Catherine...

Catherine watched the docking ships with interest. Unless she was mistaken, that ship, the Vella, would be putting back out to sea as soon as the new wares were loaded, if the weather agreed. Catherine had spent the last few days scouting out the area, listening in wherever she could of possible shipments coming in and going out. The economy was good these days, and this new delicacy, "chocolate," was becoming very popular with the high-born ladies. Shipments of the sweet brown dessert were going out in the boat-loads! From her sources, Catherine knew that Vella would most likely be taking out a shipment of this "chocolate" in the next few days. The weather seemed like it would hold out until then at least, and the chocolate was already here and waiting to be shipped. The crew would only get a one or two days rest, mayhap, before setting out again with the next tide.
As a rich merchant's daughter, Catherine had to know the workings of hiring a ship and how long said ship would be in port. To improve on her school lessons though, Catherine would sneak off to the docks to watch the loading and unloading of ships since she was five. Her mother, of course, would never have approved of this if she had ever known.
Unfortunately for Catherine, she wasn't a rich merchant's daughter anymore. If she were a rich merchant's daughter, she'd be escorted by at least two armed guards. No wealthy parent would ever let their daughter of marrying age wander about the city alone. However Catherine was alone--alone and in a dark alley at the wharfs, hiding behind a barrel of what smelled like rotting fish. If the smell wasn't enough to keep people away, her appearance more than made up for it. Her once-fine clothing was in tatters. Her skirt sported no less than three patches, some already ripping larger holes in the dirty garment. Her bodice showed signs of being white at one time or another but was now gray from dirt. There were also scorch marks scattered all over the bodice. Catherine's hair, which normally draped in beautiful curls down her back, was now extremely frizzy and disheveled. It also smelled strongly of smoke. To further scare anyone away, Catherine had so much soot and dirt on her face that she resembled a raccoon more than a human being!
Truly, to any passersby, Catherine was nothing more than some harmless but unfortunate girl whose house went up in flames--that, or she had slept with the pigs on more than one occasion. Her disguise, although purely by happenstance, was perfect for being ignored. Perfect enough to get her onto a ship if she was careful enough. All she had to do was sneak on board and stay hidden until they put out to sea. After a couple of days it should be safe to emerge, if she wasn't found out sooner. The worst they could do is throw her overboard, but surely, her being a lady and all, they'd at least send her back in a rowboat with a day's food and provisions, right?
Wrong
Catherine had finally come to terms with her situation: she was screwed. Utterly and totally screwed. There was no way the captain of Vella would leave his ship unguarded at night. Nor would Catherine know where to hide. She'd never been on a ship before in her life! How was she to find a good hiding place for a couple of days and not starve in the hiding? She had no money to buy her own food, or even for a decent bath at the cheapest bathhouse in the city!
No. the only way Catherine could get on the Vella would be to somehow convince the captain that he needed her on his shop or that she could she could pay upon arrival. Both ideas seemed impossible, however. Since sailors were superstitious, they would never allow Catherine on their ship because she was a woman. The second idea could never happen. It was obvious that Catherine didn't have anyone waiting for her wherever she was going. All she had were the clothes on her back and the signet ring hanging from a leather cord around her neck. The ring was all she had of monetary value, but it was worth so much more to her: it was her lifeline, her only chance of survival. If she were to give up her ring for passage, how would she ever find the ring's true owner once she reached Sarcorannis? No one would believe her without the ring as proof. No even her father.