The sun rose over the port, casting its light on the ships being loaded with cargo bound for Quirto. As summer approached and the tournament drew near, merchants seized the opportunity to make their profits.
By coincidence, this was Camaldine's destination.
Navigating through the bustling crowd, Camaldine made her way to the ships docked nearby. Her distinctive appearance—a young human female knight with black hair and grey-blue eyes—drew curious glances, as such a figure was rare in these parts.
Her gaze fixed on her target: a tall man with long, unkempt hair, shouting at a young boy who seemed new to the crew. Assuming the boy had offended Piet Vervoot, the captain of the ship she intended to board, she quietly approached.
She found it curious how Vervoot was always polite in her presence but rough with his crew. Yet, having dealt with humans who could quickly change their demeanor, she deemed him reliable enough to use his ship whenever their paths crossed.
The boy had noticed her long ago and was increasingly flustered, struggling to inform the captain of her presence. But he couldn't get a word in.
"Sleepin' off duty wasn't bad enough for ya, was it?! You had to go and toss the last damn bottles o' blood we had! Are you tryin' to get us all killed?!"
Camaldine raised an eyebrow. In the deep seas, the risk of dangerous creatures made it common practice to use a mixture of poisonous kelp and mermaid blood to coat the ship. The blood was precious, harvested from mermaids who were executed and thrown ashore.
"I'm sorry, Captain! I swear, I didn't know they were important! I can go find 'em!"
"You gonna toss yourself into the sea now? Have you lost your brain along with 'em?"
The boy was clearly out of his depth, irritating the captain further. The captain's face flushed red, veins popping, and his eyes blazed with anger.
"What're you starin' at all this time?"
At the sight of Camaldine, he whitened with shock, eyes nearly popping. His large frame seemed to shrink as he stammered,
"L-Lady Knight! When'd you get here?!"
"I need to go to Quirto. Urgently." She answered curtly.
The captain's tension eased slightly before he stiffened again.
"Aye, I'm not sure what to say. Might be a bit of a delay. The markets're out of mermaid blood, and we can't sail without proper protection."
Camaldine's expression remained impassive, but he knew it was her displeased look.
"And how long exactly is that delay?"
He swallowed hard and cast a reproachful glance at the boy.
"Honestly, I don't know. Could be a day, might stretch to two weeks. If I can't scrounge up mermaid blood in that time, I'll be forced to use sea serpent blood or whatever else I can find."
"Two weeks, you say..."
In a contemplative pose, Camaldine shifted her gaze between him and the ship.
Finally, she made her decision and walked past him toward the ship.
"Come onboard. We will set sail today."
Puzzled, the captain followed.
"But, Lady, what about the deep seas?"
Without turning her head, she continued walking.
"I happen to have a few bottles of blood. They should be enough for this trip. I'll give them to you."
The captain hurried to stop in front of her.
"No way, Lady Knight. I can't take somethin' so precious from ye."
She gave him a steady gaze. When he refused to relent, she sighed.
"It's not free. I'll take my payment later. Now, let's get moving."
He hesitated, but her urgency pushed him to comply.
"I'm in a hurry, so stop dawdling."
***
"I didn't know Ser Camaldine was a human," the young boy exclaimed, his tone excited.
Indeed, humans were unique in not having a Propatore, making them objects of great curiosity.
"Hold your tongue, lad, and don't disturb the Lady Knight," one of the senior crew members admonished him.
Camaldine pretended not to hear and kept her gaze fixed on the sea. Her appearance sometimes fooled people into thinking she was human, a convenience she had maintained, especially in Maynard, for the past six years. While the crew knew she wasn't human, this was the first time the boy had seen her, hence his confusion.
The Propatores were ancient beings, though Camaldine herself was merely a few decades old. They were the origin of most mythical creatures and had existed far longer than anyone could remember.
The city began to emerge on the horizon, and as they drew nearer, she heard the captain call out,
"Drop anchor, lads!"
The lively buzz of the city's voices reached her ears.
They had finally arrived in Quirto.
****
The sky was painted with the deep hues of dusk as she walked down the pier, the Captain beside her.
His restless movements caught her attention, a sign he was likely debating whether to mention payment again.
She halted, turning her gaze toward him, her expression unreadable.
"You needn't escort me any further," she said, her tone steady but dismissive.
Thankfully, he didn't press the matter of payment. She inclined her head slightly, adding, "I will find you later, Captain."
He understood well enough what she meant by that.
"As you wish, my lady," he replied, bowing low.
She resumed her stride, her presence commanding even as she left him behind.
The Captain stood rooted, his gaze fixed on Camaldine's retreating form. From a young age, he'd heard tales of Knight Camaldine. She'd been a notable figure since birth—an anomaly discovered by the Synod of Gierk about seven decades ago. A Propatore unlike any other, she was both envied and despised: humans scorned her for being a weakling compared to the primordial Propatores, while creatures resented her for not matching their strength. Despite this, she'd proven herself a formidable force, clinching victory in the Tournament not once but four times.
He sighed again. Knowing her for so long meant he understood some facets of her character. Though she seemed cold and detached, he knew she harbored a deeper, more caring nature beneath her stoic exterior.
"Cap'n, hate to break up yer daydreamin', but Rolf's lookin' to clean out yer quarters. If ye don't want yer valuables tossed overboard like rubbish, I'd suggest ye get movin'."
Rolf was the lad who'd recently discarded the mermaid blood overboard. Vervoot, suddenly like a cat with its tail on fire, dashed toward the ship with his subordinate, shouting wildly,
"Rolf, I dare ye to lay a hand on anything aboard that ship!"
The crew gave him puzzled looks as he sped by, but he was too focused on saving his ship to notice.