Welcome aboard ! // Bienvenue à bord !

Relationships

*The five friends are chatting, sitting inside the hold, during a stormy day, as the ship is moored. The crew is also inside the hold, playing cards, chatting, laughing, cleaning their weapons or singing together.*

Alianor : *Complaining* I hope this storm will not last too long... We're stuck in Arkala for so many days, and I promised Julia to come to Port Royal this week !

Lyra : *Intrigued* Who's Julia ? Your sister ?

Alianor : *Laughing* No, no, not at all ! Julia's my wife. We've been married for five years now. She's the royal doctor, in the Nearon family's palace, in Azmar. That's where we met, by the way. I left the training pretty banged up, and she healed me. It was love at first sight, for both of us. We've quickly been noticed by King Richard and Queen Catherine, and they supported us in our relationship. We even had the chance to receive their help for our wedding's organization. *Silence, then complaining again* Well, anyway, I promised to meet her there, and we're stuck in this damned port, because of this damned storm !

Calypso : I'm sorry, Alianor, but I'll not risk my ship and my crew just for you to meet your sweetheart again. I also want to go to Port Royal, to sell all our treasures and bring some money back to the ship, but this will have to wait a little.

Alianor : *Complaining* I know, but that drives me crazy, to just wait doing nothing ! I want to do something, to move, to act, not just sit there and wait calmly for this storm deign to leave !

*Calypso shrugs her shoulders, showing her powerlessness to act in this situation. Alianor sights, discourages. Then she lifts her head, suddenly inspired by a new idea.*

Alianor : By the way, guys, don't you have any family, any partner to meet ? You never talk about it, and you never pay a visit to anyone...

Zach : Nope, nobody. I don't see the advantage in having a partner. I mean, all I want is to be free, and being engaged in a relationship is the best way to jail me. *Sniggers* And, without anyone, it's so much easier for me to seduce and steal stuff from innocent young ladies...

*The four friends give each other a surprised look, shocked by the thief's words, while he sniggers for himself, remembering his last adventures.*

Lance : I have nobody to meet. My only family is you, or the others from the royal guard. And, I haven't met any partners, but I'm waiting for it ! I'm sure I'll find my soulmate, one day or another !

Zach : *Rolling his eyes* Oh god, spare me your mushiness...

*Lance doesn't rise to his friend's sarcastic comment, and continues to smile, daydreaming of his family life with his soulmate, and some kids. Alianor, Lyra and Calypso stare at him, smiling, touched by the royal guard's childish answer.*

Lyra : Personally, I agree with Zach's point of view. I've never really been interested in romantic relationships, and I'm not sure I'll want one in the future. But I don't miss it. With friends like you, a family like the one I've found on this ship, I don't need anyone else to be happy.

*She leans on Lance and takes him in her arms. He gives her her hug back, laughing, under the two woman's touched look. Some pirates, who heard the conversation, also looked at them, touched. Even Zach, who tries to seem indifferent, can't help but blushes and begins to smile discreetly.*

Zach : *Quickly changing the subject, in order for the others to not see his feeling* And you, Calypso ? No partner in sight ?

Calypso : *Giving a look to her crew* Well, I could say that my family's already complete here, and that I have everything to be happy. But, it's true that I've already been interested in one boy or two, and that some girls made advances to me... What's strange, despite that, is that every time someone was interested in me, they mysteriously disappeared a few hours after our meeting. We never find their bodies... *Shrugging her shoulders* I wonder what could have happened to them...

*Behind her, all the pirates stare at the four friends, smiling creepily. Lyra squeezes herself tighter against Lance, who protects her with his arms, as Zach and Alianor step back slowly. They all have their eyes wide open with fear.*

Alianor: *Swallowing hardly, with a frightened look* Yep, I REALLY wonder what could have happened to them...

Zach : *His eyes fixed behind the pirate captain* Calypso, remember me to NEVER attack you, in any way, alright ?

*Calypso looks at them without understanding, frowning, then turns and looks behind her. The crew goes back to their previous activities, like nothing happened. She comes back to her friends, still terrified, not understanding why they're so frightened.*

[Spoiler : They spent the whole night awake, terrified at the idea of sleeping among blood-thirsty and murderous pirates, who would do anything for their captain. Calypso continued to not understand the reason for their fear. The pirates spent some days frightening them, just for fun.]