Kaydia could only laugh as Quentin’s complaint was dismissed by newfound allies. “Let’s be perfectly honest, we weren’t getting anywhere in that last wild porg chase. This can be that vacation you’ve owed me for… well, for too long now.”<br/><br/>“So where is the rest of your crew?” Aurelia asked, looking around the ship, “I’ve never seen a galleon like this before, but I still imagine you need a crew of at least a dozen or so to man it.”<br/><br/>Kaydia shook her head, “It’s just us. Doesn’t seem to follow any laws of physics that I’ve studied.” Wary eyes peered around, “I may just have to accept that he is cursed.”<br/><br/>“Doesn’t seem like much of a curse,” Aurelia muttered, wonder on her expression.<br/><br/><hr class="bbc-hr bbc-hr--3"/><br/>The town of Monsford prepared for the winter solstice, building a massive pyre that was to burn from sundown until sun rise. A celebration of strength and resilience, a reminder that no night is endless, for the sun always rises. To Aurianna’s eye, it resembled the eve before the battle of Monsford, when they proved themselves too stubborn to lay down and die.<br/><br/>Each time she tried to help, someone shooed her off, on account of her swollen belly. Protests, –that, after having handled a pair of demons, a pile of logs was little challenge– fell on deaf ears. So she found a task she could help with, one that no one was reprimanding her for, in bringing drinks to the those laboring to finish the pyre. “Looks like you all could use a break.”<br/><br/>Matthias rubbed the back of his hand across his forehead before accepting. The chill in the air nipped and bit, but lugging hundreds of pounds worth of lumber could still break a sweat. “Thanks. How are you holding up?”<br/><br/>“Mostly fine,” Aurianna admitted, passing around more drinks to the others nearby, “Better if everyone would stop coddling me as though I were an invalid.”<br/><br/>Matthias put his hand on her shoulder. “We got this. You’re already carrying enough.”<br/><br/>“Yeah, and I’d trade you in an instant if I could,” she grumbled, before wincing. “Your child keeps kicking me in the ribs.” Still, it gave her an idea, and her steel arm darted out to grab his wrist, and placed it on her abdomen. Even under the layers she wore, he could feel the kicking of the child within her. His golden eyes glittered in amazement, echoed by the wordless sound that escaped his lips.<br/><br/>“Yeah…I think I’ll stick to carrying wood,” Matthias answered in a laugh, pulling his wife closer to kiss her on the forehead.<br/><br/><hr class="bbc-hr bbc-hr--3"/><br/><br/>Aurelia closed her spyglass in a fit of shock, shaking her head. “Holy Hells, how did we reach the northlands so quickly?”<br/><br/>Kaydia shrugged, “The ship traveled through space. It operates on a set of rules I have to figure out.”<br/><br/>“Man, I oughtta get myself cursed like this.”