This is a bit of Kitto's backstory, explaining how he came to join the Anvil and a little bit about his experiences on the Dawnchaser and first encounter with Gawain before he became the Mate.

The old inn was never Kitto's favourite place to spend his shore leave. It was noisy, rough and generally too similar to the Dawnchaser's mess deck to count as a rest.

Tonight, he had an interest. For the first time in months, The Anvil was taking hands. This time, he was determined to be brave and try his luck. Sinking the dregs of his pint he stood up and approached the table, rehearsing his introduction in his head as he walked.

His own Mate, Zennor, was drinking at a table he had to pass. Keeping his eyes straight ahead on his goal, he prayed to all the Gods that she wouldn't notice him. Alas, he missed the quick movement of her starter flying from her belt to crack him around his knees.

"Hope you weren't thinking of jumping ship, Rigger. You're too weak for The Anvil anyway. That witch would break you in a day." The Mate laughed as he tried to pick himself off the floor and swallow the tears.

Perhaps she was right. He knew the stories of The Anvil. She always sailed further, pushed harder, and Master Miven was every bit as gentle as her Ship. Even so, it was the stuff of dreams compared to his life on The Dawnchaser.

"If he's so weak, you won't miss him." A strong, tar stained hand gripped him under his elbow and helped him up, "Are you alright, lad?"

Pain surged through his leg, but he knew that voice. If there was ever a time to dig deep and find a brave face, it was now. He went to thank his rescuer and assure her that he was fine, but his knee gave way, sending him tumbling into her strong arms. Zennor's laugh shattered him more than anything.

"Come sit with us, I'll have my surgeon take a look at your leg."

"He's signed to The Dawnchaser, Master Miven." Zennor piped up, her words like a chain around his neck. Miven tensed, sending a shiver through him.

"Consider this his bond. If he's as useless as you claim, you'll be glad to be shot of him." She threw a pouch of coins onto Zennor's table with a thud and helped Kitto to their table.

"I didn't mean to cause you trouble, Ma'am..."

"Oh please. Zennor is a brute, it's my pleasure. Enjoy your freedom." She pushed a pint into his hand.

"Freedom?"

"I paid your bond, not your price. You're a free man." He couldn't believe she'd do that for him. She didn't even know his name. Perhaps she just felt sorry for him.

"I'd like to repay you, Ma'am. If The Anvil would take me. I know I'm not much, but I work hard, and I'll learn..."

"What's your trade, kid?"

"I'm a Rigger Ma'am. Finished my apprenticeship last month." He forced as much confidence into his words as he could, "Please, I'm no trouble, honestly."

"Calm yourself. It's alright. Morgelyn, can we take a Rigger?" The Mate looked down her list and nodded hestitantly.

"I'd like a little more experience ideally, but we can give him a trial run. We sail on the Ebb. Alright?"

"Thank you, Mate, I swear you won't regret it. Really." It felt like the dream might shatter at any second and he was determined to make it as real as possible just in case.

"Alright, calm yourself. What's your name, Rigger?

"Kitto. Just Kitto." He'd earned no titles, no stories followed him that were worth a naming. Not like the icons that sat around him.

"Noone is ever just anything. Welcome to The Anvil, Rigger Kitto." She passed him the quill to sign against her neat print, "And don't look so bloody scared. Not every Mate on the Seas is like her. Thank the Maraven." Morgelyn glowered at Zennor pointedly as she spoke.

Kitto smiled weakly and sought comfort in his pint. Miven asked him a few more questions before she found the surgeon and had him helped back to his new home.

The kindness baffled him, but he didnt dare question it. He'd done it. He'd escaped. Now all he had to do was survive the next two weeks and convince Mate Morgelyn to keep him.

The Bosun was an imposing woman who seemed to be able to rig just about anything in her sleep. She was a far cry from his previous boss who mostly shouted and drank, depending on the Riggers to teach the Apprentices their trade. Brina had high standards, and limited patience, but she was fair for the most part.

Kitto worked hard, and ensured he always volunteered for the less desirable jobs. One such job was repairing a ladder on the main mast in a stinking rainstorm. Every movement of his fingers felt like cracking ice and his hands were shaking so violently that each splice took him three times longer than it should.

When he eventually finished, he was only too glad to get back to the warmth of below and thaw out by the dinner pot. He'd started to make friends, and soon he'd put the foul weather behind him and found his cheer again.

When he felt the starter tap his shoulder, his blood ran cold. He knew immediately what he'd done. In his haste to get down, he hadn't checked over his work. He'd left the ends undogged. At best it was shoddy workmanship, but at worst it would risk the splice pulling through and coming loose under someone's foot.

"With me." The Quartermaster's disappointment was abundantly clear. The few mouthfuls of stew he'd swallowed threatened to force their way back up as he stood and followed to the other end of the mess deck where the Quartermaster's cabin was.

Gawain Krakensbane was easily the most intimidating man he'd ever met. So far, they'd barely said a word to each other, and that was absolutely fine by Kitto. If there was one thing he knew about Quartermasters, it was best if they never had cause to learn your name.

So much for that.

"Foul day out there." Gawain said almost kindly, "Well done for volunteering. Plenty of others didn't." Kitto felt the guilt begin to stack up already, his eyes never leaving Gawain's starter.

"I need the practice, Sir." He swallowed the tears down as hard as he could.

"I'd agree. Did you finish the job?" Kitto knew where this went. The Dawnchaser may not have done wonders for his seamanship, but admitting wrongdoing was a certain way to a beating.

"Yes, Sir." He lied.

"Sure? Definitely safe to climb?" Gawain pressed.

"Yes, Sir."

"So if I went up there now, you'd be happy to let me go?" Kitto bit his lip. He could see the Quartermaster's grip tightening on the stick. If he could just get away long enough to run up and finish it, it would be fine. This would all go away.

"Yes, Sir." He stuck to his story.

"Oh, alright then. Good job. You must be more quick fingered than we realised. Sorry for disturbing you. Enjoy your dinner." He pushed the door open for him. Kitto did his best to look calm as he walked back down the deck to his friends and slipped back out onto the main deck above and up the mast to rectify his mistake.

When he dropped back to the bottom of the mast, the starter bit into his side sending him straight to the deck with the bitter taste of blood in his mouth. A heavy boot rolled him over to face Gawain.

"Mistakes happen. Lies kill. Apologise to your crewmates." Kitto's eyes widened as he saw the other Riggers crowding around him. Once Gawain was satisfied with the words he managed to stutter out, he hauled him to his feet, "Don't let it happen again. You're not a bad hand. Don't spoil it."

He dropped him and left him coughing into a puddle, sending everyone back down below. Through his sobs, he saw one set of boots unmoving. Brina.

"He's having a bad day. Usually takes a lot more to get him to swing. Come on, up you get, deep breaths." She smiled sadly, "You're on deck scrubbing duties in his quarters for the rest of the week."

"They're not keeping me are they? I've blown it."

"Hey. No. Look at me. The Mate decided on your first day that you were staying, and the Captain was always going to keep you on principle if nothing else. Gawain's not so bad once you know him. You're a hard worker, keep it up. He respects that."

~☆~

Despite spending a sleepless night staring up at the creaking deckhead and trying to make himself believe the Bosun's words, the morning still arrived far too swiftly for Kitto's liking. He Rose with the sun and made his way up to the main deck in a final attempt to clear his mind.

The purple sky was so bright it almost blinded him as he emerged groggily from the hatch, but he still had no trouble identifying the silhouettes leaning against the rail. Miven was stood furthest from him, for once without her hat but given away by the soft jangling of the bone and shell charms which adorned her braids. The sound she made simply by standing there was as calming as the Sea herself.

But next to her, the broad frame of the Quartermaster was a stark contrast. The outline of the starter stood proud from his belt making Kitto's side throb at the memory. The two were deep in conversation, but Kitto couldn't make out the words, and he wasn't sure he wanted to. Not wanting to provoke Gawain further, he turned back as quietly as he could to find a spot as far away from them as possible.

"Rigger!" His heart leapt to his throat at the sound of the Captain's voice. There was noone else on deck that she could possibly be calling to. Every story he'd heard about Miven Stormborn piled into his thoughts as he made his way back towards her.

"Cheer up, kid. How's your bruise?" Gawain asked, his soft lilting accent completely transformed from the night before.

"It's fine, thank you, Quartermaster." Kitto's eyes fixed on the starter.

"Relax. It's done. You made a mistake, I'm sure you'll learn from it. We just wanted to be sure you're alright."

"Thank you, Sir. I promise I will." It didn't relax him at all, though he wished it could. Too many times, he'd been in situations like this with Zennor. The softer she spoke, the worse it got as a general rule.

"Are you glad you came here?" Miven asked him, her voice as soft as a song on the wind.

"Of course, Captain. I only hope you're still glad you took me on. I owe you a great debt and..."

"You owe me nothing, Kitto. I got all the recompense I needed when I saw Zennor's face. She valued you. I got a damned good Hand for the cost of a week's pay and she knows it. I'd like you to know it too." He felt his face burn at her words. Never in his short time at sea had anyone given him a hint of praise. To have it come from a Captain, especially one as prestigious as Miven, was overwhelming.

"What did Brina tell you about the rest of the week?" Gawain saved him from trying to come up with a response to the Captain.

"I'm to scrub your Quarters, Sir."

"Stop calling me Sir. I'm far from worthy. Gawain is fine. I'd like to make better use of the time she can spare you. Polish your edges a little. Maybe show you I'm not all bad." Kitto couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"You'd do that for me?"

"I'd do it for any member of my crew who showed me the ability to work hard. Stop thinking that this is the Chaser. That part of your life is over. You're Anvil Crew now."