Erlewis
Lord of Altera
Thought this might be a possible scenario sometime in the near future... cannot wait until I have a legitimate ship to command... Not really finished, and probably never will be. Hope you enjoy the little bit I got done.
Ayita tapped me on the shoulder. "Sir? You've been working at it all afternoon. Take a break." I frowned, and glanced at my pocketwatch. "Good gods... It's that late already?" Ayita smiled. "Sarah's waiting for us at the Loyal Captain." I looked over my work, and sighed. The map was yielding no further results today. "Alright. You.go on ahead of me, I'll be.right there. She nodded and left, climbing up the ladder that led up and out. I rolled up the map with my notes, and followed. As I climbed onto the main deck, I took a deep breath of the fresh air. A cool.breeze was blowing in from over the ocean. The airship swayed ever so slightly, kept afloat by her baloon. I hopped the short distance between the ship and the dock, looking down to the ocean below. The airdocks stretched up and away from the shore, reaching into the skies. Ladders criss-crossed the walkways, and a few looked like they needed to be replaced. More than a few rungs creaked beneath my boots as I climbed down. Taking a few steps onto the ground made me let out a deep breath. Earthbound. Yet again. The earth had its benefits, but there was nothing like being in the air. I whistled, and Abel swooped down from the trees. The falcon's beak had the remains of some small creature on it still. A mouse, possibly, maybe a vole. He glided down, and alighted on my shoulder. The leather shoulder pad was pushed inward as his claws dug in. I patted his head, and he coughed up a chunk of fat. "Lovely..." I muttered.
Wandering down the paths of Ruby Isle I heard one of the pools gurgling of in The distance. The fleet barracks hid the airdocks from view, and the banner of the Grand Legion of the Valkyrie hung proudly outside. A sign directed newcomers, with large arrows pointing the way to the docks. I reached the shore of Ruby and crossed to Sapphire. Seeing both of the Isles at once made me remember the sailor who had created the towns atop them. Lemarc had not been seen for a few months now. The tree in the center of town, near the old smith's house, seemed to loom over everything. Lemarc had declared that only that tree would never be cut down, for any purpose, and the Isle current inhabitants had held true to that wish. I went along the ocean docks, and stared out at the water, as I headed for the Loyal Sailor. The name of the pub was a bit of an irony, as it was named after Lemarc himself. The proprietors had meant well, meaning to honour the captain and mayor until such time as he decided to return. Pushing the door open, I saw Ayita, Sarah, and another member of the Valkyrie waving at me from one of the tables. A few other citizens of the Isles occupied the pub, along with a few outsiders. A few farmers I recognized were downing large pints of mead simultaneously, as a group of other men cheered them on. A Holy Inquisitor was speaking with an elf at a table by a window, and a Nakat sat in the corner by herself. I sat between Ayita and Sonne, and smiled to Sarah.
"Have you three ordered yet?" Ayita shook her head. "We thought we'd wait for you, sir." I smiled. "You didn't have to do that, but thank you." I waved a waiter over. "Erm... Four plates of carrots, pork, and uh..." I glanced at Sarah and chuckled. She was being very quiet, as usual. Only a few things brought her out of her shell, and one was alcohol. "And four small glasses of melon ale." I said, chuckling. Sonne waved his hand. "Make that a medium, for me." I raised an eyebrow. "Bad day?" He shrugged. "Sophia was quite a handful today. Some days she's alright, but others..." I nodded. "I know what you mean." He leaned forward, resting his arms on the table. "So what is it that makes the Gemstone.melons alcoholic? I never understood that." Sarah frowned. "Isn't it the soil, or something?" Ayita nodded. "The water from the pools has a substance in it that ferments, and it seeps into the soil." I chuckled. "However it happens... You get a watermelon that gets you drunk!" Sonne chuckled. "Very, very easily." Sarah muttered, we laughed. She had had an unfortunate encounter with the Gemstone melons before. I leaned back, feeling my back already cramping up. "Ugh... Sitting in a chair all day is not good for you." I groaned. Ayita sighed. "I told you a dozen times to get up and move around! It doesn't help you being stuck in a tiny cabin for the whole time as well!" Sarah nodded, and I shrugged. Sonne suggested a walk afterwards, which I quickly agreed to.
I thanked him, and paid then, rather than forgetting later. I included a generous tip, and the waiter walked away with a bit more of a spring in his step. Ayita struck up a conversation with Sonne about Sophia, while I crunched down on a carrot. I undid a few buttons on my uniform, and sighed, glad to have a chance to loosen up. My research was still swirling around in my head when Sarah shuffled her chair over. A memory went through my mind of when we first met. Before I go any further, let me say that Sarah is one of the most elegant, beautiful people I've ever met. She has long hair, somewhere between dirty blond and light brown. Her blue eyes are sharp, and very intelligent looking, but often hidden behind hee hair. Even in uniform, she reminds me of a princess. And then I found out Ayita was her girlfriend. This amusing memory floated through my mind as Sarah asked what I had been working on all day. I had half-assumed Ayita would have told her, but I explained. "I've been trying to figure out where Malarkey's hideout is. He's very clever about keeping it hidden. Every time he heads back there, no matter who tails him, he always loses them. But I think, based on various trajectories and possibilities, I think I can determine where he is. Unfortunately the answer has evaded me so far..." Sarah nodded, frowning. "Would it... would it be alright if I came by and looked over the charts tomorrow?" I nodded. "Of course, but I want to be up in the air by the day after."
Sarah smiled. "We can't be in the air every second. You have to rest every now and again." I sighed. "But then who'll watch the skies for us?" She shook her head, still smiling and began listening to Ayita and Sonne's conversation. I finished off the carrot, and started in on the ham, leaving the melon ale for last. A lot of people find the melon ale much too strong, and even too sweet. It's an acquired taste, I guess.
Ayita tapped me on the shoulder. "Sir? You've been working at it all afternoon. Take a break." I frowned, and glanced at my pocketwatch. "Good gods... It's that late already?" Ayita smiled. "Sarah's waiting for us at the Loyal Captain." I looked over my work, and sighed. The map was yielding no further results today. "Alright. You.go on ahead of me, I'll be.right there. She nodded and left, climbing up the ladder that led up and out. I rolled up the map with my notes, and followed. As I climbed onto the main deck, I took a deep breath of the fresh air. A cool.breeze was blowing in from over the ocean. The airship swayed ever so slightly, kept afloat by her baloon. I hopped the short distance between the ship and the dock, looking down to the ocean below. The airdocks stretched up and away from the shore, reaching into the skies. Ladders criss-crossed the walkways, and a few looked like they needed to be replaced. More than a few rungs creaked beneath my boots as I climbed down. Taking a few steps onto the ground made me let out a deep breath. Earthbound. Yet again. The earth had its benefits, but there was nothing like being in the air. I whistled, and Abel swooped down from the trees. The falcon's beak had the remains of some small creature on it still. A mouse, possibly, maybe a vole. He glided down, and alighted on my shoulder. The leather shoulder pad was pushed inward as his claws dug in. I patted his head, and he coughed up a chunk of fat. "Lovely..." I muttered.
Wandering down the paths of Ruby Isle I heard one of the pools gurgling of in The distance. The fleet barracks hid the airdocks from view, and the banner of the Grand Legion of the Valkyrie hung proudly outside. A sign directed newcomers, with large arrows pointing the way to the docks. I reached the shore of Ruby and crossed to Sapphire. Seeing both of the Isles at once made me remember the sailor who had created the towns atop them. Lemarc had not been seen for a few months now. The tree in the center of town, near the old smith's house, seemed to loom over everything. Lemarc had declared that only that tree would never be cut down, for any purpose, and the Isle current inhabitants had held true to that wish. I went along the ocean docks, and stared out at the water, as I headed for the Loyal Sailor. The name of the pub was a bit of an irony, as it was named after Lemarc himself. The proprietors had meant well, meaning to honour the captain and mayor until such time as he decided to return. Pushing the door open, I saw Ayita, Sarah, and another member of the Valkyrie waving at me from one of the tables. A few other citizens of the Isles occupied the pub, along with a few outsiders. A few farmers I recognized were downing large pints of mead simultaneously, as a group of other men cheered them on. A Holy Inquisitor was speaking with an elf at a table by a window, and a Nakat sat in the corner by herself. I sat between Ayita and Sonne, and smiled to Sarah.
"Have you three ordered yet?" Ayita shook her head. "We thought we'd wait for you, sir." I smiled. "You didn't have to do that, but thank you." I waved a waiter over. "Erm... Four plates of carrots, pork, and uh..." I glanced at Sarah and chuckled. She was being very quiet, as usual. Only a few things brought her out of her shell, and one was alcohol. "And four small glasses of melon ale." I said, chuckling. Sonne waved his hand. "Make that a medium, for me." I raised an eyebrow. "Bad day?" He shrugged. "Sophia was quite a handful today. Some days she's alright, but others..." I nodded. "I know what you mean." He leaned forward, resting his arms on the table. "So what is it that makes the Gemstone.melons alcoholic? I never understood that." Sarah frowned. "Isn't it the soil, or something?" Ayita nodded. "The water from the pools has a substance in it that ferments, and it seeps into the soil." I chuckled. "However it happens... You get a watermelon that gets you drunk!" Sonne chuckled. "Very, very easily." Sarah muttered, we laughed. She had had an unfortunate encounter with the Gemstone melons before. I leaned back, feeling my back already cramping up. "Ugh... Sitting in a chair all day is not good for you." I groaned. Ayita sighed. "I told you a dozen times to get up and move around! It doesn't help you being stuck in a tiny cabin for the whole time as well!" Sarah nodded, and I shrugged. Sonne suggested a walk afterwards, which I quickly agreed to.
I thanked him, and paid then, rather than forgetting later. I included a generous tip, and the waiter walked away with a bit more of a spring in his step. Ayita struck up a conversation with Sonne about Sophia, while I crunched down on a carrot. I undid a few buttons on my uniform, and sighed, glad to have a chance to loosen up. My research was still swirling around in my head when Sarah shuffled her chair over. A memory went through my mind of when we first met. Before I go any further, let me say that Sarah is one of the most elegant, beautiful people I've ever met. She has long hair, somewhere between dirty blond and light brown. Her blue eyes are sharp, and very intelligent looking, but often hidden behind hee hair. Even in uniform, she reminds me of a princess. And then I found out Ayita was her girlfriend. This amusing memory floated through my mind as Sarah asked what I had been working on all day. I had half-assumed Ayita would have told her, but I explained. "I've been trying to figure out where Malarkey's hideout is. He's very clever about keeping it hidden. Every time he heads back there, no matter who tails him, he always loses them. But I think, based on various trajectories and possibilities, I think I can determine where he is. Unfortunately the answer has evaded me so far..." Sarah nodded, frowning. "Would it... would it be alright if I came by and looked over the charts tomorrow?" I nodded. "Of course, but I want to be up in the air by the day after."
Sarah smiled. "We can't be in the air every second. You have to rest every now and again." I sighed. "But then who'll watch the skies for us?" She shook her head, still smiling and began listening to Ayita and Sonne's conversation. I finished off the carrot, and started in on the ham, leaving the melon ale for last. A lot of people find the melon ale much too strong, and even too sweet. It's an acquired taste, I guess.
