User blog:Leea/The Tale of Voronwe, Chapter 30

Previous Chapters
1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th, 20th, 21st, 22nd, 23rd, 24th, 25th, 26th, 27th, 28th, 29th

4th Era 110, 16th of Sun's Height, Summerset Isles
With the gold she had aquired from selling Eldacar's goods, she had been able to pay extra so that the ship's captain could dock just off shore from her home, and she would be able to take her cargo ashore on a small boat. As the shore began to come into view, she leaned on the railing and gazed out. She heard someone come up behind her. She whirled around.

"I didn't mean to frighten you," Akadil consoled, hands up in a cautionary manner.

Curwe let out her breath and turned to watch the shore once more.

He leaned next to her, looking out on the water. "If you don't mind me saying, this area is really remote."

"It is," she replied, tucking a wisp of hair blown loose by the gentle breeze.

"If you also don't mind me asking, why would you choose to live here?"

She turned her head to study him. His interest seemed to be genuine, so she told him the history of her mother and Eldacar.

Afterwards, he said, "So that is how he knew you."

"Yes."

A gentle frown grew on his features. "But why stay out here?"

She gazed wistfully out over the blue ocean waters. The trees along the shore began to get taller and taller as they approached the shoreline. "It's been the only place I've ever known."

"But you could have lived in Eldacar's house."

She shifted her gaze to him. "Now, or then?"

"Now."

Curwe shook her head. "No. I'm not good in towns. Besides, I felt like I was intruding in his house. Like...he was still there. I actually felt bad going through his things. Almost like he was looking over my shoulder."

"You mean that his imprint was there. He can't be haunting his house; his body was given all the proper rights." Akadil clarified.

"Yeah."

There was a silence as he digested this. "I suppose I could understand you. I don't know about the love of solitude, however. I've lived in Firsthold all my life."

Curwe shrugged. "City life isn't for me. People stare at you if they don't know you or if you have a shoe half unbuckled, but here, you could wear a different kind of shoe on each foot and the animals and birds don't care."

That had the desired effect: he laughed. As they leaned on the railing, footsteps came up behind them and both turned to see who it was.

Captain Kael wore a cloth that covered his head that mimicked the turbans of the Redguard culture, coupled with heavy black eyeliner to cut down on the glare of the water. Otherwise, he wore ordinary Altmer-style clothing, though of a higher quality than most "civilian" captains would wear. He was brave and unafraid to bend or break the Dominion's rules where adventure could be had.

"Madam," he started. "The boat is as close as we can get her without hurting her belly. Your private boat is nearly ready to launch."

His neatly trimmed wagged slightly as he spoke, another souvenir from a trip, this time to Skyrim, where after seeing the local Nords elected to try a beard himself. After a few tries, he settled on a finger length style that was braided at the sides. There were little gold bands clasped around them to keep them from unraveling and add decoration.

"Is the boat loaded?" Curwe asked.

"My men are working on that as we speak. It should be fully loaded in a few minutes."

"Thank you again," she replied.

The captain bowed. "It was my pleasure." He straightened his sword belt, the scimitar (another souvenir from Hammerfell) clinking softly against the buckles on his knee boots. "I will inform you when it is fully loaded."

Curwe nodded, and Kael turned on his heels and walked back to the other side of the ship.

As he approached the boat that she would be taking, he mused over his female passenger. She was a beauty, no doubt, but there seemed to be a quality about her that suggested that she was unobtainable. His "swashbuckling" character might make one think otherwise, but he was not the kind of man to force himself on a woman. It would also be bad for business if he lost his reserve and word spread around of his deed. Better to just wait for the proper woman to come around eventually.

Also, looking - no, admiring from a distance - didn't hurt any party.

* * *

"Madam," Kael said, speaking to Curwe from an arm's distance.

She and the lawyer turned to face him. "Yes?" Curwe asked, tucking the unruly lock of hair behind her ear.

"Your boat is ready to launch." he replied, reminding himself not to stare. She appeared not to notice, but Akadil did, his eyes narrowing slightly. Kael tried to pay him no attention. "Will you need any of my men to help you unload?"

She shook her head. "No, thank you. My lawyer can help me."

Kael tried to keep the slight dissapointment from his face and voice. "Very well," he replied. He bowed again. "Goodbye. And good luck, madam."

Curwe bowed as well. "You too. Take care out there," she stated before heading to the little boat.

Curwe and Akadil boarded the little boat, loaded down with crates, bundles, and bags. They swayed slightly as the men aboard The Seagull's Catch worked the cranks to lower it into the water.

* * *

Captain Kael stood on the side of the ship, watching the little boat become smaller and smaller as it approached the shore. He had enjoyed the time Curwe had spent aboard, and he knew some of his crew felt the same. He felt that old, familiar sensation that had guided him on previous adventures: he knew he would see her again sometime in the future. When that happened, he might not even charge her for the voyage.