David was making his way through the port’s quarters in a great hurry.
He had been stuck on the docks from the early afternoon, surveying the delivery of a shipment of grain destined to his property in Mahillon.
Unfortunately, during the operations of unloading of the ship, an accident occurred and a whole platform collapsed, trapping under his weight some workers.
David wasted no time and like the others he started to move away the wreckage. Thanks to his strength that was quite an easy job but some of the workers were badly hurt and David, being a healer, did his duty by performing powerful healing spells that saved the injured people’s lives.
Of course, the healing spells required a lot of time and even after completing them David couldn’t go away as the captain and the crew of the ship insisted into offering a drink to the bull for thanking him of their help.
When finally David was able to leave evening was coming and shady characters started to appear more frequently; not that David was worried of course.
He had confronted opponent far more dangerous than common petty thieves and pickpockets.
He was hurrying merely because he had been invited by his dear Clarissa at a dinner and he didn’t wanted to arrive late.
He quickly made a turn around a corner when suddenly he felt someone grabbing his left arm:
-Look like yer in a gret hurry, me boyo- said a deep voice.
David turned his face and saw than his interlocutor was an old looking dog with a scar right over his wet nose. He was wearing an yellow sailor rain jacket and his eyes were almost of the same bright yellow of the jacket, in such a sharp contrast with his black fur the they looked almost as I they were glowing.
David laughed a bit uncertainly; he wasn’t sure of the stranger intentions.
-Yeah, I am waited for dinner actually. If you could …-
-Hastiness is never a good thing, me lad.- interrupted the old sailor –Why, I could really tell ya some stories about it…-
-I’m sure you could. But I really need to go and…- David tried to break free from the stranger’s grip but to no use; although old and thin the grip of the sailor was really tight.
-But you look like someone who is not satisfied with common stories, aren’t ya? Well, you are in luck because I have just the right story for ye.-
-Look sir, I really can’t stay- David was growing annoyed by the insistence of the old dog.
-I’m waited for dinner and I’m already in late-
-I can promise you won’t regret listening to me story, lad- was the reply.
David opened his mouth, almost ready to order sharply the sailor to get out of his way but he stopped.
The dog was staring at him right in the eyes and his gaze was almost… glimmering.
He didn’t know why but suddenly he knew that he had to stop and listen to the tale of the old sailor.
And the old dog, clearly aware of his listener, sudden attention, quietly began;
"There was a ship … "

Inspired by the poem "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" by the English poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge.
Looks like David is about to hear a story, but not just a common story but one of those stories that will stay in your mind, shining brightly until the last of your days