Starting Date and Time: Saffra 15th, 301DM

Starting Location: Azure Strand

CS URLs: tbd

The breeze was cool and damp but growing warmer, a memory of winter and a promise of spring, esecially as the early morning sun continued to climb. Already well into the working hours of the day, the sound of hundreds of feet and hooves clattering to and fro on the worn wooden docks of Azure Strand.

Quartermasters and boatswains called out orders and instructions to busy dockworkers and sailors who sweated as they heaved and carried heavy cargo up and down the bouncing gangplanks. Merchants looked over their shipments with care, their assistants trailing along behind them with manifests and ledgers clutched tightly in their hands.

Absent from view were the Ebon Knights. Even at the best of times the supervision of the docks was minimal, but with the burgeoning dissent in the small city the knights were keeping closer to their barracks and traveling in larger groups.

But amid the bustle of dockhands and deckhands and milling livestock and fisherman flirting with salty wenches under the glaring eyes of their wives, the Azure Rising rocked gently in the greenish water, her blue sails slowly unfurling to be stretched tight to the spars in readiness for her maiden voyage. She was beautiful. A pinnacle of craftsmanship and skill. She wasn't the only ship in the harbour, nor was she the largest, perhaps not even the swiftest. But from the most aged and leathery crab-catcher to the youngest cabin boy scurrying across the slippery and barncacle-encrusted w[color=39b54a][/color]arf, all eyes came to rest on the galleon, full of pride and wonderment.

The Azure Rising's Quartermaster positioned himself at the foot of the gangplank, dutifully jotting down the names of the last of the crew arriving for duty, as well as the few but important passangers who would be joining them onboard. At 7 feet tall, Darshane Kinakai the darfellan towered over most of the rest of the crew, his dark black and pristine white skin noticeable in spite of the fairly plain dark sleeveless tunic he wore. As he scribbled down the name, which may or may not have been genuine, of a short but agile-looking apeling and watched the furred creature bound up to the main deck, her turned to he next person in line and asked with a deep and authoritative voice. "Ho' there, and who be you?"

The deck of the virgin ship was just as busy as the docks below. The crew hastened to stow all her cargo down in the hold, pushing past the slower-moving passengers with apologetically brief attempts to be polite.

As the mountain of cargo on the docks shrank and the ship sank slightly in the briney water, a square-jawed blonde human lounged lazily on a pile of crates, his clear blue eyes watching one of several ship's cats beginning their work stalking for rats in the shadows. His white linen shirt fluttered in the wind and the long straight scabbard hanging down by his left thigh clattered gently as he stood up and leaned over the railing to see how many were left to board.

There weren't many, and soon the ship would be under way. The thrill of anticipation was thick in the air.

Flashback, Abandoned Hillfort

"One last thing," Malko spoke before he made to depart, handing Par, from his moccassin pockets, a set of forged papers. "What direction are you going on your journey? Southeast, right?*" This elicited a nod from the Merchant, who was only halfway through putting his clothes back on.

"Yeah, trying to avoid Azure Strand due to the increasing disorder - " the young Ex-Ebonfortian was saying before Malko loudly facepalmed, exasperated for once.

"Why?" Par was a little alarmed at his boyfriend's action, feeling as though he had done something wrong, which Malko's next words confirmed:

"Par, the disorder in Azure Strand is a good thing," the Kvaren carefully explained. "The increased criminal activity not only distracts the Ebon Knights, but also creates possible allies if you're clever. And, Par, you are clever, just...inexperienced." The Kvaren then looked at the merchant longingly, before saying:

"And with that, I have to go." And he loped off, with his pack, and left Par to consider his options...

Present Day, 15 Saffra 301 DM

Par had managed to get to the outskirts of Azure Watch, using speed and stealth and the relative emptiness of the poor land, in order to evade both Ebon Patrols and Bandits. On the rare occassions where he had to encounter authorities, he would then show his forged papers to the official in charge, saying:

"My name is Alexander Sky, a merchant's son who got disinherited when my brothers stole my share. I am on my way to Azure City to exchange spices for fish." And then he would show them his cargo, which would serve as additional 'proof'. And this managed to get him through any checkpoint, and now he hoped that he would not gain the wrong kind of attention from the watchman at the city gates. He didn't.

"Better be careful, kid," said the person running the gatehouse, a heavyset man with large jowls. "Thugs and footpads running about, and Ebon Knights aren't much better. Only silver lining is the ship about to leave, some fool voyage south of the desert. Then again, not like this place has anything to bait people except fish..." To all of this, Par would give his nod, before saying:

"What sort of ship? Exploration? Or..." Par realized something, "Trade?"

"Yeah!" the Gatekeeper said, "rumors of some large city or somesuch; I personally don't believe they'd find anything more than sand, but I clap for their efforts; it's the most exciting thing since, well, since the bad things that happened. Now, go, go, I personally don't have time to interrogate every small trader I meet."

And with that, Par left, using his memories of his trips with his father to guide his way to the docks, where he would then sight the unique merchant vessel, so different from the flatter-bottomed fishing boats that flanked it. So, this is what a Galleon - he had heard that term in Azure Strand's streets on the way - looks like, were his thoughts. He then rode his horse towards where, he presumed, its captain was, before finding out that there was a line. He would then dismount, then lead his horse by the reins to the end of the line, saying:

"Hey, is there room for one more?! And no, I don't mean the Horse! I have Cloves and Cardamaom, both as cargo as well as payment to join, if you require any!"

No, it was not the most tactful of attempts to shove himself in, but time was running out; he had only found out about the ship just now, and it was apparently about to leave.

"Anyway," Par continued, talking fast, "my name is Alexander Sky, a disinherited son of a merchant whose share was stolen by my brothers. All I have to my name is my horse, survival supplies, a light crossbow, and the cloves and cardamom I mentioned, which I've been taught were valuable trade goods. I am also a fast learner, being young, and while I'm not that strong, I can move pretty fast and get into tight spots."

"Oh! And I can make gadgets, if needed, and fix and work on machines. I can pull my weight, I promise."

((*This is a minor Retcon with GM Permission.))

Ahh, finally some spring to end the retched chill of winter. At least, that was how Dain felt when Saffra finally rolled into Silvermist. His joy had been short lived, as his superior, Kalim, decided to ruin everything by sending him off to Azure Strand. He had only left Silvermist once, and that was when he became a knight of Ebonfort. He got a large lockbox from the barracks and packed his armor away. Azure Strand was dangerous right now for a Knight, no point in getting killed over the uniform he wore.
Before taking off to places unknown to the little fairy, he made a stop at the local jeweler, purchasing a polished common stone on a steel chain. A small piece of home.

Dain fluttered outside the gates, staring at the guard. A young boy had just gone passed him. At least the guard was observant enough to notice him. It took the fairy clearing his throat for the guard to even realize he was there. Really? How hard was it to see a fairy? He had the same problem while on his way to the city. He cursed the wagon driver that almost ran him over. Luckily, they repaid him by giving him a ride to Azure Strand. Good thing too, since the trunk he carried his armor in was starting to get heavy.
He smiled, though, when the guard jumped. If this was the city's protection, he wasn't surprised that they were having issues.

Kalim had warned Dain not to draw too much attention to himself, but the tiny man couldn't help himself. Mischief was his middle name, or it would be if he had a middle name.
"Could you point me toward the Knight's barracks, please?" the guard huffed and reluctantly gave him directions.
Between flying and walking, Dain felt he was making great time. The lockbox he carried caught a little attention, mostly curious looks from merchants. In general, people didn't really notice him at all until he took to the air. He didn't mind too much, a little awe now and then was good for the bigger species.

As Dain approached the barracks he noticed an increase in the amount of knights. They sure weren't making an effort to leave the area. No wonder no one wanted them around. Lazy bums. He entered the building and swiftly located the one in charge.
"Dain Crest, checking in. My superior sent a letter ahead of me, detailing my mission. I hope everything is in order." he said and landed on the desk. The knight looked up from a ledger and squinted at the fairy.
"Oh, your the one that crazy cat sent." the knight sniffed, "I thought you'd be.. taller. Yeah, the preparations have been made. You should be expected."
He rolled his eyes and looked sharply at the knight, speaking before he left the building, "Thank you, sir. Now, I will be on my way."

Kalim had given Dain a full briefing about what he was to do. Now, all he needed to do was find the boat! But wait, shouldn't he stock up on some food and water first? Perhaps he should confer with the captain of the.. err... Azure.. Risen! Yes, that had to be it. Couldn't be difficult to find, after all, it was a brand new boat. He decided to fly down the warf above the heads of the humans and assortment of other beings that were running around. The salty air was a stark contrast to the spice of the forest. It was different, but soothing. Why hadn't he come here sooner?

It was then the fairy laid his eyes on the Azure Risen. Compared to the other vessels, it was a lot cleaner. Quite beautiful, in fact. Dain smiled and made his way over to the man standing by the gangplank. He noticed someone was already speaking to the man.
Its that kid from earlier..
Tired from flying the whole way, he lighted upon a nearby stack of cargo waiting to be brought aboard and set his case down. He waited for the boy to finish speaking before he asked,
"Excuse me sir, are you the captain of this amazing watercraft?"
Upon inspection, he noticed the letters on the side of the vessel. They read Azure Rising. He frowned, upset with himself for not remembering what the boat's name was.

The tall broad-shouldered Darfellan glanced up from the scrolled charter with an eyebrow lifting on his black and white face. In the space of a few mere moments the somewhat shabby-looking human youth standing before him had managed to spew out more words than he himself had uttered all morning. There was a large crowd gathered on the docks, and more than one set of eyes was curiously watching Par try to barter passage on the magnificent vessel.

Attention in Azure Strand was not a good thing. The gatekeeper Par had spoken to some hours ago, upon noticing that Par had called the city 'Azure Watch', had grown suspicious. And now Par was being followed.

"E'en if ye 'ad the money we're not taking on just any passengers, little fish. This'n 'ere's a trading vessel..." His tone was stern and he was shaking his head, the ponytail wagging at the back of his skull.

But Par's desperate prattling kept the frowning Darfallen from further elaborating on why the young human should move along. He was in no way moved by Par's sad story. Not because he didn't believe it, he did, but everyone in Azure Strand had a sad story, expecially these days.

Upon over-hearing Par's desperate pleas to be allowed on-board, a young Aenshi stepped out of the crowd. The fox-faced man was tall and thin and wore a pair of grubby pants and a vest with no shirt. "If you're interested in selling your horse I can buy him from you for thirty gold pieces." He didn't seem desperate, but did seem hurried, as though hoping Par would readily sell the animal for less than half of what it was worth.

Sighing, mighty Darshane found that he was pursuaded to help Par in spite of himself. "Loo' kid, I'll let you sign on as a passenger with the rest 'o the merchants. You'll have to stow your spices down in the 'old with the rest o' the cargo, and you'll 'ave to get rid 'o that 'orse. We're already stock wit' livestock. And I'll 'ave no trouble wit'choo during this trip or I'll t'row you in the brig mysel'. Aye?"

Both the Darfallen and the Aenshi looked at Par expectantly as the beautiful ship bobbed invitingly in the background. Gulls wheeled overhead, calling excitedly, as though they knew that the launch was imminent. There wasn't much time.

--

When the bosun was finished speaking to Par, he turned and almost put his hand down right on top of Dain before the diminutive voice made him pause. He added the name "Alexander Skye" on the scroll, shaking his head a little.

"Nay, Captain Blaine's up on deck. You mus' be Dain Cres'. Only got one fairy on my list. Your passage 'as already been paid for. Welcome aboard."

The darfellan eyed the tiny trunk, as well as the tiny winged man next to it, and frowned with displeasure. He preferred it when things went smoothly, and taking landlubbers never went smoothly.

"You'll know 'im when you see 'im," Darshane added unhelpfully, crossing one more name off his list.

As the fairy and his trunk made their way up to the main deck, a pair of wide yellow eyes set in the face of a sleek gray tabbycat followed closely behind. There were always cats on ships. Mainly because there were always rats on ships, because like thieves, they always managed to find their way in. But this cat was enthralled by the colourful flutter of Dain's wings and slinked after him like a shadow. But just as it was about to pounce, a white raven swooped down from nowhere and pecked a clump of silver hair from the tip of its tail. Humoured by its own joke, the bird cackled like a mad old washerwoman. "Ha ha haaaaw!" The cat, swearing vengeance, disappeared.

Donovan Blaine lounged on a pile of crates and barrels, one booted foot swinging free as he waited for the passengers to finish boarding. He trusted Darshane to keep the bulk of the troublemakers off of his new boat, because even though he didn't own it, he was her Captain now, but was still waiting for his First Mate. A woman, apparently. Old Cavendish had insisted on hiring his own crew.

The flying being who would eventually approach him was met with sparkling blue eyes and a curious grin. He didn't stand or bow or any of that nonsense, but moved his arm so that Dain could alight at head height on a crate.

"Good morrow, Mr. Crest. Usually any crewman who dared attack a passenger on my ship would win ten stripes and a bunk in the brig for the entire voyage, but I doubt even I could catch that cat."

He was grinning amusedly. "Is there some'mat I can do for you? We've set aside a cabin for you."

Captain Blaine seemed a cheerful sort and tossed some of his long blonde hair back while waiting for the fairy to speak. Even so, there was someting even in his apparent laziness that suggested the rapier on hip wasn't just for show.

The misnaming was Azure City, not Azure Watch, but yes, forgetting to call it Azure Strand had been a mistake. Nevertheless, Par nodded, saying first to the Aenshi:

"I'd bargain for 40, but the ship awaits," spoke the 19-year old boy. "all right, 30 gold pieces it is," and Par then took the money, before saying to the captain:

"Thank you, sir! There won't be any trouble abroad ship, sir!" Par fully intended on keeping that promise; he had no intention of flubbing up his prospects. And with that, he handed over his horse over to the fox-person, though not without taking off the survival kit, cargo, and crossbow, which the 18-year old boy carried by himself to the ship's deck, to the probable amusement of the rest of the merchants, who were now wondering what a nobody like him was doing on their vessel.

------

Now that 'Alexander Skye' had deposited his cargo, the 18-year old boy went back up to the deck, a little tired out, especially as he still carried his survival gear. He then waited for the Captain to finish talking with the Fairy. Yes, said Captain looked as though he can skewer him if he made any trouble. So, that precluded any ostentatious displays of, well, anything.

Either way, once the Captain finished talking with Dain, whose name Par may or may not have heard while waiting, Par would then say:

"Hello, Captain, my name is Alexander Skye, and I got admitted to the ship at the last minute, as you may very well have seen. I've been told that I'll have to share a cabin or set of cabins with the rest of the merchants? If so, what quarters or section would render me less of an inconvenience to the rest of the other traders?"

Kira had spent the previous night celebrating in a bar with her new fellow crewmates. There had been lots of drinking and merriment, and she discovered that despite being drunk, she could still play lively tunes on her fiddle. She also involved herself in a fair amount of gambling with dice as the sailors attempted to increase their sign-on bonuses, only succeeding in decreasing them as she won nearly every game.

Today was the day they were supposed to set sail, and she had stayed in an inn close to the docks. She took her time to enjoy a nice, long hot bath before leaving, since she knew it would be a long time before she could enjoy such a pleasure. She had paid a dockworker to make sure her belongings were stowed on board, since everything she owned would fit in a single trunk, save for the clothes she dressed herself in before leaving the inn.

Heavy, ominous clomping of boots preceded her arrival at on the dock. She was dressed completely in black, save for a few silver embellishments on her greatcoat and vest. The vest looked like it was having a difficult time containing her massive bust. Her long brown hair was tied in a thick braid that hung down below her shapely rear, though the shapeliness was somewhat hidden under the coat.

As she approached the gangplank, she saw a horse being led off the dock by one of those fox-looking fellows. Who in their right mind would take a horse onto the dock in the first place? she wondered, making a confused face for a moment before deciding she didn't care anymore. There was a line of men waiting to board, and she recognized a few of them from the previous evening. She figured out the tall gentleman checking names was the bosun before she was standing before him.

"Mornin' bosun," she greeted him cheerfully. "Qui'e teh ge'ou' ge'in' on, yeh? Ah ken yer go' me on yer list, so step i' so's ah kin ge' t' mee'in wif teh cap'n."

Kira spoke quickly, and her accent was absolutely atrocious, typical more of the fishermen that lived along the coast outside of the city. If the bosun understood any of that, she would actually have been surprised. For anyone experienced with it, the accent was not too difficult to decipher, but she was used to people not having a clue what she said. Being used to it didn't make her any less irritated at having to repeat herself, however.

She rocked back and forth on her feet, the heavy boots thunking gently as she waited for the bosun's reply.

"Ahh, thank you very much, sir." Although the darfellan gave no description of the captain, Dain felt the burly man was telling the truth. He picked up his trunk and flitted up the gangplank onto the deck, pausing on the rail to take a look around. Many of the sailors were scurrying about all with intense looks of purpose. None of them gave more than a passing glance at him as he gathered his bearings. There were many people that could have been the captain, but none of them held the regality of power in their posture. He knew it well from his Warden. He never spoke to her, but he could appreciate the female form, even though she was much bigger than him. And absolutely terrifying. He shivered, he would hate to be the subject of her ire.

Dain spotted a rather handsome gentleman lounging atop some crates. He was far less serious than the rest of the crew. It had to be the captain. The fairy took to the air again, completely oblivious to his immediate danger. Before he even knew what was going on, a white bird proved his savior. He made a mental note to thank the bird at a later time. As he got closer to the captain, he was greeted more warmly than the gate guard had. Upon hearing the man's joke, Dain chuckled. Oh yes, he liked this guy already.
"Good day to you as well, Captain." he turned to look where the cat disappeared to, "Indeed! I expect that feisty critter will think twice before setting it's sights on aerial beings again. Was that bird yours?" he spoke with nonchalantance, not wanting to catch too much attention for what he wanted to speak to the captain about. Being the naïve land fairy was a stereotype he hoped to exploit. He landed on the crate and set down his trunk. The fairy looked up at the man, seeing the same propensity toward mischief he knew all too well. They would get along just fine. He hoped, anyway. Dain was always on the lookout for more friends.

"Actually, there was something that has been bothering me since I left home." Dain took a breath, embarrassed, "I'm afraid I have no idea how to prepare for a sea voyage. I've never been on a boat before. And if there is any way I could assist you while we travel, please don't hesitate to let me know." The fairy lowered his voice and spoke, "If its not too much trouble, could we speak in private when you are free?" It felt like the captain could slice him in half no problem, it was best to be honest from the get go.

Darshane blinked slowly at the black-garbed woman's incomprehensible accent, frowning heavily, taking a solid ten seconds to even realize that she had addressed him in the Common tongue.

"You must be the First Mate, Ms. Kira Kodera?" He said slowly, looking her up and down and awaiting her confirmation before scratching her name off the list. "Your cabin is with the passengers rather than the crew's quarters." He fished in his pocket and held out a key for her. He wasn't happy about having to serve under a woman, but at least this busty human seemed a bit more serious than a fairy.

Only a few more figures boarded after Kira, most of them late crewmembers who were each in for a tongue-lashing from the tall bosun.

All in all there were about 100 sailors to crew the vessel, all of them rushing about to get her under way. It was tense, an effect not improved by the way many of them seemed to be glancing at each other conspiratorially.

--

"Not mine," the Captain shook his head, his blue gaze scanning the sky for a moment to try to spot the bird again, but there where so many gulls wheeling noisily overhead that finding one white crow in the flock was impossible. Giving up on the crow, he glanced back at the fairy just as Dain landed with his trunk on the crate. "Don't get too many fairies here in Azure Strand, m'boy," he observed, a searching glance flitting to the locked trunk. "Especially those wanting to sail to distant lands on a whim."

Standing smoothly on the rocking deck, Blaine reached down for his blue greatcoat, shrugging it over his shoulders. The garment went a long way to changing Blaine's somewhat casual appareance to that of the Captain of the sleek new vessel. He towered over the fairy.

"Didn't expect a merchant's assistant whose passage was paid for in advance to ask questions about provisions," Blaine remarked knowingly, an amused grin playing across his face. He adjusted his coat so that it fit smartly across his chest, letting his thinly-veiled suspicion linger for a moment. "Whoever paid for your passage sent provisions ahead. They're already in your cabin."

"Come find me later, after we set sail. Once our course is laid in I'll be in my cabin. He jerked his thumb in the direction of the stern. I'm sure we will have much to talk about, Mr. Crest."

The blonde man patted his thighs for a moment, searching his pockets until he produced a small iron key. It wasn't fairy-sized, of course, more akin to something that would fit a padlock.

"Yours is the only door with a padlock on the window. Hopefully you'll find that easier to manage." With that, the Captain moved towards the railing and looked over. A chorus of shouts swept through the crew and the huge ropes holding the ship to the docks began to fly, the gankplank raised. "Look sharp, Bosun! If we wait any longer to set sail these lads'll be able to use their beards to swab the decks! Let's shove off!" His voice was loud, commanding, but still somehow cheerful.

Figures began to sweep up into the rigging to loose the sails, climbing up as nimbly as spiders or monkeys. The Azure Rising drifted slowly out into the water but then began to turn as the wheel spun under the helmsman's hands. Darshane lifted a small brass whistle to his lips and blew hard, the shrill noise audible above the rest of the noise.

"Weigh anchor!"

Dain nodded at the captain and took the key, oblivious to his suspicion; though doubt was already swimming through his mind. Was telling the captain really the best idea? After all, most people in Azure Strand dislike the Knights for all the discomfort they have caused. Not that the fairy knew anything about the situation other than the martial law they instigated. He didn't like the idea of martial law, but following the rules was something he found important. If the ones the Knights were trying to catch were causing the towns people harm, he was all for it. Something nagged at him, though, at the back of his mind...
He shook his head, that was silly. It had to be.

Dain remained atop the crates as the boat cast off. He watched as the town slowly faded out, replaced by the blue of the ocean. It was frightening, leaving land for the first time. A grimace formed on his face as any chance to change his mind slipped away. No turning back now. Still, despite the bustle of the ship, the gentle rocking was somehow calming. It wasn't unlike the sway of a tree branch in a breeze. Once the town completely disappeared, he decided to go check out his cabin. Wherever that was. The captain had no time to show a single passenger around. He was on his own! A small adventure around the ship! Since he was so small, he wouldn't get in anyones way. Probably.

Taking a look around, it seemed like there was only one way to go. Dain picked up his trunk and flew down toward the opening. All this flying was really starting to wear him out. The weight of his armor was also taking its toll on him.
"Got to find my room here soon or I'll be sleeping on the deck." he mumbled the words to himself, and continued onward. It didn't take long for the fairy to become lost. Following what seemed like eternity, he happened upon a merchant.
After asking about the cabins and many polite refusals to purchase his wares, the merchant gave Dain directions. Once he had followed them, he realized that he had passed his cabin, not once, but twice! Some Knight he was. By now, he was absolutely exhausted. After a small amount of trouble opening the lock, the fairy finally entered his room.

Dain's first thought had been to simply get into the bed and fall asleep, but his Knightly senses kicked in. First things first: he had to hide his armor and maybe get something to eat. Flying most of the day had left him famished. After a quick look around, he picked an out-of-the-way spot he hoped no one would look. There was a shelf off to the left side; it held little more than a candle and a mug someone must have forgotten when they inspected the space. He had no idea how his lockbox would move with the rocking of the boat, but it was a good temporary hiding place. He flew up to the shelf and positioned the trunk next to the candle and scooted the mug over to the other side. Hopefully no one would see it.

Once he was satisfied that he had secured his belongings, Dain took a drink out of his water skin. The cool liquid felt nice as it flowed down his now dry throat. It gave him a little extra strength and he floated down to the bowl of food on the table next to his bed. A nice tug tore a piece of bread free from the giant loaf he was given. He would not be able to eat all of this. Did the Knights really only supply him with human sized food? He figured that there must not have been any fairy bakeries in Azure Strand to send him this. Perhaps he could work something out with the captain. There was no need to be wasteful.

The captain! Dain had forgotten that he was going to meet with the man later that evening. He was the one who suggested it; how could he forget?! It was still early though.
"I should get some rest while I still can. All this flying can't be healthy." He was a fairy who enjoyed walking, only flying when he had to. The preference to walk came from how different he was to the other fairies. While they all had pretty, whimsical wings that sparkled as they flew, he had these. He flexed his wings, showing the bright red pattern on his otherwise dark colored appendages. No one ever made a fuss about it, but he always felt a little bit... alone.

Dain shook his head again, it was no time to be thinking about these things. He could ponder the strangeness of his wings another time. Why did he always get thoughtful when he was tired? He really didn't know. He yawned; this entire journey really took it out of him. He made a mental note to start flying more so it wouldn't be such a hassle. With the last of his strength, the tiny being drifted to the bed and settled down. It didn't take long for him to pass out.

"Aye, yer gorram roi'," Kira said in response to the bosun's question. She took the key to her quarters and stashed it in her voluminous cleavage, then clomped loudly up the gangplank. She spared a few looks around the deck before deciding what to do first. Multiple sailors busy with getting the ship ready to make way recognized her from the previous night, and she shared a few laughs and some familiarity with them. A few were surprised at how much one woman could drink - she had out-drank many of them during the celebrations.

She noted the captain lounging about while talking to... a tiny person? Kira had never met a fairy before, so she was genuinely curious. Unfortunately, she became extremely distracted by the captain himself. He was clearly the most handsome man on the ship, but the margin was enormous. The things Kira could do to that man...

She shook her head. Those thoughts could be dwelled upon later - for now she had to focus. The crew appeared to know what they were doing. The last few had boarded behind Kira, and after a good tongue-lashing they had their orders and were scurrying about. Before she knew it, the ship cast off from the dock, sails unfurling, the bosun shouting to weigh anchor.

Kira made her way to the Captain to introduce herself. "Cap'n!" She saluted him briefly, more a gesture of respect than anything else as they were not members of any navy, then offered a hand to shake. "Me name's Kira Kodera. Ah bin 'ired t' be yer fers' ma'e."

The Azure Rising drifted away from the docks into the deep water, her blue sails billowing taut in the breeze as the crew rushed around to adjust the rigging to take advantage of the wind. Seagulls screeched overhead, trailing after the ship, bobbing in and out of the fluttering tail of the long black Ebonfort penant. It didn't take long for Azure Strand's waterfront to shrink and fade, though the ship kept close to the coast for a while. Captain Blaine steered the ship himself, calling his orders to Darshane from the helm, the huge darfellan repeating them up and down the deck to the rest of the crew.

During the cast off, most of the passengers hovered along the decks, either watching the landscape fade into obscurity behind them or look out into the infinite expanse of the ocean ahead, their hearts full of adventure. After an hour or so, it was the waving grasslands of the Valley of Screamers sliding by that earned a bit of attention, for crowded along the sandy shore was an entire tribe of Screamers, their customary tents rising up along the dunes.

But those too passed by, and once Blaine laid their course in and turned the helm over to the helmsman, who appeared to be some kind of were-creature, though for now it was impossible to say what species, he was free to walk along the deck and speak with the crew and passangers. Some of the crew were sailors he had worked with before, but most were new faces, and not all the eyes who watched him pass by were friendly.

At last, Blaine came upon Kira Kodera and grinned charmingly as she saluted, giving her a nod as he reached for her hand, "Well blow me down..." he muttered, whistling through his teeth as he was confronted with a whole lot of woman. His squeezed her palm firmly, glad to feel the tough skin on her fingertips. "They told me you were right for the job but I haven't the damndest idea what you just said."

Hooking a thumb through the belt holding his scabbard around his hips, mainly to keep from resting his palm on the hilt of his rapier, Blaine motioned with his other hand for Kira to accompany him as he moved along the railing, his sharp eyes flicking alternately between the buxom woman before him and the rest of the crew.

"You'll be in charge of the defense of this vessel until we're back in Azure Strand. You answer only to me, but I suggest taking advantage of Darshane as the man has been sailing longer than you and I combined. You'll have the only key to the armoury. None of the crew should have any weapons on deck, so if you come across so much as a knife that looks a bit too sharp for carving potatoes I want you to confiscate it. I suspect the passengers likely have their own blades or whatnot stashed in their rooms, but so long as they stay there..." He let that trail off, producing a bronze key from inside his vest and handing it to the swashbuckler in front of him. "It's been a terrible long number of years since anyone sailed out past Sharkfin Island and I don't rightly know what to expect. Fortunately, our good Master Cavendish has seen fit to stock us up. Ye'll see what I mean when you take stock of the Armoury later."

While he was talking, they had squeezed through the open doors down into the lower decks of the galleon, passing the crew's quarters where hammocks swung empty in the poor light. For now, even the lower decks were clean and orderly, but that would change as the days went by. The wooden grate in the floor revealed little except that the cargo hold in the bottom of the ship was very full indeed. They moved then through to the nicer but still cramped passenger cabins. "This one's yers." Lifting an arm casually against the doorjam, the Captain lifted a blonde brow and grinned a little. "The scuttlebutt is you're good with a crossbow and a fiddle. I expect there'll be plenty of time to find out if it's true." There was a hint of suggestion in his eye before he moved on. "Be sure you talk with Jharnia. You'll find her on the bow, most like. She's a mage what hasn't been picked up by the Knights yet."

With that, he left Kira to her duties, humming a sailor's drinking song under his breath as he moved back out into the light.

--

By mid-day, the land behind the ship was lost beyond the horizon, nothing to see in any direction except a calm sea that gradually darkened as the sand beneath them slid down into the depths. It would take another day for the last of the seagulls to turn back, their presence in the sky replaced by the occasional glittering shoals of fish. And as the hours slipped by as if blown by the wind, a radiant sunset lit the deck, striking the blue sails until they looked nearly magical. Part of the crew went to bed, snoozing in their hammocks as the cycle of shifts began. The rest gambled around carefully watched cookstoves on the deck, occasionally breaking out in raucous laughter. Blaine had retired to his cabin, though the brown-skinned black-haired woman known as Jharnia was still lingering on deck, as was Darshane.

Dain Crest in his human-sized cabin would find himself rudely awoken by a shrill loud scream as one of the ship's cats pounced on and rapidly dispatched a rat right outside his room.

Dain sat up quickly, causing him to grit his teeth as he stretched the muscles in his back. Of course they would be sore. He knew flying all morning would be a bad idea. Still, he wouldn't have made it in time if he hadn't. That was besides the point. What had woken him up? It sounded like a cat. Did that grey tabby come to his cabin to try and get him again? It was at that moment the fairy realized he hadn't even locked the window to his room. He had been lucky that no critter had come in and attacked him. He would need to be more careful.

Looking around, Dain could see that it was still light outside, but just barely. He couldn't have slept that long, right? After such a wake up call, it would be difficult to get back to sleep. He stood, the bed was still very much made, so he decided to leave it be. Walking over to the edge of the bed, he looked at his water skin on the bedside table. He stretched his back and opened his wings. They felt heavier than he was used to; it did not feel good. He was going to have to get over it if he wanted to go meet the captain.

The fairy jumped off the bed and huffed as he flew through the pain. Dain picked up the nearly empty skin and poured the remaining contents down his throat.
"Going to need to get this refilled..." He was not sure were exactly he could do that, though. He fastened it to his belt and picked up the key to his room. He would need to find a place to put this too. Carrying it around all day wasn't going to make his life any easier. Perhaps he could stash in one of the other rooms for the time being. He had to go through the crew quarters to get to his room. That would be a good place to start. He glanced up at his trunk; would he need to prove that he was a Knight? He looked at the door. It might be suspicious for a "trader" to carry around their luggage. He decided to leave it.

He exited the room, checking for felines before stepping out. Satisfied it was clear, he locked up. It was still a little painful to fly, but not as bad as before. Still, the dull throbbing was distracting. As he entered the crew area, Dain could see a few of the members sleeping. He wished he could still do the same. Darn cats. Good thing he couldn't, though, since he had a date with the good ol' captain. Dain would need to ask him his name, can't keep calling him captain.

After some snooping around, Dain found a beam with a crack in it. Which was a miracle in itself, since it was so dark. He held up the key, squinting to try and make out the size. It was tight, but he managed to squeeze the piece of metal into the wood. He made sure he could get it out. It was up high enough that a curious onlooker would need to stand on something to get it out; he hoped no one was persistent enough to try. Still, he found his hiding place inadequate, and pulled the key out, figuring it was safer to just carry it.

Thankfully, the path to the outside of the boat was pretty straightforward. It was kind of stuffy below deck and the cool air of the ocean was very refreshing. Dain took a deep breath, letting its saltiness fill his lungs.
What a beautiful sunset.
It was almost as amazing as the ones seen from Silvermist. Hadn't been out to sea for a day and he was already wanting to go home. He chuckled quietly; if it hadn't been for his mission, he would still be home. Alone. His smile turned into a frown. Being different wasn't easy. He always did his best to try and make friends, but it never really worked out. BAH. This was his chance to make some friends! He wasn't going to let the fact he was a knight or a lonely little man get in his way!

A smile on his face, Dain glided up to the door the captain pointed toward earlier that day while dodging others. He waved to Darshane when he saw him, unsure if the burly darfellan could see him. The key he held nearly slipped out of his hands. It was turning out to be a real hassle. Less so than an actual human sized key, he expected.
He landed in front of the door and raised his hand to his face. If he knocked on such a large door, would anyone even hear it? Worth a shot. If he couldn't get the captain's attention, he would just get someone to help him. Another frown crossed his face. He really was helpless in a humans world. He knocked on the door as best he could, looking around for animals of the nightmarish variety. Darn cats.

Kira rolled her eyes at the captain after shaking his hand. "Aye, yer gi' used ta et. Ah dinnae loik t' repea'in meself, fair warnin' on tha'." She attempted to speak a little slower, hoping Blaine would catch more of what she said that time.

She walked with the captain, falling behind several times to get a good look at his finely sculpted ass. She knew he was checking her out as well.

She listened intently as Blaine outlined the responsibilities of her new position. They were certainly some major obligations, but Kira was confident she would be able to fulfull them. She took the small bronze key and placed it in one of the pockets of her vest. She would go down to see the armory later, for sure.

When Blaine leaned on the doorframe of the cabin he claimed was hers, she casually reached into her cleavage and produced the key Darshane had given her when she boarded. "Aye, yer scu'lebu' sounds t' be correct," she said as she unlocked the door. "Ah may jes bring me fiddle ou' this evenin'."

Kira watched the captain's rear retreat for a few moments before slipping into her room and inventorying her things. Apparently her drunk self from the previous night knew what was about - she managed to get all her things stashed in her trunk and get it to the ship in one piece. She pulled out her wooden fiddle case and set it on the small table by the bed. She would definitely bring it out as the sun went down, as often as she could to keep the sailors' morale up.

She got up and left her cabin, locking the door behind her, and headed to the Armory. She would spend most of the day there, taking stock in what Master Cavendish had been so gracious to supply. She made sure everything was clean and in working order before she realized it was already getting late and she still hadn't talked to the mage.

Kira went back to her cabin and fetched her fiddle out of its case. The gorgeous instrument had cost her more than a few pretty pennies, but its sound was absolutely worth it. She saw herself back up top just in time to see the sun setting. It looked truly beautiful shining across the bright blue sails. She looked around the deck and spied Darshane and a dark-skinned black-haired woman who must be Jharnia. And so she approached the woman.

"Yer mus be Jharnia," she said slowly, more than likely butchering the mage's name. "Ah's Kira, Blaine's fers' mate." She would keep forgetting that anyone other than the regular crew members would be able to understand her natural accent.

The small shadow of a fairy, as well as the occasional flutter of Dain's wings as he moved about on the ship, was not something that the men before the mast had yet learned to recognize. Their ears were attuned more to the hard crack of a man's booted heal upon the wooden decking and the clearing of a grog-wetted throat. So when the fairy rapped hard on the smooth polished door he received no answer from within, though there were certainly voices beyond. Closer at hand, however, were the surreptitious murmurs of at least two male voices down the hall. A flickering lantern cast their shadows on the wall, and even those seemed furtive and crafty, though the men they belonged to were just out of sight.

"Are there enough of us on board to make a move?" The first voice sounded young.

"I'd say so, yes, but it's not a matter of just numbers, boy," came the reply, this voice far deeper, older, and somewhat slower. Also meaner. "It was a given that Donnie would have to go, and that stick-up-his-ass Darfellan as well. But we were all expecting Ricko to be hired on as first mate so we'd have access to the armoury. What do you know about her?"

"I've never shipped out with her 'afore but I hear tell she's been on the wrong side of the black line before. Mayhap she'd be willing to throw her lot in with us if the price is right?" The third voice was quieter and more thoughtful. "I hear she likes a good game of cards. Might be a good chance to talk to her."

"It's too big a risk," came the second voice again, and one of the shadows shook its head. "Soon as she refuses we'd be forced to kill her."

"Well then we'll send her to the bottom."

"Agreed. I'll tell the others. Blow that lantern out, boy."

The tallest of the shadows lifted the lantern, causing the flicker of light to jump and warp, and then it was gone, the three men moving down the cramped hallway the other way.

Just then, foot-steps approached the captain's door from within, and Blaine's own voice could be heard from the other side.

"Ye have a job to do, you know," he said, a reluctant grin in his voice, "Much as I enjoy the company of as lovely a lady as yerself, I can't spend this whole voyage with you in my lap."

"..mmm...your loss, Captain." The sassy, purring tone of a female sounded strangely like it was coming from somewhere near the floor. The doorknob twisted and opened inwards, the newly-oiled hinges barely squeaking.

"Oh, good evening Mr. Crest. Did you knock? I certainly hope you weren't waiting here long." Blaine looked down at the moth-winged fairy, a lop-sided sort of smirk on his face. A sleek gray shape threaded between Blaine's boots and oozed around the door-frame as supple and silent as a scarf in the hands of an exotic belly-dancer. Two emerald green eyes glanced up, framed by a set of ashen stripes and long whiskers. Slightly bigger than the average cat, the female licked her lips, and the owner of the second voice was suddenly revealed. "By your leave, Mr. Crest." And then she was off down the corridor of the gently-swaying ship, her long tail held up high behind her, the tip bent haughtily. After watching her go, Blaine moved to the side and turned back to Dain. "Care to join me for a drink?"

--

Kira's fiddle wouldn't be the only one on deck that evening. The excitement of the first night out on the open sea was always a bit of a celebration in and of itself. But most sailors didn't have anything nearly as fancy as an instrument crafted in Green Fall.

And most of them were lingering on the main deck, while Jharnia seemed to have made a home for herself as close to the bowsprit as possible. She was a pretty girl, barely into adulthood, with dark brown skin and long black hair secured down her back with a set of thin bands of carved coral. Her clothing was made out of something turquoise and gauzy that covered her chest and her legs but kept her midsection bare. Probably not the wisest choice on a ship crewed by salt-hardened seamen.

Kira's heavy bootsteps on the deck behind her caused Jharnia to look around, her brown eyes startled. She had been busy with what appeared to be a turtle-shell bowl full of seawater and shells.

"Oh! Ehm. Gud evening madame Kira," she replied shyly, her own accent was almost as thick as Kira's but vastly different. "Yas, I am Jharnia." Her eyes darted over Kira's intimidating clothing, seeming to pause on the various silver flourishes on the way down to her boots. She stood up and held onto the railing tightly, clearly still unsteady on the rocking deck. She frowned a little uncertainly, guessing that Kira hadn't come to talk to her on a whim but unable to figure out what it was she might need.

"What does the first mate do? Did you need something from me?"

Kira leaned against the rail next to Jharnia, removing her fiddle from the case. She pretended to be checking the instrument when in reality she was checking out the mage. She was a pretty girl, no doubt, but other things besides the conversation at hand were going through her mind at the moment.

Truth be told, it hadn't occured to Kira why the captain suggested she have a conversation with Jharnia. "Fers' ma'e is in charge o' th' defense o' th' ship..." Kira paused for a moment. "Well blow me over," she said, and laughed, pulling the bow from her case.

"Dinnae take me fer a foo, bu' ah dinnae thought t' think why th' cap'n wanted me t' talk t' yer!" She laughed again. "O' course, ah'm in charge o' defense o' th' ship, an' yer th' ship's mage!"

She pulled the bow across the strings and it was frighteningly out of tune. "Oi, bless me." Kira began to fiddle with the tuning as she spoke to Jharnia again. "Bein' yer th' ship's mage an' all, if'n by chance we are attacked, wot can yer do t' aid in th' defense o' th' ship?"

Finally the fiddle was tuned a little more to Kira's liking, and she played a few quiet notes while she looked expectantly at the mage. She was still kicking herself inwardly for not realizing the reason Blaine would have her talk to Jharnia. He did seem rather... aloof?

The slender young woman was less than conversational, gripping hard at the polished rail as though unsteady, or very nervous. Kira's thick accent was difficult for her to decipher. Her dark eyes followed the motion of the fiddle as the experienced sailor pulled the instrument from the case, and a look of excitement softened her features.

"Ah! Ehm, I see. Yes, I have a...special skill." She glanced around to make sure none of the sailors had wandered too close. "Some call it Waterspinnind, yes. But I should like not to talk about it too much until it is needed."

Like most of those who had developed a talent for Magecraft, Jharnia was afraid that being found out would not cast a bright light on her future. She waited for a moment, fascinated by the plucking sounds ringing from the fiddle as Kira turned the knobs to tune each string.

"Come close and watch," the girl whispered quietly. Using her hands to direct her focus, she held them towards the bowl of seawater. The surface had been calm before, but now rippled, until the entire volume rose up out of the sun-bleached turtle shell. The shells inside were left in the bottom, and some of the water dripped free from the spinning ball, but for the most part it floated up between them, catching the orange light of the setting sun.

Moving both hands independantly, Jharnia separated the blob into two, and then made a tendril of water connect from one to the other before morphing them back together again. After a moment or two more, she lowered it back into the shell bowl where only some of it slopped over the side onto the deck.

"I can spin much more. Maybe enough to move a ship, but not for long." She didn't explain why a skill like hers would be useful. Either she trusted Kira was smart enough to realize it on her own, or she was too nervous to voice her opinion. Lifting on hand to draw her long black ponytail over her shoulder, she toyed with the bands that kept it tight.

"I would like to hear you play."

The fairy was deeply troubled by the words he had managed to overhear. What could a great captain like him have done to draw so much ire? They spoke of a darfellan, could it be that their quartermaster was in trouble also? Or was he in on it? Still, no matter what, the first mate, whoever she was, was in immediate danger. He had to do something.. but what? Too bad he had left his weapon in his cabin. It was a good thing Dain had already been on the way to the captain's cabin, he was unsure if he would be heard if he went pounding on his door again. At his words, he assumed no one had heard his knocking.

After waiting some time, he could hear talking as someone approached the door. The captain's was obvious, but who was the woman? He got his answer when the door opened. A feline snaked out of the room, and caused Dain to jump. She was different, though. He couldn't put his finger on it.
"As long as expected, sir." When the captain asked him if he wanted a drink, an idea popped into his mind and he frowned, "Just a moment, if you would, captain."

It had crossed Dain's mind that the cat could also be in cahoots with the mutineers.. even though she was a cat, but that wasn't why he had given flighted chase.
"Excuse me, ma'am. Would you be willing to give the first mate a message? Could you please let her know that the captain wishes to speak with her?" he wasn't sure she would agree, after all, cats seldom do anything they don't want to. Still, he had to hope.

Dain hated flying. It was far too troublesome, but he had someone waiting on him. To keep them waiting over long was rude. Once he returned, he landed on the wooden floor and walked in.
"Sorry about that captain, I hope I didn't take too long." Once inside, he brought himself onto a bare spot on a table and paused, "I asked the feline to bring the first mate here, I hope you don't mind. I would like her here for what I am about to tell you." Then he remembered what he was going to originally tell the captain, and figured it would be best to tell him alone and let him inform whomever he wished.

"So, the reason I wanted to speak to you alone is because of the nature of what I do. By now, I assume you have guessed that I'm not actually a merchant's assistant." A nervous expression crossed Dain's face as he fiddled with the key he held, he had come too far to turn back now. He looked up at the human who could simply swat him like a bug and swallowed his fear.
This was probably a bad idea; here goes nothing!
"I'm a Knight of Ebonfort."

"Also, it would be a good idea to hold off on drinking any alcohol tonight." The serious look was back, and Dain pointed it straight at the captain.

Captain Blaine had started to step back to let Dain into the small but fairly lavish cabin, but was left standing in the doorway with his hand on the handle, watching the fairy zipped off after the silver tabby.

It wouldn't be an easy chase. Those dainty paws had carried the ghostlike feline quite far down the dim, gently rocking corridor and around a corner by the time Dain was able to catch up. The sound of his wings made her turn to the side, her back arching up in a fur-raising defensive arch, twitching sideways.

Once his request had been given, the cat relaxed, lowering her haunches to the wooden floor and leaning back to groom herself casually. "Well, Mr. Crest, I shall definitely consider it. I do have a schedule to keep after all..."

It wasn't a yes or a no, and her tone was maddeningly smug. When Dain turned back, the cat gave her tail a final lick and then disappeared.

Donovon Blaine was waiting for Dain when the fairy knight returned and closed the door behind him when the tiny man walked in. "T'where no trouble at all," the Captain reassured him, striding over to a heavy desk that had been bolted to the floor. The surface was littered with charts and many pages of a manifest, among many other things that tilted back and forth with the gentle rocking of the new ship.

Blaine's boots thumped around the room as he shrugged out of his greatcoat, tossing it onto a bed off to one side. It was only slightly larger than the ones offered to the passengers, and the rest of the crew had hammocks. The Captain brought a decanter of some amber liquor to the table and set it down with a glassy thunk.

He glanced at the fairy with his blonde brow arched curiously. "Did you? I wouldn't keep yer hopes up with regards to Fleetpaw. Women rarely do what you want them to, and cats are the worst of them all." A grin spread across his bearded face. "If she doesn't turn up shortly we'll go find her. She seems like the kind of woman who might still be in the armoury polishing something dangerous."

He moved around the table to sit in a wingback chair, leaning back so that he could plonk his boots on the edge of the desk, crossed lazily at the ankles.

"I'll admit you've got my attention, Mr. Crest. And why should Ms. Kodera join us?" He was watching the fairy with his bright blue eyes.

The revealing admission was met with a silent but intent look on the Captain's face. He had been about to pour the both of them a drink, and in truth was still wondering what he could serve a shot of rum to a fairy in, but let his fingers drum on the table instead.

"I see. I had my suspicions, but to be honest with yer I half-thought that the tale o' Silvermist were a myth. I'm not surprised the knights planted you here under my nose, and I'm glad you saw fit to tell me, but you keep that from the rest of the crew. Most of them are born and raised in Azure Strand and share no love for knights."

He raised his hand to scratch his beard. "My only question for yer now is why? Are you keeping an eye on someone in particular?" He shuffled a few sheets of paper that appeared to be sketches of the various crew members and passangers, his expression thoughtful.

That is, until Dain told him he couldn't drink. His expression soured, his gaze flicking up to meet the fairy knight's. "And why's that?"

Kira was completely unfamiliar with magic, but the name Jharnia called her skill sounded like something that had to do with moving water. Her tactical mind spun for a few moments, imagining what possibilities that could entail, until she was distracted from her thoughs by the mage's demonstration.

Kira watched in awe as the water moved to Jharnia's will, changing shape as she gestured. Her mouth hung open slightly. She had never actually seen a display of magic before, and she continued to stare at the water as it laid back into the bowl.

"An entire ship?" The astonishment in Kira's voice was obvious. "Tha's qui' a skill. Ah'd 'ate t' 'ave t' put et t' use, yeh." Since Kira was in charge of defense of the ship, she sunk back into her thoughts for a bit, scenarios of the Azure Rising being attacked by various imaginary enemies and Jharnia's skill keeping them unharmed.

She was pulled from her thoughts yet again as Jharnia's exotic accent drifted to her ears. She had almost forgotten she was still holding her fiddle. "O' course, m'dear. Ah'm sure e'ryone else 'as been wai'in fer somethin' as well." She winked at the mage and double-checked her tuning.

Satisfied, she drew the bow across the strings, the beautiful sound of the Green Fall Seal instrument floating across the deck and drawing the attention of many of the crew members. Her fingers deftly manipulated the strings as she began to play a familiar shanty with a medium tempo. Her skill with the fiddle kept the notes ringing clearly, audible from bow to stern.

The water elementalist watched Kira's face as the First Mate seemed to ponder on the application of waterspinning to the defense of the ship. Jharnia nodded, grinning in spite of her nervousness, flattered by Kira's appreciation. The young woman didn't want to be caught in a sea battle of any kind, but the money and the adventure would be worth it, right?

Jharnia glanced down at the main deck as Kira began to play, curious to see how the rest of the crew would react to the wonderful sound of a masterwork instrument. As soon as the music began to radiate back across the rest of the ship, faces turned to look, watching the black-garbed woman play, grinning and nodding with approval. There were even a few cheers for the new First Mate, and a few beckoned for the fiddler to join them on the main deck.

From one of the dark doorways leading down into the main of the ship, more of the crew appeared, lured out by the music and frivolity. In particular, two grizzled sailors and a young cabin boy appeared, the gruffer of the three speaking in hushed tones to a few of the men who had been on deck most of the day. Even some of the merchants appeared, more wealthily-dressed than the crew but less comfortable still on the slowly rolling deck.

At last, Captain Blaine appeared, leaning against a doorway with a silver tabby cat lurking on the polished deck between his boots. When Kira's notes grew into a steady beat, the rhythm of clapping hands and stomping boots joined the shanty, and a sailor grabbed the hand of one of the passengers, swinging her into a dance across the deck. Another fiddle appeared, a black-bearded man nodding to Kira over the strings and the bow, joining in with the familiar tune.