Crimson Rebirth

Part 7

By sunrise, the ship's support had come to a stop.

Genevieve had definitely fallen asleep by sunrise, curled up in such a way that was almost resemblant of a child sleeping. But no child would have gained the marks that still remained on her skin, the bruising much better able to be seen in the daylight.

 "Does anyone want to wake her up.....?" Varce asked, poking his head in on her. "I feel like I'm afraid to.........."

  "OOOOIIIIYYYY!!!" A voice howled from the sea. "SOMEONE TOSS ME A DAMN ROPE!"  

  "I ain't even surprised." Varce grumbled, leaving from below to go above, getting a longer rope and carefully tying it to a mast. "YE KNOW, THERE'S EASIER WAYS TA MOVE THE SHIP, AYE?" He responded, tossing the rope over.  

 The man grabbed the rope and climbed his way over the deck. He sprawled on the wood for a moment, panting like he had been running a mile...or rather swimming one...

 "For the record," he huffed and puffed, "It was faster...and we actually cut time by about, oh...eight hours?" He sat up and shook his black hair...then sneezed.  

"Ye need ta rest, Yer Highness." Varce stated, grabbing a towel from one of the other crew members, the Quartermaster, Percival. "Here, before ye bring the entirety of the ocean onto my deck."  

  The man smirked, took it and ruffled his ebony hair before making his way below. He had extra dry clothes, and to get them...

 He paused as he noticed the woman fast asleep...curled to his cloak and his mantle. He smiled; she was...actually beautiful to look at. He certainly hoped to not wake her up while he changed...

 He took off his boots first, stepping as best as he could along the flooring as he made his way to the leather backpack. He sat down crosslegged, picking things out of the bag until he reached a pair of extra leather breeches. Excellent; so he DID pack extra...  

 Gene remained rather firmly asleep, the light filtering through the porthole catching on her hair like crisp waves of gold melded with the flames of her fiery locks. She was exhausted, there was no denying that. She wasn't even entirely cognizant that she had curled up with his cloak, subconsciously curling up with something that brought some degree of comfort in a place where she had none. Where she felt alone.  

 The man dressed quietly, with only his linen shirt and the overcoat. He buckled on his vambraces, but left his armor and the cloak behind for the woman. It'd be worse making so much noise and waking her.

 He stood and buckled his boots on, but being careful as to not step on her feet. He glanced over her, seeing the bruises, the scratches, and finally the bites on her neck. His face turned into a scowl, but that was another matter to handle later...  

  "Didn't wake up the woman, did ye?" Varce quipped as soon as he saw the man, before getting the back of his head smacked, hard enough by Han that it sent him sprawling onto the deck from the barrel he had been sitting on.

 "OI!" "Shutcher trap!" Han responded, rolling his eyes as he walked past, taking a certain amount of satisfaction from the look of the younger captain with his face on the deck.

 "I was only askin' cause L would have my neck if she got wind of the lass being awakened. Woman said she barely slept more'n a few winks."  

  The man sighed in evident annoyance and stood. He marched up the steps, then grabbed BOTH Han and Varce.

 "You two are VERY loud," He rumbled, "Now off with your noisiness."

 He shook his head and went to tend to the masts with the other men, making sure that the cloth had no tears, and where there was one, he helped patch up as best he could. The man made no time to rest, no different than their precious cargo who was still asleep. As noon came around, the man offered his share of dried biscuits called hard tack, salted pork and what jams he had in his backpack.