Chapter 2:
Beyond Waters
You've been to the Capital haven't you lad? With its garlic pillars,
an' olive veg wrappin' around it.
"Yes, sir! Thrice and counting with my dear pappy."
Ah, well I'm sure you recall its loomin' spire,
towerin' over anythin' else in the city!
"I do, it was very big."
It was, wasn't it! A fine slab o' marble, chiselled an' carved into beautiful works o' art.After ‘em bubbles cleared up, I ventured on towards me new goal.
In time, after rowin’ myself down a bunch,
Well, with that nod o’ yours it seems you know ‘em quite well!
“Mmh, they’re nice and good guys who stop mean men.”
Quite right me boy. Knights who protect ‘eir proud Capital.
I take respect in ‘eir kind o’ loyalty an’ honour.
- Ew how dirty. They remarked, just loud enough so I could hear.
Kept goin’ on, ignorin’ what the lot were sayin’.
Not the first time me self were insulted on me
messy look!
Didn’t have much an excuse this time though.
Still soaked from before, bile mostly cleaned off
from bein’ washed away by ‘ose prior waters.
- In here. Pointed the knight, towards an egg-coloured buildin’.
In I went, still havin’ to swim mind you.
I must’ve looked so out o’ place there, with everyone wakin’
around. How lucky o’ ‘em, I enviously thought.
It was some clothes shop from what it appeared. Strange how none
o’ ‘eir catalogue were gettin’ wet though. Must’ve been some strange
material or somethin’, is what I rationalised on.
Finally breakin’ me own silence, I asked ‘em
- What are ‘ese? As I took a second stare at ‘em in confusion.
- Funny, aren’t ya mate! What happened to ‘at formality from before?
- Apart of the job. Gotta keep up our role for the good of the people.
We don’t want anyone thinking we’re soft, I guess.
- Ah, fair enough. Say I’m starvin’, ye got anywhere ‘at I can eat?
- Yeah, we do, in fact get those shoes on and follow me, I’ll treat you,- Ah yeah, ahahaka! Forgot ‘bout ‘at one!
- How did you even forget in the first place?
- Who knows ahaka! Me self laughed, with a nervous sweat on me face.An’ so we went off to a local pub after ploppin' 'em boots on me feet
an' sinkin' onto ground floor.
Now, after doin' so I rethought the knight's words an',
well it may be difficult to explain to you lad, but drinkin’ underwater
wasn’t exactly commonplace in me home town.
I didn’t question it much though an’ didn’t let it bother me
on how I were to drink 'ere but I went along with the guy on ‘eir kind offer.
***
- Man, 'ese shoes are handy, I can walk in water with near ease!
A bit on the heavy side though!
- Haha, you'll get used to 'em eventually.
On another note, whatdaya want? The knight asked, slippin’ into a more casual accent
- Well, with me bein’ new I don’t exactly know what I can order.
- True. My bad. Alright, in that case…Two ales please!
- Same drinks as home 'en…
- Now now, they’re not exactly the same as you’d be used to, I’m sure
- What makes ye so sure, I doubt ye've had a proper ale from where I live.- I mean you’re somewhat right,- Now hol’ me a think for a second. Old home, what do ye mean old home?
- Well, you can’t exactly get back now, can you?
- Ah, didn’t think ‘bout it like ‘at… What do I do then?
- You can start by digging into this ale!
- Whipee! I’ve been waitin’ all day for one o’ ‘ese… wait what is this?
- Don’t ask just try it, try iiit.
- Quit nudgin’ me, alright. Down the hatch!
- Well?
- Its ale alright.
- See!
- But how? We’re underwater.
- It’s a form of magic.
- Magic?! You 'ave magic down 'ere?!
- Yeah, fun stuff ain’t it, they fill it with magic, and filter it to a certain taste.
- Ye can do that?!
- Mmh, and due to how magic works it doesn’t- Man! ‘Ats pretty nice, got a weird gulpin’ texture. I can’t quite describe it.
- That’s the magic in solid form. Pretty neato right?
- I’d guess so! But can ye get drunk from this is the question.
- Not reall-
- Ye can’t?! What’s the point then?!
- It tastes nice?
- So, how do ye know what bein’ drunk is?
- I’ve had an outsider come here with an entire barrel of beer.- Ah, well it definitely wasn’t it then.
- Oh, about this emblem, yeah it's to do with the Silver Whale.
- I thought so.
- Anything else you’d like to ask?
- How do I get to the lighthouse in the Silver Whale’s home?
- Yup, not straying from the pattern still.
- Huh?
- Nothing, just same talk as usual.
- Oh, didn’t mean to bore ye.
- No, it’s fine just the same talk with all the other outsiders.
- Why do ye call 'em outsiders?
- Huh?
- Why do ye call 'em outsiders?
- I heard what you said, what do you mean?
- Well, it's just… well it… uh… I guess it doesn’t sound all great I suppose.
- What do you mean doesn’t sound all great?
- It sounds kinda insultin’ ye know?
- Its fine, isn’t it? What other word would you use?
- I guess ye’ve got a point there then!
- You didn’t think that through, did you?
- Nope, not at all. Without bein' drunk to death, I can’t make a coherent thought!
- You can die from being drunk?!
- Ahahaka, funny lad ain’t ye.
- I’m older than you!
- How’d you know?
- …
- Echem, ‘You didn’t think that through, did you?’
- Quiet you!
- Ow me head!
An’ so we left the bar, about to say our goodbyes, with me
still got a pain on me head an’ them a pain in ‘eir head!
- It’s Flint!
- I’ll see ye around Flint!
- Wait! What’s your name?
- Clay! Clay Clayman! The greatest sailer o’ the seven seas!
- Really, haha, well Clay, I’ll see you around then!
- 'At’s a promise Flint!
Thus, we parted paths, an’ I set off on me own journey.
An’ with that me boy, I’ll tell you the rest another time.
“Aww, what happened to the knight?”
Well, you’ll have to find out lad.
I’ll tell some other time, for now I’m tired!
“Bye, bye grandpa.”
Bye, bye Flint.
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