Laikhostra is a project I've been working on since 2002 and the very first year I participated in NaNoWriMo. There are actually several other excerpts from this universe here in my journal, so you may be familiar with the characters.
"Oh no, Zandra, I can't do this."
She laughs softly, an actual sympathetic sound,
and gently tugs at my hand. "Yes,
you can, my heart. There have been far
too many negotiations made to ensure this transportation. This is the best option we have right now,
such as it is."
"I heard that, Knight."
Zandra turns slowly to face the petite woman
coming toward us, and I can see that great hulking cat of hers twining
sinuously between her legs. Mandrigor's
rumble from within his crystal on my cane is echoed by my Bond-mate.
"Captain Riverfray," I say, voice only quavering slightly, "how good to see you. I was wondering if there was any chance that
we could delay this departure? The
weather seems to be conspiring against us.
I believe that Woman is requesting that we wait for a time."
Kamryn's husky laughter strips the storm of its
power for the briefest of moments.
"Are you a monk or a quivering mouse? Do you honestly think that Woman would allow
one of Her monks to come to harm when the great Kamryn Riverfray is at the helm
of the greatest river boat in existence?
Or have you lost your faith?"
All eyes are on me suddenly and the sensation is stifling. Stepping on that ship will
change my life forever, and nothing will ever be the same again. We may not come back from this journey. This may well be the very last time my eyes
ever take in the sight of Valley Green.
Is this
really any different from the path you chose when you were abandoned to the
streets of Valley Green? Or when you
chose to step aside as Maiomehaylen
to share your life in Soulstone Bonding with Zandra?
Unable to fight with that inner voice's logic, I
draw a deep, cleansing breath and meet the captain's gaze. "You have no idea what my faith is,
Captain Riverfray, but your words have given me the impetus I
needed." My fingers thread together
with Zandra's in a show of bravado I don't completely feel, and we make our way
down the long dock to the ship waiting to take us to our destiny.
Once onboard, Zandra and Ferret take to the task
of stowing our gear away in our cabin. I
watch this small, but obviously competent, crew as preparations are finalized
to make way on our journey. They move as
one, each as a limb, the ship itself as the heart of their body. Even that beast they call a cat has a job to
do.
But my own body remains tense, the faint stirrings
of a headache growing behind my eyes. My
preference would be to blame it on the lack of something to do, but that would
be a lie. Fear gnaws at my thoughts, and I want nothing more than to flee to the enclosed safety of the archives of the monastery, destiny be damned.
"You're brooding, my heart." Zandra's soft, warm voice precedes her arms
wrapping around my waist from behind by mere seconds. Her very nearness is a soothing balm to my frazzled nerves and I sink back into her embrace willingly. "We'll be back. Have faith in the Four Deities--"
"Five."
The word comes unbidden, almost as if compelled to be heard. "Even if others have all but given up
the guise of worshipping the Great Mother, She cannot be forgotten."
"My apologies, beloved monk. I stand corrected." She nuzzles at the nape of my neck for a
moment, the fingers of her left hand moving automatically to stroke against my
Soulstone. The movement soothes me
almost instantly, as time has proven repeatedly for us, and we fall into a
comfortable silence as we await our destiny.
"Goodbye," glides whisper-soft across my lips as the ship pulls away from the dock, but I don't dare look back or this will all be for naught.
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