The Innocence of Teacups

The ninety fourth day of autumn was the last crossing Captain Larissa was prepared to do until roughly the twelfth day of spring depending on the weather. Reason being come winter, sea monsters were rumoured to rise from the depths of the ocean to claim the surface as their own. A rumour only because no captains dare take their ships out in winter so no one had actually been an eye witness of any sea monsters.

Their first evening aboard The Sunfoam was going smoothly as they bobbed through gentle waves. He sat on a crate on top deck trying to get to grip with Nocta Umbrian. Lignum was attempting to teach him the language to pass time.

“You need a ledger so I can write our runes down for you. Do you have a ledger on your cart?” asked Lignum, after another failed attempt at getting him to say: My name is Eagle.

He shook his head. “By runes do you mean letters?”

“Yes and no. Humans are so difficult to teach. Think like me.”

He wrapped his cloak round his shoulders. Think like a jittery pixie that lectured at a university. There was a challenge. He clicked his tongue in an attempt to imitate the sound Lignum made when he chattered his strange head. In response Lignum chattered his head and danced around.

“My name is Eagle. My name is Eagle. My name is Eagle.” Lignum said in Nocta Umbrian then in humanish. “Imitate that human.”

“My name is Eagle.”

“Almost. Again. Sharper.”

“My name is Eagle.”

“Pardon?” spoke a voice which was neither his nor Lignum’s but one he knew well. He tugged up his hood and sat back in the shadows. Lignum shifted behind him. The world probably wasn’t ready for pixies.

“Who’s he?” whispered Lignum.

His fingers lightly touched his knives. Seen as he was following Freyr’s route he knew there’d be a strong chance of him being on The Sunfoam but seeing him crossing the top deck was a shock nonetheless.

“Freyr,” he whispered.

“What are you babbling about?” grumbled Freyr. His nose was buried deep within a book. “I came up here for peace and quiet and am greeted with unintelligible shrieks.”

Lignum crawled up his back and whispered in his ear. “Let me put the frighteners on him.”

Ever so slightly he titled his head to the side in answer to that question. Giving Freyr a moments fright would not be very satisfying. He held his tongue and simply watched Freyr cross over to the rail which he rested his book against and read in the moonlight.

Lignum clawed at his shoulder. “Why are you on the same ship as him?”

What a complex question. His stomach lurched as he watched Freyr reading. Damn, his whole being itched to wander over to his old master and pretend they were on their usual crossing. Maybe he should. Vengeance was pointless.

Spine jammed in on itself.

He wrapped his arms round his chest, hugging himself.

“Are you okay?” asked Lignum.

“How could he?”

Lignum’s fingers kneaded into his shoulder.

How could he indeed!? Here was a real friend. Someone who looked out for his welfare and gave old selfish master daggers.

Those assassin instincts jolted throughout his body. Without even thinking his hands tightened round his knife hilts and he jumped big cat-like, on the prowl. The Seafoam shunted starboard, taking him with it. Freyr’s book fell overboard. What was with this sudden rough wave? Here came another.

“All hands to deck!” Captain Larissa shouted as she ran across the deck. “Passengers stay below. All crew above!”

Shunt went the ship for a third time. Freyr stared over the rail as though searching for his lost book. Lignum kept a tight grip of his shoulder. Crew mates hurried up from below deck, alerting themselves to captain’s orders. A bad feeling gnawed at his gut.

“Can’t you control this ship? My book is lost thanks to your incompetence,” snapped Freyr in his don’t mess with me tone.

“Please make your way down to your cabin,” said the first mate who gave Captain Larissa some kind of knowing look.

“Something is amiss,” said Freyr, “and I’m not going anywhere until I know what the problem is.”

The waves were calm again, gently lapping. Could those big waves have been a false alarm?

Freyr strode over to Captain Larissa. “We’ve hit something haven’t we? Ought I to abandon ship? I don’t suppose my horse will fit in a row boat. I cannot lose Silver. What do you intend to do about my horse and book?”

“Please sir, vacate below.”

The crew dashed about to get into place behind ballistas. No one had noticed him so he stepped over to the rail and stared down into the ocean. A ring of moving foam went round the ship. Peculiar. Sea spray splashed against his cheek.

The crew’s eyes watched. Something was going to hit hard. Foam rose then gushed down off of scales to reveal a serpent like body, swimming round the ship.

“Steady,” instructed Captain Larissa. A pause then. “Fire!”

Bolts whistled through the gentle breeze and splashed into the ocean, missing their target. The sea serpent jumped them taking a whole lot of water and ship up with him. He clutched the rail, bracing himself for touching down.

“Grrroar!” went the serpent when they landed and another volley of bolts were let loose. These bolts missed to and The Sunfoam lurched portside almost capsizing. Someone screamed. Had someone fallen overboard? He checked his shoulder; Lignum was still there.

“Those bolts aren’t working. Do something,” said Lignum

“What can I do?”

“You’re an assassin, assassinate.”

“A sea serpent, are you crazy?”

“No but you are if you let us sink.”

Using what Alaric taught him he gave his knives the illusion of being longer, broader, with silver hilts so Freyr would not recognise them if he got a glimpse. A big if for he was unsure he’d even reach the serpent. He would most likely end up jumping headlong into the ocean. As he leapt over the rail, Lignum jumped off his shoulder, onto the deck.

Crash. Slide.

“Another man overboard!” yelled someone.

On opening his mouth to yell back that he was not totally overboard in peril at sea, water whacked to his face so words were lost. He slid round on the serpent, threatening to fall into the ocean until shatter he forced a knife into the serpent’s scales. The serpent thrashed about taking him on a wild ride round and round the ship, throwing its head back roaring. A punctured scale, knife, and his hand were between him and a drop in the ocean.

Using his knives as pick axes he climbed up the serpent splintering scales as he went which caused the serpent some discomfort, resulting in it swimming even faster round The Sunfoam. The crew must be getting awfully wet but would not be as soaked through as he was. When he was almost at its head the serpent gave one final roar then plunged into the depths of the ocean, taking him with it. He’d not even had time to take in a gulp of air. Best he tugged his knives free and swam for the surface before he was taken too far away from the ship.

Wow fish. Schools and schools of fish. Some were fire red others emerald with flecks of gold. His lungs grew tight as the serpent took him deeper but still he watched this underwater world, fascinated by vibrant colours of the fish, and purple seaweed mingled in with strands of green which a turtle swam through. Then whoa a glowing floating coral castle dragged along, swaying back and forth as the serpent swam by. Who were the occupants of such a marvellous construction? How he longed for some gills so he could continue this ride. Alas his ears felt like bursting along with his lungs.

Crouched on the serpent, he gave a tug, freeing his knives. Flakes of scales broke away from the serpent and he floated backwards. Twisted about as he sheathed his knives then pushed forwards. His cloak trailed behind him as he swam for the surface; he ought to let it loose really because it was dragging him down but couldn’t because it was a gift. So he struggled on.

On breaking the surface he spluttered and attempted to tread water which didn’t come as naturally as swimming when in need of air so he was soon back under the water flailing about. When he resurfaced he looked around for the ship. It was a short distance away but at least the waves were calm. When he started up swimming that short distance felt somewhat longer. Oh gosh he might never reach the ship again then would be stranded out in the middle of the ocean where he would freeze to death or that sea serpent might return and gobble him up for dinner in one bite. Not even a bite he was probably but a crumb.

Keep swimming. Keep swimming. Keep swimming.

Jumping overboard what a reckless thing to do. At least he’d distracted the serpent from capsizing The Sunfoam. Okay a little closer to the ship. His legs hurt. Best to have a quick breather... or not seen as he was useless at treading water.

Keep swimming. Keep swimming... The Sunfoam was moving. So close yet drifted further with every second which glided by.

Tap tap tap clutch. Felt like Lignum’s hand. Yes it was. Two hands in fact, they tugged at his sleeve. Such strong long arms. Resting a moment he let Lignum pull him towards the ship by his forearm.

“Trouble,” hissed Lignum on pulling him up the bow, almost whacking his head on the bowsprit.

“You told me to assassinate it,” he countered then gave a shiver suddenly feeling the cold. He knelt on the deck, rubbing at his elbows as Lignum’s grey arms shrank to their normal size.

Lignum skittered about the puddles he’d formed on the deck. “Did you assassinate it?”

“No, it swam away. You should have come with me. There’s a whole world down there.”

“That’s quite alright you can tell me all about it.”

He could tell Lignum all about what he’d seen under the ocean from the comfort of their cabin where he had a blanket and dry set of clothes. Shivering he found his feet and shambled along the deck but before arriving at the below decks entrance, Captain Larissa stepped out from the secondary mast looking at him all wowed. She wasn’t the only one; Freyr and some of the crew watched him in anticipation of an explanation. Dangerous. He couldn’t talk in front of Fryer; his Zotican alibi voice wasn’t perfected yet. He tried to step down the stairs but Larissa barred his way.

“How did you get back on the ship?”

With a little help from a pixie. How unfair that Lignum got to hide away somewhere from prying eyes seeking answers.

“What you did was fool hardy however thank you is in order. Quite a few souls would have been claimed by the serpent had you not frightened it away. Now do tell how you managed to return.” Larissa put hands on her hips and stared him out.

He gathered his cloak tightly round himself wondering if his fake Zotican accent would fool Freyr. As he thought this through Freyr saved him from having to answer. “He’s a reckless wretch who got lucky. My guess is he jumped the rail through fear.”

Larissa looked him up and down. He must look a sorry fright in his dripping cloak. “You ought to be grateful to him, merchant.”

“Didn’t bring my book back with him, did he? There’s no cause for me to be grateful,” sneered Freyr.

“What’s so important about your book?” asked Larissa.

“I’ll never know now because it’s lost before I had chance to finish it,” snapped Freyr as he knocked past Larissa on his way below deck.

“Touchy touchy,” said Larissa then put a hand against the small of his back. “Come along I’ll walk you to your lovely dry cabin. At least I assume it’ll still be dry.” She nudged him downstairs. “So who do I owe my ship, crew, and passengers to?” said Larissa as Freyr slammed his cabin door.

“Alexander Pelevin, from cabin five.”

“Alexander from cabin five, I saw you boarding this morning with your horse and cart.”

They came to his cabin, he went inside, and the captain followed him. She best not be staying long because Lignum would not be pleased having to wait outside. He stood awkwardly on the spot wondering what she wanted.

“Aren’t you going to take your hood down, Eagle? You’re awfully ocean drenched.”

“I’m Alexander.”

“I’m not stupid. You’ve been making this crossing for fourteen years. Just because you’ve changed your name and are no longer mute doesn’t mean I don’t recognise you. Freyr would too if you weren’t wandering about in that ridiculous cloak. What are you doing hiding from your master anyway?”

“Have you heard him recently? He’s lost the plot. I want nothing more to do with him.” He pushed down his hood and swept a hand through his hair.

“Despite Freyr being a demanding nightmare he adores you. I saw his reaction to your fever some six years ago. That’s when I figured there was something dodgy about you two. He made you out to be dumb up till then.”

“An act. I was in on it.”

“Why would you pretend to be dumb?”

“Because I never had parents all I knew was what Freyr told me. You can’t tell him his apprentice lives, you can’t tell anyone.”

“Isn’t that rather harsh?”

“Not when apprentice Eagle died when he...”

“When what? Are you okay?”

He took off his cloak and hung it on a nail in the wall. “I’ll be alright now I’ve worked out I don’t have to be dishonest like him and can do what I want without asking his permission.” He turned from his cloak and smiled at the captain. “See happy. Sea monsters aren’t myths at all.”

“You’ve changed the subject.”

“I thought sea captains weren’t sentimental. You never had this little chat with me when you witnessed Freyr calling me dumb. What’s so different when I’m not mute when I was at my most vulnerable?”

“Eagle I...” Larissa paused. He shook at his wet sleeve wanting her to leave so he could get changed. “Good job today. If you ever want to earn your silver as a sailor look me up.” She inclined her head then backed out of his cabin.

All angry at Larissa having suddenly noticed him now he was no longer mute he invited shadows into his body basking as they entwined with his bones. After a couple of minutes he released the stored up power onto bare cabin walls. A ferocious serpent with a small Eagle crouched behind its head swam across a wall. Crack crack crack there were fish too, and chunks of coral, and even a turtle. He kept casting what he’d seen onto the walls until all the shadow’s strength was used up.

“Eagle, what have you done?” asked Lignum as he stood turning round on the spot, gaping at the walls.

“The ocean. That’s what I saw.”

“Yes I can see you’ve carved below the surface of the ocean but whatever for? I don’t think the captain will be too pleased.”

He slumped onto his bunk. “So? I don’t care what she thinks.”

“You ought to. You’ve made these walls reek of dark magic.”

“It’s just a few carvings.”

“A few carvings! Eagle, work of this magnitude would take many days to accomplish by hand.”

He shrugged.

“What’s with this sudden resentful state?”

Resentful was a Freyr type mood. His old master had left his mark on him indeed. Maybe explaining would calm him down. “Up until recently I was a mute, and just about everybody stayed away from me. Now I can talk they magically want to know me.”

“You mean you’re suddenly becoming more popular and you’re taking it badly.”

“No, I wish they’d have bothered talking to me when I was mute seen as I was the same person without a voice.”

“Are you quite sure about that? Hasn’t something else changed to?”

“Getting turned demon changed me, not finding my voice.”

Lignum gave a grumble. “You have an answer for everything as sorcerers do.”

“I’m not a sorcerer, Lig.”

With wave of an arm Lignum motioned at the walls. “You don’t even know what you are.” Lignum stretched an arm along the length of the serpent admiring the carving.

He gazed round at what he’d accomplished in a few short minutes then tapped his knee. Those walls were unnatural sort of like Alaric’s dream door. Those shadows he basked in them there was no denying that. “I don’t want to hurt anyone with my magic,” he said more to reassure himself rather than settle Lignum.

“Except Freyr, you really want to hurt him. Fight magic with magic. That’s why you’re learning yes?”

“Yeah but I never knew using magic would come so naturally to me. I thought I might never grasp it.” Now he was grasping dark magic could he potentially still hurt Freyr with it? His betrayed mindset was certainly warm to the notion.