Captain Barnaby Saltwind's Arc

Chapter 1 of 4

Barnaby counted his coins on the inn's narrow bed. The leather satchel felt lighter each morning. Forty years at sea had left him tired, and six months on land had not yet given him the quiet he wanted. Another night here would cost more than he could spare. He walked the village path at dawn, satchel slung across his shoulder. A young fox woman swept the steps of a small wooden cottage with a mossy roof. A tall palm leaned beside it, fronds whispering in the breeze. A black cat in a tiny pirate hat watched him from the window sill. "You're the sea captain," she said softly. She introduced herself as a widow. The sea had taken her husband. She had a room to rent, cheap, if he didn't mind the cat. A small girl peeked from behind her skirts, eyes wide at his weathered coat. "Did you really sail?" the girl asked. Barnaby knelt down. He told her about stars used as maps, and ropes thicker than her arm. She laughed. Her mother smiled for what looked like the first time in a long while. By dusk, Barnaby set his satchel on the floorboards of his new room. The palm rustled outside the window. The cat curled at his feet. He had a home, a friend, and a small student. The wind in the fronds was not rigging. He slept with both ears closed.