3 lives 3 wishes ch 2

Ch. 2      Simon Catlin

~~~

Blue-gray waves lapped gently at the ship's sides. After days of being at sea, traveling country from country, the ship had finally reached the port city of Nevod. This paticular city resided at the west coast of the country Nomis. The city was well known for its vast market place. But that was not why Simon Catlin had docked at this port. No, he was here for something completly different.

"Captain! We've arrived in Nevod," Simon heard the deep voice of his first mate Kain call through his door.

Simon grunted in reply. He rolled out of his hamoc, taken by surprised when the boat hit a large wave. He fell face first onto the wooden floor of his quaters. "Damn it Kain," he grumbled. He picked himself up and dusted off his slacks "learn to steer better,"

Reaching his door, Simon opened it to reveal the top deck of the ship. He streched his arms as he made his way to the wheel. Kain was leaning against the wheel in a bored fasion. Even as Simon got closer, Kain didn't change his position.

"Why did I choose the most lazy man on this ship to be my first mate?" Simon said exasaperated.

"Cap'n you know as well as I do that I'm only the second laziest on this ship," Kain rolled his eyes a smirk visual on his face.

"You're right," Simon laughed loudly "I'm the first!"

"You two are two peas in a pod," A quiet voice commented. It belonged to the ship's sharpshooter Riley. She also happened to be Simon's twin sister.

"Aw Riley are you jeallous?" Simon smirked. "That I might steal your Kain away?"

Riley just rolled her eyes while Kain sputtered and fell off the wheel. Simon was able to regrab the wheel through his fit of laughter.

"Riley!" Kain hurridly started. "You know you're the only one for me!"

This just caused Simon to laugh harder, muttering words like "sap," and "suck up," Riley smiled and gave Kain a quick peck on the cheek. "I belive you," she said. But then her eyes grew hard and cold. "But just remember, if you do ever even think of cheating on me, I can shoot someone in the forehead from a mile away."

Kain paled visibly but nodded none the less. "Good!" She smiled and left the two.

"Shes a keeper," Simon commented. Kain gave him a light shove in reply.

"Were you and Annabell ever like that?" Kain asked. His eyes widened as he realised what he had said.

Simon's cheerful golden eyes suddenly glazed over in sadness. "No," he finally said. "She was more quiet and shy… She would have never hurt a fly,"

"I'm sorry..." Kain whispered. Simon shook himself and straightened his back. "It doesn't matter right now," His voice sounded stronger than before, more like the captain he was. "We'll be docking in less then five minutes, and soon I'll find exactly who we came here for,"

"Yes sir," Kain saluted.

"Now get the crew ready to dock," He ordered. Kain nodded and started to shout the orders to the crew. Simon quietly left him and made his way to his quaters. He opened the wooden door and steped inside. His hand reached out unconciously, grabbing the edge of a tattered picture frame. Inside the picture frame was an old gray-brown picture of a man holding a girl bridal style. It was Simon and Annabell. He stroked the edge of the frame and whispered, "I'll bring you back my sweet,"

He didn't know how long he spent staring at the photo, but soon Kain knocked on his door, "We've docked sir,"

He set the photo down and exited his room. "Kain!" Simon called to his first mate.

"Yes?" Kain asked, apearing next to Simon.

"I want you and a few others to go into town and gather up some food and other materials that we'll need." Kain nodded and set off to find a small group to go with him.

"Riley!" Simon shouted to the sharpshooter who was currently on the lookout station. "You and the others stay and gaurd the ship." She nodded back in reply.

He hopped off the ship, landing with a thud on the wooden docks. The gypsy said that the woman he was searching for would apear in the town Nevod. She said that finding this woman would bring back the one he loved most.

He walked at a fast pace down the dock. He entered the market city and was met with many people, buisily moving from shop to shop and stand to stand. "Damn," he moaned. "That gypsy never told me where to find her!"

He looked around, disgruntled, thinking of where exactly this woman could be. He tried to recall exactly what the gypsy had told him;

~~~

"In the country of Nomis, there lies a quaint port city named Nevod." The gypsy had told him. "In this port city you will find a girl who will lead you to the who will grant your wish."

~~~

He covered his face with his hands in exasperation. "Find a girl to lead you blah blah," he mockingly muttered. "Could have been a tad more descriptive you know.." He groaned to no one in paticular.

Golden eyes searched the crowds of people. Simon didn't know what exactly he was looking for, maybe a girl who looked suspicious.

He started to make his way through the market place when suddenly a great gust of wind blew at him. But that wasn't what stopped him in his tracks. Nor was it the faint voice laced on the wind speaking the words; "a wish you seek.. Of a life returned,"

"Hey-!"

No, what stopped him was the force of being knocked to the ground. He landed flat on his butt with a loud thud. "Ow damn!" Simon cursed loudly. He looked to see what had ran into him to see a young girl shaking her head slightly from her spot on the ground. She looked to be about 17. Her wavy brown hair fell messily upon her shoulders. He watched her stand up quickly, dusting off her dress, which Simon notice had a ripped hem. The girl didn't even pass Simon a second glance, let alone a first glance, as she turned on her heel and ran shouting an "I'm sorry!" behind her.

"Your conpassion for strangers just melts my heart," Simon muttered crossly as he gingerly rubbed his butt. 'That really hurt you know!' He yelled in his head. He got back on his feet as he watched the girl go. Something about this girl intruged him. Could this possibly be the girl the gypsy had told him about?

"Well better safe than sorry," Simon grumbled, shrugging his shoulders. He sprinted after her, not wanting to loose her in the crowds.

The girl suddenly stopped in front of a pole, a brown poster nailed to it. "Woah-!" Simom's eyes widened. The girls sudden halt caught him off guard. Simon was sprinting so fast he couldn't stop himself intime, causing him to crash into her.

"Oof!" He grimaced falling to the ground. He cracked open an eye to look at the girl and say, "Doesn't feel to great does it?"

"Uhgg... What..?" The girl put a hand on her head. She looked at him confusingly.

Simon laughed and stood up. He dusted his slacks before extending a tanned hand to her. "Getting ran into," he added.

The burnette stared at his hand suspicioulsy. "It's just a hand," Simon told her "it won't bite," The girl grasped his hand, a look of suspicion still in her vibrant green eyes. He swiftly lifted her onto her feet, bringing her hand to his lips to kiss the top gently. He smirked, "I would like to appologize for being so rude and running into such a fine lady as yourself," She just stared at him indifferently, a single eyebrow arched upward. "And I would also like to thank you for leading me to the Wish Lady," Simon let go of her hand to inspect then poster of the woman. Damn. He missed her by a week. She had crossed through Nevod a week before.

The poster said her next arrival would be in Ecnerual, a mountain town that resided on the south-eastern border of Nomis. This was her last move before she returned back to her home in Cigam.  

"Wish lady?" The girl questioned crossing her arms.

"Don't tell me you've never heard of the Wish Lady?" Simon turned to her. The girl's silence confirmed his question. Simon let out a loud sigh. "Do you live under a rock or something? The Wish Lady is a special kind of lady let me tell you. She is one of the few people known in all of the world who can use magic,"

The burnette looked at him as if he had twelve heads. "Magic? That's something of children stories and fairytales," she scoffed.

"On the contrare!" Simon exclaimed, "magic used to be so common a couple hundred years ago buthas nearly faded since. Only a few people possess magical skills. And the Wish Lady," he pointed to the lady on the poster, "speciallizes in wish magic."

"Wish magic," the girl laughed aloud. "I'll admit I'm a pretty open minded person but wish magic? How could such a thing exsist?"

This girl was just not getting it. Simon sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Then explain to me.." He paused guesturing to the girl.

"Cera,"

"Then explain to me Cera what exactly brought you to this poster?" He finished

"I.." She started. "It was a voice on the wind.." she finished skepticaly and unsure.

"Exactly!" Simon gleamed triumphently. She was finally getting it through her head. "Magic! Thats what brought you here! You are obviously in need of the Wish Lady's service, as am I,"

Cera looked away from Simon and stared at the poster. She lifted a hand and let her fingers graze the words at the top of the poster. She seemed to study the words before she spoke again, "You are positive that she can grant any wish? Any wish?"

"Any wish within reason," Simon nodded with a chuckle.

"Do you have a wish?" She asked suddenly.

"I do," His voice became more serious as he answered. "I'm tracking her down so that I can fulfil this wish.." He trailed off.

"Then I'm coming with you,"

"Exscuse me?!" Simon gawked at her taken aback.

"You heard me," Cera smirked crossing her arms. "You and I both have a wish and I'm pretty sure that theres only one of these, 'Wish Ladies'" she made air quotes with her fingers at the name. "Out there so since we're both going to the same place, why not go together?"

"Woah woah hold it," Simon waved his hands at her. "You are to young to be going on a journey across the country with a guy you haven't even propperly been introduced to,"

"I'm 17, thats marrying age in most if not all places. My name is Cera Doven," she answered. "Now just tell me your name,"

"I am not taking you with me!" Simon pinched the bridge of his nose exsasperated.

"I don't see why not!"

"Are you blind!"

"Pft of course not. My eyes are quite open to this great oportunity to get my wish granted." Cera placed her hands on her hips.

Simon groaned. He had a feeling she wasn't going to be swayed on this. He ran a hand through his curly brown locks before extending it out towards Cera. "The name is Simon Catlin, captain of the Llebanna," Cera shook his hand in awe.

"The Llebanna?"

"The one and only,"

"So you're a pirate?"

Simon smirked. "Why does that unsettle you?" He asked. "Make you wanna change your mind about coming along?"

"Far from it!" Cera smiled. She clapped her hands together, "I'll be able to get my wish!" Then, in a whisper so low Simon barely caught it, she added, "I'll bring him back.."

Simon sighed, "Damn.. You're not backing down are you?" Cear shook her head firmly, "uhg well go back to your house and get your stuff then.. My ship is at the end of the dock with the tree trunk on the bow. Tell one of the crew that Simon sent you" Simon waved her away. "But since you're staying on my ship you will work like one of the shipmates,"

"Of course!" Cera grinned and ran off. Simon groaned outwardly and pinched the bridge of his nose when she left. He decided to head on back to his ship, afterall he found what he was looking for. He made his way through the still bustling crowds until he came to the docks.

"Simon!" A voice called to him. "Cap'n!"

"Oh God what now?" Simon grumbled looking towards the voice. He saw Kain and two others of his crew, Jack and Liam, standing by the ladder of the ship. Next to Kain stood two common looking folk. One was a tall man with short ashy blonde hair. He was dressed in worn down slacks and vest. The other was a petite woman. She had short auburn hair that fell at her shoulders. She wore a redish brown commoners dress.

Simon slauntered over to the small group. "Who are these folk?" He guestered to the comoners. "And whar buisness do they have with me?"

"This is Laurence," Kain pointed to the man "and Maria. They heard," he shot a pointed glare towards Liam, "about our plans to go to the Wish Lady, and now they won't stop pestering us about coming along."

Simon gritted his teeth. "Seriously?" He turned to Kain who nodded. He pinched the bridge of his nose for about the tenth time today and looked towards Laurence and Maria. "You are aware that we are pirates, correct?"

"We are," Laurence replied.

"And that we raid ships and villiages and how we steal from and kill people?"

"Yes, though I do believe not without reason," Laurence replied evenly.

"Hm," Simon stared Laurence down. "What do you do?"

"I'm a builder and Maria is a cook,"

Simon nodded breifly then turned on his heel. He waved a hand in the air in a dismisive manor. "Well, why don't you join the party," he grabbed the rope ladder and swung himself upwards. "As long as you are aboard my ship, you will work your own share and follow my orders."

He climbed the ladder in a matter of seconds. Once onboard, he quickly made his way to his quarters, ignoring Riley's questioning look. He opened the door and imediatly flopped down on his hammok.

This was going to be a long journey.