The North's Galleon

Chapter 3: The Night

Gunther could vaguely remember a time when he spent all day every day walking around like he was drunk due to the swaying of the ship. He tried, so hard, to look like he knew what he was doing.

It was a wonder anyone had believed his bluff.

Tonight, he laid on the edge, rocked gently by the ship, knowing he wouldn't fall unless a storm suddenly cropped up.

He yawned. The moon was at its highest peak. Still a few hours before sunlight.

Still a few hours to be spent between him and the ocean alone.

He stretched out a ways and breathed in the salty air. He couldn't imagine being back on land, in a world where you were always constrained by rules and manners and decency.

He liked to feel the way the ship swayed on the waves, rocking the crew to sleep.

"I should shove you off."

Gunther opened his eyes to glare at Lawrence. "Don't."

Lawrence's eyes twinkled mischievously. "Aye aye, kezoril."

"I thought I told you not to call me that."

"Still a shame you figured out what it means."

Gunther flipped him off.

Lawrence lifted his leg and gently shoved Gunther, as though to kick him off. "Aw, you wanna go swimming?"

"Lawrence, I swear to Jun I will take you with me."

"Good thing I don't believe in Jun."

Gunther snorted. "Neither do I."

Lawrence sat next to Gunther's head. "We gotta find a better place for her than the storeroom."

"You're the one who put her there."

"I forgot Sebastian's in there all damn day."

"You? Forget? Never!"

"Shut." Lawrence nudged Gunther toward the edge again. "No one's perfect."

Gunther laughed.

Lawrence stared at the sky. "Y'know, she picked the right two to sneak her someplace." He gave Gunther a look. "Until someone catches you and you can't cover yourself."

"Shut up. I'm still a better liar than you."

"Unless you count just not talking."

"Which I don't."

The ship swayed. For a moment, the only sound was the waves crashing.

"Smells like bad weather."

"Feels like it too."

"Think we made a mistake?"

"If we're protecting a child, I don't think we can make one."

Lawrence gave him a look. "I don't think that's how it works."

"At least if we die, we die doing the right thing. Gotta count for something in the afterlife."

Lawrence wheezed. "You think they'll even consider letting us see paradise?"

"Hey, hey, I at least want them to hesitate. You know, take a few minutes, try to tally it up. Obviously, we're still damned, but if they at least have to think about it, that'd be great."

"Nah, I want to just get it over with. Like, I'm not even dead and I'm damned. 'Hell nah, not that one,' y'know?"

"You're too good for that."

"Funny hearing that from the guy I've tried to murder."

"But you didn't."

"Yet."

"It's mutiny now, that'd get you thrown over."

"I think North would thank me."

"Hush."

Lawrence did, and they sat in silence for another few moments.

The ship swayed. The waves crashed. Gunther closed his eyes and surrendered to the endless rocking.

"Ever miss the land?" Lawrence asked.

"Nah."

Lawrence smiled. "Me neither."

Gunther blinked his eyes back open. "Come on, who'd want to live in a world where you have to wear pants to do your job? Plus, it's part of sailing to get drunk every night."

Lawrence laughed. "Sure, bud."

"You're just salty because you can't drink with your face all jacked up like that."

"If I can eat, I can drink, I just choose not to."

"Boring."

"Well, pardon me for choosing to be boring over making a fool of myself, Kezoril."

"Stop calling me that."

"No." Lawrence looked down at the first mate. "Here, you sleep the rest of the night, I'll keep watch."

"No, you'll use it as blackmail later."

"You're going to fall asleep anyway, and I can tell."

"I'm not."

"Alright then. But if you do fall asleep, you owe me 15 diir."

"Deal."