The Lutenist, The Potter And A Captain Part Two

Characters: Aikuen, Amethyst, Will

Location: Moledeep

Moledeep

It's that night, after Aikuen stormed off, after threatening Amy. He didn't feel bad about what he has said. He wanted to protect his son, because he was afraid that if Will got his heart broken, it might do something to him. And neither of them need that. He has climbed his way back up the tall tree, where whenever he had some free time, he would be working on a little platform at the top, for him to sit on. The platform is now big enough for three, and it is properly secured to the limbs. To help him get up and down materials with ease, he has tied ropes to the side of the planks. He normally pulls the ropes up, but he forgot to pull up the one he climbed, and it hangs, touching the ground.

Amethyst is laying under the old rose bushes in the rose garden with her staff stuck in the ground next to her. She smiles, twirling a rose bud in her paws as she listens to Will, who siting beside her, as he describes the sky's appearance to her.

Aikuen can espies the two in the garden from such a high position, in his 'fort' of the tree. He hmms a bit as if wondering if he should go down there and apologize to her or not. Will is with her, and that might make more of an awkward apology.

Will has fallen silent after description the colors of the night sky, whether or not there are clouds and if so what do they look like, if there are a lot of stars or just a few. He was going to try and point out star groups like he'd remembered Mayuel doing with Zen but since Amy can't see the stars he doesn't see much point to it besides he doesn't know much about stars anyways. After a while he yawns and stands up. "I'm going back in for a bit, you coming or staying out here?" he asks.

Amethyst twirls the rose some more, "I like it out here ... if you go in th kitchen you could bring me something though."

Will nods, "Sure, /if/ I go in there." He stretches some more before heading back to the tunnel to check on Racky and maybe see if there's anything in the kitchen since he's up anyway.

Aikuen tilts his head at the pointing to the sky, and looks himself. He smiles as he can spy the north star, one of the brightest stars up there. He chuckles and looks back down to the group, and sees that Will is walking off. He becomes alert, seeing his chance. He ties one of the coiled ropes around his waist, grabs the end that's tied to the planks and drops down quickly, with a loud fftt! He rubs his roped burned paws on himself and untying the rope from him, before checking around for Will. Nope, he heads off toward the ratmaid quickly. He gets to her and looks around a bit before saying, "...er... Hi..."

Amethyst's ears turn toward the voice but otherwise she doesn't bother moving though she did reach for her stick when she first herd him land. "Hello. You make a habit out of fall from the sky?" she asks as she continues to play with her rose, waving it around in front of her. Clearly she finds it much more interesting than the otter that seemingly appeared out of nowhere.

Aikuen shrugs, and looks at the rose, "Umm... Well not normally, I was in a tree... and I just wanted to ask and say something to you, when Will was away..." He takes a quick look around again, then looks back to the clay flower, "Will made that huh? He's a good little Potter, if I say do..." He sighs and asks, "Do you know if Will heard me... saying that stuff to you... the stuff from earlier?"

Amethyst sets the rose down in her lap, keeping a paw on her staff to pull herself into a sitting position. "He went inside. Yeah he made it. Says it looks like a real one, feels very similar but not the same. He also made this," she pulls a little on her necklace with her free paw to draw his attention to it. "I'm told every other bead is red and the others are orange. They're suposed to be shaped like flowers but it's hard to tell, he said they weren't very good. I wouldn't really know, just have to take his word for it." She plays with her necklace a little twisting it and untwisting it. "What is it you wanted to say to me?" she asks after a while.

Aikuen looks around again, and taps his claws together, "I just wanted to say... When I threatened you earlier... I want to say that I'm sorry for what I said that you... I am just looking out for Will... I know what it's like to have your heart broken... and it's likely to kill him on the inside if you did it too him... I was speaking without thinking..." He sighs, "If he doesn't know that I said that... please don't tell him, or... any other beast... Please..." He smiles some.

Amethyst blinks a few times, "Uh ..." she chuckles, "... you are very strange, he did hear you and after you left he told me again not to bother you. I understand what you're saying, but til last season I was still a dibbun and Will still /is/ a dibbun. Sure if things work out and we /both want to/ we /may/ get married once we're /old enough/, but we're just friends right now ... kind of. I know what you're saying but I don't see what the big deal is maybe if we were adults it'd make more sense, I don't know. Now, /I'm/ going to sit here til your son comes back, hopefully with something for me to eat, /you/ can do whatever it is you do."

Aikuen looks to her, "I was about Wills age when I meet... My first... love... Its not based on how old you are... but how you feel... About the beast..." He looks around and heads back behind her, and goes into the forest, "I'll be back Later, you can tell Will that I will be in there... And thanks..." as he disappears

Amethyst shakes her head as she hears the otter go off somewhere, "Fine, whatever. No idea where you're going so can't tell him. Blind remember? Strange otter. Age has /something/ to do with it ... otherwise adults would be much younger or something ... Love, yeah well I don't know if I'd call it /that/ ..." She picks up her rose again and twirls it around in her fingers, "... he's a dibbun for goodness sake ... 5, 6, 7 ... The otter should just shut up .... least til the leave change colors ... he clears has no idea what he's talking about," she continues to ramble to herself as she tucks the terra cotta rose into her hair, "Well, it might be love but ... nah otter's just stupid ..."

Will comes back out with some bread. He walks around the shed and comes up in front of Amy in the rose garden, "Yes he is ... what'd Pa do now that's stupid?" he asks just catching the maid's rambling as he sits down beside her.

Aikuen is not that far away, just within hearing distance of both of them now. He sighs and plays with two gold rings, as his sits in the loam, and leans against a tree.

Amethyst lets go of her stick and feels the beast next to her, "You were gone long enough ... just bread? Well, soup would be messy and it is late I suppose ..." She tear a hunk off the roll of hard tack Will brought out, "Not bad. Oh, he was just being whatever he is ... otters are strange."

Will looks over at the maid puzzled, "O.K. What'd he do?"

Amethyst shakes her head, "Aw, nothing. It's ... not important. He was just talking about some stuff is all."

Will shrugs and tears off a piece of hard tack for himself, "You weren't bothering him again, were you?"

Amethyst says, "No. If anything he was bothering me."

Aikuen looks to the voice and grunts quietly, "rude..." He hmms, as he places the rings in his pocket, and close his eyes.

Will doesn't look too convinced. He lays back, moving her stick a little so he lay next to her without it between them. "You shouldn't bother him. He doesn't know you very well yet and probably can't tell when you're teasing and when you're not teasing. And it's annoying."

Amethyst reaches over and pokes Will in the side, "Am not."

Will shoves the maid lightly, "Are too."

Amethyst is quiet for a while, then she takes her staff in paw and hits Will.

"Ow!" What was that for?!" the other rat asks moving away from the maid.

Amethyst hms, "I remembered some things you'd told me ..."

Aikuen looks around as he hears a swack! He blinks a few times and scratches his head. Thinking about going back to his platform, to think some more, or go back to them and talk.

Will scowls a little, "What things? I don't remember saying anything that would make you hit me ... not recently anyway."

Amethyst lays her stick down and pulls out her lute, "It /wasn't/ that recently."

Will watches the maid closely, "Well what was it?"

Amethyst plucks a few stings with her feather, "About never getting punished for anything and actually getting away with murder. I know you explained it but ....", she sighs, "... I could have done worse then just hit you or I could have hit you harder than I did ..." Not wanted to talk about it anymore she starts to play her lute, "The winter O The winter O The cold 'n' dark 'n' drivin' snow. O not for me the winter O. My friend I told you so. In Spring the winds do sport and play, and rain can teem down any day, White Autumn oft is misty grey, my friend hear what I say. When Summer sunlight comes each morn, The birds sing sweet each golden dawn, And flowers get kissed by every bee, While shady stands the tree. The Summer O The Summer O Amid its golden peace I go, From noon to lazy evening glow, My friend I told you so.' ... Any requests or should I pick the next one too?"

Will shrugs, "Anything's fine ... just not that one you did before just to upset everyone."

Amethyst nods, "Deal," and starts up another song, There was an otter by a stream, Come ringle dum o lady, Who fell asleep and had a dream, All on the bank so shady. He dreamt the stream was made of wine, It flowed along so merry, And when he drank it tasted fine, Like plum and elderberry. And all the banks were made of cake, Come ringle ding my dearie, As nice as any cook could bake, That otter felt quite cheery. He drank and ate with right good will, Till wakened by his daughter. She said, I hope youve had your fill, Of mud and cold streamwater! Come ringle doo fol doodle day, Come wisebeast or come witty, A fool who dreams to dine that way, Must waken to self-pity."

Will groans, "I'm gonna have t make a list of what songs you can play an what ones you can't aren't I?"

Aikuen gets up when he hears the song being played. He sighs and goes deeper into the woods, to circle around to enter from the other side of them. He generally walks quietly, slightly humming, and he stops periodically to place his paws on passing trees.

Amethyst smirks, "Why, I wouldn't be able to read it?"

Will rubs his temples, he's been doing at a lot since he's met her, "You have to make things difficult don't you."

Amethyst continues to smirk, "Yes, yes I do. It's more fun that way."

Will snorts, "No it's not!"

Amethyst grins, "It is for me!" She plinks at the stings with the quill again, "Pull, Boys, Pull! O we're the sons of the roarin' shews and a logboat is the home we choose. O, pull, me bullies, pull! Now we can stamp an' we can fight An' paddle logboats day and night. Pull, boys, pull! I was born in a stream on a stormy day, So I jump on a boat and paddled away. O, pull, me bullies, pull! A paddle's me son an' a boat's me wife, An' the open water is me life. Pull, boys, pull! O, I can scoff an' outfight you, I'm the paddlin' son of a roarin' shrew. O, pull, me bullies, pull!"

Aikuen comes in from in front of them bearing a stack of long sticks, "I like my songs better, there songs you can tap you paws too!" he laughs as if nothing ever happened, and this the first time he has been seen since earlier this evening. He stits down and draws his Knife

Will looks up at the sound of a beast coming, "Hi, Pa. What're you doing?" He assumes he's making spears of something like that but asks more for the blind maid's sake than his own.

Amethyst smiles and give a quick "hello again," before starting up yet another song, "If you eat to much youll sink the boat, Burst yore shoes an split yore coat, Just scoff enough so you stay afloat, Tis manners, good manners! If you pinch the vittles from another's plate, Wait till he's lookin the other way, mate, An when fish are bitin, don't eat the bait, Tis manners, good manners! If yore a shrew of the Guosim clan, You must be sure to think of a plan, To share yore matey's pudden or flan, Tis manners, good manners! Remember to chew everythin in sight, If it don't bite back, than get first bite, An always take a basinful to bed each night, Tis manners, good manners!"

Aikuen laughs as he beings to sharpen a point at the top of one of the sticks, "I'm makin' Javelins, my other supply rotted... so i'm making another batch..." That's not exactly true, the last bunch are just find, just needed a good cover at the moment. He looks to Amy as he works and says, "You certainly know a lot of songs of the Gousim..."

Amethyst shrugs, "I like em, nothing wrong with that."

Aikuen shrugs also, "I didn't say that there was anything wrong with them... I'm just asking that you know a lot of songs from them... used to hang around a shrew port or something?" he asks as the he picks up another stick.

Amethyst says, "Among other places."

Aikuen tilts his head at her, "Not going to talk about it much? Or just don't care..." He asks bluntly as he shaves off another hunk of bark

Will sits back munching on hard tack just watching the other two.

Amethyst shakes her head, "You want to know you need to ask. You only get the answers you want if you ask the right questions.

Aikuen tests the point of one of the javelins, before shoving it into the ground forcefully near them. He clasps his paws mockingly together and says, "Oh then please, Tell us what you did before you came here... we are just dying to know!"

Amethyst flinches as the javelin comes down so close to her, "I mostly played for food and sometimes I got coins instead. Maybe you should try a different question."

Will glares at the otter, pulling the javelin out of the ground, "Maybe you two /shouldn't/ talk to each other."

Aikuen takes the stick from Will, and says, "I'll play nice... I swear... Last question," He places the javelin in the finished pile and looks back to the ratmaid "Alright... You said you could read before... What happened to make you not be able to see?"

Amethyst says, "You can ask as many questions as you want. If need be you can send the dibbun in so we adults can talk without interruptions. How did I go blind? I don't remember the details too well but it had something to do with bright lights, a lot was going on at the time and it took me a while to realize I'd even gone blind."

Will opens his mouth to say something but decides not to and just sits there not looking too pleased with the others in general.

Aikuen sighs, "Nah... Will can stay... I'm about to go..." He shrugs, "I know what happened, if there was a lot of bright lights... before it happened" He doesn't say anything anymore, as he begins to collect his things.

Will sighs, "You don't have to go it's just you ... never mind."

Amethyst shrugs, "That all you wanted to know? Just how I went blind and what I've done tween then and now? No questions about before then? Your loss then." She starts playing again, "I planted her gently last summer, all in quiet evening shade, within an orchard bower, her little bed I made. Alone I sat by my window, as Autum leaves did fall, they formed a russet cover for My Rose of Old Redwall. Through Winter's dreary days she slept beneath the cold dark ground, when all the earth was silent, white snows lay deep around. Bright stars came out above her, as to the moon I'd call, take pity on my dearest one, My Rose of Old Redwall. How the grass grew green and misty, soft fell the rain that Spring, her dainty budded head arose, and made my poor heart sing. Then Summer brought her just one bloom, so white, so sweet and tall, with ne'er a thorn to sully her, My Rose of Old Redwall."

Aikuen runs a claw over the edge of his knife, testing for sharpness, "Alright tell me what you did before that... Like where you were born and such... Since it is apparently my loss..." he asks shrewdly.

Amethyst smirks, "Told you before, you need to /ask/. That's not asking."

Aikuen gets up, abruptly, with his stuff, and makes for the tree. Obviously not liking her attitude at all, so he left before things got bad for any of them. He gets to the tree and begins to wrap the group of stick to one of the ropes, so he can pull it up later.

Will watches the otter leave. He rubs his temples hearing the maid's voice, "You need to not talk."

Amethyst huffs, "I still don't see how /I/ was being mean that time." She feels around for Will and doesn't find him, "Get over here, the ground is not a good pillow."

Aikuen can still hear them and yells back mockingly, "I did ask you a question... Where were you born? I think that's a question isn't... I think it was the last time i checked... But your too stuck in you own little mind, to hear it..." He grunts as he begins to haul himself up the rope.

Will sighs, "I think it's /how/ you say things sometimes." He moves closer and lays down beside her again. "I don't want you to get him mad at you ... he wouldn't on purpose but he /could/ hurt you," he says this quietly, hoping the otter can't hear him.

Amethyst sighs, "Alright." Toward the otter she yells, "I don't know. We moved a lot, sorry I didn't answer you sooner." She only yells because the otter is and he seems to be above her somewhere, but he's much taller than her as it is so he could be just up on top of the tunnel or something for all she knows. She feels around again for Will and finding him laying down now she curls up against him with her head under his chin. "Your family is very strange and I've only met one of the three you say lives here with you." She yawns putting her lute away before snuggling up to him once more. Amy chuckles, "Uh oh. Since Moledeep is yours, if we do get married then it'll be mine too ... Wonder if Aik knows that. Maybe if he did he'd be nicer to me ... nah he'd probably just try to break us up instead or something. Otters are very strange."

Will sighs, "Amy, what did I /just say/ about you and talking?"

Amethyst grins, "Not to. Pillows don't talk so maybe I'm talking to myself?"

Will rolls his eye and puts a paw over the maid's mouth, "Stop it."

Aikuen has reached the top of the platform, and slowly begins to reel up the rope with the stick tied to it. Yes he still can hear them... as if they were sitting next to him. His anger seems to flow away some, as she answers him, and is completely gone, at her next remark. He chuckles a little bit, and picks up the bunch and begins to organize it on the platform.

Amethyst pushes Will's paw away from her face, "I'm not tired. And you are my pillow right now and pillows don't talk."

Will has had enough and growls at her, "Just shut up!"

Aikuen is now on the lookout for Fira, should be home by now. Still trusts her, he just worrying. But he is torn away from looking, as he hears Will growl. He goes across the platform, and parts the trees so he can get a good view of what is going on.

Amethyst's grin vanishes and she /is/ quiet, very quiet.

Aikuen watches them for a few minutes, but not seeing anything immediately going on, he shrugs and goes back on the other side of the platform to stay on watch for Fira. He stands with a javelin for balance as he peers through the trees.

After a few minutes Will relaxes. He regrets yelling at her a little and pulls her closer and hugs her tightly.

Amethyst hugs him back just as tight and moves her muzzle just enough to kiss him on the cheek. She grins to herself as she feels his face get warmer as he blushes.

Aikuen scratches his head, still not seeing her, and begins to tap his claws nervously. He drops from the tree, like he did last time, and carries a javelin in his paws, as he makes toward the river. He just sees the kiss, and cant help but comment, "Aww, so cute... but all this mushy stuff, You guys are just so silly!" He laughs aloud.

Amethyst rolls her eyes, "Either he's met Kip or all otters have nothing better to do than spy on us."

Will says nothing, he's really wishing he were invisible right now.

Aikuen sticks his tongue at Amy, hearing her comment, "I wast spying... your were just in my field of vision at the time of smooch!" He laughs aloud some more.

At the otter's comment Will turns redder than he had just from the kiss. He closes his eye, if just ignores him and maybe Aikuen will go away.

Aikuen would hang around, to make Will a bit more uncomfortable, but his love might be lost, or even worse in the woods. But before he goes he has one last thing to comment, "Now you two... behave yourselves!" He laughs aloud again, but then is serious, "I'll be back later, please don't wait up, and please don't go looking for me..." he waits for an answer, before he goes

Amethyst pokes Will, who seems to still be playing dead. "I don't think you need to worry to much about being followed," she says.

Aikuen is dead serious, "Make sure then..." He hefts the javelin, before sheathing it like a sword in his belt. He then looks to Will, "I should be back before daylight... Alright?

Will nods, "Alright. We'll be fine."

Aikuen nods, "Good...Ohh, If Fira gets back, please give three whistles please... i might be near enough still to hear... thanks..." He sighs takes a quick glance around the place before heading south into the woods. Soon the rustling sounds of grass, can be heard... and then silence, as he is lost to view

Will sits up causing Amy to end up in his lab on accident, "Oops. Sorry." He helps her to sit up. "Did he say where he was going ... or where?" he asks her.

Amethyst shakes her head, "Not that I recall. Why?"

Will nods some chewing on his lip again, "Let's go inside."

Amethyst cocks her head at Will, "/In/side where?"

Will says, "Inside M- Oh! Well, we could do that instead ... let me see if Racky's still sleeping or not first." He walks off toward Moledeep grinning.

Amethyst chuckles, "Yeah that. I'll go wait for you." She feels around for her staff and once finding it stands and makes her way to the dibbuns' garden.

Racky is still asleep and Moledeep is very hard to find unless a beast knows the way already so Will feels safe leaving his little brother in the tunnel while he goes to met Amethyst out in the dibbuns' garden.

Amethyst had found a burrow to curl up in, unlike most of Will's burrows this one wider in back than in front and can fit both rats inside it. Soon the maid is fast asleep in the back of the burrow.

Will slips into the burrow and chuckles seeing Amy is already sleeping. He give her a kiss on the forehead before curling up with her, facing the entrance so he can hear if any beast passes by their hiding place.