The Voyages of The Cetus

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    Lady Colette, also known as 46, Spiritus, and Princess Colette.

The man Colette had been following gave her a nod and slid into the shadows, leaving her alone. The wharf had an eerie hush, silent phantoms lurking the alleys and markets. The candle light was dim, to say the least. The majority of the light was only spreading due to the standing water scattered tightly over the pier. As she walked out on the boardwalk, Colette watched as the flames stretched over the slight ripples of the dark water.

She gritted her teeth, great, wait to pay me until after I get rid of the captain of an actual PIRATE ship and don't worry about my lodging, I definitely would've taken this job if I had money to rent my own place. Colette turned, shifting her himation higher on her arm. Her jaw would be sore tomorrow.

Colette slunk back for a moment, only to be alerted by a loud thump down some dark opening between two shack-like structures. How is this place worse than the slums in Divitiae? She rapped her fingers on her caduceus dagger for a moment. She drew it, the silver hilt, twined with a caduceus with cobalt and lapis scales and obsidian eyes with a silver feathered quillon, flashed around as the dull pounding of footsteps approached her.

"Aye, prenses!" An unclean boy, around 16, raised his hands in surrender, a nervous smile on his dirty face. He had an unfamiliar accent. "I mean no harm! I am a cook on The Cetus. I am assuming you know what that is-" She only knew what it was because that was her assignment.

"Kind sir, may I ask what your name is?"

He stood, flabbergasted. With a blink, he exclaimed, all too loud. "Apologies, Prenses! My name be," he flared his hand dramatically and gave in to a bow, "Deniz, a name that means the sea itself!" Yet, he said his name with a strike of light unfamiliarity. 

Colette gave a nod, lowering her blade, but shifted back. He didn't exactly smell- she had smelled far worse, but he had a thick musk.

"You look strong enough, slick reflexes. You 'av wielded that brilliant blade plenty be'ore." He seemed to be trying less at speaking politely.

"More than I can count," Colette said. She looked the man over once more. His baggy trousers seemed in surprisingly good conditions, and he had a simply golden T earring dangling partially from his left ear. His cutlass rested at his hip, underneath his undershirt. He didn't have a jacket on.

"Brilliant! We 'uld use some more lasses aboard."

Colette knew it was time to leave. "Excuse me, sir-"

"Wait! You don't ge' it! We 'ork with dames, not with them. You 'ill be a' safe a' a pirate could be!"

"Um..." Colette knew this was an in that she would have to take. She nodded, reluctantly.

"G'at!" He swirled around and began to walk inland. She followed cautiously; grip still tight on her foot-long dagger.