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J U L I A NX| | XD R A G O N

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| Master Gunner |
| #B02E04 |

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XXXXSince Vale hit the deck a few days ago, Eva was not herself. She was worried sick about Vale. Eva couldn’t even keep her optimistic nature up. A nasty thought kept nagging at her; Vale would die and then she’d be truly alone. The deaths of her sister, niece, and nephew were still fresh. She wasn’t sure if she’d survived Vale’s death. Evangeline hadn’t visited Vale since Bill carried her down. She wasn’t worried about Vale being alone, she knew Tessa was with her often. She saw the women enter the medical bay multiple times. Eva knew Vale had friends on this crew that’d visit as well. She feared seeing Vale would cause uncontrollable crying. Evangeline had to keep it together.

Since she didn’t visit Vale, she worked. She often went to Vera or Rosia to see what they needed help with. If they didn’t need help with anything, she’d found someone else to help. There always seem to be something to do on the ship and that was a comfort to Eva. She worked silently for the last few days. Eva was in an odd mood and wasn’t speaking much to anyone on the ship. She focused on whatever task she was doing and on keeping her mind blank. The only creature she spoke to was Mango. She spoke to him when she couldn’t eat or sleep. Her appetite had left since Vale got ill. She didn’t have any urge to eat and sleeping had been an issue since she gotten on the ship.

She was grateful for her loss of appetite for the past few days because a storm had started. It was a force to be reckoned with. Evangeline was trying to stay on her feet, but it was hard. Her hands were occupied as they held Mango. Eva had seen the storm coming and knew she couldn’t allow him to be sitting on her shoulder when it hit them. She knew she needed a lifeline as well, but she needed to put Mango in a safe place first. She worried for James as well, which was why some rope hung off her right arm. It seemed as if she didn’t have the sea legs to brace a storm. Her sea legs were fine until this storm. It took her some time before she reached the stairs that led to the brig.

Evangeline scooted down the stairs as walking down was not an option. When she reached the bottom, she stood as carefully as she could. Although, a wave hit the ship and she flew into a wall. She braced herself against it as she gasped for air. Her eyes went to Mango and was glad he seemed unharmed. She hoped her grip hadn’t tightened too much when she hit. Once she had her breath back, she walked over to the barrel she had stowed away in. Eva opened it and placed Mango inside. It was the best she could do for him. The barrel only had her things inside. She closed it and was glad to have her hands free now. She could steady herself a bit more easily now. Her eyes wandered over to the cell to find James.

“Hello James, how is this storm treating you?” she asked, her voice breathy. She walked over to the cell and gripped onto the bars. She glanced at the rope hanging on her arm, but decided she’d have a conversation first, or try to. She brought the rope down to see if he’d want to be secured to the cell’s bars. She wanted a conversation first as guilt ate at her. She hadn’t been down to visit him the last few days. Eva had been too lost in her storm of emotions to think of anyone else. It was not like her at all.

James scratched at his chin, the beginning stubble of a beard growing in, as he hummed sea shanty after sea shanty. It had been a while since he’d seen a friendly face. Not any longer than a day, but with the storm, he hadn’t exactly been a priority. The only updates he had on his ship came from his former crew. Former because he was no longer captain. He was a prisoner. He’d heard that Vale dropped from an unknown poison. He knew Tessa had been strung from the yardarm only to be cut down by their cook minutes after Hellfire left the ship. He also knew that Eva had been allowed to stay. It wasn’t as if he’d had any doubt Meg would allow the girl to join them. He just knew she wouldn’t be all too happy to have something like that done behind her back. She liked to be in the know. Which is also why he was surprised Vera wasn’t in the cells with him.

A loud thumping came down the stairs just as a--presumably--large wave rocked the ship, sending James’s stomach into his throat. Hence the humming. While James was a well traveled seaman, storms weren’t as common. If he had been on deck or in his quarters, he would’ve been fine. Maybe a tad disoriented, but fine. Down here? Forget it. The ships usual gently rocking was replace with violent tilts that messed with his head. And, in turn, his stomach.

With the wave came a toppling Eva. She had the small bird--Mango he believed-- and a line of rope. She made her way, unsteadily, to the barrel from which she had emerged long ago and placed the bird inside. Content with the securing of the pet, she turned to James and made her way over, a little more sure footed, and greeted him.

”Ahoy, Eva.” He said, stiffly. ”Not well I’m afraid.” Another waved struck the side of the ship and he cursed inwardly, resuming his humming. He had been told an old-wives tale about how humming kept you from revising a meal. So far, it held true. ”I’m surprised to see you in such a fine state. You barely have sea legs, how is it you’re unaffected in other ways?” He said, purposely being vague. Eva smiled despite his answer and ran a ran through her dam hair. She took a deep breath to inhale the salty air. The smell of the ocean eased her stomach a bit.

“Well, my body may have more important things to worry about. I haven’t really had an appetite since Vale took ill. Also, I likely do not have the energy to be affected by other matters.I have trouble sleeping if...” she stopped to not reveal an odd dislike of hers. Her eyes glanced at the rope and then at James. It was time to change the subject. “Would you like to be secured to the bars of the cell? I wouldn’t want you to get too hurt during the storm.”

James raised an eyebrow and shook his head. ”I don’t think it’ll make much of a difference down here.” Her words caught his attention and his sympathies. Since the ship had been taken, he hadn’t slept much either. ”I’m sorry about Vale. Has Sunni had any luck at all?” He asked. He much liked the navigator. She was someone who looked like they could kill you, but was really a sweet roll. Or whatever the land-kids said these days. ”If it helps to ease any of your concerns, Sunni is the finest medic I’ve ever encountered. We’re greatly blessed by the sea to have her as a part of the crew.” He grunted as the ship rocked backwards. ”If it helps, I don’t get much sleep either.”

“I am glad Sunni is a good medic, but I don’t know if she has had any luck. I haven’t been able to bring myself to go see Vale or to ask anyone about her health,” she paused to take a shaky breath. If Vale died, it would become known. She glanced at the barrel Mango was in and watched it begin to tilt. It didn’t fall fully because another barrel was in the way. Eva walked over to the barrel and moved it in front of the cell. She took the rope, knelt on her knees, and began to tie the barrel to the bars. She wished the wicked storm would lighten as she did all of this.

“I am sorry you can’t sleep. It is likely hard to sleep in the cell. I really have no solid reason. Though, if we can’t find sleep, I imagine it will find and take us. It has happened to me before,” she said. Once she was sure the barrel was secured to the cell and checked on Mango, she sat on the barrel. Her hands return to gripping the bars of the cell. Eva smiled at James as she was unsure of what to say now. She had things she did want to ask. Evangeline was intrigued by James and wanted to know more about him. Slowly her eyes went to meet his eyes.

“Did Megan give you the choices of being locked away or leaving the ship?” she asked. She remembered how Megan had given them to her. Eva had decided to stay. Though, she thought of how they were heading to death daily. It was hard not to think of it when her friend was ill.

James watched Eva all the while humming under his breath. He was listening, but humming helped things. When she was situated in front of him once more, she met his eyes. He looked down and away from her when he answered. ”No. She didn’t. That’s not really how a mutiny works.” When your crew and ship change hands, the one in charge called the shots. There were no choices. Though, if he’d had one, he definitely would’ve chosen to stay. ”Not that it matters much anyway. I’d die before I left my ship.” And if the storm grew worse, he’d probably die with his ship. Like a captain should.

He licked his lips, attempting to change the course of his thoughts. ”I can tell you have more questions. Ask away. I’m an open book.”

“H-how about you tell me about yourself?” she asked as she glanced down. She was embarrassed he knew that she wanted to ask more questions. Evangeline was glad for the permission, but she felt shy now. She feared she’d asked something that would be considered impolite. The last thing Eva wanted to do was to offend James. She looked at him a second later to give him a smile. She knew some could find her first question hard to answer. It was hard to tell someone about yourself at times. She decided to give him a lifeline just in case he needed it. “How about you tell me the story of how you became a pirate?”

At her question, James laughed. ”I suppose a land maiden such as yourself would want to know such a story.” He said with a grin. It was definitely one to distract. ”I’ve practically always been a pirate,” he began with a shrug of his shoulders. ”I was picked up[color=#B00000][b] when I was thirteen doing the work that Rudy now does for us.” He ran a hand through his hair. ”The sea has been my first love ever since.” Another wave rocked the ship and he winced. ”Although it seems we’re having a bit of an argument at the moment.”

“Well, I suggest you start whispering sweet nothings to your first love and beg for forgiveness,” she said jokingly. She tensed as the ship was bombarded by more waves. Eva closed her eyes and had to focus on her breathing for a few minutes. She hoped the storm would end soon. Evangeline kept her eyes closed as she freed a hand to start taking her boots off. Surprisingly, she was starting to feel warm. Seasickness seemed to be getting to her and it was unfriendly. She opened her eyes again to throw her boots into a corner behind her.

“I hope we visit land after this storm. I will need to get new clothing in case we run into another storm. I may need to switch my weapons of choice as well,” she said. She slid the same hand into the pockets of her dress.The pockets were actually slits. She took each axe out carefully from their holding places. She got down from the barrel only for a second to place them near the boots. When Evangeline got back onto the barrel, she leaned her forehead against the cool bars. She closed her eyes again as her fingers wrapped around the bars. Eva thought of some conversations she overheard on the ship.

“James…why didn’t you want to go hunt this treasure your crew seems so determined to find?”

James watched Eva, concern filling his eyes. She was looking a tad green. He reached through the bars when she came close again and rubbed a comforting hand in circles on her back. He did so slowly, and hesitantly at first to see if she would mind. When she asked her question though, his eyes turned hard. ”Because it’s dangerous. My crew is my family. You don’t wish harm to come to your family.” He sighed, laying his own forehead against the bars. ”I mean. Being a pirate is dangerous enough, but a cut and a bullet wound can be mended. Curses and major injury on far-off shores? With no hope of any greater aid? Starvation and thirst?” He shook his head. ”I don’t want those things for my family. Just like you wouldn’t wish it on Vale.” He looked up at her, his brown eyes soft. ”I wouldn’t wish it for you.”

Eva eyes opened for a second to confirm it was James rubbing her back. The touch was comforting. She hadn’t had any affection, platonic or not since she stepped onto the ship. She missed the hugs and cheek kisses she got when at the brothel. She pushed the thought of the brothel away quickly as the thought of her sister wasn’t far behind. Eva opened her eyes to look at him when he sighed. It was a surprise to her when she blushed at his last sentence. She took a deep breath, but this time to cool the sudden heat in her cheeks. ”I...I wouldn’t wish it for you either James,” she said softly, shyly. She slowly slid a hand through the bars to cup his cheek, if he’d allow it. She met his eyes.

“Although, if my family were going to go on a dangerous journey, despite my protest, I’d rather be at their side to help. I wouldn’t want to be trapped in a cell with no way to help them when danger came. Your whole crew did decide to go on this journey, they weren’t forced. If you were free, I imagine you would be a great help during this storm...” she sighed as she went to moved her hand away from his cheek. She closed her eyes again. Her heart ached before she even spoke. “I stayed with my...sister, until the end...even though I knew she wasn’t safe at her current job. I couldn’t force her to go elsewhere with me and be unhappy. I decided to stay with her to keep her safe...as safe as I could.”

James smiled softly at Eva. "Sometimes that's all you can do." He looked out the porthole. "Go down with the ship."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxRosia”Jack” Hienrik

xxxxxxxxxThe Mate||#7C67A




xxxx“Everybody in the world knows,

xxxxxI’m a little twisted, twisted.”



Rosia stumbled for a second before catching her footing as another wave crashed against the ship. “Mighty great storm we havin’ ‘ere.” Rosia said outloud. She quickly saw a rope go over her and tighten around her waist, turning around and see it was Tessa making sure she would stay with the ship. “Aye yes. Thanks you Riggnot.” Rosia paused for a second and looked around. “I gonna head up the mast to get an eye on this here storm and make sure the riggings hold.” She shot a smile and rushed to the mast. Not many people would be excited for a storm, nor would many pirates willing climb a mast the height of the Stardust’s in the middle of a high sea storm, then again, not many people or pirates were like Rosia.

Climbing the mast wasn’t as easy as it usually was for Rosia, but she was still able to up to the lower sail without losing her grip too much. As she pulled herself up to stand gripping onto the mast, she looked down she could hear Bill giving commands to the gun crew to secure cannons and themselves. Rosia was quickly distracted when she heard a snap and saw one of the rope rigs on the fore sail broke loose, opening a portion of the sail. “Fuck these wet ropes and their wet mothers.” Rosia mumbled to herself as she quickly danced across sail to get to the loose rigging. Though he knots weren’t as good as Tessa’s Rosia knew hers would be able to hold unto this storm was done.

As Rosia fixed the sail after a couple close calls, and another mighty strong wave hitting the ship Rosia was quickly distracted with hearing Mead yell something and seeing Julian run and jump off the ship. It didn’t take long for Rosia to figure out what had just happened, someone went overboard. “Aye! Someone help Dragon and Rum!” Rosia shouted as untangled herself and worked herself back to the center of the mast to climb down. When someone goes overboard, it doesn’t take long for the situation to unfold, but during a storm the situation can quickly go form bad, to worse, to over, and not in a good way. Rosia hoped by the time she got down from the mast Julian would be back on the ship and all would be fine.

When Rosia finally reached the deck, she had to untangle her rope first before she could head over to make sure all was good. Thankfully Rum had some help and was able to pull Julian and the person who had gone overboard back up, seeing it was Pyrite. “You two crazy bastards goin’ for a swim in this storm? Couple of ye get them below deck and figure out where Nameless went. I gotta take over the wheel a hopefully get us out of here soon.” Rosia barked out as she rushed to the helm to try to get control over the ship. Next to Phillip, she was the next best helmsman on the ship in her opinion.