Night began to encroach upon her once more.  It had been three days since the caravan had been attacked and she was forced to flee the main roads.  She was lost in the swampy wasteland between the cities as far from help as she could possibly be.  Her red and white robe was filthy with blood and a broadsword lay nearby, its tip broken off.

In her hand she held her staff, her only real protection against the Unes within the swamp.  Although they were drawn to the light, she used her staff to channel her energy and create a powerful barrier.  It had been three days since she'd begun to cast the spell non-stop and she'd had little sleep because it made the barrier weak.

"Help!"  she cried, her voice hoarse from shouting.  If she didn't get aid soon the Unes would take her and use her as they used other members of the sisterhood.  She could see lights in the distance when she looked toward the road she'd been on.  "Help!"  she cried louder.

The crew of the Red Dragon had gone in land. Something they rarely did but even pirates needed some time ashore. So now that they had gotten their supplies and other things needed or wanted, they were headed back to the ship, which their captain had hidden somewhere in the not so deep shallows of a near by swamp.

Jezi walked with her crew, smiling and laughing. The beasties that haunted these parts tended to give her and hers a wide berth, she was after all a water goddess, and she could only guess it was that fact that kept them from trying anything. Besides she and her crew would be all the safer so to speak out on the open water. There Jezi had more control. Oh sure on land she could keep her boot dry but really what was that compared to commanding waves and tides?

Then she heard it. Off in the distance a call for help. Raising her voice to captain levels, she cried out." Hold Mates!" She ordered and her entire crew stopped where they were and turned to look at her. "Stop yer gabbing and tell me what ye rats hear?" She asked.

It was Cady her sister in law and first mate and answered. "A call for help." Then the Crew knew that they would be waiting whilst the captain and first mate when a looking for the caller.

Jezi cast her own protection around her crew. "Don't ye be moving from this spot, or ye could end up a snack for one of the wild beasties around these parts." Jezi said causing the crew to laugh. No they would all still be there when they returned and they would all still be safe having not moved from the protect of the barrier.

"Come on Cady." Jezi sighed and set out into the swamp, the water wicking away from the goddess' feet like rat running from a cat. " 'Ello?!" Jezi called to the cries for help. She followed her feet allowing the swamp to guide her, but mostly the Unes skittered around the edges of her vision where the biggest hints as to where their caller might be.

Entering a small clearing, Jezi stopped short. There inside a dimming barrier was what looked like one of the sisterhood, but she was holding off the near by Unes. Jezi stepped into the dim light cast by the girl's spell. "Are you the lass calling for help?" she asked "If so I do hope I can be of help to ya." she said looking over the girl. "And by the looks of it ye be needing some help, Lassie."

She went to take another breath to call for help, but a powerful magical aura began to approach her.  Oh fuck... I can't fight something like that... not like this... she thought.  The mage began to pour more power into her shield, unfortunately it rapidly burned up the rest of her energy and began to eat into her soul.  The barrier collapsed in a matter of seconds but it didn't matter because the unes that had been battering themselves against it for the past few days had left.

The mage looked up when she was addressed by someone she never would have expected to come to her rescue, a pirate captain and what she presumed to be her first mate.  Humans were better than unes any day of the week, regardless of their stance toward the Sisterhood.  The woman's question, however, felt insulting.

"No... I'm sitting here in the mud slowly dying for the fun of it..." the mage muttered.  She forced herself to her feet and sank the tail of her staff into the ground for support.  She reached for her sword but lost her balance and ended up face down in the mud.  "I hate to ask this... but can you carry me?  I've been out here three days..." she sighed.

Jezi let out a loud laugh at the girl's comment on sitting in the mud. She seemed nothing like the others of the sisterhood so at least that was something. "Aye we can do that." Jezi said. "Cady make sure we don forget the lass' sword over there." She gestured to the weapon the girl was trying to pick up before she fell back into the mud.

Jezi's barrier came with her as she walked to where the girl was laying in the mud. "IM Jezabelle Teague, and that is my First mate and sister in law Cady Stephens. My ship and crew aren't far, you can take all the time you need to recover there but if some much as one Une even eyeballs my ship or crew you're going to have to go. but then sitting in the mud with a barrier to keep them away i would say you aren't really part of the sisterhood." Jezi hunkered down on the balls of her feet in front of the girl. "So mate do ye have a name or should we just be calling you "lass"?" Jezi asked, gently slipping her arms around the girl.

Jezi didnt need to know much else about the lass other than she spent three days in an infested swamp and came out with her mind. She used all her power to keep that barrier up and Jezi wondered if it had eaten into her being. Jezi being a goddess didn't have to worry much about running out of power or strength, but her demi god children did. "Try not to kick my belly." The pirate said.

"Knocked up again?" Cady asked behind them. Jezi nodded. Seemed she spent more time with child that most but she wasn't most women and she loved being a mom, at least it had been a couple years between sets this time. That was something.

"Come on now, we've got to get back or the crew will be waiting on us." The captain stood with the girl in her arms and started back the way they had come, the water still wicking away from her feet, her heart longing for the oceans again.

Alice allowed herself to be lifted by the pirate captain and carried over her shoulder like a sack of goods.  As insulting as it was to be carried like that, she was happy someone had heard her cries and rescued her.  "My name's Alice Rose... and I'm only with the Sisterhood because I haven't got anywhere else to go in life right now..." she explained to Jezi's back while she was carried.  She had her reasons for being with the Sisterhood, but they didn't need to know them for the moment.

The mage clung to her staff and looked over at the first mate, who had her blade.  The last eight inches of the blade had been snapped off during her flight from the caravan.  Initially she'd used some magic to replace it, but her need for a barrier had been more pressing.  If she could just get back to full strength, back to the way she was before she joined the sisterhood, she'd be able to wield her weapon without any trouble.

There was more to Alice than she let on, however.  She'd discovered there was a way to rid the world of the Sisterhood and begin to kill off the swamps, but it might cost her life in the end.  She didn't care though, she would gladly give up her life if it meant setting the world back on the path of recovery.

Finally exhausted, Alice allowed sleep to claim her and lost consciousness.

Jezi, Cady and the girl, Alice arrived on the road where the crew of the Red Dragon was waiting. "Mates, you best be leaving our guest alone. If ye knows what's good for ya. " Jezi said laying the sleeping girl in the back of one of the wagons. "Alright then Let's get back out to sea!" Jezi called and they started towards the ship again.

The rest of the trip passed uneventfully as they loaded the cargo they acquired into the holds of the ship. Jezi lifted Alice again, and took her to the captain's cabin, laying her gently on a bed one of her older daughters recently left in favor of the marriage bed. Jezi took a deep breath upon exiting the cabin.
It was good to be back on her boat.

"Alright!" She called across the ship, "If everything is loaded on board, let's get under way and back out to sea. We've been ashore far to long for my tastes." She earned a hardy affirmative from her crew as they made their way out to the open ocean again.

Jezi turned and entered her cabin again. Just inside the door she stripped off her boots, and left them standing in the corner. Next came her corset and her belts. Soon she was in nothing but her loose white poet's top and knee length black pants. She crossed to her table and sat down to go over the charts to find the best place to do a bit of honest pirating while she waited for Miss. Rose to wake up.

Alice had slept for the better part of a fort night.  When she woke her muscles were stiff and her stomach growled in protest; she was famished.  She sat up slowly in the bed she'd been given and found, to her horror, her robe, and the rest of her clothing, was gone.  She was naked and the metallic blue tattoos that covered her arms, shoulders, entire back, and upper chest were visible.

She pulled the blankets around herself and sighed.  It made sense to be naked, Jezi had probably undressed her to check for injuries and clean her filthy clothes.  It was hard to tell exactly where the pirate captain was, she needed food to recharge her magical abilities, not just rest.

It took Alice a few moments to work up the courage to slip out of her bed with the makeshift cloak around her shoulders.  The blanket wasn't terribly large, but it covered her enough to be considered "modest" so she held it around her body as she began to search the captain's quarters for at least some undergarments.

Jezi pulle open the door to her cabin, muttering about the crew, her boys especially as the door fell closed behind her. She glanced over to check on Alice, their young passenger, only to find the girl awake. and going through her under clothes. 

"Lass, you're clothes are in the bottom drawer, however we couldn't get all the stains out. If you wish my girls have donated some of their clothes that might fit ye." Jezi said leaning against the door jam. "I\d wager you are hungry seeing as you've been out for a week." Jezi pushed off the door jam. "I'll go get you some grub while you get dressed and then we can talk about where you'd like us to take you, I'd hazard a guess you aren't looking to become part of the crew." She winked at the girl. 

She turned to leave. "Oh never you mind about anyone seeing you, like.." Jezi gestured to her present condition. "I've my share of girls and birthed my grandchildren, but all the same it was only I that tended to you. But we will be sharing these quarters with the other girls on board from here on out." Jezi smiled again and left to get the Alice something to eat. 

In the galley it wasn't hard to find the food for Alice, but Jezi lingered anyway to give the girl time to dress. She told her 2 daughters on board and her first mate Cady that they would be able to come back to their beds tonight, since their passenger was awake. After what Jezi deemed a suitable amount of time, she took the tray loaded with food to the captain's cabin, for the lass. 

"I hope you have an appetite, my girls don't know portions very well." The captain laughed setting the tray down on the table. "So dig in and we can talk." Jezi said taking a seat at the table and waiting for Alice to do the same.

Alice pulled open the bottom drawer and dug her things out.  They were mostly clean, she knew blood was especially difficult to remove, so she excused the stains on her previously white robe.  She pulled her dress on and adjusted it until felt right then pulled her robe on over it.  She was in the process of attaching her broken sword to her belt when Jezi returned.

"I may not look like much, but I can pack it away," she responded.  The mage drew her sword and smiled lightly.  She knew that, even though the last six inches were broken off, she could easily replace them.  She drew the broken blade and held it out.  A crimson magic circle formed under her and spun up before red crystal erupted from the end of her sword.  It glowed slightly then flickered and turned transparent.  It was far sharper and harder than the steel her sword was made from, but it would easily part opposing armour and even stone.

The crystal fell away and shattered when it landed on the floor before it faded away in magical vapour.  Alice sheathed her weapon then seated herself at the table and began to eat.  "So where are you going to put into port?"  she asked between mouthfuls.  "I need to Rylath as soon as possible," the mage added.

"Well now that might be a fair bit trickier than one would other wise think." She wasn't sure they were welcome at Rylath anytime soon given the way they had left it last time. "The good people of Rylath may not be welcoming us back so soon, but I can put in near enough to there that the walk or ride shouldn't be long." She said with a smile. 

"Now lass, what were you doing in that god's forsaken swamp?" Jezi asked not skipping a beat. She wanted to know more about her rescued passenger. The girl interested her, and for some reason Jezi felt that even after she got of her ship this would not be the last the pirate saw of the girl. "Port's a few days out, thought even with the fair winds and waters, so best be getting comfy miss." She grinned at the girl. There was the faintest blue-green glow to the captain's tattoos and her eyes, she was using her ability to make sure the water stayed clam for them. "So tell me more about yourself?" Jezi prompted the girl.

Alice chewed quietly, not particularly happy she'd have to traverse the swamp again to get to Rylath... where she'd been attempting to go in the first place.  "The Sisterhood caravan I was originally part of fell under attack by raiders.  Most of them fled into the swamp... since they're just sacrifices for the Unes anyway," she paused to take a sip of her drink.  "I killed some of the raiders but had to run when my sword broke.  I was out there in the mud because I got myself trapped by the Unes," she explained.  There were some gaps, but it was most of the story.

She ate in silence for a bit until the captain posed her next question.  "I'm Alice Rose, gifted with a memory that can't forget things.  I grew up in Ark and joined the Sisterhood at the same time my mother and sisters did.  They were all sacrificed to the swamp but I ran away and hid.  I lived as a thief until the Sisterhood forgot about me then carried on with my life until a certain day... after that I rejoined the Sisterhood under a different name and I've been trying to reach Rylath," she explained.  Again, more gaps, but she didn't trust the pirate and she was sure the pirate didn't trust her.

Jezi raised an eyebrow. This Alice was keep things to herself but in the given situation, so would the pirate. The girl's past, present and plans were little of the captain's business as long as it kept her boat, family and crew out of danger. 

"So where will we be dropping ye?" Jezi asked as Alice kept eating. "We can drop you near Rylath again if that's where yer headed." Jesse smiled. "I've the fast boat on the waters. The Winds are always in her sails and the seas are smooth as glass where we sail." She was proud of that, she could make runs faster than any other pirate out there. It was a big part of how she stayed free for so long. There were quite a few that would love to capture and set to dancing the hempen jig the great pirate captain Jezabelle Teaugh and her crew. 

"But we've a stop to make first if you don't mind sailing with us." She had supplies in the hold for one of her daughters back ashore else where. "But if you're in a hurry we can drop you off first."  Jezi really didn't care which bit of sailing they did first, she would always have time for her family when the bills where paid and the navy was off their stern. 

Jezi wasn't sure Alice was quite ready to leave the ship after a week of rest and a rather large meal, the mother in the captain was against letting the girl go, but as the mage was not one of her brood she had little say in the matter. "You are welcome to say if you'd rather recover a tad longer." Jezi offered hoping that Alice might see reason, well just a little bit.

The blond-haired woman thought on Jezi's offer while she ate in silence.  When her finished her meal, at least what she was able to pack down, she looked across the table at the pirate captain.  "I'll stay on with you so I can have a safe place to recover.  Besides, my blade and my magic might be of use to you," she said.  Her reason to trust Jezi was simple; she'd saved her from the swamp... and anyone that fought against the swamp was her ally as far as she was concerned.

Alice rose from seat and crossed the room to one of the windows in the captain's cabin so she could look out at the ocean.  "A long time ago the world was a different place, magic was just a myth and the nations all lived in turmoil," she began.  She turned and returned to the table, placing a hand on it.  A small orange magic circle grew on the back of her hand and the candle's flame grew in volume until it was around twice the size of a navigational globe.  "The city of Fairchild, far south of Rylath and west of Ark, was responsible for everything the world is today," she continued.  A small purple spire appeared on the flaming globe.

"They wanted to create a limitless food source in an effort to stop the turmoil in the world but their creation escaped their control and washed over the globe like wildfire.  Fairchild was purged of all human life, sacrificed to the Unes and Alura Unes," she continued.  A ring-like wave of green flame swept across the globe to illustrate her point.  "Ark was founded in a rocky area where the Unes were never able to take hold and Rylath started as a barge city but beat back the swamp and reclaimed some of the land," Alice explained.  Two more points of flame flickered to life, marking Ark and Rylath.

"Many years after Ark was founded, the Sisterhood, a group of psychotic women who believe the swamp is a gift, began to sacrifice themselves to the swamp and encouraged it to grow stronger around Ark in an effort to ultimately destroy the city."  The blond paused and looked across the table at Jezi.  "The Sisterhood is the enemy of humankind, they intend to collapse Ark and Rylath," she explained.  Alice paused and rolled up her left sleeve, showing the metallic blue tattoo on her arm.  "Old magic was found in the ruins of Fairchild and I agreed to have it bound to my body.  If I can reach the Sisterhood Headquarters Temple in Rylath, I can collapse the Sisterhood... and hopefully kill the swamp in the process," she explained.

"I know this is all very forthcoming... but the fact of the matter is that I need your help, Jezi.  I'm a skilled fighter and Sisterhood lives mean absolutely nothing to me, but there's enough guards there to stop a small army.  A single warrior of my skill would be killed in a matter of minutes... and if I were to die so would humankind's hope for recovery," Alice said.

Jezi sat back in her chair. The history lesson was mildly amusing to the pirate. "Oh aye you are correct, those of the Sisterhood are indeed a bane on humanity. I'd be more than happy to help you take them out and their damned swamp with them." She paused and leaned forward. "But what of whatever comes after the sisters and their swamp?" She asked. She knew that it was a matter of time before something else rose to take the place the the Unes and their human cattle would leave in the world. Not that she had any mind to fill the role mind you, she cared little for that sort of thing. It was the cycle of the world and how things worked. Maybe this Alice was more about letting the future deal with it's own problems. 

"So it is just Unes and their kin that you have issue with or all non-humes?" Jezi asked before she got the details of the little side stop they were to make. She didnt want to put anyone in danger if she could help it. "What's yer stance on say gods and goddesses?" She asked flipping her long hair over her shoulder and sitting back again.

Alice blinked at Jezi’s question.  “Gods and goddesses?  The only “goddess” I know of is the false one the Sisterhood worships.  If you can show me a god who isn’t hell-bent on exterminating humanity, I can show you a woman who would stand at that being’s side and work as their personal sword of blood,” the blond-haired woman explained.  She paused a moment and looked Jezi over before she rolled her shoulders and the globe of flame collapsed back to a normal candle.
 
The blond-haired woman sank heavily into a chair and spoke to the floor.  “I grew up in the Sisterhood.  I watched them kill my mother and sister by sacrificing them to the swamp.  I was supposed to join them but I escaped and found my way into parts of Rylath where a child would normally be in another sort of danger…” Alice explained as her voice lost energy.  “They treated me like family, taught me to defend myself… in time, I joined with the ones who sought to unseat the Sisterhood and had the spell bound to me.”  Her eyes trailed up and looked out the window.
 
“I didn’t have any choice Jezi… I rejoined the Sisterhood so I could exact my revenge on them for taking my family from me and ruining humanity… but the raiders attacked us and now I need to get back to Rylath so I can finish what I set out to do.”  Alice raised her head and locked eyes with the pirate captain.  The cold determination in her blue eyes removed any need for words.

Jezi grinned. "Well lass, ye see..." She trailed off as the air around her glowed a vibrant pale blue. "I be a water god myself, or at least half, but don't bother telling anyone." Leaning forward Jezi let her magic leave the air. "I was born to a river goddess quite a few moons back, and you see its to my family that I must insist we detour too." She sighed. "Though I understand the need for swiftness in your quest." She sounded old then. So much older than she look and that age showed in her eyes.

"I don't want to bring trouble to them." She looked up at Alice. "They live an honest life unlike their mother." She sat back. "And I aim to keep it that way." She ran a hand over her head. "So it's only a 2 day trip, and we'll back soon enough, for you to get on with destroying that nasty sisterhood." Jezi stood. "Sound fair?" She asked.

Alice thought about it for a moment before she sighed.  "Well... it's either go with you or go overboard and I don't fancy a swim," she finally said.  She seated herself next to the table rather heavily and looked up at Jezi.  "I'll keep my particular brand of... "mischief," shall we say, to myself while you make your trip.  I've got to practice my magic and my swordsman ship while I wait anyway... this broadsword isn't like the longsword I'm used to," she explained.  Alice drew the broken weapon from its sheath and looked the broken tip over.  "Keeping it enchanted is going to be difficult though... I still need enough power to create shields while maintaining the crystal," she added.

Her blue eyes trailed back to Jezi.  "If you can get me back to Rylath, I can promise that the next time you see me, the Sisterhood will be gone," she said.  Whether or not there was another visit to Jezi and her crew was entirely up in the air, however.  She had to survive the ritual before that could happen.  She sheathed her broken blade then leaned back in her seat.  "Guess I'm at your mercy now, huh?"  the blonde laughed.

Jezi grinned. "Lucky for you mate, my mercy is rather kind." She reached for a bottle on the table. "You can practice your swordplay and magic on the stern deck of the ship. It's no the largest but it should do for your needs." Grasping the bottle, Jezi pulled it to her lips and with her teeth removed the cork. She tilted the bottle and took a deep drink. "I believe I said you'd be staying in here, with Kady and I. These are the captain's quarters and the boys will stay out. We serve meals out on the main deck but if your magics get you needing refreshing you can see what the cookies have in the galley just below deck." the captain stood. "Feel free to wander 'round and get a feel for the ship. If we run into trouble I want your tight ass in this room and you're to stay here till it passes. I can't have you underfoot with the rigging needs done fast." She walked to the door, the bottle in hand. "If you need anything just ask, Alice, we'll do our best to make this trip pleasant for you." Jezi smiled then left the room, leaving the door open behind her.