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𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐢𝐱
Ⅵ 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒖𝒏𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒖𝒏𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒏 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒒𝒖𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒓
AS NIGHT CAST KETTERDAM IN A DARK BLUE WITH NO STARS IN THE SKY, INEJ AND IRA HAD STASHED THEMSELVES ONTO THE BOAT IN FIFTH HARBOUR. Their costumes had been stashed in a boat hands locker in one of the boathouses and now they rested on the masts, hidden in the shadows and sails. Some of the men started to doze off and Inej nodded at Ira who looked strange with the blue mask Tenzin had crafted her, but it was needed to protect her from the faux firepox they carried.
Ira moved her hands quickly, her fingers moving meticulously. Inej watched in awe, she always had. Elvira pulled at the waters by the ships, the boat moving unnaturally, she willed the mist to turn to sheets of ice on the boat making the men slide across the wooden deck. They scrambled quickly off the skiff, a small and terrified shout of the council of tides then silence as the skiff was abandoned.
Elvira pulled her hands back, the waters settling and the ice dissipated. Ira nodded this time and Inej grabbed the ropes sliding down gracefully, like a skilled Suli acrobat act. With a flip, she landed silently on her feet. Ira grabbed the rope, her legs wrapped around the bottom, her gloved hand holding her up. She kicked herself off the wooden platform and slid down, landing on the wooden floor with a quiet thud.
They reached for their spray bottles full of greyish-white powder and started to spray each of the surfaces of the ships above level. Once the girls had covered the top half of the skiff, they slowly made their way below deck, spraying rails, tables, cups, cards, and whatever had been left out.
They each did a once over the bottom half of the skiff before heading for the stairs. Ira stepped on a wooden plank making a small creek. "Hello?" A meek voice called, quiet and hidden deep in the skiff. As the voice faded the small cry of a baby echoed through the boat. "Help us, please."
Ira and Inej moved at once, racing for the back of the ship neither caring about the sound they made. "Hello?" Elvira called and a small voice called back from behind a curtain. Elvira drew the faded yellow curtain back revealing the dark oak door behind it. Inej pulled a crow-headed knife from her hair, moving to jam it in the lock.
"Hey!" A loud, gruff voice yelled. Elvira spun her hand outstretched, her fingers twitching and the man's lungs filled quickly with water. He dropped to his knees, water flowing from his lips and nose. Ira turned back to Inej, took out a similar slim knife and jammed it into the top of the lock. At once they slammed the knives together, making a crack and the lock fell to the floor. Ira scrambled to pull the door open and both girls paused.
They looked down at a group of three girls, one cradling a small baby wrapped in brown cloth. They looked up at the pair in shock and Inej tore her mask off, smiling softly at the girls. "It's okay. I'm going to get you off this ship," Inej promised, her voice soft and warm. Inej turned back to look up at Ira, "Get the note to the carriage." Ira nodded and took the note to Inej, before running up the stairs.
