The large sails of a formalure ship are usually welcome. But not this ship. The site of her parents ship twisted her stomach and raised her blood pressure in ways one never should. She had no interest in the ship or its crew. All she wanted to do was raise sail and run but that was not a reasonable response. No instant of running she put on her coat, stuffed her ten whistle in her sleeve and grabbed her staff. They were coming for her, so be it.
As much as should be on her mind the lack of a hat should not be on the list but it was. Standing on deck she looked like a true captain except she needed a hat. One of the three sided ones. Perhaps with the feathers. Yes that would be perfect but for now she was hatless, and did not have any jewelry. Great now she had a list of stuff that would make this look so much better.
As she stood there purposefully in thought the large fishing ship pulled up beside her and tossed grapplers to hold the ships together. Heavy boots hitting her deck brought her back to the problem at hand. She looked up to see none other than her father and two of his seamen. "Slug, I know you don't want to see me but…" he cut off, scratching his head.
"Your Uncle died." He said remaining unreadable.
"Uncle Skip is dead." Her stance faltered then her grip tightened. "That's not funny." She said, But she could see that he was not joking. "How did he die, and when is his service?" She asked
"He got drunk and fell overboard. will be having his ceremony tonight as the sun sets." He said. This was not surprising. Actually his death was long coming but honestly she was expecting him to die in a tavern brawl after angering the wrong person.
"We are only informing you because he specifically wanted you to play the bones in the ocean and he had a box of stuff saved for you."
At the mention of the box the younger seaman brought the box over to her and handed it to her. Kaiko grabbed the small wooden box. She started to open it. "He wants you to open it alone and so we will leave you to it. The ceremony starts in 3 hours, don't be late." He said, turned on his heels and climbed back on his ship along with the two seamen.
Kaiko tucked her box under her arm and went to her room. She put her staff down in her lap and put the box on the floor in front of her. Slowly and carefully she removed the lid. Inside was a small variety of stuff. First was the mummified remains of 2 fish and 1 Slug. Next was two teeth. Then there was a feather. And last was a letter. She picked up the letter and carefully unfolded it.
My dear Kaiko,
I apologize I could not tell you everything I wanted to when I was alive but hopefully this box will help you in your journey. If you so choose, on the back of this parchment there is a map that will lead you to some of my greatest treasures. These are some of what you may expect.
So to the good part. The two fish are sturgeon I have found in different parts of the world. The one with the string like tail is a Amu Darya sturgeon or scientifically recognized as the Pseudoscaphirhynchus kaufmanni. It stays small and inhabits fresh muddy water. The other fish is a very young White sturgeon scientifically known as the Acipenser transmontanus. It is a significantly large predatory fish that lives in both fresh and saltwater. Both are like sharks in diet and skeletal structure.
I believe you should try to sail the rivers since you want to use such a small ship. These will allow you to breathe the fresh water so you can still take your swims if you ever leave the sea.
Next is the snail. By now you probably noticed the armored skin. You may also want to know it lives in volcanic water that is two hot and toxic for most any other creature. It is commonly known as the volcano snail and scientifically known as the Chrysomallon squamiferum. A young scalar gave it to me. Perhaps you will meet them one day. But back to the snail. I know you're big on fashion and functionality. So I give it to you with the knowledge that if you take up its form you will be able to form your own armour. And I'm sure you will find a stylish way to wear it.
The large tooth belonged to the sea dragon that saved my skin. Course you already know that story by heart.
The small one is from a swamp monster I fought in the jungles of Southern Enoch. You should visit there sometime. You will find their culture quite welcoming and their creatures interesting. I'll let you figure out which swamp monster it is as I can't give you everything. And lastly I don't know what bird that feather belonged to but I'm sure it's one you will like.
Sorry for being so vague on some of this but I don't remember everything. Anyway no matter what you think you will always be my little sea dragon.
Yours truly, Uncle Skip
She put the paper back in the box and slowly looked over each piece as she placed them back in the box. She was ready to adopt a new creature but now was not the time. She put the lid on the box and put the box in her hiding place. She took the ten whistle out of her sleeve and put it in the mandolin's case before grabbing her Mandolin. She opened the case and took it out. She sat on her hammink and began tuning it as one must do. He wanted bones on the ocean a song about atempted suicide over the death of his friends. This was not a song he would want. She knew this. But she needed a song that would define him. A crazy seaman, a good uncle, a crazy fisher, a good fighter and a hilarious drunk. She put a paper at her desk, grabbed her ink stack and a pin before sitting down. She still had 2 hours and thus enuff time to come up with a song.
She would strum a line or two before she decided what tune to set the song to. As she needed the others to be able to play as well. Then she needed a name. She would work at the song that simply flowed. About ten minutes before she had to go to her family's ship she folded the paper and put it in the mandolin case. She ran her fingers through her hair, Adjusted her clothes, and grabbed her instrument case and staff. She would leave her room and walk across her deck before climbing up the nets on the side of the much larger ship. On-board she avoided family as best she could as she found where the ceremony was. Obviously it was at the front of the ship on the top deck.
There were maybe 50 people and most of whom she did not know. Upfront dad was giving a speech of how great uncle skip was. The entirety of all that was going on was too much to stay strong. She and many of the others were crying. Soon her father stopped talking and looked up towards Kaiko. "As my daughter prepares to sing, let us begin to light our lanterns." He said
Kaiko walked to where her dad was and put her music case and staff down. She opened up her case and took out the tin whistle. "As we light the lanterns I will play the sailors hymn then I will sing a song I wrote based on bones in the ocean as he wished."
A candle was lit and used to walk around and light the floating lanterns. The song was played at half speed to give off a sad sound. Once all lanterns were lit people began to share memories and say various things. At the end of the song she switched to her Mandolin. She had to wipe her eyes before she began to sing the song she had written. "In memory of Skip I sing a new version of bones in the ocean." She strums the first verse then begins to sing with a steady low voice.
"Oh, I bid farewell to my oldest of friends
As he paddles away to Nazam's great seas
To find his long ago forgotten friends
To find the place I hear all sailors end
As the life of my uncle fill the space of my mind
I'll search without sleeping 'til peace I can find
He fear not the weather, he fear not the sea
I remember the fallen, will he think of me?
For his bones in the ocean forever will be."
She sang from her heart a tune everyone knew even if the words were different. As she sang the chorus a second time more voices accompanied hers. They did not harmonize but sailors rarely did. She knew that her uncle would appreciate the song that she turned from being about suicide to being a memorial to him. The lanterns were released into the dark sky and after the song ended all remained quiet.
