Following Tides - Book III- Tomas & Leif: "Skanda"

“Following Tides III - Tomas and Leif's Tale”

T H E   F O L L O W I N G   T I D E S   S E R I E S
PART III  - TOMAS & LEIF
Author: D. Sanders a.k.a "The Fablespinner"
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CHAPTER ONE  -- "SKANDA"
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Tomas was up in his observatory scrying. Snow and Ice met him and a spinning compass pointing due north and an Isle he’d never seen came into view. “What on earth?” He was confused and pulled out his charts and maps. There was nothing charted in that direction from Safe Harbor so he asked for the course again just to double check. And once again the same images came.
 
“Oh ho! Interesting...” He jotted notes on a map and took them to his father.
 
“There’s nothing there on any maps.”
 
“I know, but I checked it twice in my bowl Daa. Same course both times and it was definitely an Island. Looks like I’m off on an adventure.”
 
“Take extra stores, that water is full of Icebergs and not a supply Island for six weeks hard sailing in any direction.”
 
“I’m going to, already stocking extras. I’m going to take Elena as Healer this tour of duty. She’s from cold climes and we work well together. I don’t want to take a journey like this without a good experienced healer. I’m also taking Igor; he’s the best mapmaker we have. We’ll at least chart a new Island if nothing else.”
 
“Aye, good thinking. When you off?”
 
“Stocking now, three days I think, four if we drag our feet, five if mum tries to tie me down.” Tomas winked at his father who chuckled.
 
“Your Mum loves you. She still sees her baby boy.”
 
“Like you don’t daa?”
 
“I never said that.” Sascha winked folding up the map. “But I can’t deny you’re a good captain. Call us if you need us.”
 
“Absolutely. Good night Daa.”
 
“Night son.”
 
~*~*~*~
 
Four Days later “the Handmaiden” set course and sailed north with two extra passengers. Alexandre and Sonja.
 
Tomas worried for their health, they were both over ninety even if they didn’t look it yet. They both had strong blood and adventurous spirits and Wizards and Healers did live a long time naturally. Magic extended normal life spans by a good fifty years or more in most cases. Great-Great-Great Grandfather Anastas had lived to almost one-hundred and eighty before he’d passed. So at the least Alexandre and Sonja had about twenty or thirty years left in them if they retired properly. Which they weren’t about to do it seemed. “We’re not in the grave yet boy!” Alexandre grumbled. Sonja just smiled.
 
“You’re going into cold climes. I like Elena lived in very cold waters; I want to be here just in case she needs a hand. Cold has it’s own dangers. Extra power to keep the ship warm will come in handy with your Grandaa at the very least. He’s not so old he can’t produce heat, he is full of hot air.”
 
“Woman, I’ll give you hot air!”
 
Tomas laughed. They were still ornery, that was for certain and extra help might not be a bad thing after all. Besides, Alexandre hated retirement with a passion. He was still a formidable Wizard and he just had to have one last time on the sea. Once a sailor, always a sailor. Retiring to a landlocked life never sat well when the sea was in your blood. Tomas was going to let him have it. He even vacated his cabin for them, and they balked adamantly.
 
“This is YOUR ship now son. Your Gran and I just need a bed; I don’t need room to keep charts and maps anymore. I am no longer this ship’s Captain. You are. Keep your rooms, next door is fine, Sergei’s old bedroom is more than sufficient.” Alexandre and Sonja insisted and refused to budge. Tomas just did as told as they sailed north into the unknown on an adventure that beckoned them ever northward.
 
The image in the bowl never changed. Tomas would watch it for hours, anticipating. He knew. Deep down he knew he was going to have the adventure of a lifetime.
 
Something was there that he was meant to find.
 
And find it he would.
 
 
~*~*~*
 
Tomas was up in his observatory, bundled up against the cold. While inside it wasn’t so bad, he warmed up the inner spaces with the help of Alexandre, but the open air was bitter cold and Alexandre was pouring most of his strength into the Greenhouse deck to keep eternal summer there to protect their main food supplies. Just like the years of layered spells from retired wizards kept Safe Harbor in eternal summer. Alexandre’s layers on the greenhouse he’d built would long outlast the wizard who cast them, but adding more daily didn’t hurt. Not when they were as far north as they were. The nights were long here, the waters frigid, and no land or ships in sight for weeks. They were sailing off into uncharted waters now, guided by experience, intuition and little else other than Tomas’ scrying telling them they were still on course.
 
Tomas looked up from his bowl and gasped. He ran to the window, blinking his eyes to make sure. Yes! “LAND HO!” he yelled as he stepped outside and gasped as freezing air attacked his lungs. He bundled up against the elements and scrambled down his ladder as his men hurried to the prow to get a glimpse.
 
Tall snow capped mountains came into view first on a large Island. There was no floating city here; it appeared everyone lived on the land itself. Small villages dotted the coastline and whaling ships were moored in a large harbor.
 
A lighthouse cast it’s light on the waters and huge icebergs floated down from further north and a fog horn blew and several smaller ships came out to greet the unexpected red-sailed ship. Men, all platinum blond or variations thereof with shocking blue eyes like icy skies, sporting thick, braided and colorfully beaded beards, dressed in heavy furs were on the decks of the fishing boats. All of them armed with fishing spears.
 
Tomas ran up the white flags and held up his arms. “Ahoy! WE COME IN PEACE FRIENDS!” He shouted and several confused looks answered him until one man, obviously the captain barked orders in a language none of them knew then held up his hands.
 
“COME TRADE?” He shouted and Tomas answered.
 
“AYE!”
 
“THROW TOW! WE GUIDE IN!” The other captain shouted and Tomas had the men throw out a towline and they were guided to port through rocky and dangerous waters.
 
Once moored the plank was thrown down and Tomas went alone to meet the crowd gathering. He shook the hand of the man who had guided them in. “I am Captain Tomas Saschavich, I and my crew will not trouble you, on my honor and word as a Red-Sail Wizard.”
 
“Very Few make journey here. Trade welcome, Pirate not. Hear story of red sail we trust for now. I Johan Bjornsson. Welcome to Skanda.” They shook hands and bright white teeth flashed in Johan’s face and Tomas returned the smile.
 
“Thank you for your welcome. Igor!” Tomas called his first mate and Igor came down with men, laden with baskets of fresh fruit, “We would like to thank you for your warm welcome. Please accept our goodwill in return. May we have many years of good trade between us.” The baskets were laid down and people gasped and Tomas handed Johan a fresh, ripe and bright red apple.
 
Johan bit into it and then clapped Tomas’ shoulder, hard. “Welcome True! Come, we have drink New Friend!” He laughed.
 
“Aye. Igor, please distribute the gifts then dismiss the crew to stand down. Grandaa?”
 
Alexandre and Sonja joined Tomas. “Johan, my Great-Grandfather Alexandre and my Great-Grandmother Sonja.” Tomas introduced and Johan shook Alexandre’s hand and then kissed Sonja’s
 
“Any man honor his fathers welcome. Come out cold, fine beer we share and good meat.” Johan led the group into a large tavern on the pier where a meal of whale meat steaks and roasted potatoes was served. Everyone was fair-haired and blue eyed. From the oldest grandfather to the youngest babes in arms. The language barrier would be difficult, it seemed very few people spoke the same language as isolated as they were. They had traders come maybe once or twice a year if that. A few pirates had ventured this far only to be driven away by the reef that protected the island. There was one narrow way in, and “the Handmaiden” had barely cleared it.
 
The culture was very male oriented. The women were quiet and served with shy smiles, looking at Sonja in awe, a woman with rank was unheard of. The female sailors with the crew receiving the same awed looks. Tomas, a strikingly handsome man was getting looks of a different nature. He TRIED keeping his eyes to himself but there were quite a few pretty faces in the crowd. He smiled at a few and they blushed and hid giggles under their hands and Sonja kicked him under the table.
 
Johan said something to one of the girls and she nodded and left only to return with someone that positively took Tomas’ breath away. A young man no older than Tomas, his face clean-shaven and surrounded by a furred hood which he pulled down when he entered.
 
He was beyond handsome. His hair so blond it was almost white, and his eyes the palest blue, ringed in a darker blue. Tomas was so taken he barely noticed the looks of disgust from other men and the women turning away from him. But he did notice the silent shunning. The youth walked over and stood eyes downcast from Johan, answering his summons.
 
“He knows your language. The ger will translate for you while you here.” Johan said and Tomas wondered what a ‘ger’ was.
 
“I am Leif, I hope I may be of helping you.” He said in a soft tenor. His eyes never lifting. Tomas wanted to jump all over the handsome lad right then and there.
 
“It is a pleasure to meet you Leif.” Tomas held out his hand to shake and Johan reached out and pushed Tomas’ hand down.
 
“He’s a ger. No need for honor. He will help you only because he knows your tongue. Go wait outside Ger.”
 
The lad nodded and pulled up his hood.
 
“Outside?” Sonja asked almost aghast and Johan nodded.
 
“Gers have no place with us. He dishonored.”
 
“Pardon my asking What is a ger?” Tomas asked, aching to know what this poor lad had done to be treated as if he was a leper.
 
Johan spat. “One who takes no wife by choice. Takes lover of same flesh. He will wear no beard no pass on name. Have no sons. Gods cast out of light. Out of favor.”
 
Tomas’ gut suddenly ached and his meal soured in his stomach. Now he noticed more, only men with wives wore beards. It seemed only one type of love was accepted here and all others that didn’t produce offspring were shunned. The poor lad!
 
He wanted to leave the longhouse tavern right then and there but decorum prevented it. Thankfully Sonja saved the day. “Tomas love, I fear the cold is making my joints ache. Forgive me Johan, I beg leave. I’m sadly old and my bones do not like the cold.” She lied through her teeth.
 
“Aye, aye. Go with honor, we talk more in morning.” Johan smiled and Sonja faked stiff joints as Tomas offered her his arm. The youth was waiting for them outside and Sonja snaked her hand around his heavily coated elbow.
 
“Come with us love.” She whispered and the lad followed dutifully.
 
Sonja dropped her act the minute they were out of sight and back on “the Handmaiden”.
 
“Of all the! Come here love.” Sonja pulled Leif behind her with a purpose and headed down flights of steps into the warm and welcoming galley. Leif’s eyes rounded and Tomas gave him a wink. They rounded even more and Tomas would have sworn he blushed. Sonja pushed him onto a bench just as Alexandre came in.
 
“Woman! You’ll get him in trouble!”
 
“Horse shit!” Sonja swore as she piled warm food on a plate and shoved it under the lad’s nose. “Tuck in bright eyes.” She smiled at him, but Leif never budged.
 
“Better do as my Gran says Leif. She doesn’t like to be told no.” Tomas encouraged but the lad sadly shook his head ‘no’.
 
“I no can. Not allowed.”
 
“I don’t care what they told you love. It makes me sick and if you’re assigned to me as my interpreter then I say you interpret something warm in your belly. Standing out in the cold? Mercy! Stupid!”
 
“I Ger. I cannot.”
 
“And that’s another thing! Ohhhhhh I want to strangle something!” Sonja said plopping down across the table from Leif and waggling a finger at him. “You, there is absolutely NOTHING wrong with you boy. I give a toss what they told you in this ass-backwards place. Isolated, in-bred and intolerant!”
 
“Sonja! You can’t judge them. They live hard lives here.”
 
“I lived in a place just like it! I know! That’s what makes me so damn mad! They treated boys and girls like him just the same way. It’s asinine!”
 
Leif looked shocked and Tomas sat down beside him and smiled. “They told us what ‘ger’ meant. That’s why she’s pissed.”
 
“Oh.” Leif said grasping Sonja’s tirade.
 
“Love just eat please. Humor and old lady, there’s no one here who thinks you dishonorable. Please.”
 
“Thank you Honored lady. I beg forgive Skanda, it is way of law. I, how I say? I most touched but fear punishment.”
 
“No one will know. It’s just us here. Go on... eat. Roast Pork with applesauce, bet you never had that.” Tomas said pushing the plate closer and grinning like an idiot at the youth.
 
“Nay.” Leif eyed the plate and then back to Tomas then back to the plate. It smelled wonderful and his stomach betrayed him by growling.
 
“See! I’m a healer boy and I know when someone is starving. They pulled you away from your own meal now eat.”
 
Leif sighed and took up the fork. “Thank you. Yes, I did not eat. You most wise. My mother was healer-witch. You scold like she.”
 
“Your mother was smart then.” Sonja winked and Leif smiled, a warm smile that transformed his face into an even more pleasing countenance.
 
“Aye.” Leif said taking a bite of the meat and closing his eyes in joy. “Never in life so good.”
 
“Well there’s more where that came from lad. Pass us a plate of that love. I never did like whale meat and I’m hungry as a bear too.” Alexandre said as they joined Leif in a meal in the deserted galley.
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tbc...