“He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” IP 9

Island People Chapter 9

Island People is a young adult fantasy book centring on a young prince. The book starts with his kidnapping and follows his adventures as he not only escapes from his kidnapper but gains critical allies and friends. 

The entire book is scheduled on Substack, and there are several sequels. This is a book I wrote years ago, so it is in a bit of a rough form. Critiques and comments are more than welcome, they are requested.

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“I will go to the Expert myself,” the Father said, “and tell him of all that has happened.” They had been going over Seth’s impression and the family observations for the past hour or so, while eating. “You will be leaving tomorrow morning. It is important that you be well adjusted to your body.”

“And rested,” put in the mother.

“Indeed,” responded the Father. “And you probably need to resupply your body.”

Seth had been eating during most of their conversation and, at this, he merely nodded.

Thus he and Tristan passed the rest of the day near the home. Climbing up and down, Seth used his different limbs, particularly the feet, and his tail, to grab and move. He was most impressed that he could, with one foot alone, reach above his head, grab a branch, and pull himself up. Tristan encouraged him, however not to do so except for extreme necessity as even Elvish modesty might not keep people from staring at the unusual maneuver.

This transformation was different in many ways from the last one. His brain no longer passed all sensations directly to his consciousness. Many ‘unimportant’ sensations were bypassed and stored. Seth knew they existed, much as if he had read them in a book. Thus the overwhelming shock that the last transformation had caused was avoided. He could recognize, classify, and analyze the differences without having them assault his emotions.

But his brain didn’t redirect all sensations. Seth and Tristan, once he had ‘warmed up’ with the various branch gripping exercises, progressed to leaping (Tristan spotting for Seth) from farther and farther branches. Seth was able to experience the glorious pleasure of the ‘falling’ sensation in mid-air. Neither quite gave themselves over to Tarzan-like ‘whoops’, but they came close!

But, as the mother had predicted, Seth still needed plenty of food and sleep. So the day continued.

Early the next morning, before the children had even awoken, a stranger came to the edge of the house and turned his back. “Greetings,” the Father called, when he and the mother had risen and dressed. The three of them sat together in silence until Seth and Tristan joined them.

“I am Wynforr, Urien’s apprentice and a teacher of Farmer affairs.”

“The messenger to your Father,” he said to Seth, “left yesterday at noon. I have prepared traveling materials and letters of credit. If you are ready, we should leave. This way we should be able to reach the delta swamp before there is any chance of word reaching them that you are missing.”

“We are ready,” Tristan said.

“Fare well my Sons,” his mother said.

“And learn much,” his Father continued.

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