"I see," Rhia said slowly, thinking of Palindor's words. "I see now."
Rhia and Julina were awakened the next morning to the ringing of the bell by the galley door, and a shout from the ship's steward.
"What time is it?" Rhia moaned. "It's still dark outside!" She lifted her head and considered Julina, who was already half dressed. As before, Julina seemed to be avoiding her eye, her thoughts elsewhere. With an inward shrug, Rhia followed suit and climbed out of bed.
Rhia balked when she saw that the galley was already filled with men, dwarves and elves, but Julina grabbed her by the hand and led her to a long, narrow table, whose occupants obligingly made room for the two girls. Breakfast was already laid out, and consisted of hot biscuits, cold salt pork and cheese. On a tray were a few remaining empty cups and a pitcher containing the hot, spicy drink favoured by sailers in those days called plenna.
The crew themselves came as a surprise to both girls, as they were almost entirely elvish, but of stock neither had ever encountered before. Their features were at once craggy and dour, their skin tough-looking and weather-beaten. "Never been this far east," Bix was meanwhile saying to Nylandor and Amrhost around a biscuit and piece of meat skewered on his knife. "I pilot their ships often in our waters. None of us has ventured too far past Devil's Horn. Too risky, by all accounts."