Into The Unknown

Chapter 4- Lior

“Ahoy Captain, a storm coming in fast.” The hatch to me cabin bursts wide open, sendin' loose parchment flyin' into a mad swirl!

I look up at my first mate. “Reef the sails. Batten down the hatches, secure loose cargo,” I lean back in my chair, “the usual, does it look like a big one?”

He nods his head. His bright blue eyes gleaming, “We be in for a foul night, mateys!"

Just the sort of foul night Sadgin craves. Battlin' to keep the vessel right-side up always got his blood pumpin', and whenever he be riled up, no feat on the high seas was beyond our reach!

I let out a grunt, “still no sign of the ship?”

He shakes his head, “no captain.”

“Shiver me timbers.” I curse under my breath. My fathers not going to be happy about this. I would have to get word to him after the storm passes. “I'll be up in a few aye.”

With a nod he turns on his heels and opens the door leaving.

I sit leaned back in me chair, savorin' the calm before the squall for a few moments more, before the vessel starts rockin' heavily. With a heavy sigh, I stand tall and settle me tricorn upon me head. Upon throwin' open the hatch, a fierce gust of rain and wind sweeps inside, toppling me piles of ledgers and sendin' loose parchment flyin' into a mad swirl.

I'm quick to slam the hatch shut. Me eyes sweep across the deck of the vessel and I curse under me breath as the crew be still scramblin' about. The nets were still bein' hauled in after we had cast 'em out this mornin' to catch our rations.

Rushin' over, I straightaway plunge into the fray to help. I may wear the captain's coat, but I work side-by-side with me crew. Bein' able to put full trust in Sadgin as me helmsman to keep our heading allowed me the freedom to move about the deck and lend a hand wherever the extra muscle was needed.

The downpour rages on, drenchin' the whole lot of us to the bone! As we haul in the final stretch of the nets, we strain against the ropes; this trap seems to have snared somethin' monstrous big. Perchance a leviathan of a shark!

Ere we can haul it fully upon deck, the vessel lists hard to starboard and we hang on for dear life, fightin' not to plunge into the ragin' waters! "Hold fast, lest ye want to be in Davy's grip!" I shout out to me men, givin' 'em all fair warnin'. Every soul curses under their breath as we lose a few wooden crates to the deep, but by the gods, no men! Sadgin rights our headin', and we haul the last of the nettin' onto the deck with a thunderous thunk.

Me brows furrow as me men begin to untangle the net, and then they're scramblin' back in pure terror! Tremblin' like fresh landlubbers. I narrow me eyes at the lot of 'em. A pack of hardened pirates scarperin' backward! I push through the crew, about to demand what foul business be switchin' their bellies, but I stop dead in me tracks.

I couldn't believe my eyes. I bend down fully untangling the creature from the net. It had been wrapped around its scaly iridescent neck.

My fingers brush against three slashes along the side of her neck. Gills. After it’s fully untangled I stand back and look at my hands. They're slimy, but not in a frog mucus type of way; it's more like chilled sticky blood after it's been sitting for a few hours.

All of my men stood back gaping at it.

The creature should have disgusted me with its half fish body, webbed fingers, and strange bluish substance, yet I couldn't help but be fascinated. It was beautiful.

“Belay this unless thy want to dance the hempen jig! Stay the course!" I bellowed as I noticed a few men begin to surround us.

The crew scarpered back and went back to their labors. I stayed bent down low beside the creature. She had delicate features and a beautiful pink and white wash across her tail. Her fins reminded me of those fancy fighting fish the western traders brought over as pets.

“What be she?” Sadgis breathed from the other side of her.

"Be it not plain as day?!" I look up at him, then cast me gaze back down at the creature. Me fingers trail over the shiny scales at her waist, which be decorated in fine jewels. A sticky slime seemed to coat her entire body in a sort of protective layer.

“Nay. What in the seven seas, it be Lior.?”

I roll my eyes, “A mer creature she be.”

He stands shaking his head gaping, “blistering barnacles that cannot be.”

The storm still brews on around us but the ship has stopped violently rocking the worst has passed us, “it turns out she's as real as the sea, matey.” I usher down to the creature. It seems to be passed out.

“What be our move captain? Do we haul her aboveboard or feed her to the depths?”

I smile, “she’s mine. A great bounty indeed.”

He glares at me as if I’ve got bilge water for brains, “A gift ye say? From what scoundrel did ye pounder it from?”

The answer is simple so I shrug, “the deep blue itself.”

Sadgis still looks at me in disbelief, "You've lost ye marbles.”

I let out a deep chuckle, “Ye blind fool, ye don't realize what grand bounty we've chanced upon.”

“She’e going to send us all to davey jones locker.” He lets out in a low hiss.

It’s my turn to shake my head, “ney.”

He rolls his eyes with a sigh seeing my mind has been made up, “How do we keep the creator from croakin?”

"There be a glass cage hidden below deck in the hold! 'Twas meant for me sister's fancy fish pond, but by the powers, we be in dire need of it now!"

His jaw hangs open, "Tell me ye jest, ye crazed scoundrel!

I clap my hand on his shoulder, "Look lively! Let’s grab a few crewmates before she dries to bone!"

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We manage to get the beast into the brine below deck. The glass cage barely fit inside the cramped quarters where we hold our prisoners.

She woke with a start and straightaway began batterin' against the glass! I stood there transfixed, me eyes locked upon the sight.

Her strawberry-blonde mane holds a pink hue, sprawlin' wild about her shoulders as she frantically batters against the glass. It takes me a full minute to reckon why she be in such a panic—the hatch was sealed tight, and the poor creature couldn't draw breath!

No sooner had I popped the hatch, however, than the wench straightaway lunged forth! I zap her with me joltin' iron and she falls back into the brine. I latch the top, but don't let it close all the way down.

She clutches her side where I zapped her, lookin' utterly stunned. I bend down low till we be eye-to-eye. Her slender, deep-set indigo eyes completely captivate me, and I press a weathered hand against the glass.

Her eyes narrow in on me hand as her back strikes the opposite glass. She didn't have much room to breathe in there. I let out a heavy sigh and stand back tall.

In all me years spent navigatin' the high seas, I never chanced upon such a rare bounty. And by the gods, there have been a vast sea of treasures.

Sadgin descends the stairs leading into the cell room, "The skies have cleared, and the squall has run its course." he wearily eyes the creature.

"I want two deckhands posted at the door at all hours. I must scratch a missive to me old man without delay!"

He follows me out of the cells, "Shall ye whisper word of this bounty to him?”

I shake my head,"Not just yet. I’ll send word that we be weighin' anchor for home. 'Twill take a fortnight's sail to reach the keep."

"We ought to cast the beast overboard before we sight the keep! Or cut its throat now so we can carve it up!"

"We'll be doin' neither of those things!" I bark at him. "None but me crosses that threshold! If so much as a single scale is harmed on that beast, the whole lot of ye on this vessel will face me fury, do ye savvy?!"

He nods his head, “yes captain.”

“Good.” I enter my office and sit behind my desk. Immediately I grab my quill and paper and begin addressing my letter.

"I'd not be informin' me old man of me grand find just yet. 'Twas but a fleetin' moment to scribble out a few words, then I cast me eyes around at all the tomes scattered about the cramped cabin. Me eyes leap from stack to stack, scannin' every spine until I spot the very book I be in need of.

Standin' tall, I pluck it from the pile closest to the hatch and begin to leaf through the old, weathered pages. Folklore. Every parchment bore the likeness of a different mythical beast.

The page marked 'mermaid' be already branded deep in me memory, but I pore over the ink once more, lest I missed a single detail."

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The next mornin' after me morning grub, I make me way down to the hold to look upon the beast. She be floatin' in the brine, starin' blankly at the timbers above when I step inside. The moment I cross the threshold, she straightaway sits up and presses herself hard against the furthest wall.

I hoist a hand in surrender, while me other hand holds a platter of fresh grub. She locks her gaze onto the bounty, “I mean ye no harm, beastie.”

She lets out a sharp hiss at me, revealin' two rows of small, dagger-like teeth. Fascinatin', indeed.

I burned to pull out me ledger and straightaway scratch down me new findings, but instead, I advanced toward the glass cage, "I'm liftin' the hatch, but if ye try to lunge forth again, I'll strike ye with a proper jolt."

Once more she answers with a fierce hiss. I highly doubted the wench could comprehend me tongue. Slowly liftin' the hatch, I dump the platter of raw fish, mussels, and scallops into the brine. I knew not what her belly would prefer.

The grub bobs in the water, but the beast doesn't make a move toward it.

“Go ahead.”

Another sharp hiss cuts through the air.

I let out a heavy sigh and run a weathered hand over me beard. 'Twas growin' long on this voyage; I only ever scrape me chin when we make landfall.

When it becomes plain as day she’ll not touch a bite—at least not with me breathin' her air—I take me leave.

The cabin door thuds shut behind me, and I straightaway pull out me ledger to scribble down a few notes before shovin' it and me tiny pencil back into me coat pocket. How in the seven seas am I supposed to tame a beast of the deep?!

No way was I letting her go. She’s mine.