To his ship

The strange officer walked Sasha briskly along the busy harbor boulevard, his eyes constantly flickering from one spot to another like a raven looking for food. During the five minute walk past the great merchant ships from Cryn and Veertor, the graceful sloops favored by the islanders and a multitude of smaller boats that crowded the harbor, the two walked in silence.

As they walked Sasha tried to judge what type of man this strange rescuer was. Clearly an officer, and he had a military air about him. The way he snapped orders and held his head high as his feet paced in a measured walk all were indications of a military authority. But the man carried himself more with the independence of an islander neither obediently following orders like almost all the men she had met from Veertor, nor carefully weighing each word like the merchants of Cryn. This man represented himself, and if people didn't like it he'd damn them all and sail off to find a better place.

As they entered a shipyard on the far edge of the harbor, Sasha saw the man wave to a young crewman hanging from high on a mast who waved back cheerfully. The ship looked seaworthy, despite being in a ship yard, she rode high in the water with no cargo, but other than that the schooner looked perfect. Big enough to brave the open oceans, but small enough to avoid the attention of the Veer navy.

Soon all four of them were climbing up the narrow gangplank to the deck. Coming to meet them from the rigging was the crewman she had seen waving and from below decks another able seaman climbed through the fore hatch. Both the men had a good bit of Lantian DNA, their nearly hairless heads and oddly shaped ears were clear markers. The introductions offered by her 'Prince Charming' were brisk and efficient if not particularly friendly.

?Kyle and Tyler, this is James and Julien Caruthers, and the woman?s Sasha,? Brenan began as the five other people aboard ship gathered around him and eyed each other nervously. Sasha smiled tentatively at the four young men only vaguely aware of just how much of an effect her beauty had on the others.

?I?ve signed them on as part of the crew,? Brenan went on without giving any of them any time to add a single word.

?Julien, James, Sasha, these two are Kyle and Tyler Jones, your fellow crewmembers.? Sasha smiled at the two and wondered what other misfits would end up sailing on this strange ship, assuming that she would indeed leave port as the short haired officer implied. Young men, Sasha knew from experience usually just wanted to be acknowledged and she met the eyes of each of the four with a smile and nod as he rambled on. ?They might not look particularly beautiful, but they?re experienced sailors and they?ll show you around the ship and start teaching you to pull your weight around it while I take care of some unfinished business.?

?Tyler.?

?A-a-a-aye c-c-cap-t-ta-ta-in?? So he was the captain! - Sasha had been pretty sure he was by the way the others had jumped to obey his commands, but now Tyler had confirmed it. Even as she congratulated herself on guessing the man's rank, Sasha wondered about Tyler's stutter. It was a bad as any she had ever heard and she wondered if something could be done about it.

?Take Sasha below deck and show her around. Try to tell her as much as possible about everything,? Sasha smiled at Tyler again and was rewarded with a cheerful grin in return. ?I don?t have the time to tell you why, but it?s imperative that she doesn?t venture back up into the open, is that understood??

?Y-yes captain!? His stutter wasn't as bad that time noted Sasha to herself.

?Good lad,? The whole crew relaxed as the pressure seemed to lift from the captain?s shoulders and he started issuing more orders. ?Kyle, you?re in charge of instructing Julien and James. They might not know much about life at sea, but they seem smart enough and know better than to talk back instead of listening.?

?Aye captain!? Kyle agreed readily enough although he didn't seem as cheerful as Tyler was.

?Good,? Brenan nodded and made sure to try and look satisfied with their quick responses to his orders, ?I don?t rightly know when I?ll be back.? The others nodded and watched the captain depart via the gangway.

"A-ah M-miss?" Tyler touched her nervously on her arm and motioned to the hatch.

"Please call me Sasha." Then as she stepped towards the open hatch she asked "Are you two brothers?"

"Yes, we're t-twins." And then deliberately raising his voice enough to be heard by the others on deck, he added "I'mm the g-g-good l-looking one." Sasha laughed in part at the good natured banter, but also because she felt optimistic about her future for the first time in weeks. Her laughter was infectious and all four men chucked with her as she climbed down the steep ladder to her new home.

She wondered about where the taciturn captain was off to, and she hoped he had good luck finishing his businsess so she'd be able to get away from Freeport.