Chapter 3. Adorned

It was night when Innis woke on the sand, lying on his back

by a bonfire. Had it been a dream? He sat up and saw Florry

slumped over further down the beach.

"He's just sleeping." Eurides said. She sat nearby opening a

timber packing crate.

"Will he be alright?"

"He'll be fine. He won’t remember a thing, he’ll wake up

tomorrow find his satchel full of jewellery and coins and

be on his way like a startled rabbit."

Innis liked the thought of that.

Eurides rolled the crate onto its side and tapped the knife

she was using against it. "You're a pragmatic man Innis and

I don't mean any disrespect in saying it - but each year is

finding you worse for wear."

"True enough." Innis said. He saw that Eurides was using the

broken knife he'd dropped in the water and remembered

the cut on his hand - the wound was completely healed.

"I want you to look after something for me." Eurides said

The crate was open and she peered inside it.

"There you are." She lifted out a porcelain statue of a

peacock. It's glaze glistened in the firelight. "There were two

of them on the ship. A peahen and a peacock, a matching set."

"Are they yours?" Innis said.

"No, I saw them side by side on the dock at Graves End in

London before we embarked. The Captain had them both

unpacked and checked for damage before they were loaded."

"Is that what you want me to look after?" Innis asked.

Her laughter surprised him. It was light and almost girlish.

"If only it was that simple."

Eurides turned the statue slowly in her hands.

"Occasionally I give in to nostalgia. The colours remind me of

a different time and place... another world"

She sighed then carefully slid it back into the crate.

"What are you going to do with it?" Innis asked

"He'll be safe here from the tide here. Someone will find him."

Eurides stood up. "Help me stack the fire Innis."

He stood next to her as she threw in some broken boxes.

"You still haven’t told me what you want me to do."

Innis tossed in some rope and driftwood. He looked at her face

in the firelight and thought how beautiful she was.

Eurides stared into the fire. "It is the most faithful of mirrors."

Innis tried to guess what that meant, then watched in horror

as Eurides walked into the fire. He turned away not wanting

to see. The flames drew back as if in surprise then closed

around her with a roar.

He looked for her body in the flames.

Eurides stood in the bonfire with her back to him.

She swayed slowly and rhythmically with outstretched arms.

Waves of motion flowed through her body. The tattoo markings

that adorned her pulsed and glowed.

Innis could feel a change in the fire - it was giving up its heat

and light to her.

The flames roiled and altered in shape and pattern - a halo

and a crown, a set of golden wings and royal garments.

Eagles soared and lions lay down beside her.

Eurides movements slowed.

She turned to face him and held out a hand.

Innis stepped slowly to the edge of the fire and felt nothing

more than a gentle warmth.

"You still have a choice." Eurides said.

Innis took her hand. "Close your eyes."

He stepped into the fire and emerged in the walled garden

of his Father's rectory in Wiltshire. Innis could feel spring

sunshine on his face. He could hear the hum of bees and

smell the freshly cut apples that his Mother had picked.

"Why are we here?" he asked.

"I want to prepare you for what’s to come."

They were sitting on a garden bench that his Grandfather

had made.

"The world is not going to change. History will take its course

regardless of what you do or where you go. What is going to

change, is the way you see it."

Innis could feel his mind starting to drift. "How will I see it?"

"That will be entirely up to you." Eurides said.

The sound of her voice and the feel of her presence began

to fade, until Innis realized that he was alone.

He was suddenly present and fully aware in the centre of

the bonfire. He screamed as his clothes and hair burst

into flames.

Flames filled his mouth and clawed at his face and ears.

Innis screamed as his skin split open and the muscle and fat

beneath it simmered.

He screamed until his throat closed and he couldn’t scream

anymore, then he fell blind to his knees and the fire engulfed him.

*

Author's Note

Eurides is pronounced - You, Read, Ease

For visual context Youtube search - Regiment tribal fusion dance