“Shh, stay still, maybe it’ll go away.” Prin whispered.

“What is it? An animal? Or just some kind of debris?” Elwin’s voice unconsciously lowered to match Prin’s volume.

“There are all kinds of creatures in the ocean.” The prince said. “Fish, and giant squid, eels, and mermaids, whales. And big things they don’t even have names for.”

“Things bigger than whales?” Elwin said. “Mermaids!?”

Prin gave him a look.

Just then something bumped the boat again, and the side began to dip down.

Elwin had a sudden panic that the boat was about to be overturned. He closed his eyes tight, opening them again almost immediately when instead of the rush of ice-cold water he heard the sharp gasping intake of breath from the prince.

A creature indeed had put its head over the side of the boat. It was pale skinned, bigger than a person, with a misshapen head and long snout open wide and full of teeth!

The thing inched forward, threatening to tip the boat in its attempt to climb on board. It closed its mouth and poked Prin’s leg with the end of its long snout.

Prin screamed, an excited, terrified burst. Causing Elwin to scream in a domino effect, and then the creature opened its mouth wide again and let out a loud honk.

Elwin grabbed blindly for the oar behind him, thinking maybe if he hit the thing it would retreat.

But before he could reach it, he was startled again by Prin bursting out in peals of laughter, Excited, nervous, manic laughter.

The thing honked again, almost in answer, and used its nose to snuffle around their luggage. It flapped a flipper on the boards of the boat as it honked, nosily hunting for something. Its eyes were far apart on each side of the head, making it hard for it to see what was directly in front of it. It pulled back slightly and showed its lumpy profile, looking the prince directly in the eye.

Prin continued to laugh in helpless hysterics until Elwin became worried for him.

“We should -We should hit it.” Elwin said.

Prin stopped laughing and looked at him aghast. He went to the bag filled with food from Squeaks and held it out to the creature. “Is this what you’re looking for?” He hiccupped weakly like a child who had been crying.

The creature stuck its long pale nose into the bag and snuffled out a piece of cheese, making quick work of it, paper wrapping and all.

“How about this?” Prin held out an apple.

The creature opened its mouth wide and gobbled the apple in one bite.

“I hope you don’t choke on the core.” Prin said. He held out a hunk of bread and patted the things flipper as it took the bread from his other hand. “I think it’s friendly!”

“I’m worried for your fingers, not to mention the boat.” Elwin fretted.

“Okay, that’s enough now.” Prin told the thing gently.

The boat was rocked yet again as dozens of pale tentacles came up from the water and over the side of the boat, creeping and wriggling toward Prin.

“Ahh!” Prin screamed. He scooted backwards but didn’t have far to go before he hit the opposite side of the boat. The tentacles advanced like so many fat worms, poking nooks and crannies of the boat and into the luggage, almost like they were independent creatures and not sightless appendages of the thing. One took it upon itself to wrap around the toe of Prin’s boot.

He took the sack of food and threw it as far as he could into the ocean.

The thing gave a disapproving honk as it flopped away over the side of the boat, taking its tentacles with it and swimming off toward the discarded food.

“Go, go! Before it runs out and decides to eat us next.” Prin said.

Elwin scrambled into his seat and rowed toward the island with a burst of speed he didn’t know he was capable of. He doubted very much that they could outrun the creature, which seemed very capable in all ways, but he had to do something.

“Was that . . a mermaid?” Prin asked, eyes once again as round and wide as full moons.

After the mermaid encounter, there was no chance of getting tired again any time soon. And they had lost all of their food.

So, they made good time to Peacock Island, switching off rowing now and then, and letting the adrenaline carry them through. Prin was uncharacteristically quiet.

As they approached the beach, the sun was rising again, and the prince was rowing.

Elwin stood up to watch the beach come into view. “Wow, I’m surprised we didn’t come up on a rocky cliff or something with nowhere to land.” He said.

“Right or left?” Prin asked. “Sit back down.”

Elwin sat down. “Uh, slightly to the left would be better. That looks like a good spot. Now . . . the million dollar question. Is this pirate side or rich people side?”

“I’m sure it will be fine either way.” Prin said, speaking it into truth.

When the water got shallow, Elwin got out and pulled the boat toward shore, eventually joined by Prin. Although it was a shame they both had to get boots and pants legs full of cold salt water. And no one even gave a thought to taking them off, until it was too late.

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“We have to bring it up far enough ashore to avoid the sea reclaiming it.” The prince said.

Elwin wasn’t sure what it mattered, since he didn’t plan on ever getting back in the rickety lifeboat again, but he didn’t argue. He could sense Prin was in no kind of mood for it.

They pulled and dragged the heavy boat well up onto the shore.

Prin flopped onto the sand beside the boat, throwing his arm up over his face. “Ugh, I’m sorry.”

Elwin sat down beside him. “Sorry for what?” He picked at the sodden laces on his boots. He was cold, and the wet feet weren’t doing him any favors. Finally, the laces released and he was able to kick off his shoes and peel off his socks. He rolled the wet part of his pants up, not wanting to take them off altogether.

The sand felt good on his sore feet. It was pale yellow-white like sweet corn in the early morning rays.

There was no one on the beach but the two of them, and no sign of humans having ever been there at all. It was nice.

“I lost all of our food.” Prin said. “I was stupid.”

“At least we still have the water.” Elwin said. He got up and rummaged the jug of water and a couple of pairs of dry socks out of their luggage, bringing them back to Prin. “Besides, you very well might have saved our lives back there.”

“Nah.” Prin said. “I doubt it.”

“What might have happened if I hit it with the oar?” Elwin wondered. “I think it would have made it really really angry.” He laughed sheepishly. “Not my finest idea.”

Prin seemed despondent, but Elwin was willing to bet exhaustion was the main culprit. As it wasn’t like him to be so pessimistic.

Elwin took Prin’s shoes and socks off. “Lets get you some dry feet and sleep for a while. I think that’s the best thing for it.” He put the dry socks on Prin’s feet and rolled up his pants legs. “On the boat might be better?”

Prin shrugged, staying where he was in the sand.

Elwin, who very well might have been feeling some of the effects of sleep-drunk himself, lay down beside Prin and waves his arms and legs around in the sand. “We used to do this in the snow sometimes! Me and Dolce. Snow eagles!” He stood up again and pointed to the marks in the sand. “See the wings and the tail feathers.”

Prin laughed weakly.

“Come on, come on, try it! It’s good luck.” Elwin enticed. He wiggled Prin’s arms for him. “Like this.”

Prin moved his arms and legs and then sat up to look at the results. “Okay, okay . . . it’s ki-ind of a bird. But that aint no eagle.”

Elwin laughed. He reached down and pulled Prin up. “Come on, get up. You don’t know what kind of creepy crawlers might get in your ears if you go to sleep in the sand. Besides, it’s cold.” Elwin went to the boat and made them a bed as best he could with the one thin blanket they had brought and a strewn out arrangement of clothes.

They went to sleep in each other’s arms, with Prin’s cloak over them for warmth, hoping tomorrow, or today rather, would be a better day.

Elwin pulled the cover up over his eyes. He must have forgotten to close the curtains before he went to bed because now the full force of the sun was invading his bedroom, threatening to create a monster headache behind his eyes.

There was also noise, some talking and laughing. The kids in the courtyard, no doubt. He would have to get up soon and go check on Prin, as was his morning routine. Still, just a few more minutes would be nice.

“Pirate. Island. Pirate. Island. Pirate. Island.” An excited voice was repeating, way too close to his face.

Elwin removed the cover, and Prin’s face, dusted with fine sand, sparkling with barely restrained glee, was mere inches away. “What?” Elwin asked groggily. He felt the dizzying lurch of his reality adjusting, as he realized that he was not back in his own little bedroom in TallHillde at all, and in fact that had been . . . half a week ago? And it felt like more.

“We’re here! We have to check it out.” Prin said. He sat up and patted Elwin’s chest. “Come on, we can’t sleep all day.” He got out the water jug and took a drink. “Here, finish this off. We’ll have to refill it somewhere today.”

Elwin sat up slightly, with a groan that he wasn’t sure came out of his mouth or the creaky complaint of his joints. He took the last couple of drinks from the water jug, his mouth still feeling sandy afterwards.

Looking around, the beach was just as deserted as this morning. It was just a small section of shoreline cradled between the ocean and a half ring of trees. By the quality of the light, it must be afternoon by now.

“I can’t believe no one bothered us by now.” Elwin said.

“Just lucky I guess.” Prin said with a smile. He took off his socks and tossed them in the sand, going out to just where the water kissed his toes. “I do see a few ships out there. But I guess this cove is too small for a dock, so it’s useless.” He put his hand above his eyes to block the strength of the rays.

“You’re going to get a sunburn, be careful.” Elwin said. He was so groggy, he was having trouble getting the motivation to move.

“I could use a little color.” Prin said. “Do I have freckles yet?” He looked back over his shoulder at Elwin.

“Not yet.” Elwin said. Just a whopper of a big bruise. He frowned, not liking to remember what happened on the big boat.

It was warmer now than it had been this morning, but it was still early fall, ushering in the oncoming bite of winter. Prin was only dressed in his shirt and rolled up pants. Elwin was surprised he could stand it.

“I have your sweater here.” He said, holding up the warm blue sweater that Prin had worn frequently in his tower days.

“Hey, there are shells here!” Prin ignored him, bending to pick up a shell from near his foot. “Oh, what’s this? Some pirate treasure?” He came back to Elwin and showed him a little pink and white seashell and a shining silver ring, held in his slender fingers. He dropped the loot in Elwin’s palm. “Do you think . . . that fell out of a pirate’s nose?” He wrinkled his own nose at the thought.

Elwin laughed. “Nah, just off one’s finger.” He took the ring and slipped it onto Prin’s thumb. He was almost surprised to see that after all they had been through, the gold and clear stone ring was still on his pinky. “You should go back where you found it and see if there’s anything else.”

Prin went back to the edge of the water and dig around with his toe for a bit. “I think it was probably washed in from somewhere else.” He said.

Elwin got out of the boat and stretched each limb gingerly. Oh yeah, he would be needing a real bed tonight if at all possible. Probably not possible. He wasn’t sure how much a night at an Inn cost, but was fairly certain he didn’t have it in the change left over from the loan Dolce had given him.

Making some money while the sun still shone would have to be their first priority. Elwin folded the clothes and blanket back up and repacked them into the two back packs. Thinking better of his packing, he repacked them so that clothes and the blanket, less important stuff, was in the larger of the two and the more expensive to replace or necessary gear was in the other. There was no use carrying their clothes around with them all day.

The prince came back, by this time shivering and trying to wriggle his bare toes into the sand for warmth. He crossed his arms over his chest. “What’s next boss?” He teased.

Elwin hugged Prin close, running his hands up and down the thin young man’s arms in an effort to impart warmth. “We have to look for work. Maybe if we can find a dock where they are unloading goods? Or maybe a farmer? When we get into town, keep your eyes peeled.”

“Ah, okay.” Prin nodded. “I guess you’re right.”

“I don’t want to sleep in the boat again.” Elwin said. He sat down and roughly brushed the sand from Prin’s feet before putting his socks and boots back on. “Here.” He put Prin’s cloak around his shoulders, and put on his own as well. “Is that better.”

“Much warmer.” Prin agreed. “Hey, you know, I was thinking. Even though we got off track, and didn’t land at the next port where we were planning to go, this might be the best thing that could have happened.” He looked at Elwin with shining hopeful eyes, eyes where Elwin could almost swear he could see the clock work gears turning away behind the crystalline blue surface.

“Yeah? How’s that?” Elwin asked, he fiddled around with the clasp on Prin’s cloak, getting it centered and closed securely.

“Don’t you think pirates and witches definitely know each other?” The prince asked.