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Archives: Building an Empire at Sea

Chapter 9: Return to the Freedom

    The dinghy moved fast and before they knew it they were at the ship. “Right then!” Red Ear huffed as he wrapped the rope around his arm and held the small vessel still so that the others could disembark. As for Ghost, she nimbly made her way up to the deck and began her rounds of begging for food.

    Anisa looked up at the battle worn ship. “Oi, this bucket be needin’ fixed, no doubt,” she said. “Well, no worries. I may not look it, but I’ll lend ye a hand in fixing up this ol’ tub. I ain’t just a perty face.” The half-elf took the rope first and began to agilely climb up the side of the ship.

    Kreoss followed Anisa up to the deck. He had to admit, looking at her backside was a pleasant experience, but she was nothing but eye candy. He had his wife here and he was satisfied. In fact, he was quite eager to see her and maybe consummate their marriage a little more when they got the chance.

    The half-elf swung back over the railing and looked across the deck. Tatia was sitting with one of the other female crew members. Silently, he crossed the deck and snuck up behind her. Gently, he stroked the top edge of her long half-elven ears. “I’m baaack...” he said in a sing-song voice.

    Tatia jumped slightly at the sudden touch, as she glanced at him, blushing prettily, she spoke softly, “Kreoss! You naughty thing you!” As her words came out in a whisper instead, to her surprise, she cleared her throat. “Is all well?” She looked into his eyes, attempting not to blush even more, as well as trying to prevent flashbacks from earlier on when they were alone below deck.

    After Kreoss went up, Mudan stood and took hold of the rope. However, instead of climbing up, he offered his hand to Alina. “Would you like some help up?” he offered. The dinghy was by no means stable as it bounced back and forth against the hull of the ship on the slight waves.

    Alina blushed at Mudan as he offered his hand to her. “Yeah, I guess,” she said to him. I can climb up myself, but I am a bit sleepy at the moment, she thought to herself as she giggled softly. Well, I am just a bit lazy. I need to get some work done and stop being lazy, she thought once again as she accepted Mudan’s help. The blush on her face grew darker as she watched the man. It had been a while since she was in love and it started to hurt her heart as she thought back on everything. There is no time for these memories. It is about time I got over them, she thought as she watched Mudan and smiled towards him.

    “Just climb up on my back then,” Mudan said and turned his back to Alina. Carrying her would probably be hard work, but any excuse to get close to her was good. She seemed upset again, and it bothered Mudan a bit. Why is she so emotional?

    “Alright Mudan,” Alina said in a soft voice. She climbed onto his back and held on with her arms around his neck. “I hope I am not too heavy,” she said, resting her head on his shoulder.

    Mudan wasn’t an especially strong man, but he could at least bear to carry a one hundred twenty-odd pound woman. The last thing he wanted to do was offend her by calling her heavy. Mudan grabbed the rope and poured all his strength into carrying himself and Alina up the hull of the ship. As he reached The Freedom’s battered railing, he stopped. “There ya go, hop on board,” he said.

    Alina climbed over the rail and looked back at Mudan. “Thanks Mudan,” she said smiling at him. “So, what shall we do? I know that we have some work to do, but what shall I do to help?” she asked. “I am sure my friend is already doing some work,” she said, then giggled.

    Mudan hopped over the railing after Alina climbed off him. His arms were damn sore from that short little climb, but he didn’t let it get to him. He looked over the crew, but no one was working yet. “Well, we should talk to the second mate. She’s the one who handles that sort of thing,” Mudan replied.

    “Hey, is Terelyn back yet?” Mudan called to the crew on deck.

    Varun shook his head at Mudan and Alina. It was not his business as long as they could keep from being distracted too much. Varun climbed up the rope after them. He was not even surprised at Anisa’s willingness to work, she seemed like the type for action, not waiting around. “It should not take too long to get the repairs done with your help,” he said to her.

* * *

    Tornalin had been keeping watch from the crow’s nest since they arrived, pacing back and forth he’d occupied the time humming to himself. He hoped they would be leaving port before the day was out, the last couple of hours had been spent trying to stave off boredom.

* * *

    Kreoss wrapped his arms around Tatia, pleased that she was in a good mood. “Nah, that island is just boring as hell, so we all came back,” he replied. “Is the captain back?”

    Tatia paused as she glanced at him, blushing a bit. “You know, I do not think so... I kind of stopped paying attention for a bit,” she said. “What did you do on the island?”

    “Not much,” Kreoss replied. “We found a couple new crew members though,” he said, motioning toward Alina and Anisa with his head. “What about Terelyn, is she back?” he asked, echoing Mudan’s question from across the deck.

    Tatia nodded, “Yes Terelyn is down below deck.” As she paused, she glanced at the two new members. She looked back up at Kreoss, idly wondering if she should be jealous. She mentally shook her head; no, she couldn’t see Kreoss doing that.

    “Alright.” Kreoss gave Tatia a smile, then glanced over his shoulder at Mudan. “Terelyn’s below deck,” he called to his fellow pirate.

    With his answer, Mudan turned toward the crew cabins, but paused. This could be a good chance to sneak a moment alone with Alina. Turning back to her, Mudan asked, “Do you wanna come with me?”

    Alina looked at Mudan, then she looked around the ship as she thought to herself. After a few seconds, her eyes ended back upon Mudan and she smile sweetly at him and nodded her head. “Yes, I would like to come,” she said walking up next to him. “Please, lead the way,” she said with a giggle.

    “Cm’on then,” he said, jerking his head toward the stairwell as he turned toward it. The young Azarnian pirate led Alina down below deck with a smirk on his lips while he had his back to her. Maybe she’d let him steal a moment with her.

* * *

    Looking back down at his wife, Kreoss’s smile returned. “I hope you weren’t too miserable without me,” he said. Reaching up, he stroked her red hair lovingly with the back of his hand. Yep, this is far better than those cheap whores on the island, Kreoss thought, recalling how they tried to get his patronage. A couple years ago, he might have taken them up on their offer, but definitely not now, now that he had a beautiful half-elf wife waiting for him.

    Tatia’s flush became obvious under her dark skin as a reaction from Kreoss’s touch. She tilted her head slightly to look up at him, smiling gently. Looking into his eyes, she spoke softly, “Hmm... It was absolute torture. Perhaps I should keep you chained to my side?” she teased lightly, not intending for it to be taken seriously. She could still feel her heart beating a bit erratically from his touch. As she tried her best to calm herself, she glanced from the corner of her eye to make sure no one was looking.

    Kreoss chuckled, knowing it was a joke. However, he also thought their might have been a grain of truth to the comment. Tatia had such a hard time dealing with being surrounded by strange men, and she had every right to be worried. At least on this crew she had some female companionship. He too felt much more at ease about her safety as well. Suddenly overwhelmed with the joy that she wouldn’t be stolen by some other pirate, Kreoss kissed her again.

    Tatia’s eyes widened and she blushed even more. She couldn’t help but kiss him back, hoping no one would see them kissing. Her heart felt as if it was about to burst threw her chest it was beating so fast. Tatia shyly reached up and cupped Kreoss’s cheek, slowly pulling away from his lips as her eyes flashed to his, she whispered softly, “Well..that was unexpected, but delightful.”

    Kreoss grinned, then chuckled. “Glad you liked it,” he replied. He would have liked to spend more time with his wife, but as far as he knew, they would be starting work at any moment. He glanced down at the entrance to the lower deck, wondering when Terelyn was going to come back up to give orders, but no one came. Looking down at his wife again, he ran his thumb over her cheek. “Hopefully tonight we can spend some more time together,” he said, then kissed her forehead.

* * *

    While repairs were underway on the Freedom, Malak had left alone to visit the old man of the island, a retired treasure hunter and pirate who settled here years before Malak first set foot on the island. The older man, ragged and rough sat out in the long grass smoking his long pipe. The scent of Alecrastian pipe-weed was heavy in the air as Malak drew nearer.

    “By a whale’s whiskers, I recognize that dignified look and twin scars. If it ain’t little Erstweil, all grown up I see, and quite the man you made. Still raping the seas with your flotsam, or did you bother getting a dinghy worth keeping?” the old man jabbered. “Never you mind that question, I can smell it in the air like cats in heat. You have a ship to yourselves and a mighty pretty crew.”

    Malak scoffed and sat in the grass, “I’m here on business, old man. You said about a decade ago that you came across some weapon that could make a man an emperor of the seas.”

    The old man’s face twitched. “Aye. But I can’t really give you something like that, Erstweil. I read about it, I found parts for it, but to make one, let alone enough to make a ship seem like the mighty god of the seas, I haven’t been able to do so.” The old man sighed and sucked hard on the pipe. “That idea, that weapon, might just be a pipe dream of a retired old salt. You’re better off loading siege weapons on a ship and anchoring them to your deck. Won’t help with speed or much in the way of maneuverability but it should get the job done.”

    Malak grunted. “I need something light weight but powerful that can be able to be adjusted with little problem. That leviathan, the beast, it sits out there like a mockery to my past,” Malak growled. “I was hoping that you’d be able to get me one of those things you dreamed about years ago, but to not have made any progress in the past decade—”

    The old man laughed and put out his pipe. “And how, Erstweil, could I be able to do anything? The mind’s willing, the body can’t keep up though.” He thrust out his knobby claw-like hands as proof of what he was saying. “I can barely hold a pipe, let alone a hammer and chisel. The gods damn us mortals with the imperfection called ‘aging’. I’m old, and while the mind works as if I were a lad...” He sighed. “I can do you a favor, if you need. In the Azarns, and in Alecrast there are some learned men there I had conversations with years ago. I’m not sure if the man in the Azarns still lives, but the man in Alecrast still breathes to this day, lest his elven heart burst out of his chest. This elf, an old fella, he doesn’t much like nature anymore, preferring the comforts of his laboratory. Since when do elves live in cities? Bah. I got old and wanted to live the quiet life away from them city folk, and he gets old and wants to have the hustle and bustle of the city around him. Different folks, different strokes, as they say.”

    Malak patiently waited on the old man to continue with his story, but after a minute, the old man hadn’t continued talking and Malak’s patience grew thin. “...You were saying...?”

    The old man snapped to immediately. “Right, right. The old elfin fella. Anyways, he lives in a big bustling port, bought out a lighthouse where he conducts his experiments on all sorts of machinations from the old kingdoms there. Perhaps he may be of some assistance to you. I don’t know if he lives alone, has an apprentice or the whatnot. Our letters very rarely contain much more than shop talk and jargon. Can’t really trust sailors with important letters without thought that they might be read without permission. I have a letter I writ for him, shortly before my left hand got all locked up and crippled. On the letter is his address. As I were saying, he’s a bright ol’ elf, and he might just good and well help you, if I ask him to.”

    Malak sighed. “Will you ask him to?”

    The old man grinned long and large. “Of course, little Erstweil, what do you take me for? But you gotta do me a favor.”

    Malak nodded. “Ask, and I’ll see what I can do.”

    The grin grew on the old man’s face. “I need a helper. Someone to be able to keep their yap shut and cook and clean. What do you call them things? Oh yeah, a wife. Get me one of them and I’ll write him a good sweet letter to be as helpful as a fish to a starving man.”

    Malak’s mood shifted south. Was this old coot really asking him to hook him up with a woman? After thinking on the matter, Malak rose to his feet. “I’ll see what I can do.” The old man cackled as Malak left ship-ward, both to see how the repairs were going and to think more on this ‘wife’ dilemma.

    Malak almost forgot about Lars saying to meet him at the bar. It was nearly noon, and he had said that free time was only until midday. Malak groaned, but moved to meet his friend in the bar. The older prostitutes shrunk from his shadow as he approached, obviously still remembering the last time he was in port. He gave them a vicious smile and entered the bar without any further hesitation. Lars sat at a table, pouring over an old map he had just purchased. It was slightly waterlogged by the looks of it, but still readable. Malak sat across from his old friend and flicked his balding head. “So, dwarf, what have you?” He said with a wide grin.

    Lars looked up after the flick and made a face. “Yer an imp,” He growled. “None of the women ’ere’ll touch me cuz they did see yer ugly mug.”

    Malak sighed. “Think of it as a wonderful opportunity then, you don’t get a diseased whore, and we save money on temple costs.”

    “Hardy fuckin’ har har,” Lars said unimpressed. “What did Old Man sputter on about this time? Flying ships? Exploding pineapples?”

    “Marriage,” Malak admitted. “I have to find him a wife.”

    Lars laughed heartily. “Well damn there shrike boy, I’d ne’er think you of a matchmaker type. Aren’t yer hands a little busy an’ bloody with that whole leviathan thing?”

    Malak sighed. “The sea serpent will have to wait. I can’t afford to lose more crew members when I’m already running a skeleton crew as it is. Besides, the quicker I get to Alecrast, the quicker I lose a lot of weight out of the cargo hold.”

    For the wealth of information and the comings and goings of the Island, a sly woman could learn from consorting the older prostitutes the men patronized. For a workingwoman’s best friend was the still prostitute; over the years when in Island’s port, the good captain had developed quite a rapport with the girls; Lythia had saw to it that her men were good and steady patrons and likewise the girls were obliged to loyally supply The Siren’s captain with a reliable stream of information.

    In the normal hustle and bustle of the bar, leant over a table in the shadows, the half-elven woman bought the Jenny a drink, and the women of business got down to business, less in spoken word and more in veiled looks and confirming gestures. It was work they were both after. The pirate had wanted the Jenny to bend her long ear with news before setting her aim. Jenny would not let her down. Rather, she set the captain’s sights on the two men, the two hard-drinking humans.

    “Terrible spot of trouble these days be bringin’ in, Ly. Terrible.” The ruddy haired human shook her head grimly between gulps and consoled, “More the merry for the girls, I’ll admit, but more o’ on account awashin’ ashore on account of that’ll wily ole snake. Shame, we’d hope ye’d be spared the wreck.”

    Lythia clapped a hand atop her shoulder in silent thanks. Jenny slowly smiled, knowing next year’s patron’s were assured, and went on, “Those fellas be what yer lookin’ for. Captain Malak and Lars. Nasty folk,” she scoffed her disapproval. “Louses had a bad run of it lately. Lookin’ for able bodies.” Sparing a moment to run an lewd appraising eye over the other woman, she darkly smirked. “Yers‘ll do.” She then added, “Iffing yer be leavin’ aga’n, we’ll take good care o’ yer men.”

    Lowering her mug from pert pursed lips, the pirate captain warned slyly. “Not too good. They’ll be needin’ legs an’ wits to repair. But see to it that they do, ‘n’ extra ye’d be getting’ next ‘round.”

    Jenny’s eyes brightened and she tipped her mug in admiration. They had struck an accord. “Till next time, Ly.”

    Lythia slid a silver down payment into the other woman’s palm and the two women fondly parted. “Aye. Til next time, Jenny.”

    Mulling over her mug and transaction, a plan was coming to mind. It would take a particular moxy, but Lythia could manage it easily. Now came the tricky part, how best to approach them? Too bold and she’d could be perceive as a threat—that simply wouldn’t do—and too weak and she’d be snubbed and cast aside—which also wouldn’t work. She’d risk it.

    With a sway of her hips, she stood. Weaving her way through the bawdy mishmash of cavorting humanity, Lythia came upon the two men engrossed in their troubles. If misery loved company then who was Lythia not to would oblige?

    “Heard ye’d be havin’ a rough spot o’ luck an’ been lookin’ for a crew,” her melodic voice rang out. Turning around a chair, a smiling Lythia took a seat, inviting herself to their conversation and table. “Fortunately, so ‘ave I.”

    Lars raised an eyebrow at the new arrival. “Oh, as ye please, just up ’n take a seat,” the balding man said, scratching the rough skin around the crown of his head. “I ain’t needin’ any crew, ’n any rough luck came from me ’n old Malak running into each other.”

    “I’m looking for able members to form a crew,” Malak said, dismissing Lars’s remarks. “However, the key word is ‘able’. I don’t hire based off of pretty faces and fancy-schmancy little techniques with a sword, spear or hammer. What brings you to the Isle of Wreckage? Most people don’t come here unless they’re maroons, traitors, or lastly, flotsam.”

    Lythia languidly smiled, allowing her eyes to lionishly drift over the particularly boisterous human, regarded the man like a lion must to a roaring mouse. Let him roar for all the good it will do him. “Aye, e’er ’n’ anon.” She would slam her paw down, but she had other, more pressing manners to attend than the loud-mouthed rodent. “Me ship ran afoul an sea serpent, and after picking its teeth with bones of ship and crew, the ire ocean vomited the wreckage ashore. Ne’r an accountable man or woman made it aground a’ piece, so the captain says, ‘Find ye work where ye can.’ So here I be.”

    Malak listened intently at her explanation despite other things weighing on his mind. “Welcome aboard then,” he said after she was finished. What in the hells am I going to do about the wife business? “The ship is anchored off shore but there should be a longboat waiting on shore to take any stragglers aboard the ship. If you have any other living crew members that would also like to get back to the salt and sea, just drag them by me first and we’ll see. Considering The Freedom is a little under-manned.”

    “Yer brain workin’ alright there Malak ol’ boy?” Lars cut in edge-wise. “She didn’t even introduce ’erself.”

    Malak kicked himself mentally after Lars reminded him. “Right. Your name, miss? Sorry for not asking it before, but my mind is a little heavy with other matters.”

    In a flash, the sea-vixen curtly nodded; they had an accord. She spun the chair right-ways under the wooden table and agilely turned her sinuous body to leave. “Lokei,” her silvery voice simply spoke and hung on the gallows of the air.

    As Malak was debating his conundrum shortly after the departure of “Lokei”, the town’s constable came in, dragging behind him a purple-haired girl with her hands tied. Looking over the patrons of the bar, he spotted Malak, then stomped towards him.

    “Does this belong to ye?” he growled, pushing the girl forward by the arm. It was Ursula, the stowaway thief from Raiden.

    “She does,” Malak shot the man a glare. “What did she do?”

    The constable pulled a sack off of his belt and dropped it in the middle of Malak’s table. It rang out with the sound of coins and metal. “She was caught doin’ a little discount ‘shopping’ in the market,” the constable replied.

    Ursula, gave Malak a sickly pleading smile, but she seemed to know all too well how much trouble she had gotten herself into.

    Malak’s glare moved from the constable to Ursula. “Is that so?” he asked with a scowl painted on his face. He was tempted to just leave her to the punishment of the island but Lars spoke up.

    “An’ how much do I owe ye? I’ll pay ’er bail, and she can work her ass off on m’ ship,” Lars stated before Malak could respond again. “I ’ave a habit of breakin’ thieves of their nasty ’abits. If indeed that’s all aright with you constable, sir.”

    The constable was pleased with the arrangement, and Ursula as well. Compared to spending the next few months in jail on this miserable little speck of land, or Malak following through with his threat when he had first found her, working with the other crew was preferable.

    “Very well,” the constable replied, then handed her over to Lars. “Fi’ty gold is what she owes, and I’ll be takin’ back what she stole.”

    “Only?” Lars grumbled. “Hey, Malak, ol’ boy, got change for a Raiden? Ah, ta hell with it.” He tossed the constable the Raiden piece and got up grabbing his map and items. “I’ll be settin’ her to work Malak, don’ ye worry ’bout that. I’m gonna work ya like a slave missy. Yer gonna wish you were spendin’ yer days in an Alecrastian gulag.” Having his stuff already he grabbed Ursula by the ropes on her hands and dragged her off to the ship.

    However, Lars had said something that sparked something in Malak’s mind. He had slaves, a bunch of them. If he could find a nice unmarried female slave, he could give her to the old man as a wife. She’d get her freedom, he’d get the wife, and Malak would get the recommendation to that elven man that the old Man knew. He slapped down a couple coins to pay for Lars’s drinks and ran off to the longboat. Finally, the solution to the problem was right in front of his eyes and feasible.

* * *

    With no orders to be given, and nothing to do, Anisa decided to explore a bit. The half-elf made her way over to the helm, bounding up the steps to the upper deck gracefully on her long legs. She ran her fingers along the polished wheel, then looked out over the crew. It was small, but apparently they made it work this far. With Anisa, they would have a trump card for any future battles; she could summon the Kraken. The half-elf smirked. Her previous ship was a week ahead, and there was a good chance they could cross paths. Knowing her former captain’s pride, he would probably out-right attack another pirate on the open sea. He had no interest of joining a fleet under someone else, but he probably wouldn’t be opposed to starting his own. If they met, Anisa could probably find a way to take that ship for herself. She could live with sailing under another fleet’s flag. After all, she had all the time in the world to inherit the rank of admiral once the humans above her died. She could be patient for some things, after sixty years, you tend to learn it.

    Varun walked up to the helm as he saw Anisa up there. Tilting his head toward Anisa, he spoke, “So how did you and your friend come to be stranded on this island? You both seem to be experienced enough that it is just a little strange.”

    With a grin to the pirate who just came up to her, Anisa leaned on the wheel. “Well, it ain’t easy for a lady on a pirate ship. Our former cap’n threw me ’n’ ’lina overboard ’cus we were distractin’ the crewmen. ’twas only the two o’ amongst a crew of men. Mighty big temptation for ’em ye know?” she explained in her lilting accent. “I can imagine It’ll be easier ’ere, with such a balance o’ genders an’ all.”

    Shrugging his shoulders and smirking, Varun had to admit that this one was going to make a good member of the crew. “It should be for us all,” he said, chuckling softly as he crossed his arms over his chest. “For the most part, all the ladies I that are a part of this crew can easily out work most of the men I have worked with in the past.”

    Kneeling down next to the wheel and making sure that there was no damages from the last fight, Varun chuckled softly. “Now I can understand what your old captain said about distraction of the crewmen, but anyone that lets themselves be distracted should be the ones thrown overboard, not one the causing the distraction.”

    “Yeah, well, ’e didn’ ’ave much in the way o’ reasonin’,” Anisa replied with a shrug. “Yer cap’n, Malak. ’e seems like a keen one, eh? Can ye tell me a bit o’ what ’e’s like?”

    Varun shrugged slightly, pausing for a moment. Malak was very keen, he had kept them all alive this far. “The cap’n is a very keen one. I must admit I don’t know to much about him. We all have just joined up, but I have a feeling that there is more about Malak then he is letting us know.” Standing up and brushing off his hands, Varun sighed. “I only wish there was not so much trouble between him and Terelyn.”

    “Trouble, eh?” Anisa replied, arching an eyebrow. “Who’s this Terelyn, an’ what sort o’ trouble? Lo’ers quarrel?”

    Varun could not help but chuckle at the thought of Malak and Terelyn as lovers, while odder things could happen there was a high chance for them to kill each other before that would happen. “Terelyn is the first mate. And if it was a lovers quarrel I would not be worried.”

    Turning back to look at the island and shaking his head, Varun only shrugged his shoulders slightly. “Cap’n has one view of running the ship which is not that strict. Don’t get me wrong I would not dare do anything that would get myself in trouble because the last thing I would want is to walk the plank. Terelyn wants things to be more strict, I think she does not truly think Malak respects her as the first mate.”

    “Hmm...sounds like a recipe fer trouble,” Anisa replied. Perhaps something I could use to my advantage, she thought. Pausing for a moment, Anisa looked out over the deck, and seeing nothing still to be done, she turned back to Varun. “So, tell me ’bout yerself, mate. Where ye ’ail from?”

    “It is, through I expect it will work out one way or another,” Varun said, cracking his knuckles. “I was born in Raiden, through where I call home is on the sea itself. I have spent my life on one ship or another and that is how I want that to be.” Sighing softly, he shook his head slightly. “I need to be back to work soon. I rather be sailing as soon as possible. It is hard to reach one’s goals by just sitting in one place waiting.”

    “Aye, the ocean was meant fer sailin’, not fer sittin’,” Anisa replied. Testing her limits, she tried a joke. “Mebbe ye should haul up anchor and we’ll just run off now,” the half-elf said with a wink.

    Varun tilted his head and thought for a moment before shaking his head. He replied with a wink, “Very tempting offer, but at the moment it is not worth having the cap’n hunting us down.”

    Anisa chuckled, but she was a little disappointed by his lack of wit. “It only be in jest, mate!” she said, slapping his arm. “Well, my li’l ’lina disappeared with that han’some youngin’ and she ain’t been up fer air yet. Better go check on ’em, I suppose.” Anisa turned away and began to walk back down to the deck. “See ye later, Varun,” she said with a wave over her shoulder.

* * *

    Mudan led Alina down to the first deck, but he didn’t want to disturb Terelyn just yet--not that his reasoning was due to any concern for Terelyn herself. “I should probably show you around a little,” he said to Alina. “You can tell your friend where everything is later.” Taking her hand, Mudan gently pulled her towards the crew quarters.

    Alina blushed a bit as she followed Mudan down to the first deck. She fixed some of her hair behind her ear and played with it a bit. “Yeah,” she said in a soft voice as she looked around. Before she noticed it, Mudan had taken her hand and started to pull. She blushed even more as she followed him.

    Mudan stepped through a doorway into a long room that followed the length of the ship. Bunks lined the walls, but with the small crew, it was obvious that hardly any of them were used. “Well, here’s the crew quarters,” he said, still holding her by the hand since she hadn’t protested. “Go ahead and pick out a bunk. We haven’t really picked over what was left by the old crew, but there are chests with every set of bunks. You might be able to find something interesting or useful.”

    Alina looked around as he spoke. “Bunk...” she said as soon as he finished speaking. She took a step forward and looked back Mudan. “Why don’t you help me pick?” she asked, looking back at the bunks. “I would really appreciate it if you do,” she said as she held onto his hand tighter.

    “Sure,” Mudan replied with a grin. “If you want to stay near me, my bunk is right over here,” he said, then lead her across the deck to one of the beds a little ways from the doorway. With a shrug, he added, “But if you’d like a little more privacy, you can take one further down,” he pointed off into section toward the stern. “Most of us are sleeping up here in the aft section.”

    “Ohh,” Alina said softly. “I guess I will take one a bit more down,” she said, walking a few more steps away from his bunk. “Is that alright with you?” she asked, touching a bunk and looked right for her. “I can come by you if you wish, I don’t mind being close by you,” she said, blushing a bit as she looked at him.

    Mudan leaned against the bunks next to him. “Well, where ever you feel most comfortable is best,” he replied. Maybe I should make a move... The pirate then pushed off the bed and walked up to Alina again, moving close to her. “But, if you feel comfortable with me, you could be closer...” he said, then reached up and brushed her cheek with the back of his hand.

    Alina’s heart beat went a little faster as she Mudan approach her. “Well, even though we just meet, I do feel a bit comfortable with you,” she said as she felt her cheeks burn a lot more. “Very comfortable.”

    Mudan felt that she was giving him the permission he was seeking, so he began to slowly lean down to kiss her, but he made sure his movements were slow enough that she knew what was coming, and could stop it if she didn’t want it. “Just...how comfortable?” he whispered as his lips closed the distance and finally went to meet hers.

    “A lot,” she said very softly. Her heart beat even faster as she closed her eyes and allowed him to kiss her.

    Thank the gods! Mudan thought as Alina let him kiss her. He pressed deeper into the kiss and ran his hand that had been lingering on her cheek back to her hair. His other arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her closer to him. Alina’s blush slowly went away as she felt more comfortable kissing him and she placed both her hands around his neck.

    Mudan slipped his tongue between Alina’s lips, pouring more passion into the kiss. However, his height made kisses like this hard on his back. Crouching down and trying not to break the kiss, Mudan reached behind Alina and put his arms under her thighs, then lifted her so she could wrap her legs around his hips. He leaned back against the bunks, taking a considerable amount of strain off his arms as well.

    How did I reach here? Alina asked herself over and over again. She couldn’t help but stay there as they continued to kiss. As Mudan wanted her to, she wrapped her legs around his hips. Pleased that their kiss was only becoming more passionate, Mudan wasn’t about to stop unless she did. Mudan turned, carrying Alina, and pressed her back against the bulkhead. He broke the kiss, but his lips only moved to her neck to continue.

    Alina smiled as she felt Mudan kissing her neck. This feel so good but, it just isn’t right to be here with a man I just meet today, she said as she bit her lip and sighed. Alina was enjoying being with Mudan but she know that if both of them continued, it would go too far. Alina stopped him and then smiled. “I am sorry Mudan,” she said as the blush appeared on her face once again. “Lets not go too far. I still need to get and know you much more better.”

    Alina touched Mudan’s hair and giggled. “I know that we just meet but...” she said, then paused, “... I think I am falling in love with you,” she said, blushing more. “I know it is weird but, that is how I feel,” she said as she started playing with Mudan’s hair.

    Though disappointed, Mudan didn’t fight the issue. However, when she said she loved him, he was a little worried. They hadn’t known each other very long yet, and though he was more than willing to admit he was attracted, love was a long leap. He found himself at a loss for words. Maybe she was just confusing her emotions of lust for love. He smiled for her sake and brushed his hand over her bangs. “Well, let’s just see where the sea takes us,” he said.

    Mudan set Alina down and took a step back. “Let’s continue with that tour then, hmm?”

    Alina listened to what Mudan had to say and she sighed softly, then looked at the ground. She then looked back up at Mudan and replied, “Alright then Mudan.”

    After her conversation with Varun, Anisa wandered below deck to find Alina and Mudan, as well as check the layout of the boat. Popping her head into the crew quarters, she noticed the pair in a corner. “Oi! Ye ain’t gettin’ in trouble with the menfolk, are ye ’lina?” Anisa said, rather loudly.

    Alina quickly looked toward the direction she heard the voice from, then she smiled and tried to hide her blush as she looked at Anisa. “Ohh, well no,” she said loud enough for her to hear her. She looked at Mudan and started to pull him towards the exit. “Let’s go, I want to see some more,” she said, letting go off Mudan and walking over to Anisa. “Mudan can show us around if you want him to.”

    Anisa caught the blush on Alina’s cheeks—her elven side afforded her powerful vision, even in the dark of the crew quarters. She didn’t doubt Alina had been doing something with the young sailor, but Anisa wasn’t one to blow whistles when people were enjoying themselves However, it could lead to problems with the captain. IF that was the case, Alina would be fending for herself. “Sure, why the ’ell not, eh?” Anisa replied. “Lead on, mate,” she said, offering Mudan to step ahead.

    Mudan gave a nod to Anisa and stepped ahead of the two women. Today was going to be a rough one after that little moment of passion...

    “Well, uh... These are the crew quarters. There aren’t many people, so most bunks are free,” he said. “Let’s go on to the galley.”

    Mudan stepped out of the crew quarters and back into the main corridor, then lead the two on. When he reached the galley, he stopped next to the entry and let the two get a look at it. “Here it is. Lilly does most of the cooking,” he explained. Realizing they probably didn’t know many of the crew yet, he made a mental note to introduce everyone after this little tour.

    “There isn’t much else really. Around the way, at the aft of the ship is the captain’s quarters. Below this deck is the cargo hold,” he explained. “We’ve got a full haul, and we’re going to sell it off in Mirarra. We’re heading straight for port, as far as I know... So long as we don’t run into any sea monsters.”

    “A full haul, eh? Ye been stockin’ up or did ye steal a cargo ship?” Anisa asked.

    “We just stole the ship right out of Raiden,” he replied. He was reluctant to explain just what their cargo was, and due to the moral implications, he worried that the two women might object; if not Anisa—who seemed to be a seasoned pirate of who knew how many years—then Alina.

* * *

    Lilly gave a soft sigh, watching all the going-ons happening about her. She would be of no help here, hammering and fixing, that wasn’t her expertise. “I should probably get dinner on the stove,” she said under her breath. Taking quick but careful steps the nimble fighter removed herself from the top deck to work on preparing a meal. As she couldn’t help above deck it was only natural that she’d be of some help in the kitchen.

    Lilly came down the steps towards the galley with a small skip in her step. She dared not skip about too much for fear of opening her wound more. The bubbly redhead reached the galley and went about her business preparing the next meal.

    “Oh, that’s Lilly,” Mudan said as the young woman came down to the galley. “C’mon,” he said, then headed back into the galley. “Hey Lilly, these are our two new crewmates, Alina & Anisa,” Mudan introduced them.

    Anisa trailed behind Mudan, though she wanted to ask about their cargo, just to figure out how much they might be earning. As they met the cook, Anisa gave her a nod and a “Yo,” before turning back to Mudan. “So, what’s yer cargo?”

    “Err...” Mudan stalled for a moment, trying to figure out a way to explain what it could be without offending the sensibilities of his potential lover.

    Lilly acknowledged Anisa’s small greeting, but was rather disgusted that Anisa was asking about the cargo. It seemed like Mudan didn’t want to say, so Lilly would step up to the plate on this matter. “Frankly, it’s none of your concern,” she said sharply, glaring at the half-elven woman. “As both a newcomer as well as a member of this crew, what lies in the cargo hold is the concern of the captain and his first mate, not that of someone who just happened to get picked up and added to the crew roster.”

    Anisa raised her eyebrow at Lilly. They had something they didn’t want to talk about, that was obvious. Anisa wasn’t going to start a fight over this; she could easily investigate on her own if she felt it was that important. “Oi, ’cuse me. Just a lil’ curious is all, mate,” she replied to Lilly nonchalantly, though obviously not intimidated.

    The half-elf turned around to Mudan again, moving on with business. “’ey Mudan, we’re ye gonna find yer first mate so we could get started on fixin’ up this ol’ tub?”

    Mudan breathed a sigh of relief as Lilly took care of the matter. Thankfully the half-elf didn’t persist, and reminded him of what he initially went below deck for. “Oh, yeah,” he replied. “We’d better go check the crew quarters, I guess.”

    When the cook came down, Alina just smiled at her. She was a bit tired and was ready to sneak away and get some rest, but she needed to do some work. She barely listened to what was going on, but there was a lot going through her head. Did I really get everything I want? she thought as she tried to recount in her head. Yeah, just about. Looking at Mudan, she blushed again, then nodded her head once to him and followed them.

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