Spirits of the Earth

The massive turtleship (http://imgix.scout.com/144/1442898.jpg) nestled in the midst of the merchant fleet- its small, squat form odd amongst the tall masted hulls about it. The only indication between the fore and back of the ship was a large wooden carving of a roaring tiger's head, utterly massive in size, its gaping maw enough to hold two or three men between the wooden fangs. Nodding to the silent rhythm of the ocean in the dead on night.

Qi Honghu appeared upon a small veranda settled beneath the tiger's head, looking up at the cold stars. She wrapped the vibrant white fabric about her slender shoulders, raven locks rippling like liquid platinum in the freezing ocean breeze- as always, her skin glowed like lamp-light even in the darkness, making her a beacon to the ships- and perhaps anyone else who lurked.

Idly, she pulled the fabric closer about her body, cherry lips curved into a gentle smile as she looked on her fleet proudly, voice lilting pleasantly as a song bubbles forth:

It was as if the ocean was stilling to the words of the hypnotic lullaby. The fleet's bobbing seemed to lessen, the ripples upon the liquid hills began to fade to mere plains of inky black. All was falling still- dozing off into a comfortable slumber. Twas a safe, twas a tranquil, twas a truly peaceful night which nothing could disturb. Right?

The beautiful song sung by the merchant queen wasn't enough to keep away death's cold embrace. Aboard the ship closest to the fleet's left side, an assassin sent for the queen's head crept in the shadows, the only inkling of identity being his green skin, which was visible from his muscular arms, no clothing covering them whatsoever, even on a cold night such as this.

The porcelain mask was recognizable to anyone who knew anything of the world of assassins. Its upturned mouth, a creepy, giddy smile with eyes full of pure glee. Still, the face underneath was much, much different. It reflected nothing but concentration and malice. A face reflecting a heart as black as coal. From the mask, a hat of long, colored tendrils with bells on each end hung to his lower back, the rest of his clothing carrying this same jester theme.

This man, however, was not looking for laughs. He was out for the blood of nobles. The blood of any king, queen, duke or baron which dare threaten the freedom and well-being of the people. That was his purpose. From the two pepperbox pistols on his hips, to the bandolier of throwing knives strapped to his thigh, he was ready to kill. Standing atop a wooden beam high above the ship, he pulled a string of smoke bombs from a satchel at his side, examining them for a moment. "Hard to sing with a chestful of smoke..." He spat, growing tired of his target's voice.

He stood, violently tossing the string out to the turtleship in the center of the fleet. As soon as he did this, he dropped from the beam, landing on the floor of the vessel just as the bombs burst in mid-air, all flying in different directions and landing on each deck of every ship. Within seconds, white smoke had obscured everything. The crew members of every ship looked around in confusion, captains giving orders to sweep each deck for intruders.

Decimus, creeping along the wall of the ship he was on, was nearly caught as he rounded a corner, a crew member gasping as he came into view. The man was just about to scream out when Decimus grabbed him by the arm, yanking him into a tight chokehold. He unsheathed a dagger, pressing the tip against his victim's chest. "Lights out." He hissed, driving the poisoned blade into his flesh. Letting his victim fall, he dragged him into a shadowy storage area before moving on.

First blood for the assassin. But there would be more.

The song paused as thick smoke blossomed within the thickly armored ship, causing the merchant queen to turn slightly, resting a hand on the rather ornate railing as she pressed her other against her chest. She breathed deeply the last of the fresh air to grace her lungs before the first plumes reached her. Still, her figure was rather easily spotted within the thick cloud, the soft glow she emenated constant and unwavering.

Qi Honghu sighed faintly, tilting her head toward the door leading to the Veranda, as if waiting patiently for her attacker to reveal himself. Idly reaching up to adjust the rather- hmph- revealing bodice of her traditional robe- all fine silk and beautiful detailing of beautiful golden fish swimming in a sea of red.

His was why she always ensured she had a firm hold on all members of her fleet, you couldn't trust one to do something correctly unless it was a pleasant surprise. She strode calmly into the turtleship again, her finely furnished cabin. By then all the candles and lighting had dimmed, only Qi herself providing enough light to look about the room slowly. Simply waiting... He sure was taking a long time- perhaps this was the wrong night to let Sura leave her side?

It didn't take very long at all for the fleet to come to a complete halt, the deck of each ship now crawling with crewmen, who searched high and low for an intruder. Decimus had used his grappling hook to move from one ship to the next, this one much closer to the main turtleship. While the crew looked everywhere for the jester assassin, he was right under their noses, hiding in what seemed to be plain sight. If they didn't know any better, they were dealing with a ghost.

Below him, patrolling along a walkway that led down the center of the ship were two crew members. Hanging like a spider by his hands and feet, he watched them closely. The first's eyes widened as his foot broke a magical tripwire leading along the floor, a trap hidden behind a wooden pillar shooting what seemed like 100 poisoned needles, all which impaled his abdomen, head, and legs. The trap was loud, and the man behind him watched in horror as his friend collapsed, dead.

Decimus suddenly dropped behind him, placing one of his daggers to his throat, slitting it slowly. As blood poured from the gaping wound, Decimus let him go, the man gargling and coughing as he too fell, dead. Sheathing the blade, he was ready to continue on when he heard a series of shouts behind him. Turning his head, two more crew members were crouched, loading arrows onto their bows. Eyes narrowing, he drew a pepperbox and loaded a single fireshot round. Closing the chamber, he lifted the gun. "Bang."

Firing, a plume of flame erupted from the barrel of the firearm, the special round landing at the feet of the two men. They barely had time to scream as a cloud of infernos spread around them, engulfing them in the suffocating heat. It was a rather powerful round, as the fire had ignited almost the entirety of the back half of the ship. Unsurprisingly, all around him, the sirens from the other ships went off. Not only were they now cautious, they were on full alert. Soon, he'd be swarmed. He'd need to make his way to the main turtleship at once.

Sprinting to the bow of the ship, he eyed the majestic tiger head on the front of the main vessel. Pulling out his grappling hook, he drove a nail at one end of the rope into the wood of the bow, throwing the hook as hard as he could towards the tiger head. Thankfully, the tool snagged one of the teeth, ensuring a sturdy hold. Usually, he'd shimmy across by his legs and hands, but he'd soon learn that he didn't have the time.

He jumped as a few arrows landed at his feet, looking towards the ship up in front of the main vessel. Archers had taken position on the side of the ship, aiming directly for him. He'd need to sprint across the rope, or risk being shot. Hiding behind a wall, he loaded both of his pepperboxes to the brim with standard ammunition. Taking a deep breath, he ran out into the open, across the rope. As he quickly made his way over the dark waters towards the turtleship, arrows whizzed by him, threatening to knock him off at any moment.

He aimed his pistols as he ran, keeping one foot in front of the other with expert balance. He fired off poorly-aimed rounds, only a few hitting their marks. Archers yowled out in pain as they were shot down, light red clouds of blood spraying into the air as they got knocked back. Once Decimus reached the other side, he quickly freed the hook from the tooth before forcefully yanking the nail free, his rope flying back towards him, which he caught. Placing the rope back in his satchel, he looked towards the door his target had no doubt fled for.

He took a moment to breathe, looking back at the ship he was just on. It was now sinking slightly, almost completely engulfed in flame. Whatever goods were on that ship were definitely destroyed... None of his business, though. Standing, he walked towards the door slowly. Pistols at the ready, he forcefully kicked open the door with a grunt.

Qi Honghu tilted her head back as she heard the screams and explosive rounds just outside her cabin, idly moving about the room with a relaxed gait- she pinched out each individual flame, the room slowly descending into an all-consuming darkness until she emanated the only light. Easily, the young woman moved through the silken curtains depicted scenes of beautiful meadows and forests, shedding her robes as she searched for an appropriate cheongsam. It would be most uncouth to meet such a guest without the appropriate attire, no? And he was certainly taking his time- perhaps-

she pauses before approaching an ebony mantlepiece nestled between the beautifully carved wooden chests and great colorful piles of fine fabrics, all gifts from star-struck lovers whom desperately desired to just get close enough to reach out and touch the ethereal young woman... But never got the chance. Qi picks up an ornately carved bell, made to look akin to a blooming exotic flower- ringing it abruptly. The sound was obviously amplified by some sort of magic- as the sharp clear sound rang over the fleet as clearly as if having been jingled ine ach individual's ear.

Slowly, the sirens began to stop- the crewman's efforts seem to turn toward saving the cargo of the burning broadsider. The archers began to retreat warily, reluctantly from the protection of their Lady. The veranda now lay utterly open to him, dark, ominous- yet somehow inviting. 'Come hither' the shadows seemed to challenge.

Decimus heard the ring of the bell, looking back to notice the arrows that had been pinging off the tiger's head suddenly stop. Controlling the men like pawns... He had been warned that this one had a siren effect to her. Still, he did not fear. Making his way into the darkness of the room, he spun his guns before holstering them. His target Stuck out as the only light, seemingly wandering the room patiently. She had been waiting, from the looks of it. This would be interesting.

Closing the door behind him, he watched her with the same stone cold gaze he had given everyone thus far. Slowly walking to the center of the room, he began cracking his knuckles threateningly. "They call you the Red Tiger... Merchant queen of the east..." He began, his booming voice filling the room, a voice capable of making the strongest men tremble. "You're a cold woman... Full of trickery and deceit. Manipulative... Beautiful on the outside, ugly within. People like that make me very, very angry."

Despite his obviously rage-filled voice, his mask still presented the giddy, unsettling grin. "If you recognize this face, you know exactly why I'm here. My name is Komiddy, and I find that the biggest joke in life are those in power, who sway the tides to their advantage with their lies... Their tyranny, their trickery... Greedy and wealthy, wealth that they lust over and are willing to kill to make grow." He reached for his mask.

"You're a different breed, though... Not a leader, not a ruler, but a merchant who uses her beauty to make a profit... Everywhere you go, the stupid men lust over you and end up dead because of it." He pulled off the porcelain mask, tossing it to the side, along with his hat. He revealed his half-human, half-orc features, as well as his jet black hair, which he straightened. "I'm letting you look upon this face now... To let you know that I'm not like most men. Your looks don't sway me or my mission. The women of Le'raana mean little to me in comparison to the evils of those in power..."

He drew two throwing knives from the bandolier on his thigh, both which had a jagged, serated edge. Twirling them around one finger, he growled. "Any last words?"

Damn, had he not even the decency to knock? Evidently not. She sighs faintly as she turns, scooping up a a bolt of fine silk to wrap about her form- turning slightly toward him as she smiles gently. Black locks falling over exposed shoulders, cherry lips curved in a pleasant smile as electric blue eyes seem to glow with bright energy of almost holy origins. All this, of course, blurred by the transparent curtains between them.

" Yes." Her voice was song-like, the moment the singular word left her lips the room seemed to grow warmer, an air of almost being intoxicated clouding one's mind and... If they were to not to keep a level head, one would be utterly overwhelmed by a sense of euphoric security and comfort," I would like to see the face of my assassin more clearly before I am to die. Please." Her voice, gentle and mournful- oh, by the Gods, it would take one with incredible will to resist feeling their heart sink at that sorrowful, quiet lullaby.

She extended a slender hand, the white, porcelain skin glowing as her fingertips push one of the curtains inward, beckoning him forth in a gesture of infinite grace.

Decimus gave an audible snarl as she gave her pitiful request, pulling the curtains to one side. He gripped his throwing knives tightly, preparing to toss both and end her games right then and there. Unfortunately, the stories he had heard of her were more true than he had anticipated. The warm, intoxicating atmosphere caused his mind to wander ever-so-slightly, and he could feel his feet moving at their own accord. He drew one of his daggers cautiously, the blade always lathered in lethal poison.

He kept himself focused, not once allowing her beauty or aura to lure him into a death trap. He knew better. Still, he foolishly accepted her request, moving forward slowly with his dagger protectively out in front of him, holding his throwing knives by the blade in his other hand. If he was as unmoved as he claimed he was, she'd be dead by now. Perhaps he wasn't the man he claimed to be... Perhaps she was living proof that even the strongest could bend under pressure.

He knew very well what was happening. He was fully aware that she was entering and playing with his mind. This would make things more difficult, but he kept reminding himself who she really was. He kept reminding himself that she was a deciever who needed to die. He'd give her what she wanted, and then immediately have her killed. There was no way she'd get the better of him. He was smarter than that... Right? Stopping a few feet in front of her, he gazed upon her face with his dagger held between them, the tip of the blade pressed against her bosom.

"You've got your last wish. Now we end this." As he said this, he positioned his hand into a stabbing posture, preparing to drive the blade into her flesh.

" Yes, I suppose we must," she sings quietly, the woman's hand slowly coming up, resting over his which held the blade so aggressively against thay flawless skin of her breast. Her blue eyes seemed to be tearing up slightly, and the fearsome merchant queen even took a shuddering breath, biting her cherry lip as her soft fingers brushed over his knuckles," Just... One last thing,"

The Red Tiger, known to be so corrupt, a ruler of men akin to pirates, a liar, a maniacal siren with a passion for using all who crossed her as mere toys... Seemed so afraid, so genuine- those rumors couldn't be true? After all- what kind of siren would show fear? Such acceptance to inevitable death? Not to mention it was not uncommon to villainize a target until they seemed no more human then the assassin's own tendencies.

She looked up at him, finding nothing wrong with the half-orc's features- but simply a man doing his duties. Perhaps... Too well. This made her smile tearily, and breath admirably,"... My- if... If only..." her lilting voice trailing off. It was impossible not to try and follow her words, to goade her on- it was not just the air about her, but her movements, speech, gestures, everything from the seductive curves hidden beneath rumpled silk, to the song of her words...

Decimus glared down at her hand as it brushed against his own, becoming more tense in fear that she'd pull a fast one on him. However, this didn't seem to be the case. In fact, she seemed to tear up in the face of death. His expression remained unmoved, but deep in his heart, he felt something akin to guilt. What...? Why did he feel guilt!? This woman was a cruel monster! But she certainly didn't look the part.

There was a war going on inside his mind. Inside his soul. A voice in his head urged him to drive the steel into her heart. To end this tirade already so he could escape and be onto other things. But another side of him said to listen to what the Red Tiger had to say. Give into her final wishes and leave her with a proper death, if nothing else. This conflict did nothing but anger him, and as she let her words trail off, he gritted his teeth.

"What is it!? Spit it out, dammit!" He snarled, roughly grabbing her shoulder after dropping the throwing knives that he once held with an iron grip.

Wincing and even making a tony sound of pain as he grasped her roughly, she ducked her head and squeaked fearfully, the sound even more heart-wrenching then the previous terrified sob," I... I wish I had met a man like you-!" she bit her lip, closing her eyes tightly as she hunched fearfully, trembling like a leaf- this couldn't all be for show? Could it?

She looks ip, electric blue eyes seeming to quiver as she gazed at him tearily- even with the knife pressed to her chest, she whispers," Please- just... Please kiss me before I die." she pleads, her other trembling hand grasping the fabric near her chest to keep it from fallin- just near the blade- just near her heart.

What a hypnotic creature.

He wanted to roll his eyes at her pathetic squeak, and then her heartfelt words. He kept a close eye on the mantlepiece holding men's garments that happened to be nearby, just to remind himself that she was not to be trusted. She had killed people. Lots of people. He knew this good and well, and with that, kept an unrelenting grip on his dagger. He prepared to drive the blade into her bosom, right when she made her next request.

He looked into those electric blue eyes, which shimmered with her own tears. She was a good actress, if this was acting, as he suspected. He gritted his teeth, his hand trembling as he shook his head at her. He felt the overwhelming urge to end her life right there, pulsating in his brain. Do it. That's all his brain told him to do. Still, his trembling hand would not budge.

Just like that, his inner conflicts were coming to a close. That side of him which sympathized with her, something he had never done with any of his victims, had finally won. Removing the dagger from her bosom, he let it fall to the floor in a series of clattering steel. He blinked at his own actions, urging himself to step away from her before her intoxicating aura took any more of an effect on him. Still, his feet just wouldn't move. The same man who had said over and over how her beauty didn't faze him, was now showing mercy, like a true softie. But it didn't end there...

Whatever fighting he was doing to focus on the task at hand had fallen apart, like a wobbly tower. Putting one arm around her waist, his opposite hand laid against her head and neck, his thumb ever-so-gently brushing her soft cheek. He pulled her body against his own, leaning down to plant a kiss on her cherry lips, as she had pleaded for him to do. This would either be the first time he had ever kissed a target, or the end of his days entirely. Considering her track record, the latter would not be a surprise.

The young woman slowly tipped her weight onto the balls of her feet, standing on her toes in order to reach his height. Slowly, her arms wrapped about his neck, not to choke him as one would have thought but instead to embrace him warmly. Her lips were soft, sweet- and the contact was almost enough to make the strongest of men and women crumble with desire. Qi Honghu's hands slowly cup his cheek affectionately-

but after what seemed like an eternity, she pulled away, some of her tears having dampened his cheeks as she slowly opened her eyes, resting upon the flat of her feet once more. Her hands slid down, resting against his chest as she looked up at him with a small smile,"... You can... You can kill me now if you wish. I will not resist-" she sings softly, looking to the ground, lowering her head,"-... Or you can stay with me..."

Decimus looked upon her in all her beauty, from her electric blue eyes to her glowing, ivory skin. A small smile graced his lips, and he nodded. "Yes... I think I'll stay..." He didn't sound like himself. Her poison had eaten away at his very being, and turned what was a solid stone foundation into a ball of weak, lovey jelly. Still, he did fight hard. In fact, if it had not been for her request for a kiss, he'd have claimed her life. None of that mattered at this moment, though... He, like many other men, was now the victim.

His hands resting on her sides, he opened his mouth to say something else, their moment being silenced as crew members who once fought to save the burning broadsider broke into her chambers, armed with spears and bows alike. Suddenly, as if a switch had been flipped, Decimus returned to his previous determined and angered state. Stepping back from her, he watched as they both were surrounded by the spearmen, lips curled and nose wrinkled as he looked between each man. "Easy now, jester boy... Hands above your head. Nice and easy." One ordered.

There was no way he'd give up like this... He'd already let his own willpower fail him... He would bend to these pirates no longer. "Over my dead body, you son of a bitch!" Crouching, he picked the throwing knives he had dropped up, throwing both in a wide, sideways arc. Both spun like sawblades, dicing through the chests of two different guards, who spurted blood and yelped out in agony. As they fell, he drew a single pepperbox, preparing to fire off a shot at Qi, as he originally intended. That didn't succeed, as a crew member at her side jumped out, firing off an arrow that hit Decimus in the shoulder.

Dropping the gun, he grunted in pain before taking to one knee. "You're going to the brig... And staying there. Perhaps the Red Tiger will visit, yeah?" The same man from before joked, him and another walking up. Handcuffing Decimus, they lifted him to his feet, preparing to take him off.

She murmurs her sweet praisings to the men, having observed the fight unmoving. She strode around the group, now allowing the fabric to fall, settling against her hips as she crossed her arms over her bare chest, smiling faintly at Decimus- almost affectionately if that was possible- unless it was just another trick- was that all even a trick? So much was uncertain, but that which was was simply that Decimus had been caught and now was held firm in the jaws of the so-called tiger.

" Maybe later- but I am rather tired, my loves.. It has been a stressful evening," she sings quietly, closing her eyes and taking a steadying breath- slender shoulders rising and falling in a singular yet strangely alluring." Take him away, please-"


" My lady, are you hurt?" Inquires one man, approaching but stopping several feet away, as if stopped by an invisible wall, almost lookihg to be in pain to be stopped so

" Only my heart, my dear, only my heart... Please... Go..." In truth, she was ever so slightly mortified, how had he broken free? No one had ever done that before- she actually felt scared of this strange orc-like man...

The cell that Decimus was given in the brig was a disgusting one, to say the least. Rat-infested, smelling like a barn and scattered with trash and other... Erm... Unknown substances, Decimus' awakening was not a pleasant one. Giving a groan, he sat up on the rock-hard bedframe that he was provided. That's right... Not even as much as a mattress to sleep on. For whatever reason, he had a throbbing headache. His back hurt too, but a headache? He also found himself unable to remember certain things from the time he was captured to the time he was taken to this filthy cell.

A voice caused him to jolt. "Well... Look who's finally awake. How'd ya' sleep, gunslinger?" Looking past the iron bars of his cell, he spotted an old man, white hair thinning on top and leaving him slightly bald, mopping outside with an exhausted expression on his face. "What happened...?" He asked with a grumble, the old man scoffing. "I was polishing the bars of that cell of yours when the boys brought ya' down. You seemed compliant at first, but then started thrashing up a storm 'outta nowhere... They conked ya' on the head and you went down real quick. Lights out. Boom."

Decimus rubbed his aching head, everything suddenly coming to him. Yeah... That final escape attempt didn't go too well. Looking down at his lap, he noticed that his equipment was nowhere to be found. Daggers, gone. Satchel, gone. Throwing knives, nowhere to be found. Pistols? They'd definitely not leave him with those. Even the clothes on his back had been replaced with itchy, dirty prisoner garments that looked like they had been fashioned out of a potato sack. "Oh yeah... Good morning." The old man told him. Good morning...? Decimus looked around in disbelief.

The brig, located far below deck, and even below the surface of the water, held no windows. It was dark as night in here, with torches being the only source of light. "Y'know, the crew usually kills assassins. You're an exception. Clearly, the Red Tiger took a liking to you. Or... Was it the other way around?" He inquired, with a raise of his brow. Decimus growled at her name, shaking his head in embarrassment. "I underestimated her... My client told me she was a siren, but I just scoffed it off. I didn't think a woman could... Bring me to my knees like that."

He was ashamed of himself. If he had just kept his mind clear... If he had been a little less confident and used more caution, he'd have finished the job. But it was too late for regrets and self-shaming. Here he sat, in the brig with nothing to show for his sacrifice. What was done was done, and now he was along for wherever the ship fleet took him. He was another at the whim of the Red Tiger. "Yeah... She has that effect on people. Me? I just swab the brig. Red Tiger doesn't make her way down here all too often. I remember the first time I saw her, though... Damn... Now that's a fine piece of ass, no doubt."

At this point, Decimus was doing his best to ignore the man. He got annoying fairly quick.

" You really should speak more kindly, though i appreciate that my hindquarters are the object of such praise," a horrifyingly- or particularly sweet, depending on your view- familiar voice sings gently, light seems to shift in the darkness as if someone carrying a lamp was shifting into view.

She appeared, kneeling before the cell with a gentle smile," Hello Decimus-" she cooes softly, offering a lovely, sweet smile," I missed you." she sang quietly, reaching toward him in an inviting gesture," Come closer, so I may see you?"

Decimus watched as the old man who had been rambling to him froze where he stood, turning to her with wide eyes, trained on her every movement in awe. Right before the assassin's eyes, he turned to jelly, falling to one knee as he bowed resectfully. "My lady... P-Please, forgive me." He said, Decimus rolling his eyes at how easily he had been seduced. It went to show how fragile some men's willpower really was.

He watched as she crouched in front of the iron bars, requesting to see him up close. Narrowing his eyes, he gave a defeated sigh as he attemted to stand. Using his arms to pull himself off the bedframe, he yowled out in pain, gripping his shoulder. Oh yeah... The arrow from the night before. Knowing these people, his wound probably hadn't been dressed properly, and was already at the beginning stages of infection.

Griping his shoulder and massaging it soothingly, he approached the bars, looking upon her with a stoic expression. "May I help you?" He asked in his same, booming voice, not sounding at all happy to see her. Qi's face only served to remind him how he had been decieved like all the others, and that was an embarrassment unlike any other.

" No. I'd like to help you, if you will let me." she answers gently, pleasantly lilting voice rising and falling like the distant sounds of waves against the hull of the ship. At least this time she had bothered to dress in a white, blue-hued kimono of sorts- the bodice parted enough to show off quite a... Appreciative amount of cleavage as she leans forward. Her hair, though loose and unimpeded by any particularly ornate design, pooled off from behind her shoulders like black ink," My love, open the cell, would you? I don't have the keys on my person-" her words clearly directed toward the old man as she offers the sweetest of smiles to Decimus- even now, the warm air seemed to cling to her every word.

She blinked once, allowing her eyes to travel over his frame. Not exactly in a predatory manner as much as just appreciating the build of both body and clothing. He wasn't bad for a half-orc, that was certain... Now if only he'd stop fghting and fall into her embrace.

The old man gave frantic nods, standing and pulling out his huge fob, full of keys. He shuffled through them, his hands trembling as he tried hard not to disappoint her. Finally finding the right key, he turned the key in the lock, opening the door to allow Decimus freedom. In any other case, he'd storm out and try to make his big escape, but none of his previous attempts went all too well. Besides, he felt that urge to stay rising once again, as if he was a fish, and she was a lure.

He was done denying it... This woman was the light to the flies. Irresistable in every way, and most certainly a siren, if there ever was one. He stepped from the cell, taking a deep breath as he was let out from his filthy cell, which had been suffocating him with the smell of rot and garbage all morning. "Now... You said something about helping me. Explain." He told her, the old man glaring at him for not practically kissing her feet as he'd been doing.

He'd watched her as she examined him from bottom to top, raising a brow as she did so. The old man had said something about her fancying him slightly more above the rest of his crew... He'd assumed it was just gawks and taunts from the rest of the crew. After all... He'd attempted her life. How do you love your killer? It wasn't something Decimus could understand.

The young woman smiled as she drew close, merely standing mere inches from him as she gazed at him with bright eyes,"... You are leaking life from your shoulder. I would say I can help with that." cherry lips curling up like a bow, blue eyes glittering like the stars off a coastal cove's water- the young woman rests her hands against his chest, smiling as she sang sweetly," Or I could leave you. Never to see you again?" despite the question seeming genuine, the incessant pull of whatever terrible power she held seemed to point him toward an obvious answer, not to mention make his knees weak enough to bend with the contact of her gentle touch.

Quirking a raven brow at him, she tilts her head,"... But I love you, I would hate to see you go so soon, Decimus.

Decimus felt that familiar tingle of whatever powers she possessed almost as soon as her hands were placed on his chest. Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes, fists clenched as he tried to resist the pull. She did have the right idea. He had a severe wound as of currently, and naturally, taking care of that was the best scenario. He looked at her sternly as she mentioned him leaving, knowing exactly what game she was playing.

But he just didn't have the strength left to keep fighting her intoxicating pull. Shaking his head, he sighed. "No... I'm not going anywhere. Not yet. Can we just get this wound cleaned up? It's killing me..." He requested, reaching up to put pressure on his shoulder again. When she mentioned her loving him, his defiance only grew. No... She didn't love him. This was a manipulation game and he knew it. "No... You don't." He spat aggressively, looking off to one side.

His face reflected anger, but there was something deeper... Something that a woman of her nature could certainly pick at. A man like him, a mutt... A trained killer with a heart of stone... What being could love such a man? It was all a sick, twisted lie.

Nodding gently, her hands slid down his chest, lingering at his belt for a moment before taking his hand. Her hand compared to his was like a porcelain doll's so delicate, so easy to break as it glowed with lovely light, a harsh contrast to his quite literal olive skin tone. She lead him from the cell, looking back at him with a small, warm smile," I do, I love everyone," she sings softly as she leads him into the upper decks- many crewmembers, male and female alike looking at him with hateful envy before continuing about their tasks.

" But I love you a little more then the others-" her sweet voice seemed barely inaudible as she spoke those words, or maybe it had just been his imagination saying such sweet things? Nonetheless, she looked back at him with a loving smile, they passed several rooms with cargo of the finest types, until they reached what seemed to be a medical bay of sorts- infinitely nice for a ship-

Decimus watched her hands as they slid down his chest, shivering ever-so-slightly at her gentle touch. His face remained unmoved, however, not cracking as much as a smile as she rested her hand in his. He did, however brush the back of her hand with his thumb, suddenly realizing how small and fragile her hands really were. Another thing to note was her skin, so soft and unblemished, the tye of skin that every woman would die for.

He allowed her to lead him up onto the upper decks, looking between the jealous faces of the other crew members. If he was to be honest, every pair of eyes that landed on his face made his skin crawl. Everyone on this ship now knew the true face of Komiddy, an infamous assassin wanted in almost every province in Le'raana. As she spoke of loving him slightly more than the others, he made no reply. He simply grumbled, shaking his head as they entered the medical bay.

He looked around, impressed at how nice the room looked. In fact, every cargo bay they passed seemed neatly organized and sparkly-clean, as opposed to the broadsider he stowed away on to start his mission. Whereas that ship was filthy, rusted and cluttered, this one was pristine. Perhaps the crew of the turtleship kept this ship in such fine condition simply to please Qi? Assuming not everything she did was an act, pleasing her wasn't all that hard, from the looks of it.

"If you don't mind me asking, where's this fleet docking next?" He asked her, removing his uncomfortable potato-sack top and tossing it to the side, revealing his muscular torso, as well as a bandaged shoulder, underneath the field dressings resting an open wound which hadn't been properly treated.

Briefly her hands rested over her mouth as she observed himstripping his shirt, obviously enjoying the show with a wonderfully imp-ish smile and soft giggle as she leads him to a neatly pressed cot. As he asks his question though, the young woman's smile fades to a worried half-smile, the likes of which would cause most to frown and ask 'what's wrong, dearest?' Due to the angelic creature's quite suffocatingly pleasant aura," Well, my love, I can't tell you that yet," she sings gently as she moves to a nearby cabinet, opening the doors wide after unlatching it to show a large assortment of jars filled with a massive assortment of herbs and bandages. Idly running her fingers along the labels 'Ginger', 'Ginseng', 'Dried Gullifish', 'Hoelen', 'Mahuang' one would wonder if she was planning to cook him or heal him. Nonetheless, she brought down several jars, taking their contents before placing them in a small stone bowl- after seeming satisfied with the ingredients, she began to grind the herbs into a thick paste, looking up at him.

" You see, you might try and contact your people, and based on how much cargo you cost me, my dearest-" she tsks her tongue, the very gesture seeming to try and convince him to kowtow and vow to repay every last cent, she continued,"- I do not want to see my loves harmed, nor my loyal clients disappointed, my love."

He grumbled and rolled his eyes at her reaction to his body, sitting on the edge of the cot. He narrowed his eyes as she refused to answer his question, fists clenching slightly. He forced himself to calm down, sighing softly. He examined the herbs in the cabinet, a brow raising at the strange choices. How exactly was ginger supposed to help people? Hell if he knew... He was no healer.

He slowly shook his head at her reasoning for not letting him know their destination. "I have no people. I have advisors, and they're not trained to fight anyone. None of your boy toys are in any more danger with them around than they are with me." He tried explaining. Still... When it came to her lost cargo, he had nothing to say. He had fired that round which set the broadsider aflame, and it was only fitting that he was being punished.

He was just now being reminded that just because he was Qi's current favorite, it didn't mean he wasn't a prisoner. But how exactly could he repay for what had been lost? Well... Maybe something would come up. After all, a man of his talents definitely could be useful to a band of glorified pirates.

After idly crushing the paste, the young woman sidles up to him, comfortably deciding to straddle his lap as she pushed him onto his back- after all it totally wasn't a seductive position. Just one for- uh- science! If that could be applied at all in this situation. Gently trailing her hands up his stomach, over his chest appreciatively, Qi presses lightly upon the wound, as if to test if any fragments had been left behind or perhaps infection had settled in.

" Either way, dearest Love, you owe me" she hums idly as she leans over him, smiling with seductive cat-like smile as her skin glowed gently," I like damages to be repaid in full. So I hope you'll be willing to stay with me long enough to fulfill that obligation~"

Decimus watched with wide eyes as she quite seductively straddled him. Looking off to one side as a means of ignoring the situation, he winced as she prodded his wound, grunting in pain every once in awhile. The arrow must've gone rather deep, as he felt much more pain internally rather than externally. It was as if the arrow literally splintered some bones. He sure hoped not...

"It's not like I can go anywhere in the middle of the ocean anyhow... Especially without my equipment." He told her. Her, in this position on his lap, gave him both the time and the opportunity to check out her... Assets. All of his fighting against her supernatural pull aside, she definitely wasn't hard on the eyes. It wasn't just her flawless, smooth ivory skin. It was everything. Curves in all the right areas, bedroom eyes... If he didn't distrust this woman so much, he'd have his way with her. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case.

Pursing cherry lips with a small frown, she sighs," Either way, you're not going any where- especially with that arrowhead in your shoulder" Qi sings lightly as she leans down, resting one arm over his chest as if to pin him down before chiding," Now lie still, or I may mess up."

Leaning downward, her heated, minty breath brushed past his ear, like a balloon being filled with air, her words seemed to bounce about his skull and num his mind like the heaviest of Matron's Root whiskey. As she spoke the sweet nothings that would turn his nerves to mush, her fingers idly dug into his flesh through the wound, searching idly for that arrowhead.

If most people within a ten foot proximity of the woman didn't immediately fall under her spell, the scene would be considered quite disturbing. Blood flowing freely about her slender fingers as she lay over him like the tenderest of lovers- whispering sweet nothings as flesh squelched eerily.

Decimus closed his eyes, her breath in itself enough to make him lightheaded. It was as if her breath, her words, were like a powerful drug that turned his brain to mush. Still, that drug was not nearly strong enough to keep the pain of her digging through his wound at bay. He almost punched her in the face as soon as she began, shouting out in agony.

Gripping the cot so hard that his knuckles went pale, his lips curled, the noise making it very hard to ignore what was happening. "You think you could hurry this shit up!?" He snarled at her, not daring to move in fear that the arrowhead would shift around. Decimus was a man who could withstand pain, as men in his line of work somewhat had to. Still, with a steel arrowhead imbedded in his bone, and some psychotic woman digging through his flesh to get to it, it was difficult not to seem like a baby.

" I think you deserve this a little, after all, you did try to kill me," her voice floats through his foggy mind with the images of infinite pleasure of all sorts- from carnal desire to greedy sloth. Everything for a 'fulfilling' life, flashing before his eyes before the woman makes a small 'ah' sound- infinitely provocative in its lilting sound. In a moment her fingers left his wound, clutching the arrowhead between her fore and middle finger as she sat up proudly- beaming down at him.

" Now doesn't that feel better?"

Decimus paused at her words, his grip on the cot loosening as another 'dosage' made its way into his brain. As long as her voice remained in his head, the pain seemed somewhat numb. Especially with the pleasantries he saw before him, all which passed by too fast to truly revel in. Before he knew it, the pressure he felt in his shoulder left, his eyes opening to see a bloody arrowhead between her thumb and index finger.

Sighing in relief as the intense pain suddenly ceased, he reached up to massage his shoulder, which merely throbbed at this point. "I suppose you want me to thank you, or something?" He grumbled, noticing how much more he had begun to bleed after she went digging through his wound. Putting pressure against it, he huffed. "You got a needle? Thread?" He asked. Suddenly, he shot a glare at her. "I'm sewing myself up!" He didn't want to give her any fancy ideas.

He thought over the little visions she gave him. One in particular stood out above the rest...  A crowd, cheering his name... Commemorating him for change. The end of tyranny that he alone stopped. A fantasy, if there ever was one... A concept like corrupt rulers was one that couldn't simply end. Besides, no sane individual would cheer an assassin. Wanted in every province? A symbol of fear? Sure, he didn't ride on a horse and he certainly didn't wear shining armor, but even peasants were more admirable than someone of his description.

Perhaps he deserved this... At the whim of a seductress, on a fleet of ships isolated from civilization... Wait, was this supposed to be a punishment, or a gift? Well, judging from the pain he just experienced and his prisoner status, it was most certainly a punishment. A tame one, at least.

Qi idly rolled off of him, laying beside him with her legs splayed rather playfully and suggestively as she points with her slender foot toward the cabinet," Needle and thread, go right ahead~" singing the rhyme as she idly lay against the cot, gazing at him with a smile.

" So thats your dream, hm? What a nice dream- it is much more lovely then so many others'" she comments idly, rolling onto her stomach, causing the fabric to cling to her form as she rested her cheek upon her arms, flicking the arrowhead away to God knows where. Black, inky hair spilling over her slender shoulders- had she seen his vision?

Decimus gave a nod to her, unable to hold back a smirk at her little rhyme. He walked to the cabinet, looking over his shoulder at her current suggestive pose. Did she just try to look as sexual as possible, or was it just by accident? It only took a moment or two of searching to find the thread and needle, taking both, as well as a roll of fresh gauss.

Coming back, he stopped in his tracks as soon as she mentioned his vision. He narrowed his eyes at her, at first wanting to know what she had seen. However, knowing her, she probably had that ability and he was just blissfully unaware. Shaking his head, he chose not to dwell on it as he returned to the cot. Sitting on the very edge, he ran the thread through the needle before beginning.

For a short period of time, the two sat in silence, Decimus continuously lunging the needle into his orcish flesh. Other than a small wince with every prick, he rarely made noise. Just as he was finishing up, he gave a sigh. "My father was a philosopher, of sorts... A political activist. You see... I grew up in Connlaoth. The bastards in power there make the worst of demons look like half-decent creatures." He didn't know why he was deciding to bring up his past to her, of all people... But if she had truly seen his vision, why hide it? Or maybe her intoxicating aura was just getting to his head...

"My old man knew it better than anyone else... The dukes, the barons, the king, queen... They hated magic because of the power it held. The influence it brought. The culture that it could jumpstart... Magic was something that could inspire change. They didn't want that. A shift in the tides meant that someone could question their iron fist of authority... It was disgusting." He grumbled, wrapping his shoulder.

"When my old man died... I vowed to carry on his teachings. Rulers are corrupt. They're bad men who hunger for gold and power. Put a crown on a street urchin's head, he thinks he's a god." Once he had finished dressing the wound, he laid back down on the cot, staring towards the ceiling. "I find that petty protests and speeches aren't enough to enact change. Sometimes, you need a more permanent solution. Something to teach the rats that they're just as mortal as the rest of us. What better than a dagger to the throat? A bullet to the head? I can be that guy."

He honestly felt better to explain himself to someone... even if they just gave the illusion of caring. it felt good to speak. It felt good to not have to feel like his mouth was sewn 24/7, living in secrecy. Maybe it was because he had nothing more to lose. He was imprisoned, unmasked for all to see. What could he benefit from bottling up his past and secrets at this point?

She folded her hands over her breast as he spoke, interlacing her delicate fingers as she gazes at him with those haunting blue eyes. It seemed as if she was drinking every word in and as he finished, she slowly tilted her head to one side, raven locks spilling over her forehead as she sang.

" Sometimes killing the bad man on the throne makes room for a worse one," tilting a gently sloping eyebrow at him, she reaches out, offering him her hand," So do you want a society utterly without leaders? Even animals cannot survive without a clear dominant figure, so what you wish is anarchy." slowly she sat up, gazing at him with a tiny smile curling those perfect lips as she rests her hand on his thigh, slowly sliding up his form as she gazes up at him.

" What have they told you to say I am a corrupt leader, hm?"

He gazed at her hand, hesitant to grasp it. Sighing softly, he took it, making sure to be gentle, as her hand looked so fragile that he feared his massive hand in comparison would be enough to break it. "I don't wish to do away with rulers... I wish to do away with bad men. A common criminal and a corrupt king are one in the same, except one hurts a few, while the other hurts all. I'm no anarchist." He tried getting through to her.

He brushed her soft, delicate hand with a thumb, thinking about her next question long and hard. It seemed like he knew before, but ever since he arrived, being lulled into her hypnotic trap and being imprisoned on her turtleship, he seemed to forget. Maybe that was the answer to her question... Her siren-like abilities, used to brainwash men so blissfully to abide by her every whim... But just from looking at her, he didn't really know.

She was gorgeous, and gave off such an innocent, pitiful aura. He'd assumed she was acting. She was a talented actress who used her talents for all the wrong purposes... But was she really? The longer he stayed with her, the more genuine she seemed. Or was that just her poison slowly rotting his brain? Unable to give her a proper answer, he said the only thing he really could.

"You're... A strange woman... I look at you, and I just can't seem to wrap my head around who you really are." He looked into her eyes, his own narrowing slightly. "I thought I was unmovable... You made me drop that dagger, and now I'm a captive... You could've had me killed, like so many others have said you've done with men like me... But I'm alive... And you seem so interested in me..." At that moment, his voice took a turn from its usual serious, angry-sounding tone, adopting one of confusion instead.

This assassin, who had killed so many and mentally dissected so many unfortunate victims, just couldn't find out what made her tick. It pissed him off... He wanted to ring her neck out like a rag! But at the same time... She interested him almost as much as he interested her. Her mystery, her strange mannerisms, it was almost mesmerizing. Was he...? No... There was no way.

... Was this some kind of deep affection for her? Taking another few seconds to stare into her eyes, he huffed. "You interest me too... For all the wrong reasons."

She drew his hand toward her lips, lightly pressing her soft mouth to his massive knuckles that could easily break her in half with a single swipe. Alas, she smiled up at him, uttering a small giggle," 'All the wrong reasons'?" she echoes in mock hurt, reaching up with her other hand to lightly trace her perfectly almost-shaped nails against his broad jawline.

" How is it wrong if it catches you so enticingly? Besides-" her fingers trace a small spiral on his cheek, causing her to stand slightly on her toes to do so,"- you've been difficult to handle. I love it- the challenge is new." her lovely, lilting song was as hypnotic as ever.

Perhaps he noticed how she utterly avoided touching all others. Perhaps if he were in his right mind he would realize the closer in proximity an individual was to her, the more powerful the effect of the aura. Perhaps he would realize each butterfly touch was insurance that he would not suddenly turn. Perhaps he would realize, in fact, that she was dragging him further into the abyss- to the same level as the rest of her lackeys. This was... Alas, if only he was in his right mind.

As she touched him, Decimus' mind seemed to fog over, almost to a catatonic state. His eyes seemed to gaze into hers infinitely, as if he was staring into a vast ocean. He was slowly ulled towards her face, tilting his head ever so slightly as if he was ready to recreate the events of their first meeting. Just as it seemed like they were ready to embrace in yet another passionate kiss...

"It's gonna take more than touching my face, ching-chong." He said, his words full of venom. His numb, zoned-out expression turned to an evil smirk. In a cruel turn of events, the woman so used to luring men into a false sense of security was getting a taste of her own medicine. And it was a foul-tasting medicine, indeed. Sitting up, he hopped over her, off of the cot and onto the floor.

"I'm gonna take a look around the ship... I'm getting bored just laying around." He murmured, getting ready to take his leave. Not before giving her exposed rear a rather disrespectful smack. Had anyone in her crew ever done anything like that? And if so, how long did they live afterwards? He had to admit... It felt good not only to disrespect her authority, but also to somewhat beat her at her own game.

He did find it pretty difficult not to kiss her, though. Her aura was strong. Luckily, thus far, he seemed a tad stronger. Knowing that little fact was probably enough to have the Red Tiger pulling her hair out in frustration was... Well, pure bliss. Almost as blissful as being around the woman herself.

(You cheeky lil dickwaffle xDDDD)

Qi squeaks as her hindquarters are struck, turning around to flash him a glare thiugh it doesn't last long on her flushed features. She broke into soft laughter, slapping her hands over her mouth as she brought her slender legs to her chest, giggling. That had shocked her, scared her a little- but was infinitely pleasant. After all, no one dared slap her ass unless they wanted to be promptly ripped apart by her zombie-like followers. He was lucky they had all but been alone.

Oh- this was so infuriatingly fun!


As he strode through the ship, he received the now usual envious glares- but one could see most of these people were here of their free will. Perhaps so indoctrinated they had become that it almost felt like they were making their own choices... How quaint. How pathetic.

Decimus ignored the malicious looks, walking through the maze of hallways and corridors within the enclosed turtleship, eventually ending up at the bow of the ship itself. He squinted at the intense sunlight, which beat down on his head from high above. He put a hand up to shield his eyes as he examined the sky. Barely a cloud in sight. A nice day. A hot day, too.

Looking down towards the horizon, he noticed something other than water. A far-stretching landmass directly ahead, with a massive port lining the coast. Docks stretched out towards the sea, fishing boats and such attached here and there by thick, sturdy ropes. "Whats wrong, orc?" A voice asked him. He turned sharply, seeing one of the crew members behind him, arms crossed. He looked more decorated than the other crew due to his attire, as well as his neatly-groomed, greying beard and hair. "Never seen Serendipity's coast before?" The man raised a brow.

This man looked just about as pissed off at him as any other onboard, just from his piercing eyes drilling holes in his very soul. Still, there was an aura of professionalism about this man. As if he was much more civilized than his contemporaries. "No... I don't get to this side of the province very often." Decimus answered bluntly. "May I ask who you are?" He raised a brow. The man just took a deep breath of the ocean air, walking to the very edge of the deck with his hands behind his back. "You're looking at the catain of this vessel."

Decimus blinked at him for a long time. He wasn't expecting to see a man such as the captain of Qi's turtleship out on the bow for a breath of fresh air, rather than... Well, piloting the ship. He supposed even men like him needed to leave their post for a moment. "We're making a stop... Here?" The assassin broke the silence, a bit caught off guard at the strange choice of destination. "There's barely any commerce regulation from the king on the coast... This place is full of thugs and crime lords."

The captain chuckled slightly, looking over at Decimus. "Yeah. And? We have a buyer we're meeting here for quite the profit. He pays, we peddle our wears here. The legitimacy of our clients means nothing to us." He explained. Decimus clinched his fists slightly. "You could be selling to a crook. Running right into a trap. Youre putting the Red Tiger in danger." He growled. The captain laughed harder. "Oh, what a card! The man who tried putting a bullet in the fair lady's skull, trying to tell me about putting her in danger!" He had a fair point... Still, this place gave off awful vibes.

The captain, turning him with a rough hand on his shoulder, glared into his eyes. "Listen well, orc... You be a good boy and go back to your cell. Go occupy your time in some way. But dammit, stay out of our way!" He snarled, pushing him back. Decimus stumbled, nose curling in anger at him, but he remained calm, against his better judgement.

As if on queue, or always on queue as she always seemed to be, a gentle song lilted from the lower decks," O Captain~ My Captain~" the voice as sweet as sugar and honey, smoother then fresh cream and silk- all the metaphors you could stick into that sentence, just do it because that's how beautiful those four words sounded.

Emerging from the darkness of the lower decks, Qi approached the railing of the turtleship, sea breeze pushing back inky black hair as she leaned over slightly, closing her eyes as the glow upon her skin seemed to intensify. Clearly she was quite happy despite Decimus' shenanigans. Taking a moment to breath in the salted air, she turns toward the Captain and Decimus- offering a gentle smile," I do hope you two are getting along?" she croons, approaching in smooth steps to wrap her arms about the captain's waist, pressing her lips to his cheek rather unabashedly.

" After all, you two are more alike then you may know- maybe you should try and make a friend, my dearest, most treasured Captain~?"

The captain seemed to immediately calm himself at her voice, looking towards her with a smile as she wrapped her arms around him. He looked back towards Decimus with a glare, mouthing obscenities towards him. Well... Perhaps Qi wasn't wrong. This man and him might've had something in common after all, as he seemed to have a rather high tolerance to her poison. Leaning in close to the captain's face, Decimus pointed threateningly.

"This little trade will go south real quick. You're gonna get a taste of that by peddling to shady people. And when that happens, I'm out of here." He said through gritted teeth. The captain scoffed. "Sure... You go ahead and try... No man can escape the lady, and you know it." The captain looked down at Qi, giving a charming wink before planting a gentle kiss on the top of her head. He shoved past Decimus, reentering the ship as the assassin gave a snarl.

For the next hour or so, the fleet was busy getting docked, men loading crates of precious wears onto the docks before a group of men in rusty iron armor. Clearly, they weren't the king's troops at all. The captain eventually made his way down as well, the leader of the men, a tall, fat man with a flowing, red beard meeting him. Decimus watched all of this from the bow, huffing as he waited for things to go south. "How often do you get out here? Aren't you worried?" He asked Qi, looking over at her with a raised brow.

" Well- we frequent this dock enough to be known quite well-" she pauses before giggling musically, sliding over to hug his arm, pressing her lips to his shoulder," Oh? Are you worried about me, my assassin? You shouldn't be- both my lovers and myself are quite adept at handling danger," tilting her head, she looks up at him adoringly, almost like one would look upon their soulmate with asbolute warmth.

" Besides- I love you, and you love me- so nothing can harm us, Decimus.

" Come with me-" she chirps, suddenly pulling him along before ensuring he would follow of his own accord, skipping down the ramp lightly as she waved to the red bearded man," Yygdran! Your beard looks as flawless as ever, my big, beautiful man!" Her robes billowed slightly behind her with the ocean breeze, inky locks flashing like a thousand fish tails moving in gorgeous cohesion.

He wanted to vomit at those words... All this, 'I love you' nonsense was starting to get tiring. No... It had been tiring. But this woman's toxic aura made it hard to simply stay away from her like he probably should've been doing this whole time. Still... There weren't many places he could avoid her. The ship was only so big. "Where are we going?" Decimus growled, eyes narrowed at her. The last place he needed to be was up front and center. It was like she was painting a giant bullseye on his forehead.

As they went along, he kept his stern gaze locked on the leader of the sketchy-looking men. Still lined up, all in proper, guard-like stances beside the man, the crew of Qi's fleet loaded various crates of goods in front of them, which two or three of the red-bearded fellow's goons checked thoroughly for quality. Perhaps Qi was right... They had made many stops here, according to her, so they should've been fine... Right?

Still, there was a feeling that creeped in the back of his mind... They were in the most lawless, unregulated part of Serendipity. It wouldn't take much at all for things to go wrong. A fleet full of valuable goods, in the middle of pirates, crime lords, and other various scum? The red, flashing warning signs were all there. Decimus tried to look calm before these men, taking slow, gentle breaths as he stayed beside Qi in silence.

The man with the red beard let a huge, half-toothless grin spread across his face at the sight of her, walking up with his arms raised. "The Red Tiger herself! I was worried I wouldn't get to see you today, my dear!" He chuckled, which turned into a slight cough. Taking to one knee, he took her hand, kissing her wrist gently. "It's always a pleasure to meet your acquaintance." He said, grinning up at her. His eyes then shifted from her to Decimus, his grin being replaced with an ugly frown.

He stood slowly, barely able to get to his feet without struggling. From there, he dusted off his clothes, looking Decimus up and down with the same disgust he had displayed with his frown. "I see you have a new member of your little family... Care to introduce me?" He asked her. Decimus glanced from him to her, still silent.

Turning lightly upon her heel, her bright blue eyes flickering over Decimus proudly, appreciatively- as if looking over a prized horse," This is simply my lover, he no longer has a name since he became mine," she sings softly, perhaps there was... Some threatening undertone or perhaps those qords in and of themselves seemed the final hammer that nailed his chains firmly to her. But that sweet, honey-sweet smile melted all the terrible coldness to her demeanour away almost instantaneously and she moved easily over to Decimus, hugging his arm close as she beams at her counterpart.

" Tell me, Yygdran, do you have my money?

Decimus could easily sense the threat of those words to his individuality. To his dignity and freedom. He opened his mouth to correct her, and state his name to the red-bearded fellow, but no sound came out. He was kept quiet by her aura, which flooded his senses and kept him obedient to her notion that he had no name. He was simply her lover. He couldn't fathom it... Had he truly given up on trying to fight her influence?

As she asked for an apparent debt the man owed her, his big smile he gave her with every word died, being replaced with a frown of realization. "Ah... Yes... Your gold, my lady." He snapped at one of his men, who then raced up the shore towards a nearby caravan and began shuffling through some of the horse's saddlebags. "I... Haven't forgotten the money I owe for the last trip you made here... I assure you." Yygdran said, just as the man he sent away returned.

"We have 200 gold pieces, sir... that will only cover around half." He explained, Yygdran grunting in frustration. "Are you sure? Did you check thoroughly, boy?" He asked. The man nodded nervously. Decimus watched as Qi's own men began unsheathing their own curved swords and twirled their lethal spears threateningly, snickering slightly at Yygdran's mistake and grinning sadistically. Decimus felt the need to place his hand on Qi's shoulder, tugging her back a bit in fear that a fight would break out any second.

He then remembered that whatever happened here was her call. If there was to be a skirmish, only she could order it. In his delusions and brainwashing by the Red Tiger, he seemed to lose his grasp on reality. He forgot how dangerous she was. He forgot that she was a leader. A deceiver. As of now, his mind was tricking him into believing that she was a sweet, innocent angel, as all these other fools had seen her.

" Oh Yygdran-" that silken, honey-and-milk song was now sickening, something far too sweet to choke down. As she spoke, she pressed herself against Decimus, as if sensing his desire to shield her and allowing him the smallest of pleasures in doing so. Her dearest meatshield.

"- You know what this means, don't you? Oh Yygdran-" she clucked her tongue, akin to a mother scolding a child,"- Raise your hand. I would empty whatever you have in that pocket of yours as well, as it will be harder to reach after this." Extending a delicate hand for the big red-haired man's paw, she smiled and tilted her head, the gentle black locks flowing over her shoulders like black water.

Yygdran looked between her and Decimus, certain now that there was no way out. Or, at least that's how things seemed. He sighed, reaching into his satchel for his coin purse. A frown of defeat remained on his face as he did, but there was something else there... Something that struck Decimus as odd. Then, his suspicions came true. With a grin overtaking his original frown, Yygdran did not draw a coin purse from his satchel, but a dagger, which he held up to Qi threateningly.

Decimus was confused... Even in his dazed state, he knew good and well that no man could resist her aura... So how was he doing it? His eyes trailed to the man's hand. Sitting on his finger was a ring, made of silver and decorated with what looked to be glass beads. "Negating ring..." Those were the only words Decimus uttered. At this point, amidst the confusion, Yygdran's men all had their own weapons ready, prepared to fight Qi's henchman, and they weren't taking prisoners. Each had their own rings as well, upon closer inspection.

"Right you are! I thought you were too dumb to talk... But now that I've heard your voice, you seem rather smart!" He said mockingly, Decimus' nose wrinkled angrily. Qi's men, coming back to reality after the shock, readied themselves for a clash, the two sides looking as if they'd collide any second. "I'm very sorry, my lady... But I'm afraid my gold is much too valuable to be robbed by slanty-eyed little weasels like you!" He growled at her.

Yygdran took a moment before continuing, glaring at every one of her men before returning his gaze to her. Decimus stood slightly in front of her defensively, Yygdran scoffing and shaking his head. "I've been waiting for you to arrive... You and your insane prices have left me a near bankrupt man! Not anymore... I'm turning the tables today. Once your men are good and slaughtered, I'll take your wears and leave your fleet to burn!" He growled.

Angling his dagger just right, he raised it above his head to drive the blade into her heart. Decimus thought fast, ducking and grabbing a handful of sand. Standing, he tossed the sand upwards, the grains flying into Yygdran's eyes. He yowled in pain, dropping the dagger and grabbing at his face. It was this which prompted the two sides to clash, steel against steel ringing and echoing all around as Decimus suddenly grabbed Qi by the waist, hoisting her up onto a shoulder as he ran back for the turtleship.

It was as if the attack was enough to remove him from his brainwashing. For the most part, at least. Her aura kept him inclined to protect her, but he could now function enough to focus on one thing: finding his gear. Entering the ship, he slammed and locked the door behind him, hoping her crew could hold off their attackers long enough for him to at least locate his pepperboxes, if nothing else. "Where are my things being stored!?" He asked her aggressively.

It all happened so quickly, that the young woman could barely register what happened before she was wrenched into the turtleship. She felt himself being tucked against his broad olive chest and briefly allowed herself to nestle closer, closing her eyes. She really did not care about violence, as it rarely touched her- so she briefly allowed herself to nestle closer, pressing her lips against Decimus' sternum, her hand curling upon a pectoral before suddenly being wrenched free of this little fantasy- lips leaving a warm patch just through his shirt as her electric blue eyes widen in shock as he speaks roughly.

She took a moment to gaze at him, something about the primal fury made her smile- reaching out to xup his face in her hands as she sings quietly to him, archinbg a slender eyebrow," If I tell you, you may turn on me, my pet," turning elegantly upon the ball of one small foot, she begins to stride off down the hallway idly, hips swaying- idly snapping her fan out to the side and churning the air delicately," I would have liked to keep you for longer before giving you any toys, But I suppose there is no choice... I suppose I could always barrage the city but I am not equipped for war yet," she seemed very relaxed about all this...

Decimus bared his teeth at her, looking back at the doors of the ship, which caved inwards over and over as Yygdran's men slammed against it, trying to get in. Clearly, Qi's men outside had been beaten, and soon, they'd be next. Decimus growled, rushing to her and taking her by the shoulder, turning her around. "This is the last time I'll ask... Where is my gear!? My guns, my daggers, everything!"

He looked back at the door, knowing it wouldn't hold for long. "C'mon..." He snarled, a hand holding her shoulder tightly as he took them to the infirmary from before, locking them up in there. He din't have to protect her... But he was planning on it. Mainly because protecting her would probably ensure his release, or at least a promotion from prisoner status.

"Look... I know you don't give a damn about them, or me, but do it for yourself. These bastards are planning on killing you and destroying your life's work. Will you let me fight to save your ass, or are you just going to die willingly?" He asked, at first close to the door so he could listen to whether they had busted in yet or not. He looked over his shoulder at her for a moment, huffing impatiently. He looked around, finding a nearby scalpel and holding it defensively at his side. If she wouldn't tell him where his things were, he'd fight them off with whatever he could find in this room.