>>6096569The crowd of sailors melts away as you approach the woman, towering over all of them. Cast in your shadow, she looks up at you, perhaps more scared now then she was when Alvin’s men were accosting her. You suppose you did look a bit frightening at that moment, drenched in copious amounts of blood. While you told Alvin that most of it wasn’t your own, a fair bit of it still was. You’d have to get stitched up later, you winced.
>“What’s going on here?”“This girl’s been stealin’ from us, sir!” One of Alvin’s men says. He, along with the others, seem to be treating you with far more respect than they had previously on this voyage. You suppose saving them from a gang of bloodthirsty pirates might have helped. “This little rat snuck on board when we was in Rusalka!”
>So she was a thief? “Woman, what is your name?”“M-May.” She stammers out. “B-begging your pardon my lord! I meant no harm I swear!”
>“May.” You ask calmly. “Did you steal from me?”“Just enough to survive…” She says hopefully.
Lifting the small woman, you begin shaking her. She squeaks helplessly as several gold coins, rings, daggers, caltrops, lockpicks, a sailor’s cap, and even a golden goblet, fall out of her cloak and pockets with a jangle. And amongst all of the items on the floor, you find a sealed concoction. One that looks remarkably similar to the others in your possession.
>Gained 200g>Gained Concoction x1“I knew it!” One sailor shouts with indignation, others joining him in his rage. “Throw that lass overboard with the rest of those pirates!” Alvin’s men start moving closer, looking to make good on their threat, but back off once you give them a strong glance.
>“That won’t be happening.” You announce. “Thief or not, this woman held off those pirates alongside the rest of us. As far as I’m concerned, that makes things even. You can collect your valuables that were taken from you, but leave her be.” You had no love for thieves, particularly ones that stole from you. But you could at least appreciate the girl’s knack for survival in the face of danger. She must have known she’d be worse off with Omar’s men than Alvin’s, and made to defend the ship when things seemed desperate.“T-thank you, my lord!” May showers you with praise. The tears in her eyes were now ones of admiration for you and your mercy. “I do not deserve such kindness! Thank you! Thank you! I promise to turn my life over from this day forth!”
“How in the blazes have you stayed hidden on my ship for an entire week?” Alvin exclaims incredulously, joining in on the conversation and speaking over May’s incessant blathering.
“I snuck inside one of those crates of ore.” May answers, wiping her tears away with her sleeve. “I’m really good at hiding. My mother always said I was completely unnoticeable. She’d say, ‘May, you’ve got no presence! No man’s ever gonna marry you!’”
