Sileas hoped Yehudit was settled and would control herself. She motioned to Questa and hurried in the direction that Lek had gone with the stranger. Sileas was unsettled and wished she hadn't had to take so long with Yehudit. She didn't even know this woman's name and Lek was out of sight.

Lek nervously stood on deck, his body swaying just a little to the slight bobbing of the ship. He hoped his cousins would show up soon.

Yehudit followed Sileas, cursing Questa and the woman who poked Sileas.

Sileas had several panicked moments of being unable to find her cousin. Aunt Aislyn would be heartbroken if Lex disappeared. Sileas in fact doubted her aunt would be able to handle it. Finally she spotted him. Sileas ran over to the boat. "Lek Gerthrim! What are you doing on that boat? We only came here for information to take to Wulfsen!"

Lek shrugged. "She told me to wait here, she's down there." Lek pointed below deck.

"You shouldn't be on the boat at all. We were to ask questions and return to the keep with the information." Sileas frowned at him. "Has she even given her name? Why did you just go off with her without us?"

"I think she's getting someone who will know where the island is." Lek still did not know her name. "And I thought you were right behind me!"

"I shouted for you to hold up. Come down from there. You can wait down here with me." The last thing Sileas needed was for that boat to leave with Lek on it. It wasn't like she could send a message to the keep that they were going anywhere. Everyone would worry.

Lek nervously looked to the hold, then reluctantly got on the dock. He wasn't happy. What if the woman took offense and refused to help?

After a few minutes Juniper returned from below deck laughing at something unknown to the others on deck. She spotted them standing around waiting for her on the dock and composed herself." The quartermaster agreed to help you" She spoke directly to Lek

Lek bounced slightly and looked expectantly to Sileas.

Sileas put her hand on his shoulder. "Your quartermaster knows of this island? We will need to go for supplies and let our families know where we are going."

" He claims hes used it as a smuggling drop off for some not so legal supplies" Juniper crossed her arms and leaned on a support rope as she spoke.

Sileas narrowed her eyes as she looked up at Juniper. "Recently? He's never noticed a man who was abandoned on the island?" If that was true, or worse, if he ignored him, that was a far worse transgression than not trying to break up a fight between the King's knights and sailors. "Or did he ignore a man in need?"

"Illegal supplies, like to make a potions?" Lek asked, not liking this quartermaster if he had been helping mermen keep his father prisoner and deceiving his mother for so long.

Juniper held her palms out flat" Dont ask like i know. Ive never seen anyone there myself. I dont know if he is there or not." Juniper felt like she was being interrogated." Do you want the help or not?"

Sileas turned to Lek. "I will go on my own. We don't know what we'll run into and I won't take the chance on all of you being lured into danger. If Uncle Nelek is there, I will bring him back," Sileas promised. "Yehudit, tell Papa and Mama that I will be back as soon as possible."

Then she glanced at Juniper. "Yes, we'll take the help."

Juniper winked and smiled" Sound lovely" she joked and hopped up on the railing of the ship, facing the docks

In reply to Sileas (msg # 190):

"Like hell you are!" Yehudit shouted at Sileas. "I'm going wherever you're going!"

"Not 'appenin' mucker, Yer can leave the millstone and crier behind but yor not sailin' off wivout me." Questa looked suspiciously at the ship. "How do yer know it'll take yer where yer want ter go any roads, and not ter some slaver?"

Lek bit his lip. He didn't want to be even further from Millie but this was his Papa!

"I don't, and that's why I want to go alone. I need someone here to tell Wulfsen and Papa what happened if I don't return. We can't just disappear. Someone needs to return to the keep, otherwise no one will no where I've...we've gone. Yehudit, this is as important as going with me."

Sileas looked at Juniper. "How long will it take to go there and return?"

Yehudit's eyes blazed. "I'M GOING WITH YOU!"

Juniper watched the small argument unfold in front of her, watching patiently " Maybe a week to get there. Maybe more maybe less. " Juniper tried to remain out of the scuffle as she produced a flask from her pocket and took a swig.

Why is she so stubborn? "So you'd rather we all go missing and sold, or worse. Your mother's got her statement wrong. You invite trouble." Sileas turned to Lek. "Lek? Will you be our failsafe?"