Chapter One

“And may you enjoy your final voyage out to sea.” Caspian Pillar raised his fluke of champagne in a toast to the setting sun and downed his glass. He had been standing alone on the small dock, watching as multicolored carnations floated towards the horizon. They had laid his father to rest a few hours before, dumping his casket into the sea he loved most, to finally become one with the water. Tears gathered at the corner of Pillar’s eyes as he watched the sunset sink slowly into the water. The tears were about to spill over when a hand rested softly on his shoulder. He didn’t need to turn to know that the hand belonged to his friend, Finnegan, both staring into the sunset together.

“Don’t be sad Casp, he wouldn’t have wanted you to cry-” Pillar gave a small grin as a response. Only Finnegan and his father were allowed to call him by his first name or the awful nickname “Casp”. “He would’ve wanted you to party and have a good time. To celebrate, not cry on a lonesome dock.” Pillar’s grin turned into a laugh. It was true, he could hear the party that was happening at the house behind him. Finnegan had been kind enough to let him have the funeral reception at his house. He didn’t know what he would have done without him. Finnegan always had a funny way of seeming to know how his friend felt. “Hey, don’t worry about it, ok? You can be with us as long as you like.” He smiled at Pillar, making a joke about how he was his “free babysitter”. Pillar just smiled softly but didn’t say much.

His world had essentially been turned upside down within a week. His father had died, thankfully it had been peaceful, but he was Pillar’s only living relative. The other problem was that his father had funded his air shipping business, and with him dead, there was no more business, and no more ship, which was essentially Pillar’s home. Everything except his friend was gone within a week. He didn’t even have his father’s boat anymore, not like he’d even dare to step foot on it- he had to sell it to pay off all of his and his father’s remaining debts.

“I don’t know what to do-” Pillar said softly, more to himself than his childhood best friend. They had been raised like brothers, Finnegan’s father had worked on the fishing boat for as long as Pillar could remember.

Both men were now sitting in some old chairs, quietly sipping on the champagne that Finnegan had brought. “This may be an inappropriate question-” Finnegan began, “but what will you do now? I mean of course you can stay with me, hell I’ll even pay you to babysit my son. Gods know me and my wife need all the help we can get raising that rascal.” Pillar didn’t say much, staring at the wooden boards that made up the dock.

“I’m not sure. I’d love to work for your family, but it just feels… wrong-”

“Casp, we worked for your family for years. You made us into what we are, of course-”

“No. I’m putting my foot down on this one Finn. I’ll find work. I have enough knowledge of shipping to maybe be an assistant for someone. Maybe I’ll fly another commercial airship-”

“Those jobs are extremely hard to get nowadays- what happens if you can’t get those jobs?”

Pillar’s breath went shallow, his head starting to spin. It felt like his lungs were filling with water again. He took a shaky breath before speaking. “I could always… I could always be a… uh, a sailor-” By the time he finished his sentence he was out of breath and shaking, gripping the arms of the chair he sat in. He turned to give a shaky smile to Finnegan, “There’s always the need for another sailor, right?” 

Finnegan dropped the glass of champagne he held, the golden liquids first spilling onto the dock and then the sea below. He couldn’t believe what he just heard. Caspian Pillar? On a boat??? “Caspian, is that you speaking? You. On a boat?” He gave a little laugh, the idea was so ridiculous. 

Pillar cast his eyes downward. “I know I haven’t been on a boat- a real boat- in many years, but I have good knowledge of sailing and maning of a ship, thanks to my dad.” He looked back at the sunset with those last final words. 

Finnegan watched his friend for a moment. He was serious. His hand landed back on his friend's shoulder. “Well if you ever want to be on a boat- a real boat, just tell me. I’ll put you on the finest one I own.”

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