KYLA sat at the small desk in her cabin, the dim light of her candle dancing as she got ready to write down her thoughts. She wasn't used to writing with quill and ink but that was all the sailors could provide. She wrote down the initial address where she would want the letter to go and then closed her eyes, reminiscing the events of the past few days.

  It felt like an eternity since she left home, but it was merely two days ago and it seemed like a lot had happened since then. She dipped the quill inside the ink and continued. The letter was meant for her mother, she’d promised to write to her every time she got a chance.

  Her letter didn't contain many fanciful words, in fact she didn't dwell on such things. She always believed the reason why there are so many fanciful words and sentences was because the elites were also trying to put a barrier on language. She found this in every aspect of life, the rich always did whatever the poor did in a different manner, just to show class.

  Kyla wasn't ashamed of her heritage, in direct contrast to her other-mother’s teachings. Her mother believed one had to drift with the tides of time so they wouldn't be left behind by their peers. It garners respect to dress like the rich, to smile like them, to talk like them and respect improves one's overall presence and it is one of the minor recipes for a comfortable and successful life. She on the other hand, who had always felt like an ancient being, believed the ability to do what one wants is the true meaning of success and comfort.

  So, when the reply eventually found her, she knew her mother would chastise her, in fact she was looking forward to it. After she was done, she glossed over it just to check if there were no mistakes.

  The letter read:

  Dear mother,

  I hope you are doing well enough without me. Who am I kidding? Of course you are not, my presence is irreplaceable. I hope father is fine.

  I am doing well enough, Mia is such a wonderful person and she has been treating me like a little sister. I got to meet her betrothed, a tall well-built man called Finn. He is a commander and he is very funny. He gave me a tour of Alkhamas and I got to see the cathedral of Her Eternal Touch. Mother, it was the grandest thing ever, almost as large as our entire town. I still cannot comprehend its size and it was also beautiful.

  The city is also quite big, and there are terrible parts that I never wish to visit again. I almost got robbed one time. I haven't had the time to really settle down but I wanted to write to you as soon as possible.

  I am currently on a merchant ship, travelling to the capital. Everyone here speaks Drunken Isith and it is the funniest language I have heard. Mia had to stay behind in Alkhamas but don't worry, I am perfectly fine.

  I hope this letter finds you well.

  Your Daughter,

  Kyla.

  She smiled after reading it, then placed it into a small pocket in her bag. She would try to get it sent to the village when she arrived at the capital. Hopefully, she would have written more letters before then.

  Kyla’s hand brushed over the second pocket of the bag and paused. She opened it and brought out the folded parchment inside. The edges of the paper were brittle, indicating its age — she unfolded it and her lips curled into a smile. The parchment depicted a black and white drawing of a girl standing in front of a tree and the moon shining brightly above.

  The drawing captured the little details, like the leaves rustling at the feet of the girl and the subtle glow of the tree leaves. How the artist was able to make such details with just a stylus was something that eluded her understanding.

  She’d made several attempts to recreate the art but never got past drawing a single tree leaf. She remembered the wonderful encounter she had in the woods all those years ago but for some reason, she couldn't really remember the face of the boy per se.

  Kyla had never felt intense romantic attraction before, but that day always tugged at her heart. It was like she met someone she should never have met because the world felt perfect that day but it also felt wrong at the same time.

  You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

  She admired the drawing again before folding it back into her bag. That bag contained things she considered very important. Her most sentimental clothes and jewelries and her pouch of money.

  She liked putting all those things in one place, so she didn't lose them amidst other items. She stepped out of the cabin and headed above deck.

  It was night time already and the sailors were all relaxing, the River Tyris rarely had rough currents according to them and even if it did, their ship would probably be strong enough to traverse it as it was built to brave the seas. The two moons that marked the months of Gethsemane were already out, both red in color, illuminating the grand river.

  Kyla spotted Shilly seated on an elevated platform at a corner of the ship and decided to join her. The woman had helped her settle down so she felt comfortable with her. She was also the only woman on the ship.

  “Yer done with them letters?” the lady asked when she spotted her.

  “Yes,” Kyla replied sheepishly. She sat near the woman as the ship floated across the river in the ambience of the night. The breeze and the smell were very relaxing so she found herself closing her eyes and humming a small note.

  Shilly was a fair woman— elderly with a knife scar running diagonally across her face. She appeared as strong as any of the men and when she spoke, she held so much authority.

  According to the stories, she was the crew's original first mate, but she relinquished the position and became the crew's accountant. She apparently studied under the tutelage of several royal archivists and accountants.

  “So, tell me princess, what's your story? How’d yer end up a ward to Mia?” she demanded.

  Kyla smiled. “She has been my friend since I was young, when I wanted to leave my home for the capital, she offered to help me.”

  Shilly grinned. “A simple story, I like it…” she wanted to add something but paused when one of the sailors approached her.

  “Shilly, Captain Hobly wants you to see this,” he said, pointing in the direction of the starboard where the captain and few others were gathered. More people seemed to be drawn towards the area, all gazing south and pointing towards something.

  Kyla followed from behind, her face frowned in curiosity. They parted for Shilly as she moved to the front of the gathered crowd.

  A few kilometers away from them, a colossal ship drifted. It was the most daunting ship ever. It was at least nine times the size of their own ship. It appeared like it was pitch black, completely made of metal but maybe it was due to the darkness. Following it was a mysterious fog and a sense of foreboding.

  Several crows fluttered around it cawing loudly. At least, Kyla could hear their caws the moment her gaze fell on the ship, initially, everything had been silent. The ship had no mast as everything was tattered and it also didn't seem real. It felt like a dream, the kind that scares the dreamer awake.

  “The Iron Dream!” Shilly gasped.

  Kyla felt her heart race instinctively at the mention of the name. “It sure is not,” one of the sailors said. “Wha’s the blasted thing doin’ in Egrimorth ey?”

  “It isn't in Egrimorth, we can just see it,” she said. “This is a bad omen!”

  “Everyone, get below deck, we sail blindly for now!” she yelled.

  Hobly glanced at her. “Sure is not that bad, is just a ship, ain't it,” the captain said.

  “According to the text a high percentage of ships that have spotted the iron dream capsized. There was a recorded saying of a sailor looking into the eyes of a giant on the ship and going mad.” she explained.

  The story seemed to snap everyone into action as the sailors started to back out orders and soon enough, everyone scurried belowdecks.

  “What is the Iron Dream?” Kyla asked in confusion while she was heading for her own cabin.

  Shilly smiled. “No one really knows, it just started appearing across the seas a while ago and there were several myths of seeing this ship across the ocean, with a giant as its helm master.” she paused. “It is one of the five despicable omens.”

  Kyla stopped walking, resting her back against her cabin door. “Five despicable omens?”

  Shilly smiled. “Commonly princess, ain't yer.” she said in Drunken Isith. “Yes, they are one of the most popular myths of the realm, popular among sailors and pirates. The five despicable omens are probably spirits that wander and warn about an impending doom of sorts.”

  Kyla was confused, she didn't really understand how a ghost ship could harbor such importance. “I only know of the two omens. The Iron Dream and The Dead Man’s Hand.” she explained. “Most of those stories are just myths anyways, half of the time, they are just spirits that wander the realm and people start attaching catastrophic events to their name for no reason.”

  “But you thought the Iron Dream was real," Kyla said.

  “Would rather be safe than sorry. Anyway, it is night time already. Good night, go into your room,” Shilly smiled and patted her on the shoulder before walking away.

  Kyla spent a few hours confined to her room but soon enough she began to feel rather uneasy. Since she was a kid, she’d never been able to bear being indoors for too long. Now that they were in the middle of a river, she couldn't just sneak out of the boat and explore but at least, she could explore the boat itself.

  She twisted open her door knob and stepped out of the room. The entire hallway was silent and dark. Only a few murmurs escaped from the separate cabins.

  Kyla wandered the entire ship but she didn't really find anything noteworthy, unable to go abovedeck, she realized this was going to be torture. Unlike most people, sleep didn't come to her easily. In fact, she only slept once every three days and half the time she forced herself to.

  When she was younger, she’d once gone an entire week without sleep, although by the eighth day when she did sleep, she slept for almost eighteen hours.

  Kyla was about to give up and return to her bedroom, when she noticed a trap door that led to an underground cellar. She smiled and pulled the floorboard open.

  She stepped inside, the room was filled with darkness but Kyla could see a bit better in the dark than most people, she believed it was due to her exploits in the past.

  The underground cellar was neat and would have been empty save for the line of iron cages on either side. She walked forward and then checked the first iron cage. A frown crept up her face that soon turned into a grimace. There was a human girl sitting in the cage— frail looking with a large chain around her neck which was then pinned to the floorboard by a hook.

  There were shackles binding her hand together too. The girl gazed at her with lifeless eyes. She couldn't be more than ten years old. Kyla curiously checked the second cage and this time, she saw a boy around the same age, completely naked with a plate of food in front of him. Unlike the girl his hands were not shackled, only his neck was.

  “What in the name of dragons is this?” Kyla blurted out.

  “What are you doing here girl?” Shilly’s voice cut through the atmosphere like a Still blade and it made Kyla jerk back.

  “Shilly, there are…” she pointed to the cages, unable to find the words.

  Shilly facepalmed. “You should be asleep by now,” the woman said. “What am I going to do with you now?”

  “You… you are slave traders?” her eyes twitched as she began to put two and two together.

  Shilly shook her head and then pulled a dagger out from her blouse. “You can't see this and live to tell the tale.”