[IC] [Ebonfort] The Edge of the Map

[Visionaryness]

With the attention of the crew, including the captain, whom Kira gave a succinct nod to, the first mate decided to show off a little with her fiddle. She began dancing around, stomping her feet to the beat. When a second player joined in, she increased the tempo of the tune a bit.

When she reached the end of the song, she stopped suddenly, raised her arms, and bowed. However, she did not revel in the excitement for very long, for she quickly tucked the fiddle back under her chin and began another shanty. It would be another familiar to the sailors, and without waiting for any of them to join in, she began to sing. Her voice and accent were not the best for singing. Anyone unfamiliar with the words would have a hard time understanding her, and her surprisingly deep voice hit notes lower than most women could.

Wot shall we do wif a drunken sailor?
Wot shall we do wif a drunken sailor?
Wot shall we do wif a drunken sailor erleye in tha mornin?

At the chorus she played loudly and danced around while the sailors around her sang. Boots stomped and hands clapped. She led the next verse, her voice booming over the deck with an almost gravely quality.

Pu' 'im in a longboa' 'til 'e's sober!
Pu' 'im in a longboa' 'til 'e's sober!
Pu' 'im in a longboa' 'til 'e's sober erleye in tha mornin!

Kira's fingers deftly danced across the fingerboard, not missing a note as she stomped and kicked around during the next chorus.

Pu' 'im in tha scuppers wif a 'ose pipe on 'im!
Pu' 'im in tha scuppers wif a 'ose pipe on 'im!
Pu' 'im in tha scuppers wif a 'ose pipe on 'im erleye in tha mornin!

She continued for a few more verses, her voice growing steadily more harsh until the end of the song, when she stopped and bowed again, gasping to catch her breath. After a moment she turned to Jharnia and smiled.

"Ah 'ope tha' were to yer loikin', m'dear," she said breathily, her throat scratchy and raw from belting out lyrics. "There's always more where dat came from, yeh?" She glanced over at the captain, and gave the mage a slight bow. "By yer leave, ah fink ah should go see tha cap'n now." With that, she strode across the deck, her boots clomping quietly as she went to meet Captain Blaine.

[Drache]

The Captain was leaning against the railing under the shelter of one of the sets of stairs leading to the upper deck, his presence half-hidden with shadow. It was good to see the crew enjoying themselves. Better they find common ground now so that when bad weather and low rations threatened their morale they'd be less likely to turn on each other.

Although, if Dain's concerns were anything to go by, mutiny had been brewing before the ship had ever cast off.

The First Mate's antics were amusing to watch. She wasn't a graceful or fair-voiced woman in the slightest, her cloak and boots flying mannishly in time with the bawdy music reverbrating from her sweet fiddle, but there was a lot of skill there, he could not deny.

When Kira bowed out and let others pick up the frivolity in her wake, the Captain noted that Jharnia seemed to have picked up a little courage and descended from the bow to talk with the crew. He didn't have much time to observe, however, because the green-eyed First Mate had joined him neatly in his corner.

"That were a fine bit o' fiddlin', Miss," he grinned, peering at her with the faded leather hat tilted at a jaunty angle. He was tempted to mention that he had a guitar tucked in his cabin, but there would hopefully be time to that later in their journey. "I trust ye've been down to the ol' magazine, hm. Everything 'counted for?"

His tone was casual but his pale blue eyes had a seasoned sternness about them. Beside his elbow, a fluffy grey striped cat bounced neatly up to the rail, sitting with impecable balance with its tail curled around its paws as though the beast was part of the conversation.

"And I see ye've spoken to Jharnia. Seems a bit young. Think we can count on her in a challenge?" He glanced around, lowering his voice. "Mayhaps it'll happen sooner than I thought."