Arturos looks back at the city.
Spring winds from the south were strong, catching the tide was easy for the old ship hands. She wasn’t a fast ship typically, but this old wooden hall took to the sea with enthusiasm. Not long after the sun turned orange to yellow, they were out past the sand banks and heading north for trade. All of the crew, flushed by the way their beloved boat found its legs early all looked ahead, excited and happy.
All except Arturos, Arturos looked back.
The wool would have been sheared in Koehldbae. They will have the docks filled, and this ship will load up the cargo in short order for the trade. It was a route that seems as expected as the great seasons shift. Tis was his duty to look forward to this, to make this trade happen, to bring coins enough to his homeland that they can afford to last another year, to feed their children, keep the older ones warm.
Tis was his duty to look forward, but he looked back.
The Captain wasn’t quiet about his concerns with picking him up in Dee. You could not ignore the cannons and walls built high. The seas were filled with rumors of wreckers on Dee’s shores. Sure, the Captain was happy the guard was doing something about it, but its hard to feel safe as yet. As he stood next to Arturos, as the ship moved from the dock, the Captain talked, Art listened. The Captain talked about the war that looms there. The Captain said that Arturos wished to be home, to be fighting by his compatriots, to defend his city for what is right.
Art looked back, but it wasn’t for that.
Art would return to Dee, this was only a few days, this was only for trade purposes. Surely the people in Dee will know he will return, but this departure, so quick and so unannounced, it may be seen wrong. So many people assumed to think what Arturos wanted recently. So many will likely think he leaves now to night fight against Sjofn. With the way she treats him, he would rather be there to see where he body ends up … just to make sure she was dead.
Looking back, sometimes it feels to Arturos that few really seem him.
Danara does.
Well
Danara did.
They knew the day would come when what they were could not continue. They talked about it, tried to ignore it. The evening before … that was the day. If one was to look forward, Arturos would know this is the true future for them. She will rise in the pack, she will be unchallenged to stand as Kylerra’s Beta. Danara will be strong, she will be independent. She will be free of the questions of her loyalty. None would see her as a human lover, or see her as any but truly embracing her Garou nature. Most of all she will be happy. She will find trueness in herself. She will find what greatness she is capable of. She will find a mate, a true love, a male like herself that would make it possible to be herself.
If Arturos could see the future, he could see what is to come, and he is sure it will be much better than what lies behind him.
But today …
He could only look back.
