This is part of the story from Plot #6
The sun glinted off the water like a million torches were beneath the waves. The rhythmic hum of the water hitting the boat was lulling peaceful as Rora tired to wake up. The day before had knocked her out. It was a challenge just to open her eyes. Sam was at the same place he had been, steering the boat, when she had fallen asleep.
He glanced over his shoulder and smiled, “Good morning, Sleeping Beauty,” he always thought that was a hoot, since she had the same name as the character.
She mumbled a greeting back as she squinted at the sun.
“You slept like a rock. Didn't even stir when the sharks nearly sank us.”
“What?!” she was wide awake now.
Sam laughed, “Just kidding.”
Rora threw her pillow at him, but he just caught it. She stood up and walked over to him, “Where are we?”
“According to the map,” he pulled the piece of paper out of his pocket, “we are closest to Dragonroost, but pretty much in the middle of no-where.”
“Not so,” she had unfolded the map and was looking at it, “There's a fairy island a mile or so that way,” she pointed to their right.
“Actually that maps kind of old. I heard that one got destroyed.”
“How do you destroy an island?” her tone was baffled.
“Have you ever been to a fairy island?”
“No, have you?”
He smiled shyly. She knew very well he hadn't, “No, but I've read about them. They're tiny; about half the size of my house. All they have on them is a hole in the ground covered by a shell shaped dome. They say that if you go down the hole, you can talk to the Queen of Fairies. If she appears to you that is. It has fairies fly all over it too.”
Rora was fascinated, “So, how do you destroy one?”
Sam smiled, the same one he always flashed when she showed interest in his random knowledge of things. She was one of the few people who did, which was probably one reason they were such good friends.
He continued, “You don't destroy the island so much as you do something to disgrace it so the queen destroys it herself. Some people refer to the Queen as one of the Great Light Bearers. And the fairy islands are like her little temples. So if you do anything disrespectful or dark on one,she'll get rid of it.”
“Does she make a new one?”
He shrugged, “I don't know.”
“Well, you think she would. A temple...” she stopped mid-sentence as she stared at something weird in the waves, “What's that?” she pointed to something floating in the water a ways off.
“It looks like an animal or something,” Sam stared at the water with her.
Rora jogged to the back of the boat an came back holding her telescope. She focused the glass and felt her stomach drop, “It's a person!”
Sam instantly steered the boat towards it, “Are you sure?”
“Yes!” her stomach turned. She really hopped they hadn't found a dead body.
As they got closer, they could see it was defiantely a person. He was lying unconscious across a broken piece of wood.
When they finally got close enough, Sam locked the helm and Rora helped him pull the body onto the boat. It was a man, a little older, if not the same age, as Sam. His clothes looked as if he'd come from a trader's ship.
Sam felt his pulse and started doing CPR and pumping the mans arms.
Rora knelt beside him, panic coating her stomach, “Is he dead?”
To answer her question, the man jolted awake, coughing water and gasping for air.
Relief washed over Sam's face, “Rora get him some water.”
she quickly got up and brought back a towel and their canteen. She gently tilted the man's head up and he greedily drank the fresh water.
She slowly put his head back down, “Are you alright?” it was a rather pointless question. He was breathing heavily and he still didn't seem to know what was happening. He had salt crusted in the corner of his eyes and mouth and his skin looked pasty.
Sam studied the pattern stitched on his soaked shirt, “I think he's from a trading ship,” echoing Rora's earlier thought, “It looks like first mate too.”
The man's eyes started to flutter open and he tried to sit up.
“Whoa there,” Rora softly pushed him back down, “Take it easy. Let's get him to a more comfortable spot.”
They pulled him over to her cot and she placed a blanket over him.
His eyes started to open again. He turned his head towards Rora and for two long seconds his pleading eyes bore into hers before he slipped into unconsciousness again.
* * *
A couple of hours later, Rora sat on the very front of the boat while Sam stood at the helm behind her.
“Do you think he fell over board?” Sam broke the silence.
Rora couldn't help giggling, “Well, I don't think they threw him, if that's what you mean.”
The giggle was a refreshing break from the heavy worry that hung in the air. They had changed the man into some of Sam's dry clothes and cleaned up his wounds. Considering they had found him in the middle of the ocean, he was surprisingly unscathed. But he still hadn't woken up.
“You never know,” Sam counted jokingly, “he may have been working with pirates who made him walk the plank.”
Rora reached back and hit his leg playfully, “Shush. If he herd you he'd think his rescue team were judgmental blokes.”
A groan came from the back and they turned to see their survivor waking up.
Sam helped him sit up. He looked completely confused and when he spoke his voice was hoarse, “Where am I?”
Rora handed him a cup of water and he gratefully took it, drinking it all in one gulp, “In the middle of the ocean,” She didn't feel like reciting their coordinates, even if she knew them.
“We found you floating on a piece of wood and pulled you onto our boat,” Sam clarified.
The man looked at them questioningly, “Who's we?”
“I'm Aurora Waters and this is Sam Ison.”
“I'm Adam Hands.” He shook Rora's hand. He seemed surprised she was doing the greetings rather then Sam.
Now that he was clean up, she could tell that he was probably a few years older then Sam. He had chocolate brown eyes and hair that matched. He had a strong build and was rather good looking.
“Can you remember what happened?” Sam sounded like a doctor as he interrupted her thoughts.
Adam nodded, “Our ship was attacked. I must have gone over board during the battle. So I guess technically I was thrown off,” he smiled playfully at Rora, “but don't worry, I don't think of you as a judgmental blokes.”
She felt her face go red while Sam just laughed, “Guess you weren't as knocked out as we thought.”
He smiled, “No, but close. How long was I asleep?”
Rora had finally stopped blushing and spoke up, “It's only been a few hours since we pulled you into the boat. When was the battle?”
“What day is it?”
“Tomorrow the summer solstice.”
He nodded, “That sounds about right. That means that battle was only last night.”
“Well that must mean your ship is still close,” Sam said
“If they survived...” Adams face suddenly went dark as he seemed to suddenly think of something, “I pray to the heavens Mary is alright.”
“Who's Mary?” Rora asked softly.
“The bravest woman you'll ever meet,” his face glowed just saying it, “and my betrothed.”
“Congratulations.”
“Thank you.”
“What ship were you on?” Sam asked, bringing back the tension she was trying to get rid of.
“The Sand Dollar. Captained by Jack Morgings,” Adam answered.
Sam's eyes widened, “Isn't that the world famous trader?”
“Yes. One of his best ships too.”
Rora had never heard of him, but she was suddenly hopeful, “Well then they must have survived.”
Adam's eyes grew dark and his voice was a whisper, “You don't know what they were up against.”
Rora wanted to ask exactly what it was that attacked them, but he suddenly looked tired and she felt like they weren't helping him heal.
“Sam,” she said suddenly, “why don't we ask him more questions after he's rested some more? We're wearing him out before he can get better.”
Adam started to protest, “No, it's alright-”
“No,” Rora stood up, “don't take it personally, but you look terrible. You need to rest.”
“But before you do,” Sam interjected, “Which way was your ship headed?”
Adam got that he needed to know which way to steer the boat while he slept, “They were headed north-west, but that may have changed with the battle.”
Sam nodded, “At least it's something to go on.”
“Now sleep,” Rora ordered.
He smiled at Sam, “Is she always this demanding?”
“Usually,” Sam laughed.
Rora felt her face go red again, but she just rolled her eyes and walked away.
