Auris' footsteps echo from the flagstones, a clerk all but diving out of her way as she bursts into Sunshine's chambers, slamming the notice down on his desk.  "What is the meaning of this?"

He and Mourner stare at her, and Mourner closes her mouth, whatever she was telling her brother forgotten.

Clanking footsteps forestall an answer, a guard halting in the doorway, doubling over a moment to catch his breath.  "You can't just—"

Auris turns to glare at him, and he stiffens.

"That is to say—"

Her glare passes to the phoenix insignia on his chest.  "Out," she growls, and he gulps, and hastily retreats.  "Can't even hire your own guards?" Auris spits at Sunshine.  "Or does Kairos have you so tightly under lock and key they've sent you jailers now?"

Sunshine sighs, reaching for the notice she brought.  "It was a necessary concession," he begins in his slow voice.

"I am tired of these concessions.  Will we do nothing but concede?  Will we do nothing but watch as this city slowly crumbles to so much dust in Kairos' grasp?"  She raises a hand to her forehead, hiding her eyes as she looks away.  "When does it stop?"

Mourner moves to her side, wrapping one arm about her shoulders.  "There, now," she murmurs in the tongue of giants, and something in Auris softens to hear something so familiar in these still alien halls.  "We're doing what we can; you know that."

"I know..."

Mourner nudges her, and Auris lets herself be guided to a seat, and Mourner moves away again.

"There must be something else..."

Sunshine just gives a slow shake of his head.

"Kanara is falling."

"I know," he says quietly.

"I can't fight the Orators."

Sunshine looks at the paper in his hands.  "...I know."

"They're on every corner in Kairos, and now they've even sent some here!  I'm one person; it doesn't matter how many times I tell the tale, how high I heap the praise, when there's a hundred voices decrying us all.  They blame the Battle on adventurers, now!  They blame the heroes!  I can't...I can't fight them."

Mourner's returned, and passes Auris a mug of tea with a sympathetic pat on her shoulder.  "None of us can," she says softly.  "But we still try.  We'll weather the storm."

Auris stares into the tea without seeing it.

"Perhaps you should go," Sunshine at last breaks the silence, and Auris looks up at him, confused.

"Go?"

He holds up the paper she tore from a noticeboard what seems ages ago, the call for any who name themselves adventurers to depart the archipelago and head to the continent...

"It's a death sentence," she says bitterly.

"If anyone can settle the continent, it's adventurers."

"I'm not an adventurer."

"Aren't you?"

She pauses, and gives no answer.

"It's time to stop living in fear of the past," Sunshine says.  "Go with them.  Lift their spirits.  Keep them strong.  ...Don't let our mess put out your flame."

The steam of the tea wreathes Auris' face, and she inhales.  Lavender and chamomile...and a hint of spice.  An edge of cinnamon.  She sips it, the cinnamon faintly sharp amidst the soothing flavor of the flowers, and nods.

❂

The sea wind whips about Auris, throwing even her heavy braids behind her as she stands toward the prow of the ship, watching the continent approach.  There's something in the air—trepidation, excitement, power.  It flows about her with the wind, teasing her, welcoming her, inviting her to reach out...

There's a groan beside her, someone in a long, dark coat leaning over the rail, dirty blonde hair falling to hide their face.

"Are you quite all right?"

"Th' sea don' agree wi' me," is the grumbled reply.  "'Specially not after tha' storm."

"...It does seem we're nearly there.  Perhaps you can join me for a cup of tea once we've arrived?  A bit of chamomile and peppermint should do the trick."

"Heh, sure."  He turns his head to look up at her, a scar slashed across his nose, a whiskery moustache prominent beneath it.  "And where d'ya plan to find a cuppa in that wasteland?" he asks with a jerk of his chin toward the continent.

Auris laughs, though the sound is quiet enough to be lost to the sea.  "In my own things, though I wouldn't trust myself to unpack it now."

He looks her over again.  "Ye brought yer own tea?  To th' continent?  What are ye, Kairosian?"

"...No.  Merely someone who doubted she'd find a good 'cuppa' in that wasteland."  Auris straightens.  "Auris Sunwolf Oretharos, daughter of Medb Reddawn, daughter of Skaia Bloodsinger, daughter of—"  She shakes her head.  "Never mind."

The man raises an eyebrow.  "Nevermind?  Strange name."

She laughs.  "That it would be.  There's a time and place for overextended introductions, but when you're still looking green about the gills isn't it."

"Hmf."  He shrugs.

"And you are?"

"You c'n call me Gash."

It's Auris' turn to quirk a brow.  "Fitting."

"Innit?"

Auris turns to the prow of the ship, and is taken aback a moment at how much closer they already are; they couldn't even have an hour left of the trip at this rate.  "So what brings you to...this wasteland, Gash?"

"Mm.  Business."

"Business?"

"Yup."

"Might I ask what business that would be?"

He smirks.  "None o' yours, tha's what."

Another voice interrupts them before Auris can respond: "Oh, but it's a proper adventure now!  What does that all matter?"

A small group has arrived on deck, the speaker a broad-shouldered young woman with tightly curled black hair pulled back into a puff at the nape of her neck.  The ship rolls on a wave and Gash turns back to the railing with a miserable groan.

"We should still know where we are," a bald-headed man replies, pushing wire-framed glasses up his nose and pulling a roll of parchment from under his arm.  "It's a simple matter of examining the coastline."

"And if that don't work, we've got the stars to guide us," puts in the third of them, a maroon-skinned tiefling, a half-devil.  He seems the only one of them used to the sea, walking with an easy swagger.

"Fine, fine," says the woman, waving them off, "have it your way."  She glances about, her gaze catching on Auris, and flounces over.  "You've got to be excited about this, yeah?"

"What was all that about not knowing where we are?" Auris asks.

"Ah, they said we're off course from the storm—but the continent's right there!"  She flings her arms wide to the approaching coastline.  "There's only so off-course you can get."

"We were aiming for the Dragonsreach ruins, weren't we?"

"Yeah, but it's not like we really know anything about what's there, either.  It's been ages since anyone tried settling there."  A beat, and the woman gives a lopsided grin, sticking out her hand toward Auris.  "Asa, by the way.  Pleased to meet ya."

"Auris Sunwolf," Auris replies, taking her hand, "and..."  Gash is gone.  Auris shrugs.  "Never mind; just me, I suppose."

"Well, it's good to meet just you!"  Asa grins again, and Auris hides a wince at the strength of her grip, retracting her hand a bit too quickly.

A shrill whistle pierces the air from above, and Auris whirls to the sound of creaking timber as the helmsman spins the wheel, eyes wide, the lookout hanging by her knees from the rigging, gesturing desperately to those below.  With a shuddering creak, the ship grinds to a halt.

"What in Miris'—"

Asa's leaned halfway over the railing.  "Hit a reef!" she cries, hauling herself back up, a spark in her eyes.  Asa turns back as the deck erupts into chaos.  "You, you, and you lot over there," she clambers up to stand on the railing, "yes, with the bearskin—come on, you lot with me!  We'll push 'er off!  Here, give me that rope—"  And she's halfway down the side of the ship before Auris can think to ask for clarification.

"Water below!" someone hollers behind Auris, and she turns back to the deck.  "Bail 'er out!"  The breeze is sharp on her skin, something mingling with the salt...

"Auris!" comes Asa's shout.  "Come on, give a hand!"

Auris gives a quick shake of her head to clear it.  "Sunwolf," she corrects in a halfhearted mutter to herself as she peers dubiously over the railing.  Asa stands waist-deep in the water, several others around her still finding their footing.  A stiff wind catches Auris' back, throwing her against the rail, and the ship groans.  They hadn't got the sail down yet—the timbers creak, and there's a splintering crack, and Auris clings to the rail as the ship lists to one side.

"Abandon ship!"

❂

The shore wasn't too distant, thankfully, and they were able to recover most everything from the ship, if it was all a bit waterlogged.  If there's anything Auris can be glad for, it's that she spent the time—and coin—to pack her things for a sea journey.  Her teas and hurdy-gurdy would never have survived, otherwise.  The latter still needs a good tune-up before she'll be able to play it again, though.

They took everything they could—even the planks of the hull were repurposed to build shelters, and now little apart from the main mast remains at sea, the great post wedged upright in the reef, a warning to those who'd travel near.  ...Not that anyone but them is insane enough to do so in the first place, but so it goes.  And insane they are—the largest of the shelters has already been transformed from sleeping quarters to tavern, complete with a remarkably well-stocked bar.  Whether they were carrying the spirits to calm their nerves as they faced the continent or if they meant to drink them in celebration of this new adventure, Auris isn't sure—or, rather, she is sure, and wishes she wasn't.

"Um...excuse me?"

Auris rouses from her thoughts to see a human girl at her elbow, sea-gray eyes shaded by mousy brown hair.

"Have you seen my sister?"

"Sister?"  Auris frowns, straightening and setting aside her mug.

"Um, yes, um, she...she went to meet someone two nights ago by the jungle...  Her name's Eliza, Eliza Sparrow, taller than me with prettier hair?  She didn't come back; have you seen her?"

Auris' frown deepens.  "No one should be going to the jungle alone."

"She went to meet...someone..."

"Talk to the barkeep," Auris says with a wave in his direction.  "She'll get to organizing a search party."

The girl dips her head in a nod and scurries off to the bar, and Auris returns to her tea...but she can't focus.  They've managed not to lose anyone yet, with the shipwreck as close to shore as it was, and the river discovered not far to the west...  Auris isn't an adventurer.  She's a Weaver, a storyteller, a historian...and she's a warrior, more used to the woods than the city, with at least a passing skill in tracking...  It's an unfamiliar land.

With a sigh, Auris stands, and follows the girl to the bar.  It's an unfamiliar land to all of them.  None of them will survive without the others' support.