by Kat Mandu
“Haha,” Colton started laughing, “My brother the story teller,” he mocked,
“Can we see it?” His Mom asked,
“Richard shrugged, I don’t see why not,” Richard admitted, as he stood up.
“Doctor, Dame, you don’t mind if we take a quick trip to my ship?” Richard shouted.
“I swear if this becomes a regular occurrence every day thing, I will drop you from this investigation!” David shouted back.
“Really?” Richard asked hopefully.
“Sir Richard, please to not test the good doctor’s patience,” Madison scolded as Colton shut up.
Chapter 30 Bring Your Mom To Work Day?
Dinner Party aboard the Eagle
“So where is your ship?” Colton asked as Richard just smiled, as He walked up onto the deck of the Golden Eagle,
“Your kidding right?” David asked looking at Madison who just smirked,
“Captain,” “Captain, Richard.” “Sir Richard,” came a multitude of greeting as Richard spotted Boss reading on top of a barrel, he lowered it and set it down before approaching him.
“I take it your opening up a tour or something?” He asked with a grin.
“Nah, just visiting with the family,” Richard said with a slight shrug as Boss suddenly got a shudder down his back. “What’s that about?”
“No idea,” Boss admitted, “Oh right you had a package deliver her for you,” he said, “Sam, get the package!”
Sam nodded and rushed off as Jill, rushed over and started to wag her tail as she raced around his legs. “Hello Jill,” He said,
“Can I pet her?” Anita asked Richard nodded his head as she began to play with the dog.
“Just let her sniff yeah first,” Richard advised,
“So working for the government, why do I get a feeling you left a few things out?” Colton asked glancing over at him.
“Don’t worry about it little brother, just know I am making the world a bit safer,” Richard sad clapping him on the back.
“You have been reading to many of your Arthurian legends,” Colton frowned, “Word will get out I am not stupid,”
“So why should I ruin the mystery?” Richard asked before walking off.
“So who’s this?” Anita asked as Sam walked over handing Richard a package.
“This is Sam, sadly he can’t talk, he’s my cabin boy, and the only mature member of my crew,” Richard chuckled as he took the package unwrapping a badge that looked like his flag a sideways facing skull with two wings on it. He frowned looking at his coat.
“What’s that?” Anita asked,
“It’s a badge so long as It matches my flag I have the right to recruit sailors, and lets me fight bad guys and enemies of Britannia,” Richard explained.
“So you were Knighted, I am so proud, but I got a feeling were going to be seeing less off you,” Richard’s mom said.
“Anytime is good, he was gone for five years,” Colton laughed, His mom elbowed him but he got a few more chuckles off.
“Anyway try to make it for the holiday’s it’s bad enough I lost contact with you sister, I would love to have you back for the birthday.” She said as she looked Richard in the eye.
Richard rubbed the back of his head. “It’s been a while hasn’t it, I’ll do my best to keep the holidays in mind,” Richard admitted.
“Sadly Sir Captain Richard will be working on a project, with the government, and will be required to take leave of public life, this will be the last time he will be able to visit for the foreseeable future,” David informed as he glared at Richard but was mostly ignored.
“Well if that’s how it is how about a dinner above deck?” Richard asked, “I’ll get everything set, Boss see if you can, ah better idea, get Tray and James together and use the extra planks and barrels to make up some tables, and seating arrangements if you need to try and find some old ones around the docks. I’ll get the stove going and see if anyone can help with the cooking.
“Good think you thought of this so early or else we would be having dinner late into the night. Still,” Richard’s mom sighed, “You their red head you’re going to help as well,” she pointed Jerold,
“Um,” He looked ready to protest, but she shot him a look.
“I think I can help out with the cooking as well,” Tobi, volunteered, as Richard glanced over at him.
“I really can’t believe your still here,” Richard admitted,
“After the party that night I stuck around besides, Boss over there beat me in arm wrestling,” he chuckled, “I would like to join as a full member of the crew if you don’t mind.”
“Welcome aboard, Tobi, I will have a formal interview with my business her in gaslight is properly wrapped up.”
“Sounds fair,” He admitted, “Hear that chief? We get to spend more time together,”
“Oh my,” Laurella said as her face turned red,
“Something wrong Doc?” Richard asked looking at her,
“Nothings wrong, but Madison seems to be having a fit,” David,
“Not you Laurella is the ship’s surgeon, what do you mean having a fit, Madison’s got a straight face,” Richard said pointing his thumb at her. Madison had her Cloak off letting her armor see light.
“Gah,” Boss had a hand over his mouth as Richard gave him a funny look.
“Did I miss something?” Richard asked, after getting no response head shook his head and headed below deck.
Richard spent a good portion of the day in the kitchen as the smoke and steam filtered out of the metal tubing and out of the ship. “So I hear you got trapped on an island?” His mom mentioned as Richard nodded,
“Aye, had a bit of a run in with a Pirate named Brendan,” Richard admitted, as he grabbed a big slab of beef. “Sam goes check up on the chicken,” Richard ordered as Sam nodded and jolted off.
“So is his hair always white?” Gerald asked,
“Yeah, sure, wait, what?” Richard asked turning around as he looked over to see that Sam’s hair was indeed white.
“That’s not normal is it?” Tobi asked, “Cause I swore it was green last night,”
“It was brown when I first met him, to be honest,” Richard admitted,
“I know my hair changes in the light, but that is ridiculus,” his mom raised an eyebrow at him.
“Still not the weirdest person on this ship, Richard admitted, most mysterious,” he admitted, “Goliam, could you give me a hand with this stuff, I need you to start bringing things up on deck,” Richard called out as He popped his head into the kitchen.
“By the make!” Richard’s mom cried out as Richard simply handed him a massive metal pot.
“Smells like chicken,” He said with a nervous grin as he eyed Richard’s mom before looking helplessly back at Richard.
“Don’t worry about her, Trust me mom’s a lot more forgiving than me just give her some time to get used to you,” He said cheerfully as he pushed him back towards the stairs. “Now get moving I got some other things work on.” Richard pushed him out. “As He looked at his mom, how’s the bread?”
“Still cooking,” Tobi admitted, “So is he the oddest on the ship?” He asked,
“Hardly,” Richard said with a shake of his head.
“Really, well I guess the Moth Chick would count,” Tobi admitted,
“You haven’t met her,” Richard admitted,
“You have a woman who want to share her life with you?” Richard’s mom asked,
“Crazier, a woman even more controlling than Grandma,” Richard snapped back, Tobi glanced from one to the other.
“That’s not humanly possible,” She returned, “I would have an easier time believing you have a kid, sadly the only one I have seen is too cute to be related to you.”
“It’s called adoption perfectly reasonable, especially since normally family members have a bad habit of driving you up the wall,” Richard responded,
“So anyone want popcorn?” Tobi asked Richard’s mom gave
him a frown,
“Get back to work we don’t have time for your, oh so witty banter,” As she pushed him of the stole he had grabbed scattering his popcorn all over his chest.
“She’s mean,” Tobi said, “Wasted all that popcorn,” as Jill all but jumped out from under a table and started eating the food up.
“Nah, if she wanted to be mean, she would have had you cooking the bacon,” Richard said, “Where the hell is everyone else, I swear If I have to smash head together to get people motivated I will,” Richard frowned as he moved up the stairs, when he started to hear a rumbling of people, that as he got closer and closer sounded more irritated and Hostile.
“Richard?” came a surprised Chirp, as Madison approached him.
“Madison?” he asked glancing up as she shrugged her shoulders.
“Your mom asked me to search around for some spices, ingredients,” She corrected, “When I noticed it as well, your ships going to be the death of you,” she said eyeing him. Richard felt a half smirk twist onto his face as he headed up to the deck to see all if not most of the crew standing in front of the gangplank.
“Go check up on Laurella, let her know we may have need of her services,” Richard informed her, as Richard moved into the crowd.
“Captain on deck!” Nathan shouted over as Nathan took his ride side and started to create a path. “Get people moving you!” Nathan pointed at Stephano, “Get on the left, started moving people to the side. Goliam!” Nathan shouted and everyone stepped to the side.
“Why didn’t you do that first?” Richard whispered,
“You needed an entourage, I am a storyteller we got to set the mood.” He said with a grin, as Goliam stood behind him casting a bit of a shadow. “One thing is missing,” Richard tossed his brown coat to the side as Sam tossed him his black coat. Pinning his badge inside he adjusted his coat.
“Well?” came a voice, as Richard rolled his eyes.
“I waited on one knee for Shaper knows how long, and they can’t wait for five for me to get my coat on?” Richard sighed, “Okay let’s see what this is all about,” Richard sniffed before striding forward.
Richard spotted the guard first, The uniform was a traditional Orange and white garb, each with a rapier at the side and a black hat, a few of them had a crossbow on hand. They had armor over their shoulders as well as brown boots.
The guard was circling around a few odd individuals. One was wearing a dress, she had long blonde hair that was braided and was a bit on the small size despite wearing a dress. She stood out the most no just cause of the mint green dress, was she seemed to not want to be there, in fact, she seemed downright flattery like a bird in a cage.
The other girl was dressed a bit more casually but her deep red dress went to offset her porcine skin and Black hair which was tied up in a bun. She had brown eyes that seemed very hard while the other woman was nervous this one had a cold control to her, on a level he rarely saw. Despite this, her dress showed off a lot more of her than the Blonde clearly desiring to show off as much as possible, as the standards of a woman of her class would allow. She adjusted her white gloves as she locked eyes with Richard, but his were lazy and disinterested as he glanced down at the man looking straight up at him.
He had his brown hair in a ponytail, without a hair loss, as Richard walked forward he saw more, he had a dark blue coat with long tails he had a white shirt on with ruffles around his neck and at his sleeves. His pants were also Dark Blue as well with what looked like white stripes down the outside part of his pants. He had a rapier at his side as well but it was decked out with a bit more money as it shined with a few precise jewels as the metal shifted around the hilt.
Richard walked down the plank as Both Nathan and Stepheno walked a step behind. Goliam waited at the top not sure if the plank could hold him.
“So what seems to be the problem?” Richard asked as he glanced around he looked back at his crew then back to the group before him. “I hope my dinner plan hasn’t interrupted your,” He trailed a bit glancing at the woman in green than to the one in red. “Whatever it is you’re doing,” Richard said with a grin,
The woman in red, however, was locking eyes with Stepheno both seemed to be trying to burn holes in each other’s head. Nathan was polite giving the woman in green a smile, However she seemed to shrink behind the man. “Oh, but where are my manors, Sir Captain Richard Robert Zane,” He said resting his hand on the hilt of his sword and offering his other.
“So you’re the captain of this ship, I see you are not flying the colors of Britannia, as such as I informed your first mate.” He nodded as Richard glanced back to see Boss off to the side of the plank. “That I will be confiscating your ship,
“Law, huh?” Richard repeated as he glanced back at his crew as he gave Boss a wink. “Well, I don’t know, with arms like that, I don’t think you turn the wheel with your skinny arms,” Richard chuckled as the crew humored Richard with the laughter of his own.
“Skinny huh, I’ll tan your hide for your arrogance,” He growled.
“Morgan, this doesn’t feel right,” said the woman in green,
“A man such a this who spits at authority is not a man we need sailing the seas we have enough pirates,” He said glancing back at her.
“Morgan, I’ll make you deal you turn that wheel and the ship is yours,” Richard said with a smile, as everyone shut up. Nathan and Stepheno both looked at him.
“You are on,” Morgan said with a grin as he pushed past Richard. Richard held up his hand stopping anyone else from pushing past as the crew split from him. Richard smirked as he glanced.
“My Lady if you care to watch,” he glanced at both, “You may come aboard as well.” He offered as he stepped to the side. The two walked past the woman in green going before the lady in red. Richard glanced at the guard who seemed to move as he flashed his badge, at them. They stopped as one of them even grinned as Richard winked, he walked up the plank just in time to see Morgan reach the wheel. The crew whispered as they formed behind lee as Sam grabbed his leg. Richard glanced down to see a worried face but Richard patted him on the head and crossed his arms.
“Ah,” Morgan grunted as he tried to turn the wheel. He looked at the wheel stunned. “The ladies the crew everyone, “What?” he questioned he looked at the wheel inspecting it looking for a lock but finding nothing.
“Haha,” Richard laughed, his chest rumbling as he leaned back. “What’s a matter, are gloves causing you to slip.
“You Locked it somehow,” He Morgan grunted.
“What did you do?” David asked in a whisper.
“I told the truth he’s not enough of a man to handle the Golden Eagle,” Richard said as Morgan’s feet slipped trying to push it. “Sam would you be so kind as to give him a hand?” Richard asked his voice filled with mock sympathy. Sam hesitated as Richard gave him a light push on the back as he moved up.
Morgan glared at Sam. “IF he does a thing to Sam, kill him,” Richard said to Stepheno under his breath even as he smiled calmly up at Morgan. Sam couldn’t even come up to the full height as he pushed the wheel and slowly and surprisingly turned it. The crew roared with Laughter as Morgan looked at the Sam in disbelief.
Richard chuckled as he strode up to the wheel. He took the wheel and casually spun it with a flick of his wrist. “I do believe, a deal is a deal,” He said leaning against the rail looking at Morgan.
“It doesn’t change the law,” Morgan snapped.
“True but this does,” Richard said taking out his page and slapping it on the rail. ” I am a Legal Privateer, and only members of my crew are strong enough to sail My ship. So if you don’t mind I would ask you to get off, my ship. I am having dinner and your not invited,” He said,
“What in the world is going on!” Shouted Madison as she moved out of the doctor’s room. She pushed past the crew.
“Just showing my, Guests,” Richard said presently, “back to shore, Dame Madison,” Richard said as Morgan’s eyes went wide.
“Sister?” said the woman in green as she spun around to see Madison.
“Dandy,” Richard said with a sigh, “I got a feeling I will have a few more mouths to feed now,” Richard said glancing over at Sam.
Richard watched as the two hugged as Morgan and Richard glanced at each other. Richard Mentally sized him up, playing Leader to the Oldest Daughter of the Stronglance family met this man was worth something. And while it would be best to be civil, Richard figured if Lord Stronglance died and this was the replacement, he may want to consider another patron.
“Oh it is so good to see it’s been so long, Nora,” Madison said as the crew quickly parted ways. The two
“Okay get back to work no standing around,” Richard ordered off. “Boss I need to go downstairs and Help out in the Kitchen, I got things to keep an eye on up here.”
“I take it the entertainments over?” Boss asked,
“Not sure,” Richard admitted,
“Then I will send Gerald down, I don’t want to miss this,” Boss admitted,
“It’s been so long little sister,” Nora said looking up at Madison. Richard walked over,
“Sister, I have to admit I thought I met all your family members, Sorry my lady I have been out of town for a few years.”
“Right,” Nora said shifting behind her sister before glancing back to see the crew setting up dinner tables.
“Don’t worry about Richard, he’s a nice guy but you have to get passed the rest of him to see it,” Madison said with a smirk.
“I will have you know I am terrible human being, I just so happen to see more benefits in being nice than mean.” Richard glanced back at Morgan. “Unless it’s funny,” he said with a smirk as Morgan adjusted his coat and walked down.
“Sam could you take my coat back in, if we are going to be having such esteemed guests I should try to look up to the task,” Richard said as he grabbed his borrowed coat.