Chapter 6: Vaimelie
The Vaimelie dining area was an open structure covered by two sloping gables that met to form a chimney, which little more than a hole made of braided grasses and mud. Over fifty islanders gathered there, as well as twenty sailors and knights from the ship. High dunes covered in grass and scrubby bushes protected the area from gusty sea breezes.
Chieftain Isilan encouraged the travellers to eat seaweed-wrapped seafood and salad dishes. The islanders were a large and well-fed race from the bountiful sea life in the Coral Sea.
They drank a fermented vegetable brew which Isilan called ‘Fire Nectar.’ Fandri tasted the delicious drink and drained the glass in a quick gulp.
He lost track of time. Later he realised he was staring aimlessly into the fire pit and his vision was a blur. He tried to focus on the dark shapes around him, struggling to detect any people there. “Fandri-La! I can’t feel you.”
“I’m here.” Her voice sounded panicked and slurred. She was resting prostrate on the ground. One hand held her head off the ground and her wings were not so much folded, as collapsed underneath.
“Fandri, I think we have been drugged. I cannot feel my legs.” Varl’s voice was high pitched with anxiety. He was sitting beside them on the sand with his hands tapping his numb legs in a fruitless attempt to wake them. “I fear these scoundrels intend to slit our throats whilst we lay helpless.” A hand touched his shoulder and the scared boy tried to stand, but his shaky legs failed to hold his weight and he staggered backwards. Strong hands caught his shoulders and steadied him to stand upright on trembling legs.
“Hold still, boy.” A sharp bone knife was extended in front of his face and Varl’s eyes widened in fright.
“Nooo.”
The knife was removed from his sight and the boy felt hackles rising on his neck and his whole body felt cold. He braced himself for a lethal blow.
But none came.
“This we do to thieving pirates, not young knights. Lucky you that Nnarndam here or you feeding the sharks now.” The voice was deep, but gentle.
Varl’s trembling legs finally gave way and the man lowered him to the sand. He turned his head to see Isilan standing in the flickering shadows. His sigh of relief was audible to Fandri, who was some distance away.
“No more Fire Nectar. Your bodies not ready for real man’s drink. You like a woman to breast-feed you?”
The boys looked at each other in open-mouth horror and protested in unison.
“We’re not babies.”
“That is an insult.”
Isilan held up his hands in apology. “It a joke, my boys. Sleep now and we return you to the ship.”
The boys curled up on the sand to sleep off the haze. Fandri-La slept in the crook of Varl’s arm.
The next day dawned bright and golden with fluffy white clouds floating over idyllic Hatu Island. The tide was high on the beach when the islanders ferried the ship’s occupants back in their canoes.
Boys and knights all looked a little green and tired after the Fire Nectar the evening before. The sailors however appeared stout with a hardy constitution after many years of practice.
Nnarndam was quite literally his usual chirpy self, as he tweeted away from the mainsail and preened purple and black feathers.
Varl forced a smile onto his face as his eyes glared at the cheerful bird.
“Captain Warron will be pleased you are offering your services to mop the decks.” Sir Rawlan’s hint of a smile indicated he was enjoying the misery of his squire.
Fandri-La stuck her tongue out at the close-cut locks on the back of the knight’s head as he walked over to speak to the captain. Fandri dunked a mop into the bucket and went to help his friend.
“When are we leaving this primitive hovel?” The unmistakable sneer of Prince Celdar-Moon drew the attention of all, as he led the elven queen and her retinue out of the main cabin.
Eyes wide with shock darted to him and gasps were heard among the polite elven ladies.
Chieftain Isilan took it all in his stride. He kissed the queen on the hand in perfect elven manners and nodded to the rude prince. “Shame you missed our feast last night. I brought you Fire Nectar to try.”
“It’s probably poisoned.” The irritable elf turned his back on the amiable islander and glared down into the reef-strewn water.
The islander bowed to the passengers and crew. He handed the bottle to Telmane and swung down to his canoe in masterful fashion.
“Farewell, friend Isilan. Please accept our thanks for your hospitality. Here is some seed you can plant for your new horses.” The queen gestured and two elven servants lowered bags of grain down to the islander. The canoes departed for the island.
The scowling Celdar-Moon was tactfully ignored.
“Alright you motherless dogs, get to work before I flay your lazy backs. We must break free of the coral before the tide ebbs.” Captain Warron blew his whistle and the sailors sprang into action.
Varl and Fandri raced up the rigging to unfurl the mainsail.
With the winds filling her sails, the ship shuddered and scraped along the reef before lurching forward out of the coral’s grasp.
“Huzzah, huzzah.”
The Voyage sailed away from Hatu Island at top speed. The boys gripped the ropes and smiled as wind whistled through their hair.
Fandri-La sat in regal fashion with the queen and her handmaidens, sipping small cups of mint tea and eating a sweet pink fruit gifted by the islanders.
The sea was crystal clear with a tinge of aqua, as the ship glided towards the coast of mainland Reloria.
“Woah that is some sight.” Fandri’s eyes bulged with wonder at the castle perched high on a cliff before them. Its turrets spiralled ever higher than the last, topped with onion-shaped domes. “Is that castle made of water or something? I can almost see through those strange walls.”
“Not water, but glass.” Telmane had seen Diddlibah Castle before, but the sight always left him nostalgic and a little sad. “This was an ancient elven castle before the betrayal. Elves were naïve and more generous back then. They used to feed and house the pirates who came to trade with them. One day the royal elves were sleeping in their beds when the very men they had welcomed into their castle, murdered them in their sleep.”
Fandri-La squealed with shock at this dastardly news.
The halfling felt hairs rise on his arms and neck, for he too was stunned. “But…surely the elves must have fought the scoundrels and retaken the citadel? I can’t believe it.”
Telmane shook his head. “There was some skirmish, but violence is not the elven way.”
Affirmation came to Fandri from an unlikely source. Celdar-Moon’s face was red with anger all the way to the tips of his pointed ears. “You are correct, half-boy. We elves have become weak and could barely defend Conlaoch Diarmada were the Vergai to invade our lands in numbers again. It is an embarrassment.”
“What is Conlaoch Diarmada?”
“You are an ignorant child and not worthy of my explanation. Do us a favour and read the elven histories before you explore these forgotten lands.” Reddish hair whipped as the irksome elf turned on his heel and vanished into the main cabin.
Liara-Star placed a gentle hand on Fandri’s arm. “Do not mind my brother. He has more reason to fear and hate the pirates than anyone. Many years ago when I lived with the king in the elven capital of Conlaoch Diarmada, our parents were killed in the citadel yonder. Celdar-Moon was a tiny child and the only survivor. He only escaped his kidnappers when he was twelve. He survived by sheer willpower of walking across the desert for several nights with naught but water. The gnomes discovered his emaciated form and nursed him back to health. But he has never found the strength to forgive the brigands. Unfortunately he now lacks the capacity to love and trust others. I do hope that one day things will be different.”
The queen gave a meaningful look to her handmaiden, Juline-Mist: the only person who Celdar-Moon did seem to care a little for. She was
a willowy elf with long pale blonde hair which fell to her waist in gentle waves. Her green eyes looked deep into the queen’s before she gathered her skirts with perfect poise, curtseyed and left the room. Fandri and his fairy witnessed an unusual pink ball of energy around her which went undetected by the Diagro men at work on the ship.
The fairy whispered in Fandri’s ear. “That ball of light around Juline-Mist looks like healing magic.”
A nod of agreement was seen from Liara-Star who appeared to have exceptional elven hearing. “Healing by love. She is very much in love with him and I do hope that one day he will realise what a blessing she is for him.” The queen poured herself another cup of tea, turning the cup three times before she sipped it. Her gaze was drawn to the high cliffs they were now passing, with the glass citadel looming above them and black flags with shark heads flying from the battlements.
Fandri noticed the glass turrets were broken in places. It appeared they had never been repaired since the battle long ago, when the guardian elves had tried to repel the savage attack.
As the ship passed the citadel on its way into the bay beyond, rocks rained down upon them.
“Take cover!”
A whistle blew and sailors ducked as they raced to adjust the rigging to change tack. One unfortunate man was hit in the head with a projectile and was dead before he even splashed into the water below. His sightless eyes, and mouth open in shock caused squeals of surprise from the maidens who rushed into the cabin.
Fandri and Varl huddled with the fairy under a spare sail on the deck and watched the castle with bated breath. A shower of small rocks caused them to hide completely, just before the big one struck.
There was a second of silence followed by a loud boom, then the ship shuddered, paused, shuddered again…and began to list to one side.
“Abandon ship.”
“Not again.” With pounding hearts, Fandri and Varl stared at the gaping hole where the mainmast had joined the deck.
“Look out!” Telmane pushed them roughly aside as the main mast crashed to the deck where they had lain. The guardian thrust a broken piece of decking at them and cast them over the side into the sea.
The shock of the water drove the air from their lungs. The boys came to the surface spluttering and holding tight to the plank of wood.
Fandri-La flitted above. “Hurry, swim this way. Boats are coming.”
The boys’ eyes followed her trembling finger to see dozens of row boats launching from the docks below the citadel and making for the sinking ship.
Cold tendrils of fear wrapped around Fandri’s heart and he felt the blood drain away from his face. “Come on, let’s swim towards the cliffs.”
They both sighed at the near impossible task of swimming all the way to the other side of the large bay before the pirates caught up to them. Despite this, the thought of giving up never entered their brave heads. They were soon joined by elves, horses, hounds and men, churning up the water.
Fandri noticed the elven queen nearby with her eyes closed and body motionless in the sea. “Come your majesty, we must do our best to escape these fiends.”
For a moment it was as though she could not hear him, but then she opened her eyes. Her twitching mouth betrayed her surprise at seeing the halfling tugging on her arm, but she quickly regained her composure. “Thank you dear Fandri. I am actually quite a strong swimmer although these skirts are a hindrance. I do appreciate your concern for my wellbeing.
Telmane approached her on the other side. “We’ve lost our king on this mission and I will protect you at all costs. Here, hold onto my shoulders as I lead you to safety, my Queen. Luckily I still have my sword to protect you from these thieves.”
“You are the best son I could have ever hoped for, my dear Telmane-Star. Have faith that we will reach safety again.”
Gurgling sounds behind them indicated the ship had sunk below the waves. Fandri tightened his grip on the wood, and he and Varl kicked to propel themselves forward.
Nnarndam swam up beside them and addressed the queen. “I have a splendid idea, your majesty, as long as you aren’t averse to reptiles.” His purplish eyes twinkled with excitement.
Her brow crinkled in confusion, but she nodded her approval. “I’m sure you have a worthy idea, Grand Mage. But, please no enormous waves this time.”
His smile dimmed a little, but shined again as he replied. “Truly, I am not a water mage, but trust me. This is one of my most ingenious ideas.”
The shipwrecked companions watched as the mage’s form shimmered and grew into the longest snake any of them had ever seen. Instead of a rounded back rising above the water line, they saw the scaly skin was mounded into hollows the correct size for saddles. The waterlogged castaways were grateful as they help each other climb aboard their unusual mode of transport.
Varl and Fandri noticed that Celdar-Moon was one of the last to climb aboard because he had one arm hooked around Juline-Mist’s neck to keep her head above the waves. The wide-eyed maiden was squirming with panic with her skirts tangled around her neck. It was clear that she did not know how to swim. Her rescuer tried to ignore her fright as he spoke in a slow, calm manner and pulled her towards the snake.
Sir Rawlan jumped down from the snake and helped the elf pull her onto the scaly saddle. Juline-Mist was trembling with fright, so Celdar-Moon pulled himself up in front of her and turned around. Her small cries could be heard as he placed his arms around her and she cuddled her head into his chest. He had a rare look of empathy and affection on his face.
“Aw…that’s sweet. I didn’t think he had it in him.” Fandri-La hovered next to Fandri’s ear with a smile of deep satisfaction on her face. “Maybe his irritability masks anxiety or embarrassment, and there is a loving personality underneath.”
Fandri snorted. “And maybe he’s just a grumpy old sod, who doesn’t care for anyone or anything in Reloria.”
“Do you care to make a wager on it?” Varl was studying the elves and was quite surprised by their shared affection. “I would not mind some extra rations while we are travelling. I have a long way to grow, you know.”
Fandri rolled his eyes. “You’re younger than me and about a head taller already. I don’t think you need any extra rations at all. I will be glad to take them off you when that annoying elf returns to being unbearable tomorrow. Not even that pretty hand maiden can change his personality. I seriously think that you overestimate her charms.”
“We have to grip on the wager.”
“What does that mean?” Fandri stared, unsure what his friend meant.
“Like this.” Varl gripped his right forearm. “Now grip mine at the same time.”
“Got it. Alright, you have a deal. No love for them is no food for you. I am so going to enjoy this.”
“Ships launching astern.” A sailor whistled to get their attention. The pirates were loading their crews onto larger galleons with fierce-looking spikes protruding fore and aft.
The survivors finished mounting the snake and it started to swim. Its long body coiled like a meandering river. The riders gripped tight to their saddles as their weight was pulled sideways.
“Come Wolfer, keep apace with us.” Varl waved his arm to encourage his hound to flee the oncoming brigands.
Scared horses surrounded the hound, the whites of their eyes visible above the level of the waves.
Varl pushed through the horses, grabbed Wolfer’s collar and dragged the poor animal along beside the undulating snake.
Fandri grimaced as with rapid tack, the ships advanced straight for them. The snake struggled with the weight of dozens of passengers and its awkward movement. The cliffs in the distance seemed way beyond reach, with their capture closer and closer.
Artwork: ‘Celdar-Moon’ in water colour by Hecate Jerrett