Hunger and names by Kanénas | World Anvil

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Tue 20th Feb 2024 10:07

Hunger and names

by Kanénas

Kanenas watched the sea and all the ships sailing into the port. He wandered where they were coming from where they would go. For a moment he dreamed of going on one and sailing up the coast he would have a colorful parrot on his shoulder, and he would have a cool sword at his side as he sailed the open sea and then… Grrugl.
 
Damn he was hungry. The smell of warm bread made his mouth water the baker Thompson as selling his meet buns. For a moment the thought of just going over there taking one and running crosses his mind. But Pa said he would be back with plenty of money. Kanenas sighed, pushing the enticing thought of warm bread aside. He turned his gaze from the bustling port to the narrow, cobbled streets of the town. The sun was beginning its descent, casting a golden glow over the whitewashed buildings.
 
As he made his way through the town square, he could not shake the gnawing hunger in his stomach. His father had promised to be back with money soon, but Kanenas knew better than to trust those words. Pa's promises were as fleeting as the tide.
 
Passing by the town's inn, Kanenas noticed a group of sailors laughing and drinking. The smell of ale wafted through the air, mixing with the salty scent of the sea. He envied their freedom, their carefree lives on the open water. He tried to distract himself again with the thoughts of high sea adventures. The bird what would he name her. It suddenly came to him he would name it after the book his mom always read to him. The one filled with the tales of heroes and monsters; what was the book called again? Adia? Aeneid? The Anea! That was it.
 
Lost in his thoughts, Kanenas almost didn't notice the familiar figure stumbling out of the inn. It was Pa, his eyes bloodshot, his clothes disheveled. Kanenas's heart sank. Another relapse.
Pa spotted him and lurched forward, a wild gleam in his eyes. "Kanenas, my boy, I've got it this time. I've got the winning hand, just you wait and see." His words slurred together, barely coherent. he held a bag of takeout from the bar he had just left. It didn't smell great but he was hungry.
 
Kanenas knew better than to argue. He followed Pa home, the weight of the world heavy on his young shoulders. The dream of sailing away on a ship seemed farther than ever.