There was a brief moment of silence, which Eli broke by saying, "It would seem that you are a very special provision of God for the peoples of these lands when we have need of it the most."
I felt myself blush as Tolak said affirmatively, "She is!"
Eli turned to the captains and said, "I think it would be best if we split up. One ship going to each of the three remaining gatherings of our combined people. That way we'll be able to cast off towing lines and speed up the progress of the native vessels. We'll rendezvous with our collected fleets where the current waters start. Do you know the place I speak of?"
The three captains nodded.
"Then let's get to it." Eli said authoritatively and the group broke up.
I saw Tolak say something to a ship's officer standing nearby, who then headed off into an interior hall of the ship and then before I was prepared for it Tolak was hustling me off after the officer. What was the rush for?
I followed along after the officer who abruptly stopped and gestured off to the side. I was pressed from behind within the confines of a tiny cabin off of the main hallway to the tune of the hatch door being shut securely behind me.
Feeling flustered and out of breath I nonetheless willingly turned around in preparation for what I knew was to be an extremely passionate encounter with my husband. Instead of the passion I'd expected to see upon Tolak's face though all I saw was raw emotion and for the first time I saw tears coursing down my man's cheeks.
He wasn't even looking at me as he leaned back against the hatch door as if holding the world outside at bay. I couldn't stand the look of almost shame that there was to his downcast features and feeling choked up myself at the sight of tears falling from off his face I rushed forward to him.
"Tolak! Honey look at me!" I pressed, as I lifted his head up.
The look of misery within his gaze had tears falling from my own eyes. I knew then what it was. He was always so strong that it was easy to forget he was just as human as I was on the inside.
"Your brother?" I whispered.
He nodded and then his hands closed over my hips tightly. His hold wasn't gentle and with his voice raw with the emotion he felt he said, "I want to forget, but I can't!"
Nodding, I said, just before my lips closed over his, "I have you and you have me. All the comfort I can offer is yours my love."