fandomhighdorms | The Roof [Monday afternoon]

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The Roof [Monday afternoon]

Four had spent the last week exploring the island, learning the ways out, the places that were easiest to defend, the places that served food (he'd have to talk to the faction leaders about getting his monthly points for food and clothing converted into something he could use here), the places that sold clothing, and most importantly the shooting range and gym.

He was pretty impressed with the facilities, despite Chuck's warnings about them.

And now he was up on the second to last place he had to scout out--the roof--staying by the door and breathing through his fear of heights. After he was done here, he'd check out Selkie Point.

His eyes closed briefly as he worked to calm the pounding of his heart. He'd check out Selkie Point tomorrow, probably. Maybe even the next day.

[OOC: Open!]

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"I do it all the time," Rapunzel said, shrugging. "I mean, I used to climb the rafters back home using my hair. And I, um, used to live in a tower with a window entrance, so that was how my mother and I would get in and out -- with my hair. It doesn't hurt me."

Maybe that was part of the whole 'magic hair' thing. And here she was, admitting she used to live in a tower, though the way she'd phrased it at least made it sound sort of normal? Ish?

"That the new fashion in your land?" Edward asked. "Towers with no doors? Are they trying to tempt little noblewomen into slinging their hair - and sheets - about?"

"Noooo, I think it's just kind of a me thing," she hedged, giggling self-consciously. "And it worked out okay because of my hair -- if I didn't have all this, we'd probably have a door. Or I'd have learned how to scale stuff, like you. That's got to be a handy set of skills, there."

Edward shrugged lightly. "I'd be better at it if I got more practice," he said. "The old sailors say you learn quick when you're on a ship."

"Is that what you're going to do when you leave here?" she asked curiously. "Be a sailor?"

That sounded incredible to her -- but at the same time, a ship would be almost as confining as her tower. But to travel. She let out an envious little sigh just thinking about it.

"That's the dream," Edward said, which neatly didn't really answer her question.

Hey, Rapunzel of all people could respect dodged questions. "Where do you wanna go?" she asked eagerly. "Any destinations you're really looking forward to?"

Because dreams were real, tangible things to her, and she wanted to hear all about it.

"I want to be a privateer," Edward said, her attitude getting another grin out of him. "Sail to Africa, or the West Indies, earn enough to make a good life."

"What's a privateer?" Rapunzel asked, eyes bright with interest. "A special kind of sailor? I don't know a lot about...sailing. I've never even been on a boat!"

"A privateer sails for the King's Navy, hindering the ships of the king's enemies," Edward explained, even if it was a touch of a romantic appraisal of the profession. "And it is ships they sail, not boats."

"Ships," Rapunzel repeated, committing it to memory. She wasn't sure what the difference was, but there clearly was one. "Got it. So you're gonna be like...a soldier on a ship? Does your king have a lot of enemies?"

It sounded like quite an adventurous lifestyle, even if Rapunzel didn't think she'd be brave enough to try something like that.

"Ah, no, it's the Navy that does the actual soldiering," Edward said. "Privateers, they... bother... passing ships, making it easier for the Navy to do their work."

It would be a very adventurous lifestyle - almost as adventurous as the pirating when the privateering stopped.

"But aye, he has his fair share of enemies. The Spanish, most of all, and the Portuguese."

Rapunzel eyed him, her mouth twisting in a little frown while she tried to figure this one out. What he was describing, with the 'bothering,' sounded like something she'd read about another sort of sea-faring type of people, but if he worked for the king....

"Is a privateer like a legal pirate?" she finally asked carefully, still very interested but worried she was going to offend him. "Without all the...piratey badness, I mean?"

"A privateer serves his country," Edward told her. "A pirate's just in it for himself. That's a big difference, that is."

"That is a big difference," Rapunzel agreed, nodding. "But still. All the fun of being a pirate, but...for a good reason! I like that. Pirates always sound like they have a lot of fun, in the stories -- not the bad stuff, just...the sense of adventure, and getting to use spyglasses and climbing up in the sails and all of that. But privateers are like, good, patriotic pirates. I'll have to remember that. Sorry if that's an insulting comparison," she added, looking abashed. "I don't mean for it to be."

"It's all right," Edward said, in what he felt was quite a grand gesture all in all. "Imagine being part of something that helps better your country, though - now that's a noble feeling. One could do great things, out on the high seas."

"I've never been a part of anything like that," she admitted shyly. "Something bigger than just me -- I love helping people, and I can...." Now she was thinking about it. She could use her hair for more than just what Mother did with it, she knew she could.

Maybe. It was dangerous, still.

"I know you'll do great things," she continued, brushing that thought away. "You're gonna be the privateer they write books about so people like me can learn."

Edward's grin had grown several sizes - it was always nice to get this reaction, rather than having to beat on someone because they were upset the sheep farmer's kid put on airs.

"Aye, well, if they do, you'll have to read one to me," he said.

And now we were back to Rapunzel's brows knitting in confusion. "I'd be happy to, but don't you want to read about yourself? Maybe they'd even do illustrations!" And if they didn't, she would.

Yeah, that made... things more awkward. "I don't have my letters," he said. "Yet."

He probably would, at some point. His mother had some.

"Oh!" Well, now she felt embarrassed for bringing it up. "Do you want help? I pretty much...taught myself, when I did." Mother had helped some, but she wasn't exactly a hands-on teacher. "Towers like mine are kinda lonely, you know, so I've always just had books for company."

He thought about it. "If you would be willing to volunteer some of your time," Edward said at last, "I'd be in your debt."

They did a fair bit more with letters here than they did in his time - though he'd been able to traverse everything all right so far.

"Sure!" And with that, Rapunzel snapped firmly into This Will Be Fun mode. "I mean, it's really not that hard once you get the hang of it, I promise. I can maybe find some books about the ocean and sea-faring stuff, to give you something interesting to learn from?"

Children's books, in all likelihood, but Rapunzel thought those were usually the best, anyway. Pictures and they almost always got right to the point.

"Sure," Edward said. "Beats some of the tomes I've seen priests lugging about, if nothing else."

Honestly, he was a bit relieved. But he'd never say so.

"I mean, that kind of stuff can be fun, too, but I didn't start reading big scary texts like that until I was bored of the more fun books," Rapunzel said, shaking her head. "The important thing is to start with something you're interested in. My first book was all about flowers."

The Roof [Monday afternoon]

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