[IC] Splinters

[Hidden Lilly]

Daniel paused with her, evaluating the best way to be up on deck since they both weren't supposed to be seen. While he pondered he tucked the necklace into his shirt. From the sway of the boat he could tell from which side the vessel had been boarded on. Daniel listened to the sounds of the boat and the crew. It was a long shot but most of the crew would be on the poop deck.

"I 'ave an idea. We 'ave t' get down t' the lower cannon deck. Wi' all the ruckus from bein' boarded most o' th' crew will be up top. We can cast a line t' yer ship while the crews battle. We'd slip right b'low their noses." he suggested. It occurred to Daniel that one of the things that would give them away would be her hair. Thankful for the mess the place becomes in a battle, a hat lay nearby. "'ere, tuck yer locks in this, don' want t' be getting caught due t' yer hair." he said, handing it to her. "We'll 'ave t' go back th' way we came Miss Avery." He pressed, wondering if she would turn her trust in him because of what she thought of him, because he held her prize or if she would at all.

[MegaraFoxfire]

Avery nodded, putting the hat on. "Good thinking Doctor..." Suddenly they heard a cry and Avery's eyes narrowed "Doctor...are there any woman aboard this ship?" She had woman on her crew but they would stay aboard the Shadow Strike during a raid. When the doctor answered she went for where the cry came from, heading the other way then where they needed to go. She kicked down a door to find a young girl being held down by one of the crew, his head turned to look at the captain. She frowned and said "You coward...your fellow crew is above fighting for their lives and you decide it was a good time to attack a young servant girl and get off?" The man got up, the girl curling up in ball.

Avery moved forward, her eyes getting dark. "I was going to get off the ship without a fuss...but now I think I'll change my mind..." She suddenly moved forward, grabbing the man's blade from the floor and freed it from its sheath. The man roared and tried to tackle Avery but she moved out of the way and stabbed him in the back, holding him there then dropped him. His blood was dripping from the blade and she threw it away from her, almost scared of it. "Doctor! Get in here, this young girl needs your attention before we move on"

[Hidden Lilly]

Daniel had followed Avery to the cry for help. Upon her version of handling the situation he rushed to the aid of the girl. She was clearly perturbed from her encounter and the man who lay dead at her feet. From what he could remember the girl was new here, this was her first fight.

"Ye'll be alright lass." he said, his voice a low rumble. He was trying to comefort her as best he could so he could find out what happened. There was no use in himself moving all of her clothes around just to be sure she was alright. As far as he could tell there was no sign of blood but if she was infact raped he would need to see the damage. The middle of a gun and sword fight was not the place to do this. The young lady had been reduced to sobbing with her body still in a ball. There was no way he was going to get a story out of her in time.

"Miss Avery," He began, using the best judgement he could. "We will either die here an' save 'er or we take 'er wi' us and th' three o' us live." He said, still focused on trying to soothe the girl. He continued to murmur assurances and try to get her on her feet. He looked up at Avery for a response. "I can carry 'er but it'll make any scrummage difficult."

[MegaraFoxfire]

Avery bent down and rested a hand on the girl's cheek and gently raised her face to look into her eyes. "Your safe with us, little one...that man is dead and will no longer hurt you...come on" The girl jumped up and hugged Avery who hugged her back then said "You better come with us...Doc? You can carry her on your back, it will free up your front" She helped the girl get on the doctor's back, then Avery saw the black bag and untied it from the doctor's waist. Before he could say anything she retied it to the inside of his jacket and said "Don't want the poor thing to kick it off while we get out of here. Shall we then?" She lead the way out of the room, looking both ways then headed back the way they came.

Avery found the stairs to the upper deck and an idea came to her. "We may have a better way...we get to helm I can find my Quartermaster and he can get us off the ship much faster. Come on" She started making her way up the stairs when the door above them burst open and a white hair man fell to the ground, a huge man baring down on him. Avery cursed and yelled "Bane!" Bane looked down and smiled. "hey Cap, I thought I would find you somewhere" He kicked into the man's face and jumped up, Avery and the Doctor standing by him. Avery pulled Bane's blade free from his side and cut the man down, her face dark again. Bane looked at the Doc and saw his captain's pendent on him and nodded. "Hello there..." Then Bane looked up and cursed and said "Look out!" Behind the doctor a huge man stood, carrying a club. Before the Doctor could move Avery moved between him and the man, her blade up and ready. The club hit her hard as she cut the man's throat, blood hitting the wall.

The whole attack only lasted seconds but it moved in slow motion for the others watching. Avery hit the other wall, the mans blood hitting her in the face and chest. Bane stopped dead, going white. "Oh crap...." Avery opened her eyes and looked down and started to shake, her hands and arms covered in blood.

[Hidden Lilly]

Daniel would have protested her moving the velvet bag but to his surprise, she moved it closer to him. He noticed how her hands moved... It was rough but with feminine flare. He was not used to that.

"Me thanks, Miss." Daniel said taking the last few steps towards Bane. "Lets be gone from this vessel." He tried to hurry along, the absence of a remark from Avery and the stiffness of Bane making him turn and look back. Daniel was aghast, she had't been injured or had that much blood spray onto her but it looked as though the skin had been peeled off her upper appendages.

"Bloody hell." Daniel put the young lady down beside Bane and moved towards Avery. "What in th' nine circles o' hell did ye do?!" he scolded. Grabbing the arm closest to him and noting her expression. It was of pain and fear... Bane's seemed to be of sheer terror. "If she be yer cap'n, ye'd know if this has happ'n'd before. What ales 'er?" He ran his strong hands around her arm, trying to access where the bleed was coming from. He found nothing, but still the blood kept coming. "Notthing. I havn't seen nothing like this before." He began to search her other arm, grabbing her wrist tightly he jabbed his index and middle finger into the side of her neck. "Miss Avery, what th' hell is goin' on wi' ye?". Her pulse was still there and pounding.

[MegaraFoxfire]

She looked at Daniel, fear and angry in her eyes. The blood on her skin started to vanishing, being absorbed into her skin. She cursed, her eyes starting to change from their green color to silver. "Bane...get them....out of here...." Bane didn't pause. He picked the girl up and yelled "Buddy, you want to live you better move!" He ran out the door, the girl in his arms as he yelled "Shadow Strike! Off ship now! Demon alert!" All of the pirates from the Strike froze then made a run for it, getting away from the door as fast as they could. When most of the men were gone Avery walked thru the door, a different person. The blood was gone from skin and she was looking around. "Well what are you boys waiting for...come and get me..." The crew of the ship ran at her, not knowing it would be their last act in this life.

Bane put the girl down and said "Darling, cover your eyes..." She nodded and closed her eyes and covered her ears. Avery picked up a fallen sword and smiled. Then she was gone in a blink of an eye. She reappeared behind the closet man to her and slashed his back, dropping him to the ground with only moments passing. She ripped thru the what was left of the crew, the nickname Demon of Shadows now being understood. After a time all that was left was the captain who was cowering by the helm, Avery standing over him. He asked "What are you?" She tilted her head and said "A monster...but not worse then you..." She finished him off, then walked back to the main deck, covered in blood but most of it not her own. She was panting, her eyes returning to their normal color. Bane sighed and said "its done...dang it all..."

Avery looked over at the doctor who hadn't moved to the other ship yet and said "I'm sorry..." She fell to her knees then fell forward, her strength spent.

[Hidden Lilly]

Daniel launched himself off of the deck-boards he had stumbled back to sit on during her display. With sure footing he maneuvered through the dead bodies and slick blood, his boots being stained in the process. When he reached her she had already hit the deck face first.

"Ye was trouble right fr'm th' start." He groubled, rolling her over and checking her pusle once again. It was there, though not as strong s before. He assumed this was her normal pulse since the last time he took it she was about to turn into a demon. "Curse ye fer breathin'." Daniel continued, not truly meaning the curses. He quickly checked her over, accessing what he could. She surprisingly didn't pull many stitches or gain any many new bruises. Her nose however, though not broken, was dripping blood a bit. With effort he pulled her limp body out of the pool of blood the poop deck had become. With her in his arms he carried her to the nearest board that helped to connect the two vessels. Along the way he tried to make eye contact with Bane, as he was a full head above most of the sailors. Avery's crew held the board steady as Daniel crossed with her and the minute he stepped down on her ship he lay her down for her crew to look after her. Finally making eye contact with Bane as he had come, it looked like, to take Avery away, Daniel spoke quickly.

"She be needin' more than what I got on me. Will ye hold the vessels fast 'till I return to fetch th' rest o' me supplies?" he asked. Daniel had a good stock on the Man of War that could all serve her well. His hand brushed the inside of his jacket, to make sure her prize was still on his person.

[MegaraFoxfire]

Bane nodded and said "No problem Doc...thanks for getting her. The crew gets jumpy when she changes...hey Scarlet! Mind going with the doctor to make sure the captain didn't miss any?" Scarlet ran over, pulling a empty bag over her shoulder and said "As long as I get to check the kitchen" Bane rolled his eyes and said "If the doctor doesn't mind, sure. Let's make this fast. A Navel ship would have heard the blasts and we don't need to be explaining all of this. Move it!" the last phrase was for the rest of the crew who jumped to work. Bane took his captain in his arms and looked at the doctor again. "She'll be in her cabin when your ready doc...welcome abroad the Shadow Strike" Bane vanished into the crew, Scarlet smiling at the Doctor and said "I just need a minute in the kitchen. This ship was in the south right? Your cooks might have pick up some really good stuff. I would hate for it to go to waist"

Bane laid his captain in her bed and shook his head. "That was a bad shift...you must have taken a beating on that ship while we were tailing...I hope it was worth it captain Avery..."

[Hidden Lilly]

Daniel nodded, acknowledging Bane's words. He looked to the excited cook as they carefully crossed back to his old ship.

"Ye c'n take a look. The cap'n had an interesting taste fer food." Daniel gave her instructions as to where the kitchen would be. He quickly moved down the stairs to his little corner at the almost-bottom of the ship. The ship was unnaturally quiet, swaying along side the Shadow Strike rather than simply by the waves. As much as Daniel disliked the place, the ship it's self was not evil. We wallowed in the sadness the boat seemed to give off as he pulled over a small, empty crate that he could carry. Daniel tossed supplies in as fast as possible, tucking his mortar and pestle into some spare fabric before placing it in among the other things. Once he had packed up what was most important as well as carry, he headed back up the stairs. As he emerged onto the poop deck, he saw Scarlet beginning to cross back to the Shadow Strike. Daniel followed rather briskly.

The crew looked at him with curiosity and mild judgement. He could tell that he would be the talk of the ship until he found his place, where ever the cap'n had wanted him to be. He asked a crew member where her cabin was, since this type of vessel was strange to him. Daniel had only ever known the British Man-of-War's rigging. The swabbie simply pointed him in the right direction without saying a word, or looking up from his task. Daniel climbed the beautifully carved stairs and rapped on the captain's door.

"Miss Avery?" he began, thinking better of his choice of words he corrected himself. "Cap'n Avery?" he asked, unsure if she was alone or not. The murky glass did not allow for much of a view inside.

[MegaraFoxfire]

The door opened and Bane stood there, looking huge in the small doorway. "This way Doc...she's still out cold." He let the man in then yelled "Alright men! Tie the ship to the back and lets get the ship to a port" The men answered and Bane shut the door. "No reason to let a good ship go to waste...we can sell it to a transporter or maybe the Navy would like it..." He lead the Doctor thru the office part of the cabin and thru a back door to the living area. Avery was laying on the bed, looking terrible. Bane sighed as the Doctor went to her side and said "She risked too much this time...I hope she got the piece she was after..." Bane sat down, wanting to keep an eye on the man. He wasn't dumb after all.

[Hidden Lilly]

Daniel was very aware of the sturdy man sitting in the room. He knew that he was being watched rather intensely. Since he had brought all of his supplies in with him, he set the crate and bag down beside the head of Avery's bed. He began to take off any bloody dressings to get a better look at the injuries he had done up before.

"If ye be fixin' t' help yer cap'n, I could use a second set o' hands." Daniel said, being both careful and methodical about accessing her. "Ye may wan' t' get a rag t' clean up 'er nose." he suggested. The blood wasn't flowing out of her nose anymore, but the inside was still wet. What had dribbled out was crusting on her face, no-one enjoyed the feeling of crusty blood on them. He chose to say nothing about having what Avery had been looking for, he did not trust this crew or their captain. It was a better bargaining chip than his own life, as things ran among pirates. The lack of colour on Avery worried him the most, so he asked the quartermaster a second time how to handle the situation.

"Ye've seen 'er do this before. How 'ave ye treated it in t' past? There an'th'in' that helps it?" Daniel moved away from her to make a bit more salve to re-dress her wounds after cleaning them out for a second time that day.

[MegaraFoxfire]

Bane jumped up and went to help the doctor, getting a clean rag to start cleaning her up. "The captain normally bounces back on her own, but with her injuries normally they heal without..." He stopped speaking when steam started to rise from the wounds and her fresher wounds started to heal themselves. Bane nodded, moving back and saying "Like I said...she comes back on her own pretty fast..."

Bane looked at the Doctor and said "I checked her for the piece. And she wouldn't have left it behind...not when this whole mission was to get that piece. So I'm guessing you have it. When your ready to turn it over, just leave the bag on the caps desk...no one but her ever touches those cursed things..." The door opened and a cabin boy stuck his head in. "Bane? The men need you on deck" Bane nodded and looked at the Doctor.

"Just so you know, if you do anything to hurt her, I will rip your throat out myself...but apart from that your safe aboard the Shadow Strike while you wear that pendent" HE nodded to the stone around the Doctor's neck. Then he bowed his head and left the cabin, shutting the door behind him.

[Hidden Lilly]

There was no way Daniel was just going to leave such a precious piece on the table. The lady would have to come ask him herself. Daniel still didn't know his purpose here but since no other doctor/carpenter had emerged, he guessed he was here to do his trade. Still unsure of his fate, he was not giving up Avery's prize. Daniel made a rude kind of scoffing sound to himself, about the situation and to the disgust he felt at such a suggestion.

"Aye." he said in acknowledgement to Bane's comment. He had never touched a woman if she had not wanted him to. Some men reveled in the screams but he did not. The few times he was unable to help a woman in that situation, their screams haunted him. Unfortunately, he had to look out for his own neck. Daniel would rather not dance the dead man's jig anytime soon, or at all for that matter.

Daniel looked back to Avery. If she was going to heal herself, as insane as that was. It certainly shook him to see her transform and now heal herself. As a pirate though, there was much that most thought legend that was found to be true. Damn sheltered soles, they were so lucky... yet left completely unprepared for when pirates attacked a port. Clearing his mind, he pulled a dagger from his side. He quickly cut open her dressings and cut the stitches free before they were fused into her skin permanently.

"There ye go Cap'n." He checked her pulse one last time, it was normal and she breathed easily. Daniel packed up his supplies to go sit on the poop deck and see if anyone else required his aid. He may as well and it would be a good way to kill time. Using only necessary force, Daniel made his way through the doors and down the stars to the poop deck. Placing his belongings beside him, he sat on the last step and watched the crew.

[MegaraFoxfire]

Bane was yelling orders as scarlet jumped over the doctor and landed by the quartermaster "bane, is the captain alright?" Bane sighed and nodded. "She will be fine...how is the girl?" Scarlet smiled and said "sleeping in my cabin as you asked. Bane...did we get the piece?" Bane looked at the doctor and frowned. "In a way...our friend over there is holding on to it. He won't give it up" scarlet looked worried as she said "didn't the captain say anyone else holding them would start...you know..." Bane nodded and said "hopefully the captain gets it from him before its cursed takes hold"

[Hidden Lilly]

"Wi' all due respect Quartermaster, the Cap'n said t' let no-'n' convince me t' give 'em th' piece." Daniel said, watching the two. He shifted in his seat before standing and walking over to them, leaving his belongings at the base of the steps. "Would either o' ye know where 'bouts th' Boatswein be?" He paused to guage the situation. "If ye 'ave me aboard your vessel, me guess is that yer Cap'n wants me t' work fer ye. This ship is strange t' me, don' know it like a Man-O-War. Th' Boatswein 'as t' show me what needs t' be fixed." He awaited their response, hoping he wasn't being too bold but bold enough to hold his own among the crew.

[MegaraFoxfire]

Bane folded his arms and said "your a free man, doc. If you see a problem, you can leave it or fix it. Cap doesn't force labor from those she saves. She just saves. Scarlet? Mind showing him where he wants to go?" Scarlet nodded and said "follow me please..." She headed away, bane shaking his head. "Cap...I hope you know what your doing..."

[Hidden Lilly]

"This vessel be a real strange place." Daniel commented as he followed Scarlet, grabbing his belongings before the two headed below deck. He was trying to draw information out of the cook, not usually the best person to ask information of but she seemed to have a hand in everything. There were so many women aboard this ship! That alone was strange, if that ever happened it was the occasional wench that relieved the crew. There also seemed to be no rules, no real order but there was a functioning hierarchy. The ship seemed to be organized chaos. Daniel was at a loss for whether to count this change of scenery as a blessing or a curse.

[MegaraFoxfire]

Scarlet smiled at him and said "We have at least ten women abroad last time I counted. We have me, the cook, Lady Iris, our weapons master with Mr. Dante, We have the captain of course, then the wives of the other men. Its a great ship to be a part of" She stopped at their target and said "Oh, and I forgot Ms. Lilly, our technical master mind. She fixes most things on board what doesn't have to do with wood. If you need any thing just call for one of the men to find me, or I'll be in galley...um..." She stopped then said "About the thing your holding on to...I wouldn't hold on to it for long...it has a nack for hurting those who are close to it...the captain seems to be the only one who can keep its curse at bay. I'm just saying...be careful with that thing..." She then walked away, vanishing in the crowd of men walking by.

[Hidden Lilly]

Daniel was caught somewhere between fear, intrigue and concern. He was becoming more and more aware that this vessel possessed an entirely different world on it from which he came from. He looked around the area where Scarlet had brought him. Many men were working on various things and one particular person seemed to be in charge. Making note of the area ans the person, Daniel decided to take off in the other direction. If no-one was there to make him do anything, maybe a little exploring was in order. After making his way back to the stairs, he descended them as far as they would go and then back up a flight. He found a quiet place at the back of the boat and set down his things. All his life he had been told this was his area of residence, this was his bit of the ship. Lacking only a hammock, Daniel set down his things and tucked them into the dark corner. The area would need a bit of cleaning later but for now, as most days, he just wanted to set to work. Contrary to his desires he sat down with his back on the sturdy wood of the ship. He needed a moment to rest and to contemplate all that had happened, and where he should go from here.

Half an hour of processing thoughts passed. He listened to each argument and each suggestion. He let himself become accustomed to how this new vessel moved in the waves, how it rolled and cut into each small swell. It finally occurred to him that when they made port he could have the life he had always wanted. A life on land, a life with less risk, a quiet life. He could work hard by day and not be so concerned during the nights. The taste of hope was sweet in his mouth, it unnerved him. His life had never looked this positive, something had to be wrong. One thing he had learned to be true early in life was that if something seems too sweet, too perfect, it probably is. Finally ready to attend to his work, the only sort-of pleasure he had on a semi-regular basis. Standing, his bottom sore, Daniel ascended the stairs in search of the Quartermaster or Cook. Either seemed likely to know of any injured crew. It vaguely occurred to him that the girl from before may be aboard as well.

[MegaraFoxfire]

Bane was standing in the captain's cabin as someone was changing behind the screens in the corner of the room. "You shouldn't be up, captain...you are barely healing at the moment and the only thing that will heal are the wounds you got from the fight..." Avery walked out, wearing the true colors of a pirate. She waved her hand at him and said "I won't heal being locked in here. My wounds will heal while I help the crew. But first I want to check on our doctor friend and that little girl we found..." Bane slammed his hand against the wall in front of her, blocking her route to the door.

"captain...you went demon and wiped out half of that crew...does that fact not concern you at all?" Avery frowned and said "When has me being hit by Dead Man's blood make you question my skills?" Bane sighed and said "I don't question that...I question your reasoning. You've been tortured, beaten, and starved for about four weeks. You need to be checked out..." Avery ducked under his arm and said "That's why I must find our doctor friend..." She opened the door and walked out, Bane cursing softly then followed her out.