“The pirates are a scourge and not to be underestimated. Are these not the same pirates who demand tribute from the kingdoms to the north and south? Alone we are weak, but let me find allies and we will sail as one.”
The king’s mind was tempered by the words and bid him to go seek out allies to the north and the south. The eldest son, however, could not wait and sent forth the twelve finest ships and sailed to find the pirates and defeat them. The youngest son mourned his brother’s decision but had no choice but to proceed on so he could bring ships that would match the pirates.
Four weeks of sailing led the eldest son to the home of the pirates where his twelve ships were set upon by fifty. First one, then two, then four were left sinking into the water and he was forced to retreat. As he did he passed by the Pirate King Arrick’s vessel, spying a young blonde girl at her father’s side and she took notice of him. Leaving only eight ships, all damaged, the king’s son fled to scattered islands and formed a new plan.
The youngest son soon found allies in the north and south, and had assembled a fleet of seventy. But he feared it may already be too late for his dear brother. He journeyed to the coast and found the goddess Wind dancing out on a cliff. She showed sympathy for the king’s young son as he explained his fears and she handed him a small arrow with quick-finch feathers. “Strap this arrow to the mast of your ship and whichever way the arrowhead points, so will I follow. But be careful for the shaft is thin and brittle.” The youngest son placed the arrow on his mast and the winds favored him, carrying them in but a week.
Among the islands the youngest son heard of his brother’s defeat and retreat. He searched further south and the two found one another. They were both joyous seeing each other again, but the eldest son was filled with fear. “Not even your fleet of seventy may match our foe. But there may be another way. For in the heart of the battle I spied the pirate Arrick’s daughter and she would know his weaknesses. I have heard she lives on an island to the west of the King’s fleet. I will go to her.”
The youngest son was unsure of the plan. “We can wait but three days. We will bring the fleet close but hidden. Go to her and return in the morning and let us know what you have learned.”
So the eldest son sailed to the nearby island and snuck into the daughter’s chambers at night. There she doted upon him and gave him a golden ring for each hand. He returned and reported the daughter has given these gifts and would soon tell what they needed to know.” His brother was unsure and said, “Go then, once more, but I urge you brother, have her tell you how to defeat her father.”
So the eldest son sailed again, and crept into her chambers. She welcomed him and gave him a necklace of pearls and told him stories of the vast treasures she had discovered. He returned and told the people of her wealth and so very soon he would have the answer.
His brother was displeased and said, “You have sailed twice and received gifts from her but not received what we need for victory. This is the third night we may wait and in the morning we will sail into battle with or without what the princess knows.”
The elder son was worried and sailed to the princess one more time where she gave him a crown of gold and gems and spoke of his beauty. The morning came and he knew his brother would be sailing to fight. He turned to the princess, confessed his love and did not wish to see her harmed. He told her of his brother’s plans, their numbers and approach, asking that they could be spared.
As the ships sailed to the island they found to their horror the enemy waiting on both flanks and they sank twelve ships before the youngest brother had no choice but to surrender. He was brought before Arrick, the princess and his own brother. The eldest son tried to explain but the youngest yelled in despair. “I curse you and your betrayal.” He held out the arrow given to him by Wind. “All I have left is this gift given to me so that I could save you, but you have doomed us instead. I should cast it in two.”
The Pirate Arrick saw the arrow and could tell it was an item of power. The youngest told him what it did as he held it between his hands. The King saw he was ready to break the item to curse his brother but stopped him.
“You have suffered from betrayal but perhaps what you hold may lessen the sting. I will take it as you and your allies’ tribute for a generation.” The youngest son agreed, handing the arrow to Arrick. His remaining ships were allowed to leave and return. The youngest son returned to his father who celebrated his return and mourned the betrayal of his eldest. “Your brother always believed he was the source of the kingdom’s strength. Because of that he saw his own benefit as the kingdom’s. You, my youngest son saw strength in allies and the people and will rule wisely.”
And so the youngest grew became one of the greatest kings of his day, and when the generation ended his people were strong and the tribute was never paid again.
editor's note-
Some versions of the story discuss the fate of the elder son but diverge greatly and the earliest versions do not contain these lines so they were removed. Some later versions have him marrying the pirate King’s daughter while the majority speak of him being cast out from the pirates as well. It is presumed these later lines were added to enhance the morality play featured in the story.
Wrote this as a lil filler for the Winter Melody winter break. The story is set as a fairy tale in the Winter Melody world, told centuries after the time period of the web comic. It was fun to play with more world building and stretch out the prose legs some. The prose can be a bit awkward because I was trying to make it sound and flow similar to a fairy tale, but a decent start, especially with uberlentil deciding to illustrate it some ^_^
No comments:
Post a Comment