A Fisherman's Tale: Dorian Drake - Chptr 4 - Samheen 1

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"Swish 'em in the water," said Dorian, who didn't mind wet clothes at all, or being wet in general, or being naked and/or wet. He hugged her back, the weight lifting from his shoulders. Maranda thought it would be all right, so he was comforted. "Don't think there'll be a chance to wash'em in the morning......and just in case anyone happens by......" Another thought dawned. "And I'm hungry," he added.

He helped her out, gave his clothes an impromptu wash, and held her hand on the way back. The swimming hole was all right.....but it wasn't home. Home was blue water all around and the sky above. And land for the night time, so you could sleep safe. True, the way wet clothes draped her was enticing.....but too much of a good thing, was a bad thing, another Old Drakeism. Usually said when young Dorian ate too many sweets and got a bellyache.

And he was not looking forward to the wagon tomorrow. Though cuddling her by the fire tonight was definitely on.....
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With a soft peck on the cheek, she turned the fisherman loose and waded out of the water, grabbed her soiled cothing and waded back into the water waist high and began to scrubb the stains out wishing she had thought to bring soap. Still it was better than nothing and she hummed while she vigorously scrubbed at the soiled spots before wading back out again.

Back on the bank she twisted as much of the water out of apparel as she could and then shook them out in an effort to make wriggling into wet material a bit easier. Finally dressed, she smiled and took the fisherman's hand for the walk back to the house.

Once they got back to Kings Court, there would be so much to do. Getting the rest of her clothing and few belongings from the Laughing King moved to Dorian's house, finding places for the things they were bringing from her home here. She wondered if there was anywhere nearby that she might plant a garden and then chided herself. It was late summer, much to late to consider gardens of any sort. She would have the whole winter to consider things before planting time in spring. Looking over at Dorian, she wondered how he was going to take to having another person in his home... how he would take to her adding her own touches.

Squeezing his hand gently, she asked him. "Dorian? All this stuff I'm bringin' back... the mattress and dishes and cook pot and the chests of clothes and mama's rocking chair. I mean... well, by the time we're finished yer house won't look the same at all. Does that bother you? I mean... I seem ta have a bunch of stuff. I don't want ya ta feel I've taken over or anything."

She finished her question about the time they got to the house. Once inside, she stripped out of the wet clothes, her skin all goosebumpy from the chill of being wet and after drying off more, slipped into a clean chemise as she listened for Dorian's answer.

Near the embers left from the noon fire, was the pot of soup Aunt Dora had made from the fish and vegetables earlier that day and half a loaf of brown bread. A kettle of water was hung over the embers, the water still plenty hot for a cup of tea.
Last edited by Shaeliana on Sun Mar 30, 2003 6:55 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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"I lived with Old Drake before," said Dorian, amiably. "I don't have much need for furniture, you go ahead and bring whatever you like, Maranda," he said, poking up the fire a bit for the night. He was territorial in the sense that his shack was his, his boat was his, and his fishing spots were his - but since he belonged in his soul to Maranda, whatever she wanted was fine by him. He had so few things it was funny; he could pack his worldly possessions, saving the boat and the building, in a few flickers. But now he'd have to hang up his nets, rather than sleep on them. That might take a little getting used to. But he was equal to the task.

He was quite happy to have the soup, and settled in to a meal with gusto. "I like this," he said. Meaning more than just the soup; being with her, in the placid domestic setting. "I'll look forward to coming home, Maranda, and seeing you every day. And I'll have a lot of fish smoked for the winter, at the smokehouse, so we'll be well fed, and I'll cut lakeweed to dry."
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The furniture had been moved out, either to Uncle Thomas's or loaded on the wagon. All except the bed and its mattress they would sleep on that night. So, the two sat on a rug on the floor in front of the fire eating the leftover soup and bread. Aunt Dora had left enough tea for a couple of pots and a small jar of honey as well as enough porridge for breakfast.

Maranda drizzled a tiny bit of honey on her bread and sipped her tea as she sat talking with Dorian about this and that. A delighted smile lit up her face at his comments about coming home to her. It still seemed a dream. Dorian asking for her hand, the joining, their wonderful first day. She had the urge to pinch herself and see if she was only dreaming and yet feared doing so lest she wake up. If this was a dream, she wanted it to last forever.

"And I look forward ta being there when ya come home, Dorian," she sighed happily. "I never dreamed I could be this happy! I'm scared I'll wake up and it won't be real." Finishing the last of her bread, she washed it down with some tea and sat her plate and cup on the hearth.

"Dorian?" she started quietly. "We never talked about it really, but... do ya want children? Not right now... I don't mean that, but I mean.. eventually. Do you want kids of yer own? And how many?"
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The grin said it all. "I want children." he said, looking into her green eyes. "I want little ones, underfoot and snatching crumbs, ones I have to chase around and put clothes on, ones that get older and go fishing or go into town and grow up proper. I want as many as the gods give us, and I'll work my bones thin to keep them - and you - well." He reached out, to clasp her hand in his.

"And if the gods won't give us any, I'll fish one out of the water."
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Matching his grin with one of her own, she moved over to sit next to him, as he held her hand, giggling quietly at his comment about pulling children out of the water.

"That's a sight I look forward ta seein'... you runnin' about after our youngins and teachin' em ta fish... ohhhh and swim!" She looked up into his eyes, her own green ones full of happiness.

"I love ya Dorian Drake," she said softly. "And I look forward to a house full a children and the laughin' times and the cryin' times and the growin' old times... long as they're with you." Letting out a small contented sigh, she kissed him softly, then laid her head on his shoulder.
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Her head on his shoulder was what made life worth living. He brushed her brow with a kiss, settling his arm around her, comforted and comfortable. He'd lost Nate Drake; who had been his only family, but now there was a new family starting out.....Maranda, and him.

"You'll let me know when you want a bigger home." he said, which was Thinking Ahead a Great Deal for him. "Gods grant us a long life together, Maranda, and if I screw something up, you'll tell me, and I'll fix it. And I hope the little ones have your smarts. I love you, wife." Somehow, the two of them together made more than just two people, setting out in life. It was a partnership that would stand against storm and siege.

He sat there with her a long while, til the night was worn in, and the firelight dancing started making him sleepy. Cuddled next to her, on a mattress.......he could get used to that. Travelling in the wobbly wagon tomorrow would be hard enough - for someone who could take rough seas and not think twice, a wagon's rocking ruined his equilibrium and made him.....landsick.
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The two sat snuggled together, watching the fire, talking and sitting quietly until the days activities began to catch up with them and sleepiness began to settle on them.

"S'pose we should go ta bed. Aunt Dora'll be here early ta fetch us," Maranda kissed the fisherman and got to her feet. Headed towards the bed, she pulled the chemise off and climbed into the bed. Curled up on her side facing him she yawned and watched him come to bed.
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Dorian, also tired, padded along after her, and settled in comfortably next to her. But he did kiss her goodnight, and smiled as she nestled close. It was late for him; since he was too cheap to buy anything to light his shack, when the sun went down, he slept.

He sighed once, and slept, this time a heavy, dreamless sleep, in which nothing troubled him til someone was shaking his shoulder in the morning. He refused breakfast........and helped carry out the last few things, and tried to find a place to sit in the wagon. In a few moments, the rocking of the transport would make him feel like death warmed over, but it had been worth it, to come here and go back, with her. Time to say goodbyes....to her uncle, and her brother, and head back to the city.
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The morning dawned as quietly as the night had come until the two new-joined were wakened by Aunt Dora chuckling.

"Time ta wake up sleepies," she shook Dorian's shoulder. "We've got ta be about so we can get this fisherman back ta his boat." She tousled Maranda's blonde curls who woke up with a start.

"Oh my," the blonde sat up blinking in the morning sunshine, holding the blanket against her bare skin which brought another chuckle from Dora.

"I'll be outside. You two get up and dressed. Ye'll have ta eat on the way now," and she gathered up the dinner stuff from the evening before, tucked it into a basket and hauled it out to the waiting wagon. There was no Uncle Thomas or Atson, only Aunt Dora.

As soon as Dora was out the door, the girl kissed Dorian on the cheek.

"Morning handsome," she greeted him as she slipped out of bed and got dressed. Folding the blanket, she laid it on top of the mattress and with Dorian, moved it out to the wagon. A quick check inside to round up everything and another moment for the girl to say goodbye to what had been her home and they were ready to leave.

Coming round from the front of the wagon, Aunt Dora approached, a small wooden box in her hands.

"Yer uncle couldn't come ta see ya off and Atson had a hard time leavin' last night but was much better this mornin'. Thomas thought it might be better if last night's goodbye's were it. He wanted ya ta have this though. His joinin' present to ya both," she smiled broadly and handed the box to the pair.

It was just a small rough hewn wooden box about the size of Dorian's palm with a fitted lid. Maranda carefully worked the tight fitting lid off and inside, nestled in a bit of fabric lay the pink pearl Dorian had presented when he asked for her hand. Also nestled in the off white fabric was a small stone, translucent and greenish blue in color, a dried knot of what had been a rose and some sprigs of greenery Maranda didn't recognize as well as the knot Dorian had hung over the door of the house after their joining.

"The dried knot belonged ta yer mother," Dora explained. "The other of course is yers. Keepsakes ya know," she winked at the two.

"Yer uncle can seem a bit rough around the edges, but he's a tender heart when it comes ta it," she hugged Maranda and then Dorian before they were off.

The trip was pleasant, at least as far as the weather was concerned. Warm morning sun warmed them nicely and as the day grew closer to noon, the heat was tempered by a nice cooling breeze. The trip back to Kings Court was uneventful, peaceful and quiet.


OOC: Thus ends this part of the story. I will open a new thread later today, Dorian. Go ahead ahead and post Dorian's version of the trip. Poor Dorian... :)
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Dorian settled his gaff, knife, bucket and blanket onto the wagon, after checking to make sure his money was there. And gave it over to Maranda. "Here, you'd better mind this.....I don't think I'll be able to........" The stingy-minded fisherman certainly avoided spending money, so there were a few coins to look at. It was enough to settle Maranda with what she felt the shack needed, and to carry them a part way through the winter.

He got in, a fretful look on his face, and soon was a curled ball of misery as the rocking of the wagon took its hold on him. He tried to sleep - tried to reassure Maranda - but was too wretched to be effective at any of it. It was a long way back.....but he didn't regret the trip. Well, this part of it he did.
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Sorry these were so long coming... this includes skills from the part of this thread over on ezboard. :)

Language (selkie) basic
Fishing +**
Swimming +**
Sailing +**
Native Craft - repair boat +*
Weather & Climate Lore +*
Smaller Blades +**
Seduction/woo +*****
Survival - nautical +*
Rope Works +*
Resolve +**
Conversation +*****
Business Perception +****
Cooking +***
Running - basic
Faire Lore - basic
Teaching (fishing) - basic
Teaching (Swimming) - basic
Detect Truth - basic


It was fun Dorian!! Good work and the next chapter is already off and running! We're off to see the wizar.. err merfolk!

:)
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