"Just give meh a moment." Neeva muttered, more focused on counting each and every coin that what her new clients were asking. Once she was sure the bag truly held thirty gold pieces (and she'd checked that they were actual gold pieces) she looked up. She gave the pair a smile, though she directed it more and that man who'd handed her the money. He obviously handled the couples' money, and that made him important in Neeva's eyes. "Jus follow meh, an' I'll show ye where she be." She turned and started walking towards a more hidden part of the harbor. "Now trust meh, if you've an eye for sea craft, you gonna agree dis boat is worth every one o' dem shinies you jus handed ta me."
She looked back to make sure they were following and gave them another smile when she saw that they were. Thalia promptly decided she liked it better when the woman wasn't smiling. Sure she was scary that way too, but when she smiled it reminded Thalia of a hungry predator. This woman (Thalia was mostly sure it was a woman) definitely made her nervous. However, she saw that as a good thing. No one would attack a ship with a captain that looked like she had no problem with biting heads off.
"Ah, here we are. Ya see what Ah was talkin' about? She a beaute ain't she?" Thalia had to agree. She knew nothing of boats other than the fact that you could travel over water on them, but even she could tell this boat was of good quality.
"It's amazing!" She said, her mouth hanging open a little. The boat was painted a majestic blue that looked like it had been stolen from the evening sky. The railings and other details were painted a shimmery silver, and accented the blue nicely. A flapping noise drew Thalia's attention and she looked up to see a merry blue flag with a silver dolphin.
"Yus it is. Da envy of every uther captain on da rive, the Dolphin Racer is." Neeva looked at the ship smugly, obviously proud of her sea craft. Abruptly she turned toward Thalia and Pal. "Now we're still finishin' up our new paint job, so dis ship ain't sailin' 'til tomorrow. Dat all right wit you?"
Neeva avoided mentioning the reason the ship was being repainted was because it had been remodeled recently, and the remodeling was so no one would recognize it. The ship had been formerly known as the Golden Gryphon, until it had been attacked and seized by pirates. None of the ship's former crew members were alive to say who stole the craft, but the law officials still hoped to find the boat. The ship was still as steady and fine as before, but it was almost unrecognizable. Its former captain may have seen through the paint and new look, but he was sleeping on the bottom of the river with a heavy chain around his legs keeping him company.
Her plan for the vessel was simple. Make some small coin bringing travelers up and down the river safely. She'd make sure they were well protected from the mysterious river bandits who had just started robbing the other traveling vessels on the river a couple weeks ago. As her reputation of being the only travel boat that could make the trip safely grew, her customers would grow in number and purse size. Eventually some fool merchant with a fat purse and heavy load would come aboard. Mid-way, she would relieve him of his cargo and any bodily concerns. She looked over the couple again judging their possible wealth by their clothes. Neeva doubted they held much of worth. They'd be safe from her.
Thalia nodded. She could wait a day if it meant riding the river in a craft like this. "Is it alright with you Pal?" She turned away from Neeva to face him. "I don't mind waiting a day, but if you do we can look elsewhere." She'd prefer not to, she had a feeling this woman could fight off almost anything, but Pal was her travelling companion and he had the experience with such matters.
((Sorry I haven't been on. It's college application time, so I've been busy with visits and all the other crazy things that happens with this. Come January, or earlier if I get into my first choice school via ED, I should be able to be on more regularly.))
