Leonora shook her head, and turned back to her vigil over the vortex. "I can understand the need to feel your Mother's magic, since Lavinia is gone from this world. Before the war, she had already made her name as a Master of Wards, but to actively seek out pain like that... I should just key you into the ward, and then you won't be able to do that again."

Lavender stood up sharply, "Please don't do that Auntie; this ward won't kill me after all." Leonora gave En a pointed look, but didn't say anything more, and Lavender took that silence as acceptance, since Leonora couldn't key her into the ward without her permission anyway.

En returned to the position she had been in before, one foot on the chest, one hand on the line, the wind and static electricity making her hair seem like it was alive. They both stood there in silence, lost in their own thoughts and memories, until another call went out, "Harbour pilot spotted... signal the rendezvous."

"En, please could you break the magic circle before you leave." Lavender nodded, and picked up the bucket of seawater that had been left there for that purpose. Carefully En poured the water onto the deck, washing away the ashes of the ritual ingredients at the compass points, and blurring the chalked lines and sigils.

"I'll get George up here to scrub the deck properly in a minute." However, the ship had already slowed significantly, the strong magical wind no longer filling the sails. It now moved only through its own inertia, as the harbour pilots would guide the ship into Port, and to the dock assigned to Blakestaff by the Harbour Master.

The decks and rigging were swarming with crew, as all hands prepared to dock and unload, and Lavender was just as busy with final preparations. Though thankfully, Blakestaff wasn't the type to emerge from his cabin until it was time for him to disembark, so En didn't have to go out of her way to avoid him.

The Sea Witch docked with the slightest of bumps, all lines were secured, and the gangplank was lowered. The hatch to the cargo hold was opened, and several burly men manned the capstan winch, hauling the heavy crates up from the heart of the ship.

With the chaos of the unloading of the cargo, En had managed to avoid Blakestaff when he had disembarked, but he had stayed at the dockside to supervise the unloading, which was something that was completely out of character for Blakestaff. This could only mean that he fully intended cornering Lavender again before he left, probably about meeting his youngest son for dinner that evening.

This was even more confusing, why on earth did Blakestaff suddenly have such an interest in matchmaking? There was quite a big difference in social status between the Jade Clan of the Freedom Isles, and the Blakestaff Clan of Vanza Port City, and if nothing else Blakestaff was a stickler about matters of rank and caste. This was the reason he never left his cabin during a voyage, or oversaw the unloading of his cargo, these were matters that he usually considered beneath him.

Lavender had tried to disembark without catching Blakestaff's attention, but he immediately made his way over to meet her, which reinforced En’s theory that he was targeting her for some unknown reason. Since the sun was high overhead, and the shadows were nearly non-existent, En couldn't use her stealth skills to perform her usual vanishing trick; so Lavender was stuck trying to refuse Blakestaff's invitation again, without permanently insulting the infuriating old geezer, and losing them a excellent repeat customer.

Blakestaff obviously hadn't believed Lavender's claim earlier that she had a lover, so when En saw her old flame Lawrence arrive from the Jade Crusaders barracks; as the Lieutenant-in-Charge of the armed escort taking the offloaded cargo to the client's warehouse. En grabbed the opportunity as a gift from the powers that be, running over to hug him, and kissing his cheek, she whispered "Play along" in his ear.

Lawrence bless him, threw his arm across Lavender's shoulders as she introduced him to Blakestaff, and En could literally see Blakestaff's attitude freeze back over to his usual standoffish self. As a result, Blakestaff suddenly remembered urgent business, and left in a huff, the rest of his entourage, which had come to meet him at the docks, trailing uncertainly behind in his wake.

Lavender and Lawrence watched Blakestaff leave, and Lawrence slowly removed his arm from around En's shoulder, "Not that I don't enjoy such an enthusiastic welcome from an attractive women, but I'm pretty sure that you and I have only been friends since we split up six years ago. So, what on earth is all this about me being your fiancé, En?!"

A smooth voice interrupted them from behind, "I'd also be interested in the answer to that question... and the reason that Master Blakestaff of the Beaulea Merchant Guild just gave me a dirty look as he got into his carriage." Lavender and Lawrence started guiltily, they turned around slowly to see En's cousin Artimus, and the current Master of Contracts for the Jade Crusaders Guild, standing behind them looking slightly peeved.

Most of their Empire clients assume that Lavender will eventually be chosen as the next generation head of the Jade Clan, and its associated guild, since she is the only child of the current Clan Head and Guild Master, and that's how things work in the Empire.

However, they would be very wrong... Artimus' skill with contract magic was much more suitable for a Guild Master, and his crafty personality was likely to manipulate the clan, and its guild into a position of greater prosperity.

En was quite happy as Protector of the Sea Witch, and would much prefer sailing the southern oceans, than being stuck in a stuffy office somewhere. Especially if she had to suck up to prats worse than Blakestaff to get contracts.

Artimus pointed at Lawrence, "You have work to do escorting Blakestaff's cargo to it's warehouse, and you," Artimus pointed at Lavender, "you need to come with me to the Guild Office, we need to discuss your next job, and your mother's family have been in touch again." En grimaced, "Fine, we'll talk... but we can bloody well do it after I take a bath."

Artimus laughed, "I'll even help you wash your hair, dearest cousin." Lavender grabbed his hand, "Done," she shook the hand to seal the deal, before Artimus could change his mind, and retract the offer. En's long thick hair was a pain to wash and dry, and her cousin's element was air like Leonora's. But unlike Leonora, he was unlikely to nag her to be more lady-like, and putting her hair up into some annoyingly fancy style that was currently 'all the rage'.

"Lawrence, finish your escort duty, then bring Tomo to the Drunken Mermaid Tavern. Artie is gonna treat us to dinner, and we can all catch up like old times." Artimus scowled, and pulled his hand away from Lavender's grip.

"Hey, I've got no problem with having a meal together, but why am I the one paying?!" Lavender gave her cousin a steady stare, "Let's see... you're the big shot Master of Contracts for the whole Jade Crusaders Guild, and we're just small potatoes... You're the one bringing in the gold, so we can only bow to your greatness, and leave the tab to you."

Artimus could only laugh at his cousin's logic, and agree to be the sponsor of that evening’s libations. Since there was no meal among them, that wouldn't also involve a decent amount of alcohol. So they all parted until that evening; Lavender and Artimus left for the personal residence at the Jade Crusaders Vanza Guild Office, and Lawrence and Tomo escorted the cargo to Blakestaff’s compound in the Warehouse District.