S00: Snakes in the Hive

"The third ship's the charm, right? Right?!?" Hephane looked down the dock at the two ships that rejected them earlier. Rejected them just for needing to bring a large snake onboard. How dare they reject a Princess of Serethon? But then Hephane remembered that the princess didn't like to be called that. "I have to remember. Anaxa. Only Anaxa."
 
But it was gone a moment later as she fretted over the safety of her princess. "How will we get more shinies without a ship? Her highness needs more protection. For that, she needs better armor. And quieter. We need more shinies. Orichalcum ones, too. They're the best at whispering. We'll need a full barrel. But these ships won't take us. How can I forge armor for my princess without a boat to take us to shinies?"
 
"Hephane? Hephane, snap out of it." Pulled from her rambling mutters, the elf blinked several times to bring Anaxa into view. A formidable warrior, taller than most large men, clad in the armor, shield, and helmet that Hephane labored over. The elf was so proud of them. So proud to have a worthy warrior to wear her shinies.
 
"Yes, your highness," Hephane responded reflexively.
 
Anaxa grumbled, "For the thousandth time, don't call me your highness, princess, or anything royal of any sort. I want to find glory of my own...without titles!"
 
The elf nodded, but Anaxa was sure she would fall back to her old habits at any moment.
 
"Hephane, the captain of this ship has agreed to take us on. The ship is called The Hive, and it's an apt name to describe the crew onboard. Aneprion will fit in without any trouble. Captain Squeelob is desperate for a bosun to keep it in good repair, so that's the main service we'll provide. At least for now. The oarsmen could do with some military training, I suspect. And, unless my scent has been deceived, the captain unknowingly owns one of the Seven Treasures of Undine."
 
Hephane gasped, "The prettiest of the pretties? Want me to..."
 
"No. No. No," Anaxa interjected as calmly as possible, knowing the elf's propensity for pilfering. "Please. Try your best not to steal it. One is of no use to us anyway. We need all seven, but a ship that will carry Aneprion is more important right now. Understand?"
 
"Shinies only for now then," Hephane agreed before darting away, leaving Anaxa's next words to the wind.
 
The elf explored The Hive with curiosity and disgust. Curiosity at the crew of goblins, spiders, satyrs, werewolves, and half-squids. No one would even bat an eye at a constrictor snake onboard with this lot. Aneprion would be safe. Hephane reserved her disgust for the state of the ship. It was in terrible repair. So many loose nails. And the elf pocketed as many of them as she could, each time sighing, "Shiny enough."
 
There was one member of the crew that piqued Hephane's interest more than shinies though. There was another elf onboard. The only other elf she could remember ever laying eyes on. Zephy? Was that what the satyr called her? She would have to trade stories with that one.