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 Posted: Sun Mar 09, 2014 7:00 pm
It had been a rather unusual day. First, Connie had gotten word from one of her father's porters of a tavern on the wharves that sailors had begun to frequent. Her father really didn't like her going down to the docks, but if it was during the day and she was running errands for him, he would permit it. Her father thought that if she was running errands for him, he had a good idea of how long it would take. But Connie had found that if she hurried, she could buy herself a few minutes to dart off and do 'research.' She hated to defy her father in such a manner, but it was the only way she'd find out what happened to Roland. Unfortunately, that sort of thing didn't leave time for her to go find her new friend, Captain Jack. It had seemed like a nice enough place. Clean, not terribly well-lit though. And some of the patrons hadn't taken well to her asking questions, even though she'd been as polite as she knew how. Now, one of them was following her, and she was so flustered she was having trouble remembering where it was Jack had said to find him in case she needed him. Had it been... the Port Authority? No, that hadn't been the uniform he was wearing at all. He was part of the military, but... but... Oh, that was it! The Cavalry complex! And she wasn't too far away. Maybe. She hoped. Casting another furtive glance at her tail, she shivered to find that he was even closer than before. Shaylee was loping along dutifully at her side, but just at the moment Constance rather wished she was a big dog instead of a big rabbit...
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Posted: Sun Mar 09, 2014 10:28 pm
In the not-too-distant training grounds of the Cavalry complex, the sharp clash of steel upon steel filled the air. Two men clad in casually serviceable clothes - little more than loose shirts and breeches - circled one another. The first was dark and broad, a bear of a man who looked more than capable of flattening his opponent. The second, in contrast, was neither overly tall nor bulky, nor was he especially lean. Rather, he was well-built and limber.
The pair danced about - the bear being surprisingly quick for his size - thrusting and parrying their blades. The smaller man was naturally more agile than the larger, but he also displayed more strength than one might expect; for he met the bear's heavy blows time and again without showing any real strain. In fact, he seemed to be gaining the upper hand.
From the edge of the arena, a buck watched the pair go about their practice. It was hardly Astrophel's idea of fun, but he did understand the necessity. Besides, he could hardly complain when his Chosen was grinning so fiercely. If nothing else, at least Jack was enjoying himself.
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Posted: Mon Mar 10, 2014 11:51 am
Distracted as she was, Connie recognized Astrophel before she recognized Jack, and quickened her pace in that direction. It would be unseemly for a woman to run in public, but as she could feel her pursuer as a most unpleasant prickle between her shoulderblades, resisting the temptation was difficult. She should probably have sought permission before entering the training courtyard too, but that thought didn't even enter her mind as she darted towards the gate, only to be caught up short by a hand on her arm, at which point she did the only thing she could think to do. She screamed. She also swung around and slapped the fellow who'd grabbed her- the one who'd been chasing her- hard across the face, surprising herself and Shaylee nearly as much as the miscreant himself.
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Posted: Mon Mar 10, 2014 2:55 pm
The scream had an immediate effect on both men. Stopping mid-strike, their heads jerked in the direction of the sound, eyes narrowing on the scene taking place before them. Where he had been grinning but a moment before, Jack suddenly had a dark countenance. What gall a man must have to frighten a lady at the very doors of Her Majesty's Cavalry Complex. What's more, he thought he recognized the woman. Yes. Yes, that was most certainly Miss Constance.
He was admittedly surprised to see her strike the ruffian but a moment after her scream. She had not seemed to be the aggressive type, after all. However, it only proved how frightened she must be. He growled and covered the distance between them in quick strides, sensing the Lieutenant following close on his heels. Astrophel, not one to be left out, circled around the pair so as to cut off any escape that the scoundrel might think to make once he took notice of the two armed cavalry men.
"I suggest you unhand the lady," he said, his tone broking no argument as his grip tightened on the sword.
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Posted: Mon Mar 10, 2014 6:34 pm
The miscreant, whose countenance had gone fairly black at Constance's violent reaction and who looked as though he was thinking about returning in kind (if his callused and filthy hand raised high above his head was any indication) paused with a grunt of surprise at Jack's interruption, bloodshot brown eyes flicking up and taking in first Jack's expression, then the equally intimidating sight of the bear of a man behind him. As Constance whimpered in his grasp, the ne'er-do-well flashed the men a quick, nervous grin. "'Course' guv'nor. Beggin y' pardon," he attempted politely, his accent thick with the tang of the sea as he turned Constance loose, holding his hands up and turning to walk away only to find Astrophel blocking his escape. The man made a funny, strangled sort of noise that sounded a bit like "Heenk!" as he drew up just short of running into the buck, his eyes crossing to try and focus on the animal's countenance before he backed up a step. Very nearly in tears, Constance fled to hide behind Jack, followed by the bouncing, pale shadow of her rabbit who was thoroughly perplexed by events. "He followed me from the docks," she managed around her quivering. "I don't know who he is, or what he wants!"
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Posted: Tue Mar 11, 2014 10:00 am
Aster's ears perked at the strange sound that the man made. He...wanted to hear it again. Neck stretching, he placed his own face right in front of the man's and snorted. If that didn't have the desired effect, he just might try nibbling on the man's clothing.
Rather than scolding the buck for his poor behavior - scum had no right to courtesy - Jack listened to Miss Constance's brief explanation. He briefly considered chastising her for going to the docks alone, but decided that that could wait. Priorities. "Is that right?"
"Those seem like perfectly reasonable questions," he began, and though his words sounded casual, there was nothing but a threat in his tone for the man before him. "Just what are you wanting with the lady, Mister..." he let the word hang in the air as a question, not that he necessarily expected an honest answer. Still, if the man knew what was good for him, he would start talking. Fast.
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Posted: Tue Mar 11, 2014 11:52 am
Aster's aggression was rewarded with a strangled sort of snort as the fellow tried to back away from the deer without backing into Jack or his companion, which he didn't really have room to do. "Er... eh... Smith, sir. I ah... Look, I don't want no trouble. I'm jest doin' a job, see? I, ah... I was hired to find th' young lady what's been 'angin' round th' docks askin' questions. She's made a few of the...ah... local businessmen a mite nervous, y'see. They likes their business private is all.""Well you can tell them I don't care about their smelly old businesses," Connie sniffled, still invisible behind Jack. "I'm just trying to find my brother!""Mr. Smith" perked up at this news. It didn't seem to even cross his mind that a young woman such as Connie might lie- he didn't appear to be the sharpest knife in the drawer. "Oh! Well, that's alright then. I... think. I'll jest go back an' be tellin' em that, aye? Aye. I'll jest..."' He ducked and weaved a bit, but couldn't seem to evade Astrophel's guard. "Bother..."
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Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2014 10:11 am
Local businessmen, indeed. More likely, Miss Constance had inadvertently made some smugglers or thieves or dealers in other shady things nervous with her questions. Her had seen firsthand how bold she was about her asking - not exactly a comfort to those wanting to keep secrets. Of course, any questions asked around the docks would most likely be met with suspicion no matter who was doing the asking. Regardless, that did not excuse such behavior. Not at all.
Aster was greatly pleased to have elicited another sound from the man. He was also having great fun with this game, matching the man move for move, never letting him reach the city beyond. He was a little disappointed when the man gave up.
"Leaving so soon, Mister Smith?" Jack asked, as though he believed that name. "Lieutenant Gibbs here was hoping to have a word with you." The bear of a man - Gibbs - hardly looked loquacious. Quite the contrary, he looked rather more inclined to break a few bones. He wouldn't, of course, but the ruffian wouldn't know that. That was fine. Let him sweat while Jack spoke to Miss Constance. Then, he would set a few things straight.
Gibbs took this as his cue to step forward and tower even more menacingly over the already frightened Mister Smith. "I'm sure you wouldn't want to disappoint him."
Seeing as the man's attention was turned away from him, Astrophel took the opportunity to place his snout a few scant inches away from the nape of the man's neck and bellow at him.
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Posted: Mon Mar 17, 2014 10:26 am
Mr. Smith, a man of none-too-stout disposition, was already quailing as he was loomed over. At Astrophel's bellow, he leaped straight upward half a foot and squeaked like a trod-upon rat, then promptly fell over in a dead faint. The sound, but not the faint, was echoed by Miss Constance where she hid behind Jack. "I'm sorry," she managed, trying not to sniffle though she could feel tears prickling at her eyes. Her father so hated it when she showed such emotion- it wasn't seemly. "I was just running an errand for father. He lets me sometimes when he's busy, and I thought, if I hurried, a question or two couldn't hurt." She pressed a trembling hand to her lips, trying to compose herself. "I'm very sorry to have been so much trouble," she said softly, looking at her shoes, upon which Shaylee was sitting most impudently. "Thank you for your help."
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Posted: Wed Mar 19, 2014 8:04 pm
While Aster was quite delighted at this reaction - though he might be less so once he realized that his playmate was out cold - the Captain could only stare at the man in scornful disbelief. How was it that so many cowards found their way into shady dealings? There again, perhaps that was the answer right there. They were cowards, too afraid to face the world as law-abiding men.
But this was hardly the time for such contemplation. "Lieutenant, would you be so good as to hold him until I have a chance to speak to him?"
"Yes, sir," he replied, his voice a deep growl befitting his frame. He them proceeded to pick up the prostrate man and carry him off to some other part of the compound.
Before Gibbs had fully disappeared from sight, Astrophel lost interest in Mr. Smith and trotted cheerfully up to Constance. He first sniffed at Shaylee in greeting, then thrust his nose at Connie herself. His fluffy tail wagged as he begged for pets.
Jack, meanwhile, had stepped aside so that he could properly see the young woman as she spoke. "It was no trouble, Miss Constance," he assured her. "I had offered my assistance when first we met and I stand by that promise. But I do wish you would have sent for me before you went asking your questions, if only so you would not have had to suffer such a fright."
He sighed almost inaudibly and offered her a gentle smile. "Do you understand why it is so dangerous for you to go alone, now?"
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Posted: Mon Mar 24, 2014 12:40 am
She nodded. "I'm sorry," she repeated, staring at the prone form of her pursuer and wringing her hands. "I... I didn't think there'd be enough time."Astrophel's begging distracted her from whatever lingering fear was plaguing her mind, though, and she scruffed fingers through the thick fur on his neck and smiled on the buck. Looking back up at her rescuer, some of the paleness left her cheeks as she saw the kindness in his expression. "You're really very patient, aren't you?" she asked. "I really can't thank you enough. I did find something out, though," she offered in the hopes that it would help. "One of the old sailors thought he remembered the ship my brother sailed on, and he said he heard the pirates who sank her took prisoners." It wasn't much- half a scrap of information from a senile ex-sailor, but it was more hope than she'd had in years. It also meant her father's information was wrong- but he'd forbidden all mention of Roland in his presence, so convincing him of that, and convincing him to let her continue her search, wasn't going to be easy.
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Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2014 10:24 am
Patient? He could not help but laugh at that. Never in his life had Jack been accused of patience. There were, however, more examples to the contrary than he could remember. He suspected Gibbs would be more than happy to list them off all afternoon, given the opportunity. "Think nothing of it," he told her. Jack certainly saw no reason to make a fuss over common courtesy. Or rather, what he perceived as such.
"I am glad you found this bit of hope," he added, though hearing the news himself, he was not certain she would be entirely happy with what she found in the end. If her brother really was alive, then the odds were high that he had joined with the pirates.
"But learning such things will do you no good if you are attacked while defenseless yourself." He could not bring himself to upset her so much as to tell her she might have been killed or worse. Kit would probably be shocked he was taking the danger Miss Constance had placed herself in so seriously. Well. Perhaps not Kit, but others certainly would be. Spirits knew, he never took danger to himself seriously.
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