Coping (Melora POV)

The trip home is somber. Melora has lost people before, and been alone before. Somehow, this time is worse. Her powers can tell her that Nicholas is alive, but that’s a small comfort, knowing who has him. They managed to get that much out of Ferra, and agreed to mount some kind of rescue as soon as possible. Leaving the dreadnought empty and adrift, the Horizon turned back towards the village. With nearly half the crew either dead or wounded beyond Cassie’s ability to fully heal, it’s a slow, limping return to safe harbor.

Melora takes charge, and pushes her worries down as she helps everyone cope with the victory that feels like a loss. Everyone is dealing with it in their own way. Captain Ben is a huge help, as he seems as optimistic as ever. “That boy is his father’s son. If you knew his family, you wouldn’t be worried. I imagine Nicholas will escape before we know it. Heroics is in his blood.”

Cassie is similar, though some of that is precisely because she hasn’t had enough time to form the strong bonds that the other girls have. Still, there are moments where Melora finds the chameleon girl staring out to sea, her colors a muted blue. The truth is, Cassie is as distraught as anyone, but her natural instinct as a healer pushes her to suffer silently. When Melora catches one of those quiet sessions of sadness, she simply embraces the young woman gently. Cassie sighs, wiping away a tear, and smiles gratefully.

Alex is another story. True to her nature, she uses the abduction of her bondmate as fuel to her fire. Though she has no gift for strategy or planning, her thoughts turn immediately towards rescue. It takes both Melora and Captain Ben’s insistence to convince her to return to town rather than immediately set out for the capital. After her **** agreement, she immediately begins making plans. Plans for a rescue, plans for vengeance, and of course, plans for a celebratory orgy.

And then there’s Ferra.

Nicholas’s closest companion, his loyal bodyguard, and the first of his lovers, Ferra is nearly catatonic for the first few days of the journey. She spends all her time sitting in Nicholas’s cabin, staring at his dropped blade, which she cradles in her hands. The girls all take turns keeping an eye on her, ensuring that she doesn’t do anything crazy. Ferra’s wounds slowly heal, and the combined efforts of all three of the girls slowly coax her back out of her shell. Though the small smiles don’t return, there is life in her orange glowing eyes once again. The relief is palpable, and they all realize how much they all care for the strange golem girl.

Melora herself finds distraction the best medicine, and throws herself into any task she can. Once Ferra recovers enough, Melora insists on continuing her weapon practice, as a way to distract both of them. The little redhead is a surprisingly good instructor, and many times the other girls join their sessions. However, it’s nighttime that is the hardest. Even with the four of them in the bed, it feels empty. Melora occasionally finds herself staring at the ceiling in the dark, a tear running down her cheek as she thinks about what happened.

As the days roll on, and they grow closer to the village, however, everyone seems to agree on a few things. This won’t be a long wait, for one. As soon as they can get resupplied and make a plan, they leave again. Even if it was just the four of them, they were coming to rescue Nicholas.