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Authors: Anne Plichota
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solid falling from a coal-black cloud and she was relieved she wasn’t under it. The black-and-grey-streaked sky was filled with sinister purple clouds that created an almost supernatural atmosphere.
“Impressive, isn’t it?”
Zoe had also woken up and was gazing at Oksa with large hazel eyes.
“Hmm… to be honest, I’m a little freaked out by it. Listen to that wind.”
Zoe smiled gently as usual, smoothing her shoulder-length hair into a ponytail.
“After everything you’ve had to deal with, don’t tell me you’re frightened by a few puffs of wind? That’s like a lioness being frightened of a mouse!” she teased.
“Some lioness…” said Oksa. “I feel more like the mouse right now!”
“Don’t forget a tiny mouse can spook a mighty elephant!” broke in Dragomira from her bunk.
“Oh, Baba!”
Oksa jumped down from the top bunk to kneel by her gran’s bed and kiss her affectionately.
“My dear child,” sighed Dragomira, hugging her. “My little mouse…”
“Look!” exclaimed Zoe. “We’re getting close to an island!”
Oksa’s heart lurched, and Dragomira turned pale.
Reminiscens got up in her turn and squeezed her half-sister’s shoulder comfortingly.
“We can’t possibly be there already, can we?” muttered Oksa, terrified.
“I don’t think so,” said Reminiscens. “Let’s go and ask our accomplished navigators; they’ll know where we are.”
11
A F RAUGHT B REAKFAST
A BAKUM WAS IN CHARGE IN THE WHEELHOUSE. N EXT to him, his Incompetent was idly watching Dragomira’s Getorix doing its morning exercises. Nearby, Pavel was asleep in a hammock with a Squoracle nestled in the crook of his shoulder. As soon as Oksa walked into the room he opened his eyes, ringed by dark purplish shadows, and his face lit up with an exhausted smile.
“Good morning!” said Oksa, with forced cheerfulness.
“Morning, ladies!” chorused the two men.
Reminiscens walked over to Abakum, who gave a slight start and looked shyly at her.
“Is that the island?” she asked, motioning to the strip of land on the horizon.
Her voice was trembling. Everyone held their breath, while Abakum stared out to sea.
“No,” he replied eventually. “We’re only halfway there. That’s the Isle of Man.”
Even though she knew it was only a brief respite, Oksa felt relieved. And she was obviously not alone, because everyone looked cheered by this news.
“Well, I think it’s time for a hearty breakfast,” said Dragomira. “Come and give me a hand, girls. You too Pavel!”
Baba Pollock obviously wanted to leave Reminiscens and Abakum ontheir own to talk in private. No one ever discussed the subject openly, but ever since the Runaways had found poor Reminiscens inside the painting, Oksa was convinced that Abakum was in love with her. She even had her own theory about it: inhibited by loyalty, the Fairyman had sacrificed his own happiness when young Leomido had confessed his love for Reminiscens in Edefia. Abakum’s feelings had remained constant, though, and he’d never stopped loving Reminiscens. It was so clear to the Young Gracious. Now that she was experiencing the pangs of first love, she could read the signs. The intensity of Abakum’s gaze when he looked at Reminiscens, the attention he lavished on her, his thoughtfulness, his jumpiness… He’d been forced to keep quiet for so long, and curb his feelings for so many years—had he ever dared to hope? Probably not. He’d stayed in the background, even when Leomido had disappeared for ever. For a second, Oksa tried to imagine what her life would be like if her feelings for Tugdual weren’t reciprocated. If Tugdual were to put his arms around someone else… She’d die, she just knew it! She looked again at Abakum’s slightly hunched figure as Reminiscens rested her hand on his forearm in a gesture of deep affection. With her long silvery hair tumbling around her radiant face, she looked like the Madonna. With his free hand, the
“Impressive, isn’t it?”
Zoe had also woken up and was gazing at Oksa with large hazel eyes.
“Hmm… to be honest, I’m a little freaked out by it. Listen to that wind.”
Zoe smiled gently as usual, smoothing her shoulder-length hair into a ponytail.
“After everything you’ve had to deal with, don’t tell me you’re frightened by a few puffs of wind? That’s like a lioness being frightened of a mouse!” she teased.
“Some lioness…” said Oksa. “I feel more like the mouse right now!”
“Don’t forget a tiny mouse can spook a mighty elephant!” broke in Dragomira from her bunk.
“Oh, Baba!”
Oksa jumped down from the top bunk to kneel by her gran’s bed and kiss her affectionately.
“My dear child,” sighed Dragomira, hugging her. “My little mouse…”
“Look!” exclaimed Zoe. “We’re getting close to an island!”
Oksa’s heart lurched, and Dragomira turned pale.
Reminiscens got up in her turn and squeezed her half-sister’s shoulder comfortingly.
“We can’t possibly be there already, can we?” muttered Oksa, terrified.
“I don’t think so,” said Reminiscens. “Let’s go and ask our accomplished navigators; they’ll know where we are.”
11
A F RAUGHT B REAKFAST
A BAKUM WAS IN CHARGE IN THE WHEELHOUSE. N EXT to him, his Incompetent was idly watching Dragomira’s Getorix doing its morning exercises. Nearby, Pavel was asleep in a hammock with a Squoracle nestled in the crook of his shoulder. As soon as Oksa walked into the room he opened his eyes, ringed by dark purplish shadows, and his face lit up with an exhausted smile.
“Good morning!” said Oksa, with forced cheerfulness.
“Morning, ladies!” chorused the two men.
Reminiscens walked over to Abakum, who gave a slight start and looked shyly at her.
“Is that the island?” she asked, motioning to the strip of land on the horizon.
Her voice was trembling. Everyone held their breath, while Abakum stared out to sea.
“No,” he replied eventually. “We’re only halfway there. That’s the Isle of Man.”
Even though she knew it was only a brief respite, Oksa felt relieved. And she was obviously not alone, because everyone looked cheered by this news.
“Well, I think it’s time for a hearty breakfast,” said Dragomira. “Come and give me a hand, girls. You too Pavel!”
Baba Pollock obviously wanted to leave Reminiscens and Abakum ontheir own to talk in private. No one ever discussed the subject openly, but ever since the Runaways had found poor Reminiscens inside the painting, Oksa was convinced that Abakum was in love with her. She even had her own theory about it: inhibited by loyalty, the Fairyman had sacrificed his own happiness when young Leomido had confessed his love for Reminiscens in Edefia. Abakum’s feelings had remained constant, though, and he’d never stopped loving Reminiscens. It was so clear to the Young Gracious. Now that she was experiencing the pangs of first love, she could read the signs. The intensity of Abakum’s gaze when he looked at Reminiscens, the attention he lavished on her, his thoughtfulness, his jumpiness… He’d been forced to keep quiet for so long, and curb his feelings for so many years—had he ever dared to hope? Probably not. He’d stayed in the background, even when Leomido had disappeared for ever. For a second, Oksa tried to imagine what her life would be like if her feelings for Tugdual weren’t reciprocated. If Tugdual were to put his arms around someone else… She’d die, she just knew it! She looked again at Abakum’s slightly hunched figure as Reminiscens rested her hand on his forearm in a gesture of deep affection. With her long silvery hair tumbling around her radiant face, she looked like the Madonna. With his free hand, the
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