Unexpected change

19th May 1574

"What's wrong, dear?"

Standing at the rear end of the open, upper deck, I was leaning over the railway and gazing at the barely distinguishable trails left by the two paddlers on the sides of the ship, attempting to track them into the deep darkness of the pre-industrial type of night.

"Nothing much, I just can't help but wish we would just have more time…"

With the silence of the night broken only by the silent yet periodical splashes of the water as the wooden paddles emerged from below the surface of the river and sprinkled everything with this cold liquid only to move to the top of the rotating circle and submerge themselves again a moment later in order to push against the river and bring us closer to our destination, I let my tongue act freely.

"More time? Are we in a hurry?"