RP:A week later at the Broken Barrel

Background

This is part of the A Not So Jolly Hollow Holiday Vacation story arc.

Cornelius, at Mahri's directions, has ensured the presence of his ship and crew in Rynvale.

A bit before the expected departure time he wanders into the Broken Barrel to find his wayward bosun.

With both Mahri and Andrei present at the time, and both ready for travel, it is decided to fast-track their little jaunt to Cenril.

At the Broken Barrel Inn

Cornelius strides into the tavern, cuirass and gorget emblazoned with the spread-winged raven of Penzance. He stops briefly to pass his gaze over the tavern's current patrons before walking up to the bar. "Simon old bean, you seen young Cordy or old rot-breath here?" He figured Higgs was likely, but Cordy was known to take the odd break from his duties when out provisioning, and he'd been taking a bit longer than usual.

Andrei can be seen passed out near the fire. A red haired head using the flag stones as a impromptu pillow. The fit body strawled out a bit so legs run under a table and booted feet pop out the other side.

Mahri nods a greeting to Cornelius before turning to Roelstra with a small shrug. "Hell, why should he wait? Doesn't make sense to me if he does."

Roelstra heaves a sigh before resting her elbows back on the bar, " Because most of my other marriages had been rushed into. Only to end in disaster. I'm of no mind to rush headlong back into more heartache, thank you very much." In truth, if the vampiress had her way, she wouldn't remarry at all. She'd be perfectly happy to just stay in a loving, trusting bond with a man and not have to fuss with all the ceremony and chaos involved in a wedding. But, she could not deny the happiness that Mercutious fostered within her.

Alannah skipped down the stairs, carring a piece of parchment in hand. Upon spotting Andrei she made her way over to him in a near run before jumping onto his stomach, "Master!" She squealed.

Cornelius nods in return to Mahri, then taps his fingers on the bar as Simon explains no, Cordy hasn't been about, and yes, Higgs was making the storeroom smell like death through the malicious act of breathing in his sleep, and indeed it would be just wonderful if the Captain could claim his crew member at somepoint, because the girls were complaining, y'see. Cornelius chuckles and responds "I'll get to it shortly, old salt. I think I'll need a brandy first, and maybe a gasmask." He spins some gold across the bar to Simon. "Brandy, at least, can be arranged." He turns around, lounging back against the bar, and raises an eyebrow in Mahri's direction

Mahri gives Cornelius a raised brow look that says they would need to speak later.

Cornelius inclines his head to Mahri with a slight smirk and turns to retrieve his brandy, the familiar clink of glass on wood alerting him to Simon's diligence. Raising a salute to Redbeard's Maiden, he takes a sip, then puts the glass down. "Alright old bean, where is he?" Simon jerks a thumb to the door behind him and mutters "storeroom t'the left. Hold your breath." Squaring his shoulders and setting his jaw, Cornelius vaults over the bar and into the storerooms to wake his Bosun.

Finn arrived on the taproom floor a step of two behind the girl who'd entertained the gathered low lifes with a belly flop on that other red head. The one he was having watched. The runner was not a territorial sort, and hell, the damned place wasn't his territory to claim anyway, while the captain lived…but there was something about the display that rubbed the man the wrong way. In the rows, people lived free or died trying. A shadow darkened the whisky gaze, but little else would betray his displeasure. A lazy stride would take the smuggler toward the bar, a glance and nod offered Mahri's way before he slid into place in front of Simon. "A double.." Simon would know of what.

Andrei is awoken in a most unpleasant way as a dead weight is dropped on his stomach. Head lifts as blood shot eyes promise death only to see it was Alannah. The bear of a man groans and lets his head fall back down on cool stone to ease the sudden throb of his hangover. Two hands grip the lass about the waist and sets her down in front of him even as the man sits up. Releasing the hold Andrei gives the lass a grumpy look. "You have to jump me da?" The man's own words sent a few snippets of the previous night and early morning of a wench doing just that... only he remembered it had been be more enjoyable then. Rubbing goatee face to try and wake up a little more, Andrei gains his feet and lumbers over to the bar and quickly finds a seat. Which proved elusive for a second and the man swore if he heard a snicker at it, well he would pound them later. Yeah later, right now he needed to work on this throbbing in the temples.

Alannah smiled brightly at Andrei as he lifted her light frame up and onto the ground. Mint gaze watched as he made his way to the bar, taking a seat of his own. Moments later the hyper little elf bolted across the room, placing two hands on the chair next to his and leaping up into the seat like she was playing leapfrog. All the while she'd never let go of the piece of rolled parchment. "Here!" she shoved the paper his direction, not caring he was hung over. Inside there was the alphabet written in a childish writing, but still legible. It wasn't the traced copy; it was her own copy of the letters. And at the bottom she had managed to write out her name by herself. Unable to contain her energy the elf bounced faintly in her seat, waiting to see his reaction.

Mahri isn't going to snicker. Nope, she's too preoccupied with getting a good look at Red. A double she'd heard him order. She almost asked if he was alright. Almost. And might have if Andrei hadn't taken his turn in grabbing her attention. A wicked light comes to her silver eyes then and she glances at Roelstra before the question bubbles up, directed at the giant red-head, "So. Muscles. How much did that fluff of entertainment cost ye las' night?"

From out the storeroom is the sound of an opening door, and Cornelius' exclamation "B'the gods man, your breath is worse than a charnel pit." There is the sound of glass splashing in water, and then water splashing over something else. What little mystery there may have been in this is rendered moot with a spluttering old-man's whine of "Whaddya...wheream...wet, wha? Ohs***Iwas jest restin' me eyes, Cap'n?" As the incoherent noise of a lush being awoken transformed into a poor attempt to save face, there is the sound of an impact. "Higgs, old salt, you left the topgallant riggings for the mizzenmast to Glaive. Think of this as but a loving reminder of what would happen if Glaive found you first. Trust me, dear squid, the bruising suits you. Now, once you've pulled yourself bloody well together, I expect you back on the Wave Cleaver and triple-checking the riggings, y'hear me?" This is followed only by a mumbled 'Yes Cap'n'. Cornelius reappears, delicately holding his nose "Ugh. Gasmask was right, Simon. He'll be out of your nasal passages soon enough" He vaults back over the bar, picks up his brandy and drains it.

Mahri eventually returns to her conversation with Roelstra and says softly, "Least you got there. I say do what makes you happy an' t' hell with every one else. If you wanna get married do it, if not don't."

Finn spared a moment to glance over the male. Andrei was either crazy or confident to have risked falling asleep hung over in the Barrel. He'd not quite decided which after the debrief he'd received on the man. For now, barring a slightly more than healthy interest in females of all flavors, and getting his nose into a few less than legal operations..there'd been nothing about the foreigner to raise red flags. As such, Finn had no particular reason to engage him..as foe, or acquaintance. In this part of the world, contact was made when you wanted something..most relationships started as business. Thus, there would be no effort made in the runner's part to catch the stranger's eye. Simon was slid coin in exchange for the double shot of whisky that was set down before him, and the first was gone in a blink. A half attentive ear was set to the conversations happening around him, as was a wandering, idle eye. He'd positioned himself on a side of the wrap around bar that permitted sight of the door and most of the room's occupants. His attention lingered a beat longer than it should have on the vampiress in Mahri's company, and his glass tipped gently in salute, before Mahri's comment to Andrei caused the tug of a grin that was lost behind his glass once more.

Andrei is just about to order a rum, you know that whole dog who bite you thing, when something was shoved under his nose. Literately. A hand had shot up and fastened around Alannah's wrist purely out of instinct. Firm, but not hurtful. Then it released when his foggy brain finely caught up and thick fingers pluck it out of her grasp. After a few minutes he slid it over before the lass. "Good. Keep study til perfect." A gold coin is tossed a top of the opened scroll. "Usual Simon." Then to the girl. "Eat yet?" Andrei's head turns the opposite direction at that pregnant lass said something to him. He knew it cause he had heard her call him the same thing last night. A toothy grin shows up through the bristles of his long facial hair. "Just a room."

Andrei spots another red haired man sporting a grin and sends up a booming laugh and a raised glass that Simon just set before him.

Roelstra catches Red from the corner of her eye, petal-pink lips quirking into a smile of greeting, shapely legs crossing one over the other. Emerald greens divert back to Mahri, " I'd agree with you, but some times that's easier said than done. Sparing feelings and all that happy horse crap."

Alannah yipped as his larger hand took a hold of her little wrist. Today she didn't bother fighting against him, instead she just waited patiently for him to let go. When he did she used said hand to brush a chuck of her tangled wavy hair from her face, "Nope." The elf said all to happily, bouncing in her chair. "Not since,…erm" she paused, thinking back to when he last time she ate was. Finally she replied, "Two moons ago. A pancake. Mmmmm pancakes!" she squealed the last part.

Roelstra said to Mahri, "But, you have to give him credit. He has a good heart." You enjoys the fresher air of the tavern for a moment. Admittedly, permeated as it was with smoke, sweat, and alcoholic vapours, it wasn't that 'fresh' per se - however, it did beat the hell out of being anywhere near Higgs' rotten mouth. As the brandy does its work, he glances around the tavern again

Mahri snorts, "Ain't nothin' callin' herself entertainment goes for the cost of a room. I'd be checkin ye pockets." Sliding from her seat, Mahri edges around Roelstra so that she can find space nearer to Cornelius. To the Captain, the lycan says quietly, "Almost ready to head out. Simon's got some supplies waitin' at the docks for us when we're ready to go."

Mahri being between Roe and Cornelius, replies to the former. "That good heart of his is gonna get him killed one of these days. Best keep an eye on that one, Roe."

Cornelius nods slightly and murmurs in response "Duly noted dear albatross. Let me know when."

Finn 's gaze lazily followed that lift and cross of legs. Another twitch of lips in the rugged face followed. She was a master at the game. He took another swallow, Andrei's booming laugh bordering on irritating. Maybe it was the whisky. "Reckon you paid too much then mate.." It was a low drawl, directed at the other red head's reply. There were women on the Shores for whom walls were enough of a comfort for the entertainment he'd had in mind.

Mahri says to Cornelius, "I'm ready." Near the door the wolf has her pack and Micah is waiting nearby as well. Jackie is probably outside since Simon had given the dog an odd look when they'd entered.

Finn noted the interaction between Mahri and the other too loud, too present stranger in the bar. His expression was thoughtful, but what he was pondering would be anybody's guess.

Andrei 's attention was brought back around at Alannah's voice and for a little while the meaning really didn't register. When it did the man spilled a bit more drink into his goatee than usual. "Eat." Well at least now Andrei had a bit of a better idea why the lass was skin and bone. Next time Simon passes his way of the bar an order for food and drink is put in. The clinking of coin then sounds as they change hands. The comment of the other red haired man is only meet with a grin.

Alannah blinked, "But I am not hungry." She stated rather bluntly. It was the truth, she really wasn't hungry. Over the years the elf had grown used to a small food supply and adjusted to eating small amounts in long periods. It had shrunk her stomach so she didn't each as much as any normal being.

Cornelius nods, then calls out to the storeroom "Oi, Higgs. You have 3 seconds to make your appearance before I come back in there." A hurried clattering comes from the storeroom, and a wiry old man with patchy, scraggly hair and a rotten gap-toothed smile comes lurching out of the storeroom, colliding with a doorjamb and the bar before Cornelius points to the main exit. "Ship. Now." Higgs, wearing new bruises on his face, scurries out. Cornelius glances at Mahri "Ready whenever you are, Mahri M'dear. Time and tides wait for no man, as it were"

Andrei eyes hardened as they level on Alannah. Nothing was spoken though.

Roelstra 's throaty tones raise enough to be heard over the din of the current patrons, " That's the plan, Mah. Way ahead of you on that one." With an oath under her breath, the vampiress remembers she was supposed to be meeting with an associate to be repaid on a debt owed to her. The vampiress was careful to whom she lent money, and thankfully she had not been forced to extreme measures to get her coin back on time. With that, she slowly slides her petite form off the barstool. Heeled bootfalls begin to carry her towards the door, but not before tossing a knowing wink to Red. She had caught his gaze and those plump lips only widened their grin in appreciation.

Alannah said to Andrei, "...fine."

Andrei | The food is then put in front of the lass by Simon before he wonders off again.

Alannah looked at the food then turned her gaze toward Andri. The look was one of 'do I really have to eat This?'. She didn't really wait for a reply before taking one bite. Her face twisted into that of a disgusted look.

Finn watched the slow gathering assembly at the door, his own drink finished. What would pass for the break he was allowing himself was over. Roe's wink was acknowleged with a soft chuff of laughter. Flirt. The runner pushed himself to his feet, spared 'muscles' another look and then was heading for the stairwell again. Profit waited on no man either.

Mahri nods to Roelstra and takes her rising as the sign it was that the vampire was leaving, "Take care, Roe. I'll see you...later." When later was even she couldn't say. Nodding to Cornelius next, the wolf too gets up and leaves her barely touched glass of water on the bar. The fish stew didn't smell as appatizing as it might have and the woman might turn a touch green. "Right. Ready now." As in, before she lost whatever was left in her stomach. "Don't forget Muscles there." And she'll turn on her heel to hurry out into the fresh briny air.

Andrei watches as Alannah takes a bite and he nods turning back to his drink. It would probably be hard on the lass and wasn't expected for her to eat it all, but he tended to run in dangerous circles when not doing the loner thing. It was too much of a risk that the lass wouldn't have the energy reserve to pull on if need came about. The drink is finished off and Andrei thinks of ordering another but ends up not in the end. Too much and he would be passed out again. A quick look out the window shows he would need to start heading over to the shipyard soon.

Alannah said to Andrei, "When will you be back? And I don't have to stay at the inn do I?"

Cornelius strolls out after Mahri, and calls to Andrei "The shipyard, old salt, if you're looking to get more than the deposit." He steps into the fresh air and takes a deep breath, cleaning his palate from the earlier horrors of Higgs' breath.