[Imladris]

Jynne was expecting Marreth -- the captain had been a fool to send the cabin boy. It was too bad that Marreth had been alerted and knew that he had been the woman's slayer. He had hoped the water would have done a better job hiding Deira's body. He shrugged.

As the boy dashed back to Marreth, Jynne slipped around and knelt in the darkness that oozed under his cot. He lifted the wooden chest, opened it, and chewed his finger tip. Poisons...such innocent liquid. They were like traitors. Fair of face, yet laced with malace. He selected a curvacious vial and lifted it to a flickering ray of the dying sun. The rose tinted poison trembled in his hand, the glowing aura streaked with golden shafts. The cabin walls behind him was splashed with red and violet -- the spirits of the flowers that had bled for him. He closed his eyes and pressed his lips to the smooth glass. He whispered a curse over it.

Jynne tucked the vial in his sleave, took another bottle from the chest, and turned around, leaning against the cabin walls. He glanced down at the black glassed bottle cradeled in his hand and smiled at it.

Marreth stormed in, his face an obscene purple as he raged at Jynne. "I have caused nothing but trouble?" asked Jynne silkily. "Whose idea was it to block the cave? Who rested that Hilde? I, Marreth, have been no trouble to you. In fact, I have been your greatest asset," he whispered.

"But I don't care about that," said Marreth with a coldness that rippled with anger. "How did Diera meet her death?"

Jynne shrugged. "Why would I know?"

"There was poison in the wound!"

"Maybe there are other insolent dogs who would flaunt your authority and bring a poisoned blade. You do not," said Jynne with silky delicacy, "have a thorough knowledge of your crew,"

"You liar!" Marreth roared, ripping his sword from the scabbard.

Jynne ducked, tugged the cork off the black bottle and drowned it's dark liquid. He felt a fiery strength course through his veins, he was suddenly clear headed, and he crouched like cat against the wall, as he watched Marreth control himself. "Take another swing at me," he said softly, "and I promise you that you can ask Diera herself how she met her death.