Patreon LogoYour support makes Blue Moon possible (Patreon)

How To Deliver Justice (with KiraMusani

Wendy glanced over to Ethel with a shrug. "I've always been the one to throw myself in the way to defend the other ladies at court. I've only been to three, and from the time I was 14... It wasn't until being here, and last night, did I realize I really needed to be careful. Doc Aurora would have been at that pirate pub last night, I wouldn't have even got home. She'd have skinned me, right there in front of Blackjack Sally." She thought about that and made a face, "Well, she'd have read me the riot act, anyway, and embarrassed me to death."

They continued to read in companionable silence for another hour, before Wendy finally closed the book. "So... How do I turn this head knowledge into instinct?"
 
"Heh, sadly there is only one way to do that, correct yourself when you catch yourself doing so, and practice over time. There is no quick fix, you need to train your body and your mind" She replied calmly closing her book as well.
"It could take weeks, months, or even years, but just keep covering yourself, having it in the back of your mind and correcting when needed, and one day, you will start doing it without needing to think about it, then another day, you will realize you have been doing it and didn't even realize, it's a slow change over time." She replied.
"Luckily you are young, and still have plenty of time" She smiled.
 
Innis saw the two of them just as they stepped out of the library, with Olivia tailing her. "I'm afraid your break is up, Ethel, I need you to deliver a message to Captain Jane Hook aboard the Rumble Rose. Wendy, you need to make a decision, now, if you're continuing training here in Neverland, or begin your job aboard the Rumble Rose. I'm positive Captain Hook will set sail immediately, and you'll have to wait three to four months before the Rumble Rose returns to port."

Wendy held out her gloved hand, after saluting the queen. "I thank you, my queen, for your hospitality and the training. I'll deliver the message as her Captain of the Ship's Security. As she is under you, I'm under her. My position is at her side."

The two women's eyes met, and the queen nodded. "Tell her I wish her smooth seas and luck with her mission, Private Wendy Darling. I wish to read all about your deeds aboard the Rumble Rose in the good Captain's logs." She slapped the sealed envelope into Wendy's hand, detailing Captain Hook's mission, first, return Olivia and Ethel to England, and then set sail for the last known whereabouts of a missing royal freighter, recover the goods and people aboard it, and if needbe, sink it. Wendy would learn, Hook would have no alternative but to sink it after getting what she could of the goods, the freighter had been taken over by bloodthirsty pirates. "Take these two with you." Innis motioned to Olivia and Ethel.

"At once, Your Highness." She saluted, bid Olivia and Ethel to follow, turned on her heel and marched out of the palace of her new homeland, and straight to the Rumble Rose.

Wendy stopped in front of Captain Hook, and in a fluid motion, handed her the sealed envelope. "Wendy Darling reporting for duty, ma'am, as your new captain of ships guard. Awaiting your first orders, ma'am."

MacGoughal smirked. "Aboot bloody time yer back on ship, Whirlwind. Ye know as leader o' th' security aboard here, only th' cap'n and her first mate, me, are o'er ye? Hope ye c'n give orders as well as take 'em, lass." She looked at Captain Hook. "What's our first orders under our new Queen, Cap'n?"
 
Ethel returned a salute upon hearing what she was asked to do.
"Aye aye" She agreed before looking toward and listening to Wendy's response.

"Oh, excellent, that mission is already no longer my issue. I will gladly follow Wendy to the ship." Ethel smiled.

Once back with the queen and once the others had finished speaking.
"Looks like you and I Olivia will be rejoining your other friends now that our contract is up, ready to return to those game things?" She asked.

Hook placed a hand on Wendy's shoulder. "Glad to hear it Guard, You read the letter, what is our next mission? Returning these two where we got them, then we set sail, your goal is pretty consistent though, keep myself and others here safe!"
 
Last edited:
Wendy saluted her captain and began her duties of guard, which consisted mostly at present of securing rigging lines for the sails with the only knot she ever did correctly, the reef (square) knot (secures sails to the boom and railing).

Clara MacGoughal smirked as she watched the crew, as she took her place as navigator. "When ye gonna tell 'er aboot how 'er quarters are th' only other cabin on deck that's unoccupied? Ye know as dense she is, she's gonna be down in th' hold with th' rest of the lot. She's nae th' wee bairn anymore, she's an officer."

Meanwhile, Olivia just scoffed at Ethel, before giving her a smirk. "You're lucky you're so damned cute. For that, you can be the one to tell the ladies Wendy won't be coming back. She's got a real job, now." She sighed and shook her head. "As long as we missed that cross-stitching, and that blasted songwriting, I'll be happy. I doubt I'm in the lead anymore. Princess Diana of Themiscyra, probably is. She was second when we left. Wine is in two parts, we should be home in time to taste test everyone's wine. We'll get points for that, at least. Unless something happened, we've missed the foxhunt. That you would have loved."

Electra and Tinkerbell flew ahead of the Rumble Rose to learn where the ladies of the court were. Tink returned with Electra in tow. "They're on their way from Berkshire and will arrive at Berwick Upon Tweed on the south eastern coast of Scotland, on the morrow. Probably just ahead of us by an hour or two." She reported to Hook. "They'll stay there for the rest of the day. We can't miss them."

In the morning, as the Scottish coast came into view, and the small village could be seen through the spyglass, Wendy took a deep breath and straightened out her Neverland Guard Uniform. "Guess this is farewell, Ethel and Olivia. I'm going to miss your smarmy remarks, Olivia, and your wisdom, Ethel. I'll never forget you two."

Olivia nodded. "Better not, Darling, we're friends." She snarked with a grin.

Wendy pulled them both into a hug. "I won't Nevrakis."

She then turned to Ethel. "Any parting words of wisdom for me?"



Court Games standings (just the two Ethel and Olivia missed. Full standings after your post):

Amanda Butcher 950
Sapphire of Jewel Kingdom 900
Calla Lily Grovershire 840
Clara Princeton 825
Clair Handler 810
Dr. Aurora Service 800
Cinnamon Baker 785
Millicent Umberto 745
Ariel Mendes 700
Beatrice Beaumont 630
Ruby Rose Rhys 630
Crimson Avenger 620
Cassandra of Amazona 432
Diana of Amazona 407
 
Hook smirked.
"Let's see how long she takes to figure it out, if not by the end of the month I may have mercy." She smirked with a wink.

Ethel listened to her explain the games, and where they will be joining.
"Oh? What about the fox hunt do you think I would enjoy?" She asked.

Hook wrote down the info she had gotten and nodded along.
"Excellent, everything seems to be going well, let's hope for smooth sailing."

Ethel smiled as Wendy turned to her.
"I very well could see you again, so this may not be bye forever, as for wisdom. Remember, always watch your own back as well as whomever you are protecting, as well as protecting your head, despite how empty it may seem at times, you still need it" She told her before also offering a hug bye.
 
Wendy nodded, "With Neverland my homebase, now, I suppose we will at that." She stood at attention and saluted her, before going in for the offered hug. "Take care of yourself, Sergeant. I mean, technically, unless I'm aboard the Rumble Rose, you are my commanding officer."

Olivia looked at Ethel. "Foxhunting. Self explanatory actually. I just thought you'd enjoy the thrill of the chase, and you can even earn extra points if you bring back a pelt in great shape. You won't just get extra points, but some money, as you'll be paid for it, it's in good condition."

As Olivia and Ethel were about to disembark, MacGoughal elbowed Wendy in the ribs. "Wat th' devil ye waitin' fer?! Yer Cap'n o' th' Guard, Darling! Pipe yer friends off!" She handed her her new whistle.

Wendy sighed, took the brass instrument and blew it as Olivia and Ethel disembarked down the gangplank to shore.

Captain Hook would see King Gregor and another man in regal attire waving. "Ahoy, Captain!" The other man called with a smile. "King Rualrl! How are ye ye ole sea witch?! E'er finally rid th' Seas of yer evil brother?! An' how's me niece ben taking t' sealife?!"

Clara MacGoughal frowned, blushed, looked between Hook and a surprised Wendy, and headed to the main deck, "I got Swabbies t' git in line, Coming, Guard Captain? I may need ye, sometimes a first mate can't do it alone!"

As they left, Hook would hear Wendy ask, "YOU'RE the Scottish King's niece? Why didn't I know before now?"

"Like ye, I tired of court life, okay?! Now drop it!" MacGoughal hissed.

Meanwhile, Gregor clapped both on the back. "Welcome back to England, you two! Where's Wendy? Why's she staying aboard? Why'd she pipe you two off?"

Olivia turned to Ethel and gave a nod. Like she said, Ethel could tell the king why Wendy wasn't coming.

The two were in for quite a surprise. The Doctor, and the humble inventor now led the pack!

(Note: I didn't plan that, I'd forgotten until I looked it up, what the previous total was)

Full Standings, Court Games:

Clair Handler (tie) 2600
Dr. Aurora Service (tie) 2600
Amanda Butcher 2500
Ariel Mendes 2475
Clara Princeton (tie) 2450
Ruby Rose Rhys (tie) 2450
Cinnamon Baker 2425
Diana of Amazona 2400
Millicent Umberto 2375
Crimson Avenger 2325
Cassandra of Amazona 2150
Olivia Nevrakis 2120
Calla Lily Grovershire 2000
Beatrice Beaumont 1900
Wendy Darling 1850 (now aboard the Rumble Rose, and out of competition)
Ethel 1000
Sapphire of Jewel Kingdom 900
 
Hook smirked at Wendy and MacGoughal, glad to see that they were getting along and likely helping each other grow.
"Ahoy! We can't stay as we do have other business to attend to, and a little too much me thinks" She waved, staying aboard her ship.

Ethel took the nod and replied promptly.
"Well, Wendy now has a position with the Captain, so she won't be returning to the games, though I think although I originally joined the games for ulterior motives, I would like to stay and finish them"

With the news delivered and the new rankings set, the next competition started to be discussed, and with a hippocratic oath to keep, Aurora backed out of the violent game, which prompted Clair to speak up as well.
"Oh I umm, yeah I don't think I could bring myself to hurt a poor little fox, I don't even like swatting flies." She admitted. She was quickly followed by Princess Ruby and the Crimson Avenger, as well as the hostess herself Clara.
 
Rualrl grinned. "Aye! Coul' tell by how quickly she hurried off with the security! Then smooth seas t' ye, lass! An' remember t' sail in fer a visit now an' again, hear?" He would watch as the Rumble Rose set sail, but Gregor had to get everyone on the same page before the foxhunt.

Gregor nodded to the tidings regarding Wendy, and nodded again to Ethel's announcement. "It was pretty much unanimous in favour of you finishing the season with us. And yes, I think capturing Igthorne after learning the truth of the ones he sent you for, and taking Olivia and Cassandra with you on the dangerous mission during the tracking game, would make it an ulterior motive. Think of it this way, Ethel, you helped us, and especially Avenger, get Igthorne into custody. While you all enjoy the Yule Games, he'll be tried for his crimes. I may ask your testimony at the proper time. Meanwhile, enjoy yourself."

He sighed as his two leaders bowed out of the foxhunt, he sort of understood why Aurora did. She did preach the first do no harm thing, every chance she got. Clair was too new at the whole court games, and her excuse was too plausible to say anything about, especially when his own daughter and the Cordonian Princess quickly bowed out with the same excuses. They couldn't hurt an innocent animal. Clara took it upon herself to "give her spot to someone else" seeing as her father had informed the king in front of her, that there were only ten foxes for the hunt.

"I need one more volunteer, otherwise I pick who doesn't hunt." The king stated. "It's not likely that all of you will bag the fox, they've been known to elude capture before, but only ten of you can be guaranteed points."

Cinnamon Baker finally cleared her throat. "I'm a baroness of pastries, not hunting. I'll bow out, and I would like the help of the other ladies to make refreshments..."

"No! Ye'll nae be takin' o'er hostin' duties from me and me family!" Clara Princeton barked in a tone very reminiscent of how MacGoughal barked at Wendy. "Mine yer manners, Baker!"

Olivia smirked and asided to Ethel. "I thought we were off the Rumble Rose. Someone's got their Scotch in a lather."

Aurora told Sapphire she wanted to do one more physical, to make sure she could handle the planned activity. She mentioned to the king with most the ladies still present (so Ethel and Diana can make a remark, either to the doctor, or about her decision), "Sire, I'm glad Avenger decided to bow out. I would have volunteered her otherwise. I don't think she's fully recovered from her surgery."
 
Ethel nodded to the King.
"That works for me, might as well take part in these games if I will need to stick around anyway so that works. Thanks"

Ethel smirked and replied to Olivia.
"Seems we can't escape it even here" She joked.

Clair had looked at Ethel with a curious look, looking into her notebook and back to Ethel, almost like she had been looking at a puzzle that had her stumped.
 
As their Scottish hostess blasted Clair's fellow Dunwynian Cinnamon for daring to want to include herself in hosting duties with the Princetons, both the doctor and king took notice of what she said.

Both had noticed Ethel sounded like Ethel, but looked smaller and younger than she did now. Neither would say anything public to Ethel about it, so as not to publicly shame her (their thinking), and to respect her.

Sapphire and Ruby weren't as forward thinking as Gregor or Aurora, but being from Cordonia, Aurora's princess would follow the doctor's lead (instead of other way around), and not say anything, even to her crush, Clair.

Sapphire, being Greek, or at the least, brought up different, did speak her mind, in both Clair and Diana's presence. "I thought you were taller before you left here. Didn't you tower over us?"

Cassandra narrowed her eyes. She was then, just as rude. "What an undiplomatic thing to say! Are all nobles of your country body shamers?!"

As Sapphire turned her glare on Cassandra, one could almost see the lightning shooting back and forth between the two princesses.

With the king having just left the room, it fell on either Diana, Cassandra's flesh and blood, or Aurora, the court physician, to calm them down, before there was a royal catfight over etiquette. Both were in the wrong, after all.

Would Clair ask Cinnamon Baker about the title, or did she already know how old the Baker family was around in Dunwyn from her family speaking to her? Would she ask the king about the title Cinnamon gave: Baroness?
 
Last edited:
"Easy girls, easy, I appreciate the defense but it's alright. I just had a little mishap in Neverland is all, nothing to be concerned about. Hey if anything now physically at least I fit in a bit more with with contest right? So it kinda worked out" She suggested, technically not lying, she had died which caused this, and it was in Neverland.

Clair stayed quiet on the matter of Ethel but did write in her notebook about what Ethel had said about it and started to draw in it as well, needing to update her notes. Clair was also sure to make a quick note of Cinnamon Baker on her title, knowing there would be times when she would need to refer to her more officially.

Once Clair had a moment she would go to Cinnamon Baker in private and ask what the Baroness title was, that she had not heard it before.
 
Cassandra continued to give Sapphire the side eye as she huffed, but backed down. Sapphire raised an eyebrow, in the manner of skepticism. Glancing at Diana, she went to have her pre-hunt physical with Aurora. With both the doctor and Crimson Avenger having bowed out, and just having it out with Cassandra, she wondered if she would have any allies in the field for the hunt, apparently forgetting Diana had carried her to Dr. Aurora in the first place.

Cinnamon smiled and let Clair into her room. When she heard the question, she sighed. "Father is probably going to be cross with me. First time to court and I let that out. It started with my great- great-grandfather, I think that's enough, Leopold, around 1250 (remember, it's 1377). He swore allegiance to the then King of the realm that is now Dunwyn. As a token of the King's favour, Grandfather Leopold received land and began the village we live in now, named for the King's family. The Dunwyn's. The town is basically my family's, but we have tried to remain humble through it and opened the bakery business, as the women of our family have all been exceptional bakers, and I'm no different. Several men also are no slouches when it comes to breads and pastries, my father and uncle amongst them."

She lowered her head, "So, yes, since my specialty are the pastries, and I was born to these Bakers, I'm a baroness. Now that you know, please don't treat me differently. Merchant is still nobility, just not of the peerage in regards to royalty. You have King Gregor's favour yourself, you know. If it isn't already, you can ask for your parents business and land surrounding it, for your own, and you'll be a baroness. There's definitely room in Dunwyn for two baronesses. If the land surrounding the General Store IS your father's, you may already be one. To hear my father and grandfather talk, that's all it takes. Swear loyalty to the King, or otherwise earn his favour, and he'll grant you land of your own to pass down to your descendants."
 
Clair listened attentively and nodded along.
"Oh honestly all that rank stuff is not usually on my mind when interacting with others, Heh, I probably even treat the princess in a too-civilian way to be honest, so no worries there. I was more curious for knowledge's sake." She smiled.

"Perhaps we could bake together sometime, you know baking is quite similar to alchemy? Uhh, making brews and tonics and the like, I wonder if the invention I made for the doctor would also be useful for a baker" She rubbed her chin, talking out loud to herself for the last part.

"Oh, but I don't really have any interest in gaining a title myself or land for that matter, but I don't know, my father was a well-respected warrior, so perhaps we do own the land that our shop is on, I am honestly not sure." She admitted.
 
Cinnamon smirked at the remark of how Clair had treated Calla. She then thought of how Clair had treated the others that were technically princesses. "Oh? Which one do you mean?" She elbowed Clair good-naturedly. "Diana and Ruby are also princesses, and you treat them similarly, except if I didn't know any better, I'd swear you were sweet on both Calla and Ruby among the princesses, you probably got your eye on a couple of duchesses, too. And the doctor. You know you can only have one right?" She teased.
 
Clair's face went beat red.
"I umm, well you can't really technically have any, as umm like we can't own people right? hehe" She replied trying to deflect with a joke. She had not expected such a statement from her or anyone, was she really so easy to read?
 
Cinnamon gave a girlish chuckle. "Okay, fair, but of the five, who would you pick to ask to marry? I will say as nice as the princesses are, both of them would be good for you. I think you may have to move to Cordonia with Ruby. I'd be worried on either Duchess though, seeing as they're both warriors. Grovershire is in king Gregor's army, and, again, you may have to move, cuz Olivia is from Lythikos." She sighed. "Then there's the doc. On the one hand, you have medical help 24/7, but on the other... I mean she's Cordonian, too, like the princess."

She shrugged. "I only ask, because after the foxhunt, which you bowed out of, we go back to Berkshire to try everyone's wine. I think, from watching what went in yours and how it's aged? Yours and Ruby's, or Sapphire and the doc's will be the ones to beat. Even Beaumont, a vintner, said that. You'll probably be right back on top of us pretty quickly." She smiled, a genuine one. "It'd be nice to see a local Dunwynian win one of these." What? She had no faith in herself or her own princess? Would Clair catch Cinnamon's slight against herself and Calla who was her hero?
 
"Marry!? Oh, I don't know... I don't think any of them would even want to marry me, heh besides that's not really where my head is at right now" She rubbed the back of her head, her face keeping that rose hue.
"Perhaps I would like to like, stay at least friends with them, and I don't know if one of them likes me maybe we could like maybe umm like hang out and stuff" She started to ramble nervously.

"Oh umm, and about the wine and stuff, I am sure yours is just as likely to win, same with the whole competition, I think it's really anyone's game still right?" She started to fiddle with her fingers.
"I umm, like that Ethel girl, she won the only two competitions she was in, didn't she? Plus she is more experienced than anyone here by the looks of it." She added.
"Same with you, I am sure you can still win the competition, I trust you are still wanting to umm ask the same person as when you started?"
 
It was Cinnamon's turn to blush, maybe not as red as Clair, but her cheeks turned a rosy hue. "It's just that we're all of us in this competition are of marrying age. I just didn't realize there was so much we had to do, you know? For those of us with a business, plus housekeeping and sports." She sighed. "Really, the only things I've even liked was the polo match and the cross-stitching. I mean the scavenger hunt was okay..." She sighed again. "I just told you, you might have trouble winning the heart of either of the two warrior duchesses. Although I would really like an Amazon, let's be honest, what are my chances for Diana? Especially since I bowed out, although of necessity, to let someone who knows what they're doing, go."

"Those of ye goin' onna hunt tomorrow, four comes along early! Come pick your hounds and get ready for bed!" They heard their hostess, Clara Princeton call out in her Scottish lilt.

Cinnamon shook her head. "Well, at least that's neither of us..." She said with a smirk that didn't quite reach her eyes. "I guess, if you want to see one of your duchesses, you'd best try now. They're both hunting tomorrow."
 
Clair placed her hand over her own chest sympathetically for Cinnamon.
"Hey, of course you have a chance with the Amazons, and yes Diana especially. Although I don't really know any of them super well I am sure that they wouldn't discount you for bowing out, or even not doing well in the competition, there is so much more to liking someone than that right? Like if someone liked you, but wasn't doing well or didn't act exactly as you would for something like that would you discount them? In fact, maybe they would see bowing out as like an honorable thing" She suggested before the announcement was made.

"Oh, hey they will still be around after the competition, since neither of us is playing we could hang out or maybe work in each other's company. We could even see if the others who backed out want to join us or if they have plans that we could join or something." She suggested not wanting to ditch her if she felt like she needed someone at the moment.
 
Cinnamon took a deep breath and nodded. "I suppose I see your point, Clair. Amazons, and especially the princess of Amazons, would be all about honour, wouldn't she?"

"The others?" She balked at first, "But the ones left are the physician, the Cordonian Princess and Her Highness, OUR princess, who has to do this court season as her hero alter-ego! As much as I would love to get to know them better, are you sure we should both intrude on their time off? M-may-maybe we, y'know, sh-shouldn't bother The Crimson Avenger, not without an okay from Doc Aurora? I'm sure she'd love to see you, anyway. The doc, I mean."

Sounded like Cinnamon needed a little encouragement, now. Was she afraid of stepping on the physician's toes?
 
"Hmm? Well, it's our free time too right? and I am sure they would love to hear from you as well, it doesn't hurt to ask, worst case scenario they say no they are too busy, r-right?" Clair was starting to double-guess herself, assuming Cinnamon knew better than she did, not reading her need for encouragement.

"Besides, maybe we could offer to help them with whatever they need, I mean, obviously you don't need to if you don't want to, I just, like helping and stuff" She rubbed her arm as she admitted this, not wanting to force Cinnamon to do something she didn't want to do.
 
Cinnamon nodded. "Well, okay, I guess. Who do we visit?" She wanted to go be socialable with whoever of the three Clair did, but wasn't sure what they could talk about. She did know that Clair had things she was working on with all three of those three, and a few others, but being unsure exactly what to talk about with either princess or Doctor Aurora, figured as long as Clair or whoever she wanted to see started the conversation first, she could follow along or even add to. "So, who do you most want to visit, I guess? I'm going to just follow your lead on this."
 
"Hmm, well I guess we could visit the Doctor first, she is most likely to be busy I think but we can also get an update on the other Princess's health maybe. Oh also if she isn't busy with it I can show you the invention I made for her, it helps you see really small things." She suggested.
 
Aurora Service glanced at the door at the knock, then to Sapphire, sitting on the examination bed. "Sapphire. I said you were excused. Get your hound for tomorrow." She called to who was at the door. "Enter!" Back to Sapphire. "It'll be some time before I have the results. Skedaddle, princess. Enjoy the hunt. You're cleared."

Sapphire sighed with a nod, and would excuse herself past Clair and Cinnamon, while Aurora hummed to herself as she returned to her work at the desk.

"I'll be with you as soon as I finish this report on Princess Sapphire's physical."
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom