VIOLENT TIDES (gxg - editing)

19

Lady Elrin was wrapped in sheepskin blankets and soft wool. When Gael stepped into the warm bedroom, she opened her eyes, cloudy brown gaze struggling to focus. Gael hurried forward to the bedside and knelt down.

"Mama—it's me, Gael."

The woman's weary face brightened.

"Gael?" Her voice was a raspy whisper, and Gael nearly burst into tears right there. She had gotten so much worse since she had last seen her. "I feared I would never see you again."

Gael reached out and took both of her mother's hands in hers, clasping them gently. She tried to ignore the sickly greenish veins under her skin.

"It's alright, Mama. I'm here now."

Elrin relaxed more, still staring at Gael's face, trying to drink in every detail through eyes that could hardly see.

"My beautiful daughter. What have you been doing? How are the crew?"

Gael smiled through misty eyes. "The crew is all fine, Mama. They send their greetings and best wishes for your health."

"And that nice boy, Nathe?"

"Nathe is well. He'll be here to see you soon, probably; him and someone else I brought along. I hope that's okay. I asked her to come."

"Of course that's alright. Are you finally bringing girls home to see us, Gael?"

Gael smiled, feeling a warm flush in her cheeks. "It isn't like that, Mama. It's..." It was far more complicated than that, of course, but she didn't want to worry her mother with everything that was happening. That would only worsen her health. "She's the princess. Ackerley's daughter. She's been travelling with the Finch for the last couple of weeks."

"The princess!" Elrin struggled to sit up. "Oh, I haven't seen our princess since she was a child. Please do bring her in, Gael."

"Alright, Mama, I will. Don't strain yourself, please." Gael stood up, leaving the bedside with a touch of reluctance, and pulled open the wooden door. Ainsley and Nathe had moved from the entrance of the house and were standing outside the doorway, engaged in polite conversation with her father.

"My mother would like to greet you," she said, holding the door open wider for the three of them. They all filed in and arranged themselves in a neat line before the bed. Gael gave Ainsley a faint nod and she moved forward to crouch at the edge of the bed.

" It's wonderful to meet you, my lady."

"Come here, Princess. Let me take a look at you."

Ainsley leaned forward and Elrin reached for her hands, then lifted her left hand and found Ainsley's face, gently cupping her cheek in her hand. Her dying eyes seemed to brighten slightly.

"My, you've grown. You came barely to my knees last time I saw you."

"I apologize; I don't actually recall you ever having visited the palace." Ainsley tried not to squirm as her thumb brushed against one of her fresh bruises. The hands were gentle, but the places where she had been hit last night hurt to the touch.

"Oh, no, you wouldn't. You were far too young. We lived in your city, once, however—" Her weak voice broke off into a coughing fit and Ainsley pulled away slightly as her hands dropped.

Gael watched the exchange silently. Logically, she knew she must've met the princess once, when they were both children. Neither of them had any memory of it, however.

Seeing her mother's approval of Ainsley pleased her, though she couldn't say why. Elrin loved most everyone.

When Ainsley left the bedside, Nathe knelt down, receiving a warm and affectionate greeting from the sick woman. Gael and Ainsley shared a glance and the two stepped outside the bedroom as if in unspoken agreement. Nicchols followed.

"Well, Gael, are you ready to tell me what's going on here?" He asked. His daughter nodded.

"Of course. It may be a bit of a lengthy tale, however. Can we go to the parlor?"

—

Sitting on comfortable horsehair sofas in the parlor, overlooked by huge windows that let in the sunlight, Gael recounted everything that had happened while her father listened in silence. Ainsley told her own side of it, as well, explaining how Ackerley had told her the pirates had demanded a hostage, when in fact he had offered her away in the first place. Nicchols shook his head, stirring a delicate metal spoon around in his cherry tea.

"We always did know he was a horrible man. That's why we came to live here instead, as far away from him and his rule as possible while still staying in our own country. I'm not surprised he hasn't changed since I knew him."

"My father wasn't any different back then?" Ainsley asked.

Gael, sitting next to her father, watched the thin trail of steam rise from their porcelain cups. Nathe had joined them too at this point.

"Well, he may have been a little kinder. That was back when your mother was there, may her soul rest with the titans, and she was good at keeping his anger in check. She was good for him."

Ainsley's face fell at the mention of the late queen, but she quickly recovered, once again appearing composed and regal. It was intriguing to watch her as she was once again pushed into a world of etiquette and nobility. On the ship, her regality had quickly been set aside for a more casual demeanour. Here, however, she sat with her hands folded neatly around her painted teacup, posture perfect. She looked like royalty despite the fresh blue and purple marks on her jaw and cheek.

Ainsley tapped one of her fingers against the smooth surface of her cup. "May I ask why your wife is here instead of receiving care in a larger city on the mainland?"

Gael glanced at her father, who took a moment to reply.

"She won't return. This island provides us some semblance of freedom from your father's grip. Not to put too much pressure on you, Princess, but she refuses to go home until you're on the throne."

Ainsley stumbled over her words for a moment. "I—me? Why?"

Nicchols smiled. "You give her hope. You give the entire country hope, in fact. We can only pray things will go back to being more like they were when your mother ruled."

Ainsley stared into her tea. "I'm not sure I can live up to what she's done. Her legacy can never be my own."

Nicchols leaned back against the sofa, placing an arm along its back. Gael rested her head on his shoulder, soaking up as much time near her father as she could get.

"Create your own legacy, Ainsley."

The princess' eyes were wide, surprised and a little bit confused. In that moment, she reminded Gael of a trapped animal set free.

"My own legacy," she repeated, words so soft Gael could hardly hear them.

—

Night had fallen. Ainsley and Nathe were still talking with Nicchols before they would eventually relocate to the guest bedrooms, and Gael was taking the last opportunity she would have on this particular trip to talk to her mother.

The woman appeared to be sleeping when Gael let herself in, but she opened her eyes at the sound of the door.

"Gael?"

"Yes, it's just me again, Mama." Gael came closer and took her mother's hands in her own once more. "I won't have time to see you when we leave in the morning, so I wanted to wish you a goodnight—and a goodbye—while I'm here."

"You'll come back again, won't you?"

This part of conversation always made Gael feel as though she had been stabbed through the chest.

"Of course," she whispered, squeezing her limp hands. "Next time we come through these waters. I promise."

She tried to ignore the fact that if her mother's state kept declining this, she would die before the next time. Tears prickled her eyes.

"I like that princess, Gael. Ainsley. She's a good girl."

Gael found herself smiling through the tears in her eyes.

"I know."

"She'll make a wonderful queen someday."

Gael nodded. "She will."

"And she might need someone by her side."

Gael sighed and separated one of her hands from her mother's, using it to brush Elrin's dark hair off her forehead. "It isn't like that, Mama. You barely met her."

"You don't think I can tell when my own daughter enjoys someone's company?"

"Yes, but that's the most it is. She's a good person and I'm glad I got to meet her. But by the day after tomorrow she'll be on her way home, and I won't see her again. I'm alright with that, really. It's how it has to be."

The noblewoman's chest rose and fell with a weary sigh.

"I know." Gael smiled again. "If we had met in different circumstances, then maybe..." She trailed off, not letting herself complete the thought.

"Then what?"

"It's nothing. I just thought that maybe we could have been friends. I should be letting you go to bed now." Gael got to her feet, but Elrin held fast to one of her hands.

"You shouldn't let her go."

Gael pried her hand away and covered her mother up closer with the blankets. Her form felt frailer under her hands, like she was slowly withering way.

"It's the way it has to be." She leaned down and gave her a gentle kiss on the forehead. "Now go to sleep."

"I'll see you again, won't I, Gael?"

"Of course you will."

Matching tears welled in mother and daughter's eyes. Swiping at her face with her hand, Gael gave her a final pat on the hand.

"Goodbye, Mama."

"Goodbye, Gael."

Gael hurried out of the room and let the door slam behind her.

hey y'all! i don't have much to say this time around, except that you should go check out my newest project! it's called youth, and i'm excited to write a story in a more modern setting. don't forget to vote and comment on your way out <3