In the wetlands of Cardena, a dragonfly lay lazily on a frond, hanging perfectly still. In the blink of an eye and the snap of a branch, it had taken to the air, the buzz of its powerful wings accompanying it. It spun around in the air, hovering over the marsh before heading for the sky as an oar came crashing down into the mire beside it. The grey wildcat wielding it watched the dragonfly retreat before turning back to dredging the swamp from her canoe.
Her name was Sapphire. She wore loose, hempen clothes and had a powder blue bandanna wrapped around her muzzle. She dragged the oarhead over the bottom of the swamp, grunting with effort to pull it through roots and plant matter.
Sapphire had been a lot of things in her life. Refugee, orphan, shipper, barmaid, pirate, treasure hunter, wife, mother… She had done enough, and been through enough, to know exactly how far she could push herself. She knew she had the experience for this. She knew she could do this.
“Ari! I can’t do this!”
Further down the river, a small, dilapidated house boat was floating next to a mangrove. It was a simple affair, with waist-high bulwarks, a long foredeck and a tall cabin that served as its inhabitant’s home. A grey fox called from the deck, his voice muffled slightly by a red handkerchief he held to his muzzle.
“What’s wrong?”
Sapphire grimaced at the swirling, muddy water. “It’s making me sick! I can’t do it!”
She grunted, forcing the canoe around. She pushed away from the shore, moving free of the swamp with a sucking schluurp. Once in the river, she rowed over to the houseboat, grabbing the rope Ari offered her and tying it to the canoe. Ari pulled her in, and fastened the canoe alongside, helping Sapphire onto the deck. She swayed, putting her hand to her mouth and gagging.
“It stinks!” she retched, removing her bandana. She sat down, resting her head against the bulwark. She sighed, sticking out her tongue. Ari sat down next to her, holding her hand.
“You alright? You haven’t seemed well all week.”
“I’m fine,” she groaned, “This place just stinks. Let’s just find the damn thing and get out of here.”
Ari chuckled, kissing Sapphire on the forehead. She purred, and playfully flicked at him with her tail.
“Mama! Mama!”
Sapphire sighed inwardly. She turned from her husband to her daughter, who was bouncing eagerly on the deck, and smiled motherly.
“Yes Marina?”
“I caughta fish!” Marina grinned, bouncing and pointing towards the stern, “Canya help me gi’t outta the water?”
Sapphire smiled, and dragged herself upright, suppressing the urge to retch. Marina took after her in so many ways, from demeanor to looks. Her timing she got from her father.
“‘Course I can.”
Marina grinned, and sped off around the cabin that was their home to the stern. Ari shook his head, chuckling.
“She’s a handful.”
“Wouldn’t have her any other way.” Sapphire agreed. She followed Marina, letting her stomach slowly quiet down. At the stern, Marina leant over the side of the boat, peering into the water. Sapphire held her daughter by the waist, keeping her from tumbling over.
“See? I caughta fish!” She said, pointing at a chain dredging net trailing behind them. It had gone taut, having caught on something. Sapphire groaned, putting her daughter back onto the boat. She reached for the net, tugging on it to free it.
“Marina, if you wanted to fish, use the rods: we need these nets for work.”
Marina played with her fingers, looking down at her toes. Her tail flicked back and forth.
“Sowwy…”
“You almost broke this one… It’s stuck on a root down there or something… Ugh, come on!”
Sapphire heaved, falling over onto her backside as the net freed itself. Marina giggled, but quickly stopped after meeting her mother’s eye. Ari’s head popped out from the bedroom window, looking down at Sapphire quizzically.
“Don’t say anything.” She said, glaring at him. Ari bit his lip, stifling a laugh. Sapphire pulled herself up, and pulled on the net to bring it in.
“Huh.”
The net was heavy. She must have uprooted something. She pulled it again. It was really heavy.
“Ari, give us a hand here; Marina’s caught something.”
The two of them alternated between heaving on the net and shooing Marina, who was trying to join in, thinking the whole thing a good laugh. After a few minutes, they succeeded in hoisting the net onto the deck, where it landed with a wet clank. They dragged it along the deck to the bow, each taking one end to unravel. They pulled it open, and a muddy, grimy hunk of metal fell to the deck in a messy slop. Ari looked at Sapphire. Sapphire looked at Ari.
“That’s… that’s not?”
“It can’t be…”
They threw the net aside. Sapphire picked up the hunk and wiped it with the hem of her tunic. After removing a good half-inch of slime, it began to resemble an ancient bronze urn. Sapphire gasped, laughing as she read an inscription aloud.
“Major Alistair Ebert, Beechworth Garrison! She did it! Ha ha! I can’t believe it!”
*
Mistdale. The bustling town in a quiet valley, a moniker the township lived up to with a gusto. Every morning, before the sun had risen over the mountaintops, the bakers of Mistdale would wake to prepare the traditional berry-bread of Cardena, the light of their ovens shining through the early morning mist like frozen stars. But not all the beasts of Mistdale could stomach bread, and so returning from the long night were fishing ships, having trawled the great valley lake, soon to sell their haul in town. Many of these ships would first detour to the strand, where they would make an early morning sale.
The valley in which Mistdale stood was prone to fog, and this morning was no different. Ari yawned, pushing the houseboat along, a crimson lantern hanging from the mast. He was not alone on the water. Invisible save for their red spheres of light were dozens of fishing ships, drifting silently in the early morning fog. If he listened, he could just about make out the sound of nets being drawn and fish sputtering on the decks. Just then, the sun rose over the mountain tops, and beams of light streamed through the peaks into the valley. For a moment, the fog remained shaded, but the giant figure of the Mistdale University was illuminated, looming over the lake. Its brilliant granite sides shone with frost, its stained glass windows shimmering. Soon, the light hit the fog, and the University disappeared behind it. Ari pushed the house boat slowly along until it came to a smooth stop on the gravelly shore of the lake.
The University was the center of the academic world, and it used its incredible wealth to maintain this, hiring ‘independent contractors’ to recover historical artefacts, no questions asked. Not even a King would dare to demand an item that had somehow moved from their possession to the University’s be returned, lest the University bar them from trade. The University’s wealth was immense, but it’s true value lay in its inventors, planners and philosophers. Though it maintained neutrality, an invention of its own creation, any side not privy to trade with the University was not worth considering as a threat. Sapphire and Ari were one of hundreds of suppliers. Many, themselves included, were part of Mistdale’s Explorer’s Guild, which supplied them with notices of interest, protection from many ‘participating’ law enforcement agencies, and provided (or hired) guides and maps for travel, all for a very reasonable membership fee.
Truth be told, Sapphire and Ari didn’t really know what most of the stuff they recovered was. Truth be told, they didn’t really care. It was work, and that they enjoyed it was just a bonus. They needed the money. Marina was getting older, the houseboat was getting wearier, and it beat going hungry. After membership fees for the Guild, they didn’t have much left, and most of that went towards a debt they owed an old friend.
“Celen!” Sapphire cried from the hallway. An angry rabbit glared at her from across the university hospital wing, balling her fist surprisingly violently for a nurse in annoyance. Sapphire grinned sheepishly, apologising, but stuck her tongue out when she turned her back. A cry came back from behind a screen, and Sapphire bounded down, earning a second glare from the nurse.
“Sapphire; when’d you get back?” asked a boyish, raspy voice.
Behind the screen was a big bed, and in that bed was a small grey squirrel, no more than two years younger than Sapphire had been when she had Marina. She was bedridden, and seemed as though she had been for a while. Sapphire sat down on the seat next to her.
“This morning. Ari and Marina are getting food down in the city, but I wasn’t really hungry and thought I’d come up and see you. How have you been?”
Celen shrugged, though only her right shoulder made the motion. Her left lay motionless at her side.
“I’ve been better. It still hurts to breath a bit, but not nearly as much as it used to. I’m glad to see you, Sapph, I was afraid you’d been caught up in the war.”
Sapphire laughed, “Alberdaine and the Felix? I haven’t been to Alberdaine in years, and I don’t really care for the empire cats. Besides, I wouldn’t be caught dead in a war: Ari’d kill me.”
Celen laughed, wincing slightly. Sapphire smiled, patting her friend’s hand.
“Don’t laugh. Just get well. We got paid for a contract today, you’ll be good for another two months.”
“Sapph, you don’t need to keep doing this for me, Ferria-”
“Don’t.” Sapphire said, stopping Celen. She closed her eyes, sighing. “I did this to you. If I had listened to you, or have been faster…”
“I don’t blame you, Sapph.” Celen said, squeezing Sapphire’s hand. Sapphire smiled weakly.
“I do.” she said, looking over Celen. Her entire left side was horribly mangled and disfigured, and her arm and leg were still. Celen sighed, and leant back into her pillows.
“So,” she asked, changing the subject, “How’s Ari? Or Marina for that matter; she was barely walking last I saw her.”
“Hah, she hardly stops now.” Sapphire said, laughing, “She’d love it now she’s on land: she’ll actually have space to run around.”
“Must be tough, raising her on a boat.”
Sapphire’s ears drooped. “Yeah… Yeah, it is. She’s getting too big for mine and Ari’s bed, so we strung a hammock for her, but… Celen, can I be honest with you?”
Celen nodded, “Of course. What’s wrong?”
“I’ve… I’ve not been feeling well for the last few weeks.” Sapphire sighed, putting a hand on her belly. “I’ve been getting seasick.”
“You?” Celen asked, her ears rising in shock, “You’ve spent most of your life on it, you love it!”
“I know.” Sapphire said, “But… Well, I’ve only ever been seasick twice. Once, after… well, when I was first on a ship, and the other… the other when I was pregnant with Marina.”
For a moment, neither of them said anything. Finally, Celen broke the silence.
“You haven’t been on a voyage recently, have you?”
Sapphire shook her head. Celen grinned widely.
“So you’re…?”
“I think so.”
Celen giggled, putting her good hand to her mouth in mirth. Sapphire blushed. Eventually, Celen regained her composure.
“Does Ari know yet?”
“No, I haven’t been sure until recently, but… I’m scared, Celen.”
Celen’s smile disappeared. “Scared? Why, what’s wrong?”
“It’s just…” Sapphire sighed, “We can barely manage Marina, and she’s not even grown yet. The houseboat is falling apart, and managing Marina has meant Ari and I can’t both work, if we had another… I thought it couldn’t happen again. Marina was special, an impossible wish. This wasn’t meant to happen…”
“Yeah, hybrids are rare, but… well, they can’t be impossible, Marina proves that. Surely you must have known there could have been some chance of it happening again? Why wouldn’t it?”
Sapphire paused for a moment.
“Be careful what you wish for.” she mused, sighing. She squeezed Celen’s hand, smiling. She stood up and brushed down her tunic.
“I need to find Ari. I’ll be back later. We’ll be in Mistdale until the guild tells us otherwise. Get better, okay?”
Celen exhaled sharply.
“Okay.”