Fire Sail

by Piers Anthony

  “I’ll check it out,” Squid said, and dived into the muck.

  “Watch for dangers,” Dell called after her. “Don’t take any risks.”

  She waved a tentacle and disappeared.

  “I love the way you care about them, too,” Kadence said.

  “They are special children, and I’m responsible.” Should he include her, or leave her out? Either way was a gamble. “You’re special too.”

  She looked at him wisely. “Ula told you, didn’t she?”

  Was this mischief? But he had to be honest. “Yes.”

  “Don’t worry. I won’t make any really bad moves on you. You’re adult, I’m a child, and there’s the Conspiracy. By the time I’m old enough for you, you’ll be too old for me. So it’s just a thing of the moment, and one-sided at that. Just don’t reject me too obviously. Don’t hurt my foolish feelings.” She took his hand in hers.

  What could he say? She had an excellent grasp of the situation, because of the experience of her parents. The irony was that when she was old enough, she would probably be a compelling beauty, like her mother, well able to wrap any man she chose around her little finger. And he would be over forty, long since past his prime, of no further interest to her.

  He left his hand in place. “I won’t.”

  Squid returned, heaving herself out of the muck as she re-formed as a girl. Dell realized that she didn’t actually change forms, just appearance, by the way she shaped her tentacles and colors. “This swamp is haunted. That’s why folk leave it alone. We can cross it without being discovered. Except for the spooks.”

  “The spooks?”

  “You’ll see. They’re like the spooks in Hades. We just have to ignore them, pretty much.”

  “Fascinating,” Kadence said, squeezing his hand.

  “You’re holding hands!” Squid said, noticing.

  “Sometimes I get nervous,” Kadence said. “It happens.”

  “But you’re a princess!”

  “So I am, and I never want any scandal to touch me,” Kadence agreed. “Maybe sometime there’ll be something you don’t want bruited about.”

  Squid considered, catching on to the nature of the deal. There might come a time when she needed a princess to cover for her. “Maybe so,” she agreed. “You’re just one of the children.”

  If anyone else had noticed, they didn’t say. That was a relief. The children knew better how to handle some interactions than he did. Dell had no idea of his correct course to follow.

  They commenced sailing on the murky water of the swamp, propelled by Win’s gentle wind, navigating to avoid trees or anything that might be burned by the sail.

  “And there’s a spook,” Squid said.

  Dell, Win, and Kadence looked. There was an absolutely luscious bare mermaid perched on a stump. She beckoned, making kissing motions.

  “She’s not summoning me,” Squid said, smiling.

  “Or me,” Kadence said.

  “And not me,” Win said, laughing. “I wonder who she’s after?”

  The three looked at Dell.

  Who was largely mesmerized. The creature had perfect features, flowing fair hair, and a body to madden the male mind. He wanted to go to her and hug her, and kiss her, and that was only the beginning.

  “Point of incidental interest,” the peeve remarked. “We are secure on the boat, but the moment any of us leave it, we’re vulnerable. So the spooks need to get us off the boat in order to have their way with us.”

  And what way was that? Summoning the stork? Dell couldn’t help himself. He started to stand, to get off the boat and go to her.

  “Uh-oh,” Kadence said. “I think he’s never been Tempted before.”

  “Don’t let him go to her,” Squid said.

  “Peeve, do something,” Win said.

  The peeve took off and flew to the luscious mermaid. “Hey, boobsie, get a bra before those melons dangle into the muck,” it called. “You don’t want to soil the swamp with your foul meat.”

  The creature snapped at him. Literally. Her mouth became a warty green snout whose myriad teeth struck sparks as they clashed just behind the peeve’s tail.

  Then, quickly, she re-formed as the mermaid. But of course it was too late. Dell had seen. Disgusted, she slid under the water and disappeared.

  “Now you know,” Kadence said. “Never judge solely by a maiden’s appearance.”

  “Now I know,” Dell agreed weakly. The threats off the boat were far worse than the ones on board. He would be proof against them hereafter.

  Nia and Santo emerged from the hatch. “What, got enough sleep?” Kadence asked.

  “For now,” the boy agreed. “Nia held my hand.”

  “She’s good at that,” Dell said, smiling. Kadence had quickly let go of his own hand.

  “Santo doesn’t need to sleep the whole time he’s recovering,” Win explained. “Just rest.”

  “We’re watching spooks,” Squid said.

  Indeed, now several appeared, orienting on Santo, the new prey. They ranged in apparent age from about ten to about twenty. All were beautiful.

  “Try to look interested,” Nia murmured to him. “You don’t want them to know your orientation; they’ll surely use it against you.”

  Santo nodded. He looked at the oldest, a luscious nude nymph whose splayed hair framed her like a cloak without concealing anything. Dell would have been fascinated, had he not just received his inoculation against spooks.

  “That all you got?” the peeve called. “I’ve seen better boobs on a fire hydrant! Better thighs on a roast turkey! Better lips on a sick vampire! Better skin on a fried prune! Better face on an angry ogress!”

  One-by-one the spooks lost their composure and angrily retreated, until only the ten year old girl was left. She opened her arms pleadingly to Santo. She was not lovely and certainly not sexy, just ordinary in an appealing way. Evidently the spooks were getting smarter about appearances.

  Nia nudged him. Santo opened his own arms and made as if to get off the boat.

  “Don’t do it,” Dell snapped, contributing to the play. “She’s really a monster.”

  The girl glanced at him, her teeth snapping a spark.

  “Oh,” Santo said, playing the part. “I almost did. I’d sure like to have a girlfriend like her.”

  But the spook knew the game was lost. She faded back and was gone.

  Then the spooks started in on the girls, presenting alert-looking boys and a handsome older man for Nia. But girls weren’t attracted as much by appearances as boys were, so the spooks had no luck, and finally gave up.

  The boat sailed on, slowly, making its quiet way toward the distant castle of the princess they hoped just might possibly be the one for Jenny’s son despite the error in finding worlds.

  Chapter 9

  Princess Froma

  The peeve heard it first. “Someone’s crying for help,” it said. “Probably another spook, but I’ll investigate.” It took off, flying quietly.

  Now Squid heard it. “A girl,” she said. “Maybe not a spook. I could tell if I got closer.”

  “Don’t do it,” Dell said. “It could just be a new way to get you off the boat. You were able to avoid the spooks before, but now they know who you are and will be alert for you.”

  “Probably so,” she agreed with regret.

  The peeve returned. “This is weird.”

  “Another spook?” Squid asked.

  “I’m not sure. I didn’t dare get within grabbing range. But she looks exactly like the ten-year-old who tried to tempt you, Santo.”

  “Why would she assume that form when not in sight of us?” Nia asked.

  “That’s it. She’s not trying to tempt anyone. She’s just sitting there crying. Every so often she calls out ‘Help!’ without really seeming to expect anything
. She looks miserable.”

  Dell got an idea. “Could she be a real girl, lost in the swamp, and the spook copied her form to try to tempt Santo?”

  They considered that. “We’d better investigate,” Nia said.

  Win steered the boat in the direction the peeve indicated, and in due course or slightly under it they approached the girl. She was sitting on a hammock looking miserable, her hair and eyes the color of despair. She did look just like the spook they had seen.

  “Maybe I should tackle this,” Santo said. “Since I’ve been sorta involved.”

  “Take Tata,” the peeve advised. “He’ll sniff her and know.”

  “Good thought.” Santo stepped off the boat onto the hammock, and lifted the dogfish over the gunnel to the ground. “Hello!” he called.

  “Oh!” the girl exclaimed, startled and fearful. “Are you another spook?”

  “I was wondering the same thing about you,” Santo said, smiling. “Do spooks talk?”

  “Not in this swamp. They just look, and sometimes growl. And chomp.”

  “Then we must be real people.”

  “Yes!” she agreed. She lurched up and hugged him.

  “Uh—” he said, obviously feeling awkward.

  She let him go. “Oh, I’m sorry. I was just so glad to see a real person. It’s been so awful. I know I’m a mess.”

  Dell, watching, had to agree. The spook had been halfway pretty. The original girl was weary, smudged, and her hair was in tangles.

  “This is Tata,” Santo said. “He’d like to sniff you.”

  “Oh, you have a dogfish!” She squatted and extended her hand.

  Tata sniffed her fingernails, which were technically inanimate, similar to hair. Then he wagged his tail. She was legitimate.

  Dell, watching, was sure he was not the only one to breathe a sign of relief.

  “I am Santo. I am with a party from another world. We mean no harm to anyone, but there seems to be a war on.”

  “Yes, there is. I am Noe. I was walking home from the park, and wasn’t paying attention, and the swamp made the illusion of a path, and I followed it without thinking. Then the path faded out and I was left in the middle of the swamp, hopelessly lost. I know better than to touch a spook, but when I have to sleep or collapse from hunger or fatigue, they’ll move in and get me anyway. I thought I was done for, but I had to keep trying, calling out, just in case, you know? And then you came. I’m so grateful.”

  “You look cold and tired,” Santo said diplomatically. “We have a boat. Maybe you should come aboard and have something to eat.”

  “That would be so wonderful! I’m starving.”

  Santo signaled, and the boat moved up close and became visible. “Oh!” the girl exclaimed again.

  Santo guided her down the hatch and set her up at the table. But first Grania hustled her off to the ladies’ room. When they emerged, Noe was much improved in a clean dress, the smudges gone, and her hair was gently waved. Her hair and eyes were now the color of hope. In fact she was downright cute.

  Now Grania served thawed peach pie. Santo continued to interview Noe as she ate. He seemed to have a feel for it, or maybe it was that he appreciated her desperate need. He knew how it felt to be isolated. The others let him handle it.

  “Your name. What does it mean?”

  “Nothing.” She smiled. “My father said I am noe the prettiest girl, and noe the ugliest, and noe the luckiest. Nothing is better than me, or worse. So I must be Noe.” She looked around. “This is some boat! It’s way bigger inside than outside.”

  “This isn’t our boat,” he said. “We’re just delivering it to where it belongs. This is a side trip to find a princess.”

  “I’m Princess of Nothing,” she said with a laugh.

  Santo smiled diplomatically. “Can you tell us briefly what the war is about?”

  “Oh, sure. Everybody knows that. Princess Froma is being difficult.”

  “Maybe in a bit more detail,” he said with a third of a smile.

  “Froma is very pretty, so when she came of age to marry last year all the princes were after her. But she was also very choosy, and accepted none of them. Finally they got mad and decided that if she wouldn’t marry one of them by choice, it would have to be by force. So they are invading, and the one who captures her first will tie her up and, well, signal the stork with her anyway, and then she’ll have to marry him. Her folks are fighting back, saying she has a right to marry whom she pleases. If only there’s a prince she pleases to.”

  “Is it possible that she would rather marry another princess?” Santo asked carefully.

  Noe burst out laughing. “No, she likes men. She kisses them and everything. But every time she gets close to a prince, and it starts to look serious, she changes her mind. It’s very frustrating for them. She’s going to have to find one she likes well enough soon, or her kingdom will be destroyed. That’s too bad, because it’s a nice kingdom, while most of the others are bad. My folks live near the swamp because they don’t like the nearest kingdom.”

  “We are looking for a princess to marry a prince, on our world. We had a sign that Princess Froma might be good, but from what you say, she may not be. We’ll just have to go and find out.”

  “Good luck,” Noe said. “What’s your talent?”

  “I make holes.” He demonstrated with a small one through the table. He had recovered enough for that much.

  “Oh. That’s nice,” she said politely.

  “Thank you.” He did not go into detail.

  She looked at him quizzically. “There’s something about you. I like you. You rescued me, of course, but it’s more than that. It’s as if I know you from somewhere.”

  Santo smiled. “The spooks have been tempting us, trying to get us to leave our boat and go to them so they can chomp us. One tried to tempt me. She looked just like you.”

  “Me!”

  “I think she borrowed your form. Maybe that was easier than inventing her own. I didn’t go to her because I didn’t want to get chomped. Some of that appeal may have carried across to you. That is, the spook wanted me, so you did too, as part of her spell. Only not to chomp.”

  Noe laughed pleasantly. “That must be it. I’m noe very appealing on my own. But I would never chomp you.”

  Santo smiled. “Thank you, Noe. You’re a nice girl.”

  “Are you looking for a girlfriend? I mean, someone you might grow up and marry some day?”

  “No.”

  “Why not? I think I would like to be with you. Because you’re a nice boy who will someday be a nice man.”

  Santo hesitated, and Dell knew why. Then he made his decision. “I pretended to be interested in the spook, because I didn’t want her to know.”

  “Know what?”

  “That I’m gay.”

  She stared at him. “You don’t mean that you’re extra happy?”

  “No. I mean that I don’t want to marry a woman when I grow up. If I did, I’m sure you would do. But I don’t. It’s nothing personal.”

  “Blip.”

  “I didn’t mean to tease you, Noe.”

  “I truly am noe the luckiest! The boys in my village, they tease me, saying I’m noe good for anything, and I halfway believed them. I thought you were different.”

  “I am different. That’s the problem.”

  “Blip!” she repeated with such force that it almost sounded like an adult bleep. “I’m tired of being noe worthwhile. I want to break out of this cage and change my luck so I can be good at something despite my name. Now’s my chance and I’ve got to grab it or lose it.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “I’m not finished. I want to be your girlfriend.”

  Santo was plainly taken aback. “Noe, I just told you—”

  “Listen to me. You get teased a
lot, and it’s not nice teasing. I know it, because that’s the way it is. A person can’t afford to be too different. Others don’t understand because they don’t want to understand. You can fight it, or you can stop all that by having a real live girlfriend.”

  “But—”

  “I’m still not finished. Take me as your girlfriend, and they won’t tease you anymore. Or me. It’s not as if we have to actually do anything when we’re alone, and we’re too young anyway, fortunately; we just have to say we’re together and that will be it. We’ll protect each other by having that relationship. Both our lives will be easier. It will work because we understand each other, I think. Maybe there will be times when you want to be alone with a girl not for kissing but for understanding. I would do for that. Isn’t that easier than battling the worlds?”

  Santo stared at her. “You’re starting to make sense!”

  “I’m noe stupid,” she said with a smile and a half. “Then when we grow up, getting old enough for it to really count, and there are other prospects for your kind or my kind, we can officially break up. It happens. No one else will care. Young love is mostly temporary.”

  Santo nodded. “Siblings,” he said, glancing to the side. “Does this make sense?”

  “Yes,” Squid and Win said together.

  “Then I’ll do it. Of course I won’t be around here much, because I live on a different world.”

  “That’s right. We don’t need to be close. You can visit, if you want to.”

  “Let’s do it.” He paused. “Do I have to kiss you?”

  “Once, in public, to make it official.”

  “Is this public enough?”

  She looked around. “I think so.”

  “Okay.”

  They leaned across the table, and kissed.

  Dell knew he was not the only one who was gratified. Santo had found a way to finesse his orientation, if he wanted to. There would surely be times when that was appropriate.

  “We’ll celebrate the occasion with eye scream and chocolate cake,” Nia announced, and brought them out from the ship’s remarkable storage.

  It turned out to be a fine impromptu party.

  Then they followed Tata’s spot map to Noe’s home, Nia back at the helm, Dell manning the sail. Santo went with her to explain to her mother, while the boat rested invisibly by.