14 August, 1681
Boston Harbor
Massachusetts Bay Colony

Eleven years before our story begins...

With a pair of cracks, one right after the other, two figures popped into existence in the narrow alleyway.  A speckled hen, startled by their sudden appearance, burst into panicked flight, sputtering and squawking as she flapped her wings frantically to propel herself to safety.

The younger of the two brothers -- newly turned nineteen -- grinned after the upset bird as he slipped his wand out of sight into a pocket. Cocking an eyebrow at his older sibling, he started automatically in the same direction that the chicken had gone, out of the alley and onto the main street. 

This whole excursion had been brought about by Shay’s urging.  It had been Shay who had pointed out that it had been ages since they’d been up to Boston; Shay, who proposed a surprise for their old friend; Shay, who had impatiently nagged and cajoled his younger brother until Kurby had finally agreed.  Never mind that a stern warning had been worming its way through Providence’s magical community: stay away from Boston, where unhappiness with King Charles and whispers of underground witch hunts were both rumored to be growing.  No, Shay had decided to pay a visit to the bustling harbor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony regardless, and it usually didn’t take much for Kurby’s older brother to get what he wanted.

Even though it had been over a year since they’d last visited, the cobblestone streets near the Harbor were much as he remembered them.  Muddy and loud, with the hot, humid August air making the stench of rotting seaweed and spoiled fish almost unbearable.  The main street was crowded with bodies, as vendors hawked their wares and stevedores hefted crates and barrels to and fro.

At the closest pier, a large ship was just settling into her berth.  Kurby dragged his feet, pausing to watch as the sailors on board tossed lines to the dock, calling out back and forth with their comrades on shore.  She was rigged as a brigantine, clearly built more for close-shore maneuverability than for long hauls across the great sea.  Her square sails were already mostly furled, but the fore-and-aft sails along the head rig whipped and cracked mightily in the breeze, as if the vessel were launching one last protest at being forcibly dragged into dock.

Something hard hit his elbow, and Kurby whipped his head around -- but it was only Shay, scowling at him impatiently because he’d had to double back.  Nearly rolling his eyes, the younger wizard started after him, quickening his pace so that he could keep up with his older brother’s longer stride.

“You’re always in a damned hurry,” he grumbled at him, kicking at a loose cobblestone on the street.

“Don’t be profane; the Puritans will hear you,” Shay shot back.  Discreetly, he tried to check his reflection in a grimy shop window as they strode by, adjusting his cravat.

This time, Kurby did roll his eyes.  He knew exactly why his brother was suddenly in such a hurry; why he’d felt such an urgent need to visit Boston and surprise Aquila after their old friend had been largely an afterthought over the past year.  It wasn’t that either of them had forgotten the orphaned street girl that they’d once befriended; but life had gotten much more complicated after Ilvermorny. Their childhood adventures in Boston, which had once seemed the epitome of daring and excitement, had faded away behind new travails, clerkships and careers and navigating the new, unexpected hazards that adulthood had brought.

It wasn’t until Shay had heard the news that the girl that he was sweet on had been betrothed to an older wizard that he had suddenly been interested in visiting their old friend again.  That was how his older brother usually worked: if he wasn’t penning long letters that he’d never send to his current unrequited obsession, he was searching for his next romance. Shay’s affections had always lingered on Aquila, who had never owned a wand and lived an unshackled, carefree lifestyle that seemed almost enviable. Kurby suspected that the only reason the street girl hadn’t been bombarded with sonnets praising her rose-like lips and her musical laugh was because she couldn’t read. 

“Here,” Shay said, suddenly stopping short.  The public house where Aquila worked didn’t have a sign outside, but they’d made a point to memorize it the last time they’d come by.  Kurby raised an eyebrow as his older brother adjusted the knot on his cravat one more time and then pushed through the swinging doors into the dark interior.

It took a moment for their eyes to adjust to the lack of light.  The lack of magical lamps meant that Muggle taverns were always darker, even when the summer sun was so bright outside.  Although there were no candles burning now, the interior smelt strongly of rum and tallow, lingering from the night before.  The long, narrow tables were mostly empty, save for a group at the far wall that seemed to be wholeheartedly focused on a game of dice.

Undeterred, Shay drew himself up and then swaggered his way to the counter, where he rapped to get the barman’s attention.

“We’re looking for Aquila Eade,” he said boldly, once the large, bald man had looked over.  “Is she in?”

The barman grinned, but not in a particularly friendly way; his smirk revealed several missing teeth, and at least one golden one.  Kurby, eyebrows raised, quietly slipped a hand back to the pocket where his wand was hidden as he leaned back against the wall by the door.  This would hardly be the first time that Shay had gone charging into something and dragged him along into trouble.

But this time at least, his wariness seemed to be misfounded.

“Yer in luck, lad,” the barman said cheerily.  “She oughta be jus’ wrappin’ up wit’er last.”

The big man turned toward the end of a stairwell, which opened up just near the end of the bar, and gave a loud whistle.

“Oi, Quill!” he shouted.  ”There’s a young’un down ‘ere for yer!”

Aquila had been preparing herself again, having just finished up with her previous client. The last year had not gone exactly as she wanted, last she was just a thief on the streets, but that was getting nowhere. She spent most days starving more than living, robbing people was not easy anymore. Partly she had grown too big.

Not that she was big, just that she wasn’t a child anymore and she couldn’t survive on the streets, she liked to think she had grown into a fairly nice young woman, her clients either didn’t care or agreed with the idea, usually they were drunk and would go after a fish if you put it in a dress, she was fairly certain she could replace some stuff with a fish quite easily and the drunken clients wouldn’t notice.

She sighed as she looked to herself in the mirror, still unused to makeup and dresses but happier for them, if anything this gave her proper clothing, no more rags and old patched clothing when she was on the street. Now she mostly went in a dulled yellow top exposing a bit of her chest as well as her neck and shoulders, followed by a dull ratty green skirt with some lace leather boots and if it’s cold outside she gets a worn black coat to put over herself. It wasn’t what she liked but more that she was given them upon starting work so she had that to be thankful for.

She could get better clothes now, she had some money saved up but she wanted to save, partly because if something goes wrong she’ll need said money for food, and because the stuff she really wanted was much more, along with fears of tearing.

Overall she thinks she preferred when she was on the street somewhat, she was more free and had more times with Shay and Kurby, neither of whom she’d seen in awhile, now most of her friends were other girls who were far more...girly then her, one of them had to teach her how certain clothing items even worked, although she is fairly certain they either came from ships or like her from the streets. If anything she figured the two brothers had forgotten about her, they’d met quite often but they didn’t live here. They lived off elsewhere, studying magic and in fancy houses, constantly telling her to start getting a wand for magic yet never really telling her how she could afford such a thing. She did miss them though, but with their magic they likely went off on grand adventures now, exploring further into the country, battling Dragons and...whatever magic people do.

She checked back to make sure her client wasn’t looking, then gently lifting her hand she made her brush move towards her. A smile appeared over her face as she looked back into the mirror to brush her pale blonde hair. She never got the hang of magic, she was magical, or so she was told, she could make things levitate with her hand, it had taken years of practice but she had managed it, but moving stuff was all she ever really managed to get. According to the brothers, wands make it easier, but she didn’t get how a stick would fix her problems, she had enough people waving sticks around now without her getting one of her own.

She heard the call from the bar and sighed, looking into her own hazel eyes before nodding and getting up, she wasn’t really able to prepare much as it turned out before more people were wanting her. She looked at the client and motioned for them to go as she headed to the door herself to make her way out.

“Alrite alrite I’m coming!” She called out, having a quick glance down at the two people at the bar, she supposed those were likely the ones looking for her, young men, one of them looked rather smart, seeming to be the older one, likely he was the one asking for her and the younger one either for a drink or the older will insist she goes with the younger. Either way he was possibly the better one to attend to, more likely to have money and pay well. Or she had more assurance she can get a fair payment from them.

She moved as gracefully as she could down to them before letting off a flirtatious smile, moving to lean onto the gentleman as she lifted herself just onto the edge of the bar, the back of her wrist wiping at her mouth to just double check it was clean as she got this close.

“Hello sir, I hear you’re wanting a good time.” She looked down, not really wanting to meet him in the face, firstly to size him up and because it helped if she didn’t remember every person, her she made sure that her foot gently slid up his leg, she figured it was probably going too far, but he looked like he had money, she couldn’t really afford to lose a client like that. “What is a good looking man like yourself doing here?” She made sure to push her chest forwards a little, like a bird trying to assert dominance by displaying its breast proudly, however in this case more to charm.

It didn’t take long before a young woman came floating down the steps.  Quill had never really been one for female graces -- when they’d first met her, she’d been a mud-caked street kid who had seemed unlikely to ever consider the existence of a bath -- but the figure who descended towards them now was clearly dressed as a woman, even if her clothes were a little ratty. 

Kurby arched his eyebrows as she went straight for his brother.  By the look on Shay’s face, he hadn’t expected such a vigorous welcome either.

“I, ahh --”  Shay stammered for a moment before recovering. 

“Why, seeking out your company, dear lady,” he said, doffing his hat as he attempted to step back and give her a smooth bow.  “It hath been too many long, cruel moons since we’ve been parted from your beauty, and as summer draws ere to a close, it is ordained that we should meet again.”

Moons.  Kurby flicked his gaze upwards.  Shay was going to be the death of himself, and would probably take his younger brother along with him.

“Sorry, Quill,” he interjected, pushing himself up from the wall.  “Lancelot wanted to drop in and surprise you on your birthday.”

His older brother, who hadn’t quite managed to extricate himself from Aquila’s enthusiastic greeting, shot him a murderous look over his shoulder. 

Kurby gave a half-hearted shrug.  Their longtime friend deserved to know what she was walking into if she kept up the play-acting.

He had come specifically for her? It was a bit strange, she hadn't had an admirer before, so she didn't get why someone would come just for her but it was a nice sentiment. Knowing that somewhere someone atleast was thinking of her. A small smile started to go across her lips, she didn't quite get what he was going on about, it was still summer, they still had awhile to go before the end of it all, and she didn't have a clue as to what ordained meant.

It seemed to be going so well... “Sorry, Quill,” Wait wait wait! Oh no, oh heavens no. No this was not good. "Kurby? Shay?" She stepped back quickly, her face turning red as she hugged herself. They were here, she just propositioned herself to Shay, oh nonononono. This was not how she wanted to meet up with them again, she preferred bumping into them on the street, admittedly when she did was usually covered in filth, it was a miracle she was even recognized now she was clean. Wait what was the other thing they said about?

She shot a glance over to the barman. "It's my birthday and you didn't tell me?" She groaned and then looked back at the other two. "T-two seconds alright?" She rushed up the stairs again to the room she left from, slamming the door behind her. Then it quickly opened again as she shoved out a rather puffy faced man still struggling with his belt who sheepishly headed to leave.

With a muffled scream into what seemed to be a pillow, Aquila opened the door and walked out again, with a worn but comfortable black coat around herself. Quickly she ran back down to her two friends. She was partly amazed that the two even came back for her, and it was her birthday! How had she missed that? Why didn't the barman tell her? Would this atleast let her have a good pillow when she sleeps tonight? Who knows, either way the boys were here, she was going out with them for the day atleast.

Once down the stairs again and up to them, she flew her arms out and hugged Shay tightly, before moving back and doing the same to Kurby. She wouldn't take a no on this, she knew it seemed undignified but she wasn't some posh noblewoman or puritan who got their cotton knickers in a twist over the sight of an unmarried woman and man talking in public. She briefly turned to the barman with her saying. "I'm taking the day off with these two. It's fairly slow today anyway, I heard one of the other girls around anyway." The slightest bit of smugness and pep in her tone.

She turned back to the two again and smiled. "Lets go shall we? I've not been out for awhile."

His brother's poor attempt at poetry reached its unavoidable conclusion as Aquila turned bright red.  Suddenly uncomfortable and stammering, the tavern girl extricated herself from Shay and retreated upstairs, her footsteps beating a thundering rhythm against the steps.

Feeling satisfied, Kurby flashed his brother a ruthless grin.  The glare that Shay shot him in return probably counted as an attempted hex.

It didn't take long before Aquila came bounding down the stairs again, a light coat wrapped around her despite the hot and humid August air outside.  She hugged Shay, then Kurby -- now it was his brother's turn to turn bright red -- and then they were on their way into the world once more, free from the shabby, confined Muggle public house to find somewhere better.

The sun was shining brightly overhead as they left the activity of the docks behind them.  Boston had grown even in the year since they'd been here last.  Every visit, it seemed as if there were more buildings, more people, with a population that was starting to include more than just the separatists.  Still, as the trio meandered toward the wide square in the center of the settlement, it was clear that the precisionist values still dominated.  Even with her black cloak hiding her less-respectable clothing, Aquila's bare hair got plenty of looks as they wove their way toward the Boston Common.

There was some activity in the Common today.  A herd of cattle grazing near the edge let out a cacophony of moos as they squeezed by, just as a loud cheer erupted from a crowd that had gathered under the Great Elm.  Kurby paused to squint at them, to try and see if he could guess who had become the settlement's unlucky target today, until Shay doubled back to elbow him again in the side.  His brother's grim look was a warning that here in Boston, the heart of the Puritans colonies, it was dangerous to forget where they were.

They skirted around the edge of the central square, then turned down a narrow street that ran up a hill, in between a grand-looking residence that hardly seemed like it matched the purported ideal of the Separatists and another that was just being build.  Then another turn, and another:  they passed by a livery, an old stone church with a white cross, and then turned the corner next to an old map shop, down a narrow cranny that few other passerby seemed to pay any attention to.

Shay looked as if he wanted to say something -- probably to lecture him about gawking at the hanging -- but he pressed his mouth shut instead as they came to the end of the alleyway.  There stood a gnarled-looking elm, a smaller cousin of the large tree that marked the center of the Common.  Checking one last time to make sure that no one had noticed their escape into the alley, his older brother carefully drew his wand from his sleeve and used the end of it to furiously tickle a peculiar-looking knot on the elm's trunk.

This usually took a moment.  Impatient for Shay to get a reaction, Kurby heaved a sigh and glanced over at Aquila.

"Had many executions lately, then?" he asked casually, folding his arms against his chest.

Aquila had followed along, she seemed relieved at the least to be outside, she still didn't know what to say to the other two as they moved about the streets, while she was overjoyed at them being here, she didn't know what to say at all. She hadn't expected them, she was so happy at them being here! She thought they would of forgotten, they had spent time together, but she was just a street rat. She had nothing there really, they had met her, taught her a few things, and about magic. But she hadn't managed to learn really, surviving took over magic. And then she didn't have a wand, and how'd she meant to know where magical things were?

You don't remember everyone, she did expect that once they'd grown up, they would go on with their lives. It wasn't often they'd meet anyway, what impact would she have on the lives of rich kids with fancy schools and all that? She wouldn't forget as they were her only in on the whole magical world, it was amazing, but it didn't feel as if she belonged somehow, while she also felt the need to be there.

As for the other matter, she supposed they didn't know what to really say either, she had gone from a street rat picking pockets for a bit of money to afford food, she had taken a motherly position and was looking after several others like her but all younger, but that had to end. She couldn't survive on scraps, or living in the cold. She did her best to help those she had under her, and like those before she left, they always did. Either caught, or like what she did, work nights in a dingy tavern. They had found her while she was working, they probably didn't expect it by the looks of their faces.

She ignored the looks at her from those in the streets, she was used to them by now, she'd spent enough time at this now, the comments here and there got to her, but the looks didn't. They'd all had choices, she needed money. Besides she reckoned she'd gotten payback as most likely she was acquainted with their husbands.

It was at the Great Elm where she heard the noise, the crowd cheering. She grabbed onto Shay tightly and tried to pull away, Kurby seemed infatuated but she didn't want any of it. For what was meant to be a new world, and bringing civilization, cheering over the executions didn't seem very civil.

The place they reached brought her mind back to the start, how was anyone meant to get into the magical world? She was supposedly magic, how was she meant to know this was here without someone telling her? It was a really weird place, with Shay now pulling his wand out and giving the wood a good old rub. How was she meant to know it was here? Or find it? Or get in if you needed a wand?

She gave Kurby a slight glance, it was meaner then she meant but she didn't mean it, giving some apologetic puppy dog eyes she learned from the streets tended to work on men. She knew it wouldn't with him as she'd tried it when she tried robbing him one time but regardless. It was an apology.

"There's been a few." She sighed. "Mostly its just thieves in the stocks or flogging of a drunken person that sort of thing. But now its all pirates being hanged..." She was uncomfortable talking about it, it wasn't a pleasant thing, it was brutal and unneeded. People being beaten and abused, or killed. For trying to survive.

"About, at the Tavern..." She tried to start, although she didn't know quite what to say still.

The teenager tilted his head to the side, oblivious to the harsh look that his friend had sent him as he considered this new bit of information.  Public punishment of drunkards and thieves was hardly surprising.  Boston's Puritan rulers oversaw the city with an iron-like adherence to their strict moral code, and though it was a good reminder that this wasn't Providence, Kurby knew that he and his brother had relatively little to fear so long as they kept their wand-waving out of the public eye. 

Hanging pirates, though, was something new.  Most of the ports along the New England coast made no judgement of privateering ships, so long as they brought their wealth back to spend in the young colonies.  For a crew to be sentenced to death by hanging, they must have crossed the wrong merchant or shipping company to be doomed to such a fate.

Before he could quiz Aquila for more information, the girl tried to awkwardly change the subject.

"About, at the tavern..."

Was she that offended by Shay's bad attempt at poetry?  Or had she picked up on what his brother had unintentionally alluded to?  Kurby flashed her a sympathetic smile, one eye on Shay's back. 

"Don't let it worry you," he said, shaking his head.  "He's like that with every girl."  He grinned again, lowering his voice conspiratorially. "You should just be glad he hasn't decided to try and send you owl post about how your eyes shimmer like a winter sunrise and your neck is as elegant as a swan's --"

A loud sneeze cut in to interrupt his recounting.  Ahead of them, Shay jerked back triumphantly from the tree.

The strange-looking knot on the trunk of the elm had twisted and stretched, elongating into a semblance of a gnarled face with a particularly bulbous-looking nose. 

"Well, hullo there," it said knottily, peering at his older brother.  "And who have we here?  One of Bagnold's boys, aren't you?  And who's that with you?" it asked, attempting to maneuver its eyes so that it could squint past Shay.  "Your father's not here today?"

Shay drew himself up, clearly offended, which made Kurby flash another sharp-toothed grin.

"No, we've business of our own," he retorted, lifting his chin.  "My brother, our friend, and I.  Will you permit us entry?"

The knot sneezed again, letting loose a light cloud of sweet-smelling sap.

"Apologies; it's the pollen this time of year," it said by way of explanation, as it corked its nose up and down.  "Yes, yes, climb inside.  And don't tickle so vigorously next time, won't you?" it chided Shay, with one last hedging look.  "Patience is a virtue, young Master Bagnold."

And with that, the mouth of the knotty face seemed to enlarge and expand, until it was roughly wide enough for a grown man to crawl inside, provided he ducked his head.  Peering inside it, one could see a set of descending wooden stairs, which seemed to open up into a much wider room.

Shay gave the tree one last dirty look, and then turned to Quill.

"M'lady first?" he asked, holding out a hand to her to help her through the opening onto the stairs.

The Cackling Crone had a light crowd today.  There was a group of Pukwudgies involved in some sort of animated discussion with a pair of tree nymphs near the bar, and a few other patrons scattered about, mostly drinking their lunch.  Kurby let Shay lead the way to an empty table, well away from the fussy Pukwudgies. Their only neighbor nearby was a old, weathered-looking sailor at the next table over, a contrast of dark skin and stock-white hair, who looked to be finishing the last of a great glass mug of beer.

"Here we are, then," Shay said, sounding finally satisfied.  He flashed their companion a smile.  "What would you like, Aquila?  It's our treat, since it's your birthday."

Kurby had gone on about Shay writing poetry, she wasn't sure if she understood poetry, she had one person read it out to her and said it was the most beautiful thing they've read. But really it just sounded like an awkward way of doing things, it was like someone wanted to try a song but found out they couldn't sing so they decided to cut it down and give it to someone. So in one regards she was thankful that Shay wasn't sending that stuff, and not because she'd have to awkwardly say thanks despite not being able to read the words on it.

She also wasn't quite sure about her eyes shimmering, it seemed romantic, but her neck is nothing like a swan! For a start it isn't bloody well curved is it? How was that meant to be romantic or charming when you're saying that someones neck is bent and crooked? She was starting to get the impression that Shay may not think of themselves as friends, but before she managed to open her mouth the...tree...was sneezing. She'd heard of strange types of wood but not a sneezing one, did that mean that the other trees used for the buildings and ships were alive also?

She bowed a little to Shay with the faintest of blushes at being treated like a proper lady, before making her way down into the earth below. It was a new experience, so many things she'd never seen before! The little creatures and the wood nymphs were certainly something she'd never seen, it took her a fair few seconds to drag her eyes away and keep moving along with the other two.

Gently she sat herself down, this place was amazing! And it was all underground? How did they know the ceiling won't collapse? Were they inside the tree? Was this the tree's heart? Did they build a boat underground to create this area? What was the lighting? What was the tiny buzzing things next to the lights? She had so many questions she needed to ask, but Shay had asked first about her drink.

"Oh uh..." She wasn't quite sure, she'd heard of a few drinks from other places but she'd mostly ever had Rum, she knew Beer was drunken commonly, but she'd heard of some drinks also. "I've heard of one called Gin? But thats expensive right?" She asked slowly, she'd only heard of it from sailors so far. "If not then Rum?" She wasn't sure what to do, she worked at a tavern but wasn't sure on the prices at all, most of the time she was just given a drink at the end of the day or people would buy for her thinking that was the only asking price or it'd be free.

She glanced about to see if she could spy the bar, quickly catching a look at one of the servers and finding herself almost unable to look away as if entranced. "Uh...yeah Gin or Rum?" She added awkwardly.

Shay was eager to please today, and he flashed Aquila a reassuring smile.  No expense would be spared, Kurby thought sourly, to shower their old friend with fondness on her birthday.  But judging by how Quill had already reacted to Shay's poor attempts at romance, somehow he doubted that his older brother was going to manage to turn this into a proper courtship.

Shay didn't bother asking his younger brother for his drink order as he glanced back at the bar.  But he did turn and look at the weathered white-haired sailor at the table next to them, who was just setting down an empty tankard.

"Can I get you another drink, grandfather?" Shay asked politely.

The old man blinked, and Kurby realized suddenly that he had to be nearly blind: his eyes were nearly as white as his hair, with only the faintest hint of an iris buried behind glaucoma.  But that didn't stop the sailor from seemingly focusing on Shay, apparently surprised and pleased by the offer.

"I wouldn't say no to that," the old sailor said in a gravelly voice.  "My thanks to you, lad."

He flashed Shay a grin that was surprisingly dominated by white teeth and shifted to rest both his arms on the table.  With a start, Kurby noticed that the old man was missing his right hand, too; in its place was a sort of metal hook, curved around as if to offer a sort of replacement grip.

Shay looked startled for half a second too, but he recovered himself quickly.  "My pleasure, sir," he said kindly, and with another smile shot over his shoulder at Aquila, he strode off to place the orders.

Kurby barely managed to stop himself from rolling his eyes at his brother's back.  Sighing, he dropped into the chair across from Aquila, making sure to leave the seat immediately next to her empty so that Shay didn't glare daggers at him when he returned.

"So, uh...," he started, trailing off a little. 

What were they supposed to talk about?  They hadn't seen Quill in over a year, since just after Kurby had graduated from Ilvermorny.  Once upon a time, the two wizard brothers and the street girl with a knack for magic had been fast friends, but as time had marched on, it had felt as if their worlds had moved farther and farther apart.  Aquila didn't seem the sort to want to trade complaints about the Crown's latest offense or the overreach of the Wizards' Council.  She'd hardly be interested in politics back in Providence or the rightfully growing concerns of their friends with the Narrangasset, and it wasn't as if he could just vent to her about Shay.  What did they even have in common anymore?

"How've, uh, things been at the public house, then?" Kurby asked, brows knitting as he glanced at her awkwardly.  Hopefully Shay would be back soon with drinks, so that he could re-assert his dominance over the conversation.  "You've worked there for a bit now, haven't you?"

Quil had listened to the exchange between Shay and the old man, she didn't know that the Bagnolds had family in Boston! Was that why they visited so often? She didn't know much about reproduction, well, she didn't know much about the children side of reproduction. But she was aware that people tended to look similar to their parents and grandparents. And she didn't see much resemblance between Shay and the person he offered a drink too.

She didn't even know that people managed to have grandparents, but the fact they had a grandfather was something to celebrate it seems, Kurby however didn't seem too impressed with the situation at all, and she was wondering if they were really related, or if Shay just wanted to be nice to an old man. He was a nice person, he greeted her formally, he tried to move on from the hanging for her, he let her down the stairs first. He just seemed like a kind person, maybe Kurby was bored of him being so nice to absolutely everyone?

She turned back to Kurby however, he was sitting down and seemed a little lost on what to say, she didn't blame him. She didn't think they had much too talk about, she hated to admit it, but she wasn't sure if they were even in the same world. They went off on magical adventures, she worked in a tavern. They had rich lives and family, she was overjoyed at getting some warm clothing she'd be allowed to wear. She doubted he'd be interested in the gossip of the girls, who went away and came back bald from a ship, who was the best tipper, about the fact that Maggie got careless and is now seven months... She wondered if that fancy boy education even taught them the Sails and Rigging?

"Oh, yeah. Almost a year now, there's been a fair few rowdy nights where several ships pulled into dock together and competed with eachother." She said gently, looking down at herself before trying to cover her body a bit more with her jacket. "Um, I do just want to check, you both know...about my job right?" She asked, she wasn't entirely sure to tell the truth, she figured both had guessed it but simply decided not to comment, but if anything she wanted to be open and know, while same time she wasn't sure that if they did find out they'd leave her.

"Shay certainly seemed...surprised to see me, I may of come on too strong, don't get me wrong I'm still same as before." She pulled someone's money bag out of her coat just to show as a reassurance, having managed to acquire it as they traveled the streets together. "I just thought..." She put it away again, her head still screamed at herself for trying to proposition to Shay, she should of realized who he was sooner.

As much as he knew he shouldn't think it, life in Boston seemed far more interesting than back home in Providence.  Aquila's description of crowded docks and rowdy nights at the public house where she worked sounded much more exciting than the quiet port back home. There was even something dangerously appealing about the menace that lurked here, the constant threat that the non-magical part of town might notices the witches and wizards in their mix. 

Quill's experiences with the different ships that had come through at least created an interesting topic to discuss together, and Kurby had been about to open his mouth to ask more when his old friend, queerly, asked if both he and Shay knew about her job.  The teenager blinked, his brows knitting.  Didn't she know they knew that she worked?  They'd stopped in to fetch her from the tavern where she was employed.  It wasn't as if they'd simply thought she was taking board there or something.

Aquila went on -- about Shay being an idiot, about still being the same as before -- and as she pulled out a heavy-looking purse, Kurby suddenly understood.  Of course.  This public house must pay her better, and she was embarrassed that Shay had offered to treat her today.  As annoyed as he occasionally got with his older brother and his monthly temperaments, the least Kurby could do was have his back and reassure her now.

"Naw," he said, giving a quick shake of his head.  He flashed the girl a fierce smile.  "He doesn't care about any of that.  Shay's just trying to be kind, you know, because it's your birthday." 

And because Shay was trying to mend his wounded heart, but Aquila didn't need to hear that now.  If she were feeling guilty about Shay taking her out, knowing the real reason would only make her feel worse. 

She nodded and gave a sigh of relief, she was relieved that they knew, it made it much easier then trying to skirt around what she did in fear they'd leave her or get angry at her for what she did for a living. "Ah, good. I just wanted to make sure you knew I was doing more then drinks. And well, I wasn't sure how'd you take it if you knew." She said softly and relaxed back in her seat, taking a glance at the counter where Shay was currently.

She could tell by his expression during her description of the crews he was interested, she had to know when people were interested in stuff and when they werent, more or less anyway it was important to her work to know when to talk, she wasn't always good at it mind but she tried thinking of other similar stories that came to her head about ship crews coming in.

"We had a very rough type of ship crew come in once, think they were navy, I don't think I can tell you much of the night other then we were completely dry by the end of it." Despite guessing what type of stories Kurby would be interested in, she wasn't sure how much she could tell. It wasn't like she could tell him of much without certain, inappropriate details. She can share with the other girls but it didn't seem entirely right with him.

And certainly not with Shay, he seemed way too romantic and delicate for the topic, he might faint at some of the things she could say.

The teenager could imagine the type of crew that could drink an entire tavern dry by the end of a night.  That kind of life -- taking to the sea as a privateer, capturing prizes and bringing the winnings back to the New England colonies only to throw half of them away on ale in a single night -- sounded far more exciting than spending the rest of his life trapped and playing governess to his father and brother.  Kurby straightened in his chair, looking as if he might like to ask more, but Shay chose that unfortunate moment to return to their table.

"Miss Elsebeth should be along with our drinks in just a moment," he said, taking the seat immediately next to Aquila. 

That particular chair stood a little taller than the others, making its occupant tower above the table at an awkward height. It took Shay -- who stood half a head taller than his younger brother -- a few moment to uncomfortably adjust his position, shifting his legs out of the way so that they wouldn't be pressed against the underside of the table.

"I hope we didn't tear you away from any other engagements on your birthday," he said politely, as he looked to their female friend.  (Kurby, directing his gaze upwards, thought an impolite word; the last thing his brother had been concerned about when he'd planned this outing was that he might interrupt Aquila's other commitments.)  "Have you decided on a wish for the new year yet, Quill?"

Shay had returned! And there were drinks coming! It was a relief that they were, she hadn't had a good drink in awhile, mostly the remains of rum bottles or if she got lucky and people them for her, then she would get something to drink. So this was something new, she shifted in her seat, somewhat more at ease but more at tension then just alone with Kurby, partly because it left one awkward situation to a slightly more bearable awkward situation.

Shay could now control the awkwardness! By nosediving it straight down into another topic, which led her along thoughts, she didn't really have commitments, she just sort of existed, she worked at the place, they paid her, sometimes she'd go out for stuff if she made money but mostly she was just happy to have a bed and roof over herself, along with being fed, that was always a benefit to herself also. Even if it did cut into how much she made money wise.

Was he thinking of any particular commitments? She didn't even remember it was her birthday until they had arrived, having mostly lived off the schedules of the place, what nights had what going on, it tended to make time fuzzy when you mostly worked off what night will be busy, which has music, when a new ship is coming in. Especially when you won't be able to read anything to tell you the time.

"I don't really have anything planned, I don't have anything planned really. I had some money, I don't have your fancy magic, I don't have myself a man, just rowdy customers often a couple a night." She sighed out and leaned back in her seat, arms pulling the jacket a bit better over herself. She doubted the being single would surprise them, Kurby had said about poems, so they mustn't of thought she was courting someone, not that she'd get the chance as the only good people she'd meet all have wooden teeth or sail away the next day.

Be funny if the Bagnolds thought she was to be wed, that's probably never going to happen at this rate. She'd already gone against the bible numerous times.

"If I tell you the wish it won't come true right?" She gave a small smirk.

There were times, Kurby thought darkly as Shay and Aquila engaged in conversation about her birthday plans, when he wondered why his brother bothered to drag him along on these adventures at all.  He knew why: it would hardly be proper for Shay to court a young woman entirely by himself, and deeper than that, he knew that their mother worried about his elder brother going off on his own.  But it was clear that he was only here as a silent accomplice.  Shay had no interest in including him in the discussion, and as long as his older brother was directing the conversation, there was no hope of spurring Quill to talk about the subjects that might actually be interesting, like which ships were passing through port and what she knew of the pirates being hung in the Commons that day.

Shay had given an awkward laugh, likely at Aquila's remark about fancy magic, but before he could respond to her quip about wishes, Miss Elsebeth had arrived with their drinks.  The blonde serving witch had been a regular, enchanting presence at the Cackling Crone for as long as the Bagnold brothers had been accompanying their father there.  With her interruption, Kurby instantly had something far more interesting to pay attention to than his brother's lovestruck travails.

Unfortunately, sorting out their beverages took far less time than the teenager might have preferred.  With a cheery thanks to Shay and a wink to Aquila, Miss Elsebeth was back on her way to the bar all took quickly and his older brother was distributing the drinks around.

"Here you are, sir," Shay said politely, passing one of the tankards to the dark-skinned old sailor at the table behind him.  "And here, Quill, you'll have one of these -- I think it's rather good gin.  To your birthday, then?" he offered, raising his own matching cup of gin.  "If you won't share your wish, I suppose we'll have to toast to your good fortune."

Kurby tore his gaze away from the departing serving woman to realize, annoyed, that his brother had left him out of the gin purchase.  Rolling his eyes in Shay's direction, he scooped up the remaining tankard and took a long swallow of the slightly-sour ale inside.