The Pole Shift

Oldshe Sets Sail

Sassafras returned through ruined corridors then the starry night. Her sisters waited with O mouths. Oldshe was first to break the eager expression and engaged her eye-brows in quiz. Sassafras tumbled her words out:

"I have a way to find The Witch Woman! A rhyme set to a strange tune. Listen." She sang the words then they all did in sweet and instinctive harmonies. Their recent ancestors ability to learn quickly demonstrably alive. Oldshe mumbled the words when her sisters rested and it was obvious she yearned for the dawn to open an orange eye. Then, as light emerged upon their islands, she prepared her belongings then hugged her sisters. Oldshe lingered eyes upon Sassafras, whom returned a smile in candle lit friendship. No words were spoken, but all hostilities that had led to this moment were set aside forever.

The clear faced Captain awaited aboard the smiling face boat. He stood when the people arrived and helped Oldshe into place. Sassafras spoke:

"Heed my sister, Oldshe! The Witch Woman will name her then heed that name. Protect her, obey her, will you?"

The clear skinned Captain did not pause in his preparation to leave as he nodded sharply. Sassafras continued:

"My sister will engage the Witch and return the hounds! Protect her Captain." Sassafras let warning creep into her tone. The Captain stood and the smiling face boat wobbled as he pushed into the currents. He was strict in his composure, the new light showed how well he had dressed. No mark marred his attire. He said:

"Remember this moment Sassafras. Mark the days we are gone. Remember my name and should we return, celebrate the good things Oldshe and I have done." 

"Name?" Sassafras's heart thudded at the immaculate man, he held her gaze in a way Son had not mastered.

"Flinders." Sassafras was too young to have mastered flirt. Flirting was rare when death paced with the people yet she felt the eye contact of Flinders and was reminded of the Wizard's confusing attention. She looked each way before returning the gaze. As the boat set to, Sassafras's and Flinders's eye contact was lost but she felt her blank stare had blunted pressing blue eyes.

+++

Flinders at last turned his face to Oldshe. He had ignored her except to order her to sit here, pull on this rope, or lean into a current. Oldshe's eyes were entirely different to pretty Sassafras's. Her stare burned back at him, untrusting, ready to make quick decisions about his character. They both read many truths as they looked at each other without compunction. It was finally Oldshe that passed on one of her thoughts.

"You think you are pretty. You think of Sassafras often and mark her as your own."

"Why not, there is much ugliness amongst our people. I work with the books and know many words. I brush my hair and make my clothes from the best I can gather. I care, why not Sassafras for me?" Flinders made a many syllable chuckle and steered the boat away from land, towards the bright morning star. His initial comment was not lost on Oldshe but long gone was her rue of being pretty. Long gone was her hopes of her heart being held up as her true worth. She was like a tree that had been cut down many times yet the stump still put out leaves. She looked on at the smirking Flinders and smiled herself. Oldshe said:

"Preen those feathers as much as you like, but steer this boat right. Perhaps the Witch Woman will have some words for you but don't just chuckle, no woman liked a giggling man." Flinders went to say something but his passenger's close set eyes and her robust jaw was waiting for a clever answer. He decided to change the subject saying:

'We steer to bright star until it disappears, then we let the ocean wield us until the sun is a thumb away from the horizon?" Flinders tried to speak seriously, but sarcasm crept along with his words.

"I'll tell you, Pretty, for now work the boat and nothing else." Both turned to look aft and stern and not a word was spoke until thumb sunset.