Road to the Legion
~~~Begin Chapter~~~
O'Connell and Vassilij were escorted by one of the ship's attendants to the Rowans' room. The attendant knocked on the door and a man about in his early forties, with short light brown hair and blue eyes answered taking a puff from his pipe. He looked at the two boys and the attendant through narrowed eyes saying in an English/Scottish accent, "Yes? What is it?"
The attendant half bowed saying, "Mr. Rowan, these two young gentlemen have volunteered to serve as your daughter's bodyguards."
Mr. Rowan looked at the two best friends, surveying them, noting every detail of them as he could. He scowled a bit and took his pipe from his mouth and blowing out smoke he said, "Do you think they can be trusted? They look like common street criminals to me. One looks like a Communist and the other an American. Do you think they can be trusted?"
Vassilij and O'Connell clenched their fists to keep from hurting Mr. Rowan for his insult. The attendant nodded saying, "They most certainly can, sir. They warned us of a bomb on the ship. They have approval from the Captain even, sir."
"Hm, approval from the captain, eh? Well, I'd like to see the captain to make sure," Mr. Rowan said.
"Daddy, stop," A female voice said. Mr. Rowan and the other three's attention turned to a tall slender beautiful woman walking up. She was dressed in an Egyptian type dress, black mind you. She had dark brown hair, and green eyes. She was very beautiful. O'Connell, Vassilij, and the attendant's mouths were agape at her beauty. Mr. Rowan smiled.
"Ah, Nicole," Mr. Rowan said putting the pipe back in his mouth. "I was just talking to these three fine young gentlemen."
"yeah, and it didn't seem to be going anywhere," Nicole said, leaning on the wall. "You don't need to see the Captain, I don't think the attendant would lie to you on what the Captain said. After all, it was the Captain who gave the orders to bring those to 'fine young gentlemen' down, right?"
"Mm-hmm, what a smart girl you are," Mr. Rowan said, smiling. He turned to the three men, who instantly closed their mouths. "Alright, you two got the job. That will be all, thank you."
Mr. Rowan was about to shut the door when Nicole walked out. He watched as she did, a confused look on his face.
"Where are you going?" He asked. Nicole turned around smiling innocently.
"Well, I thought that if I'm going to have bodyguards, might as well put them to use!" She said. Mr. Rowan nodded.
"Yes, I know, I just want to know where you are going."
"To the deck, unless you don't want me to because you're afraid I may catch some sort of African disease."
"You're right, you're forbidden to go on the deck. Not letting my daughter catch Dane gay Fever," Mr. Rowan said.
Nicole dropper her shoulders into a slouch, "Dad! Come on! I haven't gone out of the room since we got on!"
"I don't care, staying in here is better than being out on the deck with those ruffians in third class, or catching a fever of sorts. You'll stay right here in this room," Mr. Rowan said.
"Then what's the point of having bodyguards?" Nicole asked.
"Oh, Oscar," another female voice said. Their attentions turned to a woman in her late thirties but still looking good, and looked like Nicole a little came up to Oscar, putting her hands on his shoulders calming him. "Let her see the ship. She made many friends while we were here. I'm sure she would like to wave them off. Besides, she is seventeen, she deserves a little more freedom."
"I knew you'd be on my side, Mother," Nicole said smiling. Her mother smiled and nodded. Mr. Rowan looked from his daughter to wife, to the bodyguards then to the floor, he sighed then nodded.
"Alright, you can go see the ship. But don't get lost. You never know what those third class ruffians may do!" Mr. Rowan said to his daughter who was walking speedily down the hall, the two bodyguards following.
Nicole turned and smiled, "That's what these two are for!"
Then turned again and walked up to the deck.
~~~On Deck~~~
Nicole fought her way to the railing, O'Connell and Vassilij close behind. Nicole searched the crowd on deck for her friends, she found them and waved. She yelled to them, "Bye, Ardy! Bye Johnny! Bye Evy!!"
O'Connell and Vassilij looked at the crowd of people, Vassilij hit O'Connell lightly to get his attention. O'Connell looked over at him. Vassilij pointed to the far end of the crowd, "Check it out, it's Uncle Nikolai, and Mother Brenda! I wonder where Abbot Dan is?"
O'Connell looked at Nikolai and Mother Brenda. "Me too."
They looked over the crowd, hoping to see him, but they didn't. As the passed Brenda and Nikolai O'Connell thought he saw tears running down Brenda's cheeks. He smirked, "Look, Mother Brenda's crying. I bet she misses us already!"
"Me too," Vassilij said, laughing lightly. The ship left port on it's way through the Mediterranean. The people left deck to head back to their rooms, soon only a few people were left, including O'Connell, Vassilij, and Nicole roaming the bow of the ship. She looked out at sea, smiling.
O'Connell and Vassilij just stood there, eyes narrowed from the wind blowing in their eyes. They looked out at the sea, the blue sea of the Mediterranean sea. Vassilij's eye wandered up to Nicole, O'Connell noticed this and smirked.
"Vass, honestly," O'Connell whispered. "I think she's a little out of your reach."
"Pah, yeah right, O'Connell. Like you could get her," he said. O'Connell nodded. "No way. Besides, I saw the way she looked at me. She likes me."
"Actually I find both of you attractive," Nicole said, not turning to them. The two closed their eyes a while then opened them to see her still standing at the bow, facing the sea. "But I have a boyfriend already. He's in England. So you two are out of luck, I'm afraid."
"Y-you could hear us?" Vassilij asked, stumbling a little.
"Yes, it's not that hard to hear two men talking, especially an American."
"Hey, is that an insult?" O'Connell asked.
"no, I'm just saying that you were talking loud. And It's easy to distinguish an American by their accent. It's a tad loud. An English on the other hand is more quiet and reserved, but your friend still could be heard, I have excellent hearing."
Vassilij smiled, "You think I'm English?"
"You seem to have the accent," Nicole said.
"Well, that's just from living in an Orphanage control by the English," Vassilij said. "But O'Connell grew up there with me, but he maintained his American accent." Rick nodded.
Nicole smiled out at the sea, "Yes, that's nice. Oh look!! Dolphins! I didn't know they came out here!"
O'Connell and Vassilij looked out towards the sea where Nicole pointed. O'Connell and Vassilij saw the pack of dolphins swimming. It brought smiles to their faces.
"That's cool," Vassilij said. Watching the dolphins jump in the air and do tricks. It looked as though they smiled at them.
"Yeah, it is," O'Connell said.
"I never knew boys who enjoyed looking at dolphins," Nicole said. O'Connell and Vassilij immediately averted the gaze from the dolphins to the deck. Nicole laughed lightly. "It's alright, nice to know that my bodyguards have hearts. I hope you don't lose them."
They merely nodded. Nicole smiled, these two seemed so easy to intimidate! She stepped of the rail and walked toward the door leading to the cabins. "Come on, boys. It's time for dinner. Come on, I don't want to be late."
The two friends hurried to her side. As she walked through the door, the two friends walked into the wall and fell back.
"Ow…" the said at the same time.
~~~At Dinner~~~
The Rowans were first class passengers, so they had great clothes, great food, great dining hall, a rag tag bag playing fancy music, and great wine. Also they were the most paying passengers too, so they dined with the captain. They went into the dining hall, Mr. And Mrs. Rowan arm in arm going first then Nicole Rowan with O'Connell and Vassilij either side of her. The dining hall was big, and beautiful. A grand stair case coming from the cabin halls to the dining hall. (AN think like the 1st class dining on Titanic). A huge chandelier above the stair case. Statues of angel children, nice tables. Then you came to the center where the rag tag band played classical music, then past that was a long table near the window looking out to the sea, this was the Captain's table. And this is where the Rowans, another rich family and the Captain ate. The Captain sat at the head of the table, Mr. Rowan on his right and Mr. Earl on his left. Then next to Mr. Rowan sat his wife, then O'Connell, then Nicole, then Vassilij. On the other side sat Mr. Earl, his wife, then their nineteen year old son who gave Nicole a few glances that got Mr. Rowan a little edgy, then their two daughters, the elder near her brother, she about sixteen and their youngest, a thirteen year old. The two families sat and awaited the Captain.
Nicole looked around, trying to avoid the looks that the Earl boy was giving her. She whispered to her two body guards, "I don't like that Earl boy. He's giving me weird looks."
Vassilij and O'Connell nodded and glared at the Earl boy, which made him avoid looking their way. Mr. Rowan spoke with Mr. Earl, both having pipes in their mouths, though they weren't lit.
"So, Mr. Earl, what are you kids names?" Mr. Rowan asked, starting a conversation. Mr. Earl smiled proudly as he introduced his children.
"This is my son, Edward the Third. I'm Edward the Second, my father was Edward the First. We're from the Fraser Shire in Scotland. Apart of the Duke of Fraser's court. Those two young ladies are my daughters, the elder is Kathryn, named after my wife's mother. And the youngest is Rachel. She's a shy one, rarely speaks, but has great manners. And this is my lovely wife, Josephine. And your children, Mr. Rowan?" Mr. Earl said, gesturing to his children when he introduced them and then to the three adolescents opposite of his family.
"oh, well, this my wife, Alexandria, and my daughter Nicole, named after my own grandmother. We're from the Rowans of the Stirlingshire, we too are members of the Duke of Stirling's court."
Mr. Earl squinted his eyes, putting on a confused face then saying, "What about those two young gentlemen?"
"Oh, they are my daughter's body guards. You never know what those third class scum mites might do for money or pleasure."
"That is a good decision, I wonder, will your daughter's body guards pose as guards for mine as well? Well, at my youngest one. Kathryn and Edward are capable of taking care of themselves, besides, Edward and Kathryn share the same interests and 'hang out' as they call it. But my youngest daughter is often alone, the other children laugh at her for her silence. I do wish she had someone to play with. There aren't many her age."
Just then the Captain came up, "My apologies for being late, dear sirs. The business of being Captain is not easy nor lazy." The Captain sat down, smiling broadly. He rubbed his hands together and said, "After a hard day of shipping off and making sure everything is in working order, I am eager for a good meal! The ship has the finest meal, the best since the Titanic! Waiter, get us our menus."
A waiter bowed and went off to fetch the menus. Mr. Rowan took out his pipe and said to the captain, "The two young men you sent to pose as bodyguards for my daughter, they seem a little raggedy."
The Captain nodded, "Yes, but they're heroes, Mr. Rowan. They saved the ship from disaster, Arabs had planted a bomb on the ship." The ladies gasped, though not their daughters.
"A bomb?" Mrs. Earl exclaimed. "I hope it has been removed and there are no more!"
"Me, too," Mrs. Rowan said. The Captain nodded, raising his hand to calm them down.
"No need to worry, ladies, we removed it, and searched for any more, we found no more. So thanks to them, we are safe."
Mr. Earl looked over at the two body guards, "Hmm, what a strange set of heroes, one looks American and the other a Russian. But heroes none the less. I would certainly like for them to pose as body guards to my own daughter, Rachel."
The Captain smiled and nodded, "I'm sure they'd be glad to. Isn't that right boys?"
Vassilij and O'Connell were listening to the conversation and merely nodded. Then turned their attention to making sure that Edward the Third didn't dare look at Nicole again. Nicole was having a nice chat with Rachel, though it seemed a little one sided, but Rachel just smiled and nodded. (Good advice, just smile and nod, got it from my dear friend M-chan!)
~~~End Chapter~~~
Alright got that done, plZ review it! I got this chapter up later but, I want to spend much time on it to make it very dramatic. So plZ review and I hope you liked it!
Jester