As A Stranger Or A Friend?: The Swallow And The Drowned Sailor

Mariel - 11 Sun's Dawn, 1246 A.D.

I slipped past the knight in the lower deck of our schooner and ducked into one of the crates he'd already searched, nestling myself inside comfortably, then blinked to return time to its normal flow.

"Sir, we'll need to search this area." He said to Axtapor.

Axtapor simply continued what I imagined to be beratement of the knight in Hamatian. It was surprising how well he was really selling his act; that of the inconvenienced lone visitor who was just trying to return home to The Empire after the end of Solas Week.

"Damned serpent faces..." The knight muttered to himself and pried open a few more crates, "Floating around in our waters, and they don't even bother to learn Common. Simpletons..."

I held my breath nervously, hoping that Axtapor wouldn't hit the knight over the head with something. Luckily, he didn't, and instead continued to pester him in his mother tongue when finally, it seemed that the good ser had enough, immediately dropping closed one of the crates he'd just opened.

"Very well, very well! There is nothing of interest here. You may continue on your journey. On behalf of The Pale Kings, we apologize and thank you for your cooperation in the fight to preserve the Priestesses of Shanta." The knight said with clearly practiced manners, then proceeded above decks.

Axtapor followed him out, continuing to uphold his act of belligerency to avoid raising suspicion.

"This one is clear, Ser William." I heard the knight's faint voice say, "Just a scaled ignorant trying to get back home."

"Very good, Ser Taran. You are free to go, civilian. On behalf of The Pale Kings, we apologize and thank you for your cooperation in the fight to preserve the Priestesses of Shanta." The one called Ser William said.

Axtapor muttered some reply to them, and with that, we were on our way once more.

I let out a sigh of relief and felt the tension leave my body.

Even though the plan was a good one and had worked out rather well, I was still incredibly nervous about using my powers again after what had happened with Wilkes. I had no confidence that I could use them without encountering a surprise like that again, but it seemed fortune had favored us this time. Several more minutes passed when I finally heard Axtapor come back down and open the crate I'd hidden in.

"Come out, wee cream puff. We be in the clear now." He said, helping me out of my scrunched position.

"Thank you. He made quite a mess..." I remarked as I looked around at the strewn supplies littering the ground.

"Aye, careless bastards..." He hissed, "Let's get it sorted then have somethin' to eat, ey?"

"Good idea."

We spent the next hour cleaning up the mess that Ser Taran had made of our lower deck, then shared a humble breakfast of dried jerky, nuts, and bread between us.

***

"Is it really safe to just stop sailing in the middle of the ocean like this?" I asked nervously.

"Aye, nay fret. We float as so on the Lyre when there be doldrums." He replied as he secured the last of the sails, "'Sides, I need to rest a spell. Need to be alert to look 'fter ye proper."

I nodded, deciding to trust him as he came to sit beside me on the main deck.

It would be cruel to deny him rest just because I was unsure of things, especially with how fiercely he'd been sailing after we'd been searched just this morning. He'd constantly been mumbling to himself and checking his instruments to ensure we caught the wind whenever it changed so that we could put as much distance between us and the search point as possible. It was effective, to be sure, but without a doubt, quite taxing on him.