Sashataakheru (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
wolfanfics) wrote2009-11-12 01:21 am
wolfanfics) wrote2009-11-12 01:21 am
NaNoWriMo Day 11
Graarg, okay, stupid internet + tireness = this is all you're getting today.
Current song: Nobody's Child - ELO
Current mood: nyeh
Word count: 22,258/50,000
Progress: Marginal.
Remarks: Tricksy time travellers are tricksy. That's all I've got so far.
Scenes to write: Squishy Andrew and Charles waking up in bed beside each other, sorting through the items that once belonged to Andrew's grandfather, and Craig doing some more breaking and entering, possibly at Chris' mansion, where Chris is a younger brother of the 5th Earl of Aylesford, the only rival to Charles in terms of power, Army and Peerage. Even if Charles won't tell me his title, rank and position in society. *headdesk* I don't think he's quite let go of the idea I had where he was a Prince, and is reluctant to let me make him anything else. *sighs* This is what I put up with, people. -_-
Chapter Five
Hijacking is such an ugly word
The continuous chugging of a steam engine along the canal caught the attention of the wandering minstrels as they made their way towards townh. Sure, they could have followed along the train tracks, but that would risk being seen by people who were not supposed to see them yet. So they followed the canals instead. They were not in a great hurry, being as they had arrived far ahead of schedule. They could take their time, walking alongside the canals as the evening grew older and the sky darker.
If the narrow boat travelling along the canal was trying to remain undetected, it was definitely not succeeding. Lanterns were hung from either end to light the way, and the engine was not exactly silent. It was a little eerie watching the two circles of light slowly travelling towards them. It was not until the boat had almost reached them that they could discern its shape. At least the full moon was lending enough light to the surrounding land that they did not necessarily need artifical light to guide them.
The boat stopped. The wandering minstrels stopped.
"Wonder what this is then. Don't remember them having steam engines," Otis said, observing the silent boat in the water.
"I do believe it's a boat. In a canal. What else do you think it is?" Charlie said.
"Yeah, I know that. But they never had steam engines," Otis said.
A figure appeared, stepping out from below deck. Another soon joined them. After a swift hand gesture, a flame appeared on one of their hands, showing their faces still rimmed with darkness. The only features that were visible were their eyes and the fact that the one on the left had shorter hair than the other.
Charlie shoved Otis forward, whispering harshly to him. "You speak to 'em. You're 'sposed to be one of them, right?"
"You'd better have a bloody good reason for being out at night on our lands," one of them said. It was hard to tell who had spoken.
"Jus' heading into town. Didn't know these lands belonged to anyone," Otis said.
"Oh, eh, we got ourselves some defenders of the crown, I see," said the same voice. It still was not clear who had spoke. Otis was beginning to think they planned it that way.
"And what d'yer mean by that exactly?" Otis said.
"Royalist scum. Go on, hand over yer belongings. Rule one of our lands. Any Royalist scum forfeits 'is property when he steps foot on our land. Go assist our friends, Clancey." It was the same voice, though at least the second had a name.
Clancey was the lad with the shorter hair, and he clambered onto land from the boat and approached them. He was a grubby sort, and inspected them closely with a flame resting on his palm to give him some light. In his other hand, he held a pistol, ready to fire if he needed to.
"Well, you 'eard him. 'And over what you've got," Clancey said.
"We're wandering minstrels. We got nothing to do with these Royalists y'keep talking about," Otis said.
"'Course you 'ave. Why else would yer be heading into town? Can't fool us," Clancey said.
"I'd get back in yer boat and get outta here. Y'don't know who yer dealing with," Otis said.
"I've dealt with worse than a bunch of pansy minstrels. Now 'and it over," Clancey said.
"Did y'hear that, lads? He called us pansy minstrels. Perhaps we should correct 'im," Otis said.
Clancey tried to stop them, but they didn't appear to listen. Not even his pistol seemed to frighten them. Augustus, who had, until then, watched proceedings from the boat, disembarked to see what was keeping Clancey and why he hadn't managed to steal anything yet. Clancey looked at Augustus. Augustus whacked him across the back of the head.
"I thought we was stealing from them? What are they doing?" Augustus said. As he turned to look in the direction of the wandering minstrels, they found themselves alone.
"They were right 'ere. I swears it. They can't just disappear, can they?" Clancey said.
Instead of looking towards the boat, Augustus and Clancey headed towards the stand of trees further up the embankment, convinced they had run for somewhere to hide. With the two pirates suitably distracted, Otis started up the engine on the boat and set off down the canal. The distant shouts of their attackers could be heard as they rounded the bend and headed out of sight. There was laughter coming from the boat for some time.
"Who steals a canal boat? What are we going to do with a canal boat anyway?" Lucky said, lighting a cigarette.
"To be fair, I did warn him. Now let's see what we can find at the end of this canal. I know, we were gonna head into town, but I reckon we'll find something interesting down here. I'd like to know what's going on. I don't rememeber any of this being in the brief we read before we left," Otis said.
"Are you suggesting we're not even in the right universe? Jesus, you're even worse at this than I had first thought," Charlie said, clapping hi on the back.
"Hey, it's an adventure. Are yer really complaining?" Otis said with a grin.
"Well, this is definitely an improvement on sleeping on a train for six hours, I'll give you that," Charlie said.
"How often do you get to steal a steam-powered narrow boat anyway? I don't remember them ever being steam-powered either. Maybe this is another universe," Nelson said.
"Only one way to find out, and it's at the end of this charming canal. Are we ready, lads? Let's see how fast she can go," Otis said as he pushed the engine to go faster. He was surprised to discover the engine didn't appear to need coal, but was burning quite nicely on its own, with a bright orange flame the only apparent source of fuel. At least he wouldn't have to coax one of his half-brothers into shovelling coal the entire journey. He didn't think that would be a task he could make them do. There were limitations as to how far his enthusiasm would take him.
Gatecrashing isn't pretty either
Theend of the canal led into what looked like a giant scrap heap. It loomed above them like some sort of twisted building, and its form as an actual deliberately built structure became more apparent as they approached. The canal fed into the structure, and a large sluice gate opened as they approached to let them in. After a short tunnel, they came to stop at a wharf, and the inside of the giant scrap heap was not what they expected at all.
As they disembarked, the inhabitants of the scrap heap came to see who had intruded and whether they were spies. They came creeping out from behind bits of metal and pipes, from behind strange piles of waste and makeshift houses. A few carried pistols. Some carried knives and swords. Otis glanced around, apparently unconcerned by their presence.
"Alright. You got us into this mess, Otis. You talk us out of it," Charlie said.
Otis scuffed his shoes, hands shoved deep into his jacket pockets, as he thought about what to do next. "I'm thinking, okay?"
"Better think quick. They don't exactly look friendly," Nelson said.
...And that's as far as I got before tiredness and lack of inspiration took over. Will think about where this is going and finish that scene tomorrow. Not sure if they'll be all welcomed once they've said who they are, or chased off or something. IDK. We'll see. :D
Current song: Nobody's Child - ELO
Current mood: nyeh
Word count: 22,258/50,000
Progress: Marginal.
Remarks: Tricksy time travellers are tricksy. That's all I've got so far.
Scenes to write: Squishy Andrew and Charles waking up in bed beside each other, sorting through the items that once belonged to Andrew's grandfather, and Craig doing some more breaking and entering, possibly at Chris' mansion, where Chris is a younger brother of the 5th Earl of Aylesford, the only rival to Charles in terms of power, Army and Peerage. Even if Charles won't tell me his title, rank and position in society. *headdesk* I don't think he's quite let go of the idea I had where he was a Prince, and is reluctant to let me make him anything else. *sighs* This is what I put up with, people. -_-
Chapter Five
Hijacking is such an ugly word
The continuous chugging of a steam engine along the canal caught the attention of the wandering minstrels as they made their way towards townh. Sure, they could have followed along the train tracks, but that would risk being seen by people who were not supposed to see them yet. So they followed the canals instead. They were not in a great hurry, being as they had arrived far ahead of schedule. They could take their time, walking alongside the canals as the evening grew older and the sky darker.
If the narrow boat travelling along the canal was trying to remain undetected, it was definitely not succeeding. Lanterns were hung from either end to light the way, and the engine was not exactly silent. It was a little eerie watching the two circles of light slowly travelling towards them. It was not until the boat had almost reached them that they could discern its shape. At least the full moon was lending enough light to the surrounding land that they did not necessarily need artifical light to guide them.
The boat stopped. The wandering minstrels stopped.
"Wonder what this is then. Don't remember them having steam engines," Otis said, observing the silent boat in the water.
"I do believe it's a boat. In a canal. What else do you think it is?" Charlie said.
"Yeah, I know that. But they never had steam engines," Otis said.
A figure appeared, stepping out from below deck. Another soon joined them. After a swift hand gesture, a flame appeared on one of their hands, showing their faces still rimmed with darkness. The only features that were visible were their eyes and the fact that the one on the left had shorter hair than the other.
Charlie shoved Otis forward, whispering harshly to him. "You speak to 'em. You're 'sposed to be one of them, right?"
"You'd better have a bloody good reason for being out at night on our lands," one of them said. It was hard to tell who had spoken.
"Jus' heading into town. Didn't know these lands belonged to anyone," Otis said.
"Oh, eh, we got ourselves some defenders of the crown, I see," said the same voice. It still was not clear who had spoke. Otis was beginning to think they planned it that way.
"And what d'yer mean by that exactly?" Otis said.
"Royalist scum. Go on, hand over yer belongings. Rule one of our lands. Any Royalist scum forfeits 'is property when he steps foot on our land. Go assist our friends, Clancey." It was the same voice, though at least the second had a name.
Clancey was the lad with the shorter hair, and he clambered onto land from the boat and approached them. He was a grubby sort, and inspected them closely with a flame resting on his palm to give him some light. In his other hand, he held a pistol, ready to fire if he needed to.
"Well, you 'eard him. 'And over what you've got," Clancey said.
"We're wandering minstrels. We got nothing to do with these Royalists y'keep talking about," Otis said.
"'Course you 'ave. Why else would yer be heading into town? Can't fool us," Clancey said.
"I'd get back in yer boat and get outta here. Y'don't know who yer dealing with," Otis said.
"I've dealt with worse than a bunch of pansy minstrels. Now 'and it over," Clancey said.
"Did y'hear that, lads? He called us pansy minstrels. Perhaps we should correct 'im," Otis said.
Clancey tried to stop them, but they didn't appear to listen. Not even his pistol seemed to frighten them. Augustus, who had, until then, watched proceedings from the boat, disembarked to see what was keeping Clancey and why he hadn't managed to steal anything yet. Clancey looked at Augustus. Augustus whacked him across the back of the head.
"I thought we was stealing from them? What are they doing?" Augustus said. As he turned to look in the direction of the wandering minstrels, they found themselves alone.
"They were right 'ere. I swears it. They can't just disappear, can they?" Clancey said.
Instead of looking towards the boat, Augustus and Clancey headed towards the stand of trees further up the embankment, convinced they had run for somewhere to hide. With the two pirates suitably distracted, Otis started up the engine on the boat and set off down the canal. The distant shouts of their attackers could be heard as they rounded the bend and headed out of sight. There was laughter coming from the boat for some time.
"Who steals a canal boat? What are we going to do with a canal boat anyway?" Lucky said, lighting a cigarette.
"To be fair, I did warn him. Now let's see what we can find at the end of this canal. I know, we were gonna head into town, but I reckon we'll find something interesting down here. I'd like to know what's going on. I don't rememeber any of this being in the brief we read before we left," Otis said.
"Are you suggesting we're not even in the right universe? Jesus, you're even worse at this than I had first thought," Charlie said, clapping hi on the back.
"Hey, it's an adventure. Are yer really complaining?" Otis said with a grin.
"Well, this is definitely an improvement on sleeping on a train for six hours, I'll give you that," Charlie said.
"How often do you get to steal a steam-powered narrow boat anyway? I don't remember them ever being steam-powered either. Maybe this is another universe," Nelson said.
"Only one way to find out, and it's at the end of this charming canal. Are we ready, lads? Let's see how fast she can go," Otis said as he pushed the engine to go faster. He was surprised to discover the engine didn't appear to need coal, but was burning quite nicely on its own, with a bright orange flame the only apparent source of fuel. At least he wouldn't have to coax one of his half-brothers into shovelling coal the entire journey. He didn't think that would be a task he could make them do. There were limitations as to how far his enthusiasm would take him.
Gatecrashing isn't pretty either
Theend of the canal led into what looked like a giant scrap heap. It loomed above them like some sort of twisted building, and its form as an actual deliberately built structure became more apparent as they approached. The canal fed into the structure, and a large sluice gate opened as they approached to let them in. After a short tunnel, they came to stop at a wharf, and the inside of the giant scrap heap was not what they expected at all.
As they disembarked, the inhabitants of the scrap heap came to see who had intruded and whether they were spies. They came creeping out from behind bits of metal and pipes, from behind strange piles of waste and makeshift houses. A few carried pistols. Some carried knives and swords. Otis glanced around, apparently unconcerned by their presence.
"Alright. You got us into this mess, Otis. You talk us out of it," Charlie said.
Otis scuffed his shoes, hands shoved deep into his jacket pockets, as he thought about what to do next. "I'm thinking, okay?"
"Better think quick. They don't exactly look friendly," Nelson said.
...And that's as far as I got before tiredness and lack of inspiration took over. Will think about where this is going and finish that scene tomorrow. Not sure if they'll be all welcomed once they've said who they are, or chased off or something. IDK. We'll see. :D