A/N thank you all so much for reading, commenting and following my story!
We got both boys dressed. As we were heading up, Papa went to hang my back pack up on the hook near where the swords were stored.
"Henry, where is my sword?" He asked and then, " Where is your Father's sword and Grandfather's?"
"Oh, um that." I scratch the side of my head. "I sorta traded it away to a man in a restraunt called "Falcon's Landing"."
He paused and came back toward me. "Where did you go?"
I shrugged. "I really don't know."
He asked me very slowly. "Were you at La Mere?" I shrug again. "Because Falcon's Landing is a tavern there. It is no restraunt. Nothing like Granny's. It's a pirate locale." He explained but he seemed to be getting more and more agitated. I wasn't sure what to answer , if I was expected to answer at all. Then he said, "I can't believe you went into a tavern. And in La Mere, no less!" He was definitely agitated.
"What's wrong with it? I didn't drink or anything. In fact there was hardly anyone even there. It was very early in the morning."
"'What's wrong with it?' Other than those pirates who would slit your throat and ask questions later!" He was clearly upset now.
"That's a bit," I pause, "harsh."
"It is a harsh place. Please tell me you didn't draw your sword. Disregard that, I already know the answer. If you had, you would be dead right now."
I'd really like to not be dead right now. Not to long ago we were all super nice and all happy feelings and now he's mad at me.
"Please tell me you didn't bring the little ones in there."
"No, they went with a little girl to go look at kittens." I said in my defense.
"Well good thing there were kittens!"
I felt like I should go hide somewhere. "I want my lads to be good honorable men, so far you have commandeered a boat from some unknown resident of our town and you have given away not just your father's cutlass but those that belonged to your grandfather and my own."
Well, technically they were given to Neil and Liam but I don't think now is the best time to bring up that point. I didn't want to add kidnapping to my charges So I say nothing.
"Did you give away my brother Liam's sextant?"
"No." I said. That's just silly. I didn't even take it because I didn't think I'd need it.
Papa sighed. "Look Lad, I apologize for my outburst. You went to an unknown land with untold dangers, all alone. I know you are trying to be a man but you are still a child."
"I am not!" I said just like a petulant child. Ok, maybe that didn't help my case.
Much more calmly he said, "You are sixteen years old. Don't rush to grow up. I would wager you have candy in your pockets."
"Well you're wrong!" I told him as I stuck my hands in my pockets. He didn't have to know that I gave it all to Torrin. Inside one of my pockets was my empty pouch. As I pulled it out, it wasn't exactly empty. I looked up, "I don't have any candy but this was empty last I checked." When I opened it I found a blue glowing bean. I hold it out to show him.
"That's a sea bean. The giants grow the regular beans that can be used anywhere." Papa explained. He's always explaining things. "But a sea bean can only be used in large bodies of water. They come from the sea. From King Triton. What exactly transpired on your adventure?"
We sat on the bunks again as I recounted the whole story. Including Torrin and her mother. And of the man outside the Falcons Landing. I told him how terrified I really was during that storm. I told him of my entire conversation with King Triton. "I just don't understand why he agreed to keeping me and sending back Neil and Liam, yet I came back too. And with a bean."
"Perhaps he just wanted to see what you truly valued and what price you were willing to pay."
"But I didn't get the Jolly Roger."
"Maybe that's what the bean is for." He suggested. "We've docked, are you truly sure you want to talk to the ice queen?"
"Yes I am."
He leads the way off the Morning Star. "I would have went with you, if you would have asked. Actually, I would have attempted to get you to reconsider, but ultimately I would have went with you."
"Thank you, Papa, it means a lot."
"I have followed your mother across realms, across the world and time. I now will follow you."
My response was to give him a heartfelt hug. Everything will be okay.
