Waves of Gold

::25 Years Ago::
 
 
After walking for nearly a full day, James finally came to the port city of Santander. He’d never seen a city so big and full. Sure the mine and surrounding area and villages were probably larger overall, but the amount of people he could see milling about, the sounds of hundreds, no thousands talking, even at this distance. And there, far away, at the edge, the sails of the merchant ships. The hope he had for saving his family. Having stood there long enough gawking at the sight before him, James set off to get into the city proper.
 
“So many people, so many different people.” He looked every bit the poor miners boy that he was seeing the shere profusion of wealth around him. Even the humble shop keeps seemed as merchant princes to him. And even with all this, it was easy to spot the high born folk. It was the way they carried themselves, and that most of them stayed in very fancy wagons, some of which seemed carved from solid blocks of gold. James kept out of the middle of the road, having seen enough accidents at the mine to know that simple rule. The smells that wafted through the are were the scents of Peitho’s halls, or Fodla’s hearth to him. Foods and drinks he’s never tasted, spiced with substances he’d never heard of. And incense and perfumes to tickle the nose and arouse passion. It was all so overwhelming. But he had a mission, and was determined to succeed how only a sixteen year old from a hard life can know.
 
Step by agonizing step, through complete sensory overload, he eventually made his way to the docks. The smell of the salt water pervaded his senses, permeating his mind, and gave him a feeling of rightness, that this was something he was always supposed to have, to be near. Most of the ships were unloading and loading cargo, and many harsh words were shouted in strange tongues as James made a complete mess of himself trying to navigate through the lines. A few even gave him a light cuffing to hurry him on his way. James tries asking around about joining a crew, but most of the crews on the dozen or more ships in the harbor shout at him, telling him to get away, calling him worthless dock rat, and worse things.
 
There were ships of all sizes in the harbor that day, and more besides moored out, waiting for their turn. Small sloops to massive merchanters crowded the docks. However, only one had a desk set on the docks next to the gangplank. It was a huge ship, bigger than all the rest, and was one of the single largest things he’d ever seen. Behind the desk sat a bored looking Sea Elf, their skin a combination of blue with white stripes, like sunlight reflection off the bottom of the sea. Their hair was set in several braids, and was a brilliant emerald green. Knowing people behind desks tend to know things, James approached the Elf, who, without looking any less bored set his eyes on him.
 
 
[“Hello, my name is Jam”]
 
 
“Sorry kid, I don’t speak ‘afling. You speak ‘ommon?”
 
James stared at the Elf for a few seconds, his brain working to figure out what they said through their extremely thick accent. “Common? Yes, I do.”
 
“‘Ood, what’cha wan?”
 
“I’m hoping to join a crew sir!” He said with all of the enthusiasm and bravado of youth.
 
At this the Elf perked up a bit, seeming slightly less bored now, and gave James a hard appraising look. “Do you now? I see ‘our ‘ands be a ‘orking persons ‘ands. You ‘ver sailed ‘efore?”
 
 
Taking a few more seconds to translate, his brain starting to catch on. “No sir, never sailed. Miner.”
 
“You a ‘iner eh? Why you ‘ant ta sail kid?” The piercing look the Elf gave James told him that the wrong answer would see this conversation ended right then and there with no hope of salvage. Deciding that honesty was the best answer, and unable to come up with a creative lie, James spoke.
 
“Because my family has been poor, and half starved for most of our lives. Because I can handle hard work, not afraid of it for certain. Because mining doesn’t pay enough because those that own it are starving us to line their pockets. Because I don’t know another way to do right by my family. And because a crazy old sailor showed me how much he had made on only a part of a trip, and it was more than I’d seen in my entire life. Said the seas were made of gold for those willing to brave the waves. And so I can take some, and give it back to my family so they don’t have to starve just to get by.” He tries to sound strong but his voice quivers as he continued, stopping just short of sounding truly desperate.
 
The Elf just looked at him for a few minutes, his gaze holding James to the spot. “Okay, I ‘elieve you. But mining an sailing are two ‘ifferent beasts. There’s always a chance you ‘on’t be ‘omming back. That the Wave-Master feels you ‘ould be better at ‘erving him under the ‘aves then on them.”
 
 
“Sir, I’ve faced possible death or laming injury every day for the last three years. This doesn’t seem any different except you’ll pay me proper for it.” A smile, one that’s mischievous and a bit sassy breaks out on James’s face.
 
Seeing that the Elf smiled back, one much warmer than anything he’d given yet. “Alright, now ‘ere’s what…”
 
[“SAEVEL! Is that my new cabin boy you’ve got there?”] The shout came from above, high on the deck of the ship above them. And while the accent of Vodacce was strange, James could understand them just fine.
 
[“Aye ‘aptin. ‘Ust ‘aiting for ‘im to sign the book!”]
 
James looked incredulously at the Elf. [“But I thought you said”]
 
 
Saevel laughed and looked at James. [“Just a ‘ittle joke we like to ‘lay. ‘Sides, ‘ommon be the trade ‘anguage of the ‘orld. Didn’t want ta take the ‘ime to ‘each ya!”] He slides a book out from under the table and opens it up to the section with the title Greenhorn. [“The pay is fifteen ‘old a ‘onth as a ‘reenhorn. ‘Tay on a ‘ouple a trips, an you get ‘egular crew pay, chis thirty gold a ‘onth. Bonus for ‘reenhorn is twenty gold ‘or ‘hort trip, up to ‘undred gold for the really ‘ong ones. Can you ‘rite?”
 
James stood there, poleaxed. James could barely comprehend the numbers he was hearing. Having never sailed before, being this “greenhorn”, and the pay for one month was what he’d make in almost eight, since the mine owners had cut his pay. He’d be making more than his father did. Much more so if he stayed on. And a bonus? James wavered on his feet for a second, feeling dizzy. Saevel looked concerned for a second before James was able to catch himself. With a shaking hand, he signed the book.
 
 
[“‘Lright ‘aptain. ‘Ooks like you ‘ot ‘erself a new ‘abin boy!”]
 
[“That’s wonderful Saevel, send him up will you, might as well get him started. Oh! And don’t forget about his in shore pay, we’ll make sure to address that before we head out.”]
 
Saevel stook up and held out his hand to James. James eagerly took it and shook. [“‘Elcome to ‘aptain Elkin ‘eenfellows crew, and the ‘hip Moondancer ‘ames ‘aint Mirth”] Saevel motioned for him to walk up the plank and onto the ship. Greeting him was a halfling in the most ostentatious clothing he’d ever seen, with colors set to blind someone if they looked at them too long.
 
[“Welcome aboard the Moondancer James. I’m Captain Keenfellow, Elkin to my friends, and as my cabin boy I hope that’s what you’ll become!”] The Captain turned and started walking toward his cabin at the back of the ship under the stern deck. [“I like to keep my crew happy, so while we’re in port everyone gets twenty silver a day to be able to go out and have a good time while where here. I don’t care what they spend it on, just so long as it doesn’t bring trouble back to the ship. Now here is my cabin…”]
 
Again, these numbers were thrown at James, and he could not believe it. This was a dream, and if so he prayed to never wake up. He’d just been promised more money then he’d ever thought possible. He could hear the old sailor in the back of his head, laughing and saying “see, I told you so boy. Now go find your fortune.”