Time to shut down the party

Baelog did not react well to being prevented from full enjoying his prize. He grew increasingly frustrated, putting everyone on edge. It was all fun and games till now, sure, but it felt like the fun gave way to something else.

{if game:Uthul_in_party = true}After one too many remarks, Uthul finally cleared her throat.

“That’s it, Baelog, I think it’s time for us to shut down this party. I won’t have you disrespecting our crew like that.”
“What? I was merely making a comment, a joke!”
“Yeah, yeah, you’ve made plenty already. That’s enough, we’re in the middle of the sea as we are, no need to create unnecessary tension.”

Baelog grumbled a bit, but the other dwarves agreed with Uthul. Enough was enough and their bunks were calling to them.

{else}

“That’s it, master Dwarf, I think it’s time for us to shut down this party, things are getting out of hand,” Vance, the boatswain, finally said.
“What? I was merely making a comment, a joke, laddie. Relax!”
“Yeah, yeah, you’ve made plenty already of jokes already. That’s enough, I won’t have it anymore. My crew needs to rest anyway.”

Baelog grumbled a bit, but the other dwarves agreed with Vance. Enough was enough and their bunks were calling to them.

{endif}

As the crowd finally began to disperse, shuffling toward the hatchways with the usual assortment of dwarven grunts and muttered complaints, I stayed firmly planted in my shadowy corner. Common sense dictated I should probably slip back to my cabin, but the embarrassing tightness in my trousers was staging a full-scale mutiny against common sense.

Besides, I had an ironclad excuse. I was almost certain I’d dropped a copper coin somewhere near these burlap sacks. A prince has to manage his finances, after all.

I lingered in the shadows until the last dwarven boot clattered up the ladder, leaving the hold blissfully quiet save for the creak of the wooden hull.

Vaelira, meanwhile, was in absolutely no hurry to get dressed. She took her sweet time gathering her vest and trousers, casually letting the warm lantern light trace every sleek, silver curve of her bare skin. As if sensing my entirely professional search operation, her long elven ears twitched, and her sharp violet eyes cut directly toward my corner with a smirk that was entirely too knowing...