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Post by The Forgotten God on Jul 10, 2020 18:28:13 GMT
The smallest of the main rocks, Terrapin Rock nonetheless has a crack in it that a white-hulled vessel sits in alone. Only one bridge connects it to any island. Some guards are around but they don’t seem concerned with intruders. The only building on the rock is a nice-looking house with a garden built on the roof and a cannon sticking from a window on each side.
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Post by Damien Chevalier on Jul 10, 2020 18:51:45 GMT
Damien approached blending in with the shadows as much as he could. He eyes the rope bridge carefully looking for any traps on the approach. Then he studies the house and garden closely. He doesn't move at all as he watches his target.
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Post by The Forgotten God on Jul 10, 2020 18:57:06 GMT
It’s essentially pointless to trap a rope bridge; one can always just cut it and let the walkers fall. It’s a six hundred foot walk so even he can’t do it unseen during the afternoon. He sees the guards dicing and drinking, only the two on the ship itself are takin their job seriously. He doesn’t see a sign of the Rose herself.
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Post by Damien Chevalier on Jul 10, 2020 19:04:09 GMT
Damien looked at the sun and then shrugged. Well he did not feel like sitting on his hands until dark. He stood up and walked across the bridge toward the others. He whistled as he gracefully crossed the rope bridge.
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Post by The Forgotten God on Jul 10, 2020 19:18:37 GMT
No one disturbs him until the last thirty feet or so, when a woman called out. “You better have brought some booze,” she said, “Rose won’t be happy to have a guest come without a present.”
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Post by Damien Chevalier on Jul 10, 2020 19:25:15 GMT
Damien chuckled dryly as he kept walking across the bridge. "You don't understand. This is a state visit. I Comte-in-Exile Damien Chevalier." He smirked at the guards as he approached to their house. "And I have come to speak with your leader and would love if she could host me while I was visiting her ignoble kingdom." He somehow was able to bow deeply as he walked across a swaying rope bridge.
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Post by The Forgotten God on Jul 10, 2020 19:37:16 GMT
The guard laugh. “Is that even a rank? That’s like saying “soon to be executed citizen.”
“Enough Rachael, send him through. Talking only makes this one more dangerous.” The speaker was still out of sight but the guard shrugged and pointed with her crossbow down towards the water.
“The Queen awaits,” she said. “Apparently. Just be careful...we don’t have anywhere to exile you here except the cold blue waters.”
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Post by Damien Chevalier on Jul 10, 2020 20:30:58 GMT
Damien walked forward and laughed good-naturedly. "You got me there friend. I never thought of it quite like that. Consider myself truly heart by your scathing rebuke." He doffed an imaginary cap to the woman as he walked across. "Let us hope it doesn't come to that... I never bothered to learn to swim. I suppose I could regret that quite soon." He winked at the guard then continued on toward the other voice. He was clad in his most confident smile and a cocky, graceful stride.
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Post by The Forgotten God on Jul 10, 2020 20:46:41 GMT
He heads down the smoothed stone ramp and sees a woman fishing in the surf below. She’s drinking a bottle of wine and has a bucket filled with rock bass next to her. She rose and turned, smiling a wide grin with a missing front tooth. “Damien Chevalier,” she chuckled. “Never did I ever think you’d come here.” He doesn’t recognize her but she does seem somewhat familiar for some reason. “You know, you never did give my mother those emeralds back.”
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Post by Damien Chevalier on Jul 10, 2020 21:02:32 GMT
Damien chuckled under his breath, "And I suppose you are in the habit of returning cargo to its rightful owners after you liberate it from a ship." He walked up to her keeping his eyes on hers. "My two ships just docked at harbor. We will not be here too long. The storm was ahead was looking bad so I decided we should wait the blow out here." He bowed deeply to her as he drew closer, "Your island is amazing. Just the kind of place I love. Away from everything, and with that leave wind off the sea." He smiled and looked out into the sea air calmly.
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Post by The Forgotten God on Jul 10, 2020 21:50:01 GMT
The woman chuckled. “My dear, not everyone pirate steals the dowager Empress’s emeralds. I always had a sinking suspicion my inheritance was adorning some big breasted prostitute’s bare chest.” She shook her head. “You’ve always been incorrigible.” She began pulling another fish in. “Get a pole. We need more than five fish for a feast. Unless you can steal them from the surf?”
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Post by Damien Chevalier on Jul 11, 2020 2:13:33 GMT
"If you do not want your emeralds stolen you should not leave them behind a single vault and ten guards. It was child's play. I am willing to wager any of your crew could have managed that." Damien replied as he grabbed a spare pole. "And she wasn't a prostitute, but I won't deny the rest." He took the pole and cast it only a bit awkwardly. "I have grabbed fish out of a pond with my fingers, but that was because one of them swallowed a platinum ring, well and the pinkie it was on. I do not want to tell that story though... I come across rather foolish." He studied the line closely, "And the fish are really so stupid to just bit the hook?"
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Post by The Forgotten God on Jul 11, 2020 6:05:56 GMT
Gillian de Vrai, stepsister to the emperor, chuckled. “You did, just now my old friend. If fish didn’t bite hooks we would have stopped using hooks. The key,” she pulled another red snapper in, “is to find the right bait. Pirate queen somehow seems to do the trick for all the overcurious little boys.” She turned and the briny air tousled her waist length raven black hair. “But whatever brought you to my island in the first place? You were hardly the top of my hit list.”
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Post by Damien Chevalier on Jul 11, 2020 18:55:20 GMT
Damien chuckled, "You need to work it out with your spies. The woman at the brewery was very obvious. I only came because I love that thrill of danger, and quite frankly there isn't a trap I have not been able to disarm... one way or the other." He thought a moment before adding, "She rushed it, and was really insistent I come here. She should play it cooler, and just mention the residence of the pirate queen. And talk about her true beauty." He stroked his chin.
"And I was telling you the truth. We hit a storm. We had no intention of coming here until the storm changed our planes. We just need a port in the storm." He chuckled suddenly, "I think that is the first time I ever used that phrase to describe using a port during a storm. Isn't weird how fate twists our lives about."
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Post by The Forgotten God on Jul 11, 2020 19:00:25 GMT
“My spied would be better trained than that. Likely she just didn’t want you paying with one hand,” she wiggled the fingers on her left hand, “and robbing with the right,” she concluded as she wiggles her other fingers. “She doesn’t know my name. No one here does. No one here...needs to,” Gillian said. “Rose fits my purposes quite well. And I do see the Hurricane you’re talking about...but why so far from civilization in the first place? And on such a grand vessel. That ship cost more than my brother’s christening.” She tapped her cheek with one finger. “There’s nothing to steal here, so tel me a story my dear. Kings only go to war for a great prize.”
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