Marlene smiled as Sirius regaled her with stories of how ridiculous the gods really were. Maybe it had worked, maybe the wine from last night had softened his opinion of her? Or maybe he just felt sorry for her, sorry that everyone around them feared her but him. And at this point, she'd take it, whatever his reason. She'd take whatever he was willing to give because she was finding her only solace was in his company. Her isolation seemed to lessen when talking with Sirius. Her fears seemed less daunting knowing he was standing next to her. She was immensely grateful they were fated to this task together.

But he had been sort of off this morning. She had almost assumed that he was angry with her. Apparently not, as they had just spent the better part of an hour making fun of the gods. She'd even told a couple stories of the tantrums some of the gods threw when her mother had stepped in to tell them no. When he laughed he looked so much like Dionysus it made her look twice to ensure the father had not switched places with the son.

As Sirius began another tale, Marlene ran her hands over her cloak willing her destiny to appear. She did this so often now she was surprised the poor cloak wasn't unraveling.

Her foresight however showed her something very different than her own destiny. With horror she watched a sailor lash one of the tributes for having snuck food from their meal the night before. She turned quickly from Sirius and without explaining bolted for the main deck, where her hands grabbed hold of the sailors arm before the whip could fly. Her strength held his arm still, and her foresight warned her of his flying fist before it could harm her.

She'd seen enough.

"How dare you!" She shoved the sailor to the ground. "The poor thing was hungry! You see fit to feed your prisoners once a day and yet you feign surprise when they attempt to maintain nourishment while in your custody?"

The sailor cowered before her looking much like the tribute had moments ago. Marlene hated this. She hated being feared. She hated that this was her fate.

"A kindness I bless you with this day, sailor." She held herself erect. She could collapse under the weight later. "Today, you learn compassion. Until the sun sets this day, you can eat every scrap of food in the ship's galley, yet you will feel the same hunger of your victim. Gorge yourself on whatever you like, there will be no sustenance for you this day."

She turned and began walking back to where she'd been with Sirius. One of the cabin boys quickly moved away from her, but tripped in his haste and turned to stare up at her with fear in his eyes. It felt like being stabbed in the heart to stare into that young face full of terror.

She knelt next to boy and smiled as she helped him to stand. "For you little brother," and she pointed to compass on the deck next to him.

"Father's compass!" He exclaimed stooping to pick it up.

"Sometimes that which is thought lost is merely misplaced until such time that we need it." Marlene smiled at the lad. He still was very guarded but he was happy, and Marlene had learned a long while ago to settle for what she could get. She turned and went back to her corner with Sirius.

"So you don't get much of a warning then, do you?" He asked as she sat next to him again.

Marlene sighed wearily. He was the most oblivious person she'd ever had cause to meet. "Not really, actually I get the most advanced notice when it involves you so far. For everyone else it's seconds, I tend to get a good minute when it comes to you."

Sirius hummed, "Any ideas why?"

Marlene looked out over the ocean, contemplating whether she wanted to tell him just yet that his lack of terror towards her had made him the person she could relax the most around. She sighed as she decided she wasn't even ready to really think about it herself.

"I would guess it has to do with us working together to kill the Minotaur."

Sirius sighed, "Right."

It was quiet for a long moment before Marlene finally spoke. "So, you were about to tell me the love story of Ixion and his cloud."

Sirius smiled, and for a little while, it felt like it was just the two of them.

When their meal was served, Marlene chuckled at how the portions had been increased. And as she and Sirius took to their cell, for the captain feared to place her and Sirius with the rest of the tributes lest they organize and mutiny, she smiled over at him. Today had been one of her better days. Even with having to curse the sailor and make a show of it and Sirius being strange that morning, Marlene had laughed more today than she had in years. She had felt light and secure. She'd been happy today, and she knew it was because of Sirius' company. She hoped he would remain her friend when this was done, she was genuinely fond of her thorn bush in the desert.

Thoughts of when this was finished brought images of Giannis to mind and that familiar ache in her chest. She tried to push them away by thinking of the look of happiness on the cabin boy's face that had so warmed her heart, even if he still was terrified of what she represented. Marlene sighed, it didn't work. His face returned to haunt her.

She knew so little about Giannis, but she did know he didn't make her laugh. He didn't make her feel light. And he would probably forever look at her with haunted eyes and an altered smile. He could have any mortal woman, but he was a man of his word and was willing to see this through. Marlene was acutely aware that she was still very torn about it all. Each day she thought about a life without her powers brought a sharper ache and a more gripping panic into her chest. But those were thoughts for later, after this task was completed. For tonight, she tried to push them away and sleep. In the morning they'd make port in Crete.