The Orion's Daughter : To Lands Beyond

An Uneasy Visit

**~~~~~**

Chapter Fourteen | An Uneasy Visit

**~~~~~**

Nothing felt real in that moment. I looked out to the ship that had laid anchor in the distant harbor and then back to Steele. That entire ship looked like the ones I had read about in several books about naval warfare and seamanship. Based on what I knew, this was a large ship meant for travel and comfort. In my mind, it was more likely to be a cargo ship with luxurious elements than for speed. The hull of the ship would look different, more streamlined, if this was some kind of attack.

The wind swirled around me, coming from the sea. It meant the wind was with them, and they would undoubtedly be coming ashore based on the small boarding ship they were lowering off of the starboard bow.

My heart started pounding out of my chest. What was going on? Was it excitement that I was feeling? Or anxiousness?

I was inclined to think the later rather than the former simply because Steele's expression hadn't changed from stoic and contemplative.

Anxiousness.

Worry.

Why was Steele so concerned with seeing this distant ship? What was going on? Why were they here? There was almost no time to actually get the answers from Steele because, slowly, he pushed himself off of the cliff, landing solidly on his feet, and took several steps away into the ocean.

For a moment, my mind panicked. Where was Steele going? Was he going out to meet them? Was he going to run away? Or did he know these individuals were hostile and was preparing to meet them or head them off?

I needed to know.

I charged toward the edge of the shale cliffs after Steele, noticing that my momma was jogging right behind me, and called out to him, shouting into the wind despite the gusts carrying my words away from him.

"Steele! Who are they? What do you think they're doing here?" I shouted. The wind blew Steele's graying hair fatefully. His violet eyes did not turn to face me and instead remained fixated on the horizon. I suddenly felt frustrated.

Why was he ignoring me? Was he ignoring me? Could he really not hear me?

"Steele! Kassa-en de throid?" my momma called, which simply asked what he seeing? "Koo'psion? Koova ka'non psion?" Dearest. My dearest love. It was something my momma called Steele from time to time. It was a term of endearment and sign of mutual affection; at least, that was what Steele told me it meant.

At the sound of my momma's voice, Steele finally managed to tear his eyes away from the approaching dinghy and back to us.

"Raina... Terrilyn... koo'psion. Koova ka'non psioni," he said in his beautiful, strange dialect. He switched to common as he lowered his gaze. I knew immediately that something was very wrong. The questions spilled out of my mouth before I had a chance to stop them.

"Steele? What is it? What's going on? Do you know them? Why they're here?" I asked, the rapid firing of questions made Steele smile weakly. At the very least, he was amused with my curiosity.

"I do not know if I know them personally, but I am thinking there are a few familiar faces among them. Hear me. They are going to leave Creewood and this portion of the coast alone. I will ensure it, but I may... have to go with them." Steele's words hung limply in the air. I felt like an autumn leaf clinging to the dree only to be pulled free by a strong gust of wind.

Go with them?

Leave?

I looked up into Steele's violet eyes and saw the immense amount of pain in them. He obviously did not want to leave, but I had to wonder why.