Private Tales Coasting Along

[Acteon Cass]

As Louisa spoke on the nature of the Vari Acteon began to frown. It would have been easier to deal with them if they were more of an extreme yet they were just average as far as nobility went. One might imagine that would be good and meant they were not as difficult to handle but it did not. They would be entitled yet only truly have more resources than those they ruled over. Merchants in Alliria likely could match or exceed them in terms of wealth. They would be hard to judge on how quick they would backstab or hold firm to their loyalties as well unless one had more intimate knowledge of how politics in the area tended to go. It was a matter of strength and advantage on who they turned to. It made them flighty. It made them almost not worth dealing with.

The man pulled out several coins from the overflowing purse and tossed them quickly over to the bar owner. If he held them for too long they would end up burning and irritating his cursed flesh. As he did this action he said, "Thank you Louisa. For the information." He straightened up a bit. "What do the nobles around here tend to be like with each other? Do they tend to stick to their loyalties or regularly backstab? How are they towards the common people?"

It was a lot of questions but he needed some answers. This was his standard approach when walking into foreign jobs. Getting to know the local culture was more of a benefit than most gave it credit. He had seen more than a few sellswords and mercenaries lose their lives on the executioner's block or thrown into a jail because they did not realize what they were doing was against the law or so frowned upon.

The Allirian looked over at the siren. He could tell she was tense about his relation to them and how her friend would react. It was why she had clearly kept that aspect a secret. Better he play along than out her lie. So Acteon smiled to Louisa and added, "Ana is performing for them but they owe me payment for something. I am a foreign commoner so want to get an idea of the kind of people I need to pry what I am owed out the clingy hands of." It was not a lie even if only half true.

Andromeda Barbarossa

 

[Andromeda]

Louisa and Ana shared a look. Then, finally, Ana looked away with a shrug and Louisa narrowed her eyes a little before turning her attention back to Acteon as she put away the coins in a pocket on her breeches.

"If you say so," clearly she didn't believe either of them but out of respect for her friend she wasn't going to push the matter. She thought a little more over what Acteon said as she put another glass back on the shelf and took up another. "Well. There's a lot of fighting over contracts and things I believe, there's been arguing before and you always hear about this lord or that lord trying to screw over one another, but I wouldn't say they were doing it in a backstabbing way. They seem to have little cliches I guess and they stick to them," she shrugged.

"I ain't a noble though, tis merely what I've observed you understand. As for how they are with commoners, that House? Eh, they seem alright. Like they come and do the usual things now and then of handing out some coins when they feel they need to but usually they prefer commoners to keep to their side of the street if you get what I mean."

 

[Acteon Cass]

Acteon was not very pleased with the way both Ana and Louisa were reacting to all of this. Was it so uncommon in this area for people to ask questions related to nobles or was it just that the talk of them was so particularly volatile here? He could not say. It was just clear something was off and going on that he was not aware the nature of yet.

The Allirian did listen to what Louisa had to say then smiled to the woman. "I do. See that kind of behavior everywhere there are nobles sadly. Also sounds fairly typical of most nobles in other places. I will keep that in mind. You have been a delight Louisa and very helpful. Perhaps if you need some help later you can get it from me."

Maybe that would ease things a bit. Acteon could not say. This whole trip had not been as he had expected and nothing had gone as planned. It would be stranger if it got smooth and predictable now of all times. But enough focusing on that sort of deal. It was time to move back onto more pleasant things.

"So, how did your sales go tonight? Ana's performance was wonderful and should have made you a small fortune. I certain would pay one to have her perform for me." Acteon said with that smile still on his face. He squeezed Ana's thigh gently and just hoped that perhaps this would move the topic away from the whole noble talk. It was clear the siren was not fond of it being the focus right now.

Andromeda Barbarossa

 

[Andromeda]

Louisa nodded solemnly to his words about the nobility but it was clearly she was more keen to discuss over things, so when the topic of Ana's singing came up she was quick to smirk and jump in to that conversation.

"Aye, every time Ana sails through she earns me more in a night than I make in a month usually. There's just something about her voice that people can't seem to get enough of. Your nobles are in for a treat if she's performing there - though I must say I'm a little surprised. It's not your usual gig," her last sentence was directed more to the Siren, who until that point had been smiling at the small touch against her thigh. Her hand came to rest over the top of his as her feet swung and she blinked at Louisa.

"Hm? Oh," she brushed a tendril of hair behind her ear. "Well, I think it's time to branch a bit further out. Earn a little more coin. Besides, Acteon needed company."

"I see, well as long as we don't lose you to the life of high society, would be a crying shame."

"No, you won't," Ana smiled faintly before hopping down from her stall. "I am going to turn in early however, I don't want to turn up there with bags under my eyes. Night Louisa," she leaned over the bar to kiss her friend fondly before turning to head for the stairs, though not before she inclined her head slightly to Acteon in a questioning tilt. If he wanted to stay downstairs longer, she wouldn't stop him, but she did plan on actually getting a good nights rest this time.

 

[Acteon Cass]

The Allirian was enjoying himself again when it became obvious how caught up in the little touching they had going on the siren was. It was rather innocent of an action yet it was far more enjoyable than anything else he had done with another woman to this point. Strange how that worked. But she back to the moment and with it she had decided to head off to sleep.

Acteon definitely noticed the signal Ana gave him that it was time for bed. Well perhaps she was not telling him it was so much as asking but he took it as her telling him it was time for the both of them to go to sleep. He got himself off his stool as well to join her.

"It has been lovely Louisa but I should rest as well. Not had the most sleep filled nights of late because of a certain someone." Acteon said before giving Ana a little glance. Returning his attention back to Louisa he went on. "Hopefully we will see you in the morning."

And with that done the man went to join the siren on her way back to their room. He took her arm in his own as he limped his way in beside her. It was another of those innocent little things just so he could be close to her. Odd how much more this meant to him with her than any amount of time with any other woman.

"Your performance was wonderful Ana. I would say you won me a few hands by distracting my opponents with your beautiful voice but it also had me enthralled as well. Nearly lost a couple of times because I could not take my focus off of you on stage." Acteon said to Ana as they headed up the stairs.

Andromeda Barbarossa

 

[Andromeda]

A warm smile dimpled her cheeks when Acteon joined her and looped his arm through hers once more. Louisa gave her a look and she couldn't help the laugh before they turned and began to make their way upstairs towards their room. His words warmed her and she shifted her hand so it lightly cupped his elbow to help him on his injured leg up the stairs.

"I'm glad you enjoyed the performance, but. Like I say to everyone who hears me sing, I can't be held responsible for any emotions they cause," she threw him a wink. It was a well practised phrase. "I'm glad you enjoyed your evening though," there was some genuineness behind her words as they walked down the corridor and then finally pushed open the door to their room. "I think I'll wake up early and go for a swim, then I'll meet you back here and we can leave from here to your relatives? Unless... you want to come for a swim too?"

 

[Acteon Cass]

The fatigue of the day was catching up to Acteon. He felt it in his bones as much as his flesh. But he was ignoring it. Ana was with him and he was listening to everything she had to say. It was mostly just small talk but it was comforting. Usually he found this sort of thing annoying but not with her. How strange all of it was. That thought was ever on his mind with her it seemed.

When Ana mentioned going for a swim his first thought was on joining her for it. He was ready to suggest it but did not have to. She did herself. He smiled to her as he squeezed her arm gently. "Of course I want to join you Ana." The smile shifted into more of an impish smirk. "Perhaps we can have a little fun then like we had this morning."

The Allirian bend down to kiss the siren. When they had arrived at their door he had made sure to open it up for her so she could enter first. Once she was through he would close it and lock it. Inside he immediately began to get himself undressed. As he did he said, "So Ana we should go over a few things to keep in mind while we visit my relatives. I take it you have little experience around nobles yes?"

Andromeda Barbarossa

 

[Andromeda]

When he pulled back from the kiss there was a wary expression crossed her face.

"Maybe not in the sea..." she rubbed at the back of her neck as she stepped into the room after his kiss. There was firstly, the logistics, but also the fact such an act stoked a need to kill. When she was in the sea and living that part of her it was a lot harder to stay in control. As he got undressed, Ana sat down in front of the dresser and began taking off the various bits of jewellery she was wearing and washing off the makeup she had added to her eyes and lips.

"Absolutely no experience unless you count that one time we held up an Elbion pleasure boat which belonged to some posh merchant," she doubted the etiquette of how to threaten someone with a sword was high on his list of what he wanted his companion to demonstrate to his relatives, however.

 

[Acteon Cass]

While Acteon could not get a good look at Ana's face as she responded to his suggestion about them having adult fun in the ocean together he could hear the tone in her voice. Something about it bothered her when just swimming together did not. Something to attempt later but for now he was going to drop it. Hopefully he remembered this decision in the morning and in the heat of the moment.

As Ana was removing jewelry and makeup, he still did not understand why such a natural beauty used makeup, their topic on how to behave was now in full swing. A smirk crossed his lips when she mentioned robbing some nobles once on the ocean. The idea of all those posh fools getting what they deserved for not having escort vessels and bringing that much wealth with them was entertaining.

"It may well be a useful experience if they try to keep what I am owed from me. A siren and a werewolf threatening a bunch of nobles. Even bards would wait for the punchline to such a grand joke." Acteon responded as he looked over to her. The amused smirk was still on his lips.

"Until that need arises however it is best I give you some advise." The smirk faded and was replaced by seriousness. "They will attempt to treat you as their lesser, because they will believe you are. Do not allow them to. But you can not be aggressive nor direct in your defense. They will see it as a sign of weakness and that you are unable to hold your composure. It will only confirm their thoughts. Instead you need to treat them as if they are below you. Be passive aggressive with them, like a fishmonger's wife addressing that neighbor she hates. Smile at them as you say unflattering things. It will wound them more than any dagger."

Acteon walked over next to her and picked up a brush. He idly began to brush her hair for her. "It will be draining and is rather foolish but it is how you deal with them. They might hate you but they will respect you and treat you as an equal. You do not need to make friends with them after all. I certainly will not be making any."

Andromeda Barbarossa

 

[Andromeda]

Ana's head spun with the information. She wasn't used to being subtle about her emotions it was part of the course of being a performer and a singer let alone a Siren. Emotions were what guided her every action. The games he was talking off were as alien to her as the desert sands. Still, she would try, though as he came over to brush her hair he would probably be able to see the discomfort on her face.

"How about I just leave the talking to you... and I'll do the singing?" then hide, somewhere. Perhaps in the kitchens with the people more like her where she wouldn't feel quite so judged. The gentle stroke of the brush through her hair soothed her somewhat though and she soon leaned into it, tilting her head back so that it was easier for him to gather the long white strands.

"I am a little scared," she admitted truthfully and bit down on her lower lip with a small frown, looking at his reflection in the mirror. "What if they just... don't treat me like an equal? Cause I ain't."

 

[Acteon Cass]

The siren's hair was like long strands of pearls passing through the ivory teeth of the comb. It was a reminder of the wealth and beauty the oceans could provide for those it deemed worthy. Acteon hoped that Ana deemed him worthy.

The thought caused him to pause, which happened to occur right as she admitted her fear. A slight frown was on his face but was not directed at her. He never cared of others opinion of himself outside of how he could use it to his advantage. With her it was simply a desire for approval. The only other people he had ever felt this way towards were his parents.

Continuing to comb and having cast the thought out of his mind the Allirian replied. "If they do not then I will see that they learn to. Nobles play games. Others are their means as much as dice and boards. Standing there in your dress will begin the game with you ahead."

Acteon leaned down so his face was by her face and smiled to her in the mirror. "You will be the most beautiful woman there and they will feel beneath you. Because they are."

A kiss was planted on her cheek and then he leaned back up so he could get back to combing her hair. "They will try to degrade you and try to make your value less than their own because they know they can not rise to your level. So all you need to do is tear them right back down. It is not pleasant nor enjoyable but it will force them to respect you and fear you. Both will stop them from trying to do the same later. The men will try to bed you, but we both know how that will end."

A hand was placed on her shoulder and was squeezed. "Does that help?"

Andromeda Barbarossa

 

[Andromeda]

"Not really," Ana bit down on her bottom lip harder until the blood drained from it entirely. It was only when it began to actually hurt that she let go and sighed, running her hands through her newly brushed hair. She didn't want the men to want to bed her and for the women to turn instantly against her for it. She just wanted them to... if not like her at least tolerate her. The siren would never be good at small talk and being fine company, but she wasn't a completely terrible human and she hoped they would be able to see it despite her low birth and tendencies for piracy.

"But it is not worth me worry about right now anyway," that was tomorrow Ana's problem. She stood up abruptly and then began to take off her boots and dress before clambering in to bed. It was going to be a long, and from the sounds of it tiring, day tomorrow. She wanted to get as much sleep as possible before then.

"Are you coming to bed or staying up a while longer?" Ana yawned as she snuggled down into the covers.

 

[Acteon Cass]

The Allirian frowned slightly noticing how much trouble the siren was having coming to terms with what he had to say about dealing with nobles. It was something she clearly did not wish to do nor seemed to have an idea of how to do properly. Perhaps it was too much of the Anirian way of doing things. His mother had been his mentor on court life after all. This was Cortosi not Vel Anir after all. Perhaps it would be better to handle things here differently.

A sigh escaped Acteon after Ana had gotten up. He watched her duck under those linen waves and become mostly out of sight. Only her head emerged. The offer of joining her got his feet moving to do just that. He slide himself in next to her and wrapped his arms around her. He nuzzled her neck with his rough whiskers before kissing her smooth skin. "Just be yourself Ana but do not let them look down on you. Defend yourself, although perhaps keep punching them in the face as your last move rather than your opener." He kissed her neck again. "You will do well. Do not worry."

And with that the man settled himself to sleep. It came to him quickly despite his desire for more intimacy with the woman in his arms.

====================

Acteon would not wake first. His dreams were those memories switching between his experience as the wolf and his experience surviving the wolves. Some might call them nightmares. Dark dreams attempting to shatter his will and sense of self. But for him it was just normal now. They were not pleasant, usually, but they were not horrifying to him anymore. He had become desensitized to it the same he had to that far too easy yet far too difficult feeling of a blade sliding into flesh.

But when Ana would begin to move to wake it would cause him to begin to rouse from his own. When she slide out of the bed and his arms it would just cause his eyes to begin to flutter open. No recognition of waking had come over him yet. His mind still thought he was dreaming and the hazy sights nothing more than lucid moments within the land of delusions.

Andromeda Barbarossa

 

[Andromeda]

Ana woke with the dawn as she had said she would and was thankful for the early night for she actually felt rested. He had said he had wanted to come with her to swim but he also looked peaceful as she shifted in his arms to watch him sleep. For a moment or two as she woke up properly she simply gazed at him, committing this moment to memory. Then when the itch for the sea began to grow to the point she couldn't ignore it any longer she wriggled her way out of bed and tug on her clothes to wander down to the beach in. She would go for a quick swim then come back here, get changed into her more lady like attire, before they left for his Relatives.

"Acteon?" Ana spoke softly as she sat on the edge of the bed and brushed the hair out of his face. "I'm going for that swim. Do you still want to come?" her voice was barely above a whisper so if he was asleep or only half so he could roll over easily and continue on in slumber.

 

[Acteon Cass]

His cognitive functions came back to him bit by bit. Acteon began to finally wake. When Ana softly spoke to him the man did not recognize the words. Despite that he still mumbled out in response, "I am up. Getting up." And like a zombie rising from its grave so to did Acteon from the bed.

His feet touched the cool floor which sent a little jolt to his brain further waking him up. He swayed over to his clothes and got his pants. First one leg then the other he slide them on. Now shirtless and shoeless but covering his naughty bits the man said in a still half asleep voice, "Ready to go beautiful."

The man walked back over to the siren and placed both hands on her cheeks. A long kiss was placed on her forehead. His scruffy beard was clearly in need of a trimming now as it had grown rough. Once that was done he swayed back a bit and began to stretch out his body instinctively the way he always did for his morning training. It emphasized his muscles while shaking the energy back out of them. Once he was done he felt alive again and ready to take on their swim.

Looking down at himself the Allirian asked half to himself, "Should I put a shirt and boots on?"

Andromeda Barbarossa

 

[Andromeda]

"No, everyone's asleep still," Ana's voice didn't raise above a whisper and she put a finger to her lips to indicate he too should keep quiet before leading him from the room. Down the stairs they went and across the deserted Tavern floor. It looked odd in the early hours of the morning with all the chairs stacked on top of the table. She dug the spare key out from under a floorboard and opened the doors and locked them back up behind her.

Even the streets were deserted. The one of two souls they sore were the folk who hadn't quite been able to make it back to their beds. The beach was not too far from the Tavern and thus it didn't take them long until their bare feet hit sand. The sea was just drawing itself back out and so there was not much of a beach but enough of it to pile their clothes. Ana was meticulous in how she did it as if it were almost a ritual before she walked towards a series of rocks that led out into the sea. She clambered on top of them and hopped from one to the other like an acrobat. Once she reached the last one which was quite a way out into the deeper waters she threw Acteon a kiss and then dived beneath the waves.

 

[Acteon Cass]

It was a bit of a swirl of events as Acteon soon found himself at the beach. He watched Ana as she cheerfully went about what he could only assume was a ritual of offering her naked self to the sea. A little smirk appeared at that thought because there would be no greater offering in the world. It was something he knew first hand. But as she began to skip across rocks he finally moved to follow. His clothes came off, where quickly folded up neatly, and deposited with her own.

Where the siren was playful in her movement across the stones the man was stoic. He leapt on top of the first stone and then seemed nearly to stride across the others as he made to catch up quickly with his prey. A couple of moments after her kiss and dive he leapt into the waters of the sea himself. His leg did not particularly like the action but had recovered enough over night to allow it. A little blessing that came with the curse.

The Allirian surfaced and took in a deep breath of air. The water was warm here, unlike the waters of the Strait. It felt refreshing because of it. Back home the chill would wake even the dead if they dove into the ocean's depths like this but here it was different. He could relax and enjoy himself more.

Looking around himself Acteon said, "Where did you go beautiful?"

Andromeda Barbarossa

 

[Andromeda]

As was the way whenever she changed Ana dived deep for that first shift and breath of salt water. It was easier for some reason the deeper she could go for even in the sea the great Deep called to her. She had once heard tell that all Sirens were called back home to some far off distant city beneath the waves and she wondered often what it would be like to give in to that urge and swim to wherever it pulled her.

She swum for a good few minutes on her own, stretching back into the skin she wore whenever salt water touched her. It was quite an easy adjustment but it still took a while to get her bearings and remember that she had a fin not legs now.

Once she was content once more in her own skin she swam back to the surface and the rocks where she had initially jumped in. She ended up bobbing up behind him where she wrapped her arms around his waist and planted a kiss to his neck.

"Have you woken up properly yet?"

 

[Acteon Cass]

The only response Acteon received was the sound of waves slapping the rocks they had just run across. No sight. No sound. No Ana. That was a good sign, he hoped, and just meant she was under the water right now swimming around like the siren she was. So he focused on just idly swimming around in the waves and letting his body relax in the ease of liquid movement.

Eventually the sound of something surfacing behind him caught his ears and it was followed by the sweet melody of Ana asking a question. Acteon glanced back at her with a smirk. "And what if every moment with you was the sweetest of dreams?"

A terrible line, but he did not care. What mattered to him right now was spending time with her. So he got himself turned around and began to swim over to the coral beauty. She was always beautiful, but this form had a beauty all its own. The many shades of colors reflected and dyed the water around her. It was not the first time he had seen her in this form yet he was still in awe of how gorgeous she was in it.

"And how about you beautiful? Feeling better now?"

Andromeda Barbarossa

 

[Andromeda]

Ana rolled her eyes at his cheesy line but she didn't swim from him as he approached and watched him instead with those haunting eyes that were very much other now she was in the sea with the barest fleck of humanity left to their depths. Only when he got close did she move to swim lazy circles around him; she couldn't keep still for long when the Siren was riding her like this. She needed to breathe in the water and the salt to satisfy it.

"A little, I should probably swim further," her eyes flicked towards the open sea and in the direction that call always pulled her towards. Somewhere out there was Kiva and her ancestral home. A home she had never laid her eyes on. "Will you be ok? Last time we were in the sea together you nearly got yourself eaten," she gave him a playful frown. She was loathe to leave him defenceless in the sea if he was unsure but she needed to stretch her fins.

 

[Acteon Cass]

Acteon watched as Ana swam her little circles around him like she always seemed to do when they were in the water together like this. Was it just her siren nature to need to always feel the flow of water against her skin or was it a sign of her predatory nature?

The human smiled to the siren as she swam about him. "The only one that will get to eat me is you Ana." He attempted to swim up to her knowing she would just slip away from him right away. "This time will be different. No dead whale to attract and frenzy sharks around me. Go have your swim. And when you get back we can have our fun before we head back to land."

The Allirian would try to get close to her so he could give her a kiss before she left. After she did he would just drift around a bit and even dive from time to time. He looked for nothing in particular. Fish, crabs, slugs. Every kind of sea life swam around in the coral below. And the man just watched it as he waited for the beautiful sea goddess to return to him.

Andromeda Barbarossa