Full Circle…Almost

We secured an entire floor of the ocean liner for our return to the islands. They had become a strange part of our group and we were now, as a whole, something far removed from humanity. La Safer seemed to always know what I held near and dear and I suppose for anyone who paid any attention it wouldn’t be difficult because there is not much that still means anything. From the very start he played on my emotions and now I feared he was wantonly tainting a place I had claimed for myself, and a people I had hoped to save, in the main, from my curse.

The five of us shared a double cabin, or rather adjacent cabins made one by opened double doors. As explained by my faux wife and daughter the others, six of them, were mostly followers. But, they were absolutely loyal to La Safer and in his absence Sophie and Victoria. Victoria though, seemed more capable of leading as she only looked like my daughter. In a strange way, she looked like a bit of both of us and as much as I was fascinated by how much Sophie had become well Sophie I was stunned by how much Victoria looked like the daughter I never had. Their abilities were truly remarkable.

Victoria seemed fascinated with me and spoke with the confidence of someone who had lived beyond my existence. Her manner unnerved Louis and Elizabeth and they studied her with less fascination than I. Rest was a luxury we set aside, there were infinitely more pressing matters at hand. Our darkened images were partly illuminated by the flames from a few lamps. It was better to avoid the smug and interchangeably pitiful looks while we spoke.

“What have you decided Nicholas, what will you do when you are again before your father?” Victoria asked her sense of superiority and mild amusement undisguised in her tone.

“La Safer is not my father.” I said evenly. “And I am still not certain what I will do when I see him. But I know I must.”

“Why Trinidad?” Louis enquired. “Why is this place important to him?”

“It’s not important to him. No place is really.” Sophie said.

“It’s important to me. It became important to me.” I said. “I saw glimpses of who I was there, and experienced things I feared were lost…maybe they are now.”

I could almost see Victoria’s smile widen and in that moment I pitied her. She may have thought she knew La Safer, but in his actions I saw the truth of his existence. The only constant was his lies.

I stood, smoothing my hair back and re-tying my ponytail. I adjusted my coat and walked out the door of our cabin. Moments later the announcement of our eminent arrival at the Port of Spain, Trinidad was repeated through the halls. Sounds of Christmas calypsos filled the air mingled with sounds of merriment and on the shores of the beautiful Caribbean isle an unnatural welcoming committee awaited us.