An old house, with the surroundings littered with wood waste, is visible beside the sea. Small boats moored on the shore were waiting to be repaired, and a nearly hairless man was fixing them with a hammer in one hand and a bottle in the other.
“Old man, we need your help.” Grige walks over and speaks to the man with clear confidence.
“No! I don’t want to know anything about your business and false opportunities! Can't you see that I already have enough work!?” A strong odor of alcohol wafted from the man and was picked up by Lyaria's sensitive nose, but despite everything, she stood her ground and worked confidently. It was clear that he tolerated the drinks.
“This time is different, we just want to cross the sea.” Those words were enough for the pounding of the hammer to stop and for the first time the man paid attention to them.
"You didn't have enough with one sunken ship and now you want mine? Heh!” In a matter of seconds, the man loses interest again and after a deep drink of the bottle, he hammers hard again.
“I told you it's different, it's not business, I have to take her to the islands. It's a round trip, nothing more.”
"A very fine and beautiful lady for a place like that... What exactly are you looking for?"
“Family.” Lyaria intercedes this time with a strong resolve seeing that Grige's attempts weren't working.
"Ahh... Slaves...? Well, I could at least hear what you have to say. Let’s go inside, the cold wind is not a friend of any talk.”
The man guides them towards his home in what would be the battlefield for the negotiations that would define their futures.
The cabin in which Lyaria and Grige were together with the old carpenter was even older than its owner, and it showed, the floorboards creaked at every step and the wind from the sea made some of the ceiling timbers threaten to detach. However, despite everything, the place had a cozy and warm feeling thanks to the fireplace and the alcoholic infusion that the carpenter served them.
“Impossible! Cross the sea this season!? Impossible!” Lignar, a carpenter and sailor in the past, rejects the idea immediately.
"We have to, if we wait until late in the spring, it's very likely they'll sell him and we'll lose track." Grige keeps pushing even knowing how risky his plan is.
"That's better than drowning in ice. Grige, you're not an outsider to not know how suicidal it is... Just think about your words and what they mean. Trust me, I'm doing you a favor.” Lyaria can notice affection in the man's voice, now she was sure that they both knew each other. “Besides, the only ship that could withstand the sea is broken and a few coins won't fix it. We are talking about repairing the deck, painting, new sails, the keel and many coins are necessary for it.”
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"Will these be enough?" Lyaria drops a bag over a nearby table, revealing several silver coins.
"Twenty-one, twenty-two, twenty-three... silver coins. This... is more than enough.” Lignar counts twice lost in the value of the coins, something he hadn't seen in a long time since his golden youth.
Griege only narrows his eyes slightly at how Lyara had lied to him about the amount of money she was carrying. Although this did not bother him, on the contrary, it is very normal to hide the truth when money is involved.
"So, we have a deal?" Lyaria presses on seeing the doubt in the carpenter's eyes, rushing too far judging by Grige, he would rather have given him more time to think.
“...No, there is not. What good are coins if it's going to be destroyed anyway? It is a meaningless undertaking, it is not worth it.” The initial shock of the money quickly fades from the old man's eyes and is replaced by disgust at the sight of the shiny silver.
“But-!” Lyaria tries to protest, but is stopped by Grige who grabs her arm and shakes his head.
"We'll go for now, I think we all need some time to think. Old man, reconsider the proposal, the sea is not frozen yet and I know there is a chance. After all, what little I know about the waters I learned from you.” They both leave, leaving the bag of coins behind and their cups with the drink that was already cold.
Lyaria and Grige walk side by side along the cold rocky beach without saying a word, each lost in their own thoughts. Lyaria in the future and Grige in the past.
"Do you think he'll accept?" Lyaria can't help but ask, breaking the silence between them.
“I hope so, but with the memories that the old man have from the sea…
“What happened?”
“It's a long story so I'll keep it short. I lost my parents at a young age, my brother and I were lucky to meet good people who helped us during that time.”
“And one of them was Lignar.” Lyaria assumes it immediately having seen the closeness of both.
“Exactly. It wasn't for long, but it was enough for me to earn my bread by helping him fish, it was a time when repairing boats was just a hobby or a favor to his acquaintances.” Grige stops and looks at the flat horizon of the sea. “He had a son, only a few winters older than me, naturally that made us hit friendship instantly.” Pauses again with a slight sigh and tells the end of the story in a rush as if he doesn't want to remember it. “It happened a long time later, when my brother and I were chasing a good life in a bad way. A unique opportunity presented itself to us, a business that required a trustworthy ship and people. Lignar and his son took us on their boat, it was a splendid one that took years to build. Everything was going well, we were already on our way back and we would return with our pockets full of coins... if it weren't for the fact that pursuers appeared in the stern and a threatening storm in the bow.”
“You lost everything you got”. Lyaria couldn't agree with Grige's life, a swindler and thief who shared totally different values than hers. Though after getting to know him better, she can't help but sympathize with his past. She wonders if Ezer wouldn't have suffered a similar fate if their paths hadn't crossed.
“If it had been just the money, my conscience wouldn't weigh me down, nor would the boat, all of that can be recovered with time and effort. But the life of a friend... of a brother, that cannot be replaced.” A sour expression darkens Grige's face, putting into words one of his greatest regrets was painful, but also liberating. He can't help but look away from the sea to the young woman next to him who somehow softens his heart and forces him to come clean.
"Now I understand why you said it would be difficult to convince him. After hearing all that, I don't think I'd want to do it if I were him.”
“……”
"I'm going to talk to him one more time."
“No! He needs some alone time!”
"Let me talk to him, just me. That incident left him stagnant in his life, I could notice that with the short time I meet him, if I want to cross the sea, I have to do something on my own.” Lyaria heads off in the direction of the cabin without waiting for a response from Grige.