Nero the Sailor - 8

Prompt:

Give some dialog about Nero making friends with the crew in his new role as a lookout.  Nero quickly becomes part of the crew and now the captain has to pay up.

Story: 

Nero quickly found his footing on the ship as a lookout, scanning the horizon for any sign of danger. He soon found that his keen eye and quick reflexes made him a valuable asset to the crew, and he quickly made friends with his fellow sailors.

One evening, as the ship sailed peacefully across the Mediterranean, Nero found himself chatting with his new friends on the deck. They swapped stories of their past adventures and shared a few laughs, and Nero couldn't help but feel grateful for the camaraderie he had found on the ship.

Suddenly, the captain appeared on the deck, a serious look on his face. "Nero, I need to talk to you in private," he said. Nero's heart sank as he followed the captain to his cabin, wondering what he could have possibly done wrong.

To his surprise, the captain had a grin on his face when he turned to face Nero. "I owe you an apology, Nero," he said. "I promised you a reward for joining our crew, and I haven't delivered on that promise yet."

Nero was taken aback. "Sir, you don't have to do that. I'm just happy to be here with all of you," he said.

The captain shook his head. "Nonsense. A promise is a promise, and I always keep my word. Tomorrow, we'll make port at the next island, and I'll arrange for a sorcerer to restore your missing eye. Consider it payment for your service on this ship." Nero felt a lump form in his throat as he realized just how much the captain valued his contribution to the crew. He vowed to work even harder in the days to come, determined to prove that he was worthy of the captain's faith in him.