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Post by Ladorak on Jun 5, 2012 11:19:24 GMT -5
"Let's let me worry about Admiral Hotham." Ladorak cautioned Selvis before the weasel departed. "You worry about your job. I'll be keeping us safe, regardless of what happens. It's my job to look out for my ship, after all." Ladorak pointed out. "Hotham is... doing the best he can under the circumstances; he's just... constantly ill, and not command material. He's a much better second-in-command than he is a fleet commander. Let's... keep that quiet for now though. The ship doesn't need to be focusing on him, after all." the monocled stoat said kindly, waving his paw downward to indicate it should be dropped.
"Aye, that we should. I make it a point to every so often, after all." Ladorak agreed, nodding back. "Go and enjoy yourselves then!" And what he wouldn't give to NOT be working right now. Part of him couldn't wait to get back to Welkin, to start enjoying life again with Caden and possibly Selvis, if circumstances permitted. He still yearned for glory in combat, but so far, they hadn't fought quite the fleet engagement he'd been picturing in his head. It was a double edged sword so far. He loved being at sea, but even he had his limits if this bit would keep him held back. Two years to go before he made Admiral after all... who knew if the war would still be ongoing by then or not.
Ocean meanwhile was watching the others cavort about in the pool. "Yeah... best." he said, nodding slowly as Carrow tried to reassure him. He gulped again, and started to undress slowly. Time to face this thing and get used to it... even though he just... had a tremendous fear of being submerged. In a pool it wasn't so bad but... he'd be uneasy all the same. What if the lines snapped? What if the sail sank under them? Best not to think about those things... just try and enjoy it, and if it became too much, he could always get back on the ship.
"Yeah!" Caden exclaimed as Carrow remarked on how pleasant it was. "It certainly is that! We can see Minorca too, which is a plus. It's kind of like we'd just gone for a dip from a beach or something... though we're several miles too far for that." he chuckled, turning onto his back and floating so he could watch the azure skies above him. "You're right... really is relaxing." he commented, watching the white clouds far above him.
With some trepidation, Ocean finally managed to enter the... ocean. The water wasn't too bad, and was pretty warm here. It lapped around him as he settled into standing in the pool, as it was impossible for him to be fully submerged here. "Not so bad." He said, his voice wavering a little. "I just like being on the solid deck of a ship as opposed to well... surrounded by water. I told you I was NOT properly named." he said, laughing nervously.
"Well I'm just glad we're swimming here, and not off say... the Imperium." Caden continued. "THAT I think would make me uneasy." he was still floating on his back, looking up at the sky. He was avoiding gazing at the sun at all costs, as they'd had to swim on the west side of the ship in order to get warmth, as swimming in the shade simply would not do.
"Oh." the albino suddenly thought of something as he drifted, closing his eyes. "Didn't you get a letter from your parents, Selvis?" Caden asked. "What do you think they said?"
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Post by Carrow on Jun 7, 2012 11:06:47 GMT -5
Selvis sighed a little as he left Ladorak, shaking his head slightly. He was still disappointed in Admiral Hotham for costing them the opportunity to strike a decisive blow in the Mediterranean. That... wasn't something that went away too easily. Now, the weasel enjoyed taking part in battles as much as the next creature, but even though they had made progress in their trial by fire back in March, there was a lot more they still had to do that they hadn't had the chance to. It helped to know that Ladorak shared his feelings, at least to some extent.
He soon put that out of his mind, though; it was entirely out of his paws, and it wasn't within Ladorak's power to do anything about it either, so he figured there was no point worrying about it. Besides, he had some swimming to do! Soon, the weasel felt himself filled with energy as he swam about. He knew there wasn't all that much space for them to use, relatively speaking at least (the longtail was still growing, after all, on course to hit five-and-a-half foot tall before his 15th birthday), but he made the most of what he had.
Carrow, meanwhile, was making steady progress in his strokes. He hadn't been able to do this for a while, so it was taking him even longer than usual to get going properly, but as he swam around, he glanced at Ocean every no and then, keeping track of the ermine's progress. He had to give the mustelid credit: he was facing his fears in a manner more direct than that in which the rodent had ever faced any of his. There was nothing to it but to do it, he supposed, and he shot some reassuring smiles in the ermine's direction as he made his way down the ladder. He was hesitant, but that was to be expected.
As for him, he was listening to Caden, and he noted how very relaxed the marten looked. Carrow certainly needed to relax, so maybe he could take a leaf or two out of the marten's book. "That's a nice way of putting it, yes. Can't say I ever really went swimming when I went to the beach," he said with a chuckle. "Being a mouse and all, it was never long before the water was up to my waist, especially back then. In a way, this reminds me of that, which is nice! There's a nice view of Minorca from here, too; I'm only just spotting that now, actually, so thanks for pointing that out!," the rodent said with a grin.
Ocean finally managed to meet the water, and Selvis was similarly supportive of the ermine's efforts. "Yes, it's not so bad one you get used to it. The water temperature's nice here, at least - I bet you weren't able to say that about your days at the beach back home, Carrow, were you?," he quipped, chuckling himself. "As for you, Ocean, I'm sure you'll be able to settle soon. If you're able, perhaps you could follow Caden's lead and float for a bit," he suggested. "Even if you might not think so, it can be rather relaxing!"
Carrow had in fact just turned over on his back, and was now gently floating upon the water, breathing slowly in and out as he tried to time his breaths with the bobbing movements. It was rather calming, and he yawned slightly as he gazed up at the clear blue sky, letting his eyes fall to half-mast as he let his thoughts drift slightly, though he was still keeping an ear out for conversation around him. Selvis was still swimming, finding that he wanted to keep active for a little while longer. His companions looked quite relaxed, though, he had to admit.
His albino marten friend then asked him about the letter he'd received from his parents, and he nodded in response. "I did indeed. Somehow I imagine that they've been keeping a close eye on recent developments. but I skimmed through it earlier and everything seemed to be going along just fine on their end, so that's quite reassuring for me. I imagine Dad's well settled back into his old way of life now - he's been on land for a year and a half, almost. I'm sure he misses the sea, but he's said before he's glad to be back home, and I see no reason why that would have changed." He thought for a moment. "Actually... they did seem excited about something, but I didn't have time to find out what it was! I'll fill you in later, though, of course."
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Post by Ladorak on Jun 8, 2012 11:01:40 GMT -5
Caden was rather disappointed to hear that Selvis had simply not had the time to find out what his parents had been so excited about in the letter. That was definitely something they would need to find out upon regaining the ship. But all in due time... no sense rushing things, after all.
He turned over onto his belly, Ocean noting how the marten did so. "I... I don't think I can float." he said, shaking his head timidly. "I'd panic and start thrashing about it... and then of course sink." he explained. "A lot of sailors can't swim though... so I guess I'm not alone. Then again... many of them are landsbeasts originally too." He chuckled. "I'd drown with many of them if we ever sank... but I try not to think about it. It IS at least safer here than in the army. I'd have a greater chance of dying of some disease as a soldier than I would of my ship sinking. Ships just don't sink all that often. It's very rare." he pointed out gratefully.
It was true. Ships were very well built, and could last for decades as constructed. A ship usually sank thanks to heavy damage inflicted upon it, either in a storm or a wreck on some coastline. There were of course a distinct lack of lifeboats, with only the two cutters and the longboat aboard, as warships just didn't have the room to carry additional boats without loading themselves down. It wasn't so much a concern to Ocean though. He felt extremely safe on the ship, and only really got nervous in small, open boats; or being in the water, like he was now. He'd always been afraid of baths as a kit, and Spender's parents had a hard time of it just getting him into a simple wash basin.
It was almost comical though, now that he thought about it, and it caused him to smile. "I guess something reassuring to think about Ocean is that Ladorak's been sailing since he was our age or younger... and he's NEVER been in a shipwreck... unless of course you count the one that brought his mother to Sampetra before he was even born." Caden brought up. "Since he's basically been sailing since he was our age, and he's 36 now, shipwrecks are a rarity for anyone."
Ocean thought about this too, and smiled again, nodding. "Yeah... you're right." he said. "It is a pretty rare occurrence." He settled into the water a little, but didn't kick off from the sail, choosing to still stand where he was and just enjoy the warm water around his lower body. He worked on slowly walking forward, and as he could easily stand in the center of the pool, there was no way he could become fully submerged.
"So, Selvis... if your dad is onshore now, and has been for a year and a half, does that mean he's retired now? Do they have enough money accrued to eliminate work, or will he have to put to sea again at some point? Also, does he run his own business, or just his own ship, or is he an officer on someone else's ship? I don't believe I ever fully asked about your family." Caden said now. "And if I did, given everything we've been through the past two years, I'd have forgotten, and I apologize." he was stroking forward and reached the other end of the small pool before he turned around to face the weasel. "Does he have holdings overseas, in the colonies?" he continued his line of inquiry. "Sorry for all these questions... I'm just very curious now, you see. Don't believe I ever knew what he was shipping from where, or if it was just a general all over the place merchant business. Your hometown IS the treasure fleet's destination after all from the New World." he commented, smiling as he decided to let Selvis have the "floor" now and explain a bit more about his family's background.
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Post by Carrow on Jun 9, 2012 7:55:21 GMT -5
"Thanks for that, Ocean," Carrow said softly, finding himself in a slightly contemplative mood now. "I know being in the Navy can be rather perilous at times, but it helps to know that out of all the ways something could happen to us - I've realised that this career can be hazardous, you see, even if, for obvious reasons, I don't dwell on it - having our ship, be it the Agamemnon or some other vessel, sink isn't a likely scenario to occur. I'm terrified of something like that happening. Didn't realise it was so rare, though. That's... reassuring."
Caden spoke up then, and the field mouse's ears twitched curiously as it was revealed to him that Ladorak had been sailing for 22 years or so. "He's been at it for THAT long?!," he asked, surprised. "I wouldn't have believed it if you, of all creatures, hadn't told me, Caden," he said with a grin. "I knew he'd been sailing for a while, but..." He trailed off, whistling. "That's rather impressive." The rodent was still floating, content to just lie back and drift for a while.
His pine marten friend then asked about Selvis's family. This was also something that the mouse was curious about, so his sensitive ears listened in as he waited for his weasel companion to start talking. He couldn't help but wonder what was in the letter his friend had received. It sounded like it was important, for them at least, if not for him. He'd have to ask him to read it soon, as his anticipation was mounting. After he'd heard the news, he could get going on responding to Archie.
"Firstly, let me just say that you haven't asked me all that much about my family, Caden," Selvis responded with a small smile, starting to do some laps. "If anything, I've only told you small things here and there, ones that would be quite difficult, if not impossible, to recall, given that we've been through so many other things in two years, as you said. It's quite all right, mate," he said gently. "In any case, allow me to refresh your memory. Ocean, Carrow - this may be of interest to the two of you as well," he informed his mouse and ermine companions, working on his front crawl as he spoke; any other swimming technique would have probably distracted him, but he was now able to talk freely.
"My dad, whose name's Trelio, has indeed been ashore for about a year and a half. He came home from service just in time for Christmas 1793, but he's hardly retired. While the pay he received from working in the Ferlusanian Merchant Marine hasn't been depleted yet, he's been earning extra by helping to run a local shop. That business used to be run by another family of weasels, but their son, who had been in line to inherit the running of the business, went off to war when it broke out, so Dad's told me. I know not whether he's made it back, but if he's fit to return to working there, he'll take over from his father, and Trelio will remain joint owner.
"He's still working, then, but I'm not sure if he'll feel the need to return to sea in the foreseeable future; he'd been away for so long that he'd started to miss us terribly, and he's grown so visibly fond of Mum since he was reunited with her that I don't think he'll be going anywhere for a while. He's done his service in the Merchant Marine, and unfortunately isn't getting any younger, so has had to turn his mind to other pursuits," he explained to those around him.
"You mentioned the possibility of him having been involved in a 'general all-over-the-place merchant business', and that's pretty much it. He hasn't mentioned having any holdings overseas... at least, none that I know of. I could ask him about that for you, if you like - along with any other questions you feel might be best answered by him. I'm not the one who's done six years in the Merchant Marine, after all," he said with a chuckle. "I'm only going on what I've read in his letters, see." The pine marten's apologetic tones merely made the longtail smile. "No need to be sorry about that, Caden," he said gently. "I'm enjoying doing this - I reckoned somebeast was going to ask about this eventually, as I haven't been the most forthcoming on the topic myself," he quipped, standing up at the other end of the pool and winking at the albino mustelid. "As said, anything that needs passing on, just let me know!"
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Post by Ladorak on Jun 9, 2012 14:34:28 GMT -5
Caden nodded at Carrow now as he paddled around. "Twenty-five years, believe it or not! He's certainly a sea-going stoat!" he said, spitting some water out that had entered his mouth. "He has a long career behind him already!"
"Sure sounds like your father has had an active life in the Merchant Marine, then, Selvis. So he's helping to run a shop then in Crittenden. I'm sure that rakes in considerably less than the Merchant Marine, as I know that profession pays extremely high dividends, but maybe a change of pace is what he needs, especially if he wants to get back to his family. I'd like to see how it goes for him then in the next several months. At least with peace, you don't have to worry about Rosferian raiders on the high seas anymore." He pointed out.
They proceeded to swim for a bit longer, but as some of the crew were liking the idea of a swim, Caden knew that they'd have to relinquish the pool eventually, and relinquish it they did, clambering back aboard the ship and drying off after awhile as well as changing back into their clothes. It was now six bells in the Afternoon Watch, or 3 PM as they were situated back on the weather deck.
"Whoo! Nothing like a refreshing dip in the Mediterranean to cool off and enjoy your down time!" the albino exclaimed, donning his dark glasses again, as his eyes had started hurting from the sun. Ladorak approached them now, and Ocean and Caden threw their salutes as he walked up.
"How was it?" the stoat asked them.
"Great!" Caden responded, nodding energetically.
"I only wish I could take such liberties myself... but there will be plenty of time for that when this war ends and I'm back on shore leave." the captain chuckled in reply.
Caden nodded, and turned to Selvis. "Well since we brought it up, I'm very interested in learning about the good news your father has. So let's see it!" he pressed the weasel eagerly, grinning in good nature. Ladorak smiled and shook his head, still chuckling. He nodded at them, and began walking about the deck, making his rounds as he usually did on his down time. He figured he might go back out to his balcony and pull a chair from his cabin out there as well. It was a nice enough day for doing that, after all. He'd be able to kick back and watch the fleet drift behind him as they lay to off Minorca. He had a slow day planned until after supper, when he'd return to work and attack his paperwork most vigorously.
Caden motioned Carrow over in case he wanted to listen in, and Ocean was in the process of pulling on his shirt, though he stayed a respectful distance back, just in case Selvis only wanted to share the letter with his usual retinue.
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Post by Carrow on Jun 10, 2012 12:00:28 GMT -5
"He's been doing that since he was 11 YEARS OLD?!" Carrow's incredulous voice rose two octaves as he practically squeaked in surprise at hearing this from Caden. "That's even longer than I'd thought! I shall have to ask him a little more about that when I get the chance. Maybe later today if I can catch him when he's doing his rounds, in fact." He chuckled. Ladorak did those rather regularly, and he figured that if he timed things right, he'd be able to indulge his curiosity a little and ask about the stoat's exploits.
"Yes, those six years were nothing if not active, from what he tells me. He got up to a lot of different things back then, but he's needed to slow down for a while, and slow down he has. Even if he's not doing as well in financial terms as he used to, the upside of that is, yes, he gets to spend more time with his family. Besides, as said, he doesn't dip into his savings too often, which is a rather sensible move, if you ask me," he told the albino marten, and it was his turn to chuckle.
They continued swimming for a little while longer, Selvis keeping up his laps, and the very relaxed-looking Carrow simply floating, grateful for the opportunity to unwind for a bit. Soon, though, they needed to relinquish the makeshift pool, as there were now plenty of others who wanted to have a go. They had certainly made the most of their opportunity, however. They climbed out onto the deck, proceeding to dry themselves off and get dressed.
"Indeed, there isn't!," Carrow backed up his pine marten friend with a grin. "We should do this more often, now I think about it!" Ladorak came up to them then, and the mouse threw a smart salute, with Selvis doing likewise. They were asked how their swim had gone, and Selvis let Carrow respond, as he had a feeling he'd be doing all the talking in a few moments. "It was great, sir! Thanks for allowing us to do it! I'm thankful that it went as well as expected," he said, giving the stoat Captain a smile.
Selvis smiled as Caden pressed him about the letter. "Heh, I shall do so in a moment. I'm not going to keep you in suspense much longer, as you seem to be on tenterhooks about it, mate," he responded, playfully prodding the pine marten. Carrow jogged over when Caden signalled to him, but Selvis wasn't just going to let them in on what the letter contained. Ocean deserved to be a part of it as well. He held up a paw, calling over to the ermine.
"Ocean, why are you standing back there?," Selvis said with a wink as he removed the letter from his trouser pocket. "I'd like to share this with all my friends, as it would seem that rather important things have happened back home, from what I understand. I'd like for all of you to be a part of it, whatever it may be. Come on over, please," he said invitingly, smiling at the ermine as he beckoned him over. Once Ocean reached him, the longtail opened the letter and began to read:
Crittenden, May 1st 1795
Dearest Selvis,
My paw's trembling slightly as I write these words, so I hope they are legible to you. I can't help it; I'm just so excited! We have some important news for you this week, and I am barely able to contain my excitement. Before we get into that, however, I would just like to reassure you that things have been going quite well for us. We have of course been mindful of the fact that Ferlusan has been knocked out of the war and is now negotiating peace terms with Rosferia, and this means that we have been thinking of you even more than usual.
If you're worried about what might happen next, then don't feel like you're alone, because we can understand what you're going through. Our advice would be that you not jump to conclusions or automatically assume the worst. I know that must be harder than we make it sound, but remember that you'll always have your friends to support you no matter what happens. We know they mean a lot to you, because you've told us quite often, but they will be there for you even if we cannot be.
Enough about that, though - how are you and your companions getting on? It's been a few months since we've been able to write to you, for reasons that will soon become clear, but we are quite excited to hear about your adventures. Last time we spoke, you were in Florence. Did it take you long to settle back into being aboard the ship? What was your favourite thing about being on shore?
Now, I'm not going to keep you in suspense any longer, as I have several pieces of news to inform you about. The first is that I have temporarily been appointed manager of the shop in which I work! The owner has decided to step down, and his son thankfully made it back from his service in the Ferlusanian Army, but doesn't feel ready to return to his other duties just yet, so they have been passed on to me, along with a salary increase!
The other pieces of news go together, so I'll tell you this first: we have begin contemplating moving from Crittenden. Whether it be to some other area of the country, or somewhere else entirely, we are nowhere near deciding yet, but we think that we are in need of a fresh start. I think it was going to happen anyway, but we think it would do us good, especially because we have a new arrival on the way! Yes, Selvis: Briga is with child, and at the time of writing, is five weeks pregnant.
It'll be a while before we know the sex of our new kit, and longer still before we know when exactly they're due, but since she's five weeks gone, if everything goes to plan, she'll be giving birth around Christmas time! Now, I have to go, but I am going to leave you with that news. If it takes a while to sink in, once again, you are not alone! Give our regards to all your friends. Hopefully we will hear from you again soon, wherever you are!
Love, Trelio Frenata.
Selvis was speechless, and the expression on his face was one of pure shock. He looked around at his friends, trying to say something to convey his absolute joy at hearing this news, but the words wouldn't come, so he settled for gradually breaking out into a smile instead. He did of course know that he wouldn't be able to be there for his parents when the kit finally came into the world, but that didn't seem to matter to him right now, as this was absolutely wonderful news. He continued smiling, knowing that words would come in time, once he had fully processed things.
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Post by Ladorak on Jun 10, 2012 13:28:24 GMT -5
Ocean smiled, and walked over. "Well all right. I suppose with Spender gone, I may as well attach myself to all of you. It's something I've been pondering ever since my brother's been deposited on Personza. I'm sure we'll see him again soon when we return there but... my one reason for joining this ship in particular is now gone... I think it's time to find new reasons for being here and not say, entering the service of the Catholic Ferlusanian Navy... not that that's an option now anyway, with them negotiating." He chuckled, working to straighten his sleeves out as he walked over.
They all looked over Selvis's shoulder to read the letter simultaneously with Selvis. "So they're thinking about moving?" Caden commented. "Moving is very expensive... especially for your average mustelid. But... since he's probably accumulated a hefty profit from his travels and shipping, he might be able to pull it off, depending on the location." Places like Stratospheros were probably out, but others were still within reach. Briefly, Caden wondered if Trelio was considering moving to one of Ferlusan's overseas possessions, like in the Western Mandates in the Caribbean or South America. Now THAT would be interesting! A long haul for the family to be sure, but colonial life was generally cheaper for the well off, and many of society's rich chose to settle in colonies as a more "exotic" alternative to Ferlusan.
But that wasn't the biggest news here. The biggest news was in fact the mention that Selvis was going to become a brother! Caden's pink eyes widened to saucer like proportions and Ocean couldn't help himself but smile as he read the announcement. To him, a child was always a blessing, provided it survived infancy, but he knew full well that infant mortality rate was high. That was usually why most families had a lot of children, just to be on the safe side. "You're gonna be a brother?" Caden gasped, raising a paw to his mouth, acting as if he'd just been shocked by a static discharge.
Ocean's smile remained. "Congratulations, Selvis!" He patted the weasel on the shoulder. "While I doubt we'll be around to witness your sibling's birth at Christmas... you never know." he said. "War could be over by then... though at the sluggish pace it's currently proceeding we'll have to see. I'm glad to hear that God has decided to bless your family with another kit. I shall pray for its vitality and safe delivery." He gave the weasel's shoulder a squeeze, patting it again.
Caden, for his part, could hardly believe this. "Wow! Yeah! I second what Ocean said! Congratulations! I've always wondered what it would be like to have a sibling myself but..." he paused here, thinking about that. "The way things ultimately end up going in Ladorak's love life... it hasn't worked out so far. Wow... around Christmas, eh? We'll have to see how that goes, and like Ocean, I too hope it finds vitality and life upon birth! Wow!" he said a third time, hardly believing it. That also meant they probably wouldn't be moving until after the kit's birth, as moving a pregnant female around was not generally a good idea.
The albino too patted Selvis on the back, just excited by the prospect of the weasel's family growing as well. It was news like this that he loved to hear, and what made his job even more worth it. They were fighting for their families back home after all, and to hear that such things were going so well on the home front caused him to brighten even more. Who could ask for more? "Well... now that that surprise is out of the way, what else are you going to be doing in the hour we have before our supper?" he asked the long tailed weasel, figuring maybe they could still do something before they ate. He DID want to show Selvis a few of his learned tricks after all, but he'd wait to hear what the weasel had in mind first.
Ocean looked to his left, to the starboard side of the ship (as they were facing aft) and noted that Ladorak was standing near the main shrouds, finishing up discussing a few things with the boatswain. "Hey Carrow. You wanted to talk to the captain, right, sir? Well he's right over there, other side of the mainmast. Looks like he's finishing up with Jal King, so if you're interested, I'd go up and catch him now before he heads back to his cabin." the ermine suggested.
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Post by Carrow on Jun 11, 2012 18:38:42 GMT -5
Carrow was similarly taken aback by his weasel friend's news, but didn't say anything for the moment, simply choosing to smile back at Selvis as that wide grin remained on the mustelid's face. The other bits of information that Trelio had had for his son had registered with the rodent as well, but those other two pieces of news had been utterly dwarfed by the news that his friend was going to become a brother. He held his silence for the moment, allowing Ocean and Caden to get in first.
The longtail's head was spinning, and is was only after he started to come back to himself that he heard his companions' congratulations. He let them talk, still finding talking difficult as he was momentarily overwhelmed by emotions. Most of them were positive, too. He tried to get them all under control as he heard Caden speak first. The pine marten was visibly stunned, and his fellow mustelid could only nod dumbly in response. This was one of those moments where he was literally at a loss for words.
Selvis was well aware of the high mortality rate amongst infants - and was now being reminded of Briga's miscarriage - but he still hoped everything would work out fine. He nodded again as Ocean promised to pray for its vitality and safe delivery, finally plucking up enough courage to speak, now he was sure that his tongue wouldn't run away with what he was trying to say. "Thanks a lot, Ocean. Actually being present for the birth doesn't matter as much to me as it would if I were on land, because I know there's only a slim chance we'll even be near Crittenden at Christmas time; I'm just glad it could actually happen this time!"
The ermine's patting and squeezing of his shoulder was affectionate, and made Selvis smile so widely he thought his face might crack. This was why he liked having his friends around him, as it made news like this all the sweeter. Caden was next to speak, and the longtail shook his head in response to the albino's words, scarcely able to believe it all. "Wow indeed, mate. It's the biggest thing to happen to me in quite some time, and it'll be a while before I can fully grasp it. As for your prospects of having a sibling, well, remember I told you that Mum miscarried the year before she had me? She and Dad gave things a second chance, and I was the result. Never say never, is my advice," he said reassuringly.
Carrow looked like he was about to speak, but Selvis held up a paw. "Excuse me a moment, Carrow. I'm just going to get back to what you were saying earlier about the prospects of my family moving to pastures new, Caden," he told his marten friend. "While it is clear enough to me that they won't be doing anything about that until early next year, what with the birth of the kit and all, it does seem like they've been making solid plans. Who knows how far they've come in those since they raised the issue? It's well possible they don't want to overload me with news in a single letter, after all. I do wonder about the money Dad's set aside, though... maybe it's been intended to go towards this all along. Since you're probably curious about their potential destination - and I certainly am, too! - I shall enquire about things in my letter when I write it later on."
He turned to his mouse friend then, and the rodent responded in a voice that indicated he was still dealing with the longtail's news himself. "Congratulations, mate! You can send on all our regards and well-wishes to your Mum. I've never really had a brother - not a biological one, at least, but a few brothers-in-arms - so I know this must be a big thing for you," he commented, and it was his turn to smile at his companions. "I know you'll keep us informed of developments as they come in, but would you be able to do me a favour and ask about possible names for the kit. I'm not fully sure why, but I'm rather intrigued about what your parents might decide to call it - of course, they'll run everything past you first, I'm sure! We're all rather eager to hear what your parents tell us next," he said, chuckling.
Selvis was still smiling at this point. "Sure, Carrow, I'll do that; it would seem you're all wondering about different things, and I'll definitely endeavour to squeeze them all into my letter later!" Caden then asked him what he had planned... or had on the cards, as it were. The weasel knew his pine marten companion had been practicing as his protegé over the last while, and wanted to see what he'd learned. "Oh, I would say I'm good for now. I'm planning to have a word with Jal King over there - or indeed, Joaquin - before we have supper," he said, eyes sparkling, "but I'm going to let you take the lead if you want to show me anything in particular," he said, winking at Caden to show that they were both on the same page.
Carrow looked over in the direction of the main shrouds as Ocean mentioned Ladorak's current whereabouts, and smiled. "Thanks for the heads-up on that, Ocean. I might have missed him otherwise! I'm going to have to make it quick, but I'm sure I'll be able to ask him a question or two before he gets back to work. I'll get over there right away," he said. "I shall see most of you at supper, and if I'm able to get back to you sooner, that'll be good too. Until later, then," he said a smile and a salute, both of which were returned by Selvis before the mouse moved off. He was soon by Ladorak's side, and saluted the stoat Captain as the pine marten boatswain moved away.
"Hello again, sir. I wanted to ask you about a thing or two. See, Caden was telling me earlier that you'd been in your current career for 25 years. That's quite impressive, and while I wouldn't have a clue where to start with questions, I'm curious to know a little about what things were like for you, say... in the years before you took command of the Agamemnon. Let's narrow it down to that," he suggested, smiling, tail swishing contentedly behind him.
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Post by Ladorak on Jun 12, 2012 11:04:51 GMT -5
"Well don't pass this opportunity up while we're here, Selvis." Caden pointed out, nodding in the boatswain's direction. "I'd have to get down to the orlop deck and more specifically, the ship's cockpit in order to retrieve any of my things. So how about I go do that while you talk to Jal King? I can head down to the orlop deck, get my kit, and then meet you on the upper gun deck. Sound good?" the albino suggested.
"I might watch." Ocean offered. "Either way, I'll be on the upper gun deck myself, most likely reading." he told them, nodding as he moved for the main hatch.
Caden looked at Selvis, giving him a single pat on the back again. "Well go do that. I'll be setting up down below." He said, and moved to follow Ocean's lead, leaving Selvis on his own for the moment on the weather deck.
Ladorak meanwhile turned to address the mouse who was approaching him now, returning his salute. "Ah, yes, my career, is it?" he asked, smiling. "That does bear some scrutiny, I think. I've had a long and storied one, since you're asking. Well..." he folded his arms and leaned back against the gunwale.
"Let's see... I was of course born on the island of Sampetra, when my mother's ship was wrecked there in a storm. As she died giving birth to me, I had no idea who my real father was for the longest time. Even to this day I don't know what stayed Emperor Ublaz's paw... most likely he wanted a personal servant, and he certainly got it with me." he chuckled, shaking his head. "I first went to sea at the age of 12, aboard one of the corsairs' ships at Sampetra. That was where I first learned about my seasickness, but as Ublaz wanted me learning the ways of the sea, I had to put up with it and well..." he paused here, looking out the larboard side of the ship to Minorca, which was of a rather different makeup than Sampetra.
"Ublaz would often induce me into a deep trance, and I'd not even notice my seasickness. He was grooming me to be one of his captains, of that, I'm quite sure." he said, nodding as he looked back down at the mouse. "I crossed the Atlantic twice while in Ublaz's service, and after carrying out numerous raids and expeditions, all against my will of course, I was placed aboard another one of his vessels, the Carcass I believe it was called. We were tasked with finding a way through the fabled Northwest Passage to reach the Pacific, as Ublaz wanted to expand his raidings and wanted to be the only marten with knowledge of the route linking the two oceans. I can tell you we sailed within ten degrees latitude wise of the North Pole, but we never DID find a way through the ice." he smiled here, remembering the days of the bone numbing cold and the hopeless sense of it all.
"After that aborted attempt, I was placed aboard a smaller pirate vessel, and sent on a trip to the Eastern Mandates, on a new expedition. I would've been... 15 by this point." he said, narrowing his eyes as he thought about it. "We rounded the Cape of Good Hope, but never did make it to the Mandates. We became embroiled in a war between rival corsairs off India, and spent a good chunk of 1774 battling them in the Indian Ocean. We operated near Madras and raided such places like Bombay when we had the chance... though I try to keep THAT under wraps." he chuckled again. "If the Welkinite government ever found out about that well..." He shook his head, smiling again. "As said, I didn't have much choice, as I was either operating under a trance, or forced to by the corsairs." he told the mouse.
"We stayed there two years... and by 1776 I had contracted malaria. I got so ill I was viewed as more of a liability than a help to the pirates, but rather than kill me, as I WAS Ublaz's personal servant after all, they sent me back to Sampetra on one of their captured ships. The six month voyage was long and rotten for me, as we had to pass Australia and traverse most of the Pacific before rounding Cape Horn and heading north in the Atlantic back to the island, and I had just turned 18 by the time we arrived. By that point I was old enough for what Ublaz had in mind, and after conducting a few more convoy raids, he made me a ship's captain in 1777 at the age of 18. I was certainly the envy of his retinue, I will say that." he chortled, shaking his head again as he recalled it.
"My first command was in the wealthy Western Mandates. I... well rather don't like this part of my life, as you can probably tell, but Ublaz had put me under such deep hypnosis that I had no choice in the matter. We reached the Caribbean in July of that year, and started conducted our raids, but they didn't last long, as the war between Mossflower and Welkin had broken out after all. We decided to make targets of both sides, and when Rosferia entered the war, her ships were considered as targets as well. We made off like bandits, we did! I accumulated almost 400 pounds in prize money!" he said, eyes going wide at the thought. "Nothing could stop us... or so I thought."
He paused here, noting Carrow's reactions to it all. "I hate to say it, but I wasn't always a patriotic Welkinite. Upon my return to Sampetra in late '78, I found it under attack by a group of woodlanders... led by the famed mouse warrior Martin II. I was now 20 years of age at this point, and I wanted desperately to go with them, but Ublaz's hypnotism had left a post-hypnotic suggestion in my mind that I could never leave the island of my own free will. I explained this to Martin, who proceeded to knock me unconscious and take me with him after destroying Ublaz's power base and leaving his empire in ruins. I was taken to Redwall to recover, the war still going on at this point, and gradually, my confidence was restored by the creatures of the abbey." he said, offering a smile to the mouse now. "Ublaz's commands gradually faded from my mind, and I was able to leave on my own to find my own path in life, as Martin wanted me to."
He scratched under his chin now, letting his claws run through the white fur as he knew what came next. "I attached myself to a particular merchant ship, the Fasisko. I was tasked with guarding the cargo on board... it was very mysterious and kept rather hush-hush back then, for reasons I'm till trying to determine." he didn't go into details on this point, as all he knew was that it had something to do with a rumored magical island... and had been an interest of his ever since then. "We were attacked by a strange vessel however, belonging to no nation. They were after our mysterious cargo, but much to my surprise, it was found to not be aboard when they took our ship. Deciding to sink the Fasisko and kill what remained of us, they did just this, and withdrew. That's the only time I've ever had a ship sink under my paws." he commented, looking down at his boots now as he tapped Agamemnon's deck with one.
"Well I survived, and washed ashore on the island in the Mediterannean known as the Vulpine Imperium. They're sort of a bunch of... civilized pirates, I guess you could say. They nominally work for Kostritz, but more often than not do their own thing. With nowhere else to go, I decided to stay, and worked in their navy, first aboard the Blackship, and then aboard the Skeered of Nothing. This is where my fortunes finally started turning around. Although I wasn't completely happy with the work of capturing woodlander ships from Mossflower, it did at least provide a more gentle treatment of prisoners than Ublaz's fleet had done. I settled in, built myself a castle after accumulating some wealth, and became a very respected member of the Imperium, rising as high as ship's captain in 1780 of the Skeered of Nothing, and becoming head of the Emperor's army, small though it was." He pointed out.
"This time was rather good for me, as I was at least starting to become happy with my life. Well in 1780 I was sent to attack Ferlusanian colonies in the Western Mandates, since I knew that region so well, and Ferlusan did have rather rich colonies over there. We went ashore at Nicaragua, and during the siege of Fort San Juan, I again fell seriously ill with malaria and had to return to the Imperium. The world had changed during my absence however..." he said, pausing here as his eyes fell to the deck. "I lost my standing with the government as a coup d'etat had taken place, and the Emperor had been assassinated. The Minister of War and the... hm... not sure how to describe him, but he was Minister of Misanthropy at the time... a delightful ministry I'm sure..." Ladorak rolled his green eyes here.
"Anyway, they were fighting a civil war over control of the throne. The Minister of War, Caden's mother, lost the battle, and was killed. Since I backed her faction in the fighting, I now found myself a traitor and an outlaw, and I had no choice but to flee and leave everything I had built behind. That's what happens when you pick the wrong side in a civil war." he said, frowning. "I was only 22 years old then. I had since recovered from my recurring bout with malaria, and decided to go to the one place where I knew I could make it: Welkin. Welkin had a navy that unlike Rosferia's and Ferlusan's, allowed middle class mustelids like myself to become officers. Rosferian and Ferlusan had a strict 'nobility only' rule, so I knew those two were out. I later learned my family were actually from Welkin, as I met my father upon my arrival there, managing to track him down quite by accident, when I noticed this..." he pointed to the white spot of fur on his head. "Upon his brow. We put two and two together and realized we were father and son, and he thought I had long since perished at sea. Much to my surpise, I also learned I was a descendant of Badrang, from Mossflower, a former seagoer himself. After he was killed, his son had fled to Welkin, starting a new line of naval going stoats of which I can say proudly are my ancestors." he grinned here, not having known of such things at first.
"Well Welkin knew by now who I was, and they were happy to have one as experienced as myself in command of one of their ships, and I received appointment to the HMS Albemarle, a 28 gun frigate, in August of 1780. Although I realized it would mean fighting Mossflower, I accepted the assignment, as Martin had told me to follow my instincts and own way in life."
The stoat captain stopped here, still leaning against the gunwale as he looked right at Carrow now. "Before I go into my adventures during the Mossflower-Welkinite War, how have you found it all so far?" he asked. "I've had a rather active career up to 1780 so far, wouldn't you say?" he asked, chuckling again as he smiled. "Any questions or comments you wish to make? Following it all OK up to this point?" he inquired. "Most of my life has been spent at sea, as you can tell from this."
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Post by Carrow on Jun 14, 2012 7:54:16 GMT -5
"Ah yes, well of course," Selvis responded with a small smile. "There's no point simply waiting around when I could be going to see another creature I'm hoping to spend time with before we head to supper. That's a good idea, and it suits me quite well," the longtail. "Besides, I don't necessarily know what in particular you've been working on, so I could be with you a while!," he told his companion with a wink, chuckling. He was already looking forward to seeing what Caden had in store for him.
His smile widened when Ocean told him that he might watch Caden's performance. It would be good to have the ermine there with him, as having somebeast else in the audience when doing things like that would probably help the pine marten's confidence. The longtail knew from experience that doing any of his magic tricks in front of two creatures was infinitely easier on him than just doing it in front of one. He was confident enough, as he'd been doing that sort of thing for a while, but Caden had only been doing it for a number of months, and Selvis hoped having more creatures there to support him would help.
"Sure, I shall do so. I'll see you soon then, sir," the weasel told his albino friend, saluting before giving Ocean a smile and a nod, and moving off toward another pine marten. This time, though, he was quite unsure of what he was going to say to Jal King. It had come as quite a surprise for him to learn that his fellow mustelid hailed from Portugal, and while that had not been the most shocking thing to be made known to him today, it was still big news for him, as he had thought himself alone in having done what he did two years ago.
Now, though, this was not the case, and while the two of them did have some things in common, he knew that Portugal had aligned itself with Ferlusan against Rosferia, from what he knew of what had gone on at home, its role had been marginal, certainly in comparison to that of his fellow countrybeasts. Unlike him, Jal King could go home in the event of Ferlusan siding with Rosferia, because Welkin was now his home. Selvis couldn't; he would need another home; he would need another family.
He approached the pine marten boatswain, smiling as he saluted. "Good afternoon, sir. I have recently been made aware of some quite surprising information regarding you, and wanted to talk to you about it, because... well, I don't know if you've heard that much about the situation I currently find myself in, as I try not to talk about it unless absolutely necessary, but I find that we have a few things in common. For one thing, we were born in the same region of the world; I was born in Ferlusan, and you were born in Portugal, so I've learned. Why, in that case, did you decide to serve with Welkin? I did it for my friends, most of all, but your choice strikes me as quite intriguing, sir," he admitted to the boatswain, wondering what would be said in response to this.
--
The mouse let Ladorak launch right into his story, and he soon found himself giving the stoat Captain every ounce of his attention. He didn't feel like responding too often, as the rust-coated creature was such a good storyteller that he found himself only able to nod every once in a while as Ladorak's breathtaking tale unfolded. Carrow hadn't asked for anything in particular, merely being curious about Ladorak's past life, and in response he was getting more than he could have imagined.
When Ladorak had said he'd had a long and storied career so far, the mouse had had no reason to doubt him, but not even in his wildest of imaginings could he have guessed how engrossing the stoat's story would be. He'd heard a little of it before, but the mustelid was soon in full flow, telling him first about the time he had served under Ublaz, shuddering slightly as he was told about what he'd had done to him. Carrow knew, of course, that hypnotism could be used for fair means as well as foul, but he still shook his head as he heard how Ladorak had been treated by that pine marten.
He then moved on to talk about his time in the Eastern Mandates. The mouse was surprised to hear that the stoat had only been 15 at this point, and it showed. His countenance became sympathetic as he heard how Ladorak had been forced to return to Sampetra as condition had worsened. He couldn't help but smile a little as he was told that the stoat captained his first vessel at the age of 18, and that he'd had success in accumulating prize money, but this pleasant surprise was tempered slightly as Ladorak informed him that he had been compelled to do things he would rather not have.
The mouse brightened up visibly when the fabled Redwall Abbey was mentioned. He had indeed heard of Martin II, and hearing how his fellow mouse had assisted the stoat at a difficult time in his life made Carrow smile. He had been listening in complete silence up until this point, but finally spoke. "I'm quite glad the Redwallers helped you to recover, sir. It sounds like they did you quite a big favour back then!," he exclaimed, his eyes shining.
The stoat returned to his narrative, and from the way his eyes widened, it was obvious that Carrow's interested had been piqued by the mention of the mysterious cargo on the Fasisko. Next, he heard how Ladorak had needed to assist in capturing woodlander ships on the Skeered of Nothing, and once again broke his silence. "Well, we all sometimes have to do this we would rather avoid in order to get by," he murmured. Ladorak wasn't a bloodthirsty creature anyway, the mouse was certain of that.
Carrow had eased himself into a sitting position as Ladorak had expanded on what his life had been like, as he found that he wasn't really able to stand still for very long without beginning to feel uncomfortable. By the time he was sitting down, Ladorak had moved on to mention the fate of Caden's mother. The field mouse had heard a little about that from Caden himself before, but was now getting more information from his Captain on that, as well as quite a number of other things.
He was visibly stunned to find out that Ladorak was descended from the creature who had become known as Badrang the Tyrant. He'd heard of those happenings at Marshank, after all. Quite an impressive line to come from, even if he thought Badrang's path in life to be a rather unsavoury one. That stoat had met his end at the paws of the legendary mouse Martin the Warrior, a creature the likes of which he looked up to very much. He had some of his own personal heroes, but he looked up to his friends quite a lot too.
Ladorak told him about how he had come to Welkin, and was just about to launch into his activity in the Mossflower-Welkinite War, but he broke up his narrative, asking Carrow if he had any questions. It took a moment for everything to sink in for the mouse; he had heard of Ublaz and his powers before, and it was almost like the stoat had picked up a little of that himself, as he had almost seemed to weave a sort of spell with his words. From one moment to the next, the enraptured rodent felt transported to each location that the mustelid described in such riveting detail.
As the stoat had gone on, Carrow had become less and less willing to respond, so caught up had he become in Ladorak's tale. When the mustelid finished, the mouse softly applauded him, brown eyes widening as he was briefly lifted from a sort of trance-like state. That had all been a lot to take in, but Carrow was a good listener, and he had enjoyed every second of it. When he thought about it, he was slightly envious of Ladorak's way with words; if he knew how to articulate himself even half as well as the stoat, he would have been doing a good job.
He found that he had to clear his throat first before he was able to speak again, doing so after allowing Ladorak's words to sink in for a moment. "First of all, sir, I'd like to say that you certainly know how to paint a picture with words. I must admit that for the last few moments I haven't felt like I've been here with you; instead I've felt like I've been to those places, and seen those sights. I haven't felt so completely entranced by another creature's stories in a long time, if you'll pardon the pun," he told the mustelid with a chuckle.
"I've been following it as best I can, though I think I've been listening more intently than anything else. Before you go on though, sir, I'd like to ask you a little about your father... your biological father, I mean," he added with a smile. "What was he like?," the mouse asked curiously. "You see, even now I only now as much about my parents as Archie was able to tell me, and... I don't know, I just feel very intrigued by that particular stoat," he admitted, the smile remaining on his face as he waited for Ladorak to respond.
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