Chapter One
I have to send for Wilbur, Elliott and Tobias. I can’t lose my head now. Where could he have gone? Why would he leave like this? What if he’s hurt or worse? Lyn, come home, I don’t think my heart can take this.
***
You would be surprised how far you can get when you meet a nice young man who is willing to drive you as far as you need along his route for hardly a Di. I found him quite agreeable, pleasant to look at, pleasant to talk with, all-around a pleasant young man.
After three nights of travel, we come to a seaside town and I feel it’s time to leave my new friend, Yaxel as I learned the day I climbed into his cart, I slipped him 3 more Di as thanks for his help and set off on foot to explore the town I’d never heard of before. I quickly discovered from the many signs and shop names I was in Port Farnlope. It was a nice little town, I bought myself a warm meal and a room to sleep in for the night, all in all, that evening came to cost me about 17 Di and 30 Go and 14 Si, which wasn’t too bad all things considered. I found the bed not to be amazingly comfortable but falling asleep was no problem after a long and warm day like I had been having.
I awoke the next morning to a ruckus. A woman was yelling downstairs at a man in the inn’s lobby.
‘Yer a thieving son of a bitch!’ she’d astounded me with the language she used, my father hated it when we swore, ‘you don’t return me ring right this second I’ll have yer finger laddie.’ As I entered the scene, I found the woman had calmed slightly, and I thought her to be more beautiful than I had imagined, she was evidently a sailor – a pirate – if the loose button-up man’s blouse, high waisted pants and a hat straight out of the old fantasy books my father read to us were anything to go off, not to mention the gold jewellery that adorned her face and figure. She had her sword drawn to the neck of the apparent thief.
‘I have no idea what you’re talking about lady!’ he was shaking but seemed firm in his belief that he had no hand in this apparent theft ‘you’ve got the wrong bloke!’
‘Oh, do I, laddie? Then empty yer pockets for me, lemme see yer apparent innocence.’
She’d lowered the blade from his neck and stood expectantly. I was curious myself, hoping it was just a terrible misunderstanding.
Then the man bolted like any crook would to evade prosecution. The lady sailor appeared surprised by this. Now by this point, I had found myself standing by the only entrance and exit, so as the crook rushed towards the door, I tripped him up, instinctually, of course, I’d played this type of game with my brothers many times.
Within the blink of an eye, the man was comically splayed on the ground, and all sorts of pickpocketed goods, from money – and by the gods there had been some Ems in there too! – to priceless antiquities. The sailor lady only concerned herself with a simple golden ring which she replaced onto one of her long fingers which she then pointed at the man.
‘If I ever see yer again laddie, I’ll have yer hide, now get outta here before I gut yer!’
I, to this day, swear I have never seen someone move so quickly and leave so many valuables behind.
The lady then turned her eyes to me. They were golden, they complimented her dark complexion wonderfully.
‘The names Lylac, Captain Lylac Kolins of the Rose’s Jewel’
‘It’s a pleasure to meet you Captain Kolins!’
‘Yer really helped me there boy, what can I do to repay yer?’
I got a brilliant idea from that!
‘I was wondering if you could take me to wherever your ship docks next?’
‘Well, the plan is to set off tomorrow, we’re headed to the Dragon’s Den’ her lips curled into a sneer ‘Tarondegra.’
I wonder what goes on there to be called the “Dragon’s Den”. I suppose I’ll find out when I get there.
The captain slips me a piece of paper,
‘Meet me here tomorrow boy, we’ll be setting off first thing! Before dawn.’
‘Yes, Captain!’
The fond smile she gave me was enough to give me butterflies.
‘Oh, and lad, you can keep all this trash, I have no need for it.’
She gestures vaguely to the valuables on the ground.
And with that, I gather up the goods and leave the captain’s side. There is so much I need to explore within a day and to find someone to convert these Ems to Dis and such, and maybe I can sell the jewellery and statuettes.
I trade a gold necklace for a leather satchel, which can carry my money better than the rucksack, in the end, I have about 3 Ems, 250 Di, 390 Go, and 580 Si. A rather good profit if I say so myself.
I decide to keep a statuette of Atlas, the titan who holds up the sky, it reminds me of my brother’s stories. I feel that chill for the first time since I left home as I wonder if my father has told them I’ve left. Perhaps he is still infuriatingly at ease.
I decide I don’t have the time to think about such irritating things. I slip the statuette into my satchel and push it to the back of my mind. I head to the same restaurant as yesterday to eat. Port Farnlope has been so kind to me so far. Why was I so afraid of the world before?
I packed my old rucksack with my clothes and about 12 bags of dried beef just as a snack that I thought would be smart, I also brought two new winter cloaks, one was a deep blue and the other a deep fuchsia. I fell asleep content with my new possessions before the sun had even begun to set.
I dreamt of my brothers, sitting in front of the fireplace back in our family cottage. Whatever they were discussing they seemed stressed. I couldn’t see my father, but I could hear the tell-tale quick steps of him pacing just off the carpet. I couldn’t speak, I felt like I was listening with my head underwater and opening my mouth would result in painful drowning.
I woke up in a cold sweat. Although I wasn’t feeling particularly afraid.
I decide quickly I should be on my way. The striking Captain Kolins would not appreciate tardiness, I should think.
The captain herself meets me at the dock in front of a grand ship,
‘Hey-ho lad! Yer made it!’
‘I wouldn’t have missed it for the world captain!’
‘Come on up, lad, yer’ve to meet me crew of gentleladies!’
Gentleladies? I quietly wondered, a crew of ladies, you never hear that in the legends.
Captain Kolins leads me up to the deck where just as she implied, at least twelve women dashed around preparing for departure, and from what I could hear there were even more women, people, down below.
‘Ladies! Line up!’
Captain Kolins’ voice rang out over the whole ship, cutting through the early morning air.
The crew was larger than I could have ever anticipated. 14 women lined up from above deck, and then 20 from down below. Besides me, the only men on board included three boys, who were children of the apparent ship’s cook.
‘Lad, this is Jacinda, Jessabelle, Sky, Haley, Matilda, Ella, Ellie, Kira, Kit, Hari, Jamie, Hattie, Sophie, Lucy, Cassie, Lady, Charlie, Susie, Tally, Kelsie, Fae, Annie, Doll, Mia, Lia, the twins – Georgia and Stacia, Summer, Desiree, the ladies – Elizabeth, Catherine, Victoria and the princess of Hoteline – Rosalie and our delightful cook – Madame Caroline and our boys – Louis, Tommy and Davie.’
I smile at them, internally sweating as I try to memorise their names.
‘I hope you can forgive me for intruding ladies, I’m simply trying to see the world.’
‘Captain Kolins told us of your help to her, lad, no need to give us an apology’ Madame Caroline tells me.
She’s a lady of about 36, she’s on the larger side, not that I’d ever imply that to be a bad thing! She’s quite beautiful! She’s got a very kind face and the crows’ feet on her eyes show she’s lived a happy life, and I find myself quite attracted to her spirit and light.
The true jewel of this merry crew of gentleladies though? Princess Rosalie. Her skin is an ochre colour, much like the mellow-brown light that bathed the forest during late autumn when the orange, yellow and brown leaves covered all surfaces available and reflected brilliantly unto the world, and more specifically me. Her rich, honey-coloured eyes sparkle with untold secrets of a life I so desperately wish to be a part of.
Her hair is braided, but not like the fair-skinned women from my hometown had their hair braided, like Wilbur’s first girlfriend always insisted her hair be when she stayed over.
“It is the politeness of ladies to always have elegance, even within one’s hair.” Is what she’d always say. Safe to say she didn’t last very long within our family. I wonder if Sally still frets about the Politeness of Ladies. Princess Rosalie’s hair is adorned by many beautiful, intricately woven braids that protected what I can only imagine being a head full of thick, wild, wonderful curls.
Captain Kolins cleared her throat and gave the ladies their cues to leave the deck and resume their duties, only Madame Caroline stayed behind.
My eyes follow Princess Rosalie as she walks back down the stairs from the deck.
‘C’mon lad, we’ll show you down to your room.’
‘Yes, captain!’ I beam, picking my rucksack to follow the women down to the sleeping quarters.
I really tried to pay attention to what the captain was saying, I’m sure it was important. But there she was, Princess Rosalie was entering what I could only assume were her own quarters.
‘-and breakfast is in two hours, lad, I’ll let yer settle in.’ the captain says to me.
‘Thank you, Captain Kolins.’ I smile, ‘My name is Talyn, by the way, Talyn Halliwell.’
‘Well. Welcome to the crew, Talyn Halliwell.’
©2022 Poppy B. Humble
Poppy B. Humble Writes 