The Daring Dream - (Dungeons And Dragons Writing Commission)

The Daring Dream

The pale orange hue of the sinking sun spilled over the surface of stretching ocean, boundless in all directions from the docks of net strewn docks rimming the edge of a fishing colony. Towering over the skipping vessels sat the hull of a redwood ship, the deep blue sails hanging from the masts towering into the sky. Towards the bow stood a figure with a hulking form to match the massive hull, arms leaned on the railing with a captain's coat draped over his broad shoulders. A cigar pinched between his thick fingers smoldered in his hand, remnants of ashes floating towards the water breaking against the keel before floating away in the breeze. The whites of his dark eyes stood out against his sun-tanned skin in the low light of the evening, features shaded by a tricorn hat illuminated with the occasional drag of the humidor.

Voices echoed from the port in harmony with the calls of startled seagulls relocating to a quieter venue. With a good haul having been sold in a massive boost to the local economy a night of jubilance was well in order for crew and locals alike. The silence on the deck was almost eerie, but the man held a crooked smile in relishing of the moment alone with his ship. At least until a set of light bootsteps started their approach from just behind him.

"Those things'll kill you, ya know," A female voice commented with a teasing tone, earning a rakish laugh from the man, "You'd make a better turn around selling 'em to someone else with more of a vice."

"One's vice 's another's virtue," The man answered, his voice rumbling like thunder with an amused tone as he examined the cigar a moment, "Don' worry, I ain't too keen on finishin' it."

A woman hardly half his hulking size leaned her back against the railing next to the man, her elbows leaned on the top with a tip of her head backwards. Ocean blue eyes met his gaze with a thin smile, a red bandanna draped over cascading locks of blonde hair with a similarly rakish smile. She looked him over a moment before turning around on the heel of her boot, mirroring his posture.

"Beautiful night," She observed after a pause, "Even better with a flagon and a song if you fancy, which I know you do. So what's got you sitting out here with the gulls?"

"They don' tell me how t' spend my nights," The man answered with a chuckle, his head turning to glance down to her, "'Sides, got company now, don't I?"

"Ain't hard to notice when Captain Bluesails himself flakes on his own party," She answered, meeting his stare with a challenging smirk, "Especially when you owe me a drink."

The man identified as Bluesails leaned his head up with a bellowing laugh, flicking more ashes into the wind, "Cut me down where I stand th' day I forget t' pick up a tab fer Cedrick Crane. I ain't forgettin', just takin' a moment t' watch the sun roll off." His tone relaxed, eyes dragging over the horizon again, "Y' only get so many."

"It is a helluva sight, isn't it?" Crane agreed, lightly tottling her head from side to side as she took her own glance over the burning orange sky, "You picked a good spot to offload."

"Tarifs are low 'round here," Bluesails answered, "Plus it's a middleman port that'll ask fewer questions when they pass it off."

"Yeah yeah, turn a nice profit and throw a party, that's usual stuff you can get anywhere," Crane dismissively waved a hand with a bored tone, "There was at least two more of those between here and Waterdeep. Hells, we coulda stopped there!"

"Hankerin' t' see that thief again, are ye?" Bluesails turned his head to the woman again with a taunting smirk before looking back out to the water with a draw of the cigar. Puffing the cloud with an amused sigh he continued, "We'll head by on th' way back, thought we'd take a night t' ourselves first."