Winds of Fate [Books IV-VI]

Chapter 191.1: Treasures for a Wedding

After her much-needed time with the girls and with a couple of the men, the early afternoon makes it too hot to stay in the galley and lunch is immediately over then too, so Eleanore bids her dear crew goodbye to return to her home in the cabin. Poco, however, does not want to be carried. He happily yaps as he trails behind her heels. "I hope your brother is well..." She sighs. "We need to see Carlo... go to the Padre... Oh.. and I cannot leave you both here now, can I?" Eleanore sweetly asks Poco as they climb up the stairs. Little Poco frowns. "With Maddy and Aggy?"

Poco growls...

And bites her boots.

"Alright, tell Mama you don't like it, but don't destroy my shoes!" Eleanore picks up the dog and they both scowl at each other. "Torkin! Argh! Poco!" Her heart dips. Oh how she misses that bird. "Poco, please. I will not have bad behavior on my ship! Not even from you!"

She tucks him in her arm and Poco whines, pawing at her sleeves in vain. He attempts to climb her, pat her cheek, and Eleanore firmly embraces him with a final look.

As they near the cabin, however, Doctor Wells emerges... with a smile.

Her heart leaps. "Doctor!"

"Ruff!" Poco cheers.

"Torkin is awake and better." Doctor Wells nods, but before they can leap at the door, he gently tugs her sleeve. "However, I think... the Captain is going to come down with a cold."

She and Poco share a look. "Is he feverish?" Eleanore asks. "Coughing?"

"Sniffling and touching his temples, closing his eyes. I advised him to rest and drink much water. This heat... it is punishing." Doctor Wells sighs at the sun, and clutches his bag dearer. "Ah. And... I forgot, but all of us must take a bath too, frequently, to avoid the heat frying our brains too much. Please advise your husband for me. I shall relay the rest to the crew." With a pat on her shoulder, the old doctor is then on his way.

"Thank you! Doctor..." Eleanore calls after the old doctor, who just raises a hand back to her in reply. "Cool yourself too!" Poco then jumps down her arms and bumps into the cabin doors in excitement, hitting his little black nose painfully in turn.  "Oh you! We open this by turning the knob, aye?" And she does so, but Poco only smiles up at her and bolts inside at the first swing of the right door. Eleanore laughs. "You little rascal."

"Ack! No nooo! No licking! Ack!"

That is indeed the happy sight she sees when she enters the cabin again, Poco standing on his tiny paws by the basket just to slobber poor Torkin with many, many licks. Oh. She looks up at the ceiling. Thank You!

But Torkin is not happy. "Stop! Stoooop licking! Acck! Help!"

She cannot help but laugh. "Torkin! You worried us all!" Torkin cannot reply, still smothered by Poco who now hugs him tight. Even Anton, observing by their bed with his arms crossed, smiles. She raises a brow at him. "Doctor said you're on the verge of a cold, Anton."

He is unfazed. "How astute of him."

He sniffles.

She frowns. "Anton!" Eleanore strides to him then and takes a sniff... to be fair, her beloved has piled on all the smells of the hot day, the harbor, and the mountain, that even she squirms. "What—when was the last time you even took a bath?!"

Anton smells himself too and laughs. "Why last night in the ungodly rain. Ha."

"You heathen." She slaps his shoulder. "With a soap, I mean!" Realizing he is deliberately on a mission to tease her, his own odd way of celebrating, Eleanore leaves her husband and goes to her parrot, who is equally happy to see her and opens those bright ruby wings just to take her hug and enjoy her kisses. "Oh, Torkin, I love you so much."