Written March 23rd 2022 10:12 PM

Amos. Ashrin. Sully. Graeme. Happy. Ozaz. Sister Helen. Fest and his wife. Barley and her crew. The list of names weighed heavily on Ailith’s mind, and every time she thought she couldn’t possibly have any more names to add, she thought of more. It was a list of people she wanted to evacuate from the continent, to keep safe from the upcoming invasion, but she knew she couldn’t. She couldn’t in good conscious send her own friends and loved ones to safety when other people’s were out fighting for The First and Last. Ailith couldn’t send everyone to safety… but she could send the kids.

“I don’t understand,” Barley repeated yet again. Ailith hadn’t given her and the others much notice before leading them down to the harbour.

“You guys are going to go on a little field trip, okay? To further your education,” Ailith explained, her fingers gripping Barley and Beau’s shoulders. Behind her, Feyra held Alexander and Millie’s hands as she followed, her head swiveling back and forth as she took in their surroundings. The invasion wasn’t supposed to start for weeks, but neither of them trusted Grazz’t to not spring an ambush on them.

“But, we don’t need an education,” Barley whined, twisting around to look at Ailith. The kids had grown in the time Ailith had known them, but they still seemed to small to her. Sighing, Ailith crouched so she was on their level and waited for Alexander and Millie to catch up.

“Look,” she said, pointing out into the harbour. At the far dock a ship was just tying off, a small crew darting around the deck, securing the rigging. “See that ship? You’re going to take a trip on it. And you’re going to learn so much.” Barley huffed and stomped her foot, and Ailith fought to hold back a smile. “I don’t mean school stuff. I mean life stuff. You’re going to learn how to sail, and fight, and when you’re done, you can come back here. But you have to learn everything you can first, okay?”

Barley considered the offer. “Will you be here when we get back?” The question threw Ailith. She could feel tears start to prick at her eyes, and she heard Feyra clear her throat behind her. She looked around at the four of them, their eyes wide but determined.

“Yeah. Of course I will be,” she replied, her voice hoarse. Gods, whoever is listening, don’t make me lie to them.

“Fine. Then we’ll go,” Barley declared with a nod, turning and starting back towards the docks, her posse following close behind. Ailith remained crouched for a beat, willing herself not to cry.

“Hey,” Feyra whispered, squeezing her shoulder. “Come on.” Ailith shook her head and rose, catching up with the kids in a few strides. They made their way to the farthest dock, weaving between sailors offloading cargo and passengers trying to buy their way to the Asher Isles. Rumours had started about what was to come, and those smart enough to heed them were leaving the mainland in droves.

“Ahoy there!” Ailith’s skin prickled at the sound of Jack Rathbone’s voice. He waved at them from the deck of the Disaster’s Mistress, Alice standing behind him. Ailith just crossed her arms by way of a greeting. Seemingly unbothered, Jack made his way down the gangway to the dock, Alice following close behind as usual. “So, these are to be my new crewmembers, is that right?” Jack asked with a grin.

“I see you still work for this bitch,” Ailith said to Alice, pointedly ignoring Jack’s entire existence.

Alice’s demeanour didn’t change. “I don’t work for him,” she grunted, turning on her heel and heading back up to the ship. Interesting.

Ailith held Barley back as the other three followed Alice up the gangway. She crouched down to the girl’s level once more, gripping her upper arms a little too tightly. “Listen up, okay? This man is going to protect you. If he doesn’t,” she said with a pointed glare at Jack, “he’ll be sorry.” Jack cleared his throat awkwardly at that. “He’s going to teach you everything you need to know about sailing, and when you come back, you can teach me, alright?”

“Okay,” Barley muttered, scuffing her boot in the dirt. “We’re going to be so good at sailing, just you wait and see!” There’s my girl. Ailith laughed at the girl’s determination.

“I know you are. Now, it’s time to go.” Ailith stood and turned to Jack. “Look after them. If any of them get hurt, no god above or below can help you.”

Jack blanched at the threat. “Understood,” he rasped, ushering Barley up to the ship. Ailith watched as they stepped onto the ship and the crew hurried to bring up the gangway and unmoor the ship from the dock. Barley stood to the side, watching the commotion with her sharp eyes. Ailith could feel Feyra at her back, but the other woman was giving her space. She loved her for that.

“Barley!” She called as the ship began to pull away. The girl turned to her, peering over the ship’s railing. “Be good!”

There was a beat of silence before Barley answered, a grin on her face. “Nah!” With that, she stepped away from the railing and out of Ailith’s eyeline.

Ailith laughed quietly, barely noticing when the laughter gave way to tears. Feyra stepped up to her then and pulled her into a hug. Ailith cried, not caring that the people bustling past could see her. She cried for her kids, for the shitty hand they’d been dealt and all they’d had to endure in their short lives. She cried for everyone she wanted to save but couldn’t, and the possibility that they would die fighting an impossible fight. Feyra held her until her sobs lessened and her tears dried.

“It’s time to go home,” she whispered into Ailith’s neck.

Ailith sniffed and pulled away, straightening her back. Feyra reached up to wipe her damp cheeks and Ailith leaned into the touch. “Home,” she sighed, grasping Feyra’s hand in hers as they made their way back through the docks, the Disaster’s Mistress sailing into the distance behind them.