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Mary climbed onto the rigging and smelled the fresh salt air. She felt at home now, heading back out to sea. This would be her first voyage with the crew of the Duchess. Privateers were the kind word for what they were. “Boy!” the first mate called from below. Mary looked down, “Aye sir?” she said as she slid down onto the deck. “Stop mucking about and assist them men with the sails,” the first mate said. “Aye sir,” she said, a little smile creeping onto her face. The ruse had worked once again. Mary dressed as a boy, and her raven locks had long ago been sheared off. She went by James Davenport when she was at sea. Though she was nearly twenty five, she could pass as a boy of fourteen.

Ryu was out on the deck watching the men work. He was just a guest on this ship. A passenger who paid a hefty sum to get a ride aboard the Duchess. Lucky for him privateers or even their more illegal counterparts talked really nice when gold was involved. It would be a while before he got to the city he was after, but the trip would be worth it. His attention would be taken by a boy being told by the first mate to stop mucking about. Hm, interesting. The foreigner leaded against one of the rails and observed the crew working for a long while. Hopefully this trip would go smoothly.

James dropped to the deck, running headlong in Ryu, "Come along now lad, you stand there and you will be run over," she said with a little laugh. She gave him a little wink and then began her duties, she assisted in moving the mooring lines. She grunted and worked with the rest of the men, in a sadistic way, she enjoyed the rope burns, it made her feel far more like a man than anything else.

Ryu stepped out of the boy's way. The man's eyes narrowed a little as if he was judging the boy. Regardless Ryu moved to a less occupied point on the ship to watch the sailors work. He'd turn to look out across the sea. Waves and sky, nothing but for miles. How long would it be before dry land was a thing again? Regardless the trip was sailing smoothly, and as long as they didn't run into some empire's fleet they should be alright. His attention turned back to the crew. Thoughts drifted on that strange boy. Something was off about him.

"Come along now lads!" the first mate called, "We have the wind, but Poseidan if fickle, if we dilly dally he will take the very wind from our sails!" The men all yelled, "Aye sir!" James had seen firsthand how fickle the god of the oceans could be, she had seen winds die without warning. She kept looking at her other ship mates, she prided herself in sizing men up, the ones who could be trusted, the ones to be avoided, and the ones who were suckers. She liked suckers, they lined her pockets.

Ryu moved about the deck and stepped out of the way of working men. He'd make his way to the rear of the ship and look past the large wooden vessel at its wake. He hadn't been to sea in a while. The last time he had a sea dragon had attacked the ship. A faint memory of pain hit him and he rubbed his ribs. He hoped this trip was less likely to be of issue.

The men finished their work quickly and James made her way to a group of men playing dice. She joined in and then her eye caught Ryu, he looked like a sucker. "Stranger!" She called happily to him, "Join is! I can see from here that your pirse is far to heavy!"