I told Liawynn everything up till Ersel stole me. Well the shortened version, I imagined my entire life in detail would have taken well over a year to describe. I told her about stump, rags, the stick humans, even my yellow room. She laughed at times and listened intently at others, especially when I mentioned ‘Spirit Mother’.

“Just how old are you?” she asked after I ended the tale.

I hunched my brows, “Older than the fels, yet not as old as the Illivari empire.”

“That is quite ancient then. Perhaps you are a god after all.” She teased.

“I am a god.” I confirmed, “It confounds me how mortals need constant proof of that.”

“Gods do not desire.” She said quietly.

“Well-” I cut myself short, this was a thought that had escaped me. Why did I desire what I did? Why was I so powerless, regardless of being a god?

“But perhaps you have merely fallen. Now that you walk amongst those that desire as we mortals do, you have learned to do the same.” Her eyes traced the passing streams. “We mortals do not just desire, we fixate. We hunger for one sin or the other. Some claim greed, others lust. Just be glad your desire is a noble one.”

I looked at her, “To see the world you mean?”

She smiled, looking back at the passing stream, “Not quite. The world is not something you simply see, it is something you find.” She thrust her arms to both sides, “This ship is my world, I live for her and her crew. So travel if you must, but remember to do more than ‘see’.”

“What do you mean by that?” I turned when she did not respond, by then she was already gone. After Liawynn left, Ersel returned to me.

“What was that then?” She started, “You two seemed to be getting along. I know you, you don’t do that.”

I was appalled, but she had a point. I humored her, my arms crossed on the railing, “Let us assume I did get along with Liawynn-”

“Liawynn?” She smirked leaning besides me.

“Her name.” I stretched, “We are bound together on this ship and on this raid. Might as well ‘get along’. Don’t want my arms cut off and burnt do we?”

“If it comes to that.” She puffed.

I shot a glance at her. Was she serious? By her lack of continuation I assumed not.

I remembered then that she had left too. “Where did you go then?”

She turned and mimicked me, crossing her arms and resting on the railing. “Oh you know.” She lay her head on her arms, “Getting along.”

A twitch was all I could muster to that response, for its idiocy deserved no more attention. I let my stern expression fade for a moment. I glanced at her, she had fallen asleep. Amazingly her ability to stay up had faded. Somehow that urge I felt earlier had disappeared to. Now, I felt nothing tethering me as before. As if whatever chains had manifested on me had been lowered for reprise.

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That urge. It was still fresh in my memory. She was asleep, and yet I felt it was the perfect time to inform her, “Ersel I-”

I did not know how to continue. I swallowed hard, “Ersel, something strange has been happening to me. It’s this feeling. At my back, see?”

No movement, she had indeed fallen asleep. I sighed and pressed my eyes closed. Perhaps I would learn to live with it.

“Lift your cloak.” Echoed Liawynn.

I spun to see her and Bilal studying me. Liawynn gestured at me with a nod, “Lift it up.”

I glimpsed at Ersel, still asleep. I was unsure, lost. I remembered the urge, then gripped my cloak.

“Come on now.” Pushed Bilal, “If you’re afraid of exposure, I assure its nothing to be ashamed of. I remember the first time this one- Ow!”

Liawynn had stepped on Bilal’s feet. Odd thing for a first mate to do. Regardless, I lifted the cloak.

Bilal seemed disappointed, “Heh, you’re just a tree.”

Liawynn, on the other hand, was fixated on something behind me.

“Do you see that, Cap’n? There,” She pointed at my side, “Brambleburn, could you turn for a moment?” She requested.

I complied, even more curious.

“Spirits.” Hushed the captain.

“Brambleburn.” Asked Liawynn’s voice, “The way you are, the way you were in your story. Was this always your form?”

Perhaps I had not mentioned what I was. Strange to think Liawynn assumed I was a tree man the entire time. I eyed Bilal, I did not particularly trust him, though I knew Liawynn meant me no harm, “I was an idol before.” I said.

“And how did you become what you are now?” she continued. I spied at her, she was looking at my back with a stricken twist to her features. What had she seen? What did she know?

“I’m not sure, one moment I was myself, then the next- it was white. Very white.” I tried to remember the details.

“It was a witch.” Spouted the noble.

All eyes fell upon Ersel. Her arms were crossed, but not to rest on. Her eyes were narrowed and her teeth were clenched. She was a wolf ready to pounce, growling before the jump. I had seen such creatures hunt before, awful business.

She spat to the side and walked between the two and me, “Why do you want to know?” snapped the wolf.

Liawynn edged her head once, “Look at his back.”

Ersel glanced at me with the corner of her eye, then all of it. She had been taken off guard by the very sight. I often yearned for a mirror, mostly to bask in my handsomeness, but now more than ever I needed it to understand what was happening.

“What did the witch do?” pried Bilal.

Ersel kept looking at my back, making faces off all sorts, “She- gods that mark!”

“tell us!” barked Liawynn.

“She was chanting words. Old Aragossin words I think. Then she was about to cut her hand.” Ersel stopped reciting the details as her eyes fell to the planks, “Gods. It was a ritual and I interrupted it.”

Bilal began to smile, he seemed the most curious out of all of us. He took three measured steps towards the noble, “How did you interrupt it?” he asked.

Ersel spun to Bilal, “I was held captive. I broke out with my dagger and attacked her. We fought, then she cut my arm with her dagger, but my arm did not bleed normally. No, I remember that! The blood flew. It-it flew towards him.” She spun to me in a heartbeat. She ruffled her hair with one hand, “My blood went into Brambleburn instead of hers. She said I was tethered. Gods how did I not realize this!?”

Bilal laughed quietly. Liawynn seemed satisfied. This really was embarrassing. A god such as I left to be fooled by mere mortals? I looked to Ersel for comfort. She held her head under her hand for seconds, until finally she let go. I expected her to be in despair. No, maybe anger? That was normal for her.

I flinched.

She was smiling.

“Brambleburn.” She started, her eyes on mine, “What’s written on your back is a contract. It is singed into your bark in words written in my blood. I cannot read this contract, but I know full well its meaning.”

“How do you gather?” I queried.

Her smile grew into a wicked grin, meeting the edges of her face, “You’re my familiar.”