Setting Off

"Here's the ship that will take us to the next island… We've got to go on foot for the rest of the trip… Brother are you listening?"

Drummen looked up at the small vessel in front of him and nodded. "I'm listening. Let's just get there… I want to get the treasure…"

"Shhh… You can't let people hear our plans, or they might want to follow us on our little plan and relieve us of our gains."

Drummen nodded and smiled weakly at Cliffhopper. "Sorry… You're right. I shouldn't be saying those things a loud."

He cursed as Cliffhopper shook his head at him. "I can't believe you let a woman get under your skin. Not just one but two." Drummen shook his head. "Not two… Possibly three."

"Are you talking about that one you saw when you were at those small ruins?"

Drummen nodded.

"You can't count her. I'm not even sure she really exists."

Drummen walked up the gangplank in silence. He stopped and looked at Cliffhopper. "I did see her a second time. So, I know she's real."

"So that's where you went after you took those bandits down… You saw her. What did you do with her?"

Drummen smiled. "We had a drink…"

"Hahahaha… Just a drink. For some reason I find that hard to believe brother… Especially how I know you and what you do around women…"

Drummen scratched his head and smiled at Cliffhopper. "I wish I could of done something with her… I've never seen anyone as beautiful as her. But honestly all I did was have a drink and talk…" Drummen stood on the vessel and looked at the clear sky sighing. "My brother has trouble with women it seems… Hahahaha… Three women are fighting for a place in your heart. One of them nearly killed you, one rejected you and the other is some mysterious stalker… I thought my troubles were bad. Who are you going to choose?"

Drummen shrugged his shoulders. "Who says I can choose… I just need to get them out of my head for a while and start doing what I want. Right now, what I want is lots and lots of coin."

He put his arm around Cliffhopper's shoulders. "Are we going to drink on this trip?"

He frowned when he saw Cliffhopper shake his head. "Not until you sort out the issues in your heart. We won't have any drink until then. I don't want to pull you out of a tavern again like last time."

Drummen dropped his arm and cursed loudly. He ignored the brightly colored sailors around him and cursed again. "You're making this trip to be boring you do know that, don't you?"

"We can drink again once you figured out whatever shit is in your heart, head or between your legs. I thought you were all about freedom. All I see now is a weakling that is trying to prove himself to women… Typical... If I knew you were like this, I wouldn't of agreed to be your guide... We haven't even gone through the trials yet."

Drummen watched Cliffhopper turn his back and walk down the stairs into the lower decks of the vessel. Drummen leaned against the railing and cursed.

"Crack…"

He looked down at the railing he was holding and shook his head cursing at the cracks that now covered it. He sighed. "I need to control my strength."

He turned around and saw some of the sailors staring at him. He raised his hands. "Sorry… I'll pay for the repairs…"

"I hope you don't do that to the entire ship."

Drummen turned and stared at the large tanned skinned sailor standing near him. He shook his head. "Sorry. I'll control myself… I was just thinking about why I'm here and all."

"The sea is a good place to forget those things lad. You've got some strength on you. If you want to forget the things on your mind. I'm sure I can find things for you to do around here on the Princess if you want?"

Drummen scratched his head smiling. "This vessel is called the Princess?"

"That it be… So, what about my offer? I promise it'll help you forget about your broken heart."

"How do you know about that?"

"Lad… I've been sailing these waters for years and I've seen everything. I would be blind if I couldn't see that some woman somewhere broke your heat. The only condition is that if you do these tasks, then you won't be drinking during the trip."

"I wasn't planning on doing any drinking anyway, if you say it'll help me feel better then count me in. I'm not afraid of hard work."

"Good good… I see you already don't wear shoes. That's a good start for a sailor. For now, settle in below dock, and when we're about to set off. I keep you busy."

Drummen smiled and nodded his head. "Thanks… I need it."

Drummen walked below decks and saw Cliffhopper leaning against a hanging cot. "Drummen… I'm sorr…"

Drummen waved his hand to cut him off. "Don't worry about it. I hate to say this muscle head, but you're right. I should be free and do what I want."

He placed his bag on the cot and looked at Cliffhopper with his arm around his shoulders. "I met the captain… He's going to help me out a bit, but I'll be working on our trip."

"What about me? What will I do?"

"I'm sure if you ask, he'll take you as well. But you'll have to lose your shoes."

He stood back as Cliffhopper bent over and ripped his shoes off as fast as he could. "Hahahahaha." Drummen smiled. "It feels good to smile. Oh. I forgot to tell you. If you work on the Princess, you can't drink."

"That's fine with me… If I must be sober with my brother and work on the Princess… Really? Is it really called the Princess?"

Drummen nodded and pointed to the deck above him. "Let's go see the captain. I'm sure he'll be happy when he sees your muscles."

They walked up the wooden stairs and Drummen looked around before pointing to the large tanned muscular person standing near the gangplank. "That's him there."

He followed Cliffhopper and walked towards the captain shaking his head smiling. He stopped walking and watched Cliffhopper approach the captain. "Are you the captain?"

"That would be me? What can I do for you?"

"My brother said that you were going to get him to work… I want to work too." He watched Cliffhopper point to his feet. "See, I don't have any shoes on, and I'm much stronger than my brother."

"You know I need more then just muscle? I also need speed and agility."

"That I can do. I'm like a monkey on the ropes… Watch."

Drummen shook his head and cursed as Cliffhopper started climbing the ropes towards the sails. "Hey captain… While I'm up here I have a question for you. Why is it called Princess?"

"Get back down here. Also, it's a she… Remember that and never forget it."

Drummen covered his face with his hand and cursed. He looked up as Cliffhopper jumped down from the ropes and stood in front of the captain. "Sorry… So why is she called Princess?"

"Because she's my treasure. That's all there is to it. To you, she may be some wooden thing that floats on water, but to me she is a priceless treasure. Something worth fighting for."

Drummen stared at the captain in thought.

"Monkey… What are you fighting for? That also goes for your brother as well."

Drummen looked at Cliffhopper in silence and lowered his head. "I want to be free, I fight for my freedom."

"Freedom… Bahahaha. That's going to get you killed. That's probably why you got your heart wrecked by a woman."

Drummen stood in silence looking at the deck. "Ahh captain. It's not just one, but three."

Drummen stared at Cliffhopper and cursed at him. "You should keep your mouth quiet you stupid monkey brain."

"Cut it! I don't care if it was one or fifty. This is not some stupid pissing contest about who is going to work. Both of you will. By the time we arrive at port, you'll learn to appreciate things a bit better especially Princess here."

Drummen watched the captain tap the railing as he spoke. "Now the both of you get out of my sight. You've already pissed me off, and we haven't even left dock yet."

Drummen nodded at the captain and pulled Cliffhopper away from him by his arm. "Let me go brother… See. Now the both of us have something to do."

Drummen punched him in the arm. "Why did you go and open your stupid mouth for?"

He watched Cliffhopper rub his arm and scratch his head with a smile. "It's the truth isn't it? If he's going to help you, then he needs to know what's going on in your heart."

Drummen cursed and walked away from Cliffhopper. He stopped and turned around staring at him. "You stay up here for a while… I need some alone time away from you."

Drummen walked down the steps to the lower deck and went down a level further. He looked around at the dark cargo hold and sat on one of the large crates cursing.

"Stupid muscle brain…"

He sat in silence and closed his eyes calming his racing heart.

"You shouldn't curse so much."

Drummen opened his eyes and looked around. "Who said that? I can curse however I wish to curse."

"A monk from the dome. Never have I heard someone curse like you do…"

Drummen stood up and looked around. "Get out of here so I can see you."

"Fine."

He saw something move on the floor in the darkness and stop in front of him. "Now. Are you happy?"

Drummen stared at the small mouse smelling the air in front of him and cursed. "Finally, I see your face. Now why shouldn't I curse so much?"

"How else can you hear her voice if your heart is so noisy?"

Drummen looked at the mouse in confusion. "What do you mean? What voice?"

"I know you've heard it. When you made that tunnel. I saw you walk off the caravan."

Drummen shook his head and put his hands on the crate around the mouse and leaned towards it. "You better start talking before I feed you to the bear."

"You know he isn't really a bear don't you? So, why would you do something like that?"

Drummen frowned at the mouse. "How do I know if you're a real mouse or not?"

"You can feel it can't you? Just like you heard that voice back then."

Drummen stood up straight staring at the mouse in thought. "Tell me about the voice."

"The voice is her. It speaks to you, because she chose you, and gave you your special ability."

Drummen looked at the mouse with a surprised look. "You mean the mouths on my feet?"

"That would be her. You've seen her, haven't you?"

Drummen nodded. "Yes. I saw her… Twice."

"Then this will be easy to explain… You're connected to her. So if you stop being so noisy and cursing you would be able to hear her speak to you, just like the rest of us."

"Us?" Drummen looked at the mouse in confusion. "What do you mean by us?"

"All animals can hear her voice. There are some people who also can hear her voice, and she gave them the ability to skin change like the brute up on the deck."

Drummen leaned against the cargo hold with a dark face. "Why would I want to talk to her? She left me alone."

"Hahahahaha… You're funny."

"What do you mean mouse? I still will feed you to the bear if you don't answer my questions."

"Your deaf… She's connected to you. She's like a tiny seed inside of you. You should listen to her sometime. She's been trying to talk to you for a while, and she has a temper worse than you if you make her angry... She's almost at that point where she will beat you until pulp, and than she will beat you more, while cursing at you louder and longer with curse words you've never heard before... Believe me that. I've seen her mad."

Drummen looked up and cursed. "Why is this shit happening to me? All I want is to be free of everything."

"She said you would say something like that. She told me to tell you that you decided about it already."

Drummen looked at the mouse and felt his face start burning. "AHHHHHHH!"

Drummen kicked a crate and watched as it shattered and large sacks fell out of the crate.

"I've no idea why she chose you, but since you've agreed the both of you are tied together, so stop cursing and start listening."

"Brother… I heard you screaming… Are you okay?"

Drummen turned and looked at Cliffhopper and felt a headache building. "I'm fine. Just would love a blasted drink about now."

"You know you can't…"

"I KNOW!"