Forging a Baronsess' Son (Closed to Bard)

[jdd2035]

The Peregrine was lying at single anchor in Serenti harbor. Being a port that he frequented during the Civil War it had an anchorage where Privateers and Smugglers docked, many of whose fast, rakish, predatory ships could be seen along the quay mingled with merchant ships and a few Republic Man-of-Wars. Turning in his mechanical walk on the quarterdeck, Cain glanced at the city and once again tried to make out what made Serenti so different. There was a general feel of slovenliness and easy money; there were a moderate number of prostitutes easily visible, and the feeling that a determined and well-armed force would never make an attempt on it.

Cain also noticed that there was a boat that had put off for the Peregrine, and while it was attempting to stretch out, the lack of coordination on the pilots part made their attempt a comical affair. Stopping his mechanical walk Cain stepped onto the hammock nets and gripped a shroud to watch as the boat circled half way around before being over corrected and spun nearly one hundred degrees the other way. Cain couldn't help but laugh for a moment. That was when he noticed a second boat making its way to the Peregrine; this one belonging to the ship. The second boat was stretching out in a seaman-like fashion doing the Peregrine proud and prouder still when they hailed the clumsy boat and began towing her in.

When the boats came aboard the gentlemen from the first boat after a laborious showing presented themselves in Cain’s Great Cabin.

The stuffier of the two gentlemen spoke "Mr. Cain Jodin, you have been requested to meet with the Lady of this Province, Baroness Aniel Marwena at three in the afternoon. She hopes that you will not refuse this request in light of her business with you and continuing friendship."

The second gentleman piped up "In short, you don't have much choice in the matter."

Cain was annoyed but seeing as how the Baroness may be offended if he tossed her servants out of the open gallery window, he nodded and replied, "Please tell the Baroness Aniel Marwena that I will be honored to meet with her at the appointed time." Then in his over the roaring canons voice he exclaimed "Aravir, Aravir there! Fetch me my number one coat!" He may or may not have used this voice to startle the pair.

Right at fifteen minutes to three Cain was presenting himself in his fine blue sea coat complete with whaling pins; a wine colored waist coat; white sail cloth slops hessian boots; and his tricorne hat. He debated rather or not to bring his cavalry saber and pistols but eventually opted to leave them behind. After the subsequent announcements and ceremony, Cain gave a graceful dancers bow simultaneously pulling his hat off, and stated "Captain Cain Jodin of the Peregrine at your service my lady.”

[Bard]

The bow meant that his gaze was directly engaged with the floor beneath his boots, or at least the bit of them that weren’t being swallowed up by the carpet that had a higher thread count then the hairs on his, his first mates, and his boatswain heads combined. The rug was white, here and there shot through with bits of gray, and a little black near the edges, giving it the appearance of storm clouds, which combined with the floor tiles – the rich hues of blue, somewhat darker near the rooms edges, and with a smattering of golden yellow and bits of pink – made one think that he was standing in the sky itself, rather than in a room fixed firmly on the ground. If a man was afraid of heights, the whole affect would have probably given him vertigo.

“Shall we stand on ceremony Captain Jodin?”

The voice was, given the two years of their acquaintanceship, and the even more recent two and a half years of friendship, a familiar tolutiloquence to the captains ears. The speech was at once what would be expected of someone of the baroness’ station, even if one didn’t always find thos of similar ilk possessing such qualities.

“I except your service Captain Jodin, greatfully and with all thanks,” she responded, in all censarity, as she gave the Captain a slight curtsy in return, the brief pause, being both part of the obligations of the difference in station, and a slight resignation of hers to the demands of that positional difference.

“Now, rise, rise, I get enough bowing and obsequiousness as it is. Let us at least try and treat each other as old friends, instead of captain and Baroness.” The hand that was gesturing for him to rise, perhaps a little impatiently, even if he hadn’t bowed a moment longer than what comportment demanded, was as sleak as cream and as pail as lye bleached ivory.

“Would you care for tea, or some refreshments?”

The offering was a common one, even if there was wine and liquor present as well on the side board,, Baroness Marwena intertained many an individual with differing pallets.

She was much like this place, a union of contrasts: this district that was the union between easy money and steady labor, between honest mercantilisms and disreputable enterprise’s, this region that took from the sea and the land and equal measure, which thinks to the woman that oversay it, profited by and large; the same though could be said for that woman however, she was elf and human, politician and business woman, loving mother and cool rational leader. She was a half-elf by birth, the daughter and granddaughter of half-elves, yet the eloquence of her speech, the harmonics of her tone, the live movements of agility that were as elegant in the most simplistic of activities enough to rival any dancer at the penical of their art, intermingled to form the paragon of nobility.

Still, despite indicating those refreshments, for which the kitchens were well faimed, to which Cain and some of his officers were no strangers to, she herself made no move herself towards them, but remained, hands clasped behind her, before the massive Ethen style windows that ran from floor to ceiling, which helped to give the room its airy aspect. The waves of sunshine that haloed her form, givng her oft witnessed, and even more frequently mentioned, Maian affect found in the periodic depiction of those servants of the Thayne.

You look well Mr. Cain, you are I trust?”

It was a faimilar solicitude, that incapsulated both formaility and personal interest in a single breath, and the way she said it only partially veiled that this meeting was far more personal, than commercially related.

[jdd2035]

Cain replaced his tricorn upon his head with a smile "Prime, prime Ms. Marwena. Thank you for asking." Cain took in his surroundings the room seemed to give the impression of a falling glass and the room coming on to a strong blow. He appreciated the room and of course the Baroness' hospitality. "I would be grateful for a tall glass of cold butter milk if you have any in your stores" Cain requested, he liked his boatswains grog, he enjoyed wine, claret and madra as much as any man of the sea but he from time to time he had a sweet tooth.

Cain felt a touch awkward on shore it didn't move right first of all and there were so many more hierarchies and considerations to take into account. He took to the subject of the his ship "The Peregrine is in prime form as well. We've shipped the main mast of a sixth rate onto her and a pair of six pounders." Cain was first and foremost the captain of a merchantman but during Corone Civil War he had became a privateer and both his ship and himself had acquired a mild taste for prize money to add to their ships pay. At any rate Cain knew the Baroness enough to discuss such things.

He stepped towards the window looking over the bay. He saw the swift Peregrine of course and the various other ships. It was kind of a passing look like one may look at a horse that was tied off from time to time. The look of his ship sitting there in the harbor made him smile and he turned back around to his hostess. "How is your family and business?" It was a the natural flow of conversation especially conversations such as these. Cain found a a tea tray, selected a sandwich and began to eat it while he listened to the Baroness' answer.