The Awakening (44 page)

The
Merial
sailed south and east to an island that existed on no maps or charts. Nolin navigated alone, allowing only Sacchin to share the tiller. Aboard they carried the small boat that Dinah had given Wyn, together with supplies to build a small shelter and other essentials to live.

During the day, Hwenfayre and Wyn sat close together in the prow of the ship, watching the waters flow by. They were often accompanied by blaewhals who slid alongside the ship, their dark shapes appearing as shadows in the immeasurable deep. Sometimes they would ease their way alongside the
Merial
and keep her company for hours before silently vanishing into the inky blackness of the deep ocean. Other times they would suddenly appear, leaping high out of the water before crashing down with a thunderous detonation of spray. At such times, Hwenfayre would squeal with delight, clapping her hands like a child as the icy waters soaked her. But as the water dried, her smile faded and she went back to silently watching the dark sea.

She spent most of the day sitting, leaning against
Wyn, staring. He sat with her, content to know she was alive. His arm wrapped around her shoulder gave her the strength to go on living from one day to the next. She did not say much; there seemed neither need nor much to say. Instead she sat with Wyn, watching the deep water slide past, lost in her thoughts.

Wyn was content to enjoy her silence. They sat together, scarcely speaking, rarely looking at each other, but in complete communion. Sometimes she would stir briefly and look up at Wyn to make sure he was still there, and smile. He would smile back, their eyes meeting briefly.

Nolin sailed them far into the deep waters to the east. After a few days, Wyn stopped trying to measure how far they had gone or even what direction they were taking. He was with Hwenfayre and she loved him as he loved her. They could be sailing forever and he would be happy.

One cold morning when the sky was grey with cloud, an island came into view. It was little more than a low mound in the ocean, covered with trees, with a small sandy beach in a sheltered bay. Nolin steered them unerringly towards the beach until they were within the shelter of the bay.

They dropped anchor and loaded the small boat. There was little to be said, so Wyn and Hwenfayre climbed down the rope ladder into the boat and rowed ashore.

Watching them go, Sacchin shook his head. ‘I can’t help but feel this is a waste,’ he said.

‘A waste?’ asked Nolin.

‘There is so much to do and those two could make such a difference.’

Nolin watched them as they pulled the boat up on the shore. ‘I know where this island is,’ he said. ‘And so do you, friend Sacchin. When we need them, we know where to find them.’

‘Will it come to that?’

Nolin stared as Wyn and Hwenfayre, hand in hand, walked across the white sand and disappeared into the darkness beneath the trees. ‘It will come, friend Sacchin. One day it will come to that.’

Adam—a journeyman harper

Akash—a member of Shanek’s Fyrd

Akem—Master Torturer to two Thanes and three First Counsellors

Aldere—a peasant

Alyce—Priestess of the Children of Danan

Ananda—a member of Ejaj’s troop

Andrine—a northern tribeswoman

Anwyn—a former High Priestess of the Children of Danan, mother of Morag

Arden—a thug in the Widows’ Quarter

Arragone—an islander girl

Aristide—Master Carver of the Children of Danan

Ashfaq—a member of Shanek’s Fyrd

Audra—Priestess of the Children of Danan

Badghe—a member of Shanek’s Fyrd

Bakht—a member of Shanek’s Fyrd

Bartin—a member of Maru’s troop

Bedi—a beggar in the Widows’ Quarter.

Brin—a member of Shanek’s Fyrd

Burgen—a barbarian Chieftain

Cadock—Commander of the Army of the World

Cherise—Diplomat in the Thane’s service

Danan—the mystical leader and founder of the Children of Danan

Declan—Sailer of the Children of Danan

Dinah—Guide unto Death, an islander

Domovoi—The Appointed One

Dushyan—a member of Shanek’s Fyrd

Egon—a member of Shanek’s Fyrd

Ejaj—Leader of bandit group in the Great Fastness

Ekaterina—a member of Shanek’s Fyrd

Erin—Novice Priestess

Eustaquio—a Caldorman in the Army of the World

Feargus—Harper of the Children of Danan, father of Hwenfayre

Garel, The Commander—Leader of the Southern Raiders

Garth—a Southern Raider who sailed aboard the
Gretchen

Garpatrao—a member of Shanek’s Fyrd

Gayathri—a member of Shanek’s Fyrd

Gerhay—a member of Shanek’s Fyrd

Gyran—a former First Counsellor

Hadrill—a shepherd at Aldere’s village

Hagan—Novice Priestess

Harald—a villager

Harin—a member of Shanek’s Fyrd

Hashan—Trader and racketeer in Widows’ Quarter

Hasibu—father of Tapash

Hemant—a member of Shanek’s Fyrd

Hofie—a member of Shanek’s Fyrd

Hwenfayre—Lander child of Feargus

Hylin—The old Teacher of Novices

Jaya—a woman from Aldere’s village

Kasimar IV—Thane of the Empire of the World

Katya—Aldere’s mother

Kelsy—a Southern Raider who sailed aboard the
Misty Seal

Lamar—Navigator of the Second Rank

Lane—a Southern Raider who sailed aboard the
Misty Seal

Leona—Coerl of the First Son’s Fyrd

Lind—Navigator of the Second Rank

Lyaksandra—a member of Shanek’s Fyrd

Maeve—Novice Priestess

Maire—Novice Priestess

Malik—a member of Shanek’s Fyrd

Manno—Officer of the Southern Raiders

Marcene—Noble daughter in the court of the Thane

Marek—Captain of the
Gretchen
, a Southern Raider

Marran—an islander girl

Maru—Tribesman leader of bandit troop

Mayenne—a servant of Zatopek

Merryk—husband of Silvia, blacksmith from Aldere’s village

Michaela—a friend of Aldere

Morag—High Priestess of the Children of Danan

Morgan—the hero of a legend

Muttiah—Caldorman in the Army of the World

Myandra—soldier in Muttiah’s Fyrd

Niall—Captain of the Guard

Nicole—Novice Priestess

Nolin—Navigator of the First Rank of the Children of Danan

Petran—mother of Leone

Raol—a member of Ejaj’s troop

Roshan—a member of Shanek’s Fyrd

Sacchin—a Southern Raider

Salen—Noble in the Thane’s court

Samba—Coerl of legend

Sandor—First Counsellor to the Thane of the Empire of the World

Sara—Novice Priestess

Shanek—First Son of the Empire Son of Sandor First Counsellor

Shar—Southern Raider woman, partner of Sacchin

Silvia—wife of Merryk, from Aldere’s village

Sirran—Navigator of the First Rank of the Children of Danan

Tanit—a soldier in Muttiah’s Fyrd

Tapash—a northern Tribesman

Tillekeratne—father of Virender

Tirace—a member of Maru’s troop

Urtane—a Tribesman guard

Virender—a merchant

Wellfyn—an islander girl

Wyn—a fighting man, a Child of Danan

Yesmah—woman from Aldere’s village

Yngwie—a travelling minstrel

Ys—a northern Tribesman

Zatopek—a trader in the Widows’ Quarter

Zahir—a noble in the Thane’s court

Ships

Gretchen
—Southern Raider vessel, commanded by Marek

Kelpie
—personal transport of Morag, High Priestess of the Children of the Raft

Learning Raft
—vessel of the Children of the Raft, on which Navigators are trained

Merial
—vessel of the Children of the Raft, taken by the Southern Raiders

Misty Seal
—the flagship of the Southern Raiders, commander by the Commander of the Raiders

Southern Scend Raft
—second largest vessel of the Children of the Raft

Two Family Raft
—large vessel of the Children of the Raft

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Bevan McGuiness lives near Perth with his wife and daughter. Although he has worked as a factory hand, geophysicist and laboratory assistant, he is now a teacher of chemistry at a boys’ school in Perth. He has been writing for fifteen years and has published short stories, book reviews, a novel and pieces for texts on science education.

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