A Change in Direction|Maelstrom

[Skittlebug]

Suri can't help but think of Ekaitz at that and frowns, "Do the pirates attack the other islands often?"

[Kender Bard]

"Yes," Aelwine admitted. "But the Celentian guard in addition to whatever forces the individual islands can muster can keep most of them out. Most pirates just try to sneak onto an island to steal things, if they're of the thief guild, or they try to attack and conquer lone ships at sea, if they're of the pirate guild."

[Skittlebug]

Suri walks for a few moments in silence before frowning, "Are ships attacked a lot?" her real question remaining unspoken.

At that moment Tousle glides down toward her and she holds out an arm for the owl to land. Suri hurriedly explains their new plans to her. ~Over the water for that long? You'd better get something nice for me on the other side~ With that the bird fluffs up a touch grumpily and edges up onto Suri shoulder to nestle under her hair and sleep.

[Kender Bard]

"They're not attacked too much... Well it depends on the ship and where you are," Aelwine amended. "A passenger or cargo ship coming from the Beastlands certainly wouldn't be attacked. A ship going to Grandisle probably wouldn't if it was coming off Celentia and it wasn't a cargo ship."

[Skittlebug]

Suri nods, "So a ship like what we'll be on should be fine." She takes a look around and nudges Tousle softly, changing the subject, "How much farther do you think we have to go?"

The owl shifts groggily ~Not far, can I sleep now?~

Suri grins and ruffles Tousle's feathers a bit, "Yes, thank you."

[Kender Bard]

Aelwine grinned and darted ahead, putting a burst of speed down on his run up the slope they were steadily scaling. He got to their destination--the cliff edge--and took a deep breath. "It's gorgeous! I'm glad we decided to come." Stretched out before them were the hills of Maelstrom giving way to the vast and mysterious west ocean.

[Skittlebug]

"Hey wait for me!" Suri catches up shortly and her eyes widen, "It's so big! I've never seen this much water..."

She thinks about the upcoming trip and her stomach turns a little, "It's going to be like that for a whole month..."

[Kender Bard]

"Yeah, the sea and the wind," Aelwine remarked. "Though if you do turn out to be the kind who gets sea sick, we'll just stick you in the hold for most of the trip. It's not a pleasant way to sail but at least you wouldn't have to look at all the water."

[Skittlebug]

Suri raises a brow at that, not liking the idea of anyone 'sticking her in the hold'. "Well that doesn't sound like any fun at all. But I guess we won't know until we're there," she sighs.

[Kender Bard]

"And it'll be a while before we even reach that point," Aelwine reminded her. "Though if we want to beat the increasingly cold months, we probably shouldn't linger in this kingdom very much longer. Are you ready to head back south or was there something else you wanted to do this far north?"

[Skittlebug]

Suri grins, "We can always come back, right? And I really don't want to be caught here when it gets even colder"

[Kender Bard]

"Yep, we can always come back," Aelwine agreed. "You know, there's some people who die regretting all the things they never did in life. I just don't understand it. If you're good and careful, you'll get decades to do all the things you want. I, for one, have no intention of squandering a second of it. I'm certainly going to be coming back to Naruta. I won't be happy until I've explored every inch of it."

[Skittlebug]

Suri thinks on that for a while, not regretting anything, and the things she already regretted.

"I think, that does sound like a good way to live." After a moment she laughs, "You know, I really don't think I can call myself a Belegite any more. You would never hear any of them saying something like that."

[Kender Bard]

"Then don't be," Aelwine told her. "Be whatever you want to be. Or nothing at all. You can be a free spirit, tied down to nowhere and nothing and no one. That's what I am. I may call Grandisle my home but I'm not completely like other Grandislers. I guess it's the same for you."

[Skittlebug]

Suri looks up at him and grins, "Yeah, I guess it is the same."