Leaves fall on the side of the docks. Above Old Carthan was a hill where a forest stood. Gigantic trees that give shade to the Old Carthan, that was called Elder Trees. The roots of the trees poked out of the cliff face. Each one of the roots is as wide as a wagon. It wrapped around the cliff.

  These Elder Trees and it's roots are even older than Old Carthan.

  Gabrio stood on the deck. Near him were the ship boys, making sure the deck was clean. The cannons meanwhile were being cleaned with bore brushes by the Gunners, with a scribe in tow. They needed someone to write the records. Some Gunners might be literate, but most of the time they are not. The Scribes need to write down the record. So that they can check on any defect that needs repairing and if the cannons were cleaned.

  Being able to write and speak the language had become one of the laws of the land. For it was the language of the nation of Aon. And it was the Chancellor himself that insisted that the people must know the soul of Aon. To live in Aon means that one must learn how to write and speak to the soul of Aon. That's why such a law was present in Aon.

  Nonetheless, some Gunners won't be able to learn the language with ease, thus it was better to rely on the Scribes. Instead of forcing them to learn at an old age.

  Speaking of the Chancellor. He was the man who united the Kingdoms of the Land. He was the one who conquered the Kingdoms and was also the one who believed in the idea of a United Continent. He believed that the people of Aon are brothers and sisters.

   They may have different cultures and beliefs. But they are still neighbors that live on the same continent. Like how neighbors live in the same block or the same street. He proceeded with his unification with this idea. The idea of Segregated states that has control of their nation and was free to trade among the borders. A land of neighbors sharing the same continent.

  The Chancellor had always wanted the blood spilling to stop and he did make it stopped. He united the land, let them have their own cultures, and through that, the United Lands of Aon was born. A land that flies the symbol of their alliance to the United Continent of Aon, and the flag of their states.

  People would have followed him as Emperor. But instead, he chooses to look beyond the lands and focused on the thousand islands. He was the one who wanted the Company to gather a fleet and sail to the thousand islands. The Chancellor had understood that once he was gone. He would leave a vacuum of power and the United Continent of Aon would fall apart without him.

  He wanted to avoid infighting and choose to turn their eyes to the horizon.

  Leaders, no matter how greedy or generous they are. They always have ambition. They needed to expand and make enough coin for their own and their people. Aon had been bleeding for years, and thus the only way that the land could rest was to turn to the thousand islands. With new means of sailing and weaponry. They could finally turn to the thousand islands instead.

  The Thousands Islands were islands separated from the United Aon by leagues of oceans. Filled with ancient beasts of gigantic sizes. These fabled creatures could tear through any ship without proper preparation. Legends had told of stories of many-limbed creatures with giant W-shaped eyes.

  Limbs covered in black scales and suckers that could punch a hole in any frail hull.

  A single basilisk cannon may not be enough, but what about two hundred of them? What about a lady that could control nature itself? What about hulls made from the Elder Trees that withstood the world for ages? It was only because of these advantages that the Company would dare to traverse the oceans to reach the islands.

  Gabrio did not know how to operate a cannon. He knows how to handle a gun. But to operate a complex gun was beyond him. That was why he could not produce a snark to the Gunner who couldn't read. He didn't have the right.

  If there was one thing that had made the Chancellor of Aon, a legendary individual to Gabrio. It was how he had convinced the people of the elven to join the United Lands as brothers and sisters of Aon. Neighbors to the United Continent of Aon. That alone was a threat to the strongman and iron ladies of the United Continent of Aon. It didn't help that he was a Master of Arms. And the one who financed the Reconnoiter Company and convinced an Elven and some of her people to join this voyage.

   Some had said that there wasn't only one elven aboard the fleet. The Senatorial Council had approved of this expedition force.

  Gabrio knew that they wouldn't come for peace first. No foreign nation would think that this was a peaceful fleet.

  Gabrio believed that there are no ideal actions made of pure intentions. The Chancellor knew what he had been doing. He knew what he had to do to keep the United Lands protected. This was also a gamble on The Chancellor's part. If it wasn't for the Elven Head of State, then this would have been a gamble built on a desperate dream.

  Gabrio knew that if the voyage fails. None of them would return. He couldn't find himself returning to Old Carthan. If the Galleon arrives on the thousand islands. He would be part of this ship forever. He had left it all behind for the sake of this voyage. He had given his life to this ship.

  Sometimes, he wondered if the ship boys did so as well. Or they did not know what were they signing up for? They might live their lives on this ship and produce sailors.

Gabrio thought that he might raise his apprentice as well.

Still, on the deck, Gabrio shook his head at the thought of the future. He was a Doctor. There was one thing that he needed to do. And that was to cure those who are ill and treat the wounded. Let the politicians do their scheming, and he'll stay true to his.

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  The wind buffered him.

  From the fence railing of the ship, he saw the new arrivals. They did not look like sailors or soldiers.

*****

  Back to his cabin, he had started tending to his plants when a knock came outside his door. Outside of the door was a young man strapped with leather armor and carried a sword on his waist. He looked years older if it weren't for the way he stood and looked.

  "Hello, Doctor," he said, tapping his chest and placing his hand on his side. "I am Wiles, I will be guarding your doors, Sir."

  "I see," Gabrio said, he looked at his plants. "Can I tend to my plants first?"

  "Oh, don't mind, Sir," he said. "Um, is this Miss Surgeon around?"

  "Haven't seen her out of her cabin," Gabrio closed the door on Wiles. He looked at the shaft of sunlight entering his room, then went to the crate of molded bread he kept under his bed. The molded bread was molding, but some had started molding green instead of the color he desired. Was he doing this wrong, Gabrio thought. He wondered how he'd turn the mold into a bluish color.

  Putting the bread crate back under the bed. He exited his cabin and saw Wiles standing on the hall of the ship, waiting for Zyra to come out.

  Zyra's door then opened. Wiles got startled and his hands went to his weapons. But before he could draw on her, his eyes spotted the floral pattern of her robes and the braid she wore. He calmed and withdrew his hand. Zyra looked unbothered. Her hand rested on her waist.

  "That was rude," Zyra said.

  "Forgive me, Miss," Wiles lowered his head. "I am Wiles. I've been assign by the Magistrate to help in the clinic."

  "So can you carry corpses and help tend the wounded? Are you a medic or a corpse-bearer?" She examined him.

  "I am a Corpse-Bearer, Miss."

  So he's trained, Gabrio thought. He must have fought in a war or helped around the roads.

  "Then you will be helping us both. You know medicine. Then you know how rowdy people can be. I expect you to hold them back and assist us in any way possible. Keep patients and fools at bay. Though you'll spend more time guarding the clinic more than anything else. Is this alright?"

  He nodded. He reached for his bag and produced a pair of pistols. They were breechloaders with paper cartridges for ammunition. Gabrio wouldn't have noticed the pistols if he didn't take it out of his bag.

  "What's that?" Gabrio asked.

  "This is for the two of you, Sir, Ma'am," Wiles handed the pistols.

  Zyra took hers and checked the sight. She felt the weight and closed an eye.

  "You know how to handle one?" Gabrio said to her.

  "I do," she said. "My previous employers are fond of these shooters. They taught me how to shoot. Of course, it was for a study. Do you know that they recently started studying the effects of a bullet wound on the human body? So if you boys ever get shot at then come to me. I know how to remove them from your bodies."

  She winked as she took the bandoleer and belt holster from Wiles, then she wrapped it around her sash. Gabrio took the pistol and pouches as well. Wile's eyes landed on the pistol Gabrio was wearing.

  "A breechloader as well, Sir?"

  "Yes, the Captain gave me his spare."

  "Is that favoritism I hear?" Zyra said.

  Gabrio shrugged. He tugged the belt around his waist to make it feel comfortable. Wiles still stood there and was watching them. Gabrio felt none other than his stare and the voices that came from the Carpenters and Caulkers of the deck.

  "Are your quarters nearby?" Gabrio said, patting his belt.

  "It's near the storage room, Sir. I've been placed there to make sure that the supplies are safe, Sir."

  "I see," Gabrio nodded. "Set your things down. Then settle your affairs in inland. When you feel like you have enough, then come back here and do your duties."

  "But, Sir-"

  Zyra raised her hand. "Listen to the Physician of the Ship. If he says so then you do so. I want you to go back to town. Think again if you want to risk your life on this voyage, and then either come back here or leave. Is that understood?"

  "I understand, Ma'am," Wiles said, nodding at that authoritative voice.

  He walked down the hall to the direction of where his cabin was. Shaking his head, Gabrio walked back to his cabin. but then Zyra slipped inside of his cabin and looked around.

  "You have a lot of plants here," she said. "Are you growing flowers?"

  "No, nothing like that," Gabrio said.

  She continued inspecting the room. She took notice of the crate below the bed. Turned her eyes away from the crate and focused on the plants again.

  "If you are growing tea then let me have some. I wish my room has this lighting. The mast of the ship is blocking the sunlight from entering my room. Not to mention that it is rather dark inside even in the day."

  She seated herself on the stool. She studied Gabrio's deck and smiled at the journal and the tomes placed on the desk. She ran her fingers on the tomes, her eyes widening.

  "Handwritten by the Surgeon of Fort Rava?" she read the line on the book's cover. "You are a student of the Butcher? Are you a Ravaian?"

  "I am," Gabrio folded his arms. "I know how to cut up a person if I can."

  "I see," she nodded, taking one of the tomes on her hands. "Two sets of hands are better than one. I'll be needing your help. Do you mind?"

  "Not at all," Gabrio said. She opened the door and traced the writings on the tome.

  "May I borrow this?"

  "You can," Gabrio shrugged.

  "Some of these methods are...interesting," she traced a line with her finger. "Do you mind if I take it from you for now?"

  "Go ahead, and please return it to me once in a while, I like to reread it."

  She nodded, went out of the cabin with her eyes still on the tome. Gabrio thought that he might as well let her borrow it. He'll be working with her, and it was better to have a decent relationship with a co-worker rather than none at all.