Bastian
Chapter 174 - Land Sickness

✧Land Sickness✧

*.·:·.✧.·:·.*

Odette woke up early once more. She tried to get back to sleep, but when she couldn’t, she made yet another early start to the day. Even after getting herself ready and came out of her room, the door on the opposite side of the hallway was silent.

   He was certainly acting like a polite guest. He stayed in the guest room and kept to the boundaries. At this rate, their few days together could be quite pleasant.

   Odette tip toed downstairs and out into the back garden. It was too early for her to have breakfast, so she thought she would tend to the flowers and vegetables first. Just as she started to spray the pesticide on the rose tree, the unmistakable sounds of Bastian’s disturbed the peaceful morning.

   Odette looked up and realised that the house had been silent because Bastian was not home. He came jogging down the country lane in his sports wear and when their eyes met, he gave her a broad smile and jumped over the fence.

   “When did you start running?” Odette said. Her eyes kept shifting between his wet shirt and his very shorts.

   “Same time I always go for a run,” Bastian said, his heavy breathing made his words breathy. He got water from the garden pump and used it to clean his face. “Shall we go for a picnic today?”

Odette squinted her eyes and glanced at the cloudy sky. “In the weather like this?”

   “I’ll go get ready then.” Bastian casually made a promise and went into the house without looking back. 

Odette sighed deeply and stored her gardening equipment. She was rethinking her idea that Bastian was a polite guest.

*.·:·.✧.·:·.*

Odette looked up at the sky with anxious eyes. As they approached their destination, the clouds were growing more dense and the idea of a picnic was growing desperate.

   “I think we should go back,” Odette said, looking back up the road where a muggy breeze blew down at her.

   “But we’re already here,” said Bastian, already pulling out a blanket and flapping it out under a willow tree. Odette resigned, she had no choice and went to his side.

   Odette had chosen this cosy little field of wild flowers. There were many beautiful spots in the village and Odette had to walk far to find this spot, far from prying eyes. If it did decide to rain, they would be in trouble, but Bastian remained optimistic.

   “If I had the time, I would have prepared properly,” Odette said, as she helped Bastian layout the food and drink. A quickly prepared sandwich and a few pieces of fruit. The pastries she packed were remaining from a gathering a couple of days before.

   “I think this is ample,” Bastian said with a casual smile and took out the champagne.

   Odette sat with her legs tucked to one side. Taking off her hat and placing a heavy box of cookies on it to stop it blowing away, she grimaced at the mismatch of her ensemble.  A blouse and skirt that didn’t match in color at all, her hair neatly held in a ponytail. Adding to the palette confusion, even the stockings were disparate. That’s what she got for dressing in a hurry. When she noticed how messy she was, her upset grew.

   “Is there any reason why it had to be today?” Odette said in a reprimanding tone. Bastian simply looked at her with a sly smile. He seemed preoccupied by something.

Odette was quietly watching the unabashed man. Bastian donned suspenders over a shirt left casually unbuttoned. His hair, styled impeccably without the aid of pomade, moved rhythmically with the breeze. He was so perfect in the midst of the chaos, and it amplified her irritation further.

While Bastian was busy uncorking the champagne, Odette quickly combed her hair with finger and fixed the ponytail into a half bun. Then… Bang.  The sudden noise startled Odette and fizzy wine sprayed out over the picnic, soaking her head, the cloth and spraying over several of the cookies and cakes. 

“What is this…?”  Odette let out an exasperated yel gazing at Bastian across from her. Despite being doused in champagne, he appeared in better shape than she did.

Bastian chuckled mirthfully, “I guess this is the champagne I bought the other day,” he said, continuing to laugh. “I am sorry, Miss Byller, I didn’t anticipate that it had been shaken up quite a lot.”

Odette gave the champagne glass a mocking look. She had cushioned it with a towel fearing it might shatter, but now lugging it around seemed pointless. She gazed at the sky, shrouded in dreary clouds then got up, shaking her head and went over to the stream to try and wash off some of the wine before it got sticky. It seemed like her whole life had unfolded within the last few minutes, she did her best to laugh it off like Bastian and found her heart lightened a little.

Odette did her best to wash her hands and face, though there was no helping her blouse and skirt.  it seemed like there was nothing she could do other than take it off.

 She stared at her reflection in the stream and felt like such a fool. What was she doing with a man she had already broken up with? It was so ridiculous and pathetic.

   As she got up, thinking back along the wasted three years of her life, a blue hanky suddenly came into view. She looked up at the man that held it out to her and the piercing blue eyes that looked at her.

   “It’s okay, I’ll use mine,” she said politely. She reached into the pocket of her skirt and found it empty.

   In her moment of despair, Bastian seemed to read what was wrong and stood before her, gently dabbing at her face. His gentle touch blurred her composure.

   Feeling overwhelmed by his closeness, she pushed him away and he stepped aside without resistance, providing a moment of relief. Odette made to walk back alone, only to find, his coat draped on her shoulders. She looked at him, but he had moved away to washed his face in the stream.

Finally, they back to square one.

Her mind went blank like a blank sheet of paper.

*.·:·.✧.·:·.*

“Oh my god, don’t eat it, Bastian!”

   As Bastian was about to place the sandwich in his mouth, Odette called out. He looked at her, mock surprise on his face.

   “It’s soaked in champagne, let’s go back and I will cook us a proper meal.”

   Bastian chuckled and stuffed the whole half sandwich into his mouth. Bastian ate it all, under the disgusted scowl of Odette. Bastian, not able to say anything, offered an apple. Odette sighed with exasperation and took the apple.

   “Why on earth are you doing this?” Odette said.

   The two sat side by side under the willow tree, sharing slices of the apple and looking at the overcast sky. There was no conversation that came to their minds. Bastian, who had eaten his fill, laid down with his fingers interlocked behind his head. Odette leaned back against the tree and started to read the book she brought with her. It was a peaceful time of rest.

   “Odette,” Bastian murmured, his eyes closed.

   “Yes?”

   “Would you sing for me?”

   Odette looked at Bastian with a frown. “I didn’t think you could get drunk on a few slices of soggy sandwich.”

   “Please? I would like to hear you sing.”

   “I don’t think it would be appropriate.”

   “What was ever appropriate about our relationship?”

   Odette looked at Bastian with a glare, he chuckled. Today, Bastian seemed like a mischievous little boy.

   “I suppose you’re right,” Odette said with a nod.

   A more humid wind blew threw the meadow.

   Odette closed the book and looked up at the distant sky and began to hum. Bastian looked up at her as she started to sing for him, like a beautiful dream.

The melody flew past the fields and stream, towards him. As their eyes weaved a tapestry of intent, the song drew its final breath.

   Bastian looked at Odette for a long moment. He felt like he was at the top of the tallest wave. He felt the familiar dizziness that came over him when ever life became quiet and comfortable. He felt like he could identify the anxiety that had been so unfamiliar, uncomfortable, and felt so wrong. 

   After being at sea for so long, the land felt like a sandpit and made him feel unsteady. It was land sickness. His body had become so used to the motion of the waves, that when he finally stood still, he couldn’t help but feel like he was in motion.

   Such was the life of a sailor.

   He had survived stormy seas. He had survived gargantuan waves. He had spent every night being rocked to sleep by the water. The feeling of solid ground was alien to him.

   She was the first bit of land he had ever set foot on.

   The feelings that were so abnormal to him were nothing more than ordinary love. He had fallen in love with a beautiful woman and became infatuated by her. He wanted to know everything about her and he wanted to be with her.

   He just wanted all of his days to be like this. In that moment of helplessness, when his feelings grew to the point they wanted to burst free, he felt a cold something splash on his cheek. Bastian opened his eyes and saw the sky was now far too close and far too dark.

Thinking it could start to rain heavily Bastian stood up, And soon, it did. Heavy rain started pouring down.

*.·:·.✧.·:·.*

It quickly became the worst day ever. The anger boiled up inside Odette and threatened to rear its ugly head as her umbrella was ripped inside out and eventually torn from her wet hands.

   Why today, of all days?

   She felt like she wanted to scream, but right now she didn’t have the time, she needed to get her umbrella back, but the tattered thing was carried away high and clear. Her pout was enough to turn away anyone. 

Unable to contain herself any more, she ran barefoot in the rain. Bastian was following behind her, maintaining a certain distance. 

“Ah!” Odette suddenly sat down on the road. Bastian quickly ran to aid her, noticing she have twisted her ankle and had trouble standing.

The rain was becoming increasingly heavy, whipped into a frenzy by the growing winds. Without wasting a moment, Bastian pulled a blanket from the basket and wrapped it around the shivering body.

   “This is all your fault,” Odette high-pitched shout rang out along with thunder. “You’re such a stubborn jackass.”

   “Let’s put the fight on hold for now, until we get out of the rain and into some dry clothes,” Bastian said. Carrying a basket in on arm, he quickly lifted her and started running. Odette’s surprised cries were drowned out by the loud rain and thunder.

   The downpour was growing heavier by the second and Bastian was getting desperate. It was clear they would not be able to make it home in this storm, but luckily, they passed through a wheat field that had recently been harvested and at its back, there was a mill. Bastian quickly checked the door was unlocked and immediately went inside.