"I'm going back to the king's side and service of course, I only asked shelter from the spirits for you and your friends, you were wounded and they were tired. These winds and rains are no bother to my kind, air and water are elements after all, I normally manage those better than people. For now... I must return to Merthyr urgently his life may depend on it" muttered Taff vaguely glancing further afield.
"As for your assistance all help is welcomed" nodded Taff
Merthyr tried to disregard the hard stares by keeping his eyes downcast letting Chowder lead the way
"I'm being forced by Captain Morgan to court the damsels here to prepare for a fiance, have you any good advice to share, you seem quite a ladies' man clearly" quizzed Merthyr pausing by the entrance reluctantly, not about to go in unless he had to
"I tell ye cptn' Morgan The Natoru Tradn' Company... tis crown property lately... heavy guarded 'n all, rotten Conrad bought it... all but two seasons ago... yet it cost me two ships, crew and merchandise already" assured and complained Blackbeard
"Damn it... I'll need to persuade Merthyr to forfeit it... leave it with me, I will figure something out, this large corporation is our best client after all, where slaves are concerned, they buy them all no questions asked and at a good price too" frowned Morgan rubbing his forehead in mild stress at yet another unknown change that made their wealth heavily dwindle
"As for your assistance all help is welcomed" nodded Taff
Merthyr tried to disregard the hard stares by keeping his eyes downcast letting Chowder lead the way
"I'm being forced by Captain Morgan to court the damsels here to prepare for a fiance, have you any good advice to share, you seem quite a ladies' man clearly" quizzed Merthyr pausing by the entrance reluctantly, not about to go in unless he had to
"I tell ye cptn' Morgan The Natoru Tradn' Company... tis crown property lately... heavy guarded 'n all, rotten Conrad bought it... all but two seasons ago... yet it cost me two ships, crew and merchandise already" assured and complained Blackbeard
"Damn it... I'll need to persuade Merthyr to forfeit it... leave it with me, I will figure something out, this large corporation is our best client after all, where slaves are concerned, they buy them all no questions asked and at a good price too" frowned Morgan rubbing his forehead in mild stress at yet another unknown change that made their wealth heavily dwindle
Sirina chuckled softly at the barrage of questions from her small companion. "No I was born and raised in a kingdom which neighbors that Taff now serves his king in. I have never been to the northern lands - that is one reason I wished for more adventure, to see more of the world and how it works. I don't know how anyone could be so content to never step foot outside their own homeland." She fell silent a long moment, then continued. "We have no jungles there, and it is much drier, more arid, despite the close proximity to the ocean. My birth town is the royal city, a trade hub for many of the surrounding kingdoms. Lately though trade seems to be going poorly."
Something about Xochi caused a freedom to Sirina's tongue. She found something inherently trustworthy about the dragon, and it was a near slip to release what she thought was still a secret. Taking a breath she took stock of what else she could offer. "I feel that many, unfortunately, might fear you because they didn't know what you are or how you'd behave - friend or foe. But I know that King Michail is good, kind, and would offer you protection until the people should grow more used to one such as you..." her voice grew soft when speaking of her father, a pang of loneliness shooting through her. She was a long way from home. "I am hoping to find a way off of this island soon. Yet, how eludes me." Frustration filled her tones momentarily, before she released it, trying to instead focus on just the next step.
After Xochi collected fruits she moved forward, bare feet silent, to help collect them. It was then she heard a body approaching their location. Dropping her coconuts and the other odd looking fruits, she spun, drawing her dagger as she turned to face the as yet unidentified person, not knowing Mark had followed. Her heart beat faster, wondering if it was a pirate, and assessing the possibilities of running away.
Something about Xochi caused a freedom to Sirina's tongue. She found something inherently trustworthy about the dragon, and it was a near slip to release what she thought was still a secret. Taking a breath she took stock of what else she could offer. "I feel that many, unfortunately, might fear you because they didn't know what you are or how you'd behave - friend or foe. But I know that King Michail is good, kind, and would offer you protection until the people should grow more used to one such as you..." her voice grew soft when speaking of her father, a pang of loneliness shooting through her. She was a long way from home. "I am hoping to find a way off of this island soon. Yet, how eludes me." Frustration filled her tones momentarily, before she released it, trying to instead focus on just the next step.
After Xochi collected fruits she moved forward, bare feet silent, to help collect them. It was then she heard a body approaching their location. Dropping her coconuts and the other odd looking fruits, she spun, drawing her dagger as she turned to face the as yet unidentified person, not knowing Mark had followed. Her heart beat faster, wondering if it was a pirate, and assessing the possibilities of running away.
She had put a solid fifteen paces between her and the disturbed underbrush, at this point almost hopeful that it had been nothing more than an errant creature scavenging for bugs. A really big one, looking for really big bugs, because it was... really hungry? Just to be safe, she had been dragging the oar through the sand, prioritizing the need for defensive options rather than caring if someone knew the direction she went. There were plenty of inland areas to lose a tail and she was reasonably confident she could outrun most people.
Having ample time to mentally prepare, she scarcely flinched as a figure stumbled from the forest, recovering alarmingly quickly before turning towards her to raise an already loaded weapon. Lungs relinquished another long winded sigh, eyes darting upward to gauge just how much time she had before the storm would be upon her, squinting as she fell upon the realization that she would either need to stall for the rain or put a bit more distance between them. A finger on a trigger was encouraging her to pursue the former option.
“Hello, Friend! What nice weather we’ve having today, wouldn’t you agree?” She ignored his question at first, offering the sweetest smile that could be drawn to her lips, eyes alight with friendly expression as they wistfully scanned the horizon. “The cloudy skies, the threat of rain, the strong winds…” Extra emphasis was dramatically applied to the final word, her wandering gaze snapping to match his on the final syllable.
She didn’t wait for a response, there was no reason to. Just by his appearance and voice alone she could tell he wasn’t like the other two pirates she had briefly encountered on what was quickly becoming a long and tiresome day. His clothes were cleaner, his posture authoritative, and his weapon drawn and ready as if his original intent was to drop her from the safety of cover. Lady luck had given her a second chance, nothing else could have. And it appeared that before this day was up she might need a little more help from the fickle matron.
A finger came up from one hand, the other scooping up a fist full of cyan locks to remove them from her face. “That’s a really nice toy you’ve got there, pity it’s useless out here right now.” Whether it was or wasn’t, she lacked the knowledge of archery to know with any degree of certainty. But the wind was broadsiding her shoulder, and only getting stronger by the minute. “Why, there’s no telling where that bolt would end up if you pulled that trigger, and no telling how long it’d take you to reload...” She let her voice drift off into the space between them, a provocative tone mixed with an innocent smile.
She buried the broad tip of the oar vertically into the sand so arms could rise up and overlap both hands on its pointed top, allowing her head to fall between them until her shoulder contacted the wooden shaft, half of her weight now supported by it. A solitary leg extended out to press a knee into its side for added support, the other remaining behind, ready to spin her body at a moment's notice to flee at the first opportunity. Feet gently rocked her to and fro as they maintained the balance, bringing all but her head into the delicate sway. It remained static, and her eyes never left his.
“Why don’t you put that thing down and I can tell you of how this here boot licker was stealing treasure off your island, and I how I stopped him for you.” Her tone rose to an aloof pitch, eyes inspecting her fingernails in feigned detachment as she motioned towards her beached rowboat. “I’m feeling generous today, so a simple ‘Thank you’ will suffice.” If she could stall him until the rain came, the moisture would permeate the bow string and further rob it of its usefulness. It wouldn’t guarantee her escape, but that, mixed with the wind in the air and the oar buried in the sand at her feet, would raise her chances significantly.
Having ample time to mentally prepare, she scarcely flinched as a figure stumbled from the forest, recovering alarmingly quickly before turning towards her to raise an already loaded weapon. Lungs relinquished another long winded sigh, eyes darting upward to gauge just how much time she had before the storm would be upon her, squinting as she fell upon the realization that she would either need to stall for the rain or put a bit more distance between them. A finger on a trigger was encouraging her to pursue the former option.
“Hello, Friend! What nice weather we’ve having today, wouldn’t you agree?” She ignored his question at first, offering the sweetest smile that could be drawn to her lips, eyes alight with friendly expression as they wistfully scanned the horizon. “The cloudy skies, the threat of rain, the strong winds…” Extra emphasis was dramatically applied to the final word, her wandering gaze snapping to match his on the final syllable.
She didn’t wait for a response, there was no reason to. Just by his appearance and voice alone she could tell he wasn’t like the other two pirates she had briefly encountered on what was quickly becoming a long and tiresome day. His clothes were cleaner, his posture authoritative, and his weapon drawn and ready as if his original intent was to drop her from the safety of cover. Lady luck had given her a second chance, nothing else could have. And it appeared that before this day was up she might need a little more help from the fickle matron.
A finger came up from one hand, the other scooping up a fist full of cyan locks to remove them from her face. “That’s a really nice toy you’ve got there, pity it’s useless out here right now.” Whether it was or wasn’t, she lacked the knowledge of archery to know with any degree of certainty. But the wind was broadsiding her shoulder, and only getting stronger by the minute. “Why, there’s no telling where that bolt would end up if you pulled that trigger, and no telling how long it’d take you to reload...” She let her voice drift off into the space between them, a provocative tone mixed with an innocent smile.
She buried the broad tip of the oar vertically into the sand so arms could rise up and overlap both hands on its pointed top, allowing her head to fall between them until her shoulder contacted the wooden shaft, half of her weight now supported by it. A solitary leg extended out to press a knee into its side for added support, the other remaining behind, ready to spin her body at a moment's notice to flee at the first opportunity. Feet gently rocked her to and fro as they maintained the balance, bringing all but her head into the delicate sway. It remained static, and her eyes never left his.
“Why don’t you put that thing down and I can tell you of how this here boot licker was stealing treasure off your island, and I how I stopped him for you.” Her tone rose to an aloof pitch, eyes inspecting her fingernails in feigned detachment as she motioned towards her beached rowboat. “I’m feeling generous today, so a simple ‘Thank you’ will suffice.” If she could stall him until the rain came, the moisture would permeate the bow string and further rob it of its usefulness. It wouldn’t guarantee her escape, but that, mixed with the wind in the air and the oar buried in the sand at her feet, would raise her chances significantly.
Xochi listened with rapt attention as Sirina told her more. The feathered crest on the dragon’s head was raised in interest at the woman’s retelling. It slowly settled back to its normal position when she spoke of how the dragon might be received in her kingdom, she gave a small nod in understanding.
She remained quiet for a moment as the woman began to pick up the various fruits. “As for finding a way off this island, why not go by boat? That is how you arrived here after all.” Xochi said simply, as if that was an easy thing to acquire.
“Or, if the situation happened to arise... there is my way.” Her wings shivered but stayed closed, the light caught on them and made an iridescent flash of color for a second.
The little dragon looked thoughtful for a moment as she ran through the details in her mind, “Though… my way would take some—“ She was cut off when Sirina spun around. Xochi tensed her body to keep her place on the lady’s shoulders and her tongue flickered out rapidly in assessment. She had smelled earlier that the other man from their company had been nearing and had not raised any alarm. The dragon now thought that perhaps she should have, considering the situation.
She remained quiet for a moment as the woman began to pick up the various fruits. “As for finding a way off this island, why not go by boat? That is how you arrived here after all.” Xochi said simply, as if that was an easy thing to acquire.
“Or, if the situation happened to arise... there is my way.” Her wings shivered but stayed closed, the light caught on them and made an iridescent flash of color for a second.
The little dragon looked thoughtful for a moment as she ran through the details in her mind, “Though… my way would take some—“ She was cut off when Sirina spun around. Xochi tensed her body to keep her place on the lady’s shoulders and her tongue flickered out rapidly in assessment. She had smelled earlier that the other man from their company had been nearing and had not raised any alarm. The dragon now thought that perhaps she should have, considering the situation.
"Oi!" The thief started. "It doesn't matter how well y' do in the rain, they'll make y' inta cheese out there. An' I doubt goin' in there is going t' help, either. Iffin y' want me t' help, I need t' know there's a plan!" Tye was still on the fence but thought that he might as well give Taff a bit of trouble for being so abrupt about his decision; to the boy, the brazen approach imagined seemed stupid at best.
His exclamation provided Tye an uncomfortable reminder, in the form of some light-headedness. Though his body was healed, the thief had by no means recovered all the way. The soft ache in his torso reminded him that rest was still needed; he scowled as his hand rested over the spot which pained him. "Well, whatever. My plan is t' split as soon as th' opportunity comes. If I find meself a boat t' sail away, better not expect me t' wait years for you two."
_
Mark kept most of his focus on finding Sirina and Xochi but allowed his mind to drift somewhat to more pleasant things; it wasn't hard to do, since he was surrounded by plants and animals that he'd never seen before. Though the older man gave suspect wildlife a wide berth he found in his later age an appreciation for it; something which made him wish he'd paid more attention to it in his younger years. There was still so little that he knew...
He must have been making progress, for Mark could hear the two familiar voices ahead. He followed them, figuring they could identify him from there. He wasn't exactly sneaking, after all. Scholarly curiosity distracted the older man from anticipating that he might startle those he sought to find; it wasn't until Rin dropped her findings to point the dagger in his face that he even looked over at them. Startled, the older slave threw his hands up on either side while uttering a surprised swear in his first language. "Woah there! Its just me; I am sorry for that."
_
"Uh, well, I only e'er had to do somethin' like that... four times. But, if y' need pointers, here's mine. When ye're solidifyin' the marriage, right, make sure to close yer eyes-- tight as y' might-- and think of yer most dearest sweetheart." The pirate gave the king a genuine smile, as if his idea were groundbreaking.
When the prisoner stopped one of the pirates behind him growled and tried to kick at one of his calves, snapping, "In ye' go, chum!"
_
Tris watched Arianna's posturing with a steady, and seemingly disgusted expression. "Rest assured, woman, this weapon is powerful enough to compensate." Though he was quick to dismiss the concern over wind, he considered it valid; if the crossbow were bigger it wouldn't be a problem but the pull of something so small left the matter in question. But weapons weren't the only ways to subdue a foe.
Either way, he could tell that regardless of her story the master-of-arm's time was short. "Ah. How generous of you." Unfortunately for her, that was exactly why he decided to shoot then and there; aiming for the stranger's left leg.
His exclamation provided Tye an uncomfortable reminder, in the form of some light-headedness. Though his body was healed, the thief had by no means recovered all the way. The soft ache in his torso reminded him that rest was still needed; he scowled as his hand rested over the spot which pained him. "Well, whatever. My plan is t' split as soon as th' opportunity comes. If I find meself a boat t' sail away, better not expect me t' wait years for you two."
_
Mark kept most of his focus on finding Sirina and Xochi but allowed his mind to drift somewhat to more pleasant things; it wasn't hard to do, since he was surrounded by plants and animals that he'd never seen before. Though the older man gave suspect wildlife a wide berth he found in his later age an appreciation for it; something which made him wish he'd paid more attention to it in his younger years. There was still so little that he knew...
He must have been making progress, for Mark could hear the two familiar voices ahead. He followed them, figuring they could identify him from there. He wasn't exactly sneaking, after all. Scholarly curiosity distracted the older man from anticipating that he might startle those he sought to find; it wasn't until Rin dropped her findings to point the dagger in his face that he even looked over at them. Startled, the older slave threw his hands up on either side while uttering a surprised swear in his first language. "Woah there! Its just me; I am sorry for that."
_
"Uh, well, I only e'er had to do somethin' like that... four times. But, if y' need pointers, here's mine. When ye're solidifyin' the marriage, right, make sure to close yer eyes-- tight as y' might-- and think of yer most dearest sweetheart." The pirate gave the king a genuine smile, as if his idea were groundbreaking.
When the prisoner stopped one of the pirates behind him growled and tried to kick at one of his calves, snapping, "In ye' go, chum!"
_
Tris watched Arianna's posturing with a steady, and seemingly disgusted expression. "Rest assured, woman, this weapon is powerful enough to compensate." Though he was quick to dismiss the concern over wind, he considered it valid; if the crossbow were bigger it wouldn't be a problem but the pull of something so small left the matter in question. But weapons weren't the only ways to subdue a foe.
Either way, he could tell that regardless of her story the master-of-arm's time was short. "Ah. How generous of you." Unfortunately for her, that was exactly why he decided to shoot then and there; aiming for the stranger's left leg.
Merthyr, who had walked the length of the journey with his arms raised, pressed against the back of the head, received the kick from behind which made his leg cave in, his unsteady step dislodging Chowder's arm from his shoulders briefly till he regained his posture and the man's limb and weight again
"Honestly, Chowder, I don't have any woman in my life and I don't want one or need one in my bed either, least of all from here" muttered Merthyr entering the building with lips pursed in silence, scouting the crowded hall surprised to not see Triss there already waiting for him, the captains nowhere in sight either to keep the least order
Taff paused and returned to Tye's side.
"You're right, friend, you need to eat and rest and we need a plan, I am not very good at any of this so I will do as you indicate" yielded Taff in a friendly tone, pausing himself
Sometimes you just have to slow down, to cover more ground he thought to himself
"Honestly, Chowder, I don't have any woman in my life and I don't want one or need one in my bed either, least of all from here" muttered Merthyr entering the building with lips pursed in silence, scouting the crowded hall surprised to not see Triss there already waiting for him, the captains nowhere in sight either to keep the least order
Taff paused and returned to Tye's side.
"You're right, friend, you need to eat and rest and we need a plan, I am not very good at any of this so I will do as you indicate" yielded Taff in a friendly tone, pausing himself
Sometimes you just have to slow down, to cover more ground he thought to himself
Sirina, while having heard Xochi's last words, had not had time to consider the implications of them before Mark's arrival. Judging by the surprise she saw on his face, he'd thought his approach wasn't a surprise at all. Which then caused Sirina to feel lacking in her observations. Perhaps she had gotten too caught up in conversation. Lucky girl, she thought. Could have been a damn pirate. Oh how her father, and even Lalina, would squirm at her use of language. She would have to unlearn some bad habits when she returned.
Dropping the arm holding the knife toward the startled Mark, she sighed and backed a few steps away. "Sorry." She offered, "you did startled me." Then a thought crossed her mind and she glanced over Mark again. Why had he come after them? Had he only thought to give them aid? She couldn't really know his intentions, but her mind slipped back to the initial suspicion she had seen on his face when they met. Did he not trust her? Well, that wouldn't be so crazy of him, would it? she hadn't been very trusting herself lately.
The stresses of the recent events had begun to show on Sirina's face, the weariness swimming just beneath the surface of her gaze, and the extra weight with which it seemed she moved to collect up the fruits once more in her arms. Despite her wrapping her arms about them as well as she could, one of the three large coconuts manage to elude her and dropped back to the jungle carpet. Sirina shot a glance to Mark. "Would you mind carrying that?" Should he choose not to she would struggle a fee more times to add it to her own armful, before leaving it behind, perhaps for later retrieval.
Then she craned her neck to give an odd look to Xochi, the words spoken before finally registering in her mind. "Wait...your way? I had always assumed I'd have to get off of this island by boat. You are saying I could fly?" The last phrase habitually dropped to a whisper, though Mark could almost certainly still hear her. How would that even be possible? Surely it would involve the dragon's magic, but if she was truly saying this, would Sirina actually be able to fly away? The thought caused a thrill of uneasy excitement to run through her, before she remembered to check it. It wouldn't do to get carried away. There was too much at stake here.
While awaiting the other's response, Sirina glanced round the area they'd stopped in, thinking briefly of continued exploration. But her arms were too laden, and it seemed it might be best to return first, then set out to see what she might find.
Dropping the arm holding the knife toward the startled Mark, she sighed and backed a few steps away. "Sorry." She offered, "you did startled me." Then a thought crossed her mind and she glanced over Mark again. Why had he come after them? Had he only thought to give them aid? She couldn't really know his intentions, but her mind slipped back to the initial suspicion she had seen on his face when they met. Did he not trust her? Well, that wouldn't be so crazy of him, would it? she hadn't been very trusting herself lately.
The stresses of the recent events had begun to show on Sirina's face, the weariness swimming just beneath the surface of her gaze, and the extra weight with which it seemed she moved to collect up the fruits once more in her arms. Despite her wrapping her arms about them as well as she could, one of the three large coconuts manage to elude her and dropped back to the jungle carpet. Sirina shot a glance to Mark. "Would you mind carrying that?" Should he choose not to she would struggle a fee more times to add it to her own armful, before leaving it behind, perhaps for later retrieval.
Then she craned her neck to give an odd look to Xochi, the words spoken before finally registering in her mind. "Wait...your way? I had always assumed I'd have to get off of this island by boat. You are saying I could fly?" The last phrase habitually dropped to a whisper, though Mark could almost certainly still hear her. How would that even be possible? Surely it would involve the dragon's magic, but if she was truly saying this, would Sirina actually be able to fly away? The thought caused a thrill of uneasy excitement to run through her, before she remembered to check it. It wouldn't do to get carried away. There was too much at stake here.
While awaiting the other's response, Sirina glanced round the area they'd stopped in, thinking briefly of continued exploration. But her arms were too laden, and it seemed it might be best to return first, then set out to see what she might find.
She was quite certain she could stall for time with this one. He seemed pompous, arrogant, and a bit too confident in both his abilities and the capacity of his weapon. If the worst came to worst, she could try to fight, though the chances of winning were so small that it would be more akin to assisted suicide than an actual duel. Running away had been the plan anyway, but it wasn’t much of one. Ever since leaving the pirate ship behind, nothing had been going quite the way she desired, and should such tomfoolery continue, her intent on this island would be put into serious jeopardy.
“Compensate for what? You know it’s not a very big weapon…” An insult, or perhaps a compliment, the pitch of her voice giving no hints either way. She was well aware of what he spoke of, but wouldn’t miss the chance to humor herself no matter the circumstances.
“Now see, you Sir are a proper gentlemen. Unlike this ruffian here. And you are quite welcom-” He wasn’t listening, and probably hadn’t been from the start. Crossbows made a dull thud when they fired, an unmistakably deep toned echo that could be easily be heard within a hundred paces. A sound she was all too familiar with, and feared the most. Swords could be parried, heavier weapons dodged, most chained weapons could be out-ranged, even arrows could be predicted and blocked, or if one was feeling exciting, caught.. But crossbows were in a league of their own. You only got one shot, but that’s usually all you needed. Their speed was untraceable, and their penetration unstoppable against steel plate armors.
The arrow came whizzing towards her legs, half the reason she had kept the oar down there, the other half maintaining the capacity to flick sand into his face if he had opted to charge her instead. Her legs were thin and the oar wide, but the fickle whim of Lady Luck coupled with the mischievous machinations of Mother Nature would be her only saving grace now. There was no time to even close her eyes before the bolt found whatever mark it intended to have.
With an echoing thwack, it caught the oar almost dead in the center, piercing through the paddle only to stop a fraction of an inch off of her leg. Wide eyes looked down in astonished horror, mouth held agape in what had almost been a complete disaster. The plan dictated that now she was to run, flee while it took the requisite thirty to forty seconds to reload that weapon. But she hesitated, head coming back up to look back at him, expression completely unchanged.
Her plans, in that fleeting moment, changed. Well, they had no right to really be called plans at this point. Now she was just making things up as she went along and hoping for the best. “Hey! I can’t believe you just did that!” She yelled, disbelief coursing through every syllable. “Do you have any idea who I am?” An angry flare was injected into her voice, picking the oar up out of the sand to stomp, not run, towards him, holding the oar erect so that he could see where the bolt had landed, as if he couldn’t have seen it from where he was. “When Calico Jack hears about this he’s going to strip your hide and use it to cook his eggs on in the morning! Why, I’ve never been treated so poorly! I need to teach every last one of you a little bit of respect and discipline and some blasted common courtesy!”
She stopped next to the still disabled pirate, which put the other in reach of her oar but kept her out of reach if he tried to grab her or draw a melee weapon. “I was just trying to help you and you’re over here just shooting at anything that moves like a young prince in a whore house. That… is… not… how… you… treat… a… lady!” With each word, she smacked the nearest pirate with the thin shaft of her oar, finally breaking it over his head on the last word to accentuate the finality in her sentence. “Now then.” She gathered herself, both hands free to rise up to her hair and pull it back and away from her face as she took in a deep calming breath. “You will take me to Calico Jack, and you will keep your grubby little hands off of me while you do so. You will also keep all your little pirate buddies away too. Got it? Good. Let’s go.” A foot tapped in the sand, arms crossing as she looked expectantly for him to simply agree and lead the way.
“Compensate for what? You know it’s not a very big weapon…” An insult, or perhaps a compliment, the pitch of her voice giving no hints either way. She was well aware of what he spoke of, but wouldn’t miss the chance to humor herself no matter the circumstances.
“Now see, you Sir are a proper gentlemen. Unlike this ruffian here. And you are quite welcom-” He wasn’t listening, and probably hadn’t been from the start. Crossbows made a dull thud when they fired, an unmistakably deep toned echo that could be easily be heard within a hundred paces. A sound she was all too familiar with, and feared the most. Swords could be parried, heavier weapons dodged, most chained weapons could be out-ranged, even arrows could be predicted and blocked, or if one was feeling exciting, caught.. But crossbows were in a league of their own. You only got one shot, but that’s usually all you needed. Their speed was untraceable, and their penetration unstoppable against steel plate armors.
The arrow came whizzing towards her legs, half the reason she had kept the oar down there, the other half maintaining the capacity to flick sand into his face if he had opted to charge her instead. Her legs were thin and the oar wide, but the fickle whim of Lady Luck coupled with the mischievous machinations of Mother Nature would be her only saving grace now. There was no time to even close her eyes before the bolt found whatever mark it intended to have.
With an echoing thwack, it caught the oar almost dead in the center, piercing through the paddle only to stop a fraction of an inch off of her leg. Wide eyes looked down in astonished horror, mouth held agape in what had almost been a complete disaster. The plan dictated that now she was to run, flee while it took the requisite thirty to forty seconds to reload that weapon. But she hesitated, head coming back up to look back at him, expression completely unchanged.
Her plans, in that fleeting moment, changed. Well, they had no right to really be called plans at this point. Now she was just making things up as she went along and hoping for the best. “Hey! I can’t believe you just did that!” She yelled, disbelief coursing through every syllable. “Do you have any idea who I am?” An angry flare was injected into her voice, picking the oar up out of the sand to stomp, not run, towards him, holding the oar erect so that he could see where the bolt had landed, as if he couldn’t have seen it from where he was. “When Calico Jack hears about this he’s going to strip your hide and use it to cook his eggs on in the morning! Why, I’ve never been treated so poorly! I need to teach every last one of you a little bit of respect and discipline and some blasted common courtesy!”
She stopped next to the still disabled pirate, which put the other in reach of her oar but kept her out of reach if he tried to grab her or draw a melee weapon. “I was just trying to help you and you’re over here just shooting at anything that moves like a young prince in a whore house. That… is… not… how… you… treat… a… lady!” With each word, she smacked the nearest pirate with the thin shaft of her oar, finally breaking it over his head on the last word to accentuate the finality in her sentence. “Now then.” She gathered herself, both hands free to rise up to her hair and pull it back and away from her face as she took in a deep calming breath. “You will take me to Calico Jack, and you will keep your grubby little hands off of me while you do so. You will also keep all your little pirate buddies away too. Got it? Good. Let’s go.” A foot tapped in the sand, arms crossing as she looked expectantly for him to simply agree and lead the way.
The little dragon remained quiet as she lay on Sirina’s shoulders; she could feel the human’s heartbeat and taste the twinge of apprehension on her as if it were a discernable scent. Xochi waited until the pulse slowed to a calmer pace before relaxing as well; not wanting to be thrown off or impede Sirina’s movement in case something did indeed happen that the dragon didn’t pick up on.
She looked back to Sirina when the girl turned her head to speak to her, and replied,
“I’m saying that ‘ I ’ could fly you off. But perhaps Gelligen could create some way for you to fly on your own with his magic... I know not the extent of that one’s power, after all.” She said simply.
After a brief pause, Xochi continued, “But my way would likely take a little time for me to gather the energy needed. But, if say, you wanted off the island at this very second, I would need something from you in exchange.” Her mind went to the blood that had sprung from Taff’s hand when they healed Tye; thinking desperate situations called for desperate measures.
She looked back to Sirina when the girl turned her head to speak to her, and replied,
“I’m saying that ‘ I ’ could fly you off. But perhaps Gelligen could create some way for you to fly on your own with his magic... I know not the extent of that one’s power, after all.” She said simply.
After a brief pause, Xochi continued, “But my way would likely take a little time for me to gather the energy needed. But, if say, you wanted off the island at this very second, I would need something from you in exchange.” Her mind went to the blood that had sprung from Taff’s hand when they healed Tye; thinking desperate situations called for desperate measures.
Tye nodded and folded his arms, with the tip of his dagger pointing skyward from between his fingers. "Tha's right." Patience. Patience is a virtue, so he thought.
As the thief turned and walked away from the entrance of the temple he mulled over the options they seemed to have; none of which appealed to him. As he thought, a fear sprang in the back his mind that perhaps the others would abandon him for their own escape; he couldn't blame them either, since the others were mostly fit and he had to recover from his usually deadly injury. That sort of thing, as he was all too familiar with, took time. Time they might not have, or want to give.
Still, with so many others at stake regardless of their social standing it would be better to let them. The boy had always needed to pick himself up from ruin before, so it wasn't exactly a death sentence; rather, just another inconvenient Tuesday. Perhaps then he should focus on the others first. That is, if Rin and the others bother to return. He wasn't sure they would.
"Ugh. I need to think." Tye made his way to the mossy bank near the grove's entrance and found a spot laden with loose soil (and some mud.) To focus, he started scraping symbols in the dirt with the tip of his knife, forming a spiral to the side of them idly as he mulled over it.
"Obviously the most available way off this heap is a boat. We can't use a long boat though... It can't handle the sea." He scratched an X through the spiral with boredom "We might haf' ta' steal one o' the fleet's ships. We'd need more people to operate it... so to do this, we'll need to save some o' the other slaves." He snorted.
"That's a tall order. I think we can only get away with that if we're all in it together. An' we'd need... a distraction."
The thief sat back. "I don't know what that dragon's capable of, so I'm leavin' that out as an option 'til later. You's a magic sort but I don't figure you'd be able to make a ship with it." Then he leaned forward and added, "Oh. We could make a boat, too. But it'd take time and we'd have to hide it; also a tall order, especially if we want sails. Which we do."
Then he sighed. "Option three is t' lay low an' wait til the king's fleet arrives. Options one an' two involve savin' yer king around the same time we set it in motion-- jus' so that the pirates have a harder time focusin' on one thing, yeah?-- but three would mean we'd either have to do it now. An' jus' like before, they'll be searchin' the entire island for 'im once he's free. At least, that's how I imagine it." Tye shrugged.
"Wot's yer plan?"
_
Mark smiled as soon as Rin made it clear that she was not so startled as to harm him anyway. He observed long enough to tell that their strange surroundings were getting to her-- truth be told, the situation was getting to him as well- and so found little trouble in coming to her aid when the fruits scattered on the floor were brought to his attention. Her suspicion of him was taken in stride, as he knew most of the others on the island really had no reason to trust him. He was going to have to earn it; he preferred it that way.
There was still a concern on his mind that he felt an urge to investigate, however. As the older man collected the remaining food from the floor he intoned. "You two have done well; this is plenty, and in such short time." He took a deep sigh, looking around calmly while waiting a few seconds to make his verbal probe. He held off when the topic of flying came up, since the idea was similarly fascinating to him.
"...Well, that sounds serious." He mumbled. "I'm sure Taff has his methods, but I do not want him to... push it." He held his tongue a moment, since the conversation was largely between the other two. Then, when Sirina and Xochi both had the chance to speak on it, he'd turn to the woman-in-disguise and ask. "So... what are you going to do about the rain?"
_
Chowder let out a sound of sympathy a bit too close to the king's ear. "Ladies not yer type, lad? I'm sorry. But, if ye' close yer eyes it still migh' help..." Luckily the simple pirate was at least perceptive enough to notice Tris's absence as well. As did the others who returned.
One started, saying, "I'll go find him."
The others disagreed and muttered among themselves to who would find the master-at-arms. In the end, four of the band agreed to depart in separate directions on the island; they moved away to start searching while the others waited just within the den. None bothered to ask Chowder, for clear reason.
"I hope they don't find no monsters out there." Chowder said to himself.
_
Tris did not care for the words of a stranger and so did not listen to them before he fired at her. Seeing as the bolt whirled right through the paddle but failed to harm her, he scoffed and threw it down to retrieve his saber. As he did though, Goff beheld one of the strangest reactions to an affront he'd ever seen.
The mixture of the woman's aggression at his bad manners and her seeming lack of concern to run both confused and intrigued him. With his free hand, the master-at-arms scratched the side of his face. "When Calico Jack hears... Calico Jack?" He giggled and continued watching.
"Ohh, I love this. How strange! You must have drunk the sea water." Suddenly Tris was staring at this woman as if she were a shiny bauble or a small puppy. "It would be so much fun to break you... and even better to inspect the anatomy of your corpse. Jackie cannot save you here, darling. I doubt he would do so even if he knew."
Goff stepped closer.
As the thief turned and walked away from the entrance of the temple he mulled over the options they seemed to have; none of which appealed to him. As he thought, a fear sprang in the back his mind that perhaps the others would abandon him for their own escape; he couldn't blame them either, since the others were mostly fit and he had to recover from his usually deadly injury. That sort of thing, as he was all too familiar with, took time. Time they might not have, or want to give.
Still, with so many others at stake regardless of their social standing it would be better to let them. The boy had always needed to pick himself up from ruin before, so it wasn't exactly a death sentence; rather, just another inconvenient Tuesday. Perhaps then he should focus on the others first. That is, if Rin and the others bother to return. He wasn't sure they would.
"Ugh. I need to think." Tye made his way to the mossy bank near the grove's entrance and found a spot laden with loose soil (and some mud.) To focus, he started scraping symbols in the dirt with the tip of his knife, forming a spiral to the side of them idly as he mulled over it.
"Obviously the most available way off this heap is a boat. We can't use a long boat though... It can't handle the sea." He scratched an X through the spiral with boredom "We might haf' ta' steal one o' the fleet's ships. We'd need more people to operate it... so to do this, we'll need to save some o' the other slaves." He snorted.
"That's a tall order. I think we can only get away with that if we're all in it together. An' we'd need... a distraction."
The thief sat back. "I don't know what that dragon's capable of, so I'm leavin' that out as an option 'til later. You's a magic sort but I don't figure you'd be able to make a ship with it." Then he leaned forward and added, "Oh. We could make a boat, too. But it'd take time and we'd have to hide it; also a tall order, especially if we want sails. Which we do."
Then he sighed. "Option three is t' lay low an' wait til the king's fleet arrives. Options one an' two involve savin' yer king around the same time we set it in motion-- jus' so that the pirates have a harder time focusin' on one thing, yeah?-- but three would mean we'd either have to do it now. An' jus' like before, they'll be searchin' the entire island for 'im once he's free. At least, that's how I imagine it." Tye shrugged.
"Wot's yer plan?"
_
Mark smiled as soon as Rin made it clear that she was not so startled as to harm him anyway. He observed long enough to tell that their strange surroundings were getting to her-- truth be told, the situation was getting to him as well- and so found little trouble in coming to her aid when the fruits scattered on the floor were brought to his attention. Her suspicion of him was taken in stride, as he knew most of the others on the island really had no reason to trust him. He was going to have to earn it; he preferred it that way.
There was still a concern on his mind that he felt an urge to investigate, however. As the older man collected the remaining food from the floor he intoned. "You two have done well; this is plenty, and in such short time." He took a deep sigh, looking around calmly while waiting a few seconds to make his verbal probe. He held off when the topic of flying came up, since the idea was similarly fascinating to him.
"...Well, that sounds serious." He mumbled. "I'm sure Taff has his methods, but I do not want him to... push it." He held his tongue a moment, since the conversation was largely between the other two. Then, when Sirina and Xochi both had the chance to speak on it, he'd turn to the woman-in-disguise and ask. "So... what are you going to do about the rain?"
_
Chowder let out a sound of sympathy a bit too close to the king's ear. "Ladies not yer type, lad? I'm sorry. But, if ye' close yer eyes it still migh' help..." Luckily the simple pirate was at least perceptive enough to notice Tris's absence as well. As did the others who returned.
One started, saying, "I'll go find him."
The others disagreed and muttered among themselves to who would find the master-at-arms. In the end, four of the band agreed to depart in separate directions on the island; they moved away to start searching while the others waited just within the den. None bothered to ask Chowder, for clear reason.
"I hope they don't find no monsters out there." Chowder said to himself.
_
Tris did not care for the words of a stranger and so did not listen to them before he fired at her. Seeing as the bolt whirled right through the paddle but failed to harm her, he scoffed and threw it down to retrieve his saber. As he did though, Goff beheld one of the strangest reactions to an affront he'd ever seen.
The mixture of the woman's aggression at his bad manners and her seeming lack of concern to run both confused and intrigued him. With his free hand, the master-at-arms scratched the side of his face. "When Calico Jack hears... Calico Jack?" He giggled and continued watching.
"Ohh, I love this. How strange! You must have drunk the sea water." Suddenly Tris was staring at this woman as if she were a shiny bauble or a small puppy. "It would be so much fun to break you... and even better to inspect the anatomy of your corpse. Jackie cannot save you here, darling. I doubt he would do so even if he knew."
Goff stepped closer.
Contemplating Xochi's words seriously, giving it the consideration it clearly deserved, Sirina never-the-less felt the last option a bit drastic. She didn't feel the urge to give up a gallon-o-blood just to get off this island, stranded though they might currently be. "If we can't secure a boat somehow," she said, turning her gaze to include Mark as well, "then I would consider your offer, and thank you for it as well. You have no reason to aid us, yet for some reason you do so." Her curiosity over this filled her voice lightly as she added the last bit.
Feeling the choice resolved, at least for the moment she figured it was time to return to the sanctuary. Turning with her armload of sustinance, dragon still curled round her neck, she took a step - which promptly faltered as Mark shot his dart straight through her momentary confidence. A few coconuts escaped her armload as she righted herself. If she had had the training, perhaps she could have masked the surprise which gave away her secret before she could collect enough thought to salvage it. Yet no. Her mouth dropped open slightly and she blinked rapidly a few times, staring at the older slave, a light blush rising on her cheeks. Wishing furiously she had been able to pretend his question had been merely surface deep, she tried to stammer out some sort of excuse. "I.. I don't know what you..." No that wasn't working. "The rain..." gads get it together! Finally she just took a deep breath, raised a sarcastic eyebrow and asked softly, "how long have you known?"
Casting an involuntary glance down her own frame, she wondered if her bindings had somehow loosened, showing off more of her curves than she'd thought, yet it looked the same as ever. What had given it away? She knew her face was more petite and her lips fuller than many boys, but some boys were endowed with more femine features, so she had thought it would slide. Did everyone know? surely even if they did, they couldn't know her true identity, right?
Looking back to Mark she gave a half shrug and glanced upward. "I thought I would wing it, I guess. How does anyone in my shoes, or lack therof, deal with rain? ...Perhaps the trees will be enough cover." She added hopefully. The rain, which was too soft yet to make its way down past the canopy, threatened to become more, however, belying her hopeful words.
As she spoke, she watched him for his own reaction, wondering what he would do with the knowledge, a very faint snaking of fear running through her. For all her time on the boat amongst roughened seamen, she had not needed to defend herself beyond pushing her way in to get a share of food, or a hammock to sleep in every so often. Would she need to now? Her thoughts went to the dagger she'd slipped back into the waist of her pants.
Feeling the choice resolved, at least for the moment she figured it was time to return to the sanctuary. Turning with her armload of sustinance, dragon still curled round her neck, she took a step - which promptly faltered as Mark shot his dart straight through her momentary confidence. A few coconuts escaped her armload as she righted herself. If she had had the training, perhaps she could have masked the surprise which gave away her secret before she could collect enough thought to salvage it. Yet no. Her mouth dropped open slightly and she blinked rapidly a few times, staring at the older slave, a light blush rising on her cheeks. Wishing furiously she had been able to pretend his question had been merely surface deep, she tried to stammer out some sort of excuse. "I.. I don't know what you..." No that wasn't working. "The rain..." gads get it together! Finally she just took a deep breath, raised a sarcastic eyebrow and asked softly, "how long have you known?"
Casting an involuntary glance down her own frame, she wondered if her bindings had somehow loosened, showing off more of her curves than she'd thought, yet it looked the same as ever. What had given it away? She knew her face was more petite and her lips fuller than many boys, but some boys were endowed with more femine features, so she had thought it would slide. Did everyone know? surely even if they did, they couldn't know her true identity, right?
Looking back to Mark she gave a half shrug and glanced upward. "I thought I would wing it, I guess. How does anyone in my shoes, or lack therof, deal with rain? ...Perhaps the trees will be enough cover." She added hopefully. The rain, which was too soft yet to make its way down past the canopy, threatened to become more, however, belying her hopeful words.
As she spoke, she watched him for his own reaction, wondering what he would do with the knowledge, a very faint snaking of fear running through her. For all her time on the boat amongst roughened seamen, she had not needed to defend herself beyond pushing her way in to get a share of food, or a hammock to sleep in every so often. Would she need to now? Her thoughts went to the dagger she'd slipped back into the waist of her pants.
This wasn’t going as planned. What plan would that be, sweetheart? The one where everyone just does what you want because you want it? That’s not how things work out here. It’s going to take a bit more than finger pointing now to get what you need. He was supposed to take her to Calico Jack to sort this whole mess out and now, here he was, looking at her like she was absolutely crazy. She might be, but not from drinking seawater. You can’t fight him or reason with him. You should probably run from him. And go where? Oh, how about into the forest? And then how will we get to Jack? We’ll find him later. If this guy won’t be convinced to take you, what choice do we have?
“Just hold on one second, Mister.” The broken stub of the oar was retrieved from under an arm to hold out towards him. Menacing... it probably was not. “Jack knows who I am, and I’m warning you…” As he approached, she retreated, maintaining the distance between them such that he remained well out of range of even a quick lunging attack. “If I get so much as a scuffed knee, there’ll be hell to pay.” Eyes fell down to her own blade still sheathed next to her skirt. Sometimes she wondered why she even carried it around if she couldn’t wield it against anyone. Style? You carry it because it’s stylish? Hey, a slightly more pressing matter is on hand, we can discuss the finer points of fashion later.
She snickered aloud, the play on words not lost within her head. Her expression changed just as quickly back to a serious one when she noticed he was, in fact, still there, watching. “So… yeah… consider yourself warned.” Now what? Well, she supposed she could address the ridiculous expression of childlike delight that was smeared across his face. “And you can stop looking at me like that. It’s starting to really turn my bowels inside out, and believe you me, no one wants to see the result of that. You know, that reminds me of this one time I ran a guy out of his own house when I ate some rancid meatballs and...” Her mind stepped between her and her mouth. That story could probably wait for a more opportune time to be shared.
“Ahem. Tell you what, let’s make a deal. You look like a reasonable fellow.” He didn’t, but maybe in his mind he did, and she could appeal to that. “Why don’t you run along back to your little pirate camp and let Jack know that Arianna is here to see him. When he asks where I am, I don’t care what you tell him.” She suddenly danced back a few extra meters. “But if you’d like to keep your spleen beneath your skin, you may not want to tell him you ran me off.”
The rain was starting, little drops of water echoing from the high leaves they bounced from before she could even feel the delicately wet kisses upon her skin. “Looks like the rain has finally arrived, and with that, I should be leaving. Did you know I hate getting wet?” She stated it quite matter of factly as if it were relevant. “We’ll meet again. Probably. Hopefully under better circumstances. You know, where I could almost stand to hug you and you didn’t have that…” A finger pointed towards him, its tip wobbling in the air. “Whatever that expression is on your face.” Returning her hand, she dropped the oar, gave him a two fingered salute, turned on her heels, and darted towards the forest. There was little reason to await another inane response that seemed to sprout from a bottomless well inside his mouth, or see if he was pursuing her. Once within the forest, she’d hear it anyway.
Running away from a plan gone awry? Now here was a familiar feeling. Next on the priority list: Cutting one of the bigger fronds to use as an umbrella. She was not going to get wet today.
“Just hold on one second, Mister.” The broken stub of the oar was retrieved from under an arm to hold out towards him. Menacing... it probably was not. “Jack knows who I am, and I’m warning you…” As he approached, she retreated, maintaining the distance between them such that he remained well out of range of even a quick lunging attack. “If I get so much as a scuffed knee, there’ll be hell to pay.” Eyes fell down to her own blade still sheathed next to her skirt. Sometimes she wondered why she even carried it around if she couldn’t wield it against anyone. Style? You carry it because it’s stylish? Hey, a slightly more pressing matter is on hand, we can discuss the finer points of fashion later.
She snickered aloud, the play on words not lost within her head. Her expression changed just as quickly back to a serious one when she noticed he was, in fact, still there, watching. “So… yeah… consider yourself warned.” Now what? Well, she supposed she could address the ridiculous expression of childlike delight that was smeared across his face. “And you can stop looking at me like that. It’s starting to really turn my bowels inside out, and believe you me, no one wants to see the result of that. You know, that reminds me of this one time I ran a guy out of his own house when I ate some rancid meatballs and...” Her mind stepped between her and her mouth. That story could probably wait for a more opportune time to be shared.
“Ahem. Tell you what, let’s make a deal. You look like a reasonable fellow.” He didn’t, but maybe in his mind he did, and she could appeal to that. “Why don’t you run along back to your little pirate camp and let Jack know that Arianna is here to see him. When he asks where I am, I don’t care what you tell him.” She suddenly danced back a few extra meters. “But if you’d like to keep your spleen beneath your skin, you may not want to tell him you ran me off.”
The rain was starting, little drops of water echoing from the high leaves they bounced from before she could even feel the delicately wet kisses upon her skin. “Looks like the rain has finally arrived, and with that, I should be leaving. Did you know I hate getting wet?” She stated it quite matter of factly as if it were relevant. “We’ll meet again. Probably. Hopefully under better circumstances. You know, where I could almost stand to hug you and you didn’t have that…” A finger pointed towards him, its tip wobbling in the air. “Whatever that expression is on your face.” Returning her hand, she dropped the oar, gave him a two fingered salute, turned on her heels, and darted towards the forest. There was little reason to await another inane response that seemed to sprout from a bottomless well inside his mouth, or see if he was pursuing her. Once within the forest, she’d hear it anyway.
Running away from a plan gone awry? Now here was a familiar feeling. Next on the priority list: Cutting one of the bigger fronds to use as an umbrella. She was not going to get wet today.
Taff Gelligen glanced with an inquisitive eyebrow at Tye, clearly he had no concept of druids, warlocks or magic and its endless possibilities so he kept it simple in his approach.
"Look... the getting out of here, the medium itself, is not the difficulty here, just like I went to the water and ordered it to retrieve and hand me your dagger and it promptly did. I can go to the shore and order the sea water to return the Wester's Light back just as easily and effortlessly. However... druids most definitely don't end human life, don't maim or fight, that is out of the question.
Turns out the king is right now surrounded by thugs and assassins where you either obey and serve, or kill or get killed. That is where you can make a difference by rescuing the king. If you fail, I'll be staying behind to keep the king company, keep him alive by healing him and feeding him. If you succeed we sail away
About the ship itself... lack of sufficient crew is but a minor problem... we are enough for the basic tasks... rowing wise, I order the tides, currents and winds to be favourable to us and that should be fine but.. you still need someone who understands how to run the thing, how to navigate us to Port Royal, you know, someone to take charge. A moving ship without direction is of no use, more so if we're chased by angry, experienced pirates who have just been robbed of their prize thus thirsty for revenge" muttered Taff "They have the numbers, the weapons and know how to raid us successfully and quickly" muttered Taff
"Worse case then we'll continue to be slaves and either be made to row the boat or back to the island to clean up latrines" muttered Taff
"One way to get in there is that you steal clothes from the dead pirates and pass for one of them, you seize me and march me back, you know, to hand me over. That'll give you time to think a way out and find his majesty" explained Taff
Merthyr cringed red faced in embarrassment giving up on trying to make Chowder understand he simply wasn't interested in any kind of adult relations.
"Well...Triss isn't here... what am I supposed to do now?" Asked softly and resigned
"Look... the getting out of here, the medium itself, is not the difficulty here, just like I went to the water and ordered it to retrieve and hand me your dagger and it promptly did. I can go to the shore and order the sea water to return the Wester's Light back just as easily and effortlessly. However... druids most definitely don't end human life, don't maim or fight, that is out of the question.
Turns out the king is right now surrounded by thugs and assassins where you either obey and serve, or kill or get killed. That is where you can make a difference by rescuing the king. If you fail, I'll be staying behind to keep the king company, keep him alive by healing him and feeding him. If you succeed we sail away
About the ship itself... lack of sufficient crew is but a minor problem... we are enough for the basic tasks... rowing wise, I order the tides, currents and winds to be favourable to us and that should be fine but.. you still need someone who understands how to run the thing, how to navigate us to Port Royal, you know, someone to take charge. A moving ship without direction is of no use, more so if we're chased by angry, experienced pirates who have just been robbed of their prize thus thirsty for revenge" muttered Taff "They have the numbers, the weapons and know how to raid us successfully and quickly" muttered Taff
"Worse case then we'll continue to be slaves and either be made to row the boat or back to the island to clean up latrines" muttered Taff
"One way to get in there is that you steal clothes from the dead pirates and pass for one of them, you seize me and march me back, you know, to hand me over. That'll give you time to think a way out and find his majesty" explained Taff
Merthyr cringed red faced in embarrassment giving up on trying to make Chowder understand he simply wasn't interested in any kind of adult relations.
"Well...Triss isn't here... what am I supposed to do now?" Asked softly and resigned
Xochi inclined her head in a gentle nod in agreement to the two; thinking getting a boat for the group of humans would be a more sensible plan than any other one so far. There seemed to be no immediate emergency in leaving the island so eventually, and with patience, she was sure the refugees would be able to make it off the island…
“There isn’t a reason to not aide you and your group. And I wished to learn more about your kind as well, so has already been beneficial for the both of us, yes?” Xochi replied to Sirina. Then, as Mark spoke to Sirina with his oddly asked question, the dragon could feel the woman tense. Xochi looked back and forth between the two; puzzled and not understanding.
“The…rain?” She tilted her head and glanced up at the canopy of leaves. The rain was indeed steadily getting stronger. She carefully climbed a little higher on the girl and opened one wing to put over the human’s head to shield her from the water that was staring to drip down. Xochi briefly wondered if this was what she meant by 'winging it'.
“There isn’t a reason to not aide you and your group. And I wished to learn more about your kind as well, so has already been beneficial for the both of us, yes?” Xochi replied to Sirina. Then, as Mark spoke to Sirina with his oddly asked question, the dragon could feel the woman tense. Xochi looked back and forth between the two; puzzled and not understanding.
“The…rain?” She tilted her head and glanced up at the canopy of leaves. The rain was indeed steadily getting stronger. She carefully climbed a little higher on the girl and opened one wing to put over the human’s head to shield her from the water that was staring to drip down. Xochi briefly wondered if this was what she meant by 'winging it'.
Tye was receptive to the plan that Taff provided but was irritated by the approach the man took on his part. He stuck out his tongue and wrinkled his nose in displeasure. "I'm a thief. Not a serial killer." He thought on it for a little while, trying to see where the druid was coming from in his idea.
"...So you want me to pretend I'm a pirate an' infiltrate the camp." He frowned. "An' once I'm in the camp, you'll just be hangin' around doin' slave work, or wot?"
"Here's me thoughts: Merthyr's a prize to 'em cuz of Morgan. So they're not likely goin' t' keep him in one place. I know that makes it unlikely that any armada'll show up to whisk us away, but that means if we don't find an out soon while we're in there we'll have t' find a way onto whatever ship is transportin' 'im.
In one case if we free 'im here we still gotta find someone to sail th' ship willingly, an' if he's moved we might all be split up an' either way would have t' find another plan to escape. An' I'm not capable of incitin' a mutiny."
He looked down. "So... you can't kill no one. This is all jus' guesswork but... is there any way I could signal y' to cause a distraction while in the den? Cus if there are enough slaves in th' camp, we might not have to sneak the entire time. If that's the case, an' the time is right, we might be able t' arm the other slaves an' capture one o' the captains but I can't just untie them an' hand 'em weapons without being noticed on me own."
As he thought aloud the thief grew somewhat more confident in their plan to rally the other slaves. "If we do it at a time none of 'em expect-- say, mornin'-- we might just be able to get the drop on 'em. Then we won't have to worry about bein' chased, neither." He did not want to conclude that this plan would be used, as he valued the druid's ability to discuss the flaws in his logic just as much as it annoyed him. Whatever they decided to do would need to be exact after all. Failure meant something worse than slavery in Tye's mind.
_
Mark stood nearby as Sirina went through her own, faltering expression of denial. In truth the older man wasn't certain, so when she had dropped her collected foods and asked about it his eyes widened with both excitement and some apprehension. It was not his plan to push his few friends on this island away, despite his curiosity.
"I... didn't. But I had a suspicion." He peered away from them, toward the trees she mentioned. "They are quite dense, aren't they?" He approached the woman-in-disguise again but didn't try to impose; closer now, he could see the tension she possessed while studying his response and so slowed his movements while trying to pick up a few more of the loose coconuts.
As he straightened again Mark smiled at Xochi's bewildered response and added. "If it is any help, we both have some secrets to keep. I will not spoil your's."
_
Though Tris's eyes remained wide the strange smile that spread across his face earlier faltered and he picked up the pace to pursue her until she retreated into the trees. Perhaps the master-at-arms would keep pursuing her but as her form disappeared into the dark he was reminded of another, more pressing matter. Goff huffed and called, "You have nowhere to run!" Before checking on the unconscious man on the beach.
With how many times Arianna struck him the pirate was certain the man was dead but decided to check anyway. Either way he didn't care; there was a hunt to return to and soon he would be back among the trees.
_
Chowder didn't seem to notice Tydfil's extreme embarrassment. "I guess we wait. That's not so bad, right? If ye' weren't a captive I'd say we could play cards."
"...So you want me to pretend I'm a pirate an' infiltrate the camp." He frowned. "An' once I'm in the camp, you'll just be hangin' around doin' slave work, or wot?"
"Here's me thoughts: Merthyr's a prize to 'em cuz of Morgan. So they're not likely goin' t' keep him in one place. I know that makes it unlikely that any armada'll show up to whisk us away, but that means if we don't find an out soon while we're in there we'll have t' find a way onto whatever ship is transportin' 'im.
In one case if we free 'im here we still gotta find someone to sail th' ship willingly, an' if he's moved we might all be split up an' either way would have t' find another plan to escape. An' I'm not capable of incitin' a mutiny."
He looked down. "So... you can't kill no one. This is all jus' guesswork but... is there any way I could signal y' to cause a distraction while in the den? Cus if there are enough slaves in th' camp, we might not have to sneak the entire time. If that's the case, an' the time is right, we might be able t' arm the other slaves an' capture one o' the captains but I can't just untie them an' hand 'em weapons without being noticed on me own."
As he thought aloud the thief grew somewhat more confident in their plan to rally the other slaves. "If we do it at a time none of 'em expect-- say, mornin'-- we might just be able to get the drop on 'em. Then we won't have to worry about bein' chased, neither." He did not want to conclude that this plan would be used, as he valued the druid's ability to discuss the flaws in his logic just as much as it annoyed him. Whatever they decided to do would need to be exact after all. Failure meant something worse than slavery in Tye's mind.
_
Mark stood nearby as Sirina went through her own, faltering expression of denial. In truth the older man wasn't certain, so when she had dropped her collected foods and asked about it his eyes widened with both excitement and some apprehension. It was not his plan to push his few friends on this island away, despite his curiosity.
"I... didn't. But I had a suspicion." He peered away from them, toward the trees she mentioned. "They are quite dense, aren't they?" He approached the woman-in-disguise again but didn't try to impose; closer now, he could see the tension she possessed while studying his response and so slowed his movements while trying to pick up a few more of the loose coconuts.
As he straightened again Mark smiled at Xochi's bewildered response and added. "If it is any help, we both have some secrets to keep. I will not spoil your's."
_
Though Tris's eyes remained wide the strange smile that spread across his face earlier faltered and he picked up the pace to pursue her until she retreated into the trees. Perhaps the master-at-arms would keep pursuing her but as her form disappeared into the dark he was reminded of another, more pressing matter. Goff huffed and called, "You have nowhere to run!" Before checking on the unconscious man on the beach.
With how many times Arianna struck him the pirate was certain the man was dead but decided to check anyway. Either way he didn't care; there was a hunt to return to and soon he would be back among the trees.
_
Chowder didn't seem to notice Tydfil's extreme embarrassment. "I guess we wait. That's not so bad, right? If ye' weren't a captive I'd say we could play cards."
Feet danced through the underbrush with practiced agility, ears straining to hear for any signs that he was pursuing her, a difficult undertaking given the rising intensity of the rain. It echoed from the giant leaves and branches overhead that nearly plunged this part of the forest into darkness, light further choked from the atmosphere by the moisture laden clouds. Had she not been fleeing for her life from one of the creepier individuals she had ever had the displeasure of meeting, she thought she might enjoy the scenery. Perhaps she would come back here when this mess was all sorted out.
As she neared the edge of this mostly dry area of wilderness, she slowed to better listen and now look for followers, the myriad of pitfalls and trip hazards much diminished from the forest floor now. Finding no one, she relaxed, took a deep breath, and stopped. Hands found their way onto each hip as she looked out into the unknown, catching her breath. Right, first things first. She drew her weapon, finding the biggest frond that she could, slicing it off at the base of the stem to pick up and hold above her head. Given the cooperation of the wind, it would suffice to keep most of her dry. The important bits, anyway. “See…” She mused, returning her blade to its sheath. “That thing does have a use after all.”
Makeshift umbrella in hand, air in lungs, and feet ready to carry her onward, all delayed as she had to square with the conclusion she was lost. This forest was a lot denser than expected, a problem further accentuated by the downpour. The only direction she could go with certainty was backwards, and that wasn’t going to happen any time soon. No, she had to press forward. Just start walking, surely she’d bump into someone eventually. With any luck, a friendly someone for a change. Although, who would be friendly on a pirate infested island? She hoped Calico Jack would be, if only she could reach him. Or find him. Or…
“That’s quite enough lollygagging from you, Missy.” She chastised herself, setting forth into whatever direction her feet carried her. Now that all the excitement had time to wither away, sustenance was able to nudge its opinion into the forefront of her thoughts. Although she had eaten that morning aboard the pirate ship that she hoped was halfway across the ocean by now, there had not been another opportunity to find food. But she knew nothing about the local fauna, or the fruits they bore, and would rather tolerate a few stomach cramps than eat something that might disagree with her. She remembered doing that once. Never again, although it had taught her all the variations of flavors that vomit could be.
It was the flash of color that caught her eye first, brilliant hues of vibrant blue and green that pronounced themselves against the otherwise drab backdrop. A Bird of Paradise perhaps? Fruit may be poisonous, but meat would not be, especially after it was cooked. Lacking any ranged weaponry, she would have to sneak close enough to strike before it flew away. Her body lowered itself, the rain drenched frond now serving a dual role to provide some level of camouflage. Feet carried her silently forwards, but stopped suddenly when she heard the sounds of voices mixed amongst the birds feathers. Shapes still eluded her, but there were at least 2 people conversing about something, specific words dissolving to nothing more than murmurs before they reached her ears. Her stomach urged her to ignore the obvious concerns about security or safety, knowing she wouldn't stand a chance if they chose to fight.
As she neared the edge of this mostly dry area of wilderness, she slowed to better listen and now look for followers, the myriad of pitfalls and trip hazards much diminished from the forest floor now. Finding no one, she relaxed, took a deep breath, and stopped. Hands found their way onto each hip as she looked out into the unknown, catching her breath. Right, first things first. She drew her weapon, finding the biggest frond that she could, slicing it off at the base of the stem to pick up and hold above her head. Given the cooperation of the wind, it would suffice to keep most of her dry. The important bits, anyway. “See…” She mused, returning her blade to its sheath. “That thing does have a use after all.”
Makeshift umbrella in hand, air in lungs, and feet ready to carry her onward, all delayed as she had to square with the conclusion she was lost. This forest was a lot denser than expected, a problem further accentuated by the downpour. The only direction she could go with certainty was backwards, and that wasn’t going to happen any time soon. No, she had to press forward. Just start walking, surely she’d bump into someone eventually. With any luck, a friendly someone for a change. Although, who would be friendly on a pirate infested island? She hoped Calico Jack would be, if only she could reach him. Or find him. Or…
“That’s quite enough lollygagging from you, Missy.” She chastised herself, setting forth into whatever direction her feet carried her. Now that all the excitement had time to wither away, sustenance was able to nudge its opinion into the forefront of her thoughts. Although she had eaten that morning aboard the pirate ship that she hoped was halfway across the ocean by now, there had not been another opportunity to find food. But she knew nothing about the local fauna, or the fruits they bore, and would rather tolerate a few stomach cramps than eat something that might disagree with her. She remembered doing that once. Never again, although it had taught her all the variations of flavors that vomit could be.
It was the flash of color that caught her eye first, brilliant hues of vibrant blue and green that pronounced themselves against the otherwise drab backdrop. A Bird of Paradise perhaps? Fruit may be poisonous, but meat would not be, especially after it was cooked. Lacking any ranged weaponry, she would have to sneak close enough to strike before it flew away. Her body lowered itself, the rain drenched frond now serving a dual role to provide some level of camouflage. Feet carried her silently forwards, but stopped suddenly when she heard the sounds of voices mixed amongst the birds feathers. Shapes still eluded her, but there were at least 2 people conversing about something, specific words dissolving to nothing more than murmurs before they reached her ears. Her stomach urged her to ignore the obvious concerns about security or safety, knowing she wouldn't stand a chance if they chose to fight.
Taff looked at Tye and smiled broadly in approval
"Yes, that would be a brilliant idea, you can easily infiltrate the camp pretending to be a pirate and I´ll just hang around doing slave work as usual until we leave. Look my sole purpose on this island is to heal the king and get him back to Port Royal, alive, alongside all of us in the process.
It is clear that we lack the means to steal the king and we lack the means to escape if we do take him out of there. The row boats will not make it across the sea and its storms, I can summon the ship but we don't have enough men to man a ship properly. However, your idea of getting aboard the pirates' ship and travelling with them is indeed the most sensible and the one less likely to cause any attention or suspicion.
Right now we are not enough to run our own ship and the slaves are too frightened to dare stage a mutiny no matter how many they may be, furthermore, you cannot trust rioty slaves, they may turn on us too once they're in open waters. But... if you were to join the pirates side for a while... no one would be none the wiser. I think, given your thieving reputation which you can boast about, you could easily pass for one of these pirates.
Hard as it may be, we must accept the fact that all of us together, Mark, you, me, Rin and even Xochi, would not be enough to sail safely on our own. Thus your plan is the most reasonable and likely to work.
If it is of any consolation, Sir Henry Morgan is a ruthless pirate but also a most generous one. He buys loyalty at the price of gold and power. If you were to chain me and drag me over to him, you will be not only welcomed with open arms but you will be given a position that commands certain respect and a rewards as well, you get a pouch of gold and a choice of up to two or three slaves as well. He is desperate to grab hold of me at present." admitted Taff
"Perhaps... you can claim Rin and Mark and Xochi, should it wish to come along, and use this opportunity to our advantage to escape this island under your service and watchful eyes.
We can sail with them on their ship back to Port Royal, without the need for mutiny or a second ship at all, they are experienced mercenaries who will keep us safe from army attacks and all the slaves rowing together will keep us moving forward fast enough.
I admit that these brigands would not normally be in a rush to move to king elsewhere because nobody knows this forgotten island is inhabitted at all, but, I know for a fact that captain Morgan has to reach Port Royal with his written appointment as governor if he wishes to retain power, before the end of month which is days away at most. If he fails to achieve this, lord Tron Pentre as the head of the army will impose martial law and take power until such time as the king himself returns. Any governors coming up then will be disregarded by the general" explained Taff
"It is clear that time is not on their side so they will make a move soon. Now, once we reach Port Royal, you will get your share of booty along the rest of the crew and you and your slaves are free to part ways, you will also get my gratitude for your help and you will be free to go about your way, no strings attached" mused Taff rubbing his forehead thoughtfully
"No matter what they do to me, though, you will not intervene or interfere. I am able to recover quickly, I always recover quickly..." remarked Taff seeing Tye's plan the most effective
"We now must go find the rest and tell them of the plan, see if they are willing to take their risks and chances" suggested Taff rubbing his chin thoughtfully
Merthyr looked at Chowder briefly with a broad smile
"Well, I can play cards if you would like or chess, whichever you prefer, I'm good at both. All I can bet are my clothes though, the storms robbed me of my gold" pointed out Merthyr pleased to talk anything else that was not relating to adult affairs, weary of any wenches glancing or approaching them and so looking for a much needed distraction.
"Or we can just play for the sake of passing time, to keep occupied whilst we await Triss to return with my manservant and something... I left with him..." muttered Merthyr "They cannot take too long but it will give us enough time for a few rounds for sure" calculated Merthyr
"Yes, that would be a brilliant idea, you can easily infiltrate the camp pretending to be a pirate and I´ll just hang around doing slave work as usual until we leave. Look my sole purpose on this island is to heal the king and get him back to Port Royal, alive, alongside all of us in the process.
It is clear that we lack the means to steal the king and we lack the means to escape if we do take him out of there. The row boats will not make it across the sea and its storms, I can summon the ship but we don't have enough men to man a ship properly. However, your idea of getting aboard the pirates' ship and travelling with them is indeed the most sensible and the one less likely to cause any attention or suspicion.
Right now we are not enough to run our own ship and the slaves are too frightened to dare stage a mutiny no matter how many they may be, furthermore, you cannot trust rioty slaves, they may turn on us too once they're in open waters. But... if you were to join the pirates side for a while... no one would be none the wiser. I think, given your thieving reputation which you can boast about, you could easily pass for one of these pirates.
Hard as it may be, we must accept the fact that all of us together, Mark, you, me, Rin and even Xochi, would not be enough to sail safely on our own. Thus your plan is the most reasonable and likely to work.
If it is of any consolation, Sir Henry Morgan is a ruthless pirate but also a most generous one. He buys loyalty at the price of gold and power. If you were to chain me and drag me over to him, you will be not only welcomed with open arms but you will be given a position that commands certain respect and a rewards as well, you get a pouch of gold and a choice of up to two or three slaves as well. He is desperate to grab hold of me at present." admitted Taff
"Perhaps... you can claim Rin and Mark and Xochi, should it wish to come along, and use this opportunity to our advantage to escape this island under your service and watchful eyes.
We can sail with them on their ship back to Port Royal, without the need for mutiny or a second ship at all, they are experienced mercenaries who will keep us safe from army attacks and all the slaves rowing together will keep us moving forward fast enough.
I admit that these brigands would not normally be in a rush to move to king elsewhere because nobody knows this forgotten island is inhabitted at all, but, I know for a fact that captain Morgan has to reach Port Royal with his written appointment as governor if he wishes to retain power, before the end of month which is days away at most. If he fails to achieve this, lord Tron Pentre as the head of the army will impose martial law and take power until such time as the king himself returns. Any governors coming up then will be disregarded by the general" explained Taff
"It is clear that time is not on their side so they will make a move soon. Now, once we reach Port Royal, you will get your share of booty along the rest of the crew and you and your slaves are free to part ways, you will also get my gratitude for your help and you will be free to go about your way, no strings attached" mused Taff rubbing his forehead thoughtfully
"No matter what they do to me, though, you will not intervene or interfere. I am able to recover quickly, I always recover quickly..." remarked Taff seeing Tye's plan the most effective
"We now must go find the rest and tell them of the plan, see if they are willing to take their risks and chances" suggested Taff rubbing his chin thoughtfully
Merthyr looked at Chowder briefly with a broad smile
"Well, I can play cards if you would like or chess, whichever you prefer, I'm good at both. All I can bet are my clothes though, the storms robbed me of my gold" pointed out Merthyr pleased to talk anything else that was not relating to adult affairs, weary of any wenches glancing or approaching them and so looking for a much needed distraction.
"Or we can just play for the sake of passing time, to keep occupied whilst we await Triss to return with my manservant and something... I left with him..." muttered Merthyr "They cannot take too long but it will give us enough time for a few rounds for sure" calculated Merthyr
A brief and genuine smile flitted across Sirina's features as Xochi spread her wing over her head. With a soft chuckle she murmered, "while that is a noble attempt, I am afraid that the rain will foil even our best efforts no doubt, and reveal my true gender." She seemed a bit more relaxed now, finding nothing concerning about Mark's behavior. If anything, he seemed almost pleased. Perhaps he would make a good ally. Choosing now to extend her trust to him until proven otherwise, she glanced at him with a curious gaze. "I have been considering telling the others... and maybe its best to do so before the rain does it anyway. Then it won't matter." She considered the matter again, then added, "I no longer see the benefit to keeping that particular secret from our group. But.. I would like to know if you think Tye is trustworthy. You seem to know him fairly well. Taff seems fairly open, and I suppose we all ought to trust one another so we can get off this prison."
It was good to be able to discuss such things finally- she'd kept it to herself for so long. Then, hoping Xochi was comfortable enough, she once again picked up her armload of fruits before starting back the way they had come, making sure the others were ready first. The rain was indeed strengthening, seeming through the canopy above, which rustled and swayed as a howling could be heard - the call of the wind as she whined and pulled through the foliage, helping the rain drench as much as possible. The drops which found their way to Sirina plopped onto her rich brown locks and slid down her face to drip from her chin, making darker marks on her blue tunic, almost as a threat.
It was only after a few steps that she noticed a new shape among the trees, lingering near the shadows. It was a woman - Sirina paused, hues focused on the distant figure. "Why are you spying?" She asked, not raising her voice much, but knowing it could be heard. Was this woman involved with the pirates known to be on the island? If the woman hadn't been standing in the way of her return trip to the sanctuary, Sirina would have considered leaving without a confrontation. Alas, the direction needed offered no other recourse.
With a glance, Sirina made sure Mark was nearby, wondering what he thought of the situation. One thing after another she thought with slight grumpiness. It seemed the others were getting a darn good dose of her less approachable side. Surely there was a friendly demeanor hidden somewhere? Only sleep and a nice sip of wine would tell.
It was good to be able to discuss such things finally- she'd kept it to herself for so long. Then, hoping Xochi was comfortable enough, she once again picked up her armload of fruits before starting back the way they had come, making sure the others were ready first. The rain was indeed strengthening, seeming through the canopy above, which rustled and swayed as a howling could be heard - the call of the wind as she whined and pulled through the foliage, helping the rain drench as much as possible. The drops which found their way to Sirina plopped onto her rich brown locks and slid down her face to drip from her chin, making darker marks on her blue tunic, almost as a threat.
It was only after a few steps that she noticed a new shape among the trees, lingering near the shadows. It was a woman - Sirina paused, hues focused on the distant figure. "Why are you spying?" She asked, not raising her voice much, but knowing it could be heard. Was this woman involved with the pirates known to be on the island? If the woman hadn't been standing in the way of her return trip to the sanctuary, Sirina would have considered leaving without a confrontation. Alas, the direction needed offered no other recourse.
With a glance, Sirina made sure Mark was nearby, wondering what he thought of the situation. One thing after another she thought with slight grumpiness. It seemed the others were getting a darn good dose of her less approachable side. Surely there was a friendly demeanor hidden somewhere? Only sleep and a nice sip of wine would tell.
Well, at least in her mind, she was adequately camouflaged. And at the end of the day, that’s what counted, right? No. No it didn’t. Her ruse was over long before it had even got started, and she would have to again make some difficult decisions. At least the one who addressed her seemed friendly enough. Perhaps they wouldn’t mind having a pleasant discussion in the middle of what could possibly be a tropical storm at this point. The bird was all she was after anyway, and it remained all she could clearly identify from the distance she was at and planned on keeping. Was it a pet? Or maybe they had caught it already. It would take some negotiating to be sure.
“Who’s spying? Where from? I’ll take em out for ya!” She stood quickly but carefully, ensuring her movement didn’t cause any alarm or panic to the grayish blob that spoke to her. Which is what it may as well have been even if she could make out the outlines, the tone of voice dropping no hints on its gender or identity. After a dramatic pause, she continued. “Oh, you mean me. Look, I totally know it looks like spying. But would you believe me if I said I wasn’t spying? I was merely observing interactions of unknown persons from a safe distance to ascertain their level of interest as it pertained to my endeavors.”
Her throat needed to be cleared after that one. “Specifically, to that fine specimen of a bird draped so elegantly across your shoulders. You see, I am dreadfully hungry, and such a large creature must have plentiful amounts of meat on it to feed an ailing traveler.” Always attempt to stay ahead intellectually while negotiating, she had always been taught. She wasn’t, by any stretch of the imagination, but she had picked up enough big words whilst living in the city to get by for brief periods of time. “I rightly reckon all the fruit around these parts might be poisonous, or at best, disagreeable with the human digestive tract.” A hand came down to pat her stomach. Not that the other could see it, though.
“Which is why I loitered over here, thinking I was out of sight and therefore out of mind, to determine the best way to approach this situation.” Her limited dictionary had been exhausted about thirty seconds ago. “Alas, your keen eye spotted me much more quickly than my simple ruse had intended. And now I find myself in a conundrum, having need of sustenance while simultaneously being most unwilling to forcibly dislodge the source of my interest from your sturdy shoulders. Might we have a reasonable discourse on this pressing matter at hand? I’m sure, despite the rain, we can both find an agreeable solution.”
Beyond a blind charge into someone who was very likely a much more skilled fighter than she was, this was her only plan. And it was stupid one, even by her standards.
“Who’s spying? Where from? I’ll take em out for ya!” She stood quickly but carefully, ensuring her movement didn’t cause any alarm or panic to the grayish blob that spoke to her. Which is what it may as well have been even if she could make out the outlines, the tone of voice dropping no hints on its gender or identity. After a dramatic pause, she continued. “Oh, you mean me. Look, I totally know it looks like spying. But would you believe me if I said I wasn’t spying? I was merely observing interactions of unknown persons from a safe distance to ascertain their level of interest as it pertained to my endeavors.”
Her throat needed to be cleared after that one. “Specifically, to that fine specimen of a bird draped so elegantly across your shoulders. You see, I am dreadfully hungry, and such a large creature must have plentiful amounts of meat on it to feed an ailing traveler.” Always attempt to stay ahead intellectually while negotiating, she had always been taught. She wasn’t, by any stretch of the imagination, but she had picked up enough big words whilst living in the city to get by for brief periods of time. “I rightly reckon all the fruit around these parts might be poisonous, or at best, disagreeable with the human digestive tract.” A hand came down to pat her stomach. Not that the other could see it, though.
“Which is why I loitered over here, thinking I was out of sight and therefore out of mind, to determine the best way to approach this situation.” Her limited dictionary had been exhausted about thirty seconds ago. “Alas, your keen eye spotted me much more quickly than my simple ruse had intended. And now I find myself in a conundrum, having need of sustenance while simultaneously being most unwilling to forcibly dislodge the source of my interest from your sturdy shoulders. Might we have a reasonable discourse on this pressing matter at hand? I’m sure, despite the rain, we can both find an agreeable solution.”
Beyond a blind charge into someone who was very likely a much more skilled fighter than she was, this was her only plan. And it was stupid one, even by her standards.
Xochi lowered her wing and asked, clearly puzzled, “Oh, I did not know it was a secret…” The dragon replied candidly. “If the males find issue with you, I will remain here to dissuade them from causing any harm.” To prove her point, she coiled more neatly about the girl’s shoulders in a light protective grip.
As Sirina bent to gather the dropped fruit Xochi caught another scent on the wind; another human? She looked in their direction. When Sirina called out to them carefully, and when the figure stood and began talking, it was now Xochi’s turn to tense a little. A thin hiss escaped from the dragons mouth as she exhaled, sounding like a mixture between released steam and a weak whistling wind. “That one’s words confuse me, but from what I could understand, they see me as food?” She asked to her two human companions cautiously.
If they would approach closer and deemed themselves as threatening or quick moving, the dragon was prepared; with muscles rigid as she clung to Sirina, her head nearly tucked against her slightly curved body like a viper ready to strike. As she moved into this position, her scales glinted with a green and blue beetle-shine in the dappled light as she watched the newcomer closely.
As Sirina bent to gather the dropped fruit Xochi caught another scent on the wind; another human? She looked in their direction. When Sirina called out to them carefully, and when the figure stood and began talking, it was now Xochi’s turn to tense a little. A thin hiss escaped from the dragons mouth as she exhaled, sounding like a mixture between released steam and a weak whistling wind. “That one’s words confuse me, but from what I could understand, they see me as food?” She asked to her two human companions cautiously.
If they would approach closer and deemed themselves as threatening or quick moving, the dragon was prepared; with muscles rigid as she clung to Sirina, her head nearly tucked against her slightly curved body like a viper ready to strike. As she moved into this position, her scales glinted with a green and blue beetle-shine in the dappled light as she watched the newcomer closely.
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