Peri woke up feeling fuzzy, but also pleased like a cat who has drunk a bowl of cream. The massive hangover wasn't there yet. She felt the warm, tan and smooth back of another person against her and started to stroke it, nibbling the man's earlobes. Mmmm... last night was so, so good. He is so alive, so carefree. It was so good to make love with someone you can laugh with. It has been such a long time... I was starving for it. And the last times with Ano were no joy anyway. Saemon stirred and returned her caresses.
Peri ran her fingers though the goldish brown hair. So much death and pain in her wake... the somewhat disappointing feeling the latest heroics had left her with. This was the perfect antidote. There was nothing complicated about it. It felt perfect.
Much later she climbed onto the deck. The first pangs of hangover started to nauseate her. The sun was too bright in her eyes. She leant on the rail when an agitated Sarevok appeared beside her.
- "I hope you didn't actually sleep with Havarian," he said accusingly.
- "So what if I did!" Peri was equally irritated. "I sleep with whom I bloody well want to!"
- "This is not how you should display your independence, which I by the way don't doubt at all!" Sarevok went on. "He could have backstabbed you, lied through his teeth, poisoned your drink! He is only taking advantage of you!"
- "Oh really. What is there to take? I'm hardly a fragile, innocent whinepigeon. I suppose he wanted me... oh, he couldn't have faked that, but I wanted him as well. I want to have fun, I want to make love, I want some uncomplicated, light-hearted alive-ness! I don't want to cut the chests of my dying lovers open... and..."
- "Sleeping with that rogue isn't going to make your pain about Yoshimo go away."
- "Actually, for your information it did," Peri said acidly.
There was an uncomfortable silence, both of them fuming, proud and stubborn. Sarevok abruptly took off, and found Saemon in no time below the hatch. The man's dreamy and pleased expression infuriated him. He faced the pirate and glared down, grabbing the man's shirt.
- "Listen then, Havarian," he snarled. "I have rode the highest wave of passion in an euphoric joy much like the surge of battle leaving fields awash with fresh blood. I have faced the deepest of despair, the bottomless darkness of it like an endless pit of Abyss. And there is one thing I care more for than anything else on this or any other plane, material or otherwise. That thing is my family, and if you so much as dare to think of hurting my sister any way I will skewer your worthless hide with my sword, rip you to pieces and laugh doing so!"
Saemon was considerably pale. Still he managed to talk.
- "I wouldn't think of hurting her, mate! Quite the contrary, in fact." He didn't dare to grin.
- "Keep it that way then, or you will know that a quick death is not at all the worst thing that could happen to you."
He stalked off, his back ramrod-straight.
Meanwhile, Winski was approaching Peri.
- "Please spare me another version of Sarevok's concern of Saemon using the poor little me," Peri said without looking up from the waves.
- "You don't consider that a possibility? I think you deserve more than a person you can't possibly trust."
- "Oh please. It is not like there are potential boyfriends hanging around. Do I have to spell it out for you? I want to copulate, fornicate, have sex, entangle myself erotically with a male person! Oh and I didn't plan to hopelessly fall in love with Saemon and believe his false promises of writing to me ever so often and quitting his wicked ways and settling down with me. What is it with you people, do you think that I have suddenly turned into an idiot? And if Sarevok starts some sort of macho tirade with Saemon I'll stuff the Sword of Chaos up his ass," Peri growled.
- "Well. It is good to know that you are able to make an informed decision," Winski said and walked to his cabin.
- "How did it go?" Jelena asked.
- "Not good. She is angry and confrontational. She claims she knows what she is doing. I wonder if it is true. I can't help noticing how she has been in very blue spirits ever since we finished the business with Lamar."
- "Probably the affair with Havarian makes her feel the opposite - an illusion of light and uncomplicated living."
- "I fear she will hurt herself without realizing it," Winski said, frowning.
- "Well, you can't really prevent her. You can be there for her if that happens."
Winski nodded and sighed, hugging her deeply.
Imoen poked Peri in the ribs and smiled at her.
- "Peri... was it worth it?"
- "Of all the nagging? It was, which you can consider some high praise," Peri answered, grinning back.
