Private Tales The Mountains Ahead

[Aviana Sabel]

The traveling pair arrived at the town proper just as the sun was settling over the horizon. A sliver of red still splashed across the sky that faded into the inky blue darkness of night. Twilight had a way of making the world seem more peaceful, Aviana thought to herself. All the people and creatures getting ready to down for the night, leaving the landscape itself perfectly still save for the occasional breeze that would stir the trees.

They found the stables first, and paid the stable boy to water and feed the animals. He looked surprised to see the massive elk that Aviana called her mount, but it was clear that he'd seen stranger things being in a port town. Once that was taken care of, Aviana met Kasim outside the large barn.

"I asked the hand where the inn was. He said that it's called the Galant Harpy." She grimaced a little at the name, remembering the encounter her and the jester had with the creatures some time ago. "Odd choice for a name, I know, but it's further down the street. Closer to the docks, which makes sense."

 

[Kasim Areth]

He frowned. ”Why do Inns always have to have such strange names.”

It was a theme he had noticed developing more than a few times on his life. He supposed it was because the catchier the name the more likely someone would be to actually walk inside.

Still, they could have done better.

”If I ever open one I'll be damned sure to name it something normal.” Kasim grumbled quietly. ”The Roadside Inn.”

He pitched, in truth more of himself than to Aviana. He knew it was a silly thing to even contemplate. The chance of him ever opening an Inn were so slim that one could barely see it among the stars. Still, random thoughts of entrepreneurship did enter his mind every now and again. Even if it was silly.

A sigh escaped him and he took Aviana hand gently, squeezing it. ”Let's go find a ship.”

He said with determination.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

Aviana laced her fingers through Kasim's and squeezed gently in return with a warm smile. It was a simple gesture, holding someone's hand, but it brought a closeness with it that Aviana found she enjoyed quite a bit.

"It shouldn't be too difficult to find a ship if there's one in port." She quipped, nudging her arm against his as they walked through the street towards the docks.

Finding the docks themselves proved to be relatively easily. All you had to do was walk downwards and follow the smells. It was much the same in Minaris -- at some point, all the roads led down to the water.

 

[Kasim Areth]

As they walked an odd feeling crawled up Kasim's spine.

He could not quite place it, but an odd sort of pressure began to push in on him. A frown touched his lips, his fingers tightening and his hand floating just a tad closer to his sword. Is someone watching us?

The words came through his thoughts, though he did not voice them.

There was no need to scare Aviana, not when it was simply a feeling and nothing else. Still, his fingers tightened, and slowly he lead Aviana towards the docks. Three ships lay within the small harbor, two small trading vessels and a third much larger Galleon flying the flag of Alliria.

"Well." He mused. "Seems we might have gotten lucky."

 

[Aviana Sabel]

Aviana felt his fingers tighten around her own and she glanced up at him with a raised brow. It was a subtle difference, but one that she picked up on nevertheless. His expression was difficult to read and she couldn't quite tell what was on his mind, though she did notice that his eyes glanced around a bit more regularly -- she was reminded of their time in the village just before the werewolves attacked them.

She kept close to the jester as he took the lead through the streets until they finally caught sight of the docked ships.

"Hopefully that luck will hold. We need a ship that's actually going to Minaris." She mused, looking each vessel over intently.

 

[Kasim Areth]

Suddenly Kasim stopped for a moment, frowning. "Well..."

How far did he want to take this?

So far he hadn't thought of anything too...bad, with her, but he wanted to know...no. He needed to know how far Aviana wanted to go with this. He knew she wouldn't want to kill people, knew that she would be against anything too harsh, but this was her home they were talking about.

"Even if they aren't going there." He took a breath. "There are ways I could...convince them."

Kasim trailed off. "If you think that's what we would need."

It would be easy enough, a simple rune, but...a harsh one.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

She stopped next to him, brow creased slightly with confusion at his words. It took the woman several seconds to realize just what he was insinuating and her pale eyes widened slightly.

"Kasim!" She exclaimed, her voice a bit louder than she intended.

She took a step closer to him and lowered her voice. The fact that he had even considered threatening or hurting someone to help her was shocking in a way.

"No... That won't be necessary. We can find a way..." She murmured, biting at her bottom lip. How long would she hold out? The first few days she could understand holding back and waiting... but eventually, she needed to get to the remote island. And it was only a matter of time before someone discovered Kiovec's hiding place.

"Let's... just see what they say, first."

 

[Kasim Areth]

"Okay." He agreed quietly, though in his own mind he was still rather dubious. Sailors and Captain's tended not to want to do anything they didn't have to, and both he and Aviana did not have access to their true wealth right now.

Chartering a ship would be difficult, so they would have to get lucky, or she would have to relent.

After the quick conversation both he and Aviana made their way to the docks. Their first stop, by Kasim's direction, was the large galleon. He knew the chance of it going to Minaris was low, Alliria generally tended to stick to the western lands and not the east, but it was worth a shot.

The Captain was surprisingly understanding, though as Kasim had predicted they were heading back to Alliria, in the exact opposite direction.

The second ship, going by the Sea Sprite was heading west as well, and more importantly had a Captain from Vel Anir...something Kasim wanted to avoid.

Thus they found themselves at the gangplank of the Third ship.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

She couldn't tell if Kasim was disappointed, or simply didn't agree with her in regards to exercising some restrain for the time being. The first two ships proved to not be helpful, and by the time they reached the last one she was feeling a little apprehensive about their prospects.

Her silver hair danced about her face as the ocean breeze tugged at the loose strands.

Even if they were only standing on the wooden gang plank, she couldn't help but smile. It was nice to set foot on a boat once more, and to be near the sea was enough to soothe her anxieties for a short while.

Her eyes drifted up to Kasim's face, taking a soft breath. "If they're not going to Minaris, we can stay here for a few more days." She said under her breath, placing a hand against the jester's forearm.

 

[Kasim Areth]

"Alright." There would be more ships, that much he was sure of.

This port wasn't particularly large, but towns like this were needed for many ships. They were a good place to resupply, to stop over and effect repairs, even to sell some of your cargo at a higher price than you could get at more varies ports.

Kasim was far from a sailor, but his family had dealt with ships for almost as long as anyone could remember. Trade was a backbone of any Empire, especially if it was done well. House Virak had long thrived off of trading military arms, something the other houses resented.

Quickly the Jester climbed up the gangplank, gently leading Aviana at his side.

As they made their way up he called. "Ho there! I need your captain."

He called out to a nearby sailor.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

The nearby sailor swung the heavy rope that he was carrying over his shoulder and sauntered over to Kasim with a raised brow. His eyes lingered on the smaller noblewoman at his side for a brief moment, before he turned away and shouted down the length of the ship.

"Oi! Cap'n Ethermont! Couple'a 'opefuls lookin' ta speak witcha!" His accent was so coarse that Aviana almost couldn't decipher it.

She glanced around the merchant vessel, curiously looking the rest of the crew over and noticed that it seemed as though they'd only just arrived themselves. From what she could tell, they were on the tail end of their port arrival duties. None of the men seemed to be inebriated just yet, which only lent itself to her theory.

A few minutes later, a tall man with dusky skin approached. His eyes were a piercing pale green that stood out against his contrasting dark skin. He looked between the two of them and then offered a dashing white smile.

"How may I help you two?" His voice was a rich baritone with an exotic accent that Aviana couldn't quite place.

 

[Kasim Areth]

The westlands?

A frown touched his lips for a moment, unable to place the accent. It was almost as though...well as though it were made up. He shook his head, deciding that he was just being paranoid about the whole thing. "We need a ship to Minaris, Captain."

No use in dancing around it or being cute.

"We were hoping you were heading that way." The Jester admitted, the other man glancing at him curiously for a few moments before he shook his head.

"Well...I'm not headed to Minaris, but I have some decent news for you."
​

Kasim perked up slightly.

"I'll be headed to the Tundra after our stay here, trading with the Nordenfiir. It's close enough you could hitch a ride."
​

That they could. It would be difficult, but from what he understood Minaris was close enough that they could perhaps take a longship or something, though...he suspected the price would be high.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

"How long will it be before you set sail for the Tundra?" Aviana asked quietly from beside Kasim.

It would likely be a couple days, she reasoned; given the size of the crew and the fact that they had only just arrived. They would need time to off and on load goods that were traded, bought, or to be sold. Still, it would be nice for her and Kasim to have a time line in mind and reserve a place for them on the ship.

Ethermont tilted his head slightly, pushing his feathered hat back as he dipped his head down to meet Aviana's gaze -- she was considerably shorter than the tall man.

"It'll be about two days, little lady. We're mostly takin' on supplies and then we'll be off. You lookin' to come with then?"
​

She pursed her lips slightly then nodded. Her estimate hadn't been far off, it would seem. They had enough to afford another few nights at the Inn, but she was concerned if they would have enough to get from here to the Tundra and then back down to Minaris.

"Yes, if you could reserve room for the both of us, and our mounts if possible, I would greatly appreciate it." She answered with a warm smile.

 

[Kasim Areth]

"Aye. I suppose I could do that."
​

He glanced up and down at both Kasim and then Aviana, considering them both for a few moments as if assessing the danger that could be brought with either of them.

"You seem fine enough sort."
​

For a moment Kasim wanted to chuckle. The man could only judge what he saw on the outside, but had he known what both of them were his opinions might have changed on a dime. He frowned for just a brief second, then reached to the small of his back and pulled out a small purse.

"Down payment." He said as he pulled out the last Anirian gold coin her had.

The silvers and coppers they had would be enough for an Inn, but he wanted to lock down this passage while he still could.

"Here." Kasim told the man. "Another when we get where we want to go."

 

[Aviana Sabel]

The captain raised a brow slightly as if impressed to see the Anirian gold piece. He gave a small nod of his head and tapped two of his fingers against the brim in a proper gentleman fashion.

"Of course, Mister and missus...?" He let the question trail off, clearly asking what name he should expect to call them back.
​

Aviana glanced up to the jester for guidance on the matter. Normally, she would have just given her name but given their circumstances that seemed almost unwise. Kasim had traveled far more than she had, and she trusted his judgment on the matter more than she did herself.

 

[Kasim Areth]

"Areth." He said simply.

The name was a false one of course, but one he'd been using for near a decade now. It was well known in some places, the traveling Bard who played songs for lords and ladies.

Out here he doubted it would be recognized, but either way the name would not hurt them.

His family did not know it, those hunting Aviana did not. Kasim Areth was just a bard, a traveling man trying to make as much money as he could playing songs. That was it really, truly. It was enough for most people when they asked. Especially since he actually was a bard.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

Aviana smiled at the name that Kasim gave and she inclined her head politely. It didn't escape her that he didn't offer a name for her, allowing the captain to make whatever assumptions he wanted to.

The tall man nodded once at the name, then reached into an inside pocket of his jacket to produce a thin notebook and quill. He scribbled the name on a page, nodding to himself.

"Mr and Mrs Areth then. I'll see you back here in two days at noon. Don't be late, as I can't guarantee that we'll be here much past then."
​

"Thank you, Captain." Aviana offered a moment later then bowed her head appreciatively. "We'll retire for the evening and let you and your crew return to your duties." ​

 

[Kasim Areth]

Kasim did not bow, instead he watched the Captain carefully.

There was something...off about this. It seemed as though it had been too easy, too helpful. No. You're just being paranoid.

At least that was what he was hoping.

There was no real telling who was friend or foe anymore. His family had no way of knowing where he was, not since they'd traveled several hundred leagues away from the village where he'd used his powers....but something still felt wrong about all of this.

Perhaps he was simply not used to things going easy.

"Let's find an inn." He told Aviana quietly. "I can earn us some coin before we embark."

A song here, a poem there, easy going. "Do you know how to sing, darling?"

He mused at her with a smile.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

Aviana glanced up at him as they walked down the docks and back up into the town. Her nose playfully wrinkled at the question he asked her since he knew full well that she sang. It was just not a particular skill that she ever put to use in public. Even if she'd been raised in the courts of Minaris, she was still quite shy in front of a crowd.

"Are you about to ask me to sing in front of a room full of sailors?" She asked, arching a delicate brow up at the jester.

 

[Kasim Areth]

"Just a little." He said with a smile.

In truth Kasim doubted that it would be necessary. Funnily enough most Inn's didn't care too much about singing. Sure it helped if there was a pretty face behind the voice, but generally common rooms were far more interested in the telling of tales more than anything else.

There was something about a good story that managed to capture the attention of everyone around.

"Duo's get paid more." He told her with a smile. "And we need the money."

Right now they did anyway.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

She tucked one of the loose silver curls behind her ear, then she nodded. He was right, of course. They'd managed to burn through most of their funds during their travels and securing the boat ride would likely be stretching their coin thin.

Not to mention she would still need to figure out a way to buy a saddle bag large enough to smuggle the dragonling onboard.

Her lips pursed at the thought, not sure how they were going to be able to pull that stunt off. Not with how quickly the dragon was growing. How long would she be able to keep him hidden?

She dropped her hand back to her side and she sighed softly.

"Alright. Only if I absolutely have to... I'm sure I can manage a song or two."

 

[Kasim Areth]

Kasim gently touched the small of her back, a small encouraging stroke of his thumb.

"Just one or two songs." He assured her. "A backdrop to a story."

That was really all that he needed. They were not an orchestra, and really he just needed an affect to draw the crowd so they could later demand a higher sum for their work. The bigger the crowd in the Inn, the more money they could ask for from the Innkeeper at the end of the night.

He knew she could do it, otherwise he would not have asked.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

She smiled warmly to him when he touched her back, then she gave a slight nod.

"That's manageable. Besides, it'll really sell who we are. Can't keep saying that a noblewoman is traveling with a bard across the countryside. I don't think that'd convince anyone on the Isles." She mused with a wry smile.

Which she found a little amusing, considering that was exactly the truth. However, if they moved closer to Minaris and rumors of a white-haired half elf noble reached the city.. they could run into renewed assassination attempts.

A shiver ran down her spine and she looked down at her feet, remembering the horrors of being chased through the pitch dark by a man intent on killing her.. and then having to kill him herself. Her face contorted slightly and she heaved a quiet sigh. She still had nightmares about it, though she'd not mentioned them to the jester.

 

[Kasim Areth]

His hand gently squeezed her, urging her forward.

"Let's get to an Inn." Preferably a nice one.

Common taverns were all well and good, but the real money was in the more expensive places. This village was small, but the port meant that they got more than a few merchants. Thus without another word the Jester began to look for the proper establishment, his gaze floating from sign to sign, building to building.

Although it took time, Kasim eventually managed to find what he was looking for.

One of the few stone structures within the town, a sign hanging by the door which depicted a pony barded with armor. He was unsure exactly what the name of the place was, but it looked nice enough for him.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

True to form, Kasim found a rather nice inn in a matter of minutes. She smiled a little as she followed into the establishment. Inside, Aviana was surprised to find a lovely little inn and tavern. The decorum was tasteful and refined, nothing too garish our outlandish. It was also rather crowded.

There were patrons from many walks of life gathered in the lounge area near the hearth; round tables filled with groups that were traveling together, sailors and merchants alike.

She looked up at Kasim once they stepped through the door and she took a nervous breath. There were quite a few more people than she'd expected to find; which meant that she'd be helping the bard with a much larger audience. Still, she wasn't about to back down.

"Huh... almost surprised there isn't already a bard working this place." She murmured quietly to him.