As they walked, young Jiemba peppered the two translators with questions. She wanted to know how they learned the language of these new strangers and how a treekin and a dragonkin came to be walking and working together. Through the translators, she began to question Arya. Arya took a liking to the exuberant young girl; she answered and asked back in kind. She learned that Jiemba loved languages and studied at a nearby library. A kind old librarian helped her learn. The shipyard foreman had taken her in as a child when she was orphaned and running the streets. He fed her, gave her a place to sleep, and allowed her to work at the shipyard. Jiemba looked crestfallen when she wondered aloud what she would do when the yard shut down. Arya asked her what she really wanted to do with her life. "See the world and study all languages....when you sail away, take me with you....I will work hard for you." Arya pondered for a moment, saying, "We will ask Kaiya later?" The girl nodded happily.
When they arrived at the healer's shop, the place was in disarray. Boxes were everywhere, and someone was clearly packing to leave. They found the two wounded in the back being expertly treated by the healer. Mangana, the healer, looked up and introduced himself. Portsmith had his eyes open and was drinking some water; the treekin was already sitting up in bed. Arya asked about payment, and Mangana got a thoughtful look in his eyes. Arya offered a small bag of coins, but the healer waved them off. He countered, saying, "You are from a far-off country. I recently treated a very important client, and the results were bad. No fault of my healing, but an unexpected reaction to a drug he failed to notify me he had been taking. In a week or so, they will come for my head, and I need to disappear to stay alive. For payment, I would ask for passage to a distant land or even back to your lands. I am an excellent healer, with many rare cures and a large stock of chemicals and herbs to make potions. If you will let me earn my passage?"
Arya glanced at Dirk, then the doctor and the treekin healer; they all nodded yes towards her. She smiled and said, "You must swear fealty to our ship and crew, do no harm to them, and follow orders." He laughed, sighed in relief, and shook his head yes. He said, "These two will be safe to move tomorrow evening if you bring the wagon. I will load my stuff and go with you then." Arya laughed and said, "We are gathering crew members as we go."
Arya spoke to Kiaya when they returned to the shipyard, saying, "Jiemba asked to go with us when we leave and needs your leave for that, and sleeping aboard the ship with us tonight?" Kiaya nodded but said they must discuss the girl leaving with them later. The crews had managed to place the Sovereign on keel blocks, and she was safe to enter. They slept the night on the ship. Jiemba stopped in full shock when she entered the cabin and saw Nymeria. Arya said, "The wolf is Nymeria and the cat is Ned." Calancy translated and hugged Jiemba, whom she had met on an earlier trip.
Ned jumped from the window seat to the bed and yowled at the girl to pet him. She fell to her knees, hugged the cat deeply, and he purred at her. Nymeria came to collect pets and hugs, too, laying her big head on the bed. Jiemba laughed and hugged the beast, burying her face in Nymeria's neck. She slept on a pallet on the cabin floor that night after Bart brought in dinner and all six ladies ate together.
Jiemba marveled at the flavors of the food, and Bart fed the entire dockyard breakfast and dinner the next day. And all the days after...the shipyard crew quickly finished the fishing boat and prepared to work on the Sovereign.
Before bed, Arya had consulted with the two captains about the coins she wanted them to save. They gave her a bag with nearly a 100 coins in it. They had saved ten each of seven, 3 or 4 of several, and one of a special-looking coin.
The next morning, Arya, Drena, Brienne, and Caelan spoke to Kiaya about a numismatist, and he gave directions and had the wagon brought out. He informed them that an owner family member was so overjoyed that the large stock of wood would sell and that the yard would bring in more income for a few months, that he had agreed to let the mansion and grounds for 1000 gold coins for as long as they were there. Arya gave orders to clear the mansion of trash and make it ready for the crew and themselves. The four of them boarded the wagon, and Caelan drove them to the location.
They entered the well-furnished coin shop, and Maali, the proprietor, introduced himself to Caelan and then looked the ladies over. Caelan explained the purpose of their visit, and they sat at a polished table. Arya turned out the bag of coins, and Maali's eyes bugged out of his head. "These are very old and very rare." He continued, "They are at least 10,000 years old. They are old, very old Aman minted coins. And I have never seen several of them before; they are that rare."
Arya asked about their value. He pondered a bit and said, "They are worth somewhere around 100,000 gold, though it would take a while to sell them for that. If you would sell them to me, I could give you 70,000." Arya answered, "80,000."
He smiled and said, "75,000." Arya nodded acceptance, and he went to a back room and returned with 7 1/2 platinum bars. Arya looked at Caelan and said, "I have never seen this metal. Are they worth that?" He smiled and said, "Platinum, and yes, that is their worth." They returned to the yard, and Arya placed 7 of the bars in front of Kiaya. His eyes opened wide when he saw them. He laughed, "Saying this will do work will start tomorrow."