Cat and Calista exchange presents

I Don’t Need Rhinestones By: F. Raventhorn

“Kane?”

“Yes, Cat?” Cat stood on the threshold of Kane’s room for what felt like an eternity as he tried to piece together the best way to ask his captain for what he wanted. Would he be angry with him? It wasn’t anywhere near the usual time for divvying up all the spoils and Cat would need quite a lot of his share for what he wanted to get. He certainly didn’t want to spend their days on shore below deck in that dreaded treasure room.

“Well, Kane, we’re going to hit shore soon and I was wondering if. . .”

C’mon, Cat, man up!

“If I could have a portion of my share before we hit shore.”

“Of course, you know everyone gets a small bit before we land for food and such.”

“I know but this time I will need a little bit more.”

A lot more really. . .

“Why? What do you need to get?”

“Diamonds.”

Kane’s eyebrows shot up in surprise at this unusual request. After a moment he nodded his assent and waved his hand to indicate that Cat could leave. Cat sighed in relief as he made his way out; he would not trouble his captain any further. Kane had other business to attend to as Cat could plainly see. As he was leaving he could see that the eyes of this “business” that had been sitting in the captain’s lap had just opened wide with a surprised and thrilled glow. I guess they will all know soon enough. . .

It had originally been gold. He was planning on purchasing some as soon as they got to Corvo, and gold probably wouldn’t have set him too far back as far as his share was concerned. When he was a boy he only ever remembered men giving presents of gold or coins to those special women in their lives but perhaps times had changed, or perhaps such things were different in other countries. It was lucky for him then that he had gone to Lio and Kes for advice first. ***** Previously:

“Hey, Lio! Kes!” “Ooh,” Lio smiled wide when she saw him coming over to them. “What is it, Cat, do you need our most womanly advice?”

“Well. . . Yes, actually.”

“What is it now?” Kes snapped. She had been rather angry lately; ever since her fight with Westley she was all scowls. Cat could only sigh in response as he held out a bit of string to their confused faces.

“Can I take some measurements?”

The two girls just stared at him, utterly baffled by this request. He could see the line of Kes’s face deepen and he realized what he had just said.

“Wait no! No, not like that! Can I see your arms? I need to measure something else.” He smiled benevolently at them and after a pause the girls held out their hands to Cat. He began to frantically wrap his piece of string around them, all the while taking notes and seeing if anyone, specifically her, was coming.

“Can we ask what this is for?” Kes inquired, frowning.

Ah, now of course they would want to know. He had expected it and was prepared to tell them exactly what he was doing.

“I am buying Callista gold.” He took in a breath, knowing that they would know and then they’d see what he was doing and“Why?” They exclaimed in unison. Wait, do they not know?

“As a bride price?” Obviously. Why else did a man buy a woman gold who was not his wife or some other relative? It was expected for him to show that he could afford to take care of a wife and family. He did not expect, however, the double slap he received from two very irate young girls.

“Ow! What was that for?!”

“Callista is not a goat! You do not “buy” her! She has no “price.’” Kes practically screamed in his ear.

“Seriously. What are you thinking?” Lio said, her usually grinning turning into frown as she eyed him coldly.

“I did not mean it like that! It’s a gift! Did Foxy and Westley give you gold when you got married?”

“Well, we are not married yet.” Lio pouted. But Kes fingered the gold ring around her finger and nodded.

“Fine,” Kes sniffed, “But it cannot just be gold. It should have diamonds.”

“Why diamonds?” Are those expensive?

“Well,” Lio squealed as her face lit up with her usual grin, “Because diamonds are made by the fires of eternal love, of course!” “. . . I do not think that is true.”

“True or not, it is a tradition to give diamond rings when proposing to girls, which is what I think you meant by that statement.” Kes countered as she stuck her nose into the air.

Cat sighed in defeat. “Fine, fine. Diamonds it is.”

And so now Cat needed to buy diamond rings. Very specific, but questions still hovered in the air around the inexperienced jewelry buyer. What kind of diamonds? How many were needed on each ring? How big were the rings supposed to be? How many rings were considered enough?

How much would all of this cost? It was lucky for Callista that he had such an important job on the ship. *****

Later that day and well into that night Cat began to collect his share of the ships spoils and calculate exactly how much the addition of diamonds to his plan was going to cost. He sat alone in the treasure room carefully counting out each and every gold coin he would need for this grand project of his. All of a sudden he heard a pitter-patter on the stairs. He sat up and listened closely to the sound as it scurried down towards him. It had better not be rats again! We do not need this. Especially now the girls are here. I had better check it out before anyone else finds them. He stood, annoyed, and walked briskly to the door. Throwing it open he looked down to see not a rat but a very surprised young girl.

“Cat?” “Callista! What are you doing down here?”

Callista’s doe eyes looked softly up at him, shining in the small rays of moonlight that sifted through from the open sky above deck. She is not in trouble right? Kane would not dare. If she has to polish the treasure!

“Kane just sent me down here,” That bastard! “To collect us girls’ shares for the trip to port. He told me to take an extra large share to. . . To buy food.”

Oh. . .

“Oh. . . Well, that is what I am doing too, actually, getting the share that is.”

“Really? Then we can get them together.” She smiled brightly at him as they entered the room together. Her eyes got huge as she glanced around at all the gold in the room.

“You have stolen all of this?” She exclaimed in wonder. So Cute!

“Yes,” Stolen? Well. . . I guess there’s really no other word for it but- “But I like to say earned.

Kane steals things; I just earn an honest wage working for him.”

Callista just smiled again and giggled as she set to work gathering up some gold for her and her sisters. As she looked around the vast room her eyes couldn’t help alighting on Cat’s rather bulging sack of golden coins. Cat started up nervously as she pointed to the sack with her finger as a questioning look crossed her sweet little face.

“Cat? What do you need all of that money for?”

“Oh! That money! That money is. . . not for me. . . It is for the crew, their monthly wages for the trip to port. I am the quartermaster after all.”

“Ah, I see!” Callista gathered up her bag and headed out to the doorway. “How thoughtful of you to get it for them all! Well, I will see you upstairs Sweetie!” And with a wink and a grin she was gone.

“Phew. . .” Another crisis avoided, I really have been lucky lately. *****

The Next Day

For what felt like the hundredth time that afternoon Cat paced the bazaar on Corvo Island. He had checked every single one of these stall looking at each fine jewelry merchant trying to find what he needed. He had planned to find a good merchant and have the metal resized to fit his needs but failing that it looked as though he would need to find a smith to custom make what he wanted. I only hope it can be done in time! Who knows when Kane will decide to leave?

Hurrying away from the main marketplace Cat tried to scout out likely places along the side streets where the craftsmen had their workshops. All of a sudden he passed by a hanging sign that glinted in the sunlight. He looked closer and saw “Goldsmith” etched in shining gold plating across the front of the sign. After a few seconds to collect his courage he walked inside the front door.

The shop was a marvel to look at. It was like the treasure room but even better as every piece in the front of the shop was polished to perfection and gleaming. The smith, a large proud looking man in fine working leathers came out from the forges at the back of the shop.

“Hallo there, Sir! Care to purchase some of my work? I have the best gold forge on the island, you know. I can even do enamels and inlays if you like. Anything you could be needing relating to gold.”

“Ah, yes, actually I would like to order something custom-made. Something very much like these,” Cat gestured to some of the finer gold work that had been placed near the front of the shop. “but for a specific size. I have the measurements right here.”

“Oh, those ones! Yes, a fine choice I must say. Most wonderful for any lady friend I would wager, Sir.” “Also,” Cat paused wondering if he was asking too much. . .

“Yessir?”

“Can they be done by the end of today?” The smith’s bushy eyebrows shot up in surprise.

“Well, Sir, if you have the gold anything can be done by the end of today.” Cat held up his sack of gold coins and the smith nodded approvingly.

“It can be done, Sir.” “Alright, great and. . . you said you could do inlays?”

“Yessir, I can do inlays. Best inlays on the island, if I do say so. Any type of stone you would like. Any size. Do you have something particular in mind, Sir?” Ah, excellent! Luck is definitely with me today.

“Yes, actually. Could you perhaps use. . . Diamonds?” *****

This was it. The time Cat had been waiting for had come at last. After pacing back and forth many times he sat himself down on his bed to wait. He had told her earlier to come to his room at sundown and even now he could see the last streaks of orange and red fading into the vast sea, for they had left port days ago. Impatiently he checked the box he had received from the goldsmith back at port just to make certain everything looked perfect. Satisfied, Cat pushed the box back under his pillow and lay down. Perhaps a nap will calm my frenzied heartbeats. He turned his head into the pillow and slowly closed his eyes.

A gentle knocking filled his ears. Cat turned toward the sound and was greeted by an adorably blushing Callista in her thin nightgown opening the door. She bounded towards him and practically leapt up unto the bed in her excitement.

“I have a present for you!” She burst out happily.

“Wait, what?” Well, I did not see that one coming.

“On our last day at port, remember when I said Kane told me to get an extra share for food? It was not for food at all! It was for a present for you. So I spent all the time we were apart looking for something special.” She pulled from behind her back a package wrapped in colored paper and handed it to him. “I hope you like them. . .”

Cat took the parcel from her and gingerly opened the paper. How cute! No one has ever given me a present before! He tugged off the last bit of paper and out tumbled a pair of fine dress shoes.

“Oh, Callista, they are wonderful! I remember these from my childhood. . .”

“I thought since I have taken a pair of your shoes I should get you another pair in return.” She smiled again, lighting up the darkening room with her joy.

“But these are much nicer than the pair I gave you. . .”

“Do not worry about that! I just hope you can find a place to wear them.”

“I think I may have such a place very soon . . .” Okay! This is it! It is time. Get the box!

Cat turned from her to retrieve his own present. His hands fumbled around for a moment as they struggled to grasp the box hidden beneath the pillow. After they had firmly grasped it he reverently held up the box with both hands, displaying it to Callista’s wide and eager eyes. At that sweet expression on her face Cat froze and stared open mouthed at her. I am so lucky! A moment passed where the couple simply looked at each other, Callista not knowing what to say and Cat not knowing where to begin. After an eternity he slid down onto one knee and carefully opened the box.

Callista gasped at the sight that awaited her inside. Reaching out a tentative hand she carefully touched the box’s contents, her eyes filling with an even greater joy when Cat finally pronounced those immortal word’s precious to every girl’s heart.

“Callista, will you marry me?”

*****

“Beautiful.” Sighed Pea, as she gazed approvingly at Callista’s outstretched arms.

“Seems a bit impractical.” Castalia commented, not unkindly.

“Soo gorgeous!!” Squealed Pifo, terribly excited by this whole turn of events.

“Yes, good, but I would prefer cow.” Remarked Quoque.

“How do they feel in bed?” Asked Lio, wide eyed as ever.

“It was not exactly what I meant when I said “Diamond ring,”’ Kes sighed, “But they do look very lovely.”

Callista just looked down at her matching gold armbands encrusted with diamonds and smiled.

“They are a girl’s best friend, I think.” She looked up at her sisters with a perfect and joyful face.

“I am so lucky!”