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Rhadamanthus the Arrogant Peacock gazes upon the deck beneath with a haughty, disapproving beady eye - already there is an atmosphere of mutinous misrule.
Gulshara is quarrelling with Gracelyn, who is sternly reproaching the angry half-goblin:
- You will address me as 'Pirate Captain Lady Scantgrace! And if you dare mention Elves again, or even so much as cast an insubordinate scoundrel glance upon my beautiful pet, I will have you... walk the plank! Do you know what that means? On a skyfaring vessel?
The enrages Gulshara replies
- But you are deluding yourself! We are so close to the Sanctuary of my people, the Elves! Why do you want to hide out in the desolate wastes of the desert, The Dead Land? And this "City Of Scars" you mention, upon the Corpse Shore, Nastrond... the clue is in the name! It can only be a den of iniquity, some hideout for horrible murderers and cut-throats and thieves and slavers. Why do you want to take us there, when we could be drinking honeysuckle nectar and petal dew from the tender kissable lips of beautiful Elves?
Lady Gracelyn Scantgrace replies irritably, as she struggles to keep her temper and command:
- You are not an Elf! Not a princess! If you were Highborn, you would know that the Beauteous Beldame Of Berceuse has issued a dread proclamation, that all Elfes have been declared Ugly in the eyes of the Oath And The Light. I heard some traitor Elfe spy insulted the Beldame, but it must really be because she cannot bear the thought of anyone being more beautiful than her. The Church Of The Oration will kill any elves on sight, just as they treat all abominations and otherkind. And with good reason too, for the Elves of Irminsul and the Skraeling Tree in the Old Forest Of Idols are feral, completely given to the Wild! Were I to follow your counsel, we would all be quartered and hung in pieces scattered across the forest! Just as you will be, if you mention Elves again!
You think Gulshara and Pirate Captain Lady Scantgrace are almost on the verge of blows, or perhaps tearing off each other's clothing and wrestling.