Everlight Family/Isana/Shanty
Kingsley
Alyssa held her knees to her chest, her mouth pressed into her shoulder, trying not to look at the grim bucket next to the bed in her ship's quarters. She groaned slightly as the hulk shifted once again on the waves. Isana sat next to her on the bed, gently rubbing her back as the queen tensed, her stomach lurching with the waves. She had barely left the cabin the ship's captain had graciously offered her, only foraying out when the seas felt calm enough that she could stand without vertigo or sickness. The voyage south had not been her first sea trip, but it was certainly the longest, several days around the southern span of The Continent, and none of them were, for Alyssa, pleasant. She had stepped aboard the white-sailed hulk to a smiling captain and commander who bowed low in a foreign style, leading the Queen, her partner, and Perdanese soldiers of the Whiteguard and Stormfront aboard the grand vessel.
She gathered quickly from their accents that the crew of the Silver Pearl were Beluan, from the middle-lands fleeing from the encroaching hordes that slowly pushed northwards on the savage lands of the New World. The captain showed her the suite she would be staying in during the voyage as the sailors readied to leave port from Aix and the Perdenese soldiers found their places below deck. The room was quaint and while large for a ship, was still far from the wide rooms and corridors of the Ducal Palace she had come accustomed to. In away it felt familiar though, reminding the queen of her many years spent in a tent roaming across the realm. Alyssa slept as peacefully as she could, brave knight at her side through the easy night, waking only once. It was the last moment of real peace she had as the ship hoisted anchor early that morning.
Alyssa glanced over at the bucket again. A yeoman would be by soon to collect it, but in the meantime the only comfort she had was a pretty knight to hold on to as the rocking turned from turbulent to gentle, the seas calming slightly, though Alyssa had come to realize likely not for long. As she leaned her spinning head into Isana's shoulder she heard something muffled yet steady come from above. The Queen furrowed her brow as she and Isana shared a curious look. Alyssa tenderly stood up from the edge of the bed where she sat and steadied herself, stepping towards the cabin door.
"Are you alright darling?" Isana asked gently.
"Mhm. Does that sound like chanting to you?" Her partner considered this as Alyssa gently cracked open the door, as the raucous masculine voices of two dozen sailors harmonized into one, echoed through the wooden hallway and up the steps that led to the main deck.
Ho ro, the island's fog
I won't be back ashore fer long
Ho ro, a life at sea,
There'll be no love fer me
Alyssa peered through the crack in the door, spotting at the top of the steps the man she recognized as the ship's first officer patrolling the main deck, sword and spyglass at his hip as he calmly supervised the crewman tugging some ropes or rigging, or some other seafaring business Alyssa had no idea about, when the crew had finished their chorus he called out a verse to accompany them,
The lass all dressed up on the pier
Her face it bore a soft pale fear
She whispers out a gentle prayer
Into the cloudy bay
And then on cue the chorus swell and rose dramatically in a unified voice heavy and melodic as their voices mixed together in a rhythmic harmony, in time to their task,
Ho ro, the island's fog
I won't be back ashore fer long
Ho ro, a life at sea,
There'll be no love fer me
Ho ro, the island's fog
I won't be back ashore fer long
Ho ro, a life at sea
There'll be no love for me
Alyssa listened curiously as they completed their tune, a few moments of silence passed filled only by the tugging of rope and the grunting of sailors. Having no interest in either, she closed the door and returned to the bed, happy for at least a slight reprieve from the swaying.
"Did you hear their tune, my love?"
"Mhm."
"I'm quite happy I don't have a life at sea, I am not sure that it suits me" Alyssa noted laying her head in Isana's lap.
That comment earned her a little giggle from the knight, which fluttered Alyssa's heart as it often did. "I'd noticed." she replied with a wry grin a knock came at the door that drew Alyssa up instantly and alert.
"Your majesty...? I... am here to collect your bucket, if you wish?"
Alyssa grimaced as the ship broke over a wave.
Everlight
The day was an uneasy age spent in the confines of the grand cabin. While Isana read stories aloud and used her hands to comfort her love curled in agony and wretchedness, there was little she could do about the sea’s enthusiasm. What a choice of cabin! It's not even that rough along the Narrows…
It was time to try something else.
“Think you’ll be alright a few minutes, love?”
Alyssa murmured a reluctant affirmative and nodded against her lap. Isana slid gently out from the wide bunk and settled the tousled blonde head onto a cushion with a soft touch along her hair.
“I won’t be long.”
Latching the door behind her with a soft click, Isana strode boldly out on deck. The salted wind slapped her cheeks with a playful spray and she grinned. In stark contrast to her landlocked love, Isana found sea travel exhilarating. The trip to Perdan from her home in Beluaterra had been one of the great adventures of her life thus far. Sparkling diamonds on deep teal, or the plumbless black depths glowing under moonlight; the sea was a beautiful mystery. She was well acquainted with ships that travelled the glittering expanse, and had a few questions for the Silver Pearl’s Captain. One in particular.
Across the deck she was pleased to see the singers at it again: rather than a working shanty, now that the sails were trimmed a handful of the Beluan sailors had draped themselves about the upper foredeck in the cool early evening giving enthusiastic voice to a wistful sea song. The Captain was aft, squinting at the distant shore with his spyglass forgotten in one hand. She climbed the stair-ladder to join him, trying to catch strains of melody as she climbed. A brief nod was all she gave for greeting before launching straight into her concern.
“There’s a better choice of cabin coulda been made, Captain,” she commented pointedly, eyes narrowed slightly as she held his gaze. “Or didya not know her Majesty has no sea legs?”
The man’s face fell. “Ah do now,” he admitted with some chagrin. “Tha’s the only cabin suitable for royalty though, ye ken? Aught else is crew and cooks’, else where the soldiers are and they’re packed in double... s’more common for landfolk to have a problem with th’close quarters than the sea…” he trailed off apologetically.
Isana’s mouth pressed into a line. “Midships’d still be better fer her, though, it jus’ moves less. There must be somewhere I can settle her in for a spell, or a time when there’s fewer on deck?” Isana doggedly pursued a solution, and let her Beluan accent colour the words.
He caught the idea, eyes widening and looking about almost comically. He tapped the spyglass to his chin.
“Well, well now… my own quarters ‘n the first mate’s are same as yours, aft, but lower… fer more midships… ah, mess is empty ‘twixt meals! ...but the smell of vittles won’t be helping. Hey! That’s the ticket. There’s only a skelly crew on deck during sup, what’s about then?”
Isana’s nose wrinkled and one hand fiddled with her sabre’s pommel as she considered. It wasn’t a lengthy time… but it was soon, and outdoors in the fresh breeze.
“We’ll try it.” She gave a nod. “Mind you keep the meal crew belowdecks for a half candlemark at least. Tempt ‘em with a dessert if need be, we’ve got provision to share. I don’t want my Lady embarrassed on deck looking ill.”
Already eager to please, the sea-tanned captain of no apparent age brightened at the offer of sweets and guaranteed the timing.
Isana made her way back down to the main deck carefully and paused to listen to the next song as it was lifted to the breeze. The tune was a familiar one. She listened for a few moments, leaning on the rail to catch a glimpse of the other southward-drifting white sails that kept company with theirs. As the notes drifted into her ears words arose from memory and she hummed along, carrying the tune back to her darling with a wide smile.
We'll rant and we'll roar like true Beluan sailors
We'll rant and we'll roar on deck and below
Until we strikes bottom inside the two sunkers
When straight through the channel to Agyr we'll go~
