Chapter 4

Romanifo was unique in the empire with its clash of modern and old architecture and style. Situated in the only large bay on the northern half of the continent formed by the confluence of two major rivers and a relatively soft limestone ridge thrust up from the ocean floor, it provided ships shelter from the prevailing westerly winds and the stiff current sweeping down from the colder regions of the north. The large natural harbor had been attractive to early settlers seeking their livelihood on the sea.

“It looks ... different than I imagined,” Bianca said as the train slowed along the encircling ridgeline before dipping down toward the city.

“It’s the only major city you’ll see modern styles juxtaposed so closely with more rustic and ancient design,” I said. “You can just see the wall of Freeport along the southern head of the harbor. That’s the line of demarcation for building codes. Everything inside the walls must be lower tech building and materials.”

“Why?” Bianca asked. She had adopted her role as my betrothed, clinging to my arm and engaging me in conversation. Her mother, Anna, watched our interplay and reeled her daughter in whenever needed, pretending to be the doting matron guiding her child into adulthood.

“The birthright wars,” I said. “Around 600, the colonists from the free cities managed to sail across the ocean for trade and exploration. The winds and currents dropped them here at Romanifo. Initially, they only wanted to trade. For nearly fifty years, that’s all it was. Then, in 648, a large fleet of vessels was spotted. Our ancestors assumed it was only a trading armada, but they wanted more than trade. They felt they were entitled to the technology their ancestors had turned their backs on. Rather than negotiate, they tried to take. They landed and began pillaging. Imperial troops had to be brought in by train to repel them. Half of the city burned. Hundreds of citizens were taken hostage, and thousands were killed. The armada suffered casualties as well, but not enough to prevent about half of their fleet from escaping.”

“What happened?” Bianca asked breathlessly.

“It was the birth of the Imperial Coast Guard. Porto Bari produced ships for patrolling and war while the empire rebuilt here and trained its forces. In 650, an excursion west was launched. Their port, Thistle where we are headed, was razed and Imperial forces laid siege to Crown while raiding across the countryside. Eventually, they sued for peace. A treaty was struck after the leaders responsible for planning the attack were turned over to our forces.”

“Why not rebuild with modern styles and materials?” Anna asked.

“Traders are only allowed in Freeport. It was decided that no modern technology would be shown to them during the regular course of business. The coast guard pickets ensure no traders penetrate deeper into the harbor and Imperial Security prevents easy travel outside the freeport for non-citizens. Inside the Freeport, the building code is low-tech and sturdy. No wooden structures, no flammable roofs. Stone and slate are the rule, along with metal-clad doors. You can’t have any windows on the first floor of a building, and the upper floor windows must have sloped sills to prevent easy climbing.”

Bianca gave a small shiver. “It sounds horrid. I hope we won’t stay there long.”

I found myself patting her hand, naturally adopting the character I was playing. “We won’t.”

“Why board in Freeport?” Anna asked. “I mean, the ship includes modern technology. Isn’t it at risk?”

It was a fair question. “The line has special permission. They can’t trade in technology, but a decision was made a decade ago to ‘show the flag’ to the other people of the world to show some of our capabilities. Evidently, it went all the way to the senate for a vote before it was allowed. I’ve always wondered if the jealousy it may create outweighs the benefits.”

“Where will we stay tonight?” Anna asked. Our ship had three days before it’s departure, and we would board the night before sailing.

“There’s an inn near Freeport that we’ve got rooms at. We’ll want to make certain our travel clothes are clean and fresh, and I’ll take care of getting our cargo to the bond agent for loading. We’ll dine in tonight and enter Freeport tomorrow.”

“Why stay in Freeport at all?” Bianca asked.

“Everything gets inspected going in and coming out. Imperial Security will be watching it all. It can take a full day to process through, though I expect it to only take us a couple of hours.”

“How early of a start tomorrow?” Anna asked.

“I’d like to leave the inn by ten. Our wares will be loaded by mid-day, and we can board the ship after fifteen. There is an inn near the wharf we can relax at if we clear inspections quickly.”

The ladies exchanged a look and sat silently as the train dipped lower and the sight of the harbor was lost. Soon I felt us slow further and knew we were approaching the station.

An hour later, we were settled in a small suite of a thoroughly modern inn. The staff was efficient in delivering our two travel trunks and Anna was guiding Bianca through pulling everything out, inspecting it and then arranging it for re-packing. I set up at a desk in one of the two bedrooms and pulled my notebooks from my valise. Master Toscano had been generous with his knowledge, and I had created suitable vintner notes under his watchful eye. He was careful in not asking too many questions of why I needed to pretend to be in his guild. The fact that I did own a vineyard helped.

“Cosimo,” Anna called from the sitting room where they were getting organized.

“Yes?” I asked as I stood and joined them.

Anna fidgeted with the tied fabric belt around her waist. “We ... I have questions about this trip. May we speak?”

I could tell she wanted to add “master” to her sentence, even if she did refer to herself as “I”. Grandmother had warned me about the struggles they might have for the first few days and suggested I be gentle with them.

“Go ahead,” I said, “but let’s be wary of any conversation.” They did not need to know that we owned this hotel. We did not keep a club in Romanifo, but the city was too important to have none of our eyes and ears around.

Anna pursed her lips and considered her words for a moment. “If I were the person we are supposed to be, I think I would either be insisting you marry my daughter before the trip, or insisting we stay behind. Going with you seems to be the most foolish choice a mother could make.”

I nodded. “I agree. Why would I insist you both journey with me? What is a logical explanation?”

Bianca stepped closer. “Love?” She had a hint of hope in her words.

I shook my head. “Love would be a reason to rush the marriage and bring you on the trip. It would also remove the need for a chaperone, though you might want to bring your poor mother along for your love of her.”

“Fear?” Anna asked.

“Fear of what? By whom?” I replied.

She licked her lips. “I think I would fear that you, a struggling vintner, might want to sell my beautiful daughter to the brothels of the Free Cities. I think she would fear you cavorting with the lose women in those same brothels and have some fear of you abandoning her if she were left behind. I think you would fear leaving such an attractive but desperate woman behind, with your land and possible fortune in her hands. I think we all need to think about how these sorts of fears would make us act.”

I thought about the acting classes I had taken and nodded. Understanding the motivations of our characters would make our performances more credible. “How would these fears come out in our actions, Anna?”

Anna blushed. “I would be telling my daughter to be certain she was satisfying you, building a bond that would keep her safe. I would be making sure she was learning to take care of feeding and comforting you. I would hope my instructions would have value to you, so you would keep us both around.”

I nodded again. In short, she would act just as she had since I arrived home. I gazed at her daughter. I loved Samantha but was honest enough to admit how attractive the woman before me was. If she were not a slave, she would be the belle of many balls.

I considered how I would act, if I were a young wine maker, looking to secure his future with this lovely creature. “I would be lavish with my affections, winning Bianca over so she would not want to find someone else, someone with a better outlook, more money, or a stronger family. I would want to keep her close for the same reasons. I would be deferential to you, her mother, to keep you on my side as I worked to secure a suitable future for us all. I would keep you near so you would continue coaching her in the ways of married life.”

Anna nodded and looked at her daughter. After a pause, she spoke. “I think I would be following my mother’s instructions while figuring out ways to bind you to me, to wash away my insecurities.”

I nodded. “So, what does all this mean?” I asked. I knew Anna had a reason for speaking her mind.

“Bianca,” her mother said. “Do as I instructed, and I’ll finish up out here.”

Bianca blushed at her mother’s command, but crossed the room and took my hand. She guided me toward the large bathroom of the suite and closed the door behind us. I started to say something, thinking of Samantha, but she put her finger to my lips.

“Mother insists, and I agree, Cosimo. I want to take care of you and cement you to me. There is a barrier between us right now. We need to move past that to play our roles.”

She turned on the hot water in the large shower and then began undressing me.

She paused once my shirt was removed. Her fingers shifted to her own clothes. She glanced up to make certain she held my attention but focused on delicately untying the bows holding the top of her dress closed. She swept her long platinum blonde hair over her shoulder before slipping the sleeves of her dress down her arms, showing me her breasts and erect nipples. She pushed the dress down over her hips, letting it drop suddenly to the floor and stood before me in naked glory once again. She looked up, licking her lips, and then stepped closer to reach for my pants.

Her touch was light, delicate, teasing, and enticing as she unbuckled my belt and then dropped to her knees to remove my shoes. She closed her eyes and breathed in deeply before unclasping my trousers and lowering them to the floor. She coaxed me to lift my feet free and then repeated her motions with my briefs. She leaned forward, catching my stiffening manhood for the briefest of kisses before standing and pulling me into the steamy shower.

Her efforts were both deliberate and delicate as she soaped my body and ran her fingers across my chest, stomach, and legs. She stood close, pressing her breasts against my skin and tipped her face upward, inviting a kiss. I obliged.

“I’m to be pure until my return, Cosimo, but there are things I can do. Will you let me?”

I was bespelled by her touch and could only nod. Slowly, keeping her gaze locked with mine, she lowered herself once more.

“Strip them clothes off,” the greasy official said with a leer at Bianca.

“What?” I asked.

“They’re CIs. It’s irregular enough you’ve got a pass to take them out of the empire. There will be no contraband slipped through on my watch. Now strip off!”

Anna and Biannca looked at me, pleading. I gaped at the man.

We had been treated with bureaucratic indifference when we first arrived at the customs house that formed the gate into the Freeport. Each group of people entering the port were gathered and taken to screening rooms by one of the officials at the station. Once seated, I had to fill out forms including our status and residence in the empire. Grandmother and father had been very explicit on what I was to put on the forms. It was the truth, with only a few minor exceptions.

Noting that Anna and Bianca were criminal indentures under my supervision had raised an eyebrow. The official who had first read our forms had hurried from the room. The current toady had arrived half an hour later.

The man was sweaty and unkempt and had an odor to him, but the avarice and lust in his eyes was evident. “Get busy or leave,” he commanded.

I nodded. Anna carefully set aside her traveling cloak and began unbuttoning the top of her dress. She kept her lips pressed tightly together as she pushed the top down to her waist, displaying her breasts to the cretin before continuing the buttons at her waist. Once loosened, she let the dress drop and then pushed her loose underpants, more like shorts, down as well.

The man licked his lips and then stared at Bianca, waiting.

“Do as you’re told, Seven.”

My use of her number in the household broke through her seeming paralysis. She followed her mother’s actions. Soon, she stood naked in a puddle of cloth.

“Now I just need to check...”

Bang!

The door sprung open and a thick, sturdy looking woman in a black Imperial Security uniform strode into the small room.

“R’Danit,” she said in a tight, low voice. “What do you think you are doing here?”

The man tore his eyes from Bianca and Anna and stammered as he saw the woman glaring at him. “They’re CI’s, inspector. I need to inspect them.” His voice was ragged, as if he knew his justification was not going to cut it.

“Get dressed!” the inspector said to the women. “R’Danit, did you bother to look at who signed his paperwork?”

The man paled and then looked at the form clutched in his hand. It was the document father had delivered to me the night before, along with the instructions on how to complete the customs form.

“This isn’t really...”

“Shut your mouth, unless you want to talk to the judiciary. I’ve heard too many complaints about you and your shift here. In fact, this is enough of a fuck up that I think I will take official notice.”

“But CI’s are goods. We’re charged with inspecting all goods into the Freeport. I’m just doing my job. You can’t arrest me for that!” he protested.

“You were about to put hands on the property of another. Knowing what you’re rumored to have done to some of the plebe women travelling through here to work in the port, I suspect you would have done more than a cursory search. You did not have their owner’s permission. That would have been either theft or damage to property. That’s a charge I could bring against you. It’s enough to hold you while I bring in other inspectors to check your whole shift for what they’ve done or seen you do.”

Anna and Bianca were re-clothed, but looking disheveled by the time the imperial inspector finished her tirade.

“And what about us?” I asked as the two officials held their staring contest.

The inspector took our papers, wrote across the bottom line, and thrust them at me. “You are cleared to go. On your return, ask for me. Imperial Inspector Karelia. I will see you clear customs on your return.”

I helped the women collect the last of their things and hurried them toward the door. Five minutes later, we were officially in the Freeport. I quickly paid a porter to take our two travel trunks to the ship while letting myself and the shaken women follow at a more leisurely pace.

“Cosimo,” Bianca managed to say as she clung to my arm. “What do our papers say?”

“It’s not so much what they say as who signed them. Usually, when the head of imperial security authorizes something, good citizens in government posts heed that authority.”

“The head of imperial security?” she asked.

I nodded and patted her hand. “Countersigned by one of the ministers of commerce. This trip is not some silly lark my grandmother dreamed up. We travel on official, deadly business. Father was afraid something might hinder us and took steps.”

I felt a shiver pass through her but kept her from stumbling as we continued toward the harbor. I spied a small café in the square before the piers and guided the two women to it. Soon we were seated in a tight table and had a hot mulled cider with a stiff shot of brandy before us.

“Drink up,” I encouraged. “And remember our purpose. We travel to start a future together, to secure valuable trade and make a name for me worthy of your daughter’s hand,” I said to Anna.

They both looked at me, nodded, and then sipped their beverages. I resisted a smile at the shocked look of the drink’s strength but was pleased to see some color return to their faces.

“We can board in another hour, so let’s sit here and put that unpleasantness out of our minds. Bianca, what are you looking forward to on the voyage?” I asked gently.

Her blush deepened, but she seemed to gather her composure. “I’ve heard the line serves excellent meals, Cosimo. Will we be eating in the salon?”

“Yes, but I don’t think there will be many other passengers of our class traveling. Also, the winter seas are rough. We may be in for some trials in our crossing. I have some medicines that should help if you feel unwell, so don’t hesitate to let me know how you’re feeling.”

Both women nodded.

“How long will the crossing take?” Anna asked after taking another sip of her drink.

I answered and then smiled encouragingly until Bianca asked a question. Slowly, they relaxed and resumed the characters they had practiced being for the past eight days. By the time we boarded the ship, I felt they had put the ordeal at the customs house behind them.

“Oh my, these are small rooms,” Anna said as we were shown into our adjoining cabins.

I smiled and stuck my head through the doorway connecting the two rooms. The cabin was tightly filled by a fair-sized bed, a small couch, and a desk with a single chair. My own cabin was a mirror of theirs. Each room had a small, attached head with a sink, toilet, and standing shower, but not much more. One of our two trunks was secured at the foot of their bed. Our second trunk was in my room.

“Better these rooms than the others the ship has to offer,” I said. “I thought you would appreciate these to the four or six person berths with the common baths.” I knew there were only a dozen of these stateroom cabins on the ship. While the same line ran more luxurious cruises in the south, from Porto Bari and up the east coast, this part of the line was geared to trade outside the empire.

Bianca stepped out from inspecting the head and saw me in the adjoining doorway. “Cosimo, do we have time to shower? I feel like that filthy gaze is still on my skin.”

“Of course,” I replied. “I’ll leave you two ladies to freshen up. Knock if you need anything.” I closed the door and sat at my own couch. A moment later, the door snicked opened, and Anna joined me, sitting close by.

“She’ll be back to herself soon, Cosimo. I think she finally understands this is not some schoolgirl fantasy adventure. I worry she won’t grow up fast enough to be of much help to you,” she added. The appellation of ‘master’ was not needed.

I patted Anna’s knee. “We all have our duty now, Anna. I’m sure it will be fine.”

Bianca looked a little green as the ship gave a stronger-than-usual roll to port. We were trying to enjoy dinner in the salon for the first time in three days. The seas had been high enough to confine the ladies to bed for most of the day. I had braved the motions of the ship for short forays out but agreed that letting the seas rock us to sleep was a better alternative. The swells and our course had combined to ease the pitching of the ship and turn it more into a steady, albeit significant rolling motion sometime during the night. I had managed two trips around the enclosed promenade, once with each lady, and we all agreed to try and eat in the opulent dining room.

Bianca’s death-grip on her fork made me reconsider the idea.

“Do you want me to take you back to your room, dear?” I asked for the benefit of the steward hovering nearby.

She gave me a weak smile and shook her head. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath through her nose, straightened her posture and then set the fork down. “No, but I don’t think I’ll eat much more,” she said.

I reached over and patted her hand. Anna smiled and resumed her own meal. Three days had given at least two of us much more of an appetite. The steward had cautioned all of us to take it easy, just in case the seas became rougher once again.

“How much longer?” Bianca asked.

“Just two more days. We should arrive on the morning of the third. If it’s any consolation, the return trip should be better,” I said. At least that’s what the purser had told me this morning. Something to do with the direction of the seas and our travel east combining to give us a better ride.

Bianca nodded and took a sip of water. “I know I’ll survive, but I’m not pleased you brought me on this trip so far, Cosimo.” At least she was maintaining her character. I had been concerned after the incident at the customs house. It appeared the worry was unwarranted, however, since she had played the part of my betrothed flawlessly before the crew. There were at least three other passengers traveling in first class, but they had not interacted with us other than cursory nods during our brief sojourns out of the cabins. We were the only diners tonight.

“I promise to make it up to you,” I said. “What would you like?”

She blushed, then tittered behind her hand. “I’ll reserve that favor, I think, until we’re both back on solid ground.”

I caught the steward’s brief smile.

“It will be my pleasure, I’m sure.”

Anna swatted at my arm. “Behave, the both of you. What will it be like at Thistle, Cosimo?”

I shrugged. “Based on what I’ve been told, we’ll only be there long enough to pay our import fees and arrange for my cargo to be loaded and taken to Crown. If we find suitable partners, I’ll have to spend a little more time there before we return, to find and retain a receiving agent for the wine, but I think the market will be the inns and taverns in Crown.”

“If what the purser told us is true, I don’t think I’ll want to spend much time out in Thistle or Crown for that matter,” Bianca said.

“You definitely won’t be out on your own,” I agreed.

“What of this custom we heard about for closing new deals?” Anna asked. “I don’t understand why in the world men would trade their wives to seal a bargain.”

I waved away her concerns. “I’ll deal with that if we need to. Maybe we’ll find a local woman I can retain. I was instructed to discuss the matter at the embassy before starting any serious negotiations.”

“Oral is one thing,” Anna said, surprising me. “But the other is a different matter. Please promise me you won’t consider Bianca for such a service,” she said.

I was surprised she was having the conversation in the dining room, then realized it was not a shocking as I thought, if she were really a low or high guilder down on her luck. We were fairly open on such topics in imperial society.

“I shan’t,” I promised. Then with a smile, I lowered my voice and leaned closer to her. “Except in service to me,” I added.

Anna blushed and swatted me again. Bianca quirked an eyebrow at us.

“What did he say, mother?”

“Never mind, Bianca. He was just pulling my leg.”

“Was I?” I teased.

Bianca seemed to understand my jest to her mother and blushed too, before giving me a slight smile. “Perhaps that too should wait until we are on solid ground.”

We all laughed, and I motioned the steward to clear the table. For the first time, I had a good feeling about our trip.

Anna and Bianca covered their mouth and noses with the hands, hoping it would help with the stench of the harbor. We had arrived at dawn, as anticipated. The wood and plaster buildings closest to the harbor were separated by stone-paved roads that had open gutters running alongside them. Garbage and waste were visible in them, waiting on the next storm to flush them down to the sea.

“I thought horses were romantic,” Bianca muttered.

I smiled and handed her a scented handkerchief. “Use this,” I said. “It should help.” The rosemary and lemon infused alcohol I had dabbed on the cloth would at least cut some of the odor. I handed another to Anna.

“Thank you, Cosimo,” Anna said genuinely. “I hope it doesn’t take long to get our import duties paid and get away from the harbor.”

I agreed, but suspected some of the stench would remain no matter where we ventured in the Free Cities.

Fortunately, the ship’s crew was efficient in calling us to the quarterdeck to meet with the burgher responsible for collecting our import fees and then another managing teamsters and stevedores to unload our cargo. A pair of porters accompanied the ladies to our cabins to collect our trunks and less than two hours after docking, we were on our way in a carriage and being followed by two wagons filled with small wine casks that represented my wares.

The smell did lessen, or perhaps we became more used to it. Either way, I was glad to put some distance between us and the harbor. Thistle was a harbor town laid out to facilitate the movement of cargo to and from the wharves. The street we soon found ourselves on was a wide thoroughfare, capable of two wagons passing one another as well as foot traffic. The city teamed with ragged looking children and young men running on some burgher’s business. We saw few merchants, but the driver explained most shops were off the main roads. I caught a glimpse of a bustling market a short distance down a side street.

I was surprised there was no additional customs agents at the city gate, but grateful as well. The gates stood wide open, and we passed easily. A breeze freshened the air, and I noticed the women relaxing the desperate hold of the handkerchiefs in front of their noses.

“With the wagons trailing, we’ll take most of the day to get to Crown,” our driver informed us. “The road isn’t like your fancy ones back home, so it might be a bit bumpy. Just let me know if you need to stop,” he said with a grin at the women.

We watched the loose stream of cargo wagons heading into the city as we headed away. The roadway was lined with trees, screening small estates and homes from sight of the traffic. Occasionally, we’d catch sight of a small farm or stable operation just off the roadway.

“Are those inns?” Bianca asked after passing one such site.

“Stables and some lodging. I wouldn’t call them an inn. Many of the burghers like to keep teams fresh or move freight quicker. Those houses change teams and drivers at the stables. Common folks are smart to steer clear. Ladies such as you, should not even consider stopping in. Better leave early and to ride through late than stop at some of the places. Oh, don’t get me wrong, if you had a couple of guards, you could spend the night with a cargo, but I won’t just be stopping in for a drink.”

I began to understand why each of the cargo wagons had two guards riding along. Since they were included in the teamster’s fee, I had not questioned it, but now I did.

“So, robbery can be a problem?” I asked.

The driver gave me a look, as if I was simple. “Not so much robbery as extra taxes, sir. Some folks won’t have the lord mayor himself signing their papers. You should be fine, given you paid a fair penny to get the signature you got, but others might not be so lucky.”

I was surprised. The man who signed our paperwork and recommended the driver and teamsters had not struck me as a bureaucrat or introduced himself as the mayor of Thistle. I was glad I had gifted him a cask of wine for his efficient work. I made a mental note to look him up on the return trip. His patronage, if I did start shipping wine would be invaluable.

“You mentioned our roads back home,” Anna said. “Have you been to the empire?”

The driver laughed. “No, just heard a tale or two. We’ve seen a few more of your folks coming to visit. In the warmer months, I make a trip to and from every week or so with your messengers going to the embassy. They complain about the bumps and whatnot but seem to be regular folk for the most part.”

“I hadn’t realized there was so much traffic from the empire,” Bianca said.

“There’s usually a herald or messenger on each ship that comes in. Like I said, every week or so during the warmer months. I’m surprised there wasn’t a packet for the embassy today.”

I kept my mouth shut and face neutral. I had a small satchel of messages to deliver, but this man did not need to know that. The women didn’t either, for that matter.

“Why do you treat your women so poorly?” Bianca asked suddenly.

“What? We treat women just fine. We protect and cherish them, at least most of us do. What are you talking about?”

“We’ve heard some warnings,” Anna said without stating any specifics.

“If they were telling you to be cautious, listen to them,” he advised. “There are some burghers and burgher sons who think any woman walking alone is theirs for the plucking, like an apple or peach on a public tree. If it was those sorts of warnings, take heed. The peasantry would act the same if they thought they could, but if they were to accost a lady such as yourself, and be caught at it, they would hang. The problem is the buggers who think they can get away with it. I don’t let my wife or daughters travel in the cities without me or my brother watching over them. Out in the country, off the main roads, they are most likely fine, but I would not suggest you get out there on your own.”