Private Tales Bad Stakes

[Eilerias]

Eilerias sat quietly after Khet responded. His response took her by surprise. Certainly she could soothe him so he wasn't aching from his disfigurements.

She studied the letter as the writing melted away. A symbol was revealed to be on the page. She had no idea what it meant, but by the look on Isak's face, it wasn't good.

Isak's anger frightened her as the malformed man spoke of the slavers which followed in the footsteps of their own former slaver. It must have hurt to have his old wounds ripped back open. Children being traded. Taken from their mothers and abused. The very thought caused her to start digging her nails into her palms in an effort to hide her disgust.

She dug her nails into her palm as she he brought forth a map. She was not well educated in areas outside of Falwood, where she spent most of her childhood, and Alliria, so this location didn't stick out to her. "Black bay." She mouthed the words in silence as she stared at the meaningless location. Gwendolyn tried to educate her, so she would have an easier time adjusting to the hard life in the Outer City, but world geography hadn't yet made an appearance in her curriculum.

Eilerias shook her head as Isak tried to speak to her. She looked down at her hands. They were bleeding where she had been digging her nails in to stop herself from speaking up. She looked disappointed when she finally looked up again. She wanted to let him go. They had a deal. Who was she to interfere with their business?

She allowed him to grab her bloody hand. It stung as her skin touched his glove, but she didn't show the pain on her face. She took a deep breath and turned back to Khet. "I'll go with." Her voice was quiet, but confident- it was a demand. "I can help. I can save them." She said referring to the children which had been unfairly used as a form of currency, rather than the slavers Isak was likely being sent to murder.

The very thought of the slaves taking those kids made her tear up. She looked back down. She didn't want Khet to see her cry about the child slaves. He didn't want sympathy, he wanted death. She stood up, still staring at the filthy floor and turned to the door. She intended to let Isak finish the meeting and she would wait outside where she could collect her thoughts and the shadows would shut up for once.

 

[Isak Lavelle]

Isak could only watch as Eilerias stood up and left, his body itching to go after her. Small droplets of blood - her blood - stained his dark glove. He had seen how hard she was trying to digest all that information without breaking down. It was hard to think about the cruelties of the world, and Isak knew that very well. He wanted to run after her and give her at least some small measure of comfort, to say to her that everything would be alright.

He really had no idea if anything could be alright. It was almost like a fake word in his life, something completely out of order. A lie, even. Isak learned many years ago that there wasn't such thing as a good world, and those lessons seemed to come back to haunt every now and again. Distraught, he looked at Khet who had been watching the two of them.

"You truly do care for her, sparrow... I can feel it, inside you. Maybe you really are a fool, but perhaps I can trust her to turn you into something better than whatever Master Atreon made you." Isak wanted to snap at Khet for the mere mention of that man's name. He had buried that name in the deepest parts of his mind, never to be unearthed again. "Atreon took many things from us, little Isak. But he never managed to rip away our hearts."

Isak was lost for words for a long time, just looking down at his hands. Strangely, a part of him believed Khet. Whenever he looked at Eilerias, whenever he watched her smile or talk about her faith, as naive as it sometimes sounded, Isak could feel then that he yet had a heart, that he had something that hadn't been taken and scarred by his past. He didn't have any memories of his childhood, of happier days in his past, but he wanted to try and make new ones. He only had to carry out that new task and punish the slavers who wanted to put other kids through the same suffering.

He left the house sometime later, having concluded his conversation with Khet. Isak stood in silence as he watched Eilerias looking away at the foggy swamplands, no doubt lost in her own thoughts. He didn't want to break that small moment of peace, so he just stayed there for a moment, trying to think of a good way to approach her. Isak took off his gloves and slowly walked to her side, trying not to alert her. When she figured out he was there, Isak carefully wiped some of the tears that he caught falling down her face. He suspected it was hard for her too, to listen to all that back then. Eilerias had told him before that she also lived most of her young life alone, that she knew what it was like to feel lonely and even hopeless, that she threw herself towards her faith because of it. It hurt her as much as did him to think of the hopeless and lonely children out there, being taken by 'people' who sought to sell them for a few coins.

Isak took her bloodied hand with all the care in the world, looking at the small cuts from her own nails. "We'll save them, Eile. All of them. You have my word." He swore to her then, his voice low and steady. Isak was determined not to fall into his bloodlust anymore, he wanted to be better than that. Even more than punishing those slavers, he wanted to save those kids like Eilerias would want. Maybe this time his own suffering could be turned into a story of hopefulness, instead of a never ending cycle of revenge.

Isak didn't even realize that night had fallen, and they had a long and quiet walk back to the club. He didn't put his gloves back on, instead holding Eilerias' hands to warm her as best he could during the cold night, to silently comfort her and to let her know that he was there for her. He was still working on being a better man for her, and Isak felt comfortable taking those small steps into towards achieving that. He wanted to believe that Khet was right, that Atreon hadn't taken everything from him.

Once they reached a less crowded street near the Raven Club, Isak gave her hand a small tug as they both stopped, far from any prying eyes. He looked at her passionately, trying to find the right words to say. He felt the words pound at his chest and get stuck in his throat, but he needed to say something now.

"Stay. Stay with me tonight. We can think of the other things later, just..." He wanted to cherish every moment close to her. He wanted to leave the plans about the journey for tomorrow, for now he only wanted to be alone with her again, surrounded by their own peace.

 

[Eilerias]

Eilerias left without saying another word. Isak knew she wasn't going to run away, she just needed air. She stood on the edge of the rocks, staring out into the deep green sludgy water. The blood had dripped from her palms to her fingertips, but she hadn't noticed. She just stared, expressionless and emotionless.

What the hell was she supposed to do? She had no place to keep children. She doubt Isak noticed she was thinner than usual in the dark last night. She didn't use any of the coin on herself from the heist. She put it all into the church, leaving her without food on many occasions. Keeping them in her small church was an option for shelter, but she couldn't feed them or care for them.

She wondered if thats why her parents abandoned her as a baby. Could they not care for her or did they just not want her? She had no answers to her many questions of her family. She had suspicions that Gwendolyn knew of her father, but refused to speak with her on her family or anything family related beyond informing her that he was well known. She wouldn't even give her her own last name. The last time she asked if her mother or father were alive, Gwendolyn kicked her out and locked the doors behind her.

She didn't hear Isak leave the house nor did she notice him approach her. "I'm sorry." She whispered as tears flowed down her face. He tried to wipe them away, but they didn't stop. "I should have just killed him. He's in pain and he causes you pain and I could have ended it for both of you, but I can't." Her words were rapid as she took quick breaths. She could feel both the physical pain Khet was in and Isak's pain from his memories. It was overwhelming and she couldn't fix either.

"I don't know what I am going to do with them." She admitted, accepting his promise. "I can't even afford food for myself, how can I feed children and find them good homes to live in?" She thought about starting an orphanage, but her childhood was traumatic and inflicting that upon other children was evil.

Eilerias was silent on the long walk home. It had gotten colder as night came. Her hand burned from her cuts, but she ignored the pain. There was too much to think about, no time for pain. His gentle tug on her hand brought her back to the present and her eyes met his.

He wanted her to stay the night. Her heart felt warm at his demand. She wanted so badly to relive the last night over and over, but on the other hand she felt nervous and guilty. After a few seconds of debating, she nodded. "Fine, I'll stay. But what are you going to tell Ogden? I sincerely doubt he would believe we were doing business this late." The corners of her mouth twitched into a smile.

 

[Isak Lavelle]

Isak started to breathe easier, feeling the relief taking over his chest. It was nice to see Eilerias smiling again after what happened back at the Shallows, and he was determined to see that smile a few more times before that night was over. Still without his gloves, Isak carefully entwined his fingers with hers and grabbed her hand with care, leading her towards the Raven Club's main entrance. The two guards quickly recognized them and let them through without asking any questions or giving them any side glances, and Isak let Eilerias cross the doors first, following right behind her.

The club was bursting with clients like always, all the gambling tables taken and drinks being poured left and right. He could spot a few bottles of the Cortosi wine in one of the tables, smiling proudly at the thought that Ogden had been successful in securing the first delivery. He only hoped that there were still some bottles remaining for him to drink that night. Ogden came to meet them as soon as they reached the bar while searching for him.

"Evenin' boss, and Miss Eilerias! What can I get you?" He threw a curious glare at Isak, who quickly dismissed it, shaking his head discreetly. He put his hand on the counter and Ogden was almost stunned to see him without his gloves, a very rare sighting.

"Eilerias will be staying here tonight." Isak said, bluntly. He took a quick glance at her to examine her condition. She looked a bit paler, almost as much as him, and she had lost some blood with the cuts on her hand. "The second floor is off limits, Ogden. Don't ask any questions. And get us some food and drinks, some pork and fruits will do nicely." Ogden merely nodded in agreement to Isak's orders, throwing his small tablecloth over his shoulder and hastily departing to the kitchen. Isak looked at Eilerias tenderly before taking her hand again and leading her towards the staircase to the second floor.

Entering his room after that strange day was like a fresh breath of peace, and it felt good to see it more illuminated than before. Isak had asked Ogden to put a few more candles after what happened to Eilerias the night before, and now the expensive decorations of the room were more visible, much to Isak's delight. He had spent a small fortune to set up that room to his liking, matching both his taste in business and also his passion for arts. The paintings on the walls better highlighted the place, giving it a more vivid ambience along with the added light and burning scents from Amol Kalit.

Isak closed the door and quickly made his way towards the water basin across the room, opening a small closet beneath it and grabbing some bandages along with fresh water. He almost forgot he had those from before he met Eilerias, since she was always healing her after their exciting adventures. Isak got rid of his coat and shoes, rolling up his sleeves and walking towards Eilerias, motioning her to sit at the bed.

He sat close to her and examined her hands for a moment. The cuts were short but they were still bleeding, which made Isak wonder how much frustration she was trying to push back in their conversation with Khet, upon discovering about the slavers. He was still trying to clear his mind of all that himself, afraid to scare her if he showed how badly he wanted to grab hold of one of those slavers and slowly torture him until the last drop of his blood. He'd think of ways to punish those men later, but for now he only wanted to do whatever he could to make Eilerias feel better.

Isak took one of her hands carefully, feeling his heart ache for seeing her hurt again. In that moment, he wished he had her powers, to take away her pain and ease her mind. Instead, Isak looked at her with a soft smile. "Let me take care of you, at least for tonight."

He hoped Ogden would arrive with the wine soon, at least to dull some of Eilerias' pain before he could clean the cuts and wash away the blood. He knew the priestess had her vows to never drink alcohol, but it was the best tool he knew to ease someone's pain other than healing magic like hers.

 

[Eilerias]

Eilerias sat quietly on Isak's bed. Ogden had remade the blankets while they were away and lit some more candles. It was a relief to be there. "Sorry..." She was quiet. "About the blood. I'm sorry. I didn't realize I had done that." She looked at her hands.

She knew she could heal herself but she accepted Isak's offer, nodding at him when he asked to take care of her. She watched as he gently assessed her hands, making sure he wasn't hurting her. "Maybe I could teach you a thing or two on how to take care of wounds." She chimed. "I can't give you divine magic and healing powers, but maybe I can teach you how to manipulate people and soothe them." Her offer was serious. She felt Isak's darkness and wondered if he heard whispers of lies and deception. Her darkness was the reason she could deceive people into feeling better when she couldn't heal them. It was an act that left her feeling guilty, even though it was only to ease the comfort of her patients.

Ogden burst through the door in his typical over the top way, carrying food and wine. She chuckled as he greeted them once again. "Thank you." She nodded at him, her hands were still being held by Isak. She hoped Ogden hadn't noticed the blood. He was a very clean person, and he probably wouldn't enjoy her bleeding on the expensive carpets that he had to tend to.

After Ogden left, she was presented with a glass of the newly arrived wine. It smelled sweet, but also bitter and made her nose crinkle as she smelled it's strong scent. She grabbed the glass from Isak's hands and tasted it. The taste was something foreign to her. It was just as sweet and bitter as it smelled, causing her to make a funny face.

"Its interesting." She said, looking as though she had just bit into a lemon. "This is expensive?" She didn't understand how something that didn't taste particularly good could cost so much gold to obtain. She continued to drink it quickly, hoping she would get used to its strange taste if she finished it. Soon, she began to feel very warm. The pain dulled, but her head was foggy. It was the perfect time to clean her wounds and bandage her up.

 

[Isak Lavelle]

Isak looked back at her, confused. Why was she apologizing? It had been his idea to ask her to go with him to the Shallows, to meet a man she hated. He should've been the one apologizing for making her go through all that, for once again dragging her into his own troubles.

"Don't. It's my fault. I was the one to drag you into this." Isak had to look back down on her hands to say that out loud, ashamed to meet her gaze. How could Eilerias ever be with him if he was always putting her through dangers? The heists, the risky jobs, and now a mission to journey all the way to the dreaded Black Bay in a hunt for slavers. He knew she wanted nothing more than to safe the children, the victims of those terrible men, but Isak would never forgive himself if she got hurt because of him again.

Eilerias brought him back from his melancholic thoughts, her words sweet enough to soothe him. She was offering to teach him how to heal, instead of just delivering pain to other people. Isak forced back a laugh, he could barely believe that he had any talents to something other than destruction and manipulation, but the offer was actually making him consider. He switched his gaze from her small hands to her golden lit eyes, and Isak could see that she really meant it. "I think I'd like that." He smiled tenderly.

Isak pondered upon her words for a few more seconds as Eilerias spoke of manipulation, probably referring to using her darker powers. Isak heard voices from his own shadows too, the beast raging inside him from time to time, trying to give him some unwanted counsel, but he always ignored it. He imagined that Eilerias felt the same, the allure of darkness calling to her, charming her with promises of power. Isak was surprised to see how similar they were, even if they were like day and night. "Manipulation? Perhaps we're more alike than you think, priestess." Manipulation was a common tool in his line of work, but his didn't use any kind of power other than a silver tongue. Isak dealt in secrets and bribes, and they worked most of the time, whenever he needed to 'ease' someone into giving him what he wanted. Maybe he could even teach her some things too, things that kept him alive all this time.

A few knocks on the door interrupted them, and Isak was quick to open it and have a quick glance at Ogden. He asked if there was any trouble at the club, to which the dwarf promptly denied, and went on to grab the plate full of food and a few bottles of Cortosi wine that Ogden brought, placing it next to the bed. He bid Ogden a good night and closed the door after Eilerias expressed her gratitude from the bed, opening one of the bottles swiftly and offering it to her once he sat at the bed again. He couldn't help but smile at her reaction upon bringing the bottle close and feeling its smell.

"Strong, isn't it? It will ease the pain and make you feel better, eventually." Isak said and watched Eilerias carefully take a sip of the drink, grimacing at the taste of it. She asked him if it was expensive, and Isak felt joy to address her concerns. "It is, but our little adventure a few months ago got us plenty of coin to spare." The heist had made them rich, but Isak knew that all of her money went back to her church, into helping the poor and needy. He was confused about it at first, always surprised at her selflessness, but Isak learned to admire and envy that side of Eilerias. She wasn't just a innocent girl, she was a good woman, too good for that city. But she needed to eat and replenish her energies, and Isak had ordered a small banquet to her, and he was thankful that Ogden was a marvelous cook.

Time passed by quickly and Isak was happy to see that Eilerias enjoyed the wine enough to finish the entire bottle by herself, noticing how red she was after it. With the alcohol now taking effect, and Isak quickly grabbed the nearby glass of water, gently taking her hands and washing away the blood carefully. He stopped every time she flinched in pain, but continued to slowly clean the injuries over her hands afterwards. "Almost done." He said softly, trying to calm her before he moved on to gently pass the clean bandages around her hands, taking all the time in the world not to reopen the cuts. He smiled proudly at her once it was over, and with the wine kicking in to his own body, it was impossible to tear his sight away from her alluring lips.

Isak had also finished a bottle of wine on his own, feeling his body grow hotter and his thoughts hazed. His eyes scanned her face like they always seemed to do now, closely, hungrily, snatching at the barest details of her, mesmerized. The red blush in her cheeks, the gold in her eyes as they stared back at him, the upward tilt of her lips. Slowly and without any control of his thoughts, Isak leaned in closer to her, his lips practically begging to touch hers. He wanted her, more than anything.

 

[Eilerias]

Eilerias watched as her hands were bandaged up, grabbing at the food on the plate as he did so. She only felt it a few times as he tried to clean the blood, but the wine had definitely dulled the pain. She cheered drunkenly as he presented her newly bandaged hands.


"You know I'm a healer right?" She slurred, laughing as she admired his bandaging skills. She could have easily used some of her powers to seal the cuts, but it felt nice to have someone take care of her. Someone to heal her wounds, though it would take significantly longer. "I do have to say well done! I can't even feel it." She opened and closed her hands, giggling like an idiot as she did so.

She leaned back on the bed, staring at the ceiling which appeared to be spinning as she did so. "What the..." She extended her arms up, watching everything as it swayed in front of her. "How do people drink this all the time?" She asked, sitting back up. "How can they still play cards if their minds are all mixed up and they can't even see still in front of them?"

Her vision was hazy and blurry even though she hadn't had much of the wine. She was a small woman and it hit her very hard and very fast. "About last night" She said as Isak had leaned over her. She watched his face as he began to look confused as though she were about to say it was a mistake and she never wanted to do it again. She yanked his arms down, laughing as he lost balance and fell on top of her. "I want to do it again." She began to run her hands through his hair, still giggling to herself about the strange sensations of being drunk for the first time.

 

[Isak Lavelle]

Isak couldn't help but laugh for seeing Eilerias like that. She had probably taken more wine than she should, especially for the first time, but Isak was relieved to see her smiling and happy again. They had to make the most out of that precious time in peace before thinking about their coming voyage, but Isak quickly pushed back those thoughts before they ruined their night and decided to focus only on her laughter.

She looked proud of the work he had done with the bandages, even though Isak was scared to end up hurting her. His fingers weren't made for healing, only for causing pain and tracing schemes on papers, but it felt good being able to use his experience in stitching himself towards helping her, even if she didn't exactly need it. He let out a few more laughs as she started tracing invisible lines towards the ceiling after she lied down, complaining about the spinning walls as her arms kept playfully flailing about. Eilerias asked him something about cards, and Isak felt an idea creeping on his mind that he would definitely try at a later date. "That's the trick, my darling. It's how most people get their coin from those gambles." His voice was deep and yet charming, perhaps even flirtatious. He was starting to feel the wine taking over him as well.

He was so close to her now, unable to take his light brown eyes off her lips, as if they were beckoning him to come closer and closer, to taste them again. He had started to miss her taste, and the wine just made it harder to resist to the way she was lying on his bed, almost daring him to take her. Isak slowly went towards her, but stopped as soon as she said something, about last night. He knew what she was talking about the moment those words left her mouth, and Isak could feel his heart sinking slightly.

Had she thought he was being forceful, that he sought to take advantage of her in that state? He would never forgive himself for making her think that. He wanted to leave and let her rest, but her bandaged hands reached for his arms, touching him where his skin was exposed. Isak felt a tug and fell towards her, gasping in surprise, their lips almost touching each other as Eilerias started to run her nimble fingers through his messy hair.

Isak didn't believe in any of the stories people told each other about a refuge of solitude and harmony after they died, but he could swear he was in this so calld 'heaven' once he heard her giggles, her face so dangerously close to his, her pale cheeks red and her hot breath slowly reaching his neck. It was then that he heard her saying she wanted to repeat what they had done last night, and Isak could barely believe those words. He smiled from ear to ear, before surprising her with a deep and fervent kiss that surely stole some air from their lungs.

She wanted to do it again.

It was in that moment that he realized he didn't need any of those religious stories. She was his refuge, and Isak didn't need anything else. He broke the kiss and stood on his knees atop the bed, towering over her while her body stayed between his legs, trying to still his hands and remove the buttons of his shirt before he was surprised by Eilerias, her arms surprisingly turning him around as she ended up on top of him. It felt like she wanted to be in control that time, even if her hands were hurt, but Isak wouldn't complain, not when she hungrily teared open the complex buttons that he couldn't before and threw his shirt to the floor.

For someone who loved to be in control of his business, Isak felt comfortable being at her the mercy of that woman, just watching her undress in awe.

"I'm all yours then, priestess." It was all he said, a cheeky smile on his lips, before Isak leaned in to kiss her again, his hands trembling with desire as he embraced her tightly, anxious to run all over her body and to have her all night again.

 

[Eilerias]

Eilerias laughed as he exposed the secrets of gambling with drunkards. It all made sense in some twisted way. She thought back to the last time she had seen charity with more coin than usual and drunk men fighting eachother, thinking the other had scammed them.

Isak's kiss surprised her. She kissed back before gasping for the air she hadn't got before he went in for another. As he began to unbutton his shirt, she moved so she was on top of him, undoing the buttons on her own. "Thank you." She moaned in his ear as she leaned on top of him and kissed his neck. "You are wonderful." Her words were funny, but she meant them. He was wonderful to her and made her feel wonderful.

She undid the ties on her robes and let it fall underneath her, exposing her to Isak under the candle light. She was thinner than she had been before their heist, but he didn't seem to notice as she continued to undress the both of them quickly and clumisly, likely ripping some of the expensive fabrics Isak had been wearing. The soft light of the candles lit up her pale golden skin and made her golden eyes look as though they were glowing.

She smiled at his comment. He was giving her control- something she had never really had. She was always told she was weak and dumb, but now it didn't matter. There was one thing she had control of and it was the only thing she wanted in that moment. She planted ravenous kisses all over him, refusing to let him move until she was done with everything she wanted to do and everything she wanted to try. She loved the control he gave her and went wild with it.

After they were both pleasantly satisfied, she rolled back in the bed. "I love" she started to say, falling asleep in the middle of her statement. Soft snores could be heard escaping her mouth as she slept through the entire night.

 

[Isak Lavelle]

He had wondered if he would ever feel the same sensations of the other night when he was in bed with Eilerias, but being with her again and watching her dance marvelously on top of him made Isak realize that there was no better feeling than to be with her like that. It felt like they were in a world of their own, just the two of them, their bodies and hearts connecting in waves of pleasure that knocked the air out of him and made him moan her name several times over the night, as if Isak was worshipping a saint.

But not her god of light or the other gods people used to worship. It was her. Eilerias was like a saint to him, and that thought brought a smile to his face after they were both satisfied and close to exhaustion, Isak's expensive sheets thrown all around his room. His bed was a mess, and Isak himself was all sweaty and tired after their hours of pleasure, but he still couldn't take that smile off his face as he looked at Eilerias, watching her slowly catch her breath.

"You're wonderful too." He whispered softly after reaching close to her ear, leaving a quick kiss on her cheek and laying at her side, his eyes shining. Isak had never felt more happier than he was right at that moment, alone with her. He had never thought about those kinds of things before, but he could almost imagine a peaceful life with her, away from the troubles of their adventurous routines.

He wasn't really sure if he deserved that peace, or if his life was meant to be a never ending pursuit of retribution to what he had suffered in the past, but Eilerias showed him that there could be something beyond that, something more. He used to think that hope was useless and foolish, but now she got him hoping and dreaming about a better future, once they dealt with the bad people that looked to ruin other lives for a few more coins. Not only the slavers, but everyone that felt pleasure in bringing pain to innocent lives.

Isak was taken back from his thoughts as Eilerias muttered something before she fell asleep, and Isak had to check if he wasn't just dreaming. She had said something about... love. Did she mean it to him? Could she possibly have feelings strong like that for a man like him? Isak doubted that such things could even be possible, but he was getting used to being proven wrong lately. His hand slowly reached towards her face, caressing her cheek and pushing away a few loose hair strands from her eyes. Isak tried his best not to wake her, and even though he could feel his body asking for some rest too, he wanted to stay watching her sleep a little longer.

Isak had learned many things from her ever since they met, but he never believed she could teach him how to love. But in that moment, even though he knew she wouldn't hear it, Isak mustered up some measure of courage to answer her. "I... love you too." It had been barely a whisper, and maybe he felt safety in the fact that she was already fast asleep, but he was relieved to say those words to her. They had come a long way from their days as mere associates.

It didn't take long for Isak to fall to his sleep shortly after that, his hand entwined with Eilerias'. He woke up the next morning and sat up on the bed, taking care not to wake her. He could see a few of Alliria's tallest structures from his window, watching the sun rays slowly shine upon his room as he reflected on what lied ahead for them.

His mind was filled with thoughts about the journey to Cerak. He had to find them a ship and crew brave enough to sail to those treacherous waters, and also a way to find Khet's informant in the city, the one with the knowledge to help Isak and Eilerias in their investigation. Perhaps Ogden had some idea to help them live in that dangerous town for a few days without getting them killed.

He decided to wait for Eilerias to wake up before they head downstairs to find Ogden, and a proper breakfast.

 

[Eilerias]

"Ughhhh..." Eilerias groaned, struggling to open her eyes. Her head was pounding. She pushed herself up onto her elbows, shielding her eyes from the sun. She looked to her left and noticed Isak, looking peaceful as he stared out the window. She had no clue he was working on the details of their mission as he stared.

Maybe he's just a morning person. She thought. She noticed that he looked peaceful the previous morning as well. Maybe she was just really good at what she had done to him and he was still thinking about it. Oh the irony of the Virgin Priestess and all the filthy things she had done with a criminal.

She flopped back down on the pillow causing some of the feathers to come out of the side. She groaned again. "I think I'm dying." She shut her eyes. "My head. Hurts. So bad." She rolled over to use Isak's shadow as a way to get the sun out of her eyes.

"Just stay there." She said, "You're blocking it out perfectly."

Her memory was a bit hazy from last night. She knew it was wonderful, but didn't remember the fine details of anything between her undressing the both of them and waking up with her first hangover. "Please put my out of my misery." She demanded, her voice muffled as she spoke into Isak's side.

As she lay there, she began to feel hot and nauseous. She tried to suppress it, with slow, deep breaths, but eventually she knew she was going to throw up. She quickly pulled the blankets off of Isak and wrapped them around her naked body as she got out of bed and ran to the nearest bathroom. She tried to stay quiet as she threw up the pork, fruit, and wine that had been sitting there all night so she wouldn't alert Ogden to her presence.

It felt like there was nothing left in her stomach, but she continued to throw up. Why did people drink this stuff if it makes them so incredibly sick? She wondered, resting her head on the wall as she sat on the bathroom floor, wrapped in the fur blanket. She prayed quietly as she sat there, cherishing the moment alone where she could beg for forgiveness for breaking the vows she chose to adhere to, rather than requirements by her god.

 

[Isak Lavelle]

Isak noticed her movement in the bed and quickly turned to face her, smiling in surprise when he realized she had probably been watching him for a time after waking up, when he was lost in his thoughts. By her groans and the way she put her hands on her head, Isak could imagine her head felt as heavy as a smith's anvil, and considering how much she drank last night, sipping down a whole bottle of wine as her first drinking experiment, he could tell she felt pretty beaten up. Even though he was feeling a bit ill himself, Isak did his best to lower his voice not to startle her. "Good morning, priestess."

That morning was so peaceful, he could even hear the birds singing outside while he remained in silence. It would've been a perfect day to spend with her without worrying about other things, but Isak knew they had to start preparing for their trip to the Black Bay. Still, he tried pushing those thoughts away momentarily to try and make the best out of that morning with her.

He chuckled a bit in response to her drama, a common reaction when someone drank too much on their first try. Isak couldn't even remember how it had been when he first got drunk, he only remembered that it was a strong beer that knocked him out cold for almost a whole day. He tried moving towards her but Eilerias asked him to stay put, as he was blocking most of the sun rays from hitting her straight in the face. He was confused for a few seconds but understood her request afterwards, as even the light she loved so much could prove to be a huge nuisance when she was feeling like that.

She started moving towards him now, trying to find a better hiding spot from the sun where she could feel comfortable, and ended up near his lap, resting her head near him. Isak slowly ran his fingers through her naked arms to comfort her before stretching out to pull the nearby curtain over the window, to which Eilerias silently thanked him for. He could almost feel her relief to see the room a bit darker, and to be able to finally open her eyes without feeling the wrath of the sun.

"Careful, my darling Eilerias. I might just turn you into a expert drinker soon, like our good friend Ogden downstairs." Isak laughed at his own joke, imagining the day that the priestess could feel more at ease with his strong drinks, but he was left stunned once she took his blankets away and ran off towards the corridor, leaving the door open. Desperate, Isak quickly tried to follow her but remembered he was naked as well, and without any blankets left to cover himself. He searched for his trousers, muttering a few words to himself about how ferociously Eilerias had treated his clothes last night but managed to dress up as soon as he caught sight of the piece of clothing.

He finally ran after Eilerias, only to find her vomiting at the nearest bathroom. He thought about going there to help her but Ogden appeared at the stairs, visibly worried about the whole situation as well. He didn't drink too much on the job that time, and the dwarf had seen Eilerias leaving Isak's room in a hurry and into the bathroom, to which he decided to warn his boss.

"Strong hangover, it seems." Ogden said, slowly walking to Isak's side as he leaned towards the corridor's porch, where one could see everything that was happening down the lobby. "Lively night, boss! I could hear you two last night when I was cleaning up."

Isak looked at him with the most menancing glare he had ever given to someone. "Not a word of it, Ogden." Isak calmly threatened him, but Ogden already knew better than to spill any of his secrets. He also respected the priestess too much, and even looked happy to see that they were closer to each other. Isak was Ogden's greatest friend, and the dwarf always wanted to see him happy. "Aye, boss. You don't need to worry about anythin' falling out of my mouth. I'm just happy to see you two in love, is all!" Isak let out a heavy sigh in response to his words, wondering if he should just kick him out the club for the day and spare the trouble. Instead, he looked at Eilerias again to find her praying peacefully, her head against the bathroom wall. He wouldn't want to ruin that moment of hers, but Isak felt he needed to help her deal with that hangover.

His eyes fell down to Ogden. "Bring her a glass of water and some sugar. I'll take her back to the room to rest." Ogden merely nodded and left towards the kitchen, working on his boss' request while Isak started walking towards the bathroom, slowly approaching her and taking care not to frighten her with his presence. Gingerly, Isak put his arms around Eilerias, feeling the warmth of the furs against his bare chest and arms. "Let me help you." He whispered softly, afraid that even the lowest tone of his rasp voice could end up making her head hurt even more.

Once she had given her approval, Isak carefully guided her back to his room, his arm reaching around her and his other hand holding hers. They were taking small steps as to not make her feel even more nauseous, but they eventually reached the room, where Ogden was waiting. Isak sat her down at his bed, doing his best to keep the furs always covering her body while Ogden left the glass of water and a few small sugar cubes at the nearest table.

"Some water and sugar, for yar headache. It'll work like a charm!" Ogden said with a large smile on his face before leaving the two of them alone. Isak reached for the glass and took a couple of sugar cubes on his hand before returning to Eilerias, offering them to her. She looked a bit ill, and Isak wondered if she hadn't been eating well as of late. She was selfless enough to put others above herself and give them her own food.

"You need to eat, Eile. I'll make sure to prepare the best banquet for you."

Isak had a few cooking lessons with Ogden years ago, and now seemed like the perfect time to put that to the test. He could worry about the plans for the journey in the evening, once Eilerias felt better and had eaten some proper meals.

 

[Eilerias]

Eilerias allowed Isak to guide her back to his room, careful to stay covered by the blankets. She smiled at Ogden "Thank you." She took the sugar cubes from Isak's hand and began slowly chewing on their edges. "I don't know how he does it." She said to Isak. "He drinks everyday; how is he not sick?"

She took the cup and drank some of the water. "Does it not affect dwarves?" She asked. "Or does it not make you sick if you just keep drinking and never stop?" She was curious. She really had no idea how things affected the body. Healing was just something she did and she never had to know the details of what was happening to fix it. "Maybe Gwendolyn has a book on this in her archives." She popped the sugar cube into her mouth.

Eilerias wasn't well educated beyond what Gwendolyn had taught her after bringing her in. In Vel Anir, the orphanage wasn't interested in educating anything other than the human children. They left her to take care of chores while the other children learned and played. It was something she was embarrassed about. Isak and Gwendolyn were so smart. They were always thinking, always learning, always scheming. Eilerias just did things with no concern of how much it impacted her or the ones around her.

"Thank you." She said again, this time to Isak. "I still have no idea why people drink this stuff. Sure it starts to taste good after a few glasses, but your patrons cannot be feeling well in the morning." She laughed, popping the last sugar cube into her mouth. "You don't have to feed me, I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself you know." She said looking up at him, then down at her bandaged hands. "You already helped me with this, I can't have you doing everything for me."

She liked the attention he was giving her, but she felt out of place being the center of someone's attention. It was strange and a little uncomfortable, not being the one taking care of others. It was her job and her life to do so.

"So how are we actually going to get to that place Khet showed us on the map?" She broke the silence. "I'm sure we will look out of place. What priestess do you know that has slaves?" She raised an eyebrow, fighting back a little smile and the pain in her head that accompanied it.

 

[Isak Lavelle]

Isak watched on as Eilerias took a few sugar cubes off his palm, slowly regaining some of her color and looking much better than she had been a few moments ago once she started eating them. He was still worried that she hadn't been eating properly lately, but he wouldn't press her about that, not when she was still dealing with the consequences of a night full of wine.

He laughed a bit at her questions, his eyes wandering towards the door that led outside, to the rest of the Raven Club. In many ways, Ogden had been a unusual but trustworthy friend, and even though Isak barely trusted other people enough to call them that, he knew the dwarf would always have his back, ever since they first met each other in a tavern near the edge of the Outer City. Eilerias' influence had rubbed on Isak, who was now starting to warm up to the idea that he could open himself to other people, like Ogden, and refer to them as friends. He also thought of the rest of his crew - Charity, Gwendolyn and Sirius. They had each others' backs in their most dangerous moment, back at the Black Forge Keep. And also... the woman beside him. The one person he trusted more than his own instincts.

Once he broke away from his thoughts, Isak smiled slightly, from the corner of his mouth. "Alcohol is very strong, but dwarves have a natural resistance to it, like orcs and other creatures." He had met a friendly orc in one of his past travels, many years ago, and that beast was like a pool filled with ale and rum that never seemed to get full. The orc liked calling himself a berserker, his greataxe swinging as hard as the alcohol and pain hit him, saying that the turmoil of sensations on his body helped him endure more punishment and fight without a care. "You can get used to it, if you drink enough wine." Isak was looking at her with a cheeky smile now, curious to see how she would react to the thought of drinking even more alcohol.

She laughed graciously, a laughter that filled Isak's ears with joy, before eating the last of the sugar cubes, thanking him again. She spoke to him about the need to take care of her, but Isak couldn't think of a good answer to give her. He knew she was more than capable of looking after herself, and he would never doubt that, but a part of him felt good in helping her, in doing more than just concocting plans to rid corrupt merchants of their coins or think of heists.

"I know you are," He replied, glancing at her bandages before looking back at her. "but at least I can..." He couldn't finish those words. He didn't think he'd have enough courage to say what he wanted to say to her. That he wanted to be better, to be more of a man to her, someone she could trust and even love. His eyes fell down to his own hands, a glimpse of disappointment written all over his face as he wondered if those hands could do something else than act as tools for his plots. It took a great deal of strength to look at Eilerias again, to stare deep into her golden eyes.

Say it to her. Tell her what you really want. "You've saved me so many times, in more ways than you can imagine. At least doing this, I can repay you a bit."

His gaze still carried a ounce of sadness, for not being able to say to her all the things his heart was full of. Isak didn't know if he deserved all those things, if he deserved her. But taking care of her, and being with her, made him think that he was more of a man and less a monster. It was the small thread of hope that he'd choose to cling to, dreaming of a day that he could be someone that Eilerias deserved.

He heard her talk about their coming voyage and Isak looked towards one of his bigger paintings, hanging proudly in a wall across the room. It was a map, well detailed and finely colored, a image of the known world, of the great continents and their cities. He could see the Black Bay towards one of the edges, a black drop in the beautiful painting, like a stain over the landscape. Eilerias was right, they wouldn't exactly fit in a place like that.

It was then that Isak had a brightening ideia, one that could only be possible with Ogden's help. "We'll need a ship, and some new clothes." He looked at her as a confident smirk formed on his lips, before blushing once he remembered she was still naked under the comfortable furs of his bed.

 

[Eilerias]

Eilerias blushed as he stared into her eyes. "You don't have to repay me for anything. I mean it." She leaned on him, resting her head on his shoulder. "Its what the Light God has sent me to do." Her headache was starting to subside from Ogden's sugar cube trick.

Her gaze followed his towards the large map painting. "Oh a ship?" She sounded a little nervous. Her last experience on a ship was not a pleasant one. She learned about the sea sickness that accompanied sailing. It wasn't the lovely memory she wanted to make as her head hung over the side of the ship, her hair held back by one of the members they traveled with.

She stood up and walked over to the map, dragging the blankets that covered her along with her. She looked closely, tracing her finger along the the map. "How many of these places have you been to?" She asked, her finger resting on Vel Anir.

"I wonder what its like now." She pondered. "Vel Anir." She turned towards Isak. "They were such hateful people there when I was little, but I never understood why. What did I do to deserve hate for being only half human?" She looked a bit sad, but was more confused than anything.

"Have you been there for business? You look more normal than I do, so I doubt they'd question your humanity." She pushed her hair behind one of her small, but obviously pointy elven ears. She didn't regret herself, but sometimes she still referred to being human as normal and being elven as abnormal. It wasn't meant to be negative, just something that was engrained in her over the years in Vel Anir.

She sat back on the bed, "What kind of clothes?" She asked. "Do they dress like barbarians?" She chuckled. "I'm sure you can just wear that shirt over there." She pointed to the one she had torn off of him last night. Her hands always seemed so delicate, but somehow the desire she had to sleep with him gave her the strength to ruin his expensive garments.

"Lets get something to eat and figure out how we are going to do all of this." She winked, letting go of the blanket and slipping back into her priestess robes.

 

[Isak Lavelle]

Her words brought him some much needed comfort, like they always did. Eilerias truly was like a beacon of hope to him, and ever since he realized that, Isak didn't want to let her go. He smiled, wondering if it truly had been some god that put her on his path, if there really was some kind of all powerful being watching out for him, but he was grateful for that nonetheless.

Isak saw her walking towards the painting, marvelling at its details. He saw her small fingers tracing lines over the large map, curiosity filling her eyes. Isak walked to her side, his shoulder slightly brushing on hers as she spoke. "A few. I've visited the desert towns of Amol Kalit, and walked through the relentless snowstorms of the Tundra. The huge towers of Oban were also a beautiful sight, even with the griffins guarding them." He replied, his eyes now glancing over a few of the cities on the map, their names written in Common Tongue. She saw her finger resting on Vel Anir, wondering if she had ever seen the large stone walls that loom over the city like giants, protecting everything inside.

He wished to take her on several journeys across the world, some day soon.

But before he could say anything about it, Eilerias turned to him and started speaking about the hatred that the humans of that city had for other races, especially elves, their enemies from many years in the past, and he could see the sadness in her eyes, her voice lowering in disappointment. It broke his heart to see her so distraught over the prejudice that their people still faced to this day, having to lead secluded lives deep into the forests or being labelled common workers in places like Vel Anir, Alliria and many others.

"Humans usually hate what they can't conquer." His voice was rasp but steady, carrying a tone of comfort that he sought to convey to her, trying to clear a bit of the thoughts that seemed to trouble her. Isak was only half elf, and he had taken more after his human side except for a few facial features and his attunement to magic, which came from his elven mother, who had also been forced to live in the poor streets of Alliria after she had him. He had seen upclose the kind of trouble the elven people still face.

Isak slowly reached for Eilerias' hand after she pushed her hair behind her pointy ear, his thumb caressing her soft hand until she looked comfortable enough to continue. She asked him about Vel Anir again. "I've been there, only once. I was... accompanying my old master." The words came out with difficulty, as Isak unpleasantly remembered that awful day. "He wanted to show me what life looked like, for the people that weren't fortunate enough to rise to higher status of power." He had seen several servants - both elven and human - on his short time there, some who even seemed content to live such a horrible life. Isak didn't understand at the time what his master had meant about power and status, but now he could see it all around the world - the powerful and corrupt, stepping on the necks of those less fortunate.

It's why Isak still persevered on his personal crusade. He knew it was a hard and dangerous path, but he would travel down it nonetheless.

"We can change that, Eile. One day." He spoke low but with confidence, and she probably would've heard it. His eyes were fixed upon the spot on the map that marked it as Vel Anir, the one where her finger was a few moments ago. Isak wished he could do something so that Eilerias would never feel that way again. Taking his hand, she led him back to the bed.

She started talking about what kind of clothes they'd have to wear in their journey, and teased him about his own clothes, and how they ended up almost torn and all over the place after last night. Isak couldn't hide his mischievous smile as she pointed to his shirt on the floor. It had been a marvelous night of discovery, seeing how the priestess moved while taken with lust, her petite fingers easily tearing through his clothes and taking control. He couldn't help but smile as he remembered the most vivid details.

He broke away from his thoughts once he saw Eilerias stand up and letting the fur blankets fall down to reveal her naked body, making Isak bite his lower lip with desire. It didn't last for long as she quickly got back into her white outfit, but before she could run off to find food, Isak reached towards her and grabbed her hand, before swiftly embracing her by her waist. They stood just a breath away from each other, and no doubt she could feel how much he wanted her in that moment.

"Maybe I'll do the same with your holy robes, priestess..." His voice was heavy with desire, sounding even deeper than usual. He kissed her cheek softly before leading her downstairs to find Ogden. It was time to prepare that feast he had promised to her.

 

[Eilerias]

Eilerias' face lit up with admiration as he spoke of the places he had visited, trying to find each one on the map as he spoke. She wondered how hot the desert really was and how cold the tundra was. "What is a griffin?" She asked, tilting her head and letting him explain the strange animal that is the griffin.

She listened to him explain his trip to Vel Anir. His voice was full of loathing as he spoke of his old master. It was hard to hear, but she appreciated when he shared his stories with her. It made her feel closer to him and she could trust him more because of it. She didn't have much to share back. Her life was boring and lonely until Gwendolyn brough her to Alliria. There wasn't much to share because she didn't know anything but loneliness and god.

As she got dressed, she could see Isak out of the corner of her eye admiring her body. He grabbed her and puller her to him. She blushed at his words, looking down as he kissed her cheek. "Isak." She laughed. "Be careful, I think Ogden heard everything. I don't want to be even more obvious than we already are. What if someone from the church saw us or heard us! I thought you'd have soundproofed walls by now with all the money you make."

She let him lead her downstairs after checking to make sure her hair looked presentable and all of the ties were done on her robes. She sat down at one of the tables that usually had people playing cards as she waited on Isak and Ogden to prepare food. She was a little embarrassed of making eye contact with Ogden or the guards as she was certain that they overheard their activities last night.

The thought about her reputation as the virgin priestess. It was what everyone knew her as and now she had to find a way to lie to her followers, which made her feel terrible, or come clean and hope people understood that she is a person with desires as well. Desires she preached against following. She felt like a hypocrite, but she needed Isak in a way she didn't know how to control. It was automatic. Her body wanted to feel him, and her mind needed to be in his presence.

She started to feel better when the smell of food hit her nose. Ogden was a great cook and he must have taught Isak well if he was helping in the kitchen. She hadn't realized how hungry she really was. She really had only been eating when she had large healing jobs to do because it gave her time to save up for food and she required it to gain energy back as she worked. It was nice to be eating just to enjoy it and the presence of someone she loved deeply, though she wouldn't tell him that. At least not on purpose.

 

[Isak Lavelle]

Isak spent a few precious seconds pondering on how to best explain to Eilerias what exactly was a griffin. It was a beautiful and menacing beast, guarding the mighty towers of Oban from the air and clawing down on whoever was foolish enough to trespass or seek harm to the city. He looked funnily at her before finally responding. "It's a... lion. With wings. And an eagle's head." It had been worth it to hear her laughing after his awkward answer.

He kept watching her get dressed, in awe of her heavenly beauty. He could think of a thousand pretty words to speak about her, but it felt like they always got stuck on his throat whenever Isak tried to say them. Perhaps one day he'd feel free enough from his dark shell to be able to truly embrace her and shower her in all the compliments she deserved. He almost didn't realize Eilerias was looking at him from the corner of her eyes, which made him blush at the thought of her catching him looking at her like that. He wanted her, needed to be close to her and kiss her, and he would never deny that.

That thought made him smile and reach towards her before she could leave the room, holding her by her waist and bringing her closer. He could see all the perfect lines of her face from upclose, her golden eyes almost shining a light of their own on his pale face, Isak wished nothing more than to touch her lips again. Having her was like a dream and he never wanted to wake up from that, especially not to the ugly reality of what waited for them outside the doors of the club - the whole world, filled with all sorts of bad things.

A part of him still wished that they could simply stay there, in the safety of his room, and let the world take care of itself, but Isak knew that wouldn't be possible. It was foolish to think the world would get better on its own, not when powerful and greedy men ruled over it.

He gave Eilerias a soft kiss on her cheek and laughed her off after she warned him to be careful, too overwhelmed by the warm feeling on his chest to pay attention to her worries about people possibly discovering what was happening between them. The soundproofed walls would be a nice touch however, especially if they wanted more of those wild nights at his room. "You have a brilliant mind for business, my darling. We should work together, and conquer Alliria all to ourselves." His voice was filled with joy and his brown eyes shining. Isak let go of her only for a second to grab his white shirt on the floor, wearing it quickly before leading her downstairs, where Ogden was already waiting by the kitchen.

Isak wasn't as brilliant as a cook as he was as crime boss, but his skills were certainly not lacking. Ogden prepared a couple of the main dishes while Isak was focused on the rest, baking a few fruits and helping him with the last touches of the sauce that the dwarf had prepared for the turkey. Isak could see Eilerias admiring their work from the corner of his eyes, and he was anxious to see her having a good meal after such a long time, especially since it was made by him. Lastly, he prepared the spices he had bought at Annuakat on one of his journeys and put it at the large table that was waiting for them at the club's lobby.

Surprisingly, Ogden led them on a small prayer to give gratitude for that rich banquet before the three of them started to enjoy the food. They spent a long time eating and laughing with each other, and Isak always looked back at Eilerias, glancing at her while she giggled at Ogden's poor jokes and paid attention to some of his war stories from the past. Isak had spent most of the time just eating in silence, grateful for that small moment of peace. He wondered what it would be like, to have a life where moments like that would be common, with happy conversations over meals with Eilerias in a quiet place of their own. He didn't know if she would enjoy that, and he would never try to pry her away from her duties as a priestess, but he felt comfortable about thinking of a life like that.

"Boss, Mister Lundenholm sent a letter with the wine delivery. He was grateful for the business, and said that his family was safe, thanks to you." Ogden pulled him from his thoughts, and Isak remembered about the welcoming family he had met at the Lundenholm Estate. He felt relieved, knowing that he did something right and that they were safe, despite efforts from a few merchants to harm them and take their vineyard. Isak merely nodded in response, taking a sip of his drink.

He wanted to feel the same relief about those slaves in Cerak, once they were free. He didn't feel like a hero, nor would he ever call himself that, but helping others felt like the right thing to do, something that made him feel useful.

"There are other families to be saved out there, Ogden. And we'll need your help for that." Isak glanced at Eilerias before turning his eyes towards the dwarf again. "Eilerias and I are leaving, to the Black Bay. There are many people suffering there."

He told Ogden some details of his plans to infiltrate Cerak, look for Khet's informant and rescue the slaves. Isak knew he'd have to make plenty of things up as they came along, but it was a start. He could tell that Ogden was focused on thinking of how to aid them, before the dwarf almost slammed his cup at the table, overjoyed at the thought of his newly formed idea. "I got ya! I know just the crew that can take ya to that ugly place!"

 

[Eilerias]

Eilerias' mouth was watering as she watched the two men cook. She hadn't realized how hungry she actually was. Still, the volume of food made her feel guilty. There were starving people in the streets of Alliria, and here she was about to eat enough for all of them combined.

She was surprised to hear Ogden leading them in a prayer. She didn't know he was the religious type, but she joined in adding a little part to appreciate her god. She was comfortable there. She was happy. She felt like she belonged there in the Raven Club with Isak and Ogden of course. He was a godsend for the two of them.

"Speaking of the wine." She shot a mischievous look at Isak. "Do you think we could get some for the boat trip?" She smiled before shoveling some more food into her mouth. The morning was hell. Waking up after that wine was horrible, but drinking it was such a wild experience. She wanted to feel it again. She wanted to feel Isak again.

She listened to the two of them discuss the plan to go to the Black Bay and wondered what the actual plan was. The two of them appeared to be going in blind with nothing but revenge on their minds.

"Isak" She grabbed his hand. "So we have transportation, but we don't have any plan beyond that, do we?" She looked a little worried. She thought back to their first heist together. He had plans to send her in all alone to a bunch of mercenaries. People who would no doubt have taken advantage of her, and not for her healing abilities.

It almost seemed like a plausible plan to send her in alone this time under the identity of a slave and him as someone in search of a slave. That way they could attack from both sides of the ring. "I have an idea." She looked at him. "It might be terrible, but it could work if we refine it."

She told him and Ogden of her idea, trying to gauge whether or not they thought it was a good idea based on their expressions, though she got nothing. They both looked deep in thought, scheming as usual. "I know it's only a basic idea, but it could get us two different paths in order to reach our targets."

 

[Isak Lavelle]

Isak was surprised to see Eilerias' cheeky look, asking him about bringing some wine to their trip. The thought hadn't crossed his mind, especially since they were about to sail towards one of the most dangerous places in the continent, but a few good memories of the last night resurfaced on his mind and put a mischevious smile of his own on his face. If the beautiful priestess enjoyed playing with fire, Isak would certainly indulge her on her request. "I'm sure we can take a few bottles, for the cold nights at sea." He answered, his voice in a more gallant tone. He wanted to feel her again, feel the hotness of their embrace and their bodies melting together.

He wanted Eilerias, all of her, and no other thought could fill his mind with more happiness than that.

They spent some more time discussing the plans, with Ogden telling them about one of his old friends who had turned to a life of piracy after growing bored of being a simple mercenary. Turns out he was a honorable sailor, for a pirate, and his ship was sturdy and well equipped to face any danger. Ogden told them that he would call in a favor to ask for the ship and his crew, so they could take Isak and Eilerias to the Black Bay.

It would be a long and hard journey, but at least they'd have safe passage to that place. Isak was wary about hiring some unknown captain to take them there, fearing that he might cower away and thrown them to the sea monsters halfway across their voyage. He felt relieved, Isak knew he could always trust Ogden to come with a few good plans of his own.

It was then that Eilerias took his hand, pressing it gently. She asked him about what they would do once they got to Cerak, a part of his plan that Isak hadn't given much thought. He knew they were supposed to meet Khet's informant, somewhere in Cerak, but after that... Cerak was a big rogue town, filled with the worst kind of bandit scum one could find across the continents, and they couldn't possibly face them all by themselves. Isak knew that they would have to lay low and investigate the whereabouts of the slavers, but he hadn't figured out a way to do that yet.

He was very interested to hear her idea, but Isak could barely believe when she spoke it out loud. His mind went straight back to the time of their first big heist together, when he almost risked her life over a stupid sword, before he changed all his plans and risked his own life to keep her safe. He wasn't about to do that again, he wasn't about to see her in danger so that his plans could work.

"Eile, you can't possibly be serious about--" Isak spoke desperately, but stopped as soon as she looked at him. He could see a fire, burning brightly in her eyes. He had never seen her so determined about something, and it somehow gave him confidence to trust her with that daring plan. He would never go against her wishes, and he knew she wanted nothing more than to save those slaves from the cuffs of those monsters. Ogden was throwing in a fit of his own, but Eilerias managed to calm him down as well, while Isak was visibly distraught, trying to think of a million ways of how to make that plan work.

"I..." He started to say something, but he couldn't look at her at first. "If something happens to you, I don't think I can..." His voice kept breaking down. Even thinking about Eilerias being in danger made Isak feel like he was back at his small and dark room from many years ago, under the 'care' of Master Atreon. Of how alone and hopeless he felt, his whole body aching after the punishments of failing a lesson.

He didn't want to lose her, not when he could see a better future with her.

Ogden stepped in this time. "Well, if ya really serious about this horrible idea... I'm coming with ya!" They both looked at him, surprised. Isak knew Ogden couldn't fight as well as his mercenary days, but he'd never let Eilerias be in danger as well. "I just need to find me soddin' axe! Bloody thing must be filled with spider webs."

The best Isak could do now was think over every detail of their plans, to ensure that Eilerias would be safe during their infiltration and to make those damned slavers suffer for every pain they brought upon other people.

 

[Eilerias]

~Time Skip~

Eilerias hung her head over the side of the ship, watching the waves crash onto the side of it below them. It was an all to familiar scene, almost the same as the last time she was on a boat. This time, though, she knew to be prepared for seasickness. Ogden had given her some concoction of herbs to chew on so she wouldn't feel as sick the whole time.

That man was a godsend. He knew everything from fighting to medicine. She was glad Isak had allowed the stubborn man to come with them after some protests. Because of Ogden, she could admire the beauty of the water, instead of throw up off the side of the boat while Charity held onto her hair.

The sun was beating down on the ship, but Eilerias didn't move. The sea was too beautiful to look away from. It was so mysterious, so vast, and so...sparkly.

Eilerias was also as beautiful as the sea. She was in a lacy, white dress with her hair down in loose curls all around her. She looked like one of the paintings on the walls in the Raven Club as she admired the beauty of the world.

The beauty of the world...Her thoughts lingered. How could it be so beautiful if it is filled with such ugliness and evil?

She figured Isak would be busy in one of the rooms set up like an office, overthinking everything going on. She could sense his doubt in her plan, but she refused to budge. She wanted control. Like their night together when she had all the power. It was an intoxicating feeling and she craved more of it.

She didn't want to further bother him, when he appeared to be so stressed out about this, but she wished he would take a break from his plots. It was a lovely day and the sun was hot, unlike cold rainy Alliria they spent their lives in.

She sat back on the upper dock, where she had convinced Ogden to bring her some cheese and dried meats to snack on while Isak prepared. She wasn't very much a "preparation" type of person. She preferred to follow her instincts, even if they were slightly misguided. She was the opposite of Isak in that way and she wondered if he disliked her need to follow whatever she felt was right in that moment.

"Ogden," She waved the dwarf over to her. "Make sure Isak is eating and getting some of this lovely sun. It's unhealthy to sit in the dark all day, thinking about every possible scenario" She laughed as she sent him off to speak with Isak.

 

[Isak Lavelle]

They finished the meal quickly after their conversations about the journey ahead, with Ogden leaving to meet his friend and Isak and Eilerias staying behind, enjoying some final moments of peace in his room before the departure. He told her a few more stories about some of his travels, and she seemed especifically curious about the ones where he travelled by sea. It was hard not to fall in love with the vast size of the oceans and its beautiful clear waters.

In the next morning, they were boarding the ship. Ogden knew and trusted the captain, his old friend, as well as the rest of the crew, and they had even been kind enough to 'offer' Isak a special cabin, with equal comfort to the captain's private room - with some incentive, of course. Isak always travelled prepared to persuade people with coins, thinking of it as the best angle of diplomacy. The first day at sea had been quite peaceful, the sailing was smooth and he set up everything he needed to work on his plans back at his cabin. The bed wasn't as big as his own bed back at Raven Club, but at least he could sleep with Eilerias on his arms, which was better than any other sort of comfort he could think of.

Isak was wearing much different clothes than he used to. Out in the sea, he settled for a smaller dark grey coat, almost resembling a jacket, and he was wearing his usual white shirt underneath, although more open around his chest, revealing some of the expensive necklaces he wore. He wasn't wearing his gloves because of the heat, storing them in one of the drawers for when they reached Cerak. It all made him look more like a experienced sailor than a powerful businessman, but he felt he needed to play the part.

He was going through some parts of his plan again, like he had been doing most of the time since they got on the ship, his head filled with thoughts and worry over what could happen with Eilerias. He could think of a thousand variables every moment, each scene being played perfectly on his mind, and he still couldn't feel at ease when he thought of her being locked up with other slaves, awaiting to be sold. Luckily, the plan would only move along once they had identified the slavers, which would make his job that much easier. He planned to set up a meeting with the leaders, claiming to have a small fortune to spare on a few special slaves, and once they were all together...

He would get his retribution, and he would get his girl back.

His girl... That thought brought a smile to his face, a rare one ever since that voyage started. He was so lost on his plans that he had barely seen her, with Eilerias happily staying outside, enjoying the views from the ship's deck. He missed her now, her touch, her loving eyes and sweet voice. Isak would work harder and harder if it meant keeping her alive and well.

A few knocks on the door pulled him back from his thoughts, and soon Ogden walked inside with a cup of juice and few slices of cheese. "Your lady had me fetch this for ya, boss. She says ya need to eat."

His lady? Isak let out a short laugh in response, warming up to the thought of having Eilerias as 'his lady'. Perhaps one day, when their lives weren't filled with crime and adventure, in a time where they could afford to walk away from that and enjoy some peace. He had already set his mind on that, realizing that being with her filled the void in his heart left by the pains of his past, more than the money and shady businesses ever did. She had brought light into his life, and Isak would be forever grateful to her for that.

Isak and Ogden spent a few more minutes talking before the young man decided to take a walk on the main deck and enjoy some of the sun himself. He just didn't realize he would set his eyes upon a beauty greater than any horizon, as he saw Eilerias blissfully admiring the sea. He did his best not to startle her as he approached, slowly. She was so beautiful. Her fine robes, her white hair contrasting with the sunlight and the wonderful smile she had on her lips, Isak could almost swear he was having a daydream, but it wasn't a dream. It was her, his Eilerias.

"I'm sure there's no view as beautiful as the one I'm currently seeing." He didn't know how he managed to say that out loud so calmly, but it just felt natural. Afterwards, he slowly put his arms around her, enjoying her soft embrace once again. He felt like he could stay that way for the rest of the day, just enjoying her presence, but as soon as he felt the cold breeze of the ocean hitting them, he realized something that made him smile mischievously.

"It will be cold tonight. Perhaps we should open a few of those wine bottles later?"

 

[Eilerias]

Eilerias looked up at Isak and back to the sea. "Don't lie to me." She smiled as she looked away. She knew he was referring to her, but she knew she couldn't rival the sea in beauty. The cold breeze from the water made his warm touch even better as he stood behind her with his arms around hers.

"Perhaps we should." She tilted her head back so she could look up at him. "I'll have to learn from Ogden so I don't feel so terrible again." She laughed. She was excited for this adventure. She missed the rest of their group, but this was something so personal for Isak and it made the mission so much more special to her as well.

She turned around and pushed herself up so she was sitting on the edge of the boat. She was eye level with Isak as she studied his face. She put her warm hand to his cheeks and smiled at him. The familiar specks of purple made an appearance in her eyes as she gave him a cheeky smile. "No one here knows I'm a priestess." She winked at him, hoping he understood where she was going with that thought.

"We could pretty much do anything we want and no one would bat an eye." She wrapped her legs around him and pulled him close. She was dangerously close to the falling off, but she knew he wouldn't let her. She trusted him.

Another chilly gust of wind hit them and she pushed him away so she could hop back onto the floor of the deck. "Why don't we just have a bit of it now." She suggested, pulling his hand as she walked toward one of the doors that led into the ship. "It's already getting chilly. I need to warm up a bit."

 

[Isak Lavelle]

Isak let out a small chuckle as he looked towards the sunny horizon before his eyes fell towards the beautiful woman in his arms. He was lost for words for a moment as he carefully watched every detail of her face, as if trying to memorize them so he could never forget. "My darling Eilerias, light of my life, why would I ever lie about that?" He spoke those words in a rather playful manner, but Isak meant every single one of them. She was his light, amidst all his darkness.

It felt fitting for her to be a priestess of light, even though Isak didn't believe in any god or saint. He actually used to despise some of the priests in Alliria, having figured out their schemes to rob the poor out of their last coin due to their naivety. But Eilerias was... different.

You're too good a woman for god alone. He thought to himself, smiling fondly towards her.

She spoke again of Ogden's aptitude towards large amounts of drinks, and Isak could swear he felt a bit of admiration coming from her words. The pious priestess really did enjoy the forbidden taste of wine, among other sinful pleasures that they shared with each other, and Isak loved that she was daring herself even further. He didn't want to tear her away from her faith, but he wanted her to be able to truly enjoy herself. Life was filled with pleasures, as people back in Alliria loved to say.

Eilerias surprised him as she sat on the edge of the deck, dangerously close to falling over to the sea. His heart skipped a beat as he tried to hold her tighter, but she was able to calm him down with a simple touch on his face. Isak looked up towards her eyes, seeing the bits of purple slowly taking over their previous golden color. He knew it was a sign that her darker side was coming out, but he wasn't scared. He was used to the dark, and he accepted her with both her light and her darkness, as she did with him. And also, Isak loved seeing her get more sassy with him.

He knew she was teasing him, her words so low but so full of desire as he got closer, his lips now barely touching the side of her neck. He wanted her to keep going, and she did, wrapping her legs around him. Isak started to feel goosebumps as he led her even further towards the edge of ship, his arms tightly wrapped around her to make sure she wouldn't fall. In that moment, he knew she trusted him to not let her fall - and he wouldn't. He would never let go of her.

He felt her push him away before taking his hand and leading him inside, but Isak couldn't wait to get to his cabin. He pulled her closer, his lips hungrily dominating hers in a flurry of lustful kisses, before he suddenly moved to her warm neck, biting her slightly. He wasn't even thinking straight at that point, his body moving on its own.

They managed to get to his cabin and lock the door, isolating themselves from the rest of the ship. They didn't even care that the rest of the crew would probably hear them that night. Eilerias had already removed Isak's coat while she freed a few of the laces of her dress, and soon after they reached the room, Isak opened a bottle of wine, pouring it into two cups.

It didn't take long for them to empty more than a few bottles as night fell, the scent of wine now fully taking over the room. Isak waited until Eilerias drank the last drop of wine from her cup before throwing himself over her, his eyes filled with desire.

"I want you, Eilerias." His rasp voice was even deeper as he whispered next to her ear, before kissing her neck again.

 

[Eilerias]

Eilerias followed his lead as he led her to his cabin, playfully biting her on the neck. She loved the feeling. It was dangerous, the two of them doing what they were doing in the public eye. Though no one other than Ogden knew of her reputation, she still felt adrenaline as though everyone there knew she was a priestess.

She opened her eyes as the last drop of wine touched her tongue. They were such a dark purple they almost looked black as her darkness took over, bringing out her more daring side. He threw himself on top of her, pinning her to the bed as he kissed her neck. "I'm yours." She said between breaths as her body moved on by itself, rocking gently like the ship they were on.

She let him take control this time. Though he was so passionate, he was gentle with her, treating her like a delicate flower. He kissed her and left marks on her skin that looked like bruises, but didn't hurt. Her body responded automatically to everything as the darkness mastered the moves she performed.

It must have been hours of passion that occurred that night as the sun was beginning to rise once again through the porthole window in the room. Her eyes were just starting to fade back to gold as their activities were coming to an end. She was on top of him and lowered herself to his chest, laying down and catching her breath. "That was..." she didn't know what to say. "Wow."

Her head had begun to feel a little funny, but the herbs Ogden gave her were said to also help curb hangovers, so it didn't get much worse beyond a dull headache. She kissed his chest as she lay there, too exhausted to move. What happened was a little fuzzy in her mind, but she felt fantastic and she was sure whatever her darkness did, it made him feel equally fantastic.

"Good morning, I think." She whispered, looking at the window.