"Well, That's Sampetra."

[Vrelt]

After several long days of sailing, Drask's small fleet made it back to their starting point; the tropical island of Sampetra. During the duration of the voyage, Drask had kept away from Callista, not wanting to repeat their constant arguments. As the ships moved into the sheltered bay, Drask looked at the grand palace, wondering if his room was still intact after being away. Such trivial matters didn't matter, however, and Drask prepared to leave the ship like all the other beasts.

Alexander breathed in the humid air and smiled, he would finally set paw on solid land! The Pine Marten did not enjoy the sea voyage one bit, and this was almost a blessing for him. Alexander awaited Callista and Krauser on deck, prepared to escort the two ashore, as soon as they made an appearance on deck. Along with the General, they would go to the palace and address Queen Moll. Then there would be a grand feast for the returning beasts, hopefully. He licked his lips in anticipation of a delicious banquet in their honor, his stomach growled in response and the major wished the three of them would hurry up.

[Hans Vermeer (Cole)]

When Callista and Krauser came up on deck and saw the palace. Krauser smiled widely and Callista..... Well..... She just looked at it. "It looks..... Lovely." She thought. It was not as good as her original castle home in the Kingdom, but it was better than nothing. Besides. In a small place like Mossflower country. Was there really a place bigger than this plalace? Likely not.

Krauser was mainly smiling because when there was palaces. There are servants. FEMALE servants! Nothing would be more fun than laying back on a couch and getting feed grapes and other tasty fruits by hot stoats and if he was lucky and charming..... or intimidating enough. He might even get some tail out of them. If not now though... Maybe later when Callista takes over and kicks Moll OUT!

[carabadgermum]

Moll had seen the ship approaching from the window of her chambers early that morning. She knew who it was. She'd been told they were on their way, and she was going to see to the preparations herself.

At first when she had come back from her sea voyage claiming that Teague had died and she was the new Empress she had found the roll difficult at best. Oh the inhabitants of her island had been ready enough to accept the heir of Rawnwave as their leader but she was not accustom to leadership. Then one day Barlow, her friend and one time guardian, had suggested that ruling an island wasn't much different than keeping the peace on a rowdy night in the Crow's Nest tavern where they had worked together before her life had so drastically changed.

Now Barlow was gone. He had decided that his roll of guardian was no longer necessary since Moll had soldiers and an army of servants to tend to her every wish. He was more suited to life on the sea and had wasted too many of his seasons on land for his liking. Moll missed him. The fat old searat had been like a father to her since her own legendary father had gone down in a shipwreck before she was born.

She missed the rat himself and she also missed his cooking. The new palace cook just couldn't compare, and with the importance of the feast tonight Moll couldn't leave anything to chance. So here she was, dressed in a plain skirt and blouse much as she would have worn when she was a tavern maid, working beside her kitchen staff, up to her elbows in flour.

((just waiting for Krauser to mistake her for a servant and to see the look on Callista's face when she shakes Moll's floury paw.))

[Vrelt]

Alexander laughed, "Well, that's Sampetra. Disappointed? I was." The Pine Marten straightened his shoulders as Drask approached, yelling out to the crew. "Attention! General on deck!" Immediately the crew snapped to attention, well, almost immediately. The pirate crew took longer for they were unaccustomed to taking orders properly. Drask was dressed again in his shining crimson red light-body armor, with his black cape flowing behind him, looking like the general he was. "You beasts have done well one your first voyage under my orders, and in turn I welcome you to the fleet. Report to this dock tomorrow at noon to receive further orders. You have until then to go the taverns and whatever else you want to do. Dismissed." The crew quickly threw out the gangplank and they filed out of the ship. All accept Zahn and Renak who stayed where they were, looking uneasy. Zahn spoke up for the two of them, "We have no wish of joining the rest of the crew, sir. We would like to escort you to the palace and perhaps stay a while there, if that's alright with you, General Darkfang."

Drask nodded, "Of course, you may come. Your loyal service deserves to be rewarded." The rough looking weasel and the short fox smiled and saluted, glad they would get to come along. Drask turned his attention to Callista, "What are we waiting for? Let's go find Queen Moll."

[Hans Vermeer (Cole)]

Krauser spoke up on the subject about "rewards."

"Hey! and since i'm the one who kept his cool and protected you all on the entire trip and everyone else on board had worked hard to get us all here does that mean we can be rewarded with maybe.......... Slim, beautiful slaves of the opposite gender who will do whatever we want them too? Hmmmmmmmmmmm? Bahahahahahahaha!"

Callista pretended she didn't hear Kruaser speak his mind about that. "Before we meet the queen. I think it will be a fine idea to have a bath and a change to more decent and cleaner clothing. We don't want to look all messy and smell bad in front of her. That's bad manners and a very horrible way to get off on the right foot on meeting someone new."

[carabadgermum]

"NO! I said NOT fish!" Moll was yelling at her kitchen staff. Most of them had never seen her this worked up. "They've been on the Gates Forsaken sea for months we will not be giving them sea food! We're giving them fowl, poultry, something with feathers! Go Go Go Now! Somebeast Get Me A BIRD!!"

[Vrelt]

Drask didn't ignore Krauser as Callista, "You can have whatever you want, once I see you behave in front of Moll. So can you two, If you stay completely obedient and loyal to me above all else. Understood?" Renak smiled wickedly, "Aye, Sir!" With that Drask answered Callista's statement affirmatively, "That will be alright. I'll assign somebeast to provide some cleaner clothes, and for a bath." Renak wrinkled his nose, "A bath? Why would you want a bloody bath?" Drask looked over to the weasel. "You'll have to get one too, Renak. If you want any form of reward." The weasel looked at his footpaws, deafeated. "Yes sir."

[Hans Vermeer (Cole)]

Kruaser was quick to cheer poor Renak up. "Aw come on Renak! No big deal! Once ya get your very own female slave. You can be as dirty as ya like all over again. Everyone knows the first time is always messy..... Or in my case........... Everytime....... Hahahahahaha!"

Once again. Callista ignored him and spoke as she started to walk off the ship. " Than lets go. We are not getting clean and well clothed just standing here. I can't wait to get this horrible sea life smell off of me!"

[carabadgermum]

"Here, give it over. I can do it faster myself." Moll began to pluck the bird one of her servants had brought in.

Moll's lady in waiting stepped forward hesitantly as if afraid her mistress would bite, "Your Majesty, Isn't it time that you should go up and get ready?"

"I could if I knew this was being taken care of." Moll snapped but then she remembered herself, closed her eyes and sighed. "I'll go up soon, Crin. I'm sorry I'm jumping down everybeast's throat. I just want this to be perfect."

"No, Mistress. It is I who am sorry." The otterslave curtsied. "You have every right to do things as you see fit. I will make sure your things are prepared for you when you arrive in your quarters. It was the blue dress you requested for the introductions, am I correct?"

"Yes, Crin. Thank you." Moll smiled at the ottermaid and then removing a feather out of her own ear she returned to the job of plucking.

[Vrelt]

Alexander bowed slightly to Callista, "I'll lead the way." The Pine Marten started off down the gangplank with the others behind him. At first he walked with a leisurely stroll, but his pace increased as he imagined a delicious feast waiting for him, let those three fools have their slaves, but Alexander wanted a massive feast with hot food that didn't smell like the sea. That was his reward as far as he was concerned.

Drask marched beside Alexander with the same quick strides, and the two steadily increased he distance between them and the other beasts, until Drask was able whisper to Alexander. "Once we get into the palace, send out one of the messenger birds to fetch the hunter. I have a feeling his services will come in handy soon." Alexander whispered back, "Understood." Though he didn't know exactly why Drask need the "hunter" now.

Renak walked alongside Zahn and Krauser, already formulating in his mind what this palace would look like. It was a streak of luck for a common seabeast like himself to get such an honor. And it was made even better by the fact he might get a reward. Renak smiled as he pictured the palace and what he would get if he showed some respect in front of Queen Moll.

[Hans Vermeer (Cole)]

Callista couldn't wait to get a bath and a change of cloths. Never again she might ever sail again. The horrible smell, the sea food, the sea MONSTERS, the ugly, sexist beasts with no manners, the smelly ship.... Didn't she mention the horrible smell?

Krauser didn't like the idea of having to behave infront of someone who had no authority over him..... But he has not gotten laid in a loooooooooooooooong time. So he'll behave just this once so he can get his slave and be able to serve Callista again.

Callista's eyes suddenly widened when she saw creatures she had never seen before in her entire life. Monitors. Big flesh eating lizards. Powerful, cold blooded creatures that were born killers. She got closer to Krauser just in case something went wrong and he was needed to protect her. "What are those creatures?" she said.

[carabadgermum]

When the bird was plucked she handed it off to be cooked and then began to review the wine list. Or rather somebeast read it off to her and she gave them her opinions. She was attempting to learn to read but she hadn't quite mastered the skill yet. "No, we won't be serving ale. They can get that at any of the taverns. We should have a cask of the elderberry wine and another of the mead and chill a bottle of that bubbly stuff that was brought up from the southern coast of the continent. Yes, that should impress them. But don't uncork it until it's brought to the table. Yes, and . . ." The weasemaid's head shot up and she looked around the room towards the ovens. "What's burning?!"

"Your Majesty you really should go up and change. Your guests will be arriving soon." The ottermaid tried again. but Moll rushed past her towards the ovens. She grabbed a paddle and used it to remove a very dark brown loaf of bread. "This won't do at all." She thrust the paddle into the paws of one of the baking crew. "Take out the rest of them before they're over done!" Then she hurried over to another part of the kitchen. "How is the duff coming? . . . You used the mango? Wonderful. That should be a pleasant surprise for our guests."

The ottermaid who was still trying her best to keep up with Moll and steer her towards the royal dressing rooms spoke up. "About our guests M'lady. . ."

"Yes," Moll answered her distractedly while she picked up a spoon and tasted the soup that would be the first course. "How many of them are we expecting? Did we ever get a final number?"

[Vrelt]

Zahn answered Callista's question, gesturing at the monitors that guarded the main gate, "Those are monitors, they make up part of the guard force here at Sampetra. General Drask doesn't care for them much, though." The short fox was afraid of the monitors like so many of the soldiers, but he was nearly as good as Drask at concealing his emotions and kept a straight face though he was frightened by the big flesh-eating lizards.

Drask and Alexander arrived at the main gate, where it was quickly opened up by the monitors there. The two did not wait for the rest of the group, instead they marched swiftly ahead, Drask heading straight for the kitchens to arrange a feast for them, Alexander stopped to wait for the rest and he gestured to a nearby weasel guard to come over, "Yes, sir?" The guard stepped over to the Pine Marten.

"Have one of those young otterslaves to show Lady Callista to a room and to get some clean clothes for her. Understood, soldier?" Alexander guessed Callista's mood would improve even more if she had some cleaner clothes to wear. The guard saluted Alexander, "Yes sir!"

Renak looked up as he passed through the gate, "Wow, I never thought I'd be goin' into to a Royal Palace like this. Can't wait to see what the selection of slaves there are in here." The tough looking weasel elbowed Krauser, "This is gonna be a grand ole day, eh mate?"

[Hans Vermeer (Cole)]

Callista was not scared. More surprised and amazed! These lizards were huge, powerful and fearsome creatures! Maybe later on she could go to the taverns and such and try to recruit some of them to her cause. They would be perfect soldiers for the new Royal Pure Ferret Army that will be reborn because of her! Though for now. She will have to wait till later. For now. She had a feast to go to.

When Krauser heard Renak's comment and felt the elbowing. He made a wicked smile. "Yeah.Gonna be one hell of a day. Gonna get the nicest lookin' one in there. Hahahahahahahahahahaha..........."

[carabadgermum]

Moll complemented the vixen working on the soup. May have to promote her over the other idiot. she made a mental note. Then she went back to her list: The bird was well underway, the soup was good, the duff would be heavenly with the mango, the cellar beasts were bringing up the casks she'd asked for.
She didn't bother with the planning of the silverware and linens and things. There were other creatures who knew what was expected for a royal dinner party. What Moll knew was food. There was no way she could have grown up with Barlow for a godfather and not learned a thing or two. Somebeast had had to teach her about which utensil to use and when to speak and how to address creatures of different levels of society but as for what was on the plates she could be sure to please. Just thinking of it now she went over some of the rules in her mind. No elbows on the table, No bones on the floor, Napkin in your lap. . .
"Are you ready to go up and change now, M'lady?" Crin asked once more.
"Oh yes," Moll was startled out of her train of thought. "Yes I think so. Why don't you just go on ahead and I'll be up in a few minutes."