Wellynd woke to the sound of a gentle knock. Rolling to the edge of the bed, he clambered across the dark room and stubbed his toe against something hard. Stifling a yelp, he hobbled the last few steps to the door.

“Rise and shine, stinkbreath” said Alara’s muffled voice, knocking louder.

Wellynd opened the door and winced at the light that poured into his room. Alara was already fully dressed and looked like she had been awake for hours. “Dad says it looks like there’s going to be a storm later this morning, so he’s going to take you over now. Meet you downstairs in ten.”

Without another word she strode back down the hall.

“What time is…” Wellynd started groggily, but Alara had already disappeared down the steps.

“Nump” he muttered to himself, rubbing his eyes with his palms and shutting the door. He felt around at the wall until he found and ignited the oil lamp. The small, but comfortable room came into view. Stretching out his arms and yawning, he eyed the bed.

She did say ten minutes. The wind rattled the window. Then again, he really didn’t want to get caught in a storm.

Giving the bed one more longing glance, he scanned the room for his clothes and spotted them slung over the wooden chair in the corner. He put on his trousers, jerkin, and his still-damp cloak. It wasn’t the end of the world; he would probably get wet on the boat anyway. Peeking out the window, he could barely see the street. The scene was nearly pitch black save for the few glowing lanterns and the thin wrinkle of light peeking over the western horizon.

As he came downstairs, he was welcomed by the sound of sizzling sausages and the smell of roasted potatoes, his mouth salivating at the prospect of a hot morning meal. His expectations were immediately shattered when Alara walked out with a small cloth wrapped around what looked like the remaining bread from the night before.

His disappointment must have been clear on his face.

“The hot food is for paying customers. Free bed not enough?” she jibed, “I did put a piece of cured sausage in there, so count your blessings, freeloader.” She winked before walking into the back room.

Before he could say anything she returned, lugging his pack over her shoulder. She strode toward him and carefully placed it at his feet.

“Well, Dad is waiting for you...I’ll see you when you get back?”

“Yeah of course. And you should definitely come down for that last delve with Bert and Neera.”

“I’ll talk to my mom and see if I can.” she replied unenthusiastically. They both knew what that meant.

“Okay, great. See you tomorrow.”

“Safe on the seas, Wellynd.”

The two gave each other one last look and shared awkward grins before Wellynd turned around and headed towards the front door, picking the bundle of food up off the floor along the way. Alara turned and headed back into the kitchen.

The early morning air was cool, the light from the rising sun now just enough to give definite shape to the world. Wellynd took in a deep breath and rounded back behind the inn. Leofer’s ferry was sitting at the dock, lightly bobbing in the water. He walked down the dock and up the gangplank onto the small but roomy vessel, glancing up at the captain's deck to see if Leofer was there. After a moment, a grey, curly-haired head popped over the railing.

“Hey Welly, how’s it goin?” said Leofer in his jovial booming voice “Lara give ya a hot breakfast?”

Wellynd held up the half eaten loaf of bread.

Leofer laughed “Ah well I got a bit of hot coffee up here to warm ya up. Why don’t you throw yer pack in the storage hold. Give me a few more minutes and we’ll be off.”

Wellynd just nodded, unable to match the seaman’s energy so early in the morning. He walked over to the trap door near the bow of the ship and pulled it open, carefully clambering down and storing the pack in one of the hanging rope hammocks used for precious cargo. Since there was going to be no one else aboard, he figured he probably didn’t need to make too much of an effort to hide it.

After making his way back up and fastening the hatch, he continued up to the helm and, thankfully, Leofer had already poured him a coffee. The hot mug immediately dispelled the shivers already wracking his hands in the cold morning air.

As he enjoyed the rejuvenating brew, Wellynd watched Leofer fiddle with the jant at the rear of the captain’s deck. Most newer ships had the mechanism installed on the back to act as a rudimentary ferrying system that helped ships manoeuvre around docks. Back at Laine’s warehouse, Henry had tried modifying one so that it could be used on the open sea as a sort of secondary propulsion system to squeeze out a few more knots, but ended up breaking the thing.

“Ya still thinkin’ about the exam?”

The question caught Wellynd off guard, having been slowly lulled into a comfortable daze by the warm coffee and subtle bobbing of the ship.

“Uh. Not too much. Well, yeah sometimes I guess.” he responded with a yawn.

Leofer nodded as he wiped some grime off the glass sphere of the jant with an oily rag.

“I know Lara’s been having a rough go about it. Her mother and I feel kind’o bad makin’ her work the inn so much, but with me ferryin’ all day and Grelda makin’ deliveries down the coast every week it’s pretty hard to keep everything runnin’ without her.”

He stopped and looked up at Wellynd, smiling “Arthus bless her though, she’s been great. We offered to hire someone for a while, give her some time off, but she keeps sayin’ she’s fine. Speakin’ of which, Laine still got you workin’ the warehouse? ”

“Oh you bet he does.” smiled Wellynd.

Leofer hummed.

“Well you’re both good kids. Like I say to ‘Lara, you’ll figure it out.” he stopped for a moment and rubbed his whitening beard, frowning up at the sky. “Corv figured it out just fine. Happy he’s doin’ so well. Anyway, looks like we should get goin’. I want to get into port before that storm hits.”

The sky was now a light shade of blue. It looked completely clear to Wellynd.

“Henry hasn’t taught ya to gust or anything has he?” added Leofer hopefully.

Wellynd laughed “no, unfortunately not.”

Leofer nodded “I figured I’d ask. A captain always does. No worries, the wind is blowin’ our way.”

Wellynd took Leofer’s hint and went down the steps. He was just starting to pull the gangplank up when a hoarse voice rang out from the direction of the inn.

“WAIT!”

Wellynd cast a confused look at Leofer before leaning over the side of the ship to find the source of the shout. His stomach sank. Walking towards the dock was the short soldier from the night before. Just behind him was Jensen, who was practically tripping over his feet as the soldier yanked him along.

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“It’s still pretty choppy out there, sure ya don’t want to wait until the next ride?” said Leofer half-heartedly as the soldier made his way onto the dock, his bronze-plated boots clunking on the wood.

“I’m getting off this rubbish island as soon as possible, and pisser here is coming with me.” replied the soldier, shaking Jensen as he spoke.

Wellynd reluctantly let the gangplank back down as the soldier approached, only noticing Wellynd once he was halfway onto the gangplank.

“Hey I remember you from last night. You were helping that girl take care of this one after I clocked him.” he said, grinning, before tossing Jensen onto the deck of the boat. He looked down at the hungover man in disgust.

“I hope putting up with this drunk old fart was worth the reward she gave you” he said with a wink, a devious smile spreading across his face.

Wellynd nodded and gave a half-hearted chortle, turning to pull up the gangplank again. Leofer came down the stairs and started making some adjustments to the main sail as he called out to the soldier.

“What’s your name son. I have to keep a log of all the soldiers that come back and forth here, make sure I’m gettin’ properly paid and all. You know how it is.”

The soldier eyed Leofer up and down before grunting “Klent Burleon, fourth battalion, 71st legion.” He paused a moment before adding “and I’m escorting a prisoner to Fort Gravician for processing.”

Leofer nodded, looking down at Jensen, who, instead of getting up, had rolled over and attempted to fall back asleep. Leofer’s eyes softened for a moment before he looked back at the soldier. “I think I remember you coming over. Does that tall lady know you’re comin’ back early?”

“Nah. I’m not sticking around here. She can come back on her own. But I ain’t leaving this drunk to get off easy.” he said, shoving Jensen with his heel.

Leofer nodded sternly. “Well that’s fine. Vertan army business is none of mine as long as I get paid. But remember, when were on this ship I’m captain. My rules, alright son?” He paused momentarily, keeping his eyes locked on Klent before the soldier nodded curtly.

“And there will be no rough business happenin’ on my boat. Follow that and we’ll be fine. There ain’t much in terms of storage space at the moment, but it looks like you travelled light anyway. We’ll be headin’ out now.” he finished, winking at Wellynd as he turned and jostled back up the steps to the helm.

Wellynd exhaled a slow breath, just now realising the tension he was holding in his shoulders. Klent’s visit wasn’t to search the ship. Nor was it to take the skald and have him strung up. He could simply spend the trip with Leofer and be on his way.

After he fastened the gangplank rope around the hitch bolted to the deck, Wellynd heard the jant hum to life as the boat manoeuvred out into the strait. A minute later, Leofer whistled, signalling to Wellynd to unfurl the sail. As the boat began to crest the waves of open water, Wellynd ambled about checking the knots and ties around the mast.

He heard a grunting noise coming from Klent. Looking over, he noticed the soldier eyeing him curiously.

“Something wrong? Why are you checking things?” asked the soldier.

Wellynd put on an apologetic smile.

“Hah. Yeah, didn’t mean to scare you. My uncle’s a captain of a ship and sort of forced these habits into me...”

The soldier ignored the comment, glancing about the ship with a scowl on his face. “Is there anywhere to sit on this hunk of junk? Lieutenant made me stand on the way here, but she’s not here anymore. No need for that Vertan Rites rubbish” he continued, looking around.

Wellynd perked up. It’d be great to get these guys out of the way for the rest of the trip.

“Uh, yeah inside the main cabin there are a few benches. I can show you if you want.”

The surly soldier stared down at Jensen who was snoring through a peaceful sleep.

“You can help me lug this waste of skin in there. Filth is still so drunk he can’t even walk properly.”

He kicked Jensen in the stomach “Wake up old man. We’re moving spots.”

Jensen groaned and rolled over.

Wellynd nodded and awkwardly walked to the other side of Jensen. As he bent over to lift him up, it dawned on him it was the second time he was helping move the drunk. Hopefully it would be the last.

When they reached the cabin, Klent aggressively kicked the door open, and pulled Jensen from Wellynd’s grip before tossing him to the floor. The old man wobbled like a newborn foal before toppling over, seemingly unperturbed by his change in locale.

Klent plopped down onto the bench fastened to the side of the wall and let out a relieved groan. He then looked up at Wellynd expectantly and nodded to the bench opposite him.

Wellynd reluctantly shuffled over to the bench and took a seat.

The cabin looked the same as always. Besides the two benches there was a small table pinned to the side of the room. A sole oil lantern sat hanging from one of the rafters that held up the low ceiling, swinging in the sway of the seas, vacillating between the front and back of the room, as if uncertain about on whom to cast its light.

Jensen grumbled something.

“Shutup old man, this is the most freedom you’re going to have for a while. So keep quiet.” Klent growled, flinging his head back and taking a long drink from a flask. He wiped his mouth and looked back over at Wellynd.

“Let me give you some advice, kid. Don’t join the military.”

Wellynd really didn’t want to have this conversation.

“No? I heard that they pay pretty well and you get to learn a lot in training.” he replied.

Klent shrugged as he offered the flask to Wellynd, who declined, before taking another swig.

“Pay could be better. And yeah, you learn how to do some pretty awesome stuff. But by Deakon’s fat ass if you don’t suck up to the right people you go nowhere. You saw my Lieutenant right? Promoted because she was sleeping with the Captain. I’m sure of it. I’ve been in the same position for three years now. Was on the frontlines of the invasion and everything. Now they have me running errands between the Fort and some mining corps on the island. And I’m not gonna lie, you islanders make my life so much more miserable.”

“probably because yer a right git.” slurred a voice.

The soldier stopped mid-swig, glanced at Wellynd for a second, then stared down at the drunkard.

“What did you just call me?”

“I said yer a right git.”

“I uh...should probably go see if Leofer needs any help.” Wellynd interrupted, not wanting things to escalate, at least while he was there. “I told him I’d lend him a hand if the sea starts acting up and it feels like things are getting kinda choppy. You don’t mind, do you?”

Klent nodded and slouched back against the wall and took another swig, eying Jensen suspiciously.

A gust of sea air blasted Wellynd as he walked onto the deck. Large black clouds swirled off on the horizon, their foreboding presence whipping the growing waves into a frenzy.

He made his way back up to the helm to find Leofer staring out at the storm, one hand gripped tightly to the wheel, a deep crevice in his brow.

“Everythin’ okay down there Welly?” he asked as he glanced at the small compass next to the wheel.

“Yeah I think so, they’re inside the main cabin.”

Leofer nodded “Probably for the best. I thought the storm might take a turn east, but looks like she’s got other plans for us.”

Wellynd couldn’t help but blanch as a large wave rocked the ship, throwing him off balance.

“Cmon lad, you’re a sea boy! You’ve seen worse than this.” the captain yelled over the howling wind that was now rippling the sails rapidly.

A flash lit up the darkened sky, a loud crack of thunder responding nearly instantly. The boat began to climb and descend small slopes of sea as the foam splashed up onto the deck.

Wellynd held onto the rail close to Leofer, the captain now gripping the wheel with two hands. Rain started to pelt his face, and within moments, great sheets of water were splashing down, cascading across the deck as the ship continued its ascents of a wave now almost the height of the mast.

“Ye can hold out in my cabin if ya don’t want to deal with those two numps Welly!” screamed Leofer, donning an expression of both extreme concentration and delight. The man, staring death in the face, was in his element.

“And leave all this to you?” Wellynd yelled back, water pouring down his face as he gave Leofer a grin.

A muffled yell came from somewhere below them on the main deck. Leofer tapped his shoulder and yelled “Go see what that was all about!”

Wellynd dashed down the steps. The stairs were slick and he slid down them, his firm grip on the railing the only thing keeping him from toppling over.

Moving too quickly, he slid onto the main deck and waved his arms in a frantic attempt at recovering his balance, his feet thumping quick successive beats as he came to a stop.

Composing himself, he looked toward the main cabin and saw the door swinging wildly in the battering wind. Bolting over to shut the door, he noticed the cabin was empty. As he jammed the door and latched the clasp, he surveyed the deck from starboard to port, looking for the two passengers. The torrent of water was making it impossible to see anything. As he wiped the hair away from his eyes he felt something sticky on his face. Pulling his hand away, he was horrified to find it covered in blood.