“Why is the crew looking at me all weird?” My-re asked Vomarian Fae and captain of the flying ship the Unsinkable III.
“I surely don’t know what you mean,” Vomarian replied.
“Like that!” My-re exclaimed as she pointed to a Shagornan elf watching her. He had a smirk on his face. Despite being stranded in the middle of the Rirorni plains for the past two weeks and working constantly on repairing the ship, they all seemed giddy in mirth. The elf quickly turned away.
“It’s like some inside joke is going on,” My-re said then looked around. “Where’s Havelock?”
“Below deck,” Vomarian said.
“Still? I’ve barely seen him. What’s he been doing down there the past two weeks?” My-re asked.
“Who knows what these eccentric wizard types do with their time,” Vomarian said shrugging, but seemed to advert his gaze towards her.
Feeling something was up My-re turned and proceeded to descend down the ramp into the ship’s hull. She saw his two golems, Rock and Chip who appeared to be standing guard next to a door leading to the back storage area. They weren’t going to move. “Out of the way you pile of pebbles,” My-re said and squeezed between them and opened the door.
Inside, lanterns lit the room. The boxes, barrels, and other supplies were pushed to the sides of the interior. In the middle was the Arch-mage Havelock, straddling a long, thick statue made of white wood. Various tools, knives, chisels, and hammers were nearby on a table. He was working on a detailed carving of a mythical creature. Its bottom was of a large, scaled fish. It had a human head with long flowing hair and a human torso, like a centaur. It had a female’s bare chest. It looked like, what a minute. It looked like her!
“What in the nine hells Havelock! What are you carving!?” My-re exclaimed in horror and gestured to the statue.
“Ah, my muse is here. I’m commemorating what you did for the ship two weeks ago,” Havelock said as he puffed out his chest.
My-re could feel her face go red as she folded her arms defensively across her front. “It was a stupid gesture for a stupid sailor’s superstition. I don’t even know why I did it. Desperation, I guess.”
“No, no stupid. Sometimes it’s the things done in desperation that matter the most. Maybe your, uh display, played a part in weakening the storm, maybe it didn’t,” Havelock said shrugging. “However, just in case the gods are watching, I carved this statue to defuse any future storms. That way you can keep your clothes on.”
“Oh, that’s not necessary,” My-re said as additional heat rushed to her face and felt sweat drop from her armpits. She held herself tighter looking at a nude form of herself. “You can stop carving anytime now.”
Havelock sighted, “Alright.”
“Really? Whew,” My-re breathed out in relief.
“I agree, it’s finished. Perfect timing,” Havelock said clapping his hands together.
“Wait, what?”
“Rock, Chip!” Come in and bring the mermaid up top,” Havelock called out. He blew and began brushing some wood shavings from and between the sculpture’s cleavage for longer than she felt was necessary.
“That’s creepy,” My-re said to Havelock, who ignored her. She moved as the golems entered and picked up the statue. She followed them and Havelock up the ramp. As they emerged, All the Shagornan elves eyes turned their direction. A few slightly pointed and snickered. Others turned around to suppress their laughter. It seemed everyone on the ship knew about Havelock’s nude carving of herself, except herself.
Spotting Vomarian Fae, My-re briskly approached him. Two elf companions talking with him quickly walked away in different directions. “You knew about this?”
“I protested, but you can’t talk Havelock into or out of anything,” Vomarian replied holding his hands up in supplication.
“You could have told me.”
“Yes, but I was hoping he’d just lose interest in the carving like he does other things nine out of ten times.
“Lucky for me I guess this is the tenth time,” My-re said sarcastically. Turning to the bow of the ship she continued, “Oh, that’s not right.”
The two golems were hoisting the statue into the air. One held its breasts, while the other pushed it up by the derriere. My-re spotted round openings in the statue’s back. Havelock was suspended over the bow and maneuvering it into place and onto a set of wooden dowels already fashioned.
As the mermaid statue was set into place, Havelock joined My-re and Vomarian to admire his work.
“This is so embarrassing,” My-re said and she glanced to the elves also enjoying the craftsmanship. She felt even more heat again rush to her face and she covered her eyes.
“Why?” Havelock asked and by the tone didn’t seem to understand.
“That!” My-re exclaimed holding out her palm in a presentation like manner. “It’s me!”
Havelock looked to My-re, to the statue, and then back to her. “What do you mean? You don’t have scales for legs or a flipper for feet. You hair is short, its hair is long. No one thinks it’s you.”
“Well, you missed two pieces and important ones at that. The face and the…uh,” My-re said then gestured to the chest area.
“Oh, that,” Havelock said as a light bulb seemed to go off in his head. He then continued, “I thought about using one of the elves. They are very pretty. I dare say the most beautiful things on this ship. All symmetric and all.”
My-re glared daggers.
“Anyway, they’re all male…I think. I suspect the gods would know the difference. That left you. Plus, the bonus of being female. Your display really sealed the deal. It’s been a very long time since I’ve seen the anatomy of a woman, so I had to sear the image of your-”
“And I’m going to stop you there,” My-re interrupted and held up her hands.
“I don’t see any flaws. The workmanship is top notch,” Havelock said and marched off offended.
Watching him leave, Vomarian commented, “I think he did a good job.”
My-re eyed Vomarian and turned back to the statue and studied it for a few minutes. She did look good in long hair. Something to remember. Havelock had smoothed out here face to make her look younger and an adjustment to her front, something only a woman would notice, to make them perfect. Shifting her weight from one foot to the other, she smiled. Havelock did do a good job.
Clap! Vomarian smacked his hands together. It startled her and the rest of the crew studying the sculpture. He ordered, “Fun time is over! Back to work! I want scouting parties to form up! There are three runaway mere dragons that need finding!”