Betrayal

The sea was delightfully calm and much preferable to the squalor of Prym. It made her memories of Hort comforting rather than sorrowful that she was not there. There were now only five escort ships. One diverted to Suderland to relay the urgent need for aid.

But life aboard a ship can be somewhat tedious when you are a passenger. The crew, however, was constantly busy. There is always something to tend to. Aepida busied herself with practicing her battle moves and meditating. It kept her fit and her mind sharp. Many of the crew were impressed by her skills. When asked where she learned them, she would say, Grandma taught me.

She practiced her climbing skills by climbing the rigging to the crow's nest. This also impressed the crew, so they invited her up on occasion. This morning was one of those occasions. He scanned the horizon, then handed her the spyglass. She looked through it and scanned the horizon as he did. Suddenly, she lowered the instrument and raised it to her eye again. She handed him the spyglass and pointed in the direction she had it been looking. He immediately lost all color on his face. His eyes were wide with fear. He yelled urgently to the crew and then begged her to climb down. She obeyed immediately. The captain told her to go to her cabin, but it was too late.

Aepida had just enough time to draw her sword. She looked to the ship's rear and saw a large, beaked creature snap up one of the crew and swallow him whole. Two tentacles slithered along both sides of the ship's deck. One grabbed Aepida. She kept her wits and slashed at it with her sword, severing it and freeing herself. Aepida struck at the snaky appendage: again and again, severing several more pieces until it retreated. She turned to the other one, hacking it until it could no longer grasp anything.

"Keep up what you are doing. I don't think it is done yet," yelled the captain from across the deck.

Apollo and the two mages were now on deck to see what was going on just as two tentacles snaked up the main and rear masts. The mages sent fire and lightning bolts to one. Aepida severed the other one. Both fell limp across the deck. The ship bobbed up violently with the sudden release throwing everyone to the deck.

The captain jumped up and ran to every crew member. All were safe. Except for the one the beast swallowed. He then came to thank Aepida and her companions for their help. Apollo explained he had no time to do anything. He thanked them all for saving him.

Mage Boris then exclaimed. "That was Gigantus, a real sea monster!"

Mage Otto nodded his head in agreement and wiped his brow. The captain also agreed.

"You three saved the ship and crew. We lost one man, with only minor injuries to the rest. It was an amazing feat. I don't know if the ship could have survived without you."

The crew tossed whatever was left of the creature overboard. Flesh-eating marine life attacked as the pieces hit the water. None of it got very far below the surface before being ripped to shreds. Aepida was tired and went to her cabin to sleep. The day's events only allowed a fitful rest. She could not get the day's events out of her mind.

For the next few days, Aepida could not look at the sea the same way. She tried to fight the feeling. All she could do was wonder what other fearsome creatures lurked below the waves, just waiting for some unsuspecting ship to prey on. Sleepless nights passed as her mind raced with unsavory possibilities.

Tonight was no different. She had been lying in her bunk dozing off, only to be awakened by nightmares of sea monsters. As she was about to doze off again, she heard an almost imperceptible noise. It stopped just outside her door. She quickly rolled up the blankets to appear that she was asleep. Then she slid to the deck, grabbing her sword. On her stomach, she crawled to the opposite side of the room.

The door opened, and a fireball slammed into the bed she had just vacated, setting the room on fire. She saw a dark hooded figure with its back to her. She jumped to her feet and shoved the figure, forcing it toward the burning bed. She ran through the door, up a ladder, and onto the top deck. The figure followed her. She was able to dodge the fireballs aimed at her. The ship caught fire wherever one of them hit.

The ship's crew was now sounding alarms. Aepida could hear a bell clanging and men shouting all around her. Some of them took up bows and shot arrows at the figure. But they could pierce the magic shield that surrounded it. It paid no mind to the crew but focused on Aepida. Her armor and the sword's magic enable her to counter the figure's attacks. She could not get close enough to end them, though.

Apollo and Mage Otto were now on deck. Otto used his magic to put out the ship's fires as they ignited. He had already put out the ones below deck. Apollo could not reach the figure, so he found his way to Aepida to try and protect her. There was little he could do except to try and distract it. The figure kept his focus on Aepida. It was Mage otto who provided an answer to the figure's magic. He placed a magic bubble around it and kept it from using its. The figure was strong, and it managed to break the bubble. Aepida and her sword were there when it broke. She swung it sideways, cutting through the figure's torso. She watched in horror as the upper body forward and the lower half fell backward.

Apollo rolled the body over and pulled back the hood. Aepida screamed.

"Boris, Mage Boris!"

Apollo took Aepida away from the scene to the gunwale. She leaned on it heavily, shaking uncontrollably. There were no tears, but even in the lantern light of the ship, her face was ashen. Apollo stood there holding her, steadying her. It took a long time before she could even speak. When she did, she looked Apollo in the eyes.

"How many? How many men have I killed, five, six, seven, more?"

Apollo had no answers. Neither did Mage Otto, who had joined them. They had no words of comfort for her either. They remained silent. Some pain you have to bear alone, and nobody can help you through it. At those times, there is no greater loneliness.

"It's not guilt," said Aepida. "I am not guilty. I only defended myself. It's just. I don't think I can ever get used to killing someone."

"I hope you never do," said Apollo.

It took several days, but Aepida finally emerged from her new quarters to find Apollo and Mage Otto on deck, at the bow, of the ship. She thanked them for their support and understanding. They asked her if she was alright. She assured them she was.

"That is good," said Apollo. "The captain says we should reach Norland within the next couple of days. Depends on the wind and weather, though."

"I wish I could say that I was looking forward to it, but I am so nervous," said Aepida.

"We share your anxiety," said Mage Otto.

The captain was true to his prediction. That morning, Aepida, Apollo, and Mage Otto stood at the bow and watched Norland grow larger as they approached. Before they entered the harbor. The yacht and the five escort ships anchored offshore with their flags down to indicate that they were not hostile. The Captain of the Fleet boarded a small boat and sailed into the port to ask permission to enter. The captain explained this is the Norland way, especially since we are warships.