Fable - Ask The Away Team

[Peyton]

The tavern was already bustling. Peyton had bought she and Lucius a whisky and a mug of ale each and they'd been here early enough to secure a table upstairs with a view over the growing crowd below as they waited for Ana's show to start. Peyton stood with an arm draped over the balcony, sipping on her whisky as she searched the crowd for a potential target.

She looked back at Lucius.. "We'll have to be quick. I don't want her left alone with any of them for too long." she murmured with a look of disdain, she'd been alone with her share of handsy men, she wasn't running the risk of getting Ana in to that sort of trouble.

 

[Andromeda]

Ana hadn't been exaggerating about the draw of a good singer being in town. The Tavern had opened its doors and the seating spilled out the back and out the front with people milling and talking and waiting. It was not a moment before her set was due to start that the small woman picked her way through the crowd towards the stage. A light touch there on one arm and a pause here to talk to this person she knew. There was no rush and as she walked silence followed. The hubbub died and the room fell into a hush of anticipation. Static stung the air.

"Good evenin' ladies, gentle-- Oh no I see we don't have any of those here today," a murmur of laughter as she adjusted the stage to how she liked, set a glass of water down on a simple table and a stool. She had changed from her simple attire earlier into a gown that was like spun water the way it slid across every curve and moved in a wash of blues and greens. She cleared her throat softly and when she began to sing it became clear exactly why Ana was a name amongst the port towns.

"A life on the ocean wave
A-home on the rolling deep
Where the scattered waters rave
And the winds their revels keep
Like an eagle caged I pine
On this dull, unchanging shore
Oh give me the flashing brine
The spray and the tempest's roar."

 

[Lucius]

Lucius didn't pay much attention to the song. He probably should have, given that Ana had been kind to them and that Women tended to care about that sort of thing, but Lucius' attention was on the crowd.

His eyes continuously scanned the people packed into the bar. "She wasn't kidding when she said she would draw a crowd."

The pirate whispered quietly to Peyton.

"Half the towns in this da-" Lucius cut himself off as he noticed a group of men near the stage. All of them were cheering, yelling and waving around coins of silver and copper. One of them he recognized, the man from the market earlier that day. "There."

He pointed out to Peyton, putting a hand on her shoulder to guide her attention. "That's our man."

 

[Peyton]

Gods she hoped the woman would join their crew, between her and Finch they'd at least have some cracking entertainment. Her voice was beautiful, and she let Lucius search the crowd as she watched the performance.

As his hand rested on her shoulder though, she followed his attention toward the crowd of men and nodded as she found the one he'd spoke of. She smiled at him and patted his hand before turning to go downstairs and headed toward the bar. She had to shoulder her way through the crowd, hoping Lucius didn't notice her swatting a few grabby hands, and she purposefully bumped into the target with the most sincere sounding apologies. The man was disgruntled, but he looked her up and down and dipped his chin in acceptance of her apology, and she shot Ana a look, hoping she'd have caught her signal.

She returned with another two mugs of ale and sat them down on the table, and settled against Lucius' shoulder to watch with a light smirk.

 

[Andromeda]

Andromeda had been tracking the two out of the corner of her eye as she sung and when Peyton shot her a link the siren responded with a cheeky wink which the man, as she had thought, believed was for him. He sat up a little straighter and paid more attention to her for the rest of her set. It lasted nearly an hour before she finally stepped back and took a curtsy to a series of cheering and foot stomping. She picked up the glass and then made her way casually towards the bar in a route that would take her directly past the man in question.

As she stepped around him she made sure her fingers just lightly brushed along his shoulders before leaning on the bar and accepting a drink from the barkeep.

Time to play the next game.

 

[Lucius]

Lucius shot Peyton a smile, though his gaze quickly returned back towards the front of the bar where the Anirians had situated themselves.

This plan did not sit entirely well with him. He had suggested it, but there was something about it that set him ill at ease. Perhaps it was because there was no control for him, or perhaps it was simply because he didn't trust the Anirians.

"We need that ship already." Lucius said with a quiet frown as the Anirian approached Ana.

--

Petty Officer Valrak Eltin stepped towards the beautiful Andromeda Barbarossa with a saunter that might have been mistaken for that of a dancers.

He moved with such confidence that one might have thought he was an expert in the field of flirtation and conversation. A broad smile painted his face, and he leaned over the bar towards Ana with a boastful smirk. "Well hello there gorgeous."

The Corsair said as he motioned for the barkeep.

"Why don't you let me pay for your drink." A smirk colored his features. "Least I can do for that most lovely of songs."

He glanced back at his fellow Corsairs. This was how you talked to women.

 

[Andromeda]

The barkeep gave her her first warning the man was walking over to her by the way a muscle twitched in his jaw and he glanced from her to something just past her shoulder and back. Ana offered a reassuring smile before turning the full weight of her gaze on the man. The unusual peach hue looked almost like a light gold in the dimmer light.

"You're so kind," she ran her eyes down his body slowly as if deciding if he was worth her time before her lip kicked up at the corner. "Ana," she held out a hand in greeting. "I don't recognise you from the usual crews who blow through here, who do you sail with?"

 

[Lucius]

The man gently clasped Ana's hand and kissed the back of it in the facsimile of a royal greeting.

"The men of the Righteous Justice." The sailor said with such pride that it was clear he expected the name to impress. "One of the great Galleons of His Majesty King Anireth of Vel Anir."

A boastful grin set across his face.

This man wasn't some sort of merchant sailor or smuggler. He wasn't a pirate or any of the usual scum that floated through this place. He was a man of Vel Anir, a city of standing and Majesty known the world over.

Ana should be impressed by that. Obviously. "What brings a beauty like you to a town like this?"

He gestured to the tavern

"You should be singing in the Stratholm Hall, not this dump." The Corsair glanced back at his fellow crew members when he though Ana wasn't looking and gave them a wink.

He was nailing this.

 

[Andromeda]

Ana made sure her features were the appropriate mix of impressed but coy; nobody liked an easy meal after all. She let her hand linger in his for a moment before retracting it and tucking her hair behind her ear to expose the curve of her neck, a small smile playing about her lips.

"Kind and a flatterer, your silver tongue must get you in and out of quite a bit of trouble," as she spoke she rested her elbow on the bar and rested her chin in it, her eyes never wavering from his. "I like to travel the ports, don't like staying in one place too long, and my next destination relies on whatever crew takes pity on me and offers me a lift," her head tilted slightly to the side.

"Clearly I've just never had the fortune of running into such a high calibre of sailor before."

 

[Lucius]

"Well I can assure you Madame that The Righteous Justice has only the finest of sailors." He leaned against the bar, cool, calm, collected. "And I am the finest of all of them."

He gave her a grin or crooked and yellowed teeth, his eyes sailing over the curves of her body like a hungry wolf staring at a deer in the field.

"Names Rick Strongarms the Third." The Sailor scooted a bit closer as he spoke.

"Why don't you and I grab a table." He said. "Maybe something nice and private away from these scoundrels."

 

[Andromeda]

It took a lot of effort to keep her face soft and open as if she were interested when he said his name. The Third?! Andromeda had to take a sip of her drink before she laughed and gave the whole game away.

"Andromeda Barbarossa," she inclined her head politely and then her gaze swept to the table he had come from when he spoke of scoundrels. Feigning innocence she blessed him with a shy smile, let her cheeks heat just a touch. "Your friends don't look that bad," her words were a tease and a caress and then she placed her hand over his. Skin to skin. Her words when they were next spoken were imbued with magic.

"But I wouldn't mind somewhere a little more private, you can tell me all about why a fine fellow like you is in a town like this," and he would. It was hard to resist the call of a Siren when she wanted something.

 

[Lucius]

"Oh I'm here for you, doll." The words came from his mouth like a flood of word vomit, clearly running away without actually thinking about it. "Well that and to guard the House Relek gold."

It seemed that Rick Strongarms the Third didn't even notice the latter slip of his tongue. By then he was too focused on her acquiescence to him. With one hand he grabbed his drink, the other slipping behind the small of her back.

A forward touch found Ana, and the Sailor gently began to guide her away from the bar and towards an empty table on the back of the tavern.

As they walked his hand began to slide subtly lower, and then lower...and then onto her rump.

 

[Andromeda]

Finally something interesting. Lucius would be pleased that he had been right about there being House involvement in that case. She didn't know much about Vel Anir but most people knew about the House system at the very least. And of course, the fact she would most likely be killed if she stepped foot in the city and they found out what exactly she was.

Ana allowed herself to be guided, grabbing her own drink. As his hands travelled she tried to keep the tension from her body but when he finally landed on her arse she smoothly took his hand and sat down at the table in one fluid movement, entwining their fingers in a shy manner. Quietly she imagined how lovely his hand would look with all the skin flayed off it.

"That sounds like an important job, you mustn't be hanging around a place like this for that long with a load like that on board," she dramatically lowered her voice and leaned a little closer as if to whisper in his ear. "You know they say a lot of pirates dock here."

 

[Lucius]

"Oh you don't have to worry about that, Doll." Rick's voice sounded slightly condescending. "I'll keep you safe from any pirates round here."

He glanced over Ana's shoulder to see some of the boys giving him wide grins and thumbs up. They all knew he'd all but scored in this endeavor, he just had to take it home now.

"But I'm afraid we're only here till dawn." He shook his head ruefully.

His hand squeezed hers, gently pulling himself a bit closer.

"Our passion will have to be quick." Rick added. "Which is unusual for me but I can make it work."

 

[Andromeda]

Because quick was what every girl wanted to hear. Her smile was slightly more fake as her hand ran up the length of his thigh.

"I'm afraid quick doesn't quite work for me," a husky sigh. "Especially not with a man such as yourself. Why do you have to leave so early? I'm sure you could handle any silly pirate threat if you were to stay a little longer. Is there something calling you back so quickly?" with her other hand she release his then caught a strand of his hair and wound it about her finger slowly.

Or, more importantly, if they were planning to meet up with more gun powers in the water. If they were carrying that kind of cargo it wouldn't surprise her if there were one or even two other ships that would shadow them on the waves.

 

[Lucius]

Unfortunately for her Rick didn't know that, or he was too stupid to remember. As she touched and played with his hair an almost adoring look crossed his features, his speech becoming somewhat more slurred as he found himself lost.

"Captains orders I'm afraid, and though your beauty enraptures me...you don't wanna mess with the lot she's got backing her." Rick said cryptically as he reached over and placed a hand on her thigh.

"If quick dun work for you maybe we should leave now." He suggested eagerly. "Spend the whole night..."

He drifted off for a second as of something caught his tongue, then continued. "I know this great spot on the beach. Can see the moon and the stars bright as day."

Women loved that romantic stuff. Rick knew that for a fact.

 

[Andromeda]

"A whole night sounds much more fun, just after I've finished this drink," she brushed her knuckles lightly over his cheek and pushed another bit of magic through the connection. To prove she was indeed drinking it she picked it up and took a sip. Neither did she remove his hand.

"I'm just finding it hard to believe she would need more than you to protect this - gold? - it must be a pretty big deal," her head listed to the side and she looked up at him through the rim of her lashes. "I once heard a story about your legendary Dreadlords in Vel Anir - is it one of them she has on call?"

 

[Lucius]

His hand lecherously began to move down her thigh, though suddenly froze in place as she mentioned a Dreadlord.

Rick seemed to visibly pale a moment, though whether an effect of her magic or fear it was difficult to tell. His free hand came up, a filthy index finger gently pressing against her lips as he leaned into her. "Shhh, love."

He cast a paranoid glance around the bar.

"Don't even mention that dreary bastard." Rick's gaze quickly slipped back to Ana, his eyes unfocused even as he looked straight at her. "He'd ruin our night of passion just because he's seeing someone else have a chance at fun."

Rick shook his head. "Let's not talk about him, he's not worth sullying those beautiful lips of yours with."

Naaaaailing it.

He eagerly glanced at her drink, knowing it was the one thing standing between himself and true love.

 

[Peyton]

Peyton downed the last of her ale and rubbed the wince from her face. "Gods this is uncomfortable.." she muttered to Lucius, she was having to lean a little further over the balcony to keep an eye on the two now they'd moved to quieter quarters.

Her stomach was churning as she watched the man get handsy and she sneered and looked to Lucius, giving him a look over with a small frown. "I ever catch you flirting with a woman in that way I'll scalp your arse." she wrinkled her nose and rested her cheek on her forearm, and lifted her whisky to start on that.

 

[Andromeda]

When he put his dirty finger against her lips she resisted the urge to bite it. Ana was going to demand a good share of this gold for this. Delicately she pushed his hand away and picked up her drink taking a painfully small sip when what she really wanted to do was down the whole lot of rum. So there was a Dreadlord, interesting.

"I'm sure someone such as yourself isn't scared of him," Ana scoffed and flashed him a brilliant smile. "But you have just made me even more curious - it seems like a lot of muscle for just a little bit of gold," she rearranged her features so she looked dubious, like he was lying to her to impress her and she was cottoning on to it. She slid a little bit away from him.

 

[Lucius]

"What do you mean?" Lucius asked using his best impression of incredulity. "Women don't like being groped and fondled while you stick a finger in their face?"

He shook his head ruefully. "This explains so much."

The sarcasm in his tone was so heavy it could practically collapse the entire balcony. He was leaning over the edge of the railing, hands clasped together around a single half empty cup of ale.

The young pirate clicked his tongue and shook his head.

"You learn something new every day I suppose." He said as he took another sip, gaze lingering on Ana and the Corsair below.

--

She hadn't gone for the beach? Rick was somewhat confused. Women loved beaches, and the stars, and the moon. A brief frown flickered over his features as his mind worked through this new conundrum.

Of course even as he tried to puzzle it out the sirens song was still pulling at his thoughts. "It's more than a lil. Ask me, more than that minor House should have."

He slid closer in an odd scooting chase of her.

"Specially since they just got themselves kicked from the north by the Guard." Rick seemed rather proud of that statement for some reason, though he continued to gloss over it.

"But beautiful women like you don't have to worry about politics none." He added. "Come on, let's get outta here and lemme take care of you."

 

[Andromeda]

Hm.

Ana didn't move away this time but she did run a finger around the rim of her glass as if she were still on the fence about the whole thing now. She twirled a bit of her own hair about her finger this time before taking another tiny elegant sip of her drink. Perhaps Lucius would know enough about the politics of Vel Anir to be able to shed some light on the situation he spoke about - did it really matter they had been kicked out? If they still had Dreadlords they couldn't be that kicked out could they? Maybe... relocating?

"No, we just have to worry about men like you whisking us off," the siren laughed at his persistence and leaned her elbow on the back of the booth, her hand gently trailing patterns over his shoulder. "Alright, but on one condition, - it would make me so happy. You see my dad was a Captain and I love the sea. What I'd really love..." she leaned forward and whispered. "Is to see your ship first."

 

[Lucius]

"See the ship, huh?" Rick smirked for a few seconds and then quickly nodded his head. "I promise I'll be showing you a lot more than that, Doll."

Without even a second of hesitation the Corsair quickly stood from the table, his hand on Ana gentle but clearly trying to tug her up with him so that she would follow along.

He apparently had absolutely no qualms about showing her the ship.

Whether it was his natural lust, the sirens sung, or simple stupidity was near impossible to tell. Rick was practically beaming at this point, and from across the bar one could hear hollering encouragement from the other Anirians.
__

Lucius gently nudged Peyton on the shoulder. "Looks like they're moving."

The young pirate said with a frown, placing his now empty cup down on the railing and grabbing his saber that had been leaning besides him. He quickly put the weapon on his belt, shifting his weight.

"Let's not leave her alone." He said with a grimace. "This idiots more dangerous than he seems."

 

[Peyton]

Peyton nodded and downed the last of her whisky, setting her empty cup next to his and following after him. "Agreed." she muttered disdainfully. She hoped Ana would rip his balls off, frankly.

She shouldered her way through the crowd, eyes rolling at the usual comments, glaring at a couple of tarty looking women who eyed Lucius. Sometimes the women were just as bad. "No." she said to one of them trying to catch up to him, and the woman shot her a deathly stare that Peyton outmatched and she left.

Outside, Ana and her admirer were heading toward the docks, and Peyton snaked her arm through Lucius' to walk casually behind them.. "She's got him taking her to the ship by the looks of things. Good girl." she smiled, picking up the pace just a tad..

 

[Andromeda]

Urgh, men.

Ana kept the sweet smile on her face as she accepted his hand and, finishing off the rum in one swing because what kind of pirate every left a drink?, stood up and followed him out the door. She decided to stick with the slightly dumb and petty act so as they walked she looped her arm about his and gave a very dramatic sigh as she leaned against him, her head resting on his shoulder. The movement allowed her to briefly glance behind her to see the other two had decided to follow them. She offered them a wink.

"Oh it must be so lovely sailing wherever you want, I do so miss it sometimes. I want to see everything." like, maybe the gold and where it was being kept. How many guns there were, how many men there were.... little things like that that got a girls motor going.