Its really late/early in the morning and I've been watching Mythbusters.

I watched around 5 episodes of Mythbusters while trying to write for today's post.

Not that this is particularly relevant to the post. I just really like Mythbusters.

I know the more I post this on my social media sites, the likelihood of people reading it rises, but that knowledge doesn't change the fact I am quite self conscious. So when my boss asked just what the blog is about, my first thought was to hide and never show up to work again. I guess it all comes down to what I said before. I put a lot of myself into every piece I write. Each piece, once I get done with it, becomes precious to me. So I fear being teased about it.

That being said, my friends can and do tease me. Just not about my writing. Also, if you chose today to click on the blog, Hi Bosslady. Don't judge.

As Friday is my day to post original or completely new pieces, I decided to continue with the character I introduced with the Fall of Valkyrie.

Fall of Valkyrie
Part Two

Even from the other side of the ship, I could feel the hum of the airship’s engines. My ankles and good wrist were lashed to the sides of a hammock with tough cable, while my free hand was covered in a plaster cast. Deep inside the cast, an itch was making my efforts to focus on escape almost impossible. A thick musky mat lay under my stomach, padding the rope frame of my bed prison. I twisted a bit to the side to look out a small porthole, cloudy from the night fogs.

It had been a week and a half since I had been thrown off Blood’s ship into the wild blue yonder, with many of my flight feathers ripped out. The bolas that snared me and saved me from falling to death had done considerable damage. I pulled in a breath, slow and gentle, the cracked ribs screaming pain down my side as I wiggled to see out the window better. Splinted and held open with a crude frame, my healing wings stopped me from laying on my back or side. The fractures there and my hand were minor but I could still feel the gaps where my feathers used to be. I wouldn’t be flying my way out of here any time soon.

The door rattled for a moment before swinging open for a giant bear to enter. The covered tray he carried looked tiny, compared to his paws. On his belt dangled the stone bolas, the wide rounded weights clicking against each other as he stomped into the infirmary. He set the tray on the table in the center of the small room and squinted at me. The goggles over his eyes made them look large and watery as he sniffed loudly.

            “Stop wriggling or you’ll twist the braces for your wings and they’ll set wrong.” I felt a pinch as he ran his paws over the frames holding my wings open, tightening the cords. “I don’t think I’m good enough to rebreak and set a gryphon’s wing more than once. Now, do you want to feed yourself or are you going to make a run for it again?” He slid his paw to the bolas, sliding the grip stone out of his belt.

I nodded, eyeing him as he stood planted near my hammock, unaffected by the shifting of the airship. “I’ll eat civil this time. Word of honor. “ He loosened the knot around my wrist. After he untied my ankles, I swung my legs over the edge to drop to the floor. I fell to the wooden planks as my calves cramped and buckled under me.

The bear grabbed my good arm with his massive paw and plopped me into the chair at the table. With no further speaking, he watched me demolish the meal in front of me. From the dried fish to the mushy, too salty boiled potatoes, all washed down with a canteen of recycled cloud water, cold and clear. I probed the chipped edge of my beak again, already smoothed by a steady hand and file.

            “Thank the sky I was asleep when you filed my beak. I’d have bitten your hand off.” I picked at a couple pieces of preserved fruit, thick with a layer of honey and cream. “And thank you, for stopping those doses of laudanum. I’m of no mind to be hooked on it.”

            “It did the trick while you were shrieking when I was trying to set that damn hand, birdie. But you’re welcome.” He adjusted his goggles and stared down at me. He had to be at least two feet taller than me. “And you can thank the ballisteer, Prajan, for the beak. He’s a feather, like you, so it t’were his idea. Said you’d be better off with a groove than a sharp chip.”

I nodded, cleaning the honey and cream off my talons. “Why am I being held as a prisoner after being saved, Gabriel?”

            “No one gets thrown off a ship for being a great old pal.” His shaggy shoulders heaved as he burst into laughter. I cringed as he thumped his massive paw onto the table. “If that were the case, old Rule would have been chucked long ago.”

            “Granted. But I told you what happened. I was taken captive at the Futansi port, from my troupe’s caravan.” I looked him straight in the eye. “When I was apparently too dangerous to have their way with, they threw me overboard.”

Gabriel shrugged, a feat I had thought impossible by those huge shoulders. “Aye, Ms. Valkyrie. But I’m sure Cap didn’t get to own this ship by being a sucker for a pair of big eyes and a convincing story. And this.” He picked up a long thin metal tube, battered and dented. “The fact this was strapped to your leg, with papers inside, don’t really make me believe you too much.”

I fought the urge to look at the tube. “I run messages as a side job from the caravan.” I shoved the empty plate away from me. I glanced up at Gabriel to see him staring down at me,  heavy brows close over his eyes. I was getting nowhere with this one. “Will I be freed at port at least?”

            “That’ll depend on the Captain’s decision. Since you ate civil this time, I’m supposed to offer you a place at the officer’s table for tomorrow’s supper."

Before I could respond, he held up one of his plate sized paws. "To be sure you're not up to anything funny, you're not to be wearing your own things." He glanced at my tightly wrapped bandages, covering me from my neck clear to the bottom of my ribs. "You'll be wearing what I can give ya. Do you accept?"

I tugged at the bottom layer of the bandages. I really wanted my own clothes. Even though Blood had stripped me of almost every weapon I had hidden, they were mine. "There's no chance of me convincing you that I'm no more harm with my own duds than not?" I whinced as Gabriel shook his head in stern reply. "If I'm to ever have my case heard and believed, I'll have to accept."

Gabriel nodded as he collected the dishes back onto the tray. "Then I'll be back before the first galley call. Captain takes his meal usually around the third call. Now up you get, birdie." With one solid heft, he grabbed me by my good arm and plopped me back onto the hammock. He easily looped my unbroken wrist against the side of the swinging structure, moving to my feet next. Once I was firmly tied to my bed prison again, Gabriel picked up the tray and plodded to the door.

~~~~~~

 

I decided that this was a fair enough stopping point for the adventures today. I am seriously considering turning Valkyrie into my NaNoWriMo project, if I can get enough ideas for her. But I'm also considering using an older story I am quite fond of. I'll be posting Valkyrie's character bio this Sunday, if anyone cares to know.

Its been a blast, lovelies, but now I am exhausted and have ensured the high chance I won't be waking til well after noon.

Put your opinion in the comments! I want to know what you think! Its free to comment!

 

Sleep well and sweet dreams.