Open Wardrobes

Last year, when Kelly was working on her NaNoWriMo novel and I was working on my Fringe script, we went out to coffee or tea each Saturday in November and spent the afternoon writing. We continued that tradition today and spent most of the afternoon at the Tea Source where I cranked out another 3,100 words, bringing me up over 16,000 (hoping tomorrow to get within spitting distance of 20,000).




"What you say is all well and good," growled the voice of Captain Blackfoot. He was not a man well known to Red, as he had been recruited only a few short years ago by Grey Foxx though he rose quickly, perhaps too quickly, to the position of captain. "But how," Blackfoot grumbled, "are we to find one, let alone two, faceless men and the scraps of paper they carry? There are a thousand islands in the Coral Seas if there are a dozen, and I be willin' to bet my own ship that no one save themselves knew where to they would hid themselves."
Red set his eyes on the shadowed form of Blackfoot as he hunched over a table in the darkest corner he could find. He, by the looks of the empty table in front of him, had not given himself over to drinking today. Though he had dwelt all his life in the Islands, by his own account at least, none knew from where Blackfoot had first come. When he first appeared and presented himself to Grey Foxx he was already old and grizzled and knew more than most men about the ways of the sea. The old Foxx had taken him on at once, but read folk well enough to know to keep both eyes on such a man whenever they could be spared. It did not much surprise Red Foxx that his father had soon put him on a ship kept as far away as possible. Blackfoot had been set on serving on the flagship, but the rate at which Blackfoot's superiors had met untimely ends spoke well of the old Foxx's wisdom. In keeping him at arm's length, Red supposed, though perhaps not his decision to allow this man to serve among the pirates at all. It was just as well Blackfoot had now his own ship. None seemed to much mind serving beneath him, but Red Foxx doubted he would have ever found any man now willing to take him on in any role beneath them.
"I suppose I alone have any reason to fear him now," Red Foxx mused. To Blackfoot himself he said, "Do you think, Blackfoot, that I would issue and edict such as this to you all without some clue on how to begin?"
Blackfoot shrugged. "Ye say, Captain, all ye tell us yer father knew, but we have no other word for that. It may be a ruse, after all, meant to send us 'cross the seas on a fool's errand while the Admiral's men gather themselves for a last stand against us."
Red Foxx checked the faces watching him. They were loyal, he saw no reason to doubt that yet, but the pirates had not gained mastery over the Islands by being overly trusting. They would obey, but without proof they would turn to grumbling as soon they sailed out of sight of the flagship. Jat clenched his glass tight, hoping his Captain had some trick left to put this river rat in his place. He was worried, to tell the truth. He hadn't the unwavering faith in the old Foxx's scheme that the Captain did.
"You think my father chased but idle fancies 'round all the Islands and through the Five Kingdoms?" Red asked sternly. "If so, Blackfoot, say so and be done with it. I will not hold you to your oath, if you now find it less to your liking."
"Ye need not be insultin' me so, Captain," Blackfoot spat. "I'll be sailin' under the silver fox longer than ye, that much I know."
Red Foxx reached beneath his tunic and removed a worn leather pouch. Opening it he took out a worn scrap of parchment and set it forcefully upon the nearest table.
"If any here mistrust my story, or think that the old Foxx could be so easily deceived as Blackfoot suggests, then cast your eyes on this," Red Foxx demanded, "and then tell me if still you have any doubts!"
Howl took the paper up and smoothed it out. Its markings were difficult to decipher, as it had seen more than a few years already, and many stains marred it. Howl saw there many writings and instructions, drawings and designs, all interrupted by the rough tear down one side.
"Half a map," Howl confirmed, "and one that seems to me to talk of nothing but the Heart." Howl passed it along and each pair of eyes that regarded it, literate or no, felt a renewed sense of truth in the Captain's words. It came last to Blackfoot who studied it carefully. Some minutes later, upon seeing the Captain' steady gaze, he reluctantly returned it and Red Foxx returned it to his pouch and hid it away again.
"Does that allay your concerts, Blackfoot?" Red demanded of him.
"Aye, Captain," Blackfoot grumbled and sank back into his shadowy stupor.
"My father," Red explained, "was wiser than some here might give him credit for. While none but a dead man might know for certain the identity of those who bore the map, finding them was not in the least a hopeless cause. For there would be only a handful or so of folk that the king or his lieutenant would ever think to trust with a secret so valuable. And such names as these could be easily bought, be it with gold or title, after the Ruined Kingdom's fall. All that would then remain would be to find these men until those with each half of the map lay at last in my father's hands."
"The first he found some years ago now," Red continued. "A lad though I was, I was with him when he came across this man's whereabouts and tracked him down. We knew not then that he was more than just another name on my father's list. He had been betrayed, as folk so often are, by those he called friends. Never did they suspect he held anything of great value, and so though this man took pains to hide his true name, that secret slipped out and came to my father's ears through the careful application of gold." Red remembered the day well. He had not known then the full importance of this errand, but simply felt the pride of a child assisting their father in whatever task they are allowed.

When Grey Foxx came at last to the shack the others had pointed at before scurrying away into the darkness, the young Red Foxx felt a sudden thrill. He knew his father had hunted other men like this, only to return and cross the name off the list he secretly carried in disappointment. But this time...
They had landed but an hour before on this ramshackle island, one of many barely inhabitable rocks that the pirates had been only too willing to allow the Ruined folk to claim as their own. Grey Foxx figured that before too many years passed they would beg the pirates to take them under their protection, if only to be better able to move to an island more hospitable. So disgruntled a folk were not ones to entrust to any sort of secret, as the mere sight of Grey Foxx's gold loosed their tongues to tell him all he wished.
Grey Foxx glanced at his child and gave as close to what he knew to be a smile. "Ye look to be enjoyin' this, Red," he said.
"Yes, father," young Red answered. "Do you think this one shall have what you are looking for?"
"And what might that be?" Grey grinned.
"I would have hoped you'd tell me!" Red exclaimed eagerly.
"Aye, I shall in time, in case ye be the one that need carry on this task," Grey told him. "But not quite yet. Hand on yer pistol, son. If he is the one, he'll not be givin' anything up willingly."
Red complied and Grey pounded twice on the door. They heard steps scurry to the door and it opened a crack. Red could see nothing until Grey pushed the door open wide. The man inside retreated several steps as he look up fearfully at the pirate king.
"Do ye know who I am?" Grey Foxx demanded. The man found no words and Grey continued. "I am Captain Grey Foxx, master of the sea and lord of these here islands."
"This... this island is under the Admiral's protection," the man stammered and cowered under the Foxx's gaze.
"Only because I grant his people leave to be settlin' here," Grey Foxx growled. "Ye'd best not be brandying his name around like a saber, not if ye know what be good for ye." Suddenly polite, Grey Foxx added, "Will ye not be invitin' us in, me son and meself? 'Tis been a long journey and e'en a pirate king grows tired on his feet."
The man knew better than to argue and ushered them both in where Grey Foxx sat in the chair clearly meant for the home's own master. Red Foxx watched the man carefully as he sat opposite. Worry had worn this man down to a shell, though Red could faintly see that he had once as like been young, tall and proud and far less willing to grovel before even the greatest of men.
"Can... can I offer you something, lord?" the man ventured.
"We be comin' for only one thing, and I think ye know right well what that is," Grey Foxx stated. "Either you yerself have a piece o' the map, or ye know who does, I'll venture. Either way, ye'll be tellin' me know all ye know."
"I... I don't know what you mean," the man insisted. "What map is this?"
"I have but little time for this," Grey Foxx said and stared the man straight in the eyes. "If ye do not want this meeting to be less comfortable for ye as it is, ye'll be findin' yerself a looser tongue." Grey Foxx grinned at glanced at Red, who faithfully kept his hand on his pistol. "My son has been waitin' to shoot him his first man, after all."
The man's shaking hands suddenly steadied themselves and Red fancied he saw a new light enter into the man's eyes. He met the Foxx's glare more evenly now.
"I see," the man said, "then perhaps I can be of service to you after all." He stood. "By your leave, lord. You don't think I keep such a thing on my person, do you?"
Grey Foxx nodded and with a wave of his hand the man stood and crossed into a room beyond their view.
"It was brought to me, lord, but a year ago," the man continued as other sounds attested to his search for some hidden item, "after it became better known that you were on the hunt for men such as I who had served King Ottotorious in positions of honor. You remember Lord Owen Bracksfield?"
"Aye, the name I knew," Grey Foxx admitted, "though I'd never thought that sniveling worm a man."
"Nevertheless he was, a most trusted servant and friend to the king in his day," the man said as he search went on. "Exile does terrible things to mind and body, though I suppose you wouldn't know of that."
"Then Bracksfield did indeed have the map," Grey Foxx growled. "I knew he knew more of this that he was lettin' on."
"He did indeed, lord," the unseen man admitted. "He passed it on to me but a week before you came knocking at his door. We hoped that you'd find the chase more difficult if we kept it on the move. I myself had made plans to pass it on to another I trust well a few months hence."
"'Fraid that is not to be," Grey Foxx said grimly.
"So I see, lord," the other man admitted.
Red Foxx suddenly stood taught as a ship's mast. Why could the sound of the man searching no longer be heard? He slowly withdrew his pistol. Grey Foxx saw and held up a hand to stop him once the firearm had been removed. The old Foxx dropped his voice to a whisper.
"When he returns, ye'll know what to do, Red." Raising his voice again he called to the man, "Have ye found it then?"
"Lord, I have found what you require," the man answered and appeared.
Red gave a shout and it was well his pistol waited already in his hand. He pointed and shot before the man could swing his rifle round to face the old Captain and aim for his heart. The man fell and Red dropped his own pistol in surprise. His father had spoken true; this was indeed his first. Red rushed over to the fallen man who held his hand over the growing red of his stomach. The man wasn't yet dead and the myth that Red held that a shot man died at once instantly shattered. The pain shone through the man's eyes and Red saw in him an echo of the great man he once had been. Grey Foxx knelt next to the man and Red read in his face that he had foreseen this ever since the man had disappeared into the other room.
"Now, where might it be?" Grey Foxx whispered.
The man tried to laugh, but the pain stopped him. "Do you think, miserable lord of the sea, that I'll tell you even now?"
Grey Foxx grinned to show his ragged teeth. "Ye be telling the truth when ye said you have it. Do ye truly think I need ye to show me? My son and I know well the art of finding hidden things. When we leave we'll be takin' in with us, that I promise ye."
Fear returned to the man's eyes and he realized that Grey Foxx was right. So certain had he been of his own trick he hadn't thought much to cover his tracks with any further lies. The man struggled to dig a knife from his belt, but Grey Foxx simply crushed his hand under his heavy boot and crossed into the other room. Red Foxx remained as the man, defeated, let the life leave him. He summoned the strength for one last act of defiance and tried to spit at the young pirate, but the missile never reached Red and the man died. Red could not stop staring at his face and could not help but admire that this man, who had greeted them crushed under the weight of worry and fear, had found again the courage he had thought long forgotten. In a way Red was sorry it had proved so futile. Grey Foxx emerged again and Red saw him stuff away a piece of parchment as he entered.
"This time we've found it, son," Grey Foxx told him. "This one had it at last, and not much of a hidin' place he made of it. The rat must've thought since the map changed hands he'd be safe enough." Grey Foxx made for the door.
"What shall we do with him, father?"
Grey stopped and turned. "Be ye feelin' sorry for him, son? Ye did well, knowin' as ye did to draw arms. Ne'er forget he would have shot us both, had we but given him the chance. It be no shame to defend yerself."
Red nodded. "But are we leaving him here, as he is? It does not seem right, father."
Grey Foxx paused and gazed at the young lad. "Ye have a good heart, my child. We'll find one nearby as is willin' to see this man have a proper burial. I'll give 'em gold meself for the task."
Red nodded again and they left the man's shack. True to his word the Captain found one trustworthy enough not to pocket the gold, all of it at least, and Red returned to the ship with a better conscience as to his actions. He followed his father into the captain's cabin.
"What be ye wantin' now, Red?" his father asked.
"Are we not going to look at it? You've found it!" Red exclaimed, though he still did not know what it was they had found.
Grey laughed. "We've found but a part of it. And yes, I'll be lookin' at it closely. But ye, ye have duties to attend to."
"But father..."
"Be off with ye!" Grey Foxx ordered, not unkindly. "Ye'll be seein' more of it one o' these days. Be off!"
Reluctantly Red obeyed and as he closed the door he saw his father cross a name from his list, a list he noticed that was not yet exhausted...

This tale Red Foxx told the other captains in brief, enough to thoroughly explain how his father had come by the first half of the map.
"The second half now lies before us," Red explained, "and only a few names yet remain on my father's list."
"Why did yer father not tell us of this before?" Longboot asked. "Together we all might have found this map a mite sooner."
"I cannot speak to all of my father's actions," Red answered, "but you will find I have my own ways of action. I think he thought to move carefully, so as not to send the remaining names any deeper into hiding. But I find it right now to more more speedily. I shall share with you the names and we now will hunt the last of them down." Red did not explain how his father thought it unwise to share this secret with too many others until he had the first half. In this way he would force any captain with both rebellious thoughts and the second half into cooperation.
"They'll not be easy to find," Longboot observed, "not if the second man knows the first half has been taken. That's what ye think, isn't it?"
Red nodded. "We have but recently become certain of it."
"It be e'en more of a fool's chase if he but give it to one not on yer list," Blackfoot growled.
"All the more reason to move quickly," Red countered. "But I need not send you on this errand if you wish otherwise, Blackfoot." Blackfoot only growled further in return. "This chase," Red announced, "is one for the willing and great honor shall belong to whoever finds for me the second half of the map."
"And once ye have the map..." Howl offered.
"...we shall find the Heart," Red finished.