(Continued from Part 1)
As Ryn and Addie entered the cabin, they were confronted with an overwhelming smell. On one side of the tiny room, from floor to ceiling, was the “menagerie” the pirate had spoken of- cages of all sizes, from large to small, held a collection of animals from all over Middle Earth; and above those were shelves on which were placed large glass jars that contained different types of reptiles. Most of the animals in the cages were some type of bird- a thrush, a golden pheasant, a yellow songbird, a peacock, and a blackbird that had the face of a skull and a stare of pure hatred- and then there were the other animals- a weird looking lizard, something that was labeled ‘plague’ frog, a turtle, a few snakes, a ferocious looking cat with one ear half bitten off, two dogs and a potbellied pig.
Addie frowned upon seeing the conditions that these animals were being kept in and immediately turned to ask the captain, “How much for all the animals, sir?”
Ryn grimaced at the sight, but while Addie was trying to strike a deal with the man, she decided to look around to see if there was another bird similar to the one that was outside. As she wandered around, she noticed a small nest on the nightstand next to the captain's bed, and when she neared she saw a little red baby bird with the same fiery colored wings as the captain's bookkeeper. Her expression softened.
"All?! Ye said ALL?!" After coughing and sputtering for a minute, No knees' eyes gleamed as he began to imagine the new repairs he could get for his boat with all the coin he was going to rake in on this sale. He cleared his throat and replied "Well, lassie, they are quite rare... I imagine with several gold pieces we might could strike some kind of deal." He grinned.
Ryn looked at Addie and briefly wondered if the woman would even have the money for that.
Addie straightened her posture and smiled brightly at the man. "How about ONE gold piece and a bottle of rum, sir?"
From outside, Elsa could hear the negotiations; she stepped off the boat and headed up the slope, muttering to herself, "I better go make room in the house."
The man's eyes lit up at the mention of rum."Rum? What kind, lassie? Where’d ye get it?”
A sly smile formed on Addie’s lips as she answered his question, "Oh, it's a rare item indeed, sir, a gift from the Margrave of House Palanial; the finest in all of Gondor."
Ryn observed the baby bird while Addie haggled with the man; she smiled a bit and waved to it with a couple of her fingers. The little bird returned the greeting with a tiny peep and then opened its mouth. Ryn could feel her heart melting, "You hungry then little one?"
No knees stroked his beard for a moment as he thought about the offer, "Hm, sounds like expensive rum..." he muttered to himself. Then, he slapped at his wooden leg and gave Addie his lopsided grin. "And where is this rum, lassie?"
"I shall go fetch it, sir, and you can see if it is to your liking."
The man nodded and licked his lips; he could already taste it. “I’ll be waitin’ for yer return, lassie” After Addie left the cabin, he hobbled over to Ryn and noticed that the woman seemed taken by the bird, "Looks like the little one likes ye, lassie, but I'm afraid she's not on the bargainin' table."
Ryn sighed quietly; she was already attached to the bird. "Pfft... Surely she is..." she said as she looked about for something to feed it. “Got any food for the little one, peg leg?"
No knees gave Ryn his trademark lopsided grin, "I'll let ye feed it, lassie… for a copper that is."
Ryn flicked the man a coin and he hobbled over to a bucket to reach in for a live worm. She took the worm and carefully fed it to the baby bird while a big smile formed on her lips. After quickly devouring the food, the bird peeped up at Ryn for another; and the woman turned to look pleadingly at the pirate. He hobbled back over to the bucket for another worm and then held his hand out for a copper. Ryn grumbled softly as she placed yet another coin in his hand, but then smiled warmly at the bird as it consumed its dinner.
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Outside, Addie started to climb down from the boat and noticed that Finchley was standing on the shore. The raven-haired woman was munching on a honeyed roll as she looked the vessel over; and perched atop her head was her pet bird that was loudly singing a ‘charming’ rendition of "99 Bottles of Grog on the Wall." Finch’s eyebrow rose at the sight of the flag. "Hmmm... I always imagined corsair ships would look a bit more... fearsome. Don't you think, Galvra?"
The bird peered over at the ship and narrowed his beady little eyes a bit as he spotted the medium-sized red bird with the fiery looking wings; he stood up a bit straighter on top of Finch's head to let out a "Well, hi!" at the other bird in a perfect imitation of Finch's voice- only with far more exaggerated pep. Finch almost choked on her roll in an attempt to shush him, but she only got a smug look from the raven as he peered down at her.
Finchley gigglesnorted and reached up to poke Galvra, causing the bird to cackle as Addie neared the pair. "Hi, Addie!" Finch called out and waved enthusiastically.
"Oh, hello Finchley.” Addie jabbed her thumb back in the direction of the ship. “We have been visited by a traveling... well... merchant of sorts, and there's a whole cabin full of animals that needs liberating... It’s strange to say the least."
Finchley whispered loudly in the sort of way people do when they're not really whispering. "Need any help? I haven't spent my coin yet today."
Addie shook her head and lowered her voice to a whisper, "I am going to get one of the bottles of rum that Neth brought back from Dol Amroth and a gold piece to trade for all the ones that are trapped aboard this ship; I told the man that the rum was some high class drink from House Palanial so he thinks it’s very expensive."
Finchley nodded repeatedly. "Oh, aye, I get it... I've got another gold that Lif gave me if you want. Sweeten the deal a bit an' all."
Addie pursed her lips in thought, "I think I can get him to agree to this deal, but knowing his type, we might just need it."
Finch paused for a moment and looked back to the house. "Addie," she whispered, "If you're gonna get all the animals on the ship then where're you gonna put 'em all?"
"I.. haven't thought that far ahead, Finchley,” Addie admitted, “but this island is quite large… And I suppose we could seek out homes for them if need be.”
Galvra ruffled his feathers and gripped Finch's head in his talons a smidge tighter. She rolled her eyes and glanced upwards. "Are you gettin' jealous, ya goofus?" The raven clawed his way down to Finch's shoulder and then pecked her in the nose, to which the woman just laughed and shook her head. "Silly Galvra, you're fine."
Addie smiled at watching the interaction between Finch and Galvra.
"Where's Ryn, Addie?"
The blonde woman jabbed her thumb back toward the boat again. "She is in the cabin keeping an eye on the animals and speaking with the pirate… I shall rejoin the two of you after I have fetched the rum."
Finchley nodded to Addie and boarded the ship.
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When the woman stepped foot on the deck, the red bird called out to her in a voice that sounded just like the captain. "Ahoy there, ye fine people of Gondor!"
Finch looked at the bird and gave it a little wave. "Well hi!... Again… Kinda... That weren't me earlier. Sort of."
The bird didn’t seem to pay much attention to Finchley’s rambling. “Browse our wares, browse our wares," he called out; and at the sound of his voice, No knees peeked his head outside the cabin, spotting Finchley and her bird.
"Well ahoy there, laddie! Did ye come to peruse… uh… browse… uh… look at me fine items?"
Finchley waved cheerfully at the captain as Galvra peered over at him suspiciously. "Hi there!” she said. “Nice bird, by the way.” The captain’s eyes turned to look at the red bird as Finch continued, “I'm with the other two customers you've got. But I don't mind uhh... perusing."
No knees stroked his beard for the moment as he mumbled to himself, "Huh… so that IS the word." He then looked back to Finch and gave her his trademark lopsided grin, "Welcome aboard, laddie. Ye’ve also got a fine eye for birds, I see."'
Galvra ruffled his feathers and opened his beak to say something only to have Finchley reach up and close it gently, cutting off any curse words the raven might have said. "Aye, I like birds. This here's Galvra. Say hello, Galvra!" She turned her head a bit to give him a look that implied he better not curse.
"Hello, Galvra!" said the raven cheekily! Finchley sighed and then snickered a bit.
The man laughed heartily and motioned for them to follow him inside the cabin. "Yer friend's in here."
Once inside, Finch could see that Ryn was standing over a nest watching a tiny red bird as it slept. Ryn smiled warmly at the little bird. "You sure she's not also available?"
No knees shook his head. "That's the only offspring of me bookkeeper, lassie; I'll need someone to take over me books if somethin' happens to him." He stroked his beard for a moment and then side-eyed Galvra, "But perhaps… we could strike a deal. Can yer bird write, laddie?"
Finchley couldn’t reach up in time to close Galvra's beak before he let out an annoyed croak and mocked back in a sarcastic tone, "Can yer bird write, laddie?" Finchley winced and stroked Galvra's feathers soothingly as she replied, "Uhhh... Not as far as I know. But he's a big copycat... and not for tradin' or sellin'. But…”
The captain raised a brow. "But..? Don't normally like buts, laddie… usually somethin' quite smelly follows em." He slapped his leg and laughed loudly at his own jest.
Finch gigglesnorted and then looked to Ryn, who was still admiring the baby bird and might even be considering theft at this point. “Tell me 'bout the teeny tiny one? So cute! What's its name?”
"I would gladly tell ye the tale and the name, laddie… for a copper piece that is." The man held out his hand.
Finchley smiled and reached into her pocket to pull out one of the coppers she made from errand running and placed it in his hand.
He bit down on the coin and then tossed it outside the door to the red bird before starting his story. “In me travels, I came across a pair of these magnificent firebirds in Rhun, that laddie outside and his sweetheart. Rare specimens they are, ye can only find them in one small village, but ye have to traverse a scorchin' desert for many days to reach it. I, bein' the hearty adventurer that I am, had no problem in reachin' this quaint little town; and they were most… hospitable… practically begged me to take the birds off their hands.” His eyes had a certain gleam in them as he grinned.
“A few months ago or so, the lassie popped out that little one, but she didn't make it through the stress of it." He took off his hat and placed it over his heart, though all in the room could tell by his expression that his gesture was just for show and not genuine. "May her soul ever fly over clear, blue waters."
Ryn frowned while listening to the tale and Finchley’s facial expression slowly transformed from one of interest, to one of fondness, and then to one of sorrow; the boyish woman even looked to be crying a little as she said. "That's... so sad."
No Knees put his hat back on his head. "Aye, laddie, it is, it is. ‘Twas a time gettin' me hands on the two, but at least I got a little one out of it before she kicked the bucket.''
Finchley wiped a few tears from her eyes, but Galvra looked none too impressed as he leaned forward over Finchley's shoulder to leer, slightly menacingly, at the captain.
Ryn furrowed her brows. "Is there no way to convince you to part with the little one?"'
The pirate looked back to Ryn and his lips curled into a sly smile for a moment as he considered the prospect of being able to get top coin from her. He feigned an emotional expression, one that spoke of sentimental attachment, as he looked over to the nest with the small bird. "Oh I don't know, lassie... she's quite the special one and reminds me of her mother…uh… Sunshine!... Yeah that’s it, me dear Sunshine.”
Finchley finished crying just in time to move out of the way as Galvra leeeeanned over to try and peck at the captain.
Ryn narrowed her eyes a bit "Mhmm... Something tells me you're just out for the money."
The captain tried to make his voice sound appalled. “What?! I've gotta eat, lassie.” He motioned his hand in a broad, sweeping gesture to all the cages and jars. "And ye can see what fine care I take of all me speci.. uh.. anim.. uh.. pets… That takes coin, lassie!"
Ryn smirked at the man, thinking she had him now. “Hah! Was that... Specimens?”
“What did ye call me pets, lassie?”
“Only what you were going to call them Peg leg.” Ryn retorted.
Finchley couldn’t help but to gigglesnort!
(Continued in the final part)
