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Wearing
a large brimmed hat and a heavy brown cloak over his shoulders, Cristianno
stood on his ship, gazing out at the dark seas in front of him. He knew what
holiday followed the damn pumpkin and candy holiday: Day of the Dead. The
rolling waves seemed to whisper the names of those he had lost:
Maerin
Marcus
The
Captain
With
a dip of his head, he silently mourned his loved ones. Gerty and Ziggly knew
better than to bother him when he was in this mood. He was one to share many
things with those he trusted, but when it came to those who passed away, Cris
remained private. The breeze that pushed the waves against the ship lifted the
hat’s brim. His blue-green eyes saw the ghosts of those who once existed in his
life walking delicately upon the waves, toward the ship, but they stopped at a
distance. Cris longed for them to walk closer so that he could feel the
soothing ghostly touch of their hands on his, but it was impossible.
Marcus
smiled at him took his mother’s hand. His mother was the picture of perfection.
Her long, red hair spun around her as Marcus twirled her among the white,
foaming waves. The Captain walked beside them. He wasn’t as old as he was when
he died. He was young, just like when Cris met him the day Marcus passed away
many years before. His dark hair blew in the breeze and he smirked as he
watched Cris admire the fluidity of his parents’ dancing, stepping upon rolling
waves.
The
darkening clouds overhead caused the winds to pick up even more and Cris pulled
the cloak closed around him. For a moment, he could hear The Captain laughing
at him, but Cris simply smiled. While his arms held the cloak around him,
keeping him warm, his fingers extended out to them as he longed for one touch;
one final caress.
Marcus
twirled Maerin once more, her hair and skirt flying outward, just the way they
did when she danced around the bonfire when they were with the Darkmoon
Caravan. In one of her turns, Cris saw her smile at him; a smile that told him
she loved him forever.
“Mama,”
Cris whispered into the winds. She heard him. She just had to because after her
spin, she blew him a kiss. She was happy, just the way she always was when she
was around him. Sadness was never something she let him see, even when she was
dying. He closed his eyes, bringing forth that final memory.
“Momma,
don’t leave me…”
“Cristianno,
my precious boy, I will never leave you.”
“You’re
dying, momma,” he whispered.
“I’m
leaving this sick body, but I’ll always be in your heart.”
“What
if I need you?”
“Just
call for me, and I will be there, inside of you.”
The
little boy held on to her ashy hand tightly. “No, momma. I need you here with
me always.”
“My
heart is happy now, my baby. You will be well take care of.” Her sunken blue
eyes looked up at Marcus. He simply nodded in silence. Cristianno kissed his
mother’s hand. “I’ll love you forever, my little boy. My precious, little one.
Sing me a song, my son.”
Cristianno
nodded silently, sobbing between lines, “The world’s spirits embrace us every
step of our way…” He continued the Tauren melody and wiped his eyes to see his
mother better. “Momma?”
“Yes…my
son?”
“I
love you.”
“I
love you, little one.”
Cristianno
pressed his red hair against her arm as he kissed her hand. It was then that he
felt her grip loosen. He opened his young eyes and stared at the hand. “Momma?”
There was no response. “Momma…?” Slowly, he lifted his head and saw his
mother’s blue eyes closed forever.
He
trembled, unsure if it was because of the memory or the chill that was starting
to envelope the ship and him. Cris opened his eyes and saw his mother on the
sea, smiling and waving at him, young and beautiful as he remembered her.
Marcus wrapped his arms around Maerin and appeared to be speaking to The
Captain. Cris wished he could hear their voices, but it had been so long, he
couldn’t even remember Marcus’ voice and The Captain’s voice was starting to
disappear as well.
Lightning
struck in the distance, followed by the roll of thunder and for a moment, the
images of his loved ones flickered, threatening to leave. Cris extended his
fingers from under his cloak, silently begging for them to stay. The breeze
lifted the hat’s brim and he noticed her walking toward him. Alaia.
His
eyes focused back to the three ghostly images. He could see The Captain’s large
grin and his parents’ smiles. Just then, her tender arms wrapped around his
cloak and body. At Cristianno tensed up, but when she placed her head on his
back, he felt every muscle in his body give in to her embrace.
“What’s
on your mind?” she asked softly, her voice blending with the whispers the winds
carried.
Cris
stared ahead at his mother, his human father, and the human pirate who took
care of him for years. The Captain removed his hat and bowed deeply, stepping
back and vanishing into the forming mists. Marcus spun Maerin once more and
began to step back, holding Maerin’s hand, but Maerin didn’t move. She
continued to stare at her son.
After
a deep breath, Cris whispered, “I’m okay now, momma.”
Alaia
lifted her head and turned to look at him, “Excuse me?” Cris looked at her and
his heart felt a certain comfort. He turned back to the sea and noticed that
his mother was waving at him, following her husband into the mists. Two short
gasps and one long exhale later, Cris tried hard to stop the tears from falling
down his face. He turned to look at Alaia one again and smiled softly. “I
probably already told you, but let me tell you about the beautiful woman my
mother was, the amazing man my father was, and the kind of dog my mentor was.”
She
smiled at him and nodded, shivering a bit in the cold wind. Cris opened his
cloak and pulled her in against him, wrapping the cloak around them both. They
walked toward the cabin when a gust of wind gushed by them. It was then that
Cristianno finally heard his mother’s voice.
My son.
Those
words triggered the tears, causing them to roll down his cheek. He smiled
faintly and whispered, “My mother was the most beautiful woman in this world.”
He looked down at her with his tear-streaked face, “But she’ll forgive me if I
say that you are now the most beautiful woman in the world.” Her soft giggle
soothed him even more as he continued to speak.
The
cabin door closed just as the first drops of rain began to fall upon the
anchored ship.
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