To the Marketplace

When I awoke the next morning it was blustery and cold. The fog was thick and it was hard to breathe through. When I saw the Captain he was in his usual revealing state of dress. I asked him, how do you not freeze? He replied by saying that he had built up a tolerance to the cold while sailing in the Arctic. I told him that his body would still react, and he could get frostbitten. He laughed and told me that genetics were on his side, and then suggested I go down to the galley and eat. I sighed, having done the dishes the night before and now going to dirty them, and asked him to come with me. He seemed to consider it for a moment before he bolted in the direction of the galley. I was surprised but quickly caught up to him. He laughed all the way down until we were seated with a warm meal in front of us. I asked him why he did that, and he told me he did it so I wouldn’t be so cold anymore. I smiled and began to eat.


After our eventful breakfast, we walked around the top deck. We didn’t talk, much to my displeasure, but walked. We stopped along the railing and he pointed to a large fish. I asked him what it was, and he seemed taken aback. He told me it was a whale, and why didn’t I know that? I didn’t say anything, just shrugged my shoulders and said it looked very nice. He had a chuckle and agreed.

He told me we were going to sail off in a fort-night. I must’ve looked confused, because he explained what a fort-night was. I still didn’t understand but I nodded my head and asked where we were going this time. He said that we were going to his birthplace. I still don’t understand if we went to visit or to get supplies, because it seems we did both in excess.

I asked him what it was like there, and he told me it was the most wondrous place I would ever see. I didn’t believe him. In fact, that’s what I told him. He laughed and said that I’d be sorry that I said that. I rolled my eyes and informed him I was going to go into town and get some food. As I was walking away he suddenly yelled to get some absinthe. I turned around and shrugged my shoulders again. He pointed at me and jokingly said that I’d better. I decided not to test him anymore and ran off the ship, onto the docks.

As I was walking to the marketplace I briefly wondered if I should have brought a horse, as my feet ached from the late night walk to the City Hall and back. And as I was thinking of that, it brought the war back to my attention. I wondered, when would it be? They didn’t say anything but ‘soon’. And then, where will it be? I didn’t know. I just hoped we weren’t in the middle of it. Conflict against the islands usually ended in someone completely not in the war being blown up. Like the mostly annoying island from the west, always making demands and being unreasonable. Thankfully, they got blown up and it made everyone much happier. Most of the islands to the west ended up celebrating. No one mourned for them. But, then I think of it, and become sad.

I was roughly pulled from my reverie by plowing directly into a shopper. Dazed, for a moment, I lay there. It was only then the mans rough voice brought me back to reality. I quickly jumped up and tried to apologize, but I ended up tripping and landing on my backside. I laughed nervously while he guffawed and got up. He smiled and reached out to me, to help me up. I gladly accepted his hand and stood. I told him, I am very sorry for running into you. He replied kindly, and told me it was no problem and it really brightened his day. I smiled and said that I was very glad to be able to do that. He nodded to me low, and walked past me while patting me on the back and saying he hoped he say me again. I started to tell him there was no way that could happen for I was leaving soon, but when I turned around the man had completely disappeared.

I decided I would forget about the strange day brightening incident, and kept going. I made sure to look out for shoppers this time. I got to the food stall and by then the horrible cold had gone and an even more horrible heat plagued me. I had taken off my jacket, my vest, and everything except my undershirt and pants before I was even finished buying the vegetables. It smelled like a pigsty and I couldn’t wait to get out of the place. As I was walking away with my large load of foodstuffs, I remembered the Captain wanted absinthe. I sighed, and realized that yes, I did have to go get some. I asked the stall owner I had bought the food from if he could keep my load behind the stall and he said he would. He asked why and all I said was that I needed to get something important. I scoped out the alcohol stall and bought a large bottle of strong absinthe. The shopman looked at me oddly and asked why a ‘delicate thing such as myself’ was drinking the strongest drink this side of the islands. I told him it wasn’t for me and that I was not a delicate thing, and then turned on my heel to go back to the food stall. I asked the man for my groceries back, and when he did give them to me he laughed at my important thing. I thanked him and he thanked me in turn.

I chanted in my head that I was not, definitely not, a delicate thing.


When I got back to the Mary and told the Captain, he laughed and said otherwise.


He didn’t get any of the absinthe.