Waterborne (Wanderlust 3)

Chapter Forty-Eight

The next thing he needed to do, even though all he wanted to do was curl up next to Tanden, was talk to Elorie.

Soren had Kija signal to her, and soon enough the ships were floating side by side. Soren crossed over the plank that was balanced between them, and tried valiantly to not appear as tired as he felt. Elorie didn't do him the favour of coming down to her maindeck to meet him, and so he had to climb to the quarterdeck.

She was leaning against her helm, one arm comfortably draped over the spokes. Behind her, the setting sun bathed her in golden light. It gave her an almost ethereal look, which only made Soren feel shabbier.

"You look awful," she said.

"You look like you didn't do much fighting," he countered.

Elorie shrugged. "The only person I really wanted to fight was killed by the Navirians."

"No." Soren leaned back on the bulwark. He felt awkward with right arm bound against his chest, and would have felt most comfortable crossing his arms. As that wasn't an option, he instead rested his left hand on the nearby shroud. "I found Rico. And Tanden killed him."

He really enjoyed the sequence of looks that crossed her face. Shock and confusion followed by a nervous glance towards the Walloxa, as if Tanden was about to charge out and attack. Truthfully, Soren wasn't sure how Tanden would react to seeing Elorie again. At his best, Tanden's well trained self-control would ensure the meeting was cordial. But Tanden was far from his best. There was a reason Soren had chosen to have this conversation without him.

"What?" Elorie finally said.

"I don't know the full story, yet," Soren said. "But he's here. He appeared on that ship with me and fought Toliver. After killing Rico."

"Good riddance," Elorie said. "However he managed it, the world is better than it was this morning. So." She let go of the helm and crossed the deck to settle on the bulwark beside him. "Now what?"

It was the question everyone wanted an answer to, but he still didn't have one. In a way, it had been a question since before they lost the Wanderlust. Now what? Where to travel to next. Who was the captain? What to do about Elorie?

Soren looked around her ship as he pondered her question and the complicated myriad of answers. When he started speaking, it was more so to put thoughts into words than to give her a real answer. "I know the name of your ship. Rico mentioned it. I understand why you refuse to use it."

"And you understand why they thought it was some sort of joke to give it to me?"

Soren nodded. "It's bad luck to have a ship without a name."

"I remember Roan mentioning that. But I don't care."

"I know." He looked at her. "I know you don't care about the superstition. But giving your ship a name is more than just about luck, or pleasing the gods. Giving your ship a name gives her a spirit. Your lass here deserves a better name than the one she was given. So, rename her."

"Crelans are the only people I know who think ships are women," Elorie said. "Why is that? You miss women so much when you're out sailing that you have to pretend your ship is one?"

Soren chuckled. "No. We have a story about the founders of our island. The Sailor King and the Ocean Queen. When she died, she was changed into the ship's figurehead. She became the soul of the ship. I know Alvarian ships don't have figureheads, but that doesn't mean your ship doesn't have a spirit. You must feel it, in the way she rides the waves, in the way the wind billows in her sails."

Elorie leaned forward to rest her elbows on the knees. "I doubt you came here to teach me about Crelans' antiquated beliefs about ships."

"No," Soren agreed. "I came here to talk about what happens next. We're going to Navire. Tanden wants to get reward money for sinking Toliver's ship. After that, I'm not sure what we'll do. Do you have any plans?"