Gaerwyn called to the crew. "Prepare the mainsail haul, rig for passenger transfer." He followed the progress of the ship all to the port side and stood there, letting his gloat get the better of him only a few moments more before he restrained his features.

She didn't resist and tried to help as much as possible in moving from the ocean to the small boat. She wasn't familiar with what kind of life was in the ocean, and wasn't keen on discovery. "Thanks." Her body was already shivering when she wrapped the blanket tightly around her body, but she made no sound of complaint. Once they approached the ship, she peered up at Gaerwyn, and thought she saw a wisp of a grin on his face, before she blinked and then it was gone.

"Careful now, mistress. We'll need you to sit just so, and the men will haul you to deck." Mister Yardley and two other sailors were quite careful about their reach about her adjusting the rig so it was very much like a swing seat. Once seated, Mister Yardley gave the call, "Heave-haul, lads!" Which perhaps did not sound flattering, but no man gave a snicker or even the remotest indication that any of this was out of the ordinary.

Gaerwyn was not about to pass the moment by as the men pulled on the rope threaded through the series of pulleys to lift Storm to above the rail line and then draw her across so when they slacked the line it lowered her to the deck. "Still need a ship in this sea, lass. A lesson you're not likely to forget." The sailors would not dare comment -- not there. Below decks later? Yes, likely so. But on ship, they were business and kept their eyes cast down from the ambassador and giving the touch to their foreheads in respectful salute.

Her tongue was tucked in her cheek as she was reassembled to be pulled up from the rowboat to the main ship. The blanket was still wrapped around her tightly, and she accepted the situation as a humbling experience and nothing more.

Once she was lowered to the deck, she made quick work on getting herself detached. "No matter where the ship is, it always needs the wind to go anywhere." Her smile was sharp and she inclined her head, "Good morning, cousin. I appreciate your help."

Gaerwyn bowed his head and then breathed in deeply. "I will see you to your cabin so you may recover. It is not as large as on the Yran Lark, but it should serve. I regret we have no appropriate attire on board for you. Will you accept a loan of one of my officer's attire?" Gaerwyn knew right well his clothing would be exceptionally too large for her.

"No, that is quite alright. They will dry with some assistance." She rubbed the back of her neck, "I would actually prefer to take a small boat out now and begin my work. The sooner I begin, the sooner I will be able to finish. I will be sure to rest there."

Gaerwyn did not like the way she rubbed at her neck. If she got ill, well, he was not fool enough to invoke the rage of his cousin upon him. "I would suggest you wait awhile longer. The breeze will only chill your clothes while you, as you say, assist them in drying. You have enough work ahead of you, why tax yourself unnecessarily." He bit his tongue on stronger words he would have used. The whole thing was a damnable evil, but he would not suffer the more for it being done poorly. "In two hours time, we will have the men row you to the point of your choosing and wait while you work."

Her lips formed a tight line for a moment, before she gave a slight nod, "Very well. Two hours."

Ewan was not going to make Avery or Kellan suffer through his meager cooking abilities. War and travel rations were not meant to be taken in pleasure. That meant he brought home food. It was a strange concept that he had not often indulged in before, but the restaurant was a reputable one and sympathetic to his plight. In the end, the three men, wee and elder, were all seated around the table dining on soup, rolls, and beef sandwiches. Ewan assisted Kellan more than anything, though the little lad seemed to take to eating better when he was seated in his father's lap than in his own chair.

The evening was deepening to night, and the lights of the house were those of the dining room and one light out front. There was always the light on out front when someone was away from the house.

Storm didn't take much time to immediately appreciate the fact that despite using the unfamiliar force of the connecting portal, that her own portal thrived well. She was at least aware and grateful that it placed her close to home instead of in the middle of the ocean again. She was definitely certain that she could not make it back home flying, even with the ease that she had at home.

Home. The thought made her roll her shoulders as she started up the path through the trees to her house. Yransea had become another home over the years. Ewan's family became her family. It was the natural cycle of relationships. So she should not have been so surprised to feel so hurt by Gaerwyn's accusations. Instead it left a sinking feeling in her gut that she couldn't ignore and she didn't have the energy to fight.

The singular light outside of the house wasn't even enough to warm her disappointment. It did however, lift most of the sullen look from her face. It didn't require extra thought to be silent enough to keep the kids asleep. What took work was to make just enough noise for Ewan to announce her presence.

Ewan was cleaning up the dinner, keeping an ear out for any creeping feet from upstairs when he heard her arrival. Stepping out to the hallway, he smiled. But what he saw there was not a happy-to-be-home, Storm. Perhaps, yes, he could tell she was relieved to be home. It was in the way she held herself, but she was entirely bereft of the usual brilliance of her person. He ventured with a cursory suggestion, but somehow he knew something had gone wrong. "Tired?"

"Very." A quiet sigh escaped her when she finally closed the door behind her. She waited until she had fully removed her boot and set them off to the side before trailing her way into the kitchen, "No trouble getting the boys to sleep?"

"No more than I typically have while you are away." His hands rested on her hips and then he urged her to hop up and sit on the counter. There were feet to rub and much easier to get to them if she were sitting on the counter. The question about the portal would remain unasked. He trusted she would speak of it when she was ready.

She didn't resist as he placed her on top of the counter. When he started to rub her feet, she leaned forward so that she could place her forehead against his shoulder, "It took all day, but I was able to make it work. I would have been home sooner, but I needed some rest."

He turned his head to kiss her neck, but his focus remained on her feet for the moment. "Are you all right?"

"Just tired." It was repeat of what he already knew, and she relaxed to lean more of her weight against him, "I suppose I could have stayed until the morning, but I was anxious to get home, and I did not want to keep Gaerwyn out longer than necessary."

"You getting a proper amount of rest is not unnecessary. He would have waited. Come," he reached to carry her, "let me get you to the couch so I can take care of those shoulders. I could feel the tension beneath your skin. Then it will be a hot bath, I will check on you to be sure you do not drown, and then to bed with you."

It was hard to argue when her loved one wanted to take care of her. "As you wish." She didn't correct his statement about his cousin, but instead wrapped her arms around his neck and rested her cheek against his chest as they moved to the living room and to the couch. It was still there, the sinking feeling in her gut, but it wasn't overwhelming, and felt much more bearable now. He was wrong about Ewan; that she was certain.

As he worked at the cords of muscle in her shoulders, he had to wonder at the next step. "So now your people begin to build? You will need ships over there to assist with that first, I should think. Did you and Gaerwyn work out that schedule?"

"No. It did not come up in any discussion." She would have said "conversation" but even she had to acknowledge that they had no conversation. Stiff courtesy was as close as they got, "I will find some other way."

The word choice, the avoidance of even asking but going straight to other options, and Ewan rested his warm hands on her shoulders but stopped massaging them. "Storm, why will you not use Gaerwyn's ships?"

Her shoulders sagged forward for moment, before she straightened up, "He did not approve of working my 'wiles' and getting my way." She was sure Ewan could tell that she was imitating Gaerwyn's word choice, "I do not wish to have him assist in something that has his disapproval."

Ewan stepped around from behind her and crouched down, taking her hands between his. "I see." It was all he could say. There were many things he wanted to say, but the woman sitting in front of him was not the one who needed to hear it. Nor was it his place to apologize for another's disapproval. Instead he offered, "Time will help."

Her eyes stayed on his for a moment, before she cast them down, "I thought it was." Still, she sighed and looked back up to him again. Rejection was hard, but it wasn't enough to have her back out of the agreement she had settled with the King, "I will still find another way."

"And I will help you." He vowed and leaned to kiss her forehead.