Of Stranger Tides and Mice Part 3 ~ CookingFood.Org

Note from the Editor:-

Join me now for the concluding part of the continuing dream story of romance and adventure on and off the high seas, for Erin and her beloved Valentine aka The Dashing Count Prince Von Valentino.

The first chapter, 'Laugh and Love Like a Pirate' can be found HERE,

The second chapter 'The Cursed Mousies' can be found HERE.

And Parts 1 and 2 of the third chapter 'Of Stranger Tides and Mice' can be found HERE.

Chapter 3.

Part 3: The Stench of Camembert!

“I love the silent hour of night,
For blissful dreams may then arise,
Revealing to my charmed sight
What may not bless my waking eyes.” By Anne Bronte

Reaching into his cloak he withdrew a black silken pouch that was bound with red silk ribbon that had been sealed with wax. The old sea cat looked at it knowingly, and then tossed it gently onto Erin's lap. "A mutual friend has sent a missive for ye and bid me seek thee out and deliver it to your paw when you made landfall."

Erin felt the smooth soft warm pouch. Dare she think, dare she hope this could be from Valentino? She broke the seal and drew apart the ribbons and looked inside. A neatly folded but now creased parchment lay within, with whats seemed like a small black stone, together with a lock of black floof tied with a red silken thread, the scent unmistakably his. She whimpered as she pulled out the parchment and, breaking the seal, began to read.

The letter was not from her beloved but from a mutual, mutual friend, Captain Basil Blackheart the 1st, world renowned PP&P or pirate philanthropist and philatelist, who sailed the nine seas robbing the rich of both their wealth and postage stamps, and gave the them to the poor.

In his day to day life he was a scribe and teller of fantastic tales, little did folk know that beneath his seaside house was a series of caves that lead to a secret cove where his ship, the Crimson Revenge, lay concealed.

"Oh my, this is awful," Erin exclaimed, "those pesky mice, Captain Mignon Mouse-Morsel and his crew, have broken loose and escaped. Seems my beloved Valentino had arranged for them to be slow cooked and served at our special meal in my honour on his private estate, where we were headed before that cursed storm kept us apart."

Erin had forgotten about the special meal, and only cared for news of Valentines safety. The note from Captain Basil had gone on to say how the mice, now skeletal and waving cocktail sticks had fled the kitchens and vanished taking with them several ducats, some small casks of nip grog and a pot of soft goats milk cheese!

The letter wrote of a string of 'incidents' had then taken place along all roads leading to O-R-E-gon, and one chicken ranch, The Great Bear Tasty Chicken Ranch Inc, was picked clean and was left with only Zombie skeletal chickens roaming around!

Other reports told of kittens being carried away in the night, and houses ransacked and all maps stolen. But always the common thread was the fetid cheese smell that was left in their wake.

Erin looked up in horror. "Can this be true? It is like a nightmare worthy of the worst of those walking dead stage shows! Zombie pirate mice, what ever are they are after?"

There was a sudden stillness in the room. The wind outside had slowed and stopped, and the rattling of bones could be heard in the distance, together with the stench of Camembert.

"I think, dear Erin, we are about to find out! You wondered where the staff were around this here post, well they were gone when I came, and all that was left was their screams in the night! And I fear the answer is those mice want you or something you have!"

The stranger got up, and opened his long black mouse hide coat to reveal an array of deadly looking blades and claw extensions. "I think," he said, donning a pair of fine diamond edged claws, "It's time Erin that ye left and got to safety with Valentine, Arrr. I don't know where he is or what battles may come, but a carriage awaits in the barn yonder, be quick and don't ask questions. I'll fend off them scurvy deamons when they come, and make good an escape to my ship the Dashin' Kitten which is anchored around the bay from yours. Fear not your crew are under way to safe harbour and off load the cargo. And will be safe in England by Christmas." With that, he pulled out a small sabre and threw it to Erin, who deftly grabbed and with a twirling flourish slipped it through her belt.

"Fair thee well, stranger, I am sure we'll meet again soon, but pray tell me thy name so I may properly greet thee when we next meet?"

My name, ah yes, Silvers the name, Long Tom Silver at your service. Silver flourished a bow to Erin and, with the coat tails flaring like wings, went through the front door to meet the daemon mice with a caterwaul to wake the dead, well if they hadn't already been!

Barely had the door slammed behind him, than Erin was running out the back of the shack towards the barn, brandishing the sack with the plastic containers with natty blue lids in one paw and the silken pouch in the other......

A sudden squeal from the team of horses roused Erin from her thoughts of Silver and the zombie pirate mice. The carriage had pulled to a halt so quickly the coach and the horses leather harnesses groaned and creaked and ripped as they were compressed and stretched to near breaking point from the sheer force.

Gathering herself, Erin grabbed the sabre from her belt and sat firm, waiting for a sound, some indication as to the trouble or circumstance for their abrupt stop.

Seconds passed in what seemed like hours till finally Erin could wait no more, and drew back the curtain behind where the driver sat. Where he should have sat. He was gone, all but for his boots and a warm dry patch on the seat, that the rain now sought to consume.

Eeeeeek!

To be continued by Valentine in.... 'Count Into the Darkness'............... Click HERE

To read the previous chapter, 'Of Stranger Tides and Mice, Part 3'.............. Click HERE

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