Pray, Play, and Pleasure (Tydus)

[Nyxie Nadira Draer]

.

37th of Spring, 513 AV

Messages from the Avikki :

An exchange of letters between the Tempests and the Draer preceded the following encounter.

“Hurry up. We’ll be reachin’ the shore soon.”

Nyxie didn’t bother to ask where they were going. It wasn’t as if they’d tell her, anyways. She was simply under their care and guidance; her use was a mere step above the newly captured slave aboard their ship. The redhead exhaled a long and heavy sigh, flicking an irritated glance at the man who ordered her obedience.

“Yes, father.”

She stood by the rails, draping the net over her right arm, letting the weights dangle in the air. Her technique required a steady hand, and she knew the wind would make her falter. The cast needed to be done before they reached shallower waters. It stressed her out, making her shuffle her feet about the deck.

“Come on, luv! Throw it now, or you’ll lose them!”

The encouragement was tossed by the gruff voice of a woman; one that Nyxie had learned to trust far more than anyone else. “But Heila, the wind, it’s⎯”

“Bend your torso forward more. It’ll help you counteract the force of the wind, allowing you to better balance the centrifugal force of your shot.”

She makes it sound so petching easy.

A guttural groan was followed by a circular throw, the arc of her shot extending her right arm as far as it would go. She held the landline in the fingers of her left, gripping it tightly, knowing that the catch would succumb to the sinking trap any tick now.

“Good, that was good. But it’s not a perfect circle. Make sure to anticipate the movement in your mind, and account for the imbalance of the ship’s movement.”

“Oh, sure. Tell me that after I throw the net.” She shot a smirk at her slave. Heila just shrugged, returning it with a sympathetic countenance. The woman knew the redheaded child much too well to be offended in any way; she took the retort as a simple instruction to provide more direction next time. The slave then turned back to tend to the younger man aboard the ship, feeding him a meal as he sat on a wooden crate, with his hands bound together in manacles.

Nyxie waited in silence until she felt the landline pull taut. A gasp escaped her lips as she was suddenly dragged over to lean against the rails, the net tugging away from the hull. It took her a tick to regain her strength, pulling at the landline hand over hand, reeling in her prize. She hoisted the net over the rails with a grunt, and then chucked it onto the wooden deck.

The Svefra grinned. A pile of squirming, glistening, wide-eyed fish now sat by her feet. Pride grew within her, blue eyes glittering with pleasure.

“That’s it? Ya realize that’s not enough, eh?” The captain looked over his shoulder as he stood by the wheel. He gazed at his daughter with a dissatisfied frown, his tone clearly filled with frustration. “Rick, we’ll have to cut our days short with business here, mate⎯we won’t have enough t’ last more than two days,” he stated, directing his comments at his brother.

“The Tempests should arrive before the sun sets. I’m sure we’ll be alright, Gerry,” the voice was deeper than her father’s; it was a voice that spoke of confidence and grace. The older man stepped over to clasp a hand onto his brother’s shoulder, taking a slow, long draw from the pipe he held in the other. “Aye, have a little faith.”

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“I’m going for a walk.”

She turned her back to the ship and ignored the pestering warnings from her father. Nyxie felt she did enough to help already. Let Erich do the petchin’ unloading. The redhead stole a glance over her shoulder to catch her cousin fire an annoyed scowl. She knew he’d be asked to go after her.

The Captain wouldn’t want her to be alone.

.

[Tydus Tempest]

The Sloop sloshed about in the ocean's depth as the Lia Tatianna of the Tempest Pod barked orders in preparation for mooring at the Point.

"Avast, me sisters and brothers! Drop anchor and ready the casinor! We're havin' company tonight! To the Point!"

The Lia's orders confused some, but none questioned them, only her, the eldest of the women in the Pod, and Tydus himself privy to what was going on. The Tempest was valued by the Pod for his capacities in literature and business, and given a sense of authority, if only in regards to foreign Svefra and normals.

Trade was the Svefra's business, and there was a distinct possibility, given information received via Avikki, that he was to be of use. Arguments regarding the love for mizas and the need for barter aside, the Lia knew of Tydus' merit in the craft, and even of the magic that the rest of his Pod was unaware of. Hypnotism was an art best left with as many unaware of its presence as possible. Rather than assist in the mooring of the ship, Tydus read over the letter one last time, a grin layered upon his expression as he read the words aloud,

"My family and I are heading to God's Eye Point, for a few days of rest and prayer. We have travelled between Kenash, Syliras and Alvadas - trading goods grown from Kenashern plantations.

If you're interested in business, or if you're simply willing to have some good ol' Svefran fun, we invite you to join us! Sail the Northern Suvan Sea, and you'll find the Point on a peninsula north of Alvadas and south of the Gold Watchtower."

The Lia walked over to the Svefra lad, a light kick pointed to the Svefra's ribs in order to get him to start moving as she called out to him, extending her arm to help him rise,

"Aye, Tydus. The Draer family... I've heard stories of their name when I was a girl, sailing the Suvan as a Wavestrider. They're an empire of sorts in their little city, I think. Forfeiting their souls and sense of adventure on Laviku's seas for a bit of prestige. Either way, it's a welcome reprieve to speak to our Father on the Point. You'll love it. But get yer ruddy arse onto one of the casinor. We're castin' off. Leavin' some of the Pod to watch the Sloop. But not you."

The Draers?

A groan escaped the younger Svefra's lips as she kicked him, scowling playfully at the Lia before pulling on her arm to bring himself to a standing position before pressing his lips to the woman's cheek. "Alrigh, then. I'll try not to fail the Pod, my Lia." After he spoke, the Tempest set off ahead of the Lia, noting that three of the five casinor that the Sloop pulled along had already set sail without the Lia. He'd go with her, but adventure could not wait.

Tydus removed his shirt and sandals, leaving only his gloves and a pair of linen pants to cover his body as he ascended onto the gunwale, diving into the sea. Ocean's sense kicked in but was ignored, the Tempest diverting his energy instead into his legs, kicking furiously in the effort to catch the last casinor, which was turning about and heading towards the shore from behind the Sloop's stern.

Hands reached out as Tydus took several strokes forward, his fingers together in an effort pull at more water, alternating arms with each stroke until he neared the casinor, The Kalvikasi's Ascent.

When the Tempest climbed aboard the casinor, he felt the chill of Spring's air wash over his body, a laugh escaping his lips before he was covered by a quilt one of the women on the casinor carried aboard.

"Tydus, ye foolish lad. We're sailors, not fish, why jump into the water at every given opportunity?

The Tempest merely chuckled, replying to her just as the casinor set into the beaches, the boat's driver lowering the sailors and dropping the anchor for good measure,

"We are fish, Ochia. We've merely grown legs and arms, and been given lungs. But, in essence, we're just fish in Laviku's tide."

~~~o~~~o~~~o~~~o~~~o~~~

The Lia's ship was the last to make it to the beaches, the woman stepping out with the swagger deserving of her title. A smirk materialized upon the woman's features as she yelled out to the Draers,

"Draers! Sorry to keep ye waitin', but t'is been far too long since any of ar' Pod've been in the Suvan. Anyway, we're here now!"

Tydus listened to his Lia with a laugh, noting the unapologetic tone, her body language portraying little more than eagerness to meet other Svefra. The boy, on the other hand, was curious as to where they were, his ocean blue gaze cast about to find the summit in the distance.

What a view that must have... Business is never done in the evening, Tatianna knows that much. Pleasure under Leth, business under Syna.

The Svefra wandered off, sand gripping at his toes, then washed away by the tides as he set his way forward. In the distance, he spotted a red-haired young woman followed by a man, the Oceanus upon the Svefra's shoulder humming, pitting a familiar swell in his stomach. Obviously they were two of the Draer that they were supposed to meet.

"Oi, Draer-folk! Where are ye headed? Never been around these parts. Think I can get a tour?"

[Nyxie Nadira Draer]

.

"Draers! Sorry to keep ye waitin', but t'is been far too long since any of ar' Pod've been in the Suvan. Anyway, we're here now!"

The Captain exchanged amused looks with his brother before welcoming the young woman over to their makeshift camp by the shore. A bonfire had been lit for warmth under the setting sky, and bottles of Kenashian rum were being passed around the flames as the Tempests started to settle in. It was hard to tell whether any talk of business came out of their boisterous laughter; but it was a refreshing change to see the Draers begin to relax amongst the company of traditional Svefra.

Meanwhile, Erich walked a few steps behind Nyx as she made her way along the shoreline, watching the tides erase her footprints in the sand. The girl wasn’t going anywhere in particular, and the boy kicked a seashell repeatedly in front of him as he walked. They journeyed in silence, listening to the lulling sound of crashing waves. It was surprisingly peaceful. Nyxie turned around and started to walk backwards, watching her cousin staring at the horizon. Feeling her eyes on him, he glanced back, knitting his brows in apparent annoyance. She frowned. It wasn’t like she forced him to come with her. The redhead turned back, whipping her hair against the wind, causing it to fly around her face in every which way.

She didn’t care how she looked this late in the day. Nyxie wasn’t going to take part in the meetings, nor was she going to have the chance to get to know these people, so why bother to dress up? She continued to walk, the bottom of her white skirt now drenched and dirty. There was a tear in her simple red corset along the side of her waist, made by the splinter of a wooden crate that got in her way this morning. Simply put, Nyx looked nothing like a Dynasty.

But that didn’t stop her from acting like one.

“Erich, listen,” she kept walking, eyes forward. “I don’t need you to babysit me. We’re pretty far from the old man now, anyways.” She tried to sound stern and cold, knowing that he’d rather be anywhere but here. She waited for a response. Nothing. A seashell hit the back of her heel.

“Oi, Draer-folk!”

The pair turned to see a Svefra walking towards them. Nyxie was stunned. She didn’t expect to talk to any of the Tempests, let alone a shirtless lad who looked about her age. Ignoring the reddening of her cheeks, she put on a polite smile.

“Where are ye headed? Never been around these parts. Think I can get a tour?”

A couple ticks of awkward silence passed before Nyx cleared her throat. She expected Erich to take the lead in the introductions, but it seemed like he was in a rather sullen mood. She held out a hand, her next words poised.

“It’s my first time here as well. I’m Nyxie, by the way. Nyxie Nadira Draer,” should he take her hand, a firm Svefra handshake would follow. The lad might also notice how different the redhead’s accent was from his own. It was only natural for a Dynasty to talk posh. “And this is my cousin, Erich,” she gestured towards the boy who now held a pipe in his mouth, striking a flint. “A tour? I’m afraid I don’t know my way around, but I’d be happy to explore the place, if you’d care to join me.” She paused to take another look at her cousin. He averted her gaze and took a long drag before puffing smoke rings into the air. Erich clearly couldn’t care less.

Curious cerulean eyes stayed fixed on that of the Tempest’s, even as her words were directed elsewhere. “Tell father I’ll be back before the fire’s out.” The pipe never left his lips as he glared oddly at the young lad. But without a word, he started to walk, heading back towards the camp.

The moment he left, the redhead let out a short sigh. Her mood changed almost instantly. The polite smile transformed into an amused grin, knowing that she was now free to do as she pleased. Nyxie’s mind spun with possibilities, thinking of things she wanted to do---but she wasn’t sure whether her company would be up for some spontaneous adventure. It wouldn’t hurt to ask.

“I don’t know about you, but I’m not here for business. I’m looking for something fun to do before I have to get back on the ship. Any ideas?”

.

[Tydus Tempest]

In truth, the presence of the male Svefra was entirely unwelcome. He exuded a presence of sullen, angst-filled nonsense, and Tydus, with a woman around to focus his attention on, would have none of it. A single flickering gaze was set back towards Lia Tatianna and the Tempest pod, who already had begun to work on their association, the Tempest clearly noting the presence of ale barrels being opened, mugs tossed about at Tydus moved to produce his own spirit.

It was a substance he had purchased for himself in the region of Cyphrus, the name of which and the taste produced a combination that assaulted both his sense of taste and his wildest fantasies. He was just about to withdraw it before he listened to the woman speak. Her voice was, if anything, intoxicating. Her Fratava, though she was born Svefra, was altered slightly with the inflection of an accent, raised a pitch higher than most Svefra spoke, her words slowed. To Tydus, it seemed as if she was trying far too hard for the words to sound natural to her. But, by far the most noticeable thing to Tydus was her lack of hand gestures.

Part of the understanding of Fratava was done by speaking with one's body, and though the Tempest interpreted her words with ease, something was off. Though, her invitation was well-received, a smile gracing the Tempest's lips just before the woman's companion turned tail and left. Obviously, the family suffered a bit of a rift, or some sort of dispute, but the Tempest scion didn't care in the slightest.

Tydus affirmed her invitation with a slow nod, stepping forward as he pointed towards the top of the Point, a his grin fixed with a wink before he replied to her,

"Never been that high up from the sea before. I've heard legends that cliffsides were created when Laviku's fury bites at the earth. Also heard that Zulrav kisses each clifftop with his winds. It sounds like an adventure."

The Tempest listened to her retort, chuckling in agreement before he lowered to the ground, hands flat against the sand as he pushed his weight upwards with his core. His abdomen strained in protest from the motion, but he suspended himself in a fully outstretched handstand for a number of ticks before he pushed himself forward, his back pressing to the sands as he stared up at the woman with a laugh,

"Have to get back on the ship? Ye sound like yer not used to such a thing. Anyway, there's always fun to be had in a new place and a new face. Especially one as lovely as yers. I could think of... a thing or two we could do."

If the woman was looking down at him as he spoke, she would see his grin spread, dissolving into a warm smile before he rose his his feet. His actions were performed fluidly, a sense of relaxation exuding from his words and how he moved. Tydus cared little for niceties of society, but he enjoyed word games. Business was a word game with a final destination, profit.

But... there were always other word games to play. Others that had a far more satisfying reward.

[Nyxie Nadira Draer]

.

The redhead couldn’t help but smirk at the young Svefra’s reply, amused with his unabashed flirtatiousness. It was a refreshing change of pace after such a long, tiresome trip, so she refrained from rolling her eyes at his delightfully dramatic display. He seemed to share her sense of adventure, and he certainly sounded like a man who’d be up for some fun… but was he of the daring sort? Nyxie raised a brow at his last remark before letting out a short sigh, which quickly turned into a chuckle.

“You’re quite the charmer,” she chimed, in a voice simultaneously cheery and poised. “And does this particularly fine Tempest have a name? Or should I call you whatever pleases me most?” Yet another smirk played at Nyxie’s lips as she openly expressed her interest in the man. Her question mostly meant to poke fun at his failure to mention his name. But there were other subtle implications, if his mind chose to wander there.

She looked up to where he pointed, noticing a summit at the top of a large hill. Nyx stared in awe, her mouth agape, surprised that she hadn’t thought to survey her surroundings before she walked out here. The Draer had obviously been too busy being annoyed by her cousin to look around. She brought her blue-eyed gaze back to the Svefra, suddenly excited to able to spend time with company other than her family.

“We could walk up there together,” she paused, taking a moment to ponder their options. Walking would take a while. What if they…

Nyxie started to walk backwards, a broad grin spreading across her face.

“Or I could race you there.”

She stopped walking. There was a distance between them now, about ten steps wide.

“The winner gets to make the loser do whatever they want until the fire’s out~”

.

[Tydus Tempest]

The Tempest was rather caught off guard by the woman's receptivity to what he had said. He was surprised, for usually, among the normals, he was met with a slap, with his pod, met with a sharp jab and a laugh, but it seemed that this woman was caught somewhere in the middle. He had toyed with her ever so slightly, paused in the midst of words to perform a feat of physical activity.

Was she perhaps impressed? Or was she simply interested in the new person that came from the boat and onto dry land? The Svefra had no idea, but he was, at the very least, intrigued by the notion. The more he looked at the woman, the more he found an attractive, if daring young lass that swept his attentions. The example of the most curious of Svefra, the elusive fire-haired ones that he caught on occasion, scrambled through the world in sparse numbers.

A tale marked itself into into the Svefra's mind, breaching into the past when one of the podmothers had told him a bedtime story:

"Aye, young lad. One day, yer bound to meet some lovely lasses of the sea. Some jus' like us, but with a tinge of red in 'er hair, the sparkled blue of Laviku's seas in her eyes. These women are differen', they're special, ye know. They're the elusive red-headed Svefra. Their blessin' rains down on us from the sky less than 'unce a generation, poppin' in and about pods who deserve teh blessin."

Of course, now the Svefra had seen various of his kin without blonde hair, including Kel Greytide, a friend of his, and several within his very own pod. This proved the podmother's point to be moot. If he recalled correctly, the woman herself had been red-haired, and she was likely just toying with the Svefra. Or, even worse than that, she was messing with his young, impressionable mind. A despicable thing to do to a child, but surely Tydus has no room to criticize. He would do the same thing if it earned him any sort of reward.

Bringing himself back to the present, the Tempest Svefra looked forward as he rose to his feet, a smirk materialized upon his features as the Nyxie mentioned calling him whatever 'pleased her most'.

Guess I did forget to introduce myself. How rude of me. 'Course, keeping the mystery is always a plus, too. Keeps them interested. But, I guess it's time.

The Svefra parted his lips to reply to the red-haired one, a chuckle intoned into his words,

"The name's Tydus, dear Nyxie. Didn' mean to leave yeh hanging on the name, but... what's his name was a bit of a distraction. T'is much more pleasant with just the gem that catches my eye 'round."

The Tempest took several steps forward as the smirk dissolved into that of a grin, excitement mounding in his chest as he felt his heart begin to pace. There was a playfulness in his stare as he looked the woman up and down, deliberately doing so slowly so that the Draer lass would notice,

"You say anything the other wants? You're on, Nyxie. Might want to be a bit more careful with that next time."

He flashed her a wink before stepping towards her so that he was directly next to her, a hand lightly brushing along her thigh in passing before he remarked,

"On your go, lass."

[Nyxie Nadira Draer]

.

“Wait,” she grabbed his wrist, turning to face the Tempest as she yanked his brazen hand towards her. Nyxie didn’t mind his touch – quite the opposite, in fact. But there was no fun in giving into his charms so easily.

She stared at him with lively eyes, starkly contrasting the pout on her lips. Only a few mere inches of space stood between them as her grip tightened, words spilling forth in honeyed mockery,

“Don’t cry when you lose, alright? I can’t bear to see tears on your pretty face~”

For a moment, Nyxie looked as though she was being serious; then her face split into a grin. With one hard shove, she pushed the Tempest back, laughing hysterically while she sprinted towards the hill on her delightful head start.

Adrenaline surged through her entire body. Legs pumped as hard and as fast as they could go, lungs straining to keep up. She dashed across the sand beneath her feet, feeling Zulrav rush through her hair and Syna shine on her skin. Then the ground quickly turned to dirt and started to incline. Nyxie flicked a glance over her shoulder to check on the Svefra, who looked like he was starting to catch up to her. The grin never left her flushed face.

That is until he got in front of her.

Tydus managed to gain ground; zipping past the redhead at a speed she couldn’t match. Brows furrowed in angst and frustration, but Nyxie kept going strong, not willing to give up. The Tempest was only a couple feet away, and the summit was getting closer by the second. There was no way she’d submit under the will of a man she barely knew. There was no chance she’d let him win.

A large, leafy tree stood looming alone in the distance; its height over thirty feet tall. The top of the hill lay just beyond it, waiting to be claimed by either of the two Svefra. Nyxie narrowed her gaze on the tree. It was the perfect finish line.

“First one to touch the trunk wins!”

The insanity of her exhilaration was almost intoxicating. It consumed every rational nerve and elevated her senses, nearly driving her mad with a hunger for victory. Nyxie chased the Tempest, right at his heels, the two of them neck and neck, fighting for a lead over the other when finally---

“YES! Woooohooo!”

An ivory hand pumped a fist into the air, crystalline cries of triumph echoed off the rocky cliff. Twirling and dancing and hollering and laughing and pure joy flowed out of the victorious Svefra.

“Petch, Tydus, that was so…” she panted, completely out of breath.

“FUN!” Nyxie was clearly thrilled as she ran her fingers through her hair, still laughing from her post-euphoric high. “Ugh, I haven’t run like that in so long!” She smiled at the Tempest, gesturing him over to lean against tree with her as she sat down to unwind.

“So I guess this means I get to boss you around now, hm?” She winked at him, and then remembered his show of physical prowess from earlier. Nyx figured she could use that to her advantage.

“It’s been a long day, Ty,” she liked the sound of the shortened name, and decided to stick with it. Nyxie stretched her arms out as she tried to rid her body of the aches in her muscles. With a short sigh, she looked back at Ty, then decided to sprawl out on the ground. She pressed the tops of her feet and thighs to the dirt, lifting her chest off the ground with her straightened arms and firming her shoulders blades as she bent back. Heila called it a ‘snake stretch’. Nyx just loved the way it immediately relaxed her.

“I could really use a massage~”

.

[Tydus Tempest]

The Tempest expected nothing short of victory. His body was the finely-toned result of a lifetime at sea. It was the combined effort of a diet balanced by the podmothers and the labour that he set forth on the ship, both by means of swimming through the seas, working on the boat, and... other means. By no means shy about his body, Tydus flaunted it about with the ladies of the ports he visited, finding fulfillment with them and the pleasures that the physical union offered. After all, he had a reputation within the Pod to uphold. Known as the 'Conversationalist' aboard the Waverunner's Fist, Tydus of the Tempest Pod was known for his capability of turning a phrase and his entrancing ability to make those in his vicinity more prone to liking him. Many in the Pod were unsure whether this was a product of his smile, his eyes, or his appearance, but it never mattered.

Tydus was what the Magic Merchant, a Vantha who had taught him the ways of business and Hypnotism while sailing with them to Avanthal, forged him to be. He reveled in it, enjoying the sweet intricacies of social understanding, but for the moment, he reveled instead in the woman's presence. Her face was mere inches from his in the woman's proximity, his wrist held in her hand, though he made no effort to release from her grasp. He simply grinned at her as she jibed at him, the threat of losing the bet drove into him. It elicited a fervent desire to prove the contrary and win, but she cheated. She pushed him backwards, Tydus' back bending slightly under his own weight, his right foot moving backwards to preserve his balance, but before he could react and tempt fate with a kiss to her lips or a brush against her body, she fled.

The woman's laugh was by no means fitting to her role as a daughter of high-society, but it was charming. Enticing, even. It spurred him forth, the desire manifesting not only to best this woman, but to also have the opportunity to command her rising in his mind. It was a powerful inclination, and it drove the Tempest forward with haste. Legs far longer than Nyxie's pushed him forward, strides leaving footprints in the sand as Tydus Tempest accelerated. Tanned arms pumped with each cycle of strides as his lungs filled with and expelled air in a vicious exchange. Exertion built within him, though by the time he began to feel the effects of muscle fatigue, Tydus was already ahead of the woman. Bubbling laughter laugh escaped his own lips as he reveled in the fact that he was in the lead.

But, it didn't last.

Tydus began to tire, his body unused to the constancy of dry land, and with it, he lost his balance. He tumbled forward just as the woman made it to pass him, his arms set in front of him to brace for impact just as Nyxie crossed the 'finish' line. Tydus managed to tuck into a roll, landing on his back with an exasperated, but relieved sigh before he realized that he had lost. All of that effort had culminated into the equivalent of slavery, even if it was only temporary. But, when the woman rose again, Tydus noting the curves of her body, the beauty present in her features and the pure, overflowing joy that exuded from them... he decided that perhaps the loss wasn't a total nightmare. He grinned at the woman as she set down nearby him, agreement manifesting in his gestures as a nod moved his head, a hearty laugh bubbling from his throat as he replied,

"Aye, lass. It was such a close race. Ye got me by teh strand of yer hair."

When she mentioned her right to boss him around, he nodded simply, making his way towards the woman with slow movements on the sand before he replied,

"Aye, lass. A deal's a deal, even if ye cheated to make it better on yer end."

He smirked at her, flashing the woman a wink before her first command for the night made itself known to him. She wanted a massage? Tydus was in no way experienced in the craft, but he had one advantage that allowed him a tinge of experience in any sort of sensual art.

Hypnotism.

Tydus had never attempted the use of Hypnotism in the course of a massage, but he had done so in the midst of intercourse, and truly, it seemed that the latter was more difficult. The Tempest smirked at his own thought before he nodded at the Draer lass, flashing her yet another smile before his palms pressed to the flesh of her calf, hands slowly running their course along the expanse of her leg as he replied,

"A massage, eh? Heard they use oil for that kind of thing. Guess we'll have to do without this time? Unless ye happen to have a drop or two on ye."

A snigger escaped him before he shrugged his shoulders ever so slightly, continuing the focused effort of the massage as he wove djed, elicited from the depths of his soul and manifesting it within his hands and in his words, intent on using sound and the sense of touch as his media of expression as he spoke to her again,

"Hopefully... it'll feel jus' as good. Of course, there are always other things if ye want pleasure..."

His words were spoken with a metered, soothing tone, his Fratava more slowly spoken than usual, though he would have spoken it the same way regardless of the use of magic. After all, the situation called it. The Hypnotic words were layered with an emotional response, intent on manifesting the sensation of pleasure within the lovely red-headed Svefra's mind as his hands continued their movement along her right calf, raising beyond her knee and along her thigh as Tydus sought to enforce their movement with Hypnotic pleasure.

It was, after all, a gift meant to be used his benefit. Business wasn't the only application, right? The Magic Merchant had taught him to follow his instincts with the magic, and he found that pleasure was more than a worthy cause to solicit the use of magic. Deep, pleasurable chills flowed down the Svefra's spine as he used the magic of Hypnotism, a familiar, welcome experience that the Svefra encouraged. He desired to use the magic more, to please his 'mistress' more, but it was, more than anything, an extension of his own pleasure and desire.

Win or lose in this scenario, Tydus had found a way to win.

[Nyxie Nadira Draer]

.

A sharp intake of breath followed his first hold, straining to keep from releasing a blissful moan from the base of her throat. She struggled to hide the signs of her delight, but watching her body writhe under his kneading palms and hearing her soft, suppressed whimpers would be more than enough to prove that his trick was working.

Nyxie was surprised. She didn’t think she’d enjoy his touch as much as she did. In fact, she really only expected the massage to help her relax – not send her into waves of pleasure. Winning the bet worked out better than she’d imagined. Sure, she might’ve cheated, but was it really cheating if she hadn’t broken any spoken rules? Nope. Nyxie felt she won fair and square.

The redhead craned her neck to look behind her shoulder, watching the Tempest push the fabric of her skirt higher, feeling his hands press firmly onto her thigh. Words were caught between her mind and tongue as she considered asking him to go higher. Would he really dare to please her every whim? She knew enough to realize that her topless masseur would be eager to do anything that could quell his own desires, or even anything that wouldn’t be too challenging. But where did this Svefra draw the line? The thought brought the corners of her lips into a crooked smile. Nyxie was sure she’d find out, one way or another.

Her body shifted, bringing an arm under her head as she turned onto her side, pulling her leg away from under his controlling magic before deciding to speak her mind.

“So not only are you a charming lad,” she lifted her head and let it rest in her palm, “but you’re also quite talented with those hands. I’ll have to put them to good use.” Nyxie flaunted a teasing smirk as she rolled onto her back. Both hands folded behind her head, looking up at the Tempest with curious blue eyes. “Other things, you say?” She chuckled, wondering what he might have in mind. “Sure, I’d be open to a few suggestions.”

Taking a deep breath, she lifted her gaze to the sky, seeing it darken as Syna’s rays slowly started to fade. Nyxie figured they’d have a few more hours together before she needed to go back to her cabin. The thought reminded her that she had to look out for the light of the fire, so that she could return to the ship as soon as it’s doused. She wouldn’t want her father to be looking for her out here. He’d most likely send Erich hunting for her instead, forcing him to ‘find the silly girl before she gets into trouble again’. When it came to responsibility, the Captain strongly believed that Nyxie had very little sense of it. Of course, he wasn’t far from the truth: she’d rarely given him reason to have faith in her. Nyx was always of the mischievous sort, never giving up an opportunity to find pleasure in novel experiences. Trouble was only a natural consequence of such a spirit.

But Nyxie wasn’t really worried about such dangers quite yet. She relished her time with the attractive Svefra, hoping to discover more about him as they enjoyed themselves in whatever ways they wanted. Her curiosity grew as soon her gaze fell back on his pleasant face.

“Ty,” she began, her inquisitive voice clearly seeking for a serious answer, “how far would you really go for our little bet?” Her unsmiling tone faltered when a grin broke out on her face.

“We’ll start small. How about carrying me over to the edge of the cliff over there? I think the view would be nicely paired with some food and drink. Would you care to bring us something?”

Naju Word Count: 631

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[Tydus Tempest]

A satisfied smirk materialized upon the Tempest's features as he heard the woman's voice break into stifled moans. In truth, the Hypnotism seemed to have worked more powerfully than he anticipated. He suspected that instilling waves of pleasure would relax her, perhaps even soothe her, but it did far, far more.

Tydus watched, amusement materializing upon his features, as her lips quivered in suppression of what held. In truth, he wanted to press farther, move higher to see the progression of events, but he was thwarted. Nyxie seemed to take her time to adjust her expression to one of nonchalance, though with her smirk, Tydus merely grinned. Her words drew into flattery that she adorned him with, the Svefra's posture straightening as his metaphorical feathers were fluffed.

The Tempest wore the compliments like a cloak, the laugh present upon his features, though he did not speak. Her words swooped and evaded at his jibes, his half-hearted attempts at captivating her. There was little need to rush or show desperation, for there was nothing to fear. The looming night before them had plenty of time to offer its pleasures, but in the moment, where Tydus preferred to make his camp, there was contentment. Syna made her coy retreat from Leth's embrace, their eternal chase upon the sky reminding him, momentarily, of his own struggle.

A sigh was on the verge of escaping him, though it was quickly replaced with amusement and even curiosity as Nyxie set her question. With the question, Tydus drew closer to her, adjusting his position so that he was right next to her. He allowed a shrug to move his shoulders as the question was voiced, the ocean scents of Laviku's domain spurring the senses as Zulrav's winds carried them skyward. God's Eye Point, this place was called, and Tydus could see why.

The cliff was high like the winds of Zulrav, placed in his domain and his hands, his winds licking at the cliff face. Laviku's domain lay underneath, waves sloshing against the rocky shores and sandy beaches as the Sea God's might beat music into the night. Leth and Syna made their approaches close enough for mortals to reach skyward and wish to join the deities in their flight. In truth, the place was a paradise for the Gods that the Tempest knew and understood. And in the depths of their watch, Tydus felt a sense of serenity that the life of a seafarer never truly allowed. He felt... at peace.

The Tempest allowed his fingers to gently traverse a path along Nyxie's cheek, reaching to her jaw and along the space of her neck before they moved. His touch was tantalizing in nature, the djed that was placed within his hands flickering into the one and releasing into completion upon the contact. The sensation was placed merely for the benefit of his 'mistress', a playful wish for Tydus to please her materialized upon his mind with the end result of their bet. Her question was answered in his mind as he welled more djed, drawing even more from the depths of his soul and allowing his fingers to press to the woman's forearm. Pleasure would blossom upon the contact once again, intensified by the touch, though Tydus limited it to that, deciding not to make further use of his djed. He, after all, had nothing to gain from her that he could see. Just shy of her mark, Tydus instead sought out to trace the waves that formed their shape, the mark so starkly different from his own. He was curious to see how the magic would work with such a light, gentle caress.


It was when he finished tracing the waves that made up her Oceanus that Tydus decided to speak, his words thick with intonations of service, his head bowing ever so slightly before he replied,

"How far am I willing to go, Nyxie? In this place, I am entirely at your service."

He winked at her before he brought himself to a risen position, his legs spread into a wide stance as he scooped beneath the woman's legs and her torso with his arms, picking her from the ground. The Tempest's legs immediately strained from the effort as he focused his efforts into bringing them both upwards, though he seamlessly carried out the task, carrying Nyxie over to towards the edge of the cliff, stopping approximately three yards from the edge. His breathing would be slightly more accelerated from the exertion, but he was otherwise unaffected, several deep breaths taken to even the rhythm as he brought both himself and Nyxie to the ground. She would lay next to him as the Tempest's eyes moved towards the sea, watching the rolling of the tides, their formation and their movement upon Laviku's waters, the ebb and flow reminding him that even the ocean, in its vastness breathed.

It was, as Tydus or Nyxie was, a living creature, an entity that pulsed with the life of millions of organisms, if not more. It was when the effort was finally done and Tydus had recovered that he finally decided to address her second command, a false pout pursing his lips as he looked to his 'mistress',

"I would carry that out for you, dear Nyxie, but that would require me leaving... You set a condition, and I will set one of my own. I'll do as you ask, but in the time it takes for those flames to go out, I will not leave your side. I think... that my presence is a bit more welcome than the other one's, no?"

Tydus savoured the games that words allowed them to play, their flow and ebb much like the tides themselves, but this was a current that Tydus could control. A flow that Tydus mustered and created, weaved them and blew them about like the winds that Zulrav gifted the world with. It was an art that Tydus enjoyed, even if he was not actively working towards influencing the woman's mind. All of it was for her pleasure, or so he figured. An idea formed in the Tempest's mind, a chuckle moving his lips as he reached to his flask, shaking it to see that it was approximately three-fourths of the way filled, the large, sturdy metal contained sloshing much like Laviku's tides in the sea.

"Ah! How wonderful, Nyxie. While I can't leave your side to fetch us some food, I can provide you with a drink. Would you like some... mistress?"

He offered her the last word, accompanied with a smirk before he placed the flask before her in offering.

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