(eng) Robin McKinley & Peter Dickinson - Elemental Spirits SSC 01 by Water

Author:Water [Water]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

“Then that is what we will do,” said her Guardian. The foal was sucking interestedly at her

sleeve. “I have told you before that Guardians have never had familiar animals; I believe you are

about to begin a new tradition.” She removed her sleeve from the foal’s mouth; he gave her a

wounded look, and stepped on her foot as he turned away towards his mother, and milk. “Ouch. I

hope I am not too set in my ways to adjust.”

Kraken

by Peter Dickinson

They wore traveller’s clothes, tight-laced against the sea wind, she all in grey, he in worn brown

leather. They leaned on the taffrail and stared aft. Now they could see the pursuing sail, of which

the lookout’s cry had told them an hour ago.

“Can it be one of my father’s? ” she said.

“How should it have found us, with all the wide ocean to search? ”

Now the captain came and watched with them for a while.

“That is no merchantman, ” he said. “And no warship either. She follows too fast. My lord, you

had best arm yourself. My lady, will you go below? ”

Keeping to shadows, without seeming to be lurking, moving as if she were going nowhere in

particular, Ailsa drifted along the mountain spur. Far above glittered the bright sunrise. Once

over the first ridge, she changed course and headed directly along the slope to the cranny where

she kept the spare harness. While she fetched it out and sorted it through, she whistled once,

twice, and again. Now Carn came surging towards her, circled a couple of times to show that he

didn’t need to have come at her call, but had chosen to do so, took the titbit from her hand and let

her slide the harness over his head.

As she was fastening the cheek buckle, she heard the school bell ring, calling her for the last

time. She did not falter. Nor did she smile as she used to when she was younger, from childish

bravado, setting out on another illicit ride, worth the consequences for the fun of it. To-day was

different. To-morrow the school bell would be silent for the holidays, and when it next rang, it

would do so for others.

Why not wait for to-morrow, then, when she would be free to ride out as she chose?

For that very reason. To-day she would say good-bye to childhood.

Carn flicked his tail, impatient

“Oh, all right,” she said aloud.

She clipped herself into the harness, laid her body along his with her hip beside the big forefin,

tapped her tail against his flank, and streamlined herself to the rush of water as he surged away.

Now she did smile. It was impossible not to. To Ailsa, as to all merfolk, riding a blue-fin who

really wanted to go was the finest thing in the ocean. You didn’t need to be a child to feel like

that.

They returned to the taffrail, he in dark armour that had clearly seen service, she in a long green

cloak. By now the following ship was hull up, half again both their size and speed. A black flag

strained at the masthead. The captain, still watching, turned and frowned.

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