Three Childhood Scenes

"Laurel, wait up!" "Hurry up, Jakrin! I want to see the ships come in!" "But I have little legs... oof!"

Jakrin stumbles as he runs. Five years old and small for his age, he has no chance of keeping pace with his sister - three years older, and as swift as the wind.

"Oh Jakky! Are you OK?" Laurel doubles back and helps him up.

“I’m fine, just… you don’t have to rush. The ships won’t be in for at least another hour and 40 minutes.” “How do you know? Are you a great ship captain now?” They continue toward the harbour at a more manageable pace, as Jakrin replies, “No, but we know exactly when the ships left Baldur’s Gate. They’re traveling as a convoy, so they can only go as fast as the slowest ship, which is the Secret Treasure. With the seasonal currents, even under perfect conditions they couldn’t arrive home earlier than an hour an…” “Jakky, has anyone ever mentioned that you are a small child and should not know these things?” “Oh. Um. Laurel? Is… is it a bad thing?” Laurel throws her arm around him and ruffles his hair. “No Jakky, it’s wonderful. You’re wonderful. Even if you make me look stupid sometimes.” Jakrin looks up at her with an indignant expression. “You’re not stupid! You teach me all kinds of things!” Laurel laughs. “Come on, we’re almost there.”

They make it to the top of a particular hill that overlooks the harbour. Laurel loves it because it gives her a perfect view of the ships coming and going. Maps of Athkatla give it the uncreative name of “Harbour Hill”, but some of the locals are so taken with little Jakrin’s instance that it is “Laurel’s Hill” that they have started to call it that themselves.

The four Zendai World Mercantile ships finally arrive, and Laurel is mildly annoyed that Jakrin’s calculation of their arrival window is correct. “You know Jakrin, I’m going to be a great ship captain some day.” “Like Captain Danalin?” Laurel leans down and gives him an impish grin. “Better than Captain Danalin.” “I don’t want you to, Laurel.” “Hey! Why not?” Jakrin looks away. “Captain Danalin is always gone. I… don’t want you to be always gone.” “Oh. Tell you what. You can come with me.” “Really?” “Of course! I’d miss you too much. Besides, I need someone to swab the deck!” Jakrin beams. “Thanks Laurel!” They watch the ships being unloaded as the sun sets over the waves of the Sword Sea.



Jakrin is eight years old. A storm is moving in, and he slips away unnoticed after dinner.

He’s headed to the harbour. There is a huge bell called the Great Griffin. It rings in bad weather to assist ships coming in. Last week, Laurel told him that there was secret magic in the bell. That anyone who stood under it while it rang three times would be given strength and speed, and become a great hero of the land. But, she said, she was only telling Jakrin this because she knew he would never be brave enough to stand under it.

Jakrin intends to prove her wrong.

It is getting dark, and fog is rolling in. The thunder in the distance is getting louder, and the rain has started to come down. It is easy for him to get to the bell unnoticed. He stands under the Great Griffin, and braces himself. He knows a ship is approaching, and soon they will ring the bell.

He wonders if it is true about the magic. Probably not, he decides. Still, he will prove to Laurel that he is brave enough anyway. All he has to do is stand under it for three rings.

Waiting. His breathing gets faster. Waiting. His heart is pounding against his ribs. Waiting. He clenches his jaw so hard it hurts. Waiting. Jakrin sees the bell begin to move.

Suddenly, all the thoughts in Jakrin’s head are gone. There is nothing but pain - white hot agony. He falls to his knees, hands held tightly over his ears. He knows he is screaming, but there is no sound. Somehow, he manages to roll away from the Great Griffin before he passes out.

Laurel is worried. Everyone is worried. No one has seen Jakrin since dinner, and the storm is getting worse. Her parents have organized the house guard, and are leading the search. Unable to stay in her room, Laurel heads out into the courtyard despite the rain. She hears the faint echo of the Great Griffin in the distance, and suddenly remembers the tale she spun for Jakrin. “Oh no. Oh no, he wouldn’t…” She starts running toward the main gate of the estate. Two guards see her and give chase. “Miss Zendai! Wait, Miss Zendai!” She doesn’t stop. She runs straight to the harbour, frantically running around the area of the bell, looking for her brother. She is yelling his name but her voice is drowned out by the tolling of the Great Griffin and the rolling peals of thunder. The guards catch up to her, and together they find Jakrin, unconscious in the rain, blood streaming from his ears.

Jakrin’s eardrums were completely ruptured by the Great Griffin. The following day, Toran and Sorina hire a cleric of Waukeen, and fortunately she is able to restore his hearing. She assures them that there doesn’t seem to be any lasting damage.

Laurel tells her parents everything. They lecture her. They go on about how shocked and upset they are. About how things could have been so much worse. About how she is Jakrin’s big sister and should be protecting him, not goading him into terrible danger. Laurel is inconsolable. She can only say, “I know. I know. I’m so sorry.” She retreats to her room. She can’t stop crying.

After Jakrin has had some time to rest, Laurel goes to his room to see him. She quietly enters, and finds him awake, lying on his bed. She softly says, “Jakrin?” Jakrin slowly turns to look at her, wide-eyed. There is a moment of silence that seems to stretch out for eternity. Then suddenly, Jakrin shouts, “Eh? Ehhh? You’ll have to speak up! My big sister deafened me!”

Laurel’s jaw drops in shock, and Jakrin bursts out laughing. “Jakrin Zendai! I am here feeling like the worst person in the whole world, and came to say how sorry I am, but you!” Laurel grabs a pillow and starts punctuating her words with swats. “You - are - the - worst - little - twerp - EVER!”

Jakrin, still laughing, gasps, “Help! Help! I am gravely injured!”

Laurel can’t help herself. She starts laughing too as she continues her pillow barrage. Eventually, she collapses next to him.

“I’m so sorry, Jakky. I never thought you would actually do it. I thought you were too smart to fall for it.” Jakrin turns his head to look at her. “I guess not. It’s so sad, Laurel. Now I’m deaf and dumb.” They both start laughing again as Laurel gives him a few more swats with the pillow.



Jakrin is thirteen. It is a hot summer afternoon, and he is desperately trying to defend himself from a furious assault.

Laurel, age sixteen, is swinging a wooden training sword and shouting instructions. “Jakrin! Parry the thrust! Step! Step! One-two, one-two like I showed you! Now, here comes the attack on your left…” Jakrin, in confusion, blocks to the right instead. Laurel strikes him in the ribs. “Ow! Damn it, Laurel!” “Left, Jakrin. I said block to the left!” Jakrin tosses his wooden sword aside dejectedly. “Laurel, I don’t think it matters how much we practice. I’m never going to be able to do this. It’s just not a thing for me.” His shoulders slump.

“Here now. Chin up, little brother.” She puts a finger under his chin and tilts it up so that he is looking at her. “Let’s forget this for now. You’ve been rather down lately, and I don’t think I’m going to cheer you up by hitting you with a stick.” She looks thoughtful for a moment, and then goes on, “I was planning to save this for your birthday, but I think you could use it now. I found a new sea cave, and we need to explore it. It is, no doubt, filled to the brim with treasure.” Jakrin brightens immediately. “Really? I thought we had found all the nearby caves. How could we miss one?” “We missed it, my dear Jakky…” “Don’t call me that.” “We missed it, my dear Jakky-rin…” “That is so much worse.” “There is no pleasing you. We missed it because it was blocked by rubble. However, last month there was a rockslide which uncovered the entrance, and then I found it, and because I am such an amazing sister, I decided to wait so we could explore it together. So, shall we?” “We shall!”

The two immediately rush toward the shore. After about an hour of scrabbling over the rocks, Laurel points out the entrance to the newly-uncovered cave. Jakrin looks into the dark stone maw. “Laurel, we’re idiots. We rushed off to explore a cave without bringing torches.” “Ah, you wound me, brother. I told you, this was going to be your birthday present. You think I would not be prepared?” Laurel walks over to a particular rock, and turns it over. Underneath is an oiled canvas bag containing a tinderbox and several torches. They both take one and light it.

The Zendai siblings move cautiously into the pitch-black cave, their torches creating a flickering halo of light around them. Laurel whispers dramatically, “This time, Jakrin, this time! Pirate treasure, I just know it!” Jakrin laughs. “You say that every time we go caving. Our current score is zero out of twenty-six.” Laurel looks at him like he is incredibly dim. “Yes Jakrin”, she says patiently, “but this cave was sealed off up until last month. Clearly this was done by the pirates to hide their treasure.” “Or it was done by a previous rockslide.” Laurel scowls at him. “Look. Do you want to hunt for treasure with me, or not?” Jakrin grins and punches her playfully on the arm. “You know I do. Let’s…”

Suddenly, they hear a guttural growl. Stepping out of the shadows is a humanoid creature with a fish’s head, a mouth lined with razor-sharp teeth, and a shortsword at the ready. Jakrin gasps. Laurel immediately draws her completely inadequate wooden training sword and steps between Jakrin and the creature. She shouts, “Jakrin! Run!”

The creature swings a vicious overhead blow at her, but she deftly sidesteps and delivers a sharp strike to her attacker’s face, snapping its head back. Snarling with pain, the creature swings again. Laurel parries, but the force of the blow breaks the wooden sword in two, and she stumbles back, tripping on some loose rubble.

For Laurel, time seems to slow. She can see every muscle in the fish creature's body tense as she falls backwards. It lowers into a crouch, preparing to leap upon her. Then it springs, sword pointed directly at her torso. She has no time to defend, no way to dodge. She knows she is about to die. She hopes Jakrin got away.

Then, from somewhere behind her, there is a bright flash of light. A brilliant bolt of flame arcs over her head, catching the creature mid-jump, full in the chest. The impact knocks it backwards, and it screams in pain.

Laurel does not waste a single moment. She springs to her feet, broken sword in hand. Using her forward momentum, she delivers a single perfect thrust to the creature’s right eye, the jagged end of the broken training sword piercing clear through to the back of its skull. The creature lets out a horrible shriek, and then slumps over backward as Laurel withdraws the sword.

She turns around to see Jakrin standing behind her, his arm still outstretched, two fingers pointing forward, and a look of total shock on his face. He blinks twice, looks at Laurel, and then rushes over to her. “Laurel? Are you hurt?” “No, no, I’m fine. You?” “I’m fine too.” “Jakrin. Did you just blast that thing with fire?” “Well…. uh…” Laurel puts her hands on either side of Jakrin’s face. “Is this why you’ve been so withdrawn and secretive lately? You’ve been learning magic?” Jakrin looks away. “Um…. damn it Laurel, yes. Yes, I’ve been studying magic.” Laurel looks at his hands, and then back to his face. “So, you can just shoot flames from your fingertips? This is a thing you do now?” “Apparently? I’ve been trying to do that one for weeks. This is the first time I’ve actually been able to.” “Good timing, I’d say. Can you do anything else?” Jakrin looks at the broken wooden sword that Laurel is still clutching. “Oh, yes, I have another one. May I?” He reaches out for the sword. Laurel wipes the blood off of it and hands it to him. Jakrin retrieves the piece that broke off, and lays both pieces next to each other on the ground. He pulls a small crystal out of his pocket. He then mutters some words that Laurel does not understand, and moves his hands in a series of intricate, precise motions. Strange runes light up as he traces his hands in the air. Suddenly, the two pieces of the wooden sword fuse back together. Jakrin hands the sword back to Laurel. She examines it closely, then looks up with surprise at her brother. “This is…. incredible. I can’t see any sign of a break!” Jakrin smiles. “I’ve gotten rather good at that one.” Then his smile fades. “Laurel, um… is it bad that I am doing this? I know what everyone says about magic, but it’s so… amazing! I could do so many good things…” “Jakrin, it’s wonderful. You’re wonderful. I don’t care what everyone says. If you think this is something important for you to pursue, I could never believe it to be a bad thing. Besides, you just saved our lives. That’s a major point in its favour.” “Me? You’re the one who fought with nothing but a stick.” Laurel looks down at their now-dead attacker. “What is this thing, anyway?” Jakrin looks it over, and says, “Oh, it’s a sahuagin. They’re a type of piscine humanoid that typically live in ocean trenches. They often raid coastal settlements, but it is unusual for one to be found so close to Athkatla. They have an odd kinship to sharks, the nature of which is not fully underst….” “Shark person, got it. Let’s get out of here.”

They leave the cave, and walk back out into the sunshine. “Laurel, you won’t tell anyone, will you?” “Of course I won’t. But you should tell Mom and Dad. They may not fully understand what you are trying to do, but I am sure they will support you. You don’t have to keep secrets from your family, and you don't have to be so stressed and withdrawn while you do this.” “Maybe you're right. I’ll consider it, anyway.”

As they start the long trek back home, Laurel throws her arm over her brother’s shoulder. “Say, I don’t suppose you can magic us back, oh great and powerful wizard?” Jakrin raises an eyebrow at her. “No, I’m afraid we’ll just have to walk.” Laurel snorts. “What good are you, then?” Jakrin just smiles at her. They walk on, arm in arm, together.

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