Girls and boys (Jygust 30th TT)

[Elvira Rodriguez]

One gravetide, an odd ship sailed into port and docked with the sounds of women's laughter spilling from her beams as well as music shimmering out of her sails. After a bit of business land-side with the port master and other officials, the Drunken Whore set up her mooring for good and lowered her gangplank for one and all. Part tavern, part brothel, the Drunken Whore is a floating den of delights and decadence that make many wonder if it were not a seaworthy tribute to Pan himself.
She is an old shipping galleon whose berthing and brig have been refitted and redesigned with a definite lean toward being an inn which rents rooms 'by the mark', while her galley and main decks have been swept toward the drinking crowd, the main deck littered with tables bolted to the beams and lipped so that even if the most foolhardy drinker tips with the tides, his or her drink will not.
The Drunken Whore is captained by a woman named Trista Mathalos, who is not often seen, and run by a second woman who merely goes by the name of Envergine. Much like the generic 'lady' of her namesake, the 'Drunken Whore' is always open, day or night.
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There was something to be said of the civilized cities of the Mer and how even their stink and crowded streets could make a person feel at home, Elvira picking her way through the crowd with a smile upon her lips. After so many days spent aboard the ship, she felt like a bit of mischief and thus kept meeting the gaze of every young and passably handsome man she encountered, the select few even receiving a wink and a wry smile, but she paused for none of them. The Harbormaster would handle her permit for cannon test, and that left her with the need to keep her crew happy and satisfied. Eastern culture might be vastly different to the one she grew up in, but men would always be men and she knew where the hearts of sailors were. Thus it was the lithe Captain made her way to the Drunken Whore, all but skipping over the gangplank, pausing at the rail and casting a glance at the crowd. She was there to hire a bunch of whore for her men and see if there was some fun and trouble to be found.

[Haikan]

As Elvira ventured to the Drunken Whore, she passed a few handsome young men here and there. The typical male passerby returned her gaze with a dumbfounded look on their face. One notably handsome young man snapped his fingers and pointed at her with both hands, while winking. He appeared quite pleased with himself, as if he'd just accomplished some great task, but his look was nothing too out of the ordinary.

The Drunken Whore was as much a spectacle as it always has been. Music filled the air, and the thick smell of liquor mixed with the aroma of the briny sea. Inside the tavern there were some drunken men singing loudly and out of key. The sound of women laughing and men hooting was also quite audible, and as Elvira watched, she may have noticed the voice of a frustrated woman shouting. Inside the bar there was a drunk man who was apparently engaged in a grapple with a thin young woman with jet-black hair who was pushing him outside. Her eyes were dark brown, and a mask covered her mouth and nose.

"Get lost bum! If the day comes when I see you here again, it'll be your last!" With that she lifted her foot to his chest and thrust her leg, effortlessly shoving him overboard into the ocean. His voice could be heard shouting profanity back from the water, and he started to swim away along the shoreline, clearly worried about her threat.

[Elvira Rodriguez]

If you saw the inside of a house of ill repute and Drunken Whore was exactly that, you got a pretty good idea of what to expect in any such establishment. Differences only occurred in the posh and fancy whore-houses, or as they liked to call them brothels, or even something more posh, but Elvira had experience with them all. In some she was a guest and in some she even worked, planted there as a bait for a potential customer for the group of free-wheeling sea entrepreneurs that she worked with in the past. She grinned and was getting ready to get involved in the grapple on the thin woman’s side for no other reason but to have some fun, when she got the upper hand and tossed the drunken bugger overboard.

Unable to resist the pirate captain leaned over the railing till her feet left the deck, presenting all who chanced to look that way a marvelous view of her backside and yelled after the accidental swimmer. “There’s ladies on board over here. Watch your tongue and focus on swimming.” Pushing herself away from the railing she bounced on the balls of her feet and made her way towards the very woman who shoved the man over. “Hiya. I could bet yer part of this here establishments staff. Am I right or am I right?” She grinned and offered her hand in greeting. “I would be Captain Elvira Rodriguez, and that ship over there belongs to me.” She pointed towards the Flower bobbing in the water. “I got me a ship full of sailors who have been on the high seas for a while and some of them got stuck with guard duty. And being the nice person that I am, I thought I could provide them with some entertainment, if you catch my drift. So, how about you and I pick a few of your girls and send them over yonder and then I’ll buy you a drink for being such a good girl and helping poor ol’ me?” She arched her brow and unable to resist fluttered her lashes, the impish smile that curled her lips ruining the image of innocence she tried to present.

[Haikan]

"Oh, sorry you had to see that. This son of a bitch just stole something very important to me, and threw it into the ocean, so I thought I'd return the favor." She spoke through her mask in a deep alto voice. "Yeah I got some ladies for your men, but you can spare me the drink, I don't need anything holding me back, in case something happens that needs my attention." Elvira may not have noticed, but this entire time, the dark-haired woman's left hand was clutching a dagger within her sleeve. The lady offered her other hand for a shake. "I'm called Envergine, and I run this place. And that is indeed a nice ship you have over there. Make sure you got an eye on it, there are rumors of pirates around here that steal ships like that..." She looked around, to find that noone was near them, but then she laughed.

"Bah, that's nothing but rumour, I'm more worried about that damn thief, I shoulda killed him... What if he had an accomplice...? Bastards..." She began to trail off, and she grasped her neck, as if feeling for a necklace, but nothing was there. "I'm sure I'm making mountains out of molehills, you should be having fun! Come on, I'll make you a good deal, if you really have a whole crew!"

[Elvira Rodriguez]

There was a look of mock horror on Elvira’s face at the mention of pirates, the dark-haired woman having been one of them for quite some time and knowing that in the harbor the greatest danger to her ship was from her own crew. But, so far the eastern sailors have proven themselves to be quite honorable and in many ways superior to westerners, but that could change, and she was still saving her judgment. It was not until she saw the woman’s hand moving to her neck that she looked towards where the man was likely still swimming to shore and spat over the railing. “Bastard took a necklace, and just threw it? Well, I have to say I would have cut off his balls and made me a broach out of them for such a thing.” She looked genuinely pissed and with another glance at the Flower of the East, added. “Some of my crew were pearl divers before they joined me. Maybe I could send for one of them and see if they can fish your little treasure out?”

It was more than simple generosity and kindness of soul that urged Elvira to make such an offer. Just like it was not generosity when she upped the offer. “And I’ll do more and send over a bolt of silk for you and your girls. You won’t be able to make dresses, but some revealing underwear or stockings for added tease might work.” It was simple economics, since the woman was likely to tell good things of Elvira to others, and thus draw in more customers, and the girls might mention where they got such soft knickers to the men they shared bed with. Not to mention that if Envergine liked her, she might give Vi a better price. “So, let’s talk business. I think a dozen girls will do for the boys and girls I have on board now. And if any of my crew comes along, send the bill to me. Bill for the girl, not for the booze. They can spend their own money on that. Deal?”

[Haikan]

"I would be very grateful if you could get it back, to say the least. I won't cross my fingers, but there isn't much else you would find down there, aside from maybe a few stray undergarments... Speaking of which, a bolt of silk would be lovely, but I don't mind buying it off you. You seem like you got your head on straight... and I like that." She turned her head and nodded to a scantily clad wench, who promptly approached. "Lainey, bring out twelve please, and make sure to bring out our finest, these are friends of mine. Oh and could you also bring out a watermask? The watermasks are right next to the pink fuzzy manacles in the tool closet."

"Right-o, 'Vergine!" The wench happily skipped back into the mess of people that filled the establishment and disappeared among horny men and flirty gals.

"Dammit I told her not to call me that... Oh well. You've got yourself a deal, captain Elvira Rodriguez. Please do your best to find my necklace, I must stress that it is of great importance to me." Envergine closed her eyes and tilted her head graciously to Elvira.

[Elvira Rodriguez]

Pink fuzzy manacles sure got Elvira’s attention, and there was a definite tilt to her brow along with a curious and impish smile, though she did not interrupt Envergine, stopping her girl before she left. “Oh, and tell whomever goes there that Captain Rodriguez needs something from under the sea fished out. Not sure who is on board, but tell them I need a pearl diver and to meet me here for it.” At the bow, Elvira decided to act a bit silly and graced Envergine with a proper Long Danh bow, complete with the palms being brought together. “Think nothing of it, noble lady. And feel free to come to the Flower tomorrow. You can see which parts of my cargo you like and we can make a deal.” Then with a grin and a glance over the heads of other patrons she added. “Now, how about that drink, and then you can show me the tools closet. I am most curious to see what else you got there, apart from the breathing mask and fuzzy manacles. If you don’t mind humoring a curious brunette that is.” She winked mischievously, thinking how fuzzy manacles would be a nice present for a certain young merchant who upped and left for Citadel.

[Haikan]

"I shall send a runner to your ship to fetch one of these 'divers'." She said, and she waved over a waitress, whispering in her ear. The waitress handed her tray off to another who was running past and she took off for the Flower. Envergine smiled, but her eyes widened when Elvira performed her Long Danh bow.

"You've been to the great Eastern Empire?" She asked, shocked. She promptly corrected her bow and did the appropriate formal bow in response. "Damn, aren't too many out of the shitheads in the west that know a damned thing about respect, which I must admit I'm beginning to have for you, Captain Rodriguez."

She looked around, realizing how disrespectful her profane tongue must have sounded. "Well, as much respect as I offer anyone, which ain't much after what I've been through. Anyway I should thank you for offering to do this, I hope you don't mind I asked my lass to fetch a few from your ship."

Lainey returned from the back wielding two watermasks and a pair of fuzzy pink manacles that looked strong enough to hold down a ferocious giant, but each cuff was soft enough to be a princess' wristband. "Uh, cap'n I fergot which ya wanted, so I brought both out."