Sounsyy opened her eyes slowly against the morning light. Her view of her cabin was blurry, the woven tapestries upon the walls looked like colorful blotches of red and purple and blue, glowing in the pale light. She rubbed her eyes and pulled herself out of her curled position in the armchair. She placed her palms on the desk and arched her back with a groan. She had slept well, for once in many moons, but the dream's recurrence made her ill at ease. So she washed down the feeling with a swig of wine that had survived the night before.
Having replaced the bottle on her desk, she made for her cabinet to dress. Her usual forager's attire and tights. She still felt discomfort in the pit of her stomach. Her memory of the dream was starting to slip from memory. A giant vessel soaring above the heavens - that thought was enough to make Sounsyy want to heave! So many lights blue and white, flashing and solid, lights which reacted to the fingers as they were touched. It was almost too much, too fantastical. Ryanti believed these dreams? But that night, it was as if the dreams were speaking directly to her. She had forgotten what they had said, but she knew they were speaking to her. Warning her.
"Whatever comes, we'll be ready."
A knock sounded on the door to her left. She felt her heart skip - so much for being ready. She opened the door and P'welro entered. They exchanged quick formalities before the blond woman started her report.
"Shift were changed early as yeh asked," she said, "we'll 'ave all men on deck fer when we arrive, ready n' rested. Marjanie gives us another three bells afore we're at the coordinates."
"Understood," Sounsyy said, nodding and handing the remainder of her bottle to P'welro, "Have everyone awake by nine. Gives us a bell to organize. The Sharlayan crew will dive, do what must needs be done, and when they resurface we're about ship and headed straight fer that rendezvous to be done with this."
P'welro drank deep from the bottle, draining the last drop from the bottom. She handed the bottle back and gave a sharp salute. Sounsyy nodded and replaced the bottle in a chest containing many other bottles from nights passed. P'welro lingered, giving her Captain an uneasy look.
"Something wrong, lass?"
P'welro shook her head, opened her mouth to speak but fumbled over her words. Sounsyy held up a hand to stop her. "Yeh don't have to explain anythin' to me, P'welro. I been there. I know what it feels like on the inside. Yeh took the time that yeh needed. We made do with the seventy-seven boy. But I'm glad yer back with us. Go on now."
Sounsyy left her room behind P'welro, taking time to lock it behind her as the blond Bosun raced off across deck to her duties. Sounsyy went below into the, now empty, infirmary. She looked around at the cots laid out in a semi-circle against the aft wall. Light shimmered into the windows from the eastern sun. The clean water in the room's center basin reflected the dancing light. How different, yet how similar, this room was to the one in her dreams. She moved towards the basin and dipped her hands into the lazy water. She splashed her face with it, seeing if she was truly awake. The Roehmerl's infirmary was still there when she opened her eyes, which satisfied her compulsion.
She left the infirmary and made her way quietly across the gun deck. Most of the night crew were still sleeping in their bunks, though a couple had already risen early for the day. Pamido Wolmido and Berasaem were talking outside the Sharlayan quarters. They both saluted as Sounsyy passed and continued on her way down to the Mess. It was mostly deserted this morning owing to the earlier shift change. Marjanie was awake and seated at the bar, however, being one of those from the night crew who had been unable to sleep. Sounsyy sat with her and they talked while Susuroon prepared their breakfast - grog, kraut, a poached egg, and Indigo herring caught the night before by the crew's fishermen. It was a healthy start to the morning.
Much to Susuroon's chagrin, food stores of perishable items were dwindling. The eggs were nearly gone, fresh water reserved for day labor only, most of the land meats like dodo had long since been devoured. The crew was relying on fresh-caught fish from the night crew. Herring were in abundance, but there was also bream, cod, haddock, and squid to be had. Sounsyy was largely a pescetarian anyroad, so this suited her just fine. Scarcity did not exist upon the bounty of Llymlaen's great seas.
The eighth morning bell had come and Pamido Wolmido and Berasaem knocked on the Sharlayans' door to rouse them, despite their already being awake. The two guards gave them leave to dress and led them to the Mess when they were ready.
"Eat a hearty meal, friends," Pamido Wolmido said, "Ye've got no chores or drills today, just the mission. Word is we'll be at the coordinates yeh gave in less than two bells. Long last, eh?"
As they passed through the Armory and turned to go down the stairs to the Mess, Jada Moui passed Eighty-five a warm smile and a wave from her perched position atop her counter. Ever the matron... and Quartermaster... she worried for her crew, even her adopted one. And out of all of them, Eighty-five seemed the most troubled today.
Sounsyy and Marjanie broke off from their talk of dreams when the group came pattering down the stairs. Susuroon gave them all a warm welcome and chittered on about how he should've had the foresight to save a grand feast for this morning, only for Marjanie to remind him that he had chosen to stuff them for the entire first half of the voyage instead.
"I'm sure they all can manage on just enough to fill the stomach Susuroon. They are, after all, learning to become sailors," Marjanie said with a smirk, "You shouldn't always spoil them."
Berasaem chuckled a bit before saying, "Since I'm up, should get to seein' what I can do to be useful this morning. Care to join meh, Marjanie?" The Elezen nodded and traded her empty plate for a full one on the counter. She stood and straightened her jerkin before picking up the second plate of food. "Of course," she said smoothly, "I need to make sure Fhruhsunn has eaten anyroad."
The two women made their way past. Marjanie patted Ryanti on the shoulder with her free hand as she went. Pamido Wolmido climbed up where Marjanie had been and Sounsyy motioned for the rest to sit before she returned to her own meal. She took a bite of herring, swallowed, and wiped her mouth on a cloth before she spoke.
"I trust yeh all rested well?"
Having replaced the bottle on her desk, she made for her cabinet to dress. Her usual forager's attire and tights. She still felt discomfort in the pit of her stomach. Her memory of the dream was starting to slip from memory. A giant vessel soaring above the heavens - that thought was enough to make Sounsyy want to heave! So many lights blue and white, flashing and solid, lights which reacted to the fingers as they were touched. It was almost too much, too fantastical. Ryanti believed these dreams? But that night, it was as if the dreams were speaking directly to her. She had forgotten what they had said, but she knew they were speaking to her. Warning her.
"Whatever comes, we'll be ready."
A knock sounded on the door to her left. She felt her heart skip - so much for being ready. She opened the door and P'welro entered. They exchanged quick formalities before the blond woman started her report.
"Shift were changed early as yeh asked," she said, "we'll 'ave all men on deck fer when we arrive, ready n' rested. Marjanie gives us another three bells afore we're at the coordinates."
"Understood," Sounsyy said, nodding and handing the remainder of her bottle to P'welro, "Have everyone awake by nine. Gives us a bell to organize. The Sharlayan crew will dive, do what must needs be done, and when they resurface we're about ship and headed straight fer that rendezvous to be done with this."
P'welro drank deep from the bottle, draining the last drop from the bottom. She handed the bottle back and gave a sharp salute. Sounsyy nodded and replaced the bottle in a chest containing many other bottles from nights passed. P'welro lingered, giving her Captain an uneasy look.
"Something wrong, lass?"
P'welro shook her head, opened her mouth to speak but fumbled over her words. Sounsyy held up a hand to stop her. "Yeh don't have to explain anythin' to me, P'welro. I been there. I know what it feels like on the inside. Yeh took the time that yeh needed. We made do with the seventy-seven boy. But I'm glad yer back with us. Go on now."
Sounsyy left her room behind P'welro, taking time to lock it behind her as the blond Bosun raced off across deck to her duties. Sounsyy went below into the, now empty, infirmary. She looked around at the cots laid out in a semi-circle against the aft wall. Light shimmered into the windows from the eastern sun. The clean water in the room's center basin reflected the dancing light. How different, yet how similar, this room was to the one in her dreams. She moved towards the basin and dipped her hands into the lazy water. She splashed her face with it, seeing if she was truly awake. The Roehmerl's infirmary was still there when she opened her eyes, which satisfied her compulsion.
She left the infirmary and made her way quietly across the gun deck. Most of the night crew were still sleeping in their bunks, though a couple had already risen early for the day. Pamido Wolmido and Berasaem were talking outside the Sharlayan quarters. They both saluted as Sounsyy passed and continued on her way down to the Mess. It was mostly deserted this morning owing to the earlier shift change. Marjanie was awake and seated at the bar, however, being one of those from the night crew who had been unable to sleep. Sounsyy sat with her and they talked while Susuroon prepared their breakfast - grog, kraut, a poached egg, and Indigo herring caught the night before by the crew's fishermen. It was a healthy start to the morning.
Much to Susuroon's chagrin, food stores of perishable items were dwindling. The eggs were nearly gone, fresh water reserved for day labor only, most of the land meats like dodo had long since been devoured. The crew was relying on fresh-caught fish from the night crew. Herring were in abundance, but there was also bream, cod, haddock, and squid to be had. Sounsyy was largely a pescetarian anyroad, so this suited her just fine. Scarcity did not exist upon the bounty of Llymlaen's great seas.
The eighth morning bell had come and Pamido Wolmido and Berasaem knocked on the Sharlayans' door to rouse them, despite their already being awake. The two guards gave them leave to dress and led them to the Mess when they were ready.
"Eat a hearty meal, friends," Pamido Wolmido said, "Ye've got no chores or drills today, just the mission. Word is we'll be at the coordinates yeh gave in less than two bells. Long last, eh?"
As they passed through the Armory and turned to go down the stairs to the Mess, Jada Moui passed Eighty-five a warm smile and a wave from her perched position atop her counter. Ever the matron... and Quartermaster... she worried for her crew, even her adopted one. And out of all of them, Eighty-five seemed the most troubled today.
Sounsyy and Marjanie broke off from their talk of dreams when the group came pattering down the stairs. Susuroon gave them all a warm welcome and chittered on about how he should've had the foresight to save a grand feast for this morning, only for Marjanie to remind him that he had chosen to stuff them for the entire first half of the voyage instead.
"I'm sure they all can manage on just enough to fill the stomach Susuroon. They are, after all, learning to become sailors," Marjanie said with a smirk, "You shouldn't always spoil them."
Berasaem chuckled a bit before saying, "Since I'm up, should get to seein' what I can do to be useful this morning. Care to join meh, Marjanie?" The Elezen nodded and traded her empty plate for a full one on the counter. She stood and straightened her jerkin before picking up the second plate of food. "Of course," she said smoothly, "I need to make sure Fhruhsunn has eaten anyroad."
The two women made their way past. Marjanie patted Ryanti on the shoulder with her free hand as she went. Pamido Wolmido climbed up where Marjanie had been and Sounsyy motioned for the rest to sit before she returned to her own meal. She took a bite of herring, swallowed, and wiped her mouth on a cloth before she spoke.
"I trust yeh all rested well?"