Pre-board process - Raffle CP

The horizon line was hazy that morning, the line blurring between the sea and sky. When Saros was little, her mom told her that whenever the sky looked like that, the line between the afterlife and earth was also blurred, and the spirits voices were louder than normal in her head. Now, Saros suspected that it was just a ruse to charge people more money for her readings, but that was typical Mom. 

A lilting voice floated across the deck. “Morning, Saros! What are we smuggling today?”

Saros whipped her head around, glaring. “Canna! You can’t just say things like that so loudly, you never know who’s listening.”

Canna merely laughed, brushing past Saros and heading to the Captain’s quarters. In the sunlight, her dark fur almost looked iridescent: normally wind-swept and salt-crusted from many days aboard the ship, both Canna and Saros were squeaky clean–or as close as they could get–after spending a few much needed rest days on land while they reloaded supplies. 

Saros rolled her eyes. Much as she would’ve appreciated a little more discretion, Canna was right–they did have something new to smuggle this time. As a respected sailor, Saros had found that going by the book was great but paid almost nothing. In order to make an income, she’d started making connections with a few of the black market traders she’d heard of from her mom when she was younger. Nothing too illegal, and nothing that would endanger someone’s life, but also nothing that she could do over the table. Turns out working as a government sailor didn’t exactly support an exciting pirate lifestyle. 

“Hey, Canna, c’mere a second. I need some help loading this cargo.” Saros called over to her friend, emphasizing cargo so she knew this wasn’t ordinary groceries or textiles. 

Canna trotted over and appraised the large wooden crates. “Okay, actually what are we smuggling today?” This time, she said it in a quieter voice, which Saros appreciated. “This is unusual packaging."

Saros nodded. “It’s nothing we’ve done before. Recently, the Thedale government banned tattoos or body modifications. I think it has something to do with the rebel groups that have been protesting recently, though I don’t know enough about it to be sure.”

“Interesting,” Canna hummed. She made it a point to keep up with her country’s political movements, though that was harder now that she was overseas so often. The movement must be really recent–she’d have to read up about it later. 

“Anyway, these are a bunch of tattoo supplies: ink, ash, dyes, and tattoo needles that I was given from a client here in Northern Thedale, and we’re taking it to Kirstead in the South.”

“You’re right. This is definitely different from our usual stuff.” 

Saros nodded in agreement. “Yeah. I figured after our close call last trip, it was better to stick to something that was easier to hide.” 

Canna exhaled pointedly. “Yeah man, tell me about it! I can totally appreciate what we’re doing here but I did not sign up to be chased down by Empyrian mercenaries, I’ll tell you that much.”

She wasn’t lying. On their last voyage, Saros had accidentally left one of the smuggled items out of their false deck. Midway through speaking to the border agent, the boat rocked over a wave just right and the vial rolled across the deck, stopping right at the border agent’s foot. After a long argument that escalated into, well, a fight, Saros and Canna ended up having to flee the scene of the crime–literally–and dump the goods in the water, then circle back weeks later to pick them up without suspicion. The client was furious over the delay, the seller was equally pissed that their valuable goods were thrown into the ocean… it was a whole thing. 

Saros shuddered even just thinking about it. Getting the vials from the bottom of the ocean… No. This time, with these innocuous looking crates, they were sure to have no problems docking at Thedale. Canna looked at Saros and shook her head with a smile, almost positive she knew exactly what she was thinking about. 

“I’m just kidding, I shouldn’t have brought it up. I’m sure this trip will go fine!” She chirped, turning her attention back to the crates. Moving on the opposite side of Saros, the two pressed up against the crates with their shoulders and lifted it between them, carefully carrying it up the large plank acting as a makeshift gangway, connecting the sand and the quarterdeck. The beach was quiet and secluded, with only a few seagulls marking their departure. Perfect for loading up smuggled goods. 

Canna and Saros heaved the plank up once they were done loading everything up. As Saros scurried around the deck getting everything ready to set sail, Canna paused for a moment and stared across the white sandy beach, and beyond that, the dunes that she could just barely make out in the distance. Though she was of course excited for her next journey, she had loved spending a few days in Northern Thedale. The culture, the food, the dancing: the city was so full of life, and so welcoming, that she almost didn’t want to leave. But they’d be back soon, she was sure of that–she knew Saros liked this city almost as much as she did. 

The boat shuddered beneath her as Saros cranked the anchor out of the water. As the ship drifted away, Canna listened to the sounds of the waves lapping against her hull and smiled. Not a bad life! Not a bad life at all.