Epilogue
"Land Ho!" called the almost hoarse voice of the watchman from the crow's nest, the young boy sliding down the ropes excitedly, his hazel eyes shining under a mop of dirty blonde hair. "Captain, we're home!"
The captain smiled at young Jeyr, his enthusiasm contagious. He'd picked up the orphaned fifteen year old at a Valuan colony in Ixa'Taka which had recently come under attack by a nomadic tribe. King Ixa'Taka himself had warned them and had offered them protection and sanctuary, but Valuan pride was still famous. They'd wanted to make it on their own, and Jeyr's parents had paid the price for their arrogance. Nonetheless, the boy was happy and energetic, giving the older crew someone to look after like a younger brother.
The Captain himself was still a young man, though the white hair that graced his chin and forehead gave him the appearance of a man of far greater years. It was his eyes that gave away his true age. Their emerald depths shone with a fire that could not be stolen. In those eyes was reflected the soul of a man who'd faced great adversity... and had overcome it, with a joy that didn't seem logical.
Ryne smiled and practically ran up the mast, hanging off of the upper railing of the crows nest, his feet propped up against the mast. He watched with a huge smile as the small island not far from Shrine Isle became clear through the mists. The small island that he had been stranded on now served as his home and the hub of Delasaris Shippping. He was no longer a pirate.
"Sail over the top!" He yelled down to his helmsman, Robert, the man who was now married to the formerly stoic Celeste. Celeste had actually been a part of the crew of the New Hope, until she'd announced her leave of absence due to pregnancy. Ryne thought it a little funny that the woman who'd told him that feelings were irrelevant was now married and with child, but he'd decided long ago that the moons had a sense of humor.
The New Hope came within twenty feet of the surface of the island, the hull nearly skimming the jutting rocks that their water source trickled out of. Ryne smiled mischievously, grabbed a free rope, and jumped, hanging off the side of his ship and ten feet above the shallow pool that covered most of the far side of the island. He let go of the rope, his long captain's overcoat whipping the air behind him, his hat coming loose and freeing the tails of his bandana. He smiled and tucked himself into a ball, crashing into the cool refreshing water below. His high-booted feet kicked the sandy bottom, hurtling him to the surface and life giving air which he took into his lungs with greedy gasps.
"Well, someone's a little anxious to be home."
Ryne shook his head like a dog, spraying water everywhere, plucking his floating hat out of the water. He waded out of the water, his clothes feeling like a hundred pounds. He shed the overcoat and wrapped his wife in his arms, kissing her in a way that told her she was missed.
A tug on his pants interrupted the moment. Ryne broke the kiss to look down on a little girl of about six years of age holding a handful of his pant leg and looking up at him with the most amazing blue green eyes he'd ever seen. Her face was the essence of anticipation and excitement though half covered by her white hair, her small body hardly able to contain it any longer.
"Wha'd'ya bring me, Daddy?"
Ryne smiled and reached down to retrieve his coat, pulling something from the pocket. He knelt down so that he was eye level with his daughter. Holding onto two ends of a chain, he dropped the round silver moonstone attached to it, stopping it in between her eyebrows. The small jewel that seemed to be embedded there started to shine weakly, absorbing the power of the stone, making the little girl giggle. Ryne clasped it around her neck, looking up to his wife, seeking her approval.
A smile crossed Jaycera's still beautiful face as a lone tear trickled down to her chin. Ryne picked up his small daughter, then wiped the tear off.
"It's good to be home."
"Land Ho!" called the almost hoarse voice of the watchman from the crow's nest, the young boy sliding down the ropes excitedly, his hazel eyes shining under a mop of dirty blonde hair. "Captain, we're home!"
The captain smiled at young Jeyr, his enthusiasm contagious. He'd picked up the orphaned fifteen year old at a Valuan colony in Ixa'Taka which had recently come under attack by a nomadic tribe. King Ixa'Taka himself had warned them and had offered them protection and sanctuary, but Valuan pride was still famous. They'd wanted to make it on their own, and Jeyr's parents had paid the price for their arrogance. Nonetheless, the boy was happy and energetic, giving the older crew someone to look after like a younger brother.
The Captain himself was still a young man, though the white hair that graced his chin and forehead gave him the appearance of a man of far greater years. It was his eyes that gave away his true age. Their emerald depths shone with a fire that could not be stolen. In those eyes was reflected the soul of a man who'd faced great adversity... and had overcome it, with a joy that didn't seem logical.
Ryne smiled and practically ran up the mast, hanging off of the upper railing of the crows nest, his feet propped up against the mast. He watched with a huge smile as the small island not far from Shrine Isle became clear through the mists. The small island that he had been stranded on now served as his home and the hub of Delasaris Shippping. He was no longer a pirate.
"Sail over the top!" He yelled down to his helmsman, Robert, the man who was now married to the formerly stoic Celeste. Celeste had actually been a part of the crew of the New Hope, until she'd announced her leave of absence due to pregnancy. Ryne thought it a little funny that the woman who'd told him that feelings were irrelevant was now married and with child, but he'd decided long ago that the moons had a sense of humor.
The New Hope came within twenty feet of the surface of the island, the hull nearly skimming the jutting rocks that their water source trickled out of. Ryne smiled mischievously, grabbed a free rope, and jumped, hanging off the side of his ship and ten feet above the shallow pool that covered most of the far side of the island. He let go of the rope, his long captain's overcoat whipping the air behind him, his hat coming loose and freeing the tails of his bandana. He smiled and tucked himself into a ball, crashing into the cool refreshing water below. His high-booted feet kicked the sandy bottom, hurtling him to the surface and life giving air which he took into his lungs with greedy gasps.
"Well, someone's a little anxious to be home."
Ryne shook his head like a dog, spraying water everywhere, plucking his floating hat out of the water. He waded out of the water, his clothes feeling like a hundred pounds. He shed the overcoat and wrapped his wife in his arms, kissing her in a way that told her she was missed.
A tug on his pants interrupted the moment. Ryne broke the kiss to look down on a little girl of about six years of age holding a handful of his pant leg and looking up at him with the most amazing blue green eyes he'd ever seen. Her face was the essence of anticipation and excitement though half covered by her white hair, her small body hardly able to contain it any longer.
"Wha'd'ya bring me, Daddy?"
Ryne smiled and reached down to retrieve his coat, pulling something from the pocket. He knelt down so that he was eye level with his daughter. Holding onto two ends of a chain, he dropped the round silver moonstone attached to it, stopping it in between her eyebrows. The small jewel that seemed to be embedded there started to shine weakly, absorbing the power of the stone, making the little girl giggle. Ryne clasped it around her neck, looking up to his wife, seeking her approval.
A smile crossed Jaycera's still beautiful face as a lone tear trickled down to her chin. Ryne picked up his small daughter, then wiped the tear off.
"It's good to be home."