BB's Diary #26

Aersday, 27th (part two) and Lumday, 28th Shadow 212 EoL

Dear Diary,

My worries from yesterday evening came true. Drake kept on drinking during the evening. Much more than usual. We were arguing about the functioning of our group and that we would at least need somebody to administer the group money, so that people wouldn't continue to spend ridiculous amounts of money on stuff nobody needs (as my brother had done that same day by buying a useless sabre with lots of expensive gems on it). Up until Drake had a total outburst and yelled at Yelena. Telling her that she wasn't a real wolf, that her heart was not in it. Yelena of all people? Yelena, who would die for each and everyone of us without hesitation? How could he say that? Yelena was shattered. She just left the mansion. I followed her and convinced her to get back in, she went straight to her room and we talked. She told me that she loved me (as a friend, well maybe more, you can't be sure with Yel), but that she did not see a reason in fighting alongside Drake orTrip or even Shirel, since she feels that they don't take her serious or appreciate what she does for us. She told me that she used to see a family in our group. Totally the contrary of Drake's view. I asked her to not take any rushed decisions and at least sleep a night over it. She could still leave in the morning.
When I went back to the dining table, the discussion was heated. Drake hadn't stopped at Yelena. He was offending Shirel, Trip and Gwenelle as well. I told him to stop. He was clearly angry at me, at our situation and possible future. He was angry at his past catching up with him. All of that did not give him the right to act the way he did. He replied abashed that he wasn't mad at me and left the mansion.
The remaining group decided that we could not continue like this, that our group would need a leader and some other clearly defined positions, so that we would all know our place in the group and that way we would begin to function as a real team. Shirel tried to go and talk to Yelena but she wanted to remain alone. Gwenelle and I then went to bed while Shirel and Trip continued drinking and smashing bottles with some magic tricks. Men...
When we got up the next morning Gwenelle had baked lots of delicious pastry and cakes. She can be the sweetest person, which makes it difficult to not like her. I guess I do need to stop that behavior around her if I want us to function as a group. Shirel and Trip had a hangover, of course they did. There was no sign of Drake nor Yelena. Both were not to be found in the mansion, but Yelena had left a goodby letter addressed to me. I read it in front of the others (to myself of course), and tears shot into my eyes. She told me that she had left to get on the first ship to Sedem Lux. I knew I should not have left her alone. She apologized and explained how I would find her in Sedem. She said the sweetest things about me and explained how much she appreciated and admired the others but that she felt that it was very one-sided and thus hurting her too much. She needed to distance herself from us. I knew exactly what she means.
We stormed out of the mansion, I transformed into a raven and Trip into an eagle carrying Shirel and Gwenelle, we then flew as fast as we could to the harbor hoping that we would not be too late, that the ship for Sedem would not yet have left... we were too late for the ship! Fortunately the one and only pirate in this so called pirate city, the one that greeted us upon arriving, had seen Yelena buy the ticket and convinced her to stay. I was so very happy to find her.
Reunited we decided to go and look for Drake in the different inns of the town. Quickly we came across a drunk who seemed to have met him under the name "el capitano" (strange choice, as that is the last thing he wants do be according to him). Apparently Drake was playing some kind of race, where contestants throw a coin and if they call the correct outcome (head or tails) they get to advance their stuffed chicken one case up until the first chicken makes it to the finish line. The drunk told us that el capitano got it right every single time... of course he did with his magic lucky-coin... and that he and his chicken Berta had won with an unbelievable advance. We continued our quest and stumbled from drunk to drunk who all pointed us in some new direction. We then came across the tavern of the pirate king who told us that Drake, sorry el capitano, had been there, with Berta. That he got a tattoo and stole Roshan's eye patch. We were then pointed to the direction of Lenny’s house, the owner of Berta. We found him asleep in his bed. He told us that he took Drake into his house for the night. He didn't know where Drake went after he had fallen asleep. He was still processing the loss of Berta, whom Drake had won fair and square. I will not share my bed with a stuffed chicken! One of us has to go! We searched around Lenny’s house where we found Berta and gave her back to him. Gwenelle then managed to catch Drakes footprints and follow them up to... our mansion... We voted for Trip to let the mansion disappear so that Drake would fall out of it and into the mud. He did not remember one thing in between leaving the mansion and waking up outside next to a dead chicken. Oh boy was he up for a surprise when he saw his tattoo. Unbelievable! It is a chicken holding a knife and "Killer Berta" written underneath it. Unbelievable! I now have to see that crap each and every time we make love. How stupid can one be? We made him go back to Roshan, give him his eye patch and apologize.
Afterwards we had a (more like a few) very good and productive group discussions. First we distributed the roles:

• Treasure-master: Gwenelle
• Diplomat: Shirel
• Negotiators: Drake and BB
• Ruffian: Yelena
• Conjuring dullard: Trip
• Healer: Yelena (after the fight) and Shirel (during the fight)
• Tactic: Trip
• "Mother" of the group: BB

I really hope that those new roles will help us. I know that Trip is going to have some problems with my role as "mother", meaning, each time an argument gets out hands or somebody is acting out, I need to put my foot down. He surely thinks that I took that one so that I'll always get my way. That's not the case at all (it already hasn't been today). I do it to prove to Drake that I'm more mature then he thinks and that he doesn't need to be ashamed of me. I do it to prove to Trip that I am more capable then he always thinks. And I do it to prove to myself that I am able to achieve something in life.
Afterwards, we decided on how to proceed. We met that darkelf from yesterday in a tavern and asked her to set up a meeting with Redmane and Gwenelle's mother two days from now on Fae's island. Roshan had told us that it is a common place to meet for pirates if they need to discuss something on neutral terrain. The plan is to not actually meet them, but get ahead on the race for the treasure they are looking for for the cult. Our compass is now pointing to that treasure, we think. I'm not at all convinced that that is the best approach. I would have preferred to meet them. On one hand it is probably the only way for Gwenelle to meet her mother before we may fight and kill her. Gwenelle might regret her decision afterwards. On the other hand, we could, if things escalate, kill part of the crew right there instead of meeting it all at once, when they find out that we have the treasure. First example of where I didn't get my way Trip... just saying.
When Drake left the dining table for his room, I followed him. He apologized to me for his behavior the other day. I explained to him, that it was not me he had to say sorry to and told him that Yelena had decided to leave because he had hurt her so much. I could see, that he's really ashamed of what he did. He told me that it was all too much for him. Our situation/relationship, his family history catching up with him, the fact that he does want to leave the wolves and the way situation with our group. I understand him, I do! I would love to be back in Sedem as well. He needs to find another outlet. We need to work together. He promised to talk to Yelena. I left it at that. letting him sleep his rough night off.
Let's see what tomorrow brings. I may have another idea on how to improve the unity of our group.

Love, BB <3