For Forty Weeks the Sunbird Flew: An Airman's Tale

Prologue:

He wasn't quite sure what he was doing, in all honesty.
He'd wanted to see the world beyond the manor grounds, to learn to do more than just whatever the baronet asked of him, however kind the man may have been. He'd wanted to make something of himself, and for some reason he couldn't quite fathom, he felt a gently pull towards the skies. His parents had been supportive of his plans up until the Leviathan had gone down with all hands. They hadn't trusted airships after that.

He could still remember the day he'd read about it in the papers. The pride of the fleet, the flagship of the navy, reduced to a charred wreck at the bottom of some nameless canyon in Gaul along with so many of her crew, as well as the crown prince himself. Supposedly anyway; no-one had ever found the body and the royal family refused to believe he was dead. To this day there was still a princely sum, no pun intended, set aside to give to the man who found him.

Archer had once entertained the idea of going out there to find the prince himself, but such flights of fancy were childish. The continent was still tearing itself apart and trying to find a single person amidst such chaos was a fools errand, even if that single person was someone as important as a prince. Besides, if no-one had found him yet then it seemed no-one ever would; seven years was long enough for any man to make himself found.

More pertinent to his own position was the fact that he'd been held back that entire time from enlisting because of his parent's misgivings about life aboard an airship. It had taken him quite some time, but he'd finally been able to talk them around to his way of thinking just last night. Today he'd have his haversack ready with enough supplies to see him to King's Cove Harbour. It was a long way from Rothery, but he knew he'd be there soon enough. There was to be a ship entering port in about a month, or so he'd heard. He'd inquire about serving with them for a few years and finally explore a little of the world outside the immaculate hundred-acre estate he'd tended to his whole life so far. Who knows, maybe he'd even come back with a story of his own to tell his parents?

There was the sound of light footsteps behind him. Speak of the devil.

"Archer."

"Mama."

"You're sure about this?"

He nodded.
"I am, mama."

She smiled at him and laid a hand gently on his face, a feeling of warmth and love stirring inside him at the motion.

"You always did want to see the world. Your father still says we shouldn't have given you all those books when you were growing up. He's joking of course; your curiosity was always one of his favourite things about you. You should see him before you go. Your insistence on leaving hit him quite hard and I know he hasn't spoken to you that much these last few days, but he cares deeply for you. He just struggles to show it sometimes."

"I know, mama. I'll speak to him in a moment, I promise. He's been busy lately; the baronet's car broke down again, so he's been busy repairing it. I know neither of you want me to go, but-"

"Shh, shh," she cut him off with a quiet voice, "you don't need to justify yourself to me. Come on, let's get you prepared to go. I've packed your things for you in advance; you'd find some way to make a mess of packing."

He chuckled. Of course out of everyone it would be his mother that would criticise his ability to neatly pack a suitcase, and choose instead to just do it herself. He didn't even need to ask any questions to know that she'd have packed everything he wanted; she knew him far too well for anything else to be true.

"Thank you, mama. I'll speak with father now. I promise to write to you when I'm away. I may not be able to send the letters back to you, but I promise that I'll write them nonetheless so that you can read all about my travels when I get back."

She looked up at him with watery eyes.
"Thank you, Archie. Now run along, your father will be expecting you, I think."

He was, as it turned out. His father was in the garage, as per usual, fixing up yet another set of injuries that the baronet's car had sustained after the baronet's son had managed to crash it yet again.

"Archer."

"Dad. I wanted to speak with you before I set out."

The older man gave a dry chuckle and pulled him into a hug.

"I take it there's nothing I can say to convince you to stay?"

Archer shook his head, hugging his father.
"Sorry dad, but no. I need to go and see more of the world than the manor grounds."

The man laughed his rumbling laugh, and Archer felt the vibrations run through him.
"I know, son. I hope you'll tell me all about it, one day."

"I will dad, I promise. I'll be back before you know it. Besides, you and mother might enjoy the peace and quiet for a change."

The man released him and smiled.
"I don't think there's any chance of quiet anytime soon."

"Whyever not?"

His father turned away slightly, but couldn't keep the smile off his face.
"Your mother and I spoke to the physician the other night. She's pregnant."

Archer blinked twice. Mother and father had had him whilst they were very young, yes, but still... it felt a little late for them to be having another child. Nonetheless he smiled. He'd be a big brother soon.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

The older man sighed.

"I wasn't supposed to tell you, not really, but I couldn't bear the thought of you not knowing about your little sibling. We didn't want you to think we were trying to use it as leverage to convince you to stay, that's all. I hope you find whatever it is you wish on your travels. Write often?"

"I will."

The man nodded and smiled, motioning towards the door with his head. There was nothing more to be said here. Father had always been a man of few words, but Archer knew his love was unconditional. Besides, when he returned he'd have a young sibling to help raise. His future was shaping up to be quite a busy one indeed.

It didn't take much longer for him to be out of the gates and walking down the lane. The mother and father had spoken to him once more, together, and he'd said his goodbyes to his friends on the estate. The baronet's son had been as annoying as ever, but even he had been polite. The baronet himself even said goodbye and wished him well, giving him a small wad of notes with which to purchase supplies if he ever needed to. It was most generous of the man, and he'd thanked him profusely but not excessively, just as he'd been taught. After that it was a short walk out the door, past the garage, through the gates and then down the lane. He turned back and looked at the estate for one last time before beginning the next chapter of his life, then carried on walking along the road to King's Cove.

The road to the port may have been long, but beyond the docks and shipyards he knew that the skies were awaiting him.