The sun was just on the brink of dropping below the horizon behind them as they sailed east. The Black Isle was a third of the way between Olorian and the Frozen Wastes. A few members of the crew were on deck but it was just to kill time, they were currently in smooth sailing territory at the moment. Effie and Captain Nabila stood at the helm.

'It's a bloody loud city innit but, I kinda like it.' Nabila said, reflecting on her brief time on shore in Ovali.

'You'd probably be desensitized to it after a while.'

'You'd have to you.' Nabila replied, 'I'd go mental if I had to plan navigation with that going on around me.'

Hamish returned to the helm, two coffees in hand. 'There you go milk and three sugars for Captain.'

'You are my salvation right now.' Captain Nabila took the mug and blew onto the surface, the heat of the coffee blew back up into her face warming up her nose, before she took a sip. 'Keep this up and I'll kidnap you for my crew.'

Effie tried to stifle a yawn but best she could do was cover her open mouth with her hand. 'I'm gonna go catch some sleep.'

'Night sis.'

'Let me know if that hammock isn't strong enough and I'll get Mat the sort you out.' Nabila offered.

Effie thumped down the stairs. Leaving Hamish and the Captain alone on the helm.

'You know any illumination spells?' Nabila asked. Hamish nodded. 'Do you mind doing the lanterns? I'd ask Mat but if I wake the scamp up now he'll be falling asleep again before sunrise.'

Hamish eyed up the lanterns throughout the ship and with a point of his fingers lit a dozen lanterns simultaneously. Nabila pointed to the one right above them, 'Missed one.'

'You mine if a smoke up here?' Hamish asked tapping his pocket.

'Not at all and I think,' She pulled out a curved pipe from her jacket, mahogany and two foot in length. 'I might join you.'

Hamish raised an eye brow, 'Are you compensating for something captain?' Compared to his four inch ebony wood smoking pipe, it looked a bit silly.

'Erm...yeah, I have no cock,' She patted the front of her ruffled skirt twice. 'So I need to compensate with a giant pipe.' She pulled out a tobacco pouch from her pocket. 'Want to try this bacci?' Holding the pouch up. 'It's cherry flavored.'

'I'm not beneath trying something so fruity.'

'Here' Nabila took out a pinch of her tobacco and stuffed it Hamish's pipe.

'Cheers.' Hamish pointed and lit both of the pipes as well as the lantern he'd missed out before. He took a long drag, the cherry flavour kicked in during the exhale. He enjoyed it.

'My mast as well.' Nabila said, pointing ahead. Hamish raised his eyebrow. 'Compensating with my big, stiff ma-'

'Throbbing.'

She chuckled, 'Yeah, defiantly throbbing mast.' She looked around and whispered. 'Sometimes when I'm alone up here I lie down on my back and put my legs either side of it.'

'Just like a real cock.' Hamish acted surprised. 'Very clever.'

'Except, about thirty feet tall.' She couldn't quite remember the mast height, of the top of her head.

'When I was training back in Gran Orali we heard about a student in Monfri that tried an enlargement spell on his member mid-coitus.'

'Oh...my downstairs hurt just thinking about that.' Captain Nabila winced. 'How that work out for him?' Morbidly curious.

'Alright for him, his gentleman's staff was like twice as big, so result.' Hamish gestured two thumbs up.' Problem was he was on top, the spell made the enlarged area super heavy, lady friend ended up with a tilted pelvis.'

'Fucking hell.' She took a long drag. 'I miss being in training, wild times.'

'Were you in Captain's training?' Hamish asked.

'Sort of, I was in The Passage Navy Academy. Some of the rowdiest parties I've been to were at that academy.'

'Why didn't you stay?'

'See this right here?' Nabila pointed to her small white skull tattoo just next to her eye. 'It's tradition for the graduating class to prank the first years during the last week of term. I get tied to a tree and tattooed with a tiny skull. So I stick a bandage over it, until the end of term. Come back in the second year and I could hide it way better, all healed up and that, just a finger dab of boot polish and I can go to class.'

'How did you get caught?'

'In second year we need to start doing fitness training, we do a ten mile rule, at the finish I'm knackerd wipe my face with my shirt without thinking. Smears off and jig is up.' She shrugged. 'I explain but no one gives a toss. Pirate symbol on Navy personnel, no chance.'

The sun had fully set Nabila just stared out into the darkness ahead and let out a laugh.

'But if I'd of stayed there, I would have to wait another eight years before I would even be considered for captain. So dropped out correction, kicked out. Worked for a few other ships, saved enough for a deposit, get a loan and here I am.' She held out her arms. 'Little girl from South Redbridge A real captain, in massive debt mind you but I can deal with that.'

Hamish smiled, 'Reminds me, I was training to be an arch mage back in Grand Orlei, my mum was over the moon cause arch-mage rarely go out on these grand adventures he-'

'Never seen an arch mage get twated in the face by a Knoll' She interrupted.

He pointed at her, 'Yeah exactly, but he had these daft little sayings, but one that I quite liked was that no matter where you end up is where you're supposed be, because water always finds it's level.'

'Water finds it level huh?' She repeated and nodded her head. 'I like that one.'

They fell into a comfortable silence as they sailed into the night.