Caravel

by Odd_Sarge

Out to Sea

“Deep Blue.”

The griffon captain coughed and shuffled a couple of invisible papers.

I smiled at him. “What? Were you expecting a more interesting name?”

Keel let out a quiet chortle. “Considering the fact that your file here says that you've recently attempted to commandeer a royal caravel, yes. I was expecting a something with a little more oomph, than just Deep Blue.”

I snorted, unfazed by the sudden statement. “Sorry for not having the most creative parents.” He rolled his eyes at me.

“Eh, at least your name is related to the ocean. Must mean Harmony’s got something good planned for you. And me, of course.”

What the hay is this griffon going on about?

“Anyway Mister Blue, what would your previous occupation be?”

I ran a hoof through my mane awkwardly. “Uh, I used to be a papercolt?”

He laughed a good, long laugh at that. His look turned serious. “No really, what did you do before now?”

I shifted uncomfortably. “I smuggled moonshine…”

“Did I just hear ya’ right?” He stuck a claw in his ear and swirled it around a bit for emphasis.

“I smuggled moonshine.” I stated a bit more loudly.

He stared impassively, before his lips turned upwards. “Scandalous,” he whispered. “Ahem! Could be worse, could be worse.”

Weirdo.

“Now that it’s cleared up… How about you tell me if you think you have what it takes to run a ship with the greatest captain alive?”

I blinked.

The captain waved a claw dismissively. “Oh you know what I mean.”

“Honestly, I’d rather just go back into town, find a good crew of worthy sailors, and then leave the port, but it’s not worth the risk. As much as I hate to admit it…” I sighed in preparation for my announcement. “You’re my only hope of getting out of here without much risk.”

Keel raised a transparent brow at me, holding a poker face. He said nothing for a time as he leaned across the desk, but eventually he let down and sighed. His right claw raised up off the desk and made a shooing motion towards me.

“Alright, short little interview, I know, but I’m going to need some time to think. Just go hang out on deck for now.”

I shrugged and stood from the chair. As I made way to the door, I turned and looked at Heavy Keel with my mouth open to speak, hoping to gain some parting answers. Sadly, the captain had disappeared. I grumbled under my breath about the griffon and his disappearing act and stepped out into the cool coastal air once more.

I wandered over to the starboard side of the ship and glared over the edge through the darkness at the two guards. They were thankfully still unconscious. It was good to know my blunt skills were still up to par. I just hoped that the hammer wasn’t too hard against their skulls. I swear, that armor just bent in like a twig. The Royal Navy’s really let itself go.

I looked around for a way to raise the gangplank and was lucky to find a lever besides the small opening at the side of the ship. Pressing both my hooves up against the top of the switch, I brought it down with a heave. Clunking thumped from just below the deck as some gears inside began dragging the gangplank up and away from the dock. With that extra bit of security on my mind, I made my way up to the bow of the ship.

I stepped up onto the bow of the ship and took a deep breath of the salty sea air wafting out from the coast. The waves crashed gently against a distant sandbar, and all the seagulls lay quiet, for midnight had finally come. I threw my front hooves over the side and stared down into the water.

Honestly, I don’t know what I was expecting from joining this captain. For one, he was… ahem, a ghost, for all intents and purposes, and even then, it would just be me and him. And since I could see the captain, did that mean other ghosts existed? I wisely chose not to follow that line of questioning, knowing that would only cause me more problems in the future. A groan escaped from me as one part of me put adventure and spiritual apparitions together. This trip was just beginning, and so wisely I chose to the idea out of my paranoia.

My thirst for adventure seemed to never leave me forever; it only took long vacations every now and then, just to come back and bite me. I suppose it was better than being paranoid all the time and staying inside, hidden from the world. I glanced over my shoulder, wondering if that griffon had just been an illusion, worrying thoughts kicking into mind. I looked back down into the water, for once thankful that I couldn’t see my own face. I probably looked like some scared little colt who missed his mother. I snorted loudly at that thought. I spit into the water, watching the saliva swirl around on the surface, before disappearing below.

Being bored is no fun.

---

It was about half an hour later when I was awoken from my nap by a tap on my shoulder. I scrambled upwards and turned around, one of my hooves already reaching for my scabbard. Heavy Keel stood before me, looking quite amused.

“Your snoring could probably wake up the entire port.” I glared daggers at Keel as he laughed. “Anyways, I think I’ve made up my mind; you’re going to be my passenger for now.”

What?

“What?” I vocalized.

Keel shrugged and turned to the two topsails in the middle of the caravel. “You’ve clearly had no experience besides commanding a schooner, and that’s just not going to work very well here. I assume you’ve already seen how large the Blue Veil can be. If not, let me just tell you plain and simple: it’s a lot more bigger than any kind of ship you’ve actually done mooring for.”

“Right, I hadn’t noticed,” my tone laced with sarcasm.

“I don’t like that tone of yours, chick,” he joked. “I might just send you back over to my fellow crewmen. Albeit, ones who still believe that they’re in college.” We laughed together at that, albeit I laughed a little more nervously than wholeheartedly. Keel had actually been a part of the Royal Navy at one point, and I wasn't willing to try my luck. “You’re just lucky that the new Navy sucks at its job.”

Wait, he was actually being serious? And he doesn’t like the new Navy? Jeez, you can’t get any more “old coot” than that.

“I swear, I dropped by one of their academies recently… and let me tell you.” He shuddered in disgust, even adding a little dramatic sound to go along with it. “Anyway!” Heavy Keel straightened himself up suddenly. “We’re about to get underway, so I suggest you take a seat.” What? We hadn’t even picked up the anchor, and the sails were yet to be unfurled. That kind of thing would take a small crew of a caravel much longer than just a few minutes to do.

I blinked. Once. Then twice. I stared at the mysteriously open sails.

That’s what he had spent thirty minutes doing.

His laughter echoed behind me as I scrambled towards the Captain’s quarters. I heard the sound of the sails being sent forward in one giant motion, and the ship lurched forward, just as I made it inside the cabin.

Into the night the RES Blue Veil went, leaving behind two groggy unicorns, the Port of Haybinger, and hopefully, the last remnants of my past.

Comments

[Ice Star]

Is the narrator’s name an Arcade Fire reference by any chance?