Knock on Wood

"That it is, lass," Rudy agreed as the brothers nodded. "Nothin' better than the ocean air. I'd take it any day."

Clara nodded. "I used to live in Castle Town, and I much prefer it here. In the city, everything was happening at once. You know, it's always seemed to me that when everything is happening all the time, it gets hard to care about anything. The people around here are kind and they care about things--little things."

[[Ahh, she's a rambler...]]

Lorelei knocked on the door of Clara's house, politely trying to ignore her bickering crew.

"Yeah, well at least I'm able to stand on the prow, ol' man!"

"I'm smart enuff not ta get up there in th' first playce, hm?!?"

"Gentlemen, please," Lorrie said gently, turning from the door. "We're guests at someone's lodging, not at a pub. If you could try to act civilized...?"

Clara answered the door, smiling, "Welcome! Everyone's at the table already, and I'm working on getting breakfast on the table."

A kettle's harsh squeal came from the kitchen. "Sorry, got to get that! I'm Clara, by the way." she told the two new guests as she disappeared back into the kitchen.

She tossed some bacon onto a frying pan and rearranged her stove.

{{Dinner? But she just woke up! }}

"Thank you," Lorrie replied, nodding gratefully as she stood to the side to let her crew pass. "Much obliged, Clara."

Booth hobbled in, glancing around. "Whoo. Nice place..."

Clara was a collector, of sorts. Or maybe packrat was a better word, because her collection followed no distinct pattern. It wasn't tacky-looking, but she had various baubles lining the fireplace mantle.

The shell she'd picked up just a few moments ago was now resting between a smooth, colorful rock and a small statuette of a mermaid.

"Not a problem." Clara said from the kitchen, flipping the bacon and cracking some eggs, "I never get to have visitors."

{{Sounds like my Aunt's place. O.o}}

Booth inhaled, smiling blissfully. "Ah, now that smells like some good food, right there. Nothin' like what Rudy cooks back on the Nott.

"Hey, now. Don'cha go disparagin' on my cooking. You've like it just fine before."

Coran laughed. "That's because that's all we've had to eat."

Smiling distractedly as she sacnned the faces of her crew, Lorrie glanced around. "Where did Minikin get to...?"

[[Sounds like my closet. Only substantially more organized.]]

Clara smiled, taking things off the stove, "I believe she's in my room. I told her she could sleep there, if she liked. Third door on the left, right down the hall."

"Thanks," Lorrie nodded, passing through the hall. Peeking into Clara's room, she smiled to herself at the sight of Minikin and Tikkat. The pair were curled up on the bed, sleeping soundly. Lorelei smiled. She didn't blame them; the past few hours had been exhausting...

Clara took out some plates and passed them around.

A minute later, she was bringing food to the table. "Alright, here you go. Be right back; I'll get the glasses."

Rudy's face fell as Clara mentioned drinks. "Oho, all o' me best ale, over the side and into the sea for the fish..."

"Quit yer moanin'," Syrus snapped. "Better the kegs than you, eh?"

Clara returned with cups of varying sizes. "I'm making tea...is that okay?" she asked, passing out silverware.

"It's fine," Lorrie cut in, reentering and speaking out before anyone else could object. "Tea would be just the thing right now."

Clara smiled, and finally took a seat (somewhere). "I hope there's enough..." she said, looking at the bacon, eggs, beans, and potatoes.

"I'm sure it will be," Coran said politely. "Dunno how we can thank you."

"Yeh, what he said," Syrus agreed, nodding once.

Clara smiled, passing some food around and pouring tea into the glasses.. "Like I said...I never, ever have visitors. That's enough for me. Oh, and I'll save a plate for Minkin. She looked tired."

Lorrie nodded. "She is; I don't blame her, though. She had quite the adventure."

"We all did," Coran agreed.

Rudy took a bite of bacon, appraising it, and swallowed. "Luck was on our side, though, eh? Not much else was holdin' the Nott together."

"What happened, exactly?" Clara asked, "If I may be so bold." she added quickly.

"We were tangled up in a bit of a grudge, you could say," Lorelei said delicately. "A little spat. In the end, the other ended up beind a sore loser, and blew us halfway acoss the waters." SHe sipped her tea, then nodded. "Yes, there was little more than luck holding the wood together."

Coran agreed. "As for injuries... Booth took the worst of it. He was standing on the bow when a cannonball blew the prow off. Half of it ended up in his leg. Other than that, we were lucky."

"I wanna know what happened to the kid," Syrus muttered, jerking his head towards where Minikin was asleep. "'Cuz I know Booth didn' do that to those two from the Marie."

Clara nodded, her eyes wide. "That was hardly sporting of them."

She looked at Booth, "Are you alright?"

The carpenter nodded, pulling a brave smile. "Aye, miss. I'll live. Just a few splinters, nothing I haven't dealt with b'fore."

Rudy snorted into his glass. "Splinters. More like half the Nott I pulled outta yer leg."

Clara laughed, listening to their accents. "Well, if there's anyhting I can do, let me know."

"The nice brekkist is plenty enough, thankye, Miss Clara," Rudy nodded, raising his glass.

Syrus did likewise. "Aye."

Clara nodded. "No problem."

She took another bite of her breakfast.

Coran glanced around. "You said you didn't get any visitors? Why's that? This place looks lovely for a vacation or something. I'm surprised people don't cover this shoreline."