The two ponies made it to the massive marble walls of Marine, by noon. Though the sun poured down over head the weather was still very nice as the breeze blew off of the ocean. The air tasted of salt water. The road lead the three of them through a large gate into an equally large paved plaza. The plaza was surrounded by a wall had three large gates that lead into the city itself, one gate on each side. The plaza was filled with ponies heading into the city, or heading out. Along the wall were dozens of carts selling every good imaginable.
"Wow this place is crowed." Dusk looked around at the massive crowd as the three of them pushed their way to the gate to the right of the main gate. "I mean I heard that Marine was large but this is insane."
"Dusk maybe we should get on Turkeylegs' back I really don't think getting separated in here would be good." He looked around. "Not even Canterlot was this cramped."
"Can Turkeylegs' carry the two of us?" Dusk asked looking up at the large bird. Turkeylegs seemed to answer with a soft moan like chirp. Then leaned down lifted Escutcheon up on to its back. Remarkably Turkeylegs leaned down again and lifted Dusk up onto its back. The bird looked back at the two of them. "Never mind I guess Turkeylegs is stronger than I thought."
"Yeah. Dusk hold on okay." She nodded and wrapped her hooves around him. He wrapped his front hooves around Turkeylegs. "Come on, let's see if we can't actually find ship yard." Turkeylegs gave him a weird look. "That way." He pointed past the inner gate. Turkeylegs head through into the city. The streets were made of slabbed stone. Most of the buildings were made of the same stone. Very few of the buildings were made of wood. As they made their way further and further from the plaza the streets cleared out more and more. The ponies gave them weird looks as they made their way down the street. Dusk eventually jumped down and flew next to them.
"So Escutcheon exactly how much do you think it's going to cost us to get a boat?"
"I have absolutely no idea. I don't even know if we'll be able to get a boat. From what I've heard nopony's ever gone west and returned." He answered. "Besides I don't have any money even if they'd take us I don't no how long it would take for us to get the money necessary."
After an hour of looking they finally found themselves at the docks of Marine. The docks extended nearly the entire length of the city against the coast. "Hello," Escutcheon called out to the first captain that he could find. "Can you help us. We need to know how much it is to rent a ship."
"Ha, well you've come to the right place, lad. All the captains charge different, but the real factor here is where it is that you are heading." The young stallion jumped from his boat to the wooden dock.
"West across the ocean." The stallions face went pale.
"You're both insane nopony will take you west!"
"Surely there has to be one!" Dusk spoke up. "Just one captain in all of Marine that has the guts to go."
"It's not a matter of having guts, it's a matter of brains."
"There is still one captain in Marine that's got the guts to do it." A gruff voice spoke up from behind the two of them. "Unlike these dock clinging, Lilly-liveried land-lovers. But the question is do the twos of you have the money to pay 'em with?" The turned around to see a large unicorn stallion. He was wearing a black coat, and had an eye patch over his left eye. His face and legs were covered in scars.
"We don't have anything right now, but we'll work we just need to know how much we need." The older stallion sighed and rubbed his chin.
"Let's see there'd be the cost for me boat, me crew, meself, food and water for the voyage, maintenance for the return. and the length of the voyage, so that'd be 1000 Dracari."
"How long will that take to get?" Dusk asked.
"Hmm, between the twos of you 40 years."
"Forty years!" They both shouted.
"Give or take."
"Well then captain, have your ship ready." Escutcheon smiled. "We'll be back before the end of the year."
"Sure you will, but until then off with the lot of you."