"I thank thee, Kai," the squire bowed.
"I offer my services when you need them." Kai countered. She placed a hand upon the squire's head and looked deeply into his eyes. "There is a fire within you, young man, which points to a greater destiny. Take heed that when the time comes to act, you alone will know when The Watcher will strike."
Kai noticed the look of puzzlement given to her by all.
"Visions can be tricky things, my dears." she tried to explain.
Both she and Ka-Ron hugged their goodbye.
"Fair journey to you, Ka-Ron."
The knight held up her hand, correcting her.
"I have decided to change my name," she said. "A new name for a new life."
Jatel, Keeth, and Kai turned, and were all attention.
"What shall we call thee, child?" Kai asked, excited.
"Karen," she said.
"Well, then, Karen of Teal, wife to Jatel of Illium, I wish you...well."
"With love," Karen stated, "I hope to see you again."
The goodbyes were final.
***
"Prepare to get underway!" Keeth yelled, taking his position at the ship's wheel.
Several villagers, surrounding the Argo, untied ropes that had been attached to trees, or spiked into the ground with wooden stakes. This was a grand sight. After accomplishing his ship's long refitting, the wizard had entertained those who had helped him, by providing a show of the tiny vessel's many abilities. The ship had been flown from the nearby harbor, set down in a failed root field, and both parent and child were allowed to explore and wonder.
The ship appeared more "grown up." The wizard had reinforced the hull, making it more difficult for an outsider to scale or damage. He had added two more masts and six more sails, providing more thrust and speed when the vessel sailed upon the water. He added a new auxiliary wheel up near the bow in case of damage, and an extra set of "levers" in a non-disclosed place aboard ship, in case of forced invasion.
The lighter-than-air balloon had been enlarged, allowing the Argo to claim more from the sky. The machines which flew her through the atmosphere were eased by the introduction of two more engines on each side of the vessel.
When asked why so many improvements, Keeth simply stated, "Look at all the troubles we had, just on our first trip. What manner of curiosities will we come in contact with upon our second?"
No one could debate that simple logic.
Kai, waving her farewells with the villagers, had convinced most of them to pack up their belongings and join her in her trek to the other side of the planet, far away from the growing storm. Her sights were set upon the golden shores of Turin. It was there that the people of the Wiccan would make their stand.
"Lines are in, and at the ready!" Molly shouted, running to both bow and stern while giving the ship its final inspection.
The former vampire was doing well as Keeth's apprentice. Her passion for detail and sense of adventure were an added feature which made Keeth's job as master of the Argo more manageable. Still, from time to time, the woman looked amused, having spotted the wizard giving her more than an authoritative glance.
There was a silent love growing amongst these two.
A love that would soon flower into a fantastic adventure.
Both knew it. But both waited.
"Pulling back on engine. Ignite levers!" the wizard warned.
The curious engines of the ship sparked, choked, and exploded huge plumes of smoke as they vibrated to life.
"Sky ahoy!" Molly stated, pointing an excited hand upward.
The Argo took to the high places, floating like a gull. She was a wonder to behold.
"Turning fifteen points to port, heading back to Idoshia!"
Keeth turned his wheel.
All on board couldn't help but join the cheers, far below, as the people of The Fire Mountains wished them on their way.
Karen laid her head upon her husband's chest as both watched in wonder the miracle of modern flight. Jatel remained quiet. No doubt he was thinking about his explanations, once they returned home. He was concerned about how the royal classes would react to their "change in life styles."
"Karen," Jatel asked, still uneasy with his wife's new name, "what will the King think upon our return?"
"In what way would his opinion worry you?" the woman turned, looking up into Jatel's eyes. Her lips pouted out a little as she asked her questions.
"What would the people think of a lowly squire marrying a woman who had once been a knight of the blood?"
"I still am a knight of the blood," Karen interrupted, reminding her husband.
"All right," Jatel bowed, accepting the fact. "My point, love, is that they will see me as a digger of good fortune."
"How so?"
"You were a high knight, forced to become a woman, who I have now taken as my wife."
"And I, you, as my husband," Karen pointed out, almost angry.
Jatel paused, allowing the anger to pass.
"They will say you had no other choice. They will say that I saw an opportunity, and&"
Karen put a soft but stern hand, to Jatel's mouth. Her skin smelled of rose melon perfume. Her face was lined with makeup that she had been taught to apply by Kai. Her hair was braided in the traditional Idoshian way. She was everything a loving mate could hope for.
"They will say, Jatel, that you are a lucky man." The knight scanned the deck. Upon noticing that both the wizard and Molly were nowhere to be seen, she grabbed at the man's sex, rubbing it awake. "They will say that both of us are quite noisy and should be given a wide berth during the course of the night."
Jatel's eyes flashed with surprise.
"Dear woman!" he joked. "Is that all you think about?"
Karen bowed down, opening Jatel's pants with her teeth.
"Jatel," she said, coming back up for air. "Shut up. Take me to our cabin, and let's get to work at having some children."
The look of sheer determination upon the woman's face was enough to alter the course of an active volcano.
The squire cleared his throat, picked Karen up from off the deck, and headed toward their bed. Upon reaching the cabin door, the man kicked it open, and carried his bride over the threshold.
Karen, anticipating the night to come, giggled like a schoolgirl.
Both Molly and Keeth were left alone.
Molly, uneasy, placed her hand upon the wizard's.
"Looking for a woman?" the redhead asked.
Keeth, in his shock, glared at Molly with wide, uncertain eyes. He was sure that her pain of loss was still rather deep. Then again, relatively speaking, both hers and En-Don's love was still quite young. Was it wrong for a woman to seek shelter so soon? It was not for him to judge, for we all handle loss at varying degrees of determination.
"I'm considering the possibilities, my love," the old man winked. "Considering all the wonderful possibilities."
The Argo continued boldly upon her course.
Along the way, she would encounter many more challenges, get involved in a few revolutions, claim great victory, and perform the ultimate sacrifice.
But that is ANOTHER story!
Guide to the Nown World
How time is measured by those in the Nown World:
Beat = one minute
Cycle = a hour
Sun = a day
Phase = a week
Luna = one month
Season = one year
Other measurements:
Stick = the length from one's elbow to forefinger. About one foot
Shell = about an inch
Table of Contents
Book One of the Nown World Chronicles
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
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CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CHAPTER NINETEEN
CHAPTER TWENTY
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
CHAPTER THIRTY
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
CHAPTER FORTY
CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
CHAPTER FORTY-SIX
CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT
CHAPTER FORTY-NINE
CHAPTER-FIFTY
CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE
CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO
CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE
CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR
CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE
CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX
CHAPTER FIFTY-SEVEN
CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT
CHAPTER FIFTY-NINE
The Misadventures of Ka-Ron the Knight Page 48