Hell Hath No Fury - Book One

Mischief

Ava's suns passed in a haze. Small bites of meals she couldn't finish. Periodic walks for fresh air. Her head in a bucket. Theo checking on her. Tuni checking on her. She awoke on the fifth sun of travel feeling better and far more used to the rocking of the ship. She held breakfast and lunch down but it wasn't until right before sunset when Tuni finally gave her the okay to leave. She didn't think she would ever have her freedom back but the moment had come. She was a free woman, free from the shackles of her damned stomach.

She walked outside and stood in the setting sun for just a minute, taking in its light. She had no idea where to go, she didn't want to go to her room and she didn't want to be below the deck either. She supposed she could just sit around the deck for a while. Ava moseyed around the deck, keeping a lookout for a place that no one seemed to need or notice. By the captain's quarters, she found a wooden box that seemed out of the way of the working pirates. She brought her legs up on the box with her and smiled at the feeling. Once again, her pants stole the show and allowed her to cross her legs without hassle.

For the first time, she wasn't bothered by the waves. The soft rocking of the boat was something she had come to expect and rock with. There was a shorter girl in the crow's nest, eyes fixed on the horizon and Ava craned her neck up and watched her for a while. She was unmoving and her arm never seemed to let the spyglass in her hands drop an inch. The girl looked to be about eight and Ava was surprised to have missed her before. Her attention was pulled away when someone passed nearby. She watched them go by and pull some rope she assumed was important. It all looked effortless, how did one even learn to sail? The winds were not predictable and neither were the seas, how did they know when to do what?

She saw someone approach the captain's quarters and knocked. Ava had seen the woman around the ship on her walks and her first time in the mess hall and was mesmerized by how she walked and carried herself. She wore a long blue silk dress that rippled in the wind. She was waiting outside the door with a pouch in her hand when she turned to Ava and extended her free hand, "I'm Navi. You must be the new passenger."

Ava smiled and shook her hand, "Ava. Nice to meet you."

"Heard you've been sick for a while, huh? Looks like you're back to normal then if you're out and about"

"Yes. Just got out a little bit ago. Feeling like a whole new person," Ava admitted.

With that, the door popped open and Navi nodded a goodbye, "Glad to see you up and alive then, Ava. See you around." Navi walked into the room and shut the door, smiling at Theo on the other side, "Well good night, Captain. How are you doing this fine sun?"

Theo chuckled and shrugged, "Eternally damned to boredom. Got anything exciting for me? Slept with anyone that might have stirred the pot. Is there a conflict I need to solve?"

"No, unfortunately, I have not had the opportunity present itself but hope is still out," Navi conceded "but if you're bored, I've brought something for you."

"A mysterious murder to solve?" Theo raised her eyebrows.

"Not quite, something fun you requested some time ago," Navi outstretched her hand that held a small felt pouch.

Theo smiled and took it out of her hand, "Took you long enough. I asked you, like, five suns ago."

"If I recall correctly you told me you'd stop by my place and I have been diligently waiting for you there, captain," Navi contested and reached into Theo's hands and opened the bag for her. A blue wiry grass sat inside the pouch and a knowing smile spread across Theo's face.

"You did not, Navi, you sweet bastard," Theo brought her forward and kissed her head. In Theo's hand was dragon's breath. A rare drug that was only grown in Elox. It was available elsewhere but for outrageous prices. Cooker was usually the go-to person for these kinds of things aboard the Scorned Woman but Navi was known to find a gem every now and then. Theo occasionally partook whenever Cooker or Navi had anything. Dragon's breath, however, she had not had in many lengths and she was excited about it. It was smoked in a tobacco pipe and inspired feelings of joy, laughter, creativity, and other attractive effects.