„He did WHAT?", Firouz exclaimed, utterly shocked, while Rongar signed exactly those words as well.
"No way. He really told her?"
"I tell you, he did!"
Ahmad, who'd been part of the Nomad crew ever since the ship had left Baghdad for the quest of saving Princess Adena, nodded his head vigorously. The young man was all hyper, his green eyes bright and his voice laden with excitement.
He'd long been waiting for his captain and the Celtic sorceress to finally admit to what all too obviously was between them, and today finally was the day.
"Right in front of everyone. Said he didn't care who knew and then …", for a second he paused, his eyes widening a little more if that was even possible.
What then? Spill it!
Rongar's hands waved impatiently, his usually calm demeanor forgotten as he was dying to know what else he and Firouz had missed while working on the scientist's latest doohickey.
"He kissed her! Full on the lips and everything."
The youth almost burst with giddiness, his cheeks flushed as he obviously was beyond proud he'd been there to witness the scene - much unlike a certain inventor and his friend who now stood with their mouths open, gaping at the other sailor.
"Aw, nooo."
Firouz' voice was high-pitched, his face pale while he shook his head in denial. How could his friend and captain make the one confession they'd already made bets on when it would finally take place and not wait till his friends were around?
It was utterly outrageous.
While the scientist still stared at the fellow sailor, his head slightly shaking no on its own accord, Rongar noticed how not far from them Kemal, who had only been part of the crew for a few months now, hurried below deck, an eagerness written all over his face that could only mean he, too, was on deck when the miracle happened. And now he was all intent on spreading the news just like Ahmad was doing right this instant.
Surely enough, within less than an hour the whole ship would know.
"I can't believe we missed that."
Firouz heaved a frustrated sigh, earning but a resigned shrug from his mute friend, before he muttered quietly. "So Bryn and Doubar've been right about it all being just a show."
"Anyway, guys, I gotta go."
Before Rongar or Firouz even had the chance to blink, Ahmad suddenly excused himself, no doubt he had already figured out who else he could spread the news to.
While the young man quickly walked further down the galley and deeper into the ship the two friends looked at each other, perplexed.
So, Rongar motioned with his hands, what was your bet?
"Another year", the inventor admitted in reply. "And you?"
Another moon, came the defeated answer.
"Then say again, who was sure one of them would blow it all within weeks?"
Firouz scratched his head thoughtfully when suddenly a piercing screech cut through the air, followed by the swoosh of feathered wings and merry chirping.
Scientist and warrior looked at each other as if caught in the act, the curly haired man ducking his head slightly.
"You think we can pay him with beef jerky?"
An angry squawk from above came within a heartbeat and it head the moor sigh silently.
We should've listened to him, he gestured before going off to see how many dinars he could spare for buying fresh meat at the next port they anchored.
We really should've listened.