Just as Elija reached the deck railing a momentary flash of dim light shone. There he could see Collene step out and what looked like Lasekura standing in a small pool of water. The smell of fish perminated his nostrils. Lifting himself to the cross railing Elija jumped feet first and struck, what appeared to be Lasekura at the base of his neck, causing then both to fall to the deck. As Elija landed on his back he yelled "Mum run!" Sam came running up the far staircase followed by two deck hands close on his heels. As two more deck hands rounded the opposite end of the passageway.

Colleen was completely confused. As she watched Elija attack Raj, she yelled at the boy.

”ELIJA! What are you doing? Have you lost your mind, young man?”

Not knowing what was going on and thinking Elija was attacking who she believed to be Raj, Colleen quickly tried to put herself between the boy and the man. The short sword she had been holding onto hit the deck with a clanging thud as she tried to protect Raj from Elija’s sudden outburst.

”Stop this madness! Right now! What the devil is going on here!?”

She had yet to see the water that had puddle where Raj had been standing and the smell of fish was pushed aside thinking they had perhaps come across a place on shore where some fish had died and collected.

Mallethden gnashed his teeth angrily at Elija, but quickly hid his expression from the woman the boy called Mother and assumed an innocent role. He smoothly rose to his feet and tried to calm the boys down as Raj would have done.

"Please. Elija, Sam come to your senses. You're frightening your mother." he told them as Colleen stepped in to intervene.

Now was his chance! He prepared to strike, but then two more deck hands emerged from the shadows and suddenly the odds were against the Mermadon. He was not as fair as a fighter out of the water as he was in it. That was how and the only way he was able to dispose of the well trained warrior, Lasekura. To challenge all of these men on deck, one just might get lucky with a pistol or knife and that was a risk that Mallethden did not want to take, but his window of opportunity was narrowing. Somehow the boys had been released from their cage, but it seemed that the Captain and his men were after them for another reason, one that the woman would no doubt vouch for.

Mallethden saw only one last option and that was to silence the boys. In the confusion, as the deck hands scrambled about to get control of the boys, Lasekura caught Elija's eyes. With Colleen's back to him she could not see what he was doing, and the semblance of the Sergeant made a quick gesture with his finger nonchalantly across this throat while motioning his eyes to the woman.

He would kill her right then and there if the boy didn't keep quiet. Hopefully this would hold his tongue until the Mermadon was able to figure out a better plan.

Elija glared at the imposter and said softly "Wux tuch sia dask vur si geou svadri douta preah ekik." He the staggered to his feet and stood with his fists knotted at his side, his eyes dark as two pieces of coal. He turned his gaze to Collene and his expression became relaxed and innocent "These buggers think me an Sam be stoways Mum. Weeze gots locked in a cupboard down by tha saloon and was tryin' ta gets out, when tha pigs ear keep nabs us an takes us ta the captain."

Colleen didn’t recognize this strange language Elija was using nor did she appreciate the fact he was using it making it impossible for her to know what he was saying. As Raj got to his feet and Colleen put herself physically between Raj and Elija she saw the deck hands scrambling to the upper deck. As they began to wrestle with Elija Colleen quickly put an end to the chaos not knowing what had taken place between the disguised Mermadon and Elija.

”ENOUGH!”

The authority in her voice caused all of them to stop what they were doing and pay close attention to the infuriated woman who now stood among the small group with her hands curled into tight fists at her side. Her dark blue eyes pinned each and every one of them with her glare as she tried to clear up what was happening.

”The boy is my son. I am traveling with a group of children and we all have valid tickets to be aboard this vessel. Our tickets were procured by Marshall Kallend in Meirathal. If you check your logs with the ticket master aboard the boat, you’ll see for yourself. IN the meantime, I will gladly visit the Captain to clear all of this up. My escort, Sargeant Lasekura, will gladly accompany me to help clear up this misunderstanding. As for the boys being locked in a cupboard near the saloon…..you were a boy once. Did you do everything YOUR mother told you to do and stay out of trouble?”

The men glanced at each other and shifted nervously on their feet as they let go of the boy. Colleen may not have had any children of her own but her ‘mother’ mode could match any natural mother and the men quickly felt as though they were standing before their own mother’s. Finally one of them shook his head.

”N-No ma’am. W-we didn’t do as our mother’s told us but the boys…”

Colleen cut the man off before he could finish.

”Are MY responsibility, not yours. Now. Let me get the boy secure. I’ll find his friend, Sam, when I go to talk to your Captain.”

Looking down at Elija, she held her hand out for him to take then clasped her hand around his when she felt his small hand touch hers. Moving over to the cabin she had emerged from, Colleen knelt down to pick up the blade she’d dropped making it look as though she was tying Elija’s shoe. When she glanced up at Elija they exchanged glances. When she stood back up she handed the blade to Elija using the material of her skirt to obscure the view. When she stepped inside she left the door open on a crack then knelt down and whispered to Elija as she drew him into a hug.

”Stay here. I’ll get this all cleared up. I don’t know what’s going on here but I intend to find out. If Sam shows up, let him in but DO NOT LEAVE THIS CABIN. I mean it, Elija. No matter what. I’ll be fine. I promise. I’m not as defenseless as it may seem.”

Colleen reminded Elija then of the fact she still had some weapons she had forged upon her only not visible to the naked eye. They were small but they would do the trick should she need them. With a soft kiss to his cheek, she stepped up and out the door. Even as she heard him start to protest, she closed the door and stepped back up to the deck hands and Raj.

”Please. Lead on gentlemen. It’s late and I have children I need to tend to before they wake up and find me gone. I don’t want them to get frightened and start looking for me.”

Glancing at Raj, she gave him a hard look letting him know she had some questions for him as well.

”Shall we, Sargeant Lasekura?”

Mallethden was please that he and the boy had arrived somewhat at an understanding. It seemed he truly cared for the enchantress and for now he was able to use this affection to his advantage while he stalled for time. The Mermadon had to remain surreptitious among these Humans for the time being and so he would have to continue with his charade.

"Yes, Miss Smith." Replied Mallethden with Lasekura's voice.

Mallethden sensed disapproval in her tone. Just another problem he had to worry about. How did Humans every get anything done? They were such busy creatures but fortunately they were predictable. Already, he was relying on the boys disobeying their guardian and venturing out on to the decks. As soon as the opportunity arose to take the enchantress he wouldn't have far to go for the boy and he could then whisk them both away into one of the lifeboats and make his getaway.

They made their way to the Captain's quarters, Lasekura trailing behind the disgruntled woman. Three of the deck hands had accompanied them else the Mermadon would dealt with her then and there. Once they reached the cabin they knocked, and an elderly man smoking a pipe answered.

"Good evening to you. My 'tis been an eventful night." The Captain greeted.

He was cordial at first but his mood soured somewhat when her learned that this woman was the mother of the boy who had so rudely kicked him in the shin. Reluctantly he allowed them both into his cabin and waved away the deck hands. He gestured to a few chairs for his guests then sat back down where he had been before they came a knocking. A book was turned over on the pedestal table and a drink half full with an amber coloured liquor sat by the ash tray. Distracted by the two pleasures he listened to the woman's explanation and verified the tickets but that still did not excuse the boy's behaviour.

"That boy should be disciplined." He told Colleen, "You send him down here to me to be dealt with properly and I will consider this matter cleared."

Mallethden just stood by quietly. He wasn't sure of his place in this matter so he wisely figured to remain silent. Honestly he liked this Captain's style. They boy should be dealt with but he thought it best not to mention this. His observations of Lasekura before his demise lead him to believe that the man was soft and compassionate and so he played that role.

Colleen bristled at the Captain when he asked for the boy to be brought to him for proper discipline. There was no mistaking she didn’t appreciate the Captain’s handling of this situation and let the good man know just how she felt.

”Oh? And I suppose your form of ‘discipline’ would be a leather strap taken to his hide. I shall not now nor will I ever physically punish my child. Or any of the other children in my care. They have been through enough physical pain to last them a lifetime already and I refuse to add to that pain. There are other ways of handling children. And your way is not the way I choose. He will apologize to you, in the morning, for his kicking you in the shin but that will be the extent of contact you will have with my son. And I will accompany him to make sure nothing happens to him.”

The Captain began to swell as Colleen talked to him like that. His eyes grew hard and his face began to turn a blotchy color of red beneath his beard. How dare a mere woman talk to him like that?!

”Madame! I am the Captain of this ship. You shall mind yourself of this and speak to me properly.”

Colleen stood up then and pinned the man with her dark blue eyes.

”In case you haven’t figured it out by now, CAPTAIN, I’m not your typical woman and I shall not bow down to your overbearing ways. This may be your ship but that is my son. I shall be for certain the children and myself do not burden you again until we reach our destination in Baloc. My escort, Sergeant Lasekura, shall help me insure the children are kept in check until we disembark from your lovely vessel.”

Turning, she looked to Raj then.

”Sergeant Lasekrua, I believe our meeting here is through. We best get back and make sure our wards are not turning the ship upside down. Besides. It’s late and I’m exhausted.”

Turning to the Captain once more, she gave a curt nod as she spoke in a hard tone.

”Good night, Captain. Do enjoy your book…and drink.”

As the Captain was trying to protest, Colleen ignored the man and opened the door as she stormed out from the man’s private office and started walking back to the rooms as she fumed quietly.

”How DARE that man even THINK I would consider such a thing. Obviously his own childhood was filled with such dealings. No doubt he thinks ALL children need to be handled by such barbaric and brutal ways. Have you ever heard such things, Raj?”

Mallethden considered the rearing of young Mermadon as he listened to the woman rant. Only the strong survived, it was the natural way of life. Those that were unable to break free of their eggs in time were left to die. This weeded out the weak — a sound philosophy, and yet in recent years they had discovered some mothers giving aid to these runts. This woman was such a creature that would offer assistance to that which should be left to die. How she sickened the Mermadon. Perhaps, he considered, he should wipe out her entire brood and do her society a kindness. He mused at the thought, but he didn't have time for such pleasures. His first priority was the Dracomance, then if it were possible acquire the enchantress as well and it seemed that opportunity was at hand.

As the disguised Mermadon followed behind the livid woman they passed by the very life boat that he had intended to steal in order to cart his cargo. It was late and there was no one on deck. No one to witness the abduction. The situation was perfect and hardly one Mallethden could pass up.

As Colleen turned to Raj to ask his opinion on how children should be raised his reply could not have been expected.

"I have." Answered Malletheden, at the same moment as he threw his right fist toward Colleen's chin.

The last thing Colleen expected was an attack from her self appointed guardian and escort, Rajinder Lasekura. So when she turned to ask him the question and was met with a jarring punch to the chin, Colleen’s head snapped back so violently her entire body moved back about a foot.

The instantaneous pain shot clean through her body and the last thoughts she had before blackness overtook her was that she should have paid more attention to Elija and Raj was no doubt dead. She dropped like a rock as she lost all consciousness.

Elija took the blade stealthly ans put it behind his back as he stepped back into the cabin. When Collene told him not to leave the cabin, he said nothing as the door closed. Placing his ear to the door he heard the foot steps of those outside slowly diminish. Elija cracked the door open again and peered up and down the passageway, seeing no one about he slipped back out the door latching it behind him. Sam was somewhere about and he had to find him. As he passed by a companion way a hand reached out and grabbed him by the collar. Elija, raised the blade and was ready to strike when he recognized Sam , sticking the blade into his belt, Elija said "Bloody 'ell Sam Eyezz near lopped your loaf off. Raj ain't right mate, him and mum took off. Yuz gets back ta the digs and keeps an eye on the gang. Yus don't open that door fur nobody but me." Elija stepped back out onto the passageway then added "Eyez going ta finds Mum." and began his search.

Sam started to protest but Elija was already running down the passageway.

Mallethden discarded his disguise. Assuming the form of Sergeant Lasekura was no longer required in fact wearing his face was beginning to grate on his last nerve. He rather preferred his natural 'Human' guise, that appeared the most like his true, Mermadon self.

As he skulked along the decks, the master illusionist used his magic to conceal himself, blending into the background like a chameleon. Only his sounds, depressions of his feet and a slight distortion of light and dark surrounding his body could betray him, but none were a factor at this time. It was dark and the deck was stiff allowing the Mermadon to move along with little noise. In fact so quiet was the stealthy spy that he was able to move within striking distance of his quarry without him even taking notice.

The boy was young and experienced in dealing with the ways of an assassin. That's what Mallethden could best be classified as. Trained in the art of invisibility and the silent kill, the Mermadon was a deadly opponent when in his element. Unfortunately, he not considered the boy's odd sense of smell. While disguised as a Human, the Mermadon tended to smell as them, with only the slightest hint of their natural scent. The Dracomance, however, detected it quite readily to which Mallethden was yet oblivious.

The boy was nearly in his grasp. The long arms of the invisible Mermadon slowly reached out from the open doorway of q darkened and vacant cabin. All he need was drag the boy in and he would be at Mallethden's mercy. There would be no escape. Victory would belong to the Mermadon!

Once Elija had left Sam and approached the stern of the vessel, he slowed down, not wanting to draw undo attention to himself, in case some deck hand or officer was making his rounds of the deck. The odor of rotting fish and water soaked wood seemed to permiate the air as he approached a row of dark cabins. Elija moved away from the cabins and closer to the center of the passageway as he crept along, his eyes darting left, right up and down. Slowly he lifted the blade and the small dagger from his belt, holding one in each hand. His steps were purposefull and tense ready to bolt into a dead run, as he had learned to do on the streets and in the alleys that he had grown up in. His mind remembering every trick that Scounger had taught him and Splevey had beat into his memory.

The boy was so close. Had he stayed his course Mallethden would have had him, but something had steered him away. Was it instinct or something else? The Mermadon did not have time to consider the details while his prize was in sight.

The boy held two knives as if he knew how to use them. Malletheden smiled, how he would like to test the boy's skill but he had no time for games. Soon the watchman would come around and he had to have the boy incapacitated before then. It was time for magic and the performance of such required he drop his disguise and reveal his true from. So be it.

The greenish coloured Mermadon became visible and stepped out of the shadows. His milky blue eyes narrowed as he thrust his arms high into the air. At that moment, the air stirred around Elija and he felt cold, so cold in fact that his legs turned numb and heavy, in fact he hardly felt as if he could walk let alone run. A faint blue aura writhed around the boy's trousers, like a ghostly snake of fire adhering him to the deck and slowing his movements. It began to climb up Elija's body, twisting around his arms, his neck and finally his mouth, choking the words right out of him.

Mallethden strolled over to the boy shaking his head in mock sympathy. "Sorry boy, but this is the end for you." he told him then when he was close, but not too close he bent down so that the tall creature was eye to eye with Elija. "You have spirit, this much I will give you. Stop struggling, just let the eels of Vathesh turn you cold. Then you can see your mother, would that not be... nice." The Mermadon gnashed his teeth as hissed the final word.

Slowly the strange magical eels would numb boys entire body, but it was not an instantaneous process. They first struck the legs, to prevent escape and then the tongue to stop any cries for help, but the rest of the body would remain fairly mobile for a few minutes.

Mallethden barred his rows of tiny teeth together and grinned at the silenced boy. "Yes. I have your mother, boy. She did not even know what hit her."

Time was ticking but Mallethden had tied and gagged the woman should she awaken prematurely. Still, it was not worth the risk to wait too long. The more the boy struggled against the eels the longer it would take him to fall under their spell.

"Stop struggling boy. Give in and perhaps I shall consider releasing your mother." the Mermadon lied.

Elija felt the cold permiate his body starting in his legs, he had felt the pangs of cold before. Long ago as he crossed the mountains alone after the murder of his real parents. Again as he braved the winters in the streets and alleys of Fort Glory, before Dodger had found him shivering and brought him to Scounger. That was cold but not like this, this was a cold like he had never felt. Try as he did he could not make his legs work or find his voice. Slowly Elija felt tired ans sleepy. He kept struggeling his voice a rash harsh gasp as he uttered the words " Eyez s-s-s-sorry M-m-m-mum." and the light faded into blackness as he fell down on the deck.

As fate would have it, Elija and Colleen began to awake at the same time. The boy had proved to be rather resilient against the effects of the numbing spell and could once more feel his arms and legs, unfortunately he could barely move them. He had been bound and gagged in a similar fashion to his mother who was laid out beside him in the bottom of the life boat.

Above them the could see Mallethden, once more in his human form, turning a winch and lowering the boat into the water. They were nearly upon the surface of the river when they came to a jarring halt as the Mermadon stopped to answer the call of one of the deck hands.

"Just what do you think you are doing?" Asked the man in an accusing tone of voice.

Malletheden disappeared from their sight. There was a muffled cry, then the limp body of the man was tossed over the side of the ship and splashed down near to them. The Mermadon then resumed lowering the boat.