Empress of the Sea

Chapter Eighteen

It was torturous. Elesa spent most of her time hidden away in her tent, writing furiously in her journal about the captain and her lady-in-waiting and every other person who looked at her sideways. Every time she stepped outside of her tent, there was a sailor a few strides away, watching her every move.

Days passed with nothing to do. She could no longer walk with Luhn who barely looked up when she walked past. She was left with no distractions except reading or writing, but those soon grew boring. With the extra time to think, Elesa relented of her obstinacy towards her resolve to save the island, and took the protective mantle on again.

Elesa decided that she would still take up Trella's case against her father and hopefully convince him not to go through with his plan to colonize the island. She wanted to know what Hendric thought or if he saw the plan as feasible, but the only thing that he would ever say to her was a polite, "good day," or "m'lady."

Though she wished Hendric would be willing to talk with her, she understood his coolness towards her. Elesa could only guess what the captain had said to him after she left, but she knew it could not have been kind.

There was no relief for the emperor's daughter until midway through the week. Elesa could no longer stand the stuffiness of her tent, so she was seated by the fire with both journal and history book within reach. She was halfway through a well-read story when a shadow fell across her page.

"M'lady."

Elesa looked up. "Luhn!" she exclaimed in surprise.

The first mate was standing between her and the fire with hat in hand, and he still refused to meet her gaze. When he didn't speak at first, Elesa invited him to sit, and he did so readily.

"M'lady," he began again, finally meeting her curious eyes with his own remorse-filled ones. "I wanted to say I'm sorry for not letting you speak to me when you wished to. I liked to consider myself your friend, but I treated you ill, and I was hoping you would forgive me."

Elesa was more than happy to forgive him, and she said as much. "Of course. I acted foolishly, and I have to pay for my mistakes, but I'm glad you will still be my friend."

Luhn's smile was small, but at least it was there. "May I ask . . . may I ask why you returned to the camp in the way that you did?"

There was more implication behind the words, and Elesa blushed. "I was bored of the camp, and I snuck away to the pond where the sailors would fish. I thought perhaps it would provide me with some amusement. Hendric saw me leave, and he followed to convince me to return to the camp. I should of listened, but I didn't. Instead, I persuaded him to show me the way to the waterfall. It was diverting, but it was foolish, and now I'm not the only one who has to bear the consequences."

Luhn nodded, but his brow was furrowed in thought. They were both quiet for a moment longer before he asked, "Would you like to take a walk, m'lady?"

"I would love to."

The first mate stood and helped her to her feet. They walked down to the beach, and Elesa could hear the footsteps of another sailor following them. To her surprise and relief, Luhn turned around.

"That won't be necessary, Jiel. I will accompany the lady on a walk."

It was good to stretch her legs again, and Luhn was back to the same cheery first mate that he had been before. They talked of trivial things for the length of half the beach before turning around and making their way back to camp in companionable silence.

With the return of the first mate's friendship, Doldrid struck up a conversation with Elesa the next day, and it wasn't long before only the surliest of sailors still gave her dark looks. Though the companionship felt nice, Elesa still itched to be out of the campsite and out from under the constant surveillance. She knew, however, that it would be impossible for her to leave the camp again.