Fate - First Reply A Morning Strait

[Rook]

Salty spray splattered Rook's face. The boat rocked under him as the dawn slowly crept up into the sky. His gloved hands yanking the large fishing net up along with the others out of the waves. He hated this sensation. The wet movement. It reminded him of the Shallows. How every board stepped on was a mystery if it would be stable or sink into the drenched mud. Moisture so thick in the air walking sometimes saw it cling to your skin. The heat of the Summer and chill of the Winter being the worst times for it.

But he needed to work to live and that meant taking a temporary job like this when it was available.

=============
The fishing boat trundled up to the dock. This day's haul was decent. Not horrible but definitely no chance for any kind of bonus pay. He had more work to do. The catch needed to be transported off the ship and to the stalls for sale. Already they had that smell. That fishy fish smell. The same kind that paired up with the scent of rotting wet vegetation to stink up the Shallows.

Could he never escape that place for a mere moment?

By the time the unloading was done morning was fully arrived. He walked over to the ship's captain and owner along with the other temporary help. The same handful of coins was counted out to him as was to everyone else. A couple silvers and about ten coppers. Not much but better pay in a day than most places in a week or even a month.

Rook pocketed his pay and secured it away in a hidden place. Then he began to walk down the docks of Alliria. Tired. Hungry. Smelling of salt, sea, and fish.

 

[Lamirose]

Lamirose walked through the bustling market by the docks. The smell of fish permeated the air but Lami did not mind. Her hair was still damp from her transformation, and her legs still shaky, but she adapted quickly, as she always did. She had learned that human women were expected to cover themselves, all parts of themselves, and so wore a brown, long-sleeved smock with a dirty white apron tied over it.

She paused at one stand where a man was selling fruit, but he shot her a dirty look, and so she moved on. She paused as a fishing ship came into the dock, the air tasting of salt and fish. As the men on board got off the ship and walked down the dock, Lami climbed up onto a wooden crate to better see. The fish smelled quite dead here, so different from where Lami was from. Of course, the smell of dead fish was notably better than the smell of dead men so Lami did not complain.

A humid breeze picked up her skirt and stuck it to her leg. Her hair was glued to the back of her neck. She ignored both as she watched the fishermen unload the fish and carry it into the market to sell. Now it was truly morning and the sun rose higher in the sky, illuminating the Shallows. Lamirose still stood atop the crate, watching the fishermen finish their jobs.

Rook

 

[Rook]

A sight caught Rook's eye not long after he left the fishing ship for the day. A woman with pale skin, blue eyes, and black hair. The pairing of skin and hair contrasting each other to the point of making them all the paler and darker respectively. He came to a stop as he began to look directly at her.

Was this woman a spirit or alive?

The young man couldn't tell. On the one hand her clothing was clinging to her in the wind coming off the strait. That was certainly more an alive thing than a spirit thing. Her hair was standing still on the back of her neck which could be either assuming she was wet or her hair was at least. But if she was alive why would she be wet? The water was too cold for a swim at night and who swam the waters of the dock for fun?

Rook just stood there enthralled by the appearance of the woman. Something about her just demanded his attention. He couldn't place why and hardly thought about it. His concern more if this beauty was real or not. People past him by and a few even gave him looks wondering why this dumbass young man was so openly staring at a woman in the middle of the street becoming the rock in the middle of the river of people.

Lamirose

 

[Lamirose]

A feeling like a sliver of ice creeping down the back of her neck alerted Lamirose and she blinked, her eyes sliding through the crowd of fishermen to land on a young man standing still in the midst of the moving people.

He was already watching her, his eyes a strange gray. His red-brown hair caught the sun, making it appear more red than brown. Lami leveled his heavy gaze with her own. There was something like skepticism on his face and, of course, Lami was instantly curious.

She tilted her head at the man, and gave him a little wave. She got down off the crate, now significantly shorter than the rest of the men in the crowd, and made her way towards the man. Another strange thing about her- human women would not have been standing on a crate in the first place, and would not be seeking out a man who was staring unabashedly at them. But Lami wasn't human.

Rook

 

[Rook]

The object of his attention finally seemed to notice that Rook was staring at her. This earned him a tilt of her head, a wave, and then her coming his way. Instantly he blushed realizing how much he had been staring and that she was in fact real. No spirit moved the way those alive did. For spirits it was more like watching yourself in a blurry mirror or like those puppets on strings putting on shows for kids. It was disjointed and didn't feel natural.

But this woman... this woman had a sway in her hip that was the most natural he had ever seen.

Rook went into a subtle panic trying to sort out what to say. What excuse to use. He couldn't just blurt out how he thought she was a pretty ghost. That would just make him look insane and creepy. Who said they were able to see spirits and be serious about it?

Well there was Auntie Irma... but she was lying to rich folk from Alliria proper to con them out of their coin. So she didn't count.

When Lami came upon him, Rook knew he was out of time. He did his best to smile at her. It was half a toothy, joyous grin and half an attempt to smirk that way confident guys in the tavern did. It was also fully awkward.

Before she could even say anything he said, "Sorry for staring. Don't see such a beautiful woman every day...."

By Alliria, the goddess had given him good fortune with this morning's job only to curse him with temporary idiocy! Well maybe not temporary if Miz'ri was right....

He shifted his weight and cleared his throat softly. Then he held out his hand as he blushed some more. "Name's Rook."

Lamirose

 

[Lamirose]

Lamirose found the man who had been staring at her and paused in front of him. He was flustered, a blush creeping up his neck and over his cheeks. He gave her a strange smile and then apologized for staring. He called her beautiful, which gave Lami pause for a moment. She shook it off quickly. What of it? Many have called her beautiful, and all those who had never stayed for long.

"Lamirose," she replied, giving her own name as he gave his. She looked at his outstretched hand and wondered what he meant by it. She thought she recalled seeing a vendor and a customer clasp hands and shake them as a way of greeting and she supposed that was what she was expected to do. So she slid her own hand into his and shook their joined hands once, twice, then dropped his hand returning her arm to her side.

She looked at him, not saying anything for a moment. "You're a fisherman," she said, stating what she figured was the obvious. Perhaps she could learn more about the landers from him, and perhaps even prove to her mother that they were not all bad.

Rook

 

[Rook]

The handshake was rather awkward. Must be a foreigner not use to the customs common in Alliria and the other great trade cities. Not unusual thing to find he noticed across his plethora of jobs. It was usually about either the direct contact or the idea of being as vulnerable as a handshake made you. Since he had gloves of some kind on all the time he leaned towards the vulnerable theory.

Regardless the sharing of names and shake made things more normal and less awkward for him at the very least. His blushing subsided a bit and he took a better look at her now that she was close. So not a ghost but was damp. She really had gone for a swim? Not the choice he would make personally but he also was out on the water before there was light in the sky so who was he to judge?

"Lamirose. Pretty name." Rook said with his smile becoming more natural and friendly. "Not a fisherman. Well not always. More of a jack-of-all-trades. Take whatever work I can get.... How about yourself? What do you do for a living?"

Rook kind of looked her over a moment. "You look smart, so.... Trader? Scholar? Bard?"

The idea of anything else didn't even enter his mind. The only smart people he tended to deal with was one of those three and all looking to take advantage of you in a different way. Trader looking to cheat you out of coin. Scholar looking to cheat you out of your time by wrangling free work out of you. Bard looking to cheat you by making you forget how shitty your day was only for reality to kick back in with the hangover the next morning. Also bites if Giibi was frisky from ale that evening.

Lamirose

 

[Lamirose]

Even just standing here talking to Rook, Lamirose was discovering how little she knew about the landers and how much she could learn. She made mental notes of the things he said. Do for a living... like a job? She supposed luring men to their deaths didn't count.

Then he listed what sounded like jobs. She did not know what any of them meant, save probably for the trader. "I sing," she said, which was rather an understatement. She hoped that was a job the landers had. She supposed with so many different types of landers, they needed some sort of structure and purpose in their lives that jobs gave them.

She remembered she was still damp from earlier, and a sudden wind came off the ocean and blew Lami's skirts and hair, drying both. She still could not get rid of the feeling of the thick, clammy water on her skin, and longed for the familiar, blue gray waters of home.

A woman heavy with child walked past them on the docks, embracing a man who must've been her husband as he walked down the docks towards the market. A strong memory surged and Lami placed a hand on her stomach as if to quell it. She returned her gaze to Rook's and tried to think of something intelligent to say.

 

[Rook]

If there was any sign of her confusion over what he had said Rook didn't notice. All he heard was her tell him she sang and he got a little excited. Bards were the best. How could anyone hate them? Sure they got you to drink more than you planned on drinking but that was their job. He could never fault someone for doing their job well.

While he might have missed something before, Rook did note the way Lami put her hand over her belly after the couple walked by. His eyes followed her own and it was easy to put the pieces together. Expecting or grieving? Best not to ask. Might be too soon and personal for such a private topic.

Rook just smiled and decided to do what he always did for others: find them something to eat.

"Lami, okay I call you that?" Rook asked a moment pausing so she could answer before continuing on. "Feeling hungry? I am. Just got paid so my treat."

He felt both proud he had coin in his purse for once and hated how he was already so willing to spend it at the same time. Could go to better things. More important things.... But treating a stranger to a warm meal while he could afford it was important too. Never take what Alliria blesses you for granted least you lose it all.

"Oh and maybe you could sing for me later? Love listening to music. Real special thing to do and always impressed by people who can make a living off it."

Lamirose

 

[Lamirose]

Lamirose was glad for Rook's kindness. She knew he had noticed her... moment, and was glad he pretended not to. She nodded, the corners of her mouth twitching upward when he came up with a nickname for her. She had never had a nickname before. She nodded again when he offered to buy her food. "Thank you," she said, the words tasting strange on her tongue. She rarely had the opportunity to thank anyone. "But maybe not fish," she added, a real smile playing across her lips. She had eaten fish ten times too many, but never complained, seeing as how the other option was lander flesh and she had never really developed a taste for it.

"Maybe," she replied to his second question about her singing. She had only sung on land once before and it didn't work nearly as well as it did in the water, but the alluring sound of her voice was still strong enough to be suspicious to anyone who paid enough attention.

Perhaps she shouldn't be talking to strangers, considering her history, but her curiosity won, as it often did.

Rook

 

[Rook]

The avoidance of fish for the meal was understandable. He didn't particular want any himself after spending all morning dragging a net full of them and then forced to smell their scent for hours. Even now the scent of fish was strong in the air and it wasn't because of him. It was one thing if he had caught fish with a rod and reel off the coast or from the river. It was another to be coming back from the ocean onboard a ship loaded with them.

Rook smiled to her. "No fish sounds good to me Lami."

He started to go but then paused. His gaze went to her then her hand then back to her. A slight frown formed as he mentally debated a very important topic. Should he offer her his arm and they walk like that couple from earlier or not? Just hold hands because she might get lost in the ever growing crowd? Was touching, even with his gloves on, a bad thing?

After a few moments of debate he finally offered her his arm to take. He smiled a bit awkwardly. "Or would holding hands be better? Don't want you getting lost. Alliria is big and is dangerous in too many places."

One of those places happened to be his home in the Shallows but he wasn't going to take her there. Too risky for too many reasons, and only part of them was because of muggers and thieves.

After she decided which she preferred, his arm or his hand, he would begin to lead her to a nice little stand that served some good food this early. Different kinds of oatmeals and gruels with dried fruits, meat chunks, or even honey mixed into them. Should be something for her no matter what she liked! Also they served ale and he was in need of a drink after all that rocking about on the sea.

Lamirose

 

[Lamirose]

Lamirose hesitated for only a moment before sliding her arm around his. She was familiar with this, at least. She understood how dangerous the land was- from her mother's tales and her own experiences. She would wish it was as simple as her home except it wasn't that simple.

She let Rook lead her to a nearby stand in the market selling foods that smelled good even if some of them didn't look very appetizing. Her eyes grew wide at the spread as she took it all in, not noticing the vendor's expression of pleasantry, so different from the other vendor Lami had met earlier when she was alone. She pointed out what she wanted to the vendor and gave Rook a silver coin she found in the pocket of her dress. It must've been left by the previous owner when they set out their laundry to dry. Too bad for them, Lami thought.

She stayed close to Rook, if only to appear less alone, especially since everyone who walked in the market was not alone.

Rook

 

[Rook]

The young man walked with her on his arm all the way to the vendor in a better mood. Sure he was still tired, hungry, and smelling like fish but at least now he had company. When they arrived he let her pick out her food and then he picked his own. The nicest thing about this stand for him was that it was reasonable in prices where others were not. Allirians always were looking to get that extra coin after all.

When Lami tried to give him that coin, he just closed her fingers around it and shook his head with a smile. She might need it and he had already offered to pay. Wasn't going to back out on his word now. Not with a pretty singer. Maybe one of them con artists and swindlers, but not her.

They were given their bowls and he took her to as private a spot as could be had. It was a small table only able to handle the two of them with an oddly good view of the port and nice part of the city. Most tended to look out towards the Shallows. A place he wanted to ignore for just awhile longer.

Food and drinks on the table, Rook would help Lami with her seat then join her. He took a drink first and savored it. Then he went to eating his food with more than a little excitement. Rare treat this was for him.

"So Lami, what brings you to Alliria? Got a job singing for one of the local taverns or brothels?"

Lamirose

 

[Lamirose]

Lamirose smiled a bit and then put the coin back in her pocket. She wondered if his kind act would last. Only one way to find out, she supposed. She sat down at a small table with Rook and tasted her first bite of the brown mush they called oatmeal and the strange, dry sweet chunks of what was likely fruit. It wasn't half bad, definitely better than fish.

Lami had no idea what a tavern or brothel was but she pretended as if she did. "I'm looking for places to sing. I was hoping to explore the culture," she said softly. She was beginning to realize she was starting rather low, but it could only get better from here, right?

"Do you live here, Rook?" she asked, after taking another bite of the oatmeal.

Rook

 

[Rook]

Ate and listened to Lami as she spoke. The woman was definitely not from around here. The places he mentioned were places to sing so if she knew what they were would have preference. Never knew a bard that didn't. Was she trying to impress him or just not stand out too much? Later was more likely and the smarter option. Pickpockets and con artists had a knack for sniffing out those new to Allirian culture.

He smiled to her. His own bowl had meat in it. Good meat. Not the tough as leather kind or the better off not asking what it was kind.

"I do. Born and partly raised. Lived outside the city for awhile with my dad raising sheep before coming back. Dad just couldn't get the city out of his blood, as he liked to put it."

He took another drink. Time to get into the golden statue of Alliria in the room. This was going to be kind of awkward.

"For where you can sing it depends on how many propositions for sex you want or will put up with. Brothel definitely has more offers, but people won't be as persistent. Got other, easier options at hand. Taverns will have less but more aggressive and persistent drunks that won't take the first few noes as an answer. Should be fine though so long as you stick to the public areas.... Never walk down an alley, any alley, alone in any part of the city."

He was talking less from personal experience on those first points and more from watching and hearing stories from bards. Both male and female ones at that. Alliria truly didn't discriminate based on that sort of thing. But he still had more to say.

"I know you aren't familiar with Alliria and her people. If you have any questions or don't know something just ask. I won't judge. No point in it. Enjoying the company too much."

Rook gave her a friendly smile then got back to finishing off his meal and drink.

Lamirose

 

[Lamirose]

Lami was surprised when the topic changed rather abruptly. So that was what a tavern and brothel was. A drinking house and a sex house. How lovely. It really didn't boost her hopes for the human race. She supposed a bunch of animalistic fish-women eating men just for the fun of it wasn't much better though.

Lami nodded, momentarily at a loss for words. If he was warning her away from these things, surely he couldn't plan on doing them to her? Lamirose wasn't sure anymore.

She was struck with the sudden urge to tell him the truth. She glanced around them nervously and leaned forward a bit. "Rook," she said softly. "You have been honest with me and I want to be honest with you- I'm a Kivren," She finished, her blue eyes searching his grey ones, looking for some sort of reaction. She hoped he wouldn't jump up and attack her but she also wouldn't blame him if he decided he didn't enjoy her company as much anymore.

Rook

 

[Rook]

Rook was a bit confused when Lami suddenly leaned forward. His food was all gone and this pint of ale drank. A sad event for him that would need to be lamented after whatever it was his companion was doing. She spoke and a slight frown crossed his lips. His eyes didn't hide how his mind went from confusion over what a kivren was to realization to slight panic to just acceptance all in the span of a few seconds.

The sailors liked to talk about these pretty women with even prettier voices out at sea that enthralled them to wreck their ships and eat their flesh. Pretty horrific if true and the odd like things made so much sense now. That was why she was damp and mentioned being a singer even not knowing about what they did top side.

Rook leaned in looking serious. "Guess this means if you wanted to eat me you would have lured me to the water. Right?

He smiled at her and leaned back into his seat. "Use to getting bite any ways. Live with a feral drow girl that likes to use her teeth instead of her words. Also uses her words.... She is kind of mean but I'll beat anyone who thinks about hurting her."

A chuckle left him as he patted his chest with one hand lightly. "I have beat a few who thought about it actually.... Also I live with this goblin girl who is the best housekeeper and cook. Works harder than anyone else for a fraction of what she is worth. Decked a few over her too."

He went to pick up his drink and frowned as it was empty. "Then there is Sig. He sleeps a lot but is a good guy. Don't think he can take care of himself though. Going to have to do that till he finds a woman, or guy, who will...."

Rook put his pint in his empty bowl then looked to see if she was done as well or not.

"If anyone has an issue with you let me know Lami. Be happy to deck them for you. Learn their lesson, get to live, and you don't have to show off your tail if you don't want to."

He gave her a smile and stretched. With a full belly now he was feeling a little extra tired.... Too bad the house still needed some fixing up and he was the only one who could do it. Maybe finding Sig some construction work with him would be a good idea?

Lamirose

 

[Lamirose]

He went from confusion to panic to acceptance and even made a joke. For being only the second person Lami had told, Rook had taken it rather well. Before she could even respond to his first question, he started blabbering about a bunch of people and places and things and Lami had no idea what he was talking about at all.

It took her a moment to figure out that "deck them" likely meant to fight them, although she wasn't sure why he had to refer to a deck to get that point across. But he had offered to protect her. No one had ever cared enough to protect her.

"I- thank you," she said softly after a moment. He sure did smile a lot, didn't he?

Lami looked down at her bowl, realizing that she had finished her tasty sludge. She looked back up at Rook and wondered what he would do or say next. She had only known him for a morning and already she didn't yet want to be parted from him. It seemed she would never learn her lesson.

Rook

 

[Rook]

So Rook was more nervous still than he thought. Not so much a panic but he was rambling like he did when he wasn't sure how to fully feel. He knew how not to feel right now which was threatened at least. She was proving to be nicer than a majority of those from the city so far. A good sign he hoped. If not the drowned made it sound like a less painful way to die than the burned.

With Lami's bowl being empty, he picked it up and added it to his stack. Then he stood and took them back to the vendor. Why the stall was still giving out bowls and pints rather than make people bring their own to avoid the cost of replacing them when someone inevitably took off with them was baffling. Rook appreciated it right now but he also had acquired most of their utensils back home not bringing such items back.

After that he would return to Lami.

"I got nothing else to do right now if you don't so if you don't mind my company longer.... Maybe we could do something?"

The way Rook said it was with a bit of awkward pausing. There was the fact she was kivren but also just the fact she was still a pretty woman. Goddess, he needed to figure out a way to stop feeling so nervous around pretty women out of nowhere.

Lamirose

 

[Lamirose]

Lamirose froze when Rook got up, but he just went to take the bowls back. When he returned he proposed staying with her longer for which Lami was grateful. She stood up from her chair. "Yes," she replied. "I want to learn more about the landers, so I don't look stupid."

He had told her a lot about his life, even if Lami couldn't understand it all, but she wondered if she was expected to tell him about her life. Deciding she would come back to that later, she instead asked a question. "What's a housekeeper?" she said, recalling Rook had used the word to describe a goblin girl.

There was so much to learn and so little time; just when she had thought she was making a significant step forward by becoming fluent in the common tongue, she was realizing how much more she didn't know. And how it could put her life in danger. Perhaps her mother was right; she might get killed up here for her curiosity and stupidity.

Rook

 

[Rook]

Once again Rook offered Lami his arm like he had before. A stroll after they ate sounded good and hopefully get some life back into his bones. A chuckle was his immediate response to her first comment.

"Don't worry about looking stupid. Most of us landers have a habit of looking stupid every day."

The stroll, if she took his arm or not, was down the street keeping closer to the water and away from the Shallows. He did his best to keep the crowds on the thinner side as well, but that wouldn't help all that much given it was Alliria. Where exactly he planned to take her even he didn't know.

"A housekeeper is someone who keeps a house. Cleans. Cooks. Makes sure everything is tidy and pleasant. Giibi is really good at it. I like to keep things clean but she somehow finds dirt in places I didn't know existed."

He knew all these names didn't mean much to her. They were just faceless strangers. But they were important people to him. The most important. He had fire in his blood, like his dad used to call it, and nothing heated him up like things related to them.

"So Lami...." Already he knew the thought that popped up into his head was a terrible idea to blurt out, but he couldn't help himself at all. "Is it true that you kivren like to seduce men, have your way with them, and then drown them after you are done?"

Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Those were just bard's tales meant to entertain. Obviously all they did was sing and sink their victims. Why even ask?!

Lamirose

 

[Lamirose]

Lami once again took his arm and walked with him, the water always visible. The salty scent of the ocean was soothing for her nerves.

She made note of what a housekeeper was. She nodded and was thinking of another question to ask when Rook beat her to it.

She glanced at him as they walked, a smile of amusement pulling up the corners of her mouth. "Some do. Some of my sisters sing to lure them in, do what they want with them, and then eat them," she replied. "But some only sing to kill, no pleasure involved," she added. She was glad she could answer his questions; it made her feel less stupid and oblivious.

She knew a lot, just not enough.

"You've never met a Kivren, have you?"

Rook

 

[Rook]

Her response to his dumb question made it so he didn't know if he should feel better or worse. If she wasn't just teasing him right now that meant the bards weren't lying. Well not about kivren at least. He didn't know if that made getting caught any level of worth it if it was by one of the "playful" sisters. Probably like being a mouse caught by a cat. You were going to get eaten but how long were they going to play with you first?

"You are the first. Probably be dead if I had."

Rook pondered that thought again. That thought of drowning. He had it before. Every time he got on a boat really to go fishing. He was no sailor. Sailing held a danger and discomfort for him that grew the further out they went. Kivren were something out there on the waters that even the sailors feared. Shouldn't he be more scared of Lami than he was too?

The idle thought past by after a moment. Best not to dwell on the ifs when the now was hard enough.

"What about you Lami? Do you like to have your way first or just get right to the biting?"

That question felt a bit personal after he asked it. In his head it didn't feel that way but now that it was out in the open it did. She was on land so obviously wasn't like her sisters and if she planned to eat him then why have that meal first? Unless she was planning to eat him later....

Lamirose

 

[Lamirose]

Lamirose was surprised at Rook's both fearful and awed reaction to kivren. For most landers, Lami knew fear and hate went hand in hand.

When he asked another question, the smile slipped from her face. "No. I've never eaten a lander, or taken him without his consent," She replied, her voice subdued. Too many memories that she didn't care to linger on floated to the surface of her mind.

"We can shift between forms, but my sisters only shift to reproduce," she added, in a weak attempt to change the subject. She suddenly felt nauseous and light-headed, and without meaning to, she stumbled, tripping over her own feet. If her arm wasn't linked through Rook's, she might have hit the ground.

Rook

 

[Rook]

The question was indeed too personal to be asked. Her immediate reaction to it was very telling. While hearing her say she didn't eat or force herself on anyone did relieve some of his fear, he just felt ashamed he asked in the first place. Clearly it was a touchy subject for her.

When she tried to change the subject then tripped, he moved to be catch her. She was able to right herself thanks to holding his arm though. A bit of a sigh of relief at that. He did take note of it and so immediately took her to the nearest place to sit down. Walking on the land must be a lot like him trying to walk on a boat out at sea. Not enough experience at it to be safe.

The nearest spot happened to be a little nook looking over the strait down an alley. A rather private spot, which suited the nature of their current conversations. Probably best not to be so open about her being a kivren and "reproduction" in a coastal city.

Rook made sure she got sat down okay on a bench before joining her.

"So you have to switch forms to reproduce? Must make things complicated. All we got to do is drop out pants."

Lamirose