She opened her mouth to protest, but sighed instead. She was supposed to be behaving, and that probably meant no arguing with the Captain and refusing to follow orders. She remembered all too well what had happened only a short time ago when Ryek had finally gotten fed up with her attitude. She was staring blankly at him as her mind replayed the scene. She could honestly say that she'd been treated far worse in situations like that in the past, and Ryek was so mysterious and charmingly handsome for a pirate...

There were those goosebumps again. As Ryek shouted, Gemma jumped, snapping out of her daze. She shook her head slightly, almost embarrassed. Had he noticed her staring at him like that? As the crew scrambled onto the deck, she made her way below to eat, finally realizing how hungry she'd been. When she found Belle she gave the woman a sarcastic salute. "Reporting for dinner duty," she said, "The Captain wants me to bring him his food on deck. Could you make something to take up?" she asked the elf as she sat in front of a random plate of food and began to eat. It's not like there was a crew member sitting there.

Meanwhile, the fog would set in so heavy that visibility was no more than 40 or 50 feet from the front of the Devil's Dream. As they sailed forward a large rock would appear directly ahead of them, more towards the right side of the ship, standing as tall as if not taller than the ship itself. If Ryek and his crew were quick enough, they would probably miss the rock, but those chances were slim.

((It's completely up to Ryek weather or not they hit it, scrape it or totally avoid it! Always always always will it be your decision what happens with your ship and crew. :yes:))

One man on the prow of the ship, two in the crow's nest. They had been the first crew members to take their positions. Ryek's crew knew what to do in a fog, but still he barked orders left and right at them. His first mate repeating half those orders. As it was, only half the sails were down when the rock was spotted. Devil's Dream had only decreased in speed very slightly. Ryek cursed, and barked more commands as he spun the wheel hard to veer the ship away from the rock. Devil's Dream tilted slightly as Ryek turned her so sharply, and he winced as the rock scraped against his hull. Only a few inches more and he would've missed that rock completely, still it had only grazed the ship.

They wouldn't sink, it had only scratched the surface of her hull. Even so, such a scratch still angered Ryek and he cursed a few more times under his breath before offering a prayer to the gods of sea asking to be guided through this treacherous water gently. Ryek didn't expect an answer from the gods, the gods were dead, most said. Ryek only held a half belief in such deities, but if they decided to help him, Ryek would not refuse them. Real or not real. Ryek corrected their course once they had passed the rock, finally all his sails were down and he could feel the ship slowing a little more. The oarsmen had put their oars in the water but hadn't started rowing yet.

Ryek was sure they were still on the right path, heading in the right direction, but fog could be tricky. For all he knew he had turned much to sharply and hadn't quite corrected his course properly. There would be no way of knowing until they were out of this cursed fog.

The lady's lack of introduction did nothing to reaffirm Lucy's confidence, but she managed to keep her abilities under control as she answered, "I, uh, don't actually kn-know why I-I glow. And I-I've b-been here f-for t-two years." Still, it was hard work keeping her body locked into a position where every breath wouldn't make her touch the edge of the sword, and she was starting to quiver from the effort. As the lady moved to crouch down, Lucy felt a surge of premature hope at being allowed to move, though it was shattered when the girl failed to move the sword from it's position on her throat.

Though she knew it was childish, the girl was actually less scary after she was crouching. Lucy, being fairly observant for a thirteen year old, noticed that the birds moving closer made the lady nervous. The thought that it was better that she be calm popped into her mind, and she gave a shrill whistle to the birds, causing them to scatter. Really, she had learned it from listening to them whenever a predator came near. It was their alarm system. "So, um, what's your name again?" Lucy said, trying again. Hopefully if she was friendly, the other girl wouldn't be eager to swing that sword of hers.

Belle watched over the mess hall as the men started to eat her soup. She took pride in her cooking because that was one of the skills her mother showed her personally. Her eyes closed for a moment before Gemma came over and saluted her. "Sure. Just enjoy your meal." The elf said before walking back into the kitchen and making sandwich of ham, cheese, and bread for her captain. Also a canteen of water was prepared since it was hard for the captain to drink from a cup on deck. Belle looked at her wounded finger and scarred hands as she finished the sandwich. The memories of her attempts at cooking for her parents and brother still fresh in her mind.

When the ship scraped the rocks, the sound made Belle wince. She checked the mess hall to make sure that the soup had not spilled. The mess was minimal. Her eyes went to Gemma and thought for a moment. Now that Gemma was here, would the captain want her less? Belle shook head and walked up to Gemma. "Here is the captain's food, when you're ready. But eat as much as you like."

Mindy jumped slightly at the sharp whistle. Her training alone kept the blade still. She watched the birds take off and then turned to look at this girl. How had she kept hidden for two years? Why didn't she ever introduce herself to the other sailors who had survived or to her? Taking a deep breathe, she figured that she better put away her sword. The girl was so jumpy that even if Mindy didn't mean to, the girl might end up getting killed anyways. She slowly pulled the sword back and sheathed it.

Moving backwards a little bit, she sat down and looked Lucy over. She rather have answers. Yet, everything about the girl said that she was harmless. Except for that insanely unnatural glowing that was emanating from Lucy. Mindy hesitantly offered, "Mindy. My name is Mindy. If... why haven't you ever introduced yourself? I've been here for so long..." She bit it off. Not now would she cry. Not now that she was around someone.

Edward put the knight's armor in the corner of her room. She was still sleeping peacefully on the small cot. He draped her clean clothes on a chair inside the door to finish drying. They had mostly dried by the fire place, but he wanted her to feel some security in knowing where her things were. Then he headed back out to check on the soup. It was almost done. He started working on setting up a bath in a side room. More work but worth it. He would keep the bath water good and warm for her so if she woke up in the near future, she would be able to have a chance to clean up better than he had been able to do for her. At least right now she was no longer covered in grit and sand. If she stayed asleep much longer, he would have to figure out a way to get liquids in her. She had to be dehydrated.

Gemma only nodded as Belle walked away. By the time she returned, Gemma had cleaned her bowl nearly spotless. "Thanks," she said to Belle. "It's been years since I've had homemade soup." In fact, she didn't think she'd ever had homemade soup, not like this. "It was delicious," she said as she patted at her full belly.

When the ship took a hard turn, Gemma frowned deeply and held onto the table. A few dishes that had been left too close to the edge, fell and shattered, leaving a mess of food on the floor. "Damn!" she exclaimed. She knew she should have stayed on deck, now she'd surely missed something good!

She grabbed the food that Belle had prepared for the captain and ran up the stairs and onto the deck. She stopped immediately. The fog had begun to set in so heavy she couldn't even see where the captain stood. She walked forward slowly as parts of the ship came into view the closer she got. Soon she was standing next to the captain again. "What happened?" she asked, not noting that they had been boarded or anything else that was obvious. Gemma was straining to see the front of the ship. "Shouldn't we stop until the fog has lifted?"

The smart thing to do would have been to stop. But as it stood, that was the only dangerous rock that needed to be avoided. The others all lay hidden beneath the surface, only to be dangerous in choppy seas. Within minutes as they sailed through the place on the map marked in a triangle, the fog would slowly dissipate until they were left with clear skies once again, as if nothing had ever happened.

Ryek's men had lit lanterns, but that didn't really help with their visibility it would help, he hoped, to keep other ships from running into them. One lantern at the prow, one next to the main mast and one behind the captain. At least the one behind Ryek helped him see the wheel. Except, Ryek's eyes were closed and his head was tilted to the side as if he were listening for something. The sails had all been taken down so there was no wind flapping them about to hear, only the sound of the water and the oars of his oarsmen. Or maybe Ryek was hearing something completely different.

He was listening to the creak of his ship, as it was though, they were moving slowly. Ryek was listening for the sounds of hidden rocks scraping against his hull. When Gemma approached him with his food he opened his eyes to look at her. "Rocks and no this fog won't lift, we have to sail through it, or get lost in it forever." His compass was shoved in his pocket and he picked up the sandwich. He devoured it quickly. Lamenting silently that he had missed whatever sweet meal Belle had cooked up in the kitchen. She was such a fine cook. Done with the sandwich he took the canteen and drank heavily from it before handing it back to Gemma.

Then they were through and as the fog left them, Ryek's crew sent up a loud cheer. The oars were pulled back in and the men that had been rowing came up to help set the sails back into position. They unfurled quickly as this man or that man pulled on this or that rope and tied it off. Ryek barked a few orders and pulled out his compass. He stared at it for a few moments, then pulled out the map. He glanced at Gemma and pointed at the spot they had just sailed through. "See this, lass? Many a sailor, naval man, and pirate get lost never to be seen again. It does funny things to compasses, and rocks hide in the fog. It's easy to get sunk there." He would let her stare at the map a little longer, he knew how much she liked looking at it.

As the lady flinched at Lucy's whistle, she felt her heart speed up tenfold and slammed her eyes shut. When she felt nothing, she hesitantly peeked one eye open, relieved to see that her head was still on her shoulders and that she wasn't bleeding. That whistle had probably been a bad idea after all, though the lady did put her sword away and sit down in front of her, which, once again, helped alleviate some of Lucy's fears. Still, she did seem rather hesitant to start speaking, so Lucy was surprised when she did speak up.

"Mindy is such a nice name!" she exclaimed, her entire face beaming. Her best friend back home had been named Mindy. The rest of the conversation sort of killed the cheer she felt, but she answered anyway. "I-I w-was afraid th-that you wouldn't like me. My p-parents didn't like me, and that's why I'm here in the first place. I didn't want it to happen again. I'm sorry." Despite her young age, Lucy also kept from crying, though she figured that that was because she had cried herself out a long time ago. That didn't stop her face from twisting up in that way only children can produce as she waited for a response.

Mindy's heart leapt at the sight of the child's face. She sighed and wondered what to do. Interacting with others was not her forte. She knew how to host a ball or dinner, but actually interacting with others was hard. She had been raised with her tutors and then with the sailors on ships. Even then, there had always been a gap. She decided maybe to get the girl talking. Maybe figure out what she liked. "You've been here two years. I can see you at least made friends with the birds." That actually still bothered her but she she didn't say so. If it was simply attraction and not magic, then she wouldn't mind it. She hoped it wasn't magic. The glowing skin was more than she could handle at the moment.

It was sad though that her parents hadn't wanted her. What did they do? Pack her up and drop her off on the first uninhabited island they could find? She wanted to ask, but feared making the girl cry. She didn't want to deal with tears. Maybe she was hungry? "Well if your willing to part company with them for a little while, want to come with me to where I stay? I can make a pretty good soup." And it is warm and healthy too. She was all into making sure you got your vitamins and minerals. And warm foods often had a soothing quality to them. Perhaps that would relax the both of them enough to talk more freely. Though Lucy was obviously eager to be friends, despite her seclusion the last two years.

Seeing that Mindy was a little at a loss, Lucy kept quiet, allowing her to think things over without distraction. Grown-ups hated that after all, right? When she repeated the fact that Lucy had been here for two years, she nodded, smiling at the mention of the birds, though it wasn't as enthusiastic as before. "Oh! They can find me anywhere. All I have to do is light up and sing a little. They seem to like that," she said, a strange twinkle in her eye. The mention of food made her tummy roar, leading her to blush brightly before continuing. "Soup sounds good. Maybe I could help you cook sometime? I sort of learned how after being here for so long."

Despite the nature of the topic, she didn't dwell on it, instead hopping up and beginning to walk deeper into the forest, though she held up for Mindy. She was actually eager to get to see where Mindy lived. Sure, she knew where it was, but that wasn't the same as seeing it. Not to mention that it was better than the simple tent that Lucy had been able to make out of leaves and branches. That thing was purely uncomfortable! And especially when it leaked! "Do you have a fireplace?" she asked, yawning as she waited.

She hurried to keep up. It wasn't difficult. She basically ran everywhere since she had nothing better to do but stay in shape. "Well, sorta. I guess you know a lot about me since you have been here for so long. The temple ruins has a stone firepit in the main room. I don't know what it was used for, but it works well. Past the main room is the inner shrine and chambers. Though empty, I'm not brave enough to be back there. So I stay in the main room or one of the side rooms that I sleep in." She looked around as they reached the old temple grounds. The broken stone path was overgrown with moss with vines hanging on the sides. Reaching the outer courtyard, she motioned towards the stone water fountain on the side of the courtyard. It was broken and chipped, but there was water flowing through. "That is really good water. Clean and great for drinking." The place seemed so deserted. She then head inside to where the main room was. It was a large stone room with pillars supporting the stone roof about a quarter of the way from the side walls. In the middle was the fire pit she used. At the far end was a platform of sorts and the opening that led into the rest of the temple. A place that once explored, she had left alone. She pointed to one of the side rooms that connected to the main room. Like small storage rooms in size and purpose. "That is the one I stay in. It works well."

The woman smiled as Gemma complimented her food and bowed her head. "Glad you like it." Belle said before looking over at the dishes that fell from the table. She sighed and started to pick up the broken dishes before dumping them into the trash pail. Most of the crew had left to go sleep until they were needed on the deck again. Her eyes closed as she started to clean up from dinner. 'Might as well mop the whole mess hall now.' The elf thought to herself as Aurelio helped her take the dirty dishes into the kitchen so Belle could concentrate on the floor.

Belle started to hum an elven prayer for safety for all on board and for safe passage. Aurelio, unfortunately, started to forget the language and memories of their life before Ryek. He finished helping and went back to his room to sleep. After the mess hall was clean, Belle returned to the kitchen to start the dishes. A small pot of soup was left on the stove for the captain if he wanted some later.

Lost in this fog forever? With Ryek? Gemma grimaced. For a moment she stared off into the fog, wondering what lay ahead of them next. Gemma craved the adventure, but she was tired now and it was late. As Ryek scarfed down the sandwich she raised an eyebrow giving him an almost disgusted look. It was like a shark eating a tuna the way he devoured the thing.

When he handed her the canteen back she sighed. "I'm not your servant," she mumbled. But then Ryek was pulling out the map and pointing at the place they had just sailed through. Immediately Gemma's eyes lit up again as she tried to wrap her mind around the mystery and adventure the map promised, only to pout once again when Ryek put the map away. "You're such a tease," she grumbled.

As they entered the courtyard, Lucy admired the scenery with a smile on her face, nodding to just about everything Mindy was saying. It was quite clear that the child was in a wonderful mood, though she had shown how fast that could change earlier. Upon entering the temple itself, Lucy subconsciously allowed herself to glow a bit more to compensate for the slight loss of light. Then she looked over at Mindy sheepishly and lowered it again. "Sorry. It just happens sometimes," she mumbled, keeping her eyes away from Mindy's. She really did not want to see the horror that her parents had shown when they had found out.

While curious as to the shrines and such, Lucy wasn't going to go anywhere near them if Mindy wouldn't. She was right after all. They did give off a sort of eerie feeling that leaked through the black doorway, despite being hidden in the darkness. "Do you mind if I take that one then?" Lucy asked, pointing to the storage/makeshift bedroom on the left of Mindy's. Hopefully she didn't, though Lucy would respect the older girl's decision if she said no. A loud rumbling sound coming from her tummy alerted her that there were more important things to attend to than where she was going to sleep that night. Namely food. "How long do you think the soup will take? I'm starving!"

Ryek called out to his first mate, speaking rapid french to the man as he approached. Ryek stepped back from the wheel and let the first mate take over steering as the captain folded the map back up, replaced it in his boot and took the canteen back from Gemma and took Gemma gently by the arm. "No. You aren't my servant, but you don't get a free ride on my ship. So I expect you to work for your food, room and voyage." Ryek pulled her along as he moved down to the kitchen and mess hall area.

Ryek entered the kitchen and let go of Gemma. "Wash the dishes, lass." Well, at least Ryek wasn't calling her a 'wench' anymore, that had to be something, didn't it? His tone wasn't unkind either, just a bit stern. He was a captain, his orders would be obeyed. Never mind that Belle was already washing the dishes. Ryek eyed the half elf for a moment. "Belle, pour me some rum and keep me company while I eat." He left the kitchen after fixing himself a bowl of the soup that had been left on the stove for him.

Ryek stepped into the mess hall and took his place at the head of the table, his chair was a little dramatic, but still it was his chair and that was where he would eat. His soup sat on the table, but Ryek didn't start in immediately, he waited for Belle to approach with his rum and then he pat his thigh lightly for her to sit there on his lap.

Her eyes were on the soapy water as she washed a bowl before setting it down on a towel to dry with the other wet dishes. But her attention quickly went to the captain as he told Gemma to wash the dishes. Belle looked at him as he said for her to bring him some rum. She nodded and dried her hand on a towel before grabbing a bottle of rum and left the kitchen for the mess hall.

Belle stood in the doorway of the mess hall with the bottle of rum. The elf tried to calm herself as she walked towards him with the bottle. She blushed deeper before sitting down on his lap. His glass was filled three-fourths of the way with his favorite rum. "The soup is potatoes soup with cheese and salted ham. I hope you enjoy it, captain." The elf adjusted herself so the captain could eat more comfortably.

Gemma followed along without hassle. She knew she wouldn't be permitted to do whatever she wanted. When they entered the kitchen and he gave her his orders she rolled her eyes and grumbled. She waited until Ryek and Belle had left the kitchen before sticking her tongue out in his direction.

It was childish she knew, but she'd been holding it back that whole time they were on deck, and walking from the deck, and making their way into the kitchen... She sighed. Now that that was out of her system. Gemma picked up where Belle had left off, grabbing the sponge and washing the mountain of dishes.

She didn't know how much time had passed, only that it felt like an eternity. Her corset was nearly soaked with water down the front of it. There was soap on her cheek and forehead and the hair around her face was wet. Gemma looked down at her poor pruned hands and exhaled.

The dishes were poorly done, but done. They weren't free of streaks and they were mostly still damp, but she'd tried. What could she say? For someone who'd never done dishes before she was pretty darn proud of her little accomplishment.

When Belle sat down on his lap, one arm went around her, to secure her in place and so that hand could rest on her thigh. He gave it a firm squeeze and looked down at her. Or rather, he was taking in the sight of her body. It was true, Gemma had been a fun romp. It was good to have something different now and again, but he had no intention of Gemma being a replacement. What he had done with Gemma had been to teach her a lesson and so far it seemed to be working. That hand squeezed again, and started to move towards other squeezable places further up her body.

Ryek held Belle firmly against him with one hand as he leaned towards the table to eat his soup. "I always enjoy your cooking." He said the words with a slight smile before eating more of the soup as he touched Belle with the one hand. Occasionally he would wipe his mouth with a napkin and trail kisses along the side of her neck, behind her ear and even nibble a bit along that pointed ear. Sometimes he would even whisper things in her ear, things to make her blush.

Belle sat in his lap and refilled his cup when it emptied as his arm slipped around her to squeeze her thigh. Her hand gripped his chair as she felt his hands fondling her chest and bit her lip. She smiled as he complimented her food and a blush filled her cheeks as her body got hot. "Thank you, sir." As Ryek kissed her neck and nibbled on her sensitive ears, the elf fought back making any noises since Gemma was so close.

"Captain, what if Gemma or the crew hears us." She whispered, softly. Her eyes glazing over from all the attention that her body was getting. The elf started to pant slightly as she held onto her captain as he fondled her. Belle tried to keep her composure but when he touched her like this...it was so hard for her... to hold back much longer...

((Sorry if this is too much...))

Ryek was rather amused by her question. "Doesn't matter who hears or sees us. I am captain of this vessel." He finished his soup, his hand still groping and fondling for a while longer after he was done. Then he stood, scooping Belle up with him. "We shall continue this in my quarters, sweet Belle." He ducked his head slightly, letting his lips capture her own in a very passionate, somewhat rough kiss. Then he was moving out of mess hall and to his own quarters.

Most of the crew were asleep already, there were a few on deck keeping watch for navy and other pirates. As well as watch for land. Ryek's first mate was out there as well, and he trusted them to do their jobs and do them well. Once inside his quarters the door was closed and locked, and Belle was placed almost gently on his bed. Ryek removed his belt, boots, coat and hat before he pounced on the half elf.

][-cuddles Reaper- It's fine dear. Though I suppose now we should fade to black with Belle and Ryek.][

Her eyes went to Ryek with blush covering her face. "Yes, Ryek." Belle said before kissing him back with a passionate kiss. She held onto her captain as he carried her out of the mess hall and to his quarters. The elf prayed that Rel would sleep through whatever noise they made.

The half elf looked at her captain as he laid her down on the bed she knew well. Her eyes stayed on him as she started to untie her corset and tried to remove her boots before she was pounced on. Belle enjoyed her nights with the captain ever since he made her a woman all those years ago.

((*Huggles Kry* Okay.))

Mindy looked over at the room that Lucy had indicated. She had no problem with that one. It was just one of many that were lining the hall. "I'm fine with it. Just stay out of my room is all I asked." She looked around the room. The extra light was rather nice. It eased the loneliness and pushed the darkness from the inner chamber back a little. She sighed and smiled. Perhaps that soup was in order now. "This room over here has different vegetables and dried meats store inside. Let's make that soup." She headed toward the side room she used for storage and dragged out the kettle. Good thing she always had coals in the firepit. Made it easier to get a fire going when she wanted to eat something warm.

She glanced at the girl. Maybe she should tell Lucy she liked the glow. Just as long as she couldn't hurt anyone. Should she ask? The girl was just that, a girl. Lucy had shown admirable courage though. She had had a sword pointed at her throat not long ago. "Um, I really light the glow you have going on there. Just... if you don't mind... have you ever hurt anyone with it?" She kinda froze hoping that Lucy wasn't offended as well as hoping that if she did have a mean streak, she wouldn't use it on her.

It had been such a long day and it was so late now. Gemma was still staring at her hands as her mind recalled the day's events. She finally snapped out of it and wondered where Belle had gone off too as she looked around the kitchen. She dried her hands and stepped into the dining hall. There was no sign of anyone anywhere.

Gemma assumed Belle and the Captain had turned in for the night. She assumed separately, but none the less, that they were sleeping. She made her way out of the hall and onto the deck. She knew she was to sleep with Belle, but she needed some fresh air. Not to mention, the night sky was beautiful out over the ocean.

She strolled across the deck to the side of the ship, giving Ryek's first mate a small salute as if to say, 'Carry on, I'm not causing any trouble'. She crossed her arms and leaned onto the thick wooden railing of the ship. She closed her eyes and let the salty cool night air blow over her soft skin and dry the soapy hair that had been hanging around her face.

There was no denying that the sea was where Gemma belonged. When she finally opened her eyes again, they stared out to the stars. What lay ahead of her now? She yawned and moved back from the ledge to a pile of thick rope. She sat down and leaned against it in a way that she could gaze easily up at the stars and before she knew it, the ship had rocked her to sleep.

"Okay!" Lucy exclaimed, darting over to her room to peer inside. Oddly enough, there was some wood sitting in what looked conspicuously like a bed frame, though it appeared strangely shaped to Lucy. She had never seen a bed like that. Still, all it needed was a mattress, which she could sew together using leaves, hopefully. To Mindy's further statements, Lucy simply nodded, not really noticing that Mindy couldn't see as she reorganized the room. When it was satisfactory, she returned to the main hall, just in time for Mindy's compliment and question.

Blushing several shades of red, Lucy said, "Thanks. And no, I've never hurt somebody. I've used it to hunt animals, but I've never used it on a person. Does that count?" As she finished, she scratched the back of her head nervously. Would the new knowledge change the way Mindy accepted her? Lord, she hoped not. While waiting for a response, she tried to make herself useful, which is how she noticed the gloominess that settled in the corners of the room. Without a second thought, she allowed herself to glow and focused the light into her palm before walking over and hanging it on the wall to allow it to brighten the place up.

Ryek awoke, as he often did, just a little while before the sun. The pirate captain made a slight sound of contentment as he snuggled against the warm body beside him. Inhaling deeply, as he burrowed his nose in Belle's hair before he let his eyes open and he slipped out of his bed. He would let the woman sleep a while longer, if she wished. He was feeling rather lenient and well rested this morning. Surely they would sight the island soon. He could nearly feel it in his bones.

Ryek puttered about his room for a while, getting ready to go outside to greet the day and crew. He tried to make as little noise as possible, just in case Belle did want to sleep in. After a minutes of puttering around and dressing in clean clothes that looked much like the same things he had worn the previous day, he sat down behind his desk for a moment. Ryek looked over the map, and began marking things of his own. Coordinates mostly, and what wasn't numbers was written in French.

Gemma probably wouldn't like that, but Ryek couldn't really care less. His compass lay open on the center of the map and he watched it for a moment as he made a few more marks on that map. Then he measured the distance of the island from where he thought his ship ought to be. It was an approximation but Ryek was sure he was fairly close in accuracy. Maybe. He picked up the compass, folded the map back up and stood.

He stretched for a moment, arms reaching over his head as he arched his back. Then he strode across the floor to the door.