We woke to the noise of Maraiche heading back to sea. In the common room, we found our leprechaun friend and the constables in a heated discussion. The constables were asking him about his relationship to us and the leprechaun was trying to explain. They kept calling him a liar and demanding the truth. We hurried to them and verified his story. Satisfied, finally, the constables left.
"Lassies, ya donna know how grateful I am. I have spent nearly an hour trying to tell those block heads our plans, but they kept insisting that I meant to kill ya in yer sleep. Ridiculous!"
Sarkin, this leprechaun, bought breakfast as we gathered our things. Another "pail" awaited our companions. We asked Sarkin about the ship taking us to the grotto, but he only smiled slyly and encouraged us to eat. We could tell he was concealing something, but not for evil purposes.
After breakfast, we followed Sarkin, who walked quicker than his appearance led us to believe, out of town to a cliff that dropped seventy feet straight down into the ocean below. We were confused and asked him about our location and purpose.
Sarkin replied, smiling, "Time to reveal all, Sisters."
Before us, Sarkin unbent and grew, becoming an elf male of our general height. He was not an elf like we had met before, but an elf of the sea, an aquatic elf. His ragged clothes became a suit of fish-scale armor and, on his right hand, a riding set similar to one of my other sets. Seeing me look at it, he smiled.
"Yes, Kayla, I am a dragon rider. However, I was not trained at Demagram. My dragon and my people cannot survive on that peak. We train in Oceanicus. A chance meeting eons ago gave us the skill to make the riding sets. Now, let me introduce Riptide-at-Sunset."
From the water below the cliff, a large head emerged slowly, followed by an even larger body. Halfway up the cliff, fin-like claws emerged to help push Riptide up and hold him to the rock as he laid his head on the grass next to Sarkin. They spoke affectionately to each other, nearly ignoring us. Set peeked over the cliff to see how much of Riptide was still in the water. I also looked and saw his back claws hanging onto the cliff just above the waterline. The rest of his body and tail vanished beneath the waves slapping at the rocks. We turned back when Lisa spoke.
"Why the disguise? Maraiche is a mixed community. Surely they can accept you as well."
Sarkin frowned and Riptide huffed, "I wish that were so, my dears. Even these sea-loving people are firmly rooted to the ground. My race and others of the sea are too alien for them to accept easily. My poor Riptide has had too many unfriendly greetings to allow us to be open to these villages."
We could sympathize. Pushing away that sadness, Sarkin saddled Rip and commanded extra places to appear. Down Rip's long smooth body, eight saddles formed. Following Sarkin's lead, we scrambled into place. Lisa wore Bo in his usual place. Echo rode on Callie's shoulder. Dawn and Set stayed on the cliff, ready to take flight at any moment. It was not until I touched Rip that I could hear his mind voice. He held still even though he said we tickled him. Once saddled and strapped in, Rip slowly descended into the water. He flattened out to keep us out of the waves. Off of the cliff, Rip turned and headed for the open ocean. Dawn and Set flew even with us, keeping pace with Rip easily. I could feel a shroud of magic around us. Both Sarkin and Rip explained that it made "air breathers" unable to see us clearly and dismiss the blur as a mirage or figment of their imagination. Below us, I felt not only animal life but other aquatic people.
A few hours later, an island rose above the horizon. Soon, it was revealed as not an island, but a city in the water. We went to a dock that was just below the water that allowed Rip to swim right up to a set of steps. Sarkin slid into the water as we walked up Rip's back to the stairs. Still in the water, Sarkin removed the riding set and allowed Rip to "go play". Rip slid off the dock and vanished under the water. Sarkin joined us on the stairs, removing a pendant from under his armor.
"Allows me to breathe air and be out of the water for a long time," he explained as he showed it to us, "Here, however, it is unnecessary. The whole city is enchanted to allow aquatics to visit the upper areas. Come, there is a place you can stay while we locate your kin."
We walked down coral and volcanic rock streets. Every building was like a coral reef, extending from the streets in seamless walls and towers. All the windows were ragged, cut out of the coral and rock as squarely as possible. Some managed to create ornamental windows following the natural pattern of the stones. Sarkin led us to a very large building with a dock-like ramp going straight into the water. The inside of the first above-water level was akin to a giant stable. Items for the care of both animals and riders covered the walls.
"This is our outpost. Rip and other sea dragons can enter up that ramp for care and treatment. Also, aquatics without feet can meet here with air breathers on important matters. Upstairs are the sleeping and eating area. I will take you, get you settled, and introduce you to our helpers."
Up the winding stairs, we followed Sarkin, passing other riders and staff. He took us to a barrack-like room, apologizing for it, saying it was the only type available for more than four people. We told him not to worry as we found it warm and inviting. He left us as we decided upon beds and storage. During this, a collection of people entered, followed by Sarkin.
"Ladies, these are our helpers. They work here until they want to return to land. They are good people. Heck, the dragons like them, who are we to argue?"
We greeted them and thanked them for meeting with us. They left, informing us lunch was about to be served. Sarkin acknowledged and allowed them to leave. He stayed until we finished then led us to the eating area. Unlike other places, the food was set up on a table and people filed past, taking as much of any that they wanted. Here, too, they had food unlike any other: living food. Shrimp, fish, some worm-like things, and more were swimming around in large glass tanks. We watched some scoop up cup-, bowl-, and plate-fulls of these creatures. Like berries or nuts, some popped these still-living creatures into their mouths and crunched them while in line. Sarah nearly fainted and threw up at the same time. Fortunately, there were cooked dishes we knew and places far from those eaters to not be affected.
As we ate, a couple of men with large books approached us.
"Ladies, welcome to Arvocan. Who is the one seeking her water kin?" one asked.
Sarah spoke up, showing the pin she had received. These men, like Sarkin, knew the clan instantly. We explained her exact relationship. Sarah only knew her parents' names and the kinship was through her mother. With Alice and the two men, they found Sarah's link to her great-grandmother, a clan matriarch by the name of Aoushlunia (OOsh loon eea). The men called across the room, summoning one of the others. Similar to Sarkin, this one was female and more aquatic in appearance. She listened intently to their instructions to Aoushlunia's grotto and what to tell her. Crisply, she bowed and left. The pair spoke with us about other family reunions. They were very understanding and told us, like the sailors, they had many claims of aquatic relations, but, unlike the sailors, they tried to prove the relationships instead of discouraging them. Sarah's pin was only given to family and any other possessing or selling one was a criminal offense.
It became obvious from looking around that this outpost had no set meal times. Food was rotated to replace empty pots, pans, and tanks. People either rushed in, ate, and rushed out or they entered, ate and left at a leisurely pace. Also, there seemed to be no hierarchy, just sit where you wished. This was rather strange to us.
We finished and went with the pair back to the ramp into the water. Some riders and their sea dragons were there. Unlike the dragons we had seen on land, these were only shades of blue or green. The riders, also, were unlike any we had seen. Some could easily pass for land folk. Others, without magic, could never pass, looking more fish-like than the others. One of them saw my riding set, which caused them to assemble around us. Some were sceptical when I told them who made it. Their dragons, however, confirmed Brimagor's handiwork. Set, too, was examined. The barb on his tail, it seemed, was a known sea dragon trait. Other dragons showed us their barbs. Both the oily carrier liquid and its lethal primary portion did not disperse in fresh or salt water and was very effective against aquatic attackers and ships. It appears that Emperors included the water breeds in their skills along with the land breeds.
We were still talking when the female rider returned. Upon her dragon was also a mermaid, tail and all. Her age was difficult for guess but we knew she was older than the seven of us. Without shame, she sat completely nude among us all.
"Sisters," the rider began, "meet Matriarch Aoushlunia. Matriarch, this," pulling Sarah forward, "is your great-granddaughter Sarah, daughter of Rain."
Aoushlunia, still astride the sea dragon, eyed Sarah critically. In the mermaid language, she spoke to Sarah, who responded flawlessly in kind. The Matriarch took a shocked moment to process Sarah's words.
Finally, she smiled, "I had to be certain," Aoushlunia told us, "My family's pin has been counterfeited and false claims have been made. Even though you look just as the Faerie Queen described you, I could not bring another liar to my clan."
"Matriarch," Sarah quietly addressed her, "we understand all too well about liars and the deception people will do to get what they think is theirs. I vow only honesty from me, my sisters, our swords, and companions."
Aoushlunia smiled broadly. She gracefully slid into the water covering the ramp. Before our eyes, her tail shaped into legs and a dress appeared over her nude body. Out of the water, she still retained a slightly damp appearance.
"Let us find a quiet place," she suggested, "I want to learn more about these sisters of legend and my kinship to you," she said, hooking her arm around Sarah's arm.
The riders told us of a sitting room and how to get there. We found it easily enough and spoke at length with Aoushlunia. Before we knew it, the sun was setting. This concerned the Matriarch. We rushed with her back to the ramp. Without stopping, she ran straight into the water and dived in. We walked around the edge and was nearly on top of her when she surfaced.
"Pardon my rudeness. If we are in land form after sunset, we are stuck that way for a full lunar cycle. While I had a good time talking with you, a month above water would drive me mad. I will visit again. My clan needs to hear about you."
We waved good-bye and she vanished into the darkening sea. We found our way back to the eating area, which was still a busy place. New dishes were offered and different things swarm in the tanks. Some riders we had not met came to us to confirm what their fellows had said about us. My riding set, Set's tail barb, Sarah's pin, and our swords were repeatedly examined. A few hinted cryptically that "the Council" might pay us a visit. No one would explain their statement.
Returning to our room, we found a note that simply read: "Be up by sunrise. Much to discuss."
No signature nor seal. Alice told us many hands had touched it. I could see a mixture of emotions still clinging to the page. We guessed that this was "the Council" and we would understand better in the morning. We went to bed. Set used my mat again to not sleep on cold stone.
No comments:
Post a Comment