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15th Day in the 4th of Ründ’s Months, Dry Season, in the 29th Year of King Bornidin the Young’s Reign, 126th Reckoned Year
Who are those that have a purpose?
They are the Misguided, for they do not watch their feet.
Who are those that hold a truth?
They are the Mistaken, for what they hold they make cheap.
Who are those that house an answer?
They are the Misled, for they love the ring in their nose.
Who are those that heed a moral?
They are the Misused, for they scorn the story told.
Who are those that harbor a voice?
They are the Misspoken, for their words are not their own.
Who are we that speak these oaths?
We are the hidden ones, never to be known.
From ‘The Hidden Liturgy’, Fāy-Núl Tör, Author Unknown in the Unreckoned Years
The first cry of ‘shallowback’ rings through the air mere hours after Chapel’s warning. Mavis calls out, “Shallowback off the starboard prow!” from behind the ship wheel. Petsune is interested in seeing one, so he makes his way to the starboard gunnel. The only other crew members that come over are Pickett and Sprig. At first, Petsune can’t tell where the whale is. Sprig says, “See them two dark things? They’s the breathin’ tubes. The head’s somewhere below eatin’ gunk.” Sprig points and when Petsune follows his finger, he sees two shapes moving slightly along the calm surface of the sea. Sprig appears disappointed. “Ah, it’s down too deep. Come’on, Pick.”
Sprig turns to leave but Petsune is confused. “What do you mean? Why’s it too deep?”
Pickett stares out at the two shapes in the water. “There isn’t much algae on the surface this far from the Misty Shoals, so the shallowback is deeper to stir algae off the tower vines.”
The three of them watch the breathing tubes until they suddenly disappear beneath the surface. Pickett walks away first without saying anything. Sprig gets a little excited and then looks at Petsune. “Wait’ll you see one at the surface. They’re my favorite.”
Petsune asks, “Oh? Why’s that?”
Sprig looks smug. “You’ll just have to wait and see.” Then he too walks away from the railing. Overhead, a flock of prattlebeak and windgulls float in place as a breeze holds them in the sky like an unseen hand. Petsune watches them, hearing faint echoes of Mavis’s voice calling out shallowback. He watches the flock until a lone bird crosses his vision and forces him to look twice. The bird’s talons glitter with an unmistakable white glare as it flies off ahead of the Painful Lady. Petsune looks up to the crow’s nest, but Chapel isn’t there. When he looks to Mavis, he is focused on a compass and hasn’t seen the bird.
Petsune looks for Chapel and finds him in his cabin, writing in the captain's log. He closes it when Petsune enters. “Hello, Pet. I was just about to come looking for you. But you found me first, so go ahead. What’s up?”
“I just saw a Royal messenger beak flying toward the Misty Shoals.”
“Are you sure?”
“Pretty sure. I saw the glint of the Saintstone bands they place around the talons.”
“I wonder what the King could possibly want with the Misty Shoals… Well, suppose we’ll find out when we make port.”
“I don’t like it, Chapel. Messenger beaks are only used in war or proclamations relevant to the entire kingdom.”
“Well, the catch is under keel.”
“What the depths does that mean?”
“The catch is under the boat. If you harpoon a whale and it dives under the boat, there’s nothing you can do but wait and see where it surfaces.”
“Ah, I see. Let’s hope that we’re waiting to see what the whale does and not the ones with a harpoon in our back.”
Chapel appears slightly troubled, but Petsune is realizing that he has been bothered the whole time. “Is something bothering you, Captain?”
“Yeah, it’s the General. I’m afraid he’s getting worse.”
“You mean his, um, drinking?”
“Yeah. He’s getting more irritable and desperate for it, maybe because we’re approaching his home Mass. I was gonna come talk to you about it.”
“Me? Why me?”
Chapel smiles beautifically. “Well, you’re a priest, aren’t you? Thought maybe you could speak with him.”
Petsune looks at the Captain doubtfully. “I can try, of course. But I don’t know how much help I’ll be.”
The Captain smirks, closes his eyes, then leans back with his hands behind his head. “I’ll tell you what a clumsy priest once told me, it went something like this: ‘Blah blah, I don’t know anything. This crew respects you, even if you don’t see it. Blah blah, they trust you, and I trust you, even if you don’t trust yourself.’ Something like that, I think.”
Petsune laughs and rolls his eyes. “Yes, that sounds about right.”
Chapel laughs at the ceiling.
Petsune comes out of the captain's quarters and nearly runs into the Big Man. “Saints! You’ve got to stop doing that to me.”
“Hah! Aye, sorry, Pet. I was coming to ask if you fancied a game of Runny?”
“I would, but I’m actually looking for General Tar, have you seen him?”
A flash of sadness and pain flickers across The Big Man’s face. “Aye. He was below decks, last I saw.”
“Thanks, Big Man.”
“And, Pet?”
Petsune turns back toward the Big Man. “Yes?”
“He’s not himself, just now. I know you’re a priest, and I do trust you, but…”
“I know, Benafield. I understand. I just want to talk and if he wants to, I’ll listen. I thought that maybe if a priest was doing the listening, it would count for something.”
The Big Man shows an emotion for a moment that is hard for Petsune to place. Perhaps pain and longing, the heavy combination of a burden long born. It reminds him of looking down into the Window to the Deep. “Aye? You would do that for him?”
“Of course. I would do it for anyone. I don’t think I am any better than anybody, like other priests. I just want to listen and share whatever wisdom I have found helps me.”
The Big Man appears thoughtful, then smiles. “I knew I liked you, little Pet.”
The General is rummaging around some crates and goods when Petsune finds him in the hold. He appears startled when Petsune speaks, “Hello, General Tarlatan.”
“Oh! Oh my, I didn’t see you there. Terribly sorry, boy. What can I do for you then, hmm?”
“Well, it’s… uh… or rather, I heard that you were well read. Is that true?”
Tarlatan’s interest shows on his face. “Hmm? Well read? Oh yes, I should say so. Read many books in my time.”
“Ah, perfect. I was wondering because I recall a poem from a book called ‘Musings of the Hollow Trees’, have you ever read it?”
“Hmm… no, can’t say that I have. Though I am familiar with Hollow Trees. Fascinating things.”
“Indeed. Um, anyway, I recalled a poem and was wondering if you had any thoughts on its meaning. Or if perhaps, you would want to discuss it with me?”
The General sits atop the crate he was previously rummaging through, clearing engaged now. “Yes, alright. Give me a chance to stretch the old noodle, I should think. Right, well. Go on. Out with it.”
Petsune clears his throat. “It goes like this;
‘How high can the tower whale breach?
As high as the strength of his tail will take him.
How tall can the tower vine grow?
As tall as the deepest part of the sea.
How far can a good ship sail?
As far as the strong wind will blow her.’
Have you ever heard it, General?”
“Hmm. Can’t say I have. It is a very pretty piece though. You should share it with the Captain, he’s got quite a thing for the words of Hollow Trees.”
Petsune is surprised by this. “Does he really? I never knew.”
“Oh yes, yes. He’s always chasing after the drowned things. Collects their wisdom or some such drivel.” Petsune contemplates this new aspect of the Captain, then Tar speaks again. “Now. You were hoping to get thoughts, were you?”
“What? Oh yes, please. And I shall share mine, if you like.”
“Hmm… well, it seems to speak to strength, of a sort. You know, grow as tall as you are able, be as strong as you might, and keep your ship as well as you can. Keep all these things in order, and you shall prosper, I should think. But perhaps if I had more time to, erm, ruminate on the matter.”
“I have been thinking on this poem for a while and I think perhaps it’s about circumstances and control.”
“Oh? Go on.”
“Yes, I think so. The first part is something that can be completely controlled, one’s personal preparation. So if we are the whale and we wish to breach high, we must strengthen our tail and prepare for the task. This is within our control, regardless of context.”
“Hmm, yes I can see that. I agree. And the second part?”
Petsune allows the silence to sit for a moment before speaking again. He wants to give Tarlatan time to process each thing he says.
“The second part I think is about circumstances that are sometimes outside of one’s control. ‘How tall can the tower vine grow? As tall as the deepest part of the sea.’ The vine is prepared and capable of growing, but if it’s circumstance doesn’t permit it, then it will not grow very tall. But it is possible for a tower vine to break free and grow in a deeper part of the sea. So it is still partially able to be controlled.”
“Hmm. And the third part?”
Now Petsune speaks softly and directly to Tarlatan. “I believe the third to be about things that are entirely out of our control. ‘How far can a good ship sail? As far as the strong wind will blow her.’ The ship is prepared, the circumstance is ideal, and yet, the wind may not blow. There are some things that only the Saints can control.” General Tar doesn’t say anything, appearing to stare through the toes of his boots. Petsune stands quietly and speaks, in a very gentle voice. “Things like war and death… Sometimes you’ve done everything you possibly can to ensure the right outcome, but the Will of the Saints proves unknowable.”
The atmosphere remains gentle and still, Tarlatan mulling over Pet’s words. The General speaks then, obviously considering Petsune’s words. “It may be so, yet I fear there are some things we people bear full responsibility for…”
Petsune nods just slightly and prepares to leave the General with his thoughts. “Perhaps, or at least the responsibility of the consequences. In that, I would say you have paid your due,” Petsune says a parting word before he leaves the hold, “Thank you, General Tarlatan, for your thoughts.”
He looks up at Petsune with shining eyes and sniffs. “No, my dear boy, thank you. That was a beautiful poem, and I shall think on… on what you’ve said. Thank you.”
Petsune walks back up to the main deck and breathes in a lungful of the fresh ocean air as it blows coolly across his face.
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