The Fate of Tomorrow's Maiden
A quick ficbit to help develope the backstory of Calypso.Even though she spends this entire mini story uncontious, you get a glimpse of what her life at see was like. Calypso is a SL role play character I have, that I am getting quite fond of.
Calypso and Ian are © me
Koh is ©Koh and used with permission
This is how he found her; beaten, broken, and bloody. Someone had tortured the miniature feline to an inch of her life, than left her.
Calypso's dingy brown fur was matted and dark, stained almost black by the blood still seeping from the long and wicked gashes that started at the base of her neck and traveled down her torso and back. Her breath was shallow, stuttering as she huddled behind a stack of crates in the ship's hull.
Koh was surprised he had even noticed her hiding in the dark. He had traveled down into the inky darkness of the ships lowest hold to check on his own preparations. He had heard the muffled groans of pain, and followed the smeared trail of blood from where Calypso had drug herself into hiding.
He bottles his anger and removed his cloak, wrapping the battered cat and gently carrying her back to his bunk. He had opted for one of the more solitary mats on the cargo level of the ship. The cots weren't as comfortable, but allotted him a small measure of privacy.
Calypso offered no resistance as he moved her. Either from exhaustion or blood loss it was highly unlikely she even knew she was being moved. Koh knew this poor creature suffered much abuse at the hands of the ship's crew, but he had never seen her so severely beaten. He scowled as he lay the three and a half foot feline down, having a few suspicions as to who may have harmed her. The truth, however, was that anyone on board could have done this, save a small few.
Koh cleaned her wounds as best he could wrapping the worst of them with strips torn from the lining of his cloak. She stirred in weak protest, dazed an unaware of what was going on around her. Koh hushed the frail feline, singing a wordless tune to her in soft tones. It rumbled from his chest, almost as a purr, speaking volumes without actually saying a word.
'You are safe now, little one'
'As long as I am here, no one will harm you.'
Koh paused, his ears perking up as the creek of footsteps approached. He relaxed as the familiar face of the First Mate came into view. Ian was a tall, fit canine of mixed heritage. He was soft spoken with gentle eyes, his golden fur likening him to a collie or shepherd. "How are the preparations going?... he asked in a hushed tone, pausing as he saw the bloody bundle resting in Koh's bunk.
"..What?...Who?..."
"I found her like this only a moment ago," Koh's ears drooped in shame and defeat. He wondered if only he had come down just a bit sooner could he have stopped this from even happening? "I will tend to her as best I can, and give her the best chance of survival I can. But, preparations are nearly set; Tomorrow's Maiden will be resting at the bottom of the sea in three days time."
Ian nodded as he dropped to his knees before the near lifeless body of Calypso. He ran the back of his paw over her cheek and leaned in kissing the feline's forehead. "Hold on for me," he cooed at her, "Soon enough I will free you from this hellish place. Just as I promised."
Calypso coughed and stirred, her blank eyes fluttering at Ian's words. She lifted a paw, reaching for the sound of his voice. Ian took her tiny hand in his, cupping it against his chest. "Be strong for me, little one. It will all be over soon."
She closed her eyes, her paw sliding from his, as she slipped into a dreamless slumber.
Ian sighed, placing a paw over his eyes. "We cannot let this delay the plans. I will place an empty barrel on deck with food and water. The currents should carry her to the same place as us..." He stood a marked look of determination on his face. "I can no longer stand idly by while Tiber and Vari get rich off the suffering of others. I will no longer be blindly loyal to such tyranny."
Koh nodded, keeping an eye on the bundle asleep in his bed. "Are you sure you are up for this? I can easily do it all on my own, you would be safer, could be certain of Calypso's safety..."
Ian raised his paw, "If there are any survivors, no one would suspect I would plot against my own ship, my captain and former friend. You just set it up, I will blow the powder magazine." He paused for a moment, looking down at the form laid out on the bunk. "However, should I not make it; be sure she is taken care of... and happy."
At that Ian turned and headed back up deck, not waiting for Koh to respond. He was confident he knew what it would be.