Aries Fire (5 page)

“A pox on your manhood,” she said. 

A swell rolled the ship and her legs suddenly gave way.  She almost forgot that she was on the water. Seira was queasy.  She hated the smell of moldy, wet wood.

Seira placed the bucket near her cot and lay on her side. She was trapped in a small hot tomb and everything smelled of fish and mold. 

I just wanted to see it.  Was that too much to ask? 

She had seen naked children, but a man must look… bigger.

“I just wanted to see it!” She screamed and reached for the empty waste bucket.

A second’s thought and she threw the bucket at the door. His manhood is probably diseased and worm eaten.

She could do nothing except resign herself to her cot. She licked the scrape on her right palm. She could endure confinement. It was all a matter of concentrating on something else.

I’m not trapped.  There’s a door not six paces from me. 

She had to believe she had a choice or she would go mad. 

The heat overwhelmed her, like a grain bin she once hid in as a child.  The servants had searched for hours but didn’t think to look in a small confined space.  That would have been so unlike their mistress. After her trick wore off when the door latch jammed, Seira went properly mad with fear.  She couldn’t get out and Seira shrieked until the house guards found her.  The Academy physician was called to sedate her with his most potent potions reserved for women in labor.  Confined spaces were, from that time on, used as a threat to Seira, a form of punishment if she refused to obey her tutors or governess.

Little sympathy was given to Seira.  She was expected to use her mind to overcome any and all obstacles.  She silently harbored hate at how her vulnerabilities, once exposed, were used as a weapon against her.  

Her eyelids drooped from the heat of her claustrophobic cabin. She pretended she lay in her bed at her mother’s house.  Wide sweeping breezes waved past her silk curtains and caressed her body, free.  She drifted like the ship on the sea and finally fell to sleep.

Somewhere in the desert I was joined by my mother, grandfather, house servants, and all of my mother’s students. We assembled in a strong wooden temple.  It was night and everyone faced the altar.  What caught my attention was our manner of dress. We all wore some style of silver and ocean blue.  The blue was striking.  I wore a liquidy dress with a silver insignia that I couldn’t identify; two triangular shapes set opposite each other tied together with some shape of ribbon.  There was a compassionate and familiar feeling in this place.  Our time inside the temple ended and I was led outside, in communal silence, to the most amazing sight.  Above us was the moon, full and powerful.  It nearly encompassed our total vision. 

“Why are we here?” I asked.

My mother pointed to the sky and before us were two gallant…Sheiks?…on horses. One dressed in white with a purple, skirting stola.  He had a tall, white crown with two peaks on his head.  The other man’s long hair flew violently in the air. As they neared us, I noticed that the one in white appeared holy, but was in fact devoid of kindness. He rode a stout, camel-colored horse of an unfamiliar breed. The dark warrior sat upon a black stallion, almost blending in with the black night. They engaged in battle right there in the sky.  The clanking of their swords thundered and the sound split my head.

Their horses bucked and resisted the blows and I thought, ‘one of them will fall.’  The man on the black horse turned so that the moon lit his face. He looked ugly and depraved; black eyes and black hair on his face.  Strangely, my silent encouragement lay with him.  He couldn’t be evil if I championed his cause. Suddenly the man on the white horse fell, struck by a deadly blow.  He crashed to earth and was about to be absorbed by the sand when I felt a tugging sensation on my heart. I began to sink as well.  The dark man vanished into the air and I screamed to him for help.  A hand appeared from the sky and lifted me up.  Everyone else vanished.

A tall, thin, bald man appeared from the East wearing naught but a gray garment draped over his shoulder. He escorted me to a dirt road. His mannerisms were unlike any I had seen.

“Here is the path you will take,” he said to me. “The next twelve generations will know by which route you’ve come. You must not stray from the stars. Make no star your God. We will meet again where the lotus blossom blooms.” He was gone.

I walked upon this road with others unknown until I found myself seated on a vehicle of strange origin. As long as twenty carriages fastened together, sitting atop many odd looking black wheels, seats neatly arranged inside with portals all around.  A man led the coach somehow. To my surprise, no horses were needed to drive it.

Seira awoke startled and immersed in sweat, with that strange drama still being played before her mind.  She groped for the water basin and splashed her face.  Once she found her writing tablet, she copied an account into her journal. She also made a note to account for her ink and paper supply.

Seira’s stomach grumbled for food.  She searched her shoulder sack and unwrapped dried figs, crusty bread, strong cheese, and strips of leathery meat. 

“Whew, this smells of a dog’s ass. What was that fool thinking?  I hate dried meat.” 

She threw down the meat and ate the cheese smashed between crusts of bread.

“Chew, chew, chew, sang the sail-ors.

I’ve got some bread, to feed my head. 

And once on lannnd…

I’ll get me to a TAILL-or.” 

Satisfied with her newly written song and with food in her belly, she felt less like a confined, hungry animal.

Seira knelt on the cot and peered out of the portal. The night was glorious.  The diamond stars hung low and sparkled.  She had to have a better look.

Poseidon’s son, Busiris, was kind to her.  The ocean undulated, but not so much that her stomach revolted. It was easier to maneuver now without falling over.  She crept to her door and listened for the slightest sound. She heard only Lem’s snores.  Seira gently, slowly opened the door to peek.  Lem lay on the floor, on his side, with his back to her. 

She needed to get past him and found herself straddled, each leg on opposite sides of him.  He suddenly twitched in his sleep and turned on his back, spit drooled from his open mouth. She froze. Seira bit her lip and wondered what he’d say if he saw her nakedness beneath her white silken tunic.  She almost wanted that, just to see his reaction.  This was an intriguing position.  One she had heard about from freethinking servants.  It seemed a long moment of silent power over a man.

She spotted the wooden overhang and could easily grab hold of it. From there, she would be able to successfully pull her leg around him without touching him. 

Wait.

His tunic was bunched and, with care, could easily be lifted.  She looked about quickly.  No one.  Seira delicately drew the fabric away from his body.

“Huh,” she said. His thing is so long and looks sleepy, she thought.

She laughed aloud and covered her mouth quickly.  Seira had heard enough to know that it was supposed to harden. She stared at his penis for what seemed like hours and imagined what she would do with such a limp creature and what this thing needed in order to become stiff. He suddenly snorted and began to stir.  With gymnastic prowess, she grabbed onto the low overhang and pulled her leg over him. 

Seira mimicked Marina and tiptoed away from him. She swayed from side to side, bracing herself with her hands against the walls of the ship.  She looked back and saw that Lem had rolled over and continued to snore.  She leapt up the stairs and onto the deck.

I’m free! 

Her head fell back and her nostrils widened to take in as much air as she could. Seira twirled in her delight and bumped right into someone.

“Oh.”

The captain put his strong hands on her shoulders to keep her from falling over.

“What are you doing on deck at this late hour?  Or more to the point, what are you doing on deck at all?”  he asked.

She composed herself and replied intelligently.

“As I’m not used to traveling by water, Sir, or accustomed to confined spaces, I needed to take in some fresh air to restore my disposition. I just could not disturb my escort. He seemed so serene, lying on the hard, wooden floor.”

Will you take me in your arms now? 

She wanted to grab his tunic and fumble for his…

“The time is peaceful. I suppose a few minutes wouldn’t hurt our purpose,” he said.

Seira wondered what purpose he had in mind. 

“There are only a few of my crew awake.  You’ll be safe with me if you wish to view this magnificent sky.”

Was that all? Curses, she thought.

Seira wanted to move him to her purposes.

“Do you travel this way often?”That was dim-witted. “I mean, to Ashkelon.  Is that one of your regular port stops?” 

Seira didn’t know what to say so she said anything that came into her mind.

He leaned over the port gunwale and looked down at the water then up at the sky.  He was gentle.  She could sense that.

“Yes, twice monthly is the usual.”

“I see,” she said. 

What?  What do you see except penises dancing in your head?

“Look there, Venus,” he said pointing to the sky.

“Yes, it’s Venus,” she said in the tone of her astronomy tutor. “Did you know Venus is another name for the Goddess Ishtar, the Queen of Heaven?”  She continued boasting her knowledge through nervous chatter before he could answer. “Shamash is her holy brother.  I wondered why you didn’t name the ship after Shamash, who illuminates the world in his chariot.  Or so the tale is told.”

“Oh?  You are a student of the heavens and history then?”

“Not just a student, but a future astrologer to be sure,” she bragged. “Do you know about Venus?”  She blushed.

“The planet of protection, is it not?  And…”

“The planet of love,” she interrupted.  Seira widened her eyes in what she hoped was a seductive stare.  She sighed.  Oh, yes.  She had him now.  She was sure of it.

“What else can you tell me?” 

He seemed genuinely interested and moved closer to her. He brushed his arm against her shoulder, catching her off guard.

“Venus is, ah,” Seira moved away and held onto the ropes attached to the mast. “Venus is visible in the morning light.  It’s one of the most visible planets.  In the morning, that is.  It’s very visible,” she said, blinking incessantly. 

“Is there something in your eye?” He looked concerned.

Oh I must appear mad!

“Uh, no.”

“Does seeing it make it more potent?” he asked.

“Well it’s the belief of many that the stars direct the mind, but I would say that whether the planet is visible, as of course you now know that Venus is visible at morning light.”

Seira watched as his hands inched closer to her, slowly moving to hold her face.  She felt the muscles in her neck tighten.  She stopped talking, not wanting to encourage and not wanting to…

“I am going to kiss you,” he said, deciding for her.

Her whole body relaxed as his mouth firmly affixed to hers.  His lips were hot and moist but not uncomfortable at all. This was her first kiss. Their bodies found their way to each other and her nipples brushed against his chest. His tongue probed her teeth so she followed suit and sought out his.

It was then that she imagined his muscular arms and it caused her legs to tremble. He gently sucked on her tongue and she almost lost all coherency. He leaned into her, pushing her back against the ropes. A hard protuberance pushed against the fabric of her tunic.  Seira snapped her head back and gasped.

“Ahoh,” she said.  She was dizzy.

The captain slowly slid his hands away from her face. She wanted to bite his hand.  He raised his arms and held onto the wide ropes above her and smiled, a wide playful grin. 

Seira was at a loss for what to do next. 

I should have bitten him when I had the chance, she admonished herself.

“Thank you,” was all he said.

“Oh, well of course.  You’re welcome,” she said remolding her mouth. Seira felt the need to study more about Venus.

She sensed no warning of unwanted advancement from him.  She knew she had to appear casual, as though she’d done this before so she kept still, relaxed.  He repelled himself from the ropes with a light push. That caused her body to bounce gently against them.  The taste of his mouth and the sensation of his hard manhood stayed with her.

“Do you like to eat fish?” 

What, in Hades, am I saying?

“I mean, do you fish in these waters as well?” she asked.

The moonlight caught the glint in his hazel eyes.

“No,” he laughed.  “I’ve no patience for fishing,” he looked at her directly.  “But I do enjoy a good ocean feast.”  He paused before continuing. “With so many galley ships on the sea,” he resumed, now focused on the sea behind her, “I steer clear of populated waters.”

“Is it dangerous, then, for merchant ships as well?”

“It is.” He considered her for a moment. 

Seira thought he might be assessing her political sympathies.

“It’s dangerous to be carrying such a load as mine,” he said.

“Then you know who I am?” she asked, surprised.

“I am in accordance with your mother’s teachings. I’m deeply saddened by her death and your loss,” he said, bowing his head.

“Thank you,” she said.

“And Theon,” he began.

“You know my grandfather?” 

Seira was outraged but couldn’t think why.  Perhaps he was just playing with her affections when he kissed her.

“I’ve known Theon for many years.”

Seira couldn’t imagine what type of business he could have had with Theon. She felt left out of it, so apart from the world. Her legs wanted to run, but instead took her in the direction of the ship’s motion.

I can walk faster than this accursed thing could sail. 

She felt trapped again and couldn’t keep still. Her hands searched for comfort in her slender fingers. She knotted and wrung them together.

“What would happen to you if a patrol ship found me on board?” she asked.

Seira walked around the mast, using the ropes as balance.