Author's Note: This chapter is kinda long, but it was necessary. I've been seeing the characters develop certain personalities. Aura is a little on the spunky side, but she often gets stuck in the world of daydreams. Will is mischevous, yet a caring older brother (who hates carrots!). Iliyone is more on the serious side and Fionna is a caring mother and wife, but she isn't emotionally strong. Tiren is a determined man who will go to extremes to provide for his family. Okay, read on and PLEASE REVIEW! Thanx!

Chapter 3: Grief
Aura's voice was a whisper as she called across the room to where her older sister slept. Are you awake?
Of course I am. How could I not be, after what happened at dinner... Oh- what is father going to do?! Iliyone's voice sounded troubled, and for a good reason. Tiren had not left his room the whole night. If we don't pay Mr. Konen will evict us!
Suddenly Aura felt sick to her stomach, what would they do if that happened? They had nowhere else to go. We've been in tight spots before.
Yes Aura, but nothing like this. The last payment was for the last quarter of the year, and the next one is due soon! Father won't possibly be able to pay both! Don't you see Aura? Our days here grow short.
But where will we go Iliyone?! What will we do?! Father doesn't know anything but fishing and Will hasn't even been an apprentice yet!
There was a long silence. Aura was beginning to wonder if her sister had fallen asleep when Iliyone finally spoke. I- I suppose mother and I could sell the quilts we make and the embroidery. That would at least get us fed. Another long pause. Look Aura, stop worrying and go to sleep. We can't change anything by complaining.
Goodnight then Iliyone. As her sister murmured a reply Aura curled into the thin blanket, her mind filled with nagging thoughts. Doubt and Fear were her bedmates that night. Shivering, Aura buried her head into her pillow, wishing tomorrow would never come.

Fionna's dark hair was in disarray as she gripped her husband's strong arm, pleading with him. Outside rain had started to fall in sheets. Tiren! For the love of God don't go! You see that weather out there. Your ship will be swamped! You'll drown! Oh love, don't do it! She had to shriek to make her voice audible above the thunder.
Ignoring his wife Tiren pulled on his old water repellent leather coat. I have to Fionna. I have to catch fish. If there's no fish, there's no money. And if there's no money, then I can't pay Mr. Konen and we'll be homeless. Don't worry about me darling. I'll be fine! The sea won't hurt me, it hasn't yet. Besides, I've been through worse than this.
But Fionna gnawed her lip in a worrisome way. Please Tiren! Think of the children!
Spinning around to face his wife Tiren replied. I am. Then, pecking her and each of his children on the cheek, Tiren strode out into the pouring rain.
Once the door was closed Fionna sat down onto a nearby chair, several tears ran down her cheeks. He'll be okay. I know he will.
Of course he will mother! Iliyone put a comforting arm around her mother's shoulders. Of course he will.
Aura and Will exchanged uncertain looks. Aura knew her father was crazy to be going out to sea in such wild weather. If he were any other man she would have said he was as good as dead, but she prayed and hoped the outcome would be otherwise.

The day passed sluggishly. Though all four of them had sickening feelings of dread in their hearts they carried on a best as they could, each one hiding their emotions deep inside of them. Aura and Will both completed their daily lessons without protest and Iliyone continued working on her current embroidery project. Fionna spent much of the day in the kitchen, preoccupying herself by fixing carrot soup for dinner (Will shuddered when he found out). When Aura completed her lessons she retreated to her room upstairs and took her book of fairy tales from the shelf. She had read the thick book from cover to cover several dozen times, but she never tired of reading it again. The tales were engraved in her memory, and she carried them in her heart. They were happy thoughts, to distract her from the more serious ones.
Lighting her lantern Aura placed it on top of her wooden bedstand and sat down on the bed. Turning over so she was laying on her stomach, Aura opened the gold-leafed pages of her treasured album. Her mother had read this book when she was a girl, and her mother before that, and so on. Aura judged that she would have a lot of difficulty handing it down to her daughter, if she had one. Iliyone had never had any interest in the fairy tales, she was a practical sort of person. Flipping the pages Aura came upon one of her favorite tales, the one about a princess who was cursed into an enchanted sleep by an evil sorceress. After many hundreds of years a prince finally came and rescued the slumbering princess, waking her with a sweet kiss. One of Aura's favorite things about the book was the vivid illustrations on every other page. One showed the princess being cursed, and another showed her being wakened by the prince. Sighing contentedly at the happy ending Aura moved onto the next tale. And so her evening passed.

Dinner that night was unusually quiet. Will slurped his carrot soup loudly, but without complaint. Iliyone kept casting concerned looks at her mother, who hadn't touched any food the whole day and didn't look to be breaking the habit. Aura just quickly finished her soup and helped her mother clean up. Then she dashed up the stairs and read her book again, to wards away the fearful thoughts. The rain still pounded hard upon the windows and the wind howled loudly. Aura wrapped herself in her blanket to protect herself from the drafts that crept through the cottage. After reading two or three stories she placed the book on her nightstand and blew the lantern out, preparing for another sleepless night.

The next morning the sun shone uncertainly beneath a curtain of fog. Aura and Will had ventured outside to survey the damage and travel to the docks for any word of their father. The other sailors and vendors were distressed when they heard what had happened. The storm yesterday had been on of the strongest of the decade, they said, certainly no sailor was skillful enough the survive that! But Aura had a strong faith that her father would return and tell her dreadfully entertaining stories about the great sea god Neptune who was responsible for such storms.
Mrs. Brydenbar was the most sympathetic towards the two, and invited them into tea. Thinking of nothing else to do Aura and Will accepted. As soon as Master Brydenbar gets back I'll send im and a few other men out lookin fer yer father. Lord only knows whether he survived that dreadful storm. Oh- I'm so sorry dears! I ain't meanin that he's dead and all, of course he's alive lambkins. Will found being called lambkins quite disturbing. But whatever possessed im to go out in such dreadful weather?!
Aura took the opportunity to break in. We're behind in our payments to Mr. Konen... Apparently one of his man servants cheated us, but he doesn't believe it. It's highly probable that we'll be evicted in a few weeks.
Mrs. Brydenbar's face turned scarlet with anger. Why that devil of a man! Thieving liar! At first Aura couldn't tell if Mrs. Brydenbar was talking about the manservant or Mr. Konen. He's to rich for his own good. Goes on stealing honest people's gold. Wicked man! Wicked wicked man! He'll be going into the fiery pits on judgment day as sure as my name's Grace Brydenbar!
Aura wasn't sure what had set on this sudden fit of rage, but she was happy when Mrs. Brydenbar finally settled down. Excuse me, but when shall Mr. Brydenbar come home.
'E's due home any minute now. Never missed a tea in his life, my husband. Chuckling Mrs. Brydenbar placed the kettle on the stove.

So indeed, when the last saucer was placed on the table Mr. Brydenbar came marching in, a grim look set on his usually jolly face. He was so preoccupied he nearly walked into Aura. Oh! My Lord! Aura! His eyes shifted across the room wildly. And Will? His voice sounded worried. Would you two let me speak to Grace for a minute? Without waiting for their solemn nods Mr. Brydenbar pulled his wife into the kitchen and the two started conversing quietly.
Aura and Will could hear Grace Brydenbar crying out in shock. Dear Lord! No! It can't be! How can I tell them? They'll be heartbroken! Aura and Will exchanged sick looks. Mrs. Brydenbar calmed down and Mr. Brydenbar continued to talk with her for several minutes. Finally the two stepped out of the kitchen. Mrs. Brydenbar's eyes were red and puffy, as if she had been crying.
It was Mr. Brydenbar who spoke first. Will. Aura. I hate to be the one to tell you... But- He stopped, and with a pained look on his face he produced a piece of weathered board from his overcoat. We found this on the shore this morning. He handed the board to Will and added, I'm sorry.
Peering over her brother's shoulder Aura gave a stifled cry of shock. The board had been broken in half and the painted letters on it were bleached by the sun, but it read: s Rose . Aura held back hot tears. Fionna's Rose, her father's ship, the proud little vessel, had met its watery grave, dragging its master down with it. Shaking her head Aura gave a small cry of disbelief. She took several steps back and tripped over a chair, sprawling to the floor. This caused the tear to flow freely. Sobs racked her body as she lay prostrate on the floor. Will dropped the board and rushed to her side, picking up her body and cradling her softly, tears coursing down his own cheeks.
Mr. and Mrs. Brydenbar watched helplessly as the mourning brother and sister comforted each other. Then, deciding they were best left alone they disappeared into another part of their house.
Oh Will! I had such faith in him. Aura's voice was painfully hoarse. But he didn't come back! He's never coming back! A fresh wave of tears overtook her as she buried her face into Will's sturdy shoulder.
Will just nodded, consumed in his own grief. Brother and sister sat there, infatuated with grief, mourning their lost father.