Quote Originally Posted by alura
I watched the others playing on the parasails and other things. Again, I hung back, unable, somehow, to open up to anyone.

Luckily, no one seemed to notice my presence and I breathed a sigh of relief.

I watched Amy laugh and play; my heart constricted with longing for her. How had this come to be?

My weakness had always been beautiful men, whom I could shape and mold according to my siren's song.

But this was different. I couldn't control her. Even if I wanted to, the song didn't work on human females the way that it did on men.

And even if it did, my singing voice was gone. The Captain had taken it from me that night when he had made me the sex object...the victim...

I turned to look at the Captain. He was sitting there, smiling at the antics of the others with affection in his eyes. When one of them would shriek with laughter or do something daring, his lips turned upward....and he watched them, carefully.

I began to understand that we were so much more than just playtoys to him. We were his little family.

Saddened and lonely, I prayed that someday I would be honored enough to receive such a look from him; instead of always being on the outside looking in.
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Well, it was nearly time to call the fun part of the day to an end, so we could keep the ship clean and all have a good meal. I ran down the list of who had yet to sail, and found only two, Alura, and me. Good thing the Gig had twin tow lines.

I sent Amy down after Alura, and assigned Jade and Jaden to pilot the tow boat and work safety. Fastening myself into a special Parasuit, Amy helped a surprised Alura into the other side. Soon the two of us were high above the warm, deep waters.

Alura was surprised. Rather than the usual two chutes and two sets of straps, this rig had a pair of joined chutes like the old space capsules, and the straps fastened the two flyers tightly against each other, with the extra arm wrapped around the other.

Sir Chuck looked her in the eyes. "Alura, I return to you your gift of singing, with limitations." She saw his eyes filled with the same love with which he'd gathered the rest of the crew into his heart. "You do indeed have a wonderful gift, but the sin of selfishness had caused you to use it in a way it never should have been. Until and unless I say otherwise, you may use your voice to bring others and yourself pleasure, never pain or teasing. You may use your gifts to do good and protect others, never to harm. And those joys you bring to others shall come to mind every time tears begin to consume you: you have others who love you and care. You have brought Amy great pleasure, asking nothing in return: unselfishness is a major step to help you grow. She has given you friendship without expectation in return, one of the greatest gifts.

"You have ways of controlling others: I release all those except for use against me or anyone who has demonstrated love to you. This may be the greatest self-control of all.... but it is also the greatest self-growth of all. A fine woman has said, 'The true measure of a person is to see how that person treats another who cannot help in any way.' For when you begin to respect another simply because they are of the vast majority of people who are decent and just, then your maturity begins."

I reached my free arm for Alura's, and revealed the other odd thing about this parasailing rig. Pulling her face to face with me, I spread her legs with my free hand and leg, and we joined in flight. A long, slow time together, we landed on the foredeck; both excited, both exhausted, both changed.

And so much for the better.

Sir Chuck