Revin searched the horizon for the Queen, finally spotting her #silhouetted against the sun. Squinting, he flashed a message to wait. Ten minutes later, she was clear. He flashed again and got a reply. He recited a number and then a series of letters that Grip recorded.
#vss365
Tagvss365
Revin awoke and could hear footsteps outside.
"Where is he? Where did he go?" Grip asked, walking through the main #hallway of Vallon's Airship. "Has anybody seen Revin? He's not in his bed."
Tiny just shrugged.
"Help!" Revin called, still trapped between naked girls.
#vss365
Thunder crashed, but it was not half so #ominous to Revin as the looks on Emma's & Dexy's faces.
"Calmly, Ladies!" he said.
They stripped him naked, put him between them in the bed, & laid on his clothes so he couldn't get away.
They, of course, fell asleep in moments.
#vss365
Two nights later, he returned. He went straight to Emma, grabbed her wrist, & dragged her toward a cabin. Revin noticed a length of rope in his belt.
"Is he going to #tie her up?" he whispered.
"Some men like that," Grip said, rubbing his wrists reflexively. "Women too."
#vss365
Revin placed orders for barrels of cheap ale like the guardsmen preferred. Grip made everyone #tense just by looming in the background.
On the way back, a thief did try to accost Revin, but backed away when Grip drew his sword and snarled, "Gaff off, you firking firk."
#vss365
"It's okay, Revin," Emma said. "I'm fine. See?"
Revin turned, lifted his #tear-stained face up, & saw her grinning at him.
"It's sweet of you to worry about me, though," she said. "Nobody's ever cared what happens to me."
Revin threw his arms around her & gave her a hug.
#vss365
With horror, Revin #saw his father grab Emma by the face. He turned her head one way & another, enjoying her fearful expression. Revin surged to his feet but Grip held him down & pointed. Emma made a curt hand gesture that Tiny & the girls caught & held themselves back.
#vss365
Vallon's Airship had a soft open that night, but word had spread & they were packed with guards. The girls mingled and served drinks. Tiny ran the front and Margaret tended bar.
"Three beers for the table on the #right!" Dexy said.
"That's 'starboard'!" Tiny reminded her.
#vss365
"Sure! Let's open the club for guards to collect intelligence," Tiny said. "But what will the girls wear?"
They heard a #racket in the back & the girls came running out excited.
"We found a whole room full of these!"
Emma and Dexy posed wearing sexy airship-crew costumes.
#vss365
"The door to the secret passage is locked," Rachel said, returning with Tiny from the cellar. "He must have taken the key with him."
"Let me try," Revin said.
"Do you have a lock #pick?" Grip asked.
"Always!" Revin replied, extracting his from a seam in his breeches.
#vss365