Petra sat reading by the light of her fire ball hovering in the air over her table. Even in the day time the light in the space below deck was too dim to read by. The kracken attack had been three days ago.

"What are you reading in kitten?"

Petra smiled as she looked up towards the familiar voice of Dimitri speaking in their Northern language. She turned the cover up for him to see.

"The peoples and creatures you may meet and the magic they might use." She said with a smile.

"That sounds rather specific" Dimitri said with a chuckle sitting down across from her.

"It is one of my favorites. My father got it for me when I was young because I was always pointing at people and asking questions." She said.

"And this book of yours has the answers?" Dimitri asked reaching across to take her hand.

"To the questions I was asking then. 'Who are they, why do they fight like that, where does their magic come from? Questions like that."she answered.

"I don't think I've ever bothered much with those questions. I don't have any magic and I don't have anger issues, rogue always seemed the right path. Its all a matter of leaning in I suppose." he said.

"You could have been a fighter." Petra offered.

"Who is to say I am not?" Dimitri asked.

"I say" Petra responded with a smile. "You are too smart and not so showy as a fighter."

"Oh I'm smart am I?" Dimitri asked leaning in.

"MAN OVERBOARD!" Petrianna heard the call from above deck. She immediately pulled her hand from Dimitri's and rushed around the table and up the stairs. She heard a splash as she made it above deck and then the clatter of a ladder being flung over the side of the ship. Meer moments latter there was the sound of the water breaking again and shouts of "pull them up!" As two sailors hauled up the ladder. Agonizing seconds later she saw Seanathan climb over the gunwale with Lark slung over his shoulder. He was quick to put Lark down on the deck and then step away to catch his own breath while Ruben and Erika got down on either side of the unbreathing boy.

Erica, with one fist laced around an open palm began thumping on the boy's chest. She stopped, tilted his chin and put her mouth to Lark's. Petra could see his chest rise and fall with two breaths. Erika set in again thumping on his chest. Petra counted this time thirty before Erika blew breath into him again. Again thirty thumps two breaths. Erika looked already exhausted from the effort and Ruben took over. As Ruben bent to breath into Lark the boy convulsed Ruben quickly flipped him up on to his side, and Lark vomited sea water onto the deck to applause and sighs of relief from all the crew gathered. Lark took great gasping breaths as he continued to cough and splutter.

"At what point Kissey kins" Erika asked still out of breath "were you planning on telling us you couldn't swim?"

"I--I was" Lark began to stutter.

"It matters not." Ruben interjected. "You've been brought back from death and we didn't even need a diamond. You lad, need a drink" he hauled Lark to his feet and steered him away from the small crowd of remaining sailors.

Petra used the now dispersing crowd to approach Erika.

"That was incredible. How did you do that?" Erika was still recovering her breath.

"That was saving a man from drowning. It's the kind of thing you learn pretty early on an 'Aina ship." Erika reached out her hand and Petra pulled her up.

"Can you teach me?" Petra asked.

Erika looked at her and smiled. "Happy to, surgeon. Rather not revivify if you don't have to yeah?" She asked.

"Something like that." Petra said.

"I'd bet that you saw as much as you need to do it yourself but I'd be happy to show you. The more people know the better. But let's get below, what do you got to calm me down because that was a lot." Petra and Erika crossed the deck and descended the stairs to go below.

Etheldred was furious as he observed the scene on deck. He nimbly climbed down from his place in the fighting top and wove his way unseen across the deck and bellow. Kerrek was not difficult to find. The fool thought he was hiding.

"And what exactly was that supposed to be?" Etheldred asked him.

"What was what supposed to be?" Kerrek asked in reply.

Etheldred made and effort to keep his face relaxed from anger.

"I appreciate a willing readiness to lie but I remind you that you will tell the truth to me."

"I'm sure i don't know what you mean quartermaster" Kerrek said beginning to walk around him.

Etheldred did not appreciate being tested in this way. He quickly lashed out and punched Kerrek in the throat robbing him of voice and breath Kerrek doubled over gasping.

"Now that I have your attention. Let's discuss your recent failure."

Karrek continued gasping unable to speak.

"That was sloppily done. Out in the open, not just on calm seas but in a doldrum? And if he did drown how hard do you think it would be to trace back to you?"

"You said to get the Goldhaven crew out of the way." Kerrek rasped "that's what I was trying to do."

"The time for discreetly pushing someone over the side passed when the winds stopped fool." Etheldred sneered.

"It was the only directive you gave me so I followed it." Kerrek replied.

"It should have been followed more quickly. You had ample opportunities. In dark alleys in ports, with an unseen arrow in a battle, yes off the side to drown but with a wind running from behind us." Etheldred continued to criticize.

"And I thought the mutiny was going to happen before we were caught in the doldrums." Kerrek said beginning to regain his voice.

"We did not yet have the numbers because you, and Ryan and Jimothy for that matter couldn't do your jobs."

"You know, when I'm captain, I'll be having a lot less of your back talk quartermaster." Kerrek said.

"If all you can do is push useless little boys overboard I don't think you will need to worry about being captain." Etheldred said.

"He was on the list you gave me of people that needed gotten rid of." Kerrek returned.

"Yes but your sense of priority is greatly lacking." Etheldred picked a piece of lint from his trousers, inspected it between his fingers and flicked it away. "Not to worry I'll handle all that once you're captain." Etheldred said composing his features into an even smile.

"And with a bit more respect I should hope" Kerrek replied.

"Yes of course" Etheldred bowed his head as Kerrek walked past him and up onto the deck. Etheldred's smile melted away to his usual scowl once Kerrek's back was turned. These idiots were proving harder to manage than he had planned. With the merchant ships they had taken the new sailors now far out numbered those that had signed on in the beginning at Goldhaven but it was still far too even of a fight. Especially with some loyalties not yet established, however a few more days in the doldrum would see to that. In his nearly a century of life Etheldred had become an expert at picking his fights and this one was nearly ready.