The Unreached Duchy

Chapter 30

“Gratitude Namtao. Apologies for getting us into such a mess.” Rusalka whispered as she nestled her head into Namtao’s neck while he swam them deeper into the water which had all of the safety that they desired and needed.

“Don’t be Rusa. Sena and I started the argument that made you stay up there thinking. We are the ones that should be sorry and apologizing to you.” Namtao replied as he held his best friend even closer and tighter; almost like she was a piece of coral that would break if he let it go and it would break if he held it too tightly. “Now I just wish Senara would hurry up and get back here. She’s supposed to be coming back with a mima and some help. I told her to hurry because I didn’t know how badly you were hurt since you screamed when you got hit and then you got quiet.”

When Namtao reached the spot where he and Senara turned around, he stopped and let go of Rusalka so she could free float in the water in front of him. “I guess we’ll just wait here for the help to arrive.”

A few feet away from where they had stopped a shadow formed on the sandstone rock; the shadow kept getting bigger. From the bottom, it looked like a wooden trap that the Gatherers used when they were harvesting things from the deep caves.

“Nam” Rusalka started a sentence as she got closer to Namtao “what-”

“I don’t know Rus.” Namtao cut off Rusalka’s sentence “But I’m going to find out, wait here.” He promptly swam the few feet to where the shadow is now as large as his fins. It was a wooden chest with 2 handles made from a braided rope Namtao had never seen before when he had been at previous shipwrecks saving humans. There was a name carved onto the lid, Namtao was not sure if it was the owner’s name or if it was the name of the ship. The single word Catharina was carved in beautiful script; Namtao knew the difference between the script used by the humans and the script used by Makara.

“It’s just a human chest.” Namtao said as he went back to where he left Rusalka, satisfied that they were not in any danger. “We’re safe.”

“Nam, can you help me get home?” Rusalka asked as she attempted to swim around in a circle. “I’m not sure I can make it all the way on my own.”

“Rusalka, I’ll carry you home if you want.” Namtao said as he made to scoop Rusalka back up in his arms and resting his forehead against hers. Secretly, he was glad that Rusalka let him pick her back up. “Come here, I feel responsible for you being in this pain.”

“There you two are!” came the excited yell from Senara at that exact moment. “Nam, that Serdar of yours is extremely unfriendly! He told everyone to not come with me to help you save Rus! And to think he became a Serdar with his promotion! Some great leader he is!!” Senara fumed as Rusalka and Namtao straightened up their posture.

“Senara, he single handedly fought off four humans by himself when they tried to invade our island. He deserves to be a Serdar, more than I deserve my promotion after the way we talked to Rusalka.” Namtao said with an air of defeat in his voice. “Come on. Let’s go home.” Namtao turned with Rusalka in his arms still but she pushed herself away.

“It’s ok Nam; I can make it a little on my own. I just want to make sure I have someone I trust nearby to help me if I need it. I just hope I don’t get you into more trouble.” Rusalka said kind of guarded without knowing why. It’s not like Senara was her competition for Namtao’s attention. The three of them grew up in houses next to each other and they’ve been best friends all of their lives. Rusalka didn’t have any actual sisters but from what the humans said, Senara was like what her sister would have been.

“Rus, the only punishment I will receive is probably be made to do Transformation Ceremony Escorts for another year and not be allowed to save humans for that year.” Namtao said as he backed away from Rusalka slightly to give her the space she apparently desired. “We need to get home before sunset. Otherwise the other Trirmeme will be having a fit so big it will reach the Royal Family’s ears.”

With that, the three best friends headed back to Maimakterion, now under the watchful eye of the Lokhagos that had taken their positions along the cove. Apparently, the falling chest had not gone unnoticed in town and everyone was on high alert because of it; not to mention, Rusalka’s first hand encounter with the human’s ship named Catharina’s wooden paddle.

As they passed through the stone gateway marking the entrance of Maimakterion in Ursa, which the three best friends agreed never looked so beautiful to them. Serdar Neruda was dutifully waiting them at the gate to the square; he stood in the pathway’s center and glared at them, almost daring them to go around him.

“Hoplite Namtao” Serdar Neruda said with all of the authority of his position, Namtao just as dutifully swam to be directly in front of his superior officer, “You are confined to the duties of Transform Ceremony Escort forth hence, until further notice.”

“Yes sir. I understand” was Namtao’s short reply.

“Good, I want to make sure you understand the gravity of the situation. Because that human ship is now docked not far from where your friend got stuck on the wooden paddle and that chest was thrown overboard.” The Serdar stated with an attitude that lead everyone in the square to believe the words left a bad aftertaste in his mouth.

“I was unaware of the humans docking anywhere near Makara. The ship was moving at a fairly swift speed, the drum used to keep the strokes together was still going when I got Rusalka off the wooden paddle.” Namtao said to Serdar Neruda, slightly confused.