You’re a devil meaning well

Malcolm smiled at Chris and shook his head. “Think nothing of it,” he said. “After all, the Agency pays us quite well to see that their people make it back safely in situations like that one.”

Chris chuckled softly. “It does at that,” he said. Then, he looked at Miriam and frowned slightly.

A curious expression crossed Malcolm’s face. Then, he smiled. “Miss Brighten,” he said, “I leave these gentlemen in your capable hands.” Then, before Miriam could even think to protest, he was gone.

She leveled a glare at Chris. “What?” she said.

Shaking his head, Chris said, “Don’t be angry at him. I’m sure he meant well,” he said. “After all, it was obvious that we had a great deal to discuss.”

“Yeah,” Miriam said, rolling her eyes. “He meant well, but he’s also full of mischief.” She sighed. “I came, hoping I’d inherit the ship. I was too late for that, but I decided I’d join the crew anyway.”

Chris nodded. “Does it bother you?” he asked. His brows furrowed. “That Grandfather left the ship to him?”

“No,” Miriam admitted. She shook her head. “It did at first, but now I know him and… this is his home. I couldn’t take that away from him.” She arched an eyebrow at him.

“I think he’ll do a fine job as the ship’s captain,” he said. He frowned. “The last several years, no one in the family even saw Grandfather. This boy… he’s more an heir than any of us are, blood kin or not.”

Love songs last longer than lovers ever do

Miriam’s brows twitched at Chris’s words. How could he be so blasé about this? “I should hope not,” she said, her tone scolding. His companion turned towards her, but Chris was unmoving. “Chris,” she snapped in exasperation. “What were you thinking? You could have been killed! What if you’d fallen?”

Then, he turned towards her, brown eyes wide with surprise. “Miriam?” he said, blinking. “What are you doing here?”

“I could ask the same of you, cousin dear,” Miriam replied, smirking.

Chris flinched. “I asked first,” he said. Then, he stood, brushing off his clothing. He straightened his tie and smiled at her. “Besides, it’s classified.”

Miriam fumed silently. Even if he didn’t say a thing: she knew the truth! He was with the Agency! Here, she’d thought he’d had the sense to open a little club and stay out of that organization. Really, the club was just a front!

“Seriously, Mir,” Chris said, breaking into her thoughts. He shook his head. “You… shouldn’t be here. It’s too strange.”

She snorted. “Imagine how I feel,” she said, folding her arms over her chest. “This is the last place in the world that I’d ever imagine seeing you and in the most unlikely of circumstances.”

His companion chuckled. “She knows you but little,” he said. He stepped forward, then, and bowed. “Miriam, I am Chrislyn Travis.”

“We call him Lyn,” Chris said.

The captain stepped out onto the deck and nodded. “Welcome aboard,” he said. He looked up at Miriam and a mischievous smile touched his lips. “It seems you are already acquainted with our magineer. Is he your boyfriend, Miss Brighten?”

“No,” Miriam gasped.

Malcolm looked shocked. “You’re ended the relationship over something so trivial?” he said, setting a hand against his chest. “Honestly, I knew love could be fickle, but I had no idea… Really, I’m surprised at you.”

Chris chuckled and said, “It’s not like that, Captain Emerson. I’m her cousin.” He bowed, then. “Thank you for the timely arrival.”

I believe in walls. That we need them.

They were gliding over the unfamiliar terrain. Miriam peered out though a nearby window. She could see a city far below them. “Where are we meeting these people?” she asked, Alistair.

“We’re picking them up from a roof in the city center,” he said. He pointed. “That’s it, up ahead.” He lifted a pair of binoculars to his eyes and frowned. “Don’t see them yet, though. Odd… this bunch is usually right prompt.”

Miriam frowned and pointed at the side of the buildings. “What’s that?” she said, scowling. She could see something there, above the streets. “About halfway up the side of the building.”

Alistair shifted his view and then handed her the glasses. “That’s them,” he said.

As he hurried over to the communications array, Miriam lifted the glasses to her own eyes and took a closer look. There, on the side of one of the buildings, was her cousin, Chris. What, in the name of that was, was he doing there?

Miriam hated it when parts of her personal life and her public life intermingled. “Captain,” she called, “Permission to go on deck?”

“Granted, Miss Brighten,” the captain told her through the comm.

Sighing in frustration, Miriam spun out of the room and bolted up the steps. “Just what has he gotten himself into this time?” she asked herself.

By the time she’d reached the deck, they were laughing. She could hardly believe her ears. “Let’s not do that again anytime soon,” Chris said, smiling at the elf who sat beside him on the deck.

Every human folly

Following breakfast, Miriam headed back to the engineering area with Alistair. As she sat down at her console, she said, “What’s the first mate’s story? Who is he?”

“First mate: Gregory Sharp,” Alistair said, as he disappeared below. She could hear his voice echoing from within the lower section of engineering, where the machinery was. “He’s a good man, but a bit strange. Captain’s a bit wary of him, but he hasn’t made any waves since the old man passed on.”

A moment past and then Alistair poked his head out of the hold. “Anchor’s raised and we’re moving forward,” he reported.

Miriam nodded. “All right, boys,” she told the gremlins, “let’s get this ship kicked into high gear.” There were scattered chirps of excited approval, then the gremlins were scurrying around engineering. A few bounced over to the field, to add their energy to the ship’s engines and give her a boost of speed.

Once that was done, Miriam looked at Alistair. “Why is the captain wary of him?” she asked.

Alistair grimaced. “If there’s a vice a man can have, the first mate embraces it,” he said. “He gambles and drinks to excess. Mind, drinking ain’t strange on this ship, but the first mate has gotten into brawls or overslept when he’s been out drinking. He also carouses – has his women, you know? Then, there’s the rumors that it’s not always women. Those rumors are what I think makes the captain a might wary of the first mate.”

Miriam nodded. “Why doesn’t he simply dismiss Master Gregory?” she asked. The captain struck her as a bit too trusting. It wasn’t surprising, considering his youthfulness. However, she hoped it wouldn’t be his undoing.

“Old man trusted Master Gregory to have his back,” Alistair said, shrugging. “For all his faults, he’s a good one in a fight and the captain needs someone like that close, in case air pirates attack.”

Miriam nodded. “I suppose,” she mused. Then, she noticed a curious look on Alistair’s face and smiled at him. “Yes, Master Alistair?”

“Just thinking,” he said, suddenly looking very concerned. “What would you do if air pirates should attack?”

“I’m a wizard, Master Alistair,” Miriam said, smiling. “It would be the height of foolishness for a pirate to attempt to harm me. He’s liable to find himself facing the trolls in the nothing space before he’s taken more than a step in my direction.”

Alistair laughed. “I’ll bear that in mind,” he said, cheerfully. “Might be, you’ll be the one protecting me, if it comes to that.”

Wait, wait, don’t tell me!

Miriam stifled a chuckle as she stepped into the mess. Many of the crewmembers had partaken of the gremlin’s brew. All of them were feeling the after effects now. They were themselves again – but themselves with what was possibly the worst hangover ever.

“Good morning,” she sang, as she sat down between Neil and Alistair. “A fine morning, is it not?”

“No,” Neil said. He set a hand against his head and then sighed. “My head is pounding and my mouth feels like I chewed sawdust.”

“How can something taste so good on the way down,” Alistair said, his voice raspy, “yet so foul on the way up? That’s what I don’t see.” He chuckled and said, “That was good brew, though. I wouldn’t mind more.”

“I’d be careful of that, if I were you,” a soft voice said. It was the captain. Malcolm chuckled and patted Alistair on the shoulder. “You’re not much taller than me to start and last night… well, you weren’t taller than me at all.”

Both men looked stunned. Neil turned to Miriam and shook his head. “That… that was faerie drink,” he said, his voice faint. At Miriam’s nod, he asked, “What did it do to us?”

“Wait,” Alistair said, eying the captain with great unease. Malcolm was smiling like the cat who’d caught the canary. “I don’t wanna know. If you’re gonna tell him, wait until I’ve left.”

Malcolm chuckled softly and then headed over to the table where the officers were seated. “Good morning, Gregory,” he sang cheerful at his first mate.

Miriam stifled a laugh and then poured herself a cup of tea. “Pass the eggs, Alistair,” she said, as she focused on getting her breakfast eaten. She looked up with an expression of innocent surprise when Alistair bolted out of the room. “Something I said?” she asked, looking at Neil.

Neil laughed and shook his head. “He never could hold his liquor,” he said, giving her a playful wink.

Anonymous men catching a ride into the future

Miriam smiled faintly and said, “I’m curious, Captain.” Turning away from the drunken gremlins, Malcolm nodded. Miriam’s brows furrowed. “Did we come here just to test my abilities?”

“No,” he said, smirking faintly, “We’re going to pick up some passengers.” His brows furrowed. “They didn’t give their names – just the location where we’ll meet them and the date and time when they wanted us to come.”

Miriam frowned slightly. “Do you do that often?” she asked, concern etching her tone. Perhaps it was her cousin’s line of work, but she was always suspicious of people she didn’t know. It surprised her that the captain might not know who his passengers were.

“What’s that?” Malcolm asked, blinking.

A faint smile touched Miriam’s lips. “Pick up passengers you know nothing about,” she said. Her brows furrowed slightly. “Might that be dangerous? I mean: they could be anyone.”

Malcolm chuckled. “These men have flown with us before, Miss Brighten,” he said. He shrugged and stared off at the horizon. “I might not know who they are by name, but I know them. Even if I didn’t, Grandfather did and he trusted them.”

“All right, then,” Miriam said, nodding. She remembered her grandfather from when she was a little girl. He’d always had good sense and he was a good judge of character. It did make her wonder, though, just who the anonymous men that they would be picking up were.

Pushing away from the rail, Malcolm said, “We’ll moor here for the day and meet them in Porton tomorrow morning.” Then, he inclined his head and turned to go back below decks.

As Miriam watched, a faint smile touched her lips. The captain was young, but he seemed to know what he was doing. It would take time, but she knew she would learn to trust him.

Affable Drunks

Miriam was standing on the deck of the airship, staring off at the horizon. The gremlins, having been relieved of their duties for the moment, were drinking. A few had begun to sing in their little chirping voices. Some had pulled fiddles out of their hats and were playing those. Others were dancing. A few were just laughing and drinking. They offered their drink to whatever human might pass them.

“I wouldn’t,” Miriam said, as she heard them make the offer yet again. At the sound of a youthful chuckle, she turned around.

The captain shook his head at the little gremlin. “I’m really not allowed,” he said. Then, he sidestepped among the dancing gremlins and joined her at the rail. “At least they’re friendly drunks.”

“Gremlins are always friendly,” Miriam said. Then, she winked and added, “At least, they are to the side that summoned them.” The comment earned her another youthful chuckle.

Malcolm looked out at the horizon and said, “It brings to mind two questions, Miss Brighten.” He gave her a sly, sidelong glance. “What happens to those that share the gremlin liquor?”

“They turn into gremlins,” Miriam said. Then, she laughed and added, “At least until they sober up.”

“You startled me for a moment there,” Malcolm admitted. He sighed and turned to face her, his expression turning serious. He ran a hand through his tousled hair and then bit his lip. It was as if the question he next had was more difficult.

“What is it, Captain?” Miriam said, blinking.

Malcolm took a deep breath, then looked into her eyes. “Why didn’t you try to take the ship away from me?” he asked. His eyes darted back and forth as he searched her face for the answer to his question. “You look too much like Grandfather to not be kin to him.”

“He was my grandfather,” Miriam admitted. She sighed and looked out at the horizon. “At first, it was because I was too late. I had to be here when the ship took off to claim the title of captain. I barely made it on board.”

“And, now?” Malcolm said, blinking.

Miriam sighed. “You seem to know what you’re doing,” she said, shrugging. Then, she smiled. “If it was Grandfather’s wish that you be captain, who am I to argue?”

Malcolm sighed softly and then smiled at her. He glanced over at the cavorting gremlins. “Just how many of those are members of my crew?” he asked.

A sly smile touched Miriam’s lips and she said, “Now, Captain, you said you only had two questions.”

He let out another youthful chuckle and said, “Is it more than half?”

“I only summoned six,” Miriam admitted. There were nearly two dozen gremlins enjoying the eldritch brew that was being passed around. “I promise, they’ll turn back.”

“It’d serve them right if they didn’t,” Malcolm said, chuckling and shaking his head.

Sadder than a train standing in the rain

Miriam was surprised when, as they reached their destination, a little man appeared from somewhere in the floor. Machine oil stained both his uniform and the skin of his face and hands. His hair was a tousled mess.

“Hey,” he said, giving her a flash a pearly white teeth. “You must be the new magineer. ‘Bout time the captain got a new one, what with the old up and leavin’.”

“Is that what happened?” Miriam said, nodding slightly. “The previous magineer left the crew?”

“Said something about not taking orders from a child,” the man said, shrugging. He flashed her another smile and said, “Name’s Alistair, by the way: Alistair Greeley.”

“Nice to meet you, Alistair,” Miriam said. “I’m Miriam Brighten.” She waved at the gremlins and said, “I summoned them to help us out down here.”

The lead gremlin tipped his hat at Alistair and offered his hand.

“Well,” Alistair said, taking the offered hand with a bemused expression on his face, “don’t that beat all!”

The gremlin let out a chitter of laughter and then disappeared down the hole through which Alistair had emerged, followed by one of its companions. A third stood at the top and chattered with the other two.

Miriam smiled. “Alistair,” she said. When he’d looked up, she said, “Just out of curiosity, how did this ship come to be captained by a child? I thought the captain was an old man.”

“Ah, but he was,” Alistair agreed. “Rest his soul, he died this last month. That boy was something of his ward and the captain had been training him to take over when he died.” He shrugged.

Nodding, Miriam said, “So, most of the crew just fell in line behind him.” When Alistair nodded again, she asked, “But didn’t the previous captain have any family?”

“Did and a will, too!” Alistair said. He ran a dirty hand through his tousled hair and said, “Gave us some worry, that will. It said, if even one member of his family set foot on this airship before she took off on the morning of the twelfth – that’s today – that person would be our captain.”

Miriam nodded silently. “I suppose they would have been within their rights,” she said.

“Sure,” Alistair said gravely, “but the boy captain… what would he do then? This is the only home he’s got and what captain would want him about, save the old man?” He shook his head. “It might have been right, miss, but it would have been the saddest day this good ship has seen since the old captain died.”

A faint smile touched Miriam’s lips. Maybe she was legally entitled to the ship and maybe not. In any case, now that she knew the whole story, she wouldn’t protest her grandfather’s will or his final wishes.

Oh wow, look at you now, flowers in the window

“What is that?” Neil asked, stepping fully into the room.

Miriam looked at the wind sprite and shrugged. “It’s a little gremlin,” she said. She tickled its ear again, earning a giggle from the small being. “They’re a big help with small enchantments, plus they have some skill with mechanical things.”

The gremlin chirped and hopped down from the console. He tipped his hat politely and then set it upside down on the floor. He proceeded to rummage inside it for a few moments, before he drew out a bouquet of flowers. These, he presented to Miriam.

“Why thank you,” she said. She smelled them and added, “They’re quite lovely.” She patted the top of the gremlin’s head and set the flowers by the window.

Neil chuckled. “You seem to be quite popular with these… gremlins,” he said, arching an eyebrow.

Indeed, most of the other gremlins were rummaging in their hats in search of some sort of gift. The gremlin who had given her the flowers chattered at them in a scolding manner and waved at the place they were meant to channel their power.

Miriam laughed and said, “I’ll give all of you cookies, but you need to do your work first!” That got their attention. They let out a cheer and returned to the task for which she had summoned them. She gave Neil a smile. “They are far more interested in my cookies than me.”

“They only want to use you, eh?” Neil said. He gave a mocking sigh and said, “Like so many men have sought to use men in the past.”

“So unlike yourself,” Miriam said, arching an eyebrow. He looked hurt for a moment, then they both laughed. “I think you should return to your duties before our young captain becomes cross.”

“Too right,” Neil said. With a jaunty bow, he swept out of the room.

Miriam could hear his rich tenor voice as he sang on his way back to the wheel room. She shook her head and focused on the task of keeping the gremlins she’d summoned working. The mischievous sprites were easily distracted.

Tomorrow I will have no shame

Miriam hurried into the engine room. This place supplied power for the entire ship. A furnace did the job of heating the air in the balloon, giving the airship buoyancy. However, without a magineer, they were drifting on the wind currents.

As she entered the room, Miriam sighed. She stepped over to the control panel and touched one of the glyphs. “Spirits of air,” she murmured, “hear my call. Answer my cry for aid: guide this ship. Propel her on her way!”

The effect was immediate. Her hair swirled as a wind spirit answered her call. The gryphon was a beautiful creature. Its fur and feathers were snowy white. Green eyes gazed at her from the eye disc. It let out a cry and then the airship increased speed, following the course that Neil had laid in.

Miriam’s brows furrowed. “This next part’s tricky,” she told the spirit. “We’re going to travel to another world through a portal. The weave around this portal swirls and rolls, like waves. Are you ready?”

The gryphon clicked his beak. He laid down in the field that was made to contain his kind. His eyes closed. Miriam summoned her power and let the gryphon absorb it. Her gaze was on the chart that was tracking their progress.

They entered the portal without any difficulties. Miriam gazed over towards a window and her eyes widened at the swirling lights and colors that surrounded them. A moment later, they emerged on the other side, in clear blue skies.

Miriam sighed and looked up at the gryphon. “Noble spirit,” she said, “You may return to your home with my thanks.”

The gryphon bowed his head at her. Then, wind seemed to sweep around the room. As it died down, the gryphon vanished from view.

Neil peered in and sighed. “I was hoping to see what you’d summoned to pull that off,” he said, as she looked up. He chuckled, shaking his head. “Captain said that’s the smoothest ride he’s ever had through the Stormcoast Portal. You’ve got a job!”

Miriam smiled. “Good,” she said. She sat down and said, “Little spirits of wind, guide this ship on her way.” Minor wind sprites answered her call and the ship began to move at a smooth, steady pace. One sprite flew over and landed on the edge of the console in front of her.

As Neil laughed and left the room, Miriam reached out and tickled the little sprite’s ear. She was there under false pretenses, but she didn’t feel a bit of guilt. One way or another, this was her ship.