as always, posted with permission
"The Cap"ain?" Patrick scratched his head, unused to the shortness of his new haircut. He blinked, staring at the woman in front of him. She was beautiful and made Patrick's head spin. He knew she was a Granger even before she introduced herself. He may look dumb, but Patrick was anything but. Awkward, yes, but not stupid, and Grangers were not people to be kept waiting.
"Sh..she's.." He began, only to be interrupted by another crewmate. The older man grinned, eyeing the woman with a twinkle in his eye.
"She's at the Aspidochelone."
Patrick nodded and moved to walk past the woman. "I can take you there." He managed, after regaining his wits. Silver had come back to the ship, only to grab a folder and some work and head out again. Now a Granger was inquiring as to her whereabouts. The woman didn't seem angry nor authoritative, so Patrick took that as a good sign.
"I know where it is." Caroline stated, offering the young man a smile.
"Oh." Patrick's face fell. He was hoping to escort her to the tavern to be in the company of a pretty lady, and so that the others would see him in such. His own ego could use some boosting, and it was as if Caroline could sense it.
"But I would prefer an escort at this late hour." She finished and Patrick's smile reappeared as he led her through the town. The Aspidochelone was an upscale tavern on the outskirts of the ports. Silver usually frequented the place when she had serious business to attend to or meetings with important folk. Otherwise, she preferred the dives that lined the dockside.
Patrick pushed open the door to the tavern, allowing Caroline to enter before he did. The tender glanced up questioningly at seeing Patrick in the company of a Granger. The well dressed man tilted his head to the back of the room where Patrick spied a familiar polished boot tapping against the floor, long, tanned fingers keeping rhythm on the table. Silver was bent attentively over the papers splayed out in front of her, two empty tankards of ale pushed to the back of the booth and a half drunk one right by her arm. It must be important work, Patrick mused, for her to be nursing ale instead of rum.
"Cap"ain." Patrick interrupted, watching as both her foot and her hand fell silent. Her eyes rose to the duo in front of her. A smile appeared as she attempted to shuffle her papers in some sort of order.
"Caroline." She waved a hand at the bench across from her in the secluded booth. "I wasn't expecting you to bring the information from the meeting the same night! I hope I did not miss the good parts after I had to leave." She grinned, looking up at Patrick. "I'll be along shortly."
Patrick nodded, lingering hesitantly before he turned and nearly scampered out of the tavern. Silver raised a hand to the tender before she paused, looking at Caroline. "What do you drink" And please don't tell me nothing, especially after this evening's meeting.?
"The Cap"ain?" Patrick scratched his head, unused to the shortness of his new haircut. He blinked, staring at the woman in front of him. She was beautiful and made Patrick's head spin. He knew she was a Granger even before she introduced herself. He may look dumb, but Patrick was anything but. Awkward, yes, but not stupid, and Grangers were not people to be kept waiting.
"Sh..she's.." He began, only to be interrupted by another crewmate. The older man grinned, eyeing the woman with a twinkle in his eye.
"She's at the Aspidochelone."
Patrick nodded and moved to walk past the woman. "I can take you there." He managed, after regaining his wits. Silver had come back to the ship, only to grab a folder and some work and head out again. Now a Granger was inquiring as to her whereabouts. The woman didn't seem angry nor authoritative, so Patrick took that as a good sign.
"I know where it is." Caroline stated, offering the young man a smile.
"Oh." Patrick's face fell. He was hoping to escort her to the tavern to be in the company of a pretty lady, and so that the others would see him in such. His own ego could use some boosting, and it was as if Caroline could sense it.
"But I would prefer an escort at this late hour." She finished and Patrick's smile reappeared as he led her through the town. The Aspidochelone was an upscale tavern on the outskirts of the ports. Silver usually frequented the place when she had serious business to attend to or meetings with important folk. Otherwise, she preferred the dives that lined the dockside.
Patrick pushed open the door to the tavern, allowing Caroline to enter before he did. The tender glanced up questioningly at seeing Patrick in the company of a Granger. The well dressed man tilted his head to the back of the room where Patrick spied a familiar polished boot tapping against the floor, long, tanned fingers keeping rhythm on the table. Silver was bent attentively over the papers splayed out in front of her, two empty tankards of ale pushed to the back of the booth and a half drunk one right by her arm. It must be important work, Patrick mused, for her to be nursing ale instead of rum.
"Cap"ain." Patrick interrupted, watching as both her foot and her hand fell silent. Her eyes rose to the duo in front of her. A smile appeared as she attempted to shuffle her papers in some sort of order.
"Caroline." She waved a hand at the bench across from her in the secluded booth. "I wasn't expecting you to bring the information from the meeting the same night! I hope I did not miss the good parts after I had to leave." She grinned, looking up at Patrick. "I'll be along shortly."
Patrick nodded, lingering hesitantly before he turned and nearly scampered out of the tavern. Silver raised a hand to the tender before she paused, looking at Caroline. "What do you drink" And please don't tell me nothing, especially after this evening's meeting.?