The Fool of the world chapter 4 sample

Chapter 4:
The Chained Man

The day was calm as The Fool's Freedom flew onwards. Sarri suggested that they do not fly too high because they did not have complete control over the Ship as yet and it was safer to fly with the ground insight. So they sailed several dozen metres above the land, high enough to be safe but still low enough to see every detail that they passed. The Water Gypsy, Sarri Romanov, was at the helm -shifting a piece of straw from one side of her mouth to the other while- while Alalya stood at the bow watching The Fool nap upon the bowsprit.
He lay on his stomach, dangling his right arm whilst he used his left for a pillow. Occasional he would stir, wiping his nose with his free arm before yawning and going back to sleep. Eventually he opened his eyes and smacked his lips together before he lazily scratched his belly.
"Say, Alalya," he said.
The artificial girl with hair of silver and skin like snow looked at him before she vanished and appeared on the bowspit just before him.
"Yes, my Fool?" she asked.
"Why did your masters make it a condition that who gains this Ship gather unique people to journey with?" he asked.
Alalya closed her red eyes and reflected back on a past that was almost forgotten to antiquity. The answer was stored somewhere within her but it took a moment for her to find. When she had, she opened her eyes and looked at The Fool.
"They were afraid," was her answer.
"Of what?" The Fool asked.
"That all the magic would soon be gone from the world," she replied. "That people would lose all sense of wonder and that those in power would crush the imaginations of those who rule."
"So, they want us to gather anyone that we find to be unique and interesting, right?" he asked.
"Of course," Alalya replied
But there was something in his tone that caught her ear -which was attuned to hearing the slightest whisper- and that made her cock her head for moment.
"Why do you ask?" she inquired.
"Because I think I've found someone that they would want us to bring with us," was The Fool's reply.
Lazily, he pointed to a wide dirt road that Sarri had been guiding the Ship along.
Upon this road there was a man most strange.
For he seemed to have a shackle upon his leg, from which he dragged a heavy ball of iron. From what they could see from above, the rest of his body was contorted into a strange shape because he was bound almost entirely in a single chain.
"Yes," Alalya muttered drawing out the word. "He does seem most apt from up here."
With an acrobat's grace, The Fool flipped himself up and dashed to the helm.
"Can you land a little ahead?" he asked Sarri.
The helmswoman shifted the piece of straw in her mouth and smiled.
"Aye, sir," she replied. "'Tis an easy thing now. Pah!"
Striking the toe of her boot into the deck beside, Sarri activated something which caused a strange slender podium to raise up next to her. From this appear a ghostly image of buttons and switches, some of which she flicked and pressed as she pushed the wheel forward gently to make the Ship lower. As she pressed a spectral button, Alalya and The Fool heard a loud popping nose and turned to a harpoon fixed with a golden cable rushing towards the ground. Racing with its twin that was on the other side of the bow.
"Pah!" Sarri laughed. "'tis amazin'! Your Ship is a wonder amongst wonders!"
"How did you know how to do that?" Alalya asked.
"Pah! Because she told me how," Sarri replied. "It's all in her song. She hears what we want and tells me how to do it. So amazin'! Pah!"
Expertly, Sarri lowered the ship so it was several metres ahead of the chained man and anchored firmly into the ground. A gangway of ridged metal grew out of the Ship and skewered the ground with a mighty thrust. Alalya and The Fool descended it casually as Sarri watched cautiously from the helm deck.
"Hail, good fellow!" The Fool called out to the chained man. "We could not help but notice that you are in a bit of a bind."
The chained man raised his head with a languid motion before he let it flop to one side and lull back down. He lifted his unhindered leg in a glacial fashion before he let it fall back to the ground mere centimetres from where it was; falling at gravity's whim. After this he dragged his leg that was shackled to the iron ball -leaving a grooved trail behind him.
Alalya's red eyes took in all of the chained man's contorted form and noticed that it did not seem to be the ball and chain that hindered him entirely.
She looked down at the shackle upon his leg, which was thick and stained with rust. From it came a wrist thick chain that wrapped around his left leg until reached just above his knee, where it bound both of them together. It was wound up around his waist until it reached his chest, where it pinned his right arm. Ending at a yoke of iron around his need. Beneath the chain he wore brown leggings, a brown tunic and a surcoat -also brown- that laid half trapped under his binding.
He languidly raised his head again, letting his neck length hair fall about his face. He opened his mouth as if to speak but no sound came out. At least not right away.
". . . Hul. . . lo. . .," he muttered in a voice as slow as his steps.
"Are you in any trouble?" The Fool asked.
". . . I. . . am. . . al. . . ways. . . in. . . troub. . . ble. . .," he lulled.
"Do you want us to cut off your chains?" The Fool inquired.
". . . No. . .," the chained man replied. ". . . My. . . cha. . . ain. . . pro. . . tects. . . me. . ."
"From what?" Alalya asked.
". . . With. . . out. . . it. . .," he began. ". . . I. . . wo. . . uld. . . run. . . to. . . the. . . ends. . . of. . . the. . . earth. . . and. . . ne. . . ver. . . sto. . . op. . ."
Such a claim caused to the eavesdropping Sarri to burst into laughter.
"Pah!" she bellowed. "What kind of claim is that?!"
With labourious movements, the chained man leant his body back and raised his head a little so that he could look up at the Water Gypsy on the Ship above.
". . . It. . . is. . . true. . .," he laboured. ". . . Your. . . ship. . . flies. . . I. . . run. . . What. . . is. . . not. . . to. . . be. . . lieve. . .?"
"Pah!" Sarri spat. "And I didn't believe such a thing until I saw it myself!"
A smile tried to play its way across the chained man's face but it moved with such geological slowness that it was hard to tell what he was doing.
". . . Do. . . you. . . wish. . . a. . . dem. . . mon. . . stra. . . tion. . .?" he asked with a slow mirth.
"Pah! Of course!" Sarri yelled. "I wager you are a lair and you are chained for a crime!"
". . . What. . . do. . . you. . . wag. . . ger. . .?" he asked.
"A month of her wagers," The Fool replied. "Plus passage to anywhere you wish."
Again, a geologically slow smile tried to spread across the chained man's lips.
". . . A. . . gree. . . ed. . .," he said. ". . . How. . . do. . . you. . . wish. . . me. . . to. . . prove. . . my. . . tal. . . lent. . .?"
"Do you know the nameless village on the other side of the great forest?" The Fool inquired.
Slowly, the chained man nodded.
"In the lowest part of that village there is a farm," The Fool continued. "Ask the farmer and his wife what is the name that they gave to The Fool. If you can return with the answer before the hour has passed you shall win the wager."
The chained man raised his free hand in a slow and sombre arc, touching his hand to the yoke upon his neck. A spark seemed to leap between his finger and the iron collar, which began to glow white, before it unfurled itself from his body. It hit the ground with a cacophony and then his shackle sprung open. With a deliberate motion he reached into his pocket and pulled a rusty coin.
". . . Be. . . fore. . . this. . . coin. . . falls. . .," he said. ". . . I. . . shall. . . re. . . turn. . ."
With a sharp ping he flicked the coin into the air and moved to turn.
And then he was gone.
The only trace that he had ben there was a trail of dust leading West and a sound between a zoom and a tear.
The Fool tilted his head as he watched the coin fall while Alalya closed her eyes like she was feeling through the ether for the chained man's presence. A sound like the roaring of the wind could be heard approaching from the West and then the chained man was before them once again. He caught the coin on the palm of his hand before he slipped it into his pocket like it was the hardest task in the world. He then tapped his iron collar twice, causing the chain to glow white again and bind him once more.
Slumping forward, he gave a slow smile and said: ". . . Py. . . o. . . tr. . . They. . . na. . . amed. . . the. . . fool. . . Py. . . o. . . tr. . ."
"Correct," The Fool said after rolling the word around his mouth.
". . . And. . . our. . . wag. . . ger. . .?" the chained man asked.
"You won of course," The Fool replied. "So, come, we shall take you where you wish."
But the chained man did not move. He just rolled his head so it was close to upright and looking reproachfully at The Fool.
". . . Mo. . . ney. . . was. . . prom. . . mised. . .," he said rather pointedly.
"Was it?" The Fool asked innocently.
". . . It. . . was. . ." the chained man insisted.
"You promised a month's of Sarri's wages," Alalya pointed out.
"Oh, did I?" The Fool muttered in a loud whisper. "Maybe I should've told him that we don't pay her at all."
Despite her initial shock at what she had just witnessed and her anger at hearing that she might not see a single coin for her services, Sarri laughed at The Fool's trick -intended or not. She quieted to a chuckle and waited for the chained man's laconic reaction. His lips hung loose for a moment but then they began to move, like they were trying to gain momentum. Eventually he began to make a staccato sound. Punching out each noise sharply. Until the others finally realised that he was laughing.
". . . Hah. . . hah. . . hah. . . hah. . .." he went. Followed by: ". . . Heh. . . heh. . . heh. . . heh. . ."
His chain rattling as his chest tardily rose and fell with the fractured sound that he made.
". . . Well. . . played. . .," he eventually said.
Awkwardly he stepped his unshackled foot backwards and made a bow which swept as slowly as the night across the World.
". . . I. . . Za. . . yac. . . the. . . Fle. . . et. . .," he droned as an introduction. ". . . Al. . . so. . . call. . . ed. . . the. . . Cha. . . in. . . ed. . . Man. . ."
Tardily he drew a smile, raising himself back to his semblance of standing.
". . . And. . . I. . . am. . . at. . . your. . . ser. . . vice. . .," he finished.
"A pleasure," The Fool said as he returned his bow.
He clapped Alalya on her slender shoulder and smiled.
"This is Alalya the Whisper Hearer," he introduced. "Up there is Sarri Romanov of Wide Water," he pointed backhandedly up at the Water Gypsy who gave a wave back. "And I am The Fool."
One of Zayac's eyebrows crept slowly up his face in confusion.
". . . You. . . are. . . Pyo. . . tr. . .?" he asked.
"Sometimes," The Fool replied. "But most just prefer to call me Fool, so I invite you do similar. Would you join us, Zayac the Fleet? Surely flying is a better method to travel than dragging yourself across the World?"
Zayac took what felt like an eternity to decide, before he slowly nodded his head and shuffled towards the Ship. After an age, he had ascended the gangway before he shuffled towards one of the masts. He then pressed his back against it, slide down and fell asleep.

By the time that Zayac had awoken, the Fool's Freedom was sailing on the wind, skimming the tree tops as it stayed within sight of the road. He guessed that only an hour had passed since he began to slumber but already in that time they had covered more ground than he would have done by himself in the entire day. Grant that was not a great distance but Zayac felt something strange within him to travel so swiftly yet not have to exert himself.
He also found that The Fool was sitting in front of him, with a manic grin and a plate of bread, some smoked meats and a bottle of wine. He set them carefully at the rag-clad feet of Zayac before he sat back and stared up at the sky. The Chained Man also noticed that Alalya had appeared at his side, her silver hair and shimmering robe rustling in the wind.
"Your chain," she muttered. "It is an Agone Thing."
It was not a question, more a confirmation of something that she already knew.
". . . Un. . . known. . .," Zayac replied. ". . . I. . . did. . . not. . . ask. . . its. . . or. . . rig. . . gins. . ."
"Why are you chained?" The Fool asked still staring at the sky.
Zayac turned his eyes down to the food and, with tedious motions, picked at the bread with his unbound hand before flicking it into his mouth.
". . . Pen. . . ance. . .," was his reply. ". . . And. . . Pun. . . ish. . . ment. . ."
"Pah!" Sarri laughed as she approached. "I knew it! What did you do? Use your speed to kill someone?"
". . . Yes. . .," Zayac replied with infinite sadness. ". . . And. . . no. . ."
He sat up and pressed the back of his head against the mast. Melancholy filled his eyes as he grasp the wine bottle and slowly took a swig.
". . . I. . . have. . . al. . . ways. . . been. . . fast," he began. ". . .  But. . . I. . . used. . . my. . . sp. . . eed self. . . fish. . . ly. . . Test. . . ing. . . my. . . lim. . . its. . . and. . . do. . . ing. . . what. . . I. . . want. . . ed. That. . . was. . . un. . . til. . . I. . . meet. . . my. . . wife. . ., who. . . told. . . me. . . to. . . slow. . . down. . . We. . . had. . . a. . . fam. . . mi. . . ly to. . . ge. . . ther. . and . . . I. . . loved. . . them. . . more. . . than. . . an. . . ny. . . thing. . . else. . . in. . . the. . . world . . . One. . . day. . . ill. . . ness. . . struck. . . our. . . village. . . and. . . my. . . fam. . . mi. . . ly. . . got. . . sick. . . So. . . I. . . ran. . . the. . . length. . . and. . . width. . . of. . . the. . . Worl. . . ld. . . but. . . I. . . ran. . . too. . . far. . . too. . . fast. . . and. . . fell. . . a. . . sleep. . . but. . . I. . . broke. . . my. . . lim. . . its. . . When. . . I. . . a. . . woke. . . I. . . re. . . turned. . . home. . . to. . . find. . . my. . . fam. . . mi. . . ly. . . had. . . die. . . ed. . . as. . . I. . . had. . . slum. . . ber. . . ed. . . So. . . I ran. . . the. . . length. . . and. . . width. . . of. . . the. . . Worl. . . ld. . . a. . . gain. . . to. . . find. . . some. . . thing. . . to. . . bring. . . them. . . back. . . to. . . life. . ."
He took a long drink from the wine bottle before he continued his tale.
". . . But. . . there. . . is. . . no. . . such. . . thing. . . in. . . all. . . the. . . Worl. . . ld. . .," he lamented. ". . . But. . . on. . . I. . . sear. . . ch. . . ed. . . Un. . . til. . . I. . . meet. . . an. . . old. . . man. . . who. . . told. . . me. . . to. . . give. . . up. . . my. . . sear. . . ch. . . and. . . live. . . my. . . life. . . I. . . could. . . not. . . do. . . that. . . but. . . I. . . was. . . too. . . ti. . . ired. . . to. . . run. . . on. . . So. . . I. . . sle. . . ept. . . again. . . When. . . I. . . a. . . woke. . . I. . . fo. . . ound. . . that. . . the. . . old. . . man. . . had. . . fas. . . sten. . . ned. . . this. . . cha. . . in. . . to. . . me. . . He. . . told. . . me. . . that. . . he. . . could. . . not. . . wat. . . ch. . . me. . . kill. . . my. . . self. . . and. . . that. . . I. . . had. . . to. . . find. . . some. . . thing. . . to. . . live. . . for. . . again. . . he. . . tau. . . ught. . . me. . . how. . . to. . . un. . . bind. . . the. . . cha. . . ins. . . but. . . un. . . til. . . I. . . can. . . for. . . give. . . my. . . self. . . they. . . shall. . . al. . . ways. . . re. . . turn. . . to. . . bind. . . me. . ."
They all sat in sullen silence, until Alalya stirred and said: "I have heard whispered of this before."
"Pah! As have I," Sarri added solemnly. "My people knew your village and did everything that we could to save it. Pah! I'm sorry for your lose and for my cruel worlds."
Zayac nodded his thanks but said nothing. He just sat glumly as the wind whipped his hair about his face.
"Then why did you choose to join us?" The Fool asked suddenly. "Why prove that you have such talent to the likes of us?"
Zayac let his head lull about until it faced the direction of The Fool.
". . . Be. . . cause. . . you. . . might. . . have. . . the. . . an. . . swers. . . for. . . me. . . ," the Chained Man replied. ". . . That if. . . I. . . fol. . . low. . . you. . . I. . . can. . . once. . . a. . . gain. . . find. . . my. . . pur. . . pose. . . I. . . can. . . trav. . . vel. . . fur. . . ther. . . if. . . I. . . fly. . . than. . . if. . . I. . . walk. . . May. . . be. . . that. . . way. . . I. . . can. . . see. . . the. . . Worl. . . ld. . . with. . . out. . . being. . . too. . . fast. . . or. . . too. . . slow. . . "
The Fool gave a laugh as he stood and dusted his hands, casting his gaze once again skywards.
"Then you are most welcome to travel with us," he said. "I feel that you shall not be the last to join us to find their purpose in this World. So I shall do what I can to see you reach your dreams, no matter what I have to do or where I have to go."
But Zayac shook his head and muttered: ". . . On. . . ly. . . a. . . fool. . . would. . . make. . . such. . . a. . . prom. . . mise. . ."
"Then I am a fool," The Fool replied. "Because it is the promise that I make."
A smile moved sedately across Zayac's lips before he let his head hang low.
". . . Thank. . . you. . .," he murmured before he began to eat again.
The Fool returned his smile and began to walk away, when Alalya appeared before him.
"We must address an issue before it arises," she said.
"And what is that?" The Fool inquired.
"If we are to get more on board we need fresh supplies of food," Alalya replied. "The Ship itself can only provide the most basic of items and the more it has to do so, the lesser the quality it shall become. I hear whispers of a town not so far ahead that is said to provide the best food until we reach the Stormlands. We have enough coin to supply us many months, so best that we supply before we enlarge our crew."
"Then that is where we shall head," The Fool said.
He spun on the ball of his foot, seeking out where Sarri had gone.
"Helmswoman!" he called after her.
"Aye, sir!" she called back from the far deck.
"We have a new course to set," he told her. "Alalya shall guide you true."
"Aye, aye, sir!" Sarri cried excitedly before she dashed back to the helm.
Alalya gave a little curtsy before she joined Alalya by the wheel. The Fool returned to the bowspit, humming at all the possibility that lay before them.