Nemmy fidgeted in her chair.
“Absolutely not. Your father’s crew are well trained, and a ship is no place for a young girl.”
“But mama, it won’t be for long!
“It could be forever!” Siria snapped and spun around from the fireplace, her face flashing with anger. But there was also fear.
Nemmy’s lip quivered.
“Oh… honey…. No no no…” Siria’s face softened and she stepped forward, wrapping her arms around her daughter. “I didn’t mean to yell at you.”
The girl sniffed back her tears and rested her chin on her mother’s shoulder. Siria shifted back and placed her hands on Nemmy’s cheeks, wiping away the tears with her thumbs.
“I’m just so scared. I don’t want anything to happen to you. The ocean is unforgiving and one slip and… and you could be gone.”
“I’m careful.”
“I know you are. But you’re just twelve. Wait until you are bigger and stronger, and then we will see. Yeah?”
Nemmy nodded and hugged her mother again, content for now.
Bigger and Stronger
It was a clear morning, quite perfect for setting out on a ship. Nemmy stepped onto the wharf with a bag over her shoulder and shoes on her feet, for once, by protest of her mother.
“Ready, Nomica?” A low voice called from the other end of the wharf.
“Aye aye!” She couldn’t help but grin as she approached the ship with its tall masts swaying in the waves. Men rushed about on deck, calling to each other and preparing to set sail.
“C’mere, then. I’ll show you where you’ll be sleepin’.” Enir ushered Nemmy on board and down the stairs at the back of the ship.
The first set of stairs went down to a small platform that lead forwards to various rooms. Behind them, the room opened out and another set of stairs lead down into the space that was, without doubt, the sleeping quarters. Hammocks hung between beams and beds lay out on the floor. Casks and tables and shelves lay around, all bound to their places with rope, and lanterns hung from the ceilings emitting dim light. Enir lead Nemmy to the back, through a passageway, and left into one of the doors.
“It’s not very big, but it should do nicely. All the crew have to sleep in that big main room in hammocks.”
The room was right up against the side of the ship so the far side curved around to the roof somewhat. A bed was pushed up against the wall, just below a small porthole, and a suitably sized chest sat at its foot for personal effects. A chair had been placed in another corner and any other space was just enough to walk a couple of steps in.
“Aye, this is perfect. Ta, Enir.” She left her things on the bed and they returned to the deck.
The captain of the ship was called Ornied. He had been reluctant to allow a young girl on the ship, but she swore black and blue that she would be helpful, and he wasn’t against getting all the hands he could. And Enir promised to look out for her when her father couldn’t, so in the end Ornied decided it was beneficial on his part. The crew didn’t care one way or the other, so long as she stayed out from under their feet. Nemmy settled in quite well and was straight away assigned simple, but necessary tasks. Everything had to be checked that it was tied down good and proper, the cargo in the hold needed to be checked for stowaways (there were none), and Enir needed a hand checking the food stores one last time. When all was done and the crew ready to set sail, Nemmy’s father finally had a short break. He ran up behind his daughter and scooped her up, and she let out a squeal.
“Da! Phooey, you’re sweaty.”
Nathamir laughed.
“Been ‘ard at work, love! A quick breather, then we can go. Are you excited?”
“I can’t wait. Captain Ornied has been giving me funny looks, but I’ll prove to him I can learn fast.”
“You’ll do great. Let me know if anything goes wrong, yeah? Your mother would never forgive me if I came back without ye.”
The wind whipped Nemmy’s hair into her face as the boat entered open water. The sails had been dropped and the ship was moving at considerable speed. Few waves were big enough to cause alarm, so Nemmy tied back her hair with a ribbon to combat the wind-
“Take that, wind!”
-and leant over the side of the ship, looking out across the sea. It was magnificent. She could see Dol Amroth’s cliffs rolling away into the horizon and the rising sun reflecting off the sea in blinding rays. The flag of Dol Amroth was raised high above on the mast, billowing and snapping in the gusts of wind and the bow of the ship sliced through the water like a knife through butter. Without warning, something came down on her head.
“‘Ey lass! I thought you’d need a hat like all the crew if you’re goin’ to be sailing with us.”
Enir had donned her with a leather tricorn hat, and it looked brand new.
“Oh, it’s fantastic! Thank you!” She took the hat off and looked it all over, completely chuffed, then fitted it back on her head.
“Now… I’m heading up the yardarms with the crew for a drink. Care to join?”
Nemmy nodded with almost enough enthusiasm to send the hat flying into the waves.
“Careful! You’ll ‘ave to hold onto that one when we go up. It gets awful blustery. C’mon, then.”
They clambered up the shroud to get to the mast, then used the ropes and footholds to get up to the yardarms.
“Hold tight, lass!”
“I’m holdin’!”
Nemmy copied Enir’s steps as they climbed, then shuffled along the yardarms using the ropes to stay steady. Enir sat up on the arm and Nemmy swung herself up, straddled across it and holding the rope for dear life. Enir hadn’t lied about the wind! Nor had he lied about the drinks. Others from the crew came aloft and sat themselves there with a drink tucked into their boots or back pockets, all now quite pleased to be having a break.
“Ahoy, Enir!” One crewman called, and several waved.
“Ahoy! Nice day for it, don’t ya reckon?”
“Oh aye, for sure. Smooth sailing.”
“This is Nomica, if you haven’t met her yet. She’s Nathamir’s little girl.”
“Ahoy, Nomica! I’m Gilnar.” He pointed to the other crewmen behind him, “And that there’s Lyndon, Torlion, Ardio, and the shifty lookin’ feller by the mast is Ertuil. Ormies is away over there on the other yardarm.”
“Right pleased to meet you!”
She shook his hand, but dared not shake the hands of any of the others, for fear of falling. The crew all took out their bottles and drank as they chatted and looked out over the sea. Nemmy eyed Enir.
“Give us a taste?”
“Hmm?”
“Please?”
“Oh… I don’t know, hon. You dad will string me up from this here yardarm, ya know.”
“He won’t even know!”
“Oh, bloody hell, give the girl a try! Here, Nomica.” Gilnar passed Nemmy his bottle with a grin. “Take a good swig.”
And she did. The men watching burst into laughter as she coughed and spluttered on the strong drink. She took another sip, more carefully this time, and managed it somewhat better.
“Much more interesting than goat’s milk, I’ll give it that.” She laughed and passed the bottle back.
Galnir and Enir laughed heartily.
“I do like this girl’s sense of humour! Nathamir’s daughter, did you say? Can’t say I’m surprised.” Galnir shook his head and swigged from the bottle for himself.
They talked and laughed for almost half an hour in the roaring wind before the crewmen started climbing down again. It was time to get back to work.
