Ayla grinned playfully. “I look forward to hearing the heightened tale in the future.” She patted her hands dry on the flimsy linen of her breeches after shaking them off. Rolling her tunic sleeves back down to the wrist, she added, “I thank you for sharing your truth with me.”

With the cleanup in the kitchen coming to a close, the elf bade the cook a pleasant eve and took her leave. Knowing that the nights rendered the deck off-limits to passengers, she heaved a wistful sigh and found a path back to the women’s cabin. Late arriving, she found her corner had claimed by another. Unperturbed, she found solace in a corner that shared the wall on which the door sat.

Her cloak a blanket and her bundle a pillow, Ayla curled contentedly and full-bellied into peaceful rest. The gentle rocking of the ship lulled her and in her mind she heard the humming of her mother’s lullaby. Sleep came quickly that night. Away from shore, one full day of freedom notched into her memory, Ayla relaxed into an almost immediate pleasant dream.