Acropolis

"Well, it was a gallant effort, but it seems I've won this round," Xerxes announced joyfully, placing a blade at the legendary Crimson Lady's neck. Well, he considered it a win at any rate. True, they might have lost her ship in the storm that was conjured by and subsequently escaped the control of one of his precious spellblades (by the gods, they were indispensable!), but that wasn't before the lovely dark skinned captain had boarded his ship in an attempt to take his head. He grinned.

"I wager that your crew be off to Nassau if they did sink or, more likely, off each other trying to decide who to replace you. Welcome to the Dancing Flame, milady," he told her with a sweeping bow, eliciting a chorus of laughs from the rest of his crew. His First Mate leered at her.

"This is quite a treasure, captain. I'd hope you weren't intending to keep her for yourself," he murmured, reaching to caress her cheek, drawing a few guffaws from the crowd. Xerxes shook his head.

"I wouldn't do that," he told the older man, "She might take it off. Besides, there will be treasure for all soon enough."

He strode towards the edge of the ship and smiled.

"The legendary Tri Isles, seat of the Siren Queen from ages past," he announced reverently, "I'd say tonight is as good a time as any for a feast."

He turned to Robyn and smiled roguishly and reached behind her waist and pulled a piece of parchment from her pocket, "We have your half of the map after all."

He pocketed it and bowed once again, "You will be my guest of honor, of course."

Robyn was not happy. Xeres' blade gleaming at her throat, her ship gone, hefr crew gods knew where. Here she was, a place she promised herself she'd never be again. A prisoner to a man.

She wasn't usually this sloopy, but she needed that map desperately. She needed to get it, then the gold, and head to Nassau to trade it to the broker there for the new paper money that was soon becoming a credit. Her window had beeen closing andnshe thought for a preemptive strike but someone on her crew tipped them offf because they had been waiting for her, Xeres with that fucking grin of his. She would savor the moment she craved it from his face.

Now she was being dragged off to his ship. She heard nothing of Xeres schpill, she didn't care for gloating unless she was doing it. It wasn't until his first mate touched her that she started listening, or at the very least paying attention. Her hands were bound behind her back, but that didn't stop her from snapping viciously at the man for his intrusion. Xeres after his word of warning to his first mate, stepped off to bathe ia his own glory she figured before speaking to the lot. "The legendary Tri Isles, seat of the Siren Queen from ages past," he announced reverently, "I'd say tonight is as good a time as any for a feast." She rolled her eyes at that. He turned to her yet again and before reaching behind her. Now, after the warning he'd given his first mate, that was a poor move to make. She turned but he didn't reach for anything too private, just her half of the map. She growled like a feral wolf. "We have your half of the map after all."

He bowed to her for the second time, making her witch he was close enough to meet her knee on the way down. "You will be my guest of honor, of course."
"Shove it up your ass, Xeres, I'll get free of these bounds, and when I do, I'm going to take your head and mount it me ship!" She snapped lunging but she couldn't move much beyond her bonds.
She expelled air from her nose like a raging bull, before turning to the first mate. "You, touch me again, you'll lose more then just that hand."

"Ah, clearly I am doing my duty. As it is said in my country, "Si una donna e tranquila, ha bisogno di un uomo." If a woman is at peace, she needs a man," he announced, earning laughter from his crew. His first mate frowned, eying their captive wearily.

"I think it would be better to execute her, captain. I rather think that she is too dangerous to be kept alive. How many men has she killed in the past? Why should we waist food and wine in order for you to play host?" he asked, earning a few nods of agreement. Xerxes shook his head.

"Oh no, my friend. Chivalry is everything. If it were not for chivalry, we would be no different than the common rifraf we just went packing," he argued, grinning as he earned a few cheers from his crew. He clapped his first mate on the shoulder, "Now come, Jacob. Let us celebrate!"

Within an hour, food was being piled high on makeshift tables on the deck of the ship. The men were already cracking open alcohol and Xerxes could hear a few instruments being played. He smiled from his spot next to Robyn who, true to his word, was his honored guest. He eyed the salted pork in front of him with a slight frown. He did not much care for the smell the spice gave off, but that was easily remedied. He took a sip from his wine.

"I hope we can put this unpleasantness behind us, mio cara. I hold no ill feelings for you. When we are back to Nassau, I am certain we can come to an arrangement in exchange for your freedom, say, 10 percent of your plunder for the next year and a day?" he told her.

"Ah, that is what makes you unique, Captain. Magnanimous as ever. Some would say too magnanimous," his first mate told him, sitting next to him and offering him a toast. Xerxes smiled.

"Well, magnanimity does wonders. You'll see."

"Aye. I think you have. Will you do the cook the honor of taking a bite of your meal? The battle was long and hard and you must be famished. Cookie worked extra hard to make these rations palatable."

Xerxes smiled slightly and brought a piece to his nose, sniffing distastefully. He knew that unpleasant smell, but from where.

Thump

Instinctively, Xerxes drew his sword, but he found several pointing at himself along with pistols cocked and ready to drill a hole inside him. Around them, he could see the members of his crew not going for their weapons choking and collapsing on the deck. He frowned slightly.

"Ah. Mutiny is it? And you only had to point two thirds of the crew. Such a shame. Lee had an excellent singing voice," Xerxes snarked. Jacob grimaced.

"You always did take things too lightly, Xerxes Gaspari and now you are paying for it," he told him before reaching out with his hand, "The map piece, if you please. I have already helped myself to the one in your room."

Xerxes sighed, presenting his former first mate with the map piece.

"A mutineer never dies well, my friend. Remember that."

"Well, it will be better than your death," he told him, aiming a pistol at his chest and shooting him before tossing him overboard into the waiting waves. He turned to Robyn and smiled.

"It's your ladyship's turn next."