Doldrums
@sea-wolf-coast-to-coast
FFxivWrite2022 Day 15 Prompt Row
Nimble wiped the sweat from her brow staring out across the glassy sea. It was the fourth day of no winds. But the Waverunner had a timetable to keep and no amount of still air would stop her from making way. So the crew took turns at the oars even young Nimble at twelve summers she was as strapping as any of the hyuran lads aboard so like them she took her turn.
The crew was whispering constantly about what sort of thing brought them this bad luck to be stuck in these doldrums. Some wondered if they had somehow offended Llymlaen; others simply thought they were being punished by the whole of the Twelve for one thing or another.
Personally Nim thought it was just a bit of bad luck. They hit this part of the sea at a time where the winds were weak resulting in the stillness. She just couldn’t see why any deity would bother wasting time punishing the crew. They could be a rowdy lot when ashore but for the most part they were good and kind people.
A hand touched her shoulder and she turned to see Powle, the ship's first mate motioning that she should get up. Nodding, she vacated the bench for it to be occupied by another crew member and made her way to the galley where Abes was waiting with fresh water and fruit for those who had been on the oars.
She drank a good sip of the water and bit down on the sweet melon as she took a seat at the table in the galley. Once finished she made her way further below decks the heat of the summer afternoon almost sweltering. She went to a small cargo hold that the crew had set aside for her “pet” as the crew called him.
For her Bleibhar was more than simply a pet, he was a dear friend and she wanted to check on how he was doing with this heat. As the door opened he bawled a greeting the polar bear splooted amidst the Ice clusters she had bought in one of the last ports so the poor beast would have some refuge from the heat. Deciding to join him she plopped down enjoying the chill after all of the work she had put into the oars. It was also easing the ache in her shoulders from the rhythmic motion.
It would be several hours before she would take her turn again and the young Hellsguard hoped that soon it wouldn’t be needed. Hopefully soon the ship's luck would turn and the winds would return. Groaning, she pushed herself up, gave the bear a pat and made sure his water wasn’t completely frozen to a point where he couldn’t drink it before heading to her bunk to attempt to get some sleep in this heat.
Life was never easy on a sailing ship but Nim adored the life, the open sea, the endless sky, the winds when they had them. To her nothing beat it even when sometimes it was a life of heat and stillness due to lack of winds.
