Therefore, when Skylar called, “Er… milady?” I was surprised.
I looked from my book to him to see he had a stack of dirty but devoid of the barest hint of food trays in his hands and his eyes were on me.
“Yes, Skylar?” I responded quietly.
He licked his lips then worried them by pressing and rolling them together.
I waited.
Then he said, “You coulda died today? Uh… makin’ that journey to the king an’ all.”
Even more surprised at his question and that he’d ask it, I quickly assured him, “It turned out not to be that dangerous.”
“But…” he hesitated, “you didn’t know that.”
“No,” I said softly, studying him and taking care with the first conversation he’d instigated between us. “I didn’t know that.”
“And you did it for the captain?” he asked.
“Yes, I did it for the captain,” I answered.
He nodded then worried his lips again.
Then he whispered, “And you’d do it again? Like you said, in a heartbeat?”
“Yes honey,” I whispered back, “for my husband, I’d do it again.” I paused then finished, “In a heartbeat.”
He worried his lips again and his face went from cautious curiosity to fear and I felt my heart hurt because I thought we were making some headway.
Then he took a step forward before he immediately retreated and took a step back.
Then he blurted, “Mama used to try an’ teach me.”
I blinked. Then I asked, “What?”
He didn’t repeat himself. Instead he said, “She got real mad when I got things wrong.”
I felt the backs of my eyes start stinging and I held his gaze as I felt them get wet but didn’t say anything.
“Tried real hard,” he whispered, “to make certain sure I got nothin’ wrong.”
I bet he did.
I didn’t respond.
“Always got somethin’ wrong,” he murmured, his voice aching from old wounds that in no way were healed and I felt them score at my own insides.
“This is life,” I whispered as I steadily held his gaze. “Skylar, know that. It is life to get things wrong. It happens all the time to everyone. We make mistakes, all of us. There is no shame in that. None at all. The thing that’s important to understand is, if you make a mistake, you try and learn from it. But honey, you will make mistakes and that’s okay. One thing I can promise and you can take your time to trust me, is that if you do make mistakes with me or with Frey, we won’t get mad like your Mama. We might get upset or disappointed but we won’t get mad at you like her. You don’t have to believe me now, Sky, but I hope, someday, you do.”
He stared at me while worrying his lips and I held his stare.
Then, when he screwed up the courage to go on, he said quietly, “I like it here on the ship with Captain Drakkar.”
“I’m glad, Sky,” I said quietly back.
“Wouldn’t want nothin’ to happen to him,” he went on.
“Me either,” I agreed.