[Guildhall] Opportunity is not a lengthy visitor [Behn]

[Tabarnac]

"Everyone's a pirate when they're hungry," she told him in all seriousness. "But I suspect he's a sailor of the Sunberth tradition more than Zeltivan. A fine sailor, regardless of his morals." She flashed Behn an amused smile, the smile that had melted several a man's knees. "Even pirates have a code." She was leading him down toward the docks, but there were plenty of people out and about. "Are you, Behn, hungry?"

[Behn]

Behn looked over at the nameless woman, he was wondering if he was supposed to smirk or keep a straight face when she mentioned the hunger. It wasn't until they locked gazes that he realized she was quite serious. He didn't quite grasp the meaning behind the words, but he assumed it was something one experienced when on the sea and down on your luck. Behn, after a few moments, gave a smirk himself when she smiled at him. "I guess attacking a newcomer without warning isn't against a Pirate's code then. I'd rather not to have someone like him looking out for me." Behn, without question or concern, followed where he was led. With every passing chime he felt a stronger and stronger urge to ask questions about her. What was her name? Why was she so respected and feared? Behn couldn't help but feel like he should be worried about her interest in him, be if feigned or genuine. Still, he felt like she was protecting him, especially now that Havner could quite possibly looking to poke his kidneys with a knife. "Hungry for food or hungry like a Pirate?" Behn was quite serious in his question as well. He could eat, he had gotten used to eating when food was available because, at times, there wasn't any to be had. Yet still, he wasn't hungry enough to buy some, hunt for something, or ask for it from another. "Hungry for what?" Behn was hungry like a pirate though, perhaps not for food or for the sea, but for life. He felt that he had been surviving and nothing more since he fled from Ravok, fled from misery. Still it haunted him though.

[Tabarnac]

"I wouldn't know the pirate's code," she said coyly, and it became increasingly difficult to read between the lines at her subtext. Was she trying to seduce Behn, or merely feed him? She was rather amused by everything, and had been quick to recover from Hanver's bad manners. When they came to a particular ship, a cromster by the name of Ondine, she turned around to face him before the gangplank. "It's a fairly straightforward question, baby. Are you hungry? We can talk about more abstract hungers while you're filling your belly. You're too skinny, and the Ondine likes her men strong, full of vim and vigor. Savvy?"

[Behn]

Behn stood there a moment as she stopped. She alone was the object in Behn's way to getting aboard. If her body weren't there, he could easily step across that miniature bridge and onto a ship, which would likely throw him off without a second's hesitation. Still, despite his eagerness to feel the ocean (even if it was docked) under a ship, and a ship under his feet, he couldn't deny that the woman was a rather attractive sight. He didn't want to admit it, and he was much too proud to publicly say so, but she was seductive. Despite her intentions, she was luring him. Behn took a moment to pat his stomach with a calloused hand of his, skin hardened by years of living alone in the wilderness. He was thin, even the body that was once strong and muscular seemed weakened. It was years since he last feasted until he was full, satisfied, and couldn't fit more into his stomach. He didn't starve often, but he was hungrier more often than satisfied. "You don't need to ask me twice. But, I need to know something first." Behn paused a moment as his lower lip curled in around his teeth, his tongue gently rolling across the fleshy soft skin as he pondered. There was no polite way to ask this, nothing more than the standard. Besides, she hardly seemed like the time to be severely favoring pleasantries and gentlemanly words (which were also faded from lack of use). "What's your name?" Behn smirked casually, he had a strong feeling that he was a captain, or some other title of high rank which demanded respect, and he had a feeling that he wasn't quite giving the respect she deserved. He was foreign though, how was a stranger to know how to treat someone who could be anything they aren't aware of? "Vigor? I've got plenty. I won't turn down food though. This place seems too scarce on it to be bashful." Behn's eyes continued to fall into hers, as if each second that passed was another small portion of his soul she was stealing, reading, and absorbing. "Are you trying to kidnap me via ship?"

[Tabarnac]

"The name is Selvia, but you can call me Captain." She smirked at his audacity, or what he thought of as audacious. On the high seas, audacity was necessary. Well, sometimes caution was necessary, but audacity was big in public, anyway. With pouty lips that weren't pouting and her hip cocked to the side, she looked him up and down with an obviously critical eye. She shook her head dismissively. "You're not from around here and you look half dead for starving. Where would be the challenge in kidnapping you? No. I'm going to give you a job on my ship, and if you disappoint me, I throw you overboard. If you impress me, well, we might have further business."

[Behn]

Behn felt a smirk of confidence expand across his lips as she finally revealed her identity. She said it with such ease as well, as if his fears were entirely for nothing. "Captain Selvia. Behn Gaeris, at your command." Behn already gave his name, but it seemed appropriate to say it again, a sort of formal greeting perhaps. He felt his head bow lightly in step with his repeated self-introduction. Yet, when his drinking gaze returned to her eyes, she was scanning over him? Checking him out? Yes and no, most likely. What she said made sense, perfect sense. Still, those lips told something, despite him being incapable of deciphering their code. Like a child with a lost toy or simple passing sorrow, except less sincere. Perhaps she just wasn't pleased with him, he had been in the wilds for a long time. Years don't pass without leaving a mark. "No, I'm from. Elsewhere." Behn looked upwards into the sky, watching as various puffs of cloud slowly, painfully slowly, crept by. Defensive mechanism, avoiding eye-contact. Instincts weren't so easily changed by wilderness as a man's body himself. "If I don't stand to the height of your standards, say the word and I'll throw myself overboard and drink the sea by my own will. I do not give my loyalty without sincerity." Behn smiled then, there was something else on his mind. "But I don't give my loyalty to anyone that doesn't deserve it. Captain, title or not, I respect none that don't deserve it, and I don't neglect those that do. You have impressed me thus far, but I have not seen your true character, integrity, or who you are. You are strong and fearsome, I saw it on their faces that you are not to be petched with. We are not so different, except that you have support and a name. If anyone tries to play me as a fool, then I'll see to it they are mistaken." Behn's smile faded near the beginning of his speech as he stood there, still watching Captain Selvia. He half expected her to shrug her shoulders, climb aboard the ship, and leave Behn there just as she found him. Still, Behn wasn't willing to be tainted, corrupted, for used for foolishness. He played himself once, and lost all he cared for. He wasn't about to let that come about a second time. "Does that make me troublesome?"

[Tabarnac]

"Troublesome? That remains to be seen." She stepped up the gangplank. "Of course we will have to test each other. You think a woman with her own ship doesn't know that? Get on board and we'll feed your belly. Work with us and we'll feed your purse." *** Behn was fed on simple food, but there was plenty of it. Enough to make him drowse at the unfamiliar sensation of a full belly. He was given a berth just the same as the other men. Whatever tests he had in mind for the captain and crew of the Ondine, they would be testing him as well. And if he proved his worth, he would have a business partner in Captain Selvia. FIN

[Tabarnac]

XP Award! Behn XP Award: Interrogation +3; Investigation +2; Brawling +1; Seduction +1; Intimidation +2; Negotiation +3 Lore: Sailors’ Guildhall (foyer) Additional Notes: Behn is now officially working for Captain Selvia. First as a crewman, but eventually she will have him stationed where he can take care of business while she takes care of the sailing if that’s how you want to handle it. We do need to hammer out the details so I can decide what you need to do and what I need to do. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions or concerns. Keep writing!