Private Tales Upriver

[Rayth Keirn]

"Sorry," he apologised in earnest. "That was cruel and entirely for my on amusement."

He wrapped himself in the towel and stepped out of the tub. He stayed in place rather than spreading water around the floor.

"For royalty marriage is little more than a method of control and diplomacy that gets wielded by men. I do not know why you hold it in such esteem."

 

[Eislyn Gray]

“It’s okay,” she finally admitted and turned away, facing the window again. Arms crossing beneath her chest, hugging against that light blue fabric. “I think I’ve always liked how comfortable you feel around me and can tease me. Even with your crude humor. It’s rare to find people like that, as you can imagine for someone in my position.”

She took in a breath and held it, releasing it after a moment, her shoulders falling.

“Marriage means more than that to me. It’s a commitment. Something that binds two people far longer than the pleasure of sharing a bed. Longer than emotions that can ebb and sway. Something that could actually deepen the experience of sharing a bed. I realize it may sound like an antiquated view. And that men are far more encouraged to explore beyond the bounds of marriage. And yes, even acceptable for some women. Perhaps that is where the unfairness is. The double standard. Different expectations.”

She turned slowly. Finally.

“Perhaps you think me naive?”

 

[Rayth Keirn]

"And I have liked the way you look at me when I am...Comfortable before you remember yourself and hide your expression," Rayth replied. He had to at least get in one quip before entering into serious territory.

"Sometimes I think you naive, yes. I think you know more of the world than you let on and even managed to fool me on that account. Yet I still think in some ways you must have been sheltered.

"Sharing a bed is not always an empty experience just because you have announced yourselves before some kind of ceremony. I think that if two people are going to commit to each other then the promises should be to one another. Waking up to your warmth beside me meant more to me than the last time I shared a bed with another.

"When was the last time you remember royalty marrying for love without any interference from their family? I can't remember it with mine. Third and fourth sons get told to keep women around the town for their enjoyment whilst their wives are picked. Women are expected to be silent until someone is chosen for them."

Rayth fell silent, realising he had become quite passionate and animated in his rant. The line of white linen had fallen dangerously low and was in peril of falling completely. It wasn't just marriage, Eislyn had touched a nerve about expectations and another door into his rebellion had been opened.

 

[Eislyn Gray]

"Well I am a diplomat. Hiding my expression is part of my job description. Though, I find it impossibly hard around you most times." It was hard to tell whether she was exasperated or amused. Perhaps a little of both.

"I agree with you," she finally said and took a step closer to him. "About that the commitment should be between the two people. And yes. Marriage for love in the noble world is rare. I think my parents were lucky. I think they grew to love one another. And no, that does not often happen - if ever."

Another step toward him, not noticing the slipping towel.

"Do you know how many friends I had who fell for a young commander or third or second son only to wake in the morning to them being gone? Or perhaps they'd stick around for a week. Or two. Maybe come calling once a month. Friends who became emotionally attached and in love only to get a letter in the post about an engagement to another. One even left with child."

A half-step forward.

"I'm not saying that's you," she explained quickly. She was not accusing Rayth of anything. She imagined he'd be far from that. The men who only wanted to bed a woman for instant satisfaction and pleasure only to leave when they had their fill.

"I just...want more. If my father were to arrange a marriage for me...after meeting you...I don't think I could be tied to the fortress anymore. Rayth, I," she paused, too scared to say it.

She loved him.

As crazy as it was.

She did.

She blinked.

"Wait. You were royalty?"

 

[Rayth Keirn]

The military was often used as a place to send young men to cause trouble for a few years. His older brother had never really seen battle. His cavalry regiment stayed in the reserves until the day was won and then found 'glory' in running down tired and broken men.

From what Rayth had gathered he found more time putting on his firsts and attending balls with the officers of the regiment. He had no doubt that wherever the regiment went stories like those Eislyn had seen first hand followed.

It took the space of a heartbeat for him to catch up.

"Wait. Meet your father?"

The two questions hanging in the air between them was the perfect moment for the towel to come undone. In a fluster he regathered it from the floor and hurriedly put it back into place.

"Well its not like my father was The King of Erreze," Rayth protested. "That was my uncle. And anyway meet your father? He doesn't sound like the kind of person to have his opinions swayed. Not be the likes of me."

 

[Eislyn Gray]

Mouth went dry. Eyes widened. Hard to say if it was because of the towel or Rayth's question. Unknown to Rayth, it was the latter. Her father?

How had he come to that conclusion?

Oh, her statement hadn't been worded very well.

She gulped.

And King of Erreze?

Blonde brows knitted together on her fair skin. She couldn't take another step closer. Her feet were rooted in place. She didn't turn away from Rayth but her eyes flickered to the corner of the room.

"No, I meant. I don't think I could fulfill my duty to follow blindly into an arranged marriage anymore." Greens panned back to his briny gaze. "After meeting you."

If she'd wanted Rayth to meet her father, would he have done that for her?

"A large part of me doesn't want us to resolve this business with the duke because that would mean not waking up to your warmth. Not having you ask permission to kiss me. Not...,"

There was a loud banging on the door.

"FOOD IS UP!"

Marly was a loud girl for one so petite.

 

[Rayth Keirn]

"Oh," went Rayth. He looked slightly sheepish, but the panic had left his eyes. He turned towards the door, waiting to hear Marly's footsteps to make sure she wasn't eavesdropping at the door.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to jump out of my skin and, er, towel, at the idea of meeting your father. Obviously I misunderstood."

It was dreadfully obvious at this point. So much that it took a few seconds for the rest of what she had said to sink in. Eislyn had been saying that because of him she didn't want to be married off to another. The weight of that slowly settled. In the same time his expression shifted from one of unbidden joy.

Where misunderstanding had been, he reached across the space between them and offered a hand.

"You know, to run away together with be an awfully big adventure?"

 

[Eislyn Gray]

The knot of anxiousness began to unravel as he reached across the space. And as she saw that expression bloom across his face. Still. He was suggesting no small thing.

Her own hand finally reached across the space, fingers clasping within his weather-worn calloused ones.

There were a thousand questions in her mind. Of logistics, like where and how? What would they do? Could she actually do it? Could she actually leave her duty and to the people of the iron fortress? To her father?

But a lighter question left her lips, a sparkle of mild mirth catching in her gaze.

"Do you think you'd be sick of me eventually? We've had some rather good verbal spars."

 

[Rayth Keirn]

Rayth never asked enough questions when he took action. He relied on his wits and his sword and against the odds that had served his so far.

"I think I'll infuriate you long before that," he chuckled. In this case there really were many questions to be asked. Her father was a man of resources who would not tolerate this. These questions just did not need to be asked right now. Not until after dinner. Not when that smile on her lips was far too enticing.

He softly padded a single step to close the space between them. He was still damp when he pressed himself to her. Loose strands of his hair would be cold against her cheek, but the warmth of his lips would make it up to her.

 

[Eislyn Gray]

The smile on her lips only widened at his retort, her own quip never quite making it up and past her throat. This kiss was different than the others that had come before. It wasn't one from desperation or fleeing certain death.

It wasn't born out of pure excitement.

It smoldered in a different way.

Lips parted as she felt them swell beneath his touch. Warmth radiated from her body for the both of them. She felt as though she'd just stepped free from that steamy water herself. Her lungs burned until she felt like she'd burst.

Eislyn parted, taking in a shuddering breath.

Forehead pressed against his for a moment. "Come on, we need to eat." With a squeeze of his hand, she released her fingers and stepped free. She crossed around him and opened the door that lead to the hall. "I'll wait out here." Her look on him lingered until she closed the door and disappeared from view.

 

[Rayth Keirn]

His eyes stayed on the door. It felt as if her kiss lingered on bruised lips. Rayth sighed and realised that he had to finish drying and dressing to appease his hunger.

Naivety was a remark he had thrown at Eislyn, but suddenly it felt as if he was the only acting rashly. At least, more rash than usual for him.

He busied himself about get dressed. He wasn't the one supposed to be swept off his feet. He was supposed to do the sweeping. But if he asked himself if he would truly go if she agreed to it, he knew that he would leave everything behind.

Rayth tied his still wet hair into a braid and left it over his shoulder. There was no point putting on his over coat or taking his sword, but he kept one knife on his belt and another in his boot. It felt good to pull on fresh clothes.

"I wonder if they get any decent wine through here," he mused as he stepped out of the room.

 

[Eislyn Gray]

"Our wine be well fermented," Marly grinned up at Rayth as he stepped from the room. She had Eislyn in a solid grip, the young girl's fingers wrapped around the wrist of the princess as she dragged her down the steps. Eislyn cast a silent plea for help up at Rayth.

The princess was not used to others just grabbing her.

"Come along. Got ye a good table before all the dock workers get in. By the window."

"Oh, sounds lovely." Eislyn followed along, ever the diplomat. She wondered if Marly saw many women come through or if she just dealt with mostly the hardy sailors - like Rayth. Well, probably more like Geelyn and Brin. Then again, maybe Marly was just trying to get a good tip.

She couldn't help the small frown as Marly released her hold once they were back in the tavern and pointed out the table by the window with the two chairs. There were already one or two dock workers with elbows at the bar. One man with a flame of orange hair and one large orc that reminded Eislyn a bit of Geelyn.

Verdants traveled to Rayth as Marly pulled the princess' chair out for her, scurrying around to get Rayth's as well. Was he thinking what she was? Was he wondering if Geelyn made it?

 

[Rayth Keirn]

Geelyn held the gossamer strand up to the evening light that filtered in the door. She made a small grunt in the back of her throat. She did not need to be an expert tracker. When the light returned she would head for the town.

The Paragon would be gone but it was a small enough place that someone would have seen Eislyn dressed in her finery. The assassin had made herself useful before the end. The question at the back of Geelyn's mind was the location of the ship that had sailed into the hidden city. The last she had seen of them had been when they had been desperately fighting off the krakarl.

---

Rayth took the offered seat. Marly pushed it into the back of his knees before he could quite sit down. He grimaced towards Eislyn.

"Red or white wine was it?" She asked.

"Red for me," Rayth replied with a forced smile, leaving a gap for Eislyn to choose something else.

When Marly was gone behind the bar he grinned and shook his head.

"I'm guessing she saw the dress you arrived in and wants to put on her best service," Rayth chuckled. "I suppose I have enough coin for a tip. She is...trying?"

 

[Eislyn Gray]

She ordered red as well. She always thought red had more of a taste than white.

Eislyn leaned forward slightly so she could lower her voice, forearms resting on the well-used wooden table. "I suppose so. And that was my least fancy outfit." A half-moon smile curled on her lips. She'd come in with that skirt and blouse. Still, even an outfit more casual was still made of finer fabrics and material than what commoners used or had access to.

"Thank you for the dress," eyes traveled down to what she was wearing. "It feels good not to be stared at for a change. And speaking of coin. I think I should walk the town tomorrow and look around for my men. Maybe some of the dock workers know something."

It would be risky because they still didn't know how many men the Duke had in his pocket. Were there others that worked for the ship that had come to the caves? What if the ship from the caves made it back to this town?

"What do you think?"

 

[Rayth Keirn]

Rayth took a few seconds to consider this, tilting his head from side to side. Marly brought out a carafe of wine and set it down on the table. She was about to start pouring it but Rayth politely shooed her away.

"Only if you're sure they're not going to drown me," he replied. He poured them both a small glass. As wine went it was acceptable, if a little acidic.

"But what I want to know is what is your most formal outfit and when you last had to wear it?"

 

[Eislyn Gray]

Golden brows lofted at his question. Lips with the slightest stain of red wine quivered in amusement. "Would tossing you off the docks count as drowning?"

Her amusement only grew at his next question.

"Every year the castle hosts a winter formal to bring in the new year. That's when we would wear our finest. A garnet dress with ivory gloves up past the elbows. Jewelry on a low neck line. Hair piled atop my head with goddess knows how many pins. Hannah and I would fall asleep half the time as the servants primped us up like little packages on display. It was horrid."

Corners of her eyes crinkled.

"Wearing all that with a corset tied so tightly I couldn't enjoy more than a nibble of the food and wine that went around. Maybe you should wear a corset for a day as general punishment?"

She took another sip of her wine to hide her expression.

 

[Rayth Keirn]

"Whilst I never enjoyed that brief trend for puffed out sleeves and pantaloons I suppose it was not so bad as the obsession with corsets.

"I don't really see what I might need punishment for. Is this search for your men just to shift the balance of power? So you can find out how badly I deal with being bossed around?"

Rayth grinned and took a sip of his own wine. Out in the kitchen someone was already serving them up some little fish pastries as a starter. There wasn't choice here. You got what there was. Being on the coast at least one dish was going to include fish.

"Seem to remember you saving me each time we found trouble though..."

 

[Eislyn Gray]

She took a bite of pastry.

“I already know how difficult it is for you to be bossed around.” A quick raise of her napkin to demurely pat at her lips. Verdant gaze sparkled and narrowed briefly in his direction. The fish and buttery pastry surrounding it tasted like the best thing she’d eaten after days on that hard tack.

“Did I?” The princess shifted in her seat. For one who often got attention, she didn’t seem to like the kind he was referring to that much. It also reminded her of what she was. The thing he father had taught them to hate or at least look at with suspicion. Even if she and Hannah had read fantastical tales that pointed in the other direction.

She could use magic.

Her father would say she was an abomination.

Perhaps she was.

“There was that first time on the Paragon, when I was almost pulled into the sea by those monsters. Though I suppose you could call us even with my expert slipper throwing skills. Perhaps the slipper is the true hero of this story?” He’d get a glimpse of a true smile before she took another sip of wine. And another bite of that pastry, finishing it off.

 

[Rayth Keirn]

Rayth laughed out loud. It was a warm, natural sound. Nothing like the smirks that had been at her expense.

"We should get you some more heels then," he said before popping an entire little pastry into his mouth. It was a much longer time since he had been pulled up on his manners. A very long time indeed since his last dinner party.

Some of that humour faded when he remembered that the assassins hidden shoe blades had been the demise of Brin. The dwarf had known the moment the poison had started to drain his strength. If he hadn't carried the assassin over the cliff in his dying moments then they would have all been dead.

"Krakarl would have eaten me and wouldn't have made it here without the other skills," he chuckled, pushing himself up out of that dark ditch in his mind.

 

[Eislyn Gray]

Fingers tucked golden strands of hair behind one ear and she looked away from the swashbuckler, gaze moving to the window. Focus shifted between her own reflection and those dock workers coming toward the tavern for a hot meal and cold drink.

"I'm not sure if it's a skill," she said quietly. "Sometimes. I'm not sure I can control it." Eyes remained firmly planted outside. "I was raised to fear magic. To look at anything other than human as a myth or legend." Fingers clasped above the table, fingers fiddling together, around that stem of wine.

"Do you not think something like this as a curse?" Gaze finally flickered back to Rayth as Marly brought over two steaming bowls of beef stew. The young girl scurried away as quickly as she came. Other patrons were quickly filling up the small establishment. She had other tips to earn!

Fingers plucked up the spoon and her attention turned to the piping stew. "I saw how you looked at me when I woke up after the krakarl. You were scared."

 

[Rayth Keirn]

"Yup," he replied, with a slight shrug. "That caught my by surprise. Maybe skill is the wrong word. It's a power. A power you should have been trained to use properly.

"Humans try and control this world with steel and stone, but it's a wild place full of monster and magic. You can't pretend it isn't. Elbion isn't the only college. There are plenty of others you could have been sent to. For a princess I imagine plenty of mages would have given you personal tuition."

Rayth reached for the bottle to refill his own wine. He tilted it towards Eislyn in question. He didn't have any friends who could wield magic. He definitely didn't have enough coin to pay a magician to teach Eislyn.

"Surely all this to keep it bottled up...has that always worked?"

 

[Eislyn Gray]

Eislyn swirled the new wine in the glass thoughtfully. She took a sip, eyes finally lifting.

“It’s strange. The iron of the castle. Of the fortress does something to magic. Muted it. Seems to erase it. It’s why I only found out recently I could do it at all.”

Shoulders in that light blue dress shrugged.

“Perhaps that’s why elves and other magical beings give the fortress such a wide berth. And why my father has stayed in power for so long.” The princess cast a worried look over her shoulder as if spies might be listening in.

“I’m not sure what should come first. Fleeing far away from here for good? Finding a trusted teacher for my magic? Or facing down the duke sooner than later?”

 

[Rayth Keirn]

"That is a growing list of choices," Rayth murmured. "I fear we won't solve it here."

He tore off a chunk of bread and dipped it into the herby broth. Good hearty food to shield one from the cold, coastal winds.

At her worried glance around the room he feared that it wasn't a conversation that they should have here.

"Let's talk a little more of that in the morning," he replied. "Finding someone who could help you learn to control everything without a band of iron won't be that easy.

"Stew is good!" he said with a grin. The wine was drinkable at least.

 

[Eislyn Gray]

“Nothing is easy, is it?” There was a sad smile that lingered on her lips as she dipped bread in the stew, then savored the warm, salty taste. At least the meal helped to keep the growing chill in her bones at bay.

They finished up without another incidence. There was some playful banter but after the last serious conversation the jests were half-hearted. Both nearly kicked their stew bowls clean. The bottle of wine was well finished. Marly was extra attentive in clearing their plates.

Eislyn found the journey’s fatigue catching up to her. And that wine didn’t make it any easier to stay awake. She stood from her seat and looked to Rayth, excusing herself.

“I think that bed is calling to me.”

 

[Rayth Keirn]

Rayth had a lazy grin plastered across his face. He rummaged around in his purse for a few moments before pulling out a number of coins of different denominations. There were so many city states in the area that printed currency that it was hard to keep up. He covered the meal and a sensible tip for the overly enthusiastic Marly.

A glance around the room told him that there was no reason to stay down in the inn any longer than absolutely necessary. He didn't fancy a sea shanty from a group of drunken fishermen.

"I'll turn in too."

Rayth headed up the stairs ahead of Eislyn. Tomorrow would be a day of decisions, of planning and difficult choices. At least tonight they had been able to waste some time on nothing more than empty conversation and acceptable wine.

He stopped. Two doors, far too close together. He was going to be staring at the adjoining door, knowing she was on the other side.

Rayth stopped, planted his feet and turned to face her. He briefly cast his gaze down each direction of the corridor.

"Goodnight kiss?" he asked, reaching for her hand tentatively. His smile held humour at the corner of his lips. His eyes held none of that, searching for something in her own gaze.