Day 3 of Midwinter, Sunrise

At Sea, Straits of Segais

Annwn

Morias nodded thoughtfully. “Yes, we certainly do.”

“Did you know?” He sounded far calmer than I would have expected.

“That the captain is Tadg? Oh, yes. I have known since last night.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” I was even more confused.

“Last night I fell asleep before you were done dancing and singing.” He gave me a sly smile. “But really, it was too late to change the outcome. We had already fallen into his trap.”

“What? How can you be so calm? We’ve been running away from this guy for almost two days!”

“That is part of the truth. The other part is that we have been slowly making our way toward Gorias. This was always our destination, regardless of whether Tadg was following us.”

“And this doesn’t worry you?”

“I think if Tadg meant us any ill will, we would have suffered the outcome of that intent already.”

I studied the crew members. Upon careful inspection, there appeared to be two contingents within their ranks. I could see now that there were crew members who clearly knew what they were doing and others who were merely acting the part. There were five in each camp. The five members of what must have been the real crew were running from line to sail, telling the soldiers what to do. It was subtle but easy enough to see if you were looking for it.

“It appears that Tadg has brought four of his soldiers with him.” It looked like Morias, too, had counted the crew.

“It looks like Fern is one of the crew, not one of Tadg’s soldiers.”

Morias raised an eyebrow. “It is easy to notice the rose among the thorns, isn’t it?”

“Good morning to you both,” a voice came from higher on the deck. I turned to see Captain Cristo yelling down from the helm. “Your cabin is ready now, I’m told. Fern, why don’t you show our guests to their quarters?”

Fern looked at the captain and nodded. She didn’t make eye contact as she led me below the ship’s deck. Morias seemed to find a reason to stay behind because as we headed down the stairs from the deck, I noticed him missing.

The ship was an old merchant vessel with quite a substantial officers’ quarters. This is where Morias, Fí, and I would apparently be spending a large portion of the next two days on the voyage to Gorias. Fern motioned for me to enter the large, open room. Inside were two sets of bunks and a table squeezed into a corner. Still, the room was significantly more open and less smelly than the general quarters.

“Is there anything else you need?” Fern asked, still without making eye contact. She had a formal way of speaking. I had been not expecting that from someone who I assumed spent most of her time around the port towns of Annwn.

“I’m sorry about earlier.” At my words, Fern’s eyes flicked to meet mine. She really was stunning, I thought.

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She gave a slight shrug. “Ellyllon are bold. I do not take anything that the fairy said to heart.” She started to leave, and I found myself fumbling with my own words in an effort to keep her with me a little longer.

“This ship…” I began, trying to think of what else to ask. “Have you been on this ship long?”

She stopped and was half-turned toward me when she spoke. “Long enough.”

“Long enough for what?” I wondered if this was one of those things that men should be able to pick up by the inflection of a woman’s voice.

Her eyes found mine again, and her brows furrowed. “My people place more importance on the permanence of those in our lives.” She looked displeased as if she hadn’t meant to share even this much.

“Your people? I’m new here. I don’t understand.”

She paused to consider my words and turned to face me fully. “You have picked an interesting time to visit,” she finally said. “And you have picked interesting company for this voyage.”

“I think I might know what you mean…but Morias seems to think it will be okay.”

“Aye. You will likely be fine.” She gave me a curt nod. “I would like to go back to my duties now if you don’t mind.”

“Of course.” I suddenly felt embarrassed. “But… be careful out there, Fern.”

She paused again at this statement before finally leaving. I’m not sure why I said it. Somehow, without thinking about it, my internal fears for a solitary woman on a boat full of male soldiers and sailors had come out unbidden. I wasn’t sure how she had taken it.

“Enraptured by the petals or stuck by the thorns?” Morias asked as he entered and saw me pondering my interaction with Fern.

I felt the blood rush to my cheeks. “Shut up.” What the hell was wrong with me? I was acting like an idiot.

“She will be fine, that one.” Morias patted my shoulder. “She is from good stock.”

“Fern said that her people place more emphasis on honoring the people that are in their lives.”

“Aye, that is true. Must be a shock to her… Different people on the boat at every port of call.”

I nodded. “Where is she from?”

“You didn’t use the Rings on her?” Morias looked surprised. “I thought for sure you would have.”

“Chet!” I hadn’t even thought to use the Rings.

“I see Fí is rubbing off on you.” Morias began emptying his pockets and taking off his shoes. “Now, you best go on and see that your fairy friend isn’t in any trouble. I’m going to take a wee nap.”

I left our cabin and made my way through the ship, doing my best to avoid getting caught alone with any of Tadg’s men. It was easy to identify them now. I had usefully named them, in my head. There was: Scratchy, Nosy, Gassy, and Head.

Scratchy had irritated skin he was constantly itching. Nosy had a crooked nose with a mole at the very tip. Gassy didn’t fart so much as he was very fat and looked like he was filled up like a balloon. Head just had a seriously big melon. Fí found my nicknames hysterically funny, though after I told her the true identities of the sailors, she found enough restraint not to call them the monikers to their faces.

We kept mostly to ourselves, even after dinner. Morias and Fí went back to our quarters, while I sat watching the sunset for the first time in this world. The crew were settling into shifts for the night. The first shift, a group of three, included Gassy, Fern, and another of the actual sailors.

I heard raised voices not long after sunset. I had situated myself at the prow of the ship, along the starboard side, to look west at the setting sun. There was no light left in the sky, but I had lingered there, listening to the soothing sound of the water splashing against the ship.

I looked to the right and down onto the main deck and saw Fern up against the taffrail. In front of her stood Gassy. He was holding a bottle in one hand and reaching for her with another. She batted his hand away as it got close to her.

What was he doing? I stepped down the stairs to the main deck. I was still at least fifteen feet away from them.

“What’s wrong, lass?” Gassy waggled a furry eyebrow. “There’s no need to be lonely on this ship.” He reached for her again, and again she knocked his hand away, but this time, I saw the gleam of a knife appear in her hand.

“That’s enough,” I called, still approaching them. Gassy and Fern both looked in my direction, seeming surprised to see me. Gassy scowled, and without warning, brutally shoved Fern’s smaller body away from him.

I sprinted forward to come between them and quickly found myself wrestling with the much larger man. I was taller than him, but any leverage my longer reach might have given me was negated by his sheer mass.

As I grappled with the big man, I made the mistake of glancing over to check on Fern. She looked furious, her face a bright red. I caught a glimpse of the blade in her hand just as Gassy delivered a vicious knee to my kidney. I doubled over in pain against the ship’s rail, and that was all it took. The soldier gave one final shove and sent me tumbling over the rail and into the dark water below.