CHAPTER 3

No Luck at All

 I took up refuge with Gabriel down by the docks. He has a little shack on a strip of land overlooking the sea, and it affords a commanding view of the ships in the harbor. There are a number of shacks on this rocky neck of land, and all have sole occupants like Gabriel, who have done their time on the high seas, but have become too infirm to sail upon it anymore. Gabriel is an ancient and withered ex-sailor, who claims he’s sailed on every vessel in the harbor, been to every known port in the world, and has bedded every kind of woman you can imagine. He’s also not adjusting very well to being dry-docked. At first, his fierce disposition had frightened me, but I soon learned that he is mostly full of hot air, and that his heart is as fierce as his pride. Gabriel has become a rawboned, wine drinking sot, but since he’s been very kindly to me, I tend to overlook his bouts with a wine flask.

 I’ve earned the Harbor Masters respect because I’m dependable. He sometimes puts in a good word for me when they need dock workers to unload a ships cargo. The day I first saw Gabriel, I was helping to unload crates from a ship that had come in from Rome. Out of the blue, Gabriel sauntered up with a sack slung over his shoulder, and began strutting around issuing orders to the crew. Our association came about when the ships captain began having problems trying to keep Gabriel from boarding the ship. Gabriel sometimes has trouble with his memory, and at times, he still believes he’s a mate on one of the ships he’s worked on in the past. Since I was handy, and the Harbor Master had vouched for my trustworthiness, the compassionate captain paid me two silver coins to escort Gabriel safely home.

 When we arrived, Gabriel was so disoriented that I became worried that he’d go right back to the docks as soon as I left, so I spent the night with him. He didn’t seem to mind the company, so I took the liberty to clean up the place, and make him a decent meal. Thereafter, I began checking on him daily, sometimes making him a good hot meal, and sometimes just giving him somebody to talk to. Ever since, our friendship has blossomed to the point where I knew he’d take me in if I asked him. So, when I fled the Bard, I headed straight away for Gabriel’s shack. I managed to stay clear of the hounds pursing me, and returned to find Gabriel in his bed feeling poorly. He didn’t ask me any questions when I asked him if I could stay with him for a while, though I suspected he knew I was in some kind of trouble, and for this I was grateful. He seemed very glad to see me, and though I did my best to make him comfortable, he passed away a few days later in his sleep. He had never mentioned having kin folks to me, and nobody else at the docks new of any, so I spent the last of our money giving him a dignified sailor’s burial.

 I am now completely broke, but things could have been worse. I still have the use of Gabriel’s shack, which I can continue to use as long as I can pay the rent. In the cupboards, there is enough food to last out the week, and there are several full wine flasks hidden beneath a loose floorboard by the bed. My good fortune is little rejoiced in the aftermath of Gabriel’s death, and now that he’s gone, loneliness plagues me once again.

 The very next day, I find not one, but two steady jobs. The Harbor Master hired me to hang from a rope scraping barnacles off the sides of ships in the harbor, and when the fishing vessels return each evening, I help clean fish for a monger who just recently lost his arm in a freak rigging accident. It’s funny how your luck can do a complete turnaround in the blink of an eye. The money I’m making won’t make me rich, but at least it’ll pay the bills, and keep me busy until my father returns.

 My struggles to survive may have lessened, but I still can’t shake the ache I feel inside when I think of Sabrina. I dare not return to the Bard, but loneliness wins out, and I decide to take my chances. After work one evening, I do my best to disguise my appearance, and returned to the vicinity of the Banished Bard to have a look around. Strolling past the Bard’s windows, I’m able to confirm that Sabrina is working tonight, and just seeing her fills me with longing. When I confirm that the street is not being watched, I content myself with watching her work from the safety of an alley across the street.

 This went on for several days, and my yearnings for her increased to an unbearable level. Then, my luck changed. Returning to the dock from scraping barnacles one afternoon, I spot her across the boardwalk looking over a monger’s display of lobsters and crabs. My heart started pounding fiercely, and I was about to call out to her, but decided to sneak up and surprise her instead. I hurried across the street to renew our acquaintance, and nearly got run over by an ox cart. The driver swerved in the nick of time, called out a few undesirable declarations about what he thought of me as a human being, and resumed his course. The disturbance didn’t attract her attention, so I was able to approach unnoticed. When I came up behind her, she was intently negotiating the price of the crabs she had picked out, so I winked at the merchant, reached around with my hands, and placed them over her eyes. I’m suffering through a malady with my voice right now that happens to boys my age when they’re emerging into manhood. It has the bad habit of breaking up and changing while I am speaking, so with this in mind, I try hard to fool her by making my voice sound deep and manly when I address her. “Guess who?” I said into her ear.

 Sabrina thought for a moment before answering. “Zeke!” she asked tentatively, and then whirled around. Oh, to hear her say my name filled me with great pleasure. She flew into my arms, and began whispering into my ear a number of questions of which I was still too untrusting to answer. Actually, I had forgotten that some answers would be needed to explain my hasty departure from the Bard, and that she would inquire to know why those men had kicked in my door looking for me. Love has a funny way of making one forget these minor details. Ever forget? It happens to me. The merchant seems pleased with himself about his role in the surprise, and gives me a wink back.

 I’m sweating like a fat man in a bath house, so I buy some thinking time by suggesting she finish her business with the merchant. Refusing to take her money, the merchant begins sputtering nonsensical something’s about love and romance, ties up the crabs with a string, and gives them to Sabrina with a smile. We walk off hand in hand, and her questions start anew. I’m not one to lie, but I don’t want to lose her, so I lie anyway. I tell her my father owes some money to those men, and that they aren’t too particular about who pays the bill. She accepts this explanation without question, and then she tells me how bad events are unfolding in her life.

 She starts by telling me she’s moving into a room at the Banished Bard this evening. “Why” I ask in disappointment. This news is definitely bad. I wasn’t yet willing to tell her where I really lived until we got to know each other better, so I had to tell another lie when she asked me. I told her I was temporarily living on one of the ships in the harbor, at least until it set sail, and that I wasn’t allowed to bring anyone aboard. “Zeke, I can’t afford the increased price of the room where I’m living at now, and Jolene suggested I move into the Bard. It’s really more convenient for me,” she says enthusiastically, though I suspected she had hoped I had a place of my own, and that I would ask her to stay with me. I pretend to like the idea, but make a mental note to start hating Jolene, and her bright ideas. I’m also on the verge of telling her the truth, and asking her to move in with me, but something holds me back.

 I’ve been suspicious of everyone since my incident with the Duke, and though I would like nothing more than to have Sabrina in my bed each night, I decide to err on caution, and wait until she earns more of my confidence. Thinking on it while we walk, I come up with a good plan. I can’t enter the Bard by the front door, but I know I can climb into Sabrina’s window without being seen, so I suggest this to her. Sabrina seems to like the idea too, though I think she’s hoping I’d have a better plan, and maybe suggest we get a place together. Her disappointment shows, and she looks like she’s about to suggest it herself, but my indifference causes her to withhold the question. I pretend not to notice, and ask her if I can come see her tonight. “Let’s make it tomorrow, Zeke. I’ve still got to move all my things over, and I have to work tonight. Let me get settled in first, and get some rest.”

 Understanding, and feeling a bit guilty about having to deceive her, I wholeheartedly agree with her request. We spend a few more hours in the market, sneaking kisses and holding hands like young lovers are apt to do, but then she had to go. In parting, Sabrina makes me promise that I will come to her tomorrow night. This strikes me as funny, since the hounds of hell couldn’t have kept me away, but I reassure her by promising. Unfortunately, I don’t end up keeping this promise, but let me tell you why.

 After the encounter with Sabrina, I went to work in very high spirits for Patrick, the fish monger. He noticed the obvious change in my behavior, and by guessing that the change in me involved a lady, he tricked me into telling him about Sabrina. Of course, this subjected me to a lot of good-natured teasing, but I could tell he was very happy for me. I headed for home that evening, with a fresh pike tucked under my arm for supper, and a new bounce in my step. Patrick had given me the pike along with my pay, and had suggested a new way for me to prepare it that I was anxious to try. Memorizing his careful instructions on how to prepare it, and how to make a green sauce that sounded divine, I was forced to do a bit of shopping before going home.

 It took several stops to acquire the costly ingredients that I didn’t have at home, but that didn’t take very long, and soon I was hurrying home to prepare the meal. On the way, I tried to whistle out a tune to an ode I’d heard this evening, but I was having no success. A group of street urchins who were playing pila, had been reciting the catchy little verse, and it had stuck in my mind. The ode was about porridge, and had gone something like this.

Pease-porridge hot
Pease-porridge cold
Pease-porridge in the pot
Nine days old
Some like it hot
Some like it cold
Some like it in the pot
Nine days old.

 I gave up thinking about the rhyme upon arriving home, and began preparing the fish and spicy green sauce for my supper. First, I cut off the head and boiled it. This would be eaten first with the zesty green sauce, a bit of cheese, and flat bread. Next, I wrapped the tail with a piece of linen soaked in salted water, and roasted it by bringing the fire to bear evenly beneath the middle of the fish as Patrick had instructed. This would be eaten next with leeks, and a boiled turnip. Then I melted butter in a pot until it was very hot, and took the fish straight away from the fire and placed it into the pot to fry with the leeks. While it cooked, I prepared the green sauce by grinding together the herbs and spices of pepper, cinnamon, ginger, clove, nutmeg, parsley, sage, and a small clove of garlic. To thicken the sauce I added ground-up crumbs of dry bread, vinegar and water until it was relatively smooth like a paste. I cannot describe how delightful the meal was, but after licking the last of the sauce from my trencher, I belched most appreciatively.

 After cleaning up my supper mess, I tried to concentrate on my harp, but Sabrina’s visage kept clouding my mind, and I started thinking. It’s not something I’m prone to do much of, but there are occasions. Too much thinking isn’t good, and it leads to bad decisions. Ever make a bad decision? It happens to me. This is one of those occasions where my thinking led to a bad decision. Let me tell you how.

 I’m looking out the window of the shack, when a man and a woman come strolling down the beach hand in hand. They stop, and begin kissing in the glow of the fading sun. Their intimacy causes me to abandon my harp, and head for the Banished Bard, where I spend a couple hours waiting for Sabrina to get off of work. When she goes to her room, I’m unable to resist the temptation, and sneak down the alley counting window shutters. When I stop beneath the shutter that is supposed to be hers, I start having an inner battle with myself. It takes nearly a half hour before my heart wins the battle over my brain, and after taking a deep breath, I hesitantly tap on the shutter. The tap starts a whirlwind of movement inside, and I become fearful that I may have tapped on the wrong shutter. Gathering myself for a mad dash down the alley, I’m brought up short by the sound of her voice, and someone else’s in a hushed argument. I never thought that she might have a visitor, and one who sounded like a man at that, so out of curiosity, I wait a moment. The rustling subsides, and I hear her door shut. Whoever it had been was very upset about the interruption, and I could still hear his muffled protests after she’d shut the door on him. I hear her soft inquiry, and I answer just loud enough for her to hear my voice. Within moments, she removes the bar, and opens the shutters so I can climb in.

 By the surprise on her face, I can tell I’ve caught her at a bad time, and except for what little light the moon offers through the window, it’s pretty dark when I climb into the room. “You scared the hell out of me, Zeke! Do you know how much trouble you might have just got me into? I thought you had better sense than this,” she scolded, seeming very agitated with my sudden appearance. She had her blanket loosely wrapped about her, and where it parted in places, I could tell she was as naked as the day she was born. Jealously seized me, and I became upset with her disheveled appearance. “Who was that man I heard in here with you.” Without batting an eye, she answers me quick enough to calm my anger. “Zeke that was my Laird, whom I still owed money to from the place I just moved from. He was arguing with me that I should pay a full week, but since I only stayed two days of the full week, I refused. I had just gotten undressed to take a nap when he showed up, and the cad still insisted on barging in despite me being garbed only in my blanket. Besides, for someone who doesn’t want to be found, you sure do take some risks.” Mollified, I take her in my arms. She doesn’t pull away from me, but neither is she being very responsive to my caresses. “I’m sorry, and your right, I do take too many risks, but I couldn’t stop thinking about you, and just had to come.” She relaxed in my arms, and I caressed her soft tresses. “I’d light a candle, but the one in here has burned down to nothing. Silly me forgot to bring one to the room when I got off, so we’ll just have to put up with being in the dark. Besides, you can only stay a little while. Jolene needs some help in the kitchen, and since I need the money, I told her I’d help out. I have to be back to work in less than an hour.”

 Feeling a bit callous for my intrusion, and knowing she needed her rest, I release her. “Look, I’ll come back tomorrow night, and let you get some rest. I should have listened to you. Please forgive me.” The words were no sooner spoken when an abrupt change comes over her that catches me flat footed. Stepping back, she lets the blanket fall off her shoulders, and gives me a hungry seductive look. Needing no further invitation, I start stripping of my clothing, and within moments, Sabrina’s all over me like a starving woman on a fresh buttered biscuit. Pushing her to the straw mat, I start groping her body with my hands, but my rough handling causes her to laugh. “Zeke, stop! You’re not milking a cow on the farm. Be gentle like this, and like this.” She explains in tender rebuke. I become lost in her womanly fragrance, and as I become more adept with my caresses, she breaks my kiss, and shows me how to use my lips and tongue to please her. Her desire for me is not less than mine for her, and when we can take it no longer, she turns over, and rises up on her knees. In my excitement to take her, I fumble most awkwardly in my attempts to enter her, and her quiet laughter causes me to shrink like a sail that’s lost the breeze. “Slow down big boy, here let me help,” she chuckles not unkindly. Taking matters into her own hands, I’m quickly brought back into action, and guided into her warm depths. I set a slow rhythm, trying to savor the feelings building inside me, but Sabrina has other ideas, and I’m forced to hang on to her hips to keep from being dethroned. She begins swiveling her hips and grinding back against me at a tempo that soon has me panting for breath and sweating profusely. Unfortunately, my stamina doesn’t last much longer than it did the first time Sabrina went wild. Within moments of my release, Sabrina shudders violently, and collapses beneath me, repeatedly moaning out my name. Though I was nearly spent, I was expecting that we would rest a moment, and renew our passions like the last time, but this doesn’t happen. Instead she rolls out from under me, stands up, and pulls me to my feet.

 Her actions have me perplexed, and when I start to protest, she becomes agitated. “Zeke, I’ve got to get ready for work. You have to go now.” I didn’t want to anger her, so I hide my irritation, and concede to her wishes. Fumbling around in the dark, I locate my garb, and dress while she’s brushing her tangled hair. We haven’t said a word, but I can tell she knows I’m upset, and to appease me, she breaks the uncomfortable silence. “Zeke, I hate to rush you like this, but I promise you can stay all night tomorrow night if you want.” Her invitation is music to my ears, and pacifies my annoyance. “I’ll be looking forward to it,” I assure her after several heated kisses. With nothing more to say, she urges me out the window, and blows me a kiss as I turn to leave.

 Sneaking back down the alley as happy as a clam at high tide, I make my way towards home. It’s a quiet evening, and almost everyone’s off the street. My only encounter along the way is with a small dog that growls at me from someone’s doorstep. When I arrive back home, I find I have become a bit chafed between the legs, and my crotch is itching most unbearably. Wondering if I must be growing out of my trousers, and groaning because of the additional expense, it isn’t until I light a candle that I figure out what’s causing my malady. To my dismay, I find that the trousers I’m wearing are not even mine! What in the nine hells is going on? It doesn’t take a hammer between the eyes for me to put two and two together, and realize what a blinded fool I’d become.

 The following evening, and with nothing better to do, I find myself outside the Banished Bard. Gone may be the illusion of love, but I cannot seem to resist the temptation of Sabrina’s charms, which draw me here like a moth to a flame. A street merchants stall acts as cover while I watch her work, and battle the turmoil that rages inside me. At this hour, the street is bustling with shoppers buying their evening meal, so it’s easy to blend into the crowd. I buy a hotcake from the merchant to put him at ease, and he doesn’t seem to mind me lingering around while I eat it.

 Taking delicate bites of the sweet cake, I notice hood one, and hood two walking down the street. I hadn’t thought to ask Sabrina what the men had looked like, who had kicked in my door, so I’m still unsure if I should be wary of them. Taking no chances, I casually avoid being seen by them as they go by, but they don’t go by. Instead, they stop outside the swinging doors of the Banished Bard. Peering around the stall, I see hood one beckon to someone inside.

 In astonishment, I watch Sabrina step out, and begin to converse with the two hoods. She appears jittery, and unsure of herself, and I begin to wonder if she is in some kind of trouble. One of the hoods unrolls a scroll and shows it to her. I nibble nervously at the edge of my cake, and wait for Sabrina’s reaction. To my dismay Sabrina shakes her head up and down indicating she recognizes the face drawn upon the scroll. Since I’m close enough to make out the face on that scroll, her response causes me to groan inwardly and panic. It seems the Duke has come up with a new tactic to find me, for upon the scroll, somebody had painstakingly drawn a fairly good portrait of me.

 It’s a remarkable likeness, and under any other circumstances, I would have truly liked the picture. At the moment, I do not like it, nor do I like Sabrina giving me up like that, but Sabrina isn’t done adding insult to injury. My displeasure increases as I watch her show the hoods where her window is, and then accept a coin laden pouch before they walk off.

 I have lost my appetite, and I drop the cake on the ground. Why would she do this to me? Rattled by her deception, my mind searches for an explanation, but nothing seems to make sense anymore. What’s the going rate of a puttock these days? I know it’s a hell of a lot more than I can afford, but not as much as it’s going to cost me to buy a new pair of trousers. Fool. With a heavy heart, I return home feeling sorry for myself, and curse my damnable luck for deserting me once again. One thing is for certain, since I entertain thoughts of becoming a minstrel, this evening’s tragedies will not become a song or a tale that I’d be willing to share with anyone.

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