Snippet #1931996

Oliver lay on the wheel lazily, having given up on finding the navigator. "And then there's Marie," He rambled on as he flung the wheel to the side just for fun, giving them sharp turn on the waves. "I'm not sure about her. Before we left we had some kind of one night relation."

"Why, in God's name, did you t'ink t'at was a good idea Mi'ser Swo'k?" Duceyae asked as he lit his pipe.

"It was before I knew, I don't know..." Oliver muttered. "I was under the impression she was a... lesser woman than she is. Not a whore but... a girl who worked on the fields and then went to town for fun on the weekends, if you understand."

"So what are you going to do?" Duceyae asked again as he stood up and looked behind them.

"What can I do? She's my commanding officer, no changing that. And she seems fine with it," Oliver replied. "It's just... well you should never get personal with your commanders. It makes it extra hard when you betray them."

Duceyae turned to Oliver with a raised eyebrow. "A joke," Oliver assured, not very convincingly.

"There's a s'ip following us, by the way." Duceyae commented. "The Duchess. I believe you rammed into her back at the harbour."

"Aye, Captain Thomas and his crew," Oliver muttered as he glanced out at the vague outline of a ship in their backward horizon. "I hope they're not angry."

As Val approached the helm Oliver stood aside...