The Tempest Prequel

The Man Who Didn't Know Enough

The gentle cradle of the ocean waters slowly soothed Prospero into consciousness. He lay on his side, groaning as his eyes struggled to adjust to the luminous orange of the sunrise. The base of his skull throbbed from the impact back in Alonso's palace, which only increased the aches. 

The ex-Duke of Milan slowly sat up, putting his hands on the feeble wood underneath him. After adjusting himself, he could make sense of his surroundings, which was nothing but water.

Prospero sighed and put his head in his hands. Overwhelmed and exhausted, the unwanted warm water finally dripped from his eyes as the sea roared back at him. 

"Father?" A small, shaky hand tugged at Prospero's torn sleeve. He looked up from his damp palms and saw Miranda. Her blond hair was in knots, dancing in the wind, sticking to her broken lips. 

"Oh my dear Miranda!" Prospero cried. "Thank the heavens you're alright!" 

Miranda smiled, and the sun suddenly was not the only source of light. She grabbed onto Prospero's shirt as he pulled her into his arms. He kissed the top of her head. "It's going to be alright, my dear. You're going to be alright. As long as we can keep this fishing boat afloat, we shall be alright. We'll find a small island, and live there with many beautiful nymphs me magical men, alright? Do we have any sup-" 

Before he could finish the question, Prospero looked around and found his answer.

They were surrounded with plenty of clothes, linen, food, and other necessities, most importantly: Prospero's books. 

"My goodness! By the grace of God we have so many provisions!" He reached out, and touched the dwarven letters engraved upon the broken leather. "My Bible!" Prospero sat the book on Miranda's lap, and noticed a bent page. He flipped to the folded skin to find a small piece of parchment with handwritten words neatly printed on it. Prospero laughed as he read it. "What a fair man, he'd make a finer duke than myself." Prospero set the book down, and held Miranda. "It will be alright, my dear, it will be alright, my only light."

 As Prospero waited for Miranda to sleep, he read the note once more: "You are the light that is good, learn to separate the light from the darkness. -Gonzalo." 

Let there be light.

End

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Thank you all for reading!!! I really hope you could at least stand it. I can't wait to publish more in the future. Please let me know what you think!!! 

-coffee_jeans