Another Ghost Ship
Chapter 7
Dean hoped Cierra would awaken before Sam got back with Cass. There was something about the Bard's quick, 'uncomplicated' rescue that just didn't quit sit right with Dean...nothing, even with 'Angel' power behind it, ever went that easily for the Winchester's-especially when dealing with Crowley.
Dean gave a quiet sigh as the familiar sound of flapping wings signaled the return of his brother and angel, "back so soon...no trouble I take it...?"
"No, the place was closing...Cass just popped us in and it wasn't hard to get the maps..." Sam replied as he set the maps on the table, "Cierra alright...?"
Dean shrugged, "guess so...she hasn't woke up yet..." turning to Cass Dean asked, "you sure Crowley didn't hurt her or anything...?"
"Yes, I am sure," Cass replied.
"Then why is she like this...unconscious..." Dean demanded with a wave of his hand.
"He was being more...'civil' with this prisoner...he was attempting spell work instead of physical torture..." Cass easily lied, adding with some truthfulness, "I believe Crowley finds her somewhat fascinating..."
"Yeah, well, he better keep his distance if he knows what's good for him...she has a scary-assed pirate as a boyfriend and I wouldn't put it past him or that crew of his to be able to cause some serious hurtin' to a demon...even Crowley..." Dean stated.
"Indeed..." was the angels absent reply, as he stated pointedly, "we have retrieved the woman and now have the maps...we should return to her ship and quickly locate this ship they seek before Crowley or Raphael have a chance to find it..."
"Yeah, when she can wake up and tell us what happened," Dean said.
"She is unharmed, Dean…" Cass insisted.
"Yeah, well, I'd like to see that for myself….walking the plank isn't on my list of things to do today…" Dean snapped back.
"Ya, know, Dean…pirates didn't really do that…that myth came about in the….." Sam started to explain, only to be waved off by his brother.
"Whatever, geek boy…Cass just wake her up…" Dean directed.
Cass cocked his head to one side and gave Dean his signature blank look before stepping forward and laying a hand on Cierra's brow, muttering a few indistinguishable words.
The boys watched as the bard took in a gentle breath and began to slowly stir.
Sitting on the side of the bed, Dean took her hand and began to talk quietly, "Cierra…you with us? Can you wake up for us now? We need you to wake up so we can see if you're alright…we need to get out of here and back to your crew…"
Taking in and releasing a deep breath, Cierra then opened her eyes, which darted around the room in uncertainty, causing Dean to lay a hand to her shoulder, "hey….hey, it's okay….you're safe now…."
"Dean…?" Cierra said with uncertainty, as he eyes moved past him to take in Sam and Cass, "Sam….and…."
Cierra moved her head to one side as her eyes settled on Cass, "You…I remember you…but, who are you?"
"I am Castiel…I rescued you from the demon Crowley…" the angel intoned blandly, adding, "…we should go now…"
"Go…? Go where…" the bard asked in confusion as Dean helped the struggling woman sit up.
"We got the maps…we can go back to the ship now…" Sam supplied.
"You have the maps…?" Cierra asked.
"Yes…we should go…" Cass pressed.
"Wait…just slow down and take a moment to enlighten me to my missing hours…I've obviously missed a few things…" Cierra demanded.
"What do you remember…?" Sam asked.
Shaking her head slightly and rubbing a hand across her brow she frowned in concentration, trying to grasp fleeting, hazy images, "I…we…we were in that place…the museum…we were looking for maps when this…man…spoke to me…." Looking up at the three men for confirmation of those few memories and seeing their tight looks, she continued questioningly, "but he…that man…he wasn't a man, wasn't mortal…he said he was…he said he was a demon…?"
"King of Hell himself…" Dean said.
"King…!?-of the demons…?" Cierra intoned in disbelief, "but you said your world did not have monsters…?"
"Oh, he's monster all right…just not one of your fairy tale monsters…"
"Really…on my world demons are usually considered as monster…" Cierra interrupted.
"Demon's aren't like your monsters…not like, I don't know…orcs or trolls or whatever you have on your world…" Sam said, taking a chance that her world was like the ancient world of the Greeks and Romans with their stories of such monsters as Hydra's, giants and other creatures considered myth and legend on his world, "demons are a kind of flip side…the evil side of the light…of one of our religious belief systems…like a system of checks and balances…"
Cierra nodded in understanding, "ah, they are the creatures of that which holds sway to evil and destruction on your world…? We too, have many creatures and human servants of evil on my world…demons included. But what of good, do you not have priests…servants?—those that serve in the name of that which is considered good…"
Both boys looked towards Cass, who returned their gaze with a blank look, causing Cierra to ask, "you…you are a servant of good—to what god do you owe allegiance…?"
Dean couldn't help but snort in amusement at Cass's affronted look and blunt reply, "I am the servant of the Lord…the one true god…"
"Ah…I have heard that from many a temple…" Cierra commented, "so, what divine power does your god give for your obedience and loyalty…no doubt your spells will be most useful since mine and Devlin's are of limited effectiveness being thus far removed from our own gods'…" /in AD&D there are dozens of "gods" and priests, mages, sorcerers & bards get certain spells depending on the god the player choses/
Seeing Cass about to go into a pious rant, Dean held up a hand, "whoa…whoa…whoa….so not the time for a religious debate…let's just say his god gives him plenty of 'spells' and move on…"
With a huff of annoyance, Cass said impatiently, "we have the maps, you see she in unharmed…we need to leave…"
"Yeah, yeah…let's go…" Dean said, pulling the amulet from his pocket the same time Cass attempted to touch his forehead.
"Whoa, hold up their cowboy…we already got our own flight plan back to the 'Flying Dutchman'…" Dean said quickly, sidestepping Cass's touch, adding, "that doesn't leave me tied up in knots…if ya' know what I mean…"
Dean held up a similar amulet as the one Sam had given to the angel to track the missing bard, noting that Cierra pulled one from her pocket as well.
"These things take an extra passenger…?" Dean asked Cierra as he gave the small amulet a shake.
"The amulet merely calls on the caster…the door he opens will accommodate several people," Cierra explained, before closing her eyes and muttering a few unintelligible words.
In seconds there was a flash of light and Devlin stepped into the room seemingly from nowhere, only a slight shimmering distortion behind him giving any indication of where he had come.
"Ready…? John was 'bout ready to lay the boats to shore to come lookin' for you…" Devlin asked, "find what we need…?"
"Aye, we have located many maps that should help us pinpoint the location of the elven ship…" Cierra reported, then waved an absent hand towards Cass, adding, "their priest will be accompanying us…"
"I am not a priest…I am an angel of the lord…" Cass said, affronted by the introduction.
Devlin gave him a quick look, "aye, one of them high and mighty orders of Paladins is it…get his comeuppance soon enough if he be spoutin' off all that law and order and obedience talk to our own priestess…" the mage said with an amused snort, before waving them to follow him through the distortion.
In another flash, they were gone…vanished into thin air.
/FREEPORT/SPN/
The crew was on hand to greet them on their return, John immediately stepping up to appraise them critically, "yea all took your own sweet time to find a few maps…but, yea look to be in one piece…no problems then…?"
"Hey, no problem at all…popped in got your maps…popped right back…good as new…" Dean said quickly as he gave a general wave to the returning party.
"We encountered minor difficulties and attracted the attentions of a demon…but to what god, I do not know…" Cierra interrupted.
"Demons…what god have we so caught the attention of that they set their minions to us so quickly…?" Montero demanded, turning towards the brothers, finally noticing the new member to the returning party, "and who might this be…?"
"A priest to their party…though I have yet to get a name or allegiance (in gaming terms…an alignment)…but they do not hold sway to demons so we should at least count him neutral to our cause…" Ciera reported, shaking her head with a frown as a sudden memory flashed, too quick to capture, but leaving her uncertain. She turned to her captain, him pointedly, "and he saved me from the company of this demon, they say, is the king of the demons on this planet…"
"Aye, then I be owing you a deep debt of gratitude for saving my woman…" John said as he stepped forward to give the angel a strong slap to the back.
Stumbling forward a bit, Cass quickly straightened, "it was no difficulty…"
"This calls for a celebration…" John said to the assembled group.
"Aye, not so fast… we have yet to know if these maps will aid in locating the ship and need I remind you we now have a powerful demon's interest…" Cierra reminded her lover and captain.
"Aye, she be talking truth…what god holds this demons allegiance and do we count your priest's god as friend or foe to our cause…?" Lucius asked, looking pointedly at Castiel.
/SPN/Freeport/
They poured over the maps, debated the logistics of retrieving the elven ship and returning it home, and Cass, Lucius and Cierra managed to work in a brief theological debate till late into the evening before Montero called it a night for the crew.
As the crew settled in for the night, Cierra stood, arms folded, leaning against the doorframe of the captain's cabin…eying as the last of the crew settled in for the night; paying particular attention to the three strangers who were attempting to find a comfortable spot themselves to bed down for the night.
Coming up behind her, John wrapped his arms tightly around her waist, following her line of sight to the strangers, asking cheekily, "your attentions seem totally caught by our new friends, is my woman thinking of jumping ship…?"
Rolling her eyes, and giving an annoyed sigh, Cierra shot back, "do not be crass, lest you wish to find your bed cold tonight…"
John just snickered and nuzzled into her hair, "what sway do these strangers hold over you this night…?"
"It is there priest…I have this wisp of a memory that flees me should I peer to close…but it sets my mind at ill ease…that their priest is not that he appears, that his goals are not that of his party /ie, Sam & Dean: AD&D groups are referred to as adventuring parties/…" Cierra said softly.
Standing straight and eying the strangers, John replied, "…bah, what priest does not hold their god's pursuits above mortal concerns…"
Smirking, Cierra turned to her lover, "aye, wouldn't let our priestess or mage hear you speak thus…Carlotta and Devlin have been most loyal to crew and cause…"
Returning her smirk with one on his own he replied, as he turned to grab a bottle of rum from the table, "aye, but they be the exception to the rule…the adventure holds sway over them…"
"What that the freedom of adventure is not what the god of Pirates expects of his priestess…and followers…" Cierra intoned with a roll of her eyes.
"Aye, makes for a good life when the gods' pursuits so fit with his followers whims…" John said, waving a bottle of rum he had turned and grabbed up from the table.
"Do you not find it fascinating…that they have but two…that all faces of evil and good are manifest in but two deities'…" Cierra asked with interest, "that their priest of this one true god…takes mortal form but is not mortal…"
"Ah, the bards mind is never at rest, always with the quill and parchment…whether it be a bawdy tale, a pirate's adventure or a debate amongst them book learn'd acolytes at the Temple…nary a scrap or detail escapes yea…" John teased.
"It is but a fair change that we encounter something so new…so foreign, that does not set upon us in earnest," Cierra defended, "to encounter knowledge for knowledge sake and not to for the sake of life and limb…or to point to your next gold piece…"
John frowned as he saw Cierra sigh wearily and move towards the bed. She sat and turned towards her captain, "it is not that I would not do whatever was needed for our quest…but I grow weary at times of the weight of these studies…that should I miss a clue, misinterpret a scroll-that, we would forever be searching…"
The captain cocked his head and really looked at the bard, noting her tired countenance and wondered that he had never taken notice of it before, "yea, shouldn't be takin' so much of this burden upon yerself…"
"No, do not misinterpret my misgivings as overwork, my love…it is thus my contribution to crew and quest…that I do not hold sway with Haramast's blessings and can neither mend a sail or easily swing a sword…I just fear leading us astray…" Cierra said quickly, standing to place her hands against his chest.
"Your contributions are most welcome and have given this crew many roads to adventure where there might not otherwise have been a clear path…" John said, wrapping his arms around Cierra and adding cheekily, "I for one have most appreciated…your talents…and contributions to my ship…"
Cierra looked up at him with a wry smile and gently smirk, "aye, I have thus then pleased my captain…"
Wrapping the woman in a fierce hug and finding willing lips he kicked the door to the cabin closed and fell into the bed.
/Now, this is the point in our games where we simply… "fade to black"…and move the adventure along to keep our game PG/R rated since the player that plays 'John' usually brings his young children over when we game/another point of interest…my husband plays the mage character of Devlin and our other PC is Monty/any other character mentioned in the crew in an NPC played by the GM/
/Supernatural/
a/n: so, I'm thinking maybe another two chapters and I'll close this one out…