Across the Sea: Chapter IV

It appears my posting schedule is now every other day 😂

I hope you like! A bit longer this time.

CHAPTER FOUR: EDD AND YAMSA HELMER

The trip was rather boring. Artham and Esben adventured around the boat many times, but Emerald spent her time gazing out the windows. Illia played out her plan, kept remembering her name, tried to come up with every honest but evasive answer to any possible question.

The one day, after a couple of weeks on the Sea, she called the children to the deck.

They all came, one after the other, and then they saw the beautiful shore-line of Lamendron.

“Lamendron?” Esben asked.

Illia nodded, with pursed lips. “We have to dock here, and then travel to Glipwood either on foot or carriage.” She looked thoughtful for a moment and then smiled. “With all the baggage, probably a carriage.”

Emerald giggled.

The boat docked in another few minutes, and the cabin-boy helped them get their luggage to the shore. Illia paid his fare, and now they were in the busy center of the Lamendron docks. Artham felt the whole world spinning around him. He felt confused and lost. And he was grateful to have his aunt by his side.

Illia sighed. “I don’t really know how we are going to pull this off.”

“Need some ‘elp, missy?”

Illia spun around, and saw a rough looking man, with stringy brown hair under a black cap. His eyes were kind and green, and around his mouth there was a scraggly beard. His whole countenance was kind, and he clearly wanted to help.

“Uh, yes,” Illia stammered. “Me and my kids are neeeding to get to Glipwood and we aren’t sure how to get there.”

The man smiled. “Hop in my cart, and I’ll drive you there myself. No charge, mum.”

“oh are you sure? Mister…..?”

“Danniby. Danniby Diggins.”

“Nice to meet you sir. My name is Illia, and these are my kids, Artham, Esben, and Emerald.”

Danniby tipped his cap, and gestured with his head for all of them to hop in the back of his wagon. And he got down himself and put in their luggage.

“You all ready?”

“Yes,” Illia said, adjusting her hair with a gentle smile.

Danniby clicked to his horses, and the carriage ride started.

The trip was lovely, and the children all enjoyed the scenery of the plants and trees and hills and valleys and flowers and birds and animals.

Esben was drawing them, Artham was writing about them, and Emerald wrote a song about them.

Illia thought it important for the children to keep up their THAGS work, and no one objected. It warmed all of their hearts, and brought them closer to their lost family and land.

Illia talked a little bit with Danniby. Truthfully, Illia found something interesting about this man.

After a few hours, Danniby reported that they had reached Glipwood.

The children all became immensely interested in the scenery, and their eyes were dazzled. It was green and bright and lush and lovely.

“I’ll drop y’all off at The Only Inn. There, Joe and Addie Shooster’ll take care o’ ya.”

Illia smiled. “Thank you mum.”

He pulled up to a very lovely and warm looking building. The scent of butter bread emanated from it, and a kind looking man came out shaking out a rug. He looked up at the carriage and smiled.

“New customers, ay Danniby?”

“Aye Mr. Shooster. A momma and her brood.”

Illia said nothing, but slipped out of the carriage and started removing bags. Artham jumped down and helped her, but then Joe Shooster came and helped them. He smiled.

“Me and Addie will take very good care of you. Come in right away.”

Esben’s mouth watered as he walked inside, smelling the sweet aromas. Emerald smiled at a kind lady standing behind the counter.

She smiled at them. pushing a strand of hair behind her ear, she walked forward and curtsied.

“My name is Addie Shooster, and I see you met my husband, Joe. What’s your names?”

Illia smiled and took the lead. “My name is Illia, and these are my kids, Artham, Esben, and Emerald.”

Artham smiled a bit, Esben rubbed his stomach but grinned, and Emerald blushed and curtsied.

“Very nice to meet you. Let me get you some cheesy chowder and butter bread. How long you planning on staying?”

Illia smiled slightly. “Well, we plan on living here. Are there any houses or what-not for sale?”

Addie shook her head. “No, I s’pose not. However, I do know of a couple that would be willing to have some lodgers…”

She paused, and then smiled. She looked at Joe. “Joe honey, pop on by the Helmer and tells them they might have some lodgers. Now, for you. Food, and then rest. Knowing Yamsa, she’ll take half the day to get prepared. Now, I’ll get the food, and not a word for it Illia!”

Addie marched into the kitchen without a word, and Joe sheepishly smiled and bowed his head before leaving.

Illia was about ready to melt with relief, but she kept a straight face and smiled at her kids.

“Now, let’s find a booth and let’s mind our manners.”

They sat down, and no sooner had they, when Addie came out, somehow balancing four steaming bowls on her arms, placed them down, and then returned with four cups and a big plate of bread. She squeezed their shoulders and told them to enjoy, while she disappeared upstairs.

Illia blessed the food, and they all began eating. Illia wondered what Addie was doing, but she got distracted when some of Esben’s soup went through his nose.

Addie however was preparing a few rooms, making beds, fluffing pillows, and humming to herself all the while.

When the Wingfeathers were finished, Addie hopped downstairs and escorted them all up one at a time, leaving Artham last since he was still eating a bit. But when she returned and found Artham done, she grabbed him by his arm and gently started leading him upstairs.

“What is it, Mrs. Shooster?”

“Well, I expect that Yamsa will take quite a long time in doing all that work of preparing the house, ‘specially since Joe ain’t home yet, so I made up some beds for you and your family, and I want you to rest for awhile darlin’.”

She then half pushed him into his room, and Artham was now ready to melt with relief, though he held it back and thanked the kind woman, then melted onto his bed, buried himself in the covers, and fell asleep quickly.

“Artham, Artham,” Illia whispered. He pried his heavy eye-lids open and looks at his aunt in confusion. How long had he been asleep for?

“It’s time to get up, darling. Mister Danniby will be driving us to the Helmers.”

She smiled sweetly, and Artham forced his jelly-like legs out of the bed, grabbed his bag, and followed his aunt down the stairs.

Esben was rubbing his eyes vigorously, and Emerald was yawning. Artham smiled a little. He clearly wasn’t the only one who slept.

Addie went forth and kissed all three children, much to Emerald’s delight but the boys embarrassment. Joe kissed Emerald but shook the boys hands, wishing them the Maker’s good pleasure, and then Illia said her goodbyes.

Artham led his siblings outside, allowed Danniby to help the younger in the carriage while he put their bags in, and then he jumped in himself.

Illia came out, looking a bit flustered and teary eyed, but she soon collected herself, pulled herself into the wagon, and told Danniby to go on.

The children now got the pleasure of an evening carriage ride, about thirty minutes of one. Artham inhaled the sweet country air, which fell like a balm on his troubled spirit. It felt…nice.

after the time had passed, a pleasant little cottage came into view. It fairly smelled like butterbread and cheesy chowder…..and a fair amount of bean brew.

Emerald and Esben were all wide eyed and bushy tailed, happy to see the beautiful landscape around them, and then an older woman appeared in the door way.

She had graying hair, a kind face, and a bright smile.

The carriage pulled up immediately to the front door, and Artham scrambled down to help his family. Mrs. Helmer whisked them inside, where they briefly saw Mister Helmer, and then the kind woman directed them to their rooms.

“Miss Illia, yes? We have a spare room on the bottom floor, just under the stairs, with the strange looking door.  You young’uns follow me.”

The three followed after with their bags under their arms. She led them into a small and pleasant room, with a bunk bed on one side, and a cot on the other.

“I hope you won’t mind sharin’ a room fer a time. We have a big ‘ouse, but not a huge ‘un. I hope you’ll like it.”

She smiled good-humoredly , then left the room, closing the door behind her.

Artham looked around the room, feeling a bit less at peace than he had been just a few moments ago.

“Well, me and Es can share the bunk bed, and you take the cot, Emmy.”

The little girl nodded, climbed on her bed, and began taking out all of her little things. Esben scurried into the bottom bunk, being a bit scared of heights, and not at all inclined to try to break that fear.

Artham climbed the bunk, rather haphazardly, since there was no ladder, but Artham had always been an ingenious acrobat.

There they remained, arranging their things, (though Esben just threw most of his stuff on the floor). Then Emerald dozed off again, and the boys were left alone.

“Artham.”

“Hmm?”

“Will we ever get home?”

“One day. You are the king.”

“Do you miss them?”

“Of course. I do every moment.”

“Did you cry?”

That was a more difficult question to answer, even though a simple yes would suffice.

“Yeah, I did. I suppose it’s only natural.”

“Yeah.”

“I don’t….I don’t want you to see me cry, because I know….you need someone to be strong. But just know….I’m not void of feeling.”

Esben laughed a little, and wiped his own tears.

Artham then realized a few had slipped down his cheeks unnoticed.

“How long will we live with the Helmers, you think?” Esben kept asking questions.

“As long as we’re here I suppose.”

“You sure do suppose a lot.”

Artham laughed a bit harder at that, and Emerald started stirring. Just in time, though, for Illia came upstairs and said dinner was ready.

She had explained to the Helmers who they were, and the Helmers still agreed to let them live in their home.

At dinner, the siblings were very quiet…and perhaps a bit sad. Yamsa and Edd fully understood, and they filled in a bit of the conversation. They said they had a son who lived in the Hollows and he had a nice wife and that they had a granddaughter about Artham’s age, and that they had been living in Glipwood for years and years.

Artham zoned out eventually. But he ate his food almost ravenously, as if it were his last meal. When he looked at Esben and Emerald he saw that they were doing the same thing.

Finally, everyone, including Illia, was excused from dinner and up to sleep they went, tired and full and sad. They missed their family greatly.

Illia went to bed at the same time with the guilt of her brother’s death lying on her heart, and her spirit grieved within her.

Upstairs, Artham laid down and closed his eyes, hoping sleep would come soon…….but it did not. He heard Esben snoring and Emerald breathing, but he couldn’t not sleep, even after tossing and turning for nigh thirty minutes.

It was clear sleeping would be a difficult trial since he didn’t have that sweet kiss on his cheek, every night, bidding him to sleep.

He sighed heavily, and lay there for hours, till finally, early in the morning, he dozed off….just to woken up again.

NOTES: Just to make Artham’s trauma as clear as possible, he can’t sleep without his mom’s kiss on his cheek 😕

Hence the coming on insomnia. The reason he was able to sleep before was because he was just completely mentally exhausted and drained 😅