Pieter held the trembling boy silently as he processed Rohaan’s revelation. He’d figured that the crew of the [i]Swift[/i] were from the Southern continent, but would never have guessed they were Barizian. They’d have their reason for hunting the slavers, and Pieter was fascinated to hear their story. The words of the turtle, warning about the bloody eel.. The path they were taking was leading to one place, and he was worried they’d need all the help they could get to see it through. 

Looking down at Rohaan, he could only start to guess at the pain and fear he was reliving. The time Rohaan’d spent with them wasn’t an ordinary way to raise a child, but he’d still made progress. There was a sinking feeling in his gut as he thought about the possibility of him reverting to his previous self, so shortly after the horrors he’d been put through at the hands of the slavers. 

Kneeling so he was eye to eye with Rohaan, he said, “It’s because we want to stop the slavers that Berlin decided we’d work with Kaga-met and his crew. They’re monsters that need to be put down. And I don’t know where the remainder of the Vokurians from your island are, but I’ll promise you that we’ll make sure no one else is taken.”

——-

Hana flexed her hand as the shock of Uban’s lightning left her arm full of pins and needles. Relieved at the slow return of feeling, she was sure that anything larger would have left lasting damage. She relaxed listening to Uban’s playful banter. She’d kept to herself during her travels, and was relearning what it meant to share laughter with someone. She admired the smooth curve of his jaw under his full beard. He fell silent, and she looked up at his golden eyes, locked on hers. 

Hana’s breath caught in her throat as he softly spoke, “I… I can feel your heartbeat.” His broad face, normally creased into a cheery smile, was gentle and filled with reverent wonder.” Before she could speak, he had leaned suddenly back and he was laughing again. 

Shaking her head quickly, she exhaled, and started to explain more magic to 

“Unfortunately, a tattoo would be dangerous, if a hostile mage knew about them they could exploit them, putting me in danger. A ring is possible, but that’s what my staff is for,” she gestured at the wooden staff at her feet, it was slightly shorter than her and partially carved with runes, while much of the wood was still bare, “A mage is only as good as their tools, and a fully fledged weather mage has a staff carved with the runes they need, letting them accomplish their work quickly.”

 She looked at her staff, turning it in her hands. It had a few runes, mostly for water and simple changes in temperature, elementary building blocks of a weather mage. Had she stayed in school longer, her staff would have had more runes carved into it, giving her greater mastery of the elements she sought to conquer. 
“Of course, a ring or another piece of jewelry works perfectly well, and has the benefit of being portable, easily hidden, and lets you use it a moments notice. I know that the weapons of the Elbish Expeditionary Corps are enchanted, and lets them cast their spells in the heat of battle.” 

Rambling about magic to Uban felt safe, and let her ignore what she really wanted to talk about, which was asking him what her heartbeat felt like.