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         “Lena! Avoni! I have great stories to tell you from your voyage,” Vaughan carried on, taking a seat at the head of the table. He looked at both of them separately. “Nhyad was such an adventure, I tell you.” 

“We can only imagine,” Lena commented, giving Avoni a sharp look to say something. Avoni reached out to take a sip of wine.

The doors opened a second time, a bundle of waiters hustling in a setting a full dinner before them, refilling their wine glasses, and greeting the Lord back from his travels. Avoni eyed her father cautiously. “I thought you had said that you would be returning in two weeks from now,” she said as soon as the help had cleared out. 

Vaughan stirred the dark contents of his glass thoughtfully. “Well, it was supposed to carry out longer, but with all the rain that is to follow this week, we couldn’t afford to take the risk. Don’t want to lose half the crew, you know. The storms will only get harsher in the middle of the seas and the Isian Sea’s always been more severe than the Teigian.” 

“On the contrary, it’s quite the opposite.” 

Vaughan held his gaze towards her a moment longer, hesitantly bringing his lips to the rim of his glass. 

“The Teigian Sea is located on the farther south side of the hemisphere, meaning the water currents are more heavily pulled to the equator, increasing wind capacity and the rate of current flow,” she explained with a straight face. 

Lena lightly dropped her face in her hand. 

“In other words,” Avoni continued fruitlessly, “the storms are more frequently occuring and with evidently stronger currents, more than the Isian or any other sea any man has sailed on. So, the Teigian is by far the more aggressive waters to be traveling, and you should feel lucky that you did not cross it because a few more than half your crew would have been lost, and Lena, dear, can you pass me the corn?” 

Vaughan was staring at her, his expression stoned and carved in a frown. “I… never knew I had such a well-educated daughter.” 

Avoni glanced at him. She leaned over the table to grab the corn bowl herself. “No, I still don’t think you do.” 

“Well, I certainly hope Lena can learn from you,” Vaughan suggested, laughing at his own words because Lena was the older of the two. Avoni did not find it amusing, and she didn’t think Lena did either. 

She felt a sudden sharpness ram against her shin. From under the table, Lena had kicked her, sending her a look to be mindful of her words. Avoni pressed her lips shut to show her that she wouldn’t utter anything bold again.

“Well, Avoni,” Vaughan started, cutting his steak into fine slices. “I don’t suppose you’d like to tell us a little bit more about the letter you had sent a couple weeks ago. Hm?” 

There was a lapse of silence.