The gold nugget was more money than the old fisherman had ever seen before and his eyes lit up. “What if Jacob don’t know where this netter lives?” he asked.
“The gold is for me finding the woman,” replied Oscar. “If you and Jacob can’t point the way to me, then there is no gold. If you try to cheat me and send me on some fool’s errand to get my gold, I’ll come back for you.”
The old man looked queerly at Oscar and finally nodded. “Fair enough, stranger. I won’t cheat you and neither would Jacob. Let’s go earn some gold.”
The fisherman led Oscar to Jacob and questioned him about the netter. Jacob remembered the man, but could only be vague about his home port. All Oscar could find out was that the netter was named John and was from one of the Pebble Islands. Oscar gladly gave up the gold nugget and rode Yorra up the coast and away from the village. Once he was clear of people, Oscar instructed Yorra to take to the air. Within a couple of hours they arrived over the first of the Pebble Islands. The island chain was sparsely populated and the villages were tiny.
Oscar thought about how he should approach John the Netter. Jacob and the old fisherman did not really know John well and it was not clear to Oscar how John would react to someone claiming the woman he had found. The Pebble Islanders were a curious bunch and didn’t have much use for outsiders or laws. John might have rescued a damsel in distress or he might have claimed a prize from the sea. Oscar intended to leave with Callie either way if, in fact, it was Callie, but he also wanted to make sure that he didn’t walk into a trap.
Yorra set down on the first island and Oscar left her hidden as he walked into the village. He didn’t want to try to explain how he had ridden a horse to the island. Hopefully, everyone would assume that he landed his boat on the other side of the island. There was no inn in the village as no one really traveled through the Pebble Islands, but like remote villages on the mainland, there was always one house that would accept visitors if any should arrive. Oscar rode straight to the waterfront and inquired about John the Netter. The fishermen were not very forthcoming about their knowledge of John, even when Oscar assured them that he meant the man no harm. Seeing that he would get nowhere with the fishermen, Oscar headed into the village and sought out the visitor’s house.
An old grandmother type woman welcomed him into the house and asked about his business in the village. Oscar explained that he was searching for John the Netter and the woman continued working over her stove as if Oscar hadn’t spoken. Finally, Oscar produced the locket and confessed that he was looking for his wife and baby who had been shipwrecked and that he had heard that John had rescued a woman. The old woman sat down and took the locket, eyeing it lovingly.
“She’s a right handsome woman, she is,” smiled the grandmother. “I know the John that you want, but you won’t find him here on this island.” She stared into Oscar’s eyes as if measuring his honesty and worth. Finally, she broke out in a smile. “I believe you, son,” she chirped. “I’m a good judge of people and I can see the heartbreak in your eyes. You love her dearly, you do. The John you want is a good man and if he has your wife, she’ll be properly cared for. I can tell by the way you asked, you aren’t sure of that. John has his own wife and while she isn’t the pretty you have, he loves her dearly too. The western most Pebble is where you need to go. You tell John that Sarah sent you and he won’t be wondering if you’re there to kill him.”
Oscar hugged the old woman and thanked her. He pressed a gold coin into her hand as he left and ran as fast as his legs would carry him. He leaped onto Yorra and the unicorn shot into the air. Oscar hoped that John the Netter had indeed found the right woman as Yorra carried him across the sea. It was beginning to get darker as Oscar and Yorra set down on the last of the Pebble Islands. Again Oscar hid Yorra and walked into the village.
The village was a little larger than Sarah’s village, but still it was small by Kingdom standards. Oscar bypassed the docks this time and sought out the visitor’s house. The petite woman who answered the door was clearly flabbergasted as she welcomed Oscar into her house.
“Dear me,” she exclaimed, “I don’t know as what I’m to do with you. Don’t often get visitors here. I suppose you’re looking to spend the night? Of course you are. Why else would you be standing there? Come in, then. Sit down, now.”
Oscar was confused by the woman’s reaction and couldn’t get a word in as she fretted and mumbled to herself. A small boy came into the house and the woman grabbed him and instructed him to get his father.
Oscar fondled his necklace and called to Callie. Callie, I love you!
There was no reply to Oscar’s Mind Speech and a moment later a tall muscular man with a dark beard entered the house and gazed at Oscar.
Oscar rose and greeted the man and began to speak, but the woman interrupted as she whispered to the man. “I don’t know what to do. Heavens, I would never have expected...“
The man put his arm around the woman and comforted her. “Don’t you worry none, Abigail. I’ll bunk in the boat this evening and you can share the room with our other guest. I’m sure she won’t mind.”
“Excuse me, “ interrupted Oscar. “I don’t want to put you out. I can sleep outside. I really don’t mind, but there is someone I need to talk to first and I was hoping that you could direct me. I’m looking for John the Netter.”
The couple glared at Oscar and the man spoke first. “What does a Kingdom man want with John the Netter?”
Oscar produced his locket and held it out for the couple’s inspection. “Sarah told me that John was a decent man and I believe that he may have rescued my wife from a shipwreck.”
The man picked up the locket and peered at it and then gazed at Oscar. “It’s a nice locket, but how do I know she’s your wife?”
Abigail walked over and looked at the locket. “Heavens, John, sometimes you can be a little too protective! Do you think the young man would carry around a picture of a stranger?”
Oscar was elated. He knew he had found John the Netter and he knew that Callie was the woman the fisherman had found.
Oscar ran and embraced John and thanked him profusely. He spun and kissed John’s wife and ran into the visitor’s room and knelt by Callie’s side and kissed her. John and his wife started to follow Oscar into the room, but when they saw Callie’s reaction to seeing Oscar, they retreated to the kitchen and left the couple in privacy.
“Oh, Oscar, I knew you would come,” cried Callie.
Oscar embraced Callie. He noticed that her necklace was gone and understood why she had failed to answer his call.
Callie related the tale of the shipwreck and the loss of their baby. Callie had been badly hurt in the sinking, but had managed to grab onto some floating timbers. She wasn’t sure how long she had been adrift, but she recounted her rescue by John and the care that the netter and his wife had given her. John and every fisherman in the village had gone out searching for her baby or any other survivors for three days, but they had not found anyone.
Callie started to sob as she told the tale and by the time she got to the fishermen’s inability to find the baby, she was crying hysterically. Oscar comforted her and promised that their baby would be found.
“Can’t we use Galdan’s Crystal Ball to find the babies?” asked Alex.
“No,” answered Jenneva, “the Crystal Ball would only help if we knew where to look.”
“What about the Oracle of Estara?” prompted Alex.
“It’s worth a try,” replied Jenneva.
Wyka had returned home, so Alex and Jenneva mounted Kaz and flew to the Oracle’s cave. Once again they entered the small cave and Jenneva called upon the Oracle for help.
“Oracle, we need to know about the babies of the Prophecy.”
“There is little that I can tell you, friend of the Mage,” replied the Oracle. “The baby of Sarac and Aurora is alive and well, but I cannot see where. The baby of Oscar and Callie is alive and well as are the parents, but Callie can bear
no more children.”
“What of my own child?” whispered Jenneva.
“Your child is well cared for,” answered the Oracle, “but like the others, I cannot see where.”
“Are there no clues that you can give to help us locate the children?” asked Alex.
There was a long pause before the Oracle answered. “No, if it was possible to see the children’s location by magic, then magicians would be able to locate them. Sarac would also have that ability. You must search by using whatever skills you possess. I can tell you that the Sword of Heavens will not function until it is touched by one of the Prophecy Children. Abandon your search for the jewels until you have found at least one of the children. I have nothing more to offer.”
Jenneva thanked the Oracle and the group returned to Egam’s cave. When they got to the cave Jenneva slumped to the floor in despair. Alex slid down next to her and put his arm around her.
“Don’t despair,” he offered. “We have stopped Sarac and Alutar from destroying the world. The children are all safe and he is imprisoned. We have many resources to help with the search for the children and Oscar and Callie are safe. In fact, we have done the impossible. All that is left is a simple search mission and we have the skills to accomplish the task.”
Jenneva looked at Alex and smiled. “You always were an optimist,” she grinned, “but you left out the brightest point, we have each other.”
THE END
Maps and information can be found at http://www.rstuttle.com/
You can contact the author at: [email protected]
Ancient Prophecy Page 25
