-Sun's Dawn, 6th, 4E 202-

Starting where I left off with Captian Strozze I suppose I should give a give a description him, he was middle aged and had a worn scarred face, with a wart here and there, had no left leg below his mid shin, and substituted a peg. ''Welcome to the Widows tear! I'll have M'zzakiel here who you've already been acquainted wit show ya to where ya will be sleep'in.'' The redguard began walking out of the room, ''alright khajiit, fallow me''. I smiled at Geraldian and nodded, he smiled and waved, and I turned following M'zzakiel out of the room.

I followed him through an open hatch in the deck to a narrow hall running the length of the ship, he led me down further to the lower part of the ship where the crewmen slept. He stopped in front of a hammock identical to the ones around it. ''This is the hammock you will be sleeping in, ask Anmier for what you'll be doing, but not at this moment, he had a little too much mead while in town'' said M'zzakiel also pointing to a thick black bearded imperial man in another hammock snoring loudly. He was skinny and fair skinned, wore ragged trousers along with a blue striped shirt. When I turned to face M'zzakiel after studding the man in the hammock I managed to see his feet briefly on the top stairs leading up.

I got familiar with the ship after that, the third level down where I slept, the second level was boxes and storage from what I could see, a sailor quickly chased me out when he saw me peeking in. The hold of the ship was empty, there were two large life boats on the main deck, one stacked on the other, blocking the windows of the captains quarters from the deck, I didn't go in there, being mindful of not giving the captain a reason to kick me off the ship. I explored more, the deck where the wheel that steered the ship was located, the deck on the front of the ship, and the balcony like deck located lower in front of that. There was a level lower than where the crewmen slept, but you had to crouch to navigate it, it was the bottom of the boat, quite cold down there too.

After I got associated with the ship it was dark, so I went to my hammock, put my things under it and climbed in. It was quite awkward at first, but very comfortable once you adjusted. I relaxed quickly and fell asleep to the sound of water sloshing against the hull of the ship.

I was awoken by Anmier tapping me on the face with the back of his hand. ''Alrighty time tah get up, rise'n'shine, ya'v got a lot of work ahead of ya'' said Anmir. I jumped down from the hammock and followed Anmir to the deck whilst he explained I would be helping withdraw the main mast. The ship rocked in long gradual droves and creaked. He began to explain different knots but I enlightened him that I already knew knots well. Another thing I can thank Evictous for. When we stepped up to deck the storm that I experienced back in Wayrest had followed us out. The sky was gray and the waves were choppy, but the full force of the storm was still behind us, but fast approaching with every moment. A crack of thunder sailed over the waves to us. I climbed up the rope ladder thing on the side of the ship as quickly as I could. As I reached the top and looked back down I saw Anmir still only a third of the way up. I asked the sailor in the crow's nest what to do, then walked along the mast's arm and got to position, When Anmir climbed over the top, he saw me already on the other side waiting. We grabbed our ropes and jumped down, quickly at first, it was quite refreshing the smell of sea salt, the wind in my fur, being able to observe the bay for miles around, that sensation in your gut of descent. As I was a quarter of the way down a large gust blew me over the side of the ship and over the open ocean briefly before I slowly swung back. As we approached the deck the weight of the large mast slowed our descent as we reached the bottom. Anmier amended me on my skill and we began to get the smaller sail set.

After we finished the sail and mast duties many hours later, the storm was in full force, the ship rocked far from side to side, beaten by the waves. We went below deck where most of the other sailors resided. Many were in their hammocks, but some presided over a card game on a table that was nailed to the floor, to prevent it from sliding from the rocks that were very wide pivoting, for lack of a better term. The sailors in the hammocks humorously were sound asleep, as large rocks sent their hammocks swinging far across the room, some going right over the card game in the middle of the room. Whilst the players ignored this completely, and secured their drinks in-between makeshift drink fasteners made from four or five nails sticking out of the table top.

Anmir joined the game as I walked to my hammock, dodging rocking sailors in hammocks along the way. I caught hold and climbed into my hammock, watched in wonder as I swung a length of the room like the other sailors, the only light cascading the room from the candle stuck on the table, and I quickly rocked to sleep. I drempt of snow kissed mountains and snowy forests.

I was awoken to the sound of what I now understand cannon fire. I lept from my hammock and raced up the stairs to the source of the thunder. It came from the level above mine. Cannons were uncovered from cleverly disguised covers that looked like box stacks. The sailors were all mounted to one, firing them. I ran to the deck to escape the defining noise, to see we were attacking another ship. I looked above to our mast and saw a black banner, with a skull and crossbones on it.

I looked around so see pirates I had thought sailors running around, carrying out a multitude of tasks. Captian strozze on the deck above his quarters, barking orders, A cannonball whistled past my face and I dove to the deck, against the mast as to not get trampled by the pirates. Strozze lifted his Shimitar high into the air giving a signal, his crew jeered and began swinging over to the innocent ship. A few moments later they began throwing over boxes and barrels to the Widows tear, often securing them to ropes and swinging them over. After a while, the merchant ship began to list heavily to the side away from us and back, The pirates regained their ropes they had swung over on and swung back. After all were back on board, they began firing relentlessly into the other ship, cheering, and speeding up her sinking. As she slipped beneath the waves, they began lifting each other up and carrying each other down to the quarters in loud rowdy celebrations. Once all were accounted for, they began singing songs and drinking. I sat quietly in the back, not sure what to make of everything.

After a few more weeks and two or three more ships, we began sailing west, towards daggerfall. I continued my duties on the masts, as promised, and was accommodated by some pirates for it. The afternoon Daggerfall came into view in the distance I became excited that my voyage would soon come to an end, and I could search out this Verunda. I went to Captian Strozze and questioned when we would be docked at Daggerfall. A wicked grin came upon his face and said we would be there in about an hour, and that I should go below deck and carry out duties. After some time just shy of a hour I collected my things, nonchalantly picked up a gold ring on a table as a souvenir of my time with the pirates and headed to the deck. When I looked out on the twilight lit bay a storm was fast approaching from the east, Daggerfall was just barely visible and land being mostly a grey hue on the horizon behind us. I rushed to Captian Strozze who was looking out from the deck above his quarters and asked what the meaning of this was.

''You've proven yourself quite useful over your time here lass. No I find I'm much more comfortable with you as a permanent member of my crew, we sail to Black Marsh. Forget about your auntie lass, you've never met her in ya life and I doubt she'd help ye simply dropping on her doorstep.'' Said the Pirate Strozze. ''I suppose I'll swim ashore then.'' I said with anger at his deceit. The Captian cackled ''If ye fancy a watery grave at the bottom of Iliac bay, then go ahead and try. The distance and approaching storm would be too much to overcome, even to a strong swimmer!'' He turned away and faced a few paces away from me, I unsheathed my bow and fed an arrow into it, I had been practicing in the crawlspace under the quarters. When the captain turned around to face me, hearing the creak of my bow I had his left eye.'' He recoiled from the pain then lunged at me, I slid to the side and knocked him over, tripping his peg leg then leapt onto the rail and dived.

It was a bit further down than I expected and the moment before contact with the water, I panicked a bit, when I splashed down, I didn't lose and arrows from my quiver as it was so stuffed, they held each other in place, under the water watching the bottom of the boat continue on its path, I recovered my bow before it could sink to far down, and sheathed it onto my back. I came to the surface and began swimming.

Swimming in the ocean was very different from swimming in a river or pond as I learned immediately but I swam all the same. I swam for quite a long time, lifting up my head every so often to ensure I was still on my target. Soon it was night and I was swimming in the dark, although my eyes adjusted accordingly. The storm approached, and I began to become a little fearful. Eventually the storm arrived and I was swimming through less than favorable conditions, I couldn't even see the coast with the waves, rain, and wind anymore, but I continued, pushing hard over the waves.

But after not long I began to feel my strength go, but I continued. Then I felt myself smack against a rock. I clung to it with my now weak body, with the last of my energy I climbed it, and collapsed on top of it, spent, and panting. I lost consciousness, the waves in my dream sounded like loud roars from a creature. But on one loud roar I regained my awareness and pushed myself up. I felt even stronger than I did before, I got my footing and stood, grabbing the rock for support. I saw that Daggerfall, now lit with nightlights, it was much closer than before, but still a great distance away. I took a few deep breaths, stretched my muscles and then climbed down the rock some, and caught a wave off of it when it came.

When I got tired, I would use this trick I discovered to ride the waves until I gained back some stamina. After a while I realized it was more efficient to do this all the time. As I came to shore, I should barely stand, my leg's trembled with exhaustion, and after walking a safe distance from the water, I collapsed onto the ground, listening to the waves crash onto the shore. I turned my head to the ground, kissed it, and whispered, ''Daggerfall'' I turned my head back and fell asleep.