The Sea

"You can see the whole of the harbour from here." I nodded and paused to admire the view.
"It was a morning like this when he left." My nose twitched, here was a story I was sure so I waited for him to continue....

"We had always been the best of friends, Gradyn and I, and shared in everything. So no one was surprised when we two pooled our money and bought our own ship. Gradyn was captain and I first mate. Gradyn always lead in all we did. So it was that while Gradyn was the first to win the heart of Bridget the pretty daughter of the merchant who bought our cargo of fish each year I loved her too. But now for the first time Gradyn couldn't share with me, yet I remained cheerful. We planned a trip to the Sea of Islands to catch some exotic fish and perhaps to find other valuable cargo. It was a long and dangerous voyage and would bring us both great wealth if we survived.

So that spring we set sail toward the south. Our ship was small but finely built and she ran eagerly ahead of the spring storms. We and our crew speculated and dreamed about what we would find in the Sea of Islands. The air and the sea turned warm and we saw whales and porpoises play in the blue waters near the occasional lonely tiny island. After weeks of sailing the lookout cried out that he saw islands dotting the sea as far as he could see. We had arrived.

The sea there was gentle and generous. The natives who came to greet us were friendly. It was all that I had hoped for and more. We fished and traded until Our hold was full and we were all sated with wonder. So we started home. Only days into the return voyage a fierce storm struck. We fought to keep our ship afloat in the huge waves which towered over us. Day and night were equally black as rain battered at them endlessly. Soon we fought exhaustion as much as the elements. It was I who made the mistake of turning the ship a little too abroad of the wind. The mast snapped like a twig and was carried into the storm. Gradyn was swept off his feet by the foaming water but miraculously he caught hold of the rail. I fought with the wheel and yelled for someone to help Gradyn but my voice was lost in the storm. I could see my friend crying for help but for me to leave the wheel would mean certain death for all on board. I watched helplessly as Gradyn yelled and cursed. But all I could do was concentrate on keeping the ship afloat. I didn't hear Gradyn scream as he was torn from the rail but I could feel the emptiness at my side.

Weeks later we limped into port, our ship crippled, the crew exhausted. Much of their fine cargo was ruined but enough survived to have made the trip worthwhile. After a time I married Bridget and became merchant in Ekoor. Others dared the voyage to the Sea of Islands, but I never went again. My business kept me at home and I only rarely went to sea. I had a son and named him Gradyn, than other sons and daughters. my sons sailed as cabin boys, and then as Captains, with their sons as cabin boys. I lived alone again with Bridget and was content.
Until one evening a stranger came in with a trader and sought me out in my office. He was old and battered by life, his hands gnarled like tangled ropes and his face etched by sun and wind and rain.

"What can I do for you stranger?" I asked.

"No stranger to you Kaz." The old man growled. My blood went cold and my pen dropped from an unfeeling hand.

"Gradyn" I croaked. "But we thought you were..."

"Dead?" The old man snorted."Dead I would have been but something caught me up and carried me to a solid shore. I could not see it but only feel its warm skin. It left me on a small island with a tiny spring, and a few trees I could see no other land from any of its shores and it held nothing to bring any native or trader there." He looked at me soft and rich from this merchant life. "I waited for you to come back for me, so I could still believe you my friend. Then I wait for rescue so I could take my revenge, I knew you would have the ship, and Bridget too. I thought of you beside her in her wedding dress and I howled for your blood. I imagined your children; strong sons and daughters and I imagined holding them in my hand while I laughed at your pleas for mercy. I thought of the new ships you would buy and imagined my glee as I set each one aflame. Each day I would get up and fight to survive on my lonely island so I could plan new and more horrible vengeance on my friend who left me to die"

Twisted hands knotted in fists, Gradyn towered over me. Unable to speak for fear I leaned away from my ancient friend. But Gradyn sighed and walked to the window. He looked out at the moonlit harbour.

"A strange thing happened then. I looked at my calendar stick and realised that I had been on that island for five years. It was only the thoughts of you that had kept me alive. My anger faded like a morning mist. I still though of you and sometimes I cursed you, but mostly I thought almost fondly of you and Bridget. I thought of you growing wealthy, of becoming the owner of a fleet of trading vessels, not just one small fishing ship. I began to see what went on around me. I began to watch the endless oceans which held me captive. One day I saw a thousand dolphins playing in the sunlit waves, and I swam out and joined their games. Another day I saw a fish longer than our little ship swimming peacefully through an afternoon calm until it was taken in a swirl of water like a trout striking a fly. One night I saw the whole ocean glow brighter than the moon from creatures smaller than your finger. I saw storms and calm, winter and summer. For twenty years I lived with the sea as my mistress and lover, my only companion.

One day I woke to see a ship anchored off my shores. I hid. I fought my rescuers when they caught me and brought me aboard their ship. Gradually I adjusted to words and faces again, I sailed with them and with other crews until my hands grew too twisted to hold a rope then they kindly left me in a port town with a little money. I bought suppers with my tales of the sea. When they ran dry I went hungry. I went to each ship as it sailed and begged them to take me with them. Each one refused, gruffly or kindly, they all refused. Somehow I had grown old and worthless. So I came to you. Walking endless miles of road far from the sea, I came to see you." Gradyn turned from the window and came back to stand in front of me.

"What do you want of me? Money, a place to stay? What do you want?" I babbled. Gradyn shook his head.

"I want to sail on that ship that is loading in the harbour. I want the feel of a moving deck beneath my feet. I want to feel the sun and the salt wind. I want to return to my lover and mistress so when I die I will be held in her arms. Who else could I ask but my my oldest friend?"

In the early morning when the ship slid through the mist that old sailor was on board. He disappeared one night in the South Sea. When I was told, I wept for him. My oldest friend.

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