3: Odds, Dice, & Another ‘Not Yet’
“Edgar, old boy,” Setzer greeted with a slight, one-sided smile and a firm shake, “it seems wealth and power suit you well. Of course you realize you’ll need to share?”
Edgar’s smile seemed the same on the outside, but Setzer saw the strain behind it.
“Setzer, you haven’t come to steal away the women have you? The men here will need some distraction from their duty.”
Setzer chuckled. “I leave the women to you and your subjects, Edgar. I prefer a more . . . solitary figure of woman.”
Edgar motioned to some chairs off to one side of the throne room. “Have a seat.”
“Don’t mind if I do.” Setzer sat, absently retrieving his cards from his pocket. He shuffled them while gauging Edgar’s somewhat haggard expression. “Edgar, I’m on my way to Thamasa to pick up some wedding supplies for Locke and Celes. Do you have anything to add to the manifest?”
“Yes, thank you. The Chancellor will have a list for your approval before the evening is done. I can have it loaded for you if you’re persuaded to stay for dinner.”
“Thank you, old boy. I would be delighted.” Setzer palmed the Jack of Hearts. The next card was the Ace of the same suit. Setzer raised an eyebrow. “By the way, Terra sends a ‘thank you’ for the flower. Unfortunately, she can’t leave the children to attend the party. Though she seemed disappointed.”
Edgar leaned back in his chair, kicking his legs out in front of him with an exhalation of breath. “Ah well. I suppose I shouldn’t have asked.”
“No, it’s good to keep asking.” Setzer palmed the deuce of hearts. Hmm . . . “Each time I visit she seems a little more withdrawn and lonely. She misses the time we spent together.” Setzer changed his focus to Edgar’s hard profile. “Instead of sending flowers and invitations, I believe you should spare her a visit. I know she’d love to see you. She loves to see any and all of us.”
Edgar gave a slight nod as he lowered his gaze to his boots. “I’ll see about making the time. I’ve a schedule to keep, but . . . Yes, I’ll make the time.”
“Just beware the girl may volunteer you for a bout of ‘It’ with the children, if they’re so inclined.”
“Thank you for the warning.” Edgar stared at his boots a moment longer before looking up. “Is she . . . Are Terra and the children well? Do they need anything?”
Setzer shuffled the cards, palming the Ace of Hearts. “She seems well enough but as I’ve said, she’s changed.”
“The change is understandable,” Edgar countered. “She’s lost her powers. Abilities innate to her spirit.” He looked away again. “Of course she would feel disconnected and distant. Withdrawn.”
Edgar’s tone hinted that he attempted to persuade himself.
“Yes, you’re right,” Setzer stated carefully, “but being removed from the people seen as her surrogate family could do the same. I believe a visit would make all the difference. It certainly wouldn’t do any harm. She seems to enjoy mine, as I’ve said before.”
Edgar gave a couple brief nods before releasing a deep breath and rising to his feet. Setzer did the same. “Come. Let’s see about those supplies and our dinner.”
“Excellent idea.” Setzer fell into step beside him as Edgar left the throne room and made his way down the main hall. Setzer drew the Ace of Diamonds. “I don’t suppose you know of any women sea captains?”
Edgar’s gaze rose from the floor to a study of Setzer’s unrevealing profile. “Hm. Women sea captains?”
Setzer met Edgar’s gaze. “You would be hard pressed not to remember her, Edgar. Every inch a woman. Every inch a captain. Blue-black hair. Tall, shapely body. Enchanting aquamarine eyes.”
“You’re correct. I would remember. Does this mystery woman have a name?”
“Marée.”
“Intriguing.”
“Yes.” Setzer looked away, slipping the Ace of Diamonds back into the deck. “If you could see what is known of her before I leave Kohlingen tomorrow evening, I would appreciate it. Oh, and check for a ship by the name of ‘Ace of Diamonds’.”
“Certainly. Why the interest?”
Setzer raised his eyes from his cards. “A feeling.”
Edgar chuckled. “I understand feelings of those sort all too well.”
But it was different. Yes, Marée brought about the feeling of intoxicating adventure as Darryl had so long ago, but there was something beyond that. Something that wasn’t quite right. Something that tickled his instinct and wouldn’t let the intrigue dissipate. Something that needed to be found, discovered, and dealt with. A secret.
Edgar raised an eyebrow when Setzer didn’t comment, but Edgar couldn’t question the silence. The Chancellor accosted his attention with the request of signing reports and allocating funds and supplies. At the same time he handed over the list of those supplies needing to go with Setzer to Thamasa.
Setzer placed a hand on Edgar’s shoulder, made his apologies and regrets, and left the castle with a pushing at his heels to get to Kohlingen. He boarded his ship and eased her toward Kohlingen, anchoring her within view of the small port that rarely received any visitors save those with private boats. A growing hobby for those who could afford it, which wasn’t many.
Setzer tried to shake off a press of importance as he strode toward Kohlingen with a growing frown. But it wouldn’t leave. It continued to press as he made his way through the first portion of town. Setzer halted at the foot of the bridge leading to the pub. Marée exited, the picture of ease and content. She persuaded some locks of hair behind her shoulders with a few shakes of her head moments before her eyes focused on Setzer’s face.
Marée’s eyes sparked, and her lips tickled upward with a smile. She stepped to the left of the pub entrance and leaned against the building, crossing her arms as she bent one leg to press her foot back against the wall. She adjusted her crossed arms. “Well, well, well. If it isn’t the captain.”
Shock vanished as Marée’s smile brought to mind the memories of their last meeting only a very few days before. Setzer stepped toward her position with a slight smile, coming to stand in front of her. Marée didn’t adjust her position; she only watched him with those aquamarine eyes that seemed to look past his uniform to his soul. Her scent seemed stronger than he remembered, likely due to the fact he had missed it.
Setzer struck a pose of assurance and content that easily rivaled hers. He gave a slight nod of greeting. “Marée.”
Marée adjusted her fingers on her upper arms as her eyes ever so slightly changed expression. “Setzer.” The wind gently lifted some bluish-black hair, making it dance around her face.
“I hope the seas have treated you and your crew well,” Setzer offered in a quiet voice.
“Hell no,” Marée disagreed. Her tone still held that harmony of life expected. “Wouldn’t have wanted the trip to be boring. Lost one sailor to a storm just yesterday. Damn shame, too. Rorik was a good man.”
One lock of hair settled in the corner of her mouth. Setzer surrendered to the urge to brush it away. Marée’s eyes flashed at the gentle touch, and she gripped her upper arms. He placed his arms safely back in a crossed position before speaking. “While I’m glad you’ve had a bit of the adventure you wanted, I’m sorry you lost a man to have it.” Setzer’s eyes took in the sparkle of hers; the glow of her face; the perfect intertwining of strength and femininity . . . before again capturing her intense expression. “As I’m glad you’re safe.”
“It’ll take more than a fight with the sea to get me off the water,” Marée said in a sultry voice of passion and intensity. “Damn fights are what I live for. They make my blood roar.”
Tightness crept to his throat, making Setzer step one motion closer. Marée tilted her head slightly back to keep the hold on his gaze. “It’s good to see you again,” he said in a carefully controlled voice. “I had no idea the odds would be this good.”
Marée’s smirk twitched with a laugh, which finally erupted from her silky t
hroat. Setzer soaked up the force of her persona as he took yet another step forward. Her scent made his nostril flare just as she took in a deep breath of him. Her eyelids fluttered slightly before widening and holding his gaze.
“How long?” Setzer asked.
“Just leaving,” Marée said.
Setzer stepped close enough to feel her breath against his face. He rested a hand against the building above her right shoulder. “Ah. The odds weren’t without a little spite, it seems.”
Marée lowered her leg as she continued to gaze up into his face. “Seems so,” she whispered.
Setzer gently touched her cheek with the back of his hand. “Ah well. Lady Luck must have her fun.”
“To hell with her,” Marée whispered. Then she took hold of the lapels of his uniform coat and pulled him closer, her kiss pulling as much of the passion and essence from him that she could.
Setzer fought against what he knew she wanted and pulled back. “Not yet, Marée,” he whispered.
Marée’s eyes flashed with anger. “When, captain? I’m not very patient.”
Setzer’s smile was understanding. He smoothed some of her tresses from her face before holding that intensity of adventure and spirit in his hands. “We have to wait for the dice to fall.”
The light blue of her eyes contained a storm. “If it wasn’t for the fact you’re such a damned fine figure of a man and taste better than the best meal I’ve had since I was born, I’d have dropped you after your first ‘no’.”
Setzer couldn’t suppress a chuckle as his hands drifted from her face to her neck and shoulders. He massaged the tightness there with slight and firm strokes of his fingers and thumbs. Then he lowered his head to kiss her forehead and press his cheek against hers. She wrapped her arms around his neck as she pulled him closer, kissing his neck as his arms encircled her. Setzer drew that epitome of adventure and life into himself.
“It’s been a long time since a woman has had this effect on me, Marée,” he confessed, much to his surprise. He pulled back with his hands resting on her hips. He searched out her gaze. “Expectation is better than disappointment and disillusionment. I want as much of you as possible without the too-soon attainment of the latter. Memories of you will be enough then.”
Marée seemed to read an entire lifetime into his eyes as she gazed into them with an odd expression. Her arms were still around his neck as her fingers stroked the softness of the hair at the nape. Then she feathered her lips across his jaw and kissed him one last time. When she pulled away, her eyes held an intensity clearly translated.
“Tongue as forked as a demon,” she said in a throaty tone.
She withdrew her hands and arms as slowly as possible, her touch lingering across his shoulders, down his arms and back up to travel the torso of his coat and drift off the ends. As she passed him, her right hand took his and clasped it tightly, turning him as she looked and headed toward the exit of town.
“‘Til we meet again, captain, keep the wind in your face. I love it when your hair blows.”
Then she released his hand to disappear out of town. Setzer took in a deep breath, drawing all that remained of her into the deepest part of himself before turning and entering the café.