An Arrangement

[Otto26]

The drink was truly awful but it was the price of a place to sit out of the rain. Truth be told, he'd drunk worse in his time and been grateful for the opportunity to wash the taste of war out of his mouth. The bar itself was certainly no worse than the haunts he'd had to drag sergeants out of and wasn't much different from a dining-in during a bad campaign. There was a muted air of dread that overlay the raucous noise made in the close quarters of the tavern.

It wasn't a bad tavern, really. A cut above the usual port bar in the Slovenian Empire, and Edmund had had the opportunity to see a fair number of them as he'd worked his way slowly down the coast looking for a ship that would take him to Alexandria. Whatever else might be said about the Empire, and a fair number of uncharitable things were frequently said, they had an enormous spy network based on the sound principle that people will inform on their neighbors because, when all is said and done, familiarity breeds petty contempt. The Christians didn't like the Moslems and the Slovenians didn't like the Croatians and the only thing they could agree on was that neither of them cared a whit for the Serbs. So he'd kept his head down, listened to what was said instead of asking questions, and kept himself sober and away from the whores.

A man sat down across the table from him. "I hear you look for a servant," the man said.

Edmund grimaced. It had been months and he was feeling the lack of a woman very keenly. He'd gotten almost drunk two nights earlier, he'd been feeling that lack as well, and mentioned that he'd like a woman to keep him company on his trip to Syria.

"A woman," the man continued. "I hear a woman wants to leave very badly. Go far away, but no money. She is pretty, I hear, and the pimps lick their lips. But I tell her I know about a man who wants a woman for a long trip. So she gives me some coins to make an introduction. She is poor, I only get a few millimes from her. You give me some more coins and I make you an introduction. You like her, you give me some more coins."

"How many?" Edmund asked.

"To introduce, five dinars. You like, another five."

"Two and five," Edmund countered.

"Five and five is a good price. No much, but is simple job. Less than that is no worth my time. I have to make extra by rob you."

Edmund nodded. "Two and six."

"Three and five. You can always use you hand," he leered.

Edmund considered the offer. He could afford it without a doubt for he was carrying a small fortune, a very small fortune, in gems, gold, and various papers, but that was exactly the reason he had to be so careful. He didn't want to be robbed and killed or, worse, left alive and penniless in Slovenia with an Anglian price on his head. He dug into his pockets and pulled out three dinars from two of the various places he secreted his obvious money and slid them onto the table. He never saw the man move, but the coins were gone a moment later.

"Where?" the man asked.

Edmund shrugged. "Here. My ship sails on the dawn tide and I've no desire to get wet. I'll buy her a drink and some food for her time."

"I tell her. She will come, I think. She needs to leave very badly." The man drained his mug and walked out of the bar.

What have I got myself into now? Edmund sighed. At least life isn't boring, he consoled himself and took a drink. He licked his lips with relish even as his tongue and mind screamed complaint, Good Lord save our souls! That's foul!

 

[Otto26]

OOC: This is a fairly ambitious storyline that slippedhalo and I are going to attempt. This thread is closed in the sense that we are only accepting volunteers for fairly specific, and limited, roles. You'd be expected to be familiar with the background material. The first role is coming up in a week or so.

First Guest Role: A merchant from the Sultanate who does business in the Slovenian Empire. He'll win heavily at backgammon and Edmund will let him have Firanzin for a night in lieu of cash. He'll return Firanzin the next morning when the ship makes port in Alexandria and provide a letter of introduction to a friend in Cairo who will shelter Edmund and Firanzin while they find passage to Suez. You've got to be able to post regularly (once a day is best) during the week of real time you have to game this portion of the story with her and you must be willing to accept the limits your fellow writers put on matters (anal sex is right out, for example). Best way to be invited is to audition with a PM that contains a character sketch and possible introduction.

 

[Otto26]

Background Material

Background Material
Persian Empire - The Persian Empire is the oldest empire on Earth. It has survived largely because of excellent statesmanship based on sound principles. Primary among these is tolerance. The Persian Empire will tolerate any ethnic or religious group right up to the point that they begin to disturb the public peace. When a group begins to threaten the stability of the Empire, action is swift and very, very brutal. The Persian Empire has maintained the trade routes for centuries and charges a relatively modest fee for the trans-shipment of goods. Combined with the money spent by traders and travellers passing through the Empire, this has brought in a good deal of wealth. Strangely, for an Empire, most of that wealth is spent on neccessary public works.

The Persians have an army that has driven off the mongols, the huns, the armies of the Sultanate, and more than one attempt by colonial companies to establish footholds. The army is built around a military nobility directly loyal to the Shah and is highly mobile due to the Persian love of cavalry. The army is supported by universal conscription which requires every male to serve in the garrison forces (infantry) for four years. All males are subject to being called to military service until they are 40 and can be called for non-military service for their entire life. The cavalry are the premier service, followed in importance by the engineers and the artillery. The Persian navy is small and, in time of war, is mostly composed of impressed merchant vessels.

Persian society is very eclectic, combining elements from all over Eurasia. The glue that holds this wild mix together is the Imperial Service. This civil service is open to men and women of all cultures (even foreigners). Entrance is by competitive examination. This exam is mostly a test to determine that the candidate is educated and can rapidly learn and solve problems. Members of the Imperial Service are directly loyal to the Shah and administer the Empire in his name. The perks of being in the Imperial Service are considerable, but these come at cost. Imperial Servants cannot accruse personal wealth and the penalties for corruption are severe (a quick death is the most merciful of the penalties). Retired Imperial Servants are generally made a member of one of the minor noble orders, although those that have distinguished themselves may be made great potentates.

Women enjoy a great many freedoms in Imperial society. They have equal rights under the law and can own and inherit property. They are welcome in the Imperial Service and even in the Imperial military (though they tend to be technical specialists).

Persia is a land in which scholarship is well-thought of. They have a universal education system that provides four years of free education to all children and many schools that continue education past this point. Persian mathematicians, in particular, are well-regarded by European scholars. Persia is not as technologically advanced as many of the European powers, but it makes up for this with sheer size. While an Anglian factory might out-produce a Persian factory, there are five of the Persian factories for every Anglian factory. As a crossroads nation, Persia is exposed to new ideas constantly. The Persian mindset, at least at the governmental level, seems to take the view that change doesn't need to be hurried.

Orangeland Colony - Founded by Puritan dissidents from the Batavian Republic who fled to the existing Batavian enclave in Ni Hon and then seized the southern islands of Kyushu and Shikoku from the Shogunate. The Orangeland colonists are militant Puritans of the worst sort. They believe strongly in the concept of pre-destination as revealed by the success of a person in life. This is troubling for East Asia because the Orangelanders believe they are destined to rule a vast empire which will bring the earth under the sway of God as they believe him to be.

Orangeland society is highly regimented and local councils regulate every aspect of a person's life, down to what work they will do and who they will marry. They regard anyone who doesn't subscribe to their dogma as being misguided, at best, or actively evil, at worst.

Fortunately for the rest of the world, Orangeland is resource poor and has a hostile nation across a short channel from them. Mostly they export copper and missionaries/spies while importing most of their manufactured goods.

Ni Hon - Pure Tokugawa Shogunate. The creation of Orangeland galvanized the inhabitants of Ni Hon. The loss of Imperial lands led the Shogun to institute a massive military build up (which was also a convenient way to deal with some remaining enemies and bring society under tighter control). Though Ni Hon continues to trade with outside powers, it does so at very strictly controlled enclaves located on small islands. The primary goal of the military buildup was to turn the remaining islands into a fortress against outside invasion. This has largely been accomplished and now the Shogun has turned to building an army and navy capable of re-taking Kyushu and Shikoku from the Orangelanders. They have chosen to do this by hiring military advisors from around the world. Critics have pointed out that the Orangeland Colony is a convenient boogeyman for the Shogun and he does not appear to be in a particular hurry to reclaim the lost islands while, at the same, time he continues to consolidate control of the populace in the name of military neccessity and Imperial grandeur.

Ni Hon has always been host to a significant number of pirates and there has been an increase in their number since the militarization began. These pirates seem to be able to elude the draconian Ni Hon officials in port cities with surprising ease. The Shogun's representatives assure foreign powers that they are doing everything they can to curb these pirates, but it's difficult. The Shogun has taken a hard look at the world and concluded that Ni Hon lacks the natural resources to go toe to toe with the great powers. They have begun to cultivate relationships with the Republic of Batavia (based on a mutual dislike of Orangeland) to ensure access to shipping and have started to cultivate relationships with emerging states in Central and West Africa. They are competing with Wu in the area of Indonesia. In the area of Columbia they have established trade enclaves on the Western coast which compete with Columbian and Catalonian interests. Ni Hon is providing military and technological assistance to many of the emerging states (and often selling them arms).

Batavian Republic - The Batavian Republic is one of the three pre-eminent world powers. Unlike the Anglians and Catalonians they have eschewed accruing large overseas holdings and have concentrated on trade. Since the loss of their Southern African holdings (now the Anglian Drake's Land Colony) they have moved to a policy of maintaining small trade enclaves throughout the entire world and have made their fortune by shipping the goods others accumulate. Batavian traders have a reputation for neutrality that is a by-word amongst the European powers and they have begun to dominate the emerging banking trade for the same reasons. They will carry any cargo anywhere and they will be scrupulously honest about the matter. Their navy is not as large as those of Burgundy or Anglia or Catalonia, but it is arguably the most professional and best equipped navy in the world. The Batavian navy largely acts to protect Batavian shipping. Many non-Batavian shippers pay a fee to the Batavian navy to include their ships in Batavian convoys. And the Batavian navy, and their excellent marine infantry, have acted on more than one occasion to punish piracy and those that harbor them.

Karnataka Colony - Karnataka Colony was founded by an Anglian company granted a monoply on Indian trade by the Anglian Crown. The Karnataka Company expanded their control by supporting one local power against other local powers until they had brought all of the local powers under their control. The Karnataka Company has been purged by the Anglian Crown on two occasions because the company acted against the best interests of Anglia. Though it is still loyal to Anglia, Anglian rule sits somewhat lightly; the local rulers, once they realized they could not resist the Company, joined and subverted it. What has emerged is essentially a new regional power with a blend of corporate and caste power structure.

Karnatakan society is largely based on the ancient caste system. This system is much like pre-destination except a persons worth is determined by the status of their parents. As the Company accrued ever more power and took over more of the economy the caste system melded into the Company structure. Now, the company structure effectively is the caste system. The system is not official but it boils down to the basic idea that the best jobs are indoors and don't involve much manual labor while the worst jobs are exactly the opposite. So the children of tanners will tend to be tanners and the children of managers will tend to be managers. In it's defense, the Company has created more opportunities for social mobility based on merit than existed before. An unofficial, but very real, side-effect of this has been the perception that lighter skin equates with a higher caste. This has caused some interesting social habits such as families adopting orphaned European children or rich local families marrying their children to impoverish European families in a bid to improve the status of their families in the future.

Karnatakan society places a great deal of emphasis on the idea of purity. Tanners, for instance, work in a filthy job and are inherently impure. Making contact with a tanner can 'taint' someone in a higher caste. This leads to a great deal of social isolation amongst the castes. A traditional greeting is for a person of a lower caste (and, now, Company position) to kneel and touch the feet of the other person and then their own head, indicating that the person is above them. This can lead to akward situations in which two people of roughly the same rank refuse to greet each other because they each believe the other should abase themself.

The Company controls the economy of Karnataka. Anyone who isn't directly employed by the Company works in a business that deals with the Company. And all businesses must be licensed by the Company. The Company is largely focused on making further inroads into the Indian Subcontinent and, so, is largely a land power. They rely on locally recruited troops led by officers seconded to them by the Anglian Army. They are opposed by the Maharajahs of several Indian states (who have no intention of being absorbed into the Company). The Maharajahs are openly aided by Burgundy in this, though the Maharajahs have not been dumb enough to become satraps of Burgundy in the process. Rumor has it that Batavian agents have given very clandestine, and always indirect, aid to the Maharajahs on the basis that slowing Anglian growth can't be a bad thing.

The Sultanate - The Sultanate is enormous, controlling the provinces of Libya, Egypt, Syria, Arabia, and Anatolia. It contests with Lombardy for control of the Eastern Mediterranean, the Slovenian Empire for control of the Balkans and the Black Sea, Axxum for control of Central Africa, and the Persian Empire for reasons that no one really understands. The Sultanate is an Islamic state in which non-Islamics are welcomed, provided they are willing to live without representation and pay additional taxes. Sprawling and populous, the Sultanate is handicapped by a lack of central control and a system based on religious legitimacy. Each province is governed by a Maliq appointed by the Sultan. Though the Maliqs rule in the name of the Sultan, they can dispute with him based on religious grounds. This will generally cause a gathering of religious scholars to be held in which the religious grounds of the competing claims will be evaluated and an adjudication will be issued. While the system prevents large scale civil warfare, it does tend to produce a complex (and often lethal) political climate. Added to this is the completely unofficial rise of 'ruling families'. Each province has several prominent families from which the Maliqs tend to be chosen. The families are in constant competition, jockeying for position in the race to become the family which produces the next Maliq. The Sultanate uses Sharia law, so women have tightly defined roles which preclude their participation in most occupations.

Anglia - The equivalent of England. A unified island in which Englishmen, Scotsmen, and Welshmen all consider themselves Anglian subjects of the King. Anglia pursued a policy of privatized conquest. So they granted license to companies to found colonies in the Orient, Africa, and Columbia (North America equivalent). This has produced a situation where powerful companies have been able to have a strong influence on Anglian policy. The three largest companies are the Karnataka Colony Company, the Columbia Venture Company, and the Drake's Land Investment Company. The Cook's Land Colony Company was dissolved after if failed to show a profit for many years. Many smaller companies exist and may have holdings as large as an entire port city in Africa right on down to a single building in an enclave in Ni Hon.

Hibernia - Ireland equivalent. A land worn down by generations of bitter warfare with Anglia. Although the nations have been at peace for two generations resentment runs deep. Hibernia is a nation both exceedingly poor and cosmopolitan owing to the diaspora that occurred when Anglia briefly conquered the Island. Hibernians have particularly strong ties with Catalonia (Spain) and Burgundy (France). In no way a naval power. Hibernia is famous for her scholars and her soldiers that find service in almost every nation on earth.

Good Harbor - Good Harbor is a free port founded by a consortium of European and Oriental merchants. It occupies the shell of an extinct volcano, forming the good harbor it is named for, and is a place where commerce is king. It is governed by a council of merchants. Councilors purchase their place on the council by paying a yearly fee. In return for this fee they get to propose legislation which is approved, or not, by the citizens of Good Harbor and they get to appoint civil servants. While this might seem like a recipe for rule by robber barons the system allows for some correction. Citizens unable to afford the cost of a councillorship frequently club together to purchase a councillorship for one of their number who pledges to represent all of them. Citizens pay a much lower yearly fee in order to avail themselves of the privileges of citizenship. Crime is not the problem that other powers claim it is because very little is illegal in Good Harbor, although most activities are subject to minor taxation. The main interest of Good Harbor is shipping. They have several large merchant fleets which ship goods for other states. Good Harbor also profits off taxes on goods that cannot be openly traded in other ports: slaves, drugs, guns, etc… Good Harbor protects itself by issuing letters of marque (generally selling them, actually) to privateers. These letters allow for ships to take action against any ship which acts against Good Harbor flagged vessels (another fee for that flag registration) or against the enemies of Good Harbor. Good Harbor is generally at war with at least two states and has a very long list of proscribed ships upon which bounties have been placed.

Cook’s Land - Australia equivalent. Settled by Anglia and their largest Oriental colony. Anglia is attempting to turn Cook’s Land into an industrial power from which they can rapidly project power in the Orient. They have encouraged emigration by a policy of granting noble titles to those willing to make significant investments in Cook’s Land or those with needed skills. Divided into many small Duchies who answer to a royally appointed governor. When the company that settled Cook's Land was unable to turn a profit, Anglia stepped in and assumed direct control.

Williamport - The principal port of the Catalonian colony in Java (captured from Anglia twenty years earlier). Catalonian rule is light and crime is rampant. Williamport is a haven for pirates and criminals of all stripes and Catalonian efforts to impose strong government have uniformly failed in the face of ingrained corruption.

Aotearoa - New Zealand. The Maori have retained their independence by allowing both Burgundy and Catalonia to establish a presence at a free port. Maori martial skill keeps the Europeans confined to these small enclaves and the Europeans pay the Maori well for access to the port. The Maori turn around and use this money to trade with Wu, Qin, and Ni Hon for weapons. The Maori, perhaps more than any other Oriental cultures, understand the threat that European expansion poses. They are hard at work developing their own industry and armed forces, particularly a modern navy. They are often at odds with Cook’s Land and have fought several large skirmishes/minor wars. People joke that a Maori will learn anything anyone is willing to teach them, except for meekness.

Wu - China equivalent. The Kingdom of Wu aims to become a power on par with the European powers and, thus far, has done very well for itself. It has focused on becoming a naval power, isolating itself from South-East Asian and Indian powers by the creation of small buffer states on it's Southern and Western borders. To the North it is protected by an uneasy alliance with the Kingdom of Qin. Wu has begun projecting naval power into Indonesia and has several times come into conflict with Ni Honese 'pirates'. Wu is a feudal state in which Mandarins control areas of varying sizes. In the past Mandarins often revolted, but that tendency has been put down by a student/hostage policy implemented by the state. All children of the Mandarin class spend ten years at the Royal Court. There they serve as hostages to good behavior while also being educated in the arts of leadership and being exposed to the idea that foreign nations present a greater threat to Wu as a whole. While Mandarins began as government officials chosen by examination, they have since become a class of gentry.

Qin - China equivalent. The Kingdom of Qin has set it's sights on becoming a vast land power and expanding North. To do this, the state has built a massive army along semi-feudal lines. The advance of Qin is slow, but steady. They have been building roads, canals, and fortified cities as they advance. They have, thus far, encountered little in the way of serious opposition. This advance has come entirely at the expense of the Golden Khanate and the small Kingdom (now province) of Choson. The Choson penninsula remains a place of unrest. Qin's army is, compared to most other armies, archaic. They still use vast levies of spear-wielding troops, archers, and even slingers. The strength of the Qin army lies in their method. They have a vast engineering corps and they make constant use of it. They bring overwhelming force to bear on specific points, fortify those points, and then repeat the process. A year spent conquering an area the size of a football field is considered a year well spent. Qin has a large cavalry force which they largely use to harrass their neighbors. The cavalry is also used to destroy forces which raid into Qin. Infantry secures the cities while the cavalry move to cut off the escape routes of the attacking forces. A cavalry raiding force can do enormous damage in Qin, but generally that force will eventually be destroyed entirely.

 

[slippedhalo]

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h2/AngeliaAvrielle/Firanzi.jpg < My character, Firanzin.

Blonde, green eyed, angelic looking beauty but not angelic in temperament. She is fiesty and easily frustrated with stupidity being much smarter than the typical drifter/streetwalker.

Firanzin (Fira for short) was the youngest girl in a family with twelve daughters and two sons. She ran away from home at the age of fourteen to escape an arranged marriage to a cruel, ugly, old pig farmer and has been fending for herself for four years, so is quite strong and strong willed, but also a little bit desperate to survive.

Fira is on the run from the local law enforcement in this villiage today. She pickpockets often and prides herself on only having prostituted herself three times in the past four years. Today she picked the wrong pocket, a government official, his gold pinky ring and damn her too if it wasn't stolen off of her nearly as quickly as she had taken it from him. No profit for her danger and the government man had seen her face. She's in heaps of trouble now.

If she doesn't get out of town quickly her life is in danger. She went to the only half-trustworthy barkeep in town who would likely find her what she needed for very little in return. He said he knew of a traveller who could afford her and could get her out of town tonight. She hoped this was so. Here she was, prostituting again but it was now this or her life. She chose life over pride most days of the week.

 

[Otto26]

When the woman sat down next to Edmund she pushed her chair right next to his.

"I'm not buying tonight, love," he told her.

"I was promised a drink and a meal for meeting you," she replied. Her eyes were on the room, not him, and Edmund was impressed with more than just her beauty.

That's why the pimps are licking their lips instead of sharpening their knives, he thought. This one's smart and a fighter. Will that be a problem?

He raised his mug and then his hand with a finger and thumb extended to signal for two more drinks. When the bartender caught his eye and nodded he pointed to the woman and mimed putting food in his mouth.

"I need a whore for a few days," he said to her. "A man said you needed to leave town quickly. I'm healthy and not particularly deviant and I'm taking a ship to Syria on the dawn tide. I'll take you as my servant if you're minded."

 

[slippedhalo]

Fira regarded the man as he spoke. He did indeed look healthy and clean. That was good in some ways and bad in others. His libido might be quite strong and his ability to dominate her even worse...but she'd be likely caught and killed before tomorrow afternoon if she remained in this place. "Will I get anything out of this deal other than transport? Because, I can hitch a ride with any traveler in this pub tonight. I'm not exactly a tough sell. " she said, trying her luck as her drink came and a plate with meat and some sqash and potato hash. She began to eat quickly, determined to at least get her meal before the man could change his mind. The drink was gone almost as quickly as it had been set upon the table before her.

 

[Otto26]

Edmund shrugged. "Fifty dinars when we make port at Beirut," he offered. It wasn't a bad offer, ten dinars was enough to rent a streetwalker for the night, but it wasn't his best. "That should be enough to start you out, lots of likely clients in a port town. Besides, you wouldn't be talking to me if I wasn't the best prospect you've still got."

 

[slippedhalo]

Fira made a show of flinching as if his last added comment had wounded her. She smirked and shrugged, "Ok, it's not great but it'll do...and you're right, I do need your help more than I originally let on so, that's a fair enough deal. But, I hope you realize your getting a lot for your money. I am not a prostitute by trade. Normally I find other ways to survive. You'll have the distinct honor of being among a select few who've had my services in this way." she stated quite matter of factly as she finished her meal and the drink of a drunken man who had made the mistake of rising from his table without taking it with him. She placed the cup back on the neighboring table exactly as he'd left it, except empty, and returned her attention to the man who was to be her master for the duration of this trip with a wry smile on her face. "When do we leave? And, how would you like me to address you. My name is Firanzin 'Nimble-fingers' but you can call me Fira for short."

 

[Otto26]

Edmund's hand grabbed her wrist and pulled her hand in front of him where he could examine it. He turned it over and examined the palm, fingers tracing along her fingers.

"Very nimble," he murmured, "but not a whore's fingers if I'm to believe you, nor a seamstress or a clerk. That would make you a thief. Which goes a long way in explaining your need to relocate."

Her emerald eyes, when he leveled his gaze at her, were mostly calm. A little anger, a little less fear, he judged. And where is her other hand? Not scrabbling at mine. So perhaps I'd be better served by wondering what she's got in the other hand. If she had a pistol or a blossom she wouldn't be talking to me, so belike she's got a little knife. Smart enough not to use it though.

"There's precious little money in petty theft and a disproportionate measure of trouble. But you already knew the latter. The trick is to use petty theft to further your greater goals. Right now you want to leave town without notice and I don't want to be delayed because I got mixed up with a strumpet who didn't know how to behave to save her life. No more theft unless I allow it."

He squeezed her wrist with a hand that was strong from years of training with the sword. "Besides, I understand the Empire still cuts off the hand of a thief. That would be a pity," he said as he released her hand.

He drained the rest of his mug and set it down, signalling to the bartender for two more.

"We'll stay out of the rain for another few hours and then make our way aboard ship. I hate ships in any case, but we wouldn't want an angry man looking for a pretty thief to have time to make enquiries of the dockmasters. So have a care with this drink because it's your last."

"As for address... I'll call you Fira and you can call me Master."

 

[slippedhalo]

He had a temper. Fira noted that and stored it in her memory for later. She kept her hand trained on the dagger hidden in her garter until he released her wrist and then she slowly returned that hand to her lap and the other took hold of the new mug set before her. Perhaps laying low for now and at least feigning obedience would be best, she thought as she nodded silently to his decree that she no longer practice her art of theivery without his permission. What he didn't know wouldn't hurt him, she supposed, and at least she would remember not to practice her craft with him or anyone who might report to him around... As for the rest, well, she'd make a promise but she was a pretty decent liar too so...she could say that as far as tonight goes she's through with stealing, tomorrow holds all new temptations, though, and she was no clairvoyant. How was she to know if temptation would take over reason and cause her nimble fingers to meet new possessions again? Time would tell if this promise would hold.

Fira smiled as she took another sip of her drink, deciding that she liked the look of this new employer and perhaps she wouldn't mind servicing his needs, although she'd never admit to anyone that she did kind of like the act...when in the act. She still liked to pretend to be a proper lady, to the best one living from hand to mouth could. She listened to him as he continued and answered her questions, "We'll stay out of the rain for another few hours and then make our way aboard ship. I hate ships in any case, but we wouldn't want an angry man looking for a pretty thief to have time to make enquiries of the dockmasters. So have a care with this drink because it's your last." he said and she simply sipped slowly, making eye contact with him to see if she could tell whether he would be tender or rough with her once he got her alone.

He added gruffly, "As for address... I'll call you Fira and you can call me Master."

"Master..." she repeated in mock tones, "Master...you do like to get your money's worth even down to the term of respect, don't you? Well, alright, master, I will agree to do things your way since you are being kind enough to take me along with you and pay me for my service." she said with a slight bow of her head. "I take it we begin now, then, with this...roleplay. Do I get to keep my chair or am I to kneel at your feet too?" she asked sarcastically, wishing she had held back the sharp comment in case he got any ideas from it. Shut up, Fira! she scolded herself inwardly.

 

[Otto26]

"That would attract far too much attention," Edmund said scornfully. "We'll save that for when we've a little more privacy," he promised. The flash in her eyes was... dangerous. He sighed.

"A servant would call her master, master," he explained. "People want to see what they expect to see and if you give them half an opportunity they'll do exactly that. Break the pattern and people notice. You're a very pretty woman and you'll do very nicely for what I've got in mind, but if you stand out then someone's going to find you and that will cause delay for me and worse for you, I've no doubt. Sold to a brothel, maybe? To recover the cost of stolen goods? I won't ask for it's not my business, but I've no time at all for delay."

Her eyes flashed again at the explanation and he saw that he was dealing with a woman used to her own ways and distrustful of anyone who meddled with her affairs. So be it. We've only to make the ship and the tide and we'll be shut of Europe. If she's half as smart as she looks she won't act up aboard the ship. Well... perhaps when she finds out we're bound for Alexandria rather than Beirut, but they're both in the Sultanate. A little bonus will quiet any protests she cares to make. And she really is very lovely.

They drank in silence for most of two hours and then he stood up and walked over to the bar. He put five extra coins down when he made his payment and then headed out the door. The rain had subsided to a steady drizzle that soaked him to the skin, and Fira beside him, as they made their way to the docks and down to the wharf where a longboat waited.

"Who's that?" the sailor in charge of the longboat demanded.

"My body servant," Edmund replied.

"No whore's aboard ship," the man retorted.

"That's for your Captain and me to work out," Edmund said coldly. He helped Fira down into the longboat and then followed her in. "Just pull for the ship," he ordered. Muttering, the sailor complied. Aboard the ship the Captain was far more accomodating. He merely glanced at Fira and rubbed his fingers and thumb together. Edmund put coins into his hand until it closed and then a sailor showed them to their room.

The Bella Donna was a sloop built for mixed trade. She could carry cargo or passengers, and neither with any particular degree of comfort. The stairs from the main deck descended under the Captain's cabin and deposited them in a room the size of a peasant's living room, albeit with a lower ceiling. Off of this common room there were doors that led to rooms.

"To call it a closet would be overly generous," Edmund muttered.

And it truly was a small room. A bunk ran the length of it, narrow and short. A chair sat at the far end. Some old fishing net had been hung above the bunk and the traveler's bag Edmund had purchased sat in it. He pulled it down and, by the scant light of the bulls-eye candle lantern he checked the contents. Satisfied, he put the sheet onto the bed and threw the wool blanket over the top of it. He looked at Fira.

"You look as cold as I feel. Hang the dress to dry and get into the bed. You can warm it up for me," he joked. And if I have to make a run for it before we get out of the harbor you'll do nicely as a distraction, he didn't add.

 

[slippedhalo]

He didn't waste any time in getting her undressed, Fira mused to herself as she gladly removed her soaked-through garments.Well, might as well get into the role she was here to play, she thought to herself as she noted his eyes hungrily scanning her body as she slowly shed her layers until she was down to her bare skin, goosefleshed and rosy from cold.

Fira took her time making her way from where she'd hung her dress to dry to the small bed, letting him get a good eyeful. She wasn't bashful and knew she was pretty, especially with her clothes off. A little appreciation was good for her ego. She eyed him with a small mischievous smile as she climbed beneath the covers.

 

[Otto26]

She teased him, slowly getting undressed and into the bunk. His eyes drank in her curves and his cock strained at the fabric of his pants. He chuckled and sat down on the chair next to the bed.

"I'll join you when I feel the ship leaving the harbor," he said. "My oath on that! But I'm going to wait a few minutes before I lose my senses in you. Now that we're out of town, why do you need to leave?"

He wrapped his arms around him, cold from the damp, and shivered while his ears strained to hear the sounds of departure.

 

[slippedhalo]

Firanzin made a face, "It's really rather stupid now. I stole something from someone important and they saw me before I slipped away...I don't even have it anymore. It was nicked from my pocket as I hastened to get out of the area of the crime. Funny thing is, I saw who had taken it from me too and...I don't really have the heart to go after him, just a boy. Maybe it will bring him more luck than it has me, or at least a fresh bed and some meals for a few days." she mused, picturing the skellital little boy who'd stolen the hot ring from her.

 

[Otto26]

Edmund grunted. "Probably wouldn't have helped if you did. Thief's a thief to most Slovenes, unless you've got a good bribe. After seeing your body I can only guess you stole from a woman, a eunuch, or a horrifically ugly man. As I said earlier, petty theft is a losing game. Not a question of if you get caught, only when."

He cocked his head to one side, listening carefully to the activity taking place aboard the ship. "That's the buoy cut loose," he commented. "And the capstan. They're kedging into the main channel. The tide and the morning breeze will do the rest of the work then. Thank Christ, we're away."

He leaned his head back against the hull and took a couple of deep breaths. Then he leaned forward and stood up. The chair went against the door where it would at least delay entrance. The outer layers of clothing came off quickly, the inner layers a little less so as he had to unstrap the two holsters and ensure the death-blossoms were safed. The dagger went under the pillow and he followed it into the bed. "Move over," he ordered.

The bunk was so narrow that they had to lay on their sides in order to occupy it at the same time. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, shamelessly sharing in any warmth that she'd built up. "Much better," he commented. His hand traced down her back and squeezed her ass. "Much better," he repeated.

 

[slippedhalo]

Fira sucked in her breath through her teeth sharply as he pressed against her, still very cold and stealing her warmth. She leaned into him hoping to warm him up quickly so that niether of them would be cold for long and also to check that her dagger was still sticking out among her clothing and her bag was still untampered with. There was nothing in the bag but an extra dress, a hairbrush and a bar of soap but still, they were her things, and the dagger was her only means of protecting herself. Mind eased for now, Fira laid back against the matress as she felt 'master' press her to lie flat and he hovered above her, appreciating with his eyes once more. His erection poked her thigh and she grinned as she looked down to see it was not too small and not frighteningly large either. "Hmmm, he looks hungry." she teased.

 

[Otto26]

Edmund smiled as his eyes again wandered over Fira's body. Christ save our souls it has been too damned long! And look at the body on this one! For what I am about to receive I am truly grateful. He laughed at her words. "Indeed, and he's a monster who only eats beautiful young women. I fear you're in great peril."

He leaned in and kissed her like a drowning man looking for air. His tongue tasted hers as she reciprocated and he felt her chest lift to press against him. His legs spread hers and he settled between them, his cock urgently hard against her softness.

Slowly. Slowly, he cautioned himself. Give her body a few moments to catch up.

He ran his hands up and down her flanks, finishing with them upon her ass; the soft hemi-spheres cupped in his calloused hands. He pushed forward with his cock, gently testing her waters and finding them warm and wet indeed. He slowly buried himself inside her, groaning into her mouth as he bottomed out against her.

 

[slippedhalo]

She laughed at his joke and reciprocated the kiss. Hmmmm, a good kisser too, this might indeed end up being a fun job, she thought as his hands caressed her body, fondling her possessively. He moved between her thighs and she knew he likely couldn't hold back any longer. Without allowing herself to get too nervous about those first moments she tried to relax as she felt him push himself into her, his cock spreading her as he pushed forward. He groaned in her mouth as his hair and hers met, flesh, upon flesh, he could go no further and she sighed, realizing that he would not hurt her. Her first sexual partner had been too big and too rough, he banged his unskilled monster against her cervix so many times she felt bruised and abused afterward. This one seemed to know more about what he was doing. He had some girth to contend with but used it well, not by being a brute. Soon, Fira felt him moving in and out and she smiled up at him, glad it felt very nice instead of very uncomfortable and glad to be with a truly skilled lover for a change.

 

[Otto26]

Edmund moved slowly. Partly this was desire to avoid hurting Firea, but mostly it was because she felt amazing and he was savoring her. His hips moved, driving him into and out of her. The orgasm was entirely unexpected and utterly debilitating. He could do little more than collapse on top of her and groan incoherent appreciation while his body spent into her.

Too. Damn. Long.

 

[slippedhalo]

Wow, that was quick. Nice, but quick. she thought as he lie atop her mumbling. She sighed and reminded herself she was here for him and not the other way around and held her tongue as he softened and removed his cock from her body. With a supportive kiss Fira raised herself up and headed for the basin of water in the corner to clean herself. She was freezing cold and couldn't wait to get back in bed but hygeine and self preservation was more important. 'Couldn't allow too much of his seed a nice warm home, lest they decide they want to stay and make her life miserable with another mouth to feed other than her own. After doing the best she could with the cold water, she returned to the bed to see 'Master' looking like he was already taken by sleep.

She waited until she heard his snores and then creeped slowly from the bed to his belongings, perusing through them to see if there was anything she'd like to take when she left him at the end of their journey. Nothing much that she could use or carry easily except a decent sum of money. She counted twice and then replaced everything carefully the way she'd found it. Feeling a little more at ease and in control again, Fira retrurned to bed, wrapping her arms around her employer as they spooned. In the small bed they had to keep mumbling to the other to turn over too whenever they wanted to turn, lest someone fall out. It was a long night and not much very good sleep was had.

 

[Otto26]

Edmund rolled out of the bunk more or less on purpose. He yawned and stretched before pulling the chamberpot out from under the chair and making use of it. Checking to see that Fira was still asleep he reached between his legs and carefully extracted the small package secreted there. With careful fingers he stripped the pig intestine covering off and dropped it into the chamber pot. Another length of intestine, moistened with water from the jug, was pulled over the package and then, grimacing, he re-inserted it. He washed his hands and his genitals and then checked his clothing. Not as dry as he'd hoped, but the wool would wear warm. He pulled it on and checked his money.

The marker bill's been moved, he thought. Well, she's a whore. What did I expect? If I was in her position I'd be examining my employer's goods with an eye towards leaving with a bonus. I wonder if she found the hidden items?

When he was finished dressing, and had assured himself that everything was still present he casually rifled through her belongings. Aside from the knife, she didn't have much, and certainly nothing of value. His hands examined the knife. Not much to look at, but that's good steel and kept sharp. That, he felt, said a lot about it's owner.

Edmund walked out of the room and into the common area. Compared to the tiny sleeping area it was enormous, at least eight feet by twelve feet. No one else appeared to be awake yet so he carefully clambered up the short ladder to the main deck. The ship was heeled over to one side and appeared, to Edmund's eye, to be making good time. A man on the quarterdeck caught sight of him and came down to the waist to join him.

"It's dangerous on deck," the man said.

Edmund nodded. "I'll go back below. Just wanted a look. We've got a good wind, it seems."

The man nodded back at Edward. "Yes. We'll be in Alexandria early. Two days. I'll tell the cook you're awake."

Edmund snorted. "Porridge?"

"Easy down, easy up," the man grinned.

Edmund took a last breath of the fresh air, a look around at the wide sea and then went back down into the passenger area. I think I'd like another little piece of Miss Fira, he considered.

 

[slippedhalo]

Fira yawned and stretched, feeling the warmth of the sun filtering through the wall of the cabin which felt wonderful compared to the cold night. She was just about to get up out of the bunk when Master returned and pointed his finger at her and the bed in a motion that indicated for her to remain there and lie down. By the look in his eye it would be business for her before breakfast. She yawned once more and complied, "Alright, feeling well rested Master?" she asked, her coded way of asking him if he thought this time he'd last a bit more than a minute and a half.

 

[Otto26]

Edmund chuckled wickedly. "Rested?" he asked cheerfully. "That too," he replied. His coat went onto the chair and he tugged on her legs repositioning her so that her torso was across the bunk and her legs, and ass, were hanging off the edge. A leg went on to each shoulder and he began to play with her body.

"I suspect you're amused by my performance last night. Which is perfectly fine, because I'm also amused. Finished faster than a boy with his first. Of course, I'd damn near been without for as long as our hypothetical boy. But that's a poor excuse. So I'm going to blame you, Fira. Lovely, lusty Fira."

His hands ran up her flanks to her breasts and played for a moment, tracing and rolling the nipples, so very gently squeezing. One hand dropped back down between her legs and circled her pearl in soft, broad strokes.

"All your fault. You're entirely too beautiful. You're not a fool, so I'm sure you know that. Men have probably lusted after you for your entire life. So I'm hardly to blame for being overcome by your attractions. I'll simply have to sample them again. And again. And again."

He smiled at her, a grin as lustful as it was cheerful. "A good thing we have days," he admitted as his hands continued to enjoy her.

 

[slippedhalo]

Fira watched him half-wary and half amused as he took charge of the situation quickly, pulling her legs to position her exactly ho whe wanted her. Her legs over his shoulders, she was totally exposed and watched his eyes to note whether he liked what he saw. Indeed, there was a hunger there as he fondled her body, and she relaxed to his touch. He began to play with her breasts and her pearl as he spoke of the night before and how he blamed her beauty for overwhelming him and causing the shorter episode. She'd heard this accusation before but cared little for what he was saying as his touch inflamed her and his caresses brought new wetness to her sex. He did fondle her like one who knew he could bring pleasure and she closed her eyes to enjoy his skillful hands as they worked her body, her breath quickening with her heartbeat, her moans low and soft to let him hear her approval of his motions.

 

[Otto26]

Edmund's smile was... smug. Never understood the rapists. A couple of minutes of dry penetration of a crying woman; what's exciting about that? This. This is fucking exciting.

His hands continued to play until he felt her moisture coating his fingertips. He brought the fingertips to his mouth and tasted her, licking the fragrant nectar from them. For a moment he was tempted, so very tempted, to taste more of her. But the painful erection in his pants could no longer be denied. He unbuttoned the pants and pulled himself out, positioning himself against her and then sliding home.

"Dear God, Fira," he breathed. Now sheathed in her he returned to his explorations, his hands now working purposefully. She danced beneath them as his fingers tickled, stroked, pinched, and rolled. He delighted in the feel of her body, both beneath and around him, and in the urgent pleasure evident in her cries.

"Very good, my pretty Fira. Very, very good," he swore.