by Leah Ross
The architecture of the city was astounding. Everything was made of brilliant white clay that made the city glow warmly as it reflected the light of the rising sun. There were hidden passages and flights and flights of stairs everywhere. Brightly colored drapes fluttered in the constant breeze in every window, and rainbows of flowers dotted gardens that seemed tucked into every possible corner. Everything was vibrant and full of life. She thought she might want to stay here when Guinn was ready to retire.
The carriage slowed and finally stopped at the end of a street. A large, imposing building blocked the view of the water and the docks, but the rhythm and hum of constant activity beyond suggested the Annali shipbuilding industry was thriving.
“Here ye are, miss.” The driver opened the door and handed her down to the ground.
She paid for the ride, adding a sizable sum extra for the kindness. “Thank you, sir.”
“Thank ye, miss,” he said, doffing his cap and bending in a little bow, “Good luck.”
She walked into the building. There were people everywhere, despite the early hour. She approached the reception desk where a frazzled secretary was trying to do too many things at once. “Excuse me?”
“Name?”
“Laria Brookes.”
The secretary looked up with a frown. “Who are you?”
“Laria Brookes,” Laria repeated.
The woman rolled her eyes. “I heard your name. What do you want?”
“I’m looking for Guinn McCabe.”
The secretary stopped and leaned over the top of the desk with a menacing look. “I’m too busy to deal with you girls and your infatuations. You tell the good captain that his fan club is not welcome in a place of business. Off with you!”
Laria blinked in confusion. So many things whirled around in her mind that she was overwhelmed. She slumped into a nearby chair. Infatuations? Girls have come here asking for Guinn? She was beginning to think her surprise visit wasn’t such a good idea after all.
“Excuse me, miss.” A gentle hand touched her shoulder.
She looked up, her eyes wide and misty with tears of disappointment. A young man stood over her, his expression one of concern. His eyes were a beautiful green and his hair a shock of red. Freckles sprinkled across his nose and cheeks, indicating much time spent in the sun. He was not incredibly tall, but his broad, muscled chest and shoulders were a bit intimidating. Despite his obvious strength, he looked friendly. She felt a tear spill out of the corner of her eye and trail down her cheek.
“There, there, now,” he said with a thick accent, “No need to cry.” He handed her his handkerchief.
“Thank you, Mister...”
“Maclairish, miss. Declan Maclairish.”
“Thank you, Mr. Maclairish.”
“My pleasure, Miss Brookes, but please, call me Declan.”
She frowned, knowing she hadn’t introduced herself to this man. “Do I know you?”
“No’ as such, miss,” he said, “But I heard ye tell yer name to the secretary there, an’ I do ken yer name. Furthermore, I heard ye ask after Guinn McCabe. My deductive reasonin’ skills may be rudimentary at best, miss, but that can only mean that ye’re the same Laria Brookes who is betrothed to Guinn McCabe. The way the man goes on ‘bout ye, one would have to be daft no’ to recognize yer name.”
“I’m sorry, but...” She was completely confused, but with the way things had been going, she was getting used to the feeling. Besides, the sound of her name coming from his mouth in his accent made a shiver dance up her spine.
He chuckled softly and his smile reached all the way to his eyes. “I suppose perhaps I’d best introduce meself before ye get the wrong idea. Quartermaster Declan Maclairish, at yer humble service, miss.” He stuck out his hand.
It felt like a shock traveled up her arm when she took his hand. She dismissed it immediately as an inconsequential anomaly. Then realization struck. “Guinn’s quartermaster?”
“Aye, the same. But I have to say ye’ve caught me a bit off my guard.”
“How so?”
“Guinn neglected to mention yer stunnin’ beauty. I didna come prepared.” He brought her fingers to his lips.
She blushed. “I think the secretary is mistaken about whom the girls really come here to see. You should warn people about that lethal charm, sir.”
He laughed, and something in the rough timbre of it made the pit of her stomach flutter alarmingly. “Come, I’ll take ye to see the captain.”
Her jaw dropped when she saw the shipyard. There were dozens of docks, and every one of them contained a ship in some stage of construction. It was noisy, and busy, and overwhelmingly large. Even this early in the day, men labored tirelessly on their creations.
Declan walked swiftly down the line, the path to his ship well-known and well-traveled. “Ours is down here, nearly at the end. Biggest ship in berth currently; canna miss ‘er! Course, she willna be here much longer.”
They came upon the largest, grandest ship Laria had ever seen. It was not only a strong, well-appointed vessel, but it was also a true work of art. Laria saw Guinn’s influence in every detail; she was amazed. Only final touches were left now, and she felt a small measure of the thrill Guinn must feel as she pictured this gorgeous ship commanding the waters of the ocean.
“Come aboard, miss,” Declan invited, “The captain will be there.”
They ascended the brow to the main deck. Declan gathered Laria behind his broad frame and called out to Guinn. “Ahoy! Captain!”
“What is it, Declan?” Guinn’s exasperated voice called from inside a cabin behind the bridge. “I’m busy!”
“I found somethin’ that belongs to ye, Captain!”
Guinn walked out of the cabin and down the stairs, wiping his hands on a rag. “This had better be good.”
Declan stepped aside, leaving Laria grinning up at Guinn. “Surprise,” she said.
“Laria!” Guinn covered the distance between them in a few long strides and lifted her into his arms, kissing her deeply. He put her back on her feet and gazed into her eyes, caressing her cheek with his fingers. “What are you doing here? I wasn’t expecting you until the ceremony at the end of the week!” He twirled her around. “I’m so happy to see you! Let me show you around!”
As Guinn led Laria away to show off his masterpiece, Declan rounded up every man aboard and ushered them quietly off the ship. He turned once more to see the couple heading into the captain’s cabin before he left the ship himself. He smiled knowingly to himself and headed for his office, ignoring the insistent pounding that had begun against his temples. He knew where Guinn would be spending the day, and there was nothing urgent enough that it couldn’t wait until tomorrow.
~*~
“I’ve named her the Aeon Grimoire,” Guinn said proudly, gazing up at the ceiling of his bedroom, arms behind his head. After showing off every inch of his magnificent vessel to Laria, he’d promptly whisked her off to his flat, where they’d spent the better part of the day in bed, doing everything but sleeping.
She raised herself up on her elbow, not needing to ask what he was talking about. “Pretty. Why did you choose that name?”
“Aeon because her legacy will last for eternity. There won’t be a soul on this planet who doesn’t know her or who captains her.” The determined gleam in his eye underscored the intensity in his voice. He looked at her. “Grimoire is in your honor. I want you and your exceptional magical prowess to protect the ship and all aboard and make her the power to outshine all others. I want no doubt left as to her supremacy, both physically and magically.”
“You still want me to go with you?”
“Of course!” he exclaimed. “I want you with me always! I know you’re finishing school first, but when you graduate, you’re all mine.” He grinned. “That’s why I built a cabin with a mind to our future.”
She blushed. “I didn’t think you had time to think of those things.”
“What good is building a dyna
sty with no heirs to perpetuate it?”
“You’ll want a boy, of course.”
He shook his head emphatically. “Any child of ours will be adequately prepared to lead, whether boy or girl.”
“And if our child chooses a different path?”
He grinned mischievously. “Why then, we’ll just have to keep having children until one wants to take over.”
“Just how many extra cabins have you built, Captain?” She laughed. “Or do you intend to crew your ship entirely with your own progeny?”
He chuckled. “We’ll cross that bridge when we get there.”
“It sounds wonderful, Guinn.”
“Are your parents still planning to attend the ceremony?”
She laid her head on his bare chest and closed her eyes, reveling in the strong beat of his heart. “They should arrive in town in a couple of days.”
“Good. I really want your father to share in the realization of this dream that he helped bring to fruition.”
She smiled. “He wouldn’t dare miss it, Guinn.”
“It would also be a great honor to escort all of you back home in style.”
She lifted her head to look into his eyes. “You’d share your maiden voyage with us?”
He ran his fingers through her hair. “I’d like nothing better. Please say you’ll come.”
“I’d love to!” She captured his lips in a kiss. He laughed and rolled her over to claim her once more.
~*~
“It’s done.” Guinn leaned back against the wheel as he lounged on the deck of the bridge with Laria, William, and Declan.
The speeches were over, the fanfare done, the crowds gone, the crew off celebrating. The dock below was littered with colored bits of confetti. Guinn looked down at the certificate in his hand in disbelief, the gold embossing declaring the Aeon Grimoire as the newest addition to the Annali fleet.
“It’s DONE!” Guinn shouted to the sky with a delirious grin. “We did it!” He took a large swig from the bottle of wine in his fist.
Declan clanked his own bottle against Guinn’s. “Nae, Captain. Ye did this. This magnificent vessel is yer opus, born o’ yer determination, yer ingenuity, yer imagination. Ye willed this into reality.”
“Without any of you, it would all still be nothing but a dream,” Guinn said graciously, “William, you took my outrageous ideas and brought them to life with flawless execution.”
“Yes, well, only someone as gifted as I could actually pull it off,” William said without an ounce of modesty. He grinned and winked at his friend, lifting his bottle in salute. “I thank you for noticing my talent, Captain.”
Guinn shook his head with a grin, leaning over to slug William in the shoulder. “Declan, hiring you at the very beginning of this project was the best move I’ve made so far. There’s no way we’d have gotten here without you.”
Declan inclined his head in humble acknowledgement. “Ye honor me, Captain. Thank ye for givin’ me the chance to prove meself.”
“And you…” Guinn pulled Laria against him, kissing her nose. “You believed wholeheartedly in this endeavor. I never would have made it through school if not for you.”
She waved off his compliment. “That’s nonsense, and you know it! Sheer determination would have gotten you through to graduation without me.”
“Don’t give him too much credit, Laria,” said William. “If left to his own devices, he’d have been doomed to failure from the outset.”
Guinn punched him again. “Thanks a lot, asshole!”
“Bloody hell, Guinn!” William rubbed his arm. “Don’t get me wrong, you’re a visionary, mate. But you just don’t have the patience to handle the details.”
Laria rolled her eyes at their immaturity. “When do you sail?” She hoped it wouldn’t be immediately.
“You mean, ‘when do we sail’, since you’ll be on the first voyage too.” Guinn smiled at her. “Well, the ship still needs to be fully supplied, and that will take a few days. What d’you say, Declan? A week?”
Declan nodded. “Aye. She’ll be ready to sail by then.”
“I’d really love to see some of this beautiful city while I’m here,” Laria said wistfully.
A frown crossed Guinn’s face. “I’d love to show you around, but I have to stay here and make everything ready.”
“I understand,” she said softly, biting her lip to keep her disappointment in check.
“Captain, go on an’ spend yer time wi’ Laria,” Declan offered, “I’ll see that everythin’ gets done.”
“I’d rather do it myself... at least this time.” The guilt was apparent on Guinn’s face.
“Then let me escort Laria, Guinn. ‘Twould be an honor to show her ‘round.”
Guinn brightened immediately. “Perfect! Why, Declan’s lived here longer than we have; he knows all the best spots. He’ll be a much better guide than I could be.”
“I suppose that means I’m stuck here helping His Royal Bossiness with the final preparations.” William shot a glare at Declan. “I want to trade jobs with Declan.”
Laria ignored him. “As long as you don’t mind, Declan.” She was a bit unsure and didn’t want it to seem like she was taking advantage of his kindness.
Declan bowed his head to her. “‘Twould be my pleasure, my lady.”
~*~
Guinn held Laria close and kissed her. He ran his fingers through her hair and over her body while his tongue plunged into her small, soft mouth.
A low growl rumbled through Declan’s mind, and his irritation flared. “Must I be here for this?”
Guinn laughed as he released Laria. “We need to find you a girl, mate.”
Want that one. Declan gritted his teeth and pasted a patronizing smile on his face.
Guinn kissed Laria one more time and grabbed his log book from the step behind him. “Have fun today. You’re in good hands.” He strode off down the street with a wave.
Declan offered Laria his arm. “Shall we?” They strolled to the nearest intersection where he hailed a cab to take them to the central garden. They boarded and the carriage set off.
When the carriage stopped, Declan paid the driver and Laria looked around at the city center. The central garden was enormous, with buildings arranged around it like a wall. It truly did resemble an oasis in the middle of a white desert. There were so many trees and plants of every kind that she was overwhelmed by the sheer mass of foliage. She could spend every day here for a year and never see the same part of the garden twice.
There were people everywhere. The garden was obviously a central gathering place for the city, and a broad cross-section of the population was well represented. Declan grabbed her hand and led her down a main path. After only a couple of minutes of walking, a man with a basket of flowers approached them.
“Flower for the lady?” He handed a gorgeous purple-speckled flower to Laria. Just as she reached for it, the man pulled it back and gave them a mischievous smile. “Free of charge if you kiss her, sir.”
Laria blushed furiously as Declan laughed. “No’ my girl, mate, much to my disappointment,” he said good-naturedly. “Dinna think the captain would much appreciate me kissin’ his fiancé. I will buy the lady the flower anyway. It hardly does her justice, though.” He paid the man, taking the flower and handing it to Laria. Then, looking into her eyes, he brought her fingers to his lips.
Her blush deepened and the flower-seller smiled. “I apologize for the mistake. Enjoy your day, sir. Miss.” He moved on to his next customer.
“I can’t believe... Do we look...? That was embarrassing,” she flustered.
Declan laughed. “The man makes his livin’ off his assumptions o’ other people. He’s bound to get it wrong sometimes. Dinna let it get to ye.”
She nodded, her face still aflame. What unnerved her most was not the mistaken assumption. What she couldn’t tell Declan, what she didn’t even dare admit to herself, was the unsettling realization of what the simple brush of his lips
across her fingers had stirred within her soul. It was unlike anything she had ever felt before.
~*~
“Here we are.” Declan pulled out a chair for Laria. “The best café in the city.”
“Wonderful! I’m famished!”
They had been walking around all morning enjoying the sights and had finally stopped for lunch. Declan was a wealth of information on so many topics; he knew the city inside and out and made sure Laria saw only the best the city had to offer. The café to which he’d taken her overlooked the fragrant fruit orchard section of the central garden. The trees were in full bloom and the heady scent of the blossoms was intoxicating. She inhaled it deeply.
“Are ye enjoyin’ yerself, miss?” He watched as she closed her eyes and lost herself in the perfume of the orchard below. She looked so peaceful that he couldn’t help smiling.
She took another deep breath. “Heavenly.” A small smile lifted the corners of her lips.
Declan’s heart pounded. She looked so lovely just sitting there, completely immersed in her joy. He knew he had no right to think the thoughts racing through his mind, but he couldn’t help himself. He was so taken by this woman. Her beauty so overwhelmed him that he couldn’t stop his emotion from spilling out. “Beautiful,” he whispered. Deep in his mind, soft laughter echoed.
Her eyes opened and a frown crossed her face. He bit his lip to prevent anything more dangerous from escaping his mouth. “The orchard, I mean,” he lied.
Laria looked down and pretended to inspect the fine silverware in front of her. They both knew exactly what he had meant. Her feelings were all muddled and confused. She found it astounding that she barely knew this man, and yet she felt such a strong connection to him. She loved Guinn with all her heart, but Declan had touched parts of her soul that Guinn just wasn’t capable of reaching. The two men’s personalities were so different, and while both treated her with the utmost respect, the way each of them related to her was vastly dissimilar. Guinn was boisterous and loud, arrogant and moody, and his affection for her swung wildly between overtly demonstrative at best and borderline neglectful at worst. Guinn was concerned about Guinn; Laria was only along for the ride.