Chapter Twelve

Sea Worthy

They set off in the earlier evening with Kip aboard, though still feeling slightly weak made the journey all the same.

No one in particular came to see them off and although Cara was told to stay indoors she couldn’t help the temptation to see herself off.

She stood at the bow of the ship, not looking back at the main land of her fantasy world, but out to the waters of the sea of Nl’ana.

Kade joined her not long afterwards, having already got his sea legs walked steadily to her.

The wind was blowing back her hair as she leant against the rail.

“How are you?” Kade asked.

“I’m fine,” replied Cara, “a little nervous.”

“Why is that?” he asked leaning beside her.

“I have no idea what is coming, my story, the Lay of Kip ended back in Kalerik, where… things happened,” Cara said, “but now those things have not happened and I’m on a ship with the three of them and I have no idea what’s out there.”

Kade smiled, “welcome to the club. We don’t know what’s out there either. We never have, and things are bound to change, I mean you’re here, that doesn’t happen in your story does it?”

“No I suppose not.”

Cara sighed and watched the waves roll up and down, great swells that threaten to tip smaller boats.

“Are you feeling well? No seasickness?” Kade asked.

“When I was eight, in Ireland, I took a four week voyage from Ireland to Newfoundland, my grandmother thought that it would take my mind of things. The ship was like this one and we sailed it there and back.”

“So you’ve done this sort of thing before,” Kade said smiling slightly.

“Yes,” Cara said.

Kade nodded, then asked a question he had been wondering for a while.

“Is there anything out there?” he asked.

“What do you mean?”

“Any sea monsters?”

Cara looked at him like a child.

“That’s illogical,” she replied.

Kade grinned slightly, “so is being here, think is there any sea monsters?”

Cara thought, “No I don’t think so, I don’t remember ever thinking up one. But trust me, if I remember that there is I’ll let you know right away.”

Kade smiled at her sarcasm.

“I’m going to go check on out Nomadics, care to join?”

“Alright,” Cara agreed and they walked down the short flight of stairs and into the Captain’s Cabin, where Standing Feather, BlackFox and Captain Tryean were seated. Tryean got up immediately when Cara walked in.

“How are you folk fairing?” Kade asked the Nomadics.

“As well as plains people care fare on a ship,” replied BlackFox, who looked slightly sick.

Kade looked at her sympathetically.

“Is there anything we can do Captain?” Kade asked.

“My crew’s got it, Master Kade,” replied the Dari, “make yourself at home.”

Kade nodded.

“I’m sorry where are we sleeping?” Cara asked suppressing a yawn.

Tryean smiled, “you and BlackFox shall have my cabin, as you are the only ladies on board. My men and myself sleep down below. As will Masters Kade and Standing Feather, Kip as well, when he is better, for now he is resting in my cabin.”

“Thank you,” Cara said, “you show great hospitality.”

Tryean laughed, “you are off my kin and you are paying me, what else would I offer?”

Cara smiled, “if you’ll excuse me I shall go attend our friend.”

Tryean who had seated himself again, stood up as Cara left the room again. Kade hide a scowl but Tryean caught it.

“I am not wooing your lady, only implying manners, the lightness of her skin implies royalty in my land, however if she does not reveal to me her status I will not ask for it.”

Kade wasn’t entirely sure what to say to that.

“Come friend, I will show you something to do, for you seem want of it,” Tryean said coming around from the small desk and clasping a large hand on Kade’s shoulder lead him away from the slightly sea sick Nomadics.

0

Cara walked to the Captain’s cabin, remembering it from the tour earlier that day she found her way easily.

Kip was lying in the large bed. There was a smaller mat and bed rolled out beside it.

“How are you feeling?” Cara asked sitting on the side of the bed.

“I’m alright, I’ll be right as rain tomorrow morning,” Kip replied. Cara smiled. “Did you ever find out the date?” Kip asked.

“Well, for you dates it the sixth day of the seventh month,” Cara replied.

“And what’s that in your days?” Kip asked.

“Well, the six of July, which is our seventh month,” Cara said smiling, “It is easy to have them the same.”

“Do you remember the day you were born?”

“I was born the ninth of July,” Cara said. “In three days I shall be fifteen. That is if time is passing in my world.”

Kip looked at her funny, “it might not be?”

“I have no idea,” Cara replied.

Kip resettled himself on the bed, “will you tell me another story?”

Cara thought for a moment.

“What type?” she asked.

“A romantic, I’m a sucker for happy endings,” Kip said smiling with his eyes closed.

Cara’s smile fell.

“What?” Kip asked opening when she had been silent for a while.

“Nothing, lets see romantic?” Cara said, “a Fairy Tale?”

“Please,” Kip said.

0

Cara woke suddenly in the middle of the night. She had slept lightly beside Kip after he had fallen asleep and after the story.
Being at the edge of the bed she tried to figure out what had woken her.

She had been dreaming about something, she couldn’t quite remember, and then something had pushed her. No something had pushed the cabin, or the boat.

Carefully, trying not to wake BlackFox, who was fitfully sleeping on the pallet beside the bed, she walked out of the cabin.

It was almost daybreak; the sky was grey in the east.

“Is there something wrong Lady Cara?”

She turned to see the Captain.

“I’m not sure… I felt something, like something had moved the boat, woke me up,” Cara said.

Tryean nodded, “I felt it too, perhaps a whale?”

“Whales are smarter than that, they would not run into a ship,” Cara replied.

Tryean thought carefully.

Cara walked to the edge of the deck, the railing that prevented her from falling into the watery depths.

“It could have been anything,” Tryean said joining her, “the reefs, stray dolphin, whale, fisheries, or just Leptiaba.”

Cara had to cast about her mind for the person he was talking about.

“The sea god can be angry sometimes with out reason, but he always gives warnings before he strikes.”

But Cara had stopped listening. There was a rippling in the distance in which had caught her eye.

It stopped and then seamed after a moment to grow larger. Then it came into view.

A large lithe body, scaly and floppy like an eel, a head that was a fish, mouth like a frog, its eyes intelligent and long thin whiskers trailing in the water.

It slithered like a water snake and jumped like a dolphin.

Cara was over took with a fear that she had not known.

Tryean grabbed her shoulder and a bell began to ring, Kade, Standing Feather, Kip and BlackFox hurtled up onto the deck.

“Cara!” Kade yelled the first one near her, “What is it?”

A sudden blast of wind came from the direction of the beast and the waves began to rock the boat dangerously.

“I’m sorry Kade!” Cara yelled over the wind as he reached her. “I was wrong,” the cry from the crow’s nest came at the same time, “there are sea monsters!”

“LEVIATHAN!”