Sanctuary At Last
When the group returned to the ship with smiles, everybody cheered. Boats were lowered, and parties began to go ashore to survey the island. The mood was one of pure joy, and some of the White Knights were crying from happiness.
Master Kane smiled with relief as he saw everybody, “Elisha,” he said, greeting her as she came aboard, “You were successful, I see.”
“It was mostly Maia’s work,” she said, “but yes. Thea is herself again, and disaster has been averted.”
“I’m glad,” he said, looking over at Thea, “Finally, you’ve found the place you’ve been searching for. This is where I get off.”
“Really?” Elisha was surprised, “I suppose there isn’t much for you here.”
“I thought Thea needed me, but she doesn’t. She has her friends all around her. I know you’ll always stop her when she goes too far.”
“Where will you go?” Elisha said.
“I’m thinking of buying a ship of my own and heading out to uncharted waters,” Kane said, “I always wanted to explore the ocean. I can’t stay in one place too long.”
“Sounds exciting,” Elisha said, “I hope you find what you are searching for.”
Luna took Pandora’s hand and took her to her room. She was exhausted from the magic, and Luna knew there would be plenty of time for celebration later.
“We did it, didn’t we?” Pandora said, lying down on her bed peacefully, “We really found Sanctuary.”
“Yes we did, Pandora. We really did it.” Luna said, “I was scared for a minute there, but I just believed in you.”
“It wasn’t me,” Pandora said, “It was Maia, and her great love for Thea. She was the one who chose to come back. I just gave her the means to appear on this plane.”
“Pandora...?” Luna said, “I have a question. You don’t have to answer right away, but...”
“What is it?” Pandora asked.
“Will you live with me?” Luna asked, “In the city, I mean. A house of our own, with flowers by the front door.”
Pandora smiled, “I’d love to,” she said, and drifted off into a peaceful sleep.
~
Arietta sat in her room, in solitude. She looked at her sword, Faith. Engraved on it were the names of all the people she was fighting for, all the places she wanted to reclaim. If she stayed here, that quest was over. Flying machines didn’t exist, and she knew they would not be able to land the city at will. She could live here peacefully with Elisha, but the Moral Revolution would continue. The same people who had destroyed Selesti’s life would still be out there, unpunished. San Ria was in turmoil, but that would end eventually, and the Moral Revolution would regroup and try to take it again, by politics or by force.
Then there was the world itself. She had no desire to shut herself away from the world, to hide away from everybody else. She knew deep down that if she wanted attitudes to change, she needed to be out there, not hidden away.
Still, it broke her heart to think of the peaceful life they could have had, and she curled up on her bed and cried for all she was about to lose.
~
Elisha and Thea were in the mainframe, trying to work out the controls for the island’s flight. They had isolated the controls to get it off the ground, but Thea wanted to be sure they had everything right before they left.
Meanwhile, they had been able to open the below ground levels of the city to find them perfectly preserved and unflooded. It was to these parts that the White Knights flocked, choosing homes and moving their possessions in. Scouts went out to the adjoining fields and worked to remove the sand from the fertile soil beneath, planting seeds that had long lay dormant on the ship, waiting for a land that had been too long in coming. Eventually, those seeds would be food for the settlement.
There was a windmill attached to the tower, and Sashiko headed a team to get it working again. Within days they had success, generating power to the computers whose magical power was fading away now they were in full use again.
“It seems our job is done,” Thea announced in the center of their new city, “We have found Sanctuary, and are ready to fly. Now comes the hard part; we have to say goodbye to all the people who won’t be coming with us.”
Eyes turned to a small group of people who had mostly stayed on the ship until now. “Arietta and Elisha will take you to San Ria, where you should be safe. I wish you well in your future endeavors, and hope you find a place where you belong.”
Arietta and Elisha led them onto the ship as the sun set and began to sail. Arietta felt sadness, having been unable to tell Elisha that she, too, would not be staying. She looked behind her, studying the city. It was hard to break her eyes away from the sight of what could have been paradise for her. She gripped her sword hilt as they sailed away, looking wistfully out at the sunset.
“You seem quiet,” Elisha said, coming down from the helm as another White Knight took over, “Is everything okay?”
“Everything’s fine,” Arietta said, “Elisha, I...”
“What is it, Arietta?” Elisha said, “You know you can tell me anything.”
“I can’t... go with you, Elisha. I can’t isolate myself away from the world.” She drew her sword, running her fingers across the names engraved into it as the orange light flashed across it, “All these people... I promised I’d fight for them. The Moral Revolution is still out there, Garania is still in its grip... I can’t just leave things as they are and run away.”
“I was afraid, deep in my heart, when you volunteered for this last voyage, that you would say that,” Elisha sighed, “I can’t change your mind, can I?”
“Perhaps someday, I will be ready to come to Sanctuary,” she said, “But there’s still so much I have to do.”
“I’ll come with you,” Elisha said, but Arietta shook her head.
“You yearned for Sanctuary with all your heart,” Arietta replied, “You, more than anybody, need that place to recover from your wounds and heal. Besides, you promised you would watch over Thea. Just because she turned away at the last minute doesn’t mean she’ll never succumb to hatred again. You are the only one who can stop her if she ever becomes weak again.”
“I don’t want to lose you,” Elisha said, “I love you so much...”
“You won’t lose me,” Arietta said, “I’ll still be out in the world. It’s not like I’ll be dead. If the island ever lowers, I’ll be the first one to jump on a ship and visit. You’ll see me again, Elisha, I promise.”
Elisha wrapped her arms around Arietta as she stood looking out at the ocean, “If I could, I would stay like this forever,” she said, tears running from her violet eyes.
“I would too,” Arietta said, “I’m sorry I have to go.”
“You have to do what you have to do,” Elisha said. “If I kept you chained up in Sanctuary, you would only be unhappy.”
“I wouldn’t,” Arietta said, “I would just forever spend my life wondering if I could have ended the Moral Revolution.”
“Please be careful out there,” Elisha said.
“You be careful up there,” Arietta said, “That city no doubt holds many secrets.”
“True,” Elisha said, “I’ll keep my eyes open.”
“Arietta...” Elisha said, “It’s getting dark. Will you come to my cabin tonight? I want to keep one night to remember.”
“Yes, I think I will,” Arietta said, smiling, and Elisha took her by the hand, into the depths of the White Ship.
They made love by candlelight, hands finding each other in the near-darkness, kisses exchanged without holding back, hands that found pleasure in touching and exploring each other’s bodies. They left nothing unsaid, and fell asleep in each other’s arms.
~
When the light poured into their cabin, Elisha woke first, looking down at the naked, sleeping form of Arietta. She drank in the sight, saving it for all time, then woke Arietta with a gentle kiss.
“Love, we’re almost there. Care for some breakfast before you go?” Arietta nodded sleepily, and Elisha dressed and went to fetch some food from the kitchens. Arietta looked sadly around the room, knowing it would be the last time she would see this particular room. Her time on the White Ship seemed to have gone by so quickly, filled with joy and drama, despair and hope. It seemed only a short time since she had become a White Knight, and already that period in her life was over. Yet she knew she would always be a White Knight in some way, even though she was not with the others. Dressing in her white uniform, she picked up her sword and waited for Elisha to bring her breakfast.
Breakfast was quiet, just the two of them. Arietta wanted to say something, but words had departed. Her path was set, and she was just waiting for San Ria to come. Yet still she wanted time to slow down, each moment to last a lifetime so that she never had to go out into the world, never had to take care of the promises she had made.
Out of Elisha’s window she saw San Ria approaching, “I had better go to my room and pack my things,” she said, departing quietly.
Walking along the corridor, she entered her room for the last time, packing her spare uniforms and the clothes she had come to the White Ship in, the only things she owned. Looking around the walls, she remembered the tears she had cried here, the happiness and the loneliness she had felt within these wooden walls.
She closed the door behind her as she left, and headed up onto the deck. Elisha was waiting for her as they pulled into San Ria. They were welcomed by a civilian guard, and Arietta could see the damage San Ria had sustained in the counter-revolution - some buildings had been burned, others damaged. She resolved to meet with Luna’s father and tell him of her whereabouts, that she was happy and had found love with Pandora.
Then there was Selesti. Would she see Selesti again? She did not know, but knew she would not seek her out. No, Selesti was a part of another life, a life before she had come to the White Ship. She could not recapture that past glory, just as when this moment was gone, she would not be able to recapture her days upon the White Ship either.
Master Kane left, waving to them both. They wished him farewell, and he hurried off, no doubt looking for an inn to have a flagon of ale.
Elisha held Arietta in a tight embrace, holding back the tears which threatened to engulf her. Arietta wished she had something to give Elisha, but she owned nothing.
“Don’t forget me,” she whispered in Elisha’s ear. The other passengers were disembarking, spreading out into the city and disappearing with its populace.
“I could never do that,” Elisha said, letting her go, “Be safe, Arietta.”
Arietta walked off the ship, looking behind her and waving, “Goodbye, Elisha,” she whispered, and merged in with the city crowds.
~
When they returned to the island, Elisha saw a large hatch open, big enough for the ship.
“I suppose there’s a dock of some kind in there,” Elisha said, “Steer the boat in. I’m going to disembark here.” The crew wheeled a boat down for her and she slowly rowed her way to the beach, where she saw a lone figure waiting for her. It was Thea, her hair loose, her armor gone, dressed as a normal civilian. She saw Elisha alone and nodded, as though she understood the meaning of that and accepted it.
Elisha pushed the boat up on the beach and met Thea there.
“Thea, Arietta, she... she...” she began to weep and felt Thea’s strong arms wrap around her in a comforting embrace.
“I know,” Thea said simply, and held Elisha close, “She still has work to do, out in the world.”
“I thought she truly loved me,” Elisha said, “I thought we would grow old together.”
“She does,” Thea said, “She just has to set her heart at peace, and banish her self-doubt. She will return when she is ready, I believe that.”
“Is everything ready to go?” Elisha said.
“Yes, we know how to take off and land the island,” Thea said, “We also found its power source - a huge magical rock which should last a very long time. You should come and see it - it’s incredible!”
“You truly are home,” Elisha smiled. She noted that Thea finally looked at peace, a sight that set her mind at ease.
As they walked off the beach, up the hill overlooking the city, they saw several lights from the city below illuminating the fading day. Some people had decided to make the most of the ruins above surface, while many others had gone to shelter inside the island, where the houses were more intact.
“It’s amazing, isn’t it,” Elisha said, “After all we’ve been through, we’re finally here.”
The hill lurched, and Thea grabbed Elisha’s arm, pulling her inland, “We’re taking off!” she said, and sure enough, the island started to pull away from the sea below. Elisha looked down at the world, taking one last good look at all the things she was leaving behind.
“Goodbye, Arietta,” she whispered, and hoped the sea wind would carry the words to Arietta’s ears. As they stood there, other White Knights came to enjoy the view, including Luna and Pandora, who jostled the crowd for a space next to Elisha.
Once they had reached their optimum height, the crowd went back to their evening activities. Only Elisha was left, along with Pandora, Luna having gone back to their home.
“Have faith in Arietta, Elisha,” Pandora said, “She’ll be back, someday.”
“I know,” Elisha said, “I’ll be waiting.”
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