Chapter 6

Tuk enjoyed the voyage immensely. He had never been on the ocean before, and he enjoyed the smells of the sea, the creak of the vessel's wood and taut ropes, and the cries of the sea birds which followed along behind, hoping for a free handout. John, being a fisherman, was able to catch some fish using silk thread and a wooden 'hook' that was more of a mouth-trap he whittled up. He had learned the old ways of many native cultures during his 'vision quest' days, when he was trying to come to grips with his one quarter native heritage, which gave his features that slight Asiatic cast, and colored his hair so black. He knew many of the ways casually, such as what flint looks like, and how to find north by the stars, and some a bit better, like how to carve a totem pole, how to work leather or how to fletch arrows. He grinned wryly to himself, and added to his heritage his light-weight tolerance to alcohol.

The fish added a diversion as well as food, and he had Tuk try his luck. Zithrusa used the fish to trade for charcoal, and the crew were glad as well. Their fishing technology was net based, and they didn't have much luck netting from a sailing, moving vessel. Vedeya spent her time talking with any of the sailors who would deign to converse, learning more of their language and customs. They were an industrious people, far traveling and curious, great explorers. Their civilization was advanced enough to rival Sinae's but not so refined. They were about the same as Crete in it's heyday, or Venice, compared to their local neighbors. Busy, vital people.

They arrived at the location of the steel refineries to be met with about twenty apprentice steel wizards, come to buy the crucial crucibles. There wasn't much time before the monsoon began and the steel season started. Much charcoal had been gathered, and stored in caves in the hills where the smithies were located on the west side of the huge island off the southern tip of the country, an island large enough to be considered a continent in its own right, if Atlantis was.

Over a hundred asses were there to transport the crucibles into the hills, to the tops of valleys which funneled the strong constant monsoon winds through the furnaces to provide the heat required by the steel wizards to make their Indian Steel. It was impossible for human or animal power to provide the constant air-flow for the days of smelting, so the power of the wind was gathered into the steel.

John borrowed 'Tuk's' sword, and Zithrusa's, and his own Indian Steel dagger, and went among the apprentices asking if they knew who had made them. They discussed it amongst themselves, and decided that it was old man Yuffi. His apprentice was too young, and Yuffi was too old to do much, but he still had a smelter up at the top of a certain canyon. John acquired a few donkeys which were extras, for too much in exchange, and then bid with the rest on the crucibles, obtaining enough to load the asses nicely. He had half the donkeys of some of the others, but the other half had the same load, so he figured he was about right.

He finally located Yuffi's apprentice, who was loaded down with a backpack of crucibles, and about to hike up to his masters smelter. Vedeya, who had been translating for John all along, got him to agree to take them to his master, and offered his pack a place on the donkeys. They gathered their gear, and set off on the three day hike up the hills.

John had been disappointed that their jewels weren't as valuable here as he had anticipated, it seemed that the coarse clay hills were liberally dotted with fine emeralds and topazes. Their rubies were still holding value, though, so he used them to get the most for his loot, and promised himself to exchange all his rubies for emeralds before leaving this place. The exchange rate was very favorable.

As they traveled, they learned more about Yuffi's apprentice, who's name was Druan. He was 21 years of age, and had been studying with the wizard Yuffi for seven years. He had about four more years to study, and hoped the old man lived that long, with his skills sharp enough to teach him most of what he had learned in his long life as a master steel wizard. Druan was Master Yuffi's third student, and Druan had chosen to study under him despite his increasing age making it risky, because it was well known that Master Yuffi was the very best. His last student had left early, thinking he knew enough, leaving a place for Druan to fill. Most masters only had time to train two students in their life time.

They camped, and had a stew made from dried fish and some yams, whose starchy white flesh was more akin to potatoes than the red variety John remembered from thanksgivings past- or was it future? Anyway, some wild onion type herbs added flavor, and it was a welcome repast. They tied the asses where they could find good forage, set up their tents, and went to bed. Awhile afterwards, it became quiet enough to sleep. Vedeya was still sleeping in her own tent, as the girls hadn't managed to trip John yet.

When they met Yuffi, he was grumpy until he found out about the extra crucibles, and that he had four extra workers. Then he quite happily put them all to work, even Tuk, who by now didn't even grumble at common toil. Yuffi was a scrawny old man who used his apprentices for the harder and more physical tasks, and applied himself to the magic of making the steel such as was in Tuk's sword. It was understood that in exchange for the crucibles and their labor, which would enrich the old wizard and his apprentice enough to permit them to survive for the next few years, even to buy an ass or two, John would get a master work of a sword, especially made for him. Perhaps his apprentice would make some kind of weapon suitable for the lovely Miss Vedeya, as well.