by Eric Vall
“I don’t think that’s how it works, Carmedy,” I said to the cat.
“It most certainly isn’t,” Annalíse frowned as she shook her head. “If the high king is still living, he must be challenged in combat and killed in order for another to take the throne. It is our custom.”
“Then after we’ve worked our way across Tamarisch to the High King’s castle, I’ll challenge your father,” I said simply and bit into a piece of cheese. “After I become High King, we’ll move on to Tintagal to conquer the remaining part of the country that hasn’t yet been absorbed into your father’s empire. Now, I want to go about this in such a way that we keep casualties to a minimum when we go to both Tamarisch and Tintagal. First of all, because these soldiers are Annalíse’s kinsmen, and they’ve committed no offense. Second, both continent’s armies are so massive and skilled, I want to have them at my disposal. Is everyone clear on that?” The others nodded as they continued to eat their meals, all except Annalíse.
The freckle faced princess pursed her lips and opened her mouth slightly to speak, but then closed her mouth. She was silent for a long moment before she finally spoke.
“I have a request,” the swordswoman said at last.
“And what would that be?” I asked, though I already had a feeling what the female warrior’s request would be.
“I want to be the one to challenge my father,” Annalíse said decisively. The others seated at the table grew silent and glanced back and forth between the princess and me.
“You want to do this because he is your father, and you feel it only right that he die by your hand?” I asked the swordswoman.
“Yes, but that’s not the only reason,” Annalíse said firmly. “Naturally, my father is the best warrior in our nation. I want to prove to him that I’m strong enough to beat him. When he finally learned that I had been training with swords he found it… laughable. He said that a woman could never become a true warrior, and that I was only wasting my time. Such nonsense, I’m far more skilled with swords than each of my brothers, I’ve defeated each of them numerous times in combat training. They were impressed and quite proud of me, why can’t he be as well?”
Her voice was bitter as she gripped the goblet in her hand tightly. “Anyway, there are other reasons why I think I should be the one to do this. Proving my worth is just one of them, so please, Master, allow me to do this. He is my father and defeating him would prove once and for all the nature of my abilities. I would be respected in my kingdom, not just as royalty, but as a warrior, and perhaps… perhaps then other women will be respected as fighters too.”
Annalíse held my gaze without faltering. Determination shone in her eyes as well as anger and pain. I was quiet for a few moments as I mulled over her request. I understood her desire to carry this out on her own.
“I will consider it,” I finally said. Annalíse opened her mouth to say something, but I spoke again before she could. “I would like for you to have the opportunity to challenge your father, but I must make sure that you are well prepared for such a task.”
“I assure you, I’m more than well enough prepared,” Annalíse said confidently.
“I’ll be the judge of that,” I replied. “Throughout our journey, I will assess your sword skills and see to it that you hone them. If I feel that you aren’t ready by the time we encounter your father, I will handle him myself. If, however, I feel that you’ve improved enough, I will grant your wish.”
“I understand.” The freckled woman shook her head fervently and hope filled her eyes. “I promise I’ll train hard.”
Our group quickly finished our meal and went about preparing to leave for our journey the next day. As I strode away down one of the polished hallways, I pondered Annalíse’s request. Given what I knew about her and her father, it was understandable that she wanted to be the one to challenge him. Not only that, I knew that Annalíse’s impulsive behavior in battle was partially due to her need to prove herself. She obviously felt that she needed to do this, but was it wise for her to do so?
When I had first encountered the swordswoman, she had already been quite skilled in combat. Since then, she had calmed her impulsive nature a great deal and had developed a great deal of strategic prowess. However, my concern was whether her present sword skills were enough to defeat her father. When her father’s soldiers had pursued us in the oasis city Ficcha, Annalíse had held her own against them without any difficulty, which was no easy task in itself seeing as how soldiers from the glacial continents were known to be world class fighters.
But could she go toe to toe with the man who commanded them?
As Annalíse had said, the High King would be Tamarisch’s finest warrior. He was a man who had managed to spread his rule across an entire continent as well as most of another. Such a feat was not accomplished by the weak and feeble.
I wanted Annalíse to have the opportunity to challenge her father. Nothing would do me prouder than to see my minion defeat such an impressive warrior in combat, but not to the extent that I would let her die because she was outmatched. It didn’t matter how badly she wanted it. If she wasn’t ready, I had to be the one to do it.
But, either way, the High King’s days were numbered.
Chapter 2
“Are we there yet?” Carmedy sighed as she leaned over the side of the Sarpedon. As she spoke, the crisp salty breezes tousled her black hair as we cut through the ocean waters towards Tamarisch.
“Of course we have not reached our destination,” Morrigan replied blankly. “We have only been sailing for half of the day.”
“Plus, that’s like the tenth time you’ve asked that.” Rana chuckled at the feline. “We told you it was going to take a few weeks for us to get there.”
“Can’t we get there any faster?” Carmedy pouted as she gazed out at the sea that stretched out all around us. “I really, really, really want to see the snow.”
“Really?” the red-haired fox said with a twisted grin. “I had no idea you wanted to see the snow. You’ve only mentioned that about a million times.”
“I’m just excited,” the feline alchemist said as she drummed her fingers impatiently on the ship’s wooden side. “You all have seen snow before, I haven’t.”
“We haven’t forgotten,” I said with a chuckle. “I know it’s hard but try to be patient. We’ll be there before long, and before you know it, you’ll be surrounded by snow.”
“Ooh, I can’t wait,” Carmedy said gleefully. “I bet it’s beautiful.”
“It is.” Annalíse nodded as she leaned against the mizzenmast with a look of wistfulness.
“Does it really snow on both Tamarisch and Tintagal all year round?” Carmedy asked the princess excitedly.
“Not all year ‘round,” Annalíse said dreamily. As she spoke, she didn’t look at the feline and stared up into the blue sky. “But it is highlands, and we often have storms that cover everything in glistening snow. It dusts the trees, covers the mountains… Perhaps I’m biased because I’m from there, but I truly believe that the glacial continents have a certain resplendent natural beauty that no other continents bare.”
“Wow,” the green-eyed alchemist breathed in wonder and gazed at the open sea with a dreamy expression.
“Feeling homesick?” I asked Annalíse.
“Just a little,” Annalíse said with a small smile. “I miss my homeland, but it feels strange to be going back after running away.”
I returned her smile. “But you are returning of your own free will, and you have a purpose for going back.”
“That’s true,” she nodded, “and I have you all with me.”
“Right!” Carmedy cheered, but then her face grew glum for a moment. “Only, we’re not all here.”
“Carmedy, we’ve been over this already.” Rana rolled her eyes. “You know that we couldn’t bring our lizards with us to Tamarisch.”
The feline stuck out her lip a bit. “I know, but I miss Xerxes and the others.”
; “I understand your feelings,” Morrigan said flatly. “I did not wish to be parted from Tiberius, but nonetheless, it had to be done. You are well aware that lizards are not suited for such frigid climates.”
“Couldn’t we have wrapped them in furs or something?” Carmedy asked as her furry black ears drooped.
“Ha, lizards with fur coats.” Rana snorted. “Why didn’t I think of that? All the finest reptiles are wearing them these days.”
“We’ll see them again after we have finished our business on Tamarisch and Tintagal.” I gave Carmedy a reassuring smile. “Till then, Makar and his men will see that they’re well taken care of.”
The cat sighed. “Alright.”
“Cheer up, pussycat.” Rana elbowed Carmedy’s ribs lightly. “Why don’t we see if we can find something to snack on?” The fox glanced at me quickly and winked. I couldn’t help but grin. We all knew that food was the way to Carmedy’s heart.
“Okay!” the cat’s perked up, and her formerly sad expression immediately shifted to one of exuberance.
“Alright then, let’s go!” Rana hooked arms with Carmedy and strode away down the deck.
“Just a tinsey little snack,” the feline said cheerfully. “Maybe just some bread, and a bit of cheese, oh and if there’s some cake that’d be great…” The sound of Carmedy listing off her desired menu gradually trailed off as they walked out of earshot. I smiled softly and watched them for a moment before I turned back to look at the horizon.
We had left behind the sands of Valasara and the friends that we had made. Our journey in Valasara had been quite the adventure. The events that had transpired were still so fresh in my head as though they had happened only yesterday, but now, new adventures awaited us and with that new lands to conquer and new deities’ powers to harvest.
Like Carmedy, I too was eager to reach our destination, but part of me wanted to sit back and enjoy our sea voyage. It had been quite a while since our last one, and I had nearly forgotten the feeling of freedom that came with being at sea.
So far, our trip had been blessed with sunny skies and warm steady winds. Today, the sun’s rays shone down on the large square-rigged ship, and the air was filled with the interesting mix of sounds that I had grown so used to on our previous sea excursion. The waves that lapped against the ship’s sides shimmered, and seagulls called out to each other as they flew through a striking blue sky dotted with puffy white clouds. Even the sky seemed bluer and more beautiful out here.
The deck bustled with people that moved in every possible direction. Crew members rushed this way and that with ropes, tools, and other various supplies and barked at each other in their seaman’s jargon. Our fellow passengers walked around leisurely and talked amongst themselves. Some read books or played card games while others spent their time gazing out at the sea. None of us wanted to be cooped up below deck for long periods of time.
Morrigan, Annalíse, and I stood silently for quite a while watching the oscillating waves and endless sky. I couldn’t be sure how much time we had spent there, it was so easy to lose track of time when one was watching the world go by aboard a ship at sea. Suddenly, the sounds of Carmedy and Rana’s voices broke me from my drifting thoughts, and I turned to see them approaching. The cat and fox were having another one of their lively discussions, and quite unsurprisingly, Carmedy had a hunk of brown bread in one hand and a slice of chocolate cake in the other.
“Look, all I’m saying was that you didn’t have to be so greedy,” Rana said as she nodded to the treats that Carmedy carried. “I said let’s find something to snack on, not let’s raid the galley and eat everything in sight.”
“I wasn’t being greedy.” Carmedy giggled and took a large bite out of her cake. In the process, a glob of chocolate frosting stuck to her nose. “I didn’t eat everything either.”
“You’re right, my mistake,” Rana said with a wry grin. “You only ate half the food stores.”
“Oh, I did not.” Carmedy waved the hand that held her bread.
“I see you enjoyed your trip to the galley,” I said as the pair reached our group, and then I touched a finger to Carmedy’s nose to wipe away the frosting.
“You bet,” Carmedy said enthusiastically as she continued to munch on her baked goods.
“I don’t think the cook enjoyed your little adventure nearly as much as you did.” Rana shook her head.
“Oh no, it wasn’t the same man from before, was it?” Annalíse winced.
“Of course, it was.” Rana chuckled. “You should have seen his face when Carmedy walked into the galley. The poor guy looked like he was gonna have a heart attack.”
“One cannot blame him for having such a reaction,” Morrigan said with a shrug and her usual lack of enthusiasm. “Throughout the duration of our previous journey, Carmedy spent a great deal of time in the galley and frequently pestered the cook. It is no wonder that he became… well acquainted with her voracious appetite.”
“I don’t pester him.” Carmedy laughed with a mouth full of bread, and a few crumbs flew out. “I just asked nicely if he has anything cooking that I can taste, or if he has anything extra that I can nibble on. No need to waste food,” the feline said with a shrug.
As always, Carmedy’s logic was amusing. The cat shrugged and took another big bite of bread even though she hadn’t yet swallowed the last one.
“How gallant of you.” Rana chuckled, shook her head, and then continued in a deep dramatic voice. “Fear not, Mr. Cook, no longer shall you waste food aboard this noble vessel. The valiant Carmedy is here to devour all remaining pastries. Saving the world one bite at a time.” Rana gestured theatrically to Carmedy as though she were announcing a king’s presence.
Annalíse and I burst into laughter while Morrigan merely raised an eyebrow. Carmedy just grinned as she continued to chew.
“I like the sound of that,” the cat said as she licked a few stray crumbs from her fingers and shivered. “Ooh, is it just me or did it get really chilly all of a sudden?”
“Yes, now that you mention it, it has gotten colder,” Annalíse said suspiciously. “That’s strange, it was quite hot only moments ago. It’s not common for temperatures to shift so abruptly.”
“Perhaps it has something to do with that,” I nodded ahead of us, and the others quickly turned to see what I was talking about. Just ahead of the Sarpedon was a thick wall of fog that spanned well over the height of the ship, masts and all. It stretched so far to the right and left that I couldn’t see where it stopped.
“Where on earth did that come from?” Rana frowned at the thick fog as our ship steadily approached. “I didn’t see that before.”
“The presence of sea fog is not unusual,” Morrigan said simply, but even as she spoke, a dubious expression overtook her pale features.
“True, but there’s something weird about it,” Rana narrowed her eyes. “Something that’s making my fur stand on end. I’m not liking the idea of going in there, I mean who knows what’s in there? If someone, or better yet something is lurking in that fog and attacks us, we’d never see it coming. We’d be sitting ducks.”
“You’re right,” I nodded. “I’ll ask about it.” Rana’s concern was more than enough for me. I trusted her instincts implicitly. Whether it was the presence of other beings or oncoming danger, the fox had never been wrong when it came to her natural instincts. If she sensed that something was off, it undoubtedly was.
“Excuse me,” I said as I grabbed the arm of a passing rugged faced crewman. “Does the ship’s captain intend for us to sail through this fog?” I nodded to the aforementioned haze.
“Aye, that he does.” The man nodded. “We’re making a quick stop at a little island town called Jallah.
“There’s an island in there?” Carmedy’s eyes widened.
“Indeed, there is, ma’am,” the sailor replied. “We’ll be there shortly.” With that, he turned and went about his way.
“I’m not so crazy about going in there,” Rana mumbled
, and she eyed the dense fog. “But I guess we don’t have much choice.”
Within the next few minutes, the ship reached the fog, and the five of us stood quietly as the bow of the Sarpedon disappeared into it. My minions tensed their shoulders as the fog gradually swallowed up the ship, and within seconds we were surrounded by white. The bright rays of the sun disappeared, and I could just barely make out the shapes of my companions beside me and the other people on deck. The air was silent, it seemed as though everyone on board was holding their breath in anticipation of some impending doom.
“This is ridiculous,” I heard Rana say from beside me. “You can hardly see your hand in front of your face… Don’t say it Carmedy, I’ll save you the trouble. I have paws, not hands.”
Even though I couldn’t make out Rana’s face, I had a feeling she was rolling her eyes.
“Hey, how did you know I was going to say that?” Carmedy asked with confusion in her tone.
“Lucky guess,” Rana replied. “Anyhow, I hope we get through this soupy stuff soon. It’s driving me crazy not being able to see anything around me.”
“I don’t like it either,” I heard Annalíse say from in front of me.
“Everything should be fine,” I said. “Just stay close.”
And so, the ship continued to move through the water. The noises and chatter that had filled the deck had stopped, and the sounds of seagulls overhead could no longer be heard. The only sound that I could detect was the steady lapping of the waves against the sides of the ship.
“I don’t know how much more of this I can--” Rana started to say, but she paused when the Sarpedon suddenly burst through the fog. Before us lay a small island, so small in fact that I could see either end of it. Jallah itself was swathed in a greyish mist of its own though it was much thinner than the fog bank we had just pushed through. Through that mist, I could see the faint flicker of countless torches and the outlines of what looked like trees.
“That’s weird.” Rana frowned as she looked up at the sky. “The sun just sort of disappeared, and so did the sky. I mean I’ve seen some pretty thick fog before but this is just too weird. Get a load of that.”