Chapter 9

I don't know if I should consider this a promotion or a punishment, but I've gone from rowing the boat to tending the crew.

I will say this, Athairnor has got herself quite the crew. Just goes to show what sort of huge monster she's commanding, and how many people she can squeeze in this section of the ship. 

And when I say people, I mean almost every humanoid species known to fantasy that isn't human. Well, okay, that's not entirely true, but the point is this tub is humanless. 

From armed warriors, elves, tall, poise, possibly teeming with every superiority complex known to psychology, to dwarves? Halflings? I don't know what the DND term is for pale skin tiny dudes, but either way, these forlorn looking folks are all over the place from meniscal duties to being on the operating table. 

Still, I don't understand why she would force this job on me. Even idiots can man an oar and still get the job done. This? Why give a complete rando, someone with no medical training, the job of taking care of people here?

Well, at least I'm not thrown to the wolves. Boss lady was kind enough to leave me under the supervision of the chief caretaker of this ship. 

"Time has come to see the debt paid. See to it that Eulynde's grace is properly rewarded."

That's all Athainor said to me before storming off. I just wish that Eulynde lives up to the idea of a pure and saintly healer. I mean, she looks the part. Golden brown robe, doe like eyes of unnatural beauty, and the similar blinding aura she shares with Athairnor. But, somehow I manage to unlock her dark side every time we cast a look, like she wants to tear me a new one. 

Thankfully, the only harm she's ever done to me is when she decided to decorate my nose with the gold jelly on my nose. But, stinging aside, she just directs me to tending to her inventory. 

That's only when she threw my dumbass in here after looking and acting like a complete idiot with tending to the patients. Like I said, I'm no expert in anything medical related, but I probably should have warned her that I act like a bumbling baboon, fumbling and stumbling over an ever increasing impatient supervisor over the most basic command. 

But I like to try and see someone else try and do this while all the creaks, overlapping voices of unexpected food shortages, talks of this Maelstrom, and other depressing shit. 

Just saying. 

Which must be her way of trying to kill me given by the stiff headache and stinging eyes I'm dealing with. 

Great, and I don't even have my fucking eye drops with me! Fucking perfect! 

Well at least nobody is here to bug me about my potentially red eyes. I just wish the trade off isn't me dealing with all of these roots, ingredients and-

I thought I would get used to the sound of the walls shredding apart at their own will, but alas, they continue scaring the crap out of me! Thankfully, even an idiot would know that a door opening is not going to kill me. 

 Eulynde popping in with Ghilanthros and a slump dude in tow? That might be another story.

That is until she lunges the dude at my feet. 

"Tend to him! His fate is in your hands!" 

Those words alone are a hint enough for me to know that she doesn't care to answer my questions. And the ceiling clotting itself up, leaving me with him just confirms it. 

Turns out Eulynde might have done the nicest thing for me, because said dude, turns out to be my rowing buddy that gave Ghilanthros what after turning my node into a blueberry. 

Absolute mad lad.

"Well, fortune certainly smiled upon my schemes." That chuckle and him rising to his feet really dials back the density in this room. "But with rations amiss, I should not be surprise- your eyes!"

Thanks for reminding me. 

I'm not sure if this dude understood what allergies are, but shifting the blame towards he ingredients is all the convincing I needed for him to ruthlessly discard them to the ground. 

Dude does not care one bit. 

That's one problem solved. If only I had some water to rinse them out. 

Well, can't win them all. The poor buckos will just have to suck it up and wait it out. 

"It does my heart well to see you alive and well, and have no fear. We will deliver you to safety." Holy shit, he's... the nicest person here so far. I dread the day I get on this guy's bad side. "When Athairnor personally stole you away into the bowels, I feared the worst."

I expel a shaky chuckle. "Trust me, you weren't the only one feeling that way." 

Her hand rests on my shoulder. "It matters not. It won't be long now until the treacherous wretch is dealt with and your safety is assured. You have my word, sire."

That sounds like a long-term strategy in the making. If that's the case, I'm curious to see what my role is gonna be-

Sire?! Wait what?!?!