Day 6

I woke up this morning feeling splendid. Not a bit of seasickness. Not one pain in my abdomen. My last entry was cut short as I had to rush to vomit into my chamber pot. I spent the rest of my time holding that pot until now. Good thing, too, because tomorrow I was going to throw myself overboard. The crew found it hilarious that it took me so long to find my sea legs. I caught Captain Rannou snickering to his first mate often enough when in sight of me. I have no doubt as to what their conversations were about.

However, I hold no ill towards any of the crew. I’m sure all new seamen and women get the same treatment from them. Today, I’ve been clapped on the back and told “hey ho, sailor” more times than I can count. I guess I’ve passed their muster, and the sea didn’t claim me, so I’ll go back to my duties as a marshal. Apparently, the only place we are expected to have troubles is around the cape. I have plans to begin training the crew tomorrow in the art of battle aboard a deck. All the men and women on the crew have seen combat, but their idea of fighting is rather barbarically basic. They chop, yell, and slash. We have much to learn before they are prepared to stop the pirates preying upon these merchant ships.

Every day from here on out, I’ll hold training sessions for each crew shift. There are three in total. I’m going to have dinner with the Captain tonight to work out the final details of my training schedule, then he will relay it to the crew. Everything on a ship goes through the Captain. Which is something I am going to have to get used to very quickly if I have any intentions of making this a permanent position. I have no idea if I want that yet, but I certainly strive for the Captain to give me a positive review to the Corporal. That will be pivotal to the advancement of my career. If I can prove myself aboard the Saphire as I did in Taria, I should be allowed to choose my next posting.

As Queen Genevieve’s influence ventures further into the world, we marshals have ever-changing opportunities at posts. Alaina took a post position in Gunter just two months past.  I received a letter from her just before we set sail last week. She told me of the strangest creatures living there—this giant deer-like creature with great thick antlers upon its head. The locals call it an alg. She also hears wolves howling in the distance every night. She said it’s hard to say how close they are because sound does strange things in those mountains. I would love to see an alg or a wolf, for that matter! I want to see the whole world.

And this desire brought me to here in this tiny room of mine struggling to journal in the constant rolling of this great ship. Everyone says I won’t even notice it in a few more days. I suppose we will see. They also say it won’t be long until I start shedding layers of this blasted uniform. That I agree with. Tomorrow I’ll be wearing nothing but trousers and my undershirt. Actually, I wish I had the billowing type of trousers worn by most of the crew. They seem much cooler than the thick wool ones that come with the official uniform. I’ll try to find some in the proper navy color at the next port. That way, at least some part of my attire will be up to code.

It’s time for me to meet the Captain for dinner now.

E. J. Signing off