The Courting of Bryn - Ch 9
It was an audible breath that escaped Bryn's lips as she leaned against the reeling, watching thoughtfully how the day-shift was busy stirring the Nomad safely through the open seas.
The weather though grey and rather gloomy was fine enough and the waves were friendly, allowing the ship to go at a pleasant speed.
Most of the sailors on deck had at least a content expression on their faces, some where even smiling to themselves while Bryn's forehead lay in wrinkles. Two days ago she had sought Doubar in the middle of the night when terrible dreams had woken her from her sleep. She had vanished in the morning, leaving the first mate without even as much as a whispered word. The young sorceress had done so in order to spare them any gossiping but much to her dismay this plan had failed. The whole ship was talking and she knew it.
She knew albeit none had ever addressed her about it, save Maeve who could not contain herself. But no sailor, not even the guys had even done as much as mention the incident when she was around. They treated her perfectly normal, never making fun of her – not even when she knew it would have been in a good natured way.
So her own situation wasn't what troubled her.
It was Doubar's.
Each time the guys held back they made up for it later when it was just them and their first mate.
He was the one who had to endure it all and she felt guilty for having put him into this. It was her who had asked him whether she could stay and it was her who had come to him in the first place. Had she managed to deal with her demons alone he would not have to face his friends' mirth right now -making it unnecessary for her to have such a bad conscience when instead she should feel all happy about all the things he had said and done already during his quest of courting her.
She had to make up for it, apologize at least.
As soon as this thought had infested itself in her mind she left the prow behind, drawing her cloak a little tighter around herself while she made her way to the tiller where Doubar was currently having his shift.
While she walked over to the first mate she was sure to physically feel all the amused glances that lay on her.
Rarely had she been this self-aware before. If to anything the feeling only compared to the one she'd had during her first days onboard, when just like now everyone had watched her steps, waiting for what she would do. But unlike then she was no stranger anymore. She was part of the crew and she harboured misgivings that this was just the problem about it all. Any random damsel who was gone the next morning would for sure not have been worth even mentioning but she on the other hand … she would stay and any approach of hers would fuel the rumours and provide endless entertainment to the male part of the crew.
Allah save us, she thought to herself with a defeated sigh, I have doomed us both.
When finally she had crossed the deck and reached the tiller, Bryn released a breath she hadn't known she'd been holding. Behind her everyone was doing their routine, taking no notice of the two figures at the rear it seemed, but she knew they all were stealing glances into their direction whenever they deemed themselves safe from being caught doing so.
"Bryn! To what do I owe the honour of your visit?", Doubar's voice greeted her as soon as she reached his spot. While before he had scowled slightly he now smiled brightly at her, his voice bearing nothing of the annoyance she was sure he must've been feeling.
"I came to apologize", she replied truthfully, allowing only a small smile to grace her lips before she went on calmly. "I… I shouldn't have put you into this…", she flailed her arms in a forlorn gesture, pointing vaguely towards the centre of the deck, "this situation. And I wanted you to know that I'm sorry about it all."
Her eyes lay on him for a second then, scrutinizing him and searching for any hint as to how he would take her words. Much to her surprise he frowned deeply, his pale blue eyes narrowing slightly at the same time.
"Sorry? About what?", he finally spoke and it was easy to hear he was irritated and… amused. "The guys having a little fun on my account?"
A shrug passed his shoulders before he continued casually: "I always knew this day would come. I have done my share in making fun of Sinbad when Maeve came onboard so I guess it's only fair that he pays me back. As long as they're unloading it all on me I really couldn't care less."
Suddenly then he shifted and a worried tone wound itself into his voice when he carried on.
"But if they start plaguing you then I'll give them a piece of my mind. They have not bothered you, have they?"
By the time he had said the last few words his expression had shifted into one of honest worry and it caught Bryn off-guard. Even after two days of being at the mercy of his friends his only concern was still that she be spared.
"No they haven't", she started but found she could not hold back from asking him, "You really don't mind? None of this?"
She sounded baffled and that she was indeed.
"Why should I? I know my brother and I could have sent you back to your cabin, avoid the gossiping and all."
"But you didn't."
His smile widened upon her statement.
"No, I didn't", he said, and before she could even start and ask him for the reason why, he turned slightly to capture the whole of her gaze.
"I didn't because even if I cared about the foul imagination our friends possess I would care more for you. And I'd rather endure them poking fun at me for days on end than turn you down. As easy as that."
His cheeks burnt with a reddish hue while he confessed this truth to her and she could not help the heat that was ascending to her own head upon hearing it. She knew she might just regret this later, but as he looked at her with this honesty in his eyes she couldn't help herself.
For the second time since she had allowed him to show her just how much she meant to him she leant forwards and ever so gently brushed a light kiss across his lips. His beard tickled her soft skin but she even found she liked the sensation.
"Sinbad was wrong", she then mumbled when carefully she broke apart from him, "it's not me who's good for you."
Her velvet eyes sought his own for a second before she grinned at him.
"It's the other way round."
And with this she quickly stepped away, leaving these words linger in the air while she watched how Doubar's face split with the hugest smile she had ever seen on it.
Behind her quiet murmurs started to explode, mixed with the occasional chuckle or even muffled cheer. But she held her head up high as she returned to the spot at the prow that she had occupied earlier, smiling contently to herself. Most likely Maeve would pester her about what had just taken place, but much to her surprise she felt she didn't mind.
Because just for once she, too, couldn't care less.