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Part 4: Nothing is ever simple.

They stopped at a port town in the south, and Isabelle was bouncing off the walls with excitement.

"We can go so many places, and go shopping, and see so much, and party, and meet people, and-"

"Shut your mouth Isabelle."

Isabelle stopped talking, looking a bit hurt.

"Sorry. I just don't really like people. I'll come though."

Isabelle nodded and they both went back to fixing a tear in the spare sails. Ashildr went to look out the trapdoor There was a smudge on the horizon. Could it be? Yes! It was land!

"I see it!"

"What?" Isabelle demanded. "Let me see."

They ran up the stairs and hung over the side of the ship. The crew watched them.

After an hour, the ship reached the harbour gates.

"We just have to wait to give them coin for letting us berth there and open the gates," Francis said, answering a questioning look from Ashildr.

They waited an hour, then two.

"Are you sure they'll open them?"

"Yes. I think so. Maybe."

"I vote we go ashore and see what's going on." The speaker was one of the crew who Ashildr didn't know. He was short and redheaded.

"I'll send you and Grant in the rowboat."

A man who was presumably Grant made a noise in protest. Francis just looked at him and he worked with the redhead to get the rowboat ready. They each strapped on a pair of knives. The boat made a large splash when it was placed in the water. The men climbed in and began to row. They went to the side of the gates and tied up the boat next to another with peeling paint. Grant climbed over the fence, shortly followed by the redhead, whom Ashildr later learned was named Leidur. They vanished from sight.

The crew waited in tense silence for the men to return. When they did not, the crew began to whisper among themselves. Francis started to look worried as well. The frown on his face increased tenfold when a man waddled out of the boathouse with a piece of paper in hand and a smug look on his face.

"Send one representative for your vessel and one only. I would speak with them."

An intense yet hushed argument broke out over who should go. Francis settled it by proclaiming that he would go.

"I will speak with you. I have one favour to request though."

The portly man nodded.

"Would you come over in a boat so that I may speak with you without the interference of my crew? We have but one craft small enough, and it is tied up next to you."

Ashildr wondered why he was so formal in his speech.

"I fear for my safety with such a large crew such as yours. I will send for a large ship to bring you all ashore so your case may be dealt with."

"I swear on my word as captain of the Aurora that we will not harm you."

The man had disappeared into the building he had come from.

Ashildr privately wondered why he was so afraid of a small unarmed ship.
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An enormous ship sailed out of the port's harbour. It had what looked like fifty armed soldiers aboard. What was the danger from less than twenty unarmed men?
Ashildr realised they must have been attacked recently. There was no other explanation for it. Her musings were cut to a halt when the ship slowed beside the Aurora. They threw a rope over between the ships and beckoned for the crew to board.

"We'll dock your ship for you." It was an order, not an offer.

Ashildr and her companions hesitantly headed over the side of the ship and toward the soldiers.

They were hustled belowdecks into a small room. It was very crowded. There was barely enough room for Ashildr to lift her arms up to run her hands through her hair. For a long time nobody said a word. She didn't know how long they sat in that room, but it heated up fast. The men all took off their shirts while Isabelle and Ashildr stood in misery. They had been there for hours. The room smelled like sweat and heat. Isabelle swayed.

"Careful. You might fall."

"I'm fine," Isabelle said in a voice that indicated that she was most definitely not fine.

"Just breathe."

Isabelle was red with heat. Her normally tanned skin matched Ashildr's red dress.

"Isabelle? Are you sure you're okay?"

Isabelle didn't answer. She stumbled again.

"Make some room for her to sit down! And call for help! They can't refuse to help her."

The men obliged by scooting away from her, allowing enough space for Isabelle to sit and lean against the wall. Ashildr started shouting for help.

"There's a sick girl here! She needs help!"

"Mmnotsick," Isabelle muttered. She really didn't look good. Her face was red and her small body was soaked with sweat.

After what seemed an eternity of fruitless yelling, the door opened.

A woman stepped in. She pushed through the hot knot of bodies to get to Isabelle. When she put her hand on Isabelle's forehead, her eyes went wide. So did Isabelle's. They stared at each other. It reminded her of how Stein and Jacques looked at each other, or her mother and father. Then it hit her. Isabelle was the woman's other half.

Her soulmate.