milliways_bar | (no subject)

The front door opens and a fair haired young man stumbles into the bar as if he's just been shoved through. There is really nothing remarkable about his appearance except that he's dressed in the full uniform of a Lieutenant of His Majesty's Royal Navy circa 1801, complete from bicorn to side arm.

He rights himself with an attempt at dignity and takes in his surroundings. He is, needless to say, a bit startled at his present surroundings, and hoping that no one has spotted him, he turns and tries the door and finds it locked. He tries again with no more luck than the first time and swears, quietly under his breath. Resolving to make the best of the situation, he removes his silly hat (he had never liked the new ones anyway) and proceeds to the bar.

"Um, I'll have a rum if you please," He announces to no one in particular, "No, belay that. I'll have a glass of your finest scotch please. Make it a double." He has apparently decided that the best way to deal with being trapped in a strange place with a fully stocked bar, is to get rip-roaringly drunk.

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"You're in a new place, I can understand how it would be overwhelming. But I'm really not offended in the least so you can relax." She smile at him again, it's contagious.

*He grins at her*

"You really are too kind miss, to take pity on a poor stranded sailor such as myself. I am truly in your debt"

"You owe me nothing. Don't feel like you do. You seem very deserving to me. Would you tell me about yourself?"

"Still, if there is anything I can do for you, just let me know. Myself? Let me see, I was born is Scotland but I was raised mostly in London. I was sent off to the Navy when I was sixteen, mostly because my father thought I was spending too much time at the theatre. I was fourth Leftennant aboard His Majesty's Ship Renown when I.... confessed to a mutinous act I did not commit in order to save my best friend and ship-mates from court-marshal because I knew I was dying. Then I was here."

*He finishes very quickly, his voice getting very small*

She reaches out, giving his hand a friendly squeeze. "You must be very brave." She says softly, but sincerely. And indeed, he sounds so. To do something so helpless to save another was admirable. She wants to ask about why he was dying but doesn't want to cause him pain.

*He looks down*

"Not so, miss. I had help the entire way. Horatio, he... well he saved my life so many times, in so many ways, It was the least I could do. I had been shot. There was no sense in both of us dying for something that... well, it wasn't either of our faults anyway. His future has always been so much brighter than mine. It would be a shame to deprive the world of him."

"So you admitted it...on your death bed?" She asks slowly, face sad. She was full of sympathy for the poor boy. She's now determined to help make him happy.

"Well, sort of. I dressed myself up and had the doctor help me to the court room before Horatio got there that morning, so he couldn't stop me. He wouldn't have seen the sense in what I had to do. Silly thing. He would have insisted that I kept my 'good name' and took the blame for everything himself."

"And where were you before you ended up here?"

She's trying to gauge if he's alive, you see. Not that it makes any difference to her, her boyfriend is dead so hey. But she is curious. Especially now that she's a server she wants to know everything about the bar's patrons.

In the infirmary, shortly after all the exitement. They had let H'ratio come and visit me, and..." He passes his hands over his face and rakes his fingers through his hair. "And then... I... Died. I suppose. I couldn't breathe, and then I was here. So I'm dead. I've been told that that's not that unusual here."

"No it's not. And if you have to be dead this is the place to be dead in. Because you're basically alive. You can do everything a living person can."

"That's good, since I don't feel dead and I certainly don't wish to act dead. Thank you Isabel, you have comforted me a great deal." He smiles at her, bright and sincere.

A new thought ocurs to him, on that could prove troublesome. "Er, Isabel, is there a place that I could find a bunk somewhere? Unless the Dead don't need sleep that is?"

"Definitely. You go the bar, tell it you need a room and you'll get a key. It's pretty simple around here. You can either ask the bar or a server for something and you'll get it."

"Thank you again, Isabel. I'm afraid I must retreat to process all of this now, but I hope I'll be able to talk to you soon? If your boyfriend wouldn't mind, that is."

*He stands, and bows low, kissing her hand, and departs.*