ã€ŠThe Lost City of Maeros (Working title)ã€‹


 Chapter 1

    Fen watched the ships sail in and out of the port. All sizes and shapes, they rode the wind gracefully as they flew. The same wind blew through her dark hair as she sat on top of a nearby building, dangling her feet off the edge. Far enough away, it was a silent, mesmerizing dance. Every ship coming and going at just the right moment. Some floated in slowly from high above the city, while others seemed to rise from below, deep within the ravine that lay beside the port.

    She could watch the ships for hours. She had been watching for hours. In a moment of self awareness, she looked up to see the sun lowering towards the horizon. Fen muttered a curse under her breath and began climbing from the wall. As she left the alley she had climbed down into, Fen could hear voices of others. Familiar voices.

    Around the corner, two teenage boys had a younger boy sandy blonde hair pinned to the wall. The contents of a satchel lay scattered on the ground as a third boy, largest of the three, was carefully checking the bag for any hidden pockets. That would be Roe and the other two, his companions in delinquency, Bit and Tawn.

    Not finding anything of value, Roe turned his attention to the boy. He spoke in a grumble, trying to make his voice sound deeper that it was.

    ¡°Well dressed kid like you,¡± he said. ¡°Gotta have some money on him. Where is it?¡±

    The boy whimpered a reply that Fen could hear, though it was clear Roe didn¡¯t like the answer.

    ¡°Well the shoes look new at least. Should be some money in that.¡± Roe said rubbing his chin. ¡°You two have your fun with him and take the shoes.¡±

    Fen swallowed hard and took a step forward. Her heart was pounding in her ears and she could feel her cheeks flushing as she approached.

    ¡°Leave him alone!¡± She yelled. She hadn¡¯t meant it to be that loud.

    The four boys turned her direction, three confused and one hopeful.

    ¡°You going to stop us Fen?¡± Roe asked. They¡¯d grown up together on the same block, but he had moved to another part of the city last year for his apprenticeship. Apparently it hadn¡¯t lasted long, if he was back to ruffing up kids on the street.

    Fen stepped up to him and look him in the eye. He had gotten much taller.

    ¡°Yes,¡± she said. ¡°You three are going to leave now.¡±

    ¡°Or what you going to tell your mom?¡± He laughed. ¡°Or maybe your dad. Where¡¯s he?¡±

    She punched him square in the nose. He knew better than to bring up her parents. Roe stepped back moaning and with a hand to his face. He glared at her with angry eyes as he pinched his nose to keep from bleeding.

    Satisfied, Fen turned to the boy who was picking up last of his belongings and placing them in his satchel. She knelt and helped gather what was left.

    ¡°Are you alright?¡± She asked. He was maybe only nine or ten years old, and very finely dressed. What was he doing out by himself? Obviously from a wealthy family, what did he know about the streets?

    ¡°Yeah,¡± he shrugged. ¡°Only a couple of bruises.¡±

    He leaned in a whispered in her ear with a sly smile. ¡°The money is in my shoes.¡±

    Maybe he knows a little.

    Fen didn¡¯t have time to dwell on this thought as a hand spun her around. She cried out in pain as a hand slapped across her left cheek. Tears immediately formed in her eyes as she tried to get her bearings. Fen tasted blood on her lip. She could hear Roe laughing.

    ¡°It¡¯s like I was saying earlier,¡± he said in a nasal voice to his companions. ¡°You have to keep your women in line. Otherwise....¡±

    He let the words hang there as he regarded Fen. She could feel her ears turning red as she stood. Her cheek throbbed with each heartbeat, but she wouldn¡¯t give him the satisfaction of seeing her touch it. Instead she kicked him in the groin and watched him crumple to the ground silently. The other two boys drew in sharp breaths of air and knelt to attend to their leader.

    The younger boy followed after as Fen walked away.

    ¡°That was great!¡± The boy said excitedly.

    ¡°What are you doing out this late? You shouldn¡¯t be here.¡±

    ¡°I was with my dad, down at the port. I spend the day with him. We lost track of time, and then a big ship flew in. He had to stay behind, but I¡¯ve made the walk before. Never seen those guys though.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, they aren¡¯t from this side of town,¡± Fen said. Why was he following her?

    ¡°Just bad luck today, I guess,¡± the boy said considering. ¡°Good luck too, with you showing up.¡±

    Fen grunted a reply. Her face still hurt, and it was getting dark quickly. Mei would be so angry.

    The two walked in silence up the darkening road. Up ahead of them, they could see a man lighting street lamps. In his bag, small marble orbs were etched with the same six runes that were written on the inside of the lamp. Once positioned, the orbs would begin glowing a soft silver-blue light. It would last until morning, when the marble had completely disintegrated to dust. Another man would collect this in the morning, but Fen wasn¡¯t sure what it was used for. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

    ¡°Well, my home is two doors down this street,¡± the boy said breaking their silence at a junction. ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll see you around?¡±

    ¡°I doubt it,¡± Fen said not looking back. ¡°Stay away from those guys next time.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I will,¡± Fen heard him say over her shoulder.

    The road was lit the rest of the way as Fen walked home. She could see her sister waiting for her just outside the door of their building. She didn¡¯t need to be close to know that Mei would be frowning.

    ¡°Do you try to make me worry on purpose, or is it just a happy accident for you?¡± Mei asked as Fen climbed the steps.

    She was four years older, but Fen was almost as tall. Fen was tall for her age and especially for a girl. She also thought of Mei as much prettier, though this was a more recent comparison she had been making. She still wasn¡¯t sure why she cared so much about it.

    ¡°It was an accident. I lost track of time, and then...¡± Fen trailed off, thinking it better not to mention Roe and the others. She tried to push through the doorway, but Mei caught her by the shoulders and looked Fen over. Mei¡¯s eyes glanced at the small patch of dried blood on Fen¡¯s lip. She frowned, looking back up into Fen¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°What happened?¡± The anger was gone from Mei¡¯s voice, but something about the concerned tone she used now bothered Fen.

    ¡°It was nothing,¡± Fen said struggling to be free of Mei¡¯s grip. ¡°I ran into Roe and his friends.¡±

    ¡°And he did this to you? Why?¡±

    ¡°I punched him in the nose.¡± Fen squared her shoulders as Mei dropped her hands.

    ¡°Fen...¡±

    ¡°I was trying to make him stop roughing up some kid, and then he started talking about our parents. He has no right!¡±

    Mei nodded and followed Fen inside. They climbed the stairs to the top floor in silence. Mei closed the door behind them and locked it shut with a bolt.

    ¡°He may well have deserved it, but you have to pick your battles better,¡± Mei said sitting down at the small table. She lit a small gas lamp. Etched orbs were expensive.

    The table was old and worn, but still stable. The legs were strong, though the top had a large crack in the center. Ridges from the wood grain were pronounced as the softer portions of wood had been worn away from years of plates and hands had moved across the surface. Mei traced these with her finger, absently, as she thought.

    ¡°I work with his mother down at the loom,¡± Mei continued. ¡°She¡¯ll want to know he is no longer serving under that master blacksmith.¡±

    Fen shrugged and sat down across from her sister. She watched Mei¡¯s fingers move along the wood.

    ¡°Have you given it any more thought?¡± Mei asked.

    ¡°I still don¡¯t know,¡± Fen lied. Half lied, at least. How could she explain the desire that drew her to the port each evening?

    ¡°Your birthday is tomorrow, you¡¯ll need to choose a vocation soon.¡±

    ¡°I know that,¡± Fen snapped.

    ¡°I know you do. I just want to help,¡± Mei said calmly. ¡°It¡¯s your decision, but I¡¯ll talk to the loom masters tomorrow and see if they have room to take you on. Just an option.¡±

    Fen gripped the leg of the table and squeezed hard. The words were so hard.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want that,¡± Fen managed to say in a soft voice. It was difficult to keep the edge out of her voice.

    ¡°What do you want?¡±

    ¡°I want to sail,¡± Fen said. ¡°I want to ride the wind. I want to travel to Sorol and Linara. I want to see the blue horizon in the east.¡±

    ¡°Oh, and maybe spear a few skywhales?¡± Mei added in with a laugh.

    ¡°I want to explore, like dad.¡±

    Fen swallowed after the last words. She hadn¡¯t planned on say the last part, as true as it was. Mei¡¯s expression darkened for a moment before she recovered.

    ¡°He abandoned us,¡± Mei said. Her hand no longer traced the wood. ¡°He left mom to work extra shifts at the tannery, so she could feed us. You were just a baby. She worked herself into an early grave, and you want to be like him?¡±

    Mei wiped tears from her eyes and Fen stared at the table.

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean,¡± Fen started.

    ¡°Dreams of adventure are fine for a child,¡± Mei interrupted. ¡°You are turning fourteen, old enough to apprentice. In the real world, you must do what is required of you. Dreams can change, and sometimes it''s for the better. You have to think of more than just yourself. I¡¯ll talk to the masters at the loom, but you should think hard about what you really want to apprentice in.¡±

    Fen opened her mouth to speak again, but Mei held up her hand stopping her.

    ¡°I¡¯m not talking about this anymore tonight,¡± she said. ¡°Think over what I¡¯ve said.¡±

    Mei turned the lamp to a lower setting that created a slight shadow across the opposite wall where their bunk beds were set up. She left Fen at the table and prepared for sleep.

    Fen didn¡¯t say anything more. Her sister would be up early to begin her shift at the loom. Instead, Fen stared at the small flame dancing behind the yellowed glass of the lamp and let her thoughts wander. She felt the small amount of heat radiating from the lamp and pulled the leather cord around her neck, retrieving a pendant that she kept beneath her shirt.

    It was a small stone wrapped in electrum wire. The stone itself was a striking, light blue-green color, that seemed to glow with an inner light. Save for the back, which was polished smooth, the stone was in its uncut form. Her father had given it to her mother, and her mother had given it to her.

    Fen held the stone up to the lamp and pressed it against the glass. The hairs on her hand stood on end and she could taste metal in her mouth. The stone vibrated a subtle rhythm. Three short pulses followed by a longer pulse.

    The rhythm brought a memory to edge of Fen¡¯s mind, though she had stopped trying to recall it a long time ago. Instead she let the repetition lull her towards sleep.

 Chapter 2

    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.¡±Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    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¡ª¡± 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¡ª 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¡ª¡± 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.

 Chapter 3

    Peopled moved around her, paying her no mind as she slowly walked back to where she had stood before. A food cart was setting up near by. Her stomach growled as the smells slowly began to drift in her direction.

    Fen watched the two buildings well into the early afternoon. The food cart seemed fairly popular and a steady stream of people visited to buy various items. Dozens of thoughts and questions darting in and out of her mind. A couple had been arguing as they left the Registry and Fen watched with curiosity as they passed. Turning back to the buildings, Fen noticed a man standing in the doorway of the guild. Her heart began to race as she realized he was watching her as well. He was tall with long dark hair pulled back into a tail. He nodded to her and then turned back in.

    Fen cursed as she walked towards the building. What was she doing? Everyone knew the stories about the Shipmaker¡¯s Guild. The dark secrets kept within. Fen didn¡¯t believe most of what she heard, but the stories had to have started from something. Fen stopped in front of the door. Everything around her seemed darker now that she was closer to the building. The door was slightly open. Fen pushed and the door opened too smoothly like the hinges were over oiled.

    Inside it was dimly lit, and it took time for Fen¡¯s eyes to adjust. The room around her was sparsely furnished with only a couple of wooden chairs. A hallway led towards the back where she could see light shining from underneath a door. Fen stood for a moment considering her options before walking deeper into the building. Along the wall, Fen noticed paintings of different ships. It was too dark to see them in detail, but the images were more technical than artistic.

    As she approached the door from which the light was coming from it opened slowly without her touch.

    ¡°Stop your hesitating, and come in,¡± a rough voice said from inside.

    Fen entered the room and squinted against the bright, even light. With a small degree of wonder, Fen noticed the room was lit by four electrum plates placed in each corner. Each had a series of runes etched into the surface. The characters glowed slightly brighter than the plates. They would provide indefinite, even light. The electrum would never disintegrate, unlike stone or other metals. One would cost a small fortune, let alone four for a single room.

    The man sitting behind the dark wooden desk watched her silently. He was younger than Fen had first guessed at a distance. Taller too.

    The man sat across from Fen silently. He wore a ring on his index finger that he rubbed absently. The ring had a blue stone similar to the one on Fen¡¯s necklace set into the light metal. It was small and Fen noticed the edges of a rune carved in the center. She looked up, realizing that she was staring. The man was watching her with a smile.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t the first stone you¡¯ve seen,¡± he said. ¡°Show me.¡±

    There was something about the man Fen didn¡¯t like, but the smile was so calm and easy. Slowly, she pulled the cord from around her neck to reveal the pendant.

    The man leaned across the table, but made no moves to take the pendant. He sat back and nodded.

    ¡°One of ours, no doubt,¡± he said. ¡°That one¡¯s been missing for a long time. How did you come by it?¡±

    ¡°Yours? This belonged to my father. He gave it to me,¡± Fen said.

    ¡°Jae Blackwind is your father?¡± The man asked. He sat back in his chair for a moment before slapping his knee. ¡°I knew there was something about you¡­ it¡¯s those eyes. Gray like a morning storm.¡±

    Fen looked away from his gaze. ¡°I don¡¯t remember much about him.¡±

    ¡°I suppose you wouldn¡¯t. He has been missing for quite some time. He can disappear like a ghost, and will show up again just as suddenly. Last I heard of him was a rumor a year ago coming out of Linara.¡±

    Fen sat in silence as the man seemed to lose himself in thought. She still wasn¡¯t sure what to make of the man. She eyed him as she moved to tie the pendant around her neck again, but he made no move to stop her.

    ¡°How would you like a job?¡± He asked finally.

    ¡°Like an apprenticeship?¡±

    ¡°Yes and no. If you show promise, there would be future opportunities. You see, I am very interested in any information involving either electrum or stones similar to the one tied around your neck. You would simply keep your eyes and ears open. Of course, you would be rewarded for any promising information.¡± He smiled at her, showing perfect teeth. ¡°No need to give me an answer. If you decide that is something you¡¯d be interested in bring the information to any guild hall and give them my name.¡±

    ¡°I never did get your name,¡± Fen said standing up.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t,¡± he said with a smile. ¡°You can call me Mire. And yours?¡±

    ¡°My name is Fen.¡±

    ¡°Jae Blackwind¡¯s daughter,¡± Mire said holding out his hand. ¡°I assume you sail? Is that why you are here at the docks?¡±

    Fen shook his hand, but found herself flushing despite herself.

    ¡°Not yet,¡± she said. ¡°I just became of age to apprentice. I came down today to hopefully find a crew to join, but they won''t give me a permit.¡±

    ¡°Well, I just might have something to help with that,¡± he said as he reached into the drawer of his desk. He pulled out a small sheet of paper with a wax stamp on it. Fen''s breath nearly caught as she saw it. ¡°I just so happen to have a sponsored permit here. Were you to agree to helping me, I suppose I could also help you.¡±

    Fen reached out towards the paper, but stopped as she looked into Mire''s eyes. It made the hairs on her neck stand on end the way he calmly watched her, like a rodent in a trap. Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    Fen took a step towards the door and lowered her hand. I''m not sure.

    Mire nodded understandably and placed the permit back in the drawer. Fen''s heart dropped a little as she lost sight of the paper. Had she really been that close to her dream?

    Fen followed Mire out of the room and into the dark hallway. As they made their way down a door to their right opened and a small man quickly came out of the room, nearly colliding with Mire. The man looked up in shock. As he realized who he had almost ran into, he began apologizing anxiously. The man opened the door to slide back into the room as Mire moved forward. Fen caught only a glimpse of the room beyond. It was dimly lit by lamplight. The only other person she could see was sitting with his back to her and wore a red knit cap. The door closed before Fen had a chance to see more.

    ¡°Just think over the offer,¡± Mire said as he opened the door. It was brighter outside than in the building, and Fen squinted into the light. ¡°And good luck with finding a captain to take you.¡±

    The door closed with a solid thud behind her. Fen could hear the multiple locks click and slide into place as she walked down the steps of the building and into the full light of day. Fen looked back at the guild hall as she walked away. The dark building seemed further away from her than it was, as if retreating into its own shadow.

    ¡°Look out!¡± someone shouted and as Fen started to turn she was hit from the side.

    Everything spun for a second as they fell in a tangle of arms and legs. Beside her the boy from the night before was trying to scramble to his feet and gather up a pair of books he had dropped.

    ¡°I''m so sorry. My dad says I should run everywhere,¡± he said looking up. ¡°Oh yeah, it''s you.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. It''s me,¡± Fen said as she stood up. Her right knee was burning, but otherwise she was fine.

    ¡°Thanks again for helping me out last night. What are you doing over here?¡±

    ¡°Trying to get a permit. Have any?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± the boy said sucking on his teeth. ¡°My dad does though. It''s like all he does is fill out those little pieces of paper. I bet he could get you one.¡±

    Fen considered it for a moment.

    ¡°I''ve already tried. They told me no.¡±

    ¡°Nobody tells my dad no. Except my mom,¡± the boy laughed. ¡°Follow me!¡±

    He pulled Fen by the arm around to the side of the registry building where a more traditional door was built. The boy opened it and turned down a lit hallway.

    ¡°My name is Sel by the way,¡± he said as they walked. The hallway stretched on for a long time before leading up a flight of stairs. ¡°This is the employee corridors. Normal people don''t get to see this. Pretty cool, huh?¡±

    At the top of the stairs another door opened into a more furnished hallway with people walking between rooms. It was much quieter that the main floor. Sel led them to the end where heavy oak doors closed off the hall. A large brass sign was attached to one and read: Seland Yul IV, Port Master.

    Sel pushed the doors open and ran into the room beyond while Fen slowly made her way in. The room was similar to the waiting room for Tomelin only much larger and luxurious in every way. Across from Fen a woman watch with a pleasant smile.

    ¡°One of Sel''s friends?¡± the woman asked.

    ¡°Kind of, I guess,¡± Fen said as she took a seat.

    ¡°That''s nice.¡± The woman turned back to the papers in front of her, humming quietly.

    A few minutes later the door to the main office began to open.

    ¡°Alright, alright,¡± a man''s voice said with a laugh. Sel had one hand pulling his father''s sleeve while the other opened the door. There was no mistaking the two were related; they were nearly identical. As they walked through the door the father righted his cuff and walked towards Fen and extended a hand. ¡°You must be Fen.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Fen said. His hand firm and more calloused.

    ¡°When Sel told me what had happened last night, I was inclined to think he was making the whole thing up. He has a vivid imagination, but when he burst into my office just now talking faster than I could listen...¡± The man laughed again looking at his son. ¡°He said you needed help with something?¡±

    ¡°I''m trying to apprentice... on a ship.¡±

    ¡°I see. And did you try with Tomelin?¡±

    ¡°I did sir,¡± Fen could feel the disappointment creeping in.

    ¡°I''m sure he explained his reason and concerns for denying you?¡±

    ¡°He did, but after I left I found a captain who will take me. She just can''t sponsor me.¡±

    ¡°Oh, and who is this captain?¡±

    ¡°Captain Maolen.¡±

    ¡°Maolen...¡± Seland let the name hang in the air as he sucked on his teeth. Fen noticed Sel mimicking his father''s thoughtful expression. ¡°I suppose...¡±

    ¡°Sir?¡± Fen asked.

    ¡°I suppose if you understand the danger and Captain Maolen has agreed, I can help you with a conditional permit. Follow me.¡±

    Fen''s were noticebly shaking as Seland filled out a permit, stamped it with his seal, and handed it to her.

    ¡°This is only works if you give it to Captain Maolen. No other captain can accept this. Understand?¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir. Thank you.¡±

    ¡°Your welcome. Consider this my thank you for what you did for my son,¡± he said with a smile. ¡°I trust you can find your way out of the building?¡±

    ¡°I can. Thank you.¡±

    ¡°Bye Fen!¡± Sel said from beside his father as Fen walked through the door.

    She stared at the ticket as she walked through the halls an out onto the street. Once outside she tucked it safely into her pocket and began to head home.

 Chapter 4

    Fen arrived home before Mei and excitedly began packing what little she had in the apartment. She finished more quickly than she had anticipated and was left with her nervous energy filling the room. She held the permit in her hand. All of her dreams were about to become real tomorrow.

    Her thoughts drifted to Mei. What would she say? Could she really leave?

    The door opened to the their room and Mei walked in. She looked surprised for a moment and then smiled at Fen.

    ¡°Before you say anything, I have a surprise for you,¡± Mei said as she ran to bed. She pulled a wooden box out from under the bed and handed it to Fen. ¡°This is for you. It''s from mom.¡±

    Fen held the box in her hands unsure of what to do. How could it possibly be from mom? She had died four years ago. It was simple box with metal latch on the front. On the top was simple carving of three dots and a line underneath.

    ¡°Well, open it,¡± Mei said excitedly.

    Fen unlocked the latch and slowly lifted the lid. A letter say inside, it was opened and looked as though is had been handled often.

    ¡°Mom gave it to me shortly before she died,¡± Mei said. Her voice was soft. ¡°She told me to show it to you when you were old enough. Fourteen is an important age, so I thought that it would be a good time.¡±

    Fen lifted the letter and recognized her mother''s handwriting. The letter was short, but filled with love. She wiped the tears welling up in her eyes and noticed that Mei was crying as well.

    ¡°I read it a lot, and now you can too,¡± Mei said holding out her hand to Fen. They sat quietly for a long moment. With a sigh, Mei stood and walked to stove to make some food. Fen tenderly placed the letter back into the box and held it to her chest. As she did so, her necklace began to vibrate faintly and Fen could taste metal in her mouth.

    Curiously, Fen removed her necklace and held it close to the box. The same reaction happened again. As she looked closer at the box, Fen noticed small runes etched on the bottom of the latch. She placed the crystal on the latch and it began to vibrate more strongly. The runes also began to glow. Fen heard a click inside the box and the latch fell loose of the wood. With it removed, it was easy to see that there was a second compartment to the box.

    Fen lifted where the latch once was and second hinge swung open as well. Inside was a second, unopened letter. On the outside is read: To my three.

    Fen began reading and quickly realized it was from her father. There were four pages, one each for her mother, Mei, and Fen. The fourth had a drawing of two runes carved onto a block, a crudely drawn map showing the three great cities: Aros, Linara, and Sorol, and a message at the bottom.

    ¡°Tenar the metallurgist in Linara will know how to find me. I''ll be home soon. I love you, my three.¡±

    Fen read the last lines over and over. Getting more excited each time.

    ¡°What is that?¡± Mei asked.

    ¡°Its... it''s a letter from dad. I found it in the box. It was hidden.¡±

    ¡°Let me see,¡± Mei asked. As soon as she had it, she began to crumple the paper.

    ¡°What are you doing!¡± Fen yelled as she stood to take the papers back. They wrestled with each other for a few moments, but Fen was old enough now that Mei no longer had an automatic advantage.

    ¡°There is nothing there worth reading.¡± Mei let go the papers and turned back to the food.

    ¡°No, it says right here that he meant to come back.¡±

    ¡°Yeah but he didn''t,¡± Mei said, her voice cracking.

    ¡°I can find him. It says how right here. This is perfect.¡±

    ¡°How are you going to do that?¡± Mei asked, turning towards Fen. ¡°Linara is on the other side of the canyon and months away by horse.¡±

    ¡°I''m going to be a sailor,¡± Fen said holding out her permit. The pride she had felt in that moment died under the flat stare coming from Mei.

    ¡°You''re leaving too then,¡± Mei said.

    ¡°No, I''m going to find dad. We are going to be a family again.¡±

    ¡°We all ready are a family!¡± Tears began to roll down Mei''s cheeks.

    ¡°That''s not what I meant,¡± Fen reached out towards Mei, tears starting in her eyes as well.

    ¡°Go. Go! Leave me,¡± Mei yelled.

    ¡°Mei,¡± Fen started.

    ¡°Leave!¡± Mei walked to the bed, where Fen had gathered her belongings and picked them up. Fen tried to argue and reason, but Mei silently threw it all out into the hall, tears falling freely from her face.

    Fen ran out to gather her things quickly and hurried back to the door, but Mei was standing in the way.

    ¡°Leave,¡± she said in a shaky whisper.

    The door was slammed shut and locked before Fen could say anything more. In the empty hallway of their building, Fen felt the weight of being alone. She slid down to the floor with her back against the door and cried. She could hear Mei on the other side crying as well. What was harder was knowing that she couldn''t reach her through the door.

    Time passed well into the night and both sides had grown quiet. Fen continued to sit on the floor staring at the letter in front of her. He was out there. She could feel it, and she would find him.

    Fen carefully smoothed out the wrinkles in the letter and slid the first two pages under the door. She folded her''s and the final page of the letter together and placed them in the bottom of her bag. From there she walked to the door that led to the roof. This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    It was a warm night; fall had not began cooling the night air. Fen had slept outside on a few occasions and enjoyed it. There were no clouds, and Fen could see many of the stars above them. She new they were supposed to make shapes, but she had never learned them. Instead she imagined her own shapes: a grand ship here with a bright blue star at the tip of its center mast, opposite the ship was a large gryphon, front talons raised and wings spread wide.

    The shapes slowly traced along the night sky as the moon began to rise over the city. As it rose, Fen drifted off to sleep.

    Fen woke to the sound of the city bells. The bell tower was a long way off at the center of the city, but the sound carried well beyond the outer walls. Groggily, Fen counted the chimes. Five tolls from the main bell followed by a single, lighter bell. Fen jumped to her feet and quickly gathered her bag. The next bell would be the sixth bell and Captain Maolen would be gone.

    She tore down the stairs of the building jumping off of the last three steps of each flight. A few people shouted in surprise as pushed passed them. There was no time to apologize. There was no time for anything.

    The lamps along the street still glowed with a soft light. It was just as bright as it had been all night, but as the morning sun began to brighten the city their presence became muted. There was only another hour or so worth of marble left to feed the runes.

    The streets were full of people, most were heading to work while a few returned from an night shift at the docks. There were no carriages or carts in this section of the city. No one could afford that, so most people shuffled down the center of the street.

    Fen weaved in between them a swiftly as she could. The majority of people in the street were in no rush, which made navigating the crowd easier. Maybe she would make it.

    As Fen rounded a corner, she ran head first into the back of a tall man. He cursed as he stumbled forward a step. Fen fell backward, scraping her wrist and arm as she tried to break her fall.

    ¡°Watch it,¡± the man grumbled as he turned back the way he was looking.

    Fen noticed the crowd that had gathered in front of her. A pair of men were fighting in the center with a woman off to one side crying, asking them to stop. There was no way around the crowd, and there wasn''t enough time to wait it out. She would have to back track to the next street over, but it would take her out of the way. Fen increased her pace.

    As Fen turned onto the new street the number of people on the street diminished. This street took her away from the docks as well as the larger looms and tanneries. She passed a particularly large tenement and remembered a short cut had found a few years earlier. Two buildings later she turned down a narrow alley.

    The alley had just enough room for her to run passed the piles of rotting trash. The alley followed the corner of one building, and as she turned Fen could see the street ahead of her as the alley widened. It would put her on the opposite side of the crowd and back on track.

    Fen slowed as she neared the edge of the alley. A group of people stood with their backs to her. One was leaning against the wall and noticed her. He tapped one of the others on the should and pointed in her direction. The group turned around as Fen slowly approached. Her stomach dropped as she recognized the faces. Roe smiled at her with a bandage across his nose.

    ¡°Hey look Roe,¡± Tawn said. ¡°Think she''s come to apologize for the other night?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Roe said as he rolled his shoulders. ¡°But I''m going to make sure she''s sorry.¡±

    Fen cursed and began running the way she came. She was already getting tired from the running she had already done, but the sound of the three boys spurred her on.

    As she neared the entrance of the alley, Fen grabbed hold of a pile of old crates to her side. The wood was softer in her hands than she expected. She pulled them down hard behind her as she ran passed. The fell across the alley with a muffled thud. Fen looked back as she turned out of the alley. The boxes slowed the boys down for a moment.

    Back on the street, Fen''s lungs burned. In the open she couldn''t run as fast as they could. Hopefully the boxes in the alley would buy her enough time. Turning onto a new street, Fen was forced to stay on the walkways. It was more crowded this way, but better than competing with the horses and carriages that occupied the center.

    Behind her she heard Roe''s shouting as they spotted her in the waves of people. Fen could see the stairway out ahead of her that would lead her to the docks. It was on the opposite side of the street.

    Fen stepped down into the gutter and began running alongside the carriages. Drivers shouted at her as she ran dangerously close to the horses. Their hooves pounded beside her. For a moment Fen was able to steal a glance behind her. Roe and the other two were getting closer. She could see the anger in his eyes.

    The carriage beside continued ahead of her at a faster pace. In that moment, Fen cut across into the street. She found herself in the middle of a lull in the traffic. Ahead of her a carriage driver yelled at her, waving her off to the side. She barely had enough time to dive onto the opposite walkway as the carriage ran by.

    Fen stood to her feet. Her knee buzzed with pain along with her lungs and arm. Behind her the three boys shouted at her as they tried to find a way across the street. In front of her, the grand stairway led down to the docks. By the time she had reached the bottom, she could hear Roe shouting from the top of the stairs.

    Fen ran along the docks trying to figure out which ship was the Captain Maolen. Fen had always watched the ships from a far, and at a distance everything seemed organized. Up close it was chaos. As she cleared the first large ship, Fen spotted the white ship she had seen the other night. It was preparing to leave. Fen ran towards it still unsure if it was even the right one.

    As she got closer, Fen spotted the captain speaking to someone carrying a clipboard. She was wearing a white coat today, which made the red ropes on her should stand out.

    Captain Maolen looked at her and smiled as she approached. Fen was nearly to her when a hand caught hold of her shoulder and spun her around. Roe stared her dead in the eyes. He was breathing hard and glared.

    ¡°I hate running,¡± he said between breaths. The other two fanned out beside him, expressions just as angry.

    ¡°You should run more often then,¡± a familiar voice said from behind Fen.

    Captain Maolen walked calmly behind Fen and placed her hand on her other shoulder. Fen looked down and saw sharp, dark fingernails that reminded her of claws.

    Roe took his hand from Fen''s shoulder. He glared up at the captain. As he did, his expression changed and he looked away. He seemed uncomfortable and Bit whispered something into his ear.

    ¡°I know!¡± Roe snapped.

    ¡°I think you should run that way,¡± the captain said nodding the way they had came.

    Roe muttered something under his breath as he took a step back.

    ¡°Now,¡± Captain Maolen growled. Something about the sound made Fen feel uneasy.

    Bit and Tawn were already running before Roe looked up and glared one last time at Fen. He glanced up at the captain again before turning to run after the other two.

    Captain Maolen took a step back from Fen as she turned around.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Fen said.

    ¡°Did you get yourself a permit,¡± Captain Maolen asked.

    ¡°I did,¡± Fen said. She excitedly rummaged through her back and pulled out the permit. The captain took it from her quickly. She raised an eyebrow as she read it.

    ¡°Port Master Seland Yul, how did you manage that?¡± She asked.

    ¡°It''s all about who you know,¡± Fen said, trying to act as casual as possible.

    ¡°Well next time we are here, you''ll have to introduce me. I''ve been trying to meet with him in over a year.¡±

    Fen panicked for a moment not sure on what to say.

    ¡°Never mind that,¡± Maolen said nodding in the direction the boys had ran. ¡°Welcome to the crew. From now on any problem of yours is my problem and a problem for everyone aboard the Horizon''s Promise.¡±

 Chapter 5

    Fen looked up at the Horizon''s Promise and took it all in. It was an older style of ship. In fact it was the only ship like it at the docks. Newer ships were much more shallow and narrow with sails sprouting in all directions. The Horizon was tall and broad. Its sails were a series of triangles; two large masts held the sails above the deck at an angle. A third sail stretched toward the bow. A final pair of sails was folded along either side of the ship.

    The hull was stark white. Along the leading edge, electrum lined the hull all the way down to the bottom of the keel. Runes ran down the entire length and glowed a bright blue. Captain Maolen was already walking towards the ship. Fen ran to keep up.

    ¡°You couldn''t have gotten here any later,¡± Maolen said as they boarded the ship. ¡°I was about to leave when you showed up.¡±

    The crew bustled along the deck in a rehearsed manner. Fen had no idea what they were doing other than moving ropes from one place to another, but each person had a place and a job, that much she could tell.

    ¡°I assume you have no experience,¡± Maolen continued as she walked along the deck. ¡°Until you''ve gained some and are not a complete danger to yourself and everyone else onboard, you will be working with Murry.¡±

    Fen followed close behind as they took a flight of stairs below deck. They stopped on the next level, though the stairs continued another flight down. The second level was lined with bunks on either side with different supplies tied down along the center in a row. Two men stopped from tying down a pile of sacks to watch as Maolen and Fen continued on to a door at the bow of the ship.

    The next room was much smaller with two tables bolted to the floor along with a couple of benches. Beyond that was an open doorway. Fen could hear the clatter of metal inside. A thin, bald man moved boxes and pans across the room as they walked in.

    ¡°Every time we restock, you oafs move things around,¡± the man said with his back to the doorway. ¡°I have a system and-¡±

    The man stopped mid-sentence as he turned and saw the captain standing in the entry. The man hastily put down the box he was carrying and brushed off his apron as he began apologizing. Captain Moalen laughed at his blubbering. After a moment the man turned to Fen and nodded.

    ¡°Who''s this?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Your new responsibility. Use her as you wish,¡± Captain Maolen said. ¡°and make sure she doesn''t fall off the ship.¡±

    ¡°First time on a ship?¡± the man asked. Fen nodded. ¡°Well, I know better than to complain about an extra pair of hands no matter how soft. Thank you, Captain.¡±

    Captain Maolen nodded and then left. She a shouted set of orders to the men back in the main room, but Fen couldn''t hear what they were.

    ¡°Welcome to the crew and all that,¡± the man said. ¡°Now, grab that stack of pots and bring them over here, and then move this box over there.¡±

    Fen did as instructed as the man leaned against the wall watching her.

    ¡°My name is Fen,¡± she said.

    ¡°Didn''t ask,¡± he said back with a shrug. He was rubbing his bare chin as he watched her. In fact, Fen didn''t think he had a single hair on his head at all. He pointed to the other side of the room. ¡°No, those boxes go over on that side.¡±

    Fen picked up the box again and moved it. ¡°So you''re Murry?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Call me Nubs,¡± he said with a smile. ¡°And put this box with the other one.¡±

    ¡°Nubs?¡± Fen moved the box and then another one. They were all full of jars and canned food.

    ¡°Yup,¡± he said holding up his left hand. The first two fingers were missing a knuckle. ¡°Lost ''em down the throat of a skyshark. My advice is to make sure they are dead before you try gutting one.¡±

    Fen wasn''t sure how to respond so she worked quietly as Nubs directed which boxes should go where. It seemed to her that he had her move every box at least twice. As she leaned over to lift a lumpy sack of something, her necklace fell loose from under her shirt. It hit the floor with a distinct sound. Fen picked it up quickly and began tying it back around her neck.

    ¡°I''d be careful who you let see that pendant, girl,¡± Nubs said, narrowing his eyes. ¡°Not many on this ship are a fan of the guild.¡±

    ¡°I''m not a part of the guild,¡± Fen said as she placed the necklace back under her shirt.

    ¡°No? Then how did you get one of those?¡± Nubs pointed at her chest with his two, shorter fingers. The missing tips somehow made the gesture more intimidating to Fen.

    ¡°It was my father''s. He gave it to me.¡±

    ¡°What did you say your name was?¡±

    ¡°I''m Fen, Fen Blackwind.¡±

    Nubs leaned closer to her, eyeing her.

    ¡°I would keep that name to yourself too if I were you,¡± he said.

    ¡°Wait! You know my father?¡± Fen''s heart pounded in her chest as she took another step towards Nubs.

    ¡°Enough of this,¡± Nubs said, pushing her back and around. ¡°We need these things in order before the captain sets off. Otherwise, it will take us twice as long to make dinner, and these boys are anything but patient.¡±

    Fen opened her mouth, but Nubs grunted at her as he picked up a heavier box that she had trouble with earlier.

    Before long, they had the room organized. Fen sat on a box, exhausted. From above, she heard shouting, and feet running about.

    ¡°First time on a ship, you said?¡± Nubs asked.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Fen said.

    ¡°Follow me, and do exactly what I tell and when I tell you.¡±

    Fen followed Nubs out of the storage room, kitchen, and bunk room. They climbed the stairs to the deck and Fen was greeted with what looked like chaos. Men swirled around the deck, tying ropes everywhere, yelling at each other, and moving with precision. One man tossed a rope in the air without hardly look as another arrived in time to catch it and tie it to the railing.

    ¡°Come on,¡± Nubs said leading her towards a flight of stairs at the rear of the ship. Above, she could see Captain Maolen watching her men prepare the ship. She noticed them as they approached the stairs and nodded as they climbed.

    ¡°Afternoon Captain,¡± Nubs said with a nod. ¡°First time on a ship, I figured she might as well see it properly.¡±

    Fen avoided the Captain''s gaze by looking out across the deck. From the extra height, it no longer seemed as frantic or chaotic.

    ¡°Very well,¡± Maolen said. ¡°But don''t make a habit of it. Serious work is being done and I don''t need her getting in the way.¡±

    ¡°Of course, captain,¡± Nubs said. ¡°Fen stand here and hold onto the rail.¡±

    Fen did as instructed, walking to the port side of the ship and grabbing hold. She looked down as the last of the ropes were loosed from the dock and the walkway was removed. Below, she could see the canyon wall and the start of what was a very long way down.

    ¡°Are we ready, Boran?¡± Maolen asked turning to the man beside her.

    He was stout and clean shaven. A stern look on his face as he watched the deck with narrow eyes. He was rigid and formal, more so standing next the captain, who seemed nearly too relaxed.

    ¡°Yes Captain,¡± is all he said.

    ¡°Very well, let''s be off,¡± she said in return. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

    ¡°Yes Captain,¡± he said taking in a breath. ¡°Deck ready!¡±

    He his voice carried like a whip, breaking through the noise and commotion below. The entire crew turned in unison towards Boran and shouted, ¡°Ready!¡±

    ¡°Launch!¡± Boran shouted even louder than the last time.

    Fen watched as Maolen placed her hand on a metal orb floating above a pedestal in front of her. Runes glowed along it in crisscrossed lines. She rotated it slightly, and the ship began to slowly drift from the dock. After a few moments they were a ship''s breadth away and Maolen twisted the orb. The ship followed suit, turning away from the dock and towards the expansive canyon below and ahead of them.

    ¡°No headwind today, Captain,¡± Boran said from beside her.

    ¡°Good,¡± Maolen said with a smile. ¡°Fen, it''s a lucky first day for you. Boran, advise the crew.¡±

    ¡°Ready full sail!¡± Boran shouted.

    The crew immediately sprang into action, loosening ropes and tying new ones down.

    ¡°Sails ready, Captain.¡±

    ¡°Let her go,¡± Maolen said as she rotated the ball forward.

    The ship lurched upward suddenly, climbing higher. The crew loosed the main sails and extended the side sails. Fen felt the wind pick up behind her and watched the sails billow forward. The ship began picking up speed as it climbed higher and higher.

    Fen looked behind as was shocked to see how far away the city had gotten. Aros seemed so much smaller now that she was seeing it from the middle of the canyon, a dark smudge along the rock wall. She gripped the rail tighter as she shifted her gaze downward. How had they gotten this high? She knew they were moving fast by how quickly the city was shrinking, but the ground below them seemed to be slowly moving behind them.

    ¡°Shouldn''t there be more wind?¡± Fen asked looking to Nubs. She the sails were full, but her hair was barely moving.

    Nubs pointed to the sphere in Captain Maolen''s hands. ¡°That thing there has something to do with it. There is electrum running throughout the ship. It lets us breathe, fly, calms the wind on deck, yet doesn''t affect the sails. I don''t understand any of it, but that orb is the key to it all.¡±

    Fen watched as Maolen rotated the ball slightly in a different direction. A different pattern of runes began to glow and the ship turned slightly towards the west. It looked as though there were runes drawn on top of other runes that ran all along the orb. Maolen took a step back and looked to Boran.

    ¡°She''s in your hands,¡± she said as she stepped aside for Boran. He nodded with a serious expression and stood rigidly beside the pedestal. He watched the crew below go about their business with a studying eye.

    Maolen turned towards Fen and smiled. ¡°First time is always something special.¡± The sun was high above them and her bright green eyes danced in the light.

    ¡°It''s all incredible,¡± Fen said looking back again towards Aros.

    ¡°You seem to be taking to the altitude well enough. Better than most of these men anyway,¡± Maolen said as she began walking towards the stairs.

    Nubs laughed and patted Fen on the shoulder to follow down the steps. ¡°Half of these fools fell to the deck after peering over the edge the first time,¡± he said. ¡°Now, back below. Nothing is worse than a bunch hungry fools stuck on a ship together.¡±

    As they entered the galley, Nubs went to work. In fluid motions he pulled out pans and food from various crates. Fen watched as he gathered everything without a second guess. He nodded to himself with a pleased smile. The smile faded as he looked up at Fen.

    ¡°Don''t just stand there, cut up everything in those two bags and put it all in that big pot.¡±

    Fen jumped slightly before quickly moving to where she remembered storing the knives. She pulled one and turned towards the bags of food.

    ¡°Anxious to loose some fingers?¡± Nubs said placing his hand on her shoulder. He laughed as he took the knife from her and handed her a smaller one. Fen turned away from him, blushing as she set up her station.

    She began cutting a bag full of potatoes and another of onions. It seemed simple enough, but before long Nubs was standing over her shoulder fixing the way she held the knife and the potato. Fen felt as though she was moving at a good pace, until she looked over to see the piles cut meat and vegetables in front of Nubs. He was scooping it into a pot in handfuls.

    ¡°You almost done over there?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Trying,¡± she said. ¡°I''m not as fast as you.¡±

    ¡°You''re right,¡± he said pushing her to the side. ¡°You aren''t.¡±

    Fen watched as Nubs began cutting the onions faster than she thought possible. His knife moved in a blur and was just barely missing what was left of fingers. In moments, he was finished and pouring water into both pots.

    ¡°Clear off the table behind us,¡± he said.

    Fen cleared the table as instructed. Inlaid into the wood were two square sheets of electrum. Runes ran along the edges and crossed in an X from the corners. Nubs lifted the pots over and placed one in the center of each square. In minutes the water was boiling and the room was filled with smell of cooking meat and vegetables.

    Nubs sat down in a chair and sighed.

    ¡°Let it sit for a couple of hours and we''ll be set,¡± he said. ¡°Now, clean up that mess you made.¡±

    Fen cleaned both of their stations while Nubs supervised. Once complete, she sat on a large box and watched the steam rising from the pots.

    ¡°Ever seen a cooking plate before,¡± Nubs asked.

    ¡°Never,¡± she said. ¡°Before today, I hadn''t seen much more than lamps and locks with electrum in them.¡±

    ¡°Open that box you are sitting on.¡±

    Fen stepped down and lifted the top. A puff of cold air blew out. Inside were pieces of meat and a few vegetables.

    ¡°No idea how any of it works, but that box keeps everything cool inside. Crazy stuff. This ship has more electrum in it than some smaller ships have wood.¡±

    ¡°It must be worth a fortune,¡± Fen said sitting back down.

    ¡°More than that,¡± Nubs said nodding. ¡°Only one like it left. Supposedly it''s been in the Captains family for generations.¡±

    Fen nodded and looked around the room again trying to imagine how old it really was. As she lost herself to thought, her hand drifted up to hold the pendant under her shirt. She lowered it when she noticed Nubs eyeing her.

    ¡°How long ago did he give that to you?¡± he asked.

    Fen shrugged. ¡°I was four or five when he left.¡±

    ¡°Haven''t seen him since?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°And your mother let you join a crew?¡±

    Fen looked back towards the steam rising. ¡°She died a few years ago.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    ¡°That''s why I''m here, to find him. That way we can be a family again.¡± Fen ran her finger along the outline of the pages folded in her pocket.

    Nubs sat quietly for a moment before standing.

    ¡°I hope you do find him. And if I''ve learned anything, it''s that family is what you make it,¡± he said before walking out the door.

    Fen could hear shouting up above as men worked. She sat alone in the galley with her thoughts, watching the steam twist and turn into different shapes as it rose. Fen pulled out the letter and read it. Her father was out there somewhere. She knew it. She could feel it.

    ¡°Oh, that smells good!¡± a voice said from the door.

    Fen jumped, folding the letter back into her pocket. As she turned she was greeted by a tall man standing in the entry way. He had a dirty, brown cap on his head that he held with one hand as he leaned in. A shorter man leaned in beside him, enjoying the smell as well. The taller man had a pleasant smile to his face as he closed his eyes. The smaller man, however had a scar running across the bridge of his nose and down one cheek. It mangled his expression. The two men opened their eyes and looked to Fen.

    ¡°First meal of a trip is always the best,¡± the larger man said.

    ¡°Any chance you can save us the best piece of meat?¡± asked the smaller man.

    Fen looked around unsure of what to say. Her shoulders dropped in relief as she heard Nubs voice.

    ¡°Hey! Off with you two,¡± Nubs shouted pushing past them. ¡°You know the rules, first to arrive are the last to eat.¡±

    The pleasant expression on the man''s face was replaced with a frown. The second man''s face would have been a similar frown if the scar hadn''t distorted it. He looked from Nubs back to Fen.

    ¡°New girl?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Her name is Fen. The captain placed her under my charge.¡±

    ¡°Yes, the captain,¡± the man said the words with bitter look that only lasted a second. He turned to Fen and tipped his dirty cap to her. ¡°Name is Ferrul. I''ll show you around if you ever get tired of this one.¡±

    ¡°I''m Drigs,¡± the smaller one said. ¡°A ship can be a lonely place. You need friends.¡±

    ¡°Not from you two loafers,¡± Nubs said pushing them back from the door. ¡°Now off, and don''t let me catch you in line before everyone else has had their turn.¡±

    Nubs watched the two men until they climbed the stairs back up towards the deck. He turned back to the pots, muttering to himself. He tasted a spoon full from each and nodded to himself. Satisfied he turned towards Fen, shocked to see her standing still.

    ¡°What are you waiting for? This is almost done. Get the bowls.¡±

    Fen took a few tries finding the bowls, Nubs watching her impatiently the entire time. She set them out on the other table across from the pots and looked back at Nubs.

    ¡°We''ll give it another minute,¡± he said placing his spoon down. ¡°Watch out for those two. They aren''t the type of friends I''d be keen on making, if you understand me.¡±

    Fen nodded as she pulled out a box of spoons and placed one in each bowl.

    ¡°Now, it''s time for the rush,¡± Nubs said with a smile as he began quickly filling bowls.

 Chapter 6*

    The rest of the crew arrived in the galley at nearly the same time. Many joked with one another as they stood in a line, eager but orderly. Men of all sizes and shapes walked up for a bowl. Two thirds of the way through the line a woman walked up to Fen with a smile on her face as she took her bowl.

    ¡°So, you¡¯re the new kid,¡± she said nodding. ¡°He tell you how he lost those fingers yet?¡±

    ¡°Sky sharks,¡± Nubs answered before Fen had a chance.

    ¡°Sky sharks?¡± The woman laughed.

    ¡°He told me it was from saving a lady from three thugs in Sorol,¡± a man further back in line chimed in.

    ¡°Told me it was to fake his death, saving him from a bounty put on his head. All they found was a bloody shoe and two fingers,¡± another one said.

    Nubs huffed as he handed out bowls. He looked down to Fen and winked.

    ¡°Gah, it was sky sharks. Too much of that thin air has made you all a bit mad,¡± he said.

    Drigs and Ferrul were last to get their meals. They took their bowls greedily, and Ferrul stayed behind a moment longer to give Nubs a harsh stare. Nubs didn¡¯t seem to care as he continued to fill three more bowls.

    ¡°Take this one to the captain,¡± Nubs said, handing Fen a bowl. ¡°I¡¯ll keep yours warm until you get back.¡±

    Fen took the bowl and carefully walked up the stairs. On the deck, a few men wandered about checking on various ropes and sails. Towards the rear of the ship was a heavy wooden door. Fen knocked as she opened it, peaking her head in.

    ¡°Captain? I have your meal.¡±

    The door opened to a short hallway with three doors, each was open. Fen stood not sure what to do. The door ahead of her opened into a room filled with books and maps. Several were scattered across a large desk. Fen took a step forward and peered into the door on her left. Inside the captain¡¯s coat hung on a rack beside a tidy bed.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

    Fen nearly jumped, spilling the bowl, as she heard a voice from the room behind her. As she turned, Fen saw the captain walking into the small hallway. She was carrying a long piece of parchment and muttering to herself as she read. Fen was about to speak, but the captain didn¡¯t even look up as she turned and walked into the other room, sitting down at the desk and flipping through a large book.

    The after a moment the captain sat back from the papers and sighed. Rubbing her face, she looked up and noticed Fen.

    ¡°Oh, I must not have heard you come in,¡± she said waving Fen into the room.

    Fen entered the room quickly as the captain cleared an area for the bowl. As she approached the desk, Fen noticed the largest book. It had a dark cover and worn lettering on the front. Fen made out the word Maeros before the captain covered it with ledgers and other documents.

    ¡°Best not to pry,¡± Maolen said she took the bowl from Fen.

    ¡°You¡¯re right. Sorry,¡± Fen said ducking down.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright. Just watch that your eye doesn¡¯t wander too far.¡±

    Fen nodded as Moalen ate a spoonful.

    ¡°We¡¯re lucky to have him,¡± Maolen said looking at her spoon. ¡°Murry, I mean. Did he tell you about his fingers yet?¡±

    ¡°He told me something about them,¡± Fen said with a smile.

    Maolen laughed. ¡°Well, stick around long enough and maybe I¡¯ll tell you the real story. The sky knows he¡¯ll never tell you the truth.¡±

    Fen stood in silence as the captain finished her meal, thinking about the large book. Maeros. Something about that word was familiar, but she couldn¡¯t place the memory.

    ¡°Lost in thought too, I see,¡± Captain Maolen said watching Fen. She held the bowl out to her.

    ¡°Yes, sorry,¡± Fen said taking the bowl.

    ¡°Stop apologizing and get back to Murry. He¡¯ll throw a tantrum if you make him do all the cleaning.¡±

    ¡°Yes captain.¡±

    Fen turned and hastily made her way through the door to the deck. She nearly collided headfirst into Boran who was in the process of knocking.

    ¡°Keep your head about you,¡± his voice rumbled like thunder from deep in his chest. He watched her run by, muttering another apology as she went.

    Nubs was sitting in the back room when Fen walked in.

    ¡°Have enough fun dancing on the deck? There are dishes to clean,¡± he said tossing Fen a brush. ¡°Luckily this lot will lick just about every pot clean, so it shouldn¡¯t take you the entire day. There¡¯s a bucket of water over there, and you know where everything goes.¡±

    Fen turned to look at the pile of bowls stacked on the counter as Nubs walked out. Nubs had cleaned half of them but left the large pots along with various knives and spoons.

 Chapter 7

    Nubs sat on a crate and watched as Fen put the finishing on the evening meal.

    ¡°Well, you¡¯re a fast learner, I¡¯ll give you that,¡± Nubs said tasting the food.

    ¡°Thanks.¡±

    The crew excitedly followed in a line to get their meals. The captain was dining with the crew tonight. She laughed with them as she mingled, giving Nubs a few words and Fen a nod as she took her meal. She waited until everyone else had received their portion before getting in line.

    Fen had been on the ship for a little over a week and was beginning to get a feel for the different groups onboard. There was the few that gathered near Drigs and Ferrul. At least one person in the group was usually giving Nubs, the captain, or Boran a dirty look at any given time.

    Then there was the woman Fen had met during her first day, Mara. She stuck with a few other women that often climbed into the rigging to fix problems. Fen liked them, but they seemed to prefer to keep to themselves apart from Mara. The rest of the crew mixed happily.

    ¡°Enough watching,¡± Nubs said giving Fen a nudge. ¡°Go sit with people.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d rather not,¡± she said feeling suddenly nervous.

    ¡°Go kid. I¡¯m tired of looking at you back here,¡± Nubs replied as pushed a bowl in her hands and out from behind the counter.

    Ferrul eyed her as she sheepishly shuffled forward. She avoided his eyes and found Mara waving her over.

    ¡°Wondered when you would venture out from your little hide-hole,¡± Mara laughed.

    ¡°Yeah, Nubs keeps me busy.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure he does,¡± another woman chimed in.

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t be surprised if he has you making all the meals by yourself before long,¡± Mara said with a wink.

    ¡°Well, actually¡­¡± Fen said motioning to her bowl.

    ¡°No!¡± Mara laughed. ¡°Don¡¯t let that old fool trick you into all the work. Throw a pot at him if you have to.¡±

    The group laughed and teased each other as they ate.

    ¡°Seems you¡¯ve found yourself a flock of hens to fly with,¡± a bitter voice said from behind Fen.

    Drigs looked down at her, nodding towards the other women.

    ¡°Lay off her Drigs,¡± Mara said pointing her spoon at him.

    ¡°I¡¯m just making conversation with my friend here. It has nothing to do with you,¡± he said.

    ¡°No luck with a real woman, so you have to try with the kid?¡± Mara laughed.

    ¡°Don¡¯t flatter yourself,¡± Drigs sneered. ¡°Haven¡¯t given you hardly a second thought. Besides, not much woman to begin with.¡±

    ¡°More woman than you¡¯ll even get,¡± Mara winked at Fen. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to have more than one thought anyway.¡±

    Fen could hear Drigs¡¯ knuckles pop behind her as he made fists.

    ¡°Getting acquainted with our newest shipmate, I see,¡± Maolen¡¯s voice was perfectly calm as she placed her slender hand on Drigs¡¯ shoulder. Her fingers were long and slender with nails grown to points, almost like claws.

    Drigs coughed and stepped to the side. ¡°Yes, captain,¡± he said before returning to his seat beside Ferrul.

    ¡°Mara,¡± Maolen said, turning.

    ¡°Yes, captain?¡±

    ¡°Boran is concerned we may have a few colonies developing along the hull. Have you noticed anything?¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t captain, but I can take a closer look today, if you¡¯d like.¡±

    ¡°That would be ideal,¡± the captain said.

    ¡°Oh, and captain?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Mara?¡±

    ¡°Can I take the kid out with me?¡± Mara asked with a grin.

    Captain Maolen looked at Mara for a moment and began to smile.

    ¡°I suppose that would be fine,¡± she said before walking towards the stairs.

    ¡°Take me where?¡± Fen asked.

    The rest of the women were laughing and patting Fen on the shoulder. Mara was grinning.

    ¡°You¡¯ll see. Finish with the old fool and find me on deck.¡±

    Fen finished her meal quickly and returned to the back room where Nubs was waiting.

    ¡°Seems like you are pretty popular,¡± he said.

    ¡°Apparently. I guess once I¡¯ve finished cleaning up down here, I¡¯m supposed to help Mara with something.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡± Nubs laughed. ¡°Well get started on those pots. Let¡¯s not keep her waiting.¡±

    Nubs didn¡¯t say another word as they began cleaning up after the meal. He laughed occasionally as he scrubbed and stored his half of the bowls. He watched with a smile as Fen finished with her portion of dishes.

    ¡°Go ahead and go topside,¡± he said waving her off.

    Fen climbed the stairs to the deck. It was a warm morning, and most of the men had shed their shirts as the works throughout the boat. Mara was standing near the primary mast waiting for her.

    ¡°Took you long enough,¡± she said as she tossed Fen a bundle of rope. ¡°Hold this.¡±

    Fen watched as Mara began measuring out rope into long rows. She then fashioned loops and knots into nothing that Fen recognized. After a moment she turned to Fen and held it out.

    ¡°Step into the two loops,¡± said bending down.

    Fen did as instructed, realizing it was type of harness. Mara gave a hard tug upward and Fen was nearly lifted off the ground. She nodded and handed the rope to Fen.

    ¡°Keep pulling on that. Make sure it is secure.¡±

    Fen did so as Mara secured the other end of the rope to an anchor point on the mast. She then began to create another harness for herself. She gave Fen¡¯s rope a few more tugs, pulling her around.

    ¡°You ready?¡± she asked as the walked them to the edge of the ship.

    Fen took a step back as Mara climbed up onto the railing. She held her arms out, laughing. She looked back at Fen and smiled before sitting down on the rail and holding out her hand.

    ¡°I¡¯ll help you climb up, come on,¡± she said.

    Fen gingerly climbed over the rail. She had looked over the edge of the ship numerous times since they had set sail, and it had never bothered her. Now that there was nothing under her feet, Fen felt the world beginning to spin.

    ¡°It¡¯s great, right?¡± Mara asked. ¡°The rush.¡±

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.??¡°Yeah¡­¡± Fen said quietly, trying to catch her breath.

    Mara shook Fen¡¯s shoulder playfully. ¡°Stop looking down, and look out,¡± she said.

    Fen slowly lifted her eyes and looked out into the horizon. Something swelled inside of her as she looked across the open sky with nothing in between it and her.

    ¡°There it is. I can see it in your face,¡± Mara said. ¡°That¡¯s the rush. You ready?¡±

    ¡°Ready? For wha-¡± The question was swallowed by a scream as Mara pushed Fen in the back and sent her falling off the edge of the ship.

    The world spun around as Fen fell. Above her the rope grew taunt and she lurched to a halt, swinging towards the electrum encasing the hull. Fen managed get her feet beneath her just as they hit the hull. Above her, Fen heard a yell as Mara dove off the side of the ship. She flipped through the air, spinning just as her rope pulled tight and swung her towards the ship. She landed near Fen, laughing.

    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that,¡± she said in between laughs. ¡°You¡¯ll be begging to come out here soon enough. I guarantee it.¡±

    Mara walked along the bottom of the ship until she was right beside Fen and handed her a brush.

    ¡°What¡¯s this for?¡± Fen asked.

    ¡°Ever heard of cloudmites?¡±

    ¡°They eat electrum, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Mara said, inspecting a glowing rune in the electrum more closely before brushing it clean. ¡°They breed or something up here and like to make colonies on ships. We¡¯re going to clean them off.¡±

    Fen leaned in closer to the ship. It felt like she was bending down to look at the floor, but then she caught a glimpse of the earth far below her and felt everything spin again. She hugged the rope until it stopped.

    ¡°What exactly am I looking for?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Little silver bugs basically,¡± Mara said shuffling to a new section.

    Fen looked again at the electrum hull. The various runes glowed a soft blue, though not all of them were lit. Fen noticed a slight flicker to one of the smaller runes. With a deep breath, she took small side steps until she was near ??enough to look closely. Crawling beside the rune was tiny, silver creature with shimmering wings.

    ¡°I found one!¡± Fen called out.

    Mara had moved to another section of ship. ¡°Good now brush it off.¡±

    Fen ran the brush along the ship, but the mite was still there. It moved around frantically. Fen shuffled again to catch it and tried again, but the cloudmite managed to hang on.

    ¡°They stick hard to the metal,¡± Mara shouted above her. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid to get rough.¡±

    Fen pushed into the brush this time and when she lifted it the mite was gone.

    ¡°Got it!¡±

    ¡°Good. Where there is one, there is probably another hundred. Keep looking.¡±

    Fen walked back to the spot she had found the creature. It was getting easier to forget about the fall below her the more she moved around.

    Mara moved along the hull much quicker than Fen, brushing sections and then pushing off the ship to fly to another section. She flipped and twisted as she did, but always landed on her feet.

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t it make you nervous?¡± Fen asked as she landed beside her.

    ¡°What, that?¡± she asked point at the ground. ¡°I¡¯ve been doing this since I was younger than you. I love it. I¡¯d rather die falling, than have never flown, anyway.¡±

    Fen worked along side Mara. With her help, Fen began noticing the mites more easily as they finished the side of the ship.

    ¡°I think caught everything on this side,¡± Mara said as she inspected another set of runes. ¡°Ready to climb?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m ready to have something underneath me.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t get to excited. We still have to do the other side,¡± Mara laughed.

    Mara followed behind Fen as they slowly climbed up the side of the ship. Fen was sweating by the time they reached the railing. Nubs looked over the edge and held out his hand as she grew close. He gave her a solid pat on the ??back as she steadied herself on the deck, laughing.

    ¡°How was it?¡± he asked, grinning. A few other crewmembers had gathered around.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t decided yet,¡± Fen answered. Nubs and everyone listening all laughed and nodded.

    ¡°Heard the scream from the storage room,¡± Nubs said. ¡°Best one I¡¯ve heard in a while.¡±

    ¡°She did pretty well though,¡± Mara said as she jumped down from the railing beside Fen. ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s get the other side finished up.¡±

    Fen followed to the other side and took Mara¡¯s hand to climb up. They stood on top of the rail and looked out. Fen felt the pit of her stomach turn as she looked out.

    ¡°No surprise this time,¡± Mara said. ¡°Do what I do. Jump, count to three, grab the rope, and turn.¡±

    Before Fen could reply, Mara leapt off the rail, her hands outstretched. After a moment she grabbed hold of the rope and turned just as the line snapped tight and pulled her in towards the ship.

    ¡°Jump!¡± she called out from below.

    Fen¡¯s stomach lurched as she looked beyond Mara at the ground far below. The world spun for a minute and Fen closed her eyes. She took a deep breath and jumped.

    Fen opened her eyes and held out her hands for a moment, the air rushing passed her face, before she clung to the rope and turned towards the ship. Above her, the rope drew tight and swung her towards the hull. She landed beside Mara, her heart racing.

    ¡°Not bad,¡± Mara said. ¡°Only a small yelp that time.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know I yelped.¡±

    ¡°Just a small one,¡± Mara winked. ¡°Anyway, you start down at the bottom and I¡¯ll work up at bow.¡±

    The work progressed much faster as Fen grew more comfortable on the side of the ship. One rune was completely covered in mites and took a lot of scrubbing to clean. It was nearly midday by the time they climbed over the edge of the ship. Mara sat on the deck and leaned against the railing.

    ¡°I would kill for a good breeze,¡± Mara said wiping sweat from her face. Fen nodded as she caught her breath. Another crew member brought them some water.

    Fen turned to Mara to ask about the cloudmites but stopped as she noticed Mara¡¯s expression. Fen followed her gaze to the other side of the ship where a group were yelling and gathering around something.

 Chapter 8

    Several of the crewmembers cheered as a few of the larger men pulled on ropes that stretched tight over the edge of the ship. They huffed as they pulled their load slowly over onto the deck. As it landed on the deck with a thud, a creature tangled in a large net thrashed about in a flurry of talons and feathers. The group descended on the creature in a commotion, yelling for more rope and to watch the beak. Several cursed as they exited the fray, holding various gashes that bled bright red. By time Fen and Mara crossed the deck, the men stood in a circle around their prize.

    ¡°Watch it,¡± Mara said as she shoved two men out of the way to make room for her and Fen.

    In the center of the circle a large creature laid on the deck, its legs and wings bound tightly, the net in pieces around it.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Fen whispered in wonder.

    ¡°It¡¯s gryphon,¡± one of the men said.

    The gryphon strained against the ropes, its eyes flitting from one person to the next. Fen could feel its anxiety like a thrumming in her chest.

    ¡°Mighty rare,¡± said another. ¡°I bet we could fetch quite the price for it once we reach Linara, or even Sorol.¡±

    ¡°Better prices in Sorol,¡± Drigs said. ¡°Though this ship isn¡¯t built for livestock¡±

    Ferrul pulled out a knife and took a step towards the creature but was stopped as the group, including Mara, began to argue what to do with it.

    Fen took a step into the circle, unnoticed by the others. The gryphon focused on her. Its chest rising and falling quickly as it continued to work against the restraints. With each step she felt the thrumming in her chest, the anxiety and fear in its large brown eyes.

    She knelt beside it and reached a hand towards its neck. The gryphon flinched as she placed her hand in its feathers. They were slightly moist on the outside, but warm and dry underneath. As they touched, the thrumming focused into a point on her chest.

    Fen slowly pulled the necklace from under her shirt. She could feel it vibrating at the end of the cord. One hand still resting on its neck, Fen palmed her father¡¯s stone. She cried out as a rush of pain and emotion washed over her. Fear, anxiety, and adrenalin flooded her mind as her eyes met the gryphon¡¯s. In that moment, Fen realized they were its emotions as tears began falling from her face involuntarily.

    ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of all this!¡± Boran shouted as he began separating the crowd, though Fen could barely hear him. His voice quieted as he broke into the circle, seeing Fen beside the gryphon.

    Just noticing, Mara knelt beside Fen and shook her.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± she asked. ¡°It¡¯s not safe.¡±

    She tried to pull Fen back but was shrugged off. Fen couldn¡¯t leave the gryphon. She could feel its desperate need.

    ¡°What she think she¡¯s doing?¡± Drigs said, pointing at Fen. ¡°That¡¯s our catch.¡±Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

    Fen felt another surge of fear coming from the gryphon as Drigs stepped forward.

    ¡°No!¡± Fen cried as she threw herself over the large neck of the gryphon, the stone in her hand. ¡°Stay back!¡±

    Mara stood between the Drigs, just taller than him. He faltered until Ferrul approached. More shouting broke out between the men and Mara.

    ¡°Enough of this!¡± Boran shouted. The men quieted and Drigs gripped the knife he had never sheathed. ¡°The captain has final say on all disputes of property.¡±

    Boran moved beside the gryphon and gave a nod to Mara, who took off towards the captain¡¯s quarters. The group stood in silence and Fen felt the gryphon calm slightly. It was all she could do to keep from curling up beside it and whimper. A sharp, unexplained pain in her shoulder was the only thing keeping her from being overcome by the swells of emotion.

    ¡°What¡¯s all this?¡± Captain Maolen said as she approached the crowd. The rest of the crew that hadn¡¯t been initially involved had gathered to watch the commotion. She hesitated for a moment as she caught sight of the gryphon but quickly recovered. Boran spoke first.

    ¡°A dispute of property, Captain,¡± he said. ¡°Between these men and Fen.¡±

    ¡°I see. Of the gryphon, I assume,¡± she said, stepping beside Boran. Was that excitement Fen felt as she approached, or more fear?

    ¡°That¡¯s right, captain,¡± Drigs said, his knife put away. ¡°We netted it earlier and were discussing the best route of selling it when that girl decided it was hers.¡±

    ¡°That girl is a crewmember and has a name,¡± Maolen said flatly. She looked to Fen. ¡°Explain.¡±

    Fen¡¯s thoughts raced. Her concern mixing with the gryphon¡¯s fear was overwhelming. She couldn¡¯t think straight.

    ¡°Please,¡± Fen finally said. ¡°It¡¯s so scared.¡±

    Maolen studied Fen for a long moment before turning to the crowd.

    ¡°This is a dispute of property,¡± her voice carried effortlessly across the deck. ¡°As far as I am concerned this is a living creature, not some compass or knife, and therefore can not be considered property. My final decision is to release the gryphon and award neither party ownership.¡±

    Drigs cursed and pulled Ferrul behind him as he walked away. Maolen nodded to Mara and walked back to her quarters. Boran began shouting, getting the distracted crew back on task. Mara turned to Fen and knelt, pulling a small knife from her side. Immediately the gryphon began to squirm and fight. Fen gasped at the sudden shock of emotion.

    ¡°No,¡± Fen said. ¡°Let me.¡±

    As Mara handed her the knife, the fear subsided and was replaced by anxiety as the gryphon stilled. Slowly, Fen cut the various ropes holding the gryphon down. She returned the knife to Mara as they stood up.

    The gryphon quickly rose and looked across the deck. It was taller than Fen had realized, its shoulder coming up nearly to her chin. The gryphon eyed her for a moment before it turned and began to run along the deck. It stretched out its wings and beat them as it leapt into the air. Fen clutched her shoulder as the mysterious pain throbbed and the gryphon crashed to the deck.

    Maolen stopped just outside her door as the gryphon tumbled to the deck in a mess of wings and feathers. Drigs opened his mouth to say something, but she held up her hand.

    ¡°If the gryphon can¡¯t fly by the time we reach Linara, then I will reevaluate this dispute,¡± she said as she gave Fen a slow nod.

    Fen ran to the gryphon as it gathered itself up, surveying the deck for another take off.

    ¡°Wait!¡± she yelled.

    It stopped an looked at her, holding one wing out slightly, the same side as the pain in Fen¡¯s shoulder. Fen slowly reached out and touched its neck again, its large eye watching her. She ran her hand down to its wing. It flinched as she pressed against it.

    ¡°It¡¯s hurt?¡± Mara asked as she approached.

    ¡°I think so,¡± Fen said.

    ¡°You¡¯re an idiot,¡± Nubs said from distance, watching gryphon cautiously.