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Calico chuckled lightly

"For what little time is left, I intend to make the most of it... it is a blessing the vessel is indeed made of metal, no way we could have ventured into the volcanic waters we are heading to next.

"The next storm seed is red like a ruby, it can only be found in the purest of fires, volcanos and lava gallore. Our wooden vessel would not have taken such heat. As for the men I have them covering the shoes in wood and leather" explained Calico pointing at the map

"Seems... the storm seed is in the phoenix nest..." smiled Calico patting the books he had opened on his desk too "you know the birds of fire... Sendara shall feel right at home... but fighting a phoenix for its treasure is not something that can easily be done" muttered Calico

"One missed step and the fall and the lava will surely consign us to forgetfulness" muttered Calico getting patted by Morgan

"Well then you best make sure you don't slip" smiled Morgan briefly leaving the captain quarters to change direction yet again, having a straighter path that would save them two days sailing

Ryiah had indeed hear tales of the beautiful phoenix, the bird of fire, and seen pictures in her father's extensive library. Nerves twisted through her at the thought of facing one, but at the same time she reveled in the opportunity to see one for real, a bird of legend. Would it be vicious? Would it force a fight or give the seed freely? Somehow she doubted it would be easy.

As Morgan left, Ryiah turned to the captain. "Calico.." she murmered, feeling that she had to bring up the subject again, her earlier worry still heavy on her mind. "Is there other way besides sacrifice to collect the last gem?" Her orange anber hues flickered with barely kept emotion, too much looming on the horizon. "I will not allow you to be the sacrifice, even if there is no other way. I forbid it."

Calico smiled broadly at Ryiah

"You forget we have to return to port first... and... as things stand... even if you were to find forgiveness with Pentre by some miracle or other without getting killed.... I have more death warrants than parchments at the royal archives and libraries put together" shrugged Calico clearly not that troubled.

"Forget Pentre... Morgan won't live it down that he was ambushed and taken captive... by pirates..." chuckled Calico "And his is a duel to be reckoned with and not taken lightly in the least." assured Calico "unavoidable all the same..." muttered Calico

"Sometimes princess... duty calls... and this is one of those occasions" soothed Calico "Besides, it would be unbefitting a princess and empress to marry an outlaw, your father shall never consent. If he wanted my head for failures now he will want it with a vengeance for dishonoring his daughter" chuckled Calico clearly acquainted with the emperor, not about to loose sleep nor happiness over impending danger nor certain death

Ryiah lifted her chin, eyes sparking. "I don't need my father's consent, especially not if I am going to be fighting him for the throne. No. I am the master of my own destiny, and I will choose who I will love, and who I will not." Defiance shone from her gaze. "You accept your fate too easily." She finally added after a long pause, moving to turn away from him, but adding a last barb. "One would think you were not the infamous Pirate Jack, to go so quietly to your death, to hand yourself over to your enemies. I would never do that, and neither would the rogue I have heard so many tales of."

She then finally turned to exit Calico's quarters, her gaze, softened only by the emotions she was failing to hide, met the pirate's before she closed the door behind her. As she left, she wondered why so many of their conversations got her ire up. Why did he have to be so.... blasted man. She shook her head, moving to the railing.

Calico smiled warmly taking her accusations and dissing in good spirits.

"Were you no princess I would be using my sword to trim that tongue of yours girl..." outted Calico lightly

He certainly did not expect her to take such words as a threat nor to challenge him for real, though, he had not expected the perfect quiet princess that came aboard the vessel to show such confidence and defiance either, pausing to gaze at her and the door.

Dusk was falling as Ryiah stood at the prow of the ship, her gaze out to the sea and beyond. Stars shone through the cloudless sky, the moon bright above. In the distance rose a mountain, craggy and dark looking, a gleam just barely visible through the gloom. Was it the volcano? Ryiah watched it as it grew imperceptibly closer.

As she stood, her hair was down,blowing a bit in the breeze created by the ships movements and the restless waves. Behind her the crew went about their usual tasks to sail the ship, fairly silently and very efficient. She had to admire the way both Morgan and Calico handled the men, taking care of them but expecting orders or be followed. She watched quietly, her mind restless and uneasy.

Calico stood by the helm, hand steady on the vessel.

"Did you tell her?" asked Morgan gazing sideways at Calico with a quizzical look

"Sort of... general... sort of..." mumbled Calico awkwardly lost for words

"You better... I won't have harm upon any of my men if avoidable" muttered Morgan in a frown watching his men row

Morgan came to direct the ship getting close to the dark mountain that glowed red in the midst of night.

"This ship can go no further... you must take it from here" warned Morgan having the men lower the anchor

"If you live on... we are returning home... and you wretched outlaws shall face the full weight of the law" warned Morgan inflexible in voice or approach

Ryiah, her gaze settling on Morgan and Calico from her position near the figurehead, watched as they glanced her way, seeming to converse. Why did Calico seem to respect Morgan so much when he so obviously hated them all? The man still thought her a traitor, still wouldn't believe she'd not killed her father. Anger moved through her again and she turned away as the ship came to a slow stop, weighed down suddenly by the anchor.

She took a deep breath, her gaze going to the volcano ahead. Finally, turning she moved to Calico, her eyes determined. "I think I should gather this seed on my own. As a Dragoness I can handle the heat from the volcano, you will not. And if I should need to battle tbe phoenix, it would be better if I was alone." She didn't mention her rider specifically but knew she spoke mostly of him and not the others. "No one needs to get hurt." She finished.

Her voice grew soft, her eyes nearly pleading for the man to listen to her for once, even though she knew it was unlikely he'd be willing to stay behind.

Taff coughed lightly to clear his throat.

"You cannot do that on your own, princess... to take up and remove a storm seed, you need the lightning rod and the dragon's claws are... well... you cannot do such a task on your own" tried to explain Taff gently.

"I know he is more a liability than a help but I am sure you two will manage" smiled Taff briefly watching Calico frown

"If your highness questions my ability... take Taff instead" offered Calico right away watching the boy gawk wide eyed at how casually Calico was volunteering him.

"No no no, dragons only have one rider... Send... the dragon will not let anyone else ride it" muttered Taff stopping himself from calling the dragon yet.

"For better or for worse you two are in this mess together... worry not, you shall part ways soon enough." assured Taff as if to lessen the chore and burden

"Phoenix are not all that aggressive or bad, they are healing birds after all, they will heal you if you are harmed in any way... provided... you dont take its eggs" remarked Taff

"And this is why you need the rider... their eggs are made of solid gold with sparkling red rubies encrusted, your dragoness self may not help itself to the eggs" muttered Taff "Don't take the eggs, don't break them and bring only the storm seed... now ready to go. Sendara I summon you forth... go do your quest" urged Taff scurrying to hide below deck before Calico tossed him further into the line of danger

Ryiah sighed when Calico obstinately mistook her meaning. She hadn't wanted someone else. She had wanted to keep them... him, from harm.

Before she could argue or say another word edgewise, Taff summoned Sendara, Ryiah had time only for one more glare. Once again, clothing was shredded as her shape transformed, Sendara re-emerging. The shift went smoothly and soon Sendara's gaze swept the ship, confusion roiling within them as once more her memories were not whole. Around her ankle, the scales were a bit damaged, a scar beginning to show, though not quite fully healed.

Sendara issued a rumbling growl before her hues caught sight of Calico standing nearby. Her pleasure at seeing him took her by surprise and she moved forward to dip her muzzle to nudge him, almost fondly even as her confusion spread.

Why did this mortal affect her so? Backing up she growled again, steam rising from her nostrils. "Why am I once again on this ship?" she asked the pirate, her voice annoyed, her tail beginning to sweep behind her.

"Well it is my ship you know... do you not like a golden ship, worthy of a dragonness like you?" quizzed Calico far more excited to see the beast than the dragon at seeing him.

"We need to get another treasure from over that mountain but... the right treasure, eh? Don't go taking it all" warned Calico wondering how to convince a dragon not to take easily picked golden eggs.

The volcano itself looked rather fearsome and in full activity because of the storm seed, lava spouting and here and there and slowly but surely sliding down the sides, the bright red furnace concealing the treasure somewhere in its higher rocks edge

Sendara seemed to consider Calico's answer a satisfying one and at his prompting glanced again to the volcano. "Treasure there hmmm? We will go..." with a nudge she signalled the rider to slip onto her back and spread her wings, glancing once more over the fine golden ship. It was indeed more beautiful and worthy than last time she had been aboard. It would do well enough.

Without further prompting, once Calico was situated she lifted in a smooth jump from the deck of the ship to easily rise above it, her wings catching warm updrafts and soaring high quickly. Once she deemed enoug distance was put, she turned and flew with speed toward the volatile mountain in the distance. Her gaze could easily see its crags and lava even fro a distance, and she angled to fly in a circle around the maw of the volcano, which spit and seeped its angry red fire.

She felt the scorching heat, but her scales armored her and instead the heat merely invigorated her further. She turned to nose Calico, eyeing him as she realized his frail human skin would not be well near the lava. With a shuddering touch, she closed her eyes a brief moment, sending a ripple through both Calico and herself. Suddenly her own purple scales began to grow over the pirates skin, as she shared the armor with him.

She seemed surprised at the feat, though it was her own magic, and blinked, then murred as if pleased with herself, continuing to fly as she searched for the dragon seed.

"Thank you... Sendara... I couldn't be in better hands. Have you ever seen phoenix birds? They're the ones hoarding your treasure..." noted Calico gazing at the red glowing sea below.

Her scales however, offered a protective armour that he didn't even know was possible to achieve.
"Our treasure is red as it gets... can you sense it at all from up here?" quizzed Calico rasing the palm over his eyes to glance towards the geizers and lava seeing no sign of the phoenix birds so far.

That was of course until the might beast emerged from within the volcano, clearly, feeling at home in such scorching heat.

"Look at it... look... it's over there" noted Calico his arms wide open like her wings to feel the head and the wind and the freedom of flying.

"Oh how I missed this..." grinned Calico patting Sendara gently to be guided carefully over to the firey bird and follow it to its nest, the place quite a sight to behold indeed

Sendara did indeed see the Phoenix, her gaze locking onto the majestic bird as she wheeled to follow it. Nearing its nest, her gaze fell upon the beautiful eggs which lay gleaming amidst golden strands.

Her gaze next found the deep red dragon see, but, her attention most arrested by the eggs. Beautiful treasure..." her voice sounded in Calico's mind, captivated, and she turned to fly directly toward the nest, avoiding the geysers which spouted lava all around them.

"Go on then, we need to land by that nest over there. But don't touch it till I do... Taff turned the lighting rod into a ring see?" explained Calico glad he was able to hear and understand the dragon better each time.

The nest was indeed made of golden strands and those eggs made him indeed want to steal them, the pirate within attracted to treasure no less than the dragon was.

"Pretty uh?" smiled Calico brushing aside Taff's warning for now and waiting to get closer. "You fly by and get that red ruby, the fire gem stone, in one snatch before the phoenix notices" encouraged Calico

That was all Sendara needed to hear, she banked hard and turned to land on the ledge right next to the nest eyeing the dragon seed and Phoenix eggs greedily. Mindful of her rider's command not to touc the seed until he had used the ring, she instead moved to snatch one of the eggs, which glistened far too enticingly.

Reaching forward with both taloned front paws, resting on her back haunches, she delicately grabbed an egg, wings folding slightly to give more space on the ledge. Calico would have to climb off her back to reach the dragon seed.

Just as he would do so, the Phoenix would notice the intruders, and rhe gleaming egg clutched in Sendara's claws. With a fearsome screech the beast dove straight for the dragon. Sendara looked up quickly, a jet of vapor and then a spout of scalding liquid shooting from nostrils and maw. Then the Phoenix had barreled into her, claws extended, fire spitting from its very body. She reeled back a surprise, her hind feet stepping back into nothingness as she had been precariously perched. Batting her wings, trying to regain balance but refusing to let go the egg, she fell from the perch, leaving Calico atop.

Calico quickly grabbed the gem storm, the sheer fact of holding it to the lighting rod, causing the volcanic eruptions and lava to cease altogether and slow down to a halt. However, the hot rivers were still hot and slowly flowing and would do so till they reached the sea.

At this stage the heat was suffocating, for without the dragon, the rider had no scaley protection of any kind. The heat much too much to bear, and the angry beast coming at him caused Calico to loose footing too

"Whoaaaaaa.... Sendara..... help me!" shouted Calico in a panicked voice feeling raw fear at the notion of being burnt and falling rapidly and inevitably into oblivion itself

Sendara couldn't immediately help her falling rider, as she struggled to unfold and untagle her wings as she herseld fell, still clutching the egg. A snarl of excitement and adrenaline emitted from her maw and finally she got her wings spread, halting her fall, only to see Calico fall by, flashing past as he continued on down having no wings of his own.

Sendara, feeling a jolt of fear for him, her connection to the rider growing stronger all the time, plunged down after the man, wings folded once again, but this time in a controlled fall. Her weight and a boost of her wings caused her to catch the man before he got too close to the lava flow below and she swept under him, letting him land with a thump atop her back.

With that, she spread her wings and halted their crazy fall, circling for a few moments to allow both heartbeats to slow as she gazed up. Not a moment too soon did she look up as the Phoenix had followed hot in pursuit. She only had time to roll, hoping Calico could hold on and catch the brutal clawing strike on her underbelly to protect her rider. She didn't want to let go the egg, instead trying to lash out at the Phoenix in response with her jaws snapping and hind legs scratching, twisting back upright.

Calico may have been a brave man indeed but the free fall, the scorching heat from the lava and the imminent death had indeed proven too much on this occasion, causing the man to feel nauseous alongside being sore with the thump he had gotten from landing on Sendara.

Unlike all other occasions he no longer was holding onto her, for lack of strength, one arm wrapped around his waist and another over his mouth so as to not throw up on his dragon, laying down scattered on her back, to try to contain the vomit.

When Sendara rolled, Calico inevitably was tossed down into the abyss yet again
"Whoaaaaaa.... Sendara..... help me!" shouted Calico in a panicked voice though this time he was feeling faint enough to actually pass out altogether, his voice much more queazy and soft

With an angry growl Sendara had to make the choice between her rider and beloved treasure. Frustration welled and she roared, yet twisted and flung the egg high. The Phoenix went after the egg immediately, and Sendara dove, her talons extended to snatch Calcio just in time to save him from the boiling lava, holding him delicately, and glancing down with concern.

Wheeling, she angled away from the volcano, knowing the Phoenix would not allow an approach to its nest now. Clutching her rider she flew back to the ship, fire smoldering in her eyes but concern rising above her frustration. Landing hard on the golden deck and scattering men left and right, Sendara carefully set Calico down, then backed up a pace to look at the man.

Bending down she released her healing breath, the air scintillating around him as it healed each burn he had recieved as well as any other wound or injury. Finally she curled about him a bit, and sent puffs of steam in the direction of any who dared look this direction in the wrong way, hues glittering even as she looked longingly back toward the volcano.