The Legend of Darquè and Lennaè
- alexandriaenterprises
- Oct 8
- 9 min read
Our story begins in the late 1900’s when explorers were bargaining for great riches and power.
In the sense of things there lived a young woman called Lennaè. The daughter of her father a great marine. In essence, Lennaè wanted to be a fisherman to follow behind the family trade.
Her mother wanted her to settle and start a family, but Lennaè knew her heart belonged to the sea. As young child, she would listen to her father and brothers speak of all sorts of tales that they experienced at sea.
One night on the eve of Lennaè’s sixteenth birthday, as she walked home passing the polar harbour she heard the deck hand calling for cooks that weren’t afraid of new adventures.
Lennaè thinking quickly snatched a sailors hat and coat with a few rotten vegetables from the ground and spin the perfect pitch.
From across the pier, Lennaè, dressed in roughspun clothes and a hat pulled low, approaches Captain Dodger, who is inspecting the ship's rigging. "Ahoy there, Captain! I'm Len, and I hear ye do be needin' a cook."
Dodger eyes Lennaè up and down, a glint in his eye
"Aye, we do. But this ain't no merchant vessel, lad. What makes you think you've got the stomach for a pirate's kitchen?"
Annoyed by the disruption the captain eyes the deck hand to avoid confusion.
Lennaè walks closer to the deck hand and stands at attention and bellows out.
“Aye, yeah got room fe one more!”
With her right hand on the barrel of rum and straight eye piercing through the darkness.
“I've sailed the seas, sir. Seen storms, faced down scurvy, and I've always kept a warm fire goin'. I can cook anything, from a simple stew to a feast fit for a king."
Johnathan noticing right away the only thing reckless about this cook was his taste for misfortune. Nevertheless Johnathan replied with a smirk.
"A king, eh? And what makes you think you're fit to feed a crew of cutthroats and scoundrels?"
"I can make a meal out of nothin', Sir. Pointing to the rotten vegetables she placed on the barrel, I'm resourceful. I can handle the heat, the pressure, and the… less savory ingredients. And I ain't afraid of a bit of hard work."
“Hmm. You're a small thing, What’s ya trade. Not much muscle on ye."
"Size ain't everything, sir. It's the heart, and the skill. I can bake a bread that'll make a grown man weep with joy, and I can turn the toughest cut of meat into somethin' tender."
"We'll see about that. What's your specialty?"
“Ma seafood stew, Sir. I've got a secret blend of spices that'll make ye forget all about dry biscuits and salt pork. With a slow smile spreading across her face.
“Alright, then, what do you call ye call ya self boy?” with silent whisper she coughed “Len.”
The Captain over hearing this horrid interview shouts to the “experienced cook”.
“SPEAK UP!”
“Le..Le..Len, sir!”
“You're hired. But if your stew is as bad as your build, you'll be walkin' the plank. Interrupted the captain.
"Aye, Captain! You won't be disappointed."
Lennaè darting back to run home to grab some things is immediately stopped by the deck hand.
“Where ya off to boy? Sun’s ‘bout to rise and the crew is gunna need breakfast. Before we set sail.”
Horror hits Lennaè as she realizes that if she leaves now her parents will never know her whereabouts. With a glance back to the town she pictures her and her brother running through the streets listening for the call of their mother.
“Steadfast boy!” The captain yells, as he points to the bottom of the boat.
With the confusion of fear and excitement she clenches the sides of the beaten coat, takes a deep breath, and ask God for forgiveness.
Len realizing quickly that the deckhand was immediately handing her cargo.
“This be fe you lad!” Dropping a box of potatoes in her arms.
Lennaè let out a gust of air as she realized this was gonna be the start of a real adventure.
Now the Captain being an experience Man, realized right away that the lad was a wee bit off. He never minding the thought but it stayed in the back of his mind.
Now the plan was to head west, as the news flashed all through the town that the king was raising awareness of new trade and travel. Many sailors petitioned the king so Len thought this would be one of the chosen vessels.
As only lanterns were lit, the boat looked beautiful, the smell of wood and salt filled her warm thoughts that comforted her inner grace.
As she leaned over the side to get a closer look, a few potatoes fell out of the bottom of the box. Quickly realizing, she trembled to catch the bottom of the box. While still hearing the potato’s hit the floor.
Frozen and scared to view the rest of the crew, she quickly understood that she was clearly invisible as all hands were working to shove off.
Lennaè began to feel even more lost than she did on land…
“Where exactly is the bottom of the boat?” She thought to herself. Suddenly in the corner her eye, a sharp light, made her worst fears seem irrelevant. Looking towards the sea.
“SUN UP ALREADY!” She gasped and the deckhand who never took his eyes off the lad, began to bellowed out a huge laugh.”
He walked over and gently guided her to the bottom of the boat, there they walked through the bunks, food storage, and live stock. She began to feel sea sick.
“Don’t let the sights worry ye lad. You’ll be working with the best kitchen crew in all of Orland.”
With a sigh of relief, she whispered
“Thank God!
Now back in the days, The royal fleet would head straight to point, but the private sailors would have to stop to make trade to continue their passages. This was always an exciting race because private vessels knew more routes and the royal fleets had to map out their assets for the travel.
Everyone knew this but Len, she began to notice that this ship was beginning to look more and more different than the ones she watched as a child leaving the docks.
As breakfast finally served and clean up began, a young deckhand by the name of drew asked her if she had ever been on a boat.
Lennaè with a dazed look of exhaustion, replied with enthusiasm.
“None like this,…”
“Yea , I can tell. You can take off the hat now, we are already along ways off from shore. There are bandannas in the store room, you gatta be smarter than that if you really want to make aboard this ship.”
Lennaè, feeling somewhat offended, removed the inner drenched coat and hat, and grabbed a black bandanna, drew immediately slapped it out of her hand.
“This is for you!” And handed her a white bandanna.”
“I’ve never seen any of the crew wearing a white bandanna.” She demanded with a hint of curiosity in her claims.
Drew laughed,…”Exactly!”
As time passed on the seas drew and Len became very close companions. Through this friendship Lennaè became more trained to handle the hardships of boat travel.
With the distraction of service and chores, Lennaè realized that they never really saw much of the waters. She began asking about the ships order.
Drew being more experienced told her that he sticks to what he is good at and you should too.
That night while in a hammock across the bunks, Lennaè manages to catch a glimpse of the waters through another crew mates window.
For a minute she thought she was floating on air. The waters glistening like the stars and there was really only silence. She remembered dinner, and the songs they sung. She smiled to herself and took a deep breath, pulled down her hat and was very satisfied with this life.
Now as experience grew on Len, she really became apart of the crew. They all moved like an orchestra and she felt like she was always home.
Clipperton Island
Now it was dead of night, and there was a restlessness with the captain. The older crew knew that they were headed for trouble. The captain spoke harshly to everyone and demanded to spare the rations. He locked up all the fermented beverages and called a meeting with first mate and chef.
“What do you suppose is the problem, John?”
“If I tell you, you’ll be rowing out to port.” He said with a tremble.”
“I don’t understand, should there be trouble for us?”
No, Lass, you are about to be tested on what it means to be a SAILOR, no more cooking for you.”
It almost seemed as John called it out, the smog filled the air as fast as he stared into the dark.
______________________________________
Clipperton Island's atmosphere is a character in itself, a constant presence that shapes the experience of anyone who dares to visit. With the air, heavy and humid, like a tangible blanket that clings to the skin. The moon, a perfect silver dollar in the night sky, beats down with unrelenting glow. There is a pervasive sense of isolation, the nearest land a speck on the vast ocean.
The scent of the island is a blend of the familiar and the alien. Salt, of course, is ever-present, carried on the gentle, yet persistent breeze. Mixed with the briny air is the pungent aroma of waste, a reminder of the island's history and the thriving bird population. This unique perfume of the island is occasionally cut by the sharp, metallic tang of decay, hinting at the island's secrets.
The sounds of Clipperton Island are a horribly silent with nature's raw power and deathly secrets. The constant crashing of waves against the coral reef forms a rhythmic backdrop. The wind whispers through the sparse vegetation, carrying the cries of seabirds. The air is often filled with the shrill calls of unknown creatures.
As the moon rises, the atmosphere transforms. The heat grows to a colder, more oppressive stillness. Shadows lengthen, and the island's hidden depths begin to emerge. The air becomes charged with an almost electric tension. The stars appear, their light a stark contrast to the inky blackness of the ocean. It is at this moment that the island's true nature is truly hidden, a place of mystery, and a vast darkness.
Now as Len had become more familiar with trusting the safety of their ship, Casinos, fear ceased to strike her. As they approached Clipperton Island. Dr. Aris Arin, a marine biologist with a haunted past, emerged from the private quarters. He was a well known marine biologist suddenly it became clear to Lennaè, that this was indeed a pirate ship.
Their mission to study the island's unique ecosystem. But Arin harbored a secret he was also there to find the remnants of a primal DNA.
As the crew sets foot on the island, Lennaè is a bit confused as to why she and drew would also be leaving the ship.
With a deep breath,… almost as fast as the air left her lungs, Johnathan motioned to her to stay silent, sense of unease settled upon her. And her eyes began to dart around the island for any source of light. The air was thick with humidity and the silence was deafening, broken only by the cries of seabirds.
As the moon moved further east it turned into the darkest scene of horror, and strange occurrences began. The shadows danced in the periphery, and the crew members started disappearing one by one. Then, the creature emerged. It was a grotesque parody definitely unlike anything Lennaè had ever seen, its body catching glimpses of moonlight. It moved with unnatural speed, its eyes reflecting like two fireballs floating alone.
Arin realizes that this was not what he anticipated. The creature, driven by a primal hunger, stalked them relentlessly. In a desperate attempt to stop it, the captain confronted the creature, using his knowledge of folklore and history.
With dance, experience by most of the older crew, widened the eyes of Lennaè to a point of speechlessness. As the audience, familiar with the motions of the captain, chant and cheer to boast the atmosphere. Stunned by the sounds of cannons behind her, she notices the Santa Maria.
Terrified that’s she’s being surrounded and feeling left to run across the beach to a watery grave. She realizes the cannonballs are aimed at the island and not the ship.
“WHATS REALLY GOING ON, JOHN!”
Shocked to understand, as quickly as it happens, that the press has it all wrong.
Len emerges from the shallow water like a demon. Realizing that blood runs deep in her veins. As her eyes blur from salt water a burning urge grabs the nearest sword.
Realizing the same time the captain was going down. Lennaè rushes the scene without thought almost as if she heard a direct command.
She counter the right, while darting just under the raise hand of the captain, only to slide left and with a careful spin Len still blind sliced the hand off the creature.
The creature familiar with a battle, shuttered in pain. The captain falls to his knees with the last of strength weaning. Len quickly catches the captain before he could kiss the sand. She picks him up by the right shoulder and pushes against his chest with the left.
The captain dazed by the darkness calls for Tommy, the first mate. The first mate well adjusted to dark stands in silence.
The captain still unaware smells sweet salt.
“TOMMY!” The Captain Yells and pushes off Len.
Like almost being hypnotized, Tommy quickly catches his breath. He grabs the captain as Len looks back to see the creature has vanished.
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