The End of the World

Chapter Four

Aepida looked back at Alogroth. Again she was feeling homesick. In her mind, she traced her journey backward in time. Joan and Kayla, Grandma the witch, Hans, her Mother and Father, her home villager of Hort. She cried silently as she sat upon Apollo's back. Apollo kept his gate smooth so that Aepida had no trouble staying mounted, even though she had never ridden a horse before.

She was anxious. Her quest kept taking her farther from home to parts of the world she had never heard of. To encounter people and creatures she had never known. In her heart, she was also angry because her only chance to go home was to complete the task that lay before her. Yet, she remained silent.

They were passing through a high grass prairie. The road through was merely a trail. The grass rubbed against them on both sides and was more than just an annoyance. It blocked their view ahead, and some of them snapped back like whips. The sun had passed the midday point and began sinking toward dusk. The shadows on the road were already as black as night. Aepida thought it would be nothing for some predator to be hidden in the grass, ready to pounce. They would be easy prey.

Just as she finished that thought, Apollo stopped. He knelt on his front legs, a signal for her to dismount. He looked back at her. She stood at his left side with her hand on the sword's hilt. Apollo shook his head approvingly. Aepida thought she heard rustling in the grass. Apollo took a step forward. She stayed right by his side. He took a few more steps. She stayed with him. He was turning his head backward now, and he stopped. Before Aepida even realized what was happening, a wolf jumped out of the grass and tried to bite Apollo's flank. Instead, it was met with two hoofs directly to the throat. The wolf went flying backward into the grass. Its dying gasp was all that could be heard. Apollo knelt, signaling that Aepida should remount.

They continued through the night. Neither one had any delusions of how much danger there was in the tall grass of the prairie. Predators were only one of the dangers. Humans and storms far away could set the entire place ablaze. By mid-morning, they emerged from the prairie onto three well-traveled roads. One was going east, one to the southwest, and one going north. They decided to find a spot to rest.

A little dip off the road between the east and north fork offered a shaded, secluded spot to relax. There Aepida and Apollo stopped and made sure that nobody could see them. He changed to the Human form she had met in Algoroth. He encouraged Aepida to eat and drink to refresh herself.

"If nothing disturbs us, we will stay here today and tonight. We need the rest. We will continue tomorrow morning."

"Sounds good to me. I am exhausted," she replied.

A small tree provided some shade. Apollo suggested that she sleep under it.

"Don't you ever sleep?" asked Aepida.

"I don't sleep, but I have to refresh myself in other ways. If you don't see me, do not panic. I am still here right next to you, watching over you."

Aepida accepted Apollo's explanation without question and slept peacefully. It was past midday when she awoke. She saw no sign of Apollo anywhere. She took him for his word that he was near, watching over her, a guardian.

She helped herself to some of the provisions. Today was a day of rest. She walked around the camp to get some exercise. Also, to examine some of the local foliage. To her delight, she found some edible berries, which she partook of. She returned to the shade of the tree and laid back down as there was nothing else to do. Whenever she got bored being idle, she would explore more of the area. It was late afternoon before Apollo reappeared.

"I saw you found berries to feast on," said Apollo to reassure her that he had been watching over her.

"Yes, I did," said Aepida smiling. "Would you like to try some? They are delicious."

"I would love to," he said, smiling back at her. "They were very good. Thank you."

He told her they would spend the night here and set out in the morning. Since they had nothing else to do, he asked her about her home. She was only too happy to tell him about Hort, Hans, her family, and all the benefits of living in a small village.

"It sounds wonderful. I hope I get a chance to visit there after this is all over. If it would be alright with you."

"I would be delighted. Who knows, maybe, you would like it so much you would stay."

The morning, they were on the road again. There were very few travelers. Most would pass them with a generic greeting. Otherwise, there was no interaction with them. By nightfall, they found themselves in the small village of Bosch. It was still larger than Hort. It had a small Inn. Aepida booked a room and paid with a coin that was part of their provisions. The Proprietor, a mature woman, offered her some dinner which she gladly accepted. Apollo went into his rest state for the night.

The dinner was excellent. Aepida praised the woman on her skills and tipped her an extra coin. The woman was so pleased with the praise and the tip. The woman politely attempted to open a conversation and asked where she was headed. Aepida answered, saying she was to meet her father in a port town called "End of the World." The woman said she had heard of it but didn't know anything about it. After some small talk, Aepida bid her good night and went to bed.

When morning came, Aepida went down to check out and found that the woman had fixed her breakfast. She was grateful because she did not know when she might get another hot meal. She thanked her and tipped her another silver coin.

She found Apollo waiting outside. She mounted him, and they were on their way. The road was as lifeless as it was the day before. The scenery was mainly farm crops, some of which were being harvested. That and an occasional bird were all the life there seemed to be. Otherwise, the road was desolated.

As night approached, they found a break in the fields. A small grove of six shade trees provided somewhat of a sheltered place to spend the night. They had to do without a campfire. This time the risk was to the crops. Aepida ate some of the cold provisions, wishing she had some of last night's dinner or this morning's breakfast. The five next days were just the same routine.

On the morning of the sixth day out of Bosch, they began to hear noises off in the distance, which kept getting louder as they traveled onward. They realized that they were the sounds of revelry. There was a celebration going on ahead.

The village of Arma was having a grand celebration. The whole town seemed to be dancing and drinking right in the streets. Aepida and Apollo had to proceed slowly. Aepida got pulled off Apollo and forced to join in a wild dance right in the middle of the Street. Apollo was able to rescue her without raising suspicion or ire. She got cheers, and applause, when she mounted Apollo and started to inch their way through the crowd.

After several more dances with the crowds in the street, they made it to the center of town. There were two inns. The first one had no vacancies. Making her way through the crowd, which involved dancing her way through several groups of revelers, she made it to the second one. It had one room left, and it looked like a closet with a cot. that barely fit in. It also had a stable for Apollo, which offered him some privacy.

Aepida took him to the stable, his assigned stall, and bid him good night. She then went to her closet room and fell asleep. She was weary from traveling. The revelers outside did not disturb her.

In the morning, she checked out, found Apollo waiting, and walked with him to the main street. The celebration had gone on all through the night. Now she and Apollo had to work their way through the town. Avoiding dances was impossible, and by the time they reached the edge of town, Aepida was nearly exhausted. She mounted Apollo and headed out of town. Even though crowds were heading into town, they stayed on one side of the street and did not impede their progress. At nightfall, they spent it in an isolated spot off the road.

The next day, at mid-afternoon, they entered "The End of the World." On both sides of the street were large signs that seemed more of a warning than a greeting.

It was a lot like Algoroth, except with lots of different kinds of people. Here people spoke many different types of languages. It took a while to find somebody that understood her to get directions to an inn. Otherwise, it had the same bustle Algoroth had, with buyers and sellers crowding the streets. There was also the sense of danger men confined to ships for long periods were suddenly free ashore. The crowds were mixed races and languages. Aepida wondered how such diversity could work so well, for it was apparent. The city was prospering.

They finally found the inn at the center of town. There were four of them. The one she picked was a three-story structure of stone blocks. Inside, there was a lounge area. It seemed too luxurious and expensive to Aepida. She almost turned around and left, but upon inquiring. It did not cost any more than other places she had stayed on her journey. A hot bath was included as well! A stable with a pasture for Apollo costs just a little bit more. Apollo assured her he would guard over her as he had always done, but to put her armor as far away from the door as possible. She should stay between the armor and the door. Keep the sword hidden but within arm's reach. Keep the sandals on. That way, she would be able to relax and enjoy her bath.

Back in her room. Three maids were filling her tub with hot water. Then they added cold water until Aepida was satisfied with the temperature. She was a bit shocked when the girls did not leave. They explained that it was their job to help her bathe. She explained to the girls that she was from a small village and very modest, so could they please wait outside the door until she was in the tub? They agreed.

Aepida could now disrobe and arrange her clothes to hide her armor and sword while still keeping them within arm's reach. She climbed into the tub, with her sandals still on, and called the girls back. The bath was a welcome, relaxing distraction from her recent travels. She was a bit alarmed by the girls helping to scrub her. They asked her if it was ok before they touched her. Eventually, she enjoyed the rare luxury of such a mundane thing as a bath.

When done, the girls offered her a robe. Also, to wash her clothes. She declined. She again asked the girls to wait outside as she dressed. Then she called them back in and tipped each a silver coin. All three giggle with delight. They had bailed it out with buckets. When they had the tub nearly empty. Four men entered with the girls. They placed wooden staffs through rings in the tub and carried it out of the room. They never said a word while doing so. The girls stayed and inquired if there was anything else they could do for her. Aepida thanked them but said no. As they were leaving, they reminded her that two meals a day were included with her stay. Breakfast is served from dawn to midday. Dinner is served from noon until night. Additional meals are available at an additional cost.

It was a little too early for dinner. She decided to see Apollo, but he was nowhere to be found. She went for a walk instead. The streets were bustling like a city would be. Occasionally, she would stop to look over some of the vendors' wares. She made her way down to the docks and walked along the pier. She had never seen the ocean before or the ships that sailed it. They were grand, some with masts as tall as trees. It gave the pier a forest-like appearance.

She had admired the splendid site of the dock longer than she had anticipated. She hurried to the inn and decided to eat dinner in the lounge. It was already crowded, but a waitress sat her in a secluded corner. She had no sooner given her order when in walked a man. He acted surprised to see her.

"Aepida, what a surprise to see you here!"

Unsure of what to do she decided to act as if she remembered him from Algoroth.

"Oh goodness, how grand to meet somebody I know so far from Algoroth. I am sorry sir. I have forgotten your name. It has been such a long journey."

When the man took her hand to shake it, He identified himself. It was Apollo. He had to admire her quick wit She could not be sure what name he had given anyone.

"Hector, my dear. No need to apologize. It was such a short time. How are my friends in Algoroth doing?"

"Quite when I left," she replied.

A waitress approached Apollo and asked if he would like to order. He declined, saying he was only saying hello to a friend. They sat at the table.

"I saw you down at the docks. I was there checking on a passage to Norland. There is a ship arriving today. It is anchored offshore, awaiting its turn at the docks. Its name is Dyrr Valhalla. Although you probably won't be able to read it. It will be written in their language, and they have a different alphabet. The pier master will be able to help you. You need to book passages for you, your father, and a horse."

"I am to book passage alone?" asked Aepida.

"To begin with yes. You have to show them that you mean business. Keep your sword at the ready and follow your instincts. Remember, the sword is an ally, as well as a tool."

"What does Dyrr Valhalla mean?" Aepida asked.

"In our language, it would be most correctly translated as Heaven's Gate or Heaven's Door," he replied. He then bid good night and exited.

Aepida enjoyed her meal savoring every bite. She fought off the anxiety of an ocean voyage, a new country, and the thought of convincing foreigners to join them in her quest. Afterward, she felt tired and decided to go to bed.

She woke at the break of day and went down for a light breakfast in the inn's lounge. She was not used to the attention she received from the staff. She enjoyed it, even though this was not the life she would choose for herself.

When she finished, she went to see Apollo. He wasn't in the stable or pasture. So she decided to go down to the docks and see if the Norse ship had come in yet. She took an easy stroll down to the pier. It was not there. So she went to see the pier master, who informed her that it should be this afternoon because the Annabelle was loaded and ready to go.

Aepida instinctively knew that weather could be a factor, but it was a bright day with enough wind for ships to sail. She would return later. She walked back to the inn, stopping to check vendors' wares, but buying nothing. In the stable, she found Apollo. She told him when the ship was expected in.

She wandered the streets like a tourist, taking in the sound of the bustling city. Street vendors offered a variety of goods. There was produce of all kinds and pots to cook them in. She bought some fresh fruit and ate them for lunch. Tired of walking the street, she went to her room and took a short nap.

Mid-afternoon found her down at the docks again. The pier master saw her and informed her the ship she sought docked at the last pier. She found it with ease. Making her way up the boarding plank, she saw a sailor moving goods to be unloaded to the top deck.

"Sir, Sir," Aepida called out. the sailor paid no mind. She tried calling him a couple more times. The pier master was walking by and approached her.

"Try calling out herr," he told her. "They are Norse, and many speak only broken Westine."

"Thank you," she said. "Herr, herr," she called out, and this time she caught the sailor's attention.

"Fraulien? Gutten nachmittag," He said as he approached her, smiling lecherously.

"Do you speak Westine?" she asked.

"Ein bisschen, a little," he said.

"Pretty fraulien," he said, still approaching her. She backed away. He stopped for just an instant, then started towards her again. In his broken Westine, he urged her not to be afraid. She did not back away, and when he reached for her, he found the tip of her sword at the junction of his jaw and neck.

"Woe, frauline. I not hurt."

"I want to see your captain," she said. "And if you touch me, Valhalla for you."

"Mien kapitan?" he stuttered from the threat of the blade.

"Yes, your Kapitan. Bring him here. HERE'" she said sternly, pointing to the deck.

She lowered her blade and ordered him to go. "Ja voll," he said as he turned around to go find the captain.

She waited nervously, wondering if he actually went to find the captain. Or just took off. Then she saw a very stately gentleman approaching with the sailor she had sent to find him. The gentleman dismissed the sailor before he addressed Aepida.

"Well, young lady. You sure have a way of impressing my crew. You will not need any weapons with me. If I get too close, tell me."

His Westine was upper class. She realized she had her hand on the hilt of the sword. She removed it and showed her hands to the gentleman.

"You are the Captain of this vessel?" she asked.

"I am, he replied. " How may I help you?"

"I wish to buy passage aboard your ship for my father, a horse, and I to Norland."

"This is a cargo ship, miss. We are not able to accommodate passengers."

"I realize that sir, but we have urgent business in Norland, and I don't see any passenger ships here."

"Even so, miss, we are not going directly back to Norland. It could be a whole season or more."

"Good afternoon, sir," Apollo's voice from behind her startled her.

"You are her father?" the Captain asked.

"I am," he replied.

The Captain looked around. Then turning to Aepida and Apollo. He said, "Follow me." He led them to the end of the pier where nobody could spy on them.

"I will grant you passage, but we are not going directly back. We are going to Suderland and Oester, Other ports may be added, depending on the cargo we get. You may find another ship in those ports."

Apollo accepted his offer and all three shook hands. As they walked away, Aepida asked why he accepted The Captain's offer. He explained that there was no other Norse ship and that they would have to go to Suderland and Oester eventually. Norse just got moved in the order. We have no time to wait on another ship. Aepida nodded her head in agreement, but she felt as if there was more to it than that.

They went back to the inn. Apollo went out to the stable and Aepida went to her room. She was too anxious to sit, so she went out to explore the city more. She wandered around until dusk, then she went back to her room having found nothing to take her mind off the ship and the adventure it would carry her to.

She was homesick again. Images of her mother and father filled her head. She missed Hans and her dream of being his wife. The memory of the day in the meadow caused a tear to run down her cheek. Why did she stop him? At least she would have had that memory too. Lots of things seemed as if it was too late, and she felt she had no choice but to continue. She finally fell asleep.

Two days had passed without a word from the Captain. Aepida even went down to make sure the ship was still there. It was. Men were bustling around her manning block and tackling unloading the holds with goods, from all over the world. The pier was stacked with merchandise, some coming off the ship, others being readied to be loaded onto it.

Finally, it was time to board the ship. They were ready to sail. The Captain made room in his cabin for Aepida and Apollo. When they were alone, Aepida asked how the accommodations are going to work. She had no privacy.

"Don't worry. You will rarely see him in here, anyway. Trust me. It will be alright."

Aepida was puzzled by his response but did not press it any further. As she made herself comfortable, she wondered why Apollo was acting mysterious. She understood he had his reasons. If she learned anything these last few months, it was to trust those the two fathers sent to aid her and to be wary of strangers. The problem was she did not know which banner the Captain and crew would fall under.

The ship began to rock and move as it threw off its moorings. Aepida opened the door of the cabin. She watched as the captain stood on deck bellowing orders. Some of the crew were aloft, sitting on the yardarms untying the sails, which dropped like giant sheets. Men on the deck pulled the sails tight with block and tackle until they billowed in the wind. Aepida was nearly thrown to the deck as the sails caught the wind, and the ship lurched forward, plowing through the water toward the open sea. Soon "The End of the World" was but a speck on the horizon. As she watched it smaller. she longed for home.

"I must remember, I am doing this for Mom, Dad, and Hans," she thought. The ship's rocking began to make her feel queasy. She moved over to the deck rail in case she got sick.

"Fraulien not gut eh." ( pronounced goot)

It was the sailor she first met. He was patting his stomach and smiling friendly. Not like when they first met.

"Not Gut," she replied rubbing her stomach.

"Fraulien gut soon." He struggled for words but could only think in Norse. So with two fingers, he pointed to his eyes and then pointed to the horizon. He repeated the gesture several times until Aepida understood. She mimicked the gesture and said.

"You want me to watch the horizon. It will help."

"Aye, aye," said the sailor. "Gut soon."

"Danken," said Aepida.

The sailor turned, waved goodbye, and went back to his duties. Aepida followed his advice and began to feel some relief almost immediately. It took quite a while before she felt good enough to leave the deck rail. Even so, the ship's rising and falling. Made it difficult to walk to the cabin. She was wondering what to do to pass the time. Her seasickness returned, but not as bad. She wanted to find something to take her mind off it. She decided to practice the battle moves she had learned from Grandma in the woods. The pitching of the ship kept throwing her off balance. She kept trying.

She began with the basic moves and repeated them several times. Then she went to the intermediate ones, then to the advanced ones. It took her mind off the seasickness, and she felt invigorated. She sat on the edge of her bed and drank the water container she carried. She opened the cabin door, and there was the Captain with a tray covered in a linen napkin.

He walked past her and sat it on the bunk.

"I would have put it on the table, but things tend to slide off it when we are at sea. We just sit it on our laps, so we can hold onto it while we eat. The crew normally eats at their stations on deck. The ship needs constant attention."

Aepida thanked him. As he left, he told her to put the dishes in the box outside the door when she was finished. The cook would pick them up later. It was a simple, appetizing stew made with salt pork. As she ate, she did not realize her seasickness had gone.

Getting up from her bunk, she realized she had not mastered the art of walking on a rolling and pitching deck. She steadied herself against the bulkhead to make her way to the box the Captain referred to. She carefully put the dishes and utensils in it. Then she carefully took steps out onto the deck. So she could watch the men working the ship. She fell twice. The second time the Captain offered her a hand up.

"You don't have your sea legs yet, lass," he said, smiling, as he helped her up.

"I definitely do not," she said, laughing. "I don't see how you guys do it."

"It takes a little time. Very soon, you will be walking around like an old deckhand." said the Captain. "Would you like a tour of the deck?"

"I would love to, " said Aepida.

The Captain hooked her arm into his like a stately gentleman and led her to the bow. He started down the port side of the ship. He explained that it was called port side because that was the side moored to the pier. That kept the starboard, used to steer the ship, from being damaged. He continued, explaining what each rope, block and tackle, peg, and other apparatus was for. They were now at the stern. A sailor was standing, leaning against a large, horizontal pole attached to the back of the ship.

"This is how we steer the ship," explained the Captain. "That rod is connected to another rod that runs vertically down to the starboard to move the ship as needed. Would you like to give it a try?"

Aepida looked at the big, burly sailor who was controlling the device. She wondered how she could be able to steer the ship, but she agreed to give it a try anyway. The Captain introduced her to the sailor.

"This is Olaf. Olaf this Aepida."

He spoke in Westine to her but in Norse to him.

Aepida and Olaf nodded their heads to each other and then shook hands. Olaf kept a firm grip on the heavy rod. The Captain guided her into position to take Olaf's place. First, he had to explain a few things.

"In Norse, this is called the Helm. It is also known as a Tiller. But here, it is the Helm. Olaf will show you how to stand and where to place your hands. I will translate what he says. Don't be nervous. He will be right beside you if you lose control."

A couple of minutes later, Aepida found herself leaning into a huge wooden rod, trying to keep the ship on course. Every time the helm began to throw her around, Olaf helped her get back in control. Olaf finally took back the helm. She was happy to let him have it.

"I will give you one thing," the Captain said as he helped her get steady on her feet again. "You did really well for your first time. It is all in the leverage. Once you learn to wield that, it is easier, and that isn't saying much."

The sun was getting low in the sky. The Captain led her back to his cabin. Aepida was exhausted and went straight to bed.

"Tomorrow, I will have the men come and hang some canvas to give you a bit more privacy, But for now, I have to do some paperwork. I won,t disturb you."

Aepida agreed and climbed into her bunk. She fell asleep almost instantly. It was dawn when she awoke. The ship was rolling and pitching violently. Apollo came into the cabin and advised her to stay where she was. The Ship was caught amid a storm. It was not safe to go out on deck. She did not feel well anyway. Her seasickness returned with a vengeance. A pail had been provided to give her relief in other ways, which came in handy now. She retched uncontrollably.

For most of the day, Aepida lay in her bunk in pure misery. There was nothing left in her stomach to expel. Her entire body ached from dry heaves. Apollo stayed with her and tried to ease her misery. He could do little more than offer her water. Exhaustion finally overcame her, and she slept fitfully through the night.

By morning the storm had passed. When Aepida woke up, Apollo was still watching over her. The ship barely rolled at all. She was able to stand and walk with ease. There was a knock on the cabin door. Apollo answered It. It was the Captain, bearing a dish covered in a linen napkin.

"I thought the Miss might be hungry, as none of us had time to eat yesterday, fighting our way through the storm. I am dreadfully sorry about that. But we can't cook when the ship is tossed around like that."

"It is ok, Captain. I did not miss it. I was so dreadfully sick from the rolling of the ship. I am a bit hungry now. I thank you, sir."

"I am sorry to hear that you were so miserable. The weather looks much better today. We have a good wind and a fairly calm sea. You should be able to go out on the deck today. I hope you enjoy your breakfast. Two of my men will be by to hang those canvas partitions I promised you. One speaks Westine. Just tell them if there is any particular way you would like them hung."

"Thank you, sir. You and your crew have been very good to me, even the one I had a bad start with when we first met."

The Captain laughed. "Sometimes they get out of line, and somebody has to put them straight. You did him a favor. It isn't entirely his fault, though. You are not the usual kind of woman that comes aboard ships when they are in port. They have an entirely different kind of commerce in mind."

Aepida blushed when she realized what the Captain was implying. She took the food he was offering, thanked him, and he departed. Apollo asked if she was ok, and she replied that she was. He said he was going on deck. He suggested that she should join him when she was done eating. The meal was excellent. She had no idea why the Captain kept apologizing for the cook. He was actually very skilled.

When she was done, she found Apollo on deck. It was a beautiful day! The smell of the sea was refreshing, at the same time, soothing. The men on deck broke into song. They went about their various duties. It seemed as though they were trying to polish the entire ship while singing what seemed like a joyous tune. It was all in Norse, so she could not understand it. Even so, it lifted her spirits. She began to hum along with them. Apollo seemed relaxed. It was as if he did not have a worry in the world. It gave Aepida a sense of safety. Something she had not felt since they left Alogroth.

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