Mariel of Redwall (1991)

Mariel of Redwall is a fantasy novel by Brian Jacques, published in 1991. It is the fourth book published and also the fourth chronologically in the Redwall series.

Plot summary

Book 1: The Maid from the Sea

The story opens with the Gabool the Wild, the nefarious King of Searats, standing at the top of a cliff, watching a small mousemaid struggling to stay afloat in the rough seas below. The pirate king returned to his fortress, Fort Bladegirt, where one of his captains named Bludrigg demanded a share of their most recent plunder. Gabool feigned an air of compliance, but swiftly beheaded Bludrigg. After this incident, he interrogated Joseph the Bellmaker and attempted to force him to build a tower for the enormous bell he captured. This fails, but Gabool was able to successfully persuade the Bellmaker to interpret the mysterious symbols on the bell in exchange for promises of a reunion with the latter's daughter. Gabool, technically upholding this promise, proceeds to shove the old mouse off of the cliff he had been watching the mousemaid being battered by the sea from before.

In the meantime, the mousemaid was rendered unconscious when a piece of flotsam struck her on the head. But miraculously, she survived, waking up after being washed ashore with a rope looped around her neck. Overwhelmed by thirst, the dazed mousemaid eventually found a small pool of fresh water. After successfully fending off a gull with her trusty rope and unsuccessful attempts to retrieve her forgotten identity, the amnesiac mouse named herself Storm Gullwhacker.

When weary Storm next awoke, she found herself surrounded by trident-wielding common toads, led by their disgruntled leader, Oykamon. The mousemaid launched an attack, but was readily overwhelmed and stabbed. She was rescued by Colonel Clary, Brigadier Thyme, and Hon Rosie, hares of the Long Patrol. They decided to bring Storm to Redwall, led by a reclusive, paranoid Eurasian red squirrel, Pakatugg.

At Terramort Isle, Saltar the corsair, brother of Bludrigg, arrived with the Darkqueen. Saltar dueled Gabool, but was treacherously killed in a trap. Immediately afterward, a report came in that Captain Greypatch had stolen the Darkqueen, Gabool's flagship. Gabool told his captains that whoever kills Greypatch will be made second-in-command of all searats. The power-hungry vermin scrambled to amass crew and ships in a bid to claim the reward.

Redwall

Storm and Pakatugg quickly found themselves at odds with their disharmonious personalities and they soon parted way. Storm attempted to find the way to Redwall by herself, meeting an eccentric hare named Tarquin L. Woodsorrel.

The two reached Redwall without further incident. Tarquin conversed with the badger mother Mellus while Storm got acquainted with Dandin and Saxtus, two resident mice. Despite the mousemaid's aversion to baths, Storm eventually grew accustomed to life at Redwall. One night, Dandin, Saxtus, and Storm were enjoying themselves at the Abbot's Jubilee Feast when Saxtus recited a strange, prophetic poem. The mousemaid let out a sudden cry and fell unconscious. Unbeknownst to the Redwallers, the story in the poem paralleled the events of Storm's life and triggered the return of her memory.

The blind herbalist, Simeon, convinced Storm to tell them her newly recovered identity. Storm revealed that her real name was Mariel, and recounted her journey aboard the Periwinkle with her father, Joseph the Bellmaker. The Periwinkle was bound on a course for Salamandastron to deliver a massive bell to the current badger lord, Rawnblade Widestripe. Unfortunately, they were overtaken and boarded by a pirate ship under Saltar, who killed the Periwinkle crew after a brief struggle. Joseph and Mariel were taken to Terramort, and she was forced to serve at Gabool's table.

Things went from bad to worse for the mousemaid when she unwittingly collided with Gabool in the midst of a fight the pirate king had picked with another pirate named Skullgor. Gabool finished off Skullgor, then turned his attention to the hapless mousemaid. Mariel snatched up Skullgor's sword from the ground and managed to stun Gabool, but was knocked out by the pirate king's henchmen before she could deal the killing blow. Embarrassed by his unexpected loss to a mere mousemaid, Gabool tied a heavy rock to Mariel's leg and threw her into the sea. Luckily, her would be ball-and-chain was dashed to pieces during her fall and she managed to survive. Eventually waking up with nothing but her trusty rope after having been washed ashore.

The Quest Begins

Northwest of Redwall, Greypatch landed in Mossflower Woods aboard the Darkqueen, hotly pursued by Garrtail aboard the Greenfang. Greypatch easily massacred the crew of the Greenfang and burned the ship. Pakatugg, spotting the ship, followed the searat scouts, but was captured. When interrogated, the squirrel cracked and revealed the location of Redwall.

Back at Redwall, Mariel attempted to leave immediately in her quest to slay Gabool. Dandin, Mother Mellus, Tarquin, and Simeon were able to convince her to search for information on the whereabouts of Terramort first. All the inhabitants of Redwall searched the gatehouse for clues, unearthing a scroll by Fieldroan the Traveler. Information in hand, Mariel resolved to leave the next day alone. However, Martin the Warrior had other plans. During the night, his spirit visited Simeon and prompted the herbalist to give Dandin his deadly sword.