Damn ship. Unbalanced floors. Outside was endless water. Hiei adjusted the cords he had tied around his wrists to fend off the nausea. The last time he had been on a ship, over twelve years ago, a sailor had showed him this trick. Tie a cord around the wrists with the thick knot digging into the inner wrists' flesh. The pinch pinched nerves, making nausea unnoticeable. Nishi was not happy that he used one of the pillow cases from the ship to make them though.

In the first evening on the ship, his girl was deplorably moody over her own dislike and nausea caused by all this water. Nishi felt guilty about having them get on the ship to go South, even though she knew it was the fastest way for her to get to her uncle. She brought that up after dinner that his girl skipped. Hiei clicked his teeth at that. The port they would reach was Sarayashiki, so they had to stay on the ship for the long haul.

After dinner, her boy convinced Nishi to go with him to explore the ship, maybe even find a library. Nishi agreed, but checked on his girl first, asking how she was feeling and if she wanted to go with them. When his girl refused rudely, Nishi asked her if she wanted any books. Another rude refusal. Nishi looked slightly wounded when she and her boy left.

Once the two of them were gone, Hiei went into his girl's room, what was left of the ruined pillow case in hand. His girl sat on her bed attached to the wall, laying curled up, facing said wall. She groaned, looking over at him and then away. "Go away," she grouched boldly.

He stepped over to her anyway. He loomed over, pulling her small wrist over to him. She flinched, trying to pull her wrist away, but he did not let her go. "This will help," he explained. He finished with her first wrist, but with the way she was laying, he could not reach her other wrist. "Turn over," he ordered softly. "Other wrist."

She huffed, such a high pitch and annoying tone. She at least rolled over and sat up, proffering her other wrist. Her free hand rested on her achy stomach. "What will this do?" she whined out.

"It help with the nausea," he answered.

"How? My wrists are nowhere near my stomach," she grumbled. She fidgeted with one of them, tempted to rip it off or burn it off.

"Rip it off. Go ahead," he said in an uncaring tone. He leaned his back against the wall on the other side of the narrow room.

He watched her, not giving away that he was watching her. She was more perceptive now. Her hand rubbed over her stomach less tenderly now. She was less nauseous. "What can you give me to get off this ship?" she asked, turning her gaze towards him. Same color as his, but softer, like a liquid fire rather than a blazing fire. Her son had the same. Pity neither of them had inherited Nishi's more expressive brown eyes...

"You'll get off this ship when we dock, just like everyone else," he answered.

She looked irritated, ready to explode at him for that. "Why are we on this stupid ship anyway?! Why did Mother drag us onto it? In these tiny rooms. She's the Angel, I'm the Lady of Alaric. If I'm stuck on this ship, the least she could have done is get us better rooms!"

Hiei looked at her, unfazed by her outburst. Nishi might have risen to it or she might have approached it calmly. Calmly was an easier way to manage his girl when she was in a foul mood. Being forced unexpectedly to face her biggest fear mixed with nausea would force anyone to be in a foul mood. She was too old for that now. Eleven. She had to learn to stomach it.

"Hn. Your mother would never do that. Too frugal for one. Also, she looks down on those throw titles around to get their way. She hates that title by the way. The Angel," he shook his head. "You can go though. Go find the captain. Demands better rooms. See how far entitlement can get you," he answered.

Her face softened, but was still scowling. "What's the point of being a lady if I can't use it?" she grumbled. Her hand came off her stomach. The nausea must have been subsiding a little at least. The cords would need a bit more time to work, but it was allowing her a better mood at least.

Talking would also distract her from her fear and negative attitude. "You can use it when you're older. To attract a suitor worth your time." She frowned at him, looking perplexed. "The prince even," he said in a joking tone. He could not help but hope she might actually like that idea.

She shook her head. "And what if I don't want to marry? What if Izo does it instead so I don't have to. He can give me an heir instead," she had a joking tone, too. Yet with a hint of serious thought. "He can marry someone who sees himself for who he truly is, not what he is." It was almost a perfect quote from Nishi.

He blinked at her, studying her. "Are you hungry yet?" he asked her. She shook her head. "What do you want to do then? Sit in your room and mope about how unfair your mother is?" he asked sarcastically.

"No," she grumbled.

He stepped towards the door, leaving it open as he went through it, saying, "you don't have to go anywhere where you can see the water, but you do need to check that attitude. You can't control the water, but you can control your behavior."

"Yes, Father," she answered in a defeated tone.