Brightfish

[The Stranger]

She was still naked, staring out the port hole as the Iron Islands were disappearing into the distance.

"What the hell is going on?" She asked

[Flex]

Darien stood panting for a moment before he approached her. "Seems like the Sparr crew didn't much appreciate me killing their former lord; They think Harlaw paid me to do it. They were all armed and ready to attack so it's best if we leave." He looked around for a moment, saw his chest of clothes and took out a shirt and breaches. He handed them to Asha with a slight smile. "Men's clothes but that shouldn't be the least of your worries."

[The Stranger]

She took them wordlessly, the shirt large loose and formless over he. she cinched up the breeches with a piece of hemp rope, although the legs were still too long.

"Better than nothing." She muttered irritably.

[Flex]

"I tried to dissuade them but they wouldn't have any of it." He sat down on the bed and contemplated the situation for a moment. "I hope you have an axe with you - likely you'll have to use it quite soon."

[The Stranger]

As if in response, she shoved her axe through her rope belt, and she climbed into the bunk and looked out the window.

"Why, nobody's following us."

[Flex]

Darien was relieved the Sparr ship wasn't after them and he stood. "I hire... asked you to join us for a reason. I'm hunting down a ruthless murderer who has so far managed to evade me. It's highly likely that he has dangerous friends and so I figured we might need some help. Rolf told me about you and your skills with the axe." The events between Asha and him had however pushed this 'relationship' into a direction that Darien had not expected.

[The Stranger]

Asha looked at him wordlessly for a moment. "Whose this ruthless murderer? Alot of my friends are ruthless murderers." She said finally.

[Flex]

"A man who poisoned unsuspecting Men, women and children. But it's more personal than that." Darien almost remembered what Maggie Waters looked like. Was it brown hair? Blue eyes or green? "There was a girl who took my fancy... he killed her too." Darien was surprised he didn't feel as upset about it anymore. Somehow Asha had driven any mourning out of him.

[The Stranger]

"I thought you hadn't had a woman before?" Asha said, crossing her arms over her chest.

[Flex]

"I didn't. With her it was just a bit of play... she was shy and a maiden herself." Darien sighed as he stopped trying to picture her. "When I found out he had killed her I was fuming, but now..." He left it hanging there, not really knowing what he could say.

[The Stranger]

"Now what?" She prompted.

[Flex]

He coughed uncomfortably and stood up before looking at the woman. "As crazy as it sounds, but in my mind your face has replaced hers." He looked around, desperately trying to find that bottle of wine.

[The Stranger]

"That is crazy." She said, 'If she got killed cause of you, you ought to avenge her."

[Flex]

"Yes, I suppose it is. And to the matter of avenging - That is what I plan on doing." He stood there for a moment, not being able to take his gaze off Asha's eyes. Finally he looked down, feeling somewhat defeated. "However, this puts us in a very akward situation."

[The Stranger]

Asha snorted, "You speak like a Greenlander, just get to the point!"