Aliénor's Song

It was a dark, stormy night at sea when I first learned the meaning of true fear. My husband and I had just gotten married and we bought passage on a ship from our home in France to the New World. We didn't have much, so the only passage we could buy was a cargo ship. The captain was a highly superstitious man, but he liked the jingle of the coins in my husband's purse. After bartering for only a few minutes, my husband had secured our place on the ship. We would have to sleep in the cargo hold, but the ship was transporting some sacks of flour that the captain said could make decent bedding. I packed everything I owned into a sack, said goodbye to my family, and set off for my new life. I had no idea that my life was going to change as drastically as it did, but I was ready for anything. I headed into the cargo hold from the deck. The French sailors were shooting me ominous looks and muttering among themselves. I caught various phrases as we walked along the deck making our way to the stairs that led below. ".. bad luck.." "Shouldn't have a woman on board." "... anger the gods I tell ya." I followed closely behind my new husband, clinging to his arm. I was still wearing my wedding dress, so I stuck out like a sore thumb. "You will stay out of sight if you know what's good for you," said the captain. "My men don't want a woman aboard, and I'll not risk a mutiny for the likes of you. Sailors are a superstitious lot, it's better for all of us if you stay below deck." "We understand," my husband replied. Once we got below deck. I changed into my traveling dress safely stowing my wedding gown to take with us to start our new life. As I secured my hat to my hair, my husband lowered himself on the floor beside me. "I'm going to miss everyone." He said quietly. I reflected for a moment on the family I had left behind. My father, a looming hulk of a man who worked as a mason, but was as gentle as a butterfly in spring. He never raised his voice or hand in anger. My mother, rest her soul, had died a few months before when a disease ravaged our village. The ones I would miss the most were my nieces. Elaine and Eloise, five year old twins with hair like spun gold and infectious laughter that could brighten my whole day. "It's going to be hard," I replied, "but we will make our own family." "And we can write them letters of all of the wondrous things in the New World." "Maybe they will join us one day." We sat for a few hours planning our life together. My father had taught my husband his trade, so he would be a stone mason when we got to our destination. We decided on a simple homestead, a house we built with our own hands on a little farm on the outside of the settlement. I had always dreamed of having a horse of my own, not just for farm work, but just to ride through the countryside. My husband agreed that once we were settled, I should get one. He wanted me to be happy despite leaving everything I knew behind. Words could not express how deeply I loved the man beside me. We talked of children, the strikingly handsome, brown haired boy who would look like a copy of my dear husband, Cayn. We also spoke of two little girls just like my sister had. I didnt think much of my older sister. We hadnt been close since we were children. I felt a pang of regret for not reconciling fully with her before we left. I decided then that the first letter I wrote would be to her. My husband hoped our girls would have dark hair like mine, I secretly hoped for little blond maidens like my nieces. As we made our future plans, time began slipping rapidly away, as it so often does. We snuck on deck for just a moment. I had only ever seen the ocean from the shore, and I was curious to get a look at it up close. I looked up at my husband as we made our way back down below, and in a voice too timid for me to believe it was my own, I whispered, "I'm frightened." "Of what?" "This new place. We know nothing about it. What if we're alone?" "We will have each other." "What if the land is hard?" "We will soften it." "What if we face grave danger?" "I will protect you. I will always protect you Aliénor, even with my last breath." With that reassurance from my husband, I laid my head in his lap and drifted into a peaceful sleep. We had been on the ship for about 13 hours or so when the clouds started rolling in. I could hear the thunder in the distance, it's peaceful rumble brought a false sense of serenity to my impending doom. I was pulled out of my slumber by the rocking of the ship. It wasn't long until the rain began, gentle at first but growing more intense the further out to sea we went. Once the lightning began illuminating the clouds we realized the danger we were in. The clouds ahead were a foreboding purple, their tenebrous hue not unlike that of sailors found washed ashore. The rain began pelting us in sheets, the thunder shook the boards underfoot. My new husband and I took shelter in the cargo hold below, where we were expected to stay for the duration of the journey. I was beginning to feel rather ill when the door to our haven burst open with a loud bang. The captain charged in, his face nearly as purple as the clouds above. "I KNEW WE NEVER SHOULD HAVE BROUGHT YOU ABOARD!" He shouted over the deafening thunder. My husband looked confused. "I dont understand? Did we cause some misfortune being on deck? We only meant to have a look at the waves. We didn't mean to cause any harm."