Zoran Chronicles Volume 1 A Dragon in Our Town (47 page)

            
His father continued, “These are their friends, Mages Bernard and Jarka Dragan.
They are here on Asami for their honeymoon. Whatever they desire, give it to them.
Please, show our esteemed guests the very best of times. Where is Kimiko?”

            
“Sure thing pops,” he replied, lapsing back into his cheery manner once more.
“She’s feeding our baby. Ah, here she comes now.” Kimiko had very long black hair and
eyes to match. Like Goro, she too wore only very short shorts and flip-flops. She wore no
top and her rich full breasts were more than visible.

            
Hajime grimaced, but explained, “You must forgive them. She is nursing their
son. It is our custom to leave a woman’s beasts exposed while they are nursing. It is
better for the health of their babies and themselves.” Kimiko seemed not to notice the
stares of the guests and shook everyone’s hands as Baron Hajime introduced everyone a
second time.

            
“So glad that you have chosen our island. It is a favorite of honeymooners,”
Kimiko explained. “Baron, you may rest assured that Goro and I will show these
important guests an honorable time.” She attempted to counter the annoyance that Goro
had already instilled in her father-in-law. She succeeded. Baron Hajime relaxed. He
suggested that they try a yacht cruise, sea diving, and a ride along the island. He then
excused himself and returned to Paru.

            
“Kind of stuffy, don’t you think? I mean dad,” Goro teased, motioning the four to
have a seat. “Had breakfast? Probably so, knowing dad. Out here on Shima Yubi, we are
totally
not
formal. Fun is the name of the game. Ever been sailing on a yacht?”

            
“Er no,” Zoran replied.

            
“Okay, that’s what we’ll do today. That and some sea diving.”

            
Kimiko added, “I’ll see that we have a big sunahama yakara ready for you when
you get back. Goro, make sure you are not late. Be back by five at the latest. I’ll prepare
swordfish for you. Most off-worlder’s prefer swordfish. I think it tastes more familiar.”

            
“Will you have some of your other delicacies?” Jarka asked curiously. “I’m game
to try almost anything. What does octopus and squid taste like?”

            
Bernard grumbled, muttering, “I’ll stay with the swordfish.” Everyone chuckled.

            
By eleven, Zoran’s party walked onto the main deck of Goro’s yacht. Really, he
explained, it was a two masted schooner, though the significance was totally lost on the
four. He had a crew of six and before long, the ship tacked out into the open waters. All
four stared at the distant horizon and the waters below them, crystal blue.

            
“Come on; let’s lay out in the sun!” Goro declared once they were well underway.
“Nothing much to see. Like this.” He laid out a towel and then laid down, basking in the
warm sunshine. The four followed suit. “Nothing like a lazy cruise in the sun, eh?”

            
“I admit this is pretty amazing,” Jarka volunteered. “I’ve never seen a sea before,
let alone a boat. It is really big, isn’t it?”

            
“Yes, but smaller than dad’s yacht. Not much to do around here really, except
party on the beach. I mean we do have fishermen and dryers — they fillet and dry the
fish and sea weed, pack them, and store them for shipping and such. Rather boring jobs
if you ask me. Then of course, there are the pearl divers, but those areas are off limits to
all off-worlders. Centuries ago, they caught too many visitors stealing our precious,
valuable pearls. However, dad’s got one place setup where you can go diving for pearls,
but if you find any, they will be small ones.”

            
“Makes sense,” Zoran replied.

            
“Say, do you know that once this island was the largest on Asami? Two and a half
centuries ago a hurricane struck with such violence that nearly all the island sunk! Our
original Circle of Ascension was here and was lost. No one has ever found it; storm
washed it completely away. Had to make us a new one, Bandar Zar did. Zoran, I cannot
tell you how excited I am now that you and Brother Jiri Zar have begun to make new
Circles! Dad’s going to have one built here on Shima Yubi again for me! Not sure just
when he’s going to build it, though. Brother Jiri wasn’t certain on the time. Yep, Zoran,
one of these days I will be Baron Goro and come and join you on the High Council!
Won’t that be something?”

            
He chatted merrily away for hours. Zoran and friends learned quite a lot from his
idle chat. Around two, they dropped sail. “Ah, here we are. I brought you to my favorite
reef. You can all cast Breath Water, right?” Zoran nodded and he continued
enthusiastically, “Great. We’ll go for an underwater swim. You have to see the sights.
This spot here is absolutely fantastic. You’ll never see anything like it. I promise you.
Come on. Cast your spells and dive in. Follow me.”

            
He cast his spell and dove from the main deck making a perfect dive into the clear
blue ocean waters. Zoran and friends followed suit, though all four chose to jump into
the waters. None had ever dived before and it looked a bit too scary to try. For an hour
they swam around underwater. Goro was understating the sights! Multicolored fish,
breathtaking coral, undulating seaweeds, the group was mesmerized by the beauty
before their eyes. The swim ended all too soon for them. Jarka even got to see a small
octopus, something she talked endlessly about for days to whoever would listen to her.

            
Goro was true to his word and had them all back before the five o’clock sunahama
yakara, which Kimiko had prepared for them. This one proved even more entertaining,
since only younger folks attended. They dined on ten different dishes, drank more than
enough wine, danced, swam, and generally had fun. The party ended at midnight, not
ten as with Hajime. Now Zoran appreciated Goro’s late morning breakfast. They partied
half the night away and slept in to compensate.

            
Once more, Zoran’s nightmare woke him from his deep sleep. This time, the
images, the emotions, the feelings were vividly real. Zdenka became even more worried
about him, but had no idea what she could do for him. This frustrated her and she
resolved to speak to Uncle Milan about it, discretely of course.

            
Zoran appreciated taking breakfast at ten the next morning. He had a slight
hangover from all of the wine he’d consumed at the party. Goro explained, “Well, I
suppose that today you newlyweds ought to take a ride down honeymoon road. That’s
what we call the hundred mile long stretch of island between here and the pearl diving
town of Ma-meido. Usually, they drive their own carriage. Honestly, the strip of land is
only a couple hundred feet wide the whole way, narrower in places. It is totally isolated
so you can stop and do what you like nearly anywhere without being disturbed. All along
there, the beaches are perfect on either side of the road, so you can go for a swim
anywhere. Now if you want an insider’s tip, I’ll give it to you.” He’d lowered his voice and
sounded mysterious.

            
“Sure thing, please do,” Jarka insisted. She had to know what his tip was.

            
He grinned and whispered, “What most honeymooners do is find an ideal spot
and then take their brides in for a swim totally naked. You have to try it; you will love it.
The waters are warm, perfect for fun and frolicking. We all do it around here, but don’t
tell dad. He doesn’t like us all doing that.” Jarka’s face broke out into a big grin. She
looked at Bernard, who replied in kind. Zoran knew that this would be the first thing
that those two did!

            
As they were getting ready to go find a carriage, Kimiko joined them, just having
fed her son. She said in a matter of fact way, “Ah, going for a carriage ride today. Great.
My advice, find a nice spot and go for a naked swim and then have sex. You won’t believe
how great having sex is while in the warm waters! We do it that way all the time.”

            
“Kimiko, you spoiled it,” Goro teased her. “Here I had them all thinking this was a
secret mystery and all that.” She giggled. So did Zoran and friends. “If you want, you can
sleep out on the beaches too. If so, I’ll make sure you take along more food and water
than you need for just one day.”

            
“How about us taking enough for three days?” Zoran asked.

            
Kimiko grinned, “Now you are talking! You got it! See, they know what to do,
Goro.” He chuckled.

            
An hour later, Bernard sat in the driver’s seat of the open carriage. Jarka sat
beside him. Two horses seemed eager to get going, while Zoran and Zdenka sat in the
double rows of seats behind the two. On the other seat they had numerous water gourds,
a sack of charcoal, and enough food for days. Goro saw them off. “If bad weather is
coming, I’ll let you know. Dad told me to tell you that if he hears of any trouble coming,
he’ll let you know and you can Shadow Walk home. Just leave the carriage; I’ll come get
it. Have fun out there. We certainly do.”

            
A half hour later, they left the western edge of the town behind them. Ahead the
sandy road ran straight westward. On either side, patches of green grass grew tall and
thick for some hundred feet, before giving way to a sandy beach. Indeed, here the island
was perhaps ten feet above sea level, if that. The day was sunny and balmy, perhaps
eighty degrees.

            
“Bernard, isn’t this just incredible?” Jarka exclaimed.

            
“Dear, I have long ago lost all words to describe this place! I admit when I first
heard about this world, I thought it was going to be dismal, but that shows you how
wrong I can be. I’m sure glad that you insisted we come here.”

            
“Well, I can’t wait to go skinny dipping! Hurry the horses up some!” Zoran and
Zdenka listened to the two chat, but they were already in a passionate embrace.

            
At lunch time, they stopped and went for a swim, before moving on down the
road. They saw no one at all the entire day. When they stopped for the night, Zoran and
Bernard estimated that they were about halfway down the island. After they dined, both
couples went for a nighttime swim. However, each couple went on a different side of the
island. Both couples stripped and headed playfully into the warm waters.

            
That night, Zoran awoke with his usual nightmare once again, only now it seemed
so real that Zdenka had a hard time waking him up. She did her best to not wake
Bernard and Jarka. On a hunch, the next day Zoran insisted that they travel on down the
road. Bernard had no objection. The two women, Zoran noted, had the most contented,
satisfied looks on their faces that morning. He smiled and knew why.

            
By late afternoon, the island had narrowed considerably, perhaps fifty feet from
water’s edge to water’s edge. From the carriage, they could see everything across the
width of the island. Suddenly, Zoran spied a form lying on the beach some distance
ahead. “Gang, look there! It looks like a body lying on the beach. Hurry up, Bernard,
they might be in trouble,” he called out. All eyes stared at the distant form, as Bernard
got the horses into a canter, closing the distance rapidly.

            
“My god, Zoran!” Zdenka exclaimed, “That — that looks like a mermaid!”

            
Panic seized Zoran. Was he too late to save her? Was she the person in his
nightmares? Bernard halted the horses opposite the mermaid, who lay lifelessly on the
sandy beach. A bit of her tail remained in the water. She looked like a green fish from the
waist down, but was a woman on up. She had no top clothes on and was lying face down
in the sand. All four rushed to her side.

            
“She’s alive!” Zoran called out. He rolled her over while Zdenka moved the long
strands of her very long black hair off of her face.

            
“She looks dehydrated,” he concluded. Jarka brought a water gourd, and Zoran
lifted her into a sitting position, while Jarka attempted to get some water into her
mouth. Soon, the woman gained some consciousness and began drinking greedily. At
long last, she could speak.

            
“Help! You must help me! Please, my sister. Help me,” she whispered. Her tone
was a combination of grief and fear. “I am so weak,” she added, now becoming more
aware of her body.

            
“You are in good hands. We will help you and your sister. I promise you. How
long have you been lying there on the sand?” Zoran asked.