Siamo a metà degli anni ’80, Vasco ha appena voltato pagina, la prima di una carriera fin lì, romantica, disillusa, con il live Va Bene, Va Bene Così (1984), il quale contiene brani estratti da registrazioni al Pianella di Cantù, in discoteca a San Giovanni Lupatoto e al Teatro Tenda di Bologna, tutti concerti del Bollicine Tour del 1983. L’uscita di quello che avrebbe dovuto essere un doppio si…
Warnings – very mild swearing (literally one word)
Masterlist
After all the challenging things Sylvie has had to deal with, Vasco decides she needs a break. And what better time than her birthday?
“Vasco, are you ever going to tell me where you are taking me?”
“Soon, Sylvie, we will be there soon. Patience, Your Excellency,” he replied as he guided her through the streets of New Serene, ignoring the confused stares of the people they passed.
He could practically feel her roll her eyes under his hands, but she laughed anyway. Such a beautiful sound, one he hadn’t heard nearly enough lately. She had finally started to act like her usual self after receiving her mark and Constantin being cured of his Malichor, and it was a great relief to all those around her.
And it all happened just in time for her birthday.
They finally reached the docks, and Vasco took in a deep breath of sea air, finally feeling at home. He noticed Sylvie perk up at the familiar smells and sounds as well and smiled. He skimmed the docks and finally spotted his ship, steering Sylvie toward it. He had to beg Admiral Cabral to have his ship back for the day, but she agreed easily after she learned why he needed it.
When they got to the end of the gangplank, he positioned her then removed his hands from her eyes. “Happy birthday, Sylvie.”
She blinked, her eyes adjusting to the light, and when they landed on his ship, she practically glowed, “You got me a boat?”
Vasco deadpanned at her and she giggled. He couldn’t help but smile at the sound, “Admiral Cabral gave me the ship for the day. We can go wherever we want, no worries, no responsibilities. Just the water.”
She looked excited, then her face dropped. “But my work. I have—”
“Absolutely nothing to do today,” he interrupted, “I got it all sorted with your cousin. You are completely free for the day.”
She stared at him for a minute, then a large, ecstatic grin split her face. She threw her arms around him tightly, “Thank you, Vasco!” She pulled back enough to kiss his cheek, making his face explode in red, then raced up the gangplank onto the ship.
Vasco caught himself as he swayed and swallowed hard, trying desperately to control his racing heartbeat. Gods, this woman will be the death of me. When he felt like he could walk without falling over, he followed her onto the ship and watched as she reunited with Jonas, Flavia, Lauro, and the rest of his crew. He couldn’t help but smile fondly as they all smiled and hugged and laughed, like family reuniting after a long time apart. It warmed his heart in a way that he hadn’t expected but didn’t dislike.
He cleared his throat, turning on his captain’s voice, and walked over, “Alright, you layabouts, that’s enough loitering! Everybody to their posts, we have a ship to pull out! Let’s see if you’ve gotten soft under your other captain’s hand!”
They spent the day sailing off the coast, as far out as they could, and Sylvie seemed to be having a grand time running around the ship, helping to adjust the sails, and learning to use some of the Naut navigation tools. She even got to steer the ship for a time and looked like she could light the whole world with her smile.
But all good things must come to an end.
“Captain! The sun is starting to set, sir. If we want to be back at the docks by dark, we should head back now.”
“Thank you, Mr. Lauro. Let’s head back then.” Lauro saluted then ran off to relay Vasco’s orders to the helmsman. He saw Sylvie move out of the corner of his eye and turned to see her visibly deflate. His heart dropped, and he searched his brain for a way to lighten her spirits.
“Captain?” He glanced at Jonas as the boy stepped forward, his eyes locked on Sylvie. “You’ve been on land for a while now. Surely some of your abilities have waned in all this time you’ve been relaxing on the island.” Vasco stiffed and was about to snap at him when Jonas grinned mischievously, “I bet Lady de Sardet would be able to beat you to the crow’s nest.”
Vasco blinked. This brilliant little shit. He smirked back at Jonas, “Oh, I doubt that, Jonas. She is still a bureaucrat, after all.”
“Now, wait just a minute.” The two men grinned at each other, and Vasco wiped his smile before turning to Sylvie, no longer looking despondent and instead looking determined. “I spent most of my childhood on the deck of a ship. I can more than handle myself.”
Vasco turned to her fully and tilted his head up slightly in challenge, “Then prove it, my lady.”
She held his gaze for a moment before smirking, “I would be more than happy to take you up on that offer, Captain Vasco. But I would hate to embarrass you in front of your crew.”
Vasco met her smirk, “Your concern is appreciated, but I doubt it will be necessary.”
The two of them moved to the bases of the rigging, and the crew immediately crowded around them, obviously having listened in. Sylvie and Vasco got situated on the ropes, and he nodded at Flavia, who nodded back and took off her hat, holding it high. “Alright, you two, on three! One…two…three!” The second her hat dropped, they took off, the crew cheering hard below us. Vasco distinctly noticed that they were all mostly cheering Sylvie, though he couldn’t really blame them. She was much faster than he thought she would be.
But not fast enough. He managed to reach the crow’s nest a few steps before her.
He pulled himself into it and took off his hat, waving it to his crew below. They cheered for him as Sylvie reached the top herself and he helped her climb in. He worried for a moment that she would be upset, but she was smiling and laughing. “It seems there is some benefit to Naut training. Well done, Vasco. Though I will be victorious the next time we race!”
He smiled back at her, “I don’t doubt that, Sylvie.” He pulled himself away from her—with great effort—and shouted back down at his crew, “Alright, you’ve all had your fun; back to work! Mr. Lauro, I want to be fully docked before we lose the light!”
“Aye, sir!”
He turned back to Sylvie to find her leaning against the railing, her head back and eyes closed, just letting the wind hit her, a few loose strands of her golden-brown hair blowing behind her.
Gods, this woman is a vision.
He thought back to what she had told him that night about her childhood dream to join the Nauts and wondered how their lives would have been different if she had gone through with it. Would they have met? Been friends? Maybe something…
Sylvie turned to him and smiled softly, her blue-green eyes putting the sea around them to shame. That terrifying feeling he got before returned in full force. He really was doomed with this woman, wasn’t he?
“Thank you, Vasco. Truly. Today was wonderful. I couldn’t have asked for anything better.”
He swallowed that feeling down hard, “You are very welcome…Sylvie.”
Vasco Rossi - ...Ma Cosa Vuoi Che Sia Una Canzone...
Alan Taylor è produttore e musicista inglese, collaboratore tra gli altri di Mauro Malavasi e Celso Valli. Stabilitosi nel corso degli anni settanta in Emilia Romagna e precisamente nel suo capoluogo, Bologna, dopo aver pubblicato una serie di album Disco Music di successo internazionale decide di scommettere sul cantautore di Zocca, Vasco Rossi.
Alan porta l’ex Dj di Punto Radio a firmare un…
