After they had left Jodyne shook her head and permitted herself a slight laugh. “He’s going to be struggling with that one for a while,” she admitted. “You be careful what you get yourself into, girl.”
Bekka looked up at her and smiled. “Thanks, I’ll try.”
Jodyne stared at her, realization dawning on the dwarven cook. “You was serious, wasn’t you? You wasn’t just putting wind in Rosh’s sail?”
Bekka nodded. “Why would I do that? I think it might be fun to try.”
Jodyne looked upwards towards the ceiling, and the stars beyond. “What have I let them talk me into?” She muttered, then grabbed up Rosh’s plate and turned to take care of it.
* * * *
They docked at Port Freedom without any problems. They had only seen one Federation patrol the entire trip, and it had been far enough away that it did not bother following them and forcing them to allow an inspection. Once outside of controlled space they were all a little more anxious, since there was nothing stopping an enterprising captain from mounting some weapons and picking off the unarmed merchant ships. Fortunately, their journey was unmarked by any such incidents.
At Port Freedom, nearly a full week shy of their deadline, Ormitor handed over the promised wages. Dexter thanked him for it and wondered about the possibility of the further business the wizard had hinted at. Ormitor nodded and said he would send someone by later that day with the details.
Grumbling at the necessity of it, the crew remained aboard the ship. Port Freedom had both a drydock and a wetdock, catering to virtually any ship that would span the stars to reach them. The city was also renowned for the diversity of not only its inhabitants, but also in its wares and offerings. They all wished to see the place to explore and discover what they could find, but Dexter held them to the ship with a harsh command. That and by not distributing the pay they had received. With little money they had little reason to go ashore.
Jenna, alone, seemed less than enthusiastic about debarking the ship. She even spent little time on deck staring at the city, which was a conglomeration of multiple architecture styles from different races and different worlds. It looked chaotic and impossible, yet it thrived in spite of the chaos.
Unable to find her, Dexter knocked lightly on the door to her room, convinced she could be nowhere else. She responded almost immediately, inquiring who it was.
“It’s Dexter,” he said, his voice carrying through the door.
Just as quickly as the first time she responded, “The door’s always open for you, Captain.”
Dexter found her in her room, working oil into the boiled studded leather cuirass she had acquired between jobs. She sat on her bed wearing only a pair of men’s breeches that had been cut and sewn off less than midway down her thigh. Dexter’s eyes widened as he took her in and he blushed anew.
“I’m sorry, I’ll let you put something on,” he stammered, turning away from her and pulling the door to shut it.
“Oh stop it, I’m not putting this on until I finish, now get in here and shut the door behind you before Rosh sees me.”
Dexter hesitated, then, cursing every God he could think of on such short notice, he stepped into her room and shut the door behind him.
“What can I do for you, Captain?” Jenna asked, paying no mind to her partial nudity.
Dexter was unable to do so, although he tried valiantly. “I, um, I wondered if you were okay.”
“Don’t I look okay?” she asked him.
“Well yes, very,” he let slip. Then he caught himself. “I mean, no, not really. Something’s been bothering you about this place, I want to know what.”
“What if I said it’s none of your business?” she asked.
Dexter looked everywhere but at her, trying to be a good Captain. He opened his mouth to continue when she interrupted.
“Look at me, Dexter,” she demanded. Dexter did so, grudgingly. He stared at her face and met her gaze.
“No, I meant look at me,” she said, gesturing down her with her eyes. “This is who I am, and if you humans weren’t so hung up, I’d dress like this or wear less more often. So look at me and get it out of your system, you’ll see me like this many more times.”
Dexter gave in and ogled her, staring at her athletic breasts that begged him to… He licked his lips subconsciously and shook his head in a vain attempt to clear it. He could not help but admire her form, which was very athletic and curved more than enough to remain feminine, yet in the manner of most elves she had a slight build and very little body fat.
Dexter realized he was about to take a step towards her and reigned himself in, reminding himself that he was supposed to look, but not touch.
“What’s wrong, Captain?” Jenna asked, feigning innocence again.
He chuckled. “You’re a beautiful woman, and perhaps even more dangerous without your blades than you are with them.”
Jenna smiled, her eyes twinkling at the compliment. “You’re not so tame or safe yourself, I think.”
“You going to get dressed so we can talk now?” Dexter asked her, content that he had passed her test.
“No, I like letting you see me like this,” she said, winking at him.
Dexter chuckled and shook his head. “Alright, suit yourself. Not so sure Rosh would handle that as well though, you might want to confine it to your quarters.”
“Or yours,” she said, licking her lips.
“Your quarters,” he stressed, his head still shaking.
She pouted then shrugged. “So what do you want to talk about?”
“About what’s bugging you about Port Freedom.”
“I said that’s my business,” she reiterated.
“If it runs any risk to my crew or my ship, it’s my business too,” he said firmly. “And since you’re part of my crew…”
Jenna looked at him strangely, then smiled. “Why Captain, I do believe you care…”
He scowled at her. “Spit it out.”
She took a deep breath, which made her breasts rise and fall in a very distracting manner, before speaking. “Port Freedom has a lot of elves. You might have noticed I’m an elf. I’m in Federation space because I didn’t always get along with my kind.”
“You wanted?” Dexter asked her.
She winked at him again. “Of course I am… don’t you want me?”
“That’s not what I meant!”.
“But you’re not denying it.”
Dexter threw his hands up in the air and turned towards the door. His gamble paid off.
“Sorry, Captain,” she admitted, although looking back at her and seeing her expression he suspected that she was anything but. “Yes, there were people looking for me a while back, but that was ten years or so.”
“Ten years is a long time, maybe they forgot?”
Jenna smiled, telling Dexter what she was going to say before she said it. “Elves have a long memory.”
“What did you do?”
“You’re a good man, Dexter,” she said, giving him a sincere smile. “You care about your crew and you take care of them – of us. Your only fault is that you won’t let your crew take care of you.”
“My…what?” Dexter asked, confused by her redirection.
She reached up with her hand, sliding it along her side and cupping one of her breasts in her hand. Dexter noticed her skin glistened with the oil that was on her hand, and watched with keen interest as she gently caressed her breast between her oily fingers. He raised his gaze to her face and saw the twinkle in her eyes, then her tongue as it licked her lips suggestively.
“Like I said, your crew could help take care of you,” she repeated.
Dexter chuckled a little nervously. “You’re changing the topic on me.”
She shrugged, letting her hand drop away from herself and leaving a glistening breast behind. “Not really. I’m saying that you’re a good man, and I respect and admire you. Another reason why I’d not be welcome among elves probably!”
; She laughed, once again melting through Dexter’s defenses. He found himself fascinated with her oiled breast for a timeless moment before he forced himself to pay attention to her again. “Anyhow, because you are a good man I know you’ll understand when I tell you that I’m not ready to share my past with you quite yet.”
Dexter stared at her for a long moment, wondering if he was willing to concede it to her. Unlike his meeting with Ormitor and Jarnella, he did not feel manipulated by her overt sexual nature. No, with Jenna she was open and honest about it. She laid it on the table and let him know what was there, but she did not use it against him, she merely tried to convince him to have a taste.
“Alright, for now I can accept that,” he said. “I’ve got no plans to be heading for elf-space anytime soon anyhow.”
Dexter turned to leave, then glanced back at her, wondering when he’d have the chance to see her like that again. “Be sure to be wearing clothes about the deck, with Rosh about I’m afraid…”
Jenna smiled. “Always caring… yes Captain. But you must know I can take Rosh in a fight.”
Dexter chuckled. “I do know that, I’m afraid for him!”
She looked at him and then joined him in laughing; her musical voice adding to his in a way that sent shivers down his spine. He turned and left her quarters then, heading back to his quarters to go over some papers and to have a little private time to himself to think things through.
He had scarcely settled down when a soft knock came at his door. He rose from the table he was sitting at and opened the door, surprised at who was on the other side. It was Jarnella.
“What… did your master leave something behind?” He asked, stammering for words with the beautiful woman only inches away from him. She was dressed in something similar to what she had worn that first day he had met her, a fashionably revealing dress that cost enough gold to pay his crew a week’s worth of wages.
“My Master,” she said, saying the word ‘Master’ with a subtle difference that Dexter heard but did not understand, “sent me to negotiate delivery of some merchandise back to Grafton.”
“Oh, well, um, come in,” Dexter said, stepping away from the doorway and bidding her to enter.
Jarnella stepped in and pushed the door shut behind her, surprising him a little. She moved with a grace and sensuality that left him throbbing and needy, especially after his encounter with Jenna. He took a seat quickly at his small table, offering her the other chair. Instead she sat on the edge of the bed, her skirts parting to reveal a glimpse up a beautiful long leg.
“So what is this merchandise?” Dexter asked, desperate to keep things quick and professional for once.
“It is a magical devise, perfectly legal. It must remain in its container at all times, and only the man to whom it is delivered must open it,” she explained without preamble.
Dexter’s eyes dipped into the cleavage on display and he wondered how much larger her breasts were than Jenna’s. He nodded, snapping himself out of it, and was both happy and disappointed at the efficiency of the conversation. “I’ve got no problem with that,” he said. “What are the terms of passage?”
“It is waiting on the dock to be loaded. If you accept it will be loaded and must be there within three weeks, but we already know you can make the trip.” Jarnella’s legs shifted slightly, spreading to allow her more stability on the edge of the bed. Her skirts slid between her legs more, allowing Dexter to glimpse the creamy skin of inside of her upper thigh.
Dexter nodded. He had been surprised at the good time they had made, and wondered if it indicated a change in luck for him and the Voidhawk, or if perhaps it only meant his next voyage would be that much worse because of it. “And the pay?”
“Deliver it and collect the payment from the buyer, return it to my Master and you will receive it,” she said, leaning forward. That only allowed an enhance view of the valley that disappeared between the concealed flesh of her bosoms.
“I meant how much,” he asked, his annoyance fleeting in light of her beauty. He was on guard this time though, unwilling to let her manipulate him quite as easily as she had the first time. Of course the first time he had still come out okay on the deal; it was a matter of principle to him.
“What do you want?” she asked in a voice that dripped seduction. Dexter was not sure how, but she had leaned forward more and her legs had spread some more as well, so that the panel of cloth that served as the front portion of her skirt had dropped between both legs and only covered her loins.
He blinked and the ties on her bodice loosened. They remained tied, but he was certain they had loosened and her breasts seemed on the verge of spilling out. He caught himself hoping she might sneeze and dislodge them for him.
“I want,” Dexter caught himself, knowing how good she was at this. He wondered if she was not a servant of Ormitor so much as an apprentice. She certainly was good at bewitching him! “I want to pay my crew. There and back will cost 1000 gold. I’m not keen on becoming your master’s personal shipper either, so we’ll be on our way after this is over.”
“Only a thousand?” Jarnella asked, frowning slightly. “You could have had more.” She straightened back up a little, disappointing Dexter. He was further disappointed by her words.
He brightened, considerably, when he noticed that the bodice on her dress, unmistakably, had loosened again. It remained tied, impossibly, but now the strings were tied at the fourth loop from the top, instead of the top one. The edges of it peeled away, giving her more room to breathe, among other things.
“I’d be happy to renegotiate,” Dexter offered weakly.
“Nothing is agreed upon, what else might you desire?” she asked, smiling and leaning forward eagerly again. Dexter made the mistake of looking at her beautiful lips as they moved with her words, then glanced back at her dress and was astonished to see it had, yet again, re-laced itself without his knowledge. Now the top seven loops were empty, yet it remained tied in the eighth one.
“What else are you offering?” Dexter asked, having a feeling that he was on a very slippery slope.
“My Master bade me to offer you whatever it is you required, within reason,” Jarnella said.
“I see,” Dexter said, although in truth he wanted to see, and feel, much more. “How much negotiating room do I have?”
Jarnella lifted her hands from the bed and placed them on her exposed thighs, near her knees. She slid them up her legs, pushing the skirts further away as she did so. “Uh-uh, that’s cheating.”
Dexter was not sure he wanted to play the game anymore, it was getting awfully warm in his cabin, after all. “I’d not want to be called a cheater,” Dexter admitted, matching her smile. “But you be the one wanting to contract my services, what are you willing to pay?”
Jarnella smiled and Dexter realized that her bodice was no longer tied. The dress kept her breasts trapped within it, but they bobbed free of it within and Dexter could have sworn he could see hints of the rosy colored flesh crowing them. “You’ve felt what my toes can do; imagine what the rest of me is capable of.”
To prove her point she used the fingers of both hands to scrape lightly up and down her legs. Dexter’s eyes widened and he swallowed loudly. “I am mighty curious,” he admitted somewhat nervously, “but that’s hardly a deal I can’t strike with myself, if you know what I mean.”
She smiled and before Dexter knew it, she slid off the edge of the bed and was on her knees and moving seductively towards him. She sucked on her finger and then pulled it out and dragged it down her chin and neck, then across her chest until she slid it beneath her dress to tease both herself and Dexter. Dexter’s breathing came faster. Her hands were on Dexter’s knees then, gently parting them so she could move between them undisturbed. Dexter looked down at her, eyes wide and his nostrils flaring with excited breath.
Someone knocked at his door, the harsh sound intruding upon the atmosphere of the room. Dexter looked up sharply, snapping out of the lust induced spell she
had weaved. When he looked back at her he saw she was missing. Looking up he saw her back on the bed, her bodice once again tightly laced and everything perfectly in place about her. He gaped at her, not understanding.
“Is a thousand gold enough for the journey, Captain?” she asked loudly enough for whoever was outside his cabin to hear him.
Dexter shook his head and cleared his throat. Grasping for straws he said, “Twelve hundred and it’s a deal.”
She nodded, smiling and winking at him. “A deal is struck, I shall have it loaded and you can be on your way. The cargo must be delivered to the governor of Grafton, Sir Drayful the Wise.”
She rose up and opened the door, revealing Bekka, Jenna, and Rosh standing outside in the hallway. Dexter followed her out into the hallway and watched as she walked a few paces to the circular staircase.
Jarnella stopped, her foot on the first step, and said, “Oh, Captain, please give Sir Drayful this when he gives you payment for the cargo.” She slid her hand in the slit in her skirts, making it disappear somewhere on her upper thigh. Her hand reappeared a moment later holding an ornate key with a ribbon tied around it. She tossed it through the air to him, which he caught with no difficulties. By the time he had it in hand her skirts were vanishing from their view at the top of the stairs.
“Where did she keep that?” Rosh asked, eyes wide and excited.
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