The Waters of Treachery

The light reflected off the rippling waters. Occasionally the rays would be intercepted by flocks of chirping seabirds, their shadows hovering above the ocean. Roe counted them boredly as they passed the clear skies lacking any sign of changing. The Fliers predicted otherwise, expecting hazardous weather around Seris, so any request to the region was promptly denied.

The result was a four-day ship ride from Yohan’s hometown to Seris, half of it already spent. Each slow movement of the paddles was a nuisance, prolonging her message to the Guardians even further. But what was a grueling period of idleness for her…

“Wow! Did you see that, Roe? It was a whale fin, I swear it— oh, oh! There it is again!”

… was an adventure for Yohan, who had never been at sea. He hadn’t been so ecstatic at the start, when he underwent several bouts of seasickness. Acting like it was the end of the world— except it was, but for different reason – he was far too dramatic for Roe’s patience, until once he recovered, she discovered she preferred him a “weakling” than overly excited.

“Did you hear me? I said I saw a whale!”

“Yes. I heard you the ten other times as well.”

Clapping his hands, Yohan climbed down from the crow’s nest, where he wasn’t authorized to be but was nonetheless tolerated due to Roe’s previous… Actions. He stood beside her and rested his arms on the ship’s edge, smiling at the view that stayed mostly consistent, yet was everlastingly wonderous in his eyes. She didn’t know what was wrong with him.

“You seem tired,” he said. “Is sleeping hard on the ship? Personally, I find the rocking to be very thrilling.”

“I’ve slept in caves, on wet swamp floors, by jagged cliffs, if the mission called for it… This is nothing, I assure you.”

Though her definition of “sleep” was waking up randomly, tossing and turning, staring at nothingness, all while having a midlife crisis at 26.

“Ah – I see… Then, I expect there’s things on your mind?”

Roe sighed. “Naturally.”

She longed for the few days her mind was absent. But after the anomaly incident, her head resorted to being constantly bombarded by fretful thoughts.

“I failed.”

“Maybe it was wrong to save Alec. I should’ve told the Elders sooner.”

“How many of them are there? Twenty, thirty? Have they reached civilization, and if so, how many people are dead?”

And the like. It didn’t matter where her heart truly lied – as long as this problem remained, she was sure she’d never find peace, persistently torn between her own desires and all she had ever known of her existence. Alec was the only one who could help her, but being adamant on him needing more rest, she refused to bring him along.

“ … Basically, what I’m saying is, even though all of this is happening—”

“What?”

Yohan sounded embarrassed. “You – weren’t listening to a word I was saying, were you?”

…

“I apologize,” Roe said after an awkward silence.

“Don’t worry about it,” he looked over at some of the crew, huddled amongst themselves. “But if anything, you should be ‘saying sorry’ to them. Honestly, was it really necessary for you to threaten them to let us on?”

“It worked with you, so I found the method to be very effective. And I was correct.”

She eyed one of them with a nasty cut along his cheek. Recently given as a demonstration to cease any belief that she was bluffing, but thanks to the ship being full of Menders, it looked like an old wound. Still, she made herself clear.

“Why didn’t you just tell them the truth?”

She lowered her voice into a hush then said, “Because if I inform everybody I meet about the anomalies, word will spread, and there’ll be panic. Something no one needs.”

“Ah, right… Fair point.”

He gazed back out into the ocean, entranced. A silence occurred between them again. Roe was ready to delve back into her thoughts, albeit unwillingly. Fighting it always proved useless. But just as she was about to sink back into the dark, bottomless pit, there was something that pulled her out – a moving object, another watercraft.

A red sail was attached to it, signaling it carried cargo, like their own ship. Fittingly, its docks were loaded with various containers. At first glance, it didn’t look like much – just a normal vessel. It wasn’t the first they had passed either, with yet another one seen in the distance. But studying it intently, as she did with most things, there was a discrepancy.

It seemed the boat itself was propelling through the waves by its own accord, but it wasn’t. Weavers manned it, pushing the boat onward by manipulating the threads of the wood.

“Then why have oars?” she thought, noting the rower-less paddles hanging off it. Ships or boats controlled by Weavers were never designed with them, being needless.

And even more oddly, the boat was headed right for their direction. A brief examination of the crew’s faces relayed all she needed – they didn’t recognize the others, or had any awareness of their approach.

“An unknown boat ridden by Weavers, yet it’s not built for them,” she continued her inner calculation, then focused on the shipments. Some items glistened under the sun. “And containing valuables.”

Roe didn’t like it, and left Yohan’s side, who was fascinated rather than concerned. She stopped in front of the captain. He flinched, she rolled her eyes.

“Tell your men to move faster. Quickly as possible,” she demanded.

“They’re already going their limit, missus, since you said our ears would be cut off if otherwise… What’s your problem now?”

“It’s going to be your ‘problem’ as well if you don’t—”

Her warning was too late. The ship was stopped, jerking all except Roe off their feet – but a strong pressure overcame her, making every muscle in her body stiff. She was trapped. The others too, Yohan most of all, were frozen in place, with skin turning pale and eyes growing wide.

Within only those few seconds, all on the boat were motionless – save the Weavers welcoming themselves on, their hands raised as they walked over a plank dropped by their boat. Mischievous sneers were plastered on their faces as they appraised the cargo, boots stomping obnoxiously on the boards.

“They weren’t skilled enough to weave the water, so there isn’t a High amongst them. Meaning…”

Roe managed to twitch a finger. A hopeful sign. Unless one of their own, a body under the control of a High Weaver was downright impossible to regain, but if against the average… There was a chance, though usually, not without struggle.

“This is a good catch here, boss!” chimed a Weaver, knocking her hand on a chest holding gems. “We gonna haul ‘em back?”

The “boss” shook his head, a wicked spark about him sounding off even more alarms for Roe. “Nah, this ship’s bigger, so we’ll switch. Toss these sorry chumps out.”

One by one, the crew was thrown into the waters, their screams echoing and followed by a loud splash. The other boat was getting closer, and Roe assumed the worst. Resisting the painfully strained sensation that came with it, she moved the rest of her fingers, then the whole hand – subtly, as the Weavers kept a keen watch, her armor indicating she’d be the biggest threat.

“I bet we’d get a decent price for a Guardian’s armor,” noted one, circling around Roe and checking her out from head to toe. “You willing to hand it over, pretty thing?”

“You would have to kill me first.”

They laughed like jackals, finding her proposal to be easy – why wouldn’t it be, if she couldn’t fight back? At least, so they thought. With all the attention turned to her, aside from the helpless Menders still being disposed of, she couldn’t yet reach for the sword handle. Or else, she’d risk them realizing their weaving needed more force.

But in the corner of her vision, she caught a way out. Yohan had moved, given the freedom to do so by the Weavers’ turned backs. They communicated by a long stare, and although he probably couldn’t tell exactly what she was trying to say, he understood enough.

Mustering up the strength, Yohan’s thin arms picked up a crate, and with a huff, threw it towards the middle of the dock. It hit someone’s back – by accident, based on how guilty he looked. Nevertheless, the distraction gave Roe the slither of opportunity she needed.

Using her brief freedom to her advantage, Roe whipped out her sword and slashed it across the closest Weaver’s wrists. A shout of agony alongside spewing blood as his hands fell to his shoes. She wasted no time in doing the same to the next. Instinctively, her aim was to immobilize, as just like the Menders, Guardians had their own restrictions regarding life.

However, she failed to do much. Just as her blade neared a third, her body was lifted into the air. Roe was joined with the others in deep waters in a flash, and the connection unbroken, that wasn’t all. She tried to swim up, but couldn’t – multiple Weavers restraining her, she was powerless.

Panic crept in when she could no longer hold her breath. She was choking, the water shot down her airways and burning her lungs. Tirelessly, she battled against their pull – or attempted. Soon, Yohan was there as well, but with her senses escaping, Alec was all she could see.

Then lips touched hers – unfortunately not belonging to Alec. She felt herself able to breathe, as air was given to her mouth. They didn’t try to drown Yohan, who posed no danger. He swam freely, surfacing to gain oxygen, and secretly restoring Roe with it. Thanks to him, she’d last.

Temporarily.

Her attackers knew she was still alive, seeing her golden threads. Believing she was strangely resilient, the captain yelled,

“Finish her off! Now!”

Roe was violently pushed further into the ocean’s depths, much faster than Yohan could grab her. Air was again stolen from her, as she suffocated and sunk in a way that was similar to falling. It was the end that time. It had to be.

…

But then, simply as ever, it stopped. Her body was her own. She didn’t question it, swimming back to the top without delay. Slicking back her hair, her breath came out in short gasps once she was finally above.

“What happened?” she asked a very relieved Yohan.

He pointed up, toward the dock. She could no longer see the thieving Weavers. A woman stood there instead, dressed in rich apparel. Roe’s eyes narrowed into slits.

“There you are, my darling Roe!” said Elder Dulcie.