The boat sailed along the river peacefully. The captain navigated the water with ease, taking care to keep a good speed. There was no haste or fear in his paddling. The dense forest surrounded them, but the only sound that greeted them was the chirping of insects. While peaceful to some, it gave little comfort to the boat's passengers.
A young man lay upon the deck, eyes staring up at the starry sky. He had sailed along this river before, many times in the past. But in those times, the forest was filled with the sounds of gasping hisses. Hisses that belonged to monsters. Monsters who were barred by the life-giving waters. The young man never spoke these thoughts aloud, for the referred monsters had taken many. For six years they had terrorized the land. These monsters did not kill whom they encountered, but instead invoked a fate far worse: they turned their victims to stone. While death seemed like a far worse fate, death itself was a form of release. Death would have at least granted peace, but instead, one was frozen in place, unmoving, unliving, and trapped in a state between life and death.
These monsters had a name, and that name was the Druun.
Yet two years ago, that all changed. Though the Druun had essentially conquered all of Kumandra, they were for a lack of a better word "boomed" away into nothingness. It wasn't a show of power that had defeated them, but instead a bond of trust between the different tribes that populated the land.
Though peace was a highly sought-after idea, Jarek found it overrated.
Jarek himself was a young man, just entering his thirtieth year. He was fairly handsome, his skin the same color as the rest of Kumandra's citizens, his long black hair tied into a ponytail, but what drew people to his face was the black beard that lay plastered upon it. It wasn't too long, or too short, but some balance in-between. Jarek often bragged he had started growing it the minute his voice dropped. Though that was up for debate, said beard was truly the only groomed thing upon his face. The rest of his appearance was much to be desired. A tan tunic lay, slightly tattered, with a few faded stains upon it. Simple white pants with brown shoes. It was easy to tell Jarek simply cared about his beard looked, nothing more.
"You know Rapi and Padi are going to be happy to see you," The boat captain said, "Well Padi is, Rapi I'm not so sure."
"I can handle Rapi," Jarek stated.
"Oh that I know, but you know how protective of Padi she is," The captain continued.
"She just thinks I'm a "bad influence"," Jarek repeated in a tone that indicated he was trying to emulate the aforementioned Rapi.
"Still, I bet Padi is going to be excited, I'm guessing that sack has a present for her?"
Jarek's eyes looked to the sack beside him. It was large, too large for whatever was inside it. But it was his sack, and he took it whenever he went on his little "jobs".
"You know it," Jarek said confidently.
"Eh well good luck," The captain said honestly.
The boat lurched as it hit something. Jarek slowly rose and could see the familiar sight of Talon. Talon itself was always bustling with activity, but in the present said activity seemed more bustling than usual. Clarified, there was a distinct lack of mistrust or tension in the air. Jarek was certain several people here were actually from the other tribes.
Lifting himself, Jarek stepped onto the docks, "Thanks," He said passing some coins into the boat captain's palms.
"Take it easy Jarek," He said before going back to his boat.
Slinging the sack over his shoulder, Jarek traversed the busy dock streets. The path itself wasn't foreign to him, he knew the way to his destination. All he wondered was if simply walking up to the door and knocking would be effective? He half expected it to be slammed in his face. But luck was on his side as he spotted a lone house near the water's edge.
"Predictable Rapi," Jarek noted as he spied an open window.
Sneaking over, Jarek was able to move through the window without making a sound. As he did a soft humming reached his ears. Throwing the sack to the floor and jumping into the ground, he called, "Hey sis!"
The lone woman, long black hair and in an orange floral patterned dress gasped and swiftly turned around. Her hand instinctively reached for a knife but dropped it the minute she noticed who it was.
"Jarek! Don't do that!" Rapi exasperated.
"Come on is that any way to greet your kid brother?" Jarek asked amusingly.
"You're only a kid by five minutes," Rapi corrected.
"Still a kid compared to you," Jarek shrugged.
The young woman gazed skeptically at her twin brother, "Jarek, what are you-"
"Uncle Jarek!" A tiny voice broke through the air, interrupting Rapi before she could finish her question.
A young girl, about four looked up at Jarek with wide eyes. Her hair was just as black, tied back into a ponytail with a skirt just as orange and her mother's.
"Padi!" Jarek called.
Jarek leaned down, holding his arms out as Padi ran to him. Once she was within reach, Jarek scooped the girl up, twirling her around. Padi giggled as her uncle held her, and Jarek let out a little laugh himself.
"Wow, when did you get so big?" Jarek playfully asked.
"Yesterday!" Padi giggled.
Setting his niece down, Jarek reached for his sack, "Got something for you."
"What is it?" Padi asked.
"Close your eyes and hold out your hands," Jarek instructed.
Padi did so as Jarek reached inside his sack and pulled out his prize, "Alright, open them!"
Opening her eyes, Padi let out an excited gasp, "A Sisu doll!"
In Jarek's hands, he held a plush doll of a blue dragon. A dragoness to be precise, one that was quite famous in Kumandra.
"Yep! I thought you would like it!"
"It's really mine?" Padi asked in disbelief.
"Only the best for my niece!" Jarek said handing her the doll.
"Oh thank you, Uncle Jarek! I love it!" Padi cried expressing her gratitude.
"You're welcome sweetheart," Jarek replied with a smile.
Rapi watched her daughter and brother interact patiently, but now she felt compelled to speak, "Padi, why don't you go play with your toy in your room? I want to talk with your uncle."
"Okay Mama," Padi said quickly scampering away.
As soon as she was certain her daughter was out of earshot, Rapi spoke, "I'm amazed you got one of those dolls," Rapi said skeptically, "They are almost impossible to get."
Snatching up a piece of fruit from a nearby bowl, wiping it against his shirt, and then taking a bite, Jarek replied, "Hey, you just got to know where to look!" Jarek replied confidently.
Rapi considered her words carefully. She was hesitant to utter them, but soon realized it was better to just come out and spit it out, "Did you steal it?"
Jarek took a loud crunching bite, stared awkwardly as his sibling, chewed once, and then swallowed, "Come on Sis!" Jarek said plastering a smarmy grin, "You honestly think I stole this? Come on really?"
Rapi stared long and hard at her brother, crossing his arms which told him to "drop the act".
Nearly throwing the fruit down, Jarek responded, "They had more inventory than they needed.
"Jarek!" Rapi cried.
"Oh come on Sis, they intentionally hold back inventory to create larger demand. The whole thing is a scam!" Jarek said defensively.
Rapi shook her head, placing a hand upon it, "Wonderful, my daughter is playing with a stolen toy!"
"Keep your voice down okay? Don't want the entire tribe to know!" Jarek hissed.
"Jarek why can't you get a real job!" Rapi exclaimed.
"Hey this line of work worked for Ba and we turned out well!" Jarek protested.
Suddenly, Rapi held up her right hand. It was missing a pinkie finger.
"This is why I got out of the business if you remember!" Rapi spat.
Jarek flinched upon the memory of that missing finger, but composed himself nonetheless, "Look it was the thought that counts. I know things have been tough on you and I wanted to give little Padi a break."
Rapi removed her hand from her face, "Is there something you want Jarek? I know you didn't just come here to deliver presents."
Jarek flashed his sister a grin between a mouthful of fruit, "Just wanted to let you know that pretty soon our little family will be on easy street."
"How so?" Rapi asked unconvinced.
"Let's just say I have a new job lined up with some professionals, and if we pull it off, we'll be living the good life."
"Jarek."
"Just picture it, big house, maybe by a lake, big open space for Padi to play, and we'll be living comfortably the rest of our-"
"Jarek!"
Jarek halted his fantasy as he noticed his sister's expression. She wasn't happy.
"I can't take it. All these thefts,"
"Jobs," Jarek corrected.
"Same thing! It's just when are you going to grow up?" Rapi asked.
Jarek looked at his sister as if she were crazy, "Do you not notice the beard?"
"Having some stupid beard doesn't make you an adult!" Rapi argued.
"Okay, what is with you?! I'm here letting you know I'm going to take care of you and Padi and you attack me!" Jarek said, his voice slightly hurt.
"Oh spare me! We both know you only care about yourself, it's all about Jarek, always have been ever since we were kids. Trust me, it was long before I lost my finger that I realized I could never count on you!" Rapi said, her voice slightly breaking, "I mean why can't you just settle down?"
"Here we go," Jarek said exasperated.
"I'm serious! Meet a nice girl, start a family for goodness sake, make an honest living!"
"Hey my living may not be honest but I'm not going to be trapped in the whole marriage and kids route," Jarek protested, "Besides, why can't you be happy for me!? You know things have been tough since the dragons came back. Now that everything's peaceful Kumandra's not so lazy anymore!"
Now it was Rapi's turn to act like her sibling was crazy, "Are you serious? You actually preferred living in a world where
monsters were turning people to stone left and right?"
"As if the Druun could touch the luckiest man in Kumandra," Jarek boasted.
"I'll admit you were lucky, but everyone's luck runs out eventually, and I'm sick and tired of always worrying if you're dead in some ditch," Rapi's voice continued to break, and from her breathing it was evident tears were forming, "I just...I just can't do this anymore."
"Come on sis don't be so dramatic," Jarek pleaded, almost annoyed.
Rapi stared down at her feet, her hands reaching down her hips, "Jarek, if you go on this job, don't bother coming back."
Jarek's expression flared with alarm, "What are you saying?"
"Even if you do make off with a lot of money, enough to have us live a rich and comfortable life, I don't want any part of it. So either give up on this scheme of yours or just don't come back," Rapi's conditions were clear.
Jarek's expression flared up again or rather subsided slowly into a reversal. He no longer looked alarmed, but hurt instead, "So that's it? You're just cutting me out of the family?"
Rapi didn't answer.
"Remember when Ma and Ba died? How we had nobody but each other? We were a team then, but I guess all those years starving and trying to eke it out meant nothing to you."
Rapi still didn't answer.
"Fine, if that's how you want it, I'll leave, you won't see me again," Jarek picked up his sack, slinging it over his shoulder, "You can make something up for Padi, I don't want to break it to her that her uncle won't be coming around anymore."
One leg out the window, Jarek was halfway out before Rapi called out.
"Jarek wait!"
But Jarek didn't listen. He was out the window and back into the Talon streets. He had made his little pit stop, and now it was time to unwind until his boat trip tomorrow.
And so entered the life of Jarek, the so-called luckiest man in Kumandra.
A/N: I saw Raya and the Last Dragon months ago and loved it. So it compelled me to write this fanfiction. Now I am not sure how often I will update this. I as originally going to wait till I finished one of my other stories before I start it, but I just felt compelled to post this. So I hope you enjoy!