The inside of the Ship was the same make as the roof, it reminded Curie of a pitted grey lancet with how each metal wall of the ship curved inwards to some undefinable point at the bow, they had entered through a hatch in the roof, and now Curie and Jericho sat uneasily on the bottom left half of a ships bench watching as their warden, this blank eyed woman set about tidying up the ships innards.

“We never did get your name,” Jerico said, making a marked attempt at socialising. Curie glanced up briefly at the witch before dropping her gaze to Jerico's hand, which she clutched tightly in her own. The witch stalled, turning to look at them. Jerico glanced around while he waited his fingers dancing unconsciously, he started packing their mess of items into a half decent pile of sorted goods, food on one side, clothing on another, the busted up gauntlet of his wrapped up and packed away for later inspection, he was making a thorough use of his recovered hand.

A reply came, “It’s Armistice” She said. Her voice low, and almost drowned out by the shuffle of a leather nautical map, Armistice pinning the edges to a large table that sat opposite them.

“Armistice? oh that’s an interesting name, a lovely sentiment” Jerico said,

“It’s a Djegese translation” Armistice said succinctly, as if that provided all the information Jerico would need.

“Djegese you say, as in from Djadguiime?” he said the words easily, Curie miming along though her tongue tripped over the unfamiliar phonemes.

“It is Jad-gu-I-eme right?” Curie asked, “Jeg-ezy too” she exaggerated the sounds, the words coming out in a comically foreign drawl.

Armistice nodded, not paying attention while Jerico pulled his hand from between Curie’s fingers to pack his pile of stacked items into a chest at the end of the bench. Wrapping the netting nailed to the inside of the chest tightly around the items and closing the hatch. He eyed the edge where it closed attempting a detached plaisance, as if in confirming the existence of the waterproof seal up close, his fear sense itching out the inside of his palms would cease with this simple gesture of domesticity, in marking what was his it brought him back to the situation, he wiped his face, the itch beading out under his forehead.

“You don’t look very Djegese” Curie interrupted, Jerico pulled himself up, his full attention finally focused on the two.

“I used to” Armistice replied, her tone turning frosty.

“What happened?” Curie asked, “if you don’t mind saying” Jerico added cupping Curie’s hand again.

“Magic, happened” Armistice said, a hint of melancholic pride in her voice.

Before Curie could push further, the porthole hatch shifted, dusty sunlight streaming downwards as an older man climbed down, his legs clicked with every step downwards, instead of the strange liquid grace that characterised Armistace’s movements, his were faster a chipped manic hypermobility, his head whipped around to face them before his body turned, a three sixty unnatural owl-ish movement.

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“I’m Canipto, and oh OH truly it is a pleasure.” he said eagerly, his voice coming a few moments earlier than when his mouth moved.

He nodded to them, wiping a few wisps of smoke off his clothing.

“I’m going to assume, and forgive me if I am wrong, but both of you are witches, no?” he said, speaking all the while as he joined Armistice next to the leather map, placing his finger on the inked lines making out the edge of a coastal formation, Armistice followed his finger as he continued to lightly chat with them.

“Yes, we are” Curie spoke for them both, Jerico nodding, a look of glazed fascination on his features.

“Well isn’t that lovely, Armistice and I were worried, only one of you were seemingly mouldering anything when you entered the city, we assumed the worst.” Canipto’s speech was catching up with his movement, the strange echoed perception beginning to catch up with itself

Curie's eyes tightened, “would it have been a problem? If one of us weren’t?” she straightened too, Armistice looking at her, a sensory silver-cold twinkle lighting up those grey orbs, the skin around them wrinkled too in a threat. Canipto’s eyes flickered, catching the tension in Jerico’s stance. He raised a hand, fingers splayed placatingly.

“Not at all, not at all,” he said quickly, his words and movements finally synchronising. “It’s just that in these times, it’s rare to find a partnership so… well-aligned. Witches should be with their own kind, don’t you think? It’s reassuring.”

Armistice relaxed as she watched Canipto warmly natter on, “We’ve seen too many mixed unions fall apart under the strain. The world’s hard enough on witches as it is.”

Curie shrugged at that, “it wasn’t our witchhood that brought Jerico and I together, but… yes it is reassuring, we had to leave our village because of a report from someone who wasn’t” Curie trailed off, waving her hand about half heartedly.

“I understand wholeheartedly my dear and we’ll take you away from that sort of thing, do not worry” Canipto replied nodding in sympathy, “it’s about time we headed off anyhow. Isn’t that right Armistice”.

He laughed at Armistic’s still venomous demeanour, a deep baying sound that Curie and Jerico awkwardly gritted their teeth against.

“She’s not much of a talker, but she grows on you, you’ll see” he said, patting her arm and pushing her so she half stumbled down one of the corridors to what looked to be a caged brig. It was morbidly amusing seeing such a relatively small old man, leading this glassy dead eyed giantess away like a wounded dog.

Jerico crossed his arms at the chill, glancing at Curie uneasily.

“So, can I give you two the tour of the ship?” Canipto said reappearing, “where you’ll be sleeping, I’m sure this has been absolutely exhausting for you”

“Does this ship have anywhere that isn’t fully enclosed?” Curie cautiously asked “I’m not much of a traveller, this is my first time being on anything bigger than a skimmer” Jerico shifted at this, not wanting to admit he’d very much like some air too.

“This is an armoured ship” Canipto said seriously, “and as such no, if you feel your about to throw up you’ll have to use the ships head, over there” he said pointing behind them “but don’t worry if the ocean’s clear during the day I tend to pop to top for a picnic. Join me sometime, it can be a lovely view.”

The ship started moving slowly, the rough sound of ropes smacking against the ships flank followed Armistice bowing underneath the entrance with several ropes slung over her shoulder, she dumped them into a rough heap next to a barrel and shouldered her way past the two of them without a word.

“Right, well I’d better get to helping her cast off.” Canipto announced, “you two, make yourself comfortable. We’ll have tea in an hour.”