Footsteps along the deck pulled Aiva from her reverie, turning her head to see who approached, a smile crossing her lips to see Callum’s familiar face. “Have you grown tired of losing your money to those men?” she smirked. “How many games have you lost now? Ten? Fifteen?”
“Twelve. But I won three,” he shrugged. Casually he came to stand beside Aiva along the rail, elbows propped along the wood to stare out into the distance. “I missed your laughter when you disappeared from the table. Thankfully, there are only so many places for you to go, which made it easier to find you. Is something wrong?”
“What makes you think something is wrong?”
“The fact that something has been troubling you for a long time now.” Callum glanced at Aiva out of the corner of his vision. “I catch it in your eyes from time to time. You might argue your distress to be over the conversation you wanted to have with me, but I find it hard to believe that was what brought the tears to your cheeks.”
She heaved a sigh, dejected. He knew her too well. “I was just thinking about… a lot of things,” she frowned. The tears she cried the night she went to Callum in Vailetta had been for him, though she couldn’t deny the underlying reason. Fear. An unbearable fear of losing someone she loved. Ever since she held Kaemin in her arms and watched him take his final breath… The image would never leave her. The sound of his voice, pleading with her to tell Calie he was sorry. And she was so desperate to console him! To tell him that everything was going to be okay. She had lied to him in his final moments. But what else was there to do for a dying soldier? It would have done no good at all to tell him he would never see his home again. The consolation had been for Aiva just as much as it had been for him.
Thinking of it brought the moisture to her lashes again, tears twinkling in the moonlight, threatening to fall. She grimaced, lowering her face to stare down at the water, the salty tears descending into the depths of the sea. At her back she felt Callum’s hand come to rest, gently rubbing her in attempts to ease whatever pain she suffered. “You cry again. Tears aren’t like you, Aiva. They never have been. What thoughts trouble you to this extent?”
“The desert,” she sniffled. “I can’t get the memory of that beach out of my head.”
“Ah.” Callum’s expression melted into one of complete understanding. “You are thinking about Kaemin.”
Aiva shook her head, shifting her gaze to look up at Callum sadly. “Not just about him,” she sighed. “I think of your sister. And Kaemin… he cared so much about you. For us. All he wanted was to see you and I work through our differences. Not long after we left Eykanua he asked me something. It has stuck with me ever since.”
“Something about us?”
“In a way,” she nodded. “The night Phelan was killed we took pause to perform the funeral rites. I don’t know if you remember, but that was also the night you first offered me the annulment.” At her side she could hear Callum’s steady breathing, his hand on her back remaining while he brought the other across his body to clasp hers tenderly. He said nothing, giving only a slight nod to indicate his remembrance of the night she spoke of. “I was an absolute fool and I was too stubborn to admit it. I knew I didn’t want the annulment. Kaemin approached me in concern for my well-being. He feared you were ill and believed I may be as well.”
“Did you tell him of our conversation?”
“I did. It saddened him. More than I expected.” Aiva closed her eyes, trying to hold back the tears. She didn’t want to cry. It would be more difficult to say the things she wanted to say if she was blubbering on Callum’s shoulder. “Just before we were ambushed by the Feh Noq, Kaemin spoke to me about regrets. About how there was no guarantee we would make it back to Tanispa. He was so confident that his only regret, if he didn’t survive, was his inability to see Calie one last time. He asked if I would feel remorse in losing you.”
“Can you tell me what you said to him?” Callum whispered.
Aiva frowned to think on the truth. “I never answered,” she frowned. “I’ve never stopped thinking about it, however. And when he died… it hit me so much worse. In my nightmares I would see you there, dying in my arms, and in your final breaths, there was so much I wanted to tell you… and then you were gone. You are such a brave and… foolish boy, Callum. When I saw you run off to that lifeboat, knowing what you intended to do – I panicked. I thought my nightmares were coming true. My list of regrets was so long; and it remains so.”
“I think Kaemin’s death reminded us all of our mortality,” Callum said quietly. “I watched many of my fellow soldiers die while in Siscal and even then, it never strikes you with the same sense of finality until it happens to someone you really care about. In that moment, you realize life is fleeting. Not just your own, but those of the people we love as well. You may be surprised to learn that my list of regrets may be longer than yours.”
She leaned her head against Callum’s shoulder, gazing up at the stars overhead. They were so beautiful. Each one sparkled like brilliant diamonds against the cloudy backdrop, a sliver of the moon casting a faint glow over them all. Karana’s watchful eye. Nearly veiled once again to signal the approach of Diqun’s night. It was hard to imagine how much had happened since she saw Karana’s eyes covered before. That had been the night Gadiel first explained the truth behind Dacian’s rumors regarding Callum and Ireni.
I was such a fool. No matter how many times the thought crossed her mind, it only seemed to become more true. After all the mistakes she made, the gods had seen fit to give her this night with Callum while Calie and Kaemin, the most beautiful of souls, were left separated forever. She felt undeserving. “Do you think Kaemin is up there?” she asked in a breathless whisper.
“The stars?” Callum followed her gaze to stare into the nighttime sky. “I have no doubt.”
“At times I think I see him.” She felt ridiculous admitting it out loud. It was impossible for anyone to know which spirit belonged to any given star, but she was certain she had seen Kaemin’s the night their ship sank. Lying there on the debris, afloat in the frozen water. It would have been so easy for her to give up and let life slip away. Something had urged her to move. To find Callum and fight to get them ashore. “You might think me crazy…” her voice trailed off. Maybe she shouldn’t say anything. He would think she’d lost her mind.
“I won’t think you’re crazy,” he replied tenderly. His hand lightly brushed a stray strand of hair behind her ear, watching her in solemn admiration.
Exhaling a deep breath, she gave a hesitant nod. “I think I saw him the night the divastru attacked.” If she didn’t get the words out, she was afraid she would lose her nerve. “I was lying in the water, my body numb, and I thought for sure I would die. Just when I was about to give up, I saw a light in the sky. It pulsed, as if to get my attention. As if it spoke to me. Urging me to keep going. Had it not been for that, I cannot say I would have had the strength to seek out your body. It’s hard to explain why I believe it was Kaemin, but somehow – I just knew.”
Tears fell freely from her eyes now. Not that it mattered. There was nothing wrong in mourning the death of a friend. Everything had been so complicated since the ambush on the beach. Aiva realized there had been no chance for her to come to terms with it. On occasion she allowed her mind to wander over that night. It felt good to talk about it with someone. To express her grief without having to worry about anyone judging her for the tears.
Callum drew her into him, arms wrapped around her in a warm embrace. He was so comforting. There was no need for words when he held her. The sensation of his arms whispered to Aiva that everything was going to be okay. As long as he was there, she would make it through.
His own grief was obvious while holding Aiva to him. She sensed it in the air. The somber energy that enveloped them on the open deck. “Kaemin wouldn’t want us to be sad,” he said quietly, his fingers running gently through Aiva’s hair. “If you look into the stars right now, I bet you will see him smiling t
o see us standing here together.”
She couldn’t help but smile at the thought. It had meant so much to him for Aiva to reconcile with Callum. “He’s probably wondering what took us so long,” she chuckled through her tears. “We’ve gone about things a bit backwards. Our courting, falling in love, and getting married were all done a little out of order.”
“That’s the story of our lives, it would seem,” Callum hugged her tighter, pulling away slightly to look ardently into her eyes. “I wouldn’t have it any other way. However,” a grin crossed his handsome features, “if you prefer, I can rectify things.”
“What are you talking about?” She looked at him, curious. He wasn’t making sense. The sparkle in his eyes told her he was up to something.
“Well, let’s see,” he considered. “If you count the lunch we had at the tavern in Vailetta, and the day we spent sightseeing around town followed by your admission of being madly in love with me, that leaves only one thing left to be done.” In an ostentatious display he took a knee before Aiva, his motions exaggerated while taking her hand in his. “My beautiful Princess, Aiva Levadis, will you honor me by accepting my hand in marriage?”
She giggled at the ridiculousness of the show, her mouth covered by her hand to conceal the laughter. His smile was charming. Despite the clear attempts he made to force a smile to her tear-streaked face, she could see the genuine love in his eyes where he looked up at her from the floor. How could she possibly tell him no? “Oh, Callum,” she laughed. “Do you honestly think I would deny you?”
“Is that a yes?”
“Yes, I suppose it is.”
“You suppose? I need something more than that.”
Tilting her head back she blushed at his hopeful insistence. Returning his gaze, she smiled brightly, nodding to him in acceptance. “Yes, Captain Zerne. I will marry you.”
“Ah, then you will make me the happiest man alive!” Callum leapt to his feet, rushing toward the stairs leading to the barracks. She stared after him, confused by his strange behavior.
“Callum, what in the world are you doing?”
“I am fetching the Captain to perform the ceremony.”
“But we are already married – ”
“Trust me,” he grinned. “This wedding will be much better.”
Aiva stood on the deck, nervously twirling her fingers around the tips of her hair. Her heart fluttered, overcome with joy, although she couldn’t understand why. They were already married by the priest in Tanispa. So why did she feel such butterflies in her stomach now?
Because now you are excited about being his wife. It was a simple answer. When she walked down the aisle in Escovul, she’d been a miserable wretch. Her dress had been far superior to the garments she wore now, but all the glittering jewels in the world hadn’t made that day any brighter. They didn’t need a fancy dress or expensive diamonds to express their love for one another.
A clatter arose from down below, footsteps pounding along the corridor where the men abandoned their cards and gambling to follow Callum up the stairs. Captain Bingham was at his heels, a joyful grin on his face.
“Captain, this lovely lady has agreed to be my wife, if you will grant us the honor of performing the ceremony,” Callum beamed in loving adoration at Aiva. Cheers erupted from the men now pouring onto the deck, drinks in hand, offering toasts and congratulations. Bingham clapped his hand on Callum’s back, gesturing him toward Aiva proudly.
“I be glad to!” he bellowed. “Don’t get ta celebrate weddings aboard my ship very often. In fact, I must say, I don’t think we ever have before!”
She was utterly flustered by the display. Heat rose to her cheeks, adding a rosy glow to their pale surface. Callum hurried over to her, taking her hand in his, anxiously awaiting Bingham to reach them at the rail. “The nighttime sky with the stars reflecting over the sea – I cannot think of a more beautiful place for a wedding,” he smiled.
Bingham raised his rum bottle high into the air, the action commanding the other sailors to do the same. “Dearly beloved!” he shouted. The men cheered boisterously, several lowering their mugs to take a celebratory drink before raising them up again. Bingham gave Callum a wink, leaning forward to nudge him drunkenly. “How much rum did she have ta drink ta say yes?”
“Surprisingly none, Captain,” Callum chortled. “I am the luckiest man on Myatheira.”
“There is hope for the rest of us yet if a lovely lass like this is willing ta marry a sailor in her sobriety.” Another roar of cheers came from the crowd, adding to the ever darkening crimson of Aiva’s face. Bingham cleared his throat, bringing the noise of the men to a minimum. “I don’t know how ya people do this, so I’m gonna keep it simple. Young lad. Do ya love this lass?”
Callum gazed soulfully into Aiva’s eyes, squeezing her hand tightly in his own. “With all my heart, Captain.”
“And young lass, do ya also love this lad?”
All eyes turned to her, expectant, unsure of what she would say. Her smile grew to see the happiness on Callum’s face, gazing at her in hopeful wonderment. The answer was simple. Unlike that day in Escovul, she could honestly say it without a second thought in her heart. “More than anything in the world,” she replied softly.
She didn’t think it was possible for Callum’s face to brighten more than it already was. His umber eyes glowed brilliantly like the stars overhead, leaning instinctively to kiss her. Bingham’s hand moved to stop him, pressing lightly against Callum’s chest to keep them apart. “Ah, not yet, boy. Not yet,” he grinned. “Ya getting ahead of things. Let me have my moment here and then ya can do whate’er ya want with her.”
Cheers erupted around them again, mugs clinking together with shouts of unveiled innuendo. The guests were far from romantic. It made Aiva laugh to think she didn’t even care. She was relaxed around these people. More so than she could have been while surrounded by the entirety of the Tanispan court.
“Now!” Bingham announced loudly. “With my crew as witness, I now pronounce ya husband and wife. You may now kiss ya woman! The rest of us – bring out more rum!”
Callum pulled her forward, pressing his lips to hers in a passionate display. Sailors hooted and hollered. Aiva was swept up in the moment. She couldn’t think of anything but Callum, his arms around her waist. Fingers weaving through his hair, she let him lift her feet from the ground to spin her jubilantly. “I can’t believe you did that,” she gasped, breathless from the kiss, her heart still pounding from the excitement of it all. He gave her an innocent look, a playful smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth.
“Did what?” he grinned. “You’re surprised I married you? Every man on this ship wishes they were in my shoes right now.”
“I don’t disagree, I just don’t think their jealousy has anything to do with the bond itself,” she blushed.
Callum’s head cocked to one side, his grin widening. “Ah, well, yes. You may have a point. Not that I can blame them. Were I one of Bingham’s men aboard this ship, I would want to take you to bed as well.”
Music began playing from somewhere, the laughter growing louder amongst the crew. Someone tapped out a simple rhythm on a pair of spoons, mingled with the soft notes from a flute. The men sang along to songs Aiva had never heard before, dancing around the deck, drinks splashing in every direction. Mugs of rum were handed to Aiva and Callum to draw them into the celebration. She clapped her hand against her thigh in time with the music. It was a catchy beat. Cheerful. Far different from the songs played at the Tanispan court.
Releasing her cares, Aiva let Callum lead her into the center of the deck to join in the dancing, spinning her around as they skipped along to the music. When her mug was empty, it didn’t remain so for long, one of the men making a constant round to prevent the rum from ever going dry. She knew it was a terrible idea to drink so much, but it was her party. There was no reason not to enjoy every minute of it. The relaxed beat of every song flowed through her, head tipped back with joyful laught
er. For her benefit the men tried to demonstrate their strength in hopes to impress. A table was brought up from below, positioned near the main mast, men taking turns challenging one another to arm wrestling contests. Aiva sat at Callum’s side while he took on man after man, some defeated easily while others gave him a good run before eventually giving in.
Hours passed in a blur of rum and dancing. Her head spun under the effects of the drinks. She stared into the depths of her mug, sloshing the liquid around in thoughtful contemplation of whether or not she should have anymore. Callum stumbled over to her side, nudging her with a smile. “Try not to make yourself sick. My coordination is somewhat off. If you topple over the rail, I might not be able to catch you.”
“It isn’t nearly as revolting as the ale. I don’t think you have anything to worry about,” she chuckled. “I have made it my goal to never let you see me vomit again for the rest of our lives.”
“It’s bound to happen again. Maybe one day you’ll have to hold me up as well.”
Aiva jumped to feel Bingham’s strong hand come to rest on her shoulder, face covered ear-to-ear in a toothy grin. Callum smiled back at him, his mug offered up in a gracious salute. “There’s me newlyweds,” Bingham patted Aiva’s arm gruffly. “As my gift to ya both, I have decided ta donate the Captain’s quarters for the night. It’ll be more accomm’dating than the cots in the barracks,” he elbowed Callum with a devious wink, “just try not ta break anything. I expect ta find everything in one piece when I return tomorrow.”
Before either of them could protest, the sound of glass shattering distracted Bingham’s attention, his voice booming loudly across the deck to inquire of the noise. Modestly, Aiva averted her eyes from Callum. Why did she feel so shy around him all of a sudden? They had spent the night together while in Vailetta, yet for some reason the thought of this night made her blush. Her stomach fluttered oddly. It had to be the rum. There was no other explanation.
The Myatheira Chronicles: Volume Two: Beyond the Veil Page 68
