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Post by Jordyn on Feb 24, 2014 21:42:41 GMT -5
((Happens after the events of Johnny on the Moor. Open to Marcus Blackwater, Tony the Razor, Emily Wilson and NPC peeps.))
Emily sighed as she reached the Ranger cabin, and she realized that she was out of the castle. She should be happy. She should be celebrating! But with a travel buddy? She sighed again as a horse neighed and she went over to it. "I hope your hungry." She said, pulling out an apple. She held it out to the horse, who gently took it from her. Behind her, a door opened, letting out a distorted shaft of light. "Emily Wilson, King's Ranger. With orders from Crowley for Marcus Blackwater."
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Post by Brandwyn on Mar 3, 2014 22:34:28 GMT -5
Marcus poked his head out his front door trying to see what Spirit was making such a fuss about. He saw a small, nicely built woman with pale redish hair wearing a ranger cloak and a silver oak leaf on a chain around her neck. Marcus couldn't recall meeting her before, though he probably had at some Ranger Gathering in the past.
"Emily Wilson, King's Ranger. With orders from Crowley for Marcus Blackwater."
Marcus raised an eyebrow in surprise. He hadn't been expecting any new orders from Crowley already. But his face broke into a grin and he held the door open for her, "Well come on in then, Miss Emily Wilson, King's Ranger, and make yourself at home," he said with a bow and a flourish of his hand. He didn't figure Rick would mind if he offered Rick's home to the ranger for the time being. "I am Marcus Blackwater, also a King's Ranger by happy circumstance," he said with a grin, "but you can call me Marc if you prefer."
"So what's Ole Crowley want now?" Marcus asked as he bustled around the hearth and the kitchen, fixing a cup of coffee each for them. "I only just got back here and I was hoping to get some time to spend with Ranger Greenriver, my old mentor."
He handed her the mug of coffee, then reaslized he hadn't even asked her preference. "Would you like a cup of coffee, or would you prefer tea?" He looked around at the various herbs hanging from the ceiling in the kitchen drying out. "I could whip you up just about any flavor tea you like."
When the issue of the drinks were settled he sat down across from Emily and asked, "Have we met before? I don't recall seeing you at a Gathering and I am fairly certain I would remember a pretty face like yours." He cocked his head to one side and tried to recall her face from anywhere, but there was nothing. "I thought I knew most all of the rangers," he said thoughtfully and then ammended that in his head, 'at least most of the girls anyway.'
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Post by Jordyn on Mar 3, 2014 23:23:32 GMT -5
Emily looked at the floor and sighed. "Truth be told, I don't go to the Gatherings. His Majesty forbids it." She looked at the door, opening she hadn't been followed. She pulled out the orders from Crowley and handed it to the man next to her. "He wants us to go after Tony the Razor. Supposedly, he's the one who kidnapped the King. He wants us to find him, but not take him down. Though I am completely sure that didn't mean that we die in the attempt." She shook her head as a cold feeling rushed over her, and she took a sip of her coffee.
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Post by Brandwyn on Mar 5, 2014 23:30:21 GMT -5
"His Majesty forbids it?" Marcus repeated in surprise before he realized it was rather rude to enquire further. "Sorry, it's just that was the last thing I expected you to say." Marcus smiled sheepishly. "That's a shame though, that you haven't been to a Gathering," he explained. "It is usually one great party. A brief vacation when we can all relax and let our hair down," he joked.
Marcus wondered why King Duncan would not let her attend a gathering. Perhaps she was royalty - or a child of his that wasn't born from his Queen and he didn't want anyone to know her. All sorts of things came to his mind, each a little more far-fetched than the last.
She pulled out the orders from Crowley and handed it to the man next to her. "He wants us to go after Tony the Razor. Supposedly, he's the one who kidnapped the King. He wants us to find him, but not take him down. Though I am completely sure that didn't mean that we die in the attempt."
Marcus broke the seal on the parchment and unfolded it. "Tony the Razor... I think I may have heard of him from Rick," he said as he scanned the orders from Crowley. A look of irritation flitted across his face. He was hopeing to get some time here to see Lady Olivia, but that wasn't going to happen now it seemed. He sighed in resignation. A ranger's life was never his own, though it appeared as if he had a lot of freedom. Rangers were always on call - always on duty and always under orders. But then so were knights and probably even diplomats for all Marcus knew. It was a good thing he loved his job.
"So how's Crowley think we are supposed to find a pirate?" Marcus mused, tossing the orders onto the table. "It's not exactly easy to find a ship in the open ocean."
"You start by looking at the ports." A voice behind Marcus stated. "Didn't I teach you anything about conducting investigations?"
"Rick!" Marcus jumped up and gave the tall, wiry ranger a big bear hug. "Rick this is Emily-"
"Wilson." Rick Greenriver finished. "Yes, I know. Crowley has mentioned her." Rick held out his hand to her. "Nice to meet you in person, Emily. Did Crowley pair you up with this scaliwag?" Rick eyed his former apprentice with a raised eyebrow.
"Hey! I'm not a scaliwag!" Marcus said with a hurt tone. He quickly changed the subject though. "What was that you said about checking out the ports?"
Rick sighed as he hung his bow and arrows by the door and poured himself a cup of coffee and sat down in his favorite chair by the fire. "I am beginning to think that silver leaf around your neck was a bit pre-mature." He pointed to Marc's symbol that declared him a full ranger. "I was saying that you go to the ports and you ask sailors and bar owners about Tony the Razor. Or you could ask me."
Marcus eyed Rick warily. "Okay, I'll bite," said Marcus, "Do you know where we can find Tony the Razor?"
"No idea." said Greenriver with a grin. Marcus contemplated shoving the last breadfast pie into Rick's face. "But I do know a little about the pirate." he said.
"He is from Toscano and wanted in several countries in the area." Rick explained. "I believe Teutlandt officials are seeking his death and he has allies in Skandia and now in Gaulica, though until recently he was outlawed there too." Rick answered. "I believe he is actually Toscano royalty. But he committed some piracy against certain Toscano nobles and got himself banished for his troubles." Rick took a sip of the hot coffee. "He was involved in the war with Aslavia and they want his head. It is belived that he was responsible for killing the King's guards and then actually kidnapping the King."
Marcus sat there for a few minutes digesting this information. He turned to look at Emily, "Now would be a good time to ask my old mentor here any questions you might have." Marcus suggested. His mind was a blank for the moment because he was trying to make sure he didn't forget anything Rick said.
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Post by Jordyn on Mar 5, 2014 23:35:12 GMT -5
Emily glared at Rick. She remembered him from somewhere, but didn't know where. "Nice to meet you, too."She said, suddenly tense. "So, besides being a pirate, is there anything else we should be wary of? Weapons, gang, that sort of thing?" She looked at Marcus. "And can I talk to you after you explain my question, Rick? Alone?"
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Post by Brandwyn on Mar 7, 2014 21:40:21 GMT -5
Rick gazed thoughtfully into the fire for a moment, trying to recall everything he could about Tony the Razor. "I can't say that I really like him all that much, but he did keep his word, and he got us all off that island." Rick mused and then looked up at Marcus who was staring at him with his mouth open.
"You mean you actually know a pirate?" Marcus exclaimed, "Personally?"
"Not that personally," Rick shot back and Marcus rolled his eyes at him. "Okay, if you both have time, I will tell you how I know Tony the Razor." Rick settled back in his chair. "About four years ago, right after I picked up Tam as my apprentice, we were crossing the ocean on our way back from Gaulica when a storm hit and our ship got caught up in the gale," he began his tale.
"We were in that storm for a good three days, or so they tell me. I was so seasick I couldn't tell up from down let alone day from night." Rick shuddered and even looked a little green around the gills. "We were carried far out of the shipping lanes, hundreds of miles to the south. The mast had gone during the storm and taken a bit of the ship with it." He was looking into the flames again. "We were taking on water, but it was night then and we couldnt see how bad it was."
"We were adrift in the current with no sail. It wasn't the type of ship that had oars, so we had no way of sailing anywhere," he continued. "And then, in the dead of a very dark night, the ship suddenly lurched and we heard a horrible splintering sound as the keel plowed into some rocks." Rick took a sip of his coffee to calm himself, remembering that terrible night and the sound the ship made as it died upong the cold, jagged lava rocks. "The ship started sinking and we had to abandon it, but lucky for us, she'd run aground on a barrier reef of a decent sized volocanic island. Most of us made it to shore, though there were injuries."
Marcus interupted, "I never knew that happened to you, but what's it got to do with the pirate? Was it his ship?"
Rick shook his head, "No, not his ship that crashed. Tony's ship was the one that rescued us." Rick explained. "But not before he nearly killed me." Rick remembered the rough treatment he'd gotten at the hands of the pirate and his crew. "But I was getting to that part," he admonished Marcus.
"So anyway, we landed on this island and spent a while there before we discover there are pirates moored on the other side. So we sneak over to see what our options were. Unfortunately things went south and some of us were captured and so the pirates found out we were there." Rick scowled. "They didn't care much for me and I didn't give them much of a reason to start liking me, either. Anyway, The captain of the pirate ship was none other than Tony the Razor and he happened to know those waters pretty well."
Rick shook his head, remembering details. "Eventually we struck up a deal and he ferried home all of those that were shipwrecked - for a small fortune." Rick's fortune, to be exact. Rick had paid the pirate all of his hidden savings to get all the people back to Araluen. It had been all the extra pay Rick had been saving up for years, but he felt it was worth it. The alternative of leaving the people there had not been acceptable.
"So, yeah, I know him, and I am sure he remembers me. I wouldn't go telling him you used to be my apprentice though. He doesn't like rangers much at all, and me less than most." Rick grins then, remembering that he'd also given Tony a hard time before the pirates had captured him. "I can also tell you that, though he doesn't have a gang, exactly, he does have a crew and that crew is fiercly loyal to him, most of them anyway."
"They have the usual weapons; swords, scimitars, those big fish hooks, and he has some heavy duty harpoons mounted on the ship," Rick remembered. "He has a soft spot for women, and though I don't care for him because he is a pirate, as pirates go, he seems to be a decent guy. He does a lot of legitamate trading, but also carries illegal or stolen goods, I am fairly certain. Oh, and his first mate, Mortimer, is very good with knives. In fact, each of his crew have their own unique special skills and they work well together as a team when the ship or crew is threatened." Rick rubbed his eyes.
"I guess that is about all I can recall about him," he finished. "Does that answer your question?" he asked Emily.
Marcus looked at her too, "I guess we can talk alone." He looked around and then decided his old apprentice room aught to give them enough privacy. "Is Tam in there?" he asked.
Rick shook his head, "No, he is off on a mission right now. Go ahead and use the room."
Marcus motioned to Emily to follow him as he opened the door to Tam's bedroom and stepped inside.
"What did you want to talk about?" he asked Emily.
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Post by Jordyn on Mar 7, 2014 22:43:42 GMT -5
"What did you want to talk about?" Emily sighed and gathered her thoughts. She mentally debated telling him her fears but she knew where suppressing went. "I think I know Rick from some where." She said. "I just don't remember where." She shook her head. "But let's stay off of that. I have enough people reminding me about my past. Anyway," She said, deliberately changing the subject. "We need a plan. This Tony the Razor character sounds like bad news. If something goes wrong, I want you to promise to let me handle it. Not that I want to morther-hen you, it's th at I know you have a family and they'd be devastated if anything happened to you. Including Olivia. No doubt she thinks I gonna steal you from her, but I'm not." She sighed and closed her eyes for a second. "So, what do you say?"
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Post by Brandwyn on Mar 16, 2014 21:39:33 GMT -5
"I think I know Rick from some where." She said. "I just don't remember where."
"Well he is up at the castle frequently, so if you have been there, you might have seen him talking to Crowley sometime," suggested Marcus. "He is well-travelled though and knows a lot about herbs and healing, so he gets sent out to help people quite a bit."
She shook her head. "But let's stay off of that. I have enough people reminding me about my past. Anyway," She said, deliberately changing the subject. "We need a plan. This Tony the Razor character sounds like bad news. If something goes wrong, I want you to promise to let me handle it. Not that I want to morther-hen you, it's th at I know you have a family and they'd be devastated if anything happened to you. Including Olivia. No doubt she thinks I gonna steal you from her, but I'm not." She sighed and closed her eyes for a second. "So, what do you say?"
"Steal me?" Marcus eyed her questioningly for a moment trying to figure out how she knew Olivia, and even stranger still, how did she know Marcus liked Olivia? "You know Lady Olivia, the courier?" he asked her. What was she talking about, her trying to steal him from Olivia? Did this mean Olivia confided her feelings to Emily? Marcus blushed a slight bit, feeling a bit uncomfortable that this stranger seemed to know a lot about his private life.
With an effort he focused back on her request to let her handle things. "You want a promise?" he pondered her words for another moment and ran his hand through his hair as he tried to tactfully decline. "Well, I don't think I can promise to let you handle things and not interfere, but I will follow your lead. But if things get sticky I will do whatever needs to be done," he volunteered. "My family knows the risky life I lead and have accepted it. Besides, it won't be the first time I have been in danger and it won't be the last, God willing." His thoughts went back to Olivia and wondered just how upset she would be if something happened to him. "Olivia knows the risks too. It's no worse for her than it is for me when she is out on a courier mission," he reminded Emily. "I worry about her too, but we both signed up for these jobs, so all we can do is make the best of it and pray we will return unharmed at the end of the day."
He could tell Emily probably wasn't going to be too happy with that answer and he didn't want to start off on the wrong foot. "That being said, I will try to let you take most of the risk if that is what you want."
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Post by Jordyn on Mar 17, 2014 15:45:21 GMT -5
Emily nodded silently. She hadn't expected a whole promise to be made, but it made her upset that she couldn't keep him fully out of danger. She sighed and sat down on the bed, putting her head in her hands. She looked at him. "I'm sorry." She said. "Maybe before we head out tomorrow, you should know something about me." She looked around, composing herself. "You may not trust me after I tell you this, and I don't blame you if you want to send me back to the castle. But I have feeling that you might need to know later on. I also think that you know Morgarath-Most people do, after all-but you may not know everything about him. He had one child. That child was born to a serving maid. That child was.....me." She finished lamely. She looked around his face for some kind of reaction. "My mother's last name was Wilson-so people believe-and my dad...well you should know his story by now. That's why I'm not allowed to leave the castle." She took a deep breath.
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Post by Brandwyn on Apr 9, 2014 21:33:21 GMT -5
Marcus leaned against the dresser as she gave him a brief overview of her past. He schooled his features to one of intense interest but was a bit surprised by her relationship to Mogorath, the most famous and loathed traitor to Araluen.
"I bet you've caught a lot of cow dung because of your parentage, haven't you?" Marcus asked. "Do you share your father's views about Araluen and King Duncan?" He asked. His tone of voice was not accusing or judgemental, but merely curious.
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Post by Jordyn on Apr 9, 2014 21:37:45 GMT -5
Emily looked at the ground when Marcus asked his question. "It depends on who your talking to. If 'daddy-dearest'-" She rolled her eyes, "-was still alive he'd say yes. Duncan says yes. Half the corps says yes. But Halt and Crowley don't. And neither do I." She looked up at him. "Oh, and fair warning-I am slightly crazy. And I get nightmares...so, sorry if I wake you on the road.."
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Post by Brandwyn on Apr 9, 2014 22:00:17 GMT -5
"...But Halt and Crowley don't. And neither do I."
"Well if Halt and Crowley have enough confidence in you to make you a ranger, then that's good enough for me." Marcus smiled at her. "I just wanted to hear your answer." Marcus was pretty good at reading people and generally could tell when they were lieing, holding something back or acting. Emily wasn't giving up everything about herself just yet, but he could tell by her attitude that she wasn't trying to take the Crown from Duncan and she was pretty frustrated with having to prove it all the time.
She looked up at him. "Oh, and fair warning-I am slightly crazy. And I get nightmares...so, sorry if I wake you on the road.."
Marcus laughed, "Aren't we all a bit crazy? If we weren't, we would never agree to become rangers in the first place!" he chuckled.
"Besides, I have been told that I snore - of course I don't believe my brother for a minute, or Rick either. They both had ulterier motives for spreading such a viscious rumor - but on the off-chance it's true, then we are even!" he grinned at her.
"Let's just take it one adventure at a time, and see what happens, shall we?" He held out his hand to her to help her up off the bed. "I find that making plans helps minimize risk, but things rarely go according to plan anyway, and worrying about things beyond my control just makes me ill and isn't worth it." He told her. "I think perhaps you carry the worries of the world on your shoulders. Maybe we can work on lightening your load and perhaps even teach you how to enjoy life, yes?" He asked with just the right amount of boyish charm and his lopsided grin.
"Now before we get going," he switched to a more businesslike tone, and lowered his voice, bending down towards her ear, "What can you tell me about Lady Olivia? Perhaps you know; does she snore?" He joked.
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Post by Jordyn on Apr 9, 2014 22:08:07 GMT -5
Emily took his hand, hesitantly. "Lady Oliva?" She asked, looking at him. "She's a good friend of mine." "And you do make a valid point. Besides, I don't have a horse. No way to 'run away' as His Majesty says. And yes, we are even then." She smiled and walked into the front room. "Ok, so, what's the plan? I've never been to a port before, and I've never seen-or been on a ship. Truth be told, I have never ventured far from Castle Araluen..." She looked at the two men, her eyes gleaming with suppressed frustration. "No, the King doesn't let me leave the castle, I have never been to a Gathering, and the only actually seen one ship-and that was a long time ago-" She paused. "So, if you want me to go back to the Castle, I will. But trust me," she went to play her trump card, "Crowley kinda ordered me to do this." She smiled smugly. 'Oh, whoopee! You just made two enemies. Congrats!' The voice in her head whispered. 'Shut up.' She thought, not wanting to show the other Rangers in the room how weak she really was. She moved to sit down on one of the chairs in the room. "So, when do you want to leave?" She asked.
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Post by Brandwyn on Apr 12, 2014 23:01:19 GMT -5
Emily took his hand, hesitantly. "Lady Oliva?" She asked, looking at him. "She's a good friend of mine." "And you do make a valid point. Besides, I don't have a horse. No way to 'run away' as His Majesty says. And yes, we are even then." She smiled and walked into the front room. "Ok, so, what's the plan? I've never been to a port before, and I've never seen-or been on a ship. Truth be told, I have never ventured far from Castle Araluen..."
Marcus glanced at his old mentor for guideance but Rick didn't seem like he was going to take the lead here. Marcus wondered what Crowley was thinking in assigning Emily this task that seemed so unsuited to her skills.
She looked at the two men, her eyes gleaming with suppressed frustration. "No, the King doesn't let me leave the castle, I have never been to a Gathering, and the only actually seen one ship-and that was a long time ago-" She paused. "So, if you want me to go back to the Castle, I will. But trust me," she went to play her trump card, "Crowley kinda ordered me to do this." She smiled smugly.
Well guess it is up to me then,' thought Marcus, 'to get this ball rolling.' He looked at Rick again and noticed the look on his mentor's face. It was that old 'puzzle it out, you're a bright boy' look he used to get on an almost daily basis when he was an apprentice. Marcus shot Rick a dirty look and then paced over to the window thinking. "Well of course we aren't going to send you back to the castle. I mean I have the orders from Crowley here to help you and keep you... errr... safe." He ammended the last bit of Crowley's orders slightly. He was getting nervous and wasn't even sure why. He began to pace faster across the end of the room in front of Tam's door. "We could - no, that won't work... Or maybe - no, that is probably not a good idea either..."
Rick was openly smiling at Marcus now, leaning against the end of the kitchen counter with his arms folded and looking bemused. He still enjoyed putting his apprentice on the spot. He turned and caught Emily's eye and gave her a wink.
Marcus stopped babbling and pacing and turned to face Emily, "Sorry. Just working some things out. I think that if we go as rangers openly we might not find out much about the pirate. People are not going to want to talk to us, especially those that run in his circles," he explained. "Maybe we should go undercover like ... uh," his face flushed a little and he looked down at the floor and rubbed the back of his neck nervously, "well maybe as a married couple travelling the world to see the sites... or..." He wasn't at all sure how Emily would feel about that suggestion.
"Or maybe as merchants, you know, business partners and we are trying to find a captain to hire to move merchandise for us," Marcus said quickly, liking this idea far better. "That could work, couldn't it Rick?"
Rick chuckled at his former apprentice's discomfort. Then he considered Marcus's second idea and found it wasn't such a bad one. "I think it could. It would be plausible. What do you think Emily?" Rick asked her."It would mean you two would need a new wardrobe and we would have to get you some merchandise to take with you. You would need to act like merchants so I suggest studying some, Emily. Marcus's family are merchants so he should feel right at home."
"Yeah, I could even get some of my Dad's woodworking items and take them probably. He would be pleased if I actually brought him back some profit," Marcus grinned, warming up to the idea. "I could coach her on thinking like a merchant."
Marcus began making a mental list of things they would need and stuff to do before they depart. "I would say it will take us two days to prepare and book passage out of here - oh that is going to be expensive and may even take longer what with everyone trying to leave Araluen and the plague behind."
Rick nodded, "It could take longer than that to get passage on a ship." They both turned to Emily to see what she thought of the idea.
"So, when do you want to leave?" She asked.
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Post by Jordyn on Apr 12, 2014 23:52:02 GMT -5
Emily went red slightly under the stares of the Rangers. She wasn't used to actually preparing to do this and she raised her hands up, coming to her feet. "Sorry, I'm used to the behind the desk thing." She said. "And I liked the idea of being merchants. I don't wanna think about being married..Ugh!" She made a disgusted face and laughed quietly. Some of which was true. Being in the castle, she had gotten to know some of the Ladies. Most of whom said that she should get married soon. "A new wardrobe? You mean my usual black won't cut it?" She glanced at her 'travel bag'.
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