I walk around the village as the smell of the sea invades my nose, before the stink of fish joins the smell and I have to stop myself from gagging. I knew that logically I should’ve gotten used to the smell of fish over the seventeen years I lived there, but I never really did. I walk over to one of the vendors who wasn’t busy, and bought two fresh Silver fish. I dragged out the bag of copper that Matron had given me to buy all the stuff I needed, and paid 12 copper, something I saw a tourist complain about. I tossed the fish over my shoulder, and looked at the tourist as they approached me.
“Why do you get fish so cheap? When I had to buy from this vendor, they charged me a whole 20 copper for the same amount of fish.” I stare at them. They’re ridiculous. After all, I knew the vendor, and I live here. The vendor knew that the orphanage was under a lot of strain keeping all the orphans, as Matron was a lot better than some other orphanages in the nearby towns, as she didn’t kick out the orphans when the place got too full, instead she let them stay for as long as they need, even if they are technically by their species an adult. The vendor then spoke up for me. “Ma’am, I know this kid, and I know that he and the orphanage that he comes from is extremely tight in budget, and any cheaper prices means they can buy more food and help the kids more. It’s a discount of living in the village.” The tourist huffs. “So? What does that matter?”
The vendor scowls. “Go. If you bother us again for our lower prices, I will tell all the other vendors not to sell to you.” The tourist scurries off in horror, and I look at the man gratefully. “Thank you.” He nods. “Anytime kid.”
I stare at the streets, recounting all the times I’ve run through these stalls, the people on the streets that sat by the curb, the old man and his boat sketches, one of which is still hung up on the wall under a cover with a magic enchantment as if to remember him. He was a sailor, a fish man, and one of the greatest warriors that had protected this town time and time again from monsters or sea creatures or even just the sea. He knew pirates and sailors, adventurers and travellers. He had told stories of his youth, of all sorts of things, and I couldn’t help but sigh as I looked at the painting.
‘Blackbird.’ It was his most prized ship. One that had sailed with him through good and bad. In fact, most of his stories that he told were about Blackbird, whether he mentioned it or not, since a good chunk of his adventures were taken up by that ship carrying them through the seas. It had been seasons ago that the ship had finally been put to rest, burnt at sea and now eternally wanders the seas of a canvas, looking out upon the world with adventure.
Shankhe shook his head as the old man’s voice came to him. This wasn't a sad occasion, he didn’t need to make it one.
I then walk over to the fresh and dried fruit section, where I can see my friend, Justin, managing one of the fruit stalls. I walk over to him with a smirk. “Having fun, Justin? You shouldn’t get caught stealing fruit.” Justin looks up as he hears my voice, clearly annoyed. “You set me up! You knew Pa was going to be out on the docks, so when we were snacking you went get drinks when you saw Pa near the cafe, and went get drinks to avoid him spotting you!” He complained. “I didn’t know your Pa was going to be there. It wasn’t my fault he looked at us when I got to get drinks.” Justin huffed annoyed, and then said. “Anyways, order and amount.” He said it with such a tired and practiced tone that I gave up on arguing and gave him my order.
“Three apples and two bags of trail mix.” I say. As he gets the trail mix in the bag, he looks at me. “You’re leaving tomorrow, aren’t you?” I nod, and it seems to dampen his mood, but he just perks up a bit when he mentions something. “You’ll come back for Janro at least, right?” He asks, and I have to say something that would comfort his feelings, but also accomodate for me wanting to get to Paktu and live out my dreams. “Maybe.” He shrugs, hands me the apples and trail mix and says. “Better than nothing I guess.” I take the bags, putting them in my pouch. “Seven copper.” He says after a moment of calculating money. Of course, I knew that he was downgrading the price already, but still protested, just for fun. “No friend discount?” I plead, but he shakes his head and holds out his hand again insistently, shaking it. I sigh in defeat and hand over the copper. “Nice doing business with you Shankhe. (Pronounced sh-ah-n-ck-eh.)” I glare back at him. “Have fun fruit dealing.” I say mockingly back at him. He grumbles something incoherent, but I turn away at that.
As I walk through the market, several fish men and tourists are going around. This is Shitaki, the Kingdom of tourism and swimming from the Shafka area. Although Shafka only has two kingdoms, Sharon’s and Shitaki, it has a lot of tourism, meaning that for its two kingdoms, it makes up a lot of the trade market, and people generally profit more here if they are a vendor or someone appealing to tourists like an inn or tavern. But, although this may be true, it doesn’t necessarily mean every town is profitable, and although ours is decent enough to allow discounts for those poorer in town, I’ve seen nearby villages not be as fortunate.
Shirono is the kingdom of fish men, who love making boats, and even though they swim, they make some of the greatest boats known to Jesva. Tourists often come around to Shirono via Shitaki, as Shirono is less open to tourism due to their past, but still they’re working on it, and it's a very popular place. You see, back in the day they used to be great fishermen, and could do all sorts of amazing things, but due to them swimming for their fish, people weren’t as open to them, and some even viewed them as animalistic.
Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
Sadly, this was a part of a lot of cultures, as getting people, especially elves, humans and dwarves to accept that people don't look like their kind of ideal person has been a challenge for many decades, but now is rarely a problem. Now, their counterpart kingdom Shitaki mostly takes all the tourists, while Shirono focuses on what they do best, making boats and fishing.
Soon, I approach a two story building with big doors, and let myself in. Younger kids rush to me, attaching themselves to my legs, though I bet most only for the food I have slung over my shoulder. “Matron, I’m back.” I say, just in case she hadn’t heard the incredibly loud steps of the kids. I call it out to a room looking like it's being set up for a party, but it's the opposite in fact. It’s a leaving party, for yours truly. Yeah. Mine.
An older woman of about 60-70 comes out of the kitchen, though she could be older due to her being not common rank. Her eyes light up when she sees the fish, and then as she approaches she grabs it with an appreciating smile. “Thank you Shankhe.” She says as she grabs the fish off of me. “What will I do without you?” She adds with a chuckle.
You see, I want to travel the world, I want to see whatever the world has and become a great traveller, but then I also want to be an adventurer, someone who can defeat monsters and bards weave tales about. This was my last day in this town I’ve grown up in for 16 years. I sat down as I let some of the younger kids play on my lap. One of them, a toddler, waddles up to me, making grabby hands and I pick him up. “Hey Fen.” He looks sad, and I see that he looks like he’s going to cry. “What's wrong?” I ask, and he sniffles. “Y-you’re l-ea-leaving us.” Ohhhhh. I look down at him, sitting him on the end of my knees as I start to talk. “Well, it's because I’m going to be the best adventurer of all time. I’m going to defeat dragons and chimeras, I’m going to be able to do dungeons in mere seconds, get to onyx rank, and…. Come back to you guys as well!” The kids cheer, and Fen seems to pick up a little.
Matron is finally done with dinner by the time I finish, and lays out the food on the tables like a feast. I look over the food, and start to dig in. It’s good, and I try to savour every bite as I know that I’ll have other food for ages and will miss Matron’s cooking. The other kids are talking animatedly, and I watch as well, some of them telling stories of what they’ll become when they’re older. Some of the older ones want to become shipwrights, some sailors, others want to be travellers or adventurers like me.
They wear themselves out eventually, and as I herd tired kids to their room upstairs, I grin as they keep on tripping or falling. “C’mon, let's at least get upstairs, then you can flop on your bed.” I say, seeing Matron going to check on the babies and little kids up to three, as those all sleep downstairs. Once I get all the kids into bed, I finally go to my own bed, and despite my tiredness, I can't sleep.
After memories of all my time here flash through my mind and I toss and turn, I start to think of all the good and bad times I’ve had here, then that evolves into fears of outside. Sure, I know there’s nothing bad, but I haven’t left before. My whole life I’ve known this place, and now? I’m leaving. Matron pokes her head around the door. “Shankhe?” She says gently, taking steps into the dark room, making her way over to my bed. I don't know how she does it, but every time anyone’s having a bad day, or can't sleep, or anything like that, she can sense it, as if like a magical protecting mother, or more accurately a grandmother. “You’re still awake?” She says as she sits on the edge of my bed, careful not to sit on my legs. “You know, you’ll be tired tomorrow when you head out.” She strokes my back like she’s done all those years when I’ve had nightmares, or couldn’t sleep, or had nerves. “Come on, get some rest. You can worry about tomorrow, tomorrow.”
She starts to hum gently, and as I drift off, I see Matron sneaking out of my room, and smile at where she was a minute ago. Classic Matron. I then close my eyes and let dreams take me.
In the morning, I get up, a bundle of nerves and doubts. I’m up early, with the sun, and as I do I get dressed. I put my bottle of water at my hip, and I hung on my yin yang pendant from my mysterious parents at a loop. I pack up my stuff, some food and coins that Matron had given me and more I’d earned, before heading downstairs.
Matron, surprisingly-well, not really-is already up and in the kitchen making breakfast. I grin as I smell the whiff of porridge, and as other kids come down, some of the five year olds had red, puffy eyes, some clearly having cried. One of them comes up to me, sniffling. “Sh-Shankhe?” They sniffle, and I look down at them. “D-do you have to go?” They start tearing up, and I bend down to their heights as I start to talk. “It’s my dream, and besides, I’m sure you guys are going to want to follow your own dreams at some point. After all, what’s the point of a dream if you don't follow it?” I smirk. Eventually, they calm down, and everyone goes to get their food.
As I eat it, I look over at the other older kids. “So, Rose. You’re going to be the head of house.” She smirks eagerly. Rose is a Sea Nymph. Her parents were killed by monsters during a monster surge when she was three, and the oldest here aside from me at 16. Yes, technically she’s an adult as well but she needs to gather enough money to get her own house by her job, as a apprentice sailor for now just running minor tours of the ocean, but one day wants to be a full hearted sailor who travels the seas, but right now, she can't get a crew to accept her.
She smiles. “Yeah, but I hope not for long. I may get this acceptance finally and be able to become a true sailor.” I smile and nod. “Yeah, hope you do too.” Eventually I finish my breakfast, washing my dishes for the last time, as a tear slips down my face, but I wipe it away before it becomes more. I go get more water from the well, pulling it up the rope as I see a younger kid watch over my shoulder.
Admittedly, I was making it easier by controlling the water to not spill, but that was not my secret to share. The kid stays silent, before I notice that they had left, no doubt to be with their friends. I bring the water inside, and Matron nods. “Come on, it's time for you to leave. Stop procrastinating.” I smile. “Yeah Matron, I will.” I didn’t mention how her eyes teared up, nor how the redness made her seem older, weaker than the strong woman I had always seen her to be. The wrinkles on her face were no longer beauty marks, they were weary paths, and as we walked to the edge of the village, it was as if her feet almost automatically knew where to go, her mind preoccupied as she tried not to cry. The other kids followed, some already crying, while others stared at me silently.
I turned around quietly, looking at the people behind me, and all of them waved goodbye as I started to head off. Matron is now crying, and I hid my surprise quickly. As I turn a corner out of sight, I smile, but know I had to leave, for otherwise I would have never left. Then, I walk, to adventure.
