"It was pure luck, really, that this hadn't happened sooner. Two years of keeping out of his reach had really been testing the limits of fate, and the sane voice inside her head kept telling her she would have to face him eventually. The world was b...
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Five years ago
The Wigeon was a cozy little ship, Bata explained that they traded in spices between a few of the cities in and around Ikara. Bata, it turned out, was the brother of the ship's commander - It didn't take long for Bata to convince him to let Sanem on board, and by the time they'd finished loading the last few goods onto the ship they were ready to set off.
Despite her best attempts, Sanem had never managed to get out to sea before. The breeze was salty and the sky a pretty, clear blue, the land shrunk further and further into the distance as the boat sailed away out onto a calm sea. Bata kept her company, the others didn't seem keen to talk as they set to work around the boat. Her new friend offered to show her around, keeping her occupied by teaching her the names of the sails and demonstrating how to tie the mast lines into place with various different knot patterns.
---
Sanem sat with her legs dangling over the edge of the deck, Gypsy sat beside her - having faced an unusual desire to stay in Sanem's bag for most of the journey so far. Bata walked towards her with two bowls of potato broth in his hands as he joined them. The little cat bristled as he got closer.
Sanem shushed her. "Sorry, she's not normally like this."
"Ah, it's alright. Little thing probably just needs to get her sea legs a bit." He handed her one of the bowls.
"Thank you,"
"No worries," He smiled, handing her a wooden spoon. "We should be in Katiket by nightfall."
They ate in companionable silence. The panic Sanem had faced early that day had melted away almost entirely now, she could do this - she was only a few hours away from Katiket. Duckling or not, she had gotten this far all on her own and the hardest part was almost over. Sanem smiled.
"What?" Bata asked fondly, noticing the expression on her face.
"Nothing." She took another sip of soup, stilling suddenly as she felt her cheeks turn cold and pale.
"Alright there, little lady?" Bata asked, concerned.
"Yeah, I just feel a bit..." She didn't know how to describe it, her stomach seemed to be protesting the food and her head was spinning slightly.
"Ah, my apologies. I should have warned you..." He frowned. "Eating can be the best way to set off seasickness in those not used to life on a ship. It might help to sit below deck for a while."
He took her hand, helping her stand up before leading her into a small cabin and providing her with a bucket. 'For emergencies', he explained.
"I'll be right outside if you need anything." He promised, closing the door.
Sanem sat on the bed with her head in her hands, waiting for the wobbling behind her eyes to stop and trying to avoid throwing up. The seas were turning rougher here and her head felt so unbalanced that it was almost as if the room were turning upside down every few minutes. Gypsy watched her nervously.
