Back at sea with Captain Asten and the crew of the Cornelia. Asten is a righteous man who commands respect. “No halberds” he says and Carson actually listens! He would have made a good knight, I think. Makes me wonder – would I make a good captain? Probably, yes.

The weather is fine and the the crew entertain us with tales of the free cities. Braavos is especially interesting to me. Her swordsmen are said to be the greatest in the realm despite fighting unarmored and with only thin blades. I would like to test my mettle against them one day. It’s hard to imagine them surviving one blow of a longsword. I wonder if they have tournaments?

Carsen has taught a card game called “The King’s Hand” to some of the crew and is using it to steadily move copper into his purse. I’d never heard of the game before and suspect the rules favor the young knight. He offered me a turn, but I'd sooner have my coppers swindled by wenches and barkeeps.

Jardon, as usual, got his sea legs the quickest and spent much of his time with the crew; bow fishing and learning knots. He seems at home on the ship. Maybe because he’s not the only one here with an eyepatch?

Maester Thaddeus demanded his own room onboard and has spent much of his time in there. He’s always reading or writing something or another. Sending ravens out to who-knows-where. He keeps well groomed too. Shaving daily while the rest of us are starting to look more akin to Ulf. I’ll have to trouble him for that razor of his.

Pabst is still a day’s sail away, but I’m in no hurry to reach that rockpile. What kind of knight could we hope to find among the crab shells and birdshit?

 

One odd thing; I found a candle in one of my saddlebags yesterday. I'm sure I didn't put it there (I have little enough with me to keep track of) and no one else went into them. A gift from the Seven? A guiding light? No, of course not! And yet…