The Purchase: Southward Bound

	To be frank, it was rather childish and shortsighted of me to so readily volunteer for the assignment, I had hardly discussed the notion with Lif, let alone considered the true implications of traversing a foreign country during such tenuous times. However a month or so in a land as vibrant and unique as Mikonos, as compared to the typical Six-Stay in the regular army, seemed a rather easy choice as far as pre-enlistment options went, and that aside; part of me worried that trading away those years of my life so early on might steal away my infantile dreams of heroism and glory. What was one month outside of my homeland, compared to the innumerable options that would present themselves once I was an officially marked Druid, after all?
	Though Ms. Aveshj seemed the slightest bit on edge, which was understandable considering the ramifications of her last major boat ride, she did little to outwardly state her discomfort aboard the trade clipper. We had been together less than two months by this point but I had little difficulty in picking up or her subtle hints of anxiety or annoyance; perhaps in large part due to the fact that she rarely spoke them outright.
	I turned to the captain of the comparatively small vessel, a mature sailor by the name of Miranos, and tilted my head towards the bow of the ship. “How long do you think the voyage will be Sir Miranos? Have you ever been to Mikonos yourself?”
	I wanted to seem calm and genuinely curious in an attempt to ease Liflyhn, though to be honest I was just as nervous as she was. Until a few months ago I hadn’t seen the shore of the mainland, and now I was travelling as far south as one could possibly travel without hitting open sea. Mikonos itself was land crossed and cut with a web of rivers, deltas and tributaries. The land itself was generally flat, though slanting ever up the farther one headed south, leading most river-traffic to venture northward; straight up through the War Rend Sea that divided the Koniginreich and Ibergal, and into Aermense Lae, my homeland.
	“I’m not a sir, boy, I’m from a long line of men who don’t fancy the title.” His voice stern but unmistakably good-humored, a trait I was struggling to get used to, “I’ve been a fair few times, even spent a summer there with a devil of a redhead. It’d be, I’d say, about a few more days ‘til we break the Rend and hit the Grande Quantidade.”
	He scratched the scruff on his chin and cocked his head left and right as if his head was a scale trying to find a balance. “If the winds are right we’ll make landing at Denizde Liman within a day or two after.”
	“And that’s where you leave us?” I asked, by this time having removed my orders from my satchel, an official looking envelope containing a second, sealed letter and instructions on where to deliver them.
	They said that I was to report to the Master of the Druidic Order of Denizbakirjirsi in Toplama Yeri, and I began to wonder how I would find my way there from my landing point. I hadn’t thought that far ahead and it was starting to dawn on me just how horrifically out of my depth I was. Certainly I had done more than my fair share of research on the Aermense Lae, but the number of books I had read, or were even available to me, regarding Mikonos could be counted on a leper’s fingers. Despite their stature as The Country of Trade, they did well to keep much information from reaching outsiders.
	“Regretfully. It is indeed a shame to part with the only decent pair of Tributary players this side of the Band. Though, I suppose you’ll be on the other side by the time you’re off.” He grinned.
	He was an easy man to like, even Lif had taken a liking to him and she was generally a decent enough judge of character, and the only man outside of my hometown who could play me to a stalemate at cards. The thought drew my eye to the set sitting on the table, the faded silver backing giving rise to my theory that our captain was not the simple merchant he wanted us to believe he was. Between that and the rather elegant cabin in which we sat I was beginning to guess him the prodigal son of some noble family. Few merchants or ferrymen, profitable as they may be, could afford the expensive purple dyes and gold edging on the rug, let alone the well-shaped desks and chairs made of exotic redwoods.
	The Whalespawn was assuredly a vessel with an interesting past; regardless, I felt it rude to pry at the background of such an apt host, no matter how intriguing it may have been. I only wished my elven companion would stop pacing the room so, or that I was a better man to not sneak glances at her ample backside.
	While I hadn’t thought of it initially, at least not consciously so, the fit of her breeches did wonders to accent the already marvelous flow of her figure. She herself had grown quite attached to the style, apparently it reminded her of her homeland, and had chosen a pair whenever I offered to buy her a new outfit. Between them, the simple work shirts and vests she wore and her short, sprite-ish hair she hardly cut a lady-like aesthetic; though, perhaps that was part of her charm: Such a clearly female person, dressing herself in such masculine attire.
	As a matter of fact, barring her scarf, -which she wore near constantly- I could count only 3 or so garments she owned that were definitively feminine, one of which being the dress she wore the first day I had her. Such a thing was not unheard of, but still not the norm by any stretch.
	“Lif.” I asked as I turned towards her in my seat, finally pulling her glowing eyes from the floorboards, “Would you mind grabbing me my note book? It’s in my cabin on the desk.”
	“Certainly, sir.” She gave a tight nod, and while she seemed genuinely willing I could tell she saw through my transparent attempt to find something to occupy her with.
	She turned to leave, her immaculately kept scarf catching the breeze through the door as she did so. I was still unused to having someone perform my tasks for me, but I could hardly doubt how handy she was to have around. I couldn’t help but call out my thanks as she left, and I caught a glimpse of a smile as she passed from view.
	“So I have to ask, what’s it like having an elf?”
	I turned back to find Miranos giving me an amused smirk from his seat, one leg casually hooked over the other as he leaned forward conspiratorially. I did my best to hide my pleasure with a shrug, but I could feel a smile grow on my face as I mentally recalled my companion and I’s adventures to this point.
	“I can’t say I could live without her- one. Live without one.” I could feel myself blush as I attempted to verbally back-pedal over my words. I hadn’t meant to imply such intimacy between Lif and I, though looking back it was rather obvious we were close.
	His grin widened with a devilish gleam, “So does she uh, y’know.” He pricked his brow up rather unsubtly, an implication I’d liked to have fancied myself above understanding. He didn’t take the hint. “Is it true that they don’t grow hair down-“
	I silenced him with a finger and he met me with a confused stare, at least until Lif returned through the door a few seconds later. From there it shifted to one of quick contemplation before chuckling softly and shaking his head, an easy smile on his features.
	As the young girl handed me my book, I thanked her and gave her a polite, if a bit overly so, smile and was given one in return. It was a small gesture, but one I had grown accustomed to, enjoyed even. She found herself a seat nearby as I dipped a quill in a nearby inkpot and began taking notes of locational names. I often wondered why she watched me, but I had only once received an answer.
	“So I can learn.”

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