak and eerie. I didn’t get exactly what I wanted but I’m relieved to not have to sleep on dusty stone for weeks.”

“Well, you’re quite popular with the women. And Yutu. It’s damn rare for a boat to have a steward on the northern plains, and the women speak very highly of you. I mean, you do great work, is all. Sounds like.” The woman trailed off, as if unsure how to end the conversation, and she stammered, “Well, not for me, I’m bonded with Fatima. Of course you know that, but it’s why I never, er, you know. Nothing against you, naturally, no offense!”

For a woman in her thirties, Alexandra was doing a good impression of an uncertain girl talking to a boy. Noah wondered where it was coming from - she had been perfectly relaxed and congenial up to this point.

“None taken, no worries. The whole crew has been amazing, and I’m fortunate to be here. Fatima is a wonderful person, I’m very glad she lets me help out with the meals now, I’m even learning some things about cooking!”

Her awkward smile fell briefly, but Alexandra nodded and took her leave with a mumbled good-bye, leaving Noah slightly confused.

Having Alexandra interact with the steward seemed to spark a mini stampede. No sooner had she walked away then Kireama put down her tar brush and ambled over. She gave Noah a small grin as she stood a few paces away, and he wiped some soap out of his eyes and tried to smile back.

“Hey, uh, are you working tonight?”

“I… hadn’t really thought of it, honestly. I’m pretty sore but I guess I might.”

“Ahh, well no matter. If you are seeing anyone tonight, I’m interested,” the young woman had the good grace to blush, but she continued, “I know you’re probably still tired and you fell and so on. But if you do have an opening tonight, or even better, two openings, uh, I’d like a spot. I can pay a bit, but if you have one of the girls I would like to go after her. Right after her. You know.”

Noah remembered Kireama’s enthusiastic blow job very well. He had to chuckle and say, “I get it, yeah. We’ll see how I feel later, or tomorrow maybe. But I’ll try to work you in for sure.”

Kireama scampered back to her work and Noah tipped some water over his hair, finally getting the soap out of his eyes.

As he shook his head and opened his eyes, he saw Macha standing in front of him. She openly looked up and down him and gave a grin, “Pity about the washcloth, maybe you can stand up and put a show on for us, neh?”

His smile was a bit more **** this time, but Noah answered her question about his availability and ignored the way she didn’t look at his face once. And answered the question again twice more in the next few minutes before Hannah barked out to the crew to attend to their work, which let Noah finish up without further distraction.