“Well, if we’re equals off the ‘Hawk,” the elven woman said, her lips curling up in a smile that looked dangerous. “Then what are your plans for the evening?”
Dexter chuckled, noting her choice of clothing was not only functional, but as the elven woman had once told him, also designed for making the fashion statement. The statement seemed to be one of promiscuity. “I’m not for knowing. It’s been a long time since I’ve had time for myself.”
“And here I thought you might have a mind to ply me with wine until you could have your way with me,” she said.
Dexter’s cheeks flared red. He had thought many times about her, his secret fantasies dancing about in his head whenever time permitted. He knew they would remain fantasies though — she was a member of his crew and that was a complication he was not willing to entertain. “Rank or not, I’m not for getting involved with my crew.”
Jenna slid from the chair she was in to one next to him. “What about your first mate and the cook?”
“What about them?” Dexter almost stammered. His eyes dropped down to her revealing vest and he felt the heat rush to his cheeks. He jerked his eyes up and wondered if more logs had been thrown on the fire; it was getting uncomfortably warm.
The sound of her musical laughter tortured him. “I have it on good authority that they’re sleeping with one another.”
Dexter could not help but chuckle. “Well, they’re married.”
“So there you are, two of your crew already involved,” she said, as though a problem had just solved itself.
“Aye, but I don’t get involved,” Dexter said after clearing his throat.
“I didn’t have any plans on involvement,” Jenna said, pouting. “Just a little fun is all.”
Dexter’s mouth opened and closed; he was at a loss for words. Unable to avert his eyes, he glanced down and he found her leaning forward so that the panels of her vest, which were hooked together with loose fitting fine chains, had fallen away from her body enough for him to see the full rise of her breasts and the pointed buds that stood out from them. Jenna grinned triumphantly, noting where his gaze had gone, and let him off the hook. “It seems I’ve had my fun now,” she said.
Before he could reply she stood up, leaning forward as she did so and giving him an even better view down her vest, and whispered in his ear, “I’ll see you back at the ship…Captain.”
Dexter watched her go, finding himself unable to speak and, even when he regained his composure, unable to stand up. He shook his head and promised himself to keep an eye on Jenna, well, sort of. He laughed at his own play of words and shook his head, ordering another ale.
“Captain Silvercloud?”
Dexter sighed, wondering what he was getting himself into this time. He turned and saw a beautiful red headed woman standing near him, a perfect smile upon her face. Somehow he managed to also note that she wore a green dress that had a low cut bodice, threatening to spill her breasts from it with a heavy breath. The skirt of her dress had cuts in the sides that allowed her long legs to slip through it with each stride, offering ethereal promises of the pleasures they could deliver.
“Uh… yeah,” Dexter replied as eloquently as he possibly could.
“My Master would like a moment of your time,” she said, her voice soft, sulky, and dangerous.
He cursed and took a drink of his ale, then smiled at her. “Time enough for him later, who might you be?”
“I am Jarnella,” she said. “My Master is Wizard Ormitor.”
“A wizard, you say?” Dexter said, reevaluating his designs towards Jarnella. Wizards were funny; there was no telling what they might be offended by. Especially since they seemed to know so much more than everybody else did.
He sighed, his plans of following in Rosh’s footsteps falling to pieces. “Well then, Milady Jarnella, take me to your master.”
She smiled at him and waited for him to stand. Dexter tossed a few extra pieces of silver on the table and followed behind her, his eyes taking in her gently swaying figure every step of the way.
Jarnella led him to another tavern, this one considerably nicer than the one near the docks where she found him. She directed him to a private booth where a man sat by himself, finishing off a goblet of wine. She slid into the booth next to the man and gestured for Dexter to sit across from them.
Dexter did as he was bid, and leaned back in surprise when a manservant delivered a tankard of fine ale for him. He thanked the man, then turned to his host.
“Dexter Silvercloud, captain of the Voidhawk, at your service,” he said, raising his tankard of ale in salute.
“I need to make a fast trip to my home,” Ormitor said without preamble. “What are your rates?”
Dexter blinked, surprised. “Well, you and Lady Jarnella? How much luggage will you be bringing?”
“She is no Lady,” Ormitor stated bluntly. “But we will require a single room, including my belongings. I have three other servants as well that will require a separate room.”
Dexter fought his distaste at the wizard’s caustic nature. He nodded and after only a moment of thought said, “Hundred and fifty gold is standard fare for you and your servants, but I’m afraid that does not make a trip to Port Freedom worth it, that’s several weeks journey and I can’t pay my crew on that.”
Ormitor sipped his wine at the same time that Dexter felt something brush against his leg. He glanced over at Jarnella and found her staring at him with a smoky smile on her face. The touch came again, sliding up the inside of his calf, confirming his suspicions that it was her foot, bereft of the sandal she had been wearing. Dexter quickly took a long pull of his own ale to hide the surprised expression on his face.
“There are hidden bonuses to taking on my patronage, Captain,” Ormitor said, the intent of his words intentionally clouded in mystery.
Dexter cleared his throat, secretly admitting that he had an idea what the wizard was referring to. Especially since Jarnella’s foot was passing his knee and seductively making its way up his thigh. “What sort of bonuses are those?” Dexter asked.
“I have no contraband or reason to avoid the Federation’s laws, if that concerns you,” he stated. “And a timely passage conducted professionally will earn further business from me. I have some freight, also legal, at my home that I need to have returned here. Freight that would bring a higher wage.”
Dexter found the deal sweetened, but still he was concerned at the wizard’s ambiguity. Jarnella’s foot, the toes drawing circles on his upper thigh, soothed some of those concerns away, however.
“That brings a shiny light to the deal, but still I can’t pay my crew on a hundred and fifty gold. I’d need to be finding some cargo to take as well to break even on it,” Dexter said. “And that may take some time, time that you’re not to keen on spending.”
Ormitor nodded, taking another sip. Jarnella’s foot pressed against Dexter’s groin in a way that promised all manner of hidden delights. Dexter spilled some of his ale as he raised it to his lips.
“Very well, promise me a journey of less than three weeks and I will pay five hundred gold,” Ormitor said. “But think not to trifle with me, Captain. You come recommended, but I have little patience.”
Dexter tried to think it over. Five hundred gold was a tidy sum, and certainly enough to split amongst his crew, especially with the promise of a larger paycheck to follow. Further thoughts were dashed when he felt Jarnella’s toes against his flesh. Without looking down, as he longed to do, he realized the woman had somehow managed to untie his breeches. Without a doubt she had proved she had a dexterity that was the stuff of legend.
“Five hundred gold will cover it,” Dexter said, his voice only mildly strained. Glancing at her he saw her expression had not changed, save that, if anything, she looked even more sexually alluring to him.
“Excellent. I shall have my equipment loaded in the morning. Now if you will excuse me, I have things to attend to.” Ormitor said with a thin smile.
Dexter nodded, finding speech a little too complicated at that exact moment. She removed her foot, letting it slide promisingly down his leg, and stood up a moment later.
Ormitor followed her, but Dexter remained sitting, unable and unwilling to rise at the moment. “Please, Captain, stay and enjoy another ale at my expense. I shall see you in the morn.”
Dexter nodded and waited for another ale to make its way over to him via the manservant. He took in a deep
