You're listening to By Way of the Sea, an 11-part original audio drama created by Eralore Studios
in collaboration with Stay Bizze.
This week's cover art was created by the artist Chiara Moreni.
This week on By Way of the Sea, Elena, Kwesi, and Bahia connected down at the shoreline
while Silas tended to Lucia's injury.
With his knowledge in medicine, Kwesi offered to help Lucia, only to discover that her scratch
was actually a snake bite.
He urged Silas and Elena to harvest a special bean to help aid her recovery, and they rushed
into the jungle to help.
While searching, Silas finally opened up, sharing his life story, and in a moment of
silence, they kissed, before rushing back to Lucia's side.
But it was too late.
Their hope quickly turned to heartbreak, as you'll see in Chapter 9, The Dance.
In under, and now over, back under, like this, just like that, and over again, you got it.
She likes you.
I like her too.
Elena, all done.
Look at that.
Now you have your very own bear.
What will you name him?
Medi.
Very nice to meet you, Medi.
I'm sorry.
For what?
That she keeps taking all your time.
Oh, no.
No, it's...
It is a good distraction.
I need it.
I don't feel much like writing in my book these days.
Your book?
Yes.
I wanted to ask.
I notice you always have it with you.
Out of habit, I suppose.
So you are a writer.
Me?
No, not truly.
When I was home, I would go out into the forest and just watch.
If something caught my eye, I'd talk to it, write it a note, or even draw it in my book.
I suppose I simply enjoy documenting what goes on around me.
That is a beautiful quality.
To have the presence and quiet of mind that allows you to notice the world.
Will you show me?
The world?
I wouldn't say no.
But I meant your book.
Oh.
Unless it's too private.
No, it's not that.
No one has ever cared enough to ask before.
Well, I am asking now.
You are.
Yes.
Here, let me show you.
Oh, Elena.
This stone building?
You drew this?
Mm-hmm.
My home.
Or what used to be my home.
It looks nice.
It was.
The back window overlooked an open field where horses roamed, and the fire was always going,
even on warm days.
It always left the faintest hint of smoke and ember in all our belongings.
Sometimes I think I can still smell it when the wind blows just right.
It wasn't much, but it was enough.
Enough is often all we need.
But it's also important to honor our needs.
Never settling for less than we deserve.
And this?
Oh, that is...
No.
Wait.
Don't tell me.
I know this flower.
It is purple, yes?
You do?
Yes.
It smells sweetly and crisp, yet it seems to warm you inside, like a spice.
Yes.
How do you do that?
The church?
The one I lived by?
The sisters there taught me to draw.
No, not that.
Your eyes.
When you laugh, they light up.
They glow like moonbeams.
I'm so sorry.
I didn't mean to make you cry.
Losing Lucia cannot be easy.
Thank you.
But I only knew her for a short time.
I'm worried about Silas.
If he needed to be worried about, he would tell you.
You don't know him.
He isn't the ask-for-help type.
I'd say your worry is misplaced.
He seems to be handling it just fine.
Besides, all that busy energy is good.
We'll have an entire village erected by the time he's done building and rearranging our
camp.
Are you ready for her burial?
The sun is almost down.
I don't know.
This will be the first funeral I will have been to.
Really?
Other than my mother's, but I was so young.
I don't remember much other than the black clothing all around me.
Only black?
Yes.
It is a tradition when in mourning.
In my village, a burial is not something to only mourn.
It is also something to be celebrated.
You celebrate death?
Yes.
Because death is not the end.
It is a new beginning.
Souls travel beyond what we see here.
They become our protectors, our guardians, our guides.
As our ancestors, they show us the way.
And that is something to be happy about.
That sounds lovely.
It is.
Celebrating the life of our family is one of the greatest honors there is.
We sing and play the drums.
We dance around the fire.
I want to dance.
Do you now?
Will you dance with me?
That is a great idea, Bahia.
Why don't we dance?
Now?
No, not now.
But soon.
After Lucia's burial, we can celebrate.
We can sing and dance her way into the afterlife.
Keep her spirit alive.
I think she'd like that.
Like what?
Oh, Silas, you startled me.
What would she like?
A celebration of her life.
Singing and dancing instead of crying and moping about.
I think we should wait for Jeremiah.
Silas, we don't know when he'll return.
And in this heat, she will not keep.
It's imperative we get her to her burial soon.
Kwesi was telling me about the traditions from his village and how important it is to
celebrate family.
We just thought that maybe...
Okay.
Okay?
Yes.
I...
I want to celebrate her.
Good.
Let us go now and lay her to rest.
No, no, no.
I'm sorry, but I can't.
I can't be the one.
I understand.
We've already prepared a resting place.
Elena made her a cross and Bahia made her a necklace.
May I be the one then to cover her?
Yes.
Thank you, Kwesi.
Of course.
I will go now.
Bahia, come.
You can gather some things for our dance.
Thank you.
For?
Being open to this.
Are you implying that I'm not always open?
I just meant...
I know.
I need to be.
I...
I've spent my whole life closed off.
And Lucia tried.
She tried to help me.
Help open my heart, my eyes, and... and that deserves a celebration.
It does.
I'm glad you can see that.
I can.
I see everything so much clearer now.
Why is it always that way?
I once heard her say that we don't know how good we have it until that good is gone.
And that is why we must believe that "everything is good even when it doesn't feel that way."
She said that to you too?
And here I was thinking I was special.
Amazing.
How wonderful she was.
Even though the world wasn't always wonderful to her, even though I wasn't always wonderful
to her, I never want to forget the way she made me feel.
I only hope I can do the same for someone else someday.
Well it finally happened, Luch.
You broke me open.
Just like you always wanted to.
I just wish you had been here to see it.
I know.
Do you know what I wish?
I wish we had biscuits.
Me too.
Silas, Elena, come to the fire.
Are you ready?
Only if you are.
I am.
It is done.
Thank you, Kwesi.
Yes.
Thank you.
Here, whiskey.
We normally use rum, but it will do.
What do we do with it?
We pour it in a bowl, leaving it out as an offering to our ancestors.
Absolutely not.
Waste whiskey?
You do that and Lucia is going to roll right out of the grave you just put her in.
He's right.
Let's drink it.
Raise a glass in her memory.
Is that okay?
Of course.
This is your celebration.
I'm just here to guide you.
How do we begin?
I will drum.
You two, let the rhythm move you.
Your body, your words, your tears.
Nothing is off limits.
Just let yourself free.
Silas, just say what you feel.
I'll start.
To Lucia, who extended kindness to me in Bahia.
To Lucia, for always saving me the last bites of her food.
To Lucia, for helping me feel comfortable.
To Lucia.
Ohh.
No, no, no.
None for you.
Keep going.
Move.
Dance.
To Lucia, for teaching me how to read and write.
To Lucia, for sharing her wisdom with me.
To Lucia, for always making me laugh.
To Lucia, for showing me a woman can be strong and soft at the same time.
To Lucia, for always having my back, even when she knew I was wrong.
To Lucia, for opening my eyes to magic.
To Lucia, the woman who always saw the best in everything and everyone, even me.
To Lucia, she was my soft place to land.
I knew I was safe with her.
For teaching me to see the world in a different light.
To all the ridiculous songs she'd make up and sing to me.
For being a mother I never had.
You're like a mother to me. (laughter)
I think you're drunk.
Is that what this feeling is?
Maybe I should go.
Stay.
Both of you.
Lay with me.
Look at all the lights.
Those are stars.
Stars?
They appear to be moving.
Must be the whiskey.
No, they are moving.
Every night they dance across the sky.
Actually it is not the stars that move.
It is us.
I am not moving.
Not now.
The earth.
It spins.
And so the sun and the moon, the stars, they all appear to move.
But it is just us.
Did you make that up?
No.
I read it in a book.
Alright, Princess.
I did.
I believe you.
So do I.
Good.
Do you think she's up there looking down on us?
She never looked down at me.
That's what made her so special.
I'm going to miss her.
I already do.
When day is done and night is near, I close my eyes without fear.
For I know my deed is done.
I can rest.
I need not run.
So with a prayer in my heart, a new day comes, my new world starts.
Thank you for listening to EraLore Studios' By Way of the Sea with vocal talent by
Brenna Patzer as Elena, Enzo Leone as Silas, Gervais Weeks as Cuessé, and Sunny Snow as Bahia.
EraLore Studios is a family-owned and female-led storytelling brand and production company
dedicated to creating connections through original characters and stories inspired by
eras gone by.
With a mission to spotlight visual and performing artists through stories that showcase the
strength of the human spirit, EraLore seeks to create a safe place and a celebrated stage
for creative collaboration in the arts.
Stay Bizze is transforming the business card industry into a digital, more sustainable
entity.
For more information about our collaboration partner, please visit StayBizze.com.