(1874-07-07) Three Abreast
Three Abreast
Summary: Annabella, Jarret, and Rowena have a chance, fraught, and ultimately fortuitous encounter on the docks at Alnburgh.
Date: 2018-07-07
Related: A Stab in the Dark
NPCs: None
Players:
Annabella  Jarret  Rowena  

Alnburgh Docks
Docks, boats, the usual sort of thing.
1874-07-07

It has been nearly two days, since the fleet led by the Bloodaxe returned to port. Thankfully, as one must always be thankful in the way of the sea, taking the bitter with the sweet, only a single ship was lost, though a number did sustain damage. One of those, the Grace, the Demas frigate commanded by Rowena Sokar seemed nearly finished with the repairs from the damage it had sustained from fire received by the Partharian drifters it had encountered.

Despite the name she had garnered, one which, unlike the unofficial and possibly unflattering nickname her mother had been saddled with, was said straight to her face, and even made light of by her crew, The Iron Maiden was not in the habit of commanding her sailors to do this or that, only to stand back and watch them labour while she rested on her laurels. Indeed, it was Rowena's bright hair that graced the edge of the starboard railing of the ship, as a pair of her sailors lowered her down in a knotted harness to put her in reach of the final bit of work that needed to be done; applying the final layer of pitch to seal together the places where wood had been cut and replacement planks fitted into the breech that the explosion had made.

Next to the Grace, there is a frigate of Aequorian design, one that Jarret Sokar got as a gift for helping to defend Fiorello, once upon a time. There are some repairs being done to that ship as well.
As for Jarret himself, he's stepping out to the docks, expression rather thoughtful as he looks at some papers while walking, every now and then looking up to make sure he's not colliding with anyone. There's something distant in his expression, as if parts of his thoughts are on something else entirely.

Annabella is sauntering down the gangplank of her caraval, Of Mercury and Fire, with her fiery locks cascading down. Within her hand is the neck of a bottle of New Kashmir spiced rum and once upon the dock, she takes a few pulls from her rum and as the bottle rest once more upon her hip, she softly sways side to side as her steel gray eyes sweep over the frigate that Rowena and Jarret are upon, carefully studying over it.

Rowena, despite being quite a few meters above the wharf would be unlikely to ever miss the passage of her (now)eldest, brother, though whether that was because it was Jarret's familiar figure, or simply because she'd spent enough time at the docks to unconsciously respond anytime she noticed someone wandering with their heads in the clouds in an area that was almost always too dangerous for that sort of distraction, it all amounted to the same thing, "A few more inches, and I could pluck those papers right out of your hand, you know." Rowena, taking a moment to finish the tarring, secures the pot and brush to the harness, before she gives it a tug, the sailors above lowering her to the dock, rather than drawing her back up to the deck. The spot of bright red hair catches her eyes, but for the moment, she's occupied with unknotting herself from the ropes.

There's a pause as Jarret hears the familiar voice, and he shakes his head a little, looking up. "Every now and then, a few inches means the difference between life and death," he offers a bit lightly, before he pockets the papers. "So, all repaired?" he asks, nodding to the ship. There's aa look around and his gaze stops on Annabella, studying her carefully for a few long moments.

Annabella starts to saunter towards where Rowena and Jarret are, closing the distance between them upon the dock as the bottle continue to rest upon her hip. Her eyes studying Jarret back as she draws closer. "Quite a nice frigate." Her attention shifted to Rowena as she asks "How fast can she sail? What is her fire power. I o'ly have me caraval but she be mighty fast." Her accent is something that sounds like it is a Four Corners base with a blend of everywhere else inbetween.

There was something very young, and impish, in the quality of the laughter that bubbled up from Rowena's lips. As she finally untied herself, and straightened, making up the distance between herself and her brother, "You know…I have heard some sentiment not at all unlike that, offered in entirely different circumstances." She stepped close enough, that, perhaps if the circumstances had been different, she might have offered the eldest Sokar her embrace, but as it was, she simply set herself beside him, also turning to watch the woman approach, "The Grace has the usual complement, ten carroballista and four cannons," those were easy enough to count. "And she's fast enough, though her trade her never been one that required as much speed as a stout heart." She tips a chin towards the ship from which Jarret had descended, "I cannot speak to my brother's vessel. But your own seems well enough appointed, and well crewed, to have come so far on such rough rivers."

Jarret is unable to hold back a bit of a chuckle at the laughter he hears from his sister. "Ah, you know. It's a sentiment that can be used for most things," he replies, a bit lightly, before he nods to Annabella. There's a pause as he listens to the conversation, before he smiles, "Fast enough and strong enough to be able to hold her own." A brief pause as he looks to Annabella again. "May I ask about your name?" It's offered a bit quietly, perhaps even thoughtfully.

Annabella's lips curl up in a bit of a cocky grin as she responds "I was also born and raised on the seas. Quite literally. I can even navigate the roughest storm without loosing men or cargo, or feeling ill." Her eyes flitting over to Jarret as she muses "That always be good. And Captain Annabella Muirin. And your names?" Her eyes flitting between Rowena and Jarret.

"Ah, then you have the better of me, Captain Muirin. I came to the sea when I was young, but not so young as yourself. Still, I have found and never lost my love for it. Have you captained any ships larger than your caravel?" There as a genuine curiosity and engagement, in Rowena's voice and demeanour. The request for an exchange of names, and Rowena tipped her head in Jarret's direction, "My brother. Lord Sir Jarret Sokar," and there was a little sister's, still, fondness in that tone, "And I am Rowena Sokar, Captain of the Grace." She offered no noble title for herself, as she gestured back to the Demas frigate beside her, but then, it would follow on that if Jarret had one, the woman who looked as trueblooded kin to him as might be possible, would have one as well.

"Navigating the roughest storm is always interesting," Jarret offers, before he smiles. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Captain. What brings you to Alnburgh?" There's a smile offered to Rowena as well, before he looks back to Annabella. "And yes, there is a story behind how an Aequorian built frigate found a home in southern Galenthia," he remarks, a bit lightly. There's still something a touch distant in his expression, but that happens often, these days.

Annabella looks back to her ship briefly before she looks back to Rowena and says "Once or twice but not since I was given that one. I am open to captaining another if it was ever needed though." Her eyes flitting back to Jarret, drinking from her rum some more before letting it rest on her hip as she listens. She eventually responds "Trade of course. My father own Sailing Nymph's Trading Company and I asked for me to make sure matters within the Firen area and Four Corners is handled while he is handling some other matters" She shifts a bit on her feet and stares Jarret directly in the eyes as she utters "I imagine so. Why not share it."

"The Red Sails are always open to the taking on of new crew and skilled sailors, and those who know how to command, are a prize of no small worth." Rowena dips her head, as Annabella's story unfolds, "But with hope such a need will not arise, for there are few who are more necessary, in such times, as those who have the skill to bring supplies where they are needed." Jarret's comment though, draws as much of Rowena's attention as Annabella's, "Yes, I have not heard this story."

"Sailing Nymph?" There's a brief pause, before Jarret nods a little. "Ah, I see…" He goes silent again, before he offers a brief smile to both of them. "Well, this was some years ago, before the latest war. For some reason, my business had brought me to Fiorello, the d'Armaz home. And for some reason, the city found itself under attack. Since the heir to d'Armaz is a friend of mine, I decided to help, even as the attack turned into a siege. When all was done, I got the Wavedancer as a gift from Viscount d'Armaz himself. Of course, she had a different name back then."

Annabella kindly offers to Rowena, "I will consider that. I just have to be sure to also keep my father's wishes in mind as well. I am the heiress to his company after all." A content grin curling her lips at that before she is drinking more from her bottle of New Kashmir Rum. She looks over the Jarret's ship as she muses "Quite the tale then, and it looks lovely." Her eyes focusing back upon Jarret as she asks "I take it you have heard of my father's business?"

"I am surprised that I hadn't heard that story, even all the way south as I have been. Serving so well and valiantly that you would receive such a gift as that? You have, surely, been hiding your light under a bushel, Jarret." Of course, little sister is as little sister does, and, as Annabella engaged Jarret more deeply in their conversation, Rowena angles herself so that she can take in the Wavedancer more fully. She was, in many ways, like a woman surrounded by her favourite things might be, with an eye always to one thing, while trying to engage with another.

"I'm sure helping transporting supplies, if possible, could be a relatively lucrative business," Jarret remarks, before he pauses as he hears Rowena's words. "It was a long time ago. Too much has happened since then…" he begins, before he trails off. Talk for another time, and place. At Annabella's question, he shrugs a little. "I have heard the name, at least," he replies, after a few brief moments of pause.

Annabella's smile falters a bit before she comments "There is more to what I do than just transporting. I assure you of that. Just because you were born with a golden spoon in your mouth doesn't mean you have the right to look down on me and mine and how we earn income. We are far more wealthy than you could ever imagine…." Her eyes narrowing on Jarret as her grip on that rum bottle tightens, clearly she took those remarks as an insult.

Rowena, gauging the shift in Annabella's demeanour stepped forward, placing herself a bit forward and ahead of Jarret, her tone as pleasant as it has ever been, "My apologies, Captain Muirin, I believe my brother was simply hearkening to a comment I had made a moment before, and speculating on how the Red Sails might seek to hire a vessel such as yours and those others in your company's fleet. Not in the trade of goods and sale of goods, but in the transport of them to assist in the supply of our own ships."

"Hey now…" Jarret begins, eyes narrowing a bit as he hears Annabella's comment. Taking a breath, he blinks momentarily at Rowena's actions, pausing as he was about to step forward as well. "i was only pointing out that it would be a good business opportunity. Nothing about anything else. And if…" he trails off as he looks to his sister again. "I'm sorry you misunderstood that."

Annabella bashfully looks away and shifts back as she steps back "Sorry… I misheard tone and misunderstood intent." A hint of blush upon her freckled cheeks as her hand rubs upon the back of her neck and murmurs "Still… getting use to lingo… more use to the short hand my father and I speak."

Rowena only shook her head, as she saw Annabella's embarrassment, her own tone still tinged with that hint of apology, "That is entirely understandable, Captain, I think when we work well and closely enough with family, we all become accustomed to the shorthand and the nuances that develop between close relations. Sometimes, it can seem an impenetrable maze, to others looking in front the outside. Even if the words are familiar, the meaning isn't always. But to keep to that…if working with the fleet in such a capacity might be of interest to you, I am certain we could discuss it in more depth."

Jarret takes a few more breaths, nodding at what's being said. He doesn't add anything to it right now, just listening carefully, as well as offering Annabella a polite smile.

Annabella looks back to them both as she offers her bottle of rum to them as she says "Drink to a fresh beginning?" A bit hopeful the delicious dark spiced rum will smooth things over, it works typically for her with her trades most of the time! "I would be interested in discussing such." Her eyes flitting to Jarret and her cheeks darken a bit more.

Whatever Rowena might have learned of decorum, she had spent the better part of her childhood and all of her adulthood aboard a ship, and she understood as well as any sailor those gestures which served in their parlance every bit as well as more diplomatic gestures and nuanced speech might in the courts of the ennobled. "Yes, and the possibility of new business and prosperity." She does not, in point of fact, as she accepts the bottle from Annabella, try to look around for a glass, simply lifting the bottle to her lips for a swig, before she tips it in Jarret's direction."

Raising an eyebrow as he notices those darkening cheeks, Jarret doesn't make any comment about that as he takes the bottle as it's offered, bringing it up first to his nose for the scent of the beverage, before he smiles. "To new beginnings, and opportunities," he offers, taking a swig. Holding the bottle for a few moments longer, he hands it back, with a smile. "A good taste in drinks, Captain Muirin," he offers to her.

Annabella takes the bottle back from Jarret, her body relaxing as both Rowena and Jarret imbibed, quickly sipping upon it herself. As she lower it she says "Thank you. For the chance and the compliment." Her lips curling in a smile as she ponders allowed "When was the last time you both ate? Sure I could treat you both to a bite to eat and we could discuss the possible arrangements?"

Rowena, at the question, looked to Jarret first, before she answered herself, "I ate at daybreak, with the rest of the crew, and took what refreshments I could find for myself as we worked." She lifted her shoulders in a shrug that was as expressive as any words could be. As if to say, 'You know how it is when you get caught up with work.' "the kindness of your offer is, of course, appreciated."

Jarret pauses as he hears that question, and he looks up to the sky for a few moments. "The last time…" he trails off a little as he tries to remember. "I think it was very early, if I remember right…" After all, he's not eaten that much since the execution of Sir Mantle, a few days ago. "Thank you for the kind offer," he replies, after a brief pause, before he adds, "It would be a good chance to discuss possible arrangements, that's true."

Annabella smiles as she says "I not mind, we all need to eat after all. And it would indeed be good to discuss over food. I think sometimes when I am hungry… I am quick to misunderstand things."

And with that, the trio departed the docks, to see companionship and fairer fortunes.

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