Fable - Ask Mr. Brightside!

[Finn]

Fingers pressed along his broad shoulders as she clung to him to keep from swinging away like a fish on a line. Also to use those shoulders of his for leverage for that rope slack. He might get a temporary face-full of her womanly, yet small, chest. Pale cheeks colored significantly at all this...touching. Finn was a woman who liked her space. And right now? She was all over this man.

Knee dug against his stomach as his hand shifted dangerously close to her rear.

Grey-blues snapped to his face.

"Oh yes, please tell me more about these better riggings since you've proven yourself to be a dear friend and a man I can easily trust." Voice was as dry as the desert sands. "What...is...taking...so long," she puffed. One hand slipped on his shoulder and she thumped against him, face bumping against his own.

 

[Deagan Hunt]

Finn

There was no mistaking Finn for a kid, not when Deagan received a face full of perky hills, and his nose dove right between that sweaty valley. Not that Deagan had much time to wiggle his head away as a knock from Finn's head struck his own right along his temple. It wasn't as much pain as mild annoyance that drew his yelp.

"Y'eo--hey!" Deagan cried out, cobalt blue eyes glaring up at the grimy, scrunched up the young woman's visage - because well, breasts and a small, but curvy rump - one thick brow arching up. Okay, so she didn't appreciate his mansplaining. Fine, not his problem.

"Quit your wiggling!" he instructed her, trying his best to gather her up in his arms while tackling the knot. After a second, he gave a mock exhale of exasperation and decided that the best route was to just throw the woman over his shoulder, leaving both of his hands-frees to tackle the knot.

"No hitting me!" His deep voice warned her, telling her, "The more you wiggle, the harder it is to get this knot out."

 

[Finn]

"Aaaarrrr-umphhh," she yelped in a grunt as her stomach was thrown over the scoundrel's shoulder. His shoulder was actually pretty broad. Muscled. A little wiry. She felt a brush of his hand along her backside.

"Watch where your hands are going MISTER!"

Fingers scrunched into the fabric of his shirt at his sides as she practically hung upside down, waves of tangled blonde hair hanging down from her head as he continued to work at those ropes. BETTER JUST BE WORKING AT THE ROPES.

She was starting to feel lightheaded with all that blood rushing to her head.

Pale-blues blinked, the man's rear taking in the majority of her vision.

"Can you hurry it up?"

 

[Deagan Hunt]

Finn

Oh of all the -- Deagan gave a bemused glower at Finn, one bushy brow arching up at her impatience. "Look, princess, you have this confounded jiry rigged mess around your waist." he shook the area of the knot where he'd made some progress as if he could see it. Of course she couldn't, her head was upside down.

"I can't help it if your waist is close to your rump - kinda standard. Your wiggling only made it worse." mansplaining again, but his attention went back to the knot, his swarthy face scrunching up with the focus of a four-year-old wanting to get a cookie from the cookie jar.

It was a matter of pride now!

A yelp of victory erupted from his mouth, the knot undone, one end held up in glee. " Ah hah!" oh he was quite proud of himself.

"Got it!" he preened, making a great show of it as he flipped and slid Finn back up and down, swinging her into his embrace. A wide grin cut across the scoundrel's angular features, scruffy face beaming with satisfaction.

"Tada! One knot, signed, sealed and delivered --" a pause, then adding as if correcting himself, "Well, not sealed, but more, released!"

 

[Finn]

Oh thank the stars, she could breath. And that cutting pressure along her lower ribcage was suddenly released. Just as quickly she found herself spun about and tipping back.

Instinctively, her thin arms wrapped tightly around his own. Eyes squeezed closed until her feet found the solid decking beneath her. For a brief - tiny - LITTLE second she relaxed against the man. Happily breathing without that pain. Happily freed. Happily on the deck.

"Thanks," she breathed, then quickly pushed away from him.

"Of course ALL THIS is YOUR fault in the first place." Hands dropped to her waist, massaging where the rope had cut in. She huffed feathered blonde strands of hair away from her skyblue eyes.

They were over the waters now. Wide and vast. Sparkling and dark. "As soon as we reach land, you're going on your way mister and I don't care if a town is nearby or not."

 

[Deagan Hunt]

Finn

Well wasn’t this girl feisty? Okay, ignoring the part where she might be right, Deagan knew he had to try to smooth out her ruffled feathers.

Pasting a wide, roguish grin across his swarthy face, the scoundrel brought his hands up, palm out by his head, as if attempting to shine himself in the light of a victim. Perfectly harmless, charming, good-looking.

The usual drill.

“Hey hey, it wasn’t my fault that those Orcs decided to come after me!” He cried, defending himself, “I was just trying to do my job and they were just keen on turning against me!”

So he might be spinning up a yarn, but there was some measure of truth to it. For good measure, the man would radiate that bit of magic he had to make himself more likable, swaying emotions in an attempt to make Finn feel some compassion for his plight. Surely it would work now when he had time to focus on its intensity.

 

[Finn]

Hands fell to her hips. He would feel a void the closer he was to her when he tried to use his magic. Like his magic was trying to grasp at water, just slipping through his fingers. Head cocked to the side.

"You have that weird look on your face again. What are you doing?!" Blues rolled and her head shook.

"You said you were just trying to do your job. What exactly is your job? Hmmm?"

 

[Deagan Hunt]

Finn

Deagan was looking at the blond with all the confusion of one who was clearly expecting something to happen. It didn't. His brow gave another furrow and once again, he held the expression of someone in deep concentration - or who might be constipated, both seemed the same.

After another few seconds when Finn would continue to stare up at him as if he was weird instead of admiration in her gaze, he exhaled with a, "Oh come on!" in exasperation.

"What is going on? This is the second time today!" he cried out, more to himself really. He didn't answer her question right now, as he was going through a mild midlife crisis.

"It was just working a bit ago!"

 

[Finn]

A single dirty-blonde brow lofted in the man's direction. A huff from her lips. A small shake of her head. Arms cross just beneath her modest chest.

"Y'know. They have medicine roots for that problem."

She assumed he was constipated.

Eyes narrowed on him.

What was this guy's deal? Why did she always have to run into the weird ones? Why was this world so intent on taking away her lovely solitude?

Harumph.

"Second time...for what?"

 

[Deagan Hunt]

|| Finn ||

Hearing the blond bring attention to what a second time might be, Deagan immediately shot the woman a beaming grin.

"Nothing to worry about. Just trying to remember a few things and you know how it is," He made a gesture with his hand from his head towards the wind. "Things just seem to slip the mind."

"Oh right you wanted to know what my job is. Allow me to introduce myself - err again." he added, giving a bow with a flourish and that little boy charming grin.

"Deagan Hunt, Procurer for hire for odds and ends or a sellsword by trade." that he had no sword at his hip was of ill consequence.

He straightened, still shining her that pearly white full grin, cobalt eyes twinkling with charm, "I've traveled from one end of Liadan to the next." He then took the rope that had been tied to Finn's waist and then expertly went to tie it to the railing as if well used to working around a sailing ship.

"... and expert sail ship worker."

 

[Finn]

Oh so he was constipated and having memory issues?

Stars help her.

"Sellsword without a sword, hm?" Eyes narrowed into slits as she watched him grin and bow, then tie off that line. He seemed to know what he was doing there. She didn't quite know what to believe. Finn was a woman of science and engineering. She preferred formulas, those black and white answers. Equations always made sense. There was always a correct method. Math when applied to any set of numbers let to a reliable outcome.

People? This man? She preferred math and science to all these unknowns.

Then again, part of her life since she'd built this airship and travelling had been full of those unknowns.

But these kind of ships were rare in the land. Most folk had never seen any. She'd still been surprised - and floored when she'd come across the city they'd just left. She thought she was the only one. Arms slowly unwound and dropped to her sides as she went back to the wheel to check their heading. Gaze peeked out at Deagan as he worked.

"Did you grow up on one?" A sail ship. Pale blues sparked with curiosity.

 

[Deagan Hunt]

|| Finn ||

Oh good, distraction conversation was super successful! He will need to investigate this matter with his magic and why it wasn't working with the kid - err Finn. He couldn't have his trusty set of skills falling flat at the most crucial of moments.

It was a risk to his skin as it was to his pride!

With a debonair grin, Deagan used his arm to prop up against the railing, giving a snap of his fingers and pointing at her direction.

"You got it Blondie," testing out another nickname. It was his shtick. He pushed himself off the railing and then went bounding up towards the mast, where he began to climb up for two reasons. One, to show off his skills and second, to keep her focus on the sailing ship instead of what he'd jabbered on about earlier or those Orcs.

"You ever heard of the Sky Gypsies of Vastaya?" with the wind soaring over them, Deagan's dark hair went ruffling in the wind, casting his profile against the sun with rugged appeal.

 

[Finn]

Finn gently steered them starboard, huffing a stray ribbon of blonde away from her face at the nickname.

Ugh, Deagan.

Ugh, why was that hair of his so ruffly? How did he always seem to know where to stand so the wind got it just right?

Still. His words drew her in even if it wasn't his smile. She'd always had a love for learning. And since she didn't know much about what he was talking about and since what he was talking about was one of her passions - flying - it very much drew her attention. So much so that she let the new nickname slide.

Head shook.

"I grew up on the streets of Elbion where air ships were just myths and legends. Never heard of 'em."

 

[Deagan Hunt]

Well, at least his ability to redirect hadn't taken a beaten. Finn was now caught on his yarn regarding the Sky Gypsies.

He managed to pull himself up the mast towards the fighting top, not to be confused with the crow's nest. It was the area of foothole in the middle of the foremast. As it was a small sail ship, he could comfortably raise his voice loud enough for the wind to carry his response. Plopping down, he let both legs dangle, leaning against the railing of the fighting top. Ruffled hair, scoundrel's grin, and a certain mischief made those cobalt eyes twinkle.

"Ah! Well, then, are you in for a tale!" he exclaimed, gesturing with his hand in the air for emphasis.

"The Sky Gypsies of Vastaya are said to be a remnant of bedouins who managed to wrangle from the great Cetus himself the knowledge to navigate the skies." fingers ran through that unruly mop of hair, pushing it back from his eyes. Oh yeah, he did this on purpose. It presented his good side.

"It is said that in ages past when the gods yet walked among men, Cetus, a primordial god who personified as the first and the most beautiful evening star of the night, seduced the lovely daughter of the Ataman, the Vastaya gypsy chieftain."

 

[Finn]

She snorted.

"Oh a woman so easily seduced. Why do all the old stories revolve around that? Couldn't these women think for themselves?" A small smirk spread on the woman's lips. She shook her head once more. "But perhaps it was her who seduced him?"

A small blush along pale cheeks at the thought.

Her stomach grumbled.

Oh yes, she was going to make mushroom soup.

"Go on...," she urged as she set the wheel and disappeared for a moment inside the small cabin.

 

[Deagan Hunt]

Finn

"You know that very well could be," Deagan replied with a wag of his finger, grinning like a silly fool as he added, "The fairer species do have those wiley wiles of theirs. I wouldn't have put it past a gypsy princess to seduce a star." he laughed, bringing both arms to rest on the tops of his thighs.

He seemed very comfortable sitting on that perch, even if it was several meters high and a good gusty wind might send him knocking. But there was some subtle tells that could relay to the Aeronaut that in one aspect he hadn't lied; he was used to being around a sail ship.

"Yet tales are passed down by those who had the foresight to continue the telling, and in this case, the Ataman, was not happy that his daughter was so thoroughly seduced." a single knowing arch of a thick brow needed no further clarification.

"You see for within a few months it was evident that she was with child, and with said scoundrel responsible for the undertaking, the Ataman instead went to the gypsy soothsayer to concoct his revenge."

 

[Finn]

Finn exited the small cabin cradling a pot and some food in both her arms. There was a small cooktop on the port side of the deck and she began setting the ingredients for the soup up. She frowned as Deagan continued the story.

"Wiley ways. Sheesh. So the star knocked up the chief's daughter and left?"

Sounded like a typical man to her.

Pale blues looked at the scoundrel. He did seem surprisingly comfortable up there. And the man knew his way around knots. Perhaps he...could be useful. At least until she could drop him off.

"Are you hungry?"

 

[Deagan Hunt]

Finn

Truth be told Deagan wasn't about to say no to food. "I can always make time for food," he called out, peering down as he watched her come back out of the small cabin cradling a pot. Deciding that sitting up on high was not in the best position to relay his story - or to look good - he chose to climb back down. Within moments, muscles flexed and arms and legs drew him down the mast.

A small hop and a jump and he landed on the deck again, his hair ruffling in the wind again. That pesky, pesky wind! That's what air sailing did, managed to always blow your hair all about.

With a swagger, the scoundrel came up beside the blonde woman - as she now quite definitely had boobs - and made a show of looking to see what she had in her pot.

Now as for his tale...

"Tch, " He gave a cluck of his tongue, snapping his fingers towards her, finishing with a small wag of emphasis. "Well see, stories are passed down by those who tend to win the power struggle. It just so happens that the Gypsy shaman was quite powerful indeed, and our Evening Star, well..." he drawled out, looking past the air ship's rails towards the horizon, "Even Gods may fall victim to struggles of power."

A furrow of his brow came, contemplation.

"Cetus could craft the night sky; it is he that navigators across the seas use to chart their course and remain true. Within his grasp is the make and will to paint the night's sky as his breath to cast the four winds." He gave a twist of his torso, turning back to look at Finn, "What that Shaman did would bring forth the fall of gods and men and a price paid in blood resulted in the blightlands. Magic... always has a price."

He took a step to the left, bringing his arms to lock behind his back, "So the curse would bind Cetus to mortality, a life for a life that he had ruined and brought to this world. From those powers wretched so did the Ataman gain to take his tribe from the ruins his vengeance had wrought. "

Deliberate, dramatic pause, then that little boy grin would crack over Deagan's handsome features, "Or at least that's what they say!"