How Divine is Thou?

Ferry

After we'd given the horses to Nyx's friend Fenwick, he guided us to the ferries. He wasn't kidding when he said you could go anywhere in the world. There were dozens of ferries to any ocean accessible place in the world.

"Am I allowed to correct people if they assume I'm a woman?" I asked Nyx as he searched for the right boat. If we were going to a place where women were considered lesser, I didn't want people to assume I was one. That, and I just flat didn't like people assuming I'm a woman. It was irritating beyond belief.

"I would strongly advise it," he replied. "This way. There's a boat every six hours. It's a six hour trip to go there. And of course, we hit it right as people are going home."

"You really don't like this place," I commented. He always got passive-aggressive and sarcastic when talking about it. Now, it was no different.

"I hate it," he grumbled. "The people suck, the ideologies suck, it's poluted, everything's overpriced, a quarter of the population is homeless, another quarter are rich plantation owners, and the final half are slaves and servants."

"Sounds magical," Ettia added unhelpfully. Nyx shot a hard glare at him. He was possibly the only person who didn't shy away under Nyx's glare.

I felt Shards rub against my leg affectionately. She'd been doing that more often. Apparently, she'd been doing it to Nyx as well as he brought it up to me one night, very concerned why something was touching his leg.

Voal did things like that once in a while. He found it especially fun to randomly tap on Nyx or me to get a reaction. His favorite was when Nyx managed to get his hair out of his face, to ruffle it and undone all his work. Eventually, he just stopped fighting it.

The line to Turtle Island wasn't extremely long like the others. It was fairly short. We were by far the largest group in line for tickets. Nyx explained that most people get year-long tickets to go between because they live on one part and work on the other. Very few people vacationed there.

"I need eleven tickets," Nyx told the man at the desk, giving him a small book-like thing.

"And I need eleven passports," the man replied harshly. "No passports, no entry."

"Sir," Vynaria came to the front, giving him a similar book, this one containing her full title. "These people are with me."

"You're not princess of The Roaring Islands, so it don't matter."

"Then perhaps this shall suffice?" A new man butted through the crowd. "Hello Nyx. Sorry that he's giving you trouble."

"Thirteen, please, sir," Liriko told the man. "Or does my royal status not count?"

"Right away, sir," the man said, pink at the cheeks.

"Had I known we were traveling in the same direction, I would have just let you come with Al and me," Liriko told Nyx.

"We have a big group, I don't think you'd like that," Nyx told him. "By the way, Ettia, this is one of my royal friends."

"You've got to be fucking kidding me," Ettia grumbled, looking at Liriko. The man handed him the tickets with a sheepish look, and we followed Liriko away.

"Where's Al?" I asked him. "You mentioned he was here as well."

"Right here!" Prince Alastor's cheery voice called. "Wow, you've got quite the little party here!"

"Why are you two going to Turtle Island?" Nyx asked them, taking the tickets from Liriko and counting them.

"We're having a meeting with Lady Carolina and the town board," Liriko groaned.