Calm tides frothed beneath the Demetrinil, one if not the smallest vessel of the Laneas Merchant Company as it journeyed across the serene Azure Sea separating the western shores of Vhalleryon and the Caesselis Isles. A vessel manned only by four sailors employed by the merchant family, who sailed back and forth a hundred times already, though unlike before, a silence fell on the vessel, a silence that mimicked the star’s resting above them as an endless blackness spread across the sky. The portentous silence broke only by the waves battering the hull, and the aquatic residents leaping out, bathing in the lanterns’ glow before diving back into the dark depths.
“I don’t like this silence!” Eudoxos exclaimed huskily. His perturbed gaze stared out into the ceaseless blackness surrounding them, his round blue ears just a bit above the swelling slits listened to the silent murmur of the sea. A soft moan emanated forth the railing as his azure webbed fingers tightened around them. His lean, wiry figure shook. The brightly colored shawl around his neck fluttered as a transitory gust swept through them.
“Don’t be an Alaitortuna! Let us praise the Lord of Depths for this peaceful journey.” Eurylochus said, leaning on the rail and stared placidly into the yawning blackness, though his voice carried a hint of fear when he looked down at the effervescent waters clashing against and along the black hull. “I did even now, and a hundred times since the egress of the Illius!” Eudoxos inhaled a mouthful of the damp sea air and closed his eyes as his hundredth and first prayer to the Lord of Depths rang issued forth his mouth. Not too loud, but loud enough for the spirits to hear.
“Yet your soul is tumultuous with dread. Do you believe they shall sense his presence and send Khaeton or wake Charybdis herself?” His friend inquired jestingly, masking his fear well as he stared into the depths no eye could witness–not even Eudoxos’s who grew in the blackest spires erected by his forefathers who arrived from the Tears beneath the waves.
“I believe not or even jest the notion if I were you.” He answered stepping away from the rail for a moment as he shuffled about and leaned against it, his gaze focused on the cages with the calm animals–a seldom occurrence on their vessel.
His pensive look focused on the small foxes with amber and golden fur, soft as silken, wolf pups white as the snow with eyes red as a blood. “Still, just a hypothetical notion, but if any of those two would lurk near us, do you think he could tame them?”
Eurylochus reached into his fleece’s inner pocket and pulled forth a pipe and a small, violet and golden sack he unfastened. From it he pulled out a bit of tobacco and carefully tucked it into the bowl’s deep and narrow aperture before a spark appeared beneath his pointed down thumb. He puffed out a smoke and watched as the darkness swallowed it before he answered. “Possibly–would be my optimistic answer. But reality says otherwise, though unless he carries a divine seed, I doubt it. Not even mad Saemundur could tame the krakens of the north.”
The two sailors remained silent, listened to the hum of the nightly wind, the soft moaning of the hull and the meager roar of the waves battering it. “Though it is funny you brought it up. I never thought I’d ever see or hear a merkin afraid of the great dwellers of the sea. I thought you folk are good friends of those damnable monarchs of the abyss.”
“Friends I would say is a strong word. We have respect for the guardians of his lands, but our respect, worship bloomed not from their protection, but from the dread of the destruction they could bring about.” Eudoxos sighed, closing his eyes whilst recounting the old tales of his nan, warning hin against approaching certain fissures, straits and seas bestowed upon to great Khaeton who strides the northern waters and Charybdis, the greatest beast sprawling from the far eastern waves and tides to the far-western. And the one whose myriad phosphorescent eyes charter the abyss for those who lurk below, and whose hundred maws devour lost armadas, sucking them into chaotic whirlpools. A child of Sea and Dusk, who arrived here before Eudoxos’s people.
Just thinking of the latter made him turn his head back to the waters, and found no respite in not noticing the light that lit up the waters. Then his attention turned towards the creaking, moaning steps as their captain, a swarthy and tall man with a haggard face covered by a bushy beard and curving moustache whilst his head remained barren and desolate, though still shining under the silvery light of the Lunarius.
Compared to his bad gifts from the Deossos, his earthly splendor was quite sumptuous. His garments comprised a loose and layered overcoat of bright shades of red, yellow and green, around his neck a shawl slithered about with the ends dangling at his back and at his belly stretching the confines of the silken tunic beneath all these. Even the breeches appeared silken or velvet–neither sailor were sure on the exact materials–with a curious golden pattern embroidered on the sides and his steps clanged thanks to the polished, hewn sandals known as Geta he bought during one of their voyages to the far-east.
Captain Acastus walked past ignoring the two who watched his corpulent form pass under the shifting shadows of the mast, holding a small bowl filled with an evening blue liquid, thick as tar at first glance. Both knew and seen it flow like wine down the throat of the thirsty. He stopped at the tapering front, climbed the meager steps with a bit of difficulty and sat his broad bottom onto the rail. At once the prow sculpted into the shape of a bewitching mermaid with seaweed like hair tumbling down on her frail shoulders began to stir at his aromatic presence. The moaning of the wood joined the serenade of the nightly sail as wooden sculpture bent and descended towards the master of the ship who bent his head in a false worship, and held his tremulous, meaty arms towards the faux maiden of the seas.
Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
She dipped her fingers in the liquid and lined her broad and small eyes, dewed her bow-shaped lips and soft and high cheeks, blotted her nips and bosom and even stroked at the nether area melding in with the prow. Her lips curved into a foppish grin, her vacant eyes appeared insidious and liquid covering her bosom and below flown into the waters and at once phosphorescent wisps flew forth and shoaled around her as she assumed her previous position with her arms held high towards the sky and sea, her wooden lips opened into an empty song whilst the wisps flew and seemingly pulled the vessel which gained back its pace that lessened with the cloaking of night.
Even from the considerable distance that lain between them, Eudoxos and Eurylochus heard their captain’s knees creak as he slowly stood back and made his way towards them. The two sprung into stark, upright positions with their wrists crossed as they awaited him. When he stopped before them, he remained silent and furled the tip of his moustache before he steeled his voice. “Eudoxos, head down and bring the supper to our esteemed guest.”
The merkin towering over him lightly bowed and headed for the door leading into the bowels of the rocking vessel. He stumbled a little thanks to the cumulative acceleration of the vessel–and to the mild unease he harbored towards their enigmatic passenger. One who at first sight appeared as congenial old man, a sorcerer of the south evident from his colorful, loose and layered robes and the Usekh collar on top adorned with arkhaine patterns and strange jewels including jet and opal not really fitting his olive complexioned visage with scarce graying beard.
Seldom he felt such fear. He saw many things, walked in the lightless halls beneath the waves and faced many the horrors lurking there, with no fealty to any master except their instincts and primal desires. Yet this frail, elderly man evoked this queer feeling within his heart and mind, and for a moment his tremulous legs stopped at the door, his lids fluttered as the dangling lanterns’ light graced them. A childish curiosity took him over, and for a moment even pondered the notion to press his sharply contoured ears against the door, but instead just continued on and took his turn at the stairs.
“Almost ready.” The tall orkh chef said upon hearing the pressure birthed moans of the stairs. The uneasiness vanished at once as the potent aroma of the spiced fish and octopus meat stole from light to light, from shadow to shadow into his nostrils and filled him with a homely warmth. Periandros’s dish stirred Eudoxos’s groaning stomach, accompanied by an empty aching even though moments before he felt still felt the afternoon grub cradled by the waves still as the Illius shifted into the Lunarius.
“So, have you seen our passenger yet?” Eudoxos reclined one hand onto the edge of the counter, leaning closer to sniff the tantalizing scent flittering about the lavish kitchen Middias commissioned for each of his crews.
“Haven’t yet. Definitely one of those recluse sages, that he is.” Periandros said rinsing a bit of spice onto the brewing dish using his pale brass fingers. Eudoxos shrugged, unsure himself if that was the case, or simply belonged to those who were never meant to be on the sea. One thing which bothered him more, and found confirmation within the answer was he could not recall when they picked him up. Only the four of them departed from the ports of Drenai, stopped only thrice along the banks of the Red-Eel River, but he could no remember their guest, even though he stood vigil near the ramp. From reaching the sea, they sailed near the steep cliffs of the North-Western shores of Vhalleryon, where they haven’t stopped for a second.
“Here, spill it not or may the Eye of Dawn sear you upon our stride across the sea.” Eudoxos took the sturdy, polished oaken tray carven from the finest wood, its edges swirled still like frozen waves with oblong, rounded apertures to fit his fingers through whilst upon the floor, a seascape with monsters and docile aquatic forms ducking above.
“I shan’t.” Jestingly he said turning away with care, then headed back up the stairs, listening to the moaning of wood as the ship gently rocked back and forth, whilst the interior remained balanced beneath Eudoxos’s feet and about him. All the while, the steaming hot dish bombarded his once handsome fishy visage with its warming steam, caressing his scaled visage with its smooth, tender tendrils.
Before the door, Eudoxos stopped and grumbled, how to alert the passenger, realizing not the scent permeated not just the corridor, but seeped through the faint cracks of the frame, stirring the one within.
“So, what was he like?” Asked Eurylochus spotting Eudoxos entering the main deck, slightly drowsy looking, freshened immediately by the chilly air.
“A kindly old man.” He answered, dangling a heavy sack of coins after looking around, relaxed their captain was occupied on the aft. A smile upon his blue lips, infectious as it spread onto Eurylochus once they headed to fore to count them. Though before they could have unfastened the satchel, a dim shadow spread over the polished deck, lightened with sinister reds and a strange hue neither ever witnessed before. Looking up, their eyes bulged at the comet drawing a line across the sea of blackness looming over them. Queer awe reflected upon their countenances watching the comet part, its streak so bold both feared it cut the veil between the realm of mortals and of those higher beings beyond.
“Pray we don’t have to stay too long in the capital.” Eudoxos spoke up first, as they watched and realized the comet the same path as the Demetrinil. Eurylochus nodded along, then the promises within the satchel drawn their attention away from the portentous event.
