The Joker

THE ADVENTURES OF VIVIAN HARLET

(The Legend of Awi’s Forgotten Treasure)

CHAPTER 6

Vivian and Anna sat on wooden stools behind a broad rectangular table as they listened to the chef tell stories about his experiences while sailing on the seas.

The chef was an advanced man and he should be in his late 50s. He was very swift with the cookings and he had a playful and jovial aura around him.

The girls laughed at most of his jokes. He had introduced himself as Corbel and he was once a chef from Switzerland.

He prepared some dishes for them,and he served them the food,beaming with smiles as he did so.

“It has been a long while since I last served a stranger some of my delicacies,especially two beautiful ladies.” He flattered.

The girls giggled.

“You don’t have to say sweet things to us,Sir Corbel. Besides,we are no longer strangers to you.” Vivian said.

“Of course. You are right. But...” he flattened his hands on the table whilst focusing on their faces “...why are you on this ship? You should know that this is a Pirate ship. I may be a pirate,but I wouldn’t lie to you... you shouldn’t trust a pirate. Moreover,you both are women. Anything can happen.”

Vivian shrugs her shoulders.

“We know,Sir Corbel. We do know about the dangers. We were directed to Captain Razor by a woman named Beatrice—“

“Beatrice?” Corbel was astounded.

“Yes sir. She did say that this was her husband’s ship. Is that true?” Anna asks.

Corbel was mute. He stares at the girls purposefully and he was surprised on getting to know that they were acquaintances of beatrice.

“You seem surprised,Mr Corbel.” Anna said.

Corbel glances at her and her gaze was searching. He places his hands behind his back,he then clears his throat.

“Indeed,this is Jefferson’s ship. But it’s rather shocking that you both claimed to have met and was directed to Captain Razor by Beatrice. Beatrice died 10yrs ago and ever since then,this ship have been under the custody of Razor. If truly you both had met with her,how is it possible that she’s still alive?”

Anna glances at Vivian,so did Vivian glance at her.

They both returned their gazes back to Corbel and Anna began eating her meal.

“Actually... my mother and Beatrice were best of friends. We got to know her through my mother and they were so close that she always did tell my mother virtually everything about herself.” Vivian said.

“She’s right. My mother must have been told about this ship and the other mysterious stories we know of. My mother had given us a heads up about Beatrice before now. Moreover,we decided to fulfill our desires as we were so anxious to travel by sea and maybe,adventure into a new world.” Anna said and then,she stuffs her mouth with food with the aid of a fork.

“A new world? ...Isn’t Liverpool good to you?? I also got news that you both are in search of a mystical island...the island of the Titans.”

“Yes,we are. We just want to explore that place if truly it exists. I would love to see for myself how magnificent the Titans are. It would be a dream come true for both my sister and I.” Vivian said,giving him a sheepish smile.

“Oh...” the man observes the girls through his glasses and then,he turns around to face the large pot that was placed on the burner.

“You have to be very careful. You are not the only one in search of the island. Even Captain Razor is one of the many pirates who is willing to sell their souls to the devil to get his hands on a forgotten treasure for the sake of wealth..”

As he approaches the pot,he picks up a ball of onion that laid on the work table beside the stove. He began cutting it with a knife into the pot.

“They say the wealth is so vast that it could eradicate the world’s poverty. The golden treasures of the gods and goddesses of Egypt that was being safeguarded by a wind goddess.

Because she wasn’t part of the ennead as she wasn’t an Egyptian goddess rather,she was an ancient Norse goddess who fell in love with the Egyptian wind god,She was treated unfairly by Ammit and Taweret.

Bastet,the cat goddess was her only ally and she advised Awi to take up all the treasures they had as compensation and hide it from them.

Ammit on seeing that Horus one of the gods was secretly developing a likeness for Awi,she immediately killed Awi’s lover to send a warning to Horus,the god of the sky.

Awi was enraged. She left the heavens with all the treasures that belonged to the gods and she hid them in that same island. She cursed the cave that housed such abundant treasures and she gave the key to it to the Titans.

It was said that the key isn’t any kind of key,but infact,it is a living being. Well...” he turns around to look at them “...I do not know how possible it is that she had made a being the key to her wealth.

I have heard that the Titans are the richest and most advanced beings in the entire cosmos. If it is so,then they must have been surviving through the wealth of the gods. An unending,everlasting wealth.”

“Wow!” Anna was literally dumbfounded.

Vivian was staring at Corbel with eyes that spoke of her anxiety. To her,this was remarkable. Treasures so great that it could feed an entire nation.

This also means that if she could find the treasure,the whole world will submit at her feet. People will come to her for help,even the world governments will seek out for her assistance.

She smiled to the thought of it as she picked on her food with the fork in her hand.

“But if Awi has hidden it where no one or god can find it and the Titans were the ones to safeguard it,isn’t it possible that the gods knows about its existence and they may have descended upon the Titans with their anger?” Anna asks.

“That’s a good question,Miss. You see,the Titans are magical beings. Loyal to Ra,the sun god and lovers of Awi,the wind goddess. Although they did protect the treasure for her sake,they were very careful to make sure that the gods and goddesses weren’t able to see it as they had secured the place with a magic they had learnt from Isis,goddess of magic,healing and marriage. Even Horus with his super-vision,won’t be able to see it.”

“That’s like... WOW!” Anna exclaimed.

“Yep! But be warned. In as much as you are after their treasure,you are an enemy to them. They are able to smell out your greed no matter how hard you try to hide it. I heard stories about them. The people who were able to live to tell the tale,died a mysterious death afterwards. If you are nursing any form of greed in your heart,I implore you to turn back from this journey as it is not one to be taken without a thorough decision.” Corbel said.

The girls went mute. They began eating their meals in silence,thinking about what he said.

Corbel glances at them and when he saw they were wrapped up in their silent thoughts,he gently smiles at them before turning around to stir the soup in the large pot with a wooden spatula.

Razor stood behind the wheel with the two men that he had sent to search around the room occupied by Vivian and Anna for the map. Jack stood a distance behind him as he listened to their conversations.

They had returned to him with no map in their hands,and he was agitated.

“How can you say that you weren’t able to find anything,Greg?!” He snapped.

“We,we looked all over da place. We couldn’t f-find anythin’ that r-resembles the map. They didn’t come with luggages and they bags only had they necessities n’ a few clothes in it.” Greg said,and he was trembling.

“Damn! ...No map?!! That’s impossible!!!” Razor bangs the top of the wheel with the side of his fist in asperity.

“You don’t have to get angry like that,Captain. If they aren’t with the map,then they should know where the island is.” Jack said.

Razor turns around to glance at him.

“No one is capable of locating that island without the map! Only a true map reader is able to interpret it!! I have searched everywhere for it and I am hundred percent sure that Beatrice must have given it to them. That bitch...” he turns around to face the wheel “...after killing her,her spirit still roams about.”

“If you think that they are with the map,Greg would have found it. I just believe that there are ways to catch a gold fish. True... these ladies appear to be crafty and very very smart. The younger one seems to be very tricky and full of brains and mischief while the other,although she looks like one who doesn’t say a word,she speaks very intelligently and without fear.” Jack said.

“Then what do you suggest that I do? My looks alone cant get them to fall prey for me. They act with caution and they are very observant. From the way their eyes would stare at just anything,it always as though they could read a person with just one piercing gaze.” Razor said.

“We have to match their level of smartness,then. We play by their own rules and it won’t be surprising to know that they do have knowledge about the whereabouts of the island.” Jack said.

Razor squinted his eyes whilst staring at the bowsprit.

“I can’t agree less to your suggestion. You can go back to your duties,Greg.”

“Aye aye,Captain.” Greg said and then,he left with the crew member.

Jack came closer to where Razor stood,he then clamps his hand on Razor’s shoulder.

“You have to be patient,Razor. The fattest bones are for the most patient of dogs. I believe that they being with us,we will definitely find the island. All we need is patience.” He said.

Razor shifted his gaze towards the berth. He could see Vivian and Anna coming out from it. When Vivian lifts her head and their eyes met,he gives her a smile,but she quickly looks away with a frown on her face.

“Patience is all I need now.” He muttered whilst watching the ladies approach the cabins.

TBC.