She grimaced to think of what he implied. He was saying goodbye. The final words of a soldier going off to war. Her stomach churned violently, affected more by the solemnity of Gadiel’s farewell than by the incessant lurch of the ship. Before she could say anything in response he swung his legs over the edge, finding his footing with practiced ease on the ladder to make his way down to the deck. She stared after him, shocked and dismayed at her inability to come up with any words that might have comforted his troubled mind. It saddened her to consider the possibility that she may not have another chance.
“He is acting odd,” she said softly, her eyes lifting to gaze upon Callum, aware of the lingering unease in his mannerisms as well. Something wasn’t right. Her father indicated the distant ship to be a threat. The look on Callum’s face told her it was more than that. They were on the threshold of a battle which crept upon them faster than anyone could have anticipated. Staring at the floor she took in a deep breath. She had to ask. Without confirmation of her fears, it was nothing more than speculation over the tension she felt. “I suspect the pirates are nearer than we thought. Is this the reason for Gadiel’s strange farewell?”
Callum said nothing, offering her the spyglass he clutched in his hand. Her eyes shifted quickly from the floor to stare at the object presented to her, afraid to accept it but too curious not to. She had to see for herself.
Pressing the lens to her eye she focused on the ship Callum indicated with his index finger. It was smaller than their own. Better equipped for speed. The sails billowed in the wind, carried along at a remarkable pace, quickly gaining ground on them. At the rate it traveled, she estimated it would be in range of them within the hour.
Frantic, she turned to Callum, holding the scope nervously against her chest. “How did they move so fast?” she breathed. Her heart raced to take cognizance of their situation. They were in danger. Immediate danger. She assumed there would be another day to prepare herself for the battle she so insistently fought to partake in. Now it was upon her and she found her courage waning. She wasn’t ready. It was too fast.
“It’s a simple matter of wind and weight,” Callum frowned. “Our ship is heavy. It’s not designed for speed. We have on board enough soldiers to comfortably man two vessels which only adds to the weight that already hinders us. The wind may be to our benefit, but it is also with Ireni, and she has a ship more suited to take advantage of that fact. Within half an hour they will be in range to fire upon us. Another hour and they could well be at our broadside and in position to board. There will be no avoiding this confrontation. You should prepare yourself.”
“How does one prepare for war?”
“Everyone is different. I cannot say what will work best for you.”
“Then tell me how you prepare yourself?” Aiva asked, moving in closer to Callum, curious to hear what he had to say. He’d faced the pirates many times before. If anyone could give her advice on how to come to terms with the reality of their predicament, it would be him.
Instead he shook his head, a heart-wrenching look upon his face. “I do not know anymore,” he replied quietly. “It was different when we went up against the pirates before. Back then I believed myself to have nothing to lose. That is no longer the case. I stand to lose everything if I cannot win this battle. Which is why I must try to convince myself that victory is foreordained.”
Oh, how she longed for the naivety she’d possessed before embarking on this journey. That girl would have held no doubts about their ability to take down the enemy. It was a confidence she wished she could have back. To question their strength went against everything Cadell taught her. She knew this, though at the same time she feared the mere possibility of death at the hands of the pirates. In her heart she couldn’t help but believe that even Cadell suffered a similar fear. Of all the battles he’d seen in his days, never had he fought them with his son in direct line of fire and almost the entirety of the royal family among those soldiers who rushed into the fray. The stakes were high for everyone on board. That alone was enough to provide mild comfort in that moment. When those who fought had so much to live for, they would prove the most valiant of all armies.
No amount of confidence could chase away the fear. She’d seen too much death over the past few months to be convinced that everything would be alright. No war had ever been won without casualties. Victory through violence was always bittersweet. All they could do was pray the gods would see them through. Standing there on the swaying platform of the crow’s nest, staring into the beautiful glow of Callum’s umber eyes, Aiva found herself reminded of her conversations with Kaemin. She and Callum were blessed to have this moment now. A final calm before the storm to say the things they wished the other to know before life, and maybe death, tore them apart.
Gently she rested her hands against the side of Callum’s face, her touch soft and delicate, as if afraid he would crumble. He seemed to melt into her palms, savoring the sensation of her fingertips against his skin. “If anything happens to me, I want you to know that I love you, Callum. I always have, and that will never change.”
“I love you, too. But, Aiva,” he whispered, drawing her in tightly to him,” nothing is going to happen to you.”
“We can never be so sure…”
“I can be. You promised, remember?”
She scolded herself for the moisture she felt upon her lashes. Now was not the time to cry. She needed to be strong. Not only for herself, but for Callum. For the sake of all the soldiers aboard the ship who readied themselves for battle. They couldn’t be allowed to see their Princess falter. For the first time she was beginning to understand why Callum always hid his emotions from the men who served under him. How could they have faith in themselves when those who led them showed signs of weakness? Their leader had to be fearless. Almost god-like in their ability to withstand anything, regardless of the pain and suffering they might endure. Once she and Callum returned to the deck with the others, they could no longer allow their uncertainty to show. It was best she not give it a chance to surface at all.
“We both promised,” she nodded, guiding Callum’s lips to hers. Inside her heart was breaking to think that this might be the last time she felt their warmth. Her hands trembled where they clung to him, his fingers reaching gently to hers. A slight warmth, like that of a tear, brushed over Aiva’s hand before he drew it away from his face.
When they finally separated he avoided her gaze, staring off into the distance. They stood in agonized silence for what felt like hours, though Aiva knew it was no more than a moment, neither one wanting to leave the company of the other but knowing they had much they still needed to do. The time for goodbyes had come and gone. The men would be waiting for them below.
“We should get back to the others,” Callum stated quietly, finally managing to regain his courage to look Aiva in the eye. She could see the internal struggle he waged to maintain his calm exterior, knowing his pain for the similar feeling she endured as well.
He gave a final squeeze of her hand before brushing past to make his way over the ledge onto the ropes. Aiva let him pass, her eyes unfocused on the expanse of sea surrounding them, the beauty of the sight tainted by the foreboding presence of a single ship breaking along the water. To see it reminded her again of the hatred she felt for the woman who commanded the vessel. With the warmth of Callum’s lips lingering upon hers, she could hear Ireni’s whispered words from that day on the Palinoen shore. Ireni will never know what it is like to be loved by him. She didn’t deserve to be loved by anyone. It was her hand that tore Shaelyn from them in Escovul. Her blade that stole Kaemin’s life before he even had a chance to live. Her countless other crimes over the years had caused the suffering of so many innocent people. Ireni deserved nothing more than a cold and lonely death at the end of a blade that was as merciless and unforgiving as her own.
Eyes narrowed Aiva could feel her resolve beginning to strengthen. Her fingers tightened around the hilt of her sword, knuckles wh
ite, trembling with a newfound vigor at the thought of crossing blades with Ireni again. She would find Aiva a more worthy opponent this time.
Aiva stood at her father’s side, listening intently to the directions given by Callum while the men gathered, dressed in their military best, prepared for whatever challenge was posed to them by their Captain. General Cadell remained quiet at the King’s side, pride visible in every feature of his face to hear his son, directing the soldiers with such ease and confidence. The earlier uncertainty had vanished from Callum’s eyes. In front of the men he was an image of perfect calm.
He and Gadiel were to lead a small group of men onto the enemy ship once it was within range. Their goal was to disable the vessel in any way they could. Destroy the masts. Take away the enemy’s means of gathering speed to take chase. Once the pirates were at a disadvantage, the Vor’shai archers could barrage the ship with fire-lit arrows to attempt sinking the vessel. It would be far from a simple task. The pirates would never let them succeed without a strong defense. Aiva loathed her inability to assist with the disabling of the ship. Callum expressly forbid it and she was in no position to argue his decision. She counted her blessings her father had granted her permission to fight at all. This was no time to press her luck. Callum didn’t have to state his reasons for not wanting Aiva to set foot on the enemy ship. If she was a target of Ireni’s anger, to place herself in the midst of their largest numbers hardly seemed a wise idea. She would have to remain on the Tanispan ship with the others and try to hold the enemy at bay until Callum and Gadiel returned.
Callum came to pause in front of his father, chin held high, proud to stand there in his presence. Cadell offered his hand to him, giving it a firm shake. “Well, Captain. It would seem you have a solid plan. Is there anything you would like me to do, or should I simply stick to what I do best?”
“Actually, there is one thing you could do,” Callum glanced between his father and the King, chest heaving from a long breath before continuing. “You are the most experienced fighter here. In my absence, I must request you keep an eye out for Ireni. If she boards the ship, you are most suited to fight her. Do not allow her near Aiva. Or the King. I believe she has a special interest in harming Aiva and we cannot allow that to happen.”
There was both merit and fault in the idea of Cadell taking on Ireni. Aiva tried to put herself in the mind of a woman like Ireni. Her focus would be Aiva, but if she discovered her challenger was Callum’s father, she would do everything to strike him down simply out of spite. “Captain,” Aiva started, the title sounding foreign coming from her lips. It was important she keep formalities. The time for relaxed conversation had long since ended. “While I don’t argue the General to be the most skilled, and likely the most suited to face Ireni in combat, would it not place him at risk if she determined who he was? All things considered…” She let her voice trail off, unwilling to give further detail while so many others could hear what was spoken between them. The secret of Callum’s past with Ireni was not known by all the soldiers. It was best to keep it that way to avoid any lapse in confidence the men had in following his orders while fighting against the very woman he was once accused of aiding.
“You believe she will strive to harm him simply for the sake of him being my father?” Callum asked, never faltering at the suggestion. “It’s possible, I can’t deny. But we cannot discard a sound strategy and place countless others in danger because of her jealous tendencies. I appreciate your concern, Princess. In this case, your counsel is appreciated, and certainly not ignored, however, the General has never let an enemy intimidate him before. I doubt he intends to start now.”
“On the contrary, I look forward to meeting her in battle,” Cadell stated proudly. “If she is half as skilled as I hear rumored, then it will be a good test of my own technique. Fighting the best among our enemies is my duty, dear Princess. Do not worry about me.”
Aiva let her eyes linger on Callum, silent, staring him down with concern. He held her steady gaze, somewhat apologetic, though saying nothing. Eventually she forced herself to look away. There was no sense in challenging him. They didn’t have time.
At her submission Callum’s hand came to rest on her shoulder briefly. An acknowledgment of her fear. She knew he couldn’t speak to comfort her, but his touch was enough. He stayed by her side for only a moment before turning away, motioning for Gadiel to come forward. “Commander,” he stated calmly. “Get the men into position. The pirates are within range of fire. Commander Varik, see the ballistae loaded and prepared. Everyone keep your shields up. We will feel their arrows before they are close enough for us to defend against their swords.”
The men dispersed quickly at Callum’s direction, leaving Aiva to her thoughts. Everything was happening so fast. Her heart raced, though not with the panic she expected. It was excitement. Fear remained constant but there was no hesitation about her decision to fight. She looked forward to it. Ached for the battle to begin. There would be no peace until it was over. The longer the wait drew out, the more torturous it felt. She stood proud, shoulders back, the dark fabric of her doublet still damp from her earlier swim. On edge for the coming fight, she jumped at the sound of Edric’s voice behind her, hand rested upon her hilt, drawn slightly from its sheath. Edric took a step back, arms outstretched defensively in front of him.
“Aiva, it’s only me.”
“You scared me,” she breathed, slowly releasing her hold on the sword. “This is not the time to sneak up on people. You could get yourself hurt.”
“I’ve been calling your name for a while. It hardly felt like I was sneaking up on you,” Edric straightened his doublet, exhaling a deep breath. “I wanted to make sure you were alright. You are under a great deal of pressure. I thought it might be a good idea for you and I to stay close. We always made a good team when we were younger.”
“It would be a better team if Callum did not insist on boarding the enemy vessel. The three of us have always been stronger together,” Aiva sighed. Since hearing of Callum’s plan, she’d refrained from speaking out against it. There was no reason to hide her discontent from Edric. Next to Callum, he had been her best friend all her life. He wouldn’t judge her for being concerned. “Why could he not send someone else to do this job? He is the Captain. Is it not better for him to remain with the ship?”
Edric gave a sympathetic smile, moving closer, his voice low. “Aiva, the fact that he is the Captain is exactly why he has to do it. The boarding unit needs a leader. General Cadell outranks him and therefore is the one best left to command the soldiers aboard our ship. That leaves the away mission in Callum’s hands. Try not to worry about it. Callum is an efficient soldier. He will have the men back to us safely before you even realize he is gone. You need to have faith in his ability to do the job. If he was not capable of it, he would not have been made Captain.”
Before Aiva could respond she heard a commotion arise somewhere on the deck, her attention diverted to where the sound was coming from, blood pulsing rapidly through her veins, adrenaline rising. An arrow was lodged firmly in the wooden floor, the men hurriedly moving away from the point of impact, shields raised. It had begun. The enemy had fired the first shot. A warning strike, no doubt. More were soon to follow and in quick succession. Soldiers rushed across the deck to the ballistae while others prepared their own bows, taking up defensive stances at the higher levels of the ship to gain a better vantage of the pirates.
Handing her a shield, Edric didn’t give Aiva a chance to decline, his hands fastening it securely to her arm. She watched him, making no attempt to stop him. “Wear this until the enemy ship is at our side. The volleys will stop then and you can focus on your blade. For now, humor me and try not to get hit.” There was a sternness in his tone that Aiva couldn’t remember having heard before. Many times he lectured her when she was younger but this was different. He gave no indication of implied superiority. Only a serious, almost desperate request of a friend. A brother. Without a word she
nodded to him. Adhering to his request was the least she could do to ease his mind.
All around her the arrows began to fall. There was little to be done. She had no knowledge of how to utilize a bow with any accuracy and her sword was of no use at the range the battle held. Edric kept close to her side, shields raised to deflect the enemy weapons that came within their path. Every clatter of an arrow against Aiva’s shield sent a wave of chills down her spine. Loud clicks and splintering wood echoed around her. Surrounded by the sounds of war.
In between volleys Aiva found a moment to catch her breath, leaning over to Edric. Her head was in utter chaos. To think of the battle had been one thing. It was completely different to find herself there. Tiny nuances of their plan started to confuse her. Second-guessed by her unfocused mind. “Edric,” she asked loudly to be heard over the commotion on the deck. “Callum said our intent is to burn the enemy vessel once we have put enough distance between it and us. What is to stop them from setting us aflame before then?”
“Their goal will be to capture the ship as a trophy,” Edric brought his shield up again to deflect another stray arrow, “Sinking it will only be an option if they believe there is no other choice to guarantee victory.”
Somehow it made sense through her confusion. Eyes darting from one side to another, she could hear Callum’s voice shouting orders, unable to pinpoint his exact location. As long as he was talking, he was alive. It was the closest thing to comfort she could provide herself at a time like this. She didn’t understand every command he gave. The boarding party was getting into position. Were the pirates really so close? Inside her chest, the pounding of her heart intensified, an inescapably loud thud piercing through her head with every beat. She was afraid to look. The anticipation of the enemy approach was too overwhelming.
The Myatheira Chronicles: Volume Two: Beyond the Veil Page 85
