Book III — The Life and Death of SCARLETT SARAH Chapter I — Of Salt, Oath, and Whispering Seas [Opening Entry] Thus opens the first chapter of the third book, where SCARLETT SARAH and her crew submit themselves to the ancient code of the sea, a law older than crowns and harsher than scripture. Before mast and keel, oaths are sworn that no king may undo. In choosing the ocean as their judge, they cast their former lives astern and bind their fate to salt and wind alone. The anchor rises as a vow, not a farewell. Canvas blooms to the breath of the world, and the ship turns toward waters unclaimed by any chart. Yet the sea does not remain silent. Beneath the steady pulse of the waves, rumors drift from port to port: of a vessel without wake or shadow, of lanterns burning where no hands stand watch, of a ghost ship that answers no hail and follows only those who have fully given themselves to the sea......... Super mare nimis placidum, sine carmine venti, (Over a sea too calm, without the song of the wind,) Super pontem cruore gravem, mille lotum vicibus, (Over a deck heavy with blood, washed a thousand times,) Hanc feminam aspicio, quae cuncta a me petivit, (I look upon this woman, who asked everything of me,) Cui nihil umquam negavi. Amo eam. (To whom I never denied anything. I love her.) ________________________________________ Verba non habeo, (I have no words,) Non mihi tradita sunt, (They were not handed down to me,) Mihi ipsa negantur, (They are denied to me myself,) Verba non habeo. (I have no words.) ________________________________________ Sub vento surgente, velas iam implente, (Under the rising wind, already filling the sails,) Super pontem lacrimis gravem, mille lotum vicibus, (Over a deck heavy with tears, washed a thousand times,) Hanc feminam aspicio, quae sibi nil servavit, (I look upon this woman, who kept nothing for herself,) Quae mihi numquam negavit. Amo eam. (Who never denied me anything. I love her.) ________________________________________ Verba non habeo, (I have no words,) Nescio verba loqui, (I do not know how to speak words,) Mihi ipsa interdicta, (They are forbidden to me by myself,) Verba non habeo. (I have no words.) ________________________________________ Sub vento furente, in prora fluctus findente, (Under the raging wind, at the prow splitting the waves,) Super pontem sale gravem, mille lotum vicibus, (Over a deck heavy with salt, washed a thousand times,) Hanc feminam aspicio, quae se suis donavit, (I look upon this woman, who gave herself to her own,) Quae numquam cessavit. Amo eam. (Who never ceased. I love her.) ________________________________________ Verba non habeo, (I have no words,) Non audeo loqui, (I do not dare to speak,) Alta corde fero, (I carry them deep in my heart,) Verba non habeo. (I have no words.) ________________________________________ Sub caeli furore, super aequora irata, (Under the fury of the sky, over angry seas,) Super pontem certis ignibus, cruore lotum, (Over a deck in the fires of conflicts, washed with blood,) Hanc feminam aspicio, pacem ferentem, vitam ferentem, (I look upon this woman, bearing peace, bearing life,) Periculosior quam umquam. Amo eam. (More dangerous than ever. I love her.) ________________________________________ Amo eam, amo eam, (I love her, I love her,) Amo eam, amo eam. (I love her, I love her.)
