“Which one is your favorite?” Asked Boboy using their native tongue.

Hafiz ignored him. His eyes were stuck on the approaching port and his mind was fishing with his father, a memory of better times. His old man, like him, was a countryman who appreciated solitude and could spend a whole day without saying a word.

Boboy, on the contrary, was a city boy with a head full of fantasies and since Hafiz first met him in the port of Patrishthana, he never stopped talking about fantastic creatures and legendary heroes.

“Hafiz, which one is your favorite?” repeated the skinny boy.

“My favorite, what?”

“You were not listening? The stories of the Tiger. I love the one when he goes to Kion and protects the villagers from the demons.”

“I never read that.” Hafiz wouldn't have done it either if he could read. Since his father died, he had to help his grandma to raise six younger siblings and never had the time. Fishing by himself worked for a while, but the Tana sultanate was a poor country with a weak government, and famine was striking hard in the south for the last years. So , in the end, he had no choice but to seek his luck in the far north. Many were the stories of people returning from Nor’Wes with riches. Men who worked in places called factories and made fortunes. What was never mentioned was that they had to pay for the trip themselves. A ticket that was extremely expensive.

“That one is awesome, you know? The demons are really scary and powerful. There is one that controls snakes, and another summons bees from his back.”

“Bees are not scary, Boboy.”

“They are! All of them are really powerful and, and the Tiger defeats each one of them. He is so awesome! When we arrive we will get the training and I will fight like him. Awesome and invincible.”

“It’s just a story. It’s not real.”

“Some stories are based on real events.”

“Have you ever seen a demon?” Teased Hafiz.

“Well, no. But the Tiger could be. In the army, I will work really hard and I will become like him. I will protect the weak and fight for justice. A real Tiger of Ujan.”

Boboy was a dreamer. A kid that fled his town seeking adventure. At the port of Pratishthana, when offered alternatives to paying for the trip, which were a servant contract or joining the Northislay navy, Boboy did not hesitate for a second.

“We are joining the navy, Boboy, not the army.”

“As long as I get trained to fight evil guys, I’m fine with anything!”

Hafiz didn’t like any of the options, but the Navy paid better and two years of sailing during peacetime didn’t seem a terrible choice at that moment. Not until a few days before reaching the Red island, the rumors of war started.

“We are almost there!” said Boboy with too much excitement.

When the barque docked, the two boys followed the crowd. They both spoke the language of the Northislay, but neither did fluently, and only Hafiz dared to use it with foreigners.

“My friend Sapirin told me Nor’Wes is cold, but is actually like home,”

“The air feels dry. I don’t like it,” noted Hafiz, grabbing his friend by the arm to join the long queue on the pier. The docks were guarded by soldiers and there was no access to the town. Hafiz had wanted to sneak away upon arrival, but the place was already prepared for those types of ideas.

“Look at that beast!” Said Boboy pointing at the strangest animal Hafiz had ever seen. “It looks like a… like a humpback goat!”

Hafiz chuckled while taking a long look at the port . At the end of the pier, past some tables and a checkpoint of soldiers, there were people of the most strange and diverse nature. Dressed in bright and colorful silks and ornamented with precious metals and colored stones. Eccentric dwellers mixed with Bizarre animals and marvelous merchandise that made that place unreal.

“What is he saying?” asked Boboy, pointing to the soldier in front of them.

“Anyone here with experience with big guns?” Repeated the soldier. “No? Anyone here know how to ride? And I mean horses, not cows.”

“He says something about experience with horses.” Boboy raised his arm up, but Hafiz pulled it down immediately.

Searching for a way to practice the common language, Hafiz had spoken with many sailors during the long voyage to the Nor’Wes and an old mate had told him the food in the army was horrible and the drills were exhausting.

“Navy boy, navy. Sail the seas and witness wonders!” whispered Hafiz. Boboy’s face gleamed.

The wait was endless. As Boboy continued to talk about his fantasies, Hafiz tried to listen to what the recruiter was saying to the people ahead. “They pay us in silver coins, Boy. Silver!” Whispered him to his friend. Boboy responded by grabbing his shirt with excitement.

Few minutes later, the man on the desk pointed his finger towards them. “The skinny one. Come.” A soldier taped Boboy’s shoulder and with the palm of his hand, he ordered Hafiz to wait.

The interview didn’t last long. At the end, Boboy moved to the other side with a satisfied expression.

“You. Name.” asked the desk clerk.

“Hafiz.”

“Hafiz, what else?”

“Son of Kabir.”

“Hafiz Kabir. How old are you?” The voice of the clerk was that of a man without passion.

“Ten and six.”

The recruiter raised his eyes. “At least you look sixteen, not like your friend over there.” He handed Hafiz a paper. “This form, you read it, you sign it.”

Hafiz stared at the paper without knowing what to do.

“If you don’t know how to read or write. Just mark with an X.” said the clerk.

The kid hesitated, and the man noticed. “It says you join the navy at your own will, under no coercion or threat. You don’t sign it, you better have the money for your journey back.”

With little more options, Hafiz marked with an X, and the interview continued.

“Finally… Right. Any experience at the sea? And the trip to here doesn’t count.”

“All life I fish on ship.”

“How big was the ship?”

Hafiz hesitated again. He didn’t know how to tell him. “From here to here.”

“That’s a boat, not a ship. Oars or sails?”

Hafiz stared, confused. “Oars or sails,” repeated the man, slowly.

“Sail ship.” the boy replied, with a tone that hinted at the frustration that was growing within him.

“Any useful skill? Carpenter, cook, sail or rope making?”

“No.” He answered. He actually knew some useful skills from his years of fishing, but frustrated from his struggle with the common language, he let it go.

“Another Landsman. Discounting what you owe and until we are at peace, we pay you one Novel a week. Clothes and any other thing you may need will be taken from first wages.”

“The other man. You give two.” interrupted Hafiz.

“Southerners receive half.”

“Why?”

“Because I say so!” Snapped the man. “When you are as big and strong as him, you ask me again. Now take this and go that way!”

Swallowing his frustration, Hafiz took the piece of wood painted red and green and crossed the tables, looking for his compatriot. Playfully, Boboy patted him from behind, trying unsuccessfully to catch him by surprise. “I’m a new mate of the Navy.” he said, almost as a chuckle.

Hafiz looked at his friend’s wooded card. It was blue and yellow. Boboy grabbed him by the shoulders. “I know, I will miss you, too. But don’t worry, I will be fine. I can take care of myself!”

“Hey coffee beans. Don’t stand in the middle of the way!” A heavyset, clumsy soldier approached them from the side. “You are going to the Elena, a bomber ketch. Move up to the hulk on the left.” he pointed at a ship with rotten wood, which could barely stay afloat. “Blue and yellow are for the Saint Mary, fancy hundred gun ship of the line. You are a damn lucky bastard. ”

The soldier pulled them aside, and moved away, shouting to another pair of youngsters that where as as lost as them.

Boboy couldn’t contain his joy. “A hundred cannons! That’s what he said, right? Did you hear Hafiz? He said I’m lucky, hah! I am. Everything is going great!”

Hafiz grabbed his friend from the shirt and hugged him. “I will write you a letter. I promise. Will you?”

Boboy slapped his back twice. “I will. Take care and see you again.”

When Hafiz reached the top deck of the hulk, Boboy was waving farewells in a silly manner. “Sail the seas and witness wonders!” Hafiz forced a smile while his friend disappeared into the crowd.

He spent the next hour waiting and, although around him there was a buzzing bustle, without Boboy’s constant verbiage, it felt like a depressing silence surrounded him.

Tired, he found a little corner between two boxes and closed his eyes. It didn’t take long for the calm to be broken. A group of men started a loud discussion on the main deck, drawing the attention of everyone.

“No, no, and no! The Admiral said ten newbies to the Elena and four to the Lydia. The rest to The Aurora. How many do you have for the Lydia?”

“Four.”

“Then you can send them already. Elena?”

“Nine.”

“Fine, See, put this lubber here, and this one there. Right? Group them and let’s go!.”

“Kabir!” screamed one of them, a short, bulky man with a bandanna over his head. “Hafiz Kabir!”

Hafiz stood timidly and raised his hand.

“Lubbers! listen to me all.” Shouted the man again. “All fellas with red and green follow me to the forecastle deck. For the idiots who don’t know what a forecastle is, that’s where Mr. Kabir is standing right now. Red and green!”

Nine mates gathered around Hafiz with a mixture of fear and curiosity on their faces. “Listen carefully yall’sons of a biscuit, My name is Mister Wisps. Not Wisps. Not mate, either fella or lassie. Mister… Wisps.”

His voice, echoing in Hafiz’s ears, was too loud for the boy’s liking. “I am Elena’s bo’sun. And ye’all work for me now. Our Cap`n is Lord Bainon. He is a damn gentleman who doesn’t like dirty socks like you.’’ The boatswain pointed to a few small backpacks on the floor. “In those bags, ye’ll find clothes, soap, towel and a comb. Some things that, by the looks of some of ye, ye don’t know what they are.’’

The bag was full of clothes and some toiletries, but Hafiz didn’t find any soap. “Sir,” he said, timidly.

“If I see a dirty nail or an ugly hair on your face before you put on our sacred uniform, I swear to the Goddess I will show you the cat’s tail!” Mr. Wisps spoke so powerfully that the veins in his neck were marked like vines crawling a tree.

“Sir,” repeated Hafiz, slightly louder.

“You have buckets of fresh water over there. What ye’want?”

“No soap here, sir.”

The boatswain snapped his teeth. He took a bar from a box and tossed it to the boy. “One piece of soap; three lil’bobs from your salary.” He said, spitting on the ground. “Listen to me, scoundrels. Turns out I’m Elena’s purser as well. So, ye lose anything; ye buy from me… Ye finish it; ye come to me,” Wisps took a pause to clean his nose with the sleeve of his blue jacket, giving his flushed face time to return to its original pale color. “Ye break anything ye pay for it. And if I catch ye stealing, I swear three times I’ll kill ye myself!”

The group, spurred on by Mr. Wisps’s screams, washed and changed quickly. Hafiz, uncomfortable with having to strip in front of strangers, lagged and, by the time everyone had almost finished, he was still drying off. Something that seemed to infuriate the boatswain, who would not stop snorting like a brave bull.

“I am a generous fella. I’m giving you two pairs of shirts and two pairs of trousers. So… be good lads and wear the clean ones while ye clean the others. Aye? Ye’moma not gonna clean anything for ya!

“When we reach the ship, The Captain will do an inspection.” Continued Mr. Wisps, snorting deeply in front of Hafiz. “Do not embarrass me. Dress like it’s your damn wedding! Vest, jacket, handkerchief and hat.

“During the inspection, you will shut your mouth and stand firm like a tree all the time. If an officer asks you anything, you will respond nicely and sincere with ‘Aye, Sir’. The young officers are gents. No kids or boys. Gentlemen! Treat them accordingly.”

Hafiz glanced at the others. Everyone was already dressed and standing still while he was still tying the shirt. As he hurried to tie it up, one button fell apart to the ground.

“For the Goddess shake Mr. Kabir. Ar’ye a rabbit? Put on the monkey and hide that mess!”

Hafiz was a calm person, but the continuous mindless shouting of Mr. Wisps had gotten on his nerves, and now he was missing Boboy’s silly talking.

Fortunately, when they separated into groups to take the boats, Hafiz was not in the same one as Mr. Wisps. Still, as they rowed across the bay, the boatswain’s complaints were so loud that they resonated across the bay.

“That Wisps is an idiot,” whispered one of the new recruits.

Hafiz raised his lip, satisfied in knowing he wasn’t the only one who thought the same thing.

“I don’t understand half of what he says,” pointed another.

Between two frigates, the Elena welcomed them. The bomber, smaller than the rest, was giving off a sense of power and strength like none of the other ships did. Something that staggered Hafiz.

The young mate looked up to the top of the impressive masts and, with a sudden breeze, his hat blew away, lost in the darkness of the bay waters. Wisps’ growl felt close.

“You are so dead.” said a naughty voice from behind. A string of giggles and chuckles followed.

He climbed a set of net ropes and waited on deck to be punished, when a hand pulled him aside and a voice asked his name.

“You are a sheet-anchor man, Mr. Kabir. Go to the bow and look for a mate called Charlie. He will teach you all you need to know. Tell him Billy sent you.”

Hafiz walked forward in a place that felt as hostile as it was unfamiliar. Every few steps, one of the sailors greeted him with a rough look or some derogatory comment. “Watch your steps, beany!” “Get out of the way, lubber!”

Upon reaching the front of the ship, Hafiz asked about his new mentor. “There, the ugly redhead.” The carpenter said, pointing to a group of three that were working a rope. A tall sailor with strange orange hair stood out among them. And because of his gigantic buck teeth, he was, as some had pointed out, ugly.

“I am new sheet-anchor man. Billy sent me.” Hafiz said, trying to sound as sure of himself as possible.

The redhead pointed to his face, which was the spitting image of confusion. In the distance, the sailor named Billy was laughing out loud with other companions. Charlie, seeing him, let go of the rope and climbed some boxes. The boy next to him clicked his tongue. “Get back to work, Charlie!”

“Shut up Frian. Not gonna fafyseat this coffe fean. Filly, ye’ tosser!”

“Don’t yell, you idiot! Do you want Wisps to punish us all?” said the oldest of the three, a big round man with red cheeks and a gray beard.

“I am Hafiz.”

“What a plonker. Ye see that?” Charlie muttered, passing him by. “Like am not fussy.”

“I am Hafiz,” repeated him.

“Noone wan’to now, feany.”

“No worries lad,” interrupted the sailor named Brian, “this fella’s just grumpy coz his girlfy dumped him.”

“Shut yer mouth, Frian.” Charlie grumbled.

Brian laughed and turned to Hafiz.“Wher'ye from, beany?”

Hafiz snorted and pointed the thumb at his own body. “I am Hafiz. No Beany.”

“Leave the kid alone,” interrupted the older sailor. “And you ginger skiver, stop complaining. You will show the lad everything he needs to know. If he messes up, we will all have to pay for it. And if I’m punished because of you, I’ll punish you back.”

“Aye, I’ll punish ye too.” said Brian, mocking him.

The two young sailors grabbed each other into a skirmish no one else seemed too worried about stopping.

“That’s no real fighting. Just puppies playing.” said the old sailor to Hafiz. “My name is Todd. You don’t understand what this idiot teaches you. Just come to me.”

“Thanks. My common language, not good.”

“Oh. Aye. Well, I was talking about, you know,” the old sailor sneakily touched his mouth. “ But no worries, Aye? Here, a lot of fellas learn the lingo and the common at the same time.”

A whistle that sang like a bird caused the entire crew to start dashing across the deck. “Inspection!” shouted Todd, who showed Hafiz his place in line.

“You’stay here next to me. Where’s yer hat?” Said Charlie.

“I lost it.”

Charlie smiled in a way that showed his hideous teeth even more.

The inspection ended up being an endless procession of officers in pretty suits. The first were just children. A freckled boy with an arrogant pose, looked at Hafiz hatless head and shook his in disapproval. More officers followed, first the juniors, some of Hafiz’s age, and then the seniors. Among all of them, more than half noticed the absence of the hat. The Captain, followed by a chaplain and Mr. Wisps, was the last one. He was a small man, but like his ship, he was surrounded by an aura of strength and authority.

The Captain stopped to look at Hafiz from head to toe. “Where is this man’s hat, Mr. Wisps?”

The boatswain bit his lip. His face was red. “It blew away on the way here, Sir. This is one of the new recruits. He didn’t tie it.”

“Good manners and etiquette are essential elements in the Navy. Especially on my ship.”

“Of course, Sir.” answered Wisps. “I will make sure he understands.”

“That won’t be necessary. You will get him a new one as soon as possible. That’s all.“ The Captain walked away and Wisps followed, not before giving Hafiz a deadly stare.

The inspection finished minutes later. When another bird-like whistle intoned a different new melody, everyone returned to their previous duties.

“Na worries feany, I’ll teach ye'all the fos’n pipe calls, the nuts, the watches and te’sailors talk. Ye’ll talk as fest as me!” declared with pride Charlie. Todd snorted. “Come, help me with the oil‘n’ink.”

“Who’s the Master tonight?” Asked Brian to Todd.

“Wisps.”

“Ha!” shouted the short boy, staring at Hafiz with a smirk of naughtiness. “I bet a copper this one ends the baptism bleeding!”

“I’m in!” Todd raised a coin and gently slapped Hafiz’s shoulder. “Kid, you better remove the uniform.”

Hafiz felt exhausted, eager to crawl into a corner and sleep for days. To dream of the old times with his father in his beloved village. He did not feel strong enough to spend two years in that place, surrounded by those strange people. At that moment, he didn’t want to learn anything from Charlie. Not from Todd or Brian, either. He just wanted to know how to write and tell his grandmother he was fine. And learn how to read, to enjoy, once again, Boboy’s silly stories about fantastic creatures and legendary heroes.