Chapter Five

2 0 0
                                    

Having met the great dragon Kérshevos, Saranjigüür and her companions continued their journey around the mountain range. Saranjigüür's singing and the mountains rose up in waves, the foothills rippling out from them, covered in hardy shrubs. Saranjigüür thought of meeting Damhlaith and Patience, and the unicorns and Kérshevos, and how they all seemed important in their own way. She thought of Prudence, and how they had already known Kérshevos and had met the King, and wondered how a girl like her who liked to sing and ride horses could be important to the King.

While she thought of how she might serve the King and just who he had sent her to meet, Saranjigüür noticed small shapes bunched up on the horizon. They were bunched together like groups of mushrooms or seashells. She caught sight of one that reminded her of Prudence's house in the forest, and realized that they were approaching a village! It seemed peaceful and cozy. "A little faster," Saranjigüür asked Shuvénki. Saranjigüür's heart hopped and skipped with joy as she could make out more details of the village, and at seeing a few people notice them and come to watch. The sight didn't remind Saranjigüür of the sea, but it put a different longing in her heart. "Hello!" She called out to them, waving.

The unicorns slowed down, and a few people stepped out from the village to greet them. "Good day, travelers! Have you come to watch the ship go out?" One of them asked, a man with sandy blond hair and strong cheeks.

"We were on our way past the mountains and looking for the river," Saranjigüür explained.

The man nodded, and said, "The delta of the Syvötta isn't too far from here, and smaller streams join it along the way."

"We're taking some of our weaving and food to the ship!" Said a young girl next to the man, holding up a basket of bright blue fabric. Seeing her stand next to him made Saranjigüür a little sad in a strange way, and it reminded her of how the King had told Prudence she wasn't to cross the Syvötta until she found the person he had sent her to meet.

"Where is the ship going?" Damhlaith asked.

"To, um, to the big island near the smaller ones way over there," The girl said, pointing toward the coast.

"Maybe we could bring some of our ayatalkh and drink to the ship," Saranjigüür said to Prudence.

"That'd be wonderful," Prudence said. "And perhaps we could help with movin' the load?"

"Oh, we didn't have much to take with us," Said another person, who had big shoulders and a square jaw. "But if you really want to, you can help."

"Wait- Honor?" Prudence asked them.

"Yes- and Prudence! Ah, so good to see you again," Said Honor. They walked forwards to give Prudence a big hug, and Saranjigüür saw that they also had feathery wings: a reddish-brown color, with white and black stripes. They smiled and motioned for everyone to follow them.

Saranjigüür dismounted and walked alongside the little girl. The village was small and open, and they stopped near a large hut in the middle. "We have visitors!" Called the man with blond hair.

"Hold on, we're almost ready!" Someone called from inside. The door was open, and Saranjigüür peeked inside, seeing a row of chests lined up near the wall. "Okay, here's the last one," They said, putting the chest down near the door. It was a woman with frizzy curly red hair, who stood and was surprised to see everyone just outside.

"Hello, ma'am!" Said Saranjigüür. "I was also on my way to the river, and I was wondering if there was anything I could help carry?"

"Carry? I think that was the word," The woman said to herself. She could see Saranjigüür wanted to help, and said, "Here, why don't you take the basket? Most of the chests don't have handles, and will be going in the cart anyways. You can ride with the chests," The woman said to the young girl.

The Call of the SeaWhere stories live. Discover now