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.The captain didn't even berate the sailor for his errant throw.He simply grabbed the rope and hauled himself up, hand over hand, with remarkable speed.Once he reached the top, he turned and called down to us, "Are you coming, or shall I haul the rope up?""Neither, and both," Perrault replied.Haze trotted beside the overturned launch and Perrault grabbed one side of it, flipping it over easily.Then Haze stepped into the launch, and Perrault hopped off the horse.I followed suit.He took the rope and tied it to the boat."Toss us three more ropes, then haul them all up when we're set."The captain offered a nod, then walked from the rail.The crewmen threw three more ropes andwe tied them to the boat.The light craft groaned in protest at the weight of the horse, but it held strong, as did the pulleys—and the men working them—on deck.Barely a moment later, Perrault and I were in the captain's cabin, the door shutting behind us with a soft click.Chapter SeventeenThe captain's cabin was richly furnished with a thick red carpet, many cabinets, and small tables of fine dark wood—all bolted to the walls or the floor.Dozens of knick-knacks lay scattered around the room: here an ancient oil lamp of tarnished brass, there a finely crafted tea kettle and four cups inside a locked cabinet with a glass door, and over there—hanging above the other door to the cabin—a strange object with a wooden handle and a long metal tube.It looked very much like a drawing of a thing called an arquebus I had onceseen in a book titled Unusual Armaments.The captain sat comfortably on a worn chair behind an enormous table, on which lay heaps of papers—notes, charts of the stars, maps of varying scale detailing the sea from Waterdeep in the north to Galimport in the south.Apparently he had a spare hat, identical to the one he'd lost, for it was atop his head as if nothing had happened.And a spare coat, it seemed, since the one covering him was dry.The only indication that he had been in the water was the puddle slowly spreading beneath his chair.I tried not to look at it, out of politeness.The captain motioned to the two chairs opposite him."Please sit," he said, the saltiness of his voice hidden beneath his trained accent."What can I do for an emissary of the Temple of Tymora?" I heard a note of sarcasm, and surely Perrault did as well, but he ignored it."That depends largely on the course you've set," replied Perrault."We make for Luskan with all haste, to sellour cargo and refill our holds, that we might leave for the south before the ice of winter traps us in port."Perrault sat silently for a moment, hand on chin, deep in thought."Then what you can do for us, good Captain.""Smythe," said the man.Perrault nodded."What you can do, Captain Smythe, is divert your course to Waterdeep.I have business there of the utmost urgency."Captain Smythe scowled, but only for a moment before he caught himself."If we make for Waterdeep, we shan't make Luskan in time to load and head south, so we'd have to sell and buy in Waterdeep instead.The prices will not be as high, and the goods we take on there shall be of lesser quality.So tell me, will the temple compensate me for this loss?"Perrault only smiled."The temple's compensation comes in the form of the flag you now fly-"Captain Smythe didn't even try to hide his scowl."The loss is too great.I cannot agree.""You would deny an emissary of the—""I never saw proof that you are from the temple!""Only because you dropped the parchment." Perrault's tone was mocking, insulting.Smythe stood up, his voice rising with him."I dropped it because you threw it so poorly!"Perrault stood, matching the captain's intensity."You asked that it be thrown, instead of inviting us aboard! You threatened to kill us without proof, then when proof was offered— you demanded it be thrown.And you dropped it.Deliberately, I say! You dropped it so you wouldn't have to recognize my authority!"Captain Smythe's hand moved to his sword, but Perrault was faster.In the blink of an eye, his fine stiletto was in hand, pointed at the captain.Smythe stopped and took his hand off his sword."Regardless, I will not divert my course without some proof of your claim or a promise of compensation." He sat down, and after a moment, Perrault did as well."Butlwill allowyou to sail with us.I will even offer you the comfort of my own cabin for the journey, and free run ofthe ship until we reach Luskan.It is not far from there to Waterdeep.It will take only five days' sailing or maybe a tenday's ride.That's the best I can offer you."Perrault nodded."Very well.Though the temple will not be pleased to hear of my treatment.""Arisk I must take," replied Captain Smythe."Now, if you will excuse me, I must see to the crew.Please, make yourselves comfortable."Chapter EighteenAs soon as I was sure Smythe had gone, I turned to Perrault."You aren't an emissary from any temple," I whispered."You lied to him.""Repeatedly and continuously, and for his own good," Perrault answered.He leaned back in his chair and gazed up at the ceiling of the captain's small cabin.His shirt had come untucked and I caught a glimpse of the stark white bandage wrapped around his chest."But lying is bad," I said."So I was bad." Perrault stood up and circledthe captain's desk.He picked up one of the maps and studied it intently."And I didn't even get what I wanted, did I? We're still sailing for Luskan, but we need to be off this boat a good deal sooner."I shook my head, not understanding."What was on the parchment you threw to him, anyway?""Absolutely nothing," he replied without looking up from the map."It was blank.""So if he had caught it, what would have happened?""Many bad things." He set the map down on the desk and looked at me with that familiar twinkle in his eye."The captain probably would have ordered us killed, and then I would have had to take the ship myself, one against dozens.It might have taken an hour to accomplish!" He began to laugh then stopped abruptly.He held his arm against the wound on his chest, flexing against the pain."Perhaps two hours, with this gash slowing me down.And then we would have had to sail this ship to Waterdeep all by ourselves.Trust me, that is no easy feat!"I would have been laughing, surely, but thepain on his face when he clutched at the wound sobered me."You threw the parchment so he couldn't catch it, didn't you?" I asked, the picture coming clear."Then you said he dropped it deliberately, so he wouldn't be able to accuse you of the same thing!"Perrault bowed slightly."Precisely.""And the wind," I said."Did you conjure that wind to knock him off the ship?""You overestimate me.That was fortuitous coincidence.""Fortui.what?""Fortuitous, like fortune.Luck.That was lucky chance
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