The Tale of Five Heirs

Chapter Four, in which we (mostly) survive a storm

The first drops of rain began to trickle out of the dark, overcast sky as Kelvin shut the door of his cabin. Storms on the frigid sea could be very dangerous, but Kelvin wasn't too worried. Norray had survived countless storms on his expedition to the frigid isles.

Kelvin could hear the shouts of the crew from above decks as he carefully approached his bed on the other side of the cabin. He was about to sit down when the ship lurched to the side. Kelvin found himself sprawled on the floor of the cabin, his back to the wall, which was below him, though whether that was because the ship was sideways, or because he was so dizzy, Kelvin wasn't sure.

Suddenly the door of his cabin swung open. Kelvin though he felt someone slap him, but upon further consideration, it was probably just the wind and rain. With great effort, Kelvin got to his feet, and blindly pushed out into the oncoming wind and rain. His fingers touched the wood of the door, with a shove, the torrent of wind and water stopped.

Kelvin attempted to sit back down on his bed, only to discover that Winaya Stassyl was already sitting there calmly, her blue eyes shining in the dim cabin. "The foremast fell on my cabin," she said.

"Oh," Kelvin replied, uncertain. "Sorry." She must have been the one who opened the door. To come in.

"You don't mind if I take a little nap, do you?" she asked. "There's water in my ears."

Kelvin wasn't sure how the two parts of that statement connected, but he said, "sure," before sitting against the wall again. Winaya lay down on his bed and closed her eyes.

Kelvin looked around his cabin. All his books were scattered on the floor, and getting wet, from the puddle of water that was sloshing about. Kelvin was also soaking wet, but that wasn't nearly as important as the books. He stood up and began to wobble around the cabin picking up books, and putting them back in their places. This was difficult as the cabin was still shaking back and forth at all kinds of alarming angles.

Finally, bracing himself against the corner of the bed he forced Selected Poems by Sebastian Bricksbi into the last spot on the overcrammed shelf. At that very moment, the entire cabin shifted nearly ninety degrees, and Kelvin was thrown back against the opposite wall. His books followed, piling on top of him. Kelvin lifted The Fox, the Hawk, and the Thing off his face and saw that Winaya was sitting up in bed.

"You should leave the cabin," she said in the most forceful voice he had ever heard from her. For some reason Kelvin felt compelled to stand up and put his coat on.

"Take this," said Winaya, holding out a small bottle containing a pinkish liquid.

Kelvin took it. "What's in the bottle?" he said.

"The joy a child feels when she first learns to jump rope. Now go."

Kelvin put the bottle in the pocket of his coat and reached for the door.

"You forgot your book," said Winaya, back in her usual whimsical voice.

Kelvin looked down at the pile of wet books scattered about the floor of his cabin. Without thinking he picked up the book closest to him, turned, and opened the door.

Lashing wind and rain instantly began to beat against Kelvin as he staggered up the stairs and onto the deck of the ship.

"I'll see you later," he heard the muffled voice of Winaya behind him say.

The scene Kelvin saw on the deck was utter chaos. The main mast of the ship was slightly cracked, and leaning way to starboard. All the crew members were standing on the port side of the deck pulling on ropes with all their might in an attempt to right the mast.