The Wind's Will

[Kharmin]

Morgause slept fitfully, the hammock being a far cry less comfortable than sharing a berth with the captain. After several hours of intermittent sleep, she dropped down to the deck, collected her cloak about her and returned to her usual station at the aft castle rail.

The weather continued to be favorable with mostly clear skies and a stiff, but not overbearing, wind. The Winds Will cut a speedy line across the sea as the helm held her strong on course for their next port.

Still, Morgause had the uneasy feeling of being followed. It was much more distant now, but she was certain that whomever it was – probably the woman with the piercing blue eyes from her dream – whomever it was had not lost the trail and was making fast time to catch her.

Her rune glowed bright phosphorescent green as she cast her enhanced vision behind them in search of the ship that she knew would be coming. She strained to the limit of her view and finally let the talent fade as she determined that her pursuer, for now anyway, was well in their wake.

Morgause held tight to the line next to her as the fatigue of using her vision to stitch Cameron's wound and now the extensive look behind them taxed her. She caught the first mate watching her so she held herself a bit more upright under his gaze.

He still didn't trust her.

Morgause dismissed the concern. She would only earn his trust by her actions and there was nothing she could do at the moment to influence the large man. She relaxed as the afternoon waned to early evening and the stiff wind that carried them lessened.

[Shura]

Cameron kept her eyes closed for the moment enjoying the breeze and fresh air that was missed when confined to her cabin. She knew her time on deck wouldnt be very long even with an afternoons worth of sleep she still felt tired. Even with her wound clean her body would need time to recover from the stress and infection. She sighted softly tilting her jead back to look up at multicolored sky cast ablaze by the setting sun.

She felt someones gaze on her and looked to see Morgause on deck. Despite the pain from before she was greatful to have her wound cleaned and tended to. She smiled warmly over to the red head tempted to take her back to her quarters but knew it would do neither of them any favors. Both needed some time to recover and unfortunetly that meant distance.

"Do you know if there is a healer in the next port?" She looked over to hanibal.

"Aye... old ome but probably better then the hacks that sewed you up before."

Cameron frowned slightly "hey, they save our lives. Hack or not one cant be picky when bleeding out." She pointed out.

"Aye, though some trained assistence wouldnt hurt either."

"I know, makes two stops we should make in port."

Hanibal nodded. Cameron stayed on deck a while longer before going back to her quarters. The rest of the trip into port was uneventful and calm. Cameron spent a good chunk of it sleeping off the low grade fever that came with the infection.

Thanks to the strong winds the Winds Will pulled into port eariler than anticipated, the sun was still high in the sky by the time tie up was finished which meant things could be wraped up before night fall. Cameron debated whether or to change forms for the meeting but decided against a full change scince it would only agrivate her wound. Instead she simply changed the color and texture of her hair to by dark and wavy, her eyes more to a nutral brown and her skin a few shades darker. Enough to throw them off should the trade not go as well.

She stood at the helm beside Hanibal looking out over the small sleepy port town. "Not exactly lively here..." she muttered in a deeper tone with a slight spanish accent.

"Not sure if that is a good or bad thing"

"Veremos, hopefully it will be good. Don't let the crew get too comfortable. Our time here is short, I want to head out by first light."
Hanibal nodded slightly

[Kharmin]

Morgause was clearly on the mend. Her wounded side had begun to heal nicely although she knew that drawing a longbow at this stage would severely test the strength of the sutures. Still, spending time on deck in the fresh sea air worked wonders for her, both physically and spiritually and even though the constant nagging of her pursuer remained Morgause felt more refreshed than she had in some time.

The fever and the brush with death had done more to exhilarate her than anything in recent memory. Life was suddenly more precious to Morgause, especially now that Cameron was around her. It certainly made her more cognizant of her actions and how she needed to consider things in a much larger picture.

They arrived at port and Morgause waited impatiently at the gang plank for the captain. She felt completely defenseless without a longbow, and was itching to find a replacement. With cutlass strapped to her side, her quiver on her back and enveloped within her dark cloak and hood, she cut a foreboding image to those working the docks.

[Shura]

Cameron gathered a small group to transport the goods that were to be traded. She smiled slightly at the sight of Morgause waiting near the gangplank and nodded over to her as a sign to start moving. There was only a group of five that left the ship and made their way through the eerily quiet town towards the trading district. Cameron looked around noting how fearful seemed. Cameron frowned slightly, something was wrong about the town, someone or something was frightening them.

The group arrived at the trade house which was about the only place were there seemed to be life though it was still fairly quiet. The captain made her way over to one of the trade stalls to figure out where her contact could be found.

[Kharmin]

Although Morgause could tell that her pursuer was well behind them, she still walked nervously along with the group that Cameron had picked to work the trade. Morgause kept her cloak tight around her and her hood drawn up against the sun and direct notice. Without her longbow, she felt defenseless and anxious in the town filled with those who might well do them harm.

Morgause tried her best to keep her calm, but sensed the tension in the air in and around them all as they progressed along the avenue. Things were quiet ... too quiet ... as if the very town itself were waiting for some inevitable explosive barrage of chaos.

Her eyes darted around from deep within her hood as she kept close watch on the people who milled about in the town. Morgause deferred the entire trading sequence to the captain while she focused her attention on their immediate surroundings in effort to call out whenever that oppressive danger finally struck.

She really missed her longbow.

[Shura]

Cameron asked around to find here contact only to find the man had up and left town weeks ago and no one knew where he had gone, much to the captains annoyance. "Never simple is it...." She muttered to herself. With the contact gone and no way to find them she had to options take the goods back to Anton or sell them. Seeing as the goods were not unclaimed and she needed the money she opted for the second option and set about trying to chat up some of the merchants.

It took a bit of effort but Cameron managed to work her charm on a few of the traders a managing to get a higher price then she was originally promised which worked out for the best. She split the earnings into a few pouches incase any thieves got any ideas she wouldn't loose the whole pot. She gave the larger portion to the four men she brought with her. "Straight back to the ship with this. Hanibal with know what to do with with." The man nodded and they ventured back to the ship. Cameron watched a moment before turning to Morgause with a slight smirk. "There a mother stop or two to make before returning to the ship. Ove of which being to replace the weapons lost."

[Kharmin]

"If it's all the same to you, captain," Morgause spoke low from within her hood, "I'd feel much more comfortable with a longbow in my hand now rather than later." Her tone was clipped and anxious.

[Shura]

Cameron nodded slightly sensing her anxiety. She lead the way through the town checking in on different shops to see if any sold weapons. It didn't take very long to find a black smith. Inside hun various weapons of all materials and design. Cameron smiled slightly talking to the man behind the counter who was covered in soot from the forge.
"What can can I do for you." the gruff man questioned.
"I'm looking to replace a cutlass and I was wondering if you had any bows."
"Bows?" the man quirked a brown.
"Yes preferably long bows."
"Odd choice in weapons." the man remarked softly "I don't have any but there's an older gent north who might. He's a hunter."
Cameron nodded slightly "Good to know. Now do you have any cutlass to match this," She unsheathed one of her blades so the black smith could examine. The blacksmiths looked over the blade and nodded disappearing behind a door. Cameron smiled slightly looking over to the Morgause."Hopefully this hunter will have some decent long bows or at least be able to make one."

[Kharmin]

Morgause nodded to the captain, a move almost imperceptible under her deep hood. "Aye, let us hope that he has some already made," she agreed, "for we haven't the time to wait for him to craft one."

"With my talent, probably any longbow would do," she continued in her soft voice. "But I can certainly be more effective with a weapon that ... compliments me. You will, however, have to let me know how I can repay you for it as I don't want to be indebted to you for such a thing."

"I will not continue to accept charity," Morgause said with conviction, "regardless of our relationship. I will earn my pay, just like the rest of the crew either by working the deck or by retainer for my services. The choice is yours, captain; however, I will tell you that even though I know how to haul line, I have not had the need over the last few ships on which I've sailed."

"I am very good at what I do," she stated as fact, "and I have rarely not been adequately compensated for my talent."

[Shura]

Cameron leaned slightly against the counter listening to the sharp shooter admiring her honor and willingness to work as an equal on the ship regardless what went on between them. She amiled slightly and nodded. "Hm I see our past exchanges as more of a give and take, though the last was one of the more painful ones." She scratched the back of her head, "you did a very good job in stitched my back together. For don't worry about paying things back and not having some sort of debt with me. I don't think you'll be able to pull many lines with your injuries as they are now. In truth I hired as crew because of your skill with a bow. And as a look out given your ability to see for great distances. We'll be sailing a long time togwther. No point in worrying about such things as repaing one anothwr tick or tack, it just leads to tension and stress." Cameron shrugged.

[Kharmin]

Morgause's heart happily skipped a beat at the thought of sailing a long time with Cameron. The woman was simply delicious, and not just in intimate ways, although those ways certainly were delectable! She was grateful that her hood shadowed her face so that the captain didn't see her slight blush or the spark in her green eyes.

"That is most kind of you to say, captain," Morgause said in her soft voice. "I tried my best with your stitches." Then, with a hint of mirth in her voice, "I have to protect my investment."

Her tone returned to a more serious one as she continued, "Still, while I am amicable to your give-and-take arrangement, we should have some contract or agreement insofar as my ... talents. I wouldn't want any jealousy or animosity from the crew if things are perceived differently than what you and I already know them to be. I think that it might help put Hannibal's mind a little more to rest."

[Shura]

Cameron couldn't help a small smirk hearing the the playfulness back in Morgause voice, even if it was for a brief moment. She sighed softly at the mention of Hanibal, someone who had been very vocal about his concern but it was on reason why she kept him around. "No te preocupes" She replied slowly slipping more into the persona she had adapted. It was always a slight draw back with her ability, the longer she stayed in a form, even one with only slight physical changes, the more in character she became. It was a blessing and a course for it allowed her to stay true to form even in stressful situations but sometimes it would peek through even out of form Only thing really stopping her from speaking in full Spanish was the that she only knew how to say key words picked up along her travels.

"Everyone on the ship has their role. There are plenty who do nothing more than sleep as we sail however their strength and skill come in handy while in port, like the men I brought with me today. Trust worthy and fairly intimidating, a thief would thing twice before attempting to steal from them." her eyes wandered around the room at the different swords and weapons around. "With the way the Navy is pursuing us all I have no doubt your skill will come in handy more in the future... trade ship or not some will come cannons blazing looking for a fight." She sighed.

The door to the back room opened once more and the black smith came out with her sword as well as one which matched closely. "It's not the same but as close as I have in stock." The man muttered setting the blades on the counter. Cameron picked up the blade examining ti carefully for flaws, sharpness and balance. All in all the sword handled like a dream, Cameron managed to haggle the black smith down a bit from the high asking price but within a half hour the deal was struck ending with both party's content.

Cameron smiled to her self as she sheathed her new blade before turning to Morgause "One down two to go." a playful smirk curving her lips as she lead the way to their next stop.

[Kharmin]

"If you are comfortable with our ... arrangement," Morgause replied in her soft voice, "and don't see it as a distraction to your running of the ship, then who am I to argue?" She waved her hand dismissively at the topic. "You're the boss, captain."

Morgause watched the bargaining for the cutlass between Cameron and the smith. In the past, Morgause would have volunteered for the task as her exotic looks often netted her a much better deal in the end, however....

She reached inside of her hood with her right hand and lightly traced the new scar beneath her right eye with her first two fingers. Morgause sighed as she resigned herself to the new mark that devastated her otherwise gorgeous face. She would never be the same, beautiful woman that she had been, and the thought depressed her.

Morgause tirelessly worked to stay fit, trim and svelte. Her body and her alluring looks were her greatest assets, and now her net worth had been significantly reduced. Scars along her body were easier to hide, but this one on her cheek below her eye would never escape notice. It puckered as it mocked her smooth, tanned skin with a jagged, maniacal mien.

Was it possible, she wondered, if her destiny now required her to remain forever hidden within the confines and security of her hooded cloak? Certainly it added an air of mystery about her, but would that be enough? Would she be able to get by in life eternally enshrouded?

Morgause sighed again as her attention deviated from the haggling at the counter. She wandered aimlessly around the shop and touched various items on display with no regard for attention to them.

I cannot just sit here and wait on destiny, she thought. I have someone chasing me down, but once that is resolved, then is it my fate to remain with Cameron until the end of our days? The possibility lifted her spirits a little, even though she knew that such dreams were often the ones tragically destroyed at the moment designed to cause the most pain.

She realized that with the latest turn of events that she might need to rely more heavily on the captain and her good graces from now on. The idea soured her mood; Morgause was used to being self-sufficient and her reliance on Cameron for obtaining her longbow was just another one of those things that made her feel less useful. It was the main reason for pushing the captain for some kind of contract, but Cameron seemed to want to run her ship in a different manner. Even if doing so made her crew more loyal, it did nothing to satisfy Morgause's need for independence.

Maybe this was all a mistake? she thought. I have managed well enough on my own before; why should I not do so now? Every day that I stay with her is another day that she might be killed for being near me – the incident with the merchant was a prime example of that.

But Cameron had saved her life, there was no denying that. Had the captain not arrived when she had, Morgause would have been subdued, or worse, and handed over to the blue-eyed woman. Was she deluding herself in thinking that the captain had done so out of love rather than responsibility for one of her crew? Would Cameron had gone to such lengths to save Hannibal or one of the others?

Probably, was the answer that came. It was who Cameron was and even though the captain did things to her that were wonderful and took her to such lofty heights, Morgause began to wonder if it were just for fancy.

She loved Cameron, of that there was no doubt, but that was why Morgause was now questioning her remaining with the Winds Will. It wasn't fair for her to put the captain and the others in jeopardy for just their incredible physical relationship.

Morgause turned her head and regarded Cameron from around the edge of her hood where the captain was deep in negotiation with the smith. You should leave, now, while she's otherwise occupied. Just go! her mind screamed. If you truly love this woman, then stop putting her life at risk. If she truly loves you, then she will come looking for you.

The temptation was unbelievably strong as Morgause casually crept to the door. Her skill at stealth would make it so simple to exit without notice.

I'm sorry, she whispered to herself as the handle turned, but the opportunity was lost as Cameron sheathed her new sword.

"One down, two to go," the captain said as she led them out into the street, oblivious to how close she had come to losing her red-haired siren.

Morgause walked alongside Cameron in solemn silence as they progressed through the streets, dismayed at her own doubts and inactions. Apparently, fate had decided that they remain together yet a while longer despite Morgause's concerns for her captain's safety and security and her own since of independence.

So be it, she thought as she resigned herself to be led along the path that was drawn for her.

[Shura]

Cameron wandered through the streets notting how subdued Morgause was and wondered if it were simply to match the air of the town and be less noticed. Or if it was just in her head, had seen the red head inching towards the door before as she wrapped up her dealings. Having her dissapear once for not keeping an eye on her before was enough to warn her that things would not always be so simple. She had run off once before caiming to look for her but there was nothing really stopping her from running off again this time just dissapearing among the crowd for good.

For all of her charms and personality she was as vain as other might think. Under the mask of care free confidence she was insecure and thoughtful. Part lf her belived that Morgause did care for her but a small part sided with Hanibal and his worries, wondering of the attraction was simply based off the aid cameron offered with the unknown pursuers or if it was real. Cam was no stranger to admierers but none went further than base physical attraction. There was something about morgause that made what they had much deeper and even if the captain wouldn't admit it aloud it did scare her quite a bit.

The trek to the hunters house was short and it wasn't hard to find since the house was marked by numsrous furs and. Bones which decoraded the outside. Cameton looked over to Morgause "You know more lf what your looking for I'll let you do most of the haggling this time."

[Kharmin]

The trip to the hunter's lodge house was made in thankful silence. Morgause repeatedly alternated between her desire to disappear in the crowd or put her arm in Cameron's. Indecision mocked her and she maintained her quiet vigil as they pressed through town to the outskirts and their destination.

The lodge was unmistakable in its décor: furs and skins adorned the walls and several fresh hides were stretched out by stakes to tan and dry. Morgause wrinkled her nose at the offending smell of their combined aromas. Flies and other insects buzzed in small swarms all around the building as the scraped flesh and bones had been sloppily discarded around the yard.

After a short pause, Morgause simply approached the half-opened door. She lightly tapped it open as she rapped with her knuckles.

"Eh?" came the gruff, man's voice from within the darkened home. Morgause stepped inside.

The sights and smells of the exterior were a king's garden compared to the filth and detritus that invaded the inside of the building. Morgause caught her breath at the foulness of the place and resisted the urge to retch and thus add to it.

More skins and other hides were haphazardly slung across the rafters, tossed in piles on the floor or stacked along the walls. Across the filthy room, a simple wooden table sat, upon which several carcasses were split with their entrails strewn in no noticeable pattern. Blood pooled on and under the table and the dearth of insects clouded her vision. Two oil lamps dimly lit the room as they belched their sooty smoke which lingered along the rafters above.

As her eyes adjusted, Morgause found a mid-sized older man with unruly dark hair and an equally appalling beard who seemed to be dressed only in stained breeches and a leather hide apron. He meticulously worked on one of the carcasses on the table and addressed her without looking up.

"What do you want?" he said in his same, gruff voice.

"I was told that you might be the one person in town who would be willing to sell me a longbow," Morgause replied in her soft, sensual voice.

The man stopped his cutting and looked up at the cloaked figure in the door. Behind her, a more foreboding man stood and surveyed the room. "That so?" he asked.

"Indeed," Morgause said. She stepped further into the room and cast back her hood, trusting that the low light would hide the scar on her cheek as she put her best resources to work. "Have I been ill-informed, master....?"

The man squinted at Morgause in the dim light. "Fenton," he said. "Name's Fenton. And I don't sell no bows."

Morgause glanced around the room as Fenton returned to his work. The rune on her left hand lightly glowed a phosphorous green as she initiated her enhanced vision. She was able to clearly see through the darkness, smoke and clouds of insects and she inspected the room.

"Much the pity, Master Fenton" she said and took a few steps closer. "Such things are a rarity, much like myself, and could be worth the price."

Fenton kept his eyes on his work as he skinned a raccoon pelt. "Maybe," he said. "Maybe too rare to put a price on."

Would that were true, Morgause thought, then I wouldn't have some blue-eyed woman chasing me all over the sea.

Morgause smiled and felt the pull of the scar on her cheek. "Then a trade, perhaps?" she offered. Fenton's eyes slowly rose to meet her deep, green ones.

"Lass, I'm too old for that," he answered. "Besides, I wouldn't want to upset the gentleman you brought with you."

Morgause feigned a blush and giggled. "No, Master Fenton," she said lightly in her soft voice, "I think you misunderstand me. I meant to trade to you something that you want or need."

Fenton looked past Morgause to Cameron and then back to the red-head. "You two seem capable enough, I imagine," he said as he stabbed his skinning knife into the well-used, bloody table. "I tell you what – about a day's travel inland is a cave mid-way up the side of one of the mountains. Inside is a family of lizard-like critters. Some call 'em drakes, but I don't believe in such fantasy; however, their skins and scales would fetch me some good coin once I work with them. Bring me four of them, and we'll talk about a bow."

Morgause scoffed. "Drakes?" She asked incredulously. "Come now, let's bargain for real and not with some fictitious creature."

Fenton's eyes turned cold as he looked at Morgause. He reached beneath the neck of his apron and produced a medallion with a large, curved tooth. "This look fictitious to you?" he asked her. "It was removed from the chest of one of corpses that was brought back from the last expedition."