Right vs. Might

[carabadgermum]

Athalia paced her chambers. "Read them again!" She yelled at the seer who was sprawled at the queens feet over a pile of bones and feathers that she was reading to find the weaselqueen's future.

The vixen swallowed and silently begged the bones to say something different from what she saw. "Your husband had an heir not of your blood. The heir is coming for the rightful inheritance."

"The inheritance is mine!" Athalia screamed. "The Rawnwave fortune passed to me at his death." She hadn't wanted to marry him in the first place. It had been arranged by her father. She had been as glad as he was to see the pirate king go away to sea on his little boat. However she hadn't been disappointed to come and live in his palace. It was comfortable and beautiful and she had everything she could ever want. She hadn't thought this life would be so bad. He would have to come back eventually. They all expected her to produce an heir, especially her father, but Horatio was never home long enough to preform this duty. She knew what it meant if he had an heir. Her husband had not been loyal to his queen. So why was everyone still loyal to him and this brat who he supposedly spawned.
She had brought in seer after seer to ask them about this whelp but they all came up with the same answer. "Guards take her away and put her with the others. Find somebeast who can tell me what I want to know."

[Hans Vermeer (Cole)]

Out on the sea. A great evil was headed to Terramort. An enemy. A enemy that was at first. Hunted and constantly harassed. But now was a feared and frightening foe. Herrick and his ship had once been constantly hunted and attacked by countless corsairs and pirates. But now Herrick’s ship was treated more like a Grim Reaper! Only few dared to attempt to kill Herrick and his bloodthirsty crew. While most others now did their best to avoid him and stay clear of his ship.

Herrick had always wanted to rule Terramort. But he always had that thought in mind that he might have to start a full scale war just to take the ruler's place and of course with the numbers he had. He could be very greatly outnumbered. But now corsairs and pirates feared him! They fled at the sight of his flag and sails! They almost always fled and it was made him much more bolder than before. Maybe if he showed up on Terramort now. Too many beasts would be too scared of his ship to fight for their ruler's life!

He had restocked and resupplied his ship before he headed to Terramort. So just in case things went wrong. Atlest his siege weapons would give him a chance to make his escape or turn the tide of battle. Though he was hoping that he would be allowed into Terramort without a fight. He wanted to kill the Pirate King or Queen and take that beast's place. Not have to kill everyone on that island....

[carabadgermum]

"A homecoming," Athalia crooned after a few moments of silence. A complete change had come over her face. The old weaselqueen had a plan.

"Excuse me m'lady?" one of the guards asked noting the manic light in his queen's eyes.

"That's exactly what the whelp needs." She laughed not paying attention to the beasts around her. "The heir of Rawnwave should be welcomed home by his dear Mummy." She never for a moment supposed that the heir could be female. What threat would there be from a maid. No, Athalia imagined for herself a rival who was worthy of a battle. But she wouldn't meet him in a battle, she would welcome him in and then stab him in the back.

[Hans Vermeer (Cole)]

Herrick’s death ship had docked. It was so surprising. A Beast that had been hunted for years had slowly but surely became on of the most frightening and most evil pirates to ever be spawned. This was the first time Herrick had even docked at a populated area. During the times Corsairs hunted him he only stopped on remote areas and there. Only to take loot or supplies. But now things have changed. He was almost like death. Maybe now. They would be far too scared to do anything about him and his horrible crew…

[carabadgermum]

A messenger knocked cautiously on Athalia's chamber door. He had no idea what sort of mood she would be in or how she would take the news. She had been becoming more and more unpredictable as the days went by, with each seer who informed her of her husband's heir.

"Come!" The weaselqueen called. Her voice still carried the glee of the plan that was hatching in her devious brain.

The messenger entered slightly reassured by her tone. "My Queen." He fell at her feet in the traditional manor.

"Well what do you have to report?" The impatience broke through her good mood.

The messenger flinched and then hurriedly did as he was asked, "A ship, m'Lady, has docked at your harbor. The captain is . . ."

She interrupted him with a joyful squeal and clapped her paws, "It's him! It's him! The prodigal returns!"

The messenger and her attendants looked shocked and wary.

"Well," she looked around at them incredulously. "Go kill the fatted. . . whatever. Prepare a feast. The heir of Rawnwave must be welcomed in style."

They ran to do her will even though they didn't understand a bit of what she said.

[Hans Vermeer (Cole)]

As Herrick and forty of his crew walked through the dock. Corsairs of all shapes, size and species were looking at him. Staring at him. Some scared, some with awe, some with confusion and some with shock. He had dressed a bit like the grim reaper. With a deep black cloak with rips and tears in it with a large hood over his head. He had brung along his sabre and scimitar along with a Arabian short sword. His normal wear in clothing was under that large black cloak. He would need to atlest look nice as he kills the pirate ruler in a bloody duel to the death!

[carabadgermum]

A score of the Queen's own guard rushed down to meet the newcomer. They were ordered to treat him as if he were also royalty and to escort him to the Queen's presence with greatest speed. A messenger stepped out hesitantly from among them and proclaimed, with a bit of a quaver to his voice, "Her Majesty, the Queen of Terramort, welcomes you to her island and requests your presence at a feast prepared in your honor."

Athalia watched the proceedings from a high window in her fortress rubbing her paws together. As soon as this so called heir was out of the way her rule would be uncontested.

[Hans Vermeer (Cole)]

Herrick’s crew were a wicked and nasty looking bunch. They carried all kinds of horrifying and cruel-looking weapons. Ranging from swords to spears. And if their weapons were not intimidating enough. It was the pirates themselves. Ragged and torn clothing, ugly scars, blood stained fur. They never seemed to wash their fur off. So their fur was actually a weird brownish color from were the dried blood had stuck to their fur! But of course these guys rarely left their captain’s ship. Only when they needed too. No one knew how dangerous or how experienced they were at other than ship-to-ship combat. But if they were near impossible to defeat on ship. What are the chances with blades on land? Maybe just as near impossible!

Herrick was smiling that insane sick smile. His entire look as insane and wicked. And the black ripped up cloak made it worse! Almost like they were welcoming and even letting Davy Jones into the fortress! The Devil himself! Or maybe even something worse! His reply finally came. “My honor? I’m Welcome? You sea scum must have drunken too much. Don’t you even recognize me? You should. Every one of you bastards tried to kill me.” He laughed. It was not a pleasant sound. “Oh well. Guess you guys finally got some brains in those skulls. Anyway. Thanks for inviting me.” His whole group was chucking and laughing now as they entered the fortress….

[carabadgermum]

Athalia stayed in an anti-room off the great banquet hall waiting for her guests to enter first. She giggled like a young one in anticipation. He'd never be expecting what she had planed for him. As Herrick entered she got her first look at him and made a face. She remembered her own husband's handsome countenance and this beast looked nothing like him. Whatever unfortunate female he had begot this monster with must have been hideous. Well, Heratio had never had the best taste. He had barely spared a look at Athalia after all. He must have been blind.
Well none of that would matter in an hour. Rawnwave had been taken by the sea more than a score of years ago and soon his heir would join him at hellsgates.
She had made sure that the tables would be laden with food and drink, especially drink. She would let her guests get comfortable before she made her appearance.

[Hans Vermeer (Cole)]

It would not be said that Herrick was ugly. Or very ugly. He was just not the type of vermin a female beast would want to look at for long. Let alone bump into in the middle of the night. He had that sick twisted maniac smile on his face, his eyes looked like they had not closed in a long while yet some strange crazed energy seemed to give them more than enough power to keep them open, he had a wicked set of yellowish teeth with some of them being jagged, and of course a few very small scars on his face. A Good long nap and a bath along with some serious mental therapy would really fix this guy up but of course being a sea vermin he had never really had the “time” to do so. This guy looked more scary than ugly. But if the three following treatments were employed he would probably look a lot more better and appear much more handsome.

As this horrific monster took off his black cloak. It showed his entire body. From the top of his head to the tip of his black-tipped tail it shows the look and show of a pure bred Stoat. Not a weasel. More likely the hag’s guard had noticed that and who he was by now. Which might work in his favor when he finally attacks Terramort’s ruler. They would more than likely be too scared to stand against him to save their ruler. Plus in the off change they would. He had some of his crew to help him.

As he and his crew sat. Only the crew was really eating and drinking. Though they tired not to overdo it with the drinks as Herrick had ordered them to on this day. Herrick didn’t even touch the foods and drinks. He was far too concentrated on waiting for the chance to identify the ruler and than strike him down quickly….

[carabadgermum]

Athalia knew the act she had to play so before she entered the room she looked in a small mirror and practiced what she supposed to be the face of a mother welcoming back a long lost son. That done she laid the mirror down and burst out of the anti room. Her arms were flung open wide as if to embrace her husband's misbegotten son.
"Oh my dear boy, how long we have waited for your arrival. I know your father, my husband loved you dearly and only ever wished for you to come home and claim your rightful place. So many years we waited and hoped that you would come upon our shores. And now finally here you are and I your step-mother am here to welcome you with open arms. What a pity you never knew your father. He was a dear creature. I do hope I can lavish all the love and attention on you that he so wanted to before he was taken so prematurely from us."
She stepped as close as she dared to the stoat as she spoke, not actually wanting to lay a paw on him. In her madness she had no clue that he was a stoat rather than a weasel. She was blinded to the fact that her own beasts looked at her with a kind of fearful incredulity. She only knew that her husband's heir was on the way to challenge her and this beast in her befuddled mind fit the part to a tee.

[Hans Vermeer (Cole)]

Herrick was slightly surprised. Did this ugly old hag mistake him for someone? More importantly. Did this creature know who he was? This beast was a WEASEL! Not a stoat! His crew was making nasty and wicked smiles and grins. They knew she must have been very stupid or very insane. This would be interesting considering their captain was a mad beast himself. It might be one of the more longer battle they will ever see.

Herrick was also on the verge to make one of his trademark evil insane smiles. But he managed to keep a straight face and speak. “Oh! It is wonderful to see you. Thank you for your great kindness. True. I never knew my dear father. Care to tell me a little about him?” He had tried to make his voice as kind and less threatening as possible just for the hell of it and to play around with this foolish hag. Everyone knew he was playing around and making a fool out of her. Everyone but her knew Rawnwave was not this devil’s real father. No one knew who Herrick’s father was other than his crew. Although it was claimed Rawnwave died in a storm. Quite a few people have thought that maybe Rawnwave might have had a lethal encounter with Herrick and his crew of evil beasts…

(I’ll remove that part if you want me too. Just make the scene a little more eerie if that Rawnwave’s suspected death by Herrick part was there. Even though that’s not true… XD )

[carabadgermum]

((I suppose it's vaguely possible but since Rawnwave's ship went down 25 years ago if Herrick is 40 now he would have only been 15 then. I just don't know if his infamy would have been built up enough at that age to pull off the death of Rawnwave at the height of his power. Rawnwave was on the warpath when he died in that storm. He was actually on his way back home to get Athalia out of the way so he could be with Moll's mom. I really think that only nature could have taken him out at that point))

Proud just like his father, Athalia thought. Thinks he can walk in here and take anything he wants. Inside she was seething with anger but she tried to keep the smile on her face. This forced grin left her lips tight and a twitch at the corner of her mouth. "Your father. What can I tell you about your father?" As she spoke these words the queen exaggeratedly picked a nonexistent piece of lint off her dress and dropped it onto the floor. This was a sign to her henchbeasts that she was ready to enact her plan.
She glanced up quickly to the ceiling and then looked back at the stoat. "Why don't you eat? You know this feast was prepared in your honor." She spread her paw wide to indicate the laden tables. She was completely confident, having no doubt that her plan would succeed. "Drink from your father's cup," she invited. "Sit on your father's throne." An evil glint passed behind her eyes.