The time passed pleasantly enough, and Ian conned Tom into a game of darts. They had several throws each with Tom ahead for once. Ian suddenly felt the prickly feeling on the back of his neck, and before he could look around, something happened that would bring a profound change to his life forever.
A boy younger than Mustafa was busy cleaning tables and he bumped a serving wench. This caused her to spill an entire tray of ale all over several customers who in turn cursed and all got themselves up and left the place without paying their bill. The owner came over to investigate, and upon learning what had happened, cuffed the boy knocking him across the now empty table. Ian ran to him as he reached to grab the boy again. Spinning him around, he drove the heel of his hand up under the chin of the man, knocking him flat on his back and cutting his tongue severely. He then gently helped the lad off of the table, taking his sash off and wiping the blood from his lips.
“Watch out Ian!” shouted Angus as LeBlanc jumped to his feet, making straight for Ian, hatred distorting his face, his teeth bared in rage. Ian pivoted smoothly to meet him and at the last second when LeBlanc had stretched his arms to grasp Ian’s throat, Ian grabbed the wrist of his right hand and moved back using LeBlanc’s own momentum while turning and thrusting his hip into that of the giant. LeBlanc was thrown over the table to land in a heap on its far side.
Patrons scattered everywhere, clearing the area. Ian kicked a chair aside and waited calmly, feet apart, hands at his sides. He didn’t have long to wait as LeBlanc scrambled to his feet cursing in rage. He rounded the table and moved in, but slowed at the last, and circled Ian who only made slight adjustments with his feet to face the giant. Suddenly he threw a mighty right hand that whistled past Ian as he rocked back and downward to his left, just out of reach of LeBlanc, then like lightning he brought his right arm up from his side, straightening his legs as he did so and struck LeBlanc a mighty wing-arm blow with his forearm across his mid-section as his upper body rotated past Ian. Likely it cracked a rib because LeBlanc grunted in pain.
Before he could recover Ian had stepped in and driven his right knee into LeBlanc’s stomach, then while stepping back, he pivoted quickly and he hooked his left foot behind LeBlanc’s right foot and brought him sprawling onto the floor flat on his back. LeBlanc rolled and regained his feet quickly, spinning to charge Ian. He was intent on overpowering him and getting him to the floor where his size and weight would be an even greater advantage. Again Ian grasped his wrist and pivoted, throwing LeBlanc like he was a sack of grain to sprawl across a table and slide onto the floor.
Again LeBlanc recovered quickly but now he was holding a wicked looking curved dagger. Angus hollered “He’s got knife lads! Get him!” But Ian said in a low voice, “Nah laddies, I have him.” While speaking he snatched a tablecloth from the nearest table and danced back three steps while winding it to pad his forearm.
The two circled warily, and then LeBlanc lunged with a sudden thrust at Ian’s stomach. Ian brought his padded left arm up from his side in an outward circling sweep and first parried, then trapped LeBlanc’s knife arm in his arm pit, while driving his right knee into the giant’s groin twice in rapid succession. He hurriedly and smoothly followed that by sweeping his right leg and hip behind LeBlanc while encircling his throat with his right arm and throwing him once again.
The giant turned a backwards somersault in the air and came crashing down quickly rolling to his knees whereupon Ian delivered a blindingly fast snap kick straight into his face, knocking three teeth out of his mouth. LeBlanc rolled backwards with the kick and came up with the knife, slashing wildly as he advanced with a snarl, face contorted with rage, blood streaming down his chin.
Ian circled warily, never once crossing his feet, hands loose, but raised to chest height. Again LeBlanc advanced with the knife low, holding it like it was a sword. He faked a kick at Ian’s groin, and then at the last minute made a fast thrust for his throat. Ian started to block the kick, then ducked under the knife hand and spinning like lightning, he simultaneously grabbed LeBlanc’s knife-hand at the wrist with both hands, while twisting it to where LeBlanc’s elbow was facing the floor. Then he pulled down with all of his might. LeBlanc’s arm was brought down, his elbow meeting Ian’s shoulder as he straightened his legs and rose.
An audible crack sounded and LeBlanc screamed as his right arm was broken backwards at the elbow. Dropping the knife he roared in rage. Ian had quickly spun away from the man and just as quickly he aimed a mighty side kick at his mid-section. LeBlanc flew back literally leaving the floor briefly, landing in a heap with three broken ribs. He didn’t get up but rolled onto his side screaming curses in his pain. Then he got up and limped, doubled over, passing through a door towards the rear of the inn. The sounds of his cursing faded as he took the back stairs to the second story of the building. Gunny un-cocked his pistol and put it back in his sash.
It was suddenly quiet in the place. Again Ian felt warm and prickly on his neck. Li stepped up to him and spoke quietly saying “I told you that you were my best student ever.” Angus joined them saying “That was a fight the like of which I never saw before! Let’s look at those cuts.” Ian looked down and saw he had a cut across his stomach and one on the inside of his right forearm. He didn’t even remember getting them. Lorn came over and helped Ian out of his shirt. He then took a small flask of scotch whiskey from his breast pocket and poured some of the liquid on the cuts. They were very shallow, barely past a scratch and already were bleeding less.
“Well lads, I wonder if the King’s Gendarmes will be called to this mess. Let’s be leaving now before someone comes down those stairs with a pistol.”
Ian said “Uncle Angus, I wonder about the safety of the lad. When that bully gets to thinking about it, he may kill the boy. Let’s learn what we can of him.” Ian and the others cast about looking for the boy and Tom spotted him watching from the kitchen door. Four of the crew besides Gunny who had them, checked their pistols and then put them back in their sash.
Ian went to the boy and held out his arms. The boy came to him and hugged him just as the prickly feeling started again on his neck. Beckoning to Lorn, Ian had him translate and they soon learned that the boy had only been recently orphaned and his older sister had died of illness shortly afterwards. Homeless, the boy worked at the Red Dolphin for little more than food and a dirty closet to sleep in.
“That settles it lads. By heaven, we will take the boy to the Harbormaster tonight. If others of his family can be found, we’ll leave him with the King’s Gendarmes or whoever has to do with that tomorrow morning. Otherwise I’ll make a case for adopting him. He can help Mustafa and Li.” Lorn translated for the boy in the French tongue.
Angus said “Let’s be gone.” As they were leaving the place, Ian was bringing up the rear and searching to see if the girl in the red cloak was there. Lorn came to him with his girlfriend Corinne, saying “Ian, I’d like to stay with her tonight if you’ll permit.”
“Aye, Lorn. We’ll walk with you to her door. He called to Li, who agreed to join him. Ian caught up to Angus and told him what was happening. They parted company then, agreeing to meet aboard Elsie. This would prove to be a life-altering decision for Ian and Li.
As they made their way through the streets towards the neighborhood of the Blue Oyster, they talked and both Lorn and his girlfriend questioned Ian about the fight. He let Li answer why each thing was done and how because that prickly feeling had again come back. They finally reached the Blue Oyster and parted company with Lorn and his girlfriend. Before parting company, Lorn handed Ian his knife, saying “I won’t need this tonight or tomorrow, but you might.” That turned out to be prophetic.
Chapter 10
Li and Ian made their way back towards the harbor, which would take them past the Red Dolphin. As they walked Ian told Li that the prickly feeling had been with him since leaving that place. Li was concerned and after that he looked
about behind them even more. “Li, it almost feels warm… friendly towards me now. I just can’t explain it.” Li couldn’t fathom how he’d come to that conclusion. He explained that he had been getting the prickly feeling off and on since the first time they ever went to the Blue Oyster Inn. Relating the instances that had occurred since, he admitted that he hadn’t seen the lady in the cloak since, but only glimpses of a figure now and then.
They had slowed their pace as they walked, and were just then passing the Red Dolphin. They looked at the place in passing, and Ian thought he saw a movement at an upstairs window, but couldn’t be sure. A small man with a lamp came out a door shortly afterward and hurriedly caught up with the two, calling out to them. He had a bad limp, so they turned and waited for him. He held up the lamp as he approached the two and asked if they had seen his dog. Ian answered the man in broken French that they hadn’t seen a dog. The man lifted up his lamp and swung it from side to side, and turned and left without a word, limping back to the doorway he came from. They had already turned and resumed their walk towards the wharf area.
The area had many two-story buildings on both sides of the dark street. Ian heard a clatter from the direction of an alley. It sounded like a roof tile falling onto the pavement. They looked about and Ian again felt the warm prickly feeling on the back of his neck. He glanced back and could see no one so they kept walking south in the darkness.
Suddenly the warm prickly feeling changed to one of icy dread that extended down Ian’s spine. It chilled him to his core, and he exclaimed to his companion “Li, something’s wrong! Drawing his dagger he whirled around just in time to barely see a black form leap from the roof of a two story building. He thought he heard the distant voice of a woman shout his name, even as the creature landed running at an unbelievable speed and was on him like a whirlwind. He stabbed straight into its’ belly as it hit, nearly knocking him breathless. While falling he felt a sharp bite on his neck even as he drove the long blade of his knife to its hilt in the creature, twisting and pulling it upwards. There was a scream from it as they hit the cobblestones together, Ian landing on his back under the creature. He thought that the blade was caught in some tough clothing because he was having trouble ripping and cutting flesh where it should have been easy . He smelled the foul, fetid odor of its breath as it screamed again while grabbing Ian’s knife hand in a grip of iron. Li had stepped forward and was stabbing the creature in its’ back repeatedly. It turned and half-rose in the blink of an eye to reach out and backhand Li, knocking him against the side of a building with such force that he slumped, dazed. Scarcely three seconds had elapsed, so quickly had everything happened.
Before the creature could renew its’ attack on Ian though, he had plunged his knife into its belly again and was ripping upwards. He was certain that his knife was once again stuck through heavy cloth since it still didn’t cut as it should. The creature screamed and like lightning, pinned both of his arms in its iron grip. Even as its’ head began to dart toward his throat a dark figure bowled into the creature, toppling it. Ian rolled to his feet and saw two figures fighting, the newest arrival wielding a large knife. Their movements were so fast as to be barely seen as a blur. Unearthly screams erupted again as he ran to the two and began to help the latecomer stab the creature. Ian stabbed it furiously with his now-diminishing strength, realizing that the newcomer was doing more damage than he, as a creeping numbness began to spread throughout his body. Li had recovered and had joined in stabbing it with his knife. The creature separated from the stranger, howling as it hurtled away in the blink of an eye.
Ian was tottering now, and was certain that it was circling back to attack again. He tried to speak, but a growing numbness seized him and he could suddenly no longer even hold the knife. As he sank to his knees he thought is this what it’s like to die? He thought then of his uncle and how he came to be in this land. As he collapsed his mind drifted back to a day at sea scarcely three weeks ago, just before dawn……
The stranger turned to Li and he was astonished to see a woman standing before him. She said “He… in…. danger. I… take him…. help…you…run….. Elsie. You run now!” She stooped and gently picked up Ian as if he was a babe. The sense of being picked up brought him to just enough consciousness that he noticed the faint scent of lilac washing over him as her hair cascaded momentarily onto his face. He was aware of seeing a face dimly above him, as a pale oval. Then they bounded away like a flash. Ian could make out the buildings flashing by at an unimaginable speed. He again caught the scent of lilac. As they sped through the dark streets of Marseille, he sank into unconsciousness. An interminable time passed and he thought that he was being carried by a woman, but as he began to again spiral down into blackness he thought that she had stopped and gently laid him on the ground.
She said in broken English with a French accent “Ian, you… drink or… you die. Drink mon ami, and live.” Ian felt a warm and slightly salty liquid at his lips and did as he was told, yet believing now that he was delirious and only dreaming.
After several minutes, she said “Now you…live Ian. We go.” Ian was aware of being tenderly picked up, and again they bounded away. The streets and buildings blurred by again at an unbelievable speed as before and the wind of their passage roared in his ears. Finally Ian decided that he’d died and that this was an angel carrying him to heaven. Thinking he must have imagined the rest, he slipped into unconsciousness again.
Ian again regained consciousness even as the one carrying him changed from her ground-eating stride to make one bound, landing squarely in the center of a broad veranda. A large house loomed overhead in the darkness. He heard her shout “Marie, Marie!” as she held him gently. “We…here Ian. We…help you mon ami.”
From inside came the sounds of someone unlocking the huge oak door and a golden pool of lamplight spilled out onto the veranda. Ian was gently carried into the house. He was aware of another peering down at him, and then of a hurried conversation in French. Then the woman bounded and leaped upwards, bearing him to a gentle landing and he knew he was hallucinating because she’d just leapt up a whole flight of stairs with him in her arms.
He was whisked into a large room and lowered into a bed. The woman who had carried him tenderly adjusted his pillow, her hair again cascading over his face. Finally he was settled and still. He wanted to talk but again spiraled down into unconsciousness.
Chapter 11
When Li had reached Elsie, all hell broke loose. The ship’s bell rang and general quarters was sounded. Quickly the longboats were launched with the fully-armed crews of Elsie making for shore at all speed. The harbormaster was alerted that a vicious beast had attacked Ian in Marseille near the Red Dolphin. The King’s Gendarmes were sent for and soon they were all at the Red Dolphin with Li showing exactly where this had happened. There was one gendarme who spoke some English, so he was able to get the details.
Li took Angus aside and Angus’ eyes widened when Li described the attack and pointed to the building where it had leapt from. “Li don’t tell anyone including our shipmates what you just told me.”
Angus knew that they couldn’t tell the King’s Gendarmes these details. Their best use was their manpower and their familiarity with Marseille. He hoped that it might be that Ian would be found yet that night or at daylight.
***
Ian dreamt of fighting a dragon and being saved from certain death by an angel who could fly. English and French women were talking in the distance somewhere. He was flying through the air with her and began to hear birds chirping all around them. Suddenly he was awake, and saw that he was in an opulent room, lavishly furnished. A large window was open and it was morning. Birds sat singing in a large tree outside. He looked about and saw the woman who had brought him there. She sat very still, looking at him with the most beautiful and exquisite gray eyes. They were wide-set and like he remembered, she had a creamy comple
xion, with a hint of pinkness in her cheeks, and her sensual lips were a delicate shade of pink. Her hair was a light shade of honey, slightly wavy with golden highlights, and hung gracefully, framing her beautiful face. Her skin had a slightly polished look, as of polished ivory if it was possible. There was almost a glow about it.
He croaked “Did you really…bring me here?”
“Yes.”
“What happened?”
“You were attacked.”
“I remember, a wild beast attacked me. I…I fought it, but I was losing.”
“Well….yes.”
“You knocked it off of me. You fought it”
“Yes.”
“Thank you…I don’t know your name.”
“I’m Cosette Bouchard, Ian”
“You know my name? Oh, you read that story in the newspaper.”
“I just read it today.”
“But……..you knew my name last night.”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“I heard your friends call your name, many times.”
“I remember now. You were at the Blue Oyster.”
“Yes.”
“You were across the street, before I went inside that first time.”
“Yes.”
“Did you see me again before last night?”
“Yes Ian, I saw you many times. I saw you walking about in Marseille, mmm…I saw you with your friends at the salvage docks too. Then I saw you singing with your friends and I saw you swimming with the others by your ship.”
“I….I knew it.”
She nodded, and he realized it was the first time she had moved since they had started talking. “I could tell that you felt me watching you. How is it that you can…. feel that?
“I don’t know. It….just happens. It is a prickling feeling on the back of my neck.”
At this, she raised her eyebrows, and he realized that was only the second time she had moved since he had been awake. “You are surprised… Cosette?”
“I am, Ian. I’ve never seen nor heard of such a thing…..and neither has Madame Lafayette.”