Fen woke to an empty apartment. It was early and the sun hadn’t even risen, but Mei would already be working. She was always working.

Fen stretched at the table where she had, apparently, slept through the night. Her back hurt a little along with one of her ribs. In front of her a small, half loaf of bread rested on a plate with some honey beside it. It was a small gesture, but Fen knew her sister wasn’t angry about their discussion the night before.

She thought over last night as she chewed on the hard bread. She was be eligible to study under a master craftsman and choose a vocation. She thought through the options, frustration building as she did so. Did she want the life Mei lived? What other kind of life was there for someone like her? An orphan and no money.

Fen sighed and took the last of the bread with her out the door. Maybe walking would help. It was much earlier than she had first thought. Most of the lamps still glowed brightly along the street, though some were being to fade. It would be some time yet until the sun rose.

Her walk took her down streets and alleyways she knew well. She had grown up in this part of Aros. Fourteen years spent exploring every path and corner of this part of the city. Slowly, her wandering took her further from home and into less familiar streets.

Excitement blossomed inside as she realized she had never before been down the street she currently walked. It looked the same as all the others, at least at a casual glance, but the subtler details were what mattered. The smells were slightly different, and doors a different shade of color. As quickly as she had arrived, Fen turned and left the new street for another, more familiar, one.

In the back of her mind, Fen knew where she was going. Would she admit it out loud? No, but each turn in her wandering path brought her closer to her ultimate destination. The last street lamps around her slowly faded to darkness and the sun behind her was rising between buildings as Fen turned the last corner of her walk. Ahead of her, the port was bustling with activity. It had continued through the night and would carry on until the next evening.

The dock was built on the edge of a canyon that stretched far into the distance. Boats and ships of all sizes flew in and out of the canyon. The docks were built two and three stories high in some places to allow smaller boats to dock in greater numbers. The larger ships slowly moved between spaces in the dock. The atmosphere was intoxicating.

Fen weaved in between crowds of people all moving in different directions but with the same determination. Large men loaded and unloaded carts near ships while smaller men made notes in ledgers. The women were fewer in number, but Fen could find them taking notes as well or examining the contents of various shipments.

Every step brought a new scent or an new face. Short distance from the loading docks, tall buildings lined the streets with gilded names painted on the signs above each door. Merchant companies, bankers, and a myriad of store fronts claimed each space. Another street over, Fen knew she’d be able to find inns and taverns, along with any other comfort or entertainment a sailor would desire after a long journey.

At the end of the street were two buildings that seemed to separate themselves from the others. The first was the Aros Port Registry. The white building stood out against the muted colors of those beside it. Two stories taller than any other on the street, it loomed over the entire port like a master over his apprentice. The city crest was carved ornately into the the tall, wooden doors. Finely dressed men and women walked in and out of the building with looks ranging from displeasure to excitement.

The second building was a shadow of the first. A single story and made of dark wood, it was easy to miss. Though when you did notice, it demanded all attention. The windows were dark and no one seemed to enter or exit. People made small a arch as they walked past the building as if avoiding an oil spill. Above the black door, a dark sign read: Shipmaker’s Guild.

Fen turned and walked towards the impressive, white building. It was set back from the street to make room for the flight of stairs that led up to the large doors of the building.

Well-cut men and women continued to walk in and out of the building. Fen guessed they were business owners and bankers. An older woman and a younger man passed near her on their way back down the steps. She overheard their conversation as the man spoke animatedly to the woman about balancing the risk with the potential profit. The woman nodded patiently and spoke calmly to the man about how her gut had never failed her, and how this time would be no different. His face soured as she said this. Fen had understood the woman, but wondered to herself what the man had been trying to say as she climbed the top of the stairs.

Fen looked up at the large doors in front of her. Up close they now seemed even larger, yet people pushed them open easily as they walked into the building. Fen touched the pendant under her shirt and took a deep breath before walking in behind someone as they opened the doors.

The bustle of the city outside was calm compared to the commotion going on inside the building. People were everywhere. Most gathered around the outside of the building where clerks lined the walls at desks built higher than normal, forcing everyone to look up slightly.

The room itself was grand in every detail. Sweeping, curving patterns of various colors of marble were set into the floor that continued up the pillars throughout the large room. At the center a large staircase rose and split to both sides allowing access to the balcony that overlooked the main hall. Fen could see offices lining the balcony.

A coarse woman snapped Fen out of her wonderment as she pushed her out of the doorway to make her way in. Before Fen could say anything, the woman was gone. Everyone seemed to already know where they were supposed to go, so Fen decided to follow along with a wave of people.

She listened to each clerk as they spoke to various people. None of it made any sense to Fen. Different permits with letters and numbers were mentioned quickly and the people around all seemed to nod knowingly. Occasionally someone would groan before huffing out of the building. As the crowd of people moved through the building, Fen found herself moving towards the center of the room where it was calmer.

At the center of the room a tall man stood motionless in a gray suit with no collar. Everything about him seemed muted. His hair was as gray as his suit. Even his skin seemed to lack a true color to it. He looked out at the crowd without really watching the people.

Fen did notice, however, a pair of cuff links. They were clearly electrum with a strange rune carved on them. A different rune on each link. They glowed a faint blue. Fen jumped when she looked up again at him and realized he was watching her.

“May I help you?'' He asked. His voice was like giant boulders slowly grinding against each other.

“Oh, no. Sorry,” Fen said looking around nervously. “I'm just trying to figure out where I sign up to apprentice on a ship. This place is huge.”

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The man looked around the room slowly as if noticing where he was standing for the first time.

“Yes. It is.” He said.

“Do you know where I'm supposed to go?” Fen asked. Something was off about him, but she could quite place it.

“Director of Human Capital,” he said as he bent his elbow just enough to point upward. “Second floor.”

“Thanks,” Fen said bowing her head slightly as she backed away. The man nodded back before looking out into the crowd with an unfocused gaze.

Fen turned towards the stairs and began to climb. A deep red carpet covered the stairs. It was the thickest Fen had ever walked on and made the climb more difficult in a way like the carpet seemed to hold onto each foot for a moment longer than a normal floor.

The offices along the perimeter were all identical with the exception of a brass plate on each door identifying its purpose. Director of Human Capital was a name plate six doors down the left side of the building, underneath the title was the name Tomelin Gooth.

The door was unlatched and opened easily. Fen walked in and was surprised at how quickly the noise from outside quieted. Along one wall was a row of cushioned chairs. Across from them was a small woman stationed at a desk and another door behind her. She regarded Fen through thick glasses.

“Apprentice?” the woman asked. She looked bored.

“I want to sign up, yeah.” Fen said walking up to her.

“Take a seat. I'll call you up when he's ready.”

Fen sat in one of the chairs. It was comfortable, but Fen couldn't help but fidget and bounce her knee. The woman at the desk only stared at Fen. Minutes went by and the woman hadn't looked away. Fen stared back.

The door handle to the second room rattled breaking both of their stares and a man's head poked out.

“Tori, I—” the man stopped as he noticed Fen waiting. He looked back at the woman frowning. “Tori, how long has this girl been sitting there?”

“Several minutes sir,” Tori said flattly.

“Several min— Tori, you hardly useful.”

“Hardly?” Tori said again looking back down at the papers sitting on her desk.

“Hardly. I have half the mind to... oh, never mind. Come in girl.” He opened the door more fully and waved Fen inside with a broad gesture.

After closing the door behind her, he pointed her to a leather chair placed in front of a large oak desk. It seemed oversized until the man sat down behind it. He was large and barrel-chested, a physique only highlighted by how well his clothes all fit him. He wore a purple vest over a white shirt and smiled affably as he held out a large hand towards Fen.

“Tomelin Gooth,” he said.

“Fen Blackwind.” His hand was gentle and soft.

Tomelin leaned forward and laced his fingers together in front of him.

“By the look of you, I'd guess you just turned fourteen. I'd also guess you are looking to start an apprenticeship.”

Fen couldn't help but smile back at him. “Yeah.”

“What did you have in mind? A clerk here, or maybe an import auditor?”

“I want to sail,” Fen said trying hard to keep the defiance out of her voice.

“I see,” Tomelin said sitting back in his chair. He was no longer smiling. “You may have trouble with that. Did you attend any of the sailing schools or work on your families boat or ship?”

“No,” Fen said after a pause.

“Do you already have a captain willing to take you on?”

“No.”

“See, no training and no captain sponsoring you means that I can't give you your permit to sail as an apprentice.”

“But—” Fen started but Tomelin held up a hand to stop her.

“I know this is hard. I want to be able to give it to you, but it's for your own good that I don't. More likely than not, you'll get killed out there. Fall overboard, stuck by lightning, lose a leg. I can't have that weight on my conscience. I'm sorry. If you decide you want any of the other, more suitable, positions here please let me know.”

Tomelin smiled weekly as he stood from his desk and walked to Fen through the door. She was fighting hard to keep tears from running down her face as she walked down the stairs.

The gray man was still standing in the center of the room. He regarded her slowly as she approached him.

“Well a lot of good that was,” she said to him. He didn't reply. “They won't give me a permit. It's not fair. I'm going to sail. They can't stop me. I'll figure it out. Have any ideas?”

“Ideas. Director of Innovation. Second floor.”

“What?”

“That's about as much as you are going to get out of him,” a voice said from behind.

Fen turned towards the voice. A woman stood behind her smiling. She was tall, taller than most of the men walking around her, and she wore a wide brimmed hat made out of oiled leather that added even more height. Tucked underneath, Fen could see deep red hair. What really caught Fen's attention were her eyes. They were a bright yellow, almost like they were glowing.

“Now, what kind of ideas were you looking for? Maybe I can be a bit more helpful than that... thing.” The woman eyed the gray man for a moment before turning back towards Fen.

“Um, well, I'm trying to apprentice on a ship but apparently you need a permit or a sponsoring captain to do that. I can't get either.” It felt more real saying it out loud, and Fen had to fight of more tears of frustration.

“I see. Well, I don't have enough friends in this building to get you either of those, but you seem passionate enough. If you can get that permit, come find me. I'll have a job for you.”

Fen raised her eyebrow. “You?”

“Yes, me!” the woman said pointing at her shoulder.

Fen hadn't noticed it before, but over the top of the woman's leather duster were three knotted, red ropes. She was a captain of her own ship and registered as a merchant.

“I'm so sorry captain. I didn't see.”

“It's okay,” the woman laughed. “And it's Captain Maolen. I'll be here until tomorrow morning before the sixth bell. If you figure it out, come find me. My ship is easy to spot.”

Fen nodded as the captain walked away towards the stairs. She stood for a moment lost in thought before looking back at the strange man beside her. He had drifted back into an oblivious stare. Still in her thoughts, Fen fell in line with a group of people heading towards the doors. Once outside, Fen turned to look back at the doors. It was so much quieter outside.