Standing Steady in the Storms: Ch. 6

Note: I've been planning on getting this out, but school has been crazy 😅

A Healing Song for Grieving Souls

Leeli sat on a branch high in a large, blossoming tree that grew right next to her bedroom window. She leaned against the thick trunk, dangling her right leg off the branch and letting it swing mid-air. Her silver whistleharp gleamed in the afternoon sunlight and Leeli fingered it, not wanting to make any noises that could disturb Anniera’s silence. 

The only thing that moved were the small crew of one of the ships, who were busy stocking it with supplies.It was as if the entire island was asleep or like it was speaking in hushed, careful tones, aware of the tragedy that had befallen them.

“Possible tragedy,” Leeli whispered, feeling tears gathering at the edges of her eyes. If only Hulwen or any of the dragons were there, she could play her whistleharp and find out if Janner and Kal were alright. But Hulwen wasn’t there. All the sea dragons were migrating. And what a time for it, Leeli seethed inwardly. Of all the times when her brothers could possibly go missing, they had chosen the only one when she had no way of contacting them. 

Leeli sighed and closed her eyes. Sara had been inconsolable as Artham carried her up to her room, talking to her softly all the while. Leeli had barely been able to keep her composure as she watched, because it reminded her of when Sara had first arrived in Anniera, only to find Janner dead. Artham had cradled her close then as well. 

When Nia left them to join Sara upstairs, Leeli and Arundelle had worked to calm Galya down. She was terrified, of course. She cared for Kalmar very much, but Leeli knew she was the sensible sort of person who understood the urgency of the matter. Galya told them that they had sailed west for hours without any incident. With tears in her eyes, she explained that Kal had wanted to take her somewhere she would love and show her something beautiful. “What I saw was the most glorious sunset in all of Aerwiar,” she said, her voice trembling. 

Then she told them about the storm and how suddenly it had come on. Galya said that Kalmar and Janner had told both she and Sara to get below deck. “We just waited there in the dark.” Galya shivered. “It was so loud. After a few hours, everything quieted down. We were sure that Kal and Janner were going to come and open the hatch, but they never did.”

So now Leeli waited. She waited in the tree, holding her whistleharp, praying to the Maker that by some impossible chance her brothers were alright. Or even that they were simply alive. “They don’t have to get out of it unscathed,” Leeli said softly, a tear slipping down her cheek. “Just please let them be alive.”

“Leeli.”

Leeli looked over her shoulder and saw Artham standing at her window, looking out at her. “Hello, Uncle Artham.”

Artham smiled at her. “Leeli, there’s too much going wrong for you to simply say, ‘hello Uncle Artham.’ If you want to talk to me about anything—”

“I’m fine,” Leeli interrupted him. “But thank you.” 

Artham glanced away briefly and looked back at her. Leeli thought she saw a hint of something in his eyes. Frustration? Pity? Dejection? She felt her cheeks grow warm with embarrassment. “That’s not what I meant.”

Artham looked at her a bit sadly. “Princess, you needn’t worry. I’m going out with a reconnaissance crew to see if we can find Janner and Kalmar. If it is the Maker’s will, we’ll be met with success.”

Leeli looked down in silence. There was that little word, "if." It snuffed  out hope more than anyone intended it to. Oftentimes, it seemed as though they didn’t realize that while it gave a sliver of hope to the receiver of the word “if,” more often it multiplied their doubts so much that they lost faith. 

“Leeli,” Artham leaned out the window and gave her arm a reassuring squeeze. “Don’t worry. If you do need to talk with someone about how you’re feeling, Arundelle is happy to listen. And I’m sure your mother —”

“No," Leeli stated emphatically. "Mama’s hurting already. And she's trying to help Sara at the same time. I don’t want to make her feel any worse.”

Artham looked at her thoughtfully. “You know, your mother has had plenty of trials and tribulations. But they haven’t weakened her. They have made her stronger. Tell her your worries. She’ll listen. In fact, I think she’ll want to know how you feel.” Artham leaned back inside the room and waved at her. “Goodbye for now, Leeli. Don’t stop hoping. The one thing that you do know for certain is that the Maker knows where Janner and Kalmar are. And no matter where that is, He is watching over them.”

Then he left. A few minutes later, Leeli saw him flying towards the ship they had been loading all morning and afternoon. Leeli prayed the Maker would protect them, raised her whistleharp to her lips, and began to play. 

She poured her grief and heartache and pain into her music, crying out to the Maker in the best way she knew how. Every note and every pluck was a word in her prayer, begging the Maker for her brothers’ return and safety, for Artham’s success. She prayed that somehow, somewhere, one of the sea dragons was close by so Janner and Kal could hear her words. 

But there was not. All the dragons were gone. 

Yet even as her tears flowed freely down her cheeks and her heart cried out in pain and her fingers and lips trembled, the Maker turned her music into something beautiful. He turned it into a message for her soul. Not just Leeli’s soul, but the other grieving souls in Castle Rysen.

Asteria heard the music and stopped crying in her mother’s arms and understood her Papa would come back home. Arundelle heard the music and knew Artham would return safely. Nia heard the music from where she sat with Sara and felt her fear melt away. Galya heard the music and believed Kalmar would embrace her once more. Sara heard the music, and though she had wept so much that she had no tears left, she felt her baby move inside of her and comfort wash over her like a refreshing spring rain, as if the Maker Himself and reached out His hand, cupped her cheek in it, and told her: Peace, My child. I am with you.

Leeli felt what they felt, but did not feel her brothers. They couldn’t be gone, could they? They can't be...dead. Her heart stopped and the music wavered uncertainty. 

Strength, brave one, a Voice declared. Rely on Mine when yours fails you.

“Oh, Maker,” Leeli whispered. “Please, help them.” Then she held her whistleharp up and began playing again, bravely, strongly, and without fear.

*****

From where he stood aboard the ship, waiting until they were out of the harbor to begin his flight reconnaissance, Artham heard the music too. It filled his heart with steadfastness and courage, and he felt the Maker flooding strength into his wings. He knew, somehow, that Janner and Kalmar would return. The Maker would see to it.