Silver Winds

Epilogue

Barrels rolled down the gangplank, thumping and bumping against the cobblestone when they reached the bottom. Salt from the sea was infused with the wind that rocked the ships gently in their port and rustled through every person's hair. Despite the clamor, Astra's face was void of emotion as she conversed with a man covered in wrinkles and scars.

"Thank you so much again for your gracious sale of Tora, sir," she gushed, but with the minimum emotion required for the action. Her hair was tied up on the top of her head, and her left eye still drooped a little bit from back in the woods.

"It's ma pleasure, Astor," the old man cackled, thumping her on the back. She coughed and her foot slid a tiny bit forward. She forced a smile.

"We really are indebted to you for her," Astra continued without pause.

"No, no! You paid me for 'er, fair 'n square."

"Excellent." Astra smiled. "I had better help my crew with loading up the ship. Thank you again, and farewell!" Her hand raised in the air as she turned, and she was over next to Volos in a few seconds. His hair shifted when he looked at Astra over his shoulder. He handed her a smaller chest and clapped her on the shoulder, then leaned in close.

"Berg's been staring this way for a while," he growled into her ear, "and he hasn't supervised his crew at all. And there's also this other girl who's been watching us from behind a barrel somewhere over there." He jerked his head toward an eastern-leading street, and Astra's eyes swept over the area in an instant. She spotted a figure covered in a hood, hiding behind a barrel out near one of the shops. She also glanced at another suspiciously covered figure talking a shopkeep up at one of the stalls.

"There's more," she whispered without her lips moving. "Watch them."

Volos straightened up, a smile on his face. "Will do, Vinr."

Astra began carrying the chest up the gangplank, her arms cradling it, and paused when she heard a familiar voice call out to her. It forced both annoyance and fear into her veins at the same time.

"Astor Olesen!" Berg cried out. Astra turned on the gangplank, and skittered to the side so Rune could get around her.

"What do you want, Berg Stern?" Astra hissed, her eyes narrowing. She stepped up the gangplank one more step, and then another. Soon she was standing on the rickety deck of the Tora.

"I want to make a deal," he replied, his voice level.

"What kind of deal?" she questioned while putting the chest to the side. She elbowed Birgir and pointed at it, and he picked it up and carried it away. Her hands found their way to her hips, and that stopped the trembling in her left.

"Come down here so we can talk it out," he insisted. His large ears seemed more red than usual. Astra frowned, then looked at Jun. She jutted her chin out, and he followed her down the gangplank, avoiding Ameqran and Jon on the way. She sensed Volos shift behind her, to come closer, when she finally stopped, roughly a meter from where Berg stood. She folded her arms over her chest, tucking her left hand in securely.

"What deal do you want to strike?" Astra repeated her question, her voice lowering to a gruff tone. Her feet slid apart quietly, farther than shoulder-width.

"I want to join you," Berg announced.

Astra's head twitched, and her arms dropped to her sides. Then she tilted her head to the side and peered at him through half-closed eyes.

"Why should I let you? Why do you even want to?" The questions were spat.

"The answers are the same. My brothers are in your crew. I want to be able to protect them, ya see."