Hell Hath No Fury - Book One

Panic and Parties

It was the power of Riva working through Theo that managed to get the Scorned Woman on its way because Theo could not recall making a single decision as to their route or navigation since taking the wheel. Her head was so muddled with the events from the sun that she had no recollection of steering the ship into open water and safe from the chase of any Baethan navy ships. Eventually, when the Scorned Woman was a good distance away from where they had been, Theo left Navi's second in charge of the navigating. Steering the ship was just one of the many jobs she would have to do that night.

Theo was torn between going to Oceane and going to Cooker. But Cooker was most likely given some drugs to cope with the pain and was probably hazy and unalert. Oceane was sober and had just lost her village in a fire, Theo figured Cooker would understand needing to speak to the archer first. She made her way to the cabin that Iona had informed Theo they were left in, all the while dreading the conversation she was about to have. Times like these, where she was expected to be a good captain even when dealing with her own shock, was when she wanted to just leave it all behind. Leave the pressure and the danger and just take to the sea without a crew.

But those thoughts always made her feel guilty. Oceane was a crucial member of their team and someone that had brought many smiles to Theo's face. Never had Oceane ever needed anything before, always being the support and never the supported. The one time Oceane might have needed something, Theo didn't want to help. Theo stood in front of the cabin door and straightened her posture, taking a deep breath before knocking lightly. Any thoughts of her own escape from jail and what had happened with Cooker were temporarily dispelled in favor of focusing on the girl that needed her at that moment.

Oceane opened the door slightly to see Theo outside. She stepped out of the room and closed the door behind her as she attempted to give Theo a warm smile. It fell flat, the sadness behind Oceane's eyes that was rarely seen was obvious. Theo gave her a smile back but the sadness she felt for the other girl was clear on her face as well.

"Much to talk about," Theo said in a whisper as she offered her arm, "shall we?"

Oceane linked their arms together and Theo led them back to her quarters. She settled in behind her desk, sitting down for the first time since boarding the ship. Before either of them began to speak, she opened her drawer and set out a bottle of rum and a bag of havcera. Theo wanted nothing more than to partake but she wasn't allowing herself anything that would addle her mind during the trip, in case that was when disaster struck. Oceane had no such qualms and she reached out for the rum, uncorking it with impressive speed and taking one, two, three gulps.

Oceane grimaced at the taste and held a hand over her mouth, a scowl on her face. Theo's belly churned, feeling Oceane's pain at stomaching the strong liquor. She didn't stop there though, Oceane return for another three gulps. And then another. Theo stood up, reaching across the desk and pulling the rum from her hands.

"I think that's enough, O," Theo said as she put the bottle away.

"I can handle my liquor," Oceane said and then burped, holding her hand over her stomach. The burp was followed by a hiccup, "I think that was enough."

Theo chuckled a bit at that but there wasn't much room for humor. Theo didn't know where to start. She had no idea why Oceane was at the beach and not on the ship already, protocol was to have everyone on the ship waiting for Theo to get back. She had no idea why her brother was with them, she had no idea why a village was razed. She had no idea where Oceane's father or sister were, the ones she always spoke about. Oceane didn't seem to be wanting to initiate conversation though, the alcohol settling into her blood and making her eyes go slightly glossy as she stared at the desk.

"O," Theo started, a gentle tone, "do you want to fill me in on what's going on?"

"My father," Oceane hiccuped, "my father was a rat."