|
"The Taming of the Shrew" (On a Boat) "This is your decision Eilie, I understand, you want to see the world for yourself? To feel that you are an individual that can stay independent. But please make me happy and pick a card." A wheel of lightning. Golden rays of dawn found its way into the inside the boat woke Eilie up. She got outside to watch the sunrise. Nothing but sea surrounded them, the waves were calm and gently beating on the shop, rocking it like a mother rocks a cradle. Eilie could see outline of a land miles away. The land she was supposed to be going to, instead the boat took her to Kuskus. When I get off this ship, She thought I'm going to have to see a way to reach Muse, it'll be a detour but… She returned to her sleeping quarters, a little corner where the cargo was pushed aside to make space. The boat was not made for any more people than the crew. Eilie tip toed to her place in order not to wake up Vincent, who wore a decorated black blindfold on his eyes so the sun did not wake him up. She could've sworn she heard him mutter something about Le Jardin au coeur du minuit . Eilie sat on the wall, balancing her knives out of boredom. Eilie! Don't play with these things, they're dangerous. She could hear her mother speak to a younger Eilie, curiously stroking the kitchen knives. This was the first time she was really alone, and memories sprang up rather quickly in her solitary state. Both frightening and pleasing at the same time, the memories hit her like a flood, even the ones she'd wish to forget. Now she remembered why she didn't like to stay alone. "Bon jour, Eilie. Are you ready for your first magnificent lessons on etiquette." Eilie shrugged. "Sure, why not." The sun took its place in the middle of the sky, and on the boat Vincent was slowly losing what sanity he actually possessed before he went on his little crusade to make the young gypsy into a socially correct lady. "Mon Dieu Eilie! You're posture, it is all wrong!" He looked at Eilie, slouching slightly on hand on the hip area of her new sky blue dress with flower like patterns. "And the way you walk, it is not a Lady walk!" "This itches," Eilie protested, but Vincent paid no attention. He simply put a huge encyclopedia-sized book on her head. The weight of the book certainly did no good for her posture much to the frustration of her tutor. She walked, or struggled to, toward him, noticing the tomato-like color his face turned to. "Lets just move on to speaking manners" He gave up, but was confident no one could mess up the great art of refined speaking. "What do you say when someone comes to visit you a little too early?" "Er….. we're not finished preparing the show, come back later." "Non, non. Repeat after me" Vincent cleared his throat. "Pardon me sir, but I am sorry to bear the message that you can not enter at the moment. The ravages of time has played a trick on sir and has caused him to appear at an earlier time. Accept my humblest deepest apology from the depths of my soul and please return at a later appointment." Eilie blinked. "Pardon me sir….. but I…. message….depths of my… appointment? Why do I have to do this anyway!" "Why? I shall inform you why…." He took a deep breath, signaling the start of another wonderful lecture. "…. It is a time honored tradition that the ladies of the era shall have a specific way to speak, talk, act, and commit private affairs. These are the traditions that bind the hearts of people and separate the vulgar common folks and the refined grace of gentlemen and ladies….." Eilie glanced behind Vincent's back, one of the tribe man that attacked her before somehow managed to swim to them, and was climbing aboard as Vincent was speaking. "Do you comprehend the very fabric that is woven?" Vincent continued, spreading out his arms and knocking the attacked back into the sea. "I have blessed you with my help to make you a Lady and be more than a simpleton……" Eilie retreated back downstairs, solitude was not a bad option at the moment. Deeper into the afternoon, the harbor of Kuskus was in sight. Eilie could hear the seagulls and the men preparing to unload the cargo. "This is as far as we go ma'am." Said one of the sailors. "Sorry we couldn't take you to Coronet, but I'm sure if you walk around the town you could find a way to reach there." "Now that we are on land." Vincent said, getting out of the boat. "I shall have more time to teach you the arts……" Vincent soon realized he was speaking to no one. "This is where we bid farewell? Non…" The music played again. Everything around Vincent started to sparkle and he smelled his rose, wind mysteriously blowing his hair and cape. "…. We shall meet again. I shall make her into a Lady even if it will break every corner of my heart and set my soul on fire. We shall meet again, Eilie, I swear on my lovely name that we shall." Kuskus has very little activity, every ship had already gone before sunset came. Eilie, back in her normal clothes, walked around, trying to gather information on the easiest way to reach Coronet. Unfortunately it seemed that the only way to Muse was to go to Raddat then Toto. "Miss?" An elderly lady spoke in a soft voice. "You better be careful, recently a bunch of thugs have been attacking women." "Thugs?" Eilie spoke to herself, not looking where she was walking. "Just let them try to attack…" "Oh, we'll do more than attack." One of the thugs grabbed her. "Looks like we have a real pretty lady tonight." She stomped on the feet of one of the man. The others didn't hesitate to surround her. Eilie tried to kick her way out but was quickly overpowered. Just then one of the men fell to the ground, revealing the woman who just kicked him. Eilie took out her knives, scaring away the rest of the thugs. "These people are always causing trouble." Said the tanned woman, dressed in Arabian clothes. "My name is Karen, nice to meet you…" "Eilie" "Its rather unusual for someone to be out tonight.." "Yeah, I have to go to Muse." "Muse?" Karen blinked. "That's very far from here… the only way is to go to Toto, through Raddat. If you want, I can accompany you to Raddat, I have something I need there." "Thanks but….." Eilie heard the distant sounds of accordions. "…. Lets get going!" Karen and Eilie left Kuskus, leaving Vincent with his holy crusade.
| ||||
