Thus far, it didn't look very impressive.
In fact, Nimri wondered if Raine knew half as much about boats and boat building as she claimed. Did she really think that she could take two of the long, thin cargo canoes, which were used to carry loads of milk, cheese, butter and leather to market and build some sort of hut over them, which they could travel in to Tem-aki's island?
As she watched, two mules led by Larwin and Thunder pulled a cart load of the kind of giant bamboo used to build barns into the clearing and they began to unload it. Some of the townspeople used for sheds, and while it was a lovely golden color, Nimri wondered why Raine would choose barn material.
If they managed to build a boat, she suspected it would sink before they got to the blue water, which would be upsetting, but survivable. If it sank in the blue water, it would probably mean sure death.
She shivered.
Bryta bustled into the room. "Oh, you surprised me. I thought you'd gone with the others."
Nimri turned from the window and shook her head. "No, my part of the project is collecting fabric and sewing a sail." She gestured to the pile of sheets by the chair.
"Do you need help with that?" Bryta asked.
Nimri gratefully nodded. "Always, you know how incompetent I am with a needle."
Though she could see how tempted Bryta was to comment on that, instead, she picked up the sheets she had begun sewing together.
"Raine said that a triangle shape is easiest to hold and control the wind."
Bryta's eyebrows both rose. "You plan to command the wind?"
Nimri shrugged. "I'm just quoting Raine." She gestured to the sketch and the length of yarn Raine had measured. "She color coded the drawing, so the longer up-down part needs to be finished the exact length of the red yarn and the blue yarn is what the bottom must be."
Bryta snorted. "Exactly?"
"It's what she said." Nimri put down the binoculars. "She also said the easiest way to get the high-pot-ten-use correct would be to sew a rectangle half the length of the red yarn on one side and the exact length of the blue one." Bryta's brows raised higher. Nimri shrugged. "I don't know what she meant, but Larwin seemed to think it was good advice, so what I've got so far is the blue, but I'm still working up to the red."
"Why half the length for the red?"
"Apparently, once that is done, I will need to measure halfway across one of the blue sides, down to one corner and then cut." She made a frustrated gesture. "It doesn't make sense."
"Perhaps it does, if you then sew the two pieces together."
Nimri frowned. Had Raine said anything about that?
Bryta's mouth puckered as she looked at Nimri's seam. "Would you be offended if I added a few stitches?"
"Not at all." She'd been worrying about the gaps, too and was grateful that Bryta cared enough to help. "In fact, I will have a lot more faith in this working if you sewed it."
~o~
After morning meal, Cameron watched Tem-aki casually move past the work tables on the patio, but today, instead of heading down the stairs to the beach, she was going toward the stairs to the town.
This was the second day in a row, when her pattern changed. Had something that he was unaware of changed? Cameron frowned, as he wondered why her destination bothered him.
Why did he feel the need to know where she was and what she was doing?
"She's a beautiful woman," Nolan said quietly.
"That she is,"Cameron agreed.
"Traditionally, dracos were married, celibacy only become popular in the past century."
"I know." Cameron turned to fully face his friend. "As you know, my grandfather was a draco, as were several of my ancestors. If they had not also been married with families, I would not be here, today." He clasped his hands behind his back. "Is there any reason why you feel the need to speak about marriage?" Cameron arched a brow. "Are you considering a relationship with one of our visitors?"
Nolan's eyes widened so much that the irises were surrounded by white. "Me? No! I am quite happy with my life." He lowered his voice, so no one else could hear. "But if your family line is to continue having members in the order, it might be something for you to consider."
Cameron took an involuntary step backward as he looked left and right to make sure no one else was nearby. What he actually saw was Varlet following Tem-aki. He tilted his head toward the stairs, "Perhaps I'm not the one you should mention that to."
"You think he's interested in her?" Nolan shook his head. "Varlet has no interest in females."
"At least that is what he would have us believe."
Nolan laughed. "You think it's an act?"
"Would it be so unheard of for someone to pretend one thing, when the opposite is true?"
"Sadly, it would be quite typical, which is why our job is so difficult." Nolan ran his fingers through his thinning hair. "However, in this case, I am quite sure that he has no tender feelings for her. And I know for a fact that you are the only one her eyes search for."
Upon hearing those words, a warm feeling exploded in his core and a sense of buoyant optimism began to tickle his senses.
"Wonder why Varlet is following her," Nolan said.
"You think he is?"
"Don't you?" Nolan turned to face him, his expression grim. "That boy has a bad core."
Cameron nodded, "But he doesn't do anything we can actually dismiss him for." He signed. "Believe me, I've been looking for just cause to dismiss him and his two syncopates."
Nolan looked around the patio and his expression became perplexed.
"What's wrong?" Cameron asked.
"How often does Varlet do anything without Dirk and Malin there to bolster his confidence?"
"Never."
Nolan nodded. "Exactly."
Cameron turned his head so quickly that he felt a sharp twinge in his neck. Nolan was correct, Malin and Dirk were each quietly painting an eye of the giant paper-mâché dragon head, which would be attached to a flexible, fabric body. Once done, the dragon would lead the parade, which began the Summer Solstice Ceremony.
"Without Varlet around, those two are decent workers," Nolan said.
"Always?"
Nolan shrugged. "This is the first time I've seen them without him around to influence them toward veiled contempt."
"That's exactly what he does, isn't it?"
Nolan nodded, then turned his attention toward the stairs to the town. "Are you going to follow them?"
"Do you think I need to for some reason?"
"He hates her. What if he decides to attack her?"
"Then I would pity him," Cameron said. Nolan blinked in surprise. "Remember me telling you that GEA-4 tossed me in the drink?... Those two emissaries or whatever they are are much stronger than I am."
Nolan shook his head.
Cameron nodded.
~o~
Tem-aki felt a prickle at her back, as if someone was watching her. She tried to appear casual, as she entered the closest shop on her right. Once in, she quickly stepped into the darkest clump of shadows and turned, to look out the open doorway. Less than a minute later, the surly one hurried by, looking from left to right, as if searching for something.
Or someone.
Why was he following her?
The one called Varlet turned in a quick circle, his gaze searching the shadows and shop interiors. Ah, so he had just realized he'd lost track of her. Tem-aki forced herself to stand still. Few things attracted a predator's attention quicker than movement, so even when it felt as if his gaze was raking her, the only thing she did was close her eyes to slits, so light could not reflect off them.
He spun around two more times before heading in the original direction she had been wandering in.
She counted to fifty before she dared move a muscle. Turning, she realized that an ancient-looking woman was seated on a three-legged stool in the rear corner of the shop. Her tan, wrinkled face, knobby knuckles along with her worn fingernails suggested that most o
f her life had been spent doing hard, manual work outdoors, yet now, she was using her work-worn hands and a delicate hook to fashion ivory thread into beautiful lace. Actually looking around the shop for the first time, Tem-aki realized that all the items in it appeared to have been created in the same manner.
Fascinated, she watched the old woman's hands move, as if they were an expert dancer, meticulously performing a ballet. As if by magic, whatever the piece she was making grew in length.
She was creating something beautiful, with only the odd hook-thingy and thread.
Again, Tem-aki looked around the shop's interior and admired the flawless construction.
To think that these scarfs, shawls and blankets could actually be made without a factory!
She took a few steps closer and knelt down to better watch the amazing hands create the intricate-looking piece. The old woman's head raised and Tem-aki was given a beautiful smile and word of greeting. In that brief moment, she realized the old woman's eyes were white. Though she'd never actually seen cataracts, she'd studied about them in medical history.
Still, it was startling to actually see someone who suffered from the affliction.
If the old woman could create flawless beauty out of nearly nothing, and not even be able to see it, then she, Tem-aki Atano could and would find her brother by using the resources she had available. At the moment, that was GEA-4, the strange skull, a slate slab and a stick of homemade chalk, but those all gave Larwin information to come to her.
Was she some silly female that needed to be rescued?
No!
She was the female that had set out to rescue her brother, not vice-versa.
Tem-aki grimaced, then admitted to herself that she simply had not expected to actually find him alive, much less have so much water involved.
Was GEA-4 correct that Larwin could be at least two-thousand miles away?
Even if she learned to swim or found a way to replenish the air in her suit, she was sure she could neither swim nor walk that distance.
The pattern the old woman was making in the center of the scarf, or whatever she was making, reminded Tem-aki of the round wheel Cameron had used to steer Sirocco. As she stared at it, she realized that her best option for reaching Larwin was to learn to speak Cameron's language well enough to ask for his help.
Choice made, she rose to her feet, adjusted her robe and went to the door. After a careful check, during which she didn't see any golden robe, she turned back toward Cameron's home, determined to learn to communicate with him as quickly as possible.
~o~
Nimri watched Raine and Thunder position a grid of the large structural bamboo over the two long canoes so the entire project became a long rectangle, which had canoe-type foundations on the long sides. Then, they began laying thin, sturdy reeds on top of this, which apparently would be a floor.
Instead of having the sides of a boat to hang onto, did they expect passengers to ride on top of that flat surface, where they would bake in the sun and get soaked with rain? And just how did they plan to use the fabric they had entrusted her to sew? Was her part of the project even necessary?
She turned the binoculars to Larwin's face, and saw barely veiled excitement and anticipation. When you loved someone, it wasn't easy to accept some of the things they wanted. While Nimri applauded and supported his desire to be reunited with his sister, she didn't know if she would ever be happy about the proposed method of getting to her.
Mica began to fuss. Nimri put down Larwin's magical glasses and picked up her son. "Did you think you were being ignored?"
Mica gurgled and kicked his feet.
"I'm sorry you felt that way. I love you and always hope to be here for you. Your daddy loves you, too... He also loves his sister, that's your Aunt Tem-aki. Do you realize how special love is? Did you know that distance doesn't matter if you really love someone?... What matters is trust for that relationship to work out."
Mica cooed, as if he understood. Unfortunately, he didn't understand how dangerous the thing was that his father wanted to do. Yes, Larwin might find his sister, but what if he couldn't find his way home, afterward?
Nimri's eyes swam with tears.
Until this moment, she had considered making the trip with them, but now, she realized it would be impossible to take Mica on such a journey, and, to be honest, she dreaded the thought of being on a boat, particularly for the length of time it would probably take to get to wherever Tem-aki was at.
She also dreaded the thought of being separated from Larwin and the reality that if something happened to the flimsy wood and bamboo boat, she could lose not only her mate, but her brother. Her arms tightened protectively around Mica.
She wasn't sure what she could do to protect them on what Larwin called a mission and Thunder called an adventure, but if there was a way to protect them, and still protect Mica, she vowed to find it.
Chapter 23
Understanding poured into Tem-aki's mind, then GEA-4 removed her hands and the mind-meld was abruptly over.
Tem-aki straightened. "Let us hope this update is enough to finally begin serious conversation."
"I will continue to monitor their speech patterns and add to the program."
"Thank you." She wiped her damp palms on her robe, then headed out the door to test her new vocabulary on Cameron. Tem-aki found him watching the group that had been making paper bags. To her surprise, instead of putting things in the bags, they were using string to tie a small candle onto each bag's open end. As she watched, the freckled one lit a candle, while another carefully held the bag open, so that the heat and smoke went into it.
Why in the world were they doing that?
As she watched, the bag seemed to fill out. Cameron nodded to the one holding the bag and he let go. There was a chorus of 'ohs' as the bag hovered in the air, then began to drift toward the sky.
Heat rose, while cold settled, so on the physics front, what she'd just watched made sense. But it certainly didn't make any logical sense. Why in the world did they want empty bags in the air?
Tem-aki moved next to Cameron, whose attention was on what she could only call a poor excuse for a balloon. Still, she had to admit that it did look rather pretty as it sailed out over the harbor-area.
When Cameron noticed her, he smiled. "Can you imagine when we release hundreds at midnight?"
She blinked, half surprised by his question and half because she had understood it. Apparently, GEA-4 had finally figured out the language.
Tem-aki smiled. "Beautiful."
Cameron looked like she had given him a medal. "I'm so glad you approve. At first, I wondered why you were not participating in making the decorations, then I realized that you were here to see how well we would do, not do it for us."
Tem-aki understood the words, be not his meaning. Who did he think she was? Did the women supervise the men on this world? Was that what Annosha did, when she came to visit? Tem-aki focused on the word decorations, which seemed to mean that all this activity was about creating ornamental things. On Guerreterre, that sort of thing was mainly used for special ceremonies, which made sense, and could explain what he had tried to explain to her using the old-fashioned maps. She cleared her throat and asked, "These are for dragon ridge?"
"Absolutely! And, I assure you that everything will be ready to take there by the end of the week."
She smiled and nodded. "This is very special?"
He took her hand and squeezed it. "You know it is and your presence makes it more so."
That was nice of him to say. And it felt nice to hold his hand, too. "Tell me about all your plans."
"Again?"
Ah, so he had told her, before. She'd suspected as much. "Yes, please, but while you do, can we walk by the water, or do you need to be here?"
He waved to the nice gray haired man. "Nolan you're in charge." He caressed her palm with his thumb. "I'm all yours."
She liked the sound of that so much that she couldn't help smiling,
even though she knew he didn't mean it the way her daydreams wanted to take it. When they reached the top of the stairs, he let go of her fingers. Was that reluctance she had felt? Regardless, they both needed their hands to hold onto the rails, as they descended the steep steps.
They were silent while they went downward, but once they reached the sand and kicked off their sandals, his fingers found hers. "What do you want to know that requires such privacy?"
"I simply prefer to be here. But please tell me about your Summer Solstice Ceremony and why you go halfway across your island for this celebration."
"Don't you know?"
"I would prefer to hear what you think."
For a moment, Cameron seemed to be at a loss for words, then, as they slowly strolled along the still-wet sand, he began to speak. "As you know, we revere the dragons, partly because they represent fire." With his free hand, he gestured toward the cone-shaped mountain at the harbor entrance. "Fire built this island. Now, fire protects us when it burns out poisons and fire feeds us when we are hungry... Is there something you think we should worship instead?"
"Not at all. I just wanted to hear your thoughts in your own words."
"Do you worship fire?"
She blinked in surprise. "Not really."
"Dragons?"
She shook her head.
He stopped dead in his tracks. "Then what do you worship?"
Her gaze traveled across the harbor, to where the Sirocco was moored. "I don't know if worship is the correct word, but family is the most important thing to me."
"Family is a good thing." He seemed to be thinking hard. She waited, and after several moments he asked, "Do you not participate in the Solstice preparations because you believe our beliefs are wrong?"
"What is important to you is important to you, and that is good." She tilted her head to look up at him. "If something feels right in your heart, do you always ask others to confirm its value?"
"Others do not come from the creators."
"I beg your pardon?"
"Others do not come from the creators." She motioned him to continue. "Never before, in the entire history of my faction, have the creators sent an emissary, yet they sent you and GEA-4 to me while I was in the Protected Place. And, so there could be no mistake about who you were, you brought the lost Staff of Power." He raised his hand and touched her hair. "Of course, with your golden hair, I would have known."
Fire Island: Book 3 of The Chatterre Trilody (Chatterre Trilogy) Page 17