Two of the children headed off to follow their brother with the rope and Magnolia decided to stay with the others.
Linden led them over multiple planks and docks, eventually they reached the troublesome shipman.
Dimitri looked at the disastrous boat with a chary eye. The mast was thin and the sail dangled off of the yard dangerously.
Linden crossed his arms over his chest and called, "Come on out."
Dimitri looked over at Brigitte who was clutching at her shawl with nervous hands, he reached out and held it. She hesitated but smiled and accepted his hand.
His face beamed. But his smile turned to a serious thin line when he heard something in the boat rattle.
"Dimitri." Brigitte whispered and he leaned down to listen to her as a door opened on the small dhow, "I recognize this boat."
"You do?"
"Yes, I think it's the one we had to get on to cross into Wanington." She said quietly, her fingers entwined with his tightening in anxiety.
Just then a loud, high pitched voice broke out and a small man came up out of the dhow's small hold and started yelling profanities at Linden. The brother promptly covered his younger sister's ears and yelled back at the short man, "I'm simply here to request that you pay the fee. If you don't then the shipmaster will be forced to double it."
"Ai, you get away from my boat! Away!" The small man said and Linden took a step back, his hands still protecting his sister's ears.
"I'm not anywhere near your boat! Now if you want to stay here then I suggest you pay the fee. If not then untie your boat from this post and leave." Linden kicked the post that the dhow was tied to with enough force to make the dock shake.
"Hah, you cannot make me leave. And I will not pay your fee…" The small man began muttering in another language and Dimitri began to get angry.
"His name is Babang." Brigitte whispered next to him and he nodded. He let go of her hand and walked a few steps forward.
Crossing his arms he said, "How long are you planning on staying here?"
"Ai, and who are you to ask that question?"
Dimitri smiled, "I'm an official from the capital, and I'm here visiting my nephew." He gestured to Linden who nodded in agreement, "Now my nephew has been telling me that you're giving him trouble." He raised a dark brown and the small man seemed to realize his predicament, though Dimitri could inflict no real danger, "Now, how about you pay the fee and be free to stay here as long as you like, or…" He paused dramatically, "Or you can leave." He finished in a deadly tone.
The owner of the dhow thought it over and nodded, "Ah, I will get my bag." Then he disappeared back into the hull of the boat.
Dimitri smiled triumphantly and Linden thanked him. He looked at Brigitte and saw that her eyes were filled with amazement, he chuckled, "Did you not expect me to come so bravely to the rescue?"
Her cheeks tinted pink and she looked down at her entangled hands, "I… I wasn't expecting…" He waited patiently for her answer, "That." She finished and looked out to the sea.
He smiled and found his hand stroking her hair, he couldn't resist teasing her some more, "And why not?" He asked softly, the distance between them shrinking, "Am I not the rightful Premier of Wanington?" He saw her swallow and just as he was about to meet her parted lips with his the small man came back.
"Alright, where do I pay?" He asked, his round face soured.
Linden smiled genially and said, "Right this way, follow me."
Magnolia stuck close to her brother's side and Babang followed the two siblings a few feet behind. Dimitri smiled and Brigitte took a few steps away from him. She tucked a strand of her golden hair behind her ear, but the wind was getting too strong for it to stay in place.
He grinned at her and her lips parted into what looked like a nervous smile. Feeling happy he took a few steps to follow after Linden and the other two. His brows furrowed when he heard a snapping sound then a dull thud followed by a splash.
He turned on his heel and scanned the area behind him, "Brigitte? Brigitte!"
He looked over the side of the dock where she'd been standing and he saw the evidence of something recently plunging beneath the dark water.
He removed his coat and threw it aside. Without hesitation he dove in, unheeding to Linden's voice behind him.
The cold immediately seized his bones and he frantically searched the empty water around him. His lungs began to burn from lack of air. He pushed himself deeper and soon felt something brush against his fingers. His heart thumped in his chest and he hurriedly swam further down to pull her body closer to him, she was unconscious he realized as he did his best to rise out of the depths with the extra weight.
Breaking the surface of the water he gasped for breath and felt a surge of panic when Brigitte didn't do the same.
"Dimitri!" A familiar voice called and he looked up to see both twins with a rope ladder hung down off the side of the dock. Dimitri quickly shifted her in his arms and grabbed hold of the old rope.
Both boys pulled the ladder up. As soon as Dimitri was on the dock he began to strip Brigitte of her outerdress and corset. Both Linden and Rowan were shocked by the turn of events and but didn't say anything; the man seemed to have a reason for doing so.
As soon as her lungs were freed from the restricting corset he waited a few seconds to see if her chest would move with breath. When it didn't he was seized by fear.
Without any indecision he pinched her nose closed and placed his mouth on hers and began to breath in. After a few breaths he felt her sharply inhale and he leaned back.
She gasped and choked, her hand at her throat.
He watched with worried eyes as her drenched body began to shiver violently. He reached out and grabbed her hand. She leaned into him and he held her close, they were both cold and soaking wet but neither of them cared.
"D-d-d-dimitri?" He heard her small, shaking voice ask. He pulled away and watched her pale features with concern.
He raised her dripping chin and she fainted. He released a nervous breath and reached for his coat. After securing it around her fragile shoulders he picked her up and walked back to the horses.
"We'll wait for Rose and tell them what happened." Rowan said as he kept in step with Dimitri. He gave a nod and after laying Brigitte's shivering figure on the horse he climbed on. Drawing her into his arms he urged the horse into a gallop.