#9.2 My life, chasing my seadream.

After the captain told me I was accepted, I asked what I should do next. I will show you around my beautiful ship lad, he said. You are standing on the beautiful Spanish galleon Medusa. This is the ship my father gifted me on his deathbed. We mainly transport goods trough the seven seas, but also sometimes escort merchants and other ranking people. Let me show you the inside, please follow me. after 2 hours or so we went trough the whole ship. What do you think, he asked. I think the ship is wonderful and big, I said. Yes, he laughed. She is a big lady, but pretty. I nodded in agreement. We will depart tomorrow when all goods are on board. So do what you have to do and get what you need, if you are not back in time we might have to leave you behind, the captain said. I thanked the captain and went to the local store.
I bought some shoes a dagger and a bag. The merchant said to me, I see you are going on an adventure, maybe I have something of interest to you. Somebody came by and sold me this map for a few copper coins. I read the map, but I can’t make anything out of it. You can have the map for 30 copper coins. That’s a lot of coin, I said. Tell you what, he replies, you get your supplies and this map for 60 copper coins. I jingle my small bag of coins and empty it on the counter. Seems you have only 48 copper sir, he says. I look at him and say, that’s all I got. Alright then, he says. What am i to do with this map anyway. I hand over the copper, and I receive my supplies and my map. While I put my stuff in the bag I thank the merchant and go outside.

 I should tell my dad I am leaving, I thought. So I turned to the gate outside and asked the guards to open the gate for me. The gate opened and I walked trough. The guard outside of the gate asked how it went. I told them I was granted a spot on the Medusa. The two guards looked at each other in disbelief and told me I did a good job. We are to depart in two days, so I have to say my goodbye to my father. The guards nodded and waved me goodbye. 

when i was walking to my home I saw someone eyeballing me. He walked towards me and asked if I had some food to spare. I told him I just gave all my money to the merchant for my supplies, but I offered him my old shoes, as he din’t wear any. He smiled at me and kindly accepted my old shoes and put them on, they fit his feet nicely. He thanked me and said to me, your kindness will one day be repaid. I bowed slightly to the man and walked on to my home. 

When I was there I saw smoke coming from the chimney, and it smelled like food. I opened the front door and walked in. my dad looked at me and said smiling, I knew you would return. It smells good, I said to my dad. Would you like some carrot soup, he asked me while handing over the bowl of soup. I sat down and took the steaming bowl from my fathers hands. He took a bread from the basket on the table and broke a piece of, there you go, he said. He poured some soup in a bowl for himself and sat across me at the table. So, what happened he asked. I told my father what had happened today, and he listened to the things I had to tell while eating his soup.
After I told him everything, we both finished our bowls and put them aside. So the ship will be parting in two days, I said to my father. What great news, he said. You can finally take the first steps of making your dream come true. I nodded. How long will you be gone for, he asked. I don’t know I said, I haven’t asked the captain. Well, I hope it won’t be too long, my father said. I hope so too, I said. He stood up and picked up the bowls and put them away. Now you might want to rest a little for you have much energy to spend the upcoming weeks I suppose, my father said to me. He patted me on my shoulder and sat himself in his rocking chair. I went to my room and looked around for things I could bring with me on my journey. I din’t have much stuff, but I did have some copper coins and 2 silver coins in my drawer. I decided to take 1 silver coin and the 15 copper coins I had, and put them in my coin bag. You never know when you might need some copper or silver on the road. I laid myself on my bed with my arms behind my head and thought to myself what I could do while I was on the ship. I know I’d be working my bottom off, but i don’t mind working hard. That is what i have done all my life. That would be the easy part. I guess i could ask the captain if there was someone who could train me how to fight with a sword, I thought. I took off my shoes, rolled over and quickly fell asleep.

The next morning the sun greets me with a warm light in my face. As I open my eyes, I roll over to my side and sit up on the edge of the bed. My father is already doing stuff in the living room. It sounds like he is sweeping the floor. As I put on my shoes I walk out to the room where my father is. Good morning son, he says. Good morning father, I reply. Father, I have something to show you. What might that be, he asks. I say, yesterday I bought a map from the merchant in town, but he din’t know what it is for. That’s curious, my father replies. Let’s see it then. As I pull out the map from my bag and roll out the map on the table we see several items drawn and some sort of map. On the map it shows a dagger, a goat, a ship, some coins and fruits. There is also some kind of island drawn on the map, but it has no name. There is also a small X on the map. My father points to the x and asks me, what is that? I don’t know, I reply. It looks like a treasure map, my father says. Maybe these are the items that you need, to get whatever is there. or maybe that is what you can trade on that island. That is a very curious map my father says. I agree and let him look a little bit longer. I stand up and get some water from the jug, and put it in a cup to drink it. As I look at my father, looking at the map he suddenly puts up his finger and makes a movement which symbols I got to get closer.
As I look at the map where my father is pointing he says, doesn’t this look like a drawn entrance of something? Maybe a cave, I reply. Possibly, he says. Well, I hope you will find whatever this map will bring you, he says as he rolled up the map and gave it back to me. I will try to find whatever it is, and share my findings with you father. My father smiles and walks outside. The rest of the day I spend with my father caring for the horses. When suddenly my dad asks me, why did they say you were a slave master again?  Because I handle a whip, and I din’t really get time to explain to them I am just a horse trainer, I answered. You better tell them as soon as possible, don’t hide anything from your captain son. I nod in agreement with my father. The evening falls, we eat and go to bed. The next morning it is just getting lighter outside. My father silently wakes me up and tells me not to get late. I put on my shoes and collect my things. As I am about to give my father a hug and say goodbye he stops me and hands me a small chest. He opens the chest and a nicely carved ring with a skull and red ruby eyes appears. I want you to take this with you my son, he says to me. Are you sure father? He nods and hands me the ring. I try it on my middle finger and it fits perfectly. See, it even fits you, he says with a happy tone. I thank my father for his kindness and give him a big hug. I’ll be back with the most spectacular stories father, I say. My father smiles and says, I can’t wait my boy. I grab my bag and walk trough the door. Waving my father goodbye I walk to the town gates. 

I see your time to depart has arrived boy, one of the guards says as he opens the gate. Yes sir, I awnser. I thank the guards and walk to the bay. The Medusa is still moored in the distance, and I can see the captain on the shore with some of the crew members. As he sees me aproaching him he gets up and yells, it is time to depart lads! Come come he says, let’s start our adventure. We get in the boats and row towards the ship. As we get on board of the ship the cook points me to my hammock under the deck and the chest for my belongings. He hands me the key to the chest and walks off into the distance. I put my belongings in the chest and put the key on my belt. Slowly I try out my new hammock which is very wobbly at first, but after a few tries I sit in it very comfortably. All of a sudden I hear a loud scream from the upper deck saying, WE ARE DEPARTING! ALL HANDS ON DECK!