Jeffery
*He was caught slightly off guard with her excited attitude as she emerged from the lower deck. Eyeing her for a second, unable to stop the small smile that tugged at his lips. Nodding in response to her question, he walked over near the mast. Making a quick trip to remove the anchor from the sea below. Stepping back towards the mast with eyes scanning the environment around him, feeling the wind before grabbing one of the ropes and unwinding it from the tied position, before pulling downwards with strong and consistent tugs.* 

*Above them the two triangular sails would fly out of their binds, catching both sunlight and wind into their full shape. The symbols painted onto both of them now visible, tribal design in something that seemed to signify the wind itself. Nikau was quick in his work, saying little to nothing. Not seeking any help from Mercy as she would be quite lost overall. Soon after this the ship would adjust with a small rupture. Before slowly careening forward in slow movement, the sounds of the sea breaking before her body filling the air. Nikau with experienced and fluid movements adjusted a number of ropes, pulling, tightening, notching, before tugging one downwards and the sails above angled lower to where Nikau spotted the wind. Their speed greatly increasing, and after a few rocks they were traveling southbound across the water, the shore behind them slowly growing smaller and smaller. The flyboat journeyed about eight-hundred meters off of the shore before Nikau pitched the ship and they followed the distant coastline south.*

*Finally, as he continued to adjust and move the many ropes. He spoke with a small smile on his face, eyes looking on.* 

"We are following the trade winds southwest. As they blow that way during this season. Though at the islands we may break off and head for the desert nations of the south. As I am also tired of the Empire..." *He said with a slow nod.* "I'd get comfortable, it's quite the voyage."
Patricia
**Mercy would be silent as well, while Nikau went swiftly to work releasing the sails and operating his ship, which she wouldn't have known where to begin had he asked her to assist him. She went to the center mast and clung to it softly; she'd felt the floor sway and rock with the sea's current, and became rather anxious. This was her first time being out at sea in her life. It meant that sea sickness and other shocking ailments were imminent.**

"Oh my... Why do I feel sick? Did you cast a spell on me?! Wh-What are your plans?" **Mercy inquired loudly and angrily, looking behind the deck and at the land in which they've just disembarked from. It was already in the distance, as a blurry panoramic coastline behind a vibrating mirage. It was the real deal, they were at sea, and wouldn't see land for many moons.**

"No... I-I wasn't ready." **Her arms roped as far around the wooden mast post as they could, gripping for dear life as a panic attack was in motion.** "...You read my mind didn't you?! You read my mind a-and you knew I was going to kill you in your sleep... S-So you stole my rapier and trapped me in this ship knowing I couldn't sail with it, because only you know how."

**It all came out at once. Her plans, her fears... She couldn't be bothered to control herself now.** "I should have known, magic is a villain's tool and you can't be trusted... Take me back! I want to go back!" **The girl's face was pale and shocked, she grimaced at the floor with her eyes closed, shivering, terribly afflicted by her own anxiety...**
Jeffery
*He worked away with the ropes, their speed rapid and consistent. The sea passing by them, waves lapping against the body of the sea, misty spray coming up the deck and gently landing onto them. Nikau himself was well accustomed to the bobbing movements of voyage, his legs staying stable and his gaze unwavering. Tying down the ropes in hand they continued along without him needing to hold onto the ropes for now. Just as the shock of Mercy grabbed his attention.*

*Looking over, he raised his brow in surprise at her swift accusations. Though one of her sentence caught his disgust. Murder him? Why he expected it from every passenger though he didn't expect such a young girl to plan on it, let alone admit to it. Though he knew what was happening, and it wasn't magic at work... Though he was still taken aback at the sudden change in the situation.*

"In my sleep huh? Well of course I didn't trust you the second you boarded my ship. That's why I have your rapier... Stand up! Quit cowering you fool of a girl! This isn't magic at work! You just haven't gotten your sea legs." *He said in a raised tone.*
Lawrence
**Mercy's eyes were tightly shut, and her grip on the mast remained strong. However her petite body still trembled with unease, and the horrible knot in her belly grew with her apprehension.** "NO! N-No no no, NO! Y-You're just saying that... I know you have plans, you have plans! Take me back before I attack you like a cornered feline."

**She grumbled, looking at the floor still, her face cowering behind her arm.**
Jeffery
*Nikau slowly begin to step forward. Careful in every movement with a hand outstretched towards the cowering girl. His eyes watching for the slightest movement after he threat.* 

"Mercy! You are mad! Step away from the mast and we will have a word."

*He wanted to address her intentions on his ship of course, though the young girl had a potential danger to her. One he had to deal with in a way he was still thinking of.* 
"I'm not the one with the malicious intentions here..."
Patricia
"PLEASE!" **She shrilled, her voice delicate, but loud, almost crying. Nikau's continuous advance and doubt left Mercy no choice...**

"I said NO!" **With vicious speed, Mercy's right hand (the hand behind her body, mostly out of Nikau's sight) dipped to her belt, reaching under her shirt and into her pants clutching the concealed dagger's hilt and it was drawn with equal speed. She lurched at him, holding the 7" Dagger in a stabbing motion.**
Jeffery
*He was close to speaking when his gaze caught the slight movement of her hand just out of his sight. Out of instinct his feet spaced apart, eyes going wide with her sudden shout and lurch towards him. Almost staring down the blade of the dagger as he narrowly dodged the lunge, soon finding his heartbeat jumping and staring at the outstretched arm of Mercy. Seeing that she was now in fight, he wasted no time- while still in motion from the dodge he slammed the palm of his hand against her shoulder harshly to propel their two bodies apart. Standing before her, in a fighting stance.* 

"*Aue!* If it is a fight that you want, then so be it! Maybe you'll gain some sense when this is over!" *He unclipped the rapier from around his torso. Tossing her weapon with a heave up into the ropes above them, before looking back to the girl. Raising his hands.* 
"I will not hurt you..." *He said quietly.* 

*He then shuffled his feet, facing her in a full fighting stance.* "*PAKANGA!*" *His voice boomed.*
Patricia
"You won't hurt me but I'll **Kill** You Nikau." **Mercy said, now hunching forward a little as she got into a threatening stance. The hand with the knife was in front of her whole the other hand was off to the side next to her hip, open for grabbing when she got close enough.** "You'll regret not using a weapon."

**Mercy found it incredibly hard to focus with her stomach aching and now, heart pounding madly from adrenaline. Despite her affliction she still began to step forward, moving around so they would be circling, until one made a move. The slow dance lasted only a moment, before Mercy lunged at him, knife high above her head stretched out, it came stabbing downward at Nikau's chest while her other hand reached for anything on his chest to grab onto.**
Jeffery
*Her tone and threatening nature was one of seething hatred. Nikau drawing the conclusion that this was most likely not her first fight, though she was afflicted as a virgin of the waves... And this was his own ship, his own environment that he would excel in. Also he had confidence in the fact there was more skirmishes to his own past simply due to age.* 

*His sharp eyes watched her every move, the gaze of a sharpshooter yet he did not have his bow- as he didn't need it. Tensely they circled each other as the ship rocked under them. The spray of the sea dusting them over, the wind tossing loose parts of their person. Suddenly Mercy made the first lunge, Nikau shifting his weight with the rolling of the waves unlike the girl did in her own quick charge. On the defensive he was able to sidestep narrowly again, feeling her hand tug at his shirt let him know she had attempted a grab. Putting Nikau more on edge. He brought his foot up with a heavy kick into her side mostly to put distance between them.* 

"You challenge me in my own environment, Mercy! All you have to do is lay down your arms, I mean you no harm!" *He stood once more before her in his defensive stance, without his spatha drawn he didn't dare get near. He had to stay on the receiving end. And hopefully speak her out of this.* 

"This fight is pointless! And you know it!"
Patricia
**This whole duel was indeed rather pointless; an unfortunate result of Mercy panicking and losing control of her anger, which had been pent up and aching for a release. The environment was without a doubt against her as well, the elements from the wind, water splashing and rocking ship played a part in her failure to make a maiming hit.** "AHH!"

**She screamed, the kick to her side not only staggered her but unbalanced as well, combined with the slippery wood beneath her and a gust of wind blowing hair all in her face, Mercy lost her fitting, slipped and fell. Although her arms absorbed most of the fall she was still rather obsessed with proving** ***Something.*** **Perhaps Mercy was looking to impress herself by defeating Nikau on her own? Maybe. Whatever the motive was, it enabled her to continue.**

**She didn't seem to be in the speaking mood anymore, his pleads are met with nothing but an icy scowl while she got up, stumbling for the mast to balance herself again, the ship was swaying madly by then.**

**A moment of repose came, that's when Mercy narrowed her eyes and started a dash toward Nikau, with her arms in the same position for the same purpose; one to grab, the other to stab. Only this time Mercy had a cheeky plan in mind. She did not mimic the same pattern as before. Instead she swiftly halted her dash just as she was within arms reach of him, to feint her swing and hopefully catch him dodge again. If she made a correct prediction, she'd at least be able to land a grab.**
Jeffery
*The kick worked, Mercy losing her balance and sent a good distance away from Nikau. He took a few steps back, staying in the stance as she tumbled. Eyeing her back as she slowly arose. The ship was going at its same speed, though hitting some choppy waters that rocked the deck. Once more they slowly began to circle each other again. Deadlocked, he waited for her to charge again. When she did he began to perform the same move though was caught off guard by her change in strategy.* 

*As he dodged he caught that she feinted her swing, a bit off-balance his steps were badly placed in his dodge from her next stab and grab. Cutting past his side, tearing the fabric and drawing a shallow wound. The girl then grabbing him by the shirt as well with a harsh yank, the fabric of his shirt tearing away into a large hole and revealing a collection of bandages and parts of tattoos on Nikau's body, along with the graze wound. Her grip was harsh and violent, Nikau returning with a grab onto her dagger wrist and their other arms interlocked. He was an older man, with the strength of sailing labor... Though for a few moments they struggled in that position before Nikau mustered enough strength to harshly twist the wrist of Mercy. Hopefully in a way to where she dropped her blade, at the same time with a shove to the opposite direction. Nikau feeling the deck below him with a trained sense for the right moments to perform these actions.*
Patricia
**At last Mercy's plan was effective and she was able to grapple with him, their feet shuffling beneath them during the scuffle, which ultimately saw Mercy's defeat at the hands of Nikau's masculine strength against hers. Her wrist is badly twisted, it elicited a quick and sharp cry, followed by some whimpering as Nikau's hand shoved her away. The knife was at his feet, sliding along the deck with every sway or movement.**

**Mercy lost her balance again, this time it was as she fell back, against the wall of the quarters. That seemed to be the end of her aggression, she didn't try to get up again, but propped herself against the wall, holding her wrist and seething in pain; her eyes even welled with tears. She gave Nikau a quick glance, and appeared sad, sulking from about failure... Or perhaps she was overcome with guilt, since her anger was subsiding, she began to realize her actions.**
Jeffery
*Once the knife clattered to the ground, Mercy was shoved back as planned and against the wall of the cabin. Slumping down in a stagger once more and finally, not getting up again for the few moments that Nikau stared at her. Breathing heavily his gaze was intense and unwavering, before finally he allowed to break eye contact seeing as the girl was defeated. Sighing, his left hand fell a top of the wound at his side. Looking down at his palm it was stained in red, though it was nothing major... Only breaking skin. Silence filled the deck save for the rushing sounds of a voyage around them. Nikau leaning over and picking up the dagger at his feet. Cutting off the almost severed part of his shirt and bunching the cloth up, pressing it against his wound just below the bandages and among the tattooed markings.* 

*His eyes looked out ahead, quickly rushing over he pulled and nocked a few ropes with his hand. The ship lurching slightly as it slowed down and the direction was altered to face more away from the coastline they could have potentially hit. Heart pounding, he said nothing while tucking the dagger away in his belt and pacing about. Before turning towards Mercy and stepping towards her with his free hand resting on his spatha. His expression the usual stoic gaze, though a tinge of anger filled his voice when he spoke.* 

"Did your sense come back?" *He said, stopping before the girl.* 

"An attempt on my life should be met with death. But there is nothing worthwhile in ending your beginning life. Especially with such a fighting spirit... Besides, it is not the right thing to do I suppose." 

*He paused, before gesturing harshly with his hand.* "Stand up."
Patricia
**There was no retort at Nikau's first question for her, regarding her sense. It was evident that the girl was done trying to fight him, since she was not only disarmed but quite rattled as well, still affected by sea sickness, she was still trying to suppress a pain in her belly, now she had to hold back tears, as she was afraid. Afraid for her life.** "No. I'm not going to stand up... You hurt my back when you *Threw* Me..." **Sniffle.** "If you want me to get up, you'll have to **Make me**..."

**Even in her state, Mercy was still remarking at him with sass and aggression in her tone. Her sad look shifted into a glare, then she looked away, at her wrist, which was turning red.** "Don't expect me to do what you want just because you got me..."