Caleb looked at his green companion; Rainbow looked like he was going to either throw up, faint, or say something they’d both regret, so the boy decided to talk instead. And he didn’t really know what this “Valentino” wanted, but the truth would be a good place to start.

“Well, we were sailing and this storm came around. Edward was following us, so I tried talking to him and offering him food. He said he could get us to land if I told him stories, so I did. Then he was pulling our boat, but I think...” Caleb paused for a moment to gather his thoughts, “he didn’t know that we aren’t as good on water as he is?”

At that moment, Rainbow threw up again, as if to illustrate the point. The siren took in this scene; a boat, a seagull, a dog, a green creature of some kind, and a kid, all of which were soaking wet. Valentino just laughed, saying “well, little Eddy can be a handful sometimes. Just charges ahead with whatever sounds good at the time.”

That made the boy think about how his own trip began and he smiled. “Don’t worry about it,” Caleb responded, “it was kind of fun at times and we made it here alive. Where is “here,” by the way?”

“You really don’t know?” Valentino, asked, looking confused, “although I guess that does explain why you’re sailing in the Storm Patch. What idiot navigator thought that was a good idea?”

Caleb spoke quickly as he saw Rainbow get even more angry to avoid making a scene. “To be fair, up until a few days ago Rainbow was trapped on an island with a bunch of murdering dwarves,” Caleb replied, “and he still knows more than I do.”

“Rainbow is the name of your...green friend?” the siren asked. Caleb nodded, so Valentino continued, “anyway, you’re in the Storm Patch, the most dangerous part of the Big Ocean. Us sea creatures are fine here, but if Edward wasn’t with you, you probably would have died. You are currently in the Calm Spot, the one part of the Storm Patch where you’re safe.”

Caleb had a mix of excitement and curiosity on his face. Rainbow just looked irritated, but he had figured out by now that an outburst might cause hostilities with the sea creatures who might be stronger than Caleb and were [i]definitely[/i] stronger than he was, so the green person decided to let Caleb talk while his stomach recovered.

“Cool! Well, when Edward’s back I’ll thank him,” Caleb said, “but the loud guy. He’s your king or something?”

Valentino chuckled. “Nah, he just thinks he is. Dad made a little town at the bottom of the Calm Spot so ‘everyone can recognize my rightful place as lord of the ocean’ but you’ve already met half of the inhabitants. It’s easier to just humor him.”

“Oh, okay, so like Eagle-” Caleb was saying, but he got interrupted by an enthusiastic voice.

“That Eeegull was SO COOL!” Edward exclaimed as he rose up from the water. The merman next to him gave him a stern look, causing the hippocampus to sheepishly add “uh, sorry I almost got you killed.”

“It’s okay,” Caleb cheerfully replied, “and thanks for getting us here.” Rainbow was seriously wondering how the boy was so happy when they had almost died, but decided to keep his mouth shut.

“No problem! Can you tell my friends another story about the Eeegull and Hector?” Edward asked.

“Wait, hold on,” the merman interrupted, “Eldridge the eagle? Prince Hector?”

“Yeah! You know them?” Caleb asked.

“Of course! I met them while they were sailing on a diplomacy mission. We had some good times together. How are they?” was his next question.

Caleb looked a little uncomfortable. “Eldridge” (what an odd way to address him, the boy thought) “is good, but I never actually knew Prince Hector. He died over 30 years ago, way before I was born.” Everyone looked sad at this news; even Rainbow softened up when he heard this.

“I’m sorry, he was a truly good man,” the merman said, “what happened?”

“He died in a battle against the Gnoll Khanate. He took out their Khan, but was killed in the process,” Caleb said, “of course, there’s more there than that-“

“Can you tell us that story, Caleb!?” Edward asked excitedly.

“Well, okay,” Caleb said, “so, what is important to know is...”

---

An hour later, the story had finished. “What an amazing man,” the merman said, “he would have made a great king, just like me. Please wait a minute, I have something I’d like you to give to Eldridge when you next see him.”