Pretty Fin- Raging Seas

by Smokey Moment

  “I’m going to eat and relax. I’m tired,” Lance said as he stood up. Fin pulled herself out of the water and sat on the edge of the pool. “I fixed a casserole. The one with chicken and sausage that you love so much,” Fin said. Lance was surprised. She was conquering her fear of the stove. She was fixing things that required no heat when she first began cooking. It was obvious the cooking classes were paying off. A class one of Lance’s co-workers told him about. He told Fin about it and she was eager to sign up. She wanted to be more like humans. More like a housewife.

  She took to the classes quickly. Getting acclimated with the way the class was structured and then contributing and giving it her all. She took the class more for the socializing than anything but Lance could see she was starting to practice what she had learned. It was a good adjustment. Lance could see her flourishing.

  “That’s great baby,” he said, as he kissed her once again, then walked back into the house. He looked back at her. He was proud. She was coming along. They had no issues. And as he walked away, he wondered if she felt the same way he did. Happy and settled in their life. The blank stares were troubling. It could be nothing or it could be something.

  She seemed happy. But there was no way of truly knowing, and Lance wanted to know. He needed her to be. The sea could not have his wife again. He remembered what it was like to lose her to its wide, gaping, water-filled hole. She was gone nearly two years while he raised Isla. He vowed to never lose her again. He needed her to be free of the shackles of the place called Madaka.

  L

  ance stood in the doorway of their master bedroom watching Fin rub oils on her body. She had just emerged from the shower and was pampering herself. Her girls were fast asleep. It was perfect. She missed her husband. She wanted to make love to him all night under the moonlight. She sat on her chaise, naked and in a daze. The look on her face was hard to read. Lance wondered what she was thinking. He wanted to make love. But first, he wanted to talk.

  “Hey,” he said, as he entered. Fin looked at him in the mirror as he approached slowly from behind. “Hey,” she replied, as she rubbed her hands. Lance walked up to her and stood behind her. He touched her hair, as he looked seductively at her reflection in the mirror. Fin was turned on. Lance was the most handsome man she knew. Madaka was filled with good looking people, but there was something extra to Lance’s good looks. Something in his eyes. The way he looked at her. His half-crooked smile whenever he wanted to be with her. But his eyes looked deeper. Fin could see he had something on his mind.

  “What?” she said in a low voice. “You tell me. What’s bothering you? I catch you looking in the distance. Thinking. At times, your thoughts consume you. I call your name and you don’t respond immediately. What is it? You can tell me,” he said. Fin’s eye softened. A sadness came over her. She fought tears that were hard to suppress. It was overwhelming. She wasn’t expecting the question. Fin looked down. A tear fell. Then a flow that spoke of a woman who had deep rooted pains. Lance was in shock. It was a simple question. One he thought would lead to a request for something more. Something he was ready to give. But Fin was in a full blown dramatic emotional breakdown.

  He positioned himself in front of her and kneeled down. He moved her hair from her face then touched her cheek. “What is it? Talk to me,” he said. Fin sniffled then wiped her eyes. It was difficult to say the words. But she could no longer keep it to herself. They had both lost something precious. And it was time he knew.

  “I was pregnant when I returned to Madaka. I lost the baby,” she said slowly. Lance’s eyes widened. He looked away. It was a shocking revelation. He had no idea. He stood up and paced. His hands behind his neck as he tried to rub away the headache that he could feel coming on. He was grief stricken. It was his fault. He could have forced her to stay. Demanded that she not return. And now he’d lost a child. Another precious daughter or perhaps a son. It was devastating. And Lance was at a loss of words. “I’ll be back,” he said. Fin stood up. Lance turned and left. “Lance!” she shouted. Her cries unanswered. Fin wiped another tear and grabbed her robe. She knew his pain would be great. It was her reason for not telling him sooner.

  Fin descended the stairs. She could see Lance standing at the window looking out at the clear dark skies. They talked about everything. Kept no secrets. She had betrayed his trust by keeping something so important from him and she regretted it. He stood motionless. His head held high. She was sure he knew she was coming towards him. But he didn’t acknowledge her. And It hurt her to see him that way. Fin walked up behind him and put her arms around him. She felt him exhale, as she laid her head in the fold of his back. It was the last secret she would ever keep. They were better than this.

  “I’m sorry I never told you. It tore me apart. I wanted to die. Our baby should be here. This is all my fault,” she said. Lance dropped his head then turned around. “No…It’s no one’s fault. We will get through this. I’m sorry. I just needed a moment to process what you said,” he said, as he kissed the top of her head. Fin held him tight. Lance continued kissing her. He grabbed her by the face then kissed her gently on the lips. They had two beautiful girls. Their family had been through a lot. He would see to it that they got through this tragedy. He hoped she was done with Madaka. She could not return.

  “Sire. We are still unable to locate the leader. And the queen is missing. We had to kill several villagers. Many more are being held. They are fighting us. The takeover is not easy. The villagers were ready to die for their land. And they refuse to give up the one named Lark. I don’t think they know where he is. They would have told us if they did. We inflicted great suffering, Your Highness,” the soldier stated. Andreus bounced his son on his leg as he stared into the eyes of the man. It was disappointing news. He expected something. Yet he had nothing.

  “What is your name soldier?” he asked. Andreus had hundreds of new recruits from Eulachon. He didn’t know all their names and he decided to get to know as many of his soldiers as he possibly could. He was ready to take over all of Madaka, and he would need their unyielding support and loyalty in order to do so.

  “My name is Hanlo, Sire,” the young man replied. Andreus looked intensely at him. The young man was strong. His demeanor serious. He appeared fearless. He stood to attention, in an impressive masculine stance. His head held high. His shoulder back. Andreus continued to play with his infant son, as he scrutinized the man. He watched for weakness. He watched his eyes for signs of fear.

  The Eulachon army was large. Fierce. He had lost many of his closest guards and lieutenants in the battle against Finora’s army. There were still many loyal fighters. But he also believed he had enemies among his regiment. He had already killed a dozen of them, without warning and without any proof that he had been betrayed. An act that had many fearing him and other’s secretly despising him. Andreus needed to build a small circle of warriors he could trust. It was a daunting task since a lot of the men were new. And he seized opportunities to look for strength and weakness among those soldiers closest to him.

  The soldier stood still. A small bead of sweat began to appear. Andreus stood up and held his son as he walked in circles around him. The King was stately, in his burgundy and black velvet uniform adorned with gold and crushed diamonds. His crown was made of gold with pearls and dark red emeralds laid perfectly in a row. Metal, fashioned into a spear, sat on his hip. A gift from his new master craftsman.

  He walked slowly, hoping to intimidate the young man, but the soldier seemed unafraid. A glimmer of perspiration was the only visual que to the young man’s reserved reaction. Andreus stopped in front of him. He gave an intensified glare. The soldier kept his eyes forward. He couldn’t stare him down. Not without being accused of intimidation. Andreus was impressed. But still there was something he would need to do. A test, to prove his loyalty.

  Andreus walked closer. He stopped within one foot of the soldier then stood in place. The baby played with the metal on his father’s vest. Andreus look
ed at him then back at the soldier. He smirked, then suddenly let go of his son. The soldier jumped forward and caught the infant mid-air. The baby shrieked then began to cry. “Sire!” he exclaimed, his face filled with concern, as he held the future king. Andreus chuckled then held out his hands. Hanlo handed his son back to him. He swallowed hard then stood to attention. The incident nearly casing him to lose his breath. The soldier glanced at the toddler then looked away. He seemed concerned. Bothered. His quick reaction to protect the young future king was required. He nodded.

  “You are my new Lieutenant. You are young enough to protect me and young enough to grow with him. You will protect him one day when he succeeds me and takes his place at the throne. Always remember this day. Grow with him. Care for him. Because you will always need to protect his life the way you just did. I was not prepared to catch him. That is your job. Now go!”

  Andreus called to his wife Guida. She opened the door immediately. Their eyes met with an uncomfortable and unloving gaze. Andreus gave her a cold stare. He was still angry at her for her flirtatious indiscretions with Lark so soon after believing he was dead. It was an unforgiveable sin that she should burn in eternal fires for. A quick thought of Fin made him resent Madaka all the more. She had single handedly brought about the changes he despised. The introduction of sex and intimacy into their culture was not welcomed by many. Especially those who despised change. Andreus despised anything he couldn’t control or master. And he had not mastered sex nor intimacy. He believed children should be made the old-fashioned way. In sperm pools at the woman’s discretion.

  Andreus ignored the fact that couples seemed closer. Happier. Still something about the addition of sex offended him. He tried his hand at it. It was exhilarating. But if left him feeling weak and vulnerable. Guida had only recently allowed him in her bed, then shunned his advances afterwards. He liked the old way of life. Men able to see past the guiles of women. He wondered if Guida had relations with Lark. She denied the allegations but he wasn’t so sure. She seemed unable to bond with him. He couldn’t blame her. It was well known that his first love was Princess Finora and it was possible she resented him for it.

  “Yes Andreus,” Guida greeted, as she entered slowly. “Take him please,” he said. Guida walked over slowly. She reached for the boy but he turned from her. Guida gave Andreus a disapproving look. Their child was still shunning her. Guida was sad. She had milk in her breast that he didn’t want. Her natural desire to breast feed had gone unfulfilled. She couldn’t bond with her baby. And she blamed Andreus.

  “I will have the helpers care for him. Mother and I are going into town. We want to look at new silk that arrived from Piratchu,” Guida said. “You will do no such thing. You will care for him yourself like a mother should. People will find it odd that you never have him. Never take him out for the joys that other children indulge in. I see no reason he can’t go. Maybe you can stop at the trade market and find him something that pleases him,” Andreus said, looking fiercely at his wife.

  It was no secret that the two hated one another. Guida was jealous over his inability to feel the same excitement for her he felt for Fin. A first love that never was and she could not replace her. Guida didn’t blame Fin for the love that was so lacking in her marriage. She was aware that Fin did not hold him in the same regard. He was a fool. Plain and simple. And she hoped that fate would step in again someday and take him from her. Only this time permanently.

  Guida gave a half-hearted smile then turned and walked away. The young prince would tag along with his mother. She wouldn’t dare go against Andreus demands. He could be cruel when crossed. He scoffed after she closed the door. He knew what ailed her and he refused to make things right. She was not his first choice. And she had been untrue. But they had a son to raise together. It was better to keep Guida around.

  There was no love loss, but they were tied by fate and tragedy. Bonded in the love they both had for Zion. He would be the only child they would ever know. Guida’s reproductive organs were weakened by stress and illness, and she had lost a child because of it. The baby expelled from her body one day as she bathed. A devastating loss that took a toll on her. But the gods answered her prayers. She had another baby. And he had an heir. And so, she would be his wife forever. She knew his secrets. There was only one other person who knew as much. He believed Guida told Lark more than she should. The reason Lark would have to die. The world wasn’t big enough for the both of them.

  Waves

  L

  ance walked into the master bedroom and began to remove his cufflinks. He glanced up and looked at Fin in the mirror. She slept with shades over her eyes. A suggestion by one of her cooking classmates at the local chef school. It worked wonders. She never could get used to the bright lights of her new environment. Even at night, as dimmed night lights took over, it was still too bright for her sensitive eyes.

  The girls were asleep. Lance hoped she was awake by the time he made it home from his late meeting. They had something to talk about. He’d found a buyer for the home. It was great news since the buyer was willing to agree to the price and the terms and were ready to close. He wanted to take the offer. The couple were set to pay the asking price and the money had already been confirmed. It was time. The home had been on the market for over six months. Fin made up excuses to squash every deal that was presented by their real estate broker. Lance could see she was stalling. But this was the best deal. They had to move quickly. The buyer had a pregnant wife and they were anxious to get into the home. Lance hoped that would help soften Fin to the deal. She had a weakness for babies

  “Fi,” Lance said in a low voice, as he crawled under the covers. He picked up the remote and shut the television off, then moved closer to Fin. She stirred slightly, then turned away from him and let out a gentle sigh. Lance moved closer, then slowly placed his hand on her hip. He called her name again in a low voice. Fin awoke and turned her head as she pulled the eye shields off. She turned to face him. She laid her head on his chest and tried to go back to sleep. Lance smelled her hair and rubbed her back. He wanted her. He could hold off on the news until the morning.

  Fin began to move. She ran her hand across his chest. “What is it honey,” she said, as she stretched then opened her eyes. Lance seized the opportunity. She was in a good mood. She appeared relaxed.

  “We have another offer. They are ready. They accepted the sale price and are ready to move forward. A couple with a baby on the way,” he said. Fin raised up. Lance raised up with her. The look on her face spoke volumes. He could see she wasn’t happy with the news. It was time to talk about their options.

  “Don’t look at me like that. We have to sell it Fin. That’s what people do here. You don’t sit on property that you aren’t using. You sell it or rent it out. And that house is too expensive to rent. It doesn’t make sense financially for anyone to rent it. What do you want me to do?” he asked. Fin looked away from him. She understood what he was saying. But where she was from, nermeins didn’t move. Homes where passed down, generation to generation. Homes were where memories were made.

  “I’m not sure Lance. I miss that house. That’s our special place. Can we wait,” she asked, glancing at him. Lance was feeling her vibes. It was their special place. He sighed. She had never put it that way. Her words had him thinking. He wasn’t in a rush. But the empty home was attracting a lot of attention. And the neighbors were asking about it. He was spending a lot of time and money on upkeep and he would rather put his time into something else. But Fin was attached to it in an emotional way and he couldn’t part with it until she was ready. “Okay. We’ll wait,” he said. Fin laid her head on his shoulder.

  Her girls loved the new house and she loved their old home. She didn’t want to disappoint them. They had a backyard. A playscape. And a large inground pool. Isla and Nimah were settled and happy. She told herself she couldn’t take them from their home with plenty of leisure activities, to a home surrounded by water that they couldn’t even
enter. Swimming in the pool and swimming in the ocean were completely different things. She wasn’t sure they were ready.

  Lance kissed his wife on the top of her head. They laid back down and held each other. Lance stared at the ceiling. He didn’t want to continue taking it on himself. He was running a company and he had a family. He would need a property manager. He decided to look for one. It would make his life easier. The house was no longer for sale. Not until Fin approved.

  T

  he Reed family awoke early and ate breakfast then prepared to leave for their planned day od activities. Lance had a surprise for his wife and kids. Fin was excited. She wondered what her husband had in store. She packed a small lunch in four bags for their time on the road. Lance informed her it was an hour drive to their destination. And she wanted to be prepared.

  “Issie are you ready,” she asked, as she got Nimah ready. “Okay baby. Put your legs in,” she said. Nimah raised her little legs as Fin placed the pull-up on. She put Nimah’s clothes on then brushed her hair into one ponytail. A neat little trick shown to her by a woman she’d met at her cooking class. Fin sighed. Getting two girls ready was draining. Isla was already dressed and ready. She just needed to get Nimah dressed. It had been a long morning. And it looked like everything was done. “Come on,” she said, as she walked with Nimah down the stairs and out to the awaiting minivan. Lance had rented it specifically for their drive. Lance came out and placed the small cooler packed with ice and drinks in the car as Fin loaded her girls in their car seats.