The Righteous Way

Chapter 13

He kept pushing forward listening to Isabelle’s screams. Something grabbed the back of his shirt keeping him from swimming farther. He looked back to see James trying to hold him. “Don’t be a fool, we can’t catch him!” James shouted, spewing the seawater from his mouth.

“We have to! I will not leave her!”

“And I won’t let you die in vain! She’s gone Alex , there’s nothing we could have done!”

Alex watched the boat disappear and felt the overwhelming dread enter him. James pulled himself and his friend along the rope he’d tied to the ship until they were at the side. James pulled himself up followed by Alex .

James went to the helm and steered the ship east towards the shore. He locked the wheel and went to sit with his companion who laid on the deck in agony over the loss. “There was nothing to do, he would have killed her,”

“And we condemn her to a fate worse than death? To be some pirate’s slave?”

James wasn’t sure what to say, he too was feeling the loss of Isabelle weigh on his heart. They’d known her only a short few months, but she grew to be loved by them. “She’s strong,” was all he could say before going below deck to check on Scarlett who was still sleeping.

James almost tripped over the body of the man he’d beaten earlier. A pool of blood filled the floor. The man was dead. James hauled him up and tossed him overboard cursing at himself for killing what could have been a lead.

After a few hours Alex came down to check on him. He and Scarlett were sleeping. James ’s arms holding her tightly as though he were afraid to let her go. The scene of compassion brought a little comfort to his troubled heart. He quietly closed the door to let them sleep. He returned to the wheel and guided the ship east towards land.

James awoke to a sudden shudder of the ship. He sat upright and dashed from the bed. When he reached the deck he noticed they weren’t moving. “Sorry if I woke you,” Alex said from the helm, “I seem to have run aground.”

James looked left and right to see the beach where the ship was now stranded. He started to chuckle, “Only by a slight margin.” Alex met him and they went to gather supplies from the storage. Once packed with food, water and a few coins James had appropriated, they went to Scarlett. She was awake, lying on her side. “Where’s Isabelle?” she asked with a weakened voice,

“Gone,” said Alex , “The captain took her hostage, we failed,”

“We did not fail, we simply had no options,” James retorted. Scarlett’s thoughts were evident as tears ran down her face. “Can you walk?” Alex asked,

“I can,” she stood up and stumbled for a moment before getting her bearings. James handed her cloak and weapons over. “We found these in the hold,”

“Thank you.”

Scarlett donned her equipment and followed the men up and off the ship. Alex felt relieved when he felt the earth beneath him again. He moved down the beach while James and Scarlett followed. None of them could find anything to say. All of their minds were on Isabelle and fearing the worst. James was the first to break the silence.

“For our dear Isabelle we will search with our lives,” he sang quietly, Alex then picked up: “Giving blood to the rivers and shouts to the skies,” After hearing the battle hymn from Alex many times the trio knew it by heart. Scarlett continued: “Let all heed our warning in lands near and far,” They all looked at each other: “Isabelle is our daughter and we’ll never depart!”

They weren’t sure how many times they sang it over and over, but when they finished it was dark and their voices hoarse. When they set up camp they set their beds closer than usual. Alex was the first to sleep while James and Scarlett stayed up staring at the sky. James held out his hand to Scarlett and she took it.

The day before she wasn’t sure whether she was going to live or die among the crowd of vile seaward men. When she saw James during the rescue she wasn’t sure if she was dreaming or not until she woke up to him holding her on the cot. It was at that moment she realized how fond of him she was. She felt the breeze chill her skin and she wrapped herself tighter in her fur cloak.

In the morning they all packed up with haste and continued on their journey. They were close to a village and Alex was anxious to see if they might by chance come upon the captain there. The three of them almost jogged the whole way along the road and when they came to gates they scattered throughout the town searching. As each member checked every inn, tavern, shop, nook and cranny their hearts were heavy.

Scarlett stepped into a clothing shop, but the only person inside was the keeper. She was about to turn to leave when she saw an outfit. She looked down at her own clothing or as James would constantly point out the lack thereof. She purchased the new fitting and replaced her current clothing with it.

After their search Scarlett met them at the local inn where Alex was negotiating work for rooms. “What do you think?” Scarlett asked. James turned around and saw the tunic. It was belted at the waist and extended to her knees. “You certainly look ravishing,” James blurted,

“Very nice, maybe now James won’t stare so much when you’re not looking,” Alex teased causing James to punch his arm. Scarlett laughed, but quickly stifled it ashamed to feel any joy in such circumstance.

“It’s nice to hear laughter again,” Alex encouraged her. Once the three of them had assigned jobs from the innkeeper they took to their tasks. Scarlett waited tables, James cleaned and organized the kitchen and Alex went out to the stables to feed the horses.

When he returned James and Scarlett were waiting for him at a table with three plates of food set for them. “We didn’t want to start without you,” said Scarlett as she clasped her hands. James did the same as Alex sat down to ask a blessing upon the food. Each said their own and then began to eat away.

“What do we do tomorrow?” James asked with his mouth full of food,

“We do what we always do,” Alex answered, “We’ll live one day at a time, but now with the purpose of finding Isabelle,”

James raised his tankard, “For Isabelle!”

“For Isabelle!” shouted the other two as they all tapped their mugs and drank.

James reached into his satchel and tossed an apple to Scarlett. She no longer wore her cloak as her new attire was warm enough in the afternoon sun. It now sat strapped and tightly rolled on her back along with her bow and quiver.

“What’s this for?” she asked James as she caught the apple,

“Nothing, just thought I’d share my good fortune,” he answered while tossing another one to Alex , “What’s the fun in spending coin if I can’t share.”

Alex took his apple and gave it a look over. “Your generosity is appreciated,” he said before taking a large bite. When they were done eating they tossed the cores on the roadside. “So where are we headed?” Scarlett asked,

“If my map is correct this road should lead to Doranth,” Alex answered,

“Doranth? The holy city?” James asked, “Why would we go there?”

“It’s along our way,”

“Yes, but couldn’t we just skip by?”

“What’s wrong James ,” Scarlett teased, “Afraid of a few religious types?”

“Of course not, but I’m not the biggest fan of The Church, all their talking of hell and damnation, it gets tiring,”

“But isn’t that what we believe in... or at least Alex and I?”

“It’s the way they teach it, narrowminded and prideful, like everyone but they are sinners,”

“But we are all sinners,”

“Is there no hope then? And if there’s no hope then why lend ourselves to their ways?”

“But there is hope, they teach of a man who was perfect and took upon himself our sins, but we must be found worthy first,”

“Sounds like you’ve been to a few sermons,”

“My father was a pious man, he taught me when I was a child,”

“But do you really trust them? The Church I mean. If men’s hearts are so easy to corrupt then could not a priest take advantage of his station?”

“Why so much curiosity James ?” Alex asked,

“I find no comfort entertaining the idea of being surrounded by men and women who do nothing but judge and preach of my going to hell,”

“You’re not alone, I too have many questions about how they teach, but I believe their principles are sound.”

James shrugged knowing that debating theology would be a waste of time with his companions. They continued walking for another hour before hearing a commotion from behind. All three turned and noticed a wagon pulled by two horses barreling down the way. At the reigns was a man wearing a priest’s tunic. He was panicking as the horses ran full speed towards the trio.

James and Scarlett dove out of the way while Alex tossed his belongings to the side. He started running in the path of the wagon and it gained on him quickly. At the last moment, he jumped landing on the shaft between the horses. He then straddled the left one. He yelled for the priest to drop the reigns and he did so.

Alex gripped the horse by the mane and began to tug lightly while putting his face against it. It began to slow and the right horse followed eventually stopping. Alex stepped down and patted each horse.