Hidden Lilly

Splinters

Daniel extended his hand to the quartermaster.

"Daniel Blythe." he said, giving a firm handshake though he was still a touch unsure about Bane. The way the quartermaster watched Avery, how he was in fact very protective of her. Daniel found himself wondering of their connection, how they seemed to be close. Actually, it seemed as though they were children stuck in an interesting position. His special care for her being unrequited but her good nature only allowing for her to dance away in play. No wonder the man would look so tired, he was the ever chaser of his captain. Even if they had no special relationship, as second in command he would have to chase her the way she moved like fire. Daniel hardly knew the woman but even a blind man could see that though burdened she had a passion for adventure.

"Please feel free to call me as you wish, Quartermaster." he said, unsure as to weather he should allow this crew to call him by his given name. This was a new start though, it felt more positive than the other life changes he had encountered.

~~~~

"Oh that would be wonderful!" Amelia exclaimed at Scarlet's suggestion. It was a God sent miracle, she could go home! She could see her family, the animals, the sturdy stones beneath her feet in the gardens... all the lessons she had to attend, the uncomfortable clothing, boring social events... Amelia's good memories became balanced by sour ones. Home was home regardless, she convinced herself. She wanted to feel the earth beneath her feet once more, not wood and water.

Splinters

Daniel regarded the quartermaster with a stern look, their relationship not starting out the smoothest.

"She'll be alright." he said, turning to watch the quartermaster watch her. "She needs t' take it easy fer a while. That wound on 'er side will be 'er greatest challenge. 't was t' deepest an' longest. 't will make a pretty scar though, so long as she do'n't rip those stitches." He looked back to his new captain, watching her interact with the rest of the crew. She was kind, but commanded respect. "I'll do th' best I can t' encourage 'er t' rest." Daniel added, a small olive branch for him to extend.

~~~

Amelia rose from the little spot that Scarlet had no doubtingly made for her to rest in. With quiet feet she headed for the counters, they were rather tall. She was average height for a girl, on the cusp of her coming out age too.

"My name is Amelia Gastrell." she said before realizing that she likely shouldn't have given her last name. Her family clan was among more of the wealthy folk in Britain, the very low end of the upper class. She had been warned constantly by her father from a young age that others may try to take advantage of her because of her name. She flushed in embarrassment of her mistake, keeping her head turned down and allowing her long hair to act as a curtain. At least Amelia knew how to cut vegetables in an efficient manor now, she had been getting used to the knives the other cook used. The carats were tough to cut through but she was well into working away at her first carrot.

Splinters

"tha' 't would be of great assistance." Daniel agreed, never before having had his own room. Often it was a simple hammock in the back of the Orlap deck. His medical supplies would be tucked under the hammock as well, he was lucky if he had a crate or two for his patient to lay on. "I'll go below decks to fech me supplies from th' corner I sto'ed 'em away in. Thank ye Cap'n." He finished, managing a respectful half-bow. On both the ships he had been on prior such formalities were enforced. Daniel moved towards the door to open it for her, both an act of habit with her being a woman as well as a respectful act for the captain of the ship.

~~~

Amelia smiled at the vibrant woman.

"Maybe if you braid it..." She suggested meekly, in the soft tone of speech that seemed to be unique to her. Amelia pulled her legs close to her, similar to how a mermaid would sit. "Would you like some help?" she offered. She felt free to come creeping out of her shell here. This little area with the cook seemed so warm and much safer than the ship she had come from. Amelia was thankful that she had not been on that vessel long, that she had a hope for finding her family in port.

Splinters

Having some time to think about the situation, and being strangely assured by her, he had his answer.

"Aye. Ye have yerself a doctor." Daniel said, the smile fading from his expression. He raised his right hand to his mouth before spitting into his palm. Daniel held it out to her for her to shake, fairly certain that she was aware of the custom equal to that of a contract. "I do expect t' be paid like any other man on yer vessel." He said, more of a polite reminder since pirates often conveniently left out details and he did not want to miss a payday. Often it covered his supplies among other things that warmed the insides.

A part of him wondered if the saliva hand shake would gross her out like any other lady in port, but the other part fully expected her to spit in her hand and shake hardly phased by the action. Avery was for many reasons, not merely a lady.

~~~

Amelia began to stir from her sleep. She felt stiff and groggy, more tempted to call her time in dreamland a rest as opposed to a nap or sleep. It was exhausting waking up on another boat, though the woman that brought her here seemed nice enough. She was older to be weathering the seas but if she was out here still it make Amelia wonder at what must be her incredible skill.

"Mmmm..." she tested, rolling over to look out into the kitchen. The older woman was busy about the food, moving faster than she had seen any cook move before. Quietly, she tried to sit up without making much of a noise. On the last vessel, Amelia had been taken hostage due to her age and moderate looks from a port the pirates had plundered. She had learned there to be the cook's assistant and the man was about as picky as a bird and tough as nails. There were multiple times he swatted at her with various cooking utensils for not knowing what to do or not doing it fast/quietly enough. The entire ship terrified her. This boat was much ore welcoming. The woman was so kind to her. Scarlet, Amelia recalled, was her name. She seemed like a lovable mama hen.

Splinters

Daniel noticed her shift backwards on the table. Her body language had grown uncomfortable when he had guided her shirt back down. The pirate in him saw it as an opportunity, a moment of weakness and tempted him to press further. The honorable gentleman in him, the side that he made a point of choosing, encouraged him to take a step or to back. Daniel obliged to his conscience. It was one of the things he was proud of, one of the things that made him feel more civilized. Continuing to treat women as people as opposed to mere services. On top of that there was still the image stinging in the back of his mind of Avery cutting down each of his old crew members. It was certainly another kind of encouragement to treat the woman as her rank would suggest.

Daniel thought on her question for a moment. He had the chance to make a life on land like he had dreamed of as a child, but all he knew now was the sea. He felt caught, between comfortable, challenge, ambitions and old emotional scars. He hadn't been free since he was a boy, before he was sold into being a cabin boy.

"I'll go where th' tide takes me." he said. A true sailor's answer, though he wasn't sure if it was what he would truly want. This quest of hers did sound interesting, and he seemed to be the only doctor aboard. The pirate and boy in him reveled in the idea of an adventure. Finally, since their first encounter, he smiled. It was only a slight curl of the lips and it was uneven, but it was a smile none the less.

Splinters

"Well Miss- Cap'n," he corrected, somewhat distracted as he reviewed the bandages that hugged the curve of her waist so well. He was damn good at his job, there was only light blotches of blood peaking through. "Yer stitches are held fast, don' move t' quick or ye will tear 'em out. Fixin' tha' would not be a pretty business."

"Me name is Daniel Blythe an' me story is not an unusual one, nothin' worth tellin'." Daniel guided Avery's shirt back over her bandaging. "Anyth' else hurt?" he asked. He really didn't want to discuss his past. It was better left buried or drowned as it were.

Splinters

Daniel's brow creased as he finished fastening his hair back. Finally with it out of his face he was able to see what he was doing clearly.

"th's quite a quest." he said, crossing the distance between them. "Move yer 'ands s' I can take a look at ye." Daniel instructed briskly while already reaching for the bottom of her shirt. "Don' be shy, a waist is nothin' I 'avn't seen b'fore." he tested, learning more about her based on her reaction. Already tugging the bottom on her shirt, his fingers skimming the dressing placed there before.

State of Heroes and Villains

"I have to make a quick call before we go but I say we should probably talk to Flood. He was the one who contacted us and he may have a lead that Kanji doesn't know about yet." Makoto was never close with Kanji but the woman's intellect and abilities for finding information one way or another were renowned. From what she had heard, Kanji and Flood work in very different ways, it was possible that one would find out something before the other. Standing, Makoto moved from the kitchen to the room she had slept in.

She rummaged through her bag and pulled out her cellphone. Temptation called to her, pressuring her to call Storm's cellphone another time. She dialed her academic adviser's number instead. There was a ring, two, three, the beginning of a voice mail and then her adviser picked up. She spoke with as general terms as possible, so to not lead on that she was a super.

@Caits@KatherinWinter

State of Heroes and Villains

@Caits@KatherinWinter

Makoto was glad for the information that Flood had provided them, weather he knew it or not. It was a relief to her that they didn't have to worry about a large external attack, thought it was more concerning that the attack came from the inside.

"So, I guess we should either go see Flood or Kanji." Makoto said, knowing that Kanji had the know how to look into the school's students and staff. Flood seemed to have a good idea of what was going on as well. She would have to contact her school and academic adviser to let them know she would need to postpone her exams if that was possible. It would certainly be interesting if she had to write exams in the middle of all of this.

At least they had a direction to work in now.

Splinters

Daniel huffed in thought, absorbing her words be they truth or not. Unfortunately he had learned that when a pirate spares/saves a life there are strings attached and the savior may cast the saved into the tempest when it best suits them. Despite how easy she was in conversation, how open and honest... It made him more suspicious. A dishonest man you can always trust to be dishonest. It's the honest ones you want to watch out for, because you can never predict when they're going to do something incredibly... stupid.

"It be hard to trust a man ye 'ave ne'r met b'fore." He said, letting the comment marinate in the air and hang between them. Despite all she had done for him thus far, after so many years of watching one's back to make sure a wayward knife didn't stab it, it was difficult to trust. Anyone, not just Avery, but anyone really. A crew was never really his family like it was for the other sailors. He was always stuck between worlds, walking a fine line to survive.

He finally moved after the 30 seconds of empty space. He reached under his jacket and untied the velvet bag. It was soft in his weather worn hands. Bits of rough skin catching on the fabric as he pulled his leather thong away from the bag and handed it to her. His second question slipped out before he could really stop it, Daniels hands already busy eagerly pulling his hair back.

"What be so important 'bout tha' piece?"