Post by Amanita Vernia on Jun 16, 2005 22:30:42 GMT -5
Salty and Arculeius speak on the docks
Son of Klima: ::"Salty was getting restless, rose to his feet and began to pace up and down the dock, slowly of course, he didn't want to have to re-stitch his leg. He was surprised that no one had pursued them to the dock and he felt very uncomfortable and exposed on the dock. "Wake up girl" he snapped at his kajira, "stay alert in case we have to move fast."::
Amanita Vernia: They hadn't even left the dock and Arculeius was already a bit green from the rocking boat. It would of been different if it was a large ship like the one that had brought them to Schendi, but the Galley was just big enough to hold their crew and small enough to feel every movement of the water under her. He'd already hung out near the rail just incase he was going to lose his lunch, but that was on the other side of the boat. When he heard that Salty was on the docks, but waiting for a personal invitation on board, he didn't mind planting his own feet on the docks long enough to speak to the man while the Sleen of Cos, Brinlar, was busy plotting their route or whatever he did under deck. Leaving the boat it didn't take the average sized black man long to find Salty and his kajira. He looked the man over having sworn he was with their bunch when they left the burning house, but apparently he had been mistaken. "Tal Greedy... or perhaps I should call you Lucky now?"
Son of Klima: ::Salty smiled and made a low sweeping bow to the black man. "Tal mighty warrior, it was an honor to fight as your ally. I knew when I first met you that I would much rather fight with you than against you. Now why would you call me Lucky? I told you I could handle my blades well. We were both lucky to avoid the falling roof" he said with a chuckle. "I would have returned to the dock with you, but I had to go back and collect my kajira, I have grown fond of her and she is the first girl I have ever owned. Where is the lady we labored so dearly to protect?"::
Amanita Vernia: Arculeius did not consider himself mighty, he knew that all fighters had their flaws and blamed himself for hiring the men who'd betrayed them. There was no other explanation as to how Krakatoa's men could of gotten into the house. Silenti was now gone, months of rebuilding and it had gone up in a single night. Arculeius did not feel so mighty, but he nodded back to the hired warrior as a hand swept over his shaved head. "I did not see you turn back... you are lucky that the men who attacked us did not see you either." He was almost certain himself that they would of pursued them to the docks, but it seemed they fell back once the place had been torched. Almost as if they were intentionally moving the group forward on their expedition. Arculeius was troubled by this thought, but he also had a larger concern. The merchant. "When the house folded the woman would of been forced to exit out of a hidden tunnel, it took her into the marsh areas and we are still waiting for her and the guard I left with her to catch up. We will move down river to the first checkpoint where I hope to find her." He did well to keep the worried tone out of his voice, but it was hard to look into those midnight eyes and not see he felt as if he might of failed her. He looked to the slave Salty had gone back for not quite understanding why a man would face death for a piece of property, but Arucleius did not care for a particular slave girl himself, he'd had and used many over the years, but to him... they were only a commodity.
Son of Klima: ::Salty smiled, "a few saw me and followed me, but that was their last mistake. Now tell me when do we begin this journey?" He pointed to the galley, "Is that pile of wood going to carry all of us? I saw the pirate's man lean on a railing and the wood broke under his weight. Perhaps my kajira and I should walk along the land and follow, we might be safer."
Amanita Vernia: The black man looked back at the galley Brinlar had come up with, not knowing much about ships of any kind even if he had spent most of his life in the port city they were soon to leave. He spotted the section of railing Salty had mentioned, it was now patched back together. If walking was an option our slightly green black man would of opted for it himself. "You would have to walk both night and day... and while I don't doubt you have the determination to do so, I do doubt your slave can keep up that pace. You'll be carring her in a day and then be no good for fighting once we encounter our foes again." Which meant Arculeius believed that they had not seen the last of Krakatoa's men.. not to mention the many additional dangers in the jungle. No... walking along the banks of the Nyoka River wasn't wise.
Son of Klima: ::Salty had listened intently to the man and shook his head. "How can the boat move at night, in the dark? It is not natural for men to move at night, nor safe. Only sleen and kuri move after dark comes. Night is the time to eat use your kajira and sleep."::
Amanita Vernia: Perhaps it made perfect sense that the captain of their ship was called the Sleen of Cos. Arculieus saw the irony in this and began to chuckle, hard enough that he even had to bring his hand down to hold his own gut. Salty was both a good sword to have as long as he wasn't hired by the other side, and good comic relief for such a high tensioned trip. "Well you'll have less luck trying to eat and use your slave while keeping up with the ship on foot, Warrior... I suggest you risk boarding this boat before we leave the docks."
Son of Klima: ::Salty leaned close to Arculieus and asked him in a whisper, "You were on that, that boat. Did you feel safe or did you fear the wood will fall apart and leave us all in the river? I fear water, I can not swim."::
Amanita Vernia: "I had a greater fear that I might wretch, but if you worry I can can pay you what you are owned and you can remain in Schendi." He didn't expect the man to agree to this, but still, he offered that as an option. The truth was they needed as many swords as they could get, Arculeius had sent two men to the rooming house, The Cove, to see if they could find anymore travelers. There was also a message left there for Thaddaus who would find himself shocked when he returned to Schendi and saw that Silenti was burned. Rumors were already running through Schendi as to the cause of the fire and the whereabouts of those who'd been living there. "I would not suspect Brinlar would purchase a boat that could not take us where we need to go, I have faith in the pirate, even if it's purely based on his own self preservation."
Son of Klima: ::Salty's face showed shock and pain, as if he had taken a blade in his belly. For several ehn he did not speak. When he did speak his voice was filled with cold fury. "Arculieus I hope you spoke in jest when you made the remark that I could remain in Schendi. I gave you my word that I am your man for as long as this journey lasts. Never doubt my word Arculeius, never doubt my word." He turned from the black man, walked over to Tara and nudged her with his foot. "Get up girl, we are going for a boat ride. You will stay close to me, be your master's shadow at all times." He pulled her to her feet, put his pack on her back, kissed her forehead, gave her a lingering pat on her butt and led her up the wooden walkway and on to the boat. He saw the pirate's man and called out, "Where do I go now?"::
Amanita Vernia: His hand went again to that bare head, running from his foreahead to the back of his neck, it was clear that Arculeius was not in the best of moods. He was kicking himself once more when Salty made his comment. "I know your words has honor, forgive my own words, I am on edge." He was not too big of a man to admit his error even if he wasn't seriously suggesting the man stay in Schendi. Thaddaus was the better speaker of the merchant's trio, Arculeius was usually the silent fighter. His duel blades spoke better, but they did appreciate having Salty's fighting along with him. He grinned hearing the man speak of boarding the boat. "Don't fear, I know how to swim... I just hope the mamba don't get you before I can rescue you." He laughed then following the man back onto the boat. One of Brinlar's crew would show Salty below desk to the sleeping quarters, most of them were shared rooms that one had to bend forward not to bump his head on the ceiling. The pirates were used to this, but Arculieus along with some of the other land lovers had nice bumps on their head from hitting it.
Son of Klima: ::"Salty was getting restless, rose to his feet and began to pace up and down the dock, slowly of course, he didn't want to have to re-stitch his leg. He was surprised that no one had pursued them to the dock and he felt very uncomfortable and exposed on the dock. "Wake up girl" he snapped at his kajira, "stay alert in case we have to move fast."::
Amanita Vernia: They hadn't even left the dock and Arculeius was already a bit green from the rocking boat. It would of been different if it was a large ship like the one that had brought them to Schendi, but the Galley was just big enough to hold their crew and small enough to feel every movement of the water under her. He'd already hung out near the rail just incase he was going to lose his lunch, but that was on the other side of the boat. When he heard that Salty was on the docks, but waiting for a personal invitation on board, he didn't mind planting his own feet on the docks long enough to speak to the man while the Sleen of Cos, Brinlar, was busy plotting their route or whatever he did under deck. Leaving the boat it didn't take the average sized black man long to find Salty and his kajira. He looked the man over having sworn he was with their bunch when they left the burning house, but apparently he had been mistaken. "Tal Greedy... or perhaps I should call you Lucky now?"
Son of Klima: ::Salty smiled and made a low sweeping bow to the black man. "Tal mighty warrior, it was an honor to fight as your ally. I knew when I first met you that I would much rather fight with you than against you. Now why would you call me Lucky? I told you I could handle my blades well. We were both lucky to avoid the falling roof" he said with a chuckle. "I would have returned to the dock with you, but I had to go back and collect my kajira, I have grown fond of her and she is the first girl I have ever owned. Where is the lady we labored so dearly to protect?"::
Amanita Vernia: Arculeius did not consider himself mighty, he knew that all fighters had their flaws and blamed himself for hiring the men who'd betrayed them. There was no other explanation as to how Krakatoa's men could of gotten into the house. Silenti was now gone, months of rebuilding and it had gone up in a single night. Arculeius did not feel so mighty, but he nodded back to the hired warrior as a hand swept over his shaved head. "I did not see you turn back... you are lucky that the men who attacked us did not see you either." He was almost certain himself that they would of pursued them to the docks, but it seemed they fell back once the place had been torched. Almost as if they were intentionally moving the group forward on their expedition. Arculeius was troubled by this thought, but he also had a larger concern. The merchant. "When the house folded the woman would of been forced to exit out of a hidden tunnel, it took her into the marsh areas and we are still waiting for her and the guard I left with her to catch up. We will move down river to the first checkpoint where I hope to find her." He did well to keep the worried tone out of his voice, but it was hard to look into those midnight eyes and not see he felt as if he might of failed her. He looked to the slave Salty had gone back for not quite understanding why a man would face death for a piece of property, but Arucleius did not care for a particular slave girl himself, he'd had and used many over the years, but to him... they were only a commodity.
Son of Klima: ::Salty smiled, "a few saw me and followed me, but that was their last mistake. Now tell me when do we begin this journey?" He pointed to the galley, "Is that pile of wood going to carry all of us? I saw the pirate's man lean on a railing and the wood broke under his weight. Perhaps my kajira and I should walk along the land and follow, we might be safer."
Amanita Vernia: The black man looked back at the galley Brinlar had come up with, not knowing much about ships of any kind even if he had spent most of his life in the port city they were soon to leave. He spotted the section of railing Salty had mentioned, it was now patched back together. If walking was an option our slightly green black man would of opted for it himself. "You would have to walk both night and day... and while I don't doubt you have the determination to do so, I do doubt your slave can keep up that pace. You'll be carring her in a day and then be no good for fighting once we encounter our foes again." Which meant Arculeius believed that they had not seen the last of Krakatoa's men.. not to mention the many additional dangers in the jungle. No... walking along the banks of the Nyoka River wasn't wise.
Son of Klima: ::Salty had listened intently to the man and shook his head. "How can the boat move at night, in the dark? It is not natural for men to move at night, nor safe. Only sleen and kuri move after dark comes. Night is the time to eat use your kajira and sleep."::
Amanita Vernia: Perhaps it made perfect sense that the captain of their ship was called the Sleen of Cos. Arculieus saw the irony in this and began to chuckle, hard enough that he even had to bring his hand down to hold his own gut. Salty was both a good sword to have as long as he wasn't hired by the other side, and good comic relief for such a high tensioned trip. "Well you'll have less luck trying to eat and use your slave while keeping up with the ship on foot, Warrior... I suggest you risk boarding this boat before we leave the docks."
Son of Klima: ::Salty leaned close to Arculieus and asked him in a whisper, "You were on that, that boat. Did you feel safe or did you fear the wood will fall apart and leave us all in the river? I fear water, I can not swim."::
Amanita Vernia: "I had a greater fear that I might wretch, but if you worry I can can pay you what you are owned and you can remain in Schendi." He didn't expect the man to agree to this, but still, he offered that as an option. The truth was they needed as many swords as they could get, Arculeius had sent two men to the rooming house, The Cove, to see if they could find anymore travelers. There was also a message left there for Thaddaus who would find himself shocked when he returned to Schendi and saw that Silenti was burned. Rumors were already running through Schendi as to the cause of the fire and the whereabouts of those who'd been living there. "I would not suspect Brinlar would purchase a boat that could not take us where we need to go, I have faith in the pirate, even if it's purely based on his own self preservation."
Son of Klima: ::Salty's face showed shock and pain, as if he had taken a blade in his belly. For several ehn he did not speak. When he did speak his voice was filled with cold fury. "Arculieus I hope you spoke in jest when you made the remark that I could remain in Schendi. I gave you my word that I am your man for as long as this journey lasts. Never doubt my word Arculeius, never doubt my word." He turned from the black man, walked over to Tara and nudged her with his foot. "Get up girl, we are going for a boat ride. You will stay close to me, be your master's shadow at all times." He pulled her to her feet, put his pack on her back, kissed her forehead, gave her a lingering pat on her butt and led her up the wooden walkway and on to the boat. He saw the pirate's man and called out, "Where do I go now?"::
Amanita Vernia: His hand went again to that bare head, running from his foreahead to the back of his neck, it was clear that Arculeius was not in the best of moods. He was kicking himself once more when Salty made his comment. "I know your words has honor, forgive my own words, I am on edge." He was not too big of a man to admit his error even if he wasn't seriously suggesting the man stay in Schendi. Thaddaus was the better speaker of the merchant's trio, Arculeius was usually the silent fighter. His duel blades spoke better, but they did appreciate having Salty's fighting along with him. He grinned hearing the man speak of boarding the boat. "Don't fear, I know how to swim... I just hope the mamba don't get you before I can rescue you." He laughed then following the man back onto the boat. One of Brinlar's crew would show Salty below desk to the sleeping quarters, most of them were shared rooms that one had to bend forward not to bump his head on the ceiling. The pirates were used to this, but Arculieus along with some of the other land lovers had nice bumps on their head from hitting it.
