"Oh, my Calistria!" Besmara replies. "And I thought I was the wild one."
"My heart will do fine. Besmara isn't just a name. It's a style of life. And I'm for sure not named Erastil. I'm worried about that stick in the mud McCleagh. It was pretty obvious he doesn't approve of this - not that he has a saying in it."
"The base would be nice so if you want to take her, so be it. That is a personal decision. I won't tell you to take her nor will I tell you not to."
"But what pissed me off at dinner is your notion about fighting over you. There are two options. Either it's 'You two b*+$! fight over me and the winner gets me as a prize'. Which is so far below me. Such a guy I wouldn't give house room."
"Or it's the 'you're mine and I'll enforce that against you and everyone else who challenges that'. I don't know which one matches your fantasy, but considering me in any of these options is an offence."
Thats exactly what you were doing. Claiming that my getting married will "cut into your Benefits" like I'm a horse that you have to share. And asking another woman what she plans to do with her future husband... what kind of response are you expecting? Looks to me like you are poking a bear trying to pick a fight.
"Nice analogy - my stallion." Besmara chuckles. "But you're totally ruining my argument and make me look bad. Well sort of. If it were a real bear it would look badass."
"And it was a honest question. I'm not used to this marriage under Shackles law and as it is a set up deal about mutual benefits I wanted to know what it includes."
"But to the point: Her reaction was inside the spectrum I expected. Your reaction I didn't expect. Usually you're more gentleman like."
Estelle will go and check on the Mage and Owlbear, having a look at her ship. Then she will make her rounds on the crew, checking they are all armed and armored because well you just never know.
Lastly she will check on Flips and the ships armaments.
"We be needing thing since the last attack?"
"Eh well, we used up 3 Ballista bolts, we still got 17 or so more. That mage needs ta be round here the next time we are attacked or hustle more if he wants ta take part in the battles."
Flips ads some more wax to the gut ropes on the Ballista. Flinging the extra stuff over the side of the deck.
I didn't see any damage resulting from our battle with the exception of some minor cracking in one of the rails. Must have taken the brunt of force from one of the boarding ropes, but nothing to be worried about. The rail will still hold quite well to keep people in the deck.
While I have you. I've been thinking about the problems we had with light and recovering the loot from the bottom of the sea... what would you think if I crafted some shuddered lanterns that used magic to never go out? They also would not burn with real fire, so might be safer... would those be useful? They wouldn't be cheap, but Tgey would work even under water.
Sorry. I have been a little consumed thinking about the prospect of marrying someone.
Not really something I have considered seriously before. Particularly given how I'll suited I am for any human or true eleven matchs.
So I spoke without thinking.
As for what's involved, we would be married in every sense of the word for the time frame with the option of either of us divorcing with no entanglements any point after the agreed upon time frame ends.
That means I become master of Tidewater Rock, and it and Agasta become my responsibly. Oh she would probably still run the day to day affairs, but I would need to provide for her/the castle as well as be her companion.
Now if we continue to raid, we could take care of that by providing the loot and cutting the castle into a share of the profits.
But it's one more group to support. It's already a full load managing the crews on this ship, adding in a castle as well. Ugg, I half want to go back to being just a sailor on a trade ship.
And McCleadh, Who knows what we are dealing with there. It may be nothing, or I may wake up with s knife in the back...
Then there's you. What we have has been fun, and who knows someday may be more, but if I do this it most likely cuts off that possibility forever...
"Why didn't she offer a simple 'use of castle for share of loot' agreement? Is that McCleagh so bad?" Besmara complains.
After a while she adds "Consult your pillow and tell me tomorrow what your decision is. Worst case we could still take it by force."
The next morning Lito gets up from his hammock early and uses Prestidigitation to clean himself and his clothing so he looks particularly well put together.
Then he goes on deck and starts to lower one of the small row boats.
So, who wants to come with me to visit our new home base and break the happy news to the folks there?
"Excelled by a rich old trout." Besmara pouts behind Lito's back.
"I'll come along. Shall I do the ceremony? I'm a captain, I can do that." she tells.
I wouldn't have it any other way Captain. He says softly as his smile slips for a moment then he is back to his cheerful self.
Pile in everyone, I'm off to claim a prize!
Lady Smythee appears on the battlement again. "So what is your decision?" she asks.
Lito stands up in the boat:
Lady Agasta, I ask you humbly, for the honor of your hand in marriage.
"Then come in to seal it!" she replies and disappears as she goes in.
Some time later the door opens and Royster McCleagh opens the door to let you in. "The lady awaits you in the dining room."
Pluck preens himself and makes sure his hat is cleaned while Noonan polishes his armor for the wedding and upcoming party.
Lito nods to Royster and softly says to him:
Thank you sir. You do your station proud, and I will do I best to be worthy of her.
Then without waiting for a reply he heads up to the dining room.
As he arrives he announces:
Before we begin; Lady Agasta, I appoligize for any offense my words may have caused last night. My mind was awhirl with the implications of your offer, and when my captain spoke, I responded without thinking of how the words may have been misconstrued. As I said on the ship, please know that your offer to share your life and holdings with me honors me greatly and I hope you are as enthused about this union as I am.
Agatha look indeed thrilled about what's to come "Your enthusiasm seems to know no bounds. I can't compete with that. But I'm looking forward to this beneficial connection. Do you have some specific ceremonial in mind or do we simply close the deal be handshake?"
Noonan puts a hand over Pluck's beak before he blurts out Ale and whores!
I believe it is good luck to have a captain witness a wedding, so...
Lito rattles off the standard set of local marrage ritual steps and asks Besmara to administer them.
Besmara turns to Pluck/Noonan "Ok, I bring the ale and you put some frills on."
Following to the dining room she brings some order into the setting and improvises some ceremony. "So Lito de'Anora will you take Lady Agatha Smythee as your wife under shackles law for no less than one year and honor this tradition - and Lady Agatha Smythee - so answer with 'Yes I will'"
After Lito confirms she continues "Lady Agatha Smythee will you take Lito de'Anora as your husband under shackles law for no less than one year and honor this tradition - and Lito de'Anora - so answer with 'Yes I will'"
After the Lady's approval she closes with "Thereby I pronounce you husband and wife."
"Now let's celebrate."
Fishguts brought a two layer wedding cake to the celebration and hands over the cutlass to cut the cake to the groom "Here, you're first."
This is a kilt! Noonan objects to Besmara. He then starts quaffing.
Lito enjoyed the party and wanders around making sure that everyone else, Including his new wife, has a good time.
Somebody go get Rosie and her Fiddle, this party could use some music!
Besmara could use some fresh air anyway and so she walks out and rows back to the ship getting Rosie. After being back she doesn't join the party but climbs the stairs up to the roof to take a look at what the crew got by marrying Lito off.
Rosie follows the noise to the party. "Ye're having a funeral or what? I thought this should be happy here." Then she starts playing folly tunes to get some dancing going.
Estelle and Owlbear attend the wedding, sitting and watching quietly. Once the dancing and drinking starts Estelle jumps up to have some fun, using her fighting moves as dance moves. Making sure that she doesn't kill anyone.
Owlbear just nods his head a little in time to the music.
Lito invites his wife to dance.
Then the two of them start drawing every eye.
Besmara hurries downstairs and barges in on the ceremony. "There is some wounded guy leaping towards the tower. Is that one of your's?"
The music and dancing comes to a sudden stop Lady Smythee replies "There is only Mardus outside and one of the guards I sent to fetch him for the festivities."
"Well, it's no guard." Besmara tells "I'll go down and look. Sandara?"
"I'll come." Sandara tells and gets up to follow.
Lito grabs his rapier and straps it on but stays up at the Dinning room.
how often do you get visitors by land? he asks Agasta as he waits to hear what is going on.
"We almost never get visitors." Agasta replies.
Besmara runs up. "I need a group to come with me. The guard is alone with some shanguin attack whatever that is. And someone who knows where to go to the goats." Then she waits for someone to take the lead.
Crap. Sharkmen. They probably come from the sea, and that means the ship is in at least as much danger as the people here. Someone needs to warn the crew on the ship.
I suppose I can do it as I need to get my armor anyway.
Unless you have something extra in the armory that I can borrow.
"I'll show you the way. Guards!" Royster McCleagh replies. Together with two guards he leads the way.
"Jarrus is still there and he has a crew of what - 40 able pirates. You can signal them from the tower if you want to make sure." Besmara tells Lito.
Lito grabs Agasta's hand.
What do you think; as much as I want to stay and enjoy our nuptial celebration, A threat to our new home seems higher priority. Do you agree I should go investigate?
"Yes please. Go and save our guard." Agasta replies.
Lito grabs a chain shirt from the armory, makes sure someone signals the ship and joins the crew going to rescue the guard.
"Which way to the closest water?" Trytton asks
Noonan arrives late, weaving due to too much grog.
Damn sharkmen were here already.
He turns to Royster:
Is there any other outlying men or animals that we should gather into the Rock before we try deal with these Sahaguin?