[Game Thread] Elegy of a Penal Ship (Fair Maiden)

[Humble Athena]

Reia takes the maps with a quiet "Yes, Captain." She's no idea what's darkened his mood so, but she's of no intent to make things worse. She can tell now is not the time for questions. "I will take care."

Carefully she carries the maps down, wondering why the Captain had bothered to bring them up if he only wanted them put away again. Again, she doesn't ask out loud just now, for fear of sounding like she is talking back, when she is merely curious.

[Rekal]

Tate looks back at the new comer. Deciding that the man looked a mite uncomfortable, Tate welcomed him with a disarming smile. "Yes, it is a glorious night," Tate turned to face the man and offered his hand, "And a good evening to you. I don't believe we've been introduced. My name is Tate." He nodded politely with a curious expression.

[Amos]

Turning upon hearing the voice of a new comer, Olly looks closely at the man, trying to remember if he was one of those from the morning before. Figuring that even if he was that it was still only right to be polite, the young cleric offered his own hand in greeting. "Brother Olly Windemere at your service and may the blessing of those above be on you."

Turning back towards Tate and Lydak, Olly continued on with his original conversation. "So how have the two of you found the journey thus far. Thankfully I seem to have overcome the gripes of my stomach and can finally enjoy the scenery again."

[zevonian]

Lydak says nothing to the newcomer. He turns his attention to the one calling himself Oily and responds. "The voyage is different than expected. Did not know there would be...what is the term..serving wench...on board. Is that right wording? Woman who brings meals to guards. Yes, I am guard. Until we reach shore. You know of anyone wanting to start fights, you let me know."

[Rekal]

Tate's eyebrows try to climb over his head as he turns his blue eyes to Lydak. "A woman?" He asks incredulously, seemingly in shock, "There's a woman on board?"

[zevonian]

Yes, yes. Woman on board. It make sense. This place being called Fair Maiden. I may be wrong in her title or duties though."

[Rekal]

Tate squeezes his eyes shut and pinches the bridge of his nose, "No, it does not make sense." He shakes his head and then shrugs apologetically, looking at the former prisoner. "The Fair Maiden is a penal ship," Tate states the truth like his point is as obvious as the water the ship is cutting through and turns back to the rail.

"Someone has to be out of their gourd." He mutters darkly in a low voice, gripping the rail tight with a bitter anger written on his face.

[zevonian]

Lydak tilts his head back and forth. "I know not what you mean by out of gourd. May be she have lots of duties on ship and she is needed. I must walk now, for guard duty. If I see her, I send her this way."

He walks off without further question or answer. Making rounds despite a lack of pressing need to, Lydak looks for the young woman that had brought meals earlier.

If he happens to spot an unbusy Reia He looks at her and says, "So you know, you have been subject of talk among myself and others. Not Captain or Officers. I lead you to them if you not busy."

[Amos]

Catching on to Tate's meaning, Olly suddenly feels as if his stomach is in his feet. "For her sake, lets hope the big guy there takes a liking to her and keeps an eye out in her her direction at all times. I don't want to think of her as helpless, but there are a lot of men on this ship that haven't seen a women, let alone shared the company of one for a very long time." Realizing, maybe too late, that his present company was one of those aforementioned men, Olly stammers though a quick apology before looking a little closer at the the former prisoner. "If you don't mind me asking, what is your story, how did you end up on the wrong side of the bars, so to speak?"

[AlwaysCivilMike]

The Captain’s Cabin……..

Carefully Riea walked across the deck of the ship making sure not to drop any of the valuable maps which were the life blood of any floating vessel. As she moved she noticed several figures standing on the top deck though she could not tell who it was. She was too busy keeping all of the maps safe and dry. Placing all of the maps into one arm she reached blindly forward until she found the knob and gave a turn unlocking the door. Pulling the door open she turned sideways as her load was too wide and deftly stepped inside the cabin. Her eyes were greeted to a dimly lit room filled with all sort of sailing equipment, odds and ends and in some places piles of garbage waiting to be thrown out. The captain must have collected all of this during his years at sea. That would explain the smell of the room to be sure. She quickly moved up to his deck and found the appropriate location for the maps. One by one she set them inside knowing that any out of place would bring the ire of the captain and that was something she did not want.

So focused on her task that she did not notice the door behind her open. She heard a “click” which startled her. Turning around she found herself looking at…..the captain. He had a very broad smile on his face and the meaning behind it was not lost on Riea. He tossed his hat onto a hook on the wall and said “Why, aren’t you the hard working. I don’t think the map rack has EVER looks so…..good.” From the other side of the room she could still see his eyes take her in from top to bottom and then back up again. In a smooth voice he said “Why don’t you sit down and….have a drink with me?” He did not move as he stood in the doorway out of the cabin.

OLLY, TATE and LYDAK……..

Though Lydak did not think it was odd to have a woman on board, the rest of them did think so. As they talked the half orc saw movement again to his right and looked. This time it was the captain’s form moving across the lower deck on the same course as Riea. A moment later the man disappeared. Before he can even mention this the former prisoner said in a very pleasant tone “Yes…it is a very good night indeed….Tate*quick bow* and Olly and Lydak *another quick bow*. I can’t tell you how happy I am to be out of prison. I feel like I get to start my life over again. This ship represents a new beginning of sorts. Is that why you are all aboard….looking for a new life?” The man wore a broad quizzical smile as he waited for his new friends to respond.

[Rekal]

"Yes." Tate nods at the man who still remained nameless. "A new life." He replies without expanding on it, his thoughts elsewhere.

[AlwaysCivilMike]

The man smiled at Tate but then his smile left as he looked over his shoulder as if searching for someone. He turns back and said "My name is Simon. I think I should mention something I overheard earlier in the evening. You see, I am not really with the....." Simon's words were cut off as a figure appeared on the lower deck coming up from below. The figured stood there for a moment and then moved towards Lydak, Simon, Tate and Olly. It was one of the other newly freed men. He stopped at the bottom of the stairs and called up saying "Simon, there you are. Why don't you come down with us and play some cards. We have a good gaming going and we need one more." The voice was supposed to be friendly but everyone could feel that there was something else behind it. Simon, though standing in the dark, lost two shades of color on his face. He said in a bit of a shaky voice "Ah...yes....I would love to play some cards Dirk." He looked to those standing next to him and said quietly "we can talk more about this later." With that Simon moved downstairs and disappeared with Dirk who paused at the stairs for a moment looking back to the three men standing on the upper deck before then proceeding downstairs.

 

You can always cut back a bit if you ever want to do something. So don't think you can't say something to Simon or really anyone in the story if you want. I am just trying to move things forward.

[Humble Athena]

Reia keeps the Captain's words in mind as she enters his chamber, and treats the maps as purest treasure- not only because she doesn't the ship lost in an unforgiving ocean, but because she hopes to appease the Captain's displeasure, which she seems to be responsible for. She'd tried to be responsible about not bothering crewmembers busy with tasks, but it must have just slipped her mind to consider it tonight.

When she hears the door open, she spins around, startled. She isn't all that surprised to see the Captain behind her; After all, he more than likely wants to be sure that I didn't go poking through his belongings. But then she hears the click and sees the look on his face, and her heart begins to beat quite rapidly. Heavens, I hope that was just the door closing, not locking! Of all the men on the ship she might've expected trouble from, the Captain had not been among them! Then again, perhaps she was misreading things. She certainly hoped so, for even if she got away from a bad situation here, where could she go?

When the Captain 'invites' her for a drink, she gives a weak smile. "I'd like that very much, Captain, but first I'd like to apologize. I'm very sorry for distracting your crewman from his duties, Sir. You're a good man and a good captain, and I don't mean to be causing any disorder on your ship. It won't happen again." she promises earnestly.

Her eyes dart around the cabin quickly, looking for anything that might be of import if it turns out she will need to make a hasty exit. "I didn't touch anything, like you ordered, but I couldn't help notice you've got quite a collection in here. You must've been some exciting places. I'd love to hear about your travels." She suggests hopefully.

[Rekal]

Tate nods in a friendly manner to Simon as he leaves. Watching until Simon and Dirk disappear, Tate turns back to the waves rolling by and frowns. "I think Simon wants to tell us something that Dirk does not want us to know. The ex-prisoners defer to Dirk, and Dirk does not want the free men and guards to know something Simon overheard."

Tate sighs heavily and then looks at the others. "I'm not a scholar that studies mathematics, but I can add one and one. In this case I believe it equals 'trouble'."

[Amos]

"I do believe you're right. Perhaps, you, Lydak, and myself should go below decks? Just in case this Dirk gets it in his mind to silence Simon forever."

Turning to see where Lydak got to, Olly calls out for him to join them before turning back towards Tate. "And maybe the Captain, or at the very least his first mate, should be informed. I have a sinking feeling that the new world isn't exactly where these 'free men' are wanting to go."