Guitars and Violins pt 3
@goodolerebelsoldier @restoringthelost
Light, angry footsteps could be heard marching down to the hall towards the basement, followed by several cautioning and discouraging voices from the nearby museum residents. But their warnings fell on deaf ears as the young woman made her way to the door and pushed it open.
âMister Baribus Thatch!â she called down the stairwell, her tone stern and confrontational. âMister Baribus Thatch, are you here?"
There was a shuffling in the darkness and she could smell the faint odor of sea rot drifting up from below.
âWho calls me?â came the raspy response, barely a hiss upon a breeze.
Katherine felt a shiver run up her spine. âThat must be him,â she thought to herself and pursed her lips. If she hadnât known better she mightâve thought it had been a ghost or some other such apparition. But she did know better and was right steamed at the creatureâs spooky antics.
âKatherine Shepherds,â she replied firmly, âand Iâd like to have a word with you.â
There was a moment of silence before she heard the heavy clack-clack of the creatureâs footsteps. Slowly they made their way around the crates, through the darkness of the basement, until they finally reached the stairs. Katherine stifled a gasp of surprise as the 6 foot tall sea monster stepped into view, his shelled helm glinting under the dim stairwell light while his tattered cloak swayed with every step. Between the barnacles and crust of dried sea salt on his clothes, this âBaribus Thatchâ appeared to be every whit the âdemon sailorâ Gray described him as.
âHuh. The one time heâs not telling tall tales,â she thought and blinked when the monster did the most unexpected thing. He bowed. Not just the regular pseudo-bow she saw so often, but a full and proper from-the-waist-down bow.
âMiss Shepherds,â he croaked, straightening up again.
âMister Thatch, I presume?â Katherine asked, folding firmly across her chest despite her surprise.
âYes,â he replied, his voice no more than a croaking rasp.
âIâve been informed that you gave one of my patience a right good scare a few nights ago and Iâd like you to make amends with him.â
There was a low growl as Baribus straightened indignantly. âWhatever fright Gray received was purely his own doing,â he rasped defensively. âI cannot be blamed for his insecurities."
âNo, but you can be blamed for enflaming them!â Katherine snapped back. Realizing she was losing her temper, the young woman took a deep breath and glared up at Baribus' boney helm. âMr. Groves depicts you as a fine gentleman in bad straits,â she remarked, trying to restrain her temper as she earned a barking laugh from the former sailor.
âBad straits? Well if thatâs not the vastest understatement Iâve everââ
âI wasnât finished,â Katherine interrupted, her expression hardening. She watched Baribus straighten, clearly taken a-back, before continuing. âYou both have lost a good deal more than anyone in this here building. Youâre the only two who could hope to understand what the other is goinâ through, but instead of understanding each other, youâre too busy trading spooks and insults!â
âYou speak as if Grey and I are alone in this,â he growled again, leaning forward so that she could see his golden irises peering out at her.
âOh, I know youâre not,â Katherine retorted hotly. "You have Mister Groves and Hopkins has me. But you and I both know thereâs no true way for me or Mr. Groves to ever understand what you two are going through. Because when it comes down to it, Hopkins has lost as much as you have, maybe more since you still remember your own name. Doesnât that deserve some kind of pity, even from you?â
Baribus fell silent, the brunetteâs words seeping deep into his mind. He wanted to argue that no, although they were similar, Grayâs trials were nothing compared to his life as a nadder. They were nothing compared to the self-hatred he felt, the disgusting, boglish urges he felt, and the threwd that periodically pulsed from his very body!
But as he looked down at the young woman, the hardness of his heart began to soften. She was Gray's friend. More than that, she was an immortal -or as close to one as he had seen- like him with Groveâs lot in life. She had seen Gray, known him before his death - before he lost everything, including the memory of who he once was.
In truth, there had only once been a time when he had almost lost himself to his curse, when he had almost become a complete nadder with no humanity left. It was the night he had rescued Lavinia from her sea rogue captors, when Vini herself had to hold him back from murdering the captain as he had planned to do with Hebers. In that moment, he had lost all reason and become a beast of the sea. It was only through the efforts of the young Viscountess that he was brought back and his humanity preserved.
Baribusâ helm closed and turned as he looked away from the young woman. After several minutes, he slowly turned back and nodded. âAlright. I will send my apologiesââ
âNo,â Katherine said, cutting him off flatly. âYouâll go apologize to him in person like the gentleman you are, and show him you donât mean him or anyone else here any harm.â
There was a low rasping sound as the former sailor inhaled and exhaled deeply. âYou do like to make great demands of others, donât you?â
Katherine smirked, probably the closest thing Baribus had seen to a smile that entire encounter.
âAs a certified battle field nurse, making great demands is part of my job.â














