"Would you stop fidgeting? You keep waking me up." Gandriel grumbled from his end of the overstuffed plush couch he was sharing with Anelisse in the captain's quarters. He laid with his arms wrapped about a plum cushion, his sock-clad toes resting lazily against the wall over the couch's back.

"Your very presence is sickening to me, but you don't hear me complaining like a fishwife." Anelisse snapped back, wrinkling her nose at his feet by her face as she adjusted her legs from a folded to a crossed position for the umpteenth time that evening.

Gandriel only rolled his eyes and muttered sleepily before rolling over onto his side, stuffing his face back into the velvety cushion. Not two minutes had passed before soft snores began to emanate from behind the fabric.

Anelisse resisted the urge to kick him onto the floor. She pulled the blanket that had fallen from her shoulders across her legs and hips, unable to sit still.

She let out a soft sigh.

Two days had passed since her escape from Rainefelle and she could not bring herself to settle. She'd barely slept since the captain had shuffled them into her quarters and wrung every detail about the tunnels from their minds. Rest had still evaded her, even after Fallon had offered her thanks and told them to make themselves at home.

She hadn't eaten, only idly stirred the soup that the blonde boy had served her with pink-tinged cheeks. She'd barely registered his bashfulness around her, couldn't remember his name, only that he'd bid her to sleep and that they were safe.

As if.

Resting was the last thing on her mind.

Finally giving up and rising from the plush couch, she silently made her way to the doorway, her mind an ever-increasing whirlwind of fear as she mulled over what had become of her sister. On whether she still lived or if those vile men had tried to do anything to her.

She should have never let her talk her into such a foolish plan.

Easing up the stairs, Anelisse heard the soft murmuring of the crew as they settled for sleep, their voices hushed and indiscernible. She vaguely wondered if Celeste would have been able to make out their words with ease.

Wondered if her immortal life was worth more than all of the hateful humans she'd set out to rescue.

She made quick work of the stairs leading up to the deck and let out a sigh of reprieve as the sea air brushed across her face, soothing the storm that threatened to boil over inside. She strode quickly for the railing of the ship, wanting to watch the ocean roll as she let her mind wander.

She'd settled against the rail and was lost in the lapping of the waves when a soft clearing of a throat sounded behind her.

"May I join you?" Anelisse slowly turned and met the dark eyes of the first mate - Vaerek if she recalled correctly. His handsome face and strikingly straight nose were barely discernable in the faint moonlight filtering through the clouds. His gaze flickered across her features as he waited patiently for a response.

She nodded her confirmation, scooting over to allow the man to stand next to her as she tightened her blanket about her shoulders.

"The winds are calm tonight. It makes for slow progress," Vaerek's deep voice rumbled after a time as he braced himself against the rail, eyes cast out towards the ocean. "But it also makes for peaceful nights."

Anelisse didn't respond, shifting the blanket from her shoulders to about her middle.

The first mate's gaze didn't leave the waves.

"It's said on nights when the winds are quiet the Mother watches her children on the sea the closest," he quirked his head towards Anelisse, "and that she lies in wait, holding her breath and listening, ready to turn the winds in the direction they are needed most."

"Most humans don't believe in the Mother," Anelisse muttered, glancing down at her hands, at her mother's silver ring that Celeste had retrieved for her. Her first gift from the Children of the Blessed. "It's a purely fae concept."

"Maybe, but we live in a world where human and fae are no longer separate." He scratched thoughtfully at his chin. "It's not surprising some customs have transferred. It's about time we humans had something to believe in, after all."

"Humans loathed the fae." Anelisse thought back on the hatred her sister had faced, on the ignorance that even their mother had shown her. "I don't see why that would change." It never had for Celeste, no matter how many years she had lived among them.

"Some, not all," Vaerek shifted his attention towards the bow of the ship where Fallon stood watching, her dark silhouette only distinguishable by her hat. "Some are wise enough to know that living beings are all the same, no matter the minute differences they like to draw between themselves. I believe the same can be said of you and your sister."

"We're different," Anelisse muttered, dropping her gaze. "We were raised together, love one another-"

"And you don't think that can be true for other fae and humans?"

"I-I think that…" she paused, her voice trailing, "I think that I've never seen it before. I think that I've seen enough hatred to fill me for a lifetime. The hatred Celeste faced was blind and foolish and wrongly placed. I think she's too good to have risked herself for men so full of hate."

And there it was.

"Were they all so terrible?"

Pennelope's face flashed through her mind. She refused to answer.

"Do you want to know what I think, Anelisse?"

She barely nodded her head.

"That I don't blame you for that skepticism, for that hatred that what you love so dearly is risking herself to save those that don't seem to deserve it." He paused rubbing at a callous on his thumb. "It wasn't very long ago that I saw that hatred firsthand, nearly lost myself to it. But then one day something happened that changed all of that, that showed me we really are no different."

His eyes hadn't left Fallon.

"Do you love her?" Anelisse found herself asking, watching his gaze, thinking of the beauty of the auburn-haired woman.

Vaerek made an unexpected choking noise that had a blush racing across her cheeks as embarrassment filled her.

"No! No, not like . . . that." He shook his head, looking uncomfortable. "Fallon's like a . . . daughter to me. I met her when she was very small and I've watched after her since." He cleared his throat. "Think of it this way: I love her in the way a parent might love a loud, obnoxious, unruly child."

Anelisse couldn't help but grin at that.

"So, what are your thoughts on the Mother then?" she inquired, her shoulders loosening as the whirlwind within her began to ease.

"I believe that a greater force must exist." Vaerek turned away from the rail and crossed his arms, leaning his hip against the smooth wood. "Too much in my life has been orchestrated in a way that spells out more than coincidence. Even meeting you, Gandriel, and your sister had its purpose."

"Oh, how so?"

"It reminded me that there are good people still in this world, human and fae alike." Anelisse turned her head toward the first mate, "That there are those still willing to fight for the right things, even at the expense of themselves."

He clapped a hand on her shoulder with a smile. "I'm not so foolish as to make you a promise about your sister's well-being, but if more people were willing to do the right thing this world wouldn't be so bleak."

Anelisse had opened her mouth to respond when a loud, hissing curse sounded across the deck of the Siren, closely followed by the thudding of Fallon's boots as she strode toward them. Vaerek went ramrod straight as he watched her approach, brow crinkling.

"What is it?" he asked tensely, hand resting on the dagger at his hip.

"We've got a ship headed on a course straight for us," Fallon growled as she stopped in front of them, gritting her jaw in annoyance, "and they're not slowing. We've bound to have a fight on our hands, get the others up." The captain cast a look at Anelisse. "And you, go below deck-"

"Not a chance," she replied, setting her hands firmly on her hips. "Where do you need me?"

Fallon didn't even bother arguing.

Anelisse stood next to Gandriel on the bow of the ship, her shoulders tight as the ship Fallon had spotted sped toward them, its gilded trim reflected in the still ocean.

Gandriel let out a sleepy snort of annoyance.

"Wouldn't it be easier for me to just change the wind's course and send them off into the opposite direction?" he inquired, blinking groggily at the captain.

"As convenient as that could be, there's a chance we need the information this ship might be carrying," She flipped her freshly braided hair over a shoulder, "So, we'll do this the old-fashioned way."

She rose a hand above her head motioning for a flag to be raised, the grey one that Fallon had briefly explained bartered neutrality, neither a sign of surrender or friendliness. Anelisse knew she didn't expect the same in response.

If we're lucky, the captain had chirped to her, they'll at least give us a warning flag before engaging us in combat.

And if we're not? She'd asked in response as she'd quickly dressed in the leather pants and lace-up shirt Fallon had procured for her from her own closet.

Then you'll want to duck quickly.

The Captain had told her they were more likely to cross a ship full of enemies rather than allies in these parts and it was wise to keep one's eyes sharp and blade sharper.

Anelisse swallowed as she brushed a hand over the gaudy weapon she'd killed Lukas with, the one that she'd stuffed into her gown and used to escape the guards as she tried to get back to Celeste.

She had a feeling she'd be using it many times yet. And yet, she couldn't bring herself to be afraid of it.

Not with her sister's life in the balance.

The thought had her spine straightening as she waited silently with the rest of the Siren's crew, watching.

The ship before them had finally pulled to a stop, its magnificent detailing brilliant even in the faint moonlight. The intricate mermaid figurehead at the helm certainly seemed to speak of the wealth the ship's captain likely possessed.

Somehow Anelisse was not under the impression it was a merchant vessel.

After several long minutes of silence broken only by indiscernible shouts from the deck, a single piece of fabric was lofted into the air, rapidly ascending as the other ship's crew hoisted it.

A single white flag, signaling surrender or peace.

Anelisse blinked in confusion and snapped her head towards Fallon.

"What in the blazing fires of hell-" the captain began, but was cut short when a loud yell echoed from the other ship, a small feminine figure beginning to jump up and down at the bow, waving her arms about wildly.

The woman's features were obscured in the dark, but Anelisse's stomach knotted, dropping when suddenly Fallon let out a cackle of delight.

"By the Mother, it's Celeste!" She turned to her crew, the tension instantly slipping from her shoulders. "Pull the ship alongside! She actually managed it."

Fallon clapped a hand on Anelisse's shoulder and flashed her a pleased smirk before sauntering off across the deck, her crew following in her wake with relieved chuckles.

Something in Anelisse cracked as she raced towards the rail of the ship and squinted, trying to see the tell-tale violet of her sister's eyes. It was no use, of course, but it didn't matter.

She swiped uselessly at her eyes before glancing back towards a relieved looking Gandriel and Vaerek who smiled knowingly at her before trotting off to help the rest of the crew.

"It's Fallon!" Celeste called in relief to the exhausted fisherman who had scrambled to find a white cloth and hoist it quickly in the darkness. She hopped down from her place at the bow. "They're allies, we're safe. Let them pull alongside and board."

The fisherman gave a loud cheer as they looked at one another and grinned widely. They quickly began preparing the ship for boarding, tying the lines and furling the sails.

Celeste couldn't help the jolt of joy and relief that rushed through her at the sight. She let out a long breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding, glancing over one more time at Anelisse's petite blonde frame between Fallon and Gandriel.

The dolt had kept his promise.

For the first time in week Celeste felt peace take her. She made no attempt to resist it.

"You've done us all a great service layl," Naita offered from her perch next to Celeste, the assassin's mouth set in a wide grin, "There are none here who will forget it."

Celeste ignored the implication.

"Need I remind you that you're the one who annihilated an entire squadron of guards? You're the one who should be thanked." It had taken them a few hours to dispose of the bodies of the guards and to contain the ones Naita hadn't killed.

She felt only a small pang of jealousy for her new friend's skill.

Naita only shook her head, denying the claim. She opted to change the subject instead, "Once we make port I will need to leave immediately and return to my sisters. I am certain they are impatiently waiting my arrival."

"Would they have come looking for you if they'd found out you'd be captured?"

"Most certainly," Naita adjusted the scarf about her head and secured a stray dark curl, "and it would have spelt disaster for any in their path. It is best that this was the means to my release."

Celeste nodded her understanding, a tinge of sadness coloring her mind at the departure of the assassin.

As though sensing those thoughts Naita pulled a coin from her sleeve, presenting it to Celeste.

"What is this?" she reached out a tentative hand for the object.

"A gift," Naita placed the cool, tarnished bit of metal in Celeste's palm. "If ever you seek refuge you will be welcome amongst the Naagalata. We reside to the northern winds of the continent, amidst the great desert ruins. You need only present that coin and you will be granted safe passage and shelter."

Celeste felt her throat constrict and ignored it as she pocketed the coin. "Thank you."

"Again, you owe me no thanks, uhkti," Naita reminded, pressing her shoulder into the wooden beam behind her, turning her face skyward. Her luminous eyes twinkled as the starlight reflected in them.

"'Uhkti'?" Celeste inquired, watching the Naagalata female.

"Sister," Naita smiled faintly. "You faced danger in my stead and risked your life for my own, I could consider you no less, layl."

Celeste rubbed at her arm awkwardly, uncertain how to respond to such sincerity and comradery. She settled instead for asking another question.

"Then . . . 'layl' . . . what does that mean?"

Naita took a moment to consider, turning her slitted gaze to consider Celeste curiously before answering.

"Night."

Gandriel had never expected the wave of knee-wobbling relief that had hit him when he'd spotted Celeste on that ship. The tightness throat eased instantly. Unable to resist, he took a step toward the gangplank that had been strung between the ships, but was cut off by high-pitched shrieks from behind him.

A grin overcame his face as Marrien and James broke into a full-on sprint towards Layla as they crossed to the other ship, the woman letting out a sob and falling to her knees, arms outstretched, at the sight of her children.

He watched as they collided with her, tears dripping down her face as she pulled them close and held tightly to them both.

Something that had been tight in Gandriel's chest eased as he watched the reunion, the wound that had formed in his heart at the sight of Vanica beginning to mend over.

To his surprise, Layla then turned her attention to him, murmuring "thank you" through her tears, again and again. He couldn't hide the blush that crept up his cheeks. It only grew worse once Marrien winked at him and whispered to her mother that he was her knight in shining armor.

A grin overtook his face. So, maybe he was a little bit of a hero. It was a title he could certainly get used to.

His preening at his new designation stopped when he saw the hug Anelisse swept Celeste in upon seeing her. The blonde had tackled her sister with such force that both girls had tumbled the deck of the ship, the former clinging to the latter with a grip that even Gandriel wasn't certain he could break.

He stood and watched awkwardly as Anelisse pulled Celeste upright and soundly scolded her, tears leaking openly down her pale cheeks.

Celeste only rolled her eyes at the show of it all.

Gandriel continued to hang back by the rail as a human woman in a dingy blue gown enveloped both girls into tight hug, pressing them close. A human male stood close by and watched, a small smile on his face.

He felt his smile slowly fade as he watched them, keenly aware of the lack of people in his life that would have done the same for him. There was his mother, of course . . .

He tried to not let his thoughts leech back to her.

His brooding was cut short when Celeste finally rose on steady legs and made her way towards him, smiling as she approached.

"I suppose this means I owe you thanks," she quipped at him, her violet eyes bright and her mouth pulled into a smirk, "though that would imply that you were useful in some way."

Gandriel only smiled in response, rubbing at the back of his head. "I'm just glad you're all right." He paused, swallowing as he intently studied the weathered boards at his feet. "I am sorry I brought you into this mess-"

Celeste punched him lightly in the stomach, immediately halting his apology as an "oomph" escaped him.

"You got my sister out, let's call it even," she smiled up at him, the first true grin he believed he'd ever seen on her face. "Besides, we've got work to do so don't think you're abandoning ship yet."

"Oh?" Gandriel inquired, trying not to let his hopes rise too quickly as Celeste made her way past him toward Fallon who watched the milling captives from a distance. Like a trained hound, he quickly followed.

Fallon raised her hand in greeting to Celeste, the serious expression she'd worn minutes before relaxed into her usual lazy grin.

Celeste wasted no time as she handed a roll of papers to the captain. "These might prove to be of some use to you. To . . . us."

Fallon gave her a look before quickly began thumbing through the documents, her eyes widening with each page she scanned. She lifted her gaze back to Celeste, shock and what seemed to be utter delight dancing across her features.

She quickly handed the roll off to Vaerek who had not-so-subtly been craning to see the papers over her shoulder. A bark of surprise escaped him as he flipped through the documents.

Fallon's eyes burned like fire.

"What's your price for the information?"

Celeste only gave a smirk, the one the that always had Gandriel's hair rising on his neck. "I want the Loreley and in on the hunt. Dermot's final blow is mine. You think you could manage with a few more allies?"

Celeste sent Gandriel a pointed look that immediately had him straightening himself, followed by a softer glance at Anelisse who had appeared on his left.

Fallon let out a high laugh of delight before she threw her hand out and clamped Celeste's, shaking it hard.

"Welcome to the company, Captain." Fallon swiped the papers back from Vaerek, who grumbled, grinning so broadly Gandriel thought her face might split in two. "Oh, my dear Celeste, I think you've just won this war for us. I'll need to add this to my letter," She looked at them, her smile still gleaming. "And you three have just earned yourselves a celebration like no other."

Fallon strutted victoriously all the way back to her cabin, doing her best to ignore the wheeling of the walls about her. Useless things her senses were when the bulk of the wine hit her system.

No matter, three bottles of the wine to herself was the only acceptable response to the accomplishment that had just been achieved. And by her lovely new friend, no, fellow captain, no less.

She nodded her head to her crew as they crawled to their hammocks, though some appeared to have decided that sleeping on the floor was the better option than the daunting trek back to their cabins. She didn't particularly blame them.

The party had wound down after several long hours of drunken revelry after the appointment of the Loreley's new fearless leader and its newest less-than-fearless first mate.

At least Gandriel was pretty.

Flicking the door to her room open, Fallon sauntered into her elegant lodgings, the ledgers and maps Celeste had acquired in hand.

The new captain had nearly just handed them their victory.

She could have kissed the girl.

Plopping down on her plush chair, Fallon carefully removed her plum velvet hat and hung it lovingly on the corner of her mirror before pulling a fresh sheet of parchment free and dipping her peacock quill into violet ink.

She quickly drafted the note, her elegant, curling script dancing across the pages in her signature color. Glancing through it thrice she decided it was adequate, sanded the ink, and plucked an ornate vial of perfume from her dressed, letting several drops fall onto the letter.

No sense in him forgetting that she smelled lovely, although she was certain he undoubtedly remembered. It had been too long since she'd seen him in any case.

She read through it once more, grinning at the prospects the note entailed.

To my dearest foxy face,

I send correspondence concerning vital information pertaining to our most recent discovery regarding our merchant friends. My excellent sources have stumbled upon information that could be the key to striking a critical blow against our opponents. I've also made some lovely new friends who've acquired quite the vessel, the glorious Loreley, and are willing to assist in our endeavors - given due compensation of course. I do hope our dear High Lords are willing to loosen those purse strings a bit. Meet me at your earliest convenience and do bring that lovely jade doublet of yours, it offsets your hair so nicely. I still have that bottle of chardonnay you swore we'd share, Lucien.

Best,

Your flawless Fallon

Rolling the parchment, she carefully secured it with a fine red ribbon before stepping back on deck and whistling one of her faithful ravens down from her perch on the rigging.

The bird cocked her head as Fallon tied the scroll to her leg with a bit of scarlet ribbon. "You know who it goes to, pretty."

And with that, she released the raven into the crisp morning air.