Orel 05 03 2009 - To bathe a rat

Halyard Tavern: Main Room

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Halyard Tavern ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Warmly lit by torches along the walls and lanterns set upon the many tables

scattered around the room, the main room of the Halyard Tavern is an often-

populated area. One corner of the tavern is taken up by a stage, about a

foot or two higher than the rest of the floor, where live entertainment

performs, while circular tables, both large and small, are set up in front

of the stage, spreading out into the center of the room. Meanwhile, around

the perimeter of the tavern, booths are set, and, of course, the obligatory

bar rests against the far wall, a bartender or barmaid always on duty.

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Orel clutches his tankard and stares up at the otter, whimpering slightly as if half expecting him to go for him at any moment. It is a rather over-powering song after all and the Sea-rat isn't the most stable. When he sees Kieta he waves at her frantically.

Ferro seems to vanish all of a sudden from Bottle's side. There is a pause in the song, just a half-second of hesitation before it continues. Tam starts to strum, William keeps thumping with all the fingers of one paw - and the Otter and Dormouse are dancing around one another, arms linked as they twirl, feet tapping, red and blue swirling. William's voice is a cheerful bass, hers rises to match the song, but clear and bright as a bell. "For the wind was on our quarter, the sail's a workin' free! There's not another sailor, that sails the Sou'ern sea - Can beat the Ol'Polina, you need not try me sons! We challenge all both great and small from Dundee tae Saint Johns!"

Bottlebrush jumps when he hears Keitas voice and looks towards her, "Oy! Youa re a sneaky hare, Keita! I never heard you approach!" He then turn s back towards Ferro and blinks before he sees her dancing. With a chuckle, he looks back at the haremaid a moment, "How are you, Miss Keita?"

Oh, the poor thing. Keita spies the frantically signalling rat and holds up a paw to BB. "Oh, I'm pretty good! 'Scuse me a moment," she excuses herself and ducks over to Orel. She's got to look after her staff, after all! "What's goin' on, Orel?"

The big boxing hare is looking slightly amused at the on-goings, the tiniest hint of the old smile twitching up his lips as he paw, which is laying on the bar, begins to tap slightly to the music. Perhaps this is what he needed, something to get his mind of...Yeah. That... >.>...

Bottlebrush arches a brow and turns to watch the dancing some more. The masked foxes gaze does rest on Logan a moment while he flicks his tail, before he looks back at the dancers.

Orel reaches out and desperatly graps Kieta's paw, "Tha otter... he be a singing... ah paid em fer it too! N.. n ah needs tae speak wid ye Cap'n, it be vitally important tha ah speak wid ye.." he lowers his voice, "All private like.."

Keita's eyebrows go up. "... All righ', mate. S'the kitchen good, or would ya rathah the office?"

William pulls away from Ferro, smiling broadly as the Dormouse goes spinning away, her skirts billowing. "Fox Jackman set his canvas, Fair Weather galloped spray! And Cap'n Guy, our daring boy, came plunged through the fray! And Mullins in the Husky, tried to beat the bloody lot! But to beat the Ol'Polina boys was something he could not!" The Otter sings, then as if attached by a string, Ferro is back, and the two are whirling and stamping aroudn eachother, arms locked as they sing the chorus again. Some of the other patrons are stomping their feet and clapping to the tune, a few even trying to keepchant the chorus as well.

You exclaim, "Tha kitchens be foine! Aye.. aye be unfit tae be enterrin yer office Cap'n." he eyes the otter and hides behind Kieta, lurking and peering around at him and shivering. "Ken we go? ""

Keita dips her head in a nod. "Aye, indeed we can!" And she turns, gesturing for Orel to follow her as she leads the way behind the counter and into the kitchen.

Orel nods and scampers after Keita hurriedly towards the kitchen, tugging at his lucky rabbit's foot and stroking it.

Logan 's head swivels from one side to the other as he watches everyone's actions; this place always had something going on it in...He blinks several times as the barkeep goes into the back then turns to BB..."Goo' day tae ye..." He says.

In a room page-pose, Bottlebrush nods.

In a room page-pose, Logan nods

Bottlebrush dips his head to Logan, "Good day to you, too." He takes another gulp of his ale and then adjusts his porcelin mask.

Keita room-pages, "Shall we, Orel? XD".

You room-page, "Aye"

You walk into the kitchen.

Halyard Tavern: Kitchen

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Halyard Village ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

This is the tavern kitchen. It looks much like any other kitchen. The far

right wall is lined with ovens built into the brick wall, their soot-covered

doors kept closed at all times save for moments of operation. The ovens are

approximately two feet wide by one foot high, with depths of four feet.

Thoroughly charred wood and dying embers are often in evidence, as the ovens

are very rarely not in use. Two long, narrow tables, arranged parallel to

each other, serve as counterspace for food preparation. A heavy door, propped

open by a heavy sack of flour, leads into the kitchen pantry, and next to

this doorway another one, often closed, leads down a set of stairs to the

cellar, where the tavern's supply is stored.

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Once the door has swung shut behind them, Keita turns, leaning back against a counter. She quirks a brow at Orel. "So what's this all about, Orel?"

Orel backs away and looks worried, he tugs off his head-kerchief, scrubbing at his whiskers with it, nervously shifting from paw to paw. "Thar be soomethin ah guts tae ask ye Keita! Yer tha only one!"

Ooookay. Keita tilts her head, curiously. And nods. "All righ'. You tell me. What's it I c'n do for ya?"

Orel shuffles and looks around, nervously, he drops his kerchief and drops to one knee before the hare. "Ye jist gotta say yes Cap'n.. ah cannae ask anyoone else an aye dinnae knoo wot aye'd do if'n ye said nae! Ah guts nae oone else tae be asking me!"

Uhhhh. Keita would take a step back if she could, but! Counter. She laughs, a little disbelieving. "... Orel. Orel. Get up. Ya don't need t'. Prostrate yerself t'me. If it's somethin' I c'n help with, I'm glad t'do it."

Orel catches her paw in his as she tries to step back, terror filling his expression as he thinks she would flee. "Please! Cap'n Kieta! Yer jist gotsta! Yer just gotsta... teach me... ow tae... " he screws up his muzzle as if the last word is the hardest thing to say.

Keita isn't going anywhere! HOnest! She stares at him, totally perplexed. "Gotta teach you how t'... what?"

Orel screws up his muzzle, he can't do it! he just can't. A sea-rat! A baptised in blood and salt corsair.... "Teach me ow tae bathe!" He spits out the last word as if it is the worst curse in the world. "Aye dinnae knoo ow tae do it!" He hangs his head as if ashamed and he is! He just asked a Woodlander to teach him how to take a bath!"

"Uhhhhh." Keita is dumbfounded. She gently tries to lift her paw free of his hold. "You just. Orel. You just... you /bathe/. You get in the tub with some watah 'n' you scrub yerself off 'n' you /bathe/, okay."

You exclaim, "Ah tried dat! Aye was jist wet n miserable n still stunk! It didnae work Miss Kieta! Yer gotsa teach me! Please!""

"You want me to... help you bathe," Keita says, sounding non-plussed.

Orel worries at his claws and stands up, "No one else will elp me Keita! Ah dinnae koo wot aye'm meant tae be ad oin."

The little rotter, he's pulling at her heartstrings. Her exceptionally screwed-up heartstrings. After a moment she sighs out, exasperated. "All right! All right. I'll show you how! But you're keepin' yer clothes ON! Got it?"

Orel stares at Keita, "Is tha ow ya takes a bath? Dressed? Ah always thought ya ad tae clean everything/ But yer tha cap'n."

Keita's ears twitch back. "... No. No, ya bathe without yer clothes on. But I'm just gonna... it's just a /practice/ bath, ya ken?"

You say, "Oh... practice.. roight... wots practice?" he picks up his kerchief and twists it back onto his head."

"Uh... learnin' how t' do somethin'." Heh. She shoos him backward, then. "You go on back out 'n' I'll get the tub ready. I'll call ya when it's ready, a'right?"

Orel nods his head and shuffles out of the Kitchen, waiting outside for the rather baffled Kieta to call him back inside.

It is a good long while later when Keita pokes her head back outside the kitchen. "A'right, come on," she gruffs at him.

Orel has a tankard in one paw and is a bit unsteady, he sways back into the room and peers at Keita, nodding to himself, "Yar... ye'll be making amends ooone day!" he nods and eyes the tub then as if it was lethal.

"It won't hurt ya, I promise." She steps back from the door and back into the kitchen. The tub is full of steaming water. I mean, it might as well be a /good/ practice bath. "... All righ'. Now ya just. Get in. You c'n take off yer shirt 'n' whatevah. Just! For spirit's sake leave yer pants on." Her nose wrinkles.

Orel wrinnkles his muzzle, he sets aside his tankard, removes his headscarf, purple sash and starts to remove all of his trinkets, braceletts and charms.

Except for two new braceletts around his wrists, snug and held on tightly. And 2 identicle ones around his ankles. He also keeps his "Hole" with a stone on around his neck. The rat moves to the side of the bath and sniffs it. "Ah guts tae be gettin in?"

Keita just nods. She points to the bath water. "In," she agrees.

What do you want to whisper?

Orel whimpers and braces himself, eyes closed the rat clambers over the side of the tub and sits in it. Up to his neck in hot water. He'd happily leap off a ship into the sea, but a tub full of hot water! Hot water that is rapidly turning a slight shade of brown.

... Oh. Gross. Keita sees this? And actually has to turn away to gag for a moment. "... Okay. Okay, uh. Um. Just... soak. For. A bit. And then we'll... change the water." Pause. "/You'll/ change the water," she amends.

You say, "Yes Cap'n, the rat says sheepishly, ducking his muzzle ashamedly, he ducks his head under and when it comes up it is no longer a muddy shade of brown. But a rather clean looking light brown. "This better be worth it fer tha wee lass!" he perks up with a smile, "N aye ken start elpin wid tha food n drinks too!""

"... Yes. Yes ya can," Keita responds, finally turning back once she's recovered herself. "What wee lass?"

Orel wipes his now clean snout at Keita, his scraggly whiskers are actually brown.. not black it seems. The water has darkened further. A rather nasty black colour now. "Why ye o course Miss Keita! N me Paramour Miss Salem n o course wee Paige! Sooch a grand dearie lass."

Keita can't help it, she actually laughs - despite the sickly feeling in her stomach from looking at that water. And she lets him... /clean/ the tavern? Aheh. "I seee. Well, m'sure this'll impress 'em quite a bit." Pause. "... Okay. You c'n get out, now." There is going to be black death on her kitchen floor. Lovely.

The rat looks at the foor, "Ah can't get oot! I washed tha floor this mornin! Aye'll drip on it all orrid like!" he nods. "We shud pout soomthin doon?"

That is. Kind of sweet. Keita looks at him, amused. But she nods and turns, heading over to a rack with a towel draped over it. She grabs this and comes over, spreading it on the ground next to the tub. "There ya go," she offers.

Orel then clambers out of the tub, he stands up, /dripping/ black water back into the tub and then climbs out to stand on the towel. His body is a light brown, his fur sticks up in all directions making him look like a rather large and rather disquieting shrew. Dripping water on the floor, leaving the bath tub looking like it needs to be burnt

Keita may indeed do that later on, from the way she's looking at it. "... Okay. You, uh. Drip off a bit. I'm going t'go get you s'more towels 'n' then you c'n empty the tub 'n' start fillin' it up again." Without another word, she heads off, a final gag rising in her throat. /Gross/.

But just think of the benefit! Orel will be /clean/ 20-25 seasons of dirt and grime all washed away leaving probably the worlds first and only "Washed" sea-rat. "Ain't ah meant tae use soaps an som such?"

"... We /will/. With the /fresh/ watah," Keita says as she leaves. It's a couple of moments before she returns with four fresh towels. She tosses two to him, keeping the others for later. She sets these aside.

Orel dries himself off, his fur standing up in poofy spikes, it is quite thick and fine, if it was cared for properly, it would probaby look quite nice. Orel latches onto one end of the tub and drags it slowly out of the back door, leaving wet... rat foot tracks over the kitchen floor.

Keita shudders. Ew. This was /not/ in the job description!!!

Orel comes back after about 10 minutes dragging the bath, he's scrubbed it clean with sand and has a mop. Tongue poking out as he cleans his footprints off the floor with it and sets the bath back down. "Ok.... done! Where be tha water?"

Keita points to the stove. "Ya gotta boil it," she points to the stoves. "There's rain barrels out back."

Orel looks confused "Oh..." there was no mention of manual labour!" He stands there, perched in that natural rat crouch before he slinks out to start the tedious business of boiling water. It takes a good hour and a half but the rat is stood by the bath peering at the clean water once more. "Done... Miss Keita!" he calls looking around for her.

Keita has... taken a nap. She wakes up, her head jerking up off the countertop she'd rested it on with a grunt. "Huh! Oh. Oh. Yer done." She stands from her stool, heading over. "All righ', so... let's try this again." She pulls a bar of soap and a thick scrubbing brush out of her pocket, which she'd brought for use before. "In ya go." She dunks the brush, wetting it and then rubbing the soap on its bristles. Lather!

Orel looks terrified at the lather. With a whimper he climbs back in the bath and grips the sides, the water... stays clean it seems... at least relatively clean. It doesn't turn into a dark swamp at least as the rats claws gouge the sides of the bath as he prepares for battle! With the scrubby brush.

That is much, much better. Keita breathes a sigh of relief and pulls a stool to the side of the tub. She sits on it and sighs. It will be like washing a baby. A really, really big baby. She holds out a paw. "Gimme yer arm."

Orel holds out his arm to the doe, looking at her with wide black eyes, this is kinda scary for the rat. "Yes'm... Cap'n.. is this wot ye woodlanders do alla toime?"

"It's not... such an ordeal when ya do it regulah-like," Keita mutters. She then starts scrubbing at his paw, getting in between the fingers. Scrubscrubscrub! Once he's got his paws clean, he can take over, after all!

Orel has pink paws! Who would have thought it! hairless pink paws. He holds it up before his face and stares at it in wonder. "Pink! Aye fergot aye ad pink paws!" he takes over as directed. Scrubbing himself, occasionally asking for help and then comes the dreaded question, "Ken yer do me back?"

Ugh. Keita's ears twitch back in disgust. "... Turn around," she grumbles, extending her paw for the brush.

Orel happily gives her the brush back and grins, "This cleanin lark isnae too bad!" he holds up a paw, "N aye got me charms! Tae keep disease away"! he grins, "So if'n it please yer all aye cud take a bath.. once a year/" he suggests hopefully.

"... Once every coupla weeks," Keita revises. Which isn't so bad, really! She's being kind. Very, very kind. "And wash yer paws 'n' face every day. And... don't roll around in trash. And... not in dirt or mud, eithah." Is she covering everything? Um. She starts to scrub firmly at his back, getting all the dirt out!

She forgot sand, he stiffens as she scrubs his back, this just feels weird! WEIRD I tell you! The world is going to end a Sea-rat having a bath, "Ok.. no trash... no mud, no dirt... no rollin in anythin?"

"You c'n roll 'n' flowahs," Keita replies firmly. "And othah good-smellin' things." Pause. "... Which doesn't include fish."

Orel frowns at her, how did she know! "But fish smell gud! Ask otters! Dey always smell o fish Keita!" he grumbles, "CLEAN and denied the fun of wallowing.

"You'll survive, Orel. Paige 'n' Salem'll love the new clean you, eh? S'all worth it," she reassures.

Orel eyes Keita and smiles, "An yer too? Roight boss? Aye ken elp oot more n get more loot?"

Keita smirks. "... Aye. Aye, me too. I love the new clean you," she admits with a shake of her head. Ahhh, Orel.

Orel grins at Keita, "Ahhh does this mean ye'll be acceptin me invoite tae dinner nae? We ken ave candles n sea bird n trifles n git that skinny vole tae play oos music intae tha noight!" he scrubs his muzzle and head fur, with the soap, dunking down and blubbling in the water. Like a great... big... somewhat scary viscious babe.

"... No sea bird, but aye. Sure. We c'n have dinnah." Isn't she great? So nice! Keita goes and retrieves the fresh towels. "Done?" she queries.

Orel stands up, dripping water. "Yer tha boss? Be aye doon?" He spreads hsi arms. He looks... A: Brown, B: Clean, C: Like a wet rat.

Keita smiles faintly. She nods, holding out the towels. "Yer done," she confirms.

Orel steps out and wraps up in the towels. "Gonna need stronger charms though! If'n aye gut tae wash every other week! Tis unhygenic! Look at me fur! Tis nae protecting me nae more!"

"Ah! I forgot to tell ya, didn't I? That's /special/ soap. S'got a protective layah built in, ya just can't see it." Keita notes smoothly.

Orel eyes Keita and frowns, he then takes a bite out of the soap and chews on it idly. "Mmmm mmmm ah taste... tallow... n... fennel... n. n... n.... weird stoof.." he spits it out into the water. "Yer sure?"

Keita nods firmly. "I'm sure, matey. Would Keita lie t'you?" Yes.

Orel eyes Keita and lifts his stone and peers through it, swaying, "Yeeeessss. if'n ye ad tae! But only if ye ad tae! Foine... aye'll trust ye soap!" he leans over and smooches her on the cheek and hugs her. Arms still somewhat damp, "Thankee Keita! Aye wud ave been lost widdout ye!" One can only imagine Orel's last attempt at a bath went something like the first bath...

Keita accepts the hug fairly graciously, with only a slight stiffening. He's a sweet enough rat! She pat.. patpats him, on the back. "I'm..." You can say it. "'Glad' I could help."

Orel smiles at Keita, it is such a big, happy goofy smile, he's such a daft rat, whatever he might have been when he was younger seems to have been driven out of his head by his being an insane soothsayer. "So... wot now"

"Now... I get you some clean clothes," Keita says with an appraising look. "Stay 'ere, I've gotta little pile o' stuff folks've left behind ovah the seasons."

You say, "CLothes..." he looks at his trousers, he doesn't mind so much about them.." he looks around for his sash. "Nae me sash! Aye guts tae ave me sash!""

"Then ya gotta wash it," Keita prompts as she heads out the door. He can do that while she's getting some things.

Orel starts emptying his sash, slowly, taking out alot of stuff, it seems to have alot more pockets and nooks and crannies then might be expected. Slowly piling them up on the counter before he fills a bucket with clean hot water and uses the soap to scrub it.

When she comes back in, she sets a few items of clothing on the countertop. It's a small pile he can pick through for preference and size.

Orel has hung his sash up to dry he claims a new kerchief and a pair of trousers. Looking around and running into the pantry to change into them so as not to /offend/ anyone. When he emerges he smiles, "This is noice! Aye never ad new clothes"

"Well now ya have 'n' they look good on ya!" Keita announces with a grin. She rests her paws on her hips. "Ya clean up nice, mate."

Orel salutes, "Thanks..." he looks down at himself. "Fur feels weird... is loike ah lost alf a stone or sumthin...is like... fluffly!"

Keita chuckles. "Most folks like the feelin'," Keita nottes.

Orel nods and grins, he prods his wet sash and leans against the counter, "Ah naer knew yer woodlanders ad it so gud! Aye be impressed!"

Keita just laughs. Ahhh, Orel. She straightens, taking a few steps towards the door. Her paw rests on it, pushing it partway open. "That's us, just livin' glorious lives with all our bathin' 'n' whatnot."

Orel nods, gathering up his sash and putting all his belongings away in his new pocket. one very clean rat clutching all his stuff like a child as he shuffles towards the door. "Ah shud... go ome n tidy up some..."

( Orel is going to make Keita have a heart attack. Him! Cleaning up! "... Aye," she says, trying to keep a straight face. "Ya should." And she pushes the door open, heading through. )

Orel nods his head and shuffles out, waving bye to the boss nad trudging back to his shack. He might live in a pitiful shack made of drift wood. BUt he's going to try... something with it.

- End Log