Time and Tide, the 26th

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Oct 03, 2005 1:18 am

Dorian woke slowly, aware he was being summoned to the waking world by something with sharp edges. The cat was kneading his shin with her claws, ignoring his attempts to remain asleep, snuggled up beside the soft warmth that was Maranda. He wanted to ignore the creature, but then the glimmer of dawn was in the sky, and the feeling in his blood, that the tide was changing. It was time to rise, to begin his day.

With reluctance, he shuffled out of the bedding and tucked in his wife so that she didn't grow cold, brushing her forehead with a gentle kiss. The cat wound around his legs as he dressed, nearly making him trip, but then he was outside in the crisp air, heading towards his boat, with nets, gaff and knife. Time to go out onto the water. There was work to be done, fish to be caught, hungry bellies to be fed.

Post by **Shaeliana** » Mon Oct 03, 2005 1:42 am

The day dawned clear and brisk, the leaves on the trees beginning to show the first stains of reds, yellows and oranges that heralded the true coming of the fall season. Within a few weeks, the woodlands around Kings Court would come alive with color.

Maranda stirred sleepily as Dorian left the bed and covered her back up, murmuring softly with a smile as his lips brushed her forehead. Cat raced outside as the fisherman opened the door and stepped out under a cloudless sky. It promised to be a beautiful day.

Each day, the mer settled and grew more clear than the last after the terrible pelting it had taken during the latest battle. This also meant that the fisherman didn't have to do out as far to find schools of fish. Over the last days, the waters had been desolate of much life except the patrol ships that cruised afar out, watching for any further attacks.

This morning however, Dorian noted several other small fishing boats, similar to his, rowing out to earn their living. And the fish seemed plentiful this morning. Plentiful and active.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Oct 05, 2005 12:52 pm

Dorian rowed out along to one of his spots, and cast his nets, knowing that life went on. He didn't bother them, and they didn't bother him, for he was a Drake after all, and a lot of socialization wasn't on the menu. Today, he'd feed his family, the one next door, and as many of the rest of the city as he could manage to haul safely home. He wasn't thinking much, for it just wasn't his way to have deep thoughts, but the man who'd wanted those fish put up in barrels did puzzle him. He'd have to find Redlon and ask some questions, which was an unusual tact for a Drake, to have so much curiousity and a need to satisfy it. Still, that was about all he thought of, before he was hauling his nets back in again.

Post by **Shaeliana** » Thu Oct 06, 2005 1:10 am

As the fisherman pulled his nets in, it was a decent catch. Not by far the largest he'd ever taken, but good sized. In spite of the numbers, most of them were young fish with only a dozen or so good sized fish and maybe double that number that were somewhere in between.

Overhead, the warm autumn sun glittered off the blue of the lake, dancing with small ripples from the wind that had come up fairly brisk. Small puffy clouds were blowing in from the south.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Oct 06, 2005 10:56 am

Dorian sorted the catch, dumping back all the small fish and a portion of the larger fish. Big fish made more little fish, that was the way of it. This thought actually led to thinking about Maranda, and made him blush under his weathered tan. There was no reason why a half-Selkie could not father a child with a human woman, but he did wonder if there was a chance the child might be Selkie. He wasn't even really sure if his father had Selkie blood too, or not - but that was neither here nor there, he told himself, and tended to his catch.

He eyed the catch, after he had culled it, in the bottom of the boat, and considered throwing again, in a different place. Before the weather blew in, as it was beginning to do now.

Post by **Shaeliana** » Sat Oct 08, 2005 1:56 pm

Moving to a different spot garnered similar results, as if the majority of the larger fish were staying deeper, perhaps because of the coming weather. As the day progressed, the clouds continued to increase, small bands of fluffy white drifting across a bright blue sky at a pretty good pace.

This far from the land, the gulls no longer coasted overhead but dolphins swam in these waters. A couple of medium sized gray mammals played and swam around the fisherman.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 12:13 pm

"I know why you're here," Dorian said to the dolphins, with a smile, in the lyrical Selkie language, "I'll go and get my own fish, and leave you to your dinner !" But he threw a few fish overboard to the dolphins, anyway, for they were neighbours, of a sort.

With that, he set the oars to, and gently moved his boat out of their way. The weather was coming in. What he had was going to be good enough to sell, and it was time to be getting home, before the water got rough.

Post by **Shaeliana** » Fri Oct 14, 2005 2:13 am

Chittering at the fisherman, one of the sleek playful dolphins bounded up and fell back into the water so as to splash Dorian. Sounding almost as if laughing, the youthful group hungrily accepted the fisherman's offering and and swam around his boat several times before darting off to find fun elsewhere. As the day wore on, the clouds increased as did the winds, gusty blustery winds that blew Dorian's dark hair into his eyes.

Back at the shack, the door was open and the remains of a fire smoldered, but Maranda was not in the shack nor around it. A piece of bright yellow fabric that the woman had been sewing on lay on the ground, gray cat curled up in the middle of it napping.

The sound of a woman's piercing scream came from down the beach.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Oct 16, 2005 12:36 am

Dorian had hauled his catch onto dry land by his cutting block (an old log with a flat surface), preparing to gut and string the fish for sale, but the scream was enough for him to drop the nets. It must be time, he thought, but then it could be trouble too. He seized his gaff, pointing the end away from himself and broke into a clumsy, shuffling run, hastening toward the sound.

Post by **Shaeliana** » Sun Oct 16, 2005 4:00 pm

Though the scream lasted only flickers, as Dorian neared the small structure he had helped build, he heard the sound of a female voice cursing vehemently.

"Get this thing out of me! By the One, this is YOUR fault, you make it go away! Damn you! I want it to stop! You will make it stop or I'll have your balls in a stew," the voice shrieked. Her husband, Dan'el, stood in the doorway, looking pale and frightened. Maranda knelt beside the small woman rubbing her stomach and trying to calm her with soothing words which seemed not to be helping at all. Motion at the door caused the blonde to look up, her eyes lighting up in a smile at the sight of Dorian.

"As y'can see, tis her tiime. We need that midwife ya spoke of husband," she gripped the woman's hand and held on as another contraction elicited a brief scream from the woman's lips.

"If y'can get him ta move, might take him as well?" she nodded to Lucy's husband standing as if stricken in the doorway, his face a mask of pain and dismay.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Oct 16, 2005 4:42 pm

Dorian Drake had never witnessed the Wrath of a Woman before, and stood there shocked and frightened. It was only Maranda, who was the brains of the pair to start with, who got him doing what was the sensible thing. He jumped as she gave her suggestion, as if was an order from a general.

"Dan'l !" he yelped, in a Selkie's sharp barking, "Come then ! There's a midwife !" He scrambled clumsily back towards the town, dropping his gaff along the way lest he stab himself with it, and did his best to get to town as quickly as possible.

The yell for poor Doris could not be missed; Dorian used every bit of lung power he had, in a chest made strong indeed, by rowing for hours. "DORIS ! DORIS !"

Post by **Shaeliana** » Sun Oct 16, 2005 7:27 pm

As if lost in a fog, Dan'el didn't respond at first and in fact, Dorian had to take his arm and gently tug him away from the shack.

"I shouldn't leave," the befuddled man murmured. "What if something happens? She won't....die?" he choaked out, turning and grabbing the fisherman's shirt front.

"Tell me she won't die," he croaked, panic in his voice. "I can't live if she dies," he added, tears filling his eyes, eyes that voice the pain the man felt inside.

However reluctantly, the father to be did allow Dorian to drag him along to town, barely aware of where he was as the fisherman screamed for Doris. Passers by looked at the fisherman, faces full of curiousity mixed with fear or contempt. Doris was nowhere to be seen. Within a burn or two, a city guardsman was at the scene. Only as tall as Dorian's shoulder, the man's gray hair was thinning on top while his eyebrows were full and bushy, matching a wild gray moustache.

"Here, here, now! What's this all about?" the man's strong but pleasant voice inquired of the fisherman. "This is no way ta find yer lost Doris, sir," he smiled. "I suggest ya go home and look there. Often womenfolk that run off in a fit of temper, realize later that they were wrong and head home. Like as not, she'll be there waitin' for ya. No need ta be disturbin' the peace, screamin' out here like this. B'sides, if she's still angry with ya, she'll not come out with ya hollerin' like that. It'd only scare her," he calmly patted Dorian on the shoulder and gave him a kind smile.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Oct 16, 2005 9:39 pm

Dying ? In childbirth ! With a chill, Dorian knew that could indeed be the way of it. All the more reason to quickly find Doris.

Dorian struggled to deal with the flood of words that was swirling around his head, half of them the common tongue and half of them Selkie. He took a deep breath, and answered the guard once he had assembled what he hoped was coherent. What people thought of him was hardly something that gave him concern; he just fished the Mer and sold fish to them, it wasn't as if there needed to be more than that for his happiness.

"This man's wife is bearing now," he said, indicating Dan'el. "Doris is the midwife. She's mighty needed, but I don't know what house is hers."

Post by **Shaeliana** » Wed Oct 19, 2005 5:19 pm

"Doris?" the guardsman looked up and down the road. "Can't say as I recall a midwife named Doris, leastwise not in this part o' town. What makes ya think she lives here laddy?" he asked, his tone firm but gentle.

"Of course, when it comes to it, I'm certain we can find a midwife for ya, though might not be this Doris ya speak of. Would another do as well?"

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Oct 19, 2005 11:29 pm

"She's got a lot of children, Doris," Dorian said, thoughtfully, as being a Drake lent itself to a certain sort of stolid sense. "I was paying her in fish. But, at this time, any midwife would be helpful. Do you know any ?"

Post by **Shaeliana** » Sat Oct 22, 2005 1:10 am

"Midwife. Hmmmm," the man fiddled with the end of his wirey moustache as he thought.

"There's Granny Wildarook lives over near the Laughing King. She's about the best there is. Where'd ya say this birthin' was happenin'" he looked at Dorian and Dan'el. "Granny's not as spry as she once was. Doubt she could travel far. The Widow Gabby's done her fair share of birthin's too, though she's not official as a midwife and she lives on the other side of town. Dorcas is but I think she's stayin' in Roque with kin until things settle here. Oh, and there is Lady Lancaster, lives in the rich section though she mostly attends the noble women. I've seen her do others too. And of course there's always those at the hospice though these days they're pretty busy with the wounded. Matthew Courspin's delivered his share of youngin'. He's not a midwife either but lives nearby," the old man scratched his head and it seemed he would go on listing midwives forever.

Next to him, Dan'el grasped the fisherman's arm tightly, gurgling softly. "We've got ta hurry. Lucy could die," he croaked out.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Oct 22, 2005 2:29 pm

"Where is Matthew Courspin ?" Dorian asked, ever one to get straight to the point.

Post by **Shaeliana** » Sun Oct 23, 2005 1:06 am

As it turned out, Matthew lived close by, just down a street and around the corner. Having attended a critically wounded patient the night before, the man was asleep when they arrived, his short pretty wife answering the door. When the healer showed up, red hair wild and sticking up, face covered with a couple days stubble, he sighed and asked his wife to get his bag as he padded off to the bedroom to get ready.

Returning a few burns later, hair combed, face washed and feet shod with sturdy looking shoes, he kissed his wife and accompanied the men back to the lakeside where Lucy was in the middle of a rant, cursing men and their seed in general by now. The healer chuckled and shook his head.

At the doorway, he stopped and addressed the two men. "I need you to cut wood, build a big fire out here and boil some water, two pots at least. In one of those pots, you're t'put some sheeting. I'll get it for you from inside. Let the sheeting boil for at least a half mark. I also need you ta find either some muscles or crabs. Hold on t'them until I tell ya, then they go into the other pot. Periodically, I'll need you to bring me small pans of hot water so we don't want t'put the shellfish in til the end. She'll be fine. Tis a very natural act," he smiled and patted Dan'el on the arm as he went inside and began to talk soothingly to the mother to be.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Oct 23, 2005 4:45 pm

Dorian was no stranger to hard work. "Aye," was all he said to Matthew, taking in the orders with a Drakeish calm. Then he gave an order to Dan'el. "Dan'el, chop wood or take from my stack of driftwood; I'll fetch up sheets and then the shellfish." Then he immediately went about the task, getting a sheet to be boiled, and using the bucket to fill their cook-pot and set it on to heat.

A Selkie had no trouble finding food ! But there were fish - now the subject of great interest of the gulls - to be dealt with, yet that was not as important as getting that baby into the world the right way. He threw his nets over the catch as best he could in passing, and then just threw himself, with the emptied bucket, into the Mer to fetch up what mussels could be had, or what crabs slow enough to be caught by a determined man.

Post by **Shaeliana** » Sun Oct 23, 2005 5:06 pm

As it turned out, Dan'el had a rick of wood set behind the small cottage and only had to round up enough kindling to get it started, wincing each time his wife cried out during the birthing pains. However, the work and activity were good for the men, letting them divert worry into action. Soon the pots of water were on the fire and by the time they had come to a boil, Maranda popped out to fetch a pan of hot water for the healer, her blonde hair damp around the edges, causing it to curl. With a warm smile at her fisherman, she headed back inside.

Crabs were few and far between as well as skiddish, but muscles the fisherman found in abundance. Dan'el came to help him and soon they had enough to feed both families heartily. The grunts, groans and screams from the shack had grown in frequency and the two men were left with nothing more to do for the birthing. The only task remaining was the fish, and once again, Dan'el offered to help.

The sun was starting to set when the Maranda came out smiling, looking worse for the wear but happy.

"Matthew says you can come in now," she held out her hand to her husband to draw him inside with her, where she snuggled next to his side with a sigh.

Mother and child lay together, nestled in a pile of blankets. Lucy's dark hair was matted and a mess, but her face was radiant, her eyes full of love and happiness as she looked up at her husband.

"You have a son," she beamed proudly as she held the babe out for the new father to see.

Next to him, Maranda sighed and hugged Dorian. "Isn't it wonderful?" she whispered.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Oct 24, 2005 10:43 am

Dorian was a little slow on the uptake, but he wasn't a fool. Nor did he forget the rest of the day, or his catch of fish, rapidly losing their precious freshness. "Aye, wife," he said, and clasped his arms around her, brushing her forehead with a kiss.

He paused, because the rest of the day had not ended for Dorian Drake, and there wasn't any issue of 'let me put it off until tomorrow' to a Drake. Work had to be done today. "I must go now, and sell those fish."

Post by **Shaeliana** » Wed Oct 26, 2005 2:16 am

Beaming happily, Maranda turned and kissed her husband, "You're the best Dorian Drake," she whispered. The infant had started to cry and complain while the healer worked with the new mother as she coaxed the child to suckle. It was a loud healthy cry.

"Want me ta come with ya?" she asked as they walked outside where the sun cast bright shades of orange and red over the water.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Oct 27, 2005 1:29 am

"Not so close to dark, not in the city," Dorian Drake replied. He would however walk the healer back safely to his house, that was only right and proper, and give the man as much of the catch as he wanted. He started to sling strings of fish over one burly arm, in preparation for carrying them, and let Maranda carry his gaff and bucket back to the shack. "Tis your safety on my mind." he added, because it was. Life was not just Dorian Drake and the day's work, it was Maranda, his sun and his moon.

Post by **Shaeliana** » Sat Oct 29, 2005 4:21 pm

"Whatever you say my love," Maranda purred as she accepted the gaff and bucket from her husband. "Leave me a few of your fish and I'll have them ready when you get home," she added, holding out the bucket to hold them.

It was late enough in the day, most of the markets were closed, the people on the streets busily heading home. A month ago, it would have meant low prices and poor sales, but food was still scarce and those passing by eagerly took note of Dorian peddling his wares. Less than a quarter of a mark later, the young man had sold or traded his last fish. As he finished up, an old man approached, clad in a gray robe similar to the white robes worn by those of the Church of the One.

"Blessings of Dominicus upon you, lad," he offered quietly. "I can see you'e a good heart, through your generosity to others here this eve. You must commune with the One daily to have achieved such holiness," his lips curled into a soft smile as one hand came down on Dorian's shoulder.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Oct 29, 2005 10:12 pm

The fisherman knew only of the church as a place where men who could read were stationed, and also where he might sell a lobster or two in better times. Worshipping, well, he was respectful of the Mer, of the wind and the weather. It wasn't quite the same thing, and sitting in a building listening to someone talk took away from work, which was important beyond all else to a Drake. Caring about the people in the city, well that was ensuring you'd have a bunch of people around to buy fish tomorrow, and the day after. It was the same principle as throwing back part of what you caught, a number of the adult fish and the fingerlings. You needed adult fish to make more little fish, so you could fish tomorrow, next month, next year. Drakes worked hard every day but never, ever forgot about tomorrow.

"Sorry," he said, but in a respectful tone, to the priest. "Just fish, your holiness; fish and sometimes lobster, or shellfish. Does the church need fish ? You do enough right by the folks of the city, so I'll stop by tomorrow with some." Doris hadn't shown up, much to his dismay, but then the city was a difficult place betimes.