Sanae was leaving to board the ship.
“How much will passage cost?” Meyriv asked
“Me? Nothing; I signed on as the ship’s accountant. You? Fifty silver or equivalent.”
He gaped at her,
“You’re what, fifteen? How did you convince them to hire you?”
She grinned smugly. “Because I’m officially licensed to do so, as shown in the records of the merchant’s guilds.
I’ve been part of my family’s business ever since I could write.
…And for the record I’m seventeen.”
Meyriv shrugged, “Whatever. Good for you.”
He handed her some money. “Tell them it’s half now, half when they pick me up.”
- - -
The ship’s captain approached her, her expression one of concern. She returned a spyglass to its case on her belt.
“Captain Zerain?” Sanae stood up as the woman drew near.
“Are you certain this isn’t some elaborate con?” The captain asked
“He saved my life.”
“Those are not mutually exclusive. And demanding we meet him along the coast, outside town? That’s more fishy than the docks we left from…
Miss, I’ve sailed to and from nearly every port in the known world. I’ve seen more than my share of scoundrels, smugglers, slavers, and worse. And especially now that I can see him, my instincts say he is trouble.”
“Are you going back on our deal?”
“Unfortunately, no. But the moment I decide he’s a danger to my ship or crew, he’s going overboard.”
“Understood, ma’am.”
“I’ve heard of your parents. They’re respectable merchants. Skilled too.”
“Were you able to contact my mother?”
“No, but I sent a bird. News of your escape should reach her next time she’s in a major settlement.”
“Thank you!”
“It’s the least I can do. As is my caution regarding your…companion”
---
Meyriv was brought on board without incident. The crewman who had manned the dinghy looked unnerved. He looked meaningfully at the captain and back to his passenger.
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“Why is they all so spooked?…Oh, I’ve gotten used to his eyes being like that.”
The captain held out her hand as Meyriv exited the dinghy. “Meyriv, correct?”
He looked pale, but he shook her hand and nodded. “You are captain…?”
“Areenya Zerain”
“A pleasure to make your acquaintance, captain.” He said politely, if stiffly.
Meyriv pointed to a man leaning against one of the ship’s masts.
“That crewman of yours has a festering infection on his foot. He’s hiding it well, but it must be quite painful.”
The man’s eyes widened and he made a yelp that he tried to turn into a cough.
The captain’s eyes widened in surprise. “Gerom, is this true?”
Another man standing near him piped up “Ye bet It’s true! He changes bandages on it every night! It stinks like the devil and it doesn't be gettin’ any better!”
The man stared at the ground and answered, “Yes capt’n... I stepped on a loose nail at the docks a dozen days back. I can’t afford t’ sit out this voyage. I ‘ave debts n’ all.”
“Shame on you for hiding it! I can’t have my crew limping! I’d punish you, but your affliction sounds to be punishment enough for now.
You will seek a healer the moment we reach our destination!”
“Aye, yes cap—”
“That won’t be necessary.” Meyriv interrupted, motioning towards the man’s foot.
Sanae thought she saw a bolt of light move from his hand in the direction he was waving.
The man yelped and toppled over backwards, letting loose a string of curses before ripping off his boot and bandages.
The foot had dried blood surrounding a swollen spot near the heel. The man splashed water from a nearby bucket onto it, scrubbing it clean. No wound was visible, and the swelling was receding as they watched.
“I excised the infection and closed the wound. The rest should heal in a day or two.” Meyriv said as he nearly lost his balance. His face had become several shades paler.
“What kinda’ half-baked healer is you? Proper healers never feel so...itchy.”
“Don’t complain, it was free.” Meyriv snapped as he leaned against a rail, breathing heavily.
“No, really” the captain said, “Where did you learn that? I’ve seen healers work, and I’m no novice mage myself. That was simultaneously the most clumsy healing and one of the most bizarre spells I’ve ever seen. Like a blacksmith trying to bake a pie in the forge.”
“She broke her legs a few weeks ago.” He mumbled, motioning toward Sanae
“A few weeks ago?! You learned to heal by practicing on humans?! Do you have any idea how lucky you are that neither of them ended up maimed or dead?
“Not lucky; Skilled.” Meyriv corrected
“That was reckless and arrogant. You get one warning: Use magic on my ship again and I’ll see you thrown overboard.”
Meyriv looked angry for a moment, but it quickly vanished.
“...My mistake, Captain.”
“Crew, enough gawking. Get this ship moving!”
---
The next day, Sanae began her work as the ship’s accountant. She was consolidating the inventory logs when she heard footsteps behind her.
She glanced back; Meyriv was inspecting the stack of papers.
“These bring back memories.”
“What, school?”
“Of a sort. May I?” He motioned toward the half-filled sheet in front of her.
“You want to do paperwork?”
“For nostalgia, I suppose.”
“Sorry, but I can’t let anyone else handle these papers.”
“That’s to be expected I suppose. Though I’m the last person with any reason to falsify anything.”
She finished writing and neatly filed the papers away in a drawer and locked it.
More footsteps sounded. The captain appeared at the open doorway.
“Change of plans. A customer up the coast has outbid one of my mainland buyers, so we’re going to make a short detour before continuing.”
Meyriv looked confused. “Up the coast? We just departed from the most northerly port on this continent, unless I’m mistaken.”
“You are, but understandably so. The settlement is quite recent, only developing in the last few years. Some sort of religious colony. I’ve done business with them before. Strange, reclusive folk, but they keep their word and pay well.”
“I see…” Meyriv said, frowning.