The Queen of the Waves

25: a Strange Sensation

Mara stared in exhilaration as the glorious town on Andonia stood before her. Below her, sailors and dockers were roping the Golden Promise to the port. Finally she had left Zauros and her past behind her.

"It's beautiful, isn't it." Bas spoke as he held her close by the waist.

"It really is." Mara whispered, unable to pry her eyes off the bustling town full of life.

"Let's get off this ship then." Bas said with a smile before lightly kissing her ear.

Mara arched into the movement, every pore of her being called out to him.

"Yes, yes please!" Mara exclaimed, looking up at him with a childlike joy.

Bas chuckled and led her gently towards the plank of wood connecting the ship to the port. Mara's feet trembled slightly with excitement as she crossed over the wood, Bas' hand stabilised her the whole way incase she slipped.

When they were both stood on the stone of the port, Mara's knees felt weak.

"It's a strange sensation, isn't it." Bas smiled at her as he watched her testing the solid ground.

"It does feel weird."

"After my first trip, I couldn't stand without leaning on something for hours." Bas chuckled but Mara is distracted by something, by someone.

"Mara?" Bas questioned, his eyes searched her face but as always she was unreadable.

"That woman," Mara spoke as she pressed her body against Bas', "she looks like you."

"She's my mother, beautiful." Bas explained making Mara tense up with nerves.

"Relax." Bas soothed, stroking her lower back with his thumb, "everything will be ok."

"Sebastian." His mother's voice was cold as she marched towards them both.

"Mother." Bas swallowed just as nervous as Mara was moments before.

"And who is this?" Her cold black eyes turned their torment onto Mara.

Before Bas could open up his mouth to explain, she decided who Mara was, and it was not kind.

"The way I see it," she spat out, "this woman is either a whore you've brought back from your trip with, or it's some harlot you got pregnant."

Mara stiffened at her cruel words and even crueler judgement.

"Am I right?"

"No mother, you are not." Bas's grip on Mara's waist tightened protectively, but he couldn't protect her from his mother's words.

"This is Mara, we rescued her in Zauros and now she will be living with me."

"For shame!" His mother snarled, her eyes scanning between the pair, "do you have any idea what you have done Sebastian, the shame of it."

Mara looked up at Bas and the back at his mother, she was fed up of being spoken to like she wasn't there, and the disrespect was enough to anger anyone.

"Bas," she spoke, looking up at him, "where can I go?"

Bas nodded his head in understanding, he knew why she wanted to get away. Hell, if he could escape his mother's vicious tongue he would.

"My house is three streets back that way," he pointed to one of the streets feeding off the port, "fifth on the left."

Mara nodded and Bas knew from her training that she would remember and be able to follow these instructions and she takes off confidently.

Everything in Mara screamed out to give that woman a piece of her mind, but she was Bas' mother and Mara didn't want to jeopardise anything.

The streets of Andonia were packed and filled with life, something Mara had never seen before. Women were walking around on their own in fine dresses, and free, Mara couldn't believe it.

She counted the streets and then finally te doors, when she stopped at number five she couldn't believe it. Mara retreated back to the end of the street and recounted them once again.

This was seriously Bas' house, and now Mara's, it was unbelievable.

She walked up to the front door, her fist raised to knock on the door, but then her grubby hand appeared in her eye line.

Mara took a step back and looked down at her appearance. She was bedraggled and the hem of her skirt had fallen down.

Mara bit her lip and sat down heavily on the doorstep. If she knocked on the door looking like this without Bas, there was a real chance they would throw her out or call some kind of law enforcement.

It wasn't worth the risk. Mara decided to just wait for Bas, he would be here soon anyway.