The Laurel, Merchant Ship, Leighton Shipping Docks, Leighton, England (1762)....
It was one thing to stand about the docks and view the ships from the eyes of a five year old boy who's view of the world consisted of romanticized stories of seafaring and adventure, but it was another to be a young man of legal age and standing on board a merchant shipping vessel in person. Alain Remington found himself at a loss for words as his inquisitive hazel eyes took in the magnificent sight that was The Laurel. His father was moving about the dock making preparations, checking and rechecking supplies, shipping manifests, and crew members. While Lady Alana had not liked the idea of her youngest son taking a voyage across the sea she knew that he was safer by all accounts with his father by his side instead of stowing away on some cargo ship just because she denied him the right to pursue his dream.
She managed to meet them at the docks to offer her farewell and see to it that he got on the right ship as it were. It wasn't in the least hard to miss her the decadent Golden dress with white lace trimmings and something of a tented outlook about her waistline with a small gold colored hat and a tiny umbrella to keep the sun off her skin was quite difficult not to see. Lady Alana Duchene wasn't the only curious sight on the docks as her eldest son Casimir stood proudly alongside her with his golden blond locks pulled back into a ponytail and his best outfit consisting of a black coat, a crisp white shirt with ruffles, dark trousers and black leather boots as he stood with his favorite little accessory, a stylish black cane with a small golden skull at the hilt that opened into a rather impressive looking sword when one dared to challenge him.
"You look just like your father." she said fiddling with the regal looking blue coat she had just brought him from her late husband's chest in the attic of the manor.
Alain's own light brown locks were pulled back into a neat ponytail as he stood fitting into the coat that matched his dark black trousers and equally black leather boots. He was gifted a gold pocket watch by his mother for the trip as a commemoration present for the occasion as well as a brand new journal with black binding and an ink pot accompanied via a sturdy quill.
The scent of the salty sea air was quite inviting at least to Alain as he heard the constant shifting of the waves and the rocking of the wooden ships that lined the dock. All in all he'd been in good spirits when it came to the trip. His family was seeing him off and his father couldn't have been more proud of him despite his apprehension about the journey and the risk that seafaring always carried with it.
"Now you do well to mind your father while you are in his care." said Alana with tears in her eyes as she attempted to keep her mothering to a low level.
Casimir placed a hand on her shoulder and smiled.
"Cheer up mother, Al's becoming a man you didn't weep that much when I became one." he said sounding a bit embittered.
"That's because unlike you, my son whom had clueless young maidens bending over for you from the moment your cock could spurt seed, Alain was a very good boy and had not seen the rough and trouble parts of the world just yet." replied Alana annoyed.
Casimir laughed knowing all too well that his little brother's cock had been doing a bit of the same ever since he'd met his lass at the old grove. He kept that bit to himself and ventured over to Alain pulling him into his brotherly embrace and kissing him on the cheek.
"You'd better come home in one piece." he said before putting a hand on his shoulder and walking over toward their father.
Alain wiped the kiss from his cheek and rolled his eyes. As much as he wished to push Casimir into the nearby waters, he knew he wasn't as comfortable with the seafaring journey as he let on. He still despised it as much as his mother did knowing all too well that it had been the reason his father never came home after running afoul of nefarious pirates.
"Not to worry family, everything is well in hand." said Alfred with a smile. "Everything has been prepped and readied for the journey."
Alain was looking forward to it. As his father planned he would be sharing the guest cabin with his father at the behest of the captain whom had been a man named Tyler Daveys. He was a gruff looking old man but knew his way around the ocean and various hazards than anyone whom sailed before him. He was an old sod and a cranky one, but he was more experienced than a lot of his younger crew members and very well organized when dealing with a crisis.
"Should the worst come to pass, know that I love you both." said Alana with tears in her eyes.
Alfred kissed his weeping wife and allowed his son one last hug from her before he and Alain turned to board the ship. Of course the ever image conscious Casimir Duchene attempted to look as if this had not bothered him and merely gestured toward Alain a charming little hand signal from their youth before he parted.
As Alain took his time to board the ship which rocked ever so slightly due to the ocean waves he saw a glimpse of Noreen hidden among a row of shipping crates and out of view of the minor crowd as she waved goodbye to him and even took a moment to blow him a kiss in the hopes that he would have a safe journey.
It was a very good day that Alain cemented in the vast corridors of his memory as he knew he would need it especially in the uncertain days to come.