The Voice and the Word

Ships and Uncertainties

Another bump almost caused Annabel to lose her lunch, she silently cursed whoever had brought her on this trip. She gripped the wooden railing and took a long moment to steady herself, only to have the effort ruined seconds later. It turned out that Annabel hated boats, she hadn't been so bad when the ship had been in the harbour but the moment it had entered the sea and began using the magic cast about it to race ahead of the winds she'd felt horrible. She hated the way the ship bounced over the waves, each rise and fall causing her stomach to leap up into her mouth. No amount of her own magic or remedies from the other women had managed to soothe her illness. The men who worked on the ship had laughed, but so far been sympathetic. Annabel closed her eyes, then snapped them open again as the sick feeling got worse. They had only been aboard for a day and she was already exhausted from being so ill, yet she had to stay on the boat for just over a week . Miss Hansen strode over to where Annabel was slumped over the railings, leaning next to her, but not too close.

"Feeling any better?" She asked her assistant mildly, her shawl blowing about her in the sea breeze. Annabel forced herself to look up.

"Not really if I'm honest Miss Hansen." She sighed, the older woman sighed briefly and shook her head.

"You can fight a demon, not to mention summon one that will assist you, yet you can't stand a little water." The woman said ruefully, Annabel waved a hand at the never ending rolling waves all around her, they stretched out as far as the eye could see in every direction, their depths unimaginable.

"I hardly call this a little Miss Hansen. There's no end to the stuff. And it's not the fact it's there that bothers me, it's the way it all moves." Miss Hansen laughed at that and tiled her head back to avoid a dash of spray. Annabel wondered how the old woman had get her sea legs so easily, she had seemed comfortable from the second she'd stepped onto the ancient wooden vessel.

"Miss Hansen, have you ever been on a ship before?" Annabel asked, curious to discover more about the stern woman even despite the condition she was in.

"Oh many Annabel, it may surprise you but when I was younger I travelled quite far across this world, as the mountain makes most roads away from Tayend dangerous I travelled mostly by ship." The woman smiled as she said this, maybe thinking of happier memories in the past. A thought occurred to Annabel.

"But in all your travels you never heard of Janeba or anyone of the Word? How'd they remain hidden for so long?" Miss Hansen frowned at the question and glanced at the younger girl.

"We asked similar questions when they originally contacted us. As you know we gain students from the surrounding lands and towns. It appears they did the same but kept their existence, and the existence of magic itself, a much more closely guarded secret. Until recently that is, supposedly they have learnt from our example that magic need not be hidden. However they said many in their school remain stuck in traditional ways." Miss Hansen hesitated as she glanced at Annabel, the girl was too ill to notice.

"Traditional ways?" She asked blindly walking into the issue Miss Hansen wanted to avoid. The older woman answered cautiously, and not entirely comfortably.

"Yes, it was suggested to us that you coming might cause trouble due to these traditions." Annabel glanced at her teacher.

"But you brought me anyway." She stated and Miss Hansen crossed her arms and shrugged.

"I'm sure you can handle it." Was her only reply, they stood in silence for a little while, both lost in their own thoughts, until a bigger bump caused Annabel to stumble.

"That reminds me why I first came up here Annabel, we're heading into some choppy waters, it might be better for you to go below so you don't fall over board." Annabel went white, she had never really bothered to learn to swim, apart from what was needed for a deep bath. The idea of falling into the swirling messy of water below terrified her. Without another word she half walked, half staggered, to the stairs, heading down to the tiny cramped room she shared with Miss Hansen. Annabel collapsed into the bed and groaned as the boat bucked. This was going to be a long journey.