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Post by GENEVIEVE MARTIN on Sept 5, 2010 12:18:24 GMT -5
The night was cool, the inn was crowded, and her excitement was overflowing.
To be honest, Genevieve could barely contain herself. When she had finally made her decision, an overwhelming sense of relief and anticipation crashed all at once like the waves of the sea on high tide. It was almost too good to be true, and now that her affairs were in order, she figured it was time to not only tell her most trusted friend, but recruit her. If Alice was anything like the girl Genevieve knew her to be, she would jump on the chance before it even came out of her mouth.
It was easy to find Alice in places like this. It was how the girl made her living... if one could call it that. Pilfering from drunken sailors and noblemen was work, wasn’t it? It wasn’t honest work, but it required some skill and talent. But it also made her a wanted woman. No one knew exactly what Alice looked like, but they all knew to be wary of young women looking for prospects. That was probably why when Genevieve had entered the inn, all the men inside glanced at her warily before returning to their rum, and to banter back and forth with the bartender.
Men in this part of town were always cagey about beautiful young women. A good part of the blame could be placed on Alice – Genevieve knew this – but, one couldn’t trust any living being fully. You never knew if the man you were sitting next to in the bar was going to stab you in the back when you looked the other way. Port Royal had become exceedingly paranoid as of late.
Genevieve made her way to the other side of the bar and sat down at an empty table, resting her head in her hands, as she glanced about the room searchingly. She was looking for that familiar tuft of ebony hair, and the laid back, sultry posture that she knew oh-so-well. Alice was probably busy working targets, but she knew that as soon as Alice had seen her, she would drop everything just to come talk to her for a minute.
And oh, did Genevieve have a surprise for her.
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Post by ALICE CAITLIN TAYLOR on Sept 5, 2010 12:53:11 GMT -5
A sudden burst of laughter filled the inn as the woman placed her hand high up on the leg of the young but rather drunk gentleman sitting beside her.
"Enough wit' all this rubbish. You claim you know the best places to walk at night, but you 'aven't even offer'd to show me!" She squeezed his thigh and looked deep into his blue pools of dilated beauty. "Come on, now, me good sir. There will be somethin' in it for you, upon me 'onor as a lady." The final touch - her biting her plump lower lip - caused the man to eagerly jump up and offer her his hand.
Alice smiled to herself as she took his rough hand and stood. Here she was, seducing another man into taking her home, all while everyone in the inn was wary of being taken advantage of in the same way she was doing now. It always worked; after all, all men are the same once they've had a few rounds of drinks. All she had to do was flirt a little, bat a few eyelashes, and mention going back to their home if they didn't do it first. No matter how on guard they were, they would always slip up.
A slight hush that fell over the room alerted Alice. She quickly looked around at the faces of the people surrounding her and followed their gazes toward the door. In had walked a stunningly beautiful young woman with fair hair and gorgeous eyes. Alice tried to focus on the woman, but the low lighting in the inn hindered her sight. She squinted a little, and a broad grin spread across her lips as she happily ran towards the woman, pounced, and embraced her in a tight hug.
"Anna!"
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Post by GENEVIEVE MARTIN on Sept 5, 2010 13:12:11 GMT -5
The sudden embrace was unexpected, but welcome all the same. The woman was a bit smaller build that Genevieve herself – which was an amazing feat in itself – and tucked in comfortably within every couture of her form. And, lovingly, Genevieve embraced her like she would her own sister. “Salute, ma cherie,” she murmured, before pulling away and smiling brightly at her. It had been a few weeks since Genevieve had seen Alice last, and in those few weeks Alice seemed to have changed a bit more. Then again, Alice was always changing. She had to. She couldn’t risk being recognized. Genevieve offered her a seat across from her and sat down again herself.
“I, uh… see I might ‘ave come at an inopportune time?” she asked cutely, her sapphire eyes glancing over to the drunken man in the corner, looking dumbfounded and disappointed. He stared at the two for a long while before returning to his drink, like neither of the girls had ever existed. Genevieve coolly returned her gaze to Alice, her lips tugging at a small, mischievous grin. “But I believe zat you can forgive me, non?”
Genevieve shrugged her shoulders briefly and intertwined her fingers together, looking almost business like, despite the obvious look of excitement on her features. It was amazing how long she had been able to contain herself. But she didn’t have to wait much longer; she only needed to keep as casual about the news as humanly possible.
“I ‘ave some good news for you, ma cherie,” she lowered her voice to a gentle, sweet tone, leaning forward so that Alice could hear her all the same. “And I would like to ask you to share in my ‘appiness… since you’re the only one worth sharing it too. It’s risky, but I know you like adventure.”
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Post by ALICE CAITLIN TAYLOR on Sept 5, 2010 13:33:58 GMT -5
Alice plopped down into the chair across from her friend and stole a glance at her latest victim. She turned back to Gene and returned her grin, trying to suppress a chuckle.
"I suppose I can, love, though I was really 'opin' to be able to take 'im 'ome tonight. 'E did seem like an awfully nice gentleman." The girl winked and folded her arms, leaning forward onto the table.
Alice had missed Gene dearly. Without her, she had nothing, and being separated from her for a period longer than a few days caused her to ache to her very core. They had known each other since they were children, and, even though time separated them now, they remained as close as they were years and years ago. She couldn't ask for anything more.
She studied her best friend's face as Gene moved her hands. Something was up; Alice could see it in her eyes. Gene didn't get this excited over little things. When she heard the word adventure slip from Gene's lips, her ears perked up, and she practically laid her top half on the table in order to get closer.
"I'm in."
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Post by GENEVIEVE MARTIN on Sept 5, 2010 13:52:05 GMT -5
Alice’s compliance was music to Genevieve’s ears. The undying devotion the girl had toward her was a trait Genevieve rarely saw in people that she knew. But she realized that Alice had nowhere else to go, and that to follow Genevieve anywhere, even if it were into an abyss, would be better than never seeing her again. Sometimes Genevieve felt that way too. Over the past few weeks she began to realize that Port Royal had nothing left for her, and that soon enough she would be shipped away to Moscow to marry a man she did not love. It was time to act.
Alice wasn’t very good at hiding her own excitement. Her posture was the main giveaway, leaning halfway across the table just to listen. But her quirkiness and her eccentricity were enough to simply subdue the real reasons as to why she seemed so happy. And, Genevieve, herself, restrained to suppress a small giggle at the state of things.
“Ma cherie, Alice, I knew you would say that,” she stated in a gentle voice, twirling a strand of blonde hair between her fingers. “But I will not leave you in the dark. We ‘ave many things to prepare for… And I ‘ave finally come to a decision.” Genevieve leaned in closer, and as her eyes scanned all those to the left of her carefully, she began to whisper:
“I am leaving Port Royal.”
Genevieve leaned back a little again, allowing the words to sink in before speaking again. “I cannot remain here any longer. Mes parents ‘ave decided that I am to be married to Victor…” She paused for a moment, the name, as it came out, leaving a bad taste in her mouth. “So I ‘ave no choice… and I want you…” Genevieve paused again, her face contorting in thought. “Non, I need you to come with me.”
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Post by ALICE CAITLIN TAYLOR on Sept 5, 2010 14:16:20 GMT -5
Alice threw her hands into the air with a loud laugh.
"Finally!" She noticed a few people glancing her way, and her laughter quickly died while a smile still remained. Her voiced dropped to match Gene's whisper. "Anna, you 'ave no idea 'ow long I've been wantin' to leave this bloody place. It's cramped an' stuffy an'... Ugh!' She threw her hands up again, but she clasped Gene's hands in her own when they came back down.
Gene had soft skin that suited her dainty hands. Alice knew Gene had spent all of her life being pampered and not being forced to do a lot of manual labor, considering she grew up in a prestigious home. She had often visited her in that very home over the years, and the way she lived was complete and total blissed compared to Alice's lifestyle. Despite all of this, though, Alice knew exactly why her friend wanted to leave: freedom.
"O' course I'll go wit' you. I'd steal you away from Victor if it came down to it! she teased. She leaned back in her chair, a look of pure joy spread across her features. "So when do we leave?"
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Post by GENEVIEVE MARTIN on Sept 5, 2010 14:44:55 GMT -5
Alice always had the courage to do things that Genevieve felt too restrained to do. It was almost as if Alice was channeling her excitement and expressing it for all to see, before calming down once more to get into the dirty details. To her question, she simply shrugged, looking thoughtful. “I ‘aven’t set a date yet,” she admitted, staring down at her own fingers. The coarseness of Alice’s skin still remained, and it was amazing how much contrast there was between her own skin and Alice’s. It felt as if Alice’s was truly real, and Genevieve’s was a silky imitation. Sometimes that’s how she felt about herself when she was cooped up here: merely an imitation of a real person.
“I ‘ave talked to a man, who has considered taking me on ‘is ship…” she said carefully, as she began to gnaw on her bottom lip. “But before I go, I ‘ave to take care of a few things… get my things in order.”
She gave a gentle sigh, leaning back in her chair as she stared up toward the ceiling. She was trying to hide the tinge of sadness in her eyes. “Emma… I need someone to take care of ‘er,” she said slowly. “And I still need to say goodbye to Timothy… But after those things are over and done with, we ‘ave to leave. It won’t be long.”
Genevieve sniffled a little, and gathered herself before she reached into her bra and took out a few wrapped bills from within. She plopped them on the table. A few thousand pounds worth, one could assume. “In ze meantime, I can trust you to gather supplies, yes? New clothes, food, rum…” Genevieve grinned wickedly as her eyes glimmered for a moment. “I do believe ze captain is partial to rum ‘imself… But do not spend all of it; I need you to save some, just in case.”
Genevieve crossed her legs and arms, watching her friend in happiness, looking almost blissful. “But, emmm… I do not ‘ave money in there for weapons… Swords, perhaps? Maybe a pistol or two? You know ‘ow to get zem, don’t you, ma cherie?”
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Post by ALICE CAITLIN TAYLOR on Sept 5, 2010 15:28:23 GMT -5
When Genevieve mentioned Emma, the smile on Alice's lips faded a little. It was weird thinking about Gene having another sister - an actual sister. She couldn't imagine really sharing her mock sibling with anyone else. She quickly pushed the feeling away, though, and stared in wonder when Gene procured the bills.
"Cor, 'ow did ye get all o' these lovely ladies?" She leaned forward and pulled down the front of Gene's bra momentarily. "Is there a colony in there or somethin'?" Alice picked up the stack and looked through it, her eyes wide.
"Ya, I can pick up supplies, no problem. Whatever you want.You say the cap'n is partial to rum, eh? Ah, 'e an' I are gonna get along just fine."
At the mention of obtaining weapons, Alice looked around the inn. The man she was hanging onto before Gene had entered was still stationed at his table, staring sorrowfully into his rum. Her smile turned wicked, and she faced her friend once more.
"O' course I can get 'em for you, an' I can get 'em tonight. You see, 'e," she said, looking at him and waving flirtatiously, "'e's a collector - swords, daggers, pistols, anythin' you can think of. So if you 'ave a preference..." Alice stopped, and the corners of her mouth twitched downward ever-so slightly.
"Wait... A ship? Are we dealin' wit' sailors? Or...?"
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Post by GENEVIEVE MARTIN on Sept 5, 2010 16:01:27 GMT -5
Genevieve immediately slapped Alice’s hand away playfully when she went for her bra, grinning still. “I stole a bit of my mother’s jewelry and pawned it off…” she explained, barely suppressing a giggle as she watched Alice play with the pound notes like a child would a new toy. She wasn’t surprised. Genevieve doubted she had been around that much money in her entire life. “If we ever run out, we can always go back and get more…”
Alice began to explain that the man she had been wooing had some of the crucial supplies they needed. Her eyes glanced over to the man too, and she gave a nervous smile, before looking back at Alice. She nodded. “If it ez possible…” she began, looking thoughtful. “Take it all, or take all of the ones that look good. Per’aps if you need ‘elp, I can be of some assistance?” She shrugged. “If you cannot carry all the weapons, I would be glad to help you store them away, somewhere… I think the captain, even some of his crew, would appreciate the new swords and guns, no?”
Then, Alice finally got to it. This was what Genevieve had been afraid to admit from the start, despite the fact she knew Alice wouldn’t mind all that much. But the initial shock was something Genevieve was unsure of. She leaned forward onto the table, clasping her hands together, her face blanching, if that was even possible. In the barest of whispers, she uttered one, solid, crisp and dangerous word:
“Pirates.”
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Post by ALICE CAITLIN TAYLOR on Sept 5, 2010 17:44:09 GMT -5
It was surprising how fast Alice's uneasiness faded. Her tensed shoulders softened and lowered, and she let out a long sigh.
"I should've known better than to think you 'ad betrayed me to the milit'ry. I know you would never do that." She fell silent for a moment, running her fingers over the detail of the table they sat at.
There was no decision to be made now. As long as the military wasn't involved, Alice was up for anything; however, any plan involving the military that didn't also involve some kind of harm coming to them was out of the question. She despised the men who called themselves righteous in their intents. After all, nothing righteous ever came out of it.
"Alright then," she began, breaking the silence. "Pirates. Anna, you never did strike me as the kind to deal wit' pirates, no matter 'ow well I know you. Where did you find 'em?" She paused but then thought better of it, shaking her head. "Nevermind, I don't want to know yet. That's a story for when we finally leave this dreaded place.
As for the weapons, I think I'll be able to manage on me own wit' gettin' 'em out. I think 'e was exaggeratin' when 'e talk'd about it, but I don't doubt 'e's got a substantial enough load. I'll need somewhere to 'ide 'em, though, so if you wouldn't mind makin' me a place..." She drew in a deep breath and searched Gene's eyes, her heart now racing.
"We're really doin' this, ain't we?
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Post by GENEVIEVE MARTIN on Sept 5, 2010 18:16:13 GMT -5
Genevieve waved her hand dismissively, pressing her lips into a firm line. “It ez already settled, I ‘ave a place for you to ‘ide them. You know the old shack we used to play in, as kids? It still stands, just as abandoned. Just ‘ide them there until we need zem.” Genevieve nodded tersely as she sighed through her nose, her own heart racing in the deep of her chest.
We’re really doin’ this, ain’t we?
The phrase echoed in her mind like a church bell; so loud that she could barely comprehend her own thoughts, or the sounds of the world around her. Genevieve had to admit that she was very nervous, even afraid, to take this step forward, and so quickly. If circumstances allowed, she would be given more time to plan and execute this with more precision and care. But, reality was much harder. She was running out of time, and if she didn’t leave now, everything would be lost. If she had to be forced out of Port Royal, it would be on her own terms.
Genevieve forced a smile and looked at Alice’s eyes just as searchingly, trying to find courage deep within that she, herself, did not retain. “Oui, we are really doing this…” Genevieve exhaled loudly, her eyes brimming as if she were going to cry. “It ez insane… dangerous, but we’re doing it. We have to.”
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Post by ALICE CAITLIN TAYLOR on Sept 5, 2010 18:41:40 GMT -5
Alice couldn't help but smile at the seriousness with which Genevieve was conducting herself. She completely understood why she was being so serious, but she had always teased Gene about being so uptight. It was good seeing her finally making her own decisions instead of accepting what she was told, though, so the teasing could wait.
"Anna," she whispered, reaching up and touching her friend's cheek. "Don't think o' it as bein' forced to do it. Think o' it as an adventure. O' course it's goin' to be scary, but when we see the vast expanse o' the ocean an' smell the saltiness o' the air out there - it'll all be worth it. We won't be stuck 'ere anymore - no more rules, no more boundaries, no more forced decisions."
Despite her little speech, Alice, too, knew how insane their plan was. Pirates were not trusted by anyone, even other pirates. If the legends were true, pirates were greedy cutthroats. Yet Gene had somehow survived a meeting with one and even talked him into taking them on his ship. Surely there was some kind of catch, especially since they were women; everyone knew a woman didn't belong on a ship. However, she trusted Gene, and she would completely back her up on any decisions she made.
"So what do you say? Ready to be free?"
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Post by GENEVIEVE MARTIN on Sept 5, 2010 19:10:44 GMT -5
Genevieve closed her eyes, smiling at the warm, coarse touch of her friend’s skin on her cheek. It was reassuring, and almost took whatever doubts she had away. She knew that as long as Alice was around, they could do anything. She chuckled softly, and opened her eyes, staring into Alice’s happily. “You’re right, you’re right…” she murmured, eyes lowering a little. “I just have the jitters, out of nervousness, and excitement, you know? It ez the first time I get to be free, the first time I get to make my own choices…”
Genevieve leaned back in her seat and sighed whimsically, raising her hands over her heart. “It ez new to me, to be broken from my bonds, allowed to do as I please…” her smile grew wider. “I know I can do it, though, with you. Though, we might need to spar more, oui? Practice our fighting, get a little tougher…” Genevieve waved her left arm gracefully, like she were waving a sword. “It ‘as been a while since I ‘ave sparred with a sword…”
She lowered her arm again and looked demure, biting her lip as she leaned forward and grabbed Alice’s hands. She squeezed them once, and nodded. “Yes… I am ready to be free.”
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Post by ALICE CAITLIN TAYLOR on Sept 5, 2010 20:15:01 GMT -5
Alice had never been a graceful human being, so watching the way Genevieve moved so gracefully during her miniature monologue caught her breath. This wasn't the first time Alice had caught herself just watching the movements she made when she spoke; she did it quite often when the two were together. She had always wished for grace like hers. When Gene squeezed her hands, Alice squeezed back, and a smirk crossed her lips.
"Good," she started. "You're goin' to need all the freedom you can get if you want to spar enough to be 'tough'." She stood with a chuckle, noting how dark it was getting.
"If we're really serious about this, though, phase one o' our plan needs to be put into action soon." Alice picked up the bills and tucked them in her shirt where they would be safe. With a wink, she beckoned the drunken man from earlier over to her and giggled softly as he stumbled while quickly trying to get up. "No man in their right mind would take me 'ome this late." She turned back to Gene.
"Will I see you tomorrow?"
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Post by GENEVIEVE MARTIN on Sept 5, 2010 20:27:43 GMT -5
Genevieve stood from her seat, walked over to Alice and briefly hugged her. She smiled as she watched the drunken man meander from his table and over to the beckoning Alice, like a dog to its owner. With his tail tucked between his legs, he stood near the bar and waited. Genevieve took that as a sign for her to leave, and start preparations. “You will see me soon enough, I promise.”
She walked over to the drunken man and planted a kiss on his cheek, winking at Alice as he immediately brightened up. She laughed with soft mirth. “You will see me before ze week is out,” she told Alice assuredly, as she made her way to the entrance of the inn. She stopped at the entrance and smiled at Alice cutely.
“Just be sure to do as I ‘ave asked you, ma cherie,” she called affectionately, before exiting the inn to take care of her other affairs.
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Post by ALICE CAITLIN TAYLOR on Sept 5, 2010 21:24:13 GMT -5
With a giggle, Alice waved goodbye to her friend. This was it; the first leg of their adventure started now with the preparations they were to make. Smiling, she turned to the man leaning against the bar and slipped her hand in his.
"Now where were we," she whispered, looking up into his eyes. He opened his mouth to speak, but she put a finger to his lips and led him outside. When they entered the brisk air of the night, she turned and pressed him against the wall of the inn while also pressing her body seductively against his own.
"Let's go see that collection o' yours, shall we?
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