Chapter Six: No Such Luck
Another plan gone down the drain, and the day had begun so well for me. I reported back to the ship, just like I said I would, but disappointingly everyone else who'd been asking around to help me out, as a favor hadn't one drop of information. Everyone said the same as me. No one around these parts had seen nor heard from a girl named Tristen, and hadn't heard a thing about her for four years. Some had heard about Baggins' Tavern, about a woman named Ms. Hibs that had housed Tristen there for a while, but since I'd already checked in with her that drop of information was useless. Ms. Hibs turned out to be the name of that pretty woman that sat down when I'd ordered a drink, the one with the very unattractive voice.
"No luck Mr. Pan?" Oh! I didn't even hear the Cabin boy approach me! Silent one this one is, only the captain, the cook, and I have ever heard him speak. Like I said, silent one he is.
"No luck Toodles." If you ask me Toodles is quite a strange name. Don't know where he came from, but he's only about fifteen. I think when he came on board he was only eleven or so. Captain Struet took pity on the lad; his father had been a good man working on this ship. Toodles' father was killed during an attack of pirates that'd been trying to loot this ship. Have I told you the name of this here ship? S.S. Legacy, nothing too fancy, just some dash of flashy. Real pretty golden lettering on the back of the ship, it's also written prettily on the right front side in black. Contrasting isn't too bad between the two.
"I'm sorry." Such a nice boy Toodles is. Doesn't need any words to express that. Those that know of his past take pity on him, and try and be so much as a replacement for the boy's father. I don't know why, but the boy took a liking to me. Really, I have no idea why? Even when I was a drunk kids flocked to me like I was their father. Strange to me to this day it is.
"Not yer fault, I'm the one that lost her. Damn it if I hadn't gotten drunk." Whoops, I'm complaining again. The cabin boy looks up at me now and gives me a sorrowful gaze. Damn, I hate it when people look at me like that. I suppose that's how I look at all of them though. My eyes have shone happiness since before I lost Tristen, and weren't truly happy after I'd lost Margaret. How I miss them both. "You know better then that." I growl tiredly. Toodles looks away with disappointment hidden in his gaze. Damn him. "What is it you're wanting to ask?" I've always been able to tell when the boy wants to ask something. Gets that glaze over his eyes and bites his crusted pink lips. Really the boy should put some balm on them lips of his.
"I wanted to ask-" he gulps too loudly, or perhaps that's just my hearing.
"Spit it out." I forlornly sigh.
"Could you tell me about her? Tristen I mean. What was she like?" Well this isn't a first, so there won't be a last. Again I sigh but nod, searching for a memory I haven't told the boy yet. Hm, that's not out of the ordinary, but looks like I've told the boy just about all I remember. What a time to be absent-minded. Ah ha!
"Yah already know what she looked like back when I was still taking care of her, I've told you that too many times by now. But she always had a smile to share, a smile that could make anyone smile, even those who had a cold and closed off heart. Think she got that from me Margaret. But damned be it I couldn't dress the lass in those fancy dresses girls should be wearing, so little Tristen always been a Tom boy." As I talk about her I can almost see her clearly standing a few yards off, back to being such a young little girl. How I loved her then, and how I still love her now.
"What about when she was real little, when Margaret was al-" seems he caught his mistake before he'd finished asking about it. I shake my head but continue anyways.
"Well I remember one time when she was round four years old. Always been the absent-minded type, like me." I have to smile at this. "She was in the garden of the old manor, and I'd just come home from a four-month long voyage. Margaret knew well enough I'd be coming home that day, told her so in a letter. Sure enough she told Tristen I'd be home soon. But that one day when I came home I found her in the garden, in a puddle, having ruined a brand new dress. She looked up at me with eyes that looked just like mine, and giggled happily, before latching onto my leg. Margaret came out and found the both of us knee deep in the puddle of mud Tristen had caught a frog. Scared the hell out of Margaret she did with it, and didn't see my beloved again till dinner time." Now I'm chuckling at the memory, replaying it before my mind's eye I can see the horrified look on my beloveds face as little Tristen holds up a very lively and afraid toad. Toodles sniggers as well.
"And did Tristen get punished?" At this I have to laugh again.
"Well Margie and I thought we were punishing her, really we did. Margaret gave Tristen a bath, and then sent her to her bedroom without dinner. Neither of us knew Tristen had eaten a mud-pie earlier that day." Again Toodles laughs happily. Uh oh, I hear footsteps approaching.
"Troublesome little one Tristen was as I remember." Oh it's only Captain Struet. I stand up to salute him but he just waves it off and seats himself back on the edge of his boat next to Toodles. Closest and oldest friend I have on this ship is Struet. Back when the old captain was abroad and Struet and me were just sailing cabin boys, couldn't separate us. Nearly the same to this day I daresay. Too bad he's got a family to go back to, while I have a daughter to search for. Struet is such a kid at heart, just like me. What was it his mother had called us? Eternal Children. No matter how old we look on the outside, on the inside we're just kids wanting to play. His dad was the old captain, that's how this ship came into his possession.
"You knew Tristen Captain?" Asks Toodles eagerly. Toodles is like an Eternal Child too. Except he's still a child right now.
"Of course. Peter and me been friends as far back as I can remember. Me dad let him on as Cabin Boy once he were old enough, so he took my place. Remember them days Pete?" Struet calls over his shoulder as I walk back to my place and seat myself next to him, a knowing smile on my lips.
"Course, how could I forget? Ye hated me for a full week once I'd become Cabin Boy. Made yer dad furious with me, pulling tricks." Struet and I laugh, shaking our heads in remembrance of the 'good old days'. I can feel Toodles watching us closely.
"So what do you know about Tristen?" Asks Toodles even more interestedly.
"Just about as much as Peter. Just as tricky that one was as was Peter when we were that age. Remember that time Pete when you brought her over to my manor, I'd say she were about six?" I think back on this and realize he hasn't given me enough information, in the end I just shrug and look out to watch the sunset. "Susan, my daughter, was only about three I think. That troublesome Tristen got a kick out of her new playmate I think, but Susan and Shannon hated it. Tristen had a hell of a time playing tricks on my girls. And Shannon was, oh I say round eight years old. This one particular time she came over, I think it was about her one hundredth visit to my manor, she ended up pulling some mischief on me wife Penelope." Struet begins laughing uncontrollably, and as I think way back I got an idea of what he's talking about and have to chuckle a bit.
"What happened?" Toodles asks eagerly.
"W-well…" Struet settles down a bit now, at least enough to talk. "She brought over a jar full of something, said it was jelly her mum had made. Gave it to my Penelope so she might make jelly sandwiches for a snack for the kids." Ah yes, now I remember perfectly! "Well Penelope went to make them sandwiches, and suddenly there was an ear-splitting scream. I and Peter had been watching the children out in the courtyard when we heard it. Well Peter was much faster then me, and I believe still is, and so he went to check it out. Came back nearly doubled over with laughter…" He trailed off and continued on laughing madly, so I decided I'd pick up where he left off.
"Oh Penelope was horrified. I ran to the kitchen so fast I didn't even notice the things crawling around on the ground. She was standing on the dining table pointing and screaming, couldn't understand a word." Now Struet just laughs harder, remembering the old times. "Well the chambermaids had all come up to see what the screaming was about, and by god they hopped onto chairs too and began pointing and screaming. Finally I looked where they pointed, and there sitting on a counter is the glass jar with a pretty checkered cloth around it Tristen had brought with her and given as a gift to Penelope, and there's more then a hundred spiders crawling out from it." Struet nods, his laughing has calmed but tears of joy well up in his eyes as he picks up where I leave off.
"Peter came back and told me what happened, so he and me went to round up the servants and we had to stop those devils out. It was twilight by the time we'd finished, and going back into the courtyard we found Shannon, Susan and Brandon all clutching each other and staring horrified like at little Tristen. Now Shannon and Susan, my two daughters, I'm used to them jumping at their own shadows, but me son Brandon isn't usually scared of a damned thing. Well looking at Tristen I notice she's holding the biggest spider of them all and laughing madly as she taunts my girls and son with it." His sniggers quiet a bit more and I can tell he's a bit disappointed with how Tristen had taunted his kin.
"Ah come on now William, meant no harm she didn't!" I have to gasp out as I continue my tittering.
"Aye, tell that to me Penelope. She still goes pale at the mention of that act of mischief." I quiet down at once and nod, though truly I'm holding in more joyous laughter. It's the only time I've ever really laughed during these past eight years. God do I ever miss my troublesome Tristen. And how Margaret and I never really could find a fitting punishment for her.
"I hope to meet Tristen someday." Toodles words startle me out of my reverie and I have to nod sadly.
"Me too."
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AN: Well what did I tell yah? Wasn't too depressing now was it? Next chapter someone discovers Tristen's secret, but you'll have to read the next chapter to find out. I love reviews, and special thanks to those that have, but don't feel obligated to. I like to type and my imagination goes into overdrive if I don't get out some of these stories. But only a few weeks ago I asked myself "why do I type all these stories and keep them to myself" and so here some are. I still keep the others to myself, only a chosen few go up on Fanfiction.net or anywhere else online. Some are poems that come out of nowhere, or after I've been babysitting and read a Dr. Suess book. But anyway, I hope someone out there checks my other stories out, don't feel obligated to, I just want you people to enjoy yourselves. And I'd be so happy if any of my poems or stories make you happy! Lemme know sometime k? ::winks::
Disclaimer: I don't own Peter Pan. However I do own my original characters William Struet, Tristen, and even Nat. (Don't think I forgot about William Struet's kids, I own them too so ::blows raspberry at anyone who wants to steal them even if she doesn't know why::)