The official Layla of Redwall remake has begun.
Character List : Click!
Prologue[]
"My eyes may be gold and my heart pure...but I was born with darkness inside. I ask myself if I can change that darkness into light, use it to an advantage against evil; my father's evil. But now, I realize that I'm a piece of both paths...good...and bad. Some say it isn't possible to walk both paths, but they never said I couldn't walk neither of them. Father says Goldeneyes will go down in history, will be known as legends; and I'm going to do what he says. I, Layla Elise Marysa Goldeneyes, am going to go down in history...but I'm going down my way."
Book One : Sparks[]
Chapter One[]
The Serpent's Port was just now coming into view along the horizon for the ship's crew; it's buildings' lights were bright in the night and torches lighting up the ship's decks. The infamous port was full of excitement after dusk; shows, parties, and the occasional brawl; the perfect place for worn-out crews to rest and to wait out the winter, or for a captain to buy new oar slaves. The owner, a scrawny fox named Jwik, and a two rats onboard a rowboat set out to the unknown ship that was coming into port. It's black sails blended into the moonless night as they got closer to it. "Who's the Cap'n of this here ship?" Jwik called as they drifted beside it. Looking at the painted letters on the side of the ship, the fox suddenly called out, "Oceanclaw! By the teeth of Hellsgates, is this the vessel of Ugrann the Claw?!"
A cloaked figure appeared from above and shout to them below, "Ugrann requests to stay here until winter's end."
"Well, you tell him that he's more than welcome to stay here." The figure walked away once Jwik nodded as the rats began to row back to port. The anchor slowly began to be hauled up as Oceanclaw entered The Serpent's Port; the beasts on the docks let their eyes float to the vessel as a blanket of fear covered everybeast there.
The bar was filled with rats, foxes, cats and any other vermin; a play was being performed, with three vixens on stage, dressed innocent and girlie. Not many were paying attention to them, others playing card games or just drinking themselves dead. Suddenly the door flew open and a new group of vermin walked in silently; the vixens shhhed others quiet as Jwik came in behind them.
"Boys, I give you the crew of The Claw themselves. Show them the way we do things around here. Alright?" everyone laughed, but went into dead silence when a cloaked being walked in; Ugrann looked around as his crew found themselves tables. No one talked as he went to a table in the corner; the wildcat removed his hood to reveal his black stripes. "Who's the waiter around here?! I need a drink!" he laughed. That made everyone feel calm again; the play started again and card games resumed.
A fox waitress brought Ugrann a cup of rum, and he smiled with his sharp white teeth. "Thanks, lady." she winked and trotted away to other table. Sipping at his rum and listening to people laugh and curse at each other, practically ignoring the presence of a fearless and golden eyed captain. In his mind, he heard nothing but the piano playing across the room and the bell ringing outside. Ugrann's eyes when to the door, to find a pair of golden eyes staring at him.
The wildcat put down his cup and mentioned the beast over to him. "C'mon c'mon, get in here dear." the door creaked opened and another cat came in and sat down beside Ugrann. No one noticed her, but she decided to keep herself hidden. "Why are you so scared?!" Ugrann asked, kind of like a yell. "You're acting like you'll get attacked every time you walk in, Layla."
"Father, you know why I don't like The Serpent's Port." his daughter whispered.
"Why, because it's sounds like the perfect place for a snake to live! Harharhar!!" Ugrann laughed, drinking his rum. "The only reason it's called that is because...well...when the waves hit the docks and the rocks, it kinda... it kinda sounds like a serpent hissing at ya." he said.
Layla gave him a blank face and rolled her eyes. "Why can't I just stay aboard the ship?" she whined. Sighing and finishing his drink, Ugrann put a paw on his daughter's shoulder. "Sweetie, we're staying here until winter ends, so you might as well get used to it here. Now go'n'make some friends or have a lil' drink."
Pushing out her chair and throwing off her hood and cloak, Layla growled, "I don't drink.". She walked away with her boot heels clicking on the wood floor and she left the bar with a slam of the door.
Hisssssssssssssssssss!!
The frightening sound rung in Layla's drooped ears as she sat alone in the grass on the outside of the bar; she heard the shouts, crashes, and continuous, "Fight! Fight! Fight!" from inside as she had some alone time. Beside her was a barrel of rum, with the word painted on it in big letters. She turned the letters away from her and whispered, "I don't drink." She turned her head to the front of the bar as the door swung open and back close again, and three vixens stood outside laughing.
"No doubt about it! There is no way possible in the seven seas that Perdan will win that fight against that tall stoat; Ugrann always have the strong men on his crew." one said, holding a bag and spinning it by it's string.
The other two laughed as well, by one held up her paw and said, "Who's the beast sitting behind us without a life? Haha!" both of them turning their heads, they took one look at Layla and screamed. "Don't talk her like that Korvi! That's the daughter of the claw!"
Korvi turned to Layla, who had one thin eyebrow up and her eyes wide in confusion. "Excuse me?" the cat said, standing up slowly and taking two steps toward them. Suddenly there was a claw in her face and the vixen scowled. "Just because you're the kid of an infamous captain doesn't mean you get special treatment!"
"Korvi!" the others shouted, grabbing her and pulling her back. Layla was in a stage of confusion that she's never been in before; and she has been in a lot of stages.
Using one dull claw to scratch behind her ear, she said, "Can I ask why I'm getting yelled at?"
"Questions, questions, questions!" Korvi shouted, as one of the three pleaded to her to be nicer.
The short, smaller vixen ran up to Layla and held her out her paw. She looked up at her and said, "Forgive my sister; she's a hothead when it comes to beasts in a higher rank than her. My name is Dolcan, and that's my older sister Madre." Layla stood tall over Dolcan, but smiled and said, "Nice to meet you."
"Just say sorry!!" they both heard Madre shout. Korvi turned to Layla half-way and said with her arms crossed, "Sorry!" turned back to her younger sister, "Happy now?!" and stormed off to the pier. She walked onto one of the ships and went below deck. "Meanest of the mean'n'louder than a badger." Madre murmured as she walked but inside the bar, leaving Layla and Dolcan outside in the dark.
"Does that happen a lot...? Layla asked, still thinking over what she just saw in utter confusion.
"Yep. Just how it works with my family; Korvi is the trouble maker, Madre is practically our mother, and I'm the sweet and innocent little sister who watches." before Layla could open her mouth, Dolcan started back again. "I saw you inside the bar; sitting beside your father. Did you like our play?!"
Layla never realized she was talking to one of the vixens on the stage from earlier, so she quickly said, "Oh-uh yea! I loved it!" she mentally slapped herself when she saw her brown eyes dim in sadness. "You didn't have to lie about it; I knew you weren't watching. You even left before it was over; we only act to get money for food and other things for our ship until winter." It's always til winter's end; not for a couple of days, or weeks; always the end. Layla said, remembering the times she's been here. The two walked onto one of the piers, their boots clicking loudly as they conversed. Dolcan told of how all three of them left their captain to explore the world by themselves instead of stopping every time a port is in sight; and in return, Layla told her of how she lived on-board Oceanclaw.
"Why are you two here?" Korvi said from the ship behind them. "I was going to come to you both, to say a real apology..." she sighed, walking down the board to them.
"It's alright; Dulcan told me how you have your...moments?" Layla expected her to have another freak-out, but she only laughed. "You tell EVERYTHING!" she grabbed Dolcan's head and put her in a headlock. In that one movement, Layla saw behind her shaggy brown hair, her green but cloudy eyes.
Blind.
Korvi suddenly stopped and let Dolcan go. "You're just now noticing?"
"Huh?" Layla answered.
"You're just now noticing I'm blind; I know you are. I felt your heart rate change." she said slowly. Alright, that's scary. "I know what your thinking, but I'm not crazy nor do I see spirits! After I went blind, my other sense took over." Layla just stared at her, then to Dolcan, her again, and back down to the short one.
"Just go with it; you'll learn to deal with the creepiest later." she turned on heel and said, "Time to tell "mother" you two are friends now."
"Hey hey hey, I never said that." Korvi said walking past the wildcat and following behind her sister, her senses leading her back to the bar. Layla silently walked behind them, and whispered, "Is this what dad meant by "friends"...?"
"If he meant weird and freakish friends, yep!" Korvi shouted. Layla shook her head, and ran to catch up.
Eh, got lazy with this update. BUT TIME FOR SOME FUN FACTS! :D
- For the guy fighting in the bar, I got his name Predan from the French word Predant; which means loser. (Guess you know who lost. XD)
- I got Korvi's name from the Turkish term kör vixen; which means blind vixen.
- I got Madre's name from the Italian word madre, which means mother.
- I got Dolcan's name from the Catalan word dolça, which means sweet.
- Layla means night, born at night, sweetheart. (I guess that means Layla was born at night. 0_0)
Cariye took a finale glance at her brother, knowing it might be the finale time she sees him. As he was lead below the decks of another ship, the rat behind her gave a quick shove and grunted, "Keep movin'!". Sniffling silently, the mousemaid hung her head sadly and walked down the ship's steps into the slave cabin. She covered her nose and moaned against the horrible smell; she unconsciously took a step back and walked right into the slave behind her. This caused a chain reaction and the line stood in a halt. Cariye shook her head and tried to back away, but the same rat grabbed her chains and dragged her forward. After finally getting the young mousemaid chained to the oar and the others settled, the rat laughed into the cool air.
"Welcome ladies to the legendary cabin of Oceanclaw. Never before has a slave escape' these deathly cabins; and in t'name of Ugrann the Claw himself, I assure you none of you are leaving this ship." he pauses to look at the slaves blank and sunk in faces. "But, there is hope. If you're not dead before winter's end, you won't feel the full might of the Claw!" he and the others left with a final laugh and a lock of the door.
Cariye put her head in her hands as she listened to the others break down in wails of horror and confusion; she flattened her ears against her head to block them all out, but it didn't work. Cariye was fourteen years old, born into slavery. Her brother and her were frequently bought and sold, but were always together; until now.
"Everything is going to be alright Cariye; we'll be okay."
She remembered his voice as if he had just whispered into her ear. Trung was always full of life as his body was always beaten; although the power to destroy his strength was in reach at all times, the power to destroy his spirit was untouchable. She'll always remember that about him.
"That rat didn't hurt you, did he?" someone asked behind her. Cariye turned around and came face-to-face with a tall squirrel; well, he looks tall sitting on the bench. One of his pointed ears were missing, and a long scar ran from the tip of his nose to the bottom of his jaw. "Hello...?"
"Oh sorry." she squeaked. "No, he didn't harm me. I'm alright." she leaned on the wall to her left, trying to remember where the peace and love was before she arrived here.
Was it in the arms of her mother?
Was it in the arms of Trung?
Was there even peace in the world?
Cariye was doubting her last question. In her world, the world of slavery, peace didn't exist.
Okie; not bad, right? More Fun Facts! :D
- "Cariye" means "female slave" in Turkish.
- I got Cariye's brother's name from the term "trung thành" in Vietnamese; it means "faithful".
- I was listening to "Black Eyed Peas - Where Is The Love" while updating this. I LOVE THAT SONG!