Aqueous Passage. Krystyna Faroe

surge of laughter. Allowing it to escape in a bellow of a laugh he watched the rapidly departing form of Hemlock tear around the corner.

      Standing over the fish head he picked it up in triumph, wielding his sword high and proclaimed, “Once again the Woodlanders are victorious.” Swinging his head around he pulled a confused expression as he scanned the deck. “But I seem to have lost my fellow defender!”

      More spurts of laughter erupted and he smiled realizing that he finally had camaraderie with his clan once more. It was good to see them all relaxed and happy; too often everyone looked tense and worried. They needed the break.

      “When you are done playing with tomorrows lunch!” The irate voice of the cook halted any further laughter as all eyes now landed upon the big burly body of their meal provider. He took them all in one by one, a menacing scowl upon his face. “I’ll be needing those heads for the soup.”

      Defenders dispelled air as they mumbled “Ugh!” and looked away from the fish heads that had once been amusing. Cook smiled as his words had the desired effect; taking in the cringing blanched faces before him he became self-satisfied with the result. The defenders that had been holding their bellies to prevent cramping from taught muscles due to laughter were now placed there to stop rolling stomachs instead. A contented expression crossed Cook’s face as he kicked a crate toward them.

      “And since you took them, you can put them back.”

      Pine stepped forward. “My apologies for my fellow clan members prank. We didn’t mean to offend you.”

      Cook squinted one eye as he looked at him and purposefully bent down to accentuate their difference in height. “Then they shouldn’t have set foot in my storage room.” The words were growled at Pine but they weren’t threatening, more I have a gruff reputation and I will keep it no matter how amusing your stunt was.

      Pine nodded in agreement.

      “Not one of them will set foot in your storage room again.”

      “Make sure they don’t or it won’t be just the fishes losing their heads!” With that Cook turned on his heel and stomped heavily across the deck to emphasize his displeasure.

      Pine turned to everyone including Hemlock who had snuck back during the brief tirade from Cook.

      “As funny as this was we must remember we are guests on board this ship and we should respect our hosts. No more interfering or entering places we are not allowed access; understood?” Heads nodded in return and Pine, satisfied, turned to Cedar. “Time for practice, start the drills.”

      Elm replaced his sword and prepared for physical combat. He paired up with Hemlock who seemed to have regained his trust and now wore a constant smirk.

      Elm gave a quick glance over to Fern whom he’d forgotten in the commotion but she wasn’t there and he felt his spirits drop from her absence. The feeling was momentary as Hemlock caught him off guard and took his feet out from under him causing him to fall backward and hit the metal deck with a thunk; the sound reverberated through the floor causing his head to throb and his pulse to resonate in his ears. Looking up he smiled and gradually pushed himself back up.

      “Now you’re in for it!”

      He received the response he wanted, a slight blanching and stall in Hemlock's movements, enough time for him to get hold of him in a grapple. He immediately trapped Hemlock's arms behind him in a hook with his left arm and went for a choke hold with his right arm. He noticed a look of admiration from Pine at the swiftness and exactness of his move. He felt a slight glow from it just as he had in his childhood when his father had commended him on something he’d done. It seemed ironic that Pine of all people was now his only paternal influence.

      **********

      Fern had laughed and wiped away tears as she had looked upon the high spirits of the defenders. The jerk of emotion she felt when Elm had finally seen her caused her so much confusion and turmoil that she had to leave. She moved to the other side of the deck where the sound was muffled and her view obscured. It gave her a break from Elm’s face, a face that invaded her thoughts so much that she could barely place Oak’s features anymore.

      Feeling angry with herself she went under the pagoda and threw herself into one of the heavy wooden chairs. It was going to be dark soon; the Lakeller girls would be dining with the captain and having drinks after their meal. It appeared to Fern that the girls were always on the deck either late in the morning or late in the evening when it was dark. They were never on deck early in the morning, the Lakeller girls were never out of bed at that time; they all seemed to sleep until almost noon. She’d wondered why they were never up early but the smirk and sparkling eyes of one of the Lakeller boys told her more than she wanted to know so she didn’t ask for further details.

      Lying back she stretched out her legs and pointed her toes to try and relax, pulling her toes up in a supine position she dropped them to the floor once more. The subdued sun gave a haze to everything and she closed her eyes to quiet her rambling thoughts. Ignoring what was happening on the opposite side of the ship she tried to picture Elanclose Forest. It didn’t take long for her to see the massive green leaves of the bushes, trees stretching high up, she could almost sense the breeze wavering around the vegetation, her hair moving with the soft flow of air, the earthy smell of brush and saw herself settling herself down upon a soft mossy bed of contentment. Her heart slowed with her vision, her body becoming pliable like the wavering leaves beside her, she felt her body heavy upon the ground, her problems sinking with her weight as if the pull of gravity was pulling away her personal torments.

      Her eyes suddenly burst open as she tried to gasp for breath, her body was restricted, tight as it fought against unknown forces that held her. Fear scorched through her destroying the peaceful images she had beheld only seconds ago. She felt her palms prickle with sweat as she recognized her restriction for breath was a gag that had been forced into her mouth. She could feel large fumbling hands tying the knot behind her head grasping clumps of hair in the process making her cringe as they were pulled out from her scalp. She tried to pull away but there was too much resistance, so she slid down. A hand grasped her arm before she could get anywhere; it held her with brutal force as a muffled cry escaped from her impinged mouth.

      She looked to her side to see Laroche, his expression sardonic and cruel; if her heart could have stopped it would have done at that moment. The very person she hated and feared the most had hold of her yet again and as she had felt that morning her stomach told her it wanted to eject its contents yet again. She knew she’d paled and couldn’t help but widen her eyes, she saw a forbidding smile touch Laroche’s face, he looked maliciously happy.

      It didn’t take much thought to know whose large fingers were behind her and she was soon presented with the inept frame of Gisburn. His expression was comical and she would have laughed if her circumstances weren’t as serious as she now knew them to be. He looked at her with both sorrow and determination. If he had been constantly saying sorry after everything he did it wouldn’t have surprised her. He looked at Laroche awaiting his orders.

      Ignoring Gisburn Laroche continued to stare malevolently at her. “You, are coming with me.”

      Pulling her up she saw a chance of escape and was about to veer to the opposite side of Gisburn and Laroche when she felt another hand grasp her free arm. Quickly turning to the new intrusive hand she silently gasped at the sight of Madden. A shiver ran through her as she looked into his spiteful eyes and took in the contempt he felt for her. Her options were the ruthless hands of Madden or the cruel ones of Laroche. Either way, she knew her future was a bleak one.

      “It seems there is no escape from being a captive is there Fern?” Madden’s eyes glowed as he said the words.

      She didn’t have time to be distressed further as she was pulled along by the two as Laroche strode ahead. Her mind was visualizing many scenarios; most of them methods of escape, others of where they were taking her. When they approached a readied boat she was not surprised, however, she was shocked that there were no Lakellers around to prevent their escape from happening. Where were they? Where were the defenders? She could hear a voice in the distance,