The Captain and the Stowaway

[Zen]

Abasi Nazari knew he was home because the silt of the Nile poured into the sea. Throughout his travels, he learned that the Nile was unique because it was a river that flowed north. Many rivers did not move this way, but the Nile was special because it was fed by a great many high elevation lakes. The man called to his crew, who began making preparations for landing. They would need to paddle hard with their oars to reach Avaris.

As the captain of The Maat it was his duty to make sure that his crew and their treasures reached safe passage. And this particular voyage had been a mess. It seemed that his plan to take contracts from both Spain and France backfired, as the nations subsequently found out that Abasi was out to make money instead of doing what he promised. So his vessel had been pursued by not one country, but two. It was a stressful situation, with many of his crew not being to sleep for days lest their enemies caught up. But after riding through a storm and surviving the aggressive waves, The Maat was safely away from its enemies. Which meant unloading his treasures and collecting his money.

When the ship docked, Abasi breathed a heavy sigh of relief. He stayed on the top deck watching his men unload the chests and crates onto the pier. Later in the evening, he would see about making an appointment to see the sultan. Perhaps even Egypt's great ruler would want what his crew managed to steal.

"I can smell the money already," he remarked, rubbing his hands together.

 

[Eulogy]

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How many months had it been since her travels? How long had it been since those eyes had happily glanced upon the vast mountains of Anhui? Days transcended months, with the princess lost within the confines of time.

It had been a few weeks since the Yao had sought refuge beneath the massive hull of a mighty ship. Hidden behind wooden barrels and chests filled with various goods and prizes. It was curious as to how she had stayed alive, if not for sneaking around beneath the cover of darkness and closed eye lids. Food was a sparse commodity, but a godsend when eager fingers could cull a piece. Remaining undisclosed seemed the best option, as pirate life was so new, with many excursions leading to less than appealing situations.

The woman had felt every wave as it had hit the vessel with a vengeance, and bile as it raised into her throat. Sea fairing adventures had both been zestful and alarming. Yet, there was still a need to know and see the world outside of a commanding father's watchful eye. Whether or not leaving the mainland for this was a good idea was still yet to be discovered, and she was still delightfully unaware of the danger surrounding her every day. After all, princesses were meant to be hidden away. Admired from afar, and married off later on.

Slender digits hugged the hilt of a native Jian blade, forged in the fire's of her people. Her grasp tightening with every loud noise, or footstep heard getting closer. The plan was to let it dock, and then escape. Though, plans often found ways to be broken.

 

[Zen]

Abashi watched with a smug and prideful expression as he thoroughly examined everything that was unloaded onto the pier. Their loot for the past two months at sea was immense and spectacular: several European paintings, mostly from the Dutch and Italians, jewels ranging from pearls and precious gemstones, silver, lace, bags of salt, Roman statues, crystal, tapestries, and his favorite item, chocolate. It was an impressive haul and he hoped to make a fortune for it.

A man with a graying beard and blue turban approached Abashi, giving the captain a mid-waist bow.

"Captain, we have unloaded everything of note from the ship. I have also received a message from the governor. He expects you in his company five days from now, in Cairo."

Abashi sighed, rubbing his tired eyes. "A governor? What happened to the sultan? Oh, no matter, everything is moving far too quickly. We will be there. It is a good thing that it takes three days to go downriver. The Maat will have to stay docked here then. She cannot handle the Nile. Make the preparations, Husani."

The servant bowed and took his leave, and Abashi was left to his thoughts once more. He walked down the pier and into the city proper, inhaling the smells of the market. The sound of the city flooded him with nostalgia, but he knew what lied underneath. With the Ottoman Empire trying to usurp Egyptian rule, people were bound to become desperate and angry. It was good that he and his crew had goods to trade, but it also made them a prime target.

The captain tapped his rapier, reminding himself that he had a weapon at hand for defense. If anyone even tried to take his wealth, he would cut them into ribbons.