Private Tales Coasting Along

[Acteon Cass]

The dream and restlessness continued for Acteon the entire time that Ana was reading her book by the window. It even continued when she went out the door to speak with the knocker. Through it all the man remained in hit fitful rest. But it changed when Ana slipped into bed with him. The moment she came into contact with him it all just seemed to stop. His dream faded and then a memory came into its place. His body that was once tense and energetic calmed and relaxed. His arms wrapped around her wherever they could and pulled her into him close. His breathing became steady. Finally the man was able to properly rest.

=======

The rising sun woke up Acteon as the light touched his face. A bit of a wince and then slowly his eyelids opened. He was in a haze not remembering exactly what was going on or where he was. Eventually his vision cleared up and his mind was awake.

What Acteon had expected was to wake up in a chair or in the bed, which it seemed he was in the bed. But what Acteon had not expected was for him to wake up with a white haired woman snuggled up into him with his arms wrapped around her. When had this happened? Last thing he remembered was she left the room and that should have also been the last he had seen of her. It was her chance to run and be free of him. Why was she in bed with him? Better question. Did she do something to him last night?

Acteon just laid there awake staring at Ana. He fully expected to find something wrong with his hair or face once he got out of the bed. But until she was up he was not going to move. That would disturb her sleep and he could not have that. So for now he was here laying in the bed with his arms around her and gently rubbing her smooth skin trying to figure out when he had fallen asleep.

Andromeda Barbarossa

 

[Andromeda]

Despite having slept most of the day and the previous night, she surprisingly slept all the way through the night too. The drink really had taken its toll on her.

Even though her back to the sun and her head on his chest it was the sunlight that eventually too woke her up. She wrinkled her nose a little and then began to stretch with a low groan before nestling back into him in the hopes of falling asleep again. This was one of the few times she was on a ship and didn't have to wake up to do a job. It was pleasant. The sun was warm against her back and she felt like a sleeping ginger tom. It was only when she yawned and stretched her arm across the expanse of his chest that she noted his breathing was different, not as deep and shallow.

Blearily she turned her head a little to see that he was watching her. She gave him a sleepy blink then turned back to her position. She didn't look like she intended to move any time soon.

"G'morning."

 

[Acteon Cass]

Acteon watched as Ana began to wake, did wake up, looked at him, and then promptly attempted to go back to sleep. She even took the time to say good morning to him as if this was any other day. It was only the second time they had woken up together like this yet it was already so normal. That thought should bother him but Acteon was more focused on how difficult Ana enjoyed being.

"Good morning Ana. Sleep well? Do anything interesting last night?" Acteon asked her in a hushed, casual tone reserved for when you first speak to someone in the morning.

The man was expecting a snarky reply of some kind. If he did not get one he would be a little disappointed. This woman just enjoyed never making things easy for him, but that was fine. He enjoyed it and she likely was this way because of how easy it was for her to get her way with others. A little bit of her power and men would do anything she asked just on the hope of a chance of getting her attention. It was truly an envious skill to have. Oh the things Acteon could think of doing with a power like it. But that was only if he had it. On the island he had vague thoughts of using her for goals but now they were gone. He might ask but never expected anything from her now.

This thought got a bit of a frown from him. Acteon actually had no plans on using her for his goals. Certainly he had admitted to himself that he could not be apathetic towards her. He was going to feel emotions. But Acteon had not come to notice his lack of expectations. It was not even that she would be useless or was useless. She had proven herself well enough already between the island and this ship. He expected things from everyone, even if it was just for someone to fail or be useless. With her it was more that he just waited for her to be rather than attempting to make her be what he wanted. Another thing to bother him later along with everything else about this wild, difficult woman.

Andromeda Barbarossa

 

[Andromeda]

Ana was just drifting off again when he spoke. Sighing softly she twisted her hips and turned so that she was still using him as a glorified pillow but so that she could see him too. He at least sounded less tired than he did last night which was a good sign if they were going to be disembarking today. Running her hands carefully over his chest she worked up the energy to answer his question. It sounded so mundane in her head - nothing like what she would have normally done with her evening that was for sure. Not when there was booze and people to sing and dance with.

"Well I went to go and get you some food but when I came back you were passed out like a drunkard so I tucked you into bed, ate it all myself, and then just curled up with a book," a slight shrug. "Hawk came by to check everything was ok, he said we should dock today," her fingers ran along his collarbone and down his arms in small little circles. After their conversation yesterday she hoped the mention of the other man wouldn't wind him up but she wasn't going to not talk about when she met or saw or spoke to another man for fear of some snooty comment. Ana raised her peach eyes to watch his expression for a moment before lowering her gaze again to follow her fingers.

"I have a gig to do this evening in a Tavern on the sea front then I'll be leaving for the next one. I'm already a few days behind schedule."

 

[Acteon Cass]

The Allirian just laid there with the siren in his arms. She went from treating him as both a pillow and a blanket to treating him as mostly a pillow. Progress. Then she began to play with his chest by running her fingers around it. Why was she enjoying it so much anyways? Sure he was muscular and hairy but it just made no sense to him. She was the one with a chest worth playing with.

Acteon frowned a bit but it was momentary and could have as easily been about her eating his portion of the food as it was about her mentioning Hawke. No words were spoken and no real obvious display of emotion was made. After her words she just started to play with his collarbone and arms in the same fashion she had his chest. He really did not get this woman. So he settled for kissing her head and squeezing her a bit.

"Glad to hear we are docking. Be nice to be off a ship. River boats are fine but something about sea ships just leaves me sick." Acteon replied before kissing her again. Some thoughts ran through his head as he made some mental adjustments and plans. Once done he went on talking. "So you have gig. Going to stay for that. Maybe I can make you jealous and mess up while you sing."

The man directed an impish grin her way, although she might not be able to see it unless she looked at him. "Do you have to leave for your next gig right after? After everything I would like to spend more time with you. Also would be nice to not meet this relatives of my mother for the first time alone. Dad stayed behind to keep our plans going so it will just be me. Going to be a room full of people staring at me and whispering about how I am just there to steal part of their rightful inheritance. One good and bad thing about having such sharp ears. I have to listen to the bullshit people think they are saying behind my back."

Acteon sighed dreading having to play nice and act like he was upset about the lose of this relative he had never known before. His mother was an intelligent and ambitious woman, but her family and relatives were a pain in his ass. Nobles always were with their little games and traditions. Better to just be direct about it.... By the gods. Ana was infecting him right now with her noble hating.

Andromeda Barbarossa

 

[Andromeda]

Andromeda snorted at the idea of messing up whilst singing. There were many occasions where she knew she would probably get distracted by something of the sort, but when she was singing there was nothing else in her mind but the song. He would just have to settle for drinking and enjoying the show. There was a small part of her that was happy he was going to be there so he could truly see her in her element. Her hand froze on his arm when he began talking about his family however and her whole body began to tense like an animal who was about to bolt might.

"You want me to go with you to see family?" Ana's voice sounded strained and she looked up at him like he had asked her to commit genocide. In fact, she would have probably have preferred to have been asked to do that. "I'm not sure how you dragging a pirate along is going to help you with their whispering, unless you want me to sing them all to death when they annoy you," she quirked an eyebrow at him and then slowly sat up. Her hair was a mess but the sleep was fully gone from her eye now. "I have to finish my tour of the coast, there are people expecting me at these towns. You're welcome to come with me but it might involve more sea travel," she plucked at the bed sheets. Though whether he would enjoy the crowds at these places was another thing entirely.

 

[Acteon Cass]

"Not family Ana, relatives. They are completely different things." Acteon said to Ana with a serious look on his face. It was the kind of look he would have if he was speaking to a pompous young lord that did not understand the difference between an ally and an enemy of an enemy. He got himself rose up to be sitting in the bed as well.

"My only family is my father Ana. I would and have been bleeding for him. I told you that I am a sellsword. It is not pleasant or clean work. I have killed far more people as part of my job than I ever have as a wolf. He raised me and cared for me so now I am paying my part. It is something you can understand. It is the same for you and your father." Acteon said to her as he held his amber eyes on her peach ones. "But these people I am having to see are strangers to me. Our only connection is words on papers that say this person married this other person and through these marriages we are connected as kin in some way. It is meaningless outside of the game of politics, which I have no desire to play with them. I am here purely because something was left to my mother and since she has past on is left to me. I am here for her memory and for whatever it might be that could hopefully help bring back my family to our proper and more than earned place again."

He looked away from her and to the door of the cabin. A sigh escaped him. He hated to admit it but he could understand why she wanted to flee. If this was just a job he would have no qualms about ditching it. His loyalty to clients was always subject to his loyalty to himself and his family. These people claimed they were his family but they were not. They were just his relatives which just got them the benefit of not being stabbed through the chest one time.

"I do not want to walk into a den of snakes alone Ana. I am only going to be bitten and poisoned. If you can along it would be pleasant and I could avoid killing someone, but without you I do not know if I can say the same." Acteon said half to himself. "I hate dealing with nobles but I have to. At least with my job I do not have to pretend like they mean something to me, but this time around I do."

Acteon sneered a bit. "I bet they will have nothing but Cortosi wine too and boast about how it is the greatest in the world."

Andromeda Barbarossa

 

[Andromeda]

However he chose to differentiate it didn't matter to Ana - it was the same thing in her mind. She of course understood when he likened it to her and her fathers relationship though a part of her doubted whether she would have bled for her own father. Her own father who had taken his life as soon as he could rather than stay around for her. She kept her gaze on the sheets and the small thread she had found that had come loose. She started to pull it apart.

"I know nothing about that way of life Acteon. I know you say you are not a part of it and I believe you, truly, and I believe you do not enjoy it, but... I would be a fish out of water. Literally. I don't own anything that could help me pass off even looking like them, I don't speak like them, I couldn't even tell you what fork to use on a dinner setting I..." she took a breath. It just felt like a big ask. He kept pushing her and pushing her. Making her open up about her feelings, making her stay rather than run. Now this?

"I just don't like walking into a battlefield I don't know, and I am not entirely sure I am the right person to stop you killing someone," she pulled the thread loose at last and left a little hole in the sheet for her efforts. "What would your relatives say if your pirate arm candy punched your cousin for some words spoken under their breath hm?" Her tone held a hint of a joke but only a bit... she wasn't sure it she would be able to only settle on a sing punch.

 

[Acteon Cass]

As Acteon listened to Ana he just got an amused look on his face that grew with each passing word. When she finally finished he laughed. It was not at her but rather at the amusing thought of her punching some minor noble in the face for being so pompous and rude. He looked over at her as he waited for himself to stop.

"Ana, I know all of this and I do not care. This is a one time meeting for me. I will get what was left to me and then leave. They can think what they want and say what they want about you and me. It will not matter to me so long as you are there. If I am there alone then I will truly be alone. All I will be able to focus on is how long it is taking for me to get what I came for and trying not to murder one of them. But if you are there with me then the entire time it will be about spending that time with you. Not with them but with you." Acteon responded with a grin.

The Allirian shifted himself around so he could pull her into his lap with him. His arms would wrap around her waist and his head would come to rest on top of her own. "How about we make this a job then Ana? You can sing for them and I will make sure you are paid more for this job than you would for the one you are missing. I will take care of all your expenses myself and you can have anything you want while you are there with me. And if you hate it that much after you sing one time then you are free to leave me at any time. Do we have a deal?"

Acteon snuggled up with her more. He was like a drowning man clinging to the only floating debris out in the ocean knowing the sharks would get him soon enough. "This will be the last time I ask Ana. I promise. You are a free, independent woman and I will do nothing to change that. It is the way I like you."

Andromeda Barbarossa

 

[Andromeda]

Ana looked like she was on the fence when he began talking about it more as a... a weird date but it definitely sounded like a date. It still wasn't entirely a comfortable situation for her but she could understand him not wanting to go it alone. She was about to agree on the condition that they leave as soon as he had whatever he was due from them when he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his lap. The movement caught her entirely off guard. It was instinct to stiffen a little and then very slowly, bit by bit, she managed to relax. What on earth was this? Was this what normal people did? The mention of a job however caught her interest and all other thoughts disappeared.

"A job..." Ana repeated slowly then twisted in his lap so that she could see his expression, ensure he wasn't having her on or teasing her. "I sing. You pay.... you'll buy me anything?" the pirate was beginning to creep into her eyes as she began thinking about the things she could buy in this town. It would be a good payday to attend a noble house and ... perhaps if she impressed it would lead to more gigs in that kind of circle. She debated it for a while and then she stuck out her hand.

"You have yourself a deal Mr Cass."

 

[Acteon Cass]

The way Ana had stiffened up and then slowly relaxed did not bother Acteon much. It was reassuring in its own way. It was proof for him that he was actually holding her right now and not some shapeshifting fairy pretending to be her. Not that he believed in fairies, but the tales of them were common throughout the Reach and even in Alliria herself. She just listened to him as he went on and on and on in his vain attempt to get her to say yes to going with him.

And to his surprise it seemed to work. Ana had said a bit of her thoughts out loud as if to make sure he had not lied and then she suddenly turned in his lap with her hand out. She was willing to go there to sing. The man smiled at her as he took her hand and shook it. A bit of his playfulness kicked in however and he was already moving to tease her before he knew it.

Ana was pulled in and Acteon laid a kiss on her lips. It was the same kind of kiss she had given him that drunken night, although he broke it off after a moment this time as well. Pulling away he said with an impish smirk, "We have a deal. Also I should inform you now before you get your hopes up, we will be sharing a bed but I will not be bedding you. The worst news you can hear I know but we need to keep this professional. What would the nobles think if they heard their bard was bedding their least favorite relative? Such a scandal would devastate their fragile constitutions."

Andromeda Barbarossa

 

[Andromeda]

Ana was already thinking about the shopping she was going to do once they docked so she had something decent to wear for such an occasion. Perhaps if she had been paying a little less attention to colours and fabrics and a bit more to reading the way Acteon smirked at her she would have been prepared for the kiss. As he yanked her forward she only had time for a quick intake of surprised breath before his lips bruised hers in a passionate kiss. Those confusing emotions began to rear their ugly heads again but vanished when he pulled away from her. For a moment all she could do was stare at him before leaning back slightly too.

"I can sleep at the Tavern I'll be performing at after. Least it gives me a great excuse to hightail it out of there before they start asking awkward questions about what fork I need to use for the fish," she rubbed a thumb over her lip then dropped her hands. "I would still be able to do the singing at the Tavern wouldn't I if I did sing at your families place? I usually go on at Dusk."

 

[Acteon Cass]

"We are going to your performance tonight then after we will be leaving to my relative's estate. I do not know what will happen or when after we arrive, which is why when we get there we will be staying in the same room. They can think what they want but I will not pass up on our time together." Acteon said to Ana as he watched her wipe her thumb across her lip. Was she wanting another kiss or did the first one disgust her?

"Do not worry about any questions on forks with fish or the likes. These are minor nobles from Cortosi not minor nobles from Vel Anir. Those nitpick details are far less important outside of Aniria. Thank the gods for that. My mother said she never felt freedom until she was married to my father and living in Alliria. A woman found marriage to be freeing Ana. Can you imagine that? I certainly could not." Acteon said as he seemed to be studying her over for some kind of hint to the answer to his mental question.

Acteon made a bit of a face not sure which it was. After a bit he decided to find out so he leaned forward to kiss her lips yet again, only this time not as passionately and more affectionately.

Andromeda Barbarossa

 

[Andromeda]

Oh god a whole estate? She began to bite her thumb as the anxiety built. Ana had just been imagining a big house in port not an estate. She swallowed a hard lump in her throat and she wiped her palms down her leg trying to ignore the core instinct inside of her which was screaming for her to run right now. At least she would be able to have a drink tonight to distract her for a while.

"Well it would make more sense for us to sleep in separate rooms if you don't want rumours like you just said - so which is it, separate rooms and no rumours, or the same room and rumours? If it's the same room and rumours then why would you worry about actually doing the deed if they think that's what we will be doing anyway?" His words were reaffirming in her head that he was as confused about this situation as she was. It was comforting to know that she wasn't alone in that at least. She listened quietly to his comments about his family but it did not ease her growing concerns about travelling to an estate and meeting such people.

The question around the freedom of marriage had her whole face scrunching up. What an absurd idea, though she didn't want to call his mother a liar. The only true freedom was on the sea away from the world. However, Ana never got to voice her opinion on the matter before he kissed her again. Her eyes fluttered shut and for a moment she allowed herself to enjoy it. But after a few seconds she gently pushed him back.

"Marriage has never been something I've wanted," Ana said carefully. She wasn't used to the chase as he called it. It confused her and scared her all at once. Let alone what lay after that. What happened when he 'caught' her?

 

[Acteon Cass]

The kiss was not rejected. It made a bit of tension Acteon was not aware of before ease. It felt right. It felt like what he wanted to keep doing all day. But the kiss was broken and there was conversation to continue. Things he needed to clear up, if he could, and maybe get her more excited for things.

"I was teasing you about us not bedding each other Ana. But when we do it will be because we both wish for it and not because those pompous jerks believe we are. I am fine them thinking we are doing it when we are not. Not as if I ever plan to return to this place once I get what is mine." Acteon responded to Ana. The mention of marriage got a bit of a complex look from Acteon. Where she did not want it he could not say what his feelings were. It made sense to him why people married but it was also not something he desired. Not exactly.

"Marriage is complicated. For those of us from prominent families and nobles and any in positions of influence and authority marriage is important as a tool. It can gain you many things. Alliances, special rights, resources. It is very rare for someone to marry for love. That is the privilege of the commoners my mother use to say. It is one of the rights they get and advantages they have. There is far less freedom in power, although it also grants it." Acteon said to her with a bit of a frown. "The whole mess of politics and economics is a confusing mess. You are smart to stay out of it, although if you want gold and pretty things you need to partake of them. Different forms of freedoms and rights and rewards. Often each side is only aware of their own side of this scale and that leads to issues...."

Acteon sighed. He was doing it again. He was being like his father and getting into more academic and philosophical things. He leaned down to kiss Ana once again. "Sorry Ana. I began to ramble about things you find boring. Just know marriage is complicated and only gets more so the higher up the social hierarchy you go. And it is something I am not sure how I feel about engaging with."

Andromeda Barbarossa

 

[Andromeda]

Because we both want to...

Did either of them know what they wanted?

When he launched into his speech on marriage she quirked an eyebrow at him. She felt like she was in a classroom but she waited patiently for him to get through it all. It was quite endearing in a way listening to these long tirades - it showed it was a subject he had some passion over. Whether he saw it as that she wasn't entirely sure, especially when he proclaimed after all of that he hadn't decided how he felt about the matter for himself. She leaned back to avoid the kiss and put a finger to his lips gently, a coy smile on her face. She could tease too.

"The fact you have that much to say on it makes me think you do know, deep down," Ana spoke barely above a whisper and then gently traced the curve of his mouth with the same finger. "I will need to swim before we go to your relatives, this will be my third day full day without touching the sea and if this estate is not close to port I just need to be certain."

 

[Acteon Cass]

Acteon just kissed Ana's finger when she pressed it up to his lips. His attention was on her touch as she traced his lips more than her words as well. But he managed to hear them well enough to respond, although he was not going to do so while her finger was on his lips. It was too much of a distraction.

Instead what the Allirian did was he used his arms still wrapped around her to pull her into him. He got their bodies pressed into one another so that her face was right in front of his own. That predatory look was in his eyes as was his lustful smirk. What kind of desire he felt in the moment would not be a mystery to her. He made it rather obvious in fact as he was the hunter here, although also the prey it would seem. This little game of chase was getting more exciting for him as both sides seemed to be chasing and dodging each other waiting for the other to fully pounce first.

Finally after just staring into her eyes for who knew how long, he had not counted, the man finally said, "I know what I want from you Ana. That is all I need to know...."

His eyes seemed to say he was going to kiss her again in the pause, but instead he just went on. "If you need to swim then swim. I told you I will not bind you Ana and I want you to be yourself. Both on land and in the sea. And I am curious to see what you look like without legs."

Andromeda Barbarossa

 

[Andromeda]

The look in his eyes was a dangerous one and as she was pulled closer she leaned back a little to ensure there was some space. Ana wasn't used to touch in this way without having control. It was confusing and she wasn't entirely sure she liked it. Her hand moved from his lips to his chest and she very gently but firmly pushed him back slightly with an arched brow. His words had caught her attention.

"What do you want Acteon?" her head listed to one side as she watched him intently. Perhaps when he told her that it would help her decide what she wanted. Sex was simple, straight forward. This... this sleeping in each others arms and feelings was a mess. Was it even born of the right thing? "I need to know, to understand, what you want." Because her usual ways of telling weren't working here.

 

[Acteon Cass]

A disappointed look came over Acteon's face as Ana just would not let him kiss her. The look she gave him as well spoke of how little she was liking this moment. Seemed he had crossed a line here. And her question only made that more clear to him. He let his grip go of her and just let her do as she wished. No he actually was the one to put some distance between them this time by moving away and getting out of the bed.

So she wanted to know what it was he wanted. Acteon figured it was clear. He wanted this. He wanted the closeness and the openness. It was not something he was use to and he would be lying if he said it did not bother him a bit. But it was not in any bad way. It was like when he first started to get use to wearing armor. The weight and the clinging at first felt awkward, but soon enough he was use to it. And just like armor had saved his life when those wolves had attacked he had a feeling having at least one person other than his father he could keep his masks off around would be good for him. It would let him remember who he was instead of just getting lost in the constant change from one person to the next.

But he could not tell her any of this. It would just scare her off. Ana was as much a coral fish as she said her siren form was. When there was easy prey around she would swim and eat and make things colorful. But the minute a bigger fish or other predator hinted at existing she would run and hide. She had already proven that to him when she left to go get drunk. Perhaps it would be best for him to just let her be and let her go if she was not seeing what it was he wanted.... If he even knew.....

Acteon was silent to her question and had sort of avoided looking at her. He knew she would be mad at him for it. But he just got his clothes on, although left his boots. He said more to himself than her, "I need some fresh air."

And then the man got into his act of the injured man and limped his way out of the door.

Andromeda Barbarossa

 

[Andromeda]

Ana watched him go in bewilderment. What on earth had she said that was so bad this time? For a moment all she could do was stare at the door he head left through and then she slowly flopped back down on the bed, took the pillow, head it over her face and screamed into it. This was the perfect example as to why she didn't like to hang around. Things got messy and complicated and like this. She had just wanted to know what he wanted from her, was that too much to ask? It had seemed that he had known what he wanted only a second before so she hadn't thought it a bad question to ask. Or was it because she didn't know what he wanted? Was she supposed to know? Had he given her some sign that was obvious in courting that she had missed out on?

"Humans," she tossed the pillow aside and lay there looking up at the ceiling for a moment. Of course, he wasn't human, which was probably making this all the more aggravating. Slowly she sat up and then got dressed herself and walked out on deck. Ana wasn't like him - she wouldn't sit around inside waiting for him to come back.

"Ana," she glanced to the side as she began to tie her long hair up into a bun and smiled as Hawk walked over.

"Mornin' - any sightings of land yet?"

"Aye, not much longer now. I just wondered.. can we have a chat?" he motioned to walking round the deck. She shrugged and followed him.

 

[Acteon Cass]

The crew more or less ignored Acteon as he limped on by them. A few of them spoke about how this was his first time out of the cabin and some rumors of what him and Ana were doing in there the whole time, but that was about it. Seemed most of them were more focused on what they would be doing once they landed than on anything happening on board the ship right now.

The Allirian made his way up to the prow and looked out at the sea as the waves came crashing into the front of the ship only to be parted to either side and under it. The air on his face felt good as did the fresh air in his lungs. He just sat there staring out over everything not saying a word and no one bothering him.

His thoughts had already trailed back to the room. She wanted to know what he wanted. Before it seemed obvious to him. He wanted what they had in that room to continue. The closeness, the openness, the sharing. It was nice. It was not something he was very use to. With his father he was like that but it was different. The two bickered and argued like an old married couple because they knew the other would never abandon them. All they had was each other after all and it was all they needed. They might not cuddle or verbally say how they felt but they knew. They did not need to do those things because they knew....

Was that why? Did he not know what he wanted from Ana because he had no idea what she wanted nor what he wanted? Did they have to express everything because they just could not tell without the need for words? He had learned more from her actions after all than he ever had her words. Perhaps that was the issue. She always just left or pushed him away when he would try to do or say anything. The only time she really stayed was when she was sick from drinking too much and then after likely due to a sense of guilt she had to be taken care of.

So she did not want to stay and did not want to be with him. Acteon was getting that now. She was going to leave and the only reason she stuck around was because of his offer to pay her. Was he treating her like some kind of whore? That was not how he wanted to treat her. He wanted her to stay around a bit longer but forcing her defeated the purpose. It did not mean she wanted to be around. It meant he was making her, forcing her, to be around him.... And so she pushed him away.

The Allirian buried his head into his knees. He closed his eyes and he tried to force his thoughts elsewhere. The more he let his mind stay on the topic the more he came to realize how terrible he was and how little she clearly wanted to be with him. It was clear to him he needed to let her go and he was going to let her go, but he did not want to keep on adding nail after nail of realization of just how horrible he was into his own soul.

Andromeda Barbarossa

 

[Andromeda]

"I wanted to discuss your fathers crew..."

"Cecelia's Crew," Ana had stolen an apple from someone's carefully stacked pile of lunch and took a bite out of it now. Hawk gave her a raised eyebrow for the petty theft but said nothing. "My father has been dead for five years Hawk," her tone was bitter and bland. Another quirk of his brow but he didn't query the residual anger there. It seemed like a subject that would need a few bottles of wine.

"Cecelia's Crew..." he inclined his head then stopped along the starboard side of the ship and leaned against the rails. "Ana, Cecelia and the others were in Cerak when it was attacked," the siren froze with her hand halfway to her mouth, turned her attention fully now to him. "Nobody left that port alive apart from one of two ships... and they reported seeing the Wailing Siren ablaze. Ana I'm sor-"

"No," her voice was raised and it drew a few eyes from across the ship. It felt like someone had just ripped the rug from under her feet. "No. You're lying. They're fine. I had a letter from them only...." informing her their next port was Cerak to take on some of the smuggled spices and wine to be sent on to the East.

"Ana I-"

"No! Get away from me, they're not," tears welled in her eyes and she half collapsed against the rail as grief rolled over her. "They can't be..."

 

[Acteon Cass]

Further and further down the spiral Acteon went. He was becoming the villain of his own tale more and more as he struggled against every negative thought. But he always lost. The thought would always come and with it a new bit of revelation as to just how horrible of a person he was. It was enough to make him wish to throw himself over the side of the ship and into the s-

Acteon's head swung up and his eyes instantly focused in Ana's direction. Her loud no was audible to him. But it was not the word that had gotten his attention so much as the pain behind it. A deep frown developed. All previous thoughts were gone in an instant. Just like when she had arrived drunk at his door. What kind of power did this woman have over him and in such a short period of time? He would think about how he did not like it but his thoughts were only on how Ana was in such a sorry state.

On his feet and moving faster than a human should, Acteon headed to where Ana was nearly collapsed over a rail. The limp he had been sporting until now was gone. All acts all masks were gone. The more instinctive side of him was telling him to both rip out the throats of all who put her into this state while also demanding he do everything to get her better. He actively had to push them to the side. Impulse would not tell him what happened and how to help here. He needed to be practical, logical. He needed to be better right now than he truly was. He needed to stop being Acteon and to start being Acteon.

As the Allirian came up onto the captain and Ana with in an amount of time that might alarm some of the crew members, he dropped by Ana's side right away. A hand was gently placed on her back and his eyes began to look her over. That frown was still there on his face. He said in a soothing, hushed voice to Ana, "Are you okay? Are you hurt?" He knew she was not physically harmed.

Without ever looking away from Ana Acteon said to Hawke, "What happened?"

Andromeda Barbarossa

 

[Andromeda]

"Ana, come inside," Hawk gently took her elbow but Ana was beyond hearing. She slid down the side of the ship with her head in her hands and sobbed. Great wracking sobs that shook her whole body. A few of the men nearby began to sniff themselves and looked away, wondering why they too were suddenly feeling the pangs of lost loved ones long since dead. He was about to help her to her feet and guide her inside when Acteon appeared and crouched beside her.

"I didn't want her to hear from a stranger on the streets when we docked," he sighed and crouched on her other side. "Her crew were killed in an attack on Cerak."

Ana couldn't hear any of what we being said over the top of her head. She pulled her knees up to her chest and sobbed into her crossed over arms. It was like she was trying to hold the broken pieces of her insides together with her bare hands. Their faces were swirling in her minds and the last time they had all been in one place together. They had been the closest thing she had to family. She may have chosen to not sail with them any longer but she had known they were there should she had truly needed them and now she was alone.

 

[Acteon Cass]

The man just kept his gaze on the woman. She was in immense pain and her powers were causing it to spread to the crew. He could hear the bits of sobs and other signs of grief from the sailors around them as well as smell the shift in emotions in the air. He barely heard what Hawke had to say and it made sense. Ana had lost her father already and now the crew and ship she had grown up on was lost to her as well. He thought over what he could do quickly.

It had come to him rather quickly. Acteon did not know why it had arrived so fast but he knew what he needed to do. First he wrapped his arms around Ana and gave her a warm embrace. How long he held it for he was not sure. It could have been a moment or minutes. Regardless after he would look to Hawke and say in a tone with a sharp edge in it threatening life if he disobeyed, "Stay here and keep an eye on her. I will be right back."

Then the man took off with that unnatural speed back to the cabin. He got everything the both of them owned into her bag. He secured it and did the same for his weapons. His boots were also tied to the bag as well as her own boots. Then he went back to where she was.

As Acteon approached he said, "How close to land are we?" He did not wait for an answer and just looked. He could see the coast already if off in the distance. A few miles. Nothing he couldn't swim. He scooped Ana up in his arms and said after, "We will be fine. Do not worry about us."

Then Acteon jumped the both of them over the rail and into the waters below back first so that he would take the brunt of the impact. The two sank below and the ship just sailed on at full speed towards their dock as men scrambled to the rail to see what was going on.

Andromeda Barbarossa