I awoke the next morning with sun streaming down on my face. I could hear
the grunts and groans of the men on the deck preparing to disembark.
Standing shakily, I saw that Bayon was waiting outside for me.
"I saw that you spoke with Hemna last night and he informed you of our destination." I nodded. The helmsman had told me his name in one of our "conversations" from the night before. By conversation, it meant him talking so quickly that, by the end of the night, I was only starting to distinguish the starts and ends of the Jeritan words. To me; however, it was a major accomplishment.
Unfortunately, Bayon didn't seem as pleased. He gave a slight "humph" and walked off, leaving me utterly confused. Shaking my head and muttering minor curses, I arranged my hair to keep it out of my face.
I stepped outside, into the sunlight that hit my face. It wasn't a harsh light or heat, though, merely gentle warmth that made me feel refreshed. I looked around and the voices I heard working had bodies now. Bodies already thick with sweat, even in the early morning sun. They worked hard, some with no shirts, their muscles rippling as they moved. I watched, more than a little fascinated before I tore my eyes away. Improper thoughts, they were. Instead, I sought out Hemna.
I found him a few moments later, conversing with a small man in fast Jeritan. He looked to be a mainlander, with his silken clothes and handkerchief that he dabbed on his pudgy face every so often. I could recognize a few words, though I didn't know some of their meanings. So I listened for more I could remember and soon, I realized that they were talking about me.
I looked sharply at Hemna before he began to laugh. "You should not listen to other's conversations, little one," he said in my language before the other man laughed as well. Blushing furiously, I left them and walked to the side of the ship to see what this infamous Jerita looked like. I was not disappointed. The beauty of the land before me far exceeded the one that I just left. The trees were bountiful, the water a clear blue. There were happy people in the market before us and I could hear their bartering from where I stood on the ship. The clouds had gone away, leaving the sun in an unsheltered sky, free to roam. On the surface, that place seemed like paradise.
"She's perfection, isn't she?" a voice behind me asked, speaking my own thoughts. I nodded to myself, not even bothering to look around. I knew his voice well enough by now. Bayon. He had come up so close behind me that I could hear his deep breaths. "Would you like to come with me when I go?" he asked me softly. I thought for a moment before answering.
"You won't leave me there, will you?" He gave a small chuckle, as if the thought was ridiculous.
"Of course not. The Captain wants me to take you and Hemna ashore to sell off the goods we have aboard. And to gather the new men, of course."
I did turn to face him at that time, though, my eyes full of skepticism.
"Why Hemna?"
Again he laughed, making me feel as if I had just asked a dumb question. Inside I cringed.
"Because he's the only one aboard who can speak Jeritan. I thought you would know that by now..." His tone was delicate, as if speaking to a very ignorant little girl.
Again I blushed, this time at my obvious oversight, and I faced the shore again. Inside, however, I was fuming. How dare he treat me like a child?! I raged inside. Perhaps it would be better if I didn't join them. But the way Bayon spoke, it was the Captain's orders for me to go. And, as I had never met this Captain, I didn't want to disobey him so early.
I brushed off Bayon, not wanting to face his ridicule any longer. He seemed a little surprised when I stormed away from him, but he was the least of my worries at that moment. When I found Hemna again, he was alone, leaning over the rail, much as I was earlier.
"Come here, girl," he said in Jeritan, not wanting to break his word again to always speak the language around me. I obeyed silently, standing next to him, still in awe of the world I beheld.
"Yes sir?" I replied back to him in the same tongue. He laughed softly and patted my arm.
"I heard you will be joining Bayon and I today. I want you to promise that you will stick close to me, no matter what happens. Then men that we are receiving –well- they are not the best of our race."
I nodded, only able to catch the general idea of what he was asking me for. However, his words made me think about the possible danger I was in, especially trusting my life to two men I barely knew.
A/N: Alrighty...to my ONE reviewer:
Wolfy129: Thanks so much. Sorry about the LOONG delay, but hope that you like it was worth it!!!!
"I saw that you spoke with Hemna last night and he informed you of our destination." I nodded. The helmsman had told me his name in one of our "conversations" from the night before. By conversation, it meant him talking so quickly that, by the end of the night, I was only starting to distinguish the starts and ends of the Jeritan words. To me; however, it was a major accomplishment.
Unfortunately, Bayon didn't seem as pleased. He gave a slight "humph" and walked off, leaving me utterly confused. Shaking my head and muttering minor curses, I arranged my hair to keep it out of my face.
I stepped outside, into the sunlight that hit my face. It wasn't a harsh light or heat, though, merely gentle warmth that made me feel refreshed. I looked around and the voices I heard working had bodies now. Bodies already thick with sweat, even in the early morning sun. They worked hard, some with no shirts, their muscles rippling as they moved. I watched, more than a little fascinated before I tore my eyes away. Improper thoughts, they were. Instead, I sought out Hemna.
I found him a few moments later, conversing with a small man in fast Jeritan. He looked to be a mainlander, with his silken clothes and handkerchief that he dabbed on his pudgy face every so often. I could recognize a few words, though I didn't know some of their meanings. So I listened for more I could remember and soon, I realized that they were talking about me.
I looked sharply at Hemna before he began to laugh. "You should not listen to other's conversations, little one," he said in my language before the other man laughed as well. Blushing furiously, I left them and walked to the side of the ship to see what this infamous Jerita looked like. I was not disappointed. The beauty of the land before me far exceeded the one that I just left. The trees were bountiful, the water a clear blue. There were happy people in the market before us and I could hear their bartering from where I stood on the ship. The clouds had gone away, leaving the sun in an unsheltered sky, free to roam. On the surface, that place seemed like paradise.
"She's perfection, isn't she?" a voice behind me asked, speaking my own thoughts. I nodded to myself, not even bothering to look around. I knew his voice well enough by now. Bayon. He had come up so close behind me that I could hear his deep breaths. "Would you like to come with me when I go?" he asked me softly. I thought for a moment before answering.
"You won't leave me there, will you?" He gave a small chuckle, as if the thought was ridiculous.
"Of course not. The Captain wants me to take you and Hemna ashore to sell off the goods we have aboard. And to gather the new men, of course."
I did turn to face him at that time, though, my eyes full of skepticism.
"Why Hemna?"
Again he laughed, making me feel as if I had just asked a dumb question. Inside I cringed.
"Because he's the only one aboard who can speak Jeritan. I thought you would know that by now..." His tone was delicate, as if speaking to a very ignorant little girl.
Again I blushed, this time at my obvious oversight, and I faced the shore again. Inside, however, I was fuming. How dare he treat me like a child?! I raged inside. Perhaps it would be better if I didn't join them. But the way Bayon spoke, it was the Captain's orders for me to go. And, as I had never met this Captain, I didn't want to disobey him so early.
I brushed off Bayon, not wanting to face his ridicule any longer. He seemed a little surprised when I stormed away from him, but he was the least of my worries at that moment. When I found Hemna again, he was alone, leaning over the rail, much as I was earlier.
"Come here, girl," he said in Jeritan, not wanting to break his word again to always speak the language around me. I obeyed silently, standing next to him, still in awe of the world I beheld.
"Yes sir?" I replied back to him in the same tongue. He laughed softly and patted my arm.
"I heard you will be joining Bayon and I today. I want you to promise that you will stick close to me, no matter what happens. Then men that we are receiving –well- they are not the best of our race."
I nodded, only able to catch the general idea of what he was asking me for. However, his words made me think about the possible danger I was in, especially trusting my life to two men I barely knew.
A/N: Alrighty...to my ONE reviewer:
Wolfy129: Thanks so much. Sorry about the LOONG delay, but hope that you like it was worth it!!!!