The Archman

Epilogue

"How's everyone getting along?" Adrulac stands with Fiona and Jacob at the entryway to the brig, which has been converted into a sleeping quarters for the crew from the addition of several dozen hammocks hanging from the walls, and a layer of cushioned mats across the floor. There is a lively buzz of activity as the crew mingle among themselves, playing card and dice games and drinking liberally.

"It's a tight fit, but we'll be bien." Jacob says with a shrug.

A pistol is heard going off, causing Fiona to snap with authoritative haste.

"Aie! Don't make me remind you encore! No pistols in bed!" She scolds the general group of crew members collectively, the energy in the room dipping slightly as they receive the broad admonishment.

"Ouais, it'll be fine." Fiona turns to Adrulac with a smile, her assertive demeanour dissolving completely.

"...I'm sure." Adrulac replies plainly. He turns for the door, not wanting to let the situation consume any more of his mental faculties. "Lights out in a half-hour, we rise early tomorrow."

Jacob and Fiona both give a casual salute as Adrulac steps out of the brig and closes the door behind him. He lets out a tired sigh and makes his way down the corridor. He is still getting used to being in the company of so many people for so much time. He exits the lower decks, throwing the hatch to the side and walking up to the main deck.

The sun is just starting its gradual decline behind the horizon, spreading a picturesque yellow hue across the calm waters. Adrulac looks to the setting sun, pulling his hood back off his head. He is starting to become more and more tolerant of the sun's radiance since he'd ceased his sanguinary diet, in fact he is now starting to enjoy the feel of the balmy glow on his skin.

He turns away from the horizon and looks across the deck, finding nothing but empty space around him. He walks about the deck and studies his surroundings for several seconds, clearly in search of something.

"Eira?" He says out loud, not receiving any answer to his directionless question.

"Princess?" He asks with a change of tone, as if he were searching for someone entirely different.

There is a knocking on heard from across the deck, coming from the bedroom. Adrulac turns his attention in that direction and pauses for a second, then makes his way towards the bedroom with a particular curiosity. He arrives before the closed door and takes a hold of the handle, pushing the door open with a decisive motion.

His eyes immediately widen with surprise, then quickly narrow with a devious fixation, a sharp grin growing across his face. "There you are."

Eira is sitting at the foot of the bed, completely naked from head to toe, a similarly lascivious smirk on her face.

"May I?" Adrulac steps as far into the doorframe as his nature will allow him. He has already dropped his dark cloak to the floor and has gotten to work undoing the top buttons of his white undershirt. A fervent urgency seems to have possessed him.

"May you what?" Eira asks with a sarcastic confusion, leaning back on her hands casually and crossing her bare legs over one another.

Adrulac stops unbuttoning his shirt for a moment, his playful grin fading into a fierce focus. He realizes now that Eira isn't planning on cooperating so easily.

"May I enter." He clarifies with a foreboding tone.

"Hmm..." Eira runs a hand through her black hair, pondering with comical exaggeration. She looks to Adrulac, who is caught in a tortured position, wanting desperately to close the distance between himself and Eira, but his belligerently courteous nature not allowing him to move a step further without permission.

"May. I. Enter." Adrulac's question has devolved into more of a demand.

"I don't know..." Eira teases him with an aloof answer. She crosses her arms over her stomach, pushing her breasts up slightly to taunt him further. She doesn't consider herself a jeering person, but at the same time, she can't help but enjoy the kind of compulsive influence that her naked body has over Adrulac.

Adrulac stands up and takes a deep breath, trying to compose himself enough to not be completely at her mercy.

"On second thought...I think I'm quite alright." He turns to leave, though his eyes aren't able to remove themselves from Eira's enchanting figure.

"Are you sure?" Eira uncrosses her legs, a suggestive smile creeping across her lips.

Adrulac immediately snaps back around, holding the door frame with a vigorous grip. He's lost all semblance of civility and poise and is starting to seriously consider having the whole bedroom destroyed in order to get to Eira.

"Keep this up and you'll be in for one hell of a time, princess." He warns.

"Promise?" Eira taunts.

Adrulac answers with a silent glare, making it clear that he fully intends to deliver on his warning.

"Alright then..." Eira leans forward on the foot of the bed with a lustful smile, putting forth every aspect of her femininity for him to see.

"Come inside, Archman."