Someone Else's Kingdom, BOOK II - Scene XXII

The Coo-Cal drifted into the Inner Ocean. It had sailed back easily, almost as if the waves themselves had purposely pushed Essen and the ship's boy back to the old world from which they'd came. The little tree, that stood on the deck near the prow, likewise had had an easy journey. It hadn't grown, nor did it bear fruit, but its still peachy green colour gave the impression of thriving life, as it bobbed on waters now foreign to it.

Indeed, the entire journey back had been a veritable mirror of the Arbowlan's original journey outwards to Gelkin's strange little island in the Outer Sea. The fighting, the bloodshed and the desperation all reversed into a peaceful calm. The only moment of sorrow coming when the little vessel beached upon the outcrop of land that had become the place of Acalee's grave. The disturbed earth still fresh and visible amidst the plenty. A single sign of human presence on the bountiful little paradise that had once given them succour on a desperate voyage.

They'd passed through the Tunidan Strait completely unnoticed too. No Tunidan ships or speedy pursuits. The now faded green paint of the Coo-Cal's hull seemingly invisible on the dreamy waters. As they first entered the strait they caught a distant glimpse of Outer Tunida - the unmapped island, and twin to the other Tunida that, so long ago, Essen and his ships had once laid siege to. It reminded him of the story of the second eldest prince of Tunid, Prince Twayen. To all the world dead - in a splendid tomb, in some holy spot within the cloisters of the Ethereal Tower. Yet here he lived, on this unknown island, where only the Tunida Bird would fly. The fiendishness of the lie almost as fiendish as the thought that the King of Tunid would actually execute his innocent brother in cold blood.

As Essen finally entered more familiar seas though his only thought was home. He was back in the violent world he'd missed so sharply. War undoubtedly raging still, at least somewhere, if not in most places - and he hoped Brynnyfirdia would not be feeling the worst of it. As the ship's boy stepped out onto deck to join him, it reminded him painfully of how many men had been lost on this long endeavour of discovery. For all that had went only two were coming back. A tree, a small monkey and a set of maps - a poor trade for such a long list of casualties.

As the two survivors looked out across the glistening ocean, the monkey - bored with life at sea - darted out and cheekily grabbed Essen's hat, then made a break for the rigging of the sail with its prize. Essen barely noted it. The tranquillity of the moment undisturbed, as he crossed the threshold back to reality.