The Bonnie Bounty continued her journey down the coast of the Northern towards he Southern continent. The tension between the quartermaster and captain remained at a simmer and did not venture nearer to a boil. Petrianna continued to receive the attentions of Dimitri and to return them with all the lady like grace of her upbringing that she could muster. Tornas remained sober, continued to spar daily with anyone that would even the ever inept Lark, and each night had his tea with Petra to keep his nightmares at bay. Sezjeck continued to keep his betting book in order with the crew and thereby kept tabs on things. The sailing was steady and after they left Corsaña and turned in to go East the crew all gathered on deck.

“Crew, comrades, friends" Esmerelda began "The western coast we have so well plundered for so long is to our stern. And now the real adventure of our voyage begins. We head now east to Twelve Isles to sail then south. We will sail the monstrous sea, we will reach the Southern continent, we will see great things and we will steal great things! No who's ready?"

A great cheer went up from all the crew gathered on deck. And then the beginning of a song.

"Seven days out from the wreck south harbor running strong. Running strong. Seven days out from the wreck south harbor running strong running strong."

More voices joined in and took up the chorus as they must of pirates moved to form a circle around the singing Erika.

"I met a man while out at sea" Erika sang out.

"Running strong running strong" the answering chorus.

"But his tricks didn't work on me" she cackled pointing at then walking away from her husband.

The laughter roared through the answering chorus.

"I had a Bonnie fair lass fair and bonnie was she.

“running strong running strong”

"But not this one nor the previous three."

The chorus came in again as Ruben and Erika circled each other in the center.

Lark at this point had started up on his concertina and had situated himself in the rigging to accompany the singing.

"But a long voyage he did take with me" Erika sang

“running strong running strong”

"I knew I'd bring him to his knees."

"Running strong running strong."

"What is this?" Petra leaned in to ask Dimitri.

"This is a chorus song." He answered speaking close to her ear so she could feel his breath on her neck. "Everyone sings the chorus and people add in verses. The two of them always go first, they have a whole routine."

"This happens often?" She asked.

"Often enough, it's fun Petsha! Just look at them!" He gestured to Erika and Ruben in the center of the circle. "You know they met onboard, Esmerelda did the marriage.” He smiled mischievously “Don't worry it will be our turn soon enough." he said.

"What?" Petra asked.

"We'll go when the dancing starts." Dimitri answered.

"What?" Petra asked again.

"See, come on." He pulled her into the circle dance formed by their crew mates. The dancing was like a current that pulled her along. The two concentric circles wove through each other back and forth going around again and again. She saw Dimitri pass in front of and away from her. She passed threw, around, and under the arms of her ship mates. Born along by the current of the dance she did not feel like she could miss step. This was everything dancing at court was not.

Lark watched from his spot in the rigging playing his concertina. He watched the spinning dance below. Erika and Ruben seemed to have finished their portion and now other verses were being shouted out and added on. Lark saw as Dimitri caught Petra going by and pulled her into the center of the circle with him. He held his hand out to her and began singing in Northern. Petrianna smiled as she blushed and swayed with the music as he circled her.

"Speak common!" Someone shouted as the chorus answered his verse.

"No" he shouted back and continued in Northern. Petra was laughing and seemed to be enjoying herself. After the chorus it was her turn and she sang answering him also in Northern. It could not be denied the two of them were positively adorable together. Lark continued playing. More pairs entered or dragged each other into the middle to exchange verses. The captain and Sezjeck took a turn. By how many people joined in on their verses, Lark guessed they had been using them for quite some time. Seanathan and Tornas exchanged verses as well. Tornas seemed the much less excited of the two.

The dance continued and when none more stepped into the center the chorus was repeated again and again. Lark let the chorus go one more time and stopped playing and immediately sang out in a new song much to the delight and applause of his shipmates below. The party lasted a long time.

When Petra and Dimitri finally came down they found Tornas waiting by Petra's table regarding her znachok on the wall. He turned to look at them when he heard them approach.

“Ah of course, you have your duties” Dimitri said referring to Tornas. “Good night kitten.” He kissed her hand.

“Goodnight Dima” Petra replied and watched him walk away down towards his hammock.

“I hope I didn't interrupt anything.” Tor offered

“No no, it was all very nice but it finished” Petra said with a smile. She walked over and kissed the icon. “Ah you already got the water” Petra said pleased and distracted. She picked up the kettle and began to boil.

“Petra?” Tornas asked she began to pour the boiling water in to the clay teapot. She responded by raising her eyebrows. “Can I ask you something?”

Petra set down the kettle. “You may” she answered.

“Petra, why do you pray?” He asked.

Petra was taken aback by the question “Because I am a cleric.” She responded, the lie easier by now.

“Petra, it's ok, you can be honest with me.” Tor told her.

Petra was silent for a moment, weighing if she could trust him. She looked furtively around them and poured the tea into the cup. “I do not need to pray for my powers it is true. But there are many things I can not do with my powers and that is what I pray for.” She answered.

“What do you pray for?” He asked.

“My family mostly, their safety, their health, their happiness. The things I can not do for them.” She answered.

“You don't think you make your family happy?” Tor asked with kindness in his voice.

“Happiness is not an emotion I inspire.” Petra said, “Thankfulness maybe, pride if I am lucky, but much more often its curiosity, worry, and fear, suspicion, hate. But not happiness. I, I do not make people happy.” She concluded.

“Petra, of course you make people happy, I sure you make your parents happy.” Tornas responded trying to encourage.

“I know I do not make my mother happy, or at least, I am not making her happy with my actions right now Petrianna reaffirmed.

“But you are doing a lot of good here.” Tornas countered.

Petra looked at her hands, balled them together and began kneading her thumbs while looking at her icon.

“I'm sorry I brought it up Petra. I didn't mean to upset you.” Tornas said.

“I am not upset.” Petra said continuing to knead her thumbs.

“You make me happy Petra.” Tor offered. “I'm not just thankful for the tea every night. I am happy that I met you, I am happy that we are friends.”

He just ended there. Petra thought to herself, he didn't continue to say something sad about himself like she expected him to. Maybe she really did make him happy.

“I am glad to make you happy.” Petra said with a wan smile. “I wish I could make my mother happy.”

“hey” Tornas interrupted her “no sad thoughts before bed.”

A genuine smile broke on Petrianna's face.

“Thank you as always” Tor said leaving the table. “Goodnight Petra.” Petra watched him walk away towards his hammock.

Petra tried to focus very hard on the front of her mind. She tried to focus on dancing and singing with Dimitri, the entangled chaotic order of the dance that had seemed so right, on the conversation just now with Tornas. But her mind kept reaching back further travailing back up the road she had come and stopping at every moment of disappointment, embarrassment, and sadness.

“No don't think about all of that” she thought to her self. But she could not keep the memories away, nor her own cruel commentary on them. She paced in front of her table wringing her hands and feeling her self shudder and her head twitch to the side.

“Just do not say the words, do not say the words, do not say the words.” she mumbled barely audible under her breath. She could not stop the terrible thoughts that flew in, but she did not need to give them voice.

“Hot bread with butter and honey, the pond with the rock and the frogs, potato dumplings, grey mornings at sea, dancing with Dimitri.” she whispered scarcely audible even to herself.

“Hey Petra whats up?” Lark's voice was bright and chirpy as ever.

“Nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing, no I am fine, I am fine, fine” Petra managed. Her chest and head felt buzzy and heavy.

“Well the party is just about over so I am heading to bed. Goodnight Petra” Lark lurched to continue down the rows of hammocks.

“Lark wait.” Petra called after him.

“Petra if you are going to try and tell me I am a bard again because of what happened up there you can save it. Honestly I think it just proves my point. I don't use music to make magic, the magic is the music. Music brings people together Petra that is what is great about it. Music is so awesome. It makes everybody just dance. By the way what did you and Dimitri sing to each other?” he asked.

Petra could see that he was swaying on his feet.

“Oh Lark,” she said. “just give me a minuet” she fetched the ground willow bark from her bag and put it into another teacup. She quickly reboiled the remaining water and poured it over the waiting willow and then offered it to Lark.

“What's this?” he asked

“It is willow tea, hopefully it will help you wake up easier.” she answered.

“I don't need to wake up, i'm going to bed.” Lark slurred

“Drink the tea Lark.” Petra insisted

“Ok fine, you're so bossy” Lark drank his tea ireasonably fast “ow, its hot and terrible and bitter, why did you do that to me I thought we were friends?”

“We are friends?” Petra asked, containing a laugh.

“Well we were until you gave me that awful stuff what is that?” he answered.

“It is willow, come back in the morning it will help with your headache” She instructed him.

“I don't have a headache, I'm going to bed goodnight Petrianna Yekaterina Alexandra Androvna.” Lark said slurring dizzily through her full name.

“Good night Lark.” she responded, and watched him walk away.

It was a good distraction and her mind was clear again. Petra hung her hammock, bowed her head to her znachok and went to bed.