In a few hours Kalder returned and announced that the crew had agreed to an on-deck dinner where their new captain would address them. As they gathered, Jayln was surprised by how few men there were. Twenty-one seemed like a lot on a list, but gathered on a huge ship deck, it was not impressive.

As Fenrin announced Tryst as the first mate, Jayln watched for dissatisfaction. There was quite a bit, but most turned to Firebrand and backed off when he nodded in agreement. Leinad, a bandage around his ear, kept his eyes on his plate. Kalder spoke to one of the men who moved over to him and soon had him laughing with the rest of the group when the rum came out and songs were sung.

Eventually the crew trickled away, teetering drunkenly to their cots or taking a bottle to their stations. Fenrin left Tryst in charge as Jayln and him went back to the cabin. Before things got awkward, Jayln took off her coat, boots, and belts and rolled onto the bed, setting up a small wall of cushions but leaving room for Fenrin. She felt him lay down and soon fell asleep to the rocking of the ship.

When she woke up Fenrin was gone. She ran her fingers through her bed head and pulled on her boots. Finishing getting ready she opened the door and found Tryst sitting against the wall, a large brimmed hat pulled down low. At the sound of the door, he bounced up and gave a little bow.

"Good morning."

"Were you..."

"Guarding the door until you woke up. Captain's orders."

"Right. Where is he?"

He looked at her confused. "He's the captain, he's at the helm. He did have a message for you, though. Wanted me to take you to the cargo hold to talk to the...eh, passengers?"

She rolled her eyes. "Don't you have other things to do? I'll go by myself."

"I have my orders." She shot him a sharp glance and he held up his hands peaceably. "I've got the cargo key. Let me let you in and I'll be on my way."

Nodding, she followed Tryst back down into the hold. He unlocked the main door and then the door on the left. He hesitated for a moment. "There is a chance they could get violent."

"I can handle it. Or would you like a demonstration?"

Tryst gave his impish smile and turned to leave but Jayln stopped him and held out her hand. "The key to the chains please."

"The captain didn't..."

Jayln's eyes narrowed and she did her best to imitate Fenrin's dangerous glare. "Don't make me ask again."

Tryst shrugged and put a heavy iron key in her hand and left whistling. Jayln clutched the key tightly, grabbed a lantern, and went in.

The door shut heavily behind her. She placed the lantern on the ground and scanned the faces. Scared. Angry. Hostile.

"I'm sure you're wondering what's going on. The ship is under a new captain now. My name is Jayln."

A large Duskar man stood up, towering over Jayln but chained too tightly to move towards her. "Examining the wares then?" he said in a deep voice, anger and hatred boiling through it.

Jayln shook her head. "No, you're not slaves anymore."

There was a moment of silence broken when the dark haired girl whispered, "Is it true, mama?"

Her mother hushed her. "I don't know, Anwen."

Jayln spoke up, "It is true." She walked towards the children and the woman stood between her and them. Jayln held up the key. "Please, let me help them."

Cautiously, the woman let Jayln move closer, the boy was clinging to the younger girl hiding behind her snow curls. She unlocked the manacle on his ankle and pulled him close, looking him over for injuries. He was unharmed but skinny. She didn't realize she was crying, until a tear dropped onto her arm and rolled down to the floor. The boy wiggled out of her grasp and back to the girl. Jayln wiped her eyes and unlocked the other children and then the woman.

She was turning to the older woman chained to the side, when someone grabbed her hair and yanked her back. The dark haired woman wrapped her arm around Jayln and put a knife to her neck. "Don't move or I'll kill you."

Jayln could feel the woman was weak, probably from malnutrition. Calmly she asked, "What are you doing? I'm here to help. I don't want to hurt you."

"Maybe that's true, maybe it isn't. But I swore I'd get my daughter off this ship and my guess is your captain will help us do that in exchange for your life."

Jayln sighed, twisted her assailant’s wrist, and elbowed her in the stomach knocking the wind out of her. Picking up the knife, Jayln slipped it in her coat pocket. The woman rose gasping.

"I'm not here to hurt you but I can defend myself. Getting you out of here is going to be tricky. The crew is the same, so not exactly upstanding citizens. What's your name?"

"Echa."

Jayln unlocked the older woman. "And you are?"

"Nita."

"Right. You cook?"

"Yes."

"Great, would you agree to be paid as the ship's cook until we land?"

"What do you mean?" the woman croaked.

She turned to the men. "And you, since we took the ship by surprise, we are short on crewmen. The captain wants to hire you as sailors. With pay as free men until we dock at which point you'll be welcome to leave and do whatever you wish."

Approaching to unlock the Duskar’s chains, she hesitated, "You're not going to attack me too are you? Because I'll tell you right now, I would win. Ask yourself how two people take a whole ship on their own then consider your next move."

The man stared at her with his dark eyes and relaxed. "I won't harm you."

"Great, but I need more than that. I need you to promise not to harm anyone. I am well aware the crew are bloodthirsty pirates who have done you great wrong, but like I said, we are short on crewmen. You take any out and no one makes it back to shore."

He gave her a tight lipped smile. "You're a smart woman. Alright, I promise not to harm anyone except in self-defense."

"I'll take it." She unlocked the chains and the man stretched, rubbing his wrists. She turned to the others. "Can I get the same from you?"

They each agreed and once everyone was free they began eyeing the door. Jayln stepped in front of it. "Now we have some planning to do. We have to wait until the captain gives the go ahead, but I promise I'm not leaving here until you are."

"What kind of man is this captain of yours?" asked Nita.

Jayln hesitated. That was a loaded question.

"I'm not going to lie, he's not a good man. But he and I have an agreement that I trust and he won’t harm anyone without actual provocation. He also has agreed to free you and hire you as I said. Look," she sighed, "I'm from a land where there is no slavery so this is all new to me. I just want to help. I'm not going to promise everything will work out perfectly, but I can promise that I'm on your side."

She glanced around at the nervous faces and sat on the floor. "We have some time to kill, can you tell me about yourselves?" There was hesitant silence and then the Duskar spoke.

"I am Zalif. I was on a passenger ship with my family when we were attacked by slavers. I was captured and my children slain in front of my eyes. Shortly after, I was sold again, separated from my wife. At last, my buyer's ship was captured by this one and my hell continues."

Jayln grew pale. The darked haired woman laughed. "You don't know what hell is. I have been a slave since I was five years old. A pleasure slave passed from one master to another. I wasn't supposed to be able to have children but the gods blessed me with Anwen. I would not see her share the same fate, so I killed my master and tried to escape. Obviously, it didn't work."

"Were you from the same ship as Zalif?" Jayln asked.

"No, I have been on this ship for six months. Jaired stopped us from being returned to our mistress for judgement. In exchange for my daughter’s 'protection'," she spat the word, "I've been his. Until a few weeks ago when he told me he'd found a buyer for us both. I will see him dead."

"My brother and I were survivors from a pirate attack. Ended up on the same ship as Zalif," one man spoke up, nodding to another younger man. They both had the pale hair and skin of Valhym. "You were on that ship too right?" He gestured to two other men, one with olive skin and short hair and one pale with scars on his arms. They nodded but said nothing.

The brother answered for them, "I think they've been slaves their whole lives, neither ever speak. I believe they have no tongue."

The last man leaned against the wall. "I came on with the boy child and the Dyve child. I've been a slave since my home was raided as a boy. I was the guard for a noble's steward, he bought the children for the noble's pleasure house. I am glad they never made it." This man had gold hair as well, but it was brighter than the brothers’. His skin was a dusky gold color.

Jayln blinked tears from her eyes again.

"Now stop that, it's not your fault the world has rotten people in it," Nita spoke up, her voice clearing. "I came on with the men, though gods know why they took me too. I'm just a housekeeper whose master died of old age with no heirs. I for one will take your captain's offer. Even if I come off this ship as a free woman, it won't do much good if I'm penniless and alone. I'd advise you men to do the same."

After Nita's speech the door opened and Fenrin walked in. He had a bundle of papers in his hands. "Alright, I presume Jayln's told you my proposition. Let's see...Dorin and Derek?" The brothers stood. "Your papers."

Fenrin handed them their forged sales papers. "And your contract." They took the contracts and glanced it over. Without a pause Fenrin moved on, "Zalif, Jedof, Gerold, and Naveem."

The mute men took the papers and looked at them confused. Fenrin rolled his eyes. "Someone read them their contracts and get some sort of signature." The brothers moved over and soon all the men returned signed contracts.

"Men, you answer to Boatswain Kalder Firebrand, he is up the stairs ready to get you started." A glance at Fenrin's slightly irritated face and the men hurried off. Zaliff paused to eye Fenrin up and down. After he left, Fenrin glanced at Jayln. "He's not going to be a problem, is he?"

"No."

"Alright then, Nita, you answer to First Mate Tryst, he will show you to your kitchen." The woman took her papers, signed quickly, and left with a quick smile at Jayln.

Fenrin rolled the rest of the papers up and tucked them into his shirt.

"What about us?" Echa asked.

"That's up to you. I can hire you for your usual role if you'd like. Otherwise you will remain here as a passenger until landing. The children I have no use for. The girl may be old enough to help out but this ship is too dangerous for her to be out and about."

Jayln was about to object but Echa stepped up. "I will not for the crew. But I'd enter paid contract with you. As long as you allow me to turn this hell hole into a comfortable place for the children."

Fenrin eyed the woman and smiled. "I appreciate the offer but with current arrangements, I don't think that will work." Jayln flushed as Echa's eyes flicked at her.

"I'll hire her." Tryst stepped into the room. He gave a bow. "If she'll have me."

Jayln started to object but Fenrin silenced her with a glance. "It'll come from your wages."

Tryst smiled. "Yes, sir."

Echa glanced at Tryst, looking him over. "I've seen you on the ship. Who are you?"

"Tryst, recently promoted to First Mate."

"I agree. Captain, our papers."

Fenrin handed them over and drafted up a contract for her and Tryst to sign.

"Now that's done. I will keep the children's papers safe until landing at which point I expect someone to have figured out what to do with them. Until then, they are not to leave this room without dedicated supervision. Jayln, they are your responsibility. I will send down supplies to clean up this mess."

Without another glance he left and Jayln sighed.

"I will be spending my day helping the children, but I will join you this evening," Echa informed Tryst.

"I'm looking forward to it.” He tipped his hat in farewell before leaving.

Turning to her daughter, Echa said firmly, "Anwen, you are in charge of Mira and Matti when I'm out, ok?"

Anwen took Mira's hand. "Yes, mama. I'll take care of them."

Echa kissed her. "I know you will." She turned to Jayln. "I owe you an apology for earlier. I'm sorry, I see I have you to thank for all this."

"No, it's really no problem. I'll help out down here."

"Won't the captain be wanting you?"

Jayln rubbed her temples. "The captain can wait. We're not together. We're business partners but due to circumstances we're letting the crew believe we're lovers."

"I understand. Well then, I appreciate the help. Let's get those damned chains out."

They spent the rest of the day scrubbing the filthy room and making it a livable space. They found blankets and a few furs for beds and Jayln stole some pillows from the captain's room. Soon Matti was happily laying down, stroking the soft fur. Mira was jumping and skipping, enjoying being able to move and Anwen watched them, her dark eyes mature and protective.

As night fell, Echa kissed her daughter goodnight and Jayln gave her a wedge of wood. "I'm going to lock the door when I leave to keep you safe. Put this wedge under just in case. In the morning me or your mother will knock and let you know it's us and you can let us in with breakfast, alright?"

Anwen nodded while Mira and Matti gave both gave Echa hugs.

Tryst was waiting at the top of the stairs. He took Echa's arm, tipped his hat goodnight to Jayln, and escorted Echa to his cabin. Jayln, exhausted from the day's work slipped into the captain's cabin, walked past Fenrin working at his desk, and collapsed onto the bed. Before drifting off to sleep she said, "Fenrin, thank you."

The scratch of his pen paused for a moment and then continued with no word.