_________
Ashe climbed the stairs to the loft of Fredrik's Inn. Fredrik had come down to the main area of the Inn and told him that Mr. Butterworth wanted to see him.
Ashe had come to Edward Butterworth when he was very little when his parent's had died, and had lived with him in the attic of Fredrik's Inn ever since. He was a very kind man of the spindly and absent-minded sort; he was always experimenting or sketching or mapping. He had a narrow face with chestnut hair and maple eyes, and he seemed obsessed with always keeping his brown leather vest buttoned around his torso at all times, whether or not it was cold.
The boy stepped into the attic, the third story of the Inn, and looked around. It was rather cluttered, with a bed on both ends of the room with a large chest, various objects of unknown origin, and many gear, coils and tools scattered on the floor.
"Ah, there you are Ashe! Come here, quick, I want to show you something!" called Mr. Butterworth from the corner were a rickety desk sat. "This piece of paper that lies before us is a map of our island, the Isle of Whistlethrush. I just finished drawing it after charting and recording the whole island by myself. See, here's Clagton," he pointed to a clump of carefully drawn buildings that sprawled across the landscape in the south-eastern corner of the island, "and up on this hill is the Royal Castle, with the prison next to it. Anyway, here's Bill's Bay and..." Mr. Butterworth droned on.
Ashe would much rather be down at the docks visiting Isaac on lunch break. Several day's ago, Isaac had been employed at a sea-side shop that sold rope a other equipment to the ships that harboured in Clagton. He wanted to hear the men talk about the alchemist who could supposedly turn objects into pure gold. Without a doubt, the King had greedily imprisoned the poor man to make gold for him about a week ago. Ashe also wanted to hear more about an attack on the outskirts of town. Allegedly a homestead had been attacked in the middle of the night but the Hunter Children. The Hunter Children were a group of fierce orphans that had banded together against the outside world. They were deadly accurate with throwing knives, bows and arrows, and weren't afraid to use them on man or beast.
Ashe floated back to reality and his ears tuned-in to Mr. Butterworth's station, "Ah yes, and here's Whistlethrush Mountain. When explorers landed here in the Third Epoch, they named the island and the hill after the many whistlethrushes that darted about in the air." Mr. Butterworth gazed off into the distance and Ashe remembered that whistlethrushes, those annoying birds that flew about and made high pitch whistles, where once revered in Clagton. "Someday," Edward continued, "I'd like to sail the open seas and discover new lands. Lands like the Jungles of Ru that were described by the great explorer Charles Boniferious. Or the Krib Archipelago navigated by Chris Columbia!"
The boy watching Edward dreamily talk also wanted to go adventuring across the open seas himself, but at that moment, he would rather go down to the market and docks. Isaac had promised he would show him a secret, a very unbelievable secret
"Ahem. Can I go visit Isaac now? He wanted to show me something." Edward tore his eyes away from the round window and turned to Ashe.
"Oh. Oh yes! Yes, that Isaac. Of course. Just stay safe. I'm going down to the Hawkins' ship to show Jack some of my navigation and topographical equipment. I'll be on their ship. I'm spending the night to show them how to navigate by the stars." Edward replied, but Ashe was already down the stairs. Ashe had a secret to show Isaac himself, so on his way out he grabbed a little box and his coat.
Through the streets of Clagton he walked. As he began to imagine what Isaac's surprise could be, he quickened his pace. Usually he did the talking and Isaac with his brown hair and green eyes would listen attentively while he worked even though they were almost 6 years apart. Ashe wondered if he listened just to be nice or because he was interested.
Meanwhile, Edward Butterworth collected his navigation tools, his mapping equipment, and an extra change of clothes for the next day. Most men wore the same pair of clothes for several days, but Mr. Butterworth believed in staying clean at all times. With great effort, he closed the latches on his two trunks, drug them of the bed, and descended the stairs.
When he reached the first floor of the Inn, which was a sort of restaurant, he saw Fredrik talking to Cynwreg, Jack's brother. Fredrik giant mustache, protruding nose and plump features were animated as he told some sort of story. Edward meandered over to them and intended to procure a trip down to the Hawkin's boat, which he wanted to see again since last time he had been down there. Edward joined the conversation. Without warning, the doors to the tavern and inn flew open and a ragged old man stumbled through.
"Please, help." The man began coughing hysterically. Cynwreg, being the compassionate and helpful man he was, came forward and the injured man fell into his arms. "Please, they're coming. Help me." The man convulsed and continued coughing. Standing in shock, Edward noticed that the man's upper arm and forehead was bleeding, along with his wrists, which were rubbed raw.
"Quick! Fredrik, get a wet cloth for this man's wounds! Hurry!" Cynwreg sprung into action.
Fredrik quickly returned with the cloth as the man fell into unconsciousness. Even after the attentive care of Cynwreg, Fredrik, and Edward, the man didn't get any better. His frail body was still limb, bloodied, and white.
"We need to take him down to my ship. Martha has some special herbs that will be more effective." A stretcher was prepared, Mr. Butterworth grabbed his suitcase, and Cynwreg, Edward and Fredrik headed down to the docks."
"I haven't told you were we came from?" Isaac looked surprised. He and Ashe had been talking for some time.
"No, you haven't. I've been wondering why you came over here on your own private ship instead of as passengers." Ashe replied. He had already told his friend Isaac Hawkins all about the imprisoned alchemist and the attack by the Hunter kids.
"Well, we used to live in a far away land, in a little village on the coast. My mother died when I was born, and my father died when I was 2. I don't remember them. But my Mom's siblings took me in. Anyway, one year we had a drought that lasted for a long time. Our farm failed and the livestock got a disease and died, too. We couldn't pay the debts, so we had to find something to do. My uncle Cynwreg, he's the oldest of his siblings, used to be a sailor or a pirate, and he still had a small ship named the Explorer. In the middle of the night we got on board with all or things and left our home behind."
"That must have been hard." Ashe imagined.
"It was. Anyway, we sailed for a week or two and stopped in Frankville. Iona, the girl you met the day we arrived here, and her mother also lost their farm in the drought and would have had to go the debtor's prison if we hadn't have taken them on as cooks. We got a good deal on that juneberry starch, came to Whistletrush Island and sold it here." This was the most Ashe had ever heard Isaac say at one time.
"Wow! Your uncle was a pirate!? What was your old home like? Did you have any siblings?" Ashe peppered him with questions.
"If you stop asking all these questions I might show you something really neat..." Isaac interrupted Ashe's interruption with a grin on his face.
"Oh, yes, please show me your secret!" The two boys, one almost a man, marched into the back of the shop. In an inconspicuous corner a giant coil of rope lay covered by a canvas.
Isaac beckoned the little boy closer as he threw back the canvas, "Ashe, I'd like you to meet Lock." Inside the coil of rope lay a yellow ball of fur. Ashe recoiled with horror when the creature, which he assumed was an exotic species of dog, lifted its oddly-shaped head, stretched out it's clawed for-feet, and produced a sulfurous yawn from its jaw that jutted outwards.
"Wha... What is it!?" Ashe backed away with disgust, uncertainty, and terror. The creature, or Treble, cocked its head at Ashe and stared with its deep blue eyes.
"Don't be afraid!" Isaac said with a laugh, then more seriously, "and don't let anyone see him. If they do they'll try and hurt him.
"Is it an Ankleterror?" Ashe said with fear.
"One of those deranged little mammals that eat peoples' feet? Of course not!" Isaac began laughing harder. "He's a little miniature dragon! See, he has little sharp purple scales down his backbone. And his teeth stick up from his lower jaw."
"But, but, he's so little for a dragon, and he's furry!" Ashe was beginning to relax.
"He's a rare breed. And he's not fully grown yet. I found his egg when I was 12, and plus, dragons take forever to grow to the behemoths you've heard about." Isaac explained. Lock climbed out of his coil and sniffed at Ashe's pant leg, then he seemed to choke on something and coughed up a cloud of smoke.
"Can he breathe fire? Were did you find him? Did you have giant dragons at your home? Can Lock fly? Where are his wings?" Ashe was back to his normal self.
"He's hasn't gotten old enough to breathe fire yet, but he sure does cough up smoke a lot. He hasn't grown his wings yet, either."
Ashe was now petting the intelligent little creature. "Wow. He's so soft. Does he do any tricks?"
"Tricks!? Of course he does tricks! Dragons are the most intelligent creatures next to humans. Here, since it's time for me to go home anyway, why don't you come back to the ship and I'll show you what he can do." And with that, Isaac snuggled Treble into a sack to prevent anyone from panicking and the boys set off for the docks at about mid-afternoon
"Will he be alright?" Edward Butterworth dabbed at his balding forehead with a handkerchief.
"Well, I think so. The wonderroot paste on his wounds should do the trick, and the cream of treebledee soup will warm him up." Olive, Iona's mother, reported. Martha, Iona, and Olive, had just come up on deck. "Yes, I think he'll get better. I just home his family isn't looking for him." Olive was a very chatty person and was intent on reporting every detail or concern.
Jack turned to Mr. Butterworth. "You know, I really don't like how they made us move to the end of the docks to make room for the other, larger ships. It's quite a ways to shore. By the way, thanks for coming and showing us your equipment. I'll have to look into purchasing a sextant."
"Mother, look, here come Isaac and Ashe coming down the docks." Iona turned to Olive. The boys soon boarded and the story of the injured wayfarer was told.
Suddenly, the quiet Martha interrupted, "Oh my! What do you suppose that is!?" she pointed to the shore and there came a cloud of soldiers stampeding towards their boat, along with a angry group of fierce-looking children. They appeared to be battling.
"My word. What do you suppose it could mean?" Jack hurried to the railing with the others.
As the mob approached, a booming voice silenced the others, "In the name of the King, surrender at once or we shall blow your ship to smithereens!"
The boy watching Edward dreamily talk also wanted to go adventuring across the open seas himself, but at that moment, he would rather go down to the market and docks. Isaac had promised he would show him a secret, a very unbelievable secret
"Ahem. Can I go visit Isaac now? He wanted to show me something." Edward tore his eyes away from the round window and turned to Ashe.
"Oh. Oh yes! Yes, that Isaac. Of course. Just stay safe. I'm going down to the Hawkins' ship to show Jack some of my navigation and topographical equipment. I'll be on their ship. I'm spending the night to show them how to navigate by the stars." Edward replied, but Ashe was already down the stairs. Ashe had a secret to show Isaac himself, so on his way out he grabbed a little box and his coat.
Through the streets of Clagton he walked. As he began to imagine what Isaac's surprise could be, he quickened his pace. Usually he did the talking and Isaac with his brown hair and green eyes would listen attentively while he worked even though they were almost 6 years apart. Ashe wondered if he listened just to be nice or because he was interested.
_______
Meanwhile, Edward Butterworth collected his navigation tools, his mapping equipment, and an extra change of clothes for the next day. Most men wore the same pair of clothes for several days, but Mr. Butterworth believed in staying clean at all times. With great effort, he closed the latches on his two trunks, drug them of the bed, and descended the stairs.
When he reached the first floor of the Inn, which was a sort of restaurant, he saw Fredrik talking to Cynwreg, Jack's brother. Fredrik giant mustache, protruding nose and plump features were animated as he told some sort of story. Edward meandered over to them and intended to procure a trip down to the Hawkin's boat, which he wanted to see again since last time he had been down there. Edward joined the conversation. Without warning, the doors to the tavern and inn flew open and a ragged old man stumbled through.
"Please, help." The man began coughing hysterically. Cynwreg, being the compassionate and helpful man he was, came forward and the injured man fell into his arms. "Please, they're coming. Help me." The man convulsed and continued coughing. Standing in shock, Edward noticed that the man's upper arm and forehead was bleeding, along with his wrists, which were rubbed raw.
"Quick! Fredrik, get a wet cloth for this man's wounds! Hurry!" Cynwreg sprung into action.
Fredrik quickly returned with the cloth as the man fell into unconsciousness. Even after the attentive care of Cynwreg, Fredrik, and Edward, the man didn't get any better. His frail body was still limb, bloodied, and white.
"We need to take him down to my ship. Martha has some special herbs that will be more effective." A stretcher was prepared, Mr. Butterworth grabbed his suitcase, and Cynwreg, Edward and Fredrik headed down to the docks."
_________
"I haven't told you were we came from?" Isaac looked surprised. He and Ashe had been talking for some time.
"No, you haven't. I've been wondering why you came over here on your own private ship instead of as passengers." Ashe replied. He had already told his friend Isaac Hawkins all about the imprisoned alchemist and the attack by the Hunter kids.
"Well, we used to live in a far away land, in a little village on the coast. My mother died when I was born, and my father died when I was 2. I don't remember them. But my Mom's siblings took me in. Anyway, one year we had a drought that lasted for a long time. Our farm failed and the livestock got a disease and died, too. We couldn't pay the debts, so we had to find something to do. My uncle Cynwreg, he's the oldest of his siblings, used to be a sailor or a pirate, and he still had a small ship named the Explorer. In the middle of the night we got on board with all or things and left our home behind."
"That must have been hard." Ashe imagined.
"It was. Anyway, we sailed for a week or two and stopped in Frankville. Iona, the girl you met the day we arrived here, and her mother also lost their farm in the drought and would have had to go the debtor's prison if we hadn't have taken them on as cooks. We got a good deal on that juneberry starch, came to Whistletrush Island and sold it here." This was the most Ashe had ever heard Isaac say at one time.
"Wow! Your uncle was a pirate!? What was your old home like? Did you have any siblings?" Ashe peppered him with questions.
"If you stop asking all these questions I might show you something really neat..." Isaac interrupted Ashe's interruption with a grin on his face.
"Oh, yes, please show me your secret!" The two boys, one almost a man, marched into the back of the shop. In an inconspicuous corner a giant coil of rope lay covered by a canvas.
Isaac beckoned the little boy closer as he threw back the canvas, "Ashe, I'd like you to meet Lock." Inside the coil of rope lay a yellow ball of fur. Ashe recoiled with horror when the creature, which he assumed was an exotic species of dog, lifted its oddly-shaped head, stretched out it's clawed for-feet, and produced a sulfurous yawn from its jaw that jutted outwards.
"Wha... What is it!?" Ashe backed away with disgust, uncertainty, and terror. The creature, or Treble, cocked its head at Ashe and stared with its deep blue eyes.
"Don't be afraid!" Isaac said with a laugh, then more seriously, "and don't let anyone see him. If they do they'll try and hurt him.
"Is it an Ankleterror?" Ashe said with fear.
"One of those deranged little mammals that eat peoples' feet? Of course not!" Isaac began laughing harder. "He's a little miniature dragon! See, he has little sharp purple scales down his backbone. And his teeth stick up from his lower jaw."
"But, but, he's so little for a dragon, and he's furry!" Ashe was beginning to relax.
"He's a rare breed. And he's not fully grown yet. I found his egg when I was 12, and plus, dragons take forever to grow to the behemoths you've heard about." Isaac explained. Lock climbed out of his coil and sniffed at Ashe's pant leg, then he seemed to choke on something and coughed up a cloud of smoke.
"Can he breathe fire? Were did you find him? Did you have giant dragons at your home? Can Lock fly? Where are his wings?" Ashe was back to his normal self.
"He's hasn't gotten old enough to breathe fire yet, but he sure does cough up smoke a lot. He hasn't grown his wings yet, either."
Ashe was now petting the intelligent little creature. "Wow. He's so soft. Does he do any tricks?"
"Tricks!? Of course he does tricks! Dragons are the most intelligent creatures next to humans. Here, since it's time for me to go home anyway, why don't you come back to the ship and I'll show you what he can do." And with that, Isaac snuggled Treble into a sack to prevent anyone from panicking and the boys set off for the docks at about mid-afternoon
________
"Will he be alright?" Edward Butterworth dabbed at his balding forehead with a handkerchief.
"Well, I think so. The wonderroot paste on his wounds should do the trick, and the cream of treebledee soup will warm him up." Olive, Iona's mother, reported. Martha, Iona, and Olive, had just come up on deck. "Yes, I think he'll get better. I just home his family isn't looking for him." Olive was a very chatty person and was intent on reporting every detail or concern.
Jack turned to Mr. Butterworth. "You know, I really don't like how they made us move to the end of the docks to make room for the other, larger ships. It's quite a ways to shore. By the way, thanks for coming and showing us your equipment. I'll have to look into purchasing a sextant."
"Mother, look, here come Isaac and Ashe coming down the docks." Iona turned to Olive. The boys soon boarded and the story of the injured wayfarer was told.
Suddenly, the quiet Martha interrupted, "Oh my! What do you suppose that is!?" she pointed to the shore and there came a cloud of soldiers stampeding towards their boat, along with a angry group of fierce-looking children. They appeared to be battling.
"My word. What do you suppose it could mean?" Jack hurried to the railing with the others.
As the mob approached, a booming voice silenced the others, "In the name of the King, surrender at once or we shall blow your ship to smithereens!"
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