Towards The Bloody Harbour (closed to jdd)

[Philomel]

Philomel watched as her wary crew got back to their duties. Some continued their chores as they had been before the sail had appeared on the horizon, and the five archers that had been chosen to remain alert gathered in collection around her. They stood ready to defend her life with theirs, truly devoted to the woman they hailed as their saviour. Their saviour from lives that had been ruinous, their saviour from poverty and a cycle that never ended.

She kept herself firm and unyielding as the opposing captain mentioned the Mirage. It was not one that they had come across but certainly it was one they knew of. Malachi, as the pirate king, had some fair connection to it, and got a decent amount of money from its donations, it was said. Philomel did stiffen as he spoke, but refused to turn or look around in case it gave away something of their ship's true nature. She just hoped that none of her sailors, nor Maverik, nor Veridian, chose to stare at him in an obvious way. Any strange glance could be hailed as a 'we are pirates too,' even if the sentence was true for just part time.

And wouldn't such a captain just love to get his hands on a ship that technically belonged to Malachi.

"I am ... Lacey," Philomel said slowly, using her dead mother's name, as she was prone to do when she needed a cover. "And this is my first mate, Mav." She gestured to the huge (literally, Maverik had recently found out that she had giant blood) woman who stood behind, clad in that full leather armour.

Mav just stared, and then grunted, one hand holding her crossbow and the other grasping the hilt of her sword. Philomel nodded, "We are ... the Feisty Fox. A merchant ship. Searching these waters following a rumour of vampires hidden amongst the clifftops," she gestured towards the horizon between the ships, where just beyond both of them would know land lay. "Radasanth is filled with the stories."

Lowering her hand she stood straighter. "If you are looking for a midshipwoman, then you probably will look to Veridian here," she pointed down to the deck at her feet where the lithe fox creature was just stalking.

Gently, Veridian sat on his rump and grinned up at Captain Cain, his golden eyes wide. It was very clear for anyone watching then that he was the model for the figurehead.

Hello, he said into her mind, This ship has nothing to do with brothels or piracy, at all.

Philomel paused, and translated, "Eh, he says hello. And I am sorry but we may have to decline. I am not in the practise of going to-"

Veridian nudged her foot. Make them trust us, he hinted.

Slightly she made a face, and Cain seemed to notice. His brow raised, but he seemed to retain his gentlemanly demeanour.

"Fine, we will come, on the condition that none of your people set foot on my ship. We were not expecting anyone in these waters because of how close we are to the Tular region, so you will forgive my hesitation."