Thread: A Sea of Secrets [Alexander x Sera]

Luciana sighed, slipping out under the dark sky to assess the readiness of the ship. Spotting Edward near the stern of the ship, she headed across the deck to speak with him. Edward... She called out, her voice soft in the night breeze. The man turned, regarding her with weary eyes. Aye..Lass...There is no way for me to discourage you of this eve's embarking? He asked in a defeated tone. The look in her narrowed eyes was enough for him to immediately understand and then sigh. Edward...we'll be fine...Have faith in me...Have I failed you before? She asked him, showing him a brief glimpse of her more likable qualities. When she wasn't facing enemies or rivals, Luci could be very kind and understanding. Edward was actually the only man on the ship that had any idea what went on behind her closed doors. He had vague ideas as to what exactly it was that protected their ship in some of the worst times. The last thing I want to do is see this ship or it's crew in harms way... She insisted, resting a slender hand on Edward's shoulder. Come now...off we go... Giving his shoulder a squeeze, she turned to leave him. As her footfalls faded from his hearing, she heard him start shouting to the crew. They were setting sail. Despite the dangers that it presented to them all. The night was actually eerily calm, the water that lapped up at the edges of the ship was dark, almost black as Luci stared over the edge of the deck. Things would work out in their favor. They had to. She had no other options. Luciana was given the task of bringing back a valuable family heirloom, and she would do it. If she didn't, her grandmother, the matriarch of their family, would not be happy. Luci visibly tensed, thinking about what would befall her if she failed in her mission. Her grandmother's directions had been clear. She wasn't to fail. Even without her grandmother's orders, the journey would be one that would give the entire crew and Luciana something to be proud of. Few made it past The Raging Isles alive, and even fewer had walked it's sandy shores and left sane. If she succeeded, she would be even more fearsome in reputation. Above her, the sails were loosed, and Luci glanced up as the night breeze caught them pulling them out of the dock where they had been previously anchored. Until next time Sanctuary... Luciana murmured, tipping her head towards the currently quiet port. She hoped her head start would keep her at a suitable distance from any of the other ships and their Captains. It was rare that she had a problem with other ships, but it did occasionally happen. How else would she get her name? Many a Captain had been caught off guard by her appearance or the fact that she was a woman. While they doubted her abilities, their ship sank around them. Now, Luci didn't enjoy destroying that which belonged to others. But she had a crew to look out for. If someone dared threaten them- they would suffer for their mistake. Luci paced across the deck, watching the crew run to and fro as they made sure that the Burning Seas made it out of the Port and onto the open sea. Keep up the good work, men... Luciana shouted, smiling as the wind caught her hair. Once she was sure things were going as planned, she headed below deck to check their stock of goods. They had stocked up on rum and whiskey, knowing that there were no Ports between Sanctuary and The Raging Isles. Now that they were leaving Port, they would not see it again until they were successful. The only other fate was death. Heavy rations of food had been stocked below deck as well, Luci's intention to rely on the ship's stock even after landing at the Isles. Horrid rumors surrounded the state of the Isles, some saying that food was scarce or even nonexistent. While the Isles looked lush from a distance, it was said that everything had some degree of poison within it's chemistry. With such information in her back pocket, Luciana had made sure her men had purchased easily triple the amount of stock than a usual trip would require. They couldn't afford to take any chances. If they were weak from starvation, they wouldn't stand a chance in the Isles. But at the same time, holding so much on the ship would slow them down some in their travels, as well as make them a bigger target from enemies. The liquor alone was valuable in the quantities they had stored. And a crew at sea would be eager to dig into their food stores. Luci was known among her own crew for having a very hefty medicinal stock as well, something she warned them to keep to themselves. Her ability to keep her crew healthy wasn't exactly natural and she didn't need them mouthing off to strangers. Some men were more superstitious than others, and while her crew usually kept their thoughts to themselves, she didn't trust anyone else. Sometimes she didn't even trust them- not if they were drunk at least. Edward appeared behind her and Luci turned with a grin, Everything looks good...The men did well getting everything...Even with my new timeline... She crossed her arms, her arms forced to rest beneath her ample breasts. I'm going to retire...If you need me...You know where to find me. Just be sure to knock first... Luciana explained, walking past Edward, her lips still curled in satisfaction. Things would go well. She was certain. Once within the confines of her quarters, she stripped down until she could relax in a simple white shift. The stresses of the day melted away as she sat in her window, sipping a glass of whiskey, her eyes fixated on the darkness outside. By daybreak they would be in the middle of the ocean, hopefully without anyone behind them.