Read Online Ben the Dragonborn by Dianne E Astle - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Dianne E Astle
Ads: Link
arguments.
Charla had not looked at him when she had said these last few words. She had told a lie. Akca had been willing to take Ben back to Lea Waterborn even though the Orca was tired of his burden; however, Charla had convinced him that the best thing to do was leave the boy in the care of humans. Charla had her own reasons for doing this. She had convinced Osch and Akca not to mention her presence and she did not want Ben to go back to the Watcher with tales of how Charla followed them. Charla wanted to find a way to prove herself to Lea Waterborn before she went back. Charla had asked to be the one to go with Ben, but the Watcher had said no. Thinking of the watcher’s words still brought angry tears to Charla’s eyes. The words still rang in her ears, “I am thinking of sending someone with Ben, but it will not be you. You are not ready now and I sometimes doubt whether you will ever be ready.”
What Charla did not know, is that Lea Waterborn guessed the missing mermaid had followed Ben and Brina. Lea Waterborn had thought of sending someone to bring the disobedient mermaid back, but decided against it. Lea Waterborn reasoned that sometimes it is a wild card that saves the day. And since the chance of success seemed slim, perhaps a wild card was a good idea. Lea Waterborn had a growing fear that she would not see Ben and Brina again.
Osch went one way, Charla another, and Akca and Ben traveled towards the human community. When it got dark Akca was to take Ben to a lily pad near the human settlement so that the humans could find him in the morning.
Akca swam quickly, too quickly. He wanted to be rid of the burden on his back as soon as possible. Akca and Ben arrived on the outskirts of the human community just as the sun was sinking out of sight. It was not dark enough.
Ben knew they were close when the enormous trees could be seen off if the distance. As they drew nearer there was other plant life: grasses, seaweed, and cork lily pads, all with roots deep in the sea. The trees were some of the biggest Ben had ever seen. Brina had told Ben that several families could live in the branches of the largest trees. He did not find it difficult to believe as they drew ever closer.
Akca headed for a lily pad on the other side of two small trees. He was just past the trees when disaster struck. Something heavy came down around the two of them. A voice somewhere above yelled, “Here! Come quick! Jared and I have something. I think we’ve caught a mer.”
Akca dove down into the water. He had to make his escape quickly. The humans had thrown a net over them. Weights on the outer edges made it sink down when it was thrown. As soon as the net was thrown a rope was pulled, closing the bottom of the net. Akca might have escaped, had Ben not been strapped to his back. The extra weight slowed him down.
Ben fumbled to find the release on the harness. When he finally found it, the harness came off Akca and fell through the ever shrinking hole at the bottom of the net. Ben bobbed up to the surface and grabbed one of the buoys that kept the net from sinking. Akca sought to escape through the closing net, but it was too late. The net had been drawn tight and there was no escape.
The first voice was joined by others. “Let’s see what you have there, Ratore.” Hand over hand three humans pulled the net towards them. Ben did not try to talk. He had enough trouble just holding onto the buoy and keeping his head above water as the net was dragged in. The part of the net Ben was tangled in reached the cork lily pad and the three humans pulled him onto it.
Harbo, an older man with a receding hairline said, “This ain’t no mer. It has legs.”
“I tell you, I saw a fish tail,” Ratore stated firmly.
“Jared, bring the lamp so we can see what we have here,” Harbo instructed.
Jared, a boy about Ben’s age, brought a lamp and
Charla had not looked at him when she had said these last few words. She had told a lie. Akca had been willing to take Ben back to Lea Waterborn even though the Orca was tired of his burden; however, Charla had convinced him that the best thing to do was leave the boy in the care of humans. Charla had her own reasons for doing this. She had convinced Osch and Akca not to mention her presence and she did not want Ben to go back to the Watcher with tales of how Charla followed them. Charla wanted to find a way to prove herself to Lea Waterborn before she went back. Charla had asked to be the one to go with Ben, but the Watcher had said no. Thinking of the watcher’s words still brought angry tears to Charla’s eyes. The words still rang in her ears, “I am thinking of sending someone with Ben, but it will not be you. You are not ready now and I sometimes doubt whether you will ever be ready.”
What Charla did not know, is that Lea Waterborn guessed the missing mermaid had followed Ben and Brina. Lea Waterborn had thought of sending someone to bring the disobedient mermaid back, but decided against it. Lea Waterborn reasoned that sometimes it is a wild card that saves the day. And since the chance of success seemed slim, perhaps a wild card was a good idea. Lea Waterborn had a growing fear that she would not see Ben and Brina again.
Osch went one way, Charla another, and Akca and Ben traveled towards the human community. When it got dark Akca was to take Ben to a lily pad near the human settlement so that the humans could find him in the morning.
Akca swam quickly, too quickly. He wanted to be rid of the burden on his back as soon as possible. Akca and Ben arrived on the outskirts of the human community just as the sun was sinking out of sight. It was not dark enough.
Ben knew they were close when the enormous trees could be seen off if the distance. As they drew nearer there was other plant life: grasses, seaweed, and cork lily pads, all with roots deep in the sea. The trees were some of the biggest Ben had ever seen. Brina had told Ben that several families could live in the branches of the largest trees. He did not find it difficult to believe as they drew ever closer.
Akca headed for a lily pad on the other side of two small trees. He was just past the trees when disaster struck. Something heavy came down around the two of them. A voice somewhere above yelled, “Here! Come quick! Jared and I have something. I think we’ve caught a mer.”
Akca dove down into the water. He had to make his escape quickly. The humans had thrown a net over them. Weights on the outer edges made it sink down when it was thrown. As soon as the net was thrown a rope was pulled, closing the bottom of the net. Akca might have escaped, had Ben not been strapped to his back. The extra weight slowed him down.
Ben fumbled to find the release on the harness. When he finally found it, the harness came off Akca and fell through the ever shrinking hole at the bottom of the net. Ben bobbed up to the surface and grabbed one of the buoys that kept the net from sinking. Akca sought to escape through the closing net, but it was too late. The net had been drawn tight and there was no escape.
The first voice was joined by others. “Let’s see what you have there, Ratore.” Hand over hand three humans pulled the net towards them. Ben did not try to talk. He had enough trouble just holding onto the buoy and keeping his head above water as the net was dragged in. The part of the net Ben was tangled in reached the cork lily pad and the three humans pulled him onto it.
Harbo, an older man with a receding hairline said, “This ain’t no mer. It has legs.”
“I tell you, I saw a fish tail,” Ratore stated firmly.
“Jared, bring the lamp so we can see what we have here,” Harbo instructed.
Jared, a boy about Ben’s age, brought a lamp and
Similar Books
