[Galadria]

Today's Installment.
"Ugliest thing I ever did see, "grunted Odo, as they shot past the thing. The coracle was in a fair way to capsize in the enormous turbulance created by the spell, but the crew, fortunately heartened by Cythera's's spell, carried them through. Odo and Attalus, as proper heroes should, ignored the frantic pitching and yawing to discuss the finer points of the incident. Noemi and Morgul stood in the bow, arms about each other.
Lady Galadria, face peaked with the effort of casting the spell, would probably have slipped to the deck, and maybe even fallen over the side , if not for Sefa. She supported the fainting mage and cried out in alarm. The others heard and rushed to them. "Magnificent, my darling," said Attalus instensely as he swept her into his arms. Cradled there, the dark head raised and managed a smile, which Attalus returned as he carried her below. Sefa tagged along behind.
After Attalus had settled his wife in their bunk and made sure she was sleeping, Sefa approached as he tiptoed away. "Please, Sir Attalus," she managed through tears, "tell me. She'll be all right, won't she?".
Attalus smiled to see her concern. "Well, well," he said avuncularly, "so you've fallen in love with our Galadria, too. Fear not, little one. Lady Gal has been in rougher places. She just sometimes gives out when it's all over." He put his huge arm around her shoulders and tried to guide her back on deck.
"Please, sir," she whispered, "let me watch her as she sleeps. I won't bother her."
Attalus hesitated. After all, he did not know this girl well. They had been betrayed before. But, finally, Attalus, paladin of good that he was, recognized the honest concern in the former street waif. When next he went below to check on them, Galadria was sleeping peacefuly and Sefa was standing guard by her, the knife Strike at the ready.

X

They continued to travel without further incident for a little over a week. Sefa spent the rest of the voyage getting to know her companions better. Morgul, despite the negative first impression she had of him, seemed genuinely devoted to Noemi and Galadria. He continued cool and rather dismisssive of her, but there was no open hostility. He seemed to be bewildered by the recent change in his relationship with Noemi. From being very loving, she had grown rather distant, though there had been no open quarrel. Like many a man before and after him, Morgul despaired of understanding women. Actually, just understanding one would be something he would be willing to settle for. Noemi she saw a lot of, and her liking for her grew. The red haired mage had been assigned to teach her reading, and could be cutting when her work was not up to her potential, at least as Noemi gauged it; but she was also affectionate, rumpling her dark brown locks when she did well. Sefa would like to have asked her about her rift with the dark apprentice, but didn't dare risk her temper.
Cythera liked to have long talks with her in the evenings, while Odo and Attalus caroused and Galadria brooded in her stateroom. Sefa now recognized the look that had passed between her husband and Attalus. Lady Cythera wanted to know about conditions on the street, how the children lived, where they slept, and what could be done to make things better. Once she asked the girl bluntly about child prostitution, and had only gotten an innocent blank stare.
After the blonde woman had gone below , Sefa was heaving a gentle sigh of relief, when she recognized a familiar chuckle from the shadows behind her. Noemi, for it was she, slipped down into the empty seat beside her. "Put you through the wringer, did she?"
she asked humorously. "Sweet Cythera, always worried about the poor."
Surprised, Sefa blurted,"I thought you liked her."
Noemi laughed again, this time more gently. "Like her? I love her. She's the dearest person you'll ever meet, but she's got that bee in her bonnet, and we all cut her a little slack." She gave Sefa a meaning look. "As I advise you to."
Sefa was confused."Me? What difference could my opinion of Lady Cythera make?"
Noemi had clapped her on the shoulder, rather roughly. Sefa was surprised at how strong the little woman was. "What difference?" the redhead had said, "Sweetheart, we're on a trip where danger could come from anywhere, serious danger. Every one of us could be depending for their very life on any other. Let me tell you. Once, we," Sefa understood that she meant their group, "were ambushed by a bunch of goblins, and they had a powerful shaman. They bleared our minds, mine, Attalus', Odo's, and the very Lady Galadria. We didn't know which end was up for a few minutes. When we came around, there was Cythera almost dead." Here she grabbed Sefa's arm so hard that she felt Noemi's nails through the leather. "There was a great circle of them lying dead around her, and Bryno was standing over her, his sword reeking, tears flowing down his face.'She held them all off till I came to.' was all he could say. Odo stayed up the next two days, healing her."