Hana smiled tightly as the boy pretended to think through her offer. The slow rhythm of these things needed to be respected- she needed to make him want to learn, or else he wouldn't stick with it. And since she doubted she'd be able to force him to do anything, this would have to come from him. Oh well, it wasn't like she had much else to do to keep her entertained on the trip. 

When he transformed into a bird and flew away, the shock had begun to wear away. Yes, he was a boy. Yes, he could transform into near any living thing. The fact that he couldn't read was more of a concern to her than the fact that he had the power to raze cities. Hm. Well, he was returning anyway, the bird becoming a boy scampering over, ignoring the rumbling admonishments of the Captain. The boy had a certain flair for ignoring authority figures when it suited him. Well.

Hana watched as Rio dutifully scrawled out his names. He had his letters right, and she'd met Grand Mages with worse hand writing than his. After he had finished writing his name, and giving a crack at hers, she gently took the parchment and charcoal from him. "Goodness, it's dark out here." She remarked. Breaking a piece of charcoal, she rubbed it between her fingers and a ball of light the size of an apple guttered into existence, producing a soft warm light. 

"That was very good, Rio. It's good to know that you can start spelling things out that you don't know the words too." Hana began writing with the charcoal, and Rio tilted his head to watch the paper. 

HANA

HANABAPTISTE SEUVILLE

MISS SEUVILLE

"The first one is the nickname you gave me, the second is my full name. Seuville is my family name. When I'm instructing you on how to read and write, I'd like you to call me Miss Seuville, as that's what children call teachers in Elbar. Is that alright with you?" Taking the playbook from her vest pocket, Hana handed it to Rio, who studied the slim book's cover before carefully opening it.

"This is a script for a play I once saw. It's a comedy about a carpenter who falls in love with a noblewoman, and pretends to be a knight to win her hand. The names on the side show which character is talking, and the rest of the words show what they're saying. Afterwards, I can read to you from the Midengarium. That's an old story that used to be told aloud like how Vokurians still do. It's about a group of heroes who try and save the world from the forces of evil."

Focusing her gaze on Rio, she saw his mouth slightly agape, brain rushing to process everything she'd said and make sense of it. Perhaps she shouldn't overwhelm him like that. He blinked, focused on Hana and beamed at her.

---

Pieter listened to the soft notes float around the tired girl. The soothing melodies vibrated against the polished wood. But even as Pieter sauntered across the deck, pipe in his mouth, he felt a small knot settle in his chest. He didn't know just how Uban would react to Pieter's request. Although Pieter probably had children all over the world, none of them could be his heir. Not really. A man needed someone to carry on his legacy, and the only one who could do that would have to be a sailor. And Uban, well, he hadn't been a sailor long. Frankly, Pieter worried that life at sea was only temporary for Uban. He knew plenty of folk who returned from bouts of piracy to live relatively peaceful lives on land. Uban's eyes were closed, and he soundlessly mouthed words to himself as he plucked the strings. Pieter recognized the tune. It was a nice one, coming from a place not too far from where they were. A place of lush green grass and gentle summers. It was a popular song, and he'd heard it played in taverns and markets since he was a lad. But Uban played it kinder than most, he gave the almost tired tune a touch of love to it, giving meaning to the performance. Pieter tapped out his pipe on the railing, letting the ash fall into the sea. The embers winked out without a sound as they hit the water. The music stopped, then began again, softer and slower, letting time hang before each note and chord. Uban was listening.

"Uban... I.." Pieter began, pausing. He said, "Uban I ask if you will become my apprentice and if you will enter the service of the Gods of the Sea. I ask this of you as the [i]Borealis'[/i] minister and as a Priest of the Salt."