After washing up in the ocean the best they could, and securing some berries and oysters, they set out down the beach towards the closest port in search of transportation. Hoping to find employment on a ship, Jenny dressed in Roberts clothes, tucking her hair into a hat and smudging a bit of dirt on her newly washed chin. Robert used his summon string to make the clothes look like they were made for a young man much shorter than Robert. After weaving his strong yet soft string together he had a decent pair of shoes for Jenny. She clutched them to her chest. "Thank you so much. I haven't recieved such nice things before. They're beautiful." she was still a little weepy but she looked up at him like light shone from his face. He blushed and looked at his feet, "It was nothing. Just the right skills. Now lets go find a harbor and a job. I can teach you a few knots you're gonna need to know, but we are probably just going to be cleaning or cooking the whole time." he explained to the girl, trying to redirect the awkwardness. She was a beautiful young foxkin. Young being the key word.
The two years between the pair seemed almost nonexistant as Jenny had lived the life of an adult since her parents died. After she had taken the time to cope with the passing of her family and the shock of the chase from the townspeople. She had broken her collar by swiping some dripping blood off another collar lying in the grass of a nobles' yard. The collar snapped open and she tied it closed back around her neck until she got to the wall, then she chucked it and snuck past the gate guards. Years of sneak thieving paid off as she slipped past the bustling guards. She had been halfway to the ruins when the angry slaveowners began barking at her heels. The irony is, her birthday had just passed this week. The first birthday without her brother, friends or family. The first birthday without any reason to celebrate after working dusk to dawn. Fourteen wasn't a special age in particular but it made her feel alone. The present in her hands, her rescue and the future days ahead of her were given to her by this handsome boy. She fancied herself a princess, and him a knight as she followed him wherever he took her.
As the sand shuffled under thier feet, the pair finally approached a dock with a few vessels. Only a few men milled about seeming to be stocking and cleaning the ships. Walking up to the crew, Robert wrestled together his pride and announced, "Hello, I'm looking for passage to Reglar. I'm willing to work hard, and so is my friend Jenner." he said smiling. Reglar was rich in monster parts, trade in Reglar wines, and elven slaves to hunt. Some desperate people would go to relgar in search of the demonkin. Children going to Reglar wasn't typical, but it was plausable. And it would have worked at any other dock.
This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.
A wicked smile spread across one of the dockworkers faces. "Oh sure, sure. We could use some help. Just come with me and we will get your paperwork and pay sorted!" he excitedly said as he ushered them toward the spire at the edge of town.
"So have you ever worked on a ship?" he asked the children as he knocked on the double doors of the mansion.
"I have but my friend here hasn't. She knows the basic knots though." Robert replied, helpfully.
The double doors opened to an obscenely tall ogre in a business suit. "HRMPH" said the butler.
"I got some new recruits for his lordship. They're here for Employment on a ship to get to Reglar." he said, winking at the ogre.
"GRUNT" the butler grunted as he gestured for the two to follow him. Shrugging Robert led Jenny behind the butler to their future employer.
"Alright this is where I'm off, Reginald where do I go for my recruitment bonus?" he yelled as they continued through the corridor.
"Terry has it." Reginald directed to the man, his voice sounding like rocks scraping on the ground. The man waved back with six fingers on his hand. Then tenticles snaked out of the ogres back to latch open the double doors in front of them. Inside was a man lounging on a sofa, reading.
Looking up from his book, he sat up and poured the children a couple cups of tea saying, "I'm sure it was a long journey getting here. Please sit." he said, gesturing to the couch in front of him, as he sat back on his chair, sipping on his own cup of tea. The ogre leaned all the way down to the mans ear and growl whispered to him.
"So you're here to retain employment I'm told. And you're seeking passage to Reglar. Are you going there to seek your families?" he hedged.
"Yes, our families await our arrival." Robert agreed with the mans suggestion. Being orphaned at his age was normal, but being orphaned without a patron was not a secure position to be in. The man smiled and drank his tea. The pair of them drank along with him, to break the awkward silence.
"Well that's excellent let me just grab the employment logbook and papers to sign and I'll get your pay sorted."
"I thought Terry had itt... the payayyyy.." Robert trailed off as he became woozy and tired. "Whatzappening" he said as he nodded off. The lord glanced over at the foxkin girl trying to pass herself off as a boy. She had already fallen asleep leaning against Robert, tea spilled all over her lap. A moment later the doors opened at Reginald came in. "Hrmph" said Reginald walking over to the children.
"Don't drop them this time. And the boy, he's a runesmith and will sell for quite the price. He's clever though so put him in the hole until he's broken. The girl, send her up to the Dukes Tower for the next major augment trial." He said, pointing at each one sorting their limp bodies by their perceived worth. The maids entered the room, clearing away the spilled dosed tea and cups. The orgre walked through the door carrying off the children as the lord returned to his studies, now sipping his tea through his new proboscis.