Hell Hath No Fury - Book One

Finally

Whatever the brown bitter thing was that she chewed on ended up hitting her after she was several drinks in. Ava was in the middle of a large group of dancing women when things started to move at half speed. As she spun around to the music, everything went into slow motion. She stopped spinning and just began to fall into a fit of giggles as everyone around her danced. Everyone's movements were hilarious to her and she needed to get out of the slow-motion dance party if she wanted to catch her breath. Whatever she took made her feel like every step she took was an eternity but she eventually managed to find her way out into the open air.

Once free from the grasps of the dancers, she lazily surveyed the deck to find her next activity. She found Navi near the barrels of ale and she walked over.

"Look who it is, the new quartermaster. Congrats, Red. You're movin' up in the world," Navi said and then filled a mug and handed it to Ava.

Ava didn't answer, instead just took the mug and downed it. Ava gasped and her eyes went wide and she looked up at Navi, "I can't taste anything."

Navi pulled the mug away, "Then that will be enough for you."

"I am high."

"Aye, I can tell. Do you need any help?"

"With?"

Navi laughed, "I don't know but I am here if you need it."

"Navi," Ava took a few steps forward and put her hand over Navi's heart, "I am sorry about you and Xyra."

"So am I, mate. So am I."

Ava didn't leave the barrels, instead, she stayed by Navi's side for a while. She was entertained just observing the pirates around the deck. She had been quiet and observing for a while and she probably looked odd just standing and staring off into the distance. Navi might have been concerned because she called Morgana over.

"'Ello, Red," Morgana smiled once she stood in front of Ava, "someone has been drugged."

"Voluntarily," Ava quipped but slurred the words, unable to properly pronounce it at the moment.

"It's her party and she's just been standing here, can you take her around to have some fun," Navi asked and Ava held out her hands to be dragged wherever, she didn't mind.

"Sure," Morgana laughed at Ava's actions and took her wrist, "I know of a few people that have been wondering where you snuck off to."

Morgana skipped over walking Ava to whoever she was talking about and instead scooped Ava up in a bridal carry and walked her over to a group of women sitting around some boxes on the deck. Ava waved as they got closer and they waved back. She was set down in front of Cooker and Iona and Ava sat in between them.

That is how she spent most of her night, sitting and talking among friends. Among her new family. She was elated and the smile never left her face, partly from the joy of the moment and partly because she was heavily intoxicated. As the night grew later and the ale was running low, people began to make their way to bed. The ones with morning duty leaving first.

Ava had gotten up from the boxes she had been on for hours and made her way over to the edge of the ship when no one had their eye on her. There was only about a quarter of the crew left on deck and the girls she had been sitting with were an hour deep into an argument and Ava couldn't remember what it was about. She took the small bit of freedom to make a dash for the ocean, she wanted to see the waves. It was a lot harder than she was expecting but she managed to hoist herself over the edge, her stomach resting on the wood and her head and arms dangling over the ship.

Ava felt a strong pair of hands grab at her waist, hands she would recognize anywhere.

"The thing is, Red, you have to stay alive if you want to keep the quartermaster position," Theo teased and tried to pull her down from where her feet dangled several feet above the floor.