“If the highest aim of a captain were to preserve his ship, he would keep it in port forever.”
Thomas Aquinas.
They gave one another a wide berth as they left the hall. Neither happy to leave until they knew that the other would be leaving at the same time but not willing to get any closer to one another than ne...
2023-03-04 02:30:39 +0000 UTC View Post“The hallmark of a great captain is the ability to win the toss at the right time.”
Richie Benaud
Through fate or fortune Captain Mercurio and Kashif had arrived on the same day. Like ships that pass in the night they had never arrived at the same time before and we had seen no need to inform them of our other d...
2023-02-25 23:42:07 +0000 UTC View Post“Success isn’t always about greatness. It’s about consistency. Consistent hard work gains success. Greatness will come.”
The Rock
“97, 98, 99, 100” I finished the last press-up. The morning’s warm-ups had grown a little excessive, but the stats, alongside my traits, meant that it was, in the end, just ...
2023-02-21 01:31:18 +0000 UTC View PostSo I am working on the next two chapters but slightly delayed by trip to A&E this week.
Had a dizzy spell/fainted in bathroom and put a small hole in the back of my head when it hit the wall on my way down. Rather stupidly went into work afterwards and they took one look and drove me to A&E
They ran some tests which came back...
2023-02-19 20:32:25 +0000 UTC View Post“It’s better to live as you will want to have lived, rather than spend your time worrying about the end. You are right here in your story. Don’t skip ahead.”
S.D. Smith
A year later, the benefit of training under three masters of their trade was shining through with my progress on my status. It had been a ve...
2023-02-12 23:33:46 +0000 UTC View Post“We are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided.”
J.K. Rowling
I awoke to face a united front from my elders. The most surprising fact was that they were all there for breakfast when I entered the room. It was early was much earlier than they were usually up, but I guess they had got up to cat...
2023-02-12 01:19:04 +0000 UTC View Post“If slavery is not wrong, nothing is wrong.”
Abraham Lincoln
Eventually after much argument over costs, prices and quantities Captain Kashif and Aleera with the support of our advisors had reached an agreement and we were travelling back to his boat with wagons full of salt following behind us. A small box of pe...
2023-02-11 00:22:51 +0000 UTC View Post“Humankind cannot gain something without first giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost.”
Hiromu Arakawa
Captain Kashif had made a fine showing of his trade goods but we had already been forewarned. Namir had already described what we could expect to see based on his knowledge...
2023-02-10 11:05:54 +0000 UTC View Post“Slavery is theft – theft of a life, theft of work, theft of any property or produce, theft even of the children a slave might have borne.”
Kevin Bates
Captain’s POV
The week had dragged on waiting for the Silverseas to open their home to petitions. Apparently, with the exception of a set of games held...
2023-02-06 23:49:25 +0000 UTC View Post“Life is a long preparation for something that never happens.”
W.B. Yeats
Our baseline assessment went much the same as last time. It was kind of like going up a grade in school the new teacher wanted to make their own assessment. We worked our way through the skills of running, swimming, diving, climbing, ridin...
2023-01-29 17:53:09 +0000 UTC View Post“We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.”
Martin Luther King. Jr.
“We accept.”
Two little words, but made a world of difference to our tutors both present and future.
“In that case and to alleviate any worries your grandfather may have about my safety around the two ...
2023-01-29 02:27:56 +0000 UTC View Post“Men in general judge more by the sense of sight than by the sense of touch, because everyone can see but few can test by feeling. Everyone sees what you seem to be, few know what you really are; and those few do not dare take a stand against the general opinion.”
Niccolò Machiavelli
They stood in a silent stan...
2023-01-24 23:06:08 +0000 UTC View Post(added a little more to the chapter what do you think?)
Aleera and I were at the town market when the bell suddenly rang. It took a second for us to understand what we were hearing. Although the plan for monster sightings had been posted in the market square it had not happened yet. Then we needed to remember which bell was which although...
“Make new friends, but keep the old; Those are silver, these are gold.”
Joseph Parry
New POV
This was the back end of beyond. He honestly didn’t know why he had decided to travel so far. If it had not been for Lady Acacia’s request and their history he certainly would have never even considered it. Cro...
2023-01-20 23:27:31 +0000 UTC View Post“If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.”
Martin Luther King JR
A week later, after the initial shock of the monster’s release from the depths of the Lodestone, life settled back to some new form of normalcy....
2023-01-15 15:56:48 +0000 UTC View Post“Change is inevitable. Growth is optional.”
John C. Maxwell
Day of departure - Clergy
“Are you sure you will be alright with only Sir Manil to guard you?” Bishop Bailie worried as he said farewell to Archbishop Grigori.
“Yes, we will be fine. It is the last stretch now of our circumnavigation....
2023-01-12 16:43:55 +0000 UTC View PostUnfortunately, not a chapter, I seem to be having a bit of a relapse with the coughing after finally kicking it last week. Probably the stress of trying to organise Christmas and visiting family.
But although I couldn't give you a chapter today as a present, I wanted to thank everyone for their support with Singer Sailor Merchant Mage over...
2022-12-25 20:39:18 +0000 UTC View Post“Sooner or later, everyone sits down to a banquet of consequences.”
Robert Louis Stevenson
“Kai!” shouted mother after us. “Get back here.” She hollered as we continued to flee up the mountain.
I ignored her as Arawn turned to me with a frown on his face. “Really?” he questioned. It was difficu...
2022-12-22 06:59:24 +0000 UTC View Post“Forgiveness is not weak. It takes courage to face and overcome powerful emotions.”
Desmond Tutu
“How are you feeling old man?” I commiserated. We were all feeling a little raw after Arawn’s confession and I sat with him as he drank in the darkness. Our sensory skills allowed us to know where everything wa...
2022-12-20 16:37:28 +0000 UTC View Post"Those who fail to learn the lessons of history are doomed to repeat it."
George Santayana
“Well, how else do you think we arrived on the island?” He replied rhetorically.
There was stunned silence as everyone digested his rhetorical question before father finally shouted, “By boat like any other normal ...
2022-12-19 21:05:13 +0000 UTC View Post“Add each day something to fortify you against poverty and death.”
Seneca the elder
We had been working on improving our foundations, growing our wealth and building up a powerbase in terms of competing with the Nobility of Ponente. Our preparations and their necessity suddenly took on greater importance when we...
2022-12-19 00:55:25 +0000 UTC View Post“The magic thing about home is that it feels good to leave, and it feels even better to come back.”
Wendy Wunder
It had been a long day. It was nice to finally be home or at least it had been before we outlined exactly what had transpired that day during what had supposed to have been a peaceful amble to the eas...
2022-12-18 00:00:20 +0000 UTC View Post“The secret of change is to focus all your energy not of fighting the old, but building the new.”
Socrates
Change had come to the little Town of Wester in more ways than one. Barring our Silversea games which had been on our island and the bishop’s blessings which had filled the church I had never seen the ent...
2022-12-16 23:06:28 +0000 UTC View PostFor the third time I have caught Covid this year (spring summer and winter) only this time wife and 1 year old son have it too.
Basically I’m wiped and this is slowing down the writing process but once we get over it I will be taking some Christmas holiday anyway and will catch up to the number of posts promised for December just the tim...
2022-12-13 20:39:47 +0000 UTC View Post“We make a lot of detours but we’re always heading for the same destination.”
Paulo Coelho
Eventually, we collected a mana core or gemstone from each of the monsters and were finally able to return home. Both Lady Acacia and Grandfather had been fairly gleeful in their collection and I was sure they had their ...
2022-12-10 00:01:16 +0000 UTC View Post“I’m tired of hiding in the shadows. It’s time to be free. It’s time to show the real me. If you don't like me, that's your opinion. I am unique. I am me.”
Mask
The thrill of flying, the rush of a near-death experience, the relief of the monster’s demise, and the delight in a plan executed perfectly. The...
2022-12-03 00:58:08 +0000 UTC View PostBig thank you to everyone who has supported me during November.
This is the schedule for December.
Today's post will be posted as soon as I can get it finished. It is probably going to be tomorrow or Friday. Turns out cycling everywhere for a week because your car is broken takes a little more time to do.
Friday 2nd
Saturda...
“And I will lead them on a merry chase.”
Inception/Looper
I was flying! I’d managed to fall with style before but now I was no longer falling which was just a little bit important to me seeing as what was still chasing after me below. I had never managed this before but necessity is the mother of many successe...
2022-11-27 13:10:57 +0000 UTC View Post
So . . . the drive shaft snapped on me yesterday while driving. Luckily everyone was safe. The car is now at the garage but will be without one for the next week while it is hopefully fixed. This pushed back everything in my life by just a little bit. Recovery was supposed to be by 0955 but the recovery vehicle finally arrived at 14:00. Working ...
2022-11-26 10:38:51 +0000 UTC View Post“You shall sail the iron ship with warriors of bone,
You shall find what you seek and make it own,
But despair for your life entombed within stone
And fail without friends,
To fly home alone.”
Percy Jackson
“Can it not do anything now?” ...
2022-11-23 23:45:00 +0000 UTC View Post