Trying to smuggle his sister on board in a crate would have been ludicrous, but Simon was beginning to wish he'd tried it. It would have been easier than being confronted about what exactly was wrong with the sister that he'd insisted was only ill. Especially now that they were several days at sea with no means of getting to shore short of swimming...
Something that had been brought to his attention already in not exactly subtle ways.
"What exactly is the problem, captain?" he asked, doing his best to sound the proper mix of confused and offended.
"The problem, Simon, lies in the fact that your little bug of a sister decided it'd be a great idea to start popp'n open every crate we got down in the hold to peer inside- and if what was in it wasn't somth'n she liked she'd dump the whole lot on the deck. I want you to consider, for a moment, that we're haul'n grain. And currants. And a coupla crates of baby chicks." Chaos in the hold, Simon. That was what was the problem. Chaos and cheeping little creatures that stirred up Jayne somth'n awful.
Seeing as how the only thing that ever seemed to please the massive dog was food from what Simon had seen, being denied the bite-sized chicks must have been terrible indeed. The mage breathed and thinned his lips between his teeth before nodding.
"I'll talk to her about staying out of the cargo," Simon answered. Just like he'd talked to her about staying out of the rigging...though that had been a conversation Simon had been much quicker to initiate unprompted.
"No, see, you said that about the rigging. And about the galley, the nest up top, and the bilge pump. If you don't get a handle on her I'm gonna pack her up in one of those very fine crates for the remainder of the trip, d'accord? Cut a little hole in the top so she can be fed and watered, just like the chicks." It'd be a lot less trouble that way. "I don't care how you do it so long as you do it. Put a leash on her cuz this is just about la goutte d’eau qui fait déborder le vase, if you take my meaning."
"You're not going to put her into a box," Simon clipped, though he wasn't sure if he was chiding the captain for exaggerating or actually having to tell him that wasn't an option.
The mage folded his arms over his chest, struggling to come up with some solution that would satisfy the captain enough to keep him from throwing them off the boat. Just until they reached the southern shores, that's as long as this needed to last...
"I'll talk to her," he repeated. "She's ill, captain, she doesn't mean to cause any harm you must realize..."
"Keep her out of the cargo hold and I won't have to." Zoe and Kaylee were down there right now, corralling chicks, bagging up all the grain and berries that went topsy turvy with the motion of the ship. At least the sailing was smooth- Wash took care of that well enough. So at least one thing in this trip wasn't going sideways.
Course with the mage here pout'n like he took personal affront to Mal's very reasonable concerns. He stepped in, head tipped down. His crew knew the girl was a little fade touched but so far he's kept the depth of it to himself.
"Look. Long as she don't keep turn'n things over or take a knife to me and mine, we're square. But she keeps on like this she's mak'n it hard for me to get the job done, which means I don't get paid. Unless you're will'n to open your purse and pay what she's cutt'n out of mine? Talk. Keep her to your rooms if you have to, but mind her."
Simon had barely had enough coin left to afford passage to begin with, so paying out of pocket for any damages River caused was out of the question. Admitting that to Mal did not seem like a good idea. And his talents as a mage would only be truly useful if she actually did take a knife to anyone on board. Not that she would. He thought...
"I will," he said for what felt like the dozenth time. "I swear on Andraste's ashes, I will keep her out of trouble..."
Even if it meant shadowing his sister constantly for the remainder of the trip...which it seemed it was going to at this rate. No one else on the crew was going to do it and Simon wouldn't expect them to.
"Swear on your own ashes if you like, just keep an eye on her." Malcolm scowled and stalked back down to the hold, trying to help with the herding and catching of the small, fuzzy wuzzy critters that took up so much space and trouble. Quieting them down after took more time than he had, Zoe and Kaylee took turns whistling and singing to get them to settle.
Only lost about a pound each of the grain and currants- just barely within acceptable losses. All and all, not as bad as it coulda been.
But he and his lost a good three hours sett'n this right, no matter how straight a heading? That's time they won't get back for other work.
It was tempting to get free passage aboard the ship. She knew that she could have--Say that you're trying to fix the blight, and Wardens can get away with just about anything, even straight up murder. However, she had to stay on a ship with these people for a solid week. She really didn't want any of them bearing her a particular grudge--Especially the humans. Plenty of people begrudged the Wardens taking what they would, even if it was for the good cause, and she knew some Wardens who didn't always have the good cause in mind when they took off with someone's belongings. She didn't want to be like that.
Besides, the other Wardens might get wind of it. She could have to face Alistair making that disappointed face. Maker save her sorry soul, she'd fork over however much gold was needed to keep that damn face at bay.
And so, after coughing up the sovereigns, Warden Bree Daesun would strut onto the ship, a small elf in heavy Warden armor, an axe as big as she was, looking around like she owned the ship, and possibly the entire dock, while she was at it. Like she expected applause to break out at her entrance. At her side was a mabari, nose in the air, sniffing around inquisitively.
"Alright everyone, settle down," Not that there was any rowdiness to settle down from. "I'm here! You can relax. And swoon, possibly, if you choose."
Were there hadn't been much rowdiness there was, abruptly, a clamor of some sort. Not quite rowdy, no ser, but a scrabbling bellow of a bark and the sudden surge of a Mabari rushing for one of it's kind. Much to the dismay and frustration of the Captain. There'd been whistl'n and blow'n and holler'n to get him to sit but the beast just bellowed right on through, just about ready to leap on the newcomer till Mal snapped a hand out to catch him by the scruff.
Got dragged along a step or two, Jayne was a big dog even for a Mabari, but he got the damn thing to sit still. "Kaylee didn't say anything about you hav'n a hound."
Both Bree and the mabari took the new dog in stride. The Warden gave a glance to her dog, who perked up, tail wagging, and barked cheerfully at the newcomer, apparently either not realizing or not caring that the other dog wasn't nearly as pleased to see him. Once she was sure that there would be no need to attempt to do any wrestling on her end, she rested her hand on the dog's head, a grin playing on her face.
"Sounds a problem between you and Kaylee, Captain. Puppy here rarely ever leaves my side. He's practically a Warden himself, but I haven't been able to figure out how to get the armor to fit him." She directed that cheery grin to her dog--apparently named Puppy, because Warden Daesun is a grown adult woman--who gave another bark in response. "Besides, he's the best trained mabari in all of Thedas, he won't cause a single problem, I'm sure."
She turned to look at Mal, eyes turning to the excitable Jayne, then to his handler. Apparently, the fact that he was the best behaved dog on this particular ship didn't need to be said. Then she fluttered her eyelashes at Mal, tilting her head just so. "Surely it won't be an issue."
Well that's it, Kaylee had said 'two wardens' of the passengers they were taking on. Seems like she counted the mabari right along with the elf and know'n of the dogs like Mal does it seems plenty fine and good. Cost oughta cover the food a little over seeing as a mabari didn't eat as much as a Grey Warden.
Usually.
Jayne was, like usual, a bit of a special boy when it came to eat'n.
"Mind he don't wander from your side, and mind you don't wander in the hold. You get your berth and you can take in the views as much as you like- but aside from eat'n in the mess you and yours are gonna need to stay away from the rigging and the rest of the ship, d'accord?" This was a quick jaunt for the most part, not a pleasure cruise. The wiles were cute but he had a job to run and people walk'n all over several kinds of contraband cargo. Better to not let himself get too warmed over by fluttering eyelashes. "Jayne, git."
When the command didn't earn much a slap on the rump did, the hound wandering off back down to the kitchen, likely looking for a meal.
"Don't worry, he's a good puppy, aren't you?" Bree peered down at her dog, who gave an affirmative bark, stubby little tail wagging away. "I'm not quite as good, but for you?" Her eyes flick back up to Mal, and flashes him her very best smirk. "I think I'll give it a shot." Mal was a decent-looking man, but her flirtations was more out of a sense of...it being fun, rather than any interest. Of course, he didn't seem to reciprocate, but it was hardly a deterrent. Few things were.
"Don't worry, Captain. I'm just trying to get to Amaranthine. You know." She gestured at herself--specifically, at the Warden crest on her armor. "Vigil's Keep, the Wardens, all that business. Your own business will stay yours, unless you've got some darkspawn in the hold you want to tell me about." She flashed him a grin, then hesitated. "That was a joke. You don't have darkspawn, I'd know."
Wait, shit, is that secret Warden stuff? No, she's pretty sure everyone knows about that. Probably. Maybe.
"You surely will." Fun sort, that's a step up from the usual doom and gloom wardens he ended up meeting on the road more often than not. At least this trip won't be too damn dull if she's this cheerful. Maybe she and Kaylee would get on. Keep the girl from moping a little about having to leave port so early.
"With your Wardeny ways I take it. No taint on this ship, Ser. Just a coupla honest folk making an honest living." Mostly honest. Sometimes. On occasion. When it paid well, he did honest work. Wasn't that the way the world worked?
"I have all kind of Wardeny ways. And other wiles, that get me my needed knowledge." She flashes that grin at him again, wiggling her eyebrows a few times, just to make sure that he gets it. If she'd known him a decent spell of time, she might have been digging her elbow into side just then, but unfamiliarity saves Mal. "But don't worry, what kinda asshole would drag taint onto his ship? 'S fucking suicidal. Except that one cult that thought the Blight was the Maker's vengeance, but you don't seem the culty type."
Her eyes flick over him slowly, as if perhaps examining him for signs of cultiness. "You seem pretty reasonable." Honest folk or not, the truth was, Tabris didn't give a shit. As long as Mal wasn't smuggling elven slaves or darkspawn, he could pack away enough lyrium to put Orzammar out on the streets for all she cared. Orzammar sucked, anyway.
"Any other rules I should know about, Captain?" She leaned on her dog as she spoke, who didn't seem to mind--probably because he was built like a brick wall, and nearly as tall.
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Date: 2015-11-30 02:00 am (UTC)Something that had been brought to his attention already in not exactly subtle ways.
"What exactly is the problem, captain?" he asked, doing his best to sound the proper mix of confused and offended.
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Date: 2015-11-30 02:17 am (UTC)The crew Mabari wasn't all that pleased either.
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Date: 2015-11-30 06:20 am (UTC)"I'll talk to her about staying out of the cargo," Simon answered. Just like he'd talked to her about staying out of the rigging...though that had been a conversation Simon had been much quicker to initiate unprompted.
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Date: 2015-11-30 06:39 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-12-02 11:34 pm (UTC)The mage folded his arms over his chest, struggling to come up with some solution that would satisfy the captain enough to keep him from throwing them off the boat. Just until they reached the southern shores, that's as long as this needed to last...
"I'll talk to her," he repeated. "She's ill, captain, she doesn't mean to cause any harm you must realize..."
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Date: 2015-12-02 11:53 pm (UTC)Course with the mage here pout'n like he took personal affront to Mal's very reasonable concerns. He stepped in, head tipped down. His crew knew the girl was a little fade touched but so far he's kept the depth of it to himself.
"Look. Long as she don't keep turn'n things over or take a knife to me and mine, we're square. But she keeps on like this she's mak'n it hard for me to get the job done, which means I don't get paid. Unless you're will'n to open your purse and pay what she's cutt'n out of mine? Talk. Keep her to your rooms if you have to, but mind her."
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Date: 2015-12-04 05:51 am (UTC)"I will," he said for what felt like the dozenth time. "I swear on Andraste's ashes, I will keep her out of trouble..."
Even if it meant shadowing his sister constantly for the remainder of the trip...which it seemed it was going to at this rate. No one else on the crew was going to do it and Simon wouldn't expect them to.
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Date: 2015-12-06 07:02 am (UTC)Only lost about a pound each of the grain and currants- just barely within acceptable losses. All and all, not as bad as it coulda been.
But he and his lost a good three hours sett'n this right, no matter how straight a heading? That's time they won't get back for other work.
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Date: 2015-12-01 03:50 am (UTC)Besides, the other Wardens might get wind of it. She could have to face Alistair making that disappointed face. Maker save her sorry soul, she'd fork over however much gold was needed to keep that damn face at bay.
And so, after coughing up the sovereigns, Warden Bree Daesun would strut onto the ship, a small elf in heavy Warden armor, an axe as big as she was, looking around like she owned the ship, and possibly the entire dock, while she was at it. Like she expected applause to break out at her entrance. At her side was a mabari, nose in the air, sniffing around inquisitively.
"Alright everyone, settle down," Not that there was any rowdiness to settle down from. "I'm here! You can relax. And swoon, possibly, if you choose."
no subject
Date: 2015-12-01 04:03 am (UTC)Got dragged along a step or two, Jayne was a big dog even for a Mabari, but he got the damn thing to sit still. "Kaylee didn't say anything about you hav'n a hound."
That'd cost extra.
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Date: 2015-12-01 05:33 am (UTC)"Sounds a problem between you and Kaylee, Captain. Puppy here rarely ever leaves my side. He's practically a Warden himself, but I haven't been able to figure out how to get the armor to fit him." She directed that cheery grin to her dog--apparently named Puppy, because Warden Daesun is a grown adult woman--who gave another bark in response. "Besides, he's the best trained mabari in all of Thedas, he won't cause a single problem, I'm sure."
She turned to look at Mal, eyes turning to the excitable Jayne, then to his handler. Apparently, the fact that he was the best behaved dog on this particular ship didn't need to be said. Then she fluttered her eyelashes at Mal, tilting her head just so. "Surely it won't be an issue."
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Date: 2015-12-01 06:55 am (UTC)Usually.
Jayne was, like usual, a bit of a special boy when it came to eat'n.
"Mind he don't wander from your side, and mind you don't wander in the hold. You get your berth and you can take in the views as much as you like- but aside from eat'n in the mess you and yours are gonna need to stay away from the rigging and the rest of the ship, d'accord?" This was a quick jaunt for the most part, not a pleasure cruise. The wiles were cute but he had a job to run and people walk'n all over several kinds of contraband cargo. Better to not let himself get too warmed over by fluttering eyelashes. "Jayne, git."
When the command didn't earn much a slap on the rump did, the hound wandering off back down to the kitchen, likely looking for a meal.
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Date: 2015-12-02 11:41 pm (UTC)"Don't worry, Captain. I'm just trying to get to Amaranthine. You know." She gestured at herself--specifically, at the Warden crest on her armor. "Vigil's Keep, the Wardens, all that business. Your own business will stay yours, unless you've got some darkspawn in the hold you want to tell me about." She flashed him a grin, then hesitated. "That was a joke. You don't have darkspawn, I'd know."
Wait, shit, is that secret Warden stuff? No, she's pretty sure everyone knows about that. Probably. Maybe.
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Date: 2015-12-03 12:47 am (UTC)"With your Wardeny ways I take it. No taint on this ship, Ser. Just a coupla honest folk making an honest living." Mostly honest. Sometimes. On occasion. When it paid well, he did honest work. Wasn't that the way the world worked?
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Date: 2015-12-06 01:50 am (UTC)Her eyes flick over him slowly, as if perhaps examining him for signs of cultiness. "You seem pretty reasonable." Honest folk or not, the truth was, Tabris didn't give a shit. As long as Mal wasn't smuggling elven slaves or darkspawn, he could pack away enough lyrium to put Orzammar out on the streets for all she cared. Orzammar sucked, anyway.
"Any other rules I should know about, Captain?" She leaned on her dog as she spoke, who didn't seem to mind--probably because he was built like a brick wall, and nearly as tall.