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THE UNINTENDED CURSE

Ch. 12

The whole deck was so quiet that you could hear the sound of waves lapping at the side of the boat, the sound of a few fish jumping out of the water, and even a few rats that had made the trip within the hold scurrying about to find whatever scraps had been dropped upon the floor or an unprotected sack of grain.

Now, many things can happen to someone who's caught upon a ship as a stowaway. One, they can just be thrown off the vessel and be left to their own whims and at the mercy of the seas wrath. Two, they can be tortured or beaten for said infliction and who knows what kind of means that that punishment would be administered. Three, if they're women...nuff said. I didn't know the captains policy on stowaways, but I knew that it wouldn't be good for, two elves who'd just escaped from slavery, and were quite beautiful/lustful in any mans eyes to slack their long built up lust from being out here at sea.

Looking around the deck I could see that many of the other sailors had smiles upon their faces and that worried me quite a bit as thoughts of what might be going through the captains face. It was just at that moment that a hand landed on my hosts shoulder and I was pulled around to face the captains assistant. "You don't look to pleased to hear that we've caught some stowaways." I could see in his fuzzy face that looked to haven't been shaved in quite some time that it was just looking for some kind of answer.

'Aw...shit.' I thought as I tried to think up some kind of reply to this situation. "I'm just as surprised as everyone else here, sir. I'm just better at masking it, is all." I said with a shit eaten grin. "It helps me keep up a good face when playing the cars for a little coin." He didn't look like he believe a word of it but just shrugged it off and walked back forward to stand next to the captain. 'I had better think up something fast, otherwise who knows what is going to happen to them.' It was at that moment that I caught sight of the elder sister looking at me with pleading eyes and I gave her a nod to try and tell her that I was on trying to come up with an idea on how to help them.

"What say you lads, should we throw them overboard and see which one gets to meet Old Deep Dave down there first, rope them to the front of the ship as our new figurehead, or...have them...give us each a little company tonight." The captain built up the anticipation with the last suggestion and when he finished it all the deck hands started laughing while others began to lick their lips or rub at their bulges in their britches at the thought of what was soon to come that night.

"Why not our new cooks?" A voice said out through the laughter, jeers, whistles, and bird whistles. A few moments later another person picked up on the idea and as the person said it a bit louder several other sailors began to think upon the idea rather than what the stowaways being used for what the captain had suggested.

"That might not be such a bad idea." Once voice said. "I am getting a little tired of chard fish every night." Another said which got quite a few nods by many of the other ship hands. "They are elves after all and would probably know how to cook up something tasty." And so on.

"Who's the slimy sea dog that mocks my cooking!" The cook said with a hard look in his eye as he pushed his way to the forefront of the crowd, which left little to question that whoever spoke up wouldn't be eating any but gruel or slop for the next few days. It was quite comical to say the least when the whole deck went dead silent at the thought of the cooks wrath.

"I suggested it." I said as I shouldered my way forward to stand before everyone else, not afraid to speak my mind (Though in truth it didn't matter a lick to a blob monster such as myself which way food came or how it had been cooked ). "I don't know what it's like for the rest of you, but I for one am tired of tasting nothing other burnt fish that not even the sea will take back." This got several other shipmates to laugh quite a bit until the rest of them joined in when they saw how pissed off the cook looked and started laughing with full bellied howls of laughter.

"Alright there lads. I can see that many of you are tired of cook's cooking methods and wish for a change." He turned to looks at the elves and gave them a hard look. "Though it goes against my better judgment, the lads may be right? If I spare the two of your lives, will the two of you be our new cooks?"

"WHAT!" The cook quickly turned back to the captain and got right up in his face with a very stern/angry/hurt look in his eyes, as well as brandishing his soup spoon. "Surely you jest. The first chance that those two get, they'll cast a spell on our food and make us all sick as dogs. Or worse..." This caught most of the other men off guard and had them regarding my suggestion a bit more closely as the talking began to quiet once again in hushed tones.

This seemed to enrage the elder sister of the two elves. She quickly stepped up to the overly bulbous cook, and looked harshly at him as she put her fists on her hips and scowled at him. "We could have done so a long time ago," She stated. "But the whole crew is still in perfect health." This seemed to shut the cook up as he looked down and away from the fierce gaze of the elder sister elf. "And I will have you know. Anything is better than that slop that you have been feeding the crew of this ship."

A low murmur spread through the men as agreements could be heard every now and then (As well as a couple of chuckles). "Would you all shut up. She is just trying to win you over!" He shouted as he turned to the men. "Once these two witches are given a chance, they'll take advantage over us and enslave us to their magical whims."

"Then how about this," She said as she straitened up and a smirk spread across her face. "We shall have a contest to see who can cook the best meal with what meager ingredients that you have aboard this ship..."

"NOW WAIT JUST ONE MINUTE!" The cook yelled as he quickly turned towards her and stood up on his tippy toes to see eye to eye to her, as he was just a bit shorter than her. "This match will be totally one sided."

"And why would that be? Do you think that I would use some method to cheat?" She said in an angry tone as if offended that she would stoop so low as to win a contest by cheating.

"Of course I think that you will cheat." He said with a strait tone which caused her to raise one eye in interest though somewhere deep down I could tell that that comment had struck deep. An elf that would cheat, never. Stretching the truth, yes, but never lie or cheat. "You will use some kind of spell to enhance your cooking and in that...put a spell over all of us." There came another murmur went through the crowd, though this time it was against her.

"Alright then...how does is this sound. You can choose someone to watch over me as I cook up the meal. That way they can observe me and make sure that I do not use any method to cheat or cast any spell/s over the food. Then when we are done with our different meals, which should probably be something that can be made on a large enough scale that it can feed the whole crew, you can choose someone else to eat both our meals and decide which is the better and if you or I shall be the cook from now on." Both the cook and the elder sister elf looked towards the crowd of the crew of the ship and watched to see what the crew thought of the idea.

There were many who really liked the idea and even a few that volunteered for the task to watch over her to make sure that she wouldn't work any magic over the food. Finally it came down to a decision that the captain would be the official taster of the food and the one who would make the elves walk the plank if they were to loose, but as to who would watch over the elf to make sure that she would not cheat? Finally the cook stopped tapping his chin and nodded. "I will choose...the newest crew member." Everyone's eyes went wide as half the crew looked over at me while the other half turned to the cook. Many angry shouts were heard throughout the main deck in protest as well as many questioning the reason why. "I shall tell you why," He stated with a smile/smirk on his face. "When we went out to the market to sell our fish in the first port we came to. He was the one who caught the little thief that would have made off with one of my prize cuts. So that leads me to believe that he will notice any sudden or strange hand movements that she may make to cast a spell."

"Then it is settled then." The captain said as he stepped forward and held up his hand to silence everyone's protests at not being chosen to watch over the older elf. "I shall judge the food that our cook and this elf will make and put an end to all of this." (As well as, hopefully, my continuous upset stomach from cookie's cooking) He said the last bit under his breath. "The elf shall be the first to use the kitchen and she shall have an hour to cook up something that can be cooked up in a decent amount, so as to feed the whole crew of the meal if need be."

A little while later found the three of us, (Both sister elves and myself) down in the kitchen, with the older sister elf putting on a fresh/clean apron. "Do you really believe that this is such a good idea sister?" Asked the younger elf as she watched her older sister walk about the kitchen, taking inventory of what was available, then gathering ingredients for her meal to the sailors above.

"Yes and no." She answered as she continued to walk about the kitchen without turning to talk with her younger sister. "Yes, as it will secure our stay upon this ship while we sail back for home and to keep us from drowning if we are thrown overboard. No, as the rest of the crew believes that we might poison or en-spell their food to make them do things, to the end, they will be constantly looking over our shoulder and bothering us all the time."

That's when she stopped what she was doing and looked over at me. "What about you? Do you wish to see us succeed?" She asked as her younger sister also turned towards me and gave me a hopeful/pleading/helpless look.

"I think I know where you are going with this, and yes it does matter to me. Contrary to what you might think, I do not wish to have to go out into the world again and try and re-find another elf to take me to your kingdom." I said as I leaned against the door to the galley and crossed my arms.

"Then you do not care if we really succeed or not. If we fail it only inconveniences you a little." She says as her little sister's eyes go wide then she begins to shake in fear.

"As a blob monster, it really does not matter to me either way," I shrug my shoulders to show that it really doesn't matter to me. "Though as once a human...I only wish for your success." I say as I push myself off the door frame, kneel before the little sister, and place a hand on her shoulder to stop her shaking in fear. "I am not the heartless monster that you might think that I am. Plus, I have other reason why I want you to succeed." I say which seems to cheer up the little sister. 'I really can't tell them that this body is breaking down on me and it would prove to dangerous for this guy if I postpone getting to the elves kingdom and meet with that elf again. I look up to the elder sister and she nods, as if accepting my reason, then turns back to the galley to start cooking up her meal.

By the time limit has expired (Thanks to the large hour glass that was serving as the timer for the challenge), the elder sister elf had cooked up a fairly decent meal of fish. The fish didn't have the signs of the cook's regular burn/scalding marks that each meal would have and had a hint of some kind of mouth watering aroma that makes people gather for a meal that they would know tastes great. There was also a set of mashed potatoes on the side with a piece of parsley and some other kind of vegetable to fight off scurvy.

Just then I hear the sound of footsteps coming down the steps to the galley and turn to see that the cook is the one coming down. Once he steps off the stairs I can see that he doesn't look very happy at seeing the sisters together as well as the meal that was being covered in the elder sisters hands. "Out of my way, you freaks. This is my kitchen and I wont have you two down here to spoil what I am going to cook up." He then shoulders past them, almost making the elder sister drop her plait of food.

Not wanting this to turn into a fight or worse, I gently/quickly push her and her sister towards the stairs. "The cook was kind enough to allow you the chance to cook down here and I would believe that it is his turn to use his galley. So why don't the two of you go up the stairs and wait for us by the captains table." Both look over to me as I have my arms over their shoulders and allow them to be lead out of the galley.

Once they were out of sight I returned to my normal, post of leaning against the wall, and watch as the cook gets to work on his dish. The cook takes inventory of his stock and scowls a little at a few different items, as if thinking up what the sisters had prepared and what he'd cook up to beat them at the cook off. "Does that freak really think to impress everyone this those meager ingredients?" He asks as he looks over his shoulder at me to as if expecting me to answer his question. I didn't know if that was a rhetorical question, but answering it would probably prove to be the girls downfall and I for sure didn't want the girls kicked off the ship.

As the cook begins to show off his culinary skills, my mind begins to wander and I begin to think about my current situation. 'If those girls fail at this, who knows what's going to happen to this body. It's already pretty far gone and I'm going to need to get it to a healer soon to patch up the damage that I've done to it since inhabiting it.' I thought to myself as I watch the cook start going around the kitchen and grabbing this ingredient or that. Eventually pleasant smells were coming from his overly large pot and my worry began to rise. 'Could this cook actually pull this challenge off?' Though it seemed unlikely at first, now it was looking like he might actually do it. For fear of the elves loosing the challenge, I waited by the doorway and awaited my opportunity.

My chance came when he dropped something vital to his dish on the wooden floor when the boat rocked unexpectedly and I quickly hocked a spit wad into the mix. The blob only landed on the edge of the pot, but it quickly moved over the lip and into the pot itself, as to make sure that it wouldn't make a sound like that of a raindrop falling on a pond. The cook looked up at his concoction and then pulled out something from within his apron. "If those two think they can win with that pathetic meal, they've got another thing coming. Now to add my special seasoning." He said with a chuckle as he sprinkled something from within the small tin into the pot.

'Add whatever you'd like their cookie, but your not going to be winning this contest, no matter what special ingredient you add to the mix.' A small chuckle bubbled up but I quickly squashed it down.