“Hey, how are you doing?” she asked.
Eldana looked up at her.
“Fine.” She replied. “You?”
“I have seen worse,” Siem said.
Eldana gave her an inquisitive stare. “Are you sure about that?”
Siem chuckled. “No.”
Still staring at Eldana, she asked: “What was that about?”
“What?” Eldana asked.
“You were talking to someone during the storm. I was scared. I had thought that you had been struck with madness, and wanted to rush to your side, to restrain you if it came to it. But if I had let my hands off the ship, I would have gone overboard.”
Siem’s hands were on her friend’s shoulder as she looked Eldana over.
“I am grateful you did not,” Eldana said. “Or I would have lost a friend to those arrogant gods.”
Siem’s eyes widened.
“You mean, they talk to you?” she asked. “Camin and Lowus?”
“Yes,” Eldana said, nodding for emphasis.
“Who did you talk to?”
Eldana and Siem turned to find Mikko standing above them in the company of Hermon, and D’rmas.
“Please, Mikko”, Siem pleaded, “I am not sure that now is the time.”
“It is okay,” Eldana said, placing a hand on her shoulder. “They should know. Their lives are on the line just as yours and mine are.”
Eldana looked up at them all with a deep sigh before relating what she had heard. “During the storm, I was visited by the gods.” She said.
Mikko’s mouth parted.
“The gods?” D’rmas questioned. “You mean…”
“Camin and Lowus, yes,” Eldana said.
“This is serious, Eldana.” Hermon said. “Very serious.”
“Yeah,” Eldana said. “You do not get to be meat for the gods and escape their throats too easily.”
D’rmas sighed.
“And I should say this. To all of you. Irrespective of how long we have known each other.” Eldana looked intently at Hermon and Siem while saying this. “Camin and Lowus said that if I continued on this path, I would die, and so will the rest of you” she looked intently at Siem, and Hermon, “and you have both become like, parts of my own body, that I cannot lose. I have known you, D’rmas and Mikko, since the Middle Kingdom a few months ago, and you have stuck to this mission even to your peril. But now, I must say that I cannot have any of your blood on my hands.”
“What are you saying, Eldana?” Hermon asked.
“I am saying,” Eldana said letting her eyes go from one to the other, “that I have to do this alone. I cannot let any of you die for my sake. I am getting to the close of all of this. I can feel it deep in my bones.”
The sound of Siem’s laughter followed as soon as Eldana was done with her address. The sound of the laughter grew and grew until it became a guffaw. Siem heaved spasmodically, and placed a hand to her stomach, to soothe it from aching.
Eldana watched helplessly, and so did the rest of them. Although Hermon and Mikko did have the suspicion of amusement on their faces. Finally, after it had looked like she would never stop, Siem sighed audibly and looked at Eldana.
“How much of a fool can you be?” she asked her.
Eldana stared.
Siem turned to face the others. “D’rmas.” She called. “Were you forced to come along with us?”
“Certainly not.” He replied. “I came along at the promise of payment when my contract was complete. Even though I knew that this looked like a fool’s cause and that I would likely not be getting any payment from it at all!”
At the mention of his not getting any payment, Hermon perked up.
“I cannot renege on my word, D’rmas.” He said, earnestness and confidence creeping on to his face. “I am a berserker of the royal five. You will get your payment.”
Mikko was so flushed with amusement, he could barely withhold his chuckle.
“Oh, serious and mighty, a man of his inexorable word. What D’rmas, our good friend here is trying to say is that he does not need a contract. He works with us now, as a friend. Do I reflect your thoughts, D’rmas?” Mikko looked at the Free Warrior.
D’rmas grunted in affirmation and nodded.
“See?” Mikko said.
“Ah,” Hermon said, flushing with embarrassment.
“I did not know that,” Siem said. “Are you seeing this, Eldana? He willingly chose to come along, even though he knew this was a fool’s cause.”
She turned to Mikko. “And did anyone force you, Mikko?” she asked.
Mikko wanted to tell her that he had come along with them because of her, and was still in it, well partly, because of her. But he shook his head in the negative instead.
Now is not the time, he thought.
Siem faced Eldana. “And this is after he had been taken by the elves for being with us.”
She turned back. “I should ask Hermon.” She said, “but that would also mean asking myself. Since we three have been together for such a long time.”
Eldana had long since gotten the purpose of the lecture and was feeling embarrassed about what she had said.
Siem faced her finally. “None of us are children, Eldana. You did not twist our ears till we cried and force us to come with you. We chose this. Do you hear it? We.”
Siem and Eldana exchanged stares in silence until Eldana looked away. “Now, I do not want to hear another word from you about this. We have a being of Balance and Chaos to meet.”
Eldana smiled awkwardly, her embarrassment clear on her face. “Come here,” Siem said, widening her arms for an embrace.
Eldana walked into it and buried her face deep in Siem’s shoulders. Hermon, touched by the show
