| Logs |
2000-06-11
| Starfall |
| Realms |
Retired
| Reality Fault |
General Info
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Browsing in the Maidstone Marketplace
- Maidstone - On the Docks
The next morning dawns in the usual bright, clear way for the dry season in subtropical Maidstone. Carroll talks briefly to MacKenzie; the wolverine assigns Bjorn and, after a few suggestions are turned down, comes along himself as bodyguard today. Dimitri and Horatio tag along, deciding to do necessary purchasing as a group, and the five set off, leaving Alex in charge of the Saucy Mare.
Dimitri shoulders his long sword as he follows the others down the gangplank. The last in line, he pauses, looking back over his shoulder to the now-in-charge Alex. "...and absolutely no privateering while in dock, bratling." With that he quickly moves onto the dock and away from a sister's revenge.
Carroll murrs to the group, "I've got a couple of odd things on my list of things to buy that will likely have us all over the marketplace." He smiles and adds, "If anybody thinks of anything, or sees any little thing, say something and we'll pause. We've got all morning and it seems to be turning into a lovely one." He seems in good spirits today.
Horatio blinks up to his brother, then looks up at the sky. "And not a bit humid," he notes a little wryly. But he relaxes from his usual book-hungry self for once, drinking in the charm of Maidstone, a wonderful contrast to that awful Imperial city. "What in particular are you looking for?"
Carroll murrs, "The largest set of things that we need to collect are some clothes for our, er, guest, that haven't trekked across half the globe." He looks about, adding, "He's also lost nearly a stone, and his clothes just hang off of him. Not as presentable as we could have it."
Horatio says a little wryly, giving a bit of a shrug, the shoulders of his vest rising slightly, "I suppose it wouldn't do to have him walk into the hall that way."
Carroll shakes his head and murrs, "No, it might not." He chuckles and murrs, "As to other things... I'd say the heaviest on my list is a rosebush." He smiles brightly at this and continues to the marketplace.
Dimitri blinks, "A rose bush? Are you getting something for a gardener, Carroll?"
Horatio's questions join in with Dimitri's. "A rosebush? Whatever for, Carroll?"
Carroll laughs cheerfully and smiles winningly at his brothers, murring, "Oh, you'll see." Horatio glances at his darkphase brother, a look of foreboding hovering on his face for a bit.
The market square nearest the docks is already crowded this early in the morning, with furs buying food and clothing and other goods. Several merchants, spying the well-dressed Carroll, call out to him, declaring the quality of their goods and the bargains they offer. Shrubbery, however, does not seem to be on the list of offered goods...
A young antelope lass, however, is selling flowers. "Fine orchids, milord, for your lady fair!" She has orchids and other flowers, bright colorful tropical blossoms. Carroll looks about the marketplace, nodding and smiling to all of the merchants who call out to him. He spies the antelope with some relief, and heads over, looking as he goes at what else is available and making note of other shops and booths he might want to stop in.
Dimitri gives Horatio a sidelong look, his brow wrinkling, his whiskers twitching. He whispers to his younger brother, "Last time I saw Carroll with a smile like that Father had the miller banging on the door at midnight looking for his daughter..."
Horatio blinks, glancing at Dimitri, then shakes his head. "I'd better not ask...!" He blinks at the sudden splash of color dancing past him, and a stray thought nudges his mind.
The antelope smiles as Carroll and his entourage turn in her direction, eager to make a sale. "Some of the finest orchids, milord, for your lady?"
Dimitri pauses, quiet, tarrying over the flowers, frowning a bit. He shrugs, shaking his head. If he mumbles to himself it's only two words. "...too soft..."
Carroll smiles and murrs, "Hello!" and stops, admiring the orchids. He doesn't consider long before he murrs to the girl, "Actually I'm looking for roses. Live plants, actually. Would you know where I can get one?" Horatio's nose twitches... then he blinks and his nose twitches again. The scent! He's smelled sweet plants before in his herbalism classes, of course, but nothing quite as nice as these...
She frowns. "Roses, milord? They don't grow well here, I'm afraid. If you're interested in live plants, we have some potted ones, some nice violets, or these..." She points to a spectacular potted flower, a bright red and yellow spray reminiscent of a pheasant's tail.
Carroll looks at the other plant for a long moment, murring, "That's a lovely plant, yes." He frowns a half-frown, and murrs, "I was really hoping for roses, though." He ponders a moment and notices his entranced brother, murring, "What of you, Horatio? Would your lady like some lovely flowers?"
Horatio tilts his head at the plant but doesn't recognize what it could possibly be; it's striking neverthele- he looks up in shock at Carroll. "My... my lady...?"
Grumbling, Dimitri lets out a short breath. He looks back over his shoulder towards the docks, and then looks forward. "I bet no holly either..." Horatio's words however, finally steal a smile from the dark fox. He looks to Horatio and nods. "You know... about so high, usually carrying a bow and arrow..."
Horatio looks stunned, eyes wide, as he looks sharply to Dimitri. He has a wild moment, the first time in a while, to run, but good sense stops him before the thought is half-made. "You... you mean... Jessie?" he says in a tiny voice.
Carroll admits, "Well, perhaps 'your lady' is a bit premature, yes." He nods at Dimitri's words and smiles cheerfully at Horatio, adding, "I'm sure she'd be pleased, if that's something you'd like to do."
The antelope twitches her large ears at Dimitri's mutter. "I'm afraid not, sir, but..." She fetches a small pot with a most curious plant. It has the glossy green leaves of holly, and though the leaves themselves are smooth, the stems are covered in what looks at first like down, but on closer inspection are fine thorns. It has bright yellow flowers and white berries. She smiles. "Will this do?"
Horatio realizes his mouth is partly open. He closes it with a snap, and finds himself stammering, "But.. how, I mean, how could I tell... I mean, how would I give it...?"
Looking away from his poleaxed brother, Carroll reconsiders the large, colorful plant, and looks back to the florist, murring, "That's a lovely flower, I have to say, but it might be a bit much. Have you anything a bit less... ostentatious? Perhaps in yellow?"
Dimitri looks down at the strangeness. "What... what is that?"
Carroll grins at Horatio while the florist is talking to Dimitri, and murrs, "Oh, that's the easy part. You just say, 'We were in the marketplace, and I saw this and thought you might enjoy them,' and offer them."
The antelope lady smiles at Dimitri. "It's called choya. It grows in the deserts of Hamasura usually. Quite pretty, don't you think?"
Horatio erps, "But... but we're still looking for Fath- nono, I mean we're still on this whole... you know...?"
Carroll asks, simply and gently, "So?" of his youngest brother, smiling pleasantly.
The antelope lass sets the plant down for Dimitri to consider, and goes bustling about to find something for Carroll. "Yellow... yellow..." She brings up a plant with a spray of small flowers, like large violets in shape, but mainly yellow in color with a purple and white center. "Perhaps these, milord?"
Dimitri nods quietly, "I guess... thank you, but it's just not... right. If anything would be right." The big fox just shrugs his shoulders, wrapping his cloak about him.
Horatio opens his mouth again, then closes it with a snap. Then he says quietly, so Dimitri and Carroll only can hear, "But... but how would it look? I don't want to make things hard for her..."
Carroll hmms, and looks at the plant from every angle, asking, "How long does it flower? Is it an annual or a perennial?" He smells it a little. Dimitri finds a nearby barrel or market-side crate and sits down, leaning on his sword, glancing up and down the line of stalls to see what wares are being sold. Carroll looks at Horatio and shrugs, "You're not her commander, you're merely on the same crew as she is. You didn't have anything to do with getting her the position -- her abilities did that all on their own. As long as it doesn't interfere with either of your work, who could say anything?"
Horatio blinks to Carroll, and opens his mouth again, and closes it again. He glances to his other brother. "Dimitri? What do you think...?"
Carroll looks back at the plant offered by the florist, still pondering. He does murmur, "I was really hoping for roses... this is rather pretty, though." He looks at her expectantly, still hoping for an answer.
Dimitri looks up to Horatio and nods, "The real question is, does it feel right... and do you want to? If you answer yes, then it's what you should do. Problem is, only you can answer it."
The antelope smiles, sensing a fellow enthusiast. "These are biennials, milord. They'll bloom again next year before going to seed. I'm afraid that only a few rich collectors keep roses this far south. A shame, they're lovely." Horatio nods quietly at both of his brothers' words, looking again at the pheasant-tail-like flower. He tilts his head to the side a little, and nods with conviction, digging into his vest pocket for his small coin pouch, waiting patiently as Carroll talks with the florist.
Carroll hmms, murring seriously, "That's an unusual type." He turns the plant, looking at it from several angles, and commenting, "If I'd plan farther ahead, I'd be more prepared." He looks at the antelope and tells her, "These are lovely, and I will take them." He smiles and adds, "Thank you for your help."
The merchant smiles. "An excellent choice, milord. They prefer shade and moderate watering."
Carroll nods and murrs, "I'll make sure the gardener knows." He discusses, hopefully briefly, price.
Carroll and the antelope quickly settle on 12 League dollars for the large pot of flowers, and the antelope turns her attention to Horatio. "And you, sir?"
Horatio blinks. "Oh! Ah..." He shyly indicates the flower with the riot of color. "Ah... well, er... may I ask how much is this one...?" Carroll turns away from his brother, smiling a huge smile.
She smiles. "A rare and glorious flower, sir, from the deep jungles of Costa Yermo. It is difficult to find, but once found is easy to care for, and will bloom annually for years to come. A steal at 50 League dollars."
Carroll looks back, and murrs, "How will it fare aboard the ship?" to his brother.
Horatio blinks, looking at it again. Good heavens! he thinks. Essense of sulfur is less! But... it is for Jessie... whom I haven't seen as much as I would have liked this entire journey... He blinks a little, surprised at that thought, then shakes himself a little. "Fif-fifty League?" he asks quietly. "Oh, my..."
Carroll suggests to Horatio, "Perhaps something simpler until we get home?" He gestures, "The orchids are lovely."
Dimitri smiles and reaches into his pocket. Standing, he crosses over to Horatio and places the coins in his brother's paw. "Money shouldn't be what you worry about in something like this, Horatio."
Horatio glances to Carroll, and lets out a breath. "It's just... well... I mean... I would like to, but... I mean, I haven't talked with her as much as I should have -- I'm new to this, it's... different for me -- and -- erp?!" He blinks at the coins, then looks up at Dimitri. "Dimitri... are you sure...?"
Quietly nodding, Dimitri shrugs his shoulders. he takes a step back and nods, "I wouldn't have done it if I wasn't, Horatio."
Carroll smiles and murrs, "It's not the money that's the worry, Dimitri. Not in the slightest." He looks at the flower again, adding, "It does seem appropriate for Horatio to bring something unusual, too." He chuckles, and murrs, "I was honestly concerned if it would survive the journeying we're apt to do."
Horatio blinks and murmurs, "I can pay you back when we get to the ship..." Then he turns to the florist and smiles again, shyly (she must have the patience of a saint through all this!), and offers her the carefully-counted contents of his coin-pouch as well as the coins that Dimitri handed him.
The merchant looks curious. "You are sailors, milord? The royal veil prefers cool weather, so that should be no problem. Just don't get salt water on it."
Horatio blinks. "Ah. Thank you. I think we can work something out with that..."
Carroll is in too good a mood to worry much about anything, especially if everyone else seems happy. He beams cheerfully at the florist, and at Dimitri. He nods and introduces himself as Captain St. Genevieve of the Saucy Mare, as well as Dimitri as Master of Marines, and Horatio as Navigator. He murrs, "We'll be careful about that."
The antelope's eyes get very big as Dimitri is introduced. "You're the one who saved the Queen!?" Carroll looks back and nods, confirming. He doesn't say anything.
Dimitri looks down to the girl and nods, "Me and my sister." Horatio blinks in surprise at the woman's reaction, glancing over to Dimitri.
She looks around, confused for a moment before realizing that Alex isn't with you. "Oh, my... and right here! Sir Dimitri, please...I don't have any holly, but there must be something here you would like."
Dimitri stands quietly, and slowly shakes his head. "It's not just any flower, you see. The holly is a..." The big fox manages a small sad smile, "...a special memory. It wouldn't be right otherwise. A nice lass like you, you'd understand that, yes?" he pauses, considering for a moment. He glances to Carroll, and then back to the girl. "You did mention special collectors... who might collect flowers, rare and fine, this far south. Such as roses. I'd be in your debt if you could perhaps direct us to one of those collectors?" Carroll looks over to Dimitri, and is about to say something when he asks his question. He stops, and doesn't manage to reply. He smiles, and is apparently somewhat touched, and isn't sure what to do about it.
The antelope nods, happy to be able to do something of service for the Queen's hero. "And you would even know them, Sir Dimitri. The Queen's seneschal, Lady DuPrei, is said to have a fine garden at her estate. And Teresa White Haven. And Tellerman, Jay Tellerman. He's the merchant factor here for House Tryve, from Liska." Horatio's ears perk. White Haven?
Dimitri smiles, ducking his muzzle, "Thank you, milady. I'm very glad you were able to help us"
The lady antelope curtsies. "Only too happy, milord Companion. Thank you from..." She waves a hand around the market, "...all of us."
Dimitri nods, taken aback a bit. He nods, "You are welcome, and I am glad I was able to help... our Queen."
Carroll lets his brother finish basking in adulation, and thanks the antelope for all her help, and murrs, "We've other shopping so must move along, though." while making a polite exit, with family and staff. Horatio glances a little towards MacKenzie, wondering what his reaction to all this plant buying is, but trying not to be obvious about his glance.
Setting his sword back over his shoulder, Dimitri loops both arms over it, slowly following Carroll. As they move well beyond the florist's stall he finally looks up. "The merchant Tellerman, Carroll, for your roses?"
Carroll turns to Dimitri and murrs, quietly, "Thank you, Dimitri. That was very thoughtful." He adds, "As to roses... if they're difficult to maintain here then it might be as much a burden as a treat to have them." He smiles cheerfully at the yellow-and-purple and murrs, "I think this will be lovely." Looking back at his brother he asks, "Is there anything you want to find?"
Dimitri shrugs quietly, "A glass blower... a silver smith... but if it's too much of a bother, that's fine."
Carroll shakes his head and murrs, "No bother at all. There are things I can use at a silversmith myself. Let's find one before we're done."
With flowers picked out, the group heads toward the artisan's section of town, in search of silversmiths or other fine workers in metal. They eventually find it, a medium-wide street with everything from open storefronts to exclusive shops.
Carroll ahs, "Both of those things ought to be here. Which first, Dimitri?" He looks around curiously for clocks or music boxes himself, urging his brother to do what he might want to do. Dimitri drifts through the stalls and shops, looking for a craftsman of glass... stained glass in particular. Horatio remains behind his brothers, carrying the plant gingerly and firmly, being extraordinarily careful with it, as if it were sublimate of earth-salt over a bowl of aquae vitae.
Most of the street, at least at this end, is given over to jewelers and silver dinnerware. A little scouting down one of the side streets yields a few businesses that deal with fine machinery. One, a shop with a clock on the sign over the door, seems to have one of the finer selections. The interior smells of metal and oil, and is crowded with clocks and mechanical toys of various kinds. Dimitri pauses and nods, "I think we found your shop, Carroll.
A bell jingles as they enter the shop, and after a moment a rather prim and fussy-looking squirrel appears. "May I help you?"
Carroll ooh's extremely cheerfully. He smiles and murrs, "I have to look around here."
Horatio blinks, glancing around. "What are you looking for, Carroll? And for whom?" he asks quietly.
Carroll does so, pondering clocks for several long minutes, watching them run and listening to several strike. He answers Horatio absently, "I don't know what I'm looking for, Horatio, it will find me when I get there." Horatio erms and nods quietly, glancing around and holding his tail as still as if he were in a lab, so as not to let it brush against anything. Carroll moves on into smaller things; toys and, happily, several different music boxes. He winds one and listens happily as its little gears whir along in perfect motion as it plucks a melody out on its little chime. Dimitri waits quietly at the entrance to the shop, watching Carroll shop.
The squirrel watches as they move around the store. "Are you looking for anything in particular, sir?"
Carroll finds a box, built into a wooden casing with miniature tiger-claw feet done in gold, and a gold latch and hinges. Opening it frees its flywheel; its spring, already wound, drive its cylinder of brass along, and it plays a tinkling melody. Inside the box, packed in velvet, are other cylinders, other melodies. He watches it run, entranced. He looks over at the clerk and murrs, "Um. Not in particular. A gift for someone who might have everything." He lets the box run all the way down, which takes several minutes, and realizes that everyone is waiting on him, while he's standing there entranced. He looks up and asks the proprietor, "This one... is it for sale?"
The squirrel sniffs, just a little disdainfully. "Sir, all of our music boxes are unique." He smiles as Carroll watches and listens to the box play. "Certainly it is. One of our most exclusive models. As you can see it comes with four cylinders, which play tunes composed specifically for music boxes."
Carroll nods and murrs, "They're beautiful, yes." He looks at the box again, pondering, and asks the terrible question, "What does one of these lovely machines cost?" He carefully puts in the crank and winds the little box back up. Replacing the crank, he closes its lid, stopping the quiet, delicate music. The squirrel looks a little put out by being asked that question and hands Carroll a small card. 1500 LD is written on it. Dimitri leans in the open doorway, scanning the streets for a glassmaker's shop.
Carroll looks at the card, and at the squirrel, and murrs, "Worth every bit of that, I agree." He sets the card down face down on the counter and adds, "However, I'll have to think about it." He looks wistfully about the shop and adds, "Thank you for your time," and makes his exit, murring, "Let's find you a glass shop, Dimitri."
Dimitri nods and sets out down the street. "There should be one here somewhere..." His eyes narrowed, determined, Dimitri seeks.
Carroll also looks, murring, "We'll find one, Dimitri."
The squirrel bows you out of the shop. "There are glassblowers two blocks up and to the right, Lord Companions. Good luck in your search."
Dimitri softly growls, "Thank you..." Horatio nods politely to the squirrel, also thanking him, as he follows his brothers out. Carroll's good cheer leads them easily and distractedly through the marketplace, heading two blocks up and to the right... Dimitri strolls after Carroll, ears up and attentive.
The glassmaker's street is obvious when you get near it, the sharp chemical scents of glass dyes and molten glass hanging in the air. Again, the more exclusive shops are not obvious from the street, but Carroll locates one quickly. The interior is filled with delicate sculptures of glass in a rainbow of colors.
Horatio's nose twitches, as it picks up scents as unmistakable as any he's experienced in the Academy... Dimitri smiles as he steps in, looking for the craftsman. "Hello?"
A young cheetah looks up as you enter. "May I help you, milord?"
Dimitri smiles as he walks in. "I think... I think I need something made? Can you do that?" Carroll lets his brother negotiate while he admires the many sparklies in the shop.
She smiles. "A commission? Probably, milord. Depending on what precisely you wish."
Dimitri nods, "Something small. Out of colored glass, maybe little enough to slip in my paw. A flourish of green holly leaves and some red berries? Can you do that?"
The cheetah thinks about this for a moment, then does a quick chalk sketch on a slate. "Something like this?" The leaves, initially more like beech leaves, frame a set of three berries nestled in the center. A short discussion about the exact shape of holly leaves ensues until both Dimitri and the cheetah agree on the result. "We can have that done in... six days?"
Dimitri nods quietly, frowning a bit. "I guess that will have to do. What do you need for a down payment? And what information do you need from me?"
The cheetah thinks about this. "We can probably bump it up in the schedule, but it would cost more... we'd have to push other work back, you realize... for six days, 250 LD, half in advance."
Dimitri takes out his purse and nods, "Very reasonable." He carefully counts out the coins until a tall stack of them are on the counter. "You can write down that it's for Sir Dimitri St. Genevieve."
The cheetah looks startled, but writes down the transaction. "Six days, Sir Dimitri."
Dimitri smiles quietly. "If I gave you 250 more, could it be quicker?" Carroll continues browsing the shop in the meanwhile, appreciating, pondering, and remembering what's here. Horatio remains near the doorway, but browses a little through the glassware. Even moreso here his tail is held very carefully straight downward and perfectly still.
The cheetah looks up from her slate. "For that much, milord, we can do it in three days. That's about as fast as we could, I'm afraid."
Dimitri looks back to Carroll, his head tilting. "Carroll, when are we leaving?"
Carroll murrs to the dark fox, "I don't know exactly. There'll be some arranging to do before we set sail. Maybe as long as a week. We'll know more later." He adds, "We can wait if need be."
Dimitri looks to the cheetah and smiles, "It should be done right. A week, and I'll be back. Thank you very much."
She smiles. "It will be ready, milord."
Dimitri leaves the down payment and gathers up his purse and swords. "We can leave now, Carroll."
Carroll mms? looks to his brother and smiles, murring, "Lovely! Did you need a silversmith too?" and steps out of the shop, looking around the street.
Dimitri nods quietly, "Yes, and that should be just as quick."
Carroll nods, "There's a thing or two I'd look for at one too, for Father." He murrs, "There were some this way, weren't there?" Horatio steps out with his brothers, glancing up and down the street. He's starting to get a little nervous, though he shouldn't be. It all seems so... palatial, here in Maidstone, so little going on... and yet not too long ago they were in the middle of an assassination plot against the Queen. Some part of that refuses to leave him alone, refuses to let him forget, for even a moment, the things behind the scenes of Maidstone's politics. I wonder how Father and Carroll would deal with this? he wonders.
There are quite a number of silversmiths along the main street here, with specialties ranging from tableware to jewelry. Dimitri chooses one that has displays of jewelry in the storefront, and the group enters to find a pudgy-looking raccoon just finishing up with another customer. "A moment, milords, be right with you." Dimitri nods quietly, in no rush this morning. He settles in and looks at the smith's work. Horatio glances to either side of the doorway at the wares displayed there. No gauge of workmanship, he nevertheless admires what he sees -- the Academy's metalwork tended towards the utilitarian, save but for some of the older masters' elaborate, decorative, evocative tools. Carroll is also in no hurry, once again amiably browsing, seeing what can be seen, and enjoying the thought of Alex in charge on the ship -- and wondering what their august Father thinks of it -- if he's really yet come to grips with the fact that his little girl is the first mate. The raccoon finishes up with the previous customer and turns to Dimitri. "And what can I do for you this morning?"
Dimitri softly growls, "I need a pin made, a small one, fairly simple. A sword, like this one..." he lays his greatsword on the counter, "With a pentacle balanced atop the pommel. The entire pin as long as my finger." Horatio glances over to Dimitri as he asks, and wonders whom the pin is for; it sounds like a stylization of the family device.
The raccoon hmms. "Miniature of a greatsword and a pentacle. Pentacle point up or point down?" Dimitri nods to the raccoon and describes it properly, to match the family sigil. The raccoon nods and jots down a very rough sketch. "About like that?" At Dimitri's nod he jots down a couple figures. "Let's see... I think we can do that by day after tomorrow, for 75 dollars. That work for you?"
Dimitri softly growls, "That works for me very well, good sir. I'll be back in two days to pick it up. You can write down that it's for Dimitri St. Genevieve."
The raccoon nods and writes that down as well. "Two days, then."
Dimitri softly growls, "Thank you." With a nod he looks to Carroll, "Where next?"
Carroll murrs, "Clothes. That polishes off my list." Stepping outside, he asks, "Has anyone else got anything they'd like to pick up?"
Horatio shakes his head, grinning softly. "I... have more than I thought I would, actually..."
Carroll murrs, "All right then, a tailor it is." He leads the way back through the market to where the clothiers were. Clothing is something he's good at buying, and he expects it not to take long.
Dimitri shrugs quietly. "And I am coming back empty handed. Let's get back to wherever, fine?"
Horatio blinks for a moment. "A tailor...?" Then, compelled by Carroll's energy, he follows close behind.
Ordering new clothing for Count St. Genevieve doesn't take that long, and the group makes it back to the Mare in time for a late lunch.
Alex can be heard before she's seen as they board the ship -- she's up on the quarterdeck, leaning on the railing and looking out to sea, singing quietly to herself. She likes being in port for that reason -- she can sing her happiness! On hearing them on the gangplank, however, her singing cuts off and she patters over to the dockside of the quarterdeck to lean over the railing and wave happily at them all, "Hello! Was your shopping successful?" When she can she catches Dimitri's eye... at which point she grins mischievously, then airily makes a small, odd gesture... like she was perhaps... handing something off? Then she just leans on the railing, enjoying the bright noon sunshine on her scarlet-sheened fur and watching (with obvious pleasure) her brothers walking peacefully together... although Horatio's carefully carried treasure gets a grin and a raised eyebrow from her!
Horatio blinks to Alex as she grins at him. "Erm... yes? What...?"
Carroll comes back aboard the ship smiling cheerfully, and murring, "Hello, Alex. Was everything calm?" Dimitri looks up to Alex and holds up empty paws. If her slight motion was seen it wasn't acknowledged, as he follows up the gangplank, the last one back on board.
Alex waves cheerfully down at her brothers from the quarterdeck, "Of course, Carroll! Come aboard, everyone!" She giggles at Horatio, "Quite a... selection you've got there, eh, Horatio?" She grins at Dimitri too, her eyes bright with mischievous delight.
Horatio manages a wan smile. "Uhm, thanks, Alex. I think it's... well, rather pretty..."
Alex grins at Horatio... but while the thought of teasing him further is tempting, she decides not to... in public, at least. She bounces lightly down the quarterdeck stairs, "So! What's next today, Carroll?" Dimitri quietly steps on board, looking to Alex. He pauses, a bit confused, before retiring to the quarterdeck. Alex holds out a paw to rest on Dimitri's arm... it won't stop him if he really wants to go up to the quarterdeck, but lets him know she'd like him to pause a moment if he will.
Carroll murrs, "I don't have any terribly concrete plans, myself."
Alex nods, "Okay. So are we actually visiting the queen or no?"
Dimitri stops a moment, looking to Alex. "Yes?"
Carroll ahs, and murrs, "We should. I'll send a note. I doubt it will be today."
Alex smiles at Dimitri, "Moment, please?" then looks back at Carroll and nods, "Okay. In that case I'm on watch... call me if you need me." She grins delightedly at Dimitri again, "Going up to the quarterdeck? I'll come with!"
Carroll heads in to the cabin to talk to his father, probably about clothes. Horatio takes in a deep breath at the gangway, then heads around the ship, looking for Jessie and hoping to find her unbusy. Dimitri just gives his sister a look. "If you were going to follow me to the quarterdeck, why did you stop me, bratling?"
Alex bounds cheerfully up the stairs after Dimitri, pacing after him 'til he settles, then leaning against him. She chuckles quietly, then murmurs, "Well, you don't tease worth beans!"
Dimitri softly growls, "Never have, Alex, I never have."
Alex laughs, still leaning companionably against him, her head close enough to his to murmur quietly for his ears alone, "I gave it to her this morning!" She beams excitedly at him, waiting for a reaction. Dimitri blinks, quiet, looking down to Alex, his dark eyes sharp with an unspoken and?
Jessie is working on fletching some arrows, seated facing the bay. Natasha is seated beside her, working on her armor, and Mikhail is there as well, getting advice from the wolf. Horatio adjusts his collar a little and approaches Jessie with a little trepidation. "Ah... Jessie...?"
The mink looks up. "Yessir?" Natasha and Mikhail look up curiously, as well.
Alex bounces cheerfully a bit on her toes, then bubbles very quietly, to Dimitri alone, "She smiled when she read it, Mitya!"
Dimitri blinks quietly, looking over his shoulder across the deck, his eyes seeking. But then he looks back to Alex, catching himself. "I take it that's a good sign?"
Alex beams cheerfully, "I think so! But... why don't you go see for yourself? Maybe um... maybe ask her if she'd like to get a drink with you at that little tavern we've been to before, that has decent ale?" Alex doesn't quite nudge huge Dimitri across the quarterdeck to the stairs... but size notwithstanding she probably would if she could!
Dimitri blinks and doesn't move, being a bigger fox. "Now?"
Alex practically glows at Dimitri, "Yeah! Why not? Ask her out to lunch!"
Dimitri blinks again, "Now?"
Alex sighs and folds her arms in mock exasperation, "What, you want me to ask for you?!" Shaking his head, Dimitri just walks towards the stairs, pausing so as not to interrupt Horatio. Alex beams, giving Dimitri a little bit of time to get ahead of her -- before she can't resist and drifts rather uncasually casually to a point on the quarterdeck where she can just sort of happen to see what's up on deck...
Horatio glances towards Natasha and Mikhail, but there's no turning back now. Besides, the 'sir' bit confused him. "I, ah, well... I mean, when we went into the city I ah... saw, er, something that, ah, reminded me of, er, well... er, you..." Failing any more words, he simply smiles quietly, proffering the flowering plant to Jessie.
Jessie's eyes widen. She squeals, "For ME?" and bounces up. She pauses in the middle of wrapping her arms around Horatio, realizing that the flower is in the way, so she takes it, sniffing at it for a moment, then sets it down and finishes the hug. Mikhail and Natasha exchange a glance and a smile in the background.
Jessie grins. "It's gorgeous! Where'd you find it?"
Horatio almost jumps out of his boots at Jesse's reaction; he didn't know what to expect! The hug all but crushes him, but gladly so. "Oh! Oh, ah, a florist, in Maidstone. She said it was from Costa Yermo, called 'royal veil.'"
Dimitri stops then and takes two steps back, banging into the oncoming Alex. The black fox looks down at her. "Wait. I thought you said she would write a note back!"
Alex waves an airy paw, "Why not capitalize on a happy moment, mm?" She waves both paws at him in a shoo-ing motion, whispering, "Go on, Mitya!" then peeks around Dimitri's not inconsiderable bulk, then grins, "Aww... she likes it!" She grins cheerfully up at Dimitri, "G'wan!"
Dimitri snaps back to Alex, "Patience."
Alex stops and tilts her head to look up at Dimitri puzzledly, "What? What's wrong?"
Dimitri smiles quietly, "Let Horatio have his moment, Alex. It's important to them both."
Alex smiles, leaning against Dimitri to watch, "Good point. And... it's kinda sweet." Dimitri loops an arm lazily around Alex and nods, quiet.
The mink hugs Horatio again. "It's beautiful. Thank you! Umm... I hate to ask this, but... could you keep it in your cabin for me? Until we get home? I think it would need more light than it'd get belowdecks."
Horatio returns the hug, almost giddy now. "Light! Oh, yes, certainly, I'd be glad to...!"
Jessie chirrips and starts to nuzzle Horatio's whiskers, then realizes that she's snuggling a superior officer and stops. "Umm..." She lets go, a little reluctantly and guiltily at the same time.
Horatio blinks in bright surprise at the nuzzling. His ear tips are a bright shade of red, but his expression isn't one of abject embarrassment. "Ah..." He seems not concerned about him being of superior rank (this is Horatio, after all) and in fact seems a little oblivious to anyone outside of Jessie.
Dimitri smiles quietly and chooses now to slowly walk towards the stairs... and then he stops. Stops still. He walks back and hands Alex his sword. "Here."
Alex takes the sword carefully. She looks up at her brother then and smiles, "Mitya... have a nice time."
Dimitri shrugs his shoulders, heading down the stairs. He stops at the gangway, turning to Alex. "Permission to leave for a spot of lunch, sir?"
Alex is holding the sword, which is as tall as she is, like a staff... she beams, "Certainly. Just... take someone with you, please." She's rather proud of herself -- what a nice excuse she gave her brother! She can't think of any better way to have done it. She hopes he likes it. Dimitri pauses and looks around, his gaze finally falling on Natasha. The black fox just nods his head, a simple unspoken question. Natasha nods back to Dimitri, a smile on her face. They don't really need words, after all... two simple working furrs. Dimitri simply holds out his paw as Natasha approaches. Natasha gives Mikhail a look and a head-nudge, and the badger scurries off to let Jessie and Horatio alone. The wolf glances over at the now-oblivious fox and mink, smiling to herself, then takes Dimitri's hand and walks with him, leaving the two youngsters alone. Dimitri takes the wolf's paw in his, and with a surprised smile strolls off the gangplank, heading out into the dock. At the base of the gangplank he squeezes again, just to make sure her paw in his was real and true. Natasha squeezes back, her paw callused and strong, just as much as Dimitri's. She has no idea where they are going, but she's quite happy to go anywhere with the dark fox.
Alex watches her darkphase brother and Natasha depart, her tail all fluffy with excitement. She manages, however, through dint of heroic effort, to simply sigh happily. She glances at Horatio and Jessie on the deck and grins cheerfully at them also... then trots down the quarterdeck stairs, carefully holding Dimitri's enormous (to her) sword. She debates asking Horatio to relieve her for a moment... nah, she simply couldn't do that to him! Instead she darts swiftly into her cabin, carefully depositing the sword on the lower bunk there, then darts just as swiftly into Carroll's cabin, carefully closing the door behind her. Then she yelps gleefully, "YIPPEEEEEE!" and flings herself in a hug on her father! and then on Carroll!
Carroll oofs! and murrs, "Hello, Alex, it's nice to see you too," and looks quizzically at her.
Alex giggles, "Gotta run, sorry! Needed to let it out -- talk to you both later!" and darts gleefully out the door again! -then ahems, and paces gravely back up the quarterdeck stairs to her duty post... her tail still delightedly and unconsciously fluffy!
Carroll shakes his head and murrs to his father, "I don't know either."
Alex just happens, of course, to need to look out over the ocean... and not over the deck. Well... maybe a peek or two over the deck... discreetly, of course...