Melcorka Of Alba

small open boat with a bird in a cage and closed them again when it was apparent there was no threat to Catriona. As she could not communicate with them, there was nothing else she could do.

'They're from a place called the Chola Empire,' Bradan said at length.

'I've never heard of it,' Melcorka said.

'They've never heard of Alba, either,' Bradan grinned. 'This is a completely different world.'

'Is this Chola Empire worth visiting?' Melcorka asked.

'It sounds like it. The shipmaster thinks it's paradise on earth, with hospitals for sick animals as well as sick humans and resting places for travellers.'

'Take us there, then,' Melcorka said. 'We need a friendly place and some time on land after so long at sea.'

'If we head north, and a little east, most of the coastline belongs to the Chola Empire,' Bradan said. 'The shipmaster has given us a navigation bird. He says that when we see seabirds or smell the coast, we should release the bird and it will guide us to land.'

Melcorka looked at the bird, unhappily hunched within its cage. 'The poor little creature will be pleased when we set it free.' Putting her finger through the bars, Melcorka stroked the bird's breast. 'She's a lovely little thing.'

'I don't like to see birds and animals caged,' Bradan said. 'I think we should free her now.'

Melcorka nodded. 'Do it. We can find land ourselves.' She watched as Bradan opened the cage door. The bird hopped out and immediately flew away. 'Safe journey, little bird. Did the shipmaster say anything else?'

'The captain also said to watch out for the pirates of Thiruzha.'

Melcorka laughed and touched the hilt of Defender. 'We have faced Caterans and Norsemen, Kalingo warriors and the armies of Cahokia. We can face pirates as well.'

'You are not invulnerable, Melcorka,' Bradan warned.

'Nor are they.' Melcorka dismissed Bradan's words. 'What else did your Chola friends say?'

'You're not normally so contemptuous of a possible enemy.' Bradan narrowed his eyes. 'You've not been quite yourself since you fought the Kalingo.'

'I'm fine.' Melcorka brushed aside Bradan's worries.

Bradan grunted. 'I'm not so sure. I'm keeping an eye on you, Melcorka nic Bearnas.'

Melcorka arched her back and thrust out her breasts. 'Oh, please do, Bradan no-last-name.'

'That's not like you either, Mel.'

'But you're glad I have this new side.' Melcorka laughed. 'It's all right, Brad, I'm still me. I've not changed. Now, tell me more about these ferocious Thiruzha pirates.'

Bradan altered the angle of the sail and looked around the horizon. 'The captain advised us to watch out for a man named Bhim – he is the worst of them. The shipmaster said if you meet Bhim or a woman named Dhraji, turn and flee.'

'We shall avoid him, then.' Melcorka spoke lightly.

They watched as the Chola ship hoisted its sails and bore away to the East, leaving a spreading white wake behind. Two men waved from the stern.

'I wonder where she is bound and what strange lands await her?' Bradan said. 'Perhaps we should have gone with her.'

'They have their journey,' Melcorka said, 'and we have ours. Let's find this Chola Empire and see if it is as friendly as the seamen said.' She grinned. 'The empires we have found in the past were not always worth finding.'

'As long as there are no warlike falcons there,' Bradan said. 'I do not wish to meet any more falcon warriors.'

'Do you wish to meet a many-legged monster?' Melcorka asked, suddenly serious.

'I never wish to meet a many-legged monster,' Bradan said.

'Don't look behind you, then.' Melcorka drew Defender.

Melcorka had never seen anything even remotely resembling the thing that was rising from the sea. Three enormously long tentacles stretched as high as Catriona's mast, writhing as they sought their prey. On the underside of each arm was a row of circular suckers, equipped with what looked like sharp teeth.

'It's a sea monster, Bradan!' Melcorka shouted. 'Get forward and keep out of my way.'

'I can't leave the tiller!' Bradan shouted.

Grabbing hold of his arm, Melcorka ripped Bradan from his seat and shoved him forward, just as one of the probing tentacles swept across the stern of Catriona. 'Move!'

A fourth wriggling tentacle joined the first three, and then a fifth.

'What in the name of God is that?' As always, Melcorka felt the thrill as the power of Defender surged through her, with the skill of the sword's makers augmented by the fighting ability, cunning and strength of all her previous users. 'Come on, you creature from Hades! Melcorka of Alba is here! Melcorka the Swordswoman is waiting for you!'

Three arms settled on the stern of Catriona, dragging the ship deeper into the water as the teeth within the suckers scraped at the timber.

Melcorka swung Defender at the closest arm, feeling the bite as the blade sliced into the rubbery thing that writhed and pulled at the bulwark. She swore as Defender stuck fast.

'You're tough.' Melcorka gave grudging praise. 'What in God's name are you?' Wrestling Defender free, she hacked a second and a third time before the arm parted, leaving a four-foot-long length writhing along the deck.

'Mel!' Bradan's voice was hoarse. 'Behind you!' Rushing forward, he crashed down his rowan-wood staff on one of the arms that snaked around the back of Melcorka. The stick bounced from the tentacle without having any effect, but Bradan's shout alerted Melcorka just as the tip of the tentacle curled around her ankle.

The power of the tentacle shocked Melcorka as it lifted her leg. She yelled, turned and sliced downward, chopping the end off the tentacle, which parted, to wriggle on the deck like a living thing.

'There are more of them!' Bradan said, as two more of the long, red arms slithered from the sea, and then a massive head thrust up at the bow, with shield-wide eyes staring at them, on either side of a great, beak-like mouth that snapped in fury.

'What an ugly brute you are!' Melcorka jerked back as the beak reached for her, and more of the creature's arms appeared. One coiled around the mast and