I know I am late to the fandom. Please review if you read this so I know it has been read. I'd love feed back.
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Caroline was woken from a sound sleep by Lulu's scream and jerked upright blinking in the morning sun. Rubbing sleep from her eyes she struggled to make sense of the argument between Lulu and Malroth. Was this going to be a thing, waking to their bickering? Maybe she should have let him put Lulu out of her misery.
Malroth glanced at Caroline when she jerked awake then glared once more at Lulu. He wasn't sure what pissed him off more, her baseless accusation or the fact she'd scared his builder awake.
"Lulu be sensible," the builder cut across them as she caught up with the argument. "I told you both last night I had gathered extra if anyone wanted more. Why would Malroth steal your leftovers instead of asking me for a fresh one? Why wouldn't YOU just ask for a fresh one?"
"Well my scallywinkle didn't disappear on it's own." Lulu insisted.
Caroline took her ribbons out and dragged her fingers through her purple hair then began to tie it back up. I just said we have more, give me 10 minutes and..."
"That's not the point!"
"...We can have a nice hot breakfast."
Muttering darkly Malroth placed his club on his shoulder and left the shack, intent on finding something to kill. Whatever creature he came across would be named Lulu before he dispatched it as the builder said the real one was off limits.
"Do you really have to piss him off this fucking early?"
"Hey, is it my fault your boyfriend has such a short fuse?"
"My... what? He's not my boyfriend" Lulu gave her an incredulous look, "I only just met him."
Lulu opened her mouth to respond but she never got a chance to. "Hey you two, you're going to want to see this!"
Caroline and Lulu hurried out to where Malroth stood and he pointed to the translucent, glowing, ghost of a hammerhood. It flipped over in the air then struck the cliff with it's mallet. Malroth quickly pulled the builder behind him and used himself as a human shield, protecting her from flying rock as the entire cliff shattered.
"Are those steps?" Malroth asked as the dust cleared. The hammerhood appeared at the top of the ancient stairway, "This way kid kid kiddiewinkles."
"That mad monster can't possibly expect us to follow it!" Malroth stated in disbelief. "On the other hand he might be able to tell us about this island."
"That thing must be what stole my breakfast, I demand we give chase and take back what is rightfully mine!" Lulu squealed with an indignant stomp of her foot.
"Oh for the love of..." Caroline reached in her pocket and yanked out a handful of slimy kelp and thrust it at Lulu "If you're that fucking hungry eat this!"
Lulu pulled a face at the offered meal and Caroline turned to Malroth, "Some info in the island would be helpful, but that sucker packs a punch. What do you think?"
He pulled out his weapon. "Stay close to me, stay alert. If I tell you to run get the hell outta there and I'll find you later. Let's go." She nodded and the three of them began to ascend the stairs to a winding mountain path. Every now and then the Hammerhood appeared up the path in front of them, urging them on. At the top of the mountain they came to the decaying ruins of an ancient temple.
"What is a place like this doing on a desert Island" Malroth wondered aloud staring around in wonder.
Caroline turned in a circle to take everything in. "I guess it was once inhabited, but it must have been a long time ago. This place is in serious need of repairs." Her eyes lit up as she imagined the repairs and improvements she could make to the crumbling ruins.
"Look Caroline, the hammerhood is right ahead of us. Lets make him spill the beans on all the islands secrets."
It was Lulu who addressed the monster first "There is no where to go you sneak thief, hand over the bivalve and no one gets hurt."
"Surly a noble lady like yourself can permit a hungry ham ham hammerhood her half snarffed leftovers."
"I'll tolerate no excuses, stealing is stealing-" Lulu went into a whole thing but the hammerhood ignored it and turned his attention to Caroline.
"Oh yes... Caroline. It just so happens that I have been waiting for a builder to rock rock rock up here for... Oh, a very long time indeed."
"Wait, how did you know she's a builder?" Malroth asked, preparing to strike.
"Oh ho, you're an obvervant one, aren't you?" He asked flipping and bobbing about. "Why the very reason I pinched that scrump scrump scrumptious Scalleywinkle was to lure your fine friend up here."
"Answer the question Dammit!" Malroth ordered but the Hammerhood was already talking to Caroline once again, asking her to fix the temple. Malroth protested this but Caroline was already working on a plan.
"Hey Malroth, don't speak for me. This sounds like fun. More fun than hunting down scally winkles and seaweed for Miss Bossyboots anyway." Lulu made a noise of offense but neither Caroline nor Malroth took any notice.
The hammerhood, whom Lulu dubbed the Hairy Hermit, provided her with two chests of materials and soon the repairs were made. The Hairy Hermit rewarded her with a wooden mallet, which was great. Then he gave her the whole damned Island, asking only that she build on it. After establishing they both wanted to hang around for the time being Lulu and Malroth began to argue about their plans for her new island.
The builder listened in silence, half amused and half exasperated. Neither of them were getting a kingdom, but they both might have good ideas. She might even give them both a little piece of land where they could do what they wanted. Though she had to admit, Empire of Evisceration sounded bad ass!
Then the issue of resources came up. The hairy hermit explained that with the island lacking in resources of any kind they needed to set sail for other nearby islands for resources and manpower.
"How exactly are we supposed to sail to these other islands? I thought we were stranded here." Malroth cocked his head to the side and gave the hairy hermit a critical look, "You're making this us as you go, you don't have a clue."
Before the hermit could respond to this criticism Lulu spotted something by the pier. It was a short, portly man in a turban standing next to a small ship. They all hightailed it down to the ship to speak to the captain. He greeted them with a rambling account of narrowly avoiding a Children of Hargon's slave ship before being lost at sea.
"Your lost? I guess there is no way you can get me back to Cantlin?"
"Why on earth would you want to return to Cantlin?" Lulu asked "You were just given a private island! And judging from that secondhand builders uniform I am going to guess you don't have other properties waiting for you."
"It's my home, Pinky. Or it was anyway, but your right, I don't really have anything to go back to."
Lulu turned to Captain Brown Beard, "I'm Lulu and this island is Lulutopia, or it will be once Caroline is done with it." Caroline shook her head and rolled her eyes.
"Lulutopia, " Brown beard mused, "Sounds like a perfect place for land lubbers like you, and a safe port for a salty sea dog like me. If you let me hang around all be your chauffer, I'll ship you off the any island you like as far as the second coffee stain on me map. Or I'll try to anyway, I know these seas like I know the back of me neck and I don't know me neck at all. But if you hear of any nearby I'll be happy to ferry you over."
"Well, your boat's a bit small but it looks in decent nick, I'd say you've got a deal."
"Malroth, this is my island, shouldn't I be the one making deals?"
"We need supplies."
"Well yeah, but I don't need you to speak for me, I was about to say yes anyway." Carolina replied. "So, anyone know of any islands in the area?" She looked expectantly at the Hairy Hermit."
"Hohoho, things are drop drop droping into place. Captain Brown beard will take you to all the nearby island where you will find plenty of supplies and abled bodied helpers" The hammerhood recapped unhelpfully.
"What lulutopia needs is a little greenery. I can picture it now, tree lined boulevards, spacious parks, and tables sagging under the weight of fresh picked vegetables."
"Lulu, MY island is not lulutopia. But I agree, some greenery would be good. Especially vegetables. I will eat what is available, but the truth is I really hate kelp and any people we bring back will also need fed."
"In that case you should first visit Furrowfield." The Hairy Hermit explained, "An island to the east famed for it'd fertile fields and fruit fruit fruitful farms. The island is home to a Young lass with a bright future in farming and a dash dash dashing dandy with a bushy beard. I'll mark it on Captain Brownbeard's map, just leave the sailing to him."
"You heard the magic monster Caroline, just come see me when you're ready to leave and we'll weigh anchor, it was five tons last I checked." stated Brownbeard.
"No time like the present, what do you say Malroth? Lulu?"
"You've decided to go to this new island?" then Lulu asked.
'Yep, we're not hanging around here any longer." Malroth replied boarding first then offering Caroline a hand to make sure she go on board safely. "Get on board Lulu, You're coming too."
Lulu stepped toward the boat then stopped, her face turning white with anxiety. "Actually, I think I'll stay here."
"What the- Thought you'd leave the hard work to us? Get on LuLu." Malroth ordered But Caroline put her hand on his arm and gave him a placating smile.
"I'm sorry," Lulu replied, trying to control a tremor in her voice "But after what happened on Hargon's slave ship I don't think I can stomach getting on a ship right now."
Malroth looked ready to argue but Caroline reminded him "She just survived a shipwreck."
"You were on that ship too, Caroline." He looked from her understanding smile to Lulu's frightened face. "Fine, whatever."
"Don't let me stop you from sailing to this new island, I'll be fine. I'm tougher than I look I'll have you know."
"Don't worry about Lulu, She'll be in good good good hands with me" The spectral hammerhood assured them.
"As if we can trust a word you say. Still, it's just Lulu's neck on the line. Let's go, all this talk or farming and vegetables is making my tummy rumble." Malroth exclaimed as he settled him self on the prow of the ship.
"Your tummy?" Caroline giggled.
"What's funny?" He demanded turning to look at her.
"You're just so tough and macho, hearing you use a word like tummy... It's cute." He scowled at her and turned back around. She wandered off to see if Brownbeard needed a hand. Soon Brownbeard began to sing a sailing shanty and to both men's surprise Caroline joined in. "My uncle was a sailor." Malroth heard her explain to Brownbeard's questioning look.
Malroth left his perch to follow his favorite builder around the ship for a bit, he never was one to sit still for any length of time. She bobbed around all over the ship helping Brownbeard with various tasks, a few Where Malroth's considerable strength helped as he helped move objects around the deck or pulled lines taunt while she or Brownbeard tied knots in them.
"So how long will it take to get there?" Malroth asked about midday.
Brownbeard pulled out a tattered, heavily stained map. "Arrr, if the hammerhood is to be believed we'll be making port either late tomorrow or early the next day, which brings up a small problem. It's usually just me out here on the briny blue. Only got the one bed. Seems the only gentlemanly thing is to let the little lass have it."
"Oh, it's okay, I don't need.."
"Stop arguing, it's decided, you get the bed. Me and brownbeard will be fine on the floor for a couple of nights."
"Well if you have any dried grass or hay onboard I can make more beds."
Brownbeard agreed to check his supplies for grass, he needed to get to the galley and prepare some grub anyway. He returned shortly later to inform them that soup was ready and there was no grass. He pointed out a bucket they could clean their hands in then disappeared below deck once more.
They used the bucket to pull up some clean seawater and removed their gloves to rinse away the day's sweat and any dirt that had worked it's way under the gloves. "I wish I knew where you got you nail polish! can I take a closer look?" Caroline exclaimed as she saw Malroth's hands. He nodded and she took one of his large hands in both of hers as she examined his nails. They were glossy and black, a little longish for a man and tapered almost like claws.
"All we've been through and your nails are absolutely perfect! I mean just look at mine!" She replied holding a hand out for his inspection.
Malroth took her hand to examine it closer and was surprised, the builder looked delicate and soft, but her hand was rough and calloused from hours swinging a hammer and handling materials. He liked that. Her nails were short, so they wouldn't break while she worked, rounded and almost colorless but for a few splotches of purple that was nearly worn off. Cradling her palm in his he ran his thumb over the back of her hand, finding that skin was as soft as she looked and lifting his eyes to hers he realized she'd matched her nails to her eyes and hair.
When Maroth's hand closed over hers Caroline felt a flutter in her belly and her heart sped up. He tilted his head to the side as he often did when confused, why did he have to have such cute mannerisms? "You feeling ok Caroline? Maybe you should have a lie down, you're changing color."
She pulled her hand away. "It's ok, I'm fine!" She replied quickly.
"You know Brownbeard has been sailing this boat alone for Goddess knows how long. Don't work yourself to hard. Save your energy for Furrowfield."
"I'm fine Malroth, thanks. I just need some lunch, let's get to the Galley." She turned and went below deck before he could question her anymore about the redness creeping into her face.