Private Tales Upriver

[Rayth Keirn]

"Oh quite the opposite," Rayth replied. The inevitable chuckle that followed sounded distinctly strained. "I think they would have been more proud if they had bought me a commission on a nice, safe naval vessel. Apparently having been lost at sea as a child and then working his way up to an officer in a renowned mercenary ship in a foreign land wasn't worthy of their regard.

The family of the knight who Rayth had pushed to his death would probably be proud of him. Followed his vows, fought to the death. So stupid he wore half plate on a ship at sea.

In every cavalry regiment across the land there would be some nabke brat screaming 'charge' and running down peasants. Lots of honour there. The Paragon was a crew of the 'wrong kind of people'. Hard men and women who really knew how to fight.

"Men at arms!" the captain called out from behind them. "Draw strings, two short ones."

Rayth turned slowly towards him. There was always plenty of spare twine and rope on a ship and it was the easiest way to choose people for the worst jobs. What confused Rayth was that three people were supposedly staying with the Princess.

"I thought..." Rayth started.

"You're staying too," Deschain stated flatly. At Rayth's look of dissapointment he added: "If you'd wanted to come to port with everyone else then you shouldn't have taken her out onto the deck when it was crawling with Shriekers."

Rayth sighed and turned back out to the town ahead of them. His expression had gone sour. No one wanted to miss shore leave.

 

[Eislyn Gray]

Eislyn silently warred with her own emotions. It was hard not to feel some sort of empathy for Rayth. She of all people knew what it was like growing up in a well-to-do family and expectations that came with that. A different sort of cage. Then again. She’d known both men killed on her ship a few days ago.

She was the one who’d write those letters of condolences to their families. She would be the one to make sure their families had enough coin to survive the winters ahead. Sadly, this wasn’t a new exercise. It was the world they lived in. The type of men and sometimes women, she negotiated with.

Lips pursed tightly. It didn’t stop her from feeling loss. Perhaps she was more sensitive to it from her upbringing. Or by how much she’d lost within her own family already.

As much as she was able to control the emotions that showed along her face, she wasn’t able to stop the disappointment completely. She had to stay? Was this town not empty? It was clear the Captain was taking no chances.

“Are you sure that wise Captain? Leaving someone behind with me who made poor choices to begin with?” Hard to say if the princess was trying to help Rayth with his dream of shore leave or just trying to get rid of one more person watching her.

The girl heard Geelyn’s snort from across the deck.

 

[Rayth Keirn]

"Here?" the captain asked, his gaze panning up and across the abandoned city.

"You could try and run, but you can't leave the city except by water. Could easily hide from three people if you decide to be a nuisance but when we return in three days the crew would find you and I'd have you lashed to the mast.

"No," he said, turning towards Rayth. "Might as well consider them your personal helpers. Should come natural enough to you."

Rayth knew that the captain had a soft spot for him. He wouldn't have kept him so long just to write his letters for those early years if not. Sometimes he hid it very well indeed.

Geelyn's amusement turned to concern when a dwarf emerged from below deck with a fist full of loose twine threads.

 

[Eislyn Gray]

"Well, if you don't think it would be a problem to find me, then you might as well let everyone have shore-leave, including me." Eislyn couldn't hold her tongue this time. She imagined the Captain was used to it with Rayth. The girl stepped around Rayth and began picking her way through the crew-members gathering around the dwarf.

Eislyn couldn't help eyeing the being. She'd never seen one up close. He wasn't the first dwarf she'd seen since leaving the Iron Fortress but she certainly hadn't seen too many of them. Unlike her father, she wasn't xenophobic. But she had lived a very sheltered life. Up until recently.

Head turned as she scoured the surrounding hills and shoreline.

Was that a small skiff on the outer shore? Abandoned a long time ago. She couldn't tell from here if it was seaworthy. The girl tried not to let her verdant eyes linger there for long. The Captain had sharp eyes like a hawk.

 

[Rayth Keirn]

"No we are not taking you into town," the captain replied. There was no humour in his voice at all. "I would rather you stayed by a fire with some food and drink for the next three nights."

His gaze seemed to dare Eislyn to contradict him. Rayth had already moved to the port side to help the crew as they approached the long forgotten docks. He was almost immediately distracted.

"Fuck!" called out Geelyn. The half-orc was holding a very short piece of twine.

"And many dock rent boys with less robust thighs breathed a collective sigh of relief!" Rayth called out. He ducked just in time to avoid the oar that was tossed at him.

 

[Eislyn Gray]

She blinked at the Captain. Confusion on her face. Realization slowly peaking through. Did he mean to...leave her with Rayth and....here? Eyes widened. But then where were the rest going?

"Don't worry Geelyn. Perhaps when we get on shore I can hold Rayth while you punch." So she would be able to explore this place. Escape seemed to be more viable now than ever. A spark of curiosity and hope flashed at the corners of her eyes.

In fact, the sooner the Captain and the rest of the crew left, the better.

The girl disappeared back toward the three cabins, tossing the few items she had left out in her quarters into her trunk. When she re-emerged trying to - rather unsuccessfully (Eislyn was many things but physically strong wasn't one of them) - drag her own trunk out, she saw that very dwarf holding the twine got the last short one.

 

[Rayth Keirn]

Brindin looked down at the final piece of twin and glared at his meaty fist as if it had betrayed him. Perhaps the dwarf was wondering if he could have cheated his way out of this duty. Next time. He shrugged and moved towards the rowing boat.

Rayth and Geelyn moved to lift the case between them, hauling it into the rowing boat. It joined a sack of dried meat and biscuits, a smal barrel of water and a few bottles of rum. Fresh water flowed through the remains of the ancient settlement so they wouldn't go thirsty.

Another crew member joined them and took the oars. They weren't going to be left with a boat.

"I don't suppose you have any books in there?" Rayth asked Eisyln, nodding at the case. "This is going to be very dull. Please don't try and make it more interesting by running away. Captain's right. Lots of places to hide but I can guarantee you won't leave the city unless you can climb a sheer hundred metre high rock face."

Geelyn still looked up happy. Not because of Rayth, but because she had genuinely been looking forward to drinking fighting and other strenuous activities when they were given shore leave. All because they couldn't risk her being seen or causing a fuss.

 

[Eislyn Gray]

Blonde brows lofted upon fair skin at Rayth. “Have you heard of the short plays written by Leetle the Bard? Perhaps one night you and Geelyn can act them out for us.”

Eislyn looked to the dwarf who was already eyeing the rum bottles.

And she would make no such promise of trying not to escape to Rayth. No, she wouldn’t be able to make that climb. But perhaps that skiff along the rock ledge. Perhaps with that rum, she’d be able to slip away to at least investigate further.

Eislyn Gray was not a dim-witted damsel in distress who passively submitted to her misfortune with the only hope of a knight in shining armor coming for a rescue. Tales of young maidens doing that were ridiculous. How would anything in the world get done that way?

Hoisting her dress up, she stepped carefully into the rowboat. “I don’t think you need to worry about me climbing the cliff,” she mused. “But perhaps I’m part kivren and I could make the swim?” A teasing smile fell across her face as she waggled her fingers, showing webbing that wasn’t there.

 

[Rayth Keirn]

"Eugh," Rayth turned his head towards the hanging rocks far above and let it loll on a circle. "We're going to have to watch her plenty," he bemoaned. Why could she not just accept that nothing terrible was going to happen to her and make everyone's lives easier?

To his disappointment she didn't fall in. They were lowered just a short distance down to the water and Dramptyn started to row. The oars quietly swished and the boat gently rocked.

"Leetle always seemed leave his fairy tales a little light," said Rayth. "I always enjoyed Dynnon's plays."

She had written some great tragedies, but it was the epic adventure that Rayth had been fascinated with. They were a little formulaic. A young apprentice of some hero would be set on a dangerous journey where they found adventure and romance, battling great monsters with sword and magic. They had been his downfall.

From a young age he had been earmarked for the clergy. In a world full of very real monsters he had been enamoured with the motion of finding his own adventure. It had been his choice to stay at sea. His had expressed their relief through letters once he had finally contacted him and immediately set out that his cottage and clergy wage was still waiting for him.

An easy life. A tedious life.

 

[Eislyn Gray]

"I'm so sorry to inconvenience you," eyelashes batted in Rayth's direction. She wasn't sorry at all. It was their fault. If they'd just left her and her envoy alone they wouldn't be in this position. How many more men and women would die in this senseless conflict due to her delay?

All the paragon had on their minds was the coin from this job.

Arms crossed stiffly and she looked away. There was a small waterfall on the other side of the cave but she noted its sound was muted by distance. She found the tension in her shoulders ease as Rayth continued on. "Dynnon is entertaining. I also find Percy's adventures quite enrapturing."

Blonde hair shifted on shoulders as her head turned to Rayth. She was sitting in the back of the rowboat, facing forward. Back to the Paragon. Leaving one cage only to approach another. Story of her life.

"You're a reader? Didn't peg you for the type." Sure, she knew his background. Knowing how to do something didn't necessarily mean an enjoyment of such. "I thought you'd spend most of your free time waving your sword around and mouthing off to woo women."

Geelyn laughed. "Oy, he waves his sword around plenty but don't get 'im much."

The rowboat hit gently against the small rock platform lining the cavern wall. A long, steep path wound its way up toward the small, abandoned village. And that massive statue.

 

[Rayth Keirn]

Rayth was first to hop ashore. He pulled the boat along to a metal bollard. Despite it being half rusted away he managed to tie the boat up. It did not have to stay bound for long.

"Look, one time I got that drunk," he admitted. The second mate naked on deck was a long way from the worst thing to take place on the Paragon whilst it was in port.

There were not many people who could read. Rayth decided that he had already given up a good upbringing, but being able to read raised the bar a little higher. Only the most wealthy merchants were having their children taught to read outside of the nobility.

"Have you read the Titan saga by Tial'dir?" Rayth asked as they started to unload the boat. He didn't often get to talk about books being the only literate on the Paragon. The saga was an eight hundred year old elven work. It was heavy work, the full text as thick as a hand.

 

[Eislyn Gray]

Lips twitched at Rayth's exclamation to Geelyn. Had it always been like that between them or had it been cultivated by years of friendship? "Thank heavens the rum was remembered for this trip," the princess remarked as Geelyn smirked.

Genuine surprise flecked across her gaze as her eyes found the similar greens of Rayth's. "Parts of it, before my sister and I were caught." Eislyn paused, wondering if she'd said too much. "Let's just say books like that are rare from where I'm from."

Or outlawed. Anyone else with a book by a non-human author would've been hanged. Because she and her sister were royalty, they'd just been flogged. She and Hannah hadn't been able to sit down without discomfort for nearly a fortnight.

The princess stood, one hand on the side of the rowboat. On her part, it was very unfortunate timing because at that moment Geelyn popped up in the front of the boat and leaped onto the rock-platform. The rowman cursed, gripping the oars. Eislyn found herself suddenly airborn. Hands waved in a very un-princess-like fashion as her weight tipped. Something hard hit the sides of her legs. Then air. Then the cold, dark waters of the cave swallowed her up with a great splash.

The water was a lot more frigid than it looked. Feet kicked, assuming she'd be able to push off some sort of rocky-bottom. But there was nothing. The waters ran straight down, deep from the sides of the mountains that plunged into their depths. Arms stretched forwards a she fought against the weight of her dress wanting to pull her down, away from the light at the surface.

 

[Rayth Keirn]

"Fuck," went Rayth, already unbuckling his sword belt and pulling his jacket and boots off.

"You don't have to do a reenactment," Geelyn said. She had one foot on the bollard and was leaning over the watch the princess' battle. The half-orc looked vaguely disinterested. It wasn't her that Deschain would be furious at if she drowned.

"Hold out an oar!" he called.

Socks, trousers and undershite had to remain on as the gentle current would start to drag her dress quite soon. Rayth dove into the water head first, kicking hard. Her billowing layers made her a ghostly apparition from below. One that he had to tangle with.

With an arm underneath her shoulders he drove them upwards to emerge above the surface.

"Grab it!" he grunted to Eislyn as the oar slapped the surface just in front of them.

 

[Eislyn Gray]

Burning lungs heaved in a mixture of air and fresh water with a hint of salt. Eyes blinked against the streaming water over her face. Fingers reached out, enclosing around the oar. Fingers just slipped in her first attempt, the second was successful.

Blonde hair plastered against her face.

The cold of the water, or rather, the shock of the experience was seeping past her skin and well into her bones. She couldn't stop shivering. Despite her best efforts, she couldn't keep her teeth from chattering. "A-a-are yo-u sh-sh-showin-g off Ra-ayth? Li-ike a ch-ch-apter from the El-ve-n t-tales." The girl tried smiling but found he could only cling to the oar as the rowman dragged them toward the rocky-ledge.

 

[Rayth Keirn]

A heave brought Eislyn around the boat and up to the stone dock. Rayth kept kicking alongside her in case her hands slipped from the oar. If you couldnt adapt to freezing waters and keep kicking then you weren't going to survive long at sea.

The navies of some kingdoms picked up anyone and threw them on a ship, even those that could not swim. The paragon had a crew of professionals. Every one of them could swim, all had a role and more than half could wield a sword, spear or bow with proficiency.

"Save the...quips...a moment..."

He slapped a hand down on the stone, keeping one tight around her. Geelyn finally strode over. Between the two of them, though her thick arms took most of the load, they got Eislyn out of the water.

Rayth stayed in the water a moment.

"Quite refreshing really?" he asked, true to his request. His head bobbed beneath the surface and then he exploded up out of the water and threw a leg up onto the rock.

"Tempting to push him isn't it?" Geelyn grunted.

"Go light a fire at the usual house!" Rayth called to the dwarf as he hauled himself up.

 

[Eislyn Gray]

It wasn't until Geelyn grabbed her that Eislyn relinquished the safety of the oar. Hard-rock found itself beneath her. Hands rubbed up and down her arms. Wet-clothes clung to skin and her slight form. She sat on the rock, legs curled beneath herself - not trusting her legs to stand quite yet.

Couldn't stop shivering.

"Y-yes. T-tempt-ing." The girl hugged herself closer, eyes closing. She made no complaints and protests like any other royal would at this very moment. She was just trying to keep the feeling in her fingertips. The rowman muttered something she missed before pushing off. Her trunk and the supplies were already on the ledge.

"They-re j-just lea-ving us? Wh-a-at i-if some-thing ha-appens a-and we-e ha-ave to fle-e?"

 

[Rayth Keirn]

"Won't happen," said Rayth. It was going to happen. Despite his brave words his hands now shivered. He wrapped his arms around his chest and rubbed himself. He slipped off his wet undershirt, dropping it with a wet splodge.

Rayth grimaced as he pulled on his over shirt. It was rough and scratchy on his damp skin.

"Come on. If you get moving you'll warm up. Brindin will get a fire going quick," Rayth said, offering his hand. She didn't look quite so stubborn shivering with her clothes clinging to her. "We'll bring up your case."

 

[Eislyn Gray]

Fingers slipped into his own, cold-as-ice. Being away from the Spine had softened her. Or maybe there was something worse about being cold and wet versus just cold. Legs felt like jelly and for a moment, she found herself leaning against Rayth's arm and halfway into him.

Even if she was a wretched shivering mess, it was highly inappropriate behavior.

She'd like to think she would've been able to swim up herself. To perhaps kick her own dress off in time. Save herself somehow. Maybe because she was feeling particularly vulnerable or weak she found herself, instead, saying something else entirely different to the mercenary.

"Th-thank you." Gritting her teeth, she stepped back, putting the appropriate amount of space back between them, arms re-hugging herself, she turned and began with slow, wobbly steps up that path. It seemed steeper than before. Longer.

 

[Rayth Keirn]

For all his bravado, his own expression was decidedly awkward as she stepped away. He soon busied himself with collecting his boots clothes to throw over the case for its journey up the path.

A distinctly sullen silence that followed them up the narrow path. It was broken only be two things. First of all the squelching they made with every step.

Secondly Geelyn managed to emit an aura of maintained amusement all the way up the path. Rayth was holding the front of Eislyn's case but he could feel the halforc's grin all the way up.

The welcome flicked of light from an open doorway broke the atmosphere. Rayth picked up the pace, smiling once again.

"Fire!" he exclaimed, redundently. His treacherous teeth chattered as he walked. They entered a large house that actually had a roof mostly intact. The door had long since vanished. The frame itself was half rotten away.

In the centre of the room, on a tile floor, Brindin had set a fire burning. The smoke escaped through a hole in the rafters above, but most of the heat was kept inside.

Rayth set the case down against the wall and move towards the flames.

"Come on, warm yourself up and then we'll leave you to change. At least you have spare clothes."

Rayth flopped his shirt onto the floor beside the fire and then set his socks beside them. They started to faintly steam. He sat down with crossed legs and held his quivering hands towards the crackling flames.

 

[Eislyn Gray]

Eislyn could only offer a shivered nod to Rayth. The grin of Geelyn wasn't lost on the princess. Or how the woman's eyes kept flickering between her and Rayth.

Oh bother. The smallest bit of color began returning in her paled cheeks.

Slippers left little puddles wherever she walked and she quickly slipped them off. The wetness of her dress was becoming like cement against her ankles and thighs. She had to practically waddle to get close to the fire. Sinking to her knees she held her shaking hands close, unable to keep the sigh of relief from escaping her blue-tinted lips.

"Thank the gods," she breathed, trying to tuck her tangled, wet blonde hair to one side. Verdant gaze looked around the room, crossing over Rayth for a moment before looking elsewhere. It was clear this was a popular spot. Well-used. Old rum bottles left in one corner. Papers in another. A pile of bed-rolls. It looked like there had once been a loft that a ladder had long ago rotted away. An open space hinted to a window halfway up the back wall. She could see a cobble-stoned path winding up just outside, perhaps going further into the abandoned town.

There was a pfffft-POP sound next to her and Eislyn turned to find the dwarf already tipping back a rum bottle. "Cheers!" The little-stout man grinned in her direction. Were they to get drunk already?

 

[Rayth Keirn]

"Give us a swig..." said Rayth. He made no move to stand. He didn't move much at all. The cold had crept into his bones and it would take some time for the warmth of the fire to sink in. A little rum would help chase it away. Brindin groaned as he stood up. Rayth clearly wasn't going to fetch it.

"At least I can hope you're not going...to try and escape...for a few hours," Rayth said, his chattering teeth forcing gaps in his speech. He took the offered bottle and knocked back a good shot. He didn't care that it didn't provide any real heat. It definitely felt hot on the way down.

Brindin stayed where he was for the bottle back, but Rayth tilted it towards Eislyn. His gaze tried to steer clear of how her dress clung to her form now.

"Want a sip?" he asked, knowing full well that she would not.

 

[Eislyn Gray]

"No p-p-romises," a tired, shaky smile was briefly flashed toward Rayth before exhaustion eclipsed her features. Eislyn was proficient with herbs and medicines and...something a little more. She knew enough about health to know that if she didn't change clothes, even with the fire, she would be in trouble soon.

Head shook in the negative at Rayth's offer of the rum bottle. "Th-thank you." Fingers were shaking so much she didn't even trust herself to hold the bottle without spilling most of it out. That and it would be highly inappropriate. But color Rayth lucky. He'd gotten not ONE but TWO thank you's from Eislyn in the last hour. Doubtful it would ever happen again.

The girl couldn't help the quick gaze to Rayth's wet pants. Like her, he would be in danger of hypothermia. "You....don't...ha-ave a s-spare s-et of t-trousers?"

It was like she could feel Geelyn's smirk widening behind her back.

 

[Rayth Keirn]

The dwarf muttered something in his own tongue as he walked away with the bottle. At least, Rayth decided, he didn't look as dispondant as when he had been left holding the last piece of twine.

"I'll survive," he replied, but his thanks for the concern was offered in a slow nod. Out at sea he had come to know his limits in the cold.

"They can dry overnight. Please don't go running off in the night because if I have to chase after you in my undergarments she..." he pointed at Geelyn.

"Will make an epic tale of it," Geelyn finished for him with a satisfied grunt.

With a sigh, Rayth stood up. "You're still shivering. Change out of those wet clothes. Come on Brindin," he said, heading for the door and waving the dwarf after himself.

 

[Eislyn Gray]

The dwarf turned and made drunken smoochy sounds at Eislyn. One of her blonde-brows nearly disappeared into her hairline as a response. With the way Rayth kept mentioning her running, it was almost as if he wanted her to. Still, the picture of the man chasing after her in nothing but his undergarments made her cheeks feel even warmer.

And that wasn't even due to the fire.

"Dinnae worry. I'll make sure they don't peak." Geelyn smirked and blocked the door with her bulky frame, back turned toward Eislyn. Trembling fingers tugged at her dress. It was like wrestling with a stubborn beast. Wet long-sleeves were not the best. One shoulder became bare and then the other as each arm became free with a slurp-squelch.

Cold legs straightened as she stepped free from the wet mess, clad in just a corset and shift. Kneeling by her trunk, she pulled it open, finding that she needed a moment to rest on her knees. Still trembling.

"Yah done yet?" Brindin grumbled as she heard him take another swish-gulp of the rum outside.

"A...few more...moments," Eislyn called out tiredly, fingers coming up to untie her corset. She'd need a new one of those on. A new shift. And finally, a new dress. Looked like she had one dark-green one left. Could really use one of her ladies in waiting right about now. She was tempted to ask Geelyn but she doubted the half-orc had a gentle touch. Or that her fingers were small enough.

And the other two were most definitely out.

 

[Rayth Keirn]

Which was a shame, because despite the cold Rayth had exceptionally deft fingers. He had a his arms wrapped tight across his chest but the breeze was still chilly. He was watching the Paragon disappear through the crack.

The settlement couldn't be that old. He wondered who had placed the magic over the entrance. Stories of hidden entrances to caves always involved dwarven magic, but the city didn't look dwarven.

"Are you done with the corsets yet?" he called over his shoulder. It was a guess, but a fairly well educated one given her shivering and obviously corseted waist.

"Don't know what you're complaining about," he said to Brindin. "You stayed dry."

"Ay. Cos I'm not stupid."

"You ever think that if the Paragon got held at port that we'd end up stranded here?" Geelyn asked.

Rayth turned to her slowly. "Well ... Now I am." He had of course considered the possibility before, but it amused him to see if Geelyn could actually be unnerved.