StruggleBusNotHere
New Member
“The Governor is drunk already.”
The words floated in over Rosabella’s bare shoulder, causing her to tear her vibrant green eyes away from the nearby neatly decorated table that was heavily laden with various cakes, pies, creams, fruits, and custards. She glanced towards the direction that the words had come from, letting her gaze fall upon the one familiar face she had at a banquet filled with strangers who were dressed in their finest garb, in celebration of a historic moment for the island that they called home.
Catching the eye of the older man who bore a scared and weathered face, she offered him a wan smile of her own, before finally turning to fully look upon him,
“I cannot say I blame ‘im. I do not have to dance in the halls of politics er’ry day, yet I still yearn for me rum. I’m a wee bit jealous of ‘im right now; if I’m honest.” She said to her companion, who rolled his eyes with a sigh, and ran his hand down his face in palpable exasperation. His gesture only caused the fiery red-head’s grin to widen further, clearly pleased at the fact that the man’s patience was so easily tested.
The man shook his head, dropping his hand instead to straighten the white ruffled shirt he wore,
“There is rum on the ship, Rosie. Hacker sent you here for a task. Pull your head from the clouds and focus, will you?” His tone came out slightly on the firmer side, clearly wishing that she would pull herself together and take their mission on land seriously. If they messed this up…Hacker was not known for his mercy.
Rosabella laughed and waved the man’s words away, her demeanor more than a little relaxed, as she caught the eyes of various men as they walked by, casting sultry stares in their direction out of the corner of her eye. She was clearly enjoying the attention, even if she kept herself reigned in…mostly,
“Oh yer always so stuffy, Bruce! It’s not oft that we get to come on land, enjoy it while it lasts! Besides…have you even laid yer eyes on the mark yet?” She queried, finally straightening the skirts of the dress that she wore. It was simple in nature, yet finer than most clothes she had found herself wearing in quite a long time. The seas were no place for velvets, gossamer, chiffon, or lace. It had been the easiest thing for her to lift in short notice, and she was supremely lucky that life on a ship had left her fit and shapely, for her figure drew attention from the plainness of her attire. It was naught more than a normal black dress with a black bodice, but with her curls pulled up and out of her face, and the way the material hugged her curves and displayed the fullness of her chest, she felt more alluring than ever.
Despite the fact that her clothes were a bit…out-of-place, among the well-dressed island crowd milling about, she did not seem to be worried in the slightest. She knew better than most that the more that men fell into the bottle, the less they seemed to care about the details. Men *always* missed the details. It was one of the few reasons she was still able to walk the earth, even to this day.
Bruce sighed again, but this time, it was not laced in annoyance, but more near-defeat as he looked away from her and instead over the stunningly decorated courtyard. It was filled wall to wall with citizens all awaiting both news from their Governor, and the celebrations to truly begin after his words. He reached up a calloused hand, one that was sporting a missing ring finger, and he ran it through his shaggy black locks,
“No, not yet. I’ve only managed to find out the name. The Diplomat is named ‘Kaiden’, and he ought to be around here somewhere.” He answered, his voice gruff with lamentation.
It was only a moment later that a hushed whisper fell over the crowd, and both Rosie and Bruce turned their attention to where everyone else was looking. In the front of the Courtyard, with Naval Guards flanking on either side, they watched as the Governor took to a raised platform. It was nearly time.
The man was portly, sweaty, and red-faced, his salt-and-pepper hair matted to his temples as rivulets of sweat poured down his cheeks. While no one could deny the heat and humidity of the island, most were fine with the gentle, briny sea breeze the floated up from the shores when the sun went down. It was more apparent then ever, that the Governor had been celebrating much earlier than everyone else. He cleared his throat, swaying ever so slightly on his feet, as he looked out into the crowd before him,
“Thank you all, thank you all, for joining me this fine evening! I hope, *hic*, that you all find yourself well-fed, and well-drank, for we have spared no expense. We would like you to indulge, and celebrate with us, a momentous point in time for Carmen’s Cay. Tonight, *hic*, we are welcoming a new guest to the island, a man who has spent some time here for the past few days, negotiating a new trade route between our island, and the one he hails from. This new deal, will triple the revenue of the Cay, allowing us to both reinforce the docks at the seas, and, to lower taxes for you fine people.” The Governor paused here, reaching into his pocket, and withdrawing a folded piece of yellowed parchment, holding it up into the torchlight, for all to see.
The crowd began to murmur amongst themselves, the energy in the air so thick one could cut it with a blade. There were nods of approval, and hopeful looks exchanged between the islanders. For some, the news of lowered taxes meant more food on their tables each night, and less stress, while for others, for those who had lost men and sons to the failing docks on the beaches, the news meant that their pleas had been heard. Either way, the Governor had the crowd’s rapt attention, and most wore the faintest of smiles upon their lips.
Rosabella couldn’t help but snort quietly, and roll her eyes, as she leaned her lips in close to Bruce’s ear,
“They’re eating up ‘is words…they really believe tha’s where the extra money is going to go. Poor bastards.” She murmured to the Shipmate that she had come to look up to, and trust, over her years on the ocean. The man did not acknowledge her, instead, merely putting a finger to his lips to signal to her to be quiet; and stay focused.
Sighing, she turned back to the drunk man upon the stage, just as he was beginning again,
“I would like to introduce you all, to Kaiden, from our newest allied island. He will be residing here as we build our vessel, meant to carry sugar cane to his waters for processing into rum. He is overseeing the project, and I know you all will give him a very warm welcome to our island. Kaiden…*hic*…would you please join me up here, with quill and ink in hand, so we might commemorate this deal for eternity?” He asked, unfolding the paper, and holding it up. Though the writing was too small to see, the blank double lines for both signatures, was clear as day at the bottom of the papers.
Rosie sucked in a breath, the lightness leaving her eyes only to be replaced with a look of intense scrutiny instead as she felt Bruce nudge her,
“There they are…the trade route papers…” He whispered to her, only to leave her nodding absently. They were in the Governor’s possession, and she could not lose sight of him now. If they didn’t stay with him, then they would likely be passed to Kaiden for safe keeping, which meant she was one of the crowd that was now waiting with bated breath for the man’s arrival.
The words floated in over Rosabella’s bare shoulder, causing her to tear her vibrant green eyes away from the nearby neatly decorated table that was heavily laden with various cakes, pies, creams, fruits, and custards. She glanced towards the direction that the words had come from, letting her gaze fall upon the one familiar face she had at a banquet filled with strangers who were dressed in their finest garb, in celebration of a historic moment for the island that they called home.
Catching the eye of the older man who bore a scared and weathered face, she offered him a wan smile of her own, before finally turning to fully look upon him,
“I cannot say I blame ‘im. I do not have to dance in the halls of politics er’ry day, yet I still yearn for me rum. I’m a wee bit jealous of ‘im right now; if I’m honest.” She said to her companion, who rolled his eyes with a sigh, and ran his hand down his face in palpable exasperation. His gesture only caused the fiery red-head’s grin to widen further, clearly pleased at the fact that the man’s patience was so easily tested.
The man shook his head, dropping his hand instead to straighten the white ruffled shirt he wore,
“There is rum on the ship, Rosie. Hacker sent you here for a task. Pull your head from the clouds and focus, will you?” His tone came out slightly on the firmer side, clearly wishing that she would pull herself together and take their mission on land seriously. If they messed this up…Hacker was not known for his mercy.
Rosabella laughed and waved the man’s words away, her demeanor more than a little relaxed, as she caught the eyes of various men as they walked by, casting sultry stares in their direction out of the corner of her eye. She was clearly enjoying the attention, even if she kept herself reigned in…mostly,
“Oh yer always so stuffy, Bruce! It’s not oft that we get to come on land, enjoy it while it lasts! Besides…have you even laid yer eyes on the mark yet?” She queried, finally straightening the skirts of the dress that she wore. It was simple in nature, yet finer than most clothes she had found herself wearing in quite a long time. The seas were no place for velvets, gossamer, chiffon, or lace. It had been the easiest thing for her to lift in short notice, and she was supremely lucky that life on a ship had left her fit and shapely, for her figure drew attention from the plainness of her attire. It was naught more than a normal black dress with a black bodice, but with her curls pulled up and out of her face, and the way the material hugged her curves and displayed the fullness of her chest, she felt more alluring than ever.
Despite the fact that her clothes were a bit…out-of-place, among the well-dressed island crowd milling about, she did not seem to be worried in the slightest. She knew better than most that the more that men fell into the bottle, the less they seemed to care about the details. Men *always* missed the details. It was one of the few reasons she was still able to walk the earth, even to this day.
Bruce sighed again, but this time, it was not laced in annoyance, but more near-defeat as he looked away from her and instead over the stunningly decorated courtyard. It was filled wall to wall with citizens all awaiting both news from their Governor, and the celebrations to truly begin after his words. He reached up a calloused hand, one that was sporting a missing ring finger, and he ran it through his shaggy black locks,
“No, not yet. I’ve only managed to find out the name. The Diplomat is named ‘Kaiden’, and he ought to be around here somewhere.” He answered, his voice gruff with lamentation.
It was only a moment later that a hushed whisper fell over the crowd, and both Rosie and Bruce turned their attention to where everyone else was looking. In the front of the Courtyard, with Naval Guards flanking on either side, they watched as the Governor took to a raised platform. It was nearly time.
The man was portly, sweaty, and red-faced, his salt-and-pepper hair matted to his temples as rivulets of sweat poured down his cheeks. While no one could deny the heat and humidity of the island, most were fine with the gentle, briny sea breeze the floated up from the shores when the sun went down. It was more apparent then ever, that the Governor had been celebrating much earlier than everyone else. He cleared his throat, swaying ever so slightly on his feet, as he looked out into the crowd before him,
“Thank you all, thank you all, for joining me this fine evening! I hope, *hic*, that you all find yourself well-fed, and well-drank, for we have spared no expense. We would like you to indulge, and celebrate with us, a momentous point in time for Carmen’s Cay. Tonight, *hic*, we are welcoming a new guest to the island, a man who has spent some time here for the past few days, negotiating a new trade route between our island, and the one he hails from. This new deal, will triple the revenue of the Cay, allowing us to both reinforce the docks at the seas, and, to lower taxes for you fine people.” The Governor paused here, reaching into his pocket, and withdrawing a folded piece of yellowed parchment, holding it up into the torchlight, for all to see.
The crowd began to murmur amongst themselves, the energy in the air so thick one could cut it with a blade. There were nods of approval, and hopeful looks exchanged between the islanders. For some, the news of lowered taxes meant more food on their tables each night, and less stress, while for others, for those who had lost men and sons to the failing docks on the beaches, the news meant that their pleas had been heard. Either way, the Governor had the crowd’s rapt attention, and most wore the faintest of smiles upon their lips.
Rosabella couldn’t help but snort quietly, and roll her eyes, as she leaned her lips in close to Bruce’s ear,
“They’re eating up ‘is words…they really believe tha’s where the extra money is going to go. Poor bastards.” She murmured to the Shipmate that she had come to look up to, and trust, over her years on the ocean. The man did not acknowledge her, instead, merely putting a finger to his lips to signal to her to be quiet; and stay focused.
Sighing, she turned back to the drunk man upon the stage, just as he was beginning again,
“I would like to introduce you all, to Kaiden, from our newest allied island. He will be residing here as we build our vessel, meant to carry sugar cane to his waters for processing into rum. He is overseeing the project, and I know you all will give him a very warm welcome to our island. Kaiden…*hic*…would you please join me up here, with quill and ink in hand, so we might commemorate this deal for eternity?” He asked, unfolding the paper, and holding it up. Though the writing was too small to see, the blank double lines for both signatures, was clear as day at the bottom of the papers.
Rosie sucked in a breath, the lightness leaving her eyes only to be replaced with a look of intense scrutiny instead as she felt Bruce nudge her,
“There they are…the trade route papers…” He whispered to her, only to leave her nodding absently. They were in the Governor’s possession, and she could not lose sight of him now. If they didn’t stay with him, then they would likely be passed to Kaiden for safe keeping, which meant she was one of the crowd that was now waiting with bated breath for the man’s arrival.