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SEA DRAGON’S GIFT : Part 9 of 83 : World of Sea

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SEA DRAGON’S GIFT

Part 9 of 83

De Writer (Glen Ten-Eyck)

140406 words

written 2007

Reproduction in any form, physical, electronic or digital is prohibited without the express consent of the author.

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Users of Tumblr.com are specifically granted the following rights. They may reblog the story provided that all author and copyright information remains intact. They may use the characters or original characters in my settings for fan fiction, fan art works, cosplay, or fan musical compositions.

All sorts of fan art, cosplay, music or fiction is actively encouraged.

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New to the story? Read from the beginning. PART 1 is here

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Chapter 3: Of Silor and Crabs

The next day, while they were processing the Glue Fish, it became apparent what Roper was up to.

“Look!” said Kurin, just below a shout, “Roper and a couple of little kids are taking out a boat!” She dashed quickly for the rail, to see better, and came back laughing.

“What’s so funny?” asked Marad. “I could use a good laugh. These cookers stop being fun after the first few minutes. It’s not like making crab cakes. That I can do as long as there’s crabs and paddle duck eggs.”

“Roper and the kids have taken out crabbing ring nets. That must be what he wanted the depth to bottom around here for.”

Marad joined her in laughter based on superior knowledge. They both knew that crabs liked shallow reefs. Still, they wished the children well for their enthusiasm. “Maybe they’ll catch a flounder or some other bottom fish in one of the nets,” said Marad with a smile. “I’ll cook it special for their dinner if they do.”

On the small boat, Roper was directing the others (after all, the expedition was his idea). Any other time, the foray might not have been so well received, but busy parents wanted their scampering progeny out from under foot.

“Be sure to get those knots tight Luin,” he directed unnecessarily, “and you, Moren, pay the lines out carefully so there are no tangles. We don’t want Silor saying anything about our seamanship.”

Luin looked up from her chore of fastening the floats to the extra long lines. “That’s sure. He wanted to come with us today ‘to keep us safe.’ The Captain really lit into him for something yesterday and ordered him not to come with us this morning. I saw it. Oh, the baits are all secure and the floats are ready.”

“Let’s put the first one over the side,” said Roper suddenly hesitant, now that his plan was actually coming together. “Then we’ll put the rest in a big circle, so when we’re done with the last one, we’ll be ready to pick up the first one. Unless someone can think of a better way to do it?” he questioned at the last.

Luin and Moren looked quietly at him for a moment. They understood. Even in play, command could be difficult. They shook their heads. “It’s a good plan. Let’s do it.” The first net went over the side. It took a long time to reach the bottom. There was a comfortable amount of slack when it did. The rest of the nets went just as neatly and without a hitch.

The circle complete, it was time for the first net to be retrieved. The problem was that it didn’t want to be brought up. Luin hooked the line beneath the float with a boat hook and hauled it in until it went tight, coiling it neatly as she did so. She had an odd, concentrating look as she pulled.

“Something’s holding it onto the bottom,” she said decisively.

“You mean that it’s snagged on something,” Roper said in exasperation.

“No, I mean that something is holding it down there. I can feel it moving around. I think that we can get it if we all pull steadily on the line for a while. Every time it moves we can loosen its grip a bit”

Roper thought it over for a short time and agreed. All three began pulling steadily on the light rope. It was not long before whatever it was came loose from the bottom, and they could feel it flailing about on the end of the line, all the way up. As the net came into view, a fathom or so down, they could see it through the murky, rippled water.

Moren said excitedly, “I never saw a crab that big! Look at those legs!” They gazed in awe at what they had. The crab was wider than the net. If it had not entangled some of its legs in the meshes they’d have never got it all. Its shell was green and pale white, a foot and a half across, but the wonder was its legs. They spanned just over a fathom from claw tip to claw tip and the creature was flailing them about, trying to get a purchase on anything.

Luin stopped them from just dragging it aboard. “That thing’s big, and we know that it’s strong. How will we handle it? It’s wider than the boat.”

After some thought Moren said, “I don’t think that it can lift me. If I get on its back, you guys can catch the legs one at a time and tie them together with the string we brought for tying claws shut.”

All agreed, so they hauled it on in. It wasn’t easy, but they got it into the boat. Moren jumped onto its back and they found that it could lift him — and it wanted back into the water. It was quite insistent about it but the children were equally determined that it would stay in the boat. First Roper caught a leg and held it while Luin tied it with string. Another flailing leg took him in the ribs, but he held on to that one as well, and Luin bound it to the first one. A mad tumble of crab and children resulted in a big crab, unable to move, its legs all tied with string, and now freed from the ring net.

Setting the net back out was put off while they went to try the next net in high excitement. It was empty. Luin neatly coiled the lines and stowed them. The third yielded two crabs of the same type but smaller, one about three feet across, and one nearer to four. While they battled the four foot wide crab, the three footer cunningly sneaked over the side and got away. Each of the remaining crab rings gave them a crab in the five foot size range. By now, the group were seasoned warriors and secured their catch without too much trouble.

“I don’t want to go back yet, but we need to find out if these crabs are good ones to keep,” pronounced Roper. After only a brief consultation, both of the others agreed — with both parts of the statement. Reluctantly they rowed back to the Longin.

Silor, seeing very well what the children had caught, leaned over the rail and yelled at them. “Throw that trash back into the water!”

He planned to duplicate their feat in a few hours and be hailed as a hero before the whole ship. Unfortunately, his call brought old Sorra to the rail to see for himself. “Broad-legs!” he cried out. “They’ve caught Broad-legs! Somebody help get them onboard!” That brought every crewman in earshot, and Sorra had strong lungs.

Roper, Luin and Moren were brought aboard in triumph, and the boat was lifted up on davits and brought aboard, crabs and all.

A large trap, using two rings, the smaller over a fathom across, was quickly devised. The glue was barely set on the Strong Skin strips of the hoops, by the time it was covered with net and taken out to test. Apprentice cooks were set the task of making ring shaped pieces of Glue Fish offal, since it had worked so well as bait.

Men and women were trying every way that they could think of to get the big crabs aboard their boats. The rings were so large that they were difficult to handle. So, while big crabs were being caught in plenty, as the children had found, the trick was keeping them. Many times there was the splash of a crab getting away. There were also times that the splash was someone caught unaware by a Broad-leg and sent to join the fish.

Roper, Luin and Moren were crushed. They found the Broad-legs and they were not being allowed go back out there. Of course, the chaos was fun to watch. Master Juris watched with them for a while before wandering off, a thoughtful expression on his face.

The children were giggling over Milfor’s third dunking of the day when a shadow fell over them. Looking up they saw the large, red haired figure of First Officer Kotance looking sternly down at them.

Without preamble, he said, “You have violated the order given by lead deck-hand Silor.” He flourished his long knife in an intimidating arc from the children to their crabs. “You should have thrown your crabs overboard. If you give me that big claw there, I will overlook the infraction this time.”

Shocked, now that they knew the value of what they had caught, the children mutely allowed the piracy. Kotance strolled away with his booty, whistling a merry tune. Kurin came over and joined them.

“That was nice of you to share one of your crabs with Kotance. It will help him to feel more at home on the Longin. The Council assigned him to us from the Grinna as a replacement for Amus after he died, you know.”

“We didn’t share, he took,” said Luin angrily. “He said that we disobeyed Silor’s order to throw the Broad-legs back but he’d overlook it if he could take a claw.” Kurin was shocked. In all of her life no such thing had never happened on the Longin.

“I thought that you were helping Marad,” said Roper, both to change the subject and curious at the same time.

“I was, but Master Juris needs me in the shop and I’m his apprentice,” Kurin said. “So I‘ve been replaced. I came to get you.”

“Us?” they chorused.

“Yes, if you want to help, come to the boat-shop with me.” Trailing Roper and the two smaller children like a benign comet, she made her way to the nearest companion-ladder and down to the second deck.

When she got to the shop, a boat was already in chocks, waiting. Master Juris handed her a tallow-slate upon which he had sketched with his usual precision. “Here, Kurin, is what we need to do.”

She looked and whistled in astonishment, “How many boats do we need to do?”

“Five,” he answered.

She took down a tallow-slate of her own and began calculating for a few minutes, deciding on the number and size of the parts needed.

Master Juris said nothing when she had brought the children into the shop. He too had been watching young Roper for a possible apprentice. He just looked on as Kurin set them to work. Luin and Moren were having a great time with the gloriously messy work of winding glued Strong Skin strips onto a mandrel to make the necessary struts for the lifting tackle.

Using standard patterns taken from hooks on the wall, and a keenly honed rocker knife of expensive Wing Ray tooth, Kurin cut parts for sheave pulleys from larger pieces of Strong Skin, showing Roper how she wanted them glued and stacked. Master Juris was working on the parts of a small windlass designed for the job.

With the children’s help, the first modified boat was ready in only a few hours. There were four more to go, but before they did the next, they wanted to see how well the boat performed.

The hatch that made up the roof of the boat-shop was removed by the deck crew under Silor’s direction. Working smoothly together, the deck-hands used the crane to remove the boat and put it over the side. This was what Silor did very well. His position as lead deck-hand was well earned. His eyes missed nothing as he coordinated the work. He saw Roper, Luin and Moren too.

The new crab nets were too large and awkward to lower along with the boat. They were put on a hook and lowered, after the three fishermen in the boat were ready to receive them.

Balancing the rings across the transom on poles provided as part of the new rig turned out to be easy. The fishermen plied their oars and pulled away from the ship. Shortly, they attached tackle to the first net. As planned, it lifted free and swung back, clear of the rest of the nets, and was lowered by the small windlass. When it reached bottom, a float was tied over the line, and the balance of the coil let go. As two rowed, one fisherman wound the next coil of line onto the windlass, and put it over the open-faced sheave. As soon as this was done, the line was attached to the next net and the whole procedure repeated. It was not long at all before the nets were all in the water. The men then rigged a holding net onto the poles that had supported the traps, allowing the crabs to be kept in water, where they were quieter.

The first of the new system nets was brought up by windlass, which was plainly easier than lifting them by hand. The net brought up two Broad-leg crabs. As men and crabs ran riot on the other boats, this net was tipped over the holding net with a boat hook and a second boat hook encouraged the crabs to go for the water. They fell cleanly into the holding net. Fishers on the other boats stopped to watch in amazement and crabs escaped wholesale.

Moren, Luin, Roper and Kurin were busy. Master Juris was directing what only appeared to be a bedlam in the boat-shop. Freshly wound Struts were being racked to dry. Pulley sheaves were being glued, pressed and stacked to dry also. The windlasses were being fabricated. In only a few hours of dedicated labor, the parts were ready. The hatch that made the boat-shop ceiling was lifted off and the afternoon sun saw the first of the remaining four boats lowered into the shop by crane.

Busy parents came to the boat-shop seeking their errant offspring. “Luin! Moren! Roper!” they chorused. “Come out and let Master Juris work! You know better than this.”

TO BE CONTINUED

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#SEA DRAGON’S GIFT #Part 9 of 83 #World of Sea #Written by De Writer

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purintarts · 7 years

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The Pirate and Mermale Pt 1. (VxMC)

I always like Pirates AU. Thank you so much for this chance me darling @ beyazsuvari!

Warning, It’s gonna be pretttyyy longgg so I’m dividing it into two parts.

I got carried away sorrynotsorry

and I feel like drawing some of the scenes too, lol

INDULGE MERMAN V

The sounds of waves crashed against the ship, the sky rumbling with thunder, rain fell like showers and the wind blew so strong that a few barrels flown away.

Whose bright idea was it to look for treasure during this monsoon season?

Of course, you did.

Sane people would stay away from the sea during this season, which means less competitors to hunt for one of the ancient treasures.

The golden goldfish.

As legend said, if you find the golden goldfish, it would poop gold. Unlike normal goldfishes, they lived in dark waters that make their gold scales more prominent. However, it is difficult to find them due to the fact they live in a castle made of solid gold deep under the sea with dangers lurking.

Goldfish or not, if you get some of the treasures from the gold castle.

The things you’ll do with them.

Will you get a chest full of gold? Or maybe a golden bed? A golden throne will work too, Or or-

“Captain, yer makin’ the odd look again”

You snapped from your fantasy, wiping away your drool. Looking over to your right hand man.

“I ain’t not”

“We need yer orda capt, the wind too strong. Any longer, de ship bout’ to blow” Said one of your crews.

You narrowed your eyes as you looked at the lightning flashed before your eyes. Fixing your hat and rolling up your sleeves, showing the numerous tattoos that painted on your arms.

“Ay listen up! You, raise the sail! We gonna make a turn, change da direction!”

“We goin’ to land Capt?”

“No idiot! We takin’ a detour! Get cha ass workin’!”

You barked orders towards your crews and they rushed to their task. Shouting as loud as they can to one another to defeat the sound of the storm. You stir the wheel to fight and hold on against the huge waves.

You won’t be defeat by some waves, by hook by crook, the treasure will be in your hands by the time this season end.

The room was illuminated by the multiple candles you lit up. After the stormy night, you were glad that it stopped raining before dawn.

The rest of the crew were asleep except a few who needs to keep the engines running. You took the pencil, tracing it on the map.

There were three possible places of the golden goldfish, you went to the other two but alas, they weren’t there. Which leaves the last place.

Judging with the compass and calculations (yes pirates do math), you would reach the place in 11 days. You scribble some notes and study the route.

The gold throne can be felt by the end of your fingertips.

Though, the fact that is deep in the sea. There would be monsters and mermaids. Urgh, terrifying creatures. You need to figure out a way to go down the sea.

Firstly, you need to find the pink seaweed and only then will that lead you to the golden goldfish. You pray that this place has pink seaweed since the others didn’t.

You must and will achieve it.

The feast that the crew could have, no more fish! The table would be full of meat and rum.

“Capt, yer makin’ the odd look again”

“Shut yer trap and hit da hay already”

7 more days before you reached your destination. You can’t afford to go to land and re-stock, therefore, fish it is!

Again.

“7 days till meat” you grumbled as you waved your hand at two of your crews.

They throw the net into the sea to catch some food for the trip. You walked around the ship, checking the status of the ships with each of your crews.

Due to the heavy storms you been facing, the ship needs to be fixed every day. Especially before the next storm. A broken ship against a storm? Not a nice combination.

“Woah! Tis is some heavy fish”

“Maybe it’s Salmon!”

“Ay idiot! Tis ain’t salmon habitat!”

“Tuna?”

“Just lift em up ugly”

You walked towards the two males to see the fuss. You are rather curious on what dinner it will be. Maybe it wasn’t fish. Maybe it is a giant squid. But that would make a mess on a ship but it’s a change from fish.

The two males grunt as they managed to pull the net on board. There were a couple of fish that flew on the impact, well it wasn’t tuna or salmon alright. Nor was it a squid.

It was a male.

With a fish tail.

It’s a fish-male.

Or was it a male fish? Man fish? Hot body with slimy tale man fish?

“IT’S A MERMAID!”

“No you idiot! Mermaid is a woman, that ain’t woman, there no milk bags”

“What if her milk bags are tini?”

“Don’t offend her!”

“It ain’t a ‘her’ idiot!”

“I’m not blind pigeon!”

“It’s a mermale!” you snapped your fingers

“No capt, it’s a mer-MAN” your right hand man corrected

You glared at him and he automatically raised his hand up in defense.

“Mermale it is”

You looked over to the mermale, he was tangled with the nets that unable for him to move. Mid-long wavy teal hair, teal eyes, pale skin with teal tail.

Talking about matching colours.

You walked towards him, you could see him struggling under the net to break free but alas, with a wave of an arm, your crew tied up the net so he won’t be able to break free.

Pressing your foot on his chest to make him stop moving, you tilted your head as you studied his eyes when he looked at you. You could see he was frightened.

“The last mermaids were brave. Were de males different?” you questioned “Or isit cause you alone?”

The man gulped as he stared at you, he loosens the tension from his body. As if he was giving up on his life, shutting his eyes as he sighs.

“What do you need of me? I do not sing nor do I have powers like the fellow maidens. I can’t give you anything” he croaked.

Well that’s surprising. Usually mermaids have beautiful voice despite being in the sea water, this one… really sounds like he drinks sea water.

“Then why you exist if you are useless?” you question, brushing the tip of your boot up to his chest and to his cheek.

“Careful capt, he might have canines” your right hand mind whispered before taking a step back.

“Well?” you asked the merman again.

“Our purpose… Is just to reproduce” he stated, looking away as his face turned red.

“How adorable” you took your sword and cut off the net from him

“CAPTAIN!”

The crew gasped at your actions. Well, you’re not surprised of their expression. Some mermaids are terrifying as they feed on humans. There were a few with sharp teeth like sharks. Not to mention, their singing are just to lure you in before they eat you up.

You doubt that this one is different. Maybe it was just his tactic to get your guards down before he ate you all.

Just as he sat up, all the crews had their swords pointed at him and the fear in his eyes became more evident. You laughed as you crossed your arms.

“This one is obviously a pup” you laughed “What do they call you?”

“M-My name is V” he gulped “Please! Just kill me!”

“Look at em boys, what’s the fun in goin’ straight for the kill?” you walked around him.

Your eyes turned to his tail that was beginning to turn transparent, you knew his legs will be out soon. Your eyes studied him as you crossed your arms. An idea popped into your mind and you saw your key to the golden goldfish right in front of you.

“Well V, do you wish to live?”

The teal haired man looked at you, staring at you before he slowly nods.

“Then you need to help me”

The mermale, V’s mouth was tied up before he was dragged away to your room. His legs were out but as you suspected, he was a young pup. He could barely stand.

He was obviously not used on legs.

You threw a blanket a him covering his private and legs as your crew tied his arms behind the chair. He was seated in front of your map, across you.

Just as they had tied him up, they took off the cloth from his mouth before stepping behind. V glared at them in rage but he knew he was no match.

“Well V. Pink Seaweed. Where are they?”

“W-why would you need to find them?” he croaked

“Get him some drinking water boys. And the questions will only be asked by me”

After giving him water and questions were thrown back and forth. V sighed as he shook his head.

“You won’t survive there”

“Why not?”

“There are creatures”

“And?”

“You will die”

You smirked as you grabbed his chin, making him look at you.

“I don’t die easily, pup”

His teal eyes stared at you, as if he was studying you. Pursing his lips, he looked towards the map before turning to look at you once more.

“South-West. There”

The smirk on your lips stretched further.

“Atta’ boy”

The night was calm for once without any rain or storms. Due to the calm weather, the crew could finally get a proper night’s sleep and as always you were still awake.

You walked out from your room, scanning your surroundings. The ship is still moving towards its destination and a couple of crews were up drinking or smoking while being on night shift.

You went to the first level of the lower deck where all the crews sleep, you were greeted with loud snores and grumblings. You went to the next level where the food stocks were. You walked pass the sleeping cook and went towards the end of the corridor.

Opening the door, you were greeted with multiple cells. However, only one is occupied.

The teal haired boy was dressed up with a pair of trousers and a used-to-be white shirt. Leaning his back against the wall, he snapped his head to face you when he heard your approaching.

You studied his features, they were sharp and stunning. You have to admit the boy was good looking but that doesn’t change the fact that he is a merman. Even the most vulnerable ones are still dangerous and you wonder how dangerous he is under the terrified and weak façade.

“Why do you wish to go to the pink seaweed?”

“Em’ a pirate, why do you think em’ going there?”

V tilted his head to the side as if to think. He glanced down on his new-found legs before looking back up to you.

“But there isn’t any treasure there”

Your lips quirk up in amusement.

“Who said em’ looking for treasures there?” you chuckled as you laced your fingers behind your back.

“You pirates are mad”

“Well pup. None of this will happen if we weren’t”

You turned around to leave when he called you.

“Captain was it? Why did you visit me tonight?”

“Just securin’ de area”

“Oh”

You hummed before you turned back to face him, leaning in but keeping your distance, you tilted your head slightly to the side.

V looked at you, wondering what you need of him.

“What dya know about the golden goldfish?”

“The what?”

“Golden Goldfish”

“...Aren’t all goldfish golden?”

“Aren’t cha useless”

You shook your head, standing back up straight. You made a turn to leave once more but he called you again.

“The sea is full of mystery. You won’t survive”

You throw your head back and laughed. Looking back at him with a smirk, you didn’t care if he was dangerous, you shoved your hand between the bars and grabbed his chin, pulling him towards you.

“Darlin’, yer could kill me brizillion times and I would still be alive”

Letting him go, you walked away, shutting the door behind you as you left.

As you scribbled away in your journal, one of your crew had placed a plate of food on your desk. Glancing at the grilled fish, your eyes flicked towards the door.

“Did ya give the mermale food?”

“Only water, Capt”

“Get out”

“Yes Capt!”

You continued your work until you heard the door shut. You sighed as you leaned back on the chair. It’s been three days since he was caught.

He would probably be starving by now but if he’s the type to eat humans, you ain’t risking any of your crews. You took your plate before heading below deck, greeting the crews with a grunt before they bustled away with their own food.

Walking through the pantry and into the cell room, you stopped in front of the cell when you saw V holding the wall.

He was grunting as he moved his legs to walk but after a step he fell on the floor with a loud thud. He panted as he pushed himself up with his arms, dragging his legs to sit up.

Just as he turned around, he jumped when he saw you standing in front of his cell. You took off the key from your pockets and insert the key inside the key hole.

Turning the key around with a click, V widened his eyes as you stepped inside the cell. He pulled himself back, dragging his body away from you until his back hit the wall.

You scoffed in amusement as you kneeled down in front of him, holding his leg so he can’t go anywhere.

“W-what do you need of me?”

You could feel him trembling under you hand and you would be lying if you didn’t feel superior over it.

You put the plate on his lap, making him flinch.

“Eat”

You said as you took one of the carrots and pop it into your mouth. He stared at you as you chewed on the carrot.

“Eat the plants or yer fish frien’, I don’ care”

You nod at the plate and he hesitantly reached out for a carrot. He swallowed as he glanced at the food and then back at you.

“If yer thinkin’ of eatin’ me, forget it pup”

You stood up to leave but then he grabbed your arm. On instincts, you whip out your dagger and pointed it on his neck.

V froze as he stared at you, letting go of your arm.

“T-t-thank you”

You narrowed your eyes at him before standing up, keeping the dagger back in your pocket.

“Don’ grab me as you please, pup”

Turning around, you locked up the cell and left him alone.

To be continued in.... PART 2

#mystic messenger #mystic messenger imagines #kim jihyun #v #v x mc

51 notes · View notes

ask-de-writer · 6 years

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SEA DRAGON’S GIFT : World of Sea : Part 9