The Sailors with No Sea

And the great mistake we almost made

Recap: Our narrator is a young maiden, unable to say her own name and cursed to wander the fairy woods until the spell on her is broken. She is followed by a talking fox (also cursed), and they are trying to find a way to break their spells as they re-enter the Southlands after a long journey through the North country.

We had made it.

After roughly two weeks in the belly of the earth, our party had emerged from the Deep Underground. We had returned to the Southlands.

At first, we could hardly open our eyes, for the sunlight was too bright for our long-darkened vision. I heard birds singing and the wind blowing through the trees. At last, we saw the lively woods before us and paths leading to nearby villages.

“Thank you for rescuing me from the darkness,” said the knight Sir Col, who had been stuck in the tunnels just one day’s journey from the surface. “I will return to my kingdom to see how I might serve there.”

We bid him farewell. Terek, our wood elf friend who was small in stature, stated that he would like to find a kingdom where he could serve as well.

“There is a knight’s academy just southwest of this realm, across the river,” said Sir Col. “Go and train there, then I’m certain you will get an invitation to a captain’s guard.”

“I will take you there, young lad,” said the dragon Jaram, “for I would like to be among knights and captains again.”

“Surely there’s a village on the way there, and we will travel at least that far with you,” I said, speaking for myself and Fox.

“I must go back to the other side of the Void to guide more travelers,” said Leon.

“Leon, we just arrived! Will you take no respite?” I asked.

“Not to a village, though I will rest a day or two,” said Leon. “There’s an outpost near here where I will get supplies. The lost are my cause; I must tend to them.”

“We are indebted to you, Leon,” I said.

“Continue to travel wisely,” he said.

We said good-bye, parting with both him and Sir Col, and began to make our way to the nearest village. Terek, whose cheerfulness seemed amplified by the light of the sun, began making lots of conversation. I was tired and could hardly answer him; but Fox kept up the dialogue, making thoughtful comments, allowing Terek to express all his thoughts.

When we reached a village, Terek and Jaram stayed at the outskirts and made camp as Fox and I went in for supplies.

“What was it you were doing back there?” I asked him as we waited for bread.

“Hm? What do you mean?” he asked.

“You were polite. You had a long conversation with someone you find annoying,” I said. “I’m asking why you humored him.”

“Oh, it’s that thing you call listening,” he quipped. “I thought I might at least try it. I don’t terribly enjoy it, but to be fair, it’s not as bad as I imagined.”

I laughed, wondering what had inspired this change of behavior. We conversed about our experience in the tunnels, and once again he demonstrated a measure of patience and consideration that seemed quite new.

“What has happened to you?” I said. “First listening, now patience… are you still the fox I know?”

“A man can change, even if he’s a bit furry around the edges,” Fox replied.

Just then, we overheard some people talking about the nearby regions, including the treacherous sea that stood between this realm and the Umberlands, a place of great bounty.

“We will likely need to cross the sea at some point,” said Fox. “Though I’m still a beast, I would like to see my kingdom again, which is part of the Umberlands.”

We approached a few sailors sitting at a table near the bakery.

“What can you tell us about crossing the sea?” I asked.

“The sea is full of serpents!” said one. “You must have advanced knowledge to be able to navigate a boat through there. But if you pay me a certain amount of gold, I will give you the secrets to crossing safely.”

“However, if you survive the serpents, you will not survive the heat,” said another. “You need special clothing to repel the sun, and a particular hat for your eyes. For the light comes off the sea so strongly that it can blind you. I could sell these items to you for a price.”

“What you really need is a powerful frame of mind,” said the last. “A clear vision and a strong wish for what you want. Your wish will be made true, as long as it is strong enough. The sea does not favor a weak mind; you may very well fall into despair and perish without the right attitude. I can teach you how to have a strong wish, but not for free.”

They continued talking, recounting their stories of the sea and of travelers who did not pay the appropriate price. They spoke in detail about the foaming waves, the rocking of the ship, the sharp rocks, the swirling winds, and the ill-fated travelers. Several others had gathered around to listen.

I was about to ask how much all this would cost, but Fox tugged on my dress and pulled me out from the crowd.

“Let’s keep asking the townspeople,” he said.

“But these men are sailors; don’t they know best?” I asked.

An old woman nearby chuckled. “Sailors? Those men are locals; they have never been to sea.”

“What?” I said. “But they dress like sailors; they even talk like sailors.”

“And yet, they are swindlers,” said the woman. “A quick check of their history and you will discover it’s so. Your fox friend is right. See if people really are who they say they are before you believe them. For many a man can put on a sailor’s clothes and speak his language, but only a few have truly tightened sails, read the stars, and drawn anchor.”

So we did what we suggested; we asked others in town. They all confirmed that these “sailors” had no sea at all.

“I was ready to pay them just based on what they looked like,” I said to Fox as we returned to our camp outside the village.

“When we are eager for information, it seems like a chore to verify it,” said Fox, “but that is the only way the truth can be sorted out.”

“What do you think it’s really like to cross the sea?”

“We will know when we find a real sailor.”

And in fact, we were soon to learn that there are some things you can know about — but never really prepare for.

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