Wanderlust (mxm)

Bonus - The Sailor King

Crelan Foundation Myth

Once upon a time, in a lost land, there was a dying kingdom. In this kingdom was a man known only as the Sailor King. He had three loves: the ocean, his ship, and his beautiful wife. Together, the Sailor King and his queen explored the oceans around their dying kingdom, hoping to find a new homeland for their people.

One day, while sailing out further than they ever had before, a huge storm caught them. The waves were tall and angry. The ship was flipped by the sheer force of the water, and the waves were so strong that they pushed it completely upright once again. The Sailor King, who had been clinging to the helm, was unhurt. But once he shook the water from his eyes he came to a horrible realization – his beautiful wife was missing.

The ocean calmed, appeased by the offering of life. Below the ship, weighed down by her dress, the Queen sunk, down to the very bottom of the ocean. As she drifted down, the sea creatures paid their respects, lining up as if at a funeral.

The Sailor King, overcome by emotion, began to sob. As his tears met the ocean water, something odd began to happen. Summoned by the Sailor King's sorrow, the Old God of the Sea began to rise. He stood on the crest of a wave, which pushed him up until he was level with the deck.

"What is the cause of your sorrow, Sailor King?" the Old God of the Sea asked.

The Sailor King looked up. "My queen is gone."

"Ah, yes, but what of your other loves?" the Old God of the Sea asked. "Your ship and my ocean?"

"They were made all the more beautiful by my queen's company," the Sailor King said. "I fear I will never love the ocean again, not without her to love it with me."

The Old God of the Sea was touched by the Sailor King's sadness. He had always liked the Sailor King because of his dedication to the ocean. So he raised his arms and water flowed over the deck. It gathered in front of the Sailor King and suddenly turned into the Queen. There was never a more joyful reunion, as the Sailor King and his queen embraced.

The Old God of the Sea, however, had more to say. "Ocean Queen, in order to bring you together once more, I had to combine your life with the ship you stand upon. You may never leave her deck, and every night, when the sun goes down, you must go to the prow and become the figurehead. When the sun rises each day you will return to life."

The Old God of the Sea expected the happy couple to be dismayed. Instead, the Sailor King smiled. "Then, my love, I too will never leave the deck. We will sail and explore together, forever. For you are my beautiful Ocean Queen, and I will never leave you."

In turn, the Queen smiled. "Brave, bold Sailor King. My life is tied to this ship, and I promise you now that she will never sink. No storm will ever break her, and no rocks will ever bruise her, for I will protect her and our love will sustain me."

The Old God of the Sea gracefully returned to the water. He knew that his favourite people would remain safe, as long as they had each other.

And so the Sailor King and the Ocean Queen sailed the seas. After a few years they found a beautiful island far out into the ocean. They returned home and led their people to the island, where their kingdom could be reborn. They named it Crele.

Crele prospered, but the Sailor King and the Ocean Queen could never rest there. They continued exploring the oceans together, frequently visiting Crele until one year the visits stopped. Many people believed that they had been lost at sea.

But the Old God of the Ocean knew the truth. The Sailor King and the Ocean Queen were simply lost in their love for each other and the ocean, and they would sail forevermore.