Page 24 of Potions & Pints
Vir smiled gratefully back at Pili and tried his hand at the same task, more or less emulating the water elf’s example. As Pili smiled and encouraged the orc but from his perch on the coiled rope, Tan felt another feeling rising in his chest. One he didn’t like but didn’t want to name either.
It did, however, make him slightly regret letting Pili win in the last few games of staken they’d played. He’d done it as a friendly gesture but all of a sudden he wasn’t feeling so friendly toward the water elf.
Over the next couple of days Tan couldn’t help but notice Vir and Pili becoming more at ease with each other, laughing over dinner, working together on deck. Vir seemed enraptured by Pili’s retelling of tales from the seabed in his tribe’s city of Laeve Taesi. Tan, however, only grumbled in the background.
“I don’t see what’s so exciting about that,” he muttered to himself. Nobody else paid much attention though. He’d been grumpy for days and the rest of the group appeared to be ignoring his mood, hoping it might go away as quickly as it had arrived.
The next day, however, the ship docked again for more supplies and Tan decided to pull himself out of his doldrums for the occasion. He still didn’t want to put a name to what he felt about Pili and Vir’s blossoming friendship, but he vaguely admitted to himself that he hoped the trip would give him a chance to spend some time with Vir again.
As luck would have it, Pili accompanied Sori to a merchant to purchase a few things for himself, and Tan took the opportunity to wander the markets with Vir. By then, Ogen and Garu were more interested in playing Vir’s lyre back on the ship than accompanying the two of them to the market.
In any case, it was clear Vir loved life on the ship and wouldn’t be running off anytime soon. Tan supposed the orcs just assumed Tan would stay out of loyalty to Vir. He didn’t like to admit it, but something in him knew they weren’t wrong.
But as they wandered through the port town, it became clear this place wasn’t as welcoming as the last. At least when it came to orcs. Sneers and scowls came from the merchants they passed and when Vir attempted to buy a loaf of bread, the baker flatly turned him away.
“Your money’s no good here orc,” the baker spat.
“I hoped this wouldn’t happen,” Vir mumbled and Tan felt a mixture of emotions course through him.
Anger that anyone would treat Vir that way, especially given how gentle and kind-natured the orc was, along with deep sadness that his friend had to experience such discrimination. All he wanted was to buy a loaf of bread.
As it turned out though, that wasn’t the worst of it.
The baker — a water elf — had apparently gestured to some of the other merchants and patrons around them and a moment later, the path between market stalls was blocked on both sides by two groups of angry-looking water elves.
“We don’t take kindly to war machines here,” one of them snarled, and Tan caught sight of two rows of sharp teeth.
“Orcs aren’t welcome in these parts!” cried another, her eyes flashing angrily. “You’re an abomination!”
Tan saw Vir’s ever-present smile quickly fade, replaced by a look of pure sorrow that broke Tan’s heart. They both knew that some places welcomed orcs, knowing they had been elves too once, before the Northern kingdom enchanted them. Some towns even celebrated them, knowing they deserved respect and dignity just like anyone else. This, it appeared, was not that kind of place.
“He’s no threat to you!” Tan called out, hoping the crowd would listen, but they only looked on him with contempt. “It’s not like you’ll turn into an orc by looking at him, and he wouldn’t hurt a soul. We’re just here for supplies, nothing more!”
“And who are you?” cried the baker, stepping out from behind his stall, a sudden menacing look in his eye.
Tan wished he knew how to answer that. He knew he had no sway here and he wasn’t too eager to go spreading his name around either. He fumbled for a second and the water elves took another step toward them, their eyes flaring and teeth bared.
“Wait! He’s with me!” came a voice calling through the crowd. The water elves parted to look for the voice, but Tan knew, with something of a sinking feeling, who it was before he even looked.
Pili came rushing through the crowd. Sori, it appeared, had wisely gone back to the ship.
“I am Piliphre, son of Sinifris, Chieftain of the tribe of Laeve Taesi. This is Vir, he’s a special friend of mine,” Pili continued, and the sinking in Tan’s stomach grew deeper. “Now if you don’t mind, we’ll be on our way.”
The water elves’ expressions quickly changed to those of reverence and they managed to suppress their scowls toward Vir, even if their beady black eyes still watched him closely.
“Thank you,” Tan heard Vir whisper, and Tan watched on sullenly as Pili placed a hand on Vir’s muscular arm and guided him out of the crowd.
Back aboard the ship, Tan’s bad mood had returned in full force. He didn’t even bother lying to himself about it this time. He knew why it was there, even if he didn’t like to admit it.
12
Tan grabbed the mast as a rogue wave slammed into the boat. It wasn’t the first time it had happened since Cap — that’s what everyone called the captain — had ordered Tan up to the nest.
The man’s temper had gotten worse the further they got from port. Tan supposed it was to be expected. Everyone expected the journey to get more dangerous. Still, things were becoming worrisome.
At dinner that night, in addition to having to do the dishes, Tan, Vir and Pili had not been given any meat. Neither had Valar’s three orc soldiers. Tan thought Cap was betting on his entire crew being able to handle three hungry, possibly mutinous, orcs. Tan wasn’t so sure.
Tan ate his vegetables without saying a word. Garu, Sari and Ogen cleaned their plates quickly. Then they stared at the crew.
