The War Cruise Ship continued onward. After an unknown stretch of time, a murmur of surprise rose from the deck. Zhuri caught the Apprentice's name and straightened, looking in the same direction as the other players on deck.
A new dock appeared at the end of the river: "Zai Jiu." A two-masted square-rigged ship lay before the dock named Zai Jiu, the wind puffing out the cheeks of the ridiculous cat on its sail.
Zai Jiu Xunge had emerged from the cabin and was looking up at the full moon above the dock.
The last time they had met on the river, Zhuri had already felt that the Apprentice had changed a great deal. Now, meeting her again, the Apprentice looked as though a gust of wind could blow her away.
She wore a loose, comfortable, light-colored shirt beneath a roomy black robe embroidered with dark gold patterns. She was dressed like a bard who had wandered onto a pirate ship by mistake and had just stepped outside for some air after finishing a musical score.
Yet even with only her profile visible, the oppression and heaviness about her were palpable.
As she tilted her head to gaze at the moon, her long black hair fell like a little waterfall. The long hem of her black robe spread across the deck, and the hand hanging by her side gripped an open book.
The little ship came into the War Cruise Ship's view, and the person aboard the little ship noticed the War Cruise Ship as well.
She looked over quietly, at who knew what, then picked up her pen and began writing in the book in her hand.
When she finished, she let go. The wind over the river at night sent the book curling along its path before it