Laur had received her brother's letter just the day before. She wanted to refuse, oh yes, but she couldn't. Not Charlie. The aeroship had shown up at the school the next morning, and she'd run out in a traveling dress with her suitcase in hand to catch it.
She was there now, and boarding. She'd never been on an aeroship before. Or been to the godscursed Harbor. Or spent an entire day stuck in said aeroship with a clocking whice who didn't know how to shut up. But she was coming, and she was going to give that boy a piece of her mind, even though deep inside she still loved him as much as she had when they were children.
"Ummm, hello...sir?" Was that the proper term of address for aeroship pilots?

Captain Irvin Austin's ship, the Scarlet Hummingbird, was not the largest or most impressive traveling aeroship on the market. She was a nice little vessel, comfortable and well-maintained. Brightly colored, too. Definitely not made for combat. Only a transportation vessel, indeed ... though, perhaps, Irvin did like to think differently when no one was looking.

The short, slightly portly galdor stepped down the gangplank at Laur's cautious hello. His short-cropped hair was almost as red as the paint on the belly of his aeroship, but it was the muttonchops that stopped just short of his chin that seemed to dominate his freckled, chubby face. His blue eyes seemed to almost disappear into his cheeks, overshadowed quite a bit by his bushy eyebrows. He was fashionably dressed with high boots and a well-trimmed coat, complete with an aviator scarf of Mugrobi silk.

"Hello, young miss." He bowed, a bob of his head, really, and winked, "You must be my charge for this trip, hmm?" His smile broadened and he offered his hand, "Captain Austin. Irvin Austin. It's my pleasure."

He glanced over his shoulder where a rather surprisingly young human hovered hesitantly at the hatch from the top of the stairs, "May my assistant take your bags?"

"Yes, please. That would be very nice."

She waited for the boy to come relieve her of her suitcase. Servants were ever so convenient. It was a wonder how some people did without them. Did Charlie have servvants? Probably not. He'd been cut from the money she knew she'd receive upon graduation.

"You have a very fine aeroship, Mr. Austin. I assume you know our travel itinerary?" Touch down in Vienda to get that clocking bird, then on to the Harbour, she thought, mentally reviewing the itinerary with herself. Charlie should be waiting for me. If he's not, well...I'm not going to find him. He asked.

The boy snapped to attention and took Laur's suitcase with a polite, wordless nod before disappearing under the ship to store them in the small hold.

Captain Austin snorted, shaking his head, "Yes, Miss. I know where we are headed ... but why any respectable young woman such as yourself would ever want to go to Old Rose Harbor is beyond my comprehension. It's such a ..." He trailed off, one hand straying to smooth the hair that pelted his cheeks, "Such a detestable place, if you ask me. It's not a place for a dignified student."

He sighed and swept his hand toward the interior of his aeroship, "Please follow me and we'll get you all settled for take off." The portly galdor turned and waddled into his ship, indicating the plush guest cabin full of well-padded chairs and delicately-decorated tables, complete with a small, intricate chandelier. It was a cozy little place, surprisingly large for such a small ship. All of the seats had straps, however, so there was just as much an emphasis on safety as luxury.

"You should be comfortable back here. There'll be some nice views out the window, if I may suggest a seat."

"Thank you, sir," she said, not referring to the help but to the captain. "If it's any consolation, I'm not going to the Harbour out of any sort of whim. My older brother has requested me to come, and I couldn't seem to refuse him, despite the rather undesirable locale. Perhaps I will find out why exactly he's chosen to live there, of all places."

Taking a seat near the window, as she had been advised, she opened the rather large traveling bag she'd brought with her and retrieved a heavy brick of a book and her little spectacles. She would look out the window, of course, but most of her time would be spent reading.

"I hope that bird will deign to be quiet today." Although she did not specify the bird in question, it was obvious she was referring to their charge that they had been requested to pick up halfway through the trip.

Captain Austin might have snorted just a little from behind his impressive facial hair as the girl mentioned her brother—who he imagined to be a sensible galdori like herself—had actually chosen to live in Old Rose. Being a disciplined, mostly polite man, however, he chose not to ask questions of someone he hardly knew, especially considering they were a passenger. That would've been rude and only lent itself to gossip.

"Bird, ma'am?" Irvin blinked, reaching up to adjust the snaps of his well-cut coat, sniffing with a small amount of confusion, "Did you need my boy here to go fetch something from your dorm, then?"

"Oh, see, that's what I was asking if you knew about. My brother wishes me to stop in Vienda to pick up his pet whice. His pet whice is annoying and obscene, of course, but Charlie loves the thing and I don't quite understand why. I shouldn't be long, depending on how close to the house we touch down."

"Vienda, hmm? I don't see why we couldn't take a little stop there on the way. It's not the most direct route, of course ... but no matter! There's lovely scenery along he way."

Irvin laughed, portly self barely contained by his well-tailored outfit. His rumbling chest seemed to shake the little aeroship, "Well, young miss, if you have a pretty lawn, I'll dare say I can land in it without disturbing your flowers. Just be sure to get my attention once we're close to the city. You're welcome to come up front and point me in the right direction."

With that, Captain Austin bowed, a flourish of his hand completing the motion. He nodded to the cabin boy, who took his wordless cue to go disappear towards the cockpit.

"Just holler if you need anything. It will be quite loud until we break the cloudline. I hope you don't get airsick, young miss, for I like to keep a clean ship." The pilot winked, snapping to attention before turning and following the boy. There were a few moments of silence as everyone got settled in their places.

Muffled sounds of voices could be heard and then the whole ship shuddered and lurched, Irvin's voice barely audible above the humming as the humble Scarlet Hummingbird left the ground and began its ascent away from Brunnhold,

"Here we go!"