Chapter 1 - Into the seas

Part 5

Laum

Old man's Merchant Ship

It was nighttime.

The continuous sparkling of the countless stars lighted the dark moonless skies. The black waters of the calm seas were not only reflecting the twinkling light from the skies above, but also the lively lights of the near city. The linear beam of the yellow light of the nearby lighthouse seemed to pierce infinite was calling ships from afar.

Nearby, the sound of the cheerful music echoed above the undisturbed seas, but it was not loud enough to reach the shore. The lights of the wooden ship danced along with the sounds. Laughter and giggles were heard in every corner of the ship and the dancing crew stomped their feet as if there were no tomorrow.

That was the case for me.

The lights of the city waved me, telling my journey with them had come to an end and this party was for farewell.

"OOOOO" "OOOOOO" "OOOO"

Such a waste again, I could not understand what they were saying, but at least, I could tell from their gentle smile on their faces that they're cheering me on.

'Ah, cheering again. That feels good... However...'

I stood in the edge of the ship, away from the lively lights, and looked down on the dark water which was reflecting the sparkling tiny lights of dark skies.

"Stars, huh?" I murmured as stars sparkled like the lights of the near city.

"What 'bout the stars?" The old man was holding ale stood beside me. He called me in surprise that almost made me shriek. "Don't ye get so blue, boy?"

He must be drunk. His speech became somewhat – Bar Bar Bar Bar...

"I am not, and I am not a boy anymore. I am already a young man." His gibberish speech was audible enough that I could reply to him.

"But yer eyes told me so. It reminds me of when I had lost my guiding star, my Captain. Back then, I was like a river that will dry up soon. I was longing for the heavy rain to come again. Waiting for someone to guide me again, to be my star. My captain, he was a great man. Very reckless and adventurous and that's what I had admired him. The last time I had seen him was more than 30 years ago. He left me with this crappy compass."

Eh? This old man is really drunk. He was retelling his past out of the blue. Well, it doesn't hurt a little if I were to lend him an ear, I guess. I supposed I could listen to this old man.

"Your captain? I thought you're a noble born, Old man?"

I was sure he was a noble-born when we talked about where his homeland is. In his homeland, his family was a member of high-ranking officials. I thought this old man bought this merchant ship and became a merchant on his own, then became a captain with his crew. The old man is too calm and composed so I thought he was under to no one. I really wonder why I thought it that way.

"Yeah, I was... but one day, goddamned pirates attacked our mansion and nearly butchered my parents. Heavens may have answered my parents' prayer, a man in a strange habiliment came to rescue us. It was strange for he was a pirate himself but he still saved us... I can still remember how reckless he fought that night. He was alone and he faced more than twenty. The man still won in the end. It made me decide that I am going to follow him. Therefore, I left my luxurious life and boarded his magical ship."

Hmmm... a magical ship, huh? But really this Old Man... Leaving his everything just to follow a man... hilarious yet not. More likely, I admired him for giving up everything to follow that stranger. So, who is this great Captain this old man talking about?

"His name, old man?"

"He was known by a different name but we, his crew, called him Capt. Coco."

Eh? That name seems familiar... I did hear the name before or did not...

"Hmm... Captain Coco, huh? You said he left you a compass..."

As I said it, he grabbed something in his pocket. It was an old golden compass. It was not working, I guessed since the compass was not pointing to the north. It was pointing to the southeast. Southeast... it was pointing to his dancing crew. It was apparently not a joke when he said it was a crappy compass.

"He gave it to me... 'Follow yer dreams. This will guide ye', he said before telling his crew to abandon the ship, to leave him behind. At first, I did not understand why he gave this to me but now, I am thankful he did. This crappy compass is always reminding me of him and his lessons."

"Always reminding..." I said it. The stars were really shining at the darkest night. They kept on shining in the middle of the vast darkness. I am jealous of them.

"There those eyes again..." The old man laughed and drunk his ale.

'What about my eyes?' was I wanted to ask him but I just sighed. Completely out of words, just I sighed, surrendering before his drunken eyes.

"What is this, boy? Ye are too scared to set your own sails without us, huh? Ye're scared even though you had fought a Kraken? Don't make me laugh, Boy. It's true that yer shadows will depart this old ship of mine yet Boy, ye're forgetting something important. There are a lot of things to learn even without us. Don't ye forget. That's why, in my antediluvian eyes, you're still a young boy."

"Is that so?" I sighed. What is this Old Man babbling about?

I was not planning to oppose a mind influenced by the ale, or else, I would be facing his white slashes. However, his words were somewhat heavy as I put it inside me. So, what's all this about, Old Man? You just want to see me cry, don't you? Because you know, it's not working... eh? Seawater can make your eyes watery... eh?!

He nodded and drunk his ale, "So what 'bout the stars?" he stood next to me, leaning his back to the edge, supported by his arms.

I bent forward to the edge facing the calm sea.

"Ah, I just remembered Nanang, my grandmother. About what she told me" I paused and looked up at the skies again "Our seafaring ancestors used the stars as a guide to find their way home. Even today, some of us are able to learn the star-pattern thing. You know, navigating the unknown seas through stars' pattern. Our ancestors were good at it. My father was supposed to teach me, but things happened."

"We, seamen do that too. I could preach some if ye told me 'bout it earlier."

"Yeah... I suppose"

I looked at the lights of the city ahead of us. "How I wish I had learned that too so that the stars would also guide me wherever I go."

I sighed. The city lights wavered like a wriggling worm digging its way through my soul.

"If ye were to ask me about it, I do not give stars from the skies too much credit. Though they shine so bright in the moonless night, we could not tell regarding tomorrow if they will" He dunked his ale in one go, then "Not only that, Stars on the night are so far from here. Sometimes their guidance will make us go astray instead."

"Look at 'em" The old man, using the ale's mug, pointed at his crews who were dancing and laughing shoulder to shoulder out of their drunkenness. Facing towards them, they instantly made their raucous and gibberish cheers as I looked at them. I could not help myself but laugh back to them.

"See? Stars are not supposed to be hanging only in the skies. The smiles of yer comrades, the cheers of yer allies, the lessons of yer grandma, yer family. Those are more than stars in the skies. Those are the stars living with and within us."

"..."

"They give us the strength to carry on. They guide us to our journey" He pattered hard my shoulders twice again. Somehow, even though it slightly hurt, his pat was comforting enough to make me smile.

"...."

"Don't forget what you have learned here. Don't forget what yer grandmother said, what yer family had said. Crave them inside yer heart and they will become stars that will guide ye through."

Enough, Old Man... I can't take it any longer... the seawater is making my eyes wetter.

I gazed at the Old man. Indeed, he was an old man. His white-haired had endured everything that had passed through his lifetime. His beard had witnessed everything that I have not seen yet. His eyes were drooping, and tiredness and wisdom had surrounded it. He nodded as he looked at me with a gentle smile.

Oh, the old man can smile properly too.

"Thank you so much, Old man" I bowed my head as I said that.

"No need to do that, besides I am also indebted to ye." He slowly put his heavy hand on my back, pushing me back to the dancing crew.

"No, I am the one who's indebted to you"

He faced me. At my back, his crew was still dancing while drinking.

"Then Boy, I call it quits" he laughed, a haggard laugh. He came closer to me. Close enough to tap his hand in my shoulder. His voice was calm and composed. His usual tone was back. "You don't have to worry even you leave my ship, do you? You have your companion beside you always"

I turned a look at him as he passed me. My eyes widened on what he had said. He definitely did mention about 'companion', didn't he?

He knew about Marikit.

I followed him a look. Old Man turned.

"I am telling no one about it, Boy"

I know he would not. He would not tell a soul about the pixie, about my companion. I trust him he would not.

This Old man...

This crew...

This ship...

I don't wanna leave this ship... I want to stay with them...

I left my village, my family, my home even I don't like it. It pains me so much leaving them. However, I did not show them my weakness. I steeled myself as I went aboard this ship in the front of my Father. I did not want my little sister to see me that I was hurt. I did not want her to see that I was crying. Now, this feeling had come back. This heavy feeling...

There were things left unsaid when I was leaving home. I don't want that to happen again.

Without me knowing, I dashed and hugged the Old man... 'So, this feeling of hugging your grandfather... Having a grandfather...'

"Old Man... I don't... wanna leave..."

Ah... when was the last time I cried this much... when was the last time Inang hugged me to give comfort... this heavy feeling is finally leaving me...

My faced was wet. I had noticed that the crew had stopped dancing.

"Okay... Just let it out, Boy, let it out..."

I continued crying until the old man tapped me. As I opened my teary eyes again, I saw his crew was surrounding me.

"OOOOO"

One of the Old Man's crew had offered me an ale. I bet he was telling me to drink up.

"OOOOO"

I did not know what he was saying but he must be mocking me because the rest of the crew had laughed. The sound of their laughter was warm and undeniably contagious. Sooner, I had noticed I was laughing at myself too.

Such a waste. Until the end, I did not learn their language. But what's important is, for even a short period of time, I became a part of this crew. I had learned so much from them and I hoped that they learned a thing or two from me.

The night was still young, yet, I felt the time at that moment were running so fast, like a ship in full sail heading fast for its longed shore.

We spent the rest of the night dancing and singing. Telling stories along with the ale and wine. Though it was always such a waste, I could not understand what they were saying. Well, it did not matter. As long as we merrily dancing together under the beat of the music. Until the last beat of the music and the last flicker of the lights went out.