Isabeau and the Stowaway (Dragonsong)

Whim · April 12, 2016, 03:09:00 PM

"Come on! You gave to understand how important that book-" Ewan turned red at Isabeau.

"Sorry captain. Little whelp will get a swat if this keeps up," Tully growled apologetically. The cook grabbed Ewan's arm and tugged the him away from Isabeau amidst a stammer of 'buts.' The boy sullenly marched about the galley, collecting cups and plates for scrubbing... and murmuring unkind things under his breathe.

The celebration had begun to wind down and the crew began crawling off to the bunks. Crag could barely keep from slumping over. Some of the less inebriated stopped to shake the old pirate's hand. Floren steadily set down his tankard and rose with a sway. "Farewell's almost got me guilty over leaving, Captain," he gave a warm half-smile, marred by a healing scar. "But I reckon its time. Ain't much point in riskin' your hide if you can't spend the coin, yeah?"

DragonSong · April 12, 2016, 03:36:26 PM

"Of course." Isabeau smiled and toasted him. She'd only had a few sips of her drink, so her mug was still nearly full.

Her eyes flicked to Tully and Ewan. "Say, Floren. You wouldn't happen to have seen one of the lads wandering around with a book that seemed...well, out of place?"

Whim · April 16, 2016, 02:05:03 PM

"Book?" Floren snorted. "Didn't think anyone besides you and me could read. Hah! Reckon I'll have more time for it now. Think one of yours got nicked?" the man's brow furrowed

Tully dumped water over the coals of his brazier and looked to Ewan. "I'm turning in, boy. Ye best get the rest of this cleaned up by morn" The hawkish man strutted from the galley wthout another word.

The table could use cleaning and the floor could use mopping, but Ewan didn't much care. The boy padded over to join Isabeau and Floren. "Didja find it?"

DragonSong · April 16, 2016, 06:50:06 PM

"Not one of mine, the-"

Isabeau was cut off by Ewan and she rolled her eyes. "The lad's," she told Floren with a nod in the boy's direction.

Whim · April 18, 2016, 08:06:43 PM

Near-bouncing on the balls of his feet, the boy crossed his arms "Couldn't you have asked your crew when they were actually here?"They were her crew after all. She could make them, couldn't she?

"Nice thing about books is you can always get another copy. Wager it'll turn up. Ain't like they know where to sell it." A slight grin crossed the pirates face, "Suppose I'll be collecting my share come morning, eh? Hate for it to be nicked."

Floren gave Isabeau and the cabin boy a nod good night, and turned to leave the galley. It was quite late.

Ewan chewed his lip newvously. He was cross with Isabeau but needed her help if he was to ever get it back, "Wh-what if they sell it when we dock? I-I'll never be able to another!"

DragonSong · April 19, 2016, 05:02:55 AM

She arched an eyebrow at him, ever calm in the ace of his agitation. "The loot we sell goes through me. Sure, I'll let some things slide, but if I'm keeping an eye out for your book you'll get it back. Relax."

Whim · April 20, 2016, 07:14:25 PM

"Thanks," Ewan gave a smile, shrugging off the mess. Tomorrow they'd make port, sell off the loot, and he's get his book back. "I guess we'd ought to turn in?"

Ewan was eager for sleep, and a bath, he was getting ripe from working in the humid air. The ship wasn't rife with angry drunks tonight, but he'd hoped Isabeau would kindly ignore the lack of danger... It was peferible to a room of snoring pirates.

DragonSong · April 21, 2016, 11:13:39 AM

Isabeau glanced at the boy and gave him an almost sympathetic smile. "You know what, why don't you take the rest of the night off?" She ruffled his hair. "If Tully comes after you I'll distract 'im."

Whim · April 21, 2016, 11:18:35 PM

He bristled a bit at having his hair tousled.

"You just keep on giving, don't you?" he cracked a tiny smile, tip-toeing to the stores to grab an orange and a generous helping of salt pork. The boy wolfed it down as they climbed to the deck. The stars were out now, and the deck was deserted save Tiny in the crow's nest. The many lights of Faran's rest blazed in the distance.

"So you're gonna get crewmen and sell loot. Then what? Go and... look for ships?" he chewed his lip distastefully. It was easy to forget they raided ships for gold here, especially with how nice she'd been to him...

DragonSong · April 22, 2016, 09:28:00 AM

"Pretty much." She glanced down at him an arched an eyebrow. "Problem, lad?" There was the tiniest hint of a threat to her voice.

Whim · April 22, 2016, 11:47:54 PM

"...and then you sink them?" Ewan squeaked out. He really didn't want to know, though he'd done his share of theft and trickery in pursuit of magic. "And I haven't got a problm! I just, um, wanted to know what we'd be up to."

Better to change the subject.

"Faran's Rest will be dangerous I suppose," the boy approached the rail to peer out over the ocean, silver and frothy in the moonlight. "Do I get a weapon? I know I'm better off lookin' inconspicuous. But I'd hate to wind up enslaved by someone worse than you," a tiny smile crossed his face.

DragonSong · April 23, 2016, 08:21:51 AM

"That depends." She tilted her head at him. "Can you actually use a weapon?"

Whim · April 23, 2016, 01:30:24 PM

"Nope," he grinned, "but what's that matter? Its a pointy bit of metal to stick people with. Anyone can do that."

DragonSong · April 23, 2016, 06:03:09 PM

She just stared at him for a long moment.

"Well D that's what you think, you're more likely to be a hindrance than a help in a real fight," she snorted. "Sure, kid, I'll give you a weapon, but only if you prove to me you're not gonna be an idiot with it."

Whim · April 24, 2016, 12:36:03 AM

Ewan folded his arms and rolled his eyes, "Do you think I'm going to run around playing with it? We're in a dangerous place and I'd ought to have a- a sword or something!"

The boy's shoulder sagged. She seemed oddly serious. "Fine. What do I gotta- need to do?"

DragonSong · April 24, 2016, 08:28:17 AM

"I'm gonna teach you," she said with a shrug. "I can live with giving you a dagger. C'mon." Isabeau tugged a lock of his hair and moved toward her cabin.

Whim · April 25, 2016, 07:42:01 PM

When they reached Isabeau's cabin, Ewan dog-shook his hair into place with a scowl, "Always messing up my hair."

The boy looked around the cabin and all its plundered finery: Essrynni carpets, Kishahni idols, and ancient Serenian silverware (probably a family heirloom once upon a time). He fixed his eyes on a smallsword with a golden dragon-shaped hilt, set with a ruby. Ewan snatched it from a shelf and gave it a clumsy swing.

"Well this is about as valuable as my book, can I have it?" His arm began to tire from the weight.

DragonSong · April 26, 2016, 05:09:21 AM

Isabeau sighed. "No." She took the blade from him with a dry look. "Maybe if you prove to me you're worry the thing, alright?"

She pulled a small dagger from under her pillow, hunted around for a sheath that would fit, and handed them over. "You can have this."

Whim · April 26, 2016, 07:57:37 PM

"You know I'm not going to prance around and toss it in the ocean..." Ewan rolled his eyes with a smirk. The boy wriggled into the dash and knife-sheath Isabeau produced. Between the sash being too big and being dressed only in a loin cloth he looked ridiculous.

"So's anyone actually tried to off you in your sleep?" He held up the blade in an awkward fencing stance. "Haven't done this since I was... a kid."

DragonSong · April 26, 2016, 08:38:14 PM

Isabeau answered the question honestly. "Yes. Four times."

She rolled her eyes and moved to correct his stance. "It's a dagger, lad, not a kitchen knife. You've got to be clever to use one of these, yeah? A strategic fighter, not one of these big louts swinging around anything with a pointy end."