Crow frowned, clearly not accustomed to being treated with such disrespect.

  Elwin, who was standing slightly behind him at this point, watched his hands carefully, afraid he would be going for a weapon that he surely had hidden on his person. Elwin wished he could cross to the other side where Prin was.

  “Consequences will come for you.” Crow said. He appeared still outwardly calm, but the line of his back was tense. “But now that you’ve been informed, there’s not much else I can do.” He got the cigarette out after all, and took a step backwards.

  “We aint afraid of you. You shrimpy land man in a cheap jacket!” Lucien sneered as he looked Crow up and down, clearly the man’s fashion choices were the final insult in this whole interaction. He looked beside him again at Prin and Aster and his expression dramatically changed, like the sun coming out from behind heavy rain clouds. He grinned, taking the lunch basket and luggage from Aster without waiting for a protest. “I guess the capn’ couldn’t bear to see you onto the ship, poor thing. Anyway, come along boys and.” He cast the sun onto Aster alone, almost blinding her with it. “Angels.”

  The man was even more attractive somehow, with the little gap between his front teeth. Elwin didn’t blame Aster for blushing.

  Captain Lucien led back the way he had come, toward the docked ship, where the men were pulling anchor and preparing to launch as the sun rose behind them in brilliant colors.

  Prin held his hand out to Elwin and Elwin went to him, taking it quickly and leaving Crow to fume in his wake.

  As they walked up the gang plank and onto the ship, Elwin kept looking back over his shoulder. He was pretty sure Crow had retreated, but what if he didn’t leave and instead followed them onto the ship? Elwin thought Captain Lucien would have him tossed summarily over board, if he didn’t do it personally, so at least there was that.

  “So this is my humble abode!” Captain Lucien gestured around them. Although his voice didn’t necessarily sound like he was introducing something humble.

  The ship was somewhat of an antique. Perhaps a rich man’s sailing vessel a few decades passed its prime, but the deep rich tones in the carved wood, and the elegant lines were still plain to see as it eased into mellow decline.

  “It’s wonderful.” Aster said, running her hand along the sea serpent’s tail of a banister, her voice implying she could only wish that she would age so well.

  Lucien continued to grin as the ship set sail, the men of his crew working efficiently around them. He reached out his hand and held Aster’s shoulder to lend her stability as the ship took off with a shudder and a lurch.

  “Still runs like a dream!” he declared. He led them to a sea green velvet cushioned wood couch set into an alcove beside double doors, that should lead into the captain’s chambers, if Elwin had it right.

  A couch was certainly an odd thing to see on a ship’s deck.

  “Why is this here?” Prin asked, no judgement in his voice, just naked curiosity. Gods love him, he couldn’t help himself.

  “Style my good chap! Style and comfort.” Lucien guided Aster to the sofa, with his hand that was still on her shoulder and gently pushed her to sitting down. He plopped down beside her and stretched his legs out in front of him. “Look at that vi—iewww.”

  Prin sat down on the other side of him, gazing out over the deck of the ship, and out at the island retreating in front of them. He sighed.

  Elwin, seeing nothing better to do, squeezed in beside Prin in the small amount of seat remaining. He let out his own sigh.

  The sky was coming alive around them in rainbow sherbert colors reflecting onto the water in shivery bright darting brush strokes. Pink, orange, yellow, white, brighter pink, searing pink.

  He imagined Crow standing there, still seething. Vowing revenge.

  Once the ship was well underway, and Lucien had been quiet so long Elwin had assumed he must have fallen asleep, he felt his own eyelids grow heavy. The relief to finally be underway added to the lack of a proper night’s sleep.

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  “Oh! There’s breakfast. If we aren’t altogether too seasick.” Aster suggested from her end of the couch.

  “I’m not.” Prin said. “I can always eat.” He laughed a little at himself, perhaps realizing what he had just said. “How about you Aster?”

  “I’m okay. Surprisingly.” Aster said. “I would think it would make me sick to be facing backwards.”

  Captain Lucien took Aster’s hand in his and pressed a spot in her palm near the base of the thumb. “Is that too hard?”

  “No?” Aster asked, confused.

  “It’s a remedy. Just press here if you feel a little ill. But I have tonics too.” Lucien said. “Now, what have you got to eat?”

  “I don’t actually know!” Aster giggled prettily. She took her hand back and picked up the picnic basket onto her lap to rummage through. “Looks like biscuits with fresh butter and jam. And some hard rolls with some sort of meat and cheese inside, and pastries, cookies.” Even the utensils were provided, and Aster laid a plaid napkin over her lap before splitting a biscuit in half and adding butter and jam generously on top. “What does everyone want?”

  Aster passed the food around to the others and they all ate their fill, including Captain Lucien. Some of the men paused to look at them over their shoulder or passed close to the bench in their work, but they didn’t say anything. Either intimidated by Aster, or instructed by their captain not to bother the guests. Or some combination of the two, Elwin figured.

  “Well, you all are probably tired.” Lucien said. “I should show you to your rooms.” He stood up and stretched his arms up over his head, his golden ponytail bouncing around without a care in the world.

  Elwin had a passing wonder as to if he was really the captain of this ship at all. Weren’t captains usually busy? Busier? He looked around, and the men remaining on deck were going about their job. It was a little cold but a nice sunny day, the breeze sweeping in off the sea lifting and filling out the sails like sheets on a clothes line.

  As though to put a lie to what Elwin was thinking, Lucien turned toward the doors of the captain’s chamber. “Come on in. Don’t mind the mess.”

  He opened the double doors to reveal, instead of the usual office, a bedroom. It was decked out in a huge wooden four post bed with thick green corduroy drapes to keep out the chill. They were currently tied back against the posts. The bed clothes were askew and the small desk under the porthole window was cluttered, but that was about the extent of the mess.

  There were two doors leading off the main room. The captain opened the first, leading to a small room with a toilet and water basin for washing up. “Water closet.” He said.

  He led them to the other door and opened it onto a little bedroom with a small bed dressed in colorful homey looking patchwork quilts. There was a trunk for storage, a small porthole window above the bed letting in a sip of golden light from the sky.

  “This is my guestroom.” Lucien said. He took Aster’s hand again.

  Elwin couldn’t help noticing he was very touchy feely where Aster was concerned and felt a protective surge. He wondered if he was frowning accidentally and tried to school his face into if not pleasant, at least a more neutral expression.

  “I’m having you stay in here.” Captain Lucien said to Aster very earnestly. “My men are very good at following my rules. Because if they don’t,” He drew his thumb across his throat and then laughed, as though to leave you wondering whether he was joking or not. “they won’t have a job with me any longer.” He turned to look at Prin and Elwin. “I offer great pay and benefits! You should consider applying. Anyway, though they be better than most at following orders, they’re still men, and you don’t want to leave a forbidden cake out on a table and dare them not to take a bite. If you catch my drift.”

  “I do.” Aster said, her eyes narrowing. Perhaps she was also thinking the captain was a bit too quick to take her hand, and wondering if he was not just trying to save the cake for himself.

  “It’s a comfy room and you don’t have far to go to the toilet if you feel unwell.” Lucien said. “And I’ll be nearby.” He set Aster’s bags on the narrow bed, and turned to Prin and Elwin. “Alright boys, if you’ll follow me, I’ll take you to your room.” He led the way to the door back out to the deck.

  “Ah, wait, I don’t want to leave Aster.” Prin said quickly. “We shouldn’t split up.”

  “Hmm? That room’s too small for all three of ya.” Lucien said. “I’ll look after the wee one myself, not to worry.

  Elwin looked at Aster, determined to meet her eyes, but Prin was already doing so, and the conversation between them was clearly something like, I can take care of myself, or I can handle this guy. Aster winked at Prin and made a gesture with her hand that he should go on, and not make a fuss.

  Prin and Elwin somewhat reluctantly followed Lucien, as he showed them around the bridge, and then took them bellow decks and showed them a small room with a two tiered bunk on each side. “Just for you though, no one in the other bunk.” He assured. “I’ll leave you alone now in case you want to get some rest.” He left, shutting the door behind him.

  Elwin listened keenly, afraid he would hear a slide then lock of them being imprisoned in their room. After a moment he got up quickly and opened the door, peeking at the captain’s retreating backside. Yes, he was nice looking from that side as well.

  Elwin shut the door again and breathed a sigh of relief, sitting down on the lower bunk.

  Prin flopped down bonelessly beside him but quickly popped back up again like a jack in the box. “I don’t know about this, El. I don’t really like it. There’s plenty of room in here for Aster.”

  “Yes, but . . . that one did look more comfortable.” Elwin admitted. And she won’t have to worry about sleeping in the same room as Prin, who, he had noticed she was rightfully still wary of, although perfectly friendly and loving as ever. “I’ll make sure to have plenty of excuses to check in on Aster.” He patted the doctor’s kit, glad he hadn’t somehow lost it already. Although he felt it was only a matter of time.

  “Will we be safe here?” Prin wondered.

  “I don’t know.” Elwin said honestly. “I think so. Safer than back on the island anyway.” He shuddered. How close a call had it been? By how much of a margin had they missed the pitchforks and torches? A day, a week, hours?