Elisayra holds on to Annabelle, using the larger woman for support as they strain to look out the window at the strange colored sky.

“It... it could be them.” Alex whispers, still half asleep and only looking with one eye.

“You think so?” Elisayra turns, helping the groggy woman up.

“What else could cause that?” She asks, a hand resting on her throat, testing the tenderness of it, though she is distract by the sight of Annabelle in the bed with them.

“Elisayra asked me...” Annabelle quickly dismisses.

“I never said I mind.” Alex reasons with a shrug.

It was Annabelle’s turn to look at Alex next, her eyes fixed firmly in the woman own, reading her expression carefully. “Alex, you’re smart, I need you to tell me if there is really a chance what ever is happening over there is because of Engee.”

“I’ve read stories in the libraries about something similar happening when another marked-”

That was all Annabelle needed. Without staying to listen to the rest, Annabelle throws herself from the bed and exits the captains quarters.

Every footfall vibrates the deck as she emerges back into the open air to see the other deck hands in stunned silence watching the sky slowly return to its normal color.

“I need everyone getting us moving in that direction, now!” She demands.

The crew refuse to move, so Annabelle sucks in a large breath of air and bellows the words in her bandits voice, the tone of which is more of a roar than anything a human could make.

“I said fucking move!”

The crew startle at that, and with a single look to the large woman, they begin hollering out orders.

“Annie! Are you sure this is a good idea?” Elisayra asks, having made her way out with Alex as well to join her on the deck.

“Yes.” Annabelle turns to both women. “Do you two have my back?”

“Absolutely!” Elisayra gawks as if she was insulted to have been asked.

Alex, still buttoning up one of Casper's spare coats, nods her head as well. “The only reason I didn’t want to search was because we would be doing it without direction. Now we have direction, I am absolutely happy to help.”

“Good.” Annabelle turns to watch as Peter, Celeste, Micha and Pounce emerge from the lower decks, scanning around for answers and seeing them in the form of the three woman standing above them.

“What is the meaning of this?” Peter asks, trying his best to sound not too annoyed.

“The colors vanished over the horizon, Alex says the marked can do that, so we are going to check it out.”

“Are you mad? Annabelle I am sorry but we can’t afford to-”

“I didn’t ask for your permission Peter.” Annabelle snaps. “Nor your opinion.”

Micha presses forward, energy crackling off his shoulders. “I won’t let you sacrifice everyone aboard on a whim. It is too dangerous.”

“We all owe Casper a life debt.” Alex explains gently from behind. “It is our duty and obligation both to do everything we can to ensure he is safe.”

“And if that means sacrificing you ungrateful assholes then so be it.” Elisayra finishes.

Peter pulls both swords from their sheaths and rolls his shoulders. “I owe Casper quite a bit, him and Rathiel both, but i swore no debts and between my life and his I chose mine.”

“I can’t blame you, but know that if you hurt us and Casper does come back, he’ll kill you.” Alex tries.

“If” Casper comes back.” Celeste notes.

“I suppose we all have to place our bets somewhere.” Alex raises her hands.

“Suppose we do.” Peter confirms with a nod.

“You can do it now Zesstra.” Elisayra speaks up.

“What?” Celeste turns just in time for the dark elf's blade to punch a hole through the woman's hand.

The others are sent reeling, Peter quickly spinning to see one of his own turn on them.

Celeste screams, unable to use her hands to make the proper motions for spells she falls to the ground under the weight of the assassin.

In a flash Micha is on the rest of them, his body moving with such raw power the air around him threatens to ignite.

He appears behind Annabelle before she can react, her body only half turned to try and face the man baring down on her.

Luckily, Elisayra had been watching their sparing matches, and became a bit more familiar with their individual fighting styles than she had bothered to let on.

Micha's fist connects with Elisayra's blade, positioned to intercept the blow as she knew it was going to be coming for Annabelle.

The fallen angel tries to pull the punch, but he is too late, Elisayra's dagger split the knuckles of his hands, sending blood spattering against Annabelle who by now has turned around fully and readied an attack of her own.

Micha was fast, incredibly fast, but all that mass needed to move in straight lines.

Her fist connects to the fallen angels jaw, whipping his head to the side and sending him crashing into the ground.

Annabelle rushes to follow up the blow but her legs stop moving, and she falls face first halfway there.

Smacking the ground with a heavy thud, she struggles to keep the air in her lungs. Looking down she sees her feet wrapped up in the slime of Pounce, who was rushing her way towards them like a snake made of water, any humanoid form lost in her assault.

Annabelle braces and looks forward just as Pounce surrounds her entirely, engulfing her in a rush of slime as if she had just dove feet first into the ocean below.

Her body tingles, as pounce works to digest her.

Annabelle thrashes around inside the slime, struggling against the fluid form to no avail.

The last thing her eyes see through the transparent goo before the burning becomes too much to handle, is Elisayra being grabbed around the throat by Peter.

Annabelle scream, letting the slime inside her mouth so she can bite down through it.

Pounce squeals, her fluid form shaking under the strange form of attack.

Annabelle spits the slime back up and opens her mouth again, biting down once more and tearing chunks from the monster.

The tingle begins to turn into an itch then, as the digestion works faster and faster around her. Her lungs begin to burn from the lack of air. Annabelle rips and tears at the slime, but despite causing the creature pain, doesn’t do enough to get her to release the hold.

A rush of air and a warm trickle of blood marks itself across her back. Feeling the sea breeze indicates to Annabelle some part of Pounce had released, so capitalizing on the opportunity, Annabelle reaches her arms backwards and begins to rip and tear at the exposed space.

Pressure releases for a moment, and Annabelle pushes off the deck and forces herself through pounce back into the fresh air.

She wants to take in a breath, but before it's interrupted as she is torn from ounce entirely and trapped under the weight of Micha.

Annabelle spits bits and pieces of Pounce up into Micha’s eyes. The fallen angel winces slightly, recoiling from the unexpected attack.

Annabelle grabs one of Micha’s hands and rips it out from under him, shifting her weight she spins and drives his skull into the deck, flipping over to mount his back, and then lifts with every ounce of strength she has to supplex the man up into the air then back onto the deck again in one smooth motion.

His body collapses for a second, just long enough for her to pull the knife from her hip, flip it around and slam the blade home into Micha’s ribs.

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He gasps for breath, and swings an elbow back, cracking Annabelle hard in the side of the head.

She stumbles, the world spinning on itself, struggling to find balance.

She collapses, ass hitting the deck with a thud, struggling to make sense of the smeary vision in front of her.

A mass of muscle and rage crashes into Micha then, sending him back to the ground.

She can’t make out the details, but she can hear the crunch of a fist hitting bone, and the bloody spatter of Micha’s breath spilling out into the wood.

“I got you.” Dorian's voice calls out, a hand coming into view.

Annabelle grabs hold of it tightly and allows herself to be hoisted upright.

“Thank you-” Annabelle starts, but looks down to see Dorain's blade piercing her stomach.

Confusion wraps around Annabelle's face as the blood trickles down her stomach, her breath catching, eyes going wide.

“It’s not her!” Alex’s voice calls, and a second later reality comes crashing down on Annabelle like a falling anvil.

Dorain's visage shimmers, the image of peter coming in behind it.

Without thinking Annabelle slams her head down hard onto Peters nose, sending the man reeling backwards and into Elisayra who swipes at his ankles as she passes him by.

Peter crumbles to the ground, rolls backwards and tries to get an extra swipe in on Elisayra, only for his strike to be barely parried by Alex who dashes in to tank the blow.

The force of Peters blade is so astronomically stronger than Alex’s it shatters the woman's sound and sends her collapsing to the ground with both arms limp.

The real Dorain appears then, swiping her leg down in a brutal ax kick that connects to Peters head, bouncing it off the ground and sending the man unconscious.

Blood pounds through Annabelle's ears, her body still itchy and tingling from her time inside pounce.

The wind picks up, and the boat lurches, finally headed off in the direction she had commanded.

“We all still alive?” Annabelle gasps, the world finally focusing in to see what happened.

Nearly everyone was on deck now. Including Laihal and Nephinae. It looked like Laihal had helped, given the few small cuts along the length of her legs, and Nephinae was already moving to heal Alex.

“I am glad you finally came to see reason.” Thodhan grunts, standing up from over Micha’s body.

“I figured... if there was any chance at all we should take it.” Annabelle chuckles, clutching her head.

“If you need healing, come to the captains quarters.” Nephinae says, gently guiding Alex upright.

It looked as though the cut on her throat had re-opened, causing the woman to nearly pass out again, especially having fought after losing all that blood. Given the collection of slime covering her, it looked like Annabelle had Alex to think for freeing her. She would make sure she did that soon.

“Annie... I think I want to lay down.” Elisayra says softly from Annabelle's side.

She looked exhausted, her throat was red from where Peter had grabbed her and blood trickles from her nose to be soaked up into her shirt.

“Do you want Nephinae to heal you?” She asks quickly, bending down to investigate the half elf’s face.

“No... no I'm okay, she needs to focus on healing Alex and the others. I just want to lay down.”

Looking up, Annabelle watches as Thodhan drags a bloodied Micha over to the captains quarters, adding him to the pile that included Peter, Celeste and Pounce, all being guarded by Dorain, Laihal, and now Thodhan.

“Sure.” Annabelle smiles, and helps her friend downstairs, into the empty crew quarters.

“Are you alright?” Elisayra asks, resting a hand on Annabelle's cheek.

“I'm fine, just a head injury and some itchy skin.” Annabelle chuckles, sitting Elisayra down on the bed as she makes her way over to her travel pack.

“Are you sure?” Elisayra presses, concern in every word.

“I'm sure.” Annabelle smiles, taking her first aid supplies over to the bed, and setting them down next to Elisayra.

She gently dabs the wet cloth against Elisayra’s nose and lips, gathering up the blood before moving down to her chin.

“You’re shirts a bloody mess.” Annabelle reprimands, grabbing the bottom of it, and lifting it up off of Elisayra's body.

“Annie wait!” Elisayra gasps as her shirt comes off, baring all of her chest for Annabelle to see.

“Shit, sorry.” Annabelle looks around for a clean shirt to grab her. “Why don’t you wear a bra under there?” she huffs, embarrassed.

“I’m too small, I don’t need one...” Elisayra explains with a faint sigh.

“Let me get you-” Annabelle shifts to sit up, but stops as she feels a hand resting on her.

“Its... it’s fine.” Elisayra admits, shifting her arms slightly to better reveal her small breasts. “There uh, there is blood there too, you know?”

Annabelle turns back to look at her more closely, following the lines of her perky form to settle on the blood lingering below the collar bone.

“Want me to get it for you?” Annabelle asks, her eyes moving up to find Elisayra’s, only to see the half elf blushing uncontrollably.

“Yes please, if you could.” She confirms.

Annabelle finds herself holding her breath as she brings the wet cloth down to Elisayra’s exposed chest, cleaning her in much the same way Eli did to her only a little while ago.

Elisayra gasps as the cold water runs across her skin. She bucks slightly, pulls away as Annabelle tries to clean her.

“You’re wiggling too much.” Annabelle reprimands, bring her free hand to grab Elisayra by the hips, her fingers large enough to wrap around the half elf’s back as well.

A strange sound escape’s her then, finally prompting Annabelle to look up.

Elisayra has her head turned almost entirely away, her face the color of fire as she sheepishly bites down on the knuckle of one finger that quivers slightly.

“You like this, don’t you?” Annabelle finds herself teasing. The words coming out of her mouth before she can even think to regret them.

Her head floods with a dump of embarrassment and adrenaline both, a shot of panic more painful than any blow she received sending her heart vibrating at an uncontrollable rate.

“Fuck, I mean-”

Annabelle struggles to apologize, to come up with some excuse, but any one she could think of disappears as Elisayra nods her eyes, and her eyes shift to catch Annabelle's.

“Mhm~” she moans softly, her tiny hands moving to rest atop Annabelle's.

“Eli, what...” Annabelle starts again, but finds all of the words fumbling around in her mouth as Elisayra guides Annabelle's hand lower to her chest, moving it to cup one small breast in the palm of her hand.

“I did this to you, didn’t i?” Elisayra offers, keeping Annabelle's hand there. “It’s...it’s only fair. Right?”

“Right...fair.” Annabelle confirms, swallowing hard.

Was this really happening? Was this really something she was getting excited over? Elisayra was a woman, she was a woman, this couldn’t be right, this couldn’t be happening.

“Annie... would you get mad at me, if i tried something?”

Annabelle’s hand begins to shake for the nerves working their way through her body, the anxiety nearly too much to bear, the excitement even more so, as she found herself drowning in Elisayra's yearning voice.

“Wh-wh-what did you want to try?” Annabelle asks, stumbling, looking up her hand to see Elisayra only inches away.

“Can I kiss you? I think... I think I would like to... if you want to?” Elisayra's asks, her breath sending Annabelle into a frenzy.

“Yes... you can kiss me.” Annabelle confirms.

She didn’t know why she said that, why did she say that? What possible reason cold there have been to say yes to something so-

Annabelle's world alights with a buzz as though she had just drank a gallon of ale as Elisayra presses their lips together in a kiss.

Annabelle feels in that moment, as though the entire would was about to shift upside down and send them falling into the sky itself.

Her heart exploded in her chest, the only sound was that of blood pumping through her veins.

Annabelle presses her lips further into Elisayra’s, her mouth parting slightly, hungry. Elisayra matched her then, inviting Annabelle in.

Before Annabelle knew it, she had moved on top of Elisayra, and her tongue was inside her mouth, exploring her, their lips a sloppy tangle, their tongues a dancing pair.

Her breath hitches, her body arches as Elisayra brings her hands up to grab at Annabelle's chest. It was then that Annabelle noticed her own hand had begin to work the soft mount of Elisayra’s, her thumb dancing across the pink peak of her breast.

“It, it feels good~” Elisayra moans gently into Annabelle's mouth, her own mind sparking with unknown emotions as Elisayra pulls at Annabelle's nipple now, kneading her breast, desperate for it.

“I want, I want to do-” Annabelle begins to work at her own shirt, eager to remove it, but stops as a lancing pain explodes from her head.

“Fuck!” pressure builds in an instant, rushing from the back of her skull and radiating around it with excruciating throbs.

“Annie!” Elisayra gasps as their mouths untangle and Annabelle falls to the ground. “Oh gods are you okay!?”

Elisayra practically throws herself at Annabelle, joining her on the ground as she clutches her head tight.

“Guess, the adrenaline wore off enough...” She gasps, the thunderous pounding nearly sending her unconscious.

“I, we need to get you to Nephinae!” Elisayra quickly works a shirt back on, and helps Annabelle place her chest back into her own.

“Yes, yes please.” Annabelle groans, another wave of pressure sending her over.

Annabelle uses Elisayra for as much support as she could dare risk, as well as the walls of the ship itself as head towards the captains quarters yet again.

Stumbling inside, Nephinae begins casting her spells, all while Elisayra holds tight to Annabelle’s hand.

“It’s okay, you’ll be alright.” Elisayra whispers softly, comforting Annabelle as the pain ebbs away.

“Elisayra... come here.” Annabelle asks, motioning the small half elf closer.

“Yes?”

“Would you be mad at me, if I told you I had feelings for you?”

Elisayra snickers, “no, I would be relieved you didn’t think what we started was a mistake...”

“I'm glad.” Annabelle smiles, and pulls the half elf in to kiss her again.

Elisayra yelps slightly, surprised by the sudden connection, but melts into it soon enough.

Elisayra pulls away, and wipes her lower lip, before her cheeks turn red and her eyes drift to Nephinae, still healing the Annabelle.

“Do not worry about me, I do not mind.” Nephinae confirms with a faint smile, though her cheeks too seem to be growing a little more red.

“Now I just need to figure out something more complicated.” Annabelle sighs, letting Nephinae continue her work.

“What’s that?” Elisayra asks.

“How... How I am going to deal with my feelings for you and Casper both...”

“I was wondering the same...” Elisayra sighs.

“I talked to him before, but he is hard to read. I even confessed to him and told him more about how the men in the kingdom are meant to take many wives, but for us to be intimate as well...”

“Casper is understanding.” Nephinae speaks up, guiding Annabelle up off the bed after the healing spell is complete. “He may be reluctant to take many wives, but he will not judge you for longing for Elisayra.”

“You are probably right.” Annabelle smiles, rubbing at her head.

“Do you have feelings for anyone Nephinae?” Elisayra asks, helping guide Annabelle back towards the exit.

Nephinae remains quiet, and instead only offers a gentle smile to the two women. “I will wait here for when we find them, I am sure they will be injured.”

Elisayra looks as though she wants to ask again, but Annabelle speaks up first. “Of course, thank you Nephinae.”

Nephinae regards her without nearly as much contempt now, though still Annabelle can tell their relationship is strained.

Exiting the captain's quarters, Elisayra holds tight to Annabelle’s hand, and looks up to the larger woman.

“Do you... maybe want to continue what we started?” She asks sheepishly, rubbing her legs against each other in anticipation.

Annabelle blushes and nods her head.

Elisayra practically drags Annabelle behind her as they two run towards the crew quarters, throwing themselves through the doors ready to slide into one of the beds, only to stop as Laihal raises an eyebrow at them.

“Interrupting something?”

Both Annabelle and Elisayra blush, their eagerness dying down slightly as Laihal makes no effort to leave.

“No... nothing.” Annabelle sighs.

“Please, don’t stop on my account.” Laihal tests, licking her lips.

“I hope we find Casper soon.” Annabelle groans.

“I hope we can get our own rooms soon.” Elisayra whispers.

“That too.”