Aqueous Passage. Krystyna Faroe

her stomach roll.

      Gisburn was aiding Laroche as he walked or rather stumbled, as his legs seemed to give way at times and Gisburn had to grab him around the waist to stop him from falling. His right arm supported Laroche’s right arm by holding it underneath from the elbow to his hand, meanwhile his left arm was placed around his back. It looked uncomfortable for Gisburn; it also left him openly weak should Laroche decide to attempt something. To all appearances Laroche looked frail and ill but Fern doubted it. She knew how manipulative and conniving Laroche was and felt certain this was all a ploy, he had some plan in mind and it wouldn’t be a pleasant one.

      The Lakeller on Laroche’s opposite side held a less sympathetic attitude toward him. He gave no attempt at assistance and looked at Laroche in disdain. Fern noticed Laroche give him a quick look to assess the guard. She couldn’t tell if his face was displeased because of the distance and bright light but she knew it was and she was glad that at least one guard was not drawn into his deceit. She let out a “huh!” without realizing the sound had been emitted, it was enough to get the attention of the three.

      Her stomach reeled as the eyes of Laroche fell upon her, she wished she could see them clearer but even without the clarity to view them she knew what they held. She was shocked by the overwhelming fear that ran through her and dropped back to feel the stability of the rail behind her. Momentarily it supported her until the memories ran through her mind, a movie so lucid, so real that she felt sick, her stomach lurched and with it her whole body. What breakfast she had had was no longer there as it left her and splattered in pieces upon the deck before her. She looked up as the sun slid behind a cloud and saw the jubilation in Laroche’s eyes at his control over her. The foul taste in her mouth was not just from her vomit but the sight of Laroche. Her attention was pulled away from the despicable eyes as a voice came from elsewhere.

      “Take him to the back of the ship. He shouldn’t be anywhere near this girl.”

      The voice was Elm; he was striding across the deck between her and the three bodies that were moving toward her. His back was as rigid and hard as his voice.

      “But…” came Gisburn’s voice.

      “No buts’! Take him to the pagoda where he can sit, it may alleviate the discomfort he shows us and he may continue with the performance there if he wishes.”

      “Now who…”

      “Mr. Gisburn please grant this request for Miss Fern. You of all people should be ingratiating yourself to her.”

      There was no reply from Gisburn but she noticed the smirk upon the other Lakeller’s face as he turned on his heel. He stopped so Gisburn could help Laroche to turn but again the guard offered no assistance. The three slowly moved away, she noticed the step of Laroche was not quite as heavy and the leaning body had taken an almost ramrod position. She waited for Elm to come to her. He looked down at the pebbled deck of fruit and vegetables and quickly skirted around them.

      He didn’t say anything, only pulled her into his arms and she went willingly. She didn’t cry, although she could have, easily. Resting her head on his shoulder she let herself go into the safety he offered to her. After a while he moved his head away and looked at the expression on her face, scanning it as if it held a code to what was going on. Funnily enough it did, it held all the signs to her feelings at that moment and Elm knew how afraid she was.

      “He can’t hurt you anymore. There are too many of us for him to be able to do anything.” He scanned her face for acknowledgement, saw none and continued. “By the looks of him he can barely move anyway.”

      Her eyes hardened, he knew just as well as she did that it wasn’t true, Laroche was lying, it was what he did best.

      “Don’t try to pacify me. You know as well as I do that he isn’t in ill health. I’m sure you noticed how his back straightened with the anger he felt toward you. How his step no longer dragged but became purposeful. He has a purpose, he is planning, and he will do harm, it is in his nature and he will never stop.”

      Elm’s eyes dropped to the floor and rose to hers again as his thoughts of agreement passed and moved on to easing her worry.

      “Even if he has a plan, he is watched day and night and will not be able to enforce it.”

      “How do the beasts of the night prey on others?” She held his attention as his eyebrows raised at the question, he knew it was rhetorical and waited for her answer. “They wait, they wait quietly in the shadows, they wait for the weak, always patient, never making a move...until they leap. Their prey is clueless that they were even there, that the power of destruction was merely feet away, that their lives could be taken so easily and with little force from the beast. Surprise is their downfall. Laroche will use it against his guards; he will take them down without them knowing what has happened.”

      Elm’s eyes were wide in surprise at the dark thoughts that had come from Fern’s head. He looked shocked that she felt that way and probably wondered how she knew so much about the beasts of the night and their hunting habits. He must have surmised that Oak had been quite brutal in his quest to keep Fern safe, even to the extent of giving her frightening scenarios. Little did he know that she had actually experienced it.

      “I will warn Captain Rostin of the threat you see in Laroche. Don’t wander alone too much Fern. Try to stay within some distance of me.”

      She gave him a smile.

      “You are determined to be my bodyguard. Do you really want to be my saviour again? Perhaps it is someone else’s turn?”

      Elm laughed and hugged her; he pushed her to arm’s length once more. “It seems I am bound to be your bodyguard here. I have taken on the role and no one else seems to want it, so…”

      He fell backwards at the hefty push she gave him and continued to chuckle, whilst she smiled at him. Luckily he missed the nasty deposits and they both looked down thankful that in their jesting they hadn’t slipped upon them.

      “I think it is time to get that cleaned up before you slip and fall and have to ask Cook for ice to put on your rear end!”

      He was pushed backward again until he put his hands up in defeat. “No more please! You are too much of a brute and I’m afraid of becoming injured.”

      Elm’s face gave a comical look of fear and submission; he slumped his shoulders for further effect and was rewarded with Fern’s free spirited giggles.

      Fern’s laughter pealed across the deck toward three shadows that were underneath the pagoda. One smiled but the other two did not.

      Chapter 2

      In the lounge of the Avila Rose the sun seemed to pour in with laser beams of light. Everything was particularly reflective today; even the glass of beer mirrored the images around it. Oak grabbed it; it was damp in his hands. The lounge was hot and the cold beer within the glass had produced condensation on the outside, which felt good on his palm. With the back of his other hand he wiped his brow, dropping it onto the table whilst he stared at the sweat that was left upon it, glistening.

      They had travelled above the Aqueous Passage for two days but this was the first day that had been clear and hot. At first he had welcomed the brightness and the heat, now he felt oppressed by it and wanted to hide in a dark cool room. A strange thought for a Woodlander who spent nearly all his time outside in the weather, heat, rain, snow, none of it normally mattered. He put it down to being in a small area, not having the freedom to walk through the forest, the forest that would kindly block the blinding sun and keep them cool under her canopies. He missed Elanclose; his heart ached with how much he missed the forest and his clan.

      A large body plopped itself down on the opposite bench causing the table to vibrate slightly in its anchors.

      “My you look a picture of joy and rejoicing!”

      He looked up at the blue eyes and thick dark hair that was falling onto the face of Denver.

      “So glad you could join me. I needed some shade from the sun and your bulk of a body