Tales of the Sand Sea

Cursed Paradise

The young woman turned out to be quite kind, her name was simply Caroline. She offered Canto and Lucky a strong drink of mead, while Beck she gave a bag of feed.

But when Caroline heard Canto's story portrayed, she began to be very afraid. "How could you prove that this story is true? Answer carefully, or I will get Gunther to come run you through!"

"You command the birds, do you not? Send one of them past the desert and see if it can spot; a small red fruit that breeds atop the plateau. It's the only place that I know it can grow."

"Impossible, you are telling a lie! Nothing grows up there so high!"

"So if it does return with a citrus that I yearn, will you believe what I have to say?" Canto asked as he set down his glass, back on the serving tray.

"I would if I could. But my bird of prey would not obey such an obscure command. I hope you understand."

"May I see your bird of prey and hear what she has to say?"

To both Lucky and Caroline's alarm, he opened the cage door, yet the massive bird did no harm. Instead, the bird tilted her head, as he said what the fruit looked like from the sky, far atop the plateau high.

"Canto, are you feeling okay? The bird cannot understand what you say."

"Sure she can; Hava, fly over to the kitchen and retrieve that pan, then fly around the room twice, and put the pan next to the ice. After all of that, land and act as if taking off a hat."

The hawk screeched and ruffled its feathers and began to fly around. It lifted the pan with its massive talons straight up and off the ground. It was much to the others' surprise and wow, as Hava ended her flight with a bow.

Caroline asked, trying to keep calm with some strain, "How did you know that Hava was that bird's name?"

"The little creep can speak to the beast!" Lucky cried, afraid Canto would eat him for a feast.

But young Caroline held back Lucky as she hissed, "Let him speak, for I fear there is something here that we have missed."

Canto removed his amulet and let it sway, "If you want to learn what they have to say—"

"NOOO!!!" Lucky cried, elbowing Caroline in her side. "You won't curse me!" he said shielding his eyes, "with your black magic and your filthy lies!"

But Beck quickly hit his head with a satisfying crack. Lucky fell to the ground like a potato sack. "Good night and good riddance," Beck happily said, "how long I've wanted to hit this cretin over the head!"

"Did you kill him?" Canto asked.

Beck only laughed. "Don't be daft. I didn't hit him that hard, but I think his ugly round noggin will be gnarled and scarred." Beck then said to the Countess, "Lucky might wake up and tell the guards that something is amiss. If you can understand me dear Caroline, fetch some rope to bind him for we don't have much time."

"It spoke!" Caroline choked, "It said my name!"

Canto put the necklace back over his head, and said, "Now do you believe my claim?"

After they tied up Lucky and stuffed his mouth with the gag—which thoroughly amused the silver stag—Beck and the hawk named Hava began to explain, how they ended up in their current frame.

Caroline's hawk flew over, landing on the bird keeper's shoulder. "Often time, I thought it a crime, to even whisper of our lives before we were cursed by that wretched slime!"