Tangled webs - Elaine Cunningham [20]
"Every hand aboard shares the work. I don't see you doing aught but sleeping away the days and staring into books by night," he said scornfully, nodding toward the lore book tucked under the drow's arm.
Liriel's chin lifted. "Might i remind you that i am a paying passenger? if you feel the need to assign me a role, you may consider me ship's wizard."
"Wizard!" ibn leaned over the rail and spat to demonstrate his contempt. "There's things that need doing, but magic ain't one of them. Harreldson's been cooking. Waste of a good sailor."
The drow's eyes widened with disbelief. This man expected her to take the part of a scullery servant? "in my family's household only slaves prepare food," she said coldly. "Male slaves, at that. What you suggest is absurd."
ibn folded his arms. "Not so, if you plan to eat. I have command during the night hours. On my watch you'll help with the provisions or you'll go without."
Liriel gritted her teeth as she held the man's implacable gaze, and she entertained herself with fantasies involving traditional draw methods of retaliation. Artistic dismemberment was a favorite indulgence. Slow-working poisons added a piquant ambiance. Giant scorpions played a significant role. The gist of her musings must have shown on her face, for when she suddenly whirled and seized a harpoon from the weapon rack, ibn backpedaled fast and dove for cover behind a barrel of salted fish.
Nor was he the only one to think ill of her intentions. A strong hand seized the drow's wrist and spun her about. "What are you thinking, little raven?" demanded Fyodor. Liriellet out a hiss of exasperation and jerked her hand free. "i'm thinking offishing! According to that idiot behind the barrel, i'm expected to help with provisions. I assume it's either that or cook!"
"Ah." A glint of humor appeared in the young warriors eyes, and he turned to ibn's hiding place. "i have traveled with her for many days, my friend. In this you may trust me: it would be the wiser course to let her gather the food." The sailor picked himself up, all the while glaring with undisguised hatred at the drow. Liriel blew him a kiss and then strode to the rail, harpoon in hand. She kicked offher boots and quickly peeled off her clothes, for they would only hamper her in the water. All she needed was the Windwalker, her amulet of Lloth, and a few of the daggers and knives strategically bound with thin leather straps to her forearms and calves.
From the corner of her eye, Liriel saw Fyodors frown and the warning glance he sent toward the other men on board. Hrolf had forbidden the men to touch her; Fyodor's grim stare commanded them to avert their eyes.
The drow's exasperation increased fourfold. She had yet to accustom herself to human notions of modesty. Drow had a keen appreciation for beauty-including that of the body-and had few taboos about nudity. The main reason they wore clothing at all was because it offered protection from attack and hiding places for weapons!
ignoring her too-fastidious friend, Liriel climbed the railing. She tossed the harpoon into the water and dove in cleanly after it.
The icy shock stopped her heart. One beat lost, then the rhythm picked up again, thundering in Liriel's ears as she struggled to move her benumbed limbs. The drow was accustomed to the waters of the Underdark, which came from melting ice in lands far above her homeland, but this was cold. She knew she could not remain in these waters for long. Getting down to business, she broke the surface, grabbed the floating harpoon and a lungful of air, and dove deep.
Starlight filtered through the water, turning the sea into a silvery, dreamlike world. It was beautiful, but Liriel knew better than to linger. In moments the drow marked her prey, a large fish favored by the pirates for the pink flesh that tasted equally good raw, cooked, or smoked. She lifted the harpoon to her shoulder and hurled. The barbed weapon flashed through the water, trailing a length of thin rope behind it and taking the fish through the gills.