Behave Yourself For Once (Victor/Grayson /open 1/7, morning)

[Victor Castell]

They were halfway to Orqua, their fleet following behind the Mallorys. Victor had walked the decks earlier that morning, speaking with different members of his family and staff. He had been considering what to do about Grayson, ever since the man had made a fool of himself in Solbra. House Mallory was so close to Gyllene, and Christopher could be a strong, if untrusted, ally, especially if he could find some reason to sow discontent between Mallory and Sterlyn.

Alrik could stand to lose a few more friends.

Rounding the port side of the ship, he turned to one of his men. “Find Grayson. Tell him to meet me in my office immediately.” The largest space on the top deck had been fitted into a place for Victor to work, while the rest of the rooms, the mess hall, and the lounges were down below decks of the large ship. Victor opened the door of the space on The Lady Bella that he claimed as his own. The furniture had been bolted to the floor to keep it from moving, but he’d still chosen softly covered sofas and chairs for the sitting area and for his desk. The room was tight, smaller than the space he used at the castle, but effective enough for what business needed to be taken care of on the ship.

Setting Grayson straight would not be easy business. The son of Tandor had always managed to get himself in trouble. Victor couldn’t count the number of times the kid had been beaten, but it never changed his attitude. Victor should have left him at home. He had thought that with his father attending and the man’s growing age, that his behavior at court might improve... he’d been wrong. Dead wrong. And Castells couldn’t afford to deviate from what their Lord wished them to be.

And yet, Grayson always managed. Victor could already feel the anger creasing his forehead, even before his cousin arrived. He doubted this conversation would go well, but the words needed to be said.

[Grayson Castell]

Grayson was just about to fall into his bunk when one of the sailors stopped him. "Lord Castell wishes to see you Ser." With his message delivered he darted off back to what ever duties Victor ripped him off of. With a sigh he stripped down and poured a bucket of cold water over his head before drying off and putting on clean clothes. He had spent the night drinking and dicing with the men, as he always did. and he was sure he lost more money then any of them saw in a year. The night had been fun, crap ale and rum with good solid company. There were no plots or plans with those men, they said what they thought and their feelings never were masked. These were traits Grayson treasured about these men. He couldn't get any of those things from any of his family, not without ulterior motives. Being dry and dressed he made his way to Victor's cabin.

Grayson's swagger was partially caused by the ship but also the fact that he was still a little drunk. This wasn't going to go well he knew. He stopped a few times to give them sailors and other men he passed a friendly greeting, calling each by name and taking a moment to ask about their families and how they were feeling. This was the real reason the commoners loved Grayson, he actually cared about their lives, the small fortunes he lost to them in dice didn't hurt, but at the end of the day they all knew he actually cared. Not a trait he learned from Tandor to be sure. Tandor tended to see them men as expendable tools to achieve a goal.

As he approached his cousin's cabin he paused a minute before deciding not to knock was the more consistent course and just walked in. "Ah cousin you summoned and I have appeared. Truly magic that is." Grayson said with an over done bow and a flamboyant smile.

[Victor Castell]

Victor turned and gave Grayson the once over. He didn’t have to get close to know the man had spent his previous night drinking. He could see it in Grayson’s eyes. “Yes, Grayson. The fairy of Rhonn Hill has waved her wand and you were able to get out of bed. Magic if I ever saw any. I had expected you to have been well passed out by now.”

Victor leaned back against the desk, choosing to remain standing. While speaking with other Lords, Brandy and lies flowed better seated across from each other on sofa and chair, but with Grayson, who spent more time thinking with the wrong head, standing would do.

“We’re approaching Orqua. We dock in only a few days. I’m sure you’ve already figured out some scheme to make yourself look stupid. However, my patience grows thin. I should have had you flayed for Solbra. Fuck up again Grayson and you might find the dungeons of Trist your permanent home.

[Grayson Castell]

Grayson seemed completely un-phased by his cousins threat. He was far too tired and nearing hangover to care. He removed his flask from his jacket and took a swig before moving into the room to settle himself by sitting on the arm of one of the chairs.

"I actually have no plans to make an ass out myself or you cousin. I simply mean to further our station and to protect our family while in Orqua. But I do hope this is the last dreary gods forsaken place we are required to travel to. A lot of the men are getting homesick for their families and friends. Morale is starting to slip."

Grayson cracked his neck and held up a hand to pause Victor's reply. "I know my father wouldn't give a damn, a tool is a tool. But these men need the familiarity of home and hearth. I'm doing all I can to keep morale up. I have lost a small fortune to these man in dice. That is all I am saying. Otherwise I will endeavor to stay sober and to keep my lance in my pants. Good enough?" Grayson finished a slightly sharper edge to his tone than usual.

[Victor Castell]

Victor felt his nerves tighten immediately. The damn man had no sense of propriety. Not that Victor expected his family to address him formally, but when Grayson took his relaxed tone and used words like ‘cousin’, Victor wanted to pull his sword and slice open the man from navel to neck.

“From what I’ve seen, Grayson, you don’t plan much of anything. Making an ass of yourself comes about as easily as pissing and shitting. And if you think to care so much about the men and their families, you’re welcome to renounce your knighthood and join them in the crew cabins.” He didn’t need his snot-nosed younger cousin lecturing him on his servants.

Tandor should have beaten Grayson brainless in his childhood. “Take you lance to the whorehouse and I could give two shits. But when Lord Mallory walks by, you either bow your head or you make sure you’ve invisible.” Grayson didn’t need to know the politics behind this visit. Only that if he screwed things up, well the swamp was a nice place for someone to vanish.

[Grayson Castell]

Grayson's usual nonchalant expression slowly turned to anger. “You fool. My loyalty to this house is as strong as my fathers. The problem is you dear cousin. Oh I'm sorry The problem is yours oh great and powerful one. When do you turn it off? It's obviously not when your alone with your family. Fear and terror only breed so much loyalty. Treating your sister and cousins and nieces and nephews like human fucking beings breeds quite a lot more. Or didn't they teach you that in How to lead like monster in school?”

Grayson threw his flask against one of the bulkheads leaving a gouge in the wood with the metal object. “If our enemies only knew how you treated your blood in private they would never fear us again. And my drinking? Drunk or sober I am quicker and smarter then most of Forsilvra's finest lordlings. It's my very drinking that gathers more intelligence in one night then your spies can in one week. And all your threats aside I would still die to protect you. But do not think for a second everyone’s fear of you would breed the same reaction in the rest of your family. If you even consider us that. Hell I am more of a brother to Evelyn then you anymore.”

He then unbuckled his sword belt and tossed the blades at Victor's feet. “Now dear cousin send me to bunk with the commoners since their company is more reminiscent of family then yours. And I do not pretend to care for those men. I could tell you the names of every commoner on this ship and weather he is married, has children, and who is parents are. I do give a shit about them. Clearly more than you give a shit about us.” He then offered his hands forward as if waiting for shackles.

“And if you deem it necessary I will gladly go to my grave knowing that some one at least had the fucking courage to attempt to remove that stick from your ass.”

He bowed slightly then. “At your whim Lord Victor Castell.”

[Victor Castell]

Victor stood, silent, as his moron of a cousin spouted off insults as though his words meant something. A lesser man would have pulled his sword and run his cousin through for his stupidity. But even stupid had uses. And Grayson was still a Castell. Victor’s finger itched to drive a dagger through the man’s insolent throat and watch blood spout forth instead of frivolous wasted words.

“Did you hope to gain some measure of respect with this wasted show of anger? If that is the temper you pride in people, House Castell should be grateful you’ll never be lord. That stick in my ass, as you so eloquently put it, is what keeps this house in power, and enough coin in our coffers so that you can play at gambling it away to your favored friends. Mock me you might, Grayson Castell, but you are the fool, and as stupid as the rest, if you think you could survive without me.”

He took a few steps towards the still drunk man, unafraid of the wild eye of his cousin. Grayson was unpredictable. But Victor could be if he chose. “Speak one more word of my sister, and I will have you hung from the side of the ship. The rest I can ignore, but you will never be Evelyn’s brother.” If any of the barbs stung, it was that one. Victor adored his sister, even if he would never openly show it. And Evelyn knew that well enough. Grayson could fuck himself if thought otherwise.

His eyes flicked to the broken glass and then back to Grayson’s face. “When you march in here and start throwing things, tell me why I should care about you?”

[Grayson Castell]

Grayson laughed. It was a hearty full throated laugh. Something he was sure Victor rarely if ever heard in his presence. "You're an idiot cousin. For all your brains and cunning you are a bloody idiot." Grayson had a hard time stopping the laugh before continuing.

"Let me answer with a question in turn. If you don't truly care about anyone or anything beyond power, why should anyone give a shit about you? You really don't get it. Your public face is what it is. And for that it is perfect. Now me I could go through life being treated like shit or like an object by you and never care. You're too much like my father to give a shit what you think of me. But you would probably see more results from the rest of your family if you treated them like human beings."

The ruddy complexion was fading from Grayson's face. It was clear he was sobering up quickly. "Everything I do is in service to this house. Whether your smart enough to see that isn't my problem. And truthfully at this point in my life, I don't want your praise or even your respect, these things hold no value from you. I'll continue to do as I always have. Gather information where I can, give the soldiers some one in the family they can respect, and continue to be ready to stand between you and an arrow or a blade. If all that isn't good enough to be acknowledged then I'm fine with that too. And don't you think that by now, if I was acting the perfect gentlemen people would think something was amiss?"

He then crossed his arms waiting for the ignorant fist to the stomach or face. The sort of physical lashing out that seemed to be his family's only way of reacting.

[Victor Castell]

Anger and amusement both flashed in his eyes. Victor was a man who demanded respect. Period. Grayson’s words were intentionally meant to drive him off balance. And yet his cousin truly thought Victor was the fool, when Grayson was the one who knew absolutely nothing. Too bad he was nothing like Donovan.

“You can choose to act however you wish, Grayson. But actions have consequences.” Respect was earned through duty and behavior, not demanded because one didn’t like his place. Donovan and Lexington and Tandor well understood that, and Victor trusted all three men with his life. Grayson on the other hand might have been worth more beneath the dirt than walking upon it.

“Clearly, you’ve made up your mind, and your tongue wags worse than a stray dog that bit his master and was kicked out of barn for his disobedience. So I won’t bother trying to win you. Only give you a choice.” Victor strode past Grayson then, opening the door of the room and calling out a few of the Castell soldiers guarding the deck.

“My cousin is afraid of the water and we need to cure him. Tie him to the mast for me, nice and tight, so that he can spend all day and night staring at the ocean.” Three of the soldiers hurried into the room to grab Grayson by the arms.

[Grayson Castell]

Grayson started laughing and couldn't stop as the men took hold. He went with them easily. "Thank you cousin. I do need a tan. Everyone says so. I am a bit too pale. This way the direct sunlight on the open sea will do my skin wonders." He stood against the mast calmly as they tied him to it. He made general comments about making it tighter as they wouldn't want to piss of the mighty Lord Castell. Once he was tightly bound and the men left he began singing.

What shall we do with a drunken sailor?
What shall we do with a drunken sailor?
What shall we do with a drunken sailor?
Early in the morning?
Way-hay, up she rises
Way-hay, up she rises
Way-hay, up she rises
Early in the morning
Put him in the long boat 'til he's sober
Pull out the bung and wet him all over
Put him in the scuppers with the deck pump on him
Heave him by the leg in a runnin' bowlin'
Tie him to the taffrail when she's yard-arm under

He went from one song to another, seemingly enjoying being tied up as he was. There was a calmness to it the activity of the ship, an order to it. He wondered if Victor even knew what a yardarm was. Victor probably didn't even know where his breakfast came from or who made it, or how difficult it may have been to make. Victor just wanted it there and didn't care about the details. The details however are what matter, the cogs in the machine. It was great that Victor knew how to run the machine but he probably didn't know how to fix it if it broke.

[Evelyn Castell]

Evelyn was on the deck when she heard her brother call out a command to the guards. She turned, coming closer just in time to catch the gist of it. Grayson... Evelyn sighed and watched in silence as her cousin was escorted out toward the mast. The ropes came out, and she shook her head slightly. She walked toward the door they'd just pulled Grayson out of and looked in at her brother curiously. Behind her, Grayson had begun to sing. Oh, this had to have been interesting...

"Was there a danger of sirens luring him off the ship at some point in the voyage?" she asked, referring to the actions of an ancient mythical sea captain. "I thought they lived closer to Strom."

[Victor Castell]

Victor stood by watching as Grayson sang like a stupid fool. He would let the man think for sometime that this was all a big joke. The soldiers standing around shrugged and chuckled. A few glanced over to Victor as though wondering what the point was, while others made clear from their expression that they knew their lord wasn’t through.

“I figured if I tied him to the mast, that would keep me from throwing him off the ship,” Victor replied, his voice low but amused. “I never expected the entertainment.”

He waited for the second song as the men around him returned to working. Then he approached to stand in front of Grayson. “The accommodations weren’t for your enjoyment, although I’m pleased to see how happy you are about the situation. You might come around yet. Especially with how much you seem to enjoy having that tongue. I believe we have another two or three days until we reach port. Your tongue has until then to learn to address your lord with respect. Otherwise, you’ll be disembarking without it.”

[Grayson Castell]

Grayson stopped singing long enough to regard Victor with quizzical eyes. "His great and wondrous lordship is too kind to allow me to help the men by providing them with entertainment. Your concern for their well being is heart warming. And if the sun wasn't so hot it would bring tears to my worthless eyes." Grayson knew this was going nowhere well, but they were both far too stubborn to give in now.

"You must know by now that any accommodations your magnificence wishes to bestow upon me are perfect. I could not hope for more. Your generosity to one such as me is staggering." Hos smile was good natured and nonplussed as he regarded Victor.

"As for my tongue, I wish only to keep it if it serves you. If you desire o remove for the good and glory of House Castell who am I to have any sort of opinion on the matter beyond your own angelic opinion. All the world is at fault in your glorious presence. We are all but tools for it's use."

Come get your duds in order
For we're going to leave tomorrow
Heave away, me jollies, heave away
Come get your duds in order
For we're going to cross the water
Heave away me jolly boys, we're all bound away
Sometimes we're bound for Liverpool
Sometimes we're bound for Spain
But now we're bound for St. John's town
To watch the girls a-dancing
Now it's farewell Maggie darling
For it's now I'm going to leave you
You promised me you'd marry me
But how you did deceive me
I wrote me love a letter
And I signed it with a ring
I wrote me love a letter
I was on the Jenny Lind
Sometimes we're bound for Liverpool
Sometimes we're bound for Spain
But now we're bound for St. John's town
To watch the girls a-dancing

[Evelyn Castell]

Three days in the sun and cold January winds of the northern seas, the frozen nights... and then... Evelyn followed at Victor's side and looked from him to her cousin. If Grayson didn't catch his death of exposure it'd be half a miracle, and a larger one if he forfeited his ever-present bravado.

Evelyn's eyes met Grayson's. He was scaring her with this display- reckless to do it in private, fucking madness to do it in public. She looked away and focused on her brother. She pulled her cloak around her more tightly and stepped a little closer to Victor. "You might want to get bigger ropes, or Blanche will throw him off the ship for you if he keeps singing... though it's cold enough out here, his tongue may freeze off well before we make port."

[Blanche Fleur]

"Ropes, niece? Try chains. I have nail files that would do for those ropes." Blanche walked across the deck, the white fur of her cloak rippling in the wind as she approached Victor and Evelyn. She looked at Grayson and shook her head. She raised a brow at him in a wordless question. What have you done this time?

"Tandor would be upset if you tossed him off the boat, Victor. He's been wanting to something similar for years and we never let him." Her crystal blue eyes went to Evelyn for a moment.

"You look pale, Evelyn. Why are you out in this weather at all?"

[Victor Castell]

“Entertain them if you like. I’m sure a few might enjoy it. The others might wish to throw you off the boat themselves.” Victor replied, amused. Grayson would chose to learn, or chose to live life as a mute. “Soldiers don’t need their tongues to plunge steel into the enemy’s gut. You might well serve me better silent.”

He turned to look at Blanche, a smile upon his face. His aunt always had the best timing. “Perhaps I’ll let Tandor do the honors then, unless Grayson learns to put his mouth to better use.” His eyes shifted to Evelyn. She did look pale, and from her expression and words he could tell she was concerned about Grayson. He raised an eyebrow, curious as to why she would care; Evelyn wasn’t one to tolerate those who disrespected her brother.

“And if his tongue freezes, sister?” What do you care?

[Evelyn Castell]

Evelyn's attention snapped to Blanche as her aunt addressed her. How did she do that? Blanche always turned up at the most interesting times. "Chains then. I'm shocked no one suggested just whipping him into obedience. Though Donovan's not here yet, I suppose I shouldn't steal his suggestion."

She caught the look her brother was giving her and shrugged. "If his tongue freezes, you won't get to cut it out and then what sort of beginning is that to Orqua? Disappointment from the start- it's an ill omen for a landing."

She shivered and pulled her hood up again. "I wanted to get out of the cabin for a bit, aunt. It's stifling." Which was Evelyn's code for 'Celeste is present and you still won't let me drug her tea.'

[Blanche Fleur]

Blanche's eyes narrowed ever so slightly as she caught the play between Evelyn and Victor. Now was no time for the two of them to start in fighting. Still she smiled at Victor. "An excellent notion, darling. But I think if this little diversion is nearing its conclusion, you might want to see your sister back indoors."

She reached out a cool hand to touch Evelyn's cheek. "She is looking pale, and this is hardly the time for falling to pieces. Perhaps some brandy will set things right." Blanche glanced at Victor, then her eyes continued back toward Grayson.

"I've heard there's some dread Skallding warrior who has the tongues off all his sailors cut out. You never know, perhaps its time we learned something from the barbarians after all. The king certainly seems to have taken up the idea. It could become a new fashion."

[Grayson Castell]

"Ah Blanche. Your warmth and love give me new life and energy. It's as if you warm my very soul." In for a penny in for a pound, that was his philosophy. Although he did give Evelyn a look that clearly asked for help. He knew the whole he was in was deep, but he just couldn't stop being Grayson long enough to climb out of it. This probably would end with him dead or tongueless. But the gauntlet had been thrown and no son of Tandor Castell retreated from the fight.

"The crisp air is good for the lungs cousin. And worry not. The speed at which I can work my tongue would surely prevent any freezing." Once the smoke started coming out of Victors ears he would consider stopping, but only then.

"His magnificent lordship Victor Castell does all of this out of his love for us all."

[Victor Castell]

“Perhaps you should sing all night then,” Victor retorted. “I wouldn’t want the night crew to miss out on your entertainment.” He regarded Grayson thoughtfully for a moment and then nodded. “It is only out of my love for your future, and that you have one, that I give you this lesson to learn. You have the choice now, Grayson.” Either that or Donovan would beat him to a bloody pulp, not that Tandor had ever had much success with the tactic. Grayson seemed to be determined to be defiant, a trait that should had have him slayed as a child in House Castell.

Yet here he was. And if he wished to keep on blabbering like a fool, Victor would see to it no one else had to listen to the bullshit that came from his mouth.

He pulled Evelyn close and wrapped an arm around her waist. “Your aunt is right. Come inside with me, and we will leave our cousin to his singing. Let him enjoy his tongue while he still has it.” Moving along beside her, he headed back for his ship office. “Coming Aunt?”

[Evelyn Castell]

Blanche's hand on her cheek made Evelyn look again at her aunt. "I'm fine, just cold..." Her voice trailed off as Blanche brought up the Skalldings, and Grayson kept pushing his luck. She looked at him, her expression more confused than anything: why was he doing this? What had started him and Victor at one another today?

"Very well." She was a bit surprised when her brother's arm went around her waist, but she hadn't lied about the chill creeping through her. Evelyn let him lead her back toward his office, and didn't risk looking back. There wasn't any point in saying anything where someone could hear, and Blanche and Victor both were now set to be in dangerous moods. Lovely. Well, at least maybe she could salvage it by setting Blanche loose on Celeste.

[Blanche Fleur]

Her eyes narrowed and she stepped closer to Grayson. "Good to see you are so truly your father's son," she said softly. "You act just like him when he was your age." Without missing a beat, she dismissed Grayson from her attention, and turned to follow Victor.

"Yes, I think we could all use a moment's peace and quiet." She gave Evelyn another sharp look as they crossed the deck. Pale, quiet- nothing new really, for Evelyn, but something about it still sat wrong with Blanche. If there had been a disagreement between Evelyn and Victor it needed to be resolved quickly- before Orqua if possible. There could be nothing to put their family's latest plans at risk.

[Victor Castell]

They entered the cabin and Victor moved to pour three glasses of Brandy. He handed on to his aunt and his sister and then took a long sip of one himself. “Was that the truth of it, Blanche? Was Tandor truly so reckless at that age? I will not hesitate to take out his tongue if he refuses to mend his words. If he wants to run around whoring and drinking and gambling our money to the sailors, that’s his choice, but when he address the members of his family, he’ll do so with a level of respect.”

He glanced to his sister and frowned. “When did you suddenly care so much?”

[Blanche Fleur]

Blanche fixed Victor with a level look. "No, nephew, Tandor was born at attention with sword in his hand and a full beard." She sniffed derisively. "Of course he was obnoxious when he was nineteen. He thought with his swords and asked questions later, never thought ahead... he absolutely loathed politics and wouldn't listen to a word father of Andor said. Sound familiar?" She sipped her drink. "He grew up, as we all did. Heavens, Victor, don't tell me you think I've always been the old lady ordering about all the children. The idea is too depressing."

She turned to Evelyn. "Your lord brother does pose an interesting question: I wasn't aware you were all that close to Grayson." She'd known the two were friends, being not far apart in age, but to see her worrying about anyone other than either herself or Victor was a new thing.

[Evelyn Castell]

Evelyn accepted the glass and took a sip without really tasting it. Blanche was bantering, talking about Tandor, and Victor was... Evelyn sighed.

"He's our cousin. He's family. Am I not supposed to care about that? He means well, he's just an idiot when he's drinking." She looked up at Blanche. "We already have so many enemies, can't you just... have him beaten or something? Cutting out his tongue is so..." she wrinkled her nose, "it sounds like something that should happen to a Mallory, or a Stelyn. Not a Castell."

[Victor Castell]

“If he had no mouth for politics, we should have left him at home again,” Victor mused. Grayson had been nicely absent during the kingdom tour, but the for the King’s wedding, Victor had brought nearly everyone in his house. A mistake apparently, one he rarely made.

“Tandor has beaten him bloody how many times Evelyn? A strategy that had much effect in case you didn’t notice.” He waved a hand and took another sip of his drink. “If you care so much about his tongue, sister, than convince him to be smart enough to keep it.”

[Evelyn Castell]

She sipped her drink and kept her eyes on the window. "Very well. I'll speak to him, though I doubt it will help." She did not look toward Blanche. "If we left everyone at home with no head for politics, we wouldn't have many people with us."