*Elbow had rested a while with Lemac as the apple's curative powers took effect. At the mention of the rose garden he grinned.*
That would be wonderful. Everything flourishes under Gamine's attention, and I'm sure your roses will too.
Dinner? Of course.
*He looked intently at Lemac, searching for some information in her expression. Her face was a mask of business, but in her eyes twinkled a playful light, like the spark he would see when she teased him while they worked in the greenhouse. But the effect was different now, more lingering and directed. Their eyes met for a moment, then Lemac had excused herself and departed to her quarters. Whether from loss of blood, or side-effects of the apple, or the thrill of success in their first battle of this voyage, Elbow felt a happy buzz about his temples, and he sat a while at the rail, listening to the wind and the ocean before he returned to his bunk.*

*Someone had removed the corpse, and soaked up as much of the blood as possible, leaving only a dark, damp stain on the wooden floor near the center of the room. Elbow did his best to ignore it as he undressed, sponged himself clean, and changed into the best clothes he had brought for this voyage: a finely woven shirt, simple, forest green doublet, knee length breeches, and tall leather boots. He gave the boots a quick polish, brushed himself off and headed for the door.*

*But instead of leaving, he paused at the threshold and rapped his fingers on the door frame. Soon, he was back at his bunk, rummaging in his pack. He retrieved a small amulet and held it up for examination: A pomegranate, no bigger than the end of this thumb, the fruit lit blood red by the refractory glitter of tiny cut garnets, and a single leaf outlined in emerald. Near the center of the fruit was a black speck, where a single stone had broken free. Satisfied with what he saw, he it pinned to the front of his doublet, and departed once more.*

*After some searching, and instructions from a crew member, he found the half-open door to Lemac's cabin. He knocked lightly, pushed the door aside, and entered into the warm glow of the lamp-lit room.*
_