I want to draw a map. I don’t like the way the oceans are portrayed by most cartographers. She is wild and untamed. There are intricacies to the craft that most don’t appreciate. It is my belief that the sea should not be defined by the language of the land.

-Excerpt from ‘Cartography, Oceanography and the influence of the Tide’ by Delmoor Hobb

She sat in ponderous silence. The atypical introduction had thrown her off, and she was second guessing everything she knew. However, she soon gathered her wits and prepared a suitable response.

“Rose. That’s my name, at least. As for who I am– I don’t have a ready answer. That’s why I’m here. The ocean, that is, not your ship.”

Felix gave her a strange look. It seemed like he had something to add, but out of respect for his captain chose to refrain. Captain Bradshawe nodded and scratched his chin, digesting what she’d said as a hint of a smile crept up the corners of his lips.

“I like your answer, Rose. There are many people who pretend they know themselves and their place in the world. I don’t like liars. You seem like the kind of woman I could lose myself in conversation with. I’ve got an offer for you, since I don’t think you had anywhere in particular to be. I might be wrong on that front. Feel free to correct me if I am, but I doubt it. Join my crew.”

“Crew? I thought this was a merchant vessel.”

“It is,” replied Felix and the captain in unison.

“Every ship needs a crew. I thought you would’ve known that much, at least. My opinion of you has dropped a little, Rose,” said the captain.

“No, I know that. Obviously. What I meant to ask was why you framed the offer that way. If it was me, I would’ve said ‘join my company’ instead. Not to put words in your mouth. I don’t know why I’m being pedantic. Sorry. It’s a fabulous offer. I’d love to. You have a beautiful ship, and everyone on board seems amicable enough. I’d just like to know where you’re headed.”

“Ah. I see. My bad habits playing up. I’ve always romanticised this whole venture. My father was the one who funded it, hence the merchantry. I have to give him a return on his investment, after all. My passion lies elsewhere. Anyway, I’ll stop rambling. Our current destination is Highbream. We picked up a shipment of silk at a stellar price back in the Felmoor Archipelago. They’re famous for it, if you didn’t know. Home of the spiderfish. There’s a booming fashion trend among the nouveau-riche in Highbream for silk clothing. We’re set to make a killing.”

Rose could see why Captain Bradshawe had picked Felix up during their travels. The two were practically clones. From the tendency to ramble to the tousled chestnut hair.

A faint giggle escaped her lips as she stared at the two men. “I think I’d like to tag along, if that’s alright. I’ve never been to Highbream before. In fact, other than for fishing trips, I’ve never left the Emerlan Isle. This is all quite new to me, but I want to see everything I can. Where is Highbream?” she asked.

The captain’s posture straightened and he raised his arm, uncurling his index finger and pointing it at the ceiling. “It’s at the top of Derridas. The closest part of the west coast to Minenblum. Some call it the new capital of Derridas, given that it’s home to a majority of the merchants in the kingdom. It also happens to be where I’m from. My family home is near the city centre,” he said.

She noted that his eyes filled with sorrow when he spoke of his home, yet he masked it with patriotic pride as he spoke of Derridas. False or not, Rose was excited to see a nation besides her own.

Derridas wasn’t too far flung. It was right above Emerlan Isle in fact, but it still marked the destination of her very first adventure on the seas– not counting her close brush with death. Which would make a rather comedic introduction to her autobiography, if she ever grew famous enough to warrant having one written.

Or infamous.

Given her ambition, she hoped it would be the latter. Though dreaming of such things before completing even a single journey was rather fanciful. However, she had managed to join her very first crew.

A merchant crew, but it was still a step in the right direction. And her new shipmates were all quite eccentric, but that made them interesting. She wanted to go back to the kitchens and try more of Leroy’s curry.

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

“It looks like I’ll be in your care for the foreseeable future then, Captain,” said Rose with a mock salute.

“None of that please. This isn’t a naval vessel. I’m captain by name alone. It’s Derrick who does most of the work around here, if I’m being honest. Though I perhaps shouldn’t admit my incompetency to a stranger,” he replied.

“You’re not an incompetent captain. Just a shut-in,” quipped Felix.

The captain picked up a book from his desk and slammed it against Felix’s head. The youth yelped and clutched at his scalp, rubbing the bump that began to form.

After that, Bradshawe walked over to the leftmost bookshelf and ran his finger along the spines of the books until stopping on a thin green ledger that was taller than all the others on its shelf.

He pulled it from its spot and opened it up on his desk, before dipping his feathered quill into an ink jar made from smoky black glass. He scribbled a few lines in the ledger, blew a couple times on the ink to dry it and then replaced it on the bookshelf.

“Since you’re one of us now, that means you’ll have to help out aboard the ship. Based on the fact we found you adrift with no equipment, I figure you’re a rookie seafarer. Felix can show you the ropes, but to start with you’ll mostly be cleaning and helping out the crew when they ask. There should be a spare bunk in the crew quarters. I’ll be needing my room back, after all. If you need anything, don’t hesitate to come find me and ask. It should take us ten days to reach Derridas, then four more to sail up to Highbream. And the most important thing to remember is to never wander the deck at night. Never.”

“Alright, thanks again. For saving my life. And letting me stay. I’ll make myself really useful. It was wonderful to meet you, Captain Bradshawe.”

“Likewise, Rose. Watch your step on the way out.”

Felix took her to collect her belongings from the captain’s room, which were just as she had left them. Her mother’s kitchen knife was missing from the backpack. She had a vague memory of taking it out on the fishing boat, but the last six hours before her blackout were a blur.

Her sketchbook was still there, thank the gods. Rose didn’t know what she would’ve done without it. It was her escape when life grew difficult. Though now that she had made her escape for real, perhaps drawing wouldn’t have the same allure.

“Is there somewhere I can have a wash?” she asked as they made their way towards the crew’s living quarters.

“That’s a fabulous question. To be honest, there’s no way to have a real wash on board a ship. Unless you’re rich enough to afford a magic bath crafted by a master artificer. There isn’t one on this ship, at least. Maybe the captain’s just amazing at hiding it. Most of us just use a bucket and a cloth, then have a deep clean whenever we dock somewhere. Life at sea isn’t for the squeamish, I’m afraid,” replied Felix.

“Do I seem squeamish to you? A bucket is fine. It’s more of a psychological need than a hygiene problem. I feel like cleansing myself of the whole almost dying incident. Getting a fresh start with you guys. Ah, that reminds me. What’s this ship called?”

“This beautiful vessel is the Unrequited Love.”

“Oh god. Please tell me the captain didn’t name it.”

“He did.”

“Poor guy.”

“You don’t know the half of it. I wasn’t lying when I called him a shut-in. He doesn’t leave that cabin of his unless he has to. Leroy even delivers his meals to him most of the time. I think he’s joined us in the mess four times since I joined the crew. I joined the crew two years ago. He’s sweet, though. Not sure a captain is supposed to be sweet. Without the quartermaster I don’t think this whole operation would run half as well.”

There were three empty bunks in the crew quarters. Felix offered her the one beside his, but it was also beside another person’s bunk and Rose didn’t fancy the idea of being squished between her new crewmates. Of the other two, one was in a similar situation to the first, so that was a no go. Which left her with a bunk right by the door. A noisy spot perhaps, but better than the alternatives.

She dumped her backpack and her boots underneath the wooden frame of the bed and then went next door to a tiny room that barely had enough space for her to stand. There was a wooden bucket half full of clean water on the floor and a damp cloth hung out to dry.

Ten minutes of rigorous scrubbing later Rose felt fresh for the first time in over a week. She put on a clean change of clothes, taken from her backpack and then washed the dirty ones, leaving them to dry with the cloth.

Her misadventure had taken more of a toll than she thought. Almost dying was quite a heavy experience for a fourteen year old girl. Oh. I’m fifteen now, aren’t I?

That first day at sea had been her fifteenth birthday. Not much of a celebration. Then again, she was more excited about joining the crew of Unrequited Love than she was about turning fifteen.

“Welcome to adulthood, Rose. You’re a woman now.”

“What was that?” asked Felix, having overheard her muttering as she walked back into the bunks.

“Nothing. Inside joke,” she replied.

“An inside joke… with yourself?”

“There’s no one funnier.”

“If you say so. Let’s have a walk around the ship. I’ll show you all the important bits and try to teach you some basic maintenance and useful knowledge. Welcome to the family, Rose.”