Things did, indeed, change for Li and Ardlac after that emotional conversation. Li wouldn't consider them great friends, at least not yet, but Ardlac was much friendlier toward him and they spoke more often. Li was hesitant at first, unsure how long the friendliness would last, but he was actually quite happy that it did. Ardlac still had many moments where he became quiet and distant, but Li now understood why.

They stopped at a port in the nation of Berk to hand the pirates to the courts and to sell their cargo. It was a rather cold port, and they did not linger long once it was reported that there were icebergs in the area. Before they left, however, two new crew members joined them. They both dressed similarly to the sailors, in loose, plain clothing. One was a man and wore a silver belt, something Li had never seen before. The other appeared to be a woman and had the darker skin and tattoos of the Asirim.

"Their previous ship was dashed against an iceberg," Ardlac explained after he had spoken to them. "Captain Mond has been looking for another Asir to protect us, as I'm incapable of it, and the addition of a storm mage would also help us."

"She fights the necromancers and he fights the sea?" Li asked. He wasn't certain precisely how Asirim dealt with necromancers or what storm mages did. If Ardlac was being friendlier he decided now would be an opportunity to learn.

Ardlac shook his head and took a drink of his water. They were sitting at one of the tables in the common area, and he put one hand on it to keep it from swaying too much while they ate. "Hayel is not a woman. Or a man. They are the rarest of the Asirim, one of the Asori. The Asori are the most honored and revered of the Asirim, believed to be the strongest in magic and in the connectedness of all the souls of the world. When I have my magic, I find it easier to deal with the souls of other men - which has nothing to do with my own sexual preferences, either. Some believe this does influence our preferences in partners, which is why Nariume is far more accepting of those like us than many places I have been since joining the Gryphon. The Asori are different. They are connected to all souls."

"Why do they look female to me, then?" Li asked, genuinely curious and hoping he wasn't offending anyone.

"The Asori are born into the bodies of men or women, and sometimes those that are both. In time, they discover their soul is opposite to their body, or is neither male nor female, or both male and female. Most choose to become warriors or healers. Hayel chose to become a warrior, one of the most elite, one of the Tetim Lanali, or the Tetimi. Elri is their partner."

Li was feeling even more confused. "Who are they?"

Ardlac actually smiled. "Someday you'll need to tell me more of Mahlon, to determine if I've learned much of the country by being on this ship. The Tetimi are pairs of warriors throughout Nariume. Some of them protect towns and villages from rogues, others protect wealthy families. Some go to sea to fight the necromancers. In times of war they typically become scouts or infiltrating forces that cause havoc from within the enemy's own lines. To become one, a person must demonstrate great skill in combat. Candidates go to a formal school where they are trained. There they determine what skill they are most adept with, such as the use of certain weapons or magic in combat, and they train until they are capable of testing into the ranks. If they pass the test, their soul is matched with that of another. Only those with compatible souls are paired, so that they work together in the most efficient and effective way. The ideal pairing is two individuals who have passed their tests and have different skills. At times the strongest pairings involve one partner who originally failed, but are still considered qualified enough to be paired along with additional training. At other times, the partner most compatible is not within the school at all, sometimes even the country, but they are still invited to be paired. Elri is from Berk, but a deeply powerful storm mage. He accepted the invitation to travel to Nariume and become Hayel's partner."

"You never desired to become one the warriors?" Li asked after a moment.

Ardlac shook his head. "I never intended to leave Solaris. I expected to serve the court as my father had."

Li was puzzled. "Are you also here because of a crime?" As soon as he asked it, he realized it was a foolish question. Only Mahlonian criminals would be placed on a Mahlonian privateer to serve their sentences, not Nairs.

"No," Ardlac replied, not acting as though he considered the question foolish. "It was my choice to join the Gryphon. It simply wasn't a choice I expected to make." He took a deep breath. "I'll tell you of it another time."

Their friendship, if it could be called that, was still so new that Li did not blame Ardlac for not wanting to discuss too much of his past. Li had still told him nothing of his own pain, so he truly did not blame him.

Later than night, when they went to the deck for their watch, Li noticed Hayel standing at the side of the ship and gazing down into the water below. They appeared to have a bundle of clothing in their arms, and wore Elri's silver belt around their own waist. When Ardlac walked over to them, Li followed.

"It's good to see you again, Ardlac," they said, then smiled as Ardlac introduced Li. "May peace come to you," they added after the introductions.

Li felt an odd sense of calm settle over him then, and he wondered if it was their magic.

When he looked down into the sea, Li was surprised to see Elri in the water, swimming among some rather round, strange creatures he had never seen before. It was still cold, in Li's opinion, and he had a coat pulled tight around himself, something Captain Mond had supplied him with, so the idea of swimming in the cold sea stunned him.

"Elri loves the seals," Hayel commented. "But he'd best return soon, before he freezes," they added, calling down below.

A few moments later, a gentle wave rose up high enough that Elri could grab the side of the ship's rail and climb aboard. When he stood on the deck, Li realized he was quite naked, and his body bore some of the tattoos similar to the Asirim. Li averted his gaze, but Hayel continued asking Ardlac about the Gryphon's most recent encounter with Dyrai's necromancers while helping Elri dry off and dress. Li noticed Elri was still shivering as he wrapped the silver belt around himself. It appeared to be a very long, very fine metal chain.

Hayel gave Elri a light kiss on the lips, which were quite blue. "Now, let's get you warm and dry before you take sick."

They said their goodbyes to Li and Ardlac, then went below.

"Do the Tetimi also have certain arrangements like partners here?" Li asked, though he realized it was truly not his place to ask.

"They typically love each other quite deeply," Ardlac replied. "So, it is more than what many here have. The compatibility of their souls usually leads to a romantic connection, though for some the connection is not romantic but still a deep love for each other."

Li nodded. He hoped Hayel and Elri never lost each other, considering how deep their relationship must be.