The girl stood on the deck leaning against the gunwale looking at the vast expanse of the sea to the horizon. She was turning a small ball of flame absently on her hand passing it over her fingers from the palm to the back of her hand and back again. She was an intriguing sort. This was her first voyage and Esmerelda seemed to have plucked her out of thin air. Already she had closed a dozen common gashes, utterly cured several crew members of the glass flu, gotten Tornas to shut up at night, and set a man's leg back into his hip. Admittedly she needed help with the last one but bone setting, especially a hip, is not a one person job, as she had explained.

Dimitri approached her. He remembered the name Esmerelda had introduced her by, overlong and smacking of bloodlines. None the less this snowdrop was the first of his country women he had seen in quite some time. She really was quite pretty, and quite skilled, a winning combination if ever there was one.

"Hello" he said in Northern. "I hope I didn't startle you"

She caught the ball in her hand and grew it.

"I'm never startled for long" she replied. Then speedily extinguishing the flame and rapidly mumbling "I'm sorry. That was too strong. I just know that I have to stand up for myself and not appear weak. But also there is a time and a place for threatening with fire balls and a ship isn't it. And you speak Northern!" Her speech came streaming out the words stumbling over one another.

Dimitri, taken a bit aback, grinned and give a rye chuckle.

"Yes it appears we both speak northern milady. We have not been properly introduced I am Dimitri Vasiliev and it is a pleasure to meet you." he said. He extended his hand a beat fell before Petrianna recovered herself and shook it "I am Petrianna Yekaterina Alexandra Androvna. But you should call me Petra" She said again words seeming to stumble over one another.

"Petrianna Yekaterina Alexandra Androvna , Petra, it is an honor to properly make your acquaintance. Now tell me how does a little snow bird fly so far south?" he asked.

"I did not fly. I walked and rode and honestly teleported most of the way" she responded.

Wizard travel. What was a girl with that kind of money doing on a boat like this? Dimitri thought.

"My story is about the same but with fewer wizards and more boats" Dimitri said airily.

Petra nodded and looked back out towards the water.

She is an odd one, Dimitri thought, so quiet. Then he said aloud "Where were you from then Petra? Our North is large" he asked.

"Troivda" She responded.

"Oh the big city. I am from there as well it is exciting no?" he asked.

"It is just a city. I like the cobble stones, It is bigger than the villages my grandparents live in and people do things differently in cities. It is not even really easier to learn in cities. I learned so much from my grandmas. I liked staying with them more anyway." She replied.

"Babushka is always best no?" He asked? Hoping to engage her further.

"I like mine very much.” Petra smiled “My father's mother, she taught me all about the forest and the plants and how to use them to heal. My mother's mother, well she is a wizard so she thinks the best magic is in books so she always wanted me to study and always had something new for me to learn." Petra explained.

"And what about you grand fathers?" Dimitri asked.

"They found each other when my parents did and now they smoke and drink together quiet a lot." Petra answered honestly.

Dimitri studied her with a charmingly inquisitive look.

"Your skills are quite extraordinary Petra. Your babushkas taught you well. But you must tell me, with a talent like yours, who do you pray to?"

Petra remembered the captain's warning and answered honestly.

"The Great She Bear of course" she replied "who else could protect me and see that my eyes open on every spring?" The phrase was a common prayer one she had heard each of her parents and grandparents pray.

"Of course, Midvedetsa watches over us and keeps us warm till spring" the returning phrase came easily off the Northerner's tongue.

A beat of silence again passed. Before Dimitri sighed with a smile and said.

"Not much for conversation are you?" he asked.

Petra looked down and shrank in on herself the slightest bit.

"I hate that question." She said.

"Apologies milady" Dimitri said bowing his head. "I would never mean to offend my country woman. Please forgive me. Your silence suits you. Strong, smart silent. A steadfast shipmate surgeon any crew would be lucky to have." He switched to common for the alliteration and much to his satisfaction it seemed to bring a smile to Petra's face.

"All our people are poets" she said. It was a phrase of wisdom her babushka would say. Although when her babushka said it it was said derisively when someone tried to say something clever but nevertheless here it seemed to fit.

"Yes indeed" Dimitri returned and began to slide ever so slightly closer to her.

"Ship spotted off to port!" Came a loud cry from the crow's nest.

Whistles blew a sailors ran to their work.

“You best get below Petsha, I have a feeling we will be needing you soon.” Dimitri said, “I hope we can speak again soon.”