Post by The Librarian on Sept 2, 2011 5:45:29 GMT -8
Phaen always knew when the weather was changing, her arm ached, and it had been aching for 7 years foretelling the onset of colder temperatures. Walking back to the smithy ready for a long needed rest after the past few days labor; Phaen thought back to the night she gained the gift of weather-sense.
Rain pelted cold and sharp against her back as she lashed down a sail that had broken free in the wind, sure footed, and quick, Phaen kept up with the men securing the Maiden for the worst of the storm. Hap yelled down from the wheel, “Tadpole get up here”, Phaen dropped off the rigging to the deck and ran to Hap and her father. “She’s our only chance Cap’n and you know it, we won’t make it round the blow to the north and I don’t fancy chancing a dance with the lightning to the south. If we go further out to sea we risk being capsized, we have to manage the reefs…” Hap was telling her father Mason Grey as Phaen climbed up to the men. “Hap, she’s just a kid, I won’t put her up there in this storm”, Mason yelled over the sound of waves on the hull. Nodding to Phaen Hap retorted, “As of High Summer Phaen is a full member of this crew, she passed every test we could throw at her, some you and I would have had trouble with at fourteen”, poking Mason in the chest, “You signed her mates ticket Mason, and I witnessed it. Let her decide if she can get us through the reefs.”
Turning to Phaen Hap put his hands on her shoulders and looked her in the eyes, “Tadpole you have a sense for the sea, always have, you speak her language and she whispers in your ear. Your father,” looking up at Mason, “ is protective like any good father, but this blow is gonna hurt if we don’t get out of it. The Maiden isn’t fast enough to get round’em, she’s over burdened and running deep, take her out away from land and we will capsize in the winds and waves. WE need to make landfall, and to get to a protective cove; we need to maneuver the reefs between safety and us”. Shaking his head Mason spoke, “Phaeny, you don’t have to go up, Jink’s been up there twice and won’t go up again he says he can’t see nothing but churning black and can’t hold on any longer.” Fear darkened Mason’s face, on Hap it was mixed with pride, as he looked down on her. “What do I need to do?” Phaen asked there was no doubt she knew she could see beyond what was visible to Jink. Nodding solemnly Mason took the wheel as Hap knelt down beside her, Hap explained, “Climb the storm watch Phaeny, once up there belt yourself to the mast, Jink left one up there. The lantern is lit; three flashes when you are ready, one flash for port, and two for starboard. Your father and I will man the wheel, you get us through the reefs.”
Phaen nodded to Hap, and turned to her father, “I can do this daddy, I can see”. “NO chances Phaeny, you get down to safety at the first moment you don’t feel comfortable”. Mason turned the wheel over to Hap and took Phaen in his arms kissing the top of her head. “You’re my dawn star Phaeny, keep safe”, Mason said before letting her go. Phaen turned quickly not looking back, she dodged men on the deck making her way to the middle mast, and the rigging to climb it. Resting a hand on the rope ladder she felt Mei’s hand on hers and they both began to climb. Wind lashed at the two, as one lost grip the other held on for them both till they reached the storm watch. Picking up the leather belt Phaen stepped into it not needing to unfasten the buckle, just staring at it Phaen thought, “Jink needs to loose some weight”. Mei unfastened the belt and stood behind Phaen against the mast, refastening the belt around them both it was still loose but no longer fell to the ground. Mei clasped her arms around Phaen’s waist and rested her chin on her shoulder in silence. The wind howled and the rain mixed with sleet and stung Phaen’s skin. Phaen let her eyes adjust to the gloom, watching the water churn; closing them she formed a picture in her mind, she knew the coast, knew the barrier reef between the beach and the deep sea. It wasn’t memory, just and understanding that the reef was there and there was a path through. The sea dressed the reef in ebony silk in the gloom of the storm, but Phaen could see deeper, she knew there was more beneath the surface if you allowed yourself to see. Opening her eyes luminescent patches shimmered beneath the surface of the water, oddly shaped orbs of silvery glow became visible in the darkness.
Phaen reached for the lantern shield, flashing the wheel deck three times she was ready to guide the Maiden to the protective harbor inside the reef. Hap and her father tuned to Maiden towards shore and swiftly the sails filled with storm breath and the ship was headed for the first reef.
One flash the ship needed to head to port.
Two flashes, starboard now as they cleared the first reef.
One flash back to port…
Phaen kept a clear path in sight, time stood still as the Maiden dodged the reefs, rocking harder and harder in the winds as the storms moved closer, almost following them to landfall. Two flashes and the last reef would pass on their port side, Phaen could see in the distance a tree line in the darkness, her father would have them out of the storms fury soon. As the Maiden passed the last reef lightning flashed overhead and struck the mast. The Maiden rocked hard to starboard in the wind, throwing Phaen and Mei’s weight against the belt. It was too much and the belt gave way. Mei grabbed the mast with one arm and Phaen with the other as the young woman was tossed out of the storm watch. Phaen watched as Mei’s grip slipped from the mast, both would fall soon if she didn’t let go. Phaen’s brown eyes flashed amber and gold looking to Mei, she couldn’t endanger her friend; releasing her grip Phaen let herself fall to the deck below. Phaen watched as Mei’s black eyes went wide fighting to hold on as Phaen slipped away.
Falling seemed to take a long time, wind howling in her ears and sleet like shards of glass tore at her skin; she heard yelling all round her as she hit the deck, her left arm tucked under her, the snap and crunch echoed in her ears. Blinding pain shot through Phaen’s body from her arm, her stomach lurched as it washed over her. Sparkles of light dance in her eyes as faces came out of the darkness hovering over her. Phaen could feel something hot run down her cheek as she gasped for air to fill her lungs. As the voices started making sense and their concern filled her ears, all Phaen could think of was not to cry, they can’t see me cry…A bandage was wrapped around her head, and Hap maneuvered her arm to her chest, Jink and Hap slid her onto a board and carried her into her fathers cabin out of the storm. Slowly her memory turned to short slips of images intersected with blackness, her throat burning as Hap gave her something to drink; her father joining them his face creased with concern, his eyes dark with fear. Finally Hap taking her arm and the wrenching pain as he set the bone caused her to finally let go and slip into the darkness within her mind.
Phaen sat on the edge of her bed in the freehold, thinking back she remembered waking up to the sun flooding in the window and gulls calling from the beach. Her head rested in Mei’s lap as her friend stroked her hair, searching from toe to head, Phaen knew she should have been in pain but nothing hurt, though she was stiff and her arm was bound tight against her chest. The arm healed quickly, though when the temperature fell, sure as the sun rises her arm ached letting her know bad weather approached.