[i]((collaboration with AmongHeroes and Igraine))[/i]

[i]"De rien,"[/i] she had replied, just as softly, over her own shoulder - though of course the rogue's response was not necessary to the First Mate. The gift was given and Antonia felt fairly sure [i]Mademoiselle[/i] Beauchamp enjoyed her small offering. No matter her strangely brittle her demeanor, as if without her whip and her fists, her shouted orders and perpetual scowl, the woman had somehow lost the knack of interacting with the softer, more tender emotions.
 
No, it truly was no matter, Antonia decided as she stepped back out onto the deck, blinking in the bright sunshine. Antonia did not judge Nicolette, she knew -
 
[i]'Merde... '[/i]
 
Her gaze traveled up the mast to her crow's nest, and she scrambled for the nearest rigging, hoisting herself easily as she began to climb. Cursing herself the whole way, Antonia swore she would not make the same mistake twice, that she would not leave her post again that the [i]captain,[/i] of all people, should have to fill her position. The rogue was, if nothing else, a fast learner. What she was not, however, was a great sailor. She was not truly even a [i]good[/i] one, though this past year had seen the rogue learn a great deal - and quickly enough at that. 
 
But there were still those moments - moments just like this - where the rogue keenly felt her lack. At times like this, she wondered if, perhaps, Thomas might even regret having asked to join him aboard the [i]Skate.[/i] Her sight was matchless of course - she was an excellent, even tireless lookout. But what good was a lookout not in her perch when she was most needed?
 
Or a crewmember who the captain did not (or would not) discipline as he might any other? Antonia's took a deep breath, letting it out in a long sigh as she slipped into the crow's nest, grimacing, biting her lip in anticipation laced with a touch of dread. "Sorry, Thomas," she said swiftly, laying her hand on his shoulder.

Thomas did not at first look to Antonia, instead his gaze continued to peer out to the glittering blue of the Caribbean. He sighed deeply, and his head hung briefly between his shoulders. It was futile to pretend that he was not frustrated, and not troubled. Thomas respected Antonia too much to simply wave away his irritation, she deserved to know the reasoning behind his emotion, and he would afford her that.
 
“You put me in a bad position today, Antonia.” Thomas said, looking back to his love. His expression was neutral, and his mouth a thin line. “The only way I could keep from drawing attention to your absence was to climb myself.”
 
Thomas stood away from the railing, his copper eyes burning like dying embers. “You know what the punishment can be for abandoning a post!” His hands came up to grip Antonia’s arms at her shoulders. His face cracked into a look of horrified fear. “God’s blood, Antonia. You know I could [i]never[/i] do that to you.”

"Thomas, I am sorry - so sorry! I did not mean... " Antonia did not dare look away from those eyes, or the horror in their depths. [i]Lashes at the mast...[/i] She grimaced again, wanting to drop her head with the shame, though she would not. Shame - not for the punishment she deserved, nor the pain nor the scarring, but for the agony her own thoughtlessness could have cost him. 
 
"I know Thomas, I do... I was a fool, I was not thinking rightly - I only meant to see the First Mate... " Antonia's voice trailed off, knowing very well all her words were flimsy excuses, and she was only babbling now. 
 
"It will not happen again. I swear it," she whispered.

Thomas watched Antonia for a moment, saw the recognition of his worry reflected in her eyes, and knew that he needed say no more about it. His expression softened, and the thin line of his mouth curled ever so slightly in a relieved smile.
 
He nodded, pulling her to him slowly, and enveloped her in a warm embrace. “I don’t know what I’d do if anything ever happened to you. God only knows I’d give up the [i]Skate[/i] before I’d lay a hand upon you that way.”
 
Thomas pulled her away just enough to press his lips against Antonia’s forehead. His eyes closed, and he chuckled lightly. “I’m actually surprised the First Mate did not berate you herself.”
 
He pulled away further to give Antonia a wink, the mood easing dramatically in the beautiful afternoon sun. “If the First Mate has an inkling to punish you, well, you’re on your own then.”

If she were not so rattled by the loving sincerity in his voice, the realization Thomas truly would surrender his precious [i]Dusk Skate[/i] before her, she might have made some small jest about a certain moment no more than a year past. Why, had there not been a time when Captain Lightfoot would have been quite content to [i]shoot[/i] the rogue who’d made him considerably lighter by a rather substantial amount of silver… ?

But she let the offhanded quip pass, contented simply to see the laughter return to the eyes of the man she loved. Antonia sighed happily, and then began to laugh herself - a thing far easier without the anvil weight of guilt and shame on her chest. "I have a doubt [i]Mademoiselle[/i] Beauchamp will - though I am afraid that when it comes to your First Mate? There is precious little I can be [i]entirely[/i] sure about." 
 
"Still, if I were a gambling... Ah...Woman? I suppose I would like my chances." The rogue grinned widely as she rested her head against her love's chest, her arms tightening about his waist.

Thomas smiled, happy to have the embrace of the rogue at his waist. “Speaking of gambling,” he said, leaning his head against Antonia’s, “Jax and I have a little wager going tonight. We got to talking earlier, and reminiscing about days spent aloft came up. One thing led to another, and now we’re gambling on who can climb the main mast faster.”
 
The thought gave Thomas another laugh. “Whoever wins has to regale the other with the tale of all that happened the night of the party.”
 
“That is why I simply [i]must[/i] win,” Thomas said with a predatory air. “My curiosity won’t be sated without knowing the intrigue of the night the First Mate and the sea artist spent together.”
 
Thomas shrugged then, kissing Antonia amidst her braid of ebony hair. “You’ll be there to cheer me on of course, yes?”

"Ha!" Antonia snorted soft laughter through her nose before leaning back just enough to peer up at Thomas, one eyebrow raised skeptically, her generous mouth twisted into an incredulous little smile. "Oh, I will be there[i] indeed,[/i] cheering with every last ounce of enthusiasm in this body!"
 
"Granted, I am as riddled with curiosity as you, concerning the First Mate's night and whatever she got up to with the helmsman... " Antonia's voice trailed off for a moment, recalling a noisily rolling and empty rum bottle. "Though I would wager it involved[i] no[/i] small amount of liquor."
 
"But [i]your[/i] reasons to win far outweigh your 'sea artist's,’, love," she said softly, grey eyes narrowing as one finger poked Thomas' chest, half-seriously, half-playfully. "I will [i]not[/i] be pleased to have to walk by that grinning man every day, knowing he has had an earful of [i]all[/i] that happened the night of that party - and I know you have my meaning, Thomas!" 

Thomas gave Antonia his best innocent expression, appearing as taken aback by her accusation as he could. “My dear, whatever do you mean? All I recall is leaving the party and doing some fishing.”
 
It was impossible to keep the wide grin from splitting his face as Thomas continued to look at his love. He broke into a bout of hearty laughter, his eyes drifting skyward as he recalled the previous night’s delicious encounter. “Do you think I should tell him just how flexible rogues are, eh?”
 
As the words left his mouth, Thomas scurried by Antonia and leapt headlong through the scuttle hole of the crow’s nest. Like the hounds of hell were chasing him, Thomas scurried down the rigging, laughing and gasping with mirth.
 
“Don’t hurt me!” He called upwards between gulps of air. “You wouldn’t want me to plunge to my death! I love you dear! Forgive me will you?”

"Oh it is a [i]damn[/i] good thing I love you too!" Antonia sputtered as she leaned over the railing of the crow's nest, laughing until the tears rolled down her cheeks, her vision swimming with the hilarity as she followed Thomas' breakneck retreat of a descent. 

"All will be forgiven Silverfish," she shouted after him, "[i]So long as you win![/i]"