What she had told Lysander hadn’t been false promises; at least, not the way she saw it. She’d told him that he didn’t need to worry about her. (She couldn’t help that he felt otherwise.) She had also been careful to promise that she’d not take any unnecessary risks. While revealing her true identity sooner than intended wasn’t exactly ideal, she had felt it was necessary for the sake of the lad. It wasn’t completely selfless either. She knew that the men had seen it… that it was bound to make at least some of them sympathetic. Some of them were fathers and did not gladly stand by to see the lad being bullied or worse. They had not been in a position to stop the captain. Most of the common seamen weren’t allowed weapons, and this was their only way to get enough coin to feed their own little ones. She hoped that they would see this and see that, if nothing else, she would be a better leader than what they had already.

Of course, she didn’t have time to dwell on it now. Her speech had been given and men were now chasing after her. Oh, it was divine! The feel of the wind on her face! Her heart was hammering in her chest as she jumped and climbed through the rigging, making it appear effortless. One of the men was not so able-bodied as he thought himself because he stopped on one of the platforms, panting and shaking his head. It wasn’t worth it.

Lysander met her gaze, tossing up her rapier, but she didn’t quite catch it, and it clattered to the boards of the foretop, which she was now well above. Well, she could fix that. She grabbed a loose line, grinning down at one of the blokes who was between her and where she wanted to be. Then, she swung forward, letting her momentum take her feet first into the unfortunate man, who only realized at the last possible instant what she planned to do. It wasn’t enough time to get out of her way, and he went toppling down to the deck. She took a moment to glance down to see whether he survived the fall as she bent to retrieve her rapier and was glad to see him sitting up with a loud groan.

There was a thud of feet behind her, and she whirled around just in time to avoid the club swung at her head. Eyes were wide at this close call, but she thrust her sword arm forward, catching him clean through the side. She pulled her arm back, a whisper of apology as he stumbled back; looking shocked. He fell, too, but it was into the water. Phil was glad to see there were men down there already who were well enough to help him back up and onto the dock. She was pretty sure he could make it if they got him to a healer.

She was panting and trying to get a hold on her emotions again when she heard the cheer, and she could see the men who had stayed out of the fray closing in around the captain where he now stood in disgrace. It seemed pretty safe to come down. So she climbed down part way before jumping the remaining few feet. “Get ‘im down in the Hold. We’ll be having a little talk before long, him and me.” It was Toby and Ned, who each seized one of the man’s arms and began to haul him away.

The rest were all regarding her with equal parts wariness and curiosity. Some wore smirks. Others looked like they’d been eating lemons. Still others were looking on with varying degrees of admiration.

“So, what’re ye expectin’ now? Y’can’t just think we’re goin’ to all follow of some lil’ runt of a girl...” Growled out one rough looking cove.

Phil gave a shrug of her shoulders. “If ye don’t want to follow me, leave. Pretty simple, Mate. But those of ye who want a front row seat to see Duke Taenar get what he’s long deserved are welcome to stay aboard to help in manning the good ship Revenge. I’ll expect ye to do yer jobs, but I think I have shown that I already hold ye in higher regard than the now indisposed Captain Bliffel.” She turned in a slow circle, making sure to meet the eye of each and every man and lad aboard the ship. “What’ll happen after that only time will tell, but those who prove themselves loyal and able-bodied may yet find work on this barky.”

There would be some who would, indeed, leave. They couldn’t resign themselves to being bossed about by a slip of a girl who wasn’t even out of her teens. Still, there was a significant number who chose to stay. They seemed to think that, if nothing else, it would be an interesting thing to witness, and if she succeeded…

Well, their loved ones might finally get justice.

She would have them all line up and introduce themselves and their positions, checking it against the Captain’s Logs. Then, she’d set them to work cleaning the deck and going about the usual tasks. Oh, but it felt good to be in command. With that done, she caught sight of Lysander and just couldn’t help herself. She ran at him, leaping up to hug him; arms going about his neck. “We did it! I’ve a ship and a crew! Can ye believe it?!” A flurry of kisses were pressed all over his face before she was letting him go, wanting very much to go and explore every nook and cranny, but she would stop as she saw Villek.

The smile she flashed him was more reserved, but she would take one of his hands in both of hers. “Thank you. From the bottom of my heart. I think ‘lyse would be proud.”

Of course there were ulterior motives to Villek not releasing more whirling blades of death, partly due to not knowing who else would act beyond the two he'd slain who he'd known to be the Duke's men, like him in ways but sorely lacking the skill and the foresight to see death from whence it came. The other more obvious reason perhaps was not wanting to reveal just how many knives he had secured upon his person nor to leave his hands empty of a means to defend himself.

Though his eyes remained on the humiliated soon to be former Captain of the Revenge, his other senses were turned to the brief skirmish occuring behind and around him, Lysander for how little he knew the man had nonetheless displayed the quiet confidence of a man that knew how to carry the fight to those that became obstacles in his path, so a few sharp cries of the wounded in some cases followed by startled cries and splashes told the story well enough to his ears that the ship had become theirs. Any doubts that might have remained of this quickly extinguished when Phillipa made her speech, partway through Villek had decided to sweep the Captain's legs out from under him, as if to say the floor or rather decking was where he best belonged.

With Phillipa finally making it down from her lofty perch with crew members as he had subtlely given word of earlier indeed choosing a path, his words a prophecy come true or merely an obvious outcome with the knowledge of what was to come with the arrival of his newfound allies having quickly changed the remaining pieces on the board, several pawns slain, another castled to become Rook now in opposition to the black King that remained several moves away from checkmate, this analogy coming to Villek's mind for he was certain they could attain victory but he sorely hoped it was not at the expense of more innocents.

Annalyse having veiled herself in silence until Philippa's hand was laid upon him, Villek having gathered and resheathed his daggers made his way to stand forwards of the helm or aft if you were of a nautical mind with the Captain having been dragged below, now proved truth to her sister's words as warmth blossomed within his chest again, a deep sigh and Villek's eyes closed as he reached into himself and whispered. "I know, she told me.." A serene smile in place as Annalyse was now there his companion that kept his mood from dipping as it often did when his 'gift' required him to kill.

Extracting his fingers from Phillipa's grip he reached up to touch her cheek briefly only to turn and step away for even with Annalyse's spirit somehow having answered the summons of a heart that had only ever loved her he needed the sanctuary of his own small cabin to release the remorseful feelings that nonetheless threatened to tear away his outwardly calm visage. "I will avail myself of you should you need, but I'll excuse myself for now...Captain.." Adding that last, wondering if he were the first to address her so, but wanting it to be a sign of his approval before he retreated.

Reaching his cabin the small door creaking opening and then shutting with a slam which it should not have but then even Villek could do nothing about the burly form that stood behind it, a triple barreled musket aimed at Villek's chest could even outdo his speed of hand, ensuring he could do nothing but sitting himself on his bunk when the wrist of the hand that held it flicked it in that direction. "Fennick, been a long while since Ive had the pleasure.." Villek's greeting, the man facing him wearing a perpetual sneer was truly a poisonous individual that would and had killed any for a price just gave an imperceptible shrug of his shoulders and with a casual flick of his other hand flung a dart towards Villek, its tip laden with a sleep inducing narcotic. "Sleep, I do insist Villek, you'll need your energy to give me the answers I seek.." and Villek managed little more then a baleful gaze before his eyes dulled over and he tumbled from where he sat towards the floor, Fennick himself just wedged the door shut and tucked himself down to sleep too, secure in the knowledge that Villek couldn't awaken yet.

Lysander stood on the deck of the ship with his eyes closed and just listened to the sound of the water slapping against the hull. He understood now why his father had liked it so much on his ship. Oddly enough he'd gotten it almost the same way that Philippa had gotten her's. It was night and very few were up. Just a couple men on guard duty to make sure that no one got on while the rest slept.

The Eldest Kirk had always had issues sleeping and the closer they got to starting this damned mission the worse they became. Only now he didn't feel safe enough to even leave the ship and do his exercises like he used to. So, he'd taken to meditating on the afterdeck, and while he was there the guards knew not to bother him.

It'd been a busy few weeks, getting supplies together and trying to figure out the plan. He still wasn't happy that Pippa had wanted to use herself as bait. The duke had spent years searching for her there was no way that he wouldn't realize who she was the instant she showed her face. As far as Deanna went he wasn't sure that they could trust her. Not because he knew she wasn't human, hell he wasn't human either, it was just that he didn't know her.

If Pippa stopped to think about it she didn't know her that well either. For someone who had spent much of her life guarding herself and not trusting anyone she'd taken to three people fairly quickly. Himself, Villek, and Deanna. Maybe it was his fault, he'd been the one that made her trust him and maybe that had given her the false impression that everyone could be trusted?

Either way it was his job to ensure that she stayed safe and that was what he was going to do. He opened his eyes and looked out on the blackness of water behind them. It almost looked like they were being chased by something they didn't know about. Only they weren't moving so it wasn't like their follower had a chore. Worse chase ever.

He stood up and still looking out into the black. "Let something come." He whispered to himself, "I'll be ready for it." With that he turned and went below deck. Pippa had been sleeping when he left, but she tended to wake up when he got out of bed. They needed to be moving. The longer they stayed in dock, the longer the duke was going to wonder what was keeping his ship and he may send more men. Or worse when they show up he may be ready to destroy them on sight.

As silently as possible, Lysander opened the door to the captain's quarters. They hadn't discussed him sleeping there with her, it just seemed natural that he did. So, while he wasn't Captain of the ship (for which he was very grateful) he still had access to the room. He looked over to the bed in the semi-darkness to see if Philippa was still asleep.