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The next few days were somber aboard the ship as it continued to sail north. After the attack of the wyvern, Captain Benbow had decided to put the ship into port a bit earlier than originally planned.
“I know the original plan was to take you at least a month north and get you as close to Birchwood as possible, but we no longer have the supplies or the manpower to make that kind of journey. Not to mention the mast is now permanently damaged.” A sigh escaped her lips, her hands laced on the surface of her desk. She sat perfectly straight in the wingback chair that was upholstered in a blood-red fabric with gold accents, looking at them all apologetically. “The furthest I can take you is Jirath Harbor, just past the northern tip of the big island. From there you’ll need to follow the coast until you reach Birchwood.”
“Any idea how long that will take?” Tara asked, trying to keep her tone even. It was obvious she wasn’t happy about this new development.
“I’m not sure. Obviously, it’s a bit longer than going by ship,” the captain replied. “But, I have some coin set aside that I’m going to send with you. Buy yourself a cart and some horses, that should make the journey easier at the very least. Again, I apologize for not fulfilling my end of the bargain.”
“It can’t be helped,” Tara sighed, letting the upset look melt from her face.
“We can find our way there,” Dusk added, forcing a smile. “We’ve been all across Ditania without getting lost. I can’t imagine Inahan is much different.”
“The northern country can be a bit odd, but as long as you follow the coast, it should be fine.” The captain pushed herself up from her desk. “I’ll let the helmsman know our course has changed. We should be docked by tomorrow morning. Get some rest, you’ll need it for the journey.”
The captain slipped past them both, nodding to Lex as she stepped through the doorway. The three followed her out onto the deck, Tara taking the center, acting as a human shield between Dusk and Lex. Without hardly a word between them, they all made their way down to the cabin. Dusk crawled into his hammock, making sure to turn his back to Lex as he settled in. Juniper’s words still rang in his head as sleep eluded him. That boy loves you, she’d said. This moment is all that matters.
Dusk squeezed his eyes shut, trying to drive the voice away. For the past few nights, it had been all he heard in the dark of the cabin. He didn’t want to think about her anymore or how much she wanted him to forgive Lex. The anger was still too fresh in his chest, clawing at his insides. Instead, he strained his ears listening for the slightest creak of wood or splash of water in the distance. Anything to stop thinking about the man sleeping only a few feet from him that he so desperately wanted to hold.
The next morning they found themselves docked in Jirath Harbor, just like Captain Benbow had promised. Dusk saw that Maribel had already been taken ashore as he walked down the gangplank to the dock. The captain stood at the end of the dock, her feet mere inches from the sand as if she were afraid to step foot on dry land. The three of them with their packs shouldered, stepped up to her, Dusk leading the way.
“Here,” she said, handing him a full bag of coins. “Stash that away so nobody sees it.” Dusk did what he was told as she continued. “There should be a horse trader in town and a cart won’t be hard to find. We’re setting sail back south in a few days once we get the mast repaired. Now that the warm winds are whipping up, there’s sure to be trouble on the open ocean. Best we get back to Calendia before it’s too late.” She pulled a scroll out of her jacket and handed it over to him. “Best to distance yourself from the ship and crew in case word of what happened in Calendia makes it here. It could stir up trouble. And take this, it will ensure you’re able to get a ferry to Anthurium Mountain.”
“Thank you for all your help,” Dusk replied, pushing his pack back to his shoulder with the coins stored between his spare shirts and the scroll tucked inside. “Please thank Mirinda for us once more when you see her. We couldn’t have gotten this far without her.”
“I’ll be sure to pass the word along,” she nodded with a smile. Her brows furrowed as she looked to Maribel, then back to Dusk. “Also, you might want to see someone about your horse. She smells strange.”
“We’re aware,” Tara muttered, casting a sideways glance at Maribel.
“She’s been putting on weight as well,” Captain Benbow added. “I’m concerned she might be ill. Maybe a stomach issue?”
“Pretty sure she’s just a goddamn slut,” Tara huffed.
A smile broke across the captain's face and she actually laughed, quickly covering her mouth with her hand. “Well, if that’s the case, make sure you don’t let her pull the cart. And get her some good food for the road, she’ll need it if she’s carrying a little one.”
“Well be sure to do that,” Dusk replied, keeping a glare fixed on Tara who merely shrugged, unaffected by his looks.
“A safe journey to you. May the Crystal Moon shine upon you.”
“And you as well.”
With a slight bow, Captain Benbow turned on her heel and clacked her way back down the dock. She crossed the gangplank, ordered her men to get to work unloading empty barrels, making repairs, and bringing fresh supplies aboard. Dusk lifted a hand as they walked away down the dock. From the deck, he saw Sky wave back to him as they leaned over the railing.
Turning back to Tara he asked, “Do we want to buy everything today and get going or set off immediately?”
“Hmm, I’m not sure,” she replied, her hand on her chin. “What do you think Lex?”
Lex’s face dropped and Dusk glared at Tara. He knew what she was doing.
“Whatever you think is best will be fine,” he answered, nodding to Dusk without looking at him.
Tara clicked her tongue, glancing between the two of them. “Well, I think we should get the cart and horses today, then spend the night here. It will be nice to get a good night’s rest before we start trekking across the fucking country again.”
“Then I guess we should do that.”
“Why don’t you two go find horses and I’ll search for a cart?”
“Tara,” Dusk said calmly, but firmly, knowing exactly what she was trying to do. “Stop.”
She rolled her eyes, sighing as she did so. “Fine, we’ll go find the horses and the cart together.”
Tara led the way as the other two followed with Maribel in tow. Dusk made sure to put her between him and Lex so he didn’t have to look at him. He was getting annoyed with Tara always trying to force them together. She knew how he felt and that he didn’t want to forgive Lex just yet, but it didn’t matter to her. In fact, it didn’t seem to matter to anyone how betrayed Dusk felt, only that he needed to forgive Lex and get on with life. Even Juniper had said something similar, which still echoed through his mind any moment there wasn’t a thought immediately occupying it.
He felt himself growing angry and took a deep breath. Letting it out slowly he leaned against Maribel as he walked beside her, careful to keep out of the way of her hooves. The flowery smell had grown stronger in her fur, almost like she had been drenched in a perfume of some kind. It was strange, but somehow it eased the tension in his jaw. It was a soothing smell akin to lying in a field of wildflowers in high summer. He thought back to the stormy night on the rolling hills when he’d smelled it again, coming from a strange white creature in the distance. It had been weeks since then, but he still had no idea what it could have been. At first, he thought it’d been following them, but now that they had sailed halfway across the continent, it would never find them again even if it was looking.
Dusk let his thoughts drift for a while as he looked around the city, keeping on Tara’s heels the entire time. The buildings in Jirath Harbor were low and functional, a far cry from the beautiful white stonework of Calendia. Their wooden sides were weathered and gray, the thatched roofs showing signs of significant wear. It was easily five times the size of Watersedge, but it had a similar feel about it. The people were in no rush to do anything, but simply content with going about their everyday lives as if nothing would ever change. A few turned their heads as the group passed by, obviously strangers in these parts as they were the only ones armed. Most of the citizens wore simple linen clothing, stained and worn just like the buildings. Along the harbor side were a few businesses dedicated to incoming ships that needed restocking, but beyond that, it was nothing more than a simple fishing village.
After Tara had a quick conversation with a passing fisherman, she was pointed towards stables on the far eastern side of town. Within a few minutes, they found themselves in front of what looked like an old barn. Just beyond it the town ended, stretching into fields and trees as far as the eye could see. A fenced-in pasture connected to the back of the building and inside it were at least a dozen horses galloping through the tall grass. Dusk watched as they flew by, their manes billowing in the breeze. Maribel gave a soft whinny, catching their attention. The herd turned and came up to the edge of the fence, pawing at the ground and looking in Maribel's direction.
“That’s a fine animal you’ve got there,” a short man called as he stepped out of the barn, waving the three of them over.
Dusk took Maribel to the fence, letting her touch noses with the other horses, each taking turns sniffing at her excitedly. Some of them cried out as they caught her scent, almost as if they were elated by her presence.
“I wonder what’s gotten into them,” the man said, scratching the side of his neck.
“We’re in the market for a pair of horses and a cart,” Tara declared, taking command as usual.
“To rent or to buy?”
“To buy. We’re headed north to Birchwood.”
“That’s quite a journey,” he nodded. “You’ll be wanting a strong pair to take you that far. Or do you just need one since you already have your own?”
“Actually,” Dusk said, stepping around Maribel. “We need someone to take a look at her. She might be sick. She... she smells weird.”
The man cocked an eyebrow and stepped forward, leaning his head towards Maribel’s neck. He took a long sniff and straightened back up, a confused look on his face.
“That’s mighty odd,” he concluded. “Is she eating well? Drinking? Getting around okay?”
“Yes to all three.”
The man nodded, then turned back towards the barn, cupping his hands around his mouth. “Meadow! Come here and take a look at this horse,” he cried.
From out of the barn’s side door popped a tangled mass of brown hair. Inside of it was a young girl, probably no more than seventeen by Dusk’s estimation. She had golden brown skin and freckles across her nose. As she jogged over to them, her hair bouncing behind her.
“Meadow is my oldest girl,” the man said, gesturing to his daughter as she came up beside them. “She knows more about horses than anyone I’ve ever met. It’s like a sixth sense with her.” He turned to his daughter, smiling broadly. “Can you take a look at this one? Her smell is a bit off, but she’s getting along just fine.”
Meadow nodded, stepping up to Maribel, noticing the horses at the fence still stomping around excitedly. Dusk watched as she reached up and gently patted Maribel’s face, pulling it down so that they could look into each other’s eyes for a long moment. When they seemed to reach an understanding, Meadow leaned forward and sniffed the fur along her neck. Suddenly her eyes lit up. Pulling a piece of cord from her wrist, she reached up and tied her hair back, the ponytail poofing out behind her. She walked down to Maribel’s belly and pressed her ear against the fur, closing her eyes. After a moment she pulled away and turned back to her father, a big smile on her face.
Meadow then began a complicated set of gestures with her hands that Dusk had never seen before. He watched in awe as she formed one after another, each movement melting into the next.
“Slow down girl,” the man chuckled. “I can’t read it that fast.”
Meadow huffed audibly, her shoulders rising. She began again, this time going a bit slower than before, but not by much.
The man nodded, “Okay. Well that explains part of it.” He paused for a moment, watching her. “What? Are you sure?” Again he watched. “That can’t be true.”
Meadow stomped on the ground, gesturing something that Dusk could only assume was a reprimand for not believing her.
“Alright alright, I’ll ask them,” the man laughed, holding up his hands in mock defeat. He turned to the three of them, shrugging his shoulders. “She says that your horse is definitely pregnant, but she wants to know how it happened.”
“It was an accident,” Dusk sighed, looking at Meadow. “She was being kept by a farmer down in Watersedge and she escaped for two weeks. He didn’t tell us until we came to get her.”
Meadow started gesturing wildly at her father again.
“Okay, okay!” he responded. “I can’t believe I’m about to say this, but Meadow says your horse isn’t just pregnant. That smell is something very unique.” He paused, one eyebrow raised as he translated Meadow’s furious movements. “Apparently she’s convinced your animal has mated with a unicorn.”
From behind him, Dusk heard Tara whisper in Maribel’s direction, “Slut.”