<strong>"<em>Si, si, si</em>....but it is those hidden currents that concern me,"</strong>the Castilian pinched his lower lip in thought, making a humming noise as he turned the map ninety degrees as if studying it from a new angle might bring some insight.<strong>"That mark is, ah, familiar? I have seen it before. But where?"</strong>He waved it off.<strong>"No matter! This course they set, it is too simple. This route, it is as if they want to be found. You understand, si? Now it may be that our foe is simply a...what is the word? A fool? For the Emperor of Montaigne cannot abide those wiser than himself, or so I hear."</strong>A wry chuckle escaped the young man.<strong>"More likely it is a trap, <em>si</em>? The honey pot."</strong><br/><br/>He blushed all the way to the tips of his ears and paced for a few moments, hands waving a bit as he talked half to himself, half to Ragnar. This was probably the most excited the Helm had seen the bookish fellow get in his time aboard ship. Understandable, perhaps, as the man had technically started as a<em>hostage</em>.<br/><br/><strong>"Now! Let us assume that our prey is at least not blind and can read the chart as well as we. We wish to come at them from a new angle, to hide the hand of La Bella Regina in this matter, <em>si</em>? So we must be more clever than foxes. We must give them what they desire, to set the trap off before it is ready and so take advantage. Alas, I am no strategist..."</strong><br/><br/>He spun back to regard the map again, clapped his hands together and rubbed them, eyes sparkling.<br/><br/><strong>"Then we shall just have to get ahead of them and be nothing but an innocent merchanteman ourselves. At least until our Capitana suggests otherwise. "</strong><br/><br/>Snapping up his tools, he gets to work, tongue peeking between his lips as he hums softly, occasionally pausing to put another question to the helmsman.<br/><br/>