Forlaith: The Attack

March 13

I have waited hours to write this down in the hopes that my hands would stop shaking. It hasn’t happened yet. I just hope this is legible. Though it might not be such a bad thing if it isn’t legible.

I thought getting lost on the island was the worst that could happen to me—until I reach the mainland, of course.

I was very wrong.

Today I was in the narrow corridor that connects the necessary to the few small cabins on the ship. The others were up on deck, enjoying our first calm afternoon in days. I went to fetch a warmer shawl for Oswyn, and down in that corridor I discovered I wasn’t alone.

I have no idea what that sailor was doing near our cabins. In general, the sailors are not permitted in our part of the ship. His very presence put me on edge, but I did my best not to show it. I nodded to him, as politely as I could, and ducked into our cabins. I was just beginning to rummage through Oswyn’s trunk when I heard the door creak open. I jerked up, hitting my head on the top bunk.

Before I could turn around and confront the sailor for entering our private cabin, he was on me, pushing me over the edge of the lower bunk.

I’m sorry, I cannot write more of this. I will just say that, praise the gods, I was saved before he could ruin me. Aleksandru, the first mate of the ship, heard my screaming from his cabin and came to my rescue.

I’m sure I don’t need to tell you the tumult that resulted. As much as I would have liked to keep the incident to ourselves, Alek insisted on calling Ardythe. This meant Ardythe, Marcys, Haddock, and all the women came rushing down to our tiny cabin, filling every space. I was curled up on the lower bunk, doing my best to not be seen.

Based on the pain in my cheek and arm, I knew I would have a new set of bruises from the attack. It seemed as though I couldn’t get a chance to heal from one incident before something else happened.

The large crowed clamored in, each one trying to speak over the other. I saw the sailor dragged out by Marcys and Haddock. I knew what would happen to him for assaulting me, but I couldn’t bring myself to care. May the gods forgive me, I did nothing to save his life. Even from within our noisy cabin, I could hear his mighty scream as he was thrown overboard.

Ardythe, Marcys, and Haddock returned instantly and the noise in the cabin increased as Ardythe began barking orders which no one seemed to be obeying. Finally, when I thought I would scream, I heard a high pitch voice carry over the others.

“SILENCE,” the voice shouted. I turned my head to see Rownet standing on one of the trunks and glowering down at everyone.

In the silence that followed, I heard someone crying and belatedly realized it was me.

“This is the last thing Forlaith needs right now. Everyone, and I mean everyone,” here she glared at Oswyn, “out. I will report to you, father, once I’ve ascertained how she is, but I cannot do that with an audience.”

I rolled back, away from their probing stares and let the tears roll down my cheeks and onto Oswyn’s blankets. From where I lay, I listened to them silently march out of the room. Two thuds indicated Rownet had hopped down off the trunk.

“Forlaith, dear. Can you roll over?”

I obeyed, and without thinking about it, I threw myself into her arms.

I have been gravely mistaken about Rownet. I may not understand her reaction to our new circumstances, but she is a truly kind heart. She let me cry myself out, not saying a word or demanding I talk about it. When I was beginning to run out of tears and grow sleepy, she lowered me onto the pillows on Oswyn’s bed.

“I’m sure you don’t want to talk about it, and that’s fine, but I need to know a few things.”

I nodded mutely.

“Did he succeed?”

I shook my head.

“Good. That’s good. Are you hurt anywhere? I see a bruise on your cheek.”

I pulled the sleeve of my dress up so that she could see the bruise on my arm where he had grabbed me.

“Anywhere else?”

I shook my head again.

“Okay. Sleep. Alek is standing guard in the hall. No one will come down here, except me, okay?”

I nodded one last time before drifting off to sleep.

True to her word, Rownet was the only one to enter our cabin until night fell and the women returned to sleep. Oswyn didn’t say a word about me being in her bed, and after a little shuffling, each person found a bed, leaving me where I was.

I cried myself back to sleep.

Forlaith