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Chapter 44: Laying a Friend and Hero to Rest
“What’s taking them so long?” Murchadh asked aloud, clearly worried. “Da, we have to trust them,” Keola said, but zi too was worried and looking out at the open ocean, hoping to see Lillan and zir mother back. Shezilzilla was back at her lair, tending to things in order to pass the time.
Father and child finally saw something, but it was a huge, dark shape coming their way. A cold fear gripped them, “The beast! We have to hide before it gets us,” Murchadh exclaimed, getting in the mindset of safeguarding Keola. “But we need to let Shezilzilla know so she stays hidden,” Keola said, but the growing size of the figure made it hard to keep zir panic at bay.
Even though both turned to swim away, the beast caught up with them and closed off any escape with its huge body. All they could was turn towards the beast’s face, which was merely inches from theirs. Fear froze them in place.
“Father, you’ll scare them to death. Please let me down,” a familiar voice said, and it immediately drew Murchadh and Keola’s attention. “Ma, is that you?” Keola called out. Kailani sped at the pair from behind the beast’s head and drew them in a huge hug, “Oh, thank the Tidelord. It’s good to hold you both again.” But an unfamiliar voice then spoke, “Wait, ‘ma’? Do I have a grandchild?!” Tusitala emerged, trident gripped firmly and slowly approached, uncertain what to do.
“King Tusitala!” Murchadh exclaimed, and he bowed low in respect. “So you’re the guard that stole Kailani away?” Tusitala remarked, but Kailani interjected, “More like I stole him away, father. Please don’t arrest him. He’s done nothing wrong!”
“Indeed,” agreed Tusitala and he pulled Murchadh up and clasped his shoulder, “I should be thanking you, keeping my daughter safe all this time. And…for giving her happiness where I couldn’t. And who is this grandchild of mine?”
Keola swam up and bowed, “King Tusitala, it is an honor to finally meet you.” Tusitala laughed, “No need for formalities, child, please. Call me grandpa.” Kailani piped in, proudly explaining what Keola did, “Zi planned your rescue and has been training for some time so zi can help support the kingdom.” Tusitala’s eyes widened, “So I have you to thank for revealing Dakila’s true intentions. You have the makings of a worthy ruler.”
Keola blushed and scratched the back of zir neck, “Only did what needed to be done. But where is Lillan? Did he come back with you?” Kailani and Tusitala’s faces fell, and the sea beast lowered its head to the seafloor, revealing a body wrapped in seaweed and covered by a dark tunic. “Lillan…” Keola said with shock.
“NO! My soulmate!” a voice cried from behind, and Shezilzilla swam up towards the still form of Lillan, stretching out a shaky hand towards the body before drawing it back to her face as she sobbed into her hands, “How could you leave us? We still need you.”
No one else spoke, feeling the weight of the loss. Tusitala finally swam towards her and lowered his head, “Your mate was brave to face the might and anger of Dakila. I owe him my life, and it’s a payment I now owe to you. Please, come to the palace, and we will give Lillan a royal funeral. These grounds will no longer be forgotten and soon be under the care of our sculptors and groundskeepers.”
Shezilzilla shook her head, “Can we bury him here, on these sacred grounds? He was never one for spectacle, and it was his duty to Nan’nalu that tied us both here. It would be honor to give him a royal burial here, just amongst friends.”
“But you will still come to the palace with us?” asked Kailani, “We couldn’t leave you alone here.” Shezilzilla replied, “Yes, if you would have my eggs and I.”
“Eggs?!” exclaimed Murchadh, “We had no idea. I would’ve taken his place instead had I known - ”
“We didn’t want anyone to know. Our duty to the royal family comes first, but Lillan knew the hatchlings would then need me. He needed to take that role, and he would have had it no other way,” Shezilzilla explained and turned to Tusitala, “Your majesty, please. Would you help lay my mate to rest? I will then join you as you venture back to the palace. ”
Tusitala nodded gravely, “Lead us to where he will rest, and we will follow.” And the group followed Shezilzilla as they began the traditional procession for Lillan’s burial.
Sklonda was cleaning the cannons below deck, ensuring they were ready for any danger that could come. She had mostly kept to herself, only doing her share of the work onboard when she would not interact with others. Luca tried to keep her company when she slept or ate, and Sklonda no longer resisted his company or affection. If anything, she felt she didn’t even deserve his love, but was too sad and defeated to push him away either.
All she did was keep herself busy and try her best to support the crew where she could. Eventually, she believed she would overcome her feelings of despair and prove her worth to her crewmates…eventually…
“Sklonda! Sklonda!” she heard Glan call her name. “Mom! Please, we ‘ave somethin’ to show ye!” Ahohako also called out, and she felt her motherly instincts push aside all of her despair. “Ahohako? Over here!” she called to them, and soon Glan and Ahohako stood in front of her.
Seeing Glan again made Sklonda wish to hide away in shame, but Glan spoke up before she could, “Please, wait. I ‘ave this note that Ahohako found in the nets. It’s meant fer me, but yer name is mentioned too. Here,” and Glan held out the paper.
Sklonda hesitated, but then took the letter and began to read. Glan studied her reaction carefully, and he noted that her widening eyes indicated that something registered in her mind, “Do ye know a dragon named Sunny?”
Sklonda drew a hand to her mouth in disbelief, “Sunny…I remember. Oh…” And she had to sit onto the floor as her memories flooded back into her mind, “She took me in and took care of me when I was all alone. And she was there when I…died…”
Glan and Ahohako looked shocked at Sklonda’s words. “But how are ye ‘ere?” Ahohako asked. Sklonda shook her head, “I don’t know. The Plaguelands is filled with so many dangers, toxins, and even lost souls that make it seem life couldn’t be restored. But then again, those things have a power of their own…I can’t say for sure.” She looked away as though gazing at something distant, “But I remember…all those good times. The dreams I had. Sunny really wanted me to travel the world and find happiness. It would be good to see her again,” and she looked down at the letter, “What should we do?”
“I want to see ‘er again,” Glan admitted, “But I don’t know what to do. We ‘ave a duty to this crew, to Keala’s destination. I don’t want to leave ‘er in a tough spot with a skeleton crew.” Ahohako interjected, “Will we pass by the Plaguelands on our course? We could talk with the cap’n, see what she thinks.”
However, it was late in the day and night was falling outside. “Let’s speak to ‘er in the mornin’,” Glan said, “Fer now, we could all use the rest. Maybe we can think o’ a bet’r idea o’ what to do.” Then Glan turned towards Sklonda, “Ye know, the crew misses ye. It would be good to ‘ave yer company again.”
Sklonda lowered her head in shame, “But you beat me in combat. Why would anyone want a failure like me around?” Ahohako sat beside her, fur touching her scales for warmth and comfort, “I want ye around, mom. I still need ye, ye know. Yer the best fighter I know, an’ ye still need to teach me all o’ yer moves.”
“And without yer fighting spirit, the whole crew’s spirits ‘ave been a bit low,” Glan admitted, “I may ‘ave won that fight, but I’m not a warrior like ye. We want ye back.”
Their words seemed to lift Sklonda’s mood a little and she leaned onto Ahohako, “Thanks. I’ll try. Just…give me time.” Glan gave a small smile, “Of course. I’ll leave ye be. Maybe ye can ‘ave some time with each other before tuckin’ in fer the night.”
As Glan left for his berth, he could hear the pair began to chatter. Hopefully Sklonda will come to realize that the crew thought nothing less of her. In the meanwhile, he thought warmly at the idea of seeing Sunny again. It would lift both his and Sklonda’s spirits if they could.
Suddenly feeling the need to speak with Sunny, Glan decided to take some time to write another letter to send out:
