Page 4 of Whispers of the Starlit Sea
“Well, run and do that.”
“Da…you promised.” Thomas hopped on one foot.
The king waved his hand at him. “Yes, yes, I won’t tell.”
Thomas’s face stretched in a grin as he ran out of the room. Arick relaxed slightly. Thomas wasn’t upset with him. He helped himself to a muffin.
“There’s something else I want you to pay attention to while you’re here.” The king grew serious and leaned forward. “These storms, there’s something uncanny about them.”
“The one last night was much worse than any I remember as a child,” Arick agreed.
“We’d generally get one or two like that, but I worry that they’ve started so early in the season,” the king said.
“Have many been lost?” Arick’s stomach turned, thinking of the men he’d seen headed for the rocks below the lighthouse.
The king shook his head. “Two ships have been lost with all their crew. They were outside the harbor, but still — two too many.”
Arick pushed his plate away, the muffin half-eaten. “What about last night? Thomas and I saw some in peril.”
“Aye, Thomas told me. I had guards check the shore this morning. A lifeboat was on the beach, but no dead.”
Arick breathed a prayer of thanks.
The king cleared his throat. “I’d like you to do some investigating and see what you can come up with.”
“Sir, don’t you have advisers for that?”
“Bah, they’re either in denial about the risk of more storms or they blame Cliodna.” The chair creaked under his weight as he jerked upright.
“Cliodna? You mean the…”
“Yes, the mythical spirit that supposedly controls the sea.” The king shook his head at the thought but sent him on his way without elaborating further.
Arick pondered the idea as he and Thomas made their way to the docks. A mythical being controlling the storms was nonsense. The Creator was the one who controlled all of nature. And yet…
A shadow fell over him, causing him to glance up. All at once, the king’s first request made sense.
“Surprise!” Thomas gloated. His small sheltie, Cookie, yipped in agreement, dancing around them.
With a laugh, Arick returned his cousin’s hug. “Hardly my surprise though — it’s your birthday present.”
“Yes, but I’ve known about it for ages. It’s more fun to surprise you.”
The ship before them was a sailor’s delight — long and sleek, with a foredeck that was designed as a floating ballroom. The yacht could host at least a hundred people yet manage the high seas for a day cruise.
Arick was in love.
The naval vessels he served on were far more utilitarian, and even the cargo ships were designed for one purpose — and it certainly wasn’t for comfort.
Councilman MacIsaac joined them, bowing to both of them, though it seemed as though he bowed lower to Arick than to Thomas, his prince. He was a small man, mean of appearance and broad of mustache, and Arick took an instant dislike to him.
“His Majesty informed me that you would be taking point for His Highness’s birthday gala.” MacIsaac’s tone implied he did not think the change of command was necessary.
“The seafaring aspect only. I have no interest in taking over. I’m certain you have put a lot of effort into the celebrations, and there’s no need to start changing things now,” Arick assured him.
MacIsaac gave him a calculating look, but he let the matter drop.
They climbed the gangway — wider and with sturdier railings than normal — and met Captain Blair, a pleasant, trim fellow who was the kind of man who could be both effusive host and rigid leader as the need arose. MacIsaac immediately bombarded Blair with questions, some quite unnecessary or ridiculous, in Arick’s opinion. The captain could no more promise good weather than he could wish for it to rain gold. And there was little reason for MacIsaac to query the number of guests that could fit onboard — surely the councilman already knew that information.
