Archer's Character Quiz
The character's first, or most memorable, love affair. Can be anything from a pre-teen crush, to a long-term romance. Be sure to describe the object of your character's affection, along with the changes that your character went through in terms of feeling and thoughts about that person. Did it start out as a maddening hatred? Instant love? Who fell for whom first? Was love a surprise? How did it all end? How does everyone, including you, your lover, rivals, parents, friends, observers, feel about it now?
[I've concentrated on the initial meeting here. Further stories of Archer and Liz will be added later. Suffice to say they're no longer together and he's unsure as to whether she survived the Black Rain. He loved her deeply, and had more of a problem leaving her than leaving the Maralise when his mother passed. Remember, I started writing all this before Archer met his current love interest...]Liz was the navigator of the Maralise. They met when Captain Gian had to put the previous navigator off the ship, as he couldn't control his drinking. He had, in his sloth, run the Maralise dead into a section of reefs off the coast of Merior, a small village in Vastmark. They had laid up there as the ship's hull was patched. Tonight they would sail with the tide for Amber.
"G' day, lass. What can I do for you? Or more to the point," Archer leered at the loose ties on her bodice, "to you?" The first mate's words began laughter ringing throughout the crew, falling on the apparently deaf ears of the stranger treading the gangplank.
"You can bugger off with your lot o' boyfriends so I can find the captain or his mate." The stiff wind that would take them well to sea on this evening's tide whipped her golden-red hair around her face like a fiery halo. The crew's laughter increased as she strode purposefully toward the deck with a grace that spoke volumes to the right eye.
"She' got you Archer!" they called. "Dead on you pretty thing!" Archer ignored their jibes and swung down through the rigging to meet her at the head of the plank. This close she was a rare beauty, strong whipcord muscles pulled taut over a decidedly feminine frame, her eyes a crystal blue of Amber's sky and the skin weathered enough by the elements to lend character to her pursed lips as she stared him down.
Archer stood before her, arms crossed before him. "The Cap'n's not one for noon romps, but I suppose for a looker like you he might make an exception. Of course he's ashore right now. I'm sure we can find some way to pass the time." The smile disappeared from his lips as the stranger's hand shot out at her belt level and caught him unaware, her grip like iron shackles, tight around areas just below his belt.
As she twisted her wrist and Archer's knees buckled, she said, "I'm not interested in passing the time with," twist, "little," twist, "boys." She released her grasp and let him fall back on the deck. "Then someone find me the mate who lets his crew accost visitors to the ship!" she called to the crew, who was watching this scene with great amusement.
Niclos answered from the rigging, "Aye lass, you done found him already." The men's laughter again filled the docks. "You found more, or perhaps less, of him than most of us do, or want to."
She turned back to see Archer, his face a mixture of anger and embarrassment coloring his face. "Well," he said, his voice now a deep rumble, "if'n it's not a roll you're looking for, what would it be?" he asked as he closed on her.
Her bravado now shaken, she retreated from the furious first mate, a slight quiver in her voice. "You need a navigator and I'm... I'm the best you'll find here abouts."
"Is that true?" Archer spat back; the sarcasm lost on none.
"It is. Your captain will be glad to have me." She said defiantly as she backed into the ship's rail.
Archer's face seemed to brighten at that prospect, "He will? Well then," he turns to the men, "by all means, you're excused for your conduct and I offer my sincerest apologies for my improper advances upon your personage."
The stranger drew herself up, and straightened her shirt, still eyeing Archer warily.
"Of course, to take over our navigator's job, well you'll have to pass the test." Archer continues as he walks toward her and puts his arm around her shoulders, leading her back towards the charts room.
"A test?"
"Cap'n Gian, well, he likes to know that his navigators can at least get themselves home from wherever they might be."
"Well, that makes sense enough."
Archer quickly grabbed her by the shoulder with the arm that was around it and his other hand latched tight on her calf, and hoisted her above his head and held her over the rail, dropping her unceremoniously into the harbor below. As her head broke the water, sputtering, red hair covering her face, he called, "Navigate yourself home from there, navigator! And if you're still up to it, bring your gear, for we sail with the tide."
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