Miieie Presson never liked the pull of the ocean.

She had been born to it, but she had never liked it. The jolt of the ocean waves splashing against the hull, the stench of sweat and old limes, the lack of control of it all. Who could enjoy such things?

Her eyes fluttered open, long shadows lurking underneath. It had been five days since she had left Skilma, her grandfather, and Aric. She could still hear their voices. All for a dream of a better future. The trip northward had been one she hadn’t found much joy in. She couldn’t sleep and when she wasn’t trying to, it felt like she was fighting with her stomach every second of the day. 

The mariners called it sea sickness, but it felt more like a plague.

If she had a choice in the matter, she probably would’ve avoided sailing entirely in the future, though the likelihood of that was pretty nil. Miieie wasn’t some secret princess or stuck up rich kid who could take a wind dancer everywhere they went; by the moon, she could barely afford the tuition to the academy she was attending! She was lucky every single rial in her pocket was enough to get her to Rosenfel Harbor to begin with.

She swallowed hard, pushing her nerves and nausea into her stomach as she pulled herself to her feet. She’d have to endure it. She knew this. The academy was dead ahead in her sights! Her future in glorious moonlight!

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For the last century, maybe longer, The Imperial Academy sat beyond the harbor of Rosenfel City, preparing students from any place in the Seas of Brevwen for the future they held within the greater kingdom. If you could make it there, you could survive anything the ocean floor threw at you! Or so went the saying. With her training and preparation, she had no doubts in her mind that she could make it like so many people did before her. She just hoped the strain on her grandfather’s coffers wasn’t too costly.

“You can do it Miieie! Just gotta boost your energy. Get through orientation. You are–”

A loud bullhorn screamed above, cutting off the girl’s speech… to herself. Not to mention, sending her back to the ground in a jolt of surprise.

“Ladies and Gentlemen, we are nearing The Island of Rosenfel. We will dock for six hours before heading to our next destination.”

Shambling back to her feet again, the girl smiled before giggling at her awkward reaction. Loud noises were to be expected on a ship from time-to-time! She had to get used to things like that now she was on a bigger island with a bigger city. Nothing like the townstead back on Skilma.

She moved a single strand of frayed green hair from her face. She may have not gotten much sleep, but she had made it to her destination. Yeah, that was right. It was time to get started.

The rest would come after.