Chapter Two
Our supplies lasted long enough to reach the closest city to Babylon, and there we stocked up, and I began to plan. I'd poured over what the stranger had said to me and finally came to the conclusion that it had to be worth a shot. But no matter what I believed, or chose not to believe, there was still that awkward feeling that something just wasn't where it should've been…
"There has to be someone around here that knows anything about this Island of Time…" I muttered to myself as I wandered the busy streets of a port town. I had run away from the town nearest to Babylon while most everyone was asleep. A sneaky thing to do, but I wanted to know about that island. Ever since the strange man who gave me the dagger told me of the island, I'd done nothing but wonder about it. While I was in that town, though, I did a lot of asking around. I found out some things, mostly from the older men that knew a lot of things, like bartenders and old sailors. For instance, I discovered that there was supposedly some beautiful creature living there, but the island itself was near impossible to dock at. The more I found out, the more I wanted to know.
But my resources in a town that was far inland were very limited. In an actual port town, there had to be someone with some juicy information… Unfortunately, so far, I've had little to no luck at all.
"Um, excuse me, sir…" I began. The middle-aged sailor turned around.
"What's a little thing like yerself doing wandering around alone, eh?" he replied. Sighing, I continued.
"I was wondering… if you knew anything about the Island of Time?" he just stared blankly at me, then turned back to his drink and laughed heartedly.
"That's adorable, kid, but I'm busy now. Go play your game of make-believe somewhere else, eh?" …I don't look that young…do I…? I just turned and walked away, my lips together firmly in a small pout. If these old crusty, scurvy –ridden men knew who I was…
I walked slowly down by the docks, watching crews load and unload supplies from their docked ships. All of them looked too busy to even pay me any attention, and too young to know much about such things, so with a heavy heart, I just continued along the cobblestone streets until I decided to ask one of them anyway.
"Pardon me, sir…" I said to the old looking sailor, who looked like he might be a captain. He turned and eyed me. "Um… could you maybe help me?" I bit my lip as he continued to stare, but finally grinned a toothy grin.
"Certainly, for a fine lookin' youngling like yerself. What can I do for ye, miss?" he took his word hat off and bowed.
"Well, would you know anything at all about a place called the Island of Time?" I gave a small, hopeful smile as he scratched the whiskers on his chin with calloused hands and dirty, worn out fingernails.
"Now… what exactly would a girl like you be wanting with information like that?" He raised a thick, bushy eyebrow.
"Well, I…" I considered my answer carefully, and blurted out, "Curiosity!" I smiled innocently, hoping he'd believe it, which he obviously didn't.
"Curiosity? I've heard youngin's like yerself ask plenty of crazy questions in my time, but asking about that island you'd have a solid reason behind." Damn. I chewed my lip, trying to come up with another lie, but my mind only drew blanks.
"Can you tell me anything at all about it? I would really like to know." Once again, he scratched his chin in consideration.
"Well, if yer so anxious to know, why don't ye come down to that pub over there on that corner later tonight? I'm busy at the moment, but if ye still want to know, that's where you'll find me." My face lit up.
"I will be there. I promise!"
Of course, that night, I walked into the pub, keeping a low profile. It was surprisingly quiet compared to some of the pubs I saw in Babylon. I mean, some of those men would get incredibly drunk and start fights and riots and sometimes things would get so out of hand that father would have to put a stop to it himself. I'll never forget the time he came back with a broken sword, a bruised cheek and a split lip. He said some ruffian had taken it upon himself to prove that the King of Persia would be nothing without his title. He gave us all the details while mother tenderly fixed him up. How well I remember that night.
The sailor I'd spoken to earlier that day was sitting at a table in the far corner, with a bottle of ale and himself for company. I made my way over and sat across from him.
"I was starting to wonder if you were going to come," he commented.
"I got lost…" I answered. Since I've never really been outside of Babylon in my life, getting lost here was an easy task.
"So, you wanna know all about that Island, right?" I nodded eagerly. "Well, there are a good number of mysteries surrounding the place… superstitions, rumors, stories… why, they say the King of Persia himself went there." Bang. All my attention was now centered.
"Did you say the King of Persia went there? What for? What happened?" He held up one hand to stop me.
"Slow down, youngin! Not much is known, but there's some rumors that he did go there. Suppose he wanted somethin' from that mystical being livin' there, or somethin'…" He stroked his scruffy beard. "Some say there's some nice treasure to be had there, but no one's ever been able to dock there."
"Why not?"
"Mmm… every ship that's come close was destroyed. No survivors. Not a single scrap could even be salvaged from the ship itself. No one really knows why… I just know that no one has set foot on those sands and come off it alive. 'Cept the King, o'course. We all know he's alive and well."
"Not anymore… Babylon was attacked recently and he was killed in the process of defending the city," I informed him.
"Aye, really? Damn shame, that is. Especially after saving the place from those monsters only seventeen years ago…"
"Monsters? What monsters?" So what the stranger said was true… Father was keeping things from me. But why?
"Aye, don't ye know about that, missy?" he asked, surprised. I shook my head slowly. "Well, I'll tell ya." He leaned closer to me excitedly. "See, he was just commin' back from that Island yer so curious about about found the city under a nasty attack by some Indian vizier. Most say he was just a power hungry maniac. I have to say I agree with that, myself. See, no one quite knows how, 'cept the King, but that vizier turned himself into some kinda God creature. And he went through terrorizing the remaining citizens of Babylon." I titled my head, focusing intently on his words.
"What happened?"
"Well, the King, back then he was still the Prince, he journeyed all throughout the city, where he met the Queen, who back then was the Indian Princess. Talked some sense into him, she did. All he wanted to do was get bloody revenge on that vizier. Didn't want to stop and help his people. Prolly figured it wouldn't do him any good until the maniac was gone. Some say it was a voice in his head tellin' him to press on."
"Hold on, a voice in his head…?" I questioned.
"Aye, a voice in his head. Kept pushin' 'im to continue towards the enemy. Fat load a good it did 'im, too. Every time he'd catch up, that vizier would out run him. Cowardice, I say. But, the Queen, she put some sense in his head. No one quite knows how they got rid of that maniac vizier, but they did. All is well, now."
"Why did he keep this a secret from me…?" I pondered out loud to myself. There had to be some good reason behind it, or he would've told me all about those adventures…
"What are ye sayin' over there, miss?" I shook my head and snapped back to reality.
"Nothing. Just talking to myself. Um… I never got your name." He removed his hat.
"Captain Hesam, at your service, miss." He extended his hand over the table. Clasping his hand firmly, I replied, "Ravan, sir."
"You share the name of the little princess. Aye, she escaped the attack, didn't she?" I nodded, grinning broadly.
"I know that for a fact."
"That's a good thing. We'll be needin' an heir to that thrown." He chuckled, "Not that I'm ever around long enough to know the difference, o'course." I paused for thought. He seemed to be a knowledgeable old sailor… I suppose it's worth a shot.
"Well, captain… do you think… you could take me to the Island of Time?" He raised his eyebrow at me.
"What would ye want to go there for? That place has a nasty reputation for being a cursed island, y'know. Too dangerous for the likes of us humble fishermen, let alone a little thing such as yerself."
"I can pay you. Whatever you want," I offered," I just need to get out that that island to at least look around!"
"Well… I suppose I could. It won't be cheap, young miss, but I can gettcha out there."
"Thank you!" I exclaimed, almost leaping forward.
So I spent the two days I had before shove off preparing for my journey. None of those sailors had any idea who I was, but that didn't really bother me. I didn't really want them to know. What Hesam had told me that night at the pub held my interest and curiosity. But I kept wondering why father had told me nothing about it…
Kiri: I think I actually enjoyed writting the conversation with Hesam...
Ravan: Why do I always do something that makes me look like a bubble head?
Kiri: because I said so. Now get back in the story.
Ravan: (stalks away, grumbling)
Kiri: stay tuned for chapter three when she arived at the dreaded Island of Time!