by L L Vickery
Music played loud through the streets, coming from homes and rowdy laughter from the bar. Soldiers staggered along the street making their way to the alley to puke and find the ladies of the evening.
“I better get you to the ship.” Rein told Luc clapping him on the shoulder.
Luc nodded and squeezed Cassandra’s hand a little tighter. He wasn’t about to let her out of his sight with all these drunken fools running around looking for any bit of trouble they could find.
Bram, Almon, and Lux surrounded Dana, protecting her from the sight of this whiskey filled hoard. If these humans caught sight of her, they wouldn’t be able to control themselves and they weren’t about to let any harm come to her.
The vendors were closing up shop on the pier. There was no point in staying open when all of the would-be customers have already made their way to the bar to spend their money.
Jon’s Misty Rose was still parked right there, tied to the pier where Luc last laid eyes on his very pregnant mother. Would she notice how much he changed in the few short days since he had been gone? Would she accept Cassandra and all of her gifts or would she shun them both?
Luc took his first steps on the all too familiar ship. It was void of life up on deck, though the faint sound of a baby crying coming from the captain’s quarters rendered him motionless.
“Who’s there?” Jon asked loudly opening the door to his cabin. “Luc,” He smiled wide. “Come, meet your little brother.”
“I have a brother?” Luc’s voice cracked. He took a couple of deep breaths and ran across the deck to the small room where his mother lay with his brother suckling at her teat.
He dropped to his knees beside the bed and smoothed the hair on the back of his brother’s head. He kissed his mother’s forehead and held her hand.
“Shh,” Avanna put her finger to her lips then motioned for the group at the door to come in and see the new bundle.
One by one the group came in to offer a blessing of the great god and goddess to protect the wee babe. Dana got close and the baby boy turned his head toward her. He cooed and smiled at her.
“Already flirting,” Lux chuckled.
Casandra kissed the back of the baby’s head then smiled at Avanna. “Your son will have a long life.” She said.
“You did a good job.” Rein hugged his friend and patted his back.
“Let’s let mother and son get some rest,” Bram said bowing to the new mother.
He laid a small ax on the dresser before leaving the room, “It’s customary for a dwarf to give a baby boy his first weapon to bring him luck in battle, should he ever find need of it.” He grinned at Avanna, “I’m sure he’ll never need it.”
“Don’t be silly, little dwarf,” Jon said, “my son will be a great warrior someday if Odin sees fit.” He raised an eyebrow and then blew a kiss in his wife’s direction.
“Now that the baby is here, do you think we can get underway soon?” Rein asked shifting his weight from one foot to the other.
“In the morning or the next,” Jon said staggering across the deck.
It seems the town’s celebration was meant for the newborn baby, for Jon’s baby. Rein wondered if he would ever know the joy of having his own son. Then his thoughts wandered back to Alya and what he wouldn’t give to make her his wife.
The next morning Rein was waked by Lillian nudging at his side with her foot. He moaned and turned over on the thick pad of straw he had slept in.
“Get up, you great oaf.” Lillian huffed.
Rein turned his head and forced his eyes open. “Fuck,” Rein groaned.
He stood and walked to the corner of the room to relieve his bladder in the piss bucket before making his way back up on deck. He needed a moment to wipe the sleep from his eyes and adjust his clothing before facing his mother.
Rein climbed the steps, stretching out his back, and groaning with each snap and pop. All of the nights sleeping on anything but a real bed had taken its toll on his aging body.
Lillian held the new baby boy in her arms and swayed to and fro, humming the only joyful lullaby she knew.
Rein imagined this must have been what she looked like holding him when he was first born. She looked like a natural, so nurturing and loving. Nothing like the mother he grew to know in the years just before and since his father’s death.
“Have you met my new godson?” Lillian asked Rein with a smile on her face bigger than any he remembered seeing on her.
“Godson?” Rein asked looking in Jon’s direction.
He nodded and took the baby from Lillian and walked to his cabin where his wife waited to feed her son.
“What brings you aboard the Misty Rose, mother?” Rein asked.
“I came to see how you were getting along and to meet my Godson.” Lillian hugged Rein and kissed his cheek. She let her arms drop and brushed her hands on her dress as if she were wiping off some invisible filth.
“Now that the baby has come we’ll be off to retrieve your packages.” Rein waved to Almon and Bram calling them over.
“I’m glad to see your companions will be going with you,” Lillian said nodding her head to them.
Thomas came aboard carrying a small wooden chest. He didn’t acknowledge anyone, he simply strode to the captain’s quarters with chest and walked in without knocking as if she were the most important person on the ship.
“We wouldn’t dream of letting your son go on this adventure without us.” Almon bowed to Lillian.
“There’s no need for that.” She said. “Now tell me, what do you need to get underway?”
“Food, for starters.” Rein said, “But I see you have that covered.” He watched baskets of fruits and vegetables being brought on board by soldiers.
“What else,” Lillian asked. “Weapons and armor?” She motioned for the gentleman carrying a large crate to bring it over.
“Done.” She said and opened the lid.
Inside were swords made of dwarven steel engraved with protection runes. There were bows and arrows enough for more than the crew of the Rose.
“Why not leave my Godson and his mother here for me to look after while you're away?” Lillian asked.
“I think it would be best for my wife and baby to stay with me.” Jon insisted.
“These waters can be a bit chopping this time of year,” Lillian said as the ship rocked.
Jon didn’t reply, he stood anchored in place refusing to allow her or the water give him reason to leave behind the tiny new life he already loved.
“Very well then,” Lillian said. “I’ll await your return.”
Rein smiled at his mother politely. He was happy to see she was ready to leave the ship. If he never had to set eyes on her again, he wouldn’t feel too heartbroken. Besides her beauty, he wasn’t sure what his father could have seen in her.
Chapter 14
Thomas led Lillian back off the ship. She left a small band of soldiers to protect the crew and her packages, once they were on board.
“Gather your men,” Jon told Sargent Amaranth. “I’d like to lay out a few ground rules before we get underway.”
Amaranth returned with ten men who stood in a straight line on deck. Jon finished shouting orders at his crew and left them to do their jobs and walked purposefully over to the young soldiers.
He took a deep breath and said in a robust voice, “Make no mistake this is my ship. My crew and I have fought off many dangers without ever having a soldier aboard. You are to stay out of our way unless you want to help out. Your Sargent might be your boss but I am captain of this ship and I won’t hesitate to throw anyone overboard that causes any mischief. Do I make myself clear?”
“Aye, Aye Captain.” The men shouted all at once including Amaranth.
“Good,” Jon said as the ship rocked from side to side, coming to life in the choppy waters. “One more thing, stay away from my wife and my baby if you don’t want to meet Davey Jones. Dismissed.” He waved his hand and turned his back on Amaranth and the so
ldiers.
Rein chuckled when Jon winked at him. “That was some speech, brother.”
“And I meant every word of it.” Jon smiled and led Rein to his quarters to fetch a map.
The salty water and rocking ship soon had soldiers leaning over the rails turning out their breakfast into the sea. Cassandra and Dana giggled at the sick men who once looked so brave in their shiny armor, ready to take on the world.
“Perhaps you girls could tend to Avanna,” Almon suggested.
Dana nodded and pulled Cassandra behind her to the Captain’s quarters. Baby and mother were resting well, the motion of the boat soothed the baby and rocked him to sleep. A true child of the sea, Cassandra called him.
The girls spent the day doting over the baby and new mother coming out only to fetch food, water, and fresh linens. The sunset as the island came into view far off in the distance. Captain Jon announced he would be retiring for the evening and Luc was to steer the ship close to the island and lay anchor.
Cassandra and Dana made beds for themselves just outside the cabin door so when the baby woke for his feeding they would be right there to care for his every need.
It was a good thing they decided to sleep there too. Not long after everyone was sound asleep the baby started crying. Cassandra woke first then gently wiggled Dana awake.
“Do you hear that?” Cassandra asked.
“The baby?” Dana groaned. “Of course, I hear it.” She rolled over on her side and pulled a blanket over her head.
“Not the baby,” Cassandra whispered yanking Dana’s cover off her head. “The woman singing.”
“It’s just Avanna.” Dana grabbed the blanket back from Cassandra.
“No, it’s not,” Cassandra said pulling on the blanket again.
“Look, I don’t know what you’re on about but this has got to stop. I’m tired and…” Dana stopped mid-sentence.
The girls looked at each other wide-eyed and sprang from their makeshift beds. They watched men walked past them making their way to the railing on the other side of the ship where they could hear the song more clearly.
“What is that?” Cassandra asked.
“It’s a siren.” All color drained from Dana’s face.
“Are you sure?” Cassandra asked.
“It’s not the first one I’ve heard. I’m sure.” Dana’s eyes widened as she watched the rocks sticking out of the water coming straight at them.
Cassandra ran over to Luc. He was mesmerized listening to the song of the siren, steering the ship straight toward her voice.
There sitting on top of a large pointed rock sticking out of the water was a dark figure. The hair was long and blew uncontrollably in the wind. The song that came from it echoed through the night.
No matter how hard she shook him Cassandra couldn’t break the spell. She concentrated all of her magic on casting a spell of silence over him and finally, it took. Blood oozed from her nose and her head felt like there was a tinsmith inside hammering at her brain. She fell to her knees.
Luc saw they were headed straight for the rocks on the cliffside of the island and spun the wheel around. The massive ship groaned and creaked leaning to the side as it turned with such force. The men at the railing toppled over landing on their backs against the hardwood.
The siren sang louder. The men got back on their feet and held tight to the side rail. “No!” the men cried when they realized they were heading away from the beautiful son.
Amaranth shoved Luc and took hold of the wheel. He spun it back around trying to bring the ship back in the direction of the siren. Cassandra raised one hand and pointed at Amaranth. She gripped her pounding head with the other. “Away!” She shouted. Amaranth flew backward and Luc took back control of the ship.
Jon ran out of his cabin pulling the cotton out of his ears shouting, “What the hell is going on out here.”
Moans and cries of the siren were heard coming from every direction. The men grabbed their heads and bellowed. The pounding they felt was like that of a night with too much mead and too little sleep.
Jon knew as soon and he heard the cries what happened. He made his way through the crew and soldiers to the wheel where Luc was bringing the ship back on course.
“Sorry captain, I don’t know what happened.” Luc’s face turned a shade of red that Cassandra had never seen on a person before.
“It’s alright son, it wasn’t your fault.” He patted Luc on the back. “You got us out of there before any harm was done.”
“Well, I wouldn’t have if it weren’t for Cassandra,” Luc said. “She broke the spell the siren had on me.”
“Really?” Jon raised an eyebrow and gave her a half-cocked grin. “And how were you able to do that?”
“It was nothing really.” It was Cassandra’s turn to be red-faced.
“Well, perhaps we should set anchor here and get some rest,” Jon shouted at the crew. “You kids get some sleep tomorrow is going to be a busy day.”
Cassandra headed back to the captain’s quarters with Dana to check on the baby and Avanna. When the baby was rocked back to sleep they laid back on their beds though sleep didn’t come easy for either of them that night.
Chapter 15
Rein was startled awake by the sounds of the sweet bundle of joy crying for the third time. It didn’t seem possible that the baby could be hungry again already. But alas the crying continued and the sun was just coming up so he might as well get up.
Mice scurried to their hidey hole as the crew stir to life. Almon rubbed his eyes and blinked several times letting his surrounding come into focus. Rein laughed as Bram tried to stand and lost his balance as the ship swayed on the still choppy waters.
“Rein,” Jon shouted from the top of the stairs. “Let’s get a move on, I promised my queen I’d have her back in Hope Falls by tomorrow night. She wants to show off the baby at the festival.”
“Your queen huh?” Rein climbed the stairs shaking his head and laughing at Jon.
“You laugh but you know if the roles were reversed…” Jon walked away.
“Are you guys coming too?” Rein asked Lux and Luc.
“Wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Lux said as the baby wailed in the background.
“I suppose Dana and Cassandra will want to stay here and look after the baby.” Luc rubbed his forehead.
“You’re not leaving me on this heap.” Cassandra ran across the deck.
“Watch who you’re calling a heap, little girl,” Jon said and he rubbed his hand over the ship’s helm. “Don’t listen to her, baby. That mean girl doesn’t know what she’s talking about.”
“By Odin’s beard,” Bram grumbled. “Common Almon let’s get off this rickety boat before I lose what’s left of last night’s dinner.”
“I’d like to get my mother’s little task over,” Rein rolled his eyes. “so, whoever is coming, let’s get on with it.”
Cassandra reached out and took Luc’s hand, for her this would be a chance to see where he came from. A smile spread across her face as he squeezed her delicate pale fingers.
The small rowboat was lowered into the water, Luc and Lux took the ores and pulled them through the black sea. The water was so dark and deep here that if you put your hand in just below the surface it would disappear.
They rowed with all their might toward the white sandy beach. When they were close Luc hopped out and pulled the boat to the shore.
There to greet them was a group of little people dressed in only loin clothes and makeshift bras for the women to cover their breasts.
Luc waved to them, “Joey, are you still at this old bit?”
“We saw and thought it could be pirates,” The pigmy shrugged.
Rein stepped forward, “I need to know where your bar is,”
“I’ll take you,” Luc said before Joey could come back with some nasty comment.
“Do they all dress like that?” Dana asked.
“No, these guys are just here to scare people off.” Lu
c laughed.
Luc led them across the small beach and onto a path covered with a wooden plank walkway that led through the jungle. Tall palm trees lined either side of the path along with broad leafy plants.
Colorful birds flew through the trees and the screech of small monkey could be heard coming from every direction.
When they made it to the village, Dana understood why Luc laughed at the way Joey and the others had been dressed. Here the pigmies were dressed in colorful cotton clothes. The women in dresses that seemed to wrap around their bodies and the men in long tunics and pants. Simply made slippers covered their feet.
Their skin was a pale green, none stood taller than four feet, and they had large almond-shaped eyes. Their mouths were wide like that of a puppet and their teeth were small and pointed, sharp for tearing through the flesh of raw fish, which made up about half of their diet. The island provided many fruits that made up the other half.
“The bar is at the end of the path on the right.” Luc pointed ahead. “There is something I’d like to take care of while we’re here.” He hopped off the path, took Cassandra’s hand and led her to a hut that Rein could only imagine belonged to him and his mother.
Rein was the first to enter the bar. On the outside, it looked like any of the other bamboo huts with its palm leaf roof, open holes for windows that could be shuddered in case of heavy rain.
Inside there was a large wood tiki at both ends of a long bar. It was dust free and bright tropical flowers grew on vines making their way up the walls. Kraw could learn a thing or two from this bar, Rein thought.
“Bet they only sell fruity drinks in coconut shells,” Bram grumbled.
Two men sat a table in the corner, they kept their heads down and whispered to each other as they watch Rein and the others sit at a large table in the middle of the room.
A female pigmy hurried over to them from behind the bar. “What can I get you, folks?” She smiled baring her sharp white teeth.
