Ok, her's nother chapter. I'm getting a couple ideas from Ceres: Cestail Leged vol 2&3. It's a manga which I have discovered and love. Anyway on to the story.

Chapter 18

The full moon shone brightly overhead, illuminating the deck. David and bill went to the watchman and explained that the captain wanted an early dogwatch and they were to relieve him from his post. The man went willingly and walked past Rhia and Mari without a backwards glance. Bill nodded and Rhia and Mari quietly stole into the captain's cabin, where Jones was fast asleep over his organ. Mari grabbed a candle stick and Rhia began to carefully lift up the many tentacles as she stood next to him. After several long tense moments of searching Rhia found the key. As they had suspected it was held toughly by an unrelenting tentacle. Mari tiptoed up to him on the other side and carefully slid the candlestick next to the key. Rhia carefully grabbed the key and pulled lightly on it. AS the grip slackened a little Mari was able to slowly move the candlestick into place. The tentacle let go of the key and took the candlestick. Then they let everything fall back into place. They quickly but quietly stole out of the cabin. Once outside they breathed a deep sigh of relief then hurried to their worried companions.

"We got the key." Rhia whispered.

"Good, now let's bale." David whispered and they all made their way to the safest edge of the ship. They could barely make out the lights of the naval ship.

"We could be going to our deaths there you know." Bill said.

"What's the difference between staying here and death?" Rhia asked. They had to admit she had a good point. Mari was sitting exactly on the rail when Bill spoke up.

"I won't be coming with you." He said. They all looked at him.

"What? Why? Why are you just telling us this now?" they asked.

"I swore and oath to the ship, I'm not allowed to leave without the captain's permission. There is magic that prevents it." Bill said. They all swore under their breath.

"We'll come back for you dad." Mari said. The other two nodded.

"Don't worry about it; they can't do anything worse to me." He said. There were some noises from the cabins.

"Go, before we get caught." He said. Mari jumped into the water with a splash. Bill nodded to them and went off to see who was awake. David and Rhia were about to go at the same time, But as David tried to remove his hand from the rail it was stuck firm. Rhia tried to help; they tugged and yanked as hard as they could. But nothing worked. Suddenly before their eyes silver scales began appearing along his arms. Then he remembered and grimaced.

"I made an oath too. Apparently my trick didn't work." He said. Rhia looked at him in shock.

"What? Why?"

"Because it was the only way I could come aboard with you. I couldn't leave you." David said. Rhia wrapped her arms around him in a hug.

"You have to come. It was part of the plan. And, I don't want to lose you." She said, clinging to him. This made him uneasy. He didn't want to leave her like this, she seemed so helpless now. It wasn't right. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her neck. She leaned against him. After about half a minute he gently bit her neck, and then added a little more pressure. Not enough to pierce the skin, but enough to leave a decent bruise.

"There that will mark my promise that I will come back and see you again ok?" David said. Then there were some more noises and before she could say anything more he pushed her off the edge where she joined her mother in the water and he left the rail and her sight.