Part 17 —Mr. Midshipboy Wimpy Jeremiah—

*"Now what?" I asked.*

*"Turn in, and say we've done the journey, and I hope Will gives all of us 10/10" Victor said.*

*Hardegras shrugged "Well I have to be truthful"*

*After the stamping stuff. We headed towards the academy and entered it. It was the same as before. Many boys goofing around or walking around. If they were already there that meant that we were very late.*

*"Good morning Lord William K-"*

*"Shhhhhh" Hardegras put his palm over the mouth of the man that was supposed to greet and guide us.*

*"Sorry, Lord William Boris Hardegras, what do we have here now?"*

*"Well, I'd say, promote these boys into men."*

*"May you give us their grades on the promotion room there?"*

*"Of course sir"*

*The promotion room was surprisingly small, made of dark oak, there were two large bookshelves filled with books, a table and three chairs, two of them were occupied by some "Gentlemen".*

*"Who goes first?" Hardegras asked.*

*No one replied.*

*"Alright I have to pick now, not so captain anymore, Relish."*

*He went inside the room, and we waited outside the door which was open.*

*"So late, Mr. William" One of the gentlemen said.*

*"My apologies, Mr. Parker, but the wind wasn't good with us."*

*"Well all of that away let's start promoting, shall we?"*

*"Yes indeed sir, this is Relish Clemence, one gallant Captain, the rank of midshipman or midshipboy is too low for him, make him a Left-Tennant immediately"*

*"Well not so easy, my Lord, he'll need an examination"*

*"Then we'll give him one, after everyone else is done"*

*Relish got nervous, Lieutenant exam requires knowledge in geometry and trigonometry. Which he was, let’s say not the best at.*

*"Alright sir, now may we see the others?"*

*"Yes, sir" Hardegras looked towards us "Victor, come"*

*"This is Victor Whitlock, absolutely brilliant tactician and combatant"*

*"I'm sorry?" The Professor lowered his glass. "Combat?"*

*"Where did I get this from then?" Hardegras pulled out the necklace from this pocket.*

*"Oh my, did you really-"*

*"Yes, but no point of talking about it, I give this boy a nine"*

*"Midshipman worthy"*

*"Yes, and this boy, ah, Esther Ashford -come here-"*

*Victor left the room and Esther entered.*

*"Seven out of Ten, lacks discipline, but a great sailor"*

*"Now you can go back outside, Esther"*

*"And also, Henry Grayridge, strong young man, promote him to midshipman"*

*And at last, it was me. Nervous, Anxious, will I become a Left-Tennant, or will I become a Midshipboy, it would be only a matter of words to change the course of my career.*

*"And yes, the last one, Arthur Horatio Jeremiah"*

*"Heard a lot about him"*

*"I've saved the best for the last"*

*Just after that, I became extremely happy, with a massive smile baring my teeth.*

*"Not a particularly decent sailor, nor any good strength, but well disciplined, well dedicated, and what lies best is in his brain and fighting skill. I can almost guarantee you will win all the time in boarding actions and combat if this boy is on board, which is exactly what the navy was made for in the first place. I'd give him an eight, Midshipboy worthy"*

*My friends chuckled.*

*What? Midshipboy? I did all of this to be not even a midshipman! I was furious. After we were all assigned to a random ship, we went into our rooms and Hardegras followed up. And I ranted.*

*"Why did you make me a Midshipboy? That's not even a rank! I'm mad!"*

*"Calm down, a Midshipboy is a lot more than you think. He's the combat midshipman, under regular sailing he's like the Midshipman's mate, but under combat it becomes the opposite. This rank is extremely new to the Valereenan navy, introduced just a month and a half ago"*

*That still wasn't very appeasing to me*

*"But battle rarely happens!" I complained.*

*"That's true, very true, but on a Sloop-of-War, it isn't rare, especially, most especially in these days, back in the 70s and early 80s it was rare, but now times have changed, especially in this year, 1788, the world is at it's peak state of war since the last century and a half. And it may continue the same way for the next twenty years. And from the cases of last month, every 5th or 6th rate that has ever set sail has seen action with the average of one to three ships, some even have fought five"*

*"But-"*

*"No buts, I'll see you tomorrow"*

*Relish entered the room, after the exam. "Guess what?"*

*"You're a left-tennant" Henry guessed, jealously.*

*"No, I'm an Acting-Lieutenant" Relish sighed. "But that's better than all of you, am I right Arthur?"*

*"I hate you" I replied.*

*"Hearing Hardegras, I kind of want to be a Midshipboy, that looks more fun" Victor said.*

*"By the way, what really is the pay of the Midshipboy? No one told me that!" I said.*

*"I read a poster outside, One doubloon, Eighteen shillings, and seven pence"*

*"The same as a midshipman?" I wondered.*

*"Yes, but a midshipman gets an extra penny"*

*"Oh" I sighed.*

*"Well this is the last day of the academy, it's just pure rest day, we can do anything we like, we can even go outside into our homes, but only after the final training, which is just now" Relish informed.*

*"Then we must hurry" I said.*

*We ran downstairs, out in the open field. The boys were getting lined up. For the last training of their, of our lives, in this academy.*

*After the training, I chose to go home, on my way back. Hardegras stopped me.*

*"Well, Arthur" He said. "Your family is not at home"*

*"Then where are they?"*

*"At Richmond Park, hosting a ceremony"*

*"For what"*

*"For you"*

*Not surprising considering Amelia got one when she graduated as a physician. So we changed our way to Richmond Park. Walking on the cobblestone pathways, buildings, lampposts, and patches of beautiful grass everywhere, and of course, Ferriston's hustle and bustle. I walked until we reached the beautiful garden, with magnificent flowers and trees.*

*"Frank told me he's just in the middle, which is quite far away, the park is too big though, it'll take some time"*

*"You know my father?" I looked at Hardegras.*

*"Well of course, he's my grandnephew"*

*I shock and a chill ran throughout my entire body, which was shaking heavily, and my heart pounded so hard it might have broken my ribs and have came out.*

*"It's time you've found out" He smiled.*

*"You're name's not Hardegras!"*

*"Hardegras is not even a name these days, it's just an old medieval name"*

*"That's why you remembered Captain Jacques' story!"*

*"Do you know my real name?" He asked.*

*"Yes I know, William Kennedy Hardy"*

*"Well that K stands for something else"*

*"I knew it!"*

*"That's why I made you a Midshipboy, you'll work for my Sloop-of-War, the mighty 18 gunned HMS Alliance"*

*"From the stories?"*

*"From the reality"*

*I was awed, it was too much for my pea brain to comprehend who I was talking to.*

*"I was being hunted as a pirate on this ship, so I signed the letter of marque, which was still not enough, so four years ago, I sold her to - What was that!" William got shocked by a kid in the park who performed a backflip- "Anyways, I sold her to the Royal Navy and became the post captain of the ship, but I still am as independent as I used to be as a pirate. Anyways the park has just arrived and we should head to the ceremony".*

*The "ceremony" was set up like a marriage, except with no bride or flowers or any silly pink colours.*

*In the middle stood my dad, wearing his best clothes, a red overcoat with silver buttons and silver epaulettes, a white shirt and a fancy white wig. A magnificent tricorne, he was awaiting me proudly.*

*"Ah there you are, my son!" He said proudly and hugged me tightly.*

*"We've been waiting for hours, fortunately that was good because the food is now ready, anyways, can you tell me something about your journey?"*

*I didn't like the word "Journey", our voyage was nothing short of goofing around.*

*"It's not a journey I would say a voyage"*

*"Whatever, just tell something, everyone wants to hear something from you"*

*"Uh" I was nervous, there were so many related people and noblemen around me sitting in their chairs, it was all for just me, I felt special, and at the same time an idiot. "I found out that Hardegras was my great granduncle"*

*"Very well, about the voyage?" Dad asked.*

*"Oh yes, I killed a fox at Marcel's Rest, and killed a bear together with my friends in a line of battle, which wasn't really a battle rather a hunt"*

*"Anything else?"*

*I blinked nervously.*

*"I fought the Undead Catboats"*

*"Wait what?" Dad rubbed his eyes.*

*"Yes, ask, um, Will, about that, and also at Martinsville, I ate at Jean Tayor's, um, 'Cheese world' and also at Lenore's Isle after selling all the pelts and stuff, I earned a lot of money"*

*"Oh that's brilliant Arthur" My Grandmother said from the crowd, in her very shaky old voice.*

*"Well" Dad looked at the servants. "Begin the feast"*

*I sat at a special large table, on my left was William, still not used to that, and on my right was my Father, on front of me was Granduncle Jerome, and on his right and left sides were two Valereenan noblemen, maybe the my father's friends or something.*

*"Dad" I needed an answer. "Why did you host a party for such a stupid thing?"*

*"It's because, well you might just be the next Admiral Fraser Pollock"*

*"I'm just a puny little Midshipboy!"*

*"There is a reason for that" Dad took a sip of his tea. "I told Will to promote you to that rank"*

*"What is so special about it?"*

*"You'll find out later" He put a spoonful of Macaroni into his mouth.*

*"It's not that important though, it's the lowest rank that gives you access to a surprise, multiple surprises"*

*I know if I'd ask anything more, he'd respond "You'll find out later" every time.*

*"So" I said, trying to change the topic, I had no better question than the same thing I had before. "Why did you make such a big ceremony for this"*

*"Yes, it's been quite a long time that the Ferriston house of the Lords have been in something like this, and also there is something special about you"*

*Special at blundering and getting bullied, he must've meant.*

*I gobbled up a slice of pizza, it's pretty insane to think that my dad went as far as to hiring Camersian chefs from Valkrestina to make pizza, who are a rare sight in Martinia.*

*After I ate the second best food of my life, almost knocking Jean Taylor off the podium, it was time for the party, which I could not take part in, obviously.*

*Everyone danced together. The bagpipes and drums played a magnificent, outstanding, heavenly tune which I cannot word as it was so good. I think the song was "Bonnie Dundee".*

*Everyone was drinking red wine, partying, dancing, gambling and doing all sorts of evil. My dad, William (Who now prefers to be called "Hardy") and I just watched, doing absolutely nothing.*

*"Well it as arrived" Hardy said.*

*A man in a white coat and yellow shirt and a brilliant top hat came with a special package which seemed to glow.*

*It was long enough to carry a musket, but it could also be a sword.*

*Hardy took the package gently and presented it to me.*

*"Your gift, my nephew"*

*"Uncle Hardy" I and he chuckled. "What's this?"*

*"Open it first, Arthur"*

*I untied the ribbon and opened the lid, and I was shocked, surprised, and most importantly, happy. It was a sword, of my own. It looked old but I couldn't point out any weakness of the weapon.*

*"Can you guess what this is?" My dad asked.*

*"A sabre" I answered, uncomfortably.*

*"Not just of any kind, this belonged to someone special, I'd give you the name of this blade first. The Piragua"*

*I've heard that somewhere, a sabre named Piragua, but just couldn't know where.*

*"My half-brother's sword" Hardy said.*

*"Is that" I pointed nervously to the sabre. "Really the sword of my-my- I mean Captain Lancelot Bellamy?"*

*"Then what?" My father said.*

*I almost fainted. But Hardy stopped me from falling to the ground, and I shook my head, regaining consciousness.*

*"I can't believe-"*

*"Yes, yes, this is the reason why we made you a midshipboy, so that you can get your very own personal sword, midshipmen aren't allowed to have their own personal swords otherwise they'd get too bossy."*

*I grabbed the hilt and held the sword in my bare hands, and I almost again fainted from the power of that thing.*

*The Sabre was sleek and elegant, the blade was two and a half feet long, engraved on it was the signature of my Great-Grandfather, the hilt was designed with pure gold, and the handle was coated with fibre. The guard was made of gold and was very large with three long holes pointed at the edge cut into the guard, why? To reduce the weight. The pummel was shaped like a gem upside down, and was made from something called "Charged Sapphire" I think. It was extremely sharpened at the edge, I would probably find myself smacking some poor Serpish men with it. The blade was shaking a bit though, probably because it was so old, it was loose like it would probably come off at my first moment of action.*

*"This doesn't look like the one I heard and read about, it should be made of electrostreel, I think" I said, looking very confused.*

*"Well, then read more about it, you don't know much" My dad said.*

*A crazy man ran towards us at full speed, we all dodged him, he probably was drunk or something, because the next thing he did was trying to eat the bushes that where set up for my ceremony.*

*"That's what they always say, alcohol turns men into animals" I joked.*

*Everyone laughed a lot on that one.*

*"Well Arthur, on a more important note, you should take a rest for two days at least, because three days later, I will go on another trade run, it seems that I have ran out of money earned from the previous trade run I did a couple months ago, mostly for your ceremony"*

*"So why are you telling me that?"*

*"Because the Alliance and a few other ships are going to be the escort of quite a large fleet of five ships, one I have taken part in, of Lord Dexter, who by the way you should meet, he's in the ceremony"*

*"Oh, now what?"*

*"Meet Lord Dexter" He said.*

*Duh.*

*Instead of going to Lord Dexter, Lord Dexter came to us. It was like meeting the King.*

*Count John Dexter -my father’s boss, sort of, the president of the private company my father works in- was around the age of 50 or 60. He wore round glasses, wore a white powdered wig, and he wore no hat. His cheekbones were larger than my dad's. He wore a nice blue overcoat and a brown waistcoat, a pair of silver buckled shoes, he was quite tall though. He even had a ceremonial sword sheathed in it's decorated scabbard, can't tell if it's a hanger or a sabre. And lastly, he wore white pants.*

*"Good morning Mr. Jeremiah!"*

*"Good morning my Lord sir!"*

*My dad and he greeted each other while shaking their hands.*

*"So this is Arthur? Right?"*

*"Yes, Lord Dexter"*

*"Heard quite a lot about him. You're now a Midshipman's Mate, right? I suppose"*

*"Not actualły, I'm a midshipboy" I said uncomfortably, I couldn't believe that this was the Lord Dexter my father talked about ever so proudly, he looked so friendly for his formal and well-mannered character.*

*"What's that rank? Never heard about it!"*

*"My Lord, that's a new rank introduced in the Royal Navy, no other nation uses it though, quite a strange rank though, it feels fictional" (It IS fictional)*

*"I suppose that's the equivalent to a Midshipman's mate but greater"*

*"Exactly, my Lord"*

*"And this is Lord William Boris Hardegras? Am I right?" He turned his head towards Uncle Hardy.*

*"My apologies, sir, but he is actually Sir Redmond's Uncle"*

*"You mean William Hardy?" He looked shocked.*

*"Yes, my Lord"*

*I thought he would be shocked just like me, but he acted like he was normal about it.*

*"Long time no see, Will, when was the last time?"*

*"Last time?" Hardy thought "Hardy-ly". "I think I remember thirty-two years ago, in 1752"*

*"Ah, I remember sailing with you, it was fun to see you hang Serpish sailors by the feet with belaying pins upside down and feed them to the Kraken"*

*They laughed a bit. It was weird to hear that from Hardy because he looked thirty-two years old.*

*"I think it's time for some fun now, racing" My dad said.*

*What?*

*"Arthur, do you want to join?" Uncle Hardy said.*

*"In what?" I asked.*

*"Horse racing" He responded.*

*I took a large gulp, either just sit in one place bored. Or get humiliated by three men.*

*"Yes" I agreed.*

*My father went to a fence built for my ceremony for horses and brought three horses and a hinny, like he was previously ready for this, which he was, obviously. We guided the horses went to a racing track and stayed in a line.*

*"You own a hinny? Arthur?" Uncle Hardy asked, giggling a bit.*

*"His name is Aubert! And don't insult him!"*

*"Oh, okay" He said, chuckling.*

*"Should we being now?" Lord Dexter asked.*

*"Yes" My dad said, trying to get control of his Painted Standardbred.*

*My poor Aubert stood no chance against Uncle Hardy's Fox Trotter horse and Lord Dexter's Appaloosa.*

*"Should've brought my Tobiano Pinto" Lord Dexter murmured.*

*"Ready" Uncle Hardy said.*

*"Yes"*

*"Go".*

*Aubert started trotting first, then I lashed him to go faster at canter.*

*Uncle Hardy caught up and he hit his horse and now he was galloping ahead of everyone. My Dad caught up to him and the two were moving just about the same speed. I told Aubert to gallop as fast as he could and he nearly caught up with my*

*Dad who was second.*

*And out of nowhere Lord Dexter's Appaloosa decided to gallop. It dashed between Uncle Hardy and my father and took first place by a large margin.*

*For a bit of time Everyone was competing for the second spot until my dad's horse thought that it was the best time to gallop as fast as he could, battling Lord Dexter.*

*I was dead last.*

*The finish line was just seconds away, I needed third place.*

*I promised Aubert a mouthful of sugar and apples and alfalfa after this, but he couldn't understand the language human. And Uncle Hardy's horse did. Aubert tired down, which never happens as he's built for stamina, and Uncle Hardy's horse ran faster than ever.*

*After a fierce battle between the Appaloosa and the Standardbred, the Appaloosa came on top and thus, Lord Dexter won, my Dad was second, Uncle Hardy third, and I, -to make myself feel better- fourth.*

*"I owe you a farthing now" My dad said to Lord Dexter.*

*"I don't bet" Lord Dexter spoke. "Keep that to yourself, can by a couple of oysters with that. Or a bit of butter"*

*We cantered back to where we started.*

*"Should we do that again?" Uncle Hardy asked.*

*"With more people" My dad said.*

*"With more people" Lord Dexter repeated.*

*I didn't say anything. Uncle Hardy went asking other people in the party to join while our horses rested.*

*"You should take Richarlison" My dad said. "Remember him?"*

*I nodded*

*"The Lusitano I bought for myself but it ended up liking you more?"*

*"Yes, I'll take him"*

*He went to the fence and put Aubert in and took Richarlison out while Hardy came in with ten men and one woman who happened to be Amelia.*

*One everyone got their horses, a massive crowd gathered up to watch the race. Winner gets money, loser gets a quarter-farthing, and I can certainly buy some marchpane with that.*

*Out of the 11 people that joined in I recognised five of them. Both of my Aunt's husbands, Uncle Terry, with his Painted Quarter, and Uncle Craig, with his beautiful Tersk. My enemy Amelia, riding her Warmblood. My Father's friends, Sir Rupert and Lord Charles. Both of them on Morgans.*

*I looked at other contestants to see their horses, most of them where on Standarbred Pintos, Paint horses and Cittanian Horses. But one was on a dangerous looking Camersian Halfbred an another one was on a terrifying and tall Artuvan Walking.*

*Everyone lined up, I was besides Amelia and Uncle Hardy.*

*And the whistle blew.*

*Everyone started trotting, until someone started to canter his Cittanian, and we all followed up.*

*The Cittanian didn't remain top dog for too long. Uncle Terry caught up. Then we all started galloping, and Lord Dexter came on top, battling the Halfbred.*

*I was at around eighth, just besides Amelia, battling for the seventh spot. But it just took one powerful gallop for Richarlison to get the better of Amelia, and if horses could then my horse must've been sticking his tongue out at Amelia and her pony. Richarlison was galloping at full speed, seventh, sixth, fifth. Now besides Uncle Hardy. Fighting for the fourth place. It was going good but my Lusitano had to take a break, which sucked, I was cantering while everybody was galloping, Richarlison couldn't do any better, he needed a rest. I almost gave up when Amelia passed me. I was now dead last at 15th, ahead of me was a Painted Quarter. I looked far ahead to see who was first, it was hard to see, but holy, it was Amelia. I was bummed by that fact, but ponies can't gallop for long. Richarlison was also now building up his stamina. And I galloped with full force. I passed a Pinto, and then a few Painted Quarters, and then Uncle Craig, and then Sir Rupert, Richarlison was using his full force. It started cantering, but everyone also started cantering. I was now sixth. Amelia dropped behind at ninth. The one leading was Uncle Hardy. After a bit of cantering it was time to gallop. Everyone did. I dropped to seventh, and Lord Charles caught up with me, his Morgan was almost overpowering my poor Lusitano. And after a bit more riding, the finish line was visible, minutes away. I hit Richarlison one more time and he went full speed, I was now first, with the finish line seconds away, Sir Dexter's appaloosa caught up. "I am going to be first this time" I told myself. It didn't work. Richarlison couldn't handle it anymore, he started slowing down, still galloping, but dust caught up in his nose, after he sneezed, he forgot what was he doing, I was now falling behind, my horse just stood there, sneezing, I hit him and told him to go, but he didn't move, and tried to buck me off, I resisted, and he agreed, so he started immediately galloping. I had to at least be ahead of Amelia to win this, the finish line was just seconds away, he started heavily running, I was now 10th, Amelia was like fifth, no hope for me.*

*Then Richarlison started running like crazy, Sir Rupert, Uncle Hardy and Lord Charles, now at seventh place, and then the first person reach the finish line, which was the Halfbred, and then the others followed up. I also ended up reaching the finish line, and others followed behind me, until the very last horse, which was a Cittanian, not the same one at the start of the race.*

*The crowd cheered the winners. And then it was then told by the crowd who finished where. I ended up finishing 7th, ahead of Hardy at 8th, and behind Amelia at sixth, as prize, I got a single penny. And Amelia got a thrupenny bit, or a threepence, whatever. I was at least luckier than Uncle Hardy, who got a ha-penny. And a whole lot luckier than that Cittanian rider, who got a quarter-farthing. The winner of this was the Halfbred rider, Sir James Bellamy, as the people called him. His prize? Forty shillings, or two doubloons, Lord Dexter, who finished 2nd, got twenty shillings, my dad got ten, some random man who finished fourth got five, and some other random man who finished fifth got a single shilling. And the guy who finished last was just a random Painted Quarter and you already know what he got, a quarter-farthing.*

*"Great riding Arthur!" Uncle Craig patted me on the back while on our way back. He normally never talks to me.*

*"But I finished 7th!"*

*"You were the most middle of all of us, that means you got the better of half the contestants!"*

*"But half other contestants got the better of me!"*

*He chuckled and then he left the scene.*

*After the race, the party was dying, many "gentlemen" and partygoers had to leave and take a bath because of drinking too much wine and then wetting their pants. Now I was practically stuck, I had nothing to do. The party was still running and it was already afternoon. And most pant-wetters were now back from cleaning themselves only to wet their pants again.*

*I sat on a park bench for a while, besides me was an old Amaranth tree.*

*For a while I sat bored, until Uncle Hardy came in and sat besides me.*

*"So Arthur, bored?" He asked, trying to hold his laugh.*

*"Then what?"*

*He chuckled.*

*"Do you want to know about the upcoming Abdh an Nasi Fortune?"*

*"What's that?" I asked, in confusion.*

*"The upcoming commerce voyage that you are going to be a part in"*

*"It even has got a name!??"*

*"Well, I read a poster, Lord Dexter needs more men for the trade run, and on the poster it says that name"*

*"Oh, so what's about it"*

*"Well" Hardegras said, thinking hard, "We're escorting the merchant fleet with the Valereenan Celradell fleet"*

*"You're a Lieutenant on that fleet, I suppose"*

*"Not actually, I'm the Captain of three ships, a Commodore, but I do not own the entire fleet"*

*"So who does"*

*"Admiral Thomas Palisade*

*"So, what exactly are you trying to do" I asked, trying to recover from my sad thoughts.*

*"Ah yes, I got lost in history, so we're just trading heaps upon heaps of spices to the main land of Abdh an Nasi, Wahid Nas,*

*north of Cape Wornhury"*

*"And we're escorting it on the Allliance"*

*He nodded.*

*"And you're a Lieutenant onboard it"*

*"Not actually, I am a Commodore, but officially, in the paperwork, I am a Lieutenant"*

*"I see, the navy hates you"*

*"I had a parole, letters of marque, but they still don't forgive me for killing the Viscount of Lestonsharer"*

*"But really, why did you kill him, I know that he was an absolute jerk to you, but he was like the King's pet"*

*If you don't know the story of William Hardy and the Viscount, you don't need to, it's a messed up one.*

*"You don't know much about me, so I'll do a thing" I tried to listen carefully "Since I currently don't have a house, I will live in yours for the time being until the trade, and I can teach you and nurture you, about history, the kind you like, glowies, and I can train you in swordsmanship. May you become a Master at arms"*

*From one place to the other side of the world has this conversation travelled to, which Uncle Hardy also realised.*

*"You were talking about the Viscount, and prior to that about the voyage" I said.*

*"Ah yes, thanks for reminding me where I came from, I chopped the Viscount's limbs and then finally his head because he flayed my friend alive and for other messed up reasons"*

*"The voyage?"*

*"Don't make it sound so dramatic Arthur, basically the only special thing about is that we would be on the original Alliance, my ship which I captained back when I was with your Great Grandfather. Basically, eleven ships of the line, half a dozen frigates, and a Sloop of War, and you can guess that, are escorting a fleet of around 60 merchant ships, heading to Al-Wahid Nas. The poster includes this line to get more men, 'Combat guaranteed' I don't know if it's good or bad"*

*"Interesting" I said nonchalantly, clearly not interested.*

*Then my father came, and he said that it's time for us to leave the park.*

*Halfway through the wagon, the sun was sinking into the Bay of Valereena, and I wondered. "Would I and my ship be in the place of the sun a couple days later?"*

*The wagon stopped, and in a few moments, I was in my bed, with an empty stomach.*

*I slept extremely early that night, so I woke up extremely early the next day. Actually, everyone did.*

*"I prefer a half-fry, so please don't poach the egg" Uncle Hardy asked our maid, Emma Thresher.*

*At the breakfast table I discussed Uncle Hardy on the matter of something I haven't told you yet. That is also something that you may have been wondering about.*

*To clear things up. How is he my Uncle? Only if you had heard the myths and read the stories and legends. Well, to start off, I have figured out the reason why when he saved Esther's life he turned into an octopus, no it's not the reason that it differs among eyes, he lied about that, it's because he is the son of the Kraken.*

*How? Because you see, not too get too deep inside, the Kraken was once an actual human about three thousand years ago. An expert officer of an ancient Quinqereme, a sort of ancient ship, really ugly though. So it was all good, he won a great battle, actually two, discovered some islands, etcetera, until one day, he sailed too far, into the domain of the Leviathan. And the Leviathan is a bad "thing". So the Kraken, that time a man named Atillius Zephaniah. Decided to do the smartest thing there was to do, make a deal. Since he was carrying many livestock, he claimed that beef and mutton were tasty and healthy things to the beast, and in return, the Leviathan will leave them free. Of course, the beast didn't listen, and then it decided to eat the ship and the men. But then for some reason it felt sorrow, and instead of eating Atillius and his officers. It turned them into sea monsters that will serve him, and he made Atillius the most powerful. And  from then on, every thousand years, the Leviathan will turn them back into a human again from monster form, and after you die as a human, you will be back as a sea beast. That's more than kind for the Leviathan. And by luck, in the 17th century, the Kraken became a man once again. He lived a good life, once again as a sailor. He married my great-great-grandmother and had a son named Will Hardy. But it didn't last long, only for 8 years. The Kraken, at the age of just 35, died a stupid death, which was a miserable duel.*

*So basically, then, my grandfather's grandfather, a fisherman named Douglas Jeremiah, married the widow, my double great grandmother, and no one died that time. And thus, Captain Lancelot and Captain Matthew were born. And in case you are wondering, Hardy's immortal unless he gets killed by someone or something, otherwise no sickness or no age can stop him.*

*Hearing that was strange, and for the entire day, I read Hardy's books and listened stories from him, and that continued until the day it came.*