As she crossed the deck, she saw Zara turning over the helm to one of the newly released crewmen. Then the tall woman
moved near the rail. With a healer’s eye, Gabrielle cast her lover a critical glance. She noticed how tired the captain was and
knew that she was doing the job of at least three men. But as they were short handed, just about everyone was working for
more than one, including the healer. While standing quietly in the shadows, the blonde watched the movements of the
Moroccan. Once, when the captain stood up from a leaning position, she seemed to grimace as she stood still.
“Zara?” Gabrielle moved to her lover’s side, the concern clearly etched on her features, “how are you doing?”
“Fine,” the tall woman smiled down as she continued to wind up a rope around her arm.
Glancing up at the clouds, then out at the open sea, the seafarer nodded and turned to the blonde. “Not more than another
day,” she said as she noted the land on the distant skyline and the numerous birds flying above. If it had not been the birds
and clouds combined with the occasional fishing boats that they passed, the different scent of the air would have told her that
they were nearing their destination.
“Till Indus?” the healer asked, still concerned about her lover.
“Yes, Calicut, Indus. Since we have made such good time I think we will rest there. I believe the crew deserves a well-
needed shore leave in a place of civilization. Do you not agree?” Zara asked the shorter woman as she dropped the rope to
the deck, then unconsciously wiped the sweat from her brow.
“Oh, I’m sure that we can all use it... at least, I know that I definitely have some ideas on how to utilize the down time,”
Gabrielle’s voice was low and sultry as she glanced up at the tall woman. Catching the captain off-guard, the Amazon
laughed when she saw her tall lover’s face suddenly blush from her comment. With a shake of her head, the healer winked at
the dusky Moroccan, then turned to go to the galley to help Ayyub with the noon meal. Later she would tend to her lover’s
aching back, then, if she was lucky, she would tend to her own needs, Gabrielle thought as she left her perplexed lover on the
deck.
~~~~~~
Nadrah sat on the deck talking with Xena. She listened to her friend’s words, fascinated that the warrior had experienced so
many things. Although she had heard a lot of Gabrielle’s stories, hearing them from Xena’s point of view added new insights.
“…and then you get under the fish, like this,” the tall warrior explained as she held her hand out and wiggled her fingers, “and
then you tickle them, then when they get close, POW! You slug ‘em!” the warrior’s face screwed up with a slight smile as
her fist shot upward. Nadrah giggled at her friend, who, encouraged by her laughter, reached out and began to tickle her.
“Xena!” Tears of laughter followed the girl’s giggles. Before she could reach out to tickle her friend back, a voice for the
main mast called down to the crew.
“Captain, a ship!” Isa yelled down.
Xena stood up hurriedly. “Gods, not more pirates,” she thought, grimly, “the last encounter was nearly the death of us all.”
Nadrah stood up too, still giggling slightly.
"Why are you worried, Xena?" She inquired, looking up still smiling.
"Oh, it's probably nothing, Nadrah." The warrior attempted levity. "Just another merchant ship.”
“I hope,” she thought.
Just then Zara moved from the fishing nets at a run toward the bow to observe the approaching vessel. Her body language
showed that she was alert for any trouble. Xena noticed the stiff tension in the captain’s stance.
“Oooo, if it's another ship. I wanna go see,” shouted the child, starting to run off. Then she looked back, her face excited.
"Are you coming, Xena?"
"No," the ghost smiled. "You go on. I've seen ships before, you go on with Zara now."
"Okay," called the girl, running off like a shot from a bow. Xena watched the child, then floated herself straight up the main
mast to the crow’s nest to get a better view. Isa, standing in the crow’s nest, watching the approaching ship, suddenly
shivered as a chill crept over him.
"By Allah," he muttered. "This wind has a bite to it." He shivered again. "Brrr. I'd better get a coat." Shivering, he swiftly
began to climb down the ratlines to the deck.
Paying him no attention, the warrior princess stared out at the incoming craft. “This had better be nothing,” she thought
tightly. “Short-handed as we are, I'm not sure this ship can handle an attack in force,” Xena silently thought.
~~~~~~
Running across the deck, Nadrah moved to stand between Abu and the captain. On tippy toes, she tried to see over the rail,
but couldn’t see anything. Filled with excitement, the girl turned to Abu and tugged at his shirt. As he handed the optical lens
to Zara, he smiled down at her and lifted her up to his shoulders.
Off in the distance, the colorful sails stood out against the ocean’s waves. The red, yellow and orange sails flapped in the
wind, as the ship grew closer. “Ohhhh, how pretty the sails are!” Nadrah clapped her hands in glee. "Captain, who is it?”
Zara stood silent, then smiled as she lowered the eyepiece and shook her head in wonder.
“Is it who I think it is, Captain?” Abu’s frown grew, his brows furrowed. The big man looked almost afraid.
When she first glimpsed the approaching ship, Zara did not know whether to laugh or be amazed. Opting for a combination
of both, the tall Moroccan only shook her head. At the stricken expression from her friend, she shrugged as she clasped her
hand on his shoulder.
“Do not worry, my friend. All will be well,” the Moroccan captain half laughed.
“Captain?” Nadrah caught her attention.
“That ship, little mouse, is a Ghorab. Do you remember what I said about Ghorabs?” The captain asked as she reached up
to Abu’s shoulders and pulled the little girl into her arms.
“Ahuh. They’re small ships that are fast, but only meant for short distant travels,” the child repeated as she watched the
colorful sails approaching.
“And if you look at her bow, you’ll see the name,” the tall woman explained. “Do you see?” she asked the girl as the child
looked through the eyepiece.
“Ahuh…. But I can’t read it. What is the word?”
“It says, Samaling,” Zara smiled as the ship grew closer. Seeing Abu’s deep-set frown, the captain smiled at her friend. “Oh,
cheer up, Abu. It is not all that bad!”
“That’s easy for you to say!” The big man grumbled, his beard all but closing in on his frown, as he turned to make his way
from the bow.
~~~~~~
Gabrielle had heard the commotion and made her way to the deck. As the sun blinded her momentarily, she shielded her
eyes from the brightness, then glanced out at the approaching ship. Seeing the smile on her lover’s face, the blonde felt at
ease as she moved near the rail, leaned over and watched the, well she wasn’t certain what it was that she was watching. It a
ship, but one unlike any she had ever seen. The body was a slick design and smaller than Zara’s. The hull was painted the
most vivid purple she had ever seen. Each sail was a different bright color and on the sail lines hung a line of numerous
colored scarves that flew in the wind. The multi-hued and clashing colors stood out against the calm blue-green of sky and
ocean.
