Ariana
***Going to try having alternative POV's in third person so that they are easier to distinguish from Rayne's perspective.***
Ariana stepped back onto the merchant ship just in time to see Cage lugging an unconscious pirate to tie him to the mast. She works over to him and asks, "What on are you doing?"
"Hmm, oh hi Ariana back at last, are you? Commander told me to stash him somewhere but there isn't really a holding room on this ship so I figured I'd tie him to the mast where everyone can keep an eye on him," Cade responds absently as he pulls rope from somewhere to starting up the still unconscious man
"Did the commander do the damage then?" Ariana gestures at the visibly forming bruises while thinking This is going to be a PR nightmare. The newspaper will be like 'well trained commander mutilates poor pirate' Out of the corner of her eye Ariana sees a crewman walk buy with an empty bucket.
"Nope, Commander was out with me, captain Stakes and the Alethian Captain. He was unconscious in the captain's room with young Rayne when we went in."
"So how was Rayne?" As Ariana glances back at the captain's room the crewman walks past again with the bucket now full of bubble water.
"not a mark on him, didn't show any new signs of a fight. Hard to really tell though given that he hasn't cleaned up since the kraken."
"So, what, you're saying he passed out on his own?" The crewman then walks past them a bit closer back to where he had first come from.
"I mean there are no sword wounds on the guy, isn't it odd that a swordsman would pummel someone? Maybe he was already injured when he snuck in or something."
"I can't argue with that, when a ruffian like that comes creeping in a normal swordsman would draw on them." As Ariana finished her comment, she notices that one crewman walking past yet again this time with a mop. She wonders Why didn't he bring the mop at the start? "Cade, did Captain Stakes or Derek mention who was supposed to be in the crow's nest?"
"Hmm well I spoke to Derek briefly about it while Captain Stakes and the Commander where showing the pirates around. He said originally the third Marcos was supposed to be on duty, but he had some bad fish the night before and traded out. Unfortunately, five names came up as to who was then assigned the position. They haven't had a chance to talk to them yet."
"I see." Ariana narrowed her eyes slightly as the crewman began to mop the deck. However, rather than mop from one direction to another in order to properly cover the floor the man moped in a parodically continually moving his position. Each time he moved he came a little closer to where they stood, and the man was tied. "you mind standing watch here for a bit I want to report to the commander about the orders given on our ship." Ariana carefully observed the man and decided that there was something off with him.
Cade straightened and stretched his arms surreptitiously looking around the area as a result of Ariana's sudden jump of topics. "No problem you go report. I'll continue to watch this guy so that I can ask questions when he eventually wakes up."
Nodding once Ariana turns on her heel and strides towards the Captain's quarters. When she gets to the top of the stairs, she sees Rayne and the Alethian Captain at the base of the stares going further up. "Rayne?" Ariana pauses at the top of the stares.
"Lieutenant Ariana, Commander Levi is still in with my father. I'm just going to tidy up from the Kraken incident." Rayne gestures down at his dishevelled clothes spotted with the blue blood of the creature. Ariana nods at that before glancing at the red haired Alethian Captain. "Bri wants verification that I have a blue Ice spider silk shirt and brown fire rabbit pants. The good Captain doesn't believe that father got me anything that expensive. Clearly underestimates the business of a good merchant."
Ariana nods slowly in response and the two head up the stairs presumably to Rayne's room. With a shake of her head Ariana then heads towards where Derek stands in front of the Captain's quarters. When she reaches him, she holds up a hand to stop him from immediately ushering her into the room. From where they stood it was possible to see down at the main deck to Cade and the crewman. "Who is that crewman moping the floor?" she asks.
"Moping the floor? There is no point in moping anything until the Kraken is properly dealt with." The beast was being steadily dismantled by three of the senior members of the crew but their where still large pieces of the beast on the main deck. "Normally we have to set cleaning of any sort up as a punishment duty." Derek stepped forward slightly to get a better look at the crewman and frowned. "That Delis, we took him on as a request from a retired friend about 8 months ago."
"I see, was he one of the people who might have been on crow's nest duty."
"Yes actually, how did you know?"
"If mopping isn't normally done, is not practical to be done and isn't being done properly than the person with the mop is probably not trying to clean." Ariana shrugs "Cade is keeping watch on the prisoner because he seemed out of place."
"Call Cade up here. From my position I'll be able to see what he does and if he approaches the pirate. He won't try anything with a royal enforce right there."
"All right" Ariana steps up to the railing where she would be visible to the people of the lower deck. "Cade come here please," she calls out and then nods when Cade looks up at her. With a last glance at the pirate Ariana turns away from the main deck and walks back to the door. "Have him wait with you; I'm going to report."
Derek nods and opens the door for her to slip into the Captain's quarters. As she enters, she pauses at the sight of Levi and Dev slipping into each other's shirts. They had clearly already changed the rest of their clothes.
"Ah, Ariana good timing. Dev is going to be my stand in for the moment while we get our slaver attack operation underway so you will have primary command of the men. Dev will remain on Captains Stakes ship as an excuse for the good Captain not cooperating with the slaver's demands. The reason though will be the Royal Commander is courting the good Captain's son."
Ariana nods slowly. She had met Dev before and heard that he had taken up with a pirate. It was believed that Dev and Commander Levi had a falling out over the whole incident but that didn't seem correct now. "I understand Commander." Shaking herself out of her daze Ariana quickly reported that all was fine on the enforcer ship and that Delis was acting suspiciously. Levi nods in response while Captain Stakes looked angry.
Before they can continue the discussion though a shout from outside causes them to rush from the room.
YOU ARE READING
Lets pretend I didn't read the original plot
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