“Aye, me blessed dragon woman has beyond doubt given me leave ta say a fair bit about me first ship, as it were.” Ruby eyed the young Jonny carefully. “Hear ya now boy, them times while Ruby be scuttl’n away from guards, they were the devil days.” She took a swig of her rum and smiled, “Fate shines, she does. Though it took a wee ta get it that way, it did.” Ruby felt Avanora settle down in her p and let out a heavenly sigh. Slipping her hands through Ava’s silky hair, Ruby looked back at the young sailor. “Harkee you this, Jonny boy…Me had made it to the watery city me did. Trust you me, it still stinks to this day.” She paused, “Fishes stink me drink if’n Ruby’s lie’n.”
Laughing and finally enjoying himself, Jonny pulled his knees up to his chest, “I have heard the same about the pce. Never been there before.” He shrugged with one shoulder. “We aren’t headed there are we captain?”
“I dare prophesy, d that the Mediterranean houses nay safe waters for my Misti Mermaid.” Ruby looked down as Ava started ughing. “A cw on ya mouth, Ava. You be givin’ away me story.”
“Hardly, my captain. I was just thinking of how we plundered a few small towns across Crete. That’s why we can’t go into the Med.” Ava giggled and smiled towards Jonny. “All the same, it’s best that I let Ruby continue, or I could find myself tied ass up over the bed.”
“If I make so bold, me angel…fine ass it is. Figure something, we will, Aye.” Ruby took another swallow of rum and handed the bottle back to Jonny. “Drink up, me say.” Ruby winked and pointed to the rum bottle.
“Funny seeing you with the bottle, reminds me of my first bottle…”
Hiding during the day and moving at night, Peaches took her time evading the Duke’s men as they searched high and low for the murderous woman. She was stopping in rundown structures, covering herself under old hay and even squatting in cornfields as the men-at-arms kept up their pursuit. By the time Peaches made it to the French coast, one particurly adept guard tracked her down.
-You have to go. You track like a dog.-
Laying in wait for the armored man, Peaches had crawled up a tree and spread ft on a thick branch intent on swinging down and kicking the man in the chestpte, knocking him over so she could knock him senseless.
Unfortunately for Peaches, the guard spotted the girl in the tree and ughed as he poked at her with his small spear. “I have you, girl. Don’t make me stab you to get you off that branch.”
Still intent on her pn, Peaches slid herself off the side of the branch and during the swing, lost her grip. Landing with a hard thud and a light grimace, Peaches bounced back to her feet just in time to avoid the guard sweeping the shaft of his spear at her head. Peaches ducked the swing and the guard promptly reached out and grabbed her ponytail, causing her bance to falter.
Peaches thought quickly enough to drop to the ground and roll into the man’s legs, causing him to lose his footing while still holding that same handful of her hair. Lady Luck rolled a set of twelves and good fortune kept blessing Peaches. The leather holding her ponytail snapped into a few pieces when the man fell. Using her dagger, Peaches again took the liberty of jamming the guard in the neck, and searching him for valuables once he stopped breathing.
-I am quickly becoming a cutthroat. Maybe I should stay here and just…no…-
Peaches sighed and stopped the mencholy thoughts.
-Get to Venice, then things will be better.-
Finding a fist full of silver, Peaches took the guard’s sword and sheath, strapping it to her back. “Better than nothing.” She dragged the body into the woods and lightly covered it with pine needles and broken logs. Peaches stood over the dead body for a couple of seconds, “Sorry. I wish I didn’t have to do that.” She looked up and noticed the early stars. “May his ghostly travels be good ones, please.” Upon uttering the little prayer, Peaches took her time heading southwest until she stood on the cliffs overlooking the Mediterranean. “La mer efface le passé, n'est-ce pas ? Si beau.”
Taking a brief moment to inhale the salt-den air, Peaches saw the lights of a small vilge. Making her way into the tiny town, Peaches realized she hardly looked like the lovely bride she had a few days ago. Shiny and silky bck hair, repced with a missing patch and the rest wild and sticking out all over. Her visage was covered in dirt and mud, with a few scrapes and cuts thanks to the branches in the woods and a clearly swollen knee after falling down a small hill, while avoiding more guards. She smiled at the folks that she saw walking along the well-lit path, and eventually fgged a younger couple down. “Excuse. Is there an inn or boardhouse here?” The man patted his beau on the hand and nodded to Peaches. “About a block, straight down. Just stay on the cobblestone walkway, it’s safer that way, mademoiselle.”
Bowing slightly to the man and his dy, Peaches stumbled her way down until she saw a painted wooden sign with a halo and mermaid carved in it. “Heavenly Mermaid, huh?” Peaches muttered as she walked inside the establishment.
“Welcome to the Heavenly Mermaid!” A stout man announced from the bar situated in the rear of the big room. “I’m Matthieu Bernier, come in..come in ss.” He pointed to one of the empty tables, “Are you hungry? Thirsty perhaps? We have the best ale in town.”
One of the men sitting on a stool, ughed and turned to Peaches, “It’s the best, because it's the only ale in town, miss.”
Limping her way to the owner, Peaches pointed to the rooms above. “How much for how long, good man?” She tried to give a charming smile regardless of her disheveled state.
A woman appeared from the kitchen, cleaning her hands with a small towel. “Matthieu, let me take care of the girl.” She motioned for Peaches to follow her upstairs and into a private room. “The guards were already here, mademoiselle. They have your description all wrong, so that is in your favor.” She pointed to the copper basin in the corner, “I am Armelle Beriner. You can get cleaned up in the tub there, I will get you a decent change of clothes and burn these foul-smelling things.” She winked. “I hated the Duke as well, but…” She hesitated, “...you might not know this…but these were his nds.”
Peaches sighed and plopped down on the floor. “Pitié pour moi. J'aurais presque aimé ne pas m'être enfui. Je continue de faire des erreurs.” She looked up at Armelle with confusion in her hazel eyes. “What to do? I am surrounded.”
“I don’t think you have made mistakes, miss.” Armelle started a little fire and hung a pot of water over the budding fme. “A warm bath to get this grime off of you, then you will feel better.” Armelle dressed the bed and then sat down beside Peaches. “The Duke was not a good man.” She put her arm around Peaches. “It might not be in my lifetime, but I think that in the long run, something will change in France.” She smiled, “So I will help the best I can to bring that future closer and I think removing the Duke was a fine first step.” Scrunching her nose, Armelle stood up and helped Peaches to her feet. “You stand there and I will be right back.”
