| Logs |
2000-05-28
| Starfall |
| Realms |
Retired
| Reality Fault |
General Info
 |
The Nexus of Mount Kali
Mt. Kali Island -- Western Shore
Mt. Kali dominates the
scene, the volcanic cone rising high above the shores of the island. The
northwestern shore is mostly rocky outcrops of basalt, but at one point
a small cove lined with sandy beaches can be seen. The cove is at the
end of a valley reaching back up toward the mountain, a stream of fresh
water cascading down the steep slopes and then meandering across the
beach. Dense forest covers the slopes, coming down almost to the water's
edge. The wreckage of a cargo schooner litters the beach, though rather
peculiarly the mainmast has rooted itself in the soil at the edge of
the forest, indistinguishable from the other trees except for the metal
fittings still embedded in the trunk.
Dimitri, Horatio, and Natasha come back down the trail from the bug's clearing, looking back with some nervousness -- but the bugs seem content to let them leave. They rejoin the rest of the landing party on the beach and row back to the Mare with the sea chest just as the sun sets. By night the island glimmers with patches of ghostly fire, and strange noises can occasionally be heard even as far out as the ship. Alex has been waiting impatiently, occasionally using Horatio's spyglass, thinking and switching her tail impatiently. She's almost bouncy with excitement when the little boat starts returning -- she dashes off to let Carroll know, "Captain! They're coming back now! And I think I saw them load something into the boat too!"
Carroll hmms and murrs, "I hope everything is all right." He looks at the approaching boat and ponders, "I wonder what they found?"
Alex's ears are up and her tail is fluffy with excitement, "Don't know! We'll find out soon though!" She grins happily up at Carroll, then goes back to staring at the little boat as intensely as if she could force it to move faster by sheer curiosity alone!
Finally reaching the Mare, Dimitri is silent. He has the smaller boat pull up beside the still ship, tied off, crew sent up on deck, he and Natasha held for last. Still, throughout all, looping a rope about the salvaged chest until between fox and wolf they haul it aboard. His eyes narrowed, grim, as he sets the chest before him upon the St. Genevieve flagship. He softly growls, "Alex... Carroll... the island... Thunderchild's grave."
Carroll looks at Dimitri and murrs, "Oh, no." He looks at the chest and knows then what it is, although he goes and looks more closely at it to confirm it. He murrs, "Can you put this in my quarters, please?" very quietly, sounding somehow odd, or flat. He looks at Alex, displaying, if anything, worry.
Alex nods thoughtfully, staring at the sea chest, "I could see the wreck there on the beach. I wondered if it was Thunderchild." She's silent a moment, her gaze shifting between the chest and the island... then she smiles, perking up, "Well, good! Let's open the chest -- maybe it will give us clues on where to look for Daddy next!" She grabs a handle, waiting for someone to grab the other so it can be put in Carroll's cabin as per Carroll's orders.
Carroll nods and murrs, "Yes." He looks back to Natasha and his brothers, asking, "Was there any sign of survivors?"
Dimitri picks up the other side, shaking his head quietly as he follows Alex towards Carroll's room. He looks to Carroll and shakes his head. "No sign... not at this point."
Alex grins at Carroll, "Of course not, silly! If Daddy were on the island he'd have gotten his chest, right?" She continues a little breathlessly, lugging her end of the chest, "-and if he'd been on the Thunderchild he'd not have let her smash prow on into the island! He's a far more experienced sailor than us and could take the helm easily -- and even if he were unconscious when it hit he'd have woken up eventually and taken his chest onto the island!"
Dimitri looks to Alex and shrugs. "Alex, the only reason the Thunderchild ended up on the beach was because they didn't have a choice..."
Carroll murrs, still somewhat subdued sounding, his ears and tail listless although proper, to Natasha and the other crew who went ashore, "Excellent work. We seem secure enough right here for a moment so I am going to take the time to consider things and look in this chest." He looks to Jared and adds, "If anything happens let me know," and follows his family in to his cabin, absently towing Horatio along with him.
The chest has a built-in lock, a magical one as the siblings know. What they were not expecting was that the lock opened the moment Carroll touched it. Inside are clothes, the ship's log, odds and ends -- and Count St. Genevieve's personal journal. Alex ooohs and pounces on it! -then pauses... "Um... it's all right to read Daddy's journal, right, guys?" She blinks, looking at the lock again, "Wait... why did the lock open when Carroll just touched it?"
Horatio bites his lip, glancing to Carroll. "We'd need to at some point. We'd need to find out what happened and maybe the journal can tell us..." He looks to Alex. "It's probably enchanted to release at the touch of a St. Genevieve, I imagine." He doesn't say what else it might be enchanted to release at: the touch of the only surviving St. Genevieve heir...
Alex nods at Horatio's words, her eyes a little wide and her face solemn. "Okay." She looks at the journal in her small paws, then starts to open it -- then pauses, looking at Carroll, "Would you rather read it aloud to us all, Carroll?"
Carroll is looking at the open chest; actually at the lock. His ears and whiskers have drooped and he murrs, "It might be that he left it for us to find and knew it would get back to me, so he changed the lock. I hope that's it." He takes the journal, looking at it for a long time, remembering his father writing in it, before he nods and begins to look at the pages. Dimitri steps back, settling in behind Alex, a shadow leaning upon the wall. Alex looks a little forlorn, handing the journal over, but doesn't stop Carroll from taking it. Instead she just pulls out a few of the odds and ends, and the ship's log. She sets the ship's log on Carroll's desk too, and settles down next to Dimitri, leaning on him if he doesn't seem to mind, holding one of her father's small objects of memorabilia... one she made for him. Without a word the tall black fox loops his arm over Alex's shoulders, fitting her protectively against him. Horatio steps up beside the table with the log. Father was sure to have left some message, something to tell them what had happened. There's no way that things could have happened so suddenly that he couldn't leave something, some warning or message. And he may not be... may not be lost... His mind aswirl with half-held hopes, he keeps himself as stoic as possible, watching Carroll intently, hopefully... despairingly.
The last entry is dated two months before the Solstice and is written in the family code. "If this works out, the pirates -- if they are pirates -- will think we've wrecked on Mount Kali. Our water-dwelling friends are off the bow now and all that remains is to set the Thunderchild on her final course." Alex brightens, smiling, with a 'told-you-so!' look on her small mask. She sighs in soft relief, snuggling up comfortably against Dimitri.
Horatio blinks, perking his ears and sitting up straight. "He's alive...!" he whispers. Then the scholar reluctantly amends his words, "At least... he was alive at the time of the entry! But it's still something!"
Carroll finishes reading the last entry aloud and then flips back, to see if there are any other entries that seems to relate. As Carroll reads through the entries, it appears that things began to go awry on his last trip to Alburtis. The only available cargo was for a destination up the Gulf -- somehow nothing was available for shipment back into the league.
Alex grins quietly at Horatio, then nods and murmurs quietly to Dimitri, "See? We knew Daddy was a better sailor than that! We just have to have faith in him." She yips happily, "Isthyr people!"
Dimitri softly growls, "...Isthyn..."
Alex says, "Oops, did I say it wrong? The merfolk." She runs her fingertips lightly over the small good luck charm she'd made years before for her father... then smiles and tucks it neatly into her shirt. She'll keep it for him... to return it to him as soon as they find him. She looks up again, "So... was there anything else on the island, Mitya?"
Dimitri shrugs his shoulders and chuckles. "Bugs that liked us."
Alex blinks at Dimitri, "Uh... what?!"
Horatio grins softly to Alex; his mood has brightened considerably. "Merfolk? Possible. And yes, bugs that seemed to rather like us." He shakes his head. "Considering we didn't speak their language I think we dealt with them well -- nobody was hurt and they didn't attack."
Alex looks thoughtfully at Carroll, "Did Daddy have friends amongst the merfolk that you knew of, Carroll?"
Horatio says, "It's possible that Father found some way to communicate with Isthyr. That or found a mage who could."
Carroll murrs, "We will have to go to Isthyr and see if anyone knows of him." He looks over at Dimitri and also asks, "Bugs?"
Alex exclaims angrily at a sudden thought, "No cargo, of course! He was channeled up into the Saltmarsh area so the pirates knew exactly where to find him -- and knew there'd be no League navy or indies or anything around to save him! That rat of a factor in Alburtis was in on it! No wonder he's interested in Daddy!"
Carroll uhms and looks at his sister, slowly understanding. He nods and murrs, "The bastard."
Horatio blinks to Alex and then flattens his ears. "I think a return there as the 'Frisky Lady' is in order, and soon..." He frowns. "Interesting. Would Pravinchandra try to pull the same trick on us that he pulled on Father? Carroll, is there anything more in the journal about these 'pirates' which were chasing him?"
If the second oldest brother's expression improves, it is hard to tell... hard to tell if it because of news of the Father's fate, or because of his sister's happiness. He listens, though, quiet. To see if there's a message left for those who will open this chest, mayhaps one more personal than a listing of cargo, or the lack of cargo. The next entry Carroll reads gives more detail. "Something is definitely odd. The local officials are, of course, no help at all. Shipping to Saltmarsh won't feed Starfall, but it seems to be all we can do for now. Perhaps we'll find a proper cargo there. Just in case, I've ordered the lookouts to keep a sharp eye out for any merfolk. Treell's clan spends a lot of time in the Gulf; with any luck I can make contact." Carroll then looks back at Horatio and murrs, "I'll have to look, and in the log book." He looks at the journal and then back at Dimitri, "What's this about bugs?" He shakes his head and murrs, "I think going back there would be very dangerous. Not without help."
Dimitri looks back to Carroll and just shrugs. "About this tall, many legs, little spears, and they came up to us and cheered. Why? That's a very good question. They groveled too."
Alex says, "Oh! A name -- we must remember that! A name of someone of the mer folk that's friendly to Daddy." She frowns and, not realizing what it sounds like, says chidingly, "Darnit, I wish Daddy would put in more information on stuff like this!"
Horatio says, "The bugs... they appear to be a native tribe. Actually, now that I think about it, we're very lucky nothing happened there. If they are native to a nexus of that size, who can tell what magic they'd be capable of." Alex blinks at Horatio in suddenly interested curiosity.
Alex leans forward, taking the ship's log, and flips to the same date Carroll's on, checking to see if there's anything useful there to augment what Carroll's writing... descriptions of the ships or of contacts with the mer folk or anything. She'll read silently, not interrupting Carroll, unless she finds something useful to add. Carroll continues. A few days later a more ominous entry. "We are being shadowed by a couple of small ships. I suspect that we are being herded to an ambush -- but it may not work out. Treell's clan is here, and I sent a message to him this afternoon."
Horatio frowns slightly. "Treell... that must be someone Father knew. If he was rescued by the mer-folk he may have been able to tell them to keep an eye out for us. It may come to a point where they find us, instead of the other way around... but I don't know if we can rely on that happening." He shakes his head. "I can understand why Father kept secrets. I just wish he would have let us in on some of them."
Alex nods solemnly at Horatio, then adds firmly, "We'll just have to have a word with him about this when we find him, Horry!" Horatio nods to Alex, grinning.
Carroll murrs, "I wonder if these bugs know if there is anyone left from the ship. I wonder if they'll do more than cheer." He looks back at his family and murrs, "We're going to have to go back and find out, aren't we?" Alex nods happily and enthusiastically at Carroll!
Horatio looks to Carroll. "We should, I think, yes. We have a couple of options, I think. We can talk with the natives on the island -- we should probably do that actually. They may be able to help us more than we might think. After that we should probably go to Isthyr. If we're going to find anyone in the mer-communities that would probably be the best place to start. By the way, are we in need of supplies and monies? Should we hit a Pravinchandra ship on the way?"
Alex says, "Nope! We're flush, Horry!" She sounds positively cheery, "We've even got a good cargo to sell when we get back to Andalin and Ettore!"
Horatio nods, smiling, albeit a little grimly, to Alex. "Good. Then we can afford to try to avoid Pravinchandra ships and being seen by them. I don't think we want to let them know that we found the Thunderchild..." Alex nods firmly (if also cheerfully) at Horatio!
Carroll murrs, "We have other priorities right now. A cargo of food for Ettore for one thing -- we cannot forget the people who depend upon us -- and then Isthyr, I think." He looks at the chest again, still unhappy about it, and adds, "First the natives. Have the crew ready for the morning." He looks at each of his family and adds, "I think we'll all go, yes?"
Horatio looks a bit crestfallen -- he shouldn't have forgotten Ettore. Besides, his latest experiment... He nods. "Aye, aye. But is there anything more in the journal about Father's voyage? Say, after he left the Imperial port?"
Alex leans over and patpats Horatio's paw lightly, smiling at him, "Don't worry, Ettore's fine. And we'll be back with more food soon for them."
Carroll looks back at the journal, to see if there is anything more there. Alex settles back against Dimitri again, and checks the last entries in the ship's log too, just to be thorough... and so as to miss no potential clues. One more entry is of interest. "Treell caught up to us today, and has agreed to help. I was right -- there are several more ships ahead of us, and Treell says they are pirates. We'll let them get close and run the ship toward Mt. Kali after dark. Treell has agreed to take us to shore."
Dimitri blinks, "Now we do go to the island..."
Alex blinks, straightening up in interest at that, her ears perking forward, "Ashore?! Ooh... but... but if he's ashore on the island... no, it must've been a different shore. Still... Mitya's right -- we should check the island!"
Carroll nods, "Now we search the whole island, yes."
Horatio blinks, sitting up. "That clinches it. We do need to go ashore, yes."
Alex beams! "Excellent! Tomorrow morning then?"
Horatio nods, "And I think we need to talk to Cleo before we go. Any last-minute suggestions she might have, that sort of thing. One doesn't sail blithely into a nexus."
Dimitri nods, "Tomorrow morning."
Carroll agrees, "Yes, I think so," and will give the appropriate commands to any crew who will want to come. He also agrees, "And yes, let's talk to Cleo."
- The mountain is still there in the morning, apparently unchanged
in spite of all the strange nocturnal lights. The crew of the launch
has been hand-picked for calm and low magical sensitivity by Cleo,
with a little help from Alex (part of her training, really) -- and the
siblings have been warned to keep themselves calm and not to think too
hard of things that they would like to have happen.
Carroll is somewhat trepidatious setting out; pensive. He watches the approaching island quietly. Horatio looks out at the shoreline, taking in a deep breath and trying to clear his mind. Although in part, asking that is like asking the siblings to not think about seeing their father again; there's no helping that. They must remain mentally disciplined... the launch reaches the island with no mishap, though Alex seems to be more restless than normal, constantly smoothing her fur. The bugs are nowhere to be seen, though there are a lot of very odd tracks in the sand above the high tide line. The wreckage of the Thunderchild seems unchanged from the previous day. Carroll asks his brothers, "So where did you find these?"
Horatio points over to the wreckage of the Thunderchild. "Over there. There's a trail leading into the forest and it leads to a clearing. It... er... the clearing has a lot of figureheads there..."
Dimitri is one of the first out of the boat, splashing in the water, using both arms to help pull the longboat to shore. Then he reaches in and, retrieving his sword, he walks up the beach. Pausing by a smite of wreckage, he turns and looks back. "As Horatio said, it's down this path... to the shrine, of sorts." Alex looks around curiously, standing on the beach by the boat as folks disembark. Fascinating. She wonders where the bugs are... and if they'll be able to communicate at all.
Carroll looks forlornly at the shipwreck, murring, "Very convincing decoy, Father. Almost too much so." He murrs, "Let's go."
Alex brushes her fur down absently as she listens to Horatio, then nods, "Okay. Shall we head there next? Everyone has a crossbow or bow with them, yes? or do we want to try to think of a way to communicate first? Um..." she looks a little sheepish, "-'cause... I could use some ideas if anyone's got them?"
Horatio nods quietly at Carroll's reaction. He reaches down into the boat, pulling out a crossbow, and is the last of the siblings to step out of the boat onto the wet sand. Alex patpats the bowsprit, as high as she can reach, with quiet affection... Thunderchild served them loyally and as well as she could, right up to her wreck -- she was a brave lady. Then Alex follows Dimitri interestedly.
Carroll murrs, "I don't know," and looks somewhat lost, before he finally murrs, "We'll think of something."
Alex grins at Carroll cheerfully, "It's an adventure, Carroll! We'll think of something!"
Looking back to Alex, Dimitri shrugs, "I think talking first... they'd have shot us already if they wanted to." He nods again and begins a slow walk down the wooded trail.
Alex nods, "Well, I was thinking the arrows would be for attacking wild animals, if there are any..." She trots up to walk right behind Dimitri, adding without missing a beat, "-not the little bug people?"
Horatio follows along behind the other siblings and says quietly to Carroll and Alex, "You might want to prepare yourselves. It was something of a... shock... to see the shrine the natives have set up." Carroll follows his brother and sister, wordlessly.
Forest Clearing
The narrow trail leading up from the beach
opens into a clearing in the forest. Figureheads from several ships are
set up here, apparently tended by inhabitants who are presently nowhere
to be seen. More trails lead into the forest and a small tunnel, perhaps
1 meter in diameter, leads underground at a shallow angle.
The clearing is much the same as it was when Dimitri and Horatio saw it the previous day, but the Thunderchild's figurehead has been moved and is now lashed to a pole, though it is still on the ground instead of set up like the others on similar poles. Alex looks around slowly, her mouth open. When her gaze is about a third of the way around the circle it occurs to her to try to recognize some of them, to take the news back home, and she studies each one carefully to see if she knows any of them. Dimitri slowly walks out into the shrine, making his way among the figureheads, collecting names and forgotten icons to see who else has been lost on this isle. "Last time it didn't take long for them to notice we were here..."
Horatio blinks, making note of the change in Thunderchild's position. "It looks like they're going to put that one up as well...?"
Carroll follows his brother's gaze and adds, "I wonder why they haven't done it yet."
Alex sees the Thunderchild's figurehead and makes a small happy sound, darting over to kneel next to it, running her fingers along it affectionately, "Isn't she lovely still?" She traces the billowing clouds beneath the galloping hooves, the flaring nostrils of the wild sky mare, the billowing mane entangled in lightnings... then looks up at Carroll, smiling, "Maybe they were waiting for a sign? Like... like meeting Mitya and Horry yesterday? Is there a posthole dug somewhere?"
There appears to be the beginning of a hole by the base of the Thunderchild's pole, but it isn't deep enough yet to support the figurehead. Carroll shrugs and murrs, "I don't know." He looks around quietly, adding almost absently, "They're welcome to it as far as I am concerned."
Alex says, "It looks like a... like a ship's graveyard, don't you think?" She looks around, still smiling quietly, "I think it's a nice way to keep their memories alive." The morning remains quiet, with no sign of the chittering bugs.
Horatio glances to Alex and looks around. The scholar in him notes that it actually might help relations with the natives if they did that, showing the natives an acceptance of their culture and traditions. That may in fact be what the natives are waiting for, silently watching from the shadows. And that if the pirates ever come to Mt. Kali and bring themselves to come ashore, they'd see the Thunderchild's figurehead here. The St. Genevieve in him is what speaks, "I think so too, Alex. Thunderchild... was a good ship." Alex smiles at Horatio and nods wordlessly in agreement.
Dimitri pauses, quiet. He looks back and sets his long blade on the ground. "Shall we give them a hand?" He looks to the Thunderchild's figurehead, reaching down to let his paw slip along it, to check the lashings.
Alex grins up at Dimitri, "Sure! Why not? Hm... do we have something we can use as a shovel though?"
Carroll pads around the clearing slowly. He stays away from the shallow tunnel though, looking at it uncomfortably. Dimitri looks up from the figurehead, "Can someone run back to the boat and get the shovel? Then we should."
Carroll looks at the rock and murrs, "Perhaps that's why they haven't finished."
Alex stares down into the hole thoughtfully, then looks up, "Um... actually, I don't think we need a shovel. It looks like we've hit rock at the bottom of this hole already?"
Dimitri looks down into the little hole. "Here's why, Carroll, there's rock at the bottom of this hole..."
Alex frowns, "I wonder how the bugs were going to drill into the rock?"
Carroll murrs, "I have no idea." He looks at Alex and notes her fur fluffed, then asks, "Magic?"
Horatio frowns, looking down into the hole, then blinks. "How in the world...?" He looks up and around at the other poles, trying to figure out how they could have done this, trying to estimate if all the poles are like this one, how deep the holes go, and how deep this hole is.
Alex says, "Wow..." She reaches in cautiously, touching the rock with her fingertips, "They've already drilled in some already, guys!" She glances at Horatio, "How much more drilling would they have to do to get the pole set just like the others, Horatio?"
If the length of the other poles is the same as this one, the hole will eventually be some two feet deep. As Horatio looks at the others though he notices that the other figureheads seem to be, well, petrified for want of a better word. Horatio blinks, standing and moving closer to the nearest figurehead, squinting up at it. "That's odd..."
Dimitri kneels at the hole, and then follows Horatio's gaze. "Remember where we are..."
Alex says, "What is, Horatio?" She looks up, then stands and trots over to the one Horatio's by, staring up at it curiously... then gently touching it with her fingertips, "What is it?"
Horatio blinks, his eyes trailing down the pole. His eyes widen. "Oh, my... Erm... do you remember what I said about the natives having lived so closely to a nexus? That it was a good thing we didn't annoy them when we were last here...?"
Alex gives Horatio a puzzled glance, "So?" Carroll pads back over, nodding, listening.
Dimitri nods calmly to Alex and says but a single word. "Magic."
Alex says, "Well yes, Mitya, but what's Horatio getting at?"
Horatio nods to Dimitri and raps lightly on the 'pole.' It doesn't make a wooden sound. "They made the pole and the figureheads into rock. All of these, they look like they were grown or welded or carved out of rock. Instead of put on poles and set into place."
Alex blinks! then adds a soft, "oh!" as she stares at the figurehead in front of her. Carroll ohs and looks more closely at one of the upright figureheads.
Horatio turns from the pole, frowning. "If this is a test of some sort to see if we can set Thunderchild's figurehead in place... we may have a hard time passing it."
Alex blinks again, "Well... I guess the figureheads won't weather poorly that way." She glances at Horatio, shaking her head, "I'd be very surprised if this is a test. Why would they grovel at you if they thought you had to pass some test?"
Horatio says, "Was it groveling? I'm not sure, really..."
Alex patpats the figurehead, then looks around at the various ways out of the clearing, "So... which way should we go? Up, so we can see over the trees? To see if there are any furr-built structures anywheres?"
Dimitri hunkers down next to the pole, testing its weight. "If we can lift it into place... well, the fixing of it in place, that's for you and Alex, Horatio. And maybe this is a task any one should be able to do. The question, though... do we try, or do we walk on?"
Carroll murrs, "I can't help feeling like we don't belong here."
Alex nods to Carroll, "Let's disrupt as little as we can, guys?"
Horatio frowns slightly at Carroll's words, then nods. "You may be right. This might not be a test after all."
Alex wanders from trail to trail, trying to figure which might go up the mountain. She's careful though not to leave the clearing or go out of sight of her brothers. Carroll also continues to look around the clearing, staying away from the tunnel and more than occasionally glancing back towards the water. Only one of the trails seems to lead directly up the valley. The rest wander off to either side, or down toward the stream that can be heard running down to the sea. Alex points, "Guys, I think this one might lead up the valley? Shall we try it?"
Horatio blinks, looking over to Alex and down the trail. He glances to Carroll. "I think we should. It couldn't hurt." Much.
Carroll considers and then murrs, "Let's have a look."
Alex grins happily and patters down the trail -- slow enough that her brothers can keep up, of course! Carroll trails along, looking mostly back and forth. Standing, Dimitri snares his sword and follows Alex. "Aye, as good as any. What shall we see from such a height. Though I must admit, I'm half tempted to see what might happen if we heated up my blade and tempered it in the waters here..."
Alex gives Dimitri a curious glance over her shoulder, "Huh? Why would you want to do that, Mitya?"
Horatio says, "Magic's wild here though, Dimitri. No telling what'll happen to your sword if you did that..."
Dimitri shrugs his shoulders, "Just a passing thought..."
The trail leads upstream for a kilometer or so, occasionally coming in sight of the water, then diving back into the forest. At the end of the trail is a sheer rock wall with a broad opening. The stream comes out of the roughly elliptical opening. Alex blinks, studying the stream... then the rock wall, trying to see if there's a place for a small and lithe person to stand and get a view over the island. Horatio frowns, looking up at the wall. "This is unexpected. A rock wall... I'd say that our native friends had a hand in building this.
Forest Clearing
The trees thin out here, the soil
thinning to almost nothing in a rocky region. Basalt blocks are shoved
up together almost like driftwood, and a sheer wall in the direction
of the mountain is where the stream comes from. The opening is nearly
perfectly elliptical and is easily large enough for the tallest furrs
to walk upright.
Alex brightens, then scrambles cheerfully up to next to the stream. She turns and slowly scans the island, looking for anything untoward that might mark a shipwrecked person's presence. Then she blinks again at a sudden thought, then says slowly, "How... how did the water get so high before it came out of the side of the mountain?"
Carroll murrs, "Did we bring lights? Are we prepared for this?"
Horatio says, "Maybe we can go back to the boats for a lantern or torches?"
Dimitri looks to Carroll and Horatio. "You two bring up the lamps, yes?" Then he moves to catch up with his unstoppable sister.
Horatio says, "Anything else I should get from the boats before I come back here?"
Carroll murrs, "Rope." He adds, "Is this a good idea?"
Alex grins at Horatio, "Sacks!" She giggles cheerfully at Carroll, then continues scanning interestedly. Dimitri sets down at the side of the stream to wait, letting a paw drag through the cool water. Alex ohs! remembering Horatio's spyglass... a bit guiltily she pulls it out of her shirt, then uses it to help her scanning.
Carroll shakes his head and murrs, "Let's stay together. I don't want to get separated." He asks his sister, "See anything?"
Alex says, "Not yet, Carroll... but gimme a second to be sure, 'kay?" Horatio nods and goes to the boats, not noticing Alex with his spyglass. He retrieves the rope, lanterns, and a bit extra oil for the lanterns. Alex pauses, lowering the spyglass with a faintly puzzled expression... then she puts it back to her eye and continues scanning... although this time she's scanning the cliffs and the sky above... a moment later she lowers the spyglass again, "Um... guys? Is it just me, or... or are there no animals or birds around here?" She thinks a moment, then adds worriedly, "I sure hope the bugs are vegetarian..."
Carroll murrs, "I wonder if there aren't reasons for this island being taboo for so many people."
Alex grins at Carroll wryly, "Maybe the fact that if you're not careful your worst dreams can come to life?"
Horatio returns, frowning slightly as he catches Alex's and Carroll's words. "It is on the quiet side, isn't it...?"
Dimitri looks back and shrugs, "Well, if there isn't any animals or birds here... and it's been a long while, then the inhabitants had better be vegetarian, because their only other food sources are the rare snack of a shipwreck... or each other."
Carroll looks at Alex and asks, "Why are we here?"
Alex answers promptly, "Because we're disciplined and we're searching for our father and there might be clues here."
Carroll shakes his head and murrs, "Why would father wreck his ship here to lead pirates astray, and then come here himself? The merfolk don't like it here either, and wouldn't want to land." He looks around and doesn't, through force of will, think unpleasant thoughts. "I have to wonder if they didn't go back to the mainland."
Alex tilts her head curiously at Carroll, "Well sure! If he'd landed here he'd have gotten his sea chest, right? But still... there might be clues here, so why shouldn't we look?"
Dimitri softly growls, "If that's true then... the more strategic decision would be to go back to the Mare and find this Trell. Trell obviously is the last one to have seen Father."
Alex says, "Treell, wasn't it?"
Looking to Alex, Dimitri slowly stands. "I'll ask him when I meet him, yes?"
Carroll murrs, "In the case that he didn't come here, we have searched -- and found -- the clues. The best reasons I can think of not being here involve wasted time and being eaten."
Alex says, "Well, you're the captain, Carroll. Shall we continue to explore or no?"
Dimitri softly growls, "Unrepentable curiosity of number one sister set aside, I think you are correct about this one, Carroll. We should set sail." Alex grins cheerfully at Dimitri.
Horatio fidgets a little, but has to nod. "At the very least we should find out where Father is. Then if need be we can return." A sudden thought strikes him and he frowns. "I just hope that the water-dwellers are beyond Pravinchandra's influence."
Alex glances curiously over her shoulder at the cave behind her, "Guys... you know that magic feeling I told you about? Um... I think it's coming from in there?" She points into the cave.
Carroll murrs, "All right, light the lanterns. Let's have a brief look." He looks in, whiskers twitching as he sniffs the air, adding, "If anyone feels or hears or sees anything funny, speak up, yes?" Alex grins at Carroll again, absently brushing her fur down, then happily takes one of the lanterns herself.
Horatio blinks to Alex. "Is that...?" A good idea? Not necessarily. But as long as they keep their mind clear they should go all right, and he says as much.
Dimitri looks to Carroll and then shakes his head. His mutter can barely be heard as he jogs up to match Alex's pace. "Tcha... one of us has to be able to say no to her!" Carroll is too busy looking around to glare at Dimitri.
The air stays fresh as they walk into the cave, and the lanterns, while helpful, are probably not completely necessary, as occasional cracks in the rocks overhead let in small amounts of light. After about a half-kilometer, the tunnel starts to open up into a brightly lit area.
Forest Clearing
Deep inside the cave is a pool of water,
surrounded by bright crystals that reflect the light which comes in
through gaps in the ceiling. The stream falls into the pool from a higher
level, but strangely the surface of the pool is mirror-smooth.
Alex looks around in fascination, the now-unlit lantern hanging from one paw. Horatio looks around, blinking. "Oh, my... this is... incredible..."
Alex looks puzzledly at Horatio, gesturing towards the pool, "How can it not ripple like that? Oh! Maybe... maybe it's an illusion? Maybe the real surface is lower?"
Dimitri softly growls, "Maybe it's whatever you think it to be?" Alex puts a bracing paw on Dimitri's arm, then squints slightly at the fountain, trying to see what the magic is doing, but very cautiously -- she remembers how blinding Cleo was earlier. Horatio for his part tries to keep his mind as objective as possible, resisting the temptation to be free with his thoughts. That would be very dangerous, he thinks.
Carroll murrs, "Illusion or other magic, yes." He looks around, adding, "I see no hint of life or of Father."
Alex blinks! then oohs softly, continuing to squint carefully at the pool, "Guys... I think I see Daddy! I wonder if this is like a scrying pool in those stories, and we can see a little bit of what's around him, to find him easier?"
Carroll murrs, "Be careful, Alex," but doesn't stop her.
Alex doesn't let go her grip on Dimitri, though... she's making sure she's got a nice, firm anchor! Dimitri slowly wraps an arm around Alex. His ears flatten, but he is there... her anchor. Horatio blinks, looking at Alex, and opens his mouth to echo Carroll's suggestion... but remains silent, closing his mouth. No need to be redundant and break Alex's concentration. Alex stares into the pool for a long moment... finally she starts speaking slowly, almost dreamily, "He's there... I can see him, guys. It... it's mid-afternoon, snow on the ground. He's... ohh... he looks tired, poor Daddy, I wish we could DO something, even just let him know we're searching -- don't give up! ...he's trudging along and his gear is all battered and worn. He's talking to a -- a snow leopard? I don't think I've ever seen that person before... oh, and there's the first mate of the Thunderchild, oh good!" Alex puts her free paw to her mouth in worry for her beloved father, then calls out impulsively, "We're coming, Daddy! Hang on!"
Horatio takes in a sharp breath and steps a little closer to Alex and Dimitri. He starts racking his mind for where it might be snowing at this time of year, and asks softly, "Is it the present that you see, Alex...?"
Alex sees the image of her father look around, puzzled. She can't hear him, but he mouths her name. Alex says, "Uh... what? um... I think s- oh! Oh, he heard me!" She bites her lip, her eyes filling with tears, then whispers softly, "We love you, Daddy... we miss you. We're trying to find you..." She takes a deep breath, pulling herself together -- information, she should be getting good information for her brothers! She'll try one more time, "Daddy, can you tell us where you are?" Horatio blinks. Can it be...? Is it possible that Alex is actually talking with Father? Carroll watches silently, concerned for Alex and trying not to be too hopeful lest this be false. Dimitri strengthens his grip, sure, there for his sister, whatever she needs. He just listens, ears flat, quiet.
The surface of the pool shimmers and a gust of cold air blows up from the image, everyone now able to see the scene. The leopard and Streamchaser the otter look up in surprise. "Alex? Where... how? We're in Rogavik. Trying to stay ahead of Pravinchandra's assassins. Beware of them! Beware..." The image flickers and breaks up, the pool returning to its original state.
Alex blinks, swaying and clutching Dimitri's sleeve tightly -- then looks up at her brothers, "Rog- Rogavik... did you see? Did you see?!"
Horatio almost dives to the side of the pool, eyes wide. "Father!" he all but shouts, as the pool ripples and fades to its mirror-like stillness.
Alex blinks again, adding puzzledly, "Roga... where's that?"
Carroll blinks and murrs quietly, "He's alive." He stands still a long moment, then murrs, "Let's get back to the ship. We'll find that out."
Alex takes a long, slow breath, rubbing her face, still holding on to Dimitri. She remembers now... Rogavik is one of the minor realms, just below the border of Ha'Sheera, near the big inland sea. Dimitri looks at the still pool. His words are deadly, deadly grim. "Father needs... a sword. Now."
Horatio gulps, still looking stunned and shaken. "Rogavik... Rogavik..." he murmurs softly. He looks up to Carroll, more emotion on his face than there has been in all the months of this journey. He nods shakily, then with more conviction stands, still panting. "We'll find it, Alex. It's somewhere, it's a place, and Father is there. We'll find it."
Alex says with tired triumph, "I told you guys! See? We just have to have faith in Daddy... we'll find him."
The pool shimmers, the image reforming and stabilizing again. The three furs in far Rogavik look up again as the Gate opens in front of them, "...damnedest thing I've ever..." The Count looks up at his children. "Where are you?"
Alex calls, "On Kali, Daddy! Here! Here, can you see us?!"
Horatio takes in a sharp breath. "Mount Kali! Father, we saw the Thunderchild...!"
Alex reaches out impulsively for her father, "Here, Daddy!" Carroll steps forward and looks more intently into the pool, still quiet.
The elder fox grins. "Hah! It must have worked then. I wonder how many of the pirates followed it in?" He blinks and reaches for Alex's hand. "C'mon! We'll really lose 'em this way!" The otter and the leopard scramble toward the Gate as well.
Alex PULLS without thinking -- towards herself. Dimitri takes a step forward, letting loose of Alex so his much stronger hand can reach out and draw his father in. Alex gasps, "Horry, Cara, help!"
Horatio blinks. Can they actually do this? He reaches forward as well, reaching forward with his hand and his heart and his will... Alex's arm passes through the surface as though nothing is there, though it feels very strange, as though something is tugging her arm sideways. Dimitri stretches past her, his longer reach able to cross the gap and grasp his father's hand. Carroll is already on his way to the opening, also reaching down, to offer his hand and perhaps as importantly, his heart, saying finally, "Come back to us!"
Dimitri locks his paw over his Father's wrist and his grip is sure, fast and it doesn't matter which way he goes, he will not let go. Alex grabs at anything and everything she can, pulling with all her will and strength to bring the three furrs safely over. The pool stays open, the four siblings acting together to hold it in place, completely united desires meshing to bring their father and his companions back to them. As they step through there is a blinding flash and a silent explosion. When they can see again the pool is a normal pool of water, with Count St. Genevieve, Streamchaser, and a surprised and disgruntled snow leopard sitting in the middle of it.
Alex is half-laughing and half crying incoherently as she throws herself into her father's arms, hugging him tightly in relief and fright and joy. Carroll staggers in shock and then smiles, hugely and murrs, quietly, "We did it!"
Horatio almost collapses beside the pool from the shock of it, eyes wide. "Father!" he blurts out. Dimitri only then lets go. The tall dark fox takes a step back. Then two. His other hand shifts the balance upon his greatsword, digging the tip into the rock. Wrapping both paws about the crossbars, leans silently upon it.
- All three look a bit travel-worn but in good shape. There's a
bit more gray in their father's head fur since the last time they saw
him, and he's lost a little weight, but he's fine and holding Alex as
though he's afraid she'll vanish again.
Alex regains control of herself after a moment, realizing that they're sitting in a large puddle! She's panting slightly, but she rubs her face fiercely, then joyfully gabbles, "OhDADDYyouwouldnotbelievewhat'sbeenhappening let'sgetbacktotheshipsowecantalk areyouallright?!" She laughs breathlessly, looking up at her brothers, still holding tightly to her father, then says softly, "We did it!"
Timothy looks up after a minute or so, looking at his boys. "I've never been so glad to see you kids in my life." He grins at Alex's nonstop talking. "But I can see we're going to need a lot of explanations." Alex hugs her father tightly again, struggling not to burst into tears.
Carroll is, typically, soon inflicted with a burst of practicality, and introduces himself to the leopard, "My name is Carroll St. Genevieve. Thank you for having helped our father. I am sorry we seem to have inconvenienced you." He grins and introduces the rest, finally asking, "Were there more in your party who will now be separated?" Dimitri smiles quietly as Alex runs on and on and on. And with a shrug he slings his long blade over his shoulders and slowly begins to pick his way out of the brilliant cave.
Horatio blinks, some of the shock leaving his mind enough for him to notice that the scholarly part of his mind is screaming incoherently at him. "We should go," he says urgently. "And soon! The same magic that helped bring Father here is still here. And the longer we're here..." He leaves that unsaid.
Alex looks up at Dimitri, tear streaks in the fur on her face, and yips indignantly, "Don't you dare leave, Mitya! I know what you did! It was you that started that gate, wasn't it!? It's thanks to you we managed to uhh..." Her voice trails off as she blinks blankly at Horatio -- then she gasps, scrambling to her feet with a huge splashing, "Let's go, let's go!" She grabs her father's paw with both of hers, tugging, "Hurry, please!" Dimitri looks back to Alex, the black fox a silhouette in the cave entrance. Nothing save the glitter of three golden rings. He shrugs his shoulders again, quiet, and begins his walk back to the ship.
Carroll looks at his smarter brother and murrs, "Good idea." He looks to his father and the other two and murrs, "We should get back to the Saucy Mare. We'll have plenty of time for explanations."
Alex takes a deep breath, muttering to herself, "-disciplined thoughts; calm, disciplined thoughts..." over and over, still trying to hurry everyone along.
The leopard seems mainly to have been upset that he landed in a pool of water and has already scrambled onto dry land. He bows to Carroll. "Haakon Svenson, Mercenary Guild."
Alex gabbles, "Nicetomeetyoulet'sGOplease?!"
Carroll nods and murrs, "My pleasure to meet you." He adds, "Let's make good time back to the ship, please. And if you can, don't think about anything. Mount Kali is a little capricious, apparently."
Streamchaser doesn't seem all that anxious to leave the pool, but lets herself be hurried out. "How'd you do that?"
Alex grins a little weakly at the otter, "Uh... we don't know?"
Horatio glances around them nervously as they move down the cave. "I wish we knew, though!" There'll be time for lionizing Father after they get to at least the shore. But if they were able to reach clear across the world and get Father to them, then anything can still happen. As they emerge from the cave, he also keeps an ear out for the insects' voices.
Carroll tells the otteress, "Apparently we really wanted you here safe." He asks again, "Are there others who were in your party?"
Streamchaser shakes her head. "We're the last. Most of the others your father sent to Sehala when we made it to shore -- we were going to go with them, but it got too dangerous. We struck off away from the coast to try to lose 'em."
Alex looks relieved that the rest of the crew aren't dead, but rather sent to Sehala. Carroll nods and murrs, "All right. Let's get to safety again. Don't think about anything, don't worry about anything, and let's keep moving, please."
Alex takes a deep breath, still holding her father's paw, trying to urge him along to catch up with Dimitri. She's still murmuring under her breath, "-sciplined thoughts... calm, disciplined thoughts..." to keep her excitement and happiness from flaring up. She can't resist one blindingly happy beam up at her father first though!
The journey back to the launch is just as uneventful as the one up to the cave, the bugs still apparently asleep or underground. The trip back to the Saucy Mare is a bit crowded with three extra bodies in the launch, but nothing untoward happens. As the Count steps onto the deck the crew breaks into wild cheering! Alex beams exuberantly now she doesn't have to worry about keeping her thoughts calm -- she looks like she could easily burst with happiness! Dimitri boards the ship, taking the time through the celebrations to make sure the longboat is properly retrieved and stored. Then as the crew surrounds the Count he returns to his place, taking a seat on the quarterdeck stairs. Carroll stands to one side and smiles happily. Perhaps not beaming as outwardly as the effervescent Alex, but very pleased. He announces, a huge understatement, "We had a good trip inland." Alex giggles at Carroll! Alex will also take a moment to give Cleo a tight hug, and thank her a little shakily and very sincerely -- for teaching her so well about magic! Setting his sword upon the deck, the black fox draws up one knee and wraps his paws about it. He watches as Alex bounces and dances across the crowded deck and smiles.
Cleo grins and hugs back. "Ma'am, you were a good pupil too."
Alex laughs, pulling back from the hug but still holding Cleo's paws, "Oh Cleo, it was amazing! I have to tell you all about it later, okay? But first I think we need to catch Daddy up, if you don't mind... and... and..." She thinks, then adds, "And I'm hoping Carroll goes to Sehala next, so we can pick up Daddy's crew... and then..." She beams, bouncing happily on her toes, "-and then we'll get that stupid mongoose!"
Horatio remains a bit to the side, himself, allowing himself a beaming expression. Inwardly, he's still a little guarded. He really isn't sure what had happened on the island (he makes a mental note to briefly look at the charts and plot out Father's journey) but for the moment things appear well and there will be time for celebration.
And then there will be time for Pravinchandra.
Horatio is a little surprised at the vehemence of the though; after all, Father isn't dead. But he may have been, if Pravinchandra had had his way. And they're still not free yet. Pravinchandra is still there, still a concern. And if Pravinchandra ever discovered that the children had found their Father...
Carroll lets the highest of the exuberance wear off and calls to the crew, "Yes, we seem to have found Count St. Genevieve! We'll tell you all the details at the evening watch change, at least as many as we know." He shakes his head and murrs, "I don't believe it, and I was there." He continues, "Anyway! We have a load of stores for Ettore! Let's set sail and head there! We'll have plenty of time to explain on the way!"
Alex says, "Oh, wait, Carr- Captain!" She whirls, waving a paw at Carroll, "Excuse me sir, may I make a suggestion? Um... maybe Sehala?"
Carroll hmms, "Why?"
Alex says, "To pick up Daddy's crew? They'll want to go home, right? And -- and they'll be more folks adding their word to Daddy's?" She thinks a bit, then adds seriously, "And they have family too, captain. Family waiting for them at home."
Carroll asks, "Do you think they're still there? If so by all means yes. I would have thought they'd disperse on other ships?"
The Count shrugs. "If any of them are missing, we can do that later. Most of them were ordinary merchant sailors, they just needed to get away from me so they could go back to their own lives. I had to order a few of them so as it was, right, Streamchaser?"
Alex looks relieved, "Oh, even better!" She pauses, thinking, then adds puzzledly, "I wonder why none of them have turned up yet? They all knew to beware of Pravin's people, after all?"
MacKenzie grins rather dryly. "That's probably why they haven't turned up back in Starfall. If I were them I'd be on other ships sailing from other ports."
Alex ah!s at MacKenzie and nods. She opens her mouth to ask about the other two mercenaries... then pauses. She can ask later. She doesn't want to mar her father's return with what might be rather sad news. "Um... good then. Okay, captain, should we update Daddy in your cabin next?"
Carroll nods and reaffirms his orders, "To Ettore, then."
The Count looks puzzled. "Ettore? Why Ettore?"
Alex is still bouncy with happiness, although she's not running all her words together in excitement any more! "It's part of the explanations, Daddy!" Horatio blinks to Father, then realizes: he wouldn't know what Pravinchandra had done after he was declared missing.
Carroll nods and murrs, "Yes... there's a lot of things he needs to hear." He smiles brilliantly at his Father and murrs, "That's one of the things we have to explain, yes."
Count Timothy grins at his oldest son then. "Lead on, Captain."
Carroll heads over to the quarterdeck stairs to collect Dimitri. He murrs quietly to him, "Thank you, Dimitri. I don't know how you did it... but thank you." and escorts the black fox in to the cabin.
The taller fox looks down to Carroll and quietly shrugs. "You are welcome, Carroll." And with that he follows Carroll into the crowded cabin, stealing a place for himself against the wall next to the door. Horatio steps in as well. Folding his hands behind his back and letting Carroll start the story...
Alex takes a moment to make sure everything's fine and Carroll's orders are smoothly implemented. Once she's made sure Jared's got everything under control, she follows her siblings into Carroll's cabin. Streamchaser and Haakon decide to remain on deck and get the story from Natasha and Jared, letting the family reunion proceed without any outsiders present. The little cabin is crowded enough with five. The Count starts. "So. Why are you all here?" He glances at Dimitri as he says this for just a moment.
Without blinking Dimitri answers his father's query, "Because you got me cashiered out of Lady Blackpool's Own, Father." However, where before there would be a bitter bite to those words, this time, this time they are softly spoken and if anything, have a touch of ironic humor.
Carroll offers wine, serves those who want it, and keeps a glass for himself. He then murrs, "Where shall I start? The beginning? Or do you want the current state of the House?"
Alex slips in, closing the door behind her, and stands next to Dimitri quietly, not interrupting the conversation. She beams with brilliant happiness up at her dark brother, then turns her attention to the conversation between her father and Carroll. Dimitri reaches down and places a paw on Alex's head, slowly ruffling one tall ear. Alex smiles, leaning against Dimitri. She whispers, "The beginning, Carroll! Like with Mister Farwing!"
The count frowns. "Better start at the beginning. Sounds like the news isn't good regardless."
Carroll nods and murrs, "Perhaps that will make the most sense." He starts in and explains the current situation to their father, leaving out nothing. Alex sips her wine and curls up next to Dimitri, listening. Carroll will be curious to see his father's reactions to several things... Dimitri's help, Alex's rank, the vendetta in Maidstone, the knighting, the deal with White Haven, and sea battles. Carroll is rather worried, honestly, to see the reactions to his rather rash decisions. The count listens, wincing at some of the things that are said, but interrupting only once. "Loan? LOAN? WHAT loan?" He subsides, muttering sulfurously under his breath, but obviously infuriated.
Alex gives Carroll a triumphant nod at their father's reaction to the loan -- they were right -- he hadn't done anything so foolish or rash without telling his eldest son! Carroll murrs, quietly, to his father's outburst, "I'm sorry, Father. I didn't think to question its authenticity. I don't know that it would have changed anything, but I did miss it."
Alex murmurs quietly, "We caught it later, Carroll. We all fell for it initially."
"It probably wouldn't have mattered if we hadn't, though," Horatio interjects. "What would we have been able to do?"
Alex says, "We can do something now, Horatio. We are."
The count nods. "I'm sure he had a good forgery, and if our accountant was in on it... well, we can deal with it in court now that I'm back. That mongoose is going down, kids."
Carroll nods, "We have to get you back to Ettore and let you talk to Mr. Farwing." He adds. "I hope the vendetta won't be too damaging in our case against him."
Alex grins cheerfully, "Maybe we can make it a bargaining chip!"
Horatio frowns slightly, "Father... you said that assassins were after you. That means that Pravinchandra is more than willing to play very, very dirty. We can't risk him discovering that we've found you and we most assuredly can't just sail into Starfall. Maidstone, now..."
The Count grins. "So, you're all either pirates or honored nobles, depending where in the League you are?" He shakes his head about the vendetta. "Shouldn't be a problem. Sounds like it's justified, after all. Just better let me go in first. At least I haven't done anything like that."
Alex says, "Shouldn't we hit Ettore first, Horatio? So Daddy can talk to our solicitor and we can make a good plan on how to get the mongoose?"
Carroll nods, "That's exactly it. I expect you'd be well-received in Court in Maidstone as well."
Horatio says, "Oh, definitely Ettore first. But after that..."
Alex brightens, "Oh! Yes, Daddy! Dimitri and I got knighted!" Dimitri just shrugs as Alex speaks. Alex grins proudly at Dimitri, "You risked your life to save the queen, Mitya -- you deserved it more than I did!"
Dimitri looks down to Alex and nods. "And you stopped the dart. We are a matched pair, bratling." Alex beams proudly at Dimitri's comment! then straightens a little, still beaming, next to her brother.
Horatio looks to Carroll. "Unless Pravinchandra is behind what's going on there as well."
Carroll nods, "A risk. If he is, then I particularly want to introduce Father to Duchess White Haven." He tries not to giggle at a stray thought. Alex covers a grin at that comment by Carroll, imagining what that scene will be like!
Count Timothy nods. "Maidstone first, or somewhere. I need to get a new set of bodyguards and then get into Starfall before he knows I'm back. We'll have to skip court presentations this time, I'm afraid -- we need to keep things secret. His assassins think I'm halfway to Ilrayel by now. Let's not disabuse them of the notion."
Carroll nods and murrs, "Maidstone might be a good stop, then. To hurt Pravinchandra, I expect that we have an ally."
Alex hms, "Should we keep your first mate and Haakon out of sight too then?"
Timothy nods. "We'd better. They're both known to our... opposition."
Dimitri just levels a sudden sharp and honest look at his Father. "So?"
Alex nods, "Maidstone next then. I'll be right back, guys... gotta change directions outside real quick..." She slips out to inform Jared of their new destination, now that they've compared stories.
Carroll hmms, "Then maybe we'd better sail in to Maidstone with an excuse, so nobody will look twice." He smiles a nasty grin and adds, "Another one of those Pravinchandra cargo ships perhaps." Alex comes slipping quietly back in several moments later. She settles quietly back down next to Dimitri so she doesn't interrupt the conversation, and has some more of her wine. She still looks glowingly happy. Carroll murrs, "I think we'll explain the desire to the crew for quietness on this, and to the Queen's fur who is aboard."
Horatio says, "At the very least the people in Ettore should know you're alive, Father. I think they need the news."
The count smiles at his darkphase son rather nastily. "Didn't they teach you that in the Marines? The element of surprise. I think our best bet would be for me to march into the council chambers and confront the SOB. If he doesn't know I'm on this side of the world... he can't possibly be expecting it."
Dimitri shrugs off his Father's harsh words like water. His eyes are cool as steel, words now flat. "Ah. For a moment I thought you were worried about the continuing trail of your assassins." Alex laughs! then covers her muzzle, although her eyes gleam mischievously at the image of Pravin's face, confronted unexpectedly with her father!
Carroll murrs, "Talk to Farwing first, father. Make statements in front of witnesses just in case he is somehow prepared." He adds, "Please."
The old fox smiles at Carroll with that same feral look. "Oh, of course witnesses. I meant at a Council session, not in his offices where he could order his minions to do away with me... good idea to talk to Farwing, though. Pop in and visit him on the way up."
Carroll tells his father, "Farwing knows we're looking and has had some time to do some research. Hopefully with you at hand he'll have some inarguable evidence."
Alex eyes her father quietly, then says softly, "Actually Dimitri's training in the Marines has been invaluable to us, Daddy. House Pravinchandra now hires Imperial ships for protection... because of the Saucy Mare. And something else that Dimitri's Marine training has given us... is the importance of doing an ambush right... like prepping your side before you appear in the Council, Daddy... please?"
The count looks back at Dimitri, saddened by the change in his voice. "Son...I didn't mean it like that. I..." He pauses, working up his nerve. "I... was wrong. And I owe you an apology." Carroll was about to say something, but stops and closes his mouth. He watches his brother. Alex brightens happily at her father's words, then looks up at Dimitri, still smiling.
Dimitri blinks once. he stands quiet for a long set of heartbeats. One... two... three. Then his muzzle ducks and when he speaks, his words are quieter. "It is fine, Father." Alex grins happily again, hugging Dimitri tightly! then takes advantage of the pause in the conversation to patter quickly over to her father and settle down next to him too for a bit. Dimitri berfs suddenly at the sudden hug, surprised, in a completely un-Dimitri-like manner. Then he crosses his arms and leans back against the door. Alex giggles softly at Dimitri's sound!
The old fox smiles, a bit tiredly but happy. "I've always been proud of you all... even you, Dimitri. But I've never been prouder than I am right now." He grins, that feral gleam back in his eyes. "Even if we all end up as pirates..."
Alex grins, then tilts her nose up and says in perfect court manner, "Privateers, please, Daddy!"
Horatio grins softly. "Thank you, Father. But... hopefully, we won't have to be that way for much longer."
Carroll gives the moment a moment and then murrs, "To Maidstone." He asks, planning, "Do we just sail up like we belong there, or should we have a prize to give us a reason? That reason would help bankroll a charter and crew to Starfall, if we don't all go."
Dimitri looks to Carroll and smiles a slightly toothy smile, "It all depends on a mongoose's luck, Carroll."
Alex says, "Well, if we find one foolish enough to float around alone let's take it, Carroll! But we're so close to winning now... let's not get greedy. Worst comes to worst, we can say we decided we needed some more of those trustworthy mercenaries... 'cause we do, for Daddy."
Dimitri looks to Alex and shakes his head. "No, we don't, Alex."
Alex adds pragmatically, "And our crew can sure use some shore leave, don'tcha think? Especially after Kali?" She blinks at Dimitri, "Um... I thought Daddy said..." She pauses, thinking, then says curiously, "Why?"
The Count nods. "Have to agree with Alex. Let's not take chances at this point. Another nibble at him when we're that close to getting him by the... umm... throat isn't worth the risk."
Carroll nods and murrs, "Points taken. I expect too that our patron there would help us with that again, because she's not a bit pleased with a mongoose and would like to see him broken."
Horatio nods quietly. "There are only a few people there who like Pravinchandra, in fact."
Carroll snorts, "If that many."
Dimitri looks to Alex and then his Father. And again his words are cool as steel. Tempered steel. But this time it's obvious that no one in this room is their target. "Because, Alex, before any one gets to Father they have to get through me first." Alex blinks at Dimitri... then nods, straightening slightly where she sits next to her father. Dimitri's right... and they're a team. Horatio blinks a little at Dimitri's words, then nods soberly. They'd have to get through the entire family, at this point.
The old fox gets a bit misty-eyed. "Dimitri... I... thank you." He pauses, getting his voice back under control. "Thank you, and I think you could do it too. You remind me a lot of myself at your age, son. I never had the chance to do what you did, though -- I was the eldest and had Carroll's job." He grins. "But it's still a good idea to catch him by surprise."
Alex just sits and beams... she's so happy she'd glow if she could. Her family is reunited -- and in more ways than one. She feels almost sniffly with happiness. She sighs contentedly and leans against her father a little, if he doesn't seem to mind. Dimitri nods once, quiet. "One chooses the roles they play, Father. Yours took you to snowcapped mountains. Mine to a brilliant pool."