The Stolen Child IV
When he was full Xeph released her and went straight to sleep, his tail still around her wrist and his purr still vibrating. Vex wound up nodding off as well and when she woke she placed him back into the bassinet. The ship was moving and she could tell they were under way.
Vex removed the ring to see what effect it would have and whether or not she would need to leave it on for most of the voyage. She also realized how little sleep she had gotten the last forty or so hours and how hungry she was now. So she changed into her comfortable traveling clothing, unlocked the door and wandered about to get some grub.
Conner was sitting outside the door and he caught her arm, "Vex, I realized what you've done for him and my family. It was wrong of me to question you as I did and I'd like to..." he let the rest trail off as he cast a minor healing spell and the minor discomforts of the feeding faded as the healing warmth flowed through her. His other hand held a bowl of stew with a piece of bread in it. "And the bed is yours, I spent weeks sleeping in a hammock and will do so again until Xeph needs something."
"It's a start." Vex said clenching her teeth. Her ire at him ordering her around and pulling his family name into things still clear. In fact she was angry at a number of things. But she took the bowl and pulled her hand from his. Not wanting any lingering contact, she looked him in the eyes the whole time he spoke and once finished she took the bowl of food from him and headed towards the deck. "He's your problem, not mine." She said over her shoulder as she walked away. She had no idea how to change a diaper but let him stew a bit longer. Maybe he would behave better next time.
About the time for bed, Vex returned to the cabin where Conner had set up his hammock and was lounging inside with Xeph. The baby was enjoying himself babbling and playing with his uncle's hand. He stopped when Vex entered and he smiled and babbled at her, Conner looked up at Vex to see if the time on deck had cooled a little more of her ire. "I wish I knew what was blocking my spells to communicate with home Master Xeph, Uncle Darryl could come and
Pop! you right back home to your mommy and daddy." he explained tickling the young felid. "No matter what little master, you should always remember that while I knew where they took you. It was Vex who helped me get you back and went far above what she needed to do to help keep you safe." Conner finished and hugged the now yawning child before starting to sing a lullaby which truthfully for even Vex was rather soothing.
Vex disliked how quickly her ire was settling around Conner. Generally her anger served her very well, She used it for a lot of things, And while she still seethed inside everything didn't seem the worst. She sat on the bed and pulled out a small notepad and made some scribbles with a pencil of sorts. Then put the notes back into her pants. She would sleep in her travel clothes, she didn't mind and it got chilly aboard a ship.
Conner continued to sing and put Xeph in the bassinet and rocked it for a little before heading to his hammock before finishing the song. He nodded to Vex and climbed inside, "Goodnight Vex, and hopefully tomorrow we can contact my brother to return us home faster. Although, I find this a great way to travel and see the world, don't you?"
"No." Vex responded and pulled her own blankets over herself. She didn't sleep easily that night, she was dreading having to wake and feed the child again. Or traveling on the boat all the way back. She didn't much feel like talking because she was mad about not being so mad anymore. Which was unusual in itself for Vex because she'd always had a handle on her emotions and held herself a lot better then she was around these boys.
Xeph slept most of the night, but did wake up and begin to fuss several hours before dawn. Conner woke up and rubbed his eyes, "I'm coming Xeph, be patient little man." He got up and padded over lifting the little felid out and checked him, after changing and cleaning him up Conner sighed resigning them to having to wake Vex so Xeph could eat again. "Vex, wake up Vex, I hate to ask for you to do this but he's hungry again." COnner planned to hand Xeph off then head back above decks as he was sure Vex would banish him again from the cabin.
"Fine." Vex all but growled out. After not a lot of sleep, and this hateful task she was more than a little unhappy about it. She took Xeph and put on the ring. "Get. Out." She growled out in her overly tired voice. Her hair was a complete mess, and she glared with sleep deprived eyes until he did leave the room. Though she left it unlocked this time, being just too tired to get out of the bed to do it. She sat up and once ready loosened her shirt and let the child eat it's fill.
This time was slightly better than the last, but Vex was too tired to do more than cover up and leave Xeph in bed with her. Conner returned at some point and decided not to wake them as Xeph was happily asleep in Vex's arms. He got back into the hammock and went back to sleep, tomorrow was still several hours away and they could all use a little more sleep.
Vex woke when the child suckled and she stopped herself from doing anything more than stiffening up. However she still hated this. And she was aware that Conner might still be in the room. Though if he dare breath or speak a word of this... she would do something she wouldn't regret in the least.
She did have to admit laying down as they were took away the pain in her back, Xeph did not feed long before going back to sleep. From across the room Conner spoke, "Would you like me to put him back?" Nothing else was said and he waited for her answer.
"If you leave him, I'll probably end up smothering him." Vex said her voice like gravel. She was tired and just wanted to sleep, babies were not her thing. Even if this one happened to be cute. She still didn't want to breastfeed him. In fact she hoped that by morning they would be able to call for the Ravenwood Scion to collect them. She hated this entire happen stance and waited to be at least back in the Capital.
"Somehow I doubt that Vex, even in your surly state you have a heart very capable of concern." Conner said gently lifting his sleeping nephew who did not make a sound. He turned quickly after realizing Vex's shirt was open and he could see her breast, instead he quickly put Xeph back into his makeshift crib and went back to his hammock. He had been calling Daryyl while he was above deck and so far nothing had happened, he was growing concerned as it seemed the spell keeping Daryyl's powers at bay spread far.
Vex harrumphed and rolled over pulling the blanket over herself to her chin and shoulders. She still didn't like it at all but she was too tired to argue anymore. She had never realized how tiring it was to simply feed a baby. So within moments of Xeph being taken away from her she was asleep once more.
Vex slept for several hours before she was jolted awake as the ship itself lurched to a stop, almost tossing her from the bed. On the deck outside she could hear the Captain and Conner yelling out orders to the crew. Xeph was awake and visibly upset by the stopping of the ship and the loud noises outside. Out on deck the men were leaning over the deck and looking for a reef or whatever they had hit. Conner turned to the Captain, "Is this normal this far out from land?" The Captain shook his head, "I've sailed this route many times and have never struck anything before, it could be a shipwreck."
Vex lept to her feet from the bed and donned her clothing and weapons belt as quickly as she could. The child could wait a moment in the safety of his temporary crib. Once ready she grabbed him up and ventured out onto the deck to find out what was going on and pass the child onto Conner for safe keeping, so she could be free to protect them both if need be. Otherwise she needed to be able to asses the situation as it happened to make the best judgement call on how to proceed. IF only they could call on Darryl Ravenwood or had a spell that would allow them communications with the family.
Conner took Xeph and continued to help the Captain with his orders to the sailors who were working on finding out what happened to the ship. Some men were talking about a sea monster while others were praying for help. A stillness seemed to envelope the ship as the sails went limp, then from far below a clanking sound could be heard and the ship lurched to one side. Conner grabbed the rail to keep himself upright, "What the hells is that?" Everyone who could keep their feet ran to the rails to look at the water below.
"Sounds like we need to see what's going on down there!" Vex growled out as she couldn't hardly see anything from either side of the ship. It almost sounded as if something like a grappling hook or something had attached to them from underneath which was impossible last she knew. "I'll go if no one is man enough." Vex offered ready to take off her boots if need be. She wasn't one to just wait around and let things happen to her if she could do something about it instead.
As if giving her an Answer three large arms sprang up from the water to tower over the ship several men cried out thinking it was the sea monster. Out several meters from the ship large teeth appeared up from the water like stones. Conner kept his hands on Xeph and began to talk loudly enough to muster the sailors who began making preparations to defend the ship. As Vex pondered what to do next a mist began to rise from the water around the boat.
"I'll be back or I'll be dead!" Vex told Conner before she took a small run and lept over the banister and into the water. She was prepared for the cold, and she needed to see what was going on under the water. Was it really a water beast they were being attacked by? What was causing the mist? She would find out. She sliced through the water with the ease of a long practiced swimmer. If need be should would combat the thing in the water. SHe knew where the ladder rope was to get back up onto the ship however.
Below the water was swirling and made it hard to make anything out, Vex could see that something below was rising up towards the ship and displacing a lot of water. After a time of looking at their situation her lungs began to burn from lack of air Vex finally noticed they were already in the monster's mouth it was swallowing the whole ship. On board the tentacles proved to not be harmed by harpoons or arrows and had already picked up several men and tossed them overboard into the water. The mist was growing thicker and several men were overcome by it and collapsed. Conner quickly tied a cloth around his and then Xeph's nose and mouth. Desperately he tried on last time to reach out to someone from his family. He barely had begun to cast when his vision swam and he lowered to the deck making sure not to drop Xeph. "Vex, I hope you got away." he said before darkness overcame him.
Vex surfaced to get some much needed oxygen, What she was seeing was not a good thing, the huge monster of that proportion? Why would it attack now and this ship of all ships? Unless. There was an exceptionally strong force behind it. Like any number of enemy's the Ravenwood family had incurred. Mostly the two elder Ravenwood's doing all the incurring. Vex needed to figure out how to save the Ravenwoods in the current situation. Either way she was going with that ship.
A few men on board who were still conscious tossed her a line and hauled her aboard, Conner and Xeph were out much like the rest of the crew. Even the men who pulled her aboard suddenly slumped down to the deck and stopped moving. The rush of water and the hazey feeling continued to grow on Vex until darkness consumed her as well.
The Stolen Child VI
Stumble!