The kitchen door opens and the redheaded woman walks out. There’s a young boy, perhaps 8, behind her with the offal. The fire-lizards are all aware of the food, but are waiting impatiently for permission to eat.
“Most people who come to see me don’t ask for uncooked meat,” says Scarlett. “But I ain’t met many castle folks.”
If this is an ambush, it’s a slow ambush.
“It ain’t an ambush – you’re a girl. I’d guard your purse, though. Not that I think she’s likely to steal it, but she’s damned sure going to charge you an arm and a leg for that meat…”
“I think you’ll find many things are interesting.” Jerod says. ”The first being that you don’t call me sir.”
“What is wrong with these people??”
“Captain Raven, this means three things. One, you’re now Lord Raven, my nephew. Two, you get our heartfelt thanks instead of medals and bonuses.”
“Oh, bloody hell. Really? I mean, I ain’t got a problem with not getting medals, but no bonus?”
“Couldn’t hurt,” Gerard allows. “Conner’s a redhead and that makes him a tricksy wight, but I think he’s good at heart. Brita’s his sister, in the half blood: they share the same mother. As for Marius, you’ve met him. Did anyone tell you about his mother?”
“Ah, sir? I’m not sure you’re getting this. I ain’t known about this for more than half a day. I ain’t got the first clue about most of you lot, other than that half of you ain’t normal…”
“Your Majesty,
I spoke with my mother. She says my da was a Navy man calling himself Corby, and that she’s pretty sure that ain’t his real name. Officer material, apparently. She said he was tall, dark, and clean – and that last, that was a selling point, which told me more than I wanted to know about the daft woman’s standards. Also don’t seem to help much, seeing as how I seem to recall that most of the old princes was tall, dark, and clean. I ain’t expecting to get a damn word more on the subject from the stubborn old bitch; maybe someone else would have better luck.
-Raven”
Scarlett looks her up and down. She’s not hot-angry, but this may be the most real anger Raven has ever seen from her mother. Scarlett acts calmer the angrier she feels.
“You ungrateful wretch, I gave you everything you needed, and more and now you want me to have been honest? Honesty woulda gotten you killed, or into a whorehouse more likely. You’d've had the stupidest dreams of rescue by your rich Daddy and you’d still be scrubbin floors instead of captaining a ship if I’da been honest with you. You needed what I gave you, and don’t you be thinking I done you wrong. You did fine. Now that you’re all important, I get to see how you mess it up on your own.”
“Crazy old bitch. You know damned well what I’m talking about. Guess I’ve gotta spell it out.”
In looking for a good idea for a thread-starting post title, I ran across this:
“‘The question is,’ said Humpty Dumpty, ‘which is to be master – that’s all.’” – Lewis Caroll, Through the Looking Glass, and What Alice Found There
It seems oddly appropriate to the subject of the thread – Raven and her mother…
“Well, we’ll have to look into that. Anyway,” says Random, “I can tell she’s right, with my Amazing Kingly Ju-Ju. The question that comes up, is what do you want to do about it?”
“Why do these people expect me to just believe them? Do I look like I was born yesterday or something?
“I mean, it ain’t impossible, especially with what the Prince was saying about the kid. But really? I smell like a Royal? Amazing Kingly Ju-Ju? What the hell? There ain’t any better way of figuring this shit out?”
“Aye, well, she’s picked ‘em out before.” Gerard gives Brita an indulgently paternal smile before he turns his attention back to Raven.
Raven sighs. “Well, the Admirals – from all I’ve heard – are sensible and all. And looks like he believes her.
“That conversation with Mom? Real interesting…”
Raven salutes Gerard sharply and says, “Sir.” She restrains herself to just that, although there might have been a brief, bemused glance askance at Brita before she schools her expression back into straightness.
And she most definitely does _not_ stare at Gerard’s legs beyond the first look, because the man deserves the dignity of not being stared at like a freak – but this isn’t entirely what she was expecting. It’s something of a shock.
“Bloody Marius. Broken back, my arse. You could have mentioned the rest of it!”