Going up the stairs was a workout now. Flora took it slowly, only ever one step at a time, and sometimes she would have to stop halfway up to catch her breath. She hadn't intended to get so out of shape, but with the weight of the child, she couldn't really do much about it. Still, going up to the garden every few days was worth it, since the greenhouse was filled with wonderful flowers and fruits. Blackberries were still in season, though not for much longer, and the first few cobs of corn were starting to form. She would normally be on her own, with Trace having gone down to Edinmire earlier in the morning, but when she got up the stairs, Flora was surprised by a friendly smile. "Oh! If I had known you were coming up today, I would have walked with you!"

Flora couldn't help but smile back. "That's alright, though I am going to have to sit for a bit before harvesting anything."

"Do you need me to get anything? A book or a drink?"

"As kind as that offer is, I still can't read, and I have no interest in learning."

"I had forgotten, I'm sorry."

"Oh, don't be. Here, help me over to one of the benches, my legs are sore from the steps." Kathrin took one of Flora's arms, walking slowly over to the marble benches in the greenhouse. The air was humid and hot, but that was usual. The scent of flowers and fruits filled their noses as they were bathed in the sunlight that filtered through the glass. With a heavy sigh, Flora plunked down on the stone, wishing it didn't take so much out of her to just walk. "Thank you."

"I'm happy to help. You've done so much, from putting up with Eric and Karen to helping Mike around the estate."

"Just be glad Eric's changed since we first met. I would not have put up with him for this long if he didn't."

Kathrin rolled her eyes, but nodded. "Understandable. I actually have a question for you: have you and Trace thought of any names? You're pretty far along, you ought to think of that."

Flora couldn't hold in her laughter. "I've come up with the names, Trace is terrible at it though!"

"Really? What's he thinking?"

"I don't know. He's just awful at coming up with names. Every time we talk about this, he pulls out a list, but it's just people that he already knows, but with a few letters changed. Florb, Keath, Natamy, that sort of thing. It's horrible, but I feel so bad for laughing at him!" Kathrin had to stop, falling to the ground in a fit of laughter, clutching her side. They could do nothing but laugh together for minutes on end, barely able to breathe, filled with mirth at Trace's expense.

"Those are terrible! Please tell me you have something better!"

"It can't be any worse!" She shook her head, wiping tears from her eyes. "I was thinking that if it's a boy, we could name him Corris, or if it's a girl, we can call her Naomi."

"Those are both really good! Whatever you end up with, I'm sure it will fit them perfectly."

…

The deck creaked beneath them, the sounds of sailors calling to one another creating a cacophony of noise around them. Jhani walked perfectly straight, his sea legs proving to be well worth the apparent years on the open water, while Anriea and Barret staggered their way across the rocking ship. "Don't you have a cabin we could sit in? At least somewhere to sit?"

"I do, but I also need to be able to see my friends. They look to me to lead and give them guidance, so I must be present for them. However, some seats could be arranged. Jes! Bring us a few chairs from the deck hall!"

Barret watched as the wolf handed off the crate, and bounded down a nearby set of stairs. "I thought this was a tribe of Ishtaer? It seems that there is more of everyone else."

"Aye, there's a lot of other folks. Men and women who chose to join us, for they had nowhere else to go. Who are we to turn away those in need? Besides, it's not like we can manage this fleet with less than seventy bodies. For this ship alone, a skeleton crew would need fifty, and that's stretching everyone thin. And it's not like we don't interact with the world, since these ships are not of our make. We can't build another boat while on open water, and so we must moor sometimes."

"You always were like this." Anriea said as she took a seat on the plain wooden chair. "Taking in an injured deer, and nursing it back to health in secret. Or rather, what you thought was secret. Everyone knew what you were doing, we just let it happen."

"So, how do you two know each other? Clearly you grew up together, but were you close?"

"I suppose so." Jhani rubbed the back of his neck, leaning against the railing. "She's a few years older than me, but I remember that we were friends."

"If you were old enough, you would have chased after me when I left." Anriea smirked. "The way you looked at me was the way Barret looked at his beloved. Always pinning for me, always trying to catch my eye, but I was too oblivious then to see it. Even if I had noticed, I don't think it would have worked out. After leaving, I went all the way to the west coast, where I spent my days in peace and quiet, which would have driven you mad. You never could sit still."

"It would have worked out. I would have made it work."

"So then why didn't you go after her?" Barret leaned over, trying not to focus on the rocking of the ship.

"Do you think I didn't want to? I didn't know where to look. She vanished, like a spectre in the night. But I would have gone after you if I could." There was silence between them, while the roar of voices around them surged as men together pulled a rope connected to a cargo crane. "Ah, enough about me though, I have been looking forward to meeting you. Tell me, Barret, which of the rumors are true? I have heard a great many of them."

"I'm not sure what rumors you may have heard. I am a simple man who only does what I see as right."

"Then tell me: did you really level a Templar fortress? Outrun an army? Stared down a dragon in cold blood? Tell me everything."

Barret's eyes went wide. "I have no idea where you heard any of that from. I broke out of a fortress, not leveling it. I led a hundred prisoners to Edinmire, and we did in fact outrun the Templar army, but I have never even met a dragon before. Whoever is spreading such rumors is a liar."

"But a good one at that. And one you should be grateful for, as there are others who spread lies to slander and undermine you. There are many who would see you dead if they had merely a minute or a good line of sight on you. For everything I hear that inspires awe and wonder, there is another who tells of weakness and cowardice. I have chosen to ignore them. A legend like you should be seen in glorious light, not harrowed by shadows."

Barret rolled his eyes at the word. "Legend. I am no legend. I never wanted to be one. I didn't ask for that, or any of this. My place is in the wilds, with a good, sturdy bow in my hand, and a set of tracks for me to follow. Everyone seems to think I'm something that I'm not. I'm no leader, I'm no warrior, I'm no legend."

"Your actions tell otherwise." Anriea earned herself a hard glare, but he had no rebuttal. "Jhani, you mentioned that you didn't make this ship. Where did it come from? Who would be willing to make a ship so fine for our kind?"

"None of the nineteen ships in our fleet came from the same place. The Ienorcame from an island to the west, actually off of nearly every map, the Qorasis of Basidian make, and this ship, the Azu'el'raktuncomes from a hidden shipyard on the far, far, far northwest side of the coast. That's why they all look so different, why their styles and hulls are unique. Each one has it's strengths and weaknesses, and it reminds us every day that together we are only as strong as our weakest, and as weak as our strongest. The Vassis a perfect example of this. It's wide and shallow, having sacrificed speed for capacity. It cannot help during the hunt or the chase, but we would suffer without it, as we can carry much within it's hold."

"And we are going to need the entire thing." They turned to see Keiren walking over with Lynn behind him, the Basitin scribbling on a piece of paper as he walked, eyes darting between charts and lists. "If you are still willing to help, we need food more than anything else. Our storehouses can hold a lot, and the Fox clans have brought much, but we are going to go through it very quickly with everyone here. Any food you can find, we will pay extra for."

"Food is all you need? Here I was, ready to go all the way to Hatchet's Harbor for lumber and steel, but food is not an issue! Jes! Send word to the fleet, we make for open waters! We're going to catch us some whales!"

"Whales? You can bring down whales?" Lynn suddenly looked up, shocked.

"We've hunted more dangerous prey before. And don't worry about paying us with coin. We have no need for it. All we ask is safe passage, and the chance to restock anything we may need in return."

Keiren smiled, and put the bag of gold back on his belt. "Of course. Anything you need, we will be happy to provide."

"Suppose you'd better get back to the docks, won't take us long to launch. It has truly been a pleasure to see you again Anriea."

"And you as well. Safe travels."