Under any other circumstances, William Adama would have classified today's weather as pleasing to his senses. The sun's rays were shining down, unhindered by even a single cloud. There were no gusts of wind burning across his already worn and crumbling from being exposed to the elements skin. The sea was so serene he would be willing to reassure himself that not even the Viscount could be suffering from any malady due to the effects of Galactica's rocking motion today.
On any other day, the calmness of the weather would not be something which would cause him to anguish. It had become a problem today as it was now four days past the day of the fire. The fire which had completely destroyed his ship's food and water supplies.
They needed to discover land - the sooner, the better.
"Not a breath of wind," a low feminine voice said behind him.
He turned and greeted Lady Laura with a small smile and a gentle squeeze of her arm.
"We cannot expect your crew to continue rowing without food or water for much longer," she said, looking up at the sails that lay slack and useless.
Mr Karl had escorted Lady Laura below the decks to the rowers several times this week. His heart swelled with pride at her ability to mingle amongst all classes of men with such apparent ease.
Whilst they dined at night, she asked him many questions about the conditions of the crew and what steps he took to ensure they would not perish under his command. His impressive history in this area had pleased her immensely.
He sighed now, knowing she was correct; they did, indeed, need their fortunes to change.
"How many more days of this can we endure?" she asked.
"Two, three at the most," he replied.
"And if Mr Felix's calculations are incorrect? And we are headed in the wrong direction?"
"Doctor Baltar agreed with the plot."
She snorted.
"Yes, I know," he said to her unspoken scepticism. "But I can see for us no alternative. Caprica is much too far from our reach. Our only option lies with this elusive Kobol Island."
Any further conversation was cut off by a high-pitched cracking of metal upon metal.
They both looked down to the deck and were both visibly taken aback by the sight that greeted them.
Mr Tigh and Kara were engaged in a duel; their weapons of choice being swords.
"Are they using a blunted tip?" Laura asked with an anxious frown.
He watched as his first mate thrust his thin sword towards the girl and created a large tear in the skirt of her dress.
"No, it would appear not," he drawled.
The crew abandoned their posts and gathered on the edges of the ship, cheering on their preferred combatant.
"We should stop this!" Laura cried.
His gaze settled on the faces of the audience, then up at the sagging sails again.
"No," he rumbled. "They need this. Mr Tigh is well aware of our circumstances and I would presume that is why he is giving them a moment to escape their worries and frustrations of our situation. I am sure he has his wits about him and will take care not to let your young female attendant come into any great harm."
He decided to withhold the fact that his friend had been suffering from tremors and night sweats since the alcohol on board had run out.
Lady Laura turned back to him and raised an eyebrow. "Who said it was Kara I was concerned about?"
His grin spread gradually across his face. "You think that mere slip of a girl can defeat my first mate?"
"I do indeed."
He returned his attention to where the battle raged. Kara was retreating but he must admit her sword was flicking through the air with great defensive precision. She was, by no means, an amateur.
He looked back over at his new lover. She gave him a secret smile, infused with a superior attitude. His heart quickened at the way she tilted her chin defiantly.
He longed to take her in his arms and ravish her until her expression was much more subservient. Yet, he was wildly attracted to her when she was, rightfully so, full of pride.
"Would you like to make a wager?" he found himself asking.
Her eyes sparkled with the thought. "What will be the prize?" she asked.
"I am sure we should be able to agree on something."
She laughed and brushed her fingers across the back of his hand. "It would seem whoever loses will still become the victor," she noted huskily.
He chuckled and a cheer went up around the ship.
Mr Tigh had cornered Kara, but she executed an acrobatic flip up onto the deck railing, skipped along it for a few feet, before leaping down behind Mr Tigh, ready to continue with their duel.
"She is good," he commented.
"And she is young. Her youth may negate any superior strength Mr Tigh may possess."
He hummed. "Youth and strength are beneficial, but the vital ingredient to winning any battle is strategic thinking."
She leaned closer so her hip was almost caressing his. "Knowing your opponent's weaknesses would always help, I imagine."
He merely nodded and seemingly went back to watching the spectacle on the deck below them. He felt the exact moment Lady Laura relaxed beside him. Gone was the suggestive, teasing mistress, and in her place was the trusting, comfortable in his presence, lady.
Now, he just needed to ensure the crowd was completely captivated by his first mate and her attendant...
He reached out and seized her, bending her over backwards at the waist. He only had time to register her wide eyes when he dipped his head and covered her mouth with his. His tongue instantly forced its way into the moist cavern, seeking to mate with hers. She never hesitated in allowing it that right. Her nails dug into his shoulders, drawing him closer.
He lost himself in her heady appeal, the sensations of her kiss almost too much to bear. After too short of a moment, good sense dictated, and he reluctantly lifted her back to her feet, releasing her from his hold.
"Timing, my lady," he puffed, "is another excellent capability to have when plotting tactical manoeuvres against the enemy."
Still breathless, Lady Laura peered over the railing to the crowd gathered below. Indeed, the Commander had selected his moment to strike with perfection; everyone's attention was seemingly riveted on the happenings of the sword fight - all except for one.
"The enemy?" she whispered, gazing down at the one person who was not watching the fight and, from their expression, had clearly seen her and the Commander in an embrace.
She cleared her throat. "This is not safe," she warned. "We are taking too many chances."
Her lover had fallen silent; as had the crowd, she realised.
Kara was frozen in the lunging position, her sword held out towards Mr Tigh.
Mr Tigh was standing relaxed, seemingly ceding the battle. The arm holding his sword hung slack beside his body, his mouth gaped open, and his wide eyes stared up at the Commander in shock.
Her heart instantly hammered, beating anxiety through her body along with her blood. Could Mr Tigh and Kara's duel, a fight to simply raise morale, have actually ended with one of them being seriously maimed?
But no, from this angle, neither appeared to be in a delicate state.
Kara was now rocking from foot to foot looking puzzled, her eyes darting from her opponent up to the Commander and back again.
Mr Tigh was shaking his head in bewilderment; but still she could see no evidence of injury.
The crowd were attuned to the atmosphere. Their enthusiasm had dropped to an occasional hushed murmuring through their ranks.
"Commander?"
She swung around to face him. Gone was the flirtatious lover from a few minutes beforehand. His jaw was clenched. His lips were curled back, revealing a grimace. His eyes were glassy. He was ready to weep?
"Commander?" she whispered again, confused at this sudden change of mood on the entire ship.
She frowned back down to the deck.
"Commander, why has Mr Tigh suddenly stopped the fight?" she asked, automatically lowering her tone and adding a hint of urgency. She took a step towards him when no reply was forthcoming.
Indeed, he stepped back, away from her.
"Commander, please..."
"Mr Tigh has stopped the fight because he saw your attendant perform with her sword in such a manner which is incredibly rare. In fact, he has only ever witnessed the rapier fashioned in this particular way by three people before this day."
She was still confused as to why a piece of swordsmanship would make his mannerisms alter in such a way. "I do not understand. Surely all swordsman are taught similar moves."
"No. Mr Tigh has never perfected the move, because I have never told him its secret. Only my sons, Leland and Zachary, were privy to such knowledge."
Below them, Mr Tigh had come to his wits and was shaking hands with Kara. The crowd was gathering to congratulate both for providing such sporting fare for the crew.
Beside her though, the Commander still stood rigid.
"I do not-"
"She was the one." He turned abruptly to face her, his tone and expression accusatory.
"The one?"
"You said Kara had met a man and needed an identity other than that of an attendant's before she could be wed."
"Yes," she said quietly.
He bowed his head. "Zachary wrote to me about a girl he had fallen in love with. He told me I would approve of her, despite the hardships she had faced in her life."
"Yes," she repeated.
"She was the one, was she not?"
She licked her suddenly dry lips. "Yes."
"That is the reason for her curiosity in my opinions since we set sail."
"Yes."
He turned his gaze back directly onto her. "His letter telling me of his love for her was the last letter I ever received from him. You did not think I should have known this earlier? I should have a chance to speak to my son's intended regarding his state of mind before he died."
"Yes," she rasped. "I'm sorry." She placed her hand on his arm. "Please, we had no idea how you would view this news."
"He spoke about the woman who took her in. She was a woman of considerable influence, he told me."
She snatched back her hand and wrapped her arms within the folds of her dress. "I am the Queen's cousin. You know this."
He looked away, to stare out over the water. "It was not the Queen he was speaking of in his letter. It was the Queen's husband, no less. This woman would be able to help his betrothed because she shared the bed chamber of King Richard."
Her nails dug into her palms. "Yes," she admitted.
Her entire side of their conversation felt as though it only consisted of that one word, and now the implications of her agreeing to her sins echoed through her making her tremble. It was one thing for him to know she had bedded other men. It was quite another to learn that one of those men was his king; a monarch married to one of her kin, no less.
She yearned to merely collapse into his arms and beg of him to forgive her for her wicked past once more. Nevertheless, she found pride within and forced herself to portray a calm countenance as she moved towards the stairs which led to the lower deck.
"Lady Laura." His voice held such authority, she tensed and paused immediately.
What emotions would his expression convey when she turned by his command?
She took a deep breath to steady herself.
A cry rang out around the ship before she could move. It was a cry they had all been waiting for, and she gripped the deck railing with relief when she heard it.
"Land ahoy!"
E/N Yes, this is all I have to post at the moment! I did warn you it was unfinished, and I apologise, and hopefully I will get time to write some new chapters soon. I do have two 'companion' pieces to post.