| Logs |
2000-05-07
| Starfall |
| Realms |
Retired
| Reality Fault |
General Info
 |
The Pride of Kossalu, and Various Other Occurrences
- The coachman is the only kidnapper who is captured, and it
develops that he doesn't know anything worthwhile. The Lascarri family
practically drowns him in truth potions but doesn't find out anything
useful, and his compatriots appear to have wisely fled the city, if not
the kingdom.
The Saucy Mare spends only a day in port, setting out on the next morning's high tide, this time without any stowaways (Demeter was indeed promised sailing lessons -- AFTER she is finished with her next month's grounding). Cleo returns from a visit to the Mage's Guild, still furious about the message interception but convinced that it was not a mage but a messenger who sold out. She takes advantage of the flap to 'borrow' a telepath and brings back a message from Ettore. "Everything is fine so far -- I warned them that House P knows what's going on now, and although he probably doesn't know that Ettore is involved they should be very careful. Bryn passed on a message that the grain ships are being heavily reinforced now."
The Mare heads out, the tropical waters bright and clear, alive with fish and seabirds of all kinds. Jared salutes the Captain once the ship is clear of the harbor. "What course now, sir? Same as last time?"
Carroll nods to Jared, "I think so. We'll try again and perhaps get more than a day out of port."
Alex grins at Carroll, "Shall we hit something besides a grain ship now? A steel shipment perhaps? That'd be nice for our patrons?"
Horatio frowns slightly and glances to Carroll. "If the grain ships are being reinforced we should try to hit them someplace where they aren't expecting."
Dimitri leans on his big sword, his ears flickering in the breeze. "A cargo ship..."
Carroll murrs, "Were we looking for more grain?" He nods and murrs, "A cargo ship anyway. Telling the contents will be difficult ahead of time."
Horatio nods, "He may be thinking we're going to be limiting ourselves to grain shipments."
Alex beams, looking pleased, "Excellent! In that case, captain, would you like Kammy sent out on regular sweeps?"
Carroll looks at Alex and murrs, "That will be very good." Alex nods and gives the appropriate commands. Dimitri settles down on the deck, drawing out his long blade. Slowly, with a stone and oil, he carefully sharpens and polishes. Horatio cleans the bowchasers, ensuring their preparedness and hoping that what happened last time won't happen this time... but grimly accepting the possibility. Alex continues to work on her magic practice, between keeping nightwatch, keeping up-to-date on what's happening on board ship, acrobatics practice, and fighter practices with Dimitri.
Carroll finds Dimitri and asks, "Are our marines ready for this sort of work? The cargo ships usually have better guards, and may have more than normal, considering."
The black fox shrugs. "We can train as best we can, but the proof is in the taking. We will get hurt, we will lose someone eventually. But also Pravinchandra has been shifting his guards. Now the question worth a chest of gold... has he hired more guards or shifted the good mercenaries from the cargo ships to the grain ships?" Alex nods, looking up from where she's got her dagger floating in the air between her paws... it goes *klunk* satisfyingly hard into the deck and she grins happily, glancing down at it.
Carroll murrs, "I don't know. We'll know soon, I expect." He smiles and adds, "Part of me wants him to have just moved the guards, so we have an easier time of it, while another part wants him to have hired more, so he's spending more. Either is good for us."
Dimitri looks up, nodding quietly. "Just find me a ship."
Carroll nods to Dimitri, "Working on that." He adds, "I wish I knew how to go about looking for Father more effectively."
Alex answers promptly, "Get Horatio to plot out where he was aimed for, where he'd come from, and any influences the local weather might have had... then follow that general line in wide sweeps, hitting House P ships as we go, Captain."
"We need to find the last Pravinchandra who saw him alive to answer that, Carroll." Dimitri shrugs, looking down at the deck. "Or the last furr who ever saw his ship." Alex glances at Dimitri curiously, but doesn't say anything. Then he laughs, nodding to Alex. "What she said." Alex grins cheerfully.
Carroll nods and murrs, "Good plan. Let's do that." He goes off to find Horatio and see if he can't plot a course for the ship.
Horatio comes up on deck, almost bumping into Carroll and wiping wood oil from his hands with a rag. "Oh! Sorry, Car- er, Captain! Someone called?" Carroll explains the goals wanted, and asks Horatio if he can come up with a course. Horatio nods to Carroll, thinking. "Give me the rest of the day and I'll work out his course line. I'll have to check the almanacs... I wish I could have started this back in Maidstone; we could have asked some of the mariners if they knew what the weather was like along Father's course line -- but I'll make do."
Carroll murrs, "Do your best and we'll work on that. We may detour if we find a Pravinchandra ship anyway." He turns away, then back, adding, "No, we will detour," with a nasty smile.
Horatio shivers a little, but only nods and says, "Aye, Captain." He goes down belowdecks to the chart room and starts to plot and draw out Father's last known course...
Alex frowns as she concentrates... and a moment later the dagger pulls out of the deck and floats to her paws. She beams elatedly again, then whew!s and leans against Dimitri for a bit. Dimitri wraps an arm about Alex protectively, pausing in his own tasks. "You do realize you'll have to stop that sort of practice once we hit the shipping lanes."
Alex nods, "I know. But for now it's my assigned homework from Cleo." She grins happily, "It's kinda neat to see it happen!" She adds, "I'll do more reading when we hit the shipping lanes. And..." she grins mischievously, "I hope to be good enough by then that it's just second nature!"
Dimitri laughs quietly. "Good. I don't need to be worrying about you falling asleep when the bosun calls out 'sail ho!'"
Alex giggles and pokes Dimitri lightly in the side, "Too much adrenaline for that to happen, definitely!" Giving his sister a slow look, Dimitri nods. Then he slowly, purposefully, and forcefully pokes her back! Alex laughs, letting herself fall off the end of the stair and rolling to her feet. She grins, sticks her tongue out at Dimitri, then trots off for the canteen and a drink.
Horatio plots a course back up the western side of Lancer to the shipping lanes between Starfall and the Empire. The Mare is three days outbound from Maidstone when Kamehameha returns unexpectedly from patrol. "Cap'n! Bring 'er round nor'west, gotta ship-feller hull up five leagues!"
Alex looks up alertly, "Is it flying Pravin colors?"
Jared translates. "Target ship, hull up from ten kilometers away. Probably about 15 km from us."
Horatio looks up, and gulps. Half of him hopes it isn't a Pravinchandra ship, the other half of him is oddly eager that it is... Alex nods to Jared, then turns to Carroll, "Captain, shall we head that way then?" Dimitri's ears pivot, quiet, listening sharp.
Carroll nods and murrs, "Let's go." He gives direction to the crew both for course and to ready the marines, in case it is a Pravin ship. Alex nods and glances at Dimitri for direction.
Horatio goes to the foc's'le, setting a pair of crossbows near the hatch inside and out of the way... just in case they attack the other ship and it doesn't immediately strike her colors. He begins to run the ballistae crews through their drills preparatory to running out the ballistae. Dimitri slowly stands, brushing out his cloak. "Tell Mister Mackenzie to raise the crew. Have the archers ready their bows, bolts, and arrows. Five to hold our defense, the rest ready to board."
Alex nods, "Gotcha, Dimitri..." she patters off to pass on the directions to MacKenzie, then heads back to her cabin. There she tucks an extra dagger or two into her belt, then sits quietly and takes a moment to gather her energy 'til she can see herself glowing pale green, like Cleo said.
Carroll cautions, "It might not be a Pravin ship; let's not look too eager, in that case."
The approaching ship's scout doesn't spot the Mare until the range has been closed considerably, having been off in the wrong direction when Kamehameha first spotted her. The bird, a crow wearing House Pravinchandra colors, veers off as soon as he gets a good look at the Mare and flees back to his ship. Alex cheers happily, "House P colors, captain! Do we close?"
Carroll waves cheerily at the crow as it files off and then turns to direct, "That looks like our target, everyone!" He directs the crew to raise the fighting colors, and stand ready. He also finds his own crossbow and several bolts. Alex dashes over to stand by Dimitri, her tail fluffy with excitement!
Dimitri frowns sharply and then springs up himself. "No surprise any more. Alex, run up the colors, Mister Mackenzie, ready the archers. Counter boarders below decks till we grapple, boarders take cover at the gunwales. Over in pairs; no one, no one fights alone." Alex hastily runs the rope for the Mare's colors paw-over-paw to get them up in time, then dashes back to stand by Dimitri again.
Horatio takes in a breath, and turns to the ballistae crew. "All right. Stand by to run out the ballistae. Aim for the..." His voice catches only a little. "Aim for the masts; if we can slow them down and stop them in the water we'll get them right where we want them." And try not to hit their crew when you do aim for the masts. He wants to say that last... he really does, but he knows they can't, that there's no possible way to avoid a poor sod dashing to his station, suddenly finding himself in between a singing ballista bolt and his ship's mast. Carroll watches the crew from the quarterdeck, directing where needed, and finding his own cover. He needs to stay there. Dimitri drops then to the deck, taking shelter beneath the level of the gunwales. Every so often his dark head pokes up, sharp eyes gauging the other ship's approach and the disposition of their crew. With one strong paw he snares Alex's collar to drag her down also. "Unless you have a crossbow, it's our turn to wait. The minutes pass by very, very long, Alex."
The ship, a carrack of the sort normally found in the carrying trade, frantically comes about and tries to escape. The Mare is making twice her speed, though so the outcome is easily foretold. The Mare comes into ballista range an hour before sunset. Horatio waits for the order from Carroll, not a moment sooner. Carroll murrs, "Fire, Horatio!" as soon as they enter ballista range.
Horatio shouts, "Run 'em out! Handsomely now!" As the forward panels are pushed open and the ballistae are pushed into position, Horatio takes one quick look down the length of each ballista and steps back to where he can see the merchant -- the enemy ship. "FIRE!" he barks, and the ballista'eers pull on the lanyards, sending a pair of heavy spears sailing out across the water at the merchantman.
Carroll calls to the archers, "When we get in range keep them clear of us." and readies his own crossbow, listening to the ballistae and trying to gauge when the crossbows are useful without being a target himself.
Alex settles next to Dimitri, whispering, "Hey, should we be arching 'til we close?"
Dimitri softly growls, "The ballista has a longer range... give us a bit."
First the port, then the starboard ballista fires as the Mare yaws back and forth across her course line to bring them to bear. The first crashes into the side of the merchant ship, buckling some of her planking. The second is high, just barely missing the rigging as it sails over the target. Furrs begin to line her rails, waiting for the moment that archery range is reached. Dimitri scans beyond the ship's rails, seeking the flash of steel in the falling sun. Horatio takes in a breath as he watches the effects of the shots. Thank God, no blood! an idle part of his mind shouts, the part that isn't ordering the crew to re-load and prepare to fire the ballistae again. Carroll gauges that they're still out of crossbow range, and stands carefully. He then calls to the other ship, "Ahoy! I offer you the chance to surrender! All of your crew will be unhurt, and we can avoid some unpleasantness!"
The merchantman -- they can read her name now, "Pride of Kossalu" -- continues to sail, making no response to Carroll's hail. Alex nods quietly, "No surrender. Guess we do this the hard way."
Carroll turns to his crew and directs, "Take her," then gets behind cover again before their crossbows come in to range. He calls to Horatio, "Keep firing the ballistae!"
Dimitri looks to Alex and nods. "Aye-aye, sir." His eyes are slowly narrowing, and he actually seems to be relaxing. His breath is even, measured. He sets his greatsword in Alex's lap and works his way down the line, stopping at each of the crew. There a word is spared for each, a remembrance of something each does well, for the new recruits. For Tom and Natasha there's a small conversation shared, setting strategy: Alex and Dimitri to the helm. Mackenzie amidships, and Natasha the fo'c'sle. Alex sits quietly, greatsword to hand, watching Dimitri and patiently waiting... well, mostly patiently waiting...
Horatio ensures the ballistae are ready, bearing on the Pride of Kossalu's masts, then takes in a breath. "FIRE!" he barks again, and the ballistae again sing.
The third ballista bolt is aimed perfectly, solidly thunking into the mainmast half-way up. The top of the mast teeters, tearing slowly under the strain of full sail, and then gracefully topples, the fourth bolt barely missing as the Pride of Kossalu falters and loses headway. Horatio blinks and grins. "A couple more like that, fellows! Hurry, reload and be prepared!"
Carroll calls, "Good shot, Horatio!" He steps out and hails the other ship, "Again, I ask that you surrender, for your own safety." He hopes for a response.
A fairly tough-looking furr steps up to the rail with a white cloth. "What terms?"
Horatio blinks at the flash of white cloth. "Hold!" he says quickly, even though they haven't finished loading the weapons yet.
Carroll calls, "Safe landing on the mainland for all the crew. The officers and mercenaries will be honorably ransomed."
The mercenary sergeant nods. "Tim, is that you?" One of the Mare's new archers shouts back, "'Fraid so, Lou. How many effectives you have over there?" Carroll watches and listens quietly.
The wolf spits into the ocean. "Only four. Your group any good?" Alex grins quietly, listening and watching Tim.
Tim grins. "Good enough to take four of you, I'm thinking. Shall we not get this too messy?" Carroll looks back at the wolf, waiting for his response. Alex grins at her dark brother... then gently runs a finger along his earring'd ear and smiles. Definitely good enough! she thinks proudly.
The merchant captain is nowhere to be seen, and the mercenary nods. "Sounds good to me. He wanted to try to lose you after dark, but we're not going anywhere now." He pauses, peering across the gap, and then breaks out into a chuckle. "You've got a bat scout? Wouldn't have worked after all, would it... okay, we'll accept the terms, as long as the crew is released somewhere in League territory. Wouldn't wish the Empire on them."
Carroll smiles, and calls back, "Definitely in the League."
Dimitri's sensitive ear flickers, and there's a khhhhrrrrr deep in his throat. After a breath the big fox turns slightly, nodding. His attention then shifts to the archer. His words aren't meant to carry, most certainly -- just to the archer. "Trustable? And if so, how far?"
Tim looks indignant. "He's Guild, sir. Of course he's trustworthy."
Horatio comes out on deck with the conversation, and his ear flicks slightly. "'Wouldn't wish the Empire on them?' What does that mean?"
Alex nods and murmurs quietly to Horatio, "Get down, Horry! He means not sold into slavery."
Tim nods. "Likely as not, they're picked up by some backwoods 'noble' in the Empire. Don't much like that sort of thing."
Horatio glances to Alex and ohs! "Oh, I see. Thank you! Erf, I'd forgotten they did that..." and that Maidstone noble wants to see the Empire back...
Alex nods, "So, MacKenzie, what's the routine to accept a surrender?"
The wolf nods. "Terms accepted, then." He turns back to one of his compatriots. "Strike the colors, Corporal."
Dimitri looks back to the archer, quiet. "Apologies, Mister. My experience with the Guild, remember, is usually only on the other side of my blade."
Alex grins cheerfully at Dimitri, murmuring softly, "It's okay, Mitya... they sure remember you! Ask me later about Juan, the cat from the Cornucopia, and how he felt about facing one of Blackpool's Marines."
Carroll calls, "Stand down the ballistae," and directs the steersmen and crew to close on the other ship. He oversees the collection of the Pravinchandra officers, treating them as courteously as they are willing to treat him and thanking them for thinking so much of the welfare of their crew. The merchant captain seems to be overly grateful that the privateers aren't planning to drop him over the side. Either he's real timid about pirates in general or someone's been feeding him horror stories. Alex grins at the merchant captain cheerfully... but politely. Alex also makes sure, if Dimitri will do it, that Dimitri has occasion to stalk back and forth a couple of times past the command crew... just being near him seems to worry some folks, she's noticed! Carroll is all too happy to explain to the other Captain that they are not pirates but on a vendetta against Pravinchandra, and that he is quite safe as long as he cooperates. Dimitri quietly watches the crew transfer, his long blade over one shoulder. Weapons are racked until their owners are properly ransomed, mostly silent, a black shadow watching over all.
Carroll finds his sister, murring, "Alex, we've got a prize and we need to sail it back to Maidstone." He grins and asks, "Are you prepared to act as captain for the prize?"
Horatio remains vigilant, though there are probably more than enough eyes watching the enemy -- no, the prize ship. Their prize. He pads up to Carroll and Alex as they talk. Alex practically glows at Carroll's question, her tail and ears twitching up with excitement, but only says steadily, "You can depend on me, sir." She has an almost quiveringly eager tension running through her frame, waiting for Carroll's response!
Carroll smiles and murrs, "I know." He murrs, "Take the mercenaries and Dimitri to make sure she stays taken, and we will escort you back to Maidstone. You have the command of her." He reminds Horatio, who has come up, "That makes you first mate here while she's gone."
Alex draws in a sharp breath -- then just manages to stifle the squeal of delight! She yips, "Yessir! Right away!" and dashes off to find Dimitri and tell him her wonderful news! Carroll is also near-beaming at his sister's joy. He is all too happy to have been the one to grant her that which she has reached for, for so long.
Horatio blinks, opens his mouth, then closes it. "Er... aye, sir?" he says trepidatiously, with not nearly the eagerness Alex did. Then he shakes himself, and nods, "I'll do my best, Captain."
Dimitri looks back and nods, "Mister Mackenzie, you hear? That makes you Major until our return. Natasha will take your post. Keep my brothers safe, Natasha... Tom." Dimitri keeps a sharp eye peeled, knowing that an Alex is most certainly tearing his direction.
MacKenzie salutes. "Aye-aye, sir." He's not grinning, not really, but he never does. Natasha is, though.
Alex is almost bouncing on her toes with excitement, but she manages to ruthlessly strangle her urge to throw herself gleefully on Dimitri and hug him madly with excitement! Instead she takes a few long, slow breaths, trying to collect herself, before she says (with creditable steadiness), "When you're ready, Mr. Dimitri?" Dimitri may recognize, however, that gleam in her eye that says he's not escaping a delightedly exuberant assault later when they're both in private!
Dimitri looks to Alex and just shrugs, quiet. "Good day for a sail, isn't it..." He pauses and then smiles mischievously, "...bratling."
Alex blinks! then giggles delightedly, "That's captain bratling to you!" She laughs happily, bouncing once, then dashes off to collect up what stuff they'll need on the new ship.
Dimitri snaps a salute, "Aye-aye, Captain Bratling." Alex laughs aloud as she trots away, hearing that!
Carroll makes sure the captured crew and mercenaries are being held as comfortably as prisoners can expect to be, and secured, before they depart. The transfer goes without a hitch, and the crew of the Pride doesn't seem inclined to rebel. The carrack has a cargo of steel tools and weapons of various kinds; nails, hinges, and other hardware. Alex's first job is to have the wreckage cut away and get the ship ready to move again. Carroll sets the fliers to doing sweeps to make sure no pirates come along.
Alex takes time to introduce herself and Dimitri to the four mercenaries, and thanks them for their consideration of the crew's safety. She then has the bosun introduced to her, and politely asks him (or her) if he would please assign crew to begin cutting away the wreckage so they can prepare the Pride for sailing again. Alex is dressed very properly and carefully, much like Dimitri in his uniform, and speaks clearly and calmly, much like Carroll addressing his crew. She makes sure, however, that the dark and lurking presence of Dimitri is never far away from her... she's quite capable of being the good guard to Dimitri's bad guard. Her black shadow is grim and silent, sword over his shoulders, both arms looped over it. Always at her side he is, eyes narrowed, watching the crew so very closely. Every now and then an ear flickers, and his three rings jangle. Alex maintains a brisk sort of politeness... as if she'll continue to treat the bosun (and any other crew she happens to speak with) with courtesy just as long as it is deserved. The crew of the prize ship looks a little sullen, but no overt protests are voiced... especially with the ominous presence of Dimitri. Repairs take most of the night, but by morning the wreckage is cleared and a jury-rigged set of sails is in place. Alex nods in satisfaction when she sees the repairs. She has the House St. Genevieve colors run up to alert the Mare that they're ready to sail.
Horatio starts to get into being first mate, though he's fortunate -- the crew is all fairly close by now, there's not a lot that he has to do. Still, it makes him a little nervous. Horatio is standing by the railing, and grins as he sees the family colors run up. He turns to Carroll. "Knowing Alex that means they're not only ready to go, they're eager."
Carroll chuckles and murrs, "Then let's be off." He gives direction, and sets course for the return to Maidstone, flanking or slightly following the other ship.
Alex paces slowly along the quarterdeck, barking out the commands to set sail for Maidstone. She's terribly excited, but aside from her sometimes-fluffed tail she keeps the same demeanor she's been using... this is her ship, thankyouverymuch, and the crew should get a move on with it! Dimitri stand silent next to Alex, watching the sails fill. Then, with a small, hidden smile, Dimitri settles in, taking his post upon the quarterdeck stairs. His ears follow his sister's pacing... while his eyes watch the deck.
Horatio nods, glancing at the course he had plotted earlier, and in first mate manner passes on the captain's orders with suitable detail. Carroll stands at the wheel of the Mare and watches quietly as the other ship sails in front of them, and hopes Alex is all right. He expects she is, but he worries a little.
- The "Pride of Kossalu" is the most current capture of House
St. Genevieve, flying their colors and sporting numerous patches on her
mainmast, sails, and down the planking of one side. She's a carrack of
the sort normally found in the carrying trade; slow, squat, and round. Her
captain's cabin is similar -- low-ceilinged, simple, and cramped. There's
a tiny fold-down desk, a battered chair, and a slim bunk and locker set
into the wall.
When they first board Dimitri opens the door and looks in. The big fox ducks his head in the low space, tossing their duffels upon the floor. One ear flickers and he chuckles, seeing that the two packs take up a good part of the floor. Leaning back, Dimitri smiles. "I think I've found your cabin, Alex."
However, it's late at night before Alex gets a chance to really examine her new captain's cabin. She paces in with dignity, her brother a dark shadow behind her (albeit one that has to duck his head to enter) while she lights the tiny enclosed lamp. It's not 'til after he's closed the door and the lamp is burning steadily that she looks around in breathless delight -- HER cabin, her very FIRST captain's cabin! She breathes softly, "Ooooooh... Dimitri, look! It's a real captain's cabin -- our first!!" She continues to look around the tiny space (mostly filled by her and Dimitri) then suddenly laughs delightedly and gleefully flings herself on Dimitri, "Mitya, isn't this just wonderful?!"
Dimitri sweeps his sister up, wrapping his arms about her. He does smile, looking about. "This isn't bad for a first ship, bratling." He leans back, dark eyes sparkling. "I bet you feel like I did when I got my first real sword."
Alex hugs him happily, if tightly, around the neck, stifling her squeal of delight in his ruff -- she's almost wriggly with excitement! She comes up for air a bit later, still giggly with happiness. Her beam is almost incandescent with joy, "Is it? Was it this wonderful for you too?!" She nearly strangles him with a hug again, then sighs happily, still holding tight as she looks over her shoulder at the tiny room. "Isn't this nice?" She adds with a grin, "We're on our way, right, Mitya?"
Dimitri lets his paws slip down to loop surely about Alex's waist. The big fox shrugs, but his own expression can't help but mirror hers, especially in this moment's peace between bustled-over activity. Dark eyes sparkle and his voice is light. "I guess so, bratling. You'll do us proud here. That's a given. And yes..." he chuffs out a single bright laugh, "And the best thing about the cabin is that it's yours."
Alex bounces slightly in excitement at Dimitri's words, and can't suppress an excited giggle as she glances again over her shoulder at the room -- no, at the captain's cabin! She sighs happily again, then turns and loops her own arms loosely around as much of Dimitri's waist as she can reach, leaning her front and chin against his own front, and beams again, her ears tilting out happily, "It'll be ours, Mitya. How could I let you help take care of me, but not return the favor, mm?" Her eyes sparkle green in the lamplight as she smiles up at him.
Looking over Alex's shoulder himself, Dimitri nods. "Though it's going to be very easy keeping track of you in here. Not very much to get lost in." So naturally, he lets a paw slowly stroke along her back as they lean close together. "Ours... a place to start, aye, bratling?" He looks down, dark eyes meeting emerald. "Fits you... it does, my Captain."
Alex laughs delightedly at Dimitri's comment about not losing her -- then almost glows at Dimitri's last words! She breathes softly again, "Whoa... Mitya, think of it..." She straightens slowly in his arms and turns, then leans back against him again so she can look at the room again. Her small paws rest lightly on his strong encircling arms as she says softly, half savoring and half testing the words, "Captain... Alex..." She sounds wondering, almost as if she expects to wake up from a dream.
Straightening, Dimitri stands sturdy and comfortable behind Alex, "For a week at least, bratling..." he slowly considers, letting his head rest near hers. "But even so, bring us in to Maidstone... and it won't be the same, Alex. Like crossing a line that no one... no one will ever be able to drag you back across." He smiles then and increases his embrace, hugging both gentle and firm. "Not that I'd ever let anyone do that."
Alex beams happily up at her favorite brother -- the one who first helped her dream daring new dreams! -and her own arms tightening warmly on his own for a return hug. She sighs again, a contented sound... then grins, "Well! Let's get some food sent over and we can umm..." Her ears tilt thoughtfully at the tiny bunk, then at the floor, "Hm... I suppose we can make up a pallet on the floor for the week, so there's room for us -- that bunk is positively dinky!" She grins happily at Dimitri again, her happiness a quiet glow now instead of the roaring fire of moments ago, "And over dinner... would you like to talk about um... about dreams, Mitya? Would that be okay?"
Dimitri smiles, "Dreams? Over dinner?" For a moment the darkling fox looks confused. "I usually sleep quite... oh. Aye-aye, Captain..." Then he nods and returns his sister's embrace. "It's kind of nice when they start coming true, isn't it?"
Alex nodnods exuberantly! Then she darts over to their duffels, tossing them up onto the small bunk as she says happily to Dimitri, "Order us up some dinner, would you please? I'll see if we can make this room a little nicer!"
Dimitri smiles and nods, stepping back and pushing open the door. "Any preferences?"
Alex looks up from her perusal of the locker, her ears at a thoughtful tilt... then she grins, "Cooked!" and turns back to her happy (if whirlwind) excavation and re-doing of the cabin.
Dimitri laughs, "Cooked it is." The door shuts behind him. As it closes she can hear him mumble a bit to loud for a whisper, "I guess technically boiled salt pork has been cooked..."
Alex giggles, then sets cheerfully to work. She searches the room swiftly and thoroughly, looking for remains of the last captain. Any clothing or whatnot that he left behind will be neatly packed into a corner of the locker for him later. The duffels are unpacked and the clothing neatly stored, her writing utensils are tucked tidily away in the fold-down table so she can keep the captain's log properly, weapons are placed to easy reach, and the small treasures she's kept with her since leaving the manor are in place, making the cabin feel more homey to her. They're nothing large or expensive, simply things that have personal meaning to her... and perhaps to her dark brother also. When he returns she's tossed a sheet across the little table for a tablecloth, and the cabin looks more like a place that's lived in.
Tilting the small wooden bucket, Dimitri carefully ladles two bowls of stew. One he sets before Alex, and then he settles down, not across from her but next to her. Close enough that elbows can brush or a shoulder can be leaned upon. And also so he can stretch out his legs without kicking the ship's Captain. "One of the mercenaries is fair at the cook fire... here, want a hard roll?"
Alex beams, sniffniffing hungrily at the scent of food, "Yes please -- I'm starved!" She curls up contentedly next to Dimitri and digs in with a fierce appetite, earned from a long day of working to get repairs to the Pride finished. Only after the first edge of appetite is finally blunted does she look up and grin at her brother happily again, "He's not bad! Or she..." She swallows another bite, then says curiously, "Mitya... why are the mercenaries helping us now, do you know?"
Dimitri dips his roll into his stew and slowly nibbles. "Why? Because they don't fight for people, or for something they believe in, I guess. It's just a job. Now, they were getting paid by Pravinchandra. But not enough to face a fight they know they'd lose, or one they could avoid. This way they'll live... and eventually go back to work."
Alex chews thoughtfully, her ears swiveling absently in thought... finally she swallows and says curiously, "So... if we convince the mercenary's guild that we're friendly to their cause -- to keeping their folks healthy and hale and unharmed -- then... then they're more likely to look sympathetically at us, as opposed to Pravin, who wants them to actually fight and maybe die for them?"
Dimitri shakes his head, taking a sip from a mug of water. "No. Because if that were true no one would hire mercenaries because they'd never actually fight anyone, yes?" The big fox shrugs, quiet. "No. If they are good mercenaries, if you treat them fairly, they'll treat you fairly. It's a shared reputation, theirs and ours. The trick however..." Dimitri takes a bit off his roll, "-is being able to discern the good mercenaries from the bad ones quickly enough."
Alex murmurs thoughtfully, "Interesting... that must be why the cheetah warrior-lady at the Maidstone mercenary's guild was so willing to talk to us then... she's a good mercenary." She gets a mischievous look as she adds, "She said that if the mercenaries actually fought then their ransoms had to be paid by their former employees. The mercenaries didn't fight this time... maybe we should check and see if House P has to pay it first, before we ask for their ransoms too... and if House P isn't paying them, we could just not ask for the mercenaries' ransoms?"
Dimitri nods, "That would be quite a coin in our purses, Alex."
Alex nods, "Can't hurt to be friends with folks on the other side," as she soaks her hard roll in her stew so it softens enough to chew on. She adds curiously, "How do you tell good mercs from bad ones, anyway? And why're they're so leery of fighting a Blackpool's marine? Are they not very good, or what?"
Dimitri smiles quietly as he gently flicks his ear, his three rings sparkling in the soft candlelight. "Best in the Navy, Alex. The very best." But then he looks down, his words more serious. "How to tell, Alex? Experience. That's the only way. But don't worry..." He sets down his empty bowl. "I'm not going anywhere soon."
Alex looks up and smiles, "Oh, I wasn't worried you were leaving, silly! I was just wondering... I mean, a good captain has to be able to tell who're the good people and who aren't, right? Both for crew and for marines, I'd think? So... I was just um..." she pauses, her voice getting a bit quiet and her ears tilting back shyly, "I was um... trying to think what you might um like, on a ship...? I mean, I'd think you'd want good fighters to back you up and all, after all, you know? Um, not that I was um trying to like... um to tell you what you wa- er..." her voice trails off in confusion and she's silent a moment, staring into space as she tries to figure out words for what she so very much wants to say... finally she says quietly, "Mitya? I... I would very much like it if you'd not leave, but... but I don't know what job you might want on a ship with me... um..." She glances up to meet her brother's dark gaze and asks simply, "What do you want, Mitya?"
Dimitri slowly leans back, stretching, resting one arm behind Alex. He listens, ears up and attentive. As she speaks of him leaving he just smiles softly, raising a paw to gently rub one ear. "And why do you think I'd want to leave, bratling? Who else is going to keep pirates off your decks if not me. Let that worry vanish from your head, fine?" His eyes meet hers, sure and quiet. "What do I want? Stand on my own feet, watch the sea catch fire as the sun sets. Be there when you need me. Not much, but it's enough for a swordsman."
Alex nods quietly, her slightly uncertain gaze searching Dimitri's face... when he finishes speaking she says, "But... I thought you told me once you didn't like the fighting, Mitya? I don't want you to do something you hate just because you think you have to?"
Dimitri softly growls, "I don't like the killing. The fighting has to be done. I'm good at it. But... it's my way of doing right, I guess."
Alex nods slowly again, studying her brother's face with intent concern, "That... you'd like that, then? Being the Master of Marines on our ship?"
Dimitri leans forward, quiet, until his nose touches hers. Dark eyes are bright, like ice in the moonlight. "For you, yes."
Alex blinks... then giggles, sitting back and rubbing her nose briskly, "Tickles!" She looks up with a grin, "Okay. Promise though if it gets to be no fun you'll tell me right away, okay, so we can try to find something else for you to do that you'd like?" She hesitates, then adds a little forlornly, "I... really missed you when you left home, Mitya... I wasn't sure you'd ever come home again. I... let's not do that again, please?"
Dimitri laughs softly, watching Alex almost sneeze. He seems almost ready to speak, but as Alex goes on he stops. His gaze becomes equally serious, but quiet like a deep ocean current. "I missed you too, Alex. And sometimes I was scared that something would happen and I wouldn't have seen you again. But then I decided I would not let that happen..." he pauses, then softly growls, "...so I didn't." He nods, his muzzle ducking. "And I won't again."
Alex watches her brother silently, her eyes swimmingly bright in the flickering lamplight... she nods once as he speaks, not trusting her voice for the moment, and just curls up tightly against him, reassuring herself with touch and scent that he's still there, solid and dependable. Dimitri smiles quiet, and with a single motion draws her up into his lap, wrapping his arms about her. He rests his head atop hers, a perfect fit. "Don't worry. I'm real. And not going anywhere. Promise."
Alex sighs softly, wriggling into her preferred, comfortable spot resting against Dimitri, and just sits for a moment, savoring the feel of her favorite brother's closeness... after a long, quiet moment she murmurs softly, "I... realized something a few days ago... I realized that all my dreams of captaining a ship were sort of... well, like there was this comfortable background certainty, you know? Carroll was back at home at the manor doing um... Count-ish things, and Horatio was at the Praxaeum..." her grin can be heard in her voice, "-blowing things up, or sleeping on his books, or whatever it is he does there... and... and I was captaining. Captaining a ship for our house, for St. Genevieve, and um... well..." her voice gets quiet, "-and... you were always there. On the ship. It was like everything was fine in the dreams, y'know? -no matter if the dream was about repelling pirates or about scudding swiftly in full sail in gorgeous weather, or fighting one of those sudden, vicious summer storms we get sometimes -- because I knew somewhere, somewhere on the ship you were there too... and the reason it hit me is um..." her voice trails off into a whisper, "-is 'cause I... it wouldn't be the same without you..." Alex sighs softly, closing her eyes tiredly and finally relaxing against Dimitri... even her normal exuberance eventually gives slowly out after a full nightwatch and day of adrenaline and furious activity.
One paw slowly drifts up to slowly brush her cheek, to stroke the fur of her rich ruff. Dimitri listens, his own eyes half closed, his own world quietly focused on the little cabin, only the occasional turn of his sharp ears betraying that anything exists beyond these four walls. Not distracted, however... protective. "You always were the one who dreamed, Alex. Our heart and soul, I think." Dimitri pauses, his own eyes slowly closing. Then she can feel him shrug, a simple gentle motion, almost a caress. She can feel his smile, simple, small and earnest. "Of course I'm there, Alex..." Dimitri softly rubs a pretty ear. "Because it's my job to make those dreams come true."
Alex smiles a little shakily, turning her head to rest against his ruff. "This is so... it's so strange, to feel dreams becoming real, even if it's only for a few days this time, it's like... I know we can do it now, for real, that we can make it come true." A moment later she rubs her eyes with one small paw and sniffles quietly. "Sorry... this is weird -- I've never been so happy I could cry before..." Almost absently she adds, "So this is what it feels like..."
"This is what what feels like, kit?" Dimitri's own smile is much stronger, and his embrace is so sturdy, enough for even the newest Captain or dearest sister to draw strength from. "You can make any dream come true, Alex. No..." Dimitri stops and corrects himself, "We can."
Alex smiles quietly, closing her eyes and relaxing in Dimitri's warm embrace, leaning her head tiredly against him. She yawns suddenly and hugely in spite of herself, then murmurs dreamily, "S'what it feels like to be so happy you could cry, Mitya'schee..." Her smile warms and she hugs him quietly, softly and happily echoing his words, "...we can..." She's slowly going limp as she slides towards exhausted sleep. She's stood a full nightwatch, prepared for battle the next day, taken over captaining a new ship, dealt with damaged sails and masts and sullen crews, been fed, and is now warm and safe...
Alex wakes with a jolt, wisps of dream still blurring her vision -- she's falling! no, the mainmast, the damaged one, it's falling! Disaster -- there's crew beneath it, got to warn them -- she's frantically scrambling already as she wakes -- wait, what? -is it night? How? -the quarterdeck is... is giving under her feet, and is... furry? Dimitri starts, and then just holds on tight... holds on until his sister can catch her breath, and then a strong paw slowly strokes out frazzled fur. "Tcha... tcha... Alex, wake up..."
Alex sits up, gasping, her voice not quite frantic, "Mitya? The m-main -- the mainmast is falling!" She blinks blankly at Dimitri, then looks around, her raised hackles starting to settle. She rubs her face, "Grrahh..." then shakes her head fiercely, "-must've been a dream..." She shakes her head again, but slowly this time, "Whoo... that was... really intense -- for a moment I was sure it was real!" She blinks again, then says sheepishly, "Oh dear... I'm sorry I stomped you, Mitya..."
Dimitri laughs quietly, reaching down to stroke her cheeks and smooth out her fur. "And even if it did, Alex, we'd just put it back up. And yes, so you stomped me. But don't worry, it was much worse than when Nightmare decided to test my paws. But this is real, the mast stands, and did you at least get some rest?"
Alex's breathing is calming... she takes a long, slow, deep breath... then nods, leaning back against her brother again, "Yah, I think so. Yah..." she smiles, "Good point, we'd just put it back." She sighs, letting her head rest against Dimitri's chest, listening to his quiet, steady heartbeat. A moment later she curiously murmurs, "What was that you said? My stomping you was worse than when who tested your paws? How were you tested?"
Dimitri strokes Alex's ears, shifting so his chest becomes her pillow. "Nightmare. My horse back at Blackpool's. A tall, black horse with big hooves. Light on his hooves... unless I was standing next to him." He smiles and then lets out a long, deep sigh. "The Pravinchandra claimed I bet him, that last game..."
Alex murmurs confusedly, "Wait... you mean Nightmare would step on you deliberately? What happened to him? D'you mean the nephew?"
Dimitri shrugs his shoulders, "That's why I had to win that last hand... and I did. The next morning I was brought before the Countess. I don't know what happened to Nightmare." He slowly frowns and rests his head upon hers. "Only thing bad about boats is that you can't keep a horse here."
Alex nods sadly, "They get sick to their stomachs, and die... you need a really steady boat." She adds with sleepy confusion, "So... was this a dream you're talking about, Mitya? Or did it really happen, that the nephew wanted Nightmare?"
Dimitri speaks quiet, his words flat. "No dream. True and plain as day."
Alex nods, sighing again. "I'm sorry, Mitya." She is silent for a moment, still and quiet against him... finally she softly queries, "Do you remember your dreams, Mitya? What do you dream about?"
"My dreams?" Dimitri lets out a small breath. "My dreams. Oh, of course I dream. Sometimes about blood and steel, either before or after a melee. After, usually when we lose someone. I dream of the sea at night, beneath the stars. Riding in the fog. Of inquisitive sisters."
Dimitri can feel his little sister's cheek move as she grins suddenly -- there's soft laughter in her voice as she asks, "Is dreaming about inquisitive sisters one of the nightmares or a good dream?"
Dimitri leans down and nuzzles an ear with his nose, playfully lapping once. "They are always... interesting."
Alex giggles, ducking slightly as her ear flickflickflicks madly, and reaches up to push on his nose with one small paw, "That's not an answer! That's like that old curse you told me about -- about living in interesting times!"
Dimitri laughs brightly and just lets Alex push him back almost over. "They are good ones. The most fun, at least."
Alex smiles, rolling to lie half across his chest, chin in her paws, elbows resting on him, "Okay. So... what are your dreams about riding in the fog like?" She grins happily, "I have those too -- when the fog's so thick that you can't see past your horse's nose and it's like waves and you expect the lords of the fey to come riding and laughing like bells and soft flutes in the wind... are yours like that too, Mitya?"
Dimitri smiles quietly and reaches up to wrap his arms about her, his paws finding their rest in the small of Alex's back. "No, it's like I'm all alone and the echoes I hear that might be you are somewhere behind me... but I'm in another world, and who knows what realm I might find myself in when the fog finally lifts."
Alex looks seriously at Dimitri, "That... doesn't sound very pleasant, Mitya." She thinks a moment, then asks slowly, "Do you... do you ever worry... about being lost, Mitya? Do you worry that when you need me I won't be there at your back?"
Dimitri smiles. "No. Not lost. As long as I can breathe and walk and see, I am fine. As for you..." Dimitri closes his eyes, "...I know where you are. Always. Shut my eyes, I can still tell."
Alex nods, looking faintly reassured... then giggles and very lightly taps Dimitri's nose, "Well it's not 'cause I didn't take a bath!"
Dimitri laughs and sneezes. "No. It's just... knowing."
Alex grins, flattening her ears and squinching her eyes shut as Dimitri sneezes -- and then her ears prick up again interestedly, "So... how d'you know, Mitya?"
Dimitri shrugs quietly. "Part training, you'll learn soon enough. I was going to start at tomorrow's practice. Call a hold, blindfold you and then ask you where every one is. The rest... you're my sister. My dearest friend. How could I not?"
Alex hms... then says thoughtfully, "I think maybe we better wait until we're back on the Mare to start that, Mitya. Our crew's not happy... let's not give them any perceived weaknesses to grumble about, yes? It's for much the same reason I'm not doing magic practice with the dagger here either." She thinks for a moment, her tail waving slowly and thoughtfully behind her, then adds, "But... it does sound rather intriguing, I must say. I do want to learn that later."
Dimitri nods, letting one paw trace soft circles upon Alex's back. "Mother didn't raise any stupid foxes. And I think you will do well."
Alex folds her arms across Dimitri's chest and rests her chin on them, then smiles, "Good... and I'm glad you don't worry about me being in place." She sighs contentedly, then tilts a quiet, thoughtful ear towards him, "I would think dreaming about blood and steel wasn't very restful... downright scary, I'd think... is it for you?" She adds gently, "Does dreaming about lost friends help ease the ache?"
Dimitri closes his eyes. "You don't have many friends on the line. Well, that's what everyone says." He lets out a long breath, letting his head fall back. "You can't help it. I can't, at least. I guess what's more frightening is the thought that I'll stop dreaming. An that will mean I've stopped caring."
Alex watches her brother quietly, her eyes bright with concern, and just quietly smoothes his ruff as he speaks, with slow, reassuring movements... then she hugs Dimitri gently, "You're not broken, Mitya... you still care. Promise... I can tell." She just holds him quietly close, her head resting on his chest, waiting for his heartbeat to go back to its usual steady beat.
It takes a moment, a handful of heartbeats, a handful of minutes. As Dimitri relaxes, he lets his paw stray, as if the touch of Alex's fur beneath his paw were an anchor. "Not yet." His eyes slowly open. "I just hope it doesn't hit you the same way, that's all. We've been very lucky, Alex."
Alex tilts her head curiously, "Hit me how, Mitya?" She nods gravely, "I know we've been lucky... but we've worked very hard for that luck, I think. We've been very careful to always be friends with the mercs, to always treat the crews and captains well, to always train our people well... and... and I'm going to continue working that way, and it won't bother me at all if all our ship grabs go as almost all bloodlessly as they have so far!"
Dimitri softly whispers, "When some of us start to die, that's all." But then he shakes his head, and hugs her, nodding once. "But we've done our best to make our own luck. Very well in fact."
Alex nods firmly, returning the hug strongly, "We'll make our luck, Mitya." She thinks a bit, then smiles and tries to change the subject to something nicer for her brother, "Tell me about your starlit sea dreams, Mitya?"
Glancing up, Dimitri looks out the little window, where the stars still scatter across the night sky. "Silly. The least you could have done was sleep until the watch was supposed to start. We've still got quite a bit of time."
Alex grins ruefully, "Sorry... I don't usually wake up from my dreams in a panic!" She giggles, reaching up to tickle one ear, "And don't think I've forgotten to ask you about the dreams with inquisitive sisters in them either!"
Deciding that letting his paws absentmindedly stray is comfortable, Dimitri lets his head fall back again, this time relaxed. "The sea? I just like watching it from the stern of the ship, seeing where we have been. When I dream, it's like I can look there, and what's happened is still real."
Alex says, "I think I like best that sort of shimmery, pearly path up to the moon myself, lying across the water like... like a magical blanket or something..." She smiles lazily, enjoying having her fur stroked, "Okay... you watch where we've been, and I'll keep an eye on where we're going, how's that?" She thinks a moment, then adds curiously, "What do you mean what's happened is still real?"
"I can live with that." His breath evens out, himself content being a vixen's pillow. "Oh... that if one looked hard enough, one might be able to see folks who were left behind. Dreams are like that, I guess."
Alex is quiet for a moment, thinking... then nods slowly, "I... I've never lost anyone like that, Mitya, so I guess I don't know what it's like, really... I just know that... well, remember the little hound pup that Daddy's dog trainer gave to me because it was the runt? She was so sweet and gentle and friendly... she was killed about 3 years after you left -- a cart backed up over her and snapped her spine while she was asleep." She's silent for a moment, closing her eyes... finally she says very softly, "I... I like to think she's still around, somewhere... that she looks down on me occasionally and thinks well of me. I... like to think that as long as her memory's alive, in my mind... that I haven't really left her behind..." Alex rubs her eyes for a moment, then whispers softly, "Maybe... maybe your friends watch you too, Mitya, and think well of you too?"
Dimitri takes a breath. "Truth, I don't know. I'd hope so. And eventually we all end up memories in someone's mind. The only true immortality, I guess. " He smiles quietly as his paw slips from shoulder all the way down to her hip, "I'm sure if there is a place for puppy spirits you are remembered well. I... actually I don't think too much on that. Day to day, sunrise, sunset. One at a time."
Alex slips her arms around Dimitri's neck and hugs close. Her voice is softly wistful, "I'd like to be a puppy spirit..." her tone changes to gentle rue, "-but one of us has to look ahead, right?" She nuzzles her head under his chin, then sighs and relaxes against him. Her voice is calm, but also very quietly sure, "We'll make things as safe for our friends as we can... and we'll make sure they're as well trained as we can get them to, for when we can't keep them safe and we have to fight." Alex closes her eyes and sighs comfortably... then grins with quiet mischief, "So... about those dreams about sisters...?!"
Dimitri shifts in harmony with Alex, drawing her up, drawing her close, so they might lie entwined, her head tucked comfortable, his arms wrapped low about her waist. A soft jigsaw in the small, quiet room. "You make a much nicer spirited lassie, Alex. And much more comfortable than any puppy." Dimitri nuzzles, sure and earnest. "And don't worry. While you look ahead... you are not alone." But them she can feel his breath stop for a moment, caught. "I... I... oh..." Dimitri lets his muzzle brush hers for a moment, before tucking her head back beneath his chin. When he finally collects himself, his words are playful. "Oh, you are usually in trouble. Or have gotten us in trouble. And mostly... mostly..." Dimitri closes his eyes, "...mostly... the dark knight comes to the rescue of the outnumbered but never giving up princess."
Alex smiles quietly, resting comfortably against her warmly solid brother, "Like when we were kids... when we played make-believe in the barn, and out on the estate. You were the knight and I was the princess... I remember..." She's silent for a moment, then says with the quiet directness he knows to expect from her, "What were you going to say before, Mitya?"
"Is the barn still there?" His words are quiet, a simple and honest question. She can feel him smile but she can't see his expression... but his words are light and caring, "I can't fool you for a moment, can I, Alex." He lets out a long breath, paw tracing circles. "I... I used to dream about coming home to see you... usually the day before we went into battle. But this... this is nicer than any dream."
Alex hugs her brother fiercely tight and doesn't say anything... as tightly as if she were going to keep him from drifting away, even in dream. She finally says softly, a little breathlessly, "Yes... it's still there, although Daddy had a wing added when we started having more horses." She just clings silently after that. Dimitri returns her fierce embrace, just as strong, just as real. His head ducks, silent, so for a long moment they are cheek to cheek, muzzle to muzzle. A shy kiss upon her cheek is gifted, her silence respected. One paw a slow caress, comforting, reassuring, there for her, tonight. Tomorrow. As long as she wishes. Alex is pressed close and tight against Dimitri, as she mutters fiercely against his fur, "If you don't leave, Mitya'schee... you won't have to dream about returning! And..." her breath is a small, quick gasp against his fur, then she adds steadily, "-and I won't have to wonder where you are and what's happening to you -- I'll be where I belong -- watching your back!"
Dimitri mmmhhhrrsss softly, and then quietly whispers, so close, so quiet, words for just her. "Alex... bratling... for the third time I tell you, I am not leaving. This is where I am supposed to be. And Alex... I'm serious...."
Alex sighs softly... then after a long moment nods quietly. His sudden leaving when she was too young to do anything about it still worries her... but this time they're both adults. It's not like before... they'll make their life what they want it to be. She sighs softly again against her brother, finally relaxing as she realizes... this time he doesn't want to leave. Slowly her lips curl up in a quiet smile... slowly one small paw quietly smoothes down his fur... her voice is quietly, contentedly dreamy, "Where we belong... I believe you, Mitya..." She nuzzles lightly, breathing in his scent with her eyes closed, then finally murmurs, "...good..." and lets herself drift back towards sleep.