First Well Chapter Six

Alright thwapers! Chapter six!

CHAPTER SIX

The same evening as Kalmar ate his soup with Emerald, Podo decided it best to explain how in Aerwiar he was really here! His daughter had quietly explained everything to him the night previous, and he listened tearfully but solemnly.

The family (and Oskar and Sara) were gathered around a roaring fire. Podo sat opposite them all, except for Leeli, who had her small head resting on his lap.

“Well, it all started when I thought fer sure it was goin’ to end. Ya see, Yurgen was towering above me, and I knew he wanted notin’ more than ta eat me fer breakfast. Can’t say I blame him. I was terrified. But as the dragon went down to get me, some type of current came out of nowhere, knocked me down, and Yurgen got a huge underwater plant in his gob and mistaked it for me!”

“Why didn’t you just come out of the water then?” Nia asked.

“I was unconscious. The last thing I saw was him grab that plant, then I struck my head on a rock, and everything went black.”

Podo took one of his dramatic pauses,and Nia gave in. “Well?”

“Well, I don’t know when, but someone yanked me out and brought me here. She was a strange one. When i woke up, she barely seemed to notice me. I wasn’t sure she could be trusted, so I just slipped out when she wasn’t looking. I wandered around until I found you, and the rest is history.”

Podo smiled, and Leelie looked up at him thoughtfully. “I’m just happy you’re back, Grandpa,” and the little girl threw her arms around her grandfather. Nia came and sat down beside them both. “I’m happy too,” she said as she kissed Podo’s cheek.

“In the words of Gire the Tiny, ‘I missed you a lot, my friend.’”

Sara looked up in a confused way. “But, does that mean there’s someone out here looking for you possibly? A young girl?”

“What would a young woman be doing out in the Blackwood of all places?” Nia wondered.

“Maybe she….she’s looking for the First Well too,” Leeli suggested in her soft little voice.

Nia smiled. “Maybe my love. But it doesn’t make sense.”

“Maybe she found Kalmar,” Leeli said softly.

Nia sighed a worried sigh, and Podo placed one of his big hands on her back. “Look, come tomorrow, we’ll start searching for him, and by the end of this excursion, we will leave with all of our family….even Janner.”

Nia bit her lip, and smiled at him. “I wish I had as much confidence as you, Papa.”

“You’re a woman who’s lost a lot,” Oskar said. “It’s perfectly understandable for you to be a bit more pessimistic than normal.”

Nia nodded. “But I have my father back. And I still have two—three children,” Nia said, looking at Sara, who blushed, “good friends, and a wonderful brother-in-law.”

At the mention of Artham, who was heavy on Nia’s mind as well, Podo looked a little startled.

“Artham, ey? How was he…after Janner?”

Nia suddenly looked guilty. “He was fine, but I was cruel. I said things I shouldn’t have. I blamed him for-for Janner’s death, as if he could have prevented it.”

Nis stopped for a moment, and looked at Leeli and at Podo.

“He deserved better from us. I’m afraid you children are the only ones that treated him right. I know why he went mad, I know he left Esben,” Nia’s voice trailed off, and Podo and Leeli looked shocked.

“Oh,” Leeli whispered, “that’s why he got out but Papa didn’t.”

“Still, I forgive him!” Nia exclaimed, and she shot up and began pacing. “And yet, I treat him like-like he’s nothing!”

“Nia,” Podo said softly, “don’t fret about that now. You and I both have an apology or two for him when we find him, because I’m gonna be looking for him personally.”

“Really, Papa?”

“Really.”

Let me know what you think of Podo’s story…..do you think it’s realistic?

I had to bring Podo back 😭

He’s too good of a character to leave d3@d. I honestly really like writing in his pirate accent 🤣