Setting Sail 20-... And Nobody's Soldier

Daisy sat curled up in the corner of the room. Wilkes had just finished getting dressed when he saw her. He filled her food bowl and water before scratching behind her ears. His ever loyal hound leaned into the affection, grunting happily as he did. His hand pulled away after that. The bittersweet sight of at least some of the love that filled his home being returned gnawed at him. The gentle sound of rain drummed against his shack. Part of him had the idea to cast sailors’ shelter and walk around with his hole in the clouds keeping him dry. Thinking better of it, he stepped out into the dreary world.

He was soaked by the time his boots fell against the dock. The usually bustling place was relatively deserted. Only the absolute necessities remained open. With wet, matted hair he marched right past the people he knew. Mr. Truebranch waved him down, and for some reason he stopped. Soggy as he was, he would always give time to his apprentice’s father.

“Can I help you sir?” Wilkes asked

“Yes, yes I believe you can. It’s something difficult to ask, incredibly difficult. Even just pondering it, I feel like I am curtly heaving a mountain above my head. Dear Wilkes. I have a favor to ask of you. A favor most dire.” Dorynn spoke, wringing his hands in a pleading motion. Whatever had disturbed the gnomish carpenter was clearly a life or death matter. He had rarely seen the man pace, let alone beg.

“Well, tell me what it is, I’ll see what I can do about it.” Wilkes offered, he leaned into the awning of the tent the carpenters handled their business through.

“Wilkes, it’s my boy. Dortas wants to join the navy before finishing his apprenticeship. I need you to talk him out of it. He nodded in agreement with me when I scolded him for it, but his eyes. That boy’s eyes carried the kind of determination my father saw in me, that his father saw in him. That boy has found his calling at sea, I know that, but make sure he finds it in our sea only. Don’t let them take my boy, please!” Dorryn leaned in and grabbed at the collar of Wilkes’s shirt, his tears mingling with the rain that had poured over the sailor. Resting a gentle hand on the older man’s shoulder, he offered quiet comfort for a moment.

“I will handle this.” Wilkes promised. He gave a final pat on the man's shoulder and continued the last thirty feet to his ship. Naval officers still milled about on their deck, but at a reduced presence. Only the high ranking ones that had been speaking exclusively with the captain, Jeremiah, and Pauline remained on the deck. An umbrella shielded the redhead, while her plain looking companion simply endured the shower. He waved to the male officer while walking up to both of them. He swallowed hard before he spoke. Before he could get a word in, Dortas called for him.

Thundering down the stairs, Wilkes found his apprentice drying off with a towel. A dry one was tossed his way. Catching the useful bit of fabric he dried his own hair and left it around the nape of his neck.

“Dortas. Let’s have a quick chat. Your pops told me somethin’ a bit concernin’.” Wilkes said, pulling the gnome away from where the rest of their crew was arranging the last of the new crates. Everything would be in its right place soon enough anyway. It’d likely be a half day of work today and then they’d be off work until they depart. “He’s sayin yer thinking about running off to join the navy for the rest of your apprenticeship. To be one of their powder monkeys before you become a proper man, and then be one of their officers.”

“I’m considering it, yea.” Dortas answered, his eyes held the intense gaze Wilkes was worried they would. However, as his mentor Wilkes had to put his foot down.

“No. I’m telling you not to do it. Finish out with us. Stay with all of Thellin. Think about all the people you know here, not just the crew but those little lasses I've seen you talking sweet to. Think about your parents, your siblings. If you join the navy there’s a bigger chance you don’t make it back to them by the time you’re an adult than if you just stay planted here. There’s only one person required to join per generation usually. The cap’n being a retired admiral means Thellin is covered for four. You have no obligation to join.” Wilkes lectured him. The gnome wilted slightly, but still seemed fully determined. Wilkes doubled down. “Not to mention, how would Svend and Leif get anything done without you showing them the smarter way to do it. Even if you want to claim the island ain’t your cup of tea, I know fer damn sure the crew is. You’d be around a load of new people, who have no reason to respect you. A crew that sees your failures before any successes. I’m only telling you this once, Dortas. You’re nobody’s soldier.”

“What would you know? They will respect me! Pauline and Jeremiah both told me they would! Plus the captain says I’m plenty capable as a sailor!” Dortas snapped back, shoving Wilkes. He didn’t even stagger a step from the force, he stared down at his clearly frustrated apprentice. “I’ll prove you, them, and everyone wrong! I always have!”

“A good sailor. They want a good soldier. I think you should ask him about what a good soldier really is. Then consider the difference he offers. Just, finish your apprenticeship first before joining. At the very least.” Wilkes tried to compromise. Dortas eyed him wearily. There was a long pause as they held the stare.

“Fine.” Dortas relented. He huffed and bumped past Wilkes. Intentionally bumping his shoulder into Wilkes’s hip as he passed. This time he did have to take a step to catch himself. The gnome stomped over and dragged the captain away from sorting. Wilkes filled in where the gap was. The work load wasn’t overwhelming, but was present enough.

His mind went almost entirely blank during the monotonous work. He heard shouting between Dortas and the Captain in the background. His mind was loud enough not to hear it. He was weighing his own choices too heavily to be snapped out of it. Three options sat firmly in front of him. Each had their own merit and down sides. Choosing any one would require his entire workday to come to a conclusion.

He could elope from the voyage. That would provide the time to fix things with Hannah and Beatrice. In addition to that, putting distance between himself and Pauline. It’d also let him continue to work with Barry on the island alongside the people they were hiring on briefly. That would likely get him fired, upon the ship’s return. Then he’d be scrambling for a new job, and starting an apprenticeship at nineteen was far from ideal. That idea was by far the most reckless and emotionally motivated. It also risked Jonah revoking his blessing to marry Beatrice.

Second he could break their imposed rule of staying separate until the night before he leaves. Assuming he did, he could then plead his case. Mounting an apology for not giving them the entirety of the situation. Surely once he explained that it was a simple miscommunication further blown out of proportion by the rumor mill they’d understand. Then he would sail away with the redhead they were worried about, and be at sea for roughly three moons each way. Admittedly, that one was banking on the idea they wouldn’t just slam the door in his face when he attempted to talk to them. It also left them against the tide reapers with only Barry and other island’s sailors. Not even proper swords for hire, just fishermen that probably knew how to throw a punch. He didn’t like that idea the more he thought about it. Too much logic expected from a deeply emotional situation.

Third was that he would begin courting Meryl without talking to either of them. He would move on to that as he sails away and only give the barest correspondence to the other two. Cruel as it was, deciding to pull away from him entirely instead of allowing him to explain himself was almost entirely unforgivable. He had always been able to talk through things with Beatrice before Hannah got involved. Ultimately even if he did continue to court Beatrice, he would never begin to court Hannah. That idea was off the table now. She had brought undue stress into a relatively peaceful and open relationship. How he was going to announce why he no longer wanted her in the relationship would be tricky. He had never broken up with a woman before, much less told his courtship he no longer wished to continue courting his other courtship. Or, what was the word Sayila had used? Girlfriend. How to tell his courtship he didn’t want to see his girlfriend anymore. All of this was needless stress. If things were going to continue to grow he would definitely need a guy friend who had multiple women in a harem. This was getting messy fast.

Admittedly there was a definitively mature choice to be made. He may have to take pieces of each idea he has, and forge something from the raw bits of plans. Could it even be that simple? Nothing ever really was. Why did they have to make things difficult right before he leaves, were they trying to make it easier for him to leave? To cause a fight that makes all three sides miss each other less once the gracious pearl leaves Thellin behind the horizon. As much as he hated to admit it to himself, it was working to a degree. In the echoes of his mind he knew now he wouldn’t miss Hannah. He would still achingly miss Beatrice. It’d be like waking in the morning without a sun until he returned. For more reason than one. He had made a decision. An informed decision. A foolhardy decision. A reckless, but well meaning decision.

The last of the new crates, the last of all the cargo they needed for the entire voyage, was placed where it needed to be. He swept his hair back where it belonged, and wiped the sweat from his brow. Glancing between the crew at large he saw celebratory looks and chatter. Everyone was down right giddy. Yet he couldn’t share in that. His heart weighed impossibly heavy. It was the choice he had made that put lead in his shoes as he walked up from below the deck. The rain was still pouring down overhead. He let it fall on his face while staring up at the sky for a moment. Shrouded beneath a grey and stormy veil, he chose his fate. His life was going to veer in a new direction because of what he did next. He knew it, felt it, dreaded it, embraced it. Wilkes was swallowed and relieved by it all at once. One boot after another, he marched. Every step grew impossibly heavier as the distance was closed. The naval officers had moved off the main deck and onto the dock. They seemed to be heading to the inn for the night. He would meet up with them there. He had a conversation that was now unavoidable. He swallowed, trying to clear the rising tide of saliva in his mouth. It felt like his mouth was sweating. His stomach churned and lurched.

The inn and tavern shared a space. It was the upper level above the noisy bar. A strange idea, but better to have drunkards tumble to the floor on the foundation rather than a floor with people beneath it. He stood on the precipice again, unsure if he was going to go to the lower or upper level. There was still time to change his choice. He could go below, he could wait for his crew. It’d delay having to speak with Pauline again, directly against the advice Sayila had given him. He could choose his simple life. Right here and now. He could choose them all and delay what everything is slowly but surely dragging him into becoming. The man he wants to be, may suddenly be very different from the man he becomes if he follows divine advice. Try as he might, he couldn’t get his feet to budge. His breathing grew ragged slowly but surely, his mind spiraling between choice after choice.

Regardless of all choice, he was going to leave Thellin soon. Not even just his home, but the entire chain of Islands. The sea would surround him, in a life so heavily associated with water it imbibed his fate entirely. He steadied himself, focusing on the chill of rain on his body. As his mind calmed, the plinking of rain off of ceiling tiles gave him something to focus his attention to.

“Are you just going to stand in the rain, or are you going to come inside?” Pauline’s voice tickled his ear. He nearly jumped out of his skin there. He stared at her, all of the worlds forming a useless soup in his brain. When his mouth failed, he simply nodded. “Yes what Wilkes? Are you coming with me?”

“Yea. Yea I am, just uh, let’s get out of the rain.” Wilkes said, the despair only grew stronger as he followed behind her. She tugged his arm and pulled him under her umbrella. Thankfully the streets were almost entirely empty, except for a few kids too busy playing in puddles to notice what was happening right in front of them. He followed her to her private room in the inn. The room was lit by the gentle orange glow of candles. A single bed, a desk and chair for writing, and a small dresser with room to hang two outfits. Pauline took off her current naval officer coat and hung it besides two others and two pairs of pants. Four more shirts sat folded nicely at the bottom beneath where they hung. As the jacket came off Wilkes stared in absolute confusion. A pair of wings were folded tightly against her back and slowly spread until they brushed the ground. They were in a similar reddish brown plumage to her hair.

“You… have wings?” Wilkes asked, doing his best not to choke on his own confusion.

“Yes. Did you not notice? Oh, I guess my naval coat does obscure them.”

“What are you?” He asked, genuinely bewildered to encounter a race that looked so human but was so clearly not. She gave him an annoyed glare.

“Really, you get me out of my wet clothes and alone in my room and that’s what you ask me first?” She huffed and crossed her arms. The ample cleavage from her shirt was practically put on display while her giant wings framed her hour glass figure. She was impossibly more gorgeous than he could have imagined.

“Sorry, but uh I’m not here to seduce you. Just talk.” Wilkes said, taking a small step back. His back pressed against the door of the small room. She looked disappointed but kept staring at him all the same. “I’m going to take your deal Pauline. I have a few conditions I’m going to enforce though.”

“I knew you’d see reason. Before we negotiate anything, I need to assess you properly. Let me get my kit.” She pulled a small trunk out from under the bed. She flicked the latches open with practiced ease, her wings lifted the trunk lid while her hands continued to work. She pulled out five small vials and crushed different colored pills into them. “Right, each of these will tell me your affinity with the five main magic types. You’ve already displayed immense proficiency with wind, so I can set that aside.”

“Wait what? There’s subtypes of magic rather than just casting and forcing what you want?” Wilkes’s confusion was palpable. She glanced back at him over her shoulder with the most offended look he had ever seen from her.

“Yes. Yes there are subtypes, literal thousands based off mixed proficiency in the five core types! That's like me asking you if there's multiple types of fish! Do you know anything about magic at all?!” Pauline’s temper seemed to be boiling over. She paused and pinched the bridge of her nose for a second. “How the hell can you cast a cataclysm level spell and not even understand how magic is subdivided?!”

“Hey, I figured it out through near death breakthroughs so far. The basics of magic don’t do any good for a sailor’s apprentice!” He snapped back.

“ You never got a formal education of any kind outside of reading and writing, didn’t you? Makes sense. They need every worker they can get around here.” Pauline spoke dismissively. She scooped up four vials and then sighed. “Okay. I’m going to prick your finger and let you bleed in these. It will show your potential with fire, lightning, water, and earth magic. The brighter they glow, the better you’ll be. Here as a proof of concept, I’ll let you bleed in the wind first.”

She took a vial filled with a white powder, temporarily setting the other four down. She stabbed his fingertip with her knife. She pressed the lip of the vial against his wound, and let his blood pour down the side. The contents began to shine when mixed, to a point it nearly hurt to look at. Almost like a small bonfire was alive in that vial.

“See, perfectly harmless. Shows you have calamity class potential in wind magic. Now hold still.” She tested the other four. Fire never even began to glow. She scowled at that. The same held true with Earth. “Not damning, but admittedly underwhelming. Seems you may be a one element specialist.”

“Come on, try the water and lightning.” He urged her. She shrugged and squeezed more drops of his blood out of the small wound. The water contents erupted in an even brighter light before his blood even touched the powder. Deep blue light bathed the both of them as she went wide eyed. She stopped before testing the lightning vial.

“You… are a water specialist most likely. But you can already use wind magic that easily… meaning you could literally split the sea. Or you were never splitting the clouds with wind. Wilkes, did you split the clouds during the storm with a burst of wind, or by pushing the water?”

“I… don’t know.” He admitted she pulled his finger to the lightning vial. She squeezed hard, the obvious excitement on her face growing a bit concerning. He had thought the blue light of water was overpowering. As the vial grew brighter and brighter, suddenly all he could see was yellow and the outlines of Pauline’s fingers against the vial. His vision became one intense blotch as it faded. Pauline yelped and he heard glass shatter against the floor. Countless specks and stars obscured his vision as he felt for her, grabbing her shoulders firmly. If he couldn’t see, she probably couldn’t either. He planted his feet to avoid either of them walking across the broken glass. Blinking heavily it took multiple seconds for his vision to return.

“Gods above… storm magic. Near equal potential for water and wind, with a far greater potential for Lightning. Not to mention your calamity class in the first two, and I don’t even know what to make of your potential in lightning! The scale doesn’t account for that kind of luminosity!”

“Right, now can I give you my terms?” Wilkes asked, her excitement was cute, but he still needed to iron things out. She had a crazed look in her eye staring at him. Stepping in close, Pauline leaned heavily on his chest. She was practically drooling on him.

“Whatever terms you want, they’re yours! I need to report this right now! Go ahead and do whatever else you want, gods above this is exciting.” She was in a frenzy it seemed. Scrawling away on her notepad and pulling more parchment from her trunk. The speed she was writing at couldn’t be comfortable. He got the sense that trying to talk to her now was pointless.