Isabeau and the Stowaway (Dragonsong)

Whim · February 13, 2016, 01:58:07 PM

Ewan flushed red. The hadn't wanted to make a scene; he owed these pirates nothing and it'd be much easier to just keep his head down. At the very least it would have been best to hold his tongue. The crew was unsympathetic already; his real identity wouldn't exactly improve things.

"its hardly important," he muttered in a poor attempt to change the subject "I'll- I'll be your cabin boy till the next port. I won't cause any trouble. Won't work anymore spells."

DragonSong · February 13, 2016, 02:07:51 PM

"Oh no no no." She glowered at him. "You don't get off that easy, lad. Spill." Folding her arms. She leaned back on her heels to give him an up-and-down look. "And you'll be using magic when we need it. Just- try not to turn anymore of my crew into lizards, alright?"

Whim · February 13, 2016, 02:55:49 PM

"You're probably not going to believe me, anyway." Ewan sighed, looking sheepish. "I'm fifteen years older than I look. I was trying to create a youthening spell. It works; just a bit too well. I was just coming back from Kishahn. I thought someone there could help perfect it."

The sorcerer pursed his lips. Waiting for a look of disbelief.

DragonSong · February 13, 2016, 03:13:52 PM

She blinked at him. "You know, yesterday I would have called bullshit. But after what just happened..." She sighed and dragged a hand through her hair. "Gods, can today get any stranger?"

Whim · February 13, 2016, 03:55:54 PM

(OOC: Slight retcon. Let's say he's returning from Kishahn!)

"Well, sorry to be of trouble. I just wanted to reach some family in Serendipity; need a place to stay while I make a new plan," he sighed. "But I Suppose we're not going anywhere near there."

The boy cracked a faint smile, relaxing a bit. "I'd offer to rejuvenate your crew as payment but I don't think they'd make very good... um..." he didn't want to say pirates. He'd hoped they weren't. And the less he knew the better; being killed or kept prisoner weren't very nice prospects.

DragonSong · February 13, 2016, 05:24:08 PM

Isabeau glowered. "Oi, like I said, lad- or whatever. No free rides on this boat." She sighed and glanced away, then muttered, "But...if we pass by Serendipity, we can drop you off."

Whim · February 13, 2016, 06:47:23 PM

"You're the first person to believe me at least. But my spells are mostly to do with living things; they'll nor be of much use to a ship. So I don't know how I can help--" the boy looked up at Isabeau and it dawned on him.

"--I'm still the cabin boy aren't I?" he sighed softly, trying not to sound like a spoiled brat. "What do you want me to do?"

Off in the distance the skies were clear and there was no sign of the hamstrung vessel. It simply... vanished.

DragonSong · February 13, 2016, 08:02:31 PM

Her lips twitched up on one side. "You catch on quick, lad." Hands on her hips, she jerked her chin in the direction of the bloodstained deck. "You can start by scrubbing that up, before the gulls are on us."

Whim · February 14, 2016, 01:31:06 PM

"Fiine..." Ewan stalked off and grumbled, flushing red as some of the crew laughed. The boy fetched his bucket, filled it with brine in the galley, and scrubbed the deck for a second time; scrubbing the dried blood proved an annoying affair. This wasn't helped by some of the fighters who took to dicing and sparring to blow off steam, though they were quite unwilling to move when it came to cleaning.

"Don't see them doing any work..." Ewan muttered under his breath in passing to Isabeau. His arms ached.

The sun was low in the sky and it was time for supper. The air oozed anticipation and uncertainty; words were expected from the captain.

DragonSong · February 14, 2016, 01:53:24 PM

The captain snorted at his comment. "They've all had their turn. Quit your bitching." She felt less inclined to watch her language knowing that he was older than he looked.

As the evening wore on, she moved down to the galley with the rest of the crew, only picking at her food instead of really eating. Looking around for Ewan, she beckoned him over when she caught sight of him.

She was pretty sure the crew were going to be riled tonight, and mage or not he didn't exactly have a sturdy body. He'd be lucky to escape with only an accidental broken bone or two.

Whim · February 15, 2016, 07:54:54 AM

Ewan was inconspicuously perched on a barrel between two large sailors. They seemed content to pay him little mind. The boy scoffed down the remainder of his jerky and scurries off toward Isabeau who was beckoning. "I suppose you want more rum or something?"

The table shen shook. Finn and another young crewman slammed their biceps on the table and the crew started jeeriing. Apparently it was over the same tavern wench.

Tiny, a quiet and wiry sailor, rose with a bored stretch and climbed to the main deck.

DragonSong · February 15, 2016, 08:15:41 AM

Isabeau smirked at the boy. "Not exactly, lad. See that?" She gestured to the crew. "That's only gonna get worse, and I don't want you caught up in it. Even if you could get your magic to work properly, chances are someone would snap you in half because he wasn't paying attention. Come on."

She stood and moved toward the stairs, laying a hand on his shoulder to bring him with her. Her grip wasn't quite as bruising as usual, almost more protective. "Let them work out the aggression. We've had a stressful day, they need to blow off some steam." She'd address it in the morning. For now, she needed to do some planning.

Whim · February 15, 2016, 11:55:51 PM

Ewan flushed at Isabeau's remark, allowing her to guide him along. He was so pliable lately. Maybe the other side of manhood did that to you; no more fire and defiance.

"I'm not that fragile, you know. But I guess it'd be a shame to get my little button nose broken, seeing as its brand new," the boy cracked a smile. He looked over his shoulder as they reached the main deck. "Its funny. You think you parents look at their children, when they're small, wondering if they'll grow to be covered in scars and missing teeth before half their life's gone? Odd to imagine they looked like me once. But I wasn't expecting you as their captain, neither."

"So what am I supposed to do up here? -um, Captain?" Ewan hastily added and ooked around. It seemed almost a ghost ship now. Only Tiny was visible in the moonlight, leaning over the bow.

DragonSong · February 16, 2016, 09:23:34 AM

Isabeau snorted softly at his chatter and said without thinking, "More than half their life is gone, lad. A pirate's lucky if he makes it to thirty." Glancing down at him, she added with an arched brow, "And what's that supposed to mean, didn't expect me as their captain?"

It was a rhetorical question, really. She knew she was young, and rather small, not to mention the only woman on board currently. From an outsider's perspective she supposed it would look rather odd that the crew obeyed her.

With a sigh, she moved toward the helm, snapping her fingers at the man who'd been left on duty and walking up to take the wheel as he scurried away below decks. "I don't care what you do, Ewan," she said bluntly. "I just wanted you out of that nonsense below."

Whim · February 16, 2016, 11:46:42 AM

Ewan's eyes momentarily darted to a flicker of light on the horizon, then back to Isabeau. "Well would you expect a pirate captain to look like yourself?"

"How did that happen anyway?" he perched on a crate nearby as she steered.

DragonSong · February 16, 2016, 11:58:48 AM

She stiffened. "It's...a bit of a long story," she muttered after a moment. "And not really any of your business." A beat of silence, then she added with a sigh, "Suffice it to say I inherited the position from my father."

Whim · February 16, 2016, 03:41:17 PM

"He must have been quite a captain. More the type to piss off mystical sea raiders..." Ewan replied. He must have also been quite a captain for no one to have seized command from his daughter.

"And I guess its not my business. Though what else do you do but talk when all the work's done?" an impish smile crossed his face. "Unless you've got a library down there. Or someone my size to arm-wrestle."

DragonSong · February 16, 2016, 05:20:03 PM

She chuckled a bit at that. "I'm afraid the only books you'll find on board are in my cabin," she told him. A quick glance in his direction and she added, "Which is off limits without permission, by the way."

Shrugging, she turned back to her task as she considered what he'd said. "My father was a good captain, yes. One of those few pirates who managed to live past thirty, so he must've been good at it." Of course, that was also sort of her curse. She knew there were members of the crew that whispered about her behind her back, claiming she was simply riding Abraham's coattails.

Whim · February 16, 2016, 06:29:18 PM

"Reading doesn't seem the sort of thing you learn growing up on a ship. Did he teach you?"

Tiny, positioned at the bkw of the ship looked over his shoulder. With a yawn and stretch he casually strolled below deck. The two were left alone save the lookout in the crow's nest.

The boy offered a cheeky smirk. Even he wasn't sure if it was serious. "So can I have permission?"

DragonSong · February 16, 2016, 06:39:17 PM

Isabeau snorted, casting a quick look in his direction. "If you're really as old as you say? Hell no," she told him with a wry, crooked smile.

Eyes flicking back out over the ocean, she added after a moment. "I didn't grow up on the ship. Not 'til I was thirteen, at least. My mother taught me to read." An edge entered her voice, a subtle warning not to pry.