The Lonely King, James Gerard [ebook pc reader .txt] 📗

look of most landlubbers. Are you a sea dog?”

 

“No, I am just a boy from a farm. But I have come to join the hunt for the fish.”

 

“You have,” the crusty old man said. Then he added:

 

“Be careful of a captain’s tongue that speaks of an earthly treasure and whose heart only seeks earthly pleasure. But a captain whose tongue bodly speaks the pain of our broken ruler’s heart, on that ship your search will start.”

 

“What do you mean?” Talon asked.

 

“You will see,” laughed the crusty old sailor, “you will see.”

 

“Ahoy,” was shouted as Talon walked toward the first fishing ship he came to. “Are you seeking to join the hunt for the fish?”

 

“Yes Captain, I wish to join the crew.”

 

“Do you be a landlubber?” the Captain asked.

 

“I am.”

 

“Landlubber! Just what I do not need”

 

“But I want to—”

 

“Then will you swear an oath?”

 

“I will Captain.”

 

“Then do you swear to catch this beast, to cut it up into small pieces and bring the pieces back to port to sell to the landlubbers of the Kingdom of Sonas?”

 

“But Captain, what about the fate of the Queen and Princess? If we cut up the beast they will die too.”

 

“They surely will not you landlubber. Now swear the oath.”

 

“Swear to sell the meat Captain? The people are nearly famished and with little money; is it right to sell the meat?”

 

“If you will not swear to the oath then be on your way landlubber! Instead of swearing an oath you would have mercy on the beast and let the people starve—away with you.”

 

As Talon neared a second ship a voice rang out, “How about join my crew lad? The King will surely reward us handsomely for killing the beast and bringing back the Queen and Princess.”

 

“But I did not come seeking a reward. My only desire is to freely help the King and the Kingdom of Sonas and all the kingdoms of all the lands.”

 

“Ah, be off with you swab. What sort of pirate does not steal…I mean take no reward?”

 

Talon approached a third ship and looked to the bridge. There he spotted the Captain decked out in a shiny new suit adorned with ribbons and metals. He sounded so smartly and stately and confidant as he shouted orders to his crew.

 

“Are you seeking to join my crew lad?”

 

“I am Captain.”

 

“There are two things this ship does for the King. We desire to fish for fish and we look to capture the big fish that swallowed the King’s ship and our beloved Queen and Princess. If you are seeking to do anything else then this is not the ship you want.”

 

“You do not want to kill the fish Captain?”

 

“Kill? Of course we do not want to kill the fish. Instead, I have bought a potion from a witch from a far away kingdom that will put the fish to sleep. And while the fish sleeps and snores we will sail this ship into its mouth and into its belly and bring the King’s ship and its crew and the Queen and the Princess out of the belly of the fish.”

 

“Then this is the ship I want Captain. Captain, do I have your permission to come aboard?”

 

“Permission is granted lad.”

 

Talon raced up the gangplank. He then looked up to the Captain standing with his chest pushed out, his shoulders back, and his head held high.

 

“Stow your gear in the forecastle and then come back up and help with the rigging on the masts.”

 

“Forecastle Captain? Rigging?”

 

“Are you a sailor or a landlubber lad?”

 

“I am…I am a landlubber Captain. But my heart is with the King. Surely I can be of service in some small way.”

 

“Hmmm,” the Captain mumbled while stroking his long gray beard. “You look strong and sturdy. Then up to the crows nest. You will be our lookout.”

 

“Crows nest?”

 

“Up the top of the main mast lad,” the Captain said while pointing a finger up.”

 

After Talon stowed his gear he ran back up to the top deck and climbed up to the crows nest.

 

“All hands on deck,” the Captain bellowed.

 

Talon stared in fascination as the rest of the crew came scrambling up from below deck.

 

“Ready to come about,” the Captain ordered and the sailors scurried to their place on the ship.

 

After the Captain gave the command “prepare to sail,” young sailors and old salts took up the anchor, anchor ball, and took up the lines securing the ship to the pier.

 

The first mate shouted, “With your permission Captain.”

 

“Proceed,” the Captain responded.

 

“Clear lines,” was the command from the first mate.

 

The riggers immediately raised the sails from the spars.

 

As the ship cleared the pier the first mate commanded, “Helm’s alee,” and the ship headed out of Bubbly Bay.

 

“First mate,” the Captain called, “prepare a message with the signal flags.”

 

“And what message would that be Captain?”

 

“Let it be known to all that we will be sailing to the Islands of Sirens.”

 

Talon did not understand as every man suddenly gasped at the same time. He looked down and saw the first mate string the flags together and then run them up the halyard while the crew looked on with such frightful faces.

 

But Talon figured what he did not know was for the best.

 

“Talon,” the Captain shouted out, “what can you see through the spyglass?”

 

Talon put the spyglass to an eye and looked in the direction of the Islands of Sirens. “I see…oh my Captain—the water is boiling.”

 

“Boiling?” the Captain questioned. He took out his spyglass and searched out the sea. “That is not boiling water Talon—they are fish, fish by the thousands and thousands. Prepare the nets.”

 

As the ship entered the water churning from thousands and thousands of fish skimming the surface of the Salty Sea, the nets were cast. In a matter of minutes the first mate commanded, “Bring in the fish.”

 

Talon could see the crew struggling with the nets. Feeling as if his strength could overcome the fight with the net, he yelled out, “Permission to lend a hand Captain.”

 

“Permission denied.”

 

But as the Captain looked at the struggle with the net he then shouted, “Belay that command. Permission granted. Talon, come quickly and lend a hand.”

 

Talon descended the ladder like an experienced old salt. And as soon as he grabbed hold of the net the fish stopped fighting to swim away and swam towards the ship. Just about singlehandedly he hauled in the net using all the strength he built up from his toil in the fields of the farm. The fish dropped into the stowage below without a fight.

 

After Talon brought in the last of the nets the first mate shouted out, “Captain, we are full with fish. There is no room even for a wee little minnow.”

 

“Helmsman, come about; back to Bubbly Bay.”

 

Just then the wind whipped up swells from the sea as tall as the islands all about them.

 

“Belay that order. Batten down the hatches,” the Captain commanded, “all hands below deck.”

 

“Wait,” shouted Talon. He scurried back up to the crows nest and searched out the nearby islands. “There Captain,” he said while pointing ahead, “an island with safe harbor. And Captain,” added Talon, “I can see a waterfall; no, waterfalls on every island I can see—fresh water Captain.”

 

“You heard the lad helmsman, steer to where Talon points.”

 

As the ship neared the island the waters became calmer and calmer.

 

Then, as if calling from the deepest depths of the Salty Sea, Talon heard a voice. The voice was calling him. He scurried down from the crows nest and said, “Captain, someone calls out for help. Why do you ignore her pleas?”

 

The Captain looked to the crew and commanded, “Take Talon and throw him in the brig.”

 

“But Captain,” Talon cried out, “she is asking to be rescued.”

 

The Captain walked up to Talon and said, “I am sorry lad, but we hear no siren. You see, lad, sirens are nothing more than sea devils looking to steal your life and soul from our Maker. As soon as you jump in the water and swim to her she will make sure the waves will bash you against the rocks until you die. But again, it is no siren that calls to you but delusions from seasickness.”

 

“No Captain! This cannot be true.”

 

“Aye it is lad. Take him to the brig. You will stay there until the fever passes.”

 

As soon as Talon was locked away he looked out the small portal, to the waterfall on the island they were sailing towards. “So much fresh water falling into the Salty Sea,” he whispered.

 

All of a sudden Talon gasped in horror and fell backwards. An eyelid suddenly popped open and an eye as big as a full moon was looking right at him.

 

“Talon,” a voice called, “we miss you. We want you to come back.”

 

Talon looked all around the small cell but no one was there.

 

“Talon,” the voice called again, “please, we miss you. Please come back to us.”

 

He walked up to the small portal and looked into the eye. “Would you be the fish we are looking for?”

 

“I am, but please do not cry out for the Captain,” the fish begged.

 

Talon looked at the fish and noticed the water was falling from the corner of its eye. “Why do you cry?”

 

“I cry because you left us.”

 

“I left? What do you mean by that?”

 

“You must return. For your kindness is sorely missed.”

 

Talon could not explain the feeling that was now drowning his heart in sadness, but somehow knew the source was from a truth spoken by the fish.

 

Then he remembered his journey was not for a purpose designed for his benefit, but it was a journey to help rescue the Queen and Princess from the belly of the great fish.

 

“I will come back to you,” Talon declared to the fish even though he thought for sure it would mean an instant death for him, “but under one condition will I agree: you will release the King’s ship and crew, his wife the Queen and his daughter the Princess.”

 

“It has been done Talon,” the fish whimpered. “You will be taken where they are. Will you now come back to us?”

 

“I cannot,” said Talon. “I am locked in the brig and cannot escape. I need help.”

 

“Talon, just call out for help from the sea and help will come.”

 

Talon heeded to the fish’s instructions. He looked out at the water from the small portal and whispered “help me.”

 

Frightful screams from atop sounded out. Splashes from men diving into the Salty Sea were heard all around the keel of the ship.

 

Talon also screamed a frightful scream as the solid, iron door to the brig was torn off its hinges. A tentacle came forth and wrapped around Talon ever so gently, winded its way back up to the top deck, and set him on the back of a mighty whale.

 

He looked to the fish and said, “How can I trust you?”

 

“You can trust me because we are your friends Talon. The thousands and thousands of fish that you saw skimming across the top of the Salty Sea are your friends. So happy they were to see you they danced in celebration. And, they fought furiously against the net when the men tried to haul them aboard ship and into stowage, yet when you took hold of the net they gave up the fight and came freely.

 

“And the giant octopus obeyed your plea not because you have such great power to do so, but because he is your friend. Just as the whales are your friend, and just like all the other lives living in the Salty Sea are your friends.”

 

“Yes,” Talon mumbled, “yes, you are right. I still do not understand but I do believe. Now please, I long to see my Queen and her daughter the Princess.”

 

“Talon, tell the whale where you want to go.”

 

“I want to go to the Queen and the Princess my friend the whale.”

 

“Yes Talon,” the whale bellowed, “I will take you to the island where they are safe.”

 

“Talon,” the Captain screamed, “this is an act of treason that you do. Return to the