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Fantasy Jewel of the Sea

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Jewel of the Sea Jewel of The Sea | Characters













nadia damaris
captain of the sun howler



















  • .













disquieted




Ne’brék | Forest



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soothe the enemy to protect yourself.
Nadia was built with rigid, harsh materials, unwilling to bend or flex for anyone. But the forest truly made her bow to its will. Like the rest of her crew, she’d grown up on stories from her As’verian friends, from Nana E’tok, and from the others who wished to share their history with the club of exiled humans that washed up on their shores every so often. Wishing to be free of her fear, and in part, some of her humanity, Nadia would puff her chest up as a child, claiming she was not scared of the beings and creatures which lived in the forest and protected As’veria from foreign menaces but with each story, each warning and tale of woe from the forest, a tight coil of dread and fear began to form towards the forest. A fear Cassian could not understand.

Furrowing her brows, she cast her gaze toward him. For the first time since they’d left Okoris, Nadia’s voice was not hostile or demanding. She did not command him in the way she had on the Sun Howler. But instead, her tone was soft, even, and truthful. “What lurks in that forest is far more daunting than a knife to the back. It would be merciful to spare someone the agony of going into this forest. A kind death would be far more gentle than what we will face in that forest, Cassian.” The solemn expression that lingered on her face melted into fear, as if each legend and story of the Forest flashed in her mind all at once.

Tendrils of shadows seemed to creep from the inky blackness of the forest, a warning for any dumb enough to enter to turn away. Even the edge of the forest appeared to be a horrifying illustration from a children's book of scary stories. Unfortunately for the pair, this was very much real. Without another thought, Nadia knew pushing her fear away was the only means by which she could enter the forest and survive with her idiotic companion.

Stalling only a moment longer, adjusting her backpack on her shoulders and coiling her hand comfortably around Cassian’s wrist, the woman stepped forward and onto the earthen path which would lead them through the heart of As’veria, down the winding darkness of the forest, and finally to Ul’denia.

“Those who know As’veria know its legends. And its ancient protectors.” Nadia began as the comforting hum of Ne’brék faded into the rustle of leaves, the chirping of birds, and the buzz of insects in the forests. Light filtered through the dense foliage above their heads, casting soft rays of golden sunlight through their path. “We believe in the Star of Isolde to protect us and guide us. As’verians put their faith in the Guardians of the Forest. They teach their children about the creatures which lurk, strong, noble, otherworldly warriors lying in wait for their chance to protect the sacred island. Isoldians, human, and Vinyamarians, Elf, are outsiders. The blood running through us,” Nadia squeezed Cassian’s wrist with an exhale. “It marks us for dead in this Forest.”

If they continued heading North, eventually, they would come out on the other side of the Forest. What foes they would face, could perhaps complicate that, but until that happened, Nadia would continue fearlessly. What interested her, however, was how struck with fear Cassian was. He revealed the location of the Star of Isolde, yet seemed shaken at their journey. And a shaken, fearful companion was a companion that couldn’t fight. Resentment struck every fiber in Nadia’s body for Cassian, but easing his fear could save both their lives in an encounter.

“The night in Okoris,” Nadia began, her gaze set forward. Relating to Cassian on any front was difficult, but perhaps recalling their first encounter would draw his mind from the fear and dread of what was to come. “You were quite intoxicated before I visited you.” She recalled his words, sick with alcohol. She’s so greedy for money. Cassian slurred when she entered. Luckily you’re my type. Eyes dark and hungry with desire and despair. Can I help you forget, Your Highness? She’d offered. “Why? Do all Vinyamarians drown themselves with wine like that?” A question disguised as interest in the Vinyamarian rather than a crafty way of luring his mind from the shadowy depths of the Forest.








/* ------ credit -- do not remove ------ */

© weldherwings.
 













cassian airendil
the crown prince



















  • .













fearful, paranoid




As'verian Forest



[/tab]




here comes death. how sentimental.
A shiver crept its way up Cassian’s spine with long, steady legs the longer Nadia talked. Otherworldly warriors? He tried not to let his imagination run with images of what something like that would entail, but it slipped from his grasp too soon. Horrid monsters intimidating enough even through the likeness of a sketch haunted his mind, and he found his steps shifting closer to Nadia’s. A snap of a twig in the distance had his shoulders skyrocketing to his ears, muscles tense in anticipation for what might be watching them with bated breath.

His eyes were still darting around nearly everything in his immediate field of vision when Nadia spoke up once more. He grimaced visibly, expression hidden behind her back at the mention of his last, and most unfortunate, night in his home city. The stupidity of it was still a fresh sting on his pride. A heavy sigh slipped past his lips before Cassian could stop it. As if he’d tell miss straight edge captain of the sea the reason he sought out such mind numbing pleasures. As if she’d understand. As if she’d care even if she did.

“Ah, you know what they say,” He said, swiping at the back of his neck with his free hand at an insect that zipped annoyingly close. “Heavy is the head that wears the crown. I deal with a lot of responsibilities day to day,” He lied, “So occasionally I like to blow off a little steam. Sue me. You happened to catch me on one of those days. Wine isn’t solely a Vinyamarian pleasure, by the way. Your crew sure seem to know all about it,” He muttered, shaking his mess of brown curls as he felt the insect buzzing close to his ear. Cassian cursed under his breath, eyes narrowing as he scanned for the nuisance. A shadowed, rushing figure registered in his peripheral, causing the man to instantly stiffen.

“Nadia--” He whispered, his figure huddled up and nearly draping over her back out of fear. “Did you see that? Please tell me you saw that,” His voice was low and laced with the quavering effect of terror. The jeweled handle of the dagger she had given him early began to slip in his grip from the anxious sweat that began to pool on his palms.

“We’re so dead,” He said, “Why would we go in here if there’s monsters literally bred for killing trespassers like us,” Cassian was nearly whining at this point, his back turned to Nadia to ensure nothing was waiting to ambush their blind side. His wrist ached from the metal bite of the handcuff.

“There it is again!” Cassian said through a hollow gasp, adrenaline beginning to pour into his bloodstream. “Nadia--it’s coming towards us now, we--we need to get out of here,” He was stumbling off to the side, straying from their current path, free hand shaking her shoulder in a panic to spur the captain into moving. “Please--please we can’t fight tethered like this, we're dead where we stand if we stay here,” His voice trembled. The bushes rustled once, twice, revealing the edge of some kind of sharpened horn, and Cassian was gone. He dragged Nadia behind, skin screaming where the metal strained. It felt like one sharp tug and his wrist would nearly go with it. Eventually Nadia’s stride caught up to his, and the two crashed through vegetation carelessly. Cassian tripped over roots and skid on patches of leaves, but remained upright, fueled only by pure fear and innate survival.

Eventually, the thick foliage of the forest began to thin, giving way to a small clearing created by a spring. “There!” He said, pointing out a vapid expanse of black that stood out starkly against the blooming life of the island around them. “That’s got to be it, right?” He panted heavily, fatigue beginning to overtake the adrenaline.







/* ------ credit -- do not remove ------ */

© weldherwings.
 













nadia damaris
captain of the sun howler



















  • .













Thrilled




Caves of Ul'denia



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the object of my desire, the item of my dreams.
Resisting the urge to roll her eyes at his words, Nadia raised an eyebrow up at the Prince. She was sure that was the truth. Vinyamarian’s lived a life of lavish luxury and overindulgence. Opulence ran through their veins, drinking wine and having servants carrying them around. Of course, it wasn’t like Nadia had ever been inside a Vinyamarian Court to witness this but she had no doubt that Cassian knew not of true struggle or strife. Anyone could look at his hands, long, slender, and smooth and tell he’d never worked a day in his life. His perfect skin, unblemished body– they were all evidence of the ease he experienced in Vinyamar. The bruise he would sustain from the cuffs would likely be the first bruise he ever received.

“The crew perhaps does indulge so much,” She said simply, a small smirk on her face. “But we did have cause to celebrate.” She gestured towards him– he was their prize, their cause for glorious whoops and cries of victory into the night. Nadia wasn’t so lucky as to be able to celebrate with them, however she did not fault her crew for allowing themselves a night of joy. After long nights at the sea, it was well deserved. Cassian couldn’t understand that. Getting that through his thick, crown ladened skull would be impossible.

Cassian’s hushed voice of panic irritated her. It was as if she knew he was trying to get under her skin. “For a grown man, you’re spineless.” She scoffed, pushing him off her back. “Walk straight and fear nothing, Cassian Airendil.” Despite her words, Nadia certainly felt a bit anxious at Cassian’s skittishness. What if he really had seen something? That the Forest felt their unworthiness and was sending its warriors to deal with them? Still… Nadia would not fear that she could not see. Withdrawing her sword from its sheath, she gripped it tightly. “Stop acting foolish. The faster we get through the forest, the less you will have to worry about.”

Her eyes snapped towards the sound, heart jumping into her throat. Perhaps that of which she couldn’t perceive was the most fearful. Heart pounding in anxious tempo, she scanned the darkness of the forest for the possible danger which Cassian seemed convinced was at their feet. He was driving her mad. How could a man be so utterly pathetic? She was never bringing him to a fight…

“Fuck!” She cursed as Cassian shot off, scrambling not to drag them both down with her stumble. Haphazardly placing her sword back into its sheath, she glanced behind her, where nothing seemed to be chasing them but fear blinded Cassian. She clamored for his arm, feeling her skin slick with blood from the friction created from running. Finally, wrapping her hand around his wrist, she matched his pace, batting away leaves and branches that got in their way. If the creature didn’t kill Cassian, Nadia certainly was going to.

Nadia panted heavily, lungs screaming for air and burning from effort. Chest heaved up and down, catching her breath. But as she lifted her head, her eyes widened. “Ul’denia.” She gasped out breathlessly. “We made it.. We fucking made it!” Nadia had a smile on her face, a proper smile, the first in weeks. “Well.. We must make haste then!” She exclaimed, now tugging Cassian forward. No longer fatigued from their sprint through the Forest, she was quick through navigating the rocky shore towards the Caves. Blood ran down her hand from the cuffs and as they approached, she fished the key out of her pocket, comfortable in releasing Cassian now that they had a Forest between him and all those that wished to injure him.

“We are likely the first beings from outside As’veria to reach these caves, Cassian.” She gazed upon the cave with splendor and excitement, an eager wonder filling her eyes. Her life had led her to this moment and she was a hike away from the jewel. Her heart sped at that thought– she could almost laugh. She was so giddy. “Let’s not waste time.” Striking a match, lighting the torch Miller supplied them with, she gestured Cassian forward. “Into the unknown, Prince of Vinyamar…”








/* ------ credit -- do not remove ------ */

© weldherwings.
 













cassian airendil
the crown prince



















  • .













nervous




Caves of Uldenia



[/tab]




god, god, what do i do after all this survival?
Cassian ignored Nadia’s hastily protesting curses, he also ignored the sharp stinging of pain that screamed from the strain of metal against his soft flesh. His fear was too encompassing, too urgent to think of consequences, whether it be the Captain’s wrath or the warm feeling of blood dripping into his palm.

Rapid, shaky panting was the only sound that registered in his ears when they came to a halt at the edge of the forest. Cassian was doubled over, one hand splayed on his knee while the other hung limply at the wrist, elevated from where it was tethered to Nadia. He groaned openly, the Captain’s excited urgency to continue on a loss on him. He had barely even had time to process their safety, let alone catch his breath.

Fire ignited each breath inward, and Cassian was left stumbling along behind the energetic woman. Crimson ran in a thin river against her warm skin to twine around slender fingers. The bolt of guilt was bitter in his mouth, tightening Cassian’s throat when he swallowed. Even though she had kidnapped him against his will, forcing him to play along in her idiotic game, he didn’t want to hurt her pointlessly. He cast his eyes downward to the rocky shore below his feet instead.

“I’m guessing that’s a--good thing?” the prince responded absently, matching Nadia’s curious excitement with a placid apathy. He didn’t want to ruin her girlish excitement, nor give away the sensitive information that Finlas and his scouting team had likely visited the cave decades before them. He had remembered reading something about it in his friend’s letters, but his bitterness at Finlas' betrayal was a blinder to any fine detail. Instead of playing into Nadia’s eagerness, Cassian opted to play dumb and disinterested, dragging his feet while the Captain ushered him forth with a curiosity illuminating her step.

A heavy sigh was all he offered to her giddy poking, knowing full well that he’d have to think of some excuse when the search of the cave yielded no results. Cassian’s fear had overtaken the rationality in his mind, the excitement of being out of the forest and away from whatever nightmares slithered within it blinding him from the idea that finding the cave may not be the smartest path for him to venture toward. He knew from Finlas’ letter that the jewel was not in fact hidden somewhere within the cave. What he didn’t know was how the hell he was going to explain that fact to Nadia. Her back was rigid with excitement, head turning to take in every aspect of the cave that she could feasibly drink the deeper within the ground they ventured.

A chill sunk into his limbs, surrounding them with an empty, vapid feel the further they crept away from the shore. Light had reflected off of the shallow pool of water towards the entrance of the cave, but now that they had crept further from the shore, all that was left to guide them was the soft flicker of Nadia’s torch and a thin layer of luminescent fungi that blanketed the ceiling and walls in random patterns.

Cassian’s breathing was shallow. Although the fatigue from their frantic sprint through the forest had worn off, his pulse began to thrum faster in his veins. Nadia’s excitement was beginning to slip, impatience edging its way in instead. He needed to distract her, ramble on about something to keep her mind off of how far they were wandering--to still yield no jewel.

“Nadia--look,” He said, gaze brightening as he caught sight of bold, abstract colors painting across the walls. “I think these are cave paintings, put the torch closer so we can make them out better.”







/* ------ credit -- do not remove ------ */

© weldherwings.
 













nadia damaris
captain of the sun howler



















  • .













Astonishment




Caves of Ul'denia



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the ocean was here long before the land.
The cave was frigid, the soft breeze from the ocean blowing cool air into the already cold cave. It sent a chill through her body, almost as if the ancient rock the caved was formed from was warning her. Get away. Do not enter… But there were no rumors about the Caves of Ul’denia. But could there be rumors about a place so few survived to enter? Her trust– or distrust– in the rumors and legends of As’veria would either make or break their venture into the cave. Excitement quickly soured and turned to anxious apprehension. Though the pirate Captain was eager to find her people’s precious jewel, leading anywhere with emotion first was a fine way to get killed.

With the soft illumination of her torch and the strange glow of blue and green plants, the further they ventured into the cave, the more eerie it became. The cave could play mind tricks on either companions if they weren’t careful, the soft drift of water off stalactites into pools of water causing a silent paranoid to develop. Yes, excitement had been fully replaced with impatient eagerness to reclaim the jewel and make their leave.

A suspicion began to rise in Nadia as she eyed her supposed guide leading aimlessly into the cave. Did he know where he was going? Or was this all a ruse? Away from her crew and ship? Did Cassian play the frail prince role so well he pulled one of her? Surely not… Cassian was far too ditzy, pampered and incompetent to trick her. “How close are we to the jewel?” Nadia demands, squinting through the murky dimness of the cave. His silence is not reassuring, but her attention soon turns to the poorly lit paintings which Cassian points out.

Drawing closer, she tilts her head curiously, the torch illumining the ornately painted cave wall with a soft gasp. “These are…” She runs her hand over the damp wall to get a better look. “Ancient Isoldian paintings.” She’d seen hundreds of paintings in this style in the history of her people– very few books existed still written in Isoldeish. A forgotten language, a forgotten people. But here, inscribed on the wall in faded paint sprawled a story of her people “The jewel is… Here.” She pointed to the beautiful crystal-like object held by a kingly figure. Divine. Pristine. Magnificent.

Nadia was only given a few more moments of admiration before the sound of rushing water shocked her senses. Jerking up, she looked towards the entrance of the cave and down to their feet. Water rushed into their ankles with no plan of stopping anytime soon. “Shit.” She cursed, looking at Cassian with wide, wild eyes. “High tide.” Wordlessly, she grabbed her princely counter park, jerking him forward and stumbling away from the cave, through the shrinking confines and away from the water. Would she drown moments before reaching her prize? How cruel a fate that would be. Either the cave would open up and Cassian and she could wait out the high tide, or they would perish, water filling their mouths and lungs and washing their bodies out to sea.

Chasing the flooding water to safety, eventually, after a few moments of running, the cave opened up into a giant room, lit up with thousands of bioluminescent creatures or plant life. The ceiling of the cave looked like the night sky covered in a million tiny stars and galaxies– Nadia could say that, properly, her breath was stolen by the glorious sight. It looked like the room was the end of the cave system– and also their salvation from the high tide which seemed to stop in the hallway of the cave. Placing a hand on her racing heart, Nadia shakes her hand. “For gods sake…” She whispers, shaking her head. Cassian must’ve been a bad luck charm. She’d experienced more close calls with him then she had her entire life. Maybe that statement was hyperbolic but….

“We will be here for a while,” She informed him, taking a step forward to observe their situation. “High tides in As’veria last six hours… So, get comfortable.” Crossing her arm, she taps her foot. Ancient Isoldeians certainly visited Ul’Denia, there was no doubt of that… But where would the Jewel be? She would feel its presence, she just knew it. The Jewel of the Sea was described to have this magnetic ability, its power all consuming and powerful. Yet, Nadia felt nothing of the sort. No awe-inspiring power. No great magnetic pull.

What she did feel was a strange feeling wash over her. Looking down at their feet, a strange path led in towards a rocky altar. While she felt in her heart the jewel wasn’t with them, something important lay deeper in the cave. “This way Cassian.” She gestured him forward like a dog that didn’t know its way. Soggy boots followed the illuminated path until they were upon the altar, shining the dim torch light. An untouched, aged, leather bound book sat atop the rocky altar, a fine layer of dust covering the top. Blowing the dust off, Nadia coughed after inhaling a small bit. Inscribed in the cover, in Ancient Isoldeish read: Song of the Sea. Perhaps this was another history of her people? Or, perhaps, this would be her guide to the true location of the Jewel.






/* ------ credit -- do not remove ------ */

© weldherwings.
 













cassian airendil
the crown prince



















  • .













disgruntled, panicked




Caves of Uldenia



[/tab]




god, god, what do i do after all this survival?
Cassian’s breath was shaky, skittering like a smooth pebble over the surface of a placid lake with each inhale and exhale. His shoulders hitched up to his ears every time Nadia made any kind of noise, whether it be clearing her throat, adjusting the sword in her hand or simply humming in awe at the developing beauty of the cave. Unbeknownst to her, Cassian was barely processing his surroundings, his fight or flight adrenaline having kicked into full swing the second the cacophony of the outside world had faded into this damp, empty void. Not that it took much to kickstart his skittishness after his last brush with death only minutes prior.

The silent prayers mumbled across his lips were answered when the appearance of cave paintings were enough to satiate Nadia’s hunger for a jewel that was certainly not in this cave simply because it certainly did not exist. In perfect timing, as well. Her last pointed question as to the whereabouts of the jewel went unanswered when Cassian diverted the conversation instead to the paintings.

Cassian’s attention was not immune to the draw of the dated paintings either, his breath catching when Nadia’s finger pointed shakily to the depiction of a precious jewel held within the hands of what looked to be royalty. He had thought Finlas was joking when he had said there were ancient references to the jewel, chalking them all up to pranks or academic forgery. To see a live reference--here of all places. No--there was no way. If the jewel did exist, he was certain Finlas would have found it. And Cassian was certain that his best friend would not rest until he had returned home to share the discovery with him.

The increasing volume of trickling water rushing in to erase all traces of their steps was lost on him, too entranced by the suffocating thoughts of his past. That was until Nadia began dragging him forwards, deeper into the cave with a sloppy haste.

“What? What?” Cassian’s panic was electric when he felt Nadia’s own adrenaline begin to spike, the heightened tension of their shared dismay echoing off the walls of the cave. “High tide? High tide? Are you fucking kidding me?” His breathing was ragged, left reeling in shock while the Captain dragged him through the tightening pathways of rock. He could feel the water rushing in behind them, soaking through his boots and turning solid footsteps into dragging sloshes through water. Gods above they were going to die down here. He--crown prince of Vinyamar, was going to drown in an abandoned cave chained to some self proclaimed captain of the sea. It was a humiliating way to die. How fitting.

Just as Cassian was beginning to mentally recount his regrets, maybe even pray to something, the cave opened into a wide, impressively vacant space. He pulled Nadia off to the side slightly, risking one of her dirty looks or chastising remarks in favor of pressing his back against the cool, damp surface of the cavern wall. His eyes slipped shut, and after a moment, the prince slid down to the ground in a crouch. One arm rested on bent knees, his fist pressed into his forehead as he took shallow, shaky breaths. The other was stuck awkwardly outstretched in Nadia’s direction, wrist limp while occasional drops of metallic blood splattered onto the already damp ground. “Six hours?” He groaned loudly, voice stretching far in the open air. " Maybe drowning doesn't seem so bad now." This, he mumbled to himself quietly in the enclosure of his limbs. Being alone with Nadia for the amount of time they had been so far was agonizing enough, and that was nearly a fraction of what he was staring down the face of in this moment. And to do it all sober? He deserved a fucking medal for this service.

The prince let out a resistant grunt when Nadia prompted them to continue onward, deeper into the large room they now found themselves in. After another sharp tug from her, the pain searing his wrist outweighed the relief he had felt from his momentary respite on the floor. Cassian stood and allowed himself to be dragged along behind Nadia like some sad, wilted flower victim to a harsh breeze.

His mood, and interest, were only lifted when the two stumbled across some kind of ancient altar. Moss and luminescent fungus trailed up the base of the altar in a sporadic pattern, illuminating it with some kind of otherworldly vibrancy, yet branding it as an integral part of the cave itself. “Little warning first?” Cassian said through coughs, waving his free hand to dissipate the cloud of dust that Nadia had set loose carelessly. His blue eyes were sharpened steel as he shot a dirty look her way.

“Song of the Sea?” Cassian murmured to himself before he could think to bite his tongue. Muscles tensed instantly, a nervous glance cast the captain’s way to see if she had heard the accidental knowledge he had seemingly just handed her for free. “The title,” He said sheepishly, averting his gaze away from Nadia’s own dark one. “It’s in Isoldeish. Only Vinyamarian royalty are taught how to read and speak it.”

The crown prince held out his smooth hand, beckoning her to hand over the book. “Let me, I’m sure it has something to do with the jewel.”







/* ------ credit -- do not remove ------ */

© weldherwings.
 













nadia damaris
captain of the sun howler



















  • .













Desperate




Caves of Ul'denia



[/tab]




the ocean determines our fate.
Cassian’s complaints met deaf ears. He seemed to have forgotten his place– he was no more than a prisoner in his company. The Prince had no right to make requests of Nadia. The Captain allowed these complaints to pass, more engrossed in the book in front of them than the whining price attached to her arm. No amount of Cassian’s grating voice could ruin this moment for her– ancient texts were so hard to come by, all lost in the war. Information was power to Isolde, and in the Great Wars so long ago, Vinyamar stole that information from them. Set ablaze, burned, dumped in the ocean– whatever the wicked people could do to erase the legacy of the once great people.

His voice repeating what she translated in her head certainly threw her off. The lost language was so rare to see– it was almost impossible to learn. In truth, Nadia hadn’t a clue how she’d known it so well. With the limited recollection of her parents, she assumed they’d been the ones to teach her. But then again, how would they know? The woman never questioned it, only grateful to have acquired the skill to read and speak the ancient language. “Ah, first you burn and pillage our country and then you claim our language as your own?” Nadia hissed, scorned that the pompous Prince would be so presumptuous to assume the Captain could not understand the writings. Only Vinyamarian royalty… Ha. Cassian knew nothing of the world. Of her people.

Despite her scorn, she would not freely share with the enemy her ability to read Isoldeish. That would be a punishable offense in the time of her forefathers– who was to say it wouldn’t be in her time as well. Still, his reaching hand made Nadia frown, the woman smacking his hand away with a harsh pop. “I am certain it has something to do with the jewel, you trollop.” If Nadia was tolerable to the Prince before, she’d become a bowed-up snake, ready to strike if provoked again. “Keep your hands away, unless you wish to lose them.” The Captain hissed, cracking open the book without another word. Gods, he was insufferable.

The beginning of the book was a foreword from the author, rambling in the ancient language of old academic entities, offering gratitude to mentors and royalty, praising the old kings for their granting of his study. A few pages in, a beautiful map sprawled over two pages. A map of Isolde in its glory. Nadia was enraptured with curiosity and a sense of remorse as she gazed upon the pages. Her eyes stung, her throat suddenly feeling dry, flooded with emotion. These were the words of her people. Their people. A people that were slaughtered and pillaged by the hands of greedy Vinyamarians.

“It was written during the War,” Nadia said, though she felt certain Cassian was likely skimming over her shoulder. If he could truly read Isoldeish. She flipped the page, to more texts, documenting the experience of this scholar through the siege of the Palace. Nadia began reading aloud, and though her irritation and rage towards the Prince hadn’t dampened, the words would perhaps jog his memory as well. After all, he was their guide, though she doubted the validity of his knowledge. “After months of battling, the army can no longer hold the Devil's back. They have broken through the walls of the city. They’ve burned the outer ring of the city, bodies line the street. The Royal family fled weeks ago but have entrusted the jewel in my possession. I fear I may not be able to escape before The Palace is compromised. As I write, the Royal Guard fight to secure the Palace– but they outnumber us by thousands. Though I know my fate is sealed in death, I must keep the Jewel from the hands of the dastards that wish to take its power for wicked reasons.”

The History of Isolde was a messy mystery to most. After all, the academic texts, records of crops, historic events, and anything providing a lens to the past had been destroyed or locked away by Vinyamar, kept from the people to eradicate the idea that their war wasn’t justified. A first-hand account was more precious than the most valuable stone Vinyamar could offer. This was gold in her hands. She flipped a few pages, heart racing with each word of the old scholar, the hero that surely swept the Jewel from the enemy's clutches.

“The Palace has been compromised. Thank the Saints for my escape. In the early morning hours, as the city burned, we escaped on a boat from Vos Koraatus. We do not know where we will sail. The Vinyamarians have taken our home. We will sail until we make landfall. We walk our path blind, with only the Jewel to guide us. May the Gods protect us.”

“We’ve been on the open sea for weeks. Our supplies dwindle with each day– we have taken to rationing our food to one meal a day. Water is scarce, but Juldina has concocted a way of turning the ocean into drinkable water. We know not when we will be upon land. Perhaps this Jewel will be claimed by the ocean, far from the reaches of any man or elf, lost from our people forever.”

“Our numbers dwindle but the Gods have blessed us. This morning we were carried to an island– it is cold, with tall mountains and endless snow. The island seems to have no inhabitants, no animals. We scavenged fruit for sustenance. No map has shown this place. I fear we have stumbled upon the Unknown Lands but we will trek forward in our quest to protect the jewel. If we don’t freeze first.”

“The currents seem to keep us trapped on this godsforsaken island. Each time we set sail as if set on a predetermined track, the ocean spits us back out at the same shores we departed from. Is there some sort of curse placed on this wretched island? Starvation hasn’t claimed our lives, but I fear this peculiar land might.”

“Our numbers dwindle. This island has kept us in her clutches for three months now. Yovia and Uto tried to swim to sea. They drowned. Rolts plunged a blade into his chest while the rest of the crew slept. It is only Juldina and I left to protect this jewel. Our mental fortitude will carry us to the end of this mission. We will not succumb to the wills of man.”

“The blood of our crew seems to have appeased the island. We set sail in the late afternoon, under full sun. It must be summer now, for the brutally cold island blooms with flowers and the snow melts. The current has allowed us passage. We travel further to the Unknown Lands. I suspect this continent to have once inhabited the ancient peoples, perhaps even the First Ones. We will hide the jewel here, away from the prying hands of the Vinyamar. I hope that one day it will be reclaimed by our Kings and Queens of the future.”

“The Unknown Lands?” Nadia repeated with furrowed eyebrows. She’d never heard of an Unknown Lands– well, the name implied that, didn’t it? The furthest south any ship could travel was the tip of Jhavri– but Jhavri wasn’t cold. The endless fields of sand and unbearable heat made it the opposite of whatever the author was describing in his accounts. Was there a secret continent at the edge of the world? “Do you know anything of this?” Nadia turned to Cassian, shoving the book in his face now. Her desperation for information washed away the residual anger she’d experienced moments prior. “Please tell me you know where this is.”






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© weldherwings.
 













cassian airendil
the crown prince



















  • .













exhuasted, skeptical




Caves of Uldenia



[/tab]




the relief of giving in to destruction
Under normal circumstances, Cassian’s pride and ever so carefully groomed ego would have balked at Nadia’s behavior toward him. No, that wasn’t quite right, under normal circumstances, Cassian would never have imagined anyone treating him with such open disdain and lack of respect. It would have been an impossible scenario. But these were no ordinary circumstances. Cassian was simply exhausted. The adrenaline of running for his life for what was now the second time in less than an hour had expended whatever energy he had stored up from his hellish voyage over from Vinyamar.

So when Nadia swatted at his hand, the look laced within her dark eyes venomous, he didn’t have it within himself to protest, let alone be offended. The prince simply withdrew his outstretched palm with a gesture of surrender, and maybe a heavy roll of his eyes added for dramatic effect.

He skimmed some of the areas of text visible from his position, though the faded ink was hard for his eyes to discern with only the soft luminescence of the cave and harsh contrast of flickering orange light from Nadia’s torch.

The moment of blissful silence while Nadia poured over the ancient text was short lived. He felt a pang of frustration when her fiery line of questioning picked up once more. As if Cassian really expected her to be absorbed in the book for the next six hours. Foolish, really.

Gaze narrowing, Cassian stuck up his free hand to counter the book being now thrown in his face. What--seconds ago he was a dirty, culture stealing vulture and now she was pleading for his input? A scowl soured the prince’s feminine features, the look of disdain amplified by the dancing orange flame of the torch and licking shadow that chased after it.

“How do you know how to read Isoldeish?” His words were sharp, pointed. Nadia knew more than she was letting on, that much he was sure of. Just who was she really? Certainly not just the captain of some run down pirate ship running rackets on the wealthy. What did she even want the jewel for? Finlas had sought after the promise of power such a myth carried. Something to surpass the spoils of victory Vinyamar had feasted upon previously. Something to surpass his father. But Nadia, and her rinky dink crew, what did they honestly think the jewel would do for them? They were just one ship after all. If anything, their search would only succeed in placing the star right into the palms of his father.

“And I do know where that is,” he grumbled, finally shoving the book out of his field of immediate vision with a childish jab. All those years forced to study cartography were finally paying off, he could thank Finlas for that. “It’s a death wish--even more so than that damn forest you dragged me through.”

Cassian moved to the closest wall to the podium they had been standing at, taking advantage of Nadia’s momentary tunnel vision to sneakily grab a moment of rest. The stone floor was cool against his legs, and slightly damp.

“There’s a reason they’re called the Unknown Lands. Precisely because no one travels there. They’re just that--unknown. There’s no telling what type of monsters or freakish hellscape we could get caught in down there. If you want to drag your crew, you go ahead but leave me out of it,” He sighed. The prince rested his head against the stone wall, eyes finally slipping closed to block out the situation he was currently in. How many days had it been? Four, five? At this point Zinyra would begin to sense his absence. It wasn’t long until Nadia’s crew would start to feel the crushing weight of the crown’s reach creep upon them. He just had to survive until then.








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© weldherwings.
 













nadia damaris
captain of the sun howler



















  • .













appealing




Caves of Ul'denia



[/tab]




align yourself with the enemy.
How do you know how to read Isoldelish?

His question caused Nadia to scowl his direction. Did Cassian think her mother tongue belonged to the Vinyamarians? Sure, the language was close to dead, but the spirit of her Country still burned bright in those that tended to its flames. People like Nadia refused to lie down at the hands of Vinyamar. “I am Isoldelish,” Nadia said flatly, casting her harsh gaze his way and away from the ancient text scrawled in the journals which seemed ever-so-precious to the Captain. “Why would I not know how to read it? Oh, yes, that’s right. The efforts of your people to wipe the language from existence perhaps?” She clicked her tongue, pressing the cover of the book closed.

In truth, her knowledge of the language was a rare one. A memory from her childhood clawed to the surface before dipping below and away from her mind. The whisper of that memory plagued her each time she revisited the old texts that the Sun Howler collected over the years, unable to access them. Unable to remember. Like a reflex she’d learned when she was a child, her ability to read and speak the ancient language lingered from her youth.

But the language was not her focus. In fact, it was the farthest thing she wished to know or answer for him. Her mind now searched anyway to reach this Unknown Land the author spoke of. Useful as always, Cassian provided the knowledge she’d stolen him for. He wasn’t as useless as the crew claimed he would be– albeit his use came with waves of resistance and attitude that no one cared for.

As Cassian sauntered to the wall, Nadia removed her pack and retrieved a map from it, splaying it on a dry rock. Dimly illuminated by the bioluminescent creatures and the flickering torch flame, her eyes searched the coffee-colored expanse. Surely a place called the Unknown Lands would not be marked on a map, but hope burned bright in her heart. A death wish or not, it was now the only place her heart was set on. Dark eyes flickered from the map, eyebrows raising skeptically.

“Leave you out of it?” Nadia spilled out bitterly, shaking her head as a sour laugh rolled from her lips. “And what would you suggest? Leaving you here? Or perhaps we should hand you back over to the Vinyamarians? Maybe drop you off in Okoris?” Nadia laughed again, settling on the ground in front of him. “God, I never imagined Vinyamarians to be this stupid. Pompous, yes. Incredibly irritating? Absolutely. But really, Cassian. You must realize there’s no choice for you in this.” It felt like they’d had this conversation at least 10 times. Were elven skulls thicker than human skulls? In all their “higher existence”, was hearing their downfall? Surely, not. No, Cassian Airendil was simply a stubborn and delusional man.

Reaching back into her bag, she dug around for the key to their cuffs, her wrist begging for respite and perhaps a bandage after the thick metal dug into her flesh for so long. “You know the location of the Unknown Lands,” Nadia stated as if he hadn’t just spoken those words moments prior. “You read Isoldelish, unlike most of my crew,” Some information perhaps he didn’t have to know, but Nadia, as stubborn as she was, mayhaps was attempting a different tactic. “You are my key to all this.” Her fingertips finally brushed over the chipped metal key, retrieving it and jamming it into the lock on her wrist. The metal fell to the rocks with a clank, and the woman let out a sigh of relief, the dried blood (and fresh), finally exposed to the air of the cave. “Fuck…” She hissed as her fingers brushed against the raw skin. That would hurt like a bitch for a few days, that was certain.

Reaching out, she took his wrist in her hand, placing the key in. “You have no choice, Cassian. I need you. And until I have the jewel, you will stay with me.” The lock clicked and the metal cuff loosened, finally freeing Cassian’s wrist, which seemed to be in a similar condition as Nadia’s. Picking the heavy metal, she placed it back in the bag and instead grabbed a roll of bandages. Thank Miller for packing everything. “Accepting that fate will do you good.” Pouring a good amount of alcohol on his wrist, she kept his hand secured as she went to work wrapping the bandage around the bloody wrist, only the rhythmic crashing of waves echoing from the cave entrance filling the space.

Nadia sought Cassian’s compliance. Though she hated him to his very core as Crown Prince of Vinyamar, having the man work with her, rather than against her, would be far easier than dragging him everywhere in cuffs. Her appealing to him in this manner, maybe influenced by the nature of their sequestration, was her attempt at making him understand it was death or her at this point. And if he cooperated, Nadia would protect him with her life. After all, Cassian was their guide to the jewel. And his life was precious and valued while he was aboard the Sun Howler.





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© weldherwings.
 













cassian airendil
the crown prince



















  • .













annoyed, curious




Caves of Uldenia



[/tab]




tender when i wanna be
Cassian only had enough energy to roll his eyes. “Yeah, actually. Drop me back off at Port of Call if you’d be so willing. I have some words for Sylvis and a liter of wine waiting for me,” He spit out, features hardened into a venomous look.

His mouth nearly salivated in need when Nadia’s hand emerged from her bag pinching a small, iron key between her fingers. His eyes desperately flickered from the movement of her wrist whilst twisting the key to spring the lock, clattering metal reverberating in the high ceilings of the cave, to the concentrated expression etched into her features. The prince was scouring for any hint of her intent laced within it. His wrist had been rubbed raw and left bleeding from the panicked fleeing that had brought them to their current position. Each beating of his pulse brought with it a fresh wave of pain, something Cassian was unused to. A life of comfort meant his relationship with pain was---lacking, to say the least.

With Nadia’s wrist now exposed to the air, on full display for him, Cassian couldn’t help the fledgling amount of joy that sparked in his chest. If Nadia was intent on putting him through this hell, at least she wasn’t walking away fully unscathed. He flinched when the captain reached out, the movement of her taking hold of his wrist pressing the metal further into already raw flesh. Cassian hissed in pain, tongue sucking his teeth to express his disapproval to her.

The prince didn’t know what he had expected Nadia to do once she freed herself from her own bindings. Shackle him to the podium--maybe. Capture his other wrist and make him fully captive? Most likely. The sharp, metallic clang of metal crashing into damp rock was the last thing Cassian expected. He stared down at his injured, and now fully free, wrist, jaw slightly slack as he processed his disbelief. The lax expression did not last long. Cassian sucked in a harsh breath, and despite his best protests, a groan of pain slipped from his throat. Nadia continued on like nothing, setting the bottle of alcohol back onto the hard rock beneath them. Eyes burning blue fire from the sheer intensity of his gaze, Cassian watched Nadia begin to bandage his wrist, half expecting to see his skin begin to bubble, eaten away by acid rather than the harmless alcohol that had actually been poured.

Through clenched teeth and heavy breath Cassian managed to maintain a teasing lilt to his voice as he said “Captain, you’re not the first woman to want me this badly, but I assure you, you are definitely the first to go to such lengths to act on that desire.”

The prince’s eyes were dangerously smug. He pulled his wrist away from the Captain, now properly bandaged and the pain subdued to a different type of ache than the raw sting from before. Head tilted back against the cave wall, Cassian watched Nadia’s poor attempt to dress her own wound, her one handed movements turned clunky and inefficient. As tempted as he was to leech amusement out of watching her struggle, the sting of frustration from her sounds of fumbling ate away at his resolve faster.

“Fuck, just here, give me,” Cassian sighed, taking the bottle of alcohol from the Captain’s grasp and dousing a vengeful amount onto her wounded wrist. He tilted his head downward, eyes obscured by his dark curls to mask the flicker of amusement that lit up within his gaze. He worked in silence for a moment, the rhythmic movements of tending to her wound lulling Cassian into a trance.

“And how many of your crew know you speak Isoldeish?” Cassian asked Nadia in Isoldeish, half to test her fluency and half for the sake of his own amusement. Although the subject was still shrugged off in favor of his other, less studious hobbies, it had been one of Cassian’s favorite to study. Frowned upon by his father but otherwise unobjected, Cassian had been sharing his notes with Finlas, the latter adamant about learning the ancient language to further aid his hunt for the star. They would banter back and forth around town, Isoldeish flowing from their tongues in rapid succession. It had been something to bond them and them alone.

Ah, first you burn and pillage our country and then you claim our language as your own? Nadia’s harsh words echoed in the Prince’s mind, but he didn’t care. He didn’t care about the language of a people he had never heard of, whose culture was just a smudge in the world’s memory. Why should he care? It was one of the only things he had left to connect him to Finlas. That was real to him, that was something worth caring about. “You might as well tell me your big plan while we’re stuck here for the next, oh six hours. How do you plan on navigating the unknown lands? We’ll have no idea where we’re going, where we’ve been. How can you ensure we won’t get lost?”







/* ------ credit -- do not remove ------ */

© weldherwings.
 













nadia damaris
captain of the sun howler



















  • .













Opening Up




Caves of Ul'denia



[/tab]




the prince of my enemy is my friend.
“Ah yes, I’m sure she would be giddy to see you,” Nadia rolled her eyes, fiddling with her own wrist now. Her bloody wound cried out, stinging from the humid, salty air of the cave. It would do her good to get it patched up sooner rather than later. Thankfully, it wasn’t her sword hand. “Sylvis has more than enough coin to keep her far away from that place. We paid her enough gold to do whatever she wants, wherever she wants. And if she’s smart enough to keep away from big cities, she’ll have her freedom too.” As her scarred fingers went to work trying to wrap her wrist, bandage half in her mouth half intertwined with her fingers, she found no success in bandaging her sore wrist.

Although, it was incredibly difficult to concentrate when Cassian had such inflammatory jest to throw her way. Sharp eyes flickered his way, piercing his lithe form. He didn’t amuse her, but Nadia could match his insolence with her own. “I’m sure my dedication to my desire has left you flattered, Prince.” She scoffed, shaking her head at his audacious words, clearly not allowing even a hint of friendly banter to go on too long. “You could repay me by cooperating…” The woman threw that hopeful sentence into the air, becoming increasingly more irritated by her failed attempts at securing the bandages with one hand. Letting out a huff of frustration, she readjusted, trying a new unsuccessful attempt.

At Cassian’s kind assistance, the sting of alcohol burned her wrist but it was hard to tell by the quick breath she sucked in. With Horsely as their surgeon, pain was quickly learned on the Sun Howler. One knife to the side of her torso and she was laying on a table with a needle piercing her flesh, in and out, only liquor to keep the pain from blinding her. The burn of alcohol wasn’t the only thing that stung her. She wasn’t sure why exactly Cassian was even helping her in the first place. Surely her blunt words hadn’t swayed him so easily. She studied him as he silently and meticulously wrapped her wrist and hand, taking care to dress it properly. Peculiar.

“You don’t even know their names,” Nadia retrieved her hand from Cassian’s grasp, smoothing her fingers over the clean bandages, subconsciously admiring the work– and also reveling in the relief it brought from the chains they’d previously been bound by. “Edmond.” She responded back easily, the language sounding comfortable and familiar from her lips. “He grew up on the ship. I taught him with the books we have. He practices more than the others,” She smiled fondly at the studious boy. He belonged in a school, with real teachers and books of proper history and sciences. But Edmond couldn’t belong– neither Vinyamarian or Isoldeian. Half breed, they would scoff at him. He did belong with the Sun Howler, with their crew. Pulling herself from those thoughts, she caught Cassian’s gaze. “That’s it. Edmond isn’t fluent, but he is learning.” While Nadia wished to run “Sun Howler School for Isoldelish”, it was impossible. Each individual had a crucial function on the ship that required their attention.

Turning on the rock she sat on, Nadia turned her back to Cassian, gazing towards the cave entrance and focusing on the soft waves crashing. The silence was crushing, bearing the weight of new discovery and possibility. Her mind raced with a new formulating plan, pivoting to the Unknown Lands. She would be consumed by it soon enough– She and Cassian finally seemed on the same page, though. The Prince inquired of her great plan, one that she didn’t have yet. But Nadia knew herself. She would come up with something grand.

“Cassian, I believe you fail to remember who exactly I am.” She turned back towards him, a prideful smirk tugging at the corners of her mouth. “I am Nadia Damaris, Great Captain of the Ocean of Rïrthméral and the Twin Seas. Witch of the Sea.” A full grin had bloomed on her lips. Her notoriety brought her a bit of joy. “I didn’t gain those titles by sitting my ass on a dock and hoping. I have traveled the world. I know the Ocean like the back of my palm.” Finally relaxing her prideful attitude, she stared at the glowing plants that sprouted from the ceiling.

Nadia was hesitant to share any real information with Cassian– but if he would guide her, she needed to trust him with something eventually. “Mary used to Captain the Sun Howler. Before she found me.” Mysterious Mary. The elusive former Captain that taught her so much. Despite being the closest thing she had to a mother, Nadia knew very little of the woman, aside from the grand reputation she had of terrorizing Vinyamarian ships and port cities and gathering any Isoldelian she laid her eyes on. But something Mary had shown her as a child came to mind. Something that sparked a sudden epiphany.

“Growing up, Mary taught me everything I knew about reading a map. She showed me these… old, archaic maps. From before the War. It marked the great cities of Isolde. And the Unknown Lands of Cos Vora. If I can find that map…” A map with the location. A Vinyamarian with the knowledge of the jewel. A book leading them to her prize. Everything was falling into place. “Fear not Prince, The Witch of the Sea would never get lost. The ocean is my home. My destiny… We will make it. And when I find that map… Everything will come together.”





/* ------ credit -- do not remove ------ */

© weldherwings.
 













cassian airendil
the crown prince



















  • .













flippant, reassured




Caves of Uldenia



[/tab]




tender when i wanna be
His eyes narrowed into a steeled sharpness, the look softened only slightly by the romantic effect of the orange torch flickering soft patterns across both the prince and the captain’s features. His words, however, had nothing to filter out their cold apathy as Cassian sneered, “And why should I know their names? Like they wouldn’t chuck me overboard the second you deem me unessential cargo,” He muttered this last part, pulling his lanky arms inwards to cross over his chest. The prince stored the small piece of knowledge gifted to him that besides Nadia, Edmond was the only one aboard to even remotely understand Isoldeish, tucking it away as an afterthought for journey aboard the ship.

“I believe you fail to remember who exactly I am” Cassian bit down on the inside of his lip, hoping the pain would stop the shit eating grin or snarky comment from crawling up his throat. One managed to slip out regardless, a soft utterance of “Yeah--witch of the sea alright.”

Although his ego and carefully polished sense of pride were nudging him to take Nadia’s claims with a flippant air, hearing her speak of the sea with such comfort, pride radiating from her person, the words spoken allowed him to find a bit of relief among the large weight of dread dropping into his stomach. Sure, Cassian had traveled for diplomacy before, but movement of the royal family was few and far between.

Unlike most, including Finlas, the taste for wanderlust was lacking on Cassian’s palate. Why would he feel the need to travel when he had everything he could ever wish for in his home city? In Okoris, he was safe. In Vinyamar, he was safe. In Cassian’s eyes, every step outside the harbor was a step in the direction of danger. He would never admit it to Nadia aloud, but hearing her borderline cocky assurance that she would navigate their journey safely eased the fraying nerves that had begun to come apart within him.

He listened to Nadia’s recount of the former Captain with closed eyes, listening to the ambient sound of faint lapping waves at the mouth of the cave. Her voice began to trail off, whether in thought or reticence at sharing such personal memories, and Cassian felt his consciousness begin to become soft and malleable under the weight of impending sleep. He really hadn’t gotten much rest upon the Sun Howler, his nights haunted by Finlas and his days haunted by the hawkish Nadia watching his every move. And--in his own defense, they had stared down the nose of death not once, but twice now. He deserved a bit of rest, even in the presence of someone who had held a knife to his throat only four days ago.

Despite his increasing descent into sleep, Cassian’s eyes were quick to open and focus in on Nadia’s expression when he picked up on the sudden change in her tone. Wistful and nostalgic to lit with some kind of burning fire. Of passion. Maybe it should have brought him some type of relief. They would have a map to help them navigate uncharted territory, a small beacon of light in impossible darkness. But with a map, they would have a very clear path across an island that very well did not contain the jewel. The prince rightened his posture against the cold stone of the cavern, dread injected into his bloodstream. He would need another diversion and fast. It was a present from some god above that Nadia was satiated with the book they found here, otherwise he had no doubt he’d be floating face down in the shallow water pooled at the mouth of the cave by now.

Although his muscles were screaming in adrenaline to tense and prepare for flight, Cassian relaxed his posture and allowed a lazy smirk to slide onto his features as he said, tone dripping in honey, “well then, my Witch of the Sea, let’s hope the ocean reflects such a bold sentiment.”







/* ------ credit -- do not remove ------ */

© weldherwings.
 













nadia damaris
captain of the sun howler



















  • .













Fight and Defend




As'verian Forest



[/tab]




what lies in the darkness?
The heat of the island consumed the Witch of the Sea with a lethargy she couldn’t stave off. The warm, salty island air clung to her frame like a warm blanket, reminiscent of summer days on the ship, sweltering and yet oddly soothing. The tossing and turning of older crew members in their hammocks, desperate to escape the sweltering heat with the solace sleep would bring. Nadia always slept the best in those times. The soft breaths of her brethren and the crashing of waves on the hull of the Sun Howler rocking the ship ever so slightly pulled her to sleep, cradling her in the arms of the sea.

Tucked so deep in the cave, surrounded by water dripping from the tall cave ceilings, waves lapping at the mouth of the cave, and the sticky air soaking through her linen shirt, Nadia could no longer fight sleep, head lulling back against the damp rock. Dark eyelashes fluttered on scarred cheeks as the stoic Captain fell into a light slumber, hardened expression dissipating into something far more pleasant than most were able to see.

Despite scowling almost constantly, wrinkles from sun, frowning, and age had yet to take the Captain’s face. In truth, the woman was quite young, despite the long, treacherous life she’d lived. Lacking of wrinkles, what the Captain’s face did reveal was the years of fighting she and her crew endured. Colored by time and healing, the thin slivers of pinky-white skin littered her face like slashes in a poet’s journal over incorrect couplets. Scars painted her face with tens of untold stories of victories– or close calls. Of course, most of these imperfections were hard to miss without further inspection. Apart from the unsightly cicatrix decorating her lower face and lips, the others were tiny details in an intricate painting.

The ocean crashes unforgivingly against the rocky cave mouth, in and out, splashing sprays of brackish water into the cave. Cassian and Nadia were protected from the angry ocean for the hours they spent sheltering in the cave. The hours passed, and so too did the tide, gently retreating back to whence it came as the sun melted into the horizon. No longer did the cave echo with the rhythmic crashing of waves, indicating the two stowaways were allowed passage from the cave.

Nadia rose with somnolent movements, elbow dug into the hard cave surface begging for relief. Her body, while aching with discomfort from her rocky resting place, felt restored momentarily. She reveled in the feeling only momentarily before the realization of her slumber hit her. Heart leaping into her throat, she clamored for the book–

Which still rested on her lap. Untouched. Unmoved. Unaffected. She lacked trust in the deceitful Vinyamarian in the back of her mind, but the lack of tampering rested her mind momentarily. “Cassian. We must make haste…” Pushing herself up and collecting her knapsack, she nudged the Prince with her boot. “The tide has retreated. There's no telling what the forest holds this time of night.”

Wiping the sleep from her eyes, reclaiming the torch from the pedestal, Nadia took charge in leading the way out, hesitant in case a night storm would pull them out to sea with angry waves. The path was clear, damp from hours of high tide, but safe for passage for the two travelers. Outside, creatures of the night buzzed to life, a score for Nadia and Cassian’s dark way through the Forest and back to town. Whatever monster lurked in the darkness of the As’verian Forest was waiting and watching in the murky blackness of nightfall, ready to devour and ward off strangers from entering her sacred grove.

“I suggest keeping that dagger I gave you at your side,” Nadia spoke back at Cassian, dark eyes watching the unknown in front of them. While the daylight offered soft sunrays to guide their journey, the new moon blackened the sky and the coos and caws of the forest fauna only encouraged paranoia in any sensible person. A brush in the woods. A snap of a limb. Was that a snarl?

The trek had yet to begin and a small inkling of fear crept up Nadia’s body, especially after their encounter hours prior.

She could fight man with sword and knife proficiently enough, but urban legend and ancient myths were untouchable and imperceivable, invisible beasts waiting to test her wit and talent with a blade. “Well.” Nadia began, releasing a breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding. “There’s no use in waiting around. The crew is anxiously awaiting my return.” Pause. “Our return.” Gesturing forward with her blade, she only waited a moment before marching way into the forest, torch illuminating only a few feet in front of them.





/* ------ credit -- do not remove ------ */

© weldherwings.
 













cassian airendil
the crown prince



















  • .













exhausted, wistful




As'veria, Sun Howler



[/tab]




i love him. i want him to stay away from me.
Previously thought impossible due to the vessel having served as the very start to his imprisonment and unfortunate acquaintance with the witch of the sea, Cassian’s mind stuttered at the wave of relief that had carved a home within him when the Sun Howler crested into their vision. It stood proud against the melting sky, bright orange hues and golden light cascading through cream sails, almost convincing the prince of its name, Sun Howler.

After nearly dying twice in the past 7 hours, Cassian was willing to welcome any type of bed and temporary safe harbor with very open and exhausted arms. Hot shame still dusted a brush of red across his cheeks from Nadia’s biting laughter when the pair uncovered the beast that had sent them sprinting for safety earlier in the day. A mother deer and her faun, picking at the foliage below with careful eyes. Apparently the tale of monsters and guardians of the forest served to be just that--a tale. It was difficult for Cassian to bite back the bitter commentary rising like bile in his throat the more Nadia dug into him. He hoped that, if allowed to burn out her amusement at his fright while they were still traversing the forest, she would be too tired to recount the tale to her crew. Pointed tips of his ears that poked through his mess of brown curls flushed a scarlet red at the thought of facing the shit eating grins of her crew once they found out.

Realistically, Cassian could push the temporary sense of embarrassment that flushed through his system. It would linger, but like a high tide it could only remain for so long until pulled back into the recesses of his mind. The bigger, more dominant issue on his mind was how the hell he was going to explain the lack of the jewel once found in the unknown lands. Nadia was sure to kill him then, once their second promised location turned up with empty palms. What he needed to do during their journey to the large mass of unexplored land was listen in on the crew's plans, their dynamics, and look for any weaknesses he could press on in order to escape. How willing he was to deal with the veiled danger the unknown lands held, he was yet to find out. For now, it was play Nadia’s little game and act the fool.


-----------

“Zinyra, make it quick. You know I’m busy,” Joran said, unbothered to look up from the stack of papers upon his desk. The grand, polished mahogany felt like an impossibly tall wall to the princess, barring her from the world both the king and Rigel thrived in. She cleared her throat, shifting from side to side on delicate heels.

“Cassian is gone,” She stated. No frills. No beating around the bush. He was simply gone.

Rigel snorted before their father could reply. “Yeah, right, as if he would ever leave the spoils of his little reverie here,” The young elf’s gaze was razor sharp in his disdain. “Are you sure he isn’t in one of the brothel’s by the port, drowning himself in pu--”

“Rigel, enough,” His father cut off the indignant prince with a low growl of his voice. “Why do you believe he’s gone, Zinyra,” Joran sighed, setting down the cream sheet in his hand. He sat back, iron gaze landing heavy on her shoulders.

Zinyra swallowed hard. “I--Cassian and I have an arrangement. He may shirk off the responsibilities you and mom set on him but not with me. Once a month we have lunch together, and we take a walk in the park. I like to check in on him--make sure he’s doing ok.”

Joran’s gaze was empty. The king lifted an eyebrow, mouth set into a straight line as if to say, ‘get to the point faster here.’

The princess swallowed hard once more. “He didn’t show up. When I went to his apartment, it was empty, completely vacant and unlived in four or five days. None of the servants had seen him, none of the brothels had seen him.” She reached into her bag, pulling out a statement of papers with a clearly labeled outlier. Zinyra knew from the moment Cassian hadn’t showed up to their lunch that something--off must have happened. He and their parents had their issues--but even in his darkest times Cassian would not abandon her. She knew it in her heart. So, knowing her father and Rigel’s tendency to brush off Cassian’s well being as an afterthought, Zinyra had looked into the issue herself.

She set the papers onto her father’s desk, finger pointing steady at the section she had circled. “Your security seemed to have missed this one,” She said, voice beginning to lace with venom. “An undocumented ship had been granted passage. The same day Cassian's whereabouts were last documented. I believe he was kidnapped,” She pressed her lips together, gaze searing into her father seated before her.

Rigel was silent behind his father, expression unreadable. “You’re sure about this?” He asked, eyes flicking down to the king to gauge his reaction.

“I’m positive,” Zinyra nodded, her blue eyes hardened to steel. “The only lead we have is this symbol here, on the sails." A symbol of the sun was recreated in a haphazard scribble at the bottom of the document, the hasty drawing of one of the port workers after Zinyra had drilled him for anything he could provide her.

“We’ll look into this,” The king stated, his jaw tight. “Rigel, prepare a crew and ship. If this proves true, I trust you to track this. You’re more than capable.”

Rigel’s eyes burned into Zinyra’s with a seething rage. “Of course, father,” He said, voice terse. “You can entrust it to me.”

----

Cassian let out a deep breath, eyes trained on the gently shifting sea of stars above. He had been hoping for a good night’s sleep in an actual bed tonight, but unsurprisingly, Nadia’s insatiable hunger for finding the jewel had eaten into their plans for the night. After a shower and a much too quick meal, Cassian and the crew found themselves being ushered back onto the ship to take off for the night, the Captain unwilling to let any amount of time slip through her fingers lest something happen to the jewel in that interim. Cassian snorted to himself, adjusting his position in the hammock he was seated in. The smell of the sea ghosted through periodically, carried by the hands of a soft breeze.

He gave a sigh. He could sleep out here, truly. It was the first time in a while he wasn’t accompanied by anyone, left to his own devices for the evening while Nadia briefed everyone on her plan. Cassian assumed she wanted to keep him in the dark about the details, lest he sabotage her plan in any way. Although chapped, he was self aware enough to know she was right. He would just have to pry at the details from the crew in other ways. Exhaustion had begun to set in at this point, he was too tired to care about formulating some grand escape at the moment. Not when the sloshing sounds of water sucked against the sides of the ship in a rhythmic, melodic pattern. He felt his eyes growing heavy, beckoning him into the warm palms of sleep.

“Cassian!” A laughing voice echoed in his mind. “Cassian come find me!”

“I’m trying!” A young Cassian huffed, frustration crawling in red ink up his neck. He was tempted to take his hands off of his eyes at this point, too fed up with Finlas’ teasing remarks and itching to win.

“Over here!”

“You’re moving too fast, it’s not fair!” Cassian huffed. He sat down into soft grass with a plop, falling back onto the cool earth to stare at the sky above.

It took a couple of seconds for Finlas to notice his friend’s silence, curious head peeking out behind one of the garden’s rose bushes. “Aw, come on, you always give up so easily!” Finlas let out a boyish laugh. He plopped down next to Cassian, laying back to stare up at the same view. The sky was illuminated by the dying breath of the sun, a pale, dusty blue that hadn’t quite melted into the navy haze of night. A faint dusting of stars glittered, excited for their grand show of splendor awaiting them once the sky faded dark.


“Promise me that one day, you’ll actually make an effort to find me, yeah?” Finlas sighed out, poking Cassian in the side. “I always find you when it’s my turn. It’s no fun when you don’t try to find me.”

Cassian sighed. “Yeah--yeah fine. One day I’ll make an effort to find you.”

“Pinky promise?” Finlas teased, propping himself on his elbow to meet Cassian’s gaze with his own. The prince sighed, weak to the warm excitement in his friend’s eyes, and lifted up his pinky to interlock it.

“Yes--Fin. I pinky promise.”

Cassian woke with a start from the shallow sleep he had drifted into. His cheeks were wet, he noticed. Cassian swiped at his skin with flat palms, gaze roaming to see if he had missed some large wave or spray from the sea below. A remaining tear caught in his lashes finally broke, catching on his skin and joining the preexisting river to run in a smooth gleam down his cheek. Had he been crying?

The prince hurriedly swiped away the rest of his tears before lacing his arms as a pillow behind his head. He swallowed hard, eyes roaming the constellation of stars in the sky. "I'll find you this time, Fin," Plush lips whispered. "I pinky promise."







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© weldherwings.
 
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nadia damaris
captain of the sun howler



















  • .













restless, awake




The Sun Howler



[/tab]




a mind consumed; falling deeper into the madness.
The trek back to the main village was certainly an arduous one, but by no means was it filled with fearful frights as Nadia and Cassian anticipated. Though her body ached, and her fist curled tightly around her blade, the only enemy to be found was a creature of the forests and its spawn. Nothing more, nothing less. Cassian’s fear somehow seeped into her own sensibility and he’d led her astray! Now that would be something to jest about for years to come– Though her taunts resonated through the harmless wood on the path back, the laughter and smiles were quickly washed away when a daunted looking Erin stood pacing at the entrance to the forest, pacing back and forth with only torch light illuminating her worry worn face.

“Captain!” The woman yelped when Nadia’s familiar form entered her light. With little hesitation, the seawoman quickly came to greet their lost Captain. “Osmond said– The Vinyamarian devil must have–” Shaking her head and pushing past Erin, Nadia’s lips pressed into a thin line. “Osmond was under orders to keep his mouth shut. I do suppose a chat is in way… It’s hardly nightfall– The tide caught us, was all.” Erin appeared relieved, but unsatisfied with the answer. This would only be a taste of the curiosity of her crew– and perhaps their potential hostility towards Cassian. “We sail tonight. Rally the crew– there is little time to waste, Erin.” In the flickering torch light, a glint of something insatiable could be noticed in the woman's eye. A hunger that would only be filled when she reclaimed the jewel– or it claimed her. The power of even the thought of the jewel was near all consuming.

Of course, the crew of the Sun Howler was eager to hear the tale of her times exploring the Caves of Ul’denia– but the day had worn on the woman. Answers would come soon to her crew, but rest was essential for every being inhabiting the Sun Howler. There was a long journey ahead of them and no certainty of rest of respite in the coming weeks. Allowing them to have one more night of solace and certainty was the only gift the Captain could offer them. Drinks, food, and the hearth of fellowship flowed freely as the night crept on, eventually lulling the lot of the crew into a wine induced sleep. Bodies curled in hammocks, the soft sway of the ship rocking them to sleep as a mother would a child.

Nadia’s mind could not rest, however. Flooded with endless possibilities, thousands of paths and journeys to be had– and the book. Though the woman would not call her infatuation with the book obsessive yet, another watched over in silent observation of the Captain’s descent.

“We worry, little one.” Hands slammed the book shut, whirring on her heels with wide eyes to confront the intruder but only the familiar face of her Captain came into view. “I worry.” The woman’s brows pinched together as she approached, watching the tension flee from Nadia’s worry. “Mary; Sneaking up on anyone at this hour isn’t wise. You know that best of all.” A smile teased out on the older woman's lips. “Skittish as ever, my Nadia. But you will work yourself to death if you continue down this course. Rest for the evening– allow yourself time to recover from this journey.”

Nadia turned from the warmth of Mary, back towards the book, eyes scanning over the ancient cover and soaking in the worn details of the leather. Beside it sprawled several open texts detailing the history of the ancient wars of Isolde and Vinyamar. There was some kind of connection. Some kind of tie. Her whole life she’d been searching for this moment– and she was only an ocean away from finding her life’s work– from restoring her people to their rightful place in the world.

A gentle touch broke Nadia from her thoughts, Mary turning the Captain to face her. Of all the crew aboard the Sun Howler, Mary was the only one who so boldly defied any of the boundaries Nadia had. “You have time, little one. In fact, you have all the time in the world.” The woman pushed a loose strand of hair back, doting on the woman as if she were her mother. “Rest for this night. Return to your work in the morning with a fresh mind.” Hesitation lingered in Nadia’s mind, but Mary’s suggestions were hard to refuse. It felt like a night where child Nadia would sneak into the Captain’s Quarters to study a diagram of the ship, only to be caught in the candlelight by Mary and chided back to bed.

Though her body craved rest, her mind could not. Slinking from the Captain’s Quarters to the ship’s Berth, the slumbering forms of her crewmates brought some consolation. While she’d divulged a sliver of her plan, all would be revealed in the coming days to the crew's delight of apprehensions. The only two souls on that ship that knew of her true plans stood opposite to each other, the lantern light illuminating the curve of their faces in warm glow, barely bright enough to make out details but enough to see the tear trail down his pale skin; Cassian.

Perhaps the prince was homesick. Not all were cut out for the life of a seafarer– especially considering he hadn’t much of a choice. Weaving her way through the hammocks, Nadia kicked her boots off and crawled into the hammock, letting out a sigh. “You should not waste tears longing for your home,” Nadia began softly, not casting her gaze away from the scatter of stars in the sky. “We venture further and further from Okoris by the minute. Your cooperation will return you soon enough to that vile place.”




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cassian airendil
the crown prince



















  • .













curious




Sun Howler



[/tab]




what was in our stars that destined us for sorrow?
Cassian jolted in his hammock at the shock of Nadia’s boots thumping onto the sunbleached wood below. He turned his face to the side, burying it in the soft fabric of his hammock to hide the glistening tears that still wet his cheeks. The last thing he wanted was to show Nadia that he was close to breaking. That he was able to be so easily broken.

“You should not waste tears longing for your home,”

The prince couldn’t help rolling his eyes at her statement. A bold assumption that his tears were caused by homesickness. As if Okoris hadn’t stopped feeling like home the moment Finlas left it. He eyed Nadia’s form while her gaze lingered in the stars. Head tilted back, dark hair brushing against her neck. His eyes traveled across the warm skin of her throat, exposed to the soft gusting of salt and sea, then down to the bandage hugging her wrist.

He let out a sigh. “It’s not home I cry for, but explaining that to you would be a waste.” His words were muttered lowly, just barely solid enough to stand over the gushing white noise of the sea.

“Do you ever get homesick, Captain?” His gaze roamed over her expression briefly before he added, his tone exasperated, “And no--you can’t say this ship is all you need, that’s boring.”







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© weldherwings.
 













nadia damaris
captain of the sun howler



















  • .













unbearably truthful




The Sun Howler



[/tab]




her heart was a secret garden and the walls were very high..
At his retort, Nadia blew a soft stream of air out of her nose. If there was one thing she’d learned from their time together, it was that regardless of the situation, they would always be at odds with each other, like cats and dogs. Cassian was a house cat, used to the pampering and preening of royalty. He’d become lazy in his luxury, curled up in seedy places like the Port of the Call drinking himself silly with wine and women. His coat was clean, his nails were clipped, and his biggest worry was what sunny spot he should lie out and sleep next. Nadia, on the other hand, despised the cat for its sloth. She was far more hardworking, far more diligent and deserving of luxury and rest and yet it never came to her. Thus began the cycle– the cat hissing and swatting its claw and the dog barking and growling.

When it was boiled down to something so simplistic, it almost seemed amusing. No longer were Cassian and Nadia two forces diametrically opposed, but simple creatures that inherently misunderstood the other. At times, Nadia longed for the simplicity of nature but the history between Isolde and Vinyamar would not rest.

“Regardless of what you cry for, the tears are wasted. You bear no wound of the flesh– Dry your eyes and spare the tears for a time when they would be well spent.” Nadia offered back, and though her words had an edge to them, they were dull and half inspired. The woman held very little fight in her tone. The days of travel and fight had worn on her spirit– only rest could cure her ailment and still she did not allow herself to drift away into slumber.

His question soured her only slightly, causing the edges of her mouth to turn downward. She finally tore her gaze away from the stars, shifting them to bore holes in Cassian’s form. But in the blanket of night, there were certain veils that seemed to drop, even between enemies. Nadia was too tired to argue or fuss, but her mind was too alive to sleep. Conversation wouldn’t kill either of them. She let out a heavy sigh, head resting on the edge of the hammock.

“In a way, I suppose.” She began quietly, head lulling to the side. “I’m not sure if I’ve ever had a home to be sick for, in truth.” While the Sun Howler felt most like home, there was a part of her that ached for belonging. It ached to return to a family, with a warm bed to lie in, a hearth to tell stories around, and parents to cradle her in their arms. “The Sun Howler is all I’ve ever known. Mary took me in when I was a young girl– I was practically raised on the sea. These men and women are my family.” The words flowed freely from her lips like water from a spring.

Were words uttered in the night, reaching only one man's ears, even worth anything?

As she readjusted her body, black eyes befell Cassian’s misty greys. Even in the dim lantern light, they were reminiscent of stormy days on the ocean of Rïrthméral. Clouds swirled in majestic billows as far as the eye could see, beams of sunlight desperately fighting to reach the ocean's surface to no avail. Through his stoicism, through the intensity of his eyes, there was something beyond– A deep sadness, perhaps? Nadia had never been good at reading people, not even the men and women she’d lived with for nearly her entire life. Who was she to assume the quality of one’s eyes who she so vehemently despised?

Tearing her eyes away, she ran a hand through her thick, inky tressing, passing lithe fingers through the salt sodden hair. Perhaps next time they docked, she would venture into a market and acquire a brush to smooth out the tangled curls. “At times I feel cheated of my home. I cannot remember my family. I cannot remember where I must have come from. The only memory of before I can recall is the sound of laughter and flute. After that, Mary rescuing me from the remains of a burnt village are all that sear my mind. I would never be envious of a Vinyamarian– that remains true. But I find myself consumed with jealousy at your people. You have safety. Security. Homes. We… All we have is each other.”




/* ------ credit -- do not remove ------ */

© weldherwings.
 













cassian airendil
the crown prince



















  • .













vulnerable




Sun Howler



[/tab]




what was in our stars that destined us for sorrow?
“Regardless of what you cry for, the tears are wasted. You bear no wound of the flesh– Dry your eyes and spare the tears for a time when they would be well spent.

The prince allowed a scoff to be torn from his lungs in a sharp breath. “Ay, ay Captain,” He said, the corners of his mouth turning upwards slightly as he smirked through the words. Cassian then silenced, his expression evening out into something unreadable and veiled as he followed Nadia’s movements to situate herself in the adjacent hammock. For a moment, the only sounds shared between them were soft exhales of breath and an ambient whooshing of air that followed the current below them.

He didn’t know what he was expecting when he asked the woman such a question. Maybe some of her typical snarky comebacks or vague way of dismissing his inquiry. The last thing the prince expected was for the steely captain to actually open up to him. His mouth parted slightly at Nadia’s admission for her lack of home. Although he found his home in Vinyamar to have lost its comforting charm upon the disappearance of his best friend, for a moment, at least he had it. At least he had the memories. Better to have loved and lost, as the saying went.

Cassian’s throat became thick as he swallowed. When he pulled himself from his thoughts, he noticed Nadia had silenced. Her eyes were dark in the weak glow of the moon, glints of onyx as they settled onto his form. He found himself staring back with an absence he hadn’t shown another in years. Since Finlas.

It was only a moment, Nadia’s vacuuming gaze pulling away with a sharp redirection after. The prince let out a short breath. He rearranged his position within the hammock, crossing one leg over the other.

“You have safety. Security. Homes. We… All we have is each other.”

“I think you underestimate the value of the companionship you’re listing there,” He uttered lowly. “You’d be surprised how little of that you’ll find in Vinyamar, ” His eyes slid to the sea over the wooden wall of the ship. It was calm tonight, glittering ripples of water under a silver moon and spattering of stars. “Especially in the royal palace.”

Cassian let a beat of silence coat the two of them in a thin film as his eyes searched the area where the sky melted into the sea. “You know--” His tongue darted out to wet his lips in a second of hesitation. Why was he saying this? Why was he sharing this? “My brother, Rigel. He’s always hated me.” Cassian let out a hiss of air, deflating the leftover instincts that were screaming for him to shut up, to be distant. “He hates that I’m the crown prince and I don’t even take it seriously.”

The Prince tore his eyes away from the comfort of laying out in the unknown and instead settled on Nadia’s face, measuring her expressions. “He’s hated me for so long too, I don’t--” He laughed incredulously, “I don’t even remember when it started. Probably the moment he was born and was introduced to this world as anything other than Cassian Airendale.”

“Not like my parents made it easy for him or any of us to forget that, to be honest. I don’t even think I knew what it was like to walk into a room and feel pure, unconditional love until Finlas--” Cassian froze as his best friend’s name slipped past his lips.

Muscles tense, the prince forced a clearing of his throat. “For what it’s worth, what grief Vinyamar has caused you and your loved ones, I’m sorry. My father--sometimes I don’t think he’s capable of empathy and has always been taught to be power hungry. If you’re not over, you’re under I guess,” He shrugged. He knew it was a lousy excuse but--what could he possibly do, one singular elf to overturn centuries of mindless conquering in the name of power?

“Hey--you wouldn’t happen to have any leftover wine from dinner right? Just one glass, please I swear that’s it.”







/* ------ credit -- do not remove ------ */

© weldherwings.
 













nadia damaris
captain of the sun howler



















  • .













amused/shocked




The Sun Howler



[/tab]




kindred spirts drift into the night.
Exhaustion clung to the Captain like wet cloth to skin, weighing her down and making her sink further into the roughly comfortable hammock. She recalled how her body ached after the first nights of sleeping in the rocking fabric. No longer did her muscles sore when she lay down in the familiar bed– she was far too tired most nights to even pull herself up. Even now, her eyes struggled to stay open. Despite her body being so tired, her mind raced, listening to Cassian’s quiet words and the gentle splash of water against the hull. If it were day, she would remark how calm the ocean had become, but now it was an afterthought or a silent thanks sent to the Mother of the Sea.

Nadia’s hardened shell was nearly shed, all her steely exterior unable to hold in her state of tiredness. In a sense, she felt guilt rush through her. She was sleeping with the enemy, in a way. Letting secrets and sentimental sentiments slip right off her tongue as if she were speaking to a friend. Cassian had Vinyamarian blood running through him, marking him as the enemy. Yet her muscles held no tension. She feared not for her life. If a knife plunged into her chest the minute her eyes closed, it would be pure shock to the woman.

“Companionship is good, yes.” Nadia began, finally letting her eyes rest as she spoke. She rested her torso on her abdomen, sighing into the fabric as it cocooned her in its embrace. “But it can only get you so far. Some of these men and women… They have lived on the sea for 50 years– their fathers and grandfathers lived the life of a sailor just to taste freedom. They had their companionship, of course, but a home? A warm bed? A life without worry or want? That is as foreign to us as magic or mothers.”

Each and every member of the Sun Howler knew how desolate their lives would be without each other but they were a lot that sailed under a flag lost to history. Their history was an oral one, passed down through the generations. Hatred passed down through word of mouth, vengeance given through blood. It was against their nature to find peace in just companionship. Companionship didn’t win wars, power and strength did.

But she took Cassian’s words and tried to understand them. It was very difficult to sympathize with him– a man who had it made in every sense. Lush luxuries at his fingertips, endless gold, an army he would inherit, a kingdom and country that dominated all that dared challenge it. But she’d witnessed what he would do for companionship. Throwing money at girls with pretty faces, drinking himself silly with expensive wine… Nadia could’ve grimaced. That wasn’t living– That was barely surviving.

Cassian spoke of his brother and wondered is she and Rigel had more in common than they realized. A hatred of Cassian Airendil? That sounded familiar. Though she didn’t want to admit it, the hatred was slowly dulling into something unrecognizable. She didn’t hate Cassian but she wasn’t sure what she felt towards him. Cooperation? Gratitude for his help? No. That wasn’t it.

“Finlas.” Nadia repeated, her volume barely above a whisper. Looking to the stars, a familiar feeling spread through her chest. The same one she got when Mary told her old Isolde tales of what happened to fallen warriors. She scanned the stars, wondering if Cassian's fallen friend resided in the night sky with her lost ones. Did Vinyamarian’s and Isoldeian’s both return to the sky when they were slain?

His apology stirred something in her. The past couldn’t be undone– both their histories were written in blood. But even the slightest inkling of remorse from a Vinyamarian was enough to shake her to her core. They were supposed to be wicked, evil creatures incapable of holding compassion or remorse or guilt. Perhaps this was a trick? A scheme to confuse her and betray her later…

Glancing Cassian’s way, she observed his face and no sign of deceit or dishonesty showed on his porcelain features. Perhaps he was simply offering his apologises earnestly.

His question amused her, laughter quickly following the end of his request. “I’ll give you a whole barrel of wine once we find the Jewel. Goodnight Cassian. You’ll need the rest…”




/* ------ credit -- do not remove ------ */

© weldherwings.
 













cassian airendil
the crown prince



















  • .













plotting




Sunhowler



[/tab]




like a shadow, i am and i am not.
“Cassian,” A voice whispered, barely breaking through the sluggish morning haze. A beat of silence followed before the voice picked up once more, this time with an edge of desperation clawing at its heels. “Cassian!”

A grumbled moan arose from the form still slumped in a deep sleep within the hammock. “What,” Cassian stated rather than asked.

“We’re about to dock soon, we need all hands to prepare,” Edmund had since changed his angle to peer over Cassian’s face directly.

“Yeah--cool, just give me like five more minutes I promise that’s it,” Cassian retorted, rolling from his stomach to his opposite side, away from Edmund’s piercing stare.

“Yes but the Captain--”

“Oh my god Edmund,” Cassian exhaled sharply. “Nadia doesn’t even want me touching a god damn thing on this ship anyways. What am I going to do? Sit up there all pretty watching you guys do the hard work? So what if I sleep. I’ll wake up when we dock.” He finished his argument with a dismissive wave of his hand.

Edmund stood, shifting on his feet side to side as he thought over options in his head. If he went above deck without the prince in tow, nothing good was to follow. “Cassian, please,” he tried in one last futile effort. This time, the prisoner didn’t bother with a response. Edmund chewed his bottom lip in thought before shoving caution to the wind. The surgeon in training pressed two hands under the dip of Cassian’s figure in the hammock, and with one swift push--effectively tossed the prince to his ass on the floor.

Cassian landed with a sharp thump, one that was quickly followed with a loud, “Fuck!” to echo off the wooden walls below deck. The prince raised himself to his hands and knees, brown curls a wild mess in his eyes as he whipped back to look at the culprit. “What the fuck Edmund? Really?”

Safe to say his morning was going pretty well so far. After emerging above deck, his eyes burning holes into the middle of Edmund’s back, Cassian was (unsurprisingly) ordered to sit at a small table on the forecastle deck and told “touch nothing lest you want to lose those pretty hands.”

He slumped his figure inelegantly in a sun worn chair. He rested his neck on the backrest, eyes wandering the wide expanse of sky above them. Lazy clouds floated to occasionally block out the sun and offer a brief respite from the strengthening morning rays. The hair around his neck had already begun to dampen with sweat.

Various shouts from the Sunhowler crew broke through the rushing white noise of the sea as they reduced speed. Cassian brought his eyes downwards to take in the rapidly growing coastline. Clusters of buildings were stacked almost on top of each other, sand colored stone cutting through the jagged edges of cliff. It was like a jigsaw puzzle to pull apart the crowded architecture. Their last stop before the Unknown Lands.

Cassian’s gaze slid to his peripheral, watching Nadia give orders to Averett. If he was going to escape, this was going to be his last chance. Despite the captain’s brief moment of softness with him the other night, Cassian knew that her desire for the jewel was too insatiable. He could only lead them around a deserted island for so long before Nadia plunged a sword through his neck. The prince sighed through his teeth. Pink lips pulled back in a tight grimace. First thing in his escape plan? Figure out where the fuck they were.

----

“Captain, we’re about a half day out from port. I recommend stopping to stock up before we return our search.” The crewmate bowed respectfully, eyes trained on the floor as he awaited Rigel’s response.

“Right--that’s fine,” the Vinyamarian royal’s tone was stern and disinterested. The crewmate exited the Captain’s quarters swiftly after.

Fucking Cassian. Leave it to his floozy older brother to get kidnapped in the royal capital of all places. Not that he was all that surprised the drunk managed to get duped. He was so off his ass half the time that Rigel imagined it to be like stealing a defenseless baby from a crib. No--Cassian’s stupidity didn’t surprise him. What sparked the disbelief was that it happened in Okoris. The port was his responsibility--to have such a breach in security. No, he refused to believe it was possible.

Knuckles gripped white death onto the wooden chair he was seated in. The material groaned in protest, but Rigel barely heard it. He needed to fix this and fix it quickly. Just thinking of the knowing stare in Zinyra’s eyes as she laid down those fucking papers in front of him and their father. His mistake, his oversight plastered all over their father’s desk. It was humiliating. Of course it was Cassian.

Rigel stood abruptly, hands laced behind his back as he began to pace. Each thump of his soles was sharp--violent. Like he was trying to punch his feet through the deck below. At the very least, they had caught a break early. The king had only given Rigel a small crew to operate with, reluctant to raise alarm that the crown prince had seemingly vanished from thin air.

His connections at the port were what saved him in the end, his eyes and ears spread out with quick discretion to ascertain what exactly happened the day the unmarked ship had managed to dock without issue. Spread those eyes and ears out further, to any local ports within a day or so. One or two sent north, one or two south, and eventually he landed a tip. The ship was called the Sunhowler, apparently. Docked in As’veria several days ago and had then headed south.

As fate would have it, Rigel and his crew had already set sail south a couple days prior, meaning wherever this ship was, they had to be hot on their heels. The young elf maneuvered over to the window, eyes scouring the vast expanse of blue as if he could read the waves for any kind of clue. “I will find you Cassian,” Rigel muttered under his breath. “Dead or alive--I will find you.”







/* ------ credit -- do not remove ------ */

© weldherwings.
 













nadia damaris
captain of the sun howler



















  • .













content




Tuisea Luxury Seaside Inn II



[/tab]




a place in-between with a bed of feathers rocks me into a dangerous slumber.

“If someone doesn’t slow this goddamn ship right now, I’m going to have all of your heads!” Nadia’s voice was boisterous and booming, cutting through the early morning chatter from her crew. Harsh words, even the Captain would admit that, but docking a ship was no easy feat. It was integral that all members of the crew were involved, lowering sales, securing rope, dropping fenders and maneuvering the ship nicely by a dock. “Aquila! I don’t give a damn if you have a hangover, hold onto that rope like your life depends on it! Big Red, lower the anchors. Katia, secure the lines and prepare for docking.”

That morning was the busiest the Sun Howler had been in days. The chaos was a much needed change from the oceans rhythmic pull. It wasn’t rare for the crew to be pulled into a sort of lull by the seas current. Rocking them back and forth as their mothers must once have done, creating a false sense of safety. Perhaps that’s why the Isoldeians loved the Ocean so much– it gave the illusion of freedom and security, even when there was none.

To her left, Averett approached, a cool look of concern tarnished his rugged looking features, making his face appear stern and off putting. “Captain, if I may speak candidly…” Averett began, already starting off on a strange foot.

“When do you not, Averett?” She gave him a look of knowing shared only between two people who had known a lifetime together. “Speak freely and quickly.”

The man took a deep breath to steady himself, dark eyes gazing at the unwelcome guest slumped in the corner of the ship. “Do you really think it wise to allow the prisoner to roam freely on the ship? What if he steals a weapon and hurts someone? What if he escapes?”

Nadia blew hot air from her nose, mimicking an amused huff. Glancing to the Prince, Nadia mused his concerns for a moment. For someone she hated so deeply, Cassian was beginning to grow out of the box she’d placed him in. It was strange how that worked. “He won't.” Nadia said confidently, turning back to her Second Mate. “Ease your mind, Averett and worry yourself with more important things than if a Vinyamarian would escape on my watch. You offend me with your lack of faith. Go, prepare for docking.” Placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder, Nadia offered a small squeeze, a kind gesture rarely shared to the other crew members aboard the Sun Howler.

She often wondered if Averett felt scorned to be her second mate, so far from the Captain and feeling so inadequate. She saw it in his eyes, the look of jealous concern he often shared while looking at her. Why Osmond at her side instead of him? They were children together, growing and learning and surviving at each other's sides. But her fondness of Averett stopped when his showing out began. His hate for Vinyamar ran deep, almost as deep as hers. But his scorn was fierce and unforgiving. It was a wonder he hadn’t strangled Cassian with a net yet.

The crew skillfully pulled off docking, tying the grand ship off on the stone docks. It was unlike Okoris which boasted beautifully constructed wooden docks. The Tuisean people relied on stone, mud and concrete of their own invention to craft their structures. The architecture was unfamiliar to those having never been to the vast desert Kingdom of Tuisea, but impressive regardless. Nadia often marveled at the intricacies of it, knowing if the Tuisean people had come a millennia before Vinyamar, a war might’ve been prevented.

With the Sun Howler secured, the crew were given their individual tasks. Many were assigned to securing weapons while others worked on gathering supplies and food for what they all presumed to be a long and arduous journey. Nadia, like always, stuck at the side of Cassian with Edmund, Vernon, and Averett.

The sun was even more unforgiving in Tuisea than on the sea. The rays burned her skin, forcing her body to sweat even through the light linens she sported. If they were to be docked in Tuisea for any longer than a day, acquiring local garb would be important. Beads of sweat rolled down her neck, coating her dark locks. She twisted her fingers through, braiding the pesky hair aside and tossing it behind her shoulder.

“It’s sooo long. I don’t know why you don’t just cut it all off,” Remarked Vernon with the tug of her braid, a move that would have any other crewmate bruised and bloody but Nadia knew not to give Vernon that satisfaction. They liked to fight, and the bloodier they got the better. They were a strange being, almost too strange to be just a navigator, but they managed to get the ship where it needed to go.

Nadia shot Vernon a look, readjusting her hair. “And I don’t know why you don’t lay off, Vernon. I know your feathery excuse for hair might cause you sadness, but there is no need to envy mine. Maybe you could find a Tuisean wig maker to fix something up for you.” Nadia grinned viciously, avoiding Vernon’s arm which came swinging her way and instead crashed into Edmund. “Cut it out, Vernon!” The boy complained.

The mood between the crewmates was strangely jovial. Even with Cassian in their mix, it was a pleasant mood. Perhaps being in Tuisea provided them some relief. Though they would never call the sandy city their home, it was one of the only places in the known world that didn’t have it out for them. There were no creatures lying in wait to gut them in their sleep, no Vinyamarians storming in to haul them to prison. Tuisea created the perfect in-between for the crew of the Sun Howler and it showed in their upbeat dispositions.

Vernon quickly turned their attention to Edmund. It only took a small reaction for Vernon to target someone and Edmund had answered with his pleading. The dark haired individual chased the boy through the busy streets, maniacal laughter absorbed by the mud bricks the city was built from.

Tuisea was strange in its maze-like configuration. Rather than a sprawling city expanding horizontally, Tuisea expanded vertically, built on the cliffside of a desert. There were endless stairs to climb up, endless streets to be lost in. The city was a place one could easily disappear if they wanted to.

With Vernon and Edmund gone, Averett, Cassian, and Nadia were all that remained in their little group, weaving in and out of the densely packed streets. “There’s an inn ahead.” Nadia announced, cutting through some of the tension undoubtedly created by Averett and Cassian’s close distance. “The beds will treat us far better than the hammocks. Even my back aches for something softer…” She joked, an uncharacteristic laugh forcing itself from her throat. The tension was suffocating and pointless.

Finally arriving at the inn, the three filed in, Nadia leading the group. The Sun Howler would practically buy out the place if they had enough room, and as it was, they had enough room. Nadia tossed a large bag of gold towards the innkeeper, collecting the keys and offering a nod of gratitude. “Up boys. Make haste.” She said, pushing the two in her company up the stairs. Their rooms took up the fourth and fifth floor. Many of her crew would be sleeping quite comfortably with the others, though it was not unlike the Sea Howler to experience that kind of closeness.

Nadia swung the door to her room open, guiding Cassian in. It overlooked the ocean, the busy city bustling with life and commerce below. Certainly it was worth more than the gold she’d paid, but nearly every inn in Tuisea boasted such views.

Settling onto the bed, Nadia let out a small sigh, forcing herself to stay upright rather than collapse into the bed with ecstasy and bliss. “Have you ever been here? Tuisea? It’s quite far from Vinyamar and I’m sure Crown Prince’s aren’t privy to travel like us heathens.” The sound of Averett rustling in the room next to them disturbed the serenity. Nadia made a face, lips pressing into a thin line. “I say this only because I need you alive, but… Watch you back around Averett if I am not around.” She warned.




/* ------ credit -- do not remove ------ */

© weldherwings.
 













cassian airendil
the crown prince



















  • .













plotting




Sunhowler



[/tab]




like a shadow, i am and i am not.
Tuisea, a name Cassian later found through Nadia’s commentary, was nearly the perfect city for him to disappear in. A winding puzzle of nooks and alleyways cutting through to an assortment of random directions. Each street was packed full of merchants hawking wares to a never ending parade of tourists and locals. He couldn’t have asked for a better combination. One minute he would be there, the next he could slip into anonymous oblivion.

The same thick crowd that served as his saving grace currently suffocated the three of them on the way to the nearest inn. Cassian let out a breath when a merchant pushed past him in a hurry, the hard bone of the man’s shoulder knocking into his own and pushing him forward several steps. He sucked his teeth in a sharp tsk of disdain.

The prince’s dark curls were gluing themselves in a crown around his temple from the heat of the port, something Okoris’ gentle breezes never suffered from. Here, it felt like someone had stuck them within an oven and cranked the heat to the maximum. He eyed Nadia’s form before him. Were it not for the dark strands stuck against her warm skin at the nape of her neck, he would’ve thought the woman immune to the beating rays of the sun. Her firm posture never wavered, even against the ebb and flow of people around them.

“The beds will treat us far better than the hammocks. Even my back aches for something softer…”

Cassian blinked, unsure of the sound that briefly joined the cacophony of overlapping conversations around them. Did Nadia just--laugh? Blue eyes watered into a light grey under the intensity of the sun, Cassian darted his gaze to gauge Averett’s expression of his Captain’s sudden jovial spirit. The man remained just as rigid as when the three of them set off in the direction of the inn. You would’ve thought Cassian was some kind of wild and dangerous animal with the amount of caution Averett regarded him with.

Whatever, the rest of the crew seemed to completely forget Cassian was even among them the second their feet touched the sandy floors of Tuisea. Averett may make his escape trickier, but he’d have a crew full of giddy distractions on his side. Maybe one of them would be able to convince the man to let loose, and Cassian would have his moment to vanish.

Deciding to avoid any searing glares from Averett, Cassian opted to stay silent to Nadia’s commentary of the inn. He simply wanted to shower, lay in a soft bed for once, and possibly sneak some wine when Nadia wasn’t looking.

He said nothing at the amount of gold tossed so haphazardly upon the table, nothing he hadn’t done himself, but a bitterness still surfaced when the austerity the crew subjected themselves to aboard the Sunhowler appeared to be for nothing. That ruled money out of his equation for why Nadia wanted the jewel so much. It was simply power and power alone. Arguably an even worse cause to kill over.

His mouth was set into a straight line when Nadia pushed him into her room. The quarters were well ventilated, taking advantage of what breeze managed to slip off of the ocean. It was considerably cooler than the outside, and he could feel the heat from their walk radiating in invisible waves from his skin.

While Nadia made herself comfortable on the bed, Cassian opted to peer through one of the windows that overlooked the city. His gaze was focused on navigating through the maze of streets below him.

“I’m the Crown Prince of Vinyamar, Nadia,” Cassian smirked, knowing what he was to say next would earn a rolling of the eyes. He glanced at her through his peripheral vision. “It would be seen as desperate to travel for any duty. Much like shoving a man into your rented room and immediately settling yourself onto the bed." He cleared his throat after a beat before resuming. "My responsibilities cater to me in Okoris and they stay in Okoris. I do not travel to them.”

The prince turned his back to the window, leaning his tall frame in a half sit against the white stone of the sill. The audible shuffling of Averett even in the middle of the day raised alarm in him. So much for sneaking out in the dead of night. “Give me more credit than that at least. I’ve spent my fair share at political dinners and events--I know when someone is just barely tolerating me.”

His gaze trailed after Nadia’s to the wall that separated them from Averett’s stony façade. God--it was like the man was allergic to relaxation. Cassian could imagine him finding the most uncomfortable chair in the room and setting it up right by the door, waiting and ready to catch any stray footfalls in the night.

“Do I have her royal highness permission to visit the inn’s baths? I haven’t properly bathed since As’Veria--” Cassian trailed off, a visible shiver crawling across his skin at the thought. He’d had his fair share of drunken nights turned into sloppy hungover days, but this grime was different. Plus, he needed to prove to Nadia that he could be trusted to venture alone and return back as promised. As many times as it would take until his disappearance would be registered as a surprise.

She seemed to be infected by the same giddiness that overtook her crew, a weakness Cassian was more than capable of feeding into until he could exploit it. After all, one didn't earn the title Prince of Vice without learning how to properly curate a good time.







/* ------ credit -- do not remove ------ */

© weldherwings.
 













nadia damaris
captain of the sun howler



















  • .













Comfortable




Tuisea Luxury Seaside Inn II



[/tab]




trust weighs a blind man like a rock to a drowning man.
The bed wished to pull her in, the plush mattress alluring and seductive to her tired body. She considered it– falling backwards and melting into the fine cotton sheets, even with her sweat soaked hair and linen shirt. Even the soft breeze from the ocean did not rid her body of the sticky beads of sweat that collected on her neck and intertwined with her thick tresses. Nadia might have taken Vernon’s advice and cut it all off if they were to stay in Tuisea any longer– the humid heat was oppressing and unbearable at times, cutting through even the stronger soldier or the bravest warrior. Resisting the urge to fall into a fast slumber, the Captain pushed herself up, taking a lay of the room.

The thunks, clunks, and shuffling from the room adjacent to theirs did not concern Nadia the slightest– Averett was a strange one, perhaps even more paranoid than she. The Tuisean people were not a threat to Isoldeian or Vinyamarian alike– the only danger they might ever have been in was the danger of being pickpocketed; but the Captain had reflexes like a cat and could snatch the prying hands of a small boy or a vying girl reaching for change in her pocket. She would scold them, encourage them to pursue more honorable passions, and toss them a few gold to satiate the itch for money– or perhaps the pang of hunger in their stomach. Nadia knew not what they would use the gold for, but in her heart, she hoped it would dissuade them from tricking a naive tourist.

White decorated the room, working to offset the brutal rays of sun that shone down for long hours at a time in Tuisea– despite the practicality of the color, it made the room look delicate and expensive, as if the rats that crawled off the Sun Howler were not worthy of tarnishing the purity of the room. They knew luxury only when it coincided with necessity– moments like these were few and far between. Even the inn having a separate bathing area– it was a rarity. The crew would cleanse themselves of the months of salty sea water, shave their faces, scrub the callouses from their palms, and hopefully wake up with a fresh disposition and a fire in their belly– after all, they were closer than they’d ever been to reaching their goal.

Asking such a question to the Crown Prince of Vinyamar and expecting any other answer would have been naive– his response did not surprise her, in fact, she could bet money the man would utter those words. A huff of amusement released from her nose, a small smirk tugging at the right corner of her mouth– if Cassian was anything, he was predictable.

In their time traveling together, his personality and actions started melding together. If they were fighting partners, Nadia would start anticipating his next move, beating him to the punch, quite literally. Part of her feared it was a trick, a facade put on to pull the wool over her eyes– but Cassian was a lazy housecat. Even he wouldn’t put in so much effort to fool someone. His cunning came elsewhere– Nadia was yet to identify where, but she stayed cautious for it. His privilege seeped from his pores like sweat, soaking his entire essence in the life he’d grown up in– wine, woman, luxury. Even this inn likely seemed drab and dull in the immense amount of luxury he’d experienced.

“I should have known better– Of course the Crown Prince of Vinyamar does not leave his country. Being a well traveled man is so last century, right?” She quipped dryly, the sarcastic mark rolling easily off her tongue. She pulled the delicate ceramic drawers intended for holding their clothing out, observing the fine craftsmanship closely. These things would never hold up aboard the Sun Howler, the waters too rough for their fragile nature. She glanced at Cassian, wondering if he owned fine things like the items in the inn room– or rather, how many fine things like the items in the inn room he owned. “This must be far more similar to home for you, right? Or perhaps not luxurious enough? I know you have suffered upon the Sun Howler’s poor conditions…” The expression on her face told a story of amusement– she was taunting him, but not in a callous, piercing way. There was a dullness to her harsh words that hadn’t been there before.

A loud THUNK from Averett’s room stole Nadia’s attention for a moment, looking in concern to the wall that divided him. Was he already barricading his room? Or he wished to prevent Big Red from running in to share the spacious inn rooms with his favorite second mate… That amused Nadia, smiling at the thought of the friendly Red jumping into sullen and stoic Averett’s arms. “Do not underestimate him. He is not even tolerating you– he is obeying me.” She sighed, concern filling her eyes– she worried about Averett at times. His rage consumed him at times, blinded him with anger and violence. Though nothing had occured in past months to set him off, she worried that nothing could stop him but a blade. Shaking that thought from her mind, she fixed her gaze on Cassian. “Don’t take my warning lightly– Averett would ring your neck in a second if he got the chance.”

She sighed, picking up the geode decorating one of the marble surfaces. It shone in the light, purples, blues and pinks vibrant in the afternoon sunlight. The jewel perhaps held the same beauty as the geode– though Nadia doubted anything could come close to capturing the magnificence of the Isoldeian heirloom.

Cassian’s request caught her attention but she was not quick to say no– The Prince cooperated with them thus far. Despite the unseeming conditions in which they’d apprehended him, he offered information freely (with some small threat of violence) and Nadia no longer feared he would be an issue for the crew– maybe the guilt of his people brought in a newfound need to help the Isolde people restore their Kingdom and Country to its former glory. His apology rang loud in her mind– it was earnest, albeit unknowing of the atrocities they’d faced. Slowly but surely, Cassian Airendil had chipped away at her resolve of pure hatred. He was no ally, of course, but a willing participant in their accent. No longer did hatred clutch her heart at the sight of the Prince.

Looking him up and down, his disheveled appearance and sweat soaked locks persuaded her even further– the crew of the Sun Howler would bathe freely, so why not him. “Fine. You are free to bathe– But Cassian, might I remind you, I am very good at tracking the things I need. If you are gone too long…” She didn’t finish her threat, hoping the man would understand the implications behind her words. But she’d come to find a dull trust in Cassian– he wouldn’t disappear, not tonight. Perhaps not until they had the jewel in their possession and they set him free.




/* ------ credit -- do not remove ------ */

© weldherwings.
 













cassian airendil
the crown prince



















  • .













relaxed




Tuisean Inn



[/tab]




life goes more smoothly without a heart,
The prince had to swallow down the gasp of surprise that bubbled in his throat. He had asked for a bath with a weak glimmer of hope, unexpecting Nadia to actually say yes--which is precisely what she had given him in response.

“I am very good at tracking the things I need. If you are gone too long…”

But not without a threat, of course. Cassian smirked. “You’d miss me that much yeah?” The man dragged his lanky figure from the rough texture of the sill, his expression softening into a look of sincerity. “Aye aye captain. To the baths and straight back.”

There was an odd form of weight that dropped from his shoulders the second he closed Nadia’s room door behind him. The freedom of someone’s hesitant gaze watching his every movement. The knowledge that he could finally go somewhere without a shadow nipping at his heels. He had forgotten how light he felt without it. Cassian smiled, a real, genuine smile. He was almost free.

---

As the prince settled sea worn limbs into the soft embrace of the bath, he swore to the gods he almost moaned. Heat wove its lithe fingers in between his muscles to relax them. Cassian sunk even deeper into the water, the movement of his body sending the surface to dance around his neck.

He could’ve laughed, honestly, at how much of a luxury this bath felt to him. Something he used to regard with the level of flippancy expected of a prince saturated in luxury goods he was now thanking with the gratitude of a weary peasant.

“Excuse me sir,” A voice sounded behind him, sending the Prince’s shoulders skyrocketing to his ears in surprise.

Cassian rose partially from the bath, turning his lean torso to peer back at the person intruding his peace. A woman from the inn stood with a carefully balanced tray of—wine. Right, he forgot he ordered that when asking for directions to the baths. It was hard for him to hide the wide smile that broke out across his now heat flushed cheeks.

He could feel the gaze of the worker settle onto his ears when she shifted forward to set his wine down near him. If elves weren’t common here, that would be a problem for him. He accepted the glass the woman poured for him, looking up at her from under his lashes. “Don’t get a lot of elven guests at the inn?” He asked, raising a thick brow playfully. “Or do you just have a thing for elves?”

The woman stuttered, rising to her feet from the ledge of the bath. “My—my apologies for staring, sir.” She smoothed the front of her apron, an action that felt built up through years of habit. “We—do get elven guests from time to time. They’re not uncommon. I’ve just, I’ve read a lot about Vinyamar and I don’t know—you seem different from the other elven guests we’ve had.”

Cassian stiffened. “In what way?” He asked, taking a tentative sip of wine. Different, as in rotten? Something sweet left to bask in the sun, only to fester over into an unrecognizable heap? He cleared his throat in an attempt to re-center himself. These thoughts of self distaste, they were new to him. Were the heated stares of Nadia's crew beginning to break through the tough shell of privilege he had been groomed into?

“Well—it’s silly in hindsight, but, I don’t know. The way you carry yourself is just a little different from the other elven guests we’ve served. It’s graceful, almost kind of--royal.” She cleared her throat, brushing dark hair behind an ear. “They also drink ale--not wine.”

He stared at the woman dumbly. “Hm,” was all the prince could muster. His tongue was stuck to the inside of his cheek while he processed what the inn worker was saying. The only elves he had known to favor ale over wine were merchants. Ale provided a consistent rate from kingdom to kingdom, wine too regional and at times too expensive to be a default choice. He'd have to remember that if he wanted to vanish successfully.

Cassian titled the cup in his hand, peering at the deep maroon liquid that sloshed inside. He wondered if the wine here was a bit on the pricier side. Nadia would’ve killed him if he was staying long enough for her to find out. Instead, the Prince relaxed back into the bath, took a heavy sip of wine and said, “Thanks love, come back in thirty minutes, I’ll be due for a refill by then.” He winked, a flirtatious grin splitting across his features.

The inn worker’s steps were hurried in her departure, deep blush tinting the tan skin of her ears into a dark red. It was quite out of character for the infamous prince of vice, but Cassian only ordered one refill and limited his advances to flirtatious remarks while he wrapped up his bath. He was unwilling to spoil his advances on this short indulgence. There would be plenty of wine and women waiting for him back in Vinyamar.

“See, Finlas? I do know how to hold back when I need to,” Cassian thought to himself in an amused huff as he padded up a narrow stone staircase that would lead him to their block of rooms.

Unused to the courtesy of knocking (why would a prince knock?) Cassian swung open the door of Nadia’s room with a cocky, “What did I tell you huh? A man of my word.”







/* ------ credit -- do not remove ------ */

© weldherwings.
 













nadia damaris
captain of the sun howler



















  • .













Relaxed




Tuisea Luxury Seaside Inn II



[/tab]




Wash yourself and free yourself of sin.
While Nadia felt confident her choice wasn’t a completely idiotic one, part of her rational mind did stir as Cassian disappeared behind the door. Since Okoris, the Prince had been stationed by their side through their long travels, quite literally tethered to her at some points. This was the first time in many weeks that Cassian had been out of sight–

Despite the saying, however, he was certainly not out of mind. Nadia felt convinced Averett would come running to her door exclaiming Cassian’s big escape, telling her how horrible of a Captain she was, and convincing her she’d ruined their one chance at reclaiming the Jewel. She waited several moments, eyes boring holes into the ornately carved door. The room was silent, filled only with the ambident chatter and bustle of the streets below, and the gentle crash of waves on the craggy shore. In a way, the silence was almost suffocating, as if it represented the inevitable and pending folly of her decision.

Eventually, Nadia’s worry dissipated finally and for the first time in weeks, she was free to her thoughts. Not the thoughts that consumed her like fire eating at strong wooden homes or water engulfing a battered and broken ship after a bloody fight– these were the thoughts she had just to herself. Hopeful thoughts.

The tension began slowly releasing from her shoulders, unfurling like a rope wound too tight. The bed looked alluring, as the window sill did, as the small pitcher filled with water did. Even lacking Cassian's presence, the room was still sweltering. The humid air stuck to her body like sand, encouraging sweat to coat her limbs, face, her hair. The Tuisean had innovated incredible ways to keep cool and away from the brutal sun, but she still couldn’t fathom how one endured the smothering heat.

Peeling herself off the bed, the chittering and chattering from outside called her attention for a moment. Knees pressed to the window sill as she hoisted herself up to comfortably gaze out at the city life. Her people could never find a home away from Isolde, but the people in Tuisea were so… happy. They lived a life away from Vinyamar, untouched by the strangling hands of their oppressors. The streets were filled with many different faces and forms, smiling, bartering, living their lives without a care in the world or perhaps with a hundred cares. Part of the sea of people reminded her of her crew– mismatched, but at home with each other. Would Isolde feel like home when they restored it to its beauty?

Pulling away from the window, she shook her head, cursing her youth and lack of memory. Humans aged so quickly, they were gone before time could even have their way with history. Their history books were few and far between, and even the oldest human couldn’t remember the savage brutality displayed by the Vinyamarians. In a way, their history was close to fairytales, rumors and legends passed around by the descendants of those who experienced it. It lived with them, slept in the bed, followed their every step, but would never be known to her people. It was an invisible weight tied to their ankles, dragging them down.

Nadia never lived a life without thinking of her duty of avenging her people, but part of her wondered… What would her life look like if the Jewel never existed…? Would she be a poor prostitute washed up in Okoris providing her services to the noblemen and women of Vinyamar? Perhaps she could have owned an Inn in Tuisea and lived a quiet life in the desert heat. Or maybe finding refuge in As’veria living off the land and connecting with nature could have been her path?

Across the room, tucked in a small corner, a small stand stood with a mirror attached. On the surface, a beautifully crafted ceramic pitcher nested inside a matching bowl. A small cloth rested on the surface, for washing off from the heat. Nadia lifted her eyes to the looking glass, gazing back at the harsh woman who looked at her. Lifting her hand, she brushed a thumb over the jagged and faded scar of her lip, tracing its length with her rough fingers. She repeated this process for each scar, observing and studying them to remember.

There were few looking glasses aboard the Sun Howler, most confined to small hand presses or the back of shiny cups– the crew weren’t vain people but were unfamiliar with even their visages. Moments like these were rare and in a strange way, sacred.

The woman peering at her was a stranger, harsh and rugged from many years at sea. The sun peppered her face with freckles and color, making her warm skin even warmer. The scars made her look like a horribly drawn picture of a fiend from a children's book, something to scare little kids off from wandering out on their own, lest they wish to meet the villainous and bloodthirsty Nadia Damaris. A laugh pushed its way past her lips, and before she knew it, rolling laughter filled the air, melodic and unfamiliar sounds swirling around her– it was an intoxicating feeling, one that she wished would quickly pass lest she wanted Averett to be concerned she was having too much revelry and merriment with the prisoner.

Her chest settled finally, and all that was left was to wash the sticky sweat from her body. The crew of the Sun Howler would bathe freely, but Nadia had another to attend to. She couldn’t waste time bathing when keeping an eye on their most valuable cargo was necessary.

Tugging her shirt off, she gently laid the worn material to the side, folded over on itself and safe from being sullied. For something so worthless and tattered, Nadia took great care of it. Picking up the rag, she poured water over it, humming in satisfaction at the cool relief. Brushing her hair to the side, she went to work riding her body of sweat, tending to her tired and warm skin. The Captain worked meticulously, taking care and time replacing beads of sweat with beads of clean water.

The door swung open with a brutal creek but caused no distress to Nadia. “You’re back.” While barely noticeable, there was a tinge of pride that resonated in her voice. “I’m shocked you didn’t run off with the nearest bar maiden you saw. I take it your time was well spent, then?” She mused, glancing at Cassian through the mirror as she continued diligently “bathing”. There was no shame in continuing her task when she was fully covered where it mattered– Cassian was the one who had intruded, after all.

Moving her hair to the opposite side, she brushed the rag over her shoulder, water spilling down her back. Her skin was peppered with scars on her back, long, thin scars that looked as though they must have come from a leather whip or a small limb. Most of them had faded with time, but others stood proudly on her back, reminding others of the cost of insolence in certain places. “You look much better.” Nadia commented through her observations of him. Moist hair, supple, fresh skin– though Cassian did not struggle with maintaining his beauty, the bath certainly washed the dirt off his diamond visage.




/* ------ credit -- do not remove ------ */

© weldherwings.
 
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