Alton nods to Mal appreciatively after he places the meal on the small desk in Aerys' cabin. "You have a beautiful wife, and her mother is a fine woman too. It seems you have done well for yourself, my friend. Tell me, your wardog... I hear the Malatestans bred them for battle from the stock of wolves. This is the first time I have seen one myself, she seems quite intelligent. Can she hunt also?"
Mal smiles proudly, "Can't say much for the history or breeding of the girl, but oh yah, can she hunt. And fight, too. Hope you never have to be on the receiving end of those teeth."
He looks back down towards the galley where the two women in question sit, "Well, I might have bit off more than I can chew as far as those women go... but lets be honest, most men do, right?"
At Sarah's offer to tend to his shiner, the dark man blushes a bit and says. "Be in your debt, mum."
After hearing Andre's testimony over his wardog's prowess, he nods approvingly. "In my country, Setenbor, horses are greatly prized. While working with them is never a skill I have developed," he gestures to the ship around you, "I think perhaps one day when I have a wife I should like to ride and perhaps hunt."
When Andre mentions dealing with his wife and mother-in-law, Alton gives a broad smile. "I think I would say it is a good problem to have."
He sops up some gravy with a piece of bread and points in the direction of the galley upstairs. "Without women, all the jewels and gold in the world would have no meaning."
Mal shakes his head melodramatically, "A man can only dream of such a world, right?"
"Well, my girl, what is all this caterwauling about? Hm? Beau left you at the altar?"
The half-elf girl looks about to bark at you, but she holds he tongue when she sees Andre set a plate of food on her desk, and that a woman of the cloth is in her presence.
"Didn't mean to disturb you ma'am. All I wanted was a cup of whiskey to set me up for the day but that pr–" she bites her tongue, "but the tavern keeper refused to serve me. Anyhow, I ain't got a beau– least not anymore. Idjit got his fool self killed tryin' to sail Light's End on his own."
"Y'ont need to worry over me, I'm a big girl I'll get over it. Just could use a drink to chase away this wrenchin' in my guts. Although," her voice drops to a hoarse whisper, "probably be better off if I didn't need it."
"HA!" Alton gives a booming laugh that makes Aerys wince a bit. "One man's dream is another man's prison. I will just say that to this man, I see a fellow with fortune better than most."
Mal claps the man on the shoulder as he steps into the room with Darkmane, "I know, but you can't let on that you like'em too much or you've already lost the war."
Sarah, unable to avoid hearing the men's conversation, scowls. "Bunch of pig-tailed schoolgirl nonsense! If you can't tell a woman you like her than you're dating the wrong type of woman."
She winks to Mal and shuts the door, sensing no danger from the girl. She turns to Aerys.
"Didn't mean to disturb you ma'am. All I wanted was a cup of whiskey to set me up for the day but that pr–" she bites her tongue, "but the tavern keeper refused to serve me. Anyhow, I ain't got a beau– least not anymore. Idjit got his fool self killed tryin' to sail Light's End on his own."
"Y'ont need to worry over me, I'm a girl I'll get over it. Just could use a drink to chase away this wrenchin' in my guts..."
Given the surprising politeness shown by the girl, Sarah's look softens and she sits down. "Well, let me just take a look at you, young lady... just to make sure the only issues you've got are an empty belly and an empty-skulled ex-lover. All manner of other problems can show themselves as a gnawing belly." As she examines the girl, she says, "Sorry about your beau - even idjit ones can be nice to have at times."
"So anyway," Gelik says to Lisa, taking great care not to get any brisket on the fancy satin shirt he is wearing today, "I heard that an old exploratory vessel The Academy sent out some years ago went missing while rounding the bend to approach the horn north of Port Eldarion."
When he sees Sasha clap Ellie on the shoulder and pull up an extra chair at the foot of the table, his voice lowers to a whisper, "It was called the Nightvoice. I was hoping that if I could locate it, that might help to... smooth over some of the misunderstandings of late. Well, as a business woman yourself, you are no doubt well aware that you simply cannot make everyone happy all of the time."
He sighs and casts a sidelong glance as the grinning red-head. "Sadly, not everyone is capable of holding such a high-minded view of things."
The girl nods and with Priyya's help gets out of her leathers so that the nurse can conduct her physical. "I'm glad you don't have cold hands, I'm freezin' in here."
At Sarah's consolation, she nods her head and murmurs, "Gods, Davvey... He was a dumb bastard, but he was my dumb bastard..."
She shows signs of mild malnutrition, likely from subsisting mainly on alcohol. Coupled with her surly, almost paranoid demeanor toward the others, you are fairly certain she is in the early stages of Delirium Tremens. You have little doubt that in another 2-3 days, it could become quite severe.
Your healing kit does contain enough medicine to help last her thru the next few days (provided she doesn't have any more booze), but what she could really use is to have remove disease cast on her.
While Sarah considers what she has found, she hands the plate of food to Aerys. "Please eat. You are looking famished and you can't stave off the cold with an empty belly." She opens the door a bit and says, "Andre, please get me some hot broth or hot tea." She closes the door again and regards the girl, debating what to say and how to say it.
"Nightvoice?" Sasha asks, "That sounds like it would be a good name for a ghost or maybe a dagger! Oooh, maybe I'll name my bow 'Nightvoice'! Well, when I buy one I mean. Don't you think that's a good one El, or do you think 'Nightsong' sounds better? Say, have you ever done any hunting?"
Lisa does not even crack so much as the vaguest hint of a grin when Sasha starts in, not even when she starts using a new nickname — the same one she does actually. In a a calm, matronly voice, she asks, "Ellie dear, this fine fellow is Mr. Gelik Aberwhinge. He works with the same academy that I graduated from when I was a little older than you. Are you going to introduce us to your new friend?"
Diplomacy Checks
Mal nods to Darkmane and turns to Devers with a smile, "See… give'em an inch…" Then he goes to do as asked.
The cook is a portly man of about 38, with a closely-cropped, dark beard and a floppy hat on his head. He was just about to help himself to some of his brisket when Mal approaches with his request. "Tea and broth? Sounds-a like somebody sick in the tummy. Vinzini not want to get beat up, so Vinzini help."
He gives Mal a wink and pretends to put up his dukes. "Just-a few minutes. Heat you something up."
The man goes about his work and turns to find the powerfully-built soldier still standing and waiting. "Walls-a stand up fine. More stew in the pot, eat, eat! Yous-a have what you like!"
Whether he eats or not, Mal is close enough to overhead the conversations at the table where his 'wife' is eating.
Lureene nods at the distinguished gnome and responds, ”It is a pleasure to meet you, Sir Gelik”. When Sasha has a seat, she returns Sasha’s silly grin with one of her own, ”Hi, Sasha! How are you doing? I am sooooooo glad to see you!” She starts to giggle, but on a look from her ‘Mother’, she stops and looks up with an embarrassed look on her face.
She stands up, and waves an introduction at Sasha, ”Sorry, Momma, I forgot my manners. This is Sasha. Sasha this is Momma….err…Lisa.” Once done with that, she continues responding to Sasha, ”I don’t know if that is a good idea, Sasha. Poppa always was superstitious about names and stuff like that. Hunting? Not really, I always let my Andre do my hunting for me!” She gives a tinkling laugh.
Mal eyes the meat, and when the man turns his head, Mal gives it a quick sniff, both savoring the meat and checking to make sure it's not poisoned or spoiled.
When the man turns back around, Mal responds, "I'll eat once those are taken to Sarah and Aerys. I can wait that long."
Sasha seems surprised by Ellie's enthusiasm and the sudden formality. She finishes cramming a piece of bread in her mouth, brushes her hands together and reaches across their plates to shake Lisa and Gelik's hands, speaking with her mouth full. "Nai zoo mee chew!"
Gelik winces a bit at the gesture, promptly cleaning his hands with a prestidigitation spell afterwards. All the while, Lisa gives a cheerful smile and simply pours the both of them some more wine. When Ellie holds out her glass, she wags her finger and pats her tummy. "Not if you have a bun in the oven like you think, dear. Come on now, eat up! The cook went thru a lot of trouble to prepare all this food."
She shakes her head at Sasha while pouring her some wine, "As for superstitions, your father was a sailor dear, of course he was superstitious! Anyway, I think it's a lovely name, although I don't fancy hunting myself..."
Ellie gets a crestfallen look on her face, as she realizes she cannot enjoy the wine, which would certainly help her get over the long sea voyage. "Yes, Momma." She reaches for a plate of food, without as much enthusiasm as she showed just a moment before.
The sound of a palm hitting a face sounds from Mal's general direction.
Alis smiles a bit at Mal's reaction. "Andre dear, why don't you sit down before you fall down. Haven't you ever heard that a watched pot never boils?"
It takes a few more minutes, but eventually Vinzini approaches with a tray containing a number of small copper vessels.
"We gots-a beef broth, tea, and-a some honey. Fix-a them right up!"
He pats Mal on the shoulder and then returns to the kitchen, whistling an old tune rather badly.
Mal picks up one of the soup bowls in response, looks at it for a few seconds, then grabs two more before ladling enough stew for two men for himself. Then he settles himself down at the table with one last look into the kitchen at the broth for the drunk girl.
Then he attacks the stew with a vengeance. Apparently this stew has offended 'Andre' grievously somehow… either that or he is avoiding conversation.
The man is surprised - when he sets down the broth - that Mal looks at him like his personal savior. He grabs the tray with a quick, "Excuse me" said through a mouthful of stewy bread and hustles out.
I forgot to get something for Little Sister...
While Aerys devours the food, Sarah casts a spell and puts a hand on the half-elven girl.
Hours
"So, young lady, have you been hitting the bottle hard for a long time... or just since Davvey?"
"Yaw wubby don tawk mush." Sasha mumbles, not bothering to stop eating while trying to speak.
Alis suddenly sputters, choking on her wine as she is unable to maintain a straight face. Sasha merely blinks in surprise and runs the back of her hand across her mouth. "Was it something I said?"
Aerys gives a sigh of relief when Sarah's spell touches her. Now able to keep food down, she does an admirable job at it. She tenses a bit at the nurse's question but her shoulders slump after a moment. "Bit of both... We used to clean-up doin' shots, but after... well, no sense in a shot glass when you're the only one drinkin' from the bottle."
Ellie shovels her plate of stew into her mouth, Wow, this stew is delicious! She nods in response, ”Yes, he is just shy. Doesn’t like hanging around us girls.” She gives Sasha a wink, ”But he knows how to provide for me!”
Sarah settles down next to her, "I'm not judging and I'm not nosy. To treat you, I need to know. I've been in love myself, once upon a time, and made my own mistakes... I know how it goes." Sarah looks genuinely sympathetic. "So, I've got good news and bad news. How do you want it - sugar-coated or straight?"
"I've been tryin' to dull things for a while now. I'll try it straight-up."
"Guess he provided you with something alright..."
"I've been tryin' to dull things for a while now. I'll try it straight-up."
Sarah nods, "OK. The good news is you don't have a disease or any long term health concerns; you will recover from this. The bad news is your body has grown used to having the alcohol. You have to quit drinking, right now, and the next few days are going to be a real b1tch."
"Unfortunately, I don't have the magic to cure you; you'd need a better cleric than me to do that... but I can help. With magic, I can make it a bit easier on you, bring you food, and talk you through it."
She watches the woman take the news.
Aerys takes the news somberly seemingly not surprised by what she has been told. "Well, guess nothing worth having ever came easy, but I ain't so fool as to not know when to take a helpin' hand. Ma'am, I don't know why you're helpin' me, but..."
She gives a heavy sigh and reaches under her mattress to pull out a large, pewter flask.
"It's empty now," she admits, "but I don't need to be fillin' it up again. Ain't much, especially not if your missus can afford the big cabin back there, but I'll not have you thinkin' I'm a freeloader."
The "flask" that she hands you is the size of a small canteen, formed from a single piece of seamless pewter. At its top, it is sealed by a threaded stopper large as the pommel of a sword. Inset on one side of it, acid-etched onto a bronze disc is an ornate compass rose, the cardinal directions written in what appears to be an elvish script. You suspect that it is at least as old as Aerys, although in spite of the patina it shows, it has obviously been well cared for.
Sarah resists taking the flask. "Young lady, I serve Alita and I offer my services to all in need. I need no payment and I wouldn't think you a freeloader for accepting what I freely offer. After you, I expect to be healing that black eye you gave the First Mate and who knows how many other minor ailments." She chuckles. "And I won't be asking payment from him either. But I can see you are a woman who can't abide a debt. I'm much the same way. So, I'll make you this deal. I will tend to you over the next few days, doing what little I can. When you are better, if you think my poor services were worth the value of that flask, I'll accept it. If not, you can keep it and I'll take your thanks instead. Deal?"
Aerys nods in understanding. "Deal."
With Sarah's help, she then crawls into bed to get some rest while she is able.
Sarah says, "I'll get you a few more blankets and I'll check in on you a lot. If you need me, send for me - it doesn't matter the hour."
Sarah leaves and returns with additional blankets, water, compresses, and the like.
After leaving Aerys' room, Sarah finds the First Mate and gives him the healing feeling.
Meanwhile on the top deck, Gelik decides to put on a performance for his new friend, Lisa, and the rest of the crew by hosting something he likes to call "Insult Hour", although it seems to last far longer. Well into the night, he takes on the challenge of delivering a litany of unbroken insults on various people. The catch? Once you've been selected as a target, you get to choose the next victim! The only rules are you can't tag the person who just tagged you, and no one can be tagged more than once.
Lisa goes first, generously picking her son-in-law who (among other things), goes on to get described as being the reason why men should keep their dogs on leashes, their women in the kitchen, and their children away from bread, cheese, and condiments.
Next Up? Mal's choice!
"I am much obliged to you, Mother Sarah," Alton say, deriving equal parts amusement and anxiety from watching Gelik's performance. "Perhaps save some of your treatments for the short fellow, he may need it more than I!"
Mal savors the choice, but surprises you by pointing at Sarah the healer.
Let's see what he can come up with to insult a cleric.... and then let's see if he survives.
Sarah casts a flinty, amused eye at Devers. "'Mother'? Just 'Sarah' will do, thank you. I don't cotton to fancy titles. As for the half-pint humorist, they say suffering is good for the soul - doubly so if he turns that sharp tongue in my direction!"
The first mate grits his teeth nervously when he sees the big soldier point Gelik over in his direction. He is little relieved when the spry gnome starts in on the good-natured cleric instead of him.
"And you madam! What with your staid robes and frost-tinged curls, I have seen your kind before! Yes, yes! A very cougar in priest's clothing! Which begs the question, which priest did this cougar eat? Why the very one who saw Heaven right before he frosted her curls!"
He cries out, "'Oh god, oh god!'"
After a bit more roasting and laughs from the crew, he bows before the priestess and asks, "You are a gracious sport, madam. And who would you like to see roasted next?"
Sarah scowls amused at the little man, "For calling me a cougar, I'd have you roasted next, you scamp! But I'll play this game fairly. I think my top-heavy patron could use a dressing down next." She points to Lisa.
"Dress her down?!" He looks back over his shoulder as his short legs carry him away. He has a fearful look on his face. "You are vindictive! Why at her age I'm likely to be buried under falling boulders if I did such a thing!"
Lisa's face goes wide with surprise and she stands with arms akimbo looking down at the wee man as he approaches. Gelik marches right up to her until he is practically standing on her toes. He then cranes his neck to look at her, shakes his head and takes two steps back. "You know, this isn't easy for me..." He feigns wiping away a tear, "My brother died mountain climbing. I always wondered why he had such a contented look on his face when they found him! Oh the gravity of it all!"
The older woman holds her hands up to ask if he's done. Gelik does the same and pretends to be staggering under a great weight. With a scowl, she pretends to kick at him. The gnome gasps and points to her feet in horror. "Did you see that? Her boots match!"
Lisa tilts her head to one side and shrugs her shoulders. He strokes his goatee in surprise with one hand and waves the other. "I'm just surprised, that's all. I mean it has to have been 40 at least since you last saw your feet!"
"Oh I kid, I kid!" He climbs atop a chair, takes her hand and gets down on one knee, "Truly my lady, I count myself fortunate to have met you on this voyage."
Lisa's expression softens and she goes, "Aww". Yet Gelik continues and says, "I feel safer knowing, even if the good Captain should scuttle the ship, I'd be able to float to safety!"
Seeing that Gelik has finished and is now eying her expectantly, Alis points across the table and says, "Oh let's keep it in the family. Go play with my daughter, Ellie!"
"Oooh mmyyy!" Gelik croons. He hops off the chair and promptly runs around the table whereupon he hops up onto Ellie's lap. The gnome looks about ready to say something when he puts a hand beside his mouth, and points at Andre. "I HAVE TO BE CAREFUL! HE ALREADY KNOCKED HER UP, I'M AFRAID OF WHAT HE MIGHT DO TO ME!"
Still seated comfortably on the voluptuous woman's lap, he nods thoughtfully before giving a loud yawn. "You know, this all looks like fun but this is really a lot of work, I'm tired!"
He gives a wink and then leans his head comfortably against Ellie's bust. "See, this is the mark of a good hostess. Lisa obviously trained her daughter to always provide nice, firm pillows for when guests sleep over. Of course, I have a stiff neck from looking up at all you tall folks so it would have been nice if you fluffed them up ahead of time. Now I've got to do it all myself!"
As the sailors hoot and hollar Gelik waves his hand apologetically and gives her a pat on the back.
"On a more serious note... He clears his throat and lowers his voice, "Ellie I do hope you realize what a big responsibility marriage and motherhood are. Now I know you've gotten plenty of practice at how to actually make a baby."
Gelik pats her on the tummy and gives Andre an approving thumbs-up, "But should you need to get any practice at holding a wee fellow, you just let me know."
Once again, he whispers to the crew, "WITH ANY LUCK, MAYBE I CAN HELP HER PRACTICE BREAST-FEEDING TOO!"
The sailors roar approvingly even as Ellie turns red as a boiled lobster. He gives kisses her hand and gives the girl a re-encouraging nod of appreciation. "Ah, what a great family they are, I could do this all night. IF I WAS ANDRE," he points his thumb at Ellie, "THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I'D BE DOING ALL NIGHT! Alright then, young lady, who shall I roast next?"
And so the evening goes with drinks and jest exchange poured forth freely as the White Pearl continues beneath the light of the full moon...
It is humid and the chorus of cicadas coming from the islands you pass inform you that it is going to be hot today. After explaining the situation to Alis, Priyya spent much of the night checking in on Aerys to ensure that she was doing alright. Not long after dawn, she found her hunched over the desk in her room, quill in hand and penning pages of poetry into a thick water-proof tome bound in black leather by the light of an open porthole.
"It's been a while since I've worked on it," the young woman admits, "but for the first time in a long while, I can feel the words coming back to me. I'm callin' it the Cantos of Ghaele, an epic themed around strength of character in the face of impossible odds..."
She gives a somewhat embarrassed smile but says, "Hopefully I'll have a chance to finish it before I go gettin' myself killed, but I'd like to think you've helped me to author at least a few more pages than I might have otherwise. You can give it a read when I'm resting if you like."
