The bearded captain shook Illinfer's hand excitedly, greeting her again in the strained version of the trading language he knew. Rhoynar swapped the language back to the common tongue of the trading ports beyond the Second East and engaged the man in a discreet conversation for a moment. The Captain was a burly fellow with strong arms and a heavy beard. Its end  reached the middle of his chest with two thick braids following its entire length. The words between the two of them were spoken quickly, with urgency. One word 'vaskah' was repeated. After a moment, the Captain clapped the young man on the shoulder and the pair exchanged a clear expression of gratitude. 

Rhoynar returned to the railing of the ship and stared out at the vista of blue beyond.
"I have not been there for a few years, three summers. Little will have changed. King's will have fallen, cities will have changed lords but the world will remain the same. Have you ever seen a desert? Imagine crystal yellow sand as far as the eye can see, rolling hills of nothing but sand, with no distinguishable landmarks. Imagine walking for days with no signs of life except the carrion birds flying above." His hands gestured across the horizon, displaying widely the world he'd grown up in. With a small smile, he turned his attention to the cities. 

"Now imagine a bustling city, busier than anything you've seen. Far busier than Astipor or even Eleusis. Buildings tall and towering, lined with gold. Trees tall and green, but not like here. Their leaves don't fall, they have no need. The green never leaves the Second East. The market will be larger with more strange fruits and spices." He paused for a moment, his gaze shifting to his hands. His expression no longer signified anything of joy for his home land.

"They call my home a place of savages. Whilst the people of the Second East are not as such, there are people who could easily be deemed as such. It is not uncommon to have a slave or in fact numbers of them. The rich families are prosperous and they have little dignity to hide it. People abroad are not like in Astipor. My city is free, beyond this ocean things are more complicated. I do not say this to worry you, I wish for you to be safe. Our journey will take us through Meerai and onwards beyond the trading cities. Cities beyond the Assihan Desert are less inclined to the beliefs of the country you call home. Remain calm and things will be such."

The rumors of unrest and insurrection stretching beyond the slaving cities played heavily on his mind. They're journey could easily have diverted because of such trouble. The tight schedule they progressed could not allow for any commotion.