Battle Scars

The harbour

Eve had been having a bad morning. First, she got up due to a nightmare about Mike and the Cauldron. Then, she burnt her pancakes and wore her top inside out. By the time she corrected her top, ate some snack that was lying around and made sure to lock the apartment, she was already exhausted. And then, when she had thought things couldn't be worse, someone bumped into her and spilled orange juice all over her cute top. Fuming, she made her way to the townhouse where Rhys and the rest were having their non-burnt breakfast. She poked in to see Mor groaning as Feyre said something.

"Morning," Eve said and slumped into one of the chairs. Everyone was pleasantly surprised to see her. Since the Solstice, Eve would make occasional visits to the townhouse where most of them normally gathered to dine. "Hey Eve, want some juice?" Mor asked and Eve gave her a withering glare that made her chuckle. "Do you want me to punch you in the face?" she asked sweetly making Feyre choke on her juice. Mor whistled, "what happened?" "I don't want to talk about it," Eve grumbled and took a seat, waiting for Feyre to tell her why she was here. After all, Feyre had called upon her.

"There is some business I need to check on at the harbour, supposedly two merchants had a quarrel and things are escalating and I would go but.... something came up and I need to check on that first," Feyre said, getting straight to the point. "So, I was hoping you would go with Mor and figure something out on our behalf," she finished and Eve sighed. Wining like a babe she asked, "why do I have to go? I don't have a role in the court and thus have no real authority to order them about." Feyre nodded in understanding but it was Mor who answered, "I wanted your company, and besides, the air might do you good and you are a good negotiator. You have calmed multiple fights between Cass and Az before."

The said Illyrians grumbled in response although Az was more focused on his mate and her actions as she played with the food kept in front of her. She had been coming back since the festival, slowly but steadily nevertheless.

That was true, Eve thought. She was a good peace maker even if she herself wasn't feeling calm per se. "Fine. But the minute I feel like it, I will bail on you," she huffed. Mor grinned and accepted the deal.

"When are we leaving?" Eve asked. "Twenty minutes," Mor replied and Eve nodded and got up. "I'll be in the living room," she said and left, Mike taking over her thoughts. Tired, she slumped on the couch and closed her eyes. Maybe the fresh air near the harbour and the change of atmosphere would do her some good. She was still trying to catch a wink when Cassian entered the room, making noise. Eve groaned and squinted her eyes. "Time already?" He shook his head, "no, I just wanted to sit here, next to you," he said, removing Eve's legs from the couch and placing it on his lap, "and talk."

"About?" Eve asked, not even a bit curious. "What you have been up to these days," he said. Eve raised her brows at that. "You make it sound as if I have been indulging in criminal activities." Cassian chuckled a bit, "No, though, are you?" He received a pillow to the face. Chuckling, he asked, "anything new going on?"

"Cassian," Eve started. He hummed. "Why are you here? I thought you had training," she asked and he nodded. "Then please leave me and let me go back to my nap. We can discuss my life later," she said and went back to sleep before he could protest but Cassian got the message- she wasn't in the mood today. Sighing, he left and went back inside where everyone ate and laughed while worrying about Eve.

********

Eve stood and observed her surroundings while Mor asked for the two traders. The harbour was full of chaotic life- the huge cartons of red and blue colours were lifted and placed onto the ships while some cargo was removed and taken to keep in the warehouses before its distribution. Eve could see a few ships near the horizon while many were docked in.

The people there bustled and not a moment of silence was present. From the cries of the workers to the instructions yelled by the traders, the harbour seemed to be one of the places where work never ceased. And even then, Eve thought the place was beautiful and surprisingly clean.

Mor moved forward to where she assumed the two traders in question where. Eve silently followed, her eyes roving over one of the ships from which their captain jumped down- he looked friendly even with a stubble on his face that Eve reasoned was from his days spent on the ocean waters. Her pleasure was amplified when Mor made her way right towards him.

"Lady Morrigan," he bowed when he saw them near. He turned his face at her then, questioning. "Eve," she said simply- no title. His face turned into one of realisation and he bowed again, making her eyes widen. "Lady of Ice and Fire.

"We have heard about you. I am honoured by your presence," he said, his eyes twinkling as the sun' rays shone upon them. Eve gulped and nodded, not knowing how to react. Smiling proudly at the interaction, Mor asked, "where is the other one?"

His face turned sour in seconds. He pointed to one of the warehouses where a grim man was shouting orders, holding a notepad in his hands. He looked frustrated. "Well, let's get this over with, shall we?" Eve said and walked towards the male. Mor and the other male followed.

"Hello," she greeted once they entered the shade where he stood. He grunted and looked her up and down, "and you are?" "On official business," Mor answered for her, casually smoothening her dress. "You have caused enough trouble for the third-in-command of the court to come and greet you," she said mildly. The male immediately straightened. "Lady Morrigan," he bowed a bit. "I did not know you would be arriving today, my apologies," he said and Mor nodded.

"So, Finnick, what seems to be the problem?" Mor questioned. Finnick threw a glare at the male standing beside her and answered, his voice strained as he tried keeping his irritation out of it, "His ships keep taking up space in my area and have started clashing with when they are about to arrive. If that was not troublesome enough, his men have been distracting mine from dusk till dawn every day and he himself has, on more than one occasion, said more than a bad word about my trades." Mor then turned to the male and raised her brows.

"In my defence, he rarely puts up the schedule of when his ship is to arrive and since him and I have the same spots, I have no other option but to continue my business as if his never existed."

"And why don't you put the list?" Mor asked sighing, to Finnick. He huffed, "my ships are sometimes late due to storms or other problems and so, I do not possess a definitive schedule for them."

"And do you have the same problems with your ship, Theodore?" Mor asked the male next to her. He shook his head. Mor nodded before asking, "and what of his other complains?"

"Well, after the way he treats his workers and subordinates, you can hardly blame their resistance to work. My men simply engage with his on occasion as comrades. Their laziness is in no way to be blamed on mine. And the other accusation of me putting a bad word, I do not have to. His manners and the way he treats people is enough of a character he has." Eve cracked the smallest of smiles at the nonchalant way Theo said it.

Finnick snarled making Mor glare at him in warning. "Is this true? Are your workers unsatisfied?" he shook his head. Sighing, Eve turned to Mor and whispered to her, away from the prying ears, "the schedule thing hardly needs my assistance- you look into it and the other multiple grievances Finnick seems like he might have. I will in the meantime, go check on his workers and report to you in some time. You can hardly expect him to give a straight answer to that." Mor nodded in agreement and Eve left, excusing herself.

She was walking around the harbour, observing everyone' roles and behaviour when Theodore caught up with her. "May I show you around, Lady?" he asked, his voice exuding charm. Smiling while shaking her head, she said, "don't call me Lady, its Eve." He nodded and started walking beside her, chattering about all things worldly. 

Happy reading :)

XOXO,

the amazing author