He held a dream of a quiet place. Unlike the Fort he was used to this dream was calm. The dream of a pasture with cows and sheeps eating grass. In this dream, he saw a metal bird glide in the air. He stared at this metal bird before the world crackled as this dream was became like mirror that smashed into pieces.

He was back on the ship. He opened his eyes to look at the ceiling. He thought that the fog was getting worse as they sailed onwards to the dread line. Getting up from his bed he turned his attention to the overcoat he had started to wear. He wore the overcoat and washed his face on a basin that was placed on the personal barrel of water he was given.

Gabrio watered his plants. He checked on his molded bread. And turned towards his notes where he double checked on his tomes. He studied for an hour before going to the clinic. In the clinic, Zyra was sitting at her desk. She looked at Gabrio for a second before she returned to her work. Gabrio seated himself behind his desk and started checking on the records he made yesterday.

It took him a while to check his records. After that, he resupplied his medicinal kit and started his checkups. He assessed the condition of the sailors and apprentices first before turning to the officers. He checked on the Captain’s health and had the Pilot of the ship rested in his quarters.

Upon returning to the clinic he saw Zyra smoking her pipe. She took another glance at him and smiled wearily. She said, “You look unbothered.”

“What do you mean?” Gabrio calmly asked.

“I thought you’d be asking questions. You’ve been ignoring me.”

“I never thought of it,” Gabrio said. “Your business is yours. How many times do I have to repeat that?”

“You don’t have to. I won’t bring my business into this clinic.”

“You shouldn’t,” Gabrio reprimanded. “A house of healing that takes sides does not do well. Before long we’ll have to worry about individuals asking us to euthanize our patients for the sake of their beliefs. We have to be neutral when it comes to patients.”

“All he asked was to let the record go.”

“I was being fair.”

“Which means you are putting them in danger.”

“That is beyond my control then,” Gabrio said. “What happens beyond this clinic is not my concern. This clinic provides treatment and that is that. I am a Doctor first. That’s all I have to say about this, Zyra.”

“You don’t want to know? To at least be aware?”

“No,” Gabrio tapped on his deck. “The thought of it makes me curious. But if I start to know more then, I am afraid that it might make me start to favor whatever side you are playing or be against it.”

“I see,” Zyra said with an expression of pity. “Then there is no point in talking to you about this. I understand.”

Gabrio stared at her, “Do you?”

Zyra stayed quiet, unable to reply to him. There was a silence between them that seemed to have made Zyra uncomfortable. She went out of the clinic and didn’t return. After a time Gabrio chose to go topside to watch the fleet formation. The fleet didn’t change other than it was covered in thick fogs. All he saw were the lamps on the stern.

It had been days after that pus-ridden beast attacked them. Thankfully the pus-ridden beast had not given the fleet any disease or problem. The problem was that the low visibility means more crews were missing their steps and handholds. Falling down the deck injured. Not to mention that there was something about the fog that gnaws the mind. Gabrio had ordered that if it could be helped. No one should venture into the fog alone. The crew should stay together when they are topside.

A group was playing cards around a lamp on the starboard side of the Galleon. He sauntered to where the lads were and sat cross-legged to watch them. They nodded their heads recognizing Gabrio. His face was now known by everyone on the board. He didn’t have to introduce himself. Besides, he was a Physician that mingled with the people of the Galleon. That was odd enough for people to remember him. The lads offered him a smoke, he refused and watched the cards play out.

Gabrio had asked them about the weather and they all had the same thoughts. If it wasn’t for the Lady helping the fleet move then it would have been over for the fleet. Without the winds then they are stuck in the water. There was no way for the fleet to move without them.

He traveled back to the clinic. Unlike the days before, the ship hallways were empty. Only Constables guarded with iron lamps in their hands. Inside the bar, the people sipped and ate while listening to music. After observing the minglers in the bar he descended the decks and went back to the clinic. He found Zyra in the clinic holding on to a long needle.

She locked eyes before placing the needle on her desk, “Done with your rounds?”

“I am,” Gabrio said. “I’m not making any excuses for you now, Zyra.”

“Are we not friends?”

“Oh, we are,” Gabrio said, wearing a tiny smile. “But it doesn’t have to be one-sided.”

“That’s one fast way to lose friends, Gabrio.”

“I know. That’s why I only have a few.”

“You really can be condescending.”

“I try my best.”

“I can respect that,” Zyra said. “But would you help them regardless of the side they are part of?”

“My side is this clinic, but the one who owns the medicine are the leaders of the Galleon. I am not against you, Zyra. I am against those that would try to make me belong to a team. I am a Doctor for love’s sake, I am here to heal and not participate in whatever that is you're doing.”

Zyra smiled, “How about a drink? Just the two of us?”

Gabrio pondered for a moment before raising his shoulders. They took to the side where the light was better and that place was the surgery room. There was a fresh scent of water around the surgery room.

“She seems to be doing well. Millie.”

“Bah, that girl has her head in the clouds,” Zyra said. “You know that she’s always with Willie now?”

“I do,” Gabrio said. “But I don’t mind since I had the freedom to roam around without him. Do you think they got together?”

“Who knows? They seemed to be flirting behind our backs. Last time I was out I saw them hiding in the bar together. Do you know how popular single men are in the Galleon? You must be having a time getting young and old eyes wanting to marry a Doctor.”

“Actually,” he took a sip of the wine that they pulled out of a crate, “you do know that they think of me as some sort of quack. I heard from the Chaplain that most of the patients went to him first. It’s hard to help people when they think of you as a fraud despite it being years already. How many years does it take for people to accept that we are not frauds?”

“That’s...I do think that there is a strange way people see your profession. They do not bother us, surgeons, knowing how they can see us operate the wounds of our soldiers.”

“The noble lords still call my kind of people ‘ low-status quacks’ until they see our results. I do not lie, but there are indeed young women here that want to be married. I don’t think I will take advantage of that.”

“To be fair to them, Gabrio,” Zyra said, “marrying you would be an advantage. Besides, knowing how stern you can be, I bet they wouldn’t care about that title. You don’t look bad.”

“Thank you,” Gabrio said. “But for now I just want to focus on my duties as a Doctor.”

“Even though we might die a horrible death eaten alive by monsters?”

“Then let it be so. It is what it is.”

“You’ll become a monk at this rate.”

“I don’t plan to.”

“Are you a romanticist?”

“Not really. I don’t see myself as one.”

“Is that so?” She sniffed on her wine. “Do you think this fog will lift soon?”

“Maybe.”

“You don’t know? I always thought you're smarter than this.”

“All I know is that I know nothing about the Dread Line. A lot of people are missing their steps and falling from the masts. If this continues then the sailors are going to to work limping.”

“Is it that bad?”

“It is,” he sipped on his mug, “I have to wrap their knees and feet. The Inquisitor wanted to light around the mast but the Boatswains argued that it might cause a fire. They proposed to tie ropes around their waists instead.”

“Really? I didn't see them doing that when I came out.”

“They are still discussing where the ropes are going to be tied on. They don’t want to hamper their movements when they want to climb on the masts after all.”

“I see,” Zyra said. “By the way how did you end up in Fort Rava?”

Gabrio glared, “Why?”

“I am not prying. I just want to know how you ended there.”

“Will you tell me yours as well?”

“What do you want to know?”

“I don’t know,” Gabrio said honestly. “It’s not like anyone would share their past so bluntly. I mean I know I won’t no matter how you pry it from me. But I might slip up if I had wine.”

“Hmm,” Zyra held her chin, “let’s say that you are right. You held my hand. What did you think of it?”

“Calloused.”

“Oh, should have said that it was nice and silky.”

“Who calls other people's hands silky?”

“My people do. Still, you should have said nicer.”

“I don’t lie so easily.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“Oh believe what you want, Zy.”

“Gab,” she said to him. “If you’re calling me ‘Zy’ then I’ll call you that.”

“Eh, I don’t mind,” Gabrio said. “I understand that people do not think fondly of my name.”

“Anyway, you could have said something nicer about my palm.”

“Are you obsessed with your palm?”

“Hey, they say a good palm means you have gentle hands.”

“Is this a saying that your people have?”

She grinned, “You could say that. Anyway, I didn’t have a good opinion of you when you said that. Now you are just adding fuel to that belief.”

“Well sorry, I am not fond of seeking the approval of others.”

“Is that Ravaian thing?”

“Indeed,” Gabrio said with a weak grin, “you see when you are inside a Fort like that. You cannot allow people to look down on you. When they look down on you they can have power over you. When they have power over you then you are done. They’ll know what to say and do to control you.”

“In my place, it’s the same. I mean I am glad that I did not suffer Fort Rava, but in my place, it was a world where the betters are treated like blue blood while the rest are treated like pebbles in the dirt. I was supposed to be a Courtesan you know?”

“Hmm, I can see why they would want you to be one.”

“Eyes up, Mister.”

“Bah, yours is like a curvy washboard anyways, besides your robes are too thick. What do you hide under there?”

“Something you’ll never find out if you keep talking like that.”

Gabrio shrugged. “Not like I have any plan to.”

“You know there should be a limit to rudeness.”

“How about we stop this?

She grabbed hold of the wine and drank a mouthful. “We shouldn’t stop drinking. Hell, this must be the only time you drank with me. Now, I won’t be taking a no. Smoke with me, will you?”

Gabrio raised a finger, “Just this time, okay?”

Some parts of Gabrio wanted to refuse, but there was a part of him that told him not to. He didn’t want to lose a friend he had barely known. To work with someone who he does not agree with would be terrible. He didn’t hate, he simply disagreed with how she was involving the clinic. He wished he had a better way to explain this to her. But her eyes said it all, she didn’t want to let go of whatever that had made her join this faction of hers. Yet as they drink he felt an invisible line that he can't climb over.