"Getting Better"

One night, on the Feral Chaos, the crew was restlessly milling about. The ship was uncharacteristically...quiet. No sounds of music rehearsal, arguments over lyrics, raucous laughter, or even the pluck or beat of instruments could be heard. It was quiet...almost too quiet. The Quartermaster walked around the ship, checking on the night watch. There was no activity...and it was leaving the Quartermaster ill at ease. Since the mutiny, the crew of the ship had kept their distance from the captain. Though morale had been restored, it would still be sometime before the memory was allowed to go into the past. Once a port of call was made, many crew would abandon the Feral Chaos for good. The only activity she could see was a small candlelight coming from the door of the Captain's quarters. That was a bit odd. Gerry knew Edea would either practice, drink, or fall right to sleep by this time. She shook her head thinking she must have left a lantern lit. She peaked in and what she saw made her mouth drop open in shock.
 
There she saw her captain, wearing what appeared to be spectacles much like Orri wore. But it only got stranger. Her characteristic spiky hair and pointed wolf ears lay flat upon her head, a look she never remembered she saw. "What the..." Gerry thought but couldn't help but watch as she watched what Edea did next. As perceptive as she was, Gerry had failed to notice the pile of books and scrolls on the desk. Edea reached for a scroll and unfurled it to read with the ease of a practiced scholar. Gerry rubbed her eyes in disbelief. Unless it was music sheets or epic stories, Edea couldn't keep her eyes open for more than a few minutes before passing out. But Gerry watched her captain's expression. Edea's face was neutral, as if she had done this for years. Edea calmly rolled the scroll up, reading it over seemingly thoroughly before carefully rolling it and placing it back on the desk. At which point she reached for another one. Edea briefly took a sip of tea and kept reading.
 
Gerry stepped away. She was confused but nodded approvingly. She was leader of more than a bard troupe now and needed to act like it. It seemed her friend was finally growing up a little.