Tales From the Outposts, Vol. 1 - Travels in the Forbidden Lands

Across the Sea

We set sail that morning, pulling away from the rickety dock and tacking into the freshening breeze as we made our way toward out of the bay. We did slow zig zags across the harbor into the open sea; eventually we had the wind at our backs and the sails billowed and snapped until the canvas was stretched taut. The old man sat at the stern, with his hand resting lightly on the tiller. Not having much to do, I went below deck to take a tour of the small ship and see what exactly we had to work with as far as the goods that were stored below.

A half hour of diligent searching brought me back on deck. I had found two tiny sleeping quarters, each equipped with two hammocks and a small footlocker and a small, but well stocked galley. While I had been down below, the old man had been busy making himself comfortable. He had lashed the tiller into position, found a shady spot under the main sail and had opened his earthenware jug. He grinned at me wolfishly as I appeared up on deck again.

"Don't you go anywhere without that jug?" I asked, as I took a deep pull from the offered bottle.

"Nope, sonny, just like you don't go nowheres without those pictures of those two young Princes of yours," he said with a wink. "Just like your pictures, my jug is a source of constant comfort to me and has seen me through many a crisis."

We laughed and drank some more, the combination of sunlight, ocean air and gentle tossing of the sloop lulling us into friendly conversation as we stretched out in the shade of the giant sail. We sailed thus through the morning, talking and drinking, only pausing when the old man needed to correct our course before tying off the tiller again. It was during these short breaks that the old man would talk to me about sailing and fishing advice, giving me general information and tips on what would need to be done in the coming days.

The old man finally looked up at the sun as if doing some calculations in his head and announced it was time for lunch. I sat there looking at him expectantly and he glared at me before speaking.

"It's lunch time, I said!" he roared at me, "what are you doing sitting there staring at me like a deer in bright lights? Go fix us a meal!"

I jumped like I had been shocked. "I. . .I'm sorry," I stammered, "I didn't know you wanted me to fix it."

The old man smiled at me. "That's okay, sonny," he said, "I didn't explain how things work out here, so I'll do it now. Rule number one: I'm the Captain of this ship -- I'm responsible for setting the course, making sure we get there and keeping this ship in one piece. Rule number two: You're the first mate -- you cook, clean, mend the sails and do whatever else needs to be done. You've taken a tour of the ship, so I expect that you've seen the galley. Now get crackin' and make us a first class meal. I'm starved to the point of being able to eat even your cooking!"

I hurried down below and managed to get myself wedged into the tiny kitchen. The tiny cupboards had doors that slid sideways to reveal the food and utensils within. I was thankful that they didn't open out, because there was no way I could have gotten what I needed without serious injury. Also, I was having a hard time keeping my balance and focus on what I was supposed to be doing. Between the tossing of the ship and the old man's drink, my head was spinning and my eyeballs felt like they were dancing around in my head. I resolved to keep lunch a fairly simple thing and started looking for something I could throw on a platter without succumbing to the nausea I was starting to feel. Rummaging through the cupboards, I found enough food to assemble some hearty sandwiches without making too much of a mess. I stumbled up the ladder with my tray of food and leaned against the frame of the hatch for a moment so I could regain my equilibrium. I popped my head above the hatch only to find the old man laughing at my clumsiness. He assured me that I would have my sea legs in no time and gestured me to join him on the deck.