Private Tales Coasting Along

[Andromeda]

Andromeda shook her head but... she enjoyed the matched humour. He seemed a bit more human as funny as that was coming from her. She learnt from her mistake previously and decided to keep her mouth shut as she went scouting for some things which might make the meat taste better across the island. She hadn't actually stepped foot on it before though she had passed it multiple times. It seemed quite full of life which was usually a sign of there being no interference of outsiders.

It didn't take her long to find mushrooms and some herbs, even a few mango's, but she did take the time to hike back to the beach and trawl through the wreckage to find a few bottles of wine. If she could get him to sleep quicker by passing out from alcohol then she could leave sooner. A part of her felt a little guilt - he had just saved her life even if she hadn't wanted to necessarily be saved.

She found her way back to the camp with ease and raised a brow at the state the man was in, stopping on the edge of the camp.

"I couldn't get a pie but I did fine wine," Andromeda jiggled the things in her arms a little before waving the two bottles she held in one hand. She made her way over to the fire and carefully crouched to set her load down. It was definitely more than most women her size and build would have been able to hand on their own but she didn't seem to break a sweat. The years of hurling ropes on her fathers ship had honed her muscles so that most tasks the men could do she could do better. She was a captain's daughter after all.

"And some herbs you can use to flavour the meat if you want it," she stacked the mushrooms and herbs neatly in a pile off the floor on a bit of cloth she had also salvaged from the wreck. It looked like it had once been a bit of the sail. "Though I had half expected to come back and see you had devoured the whole thing before it cooked the way you were looking at it."

 

[Acteon Cass]

Acteon had begun to prepare sticks to be used to cook the meat and whatever it was Andromeda Barbarossa brought back over the fire. When she arrived he looked up to her and raised a brow. She actually had wine. Interesting. Perhaps the beach was a treasure trove. Something to check out later, even during his transformation. A grin crossed his lips, showing his rather sharp teeth, as she mentioned what she had found. This one was rather strong. He already knew that but she just confirmed it with what she brought back.

"The only thing I would devour whole so greedily right now is you Mistress." Acteon said to her with an impish twist coming over his grin. The usual mask he would wear was still gone. How his instinct ruled him.

Acteon set down his cooking sticks and moved over to the young woman. He took a look over everything she had brought. The mangos might be a bit hard to cook so best eaten raw, if he even wished for fruit with so much meat available. The mushrooms and herds would go very well with the meat however. Already the woman was becoming useful. It justified his desire to keep her around, even if the real reason he would not admit had more to do with his desires and less her usefulness.

"Sit and relax Mistress. Get started on that wine. I will take care of our meal." Acteon said as he went over to his meat and organ pile. He needed to get them into a manageable size. So that is what he did. He began to get them into bite sized pieces, which did not take too long. After he planned to crush up the herbs on some stones and rub it into the meat then slice up the mushrooms to make kebabs. These tasks were taking up his attention, although she would find her lovely voice could still capture it.

 

[Andromeda]

"Please, I'm nobody's mistress," the title was too formal it was making her uncomfortable. It made her think of noblewomen and pretty ladies in fine dresses. Andromeda was not that. Even if her current attire could be excused as a result of being caught in bed when the ship went down, nothing about her screamed that she was a caged bird like the nobility. As if to exemplify her unlady like manner she sat cross legged in the dirt with her skirt hitched up to pool over her lap and across her knees. She took a knife from the pile she had also found on the beach and began to carve into the melon. It was fresh fruit she desired more than meat, so full was she still on the flesh of man.

"You can call me Ann or Ana," she offered, glancing up at him to watch him work for a moment before looking back down at her own task. After a while they seemed to lapse into a companionable silence - he was busy working on the meat and she on the fruit. After a while she began to hum a sweet melody.

 

[Acteon Cass]

"Ana then." Acteon said as he continued on with his work.

Things were pleasantly quiet. Some might say silent but the world was never truly silent. The wind rustles leaves and grass and sand. Birds chirped. Squirrels chittered. There was never a lack of noise. There was only a lack of words. Which was what was happening with these two. Even the woman began to hum instead of speak or sing. It was truly a comforting quiet to go with the rather homey feeling the campsite was taking on coming back to life.

When Acteon got the meat cut, seasoned, and into the kebab sticks with the mushrooms, he finally spoke up. "You are rather skilled with your tongue Ana."

The Allirian began to push sticks along the edge of the stone ring so that the contents were over the flames. It was rather simple and basic for cooking, but it worked. He fitted them in all around the pit so that it looked more like he was attempting to feed a guard patrol out in the field rather than two people stranded on an island.

His work done, Acteon began to realize the state his clothing and body was in right now. Blood, sweat, and grim had built up rather thickly. He was even beginning to reek. It was bothering his nose now that he noticed. With a bit of a frown he stated, "Mind turning the sticks in a bit? Need to bath."

And before Andromeda Barbarossa could even respond he was up and off towards the pond. Off came clothing when he did reach there but he did not leave it on the shore. He brought it into the water with him so that he could do his best to get as much of the filth from it as he could. This left him utterly exposed to the world.

 

[Andromeda]

Finished with the mango, Andromeda began picking bits up and eating them. It was a sweet fruit and it cleansed her palate from the sea salt and meat she had eaten earlier that day. With a quite content sigh she lay back against the log, popping more slices of the stick fruit into her mouth and occasionally sipping at the wine. She had almost forgotten she was with someone until he spoke about her tongue. Her humming stopped and she leaned up from her position on the floor to give him a look before laying back down again and humming another tune.

The smell of cooking meat slowly filled the air and her stomach rumbled. It caused Andromeda to frown a little and she ran a hand down her stomach thoughtfully. When had she eaten all those men? It was definitely late morning so, yes, she supposed she was due to get hungry around about now. She was disturbed from her thoughts when Acteon asked her to watch the meat.

Slowly she pushed herself onto her elbows, thinking he was probably going to the woods to relieve himself. What she hadn't expected was for him to strip off and make his way to the pond. Ana raised an eyebrow then tilted her head to watch him go. Not exactly a bad view.

Rolling to her feet she made her way to be closer to the meat, which was when she realised just how much he had put on to grill. She took a long drag of the wine then set it down, making her way around slowly to flip them all over.

"Are you expecting company - this is a lot of food!"

 

[Acteon Cass]

"The only company I expect is you." Acteon said before he dunked his head below the water. He had to get his hair cleaned up now. It was a terrible mess due to the salt, blood, and sweat. After rising back into the air he went on. "I told you I am starving. This will be my first meal today."

The Allirian eventually got himself to a place he felt his body and clothing was clean enough so left the water. Coming out he shook himself off in what would likely be comical. He knew he would dry faster if he got some of the extra water off and did not care how he looked at the moment, just that he was clean. Back to the fire he returned and looked for some long branches. He needed to dry his clothes now, since he had not given his pants any time to dry before leaving the water.

Once Acteon had his clothes drying, he went over to the pile of goods Andromeda Barbarossa had collected and found another piece of cloth just big enough to cover him. So that is what he did.

"The food smells ready. We can begin our feast when you wish Ana." Acteon said to the siren before giving her a little bow.

Acteon's stomach growled. It did not stop. The smell of meat and sizzling fat just reminded his hunger how long it had been since he had food in him. His soak had managed to tamper down his desires some but they were still there on the surface. It had also done him some good in the not staring with his entire lust on display so openly area. Now it was likely the usual levels of lust she was use to from men and even some women.

The man found himself a place to sit near Ana but instead of being right next to her he had put at least some elbow room between them.

 

[Andromeda]

"Hmm."

Andromeda didn't comment anymore nor give him a second look as she focused on ensuring the meal wasn't burnt. It was an easy task but she wasn't overly keen on fire even when cooking. Perhaps it was because of what she was, but she much preferred the cold and the wet to the crackle of a fire. Still, sat far enough back it was comforting. Just, not standing it over it like this.

She was almost relieved when he was finished and returned to the fire. Gladly she stepped back and flourished her hands towards the meat after she took a single kebab for herself.

"Please, I'm not as hungry as you," her eyes dragged up his body, amused slightly at his makeshift wrap. Taking a few steps back she sat on the log a good meter or two away from the fire, back where she had left the wine. It didn't surprise her when he came to sit beside her like a constant shadow, though she raised a slight eyebrow at the space. Oh so now he had learnt manners?

Her lips twitched but she focused on eating the meal.

"So if I'm a Siren, I can swim off this island. But how do you plan on getting away from here come morning?"

 

[Acteon Cass]

Acteon began to grab several sticks and mercilessly began to devour them. The spice did a bit to flavor the boar meat but it was mostly natural in its flavor. Very gamey but considering his current state of tastes that was preferred. The meal was basic and natural in much the same way he was. Where distance had been given in how they sat the more primal and beast like behavior was on full display with his eating.

Once he had enough food in him to satisfy his stomach enough to allow other activities Acteon responded. "I was hoping you would take some pity on me and help me find a boat."

The man's fingers had some fat on them so he began to lick it off. He was swinging between civilized and primal. He was always like this near the full moon, but even he had to admit the circumstances this time around were making it worse. His usual control was very thin and mostly it was kept up simply because he naturally was so quick to change.

"If you were going to leave me to die then you would have already. Plenty of time to slip back into the sea when you were off foraging for us." Acteon said in that all too casual and matter of fact way his lack of inhibitions promoted. He was not making a point or trying to manipulate her as he might at any other time. Right now he was his truest self and those were just how he saw the situation. "Like wise I could have let the boar kill you if I cared about what you are. You are simply Ana to me and you happen to be able to help me later."

Acteon was feeling talkative. His hunger sated for now, his thirst quenched, and his need to mate not being toyed with he was able to be more of a person. Not the usual person he tended to be but a person all the same. He grabbed more of the kebabs, with half of them already gone by this point, and ate more slowly and controlled.

"It would be easier to just pretend I did not figure out you are a siren you know. Easily would have sent you running. Maybe you would stab me in the back or poison me. Not sure how you handle those things. I normally would just pretend to be a bit of a fool and keep what I know and am as hidden as possible. Best way to out play your opponent is to never hint at your possible next moves." Acteon said before he took another bite of kebab.

"This tastes good with those herbs you picked."

Acteon took another bite.

"What was I talking about? Oh yes. It does not matter to me that you are a siren. You have been pleasant company and helped make this whole stranded on an island adventure far more enjoyable." Acteon said before licking the new fat that had gotten on his fingers. "Regardless of tonight or tomorrow now has been enough of repayment for the attempting to drown me business of this morning."

Acteon grabbed another kebab and seemed to just now realize how much he had eaten. He blinked a moment then offered the stick to her. "Kebab?"

Andromeda Barbarossa

 

[Andromeda]

Andromeda listened to his whole speech before she began to laugh. It was a proper belly laugh that had her clutching at her sides before she rolled onto her back, still giggling and struggling now to breathe. Tears welled slightly in her eyes and she blinked them away trying to calm herself. Finally the laughter died and she hiccuped.

"So... you think I'm a Siren," she began slowly as she stared up at the sky. The sun was setting and as such it was a symphony of colours from blue to lavender to pinks and deeper oranges and red. "But I'm a Siren who didn't jump into the sea the moment she had the chance, and you want a Siren to just flop up on some deck of a boat and ask "oh friends would you mind dreadfully if you pulled in at that island over there to help my friend out who may or may not be some kind of beastie?""

"Then," Ana continued before he could interrupt, the laughter bubbling up once against. "You say, even though you are very certain I AM a Siren, which should really be making you run for the hills, you declare I'm rather good company which is good enough company consider I tried to drown you?"

She shook her head and slowly rubbed her side where she had begun to form a stitch.

"You're crazy."

 

[Acteon Cass]

Acteon just listened to what Andromeda Barbarossa had to say as he ate the kebab she did not seem to want. It was all very amusing to her and he had to admit it was a rather crazy story to tell. But it was one happening right now. He accepted it for what it was because not doing so would not get him off this island. It would not get him anywhere in life if he kept trying to deny all the oddity life seemed to bring upon him.

With an impish smirk Acteon looked to the young woman next to him nearly dead from laughter. "If that is how you would find a boat then yes."

The man quickly finished the last bite of his kebab.

"As far as being crazy goes, no. You are a siren. I am what I am, which you will learn before morning. Secrets shared while surviving together. It would be crazy not to accept my circumstances and find the most profitable solution for myself out of it." Acteon said as he leaned back onto his elbows. His stomach was full now and they had a few kebabs left for the morning, not that he had thought that far ahead before now.

Clarity was returning to his mind. Hunger was sated. His thirst was gone. The only remaining desire with any strength left in it was his need to mate, but she was not touching him so he could relatively ignore it. He was more in control of himself for the first time since this morning. His mask had been gone for far too long around this woman so he saw no reason to slip one on. Be an insult to her and to him both.

Looking over at her with his amber eyes reflecting his returned self, Acteon said, "It is not good for you to keep on denying your self. Our situation, what you are, what you are doing. You are a siren stranded on an island with a man who is a far more feared monster than yourself in so many ways. This monster saved you yet you act like it was unwanted. You have had chances to slip back into the ocean yet you never did take them. I am being open with you here which feels rather fantastical to me. There is only one person I am honest with and it is not because my old man has nearly as pretty of a face as yourself. You should stop trying to hide. I did. We have found each other and should accept that fact for what it is. Who knows where and what it might lead to."

Acteon gave her a predatory smile. "So what do we do next Ana?"

 

[Andromeda]

Andromeda watched the sky as her eyebrows pulled slowly into a frown. One hand laid across her stomach and the other arm she used to prop her head up off the ground. What had begun as a jest was now pressing too close to the truth. She could have jumped in the sea and left him, that was true. But... she hadn't. Why hadn't it even occurred to her to do so? She wanted to say it was because she didn't want any lose end but it wasn't that. It was the human part of her that craved contact with people. The Siren half of her was truly sated after the days activities.

Briefly she closed her eyes and then slowly she made a decision and rolled onto her side so she could look at him. The mask was finally cracking.

"Every time someone finds out about what I am the run or they die," Ana looked at him briefly then looked away. "I can't tell if what someone feels is true or if it is because of what I am that twists their minds." Shadows fell across her cheekbones caused by the way her eyelashes were lowered, her gaze focused on her fingers as they played with the dress along her hip, picking it up and dropping it over and over.

"You saw what I did to those people today. What are you if you say you are a monster worse than that?"

 

[Acteon Cass]

"I am an educated, skilled, and experienced man in a wider range of fields than most. I am all of this while being intelligent and ambitious. I am the kind of man that topples kings and signs kingdoms fates." Acteon responded to Andromeda Barbarossa after a couple of moments of thought. He was somber and serious as he spoke. It was clear this was truly what he thought of himself.

"People fear losing their power. They fear losing their feeling of control. There is little I can do to make someone lose their power but manipulating people is not difficult. It is easier to take their control away from them and in ways they might not even realize. Say what they expect or want to hear. Look the way you need to look. Act the way who you are trying to be acts. Do all of this and you can control people in a far subtler way than your siren song. They will lose their control and not even notice."

Acteon looked over at Ana. "That is the kind of 'monster' I was before becoming the one I am now. Sirens tempt ships into rocks but it also as easily could be a helmsman getting tired or complacent and stirring into them on their own. They push the blame onto your kind and incite fear to hide their mistakes. I am the kind of monster they do not speak of because uttering my name may bring death and ruin upon what you hold most dear. Humans are as much monsters as any Siren Ana."

The Allirian laid down on the grass and the shifting around nearly caused his cloth to fall off of him. He looked up to the sky. The day was so precious but he did not fear the night. It might be a different story if his transformation into a wolf truly stripped him of his control and self. It was not as if he just changed into a new body but rather felt more like he was in a lucid dream. His body just moved on raw intent rather than any real sense of control. He never did anything as a wolf his human self would not or did not want to do.

"To address your first comments, how do you know that what others are feeling when you use your skills are fake? How do you know that you are not just simply amplifying what they already feel to new heights? Music brings out emotions and causes them to rise. I would not say music makes those feelings false. Perhaps what you do is just what music already does just stronger." Acteon said rambling off his thoughts. That philosophical side of his father was showing. His old man had a bad habit of getting into these academic and philosophical rants. Seemed the habit rubbed off onto Acteon. At least he did not have that unholy love of riddles too.

"Today you have used your skills on me. Correct? Well, Ana, you did not create false or fake feelings in me. I was already feeling a desire to mate. Being around you just made it stronger. You are an attractive young woman and a wit. It is natural for a man, or even a woman, to be attracted to you. The sight of you fans the flames of my desires. Your touch just fans them faster. They are heightened, but still real. It is how I truly feel and not something you made me feel. You should just accept that you are just this magical power of music in physical form. Embrace it and stop giving your control over to this power of yours. You are you. Be it in this form or your other one. You are Ana either way as I am Acteon no matter what form I might take."

 

[Andromeda]

Andromeda began running her fingers through the grass, picking tufts of it out and scattering it on the floor again. It helped her work her way through the thoughts he was dredging up. Her eyebrows were pulled tightly into a frown over her eyes turning them a darker shade of orange rather than their usual peach.

"I haven't intentionally used my gifts on you today, no," her lips twitched. "Aside from the boat." She glanced up at him and then back to what her fingers were doing to the ground. "I have just never had anyone to ask about the way these things work. I've never met another Kivren to ask, my mother dumped me on my father and left without so much as a splash," she shrugged. "I've just been trying to work the gifts out as I do. The song is one, and I think as much as you do that it depends on the emotions they incite. But it is touch that is the real issue. There's just something there that seems to make a brain forget the little voice of reason."

Ana paused and then pushed herself to her feet.

"Well this is an absolutely depressing conversation, where's that wine."

Once she had located both bottles she dropped one into his lap, kicked the bit of fabric back over himself absentmindedly and then dropped down beside him with her own bottle. she bit the cork and spat it out.

"So are you going to tell me what you are or keep giving me weird cryptic clues?"

 

[Acteon Cass]

Acteon could oddly relate to this siren. Well half of one but that did not make much difference to him. As he had said she was just Ana to him. Seemed she was alone in dealing with her own gifts or curse. It was the same for him with his transformations. A strange bit of kinship they would share if she knew. Well she would know soon enough.

The cloth covering him up had fallen off at some point and he didn't realize it until she had gotten it back into place for him. Acteon sat himself back up when the bottle was laid into his lap. He pulled the cork out with his teeth although had to be gentle with it or the thing would have gotten stuck on his teeth. He took a swig then made a face.

"Of course it would be cheap Cortosi wine. Stuff is more vinegar than wine proper." Acteon frowned as he said that but went right back to drinking the wine as if he had said nothing about it.

Andromeda Barbarossa question about what he was came and he was unsure at first what he wanted to say. Acteon planned on letting it be a little surprise for later, but his regained sense of logic was saying that would be a bad idea. It would just end in her freaking out and likely running off to the ocean as quickly as she could. Then he would be here alone and without his best bet of finding his way to civilized shores. No, it was best to tell her now.

One more quick drink then Acteon spoke. "I am a lycanthrope. A werewolf in more common terms."

Acteon pointed up at the sky, which was still sunny and bright blue. "Tonight is the full moon so I have been, moody. All day. I will be transforming once the sun is properly gone and the moon is up. But you have nothing to fear from me. I am not some mindless beast filled with only a lust for blood. The wolf is me just in a different form. If I do not frighten you now then there is no reason to be after dark."

The man about took another drink but stopped himself. "I suppose it is sort of like you and your two forms. Either way, you can sleep soundly tonight and just know that nothing will be able to harm you. Not beast nor man."

The Allirian took the drink but a wicked little thought crossed his mind. An impish smirk crossed his face as he turned to lock their eyes. "Although I can not promise I will not try to breed you. Desires must be sated as a wolf you know."

 

[Andromeda]

Andromeda chocked on her wine at his final comment.

"Excuse me?!"

Up until that point she had been relatively calm. A werewolf was not overly rare, she had heard of them before though she had never met one in person. She agreed with his sentiment about it being similar to her two forms and she knew how hard that was to control. Even though she didn't like the Kivren part of her, when she was in that form it wasn't a particularly horrible feeling truly aside from the hunger. She still had her own mind, it was just... like all her emotions were heightened.

"Well you can take your desires and you can go find some... some lady wolf out there in the forest," she flicked her hands in the general direction of the trees around them.

"And I happen to like Cortosi wine so if you have a problem with it you can leave it right here and I'll get to it in a minute."

 

[Acteon Cass]

Acteon moved in closer to Ana after her disgust in his joke. He was enjoying this and his lack of inhibitions was making him very playful. Another idea came to his mind as he did this. He leaned over so she was having to look him in the face. That impish smirk was still there.

"But Mistress Ana, you are my lady wolf. And must I say you are the most beautiful lady wolf in all the lands and seas." Acteon said to her. He moved a hand to gently brush a strand of hair behind her ear. "Such a pretty, pretty wolf you are."

The Allirian would give her a wink then get himself moved back to his earlier position. He took a drink of his wine in her full view to emphasis how he wasn't going to give it over to her. He was very much enjoying himself right now. How long had it been since he just let himself go and have fun like this? Nothing was coming to mind. Had he ever let go to this degree?

"You know if you do not like the idea of breed with the wolf then you just have to breed with the man. Desires must be sated and that can happen before the night as easily as during it." Acteon idly said. It was a stray thought. He always dealt with his desires before the moon to make sure his time as a wolf was more relaxed. The less hunger and need to hunt he had the more time he could spend just roaming aimlessly as the wolf.

Andromeda Barbarossa

 

[Andromeda]

Andromeda was not sure she liked the one being the prey.

Her whole body seized up as he prowled over to her and got into her personal space. Usually when a man did such a thing it ended in a bar fight or a tumble in the sheets depending on her mood, but it always felt like it was her choice. Her touch that instigated either. This was something else and something dangerous. She couldn't tear her gaze from his as he spoke, it felt like to look away would be to turn her back in a wild creature. As he reached up and brushed the hair behind her air all she could do was watch, though her breathing hitched a little, muscles bunching as if ready to run if necessary.

And then he was gone and she could breathe again. Was this how the men felt who she toyed with?

The very obvious drinking of her wine when he obviously didn't appreciate it snapped her out of her thoughts.

"I could 'breed' with neither. Thank you very much," she took a long drink of the wine in her own lap then before laying back down in the sandy dirt. "Usually, a guy takes a gal out before even mentioning such things."

 

[Acteon Cass]

It did not go unnoticed how Ana had tensed her muscles and seemed so ready to run. This must have been a first for her. A part of himself enjoyed that fact. She was always the tease never the teased. Good. She got a taste of her own medicine. Perhaps he should keep on teasing her, but that might also scare her off. She truly was like a little rabbit for him right now.

Andromeda Barbarossa words got a laugh from Acteon. So she was going with neither of them being a good choice. Such a shame. But her next comment is what brought the smirk back to his lips.

Turning to look at Ana again, Acteon said, "You are right. Normally a guy would take a gal out first. It is not as if I found you shelter for the night, saved you from a boar, cooked you a meal, and am providing you such wonderful company. How silly of me."

Acteon leaned over closer but did not lean over her this time around. The smirk was still there and a playful gleam was in his eyes. "Or are you saying you would rather our lips meet first? If so I would not be opposed."

 

[Andromeda]

"Excuse me but who lured the boar out from wherever it was so you had meat, who went and found all the herbs and spices and firewood, who found wine?" Ana arched a brow before taking another sip of the wine from the bottle.

"I will concede to the saving my life thing, however," her eyes swept to the side to glance at him before closing to enjoy the taste of her wine. "I've never really noticed how animals respond to my singing before, it is usually only people who are interested in it. Makes me feel like some sort of faerie," a soft chuckle that turned into a full laugh when he spoke of a kiss. This time when she looked at him it was with a hint of consideration.

"Perhaps. When I am a bit more drunk," she turned her gaze upwards instead, leaning on her elbows as she did so. "So tell me a bit more about yourself, Acteon. You were on your way to get a bit of inheritance, you're a werewolf, and what do you do for a living?"

 

[Acteon Cass]

"I suppose you are a sea fairy." Acteon responded to Ana's first round of comments with a smile. "Oh great sea fairy grant me my wish. I wish for legs as lovely as your's."

The look in her eyes got Acteon's mind racing. That desire he had been mostly ignoring was getting harder to forget about. Did she do it on purpose knowing his vulnerable state? Perhaps. She was a siren and a singer after all. He had yet to meet a bard that did not enjoy playing with people. Made them great and terrible company all at once.

The man feigned distrust on his face as he said, "Surely a trick to get my wine. A foul temptress this sea fairy is!"

The Allirian immediately handed her his bottle of wine. It wasn't what he wanted right now. His thoughts were on other things. Some of them happened to be answers to her questions. She wanted to know more about him. How did he answer that? He spent most of his time avoiding letting others get to know him. It made it harder for his opponents to find a weakness and easier to cause them to make a misstep. Opening up and sharing about himself rather than the mask he was wearing in the moment was opposite to that life strategy of his.

After enough time had past for Acteon to feel he had sorted out the answer to his dilemma he finally spoke up. "I am Allirian. Born into an ancient merchant family. When I was of age however my father exiled me from the house and business. He wanted me to learn how to handle things on my own and to experience not having my previous advantages. At the time I thought he was cruel and harsh. I cursed his name and swore vengeance against him."

Acteon had raised a fist in to the air above him almost as if he was acting out some part in a play. He got quiet afterwards for a few seconds. A far off look came over him as he trailed into memory. Soon enough he was back.

"But I understand why he did what he did now. I was too narrow. It was wasting my potential to just spend my life as any other son of a merchant would have. I have plenty of time to adjust back to a merchant life and my father can still teach me how to do it when the time comes. If he had not forced me out of the house I never would have had to resort to labor and theft. I never would have joined the guard then become a sellsword after I retired from duty early. I would not have learned how to deal with nobles and commoners from other lands. Never learned how to deal with kings and slaves. I never would have become a wolf...."

If Acteon still had the bottle he would have drank from it here just to give him an excuse for his pause. The one thing that stuck with him in such a bad way after leaving his home had been his experience with the day he was cursed. It would have even if he had not been cursed. It was something he doubted he would ever experience again and feel the same sort of dread and certainty of death as he had that night.

After snapping out of another memory Acteon looked to Andromeda Barbarossa and said, "And what about you Ana? Tell me more about yourself."

 

[Andromeda]

His jokes chased the final shadows from her eyes and for perhaps the first time in a long time, she didn't feel like a monster. Just... different. And different was ok. Ana wasn't going to reject the new bottle however and set it down next to her to be started on as soon as she had finished nursing her first.

The story he wove was actually an interesting one. She had been expecting something less. From the way he handled himself she had guessed he had not come from the bottom of the barrel like she had, that he had had a much easier start in life. But she wouldn't have guessed that his history in the guard and as a sellsword which he had bragged about earlier were actually choices of necessity rather than those of a middle class youth who fancied his hand at adventure. She half debated offering him the drink back when he paused, lost in the memories, but she decided to drink on his behalf instead. If he desperately wanted a drink all he had to do was retake the bottle that sat by her side.

"It is a good story so I will tell you mine," she tilted her head and then ran her finger gently around the lip of the bottle as she thought best of where to start. "Well, my father was a pirate and he fell in love with a Siren. He used to talk about her all the time even though they only spent the night together. Sometime later I was deposited on his deck and he and the crew raised me. When it became clear I had taken after my mother well... it unnerved the crew to begin with until my father asked me to use the gifts to wreck other rival ships or merchant ships.

He died when I was 18 and it just got a little uncomfortable when the First Mate took over - we're good friends but it doesn't do to have the bosses daughter around when you're trying to cement your own authority. So I left, travelled port to port and began singing at different taverns. After a while I found I was making quite a bit of money and getting to see the world so I stuck at it. I quite enjoy it now."

 

[Acteon Cass]

Acteon kept his eyes on Andromeda Barbarossa as she went on and told him her story. Sounded like she had a rough life. Pirates were not the most empathetic of people. It also did not help that she was a young woman that was attractive and had the kind of powers she did. Plenty of them surely wanted to chase her skirt and get her into their beds no matter her own feelings about it. A shame really. With how natural she was with singing if she had been in better circumstances she might have performed for kings and queens instead.

"My mother was an Anirian noble. Just a minor house so why she was able to marry a man from an Allirian merchant family without a scandal being involved. It is actually one of her relatives that past away. That line about Cortosi win was something she use to say. I also believe it but they were originally her words." Acteon said to Ana. He was certainly sharing a lot here. "As for this matter of your life, you should see Alliria. It connects to two different seas and is filled with coin. Any number of taverns and ale houses for you to perform in. From beggars to old wealth families, you can find work easily there for any sort of client you wish. Also no one will be too concerned if a few people disappear on the docks. Always accidents happening there."

Had Acteon just invited the woman back to Alliria? Several excuses ran through his mind as to why. It would get her willing to help him. It would give him more help within the city. He could use her talents for jobs and find her more easily. He decided to go with all of them knowing the truth was not apart of them at all. If he was willing to be honest with himself it was that he just thought it would be nice to have both of the people who knew the real him so close at hand.

 

[Andromeda]

Nobility and a merchant? Briefly she wondered if it was one of his families ships she had sunk under the banner of her fathers ship. Andromeda kept the thought to herself though she wouldn't be surprised if his mind also drifted there. She shifted her position again so that she was laying back on her side, propping her chin up on her hand. She was a fidgety person by nature, far to used to the movements of the sea to be able to stay still on land for long.

"I've been to Alliria once," she thought back on it. "But there are just so many bards and musicians there I don't get the kind of pay I can get in the pirate ports where they know who I am. Then there's the the issue of finding a place to stay; usually the Tavern includes board with their price but Alliria always seems to busy. I'm not sure I would be able to step off a boat and just get a gig there. But, perhaps I didn't give it enough of a chance," she mulled it over. It would be good to have a few of the nobility on her side, but it wasn't a crowd she was used to or comfortable in. At least in a Tavern nobody cared about the way she dressed or the pints she knocked back afterwards.

"So are you hoping for some sort of land from this relative of yours? Become a part of the landed gentry?"

 

[Acteon Cass]

"Allirian is a vast and diverse city Ana. It does not surprise me you felt overwhelmed. That is a common feeling for newcomers. But you are an attractive woman with a naturally beautiful singing voice. It would not be hard to find work and Allirians tend to tip well. Coin flows freely after all in Alliria. Partly why we all are so 'greedy' and 'coin crazed' to outsiders. It is just how economics works. The more freely wealth can flow the faster it grows and the more wealth everyone begins to have. We still have the same issues of it getting locked into the coffers of the older and more prominent merchant families, but even those of us from those families spend it far more freely than nobles do. For us letting coins flow is our source of power rather than hording it away. We know it will come back to us and in greater amounts."

Acteon had made hand gestures mimicking his words concepts as he had spoken. By the end he felt like he was giving a lecture at the college or tutoring some youngling merchant. It really made him feel like his father....

A frown formed on the Allirians face at the thought of him becoming his own father. But he shook it off quickly and moved on.

"As far as a place to stay goes I can offer you my bed. Spend little time at my home due to the nature of my work. All you would have to put up with is my father and he is just an old grump of a former merchant who will bore you with fiddles and philosophy rather than try to take you to his bed."

So much talking. How far into his instincts had Acteon dove before? Speaking came natural to him and he enjoyed conversation. It was a great tool and source of entertainment depending on the circumstances. Right now it was not so much serving either purpose as it was just him being more human before his inevitable change into a beast. He would be doing no speaking then.

A laugh came from the man when she asked about what he expected when he arrived at his relatives. It put a smile back on his lips. "No, absolutely not. I would refuse the title of nobility if it was offered to me. Far too restrictive in the responsibilities and more importantly conflicts heavily with my own ambitions. I would take the land however as it is always a great source of wealth to own land. And would not hurt to have a place to flee to if things sour back in Alliria."

Acteon needed a moment. He had chuckled again and was thinking over what he did expect. There was little he knew of this relative. His mother had past away when he was young and had never spoken much on them to either him nor his father before she did. All he knew was they were likely of nobility or prominent commoner with some wealth and land. Basically of a similar status to his own family before the merchant lords got upset at his father and let their jealousy of the Cass name get the better of them.

After a moment Acteon just said still half in thought, "I imagine some coins or trinkets of worth. Things easy enough to carry and only enough to prevent me from being able to make a claim to more later on. Typical politics of minor nobility and wealthy merchants. See the same thing wherever such social castes exist."

Ambers were turned towards Andromeda Barbarossa as he added on, "And what of you? Why did you sink the ship I paid to transport me there?"

 

[Andromeda]

It was true what he said about Allirians and their love of spending and she decided to think on it with some consideration whilst she fulfilled her next two gigs along the Cortosi Coast. There would be a lot of disappointed clients if she didn't continue on her tour of the shoreline. She was startled from her thoughts however when he mentioned staying in his bed, and then his comment on his father. A laugh escaped her.

"Is your father like you? A wolf, I mean? Perhaps my magics do not work so well on you because of that but I am unsure if I would trust myself alone with your father. It is hard to control my magic at times," it was a simple statement of fact. It would be rude to kill the father of the man who had offered her a roof, but she couldn't promise it. Especially if he was older or had suffered heartbreak in his life; they tended to fall under her voices spell a lot quicker than others.

Andromeda grimaced as she went to put the wine bottle to her lips and then he mentioned her wrecking the ship he had paid for travel on.

"I'm sorry about that, I didn't think they would take on any passengers - hopefully your inheritance is worth it," it was a truth, though it probably wouldn't have stopped her from doing it. "One of the crew - the man who steered the ship onto the rocks - attacked a friend I was with last night. He believed I should have been spending my time with him instead," a dark look crossed her eyes as the anger began to fill her once again. "I don't make friends very often as you can imagine, and I do not like being viewed as a possession or the entitlement of someone's. I hadn't fed for a while and well, they deserved to be punished."