Destiny's Game ( Rhy)

[DoS Archive]

From: rhy@aol.com (Rhy)
Date: 24 Aug 1998 00:55:56 EDT


As the ketch neared the shoreline, Rowan leaned back on a thwart, lifted her face and allowed the sun to fall upon it. In this relaxed attitude she felt the accumulated tension from the past weeks drain luxuriously from her body. Curiously, as her strain eased the other occupants in the boat no longer seemed as strangers, but pleasant companions. There is a time she thought, for the exercising of authority and a time to just be a person among many.
She was by nature of an aggreeable disposition, and yet a moment ago had been made angry by the easy informality of the crew when anything else would have been pretentious nonsense.

From her inside pocket Rowan drew forth a case of intricately tooled Seville leather. In it were a half dozen fine Dominican cigars which she extended to her comrades. Picking up a piece of burning coal with tongs, she passed it around until the tobaccos were lit, then dropped it back into the brazier as the one called John Levy drawing upon his cigar, studied her through the light haze of smoke.

"You're different from what I expected." The admission came casually. "I heard back there in Dakartu you were an all time hell raiser fer sure."

" I can be difficult Captain Levy, of a certainty". Rowan admitted. "But, it is not my nature. I had embarked upon a sea of unfamiliar troubles, but I was taught a great respect for order. My nature was not in evidence in Dakartu." Dismissing the matter with a change of subject. "In the meantime," she rose, then stooped to enter the small cabin, returning with a wicker covered demijohn "this is the last of the rum
salvaged off a Spanisher that piled on a reef near Dundarben. Help yourselves."

As though it was the most natural thing in the world for her to be doing, Rowan Hyperion Y'nestral swung the jug across her arm and allowed the rich, brown liquid to trickle down her throat with a thought invoking other times. "To you Cam. Sleep well a rún mo chroí til we both claim Neptunes keep in final repose." Then, she wiped her hand across her mouth and handed the jug to Levy.

For the first time since she had left Eusebius' presence, she felt completely at ease. RhyDin was coming into clear view in the distance and Martyn was already waiting there, papers of marque in order. Her first duty was to make contact again with the sword gaming community and apply herself accordingly...oh what was the name now? Martyn would apprise her, perhaps orders had changed. But for these few moments..maybe the last that would be
strictly her own, she gave into the musical lift and fall of the tiny craft as it cut through the small white caps surrounding it and contemplated her new post with lively interest.

Cam had once told her, to survive one must be able to run a little before the wind. This she knew for her would not be simple as she was accustomed to complete authority. In these matters she told herself, "I will have to yield in a measure. For the honor of Eusebius, I will try. "