Richard Tuttle - Star of Sakova

“Help! Help! He’s killing me! Guards! Help!”

The Imperial Guards looked at each other as the woman’s scream called to them. One nodded his head and ran off towards the sound. Temiker waited only until the Guard was out of sight before sending another message in the same voice.

“Oh my god! He’s killed the Guard! Help me!”

Knowing that nothing moves an Imperial Guard quicker than one of his own in danger, the beggar was up and hobbling towards his new horse before the sound even died. Temiker swiftly mounted the horse snapping it out of the calming spell and was riding for the gate without even a thought as to whether it was manned or not; he knew it wouldn’t be. The wizard galloped out of the gate and took the shortest path for the forest. He knew his ruse would not last for very long though. The Imperial Guards would know they had been tricked, but they would have no idea about who tricked them or why. The invaders would be a little slower to put events together, but when they did, they would know in which direction Temiker had fled. He figured he had about half an hour head start on the invaders and he planned to use it wisely.

Angling away from the coast once he gained the forest, the wizard proceeded until he found a stream. He washed his head and robe to remove the mud and cast a light fire spell on the robe to dry it. He rode the horse into the stream and turned him towards the coast. He rode all the way down the stream until he reached the beach and then turned south again. Keeping the horse just in the water, so that the surf would remove the signs of his passing, Temiker rode down the coast to a tiny fishing village.

The fishermen were all about and getting ready for a day at sea. The fishermen used small sailboats to ply their trade, usually only one or two to a boat. Temiker paused to watch their preparations as they carried nets and lines and stowed them aboard. He gazed at each fisherman for a short time until he found the one he was looking for, a sturdy fisherman who was going out by himself. He was old enough to have the endurance the wizard required and young enough to spurn his trade for a treasure. Temiker rode up and dismounted by the young fisherman.

“Greetings,” Temiker said. “Do you know these waters well?”

The wizard was aware that he had instantly become the center of attention as all work stopped and everyone turned to see what the stranger would say.

“I should,” the young fisherman declared, “I make my living upon them. What’s it to ya?”

“I wish to rent your services for the day,” smiled the wizard.

“Ya do, do ya?” grinned the young fisherman expecting to barter a fair amount of coin for forgoing his daily chore. “Why would an old man want to go to sea?”

“I am dying,” stated Temiker, “and I wish to return home to die. I need a good sailor to get me there. ”

“You have a beautiful horse that can get ya there,” retorted the sailor. “She certainly looks strong enough to go a long ways.”

“She is at that,” smiled Temiker. “A pity that I will have to leave her behind though. Do you think you can care for a horse as fine as this one?”

The fisherman’s eyes widened as he took in the meaning of the old man’s words. The fisherman might be able to save enough to buy an old plow horse for a cart, but he would never own a good riding mare.

“I will pay you coin for the journey,” sweetened Temiker, “and leave the horse with you. I have no need for gold or horses where I am going.”

As Temiker expected, the young fisherman was beside himself with his good fortune. The other fishermen were babbling amongst themselves and the wizard listened to their remarks. Some felt as the young fisherman did, while others scoffed at the idea of a fisherman owning any kind of horse. There were a few older fishermen who voiced concern of a trick, but the younger fisherman had taken the bait and was ready to be reeled in.

“Just what do I have to do to earn this gold?” the young fisherman asked.

“Do you know of the island off the coast that is shaped like a butterfly and has two hills rising from it, one at each end?” Temiker asked.

“I do,” replied the young fisherman while pawing his chin. “That is a fair ways out from here. Not many fishermen are willing to go out that far. Some say the Motanga hunt out there. Your gold and horse will do a dead man no good.”

The Motanga were a reported civilization of intelligent ape people who supposedly lived on a very large island far to the East. Temiker believed the fairy tale was kept alive by sailors who lost their way at sea and were too embarrassed to admit it, so they made up stories about monster apes to turn the attention away from themselves. Still, that explanation would not suffice for a young fisherman.

“That is ridiculous,” offered Temiker. “I was born and raised on that island and have only been here for about five years. My family lives still on the island and we have never seen any Motanga. If you do not wish to sell me your services, merely say so. Please do not invent children’s stories to turn me away.”

The fisherman’s face reddened and Temiker could not tell whether he was angry or embarrassed. The wizard made like he was going to turn to leave the conversation and approach another fisherman when he felt the strong fingers of the young fisherman touch his arm lightly.

“I will take you,” the young fisherman declared. “I am not afraid of the Motanga or anything else that sails the seas. My name is Gerock and I will be ready to go as soon as I remove my fishing gear from the boat and get another lunch ready.”

Gerock started to empty his boat and the other fishermen returned to their chores, the excitement over. Temiker followed the young fisherman with the horse and when he found out which shack Gerock lived in, he tethered the horse out back of it. The wizard returned to the beach and watched the other fisherman set sail for the open water. Within a few moments, Gerock was ready to depart and Temiker boarded the small vessel. The fishing boat was a workboat and as such had no comforts at all. Temiker sat on an overturned bucket and smiled as he realized it had everything he required right now, a way to move over water.

The wizard watched the great ball of fire slowly rising over the sea as the new day dawned. The other fishing boats were scattering in every direction, seeking out their own secret spots to harvest the best catch of the day. Some went north and some south. Some stayed fairly close to shore and some went further out to sea. Gerock steered past them all and four hours later, none of them were visible.

“Gerock,” opened Temiker, “you said you knew these waters well. Do you know precisely where we are now that we cannot see land anymore?”

“Actually,” replied Gerock, “We can still see land. See that point on the horizon?”

Temiker followed the line of sight indicated by the fisherman’s finger and saw a tiny speck sticking up on the horizon.

“That is the spire of the Sun God in Alamar,” explained Gerock. “It is the tallest point around and I use it whenever I go far offshore. To answer your question, yes, I know where we are.”

“Are you familiar with a cove north of Alamar,” asked Temiker. “The cove that has a waterfall cascading into it?”

The young fisherman looked at the wizard skeptically. “I have been there but once,” Gerock replied. “I was a small boy and went with my father. I had a wonderful time diving off the rocks alongside the waterfall. Why do you ask me this?”

“That is where I would like to go,” Temiker smiled. “Will you take me there instead?”

Gerock stared at the old man. “I knew there was something strange about you,” he declared. “What game are you playing at? I have never heard of anyone living on the butterfly island and you do not look as though you are dying. I will have no mystery out of you, old man. I can leave you out here for the sea to claim and no one will be the wiser, so you had better start being truthful.”