A Warrior's Dance

IV - Sunstone

The drum’s beat made Hilmer feel the unsettling emotion he was trying to avoid. If they would be asking him, he never wanted to see the Valkan Captain again. Uninvited memories rummaged his head and he had enough on his plate to entertain another problem.

But the blacksmith knew this would happen. The day would come where he had to face his old friend once again and deal with it.

Hilmer blinked back his tears, swallowing the pain in seeing Lady Avery marry Nari, the second-in-command captain. Maybe it wasn’t in his fate to marry a lady, or even to live with one. Someday, he knew little Sanne would leave him too.

He just hoped it wouldn’t be that day.

****

Sanne watched as the wedding ceremony unfolded before her innocent eyes. No beauty could be compared with Lady Avery’s face, full of compassion and kindness, her grace rivaling that of royal princesses. She knew her dear father love the lady but she couldn’t quite comprehend why Avery was getting married to a stranger.

In all honesty, she wanted her to be her mama.

The Valkan captain was the one who married them, his bulky physique told Sanne he really was fit to be a Sea King, as what everyone had named him as. There were inks engraved in his skin, shimmering like glitters, another trophy they earned whenever they killed an enemy or conquered a land. His voice was deep as he uttered the Valkan’s language.

The captain’s brother, on the other hand, looked boyish and slender, not as good-looking as Sanne’s father. She bit her lip from insulting the second-in-command captain, but to her, she was just plainly stating facts.

“Isn’t it a beautiful wedding?” Vera commented, eyes fixed on Lady Avery. The bride’s white silky dress hugged every curves on her body, illuminating her sun-kissed skin.

“I’d call it beautiful only if I could understand what they were saying.” Sanne sighed to herself.

Danza, duulakh, duujin.

“Dance, sing, swing,” said a familiar voice.

Sanned turned at her back, seeing Aza lingering behind them. Like his sister, his focus was on the ceremony, as he translated the Valkan wedding vow.

Yavakh le onde.

“Ride the waves,” he continued.

Nar mandakh. Siamo ora neg bol negdmel.

“And bow to the sun. We are now united as one.”

Io saro tuo ild ba jad. Tu sarai mio altam titem.

“I will be your sword and spear. You will be my golden crown.”

Ora e oltre.

Aza then looked down at her. “Now and beyond.”

Sanne’s lips curved into smile, her eyes wide with fascination. “That was beautiful.”

Aza just bowed his head a little as an acknowledgement and walked away without a word.

****

Hilmer forced himself walked toward the Sea King, carefully holding the cutlass he made. He walked past Lady Avery and Nari, trying his best to display a vacant face.

Raq, a fearless captain of the Valkans, gestured his hand to welcome him. His long hair was laid at his back, some strands were prettily braided. He had long eye lashes, deep set of eyes and his newly trimmed beard added a soft edge on his feature.

“Hilmer,” the captain greeted.

The blacksmith presented his gift. “Accept this as a sign of good fortune, my captain.”

“And it is you, who forged this cutlass?” Raq asked, his voice low and even.

Hilmer nodded. “I found a sunstone and engraved it in the sword’s hilt. It is said that sunstone is a symbol of great leadership.”

Raq kept his gaze to Hilmer, not once casting a look on the blacksmith’s gift. He held questions in his eyes, words he couldn’t easily say out loud. Hilmer stood his ground, awaiting the captain’s dismissal.

“Father!”

Both men turned to see who it was. Vera had a smile on her lips, running toward the Sea King, followed by Sanne, mirroring her joy. The little girl stopped as she noticed Lady Avery, bowing her head to greet her.

Panic seemed to kick Hilmer to his gut, seeing his daughter approach them.

“Lady Avery looked so beautiful tonight, father,” Sanne commented as she held his huge hand. Her curious eyes landed on Raq. She was trapped whether to be scared or not.

“Hush, Sanne,” Hilmer whispered. “My apologies, my captain- “

“Is it her?” he asked silently, unable to lift his gaze on Sanne.

For a moment, nobody interrupted, nobody spoke, as if everyone knew the story behind. But the truth they knew was nothing but lies, forged to protect the innocents. Hilmer tightened his grip into his daughter’s hand, swallowing the lump in his throat.

It took him a moment before answering. “Yes.”

Relief seemed to wash over the captain’s body, a mixture of awe and surprise and sadness swirled inside his head. He never wished to see the little girl yet he felt a sudden rush of elation seeing her alive.

Vera finally broke her silence. “Father, Sanne saved me from being attack by a boar!”

“I killed a boar!” Sanne burst out proudly. “That I did!”

The Sea King started to laugh at her proud outburst, exchanging a knowing look with Hilmer. Her father smiled as well, seeing the girl’s mother in her again.

“Eej shigee,” Raq muttered to himself as he shook his head. Just like her mother.

Sanne furrowed, not again understanding their language. Hilmer, on the other hand, bowed his head. He agreed to what Raq said.

After each house presented their gifts to the Sea King and to the newly united couple, they filled themselves with the foods of the wedding and watched the entertainer’s dance. In the midst of it all, Raq invited Hilmer to dine with him on the high table. At his back were maidens of war, women he got from other races and tribes.

“Eat,” Raq said, his tone with great authority. He motioned his hand to one of the maids and the old woman hurriedly placed newly roast chicken and potatoes on Hilmer’s plate. “Get him beef. Lamb and wine.”

And again, the maid obeyed.

“Thank you,” the blacksmith murmured, but didn’t touch anything yet. His stomach felt full even though he only had wine when the wedding started.

“Come with us,” the captain said after a while. “Ride the waves with us again.”

Hilmer looked at him, gauging how serious his offer was.

“It’s not an offer, my friend,” Raq muttered. He turned to his maids and to other valkans on the table, ordering them to leave.

“What about my daughter?” he whispered. Sickness started to brew in his stomach. The idea of Sanne mingling with the valkans terrified him.

“My brother and his wife will stay here.” Raq sipped his wine, eyes fixated on his old friend. “You can leave her or bring her with us. I’ll it to you. You’re a voyager by blood, my friend. You belong in a sail, not in little cabin.”

Hilmer shook his head, pushing the lump forming in his throat. “I am not. I am a blacksmith.”

“You are too,” Raq agreed as he leaned closer to him. “But I will be needing you when I land my ships to Port City.”

Hilmer waited for the man to continue.

Raq’s face shifted. “One of my spies informed me where I can find the mad witch. She’s inside the palace. Hiding.”

Chill bloomed into Hilmer’s skin upon hearing that. He could sense the yearning and bitterness in the captain’s words. “You still believe that the boy is alive?” he asked in low tone, not letting anybody hear it.

“Without a doubt. I still hear his cries. His pain.”

“But we aren’t welcome in the palace.” Hilmer could detect something more in the captain’s plan. “Those royal bloods can see it as trouble, my captain. You know how they think, how they interpret things.”

Captain Raq hit the wooden table so hard the glasses clanked and fell down at the impact. That silenced Hilmer, as well as the guests near them. Captain Raq was known for having a bad temper. Thick air dawned on them, momentarily snatching the smiles pasted on their faces.

“I promised my wife on her deathbed that I will find our boy and place him where he belongs,” he seethed. “He is a valkan! He belongs with us, and not to those p***y royals who declare themselves as god!”

Hilmer breathe heavily. He tried hard not to push the captain to the edge but end up doing so.

“We sail at dawn.” Raq poured himself a wine and swallowed it. With that, the captain stood up and walked away, leaving everyone terrified, except for Sanne.