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Post by Behax on Jul 9, 2019 12:57:09 GMT
When V appeared on deck, a thin young man looked up from where the map had been rolled out. He had long rabbit ears. A lupine beast kin. He looked a little nervous, and looked to Astrin’s back, then to the Heresy’s first mate who appeared after V. The first mate shrugged and went to stand behind the other to give him some assurance.
“Right now? Making sure we’re not about to have any more unwelcome surprises,” Astrin replied. After a moment or two he closed his periscope and looked to the crows nest. “Yuki!” He shouted.
“Aye Captin’?” Shouted back a thin blond man.
“How looks the horizon?”
“She’s clear captin’. No ships or other ill,” Yuki shouted back down, not caring for the ears of his unwelcome companion next to him.
“Tell me if that changes!” He then turned his attention fully to V. His first mate and presumably his navigator looking on apprehensively.
“Aye Captin’!”
“We have no shortage of ...Issues. The most pressing of which being-” a pause. “We just brutally dispatched 2 if not 3 sirens. As abhorrent as their kind is, they are beloved by the sea. We’ll find a storm on out asses before long if we don’t do something about that.” He leant back against the side of the ship.
“Blood for blood is the usual way, and we fortunately have no shortage of people we can throw to the sharks. Given your reputation, I doubt you will disagree?” He quirked a brow.
“Enzo.”
The curly haired first mate perked up a bit.
“Take Karter, Katalina and Kio and bring all the officers of note to the deck.”
“Aye captain!” Enzo looked a little weary, like he didn’t want to leave his captain alone with V and his first mate, especially with only their navigator to stand between them. The man was a genius at navigation but the gods knew, he was no fighter.
While he waited for Enzo to complete his task, he stood, waited for V to contest or confront him. Two captains ...One ship, two crews. Yes their problems were many.
Behind them Astrin’s navigator went back to work, trying to work out their exact location using the map, and ship logs. They couldn’t really go anywhere without knowing where they were first.
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Post by Grimm on Jul 9, 2019 17:16:25 GMT
V perhaps had the worlds worst resting face, it was always in a disapproving scowl but that’s just how it was. He was however relieved when Astrin told him what he was doing, the Heresy crew outnumbered the Grim’s - which wouldn’t have bothered him if it wasn’t for the fact that the handful that remained were lives that Violet actually cared for. One of those lives was a red headed young half-elf that had been under V’s wing since V had been a first-mate, but he didn’t seem like the cutthroat type. In fact the baby faced half-elf had stopped trying to act intimidating, which had only ended in awkward posturing in the cramped crows nest. When Yuki was done yelling there was a look of grimace on the young mans face.
Violet looked up to the crowsnest briefly to make sure that his ward was doing okay. The young half-elf waved awkwardly at his Captain with a nervous smile. V was like a big brother to him, one you just couldn’t impress.
V’s tail twitched when Astrin declared that ‘we’ brutally dispatched 2 or 3 Sirens, when in reality it had been V doing combat with the blasted things while Astrin steered the ship away from danger. But he didn’t want to argue it now, instead he watched and waited. Violet’s first mate looked worried when the other Captain mentioned sacrificing blood to the sea, his first thought was that the Heresy Captain meant to throw Violet overboard.
“Since I’m the one who brutally dispatched 2 or 3 Sirens, I’ll do it.” Violet’s voice was low, and flat but it was loud enough to be heard clearly on the open ocean. It was more than just taking the responsibility of killing the men, he needed to get some answers before they dropped them into the sea. Plus he wanted to set the record straight on who it was who drove off the Sirens.
Up in the crows nest the half-elf looked down, listening to the conversation going on, his ears perking up when he heard the part about Sirens. “Do you really think they fought Sirens?” The half-elf seemed almost perky and friendly before he remember who was sitting in the nest with him. The half-elf looked over sheepishly at Yuki hoping that not all crews were like the Grim, “I’m Malachite.” It was obvious he was named after the stone and the way the exotic green rippled in his eyes.
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Post by Behax on Jul 9, 2019 18:22:33 GMT
Most of Astrin’s crew had survived fortunately, even the ones who hadn’t been around so long. They easily numbered maybe 20 people including Astrin. He cared for all of them, it was his job, but only 11 of them did he really hold close to his heart. Fortunately they hadn’t come to much harm.
A slight smirk appeared in the corner of Astrin’s mouth when V pushed the point of who had actually done the dispatching. He was clearly amused but felt no reason to argue the point. At V’s irritation Astrin’s navigator looked up again a little weary, but a simple hand gesture from Astrin had the young man going back to his work once again.
“Well ...it won't really matter when the sea comes for us. No matter who actually did the killing, everyone here will be treated as equally guilty. The mother of the sea has no sympathy for those who kill her children,” he said casually. Amused that V was petty enough to assert who had actually done the deed. “But if it is your wish I won't stand in your way, I only ask that I have a crack at the bastard who molested me first.” Despite the fact that Astrin had deliberately laid himself out as bait, it didn’t mean that he’d appreciate having the man’s hands on him ...or his mouth.
Yuki hadn’t actually been paying much attention to the conversation, listening idoly as he scanned the horizon. There were clouds in the distance but they didn’t look like storm clouds.
“If the captain says it’s true then it must be, especially if he is actually considering killing men over it,” Yuki commented as he watched Enzo reappear with several prisoners in toe, flanked by Katalina a tall thin woman with tall rabbit ears and long hair, Kio, a tall broad man with features akin to a puma, and Karter an average height stocky human.
Yuki was a thin human of average height, shoulder length wispy blond hair, and blue eyes. Like Astrin he had a sword strapped to each thigh. It wasn’t until the half-elf gave his name that Yuki actually turned his way. “You can call me Yuki,” he said with a slight smile. Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad after all.
“Captain!” Enzo called up from the lower deck.
Astrin made his way to the stairs and began to descend.
Being made to sit in a tight square were all the officers of the ship. By no means the whole crew, but certainly the men in charge of running it.
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Post by Grimm on Jul 9, 2019 19:53:08 GMT
Malachite smile relaxed when Yuki introduced himself. It was clear that the young half-elf was trying to immolate V in his attire and weaponry, except he carried a pistol with the letter V carved into the handle, even their hair style was similar, but it was were their similarities ended.
Although he sighed Violet gestured that he didn’t have a problem with Astrin having rights to the man who had touched him. Violet certainly would have done it the moment he had been free had he been the victim in the first place; other than physical combat that was usually the extent of physical contact that V had with others. Astrin straddling his lap below deck had been the closest that anyone had been to him in a long while. It was something that Violet had a hard time pushing out of his mind.
“When we get done here…You and I need to have a talk.” Violet addressed Astrin, their slight height differences evident in the door frame. The half-demon turned to the group of prisoners, “Only one of you are being spared and it isn’t you…” V pointed to the man who had been the one to offend the Heresy Captain. “I need to know where this ship was headed…where were you going to deliver me?”
“Port Royal in Ly’Ren.” A frighten officer in the back buckled.
“Why?”
“Von Lear wanted you brought back to his private residence in Port Royal…off the books.”
“And this ship?” V pressed about the trap that had been laid for him.
“Orders say for continued pursuit.” The young officer in the back was practically in tears as he spilled the beans.
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Post by Behax on Jul 9, 2019 21:00:03 GMT
“Won't that be fun,” Astrin responded playfully, not even hiding his amused smile, but hiding well his vexation at the extra inch of height V had over him. He couldn’t stop the amused sound that escaped him when V told the naval officer who’d molested him that he would not be the one to be spared.
Astrin waited patiently, and didn’t interrupt as V questioned the officer who buckled. Poor man looked like he was about to piss himself, assuming he hadn’t already. Well he was at the mercy of two pirate captains, one of whom had a more vicious reputation than the other, especially when it came to dealing with naval officers.
Even Astrin couldn’t help but raise a brow at the revelation that Von Lear had wanted V brought to him off the books. Which meant the half-demon hadn’t been intended for the gallows. At least not right away. How intriguing. Questions began popping up in Astrin’s mind, but he held onto them for now. From this Astrin gathered that his own crew were just an added bonus, collateral for one man’s wish to get his hands on V. That left a poor taste in his mouth.
Still he waited until he was sure that V was finished.
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Post by Grimm on Jul 9, 2019 22:24:39 GMT
Violet thought about the officers answers, when a man that was obvious the Captain began to sneer and snap at the young officer, telling him he’s hang for treason and his family would pay for his words.
“Von Lear had a message for you…” The Captain spat at V with a deep seated hatred. V had sunk his son’s ship two years ago and had killed all on board. The man’s faced twisted to a smile as he said the next part, knowing that there was no saving their lives from a pirate as ruthless as V, “that he looks forward to dining on your other kidney.”
Violet’s eyes narrowed and his hand shot out to grab the Naval Captain by the face, his long fingers easily making the distance. “And I look forward to scaring the other side of his face.” Violet’s voice was still so calm as he spoke, flames manifested from his hand, burning away the scarf that had hidden the injuries and slave marks on the back of his hand and practically melting the mans face before he let go, leaving the Captain screaming for mercy.
“Alright, lets get this over with then.” V turned to Astrin, it had seemed that what the Naval Captain had said really struck a nerve if the smell of burning flesh had been evident enough.
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Post by Behax on Jul 9, 2019 23:47:52 GMT
Astrin continued to watch, his brows raising at the captain’s declaration. If the insinuation was true, it certainly explained V’s extreme prejudice against the navy. One could hardly blame him for his vendetta. His eyes narrowed as he watched V immolate the man, but he didn’t step forward to stop him, or to even spare the man from his agony.
One of Astrin’s crew had to look away. The human who had helped bring the prisoners out. But the others who were present watched with a certain coldness.
Astrin nodded at V’s words and step forward into the gathered crowd of navy officers. They parted in fear. Astrin’s reputation was not as bloody or as ruthless as V’s. But the reason for that was not necessarily because he didn’t kill those caught in his midst. It was just that Astrin made sure other parts of his reputation spread wider and faster. (Though his violence still wasn’t quite like V’s.)
He stepped forward, pressing his boot to the shoulder of the man who;d earlier molested him, and applied enough pressure to force the man down to the floor. “You know earlier, that wasn’t a very gentlemanly thing you did. And I have to wonder, how many other helpless captives have you so disgustingly put your hands on? Now I would have been content to just throw you in the sea and be done with you, but my jailcell companion here did have a good notion earlier.”
“W-wait- please…” The officer was beginning to panic, but then unlike everyone else he could see the curve of Astrin’s smile, and with the way Astrin’s hair hung forwards, had a full glimpse of the man’s scarred face.
“I’d try not to move much if I were you,” he warned as he drew one of his swords and used it to swiftly cut the man’s hand off. Fresh new screams filled the air as the officer cried out in pain. Astrin then hauled the man to his feet, and picked up his now severed hand too, and dragged him towards the side of the ship. The other officers did their best to scoot out of the way of Astrin’s path and the blood that followed. Then without another word threw the man and his hand overboard, and new for certain that if there were any sharks in the area, they would soon begin to circle.
He turned back to the rest. “I do hope none of you have a notion of getting out of this alive? Well with the exception of your chatty friend there. You see it’s a crime to kill a child of the ocean, one that must be paid in blood.”
As he spoke Enzo moved forward and dragged another one of the men to his feet. He took no joy in this, but Astrin was right. Killing a Siren had consequences, even if it was done to save one's own life. The ocean was cruel, and cared not who was punished, so long as someone was.
“Dear Ocean mother, we know we transgressed this day. So I humbly ask that you accept these lives in exchange for the ones that were taken from you and allow us on our way,” Astrin spoke before Ezno slit the man's throat and threw him overboard, where the other naval officer was trying no to drown. Difficult when u only have one hand and are bleeding out.
“Karter, take our chatty friend back to the hold to join the other crew men,” Astrin instructed, as the other men were brought one by one to be thrown to the sea in the hope of appeasing a god known to be vicious and cruel.
He turned to V and tilted his head in the direction of the captains quarters. He led the way. The room had clearly been ransacked by both their crews, documents considered unimportant scattered all over the floor.
“So what would you like to talk about?” He asked going to lean against the captain’s desk. He left it open for V to start, and made no mention of what had just been said and done. Astrin was not in the habit of prying open other people’s hurts.
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Post by Grimm on Jul 11, 2019 14:39:10 GMT
If you knew V well, one could tell he was amused by the Heresy’s Captain’s revenge on the overly touchy Naval Officer. The end of his tail flicked back and forth and there was a small rise in his eyebrow when Astrin dragged and threw the man overboard. That was amusement.
While Astrin began his offering, Violet looked down at his injured forearm, he’d probably need some stitching but at least it had stopped bleeding. He could do with a change of shirt too since this one now had 5 bloody claw holes in it. Up in the CrowsNest Malachite turned his gaze away from the killing and to the horizon. The redheaded half-elf was never comfortable with death, especially when it wasn’t in self-defense.
In silence V walked with Astrin to the Captain’s Cabin, his first mate also walking in that direction but stopped short of entering the cabin, instead he stood outside with his arms folded across his burly chest; guarding the open door.
“So what would you like to talk about?” “What happens now.” Violet replied shuffling through some papers on the floor with his foot. “I’m sure you’ve noticed the slight difference in our crew numbers…and with that being said, I want command of this ship.” V’s red eyes slid up from the documents on the floor to Astrin leaning against the desk, he was still clutching the orders his first-mate had given him. The Heresy crew easily out numbered what was left of the Grim with 2:1 odds.
“This ship is the Victory, one of three ships that belong to Von Lear. When he finds out we’ve taken it, he will bring all of the Ly’Ren Navy down on our heads.” There was a hint of a smile on V’s slender lips, as if he was excited about that fact. “I know you care about your crew; don’t get them tangled up with Von Lear. You’ll have to worry about more than just handsy officer.” He warned. “I have been waiting for an opportunity like this and I’m sure as hell not letting you take it away from me.” The smile was gone and Violet looked ready for a fight, but then again, he always looked ready for a fight.
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Post by Behax on Jul 11, 2019 16:59:40 GMT
It was Astrin’s turn to be amused. He didn’t even hide his smirk as V continued to try and plead his case.
“If we did this the way pirates do, and put it to a vote, you will surely lose,” Astrin had no qualms about pointing it out. Pirates loved the freedom of choice, and this situation they really should make the crews choose who would be captain. A vote that given the odds Astrin was sure to win if it came to it.
“Hoooo? And what are you going to do to stop me if I do “take” this away from you?” Astrin asked, a rare flash of his darker nature shining through as he lent off the desk and stood to his full height. “Shank me right here and there are 19 crewmembers out there liable to return the favour to you and yours, with extreme prejudice.” This was not a threat, it was a fact.
“The way I see it,” Astrin began, that threatening aura about him gone just as quickly as it had come. “I’m kind of fucked either way in regards to this Von Lear, it won't be hard for him to figure out what happened once his ship doesn't return as expected, and he isn't going to believe you did it all by yourself, not if we were both reported captured. So whether I still have his ship or not, he is going to come for me eventually,” Astrin spoke logically and calmly.
“So I propose…..A kind of coalition I guess. We work together and agree on what we are doing and where we are going. If the entire Ly’Ren Navy is going to be on our asses, then we are going to need a bigger crew, and also prime information. I happen to know a place where we can obtain both,” Astrin explained beginning to walk around the captains state room and examining the books still on the shelves for anything interesting.
“And that…..Really is the best offer you are going to get, because you stand too much to lose otherwise.”
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Post by Grimm on Jul 11, 2019 19:12:33 GMT
When Astrin straightened up, so did V - a little glad of the extra inch he had on his rival. Violet knew he didn’t have any of the odds in his favor in this situation, but he’d bargain for when he couldn’t get Astrin to tuck tail. Haine certainly had him by the balls figuratively speaking but Violet wasn’t the kind to crumble against leverage. He would cause trouble if he had to…but when Astrin proposed a coalition, it took V a little by surprise. He had expected his rival to be a little more…difficult to deal with.
To any other person the request seemed reasonable acceptable the moment it left Astrin’s lips, but V had a fault when it came wanting revenge. He knew he wouldn’t get a better offer - or any other offer for that matter. For a moment, maybe it seemed like he wasn’t going to answer until he pulled out a wrinkled up clean white shirt out of a pile that had been dumped on the floor.
“I accept.” V said begrudgingly, not wanting to really steer away from Von Lear; after all he wanted to kill the man himself and he wouldn’t be able to do that at his villa in Port Royal. Now it was V’s turn to lean against the desk were Astrin was previous, setting the clean shirt down on the desktop next to him.
“Ren…” V called out to which his first-mate stuck his head inside the door and V gestured to his injuries. “Needle, thread, alcohol…” Violet conveyed.
“Heresy has a Doctor?” Ren asked hopefully at Captain Haine only for V to shake his head at the notion.
“I don’t want a doctor, just the needle, thread, and alcohol…” Violet really didn’t want to have to explain himself again Ren, who had a habit of pestering him about letting a doctor look at his injuries. Ren frowned heavily in return and left on his quest. With a sigh Violet started to unbutton the top half of his shirt, leaving his corset on as it hid a terrible secret. He looked down at the claw marks on his chest which just happen to land in the empty posts between scars that looked like they had purposeful design to them.
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Post by Behax on Jul 12, 2019 0:02:44 GMT
Astrin waited, half expecting V to continue to resist him, genuinely surprised when V actually took it. He’d been expecting more of a fight. Perhaps V was actually more intelligent than he first thought.
“I’m glad to hear it,” Astrin said turning back around to face the other captain when he called his first mate inside.
“Heresy has a Doctor?”
“We do-” He was cut off by V insisting he only needed a needle and thread, along with some alcohol. He didn’t question V on his scars, even if they had a rather intriguing pattern to them. Gods knew Astrin had enough of his own that he didn’t want to explain.
“The plan as of now, if you agree. Is to first learn where we are, and then course correct so that we can head into Jhoura’s waters. Fly the right flags and we won't get attacked by their navy, and Ly’Ren would be foolish to pursue. There we can make port at an island known as Kanran, don’t know if you’ve ever been there but it’s a pirate port. Get information, get supplies, get more people, then we can decide to return to Ly’Ren’s waters,” Astrin explained. He didn’t bother warning V about what was bound to happen if his Doctor found out that V was planning on treating his own wounds.
As it stood he didn;t have to wait long to find out. In his search for thread and needle, Ren would have rather unfortunately found himself face to face with an average height, half-demon woman, with long dark purple almost black hair, a single obsidian eye, and an eye patch covering the other. She would have demanded to know what he wanted a needle and thread for, refused to give it to him in a calm and threatening way that could only be mustered by a doctor, before making her way to the captain's room.
The first sign of her arrival, was two young beast kin girls, no older that 5 or 6 running in and immediately latching onto one each of Astrin’s legs. They looked to be tigers. Crying for their captain like he was an older brother and burying their faces into the legs of his trousers.
“Ah girls! I am glad you are safe….But-” he looked to the door, and in strode the Doctor. She gave V a critical look, one of abject disapproval.
“How deep?” She asked as she walked towards him with purpose, though she did not make to touch him. “Blade or?” She had heard they’d been attacked by Sirens.
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Post by Grimm on Jul 12, 2019 2:04:00 GMT
“I agree, Kanran will be our best option.” V had been there a few times when he was younger when he had sailed under Naga’s leadership but he had tended to keep away from the public even if the ship did make port.
Ren did unfortunately find Heresy’s Doctor and could not get the half-demon to budge an inch when it came to the supplies he needed. The only thing he was able to scavenge was the alcohol but by the time he made it back to cabin it was too late to warn his Captain.
The children’s sudden appearance gave him a small startle, but when he looked up to see the half-demon woman approaching him, the hair on the back of his neck stood up. She was the most terrifying sight he probably saw since the last time he laid eyes on a doctor and it was evident in the way he suddenly tensed up and tried to back up only to be stopped by the desk behind him.
“Nails…er claws…” Violet answered her out of intimidation of her profession and threw a glare at Ren who was coming through the door.
“I’m sorry Captain, she wouldn’t give me what I asked for.” Ren apologized holding up the half empty bottle he took from one of their men and approached knowing how much Violet didn’t like doctors.
“I don’t need a Doctor. I need needle and thread.” V stubbornly closed his shirt and took the bottle from Ren.
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Post by Behax on Jul 17, 2019 22:20:36 GMT
Despite knowing that V’s fear likely came from a traumatic experience, it was nonetheless amusing to see a pirate so feared, practically quaking in his boots at the sight of the Heresey’s Doctor. However Astrin took a noticeable step back when V in sited he didn’t need a doctor. That had been the wrong answer.
“Don’t be a child,” she snapped. Angelus could have the angel of a saint at times, but had none for men who refused to be properly treated. “Now pick a chair, sit down and take that shirt off before you ruin it.” This was not a request, she was clearly giving a command. She stood to her full height, which was a couple of inches shorter than V, even with her own heeled boots. Yet she cut an intimidating figure all the same.
“I’ll just take the little ones ...elsewhere…..” Astrin said, having picked up a girl in each arm like it was nothing. With an apologetic smile he left V, his first mate and Angelus alone.
Angelus began to tap her foot expectantly as she waited for V to comply.
---
Back on deck Astrin took the two girls with him as he climbed the stairs to the upper deck to rejoin his own first mate and navigator.
“Do we know where we are yet?” He asked put the girls down.
“Well...I have an idea if these navigation and captains logs are correct, but I won't know for sure until night falls and I can look at the position of the stars,” Lock explained, to which Astrin nodded in confirmation.
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Post by Grimm on Jul 18, 2019 13:35:47 GMT
It looked like V was about to protest when Ren said something in their native tongue which the V just looked at him an almost an ashamed expression. “Please, it’s been years since you were properly seen too.” Ren added in the common tongue.
“Fine, but shut the door.” Violet requested with a grumble and took a few gulps from the bottle before setting it down on the desk. Ren went to the door and shut it, but remained to make sure Violet really would allow the Doctor to see to him.
Violet removed the garment around his abdomen and carefully set it down on the desk. His bad-tempered red eyes not leaving the doctors face as he continued to unbutton his shirt and bitterly took it off. To say that V’s body was covered in scars was an understatement, in fact the upper part of his torso had a continuous scar that it was obvious someone had to carve into the skin; patterns formed from connecting lines, almost rippling down his shoulders, chest, and back stopping just at the edge of his ribs. Across his abdomen however, is where Von Lear signed his handy work. But these scares were over a decade old.
There were other scars, newer ones not designed - old wounds healed by amateurish hands. V sat down in the chair behind the desk silently, casting a pissed look at Ren’s direction.
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Post by Behax on Sept 23, 2019 20:14:09 GMT
Angelus just waited, her expression stern, not easing for a second. She and V locked in a stare down, as she didn’t look away from him as he undressed. Whatever she thought of the scar traveling V’s upper body she made no comment on it, and her expression only flickered for a second on it’s reveal. She was a true doctor through and through, and she wasn’t about to ask questions or make comments about something which must be a sensitive subject unless necessary for the task at hand, which it wasn’t.
There was however a clear twitch of irritation at all the clumsy scars that also littered V’s skin. She took her job very seriously.
“Thank you,” she sighed when V finally sat down.
She examined the claw marks before doing anything else, came close to touching but not quite. She reached for her bag and pulled out a bottle of medical alcohol.
“This is going to hurt,” she warned, before dosing some cloth with the alcohol and using it to clean V’s wounds. When she was satisfied she reached for a sharp sterile needle and thread. “And this will hurt more.” She let V have a moment to brace if he wanted it, before beginning to thread the needle through his skin and sewing the wound closed. She worked slowly and carefully. When she’d stiched the wounds closed she cleaned them one more time before covering them in a clean bandage.
Once done she stood up straight, wiping her brow. She reached into her bag for a roll of bandages.
“Fresh bandages once a day if possible, but certainly leave it no longer than three. Honestly how you haven’t already died from infection is pure luck on your part.” Then she leaned in close and her one eye narrowed almost threateningly. “Don’t try to hide any more injuries, or try to refuse my care again while you’re on this ship. I take the health of the people here very seriously, that includes you and yours.”
After stating her piece she stood back and dusted her hands. Rebagging her equipment and walking away. As she passed Ren she gave him a playful punch in the arm, her way of showing appreciation for his insistence that V let a real doctor look at him, and then she saw herself out.
“If anyone else in your crew is injured you’ll find me below deck,” she said as she left.
Astrin was still on the upper deck, though if V went there to find him his first mate had now gone somewhere else, and it was just Astrin, the two girls and his navigator. He was holding one of the girls under her arms and was swinging her up into the air and then down between his legs. The air was filled with her squealing with delight.
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