Seeking Immortality

[Daeus]

A 1 X 1 RP (Daeus &

@Bawadaboo) where characters are seeking immortality/fountain of youth.





If you are not Daeus or Bawadaboo do NOT post in this RP. Any RP hijackers will be reported.

Note: This map is custom made by me (Daeus). Please do not use without permission.
​

 

[Bawadaboo]

"... And there he stood, sweat beading off of his bearded chin, in a deadly staring contest the likes of which you've never seen or heard. One arm lazily hangs to the side, bleeding heavily from the wound that nearly tore it away from the shoulder. The other ripples with strength and vigor as he grips his short scimitar, the only thing keeping him from a grizzly death at the clutches of the evil three-eyed beast... 'Lothlia.' "


The few dedicated fans, three small boys and two teenage fera girls, sat at his feet starry-eyed and mystified, hanging on every well rehearsed word. The rest of the townsfolk could care less about Alphonse Carmine's so called 'nonsensical ramblings.' Al would have liked a bigger audience, but he really didn't care. As long as someone was listening he would be talking.


"Meanwhile, First-mate Shester and his team face off against the crew of wretched sorcerers controlling the beast. Fire balls and lightening bolts blasted every direction, singing hair and burning flesh as the crew of the Rolling Summer slices and shears away each and every sorcerer that comes into view. They are truly the final line of defense, allowing the captain ample time to finish off the cursed beast."


The story was so well rehearsed Al could scan the would be audience of shoppers and shipsmen, spying for the next mark, even while keeping the enthusiasm and excitement of his story rolling. Al wasn't on the street preaching glory and victory for his health. Of course there was an alterior motive, his eyes fell upon a nervous looking young fera wandering about the market, almost as if he hadn't any idea where he was. As the anxious little fera twisted and turned trying to find his way Al could spot a nice hefty bulge on his hip. The bulge of a happily fat pocketbook. A smile drew across Al's lips. 'There we are.' A wink would set it all in motion.


The plan was as follows:


Step 1. Al stands on a soapbox and regails the town with made-up stories of wonder and valor, distracting the market goers. He'd spot a healthily rich mark, and the crew would move in.


Step 2. Chrol barges through the market, crashing into the target, all at the same time stealing the pocketbook. When the target gives chase,


Step 3. Chrol will bump into Clay, disguised as another shopper, and pass the book on, effectively disposing of evidence.


Step 4. Al wraps up his story as the ruckus in the market escalates and he and Clay shove off to run the scam elsewhere. Chrol follows sometime later once the heat is gone.


They'd been running this latest scam for weeks, and so far they'd made a decent profit. Though it wasn't the worst of crimes, it wasn't ideal. Al knew the captain would prefer an actual job here and there to keep everyone fed, but those missions were few and far between these days. The age of exploration was winding down, and that was bad news for seafaring adventurers such as the crew of the Rolling Summer who relied on these missions in order to stay within the bounds of the law. Not that they were afraid of some authority, but having a nice bounty waiting for you when you pull in for drink and rest is not good for business.


"As the creature dove toward our captain with murderous intent O'Connel threw himself to the rocky floor just before getting his face clawed away. He quickly rolled to his feet and brandished the sword, holding it between himself and the monster. The beast rolled onto his hind legs and sprang for one last attack. The captain knew it was do or die, so with one final thrust he...." Ugh... 'I never get to finish the story'


Al dropped of of his pedestal and gave a slight bow with a bit of flourish. "Sorry my dears, story is over for now. One day perhaps you'll hear the rest. As for now." he flipped his fingertips out. "Be gone. Shoo. Toodles. Get lost." He turned his back to them and began to fold up his belongings, ready to move on out. Chrol had just made his move and unfortunately storytime was over.


Two days later, and two towns to the north, on the tip of the north peninsula of the region of Ehion. In a town called Heliton Alphonse stands triumphantly on his soapbox once more and spins his tale for a brand new group of observers. The life of a pirate is good.


"As the crew of the Rolling Summer approached the cave the brave Captain O'Connel knew, 'this will be our greatest fight.'"

 

[Daeus]

Liritae kept her hood drawn over her head to keep her presence as unnoticeable as possible. While even if she didn't have her good down she wouldn't stand out of the crowd it was a habit now. She also never knew when the owner of a certain book would appear to reclaim her possession. She had stolen it from him and while she had never met the man, she didn't want to take any chance that he could find some way to track her down.


Being in Ebion was safe for now since she was amongst her own kind. If a human were to try and start a ruckus they would be quick to stop any humans from even touching her. There was so much distrust towards humans in Ebion that whenever they were present they would all stick out like a sore thumb.


This is why she found it very odd that some scraggly humans were lurking around the market place. One was weaving a heck of a tall tale and everyone was tense except for the young children who were engrossed in the story. Liritae could guess the scheme; distract and grab a purse full of coin. It wasn't anything new or inventive. She had done the same thing back in some of the human markets when she had been desperately running to her native lands.


Normally she would have just ignored them and kept to herself. She had personal problems of her own that needed her attention. However, the mention of a ship had caught her attention. She had read a few parts of her borrowed book and was in need of making some travel arrangements. There were numerous rumors about the Rolling Summer - probably due to this horribly outlandish stories - and that they were along the lines of a ship-for-hire.


If they were pick-pocketing so brazenly it probably meant they were struggling financially. There were some things in this book they would probably find of particular interest. She didn't care about the treasure really. There was just one thing she wanted; the fountain of youth and immortality. There wasn't enough information in this book to lead her there but it had enough to get her started.


She approached the annoyingly loud man - her hood still pulled over her face - and stood before him with her arms crossed. The children moved aside before scampering away. Their mothers probably warned them about hooded strangers.


"Take me to this Captain O'Connel."

 

[Bawadaboo]

Alphonse tried his very best to continue the story with as much gusto as possible, but this damnable fera was scaring away all his marks. As his patience dwindled to nothing she finally spoke.


"Take me to this Captain O'Connel."


'Come on lady, get lost.' Al dropped his arms in exasperation and dropped angrily off his pedestal. He stood a few inches taller than her, but there was an air about her that told him she was nothing to be messed with. Still, she interrupted his story, and that was annoying. "Lady, it's a story. I'd expect this kind of gullibility from the kids, but you seem a well educated young fera. Captain O'Connel isn't real. The 'Rolling Summer' isn't real. It's just a story to keep kids entertained and draw attention." He turned away and bent over to pick up his belongings, shaking his head disappointingly at the crewmen waiting for his signal. They weren't getting any action from this port with this buttinsky fera around. Hopefully she'd be satisfied with the lie, it usually deterred these types.


There was one every few ports. Some poor street urchin would hear the story and think they deserved an audience with the captain. Most of them tried to appeal to O'Connel's sense of honor. Nonexistent. Others tried to offer themselves to him, sexually or otherwise. O'Connel had no need. They were always poor, and what the crew needed most was money, not concubines. With a sigh Al stood up and leaned in, trying to get a peek under her hood. "Just a story sweetheart." He brushed past her to head to the nearest dive. He would certainly like a drink at this point.


------------------


Clay and Chrol stood side by side in the shadow of a nearby alley as they watched the situation dissolve. Al had been made. The twin Fer'lais shook their heads with disgust simultaneously. They looked at each other, together deciding they'd head back to the ship and tell the captain how the scam had been ruined. He'd not be pleased, but what were you gonna do? This Fer'lais woman had to stick her nose in.

 

[Daeus]

Liritae bristled angrily at being dismissed and lied to. Looking back to this moment she probably should have been more reserved and had not expressed her anger. But, she didn't have time to waste on regrets. So, impulsively she ended up throwing a small pouch at the back of the miscreant's head.


There wasn't anything extravagant that she'd fret about losing if the guy took off with its content. However, she was willing to gamble that its contents would be enough to catch his attention. There were assorted jewels within the pouch that she had relieved from the same elderly man that she had stolen the book from. She had a nice little cache hidden away with the more impressive loot. She just needed to show that she was serious.


"Take that pouch to your Captain and inform him I am someone willing to pay for his services. I will give you two hours for a reply before I cut my losses and find someone else to hire. You can find me at the Spoiled Princess."


She didn't have time to play these games and she wasn't going to let them waste her time. If she couldn't find a ship here she would find another somewhere else. Either way she was moving forward with or without help.


She left without another glance or word in the stranger's direction and simply headed off to the tavern. Her little display of throwing pouches around and shouting was sure to grab unwanted attention. She knew the owner of the tavern there so any trouble that came her way would be dealt with if someone decided she was an easy target.

 

[Bawadaboo]

Al whooshing sound, accompanied by a light jingle was all he heard before a bag of rocks smacked Al in the back of the head. He winced as it plopped onto his shoulder. Rubbing his unnecessarily assaulted head he retrieved the bag and juggled it in his hand for a bit. It was definitely jewels. Al found himself looking over his shoulder as the mystery woman walked away. 'Where o' where did we get these my dear?' He started off toward the ship to tell the captain things were about to get interesting, tossing the bag absentmindedly in his hand.


Al was met at the dock by the gleeful twins Clay and Chrol. Both stood at 6'7, towering above Al and most everyone else on the ship, though Clay's bulging muscles set him apart from his more lean and toned brother. They would surely have prepared some smart-ass comment about Al's failure in the market.


"What'sa matter Al, she didn't take to you?" sneered Clay as Al stepped onto the ship. The fer'lais' gnarled beastly teeth peeking out of the corners of his devilish grin.


"Obviously she doesn't fancy the stringy loudmouth type Clayton." answered Chrol. Al was well adept at dealing with these two. They were less than the smartest men aboard, and were easily outwitted.


"I must not have effectively washed the ungodly stench of wet fera off of me from the last time we sparred Chrol." Al retorted turning on Clay "Or perhaps she isn't much of a pet person. I'd have to house train you two." With that he danced toward the captain's quarters, dodging the kicks thrown his way. This was certainly not the first time Al had been on the receiving end of an attack from the twins, and it definitely wouldn't be the last. They had their quarrels, but Al knew if the two had really meant to harm him, he'd probably be broken in half. It was all in good fun. He arrived at the Captain's door and gave it a quick tap. "Captain, I've got something you might like to see."


----------------


Some time later Al stepped through the swinging doors of the "Spoiled Princess." Low music filled the smokey air, and it was immediately apparent from the stares and snarls courtesy of the bar patrons that the human was not welcome there. 'Smart. Had I planned an ambush I'd definitely be at a disadvantage.' But he hadn't.


In a dark secluded corner of the bar sat quietly the fera girl. Al slid the pouch of jewels from his pocket and slid into a chair across from her, dropping the bag on the table rebelliously. A few agonizing moments of silence followed before Al realized he'd have to initiate. "The captain will see you, if you'll just follow me." A sound caught his attention, and he turned his head to the right to come face to face with a rather angry looking fer'lais. "Thaaat is, if your friends will refrain from eating me."

 

[Daeus]

Liritae was absently spinning a coin on the tabletop where she was currently residing. Every now and then her eyes slid over to the clock behind the bar indicating the time that had passed. She cursed clocks now. Every ticking second was a reminder. It was during this anger filled distraction that the sound of the jewel filled pouch plopped onto the table which knocked her coin off balance.


She caught the coin before it fell to the floor and turned her eyes to her company. He had cut it close to the deadline she had set. She stared at him silently; slightly amused by his nervousness of the other patrons in the tavern. They wouldn't harm him unless he tried to start something. They also wouldn't relax until he left.


Though he wouldn't be able to see it, she scowled at his comment about being eaten. Humans compared the Fer'lais with beasts because of of their appearance. She clenched the coin in her hand tightly to control her anger.


"As long as you don't make any threatening moves you'll simply have to worry about being glared at. We're wasting time, lead the way."


It was safer to follow behind him for now. She wasn't sure who or what awaited outside of the Spoiled Princess but she was going to take her chances. Greed was a powerful motivator after all. She just needed to convince the Captain that this journey she was one was one that would be beneficial to him as well.

 

[Bawadaboo]

'Geez lady, you catch more flies with honey than vinegar.' Al thought as the two left the building. He wasn't ashamed to admit that he didn't feel very safe around these parts, what with the possibility of him getting murdered just for pissing off his cheery companion.


She stayed two steps behind him the whole way to the ship, making sure to keep the silence going. It was for the best though, she wasn't much a fan of his. The way the captain reacted to the jewels told him that they were most likely going to take her job. Maybe in that time things would turn around and she'd be a bit less of an ice-queen. Or maybe not. Of course this would only matter if he made it to the ship. He'd look over his shoulder every now and again, and every time she would just be staring down at his shoes in silence.


"Got a name my friend?" he chanced, not expecting an actual answer. It just felt nice to break the silence. As he'd expected there was no reply and he resigned himself to silence for the remainder of the journey.


Soon enough the ship was in view. He waved aside the twins standing guard at the dock and helped her onto the main deck. He then led her to the captains cabin, giving a few quick raps to the salt-stained wood. Without an answer he opened the door and waved the fera inside. "I'll take my leave now." Al breathed a sigh of relief and bounded off toward his own cabin below-decks.


The captain's cabin was dimly lit, with candles sporadically placed about with no rhyme or reason. A large ornate desk sat in the center, covered in papers; contracts, maps, wanted posters, and news clippings. The captain was carelessly lounging in his chair, feet on the table, nursing a glass of rum. His dark hair fell lazily over one side of his face, casting a malevolent shadow.


Upon her entrance O'Connel leaned forward and pulled his feet off the table, polishing off the last of his drink before reaching under the desk for the bottle. After placing a second glass on the desk he acknowledged her, "You. Oh you must be the fer'lais I heard about. The one with all the jewels." A sly smile drew across his face while he filled both glasses. Without pause he continued. "Have a seat." He gestured to a smaller wooden chair to her left. He placed the bottle back under his desk and lifted the second glass to her. "Would you like a drink? Coconut rum, it's. my. favorite. You can tell me all about how a rougeish young fera like yourself happened upon such a wealth of rocks." He spoke as if every word were a delicious candy and he took his time suckling on each one. He tipped his glass back, staring his client up and down, trying to solve the riddle standing before him.

 

[Daeus]

Liritae didn't bother introducing herself. She'd rather remain as anonymous as possible so that if an understanding with the Captain couldn't be made she could go about her way. It was safer for her this way should she need to make herself scarce. She wasn't sure if she had a bounty on her head for her recent antics. She knew the blasted nobleman who cursed her to this horrible fate wasn't searching for her because he simply had a way to verify she was still living and breathing in a not-so-pleasant way.


She remained silent the entire trip to the ship keeping her hood pulled down low to cover as much as her face as she could. They already knew she was Fer'lais but that didn't mean they knew exactly what she looked like. She did feel an irritating anxiousness creeping throughout her body as she stepped onto the ship. She was no longer on friendly territory; this was their turf now.


She didn't reveal this slight nervousness, though those Fer'lais twins probably could sense her change. She could only hope that they didn't howl out this to the others. It was the least they could do being a fellow Fer'lais.


The ship itself didn't make her feel any sort of awe or wonder. It looked like the ship needed some repairs and a good scrubbing. However, most ships that traveled now were trade ships or pirates. Trade ships weren't interested in treasure hunting; so that left the pirates.


She gave the smallest and slightest nod to the man who had led her to her destination. He seemed to dislike long periods of silence so he was slightly annoying but tolerable. He also hadn't bothered her too much about who she was. This was as much of a thanks she was going to give to him.


When the door shut behind her and the Captain pulled his feet off his desk and offered her a drink, she didn't refuse. If he wanted to kill her that would have been done before she ever came face to face with him. His mannerisms were strange and she made a mental note to keep at least a three foot distance between them at all times. Part of her mind was flagging him as some sort of pervert.


She pulled back the hood of her cape and stared at him with an expressionless face. Without taking her eyes off of him, she dug around the inside of her cloak and produced a thick leather book. It was unmarked except for a embossed sigil of some maze like compass.


"I'm not sure how familiar you are with this book. If you are familiar with it, then you will understand the benefits of being my... 'friend.'"


This book had a long history. The rumor was that it belong to some ancient pirate that had spent his lifetime exploring and pillaging the realm and stashed away a trove of treasures in various locations. It was also mentioned he might have actually found the fountain of youth.


"I would say that the only way to confirm this book's authenticity would be to seek out one of hidden treasures mentioned within it. If you help me find what I am looking for, you can keep ninety percent of all treasure found. I will pay you for the first voyage to the first location so that if this book is a fake your services will have already been paid for."


(OOC: I see what you mean about the conversations. We can use an OOC thread so the conversations aren't so awkward. X3 )

 

[Bawadaboo]

She pulled the hood off to reveal a soft and smooth face, in contrast to her demanding take-charge nature. O'Connel was busy studying her face when she dropped the book on his desk. His eyes panned down to look it over, but he knew exactly what it was. The Red-Fang memoirs. Al would flip if he knew it was on the ship. He'd been wanted to read the stories inside it ever since O'Connel first told him about it. Indeed, this fera had access to a great many interesting things.


"I'm sorry m'dear. I've neglected to introduce myself." He flourished his hands, "Captain Jean O'Connel, at your service. And you are?"


"Liritae, though Liri is also acceptable," she replied simply. Had the captain actually cared, he might have noticed her uneasiness toward his behavior.


He traded his half-full glass for the memoirs, flipped it open, and scanned a random page. It read something about how Red-Fang stashed his treasure in yada-yada-yada. He didn't care. Research wasn't his area of expertise. He wasn't actually reading. He flipped a few pages and looked up to the fera, her eyes staring beams through his skull. She obviously wasn't interested in making friends on this ship. He closed the book with a satisfying clap.


"Interesting. Very much so." He leaned back in his chair and folded his hands. "Well Liri, I'd be immensely interested in where you managed to find this book. But that's for another day." The infamous pirate 'Red-Fang' supposedly had a vast fortune of treasure, most of which was hidden all around the realm. As of this age, not an inlking of the Red Treasure had been found. "What I really want to know from you, Liri, is why would you be searching for such a treasure if you only plan to keep a tenth of the findings." A subtle wince as he said her name showed that she disliked the emphasis he placed on it, but she remained silent on that matter.


"There is only one thing within the contents of this book that I am interested. Everything else doesn't matter to me. I am also in a bit of a rush in finding what I seek. But before we consider officially agreeing on anything I have a few other requirements of you."


'And the plot thickens.' The captain lowered his eyes at her demanding tone. "I'm so sure you do Liri. But being as this is my ship and my crew, I'll have certain requirements of you as well... But!" he threw up his hands, "In the essence of chivalry, I'll hear yours before I decide on my own. Fire away Liri, what would you have me do?"


She let out a small sigh of frustration. The captain had quite the sporadic personality.


"My demands are simple. Firstly, I would require a space to reside away from your crew. I want your word that you will not touch this book without my permission. I do not mind sharing its contents, but I also do not trust you enough to leave it in your hands."


As she stated her requirements for their contract she used her fingers to tick off the amount of requests she was listing for the Captain. He nodded in agreement with each tick.


"I ask that you do not inquire any more into what I am searching for. Though I will admit that there is a risk of death for this task. Finally, my presence must be kept as secret as possible. I didn't exactly get permission when I took this book so there is a slight chance I have a not too friendly search party trying to find me."


Once she finished listing everything she put her hands back in her lap on top of the book, followed by a moment of silence as O'Connel considered her demands.


"Is that all?"


"Those are the only requirements I have. Well, perhaps the additional requirement that none of your crew touches me unless required. One fondle and you may have someone missing a finger."


O'Connel chuckled and nodded at the last demand. "Those are acceptable. Unfortunately I've only got free room in the dungeon, as I will not be kicking my crew out of their rooms for you. I'll bring you a cot and any other amenities you might need."


He took a final sip of his rum before placing the glass back on the desk. He held up one finger, to mimic Liri's gesture from earlier. "I'd ask that you share this book with my cabin boy Alphonse, I believe you've met. He'll be much more useful in analyzing than I. Just let him read it. Secondly, I'll not ask for any more specifics than I deserve, and we are not scared of danger, but if yourpresence here results in the mortal injury of any of my crew..." pausing, he leaned closer to her. "I will personally throw you overboard."


He stood and walked toward her grabbing the book on the way. "So perk up Liri" He clapped her on the shoulder while tossing the book into her lap. "We're all friendly here" with a shrug, "well most of us." He walked past her toward the door and opened it. "Find Al, tell him what I told you, he'll show you to your room. I'm eager to work together." He held the door open and gestured her out. "We will discuss this more tomorrow." Al wouldn't be hard to find. He always seemed to... pop up. Kind of like a gopher.

 

[Daeus]

When she was told to share the book when the cabin boy her eye visibly twitched. If his demeanor was anything like his story-telling farce she was going to slap him with the book a few times. She knew it was an awful thing - being angry at cheerful people - but she was bitter about everything right now.


Adding the Captain's threat of throwing her overboard and this wasn't going to be a cozy trip at all. Having to share quarters with a bunch for males who are stuck for long periods of time without female companions... she was going to sleep with her daggers.


Her face went into shock when he snatched the book from her grasp. She was about to try and snatch it back when he tossed it to her. She protectively hugged the book to her chest and almost had a pout on her lips over the ordeal. Her heart was pounding with adrenaline at the sudden loss of the only thing she found precious.


She stood up briskly and left the cabin with and confident stride - though she was anything but. She wasn't going to turn back now. She just needed to make sure to keep her "illness" a secret.


( Lol, on the gopher comparison. )

 

[Bawadaboo]

"And then I turned around and this fera guy was just fuming at me. For no reason! It was almosrt as if my mere existence was enough to make him sick. I dont.."


"AL!" The cook tossed his ladle to the counter. "For the gods, shut your mouth or you'll be eating algae for dinner!" Alphonse threw his hands up in defense. "I apologize Gerio, I suppose I'll head off to bother someone else." He turned on his heels and left the lower decks. Perhaps someone on the upper decks would be more hospitable.


He popped out of the deck door leading to the upper deck. No one was on deck, but that was to be expected. It was late, they were all probably drinking or whoring somewhere. He dropped his shoulders in defeat, coming to terms with the fact that no one would put up with him that night. But alas! Across the deck he spotted the fer'lais woman looking quite confident, despite not knowing where she was. He could tell from a mile away that she was lost.


With a friendly smile he tried for round three. "Hey there, didja have a nice chat with the Captain?"

 

[Daeus]

Liri's eyes darted over to the person the Captain had called 'Alphonse.' She stifled a groan at seeing his overly friendly smile. She already made a vow that if he ever tried the kicked puppy look on her she would give him a reason to have such an expression. She was here for business; not fun.


She approached her escort from earlier and crossed her arms as she stared at him. She relayed the message from the Captain - who had not made a great first impression - to the cabin boy. How a cabin boy was given such a task was strange since cabin boys were usually nothing more than ship servants.


"This book will remain in my custody at all times. Understand?"


She showed him the book for a brief moment before hiding it behind her cloak. Hopefully this cabin boy wouldn't be useless for the task though she doubted he could decipher the code for the only pages that held the information she wanted. Each little treasure that was hidden away had a codex to allow a person to translate the information. She needed that to find the way to the fountain.

 

[Bawadaboo]

Al nearly had to catch his jaw so that it didn't crash to the deck when she produced the memoirs. He was having a tough time remembering what she'd told him before, because he was so focused on the book. "I... I... I... wow... The Red-Fang memoirs?" She ignored him, like always. He shook the book out of his attention to remember what she'd said previously. She was to be shown to a cell on the bottom deck, and he was to bring her a cot at some point. He decided the longer she remained an ice-queen the longer she'd wait for proper bedding.


"Uh... yes maam, come with me."


"Lead the way" He waved her on as he walked back to where he came from. Her room would be in the biggest cell they had, usually reserved for the more... upset prisoners. "Luckily for you, we don't have anyone in the brig right now, so it should be nice and quiet." They shortly passed from the second deck which held the mess hall, kitchen, armory, and other such rooms, and into the third deck.


"You should also not share this information with anyone else besides the Captain." He smiled as he showed her through a door into the crews quarters. At last she spoke first. Their relationship was already blooming past animosity. "Course, anything you say my dear." He replied. "My lips are sealed." He lead her through the crew quarters without incident and down the ladder to the lower deck. It was murky, and dusty, and a bit smelly, but it was better than rooming with anyone on the ship. He led her to the biggest cell and slid the gate open. It was basically an empty gray room surrounded by bars. But soon enough it would be a gray room surrounded by bars... with a cot!


Al swung his arm toward the cell. "Home sweet home right?" He smiled. "If ya need anything to make it more..roomy let me know. As of this moment, Alphonse Carmine is at your service." He gave a flourished bow to punctuate.

 

[Daeus]

Liri followed her escort once more. She didn't expect anything comfortable for her living quarters and would probably have to invest in making it suitable for her needs. She was already thinking up a list of items that would be needed for such an accomplishment. Perhaps she could convince the Captain to let her board up the cell for privacy reasons. It would be temporary and could be removed when she reached her goal or died while trying.


Her thoughts were brought to an abrupt halt when Alphonse used the word 'dear' to refer to her person. On instinct she used the book to give him a fair thwack to the back of his head.


"You are to call me Liritae or Liri," she warned.


Once they reached the cell her shoulders slumped slightly. This was... less than ideal and barely passable for any living being to sleep. She didn't expect prisoners to be comfortable but this was... disgusting. She stiffened her posture as she turned to look at Alphonse.


"If I give you some coin would you be willing to fetch some things to make this space habitable? I will pay you for your service of course. I simply need enough sheets to cover the space for privacy needs, bedding, and probably some nails and a hammer to secure the sheets so that they do not fall."

 

[Bawadaboo]

Two times this woman had hit him in the back of the head. TWO! Had she answered him properly when he asked her name earlier, he wouldn't have to call her dear, though he probably would have anyway. She was certainly not getting any closer to a cot.


She offered to pay him to go and fetch some things. Something he would be happy to do. She was a guest on the ship, and would be treated as such, but only to the point she would deserve. He nodded happily. "Of course I'll get these things for you Liritae. Nothing would make me happier." One of her brows quirked upward as if she suspected there was some sarcasm behind that statement. There was.


She dug around in the pouch at her hip and pulled out enough to cover the costs of the materials as well as extra for Alphonse to keep as payment. "Thank you Liritae, I'll be back shortly with these things." He made a mental note of her list and made his way to make the purchases, shooting up the ladder without another word.


So far Liritae had come across as an icy cold fera, with no sense of humor. She didn't seem like the type of person who'd get along with Al. Even the piraty crewmen didn't treat him like such a doormat when he first arrived. She was just... hateful. Even so, Al wasn't one to have his spirits crushed by a curmudgeonly face. Nope. One of these days she would come around. This was his goal. His mission. It would be done.


-----------------------


An hour or so later Al descended the ladder with sheets draped over his shoulder, with nails and a hammer in his pockets. Liri, who was stood in the corner twiddling her thumbs, seemed glad that her dark room would finally have come kind of comfort installed. "Here you are. Sheets." He placed them on the least nasty spot of floor and grinned as she gave a short mumbled thanks. Well, it was a start.


"I may need your assistance in nailing these sheets to the ceiling." Was that her way of asking for help? Interesting. Well everyone's walls come down one way or another, even if it is piece by minuscule piece.


"Of course Liritae." he said, this time with more sincerity. He set to nailing the sheets up. But doing it in silence was not the way he did things, and one thing had been on his mind for a while.


"I was born on Faraday, you probably don't care but I like to talk. You ever been there? Probably not, not a whole lot of fer'lais up there. It's really pretty. Beautiful beaches and the bluest water you've ever seen, and I've been around. There's no place prettier than Faraday. At least not to me." He continued to talk, spanning several different topics, all about himself. He hoped that once she got to know him better she'd be more friendly.

 

[Daeus]

"This will be my first time leaving the Crescent Continent. I've only be to Ebion... and Virerul." The pause probably seemed suspicious, but it was such a sore subject.


She proceeded to help him hang the sheets up around the cell to create make-shift walls. She didn't want to have to change or sleep where strangers could just stare at her. The thought sent a shiver up her spine. She could only hope that the Captain would be willing to allow her to create something a bit sturdier later on. She would have to probably wait until they located the first stash of treasure. The crew would probably be in a cheerful enough mood to not deny her something small like that.


As she was hanging up a section of the sheet to help keep it taught against the ceiling she winced in pain.


"D-Damn splinters," she lied.


"Alright over there?" He called. "There will be more where that came from, so be careful."


"I-It's fine. I just wasn't paying attention."


Another lie. She just needed to pretend everything was fine until they finished their task and she could shoo him away.

 

[Bawadaboo]

After several minutes of hammering and hanging Liri had a nice little set-up. It wasn't exactly luxurious, but it was... it was ok. Al wiped the little bit of sweat from his brow placed his hands on his hips, inspecting their work. He turned to Liri with satisfaction. "Looks nice, soon enough it'll be just like home." He smiled, and with a clap of his hands he bounced toward the ladder.


"I'll leave you be for now. Call me if you need anything." A quick bow and he scurried up the ladder.


Once on the third deck he made his way to his own living space and fell onto his own unforgiving cot. It was almost more comfortable laying in the crows nest, but sometimes if you found just the right spot, you could get a decent nights sleep. He layed his head on top of his arms and stared at the ceiling. Tomorrow would be an exciting day. They'd finally get to go out and do something other then scam pennies from townsfolk.


They were finally gonna get some action.

 

[Daeus]

Liri wondered how any person could act so damn cheerful all the time. Being around happy people was just irritating for her. She guessed it was a fairly true statement when others said misery loved company. Having happy people around you while your miserable just exhausts you.


Once Alphonse had left she let out a frustrated sigh. She looked at the small pinprick on her finger that was still bleeding. The wound location was believable enough to not cause alarm but she knew the true cause of the wound. The other part of the lovely little curse is that she suffered the wounds inflicted on the lord who was eating away her life. At least that is what she suspected was happening as a way for him to test to see if she was still running around and breathing. She had nothing more than old rumors to go on about this situation she was in. The only thing she had been told originally was by the lord himself explaining what she had just drank.


Liri sighed again and sat down on the hard floor. She opened the leather-bound book to review its contents once again. She had practically memorized nearly every detail of the book over the past year. She would finally begin her journey.


( So, we could do a time skip of the night? )

 

[Bawadaboo]

(Yeah time skip)


The sea was always the prettiest early in the morning, at least to Alphonse. The waves were calm, the air was sweet and chilling, and the sun was just breaching the horizon. Al would always awake before everyone else in the morning so he could get some time to himself to sit in the crows nest and read, or think, or make up stories. It was the most peaceful time he knew. In his opinion, everyone needed a quiet place every now and then, even a pirate.


This morning the cabin boy was thinking on the Red-Fang Memoirs. He couldn't believe the book was actually on the ship. He'd decided that cozying up to Liri in order to get his hands on the book was necessary. This book... Red-Fang was supposedly one of the greatest and most storied pirates of the old ages. They say he slayed giant monsters and battled armies all in the search for riches and fame. A good majority of the stories Al would tell about the crew of the Summer actually came from stories he'd heard of Red-Fang. He'd tweak them just enough so that they'd seem original, but most of them were in fact plays off of Red-Fang tales.


The Memoirs though. Those weren't stories. Those weren't fairy-tales. These were the real McCoy. Red-Fang was the greatest adventurer of all time, and the chance to read the stories straight from the horses mouth was just too enticing.

 

[Daeus]

Liri hadn't slept. She had stayed awake the entire night reading over the book once again. Most of the book was written in the common tongue and revealed various accounts that had been handwritten by this book's original owner. It held a lifetime and secrets that were discovered only by one man. This man apparently liked to play games and that is exactly what seeking his treasure was; a game he created.


He had only revealed the first location of one of his many hidden treasures. After that point he wrote everything in a strange code so that only those willing to play this game could find the other hidden treasures he had stashed throughout the realm. It was strange that this person would create this type of puzzle as though they wanted others to find what was hidden. Liri had always imagined that pirates would keep their stashes secret for as long as they lived. This pirate was peculiar in this way.


She snapped the book shut and stood up on unsteady legs. She had been worried about feeling sea sick and so far had only been nauseous. She didn't like feeling sick to her stomach but it was better than vomiting up her stomach contents.


Liri made her way to the deck of the ship for fresh air and to stretch out her limbs. She didn't know how any person could live on a ship for so long. She suspected that the captain's quarters were much more comfortable and that irritated her. The captain was a strange person and if he was any reflection of his crew this was going to be an... interesting voyage.

 

[Bawadaboo]

The captain had spent the majority of his evening running the events through his head, so his awakening at 4 am was not ideal. He would have much preferred to sleep in but frankly, he was much too excited for that. The chance to set back out on the seas instead of moving from port to port scamming the ignorant and less than savvy citizens was just.. invigorating.


He slid off his cot which was, apart from what many would think, quite humble. He didn't like to pamper himself with a great master bedroom and feather pillows while his crew slept on rotting and nail-filled wood. Fairness was essential, especially when he were to entrust his life to his men. Everyone ate the same thing, and slept in the same conditions... well except for Miss Liri of course.


Spying out his forward window, he followed her as she wandered about the deck. She struck him as an uppity and self-obsessed introvert. She thought herself better of the crew, looking down on them because of their profession, yet here she was. Whatever it was she wanted to find, it wasn't something just any law-abiding crew could handle. So even if she felt herself higher than the crew, she needed them all the same. At the moment, she was akin to a prisoner, and she would stay that way until she learned some trust. 'Even if only for a select few.' he thought as his eyes wandered up the mast to focus on Alphonse in the crows nest. If anyone could break the ice-queen out of her igloo, it was Al. Maybe then she'd get proper bedding. He smiled slyly as he turned away from the window. It would be an interesting trip indeed.


-------------


Al's eyes fell to the deck as Liri appeared. She looked less than well-rested. He pursed his lips. He would have loved to have given her some nicer accommodations, but captains orders rise above all. He threw his legs over the nest and joyfully climbed down the ropes.


With a thud he dropped to the deck behind Liritae. From his crouched position he beckoned to her. "Morning my dear, hopefully you had a nice night. I know it can be an adjustment, sleeping on a wobbly pirate ship, but I'm sure you'll get used to it... in time." He casually braced himself for whatever icy retort was about to be thrown his way.

 

[Daeus]

Liri was in mid-yawn when Alphonse appeared behind her causing her to choke on air from being startled. Her eyes watered and her cheeks flushed as her lungs tried to get back into rhythm to provide oxygen to her body. It took a half-minute for her to gain some sort of composure. She shot him a glare for nearly scaring her to death.


"I'm going to have to adjust to quite a few things it seems. Do you always scare people?"


"I try my very best not to accidentally scare people, but if the situation calls for it i might provide the occasional jump-scare."


"I would appreciate it if you didn't bother trying to frighten me in the future," she stated cooly.


"You might as well get used to it . Mine are the most harmless scares youre gonna get on this ship."


Liri glowered at him as she wasn't pleased to know he would continue his pranks.


"That isn't a very encouraging statement."


He threw his hands up in defense. "Look princess, you're on a pirate ship. Its not gonna be a pleasure cruise. Like I said, get used to it, and who knows?" He stepped in closer. "Someday you might even come to appreciate my playful attitude."


"Do. Not. Call. Me. Princess," Liri growled out lowly.


"I know this isn't a pleasure cruise. If I had wanted one would I have selected your Captain, ship, and crew?"


He backed off at her growl.


"You might have a point there."


He spun on his heels and headed toward the bow to lean over the railing.


"Either way, the rest of the crew probably wont be up for a bit, and I can't have you loose on the ship. So it looks like you have your very own personal escort." He gave a quick bow. "Captains orders"


Liri watched him as he moved with mild suspicion that he might try and pull a prank in the next moment.


"More like someone to spy on me," she grumbled to herself.


Al held one intelligent finger in the air. "Quick on the uptake as usual Miss. Liri"


Liri rolled her eyes in annoyance before stalking over to stand next to him.


"I may as well just resign myself to dealing with you and your annoyances. However, do not misunderstand this acceptance as being friendly."


"Thats probably for the best." Al said with a triumphant smile.


Liri was bored of this conversation and pulled the book out and flipped it open to a specific page. The sooner they made their destination the closer she would be to her revenge and ending this curse she was afflicted with.


"We need to go to Ethene first. The treasure was placed in such a way that it needs to be gathered in a specific order if you wish to find all the hidden spots. He was devious in how he hid his wealth."

 

[Bawadaboo]

Al sighed with mock annoyance. "Ethene is a big place Liri. You might want to be more specific." He knew she knew that Ethene was a continent, and square footage wise, it was the biggest nation in Orion. It was surrounded on all sides by water and unless they wanted to trudge haphazardly across a massive continent they'd need more specificity.


Liri sighed to herself and grudgingly opened the book to the specific page. Al noted her annoyance, but chose to ignore it. He had a feeling these sighs would become commonplace in their relationship. Maybe one day they'd even be able to communicate solely through exasperation. He smiled and chuckled at the thought.


"It mentions a city called Luret but whether that's close to it's location or not I haven't a clue. From that point it just describes some rock formations and some old ruins. I've never been there so I couldn't say where to go exactly." Al nodded quietly as she explained. "Yes, im familiar with Luret. its on the north coast. We'll take port there." he turned to walk away toward the helm. "we'll tell the helmsman when he wakes." Liri gave him a simple nod since Al was the one that had been put in charge as her liaison with the crew. She seemed resigned to her fate. Good. That meant she maight actually warm up to him. A look back at her grimacing face told him otherwise. This was going to be a long trip.


The trip to Luret from Ebion would take two or three months. They'd have to navigate nearly the entire northwestern hemisphere of orion. They'd probably stop in Osini for supplies, but other than that short detour it'd be a simple voyage. At least that would give her more time to try and figure out the rest of the puzzle. Al hoped silently that she'd let him in on the secret.


"Just a bit more time," he heard Liri mumble as he leaned backwards on a railing. Al nodded in quiet agreement. She went back to her book for the next half hour as they stood in silence. Al wasn't a fan of silence. As he craned his bored neck to the sky he heard the bowels of the ship begin to bustle. The crew was up and about, and it couldn't have come soon enough. The silence was deafening. Al hopped off the railing and got Liri's attention.


"Stay put. I've got to speak with the captain, then I'll be right back." He pointed an accusatory finger. "Don't you get into any trouble young lady." He left with a small smile, on his way to the captains quarters.


Captain O'Connel was tipped back in his chair when Al rapped on the hard wooden door. O'Connel raised his glass of rum and called out for him to enter. Al did just that and closed the door behind him. O'Connel lowered his glass to the table and sat up. "Alphonse, my friend, what news have you brought me of our feral femme fatale?" Al was indeed a spy on the poor girl. Though when a stranger appears at your doorstep showering you with jewels and secrets, is it unwise to withhold your trust for a bit? Of course not. This was simple insurance.


"She's got an attitude captain, but she seems to not be a threat. As long as we keep her presence here a secret she should be civil." O'Connel nodded and stood. "This is good news. I'd hoped she would be a welcome member of our crew." He paced toward a table in a far corner covered in several books.


" She also told me where to start the search for the treasure. She wants us to go to Luret, on Ethene. She says this is where the first clue is." Al continued. "Good. Inform Mr. Cappa, and we'll ship off at once." Mr. Cappa was the ship's helmsman.


"Yessir" Al gave a quick bow and bounded off to the door, tossed it open, and made for the helm to get the adventure underway. O'Connel turned back and walked to his bow-facing window. He could see Liri sitting on the deck with her head shoved in her special little book. He looked down at a notebook he'd been scribbling in. "Liritae my dear, what secrets do you hide from us?" he mused as he headed back to his seat.


-------


Some time later the crew was skittering about, casting lines and pulling answers. Helmsman Hans Cappa placed his strong hands calmly on the large ornate ship wheel. His gut protruded over his belt, resting happily against the spokes and he smiled widely, revealing an incomplete set of gold and yellow teeth. The man was certainly nothing to look at, but his giddy nature made him a crew favorite. "All hands on deck for Captain O'Connel!"


O'Connel came at the call and placed a friendly hand on Cappa's shoulder. The crew all gathered below and the captain held his hands in the air. "Good Morning men!" he declared. He was answered by a hearty "RAHHH!!!" from the crew. He flattened his hands to calm them down. "If any of you dullards haven't already figured it out, we're off to find Red Fang's Treasure." Another obnoxious 'RAHHH' from the crew and the captain once again calmed them. "It wont be easy, and it wont be without loss, but it will certainly be the most fantastic adventure of our short lives!" He held out his hands to stifle the Rah that was on its way. "That being said, do your job, be safe, and please take care of our wonderful client, Ms. Liritae." He threw a hand out and pointed directly to Liri and Al.


O'Connel knew that introducing her in public, to the entire crew like this might sow some dangerous oats. Despite his best wishes, not every member of his crew was the most civilized of fellows. There would be issues between these men and Liri, but he was certain Al could keep her safe. He had his reasons for outing her. They'd come into play soon enough. As for now though...


The Voyage was under way.

 

[Daeus]

Liritae was relieved when it appeared they would finally leave the dock and begin their voyage. She knew that it would take some time to reach their destinations and she was on borrowed time as it was. She just needed to last long enough until their final destination. She wasn't sure how she was going to explain the final "treasure" that was contained within the journal when the time came. They could easily just kill her for lying to them and there was always the chance they'd kept her around until the end of their quest.


She hated the idea but she might actually have to share her little secret. She wasn't sure if she could trust any of them or if they would even believe her story. She wasn't even sure the fountain of youth even truly existed but she was too desperate to survive. No one had been able to help her. All those she had sought help from either thought she was a lunatic or that she was simply destined to die.


The bustling of the crew was too distracting for her and she finally stashed her book back to the safety at her side. It had become almost like a security blanket. The weight was a familiar comfort and really the only thing left to give her any sort of hope. She'd live. Then she'd return to that bastard and kill him.


The loud cheers from the crew as the captain spoke weren't all that surprising. She'd heard that morale was important in order to prevent mutiny. They seemed fond of the captain which she hoped would prevent any issues during her journey. She was going to go back to that tiny cell she had to call a room until she heard the captain shout out her name and turned to give him a glare that she wished could turn a person to stone. He'd just basically thrown a target on her back!


She clenched her fists under her cloak wanting to go over to that loud-mouthed captain and punch him straight in the face. It was at that moment she felt that all too familiar pull. It always started off like some sot of strange tugging around her heart following by a terrible dizziness and pain that radiated outward. This was the worst possible time for this to happen since all eyes were on her.


She cleared her throat and tried to act like her usual self and turned to head below deck till the pain would pass. She stumbled slightly and tried to blame it on not being used to standing on a ship hoping they'd just accept the explanation. She made her way down to "room" before finally stumbling to her knees with her left hand clutching the fabric around her heart. She needed to find out how much time she had left. Perhaps someone in Luret could help her at least measure out how long she had before finally being entirely consumed.