Days went by and they had had to figure out how to continue to entertain themselves. The journal they shared help, as did the books they had. They were both making progress in learning each other’s languages too. Of course, the chemistry between them was always available to help entertain them as well. But after spending so much time exploring and playing around, Navia was confident Théadan knew the ship just as well as she. What she was still better at was being the first to rise, though she no longer did it out of the need to vomit. The frequency of needing to empty her upset stomach had slowed greatly. She still rose early however, her body used to needing to escape. One morning she’d woken to Théadan still sleeping soundly beside her. She’d had every intention of snuggling in more and trying to have a bit more time to rest, but thuds and yells were trickling down to their cabin and she had been curious.<br/><br/>Navia had slipped out of their bed and pulled on a lightweight gray gown she had packed away for when the ship grew warmer. After pulling on her boots in silence, she’d worked on finger combing her black hair while leaving the room so Théadan could continue resting. She didn’t bother listening for the door to shut, her entire focus on trying to hear what the men above were saying. She’d thought she’d heard them say coast or Balaja. Stepping out onto the top deck had brought forth a barrage of sunlight that immediately taunted her eyes and a strong breeze to teased her skirts. The sailors nearby had given her a nod, but were hard at work moving around crates and ropes. Risho had stood from behind the wheel barking orders to his crew to maintain to their efficiency, but curiosity had kept her from paying him much mind at first.<br/><br/>Near-black eyes were drawn to the starboard side of the ship, where lush green had been surprisingly close and mountains towered. The ship was following the coast from a safety distance to keep away from any reefs or rocks. Some boulders just off the coast rose from the sea as if in welcome, the sky was a bright blue, the water sparkly. A bit of the coastline they passed was beach, tan sand kissed by the crashing waves, but for the most part, the trees of the jungles came right up to the water's edge where the earth was only a few meters up from the rocky shore. Joy had instantly raced through Navia's heart; they were close. She would set foot on Khluri soil again. With a hand above her eyes to try to block the sunlight so she could see better, Navia had been taking in the beauty of Khlurios finally near her again when Risho had called out to her. He had grandly welcomed her back to her home country, then given her instructions for once they reached Balaja. Anticipation racing through her, it had fueled her haste to hurry down to the steerage deck to wake Théadan.<br/><br/>Navia descended the stairs hastily, but slowed upon getting a glimpse of Théadan backing Wyndagar out of their cabin. The euphoria of seeing Khluri coastline again was temporarily forgotten so she could cock her head in confusion. Just what were those two up to? Navia approached curiously, only to grin brightly at Théadan when he called her beautiful. The question of what was going on above them brought back why she had come down to wake him. After a friendly pat to Wyndagar’s shoulder, Navia reached out to take hold of Théadan’s face with both hands, guiding him down at the same time she rose onto her toes. Her mouth was warm on his, her lips unable to stop curving into a grin. “We’ve made it,” she told him with a laugh, knowing it was just so exhilarating, her eyes dancing, “They first spotted the coast early this morning and now we’re running right along it. I saw it, Théadan. I saw Khlurios again.” Another celebratory kiss was pressed to his lips before she released him and brushed past, one of her hands trying to catch his as she went so he would come with her. “Risho told me to be packed and ready. He wants Wyndagar to come off first so it’s easier for them to remove their cargo. He said we can put our bags on the lift and you should ride with Wyndagar, but we still have some time before we dock. Let’s pack now, then go up and watch for Balaja.”<br/><br/>They had been aboard the<i>Uttarana</i>for weeks and to help with her sanity during those first few days of Théadan being bedbound, Navia had unpacked their belongings into the chest at the foot of the bed. She retrieved the bags they’d brought from under their bed, then frowned at them while she knelt before the chest. “As thrilled as I am to be off this ship, I do not miss living out of a bag,” she commented, giving the little burlap sack she’d tossed her limited possessions into the night they’d left Nygaard a shake to loosen it up.