Snippet #2817930

Cretas sat on one hip against the bow's railing, looking at the landmass ahead with a subtly furrowed brow and tight lips. Lemnia watched from nearby hiding behind the forward mast. Her little eyebrows were oblique and there was hesitation in the tiny shuffles in her feet as she inched out from behind the mast and began approaching her mother who was now in the middle of taking a deep breath and sighing through her nose.

Lem's tiny hand gripped the fabric of Cretas' shirt giving it two soft tugs. Cretas' eyes closed, her brow softened, her lips relaxed, and she smiled as she looked down at Lemnia.

"Momma? Are you still mad at the giant hat man?" She squeaked.

Cretas' smile weakened ever so slightly as her own eyebrows faintly furrowed once again. She reached down and picked Lemnia up, kissed her forehead, and set her back down in the same spot before as she looked back out towards the landmass.

Lemnia backed away a few steps, clasping her hands in front of her chest before turning around and going to sit down against the mast with a heavy sigh.

A moment later, she felt a tap on her shoulder. And as she looked up she saw Tora, long since back to full strength and health, leaning down and smiling at her.

"What's wrong, Lemnia?"

"Momma's still angry."

"Oh?" He asked as he scooped her up in his arms. "How can you tell?"

"She only doesn't talk to me if she's mad about something."

"Ah, I see. I'm sorry."

Lemnia leaned against Tora and closed her eyes.

"Torrie. Is momma okay? She won't tell me what happened."

"You mean after she went to see the Captain that night?"

Lem nodded.

"Well, um... It's... Ah..." Tora took a deep breath and rubbed Lem's back. "It's complicated, little one."

"What's comlicpated?"

Tora chuckled slightly.

"It means it's hard to explain. What happened that night... Well... I remember what you said about your family history. I think it brought back some bad memories for your mother."

"Oh. Memories of daddy?"

"Probably."

"Mm."

Her little hands gripped his shirt more tightly, and Tora looked over at Cretas who was still frozen like a statue staring at the ever growing landmass that served as their temporary destination for repairing the ship and filling out their crew.

"Hey. I have an idea."

"Mm?"

"Go over to your mother and say "I'm sorry life is so complicated." It might cheer her up a bit."

Lem snapped upright.

"You think so?"

"Yes. I think so."

Lemnia smiled brightly and turned rapidly in his arms as he struggled to set her down safely against her struggling. The instant her feet hit the deck she was sprinting back towards Cretas before... THWAM!!... Face plant.

Tora winced, but smiled with a soft chuckle.

She trips over literally nothing... And I don't know why I've come to find it amusing.

Lemnia straightened up quickly and rushed over to her mother grabbing her pants and tugging mightily to get her attention. When Cretas finally glanced down at her again, she beamed.

"Momma. I'm sorry life's so comlicptaed."

Cretas's lips parted slightly as her eyebrows turned upwards just so. She stifled a laugh, and then burst out laughing as she reached down to pick Lemnia up and held her close with a kiss to the forehead.

"Thank you, my love. I needed that."

Lemnia's beaming smile softened as she felt he warmth of her mother's body against the cool mid-morning air. Slowly she closed her eyes and snuggled against Cretas' chest as the latter stroked her hair and kissed her crown before resting her cheek atop Lemnia's head.

Watching from nearby, Tora took in a satisfied breath and looked out at the horizon.

That landmass was all but upon them now. A large inhabited island a few hundred miles from Mar' Valoa. It had set them back a little over a month to get here. But after that attack at sea the ship would need the repairs and the new crew if she was going to make it to the new world Cretas spoke of. And Tora could see the port coming into view through a subtle haze nestled above the ocean's surface.

Suddenly, Tora got a chill. He subtly turned his head just enough to see the Captain had emerged and was standing beside the helmsman at the wheel and looking out at the landmass ahead like most of the others on deck... Except...

No. He wasn't looking at the landmass. Tora followed his eyes and was led directly back to Cretas and Lemnia. Glancing back at the Captain he could see a subtle smirk on the man's face. But he also clearly saw the cut below his left eye. That cut gave Tora a tiny hint of joy and satisfaction. But other unseen marks left his joy and satisfaction fleeting, and very soon after replaced by subdued rage and determination to redouble his efforts in fulfilling his oath.

This ship, and more importantly her guests, would see no further misfortune so long as he was alive and on board.

About an hour later they made port, and the skeleton crew began disembarking as Tora remained on board despite the crew's insistence he come along. A silent glare from Tora was all the crewman needed to know to back off and go about his duties on the shore. Tora had lost sight of Korrin during this time, but he knew he was somewhere nearby.

Meanwhile, Tora kept a firm gaze squarely centered on one man standing on the upper deck who was now looking down at Collen who'd just emerged from below.