19. White

"Is it too late for you to get a refund?" Angelica chuckled softly as she looked at the shock spreading over Fael's blood splattered face. "You you do know that nearly all the stories about my family are just that, stories, no?"

In a blink, Fael had quelled her emotions and donned the calm expression her Order were famed for. "M'Lady, it matters not." Fael replied "I was taught well. Pretty inks and careful letters in an illuminated manuscript may persuade others a whimsy is history told true," she paused, adding a very real smile "And yet there is true comfort in believing such stories."

"I guess, ... you know" Angelica rubbed her arm "that really took it out of me."

"Really M'Lady?" Fael's laugh betrayed her youth "that's terrible. Not even punny. Don't rub it M'Lady, it will make it hurt more."

Angelica permitted a sly grin to escape "Does Polite need you?"

"No M'Lady, she is in the capable care of Antaryon, but you will forgive me if I depart at his call."

"Indeed, I shall. So, Healer" Angelica used Fael's formal title, the young woman turning her head in attentive response. "I misjudged you." Angelica continued "I had thought you a religious fanatic full of common nonsense. I was altogether too quick, for that I apologize."

Oblivious to their topic, Alexandras bought up a small barrel of fresh seawater for them to begin cleaning the blood away, then withdrew. Angelica gesturing to Fael that she need not wait to begin, each dipping folded rags into the bucket and setting to the blood on their hands and clothes.

"M'Lady, may I speak plain?" Fael asked quietly. At a nod, she continued. "M'Lady, I had thought you a spoilt child of a noble house with a pretty crest who spent all her time riding."

"And?" Angelica asked quietly, knowing such thoughts were hardly new nor uncommon. After all Mother had spoilt both her and her brother, nor had she actually worked a day in her life, unless one could count sitting quietly at dinner with excessively boring visitors actual work.

"And now M'Lady" Fael whispered in a conspiratorial tone "I rather hope the stories are indeed entirely true. Particularly the one that you are descended from the Nameless One."

"So who do you think that is?" Angelica probed.

Fael's reply was barely audible over the wind and creak of rigging, her eyes wishing the words to fall out of the air itself once heard by Angelica. "It is written he was the General of the Army of Daemon that crossed from Karcion on the bridge of light that appeared during the Great Conjunction. He proclaimed that the Children of Mann had cut and ploughed too much of that which belonged to Terra, and by fire and blood he restored balance."

"And?"

Fael dipped her head "And that when the Light of Angelica returned, his host withdrew into the Astral Plane."

"And?"

"It is said, in the forbidden texts, that... "

"Wait!" Angelica looked both fascinated and shocked "How have you read those if they are forbidden?"

"Oh" Fael replied, slightly abashed "M'Lady, they are erm..." Angelica nodded encouragement "M'Lady the two most sacred manuscripts from the Cathedral ... I found them in a wooden box below." She looked down as she blushed and blurted "I could not resist it, I ... I read them."

Angelica laughed out loud "Well what good would the be if no-one had the key to open them?"

"About that ..." Fael's blush intensified, as did Angelica's laughter. "Turns out my healing tools work rather well as lock-picks."

"You missed some" Angelica wrung out her cloth and dabbed at blood on the sleeve of Fael's dress with poor success.

"Thank you M'Lady" Fael replied more solemnly "But I fear before we are done, this dress shall carry many more stains."

"Quite." Angelica replied. "You were saying?"

"Oh, M'Lady, of course. It is written there that the Nameless One left behind his youngest son, and a young Seer. Theirs was to watch over the Children of Mann, and to caution them if they again imperiled The Balance. They were able to walk amongst us, hidden, watching, waiting."

"Interesting story, I had not heard that version before." Angelica sighed and looked to the horizon. "If that is my family, and is remotely true, I guess that would make me a complete failure." She looked back to the blood drying on the deck. "I might be chasing a Kypiq up a tree here, but" she deadpanned "in terms of balance, we appear to have a slight excess of fire."

"M'Lady" Fael nodded her head, and was about to reply but instead stiffened slightly, her eyes looking back along the deck. "M'Lady, Lady Violet approaches."

Angelica waved her hand slightly to indicate to Fael to remain, and she watched as the regal Lady neared.

Lady Violet nodded her head to one side, and with a wave to indicate Lady Angelica did not need to rise to greet her, began. "Forgive the intrusion, but I am confused."

"M'Lady?" Angelica replied with all the innocence she could feign.

"Did I not kill a traitor?" her eyes shifted to Fael, eyebrow raised slightly "One whom you seem to have bought back to life?"

"Oh, that" Angelica replied with a bright smile "Fael and my guards needed the practice at healing. We'll probably kill her again a few more times until she gives out for good."

The look of utter surprise that crossed Lady Violet's face defied easy definition, until it settled into what could only be respect for the ruthless efficiency of it all. She smiled pleasantly, and nodded "So, fish for supper?"

Angelica paused, realizing she could no longer hear Fael's breathing beside her. "Actually I might have a biscuits tonight, I am rather over fish. Maybe both. Which would you prefer? The crew caught some beautiful fish today, care to join us?".

"Fish would be lovely, thank you." Lady Violet beamed as she sat against the rail, and Fael carefully remembered to breathe again.

@>-\---- <> ----/-<@

The lemon was old, its peel pulling away easily like a mandarin. It broke into segments, one each, and after carefully extracting the seeds and putting them on the waiting cloth, Angelica popped her segment into her mouth. Eyes screwed shut, face twisted, cascade of flavour; the shiver played across her shoulders and a smile crept over her face. "Eugh!"; but her smile betrayed her words, the sweet old lemon was utterly delicious despite its bite.

They all laughed as Antaryon fell into a long series of coughs, playing up the flavour of his segment for all its worth like an actor hoping to get a free meal in a tavern.

"Ware!" the call from aloft in the rigging sliced over their play "Ware away!"

Angelica looked up, standing and spinning to look in the direction the lookout was pointing. "What is it?" she asked quietly, not understanding what she was looking at.

"That, M'Lady" Seli came down the rigging near to her party "that is sea fog, M'Lady. You can feel the wind dropping? That should not be here." he looked to Liva "It ain't natural, beware!"

The young woman nodded in acknowledgement of the warning as the sailor laid aloft again at the call of Zalori, the ship alive with the sounds of ropes, canvas being furled, and calls as they came close to a dead stop.

Angelica watched as one by one the small fishing ships came on, lines being thrown with much merriment but serious faces. The wind was dying fast now, row boats were put in the water to haul the last two fishing ships in close enough to line on.

"Icy!" someone yelled, and the word was quickly passed.

Angelica looked in confusion, as Olga came up to her, draping a heavy cloak about them both without hesitation. "It is an ice fog M'Lady, it is water frozen in the air. We will freeze tonight too if we are not careful."

"Get them below!" Zalori yelled, pointing at the smallest children "her, her her! that baby! Below, NOW!" he bellowed.

The water was nearly mirror still, the sounds of the ships and sailors seemed duller somehow. A plank was run across to Tol Varus's ship, a girl clutching a very young baby danced across with terror written all over her face until she reached the deck of Zalori's ship. Jenn was waiting at the rail and threw a heavy cloak about them all, and they promptly vanished off below to where the animals were. To warmth, to life.

Angelica looked across the ships, seeing their decks almost entirely empty save for a few brave sailors checking the lines, and checking the heavy storm covers over their holds were correct. The smell of charcoal met her nose, braziers lit against the night.

"M'Ladies, if you please." Zalori gestured, his voice pleasant but firm.

"Wait" Angelica said, "I've read about this. I want to see one."

Zalori smiled, handing her the taper. "If you are sure about this, then if you please, M'Lady".

Angelica nodded and placed the taper in the lantern, and after Zalori had made some rapid adjustments he hauled it aloft on rope looped on a pulley high in the rigging above. She stared up, her face full of wonder as the pillar of light shone high into the sky above, glinting off the ice.

"Well you don't see that every day." Zalori muttered as he gazed up, voice muffled by the heavy woolen scaft he was wrapping over his face. "Now, I am still the captain of this ship. Below. Now, M'Lady."

Angelica watched the golden light drifting high in the sky until she needed to step down into the aft cabin, the storm shutters slotting into the stairs and hatch being lowered behind her to wall out the night.

Angelica moved to the chair Olga pointed to in the dim lamplight, then her mouth fell open as Zalori sat opposite her. "But...?"

"But who remained on deck to keep fire watch and close the shutters?" Zalori completed for her, met by her nods.

"Who? I gather that staying on deck tonight will be at grave risk of death?" Angelica rushed the words.

"Indeed M'Lady." replied Olga, taking her place at the tiny cramped table. "Which is why Tori-Anna and Victoria volunteered to stand the watch."

Fael made began to make a signs of thanks to the Qin, then after a brief confusion passed over her face, she uttered her prayer anyway "May the Light protect them until dawn."

"Light protect them" Angelica and the others murmured without hesitation.