Hi, it's Snow here! New chapter for the new year.

The boat had been sailing a few days now, and Roger was pleased enough to say that he had already established some sort of routine. He would wake up at the earliest he could, write in his notebook about what the journey was like (for Alek to read) before getting dressed, and heading towards his father's cabin. This he would check and tidy, before heading towards the main cabin where everyone would be having breakfast.

After a lengthy breakfast where the professors would be having a 'discussion' before going on to the lounge cabin. They would discuss theories and Roger would then go back to his room until they were done, checking up on the plant books and the small potted tomato plant his mother had given him to take with him. The flowers were not even yellow on the green plant, but Roger knew that soon they would be, and it was something for him to do. Praskovia fluttered in a butterfly form around the plant, and checked it for any wilting. This morning, it appeared to be fine. He pulled out a novel that one of the professors had given him for the journey. It was one of these about brave explorers in the deep of the jungle, battling against rivals who got away with attempted murder, and was interesting to him because of its description of the flora, which he could match with the descriptions in his book of plants.

After this, he would usually spend an hour on deck, during which Bill would sometimes come talk to him. Praskovia would spend her time practicing looking like a seagull, or occasionally a dolphin. She seemed to enjoy it. As he stood today, Terrence came to stand next to him.

"Saw that friend of yours before we sailed," he said casually, causing Roger to look up in surprise.

"The tall one. Looked a bit unhappy that you were leaving."

Roger made a sort of face, sticking his lip out slightly. "What can I do about that? I have to help my father, and I want to go talk with the witches." He turned to Terrence.

"Your mother misses you just as much as Alek is apparently missing me, and you still go traipsing about."

Terrence gave a small, humourless laugh. "That one is so sharp, he'll cut himself. Yes, but my mother has other children to look after, and I make money I can send to her to help with that." His gaze went to the boy again. Most children would have said that they missed their friend as well, or at least have looked sad. Roger seemed to just consider this, before turning it against the person who told him, bringing their lives into it rather than discussing his own. He seemed not to care that his friend was missing him, but from what his sister had told him, it was more that he wasn't comfortable with talking about himself, or how he felt. He didn't like showing his emotions, because he considered them his.

He certainly had an interesting personality. Turning back to Roger, he raised an eyebrow. "What does Alek get from your absence?"

Roger sniffed noticeably. "He gets a chance to learn how to cope with it, ad a book on how the journey went. Perhaps a souvenir."

How cold he wanted to seem! It was unlikely he really felt okay with leaving his friend behind, but how distantly he treated his own feelings! Terrence petted his daemon before sighing.

"What does he believe he should get?"

Roger closed his eyes and didn't answer, and Terrence left him to it.

"Think on it, lad. And don't push yourself away so much. It's hardly healthy."

…

Alek sighed as he sat on the wall where he usually sat accompanied by Roger. Their initials were scratched into one of the bricks, along with Cathy and Theo's. Unfortunately, those two had not been able to meet up with him today, due to their mother requiring help now that Bill was on the journey with Terrence and Roger and the professors. It was rather cold and lonely where he sat, but he would rather be sat here than just wandering about on his own with his hands in his pockets.

He wondered if Roger was alright…It could get cold out at sea. Roger did like the cold, but if he got too cold he could be downright grumpy and prickly to the extreme.