Open Wardrobes

Did a little over 1,000 words both yesterday and today, bringing the total to just over 36,000 words with 12 days left to go. Getting close to the final stretch now!


I also took some time off tonight to audition for Doubt at Lakeshore Players. I feel like it went well (though I always second guess myself afterwards!). It would be a GREAT play to do, and I would love the opportunity to work with Kevin Houle, the director again (who also directed The Guests at Table 11 awhile back). But as there's just the one male role it will be some stiff competition. If there are callbacks, they will be on Friday, and I should hear back one way or the other by early next week.


And now, the saga of Red Foxx continues...




"I am not inclined to keep him on board any longer than is necessary," Red said. "Once we have the rest of the map..."
"What makes ye so certain the knight ye saw spoke the truth?" Jat asked.
Red withdrew the Captain's Stone and toyed with it. It sparkled strangely, giving off almost a faint glow as if itself wide awake this time of night.
"I had used the Stone to hide from both their eyes," Red answered.
"Aye, aye, I guessed so much, Captain," Jat said. "I can do so much myself, ye know," she said and fingered to the small opal that hung hidden around her own neck.
"Of course," but the Captain's Stone has other virtues of which you do not know," Red said. "You do not lie to Captain Foxx." And Red Foxx grinned.
Jat nodded in understanding and turned back to her work. Red on the other hand climbed back into the crow's nest and watched the open sea until long after midnight.

*****

A hundred miles away from Red Foxx and her search for the map the Sorcerer of the Stone Kingdom stood on his own perch, alone in his great tower studying the doings of many things throughout the Coral Seas. The Stone Kingdom sat at the far edge of the Five Kingdoms, bordered only by the Forest Kingdom and the sea itself. The Sorcerer had in fact gained his realm from the Forest Kingdom, for it had once belonged to them but they had willingly given it to the Sorcerer, finding that space of their realm to be nothing by barren rock. So it might be, but the Sorcerer found it perfectly suited to his own purposes. There he built a fortress-city which he populated with willing recruits from the other kingdoms. It was said he swore them so absolutely to his service that by his arts any man would drop dead instantly if he tried to betray his new master. So it has been said, but in truth such lengths never appeared necessary. The Sorcerer was careful in selecting those who served him, and those who did never showed any inclination to divulge what secrets they knew.
At the center of the Sorcerer's fortress stood a single tower which no one save the Sorcerer himself was allowed to enter. Here he conducted his most secret business. He was old, that much all knew for the Sorcerer had found the Stone Kingdom over a hundred years ago, but you would not know it to look at him and the secret behind his mysteries defied even those who wielded the Heart of Destiny and through it could see much. He had built in that time a small but powerful empire. The Stone Kingdom grew no food for itself, nor did it make many goods, but rather traded for nearly all it needed. In exchange gold and jewels poured out of the Stone Kingdom in such quantities that the Forest Kingdom quickly repented of its "gift," even though in price for it the Sorcerer paid them a tenth of all such riches he found within his borders. The Sorcerer also, in his more generous moods, would sell but the least of the secrets he had devised. It was thus that cannon and pistols had over the past century replaced swords and sabers as the dominant means of warfare within the Five Kingdoms. The pirates in particular had been more than willing to pay dearly for the knowledge of gunpowder and had adopted it first.
But such knowledge came but slowly from the Sorcerer's realm and few ever even had leave to pass within the fortress walls, and so the mystery surrounding the Sorcerer and his purposes grew yearly. He studied much and saw much and bade his time. He foresaw the destruction of the Ruined Kingdom and could have told them much about its cause if they had ever thought to ask. The jewels of the Sacred Isle in fact interested him greatly but only in the few years before the Ruined Kingdom's fall had he at last been able to obtain one for himself. It was a small stone, a black opal, and through years of study the Sorcerer had been able to learn how to make use of its rudimentary virtues, one of which Lemuel had just encountered in his meeting with Sir Mot. Knowing thus about the lesser stones, how much he would give for even a glimpse of the Heart of Destiny itself! But King Ottotorius (a greater fool in the Sorcerer's eyes there could not be) stole it and then by all accounts had lost it along with his life.
Yet now the Sorcerer learned of a map, a map to the hiding place of the Heart which had not been lost but lay only hidden, waiting for the return of a kingdom that would never be. And so he looked far off to many places, using all of his science and art to learn what he could. He had sent his messenger to meet the young Captain Drake, issuing an invitation which he was not like to accept, but offering his servant the chance to see Captain Drake face to face and so mark him. All that Captain Drake had said afterwards the Sorcerer had overheard, and so he knew that one half of the map lay in the hands of Captain Red Foxx and the second in the hands of Lord Brawn. Only when Lemuel Drake fell into the sea during his battle with the Arrow did the Sorcerer lose the tenuous thread that kept him so well-informed.
The Sorcerer left the window that looked over the sea crossed to the opposite side of the tower where many devices glowed and hummed in their own light. This was the greatest of the Sorcerer's secrets: light without fire! Metal, he discovered, was especially suited to this craft wherein he could create a quickening that transferred power from one place to another. The Sorcerer, upon discovering this art, had turned it to many uses, although the greatest in his mind was to send messages in an instant over great distances. It was thus that other folk rarely saw ships go to and from the Stone Kingdom, for the Sorcerer knew of all their doings even when they remained a thousand leagues away. He had further discovered a means of planting such devices on others unawares so that they would send messages to him ever without their knowing. His servants had placed these throughout the Five Kingdoms and so the Sorcerer would sit long in his tower, by day and night, listening to all doings and crafting his plans accordingly.
For the moment the Sorcerer had no such spies that could tell him what Captain Red Foxx now was doing, for it was the pirate captain that the Sorcerer was most interested in. The Sorcerer fiddled with the knobs and dials on his machines, delighting in the simple act of playing with his own inventions. He dialed in one of his ships, captained by the young woman named Kantria who had delivered Captain Drake his invitation.
"This is the Sorcerer," he stated.
"Aye, sir?" came her voice, shaky but discernible amidst the fuzz.
"What is your present location?"
"We followed the Savage per your orders where it docked at Harbarrow," she reported and the Sorcerer nodded, that much he knew. "We tailed the Black Arrow as they pursued the Savage. It appears that the Ruined fleet had placed a trap for the pirates, though they escaped. The Sea Wolf drew off most of the vessels, while we went in dark and observed the battle between the Black Arrow and the Savage."
"Understood, Kantria," the Sorcerer said. "What happened next? It was during the battle that Captain Drake's device was lost."
"Understood, my lord," Kantria replied. "The Savage, defeated, made its retreat while the Black Arrow continued on its previous course."
"Which did you follow?" the Sorcerer asked.
"The Savage," Kantria replied. "I hoped they might continue after Lord Brawn, per your last communication. I hope I have done well, my lord."
A hiss dominated the transmission for a moment and then the Sorcerer answered,
"Well enough. The Arrow was on a course that would take it to Montegal. I shall send another to search for them. Continue your current pursuit. What has the Savage done since the battle?"
"They appear to have held a vigil for the crew lost in the battle, and as far as I can tell Captain Drake was among them," Kantria said. "It appears he will not be able to accept your invitation."
"That is unfortunate, but no matter," the Sorcerer shrugged. "My primary purpose was to have you mark him. Still, if First Mate should decide to come in his stead it still may be a fruitful meeting."
"Of course, my lord."
"Is there more?"
"Yes, my lord," Kantria answered. "We have followed the Savage to the port at Long Reef Island. They are like to remain here several days as they complete their repairs."
"That is port with a heavy pirate presence," the Sorcerer observed.
"Aye," Kantria acknowledged, "we noted they had some difficulty in obtaining leave to dock, but I think enough gold at last changed hands. Several of the pirate vessels had beaten them here from Harbarrow."
"They are searching for the map," the Sorcerer mused, "which means Captain Red Foxx has shared this secret with his captains."
"You mean hers, do you not, lord?" Kantria said and the Sorcerer heard the smile without seeing it.
"Force of habit," the Sorcerer replied, "as I am certain it is for them as well. It is not for us to break this secret for Red Foxx. It is enough that we know if it." He knew well the secret shared by Grey and Red Foxx, for he had been one of the few who had known all along that Grey Foxx had a daughter and not a son. "Keep me informed on the Savage's activity," he ordered Kantria.
"Aye, my lord."
The Sorcerer slid the dial until the sound ended and sat to consider matters. The Savage could make no immediate move now that the Arrow had dealt them such damage. It would be unfortunate if Captain Drake had perished, for the Sorcerer had thought him well-suited to his own designs. But if such it was, it could not be helped. The Sorcerer dialed again and found one of his ships near Montegal already and ordered them to make haste to that port and see if the Arrow should be there moored. He would be on the trail again soon enough. The Sorcerer, his primary duties done, relaxed and mused long over the next steps of his plan. Captain Foxx would likely be the one to find the map, and with it the Heart, and when she did he would know of it. Then all of the rest would quickly follow.

******

Red Foxx toured her ship in the morning light and was greatly pleased at the crew's progress. Though the battle with the Savage had cost them several days it had not been without its usefulness. A valuable prisoner sat in her brig, she had now the location of the second half of the map, and now her vessel once again sat in shipshape condition. They would be ready to set sail again in but a few mere hours. Antilla was a three-day sail east and in her high spirits Red Foxx anticipated finding the fortnight.
Red rested along one of the ship's railings, looking out to sea and watching the other vessels in port. She soon noticed that another appeared to be making for their position. Its banner unfurled, it bore the standard of a silver four-pointed star on red, the emblem of the Sorcerer. Red had heard many tales of the Sorcerer on her father's knee, though now grown she wondered how many she should believe. Still, she knew the Sorcerer did not often seek out the other four kingdoms and wondered what this new portent might mean. She allowed the Sorcerer's ship to come alongside, on seeing Jat's questioning look, and waiting for a gangplank to be laid between the two vessels.
A messenger from the Sorcerer, dressed like Kantria in scarlet and silver, crossed the gangplank and Red gave him leave to boar their vessel.
"In the name of the Sorcerer I bring you greetings," he said to the Captain.
"And in return we greet the Sorcerer," Red replied. "What has he to do with us?"
"The Sorcerer offers you his condolences on the loss of your father," the messenger told Red, "and congratulations on assuming his place."
"I thank you."
"And what errand now lies before the great Captain Foxx, now that he has dealt such a strong blow to his enemies?" the messenger asked.
Red Foxx frowned and stared hard at the messenger. "How come you to know that?"
"The Sorcerer knows much that transpires within the Coral Seas," the Messenger replied with a smile.
"Aye, though not all concerns him," Jat observed.
"Does the Sorcerer have some specific business with us?" Red Foxx asked.
The messenger shook his head. "He simply seeks to ask if there is anything he can do to aid you, young pirate king."
"We can see to our own business ourselves," Red Foxx said sternly. "We need not the meddlings of your wizard master."
"As you wish," the messenger replied with a bow. "But should you ever desire otherwise, you have only to send word."
"You shall have to excuse us," Red Foxx said coldly, "but we our otherwise engaged."
The Sorcerer's messenger bowed again and returned to his ship.
"That be a mite peculiar, Captain," Jat said at Red's side.
"Indeed it is, Jat," Red agreed as she watched the Sorcerer's vessel depart.
"What think ye that he wants with us?"
"I think there can be only one thing," Red replied, "and that the Sorcerer appears to know we are on the trail worries me greatly."