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Fantasy Jewel of the Sea

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Jewel of the Sea Jewel of The Sea | Characters













cassian airendil
the crown prince



















  • .













flustered, annoyed




Tuisea LUXURY SEASIDE INN II



[/tab]




life goes more smoothly without a heart,
Cassian was acutely aware of two things after he burst into Nadia’s room. One, the sea of exposed skin before him, warm toned complexion ignited golden in the late afternoon light. Two, the easily traceable trail of his eyes as they raked across her figure, drinking in every faint scar, every droplet of water, every slip of muscle.

Misty eyes widened into full moons before they crashed into the floor below. “Oh--that’s my bad I didn’t know you’d be in here. Well--I mean, I did know--I did know you’d be in here. It’s your room obviously why would I not expect you to be in here,” Cassian’s ramble was unstoppable, his tongue moving faster than his mind at this point. “I mean I did announce that I was back too so I had some sort of idea that you’d be in here but I didn’t, you know, I didn’t expect you’d be in here like that--”

Cassian let out a heavy sigh, closing the door behind him and stalking to the open window. “God--I thought it was supposed to cool down at sunset, it's like a sauna in here,” His cheeks were aflame with a deep blush, the pink tint creeping down the expanse of his neck.

“I’m shocked you didn’t run off with the nearest bar maiden you saw. I take it your time was well spent, then?”

A visible flinch. Did she spy on him in the baths somehow? How the hell did she know about the harmless flirting with the wine girl? Cassian rubbed at the back of his neck, eyes remaining glued to the horizon. He wasn’t that predictable, was he?

“I am capable of more than just drinking wine and seducing women, you know,” Cassian mumbled. “And anyways, I narrowly escaped death like three times, sweat more than double my body weight in your rickety ship for days on end, all without a bath. Even the most beautiful person in the world would have a bit of trouble remaining a perfect vision. But thanks, I guess.”

The prince settled a burning cheek against cool stone. How the hell was she so calm right now? Like him walking in on her nearly half naked was something of an afterthought. Not even worth a moment of embarrassment. He shifted uncomfortably, ego beginning to blossom its ugliness in his chest. Wait--when was the last time he was unable to fluster a woman? He wasn’t used to this--this indifference.

Pink lips pulled into scowl the longer he stared out of the window. He turned imperceptibly, just enough to capture her form in his peripheral. She was still dutifully bathing, as if he was as transparent as the soft breeze that ghosted in to join them.

Cassian hated Nadia. He was actively plotting a way to escape her power hungry clutches and threats of death. Why did he even care whether she was flustered by him or not? If anything, he should be grateful she could manage to harbor this amount of indifference towards him. It was only days ago that she radiated nothing but seething anger. Yet the jaws of frustration gnawed away at him nonetheless. A scowl still painted his visage.

“Why don’t you use the baths?” He asked. This time, Cassian turned his face in her direction, just enough to meet her gaze in the small reflection of the mirror. Head still resting on the wall, he resisted the urge to let his eyes wander. It was Nadia, for fucks sake. He’d be damned if he let her get him this worked up. A strand of dark hair fell from the curve of her shoulder, smooth strands fanning across her shoulder blade. His jaw flexed. “You’re doing your back no favors with all that hard labor you put yourself through. A good soak is beneficial for the body every once in awhile,” He huffed, turning away from her. “Unless you want to be a hunchback by your thirties.”







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

© weldherwings.
 













nadia damaris
captain of the sun howler



















  • .













Amused/Delighted




Tuisea Luxury Seaside Inn II



[/tab]




Dance for me or find silence.
His sputtering was amusing to say the least, even Nadia couldn’t help the smirk from tugging on her lips. When had she witnessed Cassian having such a fit in their weeks together? She could confidently say never but gods was it a treat to witness. She would be an idiot not to realize why he was having such a fit– Cassian stumbled in on her bathing and felt inappropriate about it. Simple as that. She would allow him to have his moment, of course, but who was she not to enjoy it for once in their travels? She continued her meticulous washing of the body, water spilling down her exposed skin and cooling it down like a river stream slowly streaming from a mountain spring.

In a way his rambling was quite cute. Cute in the way a puppy whined for food or attention– it was almost as if her brain couldn’t help but feel fond of his attempt at apologizing. He kept going on, but there was no need to apologize or explain in the first place. Nadia wasn’t exposed nor was she in a place of vulnerability– she was simply carrying out a necessary task before her crew came knocking on her door asking for plans, or assignments, or questions about their destination. Yes, she was bathing, but she was enjoying a moment of care that she rarely was afforded on the sea.

With her skin properly cleaned, she took a small, netted piece of fibers and began scrubbing it on her skin. It was a special device created by the Tuisea, created for ridding the body of dead skin and blemishes. It was a rarity that Isoledians could use one but after months on the ocean, her skin thanked her. “I’m not hot.” Nadia said simply as she scrubbed her skin, the smirk lingering on her lips. “Are you hot Cassian? You can use some of the water to cool down in you need.” She explained, stepping aside to gesture at the pitcher in front of her. She could refill it simply, but part of her also wanted to goad Cassian into a reaction.

She brought her arm in front of her, running the coarse fibers across her forearm and watching as the dead skin collected. She could scrub the calluses off her hands if she wanted but she hesitated, instead placing the material down and washing her arms again.

Cassian offered more information than she expected– wine and women? She’d only mentioned skipping off with a bar maiden. He confirmed to her that he’d indulged a little bit more than he should have but considering he returned so quickly, she made no comment on it. The trip to the Unknown Lands would be a long one. Her crew would indulge a bit, so why not Cassian too? Gods, when had she become so soft? She looked down to the netted fabric and wondered if it was scrubbing away her hardened exterior too.

“What would you like me to say, hm? I’m soo proud of you for not bedding some Tuisean woman? For only drinking one glass of wine? Oh Cassian, thank you for returning to me?” She laughed softly, continuing her task. “I can ask Edmund to shower you in praise if you wish. I’m not sure he’d willingly oblige though.”

His emotion was written all over his face– like a tempestuous sky in the morning, he was painted red and pink, flushing his pale skin and drawing attention to his continued embarrassment. Was it bad to say Cassian was predictable at best? Of course, Nadia thought he would get over whatever fluster this was quickly, but it seemed to remain with him longer and longer. Who was she not to indulge in a bit of teasing when her enemy made it so easy.

She stayed silent until he turned to face her, she caught his gaze in the mirror, watching his expression closely. In the weeks they’d traveled together, she kept her eyes on him. Even if he didn’t realize, Nadia was watching. As he interacted with her crew, she watched his eyebrows furrow when they said something he didn’t like. Or when Krist brought out the wine, his eyes lit up with thirst. He pouted ever so slightly each time his cup was left out. Cassian’s eyes were expressive when he thought, Nadia almost swore she could get lost trying to figure out what he was thinking about each time she caught him doing it.

And this time, his jaw clenched and Nadia couldn’t exactly tell what that meant. How interesting. Turning to face him fully now, her damp strands of hair fell to her back now and she leaned gently against the dresser.

“Why don’t you use the baths?” He asked curtly, perhaps trying to find a way to put more space in between them. They’d been cooped up on a ship for weeks together– their proximity must have been resented by him.

“I have another in my ward that I must keep a very close eye on lest I wish him running off and downing a bottle of the most expensive alcohol this inn has to offer.” She told him frankly, the coarse fabric making its way up her shoulder. “You’re a handful Cassian. Unlike the rest of my crew, I am not allotted the luxury of baths and wine. This is the time I have to take care of myself and I will use it as I please.” She told him simply, eyes flickering between cleaning herself and looking at Cassian. “Besides, public baths disturb me. I much prefer to be nude alone.” She told him.

Rotating her shoulder, she couldn’t help but think Cassian was right. Unfortunately, she didn’t have the luxury of having a team of servants bathe her, unlike him. Waving him over, she turned again, moving her hair and offering the rag. “Oh what a generous offer, Cassian. I was having a difficult time reaching my back. Now, come, quickly, before you resend your kindness.” She kept her arm extended, waiting for him to take it. If he wanted to complain so much about the “hard labor she put herself through”, she would either shut him up or he’d carry through. She doubted it would be the latter given his behavior. Cassian could hardly look at her, no less aid her in the process of cleaning herself.





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

© weldherwings.
 
Last edited:













cassian airendil
the crown prince



















  • .













determined




Tuisea LUXURY SEASIDE INN II



[/tab]




life goes more smoothly without a heart,
Cassian pressed his tongue to the inside of his cheek, letting out an audible, “hm,” as Nadia tore into him. He did see it coming after all, with the way he had fumbled his way into the room with the grace of a freshly born foal.

“I don’t think that’ll be necessary,” He responded dryly. After the surgeon in training had so willingly tossed Cassian to his ass this morning, he didn’t think Edmund would want to sing him any praises either. Not that he had even wanted that in the first place.

He had to refrain from rolling his eyes at the captain’s newly haughty demeanor. Gods--would she ever let him live this down? “And who is it that turned me into said handful?” The prince turned with his back facing the window, leaning his tall form against the sill. He crossed his arms, body language beginning to match Nadia’s haughtiness. “Hell, if I had it my way, I’d be napping peacefully in my apartments right now.” His expression had since clouded over after his initial floundering when entering the room, reclaiming his typical coy demeanor. "If I'd known you'd be so open to the priciest wine, I would've indulged more."

“Oh what a generous offer, Cassian. I was having a difficult time reaching my back. Now, come, quickly, before you resend your kindness.”

Cassian said nothing for a moment, letting Nadia’s words hang in the air in tandem with the rag extended his way. She was teasing him. Testing him even. The space between them was only several paces, but it felt endless to Cassian. They were on a battlefield right now, and Nadia had the advantage. She was trying to make him flustered; Cassian wouldn’t let her win.

Still leaning against the sill, arms crossed as he watched her, the prince let out a disbelieving laugh. “Aye, aye Captain.”

He pushed off the wall into a walk, closing the few paces between them in no time. Cassian paused a moment before he accepted the rag from her, eyes burning into her own. “Well, you can turn around now.”

Mimicking how he had observed Nadia clean herself before, Cassian got to work gently washing her back. Closer now, he had a better view of the scars that lined her skin. His opposite hand lifted momentarily, guided by the desire to gently trace the smooth lines with his thumb--but he stopped himself. Instead, the prince rested it on her shoulder, tilting the captain’s form to reach an area by her ribs.

“I assume you’ll expect this kind of treatment all the time once you find the jewel, no?” He said, voice softened reactively in regards to their new proximity. “That’s the thing about power, it’ll afford you the luxury you seem to have no time for now.”







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

© weldherwings.
 













nadia damaris
captain of the sun howler



















  • .













Tense/Daring




Tuisea Luxury Seaside Inn II



[/tab]




An oil fire cannot be stoked with water.
The rag remained in her hand for a few seconds, her intense gaze on Cassian daring him to refuse. He would– she was almost certain of it. Nadia had a sense for these kinds of things. A million jests danced on the tip of her tongue for when he sputtered some excuse and turned his blushing face out the window– it took all the will in her not to grin from the mental image. It was rare that Nadia was so playful– perhaps the Tuisean air was doing something to her mind. One more second passed; Nadia had almost decided to swivel back around and continue her task when:

“Aye, aye Captain.”

The muscles in Nadia’s face twitched, as if begging to react. She forced them not to, a neutral expression lying on her harsh features. Her eyes bore into him, dark gaze following his form as he sauntered over, haughty attitude fully reinstated in him. Oh? So perhaps it was Nadia that bit off more than she could chew. His fingers brushed against hers as they retrieved the rag, and Nadia swallowed, dropping her hand to her side but never dropping her gaze from his. This had turned from a bit of teasing into a battle– she could see it in his hazy eyes.

Turning on her heel, she faced the mirror, back to Cassian now. Her eyes remained on his form, trailing his expression as he pressed the cool rag to her back, delicately dragging it across her skin as she’d requested him to do so. Her hair stood up on in, bumps forming on the surface of her skin from the touch. His fingers on her shoulder, her bare skin, sent shivers through her bodies and formed a tightness in her chest– even in all her teasing and jesting, Nadia couldn’t have been prepared for her natural response to their proximity. It was only natural for someone like Nadia, who would bark and berate if someone even thought about touching her, to feel some tension at her enemy's delicate attention. It was only natural. It was only natural, she repeated in her mind.

Rather than catching his eyes in the mirror, she tilted her head towards him, facing him in profile. Wet strands of hair clung to her neck, swirling in soft waves down her neck and shoulders. He smelled clean, like Tuisean fragrances and something else. His skin looked soft, healthy, but significantly more sunkissed than when they’d first met at Port of the Call, all those weeks ago. That seemed like an eternity in the past.

“I don’t expect any special treatment when I find the jewel, Cassian.” She explained, tilting her head up to him before turning back to the mirror. “Luxury is not my aim. It’s dignity for my people.” She told him, glancing at the hand that seemed to linger around her ribs. “Restoring my people’s home is what I seek to do with the jewel– whatever comes after that… I will take it in stride.” Her eyes drifted away as she imagined a home for the Sun Howler crew and the handful of Isoldeian people scattered across the globe. “In my lifetime, I won’t see Isolde return to her former glory. But I can sew the seeds for a future for my people. Humans aren’t like you elves– We are perishable. We hardly last a century– it’s almost not fair.” Her fingers danced over Cassian’s, pressing into the fabric of the rag before spinning around, back pressing to the dresser as she faced him, suddenly very aware of their proximity. She pressed on.

“How is it? Living for so long and watching the rest of us fade away? Does it make you feel powerful?” She took a small step forward, the distance between them shrinking with every movement. “Does it make you feel safe? You’ve never felt threatened by me, have you?” She looked up at him, daring him to look away from her intense gaze. “You prance around my ship as if you own the place. Where does that come from? That arrogance?” A step closer, testing him, taunting him– goading him to react. To show something like he had earlier when he’d stumbled upon her.





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

© weldherwings.
 













cassian airendil
the crown prince



















  • .













defensive




Tuisea LUXURY SEASIDE INN II



[/tab]




i am the ocean: the earth; whatever dies for you
Cassian took a step back, gaze narrowing at Nadia’s sudden explosive demeanor. The space he had created was quickly eaten up by the captain. Her anger boiled over and spilled around their feet, vaporizing the soft moment they had been able to share. Her nostalgia had a way of doing this, of souring things. Was it her anger at how things were? Or rather--was it her anger at what they weren’t?

Mouth opening and closing without sound, the prince could do nothing but stand there. His usual snarky replies slipped through frozen fingers. She pressed closer to him, close enough that Cassian could feel the brush of heat that emitted from her body--an illusion of touch. He stayed still, he stayed silent. It was her final step forward that had caused him to react, almost instinctively, her body so close that he could smell the sea breeze in her hair.

A firm hand clasped on her shoulder, holding her in place from moving any closer.

Human lifespans. He hadn’t actually spent much thought on them--not in his previous life. Before meeting Nadia and her crew, the prince could count on one hand the amount of humans he had interacted with face to face. They weren’t common patrons in Okoris, even less so in royal affairs.

Cassian blinked, arm flexing as he gently pushed Nadia a step backward and away from him. He did remember one thing, a seedling of a thought--formed when the idea of the throne was still met with his open mind. His father had used the brevity of human lifespans as an excuse--a reasoning when Cassian had asked him why they conquered with such brute force.

“Can’t negotiations or a treaty be reached?” He had asked, blue gaze doe-like as he looked across the war table his father studied. “Why is it always violence first?”

“Humans don’t live as long as we do, Cassian,” His father had stated, mind still focused on shifting around the wooden pieces that represented troops. “Compared to us, their lifespans are like a deep breath. It is impossible to expect them to reach our level of intelligence and moral growth.”

His father glanced up at Cassian briefly, a ghost of a smile feigning across tight lips. “By the end of a human’s life, should they live to their oldest possible age, they’ve only cobbled together the moral complexity and intelligence of an elf around your age, Cassian. Would you think it wise to enter into diplomacy with a bunch of children?”

Cassian thought for a moment, watching his father’s deft fingers pick up another wooden piece. The clack it made against the table was loud in his ears. Echoing. “No--I don’t think it is.”

“My arrogance has nothing to do with humans,” he said flatly. Cassian let go of Nadia’s shoulder and took several steps backwards. He sat on the bed with a sigh. “In all honesty--I’ve never thought of your life span in much detail until now.”

He leaned forward to rest sharp elbows on his knees, gaze trained on the floor. “You want to know what I think though? It doesn’t make me feel powerful, or arrogant, or safe.”

Cassian looked up at Nadia then, blue eyes guarded. “It makes me feel jealous. The pain that you carry, the events in your life you deem unbearable, I live with those things twice as long--three times as long.” His mind wandered to Finlas, his friend’s face only pulled into memory from the portrait they had commissioned mere months before he left. Time had eaten through the rest. Cassian wondered what he looked like now. Just a teen when he took off to find the jewel--did he look older, now that he was an adult? Was his gaze harder, his jaw sharper?

“You should be grateful you were blessed with such a short lifespan. Time is kinder to those who have less of it.” A sneer, then, one that soured the prince’s features. Their moment of kindness was over. It was a joke to assume Nadia could be capable of anything other than her pointed blame and ravenous hunger for the jewel. He stood then, shoulders squaring back in a hard line. Cassian stalked to the window, gaze searing a hole into the crowd below. “If it’s alright with you, Captain, I’ll stick with Edmund for the rest of the evening.” Her title spit from his throat like an insult, shoving her further and away from him. Distance was safer. Distance would get him home.







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

© weldherwings.
 













nadia damaris
captain of the sun howler



















  • .













Venomous




Tuisea Luxury Seaside Inn II



[/tab]




the sands of time erase all.
Resentment ran through Nadia’s veins like hot lava carved paths to run through the earth, leaving only behind deep scorch marks and trenches where the memory of their hot stream once was. It consumed her, blinded her– if Nadia were to admit any of her faults, which she had yet to do such, it would be how brightly her anger burned and how it consumed her so quickly. Rather than thinking in a logical way, the way a Captain would… she acted like this. Which felt justified at every turn, but it still sent her treading down a dangerous path every time.

Cassian’s fingers dug into her bare skin, applying soft pressure to keep her from pursuing him any longer. Nadia could have pushed back, if she wanted to. She was well aware she was far stronger than Cassian but she stopped herself, eyes sharp and studying Cassian’s expression. His eyes were lost in his thought and while he was looking at her, his gaze looked past her, as if recalling a painful memory. His fingers against her skin sent pulses of heat through her chest and her right hand twitched, fingers itching to rip his nimble grasp away from her in an instant. Impulses called to her like sirens to sailors. What did she need Cassian for anymore? She knew where the jewel was. He only added extra weight to her back. She needed to constantly keep an eye on him, she was worried about someone else that wasn’t her crew, she had found herself on a few occasions laughing with him– with the enemy. He’d apologized, but that didn’t change who he was; Vinyamarian.

His push snapped her from her thoughts, washing away the wrath clawing at her throat and chest. Nadia rubbed her eyes, taking a small breath in as if reminding herself she was a person outside of her choler. Cassian was still useful to them. He still had worth– Vinyamarian or not, he’d aided their efforts in finding the jewel. If there were still Gods, they would frown upon an act of violence to one that assisted in the future liberation of humankind.

Nadia listened to his words spilling from his lips, reminding her again how diametrically opposed they stood on most things. Cassian was the Crown Prince of an oppressive and power hungry people. He could never see his own folly, just as Nadia could never see her own. She watched his retreat to the bed, eyes sharp on his form until ripping the way, back finally facing Cassian as she returned to place her shirt over her newly cleaned form. She looked in the mirror, a face ragged with anger and the sands of time looking back at her.

It took great effort for Nadia not to jump on every word coming out of Cassian’s mouth with a refute. She had a million things she wanted to throw his way, sending daggers with her tongue to cease the haughty and privileged sentiment he shared with her. But with hands pressing into the edge of the cabinet, she held herself back, keeping each remark and retort to herself until he finished. Nadia was not a petulant child arguing with another child, she was Captain of the most famous crew and ship in all of history. She was Witch of the Sea. She struck fear into the hearts of those that knew the Sun Howler name. She could wait a moment longer before sending her fury his way.

“I think it’s unwise to tell a person what they should and should not be grateful for.” Nadia snapped coldly, finally turning to address Cassian who had retreated from the bed. Her eyes narrowed, taking slow, calculated steps around the frame of the bed. “It’s not alright with me, Prince.” She denied his request with a tight lipped, sarcastic smile. “You are my ward. My responsibility. I won’t burden another with your presence.” She finished, nipping the inkling from his thoughts.

Cassian was a person, yes, but he was her ticket to liberation. She wouldn’t let him slip away so easily. “You are one of the most imperious individuals I’ve ever met. You live ten lifetimes of a human and tell me I should be grateful for the fleeting nature of my life? Do you know how difficult it is to live a life in a hundred years? Our pain is just as brutal as yours, only we’re left to perish with it sooner. That’s not a gift. That’s a curse. Vinyamar erases the history of Isolde and with every new generation, we must uncover the truth time and time again. My mortality is no gift. It is the curse I am left to deal with.”

She took a step forward, scanning his guarded form. “I’m left to do the impossible in the time it takes an elf to say his first words– My entire life is dedicated to one thing. I have no hopes, no dreams, no aspirations of my own. Instead, I focus on making a better future for my children and my grandchildren– children I probably won’t have because I am fighting a world which expels humankind at every corner.”

Taking one more step forward, she stopped herself, fists clenching in balls next to her sides. They were only a few feet apart, but there stood thousands of miles of distance between them. “Your arrogance, just like your father’s arrogance, comes from the immense power you hold over humans. You have time to erase our history and to decimate us from this world while we barely have time to stand on our own two feet. Don’t tell me what I should be grateful for– if I was in your shoes, humankind would stand tall and valiant again. We would repay Vinyamar for the gift of vengeance they have bestowed upon us.”

Nadia turned her back to Cassian, letting out a heavy sigh before retreating to the bed. “You stay here for the night. You’ll need your beauty sleep for the voyage ahead.” She kicked her boots off and found herself sinking into the bed. “Try not to sulk too much. I don’t want it disturbing my rest.” Nadia sneered.





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

© weldherwings.
 
Last edited:


























cassian airendil

the crown prince






































  • .



























defensive








Tuisea LUXURY SEASIDE INN II






[/tab]








i am the ocean: the earth; whatever dies for you
The prince’s position by the window was tense, guarded, a wounded animal with one leg ensnared in a trap. Despite her smaller stature, as Nadia rounded the frame of the bed to stalk closer, her movements resembled that of a hunter. Hard eyes, furrowed brow, she closed in on him. But like any wounded thing, a hot streak of violence was bound to run through him for a chance at survival.

He was silent while Nadia's wrath bloomed in front of him. Petal after petal, insult stacking upon insult poured from her. Cassian wondered if her throat was burning from the acidity that spilled from her mouth.

Then finally--the hunter closed in, and Cassian's anger finally snapped.

“We would repay Vinyamar for the gift of vengeance they have bestowed upon us.”

The haughtiness to which she had delivered it. The self righteousness, like Vinyamarian blood was her birthright to spill.

“Careful, Nadia,” Cassian said cooly, his anger taking the shape of a smooth shadow. Silent, cold, but dark and unyielding. “You're starting to sound like my father,” He sneered, lip curling in disgust.

“Keep talking of rightfully owed vengeance and we might find there's a true Vinyamarian in you yet.”

Cassian scoffed, his gaze slinking away from her figure. “Seeking power to combat power doesn't liberate a people or heal old wounds. It just passes the hand that holds the knife.”

He said nothing in response to the captain's denial of his request, half expecting it anyways. It would be a long night in this room, breathing thick lungfuls of the smoke that lingered in the aftermath of Nadia’s wrath.

Cassian's eyes ventured downward, to the streets below. Escape could not come soon enough. After kicking the hornet's nest, it'd end up being trickier than he thought, but he'd rather die here, bleeding out like a dog in the streets than get on her damned ship once more. Attempting escape was always going to be a risk. Now it was a necessary one.
















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



© weldherwings.
 













nadia damaris
captain of the sun howler



















  • .













Overly Relaxed




Tuisea Luxury Seaside Tavern II



[/tab]




the sands of time erase all.
Silence blanketed the open air room like early morning fog on a lake. Though the chattering and bustle of the busy street below creeped in through the open window, Nadia dared not to break the silence. Her word was final. Cassian would not be permitted another stroll to the baths, a sunny afternoon basking in the sun or shopping, or even the luxury of being escorted downstairs where her crew awaited with ale and merriment. Though, that also meant Nadia would be barred from participating in the festivities with her crew. For now.

Allowing her head to rest of the plush pillow, she let out a soft sigh as her tired body sunk into the bed. Her body and mind begged for rest, a few hours off the ocean where she could peacefully drift into a dreamless slumber. Then she could truly be steeled for the voyage ahead. The Unknown Lands was a treacherous voyage, one that would batter and bruise her mentally and physically. Any rest offered… Well, she needed to grab it and seize it.

The soft chatter outside the room reminded Nadia of her childhood, tucked away in a gently rocking hammock as the older crew recounted tales of their previous adventures.

. . .

Mary’s voice pierced through the crashing waves like a boisterous entertainer cutting through a rambunctious crowd. She was brave, confident, and most importantly, she could spin the most entertaining stories a person ever heard. Nadia’s small body was tucked comfortably into a canvas hammock– the intention was that the young girl would fall asleep and miss the violent recounting, but the boisterous laughter that separated her from the crew lured her inward.

Her ear pressed to the door, desperate to hear even one detail from Mary’s sacred mouth. The thick wooden door, the crashing waves on the hull of the boat, and the interjections of other crew members made it difficult. But piece by piece, Nadia slowly put together the tale.

“Ay, they know my name!” Mary chanted– Nadia imagined the Captain pumping her fist up in the air, the other crew celebrating jovially with her. “Mary Sukae, Bitch of the Sea.” A laughter ripped through the crowd. “And you know what I do when I meet one of ‘em?” She asked the crew, likely leering out to see if a brave soul would guess the answer. Nadia heard Averett from outside the door, begging for an answer. “What Captain? What do you do when you meet one of them?” The eager boy asked quickly. “I’ll tell ya, lad. I sundered them every which a way and I let the sea do the rest!” Averett gasped while the rest of the crew uproared in laughter and celebration.

When footsteps made their way to the door, Nadia was quick to scramble back to her hammock, almost too small to clamor into the highly strung piece of fabric, clutching to the memory of the story she wished Mary would share with her one day.

. . .

The sun hung lower in the sky, kissing the earth with pink and orange hues. The busy streets thinned out only slightly, patrons of the shops and taverns reclusing home for late evening rest. Nadia’s eyes fluttered open, thick lashes protecting unadjusted eyes from the vibrant sunset. For a moment, panic set in as she realized sleep overcame her. Cassian could’ve gone missing, or worse, killed her and then gone missing. Trust wasn’t a word she would use to describe her feelings towards Cassian, but the likelihood of him smothering her with a pillow seemed very low.

Pushing herself up, her eyes quickly scanned the room and landed on Cassian where she’d left him perched. Good. Good. She let out a soft sigh. He hadn’t slipped out while she was sleeping. Thank whatever Gods were guiding her. Wordlessly, Nadia rose, slipping her boots on.

The steam rolled off her shoulders after she’d rested, but it didn’t mean Cassian was in the clear. “Stay.” Nadia said, voice full of gravel and rasp after her overly long nap. “I’m going to get dinner.” Cassian could have his meal perched by the window, sulking on the bed, or complaining from the wardrobe if he wanted. But he would stay put in the room. The door shut behind her with a click, the key easily sliding into the gilded lock.

Downstairs, the tavern was alive with music and conversation. The entirety of the Sun Howler partook in drinks and hot meals– fine fish freshly caught that day, grains and greens that were vibrant and delicious, and wine and ale that could cost them an arm and a leg easily. An easy, soft smile slipped on her lips as she approached one of the tables the crew had secured. Big Red looked as though he’d consumed at least four or five glasses of wine, his cheeks flushed even more red than usually. “Nadia!” The friendly giant rose and bumped the table. “You’re finallyyy here!” He proclaimed, raising his arms and scooping the Captain up into a tight hug. “No more plotting and planning. Relax! Enjoy a drink! Give yourself a break!”

Nadia considered his suggestion. Cassian could wait an hour or so for dinner… Big Red was right. Everything was on course to be successful upon leaving port. A few glasses of wine or mead and a hot meal with friends couldn’t hurt anything. “Bartender?” Nadia called, catching the attention of the Sun Howler Crew. “Another round of drinks for me and my friends.”




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

© weldherwings.
 
Last edited:


























cassian airendil

the crown prince






































  • .



























plotting, excited








Tuisea LUXURY SEASIDE INN II, streets of Tuisea






[/tab]








i love you and i always will and i am sorry. what a useless word.

Bearing the title of Crown Prince only to promptly reject all included duties of said title allowed Cassian to hone many skills in his life back home. Chief among them, his ability to sulk. Such lanky limbs draped across the stone windowsill with the artfulness of a corpse, his sighs becoming mixed with the distant push and pull of the waves that drifted in through the open air windows.

His head was angled in a particular fashion to allow him to admire the sprawling streets of Tuisea, but still with enough of his pitiful expression on display--should Nadia dare to glance. Late afternoon melted into a dreamy twilight, rays of light dancing one final waltz before resting for the night.

Lounging around, eyes glued aimlessly to a watery horizon--how many afternoons had he wasted just like this? Albeit from the luxury of his own apartment near the port--but was he not still imprisoned?

Cassian’s eyes drifted over to Nadia’s form upon the bed for the first time in the past hour or so. Seems she had drifted off to sleep. He watched the steady rise and fall of her chest, eyes tracing up the curve of her neck. Falling into this Captain’s hands was ironic in a sort of way, he supposed. Finlas had imprisoned his mind to the vastness of the sea and what fate it had dealt his friend for years. It seemed fitting Nadia managed to imprison his physical body to accompany it.

Fluttering movement caught his eye, misty gaze widening momentarily once the reality of what that meant began to process. Cassian shifted his posture on the sill to more comfortably look out the window, fully blocking Nadia from his peripheral as she began to stir awake. The last thing he needed was for her to call him a pervert for watching her sleep.

“I’m going to get dinner.” Nadia stated, her voice tight--like someone commanding a dog.

Cassian rolled his eyes. “Bring some wine back will you? I need to be blacked out if you expect me to spend the night with you,” He called out to her form as it slipped from the door.

The prince fell back against the stone windowsill with a heavy sigh. He didn’t need wine. What he needed was a fucking break. He pressed his tongue against the inside of his cheek, wheels beginning to turn. While it wasn’t a surprise Nadia left him alone while she went off to galavant and exercise her freedoms, it was rather out of character for her to leave him free to roam.

A breeze ghosted across the room, brushing a curl into his eyes. Cassian groaned in annoyance, fingers tugging the strand back into place. They stopped mid movement, brown curl pinched between his fingers as he glanced to the side of the room that housed the bed. Two windows--although significantly smaller, framed either side of the bed.

The one he had chosen as his perch for the afternoon was unobstructed by furniture to allow for a beautiful view, but that view came at the cost of a steep and unlivable drop to the street below. But the windows by the bed--those were merely decorative. No spectacular view required.

Cassian nearly jumped from his lounging position, crossing the small space towards the bed with three long strides. He stuck his head through and sure enough--a connection of tiled roofs gleamed back at him. A boyish smile lit the prince’s features at his discovery. This was it, his escape from that witch’s claws.

He pulled his head back in from the window to give the rented room one last survey. His title as Crown Prince wouldn’t be enough to get him a stale piece of bread here, let alone a journey back home. He needed some money first--finding a way to prove his identity would be a problem for later.

Cassian began rifling through the various shelves and drawers that decorated the lavish room. Nadia would have been stupid to leave anything of personal value within the room, her gold pouch no doubt secured somewhere safe among her person. But something of unexpected value, surely she couldn’t drag everything around with her--right?

His fingers skimmed across the surface of something cold and rough buried within the drawer containing Nadia’s change of clothes. Was that the dagger she had given him back in As’veria? Foolish of her to leave it in a locked room with him, but given the fact that she had also fallen asleep with him present--it seemed like slips of the mind were becoming quite frequent.

Cassian wedged the knife in the band of his pants, covering it quickly with his shirt. No time to waste now. The dagger would serve for protection for now, and he was sure could catch enough coin to get him somewhere other than the streets.

“Gods did they have to make this so narrow?” Cassian cursed. His teeth grit as the stone scraped against bare skin. He was halfway through the small window, legs dangling towards the several foot drop to the rooftop below. He twisted his waist, letting out a strained huff.

His shoulders were going to be a bit of a problem getting through here. Gods--and if he got stuck like this? He’d rather take his chances dislocating a shoulder before he let Nadia see him like this. She would laugh herself breathless for one, and the trust he had began carefully crafting would shatter in an instant. No--this was his only chance.

The prince twisted his way through the window in various different angles, letting out a pained gasp as he found the one that would offer the least resistance for his final shove out. His shoulders were screaming in the unnatural position, but he could feel the small whisper of escape with each breeze that ghosted over the city.

One last shove, and the man was free, dropping painfully into a roll. Cassian let out a soft cry, allowing himself to fall backwards into the tiles. The sky yawned out high above him--unencumbered by the prison Nadia had locked him within so securely only minutes before.

He sat up straight--right. She was going to get dinner, and there was no way for him to tell how long that was going to take her. Hours? Minutes? Cassian didn’t want to stick around and find out. He straightened himself carefully, tiles wobbling precariously beneath his feet. The streets of Tuisea bustled beneath him, beckoning him to join the flow and become lost.

---

Cassian wandered through the city until the warm embrace of the evening shifted into a colder grasp of night. Fires flickered along the streets. Cries of sales and business died down to make room for the happy chatter of nightly pleasures.

The smell of food was overwhelming now. The prince couldn’t tell if it was simply an abundance of food being served to satiate the city’s nightly hunger, or if it was his own weakening constitution that heightened the sense. His mouth salivated at the scents that beckoned him in conflicting directions. He hadn’t eaten since that morning aboard the Sun Howler. Hunger was not a feeling the prince had come to know. His tolerance for it was pitiful at best--a mark of a truly spoiled prince.

The man’s steps brought him to the side of a bustling tavern, the smell of roasted meat overwhelming from this close. He felt like he was going to pass out at any moment, closer than ever to the relief of the feeling but left with no gold to achieve it. Huh--that was new. Not a single penny in these rags Nadia had forced him to wear.

Cassian was just about to turn, head spinning from hunger, when a single word froze his limbs. Like his body had been injected with ice.

“Cassian?” A name. His name.

The prince turned, breath shallow. Standing behind him from the tavern entrance, a tad breathless--Rigel.

“Rigel?”
















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



© weldherwings.
 













nadia damaris
captain of the sun howler



















  • .













defeated




Tuisea Luxury Seaside Tavern II



[/tab]




but is knowledge really power?
On the Sun Howler, access to booze was scarce and sacred. The crew certainly appreciated the barrels they were afforded aboard, but endless alcohol provided to them with no stopping point in sight? The night was young and the crew of the Sun Howler were becoming more and more inebriated by the minute. Muscles relaxed, faces that once bore frowns and scowls now softened, and even Nadia, who afforded herself so little pleasures, had indulged in a few drinks herself. Not nearly as much as Katia, who attempted to convince what Nadia thought was the bard to switch places.

A lazy, relaxed smile slipped onto the Captain’s mouth as she sat facing the lively scene of the tavern. Her crew was safe, and happy. They wanted for nothing, and wished only for the jewel, and their hearts and stomachs remained full.

Nadia tried to recall the last time any of her crew felt peace. She thought about her childhood, searching for a memory of relaxed minds and full bellies. She could not recall one, a memory tainted by lust for the jewel and hatred for a whole nation of peoples. Though their search had not concluded, she hoped this scene would play out many times over once they acquired the Jewel. Her people would smile and dance and laugh. They would share their stories without fear or resentment. They would know only peace.

With a glass empty, the bartender exchanged it for a full glass mug of golden alcohol. “On the house, miss.” The gruff man offered a half smile. “For bringing in so much business. We dropped the food off to your room, as you requested. Though it might be cold by the time you return…” Nadia cracked a smile, raising the thick, glass mug in cheers to the bartender “Ah, no worries. Here’s to a successful night, my friend.” Her words were laced with sugar and disillusionment. She was forgetting something, but for the life of her couldn’t remember. Her shoulders relaxed, her mouth connected with the edge of the cup, and the golden liquid disappeared down her throat before it could settle in the now empty cup again.

Eithe shot the Captain a surprised look, but the two women were both walking down the same path. “Captain, if I may.” She began hesitantly, leaning in to Nadia to speak over the chatter of the tavern. “You look happy.” Eithe smiled and jabbed a finger towards Nadia, as if referencing the corner of her mouth which remained raised. A hand rose, smoothing the smile but not forcing it away. Her cheeks hurt from the act, but she could not stop herself. Softly slurred words left the Captain’s lip, “I am happy.”

A commotion broke their conversation apart, Katia taking to the stage with the bard's lute and attempting to play it. Despite the horrible sound that came from the instrument, applause erupted at Katia’s playing. Nadia snorted, shaking her head at the audacious scene Katia was causing. In any ordinary circumstance, Nadia would have pulled her drunk powdermonkey from the stage without another though. Now the Captain pushed herself from the bar, with drink in tow, to enjoy the “show” Katia was putting on. They were far away from their enemies, mind Cassian who she’d locked upstairs temporarily. They were safe. “Enjoy yourself, Captain.” Eithe called. “You earned it.”

Disappearing into the thick of the crowd, she found a mix of crew and others watching the disaster Katia was creating. A gentle grasp on her shoulder nearly sobered her up, spinning on her heel to find Erin pulling her attention. Nadia felt the woman was avoiding her after the events of Okoris unfolded. Erin failed her task of seducing the Prince, forcing the Captain to step in– But Nadia saw no foul in the failed attempt. Erin gave her body and soul to the Sun Howler, one small stumble would not push her into the ill graces of Nadia.

“Erin,” She greeted warmly, turning towards the dark haired woman. Though Erin did not grow up on the Sun Howler like Averett and Nadia, she was one of the only other residents of the ship that was closer in age to the two ship stowaways. Nadia respected her, watched her learn as she shadowed Mary. Erin refined Nadia’s skill with a blade, forcing her to surpass her or to suffer the consequences. Not overly warm, not overly guarded, Erin found much respect and kinship from Nadia. Even after spending many weeks apart.

“Captain, I’ve missed you.” Erin said, cheeks flushed red from alcohol and heat. Though Tuisea was steadily cooling in the night, the heat in the building was still retained in the bodies of its visitors. A rogue hip bumped Nadia forward, but Erin was quick to catch. “We live on the same ship, Erin.” Nadia said dryly, though a hint of amusement tangled her words. “You can’t have missed me too much.”

Erin stepped forward, her hand trailing from the shoulder she caught to Nadia’s calloused hand. “I miss…” The woman hiccuped softly, staring down at their intertwined. “I miss when we were younger.”

Nadia’s hand stiffened and she straightened up very slightly, expressing morphing into one of surprise. “I have more things I could teach you.” Erin offered, taking a step closer to shocked looking Nadia. Her step was closer to a stumble, nearly falling into Nadia, who lacked in stature compared to Erin. The drunk woman slumped over Nadia’s shoulders, arms clumsily dancing to hips. Erin was coming onto Nadia. With alcohol to eliminate her inhibitions, Erin wished to seize the night and perhaps seize the Captains mouth as the two formerly teenage girls had exchanged years prior.

“Erin…” Nadia spoke softly, careful not to damage the fragile woman in her state. “I think you need to drink some water and we can talk in the morning.” Erin’s body weight went from slumped to fully relying on Nadia to hold her up. “Erin?” She gently shook the heavy body on her. “Bloody drunk…” She snorted, groaning as she shuffled through the crowd and placed Erin’s limp body on a barstool. She offered a few quick smacks to Erin’s cheeks, seeing eyes flutter and consciousness stir in her body. “When she…” Nadia stumbled back, feeling the impact of her… how many was it?... her several drinks. Grabbing onto her composure, she wrestled a coherent state back to the front of her mind. “When she comes to… Water only. Water only–” Offering a ‘thumbs up’ to the bartender, Nadia shook her head. How amusing crews could be.

Mary and Osmond confessed their unrequited love for each other as former Captain and Second Mate of the Sun Howler– and now they’d been engaged in a sea love affair for over two decades. But Nadia’s mind was elsewhere. In the shape of a Vinyamarian who she couldn’t stand. The only thing she coveted was in his hands– or perhaps they were his hands? That thought quickly sobered her up and she found herself putting distance in between the bar. Enough alcohol entered her system to cause strange thoughts, she didn’t want to perpetuate those thoughts any further.

“My Nadia–” Now that voice, the voice of Mary, pulled her quickly in. Mary and Osmond stationed themself in the corner of the tavern, a small booth housing their close forms. Mary rose from the table to greet Nadia with a nod. Mary looked intoxicated– she shared a look with Osmond, but couldn’t read too far into it. Her mind was conjuring rather unpleasant images at the moment and she didn’t want to trust any assumptions made by her inebriated brain. “Mary. Rested well for the voyage ahead?”

“Oh Nadia, I thought you’d put planning and plotting aside for the evening? You are just like your father.”

The once loud music steadily faded to the background. Mary’s mouth kept moving, but Nadia couldn’t comprehend a word she was saying. Blinking slowly, breathing slowly, thinking slowly. Her expression contorted from shocked to confused, eyebrows pinching together and creating lines in her face and forehead. A distant ringing began, slow and consistent, growing in sound and intensity. Mary just said…

“Nadia? What is it my dear? Have you forgotten how to hold your alcohol?” Mary snorted out a laugh, shooting a look towards Osmond who seemed to have a solemn expression on his face. “What? Have I done something wrong?”

Nadia shook her head, suddenly wishing the intense buzz of alcohol would leave her mind. “My father?” She forced the words out finally, the taste of metal filling her mouth from the harsh gnashing caused by doubt and befuddlement. “What do you mean my father?”

The realization struck Mary quickly, coating her in regret. She’d misspoken. Misstepped. She was far more calculating and precise without booze, and now she’d slipped. Mary did not speak, mouth agape as it searched for the words that did not come. She looked to Osmond for help, desperate he could speak and save her from herself.

Nadia was firm, demanding, in her words. “What do you mean my father, Mary?”

“Did I say father? I– I must have misspoken–”

“You did not misspeak, Mary. Answer me. Now.” Hands clenched to angry fists, resting at the sides of her body. The alcohol buzzed loudly in her body, taking the leisurely feeling and morphing it to fuel for anger. Though the tavern was loud, the silence was louder, snaking around their throats and squeezing until someone spoke again.

“Nadia… I–” Mary’s shoulders fell. She clammored for the words. “He loved you. He just couldn’t– Your father was not the kind of man that could raise children. He– It’s not that he didn’t want you. There were… There were other circumstances–”

Nadia heard enough. The ringing in her ears persisted to a grating pitch, creating a dull throbbing that would become more severe if she listened to another word out of Mary’s deceitful mouth. Turning, she began through the crowd, easily maneuvering through clumsy bodies before she reached the stairwell. To the best of her ability, she trekked up the stairs and back to the rented room before coming to the stark realization that Cassian was on the other side. Would he be easier to deal with than the realization that Nadia was abandoned rather than found?

She glanced at the covered tray of food, no longer warm but still wafting delicious smells towards Nadia’s nose. Hopefully, Cassian would be pleased to eat. If she recalled, he hadn’t eaten since that morning. Taking a moment to steady herself, she lifted the tray, unlocked the door.

“Cassian?” She called, expecting to see the Vinyamarian’s lanky form lounging on the bed or perched by the window, sulking and sighing about how a prince would never be treated this way in Vinyamar. But the familiar elf’s form was nowhere to be found. The tray of food clattered onto the nearest surface as Nadia searched, tearing the room apart as if Cassian would have disappeared in the plush abyss of the bed, or behind the sheer flowing curtains. Frustration tore through her throat as her eyes laid on the lattice which was slightly dislodged. He escaped. He ran. Everything Nadia had been working towards, and her key ran while she was down getting drunk and revealing truths she wished not to know. Crumpling to the window sill, for the first time in her life, Nadia sat there defeated.




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

© weldherwings.
 


























cassian airendil

the crown prince






































  • .



























relieved, fearful








Tuisean tavern, Tuisea Luxury Seaside Inn II






[/tab]








i love you and i always will and i am sorry. what a useless word.
Cassian shifted awkwardly, lips pursed in question. “How did you--”

“Zinyra,” They responded in unison. A brief glance of disbelief was shared, before Rigel’s expression shifted into a look of amusement. He smiled, catching Cassian by surprise. Wait--was Rigel actually relieved to have found him?

The crown prince let out a laugh. His shoulders slumped from the tight hold of pressure he didn’t know he was carrying. How long had he been carrying such a weight, anyways? Since Nadia had taken him that night--or maybe sometime before?

Rigel’s expression relaxed. He gestured to the tavern entrance behind him. “Why don’t you come join us for dinner? We’ll head back to the ship after.”

Cassian nodded. He peered into the tavern behind, a hint of trepidation halting his resolve. This felt almost too good to be true. He was sure the crown had come up with some kind of strategy to pinpoint his location, but still--what were the odds he’d run into Rigel the very day he managed his escape? Hunger got the best of him though, sharp teeth of the feeling gnawing through the last threads of his hesitance. “Okay--sounds like a plan.”

The inside of the tavern was lit with warm lanterns hanging from the ceiling in varying heights. They cast a homely feel, and paired with the tantalizing spices, they nearly had Cassian in a trance. Patrons sat scattered around the open space on floor cushions, clustered around tables low to the ground. Laughter and lively chatter floated freely through the air.

“I have a small crew over here,” Rigel said over his shoulder. “We left the majority aboard the ship. Figured it’d be faster to send a small search party.”
He gestured to a pair of cushions off to the side of the table the crew dined at. More privacy to grill Cassian for his stupidity no doubt. The crew gave solemn bows of their heads in acknowledgement to the Princes.

Rigel slid a plate of food over to Cassian. The crown prince began eating nearly as soon as he was properly seated at their table, legs criss crossed. Rigel watched as his brother nearly inhaled the food set before him, manners be damned. A small sneer soured the neutral expression on his face. If only their father could see him now. His prize son dressed in rags, gulping down the plate before him like some kind of beggar.

He cleared his throat. “How?”

A lone word, yet with its utterance, Cassian could tell that the friendliness Rigel maintained for their reunion had burnt out. Only the cold glaze of anger was left.

Cassian swallowed hard. “I should be asking you the same.”

Rigel’s face flushed red in rage, the younger brother quick to ruffle when it came to Cassian. He slammed his hand on the table, leaning in as he spit, “Their admittance to the port is a fluke that I will not let happen again. Those involved have already been fired. They’ll never work at a port in Vinyamar so long as they live.”

Cassian merely swallowed a large gulp of wine in response. The tips of his brown curls dampened in the humidity trapped within the large tent, slightly obscuring his eyes as he looked back to his brother. The heat from the day was falling back down into the Tuisean sand, readying to rest before the chill of the night could creep out.

He contemplated telling the truth of that night. The heavy wine induced drunk. Sylvis’ oversight and Zene’s betrayal. But Rigel would tear through them like a storm, leaving nothing but scattered wreckage in his wake. He was looking for redemption now. The only way to rectify his image in their father’s eyes was to destroy everything that had contributed to it--and then some.

So no--Cassian opted not to tell the truth. He dropped his gaze down to his plate. “I was drunk,” He shrugged. “They got me in one of the alleyways on the way back to my apartment.”

“Why didn’t you just stay the night,” Rigel fired back, almost as if the question had been pre loaded. “What--couldn’t get it up for your favorite girl? Did she throw your sloppy ass to the street?”

Cassian sighed. He leaned back from the table, stomach already beginning to fill from how quickly he had eaten. “Guess absence doesn’t make the heart grow fonder after all,” He muttered.

Rigel simply flipped him off.

The crown prince ran a hand through his hair, pushing the rapidly dampening strands up and off his forehead. “I didn’t go to a brothel that night. I just wanted to get drunk,” He lied. “I couldn’t just stay there, so I walked home. I was too drunk to think of calling a carriage.”

“Do you realize how fucking stupid that sounds Cassian?” Rigel’s anger was mounting now, each word from Cassian’s mouth building the flames higher and higher. His brother’s steel blue eyes were on fire--nearly matching the intense burning of the lamps surrounding the tent. “You are crown prince,” His finger jabbed at the table with each word. “If word of this got out, how do you think this would affect father’s image? Vinyamar’s image?”

He shook his head, his own brown curls casting a dark shadow over his brow, intensifying the anger that laid there. “You only ever think of yourself--no surprise there,” He scoffed.

“Rigel--I don’t feel like doing this right now,” He sighed. Cassian downed the rest of the wine in his cup, gesturing to the waitress for a refill.

“And there you go again--learning nothing from--” Rigel gestured around them. “The entirety of this.”

Cassian shot a look of warning, gaze becoming dangerous. Rigel conceded, noting the few patrons that had begun to look their way. The crew next to them pretended to mind their own conversation, but he could tell the way their words rang hollow of meaning that they were listening in.

“What did they want?” Rigel asked after the waitress departed.

“Do you remember something called the Star of Isolde?” He asked. The prince swirled the wine in his metal cup, a tick thanks to muscle memory, while his thoughts churned. “What Finlas had left in search of. I thought it was an old wive’s tale but now--”

Rigel leaned forward. His dark brow furrowed into a look of disbelief. “You’re not serious are you?”

Cassian only nodded in response.

The younger brother sat back while the information processed. “If it’s real enough for our father to sanction Finlas’ search of it, and now this--Cassian we can’t let them find it.”

He rolled his eyes. “Yeah, Rigel, I get that. It’s not like I really had a choice with a dagger pressed to my throat the whole time.”

“So what--they’ll kill you if you don’t take them to it? Do you even know where it is?”

He shook his head. “Of course I don’t know where it is. As of two weeks ago, it was just the thing that took away my best friend.” His voice had become tight--biting. “The Captain, she never told me why they were looking for it.” Nadia’s face flashed in his mind briefly, the longing look she would get in her eyes whenever she’d talk about the jewel making his heart begin to beat faster. Cassian cleared his throat, chalking it up to the wine.

Rigel hummed. He rested his chin between two fingers, gaze shifting back and forth as he thought. “We’ll have to get back right away to alert the crown. How did you manage to survive this long? Did you find something to satiate their appetite?”

Cassian opened his mouth, startled when his words suddenly failed him. Why was he becoming reticent all of a sudden? One thought back to Nadia and now he was clamming up, unwilling to share her crew’s recent discovery at the caves of Uldenia and now plotted journey for the Unknown Lands. What would Rigel do to them if he found out?

“I--I don’t know,” Cassian stammered. “They left me on the ship when they would reach a new place. Our last stop was--was As’veria I think.” As’veria. Good. A place Rigel wouldn’t dare to touch lest he risk the harsh scolding of their Father. A place unwelcome to elves and certainly unwelcome to one so proudly bearing the title of the crown.

Rigel nodded, but there was a glint of mistrust in his eyes. Cassian was withholding information. For what--he didn’t know, but he was more than certain he’d get the truth out of him eventually. It would be a long trip back to Vinyamar.

The crown prince sensed the dark shift that had overtaken his brother, thin hairs rising at the nape of his neck. Two truths suddenly hit Cassian at once as he stared into his brother’s eyes. Firstly--the two of them had never been this far from the reach of the crown and their father before. Secondly--the only ones who knew Cassian was currently alive and well were the small search party and...Rigel.

He shifted in his seat, the humidity now unbearable. “It’s quite hot in here,” Cassian huffed, smiling softly. “I’m going to step out and get some air,” He said.

Rigel nodded. “We’ll wrap up here and meet you.”

Cassian pardoned himself from the tent, blindingly aware of the cold chill of Rigel’s gaze boring into his back as he walked. Surely he wouldn’t--would he? The crown prince gulped in large breaths of air as he exited the tavern. The night outside had finally started to cool off, the crowded tent slow in its release of the daytime heat.

He had never doubted Rigel’s hatred for him. He had experienced that dark aggression back in the tent during sparring sessions growing up, but those had always been closely monitored by a mentor. How deep did Rigel’s lust for the crown run? Cassian stared up at the spattering of stars that glittered brilliantly in the dusty blue sky. Did that lust have a taste for blood?
“Ready?” Rigel’s voice startled Cassian from his thoughts. His shoulders rocketed up to his ears.

“Y--yeah,” Cassian laughed awkwardly, hoping his brother couldn’t sense the hollow fear that sounded in his voice. “Where’s the search party?”

“Oh I sent them back,” Rigel responded. His voice had taken on an eerie level of calm, completely devoid of the anger that had laced it earlier. “We’ll draw less attention this way. Your captors are still docked here aren’t they?”

Cassian nodded, the tautness in his muscles giving way slightly upon that realization. The two began walking in the dark streets, shoulder to shoulder. Silence was heavy between them as they walked. He couldn’t remember the last time he had been in the same room for this long with Rigel, let alone spend this much time with him alone. What did they have to talk about? Everything Rigel yearned for Cassian spurned with all his might. Everything Cassian loved, Rigel detested. The only similarity they shared was their royal blood and the looks of their mother.

“Do you remember when our father got sick that one winter, when we were younger?” Rigel was the first one to break the silence. “The doctor’s couldn’t figure out what was wrong with him--and he got really bad.”

Cassian glanced over at him, unsure of where he was taking the direction. “Of course I do. They brought in a bunch of specialists but no one could find a solution that lessened his condition.”

Rigel nodded. He turned off the main street to a connecting web of side streets dipped further in shadow. The sound of waves shucking against the side of a port was louder here, the smell of salt heavier. “I started doing my own research, I was so scared that he was going to die,” Rigel laughed bitterly. “I found this one healing potion, some old dusty thing in the library, and I was convinced it could cure him.”

“It required this one ingredient, super obscure rare thing, and you could only find it deep in one of the forests on the outskirts of the city,” he continued. “I got all packed up with my supplies, and I just left. For a whole day I was gone, searching for this fucking ingredient for our father.”

Cassian’s heart began to pick up the deeper into the alleys they went. The ambient chatter from locals faded the further they walked, isolation beginning to close in around them.

“When I got back--do you think anyone had even noticed I was gone? Do you think they even cared if I didn’t come back?”

Cassian swallowed hard. They turned a sharp right, and the alley spit them out to a side path that bordered a more narrow channel offshooting from the main port. Ships loomed like dark giants in the night. Rigel turned towards him, his expression darker than Cassian had ever seen it before. He took a step backwards, hands up defensively.

“Rigel--I,”

“And then you disappear and our father sends out a whole fucking search party for you at the drop of a dime,” He laughed incredulously, taking a step toward his brother. “I’ve devoted my entire life to pleasing him yet if I was in your shoes, he wouldn’t have spared half the supplies he spared you.”

Rigel was nearly yelling now, his face contorted into a mask of rage. His eyes were black in the darkness that shrouded them. “All you do is shirk your responsibilities any chance you get. You don’t even know how lucky you are. The power that you could hold if you wanted.”

“Rigel, enough. Calm down,” Cassian pleaded, still backing away as his brother stalked forwards. He was beginning to near the edge of the stone pathway, water churning darkly in the moonlight.

“No Cassian, I’m done fucking listening to you,” He lunged forward and grabbed his brother’s hand. “You’re coming with me whether you like to or not, or you know what, even better! Maybe on the journey back you might not make it.”

Cassian’s chest froze in fear. “You don’t mean that.”

Rigel was silent, the rage in his eyes the only answer Cassian needed. He wrenched his wrist from his brother’s grasp, ducking as Rigel lunged forward towards him with an angered grunt.

Wide eyed, mind firing a thousand thoughts as adrenaline shot into his system, Cassian decided to take the one path he knew Rigel wouldn’t follow. He dove off the side of the walkway, water welcoming with a deafening roar. Cassian broke through to the surface and immediately began swimming away from the area Rigel stood at, string of curses flowing as he paced back and forth.

His estranged relationship with his brother left many gaps in his memory on just who Rigel was--evident now in Cassian’s surprise at the dark violence his brother was capable of. But a childhood full of various mandatory training did have its upsides--and this time, the knowledge it brought might have very well saved his life. Rigel was afraid of swimming.

Cassian clawed at the wooden dock situated on the other side of the channel he had swam across, Rigel’s pacing form only a smudge in the background now. He hauled himself out of the port, curls plastered to his face and clothes streaming water.

His feet seemed to move on their own accord, dragging his water laden shoes in any direction, so long as it was far away from Rigel. Cassian had known his brother was hungry for the crown, but he never imagined his hatred would allow him to actually harm Cassian for a stab at that power. In hindsight--such an assumption seemed naïve.

He paused, lungs heaving once reaching the familiar white walls of the Tuisean inn that had served as his prison. The prince stared, brow furrowed in disbelief. After facing a near death experience with his brother, his body had sought out the path that felt safest. That path now revealed itself to be right back into Nadia’s palms.

This was a thought exercise to explore when his brother wasn’t currently hunting him down in the streets. The prince located the path he had taken down earlier, carefully climbing his way back until he reached the familiar window that had served as his ticket to freedom.

Cassian tried not to think of the irony of how much easier it was for him to tumble back into the room, deciding to chalk it up to the wet state of his clothes and skin instead.

“Miss me?” He said, doubled over onto his knees as he caught his breath. Cassian’s wet curls dripped water onto the floor with a light patter.
















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



© weldherwings.
 
Last edited:













nadia damaris
captain of the sun howler



















  • .













shocked, perplexed




Tuisea Luxury Seaside Tavern II



[/tab]




the prince of my enemy is my friend...?
For several moments, Nadia sank into the bed, head spinning from alcohol, ears ringing with rage and disbelief, and body unable to relax from either. Her hands dug into the sheets, clutching for anything to teether her to reality, even if it was feeling the individual fraying threads of the well worn fabric. The threads were tightly-woven, hand crafted by artisans in inland Tuisea. The rough skin of her thumb brushed against a raised thread, fixating on the strange imperfection. Eyes fluttering open, she pulled the fabric closer, brushing the raised thread only to discover it was a delicate flower, masterfully embroidered and nearly flat against the sheet. Only a singular thread had escaped from the tight embroidery. Gripping the thread, she gently tugged it, hoping it would correct the imperfection only for it to unravel.

A single creased thread remained, resting in her hand. Unraveled.

Nadia had half a mind to stumble out onto the streets of Tuisea and search for Cassian, but given the amount of alcohol she’d consumed, it would do more harm than help. She straightened up, hands brushing over her face and sardonic smile slowly creeping onto her lips. How naive had the Captain been to assume her plan, her wild plan, would ever succeed? While Cassian had pointed them in the right direction, it could take years to find the location of the Jewel. There were hundreds of islands south of Tuisea. Hundreds of islands hundreds of miles apart. By the time they reached the right one, there was no telling the hardships they would face.

In an instant, Nadia was on her feet, stumbling back and dagger drawn as a form forced its way through the window before collapsing to the ground. Cassian. Cassian? Her eyes went wide in disbelief, and for a moment, her body froze, fixated on the strange, wet form of her Vinyamarian that had suddenly appeared before her eyes.

Nadia breathed out, suddenly acutely aware of how fast her heart was beating and how a tremor had snuck its way into her body, hands gently shaking as she took an unsure step forward. “You came back.” Another step.

Was this his corporeal form or simply a figment of her imagination?

Nadia took one more step forward, only an arms reach from Cassian. Alcohol wasn’t known for being hallegeonic… Bringing a hand up, she reached out, brushing a wet curl before quickly jerking her hand back. “You’re real.”

The shock of his appearance was slowly wearing off, the look of surprise morphing into one of confusion. Rather than jumping to anger, she furrowed her brows even deeper. Why had he left and come back? Even if he was going out for a night swim, he was a Prince who had been abducted from his home. Why not alert the Tuisean authorities of the Sun Howler? Why not escape while he had the chance? It was perplexing. It was odd. It wasn’t right. “You’ve come back to take your revenge huh? That's what this is? Do you have a weapon? I will..” Nadia hiccuped, interrupting her accusations. Fuck. The alcohol. “I will not go down without a fight.”




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

© weldherwings.
 


























cassian airendil

the crown prince






































  • .



























amused








Tuisea Luxury Seaside Inn II






[/tab]








i love you and i always will and i am sorry. what a useless word.
“You’re real.”

“Ah--stop what are you doing?” Cassian muttered with a raspy breath, tipping his head away from Nadia’s touch. He straightened to his full height, chest still dipping in shallow breaths. “Of course I’m real--what’s wrong with you?”

His eyes narrowed while they searched Nadia’s person before him. Slightly wavering stance, flushed cheeks. A look of shock cleared the confusion from his face in a single swipe. Devilish amusement took its place not long after. Nadia, perfect responsible Nadia, was drunk. A grin split the prince’s features, a crescent of white in the shadowed room. He took a step towards the Captain, leaning down slightly to meet her eyes.

“I’m real, yes. And you, dear Captain, are drunk,” He chuckled, head shaking in disbelief. After all the shit she had given him for being an irresponsible drunk, then she goes and does this? He turned towards the dresser, stripping the clinging fabric of his soaked shirt from his body. “I hope your drunken state doesn’t have anything to do with my momentary disappearance. Don’t tell me you missed me that much, Nadia. It’ll break my heart.”

Cassian searched through the various drawers for an extra pair of clothes, but of course, Nadia didn’t pack any for him. Did she want him to stink like a stray dog or something? He rolled his eyes, stripping the wet pants from his body next. His briefs were still slightly damp, but a far cry better than the slow drying fabric of his outer garments. He’d have to make do like this.

“You’ve come back to take your revenge huh? That's what this is? Do you have a weapon? I will..” Nadia hiccuped, interrupting her accusations. “I will not go down without a fight.”

When he turned back around, Nadia had changed her stance to something sturdier. The gleam of a dagger in the dim lighting processed, and he choked back a laugh at the ridiculous situation. He raised a brow, taking several steps forward until the tip of her dagger was mere inches from his flesh. “To take my revenge? What for?”

He pressed a finger into the tip of the dagger, throwing her grip off balance with a gentle push to the side. “I came back to you, Nadia, because despite your horrible treatment--You make me feel safe.” He remembered the black shadow of rage that had veiled Rigel’s eyes. That was a look of death, of a resolved intent to kill. There was no doubt about it, the safest place for him at the moment was in the Captain’s hands. Even if he failed to be of use to her, he doubted Nadia would kill him for it. She lacked the hostile rage Rigel had so easily wielded.

Cassian placed a hand on the side of Nadia’s flushed cheeks, amusement crinkling the corners of his eyes. “You’re cute when you’re drunk you know. Who knew the witch of the sea was such a light weight?”

The prince brushed past her, beginning to pull back the sheets on the bed. “Take the floor, join me in bed, I don’t care. I’m going to sleep and after those damned hammocks you’ve made me sleep in--I deserve a real bed for once.”
















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



© weldherwings.
 













nadia damaris
captain of the sun howler



















  • .













confused & curious




Tuisea Luxury Seaside Tavern II



[/tab]




the prince of my enemy is my friend...?
Nadia’s eyes stayed fixed on Cassian as he removed his damp attire, her unwavering gaze staying tethered to his form. She would argue it was out of her safety, assuring that her quick scans were to notice any weapons but she realized very quickly, Cassian was just as he’d left. Albeit more waterlogged. Still, Nadia had a job to finish until he took steps towards her dagger. The mere action caused her to stumble in her place, eyes going wide at the perplexing choice. Was Cassian a fool? She was the one wielding a weapon and if she was any judge of his combat ability, he couldn’t go toe-to-toe with her when it came to fists.

Grounding herself, she straightened up, convinced with her stronger posture and more intimidating stance, Cassian would understand she was not a fool. He’d escaped into arguably one of the largest port cities aside from Okoris. While he lacked physical strength, Cassian was not an idiot. He was resourceful and charming– she could just imagine how easily he could talk his way into a blade, a fine steak knife, jewels to exchange for weapons… But as the push easily knocked her off balance, she realized he was not trying to deceive her.

“I came back to you, Nadia, because despite your horrible treatment--You make me feel safe.”

She stilled, furrowed eyebrows unable to give away any thought in her churning mind. “Horrible treatment?” She sputtered out first, jabbing a finger his way as she stumbled forward. Gods, was the alcohol really that strong? Why had she drunk so much in the first place? Regardless, her retort continued. “I see no shackles on your wrists.” Jabbing another finger towards the plate of food she’d discarded upon learning of escape. “I see a healthy-looking Vinyamarian with food in his belly. Clothes on his–” Nadia looked at his form once more, coming to a sputtering stop as her eyes danced down from the curve of his collarbone to the flesh of his chest. “Clothes. You have them.”

Turning to pick the damp, discarded clothes (which would not dry by morning), she was abruptly stopped by delicate contact with Cassian’s hands. They were once smooth, Nadia could tell. But traveling away from Okoris had transformed Cassian in more ways than one, the soft skin now textured with experience on the sea. How strange. The cool of his hand burned her warm cheeks, yet she felt herself take a step forward, cheek pressing into his hand. Cassian was speaking, but Nadia had heard not a word.

“What?” The cool hand disappeared. “What did you say?” She muttered half-heartedly, not fixated on the words she’d lost but the touch. Cassian’s proclamation that he deserved the bed, Nadia silently retrieved the damp clothing from where he discarded it, laying shirt and trousers on the open window sill to dry. She would certainly hear fewer complaints from Cassian if he had fully dry clothes. She could hear it now, the Prince groaning at the damp clothes he failed to properly dry.

Settling clumsily on the window sill, she looked out on the serene, still port city. Nadia hated to admit it, but for a moment, in the chaos of Cassian, she’d forgotten the burden she carried. As she gazed on the port, eyes glazing over the Sun Howler’s beauty, her mind began to drift. “No.” She whispered, brushing a hand over her face. There was too much vastness for her to look at.

Standing, she took a step towards the bed, staring hard at Cassian curled up on the left side. Were all Prince’s this obtuse? Cassian was constantly forgetting why exactly he was in this situation in the first place… Though, with his strange return, perhaps Nadia did not know why Cassian was still voyaging alive and well with a group of humans.

Taking an unsure step forward, and a few more stumbly steps, Nadia rounded the bed, back facing Cassian as she sat down. Curling onto the bed, the woman made herself as close to the edge as she could, unwilling to be accidentally brushed by him.

The silence crushed her like the pressure of the deep ocean, increasing until she shifted so silently, breaking the silence. “You’re not like the other Vinyamarian’s I’ve met.” Nadia began, a soft slur in her speech but lessening the more she spoke. “It confuses me. You are the Prince. You are to be the King. And yet… You are nothing at all like them.” She hesitated, considering for a moment, before rolling in to face him. Even if it was for a moment, she hoped it would banish the intruding thoughts the alcohol couldn’t take away. “Why? You should hate me. You should hate us, and yet… When you’ve been given a chance to escape, you come straight back… Why?” She caught his gaze, her face softening curiously. Why was Cassian so… different?




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

© weldherwings.
 


























cassian airendil

the crown prince






































  • .



























thoughtful








Tuisea Luxury Seaside Inn II






[/tab]








i love you and i always will and i am sorry. what a useless word.
“You’re not like the other Vinyamarian’s I’ve met... You should hate me. You should hate us, and yet… When you’ve been given a chance to escape, you come straight back… Why?”

Cassian remained on his back, gaze set hard onto the stone ceiling above them. A soft whisper of the moon brushed against its surface. It was quieter at night, the seagulls having nestled in for the evening, ships falling silent under the heavy cloak of shadow. Quiet enough for Cassian to hear the soft puffs of breath that slipped from Nadia’s lips. She was turned to face him now, her question hanging heavy between them.

The prince turned on his side to face her. His eyes traveled in an arc from her eyes down to her lips. He snapped them back up to her eyes after a beat before saying, “I never wanted the crown. Cassian Airendale, the crown prince--that identity existed before I was even born.”

He let out a hiss of a sigh. “I was just the unlucky one that happened to be born first.”

Cassian’s gaze narrowed, thick eyebrows furrowing. “Haven’t you ever wondered why they call me the Prince of Vice? It’s pretty common knowledge that I’m not the picture of a royal Vinyamarian. I’ve never been. But he--” Cassian’s voice cut off suddenly. Eyes froze in a paralyzed shock from the name that almost tumbled from his lips. Nadia didn’t need to know about him. Not Finlas. Cassian rolled over onto his back.

“Whatever. It doesn’t matter. You may think you’re capable of the cruelty my father and Rigel have prided themselves in--but I don’t think you have the heart for it Nadia. Or rather, you have too much heart for it. I’ve seen the way you treat your crew. You care for them, maybe even more than you care for yourself,” He turned his head to glance at the captain beside him. “Even the reason you claim for the jewel. Redemption,” Cassian spit the word out like it was something vile. “No--my Father would take it just for the power alone. For the destruction. Once you see true greed like that, you learn to recognize where it’s not. That’s why I trust you. That’s why I came back.”
















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



© weldherwings.
 













nadia damaris
captain of the sun howler



















  • .













captivated




Tuisea Luxury Seaside Tavern II



[/tab]




I tread further and further towards my own demise.
The bed was large enough for the two of them to lay comfortably, but it was not large enough for them to remain distant from each other. This forced proximity wasn’t only physical– it was mental. Nadia could feel her hazy mind wrapping around the idea of Cassian. She could say truthfully she’d never met anyone quite like him. She found him insufferable and hard to be around, but in moments like these… moments like the one they shared underneath the stars of the Sun Howler… they almost convinced Nadia that Cassian could be someone she… could..

Shifting into the bed, she bade herself to drift away from such dangerous thoughts. Cassian was a being that was off limits– for companionship, trust, or anything in between. He was a Vinyamarian. The Crown Prince. But as he curled in towards her, she couldn’t help but notice the softness in his face. The dark curls fell perfectly over his forehead, framing his well shaped eyebrows and allowing her to gaze into his eyes. Cassian attempted to be sharp to her, but day by day, the facade they both put up was fading.

She listened to his words, though found herself drifting from paying attention to his words to paying attention to the beautiful features of his face. Vinyamarian’s had a certain untouchable beauty to them, but Cassian Airendil was ethereal. Could she remember anyone as pretty as Cassian? Her fingers dug into the soft top sheet, trying to quell whatever impulse was building in her body. Even in her drunken state, she knew it was best to behave the way Cassian expected her to behave. Perhaps she should’ve said something hateful sooner…

“It feels like titles have been thrust upon both of us…” Nadia murmured softly, shifting yet again. Inching closer. If she was asked, it wasn’t intentional. “Captain and Prince.” She smiled softly, looking at her scared hands curling into the fabric. “I often wonder what my life would look like had Mary not found me. She told me I was destined to be Captain of the Sun Howler. I didn’t understand that when I was a child– I thought sword fighting was fun, the ocean felt like home but…” She looked past him distantly, as if trying to grasp a memory that she would never be able to see. “But what if I could be what I wanted? What if we could?”

Knee brushed knee and Nadia felt something get caught in her chest, as if someone’s boot was applying gentle pressure to her insides. Peculiar. It was just one touch. What would another feel like?

“You trust me.” Cassian’s words snapped her from the drifting thoughts, dark eyes snapping to his cloudy eyes, searching for any falsehoods, any lies, any deceptions. She could not find any. She wished she found something. Anything that told her to run and hold a blade to his throat.

Nadia huffed out a small laugh which eventually tumbled into something she couldn’t contain no matter how hard she pressed her hand against her lips. “Cassian Airendil trusts me… That's so stupid...” She giggled, flipping over to face away from him as she loosened up. There was a silliness that was beginning to overtake the serious Captain.

“If you could be anything,” Nadia began, before flipping back towards Cassian, closing a majority of the space between them. “If you could be anything, what would you want to be? How would you want your life to play out? If being Prince didn’t matter… Or finding the Jewel… How would you spend your time?” She waited expectantly, letting her hands rest closer and closer to the exposed flesh of Cassian’s arm. Her hand flexed, fingers itching to feel the flesh. No. No. Cassian had caught her in his web… And she didn’t want to escape.




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

© weldherwings.
 


























cassian airendil

the crown prince






































  • .



























thoughtful








Tuisea Luxury Seaside Inn II






[/tab]








i don't think you've ever felt anything that didn't hurt you.
“It feels like titles have been thrust upon both of us…I often wonder what my life would look like had Mary not found me. She told me I was destined to be Captain of the Sun Howler.”

Cassian shifted to look at Nadia, expression frozen from her confession. He’d always assumed she had chosen this life, worked her way up to it with an iron focus. The way she embraced the title felt so natural. But she, too, was playing a role cast against her will? He wondered what his life would be like if he embraced it the way Nadia did. Would he be as ruthless as Rigel? As unfeeling as his father?

He opened his mouth to respond, but his words failed him. Against his better judgment, his breath hitched audibly at the feeling of Nadia’s knee coming to rest against him. He wasn’t drunk but gods would this be easier if he was. He could blame the reaction on the wine, simple as that. The prince wasn't unaware of the way Nadia's cheeks had flushed into something more than just the induction of alcohol. Her breathing was shallow, timid. He swallowed hard, ignoring the way his fingers twitched absently.

To his relief, Nadia broke out into a fit of laughter--a nice tone shift and saving grace from the thoughts that had begun to make his limbs grow hazy with lust. Cassian propped himself up on his elbows, peering over at the woman, who had since turned over onto her other side. “Oh come on, what’s so funny about that?”

He stayed as he was, blue eyes drifting down to Nadia with a softened look housed within them that he expected she’d forget by the morning. “If I could be anything,” He repeated. Cassian’s voice trailed off into a soft murmur, a lullaby, a whisper between lovers. But he and Nadia were nothing of the sort. He flopped back down onto the bed.

Cassian ran a hand up against his forehead to lift the drying curls from it. A heavy sigh deflated the planes of his chest. “Gods, I don’t know. I never had that much time to think about it. I was too busy getting wasted and running from who I have to be.”

He peered over at her. “What about you? Give me an example and maybe it’ll remind me of something.”














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



© weldherwings.
 













nadia damaris
captain of the sun howler



















  • .













captivated




Tuisea Luxury Seaside Tavern II



[/tab]




I tread further and further towards my own demise.
The low tone of Cassian’s voice enticed her, beckoning her to spiral further into his web. Like a siren singing to a sailor at sea, she felt lured by his beautiful song. Each word pulled her closer to her own demise. His answer felt lackluster, and a frown quickly communicated that thought. “You have to play the game when you find your answer. You could be anything Cassian. Anything. You could have any life you wanted.” Starry eyes thought about the prospect of that freedom, desperate to attain that illusion of choice. The crown Cassian wore was heavy. A crown? More like golden shackles, she thought.

He mirrored her question back to her and eager to entice Cassian to play her game, she complied with a soft smile humming as she thought. Her eyes danced from Cassian to the ceiling, searching for her answer. “I’d like to live on land.” Nadia began first. “I love the ocean, of course, but living in a permanent structure would be pleasant, I think.” She hummed again, playing with the dark brown tresses of hair that pooled around the pillows and her shoulders.

She twirled the strands around her fingers, deep in thought. “Perhaps I’d like to be a farmer. Or.. Maybe an innkeeper or…” She searched for the right answer, grasping at straws momentarily before she landed. “A cartographer.” She smiled softly. “I’d like that. I could travel anywhere I wanted. I could continue practicing with my blade. I could rest when I wanted.” Sighing wistfully, she stayed tethered to her fantasy. “Can I tell you something? If I could have it my way… I would find a place next to the ocean and I would make the food I loved, and be with the people I loved, and just find happiness in doing nothing. I could learn how to paint. Or play an instrument. Or just waste my days doing nothing but what I wanted to. I wouldn’t have to think about anything. I would love. I would be… Content.”

She snapped her eyes to his, suddenly remembering who she was and who she was talking to. “I– Uh, that’s childish. And impossible. I know. It must sound stupid to hear something so simplistic. You must think it's a boring answer…” She cleared her throat, the embarrassment burning from her cheeks. “But I’ve never had that. All I’ve known is this ship, and these people, and the harshness of humanity in this world.”

She lifted her hand, gazing at the scars that tainted her skin and ruined the perfect complexion. They were not hands that worked– they were hands that fought to stay alive. That fought to matter. That fought to live. Her eyes danced from finger to finger, studying each unique mark.

“But this is just a game…” It was just a game, yet a part of Nadia ached for it to become true at some point in her life. Perhaps after she found the jewel. She could scrub her hands clean of the past and live the life she desperately desired to live. “Alright. Your turn… Has your mind been jogged by any fantastical dreams you wish to share?” She nudged him with her knee, reminding herself and him of their physical connection. She wouldn’t break it until he wished to. “Go on…”




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

© weldherwings.
 


























cassian airendil

the crown prince






































  • .



























wistful








Tuisea Luxury Seaside Inn II






[/tab]








i don't think you've ever felt anything that didn't hurt you.
Cassian allowed himself to follow the sway of Nadia’s words. The occasional syllable slightly slurred, each note a soft melody as she painted the idyllic picture of her life. To be by the ocean--content. Okoris could be like that. A port city after all, it had more than its fair share of beautiful views. But there was something absent in Nadia’s vision. It gnawed at Cassian, sending an uneasy nausea to swirl in his stomach.

Had he ever been content, truly content, in Okoris? Had he ever been content, period? Maybe he had gotten close once, when Finlas was still around. The two of them lazing about during the fluid hours of the afternoon. Time had a way of stretching out in the summer, minutes turning sluggish and reluctant to pass at any normal rate. Thirty minutes under the shade of a tree seemed to stretch for hours, Cassian content listening to the sounds of the trees rustling in the breeze and the pattern of Finlas’ breathing.

His breath was shallow when Nadia turned to him to direct the original question back his way. Misty eyed, he blinked, the nostalgia clearing. “I don’t think it’s silly to want to be content. I’ve had power, wealth, influence. I don’t think any are worth the cost attached.”

Cassian shrugged. “Maybe in another life we can be content together. Just experience the world and wake up each day, excited for the little things we grew to love.” And Finlas is there. He never left, they were still friends, and Cassian was more than the crown weighted to his name.

He didn’t like this line of thought. The prince’s features tugged downwards into a scowl. He was exhausted after the varying emotions that had washed over him that day. The high excitement of freedom and sickeningly low taste of fear had left him spent. His eyelids were growing heavy. Sleep whispered in his ear with a sweet melody, but he found himself fighting the warm caress that beckoned him. After all, how often would he witness Nadia in this state? He could get some truths out of her this way.

“Tell me, Nadia,” He said, voice barely above a whisper. “Is finding the jewel really that important to you? You still have time to become a cartographer. To live by the sea and experience a taste of that contentment. I could get you a home in Okoris. You and your whole crew. You could be happy.”

But it was too late for him. Cassian would inherit the bloodied weight of the crown eventually, no matter how hard Rigel would try to sabotage it. Contentment had sailed into the sunset with Finlas years ago. But for Nadia--maybe there was still time.













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