“There are many activities people do to relax and enjoy themselves, ranging from those who indulge in food or entertainment, others who partake in various games of skills, as well as those that prefer calmer, more relaxed activities like fishing. Personally? I like all of them, just each one for different situations.” - Saying attributed to the Silver Maiden.

Aideen and the rest of her group – which now included Celia who tagged along as well – followed the Bone Lord’s instruction and left the frontlines to rest and recuperate in the Lichdom. To that purpose, they traveled from the north-east of the Lichdom where the border with Vitalica was towards the far south, to the region that in the distant past belonged to the long-dead nation of Cainte.

That southern region was dominated by the great cove which made the rest of the land look as if a pair of legs jutted out from the south of Ur-Teros. The region was rich and prosperous under the Lichdom’s umbrella, as they benefited greatly from easy access to the seas around them. The inland waters of the cove in particular were known to be calm and teeming with all sorts of fish and other edible sea creatures, which made it a popular vacation destination for those that liked to fish.

Which was exactly what Aideen and her group went there for. To fish.

The six of them were out on the water, far into the cove that day, two of them to a boat. The locals were used to visitors like them and many made a living by renting their boats to such people who wanted to fish in the cove. The boatsman stood on the stern of the boat which was shaped like a long basket, while the passengers were positioned a bit further forward from the center to balance the weight out.

Such boats with its rather broad but shallow hull were ill-suited for going out to sea, but worked well in the calm waters of the cove. They were made by crafting a basket-shaped skeleton out of a local plant called Vinewood, which grew on other trees and had vines that when dried, turned into a very light but durable wood-like structure. A covering of leather was then draped over the basket, something the locals had plenty of since a bit further inland were large pastures where cows and sheep were raised for their milk, wool, and meat.

There was a simple backrest set in the center of the boat, as part of the structure itself, similarly woven out of Vinewood, where Aideen and Celia – who she shared the boat with – leaned on while facing the sides of the boat, holding their fishing rods in hand. The boats were made wide enough that they could extend their legs most of the way comfortably, likely because it was done to accommodate larger and taller visitors like elves or certain therian breeds.

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The two of them were relaxed, watching the calm ocean waters around them while waiting for a fish to bite on their bait. Some considered such activity boring, or a waste of time, but Aideen found that it had a pleasant calming effect where she could just let go of her worries for the time being. Celia similarly seemed to enjoy fishing quite a bit, partly because she had been much luckier and already caught three fish to Aideen’s none.

What fish they caught were kept in porous baskets of woven Vinewood that hung from the sides of the boat. The pores of the basket were large enough to allow the water to flow freely, but were too small for the fish to escape from, while the shape of the basket made it unlikely for a fish to be able to escape from the top.

“Oh, I got another one!” said Celia cheerfully as she tugged on her fishing rod. It only took a short while before she fished out a fish around the size of her outstretched palm out of the water. The girl then removed the hook from the fish’s mouth and calmly slipped the fish into the basket where she had the other three similar fish stored.

“You seem to be lucky today… Maybe I ought to try using that bait you use instead…” muttered Aideen from behind her. Celia had been using some cricket-like insects as her bait, while Aideen used small prawns instead, and the difference between their catch was very noticeable by then. “It was cricket, wasn’t it?”

Just as Aideen said that, however, she felt a strong tug from her fishing rod and instinctively extended her hand to give the slim bamboo rod some leeway. The fishing rods they used were made from young bamboos that had only grown to around as thick as a finger at the base, which were supple and flexible, yet strong at the same time.

Whatever fish she caught gave quite a fight and Aideen carefully pushed and pulled it along, giving it some space where the rod neared its limit, then suddenly pulling harder when the fish relaxed. In doing so, she slowly tired the fish out, until its resistance diminished and she managed to pull it out of the water. The fish dropped into the boat to the boatman’s appreciative whistle.

“That is a mighty fine catch, Milady. We rarely see people catch these Stripe-Backed Groupers with just a rod. If it pleases you, may I prepare it on the spot? They are best enjoyed as fresh as possible,” said the boatsman.

“Sure, I guess?” said Aideen happily. The fish she caught was quite a big one, as long as her forearm, at the least, with the tell-tale stripes on its back contrasting with its silver scales.

Given permission, the boatsman brought out a cutting board, some herbs, and a sharp knife. With skilled movements, the man cleaned and gutted the fish, discarding the head, tail, spine, and entrails overboard to be eaten by other fish. He places the two large slices of meat remaining on the cutting board with a selection of herbs, and then chopped them together with his knife until they formed a mix. The fish was still in sizable chunks, easy enough to grasp.

Aideen and Celia didn’t stand on ceremony and grabbed some of the chopped fish and herb mixture with their fingers once it was proffered to them, then gave it a taste. The clean, fresh flavor of the fish was juxtaposed with the herbs, which had a mix of sharp and pungent flavors, with the overall taste being a pleasant, if delicate one.

Before long, Aideen brought out a jar of good liquor and invited the boatsman to join them in the impromptu feast on the cove.