Royce’s face was flush when he came up from his room. I apologized, as best I could, to Pete about the breads. He accepted and said Royce planned on bringing something back for dinner to make up for it. It seemed Royce was already protecting me from my mistakes. I would have to try to do better. 

“Are you ready to go?” Royce asked. He approached but didn’t touch me. 

We were a half a fin apart. The potions I washed with earlier, I could smell on him. His hair was still damp, and his shirt covering clung to his chest. I wanted to touch him but dared not to for fear I would upset Pete more. “Yes.” 

Royce looked behind me, and I turned to see Pete reach into his covering and pull out a ring that had devices attached to it. “Here,” he said as he tossed the ring of devices to Royce. “I fueled the vehicle. It’s parked in the usual spot.”

“Thanks, Pete. Be back in a little bit.”

I watched as Royce stepped off the boat onto the swaying bridge with practiced ease. The narrow walkway swayed more than the boat. I wasn’t so sure I could keep my footing like Royce. Sensing my hesitation, he offered his hand, and I took it. I had a hold of it for less than a breath before I stumbled. His hand shifted to wrap around my arm up to my elbow, steadying me. “I won’t let you fall.”

We smiled at each other as he guided me down the bridge to the dock. I felt more accomplished about my land walking until we moved forward and my foot covering caught on a board. Royce caught me again. My previous accomplishment melted into embarrassment, but he wouldn’t have it. He put his arm around my waist and kept us moving.

“It’s okay. You can lean on me until you feel more steady.”

“Thank you, Royce.” I put my arm around his back, and he held onto me as we walked. I nearly fell and tripped two more times before we reached a part of the land that didn’t sway. The stillness of it jarred me. I pulled at Royce’s arm to make him stop.

“It’s better if we keep moving. You stop for too long, and you’ll get dizzy. Take some breaths. It will be better once we’re in the vehicle. The vibrations will help.”

“How did you know?” I looked up at him, and the world swam. I turned my head back to the ground and tried not to lose everything in my stomach. 

“Happens when I’ve been on the boat for a while. The stillness seems strange. Like you’ve been set adrift without any way to move. It passes, but you have to focus a bit. Can you straighten up?”

“I think so,” I said as I tried to stand up. Royce still had hold of me as we started to move again, and I breathed through the oddness of moving on a motionless ocean. The last time I was on land, I confronted Halic on a beach, and it wasn’t for very long. To become used to the stillness will take time. 

When we reached the large contraption called a vehicle, Royce opened the side of it for me. I sat in the chair, and he closed the hatch, then went to the other side, opened his hatch, and sat behind the controls. Once the vehicle came to life with a soft vibration, I understood what Royce meant. The vibrations settled me as he used the controls to maneuver the vehicle away from the dock.

“Is this a boat designed for land?” I played with the controls. Some of them responded; others did not. Blasts of air hit me, sounds blared, the glass next to me moved. Royce shut things off from his side of the controls. 

“It is,” Royce said as he watched me and watched out of the glass. “Have you seen a vehicle before?”

“I have, but I did not know what they were. Vehicles don’t look like they would float very well.” 

Royce laughed. “You’re right. Most of them can’t.”

“Where are we going?” I was curious because Royce had said we should do several things, none of which made much sense to me except obtaining more food for Pete.

“Well, you need clothes, so we’ll go to the recycled threads store and see if we can’t find you some things. Then we need supplies for the boat. Plus, we need to find something for dinner, whether we make it or bring something back for Pete.”

“Okay. You have places where you trade things for coverings, I mean clothes? I don’t have anything to trade, Royce.”

“Don’t worry, I have money. Maybe when you’re ready, we can find you some work.”

“Will I be assigned work?”

“No, I mean, you are hired based on your qualifications. I already have a business, and my boat is my job, my work. Everyone chooses what they want to do.”

“What if I don’t have any… what are qualifications?”

“Skills. Qualifications are skills. Like, fishing or making food.”

“Oh.” I was not encouraged by this. I did not have skills that were suited for land. I had no idea how I would barter. Royce continued to help, and that warmed my heart but also made my throat tight. We were taught to contribute to the community. So far, I had not contributed anything in the time I’d been above the water.

“We’ll figure it out, Troller. Besides, you haven’t said how long you are staying.”

How long was I going to play land dweller? I clearly didn’t have enough skills or abilities to blend in, nor could I care for myself. “It’s a good question, Royce.” 

“Is there a reason why you came?”

“Yes. I’m not sure how to tell it.” Royce didn’t say anything. “I am not sure I can go back.” 

“Did you do something wrong?”

“No, and yes. They will think it’s wrong. I’m not the only one, but if I went back, no one would believe me.”

Royce’s face was bunched up with concern. I didn’t want to worry him. My pod didn’t know where I was, so we should be safe, but I wasn’t entirely sure of that either. 

“Well, you can stay as long as you want, Troller. Okay?”

I nodded. I wasn’t sure how much more to explain to Royce. It would sound strange, and I doubt Royce would understand. It would likely sound cowardly that I swam away from my home instead of facing the council and explaining what I’d done and discovered about Halic. But I had no proof. I’d only admit my own guilt. If I told Royce, he might change his mind about helping me. I did not want to lose his respect.

The vehicle came to a stop, and we got out. I remembered how Royce had opened the hatch and let myself out while I used the side of the vehicle to reach the sidewalk, where Royce met me and took my hand. I felt the tightness in my chest subside at the simple gesture.

The shop we went to was small but colorful. Royce opened the door, let me walk through first, then took my hand and led me further inside. He asked for help at the counter, and a lovely woman showed us around. Royce let me pick out a colorful sweater, a few more shirts, a couple pairs of half pants, two pairs of full pants, and something he called a dress. 

It was blue and had a reflective material that looked like scales. Royce called them sequins. I thought it was pretty and fit well. I imagined what it would look like underwater. I imagined what it would look like when I wore it, and Royce saw me in it. The thought made my skin tingle.

When we went to pay for the items, Royce put a package of tiny pants on the pile of clothing. 

“What are those?”

Royce opened his mouth, then closed it, then said a word I had heard before but hadn’t entirely understood. “Underwear.” 

“Do I need them?” I wasn’t wearing any now, and Royce hadn’t said anything before about them. Plus, the ones he picked out were rather plain. 

“Sometimes.” He blushed, and I felt my cheeks heat up. If he wanted me to wear them, I would. 

The nice woman put everything in a woven sack, and Royce grabbed the handles. “Let’s put this in the vehicle, and we can go across the street to get supplies.”

“Okay.”