Welcome to Gaia! ::

Syn wandered the streets aimlessly, eyeing each building carefully to see if it held what she wanted. She was getting to the parts of the city that weren't as destroyed as others, so nicer homes were starting to pop up. A squawk and rustle of feathers alerted her to Tuslo's arrival. She held out one arm without looking and felt the customary weight of the small macaw on her arm. Without saying a word she kept walking for a moment, then remarked as if they had conversed in normal speech, "Competition, eh? I should think that raven would be more concerned about Malaria" still using her nickname for Midnight "than ye. After all, yer male and fowl. She's woman and lovely."

She paused at one building, listening to the bustle of servants inside, remembering that when she had worked at the bank she had heard rumors of a dark-haired lady living in the building. Well, perhaps the rumors had been right, perhaps not, but the sounds and the look of building told her she was right. She started to sing a pirate shanty gaily as she circled the building once, giving it a once over. She gave a piercing whistle, pleased, then moved to one of the open windows in the building and called, "Malaria? Ye hiding in there?"

*Jaden watched as the Doctor took the cake and closed his book as he laid it in his lap. She was silent for a few moments before she noticed him turning about to look at her, rather than her shadow. She was somewhat flushed in the face. Her thoughts had centered squarely on her letter she had left him in his quarters before attending to the treats for the crew. Trying desperately to think of anything to take her mind off of her slight embarassment, she said the first thing that came into her head*

"Ah... no Doctor... I was just... wondering what you were reading..." She was indeed interested in what he was doing, but she could tell her shallow attempt may be discovered and, at some point, her rouse would be called out.

*Despite her casting a shadow across his book, it was obvious that night was soon approaching and a cool breeze could be felt drifting across the deck. The slight shiver that crossed her shoulders caused her to put down the bag filled with cakes and thermoses of lemonade while standing beside the Doctor. She was suprised only little that her bag of cakes and juice was snuck up upon, confiscated and ravaged by the rest of the onboard crew as they sifted through it like gold dubloons. Obviously, there were those who desired seconds.

It was much to her relief that the Doctor had heard the Captain just after she had said her piece. Nervous as she was of his interaction with her in any way, she hoped her half-hearted retort would suffice. And this distraction of the Captain searching for him was oddly comforting to her. She smirked slightly as the Doctor wondered aloud where the Captain was off looking for him with his cheeks filled to the brim with lemon cake.

Taking a moment to reassure her mind that nothing had been heard by him or had happened in regards to her odd behavior, she sat down near the Doctor, as now she would also have to wait for the Captain. She had been told to speak with him when she was able. Now was as good a time as any.*

Destiny had been about to ring the ship's bells for lunch. As she slipped up the stairs in the hatchway, she couldn't help but stop and listen to the Captain say

Destiny put a hand to her chin and tilted her head sideways in thought. Hmmmmm, I wonder if the Captain would mind if I tagged along. It will be interesting to meet this lady friend of his. I'll just slip back along the corridor, and back to my quarters. The new cape and top I picked up in Toulon should be perfect.

Destiny turned about, and headed back for her quarters. Taking a quick sponge bath in a tin basin, she brushed out her hair till it shone with a glossy finish. Arraging her hair so it covered her ears, she swept the rest into a loose braid down her back. As she braided her long, honey-gold hair, she wove in soft black and white ribbons into the braid, both for decoration and protection.

Her hair finished, she began looking for just the right outfit to make a good impression on the Captain's friend. She quickly found the black, white,and red outfit she had been looking for. She slipped on the black silk top with the white lace ruffle and softly caressed the silk with her hand, still marveling at the fabric. Next, she pulled on a pair of the softest leather breeches she could find, dyed a shade of black. Through many belt loops , she threaded her velvety-smooth, embossed, midnight black leather belt with a large gold buckle. She sat down on her bunk, and reached underneath for her second pair of boots. As she pulled them out, she could see her face reflected in them. On her feet, she slid a pair of silk stockings on, and then pulled her boots on. Standing up, she felt almost dressed. However, she didnt' feel dresed without her back-slung short swords, and numerous hidded daggers. Cautiously, she slipped the sheathed daggers into all their hiding places. She wasn't sure if it was proper to wear swords to dinner, but she felt naked without them.

She stood back and looked herself over in the mirror. From head to toe, she presented a picture of sophistication and elegance, as well as a muted sense of deadliness. But there was one last thing missing.. her cape. Twisting around, she carefully untied the strings to her red silk-lined black cape, and in one swirling motion, settled the cape over her shoulders. Delicatly she the strings back, fastening the jeweled pin over the knot.

The pin was in the shape of a onyx raven over a torn heart that was bleeding rubies. It was composed of black onyx, ruby, and gold, small enough to hide from most, but yet distinctive enough to attract a small bit of attention, and enough to strike fear into the hearts of those who once knew who she was.

Now she felt fully dressed. With a turn and flourish of her cape, Destiny left her quarters and headed out the hatch, down the gangplank, and onto the side strees that would take her to the Main Road, intending to be there by the requested hour.

*Jaden looked up in suprise at the Captain's addressing the Doctor.*

"Had the Captain just started to say the Doctor's first name?" she thought quickly to herself as she stood up in the Captain's presence. She had begun to believe that 'Baxter' was his last name due to the way everyone refered to him by it.

*She listened at the lucky invite the Doctor had received for the banquet that was soon to be hosted by Miss Melaria. What a celebration this would turn out to be for those attending from the crew. She was a tad jealous. Her mind began to think back to the last party she had attended, herself.

~~
She hadn't been to such a social engagement in many years. It sounded like the very thing her mother would have rushed her off in midday to get ready for, as suitors came to call there and she could hope to be rid of her obstinant child. However, her mother didn't have quite the control over Jaden as she had hoped for.
Instead of a dominate suitor who would put her in her place, she humiliated many of them. Those who were not of the pompous nobility or upperclass who asked her to dance and tried to court her; found rather than a fragile flower, they found a woman with brains: a dangerous combination in this day and age.
She was taught techniques that a young woman of the upper class should not have known: The locksmith's son she had courted by (after Jaden had made a point to turn every other suitor down), taught her lockpicking techniques and gave her the set of tools she protected most dearly. This knowledge was later used to slip away from her locked room the night before her own wedding to the same locksmith's son. She also used this ability again one other time. We'll not get into what all happened with the swordmaster's son when she courted him. Let us just say, while he is not dead, he walks with a considerable limp due to mistaking Jaden's sword skills he taught her. He never should have thought her bosom was anyone else's than her own; for a blade, no matter how small, can make an everlasting impression.
~~

As the Captain smiled at both the Doctor and Jaden, she dropped her head and took a small step backwards. Parties were, indeed, fun, but it was wrong to fantasize upon her going to this function. She was not of the crew and her fate had not yet been decided in regards to her staying aboard the ship.*

"Surely, I am not to be invit....." she had begun to think before the Captain began to speak again. It would have been far too forward for someone not of the crew to assume they would be invited.

*The mention of her name, however, made her snap her head back up and look squarely in the eye of the Captain. A wave of shock seemed to come over her as she heard him talking of sifting through old clothing and a hat that would look well on her. A somewhat blanketed puzzlement and slight joy crossed her face.*

"Has he made up his mind as to whether she was allowed to stay aboard the ship?" her mind raced as she looked around at herself. Almost as quickly as she had thought it, she began to blurt it out towards the Captain.

"Have you decided whether or not I should be allowed to stay aboard then, Captain?... I... I am willing to stay... of course," her fingers began to fidget terribly with the edge of her auburn locks. "But I had not heard what your take was, and... I have not tried to make myself at 'home' until I knew that I was, indeed, accepted and welcome aboard."

*She looked up to the Captain intently to hear his reply. Her heart sat lodged in her throat. Never had she felt such a feeling of anticipation as she awaited an answer from the Captain. Not noticing it herself, she stood rather close to the Doctor as she tried to bite back the grin that started to rise on her face.*

"That sounds like a splendid idea. I shall uncover what I have from the depths of my footlocker. I don't have a jacket, however. The only thing I've got is the heavy overcoat I wore upon my initial arrival aboard. I do however have white silk shirts and a vest, and some dark bottoms I could wear."

The doctor went off to prepare for the banquet.

Baxter nodded at the bit addressed to him then disappeared below to rummage through his footlocker and find appropriate attire for the evening.

It had been quite some time since Reginald had to attend a formal function. He always did have a small distaste for the pomp and circumstance that surrounded such affairs. However, the food was usually of the highest calibur, and Baxter would thus tolerate the ritual that accompanied it.

However, he was not quite sure he remembered the protocols and such to pass off as a gentleman as he has spent to much time with the "common folk" as his father would say.

Cut-throat Kate, female pirate and infamously unlucky omen, staggered around the little port, an almost-empty bottle clutched in one hand.

The crew aboard her last ship may have all been captured, and the one before that may have been killed in a sea battle, and then there was that freak tidal-wave before that...

...but no, she would not give up. The rumours that currently flew around the port whispered of a pirate ship by the name of The Lady Washington. There were murmurs that they allowed numerous women on board- an unusual trait, to be sure.

Although she didn't know when the ship would be nearing port, she was determined to present herself to the captian and crew as an eager ship-mate as soon as possible.

Yes, a nice little row-boat might help. Spying a man on the docks, lightly dozing next to a selection of the small vessels, she pulled out a couple of cold coins from within her pocket with which to barter...

...then thought better of it and pulled out her pistol.