NO: These were all pre-written, but I'm just now getting the time to transfer them to the Internet! Yippee!
Chapter 4: Travel by Ship
Against his will, Tonno was forced to ready the Fledgewing for another trip. Keela stayed behind, with some conditions. Tonno would return and the three would come back safe and sound.
"If not," she had said. "Then I'll be forced to come find you myself. And that wouldn't be pretty, would it?" She had kissed Tonno on the lips and watched them sail into the rising sun.
Trout was silent. It had hurt watching Keela kiss Tonno, it had hurt watching Calwyn embrace Darrow. They only reminded him of what he had lost. How could that be fair? Everyone got someone special and I'm left with no one. Only my machines keep me from totally leaving.
Do not fret, Halasaa said. You will see Mica again.
"I know. But I want to see her now. To hold her like everyone else! Everyone else has a lover. Except me."
I do not. Sometimes, the ones we love change in the river, though maybe not in the way we want.
This sobered Trout. It would take a week or so to reach Antaris. He didn't know how long she would wait… or if she was there.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Darrow fetched his mother a chair, then the pot of raspberry-leaf tea. Joran spoke first. "Eron, will you introduce us to your young lady?"
"Sorry… Father," It was obvious the title was unusual to Darrow. "This is Calwyn," he said. "She's-"
"A priestess from Antaris." Calwyn jumped in.
"And my Fiancée." Darrow finished. Calwyn had enough sense not to look surprised, Darrow's parents did, however, look amazed.
"Joran," Serli said. "I think you and Eron should go outside, you know, get some fresh air."
"But-" Joran countered. Serli narrowed her eyes. Joran may have been the captain, but she was the captain's wife. The two men left.
"So, you are my son's Fiancée?" She asked Calwyn.
"Well, I didn't know until just now…" The two women laughed. Serli sobered and looked at Calwyn.
"He was stolen from me, you know."
"Yes, here in Geel."
Serli leaned in. "There have been tales that Calwyn Many-Songs is a goddess, is this true?" Calwyn was surprised to see the ship moving.
"I am no goddess, no more than you are."
"In any case, you are to marry my son?"
"I guess so."
"Yes or no?"
"Yes." Calwyn said with her whole heart. "I am."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Joran, without knowing it, asked the same question. "Are you really going to marry the Sing of all Songs?"
"Yes sir." Darrow replied, it was easy to slip into the old titles he'd grown up around. "Are we going to the Kalysons?"
"Yes, Eron. We are taking goods back."
"May we follow you? We will be able to keep up. Or, with my permission, we could lash Flight to your ship, using your permission, of course."
Sighing, Joran consented and Calwyn pushed Flight next to Gold Arrow. As soon as Darrow and Calwyn secretly used Ironcraft to bind the ropes, they were off.
That night, Calwyn and Darrow dined with Joran and Serli. Joran, again, broke the silence. "When we hit the Kalysons, you two will be married, sound good?"
"Yes sir!" They both said. Calwyn sent Darrow a mind-grin.
Little did the crew know, but Miss Calwyn, as she was referred, would send a wind their way the whole trip, this would be the fastest trip from Geel to the Kalysons they'd ever experienced.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Samis awoke. He was in an odd room with bleeping machines and super-soft beds. A nurse looked at him. She touched a button.
He started to sing a song of Ironcraft, but it wouldn't do anything. He had no chantment here…
…Wherever 'here' was…
