Men, Ropes, Swords

Spade didn't seem to understand.

"Oh, what do you mean?"

"It's all spoiled. Totally inedible. Arranged by the crew of the merchant, no doubt."

Merchants were known to be even tougher than the men of the navy, but this act of cunning was something completely unheard of.

"Unnerving how everything goes wrong all at once," the captain said. "Laid a friend to rest in his grave, now we'll have to bargain with that old curmudgeon again. Let me be. Every single one of you that dares to disturb me will get slapped."

"Vexes me, this truly vexes me," the first mate said. "I am close to snapping. Let you be? Let me be. Everything aboard this ship is because I've let it be so. Men, ropes, swords, everything. Mend my heart with some paw, healer. Everyone should follow my lead in that."

"Due to the current circumstances that will be allowed," the captain said.

"I gather we should rest," the Admiral said. "There's still a long voyage ahead of us. Even longer still without food."

"Lay anchor to that forsaken island. You have to make up something for Innai, Serenica," Spade said to Serenica. "He seemed to like you."

"I will ration something to ease our nerves," Serenica said. "I will try, all right? I will not promise anything."

"You better not," the captain said. "I am tired of everything going belly up."

Serenica finished her pipeful. The delicious tobacco could only somewhat compensate for the unnecessary death.

Soon enough Serenica found herself curled into a ball in the bath. The tub was filled with sea water and her face was covered in jungle clay.

"It is what I do when I am tired," Myorka explained. "Just close your eyes. I'll give you a massage."

The bookkeeper rubbed her skin in little circles.

"How many have you lost?" Serenica asked.

"Many. I don't want to talk about losses." The bookkeeper moved on, and Serenica's clenched shoulders were the next to receive attention.

"What do you want to talk about?" Serenica asked. She had to open her eyes. The darkness behind her eyelids felt suffocating.

"How is the Dreamer thing going?"

Myorka was good at massaging people. She knew every spot to rub, every nerve, everything gentle and soft about the human body.

"He's pretty handsome, you know," Serenica said, attempting to sound funnier than she felt.

"Well, I bet he is." The bookkeeper turned to take a sip of tea. "He must be, if he has caught your attention. Eyes closed!"

"He has, you know?" Serenica closed her eyes again. "It's like he isn't even a royal. He's a lot like me."

"I can imagine. Say, how would it feel like to kill Kinley and steal her gold - and her man?"

Serenica had to laugh. "I don't think I have it in me. I'm not all that pretty. Or interesting."

"Are you really that oblivious?" Myorka asked. "You're one of the prettiest women I know."

"Really?"

"People don't compliment your appearance enough, do they? They just say you're good at this or that, but they won't say you're good. Am I wrong?"

Serenica thought about those words. She hadn't been called beautiful in a while. In fact, she didn't remember the last compliment she had received on her appearance. She had been groped, of course. That was different.

"Damn, you might be right," she finally said. "What am I doing wrong?"

"Perhaps the world is wrong," the bookkeeper said.

She moved on to comb Serenica's hair. "Do you want braids?"

"No, I'm good," Serenica said.

"There!" Myorka snapped her fingers.

Serenica was frightened by the sudden sound.

"You heard yourself say it. You're good," the bookkeeper said.

"Can you wash the clay off? It feels hot," Serenica said.

Cleansed and smelling like roses, Serenica clothed herself and thanked her friend.

"You should go help the boys out," the bookkeeper said. "I know your tobacco deal will suffer if they self-medicate with booze."

Serenica opted for the good shepherd instead of the paw and went to give some to those who felt in need of soothing things. At least the crew wouldn't go insane anymore.

They had a measly catch. The nets came up with some fish, and for that, Serenica was grateful.

"The sea gives what it gives," Heike said, apparently encouraged by his new position. "We can't really expect anything. Except winds."

"Winds." Serenica thought long and hard about the subject. Something was teasing her, on the edges of her consciousness, peeking behind a door.

She couldn't quite get a hold of it.

"I was thinking we could go to Aja, too," Spade told her as they were staring at his smoke rings on the deck. "But Aja Vana is in the throes of tropical storms right now. We also need wood."

"Innai it is, then," Serenica said. "She is lovely. Your wife, I mean."

"She will make a good mother." The captain nodded.

An uncanny expression came across Spade's face, something he had never displayed. It seemed like happiness, even if there was only a small amount of it.

"She will,' Serenica agreed. "I am sure you'll make a good father once you stop that nonsense about dying."

"What would you people do without me?" The captain smiled with his golden teeth.

"Give me a hug," Serenica said. "I am worthy of a hug."

Spade took her into his arms. His chest was so broad that she could comfortably rest her whole upper body on his softness. She didn't mind the maggots or whatever the abominations under his skin were. For once, they were almost nice to her.

"It will be all right," the captain told her.

"I know it will be. It has to."

The night fell, but no one wanted to sleep, except for Serenica.

She wanted to leave the protective obsidian on her table. She wanted to meet up with the Dreamer, as dangerous as it was.

She had some trouble convincing the darkness to take her. She tried her best to stay absolutely still, but either something was always itching or she had to release the contents of her bladder into the sea.

Finally, when the short moment without consciousness came, she found herself lying on a luxurious bed, surrounded by rose petals.

"Hello," the prince said. He was lying next to her, a courteous distance separating them and preserving her honor.

"I thought you wouldn't appreciate this, but I wanted to do something anyway, you know, for myself," he continued and offered her a grape.