A Princess, a Knight, and an Assassin Walk Into a Tavern...

Tollie

Tollie had not lasted the party, eventually finding a corner in one of the side rooms and curling up on a chaise, falling asleep to the lullaby of drunk revelry. And, as everyone stumbled their way back to the boat with different people at different times, it was assumed, by anyone still coherent enough to even notice she was gone, that she had simply gone back to the boat with another; leaving her to sleep in peace until sunrise which, for how late they had all called it a night, was really only a couple hours later.
It was the low curse that woke her, she opening her eyes in the semi-light to see West sit down heavily beside her, letting out a great sigh of relief.
"Here you are!" He exclaimed, rubbing his face tiredly then falling back and sprawling out beside her, his body taking up absolutely every inch of furniture where her small curled-up body was not.
"Went back to the ship, but you weren't there...been tearing up every bloody inch of this excessively large house..." Then he mumbled something about untrustworthy Raider scum before falling into the deep breathing of only the soundly asleep.
Tollie held completely still for a few breaths, then tentatively began to move, inching her head carefully until it rested on his shoulder – one of his eyes popping open as she did so, he moving then to accommodate, lifting his arm and scooting towards her, laying it down around her once she settled in. She was pretty sure he promptly fell back to sleep, though she wasn't able to herself for quite awhile, reveling as she was in the simple wonderfulness of it all.

It was decided, for the time, that Reik was actually safer presumed dead and in Nadia's care than anywhere else and with anyone else – though he and Nadia said to keep them updated on the plot against the king, and to send word when it was time for action; they'd be there.
And though Tollie was sad to say goodbye to him again so soon, in some ways it was kind of a relief. She hadn't quite figured out the new 'them' yet, and besides, she was eager to escape the teasing smile he'd been giving her since that morning when he'd come across her sneaking out of her room, Captain West still sound asleep within. She didn't know how to tell him it wasn't what he thought, without voicing what it WAS he thought...so she'd simply put her head up and walked away from him...much to his amusement.

It was nice to have the fresh sea air in her face again, she standing at the fore of the ship, leaning into the wind as far as the railing and safety would allow. It was freezing, but in a good way, stinging her eyes and cheeks and fingers without reaching the warmth of her core. She was in an excellent mood and neither her serious faced hungover companions nor West's sour crew, upset at being left out of all the good fun the night before, could dampen it.
They headed back to the mainland, to see what Duhningham and Hawke's men had come up with on the mountain attacks front, though they didn't head to Port Town, heading instead more towards the mountains themselves, planning to take the ship as far as it could go up the great River Hur before docking at the trading town of Brelle, the last big town before the mountainside split all the other settlements up.
Suddenly she heard the distant shout of Crow, looking up to see him calling again, pointing ahead and to the right. She shaded her eyes, looking out where he pointed, but saw nothing yet. Looking back again she saw West stride purposefully out of his quarters, looking fresh, as if he'd done some cleaning up while in there. He looked up as he walked, Crow pointing the direction afresh, then walked all the way to where Tollie stood, retrieving his spyglass, Gov'ner having joined him by now.
After a few moments of searching, he handed the spyglass to Gov'ner, his face grim.
"What is it?" She asked.
West didn't answer right away, Gov'ner putting down the spyglass then and looking over at him as well, his expression serious, though not overly alarmed. "What do you think?"
West shook his head in answer, eyes still ahead at the specks Tollie could finally just make out in the distance. "Depends. Who's in charge and what bloody mood they've decided to be in today."
"What is it?" Tollie asked again.
West sighed, "Looks to be a fleet of the King's finest, three so far as I can see."
Tollie felt confused for a minute, "But...that shouldn't be any trouble for us, right?"
He laughed once bitterly, "You'd think not, but unfortunately life isn't always so pleasantly straightforward as all that. We were on shaky ground with the likes of them as it was, now...I honestly don't know whose with who anymore. Don't forget it was a Captain who had me kidnap your brother in the first place..."
Oh! That's right. Tollie looked back out at the oncoming ships with new eyes.
"Captain?" Gov'ner asked after a time, obviously seeking how he wanted them to proceed.
After another pause West said decisively, "Set us on course to go around them and put up the peace flag; if there's trouble, let's not be the ones to start it."
Gov'ner nodded, calling out the order.
More time passed, West and Gov'ner taking turns looking at the ships who turned as well, definitely on a course to intercept them now.
"You see that one, in the middle?" West said to Gov'ner eventually, "The symbol on its flag?"
Gov'ner looked for awhile, then put the spyglass down, looking over at West with a surprised expression. "Cartwell?" West nodded once as that was what he had seen as well.
"Cartwell?" Tollie repeated, realization only coming after she'd said it aloud, "DUKE Cartwell? As in the guy supposedly behind all this?"
West looked over at her but didn't say anything, not that he had to, his stormy eyes speaking volumes.
When the ships were close enough that she could see them with her own eyes West asked, "Any sign of their intentions?" to Gov'ner who, after checking again thoroughly, shook his head in the negative.
West cursed under his breath, leaning forward on the railing, arms straight, knuckles white, and dropped his head. After a beat he looked back up stating, "Tell the men to ready the cannons, but do it quietly, just in case we can still save this thing. And for Maker's sake can someone get Duhningham up here in plain sight, tell her to dress it up to the hilt, let them know we've got one of their own on board." Gov'ner nodded, leaving them immediately.
Tollie was quiet for minute, watching him, the seriousness of their situation beginning to sink in. "Would it help if they knew I was aboard? I could..."
But he stopped her, shaking his head, though he reached over and squeezed her hand once briefly as he spoke, "Unfortunately Dove, at this point we're not even sure if you're not the reason they're coming after us in the first place." He looked over at her, "IF he was willing to kidnap your brother, there's no telling what he might want with you."
She raised her eyebrows in alarm, not having considered that possibility before. Oh no! "Well, if they just want me, maybe they'd spare the rest of you if you just..."
She suddenly found herself unable to speak as his finger came up, pressing against her lips in a shushing motion, more effectively silencing her than any other force on earth could have.
She stopped speaking, stopped moving, and stopped breathing all at once.
It seemed he had initially meant it as a casual, perhaps even teasing gesture, yet it ended up being nothing even close to that; the sudden weight of sensuality hanging heavily in the air between them.
Though it had obviously caught him off guard, the silence between them carrying on a few beats too long, he eventually just decided to move on; though he couldn't help how low his voice had become as he stepped towards her, finger still to her lips, "I am not going 5 more rounds of 'try and stop the princess from sacrificing herself' and I swear if you say even one more word about it I'll personally lock you up in the brig. Understood?"
Helplessly, she nodded.
Thankfully, Duhningham strode toward them, trying not to wince as she finished putting on her royal armor while she walked; saving them both from their moment.
"What's going on?" She asked, her voice all business.

The first shots were fired by the oncoming ships before they were even close enough to hail, effectively communicating their intentions.
Thankfully, West really did know what he was doing, his reputation in aquatic warfare having been honestly earned; the Drunken Mermaid managing to take out one of the three ships completely before it even got close, some very direct shots that lead to its fast demise, its sailors abandoning ship. They also managed not to get themselves sunk before the other two ships came up beside them, beginning to board.
All of this Tollie caught in glimpses from where she was hunkered down behind some barrels on the top deck, trying not to get hit by blasting debris whilst also trying to just stay out of everyone's way. But as soon as the soldiers started raining down on top of them, all heck broke loose in all directions.
It took mere seconds for West to come for her, jerking her up, not unkindly but efficiently, and hauling her to the corner made from the stairs leading up to the steering deck and the wall that led to the Captain's quarters, placing himself in front of her. She took out her dagger, though she only managed to stab the boots of soldiers who were making their way on the stairs, West taking care of anything else that came their way. Unfortunately, as Captain, he was a prime target, and things got pretty thick for them pretty fast.
"Can you use a sword?" He asked over his shoulder.
"No." She answered, managing to trip someone who fell the entire length of the stairs.
"A gun?" 'scuffle'
"No." 'dodge and swipe'
"Crossbow?"
"Captain, I fear that for the sake of time we best just presume that anything you ask me I'm not going to know how to do."
There was a pause. "Do you know how to do fine needlework?"
"Yes, actually." She answered, surprised.
"Good." He answered, turning and handing her a loaded gun over her shoulder. "Aim that and shoot at anyone who comes near."
Confused, she looked down at the weapon. "What does that have to do with needle work?"
"Nothing whatsoever." He said then, managing a cocky smile at her before having to engage yet again.
Shrugging, she did as she was told, letting out a delighted squeal when her bullet actually hit its target, sending a soldier over the railing and into the water. Though she stopped smiling immediately, realizing what she'd just done. "Sorry!" She called meekly.
Though when West took her empty one and handed her a loaded crossbow, he taking weapons from the men who were falling at his feet, she did it again without hesitation.
It happened so fast, Tollie didn't even see it, only turning to look at him when he cursed frusteratedly, falling back a few steps, the sword sliding back out if his side as he did so. Lunging forward, still running on adrenaline, West made short work of the unfortunate man who had managed to stab him; stumbling directly afterwards, pressing his hand in against his wound which already busy drenching his shirt.
The horror that hit her at the sight of it left her completely immobile for a few seconds, she didn't cry out, didn't go to him, didn't anything...until another solider appeared, hacking at West, he sluggishly blocking it as he was pushed back into the wall, their blades sliding together to the right before the his attacker quickly freed his, moving to swipe again.
Suddenly, Tollie was there and without even thinking about it she ducked in under the soldier's upraised arm and went at him with her dagger, saying as she went, "Out...in...down and back." Just as Clarity and Duhningham had instructed, using the available 'window' to kick him back from them to the ground. Turning to West then, who was using the wall as a crutch, his cloudy eyes not even on the battle around them anymore, she ducked in under his arm and, taking his weight, she managed to stumble them back, laying him carefully down in their little corner again.
She crouched over him, vaguely aware of people fighting behind them, but as no one was attacking them directly anymore, she couldn't focus on it. Gently moving his hand and peeling up his shirt, she looked at his wound...not that there was any way to know from looking at it how bad it was, as it really had to do with what the sword had done on the inside. It was certainly bleeding though, and I guess that was the first concern.
Looking around helplessly for a second, but of course finding nothing, she reached up and jerking fast and sure at her right sleeve, she managed to tear it completely off at the top, slipping it off and, wadding it up, pressed it into his wound, holding it there with both hands with as much pressure as she could, making him wince, mumbling weakly, "Easy there Dove."
They were going to lose, they were all going to die, they were just too outmanned.
She didn't even know she'd started crying until West reached up weakly, wiping a tear off her cheek with the back of his bloody hand.
Then suddenly came a loud distant 'bang', then another, and another.
Gov'ner leaned over her, grinning down at West, a nasty gash down the length of his face and a bruised eye, she wondering at what point he'd come over by them. "It's Grieg!" He cried jubilantly, turning back away from them and back to work directly afterwards.
She and West looked at each other, she standing then quickly, looking beyond the warring ships to the water, seeing that another ship had come up on them while they were all engaged with each other; a ship that was even now shooting at the ship to their right.
Dropping back down and putting pressure on his wound again, earning herself another wince and quiet curse, not directed at her directly of course, she told him what she'd seen.
West smiled then, leaning his head back in relief, "Ah Grieg, Maker bless his hell damned soul!"