Blood Moon - Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Golden Sails, Red Waves

"How long are you going to look at yourself in the mirror?" Ren asked.

Seraphita ignored him.

"Do you think I should cut my hair short?" she asked after a minute or so, running her hands through her long blue hair. "Or perhaps a ponytail..."

"I think you should come to bed."

She pursed her lips, one hand fisting her hair at the base of her skull in a makeshift ponytail as she briefly appraised herself in the mirror. When she was satisfied, her eyes shifted towards him, sly and knowing. "I am not sleepy."

"I will make you sleepy," he said, a wicked look on his face.

Of that she had no doubt. Her lips curved into a seductive smile and she stood up from the little chair she was seated upon, her nightgown revealing a tantalizing amount of leg. The floor of their cabin was freshly swept and mopped, and she glided across it, crawling into bed next to him.

"You've been in high spirits today," she said, snuggling up to him and resting her head on his chest. "Did you meet another woman while we were in Gadgetzan? Maybe promised her you'd return after your latest conquest?"

Ren laughed, a short, throaty rumble. "No, I'm afraid you're stuck with me."

Seraphita sighed dramatically. "Too bad."

They gazed at each other for a moment, speaking with their eyes, and then her lips were on his snout, his long tongue violating her throat. He kissed like he fucked, taking her as he liked with all the passion that she had come to expect from him, and when they parted she was panting for breath.

"And what about you, Sera? Aren't you scared of returning home?" he asked, his breath hot on her forehead.

She licked her lips, retrieved her wits from where she had left them. "Yes. Of course I am, but I don't have much of a choice, do I? Besides, I've got you with me and I think we make a pretty good team. Practically speaking, I mean."

"Practically speaking," he affirmed, squeezing her close. "That warlock didn't stand much of a chance, did he?"

Seraphita's mind flashed back to a few days prior in Tanaris, to the warlock Kaerys Soulgazer and what he had done. It wasn't a pleasant memory, but at the very least the man had provided them with vital information regarding the man who had framed her for murder.

"Not a chance," she nodded. "And physically speaking..." One of her hands traveled downwards, stroking at Ren's manhood through the fabric of his underwear, her eyes peeking at him through her lashes. "It doesn't get any better."

"I can think of a way to make it even better," he rumbled, fingers stroking over her belly and down to her pelvis, his desire to impregnate her blatant as ever.

Seraphita laughed, though to be honest, she was having doubts about the prospect of having children. Before she could voice her concerns, however, he was on top of her, his eyes scanning her body.

"You are unbelievably beautiful," he said, shaking his head as if he couldn't quite believe she was there, underneath him. "I would have loved to paint you, you know. At the oasis I mean." He paused, then added with a little grin, "Naked, of course."

Huh?

"Paint me?" Seraphita tilted her head quizzically and reached up to rub at his shoulders. "You paint?"

Ren looked at her with an eyebrow raised, feigning offense. "Yes, I paint... or at least, I used to. Haven't really done it since I became, well, this." He made a gesture with his hand and his head, obviously referring to his worgen form.

Feral, passionate Ren, a painter!

"Hm. What else don't I know about you?"

"Nothing you need to know, little girl," he growled, licking at her neck and making her whimper. "But I would like to paint you."

"Okay," she said, her voice soft and quiet. "If you can find the proper tools, I'll let you paint me."

"Promise?"

She nodded. "But I don't see where you're going to find tools to paint on this ship, we are in the middle of the ocean after all."

His lips quirked in a smile, and then he was off of her, reaching under the bed and procuring an easel and canvas.

Seraphita made a throaty noise of disbelief. "You scoundrel!" She laughed and sat up, trying and failing to pretend to be annoyed. "You've been planning this."

"No backing out of a promise, now."

"I know, I know." Seraphita paused and looked about the bed. "How should I...?"

"Just lie down like normal. You can even read while I paint, if you'd like." He scratched at his chin for a moment, considering. "I have an idea..."

At his request, Seraphita removed her nightgown and pulled on a pair of mesh thigh-high stockings with floral bands around each thigh, leaving her naked albeit for the thin material around her legs and the Quel'Thalas emblem necklace about her throat. She laid down upon the bed, and as Ren worked, she took to reading from a little book of Sin'dorei poetry while he admired and painted her. He had shifted into his human form so as to better wield his paintbrush and, for once, was concentrating on her body in a way that went beyond his desire to rut her. And as great as sex with him was, this simple relaxing moment was wonderful in its own way. It was pleasant, tender, and nourished their bond in a unique manner that sex could not, like a silent conversation during which they basked in the other's presence.

Time passed quickly, and despite being out of practice, and starting over at some point, Ren finished his painting in a little under an hour's time. When he showed it to her, she beamed.

"That's amazing, really. I had no idea you had such talent."

It captured her likeness near perfectly in that artistic mingling of colors and brush strokes, stylistic, yet very much Seraphita.

"Almost as beautiful as the real thing, right?"

She crawled towards the edge of the bed and sat down upon it, her legs dangling over the side. "I would be happy being only half as beautiful as this," she marveled.

He laid his hand upon her thigh. "Don't sell yourself short trying to compliment me."

"I'm serious!" She pointed to the painting. "Look, her tits are even bigger than mine."

"What?" Ren looked towards where she was pointing and then back at her. "They are not."

"Perhaps you should measure them with your hands rather than your eyes," she said, arching her back and pushing them out.

He laughed, rich and carefree.

"You are a horny little elf aren't you?"

"You can blame yourself for that."

Ren shrugged, unable to deny her accusation, and then his expression hardened, his eyes drinking her in.

"On your hands and knees, Sera."

She licked her lips, meeting his gaze for a moment before complying, legs spread and looking over her shoulder as he transformed back into a worgen.

"Even in my human form I could smell your arousal, Sera. How long have you been wanting this?"

Seraphita bit her lip, appearing both shy and naughty at the same time. "Since you told me to get in bed. And then when you painted me..."

"That turned you on?" He licked at the back of her thigh and she gasped, a sizzling tingle shooting up her spine.

"Yes." She sighed her confession, feeling every erogenous area of her body ache with need.

This made his cock twitch. "No wonder you're so wet," he said. His snout was mere inches from her, his breath hot on her sex, making her shiver with longing without even touching her. And then he was there, the flat of his long tongue tasting at her wetness, spreading her folds and exploring every nook, every crevice. She moaned, squirmed back against him, and he grabbed at her hips and ass, holding her firmly in place while he devoured her pussy. Long laps of the tongue parted her lips and brushed her clit with each pass over her cunt, and she soon found it impossible to contain her groans. Ren ate her like he couldn't get enough, driving her to the edge but then retreating and allowing her to tumble back down.

Through the heightened senses of his worgen form he could immediately tell that she tasted different, smelled different, and he suspected that she was at her most fertile - a very, very rare occasion for an elf. His manhood roared to life, his desire to impregnate her higher than it had ever been. Ren was going to claim Seraphita's womb, to give her a child, to make her a mother and he a father. This wasn't just something he wanted, but something he needed.

His tongue left her. The bed shifted. One of his hands squeezed at the plump flesh of her ass, jiggling it slightly, and then his cock notched at her entrance, pushing into her welcoming womanhood. His pointed tip penetrated her like an arrow, spreading her folds wide and stretching her thoroughly, for his girth was more than a match for the delicate tightness of her pussy. He sank deep, balls-deep, and when he was there he grinded his hips against her while she did the same to him, her ass pressed flush against his body, his fur warm against her pale skin.

Seraphita bit her lip when he began to move again, pulling out, pushing forward, filling her so nicely. That throbbing ache inside of her raged like a storm, begging for release. She tossed her hair over her shoulder and glanced back at him, taking in his handsome form, the spirited glow in his eyes as he pumped her from behind.

"Ren?"

"Yes, Sera?"

"Today is... dangerous for me," she said, and he nodded understandingly, secretly excited over having been correct. "Don't cum inside, okay?"

Those were not the words Ren wanted to hear. "Are you sure about that? I think you'd look lovely with a little baby bump," he teased, but the pleading tone in his voice could not be hidden.

"I'm sorry. I just... need some time. There's so much going on right now."

Seraphita didn't sound entirely convinced herself, but he wasn't without tact and so didn't press the issue any further. As much as he yearned to breed her, it would be pointless if she didn't want it. "I won't, if that's what you want," he agreed with another nod and a reassuring squeeze of her hips.

She smiled, appreciating how easy it was to trust him. "Thanks. Now fuck me like you mean it."

Slow was good, great even. But if she asked for it rough? Well, he was more than happy to give it to her. Immediately, without any buildup, the pace of his thrusts accelerated. Fast and hard, Ren gave it to her and gave it to her good, humping away with deep strokes that had her pussy drooling, her ass wobbling, her breasts swaying and her mouth gasping for air. Long elven ears twitched, skin perspired, toes curled then straightened almost painfully. Seraphita's small body reveled in each and every sensation received as a result of the worgen's cock pummeling her pussy, and it wasn't long before the familiar tingle of an impending climax reared its pretty head. It built up and up with each delightful stroke, causing her moans to flow unabated, frequent and urgent.

Ren's hands hooked firmly around her, large enough to encompass a good portion of her hips and ass, and he held her in place while he abused her in the best way possible. Rough and dirty, drilling an orgasm out of her with long strokes that had her pussy quivering around his scarlet manhood, that pulse between her legs hitting its crescendo.

As she orgasmed, crying out in an ecstatic burst of sobs and gasps, he gifted her a few short thrusts and then stopped, rolling his hips against her and giving her thick behind a sharp slap. Seraphita was panting, her pussy rippling, dripping with her own juices and looking as beautiful a woman as ever existed. Leaning over, he licked up along her spine, making her shiver, and then turned his attention to her neck. She moaned in response to his warm kisses, and his hips began to move again, so slow and so tender. He savored the feeling of her wrapped snugly around him, at the contractions of her cunt trying to milk him, the taste of her neck, her demure open mouth panting for air.

His thrusts accelerated again and he sat up to gaze down at her, admiring the way her bubble butt jiggled as it collided with his hips, the way her little pussy pulled at the head of his member with every stroke. She moaned, and the meekness of her voice combined with the intense need in it made his blood run even hotter. His strokes became not only deep, but fierce, and she soon collapsed onto the bed, her face buried in her arms and her impressive ass raised, still bouncing against the worgen's groin while her pleasured whimpers serenaded his ears. He rode her hard, jostling the bed, his tongue dangling out of his mouth. It didn't take very long for Seraphita to cry out in that long, shaky way she was prone to doing as she climaxed on his dick again, body trembling and pussy spasming.

He stopped, his manhood hilted inside of her, his hands rubbing gently along her thighs, her behind, and then moving to stroke at her hair.

"Need a break, Sera?"

Seraphita surprised him by giggling.

"Light, no!" she huffed, and then rolled over onto her back.

With a grin, Ren settled in between her legs and covered her body with his own, his tongue joining hers in a kiss as he pushed back into her. His cock sheathed inside of her, tight and welcoming. He held himself there, his balls hugging her ass, and she groaned into his kiss, begging for more.

His strokes began anew, slower now, and between the aching tug between her legs and the tongue in her mouth, Seraphita struggled not to feel completely overwhelmed. Ren's fur was warm on her skin, his kisses deep and sensational, his thrusts so good her vision faltered. She resided within that flowery realm of pure bliss, created and maintained by this handsome beast of a man towering above her. He was sitting up now, admiring her form as he filled her over and over and over again, his keen eyes holding her in thrall. His cock shaped her, molded her around him, and the silky friction of their joining had both of their nerves teeming with an overabundance of pleasure.

"You feel amazing," Ren groaned, his voice a rumbling growl that made her clench up around him.

She could do nothing but smile.

As nice as the view of Seraphita's ass bouncing against his cock was, the view of her breasts wobbling and her face contorting into all forms of pleasure was just as good, if not better. She was so small, but she took him perfectly; every inch, every thrust, she reacted with an enchanting fluttering of her eyes, the arching of her back, a hand grasping at her neck where he had licked her, another hand tangling itself in her luscious blue hair. Ren fucked his little elf with her satisfaction in mind, calculating thrusts designed to make her lose control... until at last she did lose control, set off by the rubbing of his palm against her clit. Her golden eyes locked on his and grew wide, her mouth opening in a silent scream. Heat sluiced down through her body, coalescing and erupting within her slick furnace as another orgasm tore through her, mouth opening to cry his name.

Ren swallowed as he watched her, his cock buried to the hilt while her hungry pussy contracted and gushed. She looked beautiful, all flushed and laid out on the bed, sweat clinging to her body while her pretty cunt clung to his cock, and he continued to fuck himself into her until her muscles relaxed and her body went limp.

Pulling out, he bent to kiss her, his tongue sliding between her lips. It was a short kiss, and when he pulled away she was grinning even as she struggled to catch her breath.

"I want to ride you," she murmured, and it was his turn to grin.

He laid down, head propped up by pillows, eyes drinking in her lush elven figure as she straddled him. Seraphita was short and soft, a priestess with curves built for breeding, and as she lowered herself upon his jutting red tool he couldn't help but groan. She was sweet and magnificent but she was climbing onto his cock like she wouldn't survive without it. And somehow, someway, she found the means to sheathe her tiny pussy on the entirety of his member without him doing so much as lifting a finger. Worgen were not made for blood elves. It was too much, but even still, she wanted more.

And so did he.

Slowly, sensually, she began to move. Her hands splayed atop his chest for stability, his hair soft between her fingers, and then her hips were rocking and rolling. Gentle undulations that had her taking the majority of his member with each drag of her hips, every squeeze of her hungry cunt. She moaned sweetly, appearing remarkably cute for someone grinding her sex against a worgen's crotch, and from beneath her he couldn't help but huff an aroused breath of air.

"Just like that," he encouraged, reaching around with one hand and giving her ass a playful smack.

Seraphita whimpered and bit her lip, a little grin forming as she picked up the pace of her riding. The lackadaisical rolling of her pelvis turned into bouncing, and her quiet, almost shy breathing became less and less controlled as little moans drifted from her lips. She moved with a sort of fluid-like grace, those full, milky white breasts of hers jiggling ever so enticingly.

It took a tremendous amount of restraint for Ren not to take control, to grab her and pump her pussy as he saw fit, but he was more considerate than that. Seraphita wasn't on top very often, and on the whole she preferred to be writhing underneath him as he fucked her brains out, but every now and then she enjoyed the thrill of taking charge. The ability to take him at her own pace and watch as he writhed under her was an indulgence.

But Ren couldn't keep contained for much longer. Seraphita felt too good, and that basic elemental urge to knot her and claim her womb kept building and building with each bounce of her body and rocking of her hips.

"I'm going to cum soon, Sera," he groaned. "Get off me."

There was a wild look in his eyes that she recognized. A desperate yearning that he was putting aside for her sake. Because it wasn't just the desire for control that he was holding back, but that primal need to fill her with his seed. To breed her. And despite the recent worries she had been having in regards to her uncertain future, she couldn't help but respond to both his consideration for her, and her own instinctive drive. She wanted him, wanted to accept him, to take that leap of faith and feel their bond grow to even greater heights. An ache tugged and pulsed between her legs, but it mixed with a joyous fluttering within her stomach.

Her body fell, ass thumping against his thighs, and she leaned forward so that her breasts were pressing against his chest.

"You really want to cum inside me, don't you?" she breathed, voice quiet and husky.

"So much. More than anything," he said, sounding almost feral.

"Do it, then. Knot me. Give me every last drop of your seed. Right. Now."

Seraphita pressed her lips against his in a kiss that was loving, but almost pious, and then his hands were on her, squeezing at her ass, pushing against her slender back as he sat up so that their bodies were molded to one another. Ren gripped her hard, likely leaving claw marks on her butt, but their wasn't a single thought going through his mind other than fulfilling not only his wish, but hers as well. He was turned on beyond measure at the idea of cumming inside of her when she was most susceptible to his seed - when it would almost certainly lead to her becoming pregnant. Furthermore, she was practically begging for it.

His hips bucked into her, his muscles tensed, his balls ached, and she undulated against him, matching his jerky, pistoning movements. Her pussy contracted and that was it, no more waiting, no more holding it in.

Rumbling like thunder filled her ears, and she couldn't help but melt into him, the humming vibrations of his body against hers just the catalyst she needed to bring her to another, synchronous orgasm with her hairy hunk of a lover. She bit into his shoulder as his knot sank into her pussy, the red bulb expanding inside of her and stretching her even further, making her entire body tremble in delight as if it knew that finally, finally, after hundreds of years she would at last be a mother!

This thought made her pussy ripple around him, and he grunted, his grip on her ass tightening and his hips bucking up into her as if there was any more dick left for her to take; and while he continued to unload deep inside of her, Seraphita's womanhood spasmed, clenched and did everything in its power to draw out the cum from his balls. Shot after shot, Ren fired upon her womb with great spurts of creamy seed that would, on such a risky day of her cycle, undoubtedly fertilize her. She drew it all out of him, her tight cunt milking his cock while he released inside of her what felt like an endless torrent of his potent baby batter, legion after legion of his seed, until it trickled out of her plugged up pussy.

And when they were both spent, his balls emptied inside of her and her pussy no longer trembling in little paroxysms of pleasure, they remained as they were, holding each other while his seed went to work. It was a joy just to feel one another, so close, so intimate, and for a long time silence prevailed.

"I love you, Sera."

His voice pierced the brilliant afterglow of their coupling. Her heart fluttered, her hands squeezed at his back. Finally.

"I've been waiting for you to admit that," she said with a little smile.

"And?" He pulled back to look at her, to gaze into her golden eyes.

"Mmm. I don't know, I may have to give it some thought..."

"You're killing me."

Seraphita laughed, feeling a bit giddy. "I love you, too. For a million years. Forever."

"That's good, since you'll likely need to start thinking about baby names after this."

Her smile widened. "Maybe," she said, and then paused, thinking. "Human or elven?"

"Hm?"

"For names, human or elven?"

Ren scratched at the side of his head. "I don't really know elven names, other than yours."

"Well, I don't really know human names other than yours. I guess we'll have to put our heads together, maybe combine the two."

His tongue worked at her neck, making her moan, and then he was pushing her onto her back, his large body caging her in.

"For now, let's focus on making them, shall we?"

Seraphita swallowed and raked her teeth over her bottom lip.

"Okay."

---

The first two days upon the Silver Hare passed without incident. She would watch Ren paint various different things, or he would paint her. Sometimes posing, sometimes just lying upon the bed as she had done the first time he had painted her, reading and relaxing. Their sex life was, naturally, healthy as ever. More so even, given how much time they spent together. So when day three rolled around, Seraphita was in exceptionally high spirits.

Seraphita set her washcloth down and inspected herself in the mirror within the washroom of her and Ren's cabin.

Nothing fancy today, just some cold cream to moisturize... and some lipstick couldn't hurt.

Swiping on her signature blue lipstick as crisply and quickly as possible, she grinned at her reflection and posed for herself in the mirror before sashaying back into the main room of the cabin, thoughts about what to do now spinning around in her head. After waking up in the morning, Ren had left to do... something, she wasn't quite sure, and now here she was, alone in a little cabin out at sea with nothing but her books and clothes. She had purchased more books before departing from Gadgetzan, an excess of books even, but it was morning and she much preferred to read at night.

"Some fresh air would be nice," she mused aloud, her feet pacing in circles. "Then again, I should probably wait for Ren if I want to go out on deck."

If her previous experience upon a ship had taught her anything, its that she would receive way too much unwanted attention if she went upstairs without her furry lover as a chaperone.

I guess that means staying inside until he gets back.

She sighed and turned to rummage through her bag of books just as a knock upon the door had her long ears twitching. Room service? Was that a thing? Probably not on a ship like this. She stepped forward but, remembering she was clad in nothing but a nightgown and a thong, hurried to the washroom to retrieve her fluffy white bathrobe. Another knock. Cinching the robe tightly around the waist, she opened the door.

Three men greeted her. Human. They smelled of sweat, sea salt, and strong alcohol. Their appearance was no better, for they looked even worse than they smelled. But she figured that was to be expected from what she could only assume were deckhands. Life on the sea wasn't as glamorous as some people thought.

"Hello. Can I help you?" she asked, one hand grabbing at the collar of her robe and pulling it tight.

"Oh you can do a lot more than that, ma'am."

Seraphita shook her head in confusion, but before she could respond a fist to the gut had her tumbling into the arms of one of the men. His rancid scent, combined with the blow to her midsection, nearly had her vomiting all over him and the floor of her cabin.

The men rushed inside, pulling her with them, and shoved the door closed with an obvious urgency to get down to business. That business, she quickly learned - and probably could have guess if she was of proper mind - was her.

"Never had an elf before. Bet she's tight as a noose." The man holding her wasted no time stripping her of her bathrobe, then shoved her onto the bed.

Oh no.

"Not if she's been shagging Ren she ain't," a second man said.

Ren? She groaned, rubbing at both her stomach and her head. For some reason she felt so stifled, so fuzzy, as if something was inhibiting the faculties of her mind. A spell?

"Only one way to find out," the first replied.

"Normally I wouldn't be keen on having Ren's sloppy seconds, but I'll make an exception for this sexy thing," the third said.

A weight joined her on the bed. She backed away from it, but a man with a short wiry beard filled her vision and grabbed her by the legs. He spread them, pulled down her underwear and licked his lips.

"You boys ever seen a prettier little twat?" He grinned, pocketing her thong, and the men leering down at her from either side of the bed whistled.

"She's a pretty gal, that's for sure."

"Even the hair down between her legs is blue, though there ain't much of it," the third man commented.

The thug on top of her reached for her with a calloused hand, and she instinctively closed her legs; but his hand landed on her stomach, reaching under her nightgown and searching for the swell of her breasts. One of his fingers brushed over a nipple and she shivered; not the kind of shiver brought about by the pleasure of a lover's caress, but a shiver produced by the chill of a howling wind. The pain in her abdomen had subsided, but still her mind was foggy.

Must be a spell... she thought.

A counterspell. She could form that. She just needed to concentrate some, but with this stranger's rough hands on her that would be easier said than done. Seraphita closed her eyes, and a second later something splattered against her cheek. At first she ignored it, struggling to concentrate on remembering one of a number of counterspells she had learned over the years, but then a muffled shout caused her to peek an eye open.

Ren was there, bigger than life and certainly bigger than the three would-be rapists, a flurry of brown fur and lines of sharp teeth as he ripped them apart. The men hadn't stood a chance, and only one had managed to even draw a weapon. Little good it did him. The bearded thug that had felt her up received the worst of Ren's wrath, his face a barely recognizable scratch post, his back broken and his body twisted upon the wooden floor. Blood pooled, though she couldn't see it, and the bed was misted red.

"Are you all right?"

Seraphita blinked twice then looked at him. With its owner dead, the spell muddying her mind was fading, though she still wasn't quite herself yet. She gazed at him for a few seconds as if in a trance, then nodded.

Ren's shoulders sagged as he exhaled a sigh of relief. Picking up her bathrobe from where it had been thrown, he draped it over her like a blanket and then eyed her like an overprotective father examining his sick child.

"Sera?"

She smiled up at him, mind still fuzzy. The danger was gone, she was sure of that, and so she had no immediate drive to disperse the clouds fogging up her head. Ren, however, was not so relaxed.

He frowned and leaned down to have a closer look at her eyes, ignoring the lazy kiss she planted on his snout. "I see. One of them placed a spell on you so you wouldn't turn your magic against them." His eyes darted to one of the corpses in particular, his lip curling. "Rest, and do not be afraid. I will be back shortly, Sera." Seraphita giggled, amused in her current state over how his Gilnean accent sounded.

Ren glanced at the three bodies strewn about, as if distrusting their very obvious state of un-living, then opened the door and made his way out of the cabin. A minute - maybe even two - passed before he returned, true to his word. He carried with him a small brown satchel, utterly generic, its contents hidden. Then, he searched the bodies of the other men, procuring nothing but a small amount of coin and a piece of parchment. Setting these aside amongst his things, he looked at her for what was probably the sixth time since re-entering the room, obviously still concerned for her welfare, and then went into the washroom, coming out shortly thereafter with a set of clean hands.

"I will be reporting this to Captain Smotts soon, but I want to make sure you're of proper mind first," he said after sitting down next to her upon the bed. Then, "How are you feeling?"

Seraphita shrugged. "Abnormal." Added, "Recovering. A little annoyed over letting my guard down enough for a spell like this to be cast on me."

"Do you think you could get dressed by the time I get back? The captain will want to see this."

Her eyes focused on his as if searching for something, but then she nodded. "I suppose I can remember how to dress myself in the time that you're gone." She gave him a faint smile, one which he returned.

"Great." He squeezed her hand and then left, promising to return in no more than ten minutes.

During that time, Seraphita indeed remembered how to dress herself, though her corset admittedly gave her more trouble than it was worth, so she resolved to wear something more mundane. She dressed in the washroom, not wanting to look at or be near the broken bodies and gore within the main room of the cabin. Once she was dressed, she splashed some water on her face and closed her eyes, remembering, feeling for, and then casting a counterspell to negate whatever exactly had been afflicted upon her.

When Ren returned, Captain Smotts and two other crewmates in tow, she was still in the washroom. He called out to her, the panic in his voice obvious, and she stepped out to greet them wearing a simple outfit of white trousers and a red collared shirt, both made in Silvermoon. It wasn't much compared to her usual, but she wasn't in the mood for looking like her normal gorgeous self. Beautiful would have to suffice.

"Greetings, my lady." Despite the Silver Hare being a goblin vessel, Captain Smotts was, surprisingly, human. He wore a little hat that he removed and brought to his chest. "My apologies for" - He waved the hat towards the corpses still strewn about the floor - "this."

"Don't be. It's not your fault." Or at least, it probably isn't.

"Even so, it's my responsibility as captain of this ship, and it shames me deeply for such a thing to happen to a fine woman such as yourself. My men will clean this up as soon as possible. Naturally, the money for your boarding passes will be refunded."

"That's very kind of you, Captain Smotts."

The sailors were efficient workers if nothing else; as soon as the captain left they got to work, removing the bodies and scrubbing and sweeping the floor all over again. While they did this, Seraphita excused herself, stating that her feminine disposition simply could not tolerate such a scene of violence any longer. This was not entirely untrue, and she did desire some fresh air, but in truth she wanted some time to herself. Just some space to think.

The ship was, as expected, crowded with deckhands and fellow passengers. Nevertheless, she was let alone long enough to retrace the events of the day. Her assault was concerning, and she vowed to never let her guard down like that again, but what most interested her was the fact that those men had not only targeted her specifically, but they had also known who Ren was. It occurred to her that, although he was kind and caring towards her, the record of his past may not have been quite so spotless. After all, he was a sellsword. Had they been enemies of his? Friends? Partners? She did not enjoy harboring doubts about him, and so resolved to confront him about it.

The fresh air was nice though, and she had a pleasant little circle of solitude atop the deck that served as a nice distraction from the morning's events. It wasn't until the sun was directly overhead and a group of men were making their way towards her that she finally decided to return to the cabin. Ren was absent, though he left a note on the mirror near their bed stating that he was inspecting the cabins of the men that had attacked her and would return shortly.

Shortly was an understatement, for he barged through the door only a handful of minutes later. He was carrying a little brown bag, and when he saw her he stopped and exhaled.

"There you are, I've been worried about you."

"I'm fine," she said, fixing him with a serious look that he was unaccustomed to.

"What is it?"

Better to get it out of the way now.

"Those men. Why did they know your name?"

He froze.

"What?"

"They mentioned you. Twice." The caustic edge in her voice was clear as day. She wanted him to explain that they had bumped into each other on the ship, maybe had a few beers together, but he just shook his head.

"I really think it's better if you don't know. For now, I mean."

She folded her arms. "How convenient."

"It's just," his mouth hung open for a moment, "complicated. Really complicated."

"Too complicated to tell the woman you've been trying to knock up?"

Ren cursed, not at her, but at the situation. "Look, Sera, I'll tell you everything eventually," he said, voice pleading. "Just... not now."

"Okay." Containing her rage, Seraphita nodded, rummaged through one of her bags, and pulled out a small vial of an elixir, pink as the pinkest peonies. "Fine. But until I'm worth telling, I'll be taking this." She downed the vial's contents and tossed it back into her bag.

"Is that necessary?"

"Completely," she snapped. "I'm not going to have your little puppies if you can't even be honest with me."

Ren sighed, agitated but unable to argue. "I suppose that's fair." His eyes narrowed then in a way that seemed more wolf than man. "But when I do tell you, there won't be enough potions on Azeroth to prevent me from impregnating you."

A kaleidoscope of butterflies took flight in her stomach, but her anger put them back in their cage. Disregarding him and the ache between her legs, she did her best to bury her face in a book for the rest of the night, ignoring Ren and his persistent attempts to broach conversation.

---

The fourth day out at sea started and ended horribly, tainted by the happenings of the day prior. Her rage, while not depleted, had cooled, leaving her with a knot of unease in her stomach that was perhaps even worse than the anger she had felt before. It was vague, like a malady of the bloodstream eating her inside-out.

Her and Ren had spoken little, and, outside of sharing the same bed, had not shared any physical contact. Not for lack of trying on his part, however, but she would not let him wiggle his way out of this one with kisses and sex. She did not want a relationship filled with secrets. He deserved her anger, and that's exactly what he was going to get.

There was no denying the hurt it caused her though; his dodging of her questions, the constant turmoil of emotions inside of her. Why wouldn't he just tell her?

Seraphita sighed and looked up towards Ren only to find him looking right at her. Feeling a little awkward, the two of them quickly averted their eyes. What are we, school children? Seeking something to do, she fiddled with her bag, making sure that all of her belongings were accounted for. Tomorrow they would be making landfall, and she wanted to start out on a good foot.

Fumbling through clothes, provisions and money, her fingers grasped at the empty vial she had consumed the day prior. If its thin design and beaded chain stopper wasn't indication enough, the elven symbol for "clarity" left no doubt as to what it was: a simple clarity potion designed for mana recovery. Should she feel guilty for deceiving Ren? Part of her did feel guilty about tricking him just to demonstrate a point, but surely he deserved it?

Tomorrow we'll be in Silvermoon, she thought, chewing nervously on a strand of blue hair. What are the two of us going to do then?

---

Seraphita awoke to an empty room and a note stuck into the mirror. Anger flared within her just by looking at it, and she grabbed it between furious fingers, holding it up to the light to examine it.

Taking care of some unfinished business.
Dangerous - Don't want you to get hurt.
Just trying to help.
I'm an idiot, but I love you.

Seraphita closed her eyes and inhaled as much air as she could fit into her lungs. Exhaled. Did it again.

What was this moron's problem? He hides things from her, confuses her, makes her angrier than a pissed off fire mage, and now he's trying to be what, noble? To help her without even telling her how? Or who he is exactly?

With an angry calm that belied her inner temperament, she folded the note, tucked it into her bags, and got dressed. She was mad again, and to be honest, that was better than feeling sorry for herself, or harboring some black pit in her stomach that fed off of her worried tendencies. It was a start.

Hoisting her bags, she stepped out of her cabin and stomped her way off of the boat. Where Ren had wandered off to she had no idea. How she would make contact with him again she had no idea; but the only option for her was to push forward. And, in some strange way, that in and of itself was liberating. Even if things were uncertain, she was making progress, and she had no doubt that she would eventually see Ren again.

She was back home, and hopefully not for her own execution.

To Be Continued?

---