Fish was wolfing down any food she could get her paws on. Her spoon lay
unused on the table. It was the best food she had ever tasted. She was too
busy eating to notice the stares she was getting from the Redwallers.
Blaggut sat next to her, drinking only cider as he bounced the Mousebabe
and Furrtil on his knees. Fish was halfway through a bowl of strawberries
and cream when the Father Abbot came up to her accompanied by an elderly
mouse,
'Fish, I would like you to meet our herbalist, Simeon.' Fish swallowed a mouthful of strawberries and with a cream-covered paw shook Simeon's paw rather enthusiastically.
'A pleasure ter meet yer, Simeon.'
'The pleasure is all mine, Fish. Welcome to Redwall.' Simeon said, smiling.
'Good mornin' Mister Simeon, sir.' Blaggut said, turning his attention away from the Dibbuns.
'Hello Blaggut.' Simeon nodded at Blaggut before turning back to Fish, 'I have prepared the potion to help to recover your memories.'
'Really? When can we start?' Fish asked, excitedly.
'That it why we came looking for you. We can begin as soon as your ready...'
Fish gripped Simeon's paws, 'Now, let's do it, now!' She practically screamed out.
~
Fish lay on her bed in the Infirmary. She began grabbing fistfuls of sheet and squeezing them, anxiously. Finally, finally, she was going to be able to remember. Remember everything. Remember who she was. The Abbot, Blaggut and two other mice, the Abbot introduced them as Brother Hugo and Sister Sage. He told her that Hugo was going to record everything she said. Hugo took a seat at a desk, preparing his parchment and quill. Both smiled very kindly at her.
Simeon came back from the corner table, carrying a handful of strong sweet- smelling herbs as well as a bowl of a concoction of crushed roots and herbs.
'Now, Fish, lay down and close your eyes.' Fish did as he instructed. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest. The strong sweet scent of the herbs filled her nostrils and Fish let out a small whimper, 'Ssh, everything is all right, I have to knock you out before I administer the potion.' Simeon soothed.
'Tis all right, Fish, mate. Ole Blaggy's 'ere wid yer.' Fish felt Blaggut take her paw and squeezed it gently. It was surprising how gentle he was.
'Don' leave me, Blaggy.' Fish told him, her voice sounding faint and far away. She suddenly felt light-headed.
'Oh, I won'. I won'...' Blaggut's voice echoed as Fish drifted slowly into unconsciousness.
Sister Sage placed a damp cloth on Fish's forehead and tilted her head up as Simeon applied Fish a dose of the potion to her lips.
'Blaggut, you are the one Fish is most comfortable with. I want you to repeat this to Fish.'
'Yer wid friends, Fishy, mate. Good friends. I wan' ter tell us what happened ter yer. Back ter the beginnin' and tell us. Can yer 'ear me, Fish? Do yer understand wot I'm sayin'?'
Fish's eyelids flickered and she gave a small moan. Then she began to speak. Her voice taking on a certain harshness and fierceness...
~
I am Rogue Quickblade and I am the daughter of Cap'n Barbossa, she said with pride, or otherwise known on the High Seas as Barbarossa the Wicked. Me father is the brother of King Gabool the Wild, the King o' all Searats. Me mother died giving birth ter me. I was born on me father's ship, the BlackDeath, an' have lived me whole life on it. Me father is a good Cap'n. The best, in fact, 'e is smart an' strong an' nobeast is better or quicker with a blade than 'im. Except perhaps maybe me. Tis why I am called 'Quickblade'. Me father taught me tha' art of swordfightin' when I was nothin' but a whelp. So I've learnt from tha' best.
But me father is getting grey in tha' beard. I fear there is goin' ter be a mutiny on board. There is a rat, Hades Sharpfang, me father's first mate. I don' trust 'im. I fear, he will turn the crew against me father...
I was right! There 'as been a mutiny! That scum, Hades has killed me father. He stabbed him through the heart! Hades! I swear yer'll pay for this! Yer bastard! Fish began thrashing violently about, fangs bared, claws slashing the air. Hades asks me ter join him or he'll feed me ter tha' fishes. I won't I'd rather die, I tell him an' spit on him. He laughs and says, 'Very well.' Two o' tha' crew grabs me an' drags me off ter the edge. I scream at me brother, Scurge to help me but he looks away! Me own flesh an' blood! I'll kill 'im too the filthy traitor! I bite and scratch and punch and kick 'til they drop me! I run at Hades wid me sword! I slash his face! Yer bastard! Yer murderous scum! Yer killed me father! Yer goin' ter pay fer it! Blood fer blood! Fish screamed, hacking through thin air with an invisible sword. Then there is a crack an' I feel like me skulls been spilt open an' everything goes black...
~
'Fish, I would like you to meet our herbalist, Simeon.' Fish swallowed a mouthful of strawberries and with a cream-covered paw shook Simeon's paw rather enthusiastically.
'A pleasure ter meet yer, Simeon.'
'The pleasure is all mine, Fish. Welcome to Redwall.' Simeon said, smiling.
'Good mornin' Mister Simeon, sir.' Blaggut said, turning his attention away from the Dibbuns.
'Hello Blaggut.' Simeon nodded at Blaggut before turning back to Fish, 'I have prepared the potion to help to recover your memories.'
'Really? When can we start?' Fish asked, excitedly.
'That it why we came looking for you. We can begin as soon as your ready...'
Fish gripped Simeon's paws, 'Now, let's do it, now!' She practically screamed out.
~
Fish lay on her bed in the Infirmary. She began grabbing fistfuls of sheet and squeezing them, anxiously. Finally, finally, she was going to be able to remember. Remember everything. Remember who she was. The Abbot, Blaggut and two other mice, the Abbot introduced them as Brother Hugo and Sister Sage. He told her that Hugo was going to record everything she said. Hugo took a seat at a desk, preparing his parchment and quill. Both smiled very kindly at her.
Simeon came back from the corner table, carrying a handful of strong sweet- smelling herbs as well as a bowl of a concoction of crushed roots and herbs.
'Now, Fish, lay down and close your eyes.' Fish did as he instructed. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest. The strong sweet scent of the herbs filled her nostrils and Fish let out a small whimper, 'Ssh, everything is all right, I have to knock you out before I administer the potion.' Simeon soothed.
'Tis all right, Fish, mate. Ole Blaggy's 'ere wid yer.' Fish felt Blaggut take her paw and squeezed it gently. It was surprising how gentle he was.
'Don' leave me, Blaggy.' Fish told him, her voice sounding faint and far away. She suddenly felt light-headed.
'Oh, I won'. I won'...' Blaggut's voice echoed as Fish drifted slowly into unconsciousness.
Sister Sage placed a damp cloth on Fish's forehead and tilted her head up as Simeon applied Fish a dose of the potion to her lips.
'Blaggut, you are the one Fish is most comfortable with. I want you to repeat this to Fish.'
'Yer wid friends, Fishy, mate. Good friends. I wan' ter tell us what happened ter yer. Back ter the beginnin' and tell us. Can yer 'ear me, Fish? Do yer understand wot I'm sayin'?'
Fish's eyelids flickered and she gave a small moan. Then she began to speak. Her voice taking on a certain harshness and fierceness...
~
I am Rogue Quickblade and I am the daughter of Cap'n Barbossa, she said with pride, or otherwise known on the High Seas as Barbarossa the Wicked. Me father is the brother of King Gabool the Wild, the King o' all Searats. Me mother died giving birth ter me. I was born on me father's ship, the BlackDeath, an' have lived me whole life on it. Me father is a good Cap'n. The best, in fact, 'e is smart an' strong an' nobeast is better or quicker with a blade than 'im. Except perhaps maybe me. Tis why I am called 'Quickblade'. Me father taught me tha' art of swordfightin' when I was nothin' but a whelp. So I've learnt from tha' best.
But me father is getting grey in tha' beard. I fear there is goin' ter be a mutiny on board. There is a rat, Hades Sharpfang, me father's first mate. I don' trust 'im. I fear, he will turn the crew against me father...
I was right! There 'as been a mutiny! That scum, Hades has killed me father. He stabbed him through the heart! Hades! I swear yer'll pay for this! Yer bastard! Fish began thrashing violently about, fangs bared, claws slashing the air. Hades asks me ter join him or he'll feed me ter tha' fishes. I won't I'd rather die, I tell him an' spit on him. He laughs and says, 'Very well.' Two o' tha' crew grabs me an' drags me off ter the edge. I scream at me brother, Scurge to help me but he looks away! Me own flesh an' blood! I'll kill 'im too the filthy traitor! I bite and scratch and punch and kick 'til they drop me! I run at Hades wid me sword! I slash his face! Yer bastard! Yer murderous scum! Yer killed me father! Yer goin' ter pay fer it! Blood fer blood! Fish screamed, hacking through thin air with an invisible sword. Then there is a crack an' I feel like me skulls been spilt open an' everything goes black...
~