The Rosenite culture wasn’t too far off from any of the others, he’d imagine. It was only instead of the males being territorial of their mates like in most races, it was the females that did it instead. He didn’t think of himself being in such a high favor, not that he let it go to his head. She just didn’t scream the jealous type to him, but after learning some more about her the last few days, Vincent realized that he didn’t really know her at all. So who was to say how she would behave should he partake in a seedy establishment. “Sounds like it's bad for my health, Suppose I’ll stick to drinking and smoking then”, he joked.

“Hell, she has enough children apparently.  She’ll have all the grandchildren she could ever want, more so than most people living I’d imagine.” He didn’t know how her mother pulled that off since the timing for it must have taken centuries. He also pondered if her daughter would oblige to such a wish one day before letting it slip past his mind. “Maybe one day you’ll get the urge to have some little knuckleheads running about the ship, wanting to sail it through mountains too”, he teased, blowing some of the smoke her way. As he took on a deep inhale, the captain coughed it out when she revealed why he hadn’t been given the treatment she seemed to be famous for. Some of the crew members “oooh” and “awww” while looking at Xeria, then Furtuna and then towards Vincent. “Don’t worry your heads about it”, he said shrugged. Honestly he didn’t even know that she had a problem with men playing with her like that. It seemed to come natural to him but he digressed. He was ready refill his pipe when it was stolen by her. “Hey! That’s mine!”  

When they landed into Arri, the men looked as though they hadn’t seen land in months; many of them scrambled away from the Sacab and onto the city grounds. From there, they scattered between the Brothels and Alehouses, not that either would see a lack of business. Vincent bowed at her cousin, seeing that she was royalty and whatnot and he still held some form of manners. But soon it looked as though it would be just him and Futuna. Adjusting the collar of his shirt, he looked around to make sure they were alone. “Why not? I said that I would with you through this. I am a man of my word and I don’t go back on it. Besides, a little trouble doesn’t measure up to the heap of it I’m in back home.”  He patted her on the shoulder and followed her lead. He wanted to make sure that she saw this through and he would help in any matter he could.

“Hell, I’ll give you all the booze and grass you want.” Furtuna chuckled towards Vincent as they talked and joked.

“Maybe one day I’ll get the urge to punch myself in the face repeatedly.” The Sky Queen threw a joke towards Vincent. “That’s about as likely as finding a man to put up with my shit for the rest of my life.”

Maliel laughed, “Don’t think the gods have ever made such a man Furtuna. Not one that can put up with you for all of your ageless life.” There was a smirk on her face.

Furtuna stuck the pipe in her lips and smirked. “I’m only borrowing it… Sour Puss.” She lit it and began to puff on it before handing it back to him. “No need to be so territorial.”

“Cap, I think you are the last person who needs to scold someone for being territorial.” Xeria chuckled towards her.

Once they were in Arri she watched the men run off and chuckled a bit. “You are working them too hard Vincent.” It was only a jest knowing that he had been chasing her. She took him through the streets of Sularia in a direction she hadn’t pointed. “We’re going to the Red District where my mother is… or should be. I don’t feel her here right now and normally I do.” She must have been at her temple.

The huge white and gold mansion came into view and stopped. “That’s not what it looked like before…” It had been a long time since she had shown up obviously. “Whatever… Let’s go.” The door opened and she was greeted.

“Welcome, how may I assist you?” The house keeper asked.

“Furtuna Rose, I need my mother is she in?” The woman went pale white and brought her into the meeting hall. “I said, my mother, not some white haired brat who looks like my mother.” Furtuna huffed a bit. “No offense kid but you won’t help me at all.” The kid was none other than Lucian the sitting king of the Red Court. “I know we haven’t met but this is urgent… Could ya go get Mother?”

Vincent took his pipe back and took a hit of it. “Just ask next time. Would have shared.” He didn’t think it would be impossible for her to find someone to be with. Difficult, yes of course it would be given her whims and attitude, but he saw a different side of her. Maybe he was one of a few that were able to see her at her most vulnerable. He saw his men off and joined Futuna as they made their way through the city in hopes of finding her mother. “Hell, if I work them hard, then maybe next time I should just let them go drink and get some rounds of fighting in?” He smiled as they went down the street. “We got a backup plan just in case, right?”

It took a bit but the two soon stood before what he assumed to be her home, though Futuna seemed perplexed for a moment before they went inside. The place looked exactly what he would assume of a royal home- elegant, graceful and alive with color. It made it sort of harder for him to believe that she was apart of this family, but one couldn’t merely judge by appearances alone. He stood by while she explained to one of the servants who lead them not to Angela, but to a young man that was reading an enormous book on his lap. Lucian looked up, brows together as he listened to the strange woman call him a brat and insisted on him getting her mother for her. “I assume you mean Angela…” Sighing, he looked down and flipped a few of the pages of his book until he found her likeness.

“Hm, Futuna, is it? Pirate queen, booze hound and over all stubborn pain in the ass.” He looked up from the pages and onto her, “Sounds about right. Great, another sister. Anyway, one moment.” He called for another servant to go and fetch the goddess from the gate not too far from here. Once they were dismissed, he looked to Vincent, who had been silent and merely watching the two. “She’ll be here shortly, so you and your boyfriend can wait here until then.” The captain shook his head, “It’s not like that, kid.” Lucian shrugged it off. “Fair enough. I guess the twins she’s dealing with are more of a handful as of late for her. But she should be here in no time.”

“Back up plan is to go to the temple and I really don’t want to be in her territory like that. Gods know what she would do to me if she had complete power over me. It makes my pirate senses tingle with frustration.”

Once they got into the manor she crossed her arms and looked proud for a moment as he said Pirate Queen. “Booze hound? I do drink a lot but a stubborn pain in the ass I don’t know. Pain in the dick maybe…” She elbowed Vincent softly and let the smirk drop. “Yeah that’s me and I’m looking for Mother so could we hurry it up… please. I don’t want to be here any longer than I am to be.” She offered a smile just so he understood this was uncomfortable for her.

“Also I would get used to sisters if I were you… You have a lot of them and I’m worst so it only gets better.” She gave him a smirk. Furtuna’s mouth gaped open for a moment as he said Vincent was her boyfriend. “No, we just fuck. Can’t people just screw around anymore and not be a thing?”

Furtuna shoved her hands on her hips and got huffy for a moment. “Careful Furtuna… People might actually think you have a heart if you keep thinking that way.” Angela stepped into the room and looked Vincent over. “Furtuna’s deepest desire is to find someone who will put up with her like Vincent has been.”

Furtuna got red. “MOTHER, you can’t just go reading other people’s thoughts and telling people.”

“I can when my daughter is a pain in the ass and doesn’t come home for two centuries.”

“Touche,” Furtuna answered stubbornly as Angela beckoned the two of them to follow her.

“We’ll be going to the clinic now. I had the twins put in there for me so I could deal with you.” Angela sighed a bit as she looked back at Furtuna. “I thought you would put up more of a fight.” She stopped in the hallway and turned on her heel. “Vincent, can you please not think about my daughter’s ass so loudly in my presence? I don’t want to see blue butt cheeks.”

A red Furtuna looked at Vincent innocently before they continued their walk into a large glass domed room. It was built to be an infirmary. In a little crib were two little beings who were sitting up and staring at them the best they could. “Well aren’t they just adorable little monsters.” Furtuna went over and played with them a bit.”

“Monsters is right. They are a pain in the ass to get to sleep… Meet your youngest siblings Larkspur and Poppy. Adraejen and I have been up endlessly with them. They are very curious about the world…” Angela smiled a bit as she prepped the table and found a chair for Vincent. “Once you two are done admiring the terrible two… Furtuna can strip down?”

Having no problem getting naked Furtuna did that and hopped up onto the table. “Furtuna, the spell knock it off.” Angela was firm as she smacked the back of the Pirate Queen’s head. Suddenly her perfect skin began to form various large and ugly scars across her chest and back. “Crude healing… You should have asked me to heal you.”

“Weren’t on speaking terms Mom. Remember? Vincent, I told you we weren’t on speaking terms right? It wasn’t my imagination?” The pirate dragged her temporary lover into this.

"What's this one from?" There was a huge scar across her back.

"Ran into a naval fleet from Egjora and got into a fight without my airship. Almost had me." Furtuna kicked her feet gently. "Harpoons hurt by the way."

Lucian looked at her and sunk into his seat while Vincent roll his eyes. “We can go with that, if you wish. I personally wouldn’t know that pain below there.” Her brother shook his head and mentally counted while he awaited Mother’s return here. “Oh I’m used to being introduced to them; met a good deal of them already. I’m sure that even you haven’t met them all either.” She said that she was the worst, but he begged to differ. “Don’t know, Nerezza who is my twin sister, Aelwen and Iva are huge pains currently for me.” The scene was getting a tad awkward for him as well, but he supposed that they should make the best of it. His palm did meet with his face as he got to hear the savory bits about the man that was accompanying her. “Charming.”

“Maybe a bit too much information?”, Vincent offered her before he turned to the direction of the voice that came out. He recognized the redhead just as clearly as if the night he saw her was last night. At first he was confused as to what she was spouting about Furtuna and her desires and such, but considering her status, he shouldn’t have been so surprised to learn that she could read them like books. He hardly had to try remotely thinking about his own before she blurted it out, causing his cheeks to glow more reddish. “Yes, yes. Sorry about that.” Hell, he wasn’t sure if he could look Furtuna in the eye after that; which was strange since he heard about hers and kept silent about it. Well, this would make things slightly more awkward for them.

They reached another room and he spotted the two little babies. Obviously they had to belong to the goddess, making them his captain’s siblings. He moved over to the sweet little babes and looked down to them with a smile while she played with them. That lasted for a bit before business had to be conducted and he took his seat close by the table while she stripped down and prepared for what he assumed was to be an examination. What happened next left him with his mouth ajared. He didn’t know that she kept her appearance as secretive as she had- his eyes studied the various scars on her torso. Were they all spoils of war?

Vincent was finally about to look at her directly and nodded. “No, you told me that already”, he confirmed with a nod. This seemed more like a mother and daughter situation for them and for him to stay out of it, but he stood by just in case, if nothing more than for support for Furtuna. He had promised her that much, after all. He shifted so that he could see the mentioned scar on her back. His face was free from judgment or disgust; but rather genuine concern as he ran his hand over the scar gently and quickly in case she didn’t want it touched. “Duly noted”, he replied, “I’ll be sure to look out for those.” His eyes went to her mother, “I take it that you already know why we arrived here this eve then, ma’am?” 

Angela took a bit of a sigh. “You and Adraejen are too much alike Furtuna.” The goddess shook her head. “He got hit with a harpoon took has a large scar on his chest. Scared me to death to see him like that. Wasn’t long after that when we found out we were having our son Rohan, who is growing up to be a fine young man now. He’s about eight now.”

Furtuna smirked as the examination continued. “Yeah, I noticed. We both like that face you make when we scare the shit out of you with flying.” Angela smacked her hard upside the head.

“That was why we weren’t on speaking terms. Did you tell Vincent about that?” Angela glared a moment. “Someone thought it was funny to completely cloak their airship in the earth in Parvpora and shoot me up on top of it with no way off. I’m afraid of being off the land and she knows that. She managed to do it twice.”

Furtuna was grinning up at her mother. “Have a sense of humor. You’ll live longer Ma. No one wants to see the Legendary Angela Rose go down without flaming glory.” The pirate queen looked over at Vincent who was touching her scar. “It’s alright… You can touch them.” Her voice was soft as he gently touched.

Angela smiled at Vincent and nodded. “I do know but I wanted to do a full examination of my wayward daughter. She’s healthy enough and the booze hasn’t done too much damage to her.” Furtuna rolled her eyes softly as Angela laid her back. “This might hurt just a bit Furtuna… It will all be over soon.” In that moment that her mother touched her head Furtuna let out a horrifying scream. Angela looked like she was seeing what Furtuna was.

After a few moments Furtuna rolled over and began to heave all over but Angela was quick enough to put a bucket under her. “I had to see what is troubling her… I didn’t want her to lie to me about how bad it was. Ever since she was a girl she would tell me she was alright even if she was bleeding or crying. Didn’t want me to have to worry about her.”

Angela moved over to a stand with ingredients and began to mix things up. “Lots of people from that day have the same troubles as Furtuna. We do our best to help them and my medicine helps the most. Do you think you could help her remember to take it every day? Of course, she will have to lay off the booze and hookah just before she takes it. It might null the effects of what I’m going to give you.”

“Thought this would be a therapy session,” Furtuna laughed a bit as she was in pain now.

“Therapy doesn’t help people like you Furtuna. I learned that a long time ago when I was studying medicine for the first few months. You just need a lot of time, understanding, support, and medicine.” She began to brew a few bottles. “I zapped all her strength doing that so you both might end up staying here for tonight. If that’s alright with you Vincent, if not you could always join your crew mates over by Lily’s.”

“No, but I’m in no way surprised to hear that. My deepest sympathies”, he offered her mother while giving Furtuna a look. She deserved whatever she gave her after all the crap. He could relate after some of the hi-jinks she pulled onto him in recent times. Heaven knew how her own mother put up with her antics; she must of had the patience of a saint. 

He was hesitant but she gave him the okay as he felt her scar. Vincent waited for any signs of discomfort. “I’m surprised to hear that; she constantly has her fill of drinks day in and out. I swear I don’t know where she packs it all into.” He had a few good ideas, but refrained from even voicing them in his mind. He didn’t want things between the two of them to be shaky even further. The moment Furtuna started to freak out and get into a fit of screaming, Vincent practically leaped out of his chair and went to try and calm her, but Angela looked like she knew what to do, so he refined. The only thing he would allow himself to do was to hold her hand through the ordeal. “A pain even when she was little…yeah sounds like her of course. I know that she does a lot of things so that you aren’t involved and draw the irk from her actions.” He squeezed her hand tighter, having a light laugh when she started to fight through the pain. “Attagirll”

Peeking around to see what Angela was concocting, Vincent took his time and continued to watch the sky pirate to make sure she was okay. “I can try and make sure. If I have to force feed her at some point, then so be it.” He slowly descended back into his chair for the time being. Even considering the option of leaving her be while he went out to have a good time with the fellows at the brothel didn’t seem appealing for one thing; another was that he wasn’t up in the mood to deal with more Rosenites. From what he recalled, he would be the main course for a lot of them, not to mention what Furtuna would let him get away with. They weren’t lovers, at least not the sort that the poems sung about. No, not at all. I don’t mind staying here with her tonight. Can’t say the same for her, but at least we are in a safe place.“ 
 

Furtuna stuck her lip out at Vincent. “That scar is about thirty years old Vincent… It won’t hurt anymore.” Her voice was soft but still, she gave him a smile. It lasted until the next part of her exam, the mental one.

“She’s always been that way though. Even her father was impressed with her attitude. One time I caught her beating one of the other children into the ground. Turns out he had said something about me and she just wailed on him with her fists.” Angela smiled towards Vincent. “She is fiercely loyal. Took me and her father to get her off the poor kid.”

Furtuna held Vincent’s hand to get herself steady but still wasn’t completely ready to talk as her gut settled out. Angela smiled at the two of them. “I’ll wash her clothes so in the mean time she has to wear this.” Angela tossed him a simple looking white dress. It seemed the goddess had a sense of humor as she came over and quickly folded and piled the clothes.

Once the brew was ready came brought it over and helped Furtuna to drink it. “Should taste just like peaches.” Angela sounded so proud of herself.

“Now you god damn know I hate peaches.” Furtuna frowned as she drank it.

“And I hate being shot up into the air on an airship. Life’s a bitch isn’t it?” Angela kissed the top of her daughter’s head. “Get dressed and go see Arri or if you need to… go sleep I have a room here for you but you never came home to see it.”

Furtuna looked at the dress. “I can’t dress myself.” She said coy as she put her arms up. “Please Vincent? Also… What do you want to do?”

Vincent knew what she meant, but that wasn’t why he was so hesitant about it. “I worried more for the mental scars than the physical behind it”, he explained softly. And he would see fully on how much the former hurt her dearly. He frowned as he watched her writhed in agony, but it was something that her mother felt was necessary to deal with. He knew that they would likely have to deal with that bridge and cross it, but it was painful to watch her go through it all the same. “Yeah, in our brief time of knowing one another, I could tell that she was dependable like that.” Furtuna was strong and strong spirited, he also knew that much; even through the pain, she smiled and acted jolly not only for her sake but that of her crew and family.

He imagined that with those within her, she could get over wearing a white dress, or a dress for that matter. She didn’t seem like the sort to bear one, but she had already surprised him many times before. He caught it and held it until she was ready to wear it. “So what’s with that stuff?”, Vincent asked, referring to the brew Angela just got done making and had Furtuna drink it.

He settled back into his seat, while making sure the dress stayed out off the floor. It wouldn’t last long as he had to help her into it. “As you wish.” Getting right back up to his feet, the captain slid the dress over her and down her body, careful in getting her arms and head to where they need to be. “Really, I don’t know. How you holding up? Don’t want you to overexert yourself. I’m good with whatever you want.”

A soft smile came to her face as she heard Vincent’s reasoning for being so careful with her. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone be as considerate as you.” She felt the slight heat of a blush come to her cheeks as she thought about it. Even her family couldn’t possibly be as gently as he was right now. He understood even if he hadn’t dealt with it.

Angela thought about the answer to his question and chuckled. “This brew will help keep the nightmares away hopefully. I believe that the more stressed she becomes the more she has the dreams so we’re going to try and relax her a bit. She had a lot of stress and responsibilities on her shoulders even if she doesn’t act like it.” The goddess pet her daughter’s white and blue hair before Furtuna decided to have Vincent dress her.

Furtuna felt weird with the dress on her. She moved her arms and tied the corset like strings on the front of the white dress. “You have a sick sense of humor Mother. White? Really?” Angela chuckled a bit as she worked on more of the brew at her work station.

“Never say I don’t have a sense of humor… You might find yourself on the side of a losing bet,” Angela spoke quietly as she held up a flask as she spun the contents. She watched it change color as she moved it to the next phase.

“Right… Well… I think a walk around town might be what I need. Otherwise, I feel like my legs would become jelly.” Furtuna slid to the edge of the bed and pushed herself up. For a moment she lost her balance and she growled just slightly. It was the brew it had to be. “I damn well knew it… We have to go for a walk so I don’t have land legs. I quite like my sea and air legs.” She winked at Vincent as she held out her hand. “We can go see what everyone else is doing at the pub.”