She aroused to the sound of shouting which could only come from the rowdy burly Skandians. Sighing as she slowly got out of the bunk that she was using, then hastily put on her outer clothing and slipping on her well-worn and overgrown boots that she had for who knows how long. Before long she was walking softly up the wooden stairs which lead to the top of the deck, opening the door and stepping wobbly onto the deck as it road over another decent sized wave. Then glancing around and noticing Maddie who was enjoying the breeze on the opposite side of the ship where Halt was leaning over the railing while one of the burly Skandians was talking to him rather loud about food. Walking a bit giddily over to Maddie.

"Hey," Maddie said smiling looking down at the young girl.

"Hi..." The girl replied but she did not look into Maddie's eyes.

"Glad you could come with us." Maddie tried again to talk to her.

She nodded her head.

"Your eye feeling any better?" Maddie asked with a hint of concern in her voice.

She glancing at Maddie, but never looking into her eyes, then nodded her head.

Her thoughts began to drift off from her eye to if she had really made the right decision to go to Araluen, she did not fully trust herself to say that she had made the right decision to go or not as if Maddie read her thoughts she said, "You're really going to like Araluen."

Glancing up at Maddie, but never looking into her eyes, she smiled, then sighing, "If only I could believe that myself." She thought to herself.

"Hey, girls," Cassandra said walking up to them.

Maddie raised an eyebrow since when was she a "girl."

Cassandra gave a warning glance at Maddie before turning to smile at the young fifteen-year-old girl.

"I am Cassandra, Maddie's mother." She put a stressed into the word "mother" while giving a glance at Maddie.

"Nice to meet you, ma'am." She said never looking into her eyes.

"Please call me Cassandra or Evalyn if your prefer."

"Yes, ma'am..." She shifted uncomfortably still not looking in her eyes, added, "Evalyn."

Breaking their conversation they heard a yell of surprise coming from the Skandian who had been having a time of his life over by Halt, entail Halt knocked the large Skandian helmet of his head and was now threating to drop in in the sea.

"Don't you dare." The Skandian said in an alert tone of voice.

Halt gave a small smile that never reached his eyes and started to let go of the burly Skandians helmet, the Skandian went to try and grab his helmet from Halt, but when he made his move Halt dropped it into the Sea.

"Oops." Halt said with a careless tone.

The Skandian went to throw a punch at Halt, Halt ducked causing the burly Skandian to punch the thin air, then trying again he failed, to add to his anger Halt throw a double punch under the Skandian's chin then sliding to the left and ducking as the Skandian throw a left side punch at Halt.

"Give it up already Ebrek." One of the Skandians by the name of Svengal shouted.

Ebrek glanced over at his captain, then glaring at Halt he turned around and walked off muttering angry words about Halt. Halt, on the other hand, looked very pleased with himself.

"Old men should not go fighting people." Said the tallest of the rangers with thick brown hair with gray hairs sprinkled in his hair.

"Oh really." Halt said now raising an eyebrow at him then added, "Like your getting any younger."

"Actually, unlike you I am." He said with a sheepish grin.

"Oh, really Gilan I would watch your words," Ebrek called out.

"Yes, Gilan watch your words." Halt said in a low voice, which would advise Gilan to shut it, but Gilan was Gilan.

"Salty pickles do sure sound good right now," Gilan said with a playful smile now spreading widely across his face,

Halt turned green as his stomach turned on him once more the quickly leaning over the railing of the ship to vomited.

"You really cruel to poor old Halt," Cassandra called out to Gilan with the same playful smile across her face.

Just then one of the Skandian's thought it was the best time to call out that breakfast was ready.

Halt quickly leaned over the railing again.

The young girl, on the other hand, rushed over to the people who were getting breakfast ready to put on the fold out wooden table. Taking some of the plates with food on it, balancing it on her arms, walked over to the others, she laid a plate down in front of Cassandra but still never looked into her eyes or anyone else, before she could lay a plate down in front of somebody else Cassandra took a hold of her arm, but not roughly.

"You don't need to do this." She said with a motherly voice. Cassandra knew that she thought it was her job to serve everyone and bend to their wishes and expecting to get punished if she didn't. Cassandra hated seeing this young beautiful girl serving people like a slave, scared and trying to please them.

"Yes, ma'am...Evalyn." The young girl replied slightly embarrassed and confused by being told that she did not need to being serving them, all her life entail she was sent to fight five months ago was told to and to serve and to obey and if you did not do what you were told or messed up even if it was just a little bit you were to be punished whether that was to be whipped or locked up without food and waters for days. Not sure now what to do and feeling all eyes on her, she shifted nervously causing her to accidentally dropped the plates. Fear and dreaded filled her eye, quickly stopping down to pick up the pieces of the broken plates half expecting to be dragged away to be whipped or be kicked over and over, but instead Gilan one of the rangers bet down to help her, she was slightly surprised that anyone would help her especially since she had broken the plates and dropped the food on the floor. Gilan smiled at the young girl trying to reinsurer she but she never looked at him only kept her eyes on the floor as she picked up the glass and food.

"Why is he not kicking me? why is no one angry with me?" These thoughts flooded her mind, she was utterly confused and stumped.

"Maybe he is just waiting for you to clean up the mess." A cloud of doubt filled her mind as she thought that.

"But then why would he be helping me?" She felt a little relieved with that thought in her mind, but it still didn't help her with her confusion of why he was helping her.

Little she knew was that no wanted to hurt her or treat her as a slave, which was part of the reason why she was not sure about going to Araluen and the other half was that she did not know if she had made the right decision about going.


Sry I did not do double spacing. :(