The anger was slowly starting to wane. She could see it in his eyes, their bright umber glow fading. His head lowered in defeat to rest against Aiva’s shoulder, wrapping his arms around her in a tender embrace. Her heart ached for him. It tortured her to know his suffering was because of her. And he was right. His relationship with Ireni was an innocent mistake. One that many people made throughout their lives. Her own mother had been betrothed to another man before she married Thade, and that man had fallen to the sorcerous magic of the blasphemous Ven’shal. Her previous engagement to that traitor hadn’t prevented her from finding happiness. So why should Callum be punished for something far less severe? If General Cadell wouldn’t listen to Aiva’s protests, her mother would surely be a more reasonable ear. In the end, her mother’s verdict was the only one that mattered. A pardon by the Queen would clear him of all suspicion.
“Callum, I need you to trust me to help with this,” she whispered soothingly into his ear. “I know you are used to handling everything on your own and carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders for the sake of your men, but that is not the case with me. With us. I love you, and I am not going to let them take you from me. It was my stubbornness that got you into this mess. I have faith that it can also be what sets you free.”
“For some reason I believe you,” he laughed miserably into her hair. “You’re just crazy enough that I think you could talk our parents into anything.”
“It may require me to blackmail them if they try to argue my logic. The bottom line is that I’m not going to back down,” she assured him. “No matter what, you have my word that you are not going to lose me. I don’t care if it means I have to banish myself to be by your side, you will not be without me. We promised, remember? No more leaving. It is not allowed.”
A loud roar of thunder caused Aiva to jump with a start. Callum took advantage of her distraction to move her away from the door, her hand reaching out for the handle in dismay to realize she had lost her grip. She struggled to move in front of him, her frantic reaching slowly coming to a halt when she saw that he wasn’t leaving. He stood there, stoic and still, the only movement that of his hand to slide the lock into place, securing them inside the room together. “You’re right,” he nodded calmly. “I wouldn’t be much of a husband if I walked out on you now. My only concern is that I may have to rely on you more than I like to admit if we are going to have a chance. You know my father. He will be displeased. I think I fear disappointing him more than I do the banishment itself. Ever since I was a child, all I wanted was to be like him. I wanted him to be proud of me. For some reason I keep stumbling in my attempts to achieve that. My father has seen enough disappointment in his life. I don’t want to be the cause of anymore.”
“You won’t be. When all is said and done, I suspect you might be surprised to discover just how proud of you he really is.”
“I hope you’re right, Aiva.”
“There is no need for hoping. I know this to be true,” she smiled. “I saw it in his eyes the day of our wedding. The one in Escovul, of course. Something tells me neither of our parents would have been very proud of us last night.” Aiva stifled a laugh at the memory. For all the drinks they consumed, she recalled far more than she expected. Enough to cause her face to flush while gazing into Callum’s eyes. A similar pink hue tinted Callum’s cheeks, both of them laughing quietly in spite of themselves. “He only wants what is best for you,” she continued. “You are his son. If you explain everything to him, he will see that you were not to blame and are not the traitor Dacian wanted us to believe. And everyone aboard the ship whose lives you saved by sacrificing yourself to the divastru – they will vouch for your loyalty as well. Don’t forget that my brother was among those you protected.”
The concern vanished from Callum’s face. Every line softened, his hand beckoning for her to come with him as he moved toward the cot. “Will you sit with me, Aiva?” he asked quietly, settling himself on the tiny bed. “There is something I would like to share with you.”
Curious, Aiva did as he requested. She climbed onto the cot, curled lovingly at his side, relaxed against his firm frame. His hands pulled the blankets over them, resting his head against the wall.
“Do you hear that?” he asked. “One of my favorite sounds when I was at sea was the rain. Storms can be soothing to a weary mind. I remember lying in bed, listening to the thunder at night, and thinking to myself how much I wished you could be there with me. To enjoy the peacefulness of it.”
Letting go of her chaotic thoughts she opened her mind to what Callum was saying. In that moment she knew what he meant. The rain beat down rhythmically on the water and the side of the boat, playing an ever changing melody with each drop. Even the thunder ceased to be frightening while lying there in Callum’s arms. Instead, it added to the song sung by the rain, hypnotic in its erratic cadence. “It’s beautiful,” she whispered. “I could listen to it all day.”
“Then let’s,” Callum smiled, drawing her in closer. There was something calming about just being there with him. They didn’t require words. No sounds. Just knowing they were together brought a sense of peace to her heart. She didn’t care if they never moved again until the ship docked in Luquarr. Everything in that moment was perfect. She wanted to enjoy their time together before life spun out of control again. It was only a matter of time. But for now – all she could focus on was the rain.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Tossed about by the crashing waves of the sea Aiva clung to the rail, sick to her stomach from the constant motion. The rain continued to fall for days. She was beginning to think it would never end. Her hair and clothes were soaked through to the skin, a chill settling over her, made worse by every gust of wind that blew off the water. Around her the men started to bustle about quickly. Curious, she turned from the side of the ship, watching their every movement in fascination. At the helm, Callum stood beside Captain Bingham. They talked amongst themselves, an occasional hand gesture directed to the east.
Excited by the possibility that they might be nearing the docks, she hurried across the water-pooled boards of the deck, boots splashing in the puddles along the way. Her clothes were already wet. It made little difference if she added more rain to the fabric. Carefully she made her way up the worn steps to where the two men stood, her gaze hopeful while looking upon them. “The men are more active than usual. Is something wrong?”
“Not at all,” Callum smiled, motioning for her to come closer. “Captain Bingham tells me our estimated arrival time will have us in Dackdyn by dinner.”
“Unless the storm worsens,” Bingham added, an ominous feel to his words. “Without the rain, we might have been there two days ago. Irisus must be in a fit about something. And when she gets in a mood…”
Aiva smiled, stepping into Callum’s open arms. She leaned against him, giving a sigh of content to feel him next to her. “Maybe she is angry we did not share our rum with her the other night.”
“I think maybe we spilled a bit too much rum into her waters. It’s the morning after the party that Irisus don’t know how ta handle,” Bingham grinned. His hands gave a stern twist of the wheel, their direction held steady to the east. “This close ta land, we shouldn’t have too much trouble now. No need ta worry, lass. We’ll have your feet on dry land soon.”
Callum rubbed his hands briskly over Aiva’s arms. “Speaking of dry, you are soaked to the bone, Aiva. We should get you below deck to warm up.”
“I’m quite alright. It takes more than a little rain to get me down. Besides, I prefer the view from here,” she tilted her head backward to look up at Callum. He smiled down at her, squeezing her tighter against him.
He gave a polite nod to Bingham, gently guiding her away from the wheel and down the stairs to the main deck. Aiva went willingly with every direction he gave. She trusted him. There was no reason to argue. Keeping her close he stepped up to the rail, pointing to what looked to be nothing more than a dot along the horizon. �
��That is Luquarr,” he nodded. “I don’t know about you, but I’m both happy and frightened about reaching their port. However, if anyone asks, I will of course deny the latter.”
Laughing quietly to herself she followed Callum’s line of sight. The more she strained her eyes, the more she thought it possible to see other ships in the distance. “There is no reason for you to be concerned,” she replied, her tone comforting. Guilt lingered heavily on her conscience, though she refused to let Callum see her discomfort at the thought of what might transpire upon reuniting with their fathers. “It might be awkward for a little while, but we’ll figure it out.”
“The mainland will be less inviting than Vailetta. If we are discussing ratios, the number of pirates in Dackdyn is more than double that of tradesmen and merchants. Those who are not pirates are thieves and brigands in their own right. Raiders are common along the main roads. With just the two of us, we are at high risk of an attack. Easy target, as they would say.”
“We will be fine.” Aiva gazed into the distance blankly. She wasn’t sure she believed her own assurances. Callum was doing too well at painting an image in her mind of how terrible Luquarr would be. Nerves caused her stomach to churn worse than it already was, hands clutched tightly at her abdomen to try and dull the ache. “If there is a stable in Dackdyn, we should acquire horses. That will improve our speed and leave us less vulnerable.”
His watchful eyes made her uncomfortable. Not wanting to risk making him nervous, Aiva removed her hands from her stomach, propping her elbows on the rail. She couldn’t blame him for his curiosity. They were far from experienced in relationships to the degree that theirs had risen. Her only issue was in that his earlier fears were making her uneasy as well. “You look a little paler than usual,” he said, his voice quiet. Distracted by something Aiva couldn’t see. “Are you sure you are well?”
“Callum,” she sighed. “This boat has not stopped rocking for days. It’s nothing but a little motion sickness.” Shifting her weight she stared at him, chuckling softly. “My goodness. What are you going to do when we actually decide to have children? Lock me in my room until they are born?”
“It’s a tempting idea,” he nodded with a nervous grin. “My fear lies in how far from home we are. If you came in need of a doctor, a proper physician would not be available. Once we return to Sivaeria, my worries will cease. Although…” he looked her up and down, a thoughtful expression on his face. “Last time we discussed children, you were adamant about not having any. Are you implying you have changed your mind?”
“I was thinking three would be a good number,” she stated lightly. Glancing out of the corner of her eye she searched Callum’s face for an indication of his opinion. There would be time when they were safely in Tanispa to discuss the intricacies of a family. She simply found it fun to see Callum squirm. To her delight he seemed sufficiently rattled by the suggestion. “Oh, that may be too few,” she continued, pretending not to notice his awkward expression. “Twins run in my family, you know. If we have twins, they will have each other to play with, but the third one… they might feel left out. My grandmother had six. What do you think? We could try to outdo Grandma Vorsila and have seven?”
Callum cleared his throat, the shade of his face turning a pasty white. “You’re right. The rocking on this ship does tend to make the stomach feel somewhat queasy. I think I feel it as well.”
“You’re so easy to tease,” Aiva laughed, squeezing his hand tightly in hers. “I speak in jest. We are young, Callum. There’s no reason for us to concern ourselves with the thought of an heir for a long time. The gods will provide us one when the time is right.”
He returned the pressure of her hand gently. “Seven is a good number,” he smiled. “All I ask is that at least half of them are sons. If our daughters are anything like you, they will cause my hair to grey before I am ninety.”
“You cannot be serious. Seven? Really?” Aiva gawked at him. “You do realize I was joking…”
“No, I think seven is perfect,” he winked.
Turning her gaze heavenward she let out a groan. She had opened herself up to the joke. There was no one to blame but herself. “We will get started on that once we discover a way for you to bear a few of them. That only seems fair.”
“How about this,” Callum smirked. “I insist we begin immediately upon our return to Tanispa unless you agree to get out of the rain.”
“If we are close to Dackdyn, I should make sure our belongings are packed. I would like to be the first ones off the ship, if possible.” She gave a wistful sigh at the sight of land in the distance. It was coming closer. Every minute that passed showed the island with more clarity, an outline of ships moored along a massive harbor. After all this time, they were finally there. Luquarr was within reach. Her entire body tingled excitedly to think of Shaelyn being somewhere nearby. And Edric – he would be there as well. Everything was finally starting to come together.
Pleased by her concession, Callum leaned forward to plant a soft kiss on her wet forehead. “Get yourself dried off the best you can. We’ll grab some food when we dock and then seek out horses and a map. If you are up to it, we can travel through the night to cover some lost ground.”
“I insist we do,” she smiled. “Call me when the ship is almost to port.” Lifting onto her tiptoes she placed an excited kiss on Callum’s cheek, her eyes brightening like two lanterns in the midst of the rain. She felt giddy. Pulled in every direction from all the things she wanted to do. Try to relax, she told herself calmly. It won’t do you any good to wear yourself out before the ship reaches the dock. Quickly, she hurried off toward the stairs. Pack. That would be the best way to occupy her mind. She only hoped she could drag the task out long enough to keep her distracted until they arrived.
The ramp was barely placed at the dock when Aiva hurried from the ship, beckoning Callum to follow, her enthusiasm bringing a smile to his face. She couldn’t help the excitement she felt. They were on land. It didn’t matter that rain poured down on them from above. Hair matted to her head, she tugged at Callum’s hand, urging him forward along the pier. The number of ships moored there was astonishing. It would take some time to seek out the ones belonging to her father. She needed to see it. To know he was there.
Adjusting the bag on his back Callum caught up to Aiva’s side. He brought his hand to shield his eyes from the rain, peering out along the docks that jutted from the shore. “They wouldn’t tie-off on this part of the port. These ships are all traders and merchants. Visiting vessels would be more to the north. The location provides easier access to countries along the Nahpoa Sea.”
“You are more familiar with the area than I am. I will follow your lead,” she said, shivering from the cold. Her teeth had begun to chatter involuntarily. After so much time in the extreme heat of Palinon and Tunir, cold felt foreign. Under any other circumstance she might have been tempted to complain about the temperature. At the moment she didn’t care enough to waste the breath. All she wanted was to see her father’s ship. To locate the lifeboats that had taken Edric and Gadiel away from the sinking vessel. Their safety was the only thing she could think about. She would worry about a few goose bumps later.
They hurried down the street leading along the shore. The skip in Callum’s step told her that he shared her impatience to find the ships they sought. Her heart sank with every dock they passed with no sign of the Tanispan vessels. They had to be there. She refused to accept the possibility that none of them had arrived. Their fathers were skilled fighters. Regardless of the dangers in the Nahpoa Sea, they would be more than capable of pushing through. A few pirates were nothing compared to the enemies they defeated in the past.
Something caught her eye in the distance. A smaller boat floating in the water near one of the many docks. She focused on it, paying no mind to Callum’s confused glance, legs carrying her forward with determined strides. Could it be? It looked to be nothing more than a dinghy. Out of place next to the massive ships w
hich surrounded it.
Her pace quickened to a run, tearing free of Callum’s grasp in her desperation to reach it. There had to be something to verify ownership. The lifeboats on the royal ships all bore the Levadis crest somewhere in their make. It was just a matter of where. Callum wasn’t far behind, rushing to the front of the boat to climb inside. “This is from our ship,” he stated, breathless at the realization. “The royal crest is painted here on the front. It is faded badly, but I can still see it.”
In a joyous dance she leapt into the boat, catching Callum up in her arms. “Someone made it. At least one of the boats. There have to be more. I can’t believe only a single craft made the journey.”
Nodding in agreement Callum clasped Aiva’s hand, practically dragging her out of the boat and back onto the dock. “They would have arrived around the same time. If the others made it, they will be in this general vicinity.”
Each pier was surprisingly long. She struggled to keep up with Callum’s long legs, occasionally stumbling over an uneven board, arms flailing to regain her balance. Halfway down the length she spotted a second boat. A third. Her heart felt about to burst from her chest. They paused where the dock came to an end, Callum’s forehead creased, indicating his finger toward a fourth and final boat which floated on the opposite side. “Four,” he mumbled. “I expected at least five, if not six, unless we lost more men to the divastru than I thought.”
The Myatheira Chronicles: Volume Two: Beyond the Veil Page 70