Welcome to Gaia! ::

Jackson's eyes widened as he flew back against the ground. His coughing fit grew worse and he struggled with his words. "Sick... can't..." The rest of his words were lost in another fit.

***

[[Oh, I can't tell you, no. But I do talk to the wind every night when the moon gives off the most light. Whatever you hear isn't my doing.]] With the sly giggle of a child, she smiled brightly at him.

Angela did as she was bidden, but found herself trying to peek in the tent whenever possible. What had this stranger done to Jackson? With any luck he had ripped out his tongue, -that- certainly would be a blessing.

Jackson waved his hand after a moment. "I'm... I'm fine, old man. Just had a bit of trouble is all. When I was a boy I had a sickness, caused little episodes like that is all. Please don't trouble yourself over it." His skin had turned a pale shade, but his eyes were bright and clear.

Jackson sipped as he was told, but grimaced at the taste. Opting to just swallow it all in one go, he coughed a little as he downed the remainder. "It does not happen often. The last time was when I was a child. I promise you I am doing fine, better than usual. At least I was out during the hottest part of the day, yes?" He laughed and slapped Khaldun's back, although it was not as hard as others had been.

"The ah.. the elder.. I believe... crazy, rambling fellow? He kept talking about people flying like birds or some such nonsense." Jackson waved his hand, still trying to catch his breath. "Why? Is that a problem, old man?"

The journey was a quiet one. Jackson seemed to recover by the time the party set out, in fact, he seemed more energetic than ever. Although his color had paled considerably (which was quite a feat in the sun) he often struck up conversations with the other men, even though only one would be able to understand his speech. Topics varied from games to business, but it was hardly meaningful conversation. He was clearly involved with the group only on the surface, his eyes flickering from person to person as he spoke. Oddly enough, his eyes never once landed on his lovely fiancee.

Angela enjoyed the silence, retreating to the back of her mind. Her eyes took in the actions of those around her to be processed and filed for later examination. The hired men had not been her idea, but Jackson's. He insisted that no lady should be forced to carry around her own luggage, especially no lady of his. She enjoyed speaking to locals, often finding their odd ways a nice retreat from the old and dull ways of her own lands. It was not long after they were hired that they stopped speaking to her all together, however. She assumed they were under Jackson's orders not to speak to her, but she did not see how distancing herself from four men would help matters any.

Khaldun was a curious creature. In truth, she had grown quite accustomed to thinking of the man as an otherworldly beast. Perhaps it was his connection to those known in these lands as gods, but she could no longer think of him as just a man. If he only knew how badly she would love to get a hold of him properly and take a decent look at him and his abilities. Perhaps having the only mount gave her the feeling that she was out of the view of others, but it was rather clear that the young man had caught her eye.

Jackson was a worry, but only to the subconscious part of her mind. Warning flags came up time and time again as he continued through the journey, but she dismissed them easily as Khaldun was (in her opinion) a far more interesting subject.

Six days had passed since Tomas had come to Cenek's cabin to tell him the bad news concerning their rations. Six days of eating little more than hard-tack and drinking boiled salt water. Six days of quelling the fears of his men (and mutinous fantasies). Six days and they were home. They had somehow made it to the port at Nine Waters.

Most of the men had already disembarked, and some went to the trading company's office to collect wages and apply to work aboard another ship. This voyage had been little short of disaster. Cenek had instructed his officers to take their possessions with them should some drunken sailors decide to mob the ship. Carrying a sack on his shoulder, he led Tomas and the two girls through town to a small townhouse in one of the finer quarters.

Opening the door, a woman of middle height was startled to see her husband walk in with three strangers, two no more than children. A girl of about ten did not seem to care if schedules had been changed, but rushed to the door, crying, [[Papa!]] as she held her arms out to hug him. Cenek placed the sack on the floor and swung her up onto his shoulders. To his family, he said, [[Irenka, Danika, this is our purser and the owner of our ship, Mr. Daemon Tomas. The two girls are his charges, Victoria and Morrigan. I hope they can stay a few days while we're in port.]]

His wife looked expectantly, waiting for the details of what had brought them home, but Cenek did not continue. [[You'll hear the details over a fine meal. Four stomachs had little more than hard-tack this week,]] he added as he took a seat at the table.

As the family and its guests sat at the table, Cenek related all that had befallen the ship: Khaldun's demise, the relentless storms, the march of the spirits, the mutinies, the rationing. Through it all, Irenka shook her head, and it was only at the end that she bid her husband give up his life at sea. He refused; they had this conversation every time he returned home from a failed voyage, and every time, it was the same.

After dinner, Danika pulled the girls with her to her room, where they could play with her dolls. The adults stayed at the table for a drink. Irenka made polite conversation, asking the foreign boy how he had come to know a life at sea, but that was quickly ended by business.

[[Did you finish that report, Tomas?]] Cenek inquired brusquely. [[We'll be speaking to Ulysses at eleven tomorrow.]]

Tugging his beard, an all too familiar gesture, Cenek said, [[Hmm...I suppose. You don't know our city, though, Tomas. It would be best if you stayed on this street. Always keep the house in sight. I should be awake to let you in.]] He took another swig of wine. It was good to be home. Now if only he didn't have to worry about tomorrow.