The room was humid and cramped. Everything around him was a shade of deep purple. He was curled in the corner of the room, but the floor wasn't cold like it should be and his muscles didn't ache from being hunched. He stood. His whole body felt like it was floating.

He was dreaming, he realized. He'd felt this before under the influence of sleep spells. This kind of vivid dream was a common side effect of prolonged use, but who would drug him?

He moved towards the short, slanted door. Often the quickest way to break the spell was to shatter the dream. Leave the confines of what the caster had created and pull yourself out of it.

He tried the door handle.

Locked.

Syko wiggled it again. "Come on, it's just a dream."

"Wake up." he muttered, "Wake up, wake up."

He rattled the handle again and again. Finally he heard a lock click and the door opened to a blinding light.

 Syko sat bolt upright in a room completely different from the one in the dream. This one was warm, bright an definitely real. There was a slight rocking sensation, and the sound of water and birds outside the curtained window. The walls were wood with shelves built in. There was a desk and chair in the corner and nightstand beside the bed where Syko was tucked under wool covers.

He was on a ship, he concluded. Not that he'd ever been on one to know, but the harbor was a stones throw from his shop and he knew what waves against a boat sounded like.

He could hear  footsteps outside his door. There was a small knock, then the door opened and a woman entered. She carried a tray with a teapot, two cups and a steaming bowl.

"You're awake." she said setting the tray on the desk.

He didn't know how to respond. Had she wanted him awake? She had brought tea. But then why cast a sleep spell? 

The woman poured a cup of tea and brought it and the chair to the edge of the bed. She handed him the cup and sat down. 

He took it politely, giving it a whiff as he let it warm his hands. It smelled like chamomile but he knew better than to drink it.

"Are you feeling alright?" the woman asked.

"Who are you?" Syko interjected.

"Now that's not an answer," the woman stood up and went to the desk.

Syko set his tea on the nightstand, slopping onto his hand.

The woman retuned with a damp towel from out of the bowl. She sat again and reached forward to touch Syko's face. He flinched back and grabbed her wrist.

She froze, holding the in position. "You still haven't answered my question." she said calmly.

"You haven't answered mine," Syko asserted

There was a long pause between them. Syko took in her features at last. She had dusty colored hair, pulled into a braid but loose around the sides. Her eyes brown but not dark, more the color of honey in the center. Though her tone was serious, her expression as a whole was pleasant, with the edges of her mouth turned up into almost a smile. 

She cocked her head to the side, "You can call me Kay'la. I'm the one trying to treat your wounds." her tone was soft and honeyed. "What's your name?"

"Syko," he let go of her wrist slowly and she reached forward to put the cloth to his face. Syko winced and pulled his head back as a pain seared across his cheek.

"Ow." Syko grimaced, snatching the towel from her.

"I'm sorry," Kay'la chuckled, "You still haven't answered my question."

Syko sighed, pressing the towel to his own face. "My head hurts, and my side, and my face." He winced again as he pulled the towel back, "What happened to me?"

"The tea will help with the headache, the rest is superficial. You took a pretty good right hook to the cheek. It knocked you out. Most of your injuries are from you hitting the ground."

"And what about-" Syko paused. Should he ask about the sleep spell?

Kay'la raised her eyebrows waiting for him to finish.

"I must have been out for a long time," Syko rephrased.

Kay'la sat back in her chair, evaluating him. She knew he knew. "The punch kept you out for a few minutes but you started to freak out about being locked in here once we got you aboard. We didn't want anything to happen while you were out of it so we gave you a sleeping draught."

Syko nodded slowly taking everything in, "Am I a prisoner here?"

She crossed her arms and took a deep beath, "Well I won't say no," she started, "there's a bit more to it than that." She spoke slowly to be sure he understood it all. "I need you hear for a reason, I'm in need of a healer, you are a healer. That being said I also know the value of your work and to say that you're a prisoner is an undersell of your talents. I'm willing to pay you a wage comparable to any of my crew, as well as give you budget for supplies. In return you'll tend to me and my crew as we travel."

"And if I say no?" Syko already knew the answer.

"You can't say no." She leaned forward in her chair, "If you don't agree to my terms you'll spend the rest of the journey locked in this room."

"Can I think about it?" his voice was a whisper as his heart sank.

"Of course," Kay'la sat back again, "Would you like a tour of the ship?"

Syko looked down at himself. His shirt was stained with blood and dirt and his pants were just as muddied. "Can I get a change of clothes first?"

Kay'la left and Syko stood up to stretch and truly asses his wounds. Nothing hurt to move, except his face.

Kay'la returned with a fresh set of clothes and a wash basin. 

Using the little mirror she brought syko cleaned his wound while sipping his tea. After further inspection he couldn't smell or taste anything harmful and it really did help with the headache. He washed the scratch on his face and noted his bruised elbow and hip as he got dressed. He pulled on a fresh shirt, tucked into clean pants and buttoned a blue leather vest over it all. He couldn't see all of himself in the mirror but he ran a hand through his curly hair and decided it was good enough.

Kay'la knocked at the door again. He straightened as she opened it and looked him up and down.

"Very nice," she said, "Ready for the grand tour?" she gestured elaborately.

He followed her out of the room into a short hall which opened into the lower crew deck. Hammocks hung along the walls and in the center was a large grate. Syko looked down as they passed over and saw crates and cargo beneath.

They continued forward into the bow of the ship. There was no door on this room but it had tables and a large counter. Behind it was a kitchen where a short, portly man was stirring a cast iron pot and muttering to himself.

"Mr. Cotter," Kay'la called, "what have you got for us today?"

"Captain," he waddled up to the counter, which rose to his chest, "You're just in time for lunch, I made fish stew with this mornings catch."

The cooks voice was rough and he needed to clear his throat every time he stopped speaking.

Captain, Syko thought. She hadn't mentioned that.

"We'll be back for a bowl later," she pat his shoulder, "I'm just showing the new hand around."

Mr. Cotter grunted and grinned with yellowed teeth towards Syko who curled his lips in a half smile and gave an awkward wave.

Kay'la ushered him out of the galley and up a set of stairs. The bright sunlight was too much, and Syko had to shield his eyes with his hand. 

"Captain on deck." someone called.

"Could someone lend us a hat?" Kay'la looped her arm through his and guided him towards the stern of the ship. A hat fell from above and she swooped to pick it up, looking all the way up and waving. She slapped the hat onto Syko's head, "There, that should help."

"Don't you have a hat?" he asked still squinting from the sun.

"I'll get it later. I'd like you to meet my quartermaster." She pulled Syko up the stairs onto the foredeck. "Sedrick," she called, "Look who's decided to join us."

Syko watched as a pair of thick legs walked towards him. He lifted his head and mouth fell open when he realized just how big this person was. He was at least a foot taller than Syko, and he was incredibly muscular with dark skin. His shoulder and chest muscles were accented by swirling white tattoos that resembled waves. He was a force to be reconned with and he wore a set of brass knuckles gloves to prove it. Syko's face hurt just looking at him.

Syko stepped back. 

"I'm sorry I hit you before," his voice was low and smooth. "I hope there's no hard feelings now that you're part of the crew."

"I'm sure all will be forgiven in time," Kay'la segued, "Now Sedrick, how long until we make port?"

The two of them turned to talk shop and Syko took his chance. He flung off the hat and dashed towards the side of the railing, jumping over the side of the boat. He took a deep breath as he fell but lost it all as he landed flat against the steel blue water. The cold paralyzed him as his boots pulled his feet down. He sputtered to keep his head above water flailing his arms wildly. His chest hurt as he tried to breathe, coughing as wave after wave washed over his head. The salt water burned his eyes. The ship was a blur in the distance and heard the crew shrieking "Man overboard" like a flock of birds.

Another wave washed over his head and he kicked his legs and flapped desperately trying to get back to the surface. His boots fell off and he was finally light enough to breach the surface, catching sight of someone swimming towards him. 

"Syko," someone called, "Syko swim towards me."

He reached his hands out desperately as he sputtered over his words.

"Swim to me." They beckoned

He cried out but choked as another wave covered his head. The world around him was vast blue, his chest burned. He needed to breathe. Don't breathe. Drowning didn't occur until the victim inhaled water. 

His chest burned again, differently as he felt an arm squeeze him. His face came up above the water and he gasped for air. Kay'la had her arm around him, swimming and pulling him towards a life buoy.

"Raise your arms," she slipped one arm into the ring, then the other to keep his head above water. The crew hauled the rope to pull them back to the ship. Kay'la panted next to him clinging to the buoy. "Why didn't you swim to me?"

He was shivering as the cold water lapped the back of his neck. "Can't swim," he sighed.

"What?" Kayl'la nearly let go of the bouy. "You live on an island, how can you not swim?"

Exhaustion was washing over him. "Never taught. Never learned." It really was that simple.

Kay'la patted his cheek, "Stay awake Syko, you have to stay wake." 

He opened his eyes when he bonked his head against the hull. He had to hold on properly for them to haul him up and they needed to lower it again to get Kay'la.

The deck was warm under the sun and he sprawled to absorb it as his soaked clothes suctioned to his skin.

Kay'la stumbled on deck and fell to her knees beside him. She pointed a finger at him and heaved breathlessly. 

Syko coughed and rolled to his side as the final bit of water was purged from his lungs. Someone brought a rough wool blanket and tossed it over him. Syko pulled it closer to him and curled into a ball against the warm wood.

"Oh no," Kay'la snatched the blanket from his fingers. "You're not getting off that easy. Lets go duckie." 

She hauled herself to her feet and stood over Syko until he stood and followed her to a cabin under the foredeck.

This room was much nicer than his. Twice the size with walls painted a rusty brown. There was a dining table and three chairs, one heaped with blankets. In the rear corner was a large open space like something was missing.

Kay'la walked to the chair and wrapped herself in a blanket.

"It's better if you're naked." Syko blurted to himself

"Excuse me?" Kay'la wheeled on him.

"I mean," he straightened as he spoke, "your wet clothes are keeping you cold. It's better if you take them off."

"I'll change later. Right now I'd like to address what just happened."

Syko became aware of the fact his teeth had stopped chattering He tried to undo the buttons on his vest but after the first few his hands were too cold and sore to pick them apart. Kay'la came over and stood in front of him, watching as he struggled.

"Syko," she raised her eyebrows, "it is Syko, right?'

"Yes ma'am."

"Captain." she corrected

"Captain." he swallowed.

She crossed her arms wringing water onto floor.

"I will not have mutiny on my ship. I've whipped men for less. And not being able to swim? You could have died. I can't have you pulling another stunt like that, so you're confined to quarters the rest of the day."

"Confined?" Syko's voice was a whimper. The idea of being locked in a cabin was worse than drowning.

Something in Kay'la's expression changed for a flash. It was off-putting and Syko took a deep breath to settle his nerves.

"Yes." Kay'la continued, "I don't have anyone to stand guard, so I'll just have to trust you stay put until you join me for dinner."

"Dinner?" 

"Dinner." 

Syko felt like he had speed sickness. One moment he's being scolded, the next he's invited to dinner. Although it wasn't exactly a choice. 

"When is dinner?" Syko asked sheepishly.

"Sixth bell. I'll send the quartermaster to fetch you."

"What do I do until then?"

Kay'la pinched her face in a confused smile. "Whatever you want," she scoffed "so long as you don't leave your cabin."

Syko shifted his weight, chewing the inside of his lip. He had questions but something told him this wasn't a time for questions.

"Off you go then." Kay'la waved her hand, "Back the way you came."

She turned her back to him and walked to the table.

"Yes Captain." Syko lingered a moment, waiting for her to turn back to him, then made for the door and scampered down the stairs. He paused at the bottom and thought as he looked towards the galley.

If no one was watching him, would anyone know he was out of his cabin? 

What if every crew was reporting back to the captain? Surely the quartermaster was, and he wouldn't hesitate to beat on a mutineer.

Syko pushed his thoughts aside and trudged on to his cabin. He closed the door behind him and realized it only locked from the outside. If no one was standing guard, then no one would mind if he left the door cracked. Then at least he'd know if someone was locking him in.

He stood and took a better look at the sparce room. The small desk was made of simple, cheap planking. It didn't match the floor or the walls, but it was sturdy, was was the chair.

Above the desk was a shelf build into the wall. it was dusty with only a couple books, the same as the shelf on the other wall.

The bed was a straw mattress on top of a solid slab, with drawers built under. It felt more like sleeping on a dresser than a bed, but it was soft enough and the blankets cotton.

Syko peeled off his wet clothes, hanging them where he could, and crawled under his covers. He pulled them over his head and let the warmth of his breath heat his face and ears. His fingers were stiff, he flexed and rubbed them to get blood flowing.

A bell rang out from above him. Was this sixth bell already? Syko peeked out above the curtains and listened.

One, two, three, four....

Syko tucked his head back under the covers. The warm air was comforting and he pictured the small flame under his still that he used to warm his hands. He thought of his plants and perishable mixtures. His regular customers might miss him, or be annoyed that he left with no notice. And when they realize he's dissapeared the city would take over the store. It was all too much to think about, so Syko closed his eyes and tried to rest.