Topic: A Reunion of Rivals

Rin Laeyr

Date: 2010-10-24 10:51 EST
( Roleplayed by Silver and Rin. )

"So she's here, then?" The street was barren, flanked by the weathered walls of old shop fronts and deserted housing, windows either covered in grime or planked over like a haphazard bandage on a mortal wound. Two men walked the lonely road, each differing in both size and shape. The shorter of the two had spoken, his voice soft, yet strong - silk braced over a naked blade. "Your contacts say as much," grunted the taller figure, broad of shoulder and hulking stature. While only a few inches above six foot, the man was hardly average. His posture was stooped, his brow sloping a bit forward and a tusk grew out from the left corner of his mouth. The half-orc's heritage could not be in question, nor his lethality. A thick cudgel resided on one hip, while his back bore the weight of a grim looking maul. "...doubt they'd lie to me. They know I'm your man." While his words and manner were as blunt as his personality, cunning lingered in the half-orc's beady eyes. "Good," murmured the smaller man. He was a few inches shy of his companion's respectable height, built for speed rather than strength, though it seemed he lacked for neither as he strode confidently down the lane, his blue cloak billowing out behind him like a restless piece of the night given complaint about the stillness. A light smile adorned his lips, complimenting a strong chin and a rugged cast to a fine profile. Stubble shadowed his features, which added to the casual air of danger that swirled about him like a thick cologne, that faint, figurative scent purely....rogue. "Well then, Myoc, we'll have to offer our greetings while still in port....we cannot let an opportunity to say hello to an old friend pass up by, can we" Lead the way..." Rolling his eyes, the half-orc, Myoc, grunted and took point as they cut left through an alleyway and into a broader street - this one alive with taverns and beer halls, noise filtering out to liven the night with the lively banter of drunken sailors. Silver rubbed the tiredness out of her eyes as she closed the door to her office behind her, twisting the knob to make sure it was locked. The night had fallen quicker than she had hoped, and she found herself again exiting into the darkness at an hour when most were already drunk and a few were stumbling home or passing out in the streets. The hour, however, would not stop her from finding a drink herself after a long day of work. Her boots turned down the street, leading away from the office toward the alleys that wound into the port city. At this hour there was only one place she'd frequent, the Broken Harpoon. A hand roughly pushed open the door, the stench of ale, stale stew and sweat permeating the salty air as she stepped into the dimly lit tavern, carefully winding her way through those that were snoring with their heads on the table tops and those that were imbibing in card games and raunchy songs. The tender gave a greeting in the form of a grunt and a smile as the tall, lithe form of the Captain settled into her usual stool at the counter. He slapped a mug of ale in front of her before stomping off. Silver's eyes quickly rose to scan the room before, contentedly, she settled into enjoying her drink. "Here," Myoc's voice sounded more akin to churning gravel than anything resembling normal speech, but his captain had a half a decade to learn how to translate sentient thought from all the growls and rumbling his first mate uttered. They stood in front of the Broken Harpoon, and it hardly looked like a watering hole worthy of his rival....but then she had always proven a fickle thing, doing many things one would not expect. "Blend..." came the order as he they passed through the front doors and into the common room. Myoc paused on the threshold long enough to give his captain an incredulous look at the man's bidding. "Fine," he muttered, holding a hand aloft so the half-orc wouldn't favor him with one of his sarcastic anecdotes. "...try....just watch my back, all right?" A curt nod, and Myoc sifted out through the sea of tables, chairs and people - all of which seemed to give him a wide berth, even the furniture shying away as the half-orc lumbered by like a giant amongst children. Closing his eyes for a moment and counting quietly back from ten, the captain of the Howling Harlot tried his best to remind himself exactly why he kept Myoc at his side. Loyalty came to mind, perhaps even a friendship. And intelligent, hulking half-orcs were truly a rare breed. Myoc was surely a diamond amongst the rough. Shaking his head slowly, the captain parted through the crowd like an errand breeze, gentle and yet his presence was felt, whispers following him like a rippling wave across the patronage of the Harpoon. Rin Laeyr wasn't a forgettable face, his bold, emerald green eyes often leaving a lasting impression - if it wasn't the last thing they ever saw. And so without preamble the infamous pirate ambled up to the bar, expecting a wait for his long time rival, but the wide grin which touched his handsome features was given one cause. "Ahhh, the lovely Silver Starblade, fancy I meet you in a place like this - fate, as ever, proves to be a fickle mistress....much like yourself." Silver sensed the uneasiness before the sound of moving chairs and scuffling feet reached her ears. It was what she was attuned to and a habit so long ingrained in her it had nearly become reflexive. A boot, hooked into the rung of the stool, pushed slightly and caused the seat to spin toward the room. From over the rim of her mug she spotted the half orc. A single eyebrow rose in curiosity as the glass parted from her lips and was slowly set down on the bartop. Where there was one.....usually followed the other. And there he was, moving with the ease of a thief through the darkened streets of the city. So much for a relaxing drink before heading back to her ship. The brow lowered, smoothing the skin of her tanned face before she returned her eyes to the scanning the selection of bottles lining the shelves across from her. The smug tone of his voice invaded her attempt at ignoring him; especially since he directed his words at the Captain who was so pointedly trying to distract herself from his presence. Silver's hardened gaze slid from the shelves to the man next to her. She wanted to smash that stupid smile off his face with the mug her fingers were currently curled around. "Fickle is hardly a word one would use to describe me..though it suits the likes of yourself perfeclty, Laeyr. You're always switching sides to what suits your needs at the moment." "Ah, perhaps you're right....I hear rumor you might've gone straight - again." A dramatic roll of his eyes as Laeyr draped himself into an open stool, one recently vacated by its previous occupant, next to the woman pitted with the pirate's attention. "You're Minister of Trade or what not, I hear....I guess that makes sense - they deal with the problem disrupting their lucrative shipping lanes by....making it the solution." A crook of a finger summoned the tender, and a flash of gold had him pouring out a mug of mead. Taking the handle by two fingers, he took a cultured sip before speaking in a low whisper that hardly disguised his humor. "Getting soft on me, girl?" "Oh please, don't attempt to understand my motives or what moves my moral compass. You could never figure that out....probably because they don't match up to your pathetic excuse for morality." Those silver laced blues stared at him for a moment before she lifted her own drink for a long sip. She was tempted to ask the tender for a bottle of rum; she was going to need something stronger to deal with Rin, but she instead settled for what was already in front of her. Silver could almost see that smug smile around the edge of Rin's raised mug, but when he set down his drink, the pirate had smoothed his features to a perfectly neutral expression. "Ah yes, that vaunted sense of morality to keep banging on about....but are you truly trying to convince me of your social superiority, or yourself" Because last time I checked....you're a pirate." Silver lowered the mug, both arms falling to cross loosely on the counter as she took a slight lean forward. She gave a single nod in the direction of Myoc. "I see you still aren't old enough to go anywhere without your bodyguard." Her lips curled into a lopsided grin. "I'd ask what the hell brought you sniffing around these ports, but truthfully, I don't give a damn." Rin cast a baleful look about the room, he locked eyes on Myoc for a moment, who was currently glaring down a pair of seedy looking sailors which had made the unfortunate mistake of watching the half-orc's master a touch too long. Good, keep it up, old friend...."You might guide yourself by a morale compass, Silver, but it has led you toward a road of corruption. One you travel so well....tell me, what keeps that tub of yours afloat - the sweet lies you tell yourself so you can sleep soundly at night - next to whatever poor sod you've dragged to share your bed....picked amongst your crew, no doubt, or have you taken to shelling out coin for your companions nowadays" Nothin' to be ashamed of - some of my best fortunes have been spent on saucy wenches with low necklines and tight rears." And at that, those emerald greens fell to half-lids, dipping down along her figure like a physical touch until coming to rest quite openly on the woman's backside. The jab she wanted to aim so badly at his face was nearly thrown toward that smug expression at the mention of any of her crew sharing her bed. That was a subject not even the boldest of pirates broached with Silver. "I'm surprised, with your gift at flattery Rin, that there aren't more women hanging themselves all over you. After all, the ones in here are just your type..drunk enough to not put up a fight and have most of their teeth. Though word on the street last I heard was the last woman you brought back to your cabin left a lasting.....impression. One that might ward off any other women, even those looking for money." She reached forward to finish off the ale that was left in her mug before she placed it once more on the bartop, giving it a shove. She watched it for a moment as it slid down the bar and was deftly caught by the tender. "It's still touching after all these years how you beat around the bush. Unfortunately, my bed will always be closed to you." She flashed a wide smile at Rin as she slid off the barstool to stand. "The only lasting impression women have of my bed is absolute bliss, Silver....something you'd do well to remember." The implication was there, but he said no more on the subject, but merely sipped his mead in a bored sort of way, now turning to offer her a sidelong look. To a man like Rin Laeyr, this was foreplay. And contrary to popular belief, that while the pirate captain liked his women beautiful, he also reveled in a bit of challenge, too. Silver was the perfect combination. "...leaving so soon' I would've thought we'd have all night to reminisce about old times!" "Right." Her lips pursed for a moment before she shrugged a single shoulder. "Sorry I can't stay and reminisce. I actually have a real ship to look after..not some toy boat I ripped of an unsuspecting old man." The lopsided grin reappeared, dimpling a single cheek before she started toward the door. Her steps paused and she glanced back over her shoulder toward the man at the bar. "I'd make sure all my paperwork was in order, Captain Laeyr and file all necessary documents with the harbor master. Don't want you getting into any trouble..."

Silver Starblade

Date: 2010-10-26 20:11 EST
Silver stared incredulously at the woman standing across from her. Moments ago she had handed her an invitation to a party and informed Silver she should not say no to, especially given her new position in the Ministry. Yet when the gypsy unfolded a dress" a dress". Silver was made speechless.

"Sil," Rona began, brandishing the dress. "You cannae go in dat." The gypsy waved a hand at the woman's boots, pants and shirt, not to mention the sword at her hip. "Not to a party like dis."

Silver shook her head, tossing the invitation on her cot and crossing her arms. Thank god they were on the Siren or Silver would've thrown Rona out. "You've GOT to be kidding me. I'm not wearing that. Ever.."

"Yes you are."

"No I'm not." Silver repeated, stabbing a finger at the material. "And where in the hell did you get that thing" Who says it'll even fit?"

"I found it in a trunk that you keep in that thing called a closet. It had lots of holes and was barely a dress, but I knew a tailor in town that did this?" She swung the dress out, Silver's eyes catching the glittering silver threads woven into the midnight blue material. Tiny silver cap sleeves matched the threading as well as the silver corset that hung from Rona's arm. "And it'll fit."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"You don't have a choice. I already RSVP'd for you." Rona fought back, gently laying the dress on the cot, along with the corset and from seemingly nowhere, a pair of shoes, with heels no less.

"I can just say something took me away that night."

"Did you even read the invitation?"

"Not all of it. You came in with that".thing?" She pointed at the dress on her bed. "I lost focus."

"Read it." Rona picked up the invitation and shoved it at Silver, a finger pointing to a specific list of items to be auctioned off.

Silver's eyes paused half way down. Damn it all to hell. She sighed, giving the invitation back to Rona. Now she knew why Rin was in town, and why Rona had picked out the dress.

"Blessed Paladine." She swore.


Silver Starblade

Date: 2011-06-26 12:28 EST
(RP'd by Sil and Rin)

"A regular peacock show, this is..." Rin Laeyr muttered to himself as he swiped a flute of wine from one of the many servant-borne trays floating amongst the crowd. Here was a mix of Rhy'din's wealthy and dark, that heady mixture of excitement and purpose mingling well in a pot stirred by the hand of greed itself. The aristocracy were in fine form tonight, young lords and ladies paraded themselves about in their finest, talking amongst their own kind while glancing askance to those who's 'blue-blood' was in question. Guild leaders and the heads of merchant empires talked shop while enjoying the hospitality of their host. Seedier men lined the crowd dressed as well, if not better than those of other echelons, their riches won through the unspoken battles of the underworld. Lord Austine Tionel's parties brought out all kinds, but all Rin Laeyr saw when glimpsing these people were potential rivals. Dressed in a simple black longcoat trimmed with gold, matching buttons and a high collar, the pirate looked fashionable himself. Beneath he wore a gray vest while black trousers fed into the down-turned lip of tall, black boots polished to a pristine shine. Going one step further, Rin had shaved, ridding himself of any pretense of a shadowed jaw. His dark hair had been oiled back, leaving the keen edge of his wandering gaze unimpeded as it continued to search the crowd. More than a few women whispered in his passing, and a few of the noble caste made blatant bids for his attention. And while Rin wasn't above mixing business with pleasure, for the moment he needed to focus. This party was being held for the sole purpose of viewing an item which would be auctioned off the next day. An item Rin meant to take for himself. The quiet click of heels hitting the polished marble floor was dulled by the footsteps and voices of the crowd already gathered and it took all her willpower not to turn around and head back into the night. Silver paused at the threshold of the ballroom, silver webbed blues piercing through the shadows the hood cast on her face. She took in the guests of the party, many faces familiar from her position in the government and some familiar from her other" hobbies. She steeled her nerves, digging somewhere down inside of her where there once was a woman who dealt with wearing dresses; though truth be told Silver was not a woman who was ever comfortable in them. She reached up, slenderly tanned fingers pushing back the hood as blonde waves tumbled down bare shoulders and the cloak slid into the hands of a waiting servant. "I still don' un"erstand why you don' wear these things more often." The man at her side remarked with a wicked grin before he straightened his own suit jacket and disappeared into the crowd. Her crew would never let her go anywhere unattended and always made sure she was guarded at all times. However, her shadow gone for the moment, Silver stepped down into the ballroom, her own fingers smoothing at the skirts of the dark blue dress that enhanced the color of her eyes. Tiny cap sleeves left her tan and toned arms bare, silver threading throughout the edges of the dress glittering like tiny diamonds in the torchlight of the party. A silver corset cinched a tiny waist, putting all her femininity front and center; an uncomfortable feeling, but one she tried to mask behind a look of indifference. She spotted the Lord himself, though she had business in mind for the moment. Her gaze flickered quickly across the room as she began to weave her way through the guests and head towards the various glass display cases. But it would seem Lord Tionel would not be ignored. When Silver finally put in her appearance, a page flanking the door took off through the crowd without a whisper to explain his strange flight. It was upon the murmured information of his youth did Silver's host find out about her arrival, making to intercept the woman before she disappeared into the mass of finery, ego and pomp. "My lady," Austine Tionel was a tall, reed-thin man with a mane of long auburn hair, his profile sharp and distinctive, and to some - attractive in its severe way. He was swathed in a dark gray trimmed with silver, subdued yet flashy in the same stroke. "I wondered when you would arrive. Welcome to my....little gathering." Silver's eyes slowly moved from the auction pieces across the room to meet the man's own dark gaze. "Lord Tionel." She flashed a small smile. Silver was acquainted with the man through her ministry position and knew of him from other outings she had. "The invitation was most gracious. I could not turn down an evening such as the one promised. I find it rather....refreshing to be out of the office and in the field." A bare hand slid out toward his. It was quickly enveloped in his own large hand before he deftly tucked it into the crook of his arm and began to escort her across the room toward the various artifacts on display. "Indeed, indeed, I'm glad to give you the opportunity....but let us not forget exactly why you are here." The lord's voice was light and polite, but there seemed to be an underlining agenda to his feigned chivalry. "You said that my auction piece might be in some threat of being stolen - I've taken every measure you recommended and then some, pouring more resources than I would've liked in the expenditure of security." As they walked, eyes trailed after them, but none more potent than those of the other infamous pirate in the room. What was she doing here, and on the arm of that pompous prat, no less" With a mental effort, Rin staved off the advance of prickling jealousy - something that both intrigued and surprised him as it wasn't an expected reaction, even to himself. Something needed to be done, Silver's presence gave rise to an obstacle he didn't expect, and now he had to think fast. "But if all goes to plan, I'm sure the auction will more than adequately cover the loss....do you have any idea how or when this man will make a bid for my Fire Opal?" Austine continued one, thin brows rising in hopes of garnering a hint of information.

"I'm not quite sure he was planning on making a bid." Silver responded as her eyes flickered through the crowd, noting the gazes of the others watching her and Tionel. It was then she spotted Rin, her lips curving into a lopsided smile once again as she looked back to her escort. "It was the reason I contacted you regarding new security measures." Among other reasons, she mused silently before continuing. "Do you have any idea of the value of that particular object, or the legends behind it?" Her eyes almost seemed to twinkle as her gaze caught the glittering gem. There, sitting in a glass case sat a sparkling, milky white opal. The veins ran red and orange, dancing like flames through the surface of the gem. Mesmerizing was the only way to describe the fist-sized jewel, for it seemed like the flames were living inside the stone. "It truly is a one of a kind item and there are many who would love to have it at any cost."


Silver Starblade

Date: 2011-09-22 12:30 EST
"Very funny, lady Silver, but despite all our precautions I am still worried. Tell me, do you know when our thief will make an 'attempt' to steal my precious gemstone..." this time the lord corrected himself so the woman could not play anymore word games, the faintest crease in his brow revealing a restrained annoyance. When Silver finally asked about the history of the piece, Austine was forced to shake his head. "It served as part of my late wife's dowry, and as her entire House has died out by age, accident and violence I thought to rid myself of the thing....I've enough of her things to keep memories alive, but this piece....it haunts me. I've only been able to track its history since entering into her family's care, passed down from generation to generation as a sort of heriloom to the family." "I cannot say when he would try to make a play for your Opal, Austine, though I do think he would have something planned for tonight, or for when the Opal was going to change hands, since that's when it is most vulnerable." She did not bother to look at the man, for it was not her problem if he was annoyed with her or not. She was intent on the Fire Opal. "There are many legends surrounding such a stone, though my favorite has to do with the God of the Sea. It is said he created this gem for his first bride, a forest nymph whose beauty was said to rival the ocean itself. She was an exquisite creature who loved the Sea God, but she could never make her home in the water. Seeing her sadness as she pined for a way into the ocean, the Sea God created this Opal, stealing the essence of fire and locking it into the gem. He hoped the pure white of the opal would remind her of the foam of the seas where he could be found waiting for her, and the fire would remind her of her home on land " a duality that suited the pair of them." Silver paused, a small smile touched her lips once more. "Child's stories but none the less interesting for such an item. Apparently, the nymph fell in love with a sailor and gifted him her most precious piece, the Fire Opal. Since then, it has changed hands numerous times and brought those that have had it great fortune followed by a curse of death. In the case of her love, the sailor, legend speaks of him having incredible luck for years; escaping authorities, finding legendary treasurers, until a horrendous storm hit his ship while at sea and he was lost forever, never to return to her." Silver paused, looking from the man back to the case. "And how has it fared in your care, Austine" Eager to be rid of it, so you say." "I do not believe in its luck, then..." Austine murmured. While he had ushered Silver aside, the lord's voice had dipped so not to be overheard. Now, it was a positive whisper as he furtively glanced at those closest to them. "Some blame the end of my wife's line on this very stone, claiming it to be cursed....she wore it about her throat the day she died, thrown from her favorite horse....a gentle mare who never once showed ill to any hand, especially her own." The nobleman shuddered, considering the fiery depths of the stone. "Let the buyer discover if there is truth behind either tale, for I want no part of it anymore..."

Rin continued to watch the pair with growing interest, maintaining a neutral expression as he slid through the crowd, trying to get closer. Why was she here" Could Silver actually be safeguarding the gem, or perhaps the woman was indulging upon the benefits of her new title" That brought Rin to a halt, taking a moment to scan the room as a whole, forcing his attention from his rival and the man he wished to fleece. Wherever Silver went, one or more of her cronies accompanied her, so any direct conflict for the woman could end in a scuffle he could not afford....but how to ascertain the captain's motives here tonight' In the distance, music began to play. Silver's free hand rose to gently pat the man on the arm. "There is no need to worry yourself now, Austine. You are doing the right thing by ridding yourself of something that does nothing but bring you pain." She smiled politely as she slid her arm from his grasp. "As you said, there are other, more sentimental things that you can keep which will bring you peace when remembering your wife. But, do not let me keep you. I am sure your security measures are fine, and if you need me, I will be mingling and keeping my eyes open for any suspicious activity." "Yes..." Austine seemed momentarily distracted, unable to take his eyes off the Opal. Closing them, he shook his head a little then turned back to Silver with a curt nod. "I....must attend to my guests, if you will excuse me..." with no more than that, the lord walked away. And like clockwork, after a good ten second count, did none other than Rin Laeyr show himself to Silver with a flourishing bow. "May I have this dance, my lady?"

Silver Starblade

Date: 2011-10-24 13:45 EST
Silver watched Tionel disappear for the briefest of moments before her attention was pulled to another, unwelcome, guest. "Dance" With you?" A single eyebrow arched before she shook her head negatively. "No. I have some business to attend to." She began to turn with the intent on slipping into the crowded room.

In response to her denial, Rin did what any other self-respecting pirate would do in his situation. He pinched the woman's ass. When Silver's predictable outrage occured, he laughed, inches away from having his nose flattened but her fist. The dodge was elegant, almost staged, and as his fingers slid around her outstretched arm, the music sprang to life. He arched away from her backhand, then twisted just so, spilling them out on to the dance floor in a whirl of graceful poise. By that time, Rin wrapped his arm around her waist, clenching down tightly upon her hand so she didn't use it once again to batter him senseless. "Come now, Silver, is that anyway to treat a gentleman' Tsk tsk," he warned with a cluck of his tongue. "You've an appearance to upkeep, and head butting me in the middle of all these distinguished guests would do little to improve your reputation. It might even show a considerable lack of self control to your dear Lord Tionel."

To say she was outraged would be an understatement. Instead, she glared at him as he half dragged, half danced her onto the dance floor. Instead of giving him the satisfaction of a headbutt, which would look very uncouth, not to mention it would no doubt bruise her pretty head, she clenched her right hand in attempt to break every bone in the hand that held her's hostage. "When I see a gentleman, I'll be sure to be polite." She smirked as he spun her around the floor once more, her fingers working to twist her hands out of grasp. "I can make quite an ugly scene for you, Rin, if this is the game you feel like playing." Indeed, it wasn't an empty threat. She knew what he was here for, and knew how to throw a wrench into his plans. "Or perhaps you can find some way to play nice in public. I'm sure there are an array of women in here that would be flattered by your....ways." Silver refrained from rolling her eyes, finally working her other hand out of his grasp and, despite her better judgement, placed it lightly on his shoulder in attempt to look less consipicuous.

"I remember a time where you enjoyed my....'ways,' Silver. It wasn't that long ago. Younger, perhaps. A bit foolish, maybe....and far deeper in our cups than we should've been. But it worked out well for you, didn't it?" a slender brow rose in question, and he chuckled at her look; that perfect mixture of disgust and confusion that he cherished so much. "I mean....was I not merely another notch on your belt of many lovers?" Other couples joined them on the floor, allowing them to weave and prance an assortment of colors and finery. Rin was perfect, his moves effortless and fluid, something oddly akin to his fighting style, something Silver was all too familiar with. "How does it feel to wear a dress for a change?" The song took to a lilting note, and Rin dipped his partner in a low, exacting arch, which nearly put his nose level with her cleavage. "I know you prefer boots and trousers, so you can walk about pretending you've got a cock, but it must be exhilarating to have so many eyes on you." Snapping back to a level pose, Rin guided them through the next few steps, but somehow always guided her gaze to those admirers in the crowd; eyes filled with hunger, sly smiles adorning lips, and not all of them were from men, either. Rhy'din's underworld catered to anyone's tastes. Last, Rin swayed so she could glimpse Lord Austine Tionel's face, watching them both with narrowed eyes, a pointed frown marring his thin face.

"You give yourself far too much credit, as usual. Notches and keepsakes were your thing, Rin, probably because unlike you, I prefer my company coherent." She twirled through the dancers, oddly graceful for a woman who was usually working around men all day. "As for a cock, at least one of us has one. Sometimes I think you just have penis envy. The only person enjoying this dress..." She hissed as she was dipped, her long hair nearly sweeping the floor before she was snapped back up, sending golden waves tumbling around her shoulders. "..is you." She said the last two words with such force, it was as if she was swearing at him. Her gazes caught those looking, though the ones she was aware of were the women staring at Rin, desire apparent in their faces. The thought only made her want to laugh. Rin, peacocking around in all his finery, trying to blend in with a crowd that was damn well one that neither of them ever spent too much time in. "Spare me the idle chit-chat. I know why you're here, and this time, it's not for the women. This isn't exactly the type of establishment where you normally find your dates." Silver pivoted lightly on the ball of her foot as she was led in another dizzying turn of dazzling jewels and bright colors. Her lips curved into a small smile as she caught Lord Tionel's eye before disappearing into the dancers again. "You might want to have a chat with your spies though for not alerting you to the fact I'd be here, especially as part of the government." That drew a sincere smile to her lips as her eyes focuse in on Rin's face, the amusement and anger flashing quickly before he composed himself again.

"I don't know what?s more funny," Rin replied, pressed close now as they navigated through the crowd of spinning nobility and their courtiers. "The fact that you think I have spies, or that I 'like' you in that dress." A high string cut across the melody, and they paused, faces a hair's breadth from a kiss. "I love you in it..." and the moment past, allowing him to guide her back to the ring of watchers, gliding as if on water. "Come now, Silver....why must this always be about jewels and treasure between us, 'eh?" There was a roguish grin about his handsome, dark featured face. "You've already stolen my heart, my lady....and perhaps even my cock as well, for it's the only one I'd ever envy on you. Though, given our past, I do remember you enjoying it well enough....can't blame you for wanting to keep it!" The music was slowing down, now, and Rin began to loosen his grip. When the final chord was struck, he released her and performed a flamboyant bow, deeper and more precise than any of the other gentlemen offered their ladies. "Sometimes, Silver..." he began, rising back to his modest height. "...the most precious thing I can steal is a few moments of your time." And with a smile and a wink, Rin Laeyr faded back into the crowd.

Silver Starblade

Date: 2011-11-07 20:06 EST
Silver's teeth clenched, her jaw setting, lest she say something she'd come to regret later; no, not for saying it, but rather for speaking it in public. If he had not bowed so quickly, she would've shoved him halfway across the dance floor. He was all but lucky she didn't break any part of his body in that little charade of a dance. Silver silently let loose a string of indecent pairs of words that would make even Rin blush before composing herself and turning back into the room. She caught the eye of her companion, an ever so subtle shift in her neck motioning him toward the case. It was time to get this ship out of port. Her fingers reached up, brushing absently through those long blonde locks before they tugged a small cap sleeve into place about her shoulder and finally dropped into the folds of her dress. She began to weave her way through the well-dressed guests towards the displays once more. "Is it done?" Rin's coy, flirtatious nature had been discarded like a cloak, exchanged for a more business-like air when coming to confront his first mate. Myoc looked no more absurd than most of the nobility in their myriad of colors and outlandish attire, yet seeing the half-orc in bright orange did test the pirate's ability to maintain a straight face through the most trying of circumstances. He had asked the man to blend, and his woolen shirt, silk vest and trousers were perfectly acceptable for the occasion, but the color made his eyes water, as if the hue was so loud it meant to deafen and blind any passersby. The half-orc had tucked himself away in the corner, looking nothing short of a hostile fruit, glaring at any who dared approach too close. "Yes," Myoc grunted, surveying the crowd as if each and every person he glimpsed had wronged him personally. "Jack and the others managed it....time ta' leave if yer done flirtin' with your woman." Rin snorted, shaking his head softly. "No, not mine, yet....but soon. She was a taste to remember, and I'd rather savor her rather than down her in one. Come....let's get out of here before you hurt anyone else's eyes with that get up of yours. Where did you manage to find that outfit anyway?" The half-orc chuckled darkly, offering a toothy grin. "Some bloke headin' ta' the party ain't gonna make it in nothin' but his knickers. Lucky I didn't knife him, but the bloody bastard made me laugh, so I let'em go with a blow to the head." Rin sighed, covering his face with the palm of his hand. "Always the soft-hearted, aren't you, Myoc" C'mon, we'll have to get back to the ship before Silver figures out what?s happened."

Silver's steps carried her to the cases, the exquisite gems and statuettes gleaming under the lighting that Lord Tionel had taken great pains to set up. The auction, undoubtedly, would bring him a nice profit. Silver's eyes were examining a small figurine of what looked to be solid gold, inlaid with tiny, twinkling emeralds, sapphires and rubies. A diamond about the size of a beetle lied in the clasped hands of the woman. It would make a great addition to her own treasury, she mused. Her mind scanned the possibilities of acquiring such an artifact when a tall figure slid up beside her. "He's been waylaid by Lady Winslot." The man's voice was low but loud enough she could make out his words from the other side of the case. "Are you all set then?" Silver responded, rounding the case to head toward the Fire Opal. Gabriel followed behind her, both pairs of eyes falling onto the reason they were here. "Yes, just let me know when."

Silver's lips ascended into a small smile as the opal twinkled in the case. She dropped a hand to the case, fingers gingerly caressing the glass as she bent to get a better look at the opal. The veins of red and orange ran near yellow at the top of the opal....yellow" Silver's eyes narrowed, Gabriel noticing the subtle movement with a raise of his eyebrows. He moved to stand next to her just as he heard the hiss. "Son of a.." Silver whispered. She straightened, looking directly at her crewman. "Go ahead to the ship and ready to sail out as soon as the tide comes in." He simply nodded before disappearing into the crowd. Silver's hands fell to her hips as she scanned the finery, but did not fine Rin. Well played, she sourly thought before her arms dropped to her sides and she crossed the room to Tionel. "I suggest you wait on auctioning the Opal." The man excused himself from his present company and turned to regard the Minister. "What?" He was taken by surprise and the authority in her voice; authority Tionel was not used to taking. "The one in that case is a fake. There is a breech somewhere in your household, Tionel. I will make sure to recover the original, and the perpetrator. You, in the meantime, might want to find who is the weak link in your service." She did not bother to wait for an answer since she did not care what he would have to say. She did, however, catch the look of utter shock that faded into anger and then dismay on the face of the host. Silver quickly crossed the room, a hand snapping out to snatch the cloak from a server's waiting hands as she swept past into the darkness of the night.


Silver Starblade

Date: 2011-11-17 20:57 EST
Silver darted into the night, illuminated only by a sliver of a moon and the lamps lit in the windows. Their light cast shadows dancing through the alleyways as she ran passed, the lone crewman that had attended her that evening having left to deliver the news to her ship. She swore at the shoes as they tripped her up, nearly causing her to lose her balance as she rounded a corner. A single hand shot out, scraping against the rough brick of the building and tearing small lines into the skin of her palm and fingers. Finding her balance, she dropped her hands into the skirt of her dress, lifting it off the ground and quickly returning to her fast pace through the docks. The damn weight of the dress and all its pieces had her nearly out of breath as her shoes began their loud thudding down the planks of the docks. A short whistle from an alleyway to her right caused her to momentarily slow down, but only for a hair's breadth. She knew who was lurking back there as she continued toward her destination, passing her own ship to run up the plank of the Howling Harlot. Her steps drew to a halt, one of the crew approaching her. "Ye cannae come aboard."

"Yes, I can." She spoke quietly, her hands releasing the folds of her skirt to allow them to fall about the planks of the deck. She reached up to push back her hood. Her eyes were bright, her skin flushed from the exertion of running.

The man swallowed, knowing who was standing in front of him, but he was under strict orders to not let anyone aboard. "We're about to depart, ma"am. You'll have to go ashore."

Silver's eyes narrowed ever so slightly before her hand rose, fanning her neck. "Could I at least have a glass of water?" She half breathed out, tipping her head ever-so-slightly to the side. Blonde waves tumbled off her shoulder to slide down her back, exposing a long expanse of dewy skin. Her fingers dropped to her neck, gently sliding down the tanned skin, her gaze calculatingly watching the man squirm uncomfortably. He knew his Captain would be mad if the woman was denied water, but equally angry if she was allowed on board. He shifted nervously from foot to foot, watching as the woman tried to catch her breath, the rising and falling of her chest befouling his train of thought.

"M'lady Silver," the brusque baritone of Myoc the half-orc burst from the darkness like the distant rumble of thunder. "The captain has been expectin' ya'..." A large hand clapped down on the crewman's shoulder, forcibly guiding him aside with less than a grunt of effort. "Apologies, naturally - some'o'the crew hadn't been informed." A beady-eyed glare was leveled at the dark-skinned sailor, who was smart enough to step back in full to allow Silver passage on to the Howling Harlot. "If I might say it, m'lady....lookin' quite fine tis'evening." The half-breed offered Silver a toothy grin, mismatched and crooked, yet oddly charming in a way some find bulldogs adorable. "Captain Laeyr be waitin' fer ye in his cabin - straight through tha' door..." A thumb jerked over his broad shoulder before he marched away across the deck, waving a thick arm at the rest of the men inhabiting the deck, openly staring. "Back to work you sally-cocked arse fuckers!"

Silver's hand fell to her side as Myoc approached, a small smile playing over her lips at the half-orc's compliment. She had a soft spot for him, though she could never figure out why. Her eyes slid to the door that Myoc had pointed out. "Oh hell." She muttered, the thought of having to meet him in his quarters causing the hair on the back of her neck to prickle. On his own turf, especially in his private quarters, would undoubtedly turn Rin into more of a narcissistic as*hole then he already was. Silver spun on the ball of her foot, crossing the deck to raise her knuckles and rap sharply on the wood of the door to Laeyr's quarters. She glanced briefly at her hand before a muffled reply had her pushing open the door and stepping across the threshold. Silver glanced up into the room, trying to figure out where Rin was before he could surprise her. "You need a better forger, Laeyr. Yellow" That was half-assed."


Silver Starblade

Date: 2011-11-21 15:05 EST
Rin Laeyr was fairly easy to spot, for the man himself stood in the center of his quarters putting the finishing touches upon a small table set with crimson cloth and elegant, and most likely stolen, silverware. "I thought you'd be a little later," the man confided as he lit several candles around the room. They were held in slender glass flutes, oddly shaped contraptions that looked, if the candle were to fall, the flame would be snuffed out before causing a larger fire. Instead of the silken trappings he wore at the party, this time the pirate was dressed in his more accustom fare; a loose, wide-sleeved tunic only loosely tied about his torso and a pair of black trousers and boots, to fulfill the roguish fantasy he often portrayed to women. Never Silver, though. She always saw him as a rat, or something unpleasant she might've stepped in. "It doesn't matter," blowing out the wick he used to light the others, he tossed it away and turned to face Silver in full, his smirk in full bloom. "It only shines yellow under certain lighting, I guess I was just unlucky....or perhaps not. I never intended on keeping the gem, Silver, but to use it as leverage. I've a deal for you....I get one night with you, and I hand over the jewel without a fuss, and you get to choose whatever it is you wish to do with it....keep it, return it....I don't care, but what I am after isn't so easily stolen, now is it....my lady?"

To say she was surprised was an understatement, but years of learning to not give away her intentions kept her face neutral; all except the faintest narrowing of her eyes but for a split second. He might look charming, but she knew better, and there was no way in hell he would ever hand that jewel over that easily. "Seven hells." She murmured, taking in the scene in silence. She had fallen right into his little game and it irritated her to no end that she had totally played into it. She should've known better. Silver's hands came to fall on the curve of her hips, her eyes rising from the table to the man across from her. "I doubt that you would hand the jewel over so easily, Rin, though that was a noble effort." Her smirk reappeared, as did that single dimple. "Though now that I know you have it, something does need to be done. I'm not letting you leave port with that Opal." Silver stepped further into the room, well aware of the eyes that stared through the open door and the ears that were all straining to hear what was going on inside. A single hand slid out to curl her fingers around one of the wine glasses, lifting it from the table. "Shall we discuss other...options?"

"Other options?" a slender brow hooked upwards as he circled the room, his own eyes like a hot touch upon the curves of her body - a painter's stroke, finite and soft, yet elegantly poised to breathe life into an already working masterpiece. With a firm hand, he shut the door to his cabin, placing his back to it as he possessed her with his gaze. "No, Silver....that's the deal. I could care less about that stupid gem. You have, and shall always be the true prize..."

Silver Starblade

Date: 2011-12-06 20:16 EST
The wine glass dangled from her fingertips, arms crossed as she watched him closely. He circled, like a vulture, and she was well aware of his eyes on her figure. At times like this, when there was no crowd, she could never tell if he was being serious or just silver-tongued. It was one of the things that infuriated her about Rin, yet had led to that single night nearly a decade ago when they first met; before it all went bad. The glass was raised to her lips, the red liquid sliding down her throat before she set the near empty crystal back on the decorated table. She spun slowly to face him as he blocked the door.Trapped she almost thought, were it not for the gentle lurch and rocking of the ship that caused her muscles to tense. There was only one thing that caused the ship to move as it did, and her fear was confirmed as she heard the rumbling sound of the anchor settling into place.

They were leaving port.

With her on the ship.

"C*ck-sucking leeches!" She swore at Rin, her glittering eyes narrowing. "You're really leaving port with me on your ship" What is this"a kidnapping?" She stared at him, moving toward the door as an arm swung out to push him to the side so she could storm on deck to see for herself.

Rin was smiling, his shoulders rolling back in a casual shrug. "No one is keeping you here, Silver....you have and shall always be my personal guest on the Howling Harlot, but there's something you have to realize-" without her coaxing shove to move him, the grinning pirate stepped aside and threw open the door, bowing slightly as a gentleman might at a harvest ball. When Silver marched out on to the deck with his crew crawling across it with proficient ease, tying off ropes, tapering sails and listening to the booming orders of his half-orc second, Rin followed at a languid pace. They had swept from the harbor, and was slowly moving toward open waters. The docks were some thirty feet away now, and as both Silver and he approached the edge, Rin chuckled. "I'm going to get you wet, one way or another..." and with a hearty slap, Rin spanked the bold woman full in the arse, and if her balance wasn't pristine, Silver would soon find herself pitching over the edge and into the waters below.

Silver grimaced, both from Rin's double entendre and from the ship sailing further out to port. Her eyes darted toward the docks, watching as the familiar sails of her ship unfurled. At least they weren't wasting any time, she mused, just as Rin's hand slapped against the layers of skirts covering her a$s. Silver's elbow jutted out, roughly connecting with Rin's ribs, the air escaping his lungs rather loudly. He slid sideways, a few steps away from Silver and out of the reach of her arms.


Silver Starblade

Date: 2012-06-16 19:52 EST
Silver took a moment, taking long, deep breaths of the salty sea air before turning slowly and stepping out of her shoes. The two blue high-heels were left on the deck as she padded barefoot toward his quarters, slamming the door closed behind her. She quickly crossed to the table, dragging a chair over to the door and propping it up under the handle to allow her a few moments to herself.

This entire night was absurd.

Silver began to peel the layers of the dress away from her skin, suffocating in the material as it clung to her figure. The laces of the corset were all but torn from their loopholes before the entire thing was discarded on the floor, the dress following, a dark blue velvet puddle at her feet. Silver kicked the dress and corset into a corner, quickly looking around his room. If she knew Rin, which unfortunately she did, there'd be some women's clothing around, and after a few moments of ransacking his room, she found a pair of pants that slid on easily, albeit tightly, to rest on her hips.

She glanced quickly toward the door as she heard the knob turning, but it wouldn't open. The banging began. She continued to rummage through his things, looking for both a shirt and the Opal, not bothering to muffle the sounds or take any care of the objects that were in the room. A shirt (probably his, but she was desperate) was found, her back to the door as she slid it up over her shoulders and reached down to tie it off at her waist.

There was a soft tap upon the balcony at the end of the ship, leading into Rin's quarters. After the first attempt at the door, Silver had been granted a slight reprieve, because the thudding abated and silence fell, but as she could clearly see in the smug face of the pirate leaning against the balcony's rail, Rin had found a way around. And by the way his eyes were glittering, she wasn't quite sure how much of her changing he might've caught. "Much better," Rin exclaimed, parting the glass doors and entering his cabin with a light clap, as if applauding either her effort to keep him out, or the change in garb. "I always preferred you in pants, it allows the eye to appreciate that fine ass of yours a lot better." Folding his arms across his chest, Rin arched a brow, shaking his head slowly. "Silver, your name itself speaks of finery, a prize to win and covet....I made my intent clear, and now it is time for you to choose..."

"Choose what, Rin?" She sighed, her arms rising to cross again after making sure her clothing was covering all the parts it needed to. "Your little games are growing tiring. Does it always have to revolve around the bedroom with you?" She shook her head.

"Does it have to be?" Rin looked as if the question confused him. "No, I guess not, though the bedroom is the most apparent of places....but, I've done it in closests and alleyways - fun and exciting locals to which I'll not get into now." Chuckling, he shrugged again.

Silver turned her back on him and moved across the room to remove the chair from the door. "There are other ways for me to get that Opal." She glanced over a shoulder at him before stepping, barefoot, through the now unlocked door and onto the decks. Her ship could be spotted on the horizon, growing bigger with each moment. "Besides..." She continued as she turned back around to rest a hip on the doorframe. "It's more fun when you let the tension build." Her lips curved into a smirk, her blue eyes twinkling beneath the thick fringe of lashes. Silver pushed off the doorframe, crossing the ship in a matter of paces before she reached up and grasped the rigging. With practice ease, she swung herself up onto the railing, and, blowing a kiss to the male captain, she dove easily into the waves below.

He followed her once again through the door. "Yes, there are other ways, Silver, but none quite so fun and....pleasurable. But, I leave the raping to my men, I'm more of a gentlemen..." a few of his crew snickered softly at their stations, and Rin couldn't help but laugh himself. "At least I can truthfully say I got you wet, love....have a nice swim back." He made a motion, as if he caught that kiss, and tucked it away in a shirt pocket, watching her dive out of sight.

Silver Starblade

Date: 2012-06-18 20:51 EST
Her arms strained as she hooked them into the netting that was draped over the side of the ship, trailing in the water. It took her a few moments to get herself righted and begin the painstakingly slow ascent to the deck. She reached up to curl her fingers around the rough rope, only to see a well muscled arm descend over the rail. It hooked under her arms, hoisting her up and over the rail as if she was a rag-doll.

Silver was placed on the top deck by her first mate, Ty, who was staring at her in silence. He arched a single brow as he took in her appearance but said nothing. Silver grinned at him, shrugging her wet shoulders and looking down at the puddle pooling around her bare feet.

"Those ain't yer clothes Cap"ain." Leon pointed out as a few of the crew approached.

"You're very astute." She retorted.

"Didja just say my as$ toots?" Leon's brows shot up in question as those around him began chuckling, sending some jabs his way.

Silver was well aware of the eyes on her, a few wondering where her shoes went and whose clothes she was wearing. Others were wondering why she was in someone else's clothes but they all knew better than to question the Captain. Afterall, she had left the ship in a dress and it had been an ongoing bet to see if she returned in it. (There was also a side bet if the dress would be in one piece. That they would never know). She turned to head toward her quarters, leaving a trail of water behind her as she crossed the decks.

"Where we goin" now, Cap?" Another spoke up. She turned to look at Garret.

"Well, Garret," She began, her lips once more curling into amusement. The crew looked at her warily. Ty crossed his thick arms, shaking his bald head. He knew that look too well. "We need to get out of her and quick."

"Harenhead." Leon suggested.

"Too far." Silver countered as she reached up up to grab a hold of a long, thick mane of hair and with both hands, she wrung out a river of water that splashed onto the deck. "I think Laeyr will be needing a port to unload some cargo."

"Isla de Conchas." The deep baritone of the voice rumbled like a volcano about to explode. When the crew heard it they all turned to stare at Ty. When he spoke, which was extremely rare, it was with a purpose and very rarely, if ever, were his words questioned.

Silver's smile widened, dimpling a single cheek. "Exactly."

"And that ain't obvious?" Garret looked back at the Captain. "You don'think Laeyr will be there?"

"Oh, I'm hoping for it." Silver turned with a flourish and disappeared into her quarters. She padded softly across the only rich adornment in the room, an extremely large navy blue rug with silver threads, painstakingly hand sown into the material to mirror the constellations in the night sky. The door opened and closed softly behind her, followed by a deep rumble of Ty clearing his throat.

"What?" she demanded, pulling off her shirt and letting it drop with a wet smack to the floor.

"Nothing good is going to come of this." His voice was quiet, but nonetheless intimidating. It was like the quiet rumble of thunder in the distance, signaling an oncoming storm. Fitting, she mused before speaking.

"Don't lecture me." Silver responded again, finally managing to peel the pants from sticking to her legs. She quickly reached across to her bed, grabbing a pair of loose linen pants that replaced the wet, discarded ones.

"Someone has to."

"The Fire Opal, " Silver began, sliding a matching shirt over her shoulders just as her first mate turned around to face her. Ty always kept decorum around the Captain, despite the fact the two of them were like overprotective siblings. Silver finished the buttons, turning around with hands on her hips to face the large man. He could see the determination in the set of her jaw and the annoyance in the flash of her eyes. It wouldn't deter him. ?"Captain Laeyr. Open water and no more docks. Enough money to buy a whole damn fleet. This will keep the crew satiated for months."

"This game " " Ty began, only to be cut off by Silver.

?"has already started."

Ty reached up to rub his bald head in exasperation. Silver knew that movement well. She had seen it too many times to count. The crew usually thought Ty mute since the man never spoke, but Silver knew otherwise.

"Why is it always this way when Laeyr is involved?"

Silver's shoulders rose and fell in response. She lowered herself to sit at the edge of the bed, her arms falling across her thighs. Her lips curved into a slight smile, her annoyance dissipating. "It's always been this way. And someone needs to deflate that large ego of his."

"It always leads to trouble."

"No, it leads to adventure, and we haven't had a damn good one in a while."

Ty grunted, falling back into silence. He couldn't argue with that point. The crew had been restless, and when the Howling Harlot reappeared" well it had made them even more restless. Ty would never fully understand the rivalry between the two Captains, but when the two of them clashed, in inevitably led to excitement, and the *Starstruck Siren* hadn't seen any of that in a while. He reached out, placing a large hand gently on the Captain's shoulder. "I hope you know what you're doing."

"Do I ever?" She snorted, watching as he let himself out.


Silver Starblade

Date: 2012-06-22 13:30 EST
"Do you smell that, Myoc?" With a furrow to his sloping brow, Myoc lumbered forward to join his captain on the forecastle, suspicion stamped across his blunt features as if a permanent facet to his flat face. Head c0cked to one side, he sniffed the air once, paused, then took a greater pull, nostrils flaring. With a growl, Myoc hocked back and spat over the rail. "What game are you playing now?" the half-orc demanded, lips split around that one tusk; it gave his first mate a rather fierce expression, even when smiling. Though, as Rin recalled, Myoc hardly smiled to begin with. Another of his more outspoken crewmen, Black Jay Roberts, was once heard to say that Laeyr's first mate had to be so dour to balance Rin's jovial nature. "I mean, without ole' Bigtooth glowerin' over the cap's shoulder, who'd take the man seriously?" the joke had gone, and was met with laughter until Rin had drawn his blade in one fluid movement and made a swift cut through the air. There had been a moment of tense silence, as if his men expected Black Jay to fall in half, but after a second the only thing to happen was the man's trousers fell about his ankles. As his men roared with amusement, and Black Jay stumbled over himself to yank back his dignity, Rin had sheathed his blade and calmly stepped from the room. "I don't smell anything," Myoc grunted, his gruff voice dragging him back to the present. "Just the salt, and perhaps Puggs - man hasn't bathed in ages." "It's freedom, my friend....freedom and adventure..." Rin cut a fine image upon the prow of his ship, sleek figure dressed in black silk, unbuttoned to reveal a firm slash of muscled chest, while his head was bound in a crimson bandanna, twin-tails fanning outward from the base of his skull like the herald of some dreadful army soon to sweep over their foe. "I thought we're to sell the rock, captain?" the half-orc asked dryly, not falling prey to his superior's enthusiasm, and looking thoroughly unimpressed over Laeyr's roguish mien. "Yes, yes..." waving away his first mate's words, he charged forward with his point. "But, that's just a small part of the gambit we're making here, don't you see?" "You're thinking with your cock again..." Myoc stated bluntly. That drew Rin to a halt, turning to pit a glare upon the flat-faced brute who served as his right hand. While taller, and obviously far more powerful in physical capacity, the half-orc could hardly match him for speed or skill with a blade. They both knew that, yet Myoc hardly quavered beneath Rin's menacing stare. His first mate knew, just as he did, that they came too far, and survived too much, to end their friendship over a few paltry quips. "I got the jewel and made our escape clean, I'd think that proof enough of higher cognitive reasoning..." "Use your fancy words all you like, captain, but when that woman is involved, you push the envelop too far." Myoc's point was lost in Rin's dismissive scoff, shaking his head in obvious denial. His first mate had always been over protective of him with certain rivals, but none more fiercely than their current opponent. She was the rival in her way, and he couldn't help but smile thinking about the woman. "She'll be of no consequence, my friend..." "Then why go to Isla de Conchas?" the half-orc growled. "She'll know we'll be heading there!" "No ship sails faster than my Howling Harlot," Rin said confidently, patting the rail as if caressing a lover's cheek. "We'll beat her there, though perhaps she'll arrive in port in time for our celebration, 'eh?" "Why must you antagonize Captain Silver?" Myoc asked, exasperation now lacing his gravelly tone. "Because it's fun," the roguish captain admitted with a wry smile. "...and because I won't stop until I've tasted that woman again. She was....and still is my greatest conquest..." Rubbing his face in the broad plain of his palm, Myoc just groaned and turned away, barking orders at a few slacking crewmen. Soon the sails were trimmed, the wind caught just right, and it felt as if the Howling Harlot sailed through the clouds instead of cutting through the churning black of the western sea.

Silver Starblade

Date: 2012-06-27 11:55 EST
"Don't say it." Silver stared at the large man.

He stared back in silence, which said more than any words. Silver winced, shaking her head as she pulled on her boot and stood. Ty's eyes slid from her boots, slowly up to her head before he grunted.

"I told you not to say it." She muttered before planting her hands on her hips. "And I look fine."

Silver knew how to play this game. After all, it had been going on for years and there were only two players. The second had just made himself known in port. She planned to be situated before he found her. Ever since that night, Silver had vowed to try and keep the upper hand with Rin. A throaty rumble from her fist mate brought her thoughts back.

"Bah." She waved a hand at him. Watching as his arms crossed and he blocked her exit.

"Why' It's entertaining.....No, I will not get into trouble." She watched as a single brow of his raised skeptically. "Well, not too much."

He didn't move and instead pointed at her getup. Freshly polished boots, doeskin breeches tanned to a light cream color, and a fresh white shirt that was tied to rest just where her pants ended. She glared, pushing the sleeves up to her elbows before waving a hand at her first mate. "Get out of the way."

"This isn't a good idea." He grumbled.

"When is it ever, when Rin's involved?" She returned. "You know where I'll be."

The tavern was a dive, as was everything on this blasted island. There was no sign of any sort of watch or patrol. They had give up years ago. The island was too lawless for any sort of order, and this was proven as a man crashed through a nearby window, landing a foot away from the Captain. Silver stepped over him toward the establishment next to the one with a freshly broken window.

She shoved the door aside and stepped through, not pausing in her stride to see if it closed behind her. A quick sweep of her eyes counted twelve patrons. Good, she thought, not too crowded and plenty of room.

A table of five men, one of whom was missing an eye and another who had a wicked gash running from the top of his bald head down the entire length of his face, stared openly at the woman. The curve of her legs was clearly visible beneath her breeches and she had the rolling gait of a sailor that only emphasized her shape. When she bent to lean on the bar to claim a bottle and leave coins, they caught a flash of tanned skin where her white blouse parted from the edge of her pants.

The one with the gash tipped over in the chair, sprawling foolishly on the floor as his friends all chuckled at his misfortune. Silver, well aware of being one of the few females in the establishment that was not hawking her body for money, swaggered her way to the card players" table. "What are we playin" tonight, fellas?"

"Ganjifa." One of them muttered, his cards plainly visible to anyone who wanted to look.

She dropped a silver coin on the table in front of the man. "If you win, you owe me double.?

He stared for a long moment as she turned away to head to an empty table in the extreme back corner of the room. The wooden chair creaked lightly in protest as she tipped back precariously on two legs, and propped her boots up on the table, crossing them at the ankles. She moved her foot from left to right, enjoying the way the dim light of the wall sconces reflected off the newly polished surface. One arm was draped on that of the chair, the other held a bottle of rum, which was perched on a muscled thigh.

The card game had resumed, but not with a few stolen glances in her direction as the men attempted to get another look at the blonde Captain. Lucky for her, the tip of her chair was just out of reach of the light from the wall. Her free hand lifted toward her face, the Opal glinting in her palm as she tipped her hand to catch the fire's reflection. Such a pretty gem, she mused, yet so cursed and so, so valuable.

Silver tucked the stone away, raising the rum bottle to her lips and her eyes to the door. She'd wait.


Silver Starblade

Date: 2012-07-01 14:51 EST
When the Howling Harlot made berth at Isla de Conchas, more than a few took note. Her infamous colors were nearly as well known as her captain, and Laeyr took great care to keep that reputation fresh in everyone's mind. It had been built into something of a legend, both himself and his ship, and that, more than anything else, had convinced more captains to surrender rather than fight when overtaken by the Howling Harlot. "Eight hours ashore, half-and-half, Black Jay can draw the lots to see who goes first....any trouble, and I'll be castrating the lot of ya..." There was no question where Myoc was going. The sturdy half-orc was already armed with cudgel and maul, chest bound in a leather vest and leaving his thick, sculpted arms bared, revealing a patchwork of scars, burns and other half-healed injuries that he wore like badges of honor.

As Black Jay began organizing his crew, Laeyr took stride down the narrow lane of hovels and buildings barely looking slapped together, or even poorly repaired ruins from the previous occupants that once ruled this island and several others to the south. "We arrived before her, captain..." Myoc stated firmly.

"Yes, that we did..." Rin replied, sounding almost bored. He wore a black vest of silk with golden buttons, an undershirt with white, puffy sleeves, and black leather trousers that fed into the turned-down lip of his knee-high boots. A thick-bladed dagger and a rapier adorned his hips comfortably, while his crimson bandana covered his scalp from the baleful influence of the sun.

"Yet, you let her dock first..." Myoc continued, sounding disgruntled. "That I did..." the pirate said calmly, continuing to navigate through the maze-like streets of Isla de Conchas.

"Why...?" growled the half-orc. "Because....that way I know exactly where she's going, and what she's up to..." and that's how he ended up coming through the door of the Broken Oar, with a sly grin and an air of expectation, trying to find the woman he sought with a cursory look around the room. Nowhere easily seen, that was for certain, but there was more than a few patrons lingering in the shadows....and it was only a matter of time before the woman's pride would be her undoing.

Fitting, Silver mused, as Rin's figure was illuminated from the light of the setting sun. If he could see himself now, he'd undoubtedly want a portrait painted of this exact moment, backlit by the sun and looking every inch of swashbuckling pirate. Silver smirked in the shadows, watching as he and the half-orc made their way inside. His eyes searched the faces, delving into the shadows but passing by her.

Well, mused, let the games begin. She knew he expected her to make herself known when he did not immediately find her. I can wait, she thought again when he gave no sign of having seen her. She knew damn well he would've given himself away; a brief widening of the eyes, a twitch of the lips, if he was trying to hide it; a blatant smirk in her direction if he wasn't. When none of those were visible from her vantage point, she lifted the bottle once more to her lips for another swig of rum. The liquid burned down her throat as her eyes trailed after the pair, watching as the half-orc split from the Captain to find some perch of his own. She knew he'd be there in the shadows in case anything went wrong.

Silver dropped the bottle back on a thigh, tapping her fingers silently against the glass of the bottle. It was easy to see why all the women in the room kept their eyes on the pirate as he made his way toward the bar. He was handsome and charismatic, and almost seemed to make everything a game.

Silver had a weakness for those types. It had been her undoing in his case. She silently chided herself, remembering how much younger and more foolish she had been. It was early in her days as Captain. Hell, it was when she first got the "Siren-.

Rin rested an elbow on the bar, making small talk with the tender. She smiled to herself again, watching the exchange. He was probably asking about a blonde woman and the tender was deciding whether or not to out her.

A few silver coins and a threatening smile saw to the tender's loyalties soon enough, and before she had a chance to take another swallow of rum, Rin was leering in her direction. She thought to hide, 'eh' Silver must've known she would've been found out sooner or later. So what was her game" It was time to find out. "I'm surprised at you..." he murmured, pulling a chair free from the nearest table to join her, dark eyes steady upon her face. "...it's as if you're wearing that outfit to purposefully draw my eye....but, I'd doubt the great Captain Silver would do anything so....demeaning as using her body as a distraction against a virile specimen such as myself, 'eh?"

Silver Starblade

Date: 2012-07-01 18:50 EST
The bottle was lowered before it had a chance to touch her lips. She had hoped to get in one last swig before he made his way over, but when he eyed her lewdly, she knew the tender had given her up. "Took you long enough. You're losing your edge, Laeyr." A small smirk curled on her lips, her sapphire gaze finding his and returning it just as brazenly.

"Since when do my clothes have any impact?" She answered in retort. "Considering you are usually trying to get me out of them."

"A woman must have her secrets, otherwise she isn't a woman..." Rin replied with a flippant air of dismissal. "As for your clothes....well, like all presents, those with the most elaborate of wrappings often get chosen from the pile first, yet no matter what....all will be opened eventually." The pirate's head canted to one side, and those eyes seemed to undress her with the slow finesse of a familiar lover. How a man could simply look at you, and yet touch you so intimately was beyond understanding, but Laeyr was capable of such intense stares. It could easily make a weaker-willed woman feel completely naked before his eyes. Silver was made of stronger stuff, yet Rin knew, deep down, it would be hard for her to suppress a shudder. "So, Silver, are you to be my present' If so....I might be very generous in return."

That look was unsettling, but she would not give him the satisfaction of knowing so. She couldn't decide if it made her skin crawl or unnerved her; after all she had spent years refusing to ever succumb to that again. "Generosity was never your strong point." A single boot rose, a long leg dropping to the floor before the other followed suit. Silver slowly placed the bottle of rum on the table and her arms rose to cross loosely on the worn wood. Blonde locks slithered over a shoulder, nearly obscuring the small amount of tanned skin that was visible beneath her neck. The position brought her dangerously close to her opponent. "Is there something you wanted, Rin?" A single brow arched over an eye before her lashes lowered slightly and she watched the man across from her in silence. She knew it would make him uncomfortable if she didn't outright dismiss his remarks, added to the fact she was unashamedly returning the greedy stares. "I know you did not come here for the company. It's severely lacking."

"Have I not been blunt enough, Silver?" Rin asked, arms folded across the back of his chair as he leaned forward. "...your company is never lacking, and as for my generosity....well, in certain things I'm quite capable of giving all of myself over to a cause. Like worshipping a beautiful woman with my tongue..." he made sure their lips were but an inch apart before Rin finished with a knowing smile. "...the kind of prayer that doesn't require words - a homage of touch and sensation. Can you remember?" His grin would've shamed a priest, but his eyes were alit with passion, and there was no denying the hunger to his stare. "That night....I drenched your young body in wine so it glistened in the moonlight, cleaning you from head to toe with my mouth alone before I kissed you gently on your lips, before ..." he pointed down, between her thighs, so his meaning was not lost on her. "You thought me quite generous, that day. We had gone on for a few hours....I lost track."

Her skin prickled at his words and she had to forcefully keep her mouth from dropping open in disbelief at his brazen words. It took every muscle she had to not move, when every fiber of her being wanted to send a fist into that smug expression on his face. Instead, she chose to pick up on the most asinine part of his monologue. "My young body?" She hissed out in a whisper, allowing her expression to turn to one of disbelief. "Well." She pursed her lips, nearly brushing them against his before she pushed up on her elbows, putting just enough distance between them to show she was annoyed, but not enough to end the game. "Seems your memory is a bit...no, let me rephrase that, completely different thane mine. Definitely more imaginative though, and as usual, you like to give yourself more credit than is due." Her fingers slid from the table, her gaze never leaving his as her hand slid down her leg into her boot. When it reappeared above the table, it was with a rather familiar gem. Silver placed the Opal on the table, keeping care to not remove her fingers from it at any point. "Might want to check your belongings, Rin. Word is there's something extremely valuable about to be sold."

Rin's brow winged upward, not even giving the gem a single glance. "What, your virginity?" he asked softly, so none of the others overheard. "I'm sorry to say that even I hadn't gotten there soon enough to claim such an invaluable prize." Shrugging back her feigned shock and barely veiled anger, Rin merely smirked. "Though, if you mean that pretty glass bauble you're keeping beneath your fingertip, I'm sorry to say you won't get too much for it..."

A slow smile crept over her lips, a lopsided grin that dimpled her right cheek. She knew he had a weakness for that particular dimple, after all, he had told her the first night he met her, and then proceeded to attempt to make it reappear all night. Whether or not he was successful was another matter entirely. A single, slender finger tapped on the top of the gem mockingly before she returned it to its hiding place. "That bauble," she began as she pushed back her chair. "is going to fetch me enough money to buy a fleet, should I decide to." Silver rose, one hand deftly plucking the bottle of rum from the table as the other trailed along the wood until it found his arm. Her fingers walked along the thin fabric of his shirt before she slid a single fingertip along his jawline, her voice dropping to a hushed whisper. "Though, you always did have a weakness for bare flesh. You could never take your eyes off a woman's naked body, even if she was simply changing her clothes.? With that, she stepped past him and left the tavern without so much as glancing backwards.

Silver Starblade

Date: 2012-07-10 13:49 EST
The Laughing Gull was something of a misnomer on the island, where establishments often bore the grim titles associated with piracy. There were many on Isla de Conchas; The Burning Rat, Rusted Anchor and Three Dagger Fold being some of the more notable, but they hardly compared with Captain Blackman's watering hole. There were few people brave enough to discuss either the 'Gull, or its proprietor, on the island, yet fewer still that did not remember harrowing tales of the Bloody Harbinger. It was a mantle that Captain Blackman wore with grim pride, and no man who charted the open seas could claim to spot The Laughing Gull and not piss themselves out of fear. One rumor allowed to escape the tight-lipped silence about the 'Gull spoke of Blackman's retiring day, where the people of Isla de Conchas swore up and down that they watched the grizzled pirate tear his beloved ship to pieces so he could build his tavern. And so, when Silver approached the broad-faced building, she could see something of a ship's shape in its broad planks and weathered front of the domineering structure. It sat high on the western edge of the island, as if looking down upon those lesser hovels in disdain. However, neither the 'Gull's grim cast nor its owner's darker reputation slowed her step in the least.

Silver pushed aside the door, stepping into the "Gull. The tavern, despite it's owners reputation, was busy. There was a lively card game going on in the corner near the door, numerous, well-endowed bar wenches peddling more than ale floating through the room, and a few drunkards singing raunchy sea-shanties by the dimly lit fireplace. A rather unlucky man was slumped near the bar, a lump on his head belying a fight and an eye beginning to bruise. Damn, she mused with a small grin, I missed all the fun.

Silver continued through the tavern toward the back end of the bar. Captain Blackman had melted into the shadows, but Silver knew he was there. She paused near the end of the bar, turning a shadowed gaze toward the darkness of the corner.

"Well well well?" the voice was raspy and deep, penetrating the shadows. "Look what the tide brought in."

Silver's smiled widened as she pushed back the hood of her cloak. A gnarled hand, bent from years of hard labor on the seas, snaked out from the darkness. Two fingers pinched a long strand of her hair, tugging hard on it. "Apparently I'm not as drunk as I thought." The shadows parted, the man slipping easily through them. He was tall, a few inches over Silver's height, white hair brushing his shoulders. A beard of the same color was neatly trimmed on his jaw. He stared in silence at the woman for a long moment before the bristles of his facial hair tickled her face as she planted a kiss on his cheek. "I've been hearin" rumors "bout you."

"You hear rumors about everything." She retorted with another smile.

"Big rumors. Bad rumors. Rumors I would rather not hear." He frowned at her, making a gesture to the tender before escorting her to the back to his office. As Silver stepped over the threshold she had to stop in wonder. There were numerous trophies of his adventures lining the shelves; tribal ornaments and masks, compasses, nautical instruments, bones of fabeled fish and the jaw of a shark that could easily swallow a small boat. She had been in here numerous times, not all friendly, but there were new prizes since her last visit. "Seems you've been busy yourself." Silver clucked.

Captain Blackman circled around her to sit at the large desk, watching as she took a seat across from him. "Don't talk to me "bout busy." His dark gaze narrowed dangerously. "What are you playing at?"

Silver's eyes widened briefly before she arched a single brow. "I have no idea what you are talking about, Henri."

Not many people knew Blackman personally, and those that did never addressed him with anything other than "Captain". It had been common knowledge that those who tried ended up swimming with the fishes before they finished speaking his name. A deep, resonating sound began in his throat, almost like a low, warning growl. "Don't play me for a fool, Silver."

She sat unmoving, returning his gaze in sheer defiance. For long moments, they like this. Silently she wondered how long this was going to last, or how long until he threw her out. Fortunately for her, that had only happened once. Captain Henri Blackman had known her for at least a decade. He knew her before she as her own Captain and had been a lover of one of her two mentors. For that reason, they each had a soft spot for the other.

"I would never think you a fool and you know it." Silver finally broke the silence.

"Not after y"er sorry attempt at tryin" ta steal what aint yours." Blackman grinned, despite himself.

Silver snorted before she began to laugh quietly, a musical sound that drew a chuckle from the gruff man across from her. She did not laugh nearly as much as she used to.

"I'm glad the memory of my ass being tossed out amuses you."

Captain Blackman winked before leaning forward on his desk. Slowly the smile faded and he watched the woman carefully. "If any of what I hear has merit, you're treading dangerous waters."

Silver Starblade

Date: 2012-07-10 19:54 EST


"I've been doing this a long time now, Henri." She sighed. "This isn't my first time afloat."

"The last time you and Laeyr were in the ports at the same time was.."

"Don't finish that sentence." Silver spat, sitting back irritably in her chair.

Blackman frowned again, a hand reaching up to rub at the beard on his chin. "You want that damnable Raven back, and do ya know wha' price that'd cost ya?"

"It already cost me more than I wanted." Her arms came up, crossing defensively. "I know you know what he did with it."

Blackman shrugged. "I have no idea."

"Now who's playing who for a fool?"

The man shook his head. "No, Silver, I do nay know."

She stared hard at him, leaning forward in her chair until she was staring at the stern pirate. "Yes, you do. You have ears all over the island, and the sea for that matter. I want to know where it is."

"No, ya don't."

"Fine." She relented, smugly sitting back in her chair. "I'll find someone else to get it for me. I hear Thatar is always looking for work." Blackman grimaced. "You'd put the word out about tha' bird?" He shook his head warily. "Are you asking to get yourself hurt' That'd cause more trouble and death than you know."

"I have no choice. I need that bird, and I'm damn well going to get that Opal while I'm at it." Silver stopped in her short tirade, watching Blackman shift in his chair. "You know something."

"That you're in danger."

"Something that you're not telling me." She pressed. "What do you know about the Raven, Henri?" Blackman stood, scratching at his beard again. He began to pace behind his desk. Silver noticed his uneven gait, wondering what injury was causing the pirate to walk with mismatched steps. With his back to her, he muttered a few obscenities before gruffly answering her question. "I swore I would take this to m"grave." He grumbled, his pacing pausing. "Rin took the damnable bird to ge"the heat off o"ya."

"What are you saying?" Silver sat up, carefully watching the man.

"Thatar's thugs wanted it, as did a few"more dangerous folk." Blackman looked back at her. "There were rumors that night that ya had it. Laeyr took that f-cking bird outta here so they woul"nay come after ya."

"Thatar and 'more dangerous folk'?" She paused for a moment. "Liar. Why would Rin risk the heat?"

"Are ya really tha' thick'eaded lass?" Henri Blackman stopped in his pacing to look across the desk at the blonde woman across from him. He sighed in frustration. In all the years he had known her, she had been oblivious to the way others looked at her.

"He wouldn't risk anything with that much heat. He'd rather see it out of port and then try to steal it from me." Silver fought back, her cheeks beginning to flush.

"If 'e ever found out I was even hintin' at this.."

"What' Hinting at what? Spit it out already, f-cking hell, Blackman!" Silver swore, flushing an angry red.

Silver Starblade

Date: 2012-07-12 11:20 EST
"I see my currency of trust has been all but spent in you, Henri..." a cold voice murmured from the entranceway. The door had parted a crack, and only a vague imprint of a man could be seen beyond, green eyes narrowed in the half-light beyond. It made for a stark portrait of malice, with only the barest hint of humanity to confirm that it wasn't a nightmare that lurked just beyond the range of their vision. When the door was finally kicked open, the illusion was dispelled in full, Rin Laeyr stepping over the threshold while courting a slender blade against a taller man's throat. He was a built figure with a blunt face and a broken nose, but right now his ugly features were twisted in a grimace of unease as Rin's dagger drew a thread of crimson against the flesh tense across his thick neck. "The quality of your guard has slackened of late, my old friend....tell your hound to ease off, or I'll paint him a kinder disposition..." Rin's wrist angled up, as if to carve a smile along the column of the man's throat for a moment, his worn, carved features displaying as much warmth as weathered wood. And for a second, it seemed he might've been callous enough not to care if a man's life was held in the balance, but rather the disrespect being levied against his character. It was nearly a minute before the old man nodded a curt reply, and Rin eased the dagger away. That didn't stop the rugged tough from spinning on his heel, ready to lay his former captor low with a punch that could certainly break wood, but Rin was quicker. One side step, and his knee flew upward into the man's gut, doubling him over so his face could be captured in the open-palm thrust that saw the would-be thug stumbling out the door. "We're talking, here..." Rin growled, slamming the door behind him. "My apologies, Henri, but....your man out there wouldn't let me see you, and it is important that I do before..." and here those green eyes slid to Silver, his lips twitching into the pretense of a smirk. "...before certain things come to pass..."

"Pox-ridden whore." Silver grimaced, her fingers reaching up to the bridge of her nose. She pinched, hard, in attempt to get her anger under control as it threatened to turn into fury. It was rare that the female Captain displayed any sort of extreme emotion; it had been ingrained in her since birth to reign in any and all feelings. Your business was your business alone, her father used to tell her, but everything about these last few days was pushing her limits. Now Rin had stalked in, threatening one of Captain Blackman's men no less, that stupid smug smirk crawling across his lips as he regarded her. If she wasn't so protective of Henri Blackman (which, in itself was quite hilarious, considering the man was twice her age and twice as deadly), she would've unleashed a torrent of explicitives that would have made both men proud. Silver raised her elbow off the desk, dropping her hand from her face. She did not bother to get up from her seat, but instead her arms found those of the chair, her boots planted firmly on the floor as she sat between two men. "Captain Blackman," she started, emphasizing the first word as if she was hurling an insult at Rin, "was just informing me of the history of my bird. Interesting nugget of information, I'd say." Her eyes were narrowed dangerously, the set in her jaw belying the grinding of her teeth. Captain Henri Blackman stood like a silent sentinel, closer to the woman than to the other male as if it was a protective instinct. The man knew he was not completely blameless, but if it came to it, he'd die trying to protect the blonde woman. Silver's fingers curled dangerously into the wood of the chair, as if she was trying to snap the arms off. "It all seems to make sense now, as to why you had to get into my pants to steal a damn statue." She spat, the chair tipping over as she stood. Silver's eyes found Henri's as she gauged the man in silence before she faintly moved her head in what would have passed as a nod. Silver's frosty glare found Rin . "I don't give a rat's ass in hell anymore. I will get that f-cking opal, whatever way I need to." She started to shove past him, heading out of the office toward the tavern.

Silver got two steps before Rin's hand snapped outward and captured her arm in a firm grasp; despite his foppish nature, there was strength in the man, quite a bit, in fact. "I told you....if you want the Opal, I get you....for a night. I'll even entrust it to Captain Blackman here, until the terms of our agreement are fulfilled..." Then, his fingers released to allow Silver to jerk away, storming into the common room. Counting to five, Rin calmly shut the door behind her, then turned a glare on Blackman. "We had a deal, Henri!" Anger. There were so few times the man displayed anything beyond amusement, but there was cold fury in his eyes now.

"Don't take that tone with me, lad..." Blackman warned in an even tone.

"No, Henri, I am damn well justified in my bloody tone - you were about to tell her..." jaw tense, eyes flashing with anger, he took a step closer to the older man, who was still as a statue, an expressionless carving of calm and foreboding - like the grim portent of a brooding, black horizon.

"It's been long enough, lad....she's hated you for such a long time, don't you think she deserves the truth?" Rin grunted at that, shaking his head softly. "She refuses to believe it, even as it stares at her in the face." Blackman studied Laeyr for a long moment, as if he found more to the young pirate's words than the obvious. "She's a big lass now, Rin....she's come into her own, has a loyal crew and the respect of many who call themselves pirate....respect and fear. Not an easy thing for a woman ta' do amongst our ilk....she can protect herself now."

Again there was a gap of silence, where Rin considered Blackman's face, frowning thoughtfully. "Against them, is anyone truly safe?" Blackman had no answer for that, just a grim twist to his thin lips. "Our deal stands, then?"

Again, there was a pause, but this time the aged pirate spoke, low and gravelly. "No, lad....tell her, or if she ever comes back, I will. I'm an old man, Rin, with few friends left to me, and the pair of you are the closest thing ta' kin I bloody have left ta' me....I'll not see you feuding like this anymore. Take care of it, Rin....what?ja did was a noble thing, but it stinks of the idealism of a boy....a boy moonstruck by a pretty girl who ain't got a thought in her head beyond adventure and gold. Well, that lass has grown to be a woman....it's time ya grew up ta' be a man....and handle this, like a man..."

There were no words, just a heated glare from Rin, who stood there silently quaking before, like Silver herself, stormed from the office.

Silver Starblade

Date: 2012-07-21 20:21 EST
Silver's boots were like thunder on the horizon as she stalked down the docks. It was amazing how quickly one's emotions could take over. Silver rounded a corner, her steps abruptly halted as she slammed into another. The drunk man stumbled backwards, spilling liquor from a bottle and mouthing obscenities. He straightened, using the wall as leverage and turning his hazy gaze on the female Captain. The look of pure anger was sufficient to sober him enough that he kept walking, not muttering another word.

Silver continued on her path, seemingly lost in the maze of streets. Her thoughts drifted and she attempted to process Captain Blackman's words and Rin's tirade. It didn't make sense. Rin would only steal the Jade Raven for profit; or at least she thought. That stupid bird had been her first big run. It was an item that would have had her crew living comfortably for months without having to do any other business. Why would Blackman hint that Rin had another motive" That Rin wanted to take the blame away from her"

She paused. There was no way. She didn't have time for this. That flicker of hope had died a long time ago with Bennet. The simple thought of him caused physical pain in her chest. Silver faltered for a moment as she inhaled sharply. It had been so many years but the single thought of him still made her heart hurt. Usually it was just a skipped beat or a pang, but with the emotions running so high lately, she almost had to stop in her tracks. That was a long time ago, and life had been unfair when it came to the man. She had been bitter ever since and that as near a decade ago, and only Laeyr had been crazy enough to see past it.

The cool, sea breeze slid over her hot cheeks, her eyes drifting to the boats and ships rocking on the darkened waves. She wasn't even aware her steps had carried her to the docks; but where else would they take her" This was her home.

Summer had been unbearably hot, but the last two days had brought in a welcome respite from the heat, and she was glad for it. The breeze that blew of the waves caressed her cheeks, sliding its fingers through her hair. Silver's arms rose to cross loosely, her face turning toward the darkened horizon and into the wind.

Rin Laeyr had appeared a few years after Silver had found herself back on the seas. He had managed to stir something inside of her she thought long dead, that thrill of electricity down her spine. However, experience had taught her that she had to think outside the present. She had told herself numerous times only one more night, and she'd leave, but it never worked that way, no matter how long between the times they saw each other, it always picked up where it left off. Rin's explanation, long ago, had been simple. "You're my lady luck, Sil". and Lady Luck never had a more tempting as$." Time with Rin was akin to a bottle of rum, you wanted to drink him down fast and hard, not pausing to think of the consequences, but the next day when that hangover hit, you were cursing your own existence for the mistake you made the night before, especially a particular night a long time ago. Her eyes slid closed as she inhaled the salty scented air, filling her lungs with the sea.


Silver Starblade

Date: 2012-07-23 12:40 EST
"So," came the husky murmur from below, and Silver could feel a familiar pair of lips anointing her inner thigh with a clandestine warmth. It only served to make that sensation of guilty pleasure all the more sinuous as calloused fingers slowly drew up her silken undergarment, rustling the hem of that long tunic she favored until they hugged her hips with a liquid comfort. "This is what a soon-to-be captain tastes like, 'eh?" Silver stood before a mirror, now only dressed in that shirt and her unmentionables before the figure shadowing behind prompted her to lift one foot, and then the other, as he dragged her leather breeches up those shapely legs that the man so coveted the night before. He made sure the process was slow, every inch of bare flesh covered taking what felt a life time until his sculpted arms wrapped around her waist, securing the strings at the leather's front. "Dressing you is not so fun as the alternative," Rin said almost sulkily, but continued the job as proficient as any master servant, securing her belt, helping her don that half-coat, and brushing down the entire ensemble so she looked every inch of an important, but dangerous woman. "There," Rin said with a knowing smile, "now you don't look as if you hadn't been thoroughly fucked the night before..." the man feigned a sigh. "And after I worked so hard on that look, too." His chuckle turned into a grunt as Silver's fist found his ribs, and Rin staggered back a few steps before she thought another punch was in order. "Your sense of humor is, as ever, a delicate thing..." he muttered, rubbing his side, but not looking even the littlest bit annoyed. In fact, despite the pain, Rin Laeryr looked amused.

"You so have a way of making the most mundane things pleasurable," Silver's fingers splayed across his bare chest, her head tilting just ever so slightly as she regarded the half naked man in front of her. "...and the pleasurable things turn sour. You should just learn to keep your mouth shut." Her fingers had drifted down his bare skin, her eyes following. She teasingly tugged at strings that hung untied from the front of his pants. "You're so much prettier that way." Her eyes slid up to look at him from beneath a fringe of lashes before a smirk dimpled a cheek.

"Come now," Rin said, tilting his head to one side as she found herself idly tracing fingers down the deep contours of his chest, partitioning muscle into defined forms of sinew as they tensed at her gentle touch. It was like his skin was stretched taut across the hardened plains of power that defined the man - a precariously thin veil with only the lightest dusting of hair to boast of true manhood, instead of the sleek, untested look of youth. Rin's torso bore light scars here and there - nothing more than a nick, yet they painted a tapestry of violence upon his tanned flesh as surely as any artist could render. "...if you preferred me with my mouth closed, that would've limited our fun the prior evening, no?" he finished, roguish smile in place until he let his tongue lap at the air before them in a definitive display of what use he put it to last night.

Silver turned to regard herself in the mirror, her hands reached up to pull at the jacket, shifting it about her figure until she finally just slid it off, allowing it to drop on the floor. It was uncomfortable and useless, restricting her movements. She moved across the room, looking for her boots. When she drifted away, Rin frowned at her discarded coat, bending down to pick it up and dust it off before setting it right upon the dressing stand by the mirror. "If you're going to be a captain, you'll have to cultivate the right look - a man....or woman's....image can tempt or deprive a foe's actions before he ever draws close enough to strike. Right now, you'll probably boil your enemies' blood to a passionate simmer if you're not careful..."

Silver laughed at Rin's comments, finding them outrageous. "I'm sure that will be my problem." She lowered herself into a chair, slowly extending a long leg into the air and wiggling her toes at Rin. "You forgot my boots. I do so enjoy seeing you on your knees."

Without complaint, Rin followed his sultry lover toward the chair, picking up her boots as he went, and fell to a single knee as he began to slide the first on....slowly. "You like me on my knees, and I enjoy my face between yours....a match made by fate, no?"

Silver felt the leather slide up her leg, a single brow arching at Rin's bold words. Part of her wanted to slap him and the other half was rather enjoying the exchange. "And here I wonder just how many women you have uttered those exact words to." She gently pulled her leg from his grasp, leaning forward in the chair until her face was inches from his, a single finger raising to push against his full lips as he started to respond to her insinuation. "Nope." She removed her finger, her hand trailing along his skin until it fell gently on the back of his neck and she captured his mouth with hers. She knew him too well, for his head tilted to one side in thought, trying to summon the correct number. In truth, Silver was the only one who heard those exact words, but Rin wasn't about to inflate her ego anymore than he had to. Compliment a woman too much, and she'd come to expect it all the time, taking away from the word's meaning. And so, while he did verbally douse her with poetic verse every day, he made sure to knock her down a few pegs if he was able to balance the score. However, when she began to kiss him, thought left his head with the rapidity of an exhale. Rin, ever one to push boundaries, furthered their exchange with a bold intensity, one hand smoothing to her inner thigh and teasing it with a liberal squeeze, the other cupping the side of her face gently as he leaned to the side, trying to achieve greater depth with their breathless intimacy.

."I...don't...want..to ..hear...it." She kissed him between words, reluctantly pulling away as she reached for her other boot. "I'll never get out of here on time at this rate." The shoe was tugged on, with much less fanfare than Rin's way of dressing. Silver sat in the chair for a moment, her eyes staring at the man who was now eye-level with her. She sighed quietly, a small smile slipping across her lips as she stood. "You know I now expect to be dressed this way every morning."

When they finally parted, Rin looked almost disappointed when she donned the other boot by herself, taking seat in the chair she just vacated, arms folded over his naked chest. "If you provide me with the night you did prior, then I'll dress you like this every morning....a deal, my lady?" A slender brow hooked upwards, and he slung a leg over the arm of her chair, completely slouched in the seat with that devil-may-care audacity only pirates could properly show.

Silver toyed with the jacket again, her fingers running over the material and fiddling with the buttons until she pulled her hand away decisively. Her eyes fell to the man sprawled in the chair, laughter parting her lips at his words. "You'll have to earn nights like those, SIr." Just as Rin had his own little games, Silver had hers, and men like Rin already came with big egos. She rather enjoyed disarming him when she could. She crossed the small room again, reaching down to pluck his shirt off the floor and hand it to him. "For the love of all that's holy, put on a shirt before you leave or you'll have every whore from here to hell looking to contaminate you." She smirked, a wicked twinkle in her eye as she turned to leave.