The Wolf, the Butterfly, and the Kraken

Chapter 15

We had to sell everything we owned. I even had to shave my hair and sell it again. The whole family pitched in to bring in crops and sell what we could. All that was left of the den was the family sigil door. Even cookware had been sold along with all but 2 of the babies toys.
Owda was scared for her only son to be going to Venera, but never let it show. She was instrumental in securing a place for our family on a raiding party ship. The captain warned that the raiders would not like the idea of returning elementals to Veneran shores. Nor would they like traveling with a cub and runtling. We would have to stay inside a small cabin the whole journey. We had no other choice, and so agreed.
The few meager possessions we had left were in a bag that I took into the cabin the evening before the rest of the cargo and sailors were supposed to board. The captain saw us inside and locked the door.
And it all came racing back in a panic attack. Being caught. Being tied up. Not knowing what would happen. I crumpled to the floor as it washed over me. Vam watched me for a moment before asking if I was going to be okay.
"It is irrational. I am not tied up. I am going home, not to a strange land." If anyone should be having these feelings it should be Vam, not me.
He snuffled, "Yet, it is not a land we would be going to by choice right now. Our people are at war. You will have to present your shame to your family. You worry Oshie and I will be killed."
He wasn't wrong. "Bluntly stated." For some reason it was very reassuring. I caught my breath and smiled, "And I have to teach you Veneran in one journey across the sea."

* * *
Learning Veneran was hard. I now saw how much she must struggle with our language. And customs. Hand gestures could mean a variety of things. My brain felt overloaded. I had a feeling that we spent so many hours on Veneran because it kept her from worrying so much.
However, after being at sea for 3 days, Oshie had had enough of the tiny room. He wanted out. He cried at the door, which we could not open. Only the captain and his first mate even knew we were on board. They brought us our water, food, and a clean chamberpot each day. After a bit Oshie got more upset, and in the cabin we were rocking back and forth violently. I heard sailors clamoring for sails to be secured. The seas got rougher. We were all but being tossed around. The ship was creaking like it might break up.
The lock was undone and the captain stood there, defeated and afraid. "You might need to be on deck in case the seas break us."
I was sure there would be wind and gray skies. Probably rain. There was no wind, or rain, just waves crashing all around us. I gripped Oshie and Joann and we headed out onto the deck. The moment the ocean saw Oshie, who had been crying fearfully, the waves calmed. A soft breeze blew across us and a dolphin leapt beside the boat. Oshie was delighted and giggled, pointing at it.
Sure enough the raiders were not happy. However, the captain and sailors were thrilled. Everytime Oshie came on deck the sailing conditions were perfect, and full of good omens.
The raiders grumbled about us a bit until they learned that this was the unborn child who had killed 10,000 priests. None of them were sad about that. The warrior caste despised the priests. They did not fight tooth and claw. Priests were sneaky and backstabbing. We didn't tell the raiders that Oshie would be trained by priests and casters.
After weeks of sea travel and all of the raiders promising to stay away from Eyers and Joanns folk we made a night time landing. The raiders were already taking a town. We were about a mile away when I heard them coming. Hundreds of them.
"Calvary. Hide," Joann whispered.
We ducked behind a couple of trees and were quiet. Large beasts trotted past, heading to the raiders we had just left. Were those fluffers, or cows, or what were those beasts called that men rode?
Twenty had gone past when Oshie played peekaboo and squealed in delight at the new sounds, sights, and smells. The column halted at a hand gesture. "Hello? Who goes there?"
Joann stepped out of hiding, "I do. My husband and child are here as well. We just want to be safe."
The man tilted his head down and back up. Yes? Yes. "Head to the camp, back that away. You will be fine." Then they stormed forward at another signal.
I felt cowardly at not having come out while they rode past. But we now knew which way not to go. We headed up a hill and topped it with a frown. Thousands of troops were camped from where the waters edge met the sea on one side to a river on the other side. Going around was not going to be an option.
Her people would have to meet me one way or another. If I died then at least I would have gotten her and Oshie to safety. "Let's go," I said calmly, gently holding a cooing Oshie in one arm, and my loves hand in the other.

* * *
He was calm and stoic as we approached the enormous camp. I had never heard of so many troops in one spot before. It didn't take long for the outer guards to spot us and call many others. Vam remembered how to surrender. I had drilled that into him every day. "We surrender! We surrender! I am unarmed!"
Men were yelling at him to put his hands behind his back, but he held the baby, and might not have understood everything they were saying. He looked at me in confusion and a soldier slammed a heavy pike down on his head, knocking him out.
He fell. On Oshie. "Vam! Get off Oshie! Vam! Oshie!" He wasn't responding, but I could almost make out Oshies muffled cries. Other men were moving in to kick and beat Vam.
"No! He came here peacefully! Help me! The baby! Help me lift him off the baby!"
At that raised boots were lowered. They were confused as I tried to roll Vam over, then a couple of men helped me. Everyone was stunned to see a clearly upset baby Lycant. I scooped him up and dried his tears. "It's okay. Daddy's just sleepy." I checked him over for any broken bones or scrapes. He was fine.
The young men standing around us seemed too stunned to react. They had never seen a child Lycant, and had never anticipated seeing one near a field set for battle. None of them had ever dreamed of a Lycant child with an Veneran mother. I suddenly went from submissive prisoner to angry bear mommy, "I want to speak to your commanding officer now! I was told by a cavalry man to come here to seek safety for myself and my family! You attacked an unarmed and surrendering person! Then you-you could have hurt Oceanus! He is half Veneran you dung heaps! Commanding! Officer! Now!!"
They jumped into action then and went for officers. The rest stayed to 'guard' the Lycant. Mostly they just eyed me and the baby. It didn't take long for an officer to reach us. He eyed me, the baby, and Vam. Then the troops, "Did they attack?"
"N-no sir."
"We were surrendering when one of them hit him on the head and made him fall on the baby." I glared at the young men around me. "We came here so we could raise our child with my family and those who can help him tame Oarhu, his fury."
The officer raised his eyebrows at that, "Your timing is terrible. Come to my tent, we will speak further."
"What should we do with the Lycant, Lord?"
Lord? This man was a Lord of Venera? Oh my.
He looked at the man, "You knocked him out. You can carry him to my tent."
"Should we tie him up?"
"No. But afterwards you should immediately report to latrine duty since you can't recognize a surrender." Heads ducked all around. They hefted my husband and carried him through camp to the command tent. Heads turned, but no one stopped us or tried anything.