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Ava's POV

I knocked on Mia's cabin door, my heart pounding in anticipation. Ever since we got on the Crimson Tide, I'd grown even closer and built a connection to her. We were both adventurous souls, eager to explore the world and its wonders.

The door creaked open, and I saw Mia sitting on her bed, a book in her hands. She looked up at me, a smile on her face.

"Ava," she said, her voice soft and warm. "What are you doing here?"

I took a deep breath. "I wanted to ask how you're feeling about the new city we're sailing to. Are you excited?"

Mia's smile grew wider. "Of course I am! I've never been to this city before, and I can't wait to see what it has to offer."

"Me too," I said, smiling back at her. "I've heard that it's a city of wonders. They say there's a market where you can buy anything your heart desires."

Mia's eyes shined with excitement. "I can't wait to see it! I'm going to buy so many things, my cabin will be overflowing with treasures."

I laughed. "And where are you going to keep all of them? Our cabins are so small."

Mia shrugs. "I'll figure it out. But that's what makes the journey so exciting, isn't it? The anticipation and the adventure of it all."

I nodded, agreeing with her. "It's like we're always chasing a dream, always looking for the next big thing. And when we find it, it's just amazing."

Mia nods, a small smile on her face. "That's exactly it. It's like we're living a never-ending adventure, always on the move, always exploring something new."

"And that's why we're here," I say, my voice filled with excitement. "To explore and to discover. And to make memories that will last a lifetime."

Mia nodded, her smile turning into a grin. "That's exactly right," she says. "I'm ready for the adventure, Ava. Let's do this."

I took another deep breath before continuing. "I wanted to ask you if you wanted to explore the new city with me," I said. "We could check out the market, try some of the food, and just have fun exploring. What do you think?"

Mia paused for a moment before replying. "That sounds like a lot of fun, Ava. But I already have plans with Thomas."

My heart sank. "Oh, okay," I said, trying to hide my disappointment. "I understand."

Mia must have noticed my disappointment, because she quickly added, "But maybe we can all go together? I'm sure Thomas would be up for it."

I smiled, feeling a sense of relief. "That sounds great. Thank you, Mia. Please talk to Thomas and see if we can make it happen, maybe just the two of us could go."

Mia smiled back. "Well, I'd prefer it that way too but I am not sure Thomas would want to sacrifice our time together once we get to chore. You know I have been ignoring him for a while and this is an opportunity to even things out with Thomas, Ava."

I took a deep breath and nodded. "I understand, Mia. I didn't mean to meddle in your business. But if it means spending time with Thomas, I can stay here on the ship."

Mia leaned in, a serious expression on her face. "Ava, I know you're upset, but you have to understand. This is important to me. I've been neglecting my relationship with Thomas for too long and I can't risk losing him."

I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. "I know, Mia. I'm sorry for asking. I just wanted to spend time with you."

Mia reached for my hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "You know I care about you, Ava. And we can still spend time together on the ship. It's just that once we're on shore, I need to focus on my love life or what is left of it."

I nodded, "I get it, Mia and I'm happy for you. Just remember, I'm here if you ever need me."

Mia smiled. "I know, I appreciate it. You know I won't hesitate to come to you if things got out of hand with Thomas."

We talked for a few more minutes before I returned to my own cabin, feeling satisfied that we had worked out our plans. The thought of exploring the new city with Mia and Thomas made me feel like a kid on a playground, eager to see what was around the next corner.

As I laid down on my bed, the sound of the waves against the ship lulled me to sleep and I dreamed of all the adventures that awaited us in the new city.

The sun began to set on the horizon, I woke up to the sound of waves crashing against the shore. I got up from my bed and walked to the porthole, looking out onto the new port we were approaching. The city was beautiful, with towering buildings and busy streets, and I couldn't wait to explore it.

As I stared out at the city, lost in thought, I heard Mia's voice behind me. "Good evening, Ava," she said. "Did you sleep well?"

I turned towards her and smiled. "Evening, Mia. Yeah, I slept like a log. How about you?"

Mia nodded. "I slept well enough. Did you dream of anything interesting?"

I hesitated for a moment, debating whether or not to share my dream. "You know, actually, I did," I said finally. "I dreamt of exploring this new city with you. Just the two of us, going on adventures and exploring all the hidden gems of the city."

Mia's eyes lit up. "Really? That sounds like so much fun. I wish we could do that."

I nodded, feeling a sense of disappointment. "Me too. But I understand that you need to focus on your relationship with Thomas."

Mia's expression turned serious. "Ava, I know you're disappointed. But I promise we'll still have plenty of time to explore this city together. And who knows, maybe Thomas will want to join us for a few outings?"

I nodded, feeling a small sense of relief. "Yeah, maybe you're right. I guess we'll just have to wait and see."

As the ship docked at the new port, the crew got busy offloading our goods and loading in new ones at the same time. I was not so sure I even wanted to see this city without Mia by my side. I decided to get the items I needed from the port market and return to the ship.

I took a deep breath and stepped off the Crimson Tide, feeling the sunlight warm my skin as I walked towards the market. The city was bustling with activity, full of the sound of street vendors calling out their wares and people hurrying to and fro. I made my way through the crowd, keeping a close eye on my possessions as I looked for the right shop.

Eventually, I spotted the one I was looking for - a small blacksmith shop with a sign above the door that read "Blacksmith and Ironwork". I stepped inside, feeling the cool air of the shop brush over my skin. The shopkeeper, a burly man with a beard and a apron stained with soot, looked up from his workbench and nodded at me. "Good day," he said, his voice deep and gravelly.

"Good day," I replied, handing him the list William had written down. "I need these items, if you have them."

The man looked at the list, his eyes scanning over the items before looking up at me again. "I have most of these items in stock," he said. "But some of these are quite expensive. Are you sure you can afford them?"

I nodded, pulling out a small pouch of gold coins from my belt. "I have enough," I said.

The man nodded, then disappeared into the back room, his heavy footsteps echoing through the small shop. A few minutes later, he emerged with a bag filled with the items on the list. "That will be one hundred gold coins," he said.

I handed him the pouch of coins, and he counted them out, nodding in satisfaction before placing the items in the bag. "Thank you," I said, taking the bag.

The man waved me off, going back to his work as I stepped out onto the street, feeling a sense of excitement as I went off to explore the city. The sun was still shining, and I couldn't wait to see all the sights the city had to offer.

As I walked down the street, I heard the sound of the waves crashing against the shore, and I knew that soon enough, we would be leaving this beautiful city behind and sailing onto the next adventure.

As I left the man's shop and walked down the street of the bustling city, I suddenly felt a sharp sting in my side. I froze, gripping the spot and scanning the crowd for any sign of danger. But all I saw were people going about their business, unaware of the danger that lurked just beyond their sight.

Then, in an instant, everything went black. I felt myself stumbling, falling forward into the street. The last thing I heard before everything went silent was the sound of the city, the voices of people talking and laughing, and the sound of the waves crashing against the shore.

As I drifted in and out of consciousness, I realized that I had been given a powerful poison, one that was designed to slowly kill me. My mind raced, trying to think of who could have done this to me and why. But as the poison began to take effect, my thoughts grew foggy, and I slipped into an uneasy sleep.