Listen to your elders

[Elliot Walsh]

The morning was cold, but the sea was calm. The smell of the saltwater was something that the old sailor always found a comfort. It helped keep him grounded when he was on shore leave, his little reminder he was close to his first love and could return to her should he ever feel like it. Despite his shore leave, Elliot Walsh rarely left the docs save for his strolls home, or what had once been his home. Now he merely went there to pester Jacob and to see how he was doing. He hadn’t had a real conversation with his son in years. Or at least a conversation that didn’t end in Jacob yelling at him to leave, and each time, Elliot did as he requested. But he always went back. He always returned to Jacob once he was home.

His first visit to Jacob after coming home had left Elliot very troubled however. It was probably why he was up so early. He staid on the ship, rather then intruding on Jake and claiming his house like any man who owned it would. He respected his sons space. Besides, Elliot found he slept better on the ship anyways. It was like he was constantly getting rocked to sleep.

He frowned as he leaned on the railing, while he stood up on the forecastle. Looking out at the open sea. He placed his pipe between his lips, taking a few puffs from it before he blew the smoke out. The docks were always one of the first things to rise in the morning, and sailors were already up and about. They’d nearly emptied the cargo hold with their last haul, and everyone was eager to get done in time before the Yule festivities could take place, so they could spend it with their families. Elliots mind wandered to Jacob like it always did. Wondering how he would be spending Yule this year now that he was home to actually enjoy it.

His mind wandered to his little Siren, wondering when she’d come pay him a visit. It usually took her about a week, maybe two whenever he returned to port before she’d come around. A part of him wished she’d show up sooner, but because he didn’t know where she lived, he couldn’t just show up to her house and surprise her either. He puffed on his pipe a bit more grumpily. Grumbling to himself that he’d have to keep being patient. He heard a commotion on the main deck, and walked over to the other railing, looking down over it. “Oi! Be careful wit dat! Or I’ll ‘ave yer ‘eads! We dedn’t spend six months at sea, for ye to go and break it!” He called down to the two boys that were hauling crates out of the cargo holds. He popped his pipe between his lips, and supervised from his perch. It seemed everyone only behaved when he was watching. A heaviness sat on his brow as he watched, his thoughts going back to Jacob and what he was going to do with him this time.

Wesley deGrey

[Wesley deGrey]

Well, he promised to be there early enough to help unload the ship, considering they had to hightail it back for the funeral. His cousin's funeral. The king's. The crew was given a few days, but there was cargo that needed to go, while a trip to the other side of the island would be needed to restock, most likely after Yule so that the men could spend the holiday with their family. That would only be a day trip (two if they took their time), so it wasn't that big of a deal and could wait.

So, Wesley deGrey was arriving...precisely a couple hours later than he had promised Elliot, but it was still somehow earlier than he normally would have arrived. Perhaps he was in a good mood, and happened to be the day after he had "dropped by" a particular lady's house. Fancy that.

Lightly jogging along the docks and ascending the boarding ramp, he clapped a hand onto Shane's shoulder as he passed before Wesley leapt up onto the railing; a tune hummed from his lips, a word here or there murmured in song. Booted feet expertly carried him along the narrow wood, hands gripping to the rigging as he rushed along towards the forecastle in a partial jig. He was normally very sure footed and didn't falter once, even when he managed to climb right onto the railing in front of Elliot.

Leaning down, a hand still gripping tightly to the rope, he suddenly decided to go from that hum to full on serenading to his dear old adopted uncle. "So I took her hand and I gave her a twirl, and I lost my heart to a Galway girl!" Drawing back with a beaming smile, Wesley nonchalantly stepped off of the railing to land upon the deck. "G'mornin', uncle," he said. "I'm ready to work. There was a reason Wesley wasn't the captain. He was "in charge" so-to-speak, but only because of his surname. The sailor wasn't stupid and knew Elliot was more equipped for the job, and the man let him tag along so long as the company was being funded. The process worked, and Wesley trusted him completely with his father's company. Elliot would handle the ship while he ensured the finances and any other odds and ends.

[Elliot Walsh]

Elliot was so deep in thought about his own son and what he was currently going through, that he hadn’t caught site of the wiley fox boarding the boat. His blue gaze was far off somewhere else. Looking like he was watching the men work, when really Elliot was trying to figure out how best to handle Jacob. How could he help his Cap’n Jake? Would the little Cap’n even accept his help? What do I do Annie? Elliot wondered to his wife. She’d long passed, but it didn’t stop him from wondering what she would do. How she would handle their stubborn headed boy. He got his stubbornness from her. Elliot could feel it in his bones.

Kit suddenly appeared in front of him, which caused him sputter on his pipe as he was caught off guard in surprise, and he had to do a double take. He couldn’t help the smile of amusement that graced his lips as he pulled the pipe from his mouth and chuckled at being serenaded at. “Do my ole’ eyes deceive me?” He asked raising an eyebrow his adopted nephew. “You’re ‘ere early, Kit. I expected ye ta stell be gettin’ your beauty rest ‘ight now.” Elliot told him. Kit was usually later then any agreed on time, but today he was here far earlier then he would have come normally. Still late, but early for Kit. Elliot placed his pipe in his mouth and looked him over curiously. He seemed to be in a chipper mood, and a bushy eyebrow slowly raised up his forehead. “Ye either want somethin’ or somethin’ good happened. So whech is it?” He said with a small chuckle.

There was another clatter from down, below and Elliot looked over the railing. “Will ye stop yer foolin’ around down dere?!” He bellowed. Grumbling to himself. He knew everyone wanted to hurry up and finish for their Yule festivities, but if they rushed it was just going to cause problems, and cause a cluster fuck he didn’t want to sort out. “Yule ain’t goin anywhere!” He called down, puffing on his pipe before he looked over at Kit again. “Well C’mon! Out wit it!” He said with a grin.

[Wesley deGrey]

It wasn't often that he caught Elliot off guard, so that he managed to kept the large grin on the younger man's face. It was a rather prideful one, actually. "It's a miracle, isn't it?" he replied about being early. Well, earlier. When they weren't in Tresterian port, Wesley was often prompt and on time, especially if he had meetings with any traders or other such ilk. At the very least, Wes knew how to be a good businessman...just sometimes he wasn't a very good ship hand and liked to test his uncle's patience whenever he could.

When Wesley deGrey did such things, it just meant he cared about you. And he adored this man, thus he needed to drive him up a wall every so often. It was the way. Anyone could ask his brothers about it.

At Elliot's question, he wasn't sure how to answer. Something was clattering nearby, though, gaining both their attention. "Sorry, Elliot!" one of the men called up.
It was Shane's voice Wesley heard next, "It just...slipped this time! We got it!" The man was murmuring in annoyance to his fellow sailor, but Wes couldn't catch the words. He simply chuckled quietly to himself before the old man was demanding to know what was going on again.

Well, what was going on? Why was he in such a good mood?

Leaning back against the railing as arms crossed over his chest, he shrugged a shoulder. "Can't I just be in a good mood?" But the smirk on his face showed that he was lying. At least a little bit. "I don't know. Maybe I just had a good day yesterday. With a lady." That suddenly reminded him.

Turning around so that he could glance down to the docks, he spotted Shane. "Oi, Sully! We're goin' to the chase this year, yeah?"
The man stood up after setting another crate down, adjusting the cap upon his head as though it had been too tight and making him imagine things. Squinting blue eyes looked up to Wesley with confusion. "On Yule's Eve? Since when did we start doin' that again?"
"Since I have a bet to win! So, be sure to wear yer finest!" Wesley added with a laugh.

[Elliot Walsh]

Blue eyes watched the younger man, and the raised eyebrow he had on his face would tell the lad he wasn’t gonna buy it. “Aye, ye can. But that grin on yer face is tellin’ me it’s somethin’ more than that.” Elliot said seeing that smirk. Trouble, that’s what that smirk told him.

Kit was quick to continue however, and surprise filtered across the old sailors face. “A lassie!?” A good day with a lady? Elliot looked Kit up and down. Generally that could mean one of two things. One, he had actually spent a good day behaving with a lass, and the other thing? Well...There was one thing to put a sailor in a good mood after returning to shore. Usually it involved a good warm woman in your bed, and your poison of choice. His had always been a good rum or whiskey. There was no homecoming better suited for a sailor.

He listened to his boys then, hearing the words tossed back. He’d heard tales of the chase before, though had never participated as he was no noble. Besides, Elliot had already been hooked, lined, and sunk the day he washed up on Tresteria’s shore. A bet? Elliot puffed more on his pipe as he gave a quizzical look at Kit. “What sort o’trouble are ye cousin’ now Kit?” Elliot reached out to ruffle his hair. “What’s this bet? Hmmm? More so, ow’d ye swindle a lass into makin’ a bet wit’cha?” He turned to look over the rail at Sully. “Ye don’t git ta go until yer done wit dat!” He turned again to point his pipe at Kit. “And ye don’t git ta go either. Bet or no. Werk first. Bet later.” Elliot fixed him with his “don’t make me kick you” Serious look. He leaned on the railing, and put his pipe back in his mouth. He gave Kit a sideways glance, curious as to what sort of lass had put him in such a good mood. Kit was generally happy, but he'd never once talked about a girl that suited his fancy, and he'd never given one than a day of his time so they didn't get the wrong idea. He was as free as a bird, and had the type of energy no simple woman would be able to bottle down. He puffed more on his pipe in thought, blowing the smoke out. Quite honestly, Elliot thought Kit was afraid of commitment when it came to women. The lad was already thirty, and had yet to settle. Had yet to want to settle. Thinking about the song Kit had been serenading to him Elliot turned to fix him with a suspicious look. Galway girl huh? Who was this Galway girl? Were times a changing? Was this trip home different from the rest? Yes. He knew that anwser right away, after his visit with Jacob. Felt it deep in his bones, something was up. 

[Wesley deGrey]

Wes turned back around to face Elliot. "Aye, a lassie," he told him, folding his arms across his chest once more. He knew very well what was suddenly going through the old man's mind, the question that was lingering at the tip of his tongue, but he wasn't going to tell. Maybe he'd let him wonder for a bit longer simply because he could.

Then, his eyes went wide, a hand pressing to his chest as he feigned offense. "Trouble? Me, uncle? C'mon now..." There really was no point in pretending or acting. He was just trying to further push some buttons, evident by the light chuckle that vibrated within his chest. Then Elliot was wondering how he "swindled" Helene into it. The nerve! "She was actually very for it. All she has to do is catch me during the chase...and I'll let her in on one of my secrets. If she loses, I get one of hers." Wesley shrugged then, as though this was no big deal at all. Then a hand rose to his face, shielding his mouth as if he lady would be able to hear him, "The thing is, though...she doesn't know what the actual prize is for catching a hare."

That smile on his face somehow broadened even more, turning sly like the fox he was known for. He glanced to Elliot as he began to roll up his sleeves, knowing the captain probably didn't know either. "The prize...is a kiss." Oh, yes, he was very proud of himself with this one. Wesley laughed again, patting Elliot on the shoulder before he was rushing off to help unload the rest of the cargo, whistling the damn tune as he went.

He spent the next half hour arguing with Shane about going to the chase, and of course, he won. The man had nothing better to do, so there was no excuse.

[Elliot Walsh]

Elliot humored Wesley by listening to him go on about his Galway girl. His brow slowly arching as he informed him of the bet they'd made and how he'd failed to mention an important tidbit for the lass. He silently hoped she walloped him. If Welsey was interested in her, she had to be special, and he made mental notes to go have Marcel poke Kit later for more information.

He shook his head at the lad, unable to keep the small grin of his face and he watched him wiggle down to go get to work. He leaned against the railing, watching after him, and he couldn't help but hope things worked out for Kit and his girl. He hoped all the lads eventually found lass's that were special. His Anne type of special, so that they would have a woman worth coming back to. But...they were sailors, and it was a difficult life to live. Any woman worth her salt would need to know what she was getting into being with one.

As Elliot over saw the moving of the cargo, he couldn't help but think and wonder about his own wife and the son he'd had. The same son he tried to get to follow after in his footsteps. The same man that was furious with him for many things and Elliot just hoped he'd be able to mend things with his boy before it was to late...

[End Thread]