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Swashbuckling Adolesence

This story is an original work by Stephanie McGee. (lil about me: i'm 17, going to be 18 in september. i love rock music, writing and drawing. i wrote this story because i saw the princess bride, it inspired me. i have been working on this story for almost a year. to learn more about me, go to my online diary.

Chapter One The fresh morning air was spiced with a mist of salt, as was common during voyages at sea. The sun was high in the sky on this day and there were no clouds visible.

Perfect as the day was, Aroura stood on the deck miserable again. She often felt this way- empty, bored, like the very breath of life was being sucked out of her. she couldn't fathom why she felt this, which frustrated her even more than the feeling itself.

In an attempt to forget the sensation, aroura turned her focus to the rolling waves which lay ahead. The tossing and turning of the water was hypnotic and she had almost forgotten her melancholy. The shadow of a ship in the distance brought her back to the present.

"Norman, there's a ship coming this way."

her foster father rolled his eyes and folded his gazzette into his lap.

"My dear girl, the ocean is the most heavily trafficed route of travel this world has to offer, of course we'll see another ship from time to time. if it worries you so, why don't you go to your bunk and..er...sew or some such nonsense. i haven't the time explain these things to you."

Then, as if she had never been there at all, Norman picked up his paper and began reading again. The paper crumpled against his rather portley stomach, which protruded in a manner most unflattering. Norman sat with his feet propped up on one of the wooden ottomans that was bolted to the deck. He lounged leisurely, his neck tie loose and colar undone. The breeze had mussed his snow white hair, there by revealing what a come-over had hid; a shiney bald spot on the top of his head.

As annoying as Norman was, Aroura obeyed him. She would rather have been confined to her room all day than listen to that stuffed shirt excuse for a father patronize her. Begrudgedly she went down to the passenger quarters and to her private room, shutting the door tightly behind her. But when she reached the cabin she didn't sew. Instead, she whent to her trunk and extracted her father's, her real father's, sword. She sat on the small cot with the blade in her lap, polishing it with tears. This sword was her one source of comfort.

Why does he have to treat me like a fool all the time? Aroura thought as she brooded over the sword. All i've ever done is try to be a good daughter to him. but, why should he care? Aroura had speculated for a long time that Norman had merely adopted her for social purposes. The only time he treated her like a daughter, rather than completely ignoring her, was at extravagant parties with many powerful surveyors looking on as an audience. Norman had been trying for sometime to gain a seat on the British parliment; Aroura figured that by adopting her, his image became more wholesome.

Aroura looked at herself in the small mirror on the wall. At 18, she was very beautiful. Her long, flaxen hair spilled in curls over her sholders and down her back, with tiny roses in the crook of her ear. Her crimson bodice squeezed her tighter than she thought humanly possible, and the the velvet folds of her skirt made her radiate with humidity. She was the picture of French fashion, but despised it. Not only was this look dreadfully uncomfortable, it some how felt unnatural. She felt like a porcelain show doll.

Aroura's gaze returned to the sword as her long, manicured fingers ran across the jeweled handle.

Oh, father...why did you have to leave me. All this wealth, this mindless chatter that echoes through the halls, I think it will drive me mad. I was happier as a veteran's daughter. I was happier with you.

Aroura's mind drifted back to that day. the day when she woke from a pleasent, childish sleep and yawned with honey breath as the sun crept slowly across her bed. the day when she walked down the stairs with a worn teddy bear in her arms to see her father on the floor convulsing and turning blue. the day when she screamed so loud that her neighbors half a mile away heard her. the day her father died. The authorities had bombarded her with questions; whether or not her father had any enemies, what he did the night before he died, where he went that day, but their words didn't even make sense to her. They might as well have been speaking Russian.

That night she was instructed to pack a single trunkfull of belongings. she packed necessary clothes, her teddy, several story books and a picture of her father. When the supervising police officer stepped out of the room for a cigar, she ran to her father's study, climbed upon his desk and removed his prized general's sword from the mantel. It was heavy in her little arms, although she had already been taught how to use it. She wrapped it carefully in a velvet shammy and put it in the bottom of her trunk. Aroura knew she would most likely never see this house or any of it's contence ever again, and she wanted to insure the safety of her father's most valued possesion. Later in the evening, close to midnight, she was loaded into a cart with at least a dozen other children. The cart was bound for the local orphanage, the place that would be her home until Norman had adopted her.

As these morbid visions played and re-played in Aroura's head, she vaguely heard the shrieking of voices up on deck.

Enemy ship approaching!"

*** "enemy ship approaching!"
The first time aroura heard these words, she assumed they were only a product of her imagination. but when she heard the the second time, louder and clearer, she knew trouble was brewing and snapped back to reality.

Leaving the sword on her bed, aroura rushed to the small circular window in her cabin's wall. She saw the ship that the passengers above were screaming about, the very vessel she had pointed out to Norman, gaining alarming speed and sailing directly in the path of her ship.

Aroura and her father had spent countless hours pouring over his books about warfare, survival, and the sea; Aroura immediately recognized the approaching ship as a pirate vessel.With more excitement than fear Aroura ran above to the deck. No doubt her skills would be need to deffend against the on coming rougues.

Aroura was shocked to see the passengers and crew alike were in an utter state of panic. Men, women, and children ran helter skelter all over the deck, bumping into one another and causing much more of a ruckus than necessary. Her cool, composed foster father was huddled in a corner near tears with his most valued possesions about him, (excluding aroura), muttering "Damn those bloody pirates!" over and over again.

If one looked closely, they could see a small smile spreading across aroura's face. This scene much amused her, especially Norman's antics. She felt no fear, her father had taught her well and she knew she could handle herself, if need be.

Only when the ship came meters away from hers did Aroura feel a tiny twinge of fear. This was soon quieted when she saw who was leading the embargo.

He was tall, wearing an emrald green shirt of the Greek style with gold trim. His raven black hair came nearly to his shoulders and was tied back with a leather cord. his face was narrow and clean shaven, save for a thin mustache adorning his upper lip. His skin was pale, almost milky. When he boarded the ship aroura saw that his eyes were a remarkable shade of blue, contrasting his dark hair. She thought him quite handsom.

As screams arose from the accosted passangers, the captain shouted to his men, "Take all you can carry! Spare the women and children, but let no man stand in your way!"

And so a battle broke out, dreadfully one sided, as the pirates greatly outnumbered the civilians. All around aroura men tried to deffend their women. Resistence was futile, and many ended up overboard run through with a sword.

Though she would never own to it, as wishing ill will on another is a wicked sin, a very small part of Aroura wished Norman would be tossed into the sea. That tiny, vengeful little brat that stomped up and down in Aroura's heart salivated at the notion of Norman's demise. But those thoughts vanished as the pirate captain began dancing the fatal dance of sword play almost directly in front of her.

His fluid grace with the weapon entranced her, and she couldn't help staring. He saw her, and before she could look away he gave Aroura a commical wink and a bow while at the same time knocking the sword of his apponent to the floor. The man screamed in terror and ran in the opposite direction, while the captain began to call his men back to the ship.

"Come on, men! That's a job well done! Lets leave these generous people now, shall we?" He laughed as his crew returned to the ship, laughing at the wealth they had collected, laughing at the stupified expressions that the passengers of the ship held.

They were gone in an instant, sailing away as fast as they came, and faintly aroura could hear the sounds of violins, and perhaps a cello playing in the distance. Meanwhile the crew of her ship stood dazed, wondering whether or not they should follow the pirates, or thank the lord that they still had their lives.

Knowing a retaliation was useless, all whent in seperate directions preparing to take inventory of their possesions, or lack there of. Norman immediatley gathered what was left of his belongings, running with an armful of odds and ends to his cabin. Aroura decided to do the same, as the excitement was dying down on the deck.

Aroura's cheeks were hot as she retired to her chamber. She could feel the blush spreading from her face to her ears, bright red and sweltering.

That dreadful man! Winking at an innocent girl!

But as she thought this, a grin crept over her features, and a giggle escaped her lips. Although she knew she would never see him again, this wild, fiendish man excited her. He embodied the very life she wanted; dangerous, carefree and rebelious. She couldn't shake his flirtatious actions, they sent shivers up her spine. Her girlish excitement vanished quickly, however, when she returned to her room.

Aroura's cabin was in an utter state of disray. Her trunk was overturned, things of little or no value strewn on the floor, expensive dresses (which held little importance to aroura) were torn from her wardrobe and thrown into a pile near it. The China vase that had sat on her dresser had shattered into millions of pieces, and the liquid seeped into the wooden floor. Aroura didn't even notice this damage, it was trivial to her. Everything else in the room faded to black as she came to this sickening realization. Her father's sword was missing!

Chapter Two

the next few minutes were a blur for aroura. all she could think about was how much her father's sword meant to her. it was the only piece of him she had left to hold on to. the memory of an eleven year old girl fades fast as she grows, and aroura thought the sword helped her remember tiny details about her father. like the way his beard felt against her skin when he tucked her in at night, or the way his customized mix of tabacco smelled when he lit his pipe- a blend of cedar and rosemary. aroura feared that losing the sword would force her to let her father go all together. she resolved not to let that happen.

hell or high water, i'm getting that sword!

she picked up her trunk and drew out her black riding pants which would replace her flowing skirts. along with that she adorned a pair of black leather gloves. in this new garb, she walked over to her basin and filled a small canteen with water from her finger bowl. absent mindedly she looked into the mirror above the basin.

she looked rather odd in pants and a corset, but she hadn't time to completely change her clothes. the pirate ship was getting futher away, and it would take a lot of time to carry out the plan she had in mind.

slinking onto the deck, she silently ran to the back of the ship, where the life boats were stored. she picked one, took the tarp off of it and made sure both oars were intact. with all her strength, she hoisted the row boat onto the railing of the ship and pushed it overboard. it was a long way down to the water, but aroura found the courage to jump from the railing into the boat. the impact of her weight forced the boat to bob and teeter, causing the fridged ocean water to splash into it and all over aroura.

great saint peter, that's cold! so much for being discrete. aroura looked up to the ship's stern to see a small boy watching her. he began yelling and pointing, although she couldn't understand what he was saying.

that little brat is telling on me! oh well, let him. there's nothing they can do, now.

immediately she began rowing. the pirate ship was now a partical in the distant horizon, and aroura was determined to catch it. as she got further from her ship she saw norman was now standing on the stern. she waved at him then took up her task once more.

she rowed fiercely throught the morning and afternoon. at dusk the ship finally slowed it's pace, allowing aroura to gain some headway. finally, perhaps around ten or eleven o'clock, she was in arm's length of the boat. the dark night concealed her as she groped for some fish nets that were hanging overboard. she tugged them to make sure they were secure, then looped a small section through the ring that holds the oars. when she was sure her boat would not float away, she climbed up the netting, pausing before she reached the top. she could hear to men conversing very near her.

"where should i put th' burgandy, cap'n?"

"below deck in the cargo hold, baffoon!"

the two men laughed. "perhaps i oughtn't drink this fine cordial so early in the evening!" mused the pirate as he walked out of aroura's earshot.

still clinging to the net as the gentle breeze swept through her hair, aroura waited until there was absolute silence to board the ship. there appeared to be no one on deck. she cautiously followed the direction in which she heard the pirate go to, finding an open trap door in the deck above a narrow staircase.

hearing the drunken soldier ascending the stairs, she quickly hid behind a near-by barrel. he emerged, whistling, and walked in the opposite direction.

when he was out of sight, aroura went down the stairs, finding them quite dark and slippery. when she reached the bottom, she had to wait several minutes for her eyes to adjust to the dim lighting. when she had her wit's about her, what she saw amazed her.

piles apon piles of treasured goods were stacked ceiling high in this room.

dear lord, it will take forever to find the sword in all of this. i'm sure to be discovered.

aroura began rumaging through the clutter, being careful not to make any loud or sudden noises.

intent on her work, aroura didn't even notice the reflection of lamplight on the wall, or the creak of footsteps down the stairs.

"well, well, well. what have we here?"

aroura gasped in surprise as she turned to find herself standing face to face with the captain.

***

"Well, my dear? I believe you have some explaining to do."

Aroura stood up straight and gained her composure. "My name is Aroura Dempsey. You stole something from me today, and I want it back."

The captain laughed. "Ah, yes... I remember you. you're one of the women that was on the ship we robbed this morning. what did we steal from you, Madam? An ivory comb, perhaps? Jewels?" He snickered, "Fine needle work? tell me."

"My father's sword was taken. I have come a very long way to retrieve it, and I expect it to be returned to me."

"Yes, i was just going to inquire about that. How exactly did you get here?"

"By rowboat, sir."

"Truly, Madam?"

"Yes. You will find it tethered to your fishing net."

The captain let out an exagerhated sigh.

"I'm sorry to disappoint you, but it's generaly not the custom for a pirate to return stolen items to the person he stole from. It rather defeats the entire purpose, don't you think?"

Aroura was growing tired of his patronzing attitude. She got enough of that from Norman. With her fists balled she said,

"I will have my father's sword, sir."

Again the captain laughed, but this time without an offensive air.

"You are bold, I like that in a person, be they man or woman. Do you know how to use your father's sword, Lady?"

"Yes, he taught me all he knew."

"Then i shall make a bargain with you. If you can surpass me in a duel, you may take the sword and you will have five minutes to escape from this ship."

"And if i lose?"

"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it, Madam. Find the sword so we may begin. Today's cargo is in those piles over there."

Aroura searched in the direction the captain had pointed. The captain sat down on a chest and unsheathed his sword. He began spinning it like a top as he watched Aroura.

She's quite lovely, though perhaps a trifle naive.

Out of bordem Tristan began making idle small talk with the maiden.

"Do you wish to know who you are about to do battle with, miss?"

"Not particularly, as you will be dead soon."

"Well, I'll tell you anyway. I am known as captain midnight of this ship called the desolate. My real name is Tristan, i'm 21 years of age. I enjoy long walks in the moonlight, aged wine and pretty girls named Aroura."

Aroura rolled her eyes. "Enough. I've found the sword."

As she approached Tristan, he let out a long whistle.

"That is a fine sword. A jeweled hilt, Celtic blade, leather scabbard, very fine indeed. I can understand why you want it so bad."

"No, you don't understand. I wouldn't care if this sword was a wooden play-thing. It was my father's, it holds much sentimental value, not material value."

Tristan was a bit daunted. "Oh...i see. Shall we begin?"

"Lets."

At that the duel commenced. Aroura thrusted and parried with all of her might, and the captain was quite impressed, though he did not show it. They seemed to be of equal talent, blocking eachother's moves accurately.

Aroura was determined to win the sword, and in a fit of rage slashed Tristan's upper arm. Before this occured, Tristan thought of this duel as a mere game. But as the blood trickled down his arm, he grew gravely serious. His fighting became more deliberate, more violent. He put every ounce of his strength into the battle.

Perhaps if Aroura had not spent her day rowing, she would have had the strength to beat Tristan, but her arms quaked with exhaustion. She fought until she couldn't raise her arms above her waist. Soon tristan had her sword on the ground. With a grim quirk at his mouth, he held his blade to Aroura's throat, putting enough pressure on to make a slight incision. A trickle of blood oozed from the cut and onto Tristan's sword. With no humor in his voice he said,

"I could kill you now, you know."

Aroura glared at him. She showed no fear, and stood her ground manfully.

"Do it, then."

"No, that would be a waste of a great talent. Rather, i think i shall take you on as a member of my crew. Yes, you will make a fine pirate."

Tristan strode to the stairway.

"Fitz! Grisbey! Come here at once!"

In the next instant two burely men tramped down the stares. The captain gestured at Aroura.

"Yes, captain?"

"Escort our much esteemed guest to the bunk on the far end of the ship with no windows and a lock on the door. Make sure she is quite comfortable."

"Very good, sir."

As the men took hold of Arouras arms she found her strength again.

"No! Let me go! You cannot keep me here, I am a free person!"

Tristan came dangerously close to her.

"You put your freedom on the line the minute you boarded my ship, Madam." His voice was low, cutting into her like his sword. "Don't worry, you won't be harmed as long as you are obedient. And i swear to you, on my honor as a captain, you will remain as sacred as from whence you came! Take her away."

As fitz and Grisbey carried aroura she kicked at them fiercely, with no avail.

"Get your hands off me! I'll kill you both, I swear it!"

They payed no attention to her.

"She's a feisty one aint she, Fitz?"

"Aye. The captain will have a hard time breaking this one!"

The men reached the room tristan had designated for aroura. They set her down, then left quickly as she charged for the door. Aroura threw all her weight against it.

"Let my out of here, you beasts! I'll break this damned door down! I swear you will rue the day you put me in here, I'll annihilate you all! Bloody bastards!"

She kicked, slammed and banged on the door, but it would not give. She gave it one last weak punch, then collapsed on the bed.

Meanwhile, Gretta, the ships "mother" tended to tristan's wound. She was an ancient, crotchety old woman, with a spark of mischief about her. The crew, especially Tristan, held great confidence in her; she gave them the love and nurturing that they were denied at sea.

Gretta brought some herbal balm, bandages and a bowl of warm water to where Tristan sat on a whiskey barrel.

"Tristie, what are you planning, love? Why not let the girl go?"

Tristan grimmaced as she cleaned his cut.

"As you know, my first mate Ripely died of typhus last month. This girl has great skill. She's swift with a sword and seems to be wise. I think if I can cultivate her talents, she will make an excellent first mate for me."

"Aye, but you'd better be careful. She's spitfire, she is."

Tristan ran his hand across his dressed affliction, wincing as his fingers grazed the gauze.

"I know, Gretta. I know."

1/7/2002 the next morning aroura did not rise when the dawn bell rang. gretta went to her room and knocked on the door. "miss! it be time for breakfast!" "go away." aroura called from her cot. "th' captain says you ain't had a bite to eat since yesturday. he found no food in your boat, just a small jug of water. you gotta eat miss, keep up your health." "i said go away!" "very well, miss." things went on like this for a week and a half's time. every day, gretta or one of the sailors went to aroura's door to offer her food or drink, but she always turned them away. on the tenth day bentley, one of the pirates, saw the captain. "sir?" "what is it, bentley?" the captain was stooped over his maps, charting future agendas and courses. "sir, the girl still hasn't touched food nor water. we fear she be near death." "oh, for the love of god," tristan threw down his compass and stuck his head out the cabin door. "gretta!" she emerged from the ship's kitchen holding an iron skillet and polishing it with a dish rag. "what can i do for ya, tristie?" "fetch me a large bowl of water and the crusts of yesturdays bread," he looked at bentley, "she will eat, but she will not enjoy the benefits of piracy until she learns to behave." gretta did as tristan had asked, and he marched straight to aroura's room. he unlocked the door and threw it open without knocking, but stopped as he entered. this was the first time he had seen aroura since she had fought him that night in the cargo hold. lack of food had brought frailty to her frame. her skin was papery and dry, her once curly hair lay tangled on the pillow, she had dark circles under her eyes and her lips looked parched. "aroura. wake up. it's time to stop this nonsense." "i'm not asleep. and i won't stop this 'nonsense'," she stopped to take a breath, "until my father's sword is returned to me and i am off this...god forsaken ship." quite surprising tristan, aroura sprang from the bed in an attempt to attack him, but collapsed two steps into the run from weakness. tristan caught her, holding her so that she was looking up at him. "do you mean to tell me that you'd rather starve to death than be a member of my crew, madame?" he laid her back on the bed and she looked at him with eyes full of spite. "clever boy. you catch on quickly." "well, that's just obsurd. you're hurting yourself more than anyone else. here, i've brought you some food, you will eat it." aroura said nothing, just stared at the wall. "shall i feed it to you, then? alright, i've done worse tasks in my time." the captain tilted her head forward and held the bowl of water to her lips. she was tempted to spit it out, but it felt so good to her dry mouth that she submitted, and drank until the bowl was empty. "there now. isn't that better?" again, she said nothing, but tristan thought he saw a single tear slide down her cheek. "care for some bread?" aroura let out a stifeled "please." "you know, i think if you give this place a chance, you will like it better than the life you left behind. i saw you that day, aroura. in your expensive dress, meant to be nothing more then a cultural ornament, and i knew that you hated it. i saw in the way you watched me fight. you weren't afraid, rather you were quite curious. this is why i feel no guilt in keeping you here. your talents would have dulled and eventually disappeared if you stayed on that ship. i think your being here will make you a better person." aroura had finished the bread. the color was already returning to her cheeks. the captain smiled at her, but continued with his speech. "for your insulance, however, you must be punished. every morning, you will swab the entire deck. when you have finished with that, you will go to the crow's nest to watch for other ships. you will do you duties alone, and you will eat your meals in solitude. this will go on until myself and several other crew members think you have proved yourself trustworthy.i expect you to be obedient and respectful. any outbursts will only lengthen your penalty. if, at the end of your punishment, you have done everything to meet my standards, your father's sword will be returned to you and you will join my crew. do you find all this agreeable?" "yes." "yes, what?" "yes...captain." "very good. you may use the rest of the day to rest, eat and get your strength back. tomorrow your duties will begin. good day to you, madame." the captain left aroura to her thoughts.

just as tristan had said, the very next day aroura's duties began, and she consumed her meals alone. that morning a pirate named fenwick brought aroura her breakfast, warm gruel, and a fresh change of clothes. "miss aroura, you will find your mop and bucket on the east side of the stern, near the anchor. the captain says you are to report to him when you've finished the deck. have you any questions?" "no, thank you fenwick. you've been very kind." "good luck to you, miss." when he was gone, aroura hurried through her breakfast, then inspected the clothes fenwick had brought for her. there was a brown pair of pants with a patch on one knee that were slightly large for aroura's girlish frame. they were equipt with a belt, and once she tied them off at the waist they fit her nicely. next was a white blouse which was again too large for her, but this was quickly remedied as well. aroura ripped a bit of fabric from her sheets and wrapped it around her chest to conceal her endowments. over that she wore the shirt which was more of a tunic on her. she tied a loose knot in the hem of it to prevent it from gaping off of her. last there was a piece of string meant for holding her hair back. she wore her own boots. altogether, she looked rather manish, but found that for the first time since her father died that she was comfortable. aroura left her room and went on deck, finding the mop and bucket where fenwick said it would be. immediately she began to work, putting her strength into the mop and making the floor shine. soon her work was interrupted when she heard the cackle of laughter directly behind her. she turned to see a haggardly old woman with long grey hair. "heh, heh, heh! how the mighty have fallen!" aroura stood stupified, staring at the hag. "whats the matter? ya look like you've seen a ghost!" "no...it's just...i didn't know there were other women on this ship." "bless me, child! i tried to serve breakfast to ya your first morning here! can't you remember?" "i was rather...bewildered then." she said with a faint laugh. "tell me, were you taken prisioner as i was?" "oh, heavens no, girl! see that strapping boy raising the third sail o're there? thats me son." she said this with pride beaming from her face. "he came to me one day, saying he wanted riches. i love me son, but i'll admit he ain't too bright, and he knew he couldn't find his wealth workin' in masonry all his life. so, he learned about the piracy trade and decided it was his calling. i'm a sentimental old woman, couldn't bear to see him go, and seeing as how i have no other children and me husbands been dead for 15 years, i came with him." aroura smiled. "what is your name?" "i'm gretta. i do the cookin' and the wash for all me boys. speaking of which, i needs to get back to the laundry. just wanted to stick me head out and greet you." "i'm glad you did, i feel much more at ease knowing i'm not the only female on board." gretta laughed as she walked away, "don't worry! you'll get use to it. they're good boys!" once again, aroura found herself alone. craving conversation, she dived into her work as a diversion. for hours she worked, scrubbing and polishing, until finally the sun was high in the sky, and she was at the other end of the ship. remembering what fenwick had said, she sought out to find the captain. she went up to a stout, redheaded man of about 30 to inquire about tristan's where-abouts. "should be in his cabin, right over there." "thank you." the man tipped bowed his head at aroura, then returned to his work. the story books always describe pirates as irate drunkards who have no respect for anyone but themselves. so far, they've been wrong. i hope it remains so. aroura thought to herself as she approached the captain's chamber. the cabin door was directly under the platform where the ship's wheel stood. aroura knocked on the door. "come in!" timidly, she entered, seeing tristan standing in front of one of many windows staring at the horizon. he did not turn to see who had called upon him. "captain, i've finished cleaning the deck, and am ready for my next assignment." he faced her, holding a mischievious, crooked smile on his face. "good. i'm glad to see your in a more...agreeable mood this morning." aroura's cheeks grew hot out of embarresment of her previous behavior. "yes, captain." "well, lets inspect the deck, shall we?" he walked briskly out of his room, aroura following behind. he stepped a few paces around the deck, looking satisfied. "you've done an excellent job. i can't recall the last time i was able to see my reflection in this old wood. do keep up the good work." "thank you sir, i will, sir. shall i go to the crow's nest, now?" "yes, but first go down those stairs over there to the ships kitchen and have gretta prepare lunch for you. the rest of the men are eating in the mess room." "yes captain." she bagan walking towards the kitchen. "wait." the captain grabbed her arm, and she felt a chill go through her. "before you go, there are some things you need to know about the crow's nest." he released her arm. "if you see a ship or land, yell what you see to the men below, and tell the direction in which it approaches. you will find a compass and a telescope in the nest. i assume you know how to use a compass?" "yes, captain." "good. you are dismissed." aroura went to the kitchen where gretta gave her some stew, then spent the rest of the day uneventfully, in the crow's nest. that night she fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.

the monotony of the crows nest was near the point of driving aroura mad, until one fateful sunny afternoon. she sat dozing lazily on the three legged stool when a seagull flying overhead caught her attention. her gaze followed the bird until she noticed something else in the corner of her eye. aroura squinted to see, then remembered the telescope. the magnification confirmed her suspicion. there was a ship approaching from the east. aroura felt the same excitement she had felt the first day she had seen tristan, the thrill of adventure. "ship approaching on the starboard side! ship approaching from the east!" she yelled over the side of the crow's nest. immediately the men below sprang into action. sails were raised, the ship's course was changed and freshly sharpened and polished swords were drawn. the captain emerged from his quarters, and looking up at aroura said, "well done, but stay put! you haven't the experience-" "no! i want to help!" "you will stay put, and that's an order!" grudgedly she obeyed, slumping once more on the old wooden stool. they were drawing nearer to the other ship, and aroura's anticipation was building in her. this was my first chance to prove myself truly trustworthy...if only he'd let me help... soon the pirates had reached the other ship. it was a ship full of fighting irishmen, and with much effort the crew of the desolate boarded. aroura heard the captain shout the same thing he had said when boarding her ship, "take all you can carry! spare the women and children, but let no man stand in your way!" watching the battle from afar made aroura feel utterly helpless. the passengers of the guilded eagle slightly outnumbered the pirates, and were skilled fighters. it was a very close battle indeed. aroura's eyes scanned the two ships for tristan. she saw him bravely fencing with a man of equal skill, but saw something else very alarming behind him. one of the guilded eagle passengers was charging directly for tristan from behind, his sword extended outward. aroura tried to shout to her captain, but the noise of the battle was too loud for him to hear her. instinctively, she grabbed a near-by rope, climbed to the rim of the crow's nest, then plunged down the side headed straight for the charging man. her feet hit him square in the chest, and the force of her weight sent him flying over the edge of the ship. seeing a fallen sword, she found her element and joined the fight, standing back to back with tristan. "i thought i told you to stay in the crow's nest!" he said between sword clashes. aroura had begun fighting as well, but still managed to converse with tristan. "i just saved your life, you pompous feather head!" "that's captain pompous feather head, aroura!" he mused, finishing the man he was fencing with. "i'll try to remember that the next time i stick my neck out for you." the man aroura was fighting was giving her a little trouble; he was considerabley larger than aroura, but she was quicker. moving with cat like agility, she dodged the garganchuin man's blade and thrust her own into his leg. thinking she was finished with him, she turned to face tristan. but this irishman would not give up so easy, and raised his sword to give her a fatal blow. tristan's expert eyes comunicated with his brain. "duck!" immediately she obeyed, and tristan thrust his blade into the man's chest. he fell to the ground, gasping his last breaths. aroura watched in freakish awe; this was the second time she'd been a witness to death. tristan brought her from her trance when he called for a retreat. the pirates returned to the desolate with a decent amount of stolen treasure. aroura was glad to return to the ship, her first battle had been a bit too overwhelming for her. *** that night the men sat together, looking at their wealth, deciding what to keep and what to sell. "well, i think we've accumulated enough booty to change our courses, and take the stuff to merchants." said the captain. "tomorrow, we head for land." "which land, sir" asked fenwick, who was also the ship's navigator. "hmm...which land indeed...the british militia will be looking for us in england and her neighboring territories...we could go to the indies, i suppose." sitting in a darkened corner, aroura heard the captain's plans. her heart skipped a beat. she had never been to india, and would cut off her right arm to see it. elephants, tigers, sitars, it will be marvelous to behold...i do hope the captian will let me go. as if tristan had read her mind, he called her forward into the light. "yes, captain?" "i thought i was a featherhead!" he said with a good natured chuckle. "you are, sir. what is it you want?" "you handled yourself very well today, considering this was your first real battle. also, you saved my life and for that i am greatful. i've decided you may accompany my band of men who will go on shore in india. keep in mind, however, you will still be under the close scrutiny of every one present. if you behave, it is one step closer to the end of your punishment and the begining of your life as a fulfledged pirate." "tell me, captain, how many more steps have i to go?" "that, aroura, is entirely up to you. so far you have done remarkably well, have been strictly obdient, and have proved that you would risk you life for another. it seems to me, you haven't that much further to go." aroura smiled, and took a seat a little closer to the light. the pirates drank and supped till late in the evening, until the captain ended the celebration. "alright, men. let us all go to bed. tomorrow, we embark for india!"
as one can imagine, i took some time to for the pirates to reach india. sailing westward through the medateranian sea they finaly reached the indian ocean. in total, it took them over a month, including minor stops to restock on provisions, to reach their destination. with every day that past, aroura became a little more friendly with the members of the crew and she genuinely began to feel at home. everyone, including tristan, grew to trust her. her punishment ended three weeks after it began. the captain gave her a room in the crew's quarters; needless to say, it was much nicer than the room she had become accustomed to. this room had a small window, a wash basin with a mirror, and an empty trunk for her few belongings. to aroura's utter delight, tristan returned her father's sword to her, and every morning he would set aside some time when they would practice fencing together. as her skill grew, she gained more respect from tristan, and soon they considered eachother equals. one morning he called her into his cabin. "you called, captain?" "oh, good, you're here. i wanted to consult with you about which route the ship should take to reach the indian ocean swiftly. come, take a look at my atlas." timidly, she approached. aroura had studied geography with her father, but that was such a long time ago. "well...if you went through this canal...and perhaps took this passage here, it's a longer route, but there are few rocks or other obsticles in the way. i think it is the quickest." the captain smiled. "amazing. that was exactly what i had in mind. thank you, you are dismissed." pleased with herself, aroura left. *** one stary night, when the desolate was nearing india, a strange ship was spotted in the murky horizon. "sir!" grisbey called from the crow's nest. "sir, there be a ship coming from the starboard side! it looks like another pirate ship!" "throw me the telescope!" tristan shouted. putting it to his eye, he saw the ship grisbey was talking about. a smile spread across his face. "fenwick! bring out the good wine! oswald, get your fiddle! there will be capital fun tonight! it's the dragon's claw!" the crew seemed to liven when the captain said this. gretta ran to the kitchen to "mix up some vittles", and tristan dropped anchor. confused, aroura followed gretta. she was bustling about the kitchen, humming. "gretta? gretta!" "good lord, what is it, child?" "what's going on, gretta, i'm terribly discombobulated." "dis-com-who?!?!" "confused. i'm confused." "oh, well why didn't you say so? the man who captains the dragon's claw is one of tristan's oldest and dearest chums! they were childhood friends, and tristan says jaque took him under his wing. both took a fancy to piracy, and every once and a while they meet on the high seas!" aroura smiled at the thought of tristan as a young boy. helping gretta carry the food, they went on deck. the two ships were close enought so that both crews were visible to one another. tristan climbed on the helm, "jaque! jaque! come on board! we've a party prepared for you and your men!" "hello, tristan, you scoundral!" said jaque, a tall frenchman with auburn hair and dazzling green eyes. jaque ordered his men to drop anchor and a plank was placed, linking the two ships. the crew of the dragon's claw boarded the desolate and the party began. much to aroura's suprise, tristan took her by the hand and raced up to jaque, merriment shining in his face. "jaque, you bloody fool!" he said while embracing his friend. "aroura, this is jaque, one of my most trusted friends. jaque this is aroura, my new first mate." aroura was shocked. he had never spoken those words about her before, she didn't know that she held that rank. "bonjour, madmoiselle!" jaque bowed and kissed her hand. "hello, sir!" aroura smiled with reddened cheeks. jaque turned to tristan. "ah, but what has happened to monsueir ripely?" "he was taken ill several months ago and passed away." "that is too bad. tristan, may i speak with you in private, for just a moment?" he smiled warmly at aroura as he said the last part. "of course, jaque. excuse us, aroura." tristan and jaque walked to a distal end of the ship and aroura busied herself helping gretta feed the hungry men. "tristan, this girl, she is charming! where did you find her?" tristan laughed. "she was onboard a ship my men and i ransacked. it turns out we had taken something very valuable to her, her father's sword. she chased us down to get it back, but i wasn't going to make it easy for her. i challenged her to a duel, she lost, and i took her on as a member of my crew." "and she did this willingly?" "heavens no! she put up quite a fight, but all of this," he waved his hands, gesturing to the ship, the crew, the sea, "it is in her nature." "ah, i see now." his features sank slightly as he seemed to remember something. "you say her name is aroura?" "yes." "what is her surname?" "dempsey, i believe. why, please?" "i fear i have bad news to tell you, my friend. aroura dempsey has become quite famous on your motherland's shores. her father looks for her, and there is a large bounty on her head." "how do you know this?" "i heard some englishmen speaking of it when my ship was docked in a british harbor. will you tell her?" tristan sighed. "i don't know, jaque. if i do, i could lose her."
the party between the two ships lasted until dawn broke over the rolling waves of the indian ocean. tristan put what jaque had told him in the back of his mind and tried to have fun, but it remained there all that evening and several days after. the captain was a terrible state of disray until finally, on one particularly bleak afternoon, he called aroura into his cabin. "sit down aroura, there are...things...we need to speak of...to address." silently she sat, knowing it not wise to reply quite yet. "the other night, jaque told me something....er...i don't quite know how to put it. oh, hell, aroura your father's looking for you, and he's posted a reward. i'll understand if you want to leave, i know how much your father means to you-" at this aroura began laughing. the captain was shocked. "do you mock my concern, madame?" "no, no...it's just, i believe you've made a mistake! my father, the one this sword belongs to," she touched the hilt. "died when i was eleven years old. the man you speak of is my foster father, whom i despise." the captain looked greatly relieved. "good heavens, what a blunder-buss i am. so, you won't be leaving?" "i would sooner be tethered to two horses and ripped apart than return to norman." "good. glad that's settled." things went smoothly on the desolate for the next week. the crew was anticipating their arrival to india. even gretta was merry at the prospect of dry land, for tristan had promised to bring her fresh herbs and spices. and on the third day of the fourth week into their journey, land was spotted. fitz was manning the crow's nest, and nearly tumbled out when he saw the thick, green horizon through the telescope. he called down to the crew and immediately the ship hastened it's speed, and the desolate docked near an abandoned beach of india's shores at nightfall. only twelve men, including aroura, would take the goods to the market place. the rest would either encompass the land in the vicinity of the ship for wood and fresh water, or stay aboard guarding the vessel. the twelve going ashore waited until dawn to embark on their journey. the riches were loaded into trunks and bags, along with some provisions provided by gretta, and soon they were on their way. tristan lead the band, slicing through the terrain with his freshly sharpened blade. "careful, there is an uprooted branch at the foot of this hill, watch out! there are some low vines hanging from that tree. don't brush up against that plant, it's poisonous!" at noon time they reached the village. aroura was accosted with bright golds, oranges and reds, strong and fragrent incense, music that sounded like exotic angels singing, and strange gods with multiple heads and arms. the civilians walked through the streets barefoot. women wore colorful veils over their chocolate colored hair and had tiny red dots between their eyebrows. this beauty, this art amazed her. she had never seen displays like these in all of her life, and more than once tristan had to remind her to keep moving. apon reaching the market place, even more sights and smells dazzled aroura. among the never ending rows of merchant shops were finely woven rugs, fresh fruit that made aroura's mouth water, and, ah! aroura's beloved sitar music! soon they reached a merchant who was dozing behind his stand of jewelry. tristan discretely nudged him awake, but none the less surprised the man, who nearly fell from his chair. when he got his bearings, the man stood to greet tristan. "captain midnight! so good to see you! do you have treasure you wish for me to buy?" "hashim! yes, i have a bounty of treasure for you. how are your children?" "oh, they are doing fine, thank you. my son just celebrated his thirteenth year," hashim sighed, "they grow so quickly" "yes, i look forward to having my own, someday. to buisness?" "yes, to buisness. here, come into my tent." tristan signaled for his men to carry the trunks into the tent, where the lids were removed. hashim smiled as he inspected the cargo. "you have done well, my friend. i will pay you generously for all of this...how does twenty bags of gold sound?" "wonderful. i knew you'd deal honestly with me," tristan laughed. "you truly are the greatest merchant in this city." the two men laughed and made their exchanges. the gold was put into several larger bags so that the men could carry it, and once again the pirates were on their way. before returning to the wilderness, the pirates stopped at a small outdoor tavern for some liquid refreshment. tristan went at a near by stand to buy the spices he had promised gretta. as he was making this transaction, out of the corner of his eye he noticed something. a small, starving girl sat propped against a dirty wall, a wooden bowl in her hand. her clothes were soiled and torn, and her hair was matted against her head. she was a begger. tristan, without saying a word, took two large handfuls of gold from the sack he was carrying and walked towards the girl. he crouched down, smiling at her, and emptied his hands into her bowl. the he leaned close to her ear and whispered something. she giggled, and ran to her mother, who was at a near by tent washing laundry. the girl showed the bowl to her mother and pointed at tristan, who now stood where the girl had sat. the mother stood open mouthed in surprise for a second, then rushed towards tristan and hugged him, praising him in her native hindi tongue. though neither understood the other, they did understand, perfectly. to show tristan her gratitude, the woman removed the flourishing flower she wore in her hair, and gave it to him. she bowed one more time in thanks, then returned to her daughter. the pirates had taken no notice of tristan's kindness, but aroura had watched the whole thing. her heart immediately warmed, and any ill feelings that she had left for tristan melted away and were replaced with something new. aroura couldn't name the new feeling, but she would know it soon enough.

"father! stop! she didn't do anything, it's not her fault!" "you keep you mouth shut, you dirty little urchin!" SMACK! "MOTHER!" "...i'm alright, tristan. i'm alright. be a good lad, go outside and play." "but, mother, you're bleeding." "DO WHAT SHE SAID, BRAT!" the moon was high in the abyss as tristan tossed and turned. suddenly, he shot up from his pillow, panting and drenched in sweat. it had been years since those nightmares had appeared to him, but they were no less terrifying. his father had been a drunkerd who beat his mother. his mom died of penemonia when tristan was thirteen, and his father's rage was redirected against his son. at fourteen, tristan ran away from home. he found a job as a page boy to a very prominent sailor, which of course led to tristan's career in piracy. all that was arbitrary, though. as tristan climbed out of bed, he felt as though a bolder was embedded in the pit of his stomach. something was not right. instinctively, the captain left his quarters and walked out on deck. immediately, his preminisions were verified. andrew, who was supposed to be manning the wheel, was slumpped over it, an empty bottle of wine at his feet. the captain rushed up the steering platform's steps to the wheel. "damn!" who know's how long we've been drifting..." he added, silently. tristan removed a compass from his pocket. the needle spun around clockwise, then counter clockwise. it was broken. "what in the hell..." but he didn't have time to finish his sentence. looking up from the compass, he saw something far more horrific than the nightmare which had wakened him. in the distance was a massive whirlpool, and the ship was headed straight for it. he stood stupified for a moment, staring in awe at the portal of death, this mouth of distruction which loomed before him. regaining his wits, he kicked andrew out of the way, and turned the wheel with all of his strength. the current emited by the whirlpool was too powerful, and the ship stayed on it's course. near panic, tristan madly rang the bell that stood a few feet behind the wheel. within minutes the entire crew was onboard, shifting the sails, dropping the anchor, doing anything they could to stop the hell bound ship. all of their efforts were futile, and the desolate, before anyone could speak, was sucked down. "NO!" *** when tristan woke, he was lying face down next to the ship's wheel. he struggled into a sitting position, his entire body aching and bruised. his brain throbbed violently against his skull. "god, what i wouldn't give for some brandy." the memories of what had just happened flooded back to tristan, and he sprang to his feet. looking around, he saw that the crew was in the same state he had previously been in, strewn all over the deck, knocked out cold. aroura was face down next to a barrel, her hair shrouding her face and much of her torso. for no reason, tristan ran to her first, turning her over so he could see her face. at first he thought she was dead, her skin was so fridged and her pulse was bearly detectable. he didn't know how long he had been holding her, but all of a sudden the color returned to her cheeks, and her eyes shot open. she looked around, disoriented. "tristan? where are we?" "i'm not sure. the last thing i remember was being sucked down the whirlpool." "yes, that's what i remember," she sat up. "yet the ship, it's all in one piece. and every one appears to be unharmed." "it's all very odd, i know." aroura gazed at her surroundings, as tristan continued to watch her, making sure she truly was alright. "tristan, look at the sky. what a queer shade of yellow." helping her stand, tristan saw the sky was indeed off colored. and the water, it wasn't water at all, but more of a gelatine-like mass that the ship was floating in. the rest of the crew began to wake, and they too marveled at these strange things. gretta let out a long sigh. "this isn't one of god's worlds. we best find a way out of here, fast." as she said this, her facial features twisted into an unhuman shape, and her arms were no longer arms, but griffin like claws. tristan whirled around, only to see that the rest of his crew had transformed into the same creature, and had begun to circle around him, their talons outstreched and reaching for his throat. "tristan..." they said without speaking, "tristan! you don't look so healthy, my boy!" they closed in on him, forcing tristan closer and closer to the ship's edge, chanting his name until it didn't sound like a human word anymore. "no, NO! leave me alone!" they advanced closer until he leaned right on the ship's edge. "please..." but closer they came, chanting his name. then, from behind, a pair of slimey tentacils grabbed his neck and pulled tristan overboard. he hit the water hard, and the thing dragged him under, further and further until... tristan fell out of bed onto the floor, his legs still tangled in the sheets. he jumped up, nervously surveying the cabin. his breath came in labored gasps as he ran his hands over his face and through his hair. grabbing his sword, he ran to the deck. "tristan!" he spun around, pointing his sword at the direction of the voice. it was andrew, sitting wide awake at the wheel. "tristan, what's the matter? y' look like you've been through the wringer." tristan relaxed the sword and sighed. "andrew. no, i'm...i'm fine. carry on." "yes sir." tristan gave one last glance to the sea and the ship, then returned to his cabin. hesitantly he layed in his bed, pulling the blanket over his head, the way he slept as a boy. i need a vacation...

over the next several days tristan seldom left the quarters of his room. food was brought to him, and when the plate was later removed from his doorway, more often then not it was barely touched. he hadn't even bothered to change his clothes. worried, aroura took it apon herself to see what was the matter. not even bothering to knock, she barged into his cabin one evening. the lanterns had been snuffed, the only light penatrating the cabin came from the dim moon. the room itself was in a shambles; papers and maps were strewn all over the desk and the floor, half empty mugs of ale rested in obscure nooks and cranies, and the bed was a mass of tangled blankets and sheets. "captain?" tristan made no reply, and aroura presumed him to be sleeping. quietly, she walked towards his bed. her eyes had begun to adjust to the weak lighting, and she was able to see tristan in what appeared to be a peaceful doze. a smile crept over her features as she gazed down at him; the moon's faint light upon his narrow nose and cupid mouth gave him an angelic air. he's so pale she thought to herself. a strand of his ebony hair lay on his brow, tempting aroura to brush it away. before she knew what had come over her, her hand was already at his forehead, whisping the hair away. much to her embarrassment, tristan's eyes opened quite suddenly. "what are you doing?" "nothing." she answered too suddenly. "i..i just...i thought you were asleep...and there was a...an insect on your forehead. yes, a rather large...beetle. so i brushed it away. anyway, if you weren't asleep, why didn't you answer me?" she artfully changed the subject. tristan sighed. "i don't really feel like speaking with anyone." "captain...i don't mean to intrude, but...well, everyone is worried about you. you've hardly eaten in days, you won't come out of your room. what's troubling you?" "it's nothing of your concern." he replied sharply. "captain," aroura was slightly miffed at his demeanor. "as your first mate, i consider it my responsibility to assist you when assistance is needed. and aside from that, the men need their captain. i don't know what to tell them when they ask me for their orders." "oh, just leave me alone. you couldn't possibly understand what's in my head." that was it for aroura. she could not stand the captain's idle attitude anymore. "oh, you silly boy!" she said as she began bustling about the room, gathering fresh clothes from his wardrobe and throwing them on his bed. "wallowing in self pity! if you weren't in such a state, i'd knock some sense into you!" "i think i'd rather enjoy that." the captain said, most suggestively. "you beast!" tristan laughed. "well, i must say you've lightened my spirits, slightly. can you keep silent if i tell you something?" "of course." aroura sat on the far end of the bed. "alright." tristan sat up a little. "i've been having...nightmares, about my childhood." "what was so bad about your childhood that it would haunt you now?" "my father..he was an utter bastard. he beat my mother. i hated him for it, but...i hated her more because she put up with it. anyway, she died when i was in my teens, and i ran away from my father a year after. when i'm not dreaming about that i have these freakish, nonsensical nightmares that i don't even remember completely upon awaking...yet they leave this disturbing pressence on my shoulders. i just feel so...lost." aroura was silent for a moment. she had no idea what the captain's life had been like. then, she appeared as though an idea struck her. "i know what would cheer you up! a good adventure." apathetically, tristan rolled over facing the wall. "this should be good..." he mused. aroura didn't pay attention. "we're nearing italy..perhaps we could go to pompeii, and excavate the fallen temple of juno!" "who?" "juno, the roman queen of the gods. he temple was buried with everything else when mount vesuvias erupted in 76 a.d., along with all it's treasure." the captain brightened a little and faced aroura. "treasure?" "yes! being the queen goddess, her followers left a bounty of offerings and sacrifices to her...gold, jewels...who knows what else." "how do you know it's really there?" "how do you know it isn't?" "good point. i'll consider it." satisfied, aroura got up and headed for the door. as she left, she spoke to the captain. "can the crew and i look forward to seeing you tomorrow morning at breakfast?" "yes, i believe so." "good. rest well, captain." she shut the door and tristan was alone again. he caught himself smiling, but he didn't know why
as was promised, the next morning tristan emerged from his cabin; not wholey himself, but very near to it. gretta prepared a special breakfast for him, and for the better part of the day he kept to himself. when dusk began to reveal itself and the stars shone for their evening prominade, tristan met aroura on deck, who appeared to be deep in thought as she stared out at the churning waters. "beautiful, isn't it?" he said as he came to stand beside her. "captain?" "the reflection of the stars in the ocean, dancing with the waves as the moon makes it's cycle across the sky...it's all quite magnificant, really." aroura could tell that the nightmares still troubled him, but was glad he was being slightly more social. "yes, it is," she paused, unsure if she should tread further on the matter. "how are you feeling today, captain?" he laughed. "better. i think the prospect of your little adventure has refreshed me, somewhat." "then, we will go to italy?" tristan smiled inwardly at the girlish excitement in her voice. "yes...i believe a little time on land would do everyone some good. and even if this 'temple of juno' buisness is false, at least italy is a nice place to take a wild goose chase." "captain..." he cut her off, "please, before you continue, i wouldn't mind if you called me tristan, in private. infact, i'd rather enjoy it." aroura blushed slightly. "very well, tristan, i wanted to thank you." "thank me? good heavens, what for?" "for...making me realize the life i was meant for. you were right, i never would have been happy, shut up in a house all day...but here i truly am happy, and i wanted to thank you for that." tristan was at a loss for words. "well...i certainly wasn't expecting that. you're...quite welcome." there was an akward moment of silence as they stared at eachother and the water. aroura sensed there was more tristan wanted to say, but something in her didn't want to hear it...yet. "well...i should retire for the evening. goodnight, tristan." she walked, rather briskly towards her quarters. half smiling, the captain whispered: "goodnight, aroura."

with italy resting just past the horizon, tristan decided that the time had come to choose who'd accompany him on shore. aroura sat opposite of the captain in his quarters. "well, of course you, should come; this mission was your idea, and i assume you are familar with the geography and tongue of our destination." the captain stood and went to his bookshelf, flipping through random subjects about all things italian. "yes...my father taught me some latin, that was many years ago but i do remember the basics." "good. now..who else should tag along?" "what about fenwick? or quincy...someone with opptimal navigation and survival skills." "yes, i think fenwick would be a good choice. but we'll need some muscle as well...what about hans, gretta's son?" "hmm, yes. perhaps we should limit the expedition to that...keep it small." "good idea, this is a rather....risky opperation, don't want too many participants. now, the matter of provisions. how long do you think we'll be on land?" "well, we're coming into italy on the eastern side, and according to this map pompeii was in near middle of italy's sourthern tip. the terrain is mild; a few foot hills here, a thicket there. i esstimate..." aroura tapped her fingers on the map. "maybe a two week journey, more or less." "right, then. i'll have gretta prepare provisions." tristan left the cabin and went to the ships kitchen. meanwhile, aroura gave the orders to raise the sails. their destination was nearly at hand. *** it was nearly midnight when the desolate docked in a secluded harbor in italy's shore. those who were going on land left under the mask of darkness, and were well into the italian countryside by morning. tristan took his place as leader, striding in front with his sword drawn. aroura was behind him holding a torch. her sword was sheathed, but ever-ready, aroura's hand rested on the hilt. fenwick was in charge of the maps an compass, and hans carried the bulk of supplies that would be needed in the mission. the foursome walked in silence, save for fenwick's directions, until dawn broke. as they made their way through a clearing, tristan stopped suddenly. "alright, lets rest here." he put his sword away and sat down beneath a tree. "we'll sleep a little while now, and upon waking we will eat a small meal, then carry on. hans, fetch the blankets, would you?" "do you think it wise to rest during the day? we leave ourselves vulnerable to-" fenwick cut aroura off. "the nearest village isn't for a few miles, we should be safe here." "besides," tristan said, "we won't have to burn a fire since we are sleeping now. there will be nothing to draw attention to ourselves." "very well." aroura took one of the blankets and spread it out on the grass. as she dozed, she was comforted by the familiar smell of earth dancing in her nose.

for over a weeks time the foursome traveled in that manner- sleeping whenever they could, eating the minimal amount of food that would keep their bodies sustained. they were truly surving through their wits, and their wits alone. it was by far the most hectic experience of aroura's life; and she loved it. never before had she felt so vibrant. all of her skills were put to the test and expanded to their limit day after day. of course there were times when she was so exhausted that she would have assumed the fetal possition right in the mud at her feet, but what doesn't kill you makes you stronger; aroura's character grew and developed far better than it would have if she'd remained a prim china doll. on the third day of the second week, things were progressing as usual; tristan, aroura, fenwick and hans were growing closer to pompeii, but something was puzzling the navigator. tristan, worried that the group had become horribly lost, confronted fenwick. "what's the matter? you've been staring at the map as if it were written in greek." "well...it's just..." "what?" "according to this atlas, we should be standing in the very heart of pompeii, but we're surrounded by nothing but an open field." "you must be reading it wrong, let me have a look." tristan took the map, looked at it, then turned it upside down squinting his eyes in confusion. "what do you make of it, hans?" "i don't read but a few words captain, but judging by the pictures, we should be in the city." "damn. aroura, what do you- aroura?" she didn't hear him, she was too busy looking at something in a shadowed grove. something arched that stuck about two feet out of the ground. she smiled to herself. "the map's right, boys, think about it. when mount vesuvias errupted, the entire city of pompeii was engulfed in ash. more than enough time has passed for new foliage to grom from that ash. if my calculations are correct, we are standing directly above one of the greatest roman forums that ever existed!" "bloody hell, i bet she's right!" tristan laughed. "but, how will we ever dig through years of dirt and ash?" hans asked, worried he'd get the majority of labor, as he was the biggest and strongest. "maybe we won't have to. look." aroura pointed to what she had seen in the grove, leading the men to it. "what is it?" fenwick asked. "i believe it's the roof of a roman estate. hans, did you bring a shovel?" "yes," he took one of the packs from his back and extracted a small shovel, no bigger than a modern garden trowel. "here." as he handed it to her, tristan and fenwick scoffed. "do you honestly mean to dig into the city with that thing?" aroura ignored them and bent over the roof. she raised the trowel high and hacked into the decrepit tiles, chipping away large pieces of tesserae that were brittle with age. soon, all of the tile had been cleared away, and all that remained was a layer of warped, infested wood. that too was hacked away, leaving a hole the width of two men. "light a torch." aroura said to no one in particular as she peered into the hole. hans gave her a torch, and she leaned as far as she could into the opening, careful not to ignite any of the remaining wood. "what do you see?" "well...it appears to be the atrium...there are many roots hanging down, but over all the house is vacant." aroura stood suddenly, turning to the bags hans had set on the ground. she removed a long rope and tied one end to a nearby tree, carrying the other end towards the hole. "what are you doing?" tristan asked. "i'm going down, it's the only way." "well...i'm going with you. here, i'll help you lower the rope." tristan bent over the hole next to aroura, and together they sent the rope into the underground city. "do you think it will reach all the way?" "we may have a bit of a jump at the end, but i think it we'll be alright. get another torch, but do not light it yet." "alright." tristan took a second torch from hans. "what are you planning to do with the torch that's already lit?" "i'm going to carry it down with me." "how?! that's a thirty foot drop at the least, you'll need both hands to get down!" "well, i can't put it out, how will we see once we're down there?" "fenwick can throw the flint down, we'll just have to be damn careful to catch it. the light coming into the hole should be sufficiant until we get to the bottom." "fine," aroura snuffed her torch in the grass. "shall we?" "ladies first." tristan bowed and gestured to the opening. "age before beauty." aroura said, making a similar gesture. tristan laughed and gathered the bag containing his unlit torch, tying it to his belt. "alright. i think i'd prefer the view if you went after me, anyway." he said with a wink as he lowerd his legs into the opening. "i'll give you a head start, because i don't think i could fight the temptation of kicking off the rope!" aroura yelled as the rest of tristan disappeared into the hole. she turned to fenwick and hans. "stay near the rope...if something should happen to us, return to the ship. don't try to save us, you'll only endanger yourselves." "yes, miss." "goodluck." aroura took a deep breath as she faced the hole; a portal that would lead to an ancient city no man had seen in almost two thousand years. what the hell have i gotten myself into? she thought.

aroura sat on the edge of the hole as tristan had done, bracing herself on the rope. "tristan, hold on, i'm coming down!" griping the rope so tightly that her knuckles turned white, aroura squeezed her eyes shut and let her body fall down into the hole. the rope shook as she fell and she was worried that tristan wouldn't be able to hold on. when the rope was still, she look over her shoulder to see tristan staring up at her; then she realized he had been speaking. "i'm sorry, what did you say?" her voice quivered against her will. "i said not to worry, that the rope would straighten itself out. are you alright?" "yes...fine. i'm fine. just a bit...shaken." "ready to begin climbing?" "yes." the two slowly began decending the rope. for the first time aroura took in her surroundings. overall, this ancient house was like a tomb, giving off a cryptic air. the roots hanging from the soil above looked like giant spider webs, completely intertwined with one another. aroura didn't know if it was the dizzying effect of rope climbing, but she felt a foreboding sense of doom leaking from every wall and crevice of the villa. her thoughts were broken when she heard a loud thud. "tristan?" he didn't respond. "tristan!" "i'm alright, i'm at the bottom. there is a bit of a drop at the end, i'll help you down, but you still have a ways to go." "what do you see down there?" aroura asked as she continued to climb. "a lot of nothing, we need our torches. you're almost at the bottom." "good, i'm begining to feel a little-" but she didn't finish her sentence, something flew out of the shadows, shrieking and heading straight for her. aroura screamed and lost her grip on the rope. "tristan!" "i've got you!" aroura landed in a heap in tristan's arms, sending him backwards onto the ground. "it's alright," he said as he smoothed the hair from her face. "are you hurt?" "no...what...what the hell was that?" "i think it was a bat. here," tristan lifted her into a standing position. "are you sure you're not injured?" "yes, thank you." it's a good thing it's so dark, he can't see me blushing. she added silently. tristan looked up to the opening. "fenwick! send down the flints, we're ready now! put them in a bag!" "yes, captain!" soon the bag containing the flint flew down from the hole. tristan caught it. "give me your torch." the captain lit her torch, then his own. the sudden flash of light temporarily impared their vision, but their eyes quickly adjusted. oh, what a sight they beheld. "good god!"

rats, hundreds of rats, roamed the under ground catacomb of pompeii. the villa itself was a breeding ground for infestation. every nook and crany housed a family of rats, or some other animal of a parasitic nature. what was left intact of the house reaked of decay that was centuries in the making. tristan and aroura stood in awe, taking it all in. "i don't know if i should be disgusted or amazed." aroura said, breaking the silence. "one thing's certain; i think we're in for a lot more than we bargained for. lets have a look around, hmm?" the two seperated, aroura heading deeper into the villa and tristan approaching the front door. near the entrance there was a large mosaic embedded into the floor. tristan bent on one knee and cleared the encasing layer of filth off of the mosaic, revealing a grotesque image of a dog. the canine stood with it's hind quarters in the air, front paws outstreched showing it's razor sharp claws. it's teeth were beared in a hideous snarl, and it's eyes were crossed in the strangest manner. tristan half expected the beast to leap from the mosaic and rip his throat open. i guess the romans didn't need actual dogs, with warnings as terrifying as these. tristans thoughts were interrupted by a piercing scream. immediately he was on his feet, running towards the where the sound had come from. "aroura!" "i'm in here, tristan." "where is 'here' for god's sake?!" following her voice he found her, standing in a room completely covered in a thick ashey film. "whats the matter, are you alright?" "i...i came in here, and i saw a statue. a statue of a woman, crouched on the floor beneath that table. it was so real, so life like, i wanted to touch it. i felt the side of her cheek with the back of my hand, and she crumbled, like fragile china, shattering into a million pieces. then i realized it wasn't a statue, it was a person." tristan gently took her arm. "come on, lets get out of here and find that temple, so we can leave." he lead her to what he presumed was the kitchen. there were crude looking pots and pans scattered on the floor, and an overturned shelf of what had been food, so long ago. "look, that must be the back door." aroura pointed to a large wooden door at the far end of the room. "stand back, i'll try to open it." first tristan tried opening it the conventional way, pushing firmly on the handle, but the door wouldn't budge. next he resorted to heaving his shoulder into it, but still it stood in place. "damn the romans and their modern ingenuity." tristan mumbled under his breath. "oh, to hell with it!" tristan gave the door one, two, three sharp kicks, and finally it collapsed.

a cloud of ash rose in the wake of the door. blindly they left the villa, walking gingerly until the dust settled. whatever horrors they had seen inside the house paled in comparison to the outside. everywhere, in the street, hanging out of buildings, sprawled on the ground, were bodies like the one aroura had seen. men, women, children, dogs, horses, anything that had once held the breath of life now stood frozen in space and time, pompeii was a garden of ash statues. mount vesuvias had spared no one. the light from tristan and aroura's torches cast an eerie shadow on this picture of death, flickering in a way that made it seem as though the statues danced. "which way to the temple?" tristan asked with apprehension present in his voice. "let me get my bearings...over there is the basillica, opposite of that there are more estates. south of the basillica there should be the tenement houses...and north, the temple of juno." "lets go north, then." tristan took a compass from his pocket, walking in the direction that the needle deemed to be north. they walked onward, avoiding the death that was present all around them, until they were at the foot of a large hill. at the top there was a building that would have been splendid in normal circumstances. the coloumns supporting the building were marble, and the stone roof was decorated with carvings of mythodic creatures. "that's it, that's the temple!" "are you certain?" "yes! come on!" aroura ran up the hill, tristan following. when they reached the top, tristan noticed some words scrawled in the dust on the temple door. aroura read them out loud. "letum omnis invado." "do you know what it means?" "yes..." a queer look crept over aroura's face, as though she were inwardly frightened. "roughly translated it means, 'death to all who enter'." "well, they say nothing is free." tristan mused. "i'm glad you're taking it so lightly." "what, you think it's true? that there's a curse on the temple? please, the priest or whoever was incharge probably wrote that to discourage looters, when the mountain first errupted. nothing to worry about." "i hope your right. would you like to do the honors?" aroura gestured towards the door. "no, thank you, i opened the last door. i believe it's your turn."

aroura rolled her eyes and timidly approached the door. unlike the one tristan had open, aroura barely had to touch the temple door as it glided open, and this time there were no clouds of ash. amazingly, the inside of the temple was immacutlately clean, free of any ash. candles made of boar fat still stood on their pedistules, the color remained vibrant in the murals of the goddess painted on the walls, and the offerings on the altar glittered in the flame of the torches. "the incline of the hill must have saved the temple from mount vesuvias' rath." said aroura, who was quite amazed. "yes...would you look at it all!" tristan ran toward the massive altar, which held a larger than life statue of juno, surrounded by a bounty of treasure. jewels, braceletts, gold coins, and many other odds and ends lay piled around her. but the most magnificant thing was the ruby she held in her hands; it was as large as an apple, it's red so brilliantly crimson that it looked like crystalized blood. aroura took the bag tristan carried and began shoving the treasured offerings into it, but tristan himself was mesmerized by the ruby. before he knew what he was doing, his fingers were on the ruby, feeling it's smooth coldness. "why don't you take it?" aroura asked. "i don't think i can...it seems wrong." "of course it's wrong, it's stealing. but that's what we came here to do, remember?" tristan swallowed, his adams apple rising and falling as he contemplated the ruby. "you're right," he reached for the stone, taking the goddess' most valuable possesion. what he did not see was a small wire that broke as the jewel left her hands. suddenly, the ground began shaking, and a horrid creaking sound filled the air. "what's that?" "it's rigged! the damned thing is rigged!" tristan shouted as the ground shook more fiercely. "lets get out of here!" tristan and aroura bolted out of the temple, running swiftly down the hill that trembled beneath them. "this whole place is going to collapse!" aroura said breathlessly as she ran. as thought the temple were a living thing that understood human language, one of the colomns cracked in half, teetered, then rolled down the hill straight for aroura and tristan. aroura froze, shocked. "aroura!" tristan grabbed her by the waist and pulled her out of the way. not a minute later, the colomn came tumbling by, crashing loudly into the basillica. "under here!" tristan pulled aroura under a stone awning. "god, what have we done?" aroura gasped. the torches were lost when tristan had taken aroura to shelter, and now they were igniting in the ash with supernatural speed, evolving into a raging inferno. "we've got to get out of here, this thing will fall right on top of us." "what are you suggesting we do?" "we have to get to the opening, to the rope. it's the only way out." "tristan, that's suicide! we can't go out there!" "well, we're as good as dead here. we might as well make an effort to escape." near them, one of the roman estates crashed into the ground. "aroura, if we don't make it...there's something i want to tell you. i...i love you." "i love you too." aroura replied without hesitation. "alright, on three, we'll make a break for it. take my hand, we're doing this together." "i'm ready." a deathly calm had spread over aroura. "one...two...THREE!" tristan and aroura sprinted madly through the falling debris hand in hand. the whole world around them was crashing down, and with each thud, each explosion, the ashen bodies were obliterated. what wasn't destroyed by the falling stone was engulfed in flames. this is hell, we are in hell aroura chanted in her head as she ran, grasping tristan's hand tightly. "look, aroura! the rope!" tristans words brought her out of the trance. "we're almost out of here." "yes, but if we climb the rope individually, i don't think both of us will make it." tristan said as they approached the rope that was swinging in the disaster. "here, climb on my back and put your arms around my neck. don't let go." "i won't. i trust you, tristan." with a strength he didn't know he possessed, tristan heaved himself and aroura up the rope, hand over hand, faster and faster. the placid daylight leaking in from the hole washed over them, like a breath of freedom whisping their spirits. "almost...there." tristan grasped for soil as he brought himself and aroura out of the hole. both lay on the ground, terrified out of their minds and gasping for life. "we...we made it." tristan panted. exhausted, aroura turned her head so that she was looking at the clouds. the reality of what had just happened overwhelmed her. her wits returned when she felt an odd sinking sensation underneath her. "tristan...tristan, the ground is sinking!" "what?" "it's caving!" "god, you're right! come on!" tristan pulled aroura from the ground and they were running again. aroura glanced behind her, to see the place where they were laying did not exist, now it was a dark hole, a mouth that was sucking in everything around it. tristan pulled her arm. "we've got to move faster. where in god's name are hans and fenwick?" "i told them to return to the ship if there was trouble, to save themselves." "good, i just hope the ships still there if we make it." they ran and ran until they could no longer hear the sound of life being slurped into the bottomless pit that was pompeii. the sun was setting as they reached the sanctuary of solid ground. tristan turned to aroura and placed his hand on her cheek. "we made it. we're safe now." he smiled down at her. "tristan, did you mean what you said before?" "yes. with every fiber of my being." tristan lowered his head to kiss aroura, who met his lips willingly. as their kiss deepened, aroura wrapped her hands around tristan's neck, twirling her fingers in his black hair. tristan held her by the waist and pulled her closer to him. his lips move from her mouth to her jawline, then progressing to her neck. he kissed down to her collar bone, then returned her lips once more. the embrace ended, and aroura laid her head against tristans chest and sighed. he pulled her down

when aroura woke the next morning she was still in tristans arms. the horrors of the day before seemed miniscule as he cradled her in sleep. even though they were lost in an unfamiliar wilderness, aroura felt safe and warm. she nuzzled closer to tristan, breathing in his scent. it's odd how things work themselves out, aroura thought to herself. strange that it would take an ordeal like that for us to confess our true feelings. smiling, she stretched her neck to kiss tristan's forehead. "tristan." he stirred a little but did not wake. "tristan, we need to get going." he groaned and turned his head so that his face was completely masked by aroura's hair. "can't we just stay like this?" came the muffled, sleep ridden voice. "no, you know as well as i do that it's paramount to move quickly. if hans and fenwick return without us they will think something happened, and that we're dead." "mmm, lavendar." "what?" "your hair, it smells of lavendar." aroura sighed, "come on, tristan. lets go." she sat up and pulled tristan up with her. "i don't think i can stand by myself," tristan put his arms around aroura's waist and laid his head on her chest. "will you help me?" aroura laughed as she lifted herself and tristan off the ground. "you men will do anything for a cheap thrill, won't you?" he gave her neck a quick kiss and raised his head sheepishly. "yes." "well, be serious now. we have a problem." "a problem?" "yes. fenwick and hans have our entire supply of food and water. we have no provisions for a week or more's journey back to the ship." "that is a problem." tristan's manner was sobered now as he thought about what she said. "even if we found some food and water, we have nothing to carry it in." "that's not entirely true. this part of italy is heavily populated with wild boars. if we were to find one and kill it, we could eat the meat. then we could dry it's stomach to carry water in." aroura said. "it's crude, but it's our last resort. lets find a boar." "why don't you climb that tree and survey the area." "alright, but you're just making me do it so that you can have a good look at my exsquisite backside when i shimmy up the trunk." tristan said with a hearty laugh. aroura blushed furiously. "you'd better watch your backside, or you're liable to find my boot planted on it!" "i'd rather plant this," he grabbed her roughly and kissed her lips, withdrawing just as quickly. "on you." "not so fast." she grinned tempestuously and pulled him back to her, giving him a slow, passionate kiss. "there, you can go now." slightly daunted tristan made his way up the tree. "do you see anything?" "hmm...nothing in that direction." tristan looked opposite of aroura. "anything?" "yes...i see something in a bush several meters away. it looks large- wait, it's coming out...it's a boar! damn, i think it saw me, it's running away." "that's alright, we can track it. lets go!" tristan hopped down from the tree and lead aroura to where the boar had been. "the tracks are heading south, how convenient." "yes, lets follow." for the better part of the morning they tracked the boar, their hunger leading them onward. finally, they found the thing sprawled lazily in a sunny spot of grass. slowly, as not to make any noise, tristan unsheathed his sword and crept up on the animal. in a flash of steel tristan's blade pierced the boar straight through the heart. it died instantly. "well," tristan said as he cleaned the blade in the grass. "lets cut the old boy open, shall we?"

as tristan skinned and gored the boar, aroura made a fire to cook it's meat. "he was a fat fellow, i can't see the meat yet and i'm at least a finger's length in." "boars generally are portly, relative of the pigs, you know." "alright, i've hit muscle. what part do you want to cook?" "all of it, it can't be wasted. here, i've set up a roticery. we'll cook the whole thing at once, save for the stomach." "here it is, ready to fry." "good. i'm famished." tristan put the animal on aroura's makeshift roticery. "there, now to deal with the stomach." "cut it open, and remove it's contents." using his sword, tristan sliced the boar stomach open and emptied it. "now what?" "it needs to be sewn back together." "how? we have no needle or thread!" "don't we?" aroura went to the roasting boar and lifted it's calf muscle, revealing a series of tendons. with much effort, she managed to extract a long fiber. "here's your thread, and here..." she dug deeper into the boar's leg and broke the fibula. using her sword, she whittled the piece of bone she had removed to a fine point. satisfied, she handed the bone and tendon to tristan. "...is your needle." "well...certainly can count on you in a jam, can't i?" aroura smiled and went back to the boar and rotated it. sometime later, tristan spoke. "alright, it's done. can i fill it with water now? the boar led us to a small creak, it's right behind those rocks." "no, not yet. it needs to dry. leave it in the sun, there." soon the meat was ready to consume, and aroura and tristan ate heartily. by the time they were finished, the animal was little more than a skeleton. after resting awhile, they were on the move again. "how long do you think it will take to find the ship?" aroura asked. "well, it took about a week to find the temple, but considering that we know the terrain a little better, it shouldn't take as long." "i can't get over what a waste it was...we went through all that and left with nothing." "not quite nothing..." tristan reached into his pocket and revealed the ruby that had brought the second downfall of pompeii. "in all the excitement, i'd forgotten that i slipped this into my pocket until just now." he tossed it to aroura. "god, it's so heavy." "yes. it should raise a pretty penny." they walked the rest of the day, hopeful that they would find their way home soon. aroura was confident that the ship would be there when they found the beach, but tristan wasn't so sure. he feared that his men would believe them to be dead, and that he and aroura would be left stranded in italy. i suppose we'll know soon enough. he thought. onward, trudging through the unfamiliar terrain, tristan and aroura went on. days melded together, food was scarce, water a rare luxurey. delerium set in. only their faith in eachother and the hope of seeing the desolate's mighty sails over the horizon kept the pair moving, and that hope was fleeting. "tristan, why don't we find a village and sell that damn jewel...we could get some food, sleep in an actual bed, we wouldn't have to-" "no. we have to keep moving." "this is madness! i refuse to live like an animal when we have the key to civilization in our hands!" aroura dropped down into a stern sitting position. "aroura, what are you doing?" tristan asked with more than a subtle hint of annoyance in his voice. "i will not budge until you promise to either sell the ruby or get rid of it. it's bad luck." "rubbish. it's a ruby and that's it." "no, you're wrong. we've had nothing but bad fortune since you plucked that thing from the hands of that goddess. we're lost, starving, the damned compass broke three days ago! tell me that's not bad luck!" "mere coincidence, madame, mere coincidence. everything's made to be broken; and anyway, we found that boar, didn't we?" "and it's meat gave us food poisoning!" aroura buried her face in her hands. tristan stared at her, his annoyance growing rapidly. "fine! you want it gone..." he withdrew the mammouth stone from his pocket and threw it with all of his might. "it's gone!" unsteadily, aroura stood, grasping tristan's arm for balance. "good, thank you. maybe our luck will improve." "rubbish" tristan muttered under his breath. aroura ignored him. *** their luck did improve. the following day shortly after noon, the winds changed. aroura was examining some berries on a small bush to determine whether or not the were edible when tristan grabbed her arm. "what is it?" "do you smell that?" tristan was exstatic, standing on tiptoe with his nose in the air. "smell what? you're imagining things again." "no! no, it's the sea! i can smell it in the wind!" he pulled her over to him. "stand here and breath deeply, it's stronger in this area." skeptically, aroura complied. she closed her eyes and took a breath, nothing. she exhaled and waited. when she felt a faint breeze brush her face she inhaled again. there it was, the smell of salt in a cool rush of air, slightly more dense with the moister it held. aroura opened her eyes. "i smell it!" tristan beamed down at aroura and took her hand. together they sprinted through the forest, following the scent of the ocean. they ran blindly, letting their senses guide them. soon they found that the trees were thinning, the soil a little looser. the ran and ran until the were surrounded by nothing but crashing waves and golden sand. "isn't it the most beautiful thing you've ever seen!" aroura gasped as she ran over the shore, picking up handfuls of sand and throwing them into the air. "this place, i've seen it before...that cave..." "what is it, tristan?" "i think this beach is the beach i was going to dock the desolate at, but decided against it because of the sharp, jutting rocks in the water. instead i dropped anchor in the next bay, which should be just over that rise!" without saying a word, tristan and aroura began running. running as though the hounds of hell were at their heels, straight for the hill. the steepness of the terrain was nothing to them, and soon they had reached the top. aroura felt her heart break in her chest. there was no ship docked in this bay. it was abandoned, empty, save for two crosses made out of driftwood embedded in the sand. tristan's breath left him, but aroura was full of rage. "no, no, NO!" she sprinted like a fierce animal towards the crosses. she kicked one over on it's side and ripped the other one from the ground, and with a deep guteral cry aroura heaved it into the ocean. her breath came in gasps as she sank to her knees in tide. "we've...come so...far.." she was sobbing now, face in her hands. "and it's not over yet...look!" tristan walked steadfastly to where the crosses had been. "do you see here, these tracks? they are human foot prints and they are fresh, as though they were made this very morning. and here, right next to them is another set of tracks of the same size, not yet swept away by the tide. perhaps they were made yesturday." "so?" "it seems as though someone has been coming here, to this spot. someone who knows us and mourns for us. i think if we follow these tracks, we will find the desolate." "i can't go on, i just want to stay here..." aroura's head sunk lower into her arms. "you can't give up now! not when the path home is right here under your nose!" he pulled aroura to a standing position. "come on, i won't go on with out you. take my hand, come on now." aroura obeyed and loosely held tristan's hand. any energy she had left was gone from her, and she would have been content to lie in the sand and let the tide sweep her away. tristan pulled aroura along, up yet another hill. the trail marked by the unknown mourner stayed strong. the two walked until sunset. then, just as the sun made it's nightly decent over the horizon, and the sky was a deep shade of purple, they found their way home. sitting like a temple in the waves, the desolate was anchored in this small bay. tristan could barely make out the forms of his crew druding along with their work. he could hear gretta ringing the dinner bell. just in time for dinner... he thought to himself. aroura said nothing, but her face came alive as she saw the desolate's flag, a wolf standing in front of a cressant moon, flapping in the wind. tristan bent to kiss her forehead. "come on, lets go home." *** gretta was sounding the bell for dinner, when out of the corner of her eye she saw to figures standing on a hill near the bay. her eyes were ancient, but she could see that one of the figures had long flaxen hair that was waving in the wind, and the other with hair as black as the night sky. gretta dropped the bell and it hit the deck with a loud clang. "look! it's the captain! and aroura!" "what? how can that be?" said an amazed fenwick, who had taken command of the ship in the captain's absence. "someone, fetch me a telescope, quick!" grisbey threw the telescope down from the crow's nest. fenwick put it to his eye and focused it on the two figures. "my god, it is them!" the crew of the desolate flooded down the gang plank and onto the sandy beach as soon as tristan and aroura were spotted. they were nearly crushed by all the welcoming embraces they recieved. as tristans devoted crew lifted him upon their shoulders, he called out to them, "ahoy! i hear tell this unruley crew is in need of a captain!" the men laughed and grisbey shouted, "we 'ad a captain, and now he's back from the dead with a first mate to boot!" tristan looked back to aroura, who was being showered with motherly care from gretta. she circled aroura, checking her up and down for injuries, pinching her cheeks and running her wrinkled fingers through aroura's matted hair. tristan smiled. never was there a better mother, he thought to himself as he was carried onto the ship. "i'm so glad the two of you are safe!" gretta gushed as she fawned over aroura. the two women were lagging behind the crowd of cheering men. "we almost didn't make it! we found the two crosses in the neighboring beach, and i was ready to call it quits. luckily, tristan spotted some footprints by the crosses and convinced me to follow them." gretta sighed, "yes, those were my tracks. every morning i knew you were missing, i'd go to those crosses and pray to the lord you'd be returned to me. everynight i'd do the same thing, i felt as though me heart was breaking. then men all agreed that the proper thing to do was to stay awhile to mourn; but we couldn't stay in that harbor, the water was gettin' too rough. so we moved to this one, and we been here nearly three weeks. i'm so glad you came when you did, for we were settin' sail for england in the morning!" aroura's heart thumped in her chest when she realized how close she and tristan had come to being truly stranded. "well, we're back now. safe and happy." "a little happier than when you left, i think." gretta winked. aroura just stared with a stupified expression. "you...you know?" gretta laughed. "child, i'm an old woman and a mother. i needn't be around two people i know so well for five minutes to know there's love brewin'. i knew it would happen sooner or later." aroura's cheeks colored. "do you know what would make me even happier, gretta?" "no, do tell." "some of your stew. i'm so hungry!" gretta slapped her forehead. "goodness gracious me, what a fool i am," she sped from a walk to a run through the crowd of sailors. "make way boys, my services are needed in the kitchen!" the men laughed to see sweet, slumped over gretta run like a jack rabbit up the gangplank and to the kitchen. "aroura!" tristan called to her from apon hans' shoulders. she rushed to catch up with them and was immediately hoisted into the air as well. tristan smiled at her and shouted, "welcome home, aroura!" and aroura laughed. *** that night there was a full scale party on board the desolate. gretta prepared a feast for the starving guests of honor, who ate like ten men put together. a case of wine was brought out from the cargo hold along with fireworks stolen from chinese merchant ships. tristan and aroura danced together in the moonlight to the lively sounds of fiddle music, skipping and clapping about the deck with the other pirates. even gretta danced a jig. as the party died down, and the men where sleepy with drunkenness, they gathered around tristan and aroura who told of their adventured in the italian countryside. soon most of the men were asleep. no one bothered to go to their rooms, the entire crew lay sparwled out on the deck. tristan held aroura as they looked up into the clear night sky. "it's good to be back." aroura sighed as she nuzzled close to tristan, the motion of the ship lulling her to sleep. "that it is." he kissed the top of her head and put his arm around her. and there they rested, safe and surrounded by the people they loved. who could ask for more? ah, to be home; to taste the sweet air of the sea, to stand on the firmly structured planks on the deck, to hear the crew singing and joking as they worked, it was pure delight to aroura's ears. once again she fell into that welcomed rut of usefulness; she worked various tasks on the ship until sunset, or she manned the crow's nest. once a monotonous task, to aroura the crow's nest now offered a place where she could be in utter solitude amongst rolling clouds. some days the sea water was so clear that she could see all of the aquatic life swimming beneath it. she could sit for hours gazing at a school of dolphins that raced with the ship, or even the waves themselves, they were extrememly hypnotic. yes, aroura had finally found peace within herself, and she found it most when she was with tristan...usually. one particular evening, several weeks after their return to the the ship, tristan and aroura were having a rather...difficult time charting a new course for the desolate. the rain thundered against the window's of tristan's cabin and wind howled like a banshie as they struggled to plot a corse. "tristan, maybe you'd have a more optimal level of concentration if you would remove your hand from my backside!" "oh, darling, you know it's just ever so hard to resist." tristan mused as he glanced at the map he was standing over. "be that as it may, we have to chose a destination; we've been merely floating around the mediterrainian for weeks just hoping to bump into a ship here and there! now, look here, i think this channel is heavily trafficed during this season." tristan walked behind aroura and put his hands around her waist and his head on her shoulder. "yes, you're right, we'll take that route, then. back to buisness..." and he spun aroura around so that she was facing him. "now...if my lips were a ship and your mouth was a harbor, i think i'd make a 180 degree turn dead ahead." "tristan-" but before she could finish speaking, he had already placed his mouth over her's. as their kiss deepened, tristan's hands glided lightly up from aroura's waist. her cheeks colored slightly when he brushed across her breast, but aroura was always one for adventure and began exploring as well. her hands slid up tristan's back, and she could feel the curvature of his muscles through his shirt. tristan picked aroura up and set her on the desk, and she wrapped her legs around his torso. a slight moan escaped her lips as his mouth moved from her's to her neck, and chills went up her spine. then, all of a sudden, a large crash shook the ship and the sound of snapping wood errupted in the air. the force of the crash sent tristan and aroura flying off the desk and on to the floor. tristan helped aroura, who was rather befuddled, to her feet and with a sly grin asked, "did the earth move for you?" aroura rolled her eyes. "come on, we'd better get out there and see what's up; or, rather, what's down." the captain emerged from his cabin to find the ship and his crew in an utter state of confusion, which was understandable. for as tristan's gaze shifted from the deck up to the sky, he saw that the mast of the sail had broken in half and was engulfed with flames. his mouth dropped open. "allen, allen!" tristan ran to the nearest pirate. "what in the name of god has happend?" "well, the storm was raging, and out from the clouds there came this enormous bolt of lightining which struck the mast." "well, come on, we've got to put out the fire before it consumes the entire ship!" aroura shouted as she ran frantically about. "how? we can't get enough water up there to stop the fire!" "there's got to be a way..." aroura and tristan looked around the ship. "i know!" tristan yelled. "we'll make a sling, and take these barrles of water and launch them at the fire! quick, fetch me some rope and a plank, hurry!" aroura ran to tristan. "trista, those barrels of water weigh at least 200lbs. if you were to make them airborn, they would only cause further damage to the ship!" "there's not time to fuss about it, aroura. it would be better to put out the fire and make repairs on the ship later, than wait around for the fire to sink the ship anyway." "but, look here, the rain is already snuffing the fire. i think if we wait a little longer, it will die down enough for us to climb the mast and put it out manually." "aroura, you know i value your opinion, but in regards to my ship...well, it's mine, and you..." "what? what am i?" "you're a woman, and you don't know all that much about the anatomy of ships. i've been muerading much longer then you, aroura, and i have a better handle on matters of seafaring. now, where are the ropes and the plank?" tristan knew what he had said angered aroura, even hurt her, but at this moment he was not concerned with her. the things he requested were brought to him, and he made a sling. soon he was firing barrels at the mast, and as aroura had predicted, with no avail. he did, however, manage to knock out a section of railing on the port side of the ship, break the kitchen window and destroy some cargo that was on deck. "damn." tristan sighed when he saw the damage. "captain, it appears the fire's dying down, the rain's put it out." said fenwick to tristan. "yes, i see that." tristan looked sheepishly at aroura who was sitting on a crate, but she diverted her gaze away from him. "well, the ship isn't going anywhere tonight. drop anchor and get some sleep, we've a lot of repairs to make in the morning." the crew obeyed tristan, and once the anchor was secured the men ambled to their respective cabins. tristan tried to catch aroura to apologize, but she had already gone to bed. aroura completely ignored tristan for the next several days. every time he would approach her, she would busy herself with someone or something else. it frustrated tristan to the point that he did not care if she was angry; he was angry now as well, and ignored her the way she ignored him. soon the entire crew was aware of the rift between the captain and the first mate, but decided to leave well enough alone. they knew that tristan and aroura were head strong, but would come around eventually. unfortunately, they did not come around soon enough. one night at sunset, when the crew was making some final repairs to the ship, hans shouted from the crows nest that a large, menacing ship was approaching the desolate on the starboard side. "captain?" "keep on the course, the ship does look rather large; perhaps a militia ship or another pirate ship. i suppose we'll find out if we meet them." aroura, who'd been watching the ship, was surprised by tristan's pasivity. she spoke to him for the first time in days. "tristan!" she walked to him with a determined air. "if you think that there might be possible danger from this ship, shouldn't we avoid it?" "oh, hello, glad you're speaking to me again." tristan said sarcastically. "answer me, captain." "look, if you think you could do better, perhaps you should be captain." "there you go again. patronizing me because i'm a woman-" "a girl, aroura. a girl." "well, if you think i'm such a silly girl, then why the hell did you make me your first mate?! you know, generally when a captain takes on a first mate or a king takes on an advisor or whatever; they do it because they need advice, and every damn time i try to give to you, you ignore it!" "oh, don't you ever just shut up?! i swear, you're always running your mouth to the point of driving me mad!" "oh, oh! that's just so convenient! blame all your attitude problems on me, tristan, because nothing's ever your fault! you are such a-" "tristan! aroura! the both of you be quite!" gretta came storming out of the kitchen. "while you two were bickering like children, you failed to notice that the ship in question has made a b-line into our course. now, i suggest you put your tiff aside for another time and deal with the matters at hand!" aroura glared at tristan, and her sneer was returned by him. "grisbey, hand me the damned telescope." tristan grabbed the telescope roughly from grisbey and put it to his eye. he stared out at the ship for several minutes in silence. then it appeared that all his energy left his body and the telescope dropped to the deck floor. "good god. it's the sea witch." "the who?" tristan ignored her and walked briskly to his cabin. aroura walked over to gretta. "what's got his knickers in a twist? what's so bad about the sea witch?" gretta took a deep breath and looked up at aroura. "the sea witch is captained by a woman named fiona, "the pirate queen". she took tristan on as a valet when he was younger. she's vendictive, she's manipulative, she's not to be trusted...and..." "and?" "she was his first love." aroura felt as though her knees would give when she heard gretta speak. his first love? she regained her composure, and peered towards the ship that was closing in on the desolate. with her naked eye, she could barely make out the figure of a tall, red headed woman standing statuesquely on the bow of her ship. she was wearing what appeared to be a long black dress, prehaps of velvet or satin. her hair resembled a crimson lions mane; it fell in thick ripples around her shoulders and had a glossy luster to it. from this distance aroura could not tell how old this mystical woman was, but she sensed from her demeanor that "the pirate queen" wasn't a great deal older that herself, maybe in her thirties. instinctively aroura drew her sword as the ship rode closer. aroura stood with the blade of the sword pointing outward as the sea witch boldly butted up against the desolate. "drop anchor and connect the ships with our gang plank!" came the pirate queens honey like voice ringing out over the sea. "i advise you to drop your anchor as well." she said to one of the pirates of the desolate who was obviously overcome by this woman's looks. typical. aroura thought. the pirate queen came bounding up to her, paying no attention to aroura's drawn sword, with a rather perplexed look. "are you the captain of this ship?" "no, the first mate." "where is your captain?" "why should i tell you?" "such nerve! how dare you speak to a woman of my stature that way! i am the-" "pirate queen, i know." aroura said with an air of bordem. the pirate queen narrowed her eyes and came closer to aroura, whom she was significantly taller than. "and yet you are not afraid." "should i be?" aroura looked straight into the eyes of this titan who towered over her. "i will have you know that i've killed more men than you have hairs on your pretty yellow head." "but i am not a man." "no, you're not." her stare shifted from aroura's face to over her shoulder. "but he is." aroura turned to see what she already knew fiona was looking at; tristan. the pirate queen pushed aroura roughly to the side and ran to him. �tristan! it�s been so long!� �fiona, how are you?� �doing well, thank you. come on, lets take a stroll. you and I have a lot of catching up tp do.� fiona looped her arm under tristans and pulled him towards the stern. he looked at aroura, who was sitting dejectedly on a barrel, but looked away when eye contact was made. aroura watched them until the darkness of the night wouldn�t permit her anymore vision. she vaguely felt gretta put her hand on her shoulder. �aroura-� �gretta, I wont be having any dinner tonight, I�m retiring early. would you mind sending some hot water and soap to the tub room?� aroura called as she made her way to the crew�s quarters. �not at all, deary.� gretta knew aroura was hurt, but also knew that it wasn�t wise to talk about it before aroura was ready. *** tristan stood at the edge of the stern letting the wind tousle his raven hair, when he felt fiona�s hand sliding up his arm. he turned to see that shes was inches away from him. her perfume, what smelled like a mixture of rose oil and jasmine, was strong and intoxicating, and he swooned in it�s scent. a wave of dizziness crept over him. he turned away from her and took a deep breath of fresh air. �what�s wrong tristan?� �nothing.� fiona sighed and came even closer to tristan, hooking her arms around his waist. �well, you don�t seem very happy to see me.� �I�m just a little surprised. here you are, out of the blue. what are you doing here, anyway?� �I was just sailing along when one of my men spotted your ship, and I thought I�d pay you an overdue visit.� her breath, so close to his neck, was warm. her voice was soft and soothing. �tristan, look at me. I want to see your face. you�ve changed; hard to believe, but you�re more dashing than the last time I saw you.� finding it hard not to obey her, tristan looked into fiona's emerald green eyes. she was so close. "it's been so long..." she sighed whimsically, leaning her head foreward and brushing her lips with tristans. somewhat suprised, tristan didn't stop her from kissing him. rather, caught in the moment, he put his hands around the back of her neck. fiona pushed herself against tristan and forced his lips open with her tongue. immediately tristan pushed fiona off of him and ended the embrace. "fiona, i'm sorry, i can't do this." "why not?" she smirked and leaned in to kiss him again. he stepped back from her. "no, fiona. i'm in love with someone else." the pirate queen's features hardened suddenly. "who?" tristan was silent. "it's that waif who's your excuse for a first mate, isn't it?" "her name is aroura." fiona scoffed and quickly turned away from tristan, looking out on the sea. "ha! what is love? nothing more than combination of lust and depedency, i think." again tristan was silent. "you loved me once." fiona said softly. "yes, and you broke my heart." fiona began to cackle. "oh, tristan! always so sentimental! you were a boy then, do you honestly think that an affair with a fifteen year old boy would turn into matrimony?" tristan looked at her aghast. "you are just as self contradictery as you were seven years ago." tristan said. fiona laughed again, a little more sinisterly, and took tristan's arm again. "come, why don't you show me around your ship. i want to see if you learned anything that i taught you seven years ago. tristan agreed, and lead fiona out on the deck. arm in arm, tristan led fiona around his ship. he felt uncomfortable the whole time; squirming with every tsk! she made. he felt as though his ability to captain his own ship was being questioned; graded. that is, until they reached the cargo hold. fiona gasped when they reached the end of those dark, narrow steps to see the ceiling high piles of gold, jewels and other precious treasures. "oh! this is magnificant! Tristan, I had my doubts about your capabilities, but this! Oh, I�m at a loss for words!� fiona turned around in a circle, marveling at the myriad of finery crammed into the cargo hold. Tristan laughed. �really, this is all a bit deceiving. The room itself is rather small.� �my god, does it matter?� she picked up an oak jewelry box which was encrusted with opals and examined it closely. �do you sell your findings?� she asked as she turned the box around in her hands. �I have done business with merchants from india; but usually, when the good sailing weather has passed and my crew and I take a brief hiatus, I will divvy the goods between my men and myself. Then, I donate whatever is left over anonymously to a charity of some sort.� A look of disgust crossed the pirate queens face at the words �charity� and �donate�, but she said nothing. "eventually, i suppose i'll retire with my fortune." tristan said, more to himself than fiona. "yes, well that sounds very...quaint." fiona set the jewelry box down with a loud thud. an awkward moment of silence passed between the two. "so, if you don't mind my asking, how long do you plan to side sail with the desolate?" "oh, i don't know. another day or two." with a rather pensive look she glanced at tristan. "it's not very often that you get to spend time with friends when your at sea." "true." tristan walked towards the stairway. "well, it's getting late. i suppose we should retire for the evening." "hmm." fiona seemed distracted; lost in thought. tristan began walking up the steps and she followed in silence. he walked with her to the place where the two ships were joined, and she turned to face him. "good night my sweet prince" she kissed tristan lightly on the forehead, then turned to walk across the plank. with that, fiona vanished in the dark, almost as though she had never been there to begin with. only her perfume lingered. tristan winced as he felt the spot where she had kissed, still moist from her lips. he thought of aroura, and how hurt she looked when fiona stole him away to the stern. i should go apologize. he thought as he began walking to the crew quarters. when tristan reached aroura's door, he made a fist to knock but thought better of it. he noticed that there was still lamp light glowing from underneath the crack of the door. slowly, he opened it. aroura was lying in bed, asleep. silently, he approached her. her hair was spread like a golden hailo around her face. tristan suddenly felt compelled to crawl in bed next to aroura, to hold her while she slept; but he knew that if she were to wake, his pressence would only cause further agitation. as he bent to put out her lamp he noticed aroura clutched a handkerchief in her smooth, ivory hand. he took it from her, immediately feeling it's dampness. she had been crying. "damn" he cursed himself as he held the kerchief. i can be such a damn fiend when i put my mind to it. tristan layed the kerchief on aroura's bedside table, put out the lamp, and left her with a kiss on her forehead, vowing to himself set things right in the moring aroura woke the next morning feeling sluggish and disoriented; a common side effect of crying yourself to sleep. lethargically, she dragged herself over the the wash basin and splashed it's cold water on her face. blindly she reached for a wash cloth and roughly dried her face. as aroura withdrew the cloth from her face, her now alert eyes saw through her small window that the sea witch was still attached to the desolate. fiona was on her deck shouting orders to her crew. tristan stood near her, smiling as she commanded the men. quite suddenly aroura felt her fatigue return to her body, and she collapsed back onto the bed. what does she have that i don't have? arooura thought as she pulled the covers over her head. i'm smart. i'm pretty. i'm...not her. aroura tossed and turned for a few minutes, the threw the covers off of herself and jumped out of bed. "she's human, just like me! she's not infallible!" aroura began pacing around her small cabin. "maybe...if i were to discover a fault in her, and if i presented it to tristan, he'd realize that she's not some goddess on a pedistule. then he wouldn't be so impressed with her, and..." aroura stopped pacing. "he'd come back to me." aroura's wheels were grinding in her head. they continued to grind for the better part of the morning, and on into the after noon. by sunset, aroura knew what she must do. under the concealment of darkness, she crept onto the sea witch, while the crews of the two ships were served dinner by gretta. groping in the darkness, she found what she presumed to be the pirate queens chamber. she was about to enter, for there was no light coming from beneath the door, but stopped when she heard vioces from the inside. she recognized the voices of fiona and her first mate, roderigo, having a hushed conversation. aroura put her ear against the door. "now, we have to make this quick; my pressence is required at dinner, although i'd rather have dysentary than eat the slop that hag makes. i just want to be certain that you understand my plan." there was a rustling of papers, then the spaniard spoke. "anything you say, i can do." "good. now here's what's going to happen; originally i had planned to ask tristan to join forces with me, but i see now that he's been corrupted with morals. he's not blood thirsty or greedy; key elements which compose a pirate. but despite all that, he's aquired a great deal of wealth through his gentle merauding. i saw it last night, it was truly splendid. i want it, and i don't cae who we have to kill to get it. here is my plan; we launch a suprise attack on the desolate. i intend to offer sanctuary to any of his crew members who are true pirates, but from what i've seen they are all loyal to tristan, and most likely have been corrupted by the same morals as he. anyone whos stands in my way, dies. i will have that treasure." "and what of the captain?" "as i said, anyone who stands in my way dies; i make no exceptions. exceptions are for the weak and cowardly. now, do you think you can carry out my plan? all members of my crew must be notified, and this will be a difficult task because we are in such close quarters with the desolate's crew." "what you say shall be done, my queen." fiona laughed. "i knew i could count on you roderigo. now, go and do my bidding. i'll be along." the spaniard was out the door before aroura had a chance to hide. he spotted her, and grabbed her by the arm. "hey, what are you doing?" "i was going to ask fiona whether she wanted mutton or veal for dinner tonight, but i see we are out of mutton, so i have my answer, and i really must be going!" aroura gasped in one breath. she managed to free herself from roderigo's grip and ran straight to tristan's cabin, entering without knocking. "tristan!" he was sitting at his desk eating dinner. he looked almost shocked that aroura was standing in front of him. "what is it, are you alright?" "tristan, it's fiona.." "what about her?" "she's...she's plotting against you, she means to kill you and take over your ship!" tristan stared at aroura for a long moment; analyzing her. then, softly, he spoke. "aroura, i know i've been crude lately, and i've neglected you, but to accuse fiona of this treachery? are you really that jealous?" all the color in aroura's body seemed to rise to her cheeks upon tristan's words. "tristan, i am telling you this woman is mad! she will kill you to have your wealth!" "i'm really very sorry that you are so desperate for attention that you would slander a friends name," tristan said with an air of disgust as he rose from the desk. "but this is really immature of you, aroura. i thought you were a bigger person than that." "you idiot! i'm telling you that you "friend" means to kill you, and your ego's so damn inflated that you think i say this because i'm jealous? that's it, tristan! i've had enough! i wash my hands of the entire thing! but when your deck runs red with blood, and your men are dying all around you, and that carrot headed bitch is standing over you laughing, don't come knocking on my cabin door for help, because i will say 'i told you so', and slam it in your face!" with that, aroura spun around and left the tristan's cabin, slamming the door so fiercly that the room vibrated, and several books fell off the shelf. in a fury, aroura stormed towards the bow of the ship, but haulted when a pair of hands came from out of the dark and apprehended her. the hands pulled her roughly out of view, one around her waist and one covering her mouth. they lead her to the gang plank; and as the light of the moon broke through the clouds that were forming overhead, aroura saw that her captor was roderigo. the portly spaniard sneered at her and released his hand that held her mouth. "you bastard-" "say another word and i'll cut your tongue out and feed it to my dog with a side of parsely." he growled as he pulled a sharp dagger from his belt. he released the arm that was holding aroura's waist and put it around her shoulders, using his other hand to poke the dagger at her abdomin. "you come with me, quietly, or i'll slice you open right here." smoldering with rage, aroura complied, and together they crossed the gang plank onto the deck of the sea witch. roderigo pulled aroura roughly across the gang plank, pressing his blade firmly againgst her, nearly breaking her skin. his grip was tight around her, allowing aroura no freedom to twist away from roderigo; she was stuck, a captive. he led her to fiona's cabin. he threw aroura onto the floor in front of the standing pirate queen. "well?" "she told tristan." "what?!" "patience, my queen! he did not believe her!" fiona threw her head back and cackled. "ha! the one he claims to love more than life itself attempts to reveal me for what i am, and still he chooses me! oh, that's just too perfect!" aroura struggled to regain her balance. "you won't be laughing when i get through with you-" she charged at fiona, her father's sword unsheathed. with feline stealth, the pirate queen dodged the blow, which sent aroura full force over the desk and back onto the floor. "roderigo, my love! take her sword before she is right again!" roderigo grabbed the sword from aroura who was disoriented from the fall. he hooked it under his belt, then apprehended aroura, holding her so that her arms rested uncomfortably behind her back. fiona, taking slow and noisy strides, approached aroura. she raised her hand slowly and grasped aroura's chin, digging her nails into aroura's tender skin. "now...whatever shall we do with you?" aroura spit in fiona's face, hitting her in the eye. "you irreverent little brat!" fiona slapped aroura. "i tire of fooling with you, you silly girl. roderigo, kill her." "yes, my queen." again, roderigo threw fiona to the floor raised her father's sword high in the air and- "wait!" fiona cried. roderigo froze. "no, not that way. if her body is found, i want no indications that she died through foul play." roderigo obeyed, replacing the sword with a heavy candlestick from the mantle. aroura was in a frenzy. "no! you can't do this to me! you will be caught! tristan will kill you when he finds out! i will not be murdered!" "oh, what a simple minded fool you are. you were not murdered! you merely fell over board and were swept away by the tide. roderigo saw the whole thing, there was nothing he could do. isn't that right, roderigo?" "yes my queen, it was tragic." roderigo raised the candle stick, and aroura was overcome with calm induced by fear and shock. she stared up at roderigo as the bronze candle stick came down at her. in a sudden flash of pain, aroura fell unconscious. the last thing she heard was fiona's insane cackling. "take her away. and for god's sake be careful! i do not want you to get caught." "yes, my queen." roderigo bent to take hold of aroura's ankles. he dragged her limp body out of the pirate queen's chamber; her long flaxen hair trailing behind like a disgarded shroud. roderigo crept across the deck of the sea witch, dragging aroura towards the stern. he was so busy scanning the deck of the desolate for witnesses that he didn't notice the swift flash of polished iron coming straight for him. suddenly there was a muffled clang, then the sound of roderigo's body hitting the ground. gretta emerged from the shadows, frying pan in hand. she ran to aroura and kneeled at her side, withdrawing a vile of smelling saults from her apron pocket. (smelling saults are a necessity when you work long hours in front of a hot stove.) she lifted aroura's head close to the vile, cringing when she felt the small trickle of blood oozing from the place where the candle stick hit. aroura gasped as the pugnant aroma set into her nostrils. quite suddenly her eyes opened and her face contorted as though she would scream. gretta clamped her wrinkled hand over aroura's mouth. "hush, child!" came gretta's urgent whisper. "it's me! come, we've got to get back to the ship. can you walk?" gretta removed her hand. "yes...i think so...what happened?" gretta helped aroura to her feet. "well, i saw you walking across the plank with that rogue" gretta gestured to the form of roderigo. "and thought nothing of it until i noticed the blade of his dagger shine in the moonlight. then i knew there was trouble. so i followed you and waited out here until i had the upper hand." aroura embraced gretta and kissed her on the cheek. "gretta, i am eternally greatful to you-" "save the mush for later, deary. i like to hear it, but we best get back to our ship to warn tristan." "i already tried that. he called me a liar." "well, i trust when fiona finds her henchman in this state and you missing, the truth will be exposed soon enough. come on." aroura stooped to get her father's sword; gretta took her by the hand and lead her quickly to the gang plank. their pace hastened when they heard the suprised shriek of fiona. "roderigo!" aroura turned to see the pirate queen charging toward them at fulll speed, her sword unsheathed. "run gretta, run!" they ran madly across the gang plank, shouting to the crew of the desolate, who emerged from the mess room in a state of befuddledness. "what is it, what's going on?" came the confused shouts of the men of both the desolate and the sea witch. "i'll tell you what's going on!" fiona stormed onto the gang plank. "this ship and everything on it is going to become mine in a matter of minutes. now, you can choose to become members of my crew, if you think you are blood thirsty and ruthless enough to handle it. if not, well, you die. anyone who opposes me will suffer the wrath of my blade! now, who's with me!" all the men whom already held a place in fiona's crew gathered near her, but not a single man of the desolate budged. tristan suddenly appeared in front of them, like a mighty raven haired lion, coming forth to defend his pride. "fiona! why do you do this thing? can we not coexist in this world together?" "ha! so naive, my tristan! my captain midnight! i must admit, i did think on that; letting you go. but i feel it is my respsonsibility to end this. you're no real pirate! i created you, but obviously i didn't do a sufficiant job." tristan's eyes burned into fiona's. slowly his hand went to the hilt of his sheathed sword. "you, the pirate queen, are the embodiment of vindictive evil." fiona grined sadistically at tristan. "tell me something i don't know." she raised her sword and turned to her crew. "charge!" in a sudden wave of terror, the crew of the sea witch sprang apon the crew of the desolate. as the clouds gave way to a fierce down pour of rain, the thunder of the sky was no match for the clang and clatter of the opposing swords. "aroura! get out of here, take gretta with you!" tristan shouted over the din. "tristan, you will not patronize me anymore! i will fight!" and then she was gone, disappearing into the battle. tristan could only stare at the spot where she had been for a few seconds before he was thrust into the fight. *** aroura writhed through the crowd of pirates. she knew who she was looking for, who she wanted to fight; but that person, fiona, was nowhere around. aroura continued to search until a brilliant ray of lightning blasted into the waves. the sudden flash of light opened aroura's field of vision, revealing the form of fiona rushing, alone, across her deck towards the stern. instinctively aroura followed, not even stopping to ponder on the consequences. The two ships rocked in the tumult of the raging waves as the battle forged on, but headstrong aroura had abandoned the fray; she was hot on the tail of the pirate queen who was also fleeing. Aroura's sword was pointed outward as she turned in circles around the deck of the sea witch. It was pitch black, and she had lost sight of fiona. She could be hiding anywhere in the shadows, just waiting to spring upon aroura. But aroura did as she had done ten years ago when her father taught her how to fight blindly. She remembered that day, they were in an open field. Her father had tied a bandana around her eyes and told her to use her other sense to locate him. Aroura closed her eyes now, pushing the image of her father away from her mind and focusing on her whereabouts. Her breathing slowed to a shallow pace, her tense muscles reluctantly relaxed. She smelled the air, felt it's current on her face, and heard the direction in which it blew. Then, she heard other things. The crash of water against the boat, her own heart beat, the sails beating in the wind, and the oh so faint murmur of boards creaking of the deck under the weight of another human. Aroura blocked out the other sounds and zeroed in on this one. She opened her eyes, still listening, and walked in the direction of the sound. She smiled to herself. And so we play this game of cat and mouse� aroura thought as she drew closer to the origin. The noise led aroura to the ships stern. There, she saw fiona untying the grappling lines of a small row boat. She was intent on her task, and did not hear aroura approaching. "you coward!" aroura hissed. Fiona spun to face her. Her face was the picture of serenity, revealing to emotions regarding the surprise appearance of aroura. This was not the reaction aroura was hoping for. "well, you know what they say. She who fights and runs away lives to fight another day." Fiona smirked as she unsheathed her sword. "you know, I tried to kill you once and failed. I mean to rectify that mistake now." Fiona twirled her sword in the air. "you lack the conviction that your words convey. I think you're just some sniveling loud mouthed coward, and you had absolutely no intention of seeing your little battle through. You just wanted to cause trouble; maybe out of boredom." Fiona laughed with obvious annoyance and came closer to aroura. "perhaps you are right, perhaps you are an excellent judge of character. Too bad you'll never know!" and fiona charged at aroura, their swords meeting in mid air. The pirate queen was strong, but aroura was fast, dodging the queen's blows, but failing to make any of her own. For what seemed like hours they fought, barely marring one another with nicks and scratches; until aroura made a move that would cost the entire battle for her. The pirate queens sword came down fast out of the air, and aroura fell to the ground, rolling away from it. But this gave fiona an advantage. At once fiona stood over aroura, stamping down her pointed boot on aroura's wrist of the hand that held her sword. Aroura screamed in pain as the force of the pirate queens planted boot crushed her carpals, but still she maintained a firm grip on her sword. "you think you're strong, don't you?! You think you have a mighty will, the strength of a man! Lets see how strong you are against my blade!" fiona thrust her sword into aroura's chest. Aroura's shriek of agony filled the air, but she did not die. Rather, as the pirate queen backed away from her aroura stood, bleeding and broken. She rushed at fiona one last time, still holding her sword. But the pirate queen effortlessly eluded the attack, sending aroura flying over the ships railing. Fiona went to the railing to see aroura holding on with her one good hand. Slowly, fiona crouched down so that she was at eye level with aroura. She kissed aroura on the forehead and stroked her hair. Aroura growled in protest, but could do nothing. Her free hand still held her sword and lay limp at her side. Fiona's emerald green eyes burned into aroura's as she smiled. "join me. There is a darkness inside of you; a darkness I could nurture until you are truly evil. Then, you and I could rule these seas together." Aroura sneered at the pirate queen. "go to hell!" fiona laughed and stood. "I'll see you there, my beautiful one." With lightning speed fiona's claw like hands dug into the aroura's arm, her only thread between life and death. Blood trickled from under fiona's nails as she dug deep into aroura's skin. Fiona cackled one last time and threw aroura straight down into the sea. The pirate queen stood at the railing listening to the sound of aroura hitting the water, then her screams as the water washed over her, cold as ice. Aroura writhed in the water, and it attacked her like thousands of tiny needles puncturing every inch of her. Then, the all was quiet, and fiona returned to her row boat. Once she had freed the small vessel of it's grappling lines, she hoisted it over the railing. She heard it hit the water and wondered if it had crushed the body of aroura. Fiona climbed onto the railing, scanned the murky sea for her boat, and jumped. As she put the oars in place, she was vaguely aware of a shift in the weight of boat, but paid no attention. Then, in a sing song voice, some one called out to her. "fi-o-na�" the pirate queen turned sharply around to see the figure of aroura standing behind her in the boat. Aroura was dripping wet, with water and blood. Her clothes clung to her body, and her hair was matted around her face. She wore an expression of malice which was truly horrifying. Before fiona had a chance to speak or reach for her sword, aroua's came down on her, slicing through her neck where the axis connects with the atlas. As the pirates queens head rolled at her feet, aroura stared down at it. "and the meek shall inherit the earth�" she whispered. Aroura sheathed her bloody sword and bent to grasp the head of fiona. She looked to the ship and noticed that one of the grappling lines was hanging down. She tugged on it, and when it was deemed secure she began climbing. Aroura winced in pain every time she used her right hand. It throbbed mercilessly, but she continued upward. The wound in her chest still bled, but it was fairly superficial. Aroura wheezed every time she breathed in and vaguely wondered if fiona had punctured her lung. Finally she reached the top, still carrying fiona's head, and ran in the direction where the battle still raged on. The crews of both the sea witch and the desolate continued to fight as aroura gazed down at them from the gang plank. It was difficult to determine the losses of either sides, but she did see dead or dying bodies lying sporadically along the deck. None of which was tristan. Suddenly, the roue of the men ceased as a deep, guttural moan erupted over the battle. They turned to see aroura standing there on the gang plank, with the head of fiona waving high in the air. "this is your pirate queen, in all her glory!" aroura roared at them. "leave this ship now, get as far away from it as you can, or do you want to suffer the same fate as she!" aroura threw the head into the crowd. it landed face up in front of roderigo; fiona's glassy eyes stared up at him blankly, her mouth contorted in a garish expression of pain. roderigo picked it up tenderly and smoothed the bloody hair away from her face. as her life leaked onto his hands, roderigo dropped the head, and it hit the deck with a sickening thud. his eyes left the head of fiona, and stared in rage at aroura who still stood on the gang plank. "you killed her! you killed my queen! i will murder you!" roderigo ran for aroura with his sword outstretched. seemingly effortlessly, aroura extended her sword as he reached her. the momentum of his body forced the sword deep into his chest. as roderigo coughed and sputtered his last breaths, still shish cabobed on the sword, aroura stared at him. then, as his eyes rolled in the back of his head and his hands fell to his side, aroura used her boot to push him off the sword; his body fell from the gang plank into the icy water. absently aroura looked back at the crowd before her. then the malice twisted her face once more and she screamed. "GO!" immediately, all the men who had been loyal to fiona rushed past aroura and onto the sea witch. as if an unseen force was guiding her, aroura glided easily through the stampede and onto her own ship. she turned to watch the sea witch sailing swiftly away until she felt a pair of cold hands rest on her shoulder. "you're hurt." aroura spun to face tristan. "damn right i'm hurt." she raised her arms, forcing tristan's hands off of her, wincing when her wrist made contact. "don't. touch. me." she stormed past him, still bleeding, still broken, to her room. *** aroura had no sooner collapsed onto her bed when there was a knock on her door. "who is it?" she asked pensively. "child, it's me, gretta. i've come to tend to your wounds." "there are others who need attention more than i." "well, they can wait. please, darling, let me in." "oh, alright." painfully aroura rose and limped to the door. she hadn't been fully aware of the pain when adrenaline was pumping through her system, but now that her body was at rest she felt it full force. slowly, she opened the door for gretta, who gasped when she saw her. "good god! is that your blood?" aroura looked down to see that her once stark white shirt was now a dripping mass of dark red. "yes...fiona struck me in the chest. i'm having difficulty breathing, i think she may have punctured my lungs." "take of your shirt and lay on the bed. i need to patch you up before you loose any more blood. you're already pale as a ghost. do you feel faint?" aroura eased herself back into bed. "slightly." gretta sat on the bed next to aroura and removed a small pot from the bag she was carrying. she tooke off the lid and dipped her fingers in it. "this is a paste of thyme, ginger, sage root and a little wheat flour. it will help clot your blood." she applied it generously onto aroura's wound, then wrapped it in clean gauze. "are you hurt anywhere else?" gretta looked down at aroura with concern. "yes, my wrist, i think it's broken." "which one?" "the right." gretta lifted it gingerly and tested it, moving it slowly back and forth. aroura moaned. "it's broken alright. i'll have to splint it." "fine." gretta withdrew a narrow slab of wood from her bag and more bandages. she set aroura's wrist with care, wrapping the bandages tightly up to aroura's elbow. "thank you." "are you heart anywhere else, deary?" gretta gently stroked aroura's cheek. "just my heart." gretta sighed. "that, i'm afraid, i cannot fix." "i know. i just...i can't believe he would let this happen to...me." "tristan is stuborn, doesn't like to be told he's doing something wrong. that's is crux, his undoing." aroura breathed deep, and turned her head to stare into the blazing lamp light. "get some rest, deary. if you have anymore pain, let me know." "i will." gretta stood and put out the lamp and left aroura. aroura spent the next week and a half�s time recuperating in her chamber. when she was well enough to walk, she could be heard pacing around her room at all hours talking to herself by anyone whom happened to pass. some believed that she had gone mad; that the blood of her first and second kill had driven her insane, but tristan, who sat by her door at night listening to her mad rantings, knew the truth. he knew that she was livid with rage because of him. so he wasn�t surprised on the dreary morning when she finally did emerge from her room; storming up to him like an infuriated bull. what he didn�t expect was her cold and burning slap across his face. in all his years of fighting; all the sword wounds, the broken limbs and the devestating diseases, no abrasion had ever effected him as much as aroura�s blow. he clutched his face and stared down at her dumbfounded, waiting for her to speak. �I want off this ship at the nearest harbor.� her voice was calm; but in it�s serenity it reeked of disdain and malevolence. it cut through tristan like a razor sharp sword made of ice. �where will you go?� �home.� �you are home.� tristan muttered, still cleaving to his face, as he brushed past aroura and walked toward his cabin. �I thought I was, until you betrayed me.� tristan stopped walking but did not turn around. �I thought I knew you tristan, that you truly cared about me. how could you?� tristan turned to face her. �look, aroura, don�t you think you�re being just a little irrational?� �irrational? you can risk the lives of your entire crew, including your first mate whom is supposedly the woman you love, but I�m the one who�s irrational?� tristan could feel the rage boiling inside of him. although he knew that aroura was right, he abhorred being made a fool out of in front of this audience that was his crew. they had all stopped with their day�s work and were watching now the tiff between tristan and aroura. �yes, someone who rows for miles in a tiny boat in the middle of the ocean; chasing an entire ship full of pirates, just to retrieve a rusty old sword is irrational!� aroura bounded up to him, her face red with the blood that was searing inside of her. �you are despicable tristan, you really are! now as is said, you may recall, I WANT OFF THIS SHIP AT THE NEAREST HARBOR! now, am I going to have to return to my small row boat to get to it, or will you be so kind as to stop for me?!?� �the nearest harbor is on the coast of Monaco. if you truly wish to leave, we should reach it in three days time.� tristan began striding back to his cabin. �wait just a minute, I�m not through with you. I want a bag of gold, for any expenses I may incur on my journey home.� �fine.� without giving aroura any more time to speak, tristan slammed the door of his cabin, and aroura stormed back to hers. *** when the three days were over, and the french coast of monaco was looming over the horizon, the entire crew had gathered on the deck to bid aroura farewell. she met tristan at the gang plank, holding her bag of gold. �thank you.� �is there nothing I can say or do to make you reconsider?� �my mind is made up.� �aroura, I�m sorry.� she was silent, staring down at the sand which held the plank in place. �aroura I lo-� �don�t tristan, please. I don�t want to hear that right now, I can�t hear that right now.� her voice caught in her throat as she said this. �will I ever see you again?� �I don�t know.� she turned away from him to gretta, who was clutching aroura�s shoulder. �goodbye.� �goodbye, child.� there were tears in her eyes. �don�t be a stranger.� aroura smile sadly at her and descended down the gang plank. as she stepped onto shore, she heard tristan give the command to raise the anchor. she looked back at the desolate, catching a glimpse of his raven hair, but it was gone before she had time to really see him. so she turned around, clutched the sword at her belt for strength, and began walking. she didn�t look back again. as the desolate sailed further away from the french dock of monaco, aroura struggled to keep her body from collapsing into a quivering mass of weakness. she clutched her turning stomach; she was clamy and pale, and her legs felt as though they were going to give any second. she walked stiffly, keeping her knees locked. i thought sea sickness was supposed to happen when you're on a boat. mused aroura. but she knew that what was ailing her wasn't sea sickness; aroura was suffering from a broken heart. �well,� she said to herself as she walked along the dock; there were several other ships that had pulled into harbor that morning, many sailors occupied the port. she walked with her head down, avoiding the astonished stares of the men who had never seen a woman in this element. �I suppose I should get something to eat before I begin.� aroura looked up to see a small tavern situated on the edge of the dock. it looked rather seedy, but she saw no other means of providing the food that was necessary to her survival. her pace quickened when she saw two coarse looking men watching her from behind a crate. they smiled wickedly at her when she made eye contact. aroura sneered at them and went into the pub. the food was no where near the quality of gretta�s cooking, but it was fresh and it filled aroura. she thought about partaking of the ale they served in this place, but decided against it. one needs a clear head when traveling alone, especially if they are a woman. after finishing her meal of stale bread, bean soup and side of french cheese, aroura threw some coins down on the table and left. as she had expected, the two men she had seen outside of the tavern were still there. aroura placed her hand on the hilt of her sword, but did not unsheathe it. �is there something I can do for you gentlemen? you look rather baffled.� the men looked at each other and laughed. slowly they began staggering towards aroura. she presumed them to be drunk; her suspicions were confirmed when she saw that one of them was clutching a bottle of bourbon. �we were just asking ourselves what a flower like you is doing so far from home.� slurred the taller one. his greasy blonde hair fell into his eyes and he tried haphazardly to brush it away. the other one, who was shorter and heavier smiled, revealing a mouthful of chipped, rotting or missing teeth. he curled his fingers along his mustache, as if in thought. �well, from my experience, a flower can grow just about anywhere, provided it has proper food and light, so I�d say I�m not far from home at all.� the short one looked up at the blonde one, his face a picture of perplexity. �what�s she talking about, Horace?� �she�s being a smart ass, that�s what she�s doing.� he turned away from his friend and looked at her. he was visibly irritated. �look, miss, this ain�t no place for a woman. so if you�re going to step out of your territory, you�d best be prepared for the repercussions.� aroura smirked to herself. he�s obviously the smarter one, wonder why he�s friends with this scalawag? but her thoughts were haulted when horace advanced toward her and took hold of her arms. �now, hows about doing something that is a woman�s affair, eh?� he lowered his head to her mouth. she moved sharply away, preventing contact. �swine!� she spat at him. he laughed at her. �you�d better watch you�re mouth, darling.� he ran towards her with his friend at his side. with lightning speed she drew her sword. "you had better watch your mouth, you reprehensible excuse for a man, or i will take the liberty of removing it for you!" aroura held her sword firmly outward. Horace. merely laughed. "she's a live one, ain't she edward?" his friend snickered as they walked closer to her. "perhaps we should teach her a lesson, horace." "bet she doesn't even know how to use that thing. Bet she stole it off of some rich coot." aroura's lips curled at the notion of what they were saying. "why don't you come find out." she growled through gritted teeth. Horace removed a large, cheap looking dagger from his belt, while edward picked up a fallen tree branch. Horace charged at aroura first, aiming his dagger low towards her abdomen. Although aroura's wrist was still broken, and it pained her very much, she was able to effortless ward off the attack. In a dull clash of metal horace's dagger was on the ground and his hand was bleeding. "god!" he clutched at his hand and watched the blood seep out of the small wound, falling in droplets onto the ground. His fingers curled involuntarily, increasing the flow of blood. Edward stared at the abrasion, amazed that a woman could have done this. "edward, don't just stand there! Get her!" edward snapped back to reality and charged at aroura, his club raised high. When he was in arm's length from her he veered the club at her, but she stealthily ducked the blow. Edward, who had never been very good at keeping his balance, continued to run and tripped in the dirt. "gah! Horace!" "edward!" while horace fussed over his hand and edward struggled to right himself, aroura giggled at the scene. "perhaps now you'll have a newfound respect for women." aroura mused. She turned and ran away, heading for the guise of the nearby forest. aroura ran until she was deep in the forest and could no longer see the dock nor smell the water. as she stopped to catch her breath, she removed a small compass from her satchel. the tiny arrow trembled under the magnetic force, finally resting it's point on north. to the west of aroura, the trees were thick and abundant. to the east the amount of trees disapated, but aroura could not make out any signs of civilization. she turned around in a circle, looking at a million trees that all seemed the same. suddenly an overwhelming feeling of vertigo struck aroura and she sagged to the ground. as she buried her head in her hands, aroura realized for the first time in her life she was completely and utterly alone. at this point, all the tension that was built up in her was released in a series of mournful sobs. aroura's hands became soaked with the tears she shed as she cried bitterly. all her bottled up emotions spilled forward as she thought of leaving tristan, as she thought of returning to norman. ironically, thoughts of her father were the only thing that soothed aroura. as she remembered the way his strong, loving arms enveloped her at times like these, her sobs ceased to a small sniffle. and then she began to laugh. "i must be a pittiful, sorry sight! a girl dressed in boy's clothing falling to pieces in the middle of a forest." aroura sighed as she jammed a twig into the dirt, contemplating her next move. *** several weeks had passed since aroura's breakdown in the woods. she had managed to hitch-hike her way north through france, and was now seeking shelter in a small parisian inn. aroura loved paris- it's sights, it's smells, the amoress atmosphere enchanted her. she lingered there for quite some time before leaving for england. with her pirate gold she enjoyed the theater, fine cuisine, and even some nice (but not garish) dresses for herself, which of course were promptly ruined through her boyish manner. indeed, her spirits had rissen since her time in the woods. but, time and money run out like sand through one's fingertips; soon aroura's little bag of gold was near empty, and she knew it was time to go home. the last of it was spent to return to england on a small passenger liner. aroura savored the few days she spent on it, for she new it was the last bit of fun she would have before returning to norman. aroura was so captured by the familiar smell of sea water and the rush of a breeze thick with moisture against her skin that she didn't notice the poor conditions of the boat. the ship it's self was filthy; the crew never bothered to pick up a mop or even remove the carcasses of dead and decaying rats that littered the corners and crevaces. passengers lay sick in the hull, wallowing in their own vomit. but aroura's euphoric state of lunacy with the sea clouded her vision; she only saw the rolling waves hitting the sides of the ship from her spot on the over crowded deck. so, of course she didn't notice when her own breathing became raspy, or that she broke out into cold sweats at any given moment. she didn't seem to mind the fact that her hand could barely grip the deck's railing, or that her legs dragged lead under her. when the ship docked on england's coast, aroura left the small liner with a heavy heart. heavy with sadness and heavy with sickness. only when her feet had been planted on the soil of her mother country did she become aware of the fever that was cresting in her. with no more gold left to spend a physician was out of the question, along with lodging or transportation. the ship had landed in portsmouth, leaving a great distance to travel to her hometown of birmingham. aroura made it as far as london, riding on the backs of stage coatches and carts. she traveled in the night and the day, whenever her sickness would permit her the ability to move. lack of suitable food and sheltered did nothing to improve aroura's condition. one night while she was tredging along some remote dirt road, she lapsed into a feverish haze. that last thing she remebered before collapsing on the side of the road was having a vivid conversation with a woodchuck. aroura opened her eyes and stretched, sliding in the satiny sheets that enveloped her. she sighed contentedly; as though she had slept better than she had in a long time. but as sleep quickly wore off, aroura realized she was somewhere she had never been before; a bedroom she had never seen, finely ornamented with oak furnature, crimson velvet curtains, oil paintings of angelic figures, and a luxurious canopy bed which she was now residing in. aroura sat up with a start, throwing the thick downy blanket to the ground as she jumped out of bed. she looked down, expecting to see her dusty pirate's clothes, only to find that she wore a beautifuly laced pink nightgown instead. aroura gasped and hugged herself tightly, feeling naked and vulnerable. she ran to the gigantic bay window and thrust the drapes open, hoping to see something recognizable. to her dismay, the outside of this strange lodging was just as alien as the inside. the courtyard consisted of an exotic rose garden, complete with a marble fountain spewing water from the mouth of a nude mermaid. past the courtyard was a large field, perhaps a marsh. aroura swallowed hard and pressed her forehead against the glass, sighing at the cold sensation that shot through her upon contact. "where the hell am i?" she whimpered as she ran her hand over the smooth window. "griffonson estate, london england." chirped a male voice from behind her. aroura gasped and spun around. "hello, glad to see you're feeling better. we nearly lost you, you know." aroura backed into the corner, puting a chair betwixed herself and the stranger. "who are you?" she growled with a voice seething with accusation. the boy smiled and held his hands in the air in a gesture of surrender. "calm yourself, i'm a friend. i was riding in my carriage with my family when we came across you lying in the ditch. you were burning with a fever, so we brought you home with us. our physician examined you, determining that you suffered from pnemonia and were severly malnourished. you were unconscious for several days, and our nursemaid looked after you. your fever broke just last night." he paused, as if to reassure her. "i mean you no harm, please believe me." aroura released a breath she didn't realize she had been holding. "i'm so sorry, how rude of me when you've been so kind!" again, he laughed. aroura noticed how handsome he was. his sandy blonde hair fell over his forehead and ears, barely showing the huge brown eyes that glistened at her. he was tall and lanky; his smile was dimpled, an expression that seemed oddly familiar to aroura. "there's no harm done, i expected your reaction. but please, tell me, what is your name?" he looked at her inquisatively. "aroura dempsey." "i knew it!" he jumped slightly, as though he had just won a game. "you probably don't remember me, aroura. i'm james griffonson. my governess was your governess' sister, we used to be playmates as children." aroura gasped yet again, as memories of her childhood before her father's death flooded back to her. a foggy time, when her father was often away from home, and her pretty raven haired governess named sarah would care for her. on sunny days they would go to the park where aroura would pick wild flowers and chase lady bugs with a cheery, doe eyed little boy named jimmy. "of course! oh, how could i forget you, james! it's been so long!" she ran to her friend and hugged him, immediately shying away as she remembered she was still in her night dress. "oh, aroura, you were always so energetic. here, i've brought you some fresh clothes. this is one of my mother's more conservative dresses. i hope it fits; if not, let me know and i'll have the maid find something else for you to wear. get changed and come down to breakfast so that we may talk comfortabley!" *** aroura met james in the parlor, which overlooked the maginficant rose garden she had seen from her bedroom window. the table was dressed splendidly, with a fresh bouqet of roses resting in the center, surrounded by and aray of delectable breakfast foods. the hunger in aroura's stomach gnawed at her, but she kept her composure as james stood to seat her. "ah, the dress fits! good. here, sit down." he pulled the chair out for her, and aroura was tempted to laugh at his gentlemenly antics. she bit her tongue instead. james returned to his seat. "coffee?" "please." he poured her coffee into a tiny, delecate looking porcelain cup and passed it to her. "help yourself to whatever you'd like. you need to eat, madmoiselle." aroura giggled and took a cookie that had chocolate dipped rasberry in the center. the cookie its self was dusted with sweet powdered sugar, and the blend of tastses danced on her tongue. "tell, me, aroura," james folded his hands, indicating his attitude had changed to seriousness. "we found you in rather strange garments, dressed in men's clothing, clutching a sword-" "oh!" aroura dropped her cookie, realizing for the first time in months that her father's sword wasn't at her side. "the sword, where is it?" "don't worry, it's tucked safe away in my closet. you may have it when ever you like; after breakfast if you wish." aroura sighed and relaxed in her seat. "oh, thank god. it's my fathers. i showed it to you years ago." james pursed his lips and tapped a finger to his chin. "ah yes, now i remember. it sat mounted on the wall in your fathers den." "yes, that's it." aroura could see james was waiting for an explanation as to why she was carrying it with her, and why she had been dressed in such a manner. "james, it's a very long story, perhaps i'll tell it to you one day, but just now i'm more concerned with making my way home." "well, that is no problem! i remember exactly where your estate is, nestled in the suburbs of london-" "i don't live there anymore, james. my father died when i was eleven, after you had moved away." "oh...i'm so sorry...i didn't know." james' face was flush with embaressment. "it's alright, james" aroura sighed sadly. "it was a long time ago." a long silence passed between the two friends. james couldn't help but notice the melancholy, far away look in aroura's eyes. he had to fight the urge to leap over the table and take her into his arms, the look broke his heart so. he was the first one to break the silence, his words gentle and meek. "well, where do you live now? i can take you there." aroura laughed cynically, meeting his eyes. "i live in birmingham, in my foster father's estate." "ah, you were adopted." "yes." "is he a good father?" aroura looked down at her plate, she could feel her anger boiling at the mere mention of norman. "if adopting for show is being a good father, then yes, i suppose he is." james cleared his throught, obviously uncomfortable. "i'm sorry james. i don't mean to drag out my personal matters with you." "it's no problem, really. i was just caught off gaurd, that's all. birmingham's not far, perhaps a two day's ride in my carriage. if you're sure that you're feeling better, we can leave tomorrow morning." "yes, that would be wonderful james, thank you." After the tension of breakfast was forgotten, Aroura and James found themselves quite enjoying the other's company. James took Aroura for a brief tour around his estate, and she took a particular delight in the overwhelming library that contained nothing but first and limited editions of Defoe, Austen, Beckford,Blake and a plethora of other works of fiction and non-fiction. They spent the better part of the morning in the library, lounging in the ornate and over stuffed leather chase and sipping on earl grey, a pleasure which Aroura had nearly forgotten. She could have spent the entire day in the library, relishing in the scent of old books and feeling the crisp pages turn under her fingers, but James had other things in mind. "come on, we can come back here later if you like. But there's more I want to show you now." "James..." Aroura sighed dramatically and made herself heavy in the chair, which made no difference to Jame's strong phsyic. "Oh, stop fussing!" He mused as he took hold of one lethargic arm and dragged her out of the chair. "Ah, stop, you're going to rip my arm off!" "Then perhaps you should use your refined motor skills to put a move on, because otherwise..." he gave her arm a playful tug that sent ripples of laughter through her. "Alright! Alright! You've won! I'll come along quietly." Aroura stood and straightned her skirts, fearful that she might have torn the delecate fabric which did not belong to her. Once assured that all was right, she followed James out of the library and down the decadent hall. Aroura marveled at the finery which was displayed; things of great value and simple adornments of fresh flowers combined to make a wonderfully picture-esque scene. The tiny heels she wore clicked on the polished tile as James lead her to the very end of the hall. He stopped when they reached a mahogany door with cherubs carved into the frame. James turned to look at her, his eyes glowing mischeviously. He bent so that his face was directly in front of her's, his voice a low whisper. "The attic!" Aroura smirked at his attempt to be menacing. She smiled smuggly at him and pushed him aside, taking the copper doorknob into her hand. With her head held high the pulled the door open, wincing slightly at the creak of neglected hinges. Immediately she was hit by a blast of cold air that sent shivers up her spine, but her smuggness never wavered. "Is it haunted?" Her voice was cool and stable for she had never held much faith in the supernatural. James raised an eyebrow, still trying to look menacing. "Long ago, before we moved here, there was a young man who lived alone, or so every one else thought. He was a scientist, or a doctor; no one knows for sure because he kept to himself, but he had some sort of medical paraphernalia delivered to him on the third wedensday of every month. Anyway, after some mysterious disappearences around town, accusations arose against the doctor and the town's people formed a mob and stormed the house. Finding the estate quite empty when they got ther they searched every room for the doctor in question, finding nothing unusual. His drapes were drawn, the furniture dusted, the silver polished, the plants damp with moisture; every thing was perfect. Then they came here, to this door, and found it locked. The mob became enraged, certain that this was the place where the doctor conducted his devious experiments, and they broke the door down. They found the doctor hanging from a low beam in the ceiling; he'd killed himself. And scattered all around him were the mangled remains of every woman, animal and infant that had turned up missing in the past five years." "Oh, my." Aroura sighed, she wasn't impressed. "Still want to go up there?" James teased. "Of course." "that's my girl." James laughed. Aroura proceded through the open door, finding a long stair case. The boards creaked under her weight, and she was slightly alarmed at the prospect of falling through. "These stairs are sturdy, aren't they?" "Yes, quite. You have nothing to fear, anyway, with me at your side." James grinned and looped her arm through his. "Oh, it's not that, I was just pondering on how I would pull your burly frame up if you were to fall." "Ah, lady of the sharp tongue. You wound me with your stealthy words." James laid his hand on his chest, feigning injury. "Oh, so feeble are we?" James stopped climbing the steps and looked at Aroura. "Actually, I feel ten times stronger with you here." Aroura turned away and smiled, glad that the dim light prevented her blush from being seen. "Are we almost there?" "Yes, there's another door at the top." Silence befell the pair as the continued to climb. After what seemed like forever, James spoke. "You know, that story I told you before, about the doctor? That was phony. I made it up." "Really? At that moment?" "Yes." "You're a fantastic story teller, James. But, you always were. I remember the wonderful stories you would tell me about the jungles of Africa. You were so eloquent, it sounded as though you had actually been there." "Merely a product of an over active imagination. Here we are." James released Aroura's arm and pushed on the door that wasn't even visible in the darkness. All Aroura could see was a thick, enveloping void of black unfolding before her. She felt James grasp her hand and lead her inward. "Watch your step, there's an upturned board around here somewhere." With his free hand James began groping around the darkness, bumping into a table. "Damn! Oh, just what i was looking for." He let go of Aroura's hand. "James?" "I'm here, just shedding light on the subject." Aroura was glad that the story James had told her was fake; the complete darkness frightened something deep in the core of her; like a primal fear of the unknown. Aroura heard the rough scratch of a match and suddenly the room was aglow, the small lamp casting strange shadows over the walls. As the weak flicker of light dimly flooded the attic, aroura spun around in disbelief wide eyed and breathless. "good god...james...every single toy and game you ever owned must be up here!" james chuckled as aroura fluttered about the abundant room. "oh, here are the hobby horses we used to race on! and this...this is the game of checkers i always beat you at!" "what? you beat me? i think you're sadly mistaken sweetheart." james chided good naturedly. "oh!" aroura gasped suddenly. "james...look." james walked from his spot by the door to where aroura was standing in the midst of an army of wooden crates. "what is it?" "it's the slab of clay we made handprints in, see?" aroura placed her hand over the tiny imprint with her name written in childish scrawl underneath. james did the same, causing their thumbs to overlap slightly. james gentley stroked her thumb with his. "you know, if you ever need a place to get away from norman, to escape, you can always come here. no questions asked." "thank you james, that means a lot to me." aroura set the clay slab back where she found it on a crate and walked over to a dusty window. she sighed deeply. "time goes by so fast, doesn't it james? remember when things were simple? when you could wake up in the morning and the biggest worry on your mind was whether or not you should make mudpies before you play hopscotch?" "aroura..." james walked behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders. he lightly massaged them with the tips of his fingers, until he felt them tense suddenly. she spun around quickly and poked him in the ribs. "tag! you're it! last on to the center of the garden maze is a spoiled egg!" aroura sprinted out of the room until the only thing left of her was the sharp click of her heels down the wooden steps. james stood in amazment for several seconds, too stunned to react. a toothy grin spread over his face as his senses were regained, and he ran after her. "now, aroura, that's not fair! you didn't say 'go'!" they played like that for the rest of the day, reverting back to the days of yore. when aroura went to sleep that night, in an unfamiliar bed in an unfamiliar house, she couldn't have felt more at home. as she drifted of to the land of nod, she was truly content. *** the next morning aroura was up with the sun, packing the few things she carried with her in a sack the maid had given her. the serenity she had felt the night before had given way to a pit of dread in the core of her stomach. for the first time in over a year, aroura would be seeing norman. very soon. there was a soft tap at her door. aroura turned to see the weary for of james slumped against the door frame. "ready?" aroura giggled as she hoisted her sack over her shoulder. she was back in her newly washed pirate gear, looking very boyish with her hair tied at the base of her neck. "i'm ready, you look a little fatigued." "thanks for noticing." "didn't you sleep well?" "like a rock, you just wore me out yesturday. haven't done that much running in years." "well, you can snooze in the carriage, if you like." "i think i may take you up on that, if your offering a shoulder to drool on." "drool all you like, but you won't sleep very well if i'm slapping the side of your head every two minutes." "good point. alright, how about a shoulder, minus the drool?" "deal." aroura walked past him and down the hall. the carriage was waiting for them outside, horse and horsemen intact. aroura swallowed hard as james opened the side door for her. "here we go..." they rode all day, making several detours for food and drink. by miday, both were well fed and wide awake, making idle small talk in aroura's nervousness. by dusk they had reached norman's manor. james smiled weakly at aroura, who was looking a little green. "do you want me to walk you to the door?" "no, it's be better if you stayed here...i don't know what kind of trouble i'm in." james leaned back into the cushion seat of the carriage. "you never did tell me why you were lost, in the middle of the road and ridden with pnemonia." "another time, james. please." "fine..." "you will come visit me, won't you? if i can't make it to the sanctuary?" "of course! just say the words." "thank you, thank you for every thing. i don't know how i can ever repay the kindness you've shown me." "you talk as though i'm some sort of strange benefactor, but i'm not aroura. i'm your friend. if you need me, i help you. that's how it works." aroura laughed with a mild tone of cynacism in her voice. "it's been so long since i had a true friend, i'd forgotten. goodbye, james." aroura leaned forward and gave james a light peck on the cheek, allowing her lips to linger as he squeezed her hand. "i'll see you soon, aroura." aroura returned the weak smile he had given her earlier and stepped out of the carriage. jame's handed her bag to her and ordered the horseman to go onward, sticking his head out the small window to wave to her. aroura watched the carriage until it was no more that a small blur in the horizon, the turned to face the house, feeling the ball of dread in her stomach increase to a small boulder. As james' carriage rolled further and further into the horizon, aroura's stomach seemed to climb higher and higher in her chest. She wasn't nervous about seeing norman, mind you, rather she was anticipating a harsh reception; perhaps no reception at all. Aroura shrugged the feeling off as she bounced the sack at her side, feeling the weight of her father's sword thump against the canvis. It was the heaviest thing in there. She tentatively placed a foot forward on the cobblestone walkway that lead to the front door. "it's now or never." aroura swallowed hard and moved her other foot, acclimating her way full steam ahead. She held her self confidently, head erect and shoulders back. She was no prodigal song, returning to beg mercy from her benefactor, her loving father. She was merely seeking the room and board she once knew. If aroura wasn't accepted back into the norman mayfield household again, that was just fine with her. Aroura's boots made dull thudding sounds as she began her accent up the front steps. Though norman was cruel and selfish, she had to admit that the house was beautiful, at least on the outside. Pansies had been freshly planted, the dirt still soft and fluffy around their delecate stems as they were lined systematically along the walkway. The faint breeze made their scent known to aroura and she inhaled deeply, taking small comfort in the floral atmosphere. Finally after what seemed like forever, she reached the mahogany door. With a firm grasp she reached to pull the cord, sending a chorus of bells erupting in the atrium. After several minutes had passed, a tall, lanky and balding middle-aged man answered the door. From his dress, a simple black suit and bowtie, silver cuff-links, and a towel thrown methodically over his left forearm, aroura deemed that he was the new butler. He scowled down at aroura, and with a tightly prim mouth said, "i'm sorry, but master mayfield doesn't abide to beggars or soliciters, good day." the butler fluidly moved to shut the door, but aroura was quick enough to stick her foot between it and the jam before it closed. "wait! Im not a begger, or a solicter. I'm aroura, norman's daughter. Foster daughter." the buttler glared down his nose at her, but opened the door wide enough to see her. "madame, sir, whatever you are; if you are a fraud, master mayfield will seek prosecution against you." "well, i'm not a fraud, so that won't be a problem." aroura moved to walk in the door, but the butler stood firmly in her way. "i caution you, though the master has made attempts to search for you, your name is not kindly used in this house." the butler said curtly. "i'll deal with that when i see him, thank you." aroura said with psuedo-sweetness. The butler sighed deeply and opened the door all the way, stepping aside to allow her entry. "this way." he walked with stiff legs down the corridoor, to where aroura remembered was the game room. She laughed silently at the surreality of the situation- the butler who seemed in need of a good oiling marching rigidly before her, the garish carpets and ornaments that adorned every nook and cranny of the house, things of false value bought merely to impress visitures. It was exactly as aroura had remembered it. The butler stopped suddenly, and aroura, who was too busy marveling at the gaudy dress of the house, abruptly ran straight into him, nearly causing them both to topple. The butler made a loud 'ahem!' as he brushed aroura off him. She smiled sheepishly at him. "sorry." "master mayfield is entertaining some guests in the billiard room," he said to her sharply, his eyes nothing more than narrow slits that glowered down at her. "I will inquire if he wishes to have an audience with you, wait here please." "fine." the butler turned away and slammed the door behind him. Aroura leaned absent mindedly against the wall. "WHAT?!" aroura jumped as she heard the poignant sound of normans voice exploding from behind the wall. Aroura pressed her ear against it, her desire to hear more irresitable. "I tried to get rid of her, but she insisted on seeing you. I think you'd better see her, lest she make a scene in front of your guests. She seems bawdy enough to do such a thing." "where is she?" "i left her in the hall, sir." there was a low sigh, and aroura giggled as she imagined norman stroking his creased forehead, a migrane beginning to form. "very well. Refill the brandy glasses and make sure the ladies are comfortable. This won't take long." "very good, sir." aroura swiftly pulled away from the wall and thrust her hand behind her back, focusing her attentions on a painting that hung crookedly near the door. She gritted her teeth as she hear the unmistakable click of the door opening, but kept her back turned. "aroura." she turned slowly, surprised by the tint of read normans usually pastey face had achieved. On an impulse, she grinned widely and slapped him on the back. "hello norman, you old steamer, how the hell are you?" his eyes went wide and aroura could almost see the smoke leaking from his ears. "you impudent...audacious...how dare you use that sort of language in my pressence!" "i'm happy to see you too, daddy." "Shut up! You, shut up! How dare you come now, after all this time, while i am in the company of guests! I should throw you right back out onto the streets you crawled in from!" "alright." aroura turned rebeliously, until norman's hand clamped down on her arm. "no, you'll stay, you'll take the punishment you deserve." he uttered coldly. She stared at him innocently. "punishment? For what?" "Ha! I'm no fool aroura. Don't you think i know what you've been doing?! Galavanting around with those rogues, those pirates!" "They stole something from me and i had to get it back. Besides, i don't recall your being too worried about me when they raided our ship. It seems to me you were more worried about your damned fine china that was made in a dime store!" at this norman slapped her, the echo of his palm cracked through the silent hallway like a bolt of lightning. The force of the blow nearly knocked aroura off her feet, the impression of his hand ingraved in red across her cheek. Aroura dug her fingernails into her arm, fighting the urge to pummel norman where he stood. "you will watch your tongue in this house, brat. This isn't some rat infested, worm eaten ship. And you will pay for your insulance. Do you know i went nearly bankrupt, bribing all the people on that ship who saw your rowing merrily away? You scandalized me, aroura! I had a hell of a time fabricating the story of your tragic kidnapping and possible murder by blood thirsty pirates!" "why did you go to so much trouble?" she snarled at him. "only because i've been selected as a candidate for a seat in the pariliment!" he spat at her, his nostrels flared and teeth revealed in a full scowel. He breathed heavily for several moments, struggling to regain his composure, until his breath returned to a normal rate and his face was it's usual shade of white. "now, in your absence, i've adopted another child. A girl. As your punishment, you will assume a position as her governess and i will dismiss her old one. It saves me money and keeps you in the house. Is that clear to you?" "perfectly." "good. Wouldn't want any misunderstandings. Now, go up stairs, take a bath and for god sakes put a dress on! You look like a man!" he turned away from her and went back into the game room, leaving her alone in the all too familiar hall. She lingered the for a moment, the ache of his hand still present on her face. She felt tears welling; not for the physical pain, that was nothing. They formed for the sudden realization of the life she'd left behind, and the life she was returning to. Like everything else, aroura swallowed the feeling, pushing it deep into her core, until she was numb again. Ah, the numbness, how'd she'd forgotten it. It embraced her as she walked trancedly up the steps, grazing her hands along the walls of her old prison. aroura sat deftly at her old vanity. the room was exactly as she had left it, and no one had bothered to clean it since she'd been gone. the picture that hung on the walls were caked with dust, the comforter on the bed was ridden with moth holes and dead insect carcasses, her hair brush a maze of cobwebs through the bristles. it was as though she was a ghost, a mere memory of the house who's room had been boarded off to prevent any hauntings. before she bathed, aroura went to great pains in cleaning the neglected room, restoring the things she once loved so much, the things that didn't seem to fit in her life now. she discarded a myriad of dolls and games, little hair ribbons that shone like tiny stars in the sky, shoes that didn't fit, dress that were consumed by the same moths that devoured her blankets. she sighed as she threw away the items in her nightstand, until she came across a small framed portrait of her father. she smiled sadly as she ran her fingers across the thin glass that seperated her from the warm face staring back at her, leaving a trail through the film that had developed over it. stetson dempsey. how she loved him, and ached for his fatherly embrace. with reverence known only to the devout offspring of loving parents, she placed the portrait on her nightstand so that it faced the bed. when the cleaning was done and the room was liveable, aroura had one of the servants draw a bath. the servant was diana, one who had served aroura before she had disappeared and was quite happy to serve her again. diana was only a few years older than aroura, and the two had been friends. often they defied norman by running from the house in mid afternoon into the fields where they would stay for hours; upon returning aroura would be sent to bed without supper and diana soundly whipped. neither cared, and would do it all over the next day. in aroura's absence, diana had grown timid and meek, a proper servant. she no longer had the confidence she'd had only a year before, but the two still got along. diana left aroura to her privacy while she bathed, returning only to lay out fresh bed clothes. aroura was greatful for the feel of the soft linen sliding over her clean skin. it wasn't the rich satin of the gowns she'd worn at james', nor the corse weave of a pirate's dress, it was a median, and it offered a solace that neither of the other two could. aroura had returned to her vanity, staring now at herself in the clean mirror. she ran her brush through her damp hair, wincing slightly when she came to a knot. she was so lost in her own thoughts that she didn't notice the large, piercing almond eyes that were staring back at her reflection. aroura gasped in shock to find her observer standing in the corner of her door, only to vanish in a blur of dark hair and pink flannle. aroura jumped after her, finding the hall leading to her room completely empty. the perpatrator must have ducked into one of the other rooms, but aroura was not in the mood for hide and seek. she knew her observer was most likely the child norman had mentioned, and reasoned that she would meet her soon enough when she was appointed as her governess. *** The next morning aroura lie in her bed, eyes closed, floating in that place between the waking world and the land of slumber. She imagined herself back on the desolate. She could feel the boat rocking slowing in rhythm with the waves, and she could smell the salt of the sea vividly, almost as though she had inhaled an entire breath of it. The sun which peered in through her window, which was naked after she'd thrown away the rotten curtains, bathed her in it's light. The warmth permeated the room, creating a sauna effect similar to a day at see with no overcast weather. Aroura stretched, moaning slightly at the feel of her muscles extending after sleep. She opened her eyes expecting to see the tiny cabin that was hers on the desolate, only to find herself sprawled in the bed of her old room, the room which she had spent so much time cleaning last night. Aroura fought the urge to cry and stepped tentatively out of bed, still feeling vulnerable in her not-so-new surroundings. She didn't even bother going to the closet to fetch the day's attire; most of her clothes were ruined, and had been thrown away last night. Instead, she summoned diana who lent one of her dresses. It was a simple blue linen, similar to the night gown she was wearing, with no trim. The sleeves were long, coming nearly to aroura's knuckles, which greatly irritated her. She resolved to rolling them up to her elbows. After putting her hair up in a bun, she was astonished to see that she resembled a common house servant. This pleased her; the dress was comfortable, though a bit too loose, and she would be able to move unnoticed through the town if she chose to do so. As she began her decent down stairs, she absently settled on buying more dresses like it, if she ever got any money. She highly doubted that norman would be willing to fund a trip to the market, and she didn't want his money anyway. The breakfast table was blandly decorated with several ceramic figurines, and not much else. Nothing nearly as splendid as james' table had been. Aroura chose a seat furthest away from norman, who sat ominously reading the morning dispatch. The mystery child was no where in sight. The cook brought out a breakfast of creamed oats and toast with jam, giving meager portions to aroura. She suspected that was norman's doing. A third place had been set at the table, most likely for the little girl, who had still not shown herself. Norman took note of this and threw down his paper in agitation, standing so abruptly that he almost toppled his chair. "Jaunita!" he called as he stepped into the hall. "jaunita! Get down here, you brat!" aroura smiled cynically, seeing that norman treated jaunita with the same loving care he had given aroura as a child. Several minutes passed, until the girl shyly stepped into the room, purposely avoiding aroura's stare. She was really quite beautiful. No older than eight, the girl possessed exquisite chocolate colored hair that fell to her waist, with enormous eyes to match. Her lips were a soft and rosy pink, coming to a pout under her dainty nose. Her chin bore a slight dimple, and her ears were pierced. She wore a pink puff sleeved dress that came to her knees, with lace outlines around the color, cuffs and hem. Black buckled shoes completed the look, shiny with little white laced socks poking up from them. She looked miserable. Aroura smiled and stood to greet the girl, who promptly ran behind a large vase in the corner. "stay away from me!" "stay away!" jaunita crouched behind the vase, very low to the ground. norman lurched out of his seat and threw his dispatch down with a loud smack. "you fool! get up, that dress cost 300 pounds!" "i don't care!" norman stomped towards her, and jaunita ran out of the dining room. norman followed her, stopping at the door. "if you don't care about the dress, then you don't care about breakfast, either! you stay up there, where ever the hell you are; i don't want to see your face until i summon you!" norman turned away from the door and went back to the table, where aroura had reseated herself. he glared at her as he sat down. "what? what did i do?" "i think perhaps i should adopt a boy, instead. girls are far too ignorant." he said, nose in the air. "that's your opinion norman, and every one's entitled to their own opinion, even if it is a wrong one." "keep that tongue of yours in check aroura, or i'll have it removed." he growled from behind his coffee cup. "ha! i'd be a pretty shotty governess with no tongue!" "aroura!" "just stating the facts, norman. just the facts." norman cleared his throat with annoyance and set his coffee down. "speaking of which, you start your position as jaunita's governess today. you begin in an hour." "fine. what shall i teach her? how to wield a sword, perhaps? how to tie a rigging knot? what herbs mixed together aid in blood clotting? what is the curriculum?" "smart ass" norman hissed. "if you corrupt that child to your ways of thinking, i will have you thrown out, and you can live on the streets like the common trash you so love. would that suit your taste?" aroura sighed. "explain to me one thing; if i am to be the girls governess, how am i not supposed to teach her the ways i think? hmm? that's not logical at all." normans face was turning red again, and his fist were balled tight enough to make his knuckles white. "here. is. what. you. will. do. teach her fine arts, six years of music lessons should have taught you something you can pass on to her. teach her to sew, help her with grammar, take her out to the fields. but DO NOT speak to her of anything other than her studies. do you understand?!" "yes. sounds absolutely fabulous." "now go." aroura rose from the table and went back to her room. she had an hour before it was time to teach the girl. *** we return, sixty minutes later, as aroura makes her final preparations for jaunita. she had it all planned out; first she would teach her some simple stitching. she didn't know how far the girl had gotten with her previous tutor, so she would have to rely on jaunita for guidance as to what she already knows. after that, they would go for a walk in the fields behind the estate, and aroura would teach her to identify different species of plants. gretta had taught her some basic knowledge of herbs and roots, she used nature to cure common ailments. then they would break for lunch, and spend the rest of the afternoon playing. tomorrow they would work on her sums and grammar. there was plenty of time for that. all this provided that the girl coopperated, of course. and from the events of this morning, aroura didn't think that would be an easy thing to achieve. as aroura reached jaunita's room, she saw that her manner had changed greatly since breakfast. she sat on the floor in the corner, brushing the hair of a guilded doll in a lavendar dress. "jaunita?" the girl ignored her, taking great interest in the tiny bow at the collar of the doll's dress. "jaunita, perhaps if you would tell me what's troubling you i could help." the girl set the doll down and looked up at aroura. she spoke bluntly. "why do you have to be my governess? i want ms. donna back." her lip started to quiver, and her fists were clenched in tiny balls. aroura sank to her knees and hugged the little girl, who was crying freely. "i know, i'm sorry...you must have beem very attached to her, it was the same with me when i was younger." jaunita sniffled and burried her head in aroura's arms. "she was like my mother, i miss her." her spanish accent was slight but audible, and it reminded aroura vaguely of roderigo, but she quickly put him out of her mind. she stroked jaunita's hair tenderly, then drew her away, removing a handkerchief from her pocket. she dabbed jaunita's eyes gently. "you musn't cry anymore. if you want, i'll take you to visit ms. donna sometime." jaunita smiled brightly. "do you promise?" "of course." jaunita moved away from aroura and sat back with her dolls, looking much more contented. as it ended up, no studying was accomplished on aroura's first day as jaunita's governess. instead, they spent the afternoon talking. jaunita knew virtually nothing about aroura. it seems that norman never spoke of her, even though jaunita questioned him when she stumbled upon aroura's room one day. she had, however, heard norman ranting about her to his personal account advisor, westley. jaunita only heard bits and pieces of converstations here and there, but she was able to determine that aroura, whoever she was, was not in good graces with norman, and it all had something to do with a pirate ship. "so, are you a pirate, aroura?" aroura felt her breath catch in her throat. in the short time she had been away from the ship, it felt like she'd been gone for years. so much had happened to her in the past year and a half. "well, jaunita, i don't know exactly how to explain it all to you. perhaps it is a tale better saved for another day, when there is more time." jaunita pouted slightly. "alright, but you will tell me, won't you?" "yes, dear, don't fret. now, why don't you tell me about yourself? are you an orphan? have you a mother or father?" "no." "what happened to them?" "i'm not sure. they left me at a convent when i was a baby. the nuns always said they were too poor to afford me." "that's horrible." "not really, i've never known the difference, so there's not much to be sad about." "you're a very brave little girl." jaunita gave aroura a toothy grin. "thank you." "oh, i almost forgot..." aroura reached into her pocket and pulled out a small bundle. "here, i thought you might be hungry, since you missed breakfast." she handed the bundle to jaunita, who took it eagerly. "oh, thank you! i'm starving!" she unwrapped the package to reveal a small turn-over coated in powder sugar. "it's still warm! what kind is it?" "cherry, i "borrowed" it from the cook." aroura laughed. "oh, aroura, you'll get in trouble! cook always swats my hand six times if i even try to lick the wooden spoons, see!" jaunita raised her right hand to reveal a series of small welts, most likely made several days ago with a switch. aroura rubbed the tiny hand in assurance. "nonsense, it was the perfect crime. i'll just blame it on the cats." aroura smiled and ruffled jaunita's curls as she bit into the turnover. *** aroura spent the rest of the day with jaunita, and by supper the two were quite close. it seemed as though jaunita had completely forgotten her previous governess, and was enraptured with aroura. dinner was eaten in peace; norman was away at a party for the evening, and wouldn't arrive home until the early hours of the morning. the meal was simple, pot roast with carrots and potatos, asparugas, and strawberry tarts for desert. when dinner was over and the plates were cleared from the table, aroura walked jaunita to her room. aroura stood at the door way as jaunita walked over to her closet and picked out a blue nightgown. she layed it on her bed and looked up at aroura. "what?" "miss sarah always helped me get ready for bed, and dress in the morning." "ah, i didn't know that. norman never said anything." aroura stared dumbly at the nightgown. until last year, she never had to get herself ready. now she was responsible for that, and another person. "where do we start?" "well, first i need to wash up. miss sarah helps me clean behind my ears, and makes sure i do well with my teeth." "alright." aroura walked over to the basin and waited for jaunita, who looked less than pleased. "what's the matter?" jaunita grimmaced at aroura. "i hate washing up." aroura giggled. "and i hate shaving my legs, but it must be done, so you might as well get it over with. the longer you delay it, the longer we have to deal with it." jaunita grumbled inaudibly and walked over to the basin. she picked up the cloth that lay beside it and dipped it into the water. as she scrubbed her face, she began thinking out loud. "i wish i could see the ocean." she said as she stared at the ripples in the basin. "maybe someday you will; you missed a spot." aroura pointed to a small speck of dirt, which jaunita promptly flicked away. "alright, will you do my ears now?" she handed aroura the cloth and crooked her neck so that aroura would have better access. aroura cleaned her and set the rag down. "there, now clean your teeth." jaunita picked up a smaller rag and ran it over her teeth seveeral times. when she was done she smiled at aroura, bearing all of her teeth. "beautiful. change into your gown and i'll tuck you in." jaunita obeyed, and soon she was nuggled beneather her quilt. aroura sat on the side of her bed and stroked her cheek with the back of her hand. jaunita smiled up at her. "i'm glad your my governess, aroura. i like you." aroura laughed and pinched her cheek gently. "i like you too. now, get some sleep and i'll see you in the morning." "goodnight..." jaunita sighed as the first whispers of sleep crept over her. aroura grinned and stood to put out the lamp, but thought better of it. instead, she watched jaunita, as her chest rose and fell rythmically. inside, aroura knew that this little girl would be her salvation; the only thing that would keep her sane. she only hoped she could do the same for her. aroura blew out the lamp and tip toed quietly out of the room, taking care not to wake the sleeping jaunita. several months had passed in the lives of aroura and her newfound sister, jaunita. in that amount of time, the two had forged a bond with all the strengths that blood sisters share, and jaunita looked up to aroura as her mentor. aroura had avoided telling jaunita the exact details of her time on the desolate, excluding any mention of tristan or the final battle with fiona; she did, however, begin to teach jaunita basic self defense and sword wielding skills. jaunita was an avid pupil, and instead of spending hours in the parlor sewing the girls spent their afternoons in the fields contending. norman, of course, knew nothing of their escapades, and was satisfied at the end of the week when jaunita would do some small demonstration of the house wifey skills she had learned. Perhaps a back stitch or a small meal prepared by the student, anything that could be taught half an hour prior to the weekly test. in the course of several months aroura had neglected to fall back into norman�s good graces, and was quite contented with their standoffish relationship. they hardly spoke, unless it was a matter concerning jaunita. at the end of each week norman paid aroura a small sum; nothing near what a professional governess would make. but it was enough to fund aroura�s basic needs, such as clothing and entertainment. and, against norman�s judgment, aroura took several small jobs around the town to bring in extra money. she wanted in no way to be dependent on him, as she had been before. *** Aroura sat at her vanity running her fingertips along the smooth edges of the purple ribbon that bound the paper, which lay folded so neatly next to her comb set. Slowly, she tugged at the ribbon causing the bow to come apart in a mess of shimmering satin. A wax seal rested under the bow, red and imprinted with an image of a griffin. Immediately she knew who the letter was from; James. It had been almost half a years time since she had seen james last. She had never forgotten his kindness during her stay at his house, but was hesitant in making any contact with him. Old wounds from the past still bled inside of her, and she felt it was too soon to stir anything up with her old friend. But now, as aroura broke the seal and read the calligraphy which danced over the parchment, she felt no sense of foreboding, and her mind didn't wander to tristan. It hadn't for sometime. Perhaps it was during those long afternoons in the fields with jaunita, running barefoot through the streams, that aroura was able to let go of old memories. She could still see him in her mind, of course. She could still see his raven black hair and eyes of ice staring at her through her mind's eye. But recalling these images didn't hurt her anymore. So, when she read the invitation to a party hosted by james, aroura, instead of reacting in reclusion, decided immediately that she must go. "norman!" aroura barged into the study in the south hall late in the afternoon to find norman dozing over some papers. "good god, what is it, girl?" he sat bolt upright, slightly disheveled from the sudden disturbance. Aroura walked determinedly to his desk, setting the invitation before him. "I've been invited to a party in london, I mean to go to it." "when, and how long?" norman adjusted his glasses to read the invitation. "it starts saturday, and lasts for three days." Norman sat back in his chair, thinking on the party. Finally he looked at aroura and spoke. "see that you mind your mouth, for once, make arrangements for a substitute governess for jaunita and deliver this parcel," he gestured to a large package behind the desk. "and you may go." Aroura smiled and bowed slightly. "thank you. May I ask who the package is for?" "that, girl, is none of your buisness. Just see that it is delivered. You may go to town tomorrow morning to mail it, and take jaunita with you. They air would do her good, she's been sickly lately." "alright, it will be done as you ask, but I require one more favor from you." Norman arched his eyebrow at her with a questioning glance. His face showed the slightest hint of reddening as his temper began to stifle. "what more do you want? You're going to that party." "yes, that is true, but to attend such a fine gathering, one needs the proper attire." Aroura smoothed to folds of her skirts to show the tiny rips and stains that adorned them. "I'm afraid these rags won't do. I don't mind wearing them around the house, but I do mind looking like a fool in public. What I am asking for is an advance on my salary so that I might buy something nicer than these." Norman sighed deeply, then reached into a drawer in the desk. He extracted a coin purse and threw it at her roughly, expecting her to fumble. Her refined instincts, however, were still in tune, and she caught the bag effortlessly. This rather stunned norman and there was a brief moment of silence. He ran a clammy hand through his thinning white hair, regaining composure. "understand that comes directly out of your pay. Spend it wisely." "yes, thank you." Aroura spun around and left the study, wearing a small grin. She could still shock the old fool. *** "come on, jaunita, you're so sluggish!" aroura chided as jaunita walked behind her. "aroura, the walk to town is so long, I'm tired!" "oh, nonsense, we've come this way a thousand times, at least. Look, if you hurry we'll make it to the confection shop before it closes." aroura stopped walking and ruffled jaunita's hair. "I'll buy you some chocolate" she said in a sing song voice. Jaunita frowned and crossed her arms over her chest. "I don't want any chocolate!" aroura's brow furrowed as she looked closely at jaunita. She was pale, and her eyes were rimmed red. "are you ill?" aroura reached to press the back of her hand against jaunita's forehead, but she pulled away. "no! " jaunita quickened her pace, walking ahead of aroura. "jaunita, if you're sick you need to tell me! We can go to the town doctor." "I'm fine!" jaunita shouted over her shoulder. Aroura sighed and began walking again. They trudged the rest of the way in silence. In town, aroura delivered the package, which she saw was addressed to Edgar J. Fagan. She'd never met fagan personally, but knew that he had great influence in the parliament. She figured this package which she held was a bribe of some sort. oh, well, that is norman's own affair. She thought as they made their way to the dress shop. Jaunita sat in an apolstered chair in the corner while aroura tried on several gowns. After picking several that she liked, she was fitted for several more that she would pick up before leaving for the party. With all that in order, she left the dress shop and ordered a carriage back home. Upon reaching the manor, jaunita went directly to her room, and aroura to hers. The day of the party had arrived. A carriage sat in the courtyard waiting for it�s cargo. Aroura ran frantic through the manor, petrified that she was forgetting something essential to her luggage, but she found nothing out of place. One of the servants stood by the door waiting to escort her to the buggy. Neither norman nor jaunita were anywhere to be seen. Aroura ran down the oak stair case nearly tripping on her bountiful skirts. Upon regaining her balance she strode determinedly to the servant. �where is jaunita?� the attendant took the bag she was carrying. �I don�t know, madam. Perhaps she is still asleep.� �probably just mad that I�m going off without her.� Aroura said to herself. Aroura walked out of the door ahead of the servant. The air was thick with moisture, as it had just rained that morning. The cobble stone walkway was slick with dew, and aroura had to take special care not to skid in her new shoes. Once safely in the carriage she gave the command for departure. As she grew further and further from the manor, she glanced back, her eyes scanning the front for jaunita�s window. Her eyes met with those of the small girl who stood in her night clothes, hair wild, waving at aroura. Aroura smiled and waved back, but noticed that jaunita was waving more in a frenzy than in goodbye. the poor dear, aroura thought. I shall have to send her some of the food james is serving at the party. That will cheer her. aroura blew one last kiss at jaunita, then turned to fumble through her handbag for the invitation. *** as the carriage pulled into the gryffonson estate that night, a divine chorus of music could be heard from the gardens, to the stables, to neighbor�s house yonder. Aroura smiled brightly when she heard the tinkling of a harp, and the delightful whine of the violin, her favorite instrument. As she stepped out of the carriage several of the standing servants unloaded her baggage, and a third took her invitation. �ah, miss aroura, our much esteemed guest. James is anxious to see you. Come, we will show you to your room, then you must freshen for dinner.� �thank you.� Aroura took the gloved hand that was offered to her, all the while marveling at the plethora of youths that seemed to spill out of the estate. They were everywhere; young couples dancing to the orchestra, sipping from wine glasses and tasting the delicacies that were displayed on fine rod iron carts and carried by pompous waiters. �are all these people staying here, as I am?� the attendant laughed and squeezed her hand playfully. �heavens no, miss! Why, they�d have to sleep in the very halls and courtyards to make room. Only a select few, including yourself, will be spending the full three days at the gryffonson mansion. Those who are from different cities, even different countries.� �ah, I see.� The servant lead her into the house, which was even more crowded than the lawn. The other attendants trailed behind them, carrying her luggage. Aroura was lead up the familiar staircase and down the east hall. Soon the crowds diminished until she was alone with the servants. �here is your room, nice and quite. You�re lucky, maybe you�ll actually be able to sleep!� the attendant laughed as the others carried in her bags and set them on the rose colored velveteen carpet. �is this everything, miss?� aroura looked around, finding all of her luggage in place. �yes, that�s the lot of it. Thank you so much.� Aroura reached into her handbag and withdrew several gold coins. She gave them readily to the gloved attendant. �no, thank you miss. Dinner will be served in half an hour.� With that the attendant bowed, ushered out the others, then left. Aroura breathed deeply, letting the overwhelming atmosphere of the gryffonson estate set in. it was just then that aroura noticed the handsome bouquet of pink roses that matched the carpet and room trimmings perfectly. Propped next to the crystalline vase was a small piece of paper with hand written script. Aroura walked over to the dresser and carefully examined the note. delighted you could make it. Enjoy the room and the flowers, both picked especially for you. Look forward to seeing you at dinner. ~James aroura felt her face turn flush as she set the card back on the dresser. She grinned slightly as she smelled the roses, which tickled her nose. She took on of the buds and put them in her hair, a perfect accessory for the evening ahead. aroura was overwhelmed by the multitude of party goers in the dining room that night at dinner. the throng seemed to have grown even more since she had arrived. she felt as though she were swiming in a sea of people, consumed by waves of laughter and dancing. she loved it. some how, she managed to find an empty seat at the massive dining table. it was beautifully decorated; fresh flowers adorned every available nook, with scattered rose pettles beneath them. the food was artfully arranged on glistening silver platters, and in the center of the cornicopia was a giant ice sculpture of a griffon in flight. aroura smiled as she fingered the dainty silver that was so precisely situated next to the gold rimmed plate. she leaned back into the mahagony chair and breathed deeply, absorbing everything around her. suddenly, a pair of large hands covered aroura's eyes, causing her to lurch forward in surprise. before her instincts took effect, a familiar voice whispered in her ear. "i trust that you find yourself well accomidated?" aroura smiled widely and tugged at the hands that obscured her vision. "james! let go, i want to see you!" he obeyed, and aroura rose from her chair and wrapped james in a brief hug. they stepped back from eachother, observing. "aroura, you look magnificant, much healthier than when we last met." "james, you flatterer." he grinned and took aroura's hand in his and touched his lips to it. aroura laughed. "you needn't be so formal!" james leered wickedly and said, "alright". taking aroura into his arms, he dipped her and planted a kiss on her lips. aroura's shock was overcome by the feel of his mouth on hers, warm and inviting. she obliged to the kiss, circling her arms tightly around his neck. when they parted, aroura stood slightly flush. "well, been delving into the brandy, have we?" james laughed and shook his head. "aroura, i'm drunk on the nectar of bacchus, i think this party has driven me into a temporary lunacy. come with me, there are some people i want you to meet." james took her by the hand once more and lead her through the crowds to the terrace. *** the terrace was beautifully illuminated with elegant torches, and between each torch hung a strand of flowering vines laced with gold ribbon. in a darkened corner of the terrace there was a congragation of party goers, deeply enthralled in a conversation. james made a b-line for this group, tugging aroura with him. "everyone, this is aroura. aroura this is my cousin gorgina," james pointed to a tall, aloof looking girl who was of the same complexion as james. her mouth rested in a light pout, and she stood with her arms crossed over the front of her satin green dress. she gave aroura a knod in acknowladegment. "and these are my friends, garry, andrew, phillip and denise." garry, who was short and chubby with red hair and rather obnoxious freckles, tipped his glass at her in greeting, andrew smiled and bowed graciously, and phillip, a lanky blonde boy grasped her hand and shook it firmly. "hello, aroura." said denise, a perky looking girl with kinky brown hair. "hello," aroura replyed to them. whatever they were talking about before was immediately reinstated, and the new comer might as well have been an old aquantance. the group spoke lively for half an hour's time before james called them all inside to refresh their drinks. aroura fell behind as the trudged into the bar. phillip met her stride. "i don't mean to sound rude, but have we met before?" aroura looked at him quizzically, scanning her memory for any recollection. "no, i don't think so." "i've been wandering since the terrace, but the light was dim and i wasn't sure...now, it seems like we have crossed paths before...oh well." phillip left her and took the arm of denise, walking quickly to catch up with the others. james looked back, taking notice of aroura's lagging pace. he jogged to meet her. "what's the matter, is anything wrong?" he took one of her hands in both of his and caressed her with his thumbs. aroura smiled. "no, nothing, i'm just a little tired. lets go." aroura quickened her speed and soon they were with the others in the lounge. james poured her a fresh glass of wine and she sat next to him on a velvet maroon sofa near the window. "so, 'gents, what are we talking about?" "oh, james, please! you're in the company of women. must you use such and ambiguous term as 'gents? it's so crass." james laughed. "alright, gorgina." he stood and bowed in her direction. "excuse me ladies and gentlemen, but what are we speaking of?" "that's better." gorgina said as she crossed her legs. "well, james old boy, we were just discussing your smashing event. it's been perfectly splendid, so far. especially the part when garry nearly threw denise in the fountain." "oh, andrew, you know it was an accident." garry mutter from behind a pillow he clutched against his chest. "i know, and you know, but poor denise is scarred for life." andrew patted denise's arm. "you get your hand's off me, andrew! you don't give a six pence whether or not i fell into the fountain!" "hmm, you're right." andrew grabbed denise and burried his head into her neck, snorting loudly. denise shreiked. "calm yourself, andrew. i'll not have any molestations on my watch." james quipped. andrew sighed and sank back into the cushion of the couch. "another time, perhaps." "speaking of time, andrew, what time is it? i have to leave early tomorrow for an appointment." andrew removed his pocketwatch. "it's nearly midnight, garry. beddy-bye time for you." "midnight..." phillip muttered distractedly. "that's it! that's where i know you from!" phillip glared at aroura and stood, pointing an accusing finger at her. "what on earth, phillip i think you've too much to drink." james also stood, sheilding aroura protectively. "move, james. that woman is a pirate!" "what? phillip, you're talking nonsense!" "no, james, it's true! she's a harlet, a pirate!" aroura's breath caught in her throat as she watch the subdued phillip transform into a picture of rage. "you'd better start explaining yourself, phillip, or so help me god i'll smash you with my bear hands!" "last summer, when my family went on a cruise, the ship we were on was ransacked by captain midnight and his crew. she was one of them!" phillip pushed the shocked james aside and bent over in aroura's face. "you and your kind stole almost all of my father's savings, and we were nearly forced into bankruptcy. my mother is a common seamstress now, all because of you!" aroura was at a loss for words and stood slowly on shakey knees. "phillip..." "no, you filth! you scum! don't even say my name! bitch!" "alright, that's enough! i don't know what's gotten into your head, phillip, but you damn well better get out of my sight or i'll crush you! how dare you speak to her like that!" "it's true, james, and she knows it. look at her, she's shaking like a leaf." james swallowed hard and wiped the sweat from his brow. he turned to face aroura, who was now also standing. she would not meet his gaze. "aroura. look at me." "james..." "is it true?" aroura blinked away a lone tear and bit her lip so hard that it almost bled. "aroura?" "yes, james, yes. it's true, all of it." james moved away from her and collapesed on the couch, burring his head in his hands. aroura took a deep breath and faced phillip, coming dangerously close to him. "and if i remember correctly, you cowered in the corner while your family fought for their fortune." aroura spat in his face and turned sharply away, her heels making murderous clicks as she stormed out of the lounge. *** aroura stared at the ceiling from her bed listlessly. she felt numb. she had just been publically embarressed, and even more so had humiliated james. she didn't regret what had happened to her, she wouldn't even have cared if it wasn't such a poor reflection on james. he'd probably never be able to show his face in public again, and that was her fault. she sighed and rolled over, playing with one of the roses that was now drooping and wilted. "i shouldn't have come here." she sighed as she threw the rose across the room. "don't say that." aroura gasped and sat up sharply to see james standing in the door way. "i, i didn't hear you come in." aroura stood and walked nervously to the opposite corner of the room where her luggage was. "i'm leaving tonight. james, i'm so sorry for what's happened." "don't be. phillip is a rat bastard anyway. i'm not suprised that he hid like a fool while you-" "robbed him blind." aroura cut him off ruefully. james sighed and sank down on the bed. "come here, sit by me." aroura complied and sat next to him. he put his arm around her, drawing lazy circles on her shoulder with his fingertips. "look, stop beating yourself up for it. that was the past, a mistake that can be forgotten." aroura looked at him, analyzing him. "what if i don't want to forget, james? what if i liked what i was, what it made me?" "let me help you..." james raised his other hand and cupped her cheek. he moved closer to her, enveloping her mouth with his. he suckled her lower lip gently, then moved his moth to he neck, giving hr soft, fervent kisses along it's curve. "james..." "shhh" he moved lower, tracing her collar bone with his tongue, illicting a small sigh from aroura. moving lower still, her kissed the arch of her cleavage that peeked out from her dress. aroura's muscles went taut and she pulled away sharply. "james, please." "what's wrong?" she looked away, searching for an answer. james took her hand. "aroura, i love you. i'm not ashamed of that, i don't care about your past. i want you to be my wife. that's why i asked you here. i can't get you out of my head." aroura laughed cynically, removing her hand from james and drawing her knees up. she clutched herself protectively. "you don't want me, james." "but i do. please, marry me." "james, i can't marry you. i'd tarnish your reputation and ruin your chances for a successful career. you know that." james stood and walked to where the roses were. "be that as it may, there's something else. something you're not telling me. why can't you love me, aroura?" aroura smilled and went to his side, wrapping him in a friendly hug. "because that love isn't mine to give, james. it belongs to someone else. thank you for making me see that." she kissed him lightly on the cheek. he met her eyes and smiled sadly. "i should have known better than to try to tame you, aroura. you were always the wild one." "you're not mad?" "how can i be? anyway, we'll still be friends." "yes." aroura went back to her luggage and began repacking what little she'd taken out. "it was a lovely party james, i'm sorry i ruined it." "oh, poppycock, aroura. the party is alive and well. stay here for the rest of the time; phillip and his enterage are gone." aroura thought for a moment, the shut her bag. "alright james, i'd like that." he smiled and held his arm out to her. "good. lets go have a dance, between friends." aroura took his arm. "between friends." she repeated as she smiled gayly at him. james led her out of the room and back to the party aroura stayed for the remainder of james' stravaganza. on the morning after the third day she left griffonson estate, eager to return to her placidly soothing lifestyle. james was reluctant to bid her fairwell, but did so knowing that, while he had lost a lover, his friendship with aroura was solidified, and they had a bond that couldn't be touched. by nightfall aroura had returned to her home. in the distance loomed a calvary of ominous rain clouds. aroura stared at the churning air, sensing that they were a hideous omen. a warning of trouble coming to a head. as she walked into the main hall, her footsteps echoed in the emptiness that surrounded her. she called out for the servants, jaunita, even norman, with no answer. "what is going on, here?" she wondered out loud as she looked in all the vacated rooms, searching for any evidence of human life. "hello? norman? jaunita? hello?!?" "aroura!" a raspy, female voice called to her from behind. aroura turned to see diana, her servant friend, peeking her head out of a doorway. she motioned aroura forward with her hand. "diana? what in the name of god is going on here? you'd think it was the apocolypse!" diana looked at aroura gravely. "it's jaunita." aroura's heart stopped, her knees buckled and she felt faint. she clutched diana's forearm with an iron grasp. "what's happened, where is she?" "she's come down with scarlet fever, most of the servants here have never had it, so they left. it's only me, the stable boy and the gardener now." "who cares for jaunita? and where the hell is norman?" "i care for her. master kessington's never had the fever either, he's staying with one of his rich friends." "of course." aroura sighed as she rubbed her furrowed brow. "have you had the fever aroura?" "yes, i had it when i was seven." "good, you can come see her, she's been asking for you." *** diana led aroura to the drafty halls of the servants quarters. jaunita rested in a room with no windows. her bed was a simple corn shuck mattress upon a dirt floor. "this is proposterous!" aroura gasped as she gripped the door frame. "why must she stay in such detestable conditions?" "the doctors told us to burn all of her things to prevent further sickness. norman was agahst to see such finery wasted, so he deduced that she should stay here. that way, when she is better and we must burn these things, none of his money will be lost." "bastard." aroura muttered. aroura entered the room and stood over the sleping jaunita. she layed the back of her hand against jaunita's forehead and was shocked to feel it's heat. "lord, she's burning up! that draft will kill her if it hasn't already." aroura scooped jaunita into her arms and brushed past diana. "aroura, what are you doing?" "taking her to my room." "but norman-" "damn norman." aroura's stride was long and steady as she ascended the stairs leading to her room. jaunita's weight was slight, and aroura could feel her tiny bones projecting through the paper like skin. "when was the last time she ate?" "not since you left." "alright, listen to me carefully," aroura said as she layed jaunita down and enveloped the child with her thick down comforter. "prepare some broth, and bring me some chilled lemon water. i'll also need some cool rags." "yes, of course." diana rushd out of the room, leaving aroura alone. absent mindedly she smoothed a strand of wayward hair out of jaunita's face. immediately the child was hit by a coughing spasm. her fluid filled lungs quaked with the force of her cough. aroura cradled her until the tremor subsided. jaunita's breathing was labored as she lay against aroura's chest. "aroura?" a tiny, muffled voice croaked out. "i'm here darling, what is it?" "i'm cold." aroura pulled jaunita completely into her lap and wrapped the covers around them both. aroura sobbed as she felt the firey skin of jaunita come in contact with hers. "oh, jaunita, why didn't you tell me you were sick?" the child coughed again, then weakly moved her head to look up at aroura. "i tried, but you had already gone." "i shouldn't have gone to that stupid party. i'm so sorry" "am i going to die, aroura?" "no, no, don't say that, don't even think that!" aroura rocked jaunita back and forth. "do you see the big balloon, aroura? it's so pretty. it's red, no, blue. it's blue. azure." "shh, you poor thing, you're delrious. try to sleep." the child's body stilled and aroura continued rocking, humming softly. she would remain that way for mny days and nights to come. jaunita continued to drift in and out of consciousness for a little over two weeks. she ate little, drank less, and would sit straight up in bed suddenly and wail for her "madre". aroura stayed with her the whole time, nursing her even when the doctors said it was hopeless. the worst night of the fever occured while aroura was dozing next to the sleeping child. the girl suddenly began thrashing around in bed, screaming incoherently. aroura tried to hold her down, but the two fell out of bed, landing hard on the floor. the fall didn't stop jaunita's seizure. aroura crawled over to her and laid her entire weight on top of the child, until the tremors disapated into a feverish tremble. aroura felt it in her heart that at this moment the fever couldn't get anyworse; this was the turning point for jaunita, where she would decided whether to fight or submit. aroura didn't bother moving back to the bed, she herself was too weak. in all of her time spent caring for the child, aroura had severly neglected herself and was in almost as bad a shape as jaunita. instead, aroura pulled the blanket off the bed and cradled jaunita's lethargic body in her arms so that the girl's head rested in the crook of her neck. jaunita's skin was so hot against her own, so terribley hot. aroura winced at the feel of it, at the havoc this fever was wreaking on such an innocent child. aroura sighed and rested her head against the mattress. against her will, her eyes fluttered heavily shut, the need for sleep finally overcoming her desire to save. *** the midmorning sun penatrated the thick curtains of aroura's bedroom, casting a painful light upon the sleeper. aroura groaned as the warm rays drew the sweat from her brow. she stretched her aching arms, suddenly aware of the absence of weight in her lap. she jumped up, seeing that her bed had been neatly made, save for the spot where her head rested. jaunita was no where in sight. aroura whirled around, searching for the child and finding nothing. she ran out of the room and called to diana. "diana! diana, where is jaunita?" she ran all the way up and down the hall, but still no sign of either diana or jaunita. her voice was horse from lack of use, and her breaths were labored as she trudged up the stairs to continue her search. the sound of splashing water immediately revived her sense, and she followed the sound to it's source. "jaunita!" the girl sat in a bath tub full of suds while diana fed her broth. aroura rushed to her side and kneeled, pressing the palms of her hands against jaunita's cheeks. "the fever's gone?" she asked increduosly, hardly believing what her own senses told her. diana smiled as she spooned the broth to jaunita. "yes, i came in this morning to check on you, and she was awake, twisting your hair in her fingers. she told me she was starving for food and aching for a bath, so i gave her both." aroura giggled and pressed her lips against jaunita's forehead, pulling away sharply to look at her. "don't you ever do that again! you scared me half to death! tell me, are you really feeling better?" "yes, aroura, so much better. i could do cartwheels all through the court yard." "lets just save that for another day, shall we? here," aroura took the broth from diana and began feeding the girl. "now that she's better, all of our things need to be burned, except for the picture of my father, and my sword of course. those you may put in a trunk and store it in the attic, for now. jaunita and i will need new wardrobes and bedding, have it ordered on norman's credit. oh, and i suppose we should tell him it's alright to come back. and could you make me some pouradge? i'm famished!" diana laughed and bowed dramatically. "of course aroura, as you wish. i must say, i rather enjoyed having you as a master rather than norman." "diana, a circus clown would be a better master than norman. you'd best get to ordering those clothes, or else jaunita and i will be walking around in the nude." both diana and jaunita laughed at this statement. after diana had gone, aroura found herself wiping a single tear from her eye. "aroura? what's wrong?" she sniffled and gave jaunita a spoonful of broth. "i'm just glad you're well. i was so afraid that i'd lose you. jaunita, you really are like my own flesh and blood sister." the girl smiled brightly at aroura, who was ecstatic to see that smile. "i love you aroura, thank you for taking care of me while i was sick." "i love you too, jaunita." diana did as she was told with spartan ambition, and by the end of that day both aroura and jaunita where sleeping in completely new bedding in completely new clothes. although jaunita had recovered from the fever, she was considerably weak from the toll it had taken on her body. despite her pleas for entertainment, aroura forced her to remain in bed, subject to hours of reading and word games. at nightfall jaunita slept normally and easily, her breathing free and uninhibbited by the fever. aroura slept on the floor in jaunita's room, overwhelmingly paranoid that the fever would return in the dead of night and hold jaunita in it's grasp permanently. by noon the next day norman had returned, with the servants following shortly after. all had returned to normal. aroura was in jaunita's room when the sudden erruption of norman's voice caused her to start. "aroura! get down here!" jaunita's eyes were wide as aroura rose from the bed and went to the door. "what do you think he wants?" "to chew me out for all of the purchases on his credit, no doubt." aroura mused as she imagined the shade of red norman currently sported. she found him in his study, leaning over a stack of papers at his desk. he glared at her as she came in. "do you know what these are?" he growled as he threw the papers at aroura. she made no attempt to catch them and they scattered in all directions. "an in depth coverage of your last peticure?" norman slammed his fist down on the table. "you impudent twit! these are recipts to my credit, how dare you take the liberty of making charges in my name, you audacious, foolish, despicable-" "them's fightin' words, norman." he growled again and flopped into his chair, burrying his head deep in his hands. "what in the hell were you thinking?" he said, finally. "all of jaunita's things were burned once she was well. unless you want to be known as the man who fathers exhobitionists, we had to have some clothes. and bedding to sleep in. everything in those recipts is a neccessity, norman." "well, you could have at least informed me. especially condsidering all the money i gave you for that damned party." "oh, yes, the party." aroura smirked and was about to walk out of the room when norman stopped her. "why do you have that look, aroura? what happened at the party?" aroura debated internally whether or not to divulge the details to norman. seeing no harm in it, she nonchalantely told him of jame's proposal. he jumped out of his chair and clapped his hands. "that's wonderful! oh, the wedding shall be as soon as possible, and the invitations must be made-" "norman, i refused him." norman, who was practically dancing for joy, froze. "what..was that...you said?" he hissed at her slowly, emphasising his words. "i told him i didn't want to marry him. this isn't the dark ages, norman, i can marry whomever i choose." to aroura's shock norman flew at her from the desk, slapping her hard across the face. "you fool! do you know what you've done?! no, of course not you stupid brat!" aroura clutched at her cheek and struggled to regain her balance, still in shock from norman's sudden outburst. norman grabbed her by the shoulders with an iron grip, shaking her as he spoke. "you go upstairs, and write this man a letter. tell him you made a mistake, that you'll be his wife, god willing he'll still take you!" aroura spat in his face and brought her arms up, releasing his grip on her shoulders. "unhand me, you old bastard!" "how dare you-" "no, how dare you! after i've spent two weeks caring for your sickly daughter with out so much as a word of concern from you! i will marry whom i want to marry!" aroura narrowed her eyes as she peered at him, sizing him up. "you're hiding something, norman. why are you so desperate for me to marry, hmm? what's in it for you?" norman turned away from her an collapsed back into his chair. "i don't know what you're talking about." "you're hiding something norman, and i will find it. you're a liar and a cheat. i'll expose you, you greedy son of a bitch." with that aroura left and slammed the door of the study, the picture frames on the walls rattling in the aftermath. that night, when the moon was high over the manor, and jaunita was tucked safely in bed, aroura began a careful observation of norman. she held her vigil at the end of the hall, watching the flickering light that illuminated from beneath his door intently. eventually the light dimmed to blackness. aroura crept closer to his door, listening to the nasal rythem of his breaths until they became slower and deeper. she knew it was time to act when she heard the first snore errupt from his chest. she rose timidly, carefully shifting her weight on the floor boards to prevent a tell tale creak. aroura bit her lip as she tip toed past norman's bedroom to the stairs, her pace quickening as she grew further away. her breath escaped easily as she reached her destination- norman's study. the thick mahagony door was locked, but this meant nothing. from her dress pocket aroura extracted a skeleton key that several of the servants possesed, for cleaning purposes only. she slipped it in the lock and turned, smiling with satisfaction when she heard the clicks of entry. looking through the ajar door she was met only by blackness. at this time she lit the candle that she had been carrying with her, taking note in the eerie effect of the shadows that played on the walls as the flame was born. she moved into the room and shut the door quietly behind her. aroura walked purposefully to norman's desk. she sat in his leather chair, and began rifling through the drawers. she found nothing but old tarriff recipts and a stack of gazettes. aroura sighed and moved from the desk to the mantle, running her fingers along it's top and it's crevaces. she found nothing but dust and a curious spider. from the mantle she went to the book case, removing each book one at a time and flipping through the pages. this was the most time consuming part of her search, but it also proved to be the most beneficial. aroura was ready to give up when she reached a thick, leather bound version of the bible. with some effort she picked it up and smoothed her hand over it's cover, leaving a handprint in the dust that caked it. she opened it carefully and flipped through the pages, stopping suddenly when a thin stack of papers fell from it. aroura put the bible back on the book case and stooped to retrieve the papers. they were old, the once white pulp was yellow with age, and the edges were torn. it was an official document, sealed in wax which bore the king's insignia. aroura broke the seal and scanned the document. rage welled up inside her as she read and reread it, biting her lip again and drawing blood. aghast she stood, taking the paper under her arm and removing the candle from the desk. she stormed out of the study, leaving the door wide open. when she reached her room, she threw the paper down on her dresser and landed in bed with a thunderous thud. sleep did not come easy, as she was busy planning her attack for the next morning. norman was sitting placidly at the breakfast table sipping his tea when he heard the unmistakeable klod of footsteps coming towards him. he set the cup down on the saucer, smoothing his hands over the porcelain. as the steps drew closer her absent mindedly picked at a hangnail which defamed his perfectly manicured nails. he sat alone at the table. jaunita was still too week to leave her bed, and aroura hadn't shown up for breakfast. he knew though, that the footsteps were hers, and he soon wouldn't be alone any longer. aroura was suddenly in the doorway, glaring fiercely at the man who sat before her. norman was feeling particularly cantankorous that morning, and couldn't help but chide aroura, just a little. "what's the matter, get out on the wrong side of the bed this morning?" he asked snidely as he raised his cup for another sip. aroura kept her eyes locked on his and walked in long strides to the table until she stood directly in front of him. from her pocket she withdrew the paper she'd found last night. she held it in the air with two fingers, her eyes two glowing embers burning into norman's. "look familiar?" immediately norman recognized the paper, his jaw went slack and he became suddenly pale. "where did you get that?" aroura slammed her free hand down on the table with a deafening smack. "from the damned holy bible, you theiving bastard!" in a quick, jerky gesture, aroura raised the paper to her face and unfolded it roughly. "be careful with that, it's the only copy!" aroura began pacing like a caged animal as she read the document out loud. "i, maxwell landen dempsey, being of sound, mind, and body, hereby bequeath all of my earthly possessions; including my entire estate, my stocks, and my buisness to my son, stetson ringwald dempsey. if, in the case my son is unable to accept my fortune, i hereby bequeath it to my granddaughter, aroura angelina dempsey, upon the date of her marriage." aroura folded the document and held it to her breast, and began laughing quietly. "this is why you adopted me, isn't it? you were going to embezle my inheritance as soon as i was married. that's why you went balistic when i told you about james." "give me that, you-" "NO!" aroura roared suddenly, causing norman to drop his tea cup which shattered as it hit the ground. "you are the lowest form of life on this planet, you're a worm! a vulture!" aroura took the document from under her arm and raised it high in the air. to norman's shock, she ripped it into pieces so tiny that none of the words were ledgible. she threw them at him, then threw the table settings on the ground, making room for herself to get in his face. "when did he die, norman? how long did i have a living relative that i never knew about?" norman spoke through clenched teeth, his eyes narrow slits. "two years ago, two damned years ago." aroura turned sharply away, her hair slapping him in the face, stinging his eyes. she was at the door when he spoke again. "i'll have you arrested, aroura. that was an official legal document you just shredded." aroura continued walking, and norman rose and ran to her, grabbing her shoulders from behind and spinning her around to face him. "i'll have you arrested!" aroura replied by punching him in the face, just below his left temple. he crumpled to the ground, unconscious. aroura ran up to her room. she knew she couldn't stay there any longer, that as soon as norman came to, he would notify the authorities. she removed a large laundry sack from her hamper and began throwing her clothes into it, along with her sword. she had just finished and was tying it off when she sensed someone watching her from behind. she turned to see jaunita watching her wide eyed from the door frame. "what are you doing out of bed?" jaunita ran to her and clutched her waist. "you're leaving!" aroura sank to her knees, eye level with jaunita. "i have to, dear, or norman will put me in prison." "take me with you! i can't be alone, not with him!" aroura hugged her tightly, sighing into her hair. "jaunita, i want to, you know i do, but you're too weak. the chill in the air could kill you." "i'd die happy!" "now, that's no way for a child to talk! listen to me; as soon as you're strong again, i'll come for you. i swear it." jaunita looked at her with a tear stained face and sniffled. "please don't forget me." "i could never. the minute you're strong again, i'll be hear and take you away from this hell." aroura looked up at diana, who had just entered the room. "you'll tell me when she's well, won't you? i'll send word as to where you can reach me." "of course. aroura, i heard happened. i've arranged for gregory to sneak you out of the manor, but you have to hurry!" "oh, diana, you're amazing!" aroura rose, brining jaunita with her. she tilted the child's chin so that she was looking up at her. "now, you musn't cry anymore, we'll see eachother again soon." she bent to kiss jaunita's forehead. she hugged diana briefly and then rushed out the door and down the servant's hall. she met gregory outside of the kitchen. gregory made delivery's to the manor, via wagon. he was an elderly man, alone in the world save his horses. he smiled broadly at her as she jogged to him, and he pointed to the bed of the wagon. "jump in the back. there's an empty crate, should be big enough for you to hide in." aroura nodded in reply and found the crate, cramming herself into it. gregory took her bag and hid it behind several empty amphorae in the corner of the wagon. aroura shuddered as she felt the wagon begin to move. the tiny space was cramped and uncomfortable, and every bump caused her to shift into and even more akward position than the one before. her breath caught in her throat as she heard shouting, then the wagon coming to a hault. she recognized norman's voice. "where is she?" "who, sir?" "aroura, have you seen her?" gregory was silent for a moment, aroura imagined he was contemplating his response. "why, i do believe i did see her, down by the stables. looked like she was taking one of the horses out." norman growled loudly. "first she destroys the will, now she steals my horses!" "i hope you find her, sir." the wagon started again and aroura breathed a sigh of relief, silently thanking god for people like diana and gregory. aroura became suddenly aware that the wagon had stopped. she'd dozed off hours ago and had no idea where she was or what time of day it was. the tight enclosement of the crate triggered a closterphobic reflex in her and she began to panic. the sound of gregory's voice soothed her. "miss aroura, you can come out now, it's safe." aroura shifted her positions and pushed the lid off the crate, and was suprised to see that it was nearly dusk. "where are we?" she asked as she stretched her terribley stiff limbs. "lincoln, it's just south of sheffield. this is as far as i can take you, but i'd advise you to travel further, out of mr. kessington's grasp." "i will, and thank you, gregory. you're a saint! how can i ever repay you?" gregory laughed and patted her hand as she reached for her bag. "knowing that you're safe, sound and happy is payment enough, dear. i'm glad i could help you. now, you'd best be going." aroura hopped down from the wagon and waved as it passed her. "thank's again!" she shouted after it. *** for weeks aroura wandered aimlessly through the english country side living the life of a nomad. she earned a little money plowing fields for elderly farmers who had difficulty managing their farms alone, but for the most part she used her keen survival skills and lived off the land. in a months time she had aquired a mare, a traveling tent, some light cooking utensils, and clothing more suitable for the terrain- dresses made out of thick canvas and leather pants for hiking. she enjoyed this new lifestyle, she was happy to live for herself. but life on the road for a lone woman proved to be dangerous as well as adventurous. aroura had migrated to leicester, and on this rare occasion, stopped in a tavern. she'd been craving a hot meal prepared by someone other than herself and couldn't resist going in. she regretted her decision immediately upon entering the place. it was dimmly lit, but she could see the cut throat rogues that leered at her from behind their mugs of ale, ffollowing her every move like a pack of hungry wolves stalking their prey. aroura put a hand firmly on the hilt of her sword which she wore at her waist and, holding her head high, sat down at a vacant table. sometime later the barmaid came up to her. aroura smiled and straightened in her seat. "hello, i'm dreadfully starved and parched. could i please have some water and something hot to eat? i don't care what it is." the woman leaned close to aroura, speaking in a hushed voice. "you've made a mistake commin' here, ye best get out before dark and go north as far as you can. nothin' but theives and murderers here, they'll skin you alive." "thank you for your concern, but i can take care of myself." the woman sighed and shook her frizzy, blonde head. "i warned you." aroura shifted in her seat uncomfortabley. she knew that the men were still leering at her, she could fel their gazes like rays of light burning her body. she felt naked and vulnerable, but refused to give them the satisfaction of showing fear. instead, she rebelliously put her booted feet upon the table, thanking god she'd worn pants that day, and unsheathed her sword for cleaning. this bold move caused a stirring of voices in the tavern. one man, a seedy looking englishman with an unshaven face and dirty fingernails, approached aroura's table and sat down. "that's a fine weapon you have there." aroura said nothing and continued cleaning her sword. "i have a sword too, biggest sword you'll ever get your hands on. want to see it?" "i think you'd better leave my table so that i can enjoy my meal. your stench is overwhelming." she said without looking at him. "i'll make a meal out of you!" he shouted. in one swift movement he stood and overturned the table. aroura was immediately on her feet, her sword in position for battle. the tavern was silent, save for the sound of dozens of blades being unsheathed by their owners. aroura swallowed hard, realizing the odds she was up against. the other men in the tavern stood and circled her, moving closer and closer until they were practically breathing down her neck. and then they were on her, beating her mercilessly despite her attempts at self deffense. fists came from everywhere, making contact with her face, her ribs, her back. soon she was on the floor, boots pummeling her stomach. she cried out for mercy. but none came. she lay completely on the floor now, feeling their probing hands all over her body and unable to do anything to stop it. she was on the cusp of unconsciousness when a lone man broke through the hord, fending off her attackers. aroura closed her blurry eyes, relieved that the beating had finally stopped. the last thinh she was aware of was being hoisted to safety by a pair of warm, familiar arms. "aroura! aroura!" the sound of her named waded through the murky thickness of unconsciousness, jarring her back from the depths of her injury. aroura opened her eyes, greeted by blurry shadows and colors that were of no logic she knew. she shook her head once, twice, forcing herself to see clearly. "aroura? can you understand me? aroura!" as her senses returned, a jagged pain shot through her lower body, and she felt a warm trickle of blood streaming from her nose. she reached up feebley to wipe it away, but instead smeared it all over the side of her face. aroura looked at the blood on her hand. she felt drunk, woozy. she held her fingers close to her face, examining them intensely. "answer me, damn it!" she turned to the source of the annoying noise that so rudely disturbed her study. at first she saw nothing but a blur, but as she focused her gaze swirls of colors came together, finally creating an image that made sense. it took her several seconds to process this information that had been fed to her. "jaques?" "finally! mon dieu, you scared me! can you stand?" "i.. i don't know. what happened?" jaques helped the bleeding, and slightly embarrassed, aroura to her feet and handed her a handkerchief for her dripping nose. "well, you managed to get into a bar fight with the entire bar. those bastards swarmed in on you like a troop of fire ants. i just happened to be sitting in the back of the tavern when the riot started." "you saved me?" jaques bowed dramatically at the waist and looked up at her. "at your service, madamoiselle." aroura rubbed her forehead with her clean hand and sat down on a near by rock. suddenly aware of her current surroundings, aroura looked around in bemusement. "where are we?" jaques sat on the ground next to her and began nursing his own wounds from the fight. "a thicket not far from the tavern. are you sure you're alright, nothing's broken?" "i don't think so...my shoulder feels like it may be dislocated, as does my patella, and i feel as though i have a cinder block resting on my stomach. other than that i'm swell." jaques laughed and ran his fingers through his hair. "aroura, always the optomist." they sat in silence for several minutes. jaques offered aroura some water he was carrying in a skin at his waist. she took it greatfully and sipped, then poured some into her hands and splashed her face. "thank you." "you're quite welcome." aroura fidgeted nervously. she wanted to ask jaques about tristan, but was apprehensive. "jaques..." "you want to know about tristan, correct?" aroura laughed. "yes, am i that predictable?" jaques patted her knee affectionately. "no no, mon cher, never. i just expected that would come, your curiousity of him. "how is he?" jaques sighed and leaned against the tree that was behind them. "not well, i'm afraid." "how so?" aroura furrowed her brows with worry. "he left the desolate not long after you did, and entrusted it to me. he now lives in a small tenement flat not far from this town. i was actually just coming from a visit with him. i come at least once a month, to offer his ship back to him. i suppose it's become sort of a ritual. but he always refuses. his health is declining; he's taken to the drink. i fear for him." aroura sighed and looked away, hiding the tears that were welling in her eyes. "you know, it would do him much good if you went to see him. he misses you dreadfully." aroura got up from the rock and walked a few steps away, wrapping her arms around herself tightly. "i couldn't possibly." jaques rose to meet her. "why not?" "i just...i just can't jaques. it's been so long..." jaques gripped her forearm gently. "why make it longer? it would mean so much to him, aroura." "what makes you think he even wants to see me, jaques?" jaques let go of her and turned away, bending to pick up his satchel. "i don't know, aroura. you're obviously too occupied with your own insecurities to care about anyone else. excuse me, i must be going." aroura gaped at him as he walked away. her anger began to climb and she ran after him. "hey, wait! jaques! wait!" jaques stopped, keeping his back to her. "that was out of line, jaques. you know not of what you speak." jaques turned slowly, an apologetic smile on his face. "i'm sorry, aroura. you are right, i was out of line. i just worry so much for him, i know seeing you would settle his restless spirit." aroura nervously clutched the hilt of the sword at her waist, contemplating what jaques was asking her to do. "alright, jaques. i'll go. i'll see him. but will you take me there?" jaques smile widened, revealing a toothy grin. he pulled her into a hug and kissed her cheek lightly. "oui! of course i will take you! we shall leave now, if you like!" jaques lead aroura through the rougher side of the city protectively, as a brother might. by nightfall they had reached tristan's flat. they stood about 50 yards away from it, aroura standing timidly behind her friend. "so, this is it. this is where he lives." aroura could see a glowing light coming through the window. she thought she saw a shadow move across it, but was too far away to be sure. "yes, this is it. i'm afraid i must leave you now." "alright, jaques. thank you for taking me this far." "adieu, madamoiselle." jaques took her hand and kissed it lightly. he winked at her as he released it. "go easy on him, he's been pretty shabby." "i will." aroura stayed in place as jaques left her. she felt paralyzed knowing that tristan was in such close proximity. she inhaled deeply and moved one leg foreward. it was like lifting a cast iron boot, all of her fears melted down into a heavy metal saudered into her leg and landing with an obnoxious thud on the soil under foot. "come on, aroura, pull yourself together." she said out loud. she took another step foreward, this time with more ease. then another, and another. soon her refined motor skills were remembered and she crossed the distance fluidly. aroura sucked in another deep breath and pounded her fist three times on the door. for what seemed like the longest time, no one came. aroura shifted her weight nervously, each second passing like two hours. she was about to knock again when the door swung open. "hello, aroura." *** tristan stepped aside and allowed aroura entry. he was slightly dissheveled; shirt untucked, several days worth of stubble, hair a bit longer and shaggier, and a glass flask in his left hand. aroura attempted a weak smile, trying to ignore the menagerie of empty and half empty wine bottles that littered the floor and the furniture. "well, if i hud know there would be compiny, i woulduve baked a cake. do excuse the mess." tristan slurred as he closed the door. "are you drunk, tristan?" he laughed and knocked several bottles off of a wooden chair, gesturing at aroura to sit. "clever girl! always so sharp, aren't you!" "if your going to be nasty, i'll leave." said aroura, ignoring the chair and leaning against the wall. tristan bowed dramatically, tripping slightly then catching himself. "oh, good heavens! i've upset her majisty! off with my head!" he laughed again, or rather, cackled. aroura rolled her eyes, silently cursing jaques for bringing her here. "alright, i can see you have no intention in reconciling, good bye tristan." aroura was halfway out the door when she heard his voice again. "fine, leave! leave me again! leave, just like your daddy left you!" that cold, biting remark hit something deep in the pit of aroura's stomach. she felt her knees buckle, and grabbed the door frame for support. "oh-ho! tough as nails aroura, are you going to cry?" aroura clenched her teeth, the pressure causing her head to ache. she could feel her skin turning red, her cheeks, her ears. and then, it happened, she snapped. turing around fast as lightening, she was back in the flat, in tristan's face. "don't you ever, EVER, talk about me or my father like that again!" she slapped him fiercely, the bright red impression of her palm immediately appearing on his cheek. "you fool, you threw your life away!" aroura grabbed the flask from his hand, tristan too stunned and numb from the alcohol to react. aroura stormed through the flat, taking as many bottles as she could carry, both empty and full. with a vengeful glare at tristan, she through them out the closed glass window, causing a symphony of shattering as the window broke and the bottles hit the ground outside. that got tristan's attention. "are you insane? what are you doing?" he ran to her and grabbed her arm roughly, but in his state she easily pushed him aside. "i'm getting rid of this garbage, this trash! this pathetic font of self pitty!" she threw more bottles out the window, more shattering. "damn you, woman! that's all i have!" "good, you won't be needing anymore." aroura threw the last of the bottles out of the window, then turned back to tristan. "you, go change your clothes, comb your hair, and shave. i'll be outside when your done." and for some reason a slightly more sober tristan obeyed. aroura fidgeted nervously as she waited for tristan to emerge from the flat. she stared fixedly at the shards of glass that littered the ground, glistening wet with liquid that looked so much like blood. she could smell the wine in the air, the sweet, tangy aroma that tempted her strength like samson's delilah. she wanted to pick up one of those shards, to lick the sweet nectar clean from it's surface. but, it was neither the time nor the place to indulge in her own pity. she had to be there for tristan, to help him. drowning her own sorrows would solve nothing. aroura sensed that she was being watched and turned around, seeing tristan leaning against the door frame. the light from inside the flat was almost directly behind him, warping his appearance into a mysterious shadow. "how long have you been standing there?" tristan left the door and sat on the ground near aroura. "not long." aroura scooted closer to tristan and placed her hand on his shoulder. with more tenderness than before she caressed his shoulder soothingly. tristan closed his eyes and sighed. "tristan, what's happened to you? what happened to the strong, defiant yet kind hearted man i once knew? the man i loved?" tristan shrugged her hand off of his shoulder and moved away from her. "he died, madam, the day you left." aroura was stunned. she could feel hot tears welling in her eyes, and for once she let them fall. "tristan, you were stronger than that. you didn't need me." tristan laughed bitterly. "what?" "you honestly think that you had no impact on me, that your leaving wouldn't effect me what-so-ever?" "tristan..." "damn it, aroura, your so thick headed sometimes!" "me? thick headed? the whole reason we're in this mess is because you were the one with your head up your ass! taking fiona's word over mine, the woman you supposedly love!" tristan was silent, remembering his own stupidity. "look, aroura, i was wrong. horribley and inexcusabley wrong." he sighed and took her hand in his. "i love you. when you left i, i felt so lost, so alone. i was a fool for trusting fiona over you. i'm so sorry." aroura smiled and laid her head on tristan's shoulder. "i always said you were a feather head." tristan let out a stifled laugh, soon followed by aroura's own laughter. they stayed like that for a while, just holding eachother. tristan finally spoke, breaking the peaceful silence. "so what happens now?" aroura thought for a moment. "well, i think we should go back to the desolate. that's your home, tristan. it's where you belong. it's where i belong. i was a fool for leaving." tristan kissed the top of her head lightly. "i agree." "that i'm a fool?" tristan snickered and tugged playfully on a strand of her hair. "no, that we should go back. but first..." tristan pulled aroura into his lap and wrapped both of his arms tightly around her waist. "lets get married." aroura grinned and grabbed his head, pulling him into a hard, starving kiss. tristan complied readily, both unwilling to release eachother for quite some time. when their embrace finally ended, tristan spoke breathlessly. "is that a yes?" "you bet your sweet swashbuckling ass it is, buster." aroura and tristan kissed some more, until they were both too exhausted to continue. aroura smiled wickedly and twirled her fingers in tristans hair. "you know, tristan, if you're going back into the pirate buisness, you're going to have to get back in shape." tristan grinned, equally wicked, and brought her hand to his mouth and kissed it. "you'll help me with that, won't you?" "of course." tristan pulled her close and hugged her, burrying his nose in her hair and inhaling deeply. "so, when should we do it?" aroura smirked. " right now if you're ready." "no, you fiend! i mean get married!" tristan feigned exasperation. "well, i'd like to wait a little while. i'll tell you why." aroura told tristan about jaunita, and how she was to retrieve her when jaunita was up to it. "i want jaunita at our wedding, tristan. she's like a daughter to me." "i understand. when can we get her?" "i don't know. i'll have to send word inquiring about her condition." "and you can do that first thing tomorrow...but now..." tristan pulled aroura to her feet and cupped her cheek, staring deeply into her eyes. "lets make love." and that's what they did.

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