Before falling in with the other passengers for the grand tour, Ayla lingered long enough to hear Captain Church direct his Quartermaster to further outfit their medicinal supplies. While she kept her pleasant expressions, the elf could not help the riot of emotion in her chest as Bart sprinted off to speak with the guild. While traveling under an assumed name, she figured it would be a matter of days before the Blackthornes came looking at manifests. If she were lucky, it would take a few more days for them to realize her name was absent but that a book pertinent to her skillset was secured for this very vessel.

Eager to get out of public sight now, she followed the pair of boys as they gave a brief but effective introduction to deck below. Ayla mused over the duet as she followed them along. They were young, yes, but they were free. They clearly were at ease in their lives, thriving with whatever skills they had been able to acquire. She marveled at their energy and felt that their presence in service of the Captain spoke well of his management and methods. She could not sense a hidden fear or similar shackle beneath the boys’ presentation. 

Reaching the room she would be sharing with other women, the elf smirked at the way in which the pair related news of the locking mechanism. It was matter-of-fact and direct. She doubted either of them had any inclination as to why the room of single women may prefer to barricade themselves in, and she was happy for the two in their innocence. She had grown up too quickly herself and knew from too young an age just how cruel the world could be. 

Within the secure room, she sought a corner. Small as the shared space would be with all tenants onboard, Ayla was gleeful with the prospect of being on the inside of a door that locked in a manner of protection instead of confinement. She had never experienced privacy before and was always a little curious about the concept. Bathing and dressing routines were done without regard for the elves’ modesty and as such, Ayla had developed little sense of shyness. She engaged on this venture presuming her manners were as normal as the next.

With her corner chosen, furthest from the door, she settled with her back comfortably nestled in the joint of the walls. Legs crossed and bundle in her lap, she leaned her head against the walls and closed her eyes in dreamy meditation. Intentional breathing practices brought her racing heart back to a calm. She prepared to make herself indispensable to the crew. With her knowledge and trade skills, and what limited powers she had been able to manifest under her family tutelage, she would do everything within reason to give the Captain validation in keeping her aboard. Whenever the Blackthornes caught up with her, she hoped they would find her well entrenched in the hearts of all on the ship, even if only for her tea blends and soothing balms.