The Olympian Sisters #3 The Gilded Age

Chapter 7

I nudged her. "You've never been wrong before sis, if you say we can make it through then we will." I declared. "Now that's more like it." She said.

"We're lucky, you know that?" I said to her. "Yes, I know we're lucky. But what kind of luck are you talking about?" She asked. "We're still alive. I still have you and you still have me. Olympic, she's got no one." I replied.

Aquitania nodded. "Losing one sister was hard enough, but to lose both, I can't imagine what that must've been like. I don't know how Olympic did it, how she still does it. She always seems so cheerful, to a complete stranger, they could never guess what she's been through, what she's still going through." She said. I nodded. "She's quite the character isn't she?" I said.

"I'll tell you who the character is, Nomadic." Aquitania replied. "How?" I asked. "Have you been to Cherbourg recently?" She asked. "No, why?" I said. "The first thing you'll hear is Nomadic's cussing. She'd probably earn herself a gold medal from the deck crews." She replied. I laughed.

"She sounds like a right up sailor." I said. "She's just frustrated that she can't work. She's one of the sick ones and has a high fever, but other than that, she's doing just fine. Traffic seems more annoyed with her than worried." Aquitania explained. "While the sooner she's well, the better." I said. "Agreed, but I don't think my ears will ever be the same again." She said. "What words did she use?" I asked. With a shudder, she replied "Rockybow, seagulldecks, sunface, barnaclehull, birdstern and limpykeel."

I staggered backward, shaking my head. "Whoa, really?" I asked. "Yep." She replied. "Who knew such a small ship could have such a colorful vocabulary?" I asked. She shrugged.

The word limpykeel was the worst word in Shiptongue. It literally meant retarded since stability issues were considered a mark of dumbness. It was forbidden in several countries, including France. "Did she get in trouble for that?" I asked. Aquitania shook her head. "Nope, but Traffic gave her a nice talking to. I could hear them both as I left and I gotta say they're pretty creative with their vulgar." She replied. I laughed. "Yeah, I suppose they are." I replied.

We were interrupted by a sudden shriek from Carmania. "Get Lucania, quickly!" She cried. "Stay here." I ordered Aquitania and raced off.

But there was no need, Lucania had already heard Carmania and was racing over, Adriatic following close behind.

Caronia was in a bad way. She was convulsing uncontrollably and her breathing was becoming more and more ragged. "Help me hold her!" Lucania called to me. I needed no urging. Thrusting my bow against Caronia's side I pinned her to the dock while Lucania and Adriatic struggled to get some herbs into the thrashing ship.

Caronia let out cries of agony as the spasms rocked her and I struggled to keep my grip. "Easy, easy." I whispered. Caronia turned her eyes on me with difficulty. "Mauretania," She whispered. "Help me."

"I'm trying to." I growled through clenched teeth. Her head whipped up and she gave a shriek of pain as another convulsion ripped through her. Her midsection arched up then fell back and she stopped moving altogether.

I let go of Caronia, horrorstruck. Lucania checked Caronia and after a few seconds, she looked up and shook her head. "She's gone." She whispered. "No!" Carmania cried. Breaking her mooring lines, she raced over. "No! NO! NO!!" She wailed. Adriatic stopped her.

"Carmania, there's nothing you can do." She whispered. "She can't be dead, she cannot be dead!" Carmania sobbed. I nodded. "I'm afraid she is." I whispered, struggling to keep my emotions in check. "Let me through, I want to see her." She growled at Adriatic.

"Let her through, Adriatic." I ordered. Reluctantly, the White Star healer moved aside. Carmania moved forward to stare at the body of her dead sister. Caronia's eyes were still open, dulled and misted by death.