"I'd like to speak with the captain to book passage, please."
The guard, a dark skinned Garundan, looks you up and down with a skeptical eye. "Anotha un?" he sighs, "Cap'n ain' gonna like dis." He calls out to another sailor to summon the deck officer, who waddles over from his perch on the fo'c'sle. He is a half-elf, short, with Chelish features and a peg leg.
"Hazlet, secon' mate," he introduces gruffly. Looking at Maeve, and over her shoulder at the rest of the group on the pier, he simply shakes his head. "Ain't gots tha space. Already gots a passenger whun bought out tha whol' cabin."
"Oh, they're not coming," Maeve nods. "At least, I'm pretty sure they're not. And I think she can probably be persuaded to share the space, and the cost if I talk to her..."
Hazlet frowns at Maeve but appears to be conceding, until Heng speaks of danger. His frown deepens and he holds up a hand, "Wait here." He leaves you with the Garundan guard and disappears into the aft cabins. After a minute you hear the exchange of angry voices, finally shouted down by a third, commanding one. There is another delay, and then Hazlet re-emerges with Ameiko, wearing a hooded, gray cloak.
Ameiko walks to the gangplank, eyes downcast, shoulders slumped. She glances up, catching Maeve's eyes for a second before looking away again. "I can't, she says in a low voice. "I snuck out because I knew you all would follow. But for the fog, I'd be anonymous on the open sea and no longer a threat to everyone and everything."
Harlan steps forward and unleashes a torrent of words at Ameiko.
"Ameiko, I know this is hard for you. You think you're a danger. But you need to understand something. We're your friends. We love you, and we're going to stand by you. I don't know if you wanted this when you set out for adventure, and I realized this might seem like a lot to take in right now, but you need to know this. This isn't about destiny or responsibility or any of that stuff. When you get right down to it that's all worthless. This is about the people who need you. Not us, not the people in Sargava, the people in Minkai. The Minky people need you to help them. They've never met you, they don't know you, and if they saw yo on the street they probably wouldn't know who you are, but you are their only hope for freedom. I know that seems like a lot of responsibility, but you don't have to take it on alone. We're going to be with you, every step of the way. And the most important thing to remember is that unlike the people in Sargava, we know what's coming and we can deal with it. Nobody else knows this, but you're going to be hunted for the rest of your days now unless you deal with this. Let's go kill these oni and put you where you belong."
Maeve shakes her head. "Ame, I'm not mad about that," she says softly. "I already said once that whatever you decide to go with, I'm fine. At the time, I just said I wanted to do it with you..." She takes a deep breath. "Is this really what you want to do? If you just 'go away' and the rest of us keep going, they'll probably think you were killed or something. So just say it. Tell me you want me to go to Minkai, become Empress, and do everything you thought you had to be the one to do, and I'll go back to camp and if you do this I'll probably never be able to find you again." She swallows back the tears at admitting that. "...but I have to hear it from you. I'm not going to do all that just because I think that's what you want from me."
Parity is angry, and doesn't bother to hide it this time, "This has gone far beyond running away from this, Ame. They won't stop and they will find you, simple as that. Regardless of how you respond to your calling, if you run and leave without the people that know you and accept you as you were and as you are, then you'll likely die. And, by the way, we're already connected to you, so you're not saving any of us, either ... they'll probably gut us in our sleep one night when we're not looking. Stay with us, and those chances of all of us making it through are higher. No guarantees, of course. We live a life at the tip of a sword blade ... or fist, as the case may be. The only guarantee I can make is if you take off on this ship, you doom us all. So get off this boat and let's get this f***ing caravan on the road."
Parity turns his head towards the smell of the ship's crew. "I'm sure you all have something better to do ... move away before I test your ability to swim."
Malnival stands silent on the deck of the ship, watching it all unfold as Valwen lands on the leather pad on his shoulder.
Ameiko shakes her head, and you can see she is fighting back tears. "This was always the hardest thing. I know a million people on the other side of the world are suffering, but it's my friends I worry the most about. It was the hardest decision I ever had to make. When we found the legacy in Brinewall, I jumped at the chance for adventure. But this isn't some fairy tale play; people will die, people have died... people I don't even know!"
To Maeve, "I wasn't going to Minkai without you... I was going away from all of it. To somewhere they'd never find me, somewhere I could be miserable and alone, but know no ones is going to die because of me."
She gives Parity a half-smile, though he cannot see it. "Parity, your devotion and fire are commendable, but in truth they only want me dead. If I go away, they'd let you all go on with your lives, and you'd have no reason to continue on to the frozen waste." She sighs, one of sorrow. "I cannot go ever go home, but I can make it so that you might."
"Ameiko, I don't think you understand my point." She smiles a bit sadly. "Honestly, I don't much care where you're going. But I'm going with you, even if I have to try to cling to the side of the ship all the way to Sargava."
...the mental image actually causes her to giggle slightly. "Okay, maybe I'd just book passage myself and follow. The point is, if you don't want to do this I can be okay with that if you are. But I'm not okay with being left out of the discussion. You may remember we've talked about the viability of finding a place to hide this out before. If you want to have that talk again, fine. Just don't think you have to do it by yourself or that it's a matter of your happiness against the world or something, okay?"
Ameiko inhales a shuddering sigh, looking back towards the cabin, then back at you. "I... I don't want to leave you. You're my friends, and family. You're all I have, and I'm scared... scared to lose you to something I don't even want! Something I never asked for!"
"I just want to kick back in a tavern, sharing stories, and music, and love. I want to go home and... go... I don't have a home anymore." At that, she begins to sob.
And in an instant Maeve gets Ameiko in an embrace. "Shhh...shh...I'm sorry. For everything I've done wrong over the past few weeks. I know I'm impulsive, I don't check my thoughts nearly enough, and when they were passing out 'fear' they seem to have forgotten to bring enough for me. I've been thoughtless and selfish too..." She closes her eyes. "...for what it's worth, I'm sorry..."
Shalelu moves close, silently leaning her head against Ameiko's shoulder.
Ameiko hugs Maeve closely, thankful for the embrace. As Maeve talks and she brings her emotions under control, she steps back and shakes her head. "Why are you apologizing? You didn't do anything wrong, Maeve... I am the one who needs to apologize, to all of you, for running off."
"....well, I had something specific in mind, but I hate to admit I kind of forgot in all the excitement. I'm sure it will come to me," Maeve admits sheepishly,
Despite herself, Ameiko gives a small laugh. "No, really... it was nothing you or anyone else did. I just feel... a crushing weight of responsibility. I've never had to deal with anything like this. I'm not ready."
Maeve laughs. "You think I have it together. Ame, when we were going out on this I was thinking 'wow, neat, ruined castle no one's gone to without running away screaming in a generation.' Maybe get rich, definitely see the world, that kind of thing. It never occured to me for a second that this would be anything important."
"Well, I'm sure you didn't mean that searching for Ameikos family history wasn't important, we were all surprised at the direction this took. Can't imagine the burden this puts on you, Ame. That burden and gnawing guilt want go away until you address it, with all of us to support you. We all signed up for this. You didn't, no one asked you and surely that's got to feel unfair. You try to plan life, but you can't predict what will happen, all you can do is flex with the responses. To a lesser degree, we all have those moments in life when a ghost comes and puts us on a different path. Mine was my fathers sins and debts delivered to me in the form of a hot branding iron. Harlan here had equal obvious strife, but is one of the most indomitable people ever. Heng is certainly torn with strife, I'm sure he'd share if you asked. My point is, we got it, it sucks. But it's not going away. Time to face it head on, so get your crap off this boat and let's get back to camp before we lose any more daylight."
Ameiko holds up her pack, "I've already got everything. I knew, as soon as I heard your voices, that I wouldn't be leaving this way." She turns to Hazlet, "Please give Captain Kovack my regrets, and I wish you all a safe voyage." The mate silently nods but waits until she crosses the gangplank.
As Ameiko joins the group on the docks, she is solemn and contrite. "Let's go. I am sorry for putting you all through this."
|
"Torn with strife? I may have been born with savage blood, but I believe I have mastered it," Heng states with less than total confidence. "Perhaps it is true that I have not yet mastered the desire to know more of my father, however."
"You have made the right choice, Ameiko. Now that your enemies know of your existence, they will not stop until you are found and destroyed at the cost of many innocent lives as we have already seen in Brinewall and here. What you are cannot be denied. I am sworn to see you through this. That is my choice."
Malnival nods at Heng then smiles at the princess. "As is mine. I follow you Ameiko. Across the top of the world and in to the heart of the enemy. I have pledged myself to you, no matter what happens to me, know that I have done so by my own free will, and will face what lies ahead with a smile on my face and my scimitar in my hand."
WIthout warning, Ameiko hugs Malnival and Heng, in turn. Harlan, as well, though he's been silently recovering from his torrent. "Thank you. You are the finest friends one could hope to have. I could not ask these things of you, but you offer them willingly. I will have to do my best to honor the sacrifices we all make on this journey."
Leaving the docks behind, you make your way back to the caravan, to finish the final preparations.
"Thanks Ameiko. Let me show you the new armored cart I'm hoping to buy!"
Harlan will take Ameiko's hand and begin limping back towards the caravan.
You get your shot off, clipping the shoulder of your target... not enough to bring it down. Shalelu's arrow finds it a half-second later, behind the leg and into the heart. The deer stumbles a few more steps, then collapses.
Shalelu says nothing, just giving you a smile and a wink.
You can hear the warm smile in Ameiko's voice. "I'm sure you'll do fine. You're already a formidable swordsman; I look forward to seeing what Suishen can teach you to top that!"
'Formidable?' She has no idea how much you have to learn...
"Thanks Ameiko. Let me show you the new armored cart I'm hoping to buy!"
"Lead on," Ameiko takes Harlan's hand. "What we need is a wagon with a tavern in the back," she jokes, half-heartedly.
Booze wagon, what? Was that in the caravan showcase?
"Sacrifices?" Maeve sounds completely puzzled by the sentiment as she follows after Ame. "Oh, right, when we get back I had something to show you...."
[spoiler=Ameiko]
I'll just go ahead and keep that between us, if you don't mind ...
"Thanks, Ame ... I don't necessarily consider myself a swordsman, seems too professional. But I'd like to be something more than a man who fought to live. Perhaps this limited skill set of mine can finally come to be of some use. If that skill benefits you and yours, then fantastic."
Later that afternoon, about an hour before dusk, Shalelu and Malnival return to the city carrying a deer carcass between them.
"Harlan," she calls. "Are you skilled with fresh venison?"
At least a part of her glum mood has been chipped away.
"And here is our armored wagon Ameiko. It'll hold 5 people in addition to the driver. Our range is reduced a little but I've reinforced all of the wagons so we can travel faster than we have been. We can cover 40 miles a day. We have 380 days of rations for people and we use 21 days worth every day, so we can go 18 days without cutting rations. If Koya can help by summoning food we can reduce that even further and make it stretch. I think the extra protection is worth is, since we know what we're up against now."
Harlan beams after showing off the new wagons to Ameiko.
Harlan beams after showing off the new wagons to Ameiko.
Ameiko smiles, reflecting Harlan's glow. "Good! The extra defense will hopefully keep the riff-raff from bothering us. When they see our rolling fortress, they'd better start looking elsewhere." She leans down and kisses Harlan on the cheek. "You've done a great job managing the caravan for Sandru. I know he's proud."
Heng calls all his co-conspirators together at breakfast to present Koys with the deck. "Tata, we all chipped in and got you the Harrowing Deck we saw in the shop yesterday."
Koya gasps, holding a hand to her mouth. "You didn't! You did? Oh, this is much too generous! I thank you all, graciously, but it was quite expensive... I insist on paying my share." Despite her control, she takes the bag with nervously shaking hands. She rubs the cloth between her fingers, feeling out the cards within, and then sniffing. "A hint of my mother's perfume, I could swear it."
"Well, I'm glad you like them." Maeve grins impishly. "If you're happy with them, maybe I should just keep this to myself..." she goes to close the chest again...
"Well, I'm glad you like them." Maeve grins impishly. "If you're happy with them, maybe I should just keep this to myself..." she goes to close the chest again...
Ameiko takes the bait. "Keep what to yourself?" she asks, grinning.
"Well...." Maeve debates for a moment on whether to drag it out further, but finally relents quickly. With a great amount of gravitas, she pulls out the book and presents it to her.
"Oooh," Ameiko sighs in wonder. "What did you find? 'Tama and the Fire Yai... I remember that story, well parts of it anyway. I think my father told me them when I was a child. Bedtime stories, and the like. I never thought to see it all written out like this. The illustrations are great, like they were drawn from my imagination."
She looks up, her eyes glistening. "As you already know, this is perfect!"
Maeve smiles a little shyly. "Well, I was just looking for stories, but most of them weren't in collections like this. A few here, a few there, in scrolls and such. But I quickly caught on they were part of a bigger story. I was trying for multiple languages too, including common, so we could have a reference point...well, anyway, I must've dragged Sandru through every curio shop in the Jade Quarter before we stumbled on this,"
At the last, Maeve looks up nervously. "....you really do like it?
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Ameiko nods, "Yes, definately. Such an excellent idea. I may be Tien in heritage, but I grew up here in Avistan. It will be good to pick up some cultural hints before we get there."