The Eel had not been a homely sort of place for Taria. It wasn't just that the antagonistic Tamsyn was there, or that her snide remarks and sarcastic politeness was beginning to grate at the Greyjoy's forced calmness; that would have been somewhat easier to tolerate. It was more the fact that she had been pushed overboard and nearly drowned that did it. Granted, the continous use of the nickname Tammy should have been forgotten when Taria realized how much it got on the smuggler's nerves. However, after all the Greyjoy jokes and especially those about her father, she couldn't help herself from taking a little pleasure in watching the expression on Tamsyn's face when she gave her the cutesy nickname. There was the fact that Tamsyn did save Taria. She wasn't sure why but couldn't help think it was probably because the smuggler realized she wouldn't get paid the rest of what she had been promised if she returned without a Greyjoy on the Eel. Taria supposed there was that to be grateful for, but feelings of magnanimity were long gone. If she wasn't going to be forced to, she didn't want to spend another moment on that vessel. She was quiet as Arak volunteered, watching the scuffle between the two brothers. By this time she knew quite well who they were. It was interesting, truth be told. She wasn't really one to hold a grudge for things that had happened a long time ago, even if what their father had done had made her father the brunt of jokes for a certain smuggler as well as others. She couldn't quite tell whether the two liked or despised each other. Well, at least there was no mistaking her as a whole anymore. "I'd like to join as well, my Prince. I volunteer to join the shore party." Taria took a couple of paces forward as she spoke before bowing her head. [i]Please don't make me go with that smuggler wench.[/i] There was no way she was going to say aloud to [i]anyone[/i] that she had nearly drowned and then been saved. She had her pride and wished for it to remain intact. The Drowned God worked in mysterious ways, apparently, and that was her story to herself. [center]***[/center] As for Layali, the time she had spent on the ship was quite pleasant; it was almost as if all the months she had been in the brothel were slowly dripping away, leaving her feeling clean... well, cleaner than she had. She had spent the time practicing with the bow Seran had found for her. Getting back in the habit of holding the bow, stringing and unstringing, and finally finding safe targets to shoot at... it was all quite rejuvenating. Chatting with the others was a little more difficult, but she did find she enjoyed the other's company, especially Ser Aerion with his gentlemanly way of talking and more especially his cooking; she had taken his offer seriously that first day and was quite alright with seeming like a little greedy critter. Seeing the somewhat familiar face of Tamsyn was also treat. She had met the smuggler a few times while she had been at the pirate's den. The woman didn't seem much like a pirate to her even then, far too clean, polite and generous. It was a shame she didn't seem to wish for a little more affection than just polite talk, but the extra coin had been more than sufficient. That's not to say that Layali wasn't surprised to see her there; she hadn't expected the smuggler to be with the Royalists. [i]Well, the more you know.[/i] Not just that, it gave the young Meereenese the chance to chat with her. "I'd like to volunteer as well!" she piped in with a grin, bright eyed and clearly seeing this as an adventure.