Private Tales Upriver

[Eislyn Gray]

She would draw toward warmth of another. It was a natural tendency but one she hadn't been exposed to in awhile. Only, there was no extra warmth left on the hay-filled mattress. Shifting beneath the blanket, she roused fully and sat up.

Silent gaze took in the scene.

He almost looked like a statue or some sort of ethereal being, his form backlit by the dawn. Her heart warmed away the rest of the morning chill in the air. Eyes finally looked away as she slid off the bed. She wanted to walk over there and loop her arms around his middle. Press his lips lightly on his shoulder.

She settled for packing the blanket away and asking, "Any movement out there?" Instead.

 

[Rayth Keirn]

His shoulders bunched up suddenly at her voice. Rayth turned slowly and brought a finger to his lips. With a slow motion he waved her over.

There was a family of speckled deer walking just a stone throw away from the door. There were two young ones moving along with the group, grazing contently. They kept vanishing in and out of the undergrowth.

The cottage must have been downwind of the group because they hadn't noticed his presence at all yet.

It had been a clear night and no mist had settled. The spiderwebs remained invisible traps for the unwary insects that took to flight on the dawn rays. Rayth thought that this would have made a fine summer retreat.

 

[Eislyn Gray]

Feet were still clad in her socks. She tiptoed across the creaky boards of the cabin floor until she stopped at Rayth’s elbow. Verdant gaze followed his out to the field.

Breath held as she quietly watched the family of deer.

Such a peaceful moment to contrast with their journey. Hand absently looped behind the small of his back as she would lean into him. The princess allowed herself to enjoy this moment. A little respite. The deer were already nearing the far tree line and they would soon be gone in the shadow of the woods.

A blue jay called a morning song from the trees. The sun felt warm on her face and hair. Soon enough they’d have to hit the road. But for now? A few more minutes? It could wait.

 

[Rayth Keirn]

Rayth breathed slowly through his nose and soaked in the view. It was what he had been doing for the last few minutes, but it was different to be sharing it with another. To have Eislyn's weight against his shoulder. Often he had taken his watch and just stood at the prow of the ship and observed the ocean. Let himself bask in its vast power.

He would not admit as much to Eislyn, but suddenly he was taken by the notion that this was their country home. That this was their break from life to spend time with each other. For the first time in a long while he imagined living a life not unlike the one his parents had wanted for him and it looked good.

That wasn't him, he told himself firmly. He was a man of adventure. There was too much of it to be found in the world. A few minutes. He could indulge in this without changing everything.

"I guess its biscuits for breakfast then?" he mused. Somewhere in the undergrowth a family of deer scattered.

 

[Eislyn Gray]

"Biscuits and water," spoken with a slight twitch of her lips. She would be thankful not to eat biscuits for a long time after this. Eislyn let her head rest against his shoulder for a moment. Fingers gave his side a gentle squeeze before she began pulling away.

It was hard to remember the urgency of getting into town.

Without saying another word, she'd pad back into the cabin and perch on the edge of the bed, slipping her socked-feet into her boots and tying them up. "Biscuits this morning and feast tonight," she called to Rayth as she finished up and stood.

"Ready?"

 

[Rayth Keirn]

Hunger carried him quickly along the dirt road once they found it once more. They had taken a different route out of the woods to rejoin it. Neither had an inclination to go anywhere near the assassin's body.

The road followed a slope down towards the small port town. It didn't even warrant a wall. The bay wouldn't even have been deep enough to bring the Paragon right up to the harbour.

"Well, it has to have at least one inn. And a cook."

---

Orcs were hardy creatures. Geelyn had stayed hidden a short walk from the secret entrance for nearly a day until the bleeding stopped. She had stayed still and silent as the robed assassin limped out of the cave and set off north.

Perhaps the assassin had found Rayth. Perhaps she had found a large enough group of bandits on the road to meet her end. Regardless, Geelyn had offered her no more than a muttered curse and a kick.

By chance she had come across the same cabin as darkness encroached. Only when she found biscuit crumbs did she realise that the assassin was indeed a skilled tracker. Perhaps it had been Rayth and Eislyn who had left her dead on the roadside.

 

[Eislyn Gray]

Eislyn nodded, verdant gaze flickering around the cobble-stone streets and stacked up apartments along the waterfront. Smoke from several fires curled upwards into the crisp, afternoon air. The smell of pork and turkey lingered on the air. After several blocks and inquiries later, they found themselves in front of a pair of wooden doors. It was a building right on the waterfront, not too far from the docks.

A painted sign hung with a slightly crooked angle above the doors and read Rosalie's Inn and Tavern. It took her eyes a moment to adjust to the dark as they entered. The place was mostly empty. There was an old-timer sitting at the bar, nursing a mug of ale. Still a bit early in the day to pull in the crowds, Eislyn mused. There was a woman with a mop of dark curly hair and tanned skin behind the bar with a rag slung over one shoulder. She looked up at the newcomers.

"Can I help yah?"

 

[Rayth Keirn]

"Indeed," Rayth said, stepping into the warmth. The woman cast a disparaging glance at his sword. Perhaps she had seen too many young men fighting at her bar. "I need rooms and would very much like some some food."

"Foods not on yet. You married?"

"I don't see that being worth asking," Rayth replied quickly. Hopefully it wouldn't be. She probably assumed he had eloped with Eislyn. If this had been a more reputable town then the community would have taken great umbridge at that, but not here on the docks.

 

[Eislyn Gray]

Eislyn couldn’t help the slight warming of her cheeks at the inn keeper’s very forward question. The woman eyed Rayth curiously at his response. Eislyn delicately cleared her throat.

“Two rooms if you have them. And warm water for a bath.”

It would be strange not sleeping close to Rayth after all this. It reminded her more of being on the Paragon. She’d miss waking up next to him. That thought alone made her avert her eyes from Rayth’s face.

The dark-haired woman spoke again.

“Yer in luck. Two rooms upstairs. One has a tub. Payment up front.” The woman looked expectantly at Rayth.

 

[Rayth Keirn]

Even if they had been married they might have been offered two seperate rooms. He cast a brief sideways glance at Eislyn before returning his gaze to the innkeeper.

He was going to miss waking up to her warmth too. Going to miss carrying just a little of the scent of her hair through the day.

He marched to the bar and laid out enough coin on the table.

"Marly!" she shouted out. A young girl with a dirty apron emerged from the kitchen. "Show these up to rooms elm and oak. And fetch up some hot water for the lady's bath."

Elm and oak rooms? He thought to himself. The girl showed them up to the rooms and unlocked them both before walking off without another word.

"Someone had delusions of grandeur," Rayth reflected, nodding to the door. "Shall we get a change of clothes before a bath? And I'll let you have the tub first."

 

[Eislyn Gray]

“Are you volunteering to go shopping Rayth?” A bemused expression crossed her face as she eyed him up and down. It looked like their rooms were adjoining. Separate entrances to the hall but a door that connected between. They were almost identical too. Beds stuffed in the corner. Fireplace. Small windows with a view to the docks and waterfront. Except her room had a tub in the corner.

“Why don’t I change and take a bath and trust you to pick up an appropriate set of clothes for me?” If he agreed, she’d shoo him from the room, slip off her skirt and blouse and hand him the garments for sizing through a crack in a door. A white towel wrapped around her body as Marly barged in with the first bucket of warm water.

 

[Rayth Keirn]

"Or we could just give up on clothes and spend a few days creating scandal..." he mused after Marly had gone to fetch another bucket. He tried to stop imagining sharing a bath. It wasn't easy after their time in the secluded pools together.

Such a shame that in many places women were taught such decency whilst men were encouraged to have all the fun they wanted. It wasn't universally the case. In some parts of the world young noble women enjoyed causing more scandals than the men.

An attitude that probably ruled out casual sex was likely the least of the issues of her upbringing. Rayth doubted he had even scratched the surface of her father's treatment.

"I will return shortly. I think a pale blue would suit you."

 

[Eislyn Gray]

"Rayth Keirn," Eislyn chided from the half-closed door, staying well out-of-view. "Something tells me you create enough scandals on your own." He'd miss her twitching lips. By the time he left, Marly had her tub filled and steaming with fresh, warm water. Eislyn thanked the girl and firmly closed the door after her.

There was a small screen by the tub for clothes and half-privacy. Eislyn dipped her underthings in the water and gave them a quick scrubbing before throwing them over the screen to dry. Then the princess stepped into the tub, unable to suppress the soft, happy sigh as the warm water went up to her neck. Back of her head rested on the rim of the tub. There was a bar of rosemary scented soap.

She got to work with the scrubbing, wondering how long it would take that man to go shopping.

 

[Rayth Keirn]

On a good day, in a city or serious trading port then Rayth could have whiled away an entire day shopping. As it was there was little choice around the docks as the town started to close down for the evening.

He hoped the door to his own room and tossed a few small packages onto his own bed. True to his word he had found a dress of pale blue, with underskirt and blouse. It might not have been as fancy as she was used to but that was likely a good think. For himself he had found a simple tunic and trousers to change into. For them both he had found fresh socks.

Rayth knocked quietly on the adjoining door. If Eislyn had truly indulged she might still be in the tub, but by now she was probably drying.

"Got a change of clothes," he called softly. "Can probably get the others washed whilst we eat. Can I have the tub yet?"

 

[Eislyn Gray]

She was out of the tub, behind the screen and drying off.

"I'm out," she called back. "That was fast." White towel was wrapped around her torso as she peaked from the other side of the screen. "You can come in." One hand held her towel closely against her form. Wet, blonde hair clung around her shoulders and the back of her neck.

"There's plenty of soap, too. Find anything interesting?"

 

[Rayth Keirn]

"Excellent," he called, hoping that there was still a little warmth in the water. He could be grateful for even tepid at this point.

Rayth threw the new clothes over the screen so she could reach them.

"I'm not sure you would say interesting," he called over the sound of buckles being undone. "But I think they'll suit you."

There was a splosh as he put one foot into the tub, then another. He let out a soft, content moan as he slipped into the water. Then came a hiss as his left forearm sunk beneath the surfave and stung fiercely.

 

[Eislyn Gray]

"Thank you," she replied. She'd lost two dresses since her time with the Paragon. At least she had more than one set of clothes now. Towel dropped and was slung over the screen to dry. She began tugging on the under garments first.

A frown tugged on her lips and eyes narrowed a hint at his hiss.

"Your arm?"

Next, the powder-blue dress disappeared from Rayth's view as she tugged it to her side. The fabric soon enveloped her figure. "I can always ask Marly to bring up more hot water if you need it."

 

[Rayth Keirn]

The pain did at least manage to tame his wandering imagination. He submerged the arm. A thin trail of pink followed it. Some part of those wounds was still healing. Just the krakarl cuts or just the knife might have healed well. Even with her magic there was going to be scaring with the cross-cross of wounds.

"It's warm enough," he said. "Do the clothes fit?"

He settled back into the bath and pulled his hair free of its braid. He leaned his neck against the rim of the bath and let his hair fall back. The sting was slowly ebbing into a dull throb.

 

[Eislyn Gray]

"Yes," voice called. "I can see you have a way with guessing a woman's size fairly accurately." He'd miss the fleeting grin across the princess' mouth. Stepping from the other side of the screen with damp hair hanging long down one shoulder, she purposefully kept her back to Rayth and went to her bed, slinging her pack on top.

From inside, she pulled out a brush and began running it through her long hair, moving to stand at the window. Sailors were moving about, carrying barrels of supplies to and from their moored ships.

"Is the Paragon still in port?" Voice was quiet, gaze caught between her own reflection in the glass and the bustling activity outside.

 

[Rayth Keirn]

"It did help that you undressed for me first," he replied. His lips twitched just briefly at the very carefully worded reply. He rolled his head back over the rim of the bath, letting his hair dangle free as he watched Eislyn. If she turned to chide him then she would end up turning away again just as quickly and the notion amused him greatly.

"No sign of them. I'll have to ask very carefully about when they may have left. I suppose at this point we have to work out how we're going to get close enough to this Duke to find out what is behind all this without getting captured and killed."

His coin wasn't going to last forever either, he thought to himself.

 

[Eislyn Gray]

"Rayth," she hissed, falling easily for the chide and turning around. For the most part, the copper tub hid the part of Rayth that she'd been rather well acquainted with at the pools and had seen already very plainly. Pools of green narrowed in his direction, traveling up and down his face, shoulders, arms, and hair.

She did finally relent and turn away.

"Perhaps my men have stopped in this port. I could ask around for them too. They might be able to help."

Hands lifted as she continued to brush the tangles free from her hair.

"But all this can wait until after we've eaten." Anything beyond those dried biscuits sounded like heaven.

 

[Rayth Keirn]

He let out a hearty laugh, making a point of meeting her gaze. He enjoyed this game but there would be a limit to how crude he could be before she just refused to speak to him. At the very least he was hoping that they could spend some more time with her in his arms after a hearty meal. Better to not push it too far and dash his chances.

"They've started cooking," he observed. The sme had wafted up to their room from the kitchens below. He was positively starving. He had washed his hair just a few days ago so focused on scrubbing the grime from his skin.

"Are your men going to be...pleased to see me?" he asked. His concern was that they going to to skin him alive.

 

[Eislyn Gray]

It was her turn to laugh, the smallest hint of nerves leaking into her tone.

"They will most likely want to run you through. Slap you in irons." She turned again, sitting on the edge of the bed. Head glanced in his direction. "I doubt they'd be as....generous as you and your captain and offer you your own room and such."

She set the brush down on the small, chipped wooden table by the bedside.

"However. They will listen to me and follow my orders. Let's hope I'm in a benevolent mood if we meet up with them." There was a glint of teasing mischievousness in her eyes as she held Rayth's gaze. Eyes flickered back to the window.

"Mmm. Smells like a beef stew. Are you nearly done?"

 

[Rayth Keirn]

"I hope they have some dessert too," Rayth mused out loud. Whilst the crew of the Paragon enjoyed their shore leave for a multitude of reasons - mostly bawdy - Rayth always savoured his first decent hot meal when they made land.

"Yes, can you just pass me a towel please?" Rayth asked. There was a splosh as he stood up, turned to face her and held out his hand. His face was fixed in the most innocent expression his features could manage.

Given the threats that Eislyn had just made he was definitely pushing his luck again.

 

[Eislyn Gray]

Eislyn gawked a moment too long as the streams of water carved their way down Rayth’s skin and lean muscles. She found herself again, wondering where each of his scars came from. Eyes narrowed, snapping back up to his face.

She stood and tugged a towel that was most likely within his arm’s reach. Arm shoved it in his direction, her eyes steady to remain on those twitching lips of his.

“You enjoy this, don’t you? Perhaps one day we’ll be wed and then you’ll be able to enjoy some longer lasting looks.”