pilipinas
Sea Dog
Damitan mo man ang matsing, matsing pa rin!
Posts: 57
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Post by pilipinas on Mar 9, 2010 20:41:02 GMT -5
He was running, he remembered. Through the lamp lit streets, the severed end of an ankle chain scraping sparks against the cobblestones as his flats pounded the road as he headed for the sea. It had taken forever, forever to get out of that place. Those strange, fair people. Not fair as in righteous; far from it. Fair physically. Those weird light eyes and hair. He could remember staring so long at the first pair of blue or green eyes he had ever seen, or even the first blonde woman that had bought him from the traders. 'So strange,' he thought. 'Nothing like the Orient.'
So when he finally escaped those people, his danggua messy and faded and the reddened wound on his cheek was the only thing left to remember his last scolding by. He had gasped for air, looking around the port for the first big ship he could find. A ship of larger size would be able to cross oceans, and not to mention, have more places to hide. Nobody would trust an Asian slave kid as a crewmember if they didn't buy them in the first place; stowing away in the depths of a brig was the best option, even if not the healthiest.
The first promising ship Feng found in the middle of the night was one bearing a pirate flag. No matter; he would take the navy or a trade ship or anything to get back to Asia, to get back home. The ship was old, but grand. 'It doesn't matter. All the Europeans, even the pirates, go for the spoils in Asia.'
And now he's awake again. How long had he moved around the depths of this ship? He couldn't remember. Only, it was too long. He was starving, but he was always starving. He stole food from the supply cabinets, yes, but could never take too much at once. It would be suspicious. A little every other day could at least let him sleep this journey away. Life on the sea was less amiable to people for a reason, and stowing away illegally was even less than that. In any other situation, Feng would be disgusted with his current status. Dirty, hungry and smelling of gunpowder from hiding behind the cramped spaces behind the barrels.
Feng peered through the crack between the wall and the door. It was morning, of course, but the ship was in a port. He could already smell incense from the land they docked at. His heart raced. This wasn't Europe, it wasn't some other foreign continent.
This was Asia.
But now to leave the ship. He had to get away without being noticed. The deck was full of crewmen going this way and that. Until they left the ship, or went to sleep, he wouldn't have a chance to leave. Damn, his stomach couldn't take this squirreling food habit any longer. But the pantries were in the other cabin.
[[Sorry, I didn't mean to dither on. =____= But now at least, it's some port in Asia. ]]
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Post by England on Mar 11, 2010 11:29:46 GMT -5
Arthur meandered around on deck, giving orders occasionally as they prepared to head onto land for a few days and resupply. He had a list of things they needed in hand that was growing larger as his crew reported in on things they knew were needed.
"James, can you check the gun powder levels? I know we haven't used any in a while, but better to be safe than sorry." he called out to his australian crew member as he knelt down to pick Will up as the little boy scurried around under people's feet and nearly had been stepped on a few times in the rush.
"Lily, what's the situation for the medical needs?" he'd already turned away to talk to the next person, assuming that James would follow orders as needed.(so, everyone can feel free to post in this thread... I'M LOOKING AT YOU WALES because by now, you would have been made a member of the crew~)
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Post by Australia on Mar 12, 2010 22:44:53 GMT -5
James lifted his head turning when he was addressed. But the captain had already moved on, speaking with Lily. So, with a lazy salute to no one, the Australian headed down below, hands in his back pockets. Last time he had checked they had been fine on gun powder levels, but it was probably better safe then sorry. Whistling he peeked around the barrels, nodding to himself. They were a bit low, but alright. They could easily make it.
He was just about to turn around to report to Arthur when a sudden noise caught his attention. Curiously, James turned around, following the noise. It was coming from behind the barrels... And he felt his jaw hang open, eyes wide when he spotted a teenager hidden behind him. "What're you doin' here..?"
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pilipinas
Sea Dog
Damitan mo man ang matsing, matsing pa rin!
Posts: 57
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Post by pilipinas on Mar 13, 2010 9:46:24 GMT -5
Feng, pressed to the door, continued to watch the crew mull about on the deck. The blond man with green eyes, he could assume that was the captain. All his time eavesdropping and spying on the ship, that man had been giving orders and steering and all. He must be the head -- and must be avoided.
His view of the deck through the crack became obscured as a figure came closer and closer to the door. Feng quickly ducked back behind the barrels, shrinking down as far as possible and then some -- his back was on the floor, his knees tucked up. The door creaked open, and he held his breath. The other man was whistling some tune that he had never heard of, but it didn't matter. Feng could see the edge of his head peek over the barrels, but move back after checking. He was safe, for the moment. . . well, not really. His stomach growled in protest, making him shift. He mentally cursed himself.
Of course the other man noticed, he looked right over the barrels, seeing Feng knotted in the crevice between the wall and the supplies. He wasn't going to answer the question -- he had to get out fast. Save for a grunt of effort, Feng pushed off his back and kicked a leg out, not so much to hit his finder, but at least to get him out of the way. He leapt off his back to his feet, and used he line of barrels as a base to swing his legs over and break for the door.
The outside sunlight blinded him. He hadn't seen real light in full force in days, save for candles or lamps. He kept running across the deck, though, but someone was standing in front of the gangplank. The blond captain. Feng halted, out of options. Maybe he could jump off the side into the waters. . .
". . ." His posture was crouched, like a cat backed into a corner.
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Post by England on Mar 16, 2010 22:05:47 GMT -5
The sudden appearance of a young asian boy out of his hold startled Arthur - he froze for a moment, wondering where James was and if he was ok - before one hand clasped the hilt of his sword, the other getting a better grip on Will, letting his posture change so his body was protecting the little one.
"And who might you be, stow away?" he asked coldly, if not politely. His eyes quickly roved the deck, searching for where his people were to make sure they would be safe if the man became violent before they darted back to settle on his target.
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Post by Australia on Mar 21, 2010 19:47:39 GMT -5
"Whoa!" James had barely managed to jump back to avoid getting kicked, and then quickly tripped over his own two feet and landed square on his backside. For a few seconds he sat there dumbly, staring after the boy. What in the...
Then his mind caught up with him. Shoving himself back to his feet James took off, drawing the pistol that he kept at his side and rushing out of the room and straight back to the deck. He stopped silently, glancing towards the captain with a sheepish grin.
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pilipinas
Sea Dog
Damitan mo man ang matsing, matsing pa rin!
Posts: 57
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Post by pilipinas on Mar 21, 2010 21:18:37 GMT -5
The blond man was armed. Everyone on the ship was, he could assume. These were pirates, after all. He didn't realize there were children though, seeing the little boy in the supposed Captain's arm. Feng didn't answer his question, only continued to stare harshly. "I need to get into Asia," was all he said. "I'm looking for people." He needed to get home, and find everyone again. Feng was unaware that the rest of his family was moving out as well.
His sudden outburst now didn't seem to help though; damn. The Captain was standing in front of the exit, and there was crew on the deck. This would be hard to get out of. The man who had discovered him originally seemed to come back to his senses too, coming out of the storage cabin with gun in hand. They really were all armed, but everyone seemed to wait for him to make the first move. Bare handed combat was easy, his brother taught him martial skills! But against swords and guns and weapons. . .he wasn't going to win. How frustrating.
Scowling, Feng raised his hands. The first chance he got, he'd jump off into the ocean and swim onto the port.
"I need to get into Asia," he repeated.
OoC:// [/being lazy and not colouring]//
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Post by England on Mar 23, 2010 16:56:25 GMT -5
In a matter of moments, Arthur took in many details: the cut off ankle chain, the faded bruise on his face that looked suspiciously like a hand print (with a small, infected scratch along one of the fingers, probably from a ring), the rigid posture that screamed of someone who had been put through the wringer... and the way he kept speaking of returning to asia. To him, it was increasingly obvious that this young man was a run away slave - if he could see the brand mark on him, he could confirm it but...
James came out of the hold, perfectly alright, with a pistol in his hands (...how in the world did he get his hands on one? Arthur thought - I thought I made sure to lock all the weapons away...), which relieved him in a way. If James had been hurt, he would have had to discipline the run-away - not because of duty, but because he'd found himself liking the annoying boy more than he'd originally intended - but since he was okay-
"Calm down, young man." Arthur replied after a long, taut pause, as his hand cautiously lifted away from his sword hilt. "You won't get very far in your condition. Perhaps we could avoid this fight - a meal and conversation sounds in order. I would really like to know more about why you obviously stole away on my ship." He'd also like to know how long the boy had BEEN there... and how his crew missed him over that length of time.
"And after, if you so choose, you are free to leave and find the people you are searching for."
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pilipinas
Sea Dog
Damitan mo man ang matsing, matsing pa rin!
Posts: 57
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Post by pilipinas on Mar 29, 2010 17:28:16 GMT -5
After a loaded silence, the blond captain man spoke up again. Took his hand off his weapon, too, Feng took note of. He had glared down at the man all the time it took for the captain to study the young Asian. Even if his self-control was quite golden, Feng nearly immediately agreed to the promise of a proper meal. The conversation part he wasn't so hot about, but he didn't want to give in so easily. What proof did he have that as soon as he came into the captain's cabin that he wouldn't be holed up again and sold back to Europe? He just couldn't trust this man and his blond hair.
Body and mind are never one, they say. Which was true, because Feng's stomach ever so rudely protested to his silence. He shuffled a bit, looking away. ". . . Fine." He agreed in attempt to retract his scowl. He wouldn't let his guard down, not around these people, as he followed the captain to the dining quarters.
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Post by England on Apr 6, 2010 20:50:53 GMT -5
With a firm nod, Arthur turned and put Will into the nearest pair of arms - Saorise being close enough to carry the boy - and stepped closer to the other. "This way." he gestured towards the stairs leading to the mess hall, glad that Odin was already out on deck and he didn't need to surprise the man with a sudden, starved looking young man. Seeing his cook cry always made him uncomfortable.
"We... probably don't have much in the way of what you would normally like," though the boy looked starved enough that he probably hadn't had anything that he would term something he liked in a very long time, "But Odin always keeps a pot of something going..." he walked over to said pot, leaving his sword to the side of it as he peered inside. "Stew today." he shrugged, pulling down a plate and filling it with a generous portion of said stew.
"... eat slowly." he advised cautiously as he put it down on the table. "I would rather you not get sick."
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pilipinas
Sea Dog
Damitan mo man ang matsing, matsing pa rin!
Posts: 57
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Post by pilipinas on Apr 7, 2010 11:23:36 GMT -5
'What he would normally like'. Feng hadn't tasted what he would normally like in years. He could barely remember it sometimes. He followed the captain down the stairs, ankle chain clinking on the wooden stairs. The mess hall was empty, and had a bit of a murky atmosphere, what with the room lit by gas lamps and the occasional filter of light through the side of the ship. Nothing unfriendly, however. The scene was just a blur of wood and several shades of brown to him though; all he could smell was the scent wafting from the quietly steaming pot in the back. He swallowed. A proper meal. It was unheard of.
Feng quirked a brow; the pirate actually set his blade down. Did he not pose a threat? Not as starved as he was, probably. The Asian silently chewed on his lower lip; it was hard to figure this man out. The blond hadn't thrown him off the ship like he was half-hoping, and hadn't cast him into the ocean either. He sat Feng down and slid a bowl in front of him, filled to the brim of a more solid than liquid mesh of potato lumps and various meat hunks and vegetables. His first instinct was to immediately eat it -- it was right there! -- But his charge halted halfway, after the captain's warning.
Feng eyed the captain, and then the stew. Eat slowly, he said. Blasphemy. When you're starving, you eat as much as you can, when you can. When eating in a big group -- say a family, or a group of servants given leftovers -- you take what you can while you can. He frowned at the soup-ish bowl and took a discarded spoon in hand. One last glance at the captain, maybe to make sure he didn't attack or something, and Feng was diving into the bowl. The food had a savoury taste with a small bite to it, though probably watered down to make for more portions for an entire crew. He didn't care, it was sustenance.
Halfway through finishing the portion off, he glanced back up at the captain across from him. No doubt he was going to be questioned.
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Post by England on Apr 8, 2010 12:14:49 GMT -5
He didn't move too far away from the stew pot - and his sword, even as he was well aware that even if the boy tried to leap over the table and attack him, he'd have more than enough time to defend himself or call out. He was patient, letting the boy eat his fill before saying anything as he wouldn't get the most intelligble answers while the young man was chewing (and it would also give him more time to come up with lies).
Leaning calmly against the wall, he took the time to really get a good look at the boy, compared to his earlier observations.
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pilipinas
Sea Dog
Damitan mo man ang matsing, matsing pa rin!
Posts: 57
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Post by pilipinas on Apr 9, 2010 22:14:39 GMT -5
Unknown to Feng, Arthur was quite smart. He, in the midst of eating as much as possible without making a mess or looking like a fool -- which was proving mightily distracting -- was thinking of some kind of situation that would let him off free. But with a leg shackle, there was little to pose as rather than a slave. Not to mention, an awkward, unsettling feeling in the pit of his stomach. Like this had happened before. Stuck in Europe, facing a British man, knowing he wouldn't be home any time soon. . .
His thoughts only halted when his spoon scraped the very bottom of the bowl. Oh. It was empty now. Luckily, his stomach wasn't anymore. The pot over there, it was full, right? He eyed it for a minute. It wouldn't hurt to take more. . . but that would be weird to ask. Instead, he only inclined his head in a sort of small bow.
". . . Xièxiè," He thanked, silently ecstatic that his native tongue could still fluently flow from his mouth. His years in Europe had given him a little bit of an identity crisis. Feng waited silently, waiting to spill some kind of story. What could he pull off?
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Post by England on Apr 18, 2010 16:38:50 GMT -5
Seeing that he was done with eating, Arthur stopped leaning against the wall and stepped forward with a creak of leather, leaving his sword where it sat. "Alright then, lad. I suppose my first question should be 'what is your name'?" He asked dryly, moving to the fridge and grabbing a cup and water, placing it in front of the asian.
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pilipinas
Sea Dog
Damitan mo man ang matsing, matsing pa rin!
Posts: 57
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Post by pilipinas on Apr 22, 2010 19:47:12 GMT -5
Lie? Truth? Lie? Truth? Lie. . . It was too much work to lie. He only asked for a name. Names were commonplace. Names could be mistaken and forgotten. Easy as that. No need to lie. Yet.
"Feng Wang," He answered evenly, the only thing breaking his stare being the occasional blink. This man was an Englishman by his accent, words being rounded by the curve of his mouth. "And you are. . . pirates," He had to look for the word. English, the accursed language! How complicated. It did not use strokes or tones. The grammar was confusing and backwards, their 'alphabet' incomprehensible. It had taken him ages to master basic English, even with the years of shoddy servant education shoved down his throat.
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