Chapter 12 Curse of Anastia

“Be not afraid giant one, we mean no harm to you. We are trapped upon a sandbar and seek out supplies to repair our ship while we wait for the tide to carry us away. I am Captain Homer, Pirate King of Vassily. Pray, tell me your name kind sir.” he said with an exaggerated bow and extension of his arm holding his cape out.

The goblin wimpered a growl and lowed his spear to nod his head.

“Oh, you lost your human voice. Allow me.” assured Homer as he reached for his forehead.

At a touch of his fingers into his mane, the goblin turned in a human man with a gold crown on his head. He shook in surprise the terrible curse had been lifted. Homer removed the crown and the man shivered. Homer placed his cloak about his shoulders and guided him to their temporary camp. The man trembled and continued to growl any answer Homer put forth. The best Homer could make out is that the man named Argos found a piece of gold in the sand. He extracted the gold and discovered it was a crown. Naturally, he put it on but could not take it off. No one else could remove it either. Over the next few days, his eyes changed color, horns grew out, claws grew in, thick fur covered his body, and he lost his human voice to sound like a bear. His villagers believed the gods cursed him and chased him out into the forest. Rejected, he hunted and fished what he could away from his village. He found a cave to sleep in, but not even the creatures of the forest would not come near his monstrous form so he withdrew into himself praying for the end of this curse. He didn’t even know how many years have past or how old he is. And then, Homer came with his ships.

“Argos, you say no one ever came to claim this crown. I am sure the magician it came from would have wanted it back.” Homer explained examining the piece of gold. “I will have my wife look at it, there is writing I can not make out. I think it may have been damaged which is why it took such a strong hold on you. The magical force has been disrupted and altered the original purpose of this power, going awry you might say.”

Argos did not fully understand all this, but he did not ask questions of his savior. The mast remade over the day and put into place, Homer took on the middle aged man as his crewmember. They continued onto Blythe and moored their ships in the harbor on the grand city of Knossos, a half way point between Nubia and Blythe. The silver white city walls glistened in the moonlight to guide the way. Using the bags of money from the Ithacan traders that was not used to supply the ship, Homer spent a fortune on Minoan products. The island of Minos holds gold mines, copper mines, rivers of gemstones, herds of livestock, orchards and gardens of every fruit and herb imaginable, beautiful ceramic jewelry rivaling gems set in gold, and the softest linen ever to be found. With much of the ship filled with brass mirrors, glass jars full of cosmetics, ceramic and gemstone jewelry, bolts of linen and cotton, jars of fruits, vegetables, and buttermilk, salted fish, iron tools, South Sea shell beads and pearls, wine jars for the new crew, and feather fans with silver handles. On to the North Sea islands making several stops for supplies before entering the Blythan city of Kara. Along the way they ran into Nubian pirates cast out of Pirate’s Cove. Chloe was relieved these Nubians would rescue her. Homer set her in a canoe with the captive girl, Trent the carpenter, Ilio, and Jack to leave them in the sea alone. The Nubians rammed their ships, sent over flaming arrows, and even one captain claimed to be the Firefox. Other cabin boys and sick sailors floated nearby. Smoky clouds hung over the sea as Captain Homer defended his ship from the raiders. Soon his ship aflame, he abandoned his beloved Aprhrodite and jumped on a Nubian ship to see his men kill all the pirates. His mermaid friends dove for the sinking ship and transported the wet cargo to the newly named Nubian ship. He was crushed to not find the canoe his sons, carpenter, and captives were placed in. He searched for a sign of their whereabouts. He finally appointed Carter in charge of the new Aphrodite while he jumped off the ship to swim with the mermaids. Homer never leaves anyone behind. A whale pair directed the route the retreating pirates took. He found the island and spotted a great bonfire of the dancing rouges. He sneaked alone to find the prisoners tied to trees near the bonfire. The drunk pirates snored through the rescue. Queen Chloe had her clothes torn because the pirates didn’t believe she was their queen and then when she convinced them, the pirate captain decided they should marry so he can be King of Nubia and Aferdia. Trent attacked the captain when he ripped off her clothes and pushed her to the ground. He stabbed and killed the captain, but another picked up a sword to kill Trent. His body was taken to the sea and floated nearby. Ilio, Jack, and the captive girl had to listen to her screams as the new captain ravaged her. Chloe put up no resistance as Homer cut her bindings and carried her to the beach. They boarded the empty pirate ship and guided it to the other ships waiting for Homer’s return. Prayers were spoken and sung for Trent with Fletcher appointed the new master carpenter. The first mate of another ship was made captain of the commandeered pirate ship in a ceremony aboard the Aphrodite. He gave the new captain a steel sword with golden handle. Crews from several ships took a post on the renamed ship The Menace.

The ships went on to Vassily with yet more new crewmembers and more traded cargo inside island ports while Chloe and Homer stayed behind with half the crew of the Aphrodite. Chloe wished she could jump off the ship but Homer would not allow it. She is a prize he must protect himself. Sadly, the captive girl became ill with fever and rash. Homer used the rest of his medicine stores to cure her, but it was not enough. Ilio wept as he lost his new friend he hoped his mother, sisters, and Lilibeth would love. He wrapped her body in a blanket and said a prayer for Larisa for only he and Jack knew her name. Homer and Fletcher ceremoniously dropped the girl’s body overboard. Even Chloe shed a tear for the sweet girl who never spoke her first days on the ship forcing Ilio to use hand gestures to communicate with her until she learned the elf language. Ilio promised her soul the first boat he captains will be named Larisa. Chloe received quite the education in elf language was soon able to speak in complete sentences. Homer thought it rather annoying to use both Nubian and elf words in the same sentence, but had to give Chloe time to learn more. He mostly avoided conversation with Chloe and concentrated on his leather map of the North and South Seas. He is his best own navigator. He continuously gave navigation lessons to Ilio and Jack. Understanding more elf, Chloe tuned into the conversations of direction of wind, lengths of shadows, and names of places. She had no idea the world was such a large place.

The Lord of Kara gave them a guest house to dwell in for a month. Homer explained he has business to attend here. Men came by viewing his inventory and soon much of the Aphrodite’s cargo was gone. Homer takes her to the tailor for some linen gowns since Fletcher’s mother’s spare dress robes were too elegant for every day wear. He let her keep his soft yellow sash from his journey trunks. He is quite fond of the sash from the King of Alastair. When asked what a gown was by Chloe, he replied it is a tent with a sash. Chloe questioned what a tent was. Homer chuckled, but did not answer. Days later, Ishtar arrived on the Phantom with the Mystic, the Serenity, the Infinity, and the Intrepid with much mermaid and elf items to trade. Captain Colby of the Mystic arrived at the guest house with his wife Serena and their sons. Serena fills the queen with stories of Amazons, Amoricans, Varricks, Dacians, Kadacians, and Lotans raiding each other. Homer sings his new song to his love.

“I’ll be your prince, I’ll be your guard
I’ll be your shooting star
Anything to be close to you

I’ll be your rainbow, I’ll be your parakeep
I’ll be the wind flowing through the trees
Anything to have you smile up at me

I’ll be your laugh, I’ll be your cry
I’ll be your fantasy
Anything to be inside of your heart

I give this rosebud, I give this ring
I come to you like a river flows to the sea
Whenever you see a star shining bright up in the sky
Know that I love you”

Touched by Homer’s song, Ishtar begins sewing glass beads to a winter coat and gloves she had made for him. Ishtar soon takes pity on the captive queen and allows her to write a letter to her family. She makes the mistake of not reading it before finding an emissary to deliver it. Homer seizes it to set it aflame declaring it gives too many details of where she is. Chloe is only allowed to write she is in good health and sews much embroidery with Homer’s wife. To apologize for the queen forced to rewrite her letter, Ishtar takes her around the city in her chariot. Chloe is quite shocked this elf woman can drive a chariot by herself. Women never drive chariots in her city, only male soldiers do. To make up for the burnt letter, Ishtar orders gloves, a hooded cape, boots, and a heavier nightdress for Chloe. They stop at the dye stall and beads stall in the marketplace. Chloe was surprised to be asked what color she like her new linen clothing to be, the dye merchant had every color she could imagine. Being a barbarian, she did not understand royalty in Nubia always wear purple made from snails and too expensive for any commoner to buy. Ishtar then showed her a purple dye made by a local swamp plant. Chloe could not stop reliving her shock to Homer’s irritation. Next Ishtar bought glass and shell beads to add to Chloe’s wardrobe. Chloe is quite fascinated by the strange animals for sale in the marketplace; prairie chickens, ferrets, geese, falcons, horses, and parakeeps. Her country has leopards, elephants, camels, ostriches, jackals, and flamingos. Ishtar buys her a kitten to be a companion in this strange world. Homer is furious at Ishtar showing much compassion to his prize, she will forget she is a prisoner. Ishtar holds her ground and Homer speaks no more of it. By mid-month, Homer leaves for a week on horseback with Colby and Fletcher. They trade with nomads, villagers, and lordly estates. He returns with freshwater mussels, gemstones, leather, wheat, and wine. At the end of the month, Homer concludes his business and filled his hull with cargo, again, to take to his island fortress of Vassily.

The guard towers appeared on the horizon to the relief of Homer. He shaves his beard with an obsidian knife and dresses in his best tunic, trousers, sash, and boots. A course linen cloak lined with embroidery of flowers completes his outfit. He was certain Chloe giggled at the floral designs on his wardrobe, but to a proud man it is a mark of having a woman which is higher status than killing the most enemies. The limestone cliffs along the coast and quiet harbor brought a peace into his soul. The crowds cheer and their chariots wait to take them home. The sailors scatter in all directions. Chloe steps onto the chariot and Homer drives it to a limestone palace up the hill. One could view leagues from this spot if it were not so hazy. They pass by the marketplace and fountains connected to the aqueduct. Many city dwellers toss flowers at the returning hero. They pass by the theater and meet a trained bear chained to its master. Ishtar stops the chariot to speak to the bear. A play being practiced has a bear it. Ishtar welcomed the bear to perform in her great hall. She decided it was too well trained to be set free and hibernate in the mountain caves. Grand oak and iron doors are opened and they enter a courtyard full of trees, flowers, and limestone columns. The servants bow to their master and mistress. His children greet them as they reached the front door. Marah gives him a plate she made. Daphne gives him a ceramic flagon she made. Godiva gives him a ceramic cup she made. Lilibeth hands him a bowl they made. Little Evan cries in Ilio’s arms. The children tell their father of their lesson with the local potter.

Homer introduces the queen as the palace servants walk by with trunks holding Chloe’s new summer clothing. Walking to the great hall, Marah pointed out a new mural of a sea goddess inside a seashell guided by dolphins to her new husband, sea god Elexi. Homer then remembered the golden crown from Argos. Ishtar claims the symbols state a gift from Elexi to his wife Tari. Later, Elexi knocked her into the sky when she trapped the fate goddess Anastia inside a magic mirror that reflects a person’s true soul after a dire forecast. His tutor The Wizard had access to this mirror from the rainbow goddess Iris who used it to guard the treasure at the end over every rainbow. The new rainbow goddess Amalia let him keep it and now uses magic water basin to do the same thing. Then Ricky jumped into the Mirror of Anastia in his distraught over Layla. He looked up every spell he could find to locate the antidote. After the evening meal in the great hall, he wrote Ricky a letter and sent it out with a crew to Rikia. He took the family and captive to the theater to watch the play with the trained bear. A week later he had the answer to releasing Anastia.

“The fate goddess Anastia had woven a sad end to Tari’s story
A heavy curse placed on her to make her parents’ worry
No holy immortal nor immortal hero can undo the spell
Forevermore her soul is entrapped inside this mirage cell
No one who loves her nor willing to switch places can relieve her fate
Only the sea goddess Tari can set her free from the brassy gate.”

Homer appeared in The Wizard’s bed chamber and gave his magic crystal to Ricky. He is not a god nor immortal anymore. He does not love Anastia nor willing to switch places with her to undo the curse. Only a piece of Tari can release her. The Wizard and Ricky stood by as Homer held the golden crown to the Mirror of Anastia. A spark flashed making Homer pull away. Anastia encouraged him to give her the crown. A large crack of lightening erupted and suddenly Homer was inside the mirror watching Ricky pick up Anastia off the floor. He pounded on the brass mirror to get out but nobody could hear him. A hot fire emerged behind him and a monster appeared spitting it. The flames engulfed him and he screamed to be let out of this prison. More monsters arrived in anger over the curse being broken, Anastia was suppose to remain there forever. Then a gush of water poured over him and a talon grabbed his tunic. He opened his eyes to see Ricky, Anastia, and The Wizard standing in the room. The Wizard confessed monsters came out of the golden crown and jumped in the mirror after Anastia and him switched places. He sprayed magic water from his own crystal to save him. Then Ricky grabbed and pulled him out. The crown lay under the mirror covered in soot, the magic had gone. Tari’s curse had been undone so Ricky and Anastia were married the next day. Homer sent a string of pearls to the bride and a jade ring to Ricky.

Layla was furious when she heard the news, but there was nothing she could do to win back her rejected lover. She broke down in tears and got over herself enough to allow one of the refugee elves from Nubia to court her. For Midsumers, he presented her with a sand dollar necklace. Chloe greatly enjoyed the festival and the feast that followed. She was slowly adjusting to the position of prisoner that is treated well. Her elvish improved by listening Homer tell stories to his children. He recited tales of hunting in prairies and mountains, trading with mermaids and nomads, attacks on his village, pulling a cow out of mud, and saving a lamb from a Lotan forest cat using his sling. She wondered where he was from for he certainly did not grow up on this island. Homer forbid anyone telling her where he was born for it would endanger his family still there. Besides that, she enjoyed hearing how his parents met. His mother came by with bread, butter, and jams to sell to his grandmother. Every day she saw his father carving up stones and shells he found along the creeks. He never spoke to her unless she spoke first. She plotted with her friends to follow the elf lads go into the river to bathe. They stole their clothes and ran off. Then his mother came out of the reeds to declare one elf has to come out to fetch his friends’ clothes. Quiet father was chosen by his friends and he followed her into the grasses. She confessed she just wanted him alone and kissed him. He said nothing looking down at the ground as he grabbed their clothes back. His mother was so disappointed until the next day, when his father appeared at her father’s bakery with a stone necklace. He placed it in her hands and invited her to look for rocks with him. She agreed bringing a basket of food with her.
Chloe spent the summer months reading scrolls, watching plays, walking along the stone fences surrounding the gardens, embroidering Nubian patterns on her new clothes, learning to drive a chariot, thrusting a sword, and holding her breath underwater. She played with Ilio’s ferret, Daphne’s hawk, Godiva’s parakeep, Marah’s wolf dog, Lilibeth’s fox, Fletcher’s fairy, and her own kitten she named Kiya. Homer and Ishtar took her along as they carried on their daily chores. Their children often followed like lambs when they were not with their tutor. Chloe is surprised the household is not being run by slaves nor regular servants. She is also shocked how bright and decorated their clothing is, her palace servants dressed the same. The scribe writes down every servant name and the chores they did giving each job a value in bartering. Many take food, fabric, leather, and tools from the storerooms in exchange for their hours worked. Then they return to the families outside the palace after the evening meal. There is always guards around but those change twice a day and everyone serves a time in exchange for safety for their homes and families. Chloe notices many servants and guards chatting with each other. Homer explains he doesn’t mind as long as the work gets done. Homer and Ishtar each take their turns at guard duty on the towers of the palace. Marah cries how Ilio is allowed on his voyages but she is not. Homer refused to relent to this inequality. He bluntly justified how she is a girl and Ilio is a boy, therefore she has no place on a ship full of grown men. Weeping, Homer asked her to sit down on a garden bench. He gently clarified that it is not his place to teach her to be a man, it is her mother’s duty to teach her to be a woman. There will be no more discussion of this. Marah nodded her head and walked inside. Ishtar doled out food to the servants and tenents, gave herbs to the sick that worked wonders, heard arguments from squabbling sailors, and made clothes for her growing children.

Homer patrolled the 23 islands with his canoes and ships stopping at every village. Women were often part of patrols to the amazement of Chloe. Any grievances or requests were presented to him by the villagers. One sick widow living along the road to Adea he carried to the temple and took in her children into his palace as wards. They stayed in the nursery and a wet nurse attended the baby. Chloe was shocked as such poverty for the children had no shoes, rags for clothes, and matted hair that never seen a comb. They had no tableware, no candlesticks or lamps, no furniture except for smooth stones, and the fire in the center pit was dim. They had no food or even a clay cup to give a drink of water to the visitors. Anywhere they went food and drink were always offered to visitors. Then Chloe was even more surprised at the kindness towards this poor family from an elf who kills innocent people and burns fishing villages for plunder. In her country, widows move in with a male relative’s home. Ishtar explained the widow has no family for her husband and her came as colonists from Kadacia many years ago. She has been giving her food and cloth after her husband died a year in a capsized ship, while her neighbors farm her plot of land for her. Farmers in tiny villages work the land and pay partial of their crops to the King in exchange for protection, education of their children, and judgment of disputes. Homer takes the children out on his ship to hunt for food. He hunted seals, whales, auks, ducks, herons, and any fish he could catch. Much of this meat was dried, smoked, or salted for the coming winter. His leather boots and gloves worn at sea were made from sealskin making them waterproof. On land, they were made from deer or pronghorn that is slow to wear out. Mermaids made strings of pearls and shell beads to present the pirate king in exchange for his protection. He often traded half of them while keeping the other half for his wife to use. After a while, the widow healed from her sickness and took her children home with new clothes, blankets, and painted clay tableware.

The summer days went by fast and autumn was upon them. Chloe learned to make pottery and baskets, straw hats, beeswax candles, ride horses, hurl spears, and shoots arrows. She helped the women collect berries, nuts, roots, and fruit in birch bark buckets and reed baskets. Homer had the floors of their private rooms recovered in reed mats since the last year’s covering had worn out. Fletcher taught her how to skip rocks, paddle a canoe, swim with dolphins, and spear spawning fish using torches at night to entice them. She thought skipping rocks was a silly activity serving no real purpose. Fletcher explained she only says that because she is no good at it. When time came for the slaughter of livestock, Godiva cried in her room all day for she could not bear their fearful cries. Ishtar tried to comfort her declaring the animals will starve in the winter because there is not enough food for all of them. After the meat was hung in the smokehouse, Godiva began calm down telling stories of every animal hide being stretched and scraped in the gardens. She knew every animal’s name, its memories of childhood and adulthood, and its panic as it realized it was being hunted. It did not understand why it was being hurt, it caused no trouble for the elves. Godiva finished with a prayer for each animal to feel safe and happy in the afterlife fields. Soon the harvest games were scheduled and Homer’s brother with his family from Litsy came for a visit upon a trading ship. Homer’s brother told many stories how their family are weavers and trade their cloth with nomads, mermaids, sailors, nobility, and colonists from faraway lands. It is his son Patrix who is the Princess Mariah’s tutor. On one trading expedition to the mermaids swimming upriver to Lake Victyria, this brother fell in love with a mermaid. They disappeared into the night as campfires were lit. The next winter, she arrived heavily pregnant through an ice fisherman’s hole and his kind wife gave her clothes and a shawl. She followed the river ashore to the dock the fisherman said the weavers lived nearby. She found their house as the evening meal was eaten. His brother married her the next day and the mermaid gave birth in the early spring. Her family disowned her and cast her from the sea so they moved to another house across town, then later to Litsy when Homer bought a house for his bride there before moving to Dracon’s palace. Chloe asked what ice fishing was. Homer laughed and said he will take her ice fishing in the winter. The harvest games were played out to Chloe’s amusement: Chariot races, horse races, spear throwing, archery, sword fighting, quarterstaff fighting, foot races, boxing, wrestling, canoe races, and raft races. Contests took place in the theater, the marketplace, the streets, and the harbor. Homer and Ishtar each gave the winners a gift arrow bag, dagger, sword belt, or battle axe. Ilio received a decorated arrow bag for winning the children’s archery contest.

Soon he sent envoys to Nubia to collect the first payment of the ransom. Then, Homer held a grand festival to celebrate the puberty rite of passage for the young elf refugees living in the Mermaid Islands. Many at the palace received a grand treat for Queen Lexie herself was to attend the event. Last time Chloe saw Lexie she was in the form of Ishtar coming aboard the ship in Ithaca and wondered what she looked like. Jack claimed to seen her once as they came ashore but viewed her from a distance. Homer said she is not much to look at, though many men fall under her spell. Chloe strained with her rudimentary understanding of elvish of everyone’s descriptions of her tenacity and unforgiving nature. Fletcher said she was coming to give a blessing to the new adult elves. Mishca wanted to be given an island and ship by Lexie the way Homer got his, but Fletcher explained he must complete a difficult task to receive anything from Queen Lexie, so it is best to ask later when he is more ready. Eager to be a great hero, Mishca practiced his fighting skills with fellow sailors. Drums started to beat her approach and Homer rushed his children out of the gate to present the queen mermaid with flowers. The palace household lined up in the courtyard with Homer and Ishtar standing at the entrance door. Chloe stood next to Fletcher and Mishca near the entrance.

All the young elves to be made adults wore white leather shirts with longer ones for the girls and shorter ones for the boys along with trousers covered in fringe, symbols, and fur. They had white leather slippers with rawhide laces reached up their ankles to fold over to reveal more symbols. Their hair had loose and braided tresses with a beaded cloth headband tied in the back. Drums and pipes playing in front of Queen Lexie’s escort were heard in the distance and Chloe became anxious to view this powerful mermaid who is the only force that seems to intimidate Pirate King Homer. The pipers and then drummers entered the gate and spread out along the wall. Unicorn after unicorn entered with the most beautiful women the elves had ever seen on their backs. Their long white linen robes flowed like a waterfall down the unicorn’s sides. Their wavy golden hair decorated with seashells, pearls, and starfish sparkled in the twilight. Queen Lexie alone had a gold diadem with emeralds embedded together to create starfish. Every creature along with Chloe was enamored with her majestic beauty. Homer shifted his feet avoiding her mystic spell so many fall under. Her small facial features, shiny hair, sparkling blue eyes matching the sky, tall stature on her unicorn, and a incredible calmness as hundreds stared in awe at her revealed nothing of her ferocious temper and disdain for humans. In a straight line in the center of the courtyard, they descended their steeds to release them to nibble on the apple tree leaves. The mermaids stood aside as Queen Lexie gracefully stepped over with her husband King Wilz with Prince Jax beside her. The air in the courtyard changed as if a storm had cleared and the scent of seawater overcame the onlookers. The entire courtyard got down on one knee and Fletcher pushed down on Chloe’s shoulders to force her to kneel to her disapproval. Everyone, except Ishtar. She flung her arms out and embraced her aunt. Chloe looked up as Lexie walks by with frozen emotion glancing around at the kneeling subjects. She seemed to have an air of confidence Chloe wished she possessed standing on her knees when she should be standing with Ishtar since queens are equal in status in her country. The North Sea queen paid no heed to Chloe’s presence.

Queen Lexie kissed her niece on the cheek with a smile rarely seen. Homer stood up to embrace his aunt and liege. Chloe stood in awe as the hosts and visitors disappeared into the doorway for refreshments in the reception room. The servants offered trays of fruits and berries in the reception room. Homer offered cups to drink from the cistern in the center. Lexie wouldn’t insult her host by declining. The party moved into the great hall where dancers and musicians entertained the guests until the time came for the adult ritual. The children danced around the central fire as the adults exchanged news. The musicians danced out back into the decorated courtyard that lead to the countryside to begin the ritual. Out in the courtyard, the queen blessed all the new adult elves and they kissed her hand in return. Homer appeared in a leather outfit like the one he wore in Alastair. He held a staff with decorations hanging down. The young elves created a circle around Homer and the musicians began to play.

Fletcher stood by banging and shaking a wooden circle with metal circles tied to it in order to make rattling snake sounds. He explained the symbols of the sun burst, crescent moon, waves of the sea, zigzag lightening, arcs of rainbows, and lines of reeds or grasses. Brass harps, gourd and wood lutes, tin pipes, and painted leather drums were played as the young elves danced in a circle holding hands. Homer recited prayers and thanks to have this holy day blessed. Ishtar burned incense and tossed flower petals at the young elves. Homer handed each young elf praying stones and they arranged them in a circle reciting prayers for a bountiful life. Then Homer raised his decorated staff with shells, gourds, and feathers tied to the top. He tapped the staff on the ground making a melody different from the drum beat. Next he raised staff to swish it in the air above a candle lit inside a clay bowl covered in black and red paint being held by Ishtar. He spoke a prayer to the gods and goddesses Chloe thought odd in a puberty ritual.

“May the holy ones be with you always cause no one else will.”

Fletcher explained Homer is declaring that nothing is permanent in this world. Homer finished his blessings and prayers by swishing his staff over the young elves’ heads and walked away from them. The audience also left following the high priest. The young elves remained in the sanctuary until they had a vision. Elves would come by with bread and water once or twice a day since the young elves must fast in order to produce these visions of their future lives. Lexie and Wilz retired to their assigned bed chamber and Prince Jax was taken to Ilio’s room. During the next morning’s breakfast in the great hall, Lexie demanded to speak to Home alone. They rode off into the forest on unicorns until their reached the river with a small waterfall for she did not wish to be overheard. She explained she is pregnant and will give birth in the spring. There are few she can tolerate revealing her natural form. Homer vowed to cease any war he is fighting and attend her. She also has heard reports of Chloe remaining on the ship while his men attend to the mermaids. There will be no more of that for these excursions inform the queen prisoner of where the Mermaid Island are located and look like from the sea, which she can give to her king when she returns to her country. She will remain on Somers Isle for the duration of her stay here. She finally warned Homer of the danger keeping her in this hidden area. When she had no more to say, Homer bowed his head and returned to the palace. Lexie wished to ride around more about the island to see his accomplishments.

Days later all the elves had their visions and were celebrated as adults announcing their heroic deeds, betrothals, and where their new home is. Once elves become adults they no longer live with their parents and often live with a relative until they marry. Chloe enjoyed the feasts and joined in with the snake dances that were easy to follow. Then the new adults took to a odd tradition, cliff diving. Older adults also joined in the cliff diving. Fletcher explained the way to remain unharmed is to hit the water feet first, or you break your neck. He and his brother Mischa then jumped off the cliff. The new adults were given weapons by their families to help guard the islands. Then the next day a challenge came to all of Homer’s sailors during the morning meal. If any sailor wished to become a captain, to meet him with their weapons in the entry hall at the evening meal. Ishtar explained he does this every year after the adult ritual. Homer will not allow anyone to captain his ships until they prove themselves worthy of such a honor. He fights them in the Adea theater after a cleansing ritual in the caves underneath the palace. The evening meal came and three men and two elves approached to accept his challenge to become captain. The last of the entertainment leaves the great hall and the challengers and Homer enter the entry hall. There their women remove their armor in front of dinner guests and new servants. Torches are lit and a hidden stone door is opened. They all follow a tunnel bringing a goat with them. A great opening in the cave give wonders of paintings and columns. The guests are left with the goat while the challenger, Homer, and their women continue down the tunnel to a river full of eyeless fish and salamanders. The water is freezing but only the women make a sound echoing pain as they begin the bathing ritual. The women sing as they clean the sailors. They come out to be dried and dressed in leather girdle and breechcloths and slip on their leather boots. Their bodies are covered in paint and return to the cave hall. The goat is brought forward. The nanny goat is milked and the sailors take turns drinking from a clay cup. Then each cuts their arm to let the blood drip onto the goat speaking a prayer to the gods. The goat is pulled into the river to rinse off the blood sending prayers to the water nymphs who aid their sailing. The goat shakes off the water and the party returns upstairs.

The sailors sleep in the great hall next to the central fire. The next morning they parade in chariots to the theater in leather armor and iron weapons. There the sailors explain their feats and triumphs to gain applause from the audience. Inside the circle, Homer comes out to the cheers of the crowds covered in leather armor. The opponents sit upon stools with their women in attendance while a priest blesses their combat practice. Two wooden blocks are brought forward. Homer jumps on one block with a quarterstaff to ask for his first challenger. An elf rises full of confidence removing his sword belt. He grabs a quarterstaff from his woman and rises to the other block. Wielding large sticks the opponents attack with formidable blows that would kill a cow. The elf was knocked over by a kick in the face from Homer. He rose back up and waited for Homer staring down at him. Homer ceased looking at the elf in the eye and declared that he is worthy. The crowd cheered as the elf raised his staff above his head. Homer rested while Ishtar tended his wounds with yarrow and wiped the sweat from his brow. He shook his head to have his sweat fly off his soaked hair. The three men came next and finally the other elf rose from his stool to meet the challenge. The elf was young and cocky with little experience other than a valet to a captain. His captain taught him to kill and he ravaged four villages with him. Homer was unclear why he did not wait to accept this challenge. Nobody is allowed to fight Homer in this ceremony twice. Perhaps he is eager to grow up and gain riches in the spoils of war. His reasons became clear with every strike and parry, he wanted recognition and power. His form was excellent, but tactics queasy. He attacked first and floundered his parries. He panted every breath and fought with his stout heart until their staffs collided with the tips hitting the concrete below. Homer slapped his staff into his knee to cause the youth to fall over. Fear invaded his eyes as Homer looked away from the youth on the ground. He was not worthy in Homer’s view.

The ceremony of the new first captains took place after the evening meal where Homer placed on his dress robes. The new captains walked under arches of swords of the palace guard to kneel before Homer who gives them a new sword. A great feast is next with much dancing and debauchery. Chloe saw the new adult elves and captains row by in their rafts and canoes to patrol the coastlines. She often met with Fletcher as he guarded the beacon on the tallest tower. They were always interrupted by Homer and Ilio changing watches. Ilio came along for guard duty to practice with his wooden sword and observe the stars for signs. Nothing spectacular occurred and no invaders arrived in the horizon, to Chloe’s disappointment. Chloe noticed the strange education Homer gives his children. Every morning elves and humans from the surrounding villages walk to the temple where the high priest and high priestess give lessons on mathematics, history, geography, and writing in several languages. The poorest are even given a free education alongside wealthier children, even girls are taught the same things as boys. In Nubia, tutors teach wealthy sons military tactics, engineering, history, and geography, while girls are taught manners and sewing by their mothers. The poor receive no education at all. Homer insists everyone in his realm get an education until they are apprenticed. Then in the afternoons, they have a new teacher every day taking them to various occupations, into the forests, and inside ships to learn their about animals, herbs, and tools. Homer gave several lessons in fighting, hunting, astronomy, and sailing. Chloe was quite shocked watching little girls hurl wooden spears next to boys in Homer’s courtyard for that would never occur in her country, males and females live very separate lives. Then the girls practiced sword fighting with boys using thin sticks. Godiva told her that she likes fighting with boys because they rarely let her win, as girls often do. She noticed Homer didn’t teach magic. He said only his pupils learn magic for it is a heavy responsibility when so many can not access it, which is why he forbids his children using magic in front of non-magic persons.

The time for the grain harvest soon came and crops were reaped, dried, and stashed in store houses inside the city. Outside the city, a deep hole was dug, filled with crops, and covered in clay. Lastly, a finger hole was poked through the clay and a candle was lit to remove all air that would moisten the dried crops. The harvests of wild rice, wheat, flax, and maize soon were completed and the storerooms of the palace filled up with taxes paid to the pirate king. Then, animals behaved very oddly moving away from the harbor. Fish and mermaids were quickly exposed on the usually covered sea bed. Homer said it was too early for an ebb tide for a full moon was due that night and ordered the bells rang to announce the danger. Horns blew the ordering of the alert. Bells in the temples and guard towers were struck with long poles. Homer’s children wanted to investigate the newly made large beach and collect the dead fish and seashells, but Homer ordered them up the guard towers to watch the incoming sea wave. Hordes of people entered the palace gates in fear pushing marketplace carts and were guided up the thick-walled turrets. Gazing out the arrow holes the people had only a short while to wait for the rushing sea wave to come in and drowned those along the coast. The people standing along the rampart parapets got splashed along with people looking out of arrow holes on the lower half of the outer city guard towers. Homer’s palace got a heavy spray but no damage to the carts sitting in his courtyard. Half the city was submerged in sea water while the other half on higher ground was left drenched. The moment passed waiting for the water to recede and discovering smashed ships tied to docks, scattered possessions, and dead bodies. Ishtar and Homer traveled inland to verify any damage there. Homer recounted as a child traveling to the coast that the river they followed disappeared and he went with his friends to collect mussels and rocks to make into jewelry. His father shouted at him to return to land immediately and when he reached the river bank, the river quickly returned drowning several of his friends who remained in the river bed. The river was filled with dead bodies of many creatures: human, elf, faun, deer. It took four days to remove all the bodies so they could drink the water and sail on it again. His father taught him about sea waves that day. They do not occur very often so people forget about them and drown. Here many are sailors and understand the danger, especially since the island of Naki to the south was destroyed by a sea wave ten years ago that was a big trading post for bronze armor. Harvest games went on as schedule the next week and Ilio was proud of his winning a copper knife in the child raft race. Jack nearly won the archery contest, but had to accept second place with no prize. Marah won her first foot race and took third place in her final race. The eager youth Homer disdained fought hard to win a contest, but had to accept third place in the swordfight contest.

Days later, Homer set sail with five ships to the old Blythan capital of Illium to watch the Harvest Games King Dracon was inviting other cultures under his realm to compete in. The Varricks, Kadacians, Grassland nomads, Cliff Dwellers, and Blythans from all over were present to win tokens from distinguished officials and visitors. Queen Lexie of the Mermaid Islands, King Oskar of Lotan, the Varrick chief, the grassland nomad chief, the cliff dweller chief, and the Queen Kira of the Amazons were assigned guest houses in the city. The Varrick chief arrived two days early when Dracon was at the arena rehearsing battles with his soldiers to entertain the guests. Ricky hurried down on a horse to welcome the chief and his entourage of warriors. Horses were brought down for the official escort and parade. A general who had married a widowed Varrick was informed Queen Andromeda would greet them at the palace since the king was detained elsewhere. Horns sounded, banners fluttered, and the horses pranced up the streets to the bewildered city dwellers. Andromeda bestowed gifts of beaded leather knapsacks and copper cauldrons. She offered refreshments in the drawing room while the general translated how their journey went. The Varricks were fascinated by the brick buildings and temples. When Dracon returned covered in grime wearing his dress robes, he set up a tour of his old capital with the visitors packed into carts. He took them around the temples, workshops, marketplace, theater, and arena. Twenty soldiers were assigned to the guest house to keep city dwellers from invading their privacy. The Varrick chief wished to visit the peasant farms outside the walls and three horse guards rode with him showing the way to every village. Queen Lexie arrived on time with Homer’s family and his captive. The Grassland nomads and Cliff Dwellers in Dragon’s Pass came astride horses and their cargo on rafts. King Oskar came upon a ship and paraded in his chariot to the palace. Queen Kira arrived in a canoe paddled by elves in her care a day late. Each received a guest house twenty guards ready to escort the important visitors anywhere they wished to go.

The day of the Autumn Equinox arrived and the Harvest Games began with a parade. Banners of the competitors marched to the Shrine of Daxus, god of agriculture, and Shrine of Diana, goddess of the hunt, inside the Temple of Eridu, god of the earth and creator of all life on land. The Blythan competitors marched first waving to the crowds and lifting their weapons to the cheers. Some walked, some rode horses, and others drove their chariots. The Grassland Nomads behind them riding horses with padded saddles and strange looking horse archer bows. Their chief in front held a leather shield and blew through a cow horn. The Cliff Dwellers marched after them covered in beaded linen and leather clothing with their famous silent shoes holding spears and shields. Their chief recited prayers and they pounded on their shields in unison with their spears. The Kadacians astride horses came next with drummers, pipers, harpists, and flutes marching behind them. Kadacian chariots followed by the Kadacian queen Andromeda riding in hers. The Varrick competitors came last riding horses with the chief riding in a chariot. Queen Lexie astride a unicorn with her mermaid guard followed with Amazon queen Kira beside her. King Oskar and King Dracon rode in chariots behind them. Drummers, pipers, flutists, harpists and more banners ended the parade. As they reached the temple to thank the gods and goddesses for their adequate harvest, a man jumped out of the crowd with a knife and rushed for the Varrick chief. The crowd screamed in shock as arrows flew from the mermaid guard and Queen Lexie hurled her golden harpoon above her guards to hit the assailant. In shock, awe, and anger, the Varrick chief peeked behind his shoulder at his saviors. Dracon jumped out of his chariot and smacked the assailant’s face while shouting how he worked for years to bring all his allies together for a set of games, and this man just ruined the goodwill he had entrusted. He ordered his guards to remove the man to the dungeon to be whipped. He feared further involvement of his own subjects and wanted to be sure before hanging him. The rest of the parade, Queen Kira and Queen Lexie rode just behind the chief with their shields firmly gripped. When the man confessed no other parties in this assassination attempt, he was hung the next morning and his body was placed at the entrance of Dracon’s palace as a warning to others who would ruin his games. The parade burnt offerings and sang prayers to the earth, agriculture, and hunting deities at the temple and went on to the arena where a mock battle would take place.
Dracon set in place twenty guards for each competing group. The guards gave the practice wooden weapons and blunt arrows to the first combatants and rubbed a red ocher paint where the sharp edges usually are in real weapons. They said it was to simulate blood without actually hurting anyone. King Dracon has no desire for dead soldiers before they see a real battle. As a final precaution, all soldiers had to wear wooden eye masks to protect against arrows striking directly into the eye and cut some of the sun glare in the open arena. The Varricks liked the masks some much they wanted to take them home. Dracon allowed it after the games were over. The Cliff Dwellers fought against the Varricks in the first mock battle. The battle lasted a set period of time until the chariot racers were ready. The crowd decided the battle by cheering their favorite and winners walked out first with children dropping flowers over them as the exited the arena doors. This time it was the Varricks who splattered more paint onto the Cliff Dwellers to win the battle. The first chariot race consisted of King Dracon, King Oskar, General of the Palace Guard, General of the City Guards, Valnar, Ricky, and Homer. They decided the winner drinks a goblet of hot cider. It was a close race, but Dracon beat Homer by a horse’s head. Princess Phoebe came out to present a wreath of flowers to her father. Next came the Varricks prancing, jumping, and galloping on their horses. The next chariot race began the elimation of competitors to the final race in two days. Following the second race, the Cliff Dwellers pranced around to amuse the crowd. After four races, the crowd dispersed into the city where many went home for their afternoon meal. Soon horse races took place in the arena, sword fighting in the theater, archery in the marketplace, foot races along the main street leading to the harbor, and children’s pony races along another main street leading to the palace. The next day continued with the mock battle between Kadacians and Blythan Horse Nomads. The crowd cheered the Kadacians. The first chariot race with Queen Lexie, Layla, Queen Andromeda, Ishtar, General of the City Guard’s wife, and General of the Palace Guard’s wife. This time Princess Edwina came out to give a wreath of flowers to Queen Lexie. The Kadacians then came out on camels to display their fancy tricks and went back inside when the next chariot racers were ready. The Nomads pranced around on horses after the second race. Two more chariot races came with spear throwers in the afternoon. Children’s archery took place in the marketplace, boxing in the theater, and canoe racing in the river.

The third morning saw children’s raft races in the river and foot races on the street, along with continued spear throwing in the arena, archery in the marketplace, sword fighting in the theater. Queen Chloe seemed to enjoy all the cultures living in harmony. Queen Lexie warned her not to be intoxicated with all this culture sharing, they are often fighting over land and river systems along popular trade routes. The afternoon continued with horse races in the arena, children’s final archery in the marketplace with Princess Phoebe giving the winner a small copper knife, foot races in the main street, children’s final pony races on another street where Princess Edwina gave a small bow to the winner, canoe racing in the river, boxing in the theater. The fourth morning had the final chariot and horse races with the Blythan palace guard and city guard performing the beginning mock battle. The spectators cheered the city guard so they displayed their horse prancing and gaits between races first. As the final chariot race was under way, the warning beacons lit up around the city. Dracon glanced at Ricky to his side.

“Way ahead of you,” smiled Ricky as he placed his disappering cloak on.

He returned a moment after with an arrow in his shoulder and fell upon Dracon’s and Lexie’s feet.

“I’m sorry, I tried to hide on a roof but they saw me.” said Ricky before fainting.

Homer carried Ricky down to the injury station under the bleachers with Anastia following. Homer removed the arrow to have Ricky wake up and tell them the city of Kara was besieged. The ransom ship he sent must have been intercepted and the crew headed for the nearest fortress they could find. Anastia gave him medicine to ease the pain and washed his wound. Homer reported all this to Dracon who allowed the horse race and spear throwing finals go on as planned. Queen Kira presented the winner of the chariot race with an bronze sword. The Varrick chief gave a horse archer bow to the winner of the horse race and Queen Lexie presented a elliptical wooden shield to the winner of the spear throwing. The crowds moved on to the theater for the final sword fighting and boxing matches where Andromeda presented a bronze helmet to the swordsman and Horse Nomad chief gave a bronze dagger to the boxer. The marketplace held the final archery tournament where the Cliff Dweller chief gave out a bronze chest plate. The final adult and child foot races took place on the street with Princes Almar and Donovan giving the winners gold chain necklaces. The final canoe and children’s raft races flew across the river with King Oskar and Homer presenting beaded leather bags with shoulder straps.
A final feast celebrated in the evening gave way to speculation on why the beacons had been lit earlier in the day. Dracon sent out patrols by land and sea to find out what happened. Messengers came the two days later to announce the city of Kara was under seige. Mermaids had been lighting rivers on fire with oil as they escape and elves are scurrying further inland. Canoes of humans and elves have been arriving at noblemen’s estates begging for food. What were they hoping to find in Kara, he thought, Chloe was seen at many ports before in Kara? That was it. Homer’s last stop was Kara for a month before his day’s sailing to Vassily, which nobody can find unless they already know about the Blythan fortress Adea Dracon had ceded to Lexie. The Nubians must think she is hidden there. But where were the ships and crews Homer had sent? Dracon knew the Nubians had to secure a base to gather their forces to attack so severely at once. Homer took most of his ships out to find this base ready to raid their supply lines. Ishtar and Chloe were returned to Vassily to find the youth Homer fought had won the archery contest winning a iron dagger with gold handle. Ishtar kept him in the palace to train further until Homer returned to take him on as valet. Dracon raced to Kara gathering forces along the way.