Chapter 2
After 37 years aboard the Sea Dragon's Wings, Orithyia had become an essential member of the crew. She spent her day assisting the ship's navigator by interpreting the ocean's messages that a normal human could not fathom. With her help, the crew avoided many dangerous situations until the captain chose to accept a particularly dangerous Oath from an overly ambitious noble house. Only the captain knew the contents of the cargo loaded onto the ship and the Oath he swore prevented him from disclosing to the crew what they were hauling to a distant unexplored coast.
Some members of the crew were uneasy traveling in uncharted waters, but Orithyia had no need for ocean maps and was confident in her ability to lead the crew to safety. Unfortunately, she was not the lead Navigator on the Sea Dragon's Wings. Several months into the journey, the ship came across an unprecedented divide in the ocean. A great, narrow, island broke the ocean in two with choppy waters to the west and glasslike waters to the east. Orithyia listened to the water and advised the captain to take the western route, but all officers voiced their desire to enjoy the eastern calm waters. The captain heeded his officers, and the crew fell prey to a terrible sea monster who lures in ships with the promise of smooth sailing.
After the loss of a third of his crew, the captain ordered the ship to return to the divide and take the western path. Rough waters aside, the sailors were able to safely pass the unusual island without further incident. However, another unusual incident occurred where the ship was caught in a great whirlpool. Again, Orithyia was the discordant voice when the sailors' experience demanded they sail tangent to the spiral but instead Orithyia insisted they sail through the center. The Sea Dragon's Wings managed to escape the whirlpool, but not without severe damage to its rudder when they disregarded Orithyia's advice.
Exasperated, Orithyia demanded the captain explain why he had not heeded her warnings. The response was a resounding slap across the face and an uncharacteristically brutal lecture about rank. In her humiliation and frustration, Orithyia sauntered below deck and was quickly approached by the ship's cabin boy, Douglas. Douglas mentioned to Orithyia that several other crew members were equally frustrated with the captain's poor decision making before casually suggesting that Orithyia should be captain. With her as the captain, he reasoned, they would never lose a single man again.
That night, Orithyia and Douglas gathered a smattering of like-minded individuals and took the captain hostage. Orithyia had no intention of violence, but amidst such a traumatic voyage, some of the other mutineers did not share her desire for peace. The officers and more experienced sailors rallied and crushed the mutiny; Douglas and 3 other sailors were slain and many others injured. Orithyia was sent to the brig for the remainder of the journey. During which, her only company was the fierce storm that had awakened within her.
Upon landfall, the Sea Dragon's Wings found a surprisingly civilized land and safely delivered their cargo to a mysterious recipient. The captain then released Orithyia from the brig and offered forgiveness on the condition that she be reduced to the lowest rank within the Ocean Striders and be transferred off his ship upon return to familiar waters. Something inside Orithyia shuddered at the thought of returning to the rank and file. Moreover, her shame from betraying the only family she had ever known stifled her desire to sail with the Striders. Forever brazen, she became the first person ever to request she be removed from the Ocean Striders' roster. With a heavy sigh, the captain nodded and left Orithyia ashore an unknown world.