The Drunk Elf Pirates and the Quest for the Wine-thieves

[Acalewia]

Megil: *still frowning* he didn't threaten your manhood. *Oak Leaf joins them in the brig* O look the whole happy party from the beach is here. *shouts after Eresse* Tell Rana she's in for it when I get out of here!

[Grey_Wolf]

GIII: "Hey, Rana baby, wanna join me in foray into the jungle. I feel like doing some hunting."

[Elfmaster XK]

EXK was still in her cabin. She was brooding. Willow had stolen the wine. But claimed she didn't have it now. That meant she'd either lost it, it had been stolen again, or she was lying. EXK went over to her hammock and picked up the bottle of rum that was lying next to it, when suddenly, she recalled Jack. Hw had he gotten in here? Well, that was obvious there were no watches. Normall EXK would lock her door, but this time she had not. For the simple reason that she was distracted. She had to make sure the ship was correctly handled and with so many new crewmen...well. She sighed, as Eärniel entered the room.

Eärniel: Captain, the intruders have been rounded up and put in the brig.

XK: Good. The crew?

Eärniel: All accounted for, and all outside on the beach where they belong. Except for Koroush. I'm not sure where he is.

XK: Pottering about the ship I would imagine. We need to get those useless idiots that call themselves a crew to help him instead of wasting time.

Eärniel: Aye. XK, what about Willow? She must know where the wine is.

XK: Aye, she must. Which means we'll need to talk to her again.

Eärniel: Do you think she's telling the truth, about...you know...the wine stealing thing?

XK: I don't know. And to be honest with ye mate, it don't really matter. All I', concerned with, is gettin it back.

The captain nodded towards the door and Eärniel turned and led the way out. XK carefully locked her cabin and the two of them walked through the ship and to the beach, where most of the crew were sitting around a fire. There was light on the horizon, the sun would soon be up. Scanning the area, XK noticed Flannery was no where to be seen. He must already be below deck. That meant she'd have to sort out an exploration party without him having scouted. Nevermind.

XK: Crewmen. Where is GIII?

Rana: Oh he wandered off into the trees. Something about hunting.

XK: I see. Well, for when he returns whoever sees him first tells him if he wanders off without telling an officer again, he'll be swabbing the decks without meals for a week.

Eresse: Aye.

Eärniel: You never know...he might bring back something for breakfast.

XK: He might. Or, they could help themselves to the supplies. We've got plenty of food. Everyone, make sure you eat something, keep up yer strengths, then Eresse and Rana, you go and see if you can find anything nearby worth havin.

XK nods at Eärniel and they turn to leave, but Eärniel looks back to speak.

Eärniel: Hmm. Sava and Sharkbait, watch the camp. Dick, with us. Oh, if anyone sees Koroush, tell him we need to talk to him.

Then they return to the ship, the three of them heading for the brig. Time for XK and Eärniel to talk to the prisoners. And to find out more about the wine from Willow.

[Lady Willow Rose]

Eresse and Rana marched out to explore the island. Well, maybe marched isn't the correct term. Meandered out to explore the island would be more correct.

Eresse: So...

Rana: You're going to ask about the loser I tried to castrate, aren't you?

Eresse: Yes, actually. What is the story there?

Rana: What's the story with your twin?

Eresse: Point taken.

[The last sane person]

*Kor had made himself some grub from the galley and went back to work, refitting the hull and general damage repair. He cast a critical eye over his work on the gunnery deck and found it to be more than satisfactory. He lit a lantern and went back down into the hull, inspecting the damage*

Kor: *Whistles* Glory be! When was the last time this poor old thing had been repaired? Flannery!

Flannery: *Comes down* Yes?

Kor: I need a hand. This is just too much for me to do on my own. The gunnery deck was bad enough, but this hull needs more than just me. Sarin did do some damage before I could catch him. Besides, it's dawn now, might as well spend some time in the dark.

Flannery: *Nods* I think I can help; I'm not a total spaz with a hammer.

Kor: Good, I'll go check on our lumber supplies and get the tools. Hopefully I can convince the Cap'n to let us get a work gang from the brig brids.

Flannery: *Grins* and perhaps you might want pitch to her a plan to enlarge the brig, we have some spare Iron salvaged from the other ships we've sunk.

*Kor laughs then heads above decks to search out his lumber and the cap'n twirling his hammer in his hands as if it were a gun*

Kor: Do de do de doo.... *he comes out into the dawn light and finds Cap'n EXK, Earniel and Dick, he waves them down* Hi-o! Cap'n, have updates on the progress to the ship, would ye like to cast an eye over her?

EXK: Excellent, how are we doing?

Kor: Pretty well, I must say. Never thought I could do it all, but I am. Gunnery deck not only finished, but re-enforced, most of the water damage in the cargo bay fixed, only a few things to do, then water proof it, but that's easy, only a day at most. Major fixing needs to be done on your hull and parts of the holds. Maybe a full day's work done on careening the vessel, if I can get help.

Earniel: How long in total?

Kor: Eh, a week? I cant work much faster without doing shoddy work, and that just makes things worse. Anyway I can convince you to let me whip these lazy boned crew into helpin? It dont matter if they are carpenters, I just need the muscle power, I'll do all the complex work.

EXK: That is still too long, four to five? if you can whip the crew into it, and you have permission, how long might it take?

Kor: *thinks for a bit* If I get the lot of em? Only two, we can have a crew for the hold, crew for the back end of the cargo bay...But we have to repair the hull before we careen...Hmm, but that can be done fast with lots of hands...Oh, two-three days, if we start presently. I'll have her up and out pacing the fish!

[Grey_Wolf]

GIII came back after a while. Over his shoulder he dragged a liana in which he had tied a gasellle.

[Earniel]

Eärniel: Incidentally, Koroush, just where did you put Willow? I can't help but noticing when we passed by that our rather full brig seems to be lacking a faery...

[Huorn]

Oak Leaf: The little Tree finds and corner and eyes Jack. She makes sure she is the farthest from him as possible. She notices everyone is the brig is the same crowd that was one the beach. Her eyes turn to Enelya, the Elf from the Beach. She looks just like Eresse except that she is wearing glasses. She tilts her crown to one side. She had never encounter two people that looked exactly the same before. Her ear branches flick curiously.
"You look like Eresse. How that so?"

[Grey_Wolf]

GIII brings forth his special skinning knife and begins to skin the gaselle. After a while he's thru and carefully cuts the animal in easily manageble pieces.

Then he lights a fire over which he carefully roasts the meat.

[Acalewia]

*Rana and Eresse walk a little ways without a word*

Rana: I'll tell you if you tell me the story bout your twin.

[Lady Marion Magdalena]

Kor: I locked her in my quarters, as that is one of the few berths on this ship with functioning locks. Either that or your quarters...No worries though, I've padlocked everything, and all my tools are iron.

Earniel: Ah, she has a thing against Iron. *sternly* Are you sure she is secure?

Kor: Aye ma'am, she is secure as can be. Being a good lil faerie, probably out cold by now though. And I got Flannery watchin her, same as me when ever we come up, just to check.

Earniel: *relents* It's on your head if its otherwise.

*They pass the brig and Kor does a double-take upon seeing Oak Leaf*

Kor: Aye, oh, which reminds me... Is that a tree in the brig?

Earniel: That would be an ent...

Kor: *nods uncomprehendingly* After seeing our luck with strays, permission to enlarge the brig?

[Lady Willow Rose]

Enelya gently patted Oak Leaf's leafy branch.

Enelya: Eresse and I are twins, Oak Leaf. Born from the same mother at the same time. Well, nearly. She came out first.

_________________________

Eresse: Basically, my mother was wandering around in the woods and stumbled upon my father's rum village. She had never had rum before and all the villagers considered this a grave sin. My father gave her as much rum as she could possibly hold within her body and then they slept together.

Rana: Not terribly romantic.

Eresse: What good is romance if you never get any?

Rana: Um...

Eresse: Anyway, my mother had to stay in the village while she was pregnant with Enelya and me. She eventually grew to hate the place. After she birthed us, she took Enelya and fled the village.

Rana: Why didn't she take both of you?

Eresse: Probably wanted to repay the villagers.

[Acalewia]

Rana: Uh huh. That loser's name is Megil. And we were betrothed.

*Eresse raises a brow*

Eresse: Betrothed. He doesn't seem like the kind a woman would want to marry.

Rana: I learned the hard way. I never liked him. My father and his father were friends. Megil's father tricked my father into allowing the betrothal by saying he caught us together.

Eresse: I take it you weren't

Rana: We weren't. Megil is a controling bloody coward. I left about five years ago to get away from him. *smiles* Spent two years as an honest sailor and the rest as a pirate. And I hope the Cap'n decides to make Megil sharkfood. It would suit him well.

[Lady Willow Rose]

Eresse grins

Eresse: Good to see you aren't bitter.

[Acalewia]

*Rana laughs*

[Grey_Wolf]

GIII, after having shared his kill with the rest of the crew, set about helping them with the repairs and other shipboard assignments.

[Elfmaster XK]

Meanwhile...out across the misty waters lurked a ship. The Wraak. To some, a little something would tingle in the backs of their minds when they heard its captain's name. But that was not yet. And the crew of the Nance-a-lot did carry on unawares with their duties.

The Wraak drifted quietly towards a small island, where blue and purple elves run amok. But their captain was a mighty fierce man, and ugly to boot. So the elves cowered before him...well, mainly before his guns. And they did tell of a ship that passed through here not long gone. With a female captain and mate.

"They rescued the prisoners from the island and took away rum for loot," said the Shaman of the Blue tribe.

"And what be their names?" Asked Captain Harrow.

"I don't know sir? I heard only the name Erenel, or Eirenel, or Eärniel."

"Aye..." Captain Harrow said, stroking his mangy beard. "AVAST!" He cried, and his crew jumped to attention. "Which way did they head?"

"That way!" The shaman pointed and the captain grinned, his teeth all blackened from..well. Never brushing them I'd imagine. But black they were, and foul as the man himself. He nodded, and turned away from the tribe, letting them be because of the information they gave.

"Set a course Harlequin, I smell revenge. Ha ha ha haaaarrrr!!"

And with that, the Wraak set sail, following in wake of the unknowing Nance-a-lot.

[Butterbeer]

*As Kor & Earniel passed the heaving brig expertly raising synchronised eyebrows at the tree / Ent and the raucous singing and dancing, there was a merry cheer!*

Jack could smell roasting meat and peeping through the small hole he'd made he whistled ...

The debonair Hunter/ cook on the beach turning his spit completely managed to look the wrong way.

Jack whistled again .... dashing he may be but no bleedin sense of direction noted jack surreptiously whistling yet again - even louder!

Jack took a small stone off the brig floor and hurled it at the hunter ...
*Crack*

Jack: *shouting now* "Ere' mate ...someone's throwing stones at yeh ... O'er here mate!"

*The tree was by now joining in the singin with some hooming hoomings and the rest of the brig was a cavorting swirl and mix of caleigh and traditional line dancing ...*



..............................

elsewhere in the glorious light of dawn a ship was making meaningful sail - a sinister sense of urgency running through the crew and it's Mangy Merciless captain ... she rode the waves with purpose and sleek efficient intent ... a dangerous foe was ahead of them ...


......................................

*Meanwhile Back on the Nance A Lot they were arguing about the best Morris dancing technique down in the brig ...

[Grey_Wolf]

GIII felt the stone hit his calf and in his periferial vision saw were it had come from. He stood up and by a circumferential route approached the ship and the place from which the stone had come.

"Ok, mate, what do you want? No sense of direction, eh?. No, just a tad careful in not wanting blow the whistle on your Peeping-Tom hole."

[Lady Marion Magdalena]

Willow was growing more and more irritated by the moment. Had she not been a prisoner herself, she would have immediately gone down to the brig and silenced its noisy residents. Their arguing, singing and general chatter had woken her from the first real sleep she had achieved since escaping the Sea Flame.
It had been difficult falling asleep in the first place, for despite being exhausted, she was also hungry, sore and very worried; But did they have the courtesy to be quiet and not upset the Captain further? No! Of course they bloody well wouldn't...
She groaned and rolled onto her stomach, holding her wings out flat, and pulled the pillow down over her ears in an attempt to block out the noise. Xen wouldn't stay furious enough to go without questioning her about the whereabouts of the Wine for long and admitting just how seriously she had misjudged wasn't something Willow wanted to do while annoyed and feeling already half-dead.