Oh, Dragon, I beseech thee,
Take his body, broken and battered
To where he may rest.
Go, oh dearest beloved,
Far, far away from this turbulent land.
Oh,
I shall love thee
Until my dying breath.
The delicate tune of the mandolin faded. Maxi laid her head on Riftan’s shoulder as she savored the lingering mood on the deck. It was not so long ago that she had danced in the fields of Anatol, yet now it felt like a distant memory.
The knights burst into applause when the song ended. Maxi followed suit, showering the young sailor in praise.
“Wh-What a wonderful performance. It was different…from the one I heard at the festival.”
“Each region has its own version, my lady. There are several verses, and the part I played for you is the second verse. This one comes down from Gillian, the old capital of the Roem Empire. Did you not like the lyrics, my lady?”
Maxi shook her head. “It was…a beautiful song.”
“I’m glad to hear it, my lady.” The sailor executed a respectful bow, his arm pressed horizontally across his abdomen.
Riftan paused eating his soup to fish out a denar from his pocket and toss it to the brightly smiling sailor. “Your reward for making my wife happy. Entertain her with songs she might like whenever you are free.”
“It would be my pleasure, great sir.” The sailor’s mouth stretched like a half-moon at the unexpected, hefty tip.
Riftan placed his empty bowl on the floor and urged Maxi to eat her meal. The pale light of day had taken over the sky by the time Maxi finished her soup. She rose and gazed out at the silvery-white sunlight reflecting on the dark blue sea for a while before they retired to their cabin.
Riftan caressed her cheek as they reached the door. “You should get some more sleep. We should be out of danger by high noon.”
“Are you…not tired, Riftan?”
A faint smile tugged at his lips at her concern. “This is nothing. Don’t worry about me. Try to get some rest.” Lowering his head, he planted a light kiss on her forehead, then closed the cabin door.
Maxi smiled bitterly. Rest and not worry about him? He clearly did not know that he was asking for the impossible. She stared out of the porthole at the swelling waters. The ship forged ahead, cutting through the water. For a long time, the crashing waves were the only thing to fill the stifling silence.
The sirens’ rock face was now just a hazy shape on the horizon that eventually disappeared. Safely out of siren territory, the bone-weary sailors retreated below deck to sleep. The knights also disarmed and rested. Riftan alone remained vigilant, going back up to the bridge to speak with the captain. It was sunset by the time he returned to the cabin to remove his armor and take a proper meal.
“We should reach the banks of the Chrysanth River by tomorrow morning at the latest. From there it is half a day’s journey upriver to Levan.”
Maxi’s heart sank.
Gulping down ale, Riftan continued impassively. “It’s usually busy, but the legion of trolls encamped above the city might make for an unpleasant atmosphere within the city. The people might be wary, but do not mind them.”
“Do you think…the threat would reach the c-capital?”
“That will never happen,” he said coolly. He finished wolfing down the hearty platter prepared for them and began munching on an apple.
“The monsters will not be able to move farther south. We will reclaim the castles they have taken, and we’ll rescue the initial party. You will only need to stay at the monastery for a few months.” He tossed the apple seeds through the porthole and licked the juice from his fingers. Though he appeared as relaxed as a tiger lounging atop a rock, tense determination glinted in his eyes.
“I’ll not make you wait long. I will end the battle before the start of Etherias and get us back to Anatol.”
Maxi’s throat constricted. It was still the beginning of Ignisias. It seemed even her confident husband was expecting a months-long battle.
When Riftan felt her trembling, he pulled her onto his lap and held her close. Maxi burrowed into his arms like a child awoken from a nightmare. She could not believe that they would be separated starting tomorrow. She wound her arms around his neck and held him in a suffocating embrace. Riftan buried his face in her hair. There was a chill in the cabin, and when Riftan breathed in her scent, she felt his warm breath moisten her cold nape.
“Promise…y-you will return for me as soon as possible,” said Maxi, her forehead on his shoulder.
There was a moment of silence.
“I promise.”
It was almost imperceptible, but Riftan was also shaking. He hoisted Maxi up and laid her on the bed. The heat between them rose as he dotted her neck with feathery kisses and stroked her swollen breasts through her thin garment. His wet lips wandered between her collarbone and the hollow of her bosom before climbing up to swallow her lips.
Swept up in the melting heat, Maxi closed her eyes.
