Chapter 8

Another month passed before the time for the voyage had come. Link and Ashei did everything they could to prepare themselves for the expedition, tying up any loose ends at home, and ensuring that Saffir and Rusl were prepared to care for Yerik. Again, Ashei was hesitant, and felt the desire to keep Yerik close, but knew that it was too late to change her mind. Pangs of guilt swelled up within her, and once their family began traveling south, the urges subsided, but never left.

They took the station wagon with Lady Sil back towards Suric. The castle surrounding the town had been torn down with the dissolving of the noble houses in Silidan, which was fine by Link. After what had happened to Ilia in that specific castle, he had no desire to set foot in that palace again. The city had grown beyond the barriers of the old walls, however, so he was not obligated to get anywhere close to the place where he'd caused her death. That much pleased him.

The port in particular was much larger than before. Standing like a sentinel on four different docks were four ships. They were the ones that would set off toward the Orion Archipelago in order to rid that criminal haven of all pirates. But one of the ships stood out more than the others. While the three smaller vessels had a single mast, the fourth, and largest, ship possessed four. It was a new ship, and it was clear to the hylian family that they were to take that one across the Morin Sea into unknown waters. Nevertheless, it didn't stop the children from asking an endless stream of questions.

"Is that the ship we're going on?" Leviah hopped up and down while grabbing onto her father's arm, unable to contain her excitement.

"That's right." Link replied, still walking towards the massive ship. "That's the Puissant Peacemaker."

"What does 'Pwiss-ant' mean?"

"A couple of things, but in this context, I think it means 'influential.' Basically, it knows how to handle tough characters."

"Is that why it's leading the attack on the pirates?" Esekel pondered.

"No, that is incidental, meaning that since we were heading out in this direction anyway, and it's much bigger than the other ships, we might as well help them out."

"How many people are going to be on that ship with us?"

"I don't remember. We'll have to ask Trejon once we're on board."

"I hope there isn't too many." Leviah added. Ashei corrected her. "Aren't, dear."

As they got closer to the dock, they noticed the odd way that the people in town were murmuring amongst each other. There seemed to be a commotion at the dock, and the villagers were obviously unsettled by it. After another couple of minutes of walking, the hylians identified the disturbance. Korgmaw, the leader of the bulbins was in heated talks with Trejon. Link had nearly forgotten the large bulblin that he'd battled several times in the past. After he'd assisted them in removing the emperor of Silidan, he and his kind had sort of faded back into the mountains. He couldn't recall ever hearing about his people coming out to discuss anything with Aric or Zelda, so he'd assumed that they just wanted to be left alone. Seeing him out like this was very curious, but not worrisome as the people of Suric saw it.

"Hail, friend!" Link waved a hand towards the bulbin. "What brings you out this way?"

The bulbin ceased his debate with the captain, and turned to face the hylian. Having gotten closer, Link could see that Korgmaw had aged extensively. His skin, while never really healthy to look at before, had many new blemishes and wrinkles. What hairs that remained on his head were completely white, and frail. His muscles, once strong enough to swing an axe twice Link's size, had lost their mass. But what surprised the hero the most was that his face, once daring and full of pride, had lost its luster. In that moment, he realized that even though he was engaged in an angry argument, he was pleading for help. It was almost pathetic, and Link couldn't help but take pity on him.

"You." Korgmaw spoke in ragged tones. "I...I remember you. Perhaps you can help me."

"I would be glad to do so if I can. What's going on? Why are you arguing with Trejon?"

"I can tell you that." The ship captain interjected. "He wants me to allow a bulblin onto the Peacemaker."

It was an odd request, to be sure, for Link. However, he failed to see why Trejon was against it. "What's wrong with that?"

"The fact that the bulblin in question is Muzzle."

"M-...Muzzle?" Link asked with confusion. Trejon continued. "Korgmaw's grandson: Reekmaw. This isn't the first time he's asked to allow him to follow one of us around. Several months ago, he joined a traveling merchant, fell asleep when he was on guard duty, and let their entire stock get taken by bandits. A couple months after that, we let him see what it was like to be in our military. He followed a company of our troops around the Rushiri Canyon, and nearly got them killed when they accidentally ran into a cave of giant gohma spiders. The simple fact of the matter is that he's bad luck, and on an important mission like this, it's not a chance I'm willing to take."

Link turned back towards Korgmaw. "Is that about the size of it?"

The bulblin nodded his head. "You can see how old I have become. When I pass on, Reekmaw will become the new king of the bulblins. While I have taught him all I know, it is not enough. Our people must learn your ways, or else we will perish."

"So you want Reekmaw to learn these ways and pass them down to the others. Is not someone else able to go in his stead?"

"It must be Reekmaw." The elder spoke with what remaining authority he still possessed. "While he is often...ditsy, none other is as innovative among our kind. He is the only one that I can entrust this task to."

"And is there no other place he can go? Perhaps at in the court of the king in Reflection?"

"That time will come. But now, it is time he learned the ways of the sea, and of diplomacy. Your journey is precisely the kind of task that would suit him well."

The hylian glanced back over to Trejon. Despite the young commander's adamant response earlier, he was not immune to reason. Link figured there was some way to compromise. "Surely he wouldn't take up much room on the ship, would he?"

"That's hardly the problem. The ship was made to accompany, should they ever be deemed necessary, an extra 450 men than what we are traveling with. Nevertheless, my crew and I will be too busy to be dealing with his antics." He sighed in a moment of thought. "Look, I can see you're not going to take 'no' for an answer. So if you would be willing to watch him, then I will accept him aboard my ship. I know you have your kids you're looking after as well, but that's the only way I will take him on."

"I'll have to consult with my wife on that." He bowed to both parties before moving towards Ashei, whom had listened to the entire discussion mere yards away. "What do you think? There should be room in the kid's cabin, I think, if he's not too big."

"I don't know." His wife replied, "I'm just not sure I want someone like what they described hanging around them that much. He could be a very bad influence."

"But the whole point is that Korgmaw wants me to help make him a good influence. I can't see why we couldn't teach him alongside our kids."

"I can: Because we're terrible teachers."

"Then he won't turn out any worse than Leviah and Esekel." He was joking with that last remark, but it did not get a laugh out of Ashei. Still, it did soften her up to the idea. "One other thought: if he's as bad as they say, disciplining him may become difficult."

"That's true." Now it was Link's turn to be unsure. "What would we do in that event?"

"Promise you'll let me handle it, and I'll also be okay with him being on board."

Link nodded, and returned to the two parties. "It is done. Where is Reekmaw now?"

Korgmaw stepped to the side, revealing a very short, barely four foot tall, bulblin. He stood clad only in breeches, and carrying a small sack over his arm. His head, like Korgmaw's, was also bereft of hair, but upon closer inspection of the whiteness on his scalp, it was clear that his hair had been burned in some sort of accident. In the time it took for Link to look him over, the little guy thrust a hefty finger upwards into his nose, wriggled it around, yanked out a green chunk of gunk, and ate it. Then the little gremlin smiled widely, revealing that his teeth were very dull for a bulblin.

Link couldn't help but wince slightly at the sight, but he was a man of his word. The hylian bent down and extended his hand to Reekmaw. "It is good to meet you, Reekmaw. I will be the one guiding you on this adventure."

The bulblin hesitantly brought his own hand to meet Link's and shook it. "Muz-... Reekmaw thankful for the chance you give him. Reekmaw will show you you make good choice."

"I certainly hope so. But be aware that you must listen to what I tell you, and do as I say. If you don't, then you'll have to answer to Ashei."

Reekmaw shifted to look at the woman standing beside Link. Aside from being taller, he didn't see anything intimidating about her. He glanced back at Link and asked, "Is that bad?"

"You could always ask my kids to find out." Link stood back up, speaking to Korgmaw next. "We will take good care of him, I can assure you."

"That is all I want. You have my thanks."

The massive bulblin left with his small entourage. Link watched him leave, no longer feeling pity for him. It had dawned upon him that this was likely the last time he would see Korgmaw. While he may never forget the horrible things the king of the bulblins did in the Twilight Invasion, he would at least accept that in the many years since, he had changed his attitude. But the one thing that never changed was that Korgmaw, the Bulblin King, was a proud warrior, and Link had to respect that.

Having seen the conclusion of the commotion, the people surrounding them went back to their own business. Trejon, in a show of his gratefulness towards Link for peaceably ending the argument, extended his own hand toward the ship. "May I escort you aboard?"

The captain gave them a tour of the vessel, showing off the masterwork of craftsmen that took many months to complete. He explained that it was a new class of ship referred to as a Carrack, as opposed to the other three boats which were Cogs. This new class was designed for long travel over open seas, and could carry an incredible amount of both personnel and goods. Trejon bragged that, at its most, the Puissant Peacemaker could carry over 700 people, but that many people on board was for short trips, as that number would not do well cramped up on such a vessel for very long. Instead, the crew size for this journey was reduced to 250, with 115 being sailors, and 95 soldiers. The last 30 were the various specialists that would accompany them, from carpenters, to cooks, to a pair of zoras that could safely detect reefs. But they were the exception. Nearly the entire crew consisted of humans, and maybe three dozen hylians. With Link and those he was traveling with, the total number of people on the ship came to 255.

The Peacemaker's maximum cargo capacity was estimated to be around 700 burthen tons, and they intended to take advantage of that. While most of it was made up of various goods for the purposes of trading, enough was provided to maintain food that would last them for eight months. This did mean that if they found no land after three and a half months, they would be forced to turn back. Trejon, was optimistic that they would find more land, though this was based primarily around old tales and legends that had been passed down to him by his grandfather, whom had been a sailor himself. Whether or not they would ring true, was uncertain. Nevertheless, they were prepared for an extended trip on the ship.

Not only that, but they were prepared for any attacks as well. The ship had an armory consisting of a sufficient number of weapons to arm nearly every person on board. Better yet, on the main deck, a line of thirty cannons, based off of Auru's weapon of choice, were mounted with great care. To explain their effectiveness to Link's children and Reekmaw, Trejon said that should the other three ships somehow turn against them, they could blast all three of them with great ease. The thought made all three of the listeners excited.

Before they could continue their tour below deck, word came to the captain that they were ready for their departure, so he had to leave them for a few minutes. Moving up onto the poop deck, Trejon took hold of the helm and commenced to order his men around. The soldiers stood at attention along the port and starboard sides of the vessel while the sailors scrambled about to their various positions. Once they were all in position, Trejon raised his ceremonial sword in the air, signalling to a small ceremonial band on the shore to play their song. Once the tune ended, and the loud applause from the crowds died down, Trejon called the final series of commands, each punctuated with a long enough pause to see that every order was completed before the next was made. "Weigh anchor! Hoist the sails! Heave ho!"

Link and his family watched from the stern as the ship left the dock, the site of the land steadily leaving their sight was an incredible experience for the lot of them, and they took in what could likely be the last piece of real civilization that they would see for a long time. Ashei turned to her husband, her face beaming. Finally, after a lengthy hiatus, they were on a new adventure.

Author's Note: Had lots of learning in order to find the right sailing and ship terminology. See profile for more information.