It was nearly noon when Soren, who was directing the movement of some cargo from the Wanderlust, noticed Rico ambling down the dock towards them. To the man's credit, he had cleaned up a bit. His hair was tied back, and his beard was tamed with a braid. If it wasn't for his clothing, the exact same ones he had worn the night before, Soren might not have recognized him.

Soren headed him off at the end of the gangway, stepping deftly into the way. "Are you a sailor?"

Rico's grey eyes lit up with recognition. "You were there! Bodyguard?" he guessed.

"First mate," Soren corrected. "Are you a sailor?"

"I am." Rico tried to sidestep around him, but seemed to change his mind. "Your captain hired me."

"He hasn't, yet," Soren said. "If you're a sailor, where's your ship?"

Rico sighed and scratched his braided beard with one hand. "Wrecked. Just over a month ago. I was the only survivor." He dropped his eyes, a glazed expression settling over his face. "We were run aground, by pirates."

"Pirates," Soren repeated, more doubtful than worried. Pirates weren't common around the three kingdoms, or up North. The combined might of the Ziannan, Navirian and Deoran navies kept the ocean safe. "Are pirates common here?"

Rico caught his right hand with his left, and began to rub his palm. "Um... yes. Alvara's southern coast is swarming with pirates. And they own the bay."

"Soren!" Tanden leaned over the bulwark above them. "Is that my translator? Let him up!"

Soren would have liked to delay the moment and learn more about the man, but he wasn't going to disagree with Tanden in front of a stranger. He stepped aside, waving Rico past. Still, he wasn't about to let Tanden speak to the man alone.

"Roan! Take this over, aye?" he asked, gesturing at the cargo.

"Aye," Roan called back.

Soren hurried up the gangway and hopped onto the deck, only to find himself face to face with Tanden. He didn't have his crutch, but he was resting his weight on his good foot, arms crossed over his chest.

"I'm not sure if I like this protective streak of yours, or if I'm annoyed by it."

"You'll put up with it, either way," Soren said, his voice low so Rico, waiting nearby, wouldn't hear.

For a moment they stood there, staring at each other. Then Tanden shrugged. "All right. Rico." He turned around. "We'll speak in my quarters. This way."

Soren followed them into the captain's quarters. After shoeing the ship cat, Journey, off of his chair, Tanden sat down at his desk. He gestured at the second chair, inviting Rico to sit. Soren leaned back against the door.

"So," Tanden said. "You made it. I wasn't sure you'd remember our meeting."

"I did," Rico said. "And I really appreciate the opportunity, Captain Tanden. I was just telling your first mate that my previous ship was wrecked, and I've been lost ever since. Work, even for a limited time, will help me get back on my feet."

Tanden nodded, but he wasn't looking at Rico. His gaze was hovering over Rico's shoulder, meeting Soren's. "I heard the tail end of the conversation. Pirates? I hate to bring up any hard memories, but any information about pirates would be greatly appreciated."

"I'll tell you everything I know," Rico said. "But I thought you were looking for a translator? Not a guide?"

Tanden finally looked at him. "A little bit of both would be ideal. But primarily, I want you to teach me Alvarian and Cratian. Shani."

"New languages are hard to learn, it could take years to—"

"It won't take me years," Tanden interrupted. It would have sounded like exaggerated boasting if Soren hadn't known it was true. "I don't expect to be perfectly fluent in both languages right away, of course, but I can expect to pick up a pretty good working knowledge in about a month. Two at once will be a challenge, so we can focus on Alvarian first."

"I... I don't know that I'll be a good teacher."

"Luckily, I'm a good student," Tanden said. "Can you do it?"

"Yes. I'll do my best, Captain," Rico promised.

Tanden nodded curtly. "Good. Your contract will be a month long, with the possibility of an extension." He reached for a stack of papers that he had clearly already prepared. "You just need to sign here." He held out a quill.

Rico took the quill with a shaking hand, then slowly and meticulously signed his name.

When Tanden took back the quill, he was smiling. "Welcome aboard the Wanderlust, Rico-Eko."

***

True to his word, Tanden sat. They were in Crayse for about another week, and Tanden spent nearly the entire time on the quarter deck with Rico. At first Soren hovered nearby whenever he could, but he soon gave up. There was work to be done, after all. And Tanden and Rico were in plain sight, which comforted Soren a bit.

He couldn't exactly pinpoint why Rico made him nervous. The man hadn't done anything wrong. He actually seemed quite nice, if a bit anxious.

"You're jealous," Jale teased one afternoon, coming up beside Soren as he carefully coiled a rope for the third time. Correctly coiling a rope was second nature, but he couldn't focus and kept glancing up towards the quarter deck.

"I'm not," he protested.

Jale leaned against the bulwark. "You don't need to be. Tanden might flirt with nearly everyone he meets, but he hasn't flirted with Rico."

"I'm not jealous."

"Besides, he isn't that good looking. Rico, I mean."

Soren sighed and grumbled, "what do you know about men looking good?"

Jale laughed. "Just because I'm not interested in men doesn't mean I'm blind. That Elorie-Eko, though..."

If there was one good thing about Rico, aside for the fact that Tanden was actually resting his foot, it was that he wasn't thinking about Elorie anymore.

Soren wasn't jealous. He knew that regardless of Tanden's sometimes wandering attention, Tanden wasn't going anywhere. Soren knew that with certainty. They invited other people into their games sometimes, but it was always the two of them playing the game together.

No, Soren wasn't jealous. Of Rico or Elorie. Tanden's fixation was due to his drive to learn the Southern languages, and find out all he could about the countries and people. It wasn't a fixation on Rico or Elorie.

But if Jale was going to tease him, he was going to tease her right back. "Elorie is a very beautiful woman. How would Raserani feel about you ogling her?"

Jale gave him a look, raising both eyebrows. "Did you forget where I'm from? I can have more than one eeto."

Soren laughed, shaking his head. "You think you'd be the eetorikey with Elorie? Seems like she's the type of woman to be the leader spouse." It had been months since he had thought about the Tallenese words for spouses, but they came back to him easily.

Jale crossed her ankles, adopting a casual air as she shrugged. "Elorie wouldn't last a day in Tallen Tiya. Even our summer would be too cold for her. You think she's so tough because she can speak a bunch of languages? Well, so can I."

"Three isn't as many as six."

"How many can you speak?" Jale asked, grinning smugly. "Right, one."

Soren gestured at the lines beside her. "What are those called?"

"All right. So we all have our areas of expertise," Jale agreed. "And speaking of the ship, when are we moving on to Alvara?"

"Soon. We've done what trading we can." Soren glanced towards the quarter deck. "I'll press him for a decision tonight. Are you excited to see Alvara?"

She nodded. "How many Tallenese get this far South? I might be the first. I probably am the first. You and Tanden showed up calling us Summerland."

"Sunland," Soren corrected.

"That's just as stupid," Jale said. "The man who acts like he knows everything about every country thought my home was called Sunland. Elorie hadn't even heard of us. That's how little we interact with people south of Morcea. We aren't the type of people who build big ocean faring ships and sail away for years at a time. Everywhere we go people at least recognize Teltans and Crelans. But has anyone recognized me? I don't think so. I'm the first."

"That's quite the honour," Soren said.

"Yes, I guess it is." Jale uncrossed her ankles and stood. "That's why I'm excited to see Alvara, anyway."

"So am I," Soren said.

"Well, strongly encourage him to get us moving," Jale said. "And in the meantime, instead of finding meaningless work to keep yourself busy, maybe you should go spend some time with Ara."

"I'm not jealous," Soren said.

Jale smirked. "Aye." The Crelan word always sounded a little strange coming from her. "I didn't say you were. This time."

As much as he didn't want to give her theory more credence, spending time with Ara would be fun. He smiled ruefully. "Where is he?"

***

Later that evening, Tanden carefully made his way down to the captain's quarters. Words floated around in his head, tumbling over each other, trying to make sense. Alvarian was difficult, because it was so different from the languages he already knew. Navirian and Deoran were very similar, and Morcean worked in a familiar way. Tallenese had been completely new, but he had immersed himself in it. Learning a language from one man wasn't the most effective strategy.

When he stepped into the captain's quarters, he wasn't surprised to see Soren and Ara lying in bed. They were both dressed, a fact that relieved Tanden, even though he wouldn't have really minded otherwise. Tanden and Soren were no strangers to inviting a third person into their bed, but the rule so far had been that they both had to agree, and they both had to be there. Ara was a bit of an exception to that rule.

Soren swung his feet out of bed and stood as soon as he noticed Tanden. "Done for the day? Are you ready for dinner?"

Tanden made it to his desk, and carefully lowered himself into the chair. "Yes. Dinner's on the way. I told Rico to send someone with it." He looked past Soren, at Ara, who hadn't moved.

Sometimes, Ara reminded Tanden of Journey. Like the cat, he excelled at finding comfortable, warm places to sprawl out. But to his credit, the boy knew how to sprawl. He looked comfortable, elegant, and inviting. Even now, stretched out across what was technically Tanden's bed. The captain's bed.

Tanden spoke, his tired brain settling on Morcean for some reason he didn't care to puzzle out. "Ara, give us the room, please."

Ara left without a single word of complaint. He was always so compliant. Moments like that, Tanden found it even harder to understand why the Violet House had sent him away.

Before the door had even shut behind him, Soren was there, beside the desk and questioning. "Why did you send him away?"

"I'm tired," Tanden said. He rubbed the corners of his eyes. "I just want you."

"Are you too tired to talk about our departure?" Soren asked.

Tanden looked up. "Why don't you tell me what you've decided we should do, and I'll agree, and that can be the end of the conversation?"

Soren leaned against the desk. "I think we should leave tomorrow. We're ready, and the men are getting restless."

"All right," Tanden agreed. "I actually do know what our destination in Alvara is." He stood, and was about to reach for his crutch when Soren stepped closer. Tanden draped an arm over his shoulders, and let Soren help him limp over to the map.

"These islands." Tanden tapped a pair of large islands, just off of Alvara's easternmost coast. Each island was nearly the size of New Teltar.

"The Gold and Silver Islands?"

Tanden nodded. "The Gold and Silver Islands. But more specifically, the port city they share. Xaoto. Somehow it connects the islands. Almost all of the goods Zianna gets from Alvara come out of Xaoto."

Soren studied the map, running his finger along the shoreline and over the other cities marked there. "You don't want to stop at any of these other cities?"

"I would like to visit a mainland city eventually. Maybe do a bit of a trip inland, if it sounds like there's anything interesting to see. Nothing as long as the Tallen Tiya trip."

Soren cocked an eyebrow. "Unless something really interesting demands a long trip?"

"Well... I suppose that could be a conversation, if it comes to it," Tanden said. "But first, Xaoto. It'll give me a chance to wrap my head around the language and customs. Maybe even find someone who could serve as a guide. No." He shook his head, spotting the way Soren was eyeing him. "I don't think Elorie would work as a guide, and I don't plan on hunting her down to ask."

"And Rico?"

"Rico isn't a guide. If all goes well I should be ready to dismiss him in Xaoto. That's what we've discussed, anyway. But it wouldn't be the first time I've adopted a stray."

Soren scoffed.

"Not just you, mate," Tanden grinned. "Ara and Jale, too."

"You're a stray," Soren said. "You just happen to be a rich one."

Tanden laughed. "Fair enough." There was a knock at the door then, and he nodded towards it.

Soren went to collect their dinner tray and carry it over to the desk. Then he moved to retrieve Tanden from the dresser he was balancing against. Once Tanden was settled, Soren dragged the other chair around the desk so they could sit side by side while they ate.

Dinner was fish, roasted with some Cray Shian vegetables Tanden couldn't name, and sprinkled with herbs. They always ate better when the Wanderlust was sitting in a port. Tucked onto the corner of the tray was a small mug of Tallenese healer's tea.

Tanden ate, saving the tea for last, knowing that it would make him even more tired than he already was. But he was looking forward to the warm drink. It's numbing properties would help him forget about his ankle, and whatever ingredient induced sleep would quiet his busy mind.

After eating in silence for a bit, Soren spoke up. "So, how is the Alvarian coming along?"

"It's complicated," Tanden said. "It's still so new. I haven't reached that point where my mind starts to make sense of it. After that, everything else comes easily. I just have to keep practicing until that click. But until then, it's tiring."

"Is that why you spoke to Ara in Morcean?"

Tanden shrugged. "That's what my head decided was the right language. Maybe because it's the one I first used to speak with him."

"You're amazing," Soren said. "But I don't understand how you can keep it all straight. What language do you dream in?"

"Depends on who I'm dreaming about," Tanden said. "Usually Teltish. Although I did have a dream in Morcean once, where you and Ara were taunting me. Saying how you were going to go off together to Tallen Tiya."

Soren frowned. "You're not worried about that, are you?"

"No. Jale was there, too, talking about how you were both going to be her eetos. It was nonsensical." Tanden pushed away his empty plate and picked up the tea, cupping the warm glass between his hands.

Soren leaned back in his chair, watching. "Careful with that. Jale told me it's addictive."

"I'm not addicted." Tanden took a sip. It had cooled down to a pleasant, consumable temperature. Then he shifted, and propped both of his feet on Soren's lap. "If you're a medic now, why don't you take a look?" He had another sip, meeting Soren's gaze over the rim of the mug.

After a moment, Soren began to unlace his right boot. Carefully, he eased the boot off Tanden's foot, then slowly rolled down his sock. His foot was still swollen, although the days of rest had certainly done it some good. Tanden thought lacing it so snugly in his boot was probably helping, too. If only to immobilize the joint.

"It looks better," Soren said, gently running his fingers over the swollen skin. "But it's still warm. Maybe tomorrow you should cool it off in a bucket of water."

Tanden smiled. "Aye, sir. Too bad a foot rub would hurt. I'd really appreciate one."

"Not tonight." Soren said. He lifted Tanden's feet, swung his own up to prop on the desk, and settled Tanden's feet onto his lap again. "So, tell me more about Alvara. What's their biggest export?"

Tanden had another sip of tea. "That's a very transparent attempt at distracting me."

"It isn't an attempt if it works."

"Fruit," Tanden said, allowing himself to fall into Soren's trap. "And fish, from the bay. Both dried, of course. Gold and silver from the islands." He paused to think, and had another mouthful of tea. Already, he could feel the drowsiness creeping at the edges of his thoughts.