Private Tales Falling Snow..

[Willa]

Willa watched the woman with intrigue before letting her gaze drift over the array of foods put down before them. Her stomach tightened with hunger and she swallowed, clearing her throat before glancing to Ivar and looking back to Vela.

"Your sanctuary is appreciated, we will ensure to treat it with the upmost respect, but forgive me.. We weren't aware that we were in need of safe keeping. My friend was, roughly handled, and it seemed we were brought here not entirely of our own choice. Yet, we are as you say, honoured guests?.. I'm sure you understand my confusion.." she smiled kindly.

Unlike Ivar, Willa's diplomacy had obviously been well practised..

 

[Ivar]

Ivar glanced over at Willa, though kept his lips sealed this time.

His fingers dug into the arm of his chair slightly, the wood creaking somewhat as he shifted his weight. One of the women besides him glanced at him, amusement flickering through her eyes. It was almost as though she were reading him like a book.

"Kysleth."​

The woman said, her voice an echo of simple explanation.

"A Dark echo that hangs over these woods, over you. That is where you were running from, no?"​

She gave Ivar a pointed look, and he couldn't help but feel the weight of those chains upon his wrists again. He looked down at his arms, frowning slightly, almost as if he could see the indent of the shackles upon his flesh.

After a moment he nodded.

"Many of us come from that city, a place run by men of dark magics. A place where women have little power or control. Most of us fled long ago."​

The way she said the words made Ivar think that she did not just speak of a few years. There was a look of age about her, more than just a few decades.

Slowly the Barbarian looked over towards Willa, keeping his tongue locked between his teeth. Best to let her do the talking.

 

[Willa]

Willa felt her own palms grow clammy at the mere mention of that city, feeling the woman's knowing eyes bore into her. She swallowed and nodded, clearing her throat before speaking up again.

"Yes, and we wish to flee further." she smiled shakily, glancing around at the eyes on her. "We shall take advantage of your generous hospitality for the night, and appreciate our safety. The morning light will indeed be safer to travel by." she nodded, her brow arching.

 

[Ivar]

The woman seemed to frown for a moment, looking at Ivar with no small amount of suspicion.

For his own part, the Barbarian did not seem to budge. After the last strike he seemed almost like a statue, never reaching for the fork or knife besides his plate, never letting his lips budge. He simply sat and watched, like a giant ready to lurch forward.

"You wish to travel with...Him?"​

It was almost as if the idea was incredulous to the woman, as though she couldn't quite imagine why in the heavens Willa would want to do such a thing.

Ivar grit his teeth.

Inside he was seething, rage welling in his chest. He felt insulted, put down. As though he were less than a stray dog. The wood of his chair seemed to creak, points of pressure buckling as he gripped tighter and tighter with every word.

"Surely you know what he is..."​

The woman asked.

 

[Willa]

Willa's brow knit at the way the woman spoke. She could almost feel Ivar's rage radiate from him as he fought for composure, and Willa reached to settle her hand on his arm as she spoke.

"I do wish to travel with him, yes. What he is , is someone that I have learned that I can trust to help me and keep me safe despite wishing no payment in return. He's a good man." she defended.

 

[Ivar]

Ivar tried to steady himself as he felt Willa's palm settle on his arm. It was difficult.

Fire was rushing through his veins, and every urge within him called to stand and smash the table into little bits. Yet he held off, held back. His tongue was practically bit in half as he took a breath, steadying himself as his eyes burned through the woman that spoke.

"Very well."​

Her voice was so calm, so steady that it almost infuriated Ivar all the more. It was as though she didn't even acknowledge that he was something, that he was here, that he was a person.

It reminded the Barbarian of how he'd been treated in Kjos. How people had looked passed and through him when they'd wandered the streets. There was a crack as the arm of the chair suddenly snapped, unable to bear the weight of his crushing strength.

A few heads snapped towards him, some spears raised, but the woman held up a sudden hand.

Ivar looked down, holding the detached arm. "Bad...carpentry."

The Barbarian said with a cough, pointedly looking away. The woman who had spoken simply raised a brow, then looked at Willa. Her head shook before she continued to speak.

"You shall remain here for the night, rest, eat, in the morning we will guide you to the edge of the wood. Yes?"​

 

[Willa]

Her steely gaze sat firm on the woman's face, determined to emphasise her point as much as she possibly could. Despite the look of boldness and conviction on her face, Willa's nerves were set at a hair-trigger, and the sound of snapping wood caused her entire body to flinch. Telling, though, was that her hand only gripped Ivar's arm tighter, rather than recoiling..

A long breath tumbled from her lips as she tried to calm her heart from it's frantic pitch, her eyes now on Ivar as he looked away. If she hadn't been so tense she'd had laughed at his excuse of shoddy workmanship, but it was obvious how angry he was..

As Vela spoke again, her brow furrowed until the demand was finished by a question and it settled her a little. Willa's chin lifted and her shoulders squared, making sure to take her time 'considering' the proposal before she elegantly dipped her chin in agreement.

"Agreed. So long as we remain together." she narrowed her eyes with a forced smile to the woman. She wasn't letting Ivar out of her sight with these females.

 

[Ivar]

The woman inclined her head, confirming what Willa asked. Ivar gently put down the piece of wood, his movements far more telegraphed than they ordinarily would have been. A few of the women still watched him, either weary or amused by the hulking Barbarian in their midst.

"Please, eat. You must be starving from your journey."

Ivar cast a glance towards Willa for a moment, still not entirely sure he should take any sort of lead. When he saw her begin to dig in however so did he.

The food was surprisingly delicious, rich and filled with odd flavors that he'd not experienced in the Southlands. The woman, Vela, spoke throughout their meal. She explained more about how the village came to be. How it was a haven crafted by women that had run away from the Black Towers of Kyslith.

She told the story of three sorceresses, women of great power who had come to Kyslith from afar and seen the horrors that were endured within the city walls. Unable to free the people, they had created a sanctuary for those with no other place. Hidden with magics and tucked away in a forest that was growing ever darker.

By the time the meal was over Ivar understood this place better, though he still felt like a wolf among...certainly not sheep. Perhaps cheetahs.

A little after they finished their meal both Ivar and Willa were returned to the little Cabin, the door closing behind them. "Well I'm sleeping with one eye open."

Ivar joked, though from the way he stood it was clear there was more to the words than simple humor.

 

[Willa]

Willa was indeed, starving. Her body was far thinner than it should be following the last few weeks, and she had much nourishment to make up for. She savoured every bite of the banquet meal that she had been welcomed to, and ate until she was full.

She listened to Vela and the other women speak, and after her time with Rhist, she understood why this place existed. She understood why they were so wary of men. And yet she explained, that if it had not been for one good man aiding her in escape, she would still be in Kislyth's grasp. Therefore how could it be fair to hold such hate for men when there were obviously good men. She thought of her father, of Rand and Rob, who'd quite literally given their lives for her. Truly she understood both sides of that coin.

Willa frowned gently at Ivar's comment as they returned to the cabin, a sigh of released tension tumbling from her lips as she flopped down onto the bed with exertion.. "Now you see how a woman sometimes feels in a room full of men." she huffed a laugh.

"They won't harm you.. I don't think. They're just afraid." she frowned. And she understood why.

 

[Ivar]

Ivar lingered at the door, glancing out the window for a moment before looking back towards Willa with a slight frown. "I..."

Who was he to comment on something like that?

He was an exile. Shunned for most of his life, with most turning away from him the moment that they saw him come close. Ivar had his own experiences, but he could not pretend for a second that they were those of any woman. Much less those who lived in this settlement.

A frown touched his lips for a few seconds, but he quickly cleared his throat and continued. "They don't have..."

His words cut off.

"I just want to get out of here." The Barbarian said quietly. "Get us somewhere sa-"

Ivar cut himself off, frowning as he let the curtain fall over the window. His eyes seemed to close for a moment, and then he turned towards Willa. His face was a mask, almost unreadable as he stepped towards the bed.

"Are...are you sure you don't want to stay?" He asked quietly.

"You'd be safe here..." The Barbarian said quietly. "And..."

And she wouldn't be traveling with a thug, a barbarian. A man who had been an outcast all his life.

 

[Willa]

Willa frowned at the ceiling as he seemed to fight with himself over his words, and she pushed herself up to stare at him, her head tilting slightly at his question. She considered the question, and she knew she would be safe here, that over time she might even feel comfortable, but she was still far too close to Kislyth and, well she already felt safe and comfortable.

"Do you wish me to stay here?.." she asked him, her expression as unreadable as his. It wasn't just her choice, he had made the decision to help her travel safely, she was a burden on him whether he denied the fact or not. If he wished to unburden himself then who was she to say otherwise?..

 

[Ivar]

Ivar hesitated a moment, considering the question.

He'd never thought of her as a burden, not for a moment. They'd been together for a week, perhaps less, but...in a way Willa had been a connection to a land he had left behind. She was a mark of his home. A precious thing to protect.

The thought of leaving her behind pained him slightly, as though he were leaving another piece of himself behind. He had already done so with Braum, with Kjos itself.

Could he do it again? "No."

The Barbarian said quietly.

"I don't" He did not want to make that choice again. He didn't want to break off another piece.

Not again.

 

[Willa]

Willa smiled.

"Then I am sure that I do not wish to stay here." she told him firmly. "I am safe with you, I don't need a tribe of murderous women to protect me. Besides, I'm not entirely without means of defence.." she reasoned and flopped down onto her back again, a smirk on her lips as she fought the urge to laugh. Her gifts were quite something when she managed to use them properly, but they were not without their flaws, and she still desired to learn how to properly manage them.

She was silent for a moment before her brow quirked.. "They don't have what?.."

 

[Ivar]

Ivar smiled for a few moments, feeling an odd sense of pride well in his chest. It was one of the few times he had felt such a thing. One of the few times he had been allowed a sense of...purpose.

His father had always told him about the folk in Kjos, about those who had turned their backs on him. He remembered the lectures, the stories that he'd been told around the campfires. Yet here he was, standing with one of the daughters of the very men who had seen his father thrown from the walls of their home.

She had chosen him.

That meant something. "They don't have a murderous Berserker within their ranks."

Ivar said softly in answer.

He did not want to lie to her, did not want to mislead her. They both knew what the title meant, what calling himself as such would have brought back home. Berserkers in Kjos were considered different. Not quite human, capable of feats that most would have called impossible.

They were valued as warriors, fighters, but at the same time feared. A Berserker could suffer a thousand wounds before falling, but their rage was said to be mythic. Tales were told of what a single one of them could do.

Ivar would not lie to her. Would not conceal that part of himself. Not if she made the choice.

 

[Willa]

Willa remained there, staring at the ceiling for another moment after he'd spoken before once again, pushing herself up to sit on the edge of the bed, her grey eyes fixed firmly on his face. She studied him for a long moment, her gaze slightly narrowed as though she were considering his words, considering him carefully.

Finally she sighed deeply and shrugged at him. "Exactly." she nodded firmly, and smiled.

"Nor do they have the murderous white witch." she mused.

"Thank you, Ivar."

 

[Ivar]

White Witch. Ivar closed his eyes and considered those for just a brief second, the beat of a heart, and he already knew that he didn't care.

The Barbarian had seen what Willa had done to that man.

At the time he hadn't really thought about it, hadn't even considered it. Though he would have spoken a lie if he'd said he had not thought of it since. Ivar knew what Willa could do, what power she wielded within herself. The simple truth was that he didn't care.

Perhaps she would have broken free without his help, perhaps she would have been fine. It didn't matter. He felt like he had a purpose at her side. Felt like he knew what he was supposed to do.

That was more than he could have asked for. "There's nothing to thank me for."

The Barbarian said softly, a smile on his face.

"Get some rest." He said as he finally made his way towards the other bed. "We'll have another long day ahead of us."[/color

As he sat himself down the mattress seemed to creak beneath his weight, an almost comforting sound as the Berserker finally settled himself. Content, as though he had found his place.

 

[Willa]

Willa didn't even bother undressing and simply kicked off her boots and rolled under the blankets, cocooned with the same comfort and ease. "Yes there is.." she mumbled with a sigh, but sleep came swiftly for her and her breathing grew soft and deep as she tumbled into it.

 

[Ivar]

Sleep did not come as swiftly for Ivar.

Unlike Willa he simply could not feel safe within this place. Paranoia clung tightly to him, and while he was sure no one would try to murder him in his sleep...there was something unsettling about this place that he simply could not have put into words.

By the time the sunrise came Willa would find that the Barbarian had shoved a chair beneath the latch of the door and had tied the curtains tightly closed.

They were rather amusing safety measures, but also the only way that Ivar had managed to soothe himself into some sort of sleep. Yet when sunlight began to glance through the windows there was no sign or someone trying to force their way into the cabin.

There was no indication that anyone had even tried.

All there was were the sound of voices, quiet whispers as people moved around the small village. Some spoke of breakfast, others of the harvest, and still others of the two strangers who had come the day before.

 

[Willa]

The morning sun caressed her face, waking her gently from sleep to the sound of hushed voices outside. She stretched out and curled up to lay for a little while longer, savouring the comfort as much as she had the food, now that she'd known so many days and nights without.

She looked up, her eyes narrowed with sleep and confusion as she noted the chair against the door and how the curtains had been tied. She smiled sleepily and yawned into the back of her hand as she sat upright, the smell of breakfast creeping under the door and her stomach rumbling in answer. As though she hadn't already eaten enough to sustain her for a week..

"Are you awake?.." she asked in a whisper, eager to get out of here and settle his anxieties a little.

 

[Ivar]

Ivar wished that he'd slept more. That his fathers words hadn't rung so strongly in his head.

Unfortunately those words had called to him throughout the night. They had invaded his dreams, threatening stabbings, cutting of throats, a dozen other ends that in this place were likely miles from the truth. Despite that Ivar's sleep had been restless, bare.

"I am." He said softly.

A hand came up to rub at his face, fingers folding around the bridge of his nose in a tight pinch. "Evenifidontwantobe"

The Berserker murmured quietly as he tried to shake some of the weariness from himself.

He had spent most of the night planning the next leg of their journey. Wondering if these amazons would be willing to give them a map, thinking about where they could go, how they could return to Kjos or if they even should.

 

[Willa]

Willa smirked and slipped out of bed, her fingers combing through her long, snow-white hair and folding it into a braid that draped over her shoulder as she peeked out of the window.

"Least they didn't try to murder you in your sleep.. Then again, maybe the chair saved you." she mused, her lips twisting as she fought a smile.

"Lets go, they said they'd escort us.. I want to get out of this place." she sighed.

 

[Ivar]

Ivar didn't need much encouraging.

He was up and out of bed within a few moments, rubbing the sleep from his eyes and tossing on what clothes he still had left. The great fur cloak on his shoulder was looking somewhat ragged, but it somehow made it only suit him all the more. He wondered briefly if they'd give him back the bow he'd earned, though the Barbarian knew that he wouldn't ask after it.

Not in this place. "Let's gets out of here."

Ivar said in agreement as he pulled the chair out from under the lock and opened the door. Outside one of the amazonians was already waiting for them, leaning against one of the beams of the porch. She gave Ivar a hard stare, hand resting on the hilt of her belt knife.

The Barbarian stared at her, a giant compared to her in stature. His gaze was hard, but no threat could be read.

After a moment the woman turned, waving in silence for Ivar and Willa to follow. The northerner looked back at his companion, letting out a sigh and following the woman towards the edge of the village. There they found Vela waiting, along with half dozen more warriors.

 

[Willa]

Willa gave the woman a soft smile in greeting, her eyes falling on the weapon she rested her hand upon, and cleared her throat, ensuring she stood between the two. She glanced up at Ivar as the woman turned and sighed in unison as they followed behind her.

She had assumed that this would be it, that the woman would leave them at the edge of the village and that they could continue on their road, and so so when her grey eyes settled on Vela and the other warriors, her blood chilled slightly. She tried her best not to look confused, or anxious, to compose herself in her usual polite way as she offered a nod in acknowledgement.

"Vela.." she smiled tightly and glanced around at the other women. "This is quite the send off.. Really, there was no need.."

 

[Ivar]

Ivar tensed, though he tried not to show it. For a hulk like him it was difficult, but he managed it somewhat. Only a few of the Amazonians were staring at him outright, most others were looking at Willa.

It seemed that some had taken a shine to her.

"I wanted to ensure you made it safely to the edge of the wood, thus these warriors will accompany you."​

The Barbarian looked at the women for a moment, glancing at each one in turn before he slowly drew himself a bit more upright. He let Willa take the lead again, not wanting to say anything that might earn him a strike to the stomach or face.

"Is this acceptable?"​

Ivar glanced at Willa.

He wasn't entirely sure about this, and he fidgeted slightly in place.

 

[Willa]

Again she was presented with a choice that didn't really seem like a choice. She didn't wish to offend the woman after hospitality had been offered, but she wanted nothing more than to be out of this place and far away from these women as soon as possible.

"I am sure we can make it from here, I wouldn't want to put you to any more trouble than you've already gone to. Your hospitality has been greatly appreciated." she smiled.