The sea burned.
What started as a small fire had grown rapidly, flames licking away hungrily at the oil that had been poured as fuel. The wood of the Jewel of the Saldaire would have burned just fine without it, but that wasn’t sufficient for the arsonist that set the ship ablaze. All around him, massive flames were eating away at the ship that had been his safe haven, the roaring blaze punctuated by the sound of wooden support beams breaking and crashing down. The heat from the flames was unbearable. The smell of salt filled the air as seawater pooled on pieces of wreckage boiled away.
Lawson Graham was balanced precariously on a large piece of flotsam, the remains of an ornate door shorn from the ship by the explosion of the ship’s store of black powder. Intricate carvings on the door served as handholds, the wood smooth in his hands. He was laying on the center of the wood, his arms couldn’t reach either edge and his legs couldn’t reach the end. It’s lucky that the sea is still.
The wind picked up, gusting powerfully and reducing the visible fire for a moment. The flames roared out as if in protest. Just a moment later the fire seemed to burn twice as high, twice as hot. From Law’s vantage point it was hard to see just how high everything was. Even the piece of the mast was ablaze, orange flames conquering the wood as it began to sink into the sea.
I don’t know if I can hold onto this door if the waves pick up, but I don’t know how much more of this heat I can take… He eyed the water and thought about slipping in. Surely it would be cooler than the air surrounding him, hot enough to bake a ham and growing hotter with every second. I don’t think I could get back on if I let go…
He was torn. He was too young to have to make these kinds of decisions. His heart thundered in his chest, his breath short and shallow, the heat enough to make his lungs feel like they were burning. It was too much. He couldn’t hold out. He slipped. He fell. Unconscious. The sea swallowed him up without any issue.
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Growing up, Lawson had always romanticized the sea. He grew up on one of the bigger islands, Gran Tortala, and his parent’s home was located just a few hundred meters away from the ocean. The smell of the salt air and the soft sounds of the sea lapping at the island shore were never absent in his youth. Their house was just outside the village of Seaside.
One of his earliest memories was playing with a toy ship in one of the tidal pools that lined the beaches. The ship always glided gracefully across the water, just above wondrous treasures hidden in those pools - things like corals, anemones, and other colorful and beautiful life. He would imagine he was the captain of that vessel on an important voyage, not just across the tide pool but across oceans that spanned the ends of the world.
As he grew older, his dreams of being a captain on such a vessel only grew stronger. He had a heart for adventure, the kind of thirst that only strange places and exotic sights could quench. His parents weren’t happy about his dreams. They were a well-to-do merchant family and the expectation was that he would take up the family business as he reached maturity. His own goals and desires hadn’t mattered much to his parents.
His parents hired an expensive tutor to teach him everything he’d need to know in order to make the best merchant possible. Lessons on linguistics, arithmetic, world history and culture were of particular emphasis. His tutor would always tell his parents that he was a bright boy, but he didn’t care to apply himself. They didn’t listen. To them, there was only one possibility for Lawson: Continuing the family business.
Despite his parents insistence that he focus on his future and their goals for him, he wasn’t forced to spend his childhood in isolation. He played with some of the children from the village near his family’s manor. One child in particular had captured his heart at a young age. The fair Selena Borden, one year his senior with a heart for adventure that matched his own. The two of them got into a lot of trouble together as he grew older. They’d run through the jungle near town, exploring small caves that could be found close to the village.
It was in one of those caves that he’d experienced his first kiss. Selena had surprised him that day. “Look, in here, I want to show you something we haven’t seen!” She’d said as she drew him deeper and deeper into the cave. Their lantern glowed softly, illuminating the dark walls with a gentle orange light. He had followed along close behind, ready to back her up as always. She was his best friend.
She’s also beautiful… He thought. He shook his head. That wasn’t relevant. Lately those kind of thoughts had been entering his head more and more, throwing confusion into his world that had seemed so simple. His voice had begun cracking and he felt a soft ache in his limbs as he began to grow taller. The growing pains of a young boy. “What is it?” He’d asked curiously. We’ve been in here before, haven’t we?
She led him deeper and deeper into the cave. Eventually they reached a section that was narrow enough that an adult wouldn’t be able to pass. “It’s in here!” She’d said. Her step had an extra bounce in it. Her voice had a peculiarly high lilt. She was jubilant. Radiant. She slipped through the cracks in the cavern as easily as water. Lawson rushed close behind. He was a fool for her, for her energy. She was captivating.
When he emerged on the other side of the narrow fissure, he found himself in a room that was lit with a strange blue hue. In the middle of the room was a pool that emanated blue light. The water was crystal clear, the same kind of blue the sea was on the clearest days. The faint smell of salt filled the grotto. On the ceiling he could see tiny stalactites that were made of some crystal, tinged blue in the light. She was standing to the side of the entrance looking at him expectantly. Her face reflected that blue light, her green eyes looking almost purple in it.
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She stepped up to him, closer. So close. “What do you think?” She asked with a mischievous grin on her lips. Lips that he’d seen growing fuller with each passing season. The curve of her face was becoming more defined. He’d begun to think of her more as a lady and less as a girl.
“It’s beautiful…” He murmured. He wasn’t looking at the pool. It had been an incredible sight and a great find. It’s got nothing on the sight before me now, though. A faint red hue tinged his cheeks. She seemed to notice as her confident posture vanished. She was tracing circles on the ground with her toe. Her hands clasped in front of her. “Really amazing, Sel.”
She beamed. Then she didn the last thing he had ever expected. She leaned forward and pressed her soft lips against his own. His cheeks caught on fire. His mind screamed at him to pull back. She’s a girl! We don’t kiss girls! His body screamed at him to stay put. To lean forward. To kiss her more fully. We do now. We like it. We like Sel. His emotions warred as he returned her gentle kiss. She broke it first, her cheeks flushed. “S..Sorry, Law.” She breathed. “Couldn’t help it.”
He shook his head. “Don’t apologize. It was... “ Amazing. Wonderful. The Best. “Really nice.” He finished. He reached out with his hand, finding hers in the dimly lit cave.
She smiled at that. Her own cheeks were so red he could see it even through the blue light. She gave his hand a soft squeeze.They stood there in silence for a long while. Holding each other’s hands. Squeezing gently, there in the moment together. Young love.
When he got home that day, he wrote about it in his journal. He was ecstatic. He and Sel spent their days in each other’s company, things a bit awkward as their interactions were framed differently, but so familiar at the same time. So right. As if their new, blossoming relationship was the most natural thing in the world.
A week later, his mother had found the journal while cleaning his room. She’d confronted him about it. She demanded to know when he’d decided that getting romantically involved with one of the villagers was a good idea. “They’re too poor to be good marriage material!” She’d practically shouted at him.
“I don’t care about that, I’m happy!” He’d fired back. She laughed at him.
“Do you think I care about that? We’ve worked too hard building this fortune to let you squander everything with some peasant girl.” Lawson had looked to his father for support. The man had looked away from him.
He must have found a way to stay out of it again. He always does when mother is involved. He slammed his fist against the wall in response to her statement. Pain exploded in his hand. “She’s not just some peasant girl! I don’t care about your stupid fortune! I want to be an adventurer! I want to be the captain of my own ship, the master of my own destiny! Can’t you see that your life isn’t what I want?”
His mother had laughed at him. Genuine laughter. She’d tilted her head back and everything. “What you want now isn’t what matters, you foolish boy. When you’re older you will realize that we were right. You’ll be happy with the life we’ve provided. You’ll have a nice house, a comfortable bed, a wife and kids who make you happy. You just need to do what you’re supposed to until then.”
It isn’t fair. Why doesn’t what I want matter? He sighed. “Okay, you win. I’ll… I’ll stay away from her.” Behind his back, his crossed fingers seemed to suggest otherwise.
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He’d continued to see Sel. When he told his parents he was going to play with the local children, he made a point to never specify which children he’d be playing with exactly. Things went well. They managed to spend most of the spring together. It wasn’t until Summer that they were caught.
His mother had sent one of the servants down to the marketplace for some supplies. Law and Sel just happened to be sitting together outside a cafe sharing an ice cream. He’d been feeding her from the spoon when the servant had seen them. There was no denying that the encounter was romantic in nature.
His mother had been apoplectic. That was when she decided that they’d be shipping him to a school on another island. When they chartered the Jewel of the Seldaire. That was when his whole world was destroyed.
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Lawson had spent the first half of the voyage staring sullenly at his cabin wall. His parents were on the ship with him, and despite their attempts to patch things up with him, he didn’t have any interest in hearing what they had to say. He was on a ship - a real ship - for the first time and he was barely even able to enjoy it. His first day or two had been spent getting his sea legs. He still didn’t feel totally comfortable walking around on the ship when the waves got too big, but things were going better for him now. He didn’t feel sick to his stomach anymore. The only thing that bothered him was the aching in his chest. Sel would love to be here with me… He’d thought.
He’d tried to make the best of things. He wandered around the ship at night, the moons overhead bright. Char is particularly bright and red tonight. His gaze was drawn to the red moon. I wonder if Sel is looking up at this same moon thinking of me… He had no way of knowing. He planned to send her a letter when he got to whatever island his parents were taking him to. The gentle rocking of the waves helped to calm him.
The aroma of salt, wood, and oil helped to distract him. He closed his eyes and imagined he was on a voyage of his own volition. Sailing to a land far away from his problems, on a quest to find some glorious treasure. A small smile played across his lips. At least I can pretend to do what I want. He opened his eyes and looked out across the moonlit sea. The gentle rolling of the waves, endless, was hypnotic. Soothing.
When he lay down to sleep that night, he was almost at peace with his circumstances. I will see you again, Sel. Someday. They can’t keep us apart forever. He fell into a deep, restful sleep.
He didn’t wake again until his mother was leaning over him, shaking him vigorously. “Law! Law, you have to wake up!” She hissed at him.
He stretched and opened his eyes, instinctively moving to wipe the cold from them. “What’s going on?” He asked. He looked up at his mom. I’m still mad. He thought. He saw her expression. Her eyes were wider than normal. Her shoulders hunched. Her breathing was quick. She seemed to be looking back towards the door an awful lot.
“We’re under attack.” She responded. He opened his mouth to ask another question, but the sound of an explosion drowned out his voice.