The city of Co, on Crele island, was the perfect place.

Co was where they had both admitted to loving each other. At least, the first time they had both been sober for the conversation. It was also the only place they could find Crelan tattoo artists. And Crelans, with their 'things happen at sea' mentality, weren't likely to ask many questions.

The first evening in Co, Tanden gave everyone leave while Soren quietly asked some of their friends to stay behind. They had been out all day with no explanation, but returned with matching white bandages around their right wrists. The crew knew better than to ask, and cheerfully took their money before heading out into the city.

Tanden gathered their friends in the captain's quarters. The room showed off the adventures they had been on together. Tanden had pinned his worn-out map of Tallen Tiya in place on his large wall map. The scale didn't match up perfectly, but the addition was nice. Beside the Morcean Yusa'n katiri masks, Tanden had hung up the painted wooden disk from Reng Runolorinn and Orearaley. The narrow table in front of the map held more treasures—the intricate Wanderlust model Soren had bought in Crele, a glass jar filled with various types of coins, Ruro's wooden bear, and a box painted with the West Draulin crest where Tanden kept all the letters he exchanged with his family.

On the other side of the room, an odd assortment of clothing hung on hooks. His and Soren's furry Tallenese coats, the lacy blue tunics they had worn to the Yusa'n katiri and the formal clothes they had been given in Esler Tigo. Tanden's long blue cloak was unceremoniously tossed over a crate and covered in cat hair. Journey had decided it was the perfect place to sleep, and she stared down at Tanden from her lofty perch.

Tanden turned his attention to his friends. They were sitting around a table he had cleared off for the occasion. Ivern, Roan, Jerios, Jale and Ara. Tanden almost laughed to himself when he realized that his friends were as varied as the treasures he had decorated the room with. Teltan, Crelan, Deoran, Tallenese and Morcean. But it wasn't only their nationalities that were varied, it was their drinks.

Roan was drinking ale, as he often did. Jerios had a small bottle of ovaisi, a traditional Deoran and Navirian drink, which he had apparently stocked up on when he'd briefly been left in charge of the Wanderlust in Hoask. Ivern had really taken to irdka, and was pouring two glasses for himself and Jale. Ara was holding a delicate glass of kalay, which suited him.

Tanden was standing at the head of the table with two glasses of wine. When Soren stepped up beside him, Tanden handed him one of the glasses. Then he cleared his throat to draw attention. He was nervous, but not nearly as nervous as he was for what he had planned to happen later in the evening. This part of the day was easy.

The group fell silent.

"Soren and I have an announcement," Tanden said. "I'm sure you've all guessed, but it still felt right to officially confirm that yes, we've gotten matching tattoos."

Jale laughed. Months of being a sailor, and privately she still treated him exactly like she had on the Wayfarer. Tanden didn't mind at all. "Yes, the whole crew guessed that. But does it mean what we think it means?"

Tanden shrugged. "More or less. Getting officially... married doesn't really appeal to either of us. Not to mention that it's actually not allowed in either of our cultures. I know that doesn't sound like something that would stop me, but..."

"We know, and that's what matters," Soren said. "We know, and now all of you know. Before long the crew will figure it out, if they haven't already. But it doesn't change anything. Not that..." he paused thoughtfully. "Not that it isn't important. We were partners before and we're partners now. We've just... reckon we've made it a little more official."

"Can we see the tattoos?" Ara asked. His Teltish had come a long way, but his accent was still thicker than Jale's.

Tanden smiled. Ara's fascination with tattoos nearly rivalled his own. "Not yet, we need to let them heal."

With a flirty smile, Ara switched to Tallenese. "As long as I'm still allowed to—"

Jale nudged him sharply.

"Well." Ivern interrupted, getting to his feet. He held up his glass of irdka. "I propose a toast." He waited as everyone else stood and held up their various shaped glasses, Roan's tankard and Jerios' bottle. "To our Captain and First Mate. May the Goddess bless you both, for now and forevermore."

Roan spoke up next. "May the love you have for each other be as everlasting as the love between the Sailor King and the Ocean Queen."

In Deoran, Jerios added, "As blessed by Lovi and witnessed by Jerios."

"Till represents new beginnings," Jale said in Tallenese. "She is my patron, and in her name I bless you. Ara." She started to sing, and Ara joined her. It wasn't the Song of the Seasons, which could only mean it was the wedding song Jale had once described.

Tanden reached for Soren's hand. He listened to the song, and almost felt close to tears. He had recognized every one of their friends' words. He was the only person in the room who had truly understood as they each recited their own traditional marriage phrases. He and Soren were incredibly fortunate in their friends. Impossibly fortunate.

Soren's hand tightened in his as Jale and Ara's song came to an end. "That was beautiful," Soren said. "Thank you."

Ara grinned. "Now you have to kiss."

Tanden didn't think that was actually part of the Tallenese ceremony, but he didn't care. He drew Soren closer and kissed him. When they broke apart, he drank his wine in a few gulps. As their friends finally sipped their own drinks, Tanden plucked Soren's wineglass from his hand so it would be out of the way, and gave him another kiss.

It was dark when Tanden called an end to the gathering and asked their friends to help lower the Waterborne into the water. Soren had no idea what Tanden was planning, but he worked alongside the others to get the cutter ready while Tanden stayed in the captain's quarters. When Tanden finally stepped out, he had a bag slung over his shoulder and the Waterborne was ready to go. Tanden and Soren climbed into the sailboat and headed off.

The Co port was still fairly busy, even late in the evening. The fishermen had mostly returned, but some merchant ships were still arriving and departing, as they would all night. Tanden stood at the till, steering them far enough out that they had cleared most of the activity.

When he decided they were in the right place, he told Soren to tie up the sails and sat down facing Co. The Wanderlust was harder to spot than she had been in Till. Surrounded by other Crelan ships, she almost blended in. Still, she was easily one of the most elegant ships.

Soren sat beside Tanden. It had been months since the night in Till, but Soren recognized that this was a similar moment for Tanden. He was deep in thought, staring towards the port. Soren sat quietly. Tanden would speak when he was ready.

Soren's mind wandered. Under the bandage his wrist was itchy, but he did his best to ignore it and thought about what had just happened on the Wanderlust. Even without understanding Jerios, or Jale and Ara's song, Soren knew what had happened. He knew each of their friends had blessed them in their own way.

When Tanden finally spoke up, it startled Soren. "I've combined some things." Tanden turned so he was facing Soren, and picked up the bag he had brought with them. "I know we discussed the tattoos, but I had more ideas. You said you didn't care if it was a real wedding, so... just let me explain."

Soren's stomach jumped, but he didn't interrupt.

Tanden pulled a palm sized rock out of the bag. "Zians, Navirians and Deorans have marriage stones. They take a stone that has some sort of significance to them, and leave it overnight to be blessed by their love goddess. The stone could be from the place they met, or maybe a brick from their house. It just has to be important." Tanden held out the rock.

Soren accepted it. It looked like a plain grey rock, with sharp edges where it had been broken. He looked up to meet Tanden's gaze.

"It's from the cave-in," Tanden said. He sounded shy, and it was incredibly endearing. "When I decided that I would marry you. I put it in my pocket and then sort of forgot about it when you actually appeared and rescued me. Then when we docked in Valmuss I left it in the temple overnight. It was still there the next morning, which meant that Lovi blessed us."

He reached into the bag again and pulled out two gold rings. "I bought these in Eith. Teltans and Crelans wear wedding rings. I know we decided that the tattoos would replace our rings, but I had already bought them. So... this is messy, I'm sorry. I'm nervous."

Soren balanced the rock on his knee and reached across the gap between them to take Tanden's hands. "There's nothing to be nervous about."

Tanden flashed him a smile. "I'm simultaneously trying to call on multiple different sets of gods. I think that's something to be nervous about." He took a deep breath. "So, since we don't need these rings, I would like to dedicate them. And the marriage stone. Pick it up."

Soren followed Tanden's lead. Tanden held the rings over the water, and Soren held the stone. When Tanden nodded, they both let go.

"We dedicate these symbols of our love to Roe, and the Old God of the Sea." He shushed Soren with a wave. "Shh. They're not the same god."

Soren chuckled. "Can I do something?"

Tanden nodded.

"This is the Crelan tradition." Soren reached over the side of the boat to scoop some water into his hands. He trickled half of the water over Tanden's head, then poured the other half over his own. "Now the Old God of the Sea officially approves of us."

Tanden smiled. "You call him the Old God of the Sea in your ceremony. See? The more traditional ceremonies still use his actual name. He and Roe—"

"Shut up," Soren interrupted warmly.

Tanden laughed. "So that covers the Crelan ceremony, and the Native Zian one. Well, we didn't say the correct words, but our friends handled that for us. Jale told us that in Tallen Tiya, the newlyweds have to stay outside all night, so that their god can find them. Well..." he spread his arms, indicating the water. "I don't think any god is going to have a hard time finding us out here."

"True," Soren said. "So what about a Teltish ceremony? There were the rings, but that was sort of Crelan."

Tanden shrugged. "Ah, the Goddess is complicated. If you believe the old Laws she wouldn't approve of us. I'm sort of hoping that all the other gods and goddesses can have a word with her and change her mind."

Tanden's awkward ceremony suddenly made more sense. It wasn't just because he had learned so much about other cultures and wanted to experience their traditions. It was because he was trying to water down the power of his own Goddess.

Soren caught Tanden's hands again. Carefully, he pushed up Tanden's right sleeve and unwound the bandage. Tanden tensed but didn't pull away. The bright moonlight made his new tattoo easy enough to see, even though the colours were hard to tell apart. It depicted two thin ropes, one black and one blue, that circled his wrist. On the underside of his wrist they tangled together in a Crelan lover's knot. It was an archaic tradition, one so old Soren had never even heard of it. It wasn't really surprising that Tanden had known about such an old tradition.

The tattoo was subtle, and would probably only draw unwanted attention if people noticed that Soren had the exact same one around his right wrist. Soren's tattoo was probably going to blend into the waves he already had on his arms. Tanden had taken the real risk, getting a tattoo that wasn't easy to hide.

Soren lifted Tanden wrist and pressed a gentle kiss on his skin, near to but not touching the tattoo. Tanden trembled.

"Your Goddess doesn't control us," Soren said. "We've seen and learned so much about the world. We've visited temples and learned religious songs. The gods and goddesses of every country we have visited know us. If they all approve, the Teltish Goddess will see reason. And if she doesn't, we'll go further. We'll learn about other deities and we'll gain their approval. Because we belong together, Tanden. We know that."

Tanden was quiet as Soren re-wrapped his wrist. He didn't say a word until the bandage was back in place. "I'm trying to come up with some snide but charming remark about your courage, but I..."

"How many people can claim they've made you speechless?" Soren joked.

"Being charismatic is sort of my only strength. So if you could back down, that would be ideal. You're going to make me look bad."

Soren laughed. He tugged Tanden closer and kissed him. "So, we're spending the night out here? Then what's the plan? You haven't told anybody where we're going next."

Tanden settled comfortably in Soren's arms. "South, I think. Navire, Moatt, Staedin, Cratia and Alvara."

"And West Draulin?"

"I don't think I'm ready for West Draulin," Tanden said quietly.

Soren didn't press the issue. "South it is. We've done the Northern Coast, time to do the Southern Shore. That's four more languages for you to learn."

"At least. But let's not think about that right now. Right now..." Tanden shifted, and Soren almost gasped when Tanden's fingers slipped under his belt. "We're going to be out here all night. We should have some fun."

Soren nudged him aside and moved, so that instead of sitting on a bench he was on the bottom of the boat. He tugged Tanden down on top of himself. "I love you, Captain."

Tanden tangled his hands in Soren's hair and leaned down for a kiss. "I'm hard not to love."

"Tanden."

Tanden smiled against his lips. "I love you, Soren."

"It's all part of the game, aye?"

"It's more than a game, mate."

Soren pulled him down for another kiss.

---

And that's it for Wayfarer!

Thank you everyone for exploring Sunland (and their relationship) with Tanden and Soren!

Book 3, Waterborne, is currently being posted!

If you've enjoyed Tanden and Soren's adventures and you haven't checked it out yet, I recommend reading The Greatest Thief series about Tanden's nephew, Tannix. 

And lastly, if you're a fan of my work and you'd like to support me, please consider becoming a patron! I love sharing my books for free, but unfortunately that doesn't help pay rent! I'm starting off small but I have ideas for some exciting tiers I'd like to create in the future. The link is on my profile.

Thanks again!

- Julie