Feyra woke up with the first rays of sunlight. She had forgotten yesterday to ask for some new bandages but now she had time to ask around.
Her old bandages looked horrible so she figured it may be a better choice to change them.
As she went outside, she noticed that barely anyone was awake yet. The morning sun was shining bright but hanging low. When Feyra was outside trying to see if she could see some landscapes the sun blinded her.
A nice morning for a spring morning. If only the sun was already a bit higher... I hope everyone slept well.
She was dwelling in her thoughts, watching the sun rise not noticing that more and more people woke up.
Michel came over to her and tapped her lightly on the shoulder. Feyra got slightly scared and suddenly let go of the railing.
"You scared me.", she said holding her chest and breathing a bit heavier.
"Breakfast is ready. You wanna join?", he simply asked before turning around and walking towards the cantine.
Feyra went with him and took a piece of bread again.
As a Fallen Angel she didn't need as much food but it was still nice if she could eat some. It would come in handy when she was going to travel that she didn't need that much food or only one meal once in a while. That way she could save up some coins and also didn't need to carry as much with her.
Michel dug in most of the food and everyone was talking and laughing already.
"To become strong and big I have to eat much! I want to be of help in the future and able to fight.", he said with a bright smile as he turned his head to Feyra.
She couldn't stop herself and also smiled. This young boy was full of energy and had so much still in front of him. Feyra thought back at her childhood.
She never had that much freedom and she also wasn't able to grow up to become strong. She had always had some strength to her but she could hardly ever use it.
Suddenly she remembered a sentence that haunted her from the past whenever she was getting scolded by the Father.
You must remember you're born of the blood of The Lord. You are a greater being and must be a good example to the people.
She shook her head and some sweat formed on her forehead. She had heard this sentence way too often.
Feyra had been a curious child that liked running around and finding things she found interesting. Yet the Father wasn't pleased with that and often locked her in the shrine just so she wouldn't go out.
Michel seemed to have noticed Feyra wasn't doing too well. "Is something wrong?"
"No... Just a bad memory from the past... One that haunted me already in the past.", she said.
Buck now also looked at her a bit concerned. "So even Fallen Angels have their worries. Well you can rest a bit later."
After resting a bit, Feyra went out again to get some fresh air. Now all there was to see was the sea itself. Wherever one would turn their head it was only water.
It would still take them a while until they would see land again. Most of the crew were already used to this. Feyra however, had never been anywhere else than the kingdom. Her old friend had sometimes visited other places. In those times Feyra had felt alone and was worried.
She wondered if someone may remember her old friend still.
While being in thought, she was soon interrupted by Buck coming over.
"I have some tragic news... The young boy, Alexander, has died last night.", he said tears welling in his eyes.
Feyra looked at him before casting her gaze to the ground. "Oh... I'm sorry. He didn't deserve this. He was so young."
Buck went over to the railing and looked at the sea.
"It'll be time for him to return to the sea. A tradition under us seafarers is that when we die we will go back to our home, the sea. We have cast aside our homes and most times also our family to take on a new home.
"Alexander was so young still... He and Michel were such good friends. I picked him up when he was only 11 years old. His younger brother had died of an illness earlier and his parents had been murdered by robbers. When I found him in a corner he was full of dirt and blood holding a tiny pouch full of coins in his hands.
"His hair was disheveled and had knots already. Later he told me that his parents had never really cared for him and his hair just grew and over time it got so disheveled.", Buck started to speak of the time when he had first encountered Alexander. He was reminiscing about the past and to remember a crew member and friend he had loved.
"He was like a son to me. Just like Michel is. I took these two boys under my wing knowing their fates would be worse if they stayed behind and died of hunger.
"I still remember their smiles when they sat at the table for the first time and could dig in without anyone scolding them. The older crew members even gave some of their food to them saying they still need to grow and need the energy."
Feyra was quietly listening to Buck. She knew that losing a friend was horrible. However, she didn't know how horrible the pain had to be when one lost someone they considered family. She never had a family.
"He was so happy when he could stay here. It had become his home. That he now... That he now had to leave us already... It's too cruel.", Buck broke out into tears. Feyra patted his shoulder until Buck stopped crying and felt better. Most of the crew had stayed inside and played cards to keep the illusion of everything being fine.
Yet Michel felt something was off. No matter what it was they would still learn of it in the afternoon.
Buck brought out the body of Alexander and lay it in a wooden box. The crew was gathering around and waiting for everyone to arrive.
"The Captain has to say something.", old Zott said before going over to Michel and holding his hand.
Feyra and Buck both stepped forward.
"Dear crew... I have to make a tragic announcement. One of us, of our family, has to return to the sea. His soul has already left for the wide sea. I suppose everyone was aware that Alexander had been sick these past days and weeks. This night the sea reclaimed his soul. Truly a bitter fate as he still had a long life ahead of him. Today, this afternoon we will give him a proper Goodbye and send him off so he can fully go back to the sea.", Buck said having tears in his eyes again. After that he stepped back.
Michel held a hand over his mouth and broke down on his knees. His other hand was still holding the one of old Zott while he was crying and screaming.
The other crew members also held their cloth handkerchiefs to their eyes to wipe their tears.
Feyra stepped forward. "I'm deeply sorry for the loss of this young boy. I too wish he could've seen more of the world but fate was too cruel. His disease was diabetes type 1 which ultimately claimed his life. Sadly we don't know the cause of this disease and the treatment is impossible for us to get. He had good last year's being around a loving family. In our memories he shall live on. We shall never forget him."
Feyra felt like she had said something similar already in the past but she still tried to word it kinder and tried giving her condolences properly. She couldn't judge well if she sounded distant or not.
Michel was screaming even more now knowing that such a disease had claimed the life of his best friend. Old Zott was now also kneeling next to him and holding Michel's hand with both of his hands.
Some tears streamed down his cheeks.
Most of the crew members stayed outside and sat on the ground. They occasionally asked if Feyra could come over to them and explain exactly what this disease was.
Michel was crying the longest and old Zott tried everything to calm him down a bit.
A while later Buck returned with another wooden plank and some nails.
"It's time to send him off.", he said.
Feyra went over to Alexander's body and checked his breathing and pulse to see if he was truly dead.
No wonder would happen. Everything was as she had expected.
She knelt next to his body casting her gaze downward and praying to the world. She had no god she believed in but if the texts she had read were right then there were still higher beings existing. Perhaps one of them would hear her words.
Everyone came over to say goodbye to Alexander and some put some things into the box with him.
Michel took a necklace out of his pocket. "Take this with you on your journey to the Cycle of Reincarnation. That way we may meet again in the next life.", he said before holding his friend's hand one last time.
After everyone was done Buck took the nails and wooden board and closed the box. He left a tiny gap in some places so water could get in and the box would sink to the ground.
Another crew member had brought over some ropes and bound it to both sides of the wooden box.
Old Zott and Buck took the two ropes and went with the wooden box to the edge of the ship and lowered it down onto the water.
Feyra looked on as the box with Alexander drifted slowly away from them and sank deeper.
"May you have a better next life.", she said quietly.
"May the Lord protect you.", another crew member prayed.
"What Lord? I heard he is supposedly dead! Pray to the second Lord now!", another crew member chimed in.
Buck looked on and shook his head. It hadn't even been a few minutes since they had sent someone off and the crew was already getting into their usual fights.
"Is this normal?", Feyra asked and Buck nodded.
"You don't need to worry. They'll get along just fine again after a while. Though I get his point. A fortune teller also told me the Lord we worship is dead. A new Lord has risen."
Feyra looked at Buck in excitement trying to learn something new but in the end no one else knew something about this.
The next day, most of the crew members were up to their usual tasks and only a few were still grieving. One of them was Michel. He still had to clean the ship but was much slower than before.
Old Zott wished he could help him but his legs were already giving up and one of them was even a wooden leg.
"Aya... Now we need someone to help him with this task.", old Zott said as Feyra was next to him. "My legs are old. If one isn't blind then one will see I also got a wooden leg. I lost it during a fight with a wild beast. If it hadn't been for Buck slaying this beast I may have lost more limbs."
He talked on until he had to go inside again as the sun was too intense for him.
Feyra went over to Michel. "Can I help you?"
Michel looked up at her and gave her a bucket. "Sure. If you clean the ship on the other side you would help me a lot."
Feyra took the bucket and helped Michel to clean the ship.
The days passed by like this. Most of the crew were back to normal again and only a few people were still grieving more.
Michel had moved from his room to Alexander's room after Feyra cleaned it for him.
The journey continued on until one day a storm arose.