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Post by bookity101 on May 4, 2009 21:53:38 GMT -5
Luxe opened the front windows of his shop, flooding it with bright light. He hummed tunelessly to himself as he strode around the shop, checking some of his projects as he walked past them.. He started whistling as he past the forge, stoking it as he passed. After he finished his morning routine he poked his snout into the small store room where Caden slept.
“Good morning Caden!” He said opening the door wide, “Its time to get up!” He tugged on the sheets that covered the kit as he walked out. He moved to his workbench. “Caden, lets go, I have a place at the tavern that I like to get, but I only get it if I’m there early, so lets get a move on!”
Luxe was an early riser, so it made no difference to him if it was 6 am or earlier when he got up, but he doubted that Caden usually got up that early. Oh well, it doesn't hurt anybeast to wake up early every now and again. Luxe grabbed a puzzle ring from a shelf, solving and putting the puzzle back together as he waited to see Caden come out.
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Post by Ladorak on May 5, 2009 0:01:54 GMT -5
The albino marten kit had not slept too well last night. He was troubled by all of these changes taking place in his life, and all the adaptations he had to make. So when bright light flooded in from an open door he groaned and scrunched his face up. "No...." he muttered, burying his snout into the pillow and trying to hide the light from his eyes.
What was that blacksmith saying? Something about a tavern? Suddenly the sheets were yanked off of him. NO! He wanted to sleep more! He couldn't be expected to get up this early! His abundant energy had not yet started to course through his veins, and he tried to reach a paw out to grope for the covers to no avail.
As his sense started to awaken, his snout wrinkled a bit at a somewhat familiar smell. Oh no....he had NOT done this! He could feel it though....down near his tail. It was....squishy and well....wet. Recoiling immediately, he could tell that his drawers were damp as well. Yellow stains marked the spot of greatest concentration. Sure....it was only a small makeshift bed but still...Caden felt guilty regardless.
Fortunately, Luxe was in the main forge. Caden quickly got out of bed and began to change into his day time clothing that he'd packed, and stealthily headed to the washbasin in order to at least clean his fur off. Having done that, he headed out to meet Luxe, properly dressed but with his head hanging a bit.
"Um...Jal Calone....I um....I'm ready but....just thought you should know....I wet the bed." He said, a bit forlornly. He was mostly embarrassed that he had done that at his age. He used to do it a lot, but it happened less and less the older he got. He was almost 12 now, his birthday was in a few days, and well......he had relapsed. He could've lied, but then the bed would stay how it was and he'd have to sleep in it again, so out of necessity he had broken the news to his host, hoping the blacksmith wouldn't get upset about this.
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Post by bookity101 on May 6, 2009 20:55:41 GMT -5
Luxe looked up as Caden came, his head hanging down. Luxe smiled gently, choosing not to react to much one way or the other, he walked past Caden patting him gently on the shoulder with one paw, and dropping the puzzle ring into the kits paws as he passed him "See if you can solve this by the time i get finished." The puzzle was a simple interlocking bent nails with sveral extra bends and twists to make it seem more confusing, but in reality the ring had a very simple way of getting off... but most beast couldn't see it. It was a simple twist and pull, but many would try to pull them apart. He smiled as he walked into the room, ducking to avoid the low shelf's. He gathered the soiled bed sheets and carried them outside to the wash bin.
He walked back in, carrying a new straw tick and sheets. "You know Caden, it's probably a good thing that this happened," He said, grunting as he maneuvered the mat into place. "I've needed to replace that thing for longer than I care to admit." He smiled as he moved back past Caden. He dusted his paws off and walked past Caden to the door.
"Alright Caden, Lets get going, I think we might still get that table." He said as he lead the way out the door to the tavern.
****** A couple minutes later, Luxe opened the door and scanned the room, this early in the morning there was hardly anyone in the place, apparently he had woken up even earlier than he had thought at first. He moved to his table, nodding at Sal, the bar tender, and smiled slightly at Mary, the server. She sauntered over to their table, smiling brightly at him. "Good Morning Luxe, Up early today are we?" Luxe shrugged, "I guess I am." Mary turned her gaze to Caden. "And who is this fine little fellow with you today Luxe." Luxe paused before he answered, looking at Caden for a moment, then turned to her, "I think he can introduce himself... Well?" He cocked an eyebrow to Caden, seeing how he would reply.
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Post by Ladorak on May 7, 2009 10:56:37 GMT -5
Caden soon became absorbed in the puzzle as Luxe changed the sheets and then started heading off to the tavern. The albino followed closely, still enraptured by the puzzle nails. There had to be a way to undo them...and for a time he nearly forgot about wetting the bed.
The clinking of the metal nails sounded as crisp and clear to the marten kit as small bells, but try as he might, he was unable to work them apart. He paused from his work to look up briefly at the interior of the tavern as they entered it, but other than that his pink eyes stayed down on those twisted bits of iron playing about in his paws.
He took his seat at Luxe's table, remaining mute as the server wandered over. He was broken out of his reverie though when he heard the two addressing him. "Huh?" he looked up, pink orbs moving from Mary to Luxe. "Oh....I'm Caden....Freemont. I um....." he thought of how best to word this for this female. She probably was wondering not just his name but who he actually was. "I'm....I'm staying with Commander Ladorak Fugate....you know the big stone house outside of town?" he asked her. "He sort of....took me in....I've been on my own for awhile." he explained, hoping she didn't think him some tramp off the streets. "He takes care of me but he's off on his honeymoon for the weekend, and I'm staying with Jal Calone here." he said, trying to sound polite but at the same time feeling uneasy.
This...still wasn't his home. He didn't feel as if it was....but then again he didn't say if he would that way with time either. He might feel good about this place given a year or two....but right now no....it just felt all so strange to him.
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Post by bookity101 on May 8, 2009 19:35:47 GMT -5
Mary smiled brightly at Caden, “Well its good to meet you Caden Freemont.” She turned to Luxe “Will it be the usual then?” Luxe nodded. “You might want to come back for Caden’s order in a minute.” Mary nodded, pointing behind the bar it had all the usual things for breakfast,* “Alright then Caden, the menu’s behind the bar there.” She moved off towards another patron who had entered while they talked. Luxe turned to look at Caden, waiting for a few moments before he reached over and gently took the nails from his paws, flashed them about in his paws for a minute, then twisted them gently and pulled, while pretending to just pull. They came apart with a gentle ring of steel.
Luxe sat, holding the two pieces in his paws, looking at them. “You know Caden, the only reason I could get these apart, is because I know how these things are built, I made them.” He looked up from the pieces and smiled "pity life isn't like that." He put them back to together, then dropped in front of Caden again. "You can't find the trick, then understand it all."
He settled back in his seat crossing his arms across his chest, looking like he was settling back for a long wait. "Care to share whats been on your mind lately Caden?"
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Post by Ladorak on May 9, 2009 13:47:15 GMT -5
Caden sighed as the two nails were dropped in front of him. Yeah.....Luxe was right about that. Life....wasn't like that at all...it wasn't like these two nails that just had a simple trick to them. It was more complicated....more painful than all of that.
The albino stared at the nails on the table for a moment or so, but didn't pick them back up. Luxe had asked him how he was. Before answering though, he looked at Mary who had wandered over to see if he was ready.
Caden had taken a look, his pink eyes roaming up and down the list of things to eat for breakfast. They all looked good....but he had something in mind that he really wanted to try. "I'll have the poached eggs....Ladorak really likes them, so I'll give them a try. And toast too!" he added. "White with lots of butter. And some bacon...." he nodded, remembering something that Ladorak had been impressing upon him these last few weeks. "Please." he finished, trying out the courteous side of himself.
He looked over at Luxe now, and tried to physically compare him with Ladorak, as they were both stoats. Ladorak had that white mark behind his ear for his summer coat....that was something Caden had noticed before Ladorak left. Both of these stoats were fit....Ladorak from his personal training, and Luxe from his job as a blacksmith.
Caden decided on trying something before he answered Luxe's question. He had been told by the vet here that his bone had healed, so he slipped the splint off and, slowly, untying the knots and laying the plank of wood down on the counter. Flexing his arm out, he took it bit by bit, so as not to strain anything. It felt...normal, though he was going to be cautious nonetheless.
"Well....isn't it easy to figure out?" the kit asked, though not in a mean way. "I'm across the ocean from my home....I don't have any parents anymore....and the ratess who'd raised me's dead now too. I just...." he paused, trying not to let any tears show. He clamped his jaw shut for a minute to get a hold of himself.
"Ladorak.....I was angry....hated him even for dragging me away from home. I didn't want to leave....I didn't want to lose mom.....and I can't even remember my dad. Ladorak.....I resented him for a few weeks....but I mean as I spend time with him in his house.....it doesn't feel right yet at the same time I can see he's trying hard to cheer me up and make me feel as if I have a home with him and Jayd."
He shrugged now. "I'm not sure what to feel anymore. I don't know whether to accept his help or not. I mean....on the one paw he seems really just....amazing with swords, and I'd really want to serve on a warship with him someday....but at the same time it's not....my home.....and I'm afraid I'll just end up forgetting what little I do remember about my life and my life back home. I didn't ask to come here after all....but with that said I can't really do anything about it either."
Caden wanted an orange juice, and pulled on Mary's sleeve as she went by again to ask for some. "See.....how do I know if accepting Ladorak's help and his concern is right or not?" was the albino's question now. "This isn't my home....this isn't even supposed to be my life....and now it is. I'm just having a hard time settling in....that's all I guess." He said, looking down at the counter and then up at the blacksmith as his drink arrived.
He picked the chilled glass up with two paws and began to sip from it, the pulpy, citrus drink going down good. He loved orange juice....but then again, he hadn't really been allowed to drink it with Helandria...only when Ladorak had mimosas was he able to drink his favorite breakfast drink again. He related this to Luxe. "Was never allowed to drink this stuff with Helandria....all she gave me was water...said I had to learn to live Spartan....but with Ladorak he gets the same drink for his breakfasts, except he puts champagne in his." Caden explained. "He lets me drink orange juice too....like it's not a big deal."
Of course Ladorak had a very good reason for drinking orange juice in the mornings, and that was to start getting Caden used to it as it was one of the best sources of preventing scurvy in the Navy. It wouldn't last forever at sea, but when it did Ladorak encouraged his crews to drink it as much as possible. And if Caden was going to ship out with him, he wanted to prepare the kit for drinking lots of the citrus juice whilst at sea. Of course with that said....Ladorak's motives weren't entirely ulterior though. He did genuinely care about Caden, and didn't mind treating him to his favorite drink for breakfast. The fact it helped prevent scurvy was really just a bonus for the stoat Commander.
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Post by bookity101 on May 9, 2009 22:05:24 GMT -5
Luxe sat and listened to Caden, rubbing a paw across his chin as the lad talked. Wow, he had had a load put on him, no wonder he was stressed. Both parents and then the surrogate mom dying as well, that had to be tough on a kit.
Luxe leaned forward, starting to say something, but had to stop as Mary arrived with their breakfast. He sat up strait, pausing long enough to bob his head in thanks to Mary, putting some potatoes and eggs into his mouth so he could regain his train of thought.
After finishing his first couple of bits, Luxe drained his cup of coffee then leaned forward, holding the leather band that he had shown Ladorak at the reception on the table in front of Caden. "And now we come to one of the reasons that I wanted you to stay with me this weekend Caden." The seven small golden plates glinted in the sunlight revealing the writing on them. "This is what I call a remembrance band." He said pointing at it with his free paw, "On one side, the plates have the name of someone I loved, respected, or don't want to forget," He twisted it around, "On the back is what I like/loved most about this beast."
He placed a claw on the middle piece, the name read 'Marigold'. "This is my mother," He said looking at Caden full in the face. "She died, three years ago now, on the back it says Patience, which was her most ummm." He paused here, hesitating to admit to being a major pawful years ago. "Well, lets just say that it was the most noticeable thing about her, especially around me." He said grinning as he pawed it off to Caden so he could look at it.
"I could help you make one of your own." Luxe said smiling gently at the kit, "You don't have to forget everything about the beasts who are or were important to you."
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Post by Ladorak on May 10, 2009 14:03:40 GMT -5
Caden eagerly dug in, finding that the taste of the poached eggs was actually rather good. They were light and yet still had that gooey yolk in them that he loved to dip his bacon in. He had heard Ladorak say that poaching was essentially cooking the eggs in water, and thus it was considered a healthier way of eating eggs. True enough, the eggs were served in a cup with water pooled at the bottom of them.
"Ladorak has good taste." he said with his mouth full, remembering that that was something Ladorak had told him polite beasts shouldn't do. He waited to swallow first before taking a sip of his drink. He picked up a piece of bacon and broke the pink surface of the egg yolk, getting some of the runny yellow fluid onto the strip of meat.
Crunching on it as he bit off the "yolked up" end, the kit looked down at leather band that Luxe was explaining to him. The names of those he didn't want to forget....and something that defined them. His pink, studious eyes blink as they examined it more closely.
He reached his white furred paw out, picking it up and jangling it a bit as he looked through the names. "Marigold...." he read out quietly, thinking about what it was like for Luxe to lose his own mother. Caden just had very very vague memories of his mom, and remembered getting the news that she was dead. Other than that....most of it was lost in the recesses of his memory. He could barely remember seeing Ladorak around for that matter, back when he worked for his mother.
He began reciting names in his head...names he wanted to remember.....but sadly....aside from his mom and possibly Helandria....he couldn't think of many more. "Would it..." he asked, stopping everything he was doing to think a minute or two. "Would it be OK....to start....with those I have trouble remembering.....and then move on to maybe those I know now...." Ladorak....Jayd....maybe even Luxe would get a spot. Maybe...this didn't have to just be for those from his past. Maybe he could put all of those names on here that he'd want to remember....including new faces because this was a new life and Ladorak promised him he could ship out with the stoat Commander when he received his next assignment.
"Yeah....I think I might do that. Can I add to it too if I need to?" he asked the blacksmith now, still holding the band and looking up at him.
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Post by bookity101 on May 12, 2009 22:28:53 GMT -5
Luxe watched as the albino considered what he had said, enjoying watching the kit's face change. He picked up his own glass, only his was full of lemonade, not orange juice.As he set his glass back down, he nodded at Caden's question. "Sure, I don't see why not." He reached over and picked up the splint, "After all you since your paw is no longer in this thing," He said waving the brace a little, "You'll be able to help me make it." He said grinning.
Luxe finished up his breakfast, then stood, leaving a tip on the table, then wandering past the other early morning patrons, nodding his head in greeting as he passed them. After he had paid and was headed out the door, he stopped, putting a paw to his forehead.
Stepping back a little, he turned, waiting to amke sure Caden was with him. 'It would not do to leave him behind on the first day he stayed with me...'
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Post by Ladorak on May 13, 2009 11:54:10 GMT -5
Caden went back to eating just as Luxe did. Couldn't work on an empty stomach after all....at least that's what he'd been told by Helandria. The poached eggs were rather good too. Ladorak it seemed had good taste when it came to breakfast. The kit noisily slurped from his orange juice, making no effort to conceal his great joy at having finally had the chance to drink this beverage freely.
He put the second poached egg on his toast, laying the bacon out on top of that and creating a sandwich of sorts. He proceeded to eat away, his sandwich crunching in between his fangs and then being chewed up by the rest of his pointed teeth. Luxe was finished before the albino, but Caden took his time, wanting to enjoy breakfast as it was his favorite meal of the day.
The marten could see that the blacksmith was paying though, but Caden wasn't rushed. He was almost done anyways. He was however a little surprised when the stoat headed for the door, and he quickly shoveled the last bit of his sandwich into his mouth. Due to the food, he gave Mary a barely comprehensible "thank you" and quickly jumped off his chair and onto the ground.
The dibbun followed after the blacksmith, looking up at him with inquisitive eyes. "What's the rush?" he said, finally swallowing his food after he did so. "Oh yeah!" he quickly ran back to the counter to finish off his orange juice, creating a small bit of a "mustache" as the juice stained the white fur on his snout, which he quickly wiped away with the sleeve of his shirt. "Alright...ready...but are we going someplace or something? You look like you're in a hurry." he stated, standing by the stoat's side now.
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