The Thin Navigator Comes Home.
An anchor drops into the waters along Port Prospect. A large merchant vessel had made port and her crew were beginning to unload the cargo in her hold as snow began to fall. After spending the last three weeks at sea, Zeru (Vartan's father) had returned to his home city. "Looks like we got back just before the snow started piling up. I've missed you Port Prospect. I could really use a shave." The navigator had been on deck for the last four hours. Even the brisk cold of the outside had become preferable to the stuffy air of the map room. It was supposed to be a two week round trip, but bad weather had delayed them several days. By the time he had he reached port, he wanted nothing more than to get back on land and see his wife. The crew was amicable enough, save for the irritating first mate, but the small annoyances had built up. The thought of spending another day with them started to fill him with revulsion. He collapsed his spyglass, a gift from his son, and placed his sextant in it's carrying case.
"Glad to have worked with ye again Zeru. Without you we'd probably have added another week to our little trip." The captain hands the man a small pouch of coins. "A little extra to make up for the delay. Get Arima something nice." Zeru poured the contents into his palm, picking out three gold and handing them back to the captain.
"Give this to the clients and tell them I took a little for myself. My wife will like this shawl and the saffron will be great in her paella." He pulls a small satchel from his pocket and places it alongside his extra payment in his bag. "If there's nothing more to discuss captain, I'm going to spend the next two or three months indoors with my wife. Unless you want to buy something from her store, please do not contact me until the snow is gone. My back can only take so much leaning over a map at my age." The captain smirked and pocketed the coins. "You're not much older than me. See you later friend. I've got to make sure these bilge rats don't break anything." Zeru nodded politely before heading to the gangplank.
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The bell rings in a dry goods shop, alerting the owner to an incoming customer. She continues building a ship in a bottle next to the stove that warms her store.
"I'll be with you in a minute. Anything in particular you're looking for?" She says without looking toward the door. The customer brushes snow off his shoulders before walking to the counter. "A razor. I just got back from a voyage and my wife really doesn't like facial hair." The woman looked up from her work, smiling at the familiar voice. "Hello Arima. My apologies for being so late. Winter winds refused to come to Peregrin Quay." Zeru places the shawl he was wearing on Arima's shoulders, along with a small pouch in her hands. "Something to keep you warm and enough saffron for all the summer paella." He kisses her on the cheek before wrapping her in his arms. "I missed you so much."
Arima chuckles and hugs him back. "As did I Zeru. I was almost convinced you'd be stuck there all winter." She releases the hug to feel the shawl. "Quite nice material. I'm sure it'll keep the wind off me. Thank you very much."
Zeru takes a seat by the stove. "Have you been busy while I was away? I don't imagine many customers would be coming in when the snow starts." Arima sets the pouch of saffron in her pocket before returning to her seat. "Not today, but we've had a fairly steady amount of customers coming in. It's mostly locals coming in for nails or sailcloth, but the company is nice. All the free time I have means more ships in bottles for the tourist season. Did Vartan send a message in your dreams while you were away? He told me he wants to visit again once the snow melts there." He nods. "He asked if I planned on sailing to Argonia anytime soon. It came while I was stuck between ports, so I said I wouldn't be for a few months at least. He said he'd just use a chimera wing next time he wants to visit. As much as he likes being on a ship, it's a lot faster to just teleport here."
The bell rang again as the door to the shop opened. A couple had entered, one human man and one half-elf woman. "I'll take care of those two. Go get yourself cleaned up. The razors are in the box with the red shells on the lid in the storage room. I was going to make some Caldo Verde after closing up for the night. Would you please start chopping vegetables after you shave?" Zeru nodded before kissing his wife on the lips. "Darling please, not in front of Anli and Tubal" She chuckles as he leaves. The male customer smirks. "I see Zeru finally got back. Good to see him healthy. Caldo verde sounds pretty good right now. Do you have olive oil and onions in stock?"
kefkadragon Community Member 
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