Fable - Ask The Tides of Fate

[Kol]

"Just needed my lucky charm." Kol said with a smile that. Appeared surprisingly soft upon his face. He looked at her, and then turned back towards the scam artist that stood on the opposite end of the table from him.

The man looked Ruvsa up and down for a moment. There was no lechery in his eyes, but rather a more studious nature. It was the look one scam artist would give another, as if he were trying to detect some sort of scam that the two of them might have been pulling. When he found nothing he spoke.

"Pick a card, any card."

A smile pulled on his lips, and then the game began.

For the next ten minutes the men and Kol went back and forth. He won the first few rounds, each one a lure to make him get more and more. It was a trap that the Sorcer purposefully stepped into of course, and by the time he had a considerable pile of coin he acted the fool. "My gods friend, your luck isn't what it should be today."

"No...suppose it's not, but how about one more? Give me a chance to win my money back?"

"Well, couldn't deny a man a chance." Kol said, placing the money he'd won and another gold nugget on the table. "Got enough to wager left?"

He could practically see the man swell with greed. From his undercoat he pulled another bag of coins, placing it on the table as he prompted Kol to choose a card.

"The twin dragons." The man nodded, flipped the cards, then quickly began to shuffled them. He moved faster than he had before, much faster, and on his fourth shuffle, the twin dragon disappeared up his sleeve.

Kol didn't catch it, his eyes not quite fast enough, but it didn't really matter.

He mused for a moment, staring down at the three cards as if he were truly considering. Then he reached down and tapped the left most card. Ruvsa would see it, the tiniest speck of blood, the twisting shimmer. The man gleefully reached out, grabbing the card.

"Sorry my friend that's wro-"

His words died in his throat as he flipped over the Twin Dragons.

The crowd broke out in a cheer behind Kol.

 

[Ruvsá]

Kol smiled, his expression surprisingly soft, and Ruvsá felt her stomach flip and her pulse begin to race. A blush stained her cheeks, and she bit her lip, reaching up to tuck her hair behind her ear as she glanced away shyly.

Just an act, she reminded herself, hardly aware of the card dealer's studious glare at the moment. You're... friends. Barely. Who happen to be enjoying sleeping together too. Friends.

By the time her heart calmed and blush faded, Kol and the card dealer were well into the game. She watched closely, under the guise of curious naivety, and let her eyes sparkle with excitement each time Kol won. Ruvsá forced herself not to become too excited at the end, though, as the final wagers were made. She was certain the card dealer had a sharp eye, and she didn't want to give it away by looking too satisfied too soon.

She'd tracked Kol's scent over the cards as they played. Of course, by the end, his scent was on multiple cards, but it was enough when one of them went missing. She saw when Kol used the power of the Dark Gods, though she was uncertain if she saw it because she knew to look for something or... because of some other reason. One she was trying not to think too hard about, especially when the voices whispered unintelligibly in her ears as she drifted off to sleep anymore.

But still, the horror in the card dealer's gaze as he flipped it over sent a biting thrill of cruel satisfaction through her. Especially as the con man realized that he wouldn't be able to call Kol out without admitting his own cheating in the first place.

Ruvsá grinned widely, teeth and eyes gleaming with a feral wildness that made the card dealer flinch back away from the table, and the urge to pounce and rend tore through her. She sucked in a breath, and twisted back toward Kol, throwing her arms around his neck and pulling him into a deep kiss as the crowd cheered behind them.

"Lucky charm indeed," she murmured, breath heaving when she pulled away after trading the sudden urge of bloodlust for another kind. It was easier--barely--to push aside the thought of Kol tugging her into an alley and pinning her to the wall and pushing up her skirt as she wrapped her legs around his hips than it was to resist the urge to tear out the card dealer's throat with her teeth--whether in human form or bear form--when the man cowered before her.

She fell into quiet thought as Kol collected the winnings. While predatory urges were nothing new--she was part bear after all--she'd never felt urges quite like these before. Not just to hunt, but to torment.

But she had felt something frighteningly similar once, before she met Kol. When she led Aggar to his execution, the scent of his blood hanging in the air as he died. She hadn't felt quite the same urges again until after Kol healed her hands in the prison.

Moments flooded back into her memory. Her strange satisfaction at the thought of the frost giant being trapped in Kol's runes, conscious, for all eternity. Her amusement at the cruel irony of the dwarf's entrapment in the very prison he'd built. The den of piglets she'd found the morning when the orcs took them. She may have brought back a fish for Kol, but her own breakfast had been something else.

The look in her eye, though, had apparently been enough to make the card dealer hand over their winnings without another word of protest, and as they made their way back to the open street, Ruvsá glanced down at her hands.

"I think I have an idea what price I might have paid when you healed my hands," she murmured thoughtfully. There was no horror or remorse in her voice, though. Just contemplation.

 

[Kol]

The Sorcerer let his hands linger upon her body, his touch near enough salacious that a few people in the crowd behind them let out a whistle or two. There was no embarrassment from him, it only helped to sell their act.

Something he was keenly aware of.

"There is always a price." Kol said with a nod of his head.

He could not see what had played through her head of course, could not read her thoughts. Some Nordwiir had such gifts, but the Sorcery he had been granted did not allow for such things. At least not without considerable violence and ritual beforehand.

Yet the look in her eye was a familiar one.

Kol had seen it on a dozen faces, watched as the thoughts unfolded and an acceptance was formed. He mused for a moment, looking at her. There was no expression on his face, not a readable one. The Dark Gods cackled in his ears, howling with laughter.

They had taken root. Would they take more?

"You can tell me later, if you like." He told her softly as he pulled from her arms slightly, ensuring that the coin they collected was safely tucked away. "With less prying ears."

Briefly he glanced towards the crowd, the scam artist who was practically glowering at them.

 

[Ruvsá]

"Later," Ruvsá murmured, noticing Kol's quiet, thoughtful gaze. "Yes."

She followed Kol's glance back toward the gambler, saw the man's irate gaze, and let the feral gleam come back to her eyes. Her lips parted in what most would have called a smile, but to the card dealer, it was a promise.

Come after us, or cause trouble for us, and I will crush your throat with my teeth.

Then she wiped the feral bloodlust from her face and eyes, and by the time she turned back to Kol she appeared to be smiling sweetly. She eagerly led him back to the cobbler's stall and her sweet smile this time was genuine as she was fitted for a pair of sandals. Her feet felt light when they left, her sealskin boots wrapped in paper and on the way back to the inn. The realization she'd come to at the end of the card game wasn't far from her thoughts, but for now it would only be a distraction, so she let the sights and curiosities around them distract her.

Something spicy wafted through the air, and she tugged at Kol's arm. "I'm hungry," she stated, letting her nose lead her through the street. "Let's find something to eat. And maybe talk about finding a ship, too."

 

[Kol]

He nodded in agreement as they continued to wander down the streets. His gaze flickered through the corwd, searching faces and people to see if anyone was following them.

When no one came Kol finally focused his attention back towards Ruvsa. "We have the coin for both now."

The Sorcerer mused, obviously quite pleased with himself.

Neither of them had counted their winnings, but he was willing to bet it was a few thousand of the currency of this city. The bags of coin were heavy, and the mans greed had all but overwhelmed him in the moment before his downfall.

"A ship back home, a nice meal, your blades." He mused as a thumb ran over one of the bags of gold. "And then some."

It was a trick that would likely only work once, but at least they didn't have to use trickery to survive.

As they continued their trek through the markets the smell of sea air became more apparent, and intermixed with it was the scent of a dozen different foods. Ahead of them Kol could see the harbor, dozens of ships settled within the water.

A few of them were of the north, easily recognized by the profile. Kol gently guided Ruvsa in their direction.

 

[Ruvsá]

Ruvsá saw Kol checking to make sure they weren't followed, and redirected her attention to the streets to make sure that they also weren't becoming the target of any pickpockets. She was more than content with letting Kol handle the coin, as she had little practical experience with currency of any kind. Just a passing education of the currency of the nations the Nordenfiir were most likely to ally with.

"Home," she murmured thoughtfully as Kol steered her toward the harbor. "It's only been what... a week since we left the north?"

She sighed wistfully as they continued past the stalls of food, but hoped they'd be back quickly. The air was salty and humid the closer they got to the ships, but the carved bows of the northern ones were easily recognizable. It was unlikely that there were any Nordenfiir among them, but there were probably some merchants who traded with the Nordenfiir.

"See anyone you're familiar with?" she asked, recalling that Kol had lost a small fleet of ships on the island where she'd met him.

 

[Kol]

Kol scanned the flags of the northern ships he could see. None of them were from the Fleet that he had taken south, though that was not surprising. The Dark Gods had told him those men were dead, a sacrifice for the power he had gained on the island.

One of the flags did look familiar however. "That one."

The Sorcerer said as he pointed to a large longboat that sat near the end of the harbor. The vessel itself was sleek, but far bigger than a ship of that size should be. It's sails were fueled high up on the mast, and it's head had been carved into the shape of a what appeared to be some sort of large toothed cat.

Above it floated a flag, three red horizontal claw marks tearing through a field of black. A simple design, but one Kol recognized.

"It belongs to a man named Sindric." Kol narrowed his eyes. "Though I doubt he is here himself."

Sindric was a Nord, one of the men whom had gone south with him near a year ago to raid the Blightlands. Last he'd seen the man they'd parted in the Port of Asar, a small town established on an isle just outside the Blight. It was to be a staging area for future raids, at least last Kol had heard.

 

[Ruvsá]

Ruvsá noted the flag and its emblem, and the name that Kol gave. She glanced around to see if any of the strange ogre guards were going to protest their presence at the harbor, but so far they'd been mostly ignored by them.

"Let us see, then, if the captain of Sindric's ship will give us passage," she said, staying close to Kol's side as they approached the longboat.

Birds cried in the air overhead, and Ruvsá shaded her eyes to look up at them. Birds were not common in the tundra, it was simply too cold and there wasn't enough seeds or bugs for them to eat. The herrevens were the most abundant birds, but they were able to live off of flesh quite easily.

As they drew closer to the crew, Ruvsá found herself suddenly uneasy, and she resisted the urge to tug at the fabric draped around her again and try to cover her preske. While the inhabitants of Sheketh hadn't asked about it, it would be simple enough to pass it off as a tribal or clan tattoo. Someone from the north, though, might recognize the real significance behind it, and she didn't want her status and abilities as a Nordenfiir publicly outed.

"I'll let you handle the bargaining," Ruvsá murmured. "I don't know much about ships or sailing."

 

[Kol]

Kol walked up the gangplank, his eyes flickering towards some of the men who were busy loading barrels onto the ship.

He watched each of them carefully, noting how they stood and what they carried. Every last one of them was a warrior. Such a thing was not uncommon with Nords. Every sailor was a fighter, every fighter a sailor. It allowed for quicker raids and more versatile crew. "Ard Kaldheim!"

The Sorcerer called in their native tongue, a few of the warriors turning their heads.

One in particular seemed to stop in the middle.of what he was doing, shifting to look at Kol. A slight smile broke out on his lips, and he quickly crossed the ship to make his way to the gangplank. His boots landed on the wooden dock with a heavy thunk.

"Ard, Twice Bloodied."

The man who spoke was slight, smaller than Kol with half the muscle of any man on the ship. He carried two daggers on his hip, and the way he stood made him appear as unthreatening as a kitten. Yet there was an air about him, one that spoke of danger.

Kol recognized the man, he was Sindrics Lieutenant.

"A strange land to find a Nordwiir in. Particularly one of your...talents."

"I could say the same for you, Jakyll." Kol commented. "We were shipwrecked, taken by slavers to this place when we escaped. We need passage back to the Tundra."

The man glanced passed Kol for a moment, looking at Ruvsa and raising an eyebrow. After a moment he shook his head.

"I wish I could help, but we're not headed to The Tundra. We're going back to Asura, the towns under siege and we're only here for supplies."

 

[Ruvsá]

Ruvsá followed Kol up the gangplank, surveying the gathered crew as she stayed a pace or two behind him. She saw the same things as Kol--the way the men moved, the weapons they were armed with, and even easily picked out the weapons concealed on more than a few of them--but she also saw other things. How a barrel kicked and sent rolling would knock several of them into the water below and even the odds if there was a fight. Which men didn't have adequate armor over vital points. The ones with an uneven gait or holding their bodies tensed in neck or shoulders or back, likely compensating for an old injury or chronic pain.

She heard the greeting he called out, and its similarity to the Nordenfiir's native tongue struck her. Close enough that without context, she could figure out the meaning, but also distant enough to sound foreign.

It was easy enough to glance around and see which of the crew responded to the words, even if they didn't approach. The one who did approach with a smile on his lips, greeted Kol with friendly ease. She perused his form and stance as the two men conversed--noting his name, Jakyll--her eyes gleaming mischievously as her gaze landed on the two daggers he carried. The man moved with ease, and it was clear he was an experienced fighter.

When Jakyll looked at her with a raised brow, she just offered a friendly smile and nod.

It would be fun to spar with him, Ruvsá mused. To test her mettle against someone who might be her equal or her better with knives. Most of the Nordenfiir favored swords and bows. There had only been two instructors in Hjerim who specialized in knife work, and they'd taught her everything she knew, but that was nigh on three years ago now that since she'd had a chance to actually spar.

"Do we want to look for another ship, then?" Ruvsá asked Kol, coming up beside him again. "But we also need to make sure we're able to depart before we're re-captured and made to serve as slaves here for a year and a day."

 

[Kol]

Kol considered for a few moments.

Ruvsa was right.

They could look for another ship, but that would be risking being enslaved for a year and a day. He was sure that they could kill a few of the Ogres, but ultimately they were surrounded by an enemy that would outlast them. His lips thinned.

The Sorcerer looked at Jakyll for a moment, flashing the man a smile before he gently reached out to Ruvsa and pulled her to the side. His words dropped to near enough a whisper, the words a near sing song within her ear. "We could search more."

He told her softly.

"Or we go to Asura." Kol already knew Sindric would appreciate the help. "If we break the siege there we would be hailed as heroes."

If she asked, he could not deny the Dark Gods influence within his ears. They were whispering, telling him of glory, opportunity. "And Sindric would see us home eventually."

He was confident of that at least.

His fingers gently floated over her skin, drawing across her cheek for a moment before he added.

"But I will leave it to you." Kol would see her returned home, if that was what she wished.

 

[Ruvsá]

As Kol pulled her aside and began to whisper in her ear, she didn't need to ask if the Dark Gods were doing the same to him. It was obvious. She saw a spark in his eye, the same one that had driven them deep into that ancient prison to slaughter the elf king.

Ruvsá was surprised, though, by the touch of his hand against her face again. There was no need to pretend here, to make a show of being husband and wife. They were far enough away from the city and any of its prying eyes that he didn't have to keep up the act.

"But I will leave it to you."

She pulled back, just enough to see his face. Then she glanced at the city, a glimmer of fear visible in the depths of her gaze when she turned to face Kol again. "I would rather die than have a collar forced around my neck," she confessed quietly. "I am not tame and I was never meant to be so."

Her gaze turned scrutinizing, though, as she pondered the rest of his words. While his words of heroism sent a quiet thrill through her--she was a shield maiden, and the stories the heroic acts of her sisters-in-arms were part of what had drawn her to the career in the first place--she also owed no allegiance to these people. But if a friend asked for aid, then she would gladly give it.

When she spoke again she watched him closely.

"Do you want me to come with you?"

 

[Kol]

The question was not a difficult one to answer. Ruvsa was a capable warrior, and had they met under different circumstances he might have already tried to recruit her for one of his raids to the south.

Few Nordenfiir were as accepting of their Cousins as Ruvsa had shown to be. That alone was invaluable in a way. Besides that, he had come to enjoy her company. Their times together having quieted the Dark Gods somewhat in his head. Though whether that was an effect of her company or them simply enjoying his current path Kol could not have said.

More like it was the latter.

He smiled at her, and then let his shoulders roll for a moment as he stood up to his full height. "Of course."

The Sorcerer said in simple truth. There was no harm in that, particularly with something like this. It would be dangerous, but how could it be any more so than what they had already faced?

Both in the prison, and on that slave ship.

A siege in the blight was nothing compared to do that. For Kol it was almost...ordinary. A welcome return to things he understood, though he would be loathe to leave behind so much mystery in this great city.

 

[Ruvsá]

She watched Kol as he answered her. His body language, the way he smiled, the look in his eye. There were a few different kinds of honesty she'd observed in her, admittedly short, life so far. The honesty of those who would never dream of being dishonest, the honesty of those who were using a truth to hide another truth, and then what she saw in Kol now: the relieved honesty of someone who was used to being deceptive with almost every breath. The one who realized they could give a truthful answer to an inquiry, and mean it.

"All right," Ruvsá answered with a smile of her own. "We go to Asura."

Her gaze shifted back to the city. "If we're going into battle, though, I need more than just knives. I need armor. Asura is in the blightlands, right? I'll need another set or two of clothing besides my tundra gear and this." She gestured at her skin-baring gown.

 

[Kol]

Kol chuckled. "Good thing we have the coin then."

The Sorcerer said as he tapped one of the bags. They would have had to spend it on a journey back, but that was no longer necessary. Whatever coin would have gone to their trip could now go to outfitting Ruvsa with whatever she needed.

No problems there.

"Jakyll." Kol said as he turned on his heel and looked at the Northmen. "Do you have room for two more on your ship?"

The man didn't even blink, but a grin spread across his face as he seemed to lean back slightly and eagerly nod his head.

"Oh aye. For you? We'll make room."

He glanced back at Ruvsa. "We need a day, to gather armor and other things."

A frown touched Jakyll's face, but he nodded his head slowly.

"We can make that work, if you can do that trick of yours."

"Won't be a problem." Kol said without a second of hesitation, then turned back to Ruvsa.

 

[Ruvsá]

"Very good," Ruvsá agreed with a quiet laugh.

As Kol spoke with Jakyll again, Ruvsá nodded to the man.

"I'm Ruvsá," she said to Jakyll with a smile, then glanced back at Kol. "Trick?"

Even as they conversed for a few minutes, she was beginning to sort out the supplies she would need. The knives were already commissioned, but armor was going to be... interesting. Leather and chainmail would probably be her best bet, especially for something that would fit decently. Trousers and tunics. Pins and ties for her hair. An apothecary, to make something to settle her stomach on the ship.

There was suddenly quite a lot to do in a very short amount of time.

 

[Kol]

"Magic." Was all the detail that he gave as he and Ruvsa turned away from Jakyll and his men.

While the Nordenfiir made the list in her head Kol explained a little more.

"Magic is not common in the free cities." Those where the Nords had come from. One could find the occasional shaman, a few tribals might have a trapping of some ancient power, but it was incredibly rare to find someone like Kol. He supposed it was the same in many places, but it had been valuable on their first raid.

Valuable enough that he was remembered apparently.

"I used magic to carry our raid beneath a great wall of fog." He explained as they headed back towards the market. "It allowed us to take the island where Asura now sits."

Though that little 'trick' had required the death of one of his own men. Magic had a price after all, and he'd paid it without cutting his own flesh that time.

This time? He would have to think of something else.

 

[Ruvsá]

"Magic isn't all that common in Nordengaard either," Ruvsá said as they descended the gangplank together. "There's the whole bear thing, of course, but most don't learn much magic beyond that... especially since the late King Iordhan outlawed witchcraft."

As they returned to the market, Ruvsá looked around. It was a little after midday now, and the streets were far busier than they had been.

"Food would be good soon," she said, "but armor is going to be difficult to manage within our timeframe, so we should do that as soon as possible. Before that, though, I need clothing. Tunics and leggings. Silk tunics if possible, linen if not. Then a chainmail tunic, and a leather cuirass, vambraces, and rerebraces."

Fitting the armor properly wouldn't be possible in her current state of dress, hence the need to do the clothing first.

"There," she pointed to a stall with several pieces of clothing laid out, and stepped ahead of Kol to approach it.

 

[Kol]

Kol glanced over towards the stall that Ruvsa pointed out and nodded his head.

Coin never meant much to him, and what they'd earned here mattered even less. The pursuit of wealth wasn't something he was interested in, and if spending every bit they had earned saw another Orc dead then it would be money well spent as far as he was concerned.

Their shopping trip last for most of the rest of the day, Kol and Ruvsa ending up at the armorer late in the day. The poor man practically balked at their request, but with a bag of coin bigger than his palm it was hard to argue. Eventually he promised the armor would be done by morning, adding that it would be his finest work.

Kol didn't know if that was true, but a part of him was eager to see.

By the time dawn came the two foreigners were not well rested, but they were well prepared. Clothes and weapons were gathered, armor was picked up, and as the sun rose over the odd slaver city the two found themselves wandering towards the docks. "Jakyll!"

Kol called out as they neared.

 

[Ruvsá]

It was a flurry of preparations, of the likes that Ruvsá hadn't experienced since her final days in training at Hjerim. An apothecary had been able to mix up a simple, though bitter smelling, tonic to keep her stomach calm on the ship. Ruvsa had also insisted on the time to take a final bath, knowing that bathing wouldn't happen again for several days, if not weeks.

The knives had been more than satisfactory when they picked them up from the blacksmith, and if she was honest, they'd probably been some of the best knives she'd ever handled. The smith had included a pair of leather sheaths for them as well. The chainmail tunic and boiled leather armor were such a perfect fit that Ruvsá was almost in awe.

There was a lightness to her step as they left the inn and headed toward the docks, several bags of supplies and clothing between the two of them. Far, far more than they'd arrived with.

She wouldn't fully relax, though, until they'd set sail and left the island behind them. They still had a full day before their passport expired, she thought. If she recalled the captain's words correctly.

As Kol called out a greeting to his... friend--she wasn't really sure if he had friends but that was how it had seemed the day before--she kept an eye on the docks, especially for the ogre-guards. The passport still crinkled in her pocket, but part of her wondered if they still might try to stop them. Most of what they'd acquired, they'd paid for in actual gold, but that didn't mean that everyone was happy with their business.

Ruvsá's hand tightened around the bags she carried as they neared the ship once more, waiting for Jakyll to welcome them on board.

 

[Kol]

Jakyll motioned to the two.

"Come come! Quickly. We're headed out of here as fast as we can."​

Kol nodded his head, throwing what he was carrying into the ship. One of the men inside the strange longboat quickly caught it, stashing it beneath one of the rafters in an expert and practiced motioned. He then motioned for Ruvsa to do the same.

"How long to Asura?" The Sorcerer asked as he hopped onto the ship, the boat not even rocking as he landed on the wooden planks.

As he waited for Jakyll to give his answer Kol turned and offered a hand to Ruvsa.

There was no need for their act of marriage anymore, those tender touches, but he knew that she was not comfortable on ships. This journey in it of itself would be different for her, more exposed and open. The least he could do was offer some small measure of kindness.

"Five days, three with your trick."​

Kol nodded.

That had been a part of the preparations, something he'd done when Ruvsa had been busying herself with gathering supplies. It had only taken him a few seconds, a knife slipped across the throat, a body left in the street, a soul taken. "Then lets go."

The Sorcerer said as he waited for Ruvsa to take his hand.

 

[Ruvsá]

Ruvsá gave a smile colored heavily with relief as Jakyll said they were leaving as soon as they were aboard. She tossed her supplies up at Kol's cue, then took his hand when offered it, let him help her over the railing and onto the deck. She squeeze his hand gently for a moment, conveying her gratitude, then let it go.

Three days, she thought. Less time than in that filthy hold, and at least I'll have access to fresh air. Maybe my stomach won't rebel as badly this time.

She hadn't been shocked when Kol slipped away while she was speaking with the apothecary the day before. Nor had she been shocked when he returned smelling faintly of blood, a gleam in his eye reminiscent of the moment when he'd stolen the elf king's soul.

"Thank you for taking us aboard," she said to Jakyll with a smile, then glanced at the daggers on his hip again. "I hope you'll be up to sparring with me some. I need to break in this gear."

 

[Kol]

"When we arrive, Lass. There won't be much room for that on this ship."

The Longboat was larger than most, but there wasn't quite enough space for a proper fight, that was to be sure. Kol smiled though, mostly because he enjoyed the thought of Ruvsa beating Jayll to an inch of his life.

He didn't have anything against the man, in fact he was a proper sort of Nord. Yet the idea was funny enough that it made him smirk from ear to ear. Perhaps it was because of the confidence the man carried himself with, that air of smugness.

It wasn't too dissimilar from Kol's own.

He said nothing as the others finished loading, throwing a few more bags onto the ship before a whistle echoed from Jakyll's lips. Ropes were quickly pulled back, a push of an oar sent them back into the waters, and the sail was lowered just enough to catch the wind.

Kol threw himself down against the aft of the ship, his shoulders relaxing against the wooden stern. A smile touched his lips, a sense of familiarity drawing over him. He motioned for Ruvsa to join him.

His 'trick' wouldn't come into play for a little while yet.

 

[Ruvsá]

"Ah, perhaps so," Ruvsá laughed at herself quietly as she glanced around the longboat then back at Jakyll. "Probably for the best, anyway. I don't really have... what do you sailors call them? Sea legs?"

She left the man to his work then, because all she would do was get in the way, narrowed her eyes as she caught sight of Kol's smirk. Following him to the ship's aft, though, she paused for a moment as she watched him relax, an almost wistful smile crossing his lips before he gestured for her to join him.

Ruvsá smiled and settled her hands against the railing, watching the waves lap at the side of the boat before turning and seating herself next to him. Her arm brushed against his, but she didn't lean into his side. His presence was now a familiar comfort, but after the last few days she wasn't sure if they were... friends who had happened to sleep together, friends who would definitely sleep together again, or... friends with maybe the potential for something more. She tried not to think too hard about the way her stomach had fluttered outside the card dealer's stall.

"You're a sailor through and through, aren't you?" she asked, glancing at him. "Regardless of being Nordwiir, or serving the Dark Gods. No matter where you might have been born, you would have found your home on the seas."

She gave an amused glanced toward Jakyll, nodding her head toward the man. "What was that smirk for a few minutes ago?"

 

[Kol]

It was funny, how she read him.

Every word was true in a way. Had he not served the Dark Gods he would have joined the raids. Had he not been a Nordwiir his wanderlust would have lead him to worlds beyond anyway. It was a fact that Kol was sure of, though he'd never much dewelled upon it.

"Freedom." The Sorcerer admitted quietly.

"The smile of a man who chose his own path." Did he really? Or had the Dark Gods simply strung him along until he'd found the road that they'd wanted him to walk? It was impossible to tell, but Kol believed that he had a choice. At least this time. "This is where I am meant to be."

The Twice Bloodied explained. "On a ship, heading towards battle."

His head slowly turned towards her.

"It is what I was meant for." Not peace. Not cons. Battle. He was a warrior at the end of the day. One who used magic, but still a warrior. ”It is rare that I feel at home.”

Kol told her with a smile. ”I cherish it when I can.”