Hey there! Thanks for checking out the new chapter. I know it's been a while. The story isn't dead, I'm just trying to keep afloat. I hope you like it! Let me know what you think at purplejubilee17@gmail.com. I've got a mailing list there that you can sign up for to know when I post new chapters on here.
Thanks so much to my patrons for sticking with me through everything! Daniel F., David, Mark, Richard, Matt, Zach, Dom, and Daniel. Your support and consistent feedback is what keeps me going! Check out patreon.com/purplejubilee for more.
And as always please think about donating to Nifty for all the hard work they do keeping this site operational! They definitely deserve it.
Thanks for reading
<3 PurpleJubilee
Elias of Eradal Chapter 17
On horseback, the group made good time crossing Calonia and into Eradal. The border between the two kingdoms was unmanned and unmonitored since they had been such close allies for so long. Even though Elias knew this was the case, it still gave him some small worry as they crossed. If Calonia fell to the enemy, then Eradal would not be far behind. Even being back in his home country, Elias still felt uneasy.
"Hmm..." Kole grunted in discontent from just ahead.
"What?" Elias asked, glad to be drawn out of his own thoughts.
Pointing away to the north into the rolling hills of Eradal, Kole looked back at him. "Up there. What do you see?"
Elias followed Kole's finger up to the hilltops. At first, he saw nothing, but as he looked longer, he thought he could make out a black speck, motionless atop one of the highest hills. "What is it?"
"I'd say..." Kole replied sourly. "That it looks like a rider. He's been sat there for a long time hardly moving. If I didn't know any better, I'd wonder if he was watching us."
A chill ran through Elias as he realized just how exposed they were out on the open plains at the Eradal border. Someone seated atop that hill would be able to track their progress for miles without changing position.
"Do you think it's one of Kordiith's creatures?" Elias asked quietly, not wanting to alarm their younger companions.
Kole shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine. If it is one of his servants though, I'd say probably a human, or something passing for human. It'd be hard to move monsters through this area without drawing attention, even up in the hills."
That only made Elias feel a small bit better. According to Dain and Master Lavelle, Kordiith had plenty of men in his service as well as the assortment of horrible creatures from stories and nightmares. Even so, if they were being watched, Elias preferred it be by someone instead of an unknown something.
Dain's anxiety had grown noticeably as the days passed. Elias would frequently catch him watching the skies, desperately hoping for some sign of his winged friend. Fortunately, Avi seemed to provide some small comfort for the Verduin boy. His ever-present, if perhaps naïve, optimism was contagious.
As for Kole, Elias noticed that his mood had become darker as well. Ever since his announcement of his fears about Verduin, he had grown more and more tense the closer to the coast they traveled. Elias couldn't blame him of course. If Verduin was taken, then they likely would not know until it was too late. He didn't know what choice they had though. The Verduin people were the only ones that still claimed to commune with any of the old gods. To have any hope of defeating Kordiith, they would need that power, if it actually existed of course.
Elias sometimes had to stop himself from thinking too much. One issue at a time was more than enough to handle without inventing new ones for them to deal with down the road. If Dain believed that the Verduin god Cernun still spoke to them and interacted with them, then for now Elias would just have to trust him, as farfetched as it seemed.
Before encountering Amarack and bringing about the resurrection of Kordiith, Elias would probably have written off the old gods as little more than exaggerated stories from the past. Powerful wizards and spellcasters whose deeds had been embellished by the ages perhaps. Now, he was forced to rebuild his philosophy nearly from the ground up. Many in the Five Kingdoms still claimed to believe in the old gods, but actual worship of them was uncommon. Their names were invoked only ceremonially or in sworn oaths.
Shaking his head to try to clear some of the worries away, Elias focused on the road ahead of them. He stifled a yawn. Sleeping had started to become difficult as well. It was the same dream every night. A vision of a man trying to communicate with him unsuccessfully. An impending sense of dread when Elias realized he couldn't understand. Then the dream slowly fading away, leaving Elias with nothing but scant memories. It had not become any clearer but Elias had taken to trying to write down everything he remembered when the dream inevitably woke him before it faded from his mind completely. So far however, his notes were embarrassingly incomplete.
He had managed to retain some of the man's features, though even those were hazy. Elias was pretty sure that the man was either blonde or silver-haired and clean-shaven. His voice was deep and resonant. Furthermore, Elias could tell that this man wanted something from him. His manner was not aggressive, but nor was it overly friendly. Stern perhaps was the right word. None of that information was particularly helpful though. If this was some sort of a vision and not just recurring nonsense brought on by stress, then he hoped it would become clearer in time.
Elias was also frustrated by the fact that he had found very little time to spend alone with Kole in the past days. They rode long hours throughout the day, and it left them tired at night. They bypassed villages and inns to avoid drawing attention. Aside from an occasional look or slightly flirtatious comment from Kole, the relationship between the two of them had more or less returned to its state prior to their time in Calon-Ken. Elias wasn't sure what he wanted to happen though, which only added to his frustration.
"Let him watch then." Elias eventually grumbled, turning his attention away from the speck atop the hill. "I'd almost enjoy a fight now." Kole responded with a grim smile and tugged gently on the strap of the baldric that kept his sword in place on his back.
The land gradually gave way before them and soon they entered again into swaths of hills and trees. Elias was glad that no one could watch them from afar anymore, but Dain still kept is eyes skyward, his worry growing notably with each passing mile.
On their fourth day out from Calon-Ken, near the evening, Elias began to smell the salt and brine of the ocean. It had been some time since he had been to the coast. The sounds of gulls and crashing waves took him back to his childhood, visiting the west end of the continent with his parents.
Avi, naturally, was astounded when they mounted a cliff and looked over the vastness of the sea that marked the edge of the world. The city of Erania was near the shore and sat adjacent to a broad river that allowed trade ships to come and go, but it was certainly not costal. The largest bodies of water the young thief had ever seen were similar rivers and lakes close to the city. As he leaned around Dain's shoulder atop their shared horse, the vastness of the ocean sucked his breath away.
"Where's it all go?" It was the first time that the boy had spoken in a while. The routine drum of hoofbeats had hypnotized even Avi into a stoic silence.
Dain breathed in and out heavily, gazing across the western sea that was beginning to sparkle with the sunset. "It goes on." He replied cryptically. "All the land is just a small blemish compared to the sea."
"Some say it pours over the end of the world into oblivion." Kole added, rubbing the neck of his horse, Lero. "Others think there are lands beyond." Slowly, Kole dismounted, keeping clear of the bluff's edge.
"Cor..." Avi whispered in disbelief, staring out across the endless main. Dain nudged him softly as he slipped down from their horse as well and Avi eventually followed.
Even Elias was sobered by the sight after so many years. Both Dain and Kole might have their theories about where the ocean led, but the fact was that no one really knew. Every so often, the occasional intrepid explorer would set out from Eradal determined to conquer the western sea. Inevitably however, they would either return when rations grew scarce with nothing to show for it, or else they would not return at all. Some posited that those ships that never returned found the lands beyond and were so enthralled with the plenty they discovered that they decided to stay and never return.
This of course seemed like a fantasy. Logically, Elias found it more likely that these ships either sank, starved to death, or mutinied and headed south. Nonetheless, the idea of unexplored lands beyond captivated him now the same way it had when he was Avi's age or younger.
"There aren't many ships that know the safe passage across the channel to Verduin." Kole acknowledged. "The waters around the islands are rocky and treacherous. Few captains could get us across in one piece."
Dain shook his head. "Your boats sit too low in the water." He argued. "Ours glide over it without being harmed."
"Mainland ships are also much bigger than yours." Kole pointed out. "And usually carrying heavy cargo."
Putting a finger to his chin, Dain considered this. "Maybe so. I forget that our lands are different in more than just language and customs."
Kole gave the young Verduin an approving smile. "True. Your tribes are highly independent. In Eradal, and other costal areas, the cities grow so large that they rely heavily on trade, which requires big ships."
"There must be fishermen or ferries that know the way." Elias interjected. "There are dozens of fishing villages along this coast. Someone will be able to make the journey. It's less than a league after all."
Giving Elias a quick nod, Kole agreed. "We need to be careful though." He warned. "There are plenty of sailors that would risk their entire ship and crew for a payday. We need someone that really knows the way."
"Then let's get moving." Elias encouraged. "We do not have time to waste." As he spoke, he looked over his shoulder at the hills behind them. It had been some time since they had seen the rather ominous speck on the horizon that Kole had pointed out, but nonetheless, Elias couldn't shake the feeling of being watched.
Kole's prediction about reckless sailors proved to be true. As they traveled along the coast stopping into the numerous towns and villages, they found many fishing boats that claimed to be able to take them across the channel to Verduin, however when questioned about it, most of these captains obviously had only coin in mind. Elias had to remind himself that they no longer looked so much like rough, unkempt vagabonds. Since their time in Calon-Ken, with their horses and fresh clothing, their little party now appeared to be the sort that just might have a little bit of money they could be easily parted with.
"Fourteen crowns." The captain across the table from Kole quoted them the highest price they had heard in the two days they had been searching. Practically double what the last one had asked for.
Kole laughed aloud. "Fourteen? It's less than a day's travel both ways."
This time, the captain laughed in return. He was a gruff-looking man that seemed to be somewhere in his late thirties. "For one of them tiny Verduin boats maybe. For us it's two days, one way."
Elias's eyes widened with shock and annoyance. "Two days!? You're joking."
The captain considered him for a moment before shrugging. "Could maybe get you there sooner if you don't mind washing up in pieces."
A hint of a smile touched Kole's lips. "Sounds like you've been there before."
The older man nodded. "Not in years. But rocks don't tend to move much. Only safe passage is from the south. We would have to swing wide down the coast then out to sea."
At first, Elias had thought that this man was simply trying to take advantage of them as with the previous sailors they had spoken to. Now however, the exorbitant price made more sense, and the way that the captain spoke about the passage suggested that he was far more familiar than the others they had come across.
"Take the night to think about it." The captain stood from the table. "You might find someone who'll do it safely for less. But I doubt it. If you're coming, meet us at the docks at sunrise. The ship's called the Lady of Loften."
Kole chuckled when the man had gone. "Well, he seems sure of himself if nothing else."
"Do you mean arrogant?" Elias replied sarcastically.
"Good point. I'd never travel with an arrogant prick." Kole answered back with a flippant smirk, earning a glare from Elias. "Oops, and there's that face you do. I'm getting a drink, want me to see if they have any Trovian wine?" Kole didn't wait for a response to his teasing as he stood and made for the bar of the little tavern where they had met the sailor.
Avi and Dain sat at a nearby table playing some sort of hand-slapping game and not paying the slightest bit of attention to the conversation the other two had been conducting. Dain was smiling, which was rare these days. Elias had to feel a little bit bad for the young Verduin. Every time any large bird would pass overhead, he would look up hopefully, only to have his face fall once again into grim resignation. Even though Dain had not said as much, Elias suspected that he had developed the same concerns that Elias and Kole had discussed a few nights prior. With each passing day that Gwynoc did not return, the likelihood that something bad had happened on the Verduin Isles seemed to increase.
These thoughts were chased away when Kole abruptly sat down again, thunking two mugs onto the table. Without a word, he passed one over to Elias. Taking a whiff, Elias wrinkled his nose. The dark brew had a strong astringent smell to it.
"I say we hire him." Kole finally spoke. "He's the only one so far that seems to know the first thing about crossing the channel safely."
Elias frowned and shrugged. Despite not particularly liking the man's demeanor, and not liking the cost they had been quoted, he had no real reason not to trust Kole's judgement. He did not, however, want to seem too enthusiastic. Since their shared night of intimacy in Calon-Ken and the somewhat changed nature of their relationship since, Elias found himself wanting to agree with Kole more often. It wasn't clear to him whether it was simply that they were beginning to understand each other better, or if it came from a subconscious desire for Kole to like him. That thought alone was enough to make Elias wary, and in recent days he had assumed a more standoffish posture toward his traveling companion. After all, Kole had made little attempt to pursue him since leaving the city. Elias did not plan to be captivated and taken in like some conquest.
"You disagree?" Kole asked, taking a long draught from his mug.
Elias's mouth twitched in annoyance. "No." He replied after a moment. "He seems more capable than any of the others we've come across. And we can't afford to be too particular." Taking a short sip from the flagon that Kole had brought him, Elias winced.
If Kole noticed his aloof tone, he did not comment on it. "It's more than that. You don't talk about a passage through dangerous territory that way if you haven't been there before. Trust me." He chuckled.
Admittedly, Kole had him at a disadvantage yet again. The tall swordsman had shown them through the swamps that were thought to be impassible. "We do have the money." Elias acknowledged without looking at his companion.
"We'll need lodging for the night then." Kole responded, setting his mug down pointedly and looking at Elias. "How many rooms, do you think?"
Elias choked on his swallow of bitter liquid and dropped his mug to the table. Trying to recover gracefully, he looked away. This question meant something. A test? His years of academic and logical study taught him that, if he did not know the answer to a question his best bet was to redirect the question.
"How many do YOU think?" Elias answered with an accusatory tone, more-so than he had intended.
Raising an unimpressed eyebrow at him Kole gave a forced exhale of laughter. "We'll get three then."
Immediately Elias frowned, both at Kole's reaction to his question and at his suggestion of multiple rooms. "Three?" He asked, unable to help his curiosity.
"Naturally." Kole answered sarcastically, perhaps bitterly. "I'll take one, and you take another." Then he nodded in the direction of Avi and Dain. "They can figure the rest out on their own."
At the other table, Dain and Avi were still busy slapping their hands together in a strange game that Elias did not understand and giggling uproariously at the result of each interaction. That part made sense, the two of them sharing a room. Avi's boyish and mischievous naivety mixed with Dain's intense but innocent curiosity made for, in Elias's mind, a sensible dichotomy for two friends.
On the other hand though, Elias had been confident that Kole would suggest sharing a room with him, maybe to save money, or any other excuse. If he was honest with himself, Elias would not have turned down those excuses. The suggestion of three rooms had caught him off guard.
"Right..." He eventually answered. "That... makes sense." Elias made an effort not to make eye contact with Kole as he responded. "We do have enough coin..."
Elias felt like he was one of the ships trying to navigate a safe but uncharted path. Why did he suddenly feel stung? As if his ship had just crashed boldly into a submerged rock. He sipped at his drink again, gathering his thoughts. His experience with Kole back in Calon-Ken had left him assured that his traveling companion wanted to pursue him in a more intimate way. Since then though, they'd had little opportunity to spend time on their own. Had Kole's feelings changed that much in such a short time? Or maybe it had all just been a brief flight of fancy. Or... perhaps Kole was not particularly interested in chasing him. The young knight had certainly made his interest clear. Maybe he was expecting Elias to meet him somewhere in the middle.
Draining his mug, Kole set it down heavily on the table. "I'll take care of it." He informed, pulling out some coin and heading once again for the bar.
Experiencing an uncertain paralysis, Elias watched Kole walk away. Internally, he cursed himself and the tall swordsman equally. None of his extensive education helped him one bit with emotional matters like this. Why did Kole have to be so confusing? Was this all a ploy to try to get Elias to ask to share a room? Or was he overthinking yet again?
By now though, it was too late. Kole had already gotten the innkeeper's attention and Elias realized that, if it was a bluff, then Kole was fully prepared to follow through with it. Tearing his eyes away and glaring down at the table Elias couldn't put a name to the tumultuous emotions he was experiencing. This was the first and only night of potential privacy they might have had since Calon-Ken and likely would have for some time. What had he expected? Elias couldn't say, but a night all alone in a completely separate room had not been his expectation. Simultaneously though, he berated himself for this feeling of attachment. This was weakness that he couldn't afford.
It wasn't long before Kole's large form was looming over him again though, and Elias looked up. The big warrior stood close. Almost too close, yet Elias found that he didn't mind. The two locked eyes for a long moment, one looking down while the other craned his neck upward. Kole reached a hand out that floated in the air, almost appearing like he might caress Elias's cheek, but then abruptly he dropped the hand back to the table gently, setting a key down next to Elias's mug.
"Second floor, fifth door on the left." Kole informed him. "Avi and Dain have the next one down, and I'm across the hall from them." He gave Elias a half-smile as though he was completely oblivious to Elias's inner turmoil, and yet, the young wizard felt like there was some sort of mask between them. A mask however that he could not see through.
Without another word, Kole moved off toward Dain and Avi's table where they continued their game. He stood watching their hand slapping for a moment or two before casually and softly knocking both of them on the back of the head. He then set a key down on the table between them and spoke to them briefly, though Elias couldn't hear what was said over the general din of the pub.
Dain picked up the key and Elias saw Avi exchange a mischievous look with the young Verduin. Abruptly, Elias felt a spike of jealously. The two younger boys obvious shared some sort of connection. Elias didn't know the nature of this connection, but it was obviously a mutual bond that tied them together in some way.
The jealousy faded though. Elias began to realize that what he was feeling was... loneliness... Ever since his catastrophic blunder in the Koval Mountains, and even before then, he had spent every night right next to Kole or Avi or both. The only exception was the night at Master Lavelle's, where the familiar house had felt almost like a homecoming. Now, Elias dreaded being alone with his thoughts. He recalled staring out the window of Lord Titus's keep over the city of Calon-Ken and pondering his actions. He also recalled how Kole had easily brought him peace with a simple lewd comment. It was the kind of lifeline that Elias wouldn't have expected to need, but now it was frightening to imagine being without it.
They had already spent the money for three rooms though. Would the innkeeper take one of the keys back? And, Elias wondered, was he prepared to admit publicly that he wanted to be close to Kole tonight? The more he let it eat at him, the more he tried to harden himself against these feelings. The drink in his hand, which before had been barely palatable, now felt like his only friend. Elias gulped it down greedily and walked to the bar to replace it, ignoring the raised eyebrow from Kole.
Over the next fifteen minutes, Elias came to the conclusion that, if he couldn't think, then he couldn't feel wracked with uncertainty and guilt. And so, with a brief spiteful glance at Kole, he downed his second drink while grasping the key to his lone bedroom tightly in his hand.
"An then... I... killed them." Elias giggled, mimicking an explosion with his hand as he related his story of their treggan encounter to a couple of old regulars at the bar. As he did, his fingers accidentally sprouted a bit of blue flame that wreathed its way around his hand. His audience leaned back a bit before joining him in laughter. Elias examined his hand front and back before breaking into a fresh fit of mirth.
"Alright." A deep familiar voice interjected, and Elias felt a heavy hand on his shoulder. "I think it's bedtime. Don't you? Before you burn the place down."
Swiveling on his barstool, Elias very nearly toppled over, but the same hand caught him and held him firmly in place. Of course, naturally, it was Kole standing behind him. Elias couldn't remember exactly why, but he knew he was upset with his traveling companion, and this made him obstinate.
"No." He shook his head stubbornly. "I don't need you. These are my real friends." He gestured toward the small group of grizzled fishermen that sat at the bar. "They..." he shivered and hiccupped simultaneously, "... respect me."
"Mm..." Kole nodded patiently. "What are their names?"
Looking between Kole and the group at the bar, Elias wracked his brain and took another swill from his mug before Kole snatched it away from him. "Umm... That one's called... Ma-...Marlen." He declared confidently while pointing his finger directly in the face of one of the men at the bar.
"It's Bovier." The gruff bearded man grunted, moving Elias's finger away from his face in annoyance before returning to his drink.
Nodding again, Kole slid his arm around Elias's shoulders, guiding him gently off the barstool. "Right. Well maybe we can find your new friends in the morning. Small steps..." He warned as Elias nearly fell over immediately after standing.
"We need to..." Elias whispered loudly to Kole. "Cross the channel." He fell into a fit of giggles and Kole had to hold him up. "I think I might be drunk..."
"Are you?" The tall warrior smiled down at him, slowly leading him one step at a time to the stairs. "Six steps up, then a landing, then eight more. Want to count them with me?"
Elias tried to push away from Kole but the arm caught him around the waist and held him tightly. He quickly relented, finding it not worth the effort. "I can... count." He declared irritably.
"I know." Kole agreed. "So, let's go."
Together they ascended five steps before Elias stopped them. "No." He mumbled in frustration. "I need to stay..."
Kole shook his head with a small laugh. "You need to go to bed."
"No!" Elias declared again, bracing one hand against the wall. "I need to stay or..." His brow furrowed in confusion. "Or... I'll be alone..."
This gave Kole pause. He looked behind them to make sure no one was nearby before gesturing Elias further up the stairs. "You're not alone, El. Come on. Let's just get you to bed."
"Avi doesn't like me..." Elias stated, somewhere between laughing and crying as Kole urged him a few more steps upward. "That's why he asked me if he should leave. `cause he thought I'd say yes."
Once again, this caught Kole off guard. He took a brief moment before he continued their slow progression up the stairs, counting each step aloud.
"And you," Elias continued, ignoring Kole's counting and taking on an accusatory tone. "Just want to make someone fill Cal's place."
Suddenly, Elias felt the back of his head hit the wall. His breathing was constricted too. It took him a moment to realize that Kole's hand was around his neck, pinning him in place and glaring him down with a cold look.
For several long seconds, the two of them looked into each other's eyes. In his inebriated state, Elias felt like a rabbit run afoul of a dangerous predator. If Kole decided to toss him like a rag doll down the stairs, there was no chance he could put together a spell in time that would protect him.
Kole glared him down, but even as drunk as he was, Elias could recognize fury tempered by pain. "You are so..." Kole ground his teeth while holding Elias to the wall and keeping that deadly eye contact. "... monumentally stupid..." Without warning, Kole darted forward and kissed Elias roughly on the lips.
Confusion, fear, and desire all melded together and Elias heard himself give a whimpering gasp as he returned the kiss, trying to match Kole's ferocity. The minute Kole's hand left his throat however, Elias stumbled and Kole caught him on one shoulder, lifting him up like a sack of potatoes.
"No..." Elias mumbled, but the second his feet left the ground he felt himself beginning to drift to sleep.
"I'll stay." Kole told him quietly as he brought Elias into one of the rooms and laid him gently on the small bed. "Hardwood and a pillow is more than enough for me."
Elias recognized this as a joke, but his mind was too far gone to give any reaction besides a gentle smile as his eyes closed.
The last thing he felt was a soft hand on the side of his head. "You could have just asked." Kole reminded as Elias easily lost consciousness.
"Get up."
The order came sternly, and Elias tried to cover his head with a blanket.
"Nope." Kole's voice spiked into his brain once more and he suddenly felt the blanket yanked away. "We've got a boat to catch. Get your ass up."
Elias groaned and rolled over. His head throbbed in pain and his eyelids were too heavy to open. The thought of sitting up was an impossible task, much less actually getting out of bed.
"Aw, is it El's first hangover?" Kole teased with little sympathy. "Sun's already mostly up, so our ship is leaving shortly. Either you get up and walk like an adult or I'm picking you up and carrying you like a child."
Kole's `parenting' tone infuriated Elias despite his exhaustion and the pain in his head. His eyes opened to glare angrily before he slowly sat up, wincing but holding back any audible complaint.
It only occurred to Elias when they were halfway to the docks, and he began to really wake up, that perhaps Kole had used his ire against him. Was he that smart though? Or were they just such different personalities that their friction managed to create efficiency?
His anger faded as some of the memories of the night before came back to him. This anger was replaced by embarrassment. Some of the things he remembered saying to Kole were excruciatingly humiliating. Remembering his comment about Kole's old flame Sir Callum, Elias bit his lip in shame. But still, Kole had stayed with him. He wasn't sure if that made it better or worse. It might have been easier if Kole was upset or angry with him, but while they walked, the tall soldier made no indication that he had any thoughts on the events of the night before.
The docks were bustling as all of the traders were eager to get underway. With all of the ships of varying sizes, it took them some time to locate the Lady of Loften. It was a respectably sized schooner with two tall masts. The captain they had met the night before stood by the gangway shouting orders as cargo was loaded on board. He noticed them approach and greeted with a brisk nod.
"Made up your mind, I see." He remarked.
Kole nodded, handing over several coins. "Here's half. Other half when we drop off safely in Verduin."
The captain snorted and shrugged. "Suit yourself. I've got more vested interest in safety than you do." He gestured towards his ship. "Leave the horses with me and we'll get them loaded with the livestock. Crew quarters are on the middle deck, get yourselves aboard."
Elias definitely did not like this man's attitude, but it did not seem like they had much of a choice. Following Kole with Dain and Avi close behind, they stepped onto the deck of the ship. Elias had sailed up the coast once before when he was very young, but it had been aboard a passenger ship built for luxury, and much smaller than this craft. The sights and sounds were nearly as foreign to him as they were to Avi.
Below deck and out of the sun, Elias found himself much more comfortable. The smell was less than pleasant, and it was cramped with simple bunks stacked three high, but the splitting headache receded somewhat when he didn't have to squint so much.
"Can't you just magic yourself better?" Kole asked with a tone such that Elias couldn't tell if he was teasing or not.
"That's not how it works." Elias growled. Magic couldn't simply fix things like hangovers. There were spells to mitigate pain, but they were for serious ailments. Using one on something like this would likely render him almost completely numb for hours. His best bet was to simply sleep it off in one of these shoddy half-beds.
It took the ship almost another hour to get underway. In that time, Kole helped with the loading but warned Dain and Avi to stay below deck and out of the way. Sailors like these were not known for their patience with children. Elias took the opportunity to catch a quick nap under the excuse that he would keep track of the two younger boys. He knew that Kole didn't buy it, but he didn't care. Normally, the ramshackle cots would have repulsed him, but right now his most pressing need was to lay back and keep his eyes closed for a while or risk being sick.
Surprisingly, both Avi and Dain kept relatively quiet during this time. Neither one of them was immediately comfortable aboard the large ship and so stayed close together and close to Elias as the bustle of sailors continued. Elias was roused a short time later, feeling only a slight bit better, by a shrill two-toned whistle from the top deck. This was followed by a rough lurch which almost dislodged him from the cot he had selected.
Holding on tight, he stood up, grateful that his headache had subsided slightly. He found however that the floor seemed to be moving underneath him. Avi and Dain were similarly out of balance and had to keep hands to the wall or to one of the support beams. It took Elias a moment to recognize this feeling. The Lady of Loften had set sail, and they were on their way to Verduin.