"Reach for my hand!!!!"Reach me... MY JEWEL, reach your father's hand!!!" A'Gedra, reach my hand!!!
I cried out to her. My face was soaked with tears and sweat from the intense heat of the sun. My beating heart felt like a 1,000 Siduk men marching to war. I rushed frantically to grab her hand. I felt two or three small splinters pierce my fingers, as I slid my hands on the wood ledge of the ship.
My men grabbed at me, trying to tackle me before I fell over into the sea. I was trying to reach my Jewel. I wanted to save her.
I could not hear her screams. What should a father do?
She swam from the shores of Ti' Adel to get to me. I wrestled with my men –I flailed my fists to get them off of me. At some point I felt delirious, but my blood boiled with anger - they did not let me save her.
Curse you all who hold me back from saving my A'Gedra - I tried to push my men back, even to throw one off the ship, but they would not let me go. She was the only person I cared for...
They ordered me to calm down, "My Tra’ Krat, please settle down." Some cried out to me, "Do not fight us! We cannot let you die!"
"Let me save HER!!!!" I screamed, but she suddenly disappeared from my sight. Darkness shrouded my eyes. It felt as though I was suffocating - like reaching out for air through a small hole.
I closed my eyes, and whispered to myself, “Let me die... Let me not endure this pain!” I suddenly awoke to the dreaded dark clouds chasing me on the waters. For a moment, I seen her hands again... but the thick cloud and ash took her. My Jewel. I screamed, "Don't leave me!"
I woke up gasping for air. A nightmare... My mind was haunted by the horror and destruction of Mount Uo’ Segi. I woke up in a pool of sweat. Tears soaked my face and beard. I realized I was in my quarters. I was not outside on the quarter deck with my men. I can see the lantern on my desk. Next to me was one of my guardsmen. He sat on a chair close to the door, watching me. The dream… it felt so real. I began to sob. He did not know what to do for me. I can't blame him, they are trained to never show emotion in times of trouble. I was delirious, and my body felt like it was burning. Immediately, my guardsmen rose from the chair, and rush to aid me. I almost fell off my bed, trying to find the strength to lift myself. The guardsmen was ordered to watch me, since I became violent during these wicked nightmares. Was I danger to myself?
Was I a danger to him? I looked to him and asked, "How long have been here? How long have I been in my quarters?"
He said, "You have been here for 4 days, my Tra’ Krat. You became ill with fever, and you were not yourself. You injured 11 of our men. Please, my Tra’ Krat, rest." He walked over to a wooden bucket filled with cold water. He soaked a rag with the water and placed it on my head. The water drenched my head, while the droplets soothed my body from the fever. I have not eaten or drank any water. I had been sick, hallucinating from the intense heat.
"She is really gone... Our home... My daughter…” I said.
The guardsmen hesitated, almost choking on his words, "Yes, my Tra’ Krat." I can see in his face a great sadness, as a tear ran down the left side of his face.
"Rest, my Trakrat. We are still sea. Your men worry for you and wish only that rid yourself of this fever." I looked to my guardsmen,
"Why? How do we return to what was ours? We lost it all...."
To Be Continued - Part 3
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