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Ayalon had fallen in love.
With the sea and the sky and the stars. Ayalon loved it all. She loved the way the ocean smelled, salty but comforting. She loved the way the wind breezed through her hair when she'd hang off the sails of the ship. She loved the nights like these, where the crew would eat and drink and dance to a joyous song.
Most of all, she loved her crew, her family. Tolya and Tamar and Kleon and Rhu and Proknea. All of them. It wasn't until nights such as that one that she ever truly felt it, the love booming in her heart, unable to keep it in for herself. After years of abuse, beaten to the ground, touched in ways she shouldn't have been, and wandered aimlessly, she had found her people, her family, her happiness.
Even with all the love booming in her heart, Ayalon stayed seated, a tall glass of beer in her hand and an empty plate in front of her. The whole crew was done with dinner, already drunk and dancing.
Kleon was the most excited. He was dancing, spinning all around the deck as he laughed his heart out with the glass of beer still in his hands. She wondered if she should take it from him just as a precaution but decided against it, not to disturb the painting-like scene.
Rhu and Rocco were the main ones singing.
"I sink a few more ships, it's true, Than a well-bred monarch ought to do;" They sang. "But a king may come on a first-class throne, if he wants to call it his own,"
"Yo-Ho-Ho!" The other's chanted along. Most of the crew was drunk. Beyond drunk. Volker was never much of a drinker, or so he told everyone but the four years he spent on the Volkvolny was proof otherwise. The man was completely drunk off his head, screaming the lyrics to the song at the top of his head and Ayalon could only laugh at how outrageous he looked compared to the stoic old Zemeni man she knew in the daytime.
"Must manage somehow to get through more dirty work than I ever do!"
"For I am a Pirate King!" They cheered. Drinks were spilled as cheers were made and dancers spun.
Ayalon remained seated. She knew every other soul on board was either drunk or would end up drunk and someone had to keep order. Although she was never the motherly type, Ayalon would do anything to keep her family safe. She wasn't completely distanced from the people-she still clapped and cheered for them, which was more than enough. And if that meant one night missing out on drinks and dancing and watching the liveliness of it, that was perfectly fine with her. Although, she wasn't alone.
Too entranced in cheering on a very drunk and dancing Tamar, Ayalon didn't notice the captain take the seat next to her at the now empty table. She was laughing and cheering and clapping her arms, all the usual.
