Heretical Fishing

Chapter 60: Something Colossal

With the sun setting at our backs, Theo and I watched the hook and sinker as they flew over the languidly shifting ocean.

It flew further than the jetty, hitting the ocean half-again the dock's length from the shore.

A great splash sprang from the sinker and the line meeting the ocean's surface, so far away that we couldn't hear the sound it made.

"Wow!" Theo yelled, his voice tinged with awe. "It went so far!"

"Mate, that's further than even I've sent it—you've got a serious throw on you!"

It wasn't a lie—I hadn't tried casting my new rod as far as I could—but I didn't want to tell Theo that and ruin his moment.

"Reel it in if you want to have another try."

He gave me a grimace.

"Are you sure? I feel bad for interrupting your fishing time. I don't want to be an annoyance..."

"Not at all, mate!" I clapped a hand on his shoulder. "I'm beyond content letting someone who shares my passion try out my equipment. Have as many casts as you want."

He gave me a kind smile, his eyes crinkling.

"You're a good man, Fischer. I'll have one more try, then I'll let you get back to—woah!"

The rod bent almost in half as something colossal struck the bait and took off.

Theo held the rod, his eyes going wide.

"H-here!"

He tried to hand me the rod, but I pushed it back into his hands.

The reel was spinning freely, the giant thing on the other end of the line forging a path from the shore.

I pointed down at his hands.

"Reel, mate! You've got a big one!"

"But it's your—" he tried.

"Nonsense! You cast it, you catch it!"

I watched acceptance roll over him, and a grin came to his face as he braced himself and set his hand on the reel's handle.

"Don't hold the reel firm—wind backwards so the fish can take some ground. This thing is massive, and you'll want to tire it out."

He nodded, doing as I said.

Theo leaned his entire body back as the weight of the fish tugged on the line. His hand rotated backward quickly, having to let out long lengths of the line so it didn't snap.

"Do—do I just keep letting it take line? Won't it get away?"

"You're doing perfect, mate. Fighting big fish like this is a dance. Let it take line now, but keep the line taut if it changes direction—"

As if listening to our conversation, the fish arced to the left, then dashed back toward the shore.

With the lack of force pulling on Theo, his body was off balance, and he crashed to the sand, one of his hands falling from the reel to brace his fall.

"Wind it in!" I urged. "You need to keep tension!"

He sprang to his feet and gripped the reel again, winding as fast as he could.

As he kept reeling the line in, I held out hope the fish was still hooked, but soon realized it was too late—it had gotten away, unhooking itself while the line was slack.

Theo grimaced.

"It’s gone, isn’t it?"

"Yeah, I think so, mate—that was a good fight, though!"

He let out a sigh as the hook and sinker came up onto the shore.

"I'm sorry, Fischer. I should have given it to you."

I put a reassuring hand on his shoulder and shook my head.

"Not at all—that was a great learning experience. You'll dance better next time."

He shot me a questioning look.

"You're really not annoyed? That was a colossal fish..."

I laughed.

"Not at all, mate. It's more about the experience than the result, right? Otherwise it'd be called catching, not fishing."

"You've got a point there," he admitted, looking sheepish. "Still, I can't help but feel it was my fault..."

"Hold the rod still a second—I'll show you something."

I pinched the top of the free line in one hand and carefully grabbed the hook with the other.

"Flick the reel into the casting position."

Theo did so, despite his obvious confusion at my request.

"It's partially my fault." I pulled the hook toward him, the line unreeling itself. "See this hook? Do you and the other fisherman in Gormona use barbed hooks?"

He nodded, his eyebrows knitted together.

"I use barbless hooks," I continued. "If you let even a bit of slack into the line, it's easy for the fish to unhook itself and get away."

"Why do you do it, then?"

"I think it makes for a fairer fight, and more importantly, it causes less harm to the fish. The barbs can tear and hurt the fish when you remove them."

"I see..." He gestured at the hook. "Do you mind if I have a look?"

"Have at it!"

I held it out to him, and he took it carefully with two fingers.

Theo blinked as he held it up in the fading light, inspecting it.

"Did... did you make this, too?"

"Yeah, mate! With help from the local blacksmith, of course."

"Wow... the quality is unbelievable. One of our members makes all of our hooks, but he's no smith."

He winced.

"The barbs on our hooks are vicious-looking things—I feel bad for the fish, now... you must think us barbaric."

I held both hands up.

"Oh, I'm not judging you at all for your methods. I do what I do based on my own morality, and what you choose to use is your prerogative."

He felt the tip of the hook, pricking a layer of skin on his thumb.

"It's so sharp..."

He peered at me, his eyes hopeful.

"Do you have any you could sell to us?"

"I'm afraid I don't—I only have one of each size so far..."

A look of disappointment crossed his face.

"Oh. I understand. Maybe I can organize for the merchant to purchase some from you next time he comes to the village...?"

I gave him a conspiratorial grin.

"When are you leaving?"

"Tomorrow morning with the merchant… why?"

"At daybreak?"

He shook his head.

"No. Marcus usually stays for a few hours following sunrise to sell more wares. What are you planning?"

"Well, if you have some spare time in the morning, Fergus at the smithy might let me make you some more."

His eyes lit up.

"You'd do that? I'd be happy to pay whatever price you request!"

"Mate, I'd be more than happy to do it—free of charge, of course! I already have moldings made, so it shouldn't be too hard."

"Free?" Theo held his hands up this time, showing his discomfort with the idea. "I couldn't possibly..."

"Hey now, I thought you agreed we were friends!"

I clapped him on the shoulder.

"What are friends for, if not for sharing the love of fishing? You can think of it as me pushing my morality onto you if it makes it any easier—think of the poor fish and what your barbaric hooks are doing to them."

I waggled my eyebrows at Theo, showing I was only joking, and he smirked back.

"And here I was thinking you were just a nice person—I knew there had to be an ulterior motive for your selflessness."

He shook his head with a soft laugh.

"I suppose I can agree to your help—for the fish, I mean! It has nothing to do with me wanting your quality hooks for my friends and I."

Theo let go of the hook and passed me the rod, then extended his hand.

"I'd better get going, but it was a pleasure meeting you, Fischer. I'm glad we crossed paths."

I clasped his proffered hand.

"Likewise, Theo. I'll see you tomorrow morning at first light, yeah? Do you know where the smithy is?"

"I'm staying in the village lord's house tonight—I'll ask him or his wife for directions."

I raised an eyebrow.

"I knew you were well-off by the cut of your clothes, but I had no idea you walked in such prestigious circles!"

I shot him a wink and gave a bow.

"Thank you for blessing me with your presence, my lord."

He rolled his eyes at my feigned deference.

"I'm only here on business." He adopted a posh intonation, his words clipped and grandiose. "I am but a pawn in the crown's game, a mere vessel for His Majesty's greatness."

I laughed at his approximation of nobility.

"Well, I'll see you bright and early tomorrow—if your excellency can find it in his heart to indulge this lowly one, of course."

He rolled his eyes again and turned away.

"See you then!" he called over his shoulder, giving me a wave.

***

"You're sure, George?" Geraldine asked. "He passed him the notes from our meeting?"

"I'm sure."

George leaned back in his plush couch, wishing he could sink into it and disappear.

"We are undone..."

She laid a hand on his.

"We aren't undone, my love. If anything, this is fantastic news."

He raised his head, looking at her through half-lidded eyes.

"How is this anything other than a disaster?"

"Because they can't be here for us! Don't you see? Theo said it himself: it's not uncommon for lords and ladies to steal—uh, misappropriate funds. If Fischer is a crown auditor’s handler, he must have another goal in mind."

"Who else could it be?"

She squeezed his hand.

"I have no clue, but it can't be us—think about it. If the goal were to remove us from power, to drag us back to the capital and make us pay for our actions, he could have just done so. You said Fischer was in Marco's jewelry shop, right? Maybe it's something to do with the jeweler association, or the Cult of the Cut Gem."

George just shook his head.

"I don't know, my love. I cannot think at this moment. My thoughts are addled, my normally unflappable pragmatism shattered into a thousand pieces."

Geraldine picked up his hand, squeezing it between both of hers.

"Why don't you go get some rest, dear? It can't have been easy discovering what you did."

She kissed his hand and held it to her cheek.

"My brave, courageous husband—you did so well scouting out the two vile crown agents. I'm so proud of you."

George was about to agree with her suggestion of rest when three loud knocks came from the front door.

Geraldine stood.

"I'll get it."

"No."

George peeled his immense girth from the couch and began straightening his clothes.

"I can handle one more confrontation for the day. There is nothing either of them could say to shake me further."

She rested her head on his chest, blinking up at him seductively.

"My big, strong husband."

It stirred nothing within George, numb as he was.

"I shall return."

***

When George answered the door, Theo raised an eyebrow.

"Are you well, George?"

"Y-yes."

Lie.

Theo cocked his head, looking at the village lord and his pallid complexion.

"Are you sure...?"

George's eyes went wide as he no doubt remembered Theo's ability to detect lies. He nodded, averting his eyes.

"I'll show you to your room."

When George walked up the stairs to the second floor, he leaned heavily on the railing, further stoking Theo's curiosity.

Whether it was in his nature, or a result of his years of training, Theo found the unresolved mystery unbearable.

He opened his mouth to start a line of questioning that would eventually sniff out the root of the cause, but after letting it hang open for a moment, closed it again.

I have something more important to do...

They traveled in silence, both men's thoughts elsewhere.

"This is your room," George uttered, opening a door. "The bathroom is two doors down."

"Thank you, George."

Theo stepped into the room and withdrew his notepad.

George started to speak, but a choked noise came out, so he cleared his throat.

"I-if you need anything, just call for Geraldine or I."

Theo gave him a broad grin.

"Thanks, George—I will. I think I'll turn in for the night, though—I have to meet Fischer bright and early at the smithy."

Theo closed the door and got out his pencil, intent on formulating his plans, then paused as part of his training sprung up from within.

He threw open the door, and was about to call for George, but the lord was still standing there, staring into space.

George blinked as his eyes refocused.

"Y-yes, Theo?"

"I just remembered something—you've met Fischer, correct?"

George's neck twitched.

"Yes..."

"What is your opinion of the man? Is he what you'd call a good person?"

George's face was a mix of emotions, and small muscles beneath the surface moved continuously.

"... George?"

"Forgive me—I've had a rather stressful day."

Theo gave him a disarming smile, nodding at the words.

"I apologize, George. We auditors can have that effect on people."

He put a hand on the lord's shoulder, intending to comfort, but George flinched.

"Could you answer my question, though? Would you call Fischer a good person?"

George paused while formulating his answer, and eventually, he spoke in a flat tone.

"Fischer has had a resoundingly positive effect on the villagers, and seems to bring joy and prosperity to those he calls his friends."

Complete truth, but he skirted around his own opinion...

"And what of you, George? What do you think of Fischer?"

He took another moment to formulate an answer.

"He is endlessly intriguing, and shrouded in mystery."

The truth, but likely only a half truth...

If it were any other time, Theo would have dug into the misleading answer, but with more important things to consider, the lord’s answers would suffice.

"Thank you, George. That's all I wanted to know. Goodnight."

Theo closed the door and moved to the bed as he started jotting down thoughts. He sat down, letting out a content sigh.

Despite his feelings of friendship and gratitude for Fischer, his training had kicked in, demanding he check the opinions of those around him. As vague as George's personal opinion had been, knowing his effect on the villagers—and, more importantly, those he called his friends—was more than enough to set his mind at ease.

His hand was a blur as he started planning.

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