Chapter Four: Touch of Luck
Upon reaching the town the harbor is housed around, I find myself in another smoke filled bar. I might not have been a drunk, but smoke I don't and never have, nor never will I. Luckily my ship, or the ship I'm first mate on, is housed in this harbor, so even if I can't find this Rigors fellow I can report back to the ship sooner and be on our merry way to the next town.
Rain has stopped, though doesn't matter now that I'm soaked through. Hate it when that happens. I'll need a wink of sleep if I want to actually talk to that guy Rigors. Damned be it he better be in this town, or someone damn well better know where the hell he may be. I've suffered seven years without knowing a damned thing about Tristen, if she's dead or alive, but now that I've got hope there's nothing to stop me. Well nothing but a touch of sleep. From the sounds of that woman at that Baggins' Tavern, with a spot of luck my little Tristen may still be alive. Or at least I can pray. Now if only I knew what the hell this Rigors fellow looked like.
"'Scuse me." I bump into someone and automatically am apologizing.
"Aye you better is." What a rude asshole!
"Aye." With a mutter I continue to the front where yet another woman stands, looks like she's the barkeep, or perhaps her husband is. Even from this distance my excellent vision can see the ring on her left hand, on that o-so-important finger. Excellent vision and perfect hearing come with the territory of being first-mate on one of the finest ships I ever did see. Well second to finest. There's the Red Baron, or known by many more as Grey Ash, but I've got a grudge against the captain of that ship, and so I won't continue to mention it. "Miss." My voice is raspy from disuse, or perhaps I've caught a cold. No, that's unlikely, as I don't think I ever have caught a cold. Strange sort of now that I think about it?
"What'll you have sir?" What a sweet voice this one has. Such a young thing to be married as well! Why this girl doesn't look any older then twenty-something. Dunno if that's a shame or not, if her and her husband love each other a lot then I guess it's not a shame, but so young to be married still! Why I don't think I was married until at least thirty, but my memory has always been pretty bad, so maybe I was just this girl's age.
"Nothing for tonight. If you could just give me a drop of information?" I try and make my tone as kindly as possible.
"Who does it concern?" Her tone's suspicious. I smile kindly.
"Two people really. I've lost my daughter you see, and a man named Rigors might just know where she be." Recognition flashes through the woman's bright sea-green eyes before they settle on more suspicion.
"What do you plan to do to this man Rigors?" Asks the bar maiden.
"I plan on asking just what I've asked you, for a drop of information. If none can be given I be on my merry way. Just in town for the night I am, be gone by morning I promise." I raise my right hand honestly as I speak and this makes the bar maiden look something alike convinced.
"He's captain of the ship called Saint Marian. I'm Marian." Even without the help of the reflective glass behind the woman, I can feel my eyebrows rise in realization. I smile kindly once more.
"Your husband in madam?" Her eyes bow to the glass she cleans and now I know I've said something wrong.
"Nay, he be at sea for a touch over a year now." She sounds quite sad and I feel I should apologize, just something holds me back from showing the woman any pity. Perhaps it's the thought that she might take it wrong in thinking I know something about Rigors her husband. But wait a minute, how is a young woman like this married to an old man? At least no twenty-something year old men I know are captains of their own ships! Pretty disgusting if you ask me, but then again, this woman's sorrow shows a lot of love held for her husband, so maybe I shouldn't be thinking like that. Maybe I'm wrong and her husband really is the captain of his own ship and really is only twenty-something years old. How should I know?
"I see." I bow my head and turn from the bar ready to leave, but she grabs my arm and as I turn back I see reassurance in those bright sea-green eyes of hers. I wonder now if her eyes are what made this man Rigors fall in love with this maiden, I can be sure isn't a saint.
"This daughter of yours, I'm Rigors' wife, perhaps I can be of some assistance?" I got to admit she's a smart cookie! Never would have thought of that by myself! My eyes take on a hopeful gleam; I can tell cause can just see my reflection in the glass behind this young being.
"That would be wonderful!" My call makes men in the bar turn and look at me. "Ah, whoops." My shrug turns their eyes away, luckily. "Aye, if you could help I would be most grateful." I bow my head for reasons I only hope she understands. She does and I can just sense that reassuring smile beaming down at me.
"What be the name of your child?" Her voice drifts down to my highly sensitive pointed ears. Luckily my auburn hair is much more overgrown then normally I would allow it, but I won't worry about that now.
"Her name's Tristen, she is around the age of sixteen I believe." I wonder if I said that too hurriedly? Wow I'm a little flustered I'm so overexcited. The strange look the woman's giving me isn't helping. "What?" I spit out after a moment of silence, or as silent as it can get between two people in a noisy bar.
"You say her name is Tristen?" The woman spits my daughter's name out like it's a curse.
"Aye?" Now I'm just plain old confused. What's the matter with the name Tristen? Does she already know someone she has a grudge against by the name?
"She wouldn't look just like you were she a boy, would she?" Um, there's a reason they call females daughters of a father.
"Tristen's a female." I answer in unknowing annoyance and puzzlement. What the hell is this woman talking about? "I suppose so otherwise, why?"
"I believe I've seen your daughter." Now what's with the exaggerating tone? I thought this young woman was nice enough, but now she's just being rude. Playing with my emotions like this! I don't know whether to be excited or confused. Hm, guess I'll just have to be both. The look I give her makes her smile. Not a pleasant little smile mind you, hers is twisted into something evil. Scary woman this one is. Since I don't know how to answer I just stay silent. "No longer does she look one though. The thing came in four years back saying she were an orphan." Whoops, now I just feel guilty. "Not surprising she's a liar, lied and said she were a boy as well." Should I feel angry with this? Is she accusing me of being a liar? "Apparently she's a traitor too. Nother of your mates came in saying some female be on their ship, lied about ever being on a ship, the captain that'd docked with them even suspected the cabin boy was really female. My husband and I don't know whether or not she told any of the Saint Marian's secrets, but I suspect she did." Yep, not I'm definitely getting angry. Though I'm not quite sure who to be angry at? This maiden, my daughter, or myself, I don't know. But could this woman be lying? Is she just being cruel?
"Now see here, I don't know what Tristen may have turned into, but she's certainly a girl." Wait, that's only half-correct. Tristen wa- I meant is a girl, but she always had been a Tomboy. Had she taken it a step too far?
"You asked and now I'm answering just to my knowledge. The bitch came in here whenever my husband arrived home and came in for a visit. She looked identical to you but younger. Thing had your eyes as well. There's no mistaking it." She'd gone too far. Tristen had gone too far by pretending to be a boy and being hired as Cabin boy, and this bar maiden here had just gone too far by calling my only daughter a bitch. Oh well, I'd get to her punishment later.
"What happened to her?" I ask, desperate for any information concerning my little girl- er can I still call her that? Or would it be my son now? How far exactly has Tristen gone?
"Like I said, became Cabin Boy on Saint Marian when it was twelve or so. My husband taught it the sword, climbing the ropes, everything it needed to know about being a sailor. Became mighty fine at all of them things Rigors taught it." I wish this woman would just call Tristen by her name, or at least her sex. Making me confused this woman here is. "Taught itself to swim Trent did." Now who's Trent? That Tristen's someone special?
"Trent?" My curiosity gets the better of me every time.
"Oh, that's what your Tristen started calling itself." Damn this woman's pissing me off. "Anyway, one day it got careless and jumped overboard with a lifeline to go catch the cook some fish. Good at that it was." Swear to god if she doesn't just call Tristen by one sex or the other- "Rigors and the crew got an eyeful, as she'd started to develop." Am I blushing or did it just get really hot in here? Wow! I didn't know this woman could look anymore scarier! What a twisted smile, and it's becoming even worse! How unattractive.
"What happened to her?" I ask despite my fear and embarrassment.
"When it came back aboard Saint Marian," hm, she certainly takes a lot of pride in that ship being called after her, "Rigors wanted it off the ship soon as possible. Lucky to escape with its life, as the moment land was in sight it jumped overboard, never to return. And good riddance I say." What a wicked hag. I take back all the nice things I might have been thinking about her. But I've forgotten all about punishing this wicked hag, as I'm too relieved to hear Tristen hadn't been killed by the lot. Still my curiosity, which I fight to no end, wonders what secrets Saint Marian, the ship, could hold.
"Thanks for all ye help." I mutter and turn to leave the bar but again the hag's hand shoots out and hangs tight to my right wrist.
"Not even a farthing worth?" She questions with a sarcastic smile. I frown at her.
"Yer lucky if I let you keep this bar." With that growl, out of fear I think, the woman releases me and steps back once, staring at me with a horrified gaze.
"You're a pirate?" She whispers. At this I have to laugh.
"Nay, I wouldn't be a pirate if I were paid hundreds of times my wages. Got a grudge against one in particular I do. If you hear about or see Tristen, keep in mind what you hear or see, for I'll be back to collect more information on my daughter. If any harm comes to her, whether inflicted by your or your mates' hands, know they will be slain on sight, and that you no longer will have a business." I whisper back and turn back towards my exit. "Good day to you milady." I bow my head ever so slightly and walk out of the bar. Though it was a threat, I've never been too true to them. I rarely slay a man, and never have I, nor will I slay a woman or child. To me a threat is just a threat, words that rarely hold true meaning. Only once have I had actually followed through with one of my threats, and that had to do with the Captain Pirate I still have a grudge against.
"'Scuse me." A man scrawnier then me I've just bumped into as I walk out the bar's doors.
"No harm done, it was truly my fault." I say cheerily with a bow of the head before I continue on my way. Sometimes it's worth the look of fear on their faces, when they fear you're a crazed moody drunk that one moment will smile gleefully, and the next pounce. That scrawny man's face truly was worth the scare I musta given him.
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AN: Real short Author's Note this time. How'd yah like it? Okay, comments are done for now. Thanks for reading, and to those of you who reviewed, special thanks multiplied by ten.
Disclaimer; I don't own any rights to Peter Pan. (Although I do have a green pencil, that if I put a green cloth hat on with a little red feather, and maybe draw a smiley face on it would make a good look-a-like!) I do own any rights to Tristen however. (Yeah and I've got a twig that I swear looks just like her too!)