Chapter 16

The Boat in the Wind

They parked the Gol by the “Pousada Tropeira”, when morning had Commented [DS1]: Not sure what this is. Is it necessary
for it to be in quotations?
already been established. Under the gilded sunlight, shining from a nearly
cloudless sky, the vehicle’s occupants – Aurelio, Gwen, Bruno, Gabriel, and
Junior, who’ve been driving – left it their vehicle behind and strolled through
along the pavement. There was much more fuss in the streets than before,
probably because the day dawning ahead was a Monday, but they had no trouble
getting backreturning to the pension. All that was missing now was MerlinOnly
Merlin was missing.
“Where did that old man run off to?” Bruno queried impatiently, eyeing
his surroundings.
The wizard had refused to follow them in the car because of his
claustrophobia. They could’ve used the convertible to get to the falls last night,
but Junior felt more at ease driving his own vehicle. Besides, none of them
anticipated that the grand-druid would have accompanied them in secret.
“Well, there he is!” Gwen pointed towards one of the streets.
Besides, nNone of them anticipated that the grand-druid would have Formatted: Indent: First line: 0.5"
accompanied them in secret.
Threading in fast steps, in came Merlin… and he was somewhat different
than the last time they’d seen saw him, near the waterfall’s trail. That long-bearded Commented [DS2]: I’m noticing quite a few tense issues
at the start of this chapter.
wizard with a staff had once again been substituted again by good ol’ Mr.
Campbell – mustache, bonnethat, waistcoat, cane, and everything else. They Commented [Office3R2]: That was really my bad.

concluded that, wWherever he could be seen by a mounting crowd such as that,
Merlin would had decided to go in disguise. Through some sort of magic or
mysterious means of locomotion, he had managed to get there at the same time
as them.
“We’ve got to hurry!” He recommended urged as soon aswhen he was
right in front of the boyAurelio,. “if we waste any time here, the Usurper will
appear again!”
That was certain. They run ran past through the ajar wooden door and into
Commented [DS4]: In America, a bonnet is either
something you put on a baby or a women about 100 years
ago.
Commented [Office5R4]: I was thinking of what we call
in Brazil a “Boina”, but okay
Commented [DS6]: Are we back to calling him ‘the boy’
again? Nooo hahaha
Commented [Office7R6]: I missed that one, sorry

the inn. The reception room was occupied by a young couple now – maybe on
their honeymoon – and an old-timer, who was soon quickly identified as not
being grandpa Genaro. That same clerk from yesterday the other night was
behind the counter, absentmindedly watching the morning news absentmindedly.
He paid the newcomers no attention – he probably didn’t hadn’t even noticed
they spent the night away.
After climbing the stairs to the rooms, they were met with by Genaro… still
heavily asleep. Aurelio was filled with relief after learning his grandpa was okay.
He had feared that Mordred might have visited the inn before making his way to
the falls. They woke him Genaro up with no problems, nothing besides the
monstrously long yawn he let out as he opened his eyes.
“Change your clothes, gather your things, and get ready to hit the road,
Jack,.” Merlin teased from the room’s door, . “check Check if we’re still good on
money. We’re heading to Três Marias, on the São Francisco River.”
“Três Marias?” That was enough to get him off ofshake what was left of
his sleep, . “butBut, the Order’s hideout is over in Montes Claros, to the north!
It’s a completely different route!”
“Plans changed overnight,” Aurelio revealed, . “we We found
outdiscovered where the Lady in the Lake and Excalibur are.”
Genaro looked was clearly confused, but there was no time for minutiae—
, that could be arranged during their whole car trip to the west. All of themThey
packed their things and two or three of them used the bathroom – that was all
their time allowed. Aurelio also had to change his sneakers since the last pair was,
well, no longer a pair. He had lost one of his shoes after all that tomfoolery to get Commented [DS8]: Haha, surpirsingly witty. But deleted
the sentence after because I’m sure readers will remember.
the faerie-dog away from his wake. Minutes later, they ran down the stairs and
gave back their keys at the counter. Probably, iIt was the first time the clerk
noticed them.
“Won’t you guys have breakfast?” He he asked, eying them curiously, .
“it’s It’s all included in the daily rate you paid.”
“Unfortunately, we’re in a hurry, mister.” ,” Gabriel replied, looking at the
exit with anxietyanxiously in his eyes.
“You can have it as a takeout if you want!”
Doubtlessly, aIt was a tempting proposal, given how empty their growling
bellies were.
Shortly after, the clerk came backreturned with handfuls of folded paper Commented [DS9]: Not sure if this is a typo or something
I don’t know about. I thought it was supposed to be ‘bags’
bread baegs. Their contents were Brazilian cheese-breads made by his aunt, each but I’m unsure.
of them bigger than an apple. There were two to for each guest. It and they Commented [Office10R9]: It was a typo, thanks for
smelled like heaven, cheesy as it sounds. The teens only hoped that their size pointing it out
didn’t mean they were full of air and only a hint of cheese. Bruno chomped on Commented [DS11]: How is this relevant to the rest of
one of them. and boy, was he glad: tThey were delicious, cheesy to the top, and the story. You need to talk to goldfield about how every
single sentence of the stroy should matter to the plot, haha.
to make it all even better, they were warm. It keeps the readers from getting bored.
Coffee with milk was part of the menu as well, but there was no way for Commented [Office12R11]: Why does everything have
them to take glass cups on the trip with them. So tThey gave up the drink and left to be “relevant”?
the inn , still gnawing on their food and threading treading to the car. As they Commented [DS13]: Twice he’s used ‘threading’ not sure
what he means...
were ready to enter the vehicle, though, a golden shine beam sailing through the
skies after drifting over rooftops and tree crowns got their attention. It was
waftingted over the streets now, very close to them, and with it, came a shrilly
feminine voice.:
“I came to check whether or not you had returned safely. We hunted the
Usurper for miles on end. I believe he won’t be back so soon.”
It was Fedelmid.
“We’re safe, for now,.” Aurelio answered, trying to win overnot to show
the weight toll of his weariness was taking on him, . “we We owe it all to you, to
Queen Titania, and to the other faeries. You helped us immensely, both with the
whereabouts of the sword and chasing Mordred away.”
“Your thanks are not required, heir of Arthur. Morgan and Mordred are
our enemies as much as they’re yours.” The ambassadress fluttered her wings
among them, apparently going unnoticed by the rest of the people on the street.,
“Bbut, if it is your desire to repay our favor and worry over you in some way…”
Aurelio gulped. He had seen enough – and he faced a Boitata – to learn
how faeries’ fairy bargains tend to go. Yet, he mustered enough courage to ask:,
“What do you want?”
“A bit of bread if that won’t bother you!” Said said the smiling faerie, . her
Her body shone brighter with her words.
Aurelio and the others looked from Merlin to Genaro, trying to grasp what
was going on.
“Breads and other baked pastas are common offerings to faeries, . they
They just can’t get enough of it.” ,” Merlin explained, . “ancient Ancient peoples
used these pastas in the past to feel protected by the faeries, . it It was a sort of
tribute so they wouldn’t have to deal with their shenanigans nor or worry about
have their babies being swapped by with faerie babies.”
“You didn’t have to tell them that!” Fedelmid said angrily, folding her tiny
little arms, . “what What will they think of us now?”
Kidnapping babies was sinister, no doubt, but Aurelio didn’t feel like
questioning it at that moment – not at in light of all the help Titania and her
subjects had lent given them. Without saying a word, Aurelio dug his hand in his
paper bag, grabbed one of the cheese-breads, and gave it to the tiny creature. She
flew happily to him e and took the treat with her arms, . her Her wings had to
work thrice three times as much to keep her in the air. The bread was so much
bigger than her, the faerie simply vanished behind the yellow pasta. This,
however, didn’t seem to bother her the least.
“I am very, very, very thankful!” She she shrilled, . “Iif you need us, all
you’ve need to do is call, heir of Arthur Pendragon. Find a cairn and go after our
light, as the Portuguese men once did.”
 Then, she flew away from them, waving one was last time before fading
behind a house.
“Hope to see you soon!”
They rose raised their hands and waved their farewells.
They hopped back to car sSoon after that, they hopped back to car, no
more time to lose. Now wWith Junior driving the convertible Monza and Genaro
on the Gol, just like before, they sped up through the historical city’s hills, heading
to the same road through down which they’d came. Accommodated in the
backseat this time while his grandpa drove, Aurelio’s tired eyes wandered among
the two-story houses and colonial churches, his head resting against the glass
window and, without even noticing it, he fell asleep.



“Wake up, sleepyhead! Let’s go!”

Gwen shook and slapped Aurelio awake. He rubbed his sleep- ridden eyes
and immediately looked through the car’s window. The landscape before him
was made up by of slender trees and rigid shrubs, so typical in the Brazilian
cerrado, there was also a vast clear blue water mass glistening like a wonder under
the cerulean skies of that sunny day. It looked like a tiny gulf invading the land,
as if Minas Gerais was surrounded by the ocean itself. Grandpa Genaro soon
explained what that place actually was:.
“This is the lake formed by the Três Marias’ dam.”
If moments before, Aurelio had his head leaned on the glass to see it
better, now he had his cheeks glued on to it. Gwen was trying to pull him aside
to see it as well. The lake spread wide to the horizon, dying in a far-off mountain
range, its contours delineated in vague hues of blue-green. In the middle of the Commented [DS14]: Good description! I’m impressed.
water, a lonely fishing boat – a canoe to be precise – inserted itself almost like a
little dot against a the perfect landscape. Signs and billboards already announced
the next city.
“Três Marias, Three Marias, why that name?” Aurelio asked his grandpa,
supposing it was a reference to the Orion’s Belt constellation, which in
Portuguese is was called Three Marias.
“Legend has it that, in the old days, there was an inn somewhere around
the São Francisco River, that inn served as a shelter for old-time troop leaders,.”
Genaro began, . “The inn’s owners were three sisters, each named Maria, .
because Because of that, the establishment became known as Pensão Três
Marias, Three Marias’ Inn. One day, the water levels rose, as it they used to
happen before the dam, and one of the Marias was dragged by the tide. The
second Maria jumped to the river, but also began to drown. Finally, the last Maria
leapt as well. The three Marias gulped themselves to death that day, and in their
memory, this region was named after them. When our government built this dam
over here, fifty years ago, they decided to name it Três Marias as well. Then the
city was born and followed the same rule.”
It was an interesting tale, interesting and macabre all the same. Aurelio only
prayed the faeries’ information was not outdated and the Lady in the Lake were
was not one of the long-gone Marias. He wanted Excalibur.
The Gol was getting closer to the urban area of the city, with the Monza
on its tail. It was a small, shy town and its aspect was shy; its streets and houses
were laid by the artificial lake’s margins, . there There was no tall buildings or
church towers marking that the strip of land. To the conglomerate’s left of the
dam, the lake funneled towards a massive manmade wall of concrete: the Três Commented [DS15]: Not correct usage for conglomerate.
Marias’ Power Plant. It was much smaller than Aurelio thought. The power plant Commented [Office16R15]: This was my bad, sorry
worked like a bridge as well, ; you could cross it on your car and end up on the
other side of the river. Maybe the power plant looked bigger on the other side of
the dam, where they’d be able to see how high those looming walls had to be to
barricade the lake. Aurelio was dying to see the other side of it, but he was not
sure that the stop was part of their itinerary.
“The dam is enormous.” ,” Gernaro muttered, taking a quick glimpse of
the lake, . “finding Finding Nimueh’s exact whereabouts is not gonnawon’t be
easy.”
“Maybe all we’ve got to do is go to the margin and she’ll find us.” ,” Gabriel
speculated on from the passenger’s seat, . “the The Lady in the Lake might as
well be willing to make things easier on us. If she heard about Aurelio, I bet
she’lld gladly give Aurelio him the sword.”
“You know nothing about Nimueh… . sShe doesn’t make things easy on
anybody. Am I rRight, Merlin?”
There was something between the grand-druid and the Lady in the Lake,
and the boys have had already begun to figure out what it wasit out. Back in the
falls in Diamantina, Mordred had said something about an “unrequited love” that
originated Merlin’s claustrophobia. They haven’t hadn’t questioned him about it,
of course, but in case things were really linked to one another, then grandpa was
right: a woman capable of making the greatest wizard of all times fear scared of a Commented [DS17]: Just made this little change so we
weren’t using the word ‘fear’ twice right next to each other.
port-a-potty was to be feared.
After passing the first blocks in the town, Genaro parked close to an
information post for tourists, . Junior did the same with the Monza. Everybody
hopped out of their the vehicles to stretch their limbs, . Merlin had an open
packet of strawberry biscuits on in his hands, half of it already was gone already.
Soon after that, Aurelio’s grandfather came back with areturned from the
information post with huge folded paper in his hands, which he spread out over
the Gol’s hood., revealing iIt was a map of the entire region around the Três
Marias Dam.
“Now iIt is all a matter of thinkingperspective,.” Genaro muttered., “Iif I
were Nimueh, where would I be hiding?”
Merlin, who had a half-eaten biscuit stuck on his mouth, backed away, his
eyes were the name of discomfort. The youngsters, on the other hand, came
closer. Aurelio knew notdidn’t know what to make of the map, let alone his
friends.
“What we’re gonna do?” Asked he askedAurelio.
“Since we have no starting point, we can’t just scurry around asking about
a mysterious woman who lives in the lake to the first person that we meet,.”
Genaro said., “Nno, in this case, we need to ask someone who’s used to hearing
and seeing weird stuff like this and spreading it out to everyone else in all tones
of pride. Many of those tales are lacking in the department of truth, however Commented [DS18]: Not sure what is meant here.
they’re never entirely false either…” Commented [Office19R18]: My bad again, now it should
“Who’re you talking about?” Gwen asked confused. be good

“Fishermen.”

The moorage on the lake’s margin was brimming with boats and tourists,
people from the most diverse origins who had assembled in Três Marias to enjoy
the lake on those this scorching days. Kids in swimwear ran over the artificial
beach, playing around both the sand and waters, always under the watchful eyes
of their worried parents, who were sprawled on white beach chairs under colorful
parasols, often having beer- ridden thermal bags on their sides, though some had
water and soda as well. Under the sun they saw motorboats, sailboats, and some
jet-skis anchored in rows to the wharf. Some were setting off to the waters, but
most were already sailing, slacking to the idle rhythm of that the sunny afternoon.
The ones who were fishing did so almost entirely sportively. Apparently, the thrill
of catching a tucunaré1 or something similar was enough to rip through the tedious
veil of routine to which they were subject the rest of the year. Commented [DS20]: I have to say I was impressed with
this entire paragraph.
Those They were not the fishermen Genaro was looking for, those they
were skeptical and beaten up down by the modern world already. No, the ones Commented [Office21R20]: Goldfield did a great
description work in here, and I was quite good translating it
he was looking for were a rare kind of people nowadays, the true men of the river, as well
the caboclos; . Tthey lived off their craft and had no modern equipment nor
registers in cameras, like the big city sport fishermen did. It wouldn’t be that
simple to find onethe caboclos, let alone find one in this place, . which led Genaro Formatted: Font: Italic
to believe tThey should have started their search on the outskirts of Três Marias,
on the farms and camp houses. That is, i, if they could find any of those to the
south of the dam. If it weren’t for the faeries’ hint, Genaro would still be de certain
1 The name means “friend of the tree” in Tupi (one of the main Brazilian Indigenous languages). A fish found on Brazilian rivers.
that men man had extinguished any sort of mysticism in around that part of the
São Francisco River.
Hunger was tying a knot in Aurelio’s stomach, and his feet hurt. He and
his friends decided to go to a snack bar nearby to grab some pub grub. They
decided that Merlin and Genaro would keep looking for clues and would come
back later to let them know whether they found something or not.
Sandwiches and sausages came and went, just like glasses of juice and soda,
spending a good share of Genaro’s savings for the trip. Two hours later, the old
timers came back as the afternoon died away. They were visibly tired and
explained nothing to the kids, all they did was pointing out and saying. All they
said was,:
“Come!”
They left the table and paid the bill (surprisingly, Aurelio’s grandpa didn’t
complain about how expensive it was) and followed the duo back to the wharf. Commented [DS22]: It’d be my highest recommendation
to delete what I have highlighted here. It’s irrelevent to the
The beach had now had a few fleeting pairs of feet strolling around, they plot at a turning point in the story like this.
belongedbelonging to leftovers of tourists enjoying the sunset and the pleasant Commented [Office23R22]: I’ll ask Goldfield about it
waters before the night claims claimed its kingdom in the skies. Aurelio felt like
joining them, however, there was no timewished his life were simple enough that
he could join them. But Genaro and Merlin led them to the far end of the
moorage, where they came acrossapproached a very peculiar ship to say the least.
It was a canoe, larger and wider than the onesany Aurelio had seen before.
It had two masts with huge puffing sails, woven in a shiny yellow piece of cloth,
shaped like the most irregular tablecloth a grandma had ever wovenlike a
grandma’s misshapen and handwoven tablecloth – just like the rectangles he
learned about at math classes. The sails’ contours reminded him of the wavering Commented [DS24]: Oh good Lord, here we go with
those classes again. What shape is he trying to think of
waters themselves, that was because of the curved traces they had in one of the here? He just needs to say the shape. Is it a rectangle? Or
sides – Aurelio imagined it’d be interesting to disguise a boat like this in blue something else? Just a mishappen rectangle? And FOR THE
LOVE OF ALL THAT IS HOLY if it IS just a rectangle, delete
camouflage, so that it’d look like the lake itself once in the middle of the waters: that he leared that in math class. Literally everyone knows
. Aanyone who might spot it would thing it was an incoming tsunami. The hull what a rectangle is. It isn’t some super special knowledge he
had been painted in many colors, the planks alternated themselves in shades of came across and happened to retain. Hahaha

red, blue, and green. At one end of the watercraft – the front part, which Aurelio
remembered being called the “bow” – there was a small cabin, also made out of
wood and, along with it, there was a horrifying face turned toward the dam, .
iThe face was liket was similar to a mask , one that was representingof a Formatted: Indent: First line: 0.5"
sinister woman in with black hairs, green skin, huge ears, and an open-wide
mouth showing her razor-sharp teeth. There were subtle writings on the wall near
the monstrosity, white ink in black wood that read: “Dandrane”.
“That is a canoa de tolda, it’s like a double-sailed canoe.” ,” Grandpa
Genaro begansaid., “It’s a rarity nowadays in the São Francisco River, . I never
thought I’d see one so close to the headwater. That ugly face over there is a
carranca, a figurehead if you will, but uglier. The caboclos from the past believed
that having one of those on their ships kept the evil spirits at bay while they sailed.”
“Was that pun intended?” Gwen asked.
“What are we doing here?” Bruno asked over her, he was impatient and
clearly disturbed in the presence of the carranca.
“We learned there is a fisherman around here, a real old-timer, he who
owns this canoe.” ,” Merlin addedsaid., “people People around here came to call
him Fisherman King. I wonder whether he deserves such title or— –”
Merlin had barely finished speaking when a thudding sound came from
the ship. Their attention flew to the wavering canoe, from which, under the
orange light from of the dusk, a hobbling figure came outexited. Hobbling would
actually be a euphemismunderstatement (and Aurelio was getting used to them),
since the person was literally dragging his feet on the canoe’s floor, as if it were
an unwanted deadweight he couldn’t really move on his own. Soon the twilight
removed the veil of shadows that shrouded him, revealing a man who could be
as old as the sea, maybe even older than Merlin and Grandpa Genaro. He
dressed plainly: in blue flip-flops on his feet, worn-out bermuda shorts, and a Commented [DS25]: Where else is he gonna wear flip
flops?
sleeveless shirt with a faded badged of a soccer team from Minas soccer team
logo. His skin was tanned, but they Aurelio were was uncertain if that was the sun
or his natural color; . and hHis fingers and the palms of his hands, even from a
distance, were calloused like a mountain range. His face was tired, with a gray
mustache and what was left of his hair was whitened and fleeting from the top of
his head. His eyes, however, were the strongest part of his body, as if they had
seen everything there is to be seen on that world. It was crystal clear for them that
Merlin and Genaro had found the right guy.
“Mister, are you Pélão?” Aurelio’s grandpa asked courteous.
Pélão? Would that be another nickname? If not, it was a very intriguing
name to say the least. Anyway, Aurelio and his friends chose to be mere listeners
during the conversation.
“Yeah, I go by that name,” the cabloco replied, flashing an exhausted smile
at them, so tired it barely looked like a smileturned up at the corners. “What do
you want? I don’t do boat rides this late, but if you come back tomorrow–”
“Me and my classmates are working on a school assignment, sir!” Gabriel
interrupted, Merlin and Genaro cringed on his back, but Aurelio, on the other
hand, thought the excuse was excellent. “It regards the yarns that spin from mouth
to mouth about the São Francisco River. That’s why we thought you, a sailor who
sails around the dam all day long, could help us.”
“I see,” said the old fisherman, nodding. “Guess I’m gonna let you guys
down this time, . I don’t hail from these waters. , but I do sail this stretch of the
Chico, that I do, . but I came from the north, thouugh. Waters and fates dragged
me away from my backwoods and spat me out here, now that I’m lame in the feet
and old in the heart, I live from the fish I fish and the generosity from the tourists
that come to sightsee these breathtaking landscapes. I know much about yarns,
I’ve have been spinning them since I learned what words are, but it’d be easier if
you simply asked me what is it that you want to hear about first.”
Aurelio and his friends exchanged doubtful glances, meanwhile, the pair
of old guardians stood naturally.. It was Genaro who finally answered:.
“What do you know about ladies haunting the river?”
Pélão shivered, making an unwilling show of his shockdisturbance, . Commented [DS26]: You don’t usually react with a shiver
when you’re shocked.
howeverHowever, instead of getting all grumpy and cussing at themturning them
away, he guffawed suddenly, as if he had just heard the best joke of his life.
“What are they teaching you at in school nowadays, kiddos? Ha, this
should be on in your books!” He affirmed as hHis laughing slowly faded. “You
want to know about Iara, am I right? Depending on which stretch of this river
you ask, she’s also called the ‘Mother of Water’.”
Aurelio began fidgeting his fingers angrily. Yes, I know the legend of Iara,
! any Every kid in Brazil knows that, and it’s not her nor any other mermaid we’re
after. We’re looking for the Lady of the Lake, keeper of Excalibur! He was
already sure the old fisherman would give them a false lead, and the weirdest part
was that Merlin and Genaro did not stop listening to them. They were eEither
they were being polite or were planning to ask Iara – that is, if she were real like
Cuca and the Boitata – whether she knew or not the whereabouts of her British
friend who also enjoyed luring powerful men and swimming pools. Commented [DS27]: I don’t get this... was it supposed to
be a joke about them being in the lake?
“That treacherous bait-plate, she’s half-woman from the waist up, and half-
fish from the waist down,” the cabloco continued. “Since the dawn of time, she’s Commented [Office28R27]: No, it’s a joke about Iara
being friends with The Lady in the Lake, her British Friend
been baiting fishermen and sailors to the depths of the river with her singing and
her irrevocable beauty. It’s said around the Ol’ Chico that, when the clock strikes
midnight, the darned hag makes the river flow cease, the waters halt their tides,
and even waterfalls are paralyzed, . Tthat’s when the fish stand still and the
drowned souls leave the waters, roaming towards their eternal rest. It’s during that
moment when she comes out of the water, looking for a stone or an empty boat
where she can sit her fishy butt and comb her hairs, woe to him who disturbs her
or the river while she doesn’t swim back to the water. They say she keeps a
treasure of some sort, no one knows what it is or the reason why it is protected.
In the colonial era, the Portuguese men who moved here used to think it was a
gold mine that ought not to be found. Later, speculations regarding a mysterious
artifact came about. Those who tried to unveil this secret ended up falling for her
charms and were also dragged to the depths of the river.”
Hold on a second! Could that be…
 “Do you know about someone who claims to have seem Iara somewhere
around the dam?” Gwen asked before Aurelio could concretize his ideas.
“Every respectful fisherman has told someone else about hearing the siren
singing or seeing her in flesh, scales, and bone; but few are honest about it. I,
however, have seem her plenty of times. She’s not as bad as they say, . she She
even came to my aid when I needed it most. But if someone who Iara deems
unpleasant tries and to force an encounter with her, they’ll be met with her wrath.
Only the chosen ones can contemplate her and talk to her and leave with their
lives…”
Would Was Pélão be boostingboasting himself or telling the truth? Either
way, Iara, or whoever she really was, could at least help them with a clue at least.
Aurelio was in no position to choose, and he believed, —or at least wanted to
believe— the great wizard Merlin would be able to protect them tranquilly against
a fisherman trying to get them in trouble. Genaro seemed to think the same way,
since he asked right away:.
“Could you arrange a meeting for us and the siren on board of your
canoe?”
The canoe’s owner flashing flashed a true smile this time and replied with
a gust of irony in his voice:.
“Sure can do, foreigners. Even at the dead of the night, I can sail these
waters like no one else. Of course, that is, if you agree to be in debt with to me.”
What could he possibly want? Money, goods? A ball of cheese, like
Fedelmid did? There was not much time to think. The clue seemed was too
precious to be ignored.
“We agree, Fisherman King,” Genaro replied, and Merlin shot him a
reproving look right away. “Can we hop on your boat?”
Pélão nodded, dragging his feet through along the wooden deck in order
to make way for the group. It was happening all too fast, but Aurelio decided to
go with the flow. If the canoe owner didn’t turn on them along the way, they’d be
there soon. Commented [DS29]: Why in the world would he think
that?...
Commented [Office30R29]: He might have watched it
on TV, or Pélão must look... weird to his eyes.
 Chapter 17
The Idylls of the Heir
The canoa de tolda lazily crossed the dam’s waters, as if the lake were a
familiar face or, a friend of yore. Welcoming nocturnal winds began to whispered
through their ears and hairs soon after they left the mooring, puffing the sails to
their destination. Aurelio was surprised when Pélão spun the masts, turning the
sails circa of ninety degrees, so that they could make better use of the winds. Even
with so little light left, the boys noticed that each mast was made of three wooden
poles: one was vertical, towering to the skies above; the second wasone horizontal,
it began in the beginning on the inferior extremity of the bigger pole and was the
shortest of the three; the thirdand one was diagonal, and it connecteding to the
others in such a way so it formed a very irregular quadrilateral – which was just
fineperfect to sustain the rag sail. Genaro explained them the structure’s name
was “topsail”, ”. it It could change directions with ease and it was a natural choice
for canoas de tolda. Aurelio was not sure about how those the masts worked, but
it was clear that a geometry teacher would be in heaven over there. Just looking
at those the masts made his respiration falter as it used to prior to a math test.
It was a starry night,. Tthe firmament was peppered with flickering lights,
reminding Aurelio of the faeries in Diamantina, . he He sort of missed them
already. For a moment, he truly wished the celestial objects were actually Titania’s
servants, looking after them, even though he knew reality was not that comforting.
He was there, sailing in the darkness with a stranger, the night looming
nightmarish-ly ahead of them; . and tThe only points of reference he had—, the
town’s lights and Orion’s Belt—, seemed to grow tinier and tinier with in the
distance, on the brink of becoming a fading lighting bug.
On the canoe’s deck, that is, if you could call that the narrow patch of wood
a deck, the travelers sat in two rows, one in front of the other. – thTheir eyes,
when not facing the worried faces of their companions, were lost in awe with the
sights of uncertain mountain range silhouettes, the lacking light made they them
seem and feel way bigger than they were.
Pélão, holding a wooden lever attached to the tiller on the stern, was
making made sure that the ship kept its course, tilting the mechanism softly, at
times to the right, at times to the left, a move of defiance against the mischievous
winds of the night. He gazed Aurelio and the others with a strange lookstrangely,
heavy in a way,. his His figure seemed was ghastly under the pale starlight. Aurelio
noticed he was getting the creeps trying as he to analyzed the boatman for too
long, so he sought solace in Merlin’s gaze always turning his head back to Merlin,
but. to his dismay, To his misfortune, tTthe wizard bore a had a stern look to his Commented [DS31]: I am completely unsure what you
mean here.
facelooked sternstern look in his face, . it It felt as if everyone on board was in
cahoots to make Aurelio feel embarrassed. Commented [Office32R31]: I’ve corrected it

The Gran-Druid ended up turninged his attention back to the caboclo after Commented [DS33]: Embarressed about what?

a while – but Aurelio’s relief was short-lived, dying out completely when Merlin Commented [Office34R33]: Erm, about his suspicious
behavior maybe
made this weird question toasked the fisherman:,
“Did you really think this disguise would fool us, King Pellam, Lord of
Corbenic?”
Pélão sightedsighed, holding gripping the lever tighter. Aurelio’s heart
skipped a beat, , and his friends too seemed be alarmed with the question as well.
The boyHe looked from Merlin to the fisherman, then back to Merlin, and to
the fisherman again, . and so he asked:
“Hold on a second! This guy was alive back in the times when King Arthur
lived?”
“Yes,” his grandpa confirmed, . it It looked like he had known it for a while
now. “Even after so many centuries and in a foreign land, Pellam would not dare
to let go of the title that made him famous among the bards and their songs.”
The caboclo finally manifested himself about it, looking at them firmly:.
“Your looks are equally deceiving, or at least they try to be. Could it be
that I just unmasked the legendary Merlin himself? And why would are you be
in the São Francisco with a bunch of children?”
“Children?!” Gwen blushed. “I’m already thirteen years old!”
“Aurelio, this boy over here, is the last living heir of King Arthur,” the
wizard toldsaid. “It’s our wish to find Iara in the hopes of retrieving Excalibur,
the sword that would give allow Aurelio the right to take his rightful place as ruler
of Camelot.”
“Just as I imagined.” A vacant smile was drawn on his tanned face. “I’ve
been waitingwaited for you for a long time now. I even announced that this was
coming, although nobody really understood it, .and I’m aware of the prophecy.
So, the person in debt with me has Pendragon’s blood running through his veins.”
 Aurelio shivered. He still didn’t know who was this King Pellam was, but
he didn’t feel exactly at ease knowing he was in debt with to him. And nobody
seemed willing to explain him what this darned prophecy was all about.
So much for a change.
“Who i’s this guy after all?” Gabriel asked impatiently.
“Pellam of Corbenic, put in charge of hiding and protecting the Holy Grail
in Britain during the first centuries of the Middle Age by his brother-in-law,
Joseph of Arimathea,” Merlin explained.
Everyone’s eyes went wide. They all havehad read enough books about
conspiracy theories to know what that meant.
“You mean to say ‘The’ Holy Grail?” Junior asked agitated. Formatted: Font: Italic
“That is right,” Genaro nodded. “The chalice Jesus Christ used during the
Last Supper and that, according to the legends, Joseph of Arimathea used to
collect his blood during the crucifixion. It is said that the blood of Christ bestowed
the chalice with miraculous properties, such as healing any disease, making fertile
lands deemed deadfertilizing dead lands, and granting immortality to whomever
drink from it. The search for the Grail was one of the biggest adventures of the
Knights of the Round Table.”
“But I don’t get it!” Bruno exclaimed. “If he was meant to take care of the
Grail, what on Earth is he doing here in Brazil? And how is he even alive?”
“Guarding the Grail was no longer my duty after Percival, one of Arthur’s
knights, conquered claimed it for himself,” Pélão himself explained. “With time, Commented [DS35]: Not sure this is the right word.
me and my lineage became unworthy of keeping the chalice. I was wounded an
incurable wound in my foot, and that was just the beginning of the penury to fall
upon my kingdom. The rivers ran dry, seeds wouldn’t grow, and the trees
wouldn’t produce fruit any more. There was nothing left for me but fishing in the
rivulets that still crossed my domains, now known as ‘Dead Lands’, avoided by
every traveler with sanity. The burden of keeping the Grail became far too big. It
should had been passed on to someone worthy of it, so that things could get
backreturn to their natural course.”
“And this worthy guy was Percival?” Bruno asked.
“Sir Percival, with the decisive aid of Sir Galahad and Sir Bors,” Merlin
detailed the picture. “Percival became the next keeper of the chalice. After his
death, no one ever heard about the whereabouts of the Grail again, but it is
believed that it is safe somewhere he chose himself.”
“I don’t get it!” Gwen protested. “This doesn’t explain why Pélão is fishing
here in the São Francisco!” Gwen protested.
“Percival’s first move after conquering the chalice was to cure me and my
kingdom with the Grail’s power. The wound on my foot was healed and my lands
began to prosper again. Nevertheless, a certain property of the Grail was
forbidden to me, due to the past that mademaking me unworthy to protect it.
And I, in my greed, ended up wishingI wished to make use of this property any
way.”
“You drank from the chalice!” Aurelio concluded. “You wanted to be
immortal!”
“Precisely.”
Merlin sighted profoundly, examining the caboclo, who still had the lever
on in his hand. Seconds passed before he finally said:,
“Not a wise move, my dear Pellam.”
“That I know nowadays, and I regret it most profoundly, but the lust for
power talks speaks louder in the hearts of men, grand-druid. My punishment,
though, was immediate. My foot’s wound came back and calamity reigned over
my lands. I was granted immortality, but under the conditions of a horrible curse.
My misfortune became cyclic. I would become the ruler of a prospering land,
trying to lead my people with justice, then disgrace falls would under over my
realm, annihilating the nature and victimizing the innocents. There’s There was
no alternative besides migrating to a new land, willing to start again, and watching
the same circle of disgrace destroy everything, like winds blowing on a castle of
sand. I’m the lord of fallen nations of plenty, grand-druid, many died under my
rule and the belief of a better future. I even crossed the Atlantic in my vile
pilgrimage. My last frustrated attempt of creating a kingdom was over a hundred
years ago, in the northern part of this country. There, in the arid Brazilian
caatinga, before being known as Pélão, I used to gowent by the name of Antônio
Conselheiro, or Anthony, The the Counselor, as I’ve became known back in my
homeland.”
Genaro was so surprised Aurelio even thought for a glimpse of a moment
his grandpa would fall from the canoe. Merlin, on the other hand, was fully-
collected, just like the rest of the kids – well, apart from Gabriel, there was some
awe to his gaze. That The name meant nothing to Aurelio, but his grandfather
was well read in Historyhistory, . he He certainly knew precisely what it this was
all about, . and And Gabriel was in the eighth grade, it wasn’t farfetched to believe
he had studied it at some point.
“You’re the name behind the Village of Canudos, in the northern slice of
Bahia,” Genaro affirmed. “That religious community that was truced by the
government troops by at the end of the 19th century. History has it registered that
Anthony the Counselor died prior to his people’s demise during the war.”
“He died not. I died not, to be precise. I was a coward, that I know now. I
lacked the spirits to witness my people’s demise once more, hence I faked my
own end and throw threw myself to the country’s outback, a land made infertile
by my very own curse., I was in search for answers, in search for a breath of fresh
air. I ended up jumping into the waters of the Old Chico, . I confess I thought at
first this grandiose river was but a mirage. I wanted the tide to drag me into
oblivion, but my immortality wouldn’t have none of it. That was when, after being
thrusted and yanked through endless miles, I saw her, shimmering under water.
The sun was mirrored in her tail’s scales in hues of green and gold, her wavering
hair felt like a breath of heaven in the river’s bottom. Iara. If it weren’t for her, I
don’t know what it would be of me. The mermaid has not an ounce of evil in her
being, unlike what people say.”
After a brief pause, Pélão went on:continued.
“I began my life anew as a fisherman living by the river, sailing it from head
to toe, it was long before the dam was built. It was gesture of humility, an attempt
to make amends for my mistakes. I’ve seen the landscape change, being
modernized; , and unfortunately, not always for the better. I never took a
kingdom again, nor dared I to begin another community, afraid to relive that
same terrible fate. Iara’s been helping me to find a solution for my sins, a way to
free me from this eternity in suffering.”
“And what would that be?” Aurelio asked, under the sincere impression
that it would be something related with the debt he was now in with the king.
A smile always precedes anwould have preceded his answer, but Pélão’s
was cut short by a sudden water splash in the river.
Aurelio looked to the dam by reflex, it was fast enough to caught a glimpse
of a vision, an artifact bifurcated at the edge churning like the tide and submerging
back to the darkness, leaving but a rippling wake on the star-lighted waters. It took
him a while to process it, but Aurelio concluded that thing was covered in scales,
like a fish’s tail.
Right after that he heard a woman’s laugh, long and filled with debauchery
– which was enough to getgot on his nerves. Almost iImmediately, a second laugh
joined the first, and then a third one chimed in, making a sinister laughing choir.
He had heard something like thatsimilar at school in the past, when the older
girls gathered in close circles to gossip during recess. It was highly unlike there
were teenagers in the lake, though, unless…
“Cover up your ears, now!” Pélão yelled, suddenly agitated, as he
hauledhauling his own hands to his ears.
Aurelio obeyed. In a matter of seconds, a melody began to sing in his ears.
He couldn’t hear it clearly, since his ears were covered, yetbut it was enough to
get a faint idea of what it was. Soon he noticed the voices singing were the same
voices that had been laughing. Again, hHe ventured gazing at the water… and,
with no explanation, he was overtaken by the strongest desire to take a river bath.
he ever felt in his life. The heat was unbearable, the mere thought of soaking his
body in cool waters drove his feet a step closer to the edge, making the canoe
swing swiftly, which drew everyone’s attention to him. However, Aurelio didn’t
mind that,. he He had to refresh his body, —and take his hands off of his ears to
appreciate the music fully. It was a perfect swimming symphony.
“NO!!!”
The cry came from a familiar voice, and at the same time, a second pair of
hands forced his ears even further against his skull, just as he was about to free
his ears. He tried to turn, stunned, but a pair of arms held him from his
backbehind. Okay, he got it, it was Guilhermina.
“Don’t you dare!” She she yelled, apparently willing to hold him all night
long if needed.
Aurelio recovered some enough of his senses, enough to grasp what had
just happened. Gone was the longing for a river bath when he faced his comrades.
“Is this Iara’s singing!?” He he yelledasked, confused for having heard at
least three distinct voices.
“No, those are her three sentinels!” The the fisherman explained, . “The
Three Marias!”
Aurelio wasn’t sure he understood that answer in full – and probably, he
didn’t even want to.
The three elderly men and the two other boys also kept their ears blocked,
. Gwen didn’t seem to need to go through these shenanigans, the perks of being
a woman. That’s when Aurelio noticed, . two Two boys? Where was… Formatted: Font: Italic

SPLASH!!!

He quickly turned to face the water, which was still rippling because of he
whosomeone had just dived in. As soon as he got a clearer view, Aurelio
recognized saw Junior stroking his arms, getting farther and farther away from the
canoe.
“Oh no!” Gabriel exclaimed.
They had to be fast. The older of the boys wasn’t that bad of a swimmer, Commented [DS36]: Can we replace this with a name?
or so it seemed, the problem was that in no time he’d be dragged down into the Commented [Office37R36]: I will ask him.
lake by the mermaids if nobody helped him.
“Do you have a floater in this thing?” Merlin asked the caboclo. “A rope,
anything?”
“I do!” Replied replied Pélão. “But it’ll be troublesome to use it if he
doesn’t want to be saved. We need to stop the music, or find a way for him to Formatted: Font: Not Italic
stop listening to it!”
Aurelio had an idea right away. He was getting used to working under
pressure.
 His hands flew to his belt as Gwen blocked his ears with her hands alone,
. he He grabbed the Silver Branch, removed it from the piece of cloth which
served as a rubber band, keeping the fruits from chiming against each other, and
began to rattle it with all his might.
The golden apples collided among themselves, causing them to jingleing
intensely for several seconds. The sweet melody of the magical instrument took
over their surroundings, tranquilizing those standing on the canoe, despite of how
hopeless the situation was. Aurelio rattled it again, and again, until the faeries’
music grew as loud as the siren’s song. Little by little, his friends let their hands
out of their ears. They’d be safe as long as the Silver Branch was at work.
In the water, some many feet away from the canoe, Junior suddenly
stopped swimming, rose raised his arms in confusion, made a ninety degree turn,
and started towardreturned to the ship.
“What was that?” He he bawled demanded in puzzled voice amid the
ongoing melody from the magic twig.
“You’ve got a crush on sirens, son!” Genaro answered. “Throw him a
buoy, ! chopChop-chop!”
It was Pélão who heeded the order, throwing out a blue buoy with white
stripes to Junior. It landed close enough to him, and luckily, Junior who had no
problems swimming towards it nor making his way back to the canoe. He hopped
back up with Bruno and Gabriel’s help, while Aurelio kept oncontinued rattling
the Silver Branch. For a moment, he considered becoming an orchestra-less
conductor with that the instrument, probably that was thebut it fastest fad of his
life though.
“D’you think they’re gone?!” Gwen asked, still watching over Aurelio.
“Hardly possible,” said Pélão. “They’re just recalculating their strategy.”
Aurelio’s arm was beginning to gogetting sore with all that the wild rattling,
but he knew he could not put it down now. He eyed the waters around the boat
again, looking for any signs of the sirens and praying he wouldn’t find any…
That’s when the canoe tilted softly to the right, everyone’s attention went
directly to the direction of whatever might have been causing that.
Leaning over the edge of the canoe, they saw was the figure of a woman.
around herShe was in her early twenties, skin colored like a blood-orange, with Commented [DS38]: Love this description.
straight, wet, black hairs cascading down her back and fading back into the water. Commented [Office39R38]: It took me over twenty
Aurelio had never seen a native in person, but she fought her features were a minutes just to figure out what words would make for a
good description in English here, thank you.
mixture of Indigenous and Caucasian traces. Her whole upper body was out of
Commented [DS40]: This part of the sentence implies
water, if she was a mermaid, her tail was hidden in the dark waters; . Hand her that it is both long and wet.
chest was covered by a sort bra that he soon identified asmade from the dam’s Commented [Office41R40]: Well, her hair is both long
algae. She was dazzling, which made Gabriel and Junior, the older boys, start and wet, so, I’d say mission complete.
towards her automatically, but Merlin and Genaro grabbed them down and got
them halted respectivelythem.
The smile she cast on them didn’t betoken intentions all that friendly. Commented [DS42]: Another good, strong sentence.
Rather than feeling attracted, he Aurelio was stricken with goosebumps. Commented [Office43R42]: We thank you 
Another water noisesplash was heard, and a second female figure, with
brown hairs equally long and fairer skin, was also holding the canoe down, tilting
it even further.
“They’re–” Pélão began, fearing for the worse.
A third mermaid, as alluring as the others, with hairs colored somewhere
between blond and auburn, came leaning onjoined the others on the edge of the
canoe the same way as the others, winking at them as crystal waters dripped from
her hair and ran down her face.
The three of them laughed in unison, a loud choir of debauchery that
overcame the Silver Branch in sinister tones, regardless even though of it sounded
just like any othering mischievous as only a trio of ladies in the flower of age Commented [DS44]: I couldn’t even begin to edit this
because it didn’t quite make sense to me.
would.
Then, theyThey groped the edges together and began pulling the canoe Commented [Office45R44]: I will work it out.

with their hands with the clear intention of turning it over down the lake.
The travelers’ reaction was immediate. Bruno ran against the brown-haired
mermaid, trying to kick her hands in a clumsy move, ending up with his foot
clutched and his sneakers yanked off his foot – this was soon thrown by the enemy
to the lake, so that she could give her attention back to the canoe. Although
Aurelio was under the same danger, he copied Bruno’s idea: . Hhe kicked the
dark-haired mermaid’s fingers, who receded back to the water in with a painful
moan. Since the boat was rocking, Genaro plummeted on his butt. Even before
he got back up, he already had his shotgun loaded with bullets and earth from
Avalon in hands,. Hhe’d been carrying it on his back—he so far. He wasn’t as
dumb as enough to leave it behind.
The problem was, as he soon realized, aiming. His world rocked along
with the canoe and he was becoming sick already. He shot almost blindly, . as
tThe gun’s thunderous bang echoed through the lake; but the bullet, meant for
the blond mermaid, went a long distance above her head missed. Her reaction
wasThe blonde mermaid submerging submerged in a seemingly attempt of at
escapingescape, but in a matter of seconds, then everyone felt the canoe
quavering under their feet: . the The creature was now trying to turn the boat over
from bellow below while her auburn friendanother continued helped as she
pushedto push the canoe’s edge.
This time, Pélão, Junior, and Bruno nose-dived on to the floor, glissading
on their bellies and backs through the deck, . little Little prevented them from
falling to the water. Amid the turmoil, Genaro’s weapon fired again, this time
completely aimlessly against the starry skies. Aurelio kept oncontinued banging
the Silver Branch desperately, in hopes of repelling the mermaids somehow.
Gwen and Gabriel were holdingheld to the canoe’s figurehead, verifying in the
worst possible way that that the adornment was pretty much useless against their
aggressors.
The thuds coming from under the hull intensified. It looked like the black-
haired mermaid had rejoined the others one in a new plan to sink the ship down.
“Merlin, do something!” Bruno yelled.
The wizard was standing – which on its on was almost unbelievable –
leaning on his cane. His eyes went wide as the artifact shone and elongated in his
hands, becoming again a magic staff again. He rose raised it up along with both
his arms and, with an aloof look to his eyes that seemed to contemplate secrets
far too occult for the others on the rocking boat, he uttered:
“Duwiau o Dyfroedd, codwch caer i dirwasgu ein gelynion erchyll!”
The boat quavered once more, . it It took a while for its occupants to grasp
what was really happening. All of them, Merlin included, fell once more in the
canoe, watching flabbergasted to as the a massive wall of water encircling encircled
the vessel. The liquid seemed to have a light of its own as it began to grow distant
from them, thus amplifying its circumference. Suddenly, the aqueous barricade,
at the apex of its height, came crumbling down, making for in a circular tsunami,
keeping the canoe safe in the eye of the storm. Aurelio admired watched
dumbfounded to the whole thing, catching a glimpse of the mermaid’s’ scaly tail
sidewinding at the pillar of water. The thuds in the boat also ceased, indicating
that the mermaids down therebeneath probably had sank.
“This will buy us some time, but they’ll be back!” Merlin affirmed, his arms
still held high. “Pellam, set sails towards Iara and hold the helm. I’ll provide us
with the wind!”
The fisherman heeded the instructions, aided by Genaro and Junior. The
others simply watched, panting and far too stunned to be of much use for anything
– other than keep on rattling the Silver Branch, in Aurelio’s case, which at least
granted them a defense against their singing. Seconds later, when the wizard
judged they were ready, he recited new magical words, making gestures with his
hands as if to call something towards them:.
“O, Arglwyddi Mawr o Hud, roddwch ni gwynt i hybu hwn cwch!”
A sudden gust of wind roared towards them from the town of Três Marias. Commented [DS46]: If he’s only thinking and doesn’t
know and it isn’t important which way the wind is coming
– Aurelio believed that meant from the north. The canoe’s sails puffed and from, then there’s no need to mention it.
propelled them forward at once. The boat quaked one last time with the impulse,
Commented [Office47R46]: Well, I confess I like it here,
and its occupants held to its edges, and Pélão to the helm, and so they followed I mean, if everything you writ eis 100% relevant to the story,
a swift and smooth trajectory through the lake waters. it makes things way too predictable, even foreseeable, the
book is not mine and I sure will tell him about your point,
“This will take us to her in no time!” The Fisherman King smiled. but I like to keep the so-called irrelevant bits in.
 Aurelio finally stopped with the rattling and stowed backreturned the Silver
Branch at to his waist. The piece of clothing he had been using as a rubber band
had vanished, but Aurelio concluded though it’d be nice to keep the apples
jingling – they’d need the stimulus made by the music until they reach their
destinydestination. That was when Aurelio managed to think more clearly:
“What’s the deal with those Three Marias girls?” Aurelio asked, once he
was able to think clearly.
“That’s the sisters’ trio of sisters that lend its their name to this place,”
Pélão explained as he held the helm. “They did have an inn, but they were also
spell casters. Enchantresses, if you will. As they drowned in the Old Chico
centuries ago, —which some believed was actually an escape from the Holy
Inquisition—, they cast a spell to turn themselves into mermaids. Since them they Commented [DS48]: And he’s just now mentioning
this...?
roamEver since, they have roamed through the river’s course, being seem seen
by fishermen every now and themthen.” Commented [Office49R48]: Where exactly could he
have mentioned this before?
“You said they are Iara’s sentinels,” Gwen said. “So, why did they attack
us? Doesn’t that mean Iara will have us attacked to?”
“They have never been this hostile to Iara’s friends, . Ssomething must be
wrong, but I believe we should look for her and learn from her what’s going on.”
Regardless of his cursed life-story and his escape from Canudos, the
Fisherman King had was put forth an unexpected display of courage now, as
Aurelio soon realized.
“As you wish,” Merlin nodded, sitting resting his tired body down. It was
clear he had spent a lot of mana in the last minutes.
The boat followed its course for a while longer, with no sign of mermaids
– to their relief – nor any other kind of threat. They were in the heart of the lake
and as the night grew considerably darker, a veil of blackness growing at the same
rate as their discomfort. They had no clue about where Pélão was taking them,
yet they tried to rest in ignorance. Between getting back to the city and having a
change to retrieveing Excalibur, the second option would win every time, even if
it wasn’t especially tempting.
“How long is it gonna take?” Aurelio asked restlessly.
“Maybe some more time,” answered the navigator. “Iara likes to hide in
the narrowest water arms of the lake. I’ll try the last place I found saw her first,
but I can’t make no guarantees about finding her there.”
Aurelio nodded, feeling his eyelids grow heavier. He hadn’t been
sleepingslept enough during these last days, and exhaustion was starting to catch
up with him. Bruno, who was leaning against one of the canoe’s edges, had
already faded in sleep. His other friends, although awake, were spread around
the vessel like real-life zombies.
 Aurelio was worried with about the possibility of a new attack, but his lack
of strengths and spirits took got the best of him. Leaned He leaned against one
of the cabin’s wooden walls, he let his head go down slowly… , and he was out
cold without evenbefore he noticingnoticed, soothed by the swift jingling of the
golden apples – which in that moment and in that moment alone felt like a real
lullaby.

Gwen woke him up with her elbow, and he was surprised he hadn’t been
thrown overboard. Aurelio wasn’t sure if that was aIt might have been a residue
of her faerie transformation, but the girl seemed to be stronger than before.
Glistens of golden light reflecting on her freckles warned him the dawn was
breaking, even before she said:.
“Rise and shine and don’t whine!”
Aurelio rubbed the sleep out offrom his eyes as he yawned. Bruno and
Junior were also waking up around him . – oOnly Gabriel among the youngsters
seemed to have been awake for longer. The old men, in on the other hand, had
probably burnt the midnight oil watching for the dangers in the dam. Talking
Speaking ofabout the dam, Aurelio noticed the waters had grown narrower as
they slept. Both margins were visible not far away from where they stood, one to
each side, it was as if they had left the lake and were now in a river. Seeing dry
land, with trees, bushes, and the mountains a little farther away, made him feel
safer. They’d be able toThey could swim back to land in caseif things went sour
again.
The sun lied was half-awake in on the horizon, ascending timidly, still
behind some mounts and tree crowns, allowing Aurelio to gather that direction
as being east. Little by little, the sky lost its early dawn navy blue shadow and took
on a garish orange hue, . grey Gray clouds roamed lazily in on the skyline,
nevertheless theythough they didn’t obstruct the first rays of light cast on the lake,
rippling to the lilt of the waters like dancing golden strings. Morning breezes
welcomed them with the cool smells of water. Birds chirped and flew around
them and, if you pay just enough attention you’d see the silhouettes of whatever
fish circling circled the canoe. The environment seemed much less threatening
than it was hours before, . to the point that Aurelio even considered living there,
in a waterside shack. It wouldn’t be all that bad if Excalibur’s whereabouts were
here, he pondered.
“Have we arrived yet?” He he asked as he remembered why they were
there. “Where’s Iara?”
“Calm yourself, heir,” Pélão recommended, standing in front of him. “We
need to make the mermaid an offering. She’ll be satisfied with a gift, and grant
good fortune in on our journey.”
 As he said that, tThe fisherman’s hand went to a a pocket in his simple
garments, drawing a small artifact between his fingers. It was a huge coin, bigger
than the a quarter or one an real euro they were used with – Aurelio thought the Commented [DS50]: Not sure what is meant here. Clarity
may be needed.
latter was the biggest one in the country. Upon closer inspection, the boy and his
friends saw there was a weird face graved in the metal: a woman with her hairs Commented [Office51R50]: Real is the name of Brazilian
currency, however, I changed it to Euro so that the reader
tightened in a bun, topped by a laurel wreath, and in circular letters around the can be more familiarized with it.
coin, they read: “Republic of the United States of Brazil – 1897”.
“This relic belongs to the time when I was called Anthony the Counselor,”
explained the caboclo. “let’s Let’s see if it’s of Iara’s liking.”
With no hesitation, he tossed it at into the lake.
Several moments of absolute silence passed after the lake swallowed the
nickel. The youngsters looked at each other, wondering whether the fisherman
was mad crazy in the head or if something breathtaking was about to happen in
there. After the last few days, they could expect both equally. Commented [DS52]: I added a little sentence here I
thought was need to bolster the paragraph.
Suddenly, bubbles came from a point in the dam near the canoe, making
all of them gather at the edge of the boat to watch it, . all but Merlin. Soon the Commented [Office53R52]: Great addition.

stirring waters turned into something, or someone, ascending from the depths,
casting small waves and splashing water around itself. Soon aAs the waters
dispersed, they could see it, saw from the waist up, the most gorgeous of the
womean, cinnamon skin, dark-black hair, and traces of a native, . Hher eyes met
Aurelio’s with a charming dark-emerald gaze. Her body was covered by some
sort of a white, semi-transparent dress, embellished with laces and mysterious
symbols. Golden bracelets, among other adornments, ornamented her arms. Her
sheer mere presence made the sun glow brighter in the area around her, as if the
morning had suddenly had advanced in time and the star king weresun was at its
highest point in the sky. They wouldn’t couldn’t know how to tell what exactly
was her realms realm was – the waters, the woods, or the animals; —but if the sun
was the king, she was the queen.
“N-Nimueh.” ,” Genaro stammered. in a daze, thatIt was clearly one of the
most exciting moments of his life.
 Chapter 18
The Nimueh Chronicles
It took some time before the vessel’s occupants managed to saysaid a word,
since the astonishing presence of the mermaid seemed to makemade any human
commentary unworthy of her. It was Aurelio who broke the ice – or the heat, due
to the presence of a figure so exquisite. – as he asked amid a confusion so big it
was giving him a headache:
“So, Iara and the Lady of the Lake are the same person?” he asked amid
a confusion so big it was giving him a headache.
The answer couldn’t have been more obvious, but the woman, upon
clarifying his doubt with the sweetest of the lilting voices, revealed more than he
could have imagined:.
“Many names I have, names bestowed on me by the many peoples that
have met me. I can transport myself from any creek, or river, or lake to another
in any part of the world, thus I’ve been in fresh waters’ fountain most varied.
Ancient Greeks would have me called Tethys. The Romans, Coventina. When I
migrated to the New World, I became known both by the natives and the
Portuguese men who arrived in this land as Iara.”
Well, that was somewhat mind- maiming, but the Lady of the Lake, who
the British had named “Nimueh”, or “Viviane”, was far older and more powerful
than they had thought. Being capable of tTeleporting from a one pond to another
explained why it had took taken them so long to find her. Even other
mythological entities would bewere no match for her in a hide-and-seek game.
Without standing on ceremonies, the mermaid backed away from the ship,
floating to a nearby rock. Her climbing was artful and she sat facing her visitants,
who now could see the rest of her body. As they had suspected, she had a fish
tail from her waist down, a great formation of blueish scales ending in a
bifurcation of fins. She started moving from a side to the other on the rock, as
though it had a life of its own.
“Have you always been like that?” Gabriel asked, pointing shamelessly to
her shimmering tale.
Iara looked down, overtaken by surprise, as if she had forgotten completely
about that detail.
“You mean this?” She she asked. “The fish tail makes swimming much
easier, but if you’d rather have my other form…”
 With the snap of her fingers, the woman made her scaly tail shine and
divide in the middle as if it had been torn apart. Aurelio twisted his face imaging
the pain that must cause – however, she didn’t even wince. Little by little, the two
halves of her tail lost its their scales and volume, until they were plain legs, fully
human, covered to the knees with the white dress, and on her feet, slippers made
of Victoria Amazonica leaves. Commented [DS54]: Cause that seems like something
Aurelio could identify on sight.
“That Little Mermaid girl must be green with envy, by now.” Gwen
muttered stunned. Commented [Office55R54]: School classes.

Iara was now swinging her legs and smiling at them.

“Why did the Three Marias attacked us, milady?” Pélão queried in a
serious tone seriously. “By the gods, we nearly drowned!”
“Please, forgive the brusque reception,” .” she She tilted her torso towards
them lightly. “I detected a perilous being was in my waters, thus I had my
guardians warned about any strange presence within the dam.”
“Mordred!” Genaro concluded at once. “He’s still following our wake…”
Only when they were a bit more used to the Lady in the Lake’s presence
that did they noticed Merlin was sitting, somewhat contracted, at the other end of
the canoe. His expression felt likewas irritatedion,
nonconformitynonconforming, and even a hint of feara hint fearful, given how
much his body was shaking.
“What is it, Emrys?” Iara asked in a playful tone. “Don’t you want to see
me again?”
The wizard stood suddenly, his hands squeezed into fists, . he He was as
red as an apple. He was puffing air with each strong step he took towards the edge
of the boat. Aurelio thought he was about to cast a spell against her, but all he did
was stand before her, saying in stern tones and pointing his finger at her as if he
could defeat the water that separated them:.
“When the idea to go looking for you came up, the only reason why I
didn’t scoff at it as complete insanity was because you have Excalibur. The sword
is the only reason why I’m here, Viviane, and that’s why I have all the right in the
world to not be happy seeing you!”
“Are you looking for Arthur’s sword, or for that other one, which you
named after me?” Iara provoked him, still playfully.
Aurelio connected the dots. Nyneve was a variation of “Nimueh”.
Merlin didn’t reply, . instead Instead he folded his arms and scowled so
sourly it would make the strongest of lemons taste as sweetly as honey. Before
any more insults were exchanged, Gwen intervened:.
“Okay, okay, kids! That’s enough. You two have baggage, fine, . now Now
would you mind sharing it with the rest of us so we could know what it’s all
about?”
 The wizard bit his lips restlessly. The Lady in the Lake, onin the other
hand, was delightinged herself with the whole thing. and started:
“Let’s say that we were a thing long time ago, when Arthur still reigned. It Formatted: Font: Italic
was good while it lasted, but I got tired and eventually I abandoned him…”.”
“That’s how you summarize it?” Now Merlin truly exploded. “You
abandoned me?! I did every single bloody thing you asked of me, you ungrateful
brat! I taught you magic, introduced you to the arcane arts, the sorcerer’s craft, all
the things you wanted since you came to this world. You were my best student!
You’ve grown more powerful than I, and I was blinded by love, . trusting Trusting
you was my bane! I thought I was wise, but I was betrayed by my heart, which
only serves to play me for a fool!”
“Hush now…” Genaro placed a hand over Merlin’s shoulder.
“Look, I understand that you liked her quite a lot and stuff, but
abandonment is something we all learn how to overcome, mainly especially after
having lived as much as you didhave,” Junior, the oldest among the youngsters,
stated. “Why are you holding such a grudge?”
“She didn’t simply leave me, young lad!” Merlin began patiently. “Viviane Formatted: Font: Not Italic
locked me down within a mountain, for fifteen hundred years!”
Silence fell, seconds passed, and ill-at-ease looks were exchanged. Aurelio
sighed. That indeed made an apology way more troublesome. In turn, Iara
laughed like a kid humoring the memory of a very old antic.
“What do you mean?” Bruno asked with eyes wide-open.
“It was an autumn morning,” began the traumatized wizard. “I had already
taught Viviane everything she needed to know, so we went on a journey to the
other side of the channel that separates Britain from the continent, the region you
know today as France. We were looking for some flowers that grew there and
there alone, with the intention of preparing a potion for Arthur. Furthermore, I
wanted to show her the gorgeous landscapes from that land, which seemed like a
perfect activity for two…”
“Booooring!” Nimueh rebuffed. “Total boredom!”
“Anyway, when we got to the pick peak of a mount to sightsee, this
ungrateful brat said she heard something coming from a minuscule cavern
nearby, which she had actually prepared beforehand. When I got went into the
grout to investigate, Viviane casted a spell on my back to create a great magical
wall of solid stone which enclosed me inside that tight space; it was a spell so
strong that, back then, I didn’t know how to unmake it. She took advantage over
my feelings and learned my every secret, so that she could keep them as her own,
discarding me.”
“Oh please!” Iara protested. “If I really wanted to discard you, I’d have
you killed you instead. My goal was to teach you a lesson!”
 “For what?”
“For your arrogance. You had never been a good counselor for Arthur.
Didn’t You didn’t prevent Mordred’s birth, and didn’t even manage to protect
the kingdom from Morgan!”
Merlin fell silent, as though those words had slashed him like a sword’s
edge. He puffed again, crestfallen. His mouth gaped open to refute her and…
hesitation and… he ended up going to back to his end of the canoe, sitting down,
and brooding.
“How did you manage to break free from the spell?” Aurelio asked
curiously.
“The maMn, and his technology, managed to create over the centuries
contraptions and machines that were a match or even overcame certain kinds of
magic,” he explained grumpy. “For the longest time, the mountain rested
untouched, but, in the morning of June the 6th of 1944, British descendants, allies
of other peoples, disembarked a massive army in northern France, laying the
groundwork with their powerful cannons…”
“The D-Day,” Gabriel identified. “World War Two.”
“That it was. It was much of an irony that human eternal inclination
towards self-destruction came to be the very responsible for my freedom. During
the attack, one of the infantry’s projectile’s hit the cave’s wall which sealed me,
thus breaking the spell. I walked out, blinded by the daylight, and was met by two
British soldiers who supported me. They had me for a German prisoner. By the
gods, I looked terrible…”
“You see?” The the Lady in the Lake said in sarcasmsarcastically. “You
didn’t even need me to escape. That goes to show I could have been way more
severe.”
Merlin reddened in fury. With his head held high and glaring fixedly at the
mermaid, he stood once more. and darted:
“Have you got the faintest idea of what it is to spend all thisso long time
confined in a stone crypt, with barely any space to move, barely sleeping and
waking up just to find myself still unable to move in the same place?! Have you
got any ideal of the endless nightmare that was, Viviane?”
Genaro cleared his throat. and said before any of them could go on:
“Will you two stop? You’re behaving like children! We’re here as allies,
united by a common cause against Morgan, the eternal enemy of King Arthur
and all he represents! If you two keep on digging up disagreements from the past,
we’ll end up nowhere! And I’d think two beings who’ve been alive for centuries
and centuries would be a bit wiser and more mature…”.”
The druid sat down again, poking the floor with his cane. Nimueh turned
away from his her old lover, keeping that the playful aura around herself. Aurelio
in the other hand was plainly unsatisfied. There were puzzle pieces still missing
in that the enigma.
“How did you come to Brazil after you were freed?” He he asked Merlin.
“In the beginning, I had much trouble adapting to the 20th century world,
even more so because it was a world at war. As the Allies advanced through
Europe, defeating the Nazis and all that schmuck, I went from France to
Germany. There, during the last war days, I met a Brazilian diplomat working in
the city of Hamburg, . João Guimarães Rosa was his name. Without me even
telling him my identity, he revealed me he was a member of the Order of
Excalibur. Somehow, Guimarães had concluded I was Merlin. One of the first
things he did was informing me about the famous prophecy. I knew nothing about
its existence, since I was had been seized within a bloody mountain when it had
beenwas made. That prophecy indicated, among other things, that Brazil would
be the land where the last living heir of Arthur would be born.”
“Well, look at that!” Iara said, clapping briefly. “Gui-Gui did do what I
asked of him!”
Everyone in the canoe observedlooked at her in confusion, but Merlin
seemed the most stunned of them. He stood up, – yes, again – blinking as fast as
his brain worked to assimilate what he had just heard. Next, sShowing how much
he feared for the answer in his face and crossed-eyebrows, he inquired:,
“Gui-Gui?”
“Guimarães Rosa,” Nimueh clarified. “He would always come came and
visited me, along with his friend, Big Manuel. He even wrote a poem about me,
that naughty little thing! When he went off to Europe to work in Germany, I sent
him a telegram as soon as I learned about your escapade, asking him to get you
acquainted with everything you had lost while you were missing in action. That’s
why you’re in Brazil, Emrys. After being punished for your arrogance, I thought
you might have learned your lesson and would make for a good guardian for the
heir.”
The very idea of Iara sending a telegram was curious to say the least, but
the story made a lot of sense. Merlin, however, wasn’t fully convinced:.
“How did you learn about of my escape?”
“Do you really think I didn’t feel it when the spell in the grout was
broken?” She laughed. “For centuries, even from long distances, I was careful to
keep the spell activated. When the binding was broken, I concluded the light had
welcomed you back to the world. It was time for a good update and Guimarães
was my messenger.”
“So, he travelled and stayed in here, waiting for me to be born!” Aurelio
concluded.
Both Merlin and Iara nodded in agreement.
 “Still, there’s one last question,” pointed Guilhermina, turning to the
mermaid. “Why have you been hiding for so long? All the other descendants
from of Arthur could have resisted Morgan if they had Excalibur. Camelot could
have been restored a long time ago…”!”
Iara and Merlin exchanged an uncertain look before they answer:.
“It was because of the contents of the prophecy… . I had just been
followinged it, waiting in the wings for this moment. Only the boy, Aurelio Britto,
can wield the magic sword.”
Aurelio was overall a patient guy. When he was losing a match of Age of
Civilizations, he could resist his impulses of restarting his computer and
eventually turn the game around and win. He could hold his itchy tongue when
he was anxious for a History class and, all of a sudden, they sent someone else to
cover the actual teacher with stupid games. He could even bear with Gwen’s
shenanigans much longer than any normal boy would. But, when it came to the
secrets surrounding that prophecy that the adults kept… he’d had had enough!
“Could you, please, tell me at once what this prophecy is?” He he asked
demanded, folding his arms.
Silence paid them a new visit, which made Aurelio all the more
uncomfortable. Nevertheless, Iara killed the mysterious vibe in the air sooner
than they expected:
“The boy has the right to know it, and now seems to be the perfect moment
for it.”
Merlin answered with a wave of his hand, and Genaro nodded. Pélão
looked ignorant about all that, although he had displayed knowledge about the
prophecy as well. After a deep breath, the Lady in the Lake enounced some
words, reciting recited them words as though they were the verses of an ancient
poem:.

After the king of Camelot to the Gaelic Avalon be taken

And the last of Amr’s blood thrive after others be forsaken
The Land of Santa Cruz will live to find the heir swore
And at the foretold moment the magic sword shall soar
A brave young boy will uncover what the constable left in store
The means to defeat the despicable Morgan will be onboard
And what for long was inconvenience will no longer be ignored

Nor Neither Aurelio, nor his colleagues managed to reacted to that at first.
That It all sounded vague at best, and some words flew right over their heads.
What was a “constable” anyway? Even without fully grasping it, Aurelio was
shaking as he felt the words touching the core of his spirit. They had the tone of
a bad omen to them. Still, the first four verses made were easier to understand,
as Merlin soon explained:.
“This is a prophecy made by a circle of druids in Britain soon after Arthur’s
demise. It was passed on from generation to generation through the centuries,
being kept with diligence by the Order of Excalibur. The first part talks about the
death of the king and the transferring of his body to Avalon. The second part is
about last one carrying Amr’s blood. Amr was the first son of Arthur, and you,
Aurelio, are his last descendent, since all of the others have perished on at the
hands of Morgana. The Land land of Santa Cruz was one of the first names of
Brazil, we only learned about that this would be the place where the last heir of
Arthur would be born on in the 16th century, when the Portuguese first arrived.
As for the verse about the magic sword–”
“It is this moment!” Gabriel added. “And, without the a shadow of a doubt
it is a very well- awaited moment, . I knew Aurelio had beenhas anticipating
anticipated finding Excalibur for days now.”
But, contrary to what his friend thought, Aurelio felt worse than horrible.
The feeling hit him suddenly with the obvious conclusion he drew from the
memos withheld from him until now. A terribly sour taste invaded his mouth,
making him want to spit. Next, he felt like sitting down, as though his legs
suddenly couldn’t stand the weight of the truth he finally grasped. However, he
stood still. He’d have to confront those people on foot; . if If he had it any
different, they’d never touch that the matter again in front of him, . that absurd
matter that iThough in the blink of an eye, it had made Aurelio want to cease
existing:
“So, you let hundreds of King Arthur’s descendants die during over a
thousand years, just so that I could retrieve the sword?” Commented [DS56]: Wow, that really just hit me that
they intentionally prevented the others from surviving and
For many moments, nothing word was heard. Merlin faced him for two or finding the sword...
three seconds, then he backed to his already familiar corner of the canoe,
Commented [Office57R56]: A-HÁ! His writing DID
crestfallen. For the first time, Iara’s swinging legs were still; her gorgeous caught you off-guard
indigenous face lost at least half of her jovial air. Genaro also acquired a somber
air, sitting on the canoe, resting his elbows on his knees. His friends went pale.
He had, as he feared, ripped the scab off a horrendous wound off.
“How could you?” all be so stingy?” Aurelio went oncontinued, his voice
enveloped in repugnance. “Deciding to sacrifice so many lives because of a…
prophecy?!”
“Aurelio, you’ve got toyou must understand!” The the wizard blustered
from where he sat. “It is the only way to defeat Morgan once and for all! If we
had faced her before, the descendants would have died all the same, . even Even
worse: , Excalibur would have fallen into her hands. That’s why it was so
important to keep it hidden.”
 “How can you be so sure? In fifteen hundred years, I’m completely sure
there might were have been people much more capable than I to face Morgan!
But you preferred to let them die without even giving them the chance to wield
the sword—, the sword that was rightfully theirs!”
“Heir, what is done is done.” It was Iara who voiced it, with a tip of
impatience in her voice. Iara said. “If you regret their deaths, honor them by
accepting your role. Make sure their sacrifice was not in vain, wield Excalibur and
defeat Morgan to restore Camelot.”
His Aurelio’s body went numb and, just like that, he saw himself as a pawn
in the plan of those the two spell-casters, a cog with no will of its his own but
accepting the nefarious circumstances in which History history had developed
until that very point. Did they really even care about how he felt regarding all that
he had been told? It didn’t feel so.
“Are Do you accepting your fate?” Merlin inquired, glaring at him sternly.
Aurelio was watched not only by the druid, but by everyone on board. His
friends watched him with afflicted countenances, maybe knowing or at least
pondering how he might be feeling. His heart was so fast it missed a beat or two,
. the The pressure felt was beyond overwhelming and he was sure he had never
lived through a worse situation in his life. He noticed hHis face was tears-stricken,
and not even the Silver Branch’s tinkling managed to relieve his misery. Instead,
the magic artifact’s music became a gloomy melody amid this an invisible cloud
of pain hanging over them, a sound meant to indicate all was well, when indeed
it wasn’t – and thus, it massacred Aurelio’s ears, . even the branch was against
him.
Genaro’s grandson, trying not to show his despair, turned his gaze to the
dam, examining one the margins, not that far from him…
And leaped into the water. Commented [DS58]: The hell?? Hahaha
Nothing else mattered then. His friend’s shouting came immediately, as
did the desperate calls from Merlin and his grandfather. First, he heard them
distantly and distorted, due to his diving into the lake; but, as soon as his head
rose to the surface and he swam away from the boat, the cries became crystal
clear in his ears – and he was fully determined to ignore them.
He kept stroking his arms and legs, pushing his body forward as hard as
he could. Water invaded his ears and his mouth, but he cared nothing for it.
There was no tide like the one in Diamantina’s falls here to lead him stray, and
so he could keep swimming stably to the shore. For a moment, he feared Merlin
or Nimueh would make use of magic to prevent in him from advancing, thus
bringing him back to the canoe – but he was relieved to noticed that they had at
least respected his choice. Their screams were getting lost in the distance, as if
they were echoes now, echoes of a rejected past. He went oncontinued swimming,
eager to reach dry land, vanish in the shrubs and trees…
And run, . run Run away from it all.
Commented [DS59]: Interesting turn of events!
Commented [Office60R59]: It was my favorite part as
well